I guess we didn’t have the chance to do a review of the first 10/31. 10/31 is a horror anthology, each segment takes place on Halloween. We also know, the best anthologies has a host, and Malvolia the Queen of Screams hosts both movies and she is perfection! While this is a review for 10/31 part II, we loved the first and it is available at ScreamTeamReleasing.com. I would take a shot on it, good time Halloween fun and if you buy it now, you could have it just in time, hell buy the Barn and the Witching Season while your at it.
10/31 part II begins with some retro through back style trailers. It threw me off at first, the first one was called “Treaters” from Zane Hershberger and the way it was going, I was ready to see a feature, so Zane, make it happen. There were four total and each was very good, but the final trailer was called, “The October Kids”, now this is a movie that should be made. The October Kids, is a Halloween time horror movie, for kids and it would work! But the trailers off the top of the film were a perfect way to get you ready for the movie. It reminds of the old days, when you pop in the old VHS tape and you had trailers for other horror movies. The best were watching the Pupper Master and getting trailers for titles from Full Moon. So, this sets the stage for the rest of the movie.
For the rest of the movie, I am going to break each into the segments and review each segment. I feel they deserve to have their own review, each is different from the next and worth getting their own little review.
And don’t forget our friend Jennifer Nangle plays host as Malvolia the Queen of Screams, try not to fall in love, you’re all her victims.
Samhain Liturgy – Tory Van Buskirk
Well, this segment was a little blah at first, but that is just a ruse. This is one that builds and builds and twists a couple of times and when I was finished, I was like…wow that was damn good. It is about a teen who’s mother drops her off to babysit a kid, in a house in the middle of nowhere. Of course she invites her metal head boyfriend over. But, there is a noise and it is coming from the basement.
This was a good way to start off the film, a pretty good one at that. The thing I enjoyed about Samhain Liturgy, it doesn’t go at all as you might expect.
Dead Lift – Stephen Wolfe
This one is about an “Uber” type driver and he is in a bad mood, driving on Halloween, that is where the big bucks are. But, he ends up picking up a passenger, dressed like Dracula. The conversation is great and yet, kind of odd. I loved this segment, so damn good, it was heavy, emotional and cerebral with a fantastic ending.
At this point, this is the strong one, I expect the segments to get worse…
Enter Max Groah.
Apache Hatchet Massacre II – Max Groah
Ok, first off if you haven’t seen Bong of the Living Dead, you probably should. It is Max’s magnum opus…until now. Clocking in at about six or seven minutes, you’re left wanting more! This one is a short about a Apache Hatchet that, pretty much brings death.
This honestly could be a feature. So far the others work well as a part of an anthology. But, I could see this one as a full length slasher movie. Plus Max and his little cowboy hat is something to feast your eyes on.
Overkill – Drew Marvick
I was told by Drew to skip this one, so I did…Moving on.
No, I am joking. This was my favorite segment, it was silly fun and had some boobies. Drew Marvick really has captured a way to bring horror and comedy to life. In Pool Party Massacre he kind of scrapped the surface, with Overkill, he…ah…killed it. This one follows you typical slasher in a hockey mask, very similar to the mask on the Friday the 13th part V poster. The thing is, it isn’t just about the slasher. I cannot go into too much on it, but it is fun and delivers jokes and gore and on Halloween!
Sister Mary – Tory Van Buskirk
This one kind of hard to explain. But is was so damn good. It follows a woman, who seems to be a nun…a super hot nun. But anyway, it flashes back and forth and kind of ties the entire movie together by the end. Tory Van Buskirk did a great job.
So, that is 10/31 part II. While I do like the first 10/31, this was 100 times better. Not a single movie looked bad, they all looked very close to cinematic, which is an issue for some Indie films. With almost every single anthology you get at least one and sometimes two weak segements, 10/31 part is full of great segments. 10/31 part II is heavy, hilarious and hauntingly awesome! With that, I can say, 10/31 part II is THE best Halloween horror anthology period!
Check out the facebook page and I know it will be released from Scream Team Releasing very soon!
I really cannot wait to see this again, hell I was ready to watch it again after the credits rolled. But, I will be showing this at one of my outdoor horror movie nights for sure! So be ready, you are gonna want to add 10/31 part II to your Halloween watch list, bet on that!
