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AICN HORROR looks at new horrors 11-11-11! MS CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST! THE FIELDS! THE WICKER TREE! THE WATERMEN! Plus a look back at JUSTINE: THE MISFORTUNES OF VIRTUE, a book review of DEMONIC & OTHER TALES and the winner of our INNKEEPERS Contest!!!

Logo by Kristian Horn
What the &#$% is ZOMBIES & SHARKS?

Greetings, all. Ambush Bug here with another AICN HORROR: ZOMBIES & SHARKS column. This week, we have more new horrors to enjoy, some to endure, and a couple to avoid completely. But before we get into that…there’s this!


First let’s name the winner of THE INNKEEPERS Contest we ran earlier in the week! Out of close to 70 submissions (and there were a hell of a lot of good and scary ones), this is the one that got me the most.

A friend's old farmhouse has had strange occurrences over the years. Things like doors closing, toilets flushing and lights turning off - all without anyone nearby. However, the strangest events happened during a Thanksgiving break.

Jim and his siblings were spending the long Thanksgiving weekend at his parent's house. After the afternoon turkey meal, Jim's older sister, Theresa, went upstairs to put her daughter down for a nap. Theresa returned downstairs, turned on the baby monitor and then joined her family for the late football game. After about an hour or so into the game, the baby, Ashley, started to cry. Theresa jumped up to go soothe her daughter, but both her father and her husband preached the tough love method. Theresa reluctantly obliged. However, Ashley kept crying. Everyone tried their best to ignore the crying when suddenly the baby monitor crackled with static. Then they heard a woman's voice over the monitor say, 'Don't worry Ashley, everything will be ok.' Immediately both father and grandpa jumped up to run upstairs. As they were opening the door, the whole house lost power. They entered the room and there was no one there. Only Ashley, sound asleep in her crib.


Congratulations to Anish Dhanda for that real life nightmare. Enjoy THE INNKEEPERS DVD, limited edition gatefold, and poster! And thanks to all who participated in the contest! THE INNKEEPERS is now available of DVD & BluRay!


Friend of AICN HORROR Alan Robert passed on this news item on his project CRAWL TO ME, a horrific comic that fans of a good scare must seek out, now with a pair of screenwriters for its big screen adaptation. David White and T.J. Cimfel will be writing the screenplay for CRAWL TO ME The Motion Picture. White and Cimfel wrote the in-production film SHUT-IN and plan to bring the comic to life on the page for director David A. Armstrong, who was the cinematographer for the SAW franchise. Look for a special hardcover version of CRAWL TO ME to hit the stands this summer. For more info you can check out the CRAWL TO ME website here and Alan Robert’s page here! Best of luck with the production. I can’t wait to see this story come to life on the screen.


A tight, effective little horror film ABSENTIA (you can find a review on AICN HORROR here and an interview with the director here)is showing up on DVD in the UK on July 9th so you readers from across the pond can enjoy this film soon too.


Fans of BUNNYMAN (reviewed just in time for Easter last year on AICN HORROR here)can rejoice. The trailer for BUNNYMAN 2 just showed up this week on the interwebs. You can bloodily hop right to the trailer below!






IN THE HOUSE OF FLIES, a new 80’s horror thriller starring Henry Rollins, Ryan Barrett, Ryan Kotack and Lindsay Smith and from the makers of the grindhouse slasher film IF A TREE FALLS (reviewed here on AICN HORROR), is completed and ready to hit the festivals.

Hopefully, you’ll be seeing a review on AICN HORROR soon, but in the meantime, check out the Facebook page for more info and watch the trailer below!






The charming and funny A LITTLE BIT ZOMBIE (reviewed here on AICN HORROR), having just screened a sold out show at the Houston Worldfest, will be getting a wide release in Canada on May 18th (going up against BATTLESHIT…I mean, BATTLESHIP). The film will be hitting DVD in August too, so we can catch it in the US then.

In celebration of this, the folks behind the film are releasing a couple of video teasers of the film. Check out of them out below and find out more about A LITTLE BIT ZOMBIE and Tactical Bacon here!



Tactical Bacon Commercial Starring: "Shotgun" Max Beavins. from A Little Bit Zombie on Vimeo.




Live in New Jersey?

Next week, FATHER’S DAY comes early as Troma presents a FREE screening of the film on May 3rd The Showroom in Asbury Park at 10pm! Those who haven’t seen this gory, insanely funny, and horribly inappropriate film (reviewed here on AICN HORROR) are in for a twisted treat. Find out more info on FATHER’S DAY here on its website, then get over the Jersey and catch the free show!


