Phil is quoted in the trailer for HATE CRIME-Setember 27, 2012

For those of you who read my reviews on a regular basis, you may remember that last month I had the privilege of reviewing an exclusive online screening of James Cullen Bressack's new horror film HATE CRIME, which I stated that, "No other horror film has left me this disturbed in quite some time." Well fast forward to Monday, September 24th, and my dear friend from Australia Rhiannon Irons aka Ahlephia (an extremely talented writer for the horror news website Truly Disturbing) tweeted me congrats. Having no idea what she was talking about, I replied back by asking her what she meant. She had informed me that the trailer for HATE CRIME was released and my quote was in the trailer! I couldn't believe it! I logged in on Youtube.com on my iPhone to watch it. And sure enough, about nine seconds into the trailer, there's my quote! The trailer had a series of quotes but mine was the first one! I was totally blown away and completely surprised! But also the trailer for the film looks so sick and grotesque that you can't help but want to watch the film!

How amazing is that trailer? Now this was a brutal movie to watch. The film hearkens back to the early 1970's when horror and exploitation films were so vulgar and so realistic that they were hard to watch. These films just nailed you to the back of the theater. HATE CRIME carries on that spirit, which is what we need now more than ever. With horror movies lacking real scares and true chills these days, here's a film that hits you right in the face! Kudos once again to Bressack for making horror films scary again!

You can follow James Cullen Bressack on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JamesCullenB. His film company Psykik Junky Pictures's website www.psykikjunkypictures.com is still under construction, but keep your eyes peeled for it to launch soon!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil gets an exclusive sneak peak at the new horror film HATE CRIME-Aug. 7, 2012

Now I have been very fortunate to attend many important film events and festivals so far this year. Tonight's film review came courtesy from the film's director himself, 20 year old indie filmmaker James Cullen Bressack. While on Facebook, Bressack messaged me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing his latest work, the horror film entitled HATE CRIME. I said yes of course, and he then emailed me a link to watch the film. So I sat back and was prepared to watch this very exclusive movie. After it was over, I couldn't believe what I had just saw!

The film's about a recently relocated family that is having a birthday party when their home is invaded by some unexpected guests. Now Bressack requested that I not give away any details of the plot in this review, and I will honor that request. However, let me just say that this was one of the most brutal films that I have seen in a very long time!

The film is shot in the "Found Footage" vein, ie THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, THE DEVIL INSIDE, and those type of films. But what sets this film apart from those that came before is that this felt much more real. Hate crimes still exist out there, and the story told here could very well happen! With the recent climate of openly hate towards having a black president, gays having the right to marry, illegal aliens, and so forth, we have come full circle as to what this country was like during the 1960s. Those who were part of the making of this film deserve to be praised for showing us (and reminding us) that even though we have made major advances in our country, we as a society have not yet learned how to get along with one another.

This is an ugly movie to watch; dealing with such a heavy subject mater, but what gives the film its authenticity are the powerful performances by the entire cast. So let me just congratulate Jody Barton, Maggie Wagner, Nicholas Clark, Sloane Morgan Siegel, Greg Depetro, Debbie Diesel, Tim Moran, and Ian Roberts on an outstanding job of conveying such a high level of realism in the film. Scared, terrified, anger, confusion, and hate are just some of the emotions that are found within the frames. This couldn't have been an easy film to act in, and all of these amazing actors and actresses deserve a round of applause!

Of course credit must also go to Bressack, who directed and wrote the film (along with Jarret Cohen). There were no punches pulled in this film. Skillfully crafted with such intensity and preciseness, one has to wonder how will  Bressack top this film!

HATE CRIME is one of my top picks for Best Horror Film this year! If Wes Craven's THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT had rapped Bryan Bertino's THE STRANGERS, this would be the bastard offspring of that incident. No other horror film has left me this disturbed in quite some time. And once you've seen this, I can guarantee it that you will be too! Five out of five stars!!

You can follow James Cullen Bressack on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JamesCullenB. His film company Psykik Junky Pictures's website www.psykikjunkypictures.com is still under construction, but keep your eyes peeled for it to launch soon!

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends a very special screening of RED STATE at the Camera 3-Sept. 25, 2011

When I first heard that director Kevin Smith's new horror film RED STATE was having a special one-night only screening at the Camera 3 in Downtown San Jose, I couldn't believe it! I was so damn excited, I shouted at the top of my lungs. I've heard so much about the film, and all the hype and controversy surrounding it. Smith's entry to the horror genre was a long time coming. According to him, it took about five years to bring the film to the big screen. After seeing the film tonight...well...let me just say this: THIS IS NOT YOU'RE TYPICAL KEVIN SMITH FILM!! This is something entirely different, and it is his best film to date!!

