Hate Crime- James Cullen Bressack

All I knew about this going in was that it was a found footage version of a home invasion film. Those two things alone left me with the assumption I was going to care about this film about as much as Dennis Rader cared about his victims. The last time I really loved a found footage film was "Cannibal Holocaust." Sure, "The Blair Witch Project" and "Paranormal Activity" were fun in the theater but I forgot about them as fast as Guy Pearce forgot who Joe Pantoliano was in "Memento."  I am happy to report that like Mike Ness, I was wrong. Within seconds of "Hate Crime" starting I felt like coach was elbow deep inside me. He wasn't just molesting me, he went in and played with my insides. There was no foreplay, just pain and remorse.

The only plot description I will give you is the one I got and is ripped right off the IMDB page. " A family is held hostage by sadistic home intruders" Kind of vague right? Well, that is all you get. I will not give anything else as I want you to feel the despair and pain I felt. Dahmer didn't walk up to his boys and be like  " Hey, I am going to kill you, rape your corpse and eat you while I watch the nightly news."  He left it up to their imagination.

As I said earlier "Hate Crime" is a found footage film. Usually that means that the technical side is unimaginative and boring. Not in this case. I was more than impressed with how this film looked. Not only did it look good, it was believable. Unlike most of these movies it is in real time. The cuts were hidden and clever. I was constantly thinking of Carpenter or Hitchcock, now before I get a bunch of hate mail I am not comparing this to "Rope" or "Halloween." Just pointing out the editing style, which I assume Mr. Bressack was inspired by. The only real complaint I had technically was the sound design, and to be fair I watched it streaming online so that could of just been a byproduct of that.

Overall the acting in this blew my mind. Maggie Wagner and Tim Moran specifically were standouts for me. In a just world we would see them accepting an Academy Award at next years ceremony. There were a few moments with some of the cast where I was pulled out of the moment with less than excellent acting. I can't complain to much as these roles took more balls than Randy from "South Park" had in the "Medicinal Fried Chicken" episode.

"Hate Crime" is not a movie for most people. If you watch movies only to be entertained, stay as far away from this as that girl with the sore on her lip. If however, you like to be challenged mentally, emotionally, and morally this needs to be seen. Seven minutes into this I found myself searching the internet to make sure I had not been sent a snuff film. While not being perfect, I can attest this movie will be inside you for a good long while and there is not enough episodes of "Gummi Bears" to cleanse yourself of it, believe me I tried.

4/5

Tromeric

The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence - Tom Six(Guest review by Sadistik)

     Today we have a guest review from Sadistik.  Make sure to click the link and go over and pre-order his new record Prey for Paralysis. Now onto ass to mouth.



     As this is my first review at The Grog I will do my best to avoid using the pun "shit-eating grin" or anything of the sort. This is the sequel to the popular film "The Human Centipede" and it, thankfully, takes the movie in a fairly new direction. Instead of following the characters of the original, it follows an odd, mentally handicapped man who is obsessed with the original "Human Centipede." He is so engrossed in the concept that he is determined to create a 'full-sequence' and create his own string of twelve ass-to-mouth humans. In order to this, our protagonist ends up kidnapping and maiming people in order to enact his deranged fantasy.
Enough with the premise, how did it actually fare? It is very evident that Tom Six wanted to raise the bar with the shock value and he certainly achieved that. It is also evident that he was aiming for a more cult-based unsettling vibe than the original. This one is in black and white, and at times even had an "Eraserhead" tone to it (I only said tone, relax). One thing that I found redeeming about the first movie was its streak of black humor throughout and that is definitely not the case in the sequel. This movie, while self-referential at times, takes itself very seriously and is relentlessly bleak.Towards the end; however, it gets pretty ridiculous and is basically just a string of repulsive and shocking images, but that's what you signed up for when you watch this, right? All in all, I thought it did a really good job of accomplishing what it set out to do and, in my opinion, surpassed the original.

