Favorite and Not Favorite Films of 2015

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016
Images from the Internet

As I said this before, bear with me. I have an issue with “Best of” and “Worst of” year-end lists for the following reasons: most are chosen from either those that play in theaters, or viewed on PPV such as Netflix and film channels by the television provider. For me, I like to watch not the major indies, such as It Follows or The Green Inferno, but rather the DIY ones. These tend to have more heart, where often the cast and crew overlap, and it is pretty common that the films cost less than $5,000. Most of these can be viewed for a small fee.

Because I don’t often go to theaters, I rely on what is sent to me via discs or links, which means it may be a while before they get to my player or computer. Therefore, my list consists of films that I saw in 2015, not necessarily ones that were released in that year.

As for Best and Worst, I never liked those terms; art is just way too subjective, which is why I called them Favorites and Not Favorites. That being said, even the “Not” ones have redeeming qualities, and the fact that they don’t touch me means nothing. I’ve hated films that have won tons of awards, so don’t take anything I say, good or bad, as the law. It’s just opinion, and I welcome you to agree or disagree. It’s all good.

These lists are alphabetical, rather than ranked.

FAVORITES:

 Bite School
Directed by James Balsamo
Filmed and released in 2015
Writer / director James Balsamo’s films are like cotton candy: they may not be heavy in nutrients, but they fill a need for goofy, frat boy fun. It’s pretty obvious that the cast is enjoying themselves, which makes it that much more pleasurable for the viewer. There are two stories running throughout – one of a rich, spoiled brat (Balsamo) being stripped of his wealth until he gets his GED, and a sexy female vampire (Mandy Kat Kitana) who is trying to break her own bonds of boredom after many years of throat-biting. Balsamo manages to get a lot of music and genre film world cameos into his film (e.g., Hershell Gordon Lewis) to create a culture of obnoxiously loveable characters. It is self-mocking and well-written, and easily Balsamo’s best film to date. [Original full review HERE]

 

Bloody Indulgent
Directed by Ken Roht
Filmed in 2014 / released in 2015
This film is an absolute mess, trying to be a comedy, musical and gory vampire flick at the same time, with Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys as its lead villainous anti-hero. And somehow it all comes together. It may not always make sense, but outrageous characters and not taking itself too seriously helps rather than hinders. Its self-sarcasm and mostly bad songs (e.g., Diva Zappa’s dance number) work; the occasional decent song (such as the opener) is a bonus. It’s the kind of film that, if you turn your Spidey-senses off, can be a hoot. [Original full review HERE]

Caesar and Otto’s Paranormal Halloween

Directed by David Campfield
Filmed and released in 2015
This updated Abbott and Costello-ish meets the Three Stooges-ish franchise has grown up a bit from its earlier releases, much to its own and the viewer’s benefit. The characters have matured (somewhat) and the storytelling is more gelled to spoof with wit, rather than relying mainly on slapstick and insults. Caesar is less of a clown making him a bit more realistic and therefore more identifiable. There’s still plenty of yuks and silliness to keep it consistent with the rest of the films, but I like how it has grown into its backstory. With genre-referential nods both subtle and writ large, it is an enjoyable release. [Original full review HERE]

Flesh for the Inferno

Directed by Richard Griffin
Filmed and released in 2015
The first Griffin release on this list, the prolific director takes a page from the Fulchi / Argento Italian Giallo video nasty films from the 1980s to bring ghostly killer nuns (back) to life, free to terrorize a group of overaged teens who are in the process of cleaning up a church. There is a lot of mayhem, blood, and a sizeable body count making this an incredibly joyous release from a creative team who appear to be dedicated on being a force to be reckoned with on the micro-budget front. The strong cast and crew, as well as writing and cinematography make this even more watchable. [Original full review HERE]

Flowers

Directed by Phil Stevens
Filmed and released in 2015
Sometimes being arty gets in the way, and others it enhances the experience for the viewer. Fortunately, this falls into the latter (obviously, since it’s on this list). This is a sort of anthology about half a dozen women who have met up with a specific serial killer, picking up after their demise, and their struggle with their post-mortem fate. With no dialog, striking images and ambient sounds, Stevens’ feature debut is a strong entry into the genre. There are plenty of gross images and intense situations, not to mention intriguing locales (such as a disgusting bathroom) that make each individual story compelling, but having enough consistency to keep them all flowing in a similar motif. [Original full review HERE]

