Another crap sequel: Cabin Fever 2

I am being kind of harsh.  Cabin Fever2: Spring Fever wasn't that bad.  Well, it was bad enough that Ti West wanted his name taken off the flick and replaced with Alan Smithee, which is understandable, but it has its charms. 

OK, it has it's charms is you love gross-out gore.  Which I don't.  I love gore, don't get me wrong, but I am not really into seeing blood and pus coming out of penises or strippers with infected boobs (sentences like this gets pornographers posting porno links in my comment sections.)  What I did like about this film was the homages to Prom Night and Noah Segan, who I think is super cool and should be in more films.  I mean, did you see him in Deadgirl?  He is awesome!

This film picks up right where the last one left off.  Rider Strong's character (too lazy to look up the name) crawls out of the creek and is immediately hit by a bus.  For this he gets top billing.  Some company has bottled this nasty creek water and sold it to the local high school, which happens to be having it's prom that very night.  Cut to the chase: everyone drinks the nasty water and it soon becomes the prom from hell. 

Now because "Glee" in on in about 10 minutes I will wrap this up quick.  Everyone dies.  The end.  Confession:  I hated the original Cabin Fever.  I thought it was horrible.  I love Hostel I & II.  So for a time I loved Eli Roth.  Now I don't because he is dating Peaches Geldof and that is just weird.  Anyway, I actually liked Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever better than the original which is not saying much because I hate the original.  The pacing in this movie is way off, and although you see some of West's touches (see: House of the Devil)  the film as a whole is just a weird mess.  Some nice gore and Noah Segan is all it has going for it.  If that floats your boat....  Now, off to watch show tunes.

All About Evil

If you ever wondered what a horror film directed by a Drag Queen would be like....wonder no further!!  Joshua Grannell, aka Peaches Christ of SF Midnight Madness fame, brings you her directorial debut: All About Evil.  The Hubby and I were lucky enough to attend the world premiere last night at the beloved Castro Theater. 

First let me say how much fun this was.  This was our first world premiere and it was crazy!! Almost everyone in the audience worked on the film or was in the film (it was shot in San Francisco) and almost the entire cast, including Thomas Dekker, Natasha Lyonne, and Noah Segan (my new Horror Crush) showed up, performed , and answered questions during the "spooktacular" pre-show and post-show hosted by Peaches herself.  We were even treated to a song by Mink Stole!  Also, John Waters was in the audience but I couldn't see him.  It was enough to know I was in the same room.

The film itself is what you would expect: campy, gory, and totally over-the-top.  Natasha Lyonne stars as Deborah (pronounced "de-BORE-ah"), a mousy librarian who has inherited her Father's single screen movie house, The Victoria. The movie was filmed at the actual Victoria Theatre in SF, which we passed on our way home.  Peaches announced that All About Evil would be having a special "interactive" run there in October. 

Deborah's theatre exclusively plays horror, as it always has, catering to a small but loyal crowd including teenager Steven, played by John Conner himself, Thomas Dekker.  Deborah's evil Stepmother arrives and tries to force Deborah to sign over the lease to the theatre so she can sell it.  Deborah, in a fit of rage, murders her Stepmom, an act that is caught on camera.  When the footage of the murder is accidentally shown in the theatre, the audience believes they are seeing the work of a great new talent.

Deborah, assisted by her elderly Projectionist, decides to make more "movies" to bring in the crowds.  She enlists the help of some like minded individuals to help her run the theatre and make more movies.

Throw in a couple of Drag Queens, some over the top Herschell Gordon Lewis type gore and William Castle-like showmanship and you have a film that could be (and aims to be) the next Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

I have no idea how this film will play in middle America, but I can tell you the crowd at the Castro loved it!  It was so nice to be in a room full of people who clapped when a woman got her boob cut off and cheered at every obscure horror film reference thrown into this crazy film.  Natasha Lyonne is amazing, channelling everyone from Bette Davis to Katherine Hepburn.  Cassandra Peterson plays a "normal" role but the film still acknowledges her contribution to the genre.  In short, this is a film made by someone who loves the horror genre, who loves single screen movie houses, and who loves this amazing city.  I can't find fault with this film, but perhaps I am biased because I love all the same things that Peaches does. 

Peaches will be touring with this film all across America and if you get a chance to see her live show I highly suggest you do.  Even if you don't love the movie trust me: you are going to love The Twins.

Hatchet

Hatchet, directed by Adam Green, promises to be a return to "Old school American horror."  I am not even sure what that means.  Universal era monsters?  60's and 70's genre films like Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist?  Slashers from the 80's?  I think Director Adam Green is going for the later.  And although his heart is clearly in the right place, Hatchet is a little too jokey to be "Old School."  It's more like a "homage" that is a little more scary and authentic than the Scream films.

Here's the set-up.  Two friends (Joel Moore as Ben and Deon Richmond as Marcus) decided to take a "Haunted Swamp Tour" while they are visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras.  On the tour they meet Marybeth, a local who is taking the tour to find her lost Brother and Father.  Also on the tour is a guy shooting a "Girls Gone Wild" type porno with two ditsy actresses, one of whom is played by Mercedes McNab, who was the bitchy little girl scout in the Addams Family films.  I had to throw that in there because it was driving me crazy trying to figure out where I had seen her before. 

Marybeth tells everyone the legend of Victor Crowley, the deformed, demented man-child that haunts the swamp.  Crowley doesn't take too kindly to strangers invading his space, and wouldn't you know it he has a taste for killing.

Crowley is played by the AWESOME Kane Hodder.  Hodder also has a rare, non make-up role as Crowley's father. 

Long story short, there is a lot "death by hatchet" scenes and running around the swamp while the unstoppable monster keeps on coming.  The best part of this film is the humor.  It is hysterical at times.  The gore is also totally over the top--always a good thing.  I was more in the mood for a "true" old school horror flick, so I was a bit disappointed.  But it really did like this flick and I am looking forward to seeing Adam Green's next, much more serious looking film, Frozen.  I will probably see that in about two years, f-ing On Demand and Blockbuster Exclusives and theaters that won't play horror.