Because of preconceived notions and misunderstandings two good natured rednecks face off with some college kids.
Review
This is one of my top five fav horror movies of all time. It's just such a charming story with a fun twist. You can read my thoughts on it here. The movie had a Korean remake in 2024 called Handsome Guys. I'm still trying to find a subtitled version, though if you want to watch a dubbed version it's currently on Tubi.
In Your Game
The antagonist, Chad, would an interesting foe to send up against a party of locals in a Bloody Appalachia game.
Chad (Humanoid)
Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 36 HP (4 HD)
Move: 12
Actions: 2
Attack: Knife (d4-1)
Special: allergic to Chamomile, outsmart (1/day), Toughness +3
Bonuses: +2 to Melee attacks, +3 damage to hillbillies, +2 to Initiative, +4 to Stealth
Ten years after the events of the first film Brodie is a single loser living with Giles (who survived having his arm ripped off in the first film). To win back Medina and pay his bills he uses pages from the Black Hymn to bring Zakk and Dion back as zombies. Of course nothing could go wrong with this plan...
Review
I was extremely excited for this movie and ended up thoroughly fucking disappointed. The first film had charm. The characters were high school outcast, but there hearts were in the right place. This film straight up commits character suicide on Brodie, Giles, and Dion. Brodie and Giles become the useless metal-head losers everyone. Instead of a hero, Brodie is an awful person who doesn't care how many innocents are killed via his dangerous (and stupid) plan. Giles is a clueless asshole that tortures his zombified best friend, which turns said zombie into the villain of the film. Ultimately all the people that judged our protagonists in the first flick were right.
Beyond the above mentioned character assassination, this film has a mean streak too. There's a definite anti-woke slant that wasn't as funny as the film tries to make it out to be. Also the one genuinely good, not traumatized character gets killed off to be the butt of a stupid joke. Speaking of mean, do you want to see an extended scene of dicks being cut-off or smashed? This movie has one.
There are a few bright spots. Kimberly Crossman is still charming and funny as Medina. There's an extended meta gag about them not playing D&D because they couldn't afford the license to call it that. Also despite everything, the ending made me smile.
Ultimately I'm just going to pretend like this movie doesn't exist.
In Your Game
Vocavitique Rex Daemonia Virtutem Fortuna Hymnus Nigrum aka Summoning the King of Demons, A Black Hymn for Gaining Power and Fortune aka The Black Hymn This demonic bit of sheet music, when played in full will summon Aeloth the Blind One, King of Demons. Use the Greater Demon stats from Dark Places & Demogorgons if he is summoned. While demonic, the Bruiser Human Adversary is appropriate for his eyeless demons. While playing the entire hymn is definitely a bad idea, if a metalhead were to get a hold of it, they could use it to bolster the power of their summoned demon (granting it Toughness +4).
Additionally the parts of the hymn can be used to create intelligent or semi-intelligent zombies.
When his mom gets committed for mental issues, outcast Brody is sent to live with his super religious aunt and uncle and their total douchebag son. He soon makes friends with a few D&D playing outcasts and another metalhead, Zakk, and forms a band, Deathgasm. The pair meet a reclusive musician who entrusts them with an ancient occult hymn being sought after by some rather nasty cultists. The teens unwittingly unleash Hell on Earth on Earth and have to fight their way through demonic hordes to make things right.
Review
This is one of my all time favorite flicks. The characters are lovable and the violence is brutal. You can check out my previous review of the flic here.
In Your Game
Vocavitique Rex Daemonia Virtutem Fortuna Hymnus Nigrum aka Summoning the King of Demons, A Black Hymn for Gaining Power and Fortune aka The Black Hymn This demonic bit of sheet music, when played in full will summon Aeloth the Blind One, King of Demons. Use the Greater Demon stats from Dark Places & Demogorgons if he is summoned. While demonic, the Bruiser Human Adversary is appropriate for his eyeless demons. While playing the entire hymn is definitely a bad idea, if a metalhead were to get a hold of it, they could use it to bolster the power of their summoned demon (granting it Toughness +4).
In this horror anthology, Gwar shares series a series of cursed stories.
Review
Gwar is… - Like all entries in this series, there is a wraparound story for V/H/S Mixtape. This time around it’s am MTV-style music show with absurd and grotesque skits hosted by GWAR. These are probably the most hit or miss. If you like the Scumdogs, then you’ll love this. If not, man is it bizarre.
Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance – A small group working on a documentary related to the revival of a puppet show find themselves being slaughter by the puppets. There are some wicked kills in this one and it’s probably the most stylish segment (and my second favorite). If the puppets look cool, it’s because they were created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop). Oh yeah, this one features horror icon, Barbara Crampton.
Heartbeat – In my opinion, this was probably the weakest short. A pair of YouTube urban explorers get trapped in an abandoned Soviet facility that was once used for sonic experiments. The idea behind this one is cool but I didn’t really care for the protagonists.
The Music of Mr. Sze – This is a reimagining of Lovecraft’s The Music of Erich Zann. A student named Howard finds a mysterious musician in his new home plays music that holds back an eldritch being (which looks a lot like a beholder). I love the style of this one and it was probably my favorite segment. The director Ernest Dickerson made of favorite horror flicks, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight.
