CategoryIndie
Independent horror: micro-budget features, short films and first-time filmmakers doing more with less — and often doing it better.
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Indie
When their car breaks down on the way to their honeymoon destination, newlyweds Tom (Mitch Powell) and Debbie (Sophie Austin), are rescued by Lincoln (Robert Wainwright), a mysterious stranger. The same evening Lincoln seduces Debbie and reveals that is a demon. He promises that if she completes a few challenges, including sacrificing her new husband, she will become immortal. If you’re looking for a film that will remind you to stay single you can purchase Bayview Entertainment’s 666: A Demon Within on March 8th. You can pre-order now on Amazon.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignIndieMoviesStreaming TVTrue Story
…with “other things being equal, simpler explanations are generally better than more complex ones.” — Occam’s Razor Read the above statement on Occam’s Razor. This post is about the “docuseries” Making a Murderer, the Netflix “docuseries” that has a second season coming. This post is not about whether Steven Avery is guilty or innocent. It is not about whether there are injustices in our legal system. We know there are. This piece is about the cynicism behind making a piece of entertainment disguised as social crusading. I was inspired to write this after trying to make my point in a series of online tweets. There was backlash from people who made it about a social cause, and that I was ignoring the issues in our criminal justice system. My point was simple: Making a Murderer is not about the correction of our legal system or justice for a man wrongly accused. The series is about entertainment. Manipulation Set aside your
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsHalloweenHoliday HorrorIndieMoviesNewsReviewsStreaming TV
A Few Words From Our Ms. Palmer “What a piece of shit! No one’s gonna see this crap!” — Actress Betsy Palmer aka Pamela Vorhees The late, esteemed critic, Roger Ebert, coined the phrase “Dead Teenager Movie” and I have stated several times that Jaws 2 arguably gets technical credit as the first one. While teenagers in peril was a long standing theme and used over and over again, it’s the sequel to Spielberg’s game changing shark movie that lined them up one after another for the monster to pick off. Jaws 2 gave the designer sheen to killing off teens. It wasn’t a grainy “B Movie” that played part of a double bill at the drive in. This was wide screen Panavision and a 50 million budget. While there was no nudity, the underlying “have sex and die” motif was there with a killer in the form a pissed off female Great White Shark. The original 1978 Halloween fine
Continue reading →
DocumentariesEventsIndieInterviewsMoviesReviewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue Story
You’ll Know My Name Drama 2010 Not Rated Directed, Written & Produced by Joe Raffa Starring: Joe Raffa, David J. Bonner, Alexander Mandell, Mianna Saxton, Chuck Connors, Tommy Sztubinksi, Brian Gallagher, Davy Raphaley, Nicole Cinaglia Website: YKMN Cynema is not about reviews. While a critical look is often afforded to specific films, this is not about whether a film is “good” or “bad.” It’s about how they are MADE. My previous entries looked at wide ranges from Jurassic World to Halloween III.This is a look at a young filmmaker who has taken risks and made a film that is outside the realm of what is popular or what studios are developing. Joe Raffa is anti-Cynema because he does what few others are doing: he takes real risks. Thanks to the digital revolution, anyone with a camcorder and computer thinks they’re a filmmaker. Shooting your video and putting it up in ten minute bites online does not make you a professional.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
We all have that one person who is our go to paranoid conspiracy theorist… heck, maybe it is even you! Christopher MacBride’s “The Conspiracy” perfectly descends deeper and deeper into the world occupied by those who believe in certain paranoias, such as, 9/11 and The Illuminati. The film itself is marketed as a horror documentary, and is quite believable as they use actual conspiracy theories and multiple sources for their investigation, but it is important to remember it is complete fiction. I assure you, the two main actors Aaron Poole and James Gilbert are doing quite well. I enjoyed this film, although, being a conspiracy theorist myself, I started to wonder if “The Conspiracy” mocks people like me, because after all is it a MOCUMENTARY. It is shot extremely well and is quite an easy watch. While it focuses heavily on the dangers of secret societies, it will get you thinking about your freedom and rights you have (or have
