Back in Black, Bitch!

That post title is a tad deceiving because while I am indeed back, I am rarely one to wear black, and there is not one portion of my body at this very moment that's covered by an article of black clothing. It just sounds cool, and it makes you think of AC/DC, which makes you think of Green Goblin trucks and Emilio Estevez, two things that drip cool like it's no ones business. Anyway, after a short hiatus, Chuck Norris Ate My Baby is back in action (as opposed to black). A week away from it all was just what the gyno ordered, and now I feel rejuvenated.

 

Double bad-ass

As I mentioned in my previous post, I took a trip to the land of rape and honey, better known as Las Vegas. It was a grand trip that garnered many a great tale, some of which I shall share with you briefly here. Besides placing third (it's a long story) in the Ozawa Cup International Karate Tournament, presented by Las Vegas Shotokan Karate, I decided to go and make an honest woman out of my longtime girlfriend and scrapbooking partner, Liz. We didn't take many photos, but I thought I would share with you this gorgeous shot of Liz in her dress, which was stunning to say the least.  

For the record She's not preggers, she just stores water during the winter months

Beautiful, right?! The time was more memorable and wonderful than anything outside of my very own birth, which I really can't remember all too well, so the slight edge goes to the wedding.

This Vegas trip had many more stories to tell, one of which was seeing Penn and Teller perform live. I've been a huge fan of the duo as long as I can remember, so the opportunity to see them do their thing was quite rewarding, plus I got a quick chance to meet them both afterwards, which was certainly worthy of a smile or two. I'm sure they felt the same way.

I don't know who that girl was or why she was in my picture, but I bet she wanted me

As great as the Penn and Teller show was it was completely dwarfed by seeing the Cirque du Soleil show, KA (not short for KA KA, but I wish it were). Now, this was something that we were really hoping to see, but weren't sure if the price would break our budget, however, we ended up getting a great deal on the Penn and Teller tickets and due to the hotel we stayed at, we got a huge discount offered for the KA tickets, so it had to be done.

And boy was it worth every cent spent.

I'm not going to go into detail about the show, because I'm lazy, but lets just say that in my life I have seen quite a few plays, big shows and more movies than can be counted, but none of them have ever come close to what I witnessed on stage with KA. The word incredible is not nearly a strong enough descriptive, and I cannot recommend enough that everyone take the chance to check out KA if the opportunity ever arises. Quite simply, It was mind blowing.

One other highlight was a trip to Madame Tussauds wax that ass museum. While a few of the wax figures look either a little too fake or not enough like the celebrity, many of them are quite amazing, to the point of creepy, even. There were a few that I seriously thought were going to go all Tourist Trap on me, but thankfully Mr. Slausen was nowhere to be found. One of the cool things about the museum is being able to interact with the figures themselves, which I did, specifically with the female ones. Repeatedly. Here's a few photos from my adventures in Toyland.

Giving advice to Ben about how to nab chicks better looking than that guy he's married to, and me trying to make whoopie with Whoopi

Me proving that there is indeed going to be some sort of sex in the champagne room, and that same chick from Penn and Teller showed up at the museum. What a creeper!

I was a little bummed that the focus is more (more meaning almost completely) on varying degrees of celebrity, but it was still pretty damned awesome, plus there was a brief but satisfying haunted attraction within the exhibit, so that helped feed my need for horror during the trip.

Those are just some of the best highlights of the week away from life, but I'm sure you guys have lost interest by now, unless you want to hear about how much I drank, that is. Otherwise, things should be getting back to normal here within the next few days, so thanks for your patience and for those times we spent together.

Closed For Vacation

Due to a week long trip to Las Vegas for the Ozawa Cup International Karate Tournament, presented by Las Vegas Shotokan Karate, Chuck Norris Ate My Baby will be closed for the next week or so. It's awful, I know, but if you think about it, you can totally go back and read some old posts (and the grammar that come with them), or come to my house, power wash the entire outside, clean my grill and put up a new roof. That would be swell. When I get back, things will commence as usual, and the only things I have specifically planned are reviews for All the Boys Love Mandy Lane as well as all of the movies in the 6 Films to Keep you Awake Spanish film collection. Sweet, right?! RIGHT?!  

With that said, I will miss you all, and to help tide you over until my already much anticipated return, I leave you with this, something that will truly inspire you to do better for yourself when on the dance floor. Or, a wheat field. That is wheat, right? 

