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[DVD Review] ‘Soft Matter’ is Gooey Creature Feature Fun

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Soft Matter feels like a mashup of two separate ideas that never quite mesh into one coherent story. There’s plenty to enjoy from this debut film from writer-director Jim Hickcox but it tends to be a bit soft in the middle. I’ll be honest, that was a poor attempt at using some fun wordplay with ‘soft’ to convey that the film is a bit uneven. It didn’t quite work, but what’s done is done.

The first idea at play here is that of a pair of scientists or doctors — are all scientists also doctors? — are running some very odd experiments that allow them to keep humans “alive” regardless of their current physical condition. They run these experiments in an abandoned hospital and their patients include some sort of blob and man-like thing that sort of resembles the shape of a human but appears to be trash bags filled with goo. This trash bag goo creatures wears a nice pair of Nike and loves to dance. In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, this thing performs an entire dance routine but is scolded by one of the Dr. Scientists for ruining their best pair of kicks.

Within this mad scientist world, there is also some sort of sea creature living in a bucket of mop water. The creature is apparently some sort of sea goddess that used to have great power in the ocean but is now trapped in this mop bucket. One of the scientists mocks this bucket repeatedly throughout the film. I don’t know why but that scientists hates that bucket.

The other main idea is that of a street artist who is struggling to have his graffiti be taken seriously by the art world. The artist goes by the name of Haircut (Devyn Placide) and his thing is that he likes to paint ghosts using spray paint. They’re basic ghosts, think Pacman. In an effort to boost his credibility his best friend, Kish (Ruby Lee Dove II), suggests a big venue for something truly spectacular. If you guessed the hospital as that venue, you guessed correctly!

Haircut and Kish head to the hospital where Haircut immediately gets to work. While the artist does his thing, Kish wonders the hospital and stumbles upon the experiments. Somewhere along the way, the sea creature living in the bucket full of mop water transforms into this half woman, half fish hybrid that looks to have been inspired by The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Presumably tired from being mocked, the creature proceeds to wreak havoc on the artist crew and the scientists.

My biggest issue with Soft Matter is that I’m not sure why anything happens. Why are the scientists working on these specific experiments? Is it simply to play god? And how does the sea creature figure into all of this? Are they trying to harness her powers? And how in the world was she contained to that bucket for so long? And for the art angle what is the message? Is this some sort or satire? Is it trying to make fun of street artist? Or is it arguing that street artists should be more respected? Maybe it’s not really trying to say anything or the messages are something completely different altogether? Either way, none of it is very clear.

On the plus side, Soft Matter is a lot of fun. Like most horror fans I am a sucker for practical effects and this film has plenty of them. This film gives us two physical creatures that interact and cause havoc. The film also has a really good setting and feel to it. This is a movie that I believe wants you to feel gross and it certainly succeeds. Everything just feels icky within this movie. It’s all one big, oozing, dripping, slimy mess of fun.

Hickcox and his crew certainly have a knack for effects work. Including on the new Soft Matter DVD, recently released by Wild Eye Releasing, is a short film Hickcox directed called Slow Creep. It’s a fun short about a teenage girl eager to watch a horror movie only to have it come to life. It’s a nice nod to the VHS era and while the effects work isn’t as grand as what is done in Soft Matter, it is a lot of fun. Judging from these two films has been extremely intrigued to see what Hickcox does next. Despite the unevenness of Soft Matter, I’m always on board for indie directors with a clear passion for horror and a willingness to get their hands dirty.

Soft Matter is now available on DVD from Wild Eye Releasing and for streaming on Amazon Prime.

Chris Coffel is originally from Phoenix, AZ and now resides in Portland, OR. He once scored 26 goals in a game of FIFA. He likes the Phoenix Suns, Paul Simon and 'The 'Burbs.' Oh and cats. He also likes cats.

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‘Herencia Diabólica’ – 1993’s “Mexican Child’s Play” Finally Has a Blu-ray Release [Review]

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Did you know that there is a Child’s Play-inspired film from Mexico? If you didn’t, you can thank Vinegar Syndrome’s new label Degausser Video for making 1993’s Herencia Diabólica available for the masses to watch. Or at least for the VS hardcore fanbase, Chucky completists and anyone else who needs something like this in their lives.

Director Alfredo Salazar, known for his writing connection to the 70s Santo film series, also serves as the writer here to bring us a film seemingly inspired from the Child’s Play franchise. While it has been recently labeled as the “Mexican Child’s Play” (there’s a special feature on the disc with that very title), the killer doll concept is where the comparison should start and end. Despite having some seeds planted by that franchise, Salazar delivers a story that blossoms into something unique.

