TV on DVD Review: Femme Fatales: The Complete First Season (2012, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Cinemax... oh don't we all have fond memories of that from are childhood and teens? Coined “Skinamax” back in the day it was always the go to channel for the more risque entertainment when the clock struck midnight.

Over the years Cinemax has evolved, they've moved from just airing straight up soft core films to actually airing their own original content. The results were nothing short of fantastic with shows like “Strike Back” that featured just the right ratio of hardcore action/violence to sex. They followed up the success of Strike Back with “The Hunted” a spy show co-produced by the BBC and starring the hottie Mellisa George. This was a classier show for Cinemax which I am sure is due to the BBC's involvement.

Next up was “Banshee” which is another winning combo of a Twin Peaks-esqe small town but littered with action and sex. Cinemax's latest show “Femme Fatales” is their latest venture into original programming. What makes this one different you may ask? Well it airs during “Max after dark” which is the prime time for softcore porn. So I didn't have the highest hopes for this 14 episode TV show. I expected plenty of skin and hot ladies but expect muggy soft and all around poor direction and production values.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #85 / Kevin Hates Everything #133 - Kevin Hates The Oscars

This week, Kevin combines two Abnormal Entertainment shows to deliver an angry rant about the Oscars, Seth MacFarlane and having competitions for art.

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You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese. You can always email Kevin with thoughts or topic ideas at kevinhateseverything@yahoo.com. Tweet him @kevinmoyers.

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Movie Review: Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead (2012, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

“Mimesis: Night of the living dead” isn't your typical zombie picture. I had no knowledge of the film before watching it. It's rare that I go into a film completely blind, with only the cover art as reference before hand.

By the title and the cover art I shrugged and thought “Great another low budget film using Romero's Night of the Living Dead in its title”. Of course since Romero and crew never copyrighted their 1968 classic, it's fallen into the public domain. So, for many years we've had filmmakers use the title and make sorry excuses of films. Looking strictly to make a profit off of someone's much greater work. The title has been a cash cow for countless productions. Luring zombie fans in with the false sense of hope that “Hey this can't be that bad!”. Sadly most of those films baring the NOTLD title are dreck, cinematic trash that should be forgotten about. Surprisingly though... Mimesis: Night of the living dead actually justifies using Romero's title and not only that. But it's a loving homage and smart satire on the zombie genre.

Movie Review: Lisa and the Devil (1974, Blu-ray)

Review by: Rob Sibley

Note: This is a Region B encoded Blu-ray. You will need an all region player to view this disk.

“Lisa and the Devil” is to me one of Mario Bava's lesser appreciated films. This film is strictly a mood piece. Normal narrative and pacing goes out the window and what were treated to is a highly surrealistic vision of a master at work.

The film became possible when Bava's “Baron of blood” was a rousing success. His producing partner at the time Alfred Leone gave Bava caret-blanch to make the picture he wanted to do. That film was Bava's most personal film, Lisa And The Devil.

Movie Review: Sleepwalk With Me (2012)

Fans of Mike Birbiglia have heard his sleepwalking stories throughout his stand-up career. My Secret Public Journal was an album that brought this issue to light to his fans, and he has continued to tell stories on television, podcast and radio appearances for several years. Birbiglia has been a part of the radio show This American Life for years, and he employed the help of show host and friend Ira Glass to get Sleepwalk With Me onto the big screen. As a Birbiglia fan, I had mixed feelings about the movie. Maybe I can figure out why.

Movie Review: Black Sunday (1960, Blu-ray/DVD combo)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Note: This Blu-ray from Arrow UK is Region-B locked, so you will need an all region Blu player or all region PS3 to view the film.

“Black Sunday” is the text book example for classic Italian Gothic Horror. Directed by the man who pretty much put Italian horror cinema on the map, the maverick Mario Bava. Who not only broke onto the scene with this gothic masterpiece. But also is known for creating the “Giallo” with 1962's The Girl Who Knew Too Much and 1964's Blood and Black Lace. Firmly starting a genre that Dario Argento would make name for himself with before moving onto more supernatural fare later in his career.

