REWIND: The Faculty Review

Another Rewind post, is interesting. I am in the middle of moving, trying to get a new job, doing freelance work, and spending more time than it's worth on other things. I'll have some new horror movie releases to post soon, and then I'll review another film and we'll get to the mail box.

Here's a review from way back when.



The Faculty came and went, and after all these years it still stands the test of time, in many ways for me. The movie revolves around an alien invasion in a high school. The aliens abduct human bodies, and require them to be hydrated at all times in order to survive. So in this alien tale, the aliens need water to survive, so they came to the right place.

The story follows a group of cookie cutter students at a high school who all have to band together and put their differences aside in order to combat the alien invasion, and hopefully save the world from the spread of this infestation.


The Faculty is filmed really well, and considering the laughable context at times, the acting isn’t really that bad. It starred a lot of up and coming actors in young Hollywood. They all went on to do other projects and Robert Rodriguez, as you know, has gone onto make some very cool science fiction films, including Planet Terror, which I highly recommend.

The movie does take some odd twists, for instance, why are the local authorities the only people called? Why not call higher authorities?


The students seem so jaded in this suburban world, that the masses don’t even realize that they are being indoctrinated forcefully by the Aliens, who start sticking what appear to be worms into people’s brains.

Here’s a trailer for the film The Faculty:




The movie, aside from the ensemble cast, had some very creepy moments, and great chase scenes involving a hot rod. The muscle car is the getaway car of choice, and not since High Tension have I thoroughly enjoyed such a sweet looking car.


In the grand scheme of thing sin the science fiction world, this film walks the line with horror because there is a good amount of gore. For instance, a pencil goes through someones hand, a pen filled with caffeine pill dust and aspirin gets stabbed into someone’s eye, someone gets stabbed to death with scissors, someone gets their mouth busted wide open poolside, and so much more!

Not to mention, there is a really disturbing shower scene in this film, that you have to see to believe. It comes complete with skin peeling effects and cranial dilution.

The film ends on a high note, but overall, it’s fast, it doesn’t take itself too seriously and has quite the soundtrack considering this film got thrown to the wayside in the end.I also am aware that the film does basically rip off Invasion of the Bodysnatchers as well as Disturbing Behavior, but it's not a completely suck fest.

If you have the Faculty, you’re in good company as it is one of the few sci-fi movies that I can watch over and over again. If you haven’t picked up the Faculty, it comes highly recommended, and is available on dvd via our online store.
The Faculty isn’t going to be a classic to most people, but it has enough spills and thrills to entertain you.

Check out some other films by Robert Rodriguez, and definitely check out High Tension too:

Planet Terror via Amazon.com
From Dusk Till Dawn vis Amazon.com
High Tension via Amazon.com
Signs via Amazon.com
Strange Behavior via Amazon.com
Invasion of the Bodysnatchers via Amazon.com
They Live via Amazon.com

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

REWIND: The Omen IV: The Awakening Review

Today, we go back in time for another edition of the HORROR movie rewind here on Scary Films. I'm still unemployed and am still trying to get a few extra dollars...and am having a hard time. Whatever.



The Omen IV: The Awakening is a made for television film, tried to capture another chapter in the horror movie franchise that saw The Devil born to a couple, and making quick work of anyone that got in his way.

The first three films completed a story arc of birth, growth, and finally reign inciting the Armageddon.

If you saw the first three films, and those story lines are fresh in your memory, do me one favor when watching this film; throw them all out. That's right, there is no continuity in this film, as we get a fresh telling of the Omen story with a female lead rather than a child, and we also get mild violence, no nudity, and no harsh language. Making this the only pg version in the horror movie franchise that made for some awesome death scenes, some interesting generational studies, and scary notions on child birth.

Don't let the creepy covers fool you, this film doesn't evoke the same emotional response that the first three films did, or even the remake did a few years ago. In fact, most of this movie is really boring to say the least.

The plot revolves around a couple that adopts a girl from a convent. As one of the Nuns begins to regret her decision, another dies, citing the beginning of the end of anyone that comes in contact with the child. As the child grows up the couple begin to yearn for more children, meanwhile she begins to exhibit some satanic presence and starts systematically killing anyone that is mean to her.


