New Releases for Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Killer Sofa

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Directed by: Bernie Rao

Run time: 81 minutes

Rating: Unrated

Format: Video-on-Demand

The Lowdown: First things first, if for no other reason, it’s worth checking out Killer Sofa simply to see the really cool practical effects-work that turns a Barcalounger into a possessed killer.

Seriously, the fucking sofa monster is actually creepy with its giant block head and button eyes.

Now, for the bad news: While Killer Sofa is basically Child’s Play with a couch instead of a Good Guy doll, and there are a couple of impressive sequences where the sofa is on the hunt, Killer Sofa lacks those go-for-broke, batshit crazy flourishes that typically would distinguish a film like this.

Basically, the sofa has been possessed by a dybbuk, which in Jewish mythology represents a malicious energy or spirit, and this particular dybbuk wants nothing more than to get back together with the girl he desires.

I give writer-director Bernie Rao mad props on his feature-length debut because he really does handle some of the sillier stuff with aplomb, whereas in lesser hands Killer Sofa likely would have felt like a third-rate Full Moon Features flick.

Still, I can’t get past the fact that the killer couch in Killer Sofa does a lot more sneaking around than, you know, killing people in gloriously gory fashion.

The Stuff You Care About: Hot chicks – Yes.

Nudity – Brief. Gore – Surprisingly minimal.

Drug use – Not in the movie, but it might help if you are on drugs watching the movie.

Bad Guys/Killers – Dude, read the title.

Buy/Rent – Rent.

Karma (Cinedigm, 85 minutes, Unrated, DVD): Writer-director Nick Simon makes a very specific type of horror movie, and that is a nice way of saying that his films, which include The Girl in the Photographs, The Pyramid and Truth or Dare, feel overly familiar in a been there, seen that kind of way.

His latest, Karma, is no exception. Despite starring Mandela Van Peebles (yes, Mario’s son), Karma just doesn’t go anywhere fast plot-wise and doesn’t get above marginally interesting throughout its first half hour.

It’s not a bad movie, per se, but it ain’t a very good one either.

Also Available:

Anna and the Apocalypse

The Addams Family: Two-Film Collection

Gunsmoke: The Fifteenth Season, Volumes One & Two

Robin Williams: Comic Genius

FLCL: Progressive

The Prey: Limited Edition