The 37th Mandala

Author: Maid Laidlaw



Premise:
An author publishes a book of ancient mandalas thinking their are only symbols. However the mandalas are actually supernatural beings which want to take out humans and a couple let them loose on the world.

My Take:
There is a very interesting story here and good characters. But unfortunately it doesn't come together well. By the end of the book I was left wanting to know more.

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.

Retreat (2011)

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Jamie Bell, Theodie Newton
Director: Carl Tibbetss


Premise:
A couple on a remote island cottage are trying to salvage their marriage. One day a mysterious stranger washes up to shore. They help him out only to discover he claims an epidemic started wiping out the population. The couple must now try and figure out if the stranger is a madman or telling the truth.

My Take:
The actors do a great job at making the characters believable in a tense situation. The direction is tight and every shot has a purpose of putting the viewer on edge and trying to get them to figure out if the stranger is telling the truth.
A good little film filled with Hitchcockian influences.


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.

Barricade (2012)

Starring: Erik McCormick

Director: Andrew Currie


Premise:
After the death of his wife, a widower takes his kids to a remote cabin where their mother used to spend her holidays. Once their, things become amiss and the father barricades them inside the cabin for protection.

My Take:
The movie gives a decent effort. By the end, though, it falls short.
It's a remote cabin. There's a blizzard which makes them even more isolated. The family starts seeing things and hearing strange noises that aren't really there thus paranoia.  The father slowly breaks downs mentally trying to protect his children. They are all freaked out. Then the story is wrapped up rather neatly.

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.

Metalocalypse, Season 4 (2012)

Starring: Tommy Blancha, Brendon Small, Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell


Premise:
A look at the most popular band in the world, Deathklok, and their daily adventures.

Season 4 has the band trying to complete their new album, which will drive the world's economy into positive numbers. We also learn about the origins secret society plotting against Deathklok and an ancient prophecy about the band.

My Take:
This show continues to be very entertaining. It uses the band to poke fun at celebritism, the government, and many other things in satirical and humorous ways. Plus the show normally gets incredibly gory at the end of each episode with fans being slaughtered.
After three seasons, we finally get a lot info revealed about why Deathklok is so important.

Favorite Episode:
"Dethvanity" - Murderface wins an award for being the most brutal looking man in music, which forces him to get plastic surgery.

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.

Rampo Noir (2005)

AKA: Ranpo jigoku

Directors: Akio JIssiji, Atusushi Kaneko, Hisayasu Sato, Suguru Takeuchi
Premise:
Four tales about love and obsession taken from the stories of  Edogowa Rampo

My Take:
Kind of a mixed bag for me as three of the segments were merely watchable and little confusing to follow.
But the segment called "Catepillar" blew me away. It's about a man who has no arms or legs and the wickedly unconventional relationship with his wife. She beats him and hides him away from the world because of his hideousness. It rides an interesting line between deep love and resentment.

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.

Silent Night (2012)

Starring: Jamie King, Donal Louge, Malcolm McDowell
Director: Steven C. Miller


Premise:
On Christmas Eve, a killer Santa comes to town and starts taking out people who've been naughty.

My Take:
Nothing like a remake about a killing Santa for the holidays. The movie isn't bad for a remake of a decent early 80's flick, but it does have several annoying flaws. Plenty of gore and boobs though for fans of the slasher subgenre.
The performances of Donal Logue as a drunken Santa is perfect.


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.

Preacher: Proud Americans [volume 3]

Author: Garth Ennis


Premise:
A preacher, called Jesse Custer, in Texas is possessed by a supernatural entity called Genesis who gives him the power to control people with his voice. A secret sect known as The Grail is out to capture Custer at any costs. Custer goes on the run with the help of his former girlfriend Tulip and his vampire friend Cassidy and has a plan to settle things with his family, God, and the Grail.

In volume three Custer travels to a secluded location where the Grail has Cassidy captured. Herr Starr, a top official in The Grail, has his own plans for Custer. Also in this volume we find out the what The Grail is truly about, the origin of the Genesis, and how Cassidy became a vampire.


My Take:
This story continues to be simply one of the most balls out stories ever. It's not afraid to push the limits on several subjects, many taboo. It's bloody and violent and humorous and simply fun.
If you never read the series, go pick up volume one today. You are missing out. 

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.

Evil Things (2011)

Starring: Laurel Cassillo, Elyssa Mersdorf, Torrey Weiss
Director: Dominic Perez


Premise:
A group of college friends head up to a secluded house in upstate New York to celebrate one of their birthdays and soon find themselves stalked an unknown assailant.

My Take:
When a "found footage" movie is not done correctly, it comes off as a lazy and cheap attempt at a quick buck by its makers. Case in point is Evil Things. The only remotely interesting part comes while the kids are driving to their destination and get in a cat and mouse with a mysterious van. Of course the horrible dialog and character reactions take away from the tension. And those traits follow throughout the movie which leads to a lot of pointless screaming at darkness by the characters.
The movie is annoying and extremely boring at best.

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 Shout (1978)

Starring: Alan Bates, John Hurt, Susanna York, Tim Curry
Director: Jerzy Skolimowski

Premise:
A drifter accepts the politeness of a couple and stays with them for awhile. He tells about learning magic from an Aboriginal shaman including a love spell and a death shout. Soon the couple starts to discover maybe these things are real.

My Take:
A pretty cool concept for a movie as the viewer never is quite certain about the claims of the stranger yet the actions happening back up his story. And the use of sound in the film makes it all the more disorientating.
An excellent cast pulls off the material with ease and the direction of the movie is superior.

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.