In the Flesh: Some Quick Thoughts on The Ruins

These thoughts are infested with spoilers, yo!

Getting the chance to rewatch 2008's The Ruins recently, I found that the film that I had quite enjoyed when it was released still held up very well a few years afterwards. Not that just over two years is a long time or anything, but for a movie that featured a generally young cast and came out over the last five years, it's certainly one of the better ones. Knowing that The Ruins is based off a novel (that I've heard is quite good), I imagine how much better the idea of plants using vibration to mimic sound would work in print, nevertheless, the idea still fares very well on celluloid, even if it is slightly (and welcomingly) hokey. 

For a picture that is filled with what appears to be a soulless, youthful cast on the surface, the characters aren't total idiots and have a strong sense of depth as far as their relationships (or lack thereof) with each other goes. Also, the cast is actually comprised of some solid actors that have worked in films that I already love, as opposed to nobodies that are only there to look pretty and mope around with long grey faces and pouty lips, all upset that they ran out of hair gel (actually, I would be upset too). Speaking of pretty, it's ironic that the hot girl, Stacy, who shows off her nicely maintained body, is the one that seems to get the most physical (as well as mental) abuse out of the four main friends.

She's not necessarily the type of character that seems to be all about her looks thus making her painful plight enjoyable on a sadistic level for the warped viewer. Instead, it plays off the visual aspect of seeing a beautiful woman easily destroy her exterior to rid her body of these grotesque plants that are roaming free underneath her flesh. I know when I get a hangnail, I'll gnaw at that thing until I rip a piece of skin that stretches to my knuckle just to get rid of it (and where's my Oscar for best female performance?!). Sure, that's not really the same thing as plants rummaging around beneath your flesh, but if I'll chew a piece of skin from my finger to my elbow for a hangnail, imagine what I would do if I had a plant in my forehead?!

The Ruins has an interesting concept and is executed nicely on all fronts, but it's that self-mutilation and the few moments of horrific mutilation in general that make the film most memorable. Watching Stacy cut deeply into her own belly, claiming with a hint of madness that, "It's okay, I just have to get this one (of the plants) out," is quite grueling in such a wonderful way. I think this entire sequence is the most effective portion of the film, however, I cannot be lax in mentioning the double leg amputation from earlier in the film. This is where the mostly deteriorated legs of Mathias have to first be broken with a rock, the remaining flesh cut away with a pocketknife, then a screaming hot skillet is used to cauterize the wound. It's pretty intense. 

I don't want to overextend myself claiming that The Ruins is some masterpiece or anything more than what it actually is, but it is a very good-to-great body horror film, specifically for the time in which it came out and the type of film that it looked like it could be. It was all but ignored at the box office, unfortunately, and I don't think it will be anytime soon where people recognize it for what it is. Nevertheless, give this one a good ten-to-fifteen years, and I believe it may have the right stuff the be a minor cult classic for horror fans that are lucky enough to discover it.     

Eyes In The Dark: A Modern Day Satan's Blade

Every so often, I run into a film that challenges my ability to process it in a way that actually prevents me from having a clear stance on it. Allow me to elaborate… Written and directed by Bjorn Anderson, Eyes in the Dark is a found footage film that is quite simply awful. From the heard it a million times before story to the seen them just as many times characters, Eyes in the Dark brings nothing of worth to the cinematic table, let alone does it do anything positive for low-budget horror as far as showing what it's capable of. The setting is as familiar as that weird mole on your inner thigh (seriously, what is up with that thing? And why do you always pick at it?), focusing on seven "teenagers" who have decided to spend their last weekend together at a snowless ski lodge before collage starts. Does any of this sound familiar?

Each character is introduced through the lens of a video camera that the resident dick face brought with him so he can tape the entire weekend (THANK GOD for that!), and this is where we learn all we need to know about each character's, well, character. But seriously, who fucking cares about character details and traits in a movie like this?  I don't even know why I mentioned it. I guess you cannot expect too much when a film's core consists of boneheads, beer, babes and bikinis, all while spewing out dialogue consisting of, "Let's go skinny dipping!" and "Hope we have some chips." Me too, you know, so I can put the empty bag over my head in the hopes that suffocation quickly occurs.

