Pick of the Week

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Deluxe Edition) (1984)
Hockey-masked killer Jason Vorhees returns to terrorize a lakeside family and their rowdy teen neighbors in this fourth installment of the long-running slasher series.

Friday the 13th: Killer Cut (2009)
A man in search of his missing sister stumbles across a deadly secret in the woods surrounding Crystal Lake as Texas Chainsaw Massacre redux duo Michael Bay and Marcus Nispel resurrect one of the silver screen’s most feared slashers — machete-wielding, hockey mask-wearing madman Jason Voorhees.

Friday the 13th, Part V: A New Beginning (Deluxe Edition) (1985)
The murderous spirit of Jason Vorhees lives on in this horror sequel, although the plot hinges on the mystery of whether the killer’s body actually survives.

Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives (Deluxe Edition) (1986)
This impressive entry in the popular horror series brings back the relentless killer Jason Voorhees, this time as a supernatural zombie.

Black Magic 2 (1976)
When an evil sorcerer wreaks havoc by raising a small army of zombies and using spells to impregnate young girls with monsters, a pair of scientists attempt to thwart the wizard by uncovering the source of his dark power in this horror flick. Along the way, they must deal with black-magic tricks involving snakes and centipedes let loose underneath their skin, nasty sores oozing with worms, and the sorcerer’s strange obsession with milk.

The Cell 2 (2008)
Maya Castaneda (Tessie Santiago) is an investigator with psychic abilities — a power which she gained during a yearlong coma, the result of her having been victimized by a notorious serial killer known as the Cusp. Now the killer is back in action, and Maya must summon her psychic talents to delve into the dark mind of this notorious maniac, in the hopes of saving his next victim — before time runs out.

Terror at Blood Fart Lake (2009)
When a clutch of college pals retreats to an isolated cabin for a rowdy weekend of debauchery and carnal pleasures, a madman dons his creepy scarecrow costume and begins to prey upon the unsuspecting youths in unusually creative ways. It’s like summer camp, but with death! Can any of the kids escape the shame of being slain at a place called Blood Fart Lake? Nicola Fiore and Josh Suire star in this outrageous lampoon of classic slasher flicks.

Stagknight (2007)
Expecting a raucous bachelor weekend for soon-to-be-wed Brian (Simeon Willis), 10 buddies and paintball team members take off for the country. But Happy Valley Paintball Park manager Fay (Sandra Dickinson) has a more malevolent celebration in mind. As the partying commences, she tricks the guys into summoning an ancient, homicidal guardian knight — whose weekend goal is to impale each of them on his huge sword in this gory British spine-chiller.

Platoon of the Dead (2009)
After narrowly escaping a terrifying zombie attack, three Marines retreat to a remote house, where they meet several mysterious women. When legions of undead descend upon their safe haven, the soldiers bravely battle to survive the vicious onslaught. But little do they know that making it through the night alive is only the beginning of this war. Ariauna Albright, Tom Stedham and Chris Keown star in this gory horror flick.

Murder Loves Killers Too (2008)
When Aggie (Christine Haeberman) and her friends head to an isolated cabin deep in the woods with plans to party hardy, they soon become the target of Big Stevie (Allen Andrews), a benign-looking backwoodsman who harbors a kinky bloodlust for sex and homicide. Now, the kids are in a fight for their lives — especially Aggie, who holds a special attraction for the demented madman. Drew Barnhardt directs this stylish, old-school slasher frenzy.

Killing Ariel (2006)
Enchanted by lusty she-demon Ariel (Axelle Cummings) and lured to a remote house for a weekend of passion, happily married Rick (Michael Brainard) tries to break free of the evil spell by killing the succubus, only to have the demon rise from the dead to keep him ensnared. Time and again Rick slays Ariel, who simply returns to life to continue her game. How can Rick escape a supernatural creature who refuses to die?

I’ll Be There With You (2006)
An idyllic spring break road trip turns into the vacation from hell as Aki (Akihiro Kitamura), Annie (Adarsha Benjamin) and their friends find themselves crossing paths with numerous dangerous characters, including a band of escaped mental patients. Kitamura also writes and directs this genre-bending thriller that features Daniel Baldwin’s menacing performance as a demented ranch owner named Constantine.

Born (2007)
When 21-year-old virgin Mary Elizabeth (Alison Brie) discovers that she’s pregnant, her family thinks it’s a miracle from God. Her sudden homicidal rages, however, portend that she’s carrying an ancient evil in her womb instead. As Mary Elizabeth falls deeper under the spell of her gestating demon-child, she unwittingly prepares the way for all hell to break loose when the creature is born. Richard Friedman directs this supernatural fright fest.

Rifftrax: The Little Shop of Horrors (2009)
Hosts Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett — formerly of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” — take aim at B-movie legend Roger Corman’s infamous black comedy about a down-and-out flower-shop employee (Jonathan Haze) who accidentally grows a man-eating plant. Shot over the course of two days and one night, Corman’s 1960 cult classic features Jack Nicholson playing a loopy masochist in one of his first big-screen performances.

Rifftrax: Plan 9 From Outer Space (2009)
Regarded by many as one of the worst movies ever made, director Ed Wood’s infamous sci-fi “classic” starring the iconic Bela Lugosi is perfect fodder for commentators Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy. After a series of failed plans (eight of them, to be exact), a race of menacing aliens sets out to take over the world by raising an army of zombies. Released in 1959, Wood’s infamous film features Lugosi’s final onscreen performance.

Rifftrax: Night of the Living Dead (2009)
Resident wisecrackers Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy set their sarcastic sights on horror pioneer George A. Romero’s beloved 1968 classic about a small town overtaken by a league of bloodthirsty zombies. Shot on a remarkably low budget, Romero’s black-and-white masterpiece broke new ground for the horror genre, exhibiting a level of gore and graphic violence rarely seen in mainstream films.

Rifftrax: House on Haunted Hill (2009)
Former “Mystery Science Theater 3000” host Mike Nelson is joined by cohorts Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett as the hilarious trio takes turns skewering this horror classic from director William Castle, starring Hollywood icon Vincent Price. With the allure of a $10,000 cash prize, five strangers accept an invitation from eccentric millionaire Frederick Loren (Price) to see if they can survive a full night in his spooky haunted mansion.

Rifftrax: Carnival of Souls (2009)
“Mystery Science Theater 3000” alums Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy aim their acerbic wit at this “classic” thriller from director Herk Harvey, augmenting an already-goofy experience with their peanut gallery-style commentary. After surviving a terrible car accident that kills her two best friends, church organist Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) is dogged by a series of haunting visions and frightening supernatural episodes.