In a Glass Cage (1987)

AKA:  Tras el Cristal

Director: Agusti Villaronga


Premise:
A former Nazi and pedophile fails at a suicide and is subjected to living out his days in an iron lung. The family hires a young male nurse to help with the situation. Soon the man realizes his demented nurse was a once his victim and is now seeking revenge.

My Take:
A rather hard movie to watch due to subject matter. It's not meant for every one.
Your skin shutters at the actions of the adult man who thrives on the fear of children and of the nurse as he subjects the now disabled man to similar torturous acts committed onto him as a boy. It's a sick and twisted game to both individuals.
Regardless, it's a fascinating film which explores the darkest depth a human can go.

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.

Vampires (2010)

Director: Vincent Lannoo


Premise:
A film crew is invited to document a family in Belgium's vampire community. The crew finds out the vampires are a lot like humans just with a slightly different set of problems and rules to follow.

My Take:
The movie offers a unique take on vampire lore and confines itself within the world it's created. This is a good thing. It's also thick with dark comedy and social satire. 
My biggest drawback was that I never really cared about the main family. The Father is a strict in his rules and ways. The Mother seems crazy. The daughter wants to be human again. And the son wants to bed the wife of the vampire king. None of this matters much to me.
Still, there are far worse vampire movies out there.

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 Innkeepers (2011)

Starring: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis
Director: Ti West


Premise:
A hotel with a haunted past is closing down. On its final weekend two employees try to capture proof of a ghost while not trying to disturb the few guests in the hotel.

My Take:
I'm a bit torn on this flick. I wanted to enjoy it more than I did. That doesn't mean it's a bad movie at all. I just felt a bit unsatisfied at the end.
The first 2/3 of the movie deals with the two main characters playing around. Ground work is laid and the tension starts to build. The final act is when things break loose rather rapidly. Still the majority of action deals with what may be there.
Give it a shot and see what you think.

Rating: In the middle (maybe better)




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.

Game of Thrones, Season 2 (2012)

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Richard Madden, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, Michelle Fairley, Alfie Allen


Synopsis:
The kingdoms are at war with each other as several kings try to claim the throne held by King Joffrey. The Stark's marches closer to the city in the name revenge of their father's death. Stannis Baratheon, the brother of the former King, ends up at the city with the largest army and prepared to fight. While Kaleesa tries to keep her people and new born dragons alive in the desert. And The Nighwatch discovers an seemingly unstoppable army heading towards the kingdom.


My Take:
The theme of season two is all about the Kingdom being divided and several kings going to battle trying to take the throne. There is also a lot more supernatural elements introduced this season with the witchcraft and zombie armies. 
I enjoy the season immensely even if it felt like a whole season of set up. There was a lot more going on and so many new character introduced and a lot of characters not making it. And it's once again full of lots of treachery and nudity.

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.

Blood and Roses (1960)

AKA: Et Mourir de Plaisir

Starring: Mel Ferrer, Elsa Martinelli
Director: Roger Vadim


Premise:
A woman's best friend is about to marry the man she has secretly loved her whole life. She ends up finding a lost tomb of a vampire which causes things to change around the country estate.

My Take:
A stylish and loose adaption of the classic "Camilla" story. The movie probably packed a bigger punch when it was released fifty years ago.
Worth 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.

We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)

Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly
Director: Lynne Ramsay


Premise:
A mother believes her there is something off about her son. She has every since he was born and has a hard time connecting with him. He pushes boundaries which lead to an final event that will change their lives forever.

My Take:
This movie is a deeply disturbing and emotional ride that will stick with you well after it's over. 
Pay attention because the time line jumps between the mother dealing with the aftermath of a horrific event caused by her son and the son growing up. The mother seems disengaged and generally dislike her young son. While the son generally appears to loathe his mother and puts on a "good kid" act to others, including the father who sees nothing amiss. As the child enter his teen years his demeanor becomes even more distant and challenging until one day his premeditated plan goes into effect.
The viewer is left with no answers to why. Only a confused and grieving mother hated by the community around her.