With an ensemble of friends that make every teen character from the Friday the 13th franchise look deep and richly written, Thighs of Darkness doesn't bode much better when these nitwits are faced with danger. The details of that danger are a little sketchy, as by the time the innkeeper where they are staying at explains it, I was organizing my taxes (Now that's scary! HAHAHAHAHAHA.). Regardless, I did get the gist of the film's conflict, which involves ancient monsters that eat people for reasons I couldn't explain to you even if I cared. They do have red glowing eyes and growl quite loudly, therefore making their presence known with out having to resort to the use of those over-the-top, obnoxious Hollywood special effects. However, they do resort to some pretty incredible puppets that unfortunately aren't clear enough to truly enjoy.

Look at that chicks face. That's love, baby

People are killed, footage is missing and/or spliced together for the reason of exposition, boredom is to be had and nothing is to be gained at any point. Well, almost. Now, as I mentioned earlier, I had some issues making up my mind as far as my actual enjoyment of Eyes in Dark Places, as I kind of knew (thanks to the world of the internet and other reviews) that this movie was going to blow me with shattered glass teeth. Well, it did blow me with shattered glass teeth, and for the first fifteen minutes or so, I wanted to see if microwaving your head with the door still open is possible. Once I got passed that point though, I started to ALMOST find Eyes on the Dork entertaining. ALMOST being the keyest of words since that term was coined.

Here's where I have the internal conflict. There's nothing to like about the movie, in fact, I didn't actually like anything about the movie, but after some time, I just stopped getting annoyed and simply let myself go. Maybe it can be looked at as giving up, but I see it as more me not feeling like the movie was worth my utter hatred. It's not as if the film is even entertaining on a so bad it's good level, because it's really not, whether or not there are times when it does come close. It's more or less entertaining because I couldn't believe what I was seeing at times.

What it really comes down to is, Guys with a Dark-mass runs parallel with its own lead character, Josh (Wayne Bastrup, who is also today's screen grab star), who serves as a sort of make or break for anyone that watches the film. Playing the guy behind the camera, Josh is so fucking annoying at first. Like, there was a point where his voice, his face and his dialogue made me want to start cutting myself. However, after a short amount of time with king dickweed (whoa, did you just say weed, bro?), I almost began to appreciate him and his incredibly grotesque presence. He literally snarls and sneers throughout the entire movie, making these rapey sexual faces on the constant. I was waiting for him to maybe do a lizard like tongue flick or that thing where you lick around the edges of your lips all seductively, and then I realized it wasn't 1983 anymore. Too bad, 'cause home slice would've done it. 

So, what it comes down to is, Pies on the Tarp is a pile of steaming diarrhea, but I was just so enamored with how horrendous it was, that it got to the point where I almost enjoyed it. Again, keyword being almost.   

Enter the Darkness of Two Crippled Heroes

A few months back, I wrote a review for Todd Miro's Enter the Dark (which you can read here!), a short horror film that I found to be quite enjoyable. Well, now you too have the opportunity to check out the 17-minute film for FREE as a part of the FirstGlance online film competition. The only catch is you have to create an account, but it's no more than an email, user name and password, so it's not all that tedious to do. While there, you also have the OPTION to vote for the film, which would give it a chance to be entered into the FirstGlance Film Fest in Philly. If you were kind enough to do so, you would have to watch, from start to finish, two (of the nine) other films for your vote to count. That may sound like a lot, but if you think about it, you're checking out a handful of short horror films for free, as well as showing support for independent horror. Plus, as I said, this is optional, and if you only want to check out Enter the Dark, you could totally still do so. 

Here is the link to the FirstGlance site where where you can watch Enter the Dark, and if you would like more details on the competition as well as the film itself, head over to the movie's official website by clicking here. I wouldn't pimp it if I didn't think it was worth your time, and if any of you do take the time to check out the short, please, feel free to share your thoughts about it right here!

Since I'm here doing a little pimping, might as well pimp myself out while I'm at it. Over at the wonderful website known to humans as Paracinema, I just posted a review for the DVD release of The Crippled Masters 2: Two Crippled Heroes. That's easy enough, right? While you're there, take a moment to check out the other goodies the site has in store. Just don't drink the water. It will totally give you the runs.