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
“When one has not had a good father, one must create one.” – Friedrich Nietzsche 2014’s “Torment” follows two newlyweds (Cory and Sarah) who take a much needed family vacation in order for Cory’s son, Liam, to get to know his new wife. The boy soon vanishes and Sarah and Cory must confront an evil, sadistic family who have kidnapped the boy for themselves! The first 5 minutes of the film are really quiet thrilling! You are shown an old home in the middle of nowhere, and are put into the middle of an awkward family moment. The family ends up seperating, and right from the start we are given 3 very promising kills! One of these kills even mimics a very important death scene in the first Halloween film as a teen puts on a pair of headphones and has no idea what is coming her way. “Torment” stars Katharine Isabelle, Robin Dunne, and Peter DaCunha, who stars as
Continue reading →
DocumentariesHoliday HorrorIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue Story
This year was a fantastic year for film! “Mad Max,” “Jurassic Park,” “Star Wars,” and “The Terminator” all appeared once again on the big screen. Horror fans had an opportunity to enjoy remakes such as “Poltergeist,” and see sequels to “Insidious” as well as “Paranormal Activity.” We had the conclusion to “The Hunger Games” and finally got to see the works of Guillermo del Toro with “Crimson Peak,” and the rebirth of the iconic horror-thriller director M. Night Shyamalan with “The Visit.” Did any these films make my favorite five list? Read on to find out! _________________________________________________ 5.) “Dinosaur 13” Being from Chicago, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the Field Museum regularly. For those who do not know, when you first step into the main hall you are greeted by “Sue,” the worlds most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil. I had no idea that there was a story and a battle behind this impressive fossil. “Dinosaur 13” is an impressive
Continue reading →
HalloweenHoliday HorrorIndieMoviesNewsReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
Reality vs. Bullshit The only fact about any of the Amityville Horror films is that the DeFeo family was murdered in their sleep inside the house on 112 Ocean Avenue. The real horror is what the surviving relatives of the murdered Defeo’s must endure every time one of these lousy films is made. Hollywood cynicism goes beyond making bad films and trying to pass them off as good or worse yet, classics. The real cynicism is from the studios that torture the DeFeo family and make a buck off a terrible situation. As a result, I wonder, has any studio that made these films ever donated a few posthumous bucks to the DeFeo family for their trouble? I’m not one for reparations, but many of these films invoke the DeFeo name. Maybe a scholarship or two set up in memory of the victims? A lot of people made a lot of money off this family’s tragedy. As a result, they
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
A camping trip goes awry as newlyweds Mike and Wit are suddenly joined by Mike’s brother, Sean, a former marine, in the psychological horror-thrill ride “Preservation.” They awake from their first night on the trip to find that everything has been stolen from their campsite. A weekend in the woods suddenly becomes a game of survival for the three. The film is littered with classic horror stereotypes which makes it a particularly fun watch, especially for horror fans! For me, the movie fell short in the realm of reality, and what “traditional hunters” actually do on a hunting trip. A great example of this is when the group arrives at their hunting spot and realize it is closed. To quote the characters, “That’s never stopped our family before,” and they enter anyways. With that said, the common horror movie stereotype-stupidity of these three is what makes this film a great horror film. The “closed” sign is the typical warning in
Continue reading →
DocumentariesIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