The film's about three horny teenage friends Travis (Michael Angarano), Billy-Ray (Nicholas Braun), and Jarod (Kyle Gallner) who follow an Internet ad promising them a menage a trios with a willing older woman. The boys are drugged and are taken to the home of a Chrisschun religious cult, run by a deranged pastor named Abin Cooper (Michael Parks). Cooper and his believers are wanted terrorists and the FBI calls in special agent Joseph Keenan (John Goodman) and his team to eradicate this hostile situation.

 I did not see this film coming! I mean, were are talking about Kevin Smith here. The king of slacker films. For my generation, his films represented us and our lingo, our look, our thoughts, and our hang-ups. Films like CLERKS, MALLRATS, and CHASING AMY defined the demographic known as Generation X. We related to his films because they were about us! After the release of CLERKS 2, Smith closed the door on his View Askew universe and began making other types of films. The 2008 film ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO was a hilarious comedy hit, but his 2010 follow up film, the ill- fated comedy/buddy cop film COP OUT (starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan) was a complete disaster. With RED STATE, he decided to go back to his roots and made a low budget ($4 million) horror film (his first horror film ever) and took it on a grassroots campaign tour from town to town.

Now, the film itself is fricking unbelievable! Think Quentin Tarantino meets John Carpenter. Smith abandons his usual style of directing, and plots a complete 180 course from what we expect from him. Terrifying close-ups, unnerving tracking shots, unflinching gore and graphic violence; everything that you weren't expecting Smith to do, he does beautifully! Smith stated that the film is loosely based on the infamous pastor Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church. He and his followers are known for picketing events such as gay pride events, military funerals, and for creating vulgar, hateful slogans. His most atrocious slogan being "God hates fags" garnered Phelps an avalanche of controversy. And yet, for some strange reason that I cannot comprehend, Phelps has not been assassinated. Explain that one to me folks!

The film boasts a fantastic cast, which credit goes to Smith for writing an amazing script. The first half of the film concentrates on Cooper and his believers and their perverted, twisted take on religion; a religion that when it says smite the wicked, they take it literally! Parks' performance of Cooper is spine-chilling and frightening, due to the fact that there are people like Copper out there, and they're responsible for some of the most vicious and ludicrous acts of violence and stupidity ever recorded in this country. (If you don't believe me, look up Jim Jones and the Jonestown Massacre) The second half has an incredible shoot out finale that Sam Peckinpah would have been proud of! Goodman is awesome as Agent Keenan, and also be on the lookout for a young actress named Kerry Bishe who portrays Cheyenne, one of the children of the religious cult. I first became aware of her from the television show SCRUBS. She portrayed med student Lucy Bennett, the lead character from Season Nine of the show. I loved her character, as well as her acting. I was so surprised to see her in the film, and she nailed her performance. I can't wait to see her again in another film.

After the screening, the theater streamed a live Q&A with Smith, who was at the New Beverly Theater in Hollywood. Smith answered fan's questions, which were twittered to him. Some guy next to me tweeted his question and Smith answered in real time. I tweeted my question, but I had to leave to type up this review. But I'd like to think he answered my question.

RED STATE is Kevin Smith's best film ever! A horrifying study of religious cults and bloody consequences make this my number one favorite horror film of the year! Why do you ask? Because this is real. This has happened before, and can happen again at anytime and anyplace. Maybe in the town where you live now.

RED STATE is now available to watch On Demand. Check your local provider for more details. The film will also be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 18th. Purchase a copy for yourself at http://www.amazon.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil attends the exclusive screening of PEARL JAM TWENTY at the Camera 3-Sept. 20, 2011

Last night I had the great fortune to attend a very special screening of director Cameron Crowe's new documentary entitled PEARL JAM TWENTY at the very cool Camera 3 Theaters in Downtown San Jose! The Camera 3 is also the home of the world famous Psycho Donuts, which makes some of the most delicious and eclectic named donuts in town! After purchasing some awesomely yummy donuts from the kind nurses behind the counter, I made my way to the front row to watch the film.

PJ20 documents the band's rise to super stardom through candid interviews and archival footage. The film begins with two of its founders: Jeff Ament and Stone Gassard and how these two friends formed their previous bands Green River and the influential Mother Love Bone. With their charismatic front man Andy Wood, MLB was on the brink of becoming the band of the 90s, but with the death of Andy, both Ament and Gossard teamed up with another childhood friend Mike McCready to form a new band. Upon receiving a demo tape from a San Diego surfer named Eddie Vedder, the band known as Pearl Jam was formed. With the release of their debut album Ten, the band burst into the mainstream and found themselves in the spotlight, much to the dismay for the band members.

