Justice Society: World War II

 Hey all and welcome back to the blog. Today is Memorial Day and we are staying away from the typical Indie films and gore fest horror flicks. I thought we'd make our way back to Warner Brothers and enjoy an animated film. With the fate of the world in the balance, a traveler will be witness to these events and help where he can. This is Justice Society World War II. 

 

The pilot and the princess.

 

 

 

 

 

With something as simple as a picnic out of town, Barry Allen a.k.a.the scarlet speedster, The Flash (Matt Bomer of Tru Calling, Traveler, Chuck, Superman: Unbound, White Collar, Will & Grace and Doom Patrol) is on a date with his long-time girlfriend Iris West (Ashleigh LaThrop of Sirens, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed, The 100, The Kominsky Method and Utopia). Barry is nervous and still not exactly how to balance being a hero, a forensic officer and boyfriend.

Granted I could slap Barry for choosing Metropolis for a picnic in the park. METROPOLIS?!!! What's a matter, Barry? Gotham at midnight was already taken? Iris makes her point, stresses her love and want of growth with Barry but isn't certain if he wants the same thing. An explosion occurs and Barry runs into action, teaming up with Superman (Darren Criss of Glee, American Horror Story, Supergirl, The Flash, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, American Crime Story, Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Midway and Superman: Man of Tomorrow)against the cybernetic organism known as Brainiac.

With a series of McGuffin events tied together, Barry gets chucked into the speed force, transporting him into another place and time. Clad in his suit and getting bounced about, Flash lands in front of all people during civilians being shot at by Nazis..? Confused but being the good man he is, Flash proceeds to take the soldiers down, leaving them unconscious when he is violently grabbed and slammed against the wall by the Amazon princess herself, Wonder Woman (Stana Katic of ER, 24, Quantum of Solace, The Spirit, Castle, Batman: Arkham City and Absentia). A military outfit of special forces and metahumans code-named Justice Society with archelogist/reincarnated warrior prince, Hawkman (Omid Abtahi of My Own Worst Enemy, Brothers, Last Resort, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, DuckTales, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, The Mandalorian and American Gods), the martial artist with a sonic cry, Black Canary (Elysia Rotaru of iZombie, Supernatural, Countdown, Arrow, Reapers, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Residue, Lone Echo, Dead Again in Tombstone and The Age of Adulting) 

Flying the not so friendly skies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chemist/physicist and speedster Jay Garrick/Flash (Armen Taylor of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Rage 2, One Punch Man, Crystar, Call of Duty: Mobile, Wicked Woods: A Descendants Halloween Story, Kingdom Under Fire II, Asgard's Wrath, Super Wings!, Darksiders Genesis, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and The Seven Deadly Sins), chemist/physicist and strong man Hourman (Matthew Mercer of Resident Evil: Damnation, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fallout 4, Overwatch, Attack on Titan, Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045, The Last of Us: Part II and Blood of Zeus) and USAF Colonel and liason for the team, Steven Trevor (Chris Diamantopoulos of Family Guy, Skylanders Academy, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Go Away, Unicorn!, Disney Mickey Mouse, Silicon Valley, Harley Quinn, Dirty Diana and American Dad!).

 

TOO MUCH COFFEE!! Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee!

 

 

 

 

 

The overseas combat stretches around the world (as the name World War would indicate) and our service men are hard at work. Their war correspondent dubbed Shakespeare tabulates their stories but has to keep the team out of the headlines as they're a secret weapon against the Axis powers. With Hitler's forces encroaching throughout the world, trying to claim religious artifacts for further the Reich, our heroes must work together, putting aside their differences and join in this struggle as one.

With Trevor being smitten by the Amazon princess, there is also a bit of sexual tension between the Canary and the Egyptian war prince. Hourman and Jay have common ground as scientists. Barry also connects to both scientist heroes. With all that is going on, the Alantians are also throwing in their weight to the surface world. With a few examples similar to Barry's time, he notices this isn't simply the past but a different world. An Earth-2 if you will.

 

AMAZON FURY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can the heroes stop the awaiting onslaught? Can good triumph over evil?