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 Devil Inside (2012)

Starring: Fernanda Andrade
Director: William Brent Bell


Premise:
A young woman tries to solve the mystery of why her mother slaughtered several people one night and was then taken to Rome only to be locked up in a mental institution. With the help of two priests who secretly perform exorcism she concludes her mother is possessed.

My Take:
I didn't necessary find the movie quite as horrible as many others claimed it to be. Sure it's cliched rip of every other "found footage" and exorcist movie made And annoying at times with the stupidity of the characters. And the plot is thin. And the marketing campaign was horribly annoying with "the film The Vatican doesn't want you to see".
Hmmm, not really making a positive argument to watch this movie. Maybe my standards have dropped due to so many mundane movies being made these days. Maybe I'm just secretly a fan of exorcism and found footage movies. It's a 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.

Monster Man, Season 1 (2012)

Starring: Cleve Hall, Constance Hall,


Synopsis:
An inside look at a Hollywood special effects studios who specializes in making props and creatures.

My Take:
I do love old school special effects (not digital) and seeing how these props and creatures are made is really cool. The behind the scenes look is why I enjoy watching.
But the show feels like the producers are adding extra drama to make it interesting. The family is always bitching with each other. Cleve and  Roy, the owner, are always at ends because of this incredibly tight dead lines. Each week multiple people come on in and want things made for a shoot that is only days away. I guess their producers fail at pre-production.

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.

Cold Prey 2 (2008)

AKA: Fritt Vilt 2


Director: Mats Stenberg



Premise:
After the brutal murders which left all her friends dead, a woman wakes up in a hospital. The police are searching the murder site. And the killer responsible, who was thought to be dead, has returned for vengeance.

My Take:
The serial killer in a hospital setting reminded my a lot of the original Halloween 2 and the fact the story picks up moments after the first movie ends.
With that said, there is are some serious plot holes to over look such as it's a decent sized hospital with what seems to be only 2 patients, 3 doctors, and 1 police officer. And the Police Chief sitting in his office for half the movie looking through old files trying to figure out if the current slayings are related to other ones.
Even though I had issues, the movies isn't exactly terrible

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.

Hansel & Gretel (2007)

AKA: Henjel Gwa Geuretel

Director: Pil-Sung Yim


Premise:
A man picks up a mysterious young woman on a stretch of road and offers to take her home. After their arrival, he is introduced to the family and finds he s trapped and all the answers are found in a fairy tale book.

My Take:
A rather unique twist on the old fable.
The parents leave the children with this stranger and the viewer just like the main character is left to figure out why.

Rating: In the middle (but in a good and interesting way)







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.

Prometheus (2012)

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Micheal Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Logan Marshall-Green
Director: Ridley Scott


Premise:
Archeologists find a common link to several ancient cultures, the same drawing of the stars. A group of scientists head across the universe for the planet in search of the alien beings. What the team ends up finding is beyond their worst horrors.

My Take:
I cant talk in depth about the movie without giving away major spoilers, which I try not to do on these short reviews. 
This movie is not a true prequel to the Alien franchise but a more a direct link to the series which set in an earlier time frame. The first half is a very thought provoking and dares to challenge a lot of people's beliefs. Then the second half is filled with a lot more action and gore but is just as thought provoking. And Fassbender is amazing in this movie.
A visual stunning masterpiece. I recommend watching in 3D as it flows perfectly but isn't distracting.

Rating: Mind Blowing



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.

Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, Season 2 (2012)

Starring: Alex House, Maggie Castle, Jason Mewes, Chris Leavins, Bill Turnbull, Melanie Leishman


Synopsis:
A satanic book reeks evil upon Crowly High and it's up to Todd, who may be the pure evil to destroy the universe, and his friends to stop the book.

Season Two sees more of the rivalry between Atticus, who wants to control the book, and Todd, who is trying not to become the evil one. Along the way we answers to many questions brought up in the first season... and even more comedy.

My Take:
This show is amazing. Just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride. Lots of comedy, a great cast, excellent writing, and all kinds of homages to the horror world. It's rocks balls out. I hope there is another season.
Now go and find it you bunch of shit roosters!

Favorite Episode:
"2 Girls, 1 Tongue" - This episode is done as a rock opera that has The Phantom of Crowley High returning to switch roles with Hannah so she can nab Curtis as her boyfriend. It's hilarious fun.