If this past year at the box office has taught us anything, it is that dinosaurs STILL rule the earth! One could say that dinosaurs are Earth’s first REAL monsters…. “Carnosaur,” “Dinosaur Hell,” “Dinosaur Island,” “Dinosaur Lake,” “Extinction,” are just a few of the horror films that come to mind when I think of these prehistoric beasts… and of course there is the “Jurassic Park,” but a new documentary on Netflix shows you the nightmare one paleontologist, Peter Larson, and his team went through after discovering the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil in history. The film documents the past 25 years of Larson’s life fighting with local land owners and the United States Government. Larson ends up fighting for the fossil’s freedom and his own. The documentary has a great juxtaposition about it, which really helps tell a sad story and makes you feel for not only the paleontologist, but also for the fossil, Sue. Todd Douglas Miller’s “Dinosaur
Continue reading →
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Indie
When their car breaks down on the way to their honeymoon destination, newlyweds Tom (Mitch Powell) and Debbie (Sophie Austin), are rescued by Lincoln (Robert Wainwright), a mysterious stranger. The same evening Lincoln seduces Debbie and reveals that is a demon. He promises that if she completes a few challenges, including sacrificing her new husband, she will become immortal. If you’re looking for a film that will remind you to stay single you can purchase Bayview Entertainment’s 666: A Demon Within on March 8th. You can pre-order now on Amazon.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesForeignIndieMoviesStreaming TVTrue Story
…with “other things being equal, simpler explanations are generally better than more complex ones.” — Occam’s Razor Read the above statement on Occam’s Razor. This post is about the “docuseries” Making a Murderer, the Netflix “docuseries” that has a second season coming. This post is not about whether Steven Avery is guilty or innocent. It is not about whether there are injustices in our legal system. We know there are. This piece is about the cynicism behind making a piece of entertainment disguised as social crusading. I was inspired to write this after trying to make my point in a series of online tweets. There was backlash from people who made it about a social cause, and that I was ignoring the issues in our criminal justice system. My point was simple: Making a Murderer is not about the correction of our legal system or justice for a man wrongly accused. The series is about entertainment. Manipulation Set aside your
Continue reading →
Comic Books/Graphic NovelsHalloweenHoliday HorrorIndieMoviesNewsReviewsStreaming TV
A Few Words From Our Ms. Palmer “What a piece of shit! No one’s gonna see this crap!” — Actress Betsy Palmer aka Pamela Vorhees The late, esteemed critic, Roger Ebert, coined the phrase “Dead Teenager Movie” and I have stated several times that Jaws 2 arguably gets technical credit as the first one. While teenagers in peril was a long standing theme and used over and over again, it’s the sequel to Spielberg’s game changing shark movie that lined them up one after another for the monster to pick off. Jaws 2 gave the designer sheen to killing off teens. It wasn’t a grainy “B Movie” that played part of a double bill at the drive in. This was wide screen Panavision and a 50 million budget. While there was no nudity, the underlying “have sex and die” motif was there with a killer in the form a pissed off female Great White Shark. The original 1978 Halloween fine
Continue reading →
DocumentariesEventsIndieInterviewsMoviesReviewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue Story
You’ll Know My Name Drama 2010 Not Rated Directed, Written & Produced by Joe Raffa Starring: Joe Raffa, David J. Bonner, Alexander Mandell, Mianna Saxton, Chuck Connors, Tommy Sztubinksi, Brian Gallagher, Davy Raphaley, Nicole Cinaglia Website: YKMN Cynema is not about reviews. While a critical look is often afforded to specific films, this is not about whether a film is “good” or “bad.” It’s about how they are MADE. My previous entries looked at wide ranges from Jurassic World to Halloween III.This is a look at a young filmmaker who has taken risks and made a film that is outside the realm of what is popular or what studios are developing. Joe Raffa is anti-Cynema because he does what few others are doing: he takes real risks. Thanks to the digital revolution, anyone with a camcorder and computer thinks they’re a filmmaker. Shooting your video and putting it up in ten minute bites online does not make you a professional.