This story gives credit to DC comics writing as far back as the early 60s when the JSA (Justice Society of America) and the JLA (Justice League of America) were establishing timelines and continuity. These stories are older than I am and this film tips its hat to, really projecting the Golden and Silver Age of DC Comics. Did I enjoy it? Yes, very much. Was there anything to complain about? A few things but not enough to give credence too. I know, me not complaining about a flick is almost unheard of. Young and old will enjoy the action-packed film and have a good time with it as well.

 

Another budget meeting.

 

The Mandalorian Season 2

 

Welcome back oh Readers of said Rotten. I thought we would take a small break from Indie Horror and Indie Action and go the franchise that many new and old fans are enjoying this particular creation of Jon Favreau (Swingers, Made, Zathura, Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Cowboys & Aliens) as Disney carries on the galaxy far, far away.

This is The Mandalorian Season 2.

Well, this is another fine mess you have gotten us in, Mando.

 

 

 

 

 

Catching back with the Mando (Pedro Pascal of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sisters, The Good Wife, Lights Out, The Adjustment Bureau, Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, Sweet Little Lies, Red Widow, Game of Thrones and Graceland) as he is now a clan or tribe of two. His mission is to watch over the child and bring him to his own people. To do this, he will have to find fellow Mandalorians and his best best is hitting the Outer Rim systems. With hunters chasing the Razorcrest down, plus Remnants of the Empire in full swing, the sky is getting crowded.

Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito of Miami Vice, Sweet Lorraine, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, New York Undercover, Big City Blues, Homicide: Life on the Street, The $treet, Girls Club, Chupacabra Terror, South Beach, Breaking Bad and Payday 2) current commander of the former Imperial sector has need of the child as he has exhibited a high degree of natural force control. Most likely another means to an end.

Beskar's chafing my ass, Phil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mando can't always be the lone gunfighter. He has made quite a few enemies but thankfully he also has allies.  Greef Karga (Carl Weathers of Rocky, Rocky II, Death Hunt, Fortune Dane, Predator, Action Jackson, Tour of Duty, Street Justice, In the Heat of the Night, Happy Gilmore, Assault on Devil's Island, Brothers and Magnum P.I.) running the township of Nevarro, alongside former Rebel ground trooper Cara Dune (Gina Carano of Blood and Bone, Haywire, Almost Human, In the Blood, Heist, Deadpool, Daughter of the Wolf, Mandness in the Method and The Mandalorian) With the shadow of the Empire's end and the light of the New Republic being formed, the galaxy is quite busy.

This season pushes the conventional story telling bringing in new threats, new character and reprise characters you have encountered before. Guaranteed to offer something you may have or not seen before.

 

Mon Calmari's tough on drunk spacing.

 

 

 

 

 

Following a trail of bread crumbs, Mando is trying his level best to watch over the child, contact those that could instruct the boy in the Force and handle bounties as always. Going from being a manhunter to being a guardian is a shift in his character's dynamic and he wears it well, in spite of being out of his element.

What makes this series highly enjoyable, is the simplistic writing but complex characters. Almost every facet of it feels like the proverbial Spaghetti Western. The lone gunslinger helping the helpless, facing bandits, back shooters and existing government men. All the while, it incorporates the Star Wars legacy of stories yet to come. From effects, costumes and vehicle set and planetary set designs, you cannot help but feel you have sat through a Star Wars mini-movie. Heroes, villains and everyone caught in-between, this is the Star Wars continuation that you look forward to.

As a child of the original era, I can say I have thoroughly enjoyed these two seasons and really look forward to seeing the next adventures to come. 

 

I'm still adorable, right?

 

Assault on VA_33

 Howdy all! Freelance work is coming in bursts so to speak and I have been neglecting the Readers of Rotten and I apologize. Today's film gets a lot of negativity due to be low budget and a "knock off of Die Hard". Look, I can direct you to close to 25 films using this particular formula, coupled with the fact is the talent that went into our movie of the day did a bang up job. I have one nitpick about the flick but we will get to that later. This is Assault of VA_33. 

 

C'mon out to the VA, do some tests, have some laughs.

