Title: The Dead Directed by: Howard J. Ford and Jonathan Ford Starring: Rob Freeman, Prince David Oseia and David Dontoh Running time: 105 minutes, Rated R, Available on DVD In the near future, a virus is spreading throughout the world turning people into the walking dead. Lt. Brian Murphy (Freeman) survives a crash off the coast of Africa, and is determined to find his way home to his wife and daughter. He soon crosses paths with Sergeant Daniel Dembele (Osei) whose own village has been ravaged by zombies, but Daniel is certain his young son has survived. Together they trek across the African plains, taking down the reanimated dead until…

Title: Needle Directed by: John V. Soto Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Tahyna Tozzi and Travis Fimmel Running time: 89 minutes, Rated R After the death of his father, Ben receives an intricately decorated 18th century mechanical box which is labeled “Le Vaudo Mort.” The box itself is actually a supernatural tool for revenge, as the victim’s photo is placed into the box, and a wax voodoo doll is formed after turning the hand crank. Ben shows the box off to his college friends, and after a party it’s discovered that the box was stolen. Soon Ben’s friends start dying in very gruesome and horrible ways. Ben’s estranged brother Marcus, a forensic…

In a business that frequently has the tendency to disproportionately celebrate the contributions only of above-the-line talent, a big part of the allure of something like “African Cats” lies in its below-the-line artisans. An engaging, gorgeously photographed nature documentary that puts audiences on Kenyan plains in stunning fashion amidst its title subjects, this Disneynature title only stumbles in its willful insistence on imposing a family-friendly narrative on footage that is more than capable on its own, with less artificial constraints. What does that mean, straight to the point? Less, or none, of Samuel L. Jackson’s narration, dripping as it is with exaggerated tones that needlessly attempt to dictate mood. Granted, he’s given…

Title: The Blood Trilogy Directed by: Herschell Gordon Lewis Running time: 66min / 83 min / 79min, Not Rated The originator of exploitation splatter horror H.G. Lewis’ Blood trilogy has been compiled on one disc – Blood Feast, Two Thousand Maniacs and Color Me Blood Red. Blood Feast (1963) is the story of an Egyptian caterer who murders young women and steals their body parts in order to bring to life his goddess Ishtar, with a group of bumbling detectives on his trail. The infamous tongue removal and heart removal scenes has been replayed in various films over the years (including John Waters’ Serial Mom), and though the gore effects…

Title: The Walking Dead – Season One Directed by: Frank Darabont, Michelle MacLaren and Gweneth Horder-Payton Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal and Sarah Wayne Callies Based on the Image comic book by Robert Kirkman is the story of Rick Grimes, an injured sheriff’s deputy who awakens from a coma to discover the world has been devastated by a zombie apocalypse.  He is driven to find his wife and son, and seek out how the “Walkers” came to be while helping those in need along the way. This is an amazing show. I kept putting off seeing the first season because I didn’t have high hopes for a zombie show on AMC of…

Title: The Woman Director: Lucky McKee Starring: Sean Bridgers, Pollyanna McIntosh, Angela Bettis, Lauren Ashley Carter, Zach Rand, Carlee Baker, Shyla Molhusen “Nell,” this ain’t, that’s for sure. Adapted by director Lucky McKee from a novel he co-wrote with Jack Ketchum, “The Woman” tells the story of an antisocial, outright feral female who’s lived in the wild as an animal, and what happens when she’s captured and held by a rural family, in a perverted attempt to foist “civilized” behavior upon her. Walkouts supposedly overwhelmed the movie’s Sundance Film Festival premiere presentation earlier this year, and it’s easy to understand why, given the pattycake niceness of so many indie narratives, especially in…

Title: Dead Alive (aka Braindead) Directed by: Peter Jackson Starring: Timothy Bale, Diana Penalver, Elizabeth Moody, Ian Watkin Running time: 97 minutes, Unrated, Available on standard DVD Peter Jackson’s 1992 cult horror masterpiece has finally been released on Blu-ray. The story of Lionel and his overbearing mother Vera, who gets bitten by a Sumatran rat monkey at the zoo. Vera becomes extremely ill from the bite and quickly decomposes, and has a new-found appetite for live flesh. She eats Lionel’s girlfriend’s dog and several members of the community…however the people who meet their demise at the hands of Vera don’t stay dead for long. Yes kiddies, Peter Jackson made movies…

Title: Scream 4 Directed by: Wes Craven Starring: David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Neve Campbell, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anthony Anderson and Marley Shelton Running time: 111 min, Rated R, Available on Blu-Ray Sidney Prescott from the previous Scream films is back in Woodsboro on a book tour, and it just so happens to be the anniversary of the original murders that started the series. Ghostface is back as well, making his “What’s your favorite scary movie?” inquiry calls and the body count rises again. Sidney, her cousin Jill, Chief Dewey and his wife Gale do what they can to survive the ordeal and unmask the new killer posing as Ghostface….

“Thor,” an almost $450 million worldwide box office hit earlier this year, introduced audiences to one of the players in Marvel Studios’ grand, forthcoming ”Avengers” saga. And that’s part of the problem, honestly. However admirably ambitious the creation of a unified superhero universe spanning multiple movies, certain entries, like this one, play like little more than origin story pattycake – wan set-up for something of later, actual consequence. On the verge of ascending to the throne of Asgard, headstrong Norse God Thor (Chris Hemsworth) flips out over some nasty ice giant interlopers who are vanquished in fairly short order, and decides to seek revenge, against the counsel of his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins),…

Title: Basket Case Directed by: Frank Henenlotter Starring: Kevin Van Hentenryck, Terri Susan Smith & Beverly Bonner Running time: 91 minutes, Unrated Frank Henenlotter’s 1982 cult classic has been released on Blu-ray, presented in the original 16mm camera ratio. The story of conjoined twins that travel to New York City seeking revenge on the doctors who surgically separated them years ago against their consent. I was about 5 years old when this movie came out, and I remember the posters looking somewhat ominous, but was never allowed to see or rent this film. I forgot completely about this movie until ShockYa gave me a copy. After watching it, I am…