It’s rare that we ever come across a film that crosses two very different genres so seamlessly as the Finnish film Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. Based on the series of shorts in which a Finnish shipping company explains the best and worst ways in dealing with renegade Santa Clauses, this story tells the tale of how that fictional company came to be.

Marketed as a horror, yet played as a Joe Dante-esque holiday adventure, Exports is able to both scare the crap out of you with hundreds of naked old men, as it is able to make you smile at the ridiculousness of hundreds of naked old men running through the snow.

If you’ve got the stomach for a film in subtitles, we recommend watching this one in its original tongue. Skip the dubs so you don’t get lost in some of the performances that make this playful horror film as fun as it is.

Some may consider the film to be a bit of a slow build for what is surely an epic and explosive ending, but if you relate with the two curious boys or any of the members of the search party then you will be along for every minute of the action here.

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A father, concerned for his autistic daughter’s health, sees her immediate removal from the hospital as her only option. An elevator break-down prevents a smooth exit and renders them trapped with others. This is only the beginning of their descent into hell. When the doors finally open, the hospital appears mysteriously deserted. As mutilated bodies are found, creatures from a dark world start a frightening attack. It soon becomes clear that the survival of the group may rest solely on the little girl.

The one thing that needs to be known before watching Dark Floors is that this film is primarily a showcase for the Finnish metal band Lordi. Those unfamiliar with the band should consider them like Rob Zombie meets GWAR. The international subtitle for the film is even “The Lordi Motion Picture”. The band, along with the leader Mr. Lordi, came up with the idea for the film, and star as all of the “monsters” in the film (in quotes because if you see a picture of the band, you know that this is what they normally look like, professional makeup and all).

The members of the band are essentially playing themselves in the film. Sadly, this is probably the coolest part of the film. The plot takes itself a little too seriously, and with a weak and confusing resolution at the end, it really should have just been about the band members.

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On the night of the big high school prom, the dead rise to eat the living, and the only people who can stop them are the losers who couldn’t get dates to the dance. Filled with a plethora of high school stereotypes, the group takes on a town for of brain hungry zombies and vow to save what’s left of the town from the adjacent power plant that seems to be the cause of the recent resurrections.

Those in the mood for a great zombie flick should pick this one up. Other critics have been quoted saying this film “makes Carrie look like Pretty in Pink,” though if you were to truly classify it, it’s much more like Shaun of the Dead meets Breakfast Club. Any fan of film who has seen dozens upon dozens of zombie movies knows the feeling of “how much ass they would kick if zombies were real.” Well, this movie does it for you, bringing out the Sci-Fi nerd in all of us as a group of high school freaks and geeks take on a town full of zombies.

The group is filled with just about everybody you would need in a zombie uprising: the Jackass-style bad boy, the heroic yet sassy wise-ass, the ditsy cheerleader, the know-it-all class president, the stoner rock band, the militant gym teacher, and of course the pack of nerds. Each member has their fifteen minutes as a hero, and then dies off or becomes second banana to the main love story between the wise-ass and the class president. That’s right: the zombie comedy has a romantic twist, and you’ll enjoy it.

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If you’re an astute reader, which we know you are, you’ve probably noticed a few new reviews popping up on The Flickcast over the past few weeks. For the month of October, in addition to our regular film, TV and DVD reviews, we’ll be bringing you lots of reviews of horror films to commemorate the month as well.

We’ll be bringing you a few new Horror Reviews each week, of both new theatrical releases, as well as new films on DVD. We’ll be doing this all month long so be sure to check out each horror review as they hit. Or, you can check out our most current list of reviews at the site by clicking on the link at the top.

Finally, on October 30th (Devil’s Night for those in the “know”), we’ll list all of our reviews and let you know which films to watch to get into the Halloween spirit. So, be sure to check back here frequently for all your horror film review needs.

Happy Halloween!