Killer Rack

Directed by Gregory Lamberson
Filmed and released in 2015
It is what it says. Tentacle boobs with a bite that takes a shy lass (Jessica Zwolak) and turns her into a killing machine, thanks to the machinations of an insane doctor (Debbie Rochon). What would have been a completely silly exercise in sexist politics actually turns it into a raucous (and yes, often silly) look at culture and the way it produces unrealistic body images to keep both genders distracted and depressed. While doing this, it remains smartly funny under the guise of fluff (think of how adult Bugs Bunny could be). On the surface it’s WTF, but underneath, there is a level of truth without being at all preachy. [Original full review HERE]

Motivational Growth

Directed by Don Thacker
Filmed in 2013 / Released in 2014
As with some of the releases mentioned above, on the surface this is a pretty silly film about a weird loner named Ian Folivor (Adrian DiGiovanni) who is in an Audrey II-ish power relationship with a big glop of mold in his bathroom that has a mouth and teeth, and spouts philosophical inanities like, “The mold knows, Jack; the mold knows.” Through a mixture of flashbacks, hallucinations and reality, it’s actually a deeper story of transition, if one is willing to look under the rock. So many of us have felt like this guy at least once in our lives, so the identifiablility level can be high. That the mold is voiced by indie genre idol Herbert Wes… I mean Jeffrey Combs is a large bonus. [Original full review HERE]

Normal

Directed by Richard Griffin
Filmed in 2013 / released in 2015
Griffin, oft known for his horror comedies, succeeds where Woody Allen failed here, by releasing a dead-serious, creepy as all hell scenario of a serial killer. We see both what is in his head, and the results of his actions in the real world, brought to life beautifully by Michael Reed. The supporting cast of Griffin regulars ebb and flow around Reed’s character in a way that is not only intriguing, but important information is given away early on, and rather than making what comes after anti-climactic it merely adds to the texture of what is to come. It is a thought piece that can and should be discussed and debated. [Original full review HERE]

Shadow World: The Haunting of Mysti Delane

Directed by Daniel E. Falicki
Filmed in 2014 / Released in 2015
I’m not quite sure why I haven’t heard more about Falicki until recently. Sure, sometimes his films can be arty and a bit opaque, such as Awaken the Devil, aka The Un-American [2014], but most are intelligent set pieces centered on a central locus of activity. He seems to specialize in the supernatural (demons, ghosts, and vampires, for example), and this mostly two-person treatise on spiritual addiction is no different. He takes a somewhat simple premise and makes it quite intriguing. I’m quickly becoming a big fan. [Original full review HERE]

She Kills

Directed by Ron Bonk
Filmed and released in 2015
Grindhouse genres fly by in this spoof of ‘70s and ‘80s video nasties about a poor woman (Jennie Russo) who is cursed with a firecrotch. Apparently the aroma of her womanhood as she becomes aroused drives everyone into hysterics of lust. This is the second film on this list where women’s body parts are killing machines, used to both amuse and give a bit of a batshit lesson of our modern mores. Overacting, over-arching and over-ridiculous, one familiar with the revenge subgenre especially will find a lot to recognize in “a-ha” moments. It is funny, fast, and smarter than it presents, if the viewer is paying attention to the subtext. Plus, some of the quotable dialog (to the right person[s]) had me in hysterics. [Original full review HERE]

The Sins of Dracula

Directed by Richard Griffin
Filmed and released in 2014
More than Hammer (though some of that is here), this is a witty and sharp playing of the Christian scare films of the ‘70s. Writer Michael Varrati mixes in just the right amount of comedy, horror and gore to keep the story going and yet acknowledging the references without pandering to them (such as a recent vampire floating outside a window who does not follow the rules). It’s a gorgeous feast for the eyes, and the acting really is superb, especially for this genre. Michael Thurber’s silent Dracula is played with his eyes and enormous ring to incredible strength, and lead Jamie Dufault just nails it as a tempted pure religious soul. Even if you are not aware of the style it is based upon, there is certainly enough here to fill your cup of…wine. [Original full review HERE]

