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Movie Review: Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988) – Scream Factory 4k/Blu-ray Steelbook

After an absolute earworm banger of a theme song by punk outfit The Dickies, a big top from beyond the stars lands on Earth and dispenses monstrous alien clowns. Naturally it’s up to a gaggle of college kids to try and save the day by facing off against the bizarre creatures and their even more bizarre weapons (cotton candy guns, man eating shadow puppets, killer popcorn et. al.)! As if all of that monstrous madness wasn’t enough, our heroes are dogged constantly by the town’s egomaniacal cop, Officer Moonie (the legendary John Vernon, Animal House) who would be more than happy to lock our heroes up and you can bet your ass he does not believe their wild tales of grease-painted ghouls stalking the city streets! Can our heroes survive the night and send those ha-ha horrors packing, or will they be jailbirds before sun up? Surreal, hilarious, and filled to the rafters with over-the-top practical effects goodness; Killer Klowns

Continue reading →
DanXIII
May 12, 2024

Movie Review: Black Mask (1996) – Eureka Blu-ray

Tsui Chik (Jet Li, the Once Upon a Time in China series, Lethal Weapon 4) is a librarian leading a low-key lifestyle… so much so, that you’d hardly guess he was a top-secret super-soldier. Speaking of that Captain America biz, his former unit was disbanded due to one of his comrades going completely apeshit and putting a murder on a cop which resulted in the entire organization being marked for extermination. Now, our hero managed to lead his teammates to safety, but years later it appears that his fellow super soldiers have gone on a gangland killing spree… and since these dudes are near invulnerable, the police are practically helpless in dealing with the sitch at hand. Tsui then does the only logical thing; he dresses up like Kato from The Green Hornet and proceeds to begin a quest to whip super-soldier ass under his secret superhero identity; the Black Mask! Director Daniel Lee’s (working from a screenplay by directors

Continue reading →
DanXIII
May 11, 2024

Acclaimed Sci-Fi Thriller ‘The Animal Kingdom’ Lands On Digital

The critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller The Animal Kingdom is coming to you this Summer courtesy of Magnolia Home Entertainment, which produces it under its Magnet Label. A World Transformed The Animal Kingdom takes viewers on a captivating journey into a future forever altered. A mysterious mutation sweeps across humanity, triggering an extraordinary phenomenon – the transformation of people into hybrid creatures. The lines between humans and animals blur, creating a world where normalcy is redefined. A Desperate Search Francois finds himself at the center of this chaos. His wife has become afflicted by the condition, undergoing unsettling changes. Driven by unwavering love, Francois embarks on a dangerous quest to find her. He is joined by his teenage son Emile and a determined police officer as they venture deep into a nearby forest – a realm now inhabited by these mutated beings. A Stellar Cast Delivers The film boasts a powerful performance by Roman Duris, who captures Francois’s desperation with raw

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Apr 27, 2024

Spoiler-Free Review: “Dark My Light” (Fantaspoa 2024)

A serial killer who murders on the beach is running amok in an otherwise quiet coastal town, but that’s not the strangest thing going on in writer/director Neal Dhand’s science fiction thriller Dark My Light (2023). Detective Mitchell Morse (Albert Jones) seems to be losing his grip on reality, and that could lead to even more mayhem. Morse is assigned to the case with new partner Dreyfus Trier (Tom Lipinski), who has returned to his home town from the big city after a controversial incident on the force there. Morse is also going through a separation with his wife Emily (Keesha Sharp). He has a lot on his mind, which seems to be overloading. To give away more of the plot than the above would be doing a disservice to Dark My Light because it deals in mystery. I found myself wondering exactly what was happening once Dhand laid out some of the first puzzle pieces, then I started trying

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 19, 2024

Game Review: ‘Outer Terror’

Salt & Pixel and VoxPop Games have created a bullet hell that combines 80s and 90s comics with cosmic horror elements. This is Outer Terror, a bullet hell rogue-lite game that can be played solo or with a friend as you face hoards of otherworldly terror. When it comes to the game’s controls, they’re limited as the attacks by the characters are automatic and all you pretty much have to do is aim the crosshairs where you want to attack. It strikes me as a callback to old arcade games you played on PC (if you know you know). The sound is a bit annoying as it’s repetitive at times and depending on what weapons you are using you may end up wanting to either lower the sound volume or mute it completely. When it comes to the game’s art, it’s a bit rough. I really like the comic book look when it’s used in cinematic moments and dialogue, but

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Apr 12, 2024

Spoiler-Free Film Reviews: “The Becomers” and “Omen” (Boston Underground Film Festival 2024)