 

 

 

 

 

Jason Hill (Sean Patrick Flanery of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Suicide Kings, Best Men, Simply Irrestistible, The Boondock Saints, The Strip, Dead Lawyers, Demon Hunter, The Insatiable, Savage Planet and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day) is a highly decorated vet suffering from PTSD (Post Tramuatic Stress Disorder) is meeting his sessions, dealing with the stress and the freaking out, trying to be a civilian for the sake of his little girl Sara (Sarah Elizabeth Jensen of Homicide City, Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Almo, Assault on VA-33 and Jungle Room) and his wife Dr. Jennifer Hill (Gina Holden of Final Destination 3, Psych, The Butterfly Effect 2, Blood Ties, Flash Gordon: A Modern Space Opera, Screamers: The Hunting, Harper's Island, Saw: The Final Chapter, Dear Santa, Sand Sharks, The Exorcism of Molly Hartley and Boy in the Attic) who specializes in treating Vets that have suffered mentally and physically from foreign wars. 

 

Do NOT interrupt Sudoku time!

 

 

 

 

 

Jason and Sara have a lunch date with Jennifer but she gets a last minute arrival patient that needs to be evaluated for the Pentagon's satisfaction, the head of Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Welch (sOooooo many grape jelly references to be had) (Gerald Webb of The Stalker Within, In My Sleep, Megashark vs. Crocosaurus, Camel Spiders, Battle of Los Angeles, Almighty Thor, 2012: Ice Age, A Haunting in Salem, Zombie Apocalypse, Super Shark, Lizard Man, Hold Your Breath and Android Cop) who is torn from his last mission and how his men were put into the equivalent of a wood chipper and he is messed up from it.

While he is in session, a collective of mercenaries are assembled under the command of Adrian Rabikov (Weston Cage Coppola of Lord of War, Raven, Rage, As Night Comes, Undercover, Circus Kane. NCIS: Los Angeles, D-Day: Battle of Omaha Beach, Get Gone and Assault on VA-33), a Brativa Captain and looking for revenge for his imprisoned brother. He is our Hans Grubber if you will. The man with the plan. FYI, son of this Nicholas Cage guy. I hear his dad has done some movies here and there.

The mercs move in, secure the building, load it with explosives and have men at key entry points assuring no interference. Hill heads out with his daughter but his trained eyes senses something is off and proceeds to call the cops. Chief Malone (Michael Jai White of Silverhawk, Spawn, Universal Soldier: The Return, Exit Wounds, Justice League Heroes, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?,The Dark Knight, Black Dynamite, Blood and Bone, Mortal Kombat: Legacy, Falcon Rising and Skin Trade) tries to talk down Hill with a bit of condescension and hangs up on him. 

 

Healing is a slow process and it can.. Hey! Eyes up here!

 

 

 

 

 

Their main sniper Jackson (Marc Dacascos of Only the Strong, Drive, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Cradle 2 the Grave, I Am Omega, Wolvesbayne, Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum) is topside and takes care of the roving cop checking on the VA, only to get smoked like salmon.

The chief is required to get the lead out of his ass and the crap out of his brain. He sets up a command center only to be swayed by the FBI telling him the old song and dance, " We do NOT negotiate with terrorists."

 

Hill dealing with his demons and the mercs is making his way to his wife, using weapons tactics and some solid martial arts. If anything, watch this for Dacascos and Flanery squaring off. AWESOME SCENE!

 

Yes, I will get Nicholas Cage's autograph for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Will Hill save the people in the VA? Will he lose his wife or daughter? Will Zero get out of the van?

Okay for those having an issue with the budget, shaddup! Solid stunt people co-ordination, airsoft guns and rifles with post-production instead of blank guns? Boo hoo! It is capable work, good cast and crew and gave it a concrete standing. My lone complaint? Michael Jai White NOT getting to whoop some ass. Oh sure, he got a gun fight but I didn't get to see him uncork and break out his substantial collection of martial arts. It's a popcorn flick! Don't look for a deep meaning or extensional philosophical mindset. All in all, a fun film and was well put together.

 

When paintball games go bad...

 

Rattlers 2

 Hello there Readers of the Rotten! So I received a few films courtesy of The Williamson Management Company, it was at the request of an old friend that I could give a review. Well considering I thought I was only getting a screener, I think I can get started on this.

So a sequel to a TV movie in 1976, thus putting 45 years since the previous outbreak; who could have seen a return of a creature feature? Why, the director/producer Dustin Ferguson (Camp Blood 4, Camp Blood 5, Nemesis 5: The New Model, Runaway Nightmare, Meathook Massacre II, Horndogs Beach Party, House of Pain, Aliens in LA, Axegrinder 2 and Tales for the Campfire 3) is bold enough to try. This is Rattlers 2. 

