Bait (2012)

Starring: Julian McMahon, Xavier Samuel, Alice Parkinson
Director: Kimble Rendall


Premise:
A sudden tsunami traps a group of people in a grocery store with a very large great white shark.

My Take:
The strength in this flick lies in the fairly well developed characters. You kind of get attached to them which helps as suspense builds towards the final scenes. The weakness of the movie is a rather silly ass conclusion to the group's escape and a common gripe I have with most 3D movies watched in 2D - the effects looked bad. All in all, it rises above the B movie trap and is 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.

Howling (2012)

AKA: The Killer Wolf

Starring: Kang Ho-song
Director: Ha Yoo


Premise:
Detectives try to solve a series of murders with a similar animal bite as the cause of death.

My Take:
While the movie is far a police procedural than a straight out horror; it doesn't dampen the enjoyment. The attacks are gruesome. And it is fascinating to watch as the detectives, especially since one of them is a woman which seems to be an slightly unusal situation in South Korea, search to why this hybrid wolf-dog is killing people with a common link.

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 Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (1971)

AKA: Blade of the Ripper

Starring: Edwige Fenech, George Hilton
Director: Sergio Martino


Premise:
An Ambassador's wife returns to her home only to find out a mysterious man is murdering her friends.

My Take:
I thought this was an above average giallo. Maybe it was the extra splash of pervision/eroticism or maybe I simply found myself being smittened over the gorgeous lead, Edwige Fenech. All the elements of a giallo mystery are present here and it's done in a slick manner. Just enough twists and turn to keep you guessing.

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.

Chained (2012)

Starring: Vincent D'Onofrio, Julie Ormond, Jake Weber, Eamon Farren
Director: Jennifer Lynch


Premise:
A serial killer raises a boy after killing his mother and teaches the ways of the trade. As the boy grows into a teenager, he must decide to carry out the what his mentor has taught him or to escape and find his father.

My Take:
This is one hard core, grizzly character study pulled off excellently by Vincent D'Onofrio as the killer. It's also a good debate in the nature vs nuture argument as the captive does what he must to survive while trying to hold on to what he was taught before being abducted. Be warned, this is a very uncomfortable movie to view and it is methodically paced. An outstanding third act which I never say coming left me speechless. In the end, the film leaves the audience to decide. There are no easy answers here.

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.

Holliston, Season 1 (2012)

Starring: Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Corri English, Laura Ortiz, Dee Snider, David Brockie


Premise:
Two aspiring film makers/best friends make their way through life while working at a cable station outside of Boston and hosting their own late night horror movie show.

My Take:
A fun little comedy where the creators/stars (Green & Lynch) really get to show off their horror geekdom with constant horror film references. And it's mostly done "tongue-in-cheek" style with the characters breaking the third wall quite often. The show is also full of cameos from horror icons, usually playing themselves. It's a comedy aimed for horror fans.

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.

[rec] 3: Genesis (2012)

Starring: Leticia Dolera, Diego Martin
Director: Paco Plaza


Premise:
A couple's wedding day turns for the worse when a the church is over ran by zombies.

My Take:
Personally, I think this is a fine addition to the [rec] series. About a third of the way through it cleverly drops the first person camera look for a more traditional style. There is also more use of lighting in this movie so we really get to see the creatures. And while this is a fine stand alone movie in the series, it adds quite a bit to the mythology.

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.

Midnight Son (2011)

Starring: Zak Kilberg, Maya Parish, Tracey Walter
Director: Scott Leberecht


Premise:
A guy with a condition to sunlight falls for a girl with problems of her own. Soon bodies stack up and the authorities believe he has something to do with it.

My Take:
Don't let the horrible cover art fool you. This movie brings a breathe of fresh air to the vampire subgenre. It tiptoes around the word vampire and adds a lot of subtly to the traditional lore about the creature. Sure it's also a tale about a relationship, emotions, and sacrifices, but that is also what makes it interesting. 

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.

Reborn

Author: F. Paul Wilson


Premise:
A man raised by foster parents, finds out he is the heir of a notable scientist... and that he is a clone. And his pregnant wife may be harboring something very evil inside her.

My Take:
If you are a fan of the author's Repairman Jack series, then this book in series called The Adversary Cycle is a  must read. Both are different sides of the bigger opus Wilson calls The Secret History of the World. It took about 2/3 of the book to figure out how it all ties together. This man has an obsession trying to find out his biological parents. He inherits a mansion and lots of money from a Noble Prize winning scientist, then finds out his true identity and that he is actually of clone of the scientist. In the meantime, a secret sect of the church is preparing for the arrival of Satan. They find out the man is a clone and think he's the Anti-Christ, but then realize it's the unborn child. It's not Satan, but a force of Evil which is in constant battle with another opposing force with mankind as the prize to the winner. The book is a great read, as usual, from one of the lesser known horror author.

