More Easter horror has risen, but is it anything to praise? We watched two new indie films that promised campy fun but left us hopping mad.
We begin, as always, with news of what’s happening in the world of horror, film, entertainment, and pop culture.
It is not often that we cover box office blockbusters. There is the occasional special edition, but most of the films we cover tend to fly under the mainstream radar. Late Night with the Devil does not change that, but it has done some interesting business. But as is par for the course nowadays, it comes with a bit of controversy.
We love hearing about movies that have taken things too far. The First Omen had already hooked us, thanks to its awesome trailer. It was recently revealed that it was almost rated NC-17 – and not for the reasons you might think. This certainly sounds exciting, but are there ulterior motives behind this revelation?
Then, it’s on to our featured Easter-themed holiday horror reviews.
There are some names that are common throughout horror. There are plenty of movies called “The Curse” or that have “Revelations” in their title. And while you wouldn’t think there would be two movies called Easter Bunny Massacre, it should not be that shocking. The fact that they are both about friends who share a dark secret having a reunion before being picked off by a killer dressed in an Easter bunny outfit is certainly strange.
Obviously, based on the description, the latest Easter Bunny Massacre takes elements from I Know What You Did Last Summer, so it should come as no surprise that it borrows liberally from Scream. But when do you cross the line between homage and rip-off? (Here’s a hint: taking scenes word for word and shot for shot is a little much.)
Easter Bunny Massacre: The Bloody Trail sounded like dumb fun, but it just ended up being dumb.
From everything we saw going into our viewing, there was no way that Easter Bloody Easter was not going to provide some sort of entertainment. Its story involving a killer jackalope and an army of killer bunny rabbits was just too silly. And the climax provided the kind of bonkers excitement that we knew we would get.
Regrettably, that was the only part of the film that lived up to its promise.
How do you get the tone wrong in a ridiculous comedy horror? Include a toxic relationship and alcoholism, for starters. And that is just the start of many problems in Easter Bloody Easter? Were the genuinely funny moments enough to overcome its many flaws?
And will we ever do another Easter episode again?
Every week AIPT Movie Editor Nathaniel Muir and his cinema partner in crime Blake Heath discuss indie and genre movies you have have never heard of, the ones you cannot hear enough about, and the ones you never want to hear about again.
It is almost impossible to quantify what Roger Corman has done for horror. He pretty much invented B horror, launched the careers of some of the most talented directors of all time, and is behind some of the most iconic genre films of all time. His influence can be seen in the video box art that older fans pine about and in podcasts like our own. He is a true icon.
Typecasting is an interesting part of Hollywood. Some like scream queens and rom-com hunks lean into it. Others try to break out of the box others try to put them in. Think all of the comedic actors who have tried their hands at serious roles or child actors who appeared in more risque fare. It is always a shame to see an actor who obviously has a range of talents regulated to the same types of roles.
But what if an actor typecasts themselves?
Faceless After Dark stars Terrifer’s Jenna Kanell as an actor whose breakout role was in a movie about a killer clown. The synopsis is a little misleading (when she is held hostage by a fan dressed as said clown, she must do whatever she can to survive) as it is more of a revenge story than the logline implies. And that is just the first confusing thing.
The lead character is completely unlikable, the direction is headache inducing, and motivations are nonsensical. Are we supposed to root for Bowie Davidson (Kanell)? Why does she hate her fans so much? Is jealousy truly the root of all evil. Faceless After Dark has something to say, and it touches on real issues like toxic fandom and gender, but it is all done in a way that is confusing and just plain insulting. This movie was absolutely directed towards Terrifer fans and they are not going to like what it has to say.
Bruceploitation Month ends with the most famous Bruce Lee imitator of all. He was also the person who brought an end to the genre. Initially, Jackie Chan was supposed to continue in the footsteps of Dragon Lee, Bruce Li, Bruce Lea, and so many others. He did not want that and proceeded to carve out his own name. But not before he gave us 1976’s New Fist of Fury.
Xenophobia, confounding death scenes, a complete downer of an ending and, of course, a completely random Bruce Lee reference are all part of the film. It is a chance to see Jackie Chan very early in his career and has a powerful story to boot. At least, it seems powerful. Since the subtitles do not translate everything, we are left to assume that much of what is happening is very poignant and meaningful. The final shot certainly left us feeling something; too bad none of it was good.
Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.
Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror.
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