LA Horror Review: “The Upper Footage”

Posted by lahorror on February 6, 2014

Don’t do drugs, people. Okay, that’s a little harsh, let me rephrase that: Don’t do drugs unless you’re prepared for the real life horror that can come of it. And that’s exactly the lesson learned (well, sort of learned) by a group of socialites in Justin Cole’s “The Upper Footage,” a brutally honest and maddening descent into one nightmarish party that went way too far.

You see, according to multiple sources, a video of a girl’s drug overdose and subsequent death leaked online, yet no one has been brought to justice due to the affluent nature of the parties involved. However, a 90-minute segment of the home video of the incident is now available to watch: “The Upper Footage.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbS_eSz4yC8

The film opens with an unbelievably clever and convincing segment introducing this found footage, practically guaranteeing its authenticity. It hooked me in, that’s for damn sure, and the realism never died throughout the entire movie, which is both the strength and potential flaw in “The Upper Footage.” I say that because while this may be one of the most believable found footage film I have ever seen, it’s a hard movie to really enjoy simply because it’s so repulsive. I mean that as a compliment. And the fact that the “victim” in this film’s face is blurred adds an interesting element as well, not only to the “authenticity” the film tries to create, but also to the unsettling vibe this film emanates as a whole.

Real life horror happens every single day, and unfortunately it’s rarely fair. “The Upper Footage” merely sheds light on this harsh reality, and as we follow these characters through their night of coked up debauchery, we only learn to hate them more. This film is successful not only in its ability to shock you with its content, but also fills you with a certain loathing of every character on screen and the situation they create. The worst part of it is that you probably know people like this, and we all know that it’s possible to get away with murder in America. It’s a truly convincing film all around that left me feeling incredibly disturbed and uncomfortable.

The highlight of this film is its unbelievable editing and patience. There is no rush, and nothing is forced–you simply see the events as they happen and not much else. That being said, to be able to truly appreciate “The Upper Footage,” you must show the same patience in return, as this isn’t a horror film per se, this is just a film where horrible things happen…often in real time. But sometimes the scariest things don’t have to jump out at you, but simply unfold slowly before your eyes.

This film is probably not for the casual horror viewer, but it definitely satisfied my urge to watch something really, really nasty. Watch it at your own risk, as “The Upper Footage” is really raw and powerful, but will probably crawl its way under your skin. In fact, it might just leave you feeling kind of fucked up.

To view “The Upper Footage” and learn more, visit the film’s official website. You can also follow “The Upper Footage” on twitter and “like” it on Facebook.

“The Best There Ever Was”

Posted by lahorror on December 3, 2013

What good horror fan doesn’t want another “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” film?! They’re mean, nasty and always full of guts. The mere sound of that chainsaw revving up and covering a hopeless scream with it’s menacing roar just warms my heart! “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” franchise has always been an all time favorite amongst us sickos, myself in particular, which is precisely why we have to share this fan made trailer by some awesome filmmakers who may love this franchise more than anybody else!

“The Best There Ever Was” is a promotional trailer from 2 Man Production for a film that I certainly hope they get to make. They have the film written and wanted to give a glimpse into their vision of the loveable Sawyer family, in particular Grandpa, who we all know was the best killer there ever was. A trailer like this truly shows the passion horror fans have for these films and this could really bring The Texas Chainsaw Massacre back to it’s glory days, or should I say, GORY days.

Filmmaker Derek Cole breaks it down nicely as to what this film, if it indeed can get made, would contribute to this franchise. “I have wanted to do this film since I was a kid. Something about them calling Grandpa ‘The Best There Ever Was.’ A family doesn’t just decide to be crazy all at once they are usually raised to be such a way so I thought it would be cool to kind of incorporate the Grandpa more and see how this family took such a turn to go bat shit crazy as they clearly are.”

Intrigued yet? Well now for the fun part…enjoy, and SHARE this trailer if you think it would be an awesome flick…it could just help it get made!!

We will keep you posted on this project as we learn more! 2 Man Production is also behind “An American Ghost Story,” which we reviewed here. “An American Ghost Story” is now available on DVD, and we HIGHLY recommend checking it out!

“ABCs of Death 2” – VOTE for your favorite short film!