OK, now on with the horror reviews!

Today on AICN HORROR
(Click title to go directly to the feature)

Book Review: DEMONIC AND OTHER TALES
Retro-Review: MARQUIS DE SADE’S JUSTINE: THE MISFORTUNES OF VIRTUE (1977)
MS CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (2012)
THE WATERMEN (2011)
THE FIELDS (2011)
THE WICKER TREE (2010)
11-11-11 (2011)
And finally…Peter Katz’s ALREADY GONE!


DEMONIC AND OTHER TALES

Short fiction collection written by Garon Cockrell
Published by doorQ.com Publishing
Reviewed by Dr. Loomis


Garon Cockrell clearly loves horror. He’s obviously mainlined a lifetime’s worth of horror movies, books and short stories, and channels every bit of it into his work. His enthusiasm for the genre, as demonstrated in his short story collection DEMONIC AND OTHER TALES, is appreciated; unfortunately, his familiarity with the genre ultimately derails his efforts.

The story “Manny,” which comes about midway through this collection, is the worst offender, and is the story that really drove home how I feel about the book overall. Cockrell is striving here to create a single-name serial killer fit to walk the bloody path of Jason and Michael – the problem is that he sticks too close to the path, turning the character of Manny into a forgettable carbon copy of his forefathers. The list of slasher flick sins committed by Cockrell are many – the killer foreshadows his bloody disposition by first chopping up frogs, and then his family; years later a group of kids head to a remote cabin on a lake, which it just so happens is near the site of Manny’s first rampage; there’s a creepy old guy who tries to warn the kids away; there’s a fake jump scare (caused by a cat!) early on; and, of course, there’s the shock ending when the killer we all thought was dead pops back into frame for one more gory kill. It’s horror-by-the-numbers, and any self-respecting fan will be able to predict the specific beats of this story after reading the first page.

This problem of predictability plagues DEMONIC throughout. I’m fine with the use of tried-and-true horror tropes like stalkers, serial killers dressed like clowns, and twist endings. But if you’re going to give me that stuff, give it to me in a new way. Twist those clichés inside-out. Don’t give me stuff I’ve already seen unless you give me a compelling reason to read it – great characterization, fresh angles, anything.

I hate writing reviews like this. Cockrell’s love and appreciation of the horror genre is obvious. There’s an enthusiasm here that’s infectious – I could tell that Cockrell had a blast writing this stuff, and that enthusiasm will help him become a better writer. I don’t want to dampen that enthusiasm, but I have to be honest, and in all honesty there’s nothing here that hasn’t been done before, and done better.

I hope Cockrell continues to pound out stories and hone his craft, and that eventually he’ll find his own voice and his own take on the horror genre. When he does, that’s a book I can’t wait to read.

“Dr. Loomis” is Blu Gilliand, a freelance writer whose work has appeared in the fright-filled pages of DARK SCRIBE, DARK DISCOVERIES, SHROUD MAGAZINE and Horror World, among others. He also runs his own blog, October Country, devoted to horror and crime fiction. Feel free to stalk him on Twitter (@BluGilliand) at your own risk.


Available on BluRay & DVD from Redemption Films!

MARQUIS DE SADE’S JUSTINE: THE MISFORTUNES OF VIRTUE (1977)

aka CRUEL PASSION
Directed by Chris Boger
Written by Ian Cullen (screenplay), based on the novel by Marquis De Sade
Starring Koo Stark, Lydia Lisle, Martin Potter, Katherine Kath, Hope Jackman, & Barry McGinn
Retro-reviewed by Ambush Bug


So, this is basically the kind of stuff I would have loved to have caught back in the 80’s and 90’s before the rise of the internet when the only outlet existing for young chaps to experience soft core porn was Skinemax and Showtime. MARQUIS DE SADE’S JUSTINE: THE MISFORTUNES OF VIRTUE is based on a noted work of fiction (written by Marquis de Sade himself) but in the end, this film serves as just an excuse for ladies in little or no dress to make out with one another and show off their unmentionable bits. Archaic roles of womanhood are explored, but for the most part, Chris Boger uses the themes as a shoddily made backdrop on which to hang one sex scene or scene of women in undress after another.