Spider Baby

Directed by Jack Hill
Filmed in 1964 / released in 1967 / rereleased in 2015
It took me decades to finally see this creepy and dark comedy that has finally been released on DVD/Blu-Ray. Gorgeously shot in high-contrast black and white, we follow an insane family as they self-destruct through greed, murder, and general mayhem; and yet keep you laughing from beginning to end, when the back of your neck isn’t twitching. In one of Lon Chaney (Jr.)’s last roles, he play the caretaker of the nutzoid group with charm and with some effective emotional baggage. It was certainly worth the wait, and if you like dark films such as Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, but want to see a witty side to it, this is your chance. [Original full review HERE]

NOT FAVORITES:

 

Angel Maker: Serial Killer Queen

Directed by O.H. Krill
Filmed in 2014 / released in 2015
Amelia Dyer was definitely one sick 19th Century woman whose murderous spree over the years had resulted in the death of numerous babies, for profit. This documentary of her life tries to be like many of the television shows that focus on these kinds of actions, but to much less success. The problem is that it draws the story out much longer than is necessary or that there is sufficient footage for usage, so we are shown the same images over and over, with large gaps between the set pieces with no real substance. This would have made an interesting half-hour program (including commercials), but the content does not justify the length, leading to ennui of the viewer. [Original full review HERE]

Dark Mountain

Directed by Tara Anaise
Filmed in 2013 / released in 2014
Despite decent acting, this found footage (ff) film falls short of its potential. Full of clichés and borrowing way too much from previous releases like The Blair Witch Project, we are subjected to multiple scenes of running through the dark with the lights of the camera as the only source of vision, and a convoluted story of greed and possibly supernatural subjugation. This is only one example of how much the ff genre is bleeding the indie releases by making the cast and filmmaking simultaneous, therefore saving on crew members, but, well, enough already. Having cast and crew is fine, but enough already. [Original full review HERE]

Review: Caesar and Otto’s Deadly Xmas

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2013
Images from the Internet

                            

Caesar & Otto’s Deadly Xmas

Directed by David Campfield        
4ourth Horizon Cinema               
83 minutes, 2012 / 2013
www.caesarandotto.com
www.WildEyeReleasing.com
www.MVDvisual.com

This film has been compared to the Three Stooges and Abbott & Costello, but it really is a bit closer to the Dumb and Dumber franchise. Not a judgment call, I’m just sayin’.

Caesar DeNovio (director David Campfield) and his half-brother Otto (Paul Chomicki) live together in a squalid apartment, the former wanting to be an actor in the worst way (which he is), and latter is, well, a slovenly man who always has a 2-day beard stubble (and not in the Miami Vice kind of way). Between the two of them, their IQs are probably double digits. Mind you, I grew up in Bensonhurst, so I’m familiar with the type.

It seems that Caesar has an obsessive fear of Mr. Coca-Cola….I mean Santa. His grandpa (played by Troma kingpin Lloyd Kaufman) played some mind games with him when he was just a tyke, and he’s been terrorized since. Of course, he gets hired to play the man in the red suit. What to do, what to do… And now there’s a disgruntled Santa (Deron Miller), whose name is Damien, of course, who is out to kill Santas, and has his sights on you-know-who. This all involves an evil company named Xmas, so naturally, this is a [fill in name of this film].

Yes, there are lots of Christmas themed horror films since the likes of 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life (yeah, it’s a horror: a ghost scares a man into believing he’s never being born, including his young brother drowning), but an evil Santa with an ax seems to be a key plot turn. Also like Abbott and Costello, this is part of a series of both features and shorts with the same characters. This film is the only part of the collection I’ve seen other than the trailers, so I will stick with this one.