Posted by lahorror on November 5, 2013

There are a lot of ways to die, and most of them aren’t pretty. In the 2012 short film compilation, “The ABCs of Death,” audiences were delighted to see 26 directors create short films about death, dying and being dead, each inspired by a letter of the alphabet. And now that “ABCs of Death 2” is coming down the pipe, the producers are again allowing the audience to choose a segment for the film–but only if the death is inspired by the letter “M.”

Pretty awesome right?? As you can imagine, there are TONS of amazing entries from extremely talented horror filmmakers all across the world, but we’ve gone ahead and chosen a couple of our favorites for you to check out, and most importantly, VOTE for!

Just click the title and “LIKE” the video!

“M” is for Mormon Missionaries (Writer/Director Peter Podgursky)

http://vimeo.com/76886343

NOTHING is scarier than Mormons. No, I kid, they’re usually great people, but Writer/Director Peter Podgursky has taken the common occurance of a visit from those loveable Mormons into something far more sinister, nasty and horrifying. “M is for Mormon Missionaries” is legit and we’re fans of Podgursky’s work, so CHECK IT OUT, and if you find your door knocking Sunday morning, you might want to just pretend you’re not home…

“M” is for Mustache (Writer/Director Levi Caleb Smith)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYtxiklMePA

Murder, madness, mustache. Need I say more? Levi Caleb Smith’s “M is for Mustache” is a suspenseful look into the mind of a murderer and an awesome slow burn to a totally gruesome finish! This short has a great leading performance and some pretty slick editing that makes it a MUST WATCH for this competition.

“M” is for Meltdown (Writer / Director Alex Ray)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK0mGhbsbQk

Who doesn’t love to save the environment?! After all, isn’t it good to be green?! In Alex Ray’s “M is for Meltdown,” saving the environment can be a killer! Super gorey with throwback camp, this cracked me up in all the ways a horror flick should. In fact, I was fortunate enough to be an actor in this one, so you gotta WATCH IT!

“M” is for Maleficium (Writer / Director Alessandro Pulisci)

Okay, so I won’t lie, I wasn’t quite sure what “maleficium” was when I first watched this film, but boy oh boy did I learn in a hurry! Look, this flick was disgusting, gnarly and totally righteous! Not to mention super messy…and you know if a horror movie is messy that it’s way up my alley! LOVED IT!

“M” is for Mercy (Writer / Director Sean Blau)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=778PeAZdE9Y

We thought we’d end our endorsements on a lighter note, and “M is for Mercy” is a perfect example of how horror that gets right under your skin…Director Sean Blau (who is also behind our favorite “The Sunderland Experiment”) gives us a glimpse into a much larger world and floods us with questions. A terrific, thought provoking piece – the type of horror film that really messes with your head. CHECK IT!

Please SUPPORT INDIE HORROR and watch, vote and enjoy all of the entries. These are just the tip of the iceberg in a malicious and magical mess of movie madness! VOTING ENDS NOVEMBER 14th!!! So do it now!!!

LA Horror Review: “Zombie with a Shotgun”

Posted by lahorror on August 14, 2013

“Zombie with a Shotgun.” That’s rolls off the tongue nicely, doesn’t it? I always like to see how people take the classic idea of flesh eating zombies and transform it into their own creation, and in this web series by Hilton Ariel Ruiz, not only is our main character a soon-to-be zombie, but he’s also got a motherfucking shotgun. Get it?

With four episodes released, “Zombie with a Shotgun” definitely sparked my interest by the quick pace and high drama. We start during the middle of some sort of flesh eating apocalypse, and our hero, Aaron (Braeden Baade), along with love, Rachel (Lynnea Molone), are trying desperately to survive, even though Aaron himself has been bitten by a member of the undead. The great thing about “Zombie with a Shotgun” is it starts right at all the good stuff – zombies, guns and of course the cruel battle against human nature. It’s a fun idea from Ruiz that has the potential to become a much larger story.

The episodes showcase our two protagonists nicely, and at times you wonder which one of them will emerge the story’s true hero. Each episode runs just about five minutes, and they do go quick. It will be fun to see our hero’s full transformation into a flesh-eating Zombie…with a shotgun, of course.

