Conjurer is one of those slow burn films that’s perfect for DVD viewing, but I can see why it wasn’t released theatrically.  The cast is relatively small (three people, for the most part), there isn’t much in the way of effects, and it’s a relatively minimalistic supernatural thriller.  Still, what it lacks for in everything else, it makes up for in solid acting, smart writing, and effective filmmaking. Definitely worth checking out.

Paul’s Awesomeness Score: 7 out of 10!

An ancient evil, entombed in a century for over a hundred years, is accidentally released and escapes into the body of a firefighter.  To survive, the creature feeds on its unknowing host, until it can gather up enough energy to replicate itself.

Scourge is a low budget gore flick that, while brining nothing new to the fold, isn’t really the worst thing.  It’s worth checking out for the decent gore effects, but the storyline and acting leave much to be desired.  A fun flick to catch on Saturday night cable, but not worth seeking out specifically.

Paul’s Awesomeness Score: 6 out of 10!

Oskar is a 12 year old kid who regularly gets bullied and made fun of for his shyness.  One night, an old man and a young girl, Eli, move in next door.  She can’t be out in the sun, doesn’t eat food, and has to be invited to ener his room.  It’s no secret that she’s a vampire, but he has strong feelings for her.  Meanwhile, her companion is getting sloppy in his old age, almost getting caught while seeking out victims for Eli.  Oskar begins to wonder if Eli’s nature is too much to get past to be with her.

For a flick about 12 years olds, Let the Right One In is a surprisingly adult affair.  However, I think that’s also it’s problem.  12 year olds are mature in their own right, of course, but some aspects of the story are a little hard to swallow and the film ultimately goes on a bit too long without any kind of real suspense or tension.  It’s not a bad film, but I feel that it’s highly overrated.  Some nice, well-filmed scenes, but overall a slow burner that doesn’t feel like the payoff was worth the ride.

Paul’s Awesomeness Score: 5 out of 10

The chick from Serenity that isn’t Summer Glau (Jewel Staite), her boyfriend, and a group of friends are taking a boat to some kind of spectacular party when the boat crashes and they end up stranded on an island.  It isn’t long before someone in the group goes missing, dragged off into the woods by a tribe of monstrous Descent-like creatures who use their victims for food.  The group has to come together and fight back until rescue can come, or die trying.

The Tribe (also known as The Forgotten Ones) is by no means a horrible film, but it isn’t a good one either.  The acting is probably the strongest aspect of the film, but the film itself lacks the tension of the similar The Descent.  The jungle/island doesn’t feel very ominous and the creatures, a sort of Predator/Gollum hybrid, suffer from a lack of decent makup work.  This is the type of flick you expect to see on the SyFy channel on a Saturday night.  Skip it.

Paul’s Awesomeness Score: 4 out of 10

A projectionist and his ex-girlfriend’s brother, in order to pay back some bad debts, start bootlegging movies in the theater so that they can get released to the web or on the street markets, before they get released officially.  The latest movie, a “true story” horror film about an old witch who kidnapped the townspeoples’ children before they catch her and hang her, is met with some controversy.  Apparently, strange things happened on set and already, bad things are happening to anyone who sees the film all the way to its end.  As people go missing, the projectionist starts being haunted by the ghost of the woman in the film – but isn’t she just a movie monster?

Coming Soon kicks butt.  It’s not the best Thai horror film I’ve seen (Colic and Shutter are actually better), but the writing (it’s actually written by the same guy who wrote the original Shutter) is smart, and takes some turns that you don’t really see coming.  It’s a well-written, well-acted, pretty fun piece of horror, that actually manages to inject some opinions on movie piracy into it.  Definitely worth seeking out an import DVD.

Paul’s Awesomeness score: 8 out of 10!