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Reviews
Demons at Dawn (2022)
A fun indie horror film from England
I hard a lot of fun with this film. It is well edited, directed and the script keeps you on your toes. The way the film starts out is not how you may expect it to finish. You can see the influences from other films like "From Dusk til Dawn" here. The cast was all in on the film. They are having fun in their roles, especially Crystal J Huang and John Altman. I really liked Ben Silver as the Hitman taking one last job. He is a sympathetic character that you hope makes it through the night.
The special effects for the demons were very well done for the budget the film was on. While there are some digital effects used, most of the demons are practical. It reminded me of late 80s/early 90s monsters in a good way. I enjoyed the twists the script took and some of the cinematography looked great, especially the establishing outside shots and the claustrophobic shots inside the cabin. There is a lot of dialog but the editing helps keep conversations interesting. It gets even more interesting when the demon action starts. If you are a fan of indie horror I think this is worth a watch.
Manos Returns (2018)
A Fun Sequel to an Infamous Film
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Not only was it fun to see a few original cast members make an appearance in the film but it really captured the spirit of the original. Those who say it was boring are missing the charm as well as forgetting the original. The film is very much aware of what type of movie it is and plays to its strengths.
If you have seen the original, you know Torgo is one of the more memorable characters. The same goes for Steven Shields version of the character. He really captured the essence of the original Torgo and yet gave it his own spin.
While some of the scenes and situations may feel similar to the original Manos, I think there is enough new story elements introduced that make Manos Returns its own film.
Same could be said about some of the scenes in other horror film sequels feeling the same as the original and people still enjoyed them.
Yes this film, like its predecessor was made on a micro budget. Therefore you do run into some of the same aesthetics as a micro budget film. This may put people off to it. But if you enjoyed the original at all then this is a must see sequel. It is not going to be for everyone but it is a sequel I know The Master would approve.
If you are wondering, yes he is in it too. :D
Polypore (2013)
A Sci-fi film that makes you think.
This film is a prime example of independent cinema giving us what Shlollywood has not been able to give us, original stories. This is a science fiction film that makes you pay attention, if you miss a few minutes you miss a lot. This story about a young man on the run from a global pharma company while dealing with a sudden life alter transformation keeps you curious until the end. Definitely an unpredictable script that has everything you would want out of a good sci-fi film, a mixture of humor, social commentary and WTF moments. Both actors who played as Paul did a good job of selling that they were the same character. The special effects in this film were also well done for an independent production and in general this film was a lot of fun. I highly recommend it to those who are looking for something original to watch and fans of intelligent science fiction.