Pray (2005)

AKA: Pruei


Director: Yûichi Satô


Premise:
A group of drug dealers kidnap a young girl. When they call her parents they are told she died over a year ago.

My Take:
The movie has a really cool set up and a few creepy moments. Not much build on the character front. Maybe that's why it really didn't hold my interest.
Might be worth watching once.

Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Anguish (1987)

Starring: Michael Lerner, Zelda Rubenstein
Director: Bigas Luna


Synopsis:
A movie with in a movie as film goers watch a movie about a killer and his over protective mother while a fan of the movie goes over the edge and reek havoc on the theater.

My Take:
I'm torn. Some parts of the movie were rather original take on the sub-genre. While other parts were a tad cliche and annoying. In the end it's an enjoyable movie.

Rating: In the middle (with up side)



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Hisss (2010)

Starring: Mallika Sherawat, Jeff Doucette
Director: Jennifer Lynch

Premise:
In an attempt to cure his brain cancer an American kidnaps the lover of the snake god, hoping its mate will grant him immortality.

My Take:
The movie comes off looking like a SyFy movie of the week. Horrible CGI and lots of overacting and movie which doesn't know if it wants to cater to an American audience or an Indian one. I expected more from Jennifer Lynch especially with a cool legend for a story premise.
The one saving grace is the beautiful Mallika Sherawat is very easy on the eyes.

Rating: Warning





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Gothic Lolita Psycho (2010)

AKA: Gosurori Shokeinin


Director: Gô Ohara


Premise:
After a home break in where her father gets permanently injured and her mother is killed, a young girl goes on a revenge streak.

My Take:
I usually like these types of splatter movies. This one was a little underwhelming. It's chalked full of the usual stuff, over the top buckets of blood and wackiness.

Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Haven, Season 2 (2011)

Starring: Eric Balfour, Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant


Synopsis:
There are strange happenings in the town of Haven and policemen Audrey Parker and Nathan Wournos, with the help of some others, must try to solve the mystery and those in need.

My Take:
The second season really stepped it up a notch. As is focuses more on the "troubled people" vs normal people. A lot of questions are raised about just who Audrey Parker is and why the "troubles" are back. And some townsfolk know a lot more than they are leading on.

Favorite Episode:
"Lockdown" (episode 9): In this siege episode, a new sheriff is appointed due the Reverend's political power. A group of people get locked inside the police station while Audrey and Nathan try to find the troubled individual. In the meantime the Reverend has a group of people surrounding the police station demanding the troubled person pay for their crimes.
Intense stuff and a game changer in the storyline for the show.

Rating: So Good





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Phasma Ex Machina (2010)

AKA: Ghost In the Machine


Starring: Matthew Feeney, Sasha Andreev
Director: Matt Osterman


Premise:
A young man is tries to raise his younger brother after his parents are killed in auto accident. He feels guilty and is apparently some sort of scientific genius and builds a device to break the barrier between our world and the world of the dead.

My Take:
One word. Boring.
Nothing happens for nearly an hour except the kid building the machine and not fulfilling his duties of raising his younger brother. It picks up a little in the last thirty minutes but not much. It's a decent premise that could have been so much more.
I cant recommend this one. Unless you trying to fall asleep.

Rating: Steaming Pile





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Coffin (2008)

Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham


Premise:
Two people follow a Thai customer of sleeping in a coffin to trick death. After the ritual, they both start seeing the ghosts of their loved ones and try to figure out why.

My Take:
This was a straight forward ghost tale. Nothing overly dramatic or scary or really new here. That doesn't make it a bad movie but not one I'll watch again.
Maybe it resonated more with the viewers in Thailand.