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.

Body Melt (1993)

Starring: Gerard Kennedy
Director: Philip Brophy


Premise:
Residents of a small community become unknowing test subjects for a new drug that promises to make your body look and feel its best. No one ever talked about the side effects.

My Take:
This is one crazy ass movie. It simultaneously goes in many directions, as we see the outcome of several residents on the drug, yet keeps it the main narritive moving forward as it all ties together. The sheer strangeness and gooey effects make this one worth watching.

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.

Excision (2012)

Starring: AnneLynn McCord, Traci Lords, Ariel Winter, Roger Bart, Ray Wise, John Waters, Malcolm McDowell
Director: Richard Bates Jr.


Premise:
An awkward high school female wants to be a surgeon and gets stimulated by the thought of blood. She has no friends aside her younger sister, who has Cystic Fibrosis, and her mother struggles to connect with her. But she has a plan to her family.

My Take:
Take away the grusome imagery and the movie is a tale about the relationship between a misunderstood teenage female and a controlling mother. For the most part, each of them has given up on trying to find a common ground with one another and instead focus on the younger sibling in need of a transplant. A solid cast pushes along the somber tone with major props going to McCord. This will be probably be a movie a person either will really enjoy or simply hate.

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.

Paranorman (2012)

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jodelle Ferland, Jeff Garland, John Goodman, Leslie Mann
Director: Christ Butler, Sam Fell


Premise:
A young kid, who is an outcast in school because he can speak to ghosts, takes it upon himself to save the town from a centuries old witches' curse.

My Take:
A very entertaining movie for the entire family. It's got a lot of charm, plenty of laughs, and great message for kids. The animation is top notch as well.

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 Aggression Scale (2012)

Starring: Dana Ashbrook, Ray Wise, Derek Mears, Fabianne Therese
Director: Steven C. Miller


Premise:
A mob boss hires a group of hitmen to find his missing money. The search takes them to a rural country house and a family where the kids fight back.

My Take:
A fun, minor twist on an old story make this an entertaining watch. It is a tad unbelievable that professional hitmen would get bested by a mental unstable teenager. But's that part of the charm. And I really enjoyed the cast too.

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.

Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

Starring:  Milla Jovovich, MIchelle Rodriguez,
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson


Premise:
Alice awakens inside the Umbrella Corp and tries to take them down from the inside in hopes to save the last remaining humans on Earth.

My Take:
As the movie series has wavered on; it has become more about the cool action sequences and eye popping special effects than the core of what makes the Resident Evil franchise - survival from kick ass creatures. Apparently my opinion is in the minority as the franchise still has loads of followers. The flick does dwelve into a little bit more of Alice's past

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.

Document of the Dead (1985)

Director: Roy Frumkes


Premise:
A look at George Romero's career, complete with a look at the making of Dawn of the Dead.

My Take:
While I love the behinds the scene stuff in this documentary, as a whole it presents itself as being aimed for a novice. horror fan. Too many techical terms are done in voice over making it seem more like a film theory class. Most of those people aren't watching for t, unless they are like me and complete horror hounds. Know the audience and give them what they want... moreof the gory details.

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 Apparition (2012)

Starring: Ashley Greene, Tom Felton
Director: Todd Lincoln


Premise:
A young couple move into a new house that happens to be occupied by a malevolent presence conjured up by one of them during college experiments.

My Take:
This is one stinker of a tale. It tries desperately to create suspense by the same tired out methods seen  numerous times before in other haunted house flicks. The movie is a complete bore with the exception of few scenes on how the thing was drawn out. I think the better movie would have focused on the experiment and what caused the apparition to break threw to our world.

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.

Dracula's Fiancee (2002)

AKA: La Fiancee de Dracula

Director: Jean Rollin

Premise:
A pair of hunters are lead to a group of strange nuns who are holding the future bride of Dracula.

My Take:
The movie is filled with all the trademark Rollin: naked women, dreamy sequences, and style over substance. The man is a true aueter. While this is one of the more straight forward tales he's made, it's simply not very interesting.

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.

Chronicle (2012)

Starring: Dan DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan
Director: Josh Trank


Premise:
Three high school kids gain super telekinetic powers after finding a mysterious object buried in the ground. Each kid reacts differently to their newly found powers.

My Take:
A large chunk of the movie is filmed first person style which gets a little annoying. At the core of the story how these powers can corrupt, especially the loner kid with no friends and a bad home life. There's good special effects which helps make this an enjoyable film.

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.