The Becomers (2024) Writer/director Zach Clark’s science-fiction comedy The Becomers is one of the more unique offerings in the subgenre of alien-body-snatchers cinema. It follows the travails of two genderless extraterrestrial lovers who have left their home planet for hopefully better lives on Earth. They must inhabit human bodies, with plenty of reasons to change them, as they try to grasp the language, mannerisms, and mindsets of Americans. The film touches on a variety of current social issues in the post-pandemic United States while avoiding becoming overly didactic, and the cast members — led by Molly Plunk, Mike Lopez, and Keith Kelly — give earnest performances that give the proceedings a grounded yet humorous feel. Bonus points from me for the fact that the film is narrated by Russell Mael, vocalist for one of my all-time favorite rock bands, Sparks. Omen (Augure; Belgium/The Democratic Republic of Congo/Netherlands/Germany/France/South Africa, 2023) Omen deals in magical realism and African mysticism, with horror-adjacent elements

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 3, 2024

Movie Review: Lola (2022) – Severin Blu-ray

Thomasina (Thom) and Martha (Mars) Hanbury (played by Emma Appleton and Stefanie Martini respectively) are brilliant adult orphans who live in rural isolation in a grande ol’ manse… a location where Thom has come up with a real humdinger of an invention by the name of Lola; a television that can receive signals from any date in the future the device is set to. Also a horse seemingly lives in their home… which normally would be odd enough, but alas one trumps the other… Anyway, the year being 1941, and the setting England the girls get up the gumption to begin delivering messages warning of Nazi attacks before they happen, saving countless lives. Their success leads to the attention of the British Military, thanks to the prying eyes of Lt. Sebastian Holloway of the Royal Corps of Signals (Rory Fleck Byrne) who soon allies with the sisters to literally change the course of World War II. As you can imagine,

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Mar 31, 2024

GUNNAR Optics and Amazon team up to bring fans ‘Fallout’ Vault 33 Gaming Glasses

Vault Dwellers, power up your Pip-boy, get yourself a cold glass of Nuka Cola, and put on your Vault 33 Glasses from GUNNAR Optics! That’s right, GUNNAR and Amazon have teamed up in preparation for Amazon’s upcoming series Fallout, based on the hit game series of the same name that’s set to premiere on Prime Video on April 11th. I want to thank GUNNAR and Amazon for sending me a pair of the Vault 33 Glasses to try out! These glasses are awesome! With the retro look that appears to have come right from one of the Vaults from the game, or in this case, it bears the mark of Vault 33 (the Vault the Amazon Series protagonist is from). The glasses fit comfortably, and like the Year of the Dragon pair I was sent before, the lens is amber but you can choose between clear, amber, or sunglasses. These gaming glasses help block out the blue light spectrum which

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Mar 26, 2024

Movie Review: Darkman (1990) – Scream Factory 4k/Blu-ray

Attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand, Fargo) has the dirt on the bribes big time developer Louis Strack Jr.(Colin Friels, Dark City) has been using to get the job done hassle-free, and this upsets his ass greatly… so much so, he enlists the help of gangster/psychopath Robert G. Durant (Robert G. Durant, Dr. Giggles) to destroy those documents with extreme prejudice! This is shitty news for Hastings’ boyfriend Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, Taken, Next of Kin), a scientist that has invented synthetic skin for burn victims that can be 3-D printed to any specifications… but the material only lasts 99 minutes before dissolving, as he’s around when Durant comes a-callin’ which results in him both getting severely burned, but impervious to pain thanks to the treatment for said burns (even though the world believes him dead). Naturally, he needs to exact revenge on those that wronged him… and he does just that, because not only has the attempted murder left

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Mar 26, 2024

Finally! A Teaser for ‘Alien: Romulus’ Lands!

It’s finally here! Earlier today, the first panic-inducing teaser trailer for Fede Álvarez’s ALIEN: ROMULUS arrived, and – oh boy! It’s tense, mysterious, and bloody! We’ve all been salivating for a taste of what’s to come, and I must say, this teaser does not disappoint! My excitement started bubbling when I first heard that Fede Álvarez was involved in a new entry in the Alien franchise. I liked Don’t Breathe, and Evil Dead 2013 was awesome. After seeing this teaser, my excitement is boiling over! This one might be good! One thing I noticed was how quick the Facehugger seems to be now. Did you see that little guy go? Man, it’s fast! As if an alien that wraps around your face and plants babies in your belly wasn’t terrifying enough. Geesh. The overall vibe of the teaser is on point. It’s a living panic attack, building a ton of tension during its fairly short run time. The fact that