Rating: In the middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Last Circus (2010)

AKA: Balada Triste de Trompeta



Director: Álex de la Iglesia


Synopsis:

My Take:
The story in this film is far more detailed than the synopsis. You never know which road it heads down.
The movie starts with the violence of war with the main character as child when he loses his father who is a famous clown. Then it moves through a touching part dealing with the main character as an adult as he plays the role of the "The Sad Clown" and falls in love with a ballerina who is beaten by her boyfriend "The Happy Clown". Then it finishes up with outrageous, over the top violence as the two clowns, both now disfigured, fight for the love of the ballerina only to end up in tragedy.
This is another awesome film Alex de la Iglesia, proving once again he one of the more interesting directors making films today.

Rating: So Good




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Dream Home (2010)

AKA: Wai dor lei ah yut ho



Director: Ho-Cheung Pang


Premise:
A woman is on the verge of buying her dream home until the housing market collapses causing the current owners not to sell the apartment. In order to keep the her dream alive, she is forced to take dire consequences.

My Take:
A very bloody movie. This woman goes on a killing spree wiping out several tenants in the apartment complex. The gore of the present is cut with her emotional past.

Rating: So Good




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

John Dies At the End

Author: David Wong


Synopsis:
Two loser take a drug that causes them to see creatures from another universe. What follows is a series of weird occurrences which lead to John and Dave discovering a plot of the other reality trying to take over our world.

My Take:
The short synopsis does not to this book justice. It is far more complex and layered. It's laugh out loud funny at times and the prose contains plenty of graphic and gory details.

Do yourself a favor. Dont wait for the movie. Go pick this gem up right now.

Rating: Instant Classic





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Last of the Living (2009)

Director: Logan McMillan


Premise:
Three guys try to survive after a zombie outbreak kills nearly all of the human population. The find ways to spend their days and eventually find a woman alive who thinks she has found a way to reverse the virus.

My Take:
Another movie I enjoyed more than expected, even with a plot that's been done numerous times before. A likeable cast pulls off plenty of comedy and gore.

Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Dark Mirror (2007)

Starring: Lisa Vidal
Director: Pablo Proenza


Synopsis:
A family move into a house once owned by a painter who died under mysterious circumstances. Soon after the wife starts to notice weird situations happening and a possible alternate reality creeping in around her.

My Take:
I liked this movie far more than I anticipated. It kept me guessing with a good mystery.

Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Clownhouse (1989)

Starring: Sam Rockwell
Director: Victor Salva


Premise:
A group of mental patients escape an asylum and kill some clown from a local circus, then go on to terrorize a family.

My Take:
A decent story with some tension. Not bad to watch once.

Rating: In the middle






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Maskhead (2009)

Director: Fred Vogul


Premise:
Two women cast people in a porno, but it's actually a just a way to murder them.

My Take:
I really dont know why I keep giving Fred Vogul movies a chance. I can handle the extreme gory, most of the time, but I just find them boring. The pacing on this movie is horrible and fails to keep interesting. It could easily be trimmed down by 30 minutes. Plus no character development. These people just kill to kill.
Maybe that's the point.

Rating: Steaming Pile





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Welcome To My Nightmare 2

Artist: Alice Cooper


My Take:
The Coop can still rock. And he still has that unique sounding voice. A solid album which surprised me a couple of times with its musical direction. There is a lot of diversity.
I enjoyed listening to the album but it cant match the classic original.

Favorite Tracks:
"Last Man On Earth" - This tune has a very vaudevillian feel to it. Not at all what I expected with lots of accordion and piano. I could easily picture Tom Waits singing this tune.

"I Am Made Of You" - A heavy power ballad with some very cool lyrics.

"Gotta Get Out of Here" - A perfect last song as it sums up the story of the album. Done is a country rock style.

Rating: In the middle






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

In the Folds of the Flesh (1970)

Director: Sergio Bergonzelli


Synopsis:
The house guests of a strange family start dying off.

My Take:
A decent mystery with lots of warped shenanigans. At least until the last half hour. Then the characters basically stand around and tell why things are happening and explain the gaps in the past. It's a damn movie. Show us the action!