This film dropped around 1977. The modern Women’s Rights movement was well underway and women were not only joining men in the work force, but also finding voice in households as well. This film seems to be a somewhat aggressive retaliation against all of that by boiling a woman down to the only thing that matters, i.e. their virginity. It doesn’t take a feminism major to notice the themes at play here as the main interest is the preservation and/or corruption of the virginity of Justine (played with wide-eyed innocence by the nubile Koo Stark). Justine is tempted throughout this entire film: molested by naughty nuns, possessed by the devil’s perversions, bartered for by whorehouse-running madams and leering johns, and ridiculed by more adulterous women. Everyone in this film basically wants to fuck Justine, and all appear to be out of control when news of her virginal status is brought up, shunning societal pleasantries in favor of clothes-tearing, panting, raving, dry humping, moaning reckless abandon.

If I haven’t made it clear, there’s a lot of soft core fuckin’ to be had in MARQUIS DE SADE’S JUSTINE: THE MISFORTUNES OF VIRTUE. Though this barely qualifies as horror, the idea that the mere presence of a woman of virtue can bring out the beast in anyone is an interesting topic to see through the lens of terror. Plagued by nightmarish visions of evil nuns and leering townsfolk, Justine’s fever dreams prove to be somewhat frightening, but most of the time, the horrors come from the contorted laughing faces of the people fetishizing Justine’s virtue. The basic theme of Justine’s chastity being a burden to her throughout this story proves as a no win situation. In the end, when Justine’s virtue is “plucked”, she is tossed into the river like trash--a judgmental metaphor that isn’t too hard to sort out.

I found this film to be pretty tedious for the most part due to its heavy-handed treatment of the subject matter and the over reliance on menacing laughter to symbolize devilish intentions. Had there been effective bits of horror throughout, I’d love to have focused on that more in this review, but since the terror mainly shows up in the form of overpowering women and stealing their virtue, there are not a lot of scares to be had and the topic of the feminine role is the most worthy topic of dissection. Sure De Sade is a horrific figure, but this subject matter is dealt with in a much more sophisticated manner in QUILLS or even in the Jack Palance starrer simply called JUSTINE. As a symbol of male frustration in a time when women were gaining voice, MARQUIS DE SADE’S JUSTINE: THE MISFORTUNES OF VIRTUE is a worthwhile dissection of male fear, but other than that, it’s just soft core porn. And with today’s jaded and internet-savvy audiences, I doubt even the naughty bits will incite a raised eyebrow, much less anything else.

Sorry. I looked far and wide but could not find a trailer for this one.


New on DVD!

MS CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST (2012)

Directed by Ron Bonk
Written by Ron Bonk
Starring Kellyn Lindsay, Nicola Fiore, Wes Reid
Find out more about this film here!
Reviewed by Ambush Bug


The title alone of this one made me do a double take. “Is this a sequel to the found footage pioneer?” I asked myself as I popped this in to my BluRay player, though it was quite clear under a minute in that we weren’t going to be venturing to the Amazon in this film. Filmed on an ultra low budget, MS CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST is a revenge film as a victimized girl forms an army of faceless murderers who look like they stepped off MTV’s AMERICA’S BEST DANCE CREW and enacts vengeance on those who stood by and watched her being raped a year prior.

Not a bad hook to hang your hat on. Revenge films have been around for years, but though there are moments when the script feels crisp (one character points to his black friend and says, “If this were a horror movie you’d be dead already”), the amateur acting and filmmaking ultimately shoots this film in the foot before takeoff.

As the white masked hoodie-wearing gang makes its way through an apartment complex murdering everyone in their wake, the remaining survivors find themselves stuck in a boiler room and in an over-complicated manner that reeks of contrivance and a delivery so wooden it makes Pinocchio fleshy by comparison, they figure out the gist of the female gang leader’s plans.

In order to justify the title of the film, the gang members not only murdify the tenants, but eat them as well. Otherwise, there is no similarity between MS CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST and the original whatsoever. That said, a few sparkling bits of dialog and some decently choreographed fight scenes save this low budgeter from being a complete loss. The filmmakers have definitely done their homework and show a deep respect for the genre through the homage to revenge stories and the somewhat self-aware dialog, which is another saving grace for MS CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.






New on DVD!

THE WATERMEN (2011)

Directed by Matt L. Lockhart
Written by Matt L. Lockhart
Starring Jason Mewes, Richard Riehle, Floyd Abel, Joy Glass, Luke Guldan, Tara Heston, Tyler Johnson, Joe Monds, Ashley Myers, Gordon Price, Scott Davis
Find out more about this film here!
Reviewed by Ambush Bug


I can hear the elevator pitch now. It’s THE DEADLIEST CATCH meets HILLS HAVE EYES. While the locale is different, THE WATERMEN takes cues from backwoods horror films such as THE HILLS HAVE EYES, WRONG TURN, and a million other films like it where a group of monstrous men terrorize a group of kids. While the premise isn’t anything particularly new, THE WATERMEN does have some things going for it, particularly a genuinely creepy set of killers and some nice sequences highlighting some gore well done.