4/5


Sadistik

Auschwitz- Uwe Boll

     Uwe Boll has made some of the worst movies ever made. He takes video games, makes ridiculous movies out of them, they don't make money and everybody hates them yet he still gets funding and pretty decent actors to make the next one. When I first saw House of the Dead I absolutely hated it. Next up was Alone in the Dark. Wow, what a piece of shit. Then came Bloodrayne, as I watched that it was awful, it was painful yet for some reason I was enjoying it. I then realized I had missed something all along. Uwe Boll is a genius. After that my eyes had been opened. Every thing I watched now made sense. It became a challenge to sit through his movies, but a rewarding one. Postal was the film that would fully turn around  my opinion. That movie was so fucking funny and his role in it. Wow. He continued to put out movies that I would always pick up and enjoy for what they were. Seed, Farcry, In the Name of the King and then something happened. I saw Rampage. Not a perfect film by any means but overall it was a powerful story with decent acting and effects. I couldn't believe it, it wasn't even based off a video game. My mind was blown.
     This brings us to Auschwitz.  I saw the trailer for this about a year ago and was in awe. Woman and children being gassed and put into ovens. No music just pounding on the walls and screams. A line that so many Americans have had drilled in their head "Never Forget."  I was sold. Uwe had completely lost his mind, and he obviously had the biggest balls in the world. Jump ahead a year and I finally got the chance to see this. Still not fully sure what to expect Gabe Nye and I put it in and sat back with our Bushmills and prepared for the unknown. I am pretty sure it was similar to the way the first astronauts felt.Uwe came on screen to explain what he was doing(or at least he tried), it then went into German teenagers being asked questions about the Holocaust, interesting stuff but after that is when the chaos began.  Lines of people being loaded onto trains, inter cut with people being gassed. Overall it was pretty impressive. The shots were laid out well and the music was haunting and simplistic. There were some interesting editing choices and as I am sure no one will be shocked given the subject matter it was insanely fucked up and depressing. I will say due to the fact that I am a fucked up individual there was a scene where guards kill like three babies in a row by shooting them in the head. It is in super slow mo with this deranged score and as in your face as possible. I laughed my ass off. It is twisted and disturbing but I can't help but applaud Dr. Boll for his fuck taboo's attitude. Uwe Boll has killed more kids that crib death.
     In the end Auschwitz is a unique viewing experience that should be seen by anyone that can handle it. No one besides Uwe knows his true intentions on making this and I am OK with that. Make sure to keep a copy of some cartoon from the 80's to put on after this to avoid feeling like making The Bridge part two.


4/5

Tromeric

Goblet of Gore- Andreas Schnaas

    The dude that bought us the Violent Shit movies brings us some more shit. This shit rules.  Did that dude just fuck a girl in her stomach knife wound so hard it came out her mouth and his cum split her in half?  Yes he did and I loved it.  The intro is about as long as the movie and the end credits are longer.  The dancing skeletons rule. I drunkenly learned the sweet two step they are rocking.  This movie is shit. This shit is awesome.  Garbage you want to fuck.  Schnasster!!!!!


2/5

Tromeric

The Life and Death of a Porno Gang- Mladen Djordjevic

     Serbia, what a happy place to live.  Nothing bad happens there right? I hear Sly is gonna make Rambo  5 there and film a scene where a newborn is shot then they will put a gun in its bullet hole and shoot that shit again. In my dreams I mean.
      A faux documentary that starts off seeming as if its a Serbian version of Tarnation  and ends up a sex hybrid of Greg Araki, John Cameron Mitchell and the director of Mr Hands.  Porno Gang starts off tame and works its way into everything from hardcore sex scenes to brutal murders and suicides.  I could go and explain the parallels between things happening in Serbia and the shock of the film, but I wont.  This movie is disturbing, brutal, intelligent and appalling  all at once and with no apologies.  The performances are very strong and this would not worked as well without them.  One scene involving a war veteran confessing his sins and getting hammer smashed faced is quite moving.  Porno Gang is a roller coaster as it goes from shocking, to moving, to funny to confusing, kinda like watching a handicapped person get raped by their special ed teacher. 
 

4/5

Tromeric       

A Serbian Film- Srdjan Spasojevic

PILF"S. I thought my sick group of friends were the only people even capable of thinking of something so sick.  I was terribly wrong and I'm not going to explain to you what that is because I think you can go to jail for just talking about it. Now to the review. I will start with saying I am not really gonna explain this film at all, I could try and maybe even succeed but to be blunt. I don't want to. If you are up to watching this it is best to go in with no knowledge of what is about to happen. And if you have any sense of humanity or morals left(boring) you probably don't wanna commit to this anyways. For the first time ever I have seen a movie that I wouldn't necessarily recommend to everyone. See I am kind of a sick fuck and while certain  movies have shocked me or grossed me out or made me feel like shit, I still like to see peoples reactions and know that I helped ruin there day just a little bit. Its all in good fun but I still enjoy it, weather its Nekromantik or Subconscious Cruelty or Salo I love being shocked and love to pass it on. Its like Pay it Forward only not gay. Anyways A Serbian Film is so fucked up I cant even begin to explain it. I'm in shock, I felt nauseated which happens about as often as the second coming of Christ(that's never by the way). This movie is not for everyone, hell it probably shouldn't be for anyone but if you are strong willed enough to watch it and can make it though it without slicing your eyeball out I say go for it. Within the brutal sick twisted and insane hour and a half of celluloid lies an interesting, honest, insanely well acted and directed piece of might I say genius. I don't know if I can go quite that far. You are in the hands of a madman, its not even really hidden. There will be plenty of arguments about this, many will see it just as sleaze and exploitation while some will go the complete opposite and call it the next Picasso. I'm not comfortable to go with either. I think there is a little of both and I am OK with that.  While many films in the last century have pushed the envelope on many different levels A Serbian Film rapes the envelope, not just rapes but rapes it for nine minutes frombe in a tunnel. For all the times I have heard things such as "keep repeating, its only a movie" or "nothing so appalling in the annals of horror" or "the one that goes all the way" this is the first time I left a viewing where it went farther then I expected or was warned of. While not a perfect film this has definitely  carved out a place in history and is sure to spark debates and arguments for years to come and for that along with the fact that it made me gag as if I was on the set of Garbage Pail Girls I have to get behind this film.(no homo)