Death Tone – Directed by RZA of the Wu Tang Clan this one is pretty twisted. To finish her masterpiece a sound engineer listens to her late father’s recordings. Her father was a famous producer and was possibly a serial killer. I love the ideas presented here. The protagonists plan reminded me of the Trickster, one of my favorite Dead by Daylight killers. This was another great short.
There are a few music interludes as well. “Another Cabin” is an animated stop-motion tale from Flying Lotus. The animation reminds me of the series, The PJ’s. The other music interlude called “Premature Burial.” It’s a music video directed by Tobias Forge of Ghost and centers around a women getting revenge.
This one didn't get the best reviews, but overall I really enjoyed it. Next year's volume will be SCP which presents some weird legal issue.
In Your Game
Lydia's Final Mix - Created from recordings of torture and mutilation and mutilation. This music is infused with dark energy. The first time anyone hears the music they gain a point of madness. Additionally, while the music is playing creatures of Evil alignment feel at peace and gain advantage on all saving throws.
Lost and on their way to a wedding a group of friends spend the night at a bed and breakfast. They soon find themselves blamed for a murder and fighting for their lives against possessed townsfolk.
Review
I bought this on DVD when I first got into horror. I remember loving it. I still have my copy, but before tonight I hadn't watched it in years. Does it still hold up? I'd say so.
While this one isn't a masterpiece. It's a fun horror/comedy, It's also a bit of a musical. There's a country/rockabilly band that narrates the story. Oh yeah, there's also a zombie dance scene because why the fuck not? The comedy is super cheesy as are a lot of the sound effects. The kills and effects are low budget, but work. There are several references to classic horror movies and the movie is aware of limitations and silliness.
The cast is interesting. Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays the towns sheriff. It's cool to see him kind of inept. David Carradine has a small roll and his niece, Ever stars. Diedrich Bader has a small rolls a French chef. Also Osgood Perkins, director of Longlegs and The Monkey, plays Johnny, one of the friends (who ends up leading the possessed townsfolk). A character makes a Psycho comment towards him, which is really funny now that I know he's the son of the actor that played Norman Bates. Horror fans will probably also recognize Gina Philips, one of the stars of Jeepers Creepers.
If you want a fun low budget horror flick you can watch this one on Tubi.
In Your Game
Johnny was an outcast judged by his friends, but all that changed when he accidentally released the Kuman Thong.
Johnny (Undead) Armor Class: 14
Hit Dice: 3 (15) Move: 12 Actions: 1 Attack: Unnatural strength (d8) Special: Possession, undead, unholy fortitude Bonuses: +3 to Attack rolls, +2 to melee damage
Alignment: Evil
Morale: 7
Madness: 6 (12) Terror: -
HDE: 3
Possession: The spirit controlling Johnny can possess and reanimate a person by placing some of their blood, flesh, or remains the the box that housed it's spirit.
Undead: Undead are immune to mind-affecting effects, Poisons, stuns, being sickened, Diseases & Critical Hits.
Unholy fortitude: Johnny has Toughness +10 to all damage except from magic or by the person that summoned the Kuman Thong originally.
Traumatized after seeing his parents murdered by a man in a Santa suit, Billy grows up to be a Santa-clad slasher.
Review
I love the original Silent Night, Deadly Night and have a soft spot for it's sequel (despite it being most footage from the first), so I was nervous about this one. I didn't need to be though, because this movie rocks.
The director takes the original premise, kid becomes Santa-clad killer based on childhood trauma, and does his own thing with it. Rather that just being a traditional slasher, this Billy only kills the naughty. He also has a voice in his head that directs him to kill the naughty. I don't want to spoil the plot, but this Billy is a slasher vigilante, rather than a traditional slasher. He also has a voice in his head that helps him on his journey.
Despite the changes this reboot still has a few of the best kills from the original. We still get a deer head and axe/vehicle decapitation. There are some new great kills in this one too. Honestly, this version of Billy could be a Punch A Nazi Week write-up because he slaughters the celebrants at a "I'm Dreaming Of A White Power Christmas" party.
The cast is great. Rohan Campbell is great as the lead. He's intense, but also likeable. I know some horror fans might write him off because of his roll as Corey in Halloween Ends, but that's a mistake. Ruby Modine (Happy Death Day and Shameless) is also endearing as his love interest Pam. She's quirky, cute, and unstable (which makes her even more attractive in my messed up mind). Finally I want to say Mark Acheson is fantastic as Charlie. While he might only appear on screen briefly, he played and important part of the story and his presence was felt.
This one is on Tubi and I know Halloween might not be the time to watch it, but I definitely recommend y'all check this one out closer to Christmas.
In Your Game
These stats are slightly revised from the ones I posted three years ago.
Billy (Humanoid) Armor Class: 14Hit Dice: 5 Move: 12 Actions: 2 Attack: Axe (d10) Special: sense evil, toughness +2 Bonuses: +4 to Attack rolls, +2 to melee damage, +5 to Stealth