Jason (everything Kevin Smith has done) Mewes plays Trailor here, a party animal with a large bank account who supplies the girls for a weekend excursion into the Atlantic. The rest of the ridiculously good looking cast isn’t very memorable as their acting skills most definitely weren’t the reason for them to be in this film. It’s all silicone and six packs here for the Watermen to pick off. I know some think it cathartic to see these perfect people lined up and slaughtered, but I long for the day when I related to the people in peril. Making them plasticized models does not aid in me relating. In fact, it’s quite the opposite and usually has me cheering more for the villains than anything else.

And the villains here are a surly bunch of scrubs, which ends up saving the movie. If the cast of THE DEADLIEST CATCH developed a taste for human flesh, you’d have the bad guys of THE WATERMAN. Always looking wet and mumbling in their most guttural SLING BLADE accents, these horrors of the sea are indeed something pretty scary. And yes, the harpoons and fishing gear used to catch and kill these good looking lads and lasses add a bit more menace to them as well.

Filmmaker Matt L. Lockhart isn’t afraid to get gory as the Watermen carve the kids up into chum for their fishing boats. Legs are speared, necks are fish-hooked, arms are carved and sliced. There’s even an inspired scene when one of the chick’s implants are torn out of her. This one gets pretty gory, so it has that going for it.

The rest of the film is pretty by the numbers as the kids are picked off one by one. There’s even a teaser toward the end to suggest a sequel, may I suggest THE WATERMEN II: SWAB HARDER as the title perhaps? Mewes does bring some much needed character to the cast and some of his humor rings as genuinely funny, while others is broad, easy humor more at home in a locker room than in any self respecting film. For some reason, Mewes’ go-to joke is showing his testicles, which he does again here for an all too uncomfortably long scene. That alone gave me more quivers and shakes than the rest of the film.

THE WATERMEN is not a badly made little group of slashers meet models flick. The main fault here is that it is a typical horror film that any well seasoned horror film watcher will be able to call beat by beat. The cast is capable, but too pretty, and even though his part is small, Mewes nutsack, along with some mumbling monsters and some slick gore, can’t save this film from being bits and pieces of films we’ve seen before.






New on DVD!

THE FIELDS (2011)

Directed by Tom Mattera & David Mazzoni
Written by B. Harrison Smith
Starring Joshua Ormond, Cloris Leachman, Tara Reid, Bev Appleton, Faust Checho, Brian Anthony Wilson, Karen Ludwig
Find out more about this film here!
Reviewed by Ambush Bug


I’m a huge fan of Rated G horror, mostly because when done effectively, it can chill your very soul because it takes you back to a time when everything was scary. Films like SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES and the TV version of SALEM’S LOT come to mind as perfect examples of childhood fears made real in cinema. Though not as effective as the aforementioned films and I’m not sure that this is necessarily G-Rated horror, THE FIELDS definitely has a lot more going for it than against. Sure it is filmed on the budgetary low, but it makes up for it with a dark mood, genuine performances from a talented cast, and a firm hold on what childhood fears are all about.

Tom Mattera & David Mazzoni directed this one, and though this film starts out in a somewhat disjointed manner following a boy waking up at night to witness his father in a drunken rage pointing a gun at his mother’s head, once the film makes its way to the grandparents’ farmhouse, the story and filmmaking skills really shine. Every moment on the farm in this film took me back to a simpler time. Having an aunt and uncle that lived out in the country, like child-actor Joshua Ormond who plays Steven, I too had to spend the summer months away from my city home and take in the sights and sounds of farm living. Also much like Steven, the silence of the country was the most frightening for me to experience. In fact, so much of the details surrounding the character of Steven in this film are like my own (attraction to horror films, tendency to run off by himself, tendency to have a wild imagination), except for the whole obsession with the Manson murders, the retarded cousins, and the father pointing the gun at the mother thing, of course, that it took me no time to relate to the characters and the story.

