Minions and Painkiller - 2 Short Films By Jeremiah Kipp

I have reviewed and enjoyed short films by Jeremiah Kipp in the past so when he contacted me with screening links for a pair of his newest shorts I was excited to check them out. Though it took longer than I'd want to just to get around to viewing them (sorry man!), I can't say I was let down by either film.

THE MINIONS is a subtle and largely subdued creeper clocking in at eleven minutes. It is a very uncomfortable eleven minutes for the viewer though, as we watch a man named William help a stranger get her drunk friend home as the drunk girl screams at the man to "kiss me" and "love me". William is reliving this account while a voice known as Abigail speaks to him, almost taunting him that he has walked down "The Witches' Path" and that the two women were minions of the witches. This psychological and more mystical horror only heaps on the creepiness as William gets more and more physically attached to the woman he is supposed to be helping and her friend watches helplessly as William takes control.

A minimalist approach benefits the film here as there is nothing excessively graphic about THE MINIONS but what is left to the imagination only makes the situation that much worse. Knowing what William was capable of was horror enough, but flip the page over and look at it that it was all a set up by the witches to seduce William in to portraying a heinous act is just as hair raising. I can't complain about anything here as the photography on the city streets looks great and performances are spot on. The sequences of the film with William talking to Abigail are haunting and beautifully done.

While THE MINIONS took the "less is more" track, PAINKILLER certainly opted to go with the feeling that more is definitely more. The story here pertains to a pair of scientists who are in love and are trying to develop an organism that can live in a symbiotic relationship with its human host. In this case the host would be a terminally ill cancer patient. The organism would be placed into the spinal column of the patient and would feed off of the patient's pain while releasing pleasurable endorphins into the bloodstream effectively replacing the dying patient's pain with pleasure. Since this organism was designed specifically for human use there's no way to test it on animals so the girl lets the man use her as the Guinea Pig and they quickly find that it works very well. The only problem is that the organism survives on pain and it is now in a healthy patient so pain has to be administered. The woman devolves into a state of addiction, and withdrawal when she isn't beaten and tortured enough to get the high she craves from the endorphins being released. Even a dominatrix can't do the trick. Eventually the man calls in another man who will do the dirty work for him but only a price he may not be willing to pay.

PAINKILLER takes a page out of the David Cronenberg book of body horror. There's a good bit of blood and gore packed into the 15 minute runtime and even a good look at the nasty little organism. The acting is strong from top to bottom and the story is one that really hits home in a time where cancer is running rampant and relatively so little progress has been made in fighting it. PAINKILLER is a totally different vibe than THE MINIONS but Kipp handles the direction on both films with grace and skill, getting the most out of his limited run time. I'd love to see a feature length version of PAINKILLER.

PAINKILLER is available HERE 
You can find out more about Jeremiah Kipp HERE

The Device (DVD Review) - Image/RLJ

USA/2014
Directed By: Jeremy Berg
Written By: Jeremy Berg, John Portanov
Starring: Angela DiMarco, Kate Alden, David S. Hogan
Color/90 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: December 16, 2014

The Film
After a long period of not seeing each other, sisters Abby and Rebecca get together at their childhood cabin to scatter their mother's ashes along with Abby's fiancee. While there they stumble upon what appears to be some sort of crash wreckage and find a baseball sized metal ball and bring it home. The ball is seemingly indestructible and unlike anything they've ever seen. Shortly after discovering the ball the sisters begin having strange dreams and traumas find their way to the surface again tearing relationships apart. Things get worse when secrets about the family's history with alien abduction are revealed and the nightmares the girls have been having become reality.

THE DEVICE is another middle of the road film in a genre packed with middle of the road films. The "grey alien abduction" horror/sci-fi genre is seriously lacking in great films. THE DEVICE does have some positives going for it the acting is good and the aliens have a creepy appearance until they're fleshed out too much and look a bit clunky. While they're shrouded in foggy lighting they look terrific though. The film becomes a let down when the alien horror takes a backseat to relationship drama, even if it may all factor back to an abduction.

