Review: Backslasher (Video 2012)

First I´d like to thank Brain Damage Films for providing me with a screener.
When fun-loving party planner Becca (Eleanor James) starts a business selling sex toys and lingerie, she knows growing her social network will be good for business. With best friend Ruby (Emily Eaves) managing an adult TV channel and Becca’s blogcast getting more and more viewers, potential customers are falling over themselves to add her as a friend. But someone doesn’t like Becca having so many friends and as Becca experiences a series of frightening encounters with an unknown stalker, people on her friends list start dying violently. It’s not long before the supernatural psychopath known only as ‘Backslasher’ closes in on Becca and her small circle of ‘real life’ friends, forcing her into a desperate struggle to save herself, and everyone on her friends list, before it’s too late. Backslasher is written and directed by Tim Cowles. The acting is decent, the camerawork and editing is okay. There´s no real atmosphere to speak of, no real tension but there are a few good scenes. The look of the killer is simple but pretty effective. Backslasher disappoints in the gore department, the kills aren´t very graphic, the gore is lame and there is hardly any of it. In the T & A department I can report some topless nudity, especially from Eleanor James but also from one more actress in the movie. There are also two sexscenes.
Backslasher will be released 11/20/2012 by Brain Damage Films on region-free (Region 0) DVD.
For more information visit the official website: http://www.backslasher.com/ .
This review is based upon a passwordprotected online screener provided by Brain Damage Films.
Rating: 2½ out of 7. Backslasher is passable as entertainment for the moment, you get some gore (although lame), good looking women and some nudity.

/JL

Review: Bordello Death Tales (2009)

First I´d like to thank James Eaves for providing me with a DVD-screener.
An anthology film set in a brothel, Bordello Death Tales incorporates three shorts by young horror directors, linked by a sinister venue: Madame Raven's bordello. The bloodletting begins in James Eaves' The Ripper featuring a mild-mannered psychopath. The second story, Stitch Girl, is Al Ronald's homage to Bride of Frankenstein.  The final short is Pat Higgins' Vice Day showing how a politician has developed a way of keeping his private life away from the prying eyes of journalists. The three directors share a love of old-school portmanteau horror like the Amicus films (Tales From The Crypt). Bordello Death Tales is written and directed by James Eavers, Pat Higgins and Alan Ronald. The first story, The Ripper, is written by James Eaves. The acting is uneven but Stuart Gregory as Graham aka The Ripper is pretty good. The camerawork and editing is pretty good. 
The second story, Stitch Girl, written and directed by Alan Ronald has a cool concept but it´s very talky and boring, the fx are very bad and cheap. And it features a musical that is something of a what the fuck moment. The acting, camerawork and editing is decent.
The third story, Vice Day, written and directed by Pat Higgins has a really nice concept. The acting, camerawork and editing is decent. There are a couple of really nice moments in the third story but I think some viewers might find it a bit talky.
There is gore but most of it looks really cheap and for the most part it consists splashes of blood so it´s not very graphic. The Demon make-up fx design is pretty bad, I think it´s a mask that they´ve bought at a novelty shop. In the T & A department the flick delivers in the third and last story as Danielle Laws provides plenty of topless nudity.
This review is based upon a DVD-screener provided by one of the directors.
Rating: 2 out of 7. I enjoyed parts of this anthology film.The Ripper, was the best of the three stories. The third story is pretty good while the second story has a interesting concept but fails to deliever.

/JL

Review: Mockingbird (Video 2010)

First I´d like to thank Drew Daywalt for making a screener available to me.

A young father (Donnie Jeffcoat) listens to his wife soothing their newborn child over the baby monitor. What could possibly go wrong? Mockingbird is another short film written by Drew Daywalt and directed by Marichelle Daywalt. It´s nicely shot and edited. The acting is good but I admit that it´s hard to nitpick or give any real critic as this is a fast and furious short film. The atmosphere is here and this must be every parents worst nightmare. No gore, no T & A in this.
This review is based upon a online screener provided by Drew Daywalt.

Rating: 7 out of 7. Mockingbird  is effective and chilling and Drew and Marichelle Daywalt once again proves that they can deliver truly chilling short films (haven´t seen any yet that passes the 5 minute mark) 
Check it out!!

/JL