Quick looks at modern horror time killers part 11

A little something generic for various horror tastes—zombies, mutated creatures, and a slasher!

APOCALYPSE L.A. (aka: Disaster L.A.) (2014)

In Apocalypse L.A., an adorable guy, his brother, and a bunch of their friends attempt to save his ex-girlfriend after meteors hit the city. But the Cloverfield rip-off plot takes a turn when people start turning into zombies!

All the typical zombie action and scares are present, along with a few moments of humor. And there’s not one but two guys who sacrifice themselves for their friends at different points in the film. But my favorite part is when a gun and a car play a game of chicken; it’s simply impossible not to predict exactly how things will turn out.

In its attempt to be touching and make you care about the characters, just before the movie ends, there’s a series of flashbacks to special moments the characters in the movie shared…during the course of the movie! So cheesy. But the zombies are awesome.

HIDDEN (2011)

In Hidden, some dude inherits a lab from his dead mother, who was conducting questionable experiments with people suffering from addiction. So he drags his friends to the place to check it out.

Before long, there are swarms of big mutant bugs chasing them, and something bigger is dragging them down dark halls. In a complete disconnect, it’s not a giant bug—it’s a bunch of children with tentacle mouths.

There goes another one….

Typical scares follow, but the truth behind the mother’s way of treating addictions is kind of unique. Doesn’t make the movie any less forgettable. Definitely a cheap thrill in the moment, though.

CHAIN LETTER (2009)

Chain Letter, a film about modern technology—and the haters who revolt against it—is already feeling dated considering its constant mention of Myspace!

With a totally awesome intro kill and a title sequence that is reminiscent of Scream-era openings, Chain Letter shows major promise in a been-there-done-that-can-never-get-enough kind of way. The movie definitely has a late 90s slasher flick feel to it. And provided you get the unrated version (only on the DVD, not on the Bu-ray) it has some great, gory kills with a surprisingly torturous edge for a typical teen slasher.

The title alone pretty much tells you all you need to know about the plot. Kids get a chain letter on their phones and if they don’t forward it, a hulking killer with some hefty chains comes for them., Watch this one for the gruesome death sequences and the smorgasbord of notable horror faces, including Betsy Russell and Brad Dourif, because the plot is a disaster. However, the killer pretty much rules.

When the film ends, you’ll think something has gone wrong with your modern technology and the film has actually jumped back to the beginning. I can’t explain it. I didn’t understand it. And I can guarantee you’ll be like, “WTF?”