Given, the fact that I identified with the main character so well made me look past a lot of the flaws of this film. Yes, it is rather tedious as scenes seem to extend well past their expiration date, and though the build up of an ominous presence in the fields surrounding the farm is patient and proves to crescendo to a deafening tone toward the end, the first hour is somewhat of a chore to get through. That said, there are true moments of fear in this first hour as well, harkening back to CHILDREN OF THE CORN, but more so like the cult classic PAPERHOUSE where an abused girl disappears into a world of her own in times of stress. Like that child, Steven has an active imagination, especially as a means to cope with stressful situations, so while the film shows him happening upon a dead body and an abandoned carnival in the cornfields, the viewer is not aware if this is occurring all in Steven’s mind or if it’s really occurring. That’s part of the sublime charm of this film. Steven is on screen most of the time, but has little dialog. Mostly, Steven is observing, hiding, and investigating into places he shouldn’t be. THE FIELDS captures that inquisitive nature of the child in all of us and puts it in dire, seemingly life-threatening situations.

The rest of the cast is pretty great too. Yes, even Tara Reid who dresses down in this one to play Steven’s mom. The real treat is seeing Cloris Leachman in a leading role as Nanny, a foulmouthed yet warm-hearted soul who likes to watch horror films on the black and white television, teach Steven dirty songs and stories, and laugh at her own farts. Again, just like my own grandma. Leachman is charming and really adds a lot of authenticity to this film.

Sure this is a slow starter and some of the acting is a bit stiff at times, but THE FIELDS really takes off when the darkness of the fields surrounding the farm descends upon Steven and his grandparents in the latter half. For those with patience, this will be a satisfying experience. It may cause some to long for the fast forward button, but if you remember sleeping in your room as a child and being petrified by the dark shadows and creepy noises of the countryside, you’re going to have some fun with THE FIELDS.






New on DVD & BluRay!

THE WICKER TREE (2010)

Directed by Robin Hardy
Written by Robin Hardy
Starring Brittania Nicol, Graham McTavish, Jaqueline Leonard, Henry Garrett, Honeysuckle Weeks, Clive Russell, Christopher Lee
Find out more about this film here!
Reviewed by Ambush Bug


Is it a bad thing that I’d rather sit through Nicholas Cage’s so-bad-its-good remake of THE WICKER MAN than see THE WICKER TREE again? I’ll hold back from posting some of the best clips from the film…must…maintain composure…

THE WICKER TREE, which is said to be the true sequel to the original classic tale of THE WICKER MAN, does get points for approaching the material from a new angle. This time, instead of a detective venturing to an island in search of a missing girl and stumbling upon a cult, a pair of bible-thumping cheerios show up on an island with hopes to convert the natives to Christianity. Whereas I was rooting for THE EQUALIZER Edward Woodward’s Sergeant Neil Howie to survive the ceremony of the pagan tribe, in THE WICKER TREE I couldn’t help but anticipate these two holy rollers biting it.

This may have been the point of Robin Hardy, director of the first THE WICKER MAN, who returned to direct this one. He certainly sets up the abstaining couple to be as naïve as they come as they resist temptation to sleep with each other and uphold their vows of chastity until marriage and set out to spread the gospel to the heathen masses. The condescending and oblivious nature of these Christians is poured on pretty thick as they are totally unaware that they are being manipulated by the locals to take part in their ritualistic ceremony. Like THE WICKER MAN, which highlighted the horrors of religion, THE WICKER TREE serves as something of an evil opposite as it is the invading Christian gospel singers who pose the threat and show the ugliness of human nature.

Had the couple (Beth and Steve, played by Brittania Nicol and Henry Garrett) been likable, I could see becoming invested in this story and giving a fig. But that’s the main flaw of this film. Neither are very good actors. Nicol shows a lot of talent via her singing voice, but still is rather stiff in line delivery. Nicol seems like a thespian compared to Garrett, who is either the best actor in the world playing an idiot or just a bad actor (my vote is for the latter). The film is elevated by some genuine Scottish actors (Graham McTavish, Clive Russell, Jaqueline Leonard) whose Scottish brogues at least make you feel like you’re getting some culture while watching. Christopher Lee gets his name on the DVD box, but due to a back injury he sustained before filming, he only shows up for a brief flashback cameo.

Another odd thing about this film is the abrupt shift in tone about three quarters through. As the intent of the townsfolk become evident, things get downright goofy with broad humor and even more madcap music. This only lasts for about ten minutes before the townspeople are back in deadly serious mode, eating people and burning them in pyres. But for that scene, things become more like a Monty Python skit than a sequel to one of the most horrifying films of all time.