 

I just wanted a bath!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Giving you a bit of continuity; in 1976 deep in the Mohave Desert, a town was infested by a plethora of rattlesnakes due to an experimental nerve gas that the government cancelled for use. It was buried into an abandoned mine that the snakes just happened to been dwelling in and they went mad, attacking people left and right. A cover-up, a military tribunal and a lunatic major was the order of the day, along with bell bottoms, dated dialogue, a misogynistic herpetologist (study of reptiles) and a very angry feminist photographer. 

 

Killer snakes? This is what you bother me with?

 

 

 

 

 

Penned by Josh Price (After Hours Cinema, Rattlers 2 and Lone Star Horrors) and Lee Turner (Shadowmarsh and Rattlers 2) tells the tale of 45 years later, a small town in California has been having a rash of snake attacks. Our film opens with a series of establishing shots that says... yes this is Southern California, possibly the Mohave. Some wonderful drone shots on the very rattlers in question. Enter our hapless photographer on a quest to be first one attacked. Taking snaps of rattlesnakes and getting closer and closer to them. Yup can't foresee anything bad happening there.

From the title card, it really feels like a throwback to the 1970s TV creature feature era, which I love.

The Sheriff's station is going to get more than a few concerned citizens calling in, but I don't think he'll have enough deputies at hand for this potential crisis. Sheriff Wilson (D.T. Carney of Cold Blood Canyon, Forbidden Border, Transmorphers: Fall of Man, John Dies at the End, Garlic & Gunpowder, Moon of the Blood Beast and Tales for the Campfire 3) has got his work cut out for him. With a minor amount of exposition and flashback footage of the original film, Josh Price and Lee Turner manage to connect the two films without it feeling like it was forced down your throat.

It feels like a natural progression and catches folks up to speed.

 

SNAKE HICKEY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

With all the blasting around the rattlers and given their mutations from the first film, 4 decades could easily create new hybrids ready to reek havoc on the town. Commissioner Lewis isn't going to close the beaches..er wait. No, sorry that's Jaws. My bad. The tearing up and rebuild will bring revenue to the town and this talk of roves of killer snakes is poppycock. Dare we even say balderdash?

We do have more than a few familiar Ferguson faces attached to our feature. The original Scream Queen herself, Brinke Stevens, amazing character actor Mel Novak, the wonderful Dawna Lee Heising, the very comedic Shawn C. Phillips, the tattooed beauty horror actress Julie Anne Prescott and Malvolia: The Queen of Screams herself Jenn Nangle. I really enjoyed Mercedes Peterson's performance as Dr. Kaye and cannot wait to see what she does next.

You'll have to bear with me as I had only seen the original twice in my life. Once when I was all of 5, and later about 42 when Cinematic Titanic was teasing and riffing their way through it.

Naturally I feel the name of  Professor McCauley is a nod to writer/director John McCauley (Rattlers and Deadly Intruder) and the film truly feels like an homage to the original.  This was clearly a labor of love and well executed. It's almost reminiscent of Richard Franklin tackling Psycho II to Hitchcock's original, in the sense a fan made film did as well; if not better than the previous movie. Once again, Dustin knocks another one out of the ball park. 

 

Damn snakes even attacked my paperwork!

 

Camo vs Genevieve

Welcome back Readers of the Rotten. Yes I have been pounding the virtual pavement and getting a handful of freelance gigs but nothing continuous writings. But enough of that, today we have a reprising director/writer Nicholas Michael Jacobs (Night, Urban Fears, Tales from Six Feet Under, Genevieve, Genevieve Wreaks Havoc and Twisted Tales), who has asked me to review his horror/comedy continuing the legacy of the warped little doll and the monstrous behavior that we are accustomed from her. This is Camo vs Genevieve 

 

Genevieve is a messy eater...of souls.