Tony (Roberto Guinar) receives a letter informing him that his aunt has died, and he has inherited her estate in Mexico. He quits his job and uproots his life in New York with his wife Annie (Holda Ramírez) to relocate south of the border and move into his new crib. Now I know what you’re thinking, what person just quits their job and drags their wife to another country without having reliable monetary income? Tony does, everyone, Tony does.

And what’s the first thing they do once they arrive in Mexico and check out the estate? They hit the bedroom, naturally. We are treated to a sex scene with an erotica song that feels like a knockoff of “Sadness” by Enigma (remember them?). Sounds fun and all, but the scene takes place completely in the dark and we see absolutely nothing. Maybe that’s why the sexy-time tune was pumping, so we could know what was exactly going down.

While Tony goes on a job interview, Annie explores the estate’s grounds in a tedious chore to experience, going room by room, plodding along. But it does lead us to her discovery of our antagonist—the evil clown doll, Payasito! Of all the things in the house, she decides to bring this monstrosity down to show Tony when he gets home. What an exciting way to celebrate (sic)! Then out of nowhere, she spouts off some exposition about rumors that Tony’s aunt dabbled in the dark arts and now we know where our title Diabolical Inheritance (the English translation for Herencia Diabólica) originates. For those of you who keep score for things like that.

Before proceeding with this review, you really need to visualize what Payasito looks like to truly embrace the rest of the film’s shenanigans. While Chucky resembles a cute ginger child, Payasito resembles a small clown that is much larger in stature than Chucky. That’s because Payasito is performed by an actor (Margarito Esparaza) in clown cosplay whenever he’s on the move (like Mannequin 2), and makes some really horrible facial expressions. Chucky dresses in “Good Guys” overalls and a striped shirt, but Payasito wears a new wave Santa hat while sporting a Sgt. Pepper jacket and Peter Pan tights. As you can now tell, he is quite beautiful.

Back to our story, Payasito begins to spook Annie cerebrally until she becomes unnerved to the point of having a complete mental break down, making her easy prey to eliminate. She dies but the unborn child survives, with Tony believing that her death was caused by her mental instability. Fast forward some years later and the couple’s surviving spawn has grown into child Roy (Alan Fernando), who at this point has already bonded with Payasito to help him over the loss of his mother. Dun-dun-duuunnn!

Meanwhile wealthy Tony remains single, still grieving his late wife, until his blonde assistant Doris encourages him to move on with his life and start seeing other people. And by other people, she naturally means herself. As the old Kanye West song lyric goes, “I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger…”, and it seems that she might be until we learn more about her character. Doris is played by the stunning Lorena Hererra who has an extremely extensive resume in Mexico, and she carries most of the film quite well during the feature’s second half. The singer and former Playboy centerfold for their Mexico edition is by far the most recognizable face in the cast.

Doris and Tony do indeed hookup and she moves into La casa de Herencia, where she does her best to impress Roy and lessen his obsession with the doll. There is a scene where they go to a nearby park without Payasito that is filled with famous fairytale figures, such as Pinocchio, Cinderella and King Kong! What, you didn’t know King Kong is a fairytale? Me neither. But Roy continues to be obsessed with Payasito after their trip, much to Doris’ chagrin.

Her actions to separate him from Roy gets Payasito angry, setting up the film’s most memorable scene. We already know that Payasito is a devil doll like Chucky, but now we learn he also has the power to invade people’s dreams like Freddy Krueger! Does Payasito enter the dream world and concoct a creative way to kill Doris in her sleep? No, he harnesses his power to sexually assault her instead. Yes that actually happens. After she awakens, Doris grabs the doll and tosses him into a lake, only to find him waiting for her by the time she gets back to the house. So now we know he also maintains the ability to “transport” like Jason Voorhees too. This doll is the total package!

More insanity happens before we close out the film with the longest victim chase sequence ever. It makes the previously mentioned painful house search scene seem like an eyeblink. It feels like it’s the film’s entire third act, filled with so much padding that you could soundproof an entire three-story house.

So how’s the transfer? Considering it was created using a mix of VHS and film source elements from 1993, they did one heck of a job! The work they put into it is especially noticeable in the dream invasion sequence, with the pulsing multi-colored psychedelic visuals. Super trippy stuff. Even the film’s score provides a pretty chill vibe, during the times when Payasito isn’t on the prowl.

If anything you read has piqued your interest in the very least, you should give it a shot. But if not, it is best to leave this doll on the shelf.

Herencia Diabólica is now available to purchase at VinegarSyndrome.com.

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