As the mother gets pregnant (adopted mother) and a new child is on the way, new revelations are revealed about the little girl, who is the spawn of satan, forcing the mother to seek out some stiff answers and causing chaos to the doctor's who have records of Delia's birth. (The sister of satan) The shocking revelation is that she is Damian's sister, and that she was carrying the zygote of Damian all along and somehow implanted it in her adopted mother's womb. This is explained in the film by the doctor, but late in the movie so it becomes a little blurred.

Whatever the case is, things start going worse and finally the child is born, and the reveal happens. Not too unlike one of the latest reveals in history, the child is Damian reborn and has the mark of the beast on his hand and as the mother realizes this she encounters delia holding the child....and with a handgun...unleashes the end...but not the one you think.

Remember when I said that no one ever kills a kid in horror movies? Well, do you really believe that they would allow it in a made for television movie? If you said Yes, then you're an idiot.

This movie sucked. I'm sorry, the Omen films are an amazing work of films, and the Sam Neil Omen III wasn't as bad as the second film that seemed to follow Damian into boarding school. I barely made it through this film, and really don't care for the whole angle that they try to make out of it. It just seems rushed, and uninteresting. It's almost as if the directors and crew knew they had a stinker on their hands and just went into something else.

If you do manage to watch this one, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the Zombie Church Chorus, I kid you not, right before a random death that you do not see at all.

Don't believe me? Check out the official Omen IV: The Awakening Trailer:



This movie isn't worth it, but maybe as part of a box set, I think it might work.

Check out these other scary kids, scaring adults movies, and the books that the Omen films were based on:

The Omen Box Set via Amazon.com
Rosemary's Baby via Amazon.com
It's Alive via Amazon.com

Books the Movie "The Omen" was based on:

The Omen by David Seltzer via Amazon.com
Damien: Omen II by David Seltzer via Amazon.com


Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

Interesting Horror Movie Releases 9/8/09

I'm out of own folks, and I missed a couple things. Here's the latest horror movie releases that you would like to get if you're getting dvd movies to buy.

Battle of the Warriors Dvd
Catwoman Blu Ray Dvd
Crank 2: High Voltage Dvd
Creepshow Blu Ray Dvd
Dead Calm Dvd
Freddy vs. Jason Blur Ray Dvd
Fringe The Complete First Season Dvd Set
Sphere Blu Ray Dvd

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

Quarantine Review

Well, no time to beat on the old drum to ask you guys for money, because it hasn't been working. In fact no one buys crap from this site, so that's always nice. Anyways, there's more to life than my problems and therefore you should come with me on this new journey. Quarantine is a film that is a shot for shot after a Spanish Horror movie named Rec. REC couldn't get here in time so US film makers did what they always do, they remade this one...another remake, and not that great overall.

I'd post a trailer, but guess what, YOUTUBE WILL NOT LET ME EMBED! That's right, once again they screw me on this site...man...oh well...pretend that I put a trailer here.

The film is shot in the worst style ever. It's shot first person view in what some call "cinema verite" in which the camera is constantly moving and faster than hell. I hate that. Other films that I hate in this style aren't really coming to mind, but I know I hated "Miami Vice" for doing the same stupid thing with the cameras.

As for this film it stars Jennifer Carpenter, and Jay Hernandez. The film is about a news anchor and her camera man, they are filming some highlights at a fire station for television when they are called into a fire.

The fire is non existent, and upon arriving in an apartment complex, they end up finding out something incredible...for us. They find zombie like creature, just like the ones that are found in 28 Days Later, or 28 Weeks Later, and things go awry fast. The complex is locked down and the future is uncertain for our crew and anyone else locked inside.

What makes this movie insane, is the fact that the outside world has trapped the people in the complex inside. There are times when they are about to get out, but to no avail, at one point in the film a sniper shoots out someone that is trying to get out of the building and hysteria goes nuts.

Is Quarantine Scary?: NO.

This movie is not scary to me. It actually is on rails, like a first person shooter. It's a sad story with a feeble ending, but to get there you have to go through the most predictable turns.

I heard REC was amazing. This film isn't that, and I'd much rather see this film in spanish. Sure the film has a few moments, but mixing "The Blair Witch Project" and "28 Weeks Later" inside an apartment complex doesn't really do it for me.

Quarantine doesn't even look rated R to me. This thing was boring. I don't recommend Quarantine, as it is a frigid piece of remake history that once again fails to capture the buzz that got REC into many screens.



Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

The Octagon Review

Marketed as an exploitation film, The Octagon made some heads turn when it came out in 1980. This film stars none other than Chuck Norris, and he's up against a serial killing terrorist gang trained in the deadly secret art of Ninjitsu. So join me for a review of this 1980 martial arts, exploitation, classic featuring Chuck Norris and his mustache.