Predictability is another shot against THE WICKER TREE, as though the protagonists are extremely different, the narrative is the same as the newbs are oblivious to their plight until it’s too late. THE WICKER TREE is an admirable effort, but the shifting tone, unlikable performances by the leads, and relatively low gore and scare factor really don’t help it. Intended to be the third part of THE WICKER MAN TRILOGY, this sequel isn’t making me long for another visit.





Ahh, the hell with it…NOT THE BEES!!!!






New on DVD & BluRay!

11-11-11 (2011)

Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring Timothy Gibbs, Michael Landes, Wendy Glenn, Lolo Herrero
Find out more about this film here!
Reviewed by Ambush Bug


Darren Lynn Bousman took a bit of flack late last year for his film 11-11-11. Rumors swirled that Bousman and Co. were working feverishly almost right up to its release in order to make the November 11 theatrical release date to get it out. The end result is not the perfect film, but I found 11-11-11 to be a noteworthy step forward for Bousman and a maturation of his skill behind the camera.

The title 11-11-11 refers to a specific date some believe to be significant to the fate of the entire world. The story follows Joseph Crone, an atheist and famed author of thriller novels as he returns to his childhood home in Barcelona, Spain to visit his brother (Michael “FINAL DESTINATION 2” Landes) and ailing father. As the fated date looms closer, Crone starts experiences visions of his deceased wife and child, as well as glimpses of hooded demons in the periphery and the numbers 11-11 everywhere he looks. Soon, Crone becomes obsessed with the numbers and convinced that the date 11-11-11, which is mere days away, is significant to his own fate and the fate of the world.

Though many might immediately think of Jim Carey’s limp THE NUMBER 27 film, I found 11-11-11 to be more akin to the subtle horrors found in EXORCIST III: LEGION or OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT than anything else. Yes, the adherence to the 11-11 symbology is somewhat contrived, but this is much more of a study of a non-believer confronting something not from this world and a pretty effective one at that. Throughout the film, there is this tangible feeling that the characters in the story are messing with powers beyond their understanding. There’s a danger ever-present throughout this whole film. Bousman amps up the tension in a believable manner as Crone begins to become overcome by this 11-11 phenomena.

Fans of Bousman’s torture porn days on his SAW installments or the gaudy glam-horror of RETRO: THE GENETIC OPERA are bound to be disappointed at this somber and patient thriller. There is very little by way of gore here; instead Bousman relies on heavy mood and thick ambiance that oozes from the Barcelonan castles, mansions, catacombs, and cobblestone streets. Bousman soaks in the history of the land and relies on the gothic cityscape to convey a sense of old worldliness you just can’t get from a Hollywood set.

Having followed Bousman’s films since his SAW films, I admire the maturity and restraint the director shows with 11-11-11. The film has some difficulty with the ending, which is somewhat tidy and contrived while exhibiting some effects which alternate between effective and hokey, but the road getting there is filled with foreboding atmosphere and some scares that will genuinely make you jump. The lead, Timothy Gibbs, looks very much like George Clooney, which I found to be pretty distracting, but he does handle to melodramatic tones well, as do the rest of the cast.

I wish Bousman had time to sit with this film as it seems to need a bit more time on the editing block, and some transitional pick up scenes might have made for a more seamless story. But given the 11-11-11 deadline, Bousman pulled off something decent, though slightly shy of great. The saving grace of 11-11-11 is that it takes full advantage of the cryptic Spanish surroundings and some clever scares helped save this one as well. If anything, this serves as a glimpse of the potential Bousman has and makes me excited for what is to come from this director.






And finally…friend of AICN HORROR Peter Katz just completed this short film called ALREADY GONE and wanted to share it with all of you! This is a tight little action thriller that hits the ground running and doesn’t stop starring Shawn Ashmore. The short is about criminals who steal from other criminals and more can be found out about this film on Facebook here! Enjoy!





See ya next week, folks!

Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/reviewer/co-editor of AICN Comics for over ten years. He has written comics such as MUSCLES & FIGHTS, MUSCLES & FRIGHTS, VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS TINGLERS & WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE DEATHSPORT GAMES, WONDERLAND ANNUAL 2010 & NANNY & HANK (soon to be made into a feature film from Uptown 6 Films). He is also a regular writer for FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND & has co-written their first ever comic book LUNA: ORDER OF THE WEREWOLF (to be released in October 2012 as an 100-pg original graphic novel). Mark has just announced his new comic book miniseries GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS THE JUNGLE BOOK from Zenescope Entertainment to be released in March 2012.


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