After Dark
Tom Devlin, veteran special effects artist and owner of Boulder City’s Monster Museum, has become a prolific indie filmmaker; this is the second movie he’s released this year. It’s a punk rock vampire story about star-crossed lovers from feuding clans of blood-suckers, with a cast featuring pro wrestlers, adult film stars, and Lars Frederiksen of legendary punk band Rancid. Devlin draws on his extensive effects background for some gnarly monster makeup, turning the final vampire showdown into a gruesome, epic bloodbath. Streaming on Tubi.
Barbie & Kendra Crash Joe Bob’s Drive-In Jamboree!
B-movie titan Charles Band brings his bubbly bimbo characters (Cody Renee Cameron and Robin Sydney) to Vegas’ West Wind Drive-In, where they swoon over Joe Bob Briggs, battle an evil real estate developer, and save the drive-in. It’s a cheesy ode to the drive-in experience that’s perfect preparation for this year’s Jamboree at West Wind October 4-5. Streaming on Tubi.
Ember’s Edge
Writer-director Edgar Alejandro slowly builds tension in this thriller about a lesbian couple (Edith Bahena and Danielle Chambers) setting out for the Utah wilderness in search of supposed buried treasure. Instead, they find a hunter (Lance Caver) who turns them into his prey, possibly in service of a mysterious cult that guards the treasure. Alejandro delivers a suspenseful and surreal horror movie that also takes time for careful character development. Streaming on Tubi.
Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch
Ely native Dutch Marich’s found-footage horror series has garnered a devoted following and accolades from mainstream outlets including The New York Times. The third film ties together elements from the first two, following an aspiring influencer (Marco Antonio Parra), who travels to northeastern Nevada to search for the missing people chronicled in the earlier movies. Marich once again meticulously re-creates the look of a true-crime documentary, mixing the mundane and the horrific to keep his audience off-balance. Available for digital purchase/rental from Amazon.