 

 

 

 

 

So back again from NMJ Films request to gaze further into the warped world of Genevieve. We last we looked in on Genevieve; our little murderous moppet, she had just dispatched David (actor/producer/director Nicholas Michael Jacobs of Puppet Master X:Axis Rising, Night, Urban Fears, Tales from Six Feet Under and Genevieve) and was found roaming about by Ted Morris, (Shawn C. Phillips of Camp Blood 4, Camp Blood 5, Grindsploitation, Killer Waves, Witchcraft 16: Hollywod Coven, Cannibal Cop, Urban Fears, Axegrinder 2 and Camp Blood 8: Revelations) home owner and distraught father who had just returned home from his son's funeral. It is unclear if he knew Genevieve's dark past or her homicidal tendencies but boy you'd think you would want to keep a close eye on that or the cops are going to wonder why there are so many dead mail carriers on your front porch.

Alas this good wisdom will not been carried out by Ted as Genevieve decides she is better off without Ted and turns on him as well. Given the sheer convenience of having Ted out of the house while is attending his late son's funeral, this critic wonders if it was in fact, the dark doll doing in Ted's son.

Flying Squirrel Attack!

 

 

 

 

 

 

No sooner has Genevieve dealt a death blow to Ted, a camouflaged jumpsuit and hockey wearing, knife wielding individual makes his way into the house. Given this is in the middle of the morning, my question should stand when I ask, "What the hell did the neighbors think seeing this garbed guy with a butcher knife?!" What went through their heads? Hmm, is that a cosplayer? Maybe a Friday the 13^th fanboy? A disgruntled paintballer by chance?

Our lurking hulk is known only as Camo (actor/producer/director Nicholas Michael Jacobs of Puppet Master X:Axis Rising, Night, Urban Fears, Tales from Six Feet Under and Genevieve), as he purposely came to the house in search of what or whom? Could Camo be after Genevieve? Perhaps they have crossed paths before. Is Genevieve responsible for some tragic event that created Camo? Can Camo end Genevieve and her evil ways or is he simply mad at her for taking his chosen kills?

Genevieve's previous address was Amityville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scouring the house trying to find Genevieve, Camo realizes there are plenty of places for her to hide, given she is about 24 inches tall. Before any of you scoff at that, keep in mind she could bite into a calf muscle, that nerve cluster up the outside your calf or just slash open the Achilles tendon and watch Camo flop to the floor.

Camo and the murderous, malefic moppet do battle. Genevieve seeming to have the upper hand but Camo stabs her to the level worthy of Norman Bates.  One would conclude the fight has ended and Camo may want to tend to his minor wounds. But is Genevieve finally over?

Again the synthesizer score brought by Nicholas Michael Jacobs ratchets up the tension well and gives it an old school slasher vibe about the movie. The impeding battle score to the lulling persons into a false sense of security, mellow chords. All this is accomplished on a meager budget, with good camera and lighting techniques, that makes me wonder what could be captured with a large funding.

Having Sockmonkey murder flashbacks...

DC Showcase: The Spectre

 

Hidey-ho, Readers of the Rotten! Sorry but I had to change up that intro, otherwise it gets rather dull. Today, I wanted to look at some of DC Comics animated showcase. What I thought was going to be a fairly longer and more played out story line turned out to be a short. That will not detract my want to write this but it won't be all that detailed aside from my knowledge of the existing character. This is The Spectre.

The Dreaded Emo!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not to be confused with the alternative title to the 1963 Riccardo Freda's The Ghost ( A common misconception, I know.), the short film in question can be found on the 2010 release for Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. An early morning in the hills of Los Angeles, a movie mogul name of Foster Brenner (Jeff Bennet of Johnny Bravo, Star Wars: Jedi Knight- Jedi Academy, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Striperella, The Powerpuff Girls, Dave the Barbarian, Duck Dodgers, The Batman, Saul of the Mole Men, and Justice League: The New Frontier) lands a blockbuster and decides to take an 9 a.m.dip in the pool, only to have an explosion and shock-wave send him into the hereafter. Well at least his last flick wasn't something like Ishtar or Gigli.

