John Dies At The End (2013)

Every so often a movie comes along that feels like magic.  In the entire universe of movies, where a lot of films are stars shining brightly in the sky, that one comes along that's a shooting star that makes all your wishes come true.  Something so original and amazing that it makes you so happy to be a genre film fan.  John Dies At The End is one of those movies.  Don Coscarelli has a habit of producing shooting stars actually.  This has been made out of love more than anything else.  It's so wonderfully weird and surreal as well as being funny and unhinged.  A bonafide classic in the making.  A combination of slacker comedy, off beat horror and surreal outlandish weirdness, it's unlike no other movie in recent years, with geeky nods to genre movies and the use of practical effects, it's pretty much a guaranteed wet dream for the audience it's intended for.  Bare in mind this is a film made for genre geeks by a genre geek with a cast who appear to be having a blast (including Paul Giamatti).  It's great to see everyone having so much fun, but also acting with a passion and the intention to make something truly wonder.

The story revolves around 2 slackers, David and John, particularly David.  It deals with the effects of a drug called ''soy sauce'' that not only gives its users heightened senses and psychic abilities, but it also allows them to travel dimensions.  However, when the doors to these dimensions are opened it means things can come into our world.  It turns into a hallucinogenic, surreal, hilarious nightmarish mind warp as Dave and John try to save the world from nasty creatures.

The creatures in this movie are fantastic and original (a meat monster for instance).  It's very old school but with it being a breath of fresh air.  Coscarelli films have always made great use of set-ups and looked rather awesome despite always being low budget.  He's a very talented director that won't ever get the credit he deserves beyond his loyal fan base.  The gore is well done albeit very cheesy looking but it's not supposed to be serious and it adds to the films charm.  All of the actors as I said are fantastic.  Perfect casting choices and a nice cameo from the Tall Man, Angus Schrimm.

This had the same effect that seeing movies like Evil Dead, Braindead, Bubba Ho-Tep, Idle Hands and other surreal, off beat masterpieces had the first time I watched them.  Most of those directors have went on to do blockbusters now and probably won't ever return to their roots (not that I don't like their blockbusters).  It's just nice to see Coscarelli still around to produce the magic.  Cinema is a magical thing, but Coscarelli is a more masterful wizard than most.