My March MADness Picks: Round One

During this time of year, March Madness seems to eat up a huge portion of many people's lives; while there're plenty of rabid college ball fans out there digging in, there are plenty of people that could give two shits, too. The Mike of From Midnight, With Love fame is a major sports fan, and decided to take his love of sports and mix it with his love of horror cinema in a way where all can enjoy. Well, all specifically meaning horror fans, that is, but that's all that matters, right? Anyway, The Mike came up with an idea for a bracket using horror movies instead of college teams. Great idea, right? Well, it gets better, because in true bracket fashion, Mike asked a bunch of internet horror know-it-alls to take part in the selection process (with comments being optional), one of them know-it-alls being me, specifically.

So there's your backstory, and now we can move on to the meat and taters of all this build-up. Round one has just been completed and with that comes a whole lot of winners and losers. Below I thought I would provide all of the seeds, what I picked and what, if anything, I had to say about whichever film I thought should move forward. I tried to make it as easy to read as possible, underlining the matchups and boldfacing my picks, so you can run through it quick and pick and choose what you want to read. However, these are solely my picks (and thoughts), but to see what other horror fiends picked (and their thoughts), and what films moved on to the next round, you will have to head on over to From Midnight, With Love to find out.

Enjoy!

ROUND ONE

The Frankenstein Regional

#1 Seed: Predator vs. #16 Seed: C.H.U.D

Arnold is the end all deciding factor in any match up. Always. Plus, I don’t see anyone voting against him again. No longer being the governor only means he can get to da choppa and come kick-in the teeth of all that oppose him. And rightfully so.  

#8 Seed: Night Creatures vs. #9 Seed: Road Games

I really like Road Games. Stacy Keach is great in it and one can never go wrong with a little Jamie Lee Curtis, either. Also, I have never seen Night Creatures, so there you have it. 

#5 Seed: Carnival of Souls (1962) vs. #12 Seed: Stephen King's Cat's Eye

Yikes…is this really a match-up? I simply adore Cat’s Eye and have loved it since I was young enough to do lines with Drew Barrymore. Carnival of Souls, on the other hand, is one that I caught up with for the first time a year or so ago, and I absolutely loved it. I guess I’ll give it to Carnival because I think it deserves it slightly more. But know this, it hurts my heart to make such a decision.   

#4 Seed: Pretty Poison vs. #13 Seed: The Illustrated Man

#6 Seed: They Live vs. #11 Seed: Fire in the Sky

For the record, flawed as it may be, I really dig Fire in the Sky, mostly because I too was once raped by aliens. I kind of asked for it with the outfit I was wearing, though. Still, consumerism commands me to pick They Live.

#3 Seed: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) vs. #14 Seed: Raw Meat

The #3 seed is my #3 all-time favorite horror film, therefore my pick is a no brainer.

#7 Seed: Ginger Snaps vs. #10 Seed: Mr. Majestyk

I find it very difficult going against the catfish himself, Charles Bronson, but I absolutely love, and I mean LOVE, Ginger Snaps. I really relate to the whole menstrual thing.   

#2 Seed: Dead of Night (1945) vs. #15 Seed: Blue Steel

While it lacks the rawness that came with Le Tigre and Ferrari, Blue Steel is a pose that is quite simply unforgettable.

The Myers Regional

#1 Seed: John Carpenter's The Thing vs. #16 Seed: The Food of the Gods

Man, the choice between giant roosters and the frosted beard of Kurt Russell? What’s a girl to do?! The Thing.

#8 Seed: Robinson Crusoe on Mars vs. #9 Seed: The House of the Devil

Even after seeing it a few times already, I still get the urge to watch The House of the Devil quite often, and for me that’s the mark of a great horror film. It has its detractors, but I personally think the film is as taut as it is fantastic.

#5 Seed: Stir of Echoes vs. #12 Seed: Clownhouse

As much as I enjoy The Sixth Sense, I always found it to be very unfortunate that, due to the success of that film, Stir of Echoes went almost completely unnoticed. Stir of Echoes is wicked underrated, brah.

#4 Seed: Big Trouble in Little China vs. #13 Seed: Scarecrows

You know what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like this? Scarcrows doesn’t stand a chance.

#6 Seed: Sisters vs. #11 Seed: Of Unknown Origin

Outside of Kidder’s slightly off putting accent, Sisters is a near flawless thriller, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Tyler Perry take a crack at a remake. Of course it would be titled ‘Sistas’ and star pop culture icon, Beyonce, in her most groundbreaking performance yet.