Told you that Michael Bay kid had moxy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Police are notified by the butler (also voiced by Jeff Bennet) and homicide and probably the bomb squad's expertise is on the scene, along with veteran detective, Jim Corrigan (Gary Cole of Office Space, Crusade, Vamp U, The Penguins of Madagascar, An Officer and a Murderer, 30 Rock, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Archer, The Good Wife, Justice League Action, and F Is for Family) who is friends with the family, decided to survey the blast site and offer condolences to Aimee, (Alyssia Milano of Who's The Boss, Commando, Fear, Embrace of the Vampire, Deadly Sins, Charmed, My Name Is Earl, Hall Pass, Romantically Challenged, Tempting Fate and Insatiable)vowing to right this tragic wrong.

Things and people aren't always what they seem to be in this crazy town and...okay I have to tone this down or it's going to sound like a knock off of Mickey Spillane or Raymond Chandler. Sorry about that. Our detective is no slouch in the powers of observation, primarily around the wages of sin.   You see, Corrigan has a little secret he has kept quiet for some time.  He's been dead for quite a few years.   I know the whole inert investigator, the ghost gumshoe sounds awkward at best but he has been chosen by a higher power to redeem his soul.  This is the portion of the review of a bit of exposition dump.  I normally don't do such a thing buuuut, our short is 13 minutes long so we need a little background.

Oh yeah? What about the rights of that little girl?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Corrigan was LAPD detective 2^nd class before mobsters dropped him in an oil drum filled with cement and into the bay to sink. Given he was a hard nosed cop, he may have beaten a confession out of a few suspects in the day or threaten their rights so he is a soul that should head to redemption. His soul is linked to an ancient power. The Wrath of God known as The Spectre. (Not KHAAAAAAAN!!) He can be a physical person when he wants to and he can go ghost if needs be. Manifests over objects, warps reality and can do serious damage to the living and the physical plane. Hell, in the comics he ate the souls of the damned and sent them to judgement. Technically he has been with the department since 1932 when he got gacked but hey, who's really in charge of record keeping, right?

The police captain (Voiced by the late great character actor Jon Polito of C.H.U.D., Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, Highlander, Crime Story, The Equalizer, Barton Fink, The Rocketeer, Homicide: Life on the Street, Lands of Lore III, and The Tailor of Panama) is looking to bust Corrigan's chops for stepping into an investigation that isn't his, nor can it really be due to his personal involvement. The captain wants Corrigan to look into the sudden death of one of the suspects into the Brenner murder. Yup so go investigate the murder of one of the potential murderers of your family friend. Um, isn't that still a no-no due to personal involvement of the victim's potential victim?

Jim starts nosing around in these suspects' lives to come up with the clues needed to close his case and God's will. Unlike anyone else kicking this dirt clod of a planet, Jim is focused, capable and not easily distracted by Life's pursuits or fancies. That helps keep a sharp mind and well you can't very well bribe, cajole or distract with jiggly girls to a guy that pushed off the mortal coil.

Overall, while brief this short is got that gritty L.A. Noir vibe of the dogged detective, maybe a femme fatale and more than a few homicides. The music score sounds like something out of Dirty Harry or The French Connection.  While I wish it was a longer story, it had a great vo cast, gorgeous music score and the animation was top notch. Yes I would love a Spectre series Live Action or animated but so far, that is not in the works. C'mon DC! The fans would love it.

Additional; holy crap Gary Cole did awesome voice work! Keep tossing him in front of the mic!

 

Stop crowding and just go around me!!

 

Ten Minutes to Midnight

 Hey folks, welcome back to reading some rotten. This last year has been a rough patch. Reviewing films strictly from home and not a theater operational, putting jobs on hold and some outright terminated.  We can only hope to get through this pandemic.

And now away from that bit of morbid and on to what we are up to this day.  Today I have heard nothing but good things for your soon-to be reading pleasure.   A veteran Punk Rock DJ (Caroline Williams) dealing with being on the way out and her plucky replacement (Nicole Kang) being all sorts of bubbly, it's enough to break the spirits.  This is Ten Minutes to Midnight.

 

Terribly pleased or waiting to eat your soul? Who can say?

 

 

 

 

 

Shock jock Amy Marlowe (Caroline Williams of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Stepfather II, Days of Thunder, Leprechaun 3, Halloween II, The Unleashed, Hatchet III, Blood Feast and Greenlight) has ruled the graveyard shift for some time, being more diva than DJ, she's has stepped on more than toes and rubbed people the wrong way. As if her mood wasn't foul enough, a storm is brewing out in the night, she's been attacked by a bat and feeling a bit weird.