Bava's body of work truly speaks for itself. This wasn't a “work man” director. He put more thought and production values into films then most did at the time. Always a master of creating haunting atmospheres with little to no budget. Some say Black Sunday is his masterpiece and I'd have to agree.

Movie Review: The Bunny Game (2010)

There were a lot of things about The Bunny Game that I loved, and there were just as many things about it that didn't resonate with me at all, so before we start dissecting, lets do a quick plot review. Warning: I'm going to spoil the ending for you.

The film begins by giving us a glimpse into the life of Bunny (played by Rodleen Getsic), a truly tragic character, and a hopelessly drug addicted prostitute. Her life is spent in a cocaine-induced haze as she splits her time between aimlessly staggering through the streets and being used and abused by random strangers for money that is only used to fuel her drug use. Not long after being robbed by one of her customers, she stands on a desolate street corner smoking a cigarette and it is then that a semi truck & trailer pulls up next to her. Without thinking twice she jumps into the cab and there she meets Sticky Fingers (played by Norwood Fisher), a creepy old guy who she assumes is looking for sex. After sharing her drugs with him, Sticky Fingers soon makes it quite clear that he’s not interested in just a blowjob, and after a short scuffle Bunny ends up unconscious and Sticky Fingers is headed out onto the open road, with his new prize in tow.

Jim Van Bebber's Masterpiece The Manson Family Coming to Blood-soaked Blu-ray and a Theater Near You!

Severin Films Releases THE MANSON FAMILY!
Jim Van Bebber’s Controversial Masterpiece Gets Blu-Ray Treatment, Theatrical Dates & New Poster.

Special Edition Of Underground Epic Will Include HD Transfer, VanBebber’s New GATOR GREEN Short & Other Exclusive Extras! 

LOS ANGELES, CA, February 21^st, 2013 – Severin Films today announced the May 7^th Blu-ray debut of Jim VanBebber’s legendary, award-winning indie THE MANSON FAMILY on the 10^th anniversary of its original release. US theatrical dates in 20 major cities are scheduled through March and April and new poster artwork has been created by artist Stephen Romano for the occasion. VanBebber’s highly anticipated new short GATOR GREEN will accompany many of the screenings and will also be included in the extras-packed Special Edition Blu-Ray release.

Sexy Sorority Girls in 3D, a Lon Chaney Jr. Classic, The Girl With Sex-Ray Eyes and Lovecraft Coming Soon From Retromedia!

“Sorority Girls 3-D”–Peek in on six sexy coeds as they compete for a spot in the hottest sorority on campus. Only the best will pass the test and become one of the elite few allowed to join. In a sizzling game of "Truth or Dare" the girls are put through their paces by sorority leader Beverly Lynne…and what these ladies will do in order to win is sure to delight everyone. All captured in alluring full-color 3D - you can almost reach out and touch them, but be careful…they're smoking hot. “Sorority Girls 3-D” is erotic fun from the cult movie experts at Retromedia Entertainment (“Bikini Drive-In,” “Housewives from Another World”) and stars Beverly Lynne, Jassie James, Penny Flame, and Angela Stone. 3D (two pairs of 3D glasses are enclosed in the package) and flat version included. Catalog number RME2130, UPC: 802993213005, $14.99 srp. Street Date April 2, 2013, prebook February 26, 2013

Movie Review: Cherry Tree Lane (2010, Image Entertainment)

Directed by Paul Andrew Williams
Starring Rachael Blake, Tom Butcher and Jumayn Hunter
Run Time: 77 minutes

Mike, Christine and their son Sebastian appear to be living a fairly comfortable and safe life in their home on Cherry Tree Lane. All of that is about to change though, as one night their home is invaded and taken over by three teenage thugs who are looking to exact revenge on young Sebastian for apparently dropping the dime on one of the hoodlum’s cousins, who ended up in prison for ten years. With Sebastian being off at football practice, the thugs tie up his parents and hunker down, waiting for Sebastian's return. What ensues is a night of terror for the mother and father, as they are tortured and tormented, always with the looming thought that their young son will surely be slain the moment he arrives back home.

