The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) Full Review

A father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the body of a young woman, who was apparently harboring dark secrets.

The Norwegian director André Øvredal (Troll Hunter) was inspired to do a REAL horror movie after attending a screening of The Conjuring. He immediately called his agent and told them that they should try and find a good horror script for him. A month later they showed him this script and he was immediately interested. The Autopsy of Jane Doe stars Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, also grew up in Santa Fe) and Brian Cox (Morgan, Red) as father-and-son coroners who experience supernatural phenomena while examining the body of an unidentified woman, played by Olwen Kelly (Darkness on the Edge of Town). It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2016, to much acclaim and was released on December 21st worldwide. As Øvredal's first English-language film it even made J.P.'s Top 13 for 2016, and here's why...

The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a REAL horror film in the finest John Carpenter b-movie tradition. It isn't enough that it takes place within the creepiest part of the hospital or that it is largely about 2 men dealing with their relationship as father and son vicariously through the mystery that is Jane Doe. This film is a well choreographed and acted forensics film with supernatural jump scares that work. The identity of the body is slowly determined and its refreshing that she's not a zombie. Of course the clues are obvious for the seasoned horror fan, but definitely not expected. Everything about The Autopsy of Jane Doe is perfectly assembled to maintain tension, curiosity, and surprise.

According to Øvredal, Kelly had the most difficult role in the film, which we would agree that being naked and playing dead on a cold slab is probably the most challenging roll one could take on. Interestingly, Kelly was the first person interviewed for the role and though others were interviewed Øvredal instantly knew she was right for the role. One of the reasons she was selected was her knowledge of yoga, which helped her control her body and breathing. He's also reflected on how wonderfully well Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch worked together to the point where he would just set up the camera and watch them go. Instant chemistry with a well written and prepared story is obvious.


The Autopsy of Jane Doe is currently available at Amazon and your favorite digital service.

The Axe Murders of Villisca (2016) Review

Three outcast teenagers break into the Vallisca axe murder house in search of answers, but discover something far beyond their worst fears.

Director: Tony E. Valenzuela; Writers: Kevin Abrams (story), Owen Egerton; Stars: Robert Adamson, Jarrett Sleeper, Alex Frnka, Sean Whalen

On a June night in 1912, eight people -- a mother, father, their four children, and two guests -- were murdered by an axe-wielding killer in the sleepy town of Villisca, Iowa. A case that remains unsolved to this day. More than a century later, Caleb and Denny, two friends who share an interest in ghost hunting, along with Jess -- the new girl in school who already has a reputation -- sneak into the house where the infamous bloodbath occurred in hopes of recording paranormal activity.

In horror films, amateur ghost hunting always equals a bad experience. Take Grave Encounters and the Blair Witch for example. As amateur ghost hunters ourselves, my wife and I are glad this doesn't hold true in real life. Although, thanks to these films, we are prepared for the day that is does. Not that it will do us any good. Tony E. Valenzuela directs a fantastic example of such a ghost story with found footage elements but without all the annoying tropes of the previously mentioned films. The primary difference between Valenzuela's work and most others is he chose to use the true historical facts related to the Vallisca Axe Murders and fictionalized the characters being haunted and the haunting itself, while working with the claims that the real house truly is haunted, wrapping it all up into a little bow with a tie in from reality that he claims had nothing to do with the movie, although cleverly looks like it does. It is this manipulation of fact and fiction that I applaud more than anything else while watching The Axe Murders of Vallisca.

Meanwhile the film making is classic 80's with much better acting than the usual for indepndent films of this nature. Of course IFC Midnight has been good at not putting their name on films that fail drastically in convincing the suspension of disbelief. It also helps The Axe Murders of Vallisca has a lot of familiar faces... Conchata Ferrell, Brett Rickaby, with special recognition to Jon Gries for his unamused tour guide and Sean Whalen is an excellent ax murderer with crazed bloody frenzy. Our lead cast is great too, Robert Adamson, Jarrett Sleeper, and Alex Frnka are great albeit rarely subdued. Still, is each characters subplot important enough to the overall plot and believable. Caleb's (Adamson) seems to be the least believable back story. But in the end he must seek absolution. Denny's (Sleeper) seems more reasonable, as does Jess's (Frnka) if not over played. In the end the goal is to bring together misfits and put them through the ringer so that they come out better than they went in. If they come out at all. Especially the bullys.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS: Though the real Vallisca Axe Murders are unsolved, the film sides with a theory that the murders were committed by Reverend Kelly on a mission from god because the wife was an adulteress. Also looks like older sis is too which ties directly to Jess's indiscretion. In fact everyone's sins are eventually put on trial to mixed results. Demonic possession is a must but the kids in costumes seem to be more for dramatic, creepy effect, doing what they do best by appearing sinister but are really just harbingers.