#3 Seed: The Body Snatcher (1945) vs. #14 Seed: Happy Birthday to Me

#7 Seed: The Diabolical Doctor Z vs. #10 Seed: Friday the 13th

#2 Seed: Horror of Dracula (1958) vs. #15 Seed: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

The Hammer Regional

#1 Seed: Moon vs. #16 Seed: The Roost

There are a handful of reasons why Moon is a wonderful piece of cinema, but what really drives it, what is essentially the film’s core, is that deep emotional impact that it emotes thanks to Sam‘s existential interactions with himself. One of the best science fiction films of the last ten years, Moon is a movie that will most certainly stand the test of time. 

#8 Seed: Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter vs. #9 Seed: Candyman

From the Philip Glass score to the frightening Cabrini-Green setting, Candyman is an incredibly poignant film focusing on the deterioration of one woman as she is forced to face the wrong doings of others. There is much more to the horror here than just that guy with a hook for a hand. It’s poverty, it’s the lack of trust we have in our own neighbors, it’s racial tension in an area that has been neglected and all but left for dead. Oh yeah, and Tony Todd is awesome.  

#5 Seed: The Devil Rides Out vs. #12 Seed: Burning Bright

#4 Seed: Kill, Baby...Kill! vs. #13 Seed: Piranha (1978)

You may think you can pick against Piranha, but Paul Grogan’s beard and tucked in flannel believe otherwise. You best listen.

#6 Seed: The Abominable Dr. Phibes vs. #11 Seed: The Ugly

#3 Seed: Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) vs. #14 Seed: Silent Night, Deadly Night

One of the rarest of times where I won’t pick Carpenter. I really dig Assault, but a Santa Slasher is the quickest way to my blackened heart. That and Mrs. Budd's White Meat Chicken Pies. Seriously, why are those things so friggin good?

#7 Seed: Spider Baby vs. #10 Seed: Danger Diabolik

The opening credit sequence to Spider Baby says it all. One of the strangest and most enjoyable genre films ever made. 

#2 Seed: The Omen vs. #15 Seed: Popcorn

The Blob Regional

#1 Seed: Evil Dead II vs. #16 Seed: Attack of the 50 Foot woman

You would have to realize that anyone that spent much of their childhood quoting things like, “Someone's in my fruit cellar!” and “I'll swallow your soul! I'll swallow your soul! I'll swallow your soul!” will probably pick the Evil Dead II. Guess what? That’s exactly what I’m picking.

#8 Seed: The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) vs. #9 Seed: The 'burbs

#5 Seed: Martin vs. #12 Seed: The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires

LOVE MARTIN! He's so funny, especially in those Big Mama's House films! 

#4 Seed: Death Proof vs. #13 Seed: Vice Squad

There was a time when Starz HD would show Death Proof like ten times a week, and every time I would happen upon it, I just couldn’t change the channel. The rewatchabilty is so high for me, especially that amazing car chase that goes on for like half the movie. Love the soundtrack, love Stuntman Mike, love both sets of stories, love Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a cheerleader uniform, LOVE Death Proof! I’d totally make out with it while a rock ballad plays in the background.

#6 Seed: Phantom of the Paradise vs. #11 Seed: Maniac (1980)

#3 Seed: The Descent vs. #14 Seed: Killer Klowns from Outer Space

As close as this one feels like it should be, I have only seen The Descent once. While I really liked it, I didn’t find it to be quite as great as others claimed it to be. Killer Klowns, on the other hand, is one of my childhood favorites. It’s as funny as it is creepy, as silly as it is serious, and I feel quite comfortable in saying that it is a perfect midnight movie. Maybe down the road and with a few more viewings of The Descent, my mind would change, but until that time, I’ll stick with the Chiodo Bros.  

#7 Seed: The Stepford Wives (1975) vs. #10 Seed: The Entity

#2 Seed: The Incredible Shrinking Man vs. #15 Seed: The Pit.