Movie Review: The Master (2012, Blu-ray/DVD combo)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Coming to you via Anchor Bay February 26th. 

Director P.T. Anderson is one of the best working directors today. He came onto the scene initially in 1998 with his superior modern day film-noir “Hard Eight” which he followed up with Boogie Night. One of the best films to show a glimpse inside the porn industry of the 70's. Next up for him was the incredibly odd (Yet brilliant) Tom Cruise vehicle “Magnolia”. After a three year break he gave us a film that forever changed (for a little while) Adam Sandlers funny image. Having him play a man with Bi-polar. That was film was “Punch Drunk Love”. Which will always have a special place in my heart, being the first P.T. Film I ever saw at theaters.

Then after a very Terrance Mallick like 5 year hiatus, Anderson returned with what I'd call arguably his best film to date “There Will Be Blood”. A film which is rather perfect on all levels, each shot was composed and acted with such perfect that I feared P.T.'s next venture would never be able to shake a stick at this film. “The Master” is his latest piece of “cinema” if you will, did he surpass the brilliance of “There will be blood”? Read on to find out.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #84 - Mr. T's Wild Ride

This week, Kevin talks about two interesting documentaries and a classic 80s comedy, Dave gets into comic books that he's catching up on, and Jeff brings back our new favorite segment: Porn's Most Disturbing Moments.

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You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

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Movie Review: Prison (1988, Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Not long before the Finnish-born filmmaker Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Diehard II: Dieharder) made his name as one of the go-to high-concept action film guys of the 1990's he had some success with a couple of fine genre films. Both in 1988, Harlin helmed arguably one of the best Nightmare on Elm Street sequels in the Dream Master and the haunted prison film, Prison. Prison has just made its debut on Blu-ray and DVD here in the states via Scream Factory and folks; it's just filled to the brim with goodness.

The spirit of Charles Forsyth (Kane Hodder, Hatchet) haunts every inch of the dilapidated interior of a Wyoming prison. Former guard and now Warden, Eaton Sharpe (Lane Smith, Dark Night of the Scarecrow) has a lot to do with why the prison is haunted - he helped fry Forsyth, who was actually innocent of his crimes.

Vinegar Syndrome Films to debut its Drive-In themed Double-Feature DVD Collection on March 12, 2013!

Movie Review: Beloved Infidel (1959, Blu-ray)

Movie Review by Greg Goodsell


Directed by Henry King

Seemingly overnight, flappers and wild parties gave way to bread lines and soup kitchens. Formerly charming European vistas became populated with sinister figures intent in pulling the rest of the world into war and chaos. Jazz age novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald (Gregory Peck) found himself suddenly irrelevant in 1930s America. Needing quick cash to pay for his wife Zelda’s sanitarium bills and his daughter’s private education, Fitzgerald turned to Hollywood to begin his disastrous career as a screenwriter. While in Tinseltown, Fitzgerald would fall in love with second-string gossip columnist Sheilah Graham (Deborah Kerr), who, Jay Gatsby-like had invented an upper class British background to conceal her childhood poverty. Their affair would be tempestuous, but unable to conceal the fact that literary great Fitzgerald was in irreversible decline …

Beloved Infidel, based on Graham’s memoir, is best appreciated for what it is than what it is not. The adaptation is brave in addressing some highly adult subject matter for its time, such as adultery, alcoholism and failure. Above all else, Beloved Infidel is yet another big-budget weepie like those being churned out by director Douglas Sirk at Universal Studios, strictly intended for 1950s moms escaping household drudgery at a matinee.

