Movies
[BD Review] ‘The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue’ Cast Rock Natural Talent
Rarely do I get to watch movies while running a 102 degree temperature, but such was the case with The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue. Written by, directed by and starring Mike Bradecich and John LaFlamboy, the film follows the story of the Mugg brothers who own a dilapidated apartment building. Pets have gone missing for some time and tenants keep moving out. In order to keep the place running, the brothers have to clean it up and inadvertently discover that a mole man is living in the basement.
The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue is far from a serious film. The production value, albeit pretty decent, shows the low budget immediately. Overpowering this, however, is the acting abilities of Bradecich and LaFlamboy. Their ease of interaction makes the movie immediately seem extremely plausible – despite the hokey nature of the plot and story. And it is pretty ridiculous. Hilarity comes in many forms: A group of stoners spike a joint with hallucinogenics, causing the brothers to trip out for part of the film. Then, tenant Eliza walks around topless, oblivious to the fact, noting she is a webcam girl of some sort, while the two try to secure her apartment from mole man entry. And then the guys discover that Mr. Hezekiah Confab (Robert Englund) is a smooth talking ladies man despite his age, which sort of upsets them as they babysit his dog. The movie more or less is a string of silly incidents, pieced together by the mole man plot. And for what it is – it’s funny.
Exceptionally interesting is Justin DiGiacomo as the Mole Man. For the majority of the film, we only see a hand slipping from heating ducts or mail slots in order to scoop up a pet or two. But those brief moments when we see the Mole Man in action, it’s a bit eerie. The shuffling crouched movements of the being actually add an element of unease which helps this horror comedy along. It is definitely more comedy than horror, though. Obvious comedians, Bradecich and LaFlamboy rock their natural talent subtlety throughout the movie and keep it moving along. The same goes for Robert Englund’s performance. He is stellar in his small role. Yes, I’m an Englund admirer, but I’ve reviewed movies of his where I was not impressed, yet as Confab, he is the role. Viewers will also probably recognize T.J. Jagadowski as tenant Paulie (he is one of those guys in the Sonic commercials) and Tim Kazurinsky (aka Sweetchuck from the Police Academy movies) as Harold.
While it may not be the highest quality of horror comedy, The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue kept sickly me entertained with goofy fun for an hour and twenty minutes. With great chemistry fueling the creators, the movie is definitely worth checking out.
Movies
SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!
As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.
Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:
Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.
Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.
Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.
Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.
Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?
Also check out:
The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.
Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.
And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.
These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.
Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.
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