Continue reading →
Joshua Scafidi
Mar 20, 2024

More from Sci-Fi

Movie Review: Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988) – Scream Factory 4k/Blu-ray Steelbook

After an absolute earworm banger of a theme song by punk outfit The Dickies, a big top from beyond the stars lands on Earth and dispenses monstrous alien clowns. Naturally it’s up to a gaggle of college kids to try and save the day by facing off against the bizarre creatures and their even more bizarre weapons (cotton candy guns, man eating shadow puppets, killer popcorn et. al.)! As if all of that monstrous madness wasn’t enough, our heroes are dogged constantly by the town’s egomaniacal cop, Officer Moonie (the legendary John Vernon, Animal House) who would be more than happy to lock our heroes up and you can bet your ass he does not believe their wild tales of grease-painted ghouls stalking the city streets! Can our heroes survive the night and send those ha-ha horrors packing, or will they be jailbirds before sun up? Surreal, hilarious, and filled to the rafters with over-the-top practical effects goodness; Killer Klowns

Continue reading →
DanXIII
May 12, 2024

Movie Review: Black Mask (1996) – Eureka Blu-ray

Tsui Chik (Jet Li, the Once Upon a Time in China series, Lethal Weapon 4) is a librarian leading a low-key lifestyle… so much so, that you’d hardly guess he was a top-secret super-soldier. Speaking of that Captain America biz, his former unit was disbanded due to one of his comrades going completely apeshit and putting a murder on a cop which resulted in the entire organization being marked for extermination. Now, our hero managed to lead his teammates to safety, but years later it appears that his fellow super soldiers have gone on a gangland killing spree… and since these dudes are near invulnerable, the police are practically helpless in dealing with the sitch at hand. Tsui then does the only logical thing; he dresses up like Kato from The Green Hornet and proceeds to begin a quest to whip super-soldier ass under his secret superhero identity; the Black Mask! Director Daniel Lee’s (working from a screenplay by directors

Continue reading →
DanXIII
May 11, 2024

Acclaimed Sci-Fi Thriller ‘The Animal Kingdom’ Lands On Digital

The critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller The Animal Kingdom is coming to you this Summer courtesy of Magnolia Home Entertainment, which produces it under its Magnet Label. A World Transformed The Animal Kingdom takes viewers on a captivating journey into a future forever altered. A mysterious mutation sweeps across humanity, triggering an extraordinary phenomenon – the transformation of people into hybrid creatures. The lines between humans and animals blur, creating a world where normalcy is redefined. A Desperate Search Francois finds himself at the center of this chaos. His wife has become afflicted by the condition, undergoing unsettling changes. Driven by unwavering love, Francois embarks on a dangerous quest to find her. He is joined by his teenage son Emile and a determined police officer as they venture deep into a nearby forest – a realm now inhabited by these mutated beings. A Stellar Cast Delivers The film boasts a powerful performance by Roman Duris, who captures Francois’s desperation with raw

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Apr 27, 2024

Spoiler-Free Review: “Dark My Light” (Fantaspoa 2024)

A serial killer who murders on the beach is running amok in an otherwise quiet coastal town, but that’s not the strangest thing going on in writer/director Neal Dhand’s science fiction thriller Dark My Light (2023). Detective Mitchell Morse (Albert Jones) seems to be losing his grip on reality, and that could lead to even more mayhem. Morse is assigned to the case with new partner Dreyfus Trier (Tom Lipinski), who has returned to his home town from the big city after a controversial incident on the force there. Morse is also going through a separation with his wife Emily (Keesha Sharp). He has a lot on his mind, which seems to be overloading. To give away more of the plot than the above would be doing a disservice to Dark My Light because it deals in mystery. I found myself wondering exactly what was happening once Dhand laid out some of the first puzzle pieces, then I started trying

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 19, 2024

Game Review: ‘Outer Terror’

Salt & Pixel and VoxPop Games have created a bullet hell that combines 80s and 90s comics with cosmic horror elements. This is Outer Terror, a bullet hell rogue-lite game that can be played solo or with a friend as you face hoards of otherworldly terror. When it comes to the game’s controls, they’re limited as the attacks by the characters are automatic and all you pretty much have to do is aim the crosshairs where you want to attack. It strikes me as a callback to old arcade games you played on PC (if you know you know). The sound is a bit annoying as it’s repetitive at times and depending on what weapons you are using you may end up wanting to either lower the sound volume or mute it completely. When it comes to the game’s art, it’s a bit rough. I really like the comic book look when it’s used in cinematic moments and dialogue, but

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Apr 12, 2024

Spoiler-Free Film Reviews: “The Becomers” and “Omen” (Boston Underground Film Festival 2024)