Movie Review: Doomsday Book (2012)

Korea has given us some interesting films in the past few years. Most notably, I Saw the Devil, which was brilliantly directed by Jee-woon Kim. Kim returns in this interesting anthology for the segment entitled "The Heavenly Creature." In this segment, we are asked whether or not a robot can reach full enlightenment and become Buddha. Interesting ideas like this and other what-ifs propel the three futuristic stories in Doomsday Book.

The other stories center around a possible cause for a zombie outbreak and an internet shopping venture gone wrong. These are all compelling concepts, but I'm not sure how to feel about the movie as a whole. I guess it would be best to take on each segment individually.

Movie Review: All Superheroes Must Die (2012, Blu-ray)

Writer/Director/Actor Jason Trost surprised a few of us here at the Cheese with his excellent film The FP. The independent jack-of-all trades is back with his own take on the superhero sub-genre with the extremely dark All Superheroes Must Die from Image Entertainment.

All Superheroes Must Die follows the plight of four superheroes led by Charge (Jason Trost). Each of the heroes has just woken up in a different location after being drugged and given a tiny wound on their wrists. As it turns out all of these superhuman’s have lost their strength thanks to a criminal mastermind named Rickshaw (played by veteran actor James Remar, The Cotton Club, The Long Riders).

Movie Review: The Package (2012, DVD/Blu-ray)

Review By: Rob Sibley

“The Package” coming out February 19^th courtesy of Anchor bay is a superior action film then most. A few things to get out of the way before this review starts. Direct to DVD action films are my specialty. I live, eat and breath them. These days Hollywood is so concerned with giant explosions and huge robots that it takes away the fun. Mean while the lower budgets of DTV action films, actually help the films. They feature real tough guys kicking ass and taking names. The heroes are usually anti-hero's and do things that their Hollywood counterparts never would do. This harkens back to the hay-day of action films when real tough guys like Bronson, Lee Marvin would take out anyone who was in their way. With no fear of the consequences of their actions. This take no prisoners attitude has vanished from Hollywood action films. But that spirit is still very much alive in DTV action films. 

Tommy Pistol To Direct The New Horror/Porn "Too Hard To Die"!

We're big fans of Tommy's films Re-Penetrator, Taxi Driver XXX and of course the masterpiece Evil Head so this looks to be a cool new venture. Just Click below on the link to read this article on Too Hard To Die.

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #83 - DVDAO

Kevin is joined by fellow Abnormal Entertainment host Jacob O'Neal from The Gorram Nerd Hour to discuss songs based on the movies they're in. They run the gamut from pop to rap to comedy while exploring the impossibility of a certain sexual maneuver and the importance of being punctual.

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You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

Support Cinema Head Cheese and Abnormal Entertainment by clicking the links on our Sponsors page!

This episode is sponsored by the following:

Movie Review: Gut (2012)

Movie Review: Gut (2012)
Directed by Elias
Starring Jason Vail, Nicholas Wilder and Sarah Schoofs
Run Time: 90 minutes

Two life-long friends, Tom and Dan are both stuck in the same dead-end monotonous desk job. Tom is married to a beautiful wife and has a young daughter who loves him, but he seems to be missing something in his life. Except for his one friend, Dan is a loner. A guy creeping close to middle age who has no life other then watching horror films and eating lunches with his buddy every afternoon at the local diner.

Life is just plodding along for these two until the day when Dan invites Tom over to watch a mysterious DVD that he supposedly bought online. As they sit down to watch it over beers, Tom is horrified to see that what they are watching appears to be a snuff film showing a woman being gutted with a blade by an unknown assailant. Dan seems to be enthralled by what he’s watching while Tom storms out in disgust.

Movie Review: Dropping Evil (DVD, 2012)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Dropping Evil is a mind fuck of a movie, it's soul goal is to fuck with you. It accomplishes all of this in spades. I love it when an Independent film shoots for the stars. What the filmmakers did with D.E. Was take a high concept idea and make it on a low budget. But due to some creative cinematography, editing and post production tinkering they were able to pull it off.

