RATS! (2024)

Written & Directed By: Carl Fry and Maxwell Nalevansky 

Cinematography: Carmen Gilbert 

Editor: Carl Fry

Cast: Danielle Evon Ploeger, Luke Wilcox, Darius Autry, Luxy Banner, Khali McDuff-Sykes, Ariel Ash, Jacob Wysocki, John Ennis 

In Fresno, Texas, graffiti artist Raphael’s arrest leads to his involvement in a chain of events involving a sting operation, suicide, drug deals, criminal suspicions, weapons, a newswoman, and a plutonium deal gone wrong, creating chaos.

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This film is truly indescribable as it is all over the place, but in the best way it’s offkilter and crazy yet unbelievably funny and a bit my car definitely a future cult movie that audiences didn’t know they wanted and they and that they have been waiting for.

It definitely is a colorful midnight movie comedy that has a strange ensemble and packs up a sucker punch that you don’t see coming that can be sweet, but also disoriented

As this is a punk rock movie and like the main lead character, it feels dressed and has the vibe of a 1990s warped tour with pop punk, dungeons, and hot topic shoppers. There is plenty of drug use and colorful art direction to match the characters.

The film has anarchaic spirit reminds me of the spirit of the movie FREAKED as it seems to keep inventing itself along the way and stays comedic as it goes along and has new scenes to wrap around or throw back to characters or situations that we might remember with running jokes and not much necessarily makes any sense

It’s a film that just seems full of distractions as when someone you know tells a story, but then gets deep into a side story that they feel will help explain the main story that’s going along and it does to a certain extent, but these distractions also seem to go on a different wavelength of information you didn’t need to know, but the storyteller felt it was important and even though it could equally lead nowhere, you’re happy for it as at least it serves up a chuckle or a laugh.

As even at times it presents certain characters who seem like they’re going to be part of the major storyline, but are only around for one or two scenes and then disappear completely even as you were getting used to them. 

Actress, Danielle Evon Ploeger,  steals the show as she is so committed in her performance where her character has no shame and has an intensity that comes out of nowhere in for no reason that she truly shines throughout 

At times, the film can get gory and violent. Which might explain why it’s on the streaming service shutter, despite not truly being a horror Film. So though thankful bruschetta as it does carry a lot of independent films that aren’t exactly horror films that they still share on their channel usually more independent productions that most would’ve never known if not for the service . Truly helping a lot of indie films.

The film starts off simple and weird. As a kind of study of the absurdities of the suburbs, especially for younger characters and the older characters who have stayed around. as it builds up and comes together in the end. 

It bathes itself in broad humor and presents more shocking humor that for some we have no substance to really grab onto that makes it feel like most of what happens is random, but that is how life can be and especially for these characters.

It reminds me of Joseph Kahn‘s detention to a degree absurd in all over the place exploring youth culture while also feeling like it’s rebelling against something like traditional cinematic rules.

The film is messy offbeat not for everyone that has that spirit of youth that can be random. Silly doesn’t always make sense and can be quite wrong in certain situations, but you still have to move forward and clearly want to see where it goes. A stoner comedy

ARE WE NOT CATS (2016)

Written & Directed By: Xander Robin  Cinematography: Matt Clegg  Editor: Xander Robin & Dustin Waldman

Cast: Chelsea Lopez, Michael Godere, Michael Patrick Nicholson, Charles Gould, Adeline Thery, Alice Frank, Dean Haletermann 

After losing his job, girlfriend, and home in a single day, a desperate thirty-something accepts a delivery job in a remote upstate backwater. There he meets a beguiling and mysterious young woman with whom he shares a strange obsession.


This is one of those films that counts on you going in blind. As best to experience thought not sure if it is ultimately worth it.

The film at first feels quirky and becomes a junkie drama out of nowhere. As the film has a solid beginning then it seems to get lost throughout the rest of the film. Even when it tries to have a somewhat romantic narrative that is strange. 

The film feels aimless and constantly not about anything except we keep following the leader wherever he goes and pretty soon we are grabbing at straws at any scene where it looks like a story could emerge. As we want to see where this is all going.

As the lead seems pretty simple and clueless most of the time. 

The film eventually offers up enough to keep you interested, but then feels aimless and goes nowhere.

As we meet characters who seem normal but get bizarre as the film goes along and at times it just feels like the film is purposely forcing itself to be strange to try and entice the audience. 

The filmmaking feels well done but ultimately feels confusing on purpose. At one point, the film and its Characters seem to be speaking their own language and the character’s actions make sense only to them.

As a Major point eventually, the characters start sporting hairlines similar to Anjelica Huston’s witch character in the movie THE WITCHES. Because of a shared hair obsession.

This ultimately feels like a student film Thesis with more resources.

GRADE: D

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN (2011)

Directed & Edited By: Jason Eisener
Written by: John Davies
Story By: John Davies, Jason Eisener & Rob Cotterill
Cinemantography By: Karim Hussain

Cast: Rugter Hauer, Brain Downey, Gregory Smith, Molly Dunsworth 

In this film a Hobo riding the rails comes to a town to save up and start his own lawnmower business. then he see’s how corrupt and evil the town is. he tries to do the right thing and work with the cops but finds them to be crooked. so after being pushed too far he takes the law into his own hands and becomes a vigilante. Seeking to clean up the streets.

