Here we go fiends, another round of reviews just for you! I'm not the authority but I hope I can help you make some informed decisions on what to watch.
THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020)
4/5
Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer, NBC's The InBetween), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge, Straight Outta Compton) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid, HBO's Euphoria). But when Cecilia's abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turn lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia's sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.
I was very entertained by this "remake" and while not the most original film it handles its subject matter deftly. Despite a rather slow start, things pick up quickly and kept me glued to the screen. The obsequious ending, somewhat murky in its revelations was a plus. Good performances throughout, I highly recommend it
THE SUBSTITUTE (2007)
3.75/5
When a sixth-grade class gets a malevolent new substitute who aims to train her students for an upcoming international competition in Paris, the suspicious students attempt to uncover the truth about their strange new substitute. The parents all seem to love the newly arrived educator, but the students know better. Not only does this strange new arrival have a sadistic streak a mile wide, but she also seems to possess telekinetic powers in addition to having the ability to read minds. Paprika Steen stars in a sci-fi flavored thriller directed by Ole Bornedal (Nightwatch).
This Danish import is a good old-fashioned sci-fi gem and harkens back to a time when cheesy fun and outright terror intermingled beautifully. The performances from the children here are stellar but the real standout is Paprika Steen as the new teacher who may not be who she claims to be. Paprika is gorgeous and charming but tempers that with a sly evil that lets itself out every so often during her diabolical agenda. The comedy is in full form here and her verbal jousting with the school kids is priceless. Another example of how creative fun can be achieved on a relatively small budget. Favorite scene: Young Carl confronts the teacher at the dinner table while his Dad is up getting a drink, telling her he knows she's an alien. She feigns surprise at first and then with that evil smirk says...like this? She transforms to show her true image in a really fun way for just a moment. This one is a must-see!
POSSESSOR (2020)
3.5/5
VOS is an agent for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies, driving them to commit assassinations for the benefit of high-paying clients. But something goes wrong on a routine job, and she soon finds herself trapped in the mind of a man whose appetite for violence rivals her own.
Possessor is a rather fun, highly original concept that works pretty well despite some lag here and there and an ending that will confuse many. I found myself fascinated by this one and really taken in by the story and outstanding visual flare. I will admit, that for me aspects of it didn't make sense or sometimes felt forced. I questioned quite a bit but as this is really good sci-fi, I didn't let that bring the overall product down very much. Like VIVARIUM this will not appeal to everyone but I implore you to give it a shot. At the end of the day, I liked it quite a bit.
PENANCE LANE (2020)
2.5/5
In the hopes of finding his way to redemption, hardened criminal Crimson Matthews (Tyler Mane) decides to take up a job in a dilapidated house along Penance Lane right after he gets out of prison. The job, however, seems to be more than what he bargained for. After discovering a sinister secret about the house he is working in, he soon learns the lengths the little factory town is willing to go to so they can protect its secret. As the days go by, the house is shaping up to not only be his newest prison but his final resting place.
Oh man, Tyler Mane? John Schneider? Yeah, I knew what I was getting into. The low budget chunk of bizarro is really a hit and miss affair. The budget, acting, and production are pedestrian at best (Tyler Mane should NEVER have a lead role...ever!). Scout Taylor is her usual perky self but a cameo by Diamond Dallas Page is fun and unexpected. The story is part laughable, part crazy pulp novel fare and when things take a bizarre step the film becomes at once watchable. While he will never win an acting award, John Schneider is a hoot here and there is something feet ticklingly funny about seeing Bo Duke as a bad guy. All in all, this one will probably keep you watching til the end as long as you get past the dreary start and don't expect too much.
SHADOW PUPPETS (2007)
3/5
Eight people awake in an abandoned asylum without any previous memories of their whereabouts. They soon discover they were subjects of an experiment gone haywire. The experiment was intended to erase bad memories but accidentally released a monstrous, blood-thirsty entity within the asylum. As they piece together their memories, a vicious Shadow Creature stalks them, threatening their lives from the darkness.
Pure sci-fi horror cheese...that you should definitely have a slice of! The story is cool, the characters are fun and the acting is surprisingly strong (and fitting of the subject matter way). Tony Todd has a pretty large role and is his usual badass self. James Marsters and Jolene Blalock (above photo) are the standouts that really carry this one home. It's campy Cube-style entertainment that will pull you in...until you see the creature. For some reason, it was decided to add a computer-generated face to the shadow creature which is terrible and brought this down a full half star for me. Nevertheless, you can't go wrong for cheap, fun, popcorn entertainment.
MULBERRY ST. (2007)
3/5
The city that never sleeps may shut its eyes for good when a deadly infection turns its residents to savage creatures. There is only hope for a small few, including six recently evicted tenants who must protect their crumbling apartment complex as the city around them is thrown into chaos.
Overall I really liked this gritty, urban horror film. Nick Damici does a great laid back job of portraying a New Yorker and the bond his character shares with his neighbors feel real and genuine. This ends up being the strength of the film which is otherwise just another zombie clone. The attacks are pretty intense and the gritty film quality both helps and hampers the overall look. Good lo-fi horror fun that overcomes its weaknesses to entertain.
That's it guys and ghouls, hope this helped at least a little bit. See ya next time!