The plot concerns... well it's an easy film to spoil. So the basic premise is four friends go on a road trip, one friend is a Jesus freak. They want to loosen that one friend up a bit some they put some LSD in his drink... think is are crazy Christian loses his shit are starts bumping off his buddies. Oh and did I mention there is a “Cabin in the woods” style corporation watching these folks via a camera that's been implanted in the eye of one of the friends?

Movie Review: Zombie Flesh Eaters (Blu-ray, 1979)

Review By: Rob Sibley

Note: This review is for the Arrow UK release of “Zombie Flesh Eaters” which is Region B locked. So you will need an all region Blu-ray player or live in the UK to play this release.

Lucio Fulci's Zombie or as it's known in the UK “Zombie Flesh Eaters” is a classic. No doubt about it this is one of Fulci's most beloved and widely seen films and it's not hard to see why. This film encapsulates everything that made 1970's Italian horror so much fun.

The plot starts off with a yacht drifting through the NY harbor, soon two cops board the derelict vessel and soon are attacked and munched upon a very large and very hungry. Right out of the gate Fulchi hits us with his trademark gore.

SPAGHETTI WESTERNS UNCHAINED (4-Disc Limited Special) Coming May 21, 2013!

DJANGO:
Franco Nero (CAMELOT) stars as the lone stranger who roams the West dragging a coffin filled with chaos towards a destiny ruled by vengeance. Co-writer/director Sergio Corbucci (THE GREAT SILENCE) packs his landmark classic with indelible images, unforgettable performances and some of the most shocking brutality of any ‘Spaghetti Western’ ever made. This is the still-controversial epic that defined a genre, launched a phenomenon and inspired over 50 unofficial sequels. This is the one and only DJANGO!

DJANGO KILL… IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT!:
Tomas Milian (TRAFFIC) stars as a half-breed bandit double-crossed and left for dead who rises from the grave to seek his revenge. But when his quest leads to a bizarre town called ‘The Unhappy Place,’ he is plunged into an odyssey of gruesome torture, graphic violence and relentless sexual depravity. This is the landmark movie that fans and critics still consider to be the strangest – and most controversial – ‘Spaghetti Western’ ever made. This is DJANGO KILL!

KEOMA:
Franco Nero (DIE HARD 2) is KEOMA, a half-breed gunfighter weary of killing as a way of life. But when he returns to his troubled childhood home, Keoma is caught in a savage battle between innocent settlers, sadistic bandits and his vengeful half-brothers. In a wasteland gone mad with rage and pain, can one man massacre his way to redemption?

TEXAS, ADIOS:
Franco Nero (STREET LAW) stars as Burt Sullivan, a tough Texas sheriff who heads deep into Mexico with his younger brother to arrest the man who murdered their father years earlier. But when they uncover a shocking family secret, the brothers find themselves trapped in a lawless land where violence is a pastime, vengeance is a birthright and sudden death is a way of life.

Movie Review: Mothers and Daughters (2012, Digital Playground)

Released: April 12, 2012
Director: Robby D.
Company: Digital Playground
Cast: Jesse Jane, Riley Steele, Kayden Kross, Selena Rose, Vicky Chase, Dyanna Lauren, Diamond Foxxx, Lisa Ann, Evan Stone, Tommy Gunn, Manuel Ferrara, Ben English, Danny Mountain

Review By: Rob Sibley

Fucking hell... this is what I call adult entertainment! I can say this is probably the best adult feature of 2012 you can take that statement to the bank! Yowza man, where to begin with this one?

“Mothers & Daughters” from Digital Playground is everything and more that a warm blooded American male could want from a porno. These sexy little cougars go to town big time in this one. This film is wall to wall sex. Each scene better then the next, all scenes are done with such energy and excitement it'll blow your... mind.

The Erotic/Horror Hybrid "Sexcula" Debuts April 9th From Impulse Pictures!

SYNAPSE FILMS PRESENTS

---

 A LOST CANUXPLOITATION CLASSIC!