The Becomers (2024) Writer/director Zach Clark’s science-fiction comedy The Becomers is one of the more unique offerings in the subgenre of alien-body-snatchers cinema. It follows the travails of two genderless extraterrestrial lovers who have left their home planet for hopefully better lives on Earth. They must inhabit human bodies, with plenty of reasons to change them, as they try to grasp the language, mannerisms, and mindsets of Americans. The film touches on a variety of current social issues in the post-pandemic United States while avoiding becoming overly didactic, and the cast members — led by Molly Plunk, Mike Lopez, and Keith Kelly — give earnest performances that give the proceedings a grounded yet humorous feel. Bonus points from me for the fact that the film is narrated by Russell Mael, vocalist for one of my all-time favorite rock bands, Sparks. Omen (Augure; Belgium/The Democratic Republic of Congo/Netherlands/Germany/France/South Africa, 2023) Omen deals in magical realism and African mysticism, with horror-adjacent elements

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 3, 2024

Movie Review: Lola (2022) – Severin Blu-ray

Thomasina (Thom) and Martha (Mars) Hanbury (played by Emma Appleton and Stefanie Martini respectively) are brilliant adult orphans who live in rural isolation in a grande ol’ manse… a location where Thom has come up with a real humdinger of an invention by the name of Lola; a television that can receive signals from any date in the future the device is set to. Also a horse seemingly lives in their home… which normally would be odd enough, but alas one trumps the other… Anyway, the year being 1941, and the setting England the girls get up the gumption to begin delivering messages warning of Nazi attacks before they happen, saving countless lives. Their success leads to the attention of the British Military, thanks to the prying eyes of Lt. Sebastian Holloway of the Royal Corps of Signals (Rory Fleck Byrne) who soon allies with the sisters to literally change the course of World War II. As you can imagine,

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Mar 31, 2024

GUNNAR Optics and Amazon team up to bring fans ‘Fallout’ Vault 33 Gaming Glasses

Vault Dwellers, power up your Pip-boy, get yourself a cold glass of Nuka Cola, and put on your Vault 33 Glasses from GUNNAR Optics! That’s right, GUNNAR and Amazon have teamed up in preparation for Amazon’s upcoming series Fallout, based on the hit game series of the same name that’s set to premiere on Prime Video on April 11th. I want to thank GUNNAR and Amazon for sending me a pair of the Vault 33 Glasses to try out! These glasses are awesome! With the retro look that appears to have come right from one of the Vaults from the game, or in this case, it bears the mark of Vault 33 (the Vault the Amazon Series protagonist is from). The glasses fit comfortably, and like the Year of the Dragon pair I was sent before, the lens is amber but you can choose between clear, amber, or sunglasses. These gaming glasses help block out the blue light spectrum which

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Mar 26, 2024

Movie Review: Darkman (1990) – Scream Factory 4k/Blu-ray

Attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand, Fargo) has the dirt on the bribes big time developer Louis Strack Jr.(Colin Friels, Dark City) has been using to get the job done hassle-free, and this upsets his ass greatly… so much so, he enlists the help of gangster/psychopath Robert G. Durant (Robert G. Durant, Dr. Giggles) to destroy those documents with extreme prejudice! This is shitty news for Hastings’ boyfriend Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, Taken, Next of Kin), a scientist that has invented synthetic skin for burn victims that can be 3-D printed to any specifications… but the material only lasts 99 minutes before dissolving, as he’s around when Durant comes a-callin’ which results in him both getting severely burned, but impervious to pain thanks to the treatment for said burns (even though the world believes him dead). Naturally, he needs to exact revenge on those that wronged him… and he does just that, because not only has the attempted murder left

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Mar 26, 2024

Finally! A Teaser for ‘Alien: Romulus’ Lands!

It’s finally here! Earlier today, the first panic-inducing teaser trailer for Fede Álvarez’s ALIEN: ROMULUS arrived, and – oh boy! It’s tense, mysterious, and bloody! We’ve all been salivating for a taste of what’s to come, and I must say, this teaser does not disappoint! My excitement started bubbling when I first heard that Fede Álvarez was involved in a new entry in the Alien franchise. I liked Don’t Breathe, and Evil Dead 2013 was awesome. After seeing this teaser, my excitement is boiling over! This one might be good! One thing I noticed was how quick the Facehugger seems to be now. Did you see that little guy go? Man, it’s fast! As if an alien that wraps around your face and plants babies in your belly wasn’t terrifying enough. Geesh. The overall vibe of the teaser is on point. It’s a living panic attack, building a ton of tension during its fairly short run time. The fact that

Continue reading →
Joshua Scafidi
Mar 20, 2024
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