observation notes: NAZIS AT THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

Every now and again, a movie comes along whose very concept generates hype the instant it is heard. So rarely do the films live up to that hype, so rarely do the filmmakers manage to not only fulfill but eclipse that promise, that when a film actually does manage these things, we call it nothing less than a classic. Ladies(?) and gentlemen, Nazis at the Center of the Earth is that film. For real.

Whatever you're expecting, throw it out the window. You're not predicting this one, and I'm not going to spoil a single damn second of it for you. I will say, however, that if you're expecting some sort of throwback camp-fest, you're watching the wrong movie: NATCOTE is a truly tense, gruesome, and disturbing thriller mixing history, perverted science, sci-fi, adventure and that good old Asylum sense of insanity all rolled up into perhaps the most mind-bending 90 minutes the studio has ever produced. And I know I'm biased, cuz I love these guys and everything, but for real, FOR REAL, you owe it to yourself to watch one of the most ingenious B-movies ever set to celluloid.

Again, in the interest of not spoiling a single thing, I won't go into great details about the individual characters, but our celebrity leads here, Dominique Swain (Lolita, New Best Friend) and Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, The Frighteners) bring the heat, Ms. Swain playing with emotional aplomb a hyper-intelligent yet vulnerable doctor, and Mr. Busey reeling in a pensive and conflicted performance. Other standouts include Christopher Karl Johnson as the reprehensibly vile Doctor Mengele, and Adam Burch, Marlene Okner and Lilan Bowden as other scientists.

The film, the first directorial effort from Asylum VFX Supervisor Joseph J. Lawson, does