We all loved Mr. and Mrs. Smith, didn't we? It was the quintessential Hollywood blockbuster, featuring beautiful people as warring spouses who also tend to be rival secret agents. Sounds original, right? I thought so, too, until I saw Suburban Nightmare, released a full year before the aforementioned Smith. Based on a story by scream queen Debbie Rochon, it concerns the rocky marriage of a couple who also happen to be serial killers to much better effect. Between murders and matrimony, the ultra-black- comedy shines here as stars Trent Haaga and Brandy Little who I'll take anyday over Pitt and Jolie balance the suspense with equal parts pathos and humor. Their real on-screen chemistry elevates this low-budget film way above its caste. Louis Fowler
click to enlarge
The Neighbor No. Thirteen (R)
Directed by Yasuo Inoue
Tokyo Shock
A young boy, Juzo, is terrorized every day at school by the class bully, Akai, even getting acid poured on his face at one point. Years later, as adults, they are working together at a construction job, wherein their roles revert back to elementary school, with Juzo receiving daily abuse by Akai. Now, if this were an American film, it would have been optioned by Disney and made into a Tim Allen vehicle. Sad, but true. Thankfully, this being a Japanese film, it take's a psychologically dark turn as Juzo splits off into two personalities one nice, the other not-so-nice on a revenge-seeking quest. The Neighbor No. Thirteen is incredible work of art, delving deep into the mind of a man who has reached his breaking point. Louis Fowler
click to enlarge
Masters of Horror: Don Coscarelli's
Incident On and Off a Mountain Road (NR)
Directed by Don Coscarelli
Anchor Bay Entertainment
In the third (and so far, best) episode of the incredible Masters of Horror series, the camera is turned over to the vastly underrated Don Coscarelli, who has made some of the best genre films of all time: Phantasm and Bubba Ho-tep, for example. Working from a short story by Joe R. Lansdale, Incident stars Bree Turner as an abused wife who, after leaving her survivalist, militia-loving husband, has an encounter on a deserted road with the monstrous backwoods maniac known as "Moonface." But, instead of being a screaming damsel in distress, she uses the survival skills said husband taught her to take on the psychopath. It's the ultimate feminist horror flick imagine "Goodbye Earl" as if sung by Danzig, if you will. Louis Fowler