Ruiz will be releasing another 5-6 episodes and potentially a feature film down the road. We’ve posted the first two episodes here, so grab your twelve-gauge and pull the trigger!

To watch more, click here! Be sure to follow “Zombie with a Shotgun” on twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.

LA Horror Review: “Bloody Wedding”

Posted by lahorror on May 12, 2012

Kate Murdoch and Brad Coffey fight for their lives in “Bloody Wedding”

Who doesn’t like a good wedding? There’s the dinner, the free booze, delicious cake and memories that will last a lifetime. But in the case of “Bloody Wedding,” the new over-the-top slasher flick from Sharkey Films, that lifetime may be a lot shorter than you might expect…

The set up is simple. Cindy (Kate Murdoch) is about to marry Pierce (Ryan Sulak), the handsome man of her dreams. She goes through the typical problems that all brides face – getting the flowers ready, an occasionally grumpy fiancé, bitchy, nasty relatives and unwanted wedding guests. Yet, all of those things seem trivial when the wedding party begins to get horrifically murdered. The suspects are everywhere with a slew of potential motives, and as the body count rises, Cindy realizes that nobody can be trusted…not even the ones she loves dearest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h_g5sswTTM

“Bloody Wedding” lives up to its name – there is a wedding, and it is bloody. But that’s not the only reason that it’s a terrific success. The art of creating an enjoyable low budget horror film can be tricky, but “Bloody Wedding” kills it (pun intended). This movie has everything horror enthusiasts could hope for – loads of blood, genuine laughs and, of course, plenty of beautiful women (and men) being killed in some brilliant ways. While we don’t want to give away too much, one thing must be said: “Bloody Wedding” has one of the most terrific sex-to-kill scenes since the original “Friday the 13^th.” Note from this reviewer: LOOK UNDER THE BED BEFORE YOU HAVE SEX.

Tawny Amber Young finds herself in a rough spot.

Now, “Bloody Wedding” isn’t necessarily the scariest horror film ever made and that’s just fine. It does utilize a number of slasher clichés, but they are easily forgivable due to the tongue-and-cheek nature of this movie. It knows exactly what it is and doesn’t have to apologize for it. “Bloody Wedding” is the sickest, sexiest and goriest wedding you’ll ever attend. Just one look at the remarkably attractive wedding party, and you’ll send in your RSVP faster than you can say, “I do.”

But while the actors are undoubtedly good-looking, don’t write them off as your typical “all beauty, no brains” horror cast. Each character is developed and interesting, and there really aren’t any sore thumb performances whatsoever.

Marguerite Insolia and Mike Pfaff put up with the crude antics of Jordan Bates

Most notably, Jordan Bates as the hilarious and crude best-buddy Jim Swim is the glue that holds this cast together. His ridiculous (and often improvised) one-liners are seriously hysterical and over-the-top. “I’d go to war for those rocket tits!” was our personal favorite. Mike Pfaff plays Jackson, the groom’s brother, in a genuine and believable way, and the chemistry he shares with Ryan Sulak certainly has an insidious nature at times. Bombshells Pason and Tawney Amber Young are terrific bitches and it’s truly a pleasure to root against them. Lastly, Kate Murdoch and Brad Coffey (the brother of the bride) are the heart of this story, and they do an amazing job getting you invested in these characters and showing their humanity in an otherwise inhumane setting. Along with a stellar supporting cast, these performers clearly had their hearts in this project and made it a most memorable experience – we wouldn’t be surprised to see any one of these actors blow up in a major way given the right opportunity. After all, don’t all the greats start in horror?

Writer/producers Patty Sharkey and Mike Merickel and director Robert Hoover have a lot to be proud of with this piece. They set out to make an enjoyable horror film and they did just that. While “Bloody Wedding” may not get a massive theatrical release, it certainly has the potential to be a cult favorite in no time at all. Do yourself a favor and send your RSVP to “Bloody Wedding.” This is one wedding that people are dying to attend, so don’t miss it!

Please visit “Bloody Wedding” on Facebook. Also take a peek at Sharkey Films first feature “Homeless Joe.” Music for “Bloody Wedding” was provided by Old Man Markley.