Continue reading →
DocumentariesIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
We all have that one person who is our go to paranoid conspiracy theorist… heck, maybe it is even you! Christopher MacBride’s “The Conspiracy” perfectly descends deeper and deeper into the world occupied by those who believe in certain paranoias, such as, 9/11 and The Illuminati. The film itself is marketed as a horror documentary, and is quite believable as they use actual conspiracy theories and multiple sources for their investigation, but it is important to remember it is complete fiction. I assure you, the two main actors Aaron Poole and James Gilbert are doing quite well. I enjoyed this film, although, being a conspiracy theorist myself, I started to wonder if “The Conspiracy” mocks people like me, because after all is it a MOCUMENTARY. It is shot extremely well and is quite an easy watch. While it focuses heavily on the dangers of secret societies, it will get you thinking about your freedom and rights you have (or have
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
“When one has not had a good father, one must create one.” – Friedrich Nietzsche 2014’s “Torment” follows two newlyweds (Cory and Sarah) who take a much needed family vacation in order for Cory’s son, Liam, to get to know his new wife. The boy soon vanishes and Sarah and Cory must confront an evil, sadistic family who have kidnapped the boy for themselves! The first 5 minutes of the film are really quiet thrilling! You are shown an old home in the middle of nowhere, and are put into the middle of an awkward family moment. The family ends up seperating, and right from the start we are given 3 very promising kills! One of these kills even mimics a very important death scene in the first Halloween film as a teen puts on a pair of headphones and has no idea what is coming her way. “Torment” stars Katharine Isabelle, Robin Dunne, and Peter DaCunha, who stars as
Continue reading →
DocumentariesHoliday HorrorIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TVTrailersTrue Story
This year was a fantastic year for film! “Mad Max,” “Jurassic Park,” “Star Wars,” and “The Terminator” all appeared once again on the big screen. Horror fans had an opportunity to enjoy remakes such as “Poltergeist,” and see sequels to “Insidious” as well as “Paranormal Activity.” We had the conclusion to “The Hunger Games” and finally got to see the works of Guillermo del Toro with “Crimson Peak,” and the rebirth of the iconic horror-thriller director M. Night Shyamalan with “The Visit.” Did any these films make my favorite five list? Read on to find out! _________________________________________________ 5.) “Dinosaur 13” Being from Chicago, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the Field Museum regularly. For those who do not know, when you first step into the main hall you are greeted by “Sue,” the worlds most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil. I had no idea that there was a story and a battle behind this impressive fossil. “Dinosaur 13” is an impressive
Continue reading →
HalloweenHoliday HorrorIndieMoviesNewsReviewsStreaming TVTrue Story
Reality vs. Bullshit The only fact about any of the Amityville Horror films is that the DeFeo family was murdered in their sleep inside the house on 112 Ocean Avenue. The real horror is what the surviving relatives of the murdered Defeo’s must endure every time one of these lousy films is made. Hollywood cynicism goes beyond making bad films and trying to pass them off as good or worse yet, classics. The real cynicism is from the studios that torture the DeFeo family and make a buck off a terrible situation. As a result, I wonder, has any studio that made these films ever donated a few posthumous bucks to the DeFeo family for their trouble? I’m not one for reparations, but many of these films invoke the DeFeo name. Maybe a scholarship or two set up in memory of the victims? A lot of people made a lot of money off this family’s tragedy. As a result, they
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
A camping trip goes awry as newlyweds Mike and Wit are suddenly joined by Mike’s brother, Sean, a former marine, in the psychological horror-thrill ride “Preservation.” They awake from their first night on the trip to find that everything has been stolen from their campsite. A weekend in the woods suddenly becomes a game of survival for the three. The film is littered with classic horror stereotypes which makes it a particularly fun watch, especially for horror fans! For me, the movie fell short in the realm of reality, and what “traditional hunters” actually do on a hunting trip. A great example of this is when the group arrives at their hunting spot and realize it is closed. To quote the characters, “That’s never stopped our family before,” and they enter anyways. With that said, the common horror movie stereotype-stupidity of these three is what makes this film a great horror film. The “closed” sign is the typical warning in
Continue reading →
DocumentariesIndieMoviesReviewsStreaming TV
If this past year at the box office has taught us anything, it is that dinosaurs STILL rule the earth! One could say that dinosaurs are Earth’s first REAL monsters…. “Carnosaur,” “Dinosaur Hell,” “Dinosaur Island,” “Dinosaur Lake,” “Extinction,” are just a few of the horror films that come to mind when I think of these prehistoric beasts… and of course there is the “Jurassic Park,” but a new documentary on Netflix shows you the nightmare one paleontologist, Peter Larson, and his team went through after discovering the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil in history. The film documents the past 25 years of Larson’s life fighting with local land owners and the United States Government. Larson ends up fighting for the fossil’s freedom and his own. The documentary has a great juxtaposition about it, which really helps tell a sad story and makes you feel for not only the paleontologist, but also for the fossil, Sue. Todd Douglas Miller’s “Dinosaur
Continue reading →
