(1981)
Dir - Frank LaLoggia
Overall: MEH
The debut from filmmaker Frank LaLogia Fear No Evil is a rather befuddling supernatural horror movie, one of countless to offer yet another take on the rise of the Antichrist. Independently made and mostly shot on location in upstate New York, it is technically impressive in some respects. The cinematography is solid and the performances are appropriately melodramatic. There is also a barrage of punk and new wave songs on the soundtrack that are fun to pick up on, even if none of them serve any narrative purpose. Speaking of the narrative, issues persist with the story itself which is thoroughly unengaging and often times nonsensical. It is difficult to even remember various characters when they reappear due to the downright boring nature of the plotting and how arbitrary nearly all of the scenes come off. The ending which incorporates a head-scratching last days of Jesus reenactment and a bunch of zombies showing up while Not Damien practically moans and growls sexually in a distorted voice is kind of a hoot though.
(1986)
Dir - Mike Marvin
Overall: GOOD
Essentially an Arizona highway, Gothless, street-racing version of The Crow, Mike Marvin's The Wraith was one of five movies to feature Charlie Sheen in 1986 alone, the same year that both Platoon and Ferris Bueler's Day Off came out. Sherilyn Fenn, Randy Quaid, Clint Howard, and Nick Cassavetes round out the other familiar faces in this certainly dated, quasi-horror thriller where a vengeful spirit inhabits the body of a new guy in town who drives a supernaturally charged Dodge Turbo Interceptor. Speaking of dated in a good way, the soundtrack has Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, Mötley Crüe, and two songs from Lion; a band that also contributed jams to Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Transformers: The Movie. The story is practically fairy tale-esque in its simplicity and framework, but it has its fair share of impressive race sequences, explosions, and otherworldly moments. Cassavetes makes a solid, textbook ubber-bully of a villain too, one that seems impervious to intimidation and wields his authority with almost anyone in his way. Mostly though, it is just a fun, nostalgic romp with cars, chicks, hamburgers, bad guys, fog, heavy metal, and things that blow up.
(1988)
Dir - Jean-Paul Ouellette
Overall: MEH
There are one or two redeemable qualities in filmmaker Jean-Paul Ouellette's H.P. Lovecraft adaptation The Unnamable, his directorial debut. These would be the excellent, she-demon monster makeup as well as the smart-assed performance from Mark Kinsey Stephenson as Lovecraft regular Randolph Carter, who has a young, arrogant, Sherlock Holmes quality to him the keeps the mood more on the lighthearted and goofy side despite Ouellette's persistent efforts to also have this be an atmospheric haunted house yarn with disturbing gore. The tonal imbalances do create some issues, but by far the main problem is the catatonic-inducing monotony of the plot. Things are set up forgivably enough in the first act, but once we establish that the only thing that all of our characters are going to do is to wander around lost before gradually getting killed inside of a creepy, dilapidated house while looking for their friends, anyone watching may as well just tune out until either Stephenson makes a funny or until the monster shows back up.
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