It boils down to THE DEVICE just doesn't have enough interesting moments to be something great. I think it is a big step up from director Jeremy Berg's previous feature film The Invoking and shows that Berg can progress and hopefully continue to grow. I wouldn't be opposed to Berg revisiting this type of film down the road and hopefully he can knock it out of the park.

The Audio & Video
The DVD from Image/RLJ looks decent at its best and rather crappy at its worst unfortunately. There are constant instances where the image suffers from pixelation and blocking up, even in scenes that aren't particularly dark. The image is never exceptionally sharp, even for DVD. The best moments look like an average DVD release and nothing more. Luckily the Dolby 5.1 audio track sounds good and has a nice quality mix. The dialogue and soundtrack don't compete for the foreground and they compliment each other.

The Extras
THE DEVICE comes with a trio of commentary tracks:
-Director, writers, producers
-Cast
-Tracy Torme: Screenwriter of Fire In The Sky and The Intruders

The Bottom Line
THE DEVICE ends up being a mixed bag but overall it's worth a viewing for fans of alien horror films.

THE DEVICE is available HERE

Drive Hard (DVD Review) - Image/RLJ

Australia/2014
Directed By: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Written By: Chad Law, Evan Law, Brigitte Jean Allen, Brian Trenchard-Smith
Starring: John Cusack, Thomas Jane, Zoe Ventoura
Color/96 Minutes/Not Rated
Region 1
Release Date: November 11, 2014

The Film
Thomas Jane plays a retired racecar driver who is struggling to pay the bills now while he works as a driving instructor. A seemingly normal day takes a wild turn when he's hired for a lesson and subsequently kidnapped by a thief (John Cusack) for his superior driving skills. A heist and shootout have the pair on the run and put in various tight and sometimes funny situations.

Ring, ring, it's two great actors phoning it in. Thomas Jane and John Cusack can be great but they take whatever kind of payday was attached to this movie and run with it by putting very little into their performances. I don't think their best performances would have mattered too much as there's not much to go with in the script. The movie plays out like more of a road trip comedy than any sort of crime thriller. DRIVE HARD has little excitement and none of the adrenaline rush that better films of this nature have. It all comes across very bland and halfhearted and I'll be damned if I wasn't waiting for John C. Reilly to show up and sing his Dewey Cox song but instead of "walk hard" he'd sing "drive hard". At least that would have been interesting.

The Audio & Video
Image/RLJ release DRIVE HARD on DVD with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that looks as good as you'd expect a current release to look. The picture is sharp and clean with no damage and overall nice quality from top to bottom. The Dolby 5.1 audio is just as good. The mix is spot on and has great clarity.

The Extras
Extras? What extras?

The Bottom Line
If you're a big fan of either John Cusack or Thomas Jane and are curious about the film I'd recommend a rental viewing otherwise you're just as well off skipping it.

DRIVE HARD is available HERE

Pretty Peaches (Blu-ray Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1978
Directed By: Alex de Renzy
Written By: Alex de Renzy
Starring: Desiree Cousteau, Juliet Anderson, Joey Silvera
Color/92 Minutes/X
Region FREE
Release Date: November 18, 2014
Limited Edition: 1,500 Copies

The Film
Peaches is on her way to her father's wedding but when she arrives things don't go as she'd hoped and she leaves upset. She crashes her speeding Jeep leaving her unconscious. While she's out a couple of sleazeballs find her and have their way with her and decide to take care of her as she wakes up and is suffering from Amnesia. Peaches can't remember her name, where she is or why she's there and her adventure is about to take some weird twists and turns encountering all sorts of weirdos and doctors and experiences everything from forced enemas to swinger party orgies where some unexpected guests are among the lovers.