Rating: Mind Blowing






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.

Theater of the Bizarre (2011)

Starring: Debbie Rochon, Udo Kier, Catriona MacColl, Tom Saivini, Kaniehtiio Horn
Directors: Douglass Buck, David Gregory, Jeremy Kasten, Tom Saivini, Richard Stanley, Buddy Giovinazzo




Premise:
A girl stumbles into an abandoned theater where human-like puppets tell her stories of a strange and peculiar nature.


My Take
It's a very solid anthology movie. Sure some tales are better than others but at least the tales are unique. 


The wrap around segment about a frightened girl and the abandoned theater was decent enough but nothing special. At least Udo Kier gets some major time as the storyteller.


"The Mother of Toads" has an anthropologist traveling through a remote part of France and stumbling onto a old gypsy woman who holds a rare book of evil. Definitely something you haven't seen before which is what director Richard Stanley is known for.


"I Love You" sees an obsessed husband's reality blur when his wife tells him she's leaving him because he is smothering her. Strong acting carries this somewhat predictable segment.


"Wet Dreams" has an abusive and cheating husband unable to separate his dreams from reality. Saivini and Rochon in a nice revenge tale. Enough said.


"The Accident" is about a mother explaining death to her young daughter after they witness a fatality on the road. If you're a fan of the director Douglass Buck, who encompasses the horrors of every day life into his movies, then you will enjoy this one.

"Vision Stains" shows a story of a woman who steals the memories of others by taking the fluid from a person's eye at the moment of death. A unique tale and my favorite one in the movie.


"Sweets" is a dark comedy dealing with relationships and food obsessions where both end badly. This is such a cool segment with rich colors and a purely disgusting nature.




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.

Squeal (2008)

Director: Tony Swansey


Premise:
A van, full of musicians on their way to a gig, breaks down along a country road. They seek help a near by farm house only to find the inhabitants are the results of an experiment gone wrong.

My Take:
The best thing I can say about this flick is it has a cool villain. It's a family of some sort of human pig hybrids. Other than that, your cheering the mutants to wipe these annoying and one dimensional characters off the map.

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.

Bong of the Dead (2011)

Starring: Simone Bailey, Mark Wynn, Jy Harris
Director: Thomas Newman


Premise:
Zombies take over the planet due to a meteor. A couple of stoners accidentally discover that zombie blood makes great fertilizer for marijuana. So they set off on a quest to the forbidden zone to harvest some zombie blood.

My Take:
There were no high expectations for this movie. It's a sloppy mess all around with a thin story and sub par acting. But at least it doesn't take itself seriously and there is lots of gore.

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.

All Heads Turn When The Hunt Goes By

Author: John Farris

Synopsis:
The tale of a distinguished Virginia family, the Bradwins and their cursed bloodline which goes back generations to the darkest Africa. Forces beyond the families control look to destroy them in the name of vengeance.
 
My Take:
For whatever reason I found this a very hard book to get into. The complex story is good, the characters are rich in development, and it's meticulously plotted. The tale keeps moving along with back story on the families and the the climax wraps up rather quickly.
Perhaps others will enjoy the book more than I did because it's on several top horror novel lists.

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 Devils (1971)

Starring: Oliver Reed, Vanessa Redgrave
Director: Ken Russell


Premise:
A priest starts gaining too much political power.  A group with in the church devises a plan to take him down by having the sexually repressed nuns under his watch come up with a story about devil worship.

My Take:
The madness of Ken Russell is at full force in this movie about church corruption during the Middle Ages.
The real horror in this movie is how people turn on each other to save themselves and often in the name of God. There's torture, rape, deceit, and depravity imposed on the inflicted.

Rating: In the middle (but an extremely fascinating watch)







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.

Blood (2009)

AKA: Burrado

Director: Ten Shimoyama


Premise:
A vampire makes a samurai one her own. Flash forward to modern day. A police detective stumbles upon them while investigating a murder and becomes involved in a love triangle. 

My Take:
If poor CGI, martial art vampires, nudity, slow pace, and bad acting are your things then this movie is for you. If not avoid.

Rating: Warning (possible worse)








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.