Director: Brandon Bassham
Year: 2024
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Anthology
Plot:
Fueled by different perversions and depraved mindsets, a series of horrific tales are featured throughout here in various styles and formats.
Review:
Diagnosis Satan-Tasked with investigating a special case, a psychiatrist is called in to ascertain the validity of claims about a troubled resident in a mental asylum over whether she needs an exorcism or special treatment, eventually bringing out the truth about the disturbed patient. Overall, this was a fairly solid start to things with a lot to like. Rushing through the various cliches in most exorcism films with the special case that points directly at something unnatural going on from the history of the afflicted individual, the knowledge of something she shouldn’t know, and the series of outbursts that point to something genuinely at the root cause of the situation affecting the woman that slowly turns into a feverish series of encounters depicting the powers of the possessed showing some great effects work overall.
Johnnie Lee and Sam-Happened to meet up by chance, a pair of friends realize they share the same thrill of killing others and forge an unlikely friendship as killers, but when a relationship threatens to tear them apart must choose between love or friendship. This was an overall disappointing if still fun feature. The black-and-white aesthetic, unnecessary narration, and comedic production style aping the look and feel of French New-Wave genre fare is an odd choice to go with as that tends to be more of a technical touch than anything else. That makes for quite a while before it gets to the point of everything with the competition between both of them over the one victim which helps to liven this one considerably over the few drawbacks found in this one.
Disco Inferno-Trying to engage in new activities, a woman tries to entertain the idea of going to a disco for a new thrill only to find more joy in killing off the sleazy participants of the club than anything else sending her on a dangerous, bloodsoaked route. This was a generally fun and likable segment with a lot to like about it. The central setup is the only thing really off here as the formulaic motivation for everything and cliched setup make for a lack of surprise when she snaps and goes off on her rampage leaving everything to rely on the fun of how she’ll get more victims and the carnage that comes about from the encounters where she gets the upper hand on her clueless victims in surprisingly brutal and graphic scenes. That helps to give this a great touch with the cheesy dance montages and overall aesthetic of the period to fine fashion.
Bad Day at Mars Town-Trying to get his life on track, a world-weary detective is tasked with a new blackmail case that threatens to bring him back to the world of alien visitors and sultry femme fatales that he believed he had left behind years ago. This was another solid if somewhat problematic segment The pulp-noir aesthetic and storyline involving the detective being tasked with figuring out the truth behind the new case and getting dragged into a life he thought he left behind offers a great touch here, with the added touch of everything not being Earth-bound but involving aliens instead that have assumed a cohabitation on the planet. It’s all generally fun enough but never quite reaches the depths of lurid violence or threat that most other genre efforts reach which makes this a fun curiosity piece than anything else but a slightly lacking genre segment.
Tara and the TigerBabes-Following a series of demented sexual crimes, the authorities call in a psychedelic female rock band/private detectives for help in solving the mystery and find the disturbing truth behind everything through their unconventional skills and musical antics. This was a generally fun and silly spoof that has a lot to like. The central storyline involving a comedic take on the obvious formulaic TV show it’s based on makes for a wild time here as the comedic touches and interludes throughout are meshed quite nicely with the brutal torture and graphic scenes of the killer carrying out his plans only for an equally demented twist to emerge that offers up the kind of outlandish finish. It could’ve expanded on them a little more and their relationship with the authorities which seems rushed and glossed over, but it’s not enough to hold this one down that much.
Overview: ****/5
A fun and generally twisted indie anthology effort, there’s a lot to like with this one that manages to make for an enjoyable enough time with this one holding itself up over a few detrimental factors. Those who are fine with these factors, are hardcore aficionados of indie anthology efforts, or are fans of the creative crew will like this the most while most others might want to heed caution.
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