Cameron Crowe was a music journalist in Seattle in the mid-80s and he was there when the whole "Seattle Scene" was beginning to form. Having that access, Crowe was easily able to obtain the nearly 1,200 hours of archival footage of the band, while simultaneously getting some very intimate interviews from the band, as well as from Matt Cameron (former drummer of Soundgarden and the band's current drummer), Chris Cornell (also from Soundgarden and Temple of The Dog), as well as from Crowe himself. The film also chronicles their distrust of the mainstream, their pulling back from the spotlight, their fight with ticketmaster, and their now freedom to purse their musical dreams without interference.

Because the screening sold out, the Camera 3 management informed the crowd that the film's distributor was so pleased with the turn out, that they agreed to have encore screenings of the film for a week starting this Friday! So to all you Pearl Jam fans who couldn't attend the screening, now you have a chance to see the film!

PEARL JAM TWENTY is a fantastic documentary about one of the most important bands from the 1990s, and their journey from grunge band to revered musical artists. Highly recommended film about an amazing band!

PEARL JAM TWENTY will be playing once daily from Sept. 23-29 at the Camera 3 in Downtown San Jose. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://www.cameracinemas.com

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!

Phil goes Hollywood, Part 5: Phil sees CREATURE at the Mann Chinese 6 Theater-Sept. 9, 2011

Last night, at the beautiful Mann Chinese 6 Theaters on Hollywood Blvd, I had the pleasure of seeing one of the best indie horror films that I have seen in a very, very long time! And to make the night even better, some of the cast and crew were present and participated in a Q&A session, which was moderated by my good friend from Fangoria magazine Rebekah McKendry! The film was, without question, an amazing cinematic experience for me, and I will predict that the film CREATURE will also be fun experience for you to see as well!!

Theatrical Movie Poster (2011)

The film focuses on a group of friends on a roadtrip heading for New Orleans. The group consists of siblings Oscar and Karen (Dillon Casey and Lauren Schnider), and couples Randy and Beth (Aaron Hill and Amanda Fuller) and Niles and Emily (Mehcad Brooks and Serinda Swan). The group pulls into a roadside convenient store where the owner Chopper (Sid Haig) tells them the folklore of Lockjaw, the famed half man-half alligator creature that lives in the swamps of Louisiana. Soon the group travels to Lockjaw's native home, and that's where all the fun, sex, nudity, and gore happens.

From top to bottom, this was the most polished indie horror film I've seen in a long time. Right off the bat, what makes a great horror film is a great script, and screenwriters Tracy Morse and Fred Andrews (who also directed the film) crafted an ingenious story about family, folklore, and horror, with some great twists and turns. Another key factor of the film was the outstanding performances from the entire cast. Every single actor and actress brought a level of believability and vulnerability to their characters. We laugh with them when times are good, and we are horrified for them in their darkest hours. Also, Sid Haig is great as Chopper and it's his best role since portraying Captian Spaulding in the Rob Zombie films. Credit must also go to the crew, from production designer Jakub Durkoth (whose sets were both realistic and frightening looking) to Christopher Faloona's superb cinematography. And let's not forget Andrew's fantastic style of directing that was poetic while capturing the beauty of the Louisiana swamps and in-your-face with gore and guts that made the audience cheer and shout with devilish joy!

I love the horror genre immensely, and I take it personal when I see a horror film that fails to live up to the standards set by those that came before. Very few horror films as of late have made me stand up and take notice. This is one of those films that has the total package, and I knew that within the first five minutes of the film. It's rare to see not only a good horror film, but a GREAT indie horror film that the major Hollywood studios should take extensive notes on. However, knowing Hollywood, they would totally fail the final exam.

CREATURE is one of the BEST horror films of 2011! In a sea where bad horror film remakes and bland sequels run rampant, this film proves that there is still hope for the horror genre, and Fred Andrews and his team are to be praised for their love, devotion, and their gift that they have presented us. Now stop reading this review and go see the film NOW!

CREATURE is currently playing in select theaters nationwide, including at the Mann Chinese 6 Theaters. To view showtimes, visit their website at http://www.manntheatres.com/
For my friends and readers in San Jose and the South Bay, the film is playing at the Camera Cinemas. To see showtimes, visit http://www.cameracinemas.com/index.shtml

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!