Available now on Amazon!

Good Tidings (2016) Review

A homeless war veteran with a checkered past must rely on a suppressed side of himself when he and his companions are targeted on Christmas Day by three vicious psychopaths in Santa suits.

Director: Stuart W. Bedford; Writers: Stuart W. Bedford, Giovanni Gentile; Stars: Colin Murtagh, Alexander Mounsey, Stu Jopia

The long awaited ultra low budget UK Christmas offering has finally arrived! We've been hearing about this one since last Christmas, back when it was first supposed to come out. They decided to hold it back due to the overwhelming popularity of Krampus. After all, the budget and subject couldn't dare to compete and one of the best ways to get your holiday movie seen is to be the only holiday movie available. Therefore Good Tidings is the only holiday horror for this giving season right on the 25th. Let's just say that for a ultra low indy it truly satisfies our penchant for murdering Santa's. Rather, Santa's that murder.

It goes like this... We open on a trio of crazy wrapped face guys taking out a hung over Santa and discovering Santa suites in the boot of his car. From there we meet our troubled vet whose talking to another homeless man about the shelter they've made use of. From here the characters develope between touching scenes and killer Santa craziness. Even our Santas get developed (the credits give them stooges names) with the skinny simpleton like candy cane sucker dominating screen time and a big monster Santa to rule them all. The candy cane obviously comes into play later (how many of us have imagined what we could do with a perfectly sharpened candy cane). He also loves to mumble Christmas tunes and gets a little soft. Meanwhile the other Santas enjoy their games of cat and mouse with the rest of the homeless. I always find it interesting that in slasher films the killer always wipes out the easy prey first, saving the stronger for last as if they like the challenge. Our Santas in Good Tidings definitely like their sport.

Good Tidings has very little blood and gore but it is there, just enough to let you know its real. Some kills happen off screen and I have a feeling that is due to budget constraints and the inability to realize the kill. Artful filmography and character development makes the lack of onscreen violence reasonable. The use of Christmas music for clever ambiance is well done. The Santa's only speak once, when the big guy growls at a woman to scream. The rest of the time they are like gorillas in Santa masks.

There's a lot about the film that seems like a bad idea. The tortured vet with a shady past story-line is overdone, to be honest, so is the caricature of the druggy whore looking to make good. But they are stereotypes we know and love. We all want to see the down and out rise above. Especially since Good Tidings is a horror film that celebrates a holiday that reinforces change for the better. It's also strange the serial killing Santa's would choose a homeless shelter of all places to attack. But then, these Santa's weren't at all concerned with who they were killing, just that they had fun doing it. The one spoiler I will give involves a possible bomb, which seems out of place given the other kills. I feel like this film is making a political statement about the treatment of the homeless. The character development lends me to continue that belief. Though I don't feel the film needed it, every horror film has a statement to make. Thankfully Good tidings is full of every expected trope, including some clever kills, and does not disappoint.

JP's Random Review: Maniac (2012)

“A deeply disturbing and convoluted re-imagining of the 1980 original. Elijah Wood is one creepy dude, even without furry feet or a talking dog.” - The Creepercast

Director: Franck Khalfoun; Writers: Alexandre Aja,  Grégory Levasseur (screenplay), Joe Spinell (original screenplay); Stars: Elijah Wood, Nora Arnezeder, America Olivo, et. al.

The original Maniac (1980) came out of nowhere. While most of the slasher films of the period were trying to ride the Halloween wave, Maniac was inspired by the 1970's first person POV classic Peeping Tom. But it didn't stop there, it became Psycho, with a love for mannequins, which are creepy already.  As disturbing as it is to actually be a killer whose best friends are lifelike dolls, Maniac wasn't art. Not until a bunch of French filmmakers and a hobbit took on the project a few years ago.

