High Plains Invaders

"High Plains Invaders" (2009, Richard Beattie, Castel Film Romania, Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Syfy) is a science fiction, made-for-TV film set in the Wild West.

Sam Danville (James Marsters) is a train robber due to be hanged for his crimes in a small Western town. While standing at the hangman's noose, watched by his jilted flame, Abigail (Cindy Sampson), the town is overrun by violent alien creatures and Sam ends up acting as a hero to try to save the town from the monsters.

My hands have to go up in the air here; I'm a huge fan of James Marsters and have been since I was about 16 or so. I'll watch anything that he's in. I listen to his music, I own all the Dresden Files audio books he's narrated and I once met him at a convention and, luckily for him, I was too nervous to say anything coherent at him.

But, I have to make myself clear, here. This is actually a pretty solid made-for-tv Syfy Channel monster/Western mash-up. And I'm not being biased. Yes, it's corny, the dialogue is formulaic and the special effects are low budget so the cast are limited to battling one beastie at a time. But it's well done, sets a good pace and enjoys some pretty nice alien design. The run time is only 87 minutes so the film does not overstay its welcome and, as well as our hero, there is a pretty solid collection of characters.

The film enjoys a "Saturday early evening" feel that is common to most Syfy productions and, although not particularly scary, manages to pull it off as a low-budget monster/cowboy movie without becoming dull.

Also, occasionally, it's nice to see James Marsters play a hero. Even if he's also a wanted criminal at the same time.

[Image: Syfy]

Hani 

Bone Tomahawk

"Bone Tomahawk" (2015, S. Craig Zahler, Caliber Media Company, RLJ Entertainment) is an American horror Western movie featuring two actors I admire greatly; Kurt Russell and Sid Haig.

Set in the 1890s, we follow a group of men, lead by Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell), as they attempt to save two of their townsfolk who have been kidnapped by a brutal, cannibal troglodyte clan.

A gritty hybrid horror which begins as a pretty traditional seeming Western film but eventually delves into some truly disturbing and creative horror gruesomeness. The cast give a stellar performance making each character rounded. The dialogue is good and the film keeps an excellent pace.

Despite the outlandishness of the story and its almost supernatural villains, the film plays out so confidently that it all seems perfectly reasonable and realistic at the time. Kurt Russell cuts a fine image as a strong sheriff with some great facial hair, In fact the whole cast is perfectly suited to their roles.

A genre blending piece which is both entertaining and shocking, "Bone Tomahawk" is a really excellent piece of cinema.

[Image: RLJ Entertainment, et al]

Hani

House 2: The Second Story

"House 2: The Second Story" (1987, Ethan Wiley, New World Pictures). Is a sci-fi, Western, Haunted House film that has pretty much nothing to do with "House".

When Jesse (Arye Gross) and Kate (Lar Park Lincoln) move into an old mansion belonging to Jesse's family they, understandably, don't expect to firstly be joined by Jesse's friend Charlie (Jonathan Stark) and his girlfriend Lana (Amy Yasbeck), and then later by his dead, zombified great-great grandfather, Gramps (Royal Dano).

Soon Jesse and Charlie find themselves on the quest to find a mysterious Aztec crystal skull to restore his undead relative. Their adventures include battling strange beasts, facing off against Gramps' old friend-turned-bitter-enemy, Slim Razor (Dean Cleverdon), and babysitting pterodactyls...

Luckily for them an Adventurous electrician (John Ratzenberger) shows up to help out...

It's all very weird and hectic... Like a Western Sci-fi adventure (but nothing like 'Firefly'). The Aztec style house interior is really quite beautiful and the cheesy one-liner's and banter with Gramps is hokey and entertaining. There's a lot of things happening and a lot of jumping through vortexes into other times, but on the whole it is a batshit crazy and completely goofy experience. Not to be taken seriously....

[Image: New World Pictures]

 

Hani