The Octagon came into my review que with a commercial that I heard on Rodney on The Roq while working a lame job for a bunch of idiots. My coworker and I had to see this, and while I was let go before we can make this a reality, I saw it myself and boy was I not disappointed. On one hand, this piece of junk is not an exploitation film, nor a true horror film, but it has enough guts to make it to this site instead of my mainstream media site.

Here is a trailer for the film The Octagon:



The first thing that you will notice from this movie is the "Spidey-Senses" that Chuck Norris has. Every shot of Norris alone has him speaking in whispers to himself, while the camera zooms in on his face. This is the most hilarious piece of film making I've seen in American cinema in a long time. The constant whispers are just too much at times and you start to go nuts if you watch this alone in the dark.

The movie revolves around a terrorist training camp known as the Octagon, and they are training terrorists in the art of the Ninja. The head masters of this place are well known kung fu film masters, and one dude looks like the second coming of Bruce Lee, only older and in some angles fatter.

The training grounds are hilarious. The overacting aside, the actual training and moves are done at half speed and really a terrible use of martial arts in this film. At one point, a group of ninjas attack a student that wants out, and it is the most awkward scene used in an American Martial arts film since American Ninja made a white man the poster child for Ninja training. (Note, Count Dante may have put American fighting styles on the map in comic book ads, but who's counting)

The film is scary at times. There are moments when you're scared that this film is going to get worse, and for those that can't stomach true exploitation cinema the film makers feed you with a tiny bit of gore. However, if you're doing something else while watching this, you'll miss it.

The pacing of this film is horrendous. There is a TON of dialogue, and none of it makes a whole lot of sense. Chuck Norris is sleepwalking through this film, and by the time the crap hits the fan, you start to wonder why this film was marketed as such. Not even Chuck Norris's scifi film "Silent Rage" could muster up enough of a build up for me to like him in a tense psychological thriller.

The psychology of this film really relies on past memories, and we see these played out in flashback format. In the flashbacks we see a red screen over the scenarios and whispers again join in to make the film treatment a little more relevant to what it is handing you. The majority of the back story is told through flashback, and it's terrible, beyond terrible.

This film is crap. The marketing was really good, and it made me believe that this was a true exploitation film, or at least a horror film disguised as a horror film, but nope. It's another terrible piece of cinema, and rightfully so, 1980 wasn't the best year in horror. But that's ok, I appreciated the attempt, and the radio spots on Kroq from 1980 were awesome. I don't recommend The Octagon to anyone, but if you have a hankering for a good Chuck Norris film, maybe this is your best bet. It's not like he's going to win any awards for his acting.



Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

REWIND They Call Her One Eye Review

I lost my job yesterday. So I didn't watch a movie to review. So today we are doing a nice little rewind post from a review you may have missed. I'm dealing with a lot of bills right now, so we'll see how the future of this site will develop.



I know it's kind of weird to say that I'm getting into Grindhouse/Exploitation cinema, so I won't really put it into that type of language. I have kind of rekindled my fascination with the genre however.



When I was a kid growing up, I would see these weird movies in the "Cult" section, they were what is now referred to as "Exploitation" films. Here's one such example, one that I have recently seen on a dvd full of exploitation trailers. The film is called "They Call Her One Eye" and it's seems surreal. Here is a trailer for the film:





The movie, from what I've read online, had influence in the one eyed character for Kill Bill. Whatever the case is, this film is awesome...although a little odd at times, and very graphically violence and sexual...but if you're fan of the Grindhouse cinema of yesteryear, then you're going to love it.

I know I did.

You can pick up They Call Her One Eye on dvd, or search online for the original, unedited, limited edition version of this film...though obscure, it's well worth it.

Interesting Horror Movie Releases 9/1/09

Here are the latest and greatest releases for the first day of september in the horror genre. I also put in some exploitation, and science fiction stuff...as well as the above poster and dvd...cause i'm weird.

Blacula/Scream Blacula Scream DVD
Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas DVD
Earth Day DVD
The Evil That Men Do DVD
Humanity's End DVD
Impact DVD
Methodic DVD
School for Unclaimed Girls DVD
Take Out DVD
TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Horror (House of Wax 1953 / The Haunting 1963 / Freaks / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1941) DVD BOX SET
To Dance with Death DVD

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.