SEXCULA

She'll suck more than your blood!

"Those Evil Deeds of the Countess... SEXCULA!"

SEXCULA is a skin flick of legendary lost status. Shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, it was screened once before disappearing and sought after by cult aficionados for decades. Now, Impulse Pictures is proud to bring you the world premiere of SEXCULA.  Sex film fans can finally get a look at this elusive crazy Canadian erotic/horror hybrid for the first time ever.

Starring a Marilyn Chambers lookalike in dual roles as Countess Sexcula, a buxom cutie with no qualms about lying nude on a table for the entire movie, and a horny bride who can’t wait for her ring.  The nudity and sex are delivered nonstop in this campy horror romp. Watch in amazement at the naked picnic, the “girl-on-gorilla” strip tease, and stare in awe as a female pleasure-robot puts the plot into a time warp!

Bizarre only begins to describe… SEXCULA!

Special Features:

• Digital transfer from the ONLY remaining theatrical print, stored in the basement of the Canadian Film Archives
• Liner Notes by Porn Archeologist Dimitrios Otis
• Original Theatrical Trailer

Cinema Head Cheese: The Podcast! #82 - Porn's Most Disturbing Moments

Kevin and Jeff discuss the Super Bowl and the ads for Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness. They also discuss Ron Jeremy's medical situation, and Jeff introduces a new segment. He also reviews Deadly Blessing, and Kevin talks about the latest stand-up special from Jim Jefferies.

Click here to listen or right click and choose "Save Link As..." to download.

You can always email us at cinemaheadcheese@yahoo.com or tweet us @CinHeadCheese.

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This episode is sponsored by the following:

Movie Review: Harland Williams: A Force Of Nature (2012, DVD)

Review By: Rob Sibley

The Setup... Harland Williams performs in the middle of the desert. No stage and no audience who are conditioned to laugh at anything due to the two drink minimum comedy club rule. It's a clever “experiment,” and at the end of the day this was an experiment. I'm sure Harland thought he had a breakthrough concept here, but sadly, this is not the case. He takes a solid set up for some original comedy and drowns it in pathetic jokes.

Movie Review: Splintered (2010)

Review by Greg Goodsell
Directed by Simeon Halligan

A group of twenty-somethings head out to rural Wales to investigate a deadly, supernatural force – WAIT! DON’T EJECT THE DVD JUST YET! We never see the shaky hand-held footage they take, so calm down … Led by Sophie (Holly Weston), the gang bickers and downplays her childhood fears that werewolves are real. Striking camp, Sophie and her friend Sam (Sacha Dhawan) hear a mysterious noise and decide to investigate. Coming upon an abandoned Catholic School they venture inside. Sophie is abducted and held prisoner by slobbering madman Gavin (Stephen Walters) who warns her of a horrible beast on the premises. Sam winds up as the monster’s meal. Sophie’s not too smart friends go poking around, and in the interim, horrible secrets of the monster’s origins are revealed. Truth be told, the creatures lurking in the abandoned school are not the result of hoodoo voodoo, but from the abuse of children from religious figures. And a terrible secret lurking in Sophie’s past makes her feel a certain kinship for the demons lurking in the dark …

Movie Review: Sleep Tight (2011, DVD)

Sleep Tight is the latest film from Jaume Balagueró who cut his teeth on Spanish horror cinema co-directing both Rec and the far superior Rec 2. Jaume was obviously smart enough not to return to direct the disappointment that was Rec 3, leaving the lesser talented Paco Plaza to go down with the ship on that one. Luckily Jaume will be returning to direct the final Rec 4: Apocalypse.

Jaume has actually been around in the Spanish horror scene long before Rec. Having directed the underrated chiller “The Darkness” with Anna Paquin, Nameless and Fragile (one of the few effective PG-13 horror films). But this time around Jaume isn't tackling supernatural ghosts or demon zombies, this time around for this taught thriller “Sleep Tight”. Jaume takes the horror into a place that hits home (Literally.)