Gotta admit, this gave me chills. This is the Screamfest teaser trailer for director Jordan Barker's upcoming flick Torment , and it's pretty shorts shitting. How so? The narration for one, the messed up masks for another. And, as a parent, the concept of children in jeopardy is enough to get under my skin. This one looks like a button pusher, and I'm down with that. Newlyweds Cory and Sarah Morgan take Cory's 7-year old son Liam up to the country for some much needed family time. When it appears as if Liam has run away, psychological suspense becomes straight-out horror as Sarah and Cory must confront a sadistic cult-like family who have been hiding in the house and taken Liam for themselves. Torment stars American Mary babe Katherine Isabelle, Robin Dunne and Peter DaCunha. No word yet on an official release date, but Screamfest gets underway in L.A. Oct. 8. Source: Arrow in the Head Related articles Scream Queen Katherine Isabelle is on a rol...

When the Lights Went Out Jason: This movie really had me up until the retarded, CGI -infested ending. Until then, When the Lights Went Out is a creepy, old-school haunted house story with three or four shorts shitting moments and some solid performance. Then poohville. Don't get me wrong; I did enjoy a lot of this flick. The paranormal sequences are genuinely creepy and unsettling. Ghost turning up in bed? Creepy . Menacing shape in the cellar? Creepy. I don't think I'll ever look at a swaying lamp the same way again. Had the conclusion been stronger, and more in line with the rest of the movie, then When the Lights Went Out would have rated a Good. As it is, it's a Bad. If you dig this kind of thing, give it a watch. It's an OK one-off. Shawn : I was uninterested in this movie from the start. The era, the language, the setting. But 10 minutes in, shorts shat. Nice. The whole movie didn't feel like it should have done, what it did to me. It surprised...

All good things come to an end, and the same holds true for this season of our official radio show/podcast, Film Reviews from the Basement . Jason and Shawn like to go out in style, so they've lined up an exclusive interview with filmmaker Christopher R. Mihm. Yup, the same Christopher R. Mihm who's films the Basement Boys have featured on three special Modern/Retro 50s Night episodes during the last couple of seasons.  Mihm talks about his love for 1950s cinema and pimps his upcoming release -- and most ambitious project yet -- The Giant Spider. It's an interview no movie lover can be without, and it doesn't matter if you like 1950s cinema or not. Then it's time to get to some reviewing, and the Basement Dwellers have a couple of fine flicks on the chopping block tonight.  First up is When the Lights Went Out , which takes place in Yorkshire, England in 1974. The Maynard family move into their dream house, only to find a "presence" a...

Shawn and I are pumped to finally see the Twisted Twins' acclaimed follow up to Dead Hooker in a Trunk -- American Mary. In fact, we do just that on our season finale, which is broadcast April 4 on 92.5FM CFBX Kamloops. Until then, we're happy to show you the U.S. preview for writer/director Jen and Sylvia Soska's flick, which'll be released Stateside May 31. American Mary stars Katharine Isabelle, Antonio Cupo, Tristan Risk, David Lovgren, Paula Lindberg, Clay St. Thomas, John Emmet Tracy, and Twan Holliday. What's it all about? The allure of easy money sends medical student Mary Mason into the twilight world of body modification and underground surgeries where obsessed flesh artists will pay anything and go through any pain to get their unusual procedures done.   Looks and sounds nasty . . .  and awesome! Jen and Sylvia are a couple of horror-loving gals the industry needs right now. They make fun and interesting films, and are willing to push mor...

One of the things Shawn and I get a lot of props for is finding those diamonds in the rough -- the movies that are likely not on everyone's radar -- and bringing them to the public's attention. Some are C-grade indie, others mainstream flicks that still don't get the attention they may or may not deserve. Below are 10 movies I'm looking forward to seeing in the new year, in no particular order. But first, the obvious runners up, those blockbusters that can't be ignored: A Good Day to Die Hard, Man of Steel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Iron Man 3, The Lone Ranger, Fast and Furious 6, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Pacific Rim and Star Trek Into Darkness. Now for the list proper: The Conjuring (July 19) Saw and Insidious director James Wan's latest horror flick reveals how world renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called upon to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in a secluded farmhouse. Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson star...

Here's some good fucking news, our favourite female filmmaking duo -- Jen and Sylvia Soska -- and their latest movie American Mary have kicked serious ass at the annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival. American Mary follows medical student Mary Mason (Katharine Isabelle) as she becomes increasingly broke and disenchanted with the surgical world she once admired. The allure of easy money sends Mary into the world of underground surgeries, which ends up leaving more marks on her than her so called 'freakish' clientele. Sound awesome? We thought so when we interviewed the sisters last season. And now it sounds like peeps at Toronto After Dark have thought so too as the film earned kudos for Best Director (The Soska Sisters), Best Canadian Film, Best Leading Actress (Isabelle), Best Antihero (Mary), Best Cinematography (Brian Pearson) and Most Disturbing Film. Way to go ladies! You do The Basement and horror fans everywhere proud!

We're big fans of The Twisted Twins (AKA Jen and Sylvia Soska) here in The Basement and share equal love for their first film, Dead Hooker in a Trunk. So it makes logical sense to be thrilled about their sophomore effort, American Mary. Well, we've scored a first trailer for the film by way of the good folks at HorrorMovies.ca, and wow. Yup. Wow! Starring the talented and sexy -- and very Canadian I might add -- Katharine Isabelle, American Mary follows medical student, Mary Mason, as she becomes increasingly broke and disenchanted with the surgical world she once admired. The allure of easy money sends Mary into the world of underground surgeries which ends up leaving more marks on her than her so called 'freakish' clientele. No word yet on a release, but you know we're gonna see it first chance we get! Until then, enjoy the gruesome fun below! Happy Friday the 13th, y'all!