Antarctica Journal (2005)

AKA: Namgeuk-ilgi

Starring: Kang-ho Song
Director: Pil-Sim Yung


Premise:
A group of explorers from South Korea attempt to reach Antarctic Point of Inaccessibility, a place only conquered one other time in 1958 by Russia. Along the journey the team finds a a journal from a British exploring team from the 1920's. Then things get strange as the team battles the elements, each other, and their own sanity in order to reach the destination.

My Take:
The movie has many good qualities working for it. A strong cast, the over all story of fear and determination under adverse conditions, the isolated atmosphere created, and the cinematography are included in these qualities. However I was a bit dissatisfied with the ending. Guess I wanted more or at least a different resolution. And for me that's what hinders the flick from being extremely good.


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.

Werewolf: A Beast Amoung Us (2012)

Starring: Stephen Rhea, Ed Quinn, Steven Bauer, Nina Peeples
Director: Louis Morneau


Premise:
A group of werewolf hunters travel to town to take out a beast.

My Take:
This just isn't really a good movie. There seems to be chunks of the movie edited out that advance what little the plot. It's fairly simply to figure out who is the werewolf, despite all the red herrings. Plus throw in a stupid (and unnecessary) twist in the final act.


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.

V/H/S (2012)

Starring: Calvin Reeder, Joe Swanberg, Hannah Fierman, Simon Barrett, Helen Rogers, Jas Sams
Director: Ti West, David Bruckner, Joe Swanberg, Glenn McQuaid, Radio Silence, Adam Wingard


Premise:
A group of small time criminals are hired to steal a rare VHS tape from an old man's home. Once they get the tape, they find some strange videos on it.

My Take:
An anthology series where most of the stories are solid. Yes, there are a couple of logic gaps in a couple of the tales but over all this is a strong outing.

"Amateur Night" - Three guys want to film themselves having a one night stand with a girl who ends up being a demon.
-- This was my favorite story.

"Second Honeymoon" - A couple travel through the Southeast on a second honeymoon and find a person is stalking them.
-- Some decent tension but nothing special

"10/31/98" - A group of friends go to a Halloween party and end up in a haunted house.
-- Cool special effects and just the over all chaos makes this segment enjoyable.

"The Sick Thing That Happened To Emily When She Was Younger" - A women thinks her apartment is haunted and asks her boyfriend to watch her via internet chat.
-- A strong tale with a twist ending that leads me to wanting to know more

"Tuesday the 17th" - A group of college friends head to a secluded lake for the weekend. They find out one of them escaped a killer from here years earlier and she is using them as bait to draw out the killer.
-- Kind of a unique story that had lots of gore

"Tape 56" - The wrap around story described above.
--An average segment with no redeeming characters but it does its job.


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.

Murders In the Zoo (1933)

Starring: Randolph Scott, Lionell Atwill
Director: A. Edward Sutherland


Premise:
A jealous husband murders the lover of his unfaithful wife during a dinner party held at a zoo.

My Take:
Not much of mystery nor is there anything too horrific, unless you fear snakes. But for the time period it's not terrible. Sometimes it can refreshing to watch an old timey movie just to see how much society has changed.

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 Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard
Director: Christopher Nolan


Premise:
Eight years have passed since Batman exiled himself to save Gotham City. A masked terrorist named Bane enters and takes over the city favoring anarchy over the wealthy and powerful. It's time for Batman to resurface to save Gotham once again.

My Take:
The latest Dark Knight trilogy has always had some horror undertones running through it. This one is no exception. There is the chaos of a mob mentality inflicted on the innocent once a madman gets control leading to the fear of falling in line or dying.
Batman has always been my favorite superhero. Probably because there is nothing super about him. He's simply a wealthy man with a lot of expensive toys who has trained himself in fighting and those chose to take out the criminal element.
While not my favorite of the trilogy, this is a dark and brooding movie which sets up an interesting follow up... should the movie studio choose to ever make it.

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.

Ebola Syndrome (1996)

AKA:  Yi Boh Lai Beng Duk

Starring: Anthony Wong Chau-Sang
Director: Herman Yau


Premise:
A man commits murder then flees to South Africa to avoid the law. Ten years later he rapes a local tribes woman and contracts the Ebola Virus. After starting an outbreak there, and being wanted by the authorities, he returns to Hong Kong only to start the same.

My Take:
At the core of this very over the top and gory movie is a realistic showing of how easy an epidemic can spread. Which is frightening. Combine that with some truly disgusting scenes and a very unlikable villain in the lead and make this an entertaining movie to 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.

Piranha 3DD (2012)

Starring: Danielle Panabaker, David Koechner, Katrina Bowden, Christopher Lloyd, Ving Rhames, David Hasselhoff, Gary Busey
Director: John Gulager


Premise:
A spawn of prehistoric piranha make their way to an unsuspecting town via underground rivers and land on the opening of a strip club/water park.

My Take:
The movie doesn't take anything too seriously. Unfortunately, that includes the script which is full of nonsense and cardboard cut-out characters. It's too bad because of the good cast.
The best scenes are David Hasselhoff making fun of himself. There's also plenty of gore and nudity (if that's what you're looking for).

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.

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)

AKA: Valerie a Ttýden Divu

Director: Jaromil Jires


Premise:
Young Valerie has started to enter womanhood as a mysterious band of travelers arrive to the town she lives in and fills it with sexuality and fear.

My Take:
Though the movie is filled with horror elements such as vampires, the dead, and religious fear there and a lot of horror imagery, the is more odd fairy tale about a young girl becoming a woman (she has her first period and suddenly finds herself the object of sexual desire while still retaining her youthful innocence).
It's rather unique tale that is rather hard to describe and has a place in cinema history.

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.