Rating: Warning





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Seventh Curse (1986)

AKA: Yuan Zhen-Xia yu Wei Si-Li


Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Maggie Cheung
Director: Ngai Kai Lam


Synopsis:
On a archeological search in Northern Thailand, a man rescues a girl from the local "Worm Tribe" from sacrifice. He has seven curses put on him. The curse helps to delay the curse for one year. Now the man is back to try and put an end to the curse and save his life.

My Take: A one of a kind movie which throws martial arts, comedy, bad gore, a supernatural tale, and some comedy in a big stew to marinate. The results are mixed. Dont take it too seriously and you might enjoy.

Rating: In the Middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Pysch 9 (2010)

Starring: Carey Elwes, Sara Foster
Director: Andrew Shortell


Premise:
After taking a third shift job at a recently closed down hospital transferring records, a woman starts to notices strange coincidences related to a recent murders in the area. In the end there's just wasn't enough substance for me.

My Take:
The story takes a little longer to figure out than it should due to some stylish editing and the overall frenetic pacing of the movie. Basically there's enough to keep the viewer sort of interested but not enough to make it stand out.

Rating: In the Middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Exorcismus (2010)

Starring: Sophie Vavasseur, Stephen Billington
Director: Manuel Carballo


Premise:
A teenage girl thinks she is possessed and the family calls upon her uncle, who is also a priest to perform a secret exorcism.

My Take:
While there is a lot of familiar territory in this film, there is also a couple of nice surprises. The special effects are kept at minimum allowing the characters to build. For most of the film, the focus is on how this family is dealing with the possible possession instead of the act of the exorcism.
Also look for a quick cameo from Doug Bradley, but not as Pinhead.

Rating:
In the Middle (with lots of to like)





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Little Deaths (2011)

Directors: Andrew Parkinson, Seth Hogan, Simon Rumely


Premise:
An anthology of tales based on the subjects of sex and death.

My Take:
The first story deals with a couple who take him a homeless girl for their own sexual pleasures only to find out she has a little secret.
The second story has a prostitute and drug addicting who gets involved in an experiment that gives her a new type of high high.
The third tale finds a young couple where the woman dominates and belittles her boyfriend until he can no longer take it.
Each of these tales are unsettling in their own way. But I did find each one unique and entertaining.

Rating: So Good





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Rare Exports (2010)

Director: Jalmari Helander


Synopsis:
In the mountains of Finland a corporation digs up the real Santa Claus. Soon children of the village start to disappear. Some locals capture Santa and attempt to blackmail the corporation in buying him back before Santa's elves free him.

My Take:
A very interesting take on the lore of Santa Claus. It's a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously and the because of this the humor works.

Rating: So Good





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

A Horrible Way To Die (2011)

Starring: Amy Seimetz, A.J. Bowen
Director: Adam Wingard


Premise:
A serial killer escapes from jail. His mission is to seek out his former girlfriend, who has tried to pick up the pieces of her life.

My Take:
With the movies editing, the story had me guessing through the credits. I never saw the ending playing out the way it does. It is not your typical serial killer movie.
The two main actors are very believable too. It's a nice, slow burn which should leave the viewer more than satisfied.

Rating: So Good







Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Tetsou: The Bullet Man (2009)

Director: Shinya Tsukamoto


Premise:
A timid man goes into a fit of rage after his young son is ran down by a car. Soon he starts to morph into a robot-like monster.

My Take:
Being a huge fan of most other Tsukamoto other films and the two previous Tetsou movies, I was looking forward to this one. I didn't find it as good as the other ones. The camera work was fantastic. Unfortunately the story was just a tad off for me. Sometimes it's better not to explain the reason why and leave it up for interpretation.
Still, if you're a fan of the director or the previous movies give this one a watch.

Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Countess Dracula (1971)

Starring: Ingrid Pitt
Director: Peter Sasdy


Premise:
A Countess discovers she cant reverse aging by washing in the blood of young, virgin women. She then pretends to be her own daughter in order to regain her late husband's estate.

My Take:
A decent Hammer Studio take on the Elizabeth Bathory tale. Great set pieces and atmosphere in this one.
Ingrid Pitt was quite the beauty back in the day.

Rating: In the middle



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Warehouse 13, Season 3 (2011)

Starring: Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Allison Scagliotti


Synopsis:
A secret branch of the government has the job of hunting down "artifacts" which possess a supernatural power.
The main story of this season is a former artifact holder Walter Sykes and his plan to destroy the Warehouse.

My Take:
A fun season of the show. We see new characters come into the series and the end of a few others which wasn't expected. The story line with Sykes, played to a tee by Anthony Michael Hall, was rather cool too.
I enjoy the show mainly because of the chemistry with the characters. But the way all of these artifacts are tied into historical places, people, or events is usually a refreshing joy as well.

Favorite Episode: "Stand"
The season finale ends a five episode arc dealing with Walter Sykes plot for revenge against the Warehouse and it also puts the future of the Warehouse in question.

Rating: So Good





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Season of the Witch (2011)

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman
Director: Dominic Sena


Synopsis:
A group of knights must undergo the task of taking a suspected witch to a monastery for trial.

My Take:
This reeked of disaster going into it. But every once in a while a Nic Cage vehicle surprises. This does not. In fact there's very little I actually found interesting about this flick.
I ask myself why did Ron Perlman accept the role? Did he need the cash? Personally I'd skip it and watch the far superior Black Death.

Rating: (Big Ole) Warning





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

51 (2011)

Starring: Rachel Miner, Bruce Boxlietner, Jason London
Director: Jason Connery

Synopsis:
The military has decided to let a handful of journalists into the Area 51 Military Base to show the government is not hiding any secrets for the public. Naturally, they are and of course, things go awry when the aliens get loose.

My Take:
Mildly entertaining...to laugh at. This After Dark release is pretty bland and predictable. Decent aliens and a little gore are about the only positives.

Rating: Warning (extreme variety)




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010)

Director: Mark Hartley

Premise:
A look at the cheap explotation movies made in the Phillipeans, mostly by American movie studios, from the 60's-80's.

My Take:
A interesting documentary which covers how the Filipino film industry got off the ground. A lot of Corman horror and female prison movies were made there.

Rating: So Good




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Blood Splattered Bride (1972)

Director: Vicente Aranda


Synopsis:
A new bride is forced to deal with the acting out of her husband's sexual fantasies. Soon she finds a terrible family secret and is comforted by the strange woman that was found on the beach and has a secret of her own.

My Take:
You'll find some blood, some boobs, and some style wrapped in a decent story even if it doesn't make a lot of sense at times.
Another film based on the Le Fanu classic story "Camilla".
A definite Euro 70's vibe. I normally enjoy those kind of flicks. If you do, then check this one out.

Rating: In the middle





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Last Werewolf

Author: Glen Duncan


Synopsis:
Jacob is a 200 year old werewolf and the last one of his kind thanks to an organization, WALCOF, who specializes in the hunting of supernatural creatures and a lead hunter with revenge on his mind. Jacob doesn't care that he's the last. He's tired and wants to end all the trouble. Just has he's prepared to have one last tangle with his nemesis and end it all, he discovers a female werewolf. Suddenly his outlook changes as they gravitate towards each other and he has a reason to live. Love. Now with a splinter cell organization, the orignal orginization, and vampires after them the couple must fight for their existence.

My Take:
I really enjoyed this original tale about werewolves. It's strangely sexy, vividly disgusting, humorous, and even manages pulls at the ole heartstrings. And I never really new were the story was heading as it kept me guessing to the end.
Written in first person through journal enteries. This is a smart and unique take on the werewolf lore.

Rating: So Good (but very close to an instant classic)




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.