The Leftovers, Season 1 (2014)

Starring: Justin Theroux, Liv Tyler, Amy Brenneman, Carrie Coon, Amanda Warren, Michael Gaston, Emily Meade, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Scott Glenn, Christopher Ecceston


Premise:
After 2% of the world's population mysteriously disappears, a small town is forced to pic up the pieces and move on. Though many find it hard to do and seem lost.

My Take:
The series took awhile to sink its teeth into me, but about half way through I found it to be rather interesting. Though it does ask far more questions then is being answered at this point. It is still a show that is a little different and has some potential for future seasons. Hopefully we get answers behind the multiple cults, strange animal behavior, those who make contact, and the man who can take away people's pain.

Rating: In the middle

Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
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Gravity (2013)

Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
Director: Alfonso Cuarón


Premise:
Two astronauts try to make it back to Earth after a sudden storm destroys their space shuttle.

My Take:
A gripping movie where the viewer can feel the isolation and fear of the two astronauts as each attempt to get back home is met with a road block.

Rating: So Good






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
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The Flesh Eaters (1964)

Starring: Martin Kosleck, Rita Morely, Barbara Wilkin, Bryon Sanders
Director: Jack Curtis


Premise:
A pilot with money trouble agrees to fly an actress to her set before a violent storm hits. The crash on a remote island and soon find out the sea surrounding them is full of creatures which survivor on flesh.

My Take:
Not sure why this B movie rates so highly as a cult classic. I found it to be an interesting premise plagued by cardboard acting and terrible effects. But to each their own.

Rating:Warning






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License
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The Chernobyl Diaries (2012)

Starring:Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Jonathan Sadowski, Jesse McCartney, Olivia Dudley, Dimitri Diatchenko
Director: Bradley Parker


Premise:
A group of urban explorers sneak into the abandoned city of Pripyat. They quickly find out others still remain and want to eat the group.

My Take:
The story isn't the problem with the movie. I actually like the idea and the filming. The details are what kills it as most of the characters are one dimensional cliches (especially the foreigners) which the viewer could care less about. I think the cast does well with what it's given. The movie does look good, dispite being filmed in a found footage 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.

The Day (2013)

Starring: Ashley Belle, Shawn Ashmore, Michael Eklund, Dominic Monaghan,
Shannyn Sossamon
Director: Luke Passmore


Premise:
A group of survivors stumble upon an abandoned house which they soon find out is a trap for a clan of cannibals.

My Take:
The all too familiar theme happening in this movie is saved by a couple of minor adjustments to make it just interesting enough. Plus the cast is very likeable and does a good job with what was on the page. It's an easy movie to watch but probably not one that you will ever go back to again.

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.

Hell's Labyrinth (2007)

AKA: Carnivorious

Starring: Leah Rose, Katy Colloton, Matt Ukena
Director: Drew Maxwell

Premise:
A group of individuals wake up in a cave and are hunted by a monster.

My Take:
With in the first few minutes you know exactly how bad a movie will be. And this one is a stinker. The bad cinematography, acting, CGI, and the plot are simply not worth the time.
You are warned.

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.

Rituals (1977)

AKA: The Creeper

Starring: Hal Holbrook, Lawrence Dane
Director: Peter Carter


Premise:
A group of doctors take their yearly vacation to a remote part of the Canada wilderness for a hike. Soon they discover that another person is out there and has plans to kill the group.

My Take:
Holbrook shines in the lead role but the other characters just seem to bicker, complain, and are too one dimensional to actually care about there demise.
The film is absolutely beautiful with all the wooded scenery.

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 Hunger Games (2012)

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanely Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley
Director: Gary Ross


Premise:
In the future, where the country is split up into twelve districts, each year sees the Hunger Games held by the Capitol as a reminder never to rise against their command again. The games have one boy and one girl from each district battle to the death.

My Take:
While the adaptation from the novel remains fairly faithful, the makers seemed to cut most of the horror elements out of the script.
It's not exactly terrible but I hoped for a bit more. But then again, I am not the demographic the movie is aiming for either.

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.

Daylight (2010)

Starring: Alexandra Meierhans, Ivan Martin, Michael Godere
Director: David Barker


Premise:
On their way to a wedding in the country, a couple picks up a hitchhiker who ends up kidnapping them with the help from his buddies.

My Take:
A familiar story is saved by a decent amount of suspense, great all around acting, and little non-typical nuisances in the script.

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 Collapsed (2011)

Starring: John Fantasia
Director: Justin McConnell


Premise:
A family tries to survive in the aftermath when civilized society comes to an end. 

My Take:
Not a lot really happens in this movie. Nor what does happen is rarely shown on screen (until the wrap up at the end). It's a minimalist survival movie. And it might have worked better, because there is a decent hook, if I cared about the characters. But they are so generic and make so many stupid decisions that is it hard too get into the story.

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 Clinic (2010)

Starring: Tabrett Bethell, Andy Whitmore
Director: James Rabbitts

Premise:
A couple stay overnight at a rural motel. The very pregnant girlfriend is kidnapped and wakes up in an abandoned building with her baby removed. Then she discovers other woman at the facility and killer.

My Take:
The movie definitely had me guessing. It starts as a man trying to find his pregnant fiancee, then turns in a group of women trying to survive a mysterious killer, then the final act brings it all together in a surprising fashion. Some how it works.

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 Lurking (2010)

Director:Gregory Connors

Premise:
A research facility gets put under lock down. The survivors attempt to escape without getting killed by the creatures which have taken over.

My Take:
The special effects were very good. That's the only kind thing I can say about this movie. The acting is horrible. The story is predictable. The characters are ultra cliched. It became very hard to watch and keep interest.

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.

Phase 7 (2011)

AKA: Fase 7


Director: Nicolás Goldbart

Premise:
An apartment building is quarantined during an outbreak. Several days pass and a man tries to protect his pregnant wife from one of the tenants who starts killing the others off.

My Take:
I enjoyed the flick. It blends the perfect amount of comedy, splatter, and drama in a believable situation. The characters are fantastic.

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.

Wrecked (2010)

Starring: Adrien Brody
Director: Michael Greenspan

Premise:
A man awakens in a wrecked car at the bottom of a ravine. He battles the elements of the secluded location and attempts to remember how he ended up there.

My Take:
In order to pull this type of movie off, basically a one person movie for 90 minutes, you need either a great character and an engaging actor. While Brody certainly has the acting chops, the character falls short.
Most of the movie is spent trying to figure out if he's hallucinating or actually trying to pull himself from the wreckage. Then suddenly at the end of the movie, he remembers everything.
It's not a horrible movie but one that will easily be forgotten.

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.

YellowBrickRoad (2011)

Starring: Cassidy Freeman, Alex Draper
Director: Jesse Holland, Andy Mitton

Synopsis:
In 1940 the residents of a small New Hampshire walks into the woods. Many were found dead along the trail. Others were never found. Now a group of people want to retrace their steps and find out what happened.

My Take:
The movie starts out with a lot of good story about this mysterious incidence and spends time building the characters until the situation starts to seem a bit off, then finally breaks loose into chaos. The second half is tension filled and Lynchian in feel.
A movie that might take a second viewing to figure out what actually happened. Nothing is clearly spelled out. If you enjoy those types of flicks, then look no further.

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.

Battle Royale II (2003)

Director: Kenta Fukasaku & Kinji Fukasaku


Synopsis:
A group of students are sent to the island to kill Shuya Nanahara, the lone survivor of the failed Battle Royale program who is now considered a terrorist by the government.

My Take:
Much of what made the first one so cool seems to be absent here. The movie fell short of my expectations.

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.