4.5/5

Tromeric

The Human Centipede- Tom Six

Holy Fuck! This movie is so bad ass it will make you want to kick your grandma in her Hatchet Wound. The Surgeon is so fucking creepy and amazing. He deserves a fucking Oscar. If Sandra Bullock gets one where is the justice if he doesn't. This movie is well I cant say to much as I don't wanna ruin it. Long Story short Hitlers long lost cousin decides he is going to create the most fucked up Siamese triplets you've ever seen. Fuck Belleville these triplets is fucked. When creating a Human Centipede if you will, you gotta take in to consideration the best way to connect them. Well people tell me you shouldn't go ass to mouth, a theory I don't buy into but That's a whole different story. Well Cousin Hitler seems to share my opinion and hes like fuck it, sew em up. Now I know in theory its kinda gross. I mean its not Rocket science to figure out if the front of the pede has to release the great super villain Megaturd, where shall it end up, in pede part two's moutharoony and so on and so forth and sure that could be considered kinda gross, that's the only place I think DR Crazy went wrong. He should of went out and found a fan of the scat man. I mean just go to the shit tater store and line em up, they would be stoked. I love me some Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and if I was told I was able to have them pumped straight into my mouth as they were being made, well sign me up Mutha Fuck. Back to the point this movie is so fucking fucked up. Its like one retard riding a go cart into another retard which throws that retards mama from the train or go cart in this sitch, she lands on a baby with downs which projectile shits and hits Mother Teresa in the face, that of course makes Mother Teresa projectile vomit which hits a moving car full of Nuns, the driver of that car is so startled that he loses control of the car and crashes into Gandhi which doesn't really do anything as he just lays down and the car goes over him while he is unscratched the car ends up running into a daycare and splattering like 15 toddlers into the ground, then Bono from U2 happens to be there doing some charity bullshit and ends up slipping on the innards of the kids, he then falls into the proprietor of the daycare who falls out the window and lands on family taking their crack baby out for a walk. That's pretty much what it felt like I watched. Sure some of it is awesome and kinda fucked up but still kinda funny but you are way to intrigued to look away. This movie so so fucking good I could go on for pages comparing it to other bad ass things but I assume you get the point. If you enjoy good writing, David Cronenberg, shock Cinema, Medical Anomaly's, Freaks, or just want to see something that doesn't have Sandra Bullock or sparkly Vampires you owe to yourself to watch this badassary. You wont regret it, unless your a pussy, If this is the case I suggest you get a blow dryer and try to get all that sand out of your Vagina.

4.5/5


Eric

Faces of Death -Conan LeCilaire

I remember being a kid and finding this on the shelf at Video City. I had to switch the Sticker code on the box to another film and hope the clerk didn’t notice(I was only 11) just to get it out of the store. I took it home and put it in my VCR and wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. What I saw was some of the grossest and most offensive shit I had ever seen, I didn’t think anything could get me, I had grown up watching everything from Friday the 13th to Bad Taste. But this was real, or at least that’s what the box told me. I loved that I watched it but I swore I would never watch it again. Through the years I heard conflicting reports on whether it was real or not. Now 20 years after I watched it for the first time the 30th anniversary DVD has been released and with the commentary all the myths have been reveled. It’s a bit different watching a cleaned up DVD, but is still surprisingly grotesque. There are plenty of moments that are a bit over the top, especially the narration of Dr. Francis B. Gross. Not something you watch for fun per say, but an interesting watch nonetheless. Get the DVD. The commentary track alone is worth it. Plus if anything just owning a piece of history like this is important for any horror nerd.

3/5
Eric