The Meaning of J

In a Violent Nature (2024)  Jean Pablo Deliz In a Violent Nature   is a glorious throwback to low-budget 80s slasher flicks with an art-house edge. Expect subpar acting and brutal kill scenes, as is typical for the tropes of the slasher genre. However, director Chris Nash opts for an intriguing path by emphasizing the chaos of its undead killer. It cares not about building well-rounded characters or a meaningful storyline. This movie is clear about what it wants to do and mostly succeeds, even if it trips up at the end.   Directed by Chris Nash in his directorial debut, Ry Barrett stars as Johnny, an undead killer unwittingly resurrected from his grave by a group of college kids. One kid steals a locket that keeps the killer sealed in his resting ground. Once resurrected, Johnny arms himself with a hatchet and chained hooks to wreak havoc on the hapless college kids. The film also stars Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Charlotte Creaghan, Liam Leone, Sam Roulston, and Reece...

 Pieces (1982) Artwork by Joshua Kelly      Pieces  (1982)   is exactly what you think it is, a hyperviolent Giallo-style slasher film with moments of absurdity and sleazy vibes to complement its trashy quality. It's a film so-bad-it's-good, full of subpar acting, atrocious dubbing, and scenes that have nothing to do with the plot and only serve to pad the film's runtime. It's the movie equivalent of junk food; it's not high-quality stuff, but it's delicious to eat regardless. It's the definition of a guilty pleasure, giving us a good time in exchange for a few laughs, even if the film itself isn't a good movie. Nevertheless, it lives up to the promise of its tagline as a slasher film full of blood, breasts, and sleaze.  "Well?" "It stinks!"   Pieces  (1982) is a slasher film set in Boston where co-eds of a college are stalked by a killer who aims to create a jigsaw puzzle out of their body parts. In a co-production between Spain, th...

 Edge of the Axe (1988)  2020 Arrow Video release, excellent artwork by Justin Osbourn   It's not usual for me to purchase a film on blu-ray that I have never heard of, le t alone having seen said film before in any way. But as a blu-ray collector, I cannot resist the urge to pick a relatively obscure title that receives a high-quality release on blu-ray, specifically slasher movies from the 80s. I have a soft spot when it comes to these films. There's an enduring charm that makes these movies such a joy to watch. These movies can range from being surprisingly good to downright bad or criminally overlooked and forgotten classics of their genre. These films are provided by such home media distributors as Scream F actory, Arrow Video, Vinegar Syndrome, and so many more. Let's look at the relatively forgotten Spanish-American slasher film  Edge of the Axe (1988).       I had first heard of this movie when Arrow Video  announced they would be rel...