Is there such a thing as too over the top? this film seeks to answer that question. I mean there is a scene where some one is decapitated and blood is spilling out of their neck like a geyser and the villains “Girlfriend” or at least one of them in a white bikini stands and dances as the blood pours all over her. She reacts like she is getting a orgasm from it.

This film reminds me of the Troma Movies, i used to watch in my teen years. It has the right mix of Low-brow humor, Bad Taste and Extreme gore. Which in a way makes me feel nostalgic watching this movie. Which made the film enjoyable and a fun movie experience There is nothing in the film you can take seriously none of the characters seem like real life human beings. even the town and it’s citizens are unbelievable in their attitudes.

The Villains kids drive a car that looks futuristic Like a DeLorean and a 70’s car mixed which helps in this unbelievable world we are thrust into. The colors of the film are a little too saturated. Yet come off as dirty and deteriorating. Which adds to the queasiness of what is happening on screen.

The Villain and his family remind me of The power and sickness of Saddam Hussein and his sons Uday and Qusay. Which is the closest this film get’s to a political statement.

It’s nice to see Rugter Hauer. He get’s to cut loose and gives his character not only heart but also a deranged lunacy that goes with much of the movie. I haven’t enjoyed him this much since CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, Which was supposed to be his last Comeback. and BLIND FURY another action B-Movie with a twist. Which matches the 80’s feel.

Brian Downey who plays the villain “The Drake” i remember from the sci-fi Television show i loved Named LEXX. Here he chews so much scenery. it feels like he has waited his whole life to just let loose as a character.

I was shocked to see Gregory Smith Playing one of the villains son. I remember him as a child actor in HARRIET THE SPY and THE PATRIOT as well as the TV Show EVERWOOD. he usually plays such good people i was taken aback to see him play a disgustingly evil bastard.

If you can’t tell by the title of the movie. It is supposed to be silly. So you get what you expect. I have to say my excitement for the movie and watching it is probably better then the actual film is. The film started out as a entry into a trailer contest that the film GRIND HOUSE set-up to have the winner be apart of the fake trailers already in the film.

This was the winning entry and from that there was a offer to make the film after a script was completed and the filmmakers kept the film in the grind house tradition of being exploitive and having a gimmick. they forgot the part where most grind house films the movies were usually schlock but the movie makers were serious in what they thought would be a good film. Which was what made them entertaining. It’s one thing to have a sense of humor about yourself and your movie, but With all these grind house inspired films the problem is that they try to be a joke and put the audience in with them on it. Which i will admit i enjoy most of the results of films like this and MACHETE, but it also gives a diservice to the title of grindhouse as most of these are just gory comedies.

This one in particular seems to aim more for campiness at times then pure funny. Let me get off my soapbox.

This film also surprisingly leaves off another element that grindhouse and troma movies usually revel in. There is hardly any nudity or sex in the film plenty of talking about it, but rarely shown.

Though the Villain’s are supposed to be the big bad’s. They don’t seem to be the worst Psychopaths they just seem to be the most organized, even though they are all crazy.

This film also has to have the luckiest hooker i have ever seen. She has a heart of gold has lived in this town this long and never seems to have a john but plenty of money and has never really been hurt or attacked of course that is until the hobo comes to town. i kept wondering how has she lasted so long? but then again this is a movie where almost every gunshot is big and deep when it lands and kills instantly, but cutting deep into a neck can be repairable.

This film fulfills what you would expect from it’s title and poster. if that is what you see that is what you will get. I honestly can’t wait to see of the filmmakers stay on the path to making films like this or make a natural transgression to other genre films. either way i await there next move. A definite Addition to the film library… on sale

GRADE: B-

TUSK (2014)

tusk

Written, Directed & Edited By: Kevin Smith
Cinematography By: James Laxton


Cast: Justin Long, Michael Parks, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Jennifer Schwalbach-Smith, Ralph Garman, Ashley Greene, Harley Quinn Smith, Lily-Rose Melody Depp

When podcaster Wallace Bryton goes missing in the backwoods of Manitoba while interviewing a mysterious seafarer named Howard Howe, his best friend Teddy and girlfriend Allison team with an ex-cop to look for him.

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TUSK (2014)

tusk1

Written, Directed & Edited By: Kevin Smith
Cinematography By: James Laxton 


Cast: Justin Long, Michael Parks, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Jennifer Schwalbach-Smith, Ralph Garman, Ashley Greene, Harley Quinn Smith, Lily-Rose Melody Depp

When podcaster Wallace Bryton goes missing in the backwoods of Manitoba while interviewing a mysterious seafarer named Howard Howe, his best friend Teddy and girlfriend Allison team with an ex-cop to look for him.

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THE NEON DEMON (2016)


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Directed & Story By: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written By: Nicolas Winding Refn, Polly Stenham & Mary Laws
Cinematography By: Natasha Braier
Editor: Matthew Newman
Music By: Cliff Martinez 


Cast: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Karl Glusman, Abbey Lee, Bella Heathcote, Desmond Harrington, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Alessandro Nivola, Jamie Clayton


*Please note that some trivia and facts have been republished from imdb among other sources In this review

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