The Loved Ones: Finger-Lickin' Good

After losing his father in a car wreck in which he was driving, Brent has been going through immense growing pains trying to deal with his dad's passing. Without a clear clue as to how to handle the pain that comes with such a loss, Brent (Xavier Samuel) has become slightly rebellious, resorting to self-inflicted physical pain to try and help cope with the hurt that he feels emotionally. Brent is a shell of what he once was, however, his relationship with his girlfriend, Holly (Victoria Thaine), is strong, and she would seem to be the best medicine for the infinite sadness that surrounds him. As bad as things have been for Brent, things aren't looking to get any better as an admirer named Lola (Robin McLeavy) asks Brent to the prom, an offer that Brent respectfully declines seeing as he is going with Holly. Not one to take no for an answer, Lola has Brent kidnapped so they can enjoy their own personal prom at her home, complete with disco ball and her father (John Brumpton) playing chaperone.   

Now, imagine if the Letherface clan from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 impregnated Annie Wilkes, then nine-months later she had a wittle baby girl and named her Carrie. Well, that's kind of the best way to describe The Loved Ones. The first feature film from writer/director, Sean Byrne, The Loved Ones is an Australian horror film with a wicked black sense of humor set primarily in one location. That location being a kitchen, living room, and dinning room combo made up to look like a prom only a psycho could appreciate. And psycho is no less than the perfect descriptive for a girl such as Lola, a twisted young lady that is not portrayed as a complete loser but more of a nobody, or at least somebody that really doesn't matter in the big scheme of high school.

As opposed to many lonely losers in high school set horror films, Lola is never shown getting picked on or belittled by her classmates. The only time she is really seen before her homemade promenade is when she actually asks Brent to the dance. While it's clear that she's not really the type of girl anyone wants to chill with on a hook-up level, Lola's not completely pathetic looking, either; she's just plain. Her motives for kidnapping Brent have nothing to do with revenge nor is there any need to fill a void left by being unwanted. It's much deeper than that as she has issues that delve well into a world of delusion as she has a need to control the people around her. Specifically with the relationship she shares with her father, which is one that floats an incestuous line where her domination is one part sexuality and another part daddy's little girl.

It's all quite sick and deranged, but as much as this film is twisted, The Loved Ones is filled with humor that is so dark, you might want to watch with a flashlight handy. A lot of where the humor stems from is due to a wonderfully sadistic and decadently mad performance put forth by Robin McLeavy as Lola. The Loved Ones is quite simply a perfect example of a black horror comedy, and the balance of the horror and humor in the film exactly mirror that of the character of Lola. Here is a movie that is funny enough, it's brutal enough, it's serious enough and all without any one of those individual elements being too overbearing. The comedic elements never take away from the horror of the situation, which is very important because there is a level of emotion brought to the table with some of the characters, something else that's never played off too heavily, either.     

As I mentioned, Lola is not portrayed as a complete waste, in the same token, Brent is not shown in a light that is negative, either. He's not the bully that you actually want to see get his just desert, instead, he is a pretty sad kid that is easy to feel sorry for, thus making him truly the victim in this situation. Brent is actually one of the few cinematic rebellious teens that doesn't completely irritate me, which is rare with most films of this nature. A lot of that has to do with Brent being someone that Byrne clearly wrote in a manner that respects the character and doesn't feel completely disconnected from the teenager as a real life entity. This is an area that can really hurt a film such as The Loved Ones, so it's nice to have characters that, while not breaking any boundaries, are well realized.

Spending much of the time in one location, The Loved Ones never overstays its welcome as things move along fairly quickly without too many lulls. Things are broken up with minute story lines following Brent's mother, as well as Holly, both of whom are clearly concerned for his well-being (which is only compounded by Brent's slightly suicidal state of mind). Another tool that is used to break up what could be the monotony of a long torturous dinner table scene is a side story focusing on Brent's pal, Jamie (Richard Wilson), who is on a date with the hot Goth chick, Mia (Jessica McNamee). The time spent with these two characters seemingly has nothing to do with the film's core, yet, it is all handled in a way where it doesn't feel boring and works to break things up unobtrusively. Furthermore, even if it seems there is no connection to the main story, there is a pretty heavy reveal that puts a small emotional punch behind Mia's rebellious motivations as well as something that connects her to the main plot.

The Loved Ones is not the most original picture to have ever been put to celluloid, but what's in place works and works wonderfully for the type of film that it is. It's not always an easy task balancing horror and comedy (let alone black comedy), but Sean Byrne has certainly come out swinging with this one, and I believe a lot of that has to do with him showing respect for both the genre as well as its fans.