As we've seen, 2008 was a somewhat hit and miss year for horror. Here is another batch for you, as always let me know your thoughts.
DANCE OF THE DEAD (2008)
3.5/5
As prom gets underway and the dead come out to play, the only hope for saving the day is the mismatched couple that can't seem to agree on anything. As the Cosa High School Senior Prom draws near, the local teens are more preoccupied with getting laid and looking good on the big night. But while local teen Jimmy (Jared Kusnitz) seems completely unfazed by all the infectious enthusiasm that's spreading through the student body, his girlfriend Lindsey (Greyson Chadwick) has thrown herself into the teenage ritual and remains determined to have the perfect romantic evening. But it's kind of difficult to enjoy an intimate dance when your classmates are trying to eat your brains, and when the tux-clad teens begin turning blue and munching on flesh, Jimmy and Lindsey are forced to put their differences aside long enough to extinguish the zombie plague before it spreads beyond campus grounds.
Here is a fun little nugget that breaks no new zombie ground (except for those driving cars) and doesn't nail every bit of humor but is still a fun, entertaining romp. The best part for me was seeing all of the arch types; class president, wimp, bully, sci-fi nerds, cheerleaders, and psycho military gym coach all throw in together against the zombies. Mindless, campy fun to be sure, but fun nonetheless.
KILLER PAD (2008)
2/5
Eighteen years after making his feature directorial debut with the satanic telephone shocker 976-Evil, screen legend Robert England steps back behind the camera to call the shots for this story of a Hollywood Hills home with a, particularly dark past. When three best friends score a big insurance claim, they decide that it's time to purchase their own place and finally fly away from the nest. Though rumors persist that they may be getting more than they bargained for, youthful enthusiasm wins out over good judgment and their initial excitement soon gives way to inescapable terror. Daniel Franzese, Eric Jungman, and Shane McRae star in a film featuring Joey Lawrence, Andy Milonakis, and Lin Shaye.
Imagine a film that is neither scary nor funny, filled with chicks in skimpy outfits (no nudity), and three guys you can't stand. There you have it, proof that despite his directorial debut, Robert Englund should NOT be directing movies. Ever!
DOROTHY MILLS (2008)
3.75/5
2008 psychological thriller mystery film directed by Agnès Merlet. Starring Carice van Houten and Jenn Murray, the film is about a psychiatrist assigned to work on the case of a disturbed young girl.
This one was a huge surprise for me. Young Dorothy is accused of harming a baby in her care but, did she do it? That is the crux as a psychiatrist visits the fanatical cult-like island that Dorothy calls home. Is she possessed? Does she have split personalities? Is she innocent or evil? Getting there is engrossing as the mystery unfolds. Dorothy Mills is proof that a good horror film does not need gore or jump scares. Check this dark horse out!
100 FEET (2008)
2.5/5
When a woman serving time for the murder of her husband is granted early release on the condition that she remains under house arrest for the remainder of her sentence, her past strikes back with a supernatural vengeance in this thriller from director Eric Red (Undertow and Bad Moon). Marnie Watson (Famke Jansen) was suffering under the brutal hand of her husband Mike (Michael Pare) - a violent New York City cop - when she struck back in self-defense. In the aftermath of that tragedy, Mike was dead and Marnie convicted of manslaughter. Now released from prison and outfitted with an electronic ankle bracelet the will alert authorities to her location at all times, Marnie is given strict orders to remain in her house until her sentence is served in full. As Marnie begins to serve her time, her late husband's partner observes from a patrol car parked across the street - eager for the moment she violates her probation and he can lock her up for good. But there's something else in the house with Marnie, and now the woman who thought her nightmare was finally over is about to discover that it's only just begun. Marnie's husband is just as evil in death as he was in life, and he's determined to strike back at the woman who killed him with savage ferocity.
This could have been a great film and Famke Jannsen does a pretty good job. The shoddy flicker effects of Michael Pare (talk about a plummeting career) as a vengeful ghost just weakens everything. The plodding, TV movie slowness doesn't help either.
SAW V (2008)
3/5
Despite the fact that fiendish serial killer Jigsaw is dead, his work lives on through a new apprentice, Lieutenant Mark Hoffman, a cop who appeared to be hot on the murderer's trail. As fellow lawman Agent Peter Strahm begins to suspect Hoffman is Jigsaw's protégé, the fledgling killer sets out to dispose of him.
After the disappointment of Saw IV this installment is a breath of fresh air. Okay well, not really but the continuation of Hoffman as Jigsaw's protege adds nicely to the mythos. Of course, by now the series had gotten stale but what franchise hasn't by the fifth movie? Some good stuff here for fans of the franchise.
See you next time, fiends!