Caesar (David Campfield) and Otto (Paul Chomicki)

This is similar to many two-man buddy pix over the years, actually. Caesar is thin like Norton, Abbott and Laurel, and Otto is a large man, like Kramden, Costello and Hardy. Otto is childlike and dumb, like Norton, Costello and Laurel, and Caesar is a self-imposed leader who not as smart as he actually thinks he is, like Kramden, Costello and Hardy. Caesar is fey like Costello, Laurel and one could argue, like Norton. You see, they’re sort of playing against types, where the small one is the obnoxious one, and the heavy one is the goof. Saying that, you could also say that Caesar is similar to Lewis (could almost be his son…or perhaps Eddie Deezen), though Otto is nowhere like Martin.

The one flaw with this film, or should I say the characters, is that even though Caesar resembles all these bullies, the others are still lovable. Caesar is shrill and uncompromising. The others had a heart under their gruffness, but not as much Caesar. Otto is definitely a more loveable-yet-unrequited guy, yet he’s so ultra-Oscar Madison in the unkempt department, that he doesn’t necessarily seem like someone you’d want to hang with. Hopefully, as time goes on, this will evolve. Even Bugs Bunny was obnoxious in some of his earlier films (“Ain’t I a stinker?”), before being whitewashed in the late ‘50s.

One of the joys about this film is the myriad of cameos that run throughout. I’ve already mentioned Kaufman, and then there’s Linnea Quigley as an agent to gets to revive an infamous scene in one of her earliest films, Brinke Stevens reprises a role from an earlier Caesar and Otto release, Joe Estevez makes a hysterical appearance as himself, sorta, the amazing Debbie Rochon shows up for a quick comic turn as a clueless emergency operator, and even Felissa Rose, the main character of 1983’s Sleepaway Camp, has a bewigged and unrecognizable romp. Oh, and Robert Z’Dar appears (uncredited) during the funny end credits (stick around for ‘em).

Another reason to watch is the sheer volume of references to other films in the genre. While I consider myself a horror maven, I admit that I lean more towards the monster / alien / supernatural area than the slasher, so I am grateful for director Campfield’s commentary, where he points many of them out. I recognized all the films he mentioned, though I haven’t seen many of them since the ‘80s.

This is a comedy of the most base, child-like, gross, pandering type, but in the context of the film, most of it works, and I laughed through the film. Some of it is Adam Sandler level, but in this case it is funny (don’t think I ever even cracked a smile on a Sandler disaster). There’s a lot of low-budget self-references which are hysterical, such as the use of incredibly obvious blue-screen, which makes some of the comments made all the funnier. The blood and violence is cartoonish, making it somewhat palpable, such as a guy who keeps having his arms cut off and surgically reattached (similar to a character he played in an earlier film). Then Caesar is always beating up Otto (to the point of annoyance), surely a reference (homage?) to the Three Stooges, whose shorts are also a good indicator of the humor. The female lead, Summer Furguson, looks realistic, like she could have come from next door, which is always refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredibly beautiful women here¸ too, and even a requisite topless shot for a second.

An amusingly confusing thing is that while the film takes place in Bakersfield, California (I’m sure there’s a joke in that alone, that I am missing), including flashbacks to childhood, many of the characters have (purposeful) Long Island accents. Another of the many bizarre choices Campfield makes that gives this a unique edge while borrowing from so much.

Lots of cool extras come with the DVD, including all the Caesar and Otto trailers and some from Wild Eye Releasing, which have been reviewed here. There are also a Behind the Scenes Featurette, some alternative takes, and a couple of short films: “Otto’s First Job” and “Pigzilla.” Included as well is an excellent short called “The Perfect Candidate,” where Joe Estevez (again, playing a version of himself) is picked by a cabal to run for president (since his brother played one). Again D’zar shows up, this time credited. It really is quite funny. There are two commentaries just for this short.

For the main feature, there are three – count ‘em, three – commentaries. I listened to the first one with Campfield, but I honestly just did not have time to watch the other two, one with the producer, and the other with the cast. While I enjoyed the film, it’s rare that any film deserves this much of a time commitment. Perhaps at some time I will be able to get to them.

At the end of the film, they announce the next one, Caesar and Otto’s Paranormal Halloween (though it's not even listed on IMDB yet). I’m looking forward to it. So, if you get the chance, check out the Websites listed above because you really don’t even need to wait until next holiday season to enjoy it. And remember, when you order it, to keep the X in Xmas.