PRETTY PEACHES is a fun X-rated romp that is even sillier than it is sexy. There's plenty to laugh at as Peaches struggles to find out who she is and her despicable caretakers try to get their rocks off and make money off of her situation.  Desiree Cousteau and Julet Anderson make their film debut here and would both go on to successful careers as porn stars. Whether you're a die hard of the genre or have just a sneaking interest in checking out vintage smut, PRETTY PEACHES is a great one to check out.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome swings and drives one to deep center field... home run! This transfer, maintaining the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, is damn near pristine. There are moments of very light speckling but the sharpness and clarity to the picture is phenomenal. Detail levels from clothing to textures and surfaces is very high and skin tones are fleshy and natural without a hint of waxiness. The English mono soundtrack is great as well. There's no damage to the track and no background noise to distract you. The levels are steady throughout.

The Extras
-Archival interview with director Alex de Renzy
-Interview with film historian Ted Mcilvenna
-Alex de Renzy trailers

The Bottom Line
A classic of the adult film genre gets a gorgeous limited edition Blu-ray release. Highly recommended. 

PRETTY PEACHES is available HERE

Fantastic Orgy/Champagne Orgy: Peekarama Double Feature (DVD Review) - Vinegar Syndrome

USA/1978
Directed By: Carlos Tobalina
Written By: Carlos Tobalina
Starring: Lesllie Bovee, Annette Haven, John Holmes
Color/149 Minutes/x
Region FREE
Release Date: November 18, 2014

The Films
In FANTASTIC ORGY a woman takes on a job with an adult film production team and through voice over narration tells us of her longing to have sex with the legendary John Holmes. As she arrives on set for her work she begins to get all hot and bothered by the action going on in front of the camera and begins to pleasure herself while still giving us the narration about how she wants to suck and fuck everyone. Eventually her dream of John Holmes comes true and she tells us about how she's climaxing over and over.

How about the CHAMPAGNE PARTY director Carlos Tobalina host's for his cast, crew and friends after a tough movie shoot that ends up being a giant orgy long before the host even shows up. Loads of beautiful girls and guys hooking up with each other while being served champagne... In the words of Robin Leech Champagne wishes and caviar creams... or something like that. This double feature of Carlos Tobalina features very little besides a few dozen naked bodies getting it on together and that's okay because who doesn't love a good old fashioned orgy? The films are everything you'd expect with no surprises or strings attached.

The Audio & Video
Vinegar Syndrome delivers a pair of beautifully restored transfers here, both in their original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. These anamorphic widescreen presentations have a crisp look with a good sharpness to them. Colors and skin tones look natural and vivid. There's virtually no damage to these transfers at all. The audio tracks are also in great condition. There is quite a bit more to listen to in FANTASTIC which is the better of the two. While both tracks are free of any background noise or damage the recording quality on CHAMPAGNE is thin and weak, sounding like it was recorded in an empty hall. This is simply the nature of the production. Overall a fantastic job by the Vinegar Syndrome gang.

The Extras
A trailer for each film is included

The Bottom Line
There's no surprises here as both films perfectly some up what they're about in their title. We get nearly 150 minutes of orgy footage between the two movies and if you've looking for some of that then there is nothing better.

FANTASTIC ORGY / CHAMPAGNE ORGY Peekarama Double Feature is available HERE

Housebound (DVD Review) - XLRator Media

New Zealand/2014
Directed By: Gerard Johnstone
Written By: Gerard Johnstone
Starring: Morgana O'Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru
Color/112 Minutes/Unrated
Region 1
Release Date: November 18, 2014

The Film
After being convicted of a crime Kylie is sentenced to house arrest where she will spend the next several months locked up with her mother in their country home. Kylie and her mother don't exactly getting along, as Kylie acts more like an angsty teen than a grown adult. Kylie begins to notice food and clothing going missing and has a creepy encounter in the basement. Her psychologist doesn't believe her that the house is haunted but Kylie is determined that something not exactly kosher is going on in the house and is going to get to the bottom of it with the help of her ankle monitor who happens to be an amateur paranormal investigator on the side and they uncover the shocking truth behind the history of the house and exactly what evil is lurking around.

