hbilly's LiveJournal

LOCK N LOAD (1990)
IMDb / YouTube
Rating: Thumbs up

Ex-Vietnam soldiers turn into thieving, brain-dead assassins committing suicide after they received a phone call with the message "Lock and Load". Ex-Nam soldier Paul is fearing to be triggered next, so he hooks up with the wife of a War buddy who just robbed a bank and blew himself to pieces. Investigations lead to an old friend who's running a somewhat shady business. Could he be the one who brainwashed and hypnotized soldiers in a moment of weakness, so they would do his deadly bidding?

Director David A. Prior - who's efforts in cheese includes KILLER WORKOUT (1986), MANKILLERS (1987), OPERATION WARZONE (1988) and DEADLY PREY (1988) gives us his most ambitious work so far. More of a Thriller/Drama with moments of Mystery and Action, LOCK N LOAD shines with a well thought out plot and more or less decent acting. Suffering from extreme tight budget though, so that might be a turn off.

PROM NIGHT (2008)
IMDb / YouTube
Rating: Thumbs Sideways

Observing the death of your own breed can be very traumatic. It's been three years since Donna's family was brutally eliminated by a psychopathic madman. Donna's been living with her Aunt ever since, and seeing a psychiatrist to heal mental scars. All those troubles will be forgotten because Donna is ready for Prom Night. And so is the escaped killer of her family.

Not really a remake of the legendary slasher PROM NIGHT (1980) with Jamie Lee Curtis, rather just borrowing the title and centralizing on the main event - a red carpet glitter show with dazzling young masses dancing to contemporary muzak. Conventional thriller-junk borderlining boredom and badness:

~ The killer looks like Charles Manson with flat tire lips.
~ Donna has a visible and distracting scar on her forehead. No wonder she wasn't nominated for Prom Queen.
~ The Aunt dropping a bowl in dramatic slow-mo after hearing of the killer's escape.
~ The killer jumping on a victim Matrix-style. How dated and un-hip.
~ A Prom Bitch that isn't bitchy enough.
~ Annoying Prom-DJ.
~ Embarrassing "Driving to the Prom in a Limo" montage.

Too bad to be good and just barely enjoyable on a cheesy level. It's ok to make fun of though. I know I did.