Adam Green

CHICAGO – I was SO with “Chillerama” when it started. The concept is right in my wheelhouse as I’ve long been a fan of B-movies, having been raised on the works of Roger Corman, Troma, and the writing of Joe Bob Briggs. If “Chillerama” can’t appease me, it’s unlikely to work for anyone. Bad news. Despite its best intentions and clever foundation, the execution here is just off, resulting in a hit-and-miss film that does way too much of the latter half of that equation.

CHICAGO – “Final Destination 5” may have under-performed a bit this past weekend at the box office but that has nothing to do with the legendary Tony Todd. The horror icon perhaps best-known for playing the title character in “Candyman” but also a major part of the movie and TV landscape for decades breezed through Chicago on the day his new sequel opened.

CHICAGO – There are many who would like horror fans to believe that writer/director Adam Green is the nest great voice in the genre, the guy who we should all be watching. After the promising “Hatchet” and superior “Frozen,” I thought the potential was still there. I’m not sure any more after the boring, bloated, stupid “Hatchet II.”

Adam Green is arguably the biggest name in horror right now with “Hatchet II” opening in theaters this month and both “Hatchet” and “Frozen” released on Blu-ray in the last few weeks. Horror fans love filmmakers with unique personality and Green definitely has that to spare but he has yet to make the film that truly breaks him in this genre junkie’s mind. It certainly isn’t the deeply-flawed “Frozen.”

CHICAGO – Is Adam Green the next great horror director? There are many fans of the genre who love to make the case of the current-and-future importance of Green, pointing to films like “Frozen,” “Spiral,” and, most of all, “Hatchet” as their evidence. To some, including this horror junkie, the jury is still out. Watching Green’s breakthrough film, now available on Blu-ray, it’s easy to see what people adore about Green and what he still needs to work on.