HOUSEBOUND at its best is interesting. The twists and turns the story take are engaging and it does have some memorable moments. The film immediately suffers from a completely obnoxious and annoying relationship between the mother and daughter. Their domestic fights are meant to be played up and offer a bit of humor to the film but it is grating on the nerves. There really is nothing funny about it. I think the performances in the film are good as is the direction. The overall tone of the film is just too muddy and doesn't manage to juggle the horror and the lighthearted aspects.

Unfortunately, HOUSEBOUND reminds me of a take on The People Under The Stairs without elevating itself above the middle-the-road- quality that Wes Craven's film has. I would be lying if I said HOUSEBOUND is all bad because it really isn't but I did find myself a bit bored or even worse, annoyed by characters, more often than not.

The Audio & Video
XLRator Media gives HOUSEBOUND a home on DVD under its Macabre line. The release is a good one overall. The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer has a nice sharpness and quality to it. Colors and detail levels are good and there's no damage to speak of. The Dolby Digital (2.0 or 5.1) track is clear and free of any hiccups or background noise. The mix is good so there's no need to reach for the remote to adjust volume level. 

The Extras
-Audio commentary with the director
-Deleted Scenes

The Bottom Line
HOUSEBOUND may not have clicked with me but I wouldn't doubt that it finds an audience that appreciates its offbeat humor and thinks it works. I suggest giving it a rental viewing to see for yourself. 

HOUSEBOUND is available HERE

Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings (Blu-ray Review) - Scream Factory

USA/1994
Directed By: Jeff Burr
Written By: Ivan Chachornia, Constantine Chachornia
Starring: Ami Dolenz, Andrew Robinson, Steve Kanaly
Color/88 Minutes/R
Region A
Release Date: November 18, 2014

The Film
Years ago a tormented boy was murdered during a mean spirited prank by other kids. Now a group of teens has unwittingly unleashed the monster known as Pumpkinhead and the tortured boy's soul is guiding the monster's vicious killings. Pumpkinhead has to be stopped but how do you stop him without further hurting the innocent child within?

PUMPKINHEAD 2: BLOOD WINGS is simply an underrated sequel. I almost never see it discussed on horror message boards or at conventions but it is an entertaining film and is another example that the 90s weren't the terrible years, barren of any good horror movies that they sometimes get called. The thick atmosphere and mood of the original is instead replaced with a bit more excess and camp here but it doesn't hurt the film. The plot is something that has been done before but it is tried and true and it allows Pumpkinhead to be brutal, perhaps even meaner than before.

I don't think we'll ever see the day when PUMPKINHEAD 2 is considered a classic, though I'm sure it does have its fans that  would call it that, but it is a really fun horror movie. It doesn't have to be a classic, or art, or this or that. It is a campy, early 90s horror movie with some gore and good entertainment value. And it doesn't have to be anything more than that.

The Audio & Video
Scream Factory delivers a beautiful Blu-ray for this film that was mainly overlooked on DVD with only a crappy fullscreen release that looked like crap. Scream Factory has given fans the release they've wanted and deserved with an attractive 16x9 anamorphic widescreen transfer that has very good sharpness. Colors are warm and vivid without looking artificially boosted. Skin tones look natural and healthy and have good detail as do textures and surfaces. The English DTS-HD stereo audio track is a quality mix, with crystal clarity and no background noise. There's also no damage to the track and the level mix is well done. A great job overall. 

The Extras
A decent lineup of extras here inlcuding:
-Interview with director Jeff Burr
-"Re-creating The Monster" - a 32 minute+ featurette featuring interviews with Greg Nicotero, Gino Cragnale, and Mark McCracken
-Behind-the-scenes footage
-Audio Commentary with Jeff Burr

The Bottom Line
PUMPKINHEAD 2 is one of the more entertaining and well made early 90s horror films. It stands up well to the Stan Winston classic and deserves a bigger audience. 

PUMPKINHEAD 2: BLOOD WINGS is available HERE