Art is what Khalfoun (P2, High Tension) and Wood have created with their version of Maniac. Each shot is expertly crafted to maintain just enough tension and mystery to make it a thrill ride. We are Elijah Wood in this movie, so to say he is the star is giving him a lot of credit. We see what he sees and witness every stalk and grisly action he commits as if it was done by our own hands. The only time we get shocked out of this is when we see 'ourselves' in a reflective surface. That's when a quickly spiraling out of control Wood stares back accusingly to make us ashamed for being so into what he's doing. Though the film seems slow to expose its secrets, it actually moves at just the right speed to that keep us accustomed to the new level of insanity we are about to be introduced too. This is something Jason and I have often talked about trying to do in a film of our own. All in all, Maniac (2012) is a great re-make that doesn't apologize for striving to be darker and more disturbing than the original. That's why it will definitely be a cult film that you need to have in your collection.

When it comes to a sneak attack on the horror genre Elijah Wood has managed to sneak out of the woodwork. You may remember way back when I mentioned his hush hush creation of an in house horror production company called The Woodshed (now called SpectraVision). Prior to this, his involvement in horror films had been limited to The Faculty, and getting high with talking dogs (Wilfred). There is already a huge buzz developing around the upcoming horror comedy Cooties, which, with a name like that, can only be brilliant. Also in the works is the Iranian vampire film, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, now in post-production. So if you love Elijah Wood like we do and have waited as long as we have to see him get deeper into horror films, here's our chance! We will definitely keep stalking this good son!

Til next we bleed,

J.P.

Green Room (2015) Review

“It [Green Room] is what happens behind the stage that matters in this taut thriller as a rebellious group of musicians end up punished for being in the wrong place at the time” ~ Creepercast

Synopsis: A traveling punk rock band, The Ain't Rights, i.e. Pat (Anton Yelchin), Sam (Alia Shawkat), Reece (Joe Cole), and Tiger (Callum Turner), is forced to fight for survival after witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar. Written and Directed by Jeremy Saulnier (Murder Party, Blue Ruin), Green Room is a taut thriller with plenty of action.

We begin this review with a fond farewell to a talented young actor that was taken from us way too soon. As film lovers he was first introduced to us the reason why everything went to hell in Alpha Dogs. In the horror community we knew him as the new Charley Brewster, Odd Thomas, the poor guy who wanted to bury his ex, and the bass player of The Ain't Rights in the movie we are about to talk about. Though Green Room isn’t the last time we’ll see him, given the new Star Trek and ‘We Don’t Belong Here’, the world of horror has lost a champion that still had so much more to give genre. I can’t claim to be a fan of the new version of Fright Night but as a fan of the Odd Thomas novels I truly expected to see more with Anton in the quintessential role. It is very saddening to know that not only have any future Odd Thomas been shelved indefinitely but that a person I believe embodied the character perfectly will not be reprising the role. That much said, let's take a moment to reflect on a film that he left us to remember him buy...

Green Room is another one of those visceral drama/action/thriller/horror films we have been seeing a lot of lately. Done well, these films take us to a dark place where the reality of those horrors lurk in the corners and alleys of our lives. This Death Wave, as we’ve taken to calling it, has been brilliantly explored by several writers and Directors and is a championed genre of horror that writer/director Jeremy Saulnier is obviously no stranger. It is what happens behind the stage that matters in this taut thriller as a rebellious group of musicians end up punished for being in the wrong place at the time. Interestingly it is the accidental witnessing of a murder that seals their fate and not the fact they started their set telling the nazi punks to fuck off Dead Kennedys style. I mean, that alone would normally would have earned an instant ass kicking. It’s a good thing these four are good at jamming (Yelchin and Shawcat can actually shred on their instruments in real life). The struggles of life on the road come to crescendo once the murder in the green room is witnessed. Then the movie turns into a fight for survival as the four quasi-punks are left to fend for themselves against the real white bread punks.

One of the many things Saulnier has done right with Green Room is assembling a fantastic team of actors. Not just the obvious four that make up the The Ain't Rights but this film has Patrick Stewart as the Neo-Nazi bar owning leader. Rumor has it Stewart wanted this role after reading only a few a few pages of his characters dialogue because he’d never played such a sadistic creature. Afterwards it scared him having played such a monster. But c’mon, he’s Patrick F’n Stewart, he can play any twisted character he wants, he’ll be amazing at it, and we will love him. In the end Green Room is everything you want it to be with an awesome punk soundtrack, a peek into one of America’s darker sub-cultures, and everyday people facing insurmountable odds.

Til next we bleed… Farewell from the beasts and I,
JP

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