Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Blake Rivera If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Aspen Orson There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

Scott LeBrun "Anguish" opens with the story of John (Michael Lerner), a middle aged man dominated by his demented mother (the unique Zelda Rubinstein). She hypnotizes him into going on a murder spree, so that he may collect his victims' eyes.The catch here is that these opening 22 minutes are actually a movie within the movie. While Lerner ends up offing the people watching a showing of the original "The Lost World", the people watching *his* movie begin to be terrorized by another mother dominated madman (Angel Jove) wielding a gun.This comes recommended to horror fans, who are sure to appreciate the clever way that director Bigas Luna ("Jamon Jamon", "The Chambermaid on the Titanic") so completely blurs the line between fantasy and reality. And he maintains this tone all the way until his resolution. Up until then, he keeps our attention with an efficient pace, enough splatter to please the gore loving crowd, and some very good suspense. Luna manages to create a reasonable American feel (with much better English dubbing than one usually finds in this sort of thing) while shooting on the cheap in Barcelona. He also gets fine performances from a cast with its fair share of non-actors.The principal performers are very well cast. Lerner is a perfect combination of average schlub and sadistic psycho, and Rubinstein is incredible as the woman driving him to murder. Talia Paul and Clara Pastor are appealing as two girls watching the Lerner tale unfold on screen, and Paul really gives it her all in portraying anxiety and fear. Jove is suitably creepy.As the action in both old and new movie begins to mirror each other, Lunas' movie builds to a highly engrossing fever pitch.The closing credits are also quite appropriate to the occasion.Eight out of 10.

Siamois The core concept of this film is watching a slasher movie about people in a theater... who are watching a slasher movie themselves. The main idea certainly has merits and a lot of potential but alas, writer and director Bigas Luna never achieves it.The first slasher (the movie within the movie) has occult and psychedelic overtones but is rather silly. It does feature the only two actors worthy of the title in Lerner and Rubinstein. The second film is uninspired at best and features awful acting all around. Both suffer from drawn out scenes that go absolutely nowhere.The most excitement regarding Anguish is when you first discover you are watching a movie within a movie and then, you wait for something clever to happen... except it never does. Poorly written, shot, acted and edited, Anguish will mostly be remembered as a cool idea that may have been ahead of its time.

sydneyswesternsuburbs Director and writer Bigas Luna has created a gem in Anguish.Starring Zelda Rubinstein who has also been in another classic flick, Poltergeist 1982.Also starring Michael Lerner who has also been in other classic flicks, Barton Fink 1991 and Maniac Cop 2 1990.Also starring Taila Paul.I enjoyed the cinematography, sound and violence.If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic horror flicks, Baby Blood 1990, The Beyond 1981, Pit and the Pendulum 1961, The Incredible Torture Show 1976, Blue Holocaust 1979, Borderland 2007, Brain Damage 1988, The Ring 2002, Gutterballs 2008, Candyman 1992, Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest 1995, Circus of Horrors 1960, Cronos 1993, Deep in the Woods 2000, Deranged 1974, The Descent 2005, The Descent: Part 2 2009, Evil Dead Trap 1988, Final Destination 2000, Final Destination 2 2003, Final Destination 3 2006, Final Destination 5 2011, The Fog 1980, Freddy vs. Jason 2003, The Gore Gore Girls 1972, Halloween 1978, The Hazing 2004, Horrors of the Black Museum 1959, House of Wax 2005, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday 1993, My Bloody Valentine 1981, My Bloody Valentine 2009, Necronomican 1993, Masters of Horror: Pelts 2006, The Prowler 1981, The Ruins 2008, Saw 3D 2010, Saw IV 2007, Scanners 1981, See No Evil 2006, Seeding of a Ghost 1983, The Seventh Curse 1986, Sleepy Hollow 1999, Slither 2006, Stagefright 1981, Tenebre 1982, A Bay of Blood 1971, Grave Encounters 2011, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 2013, Turistas 2006 and The Wizard of Gore 1970.

ThrownMuse I'm not sure why this 1980s horror film is so overlooked. It is a very unique film, if a bit gimmicky. It stars Tangina (wait, I mean, Zelda Rubenstein, of course!) as a psycho-mommy whose relationship is a bit too tight with her son. In fact, she hypnotizes him on a nightly basis and has him going out about town, gouging out people's eyeballs for her personal collection! Just when you think the story couldn't get more bizarre, it does. This is definitely for fans of films about messed-up mother/son relationships. For those who can't stomach Tangina, you still might get a kick out of this truly original 80s horror flick. It's been compared to "Demons," but such a comparison is superficial. Beware, most reviews on this one feature major plot spoilers!