Front desk/security drone, Ernie (Nicholas Tucci of Choose, You're Next, Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear, Faults, Wolfenstein: The New Order, The Cobblestone Corridor, Daredevil, Person of Interest, Quantico and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus) warns Not Stretch that if it was a bat bite, she could have rabies. He offers her a lift to the hospital but the roads are completely thrashed and she is too professional to miss a show.  Ernie has the awful job of informing Amy that "Bob" wants to see her in his office. Yeah being called to the mat is never a good sign before you punch in. 

 

Totally BFFs with Batwoman. For realzy.

 

 

 

 

 

Station Manager Bob does not have bitch tits (Yes, a Fight Club reference. I couldn't pass it up) but he certainly has something in his craw about Amy. He is also a skirt chaser with a bit of a belly and enough clout in the station to make or break a career. You know, a local base, but I suppose enough slander on a former employee might cause hell for any future prospects. Amy meets with a young, perky girl Sienna (Nicole Kang of You, The Social Ones, Swallow, Orange Is the New Black, Instinct, Acting for a Cause and Batwoman) plans on sitting in on Amy's show and all starry-eyed at what will be her new job.  Clearly Bob is hoping to plow her like the back 40 but hopefully Sienna doesn't fall for the casting couch.

Sound producer Aaron (Adam Weppler of Twelfth Night, The Cobblestone Corridor, Groove, Long Lost and Alien Warfare) is fully aware that Bob is being a horndog, agrees with Amy that Sienna is pretty much eye candy but she has some good range and pitch for vocals. I daresay kittens on not on Aaron's mind but a certain blonde cougar on the other hand, yeah boy has the hungry eyes for her.

Amy is already in a mood and decides she's gonna cut loose so callers beware when you "Ask Amy". After dropping enough "F-bombs" that would have made even comedian/pod-caster Joe Rogan a bit uncomfortable, Bob steps in the booth to chew some hinder. Amy responds with a savage series of retorts and ends up biting the hell out of Sienna's hand, growling and fleeing to the bathroom. She's hearing voices, hallucinating scenarios out of the norm and frankly kinda going a bit bat-shit crazy. 

 

I make this same face after Taco Bell.

 

 

 

 

 

Now it could have been linked to the bat bite oooooor...Sienna dropped acid earlier and it is floating in her bloodstream because Amy is tripping BALLS!!!   Convinced she is getting a bit "close" with Bob (Greg Balla of A Crime to Remember and Ten Minutes to Midnight) looking young and dapper but a bit of a sleazy attitude, is giving Amy the eye.   Yup little bit of make-out or DID IT REALLY HAPPEN??!!!

 

 This flick just jumps ten hellfire-imbued flaming sharks over Coppersnake Canyon and baffles the crap out of me, more so than that explanation did for you.  A veritable Behind the Looking Glass via Lewis Carrol vibe happening and it is bizarre.   To be shocked by a film is so damn uncanny any more; especially in Horror films this day and age. When we have so many existing tropes to lend a hand, so to see something with a small cast, a normal environment and watch it go off the rails is a rarity to behold.

Produced by Mainframe Pictures (The Cobblestone Corridor, Ghost Tour, Intermedium, She Came from the Woods, Long Lost and Weekenders), this movie embraces a myriad of vampire mythology, a woman's mind frame about aging, goals, friends, family and love all changing over time and how we see ourselves year after year. Between the two women, I cannot say who I enjoyed more, Caroline or Nicole. Both brought their ""A-Game" and both delivered. What I thought was going to be a hybrid of From Dusk 'Til Dawn meets Play Misty for Me turned out to be wildly entertaining, very bloody and just downright creepy. This is not a typical vampire flick, nor could I put this in a per-designated category as I normally can.

Director Erik Bloomquist (The Cobblestone Corridor, Ghost Tour, She Came from the Woods, Long Lost and Weekenders) spins a macabre tale of aging, feeling obsolete, craving youth and being young with dreams on the rise. With enough blood and gore to satisfy most horror fans but enough story to bring a wide array of viewers to stay in front of the screen; this movie delivers the goods. I was happily surprised and frankly, I am wanting it for my collection. Hell, I want the soundtrack too. 

 

Really? A Leatherface joke? Really?