Bottom Shelf Reviews

     There is a great documentary called Blood, Boobs, & Beast    that details indie horror director Don Dohler and his efforts to make his low budget features.  There is a part where he is talking to his fellow collaborators about how not having the "three b's" will hurt there distribution sales.  I feel the creators of Creature Feature must have taken that same advice.        Creature Feature is about a collection of horror stories that are told by party goers during a Halloween party.  The stories included a killer clown, a werewolf, zombie, sirens, and general macabre and do flow pretty coherent through out the running time.  I say this because some anthology movies tend to just be a mash up of random shit that doesn't hold my attention (I'm talking to you Slices ).   I found that is movie is maybe a step up from Terrortory which honestly I really did enjoy, but felt some scenes were rather forced...

    Remember that film friend of yours that was always trying to make it big, but you just didn't have the heart to tell them they suck?  The friend that would force you to watch the a new "movie" they made and it's exactly like that last they did.  The same lame jokes, awkward editing, and just poor production you have seen numerous times in their work?   She Wolf Rising reminds me of that friend I use to have and learned to distance myself far away from.  You should do the same if this movie shows up on your Amazon Prime listings.       I review movies on here that are in the underground horror genre and I can forgive a lot their shortcomings.   She Wolf Rising has zero excuses as far as I'm concerned for how bad it is given the money spent on the production.  If a movie like Forgotten Tales  can show talent and ingenuity from a low budget stand point then  She Wolf Rising shows how to not to make movie. ...

     A lot of people my not know this about me, but I was once in an "underground" indie horror movie.  The year was 2009 and I vividly remember the box of foam penises and the bottles of conditioner used to simulate male ejaculate.  While I won't go into detail about other aspects of the production I can only hope that the tabloids don't use that film against me when I am nominated for Best Short Film.   Blood on the Reel   fondly brings back those memories corn syrup and wishing for 24 fps on a consumer camcorder.       Johnny Daggers ' documentary is about the little known indie horror genre that is still well regarded in some circles.  I would classify these kind of movies as Z-grade movies that use to thrive in grindhouses back in the 70s and 80s and attracted the special kind of individual you would expect to see in the theater.  Indie horror isn't held to the limitations of a studio picture, but like most of th...

      Amazon Prime has really become a place to find great low budget indie horror.  If one has the patience to go through the pile of crap, then you can find a hidden gem in all the trash.  I first became aware of Reyna Young with the interview she did for Johnny Dagger's documentary Blood on the Reel .   She seems legit from her interviews and you could tell she just really loves making movies.  I figured I would give Forgotten Tales a look and I can say I was surprised by the talent I watched.       Forgotten Tales  connects three stories (Ghost Story, The Babysitter, and Audition) in a fashion that is reminiscent of George A. Romero's Creepshow .  The opening graphics really do give a sense of the horror comics my mother wouldn't let me read growing up and it adds production value to the movie.  I did enjoy the little hints of stories connecting each other and that is sign of talent on Ms. Young's part. ...

     I'm a sucker for low-budget horror movies, but I do have my limits of what I will subject myself too.  Being an amateur filmmaker, I use that term loosely, there are certain elements of a production that I can forgive.  Bad lighting, acting, and special effects are hallmarks of this special genre, but like the stripper that won't go away even when a five dollar bill is finally tossed it can grow tiresome.  Fortunately, I can honestly say that Frankenstein: Day of the Beast  is a cut above that rest.      Scrolling through Amazon Prime I decided to give this one a try.  The credit sequence alone gave away how much time and attention to detail that director Ricardo Islas has given to this production.  The cold snowy vista does give a sense of isolation and the looming dread of what is to come later in the film.  Mr. Islas isn't afraid to move his camera and after watching so many other films in this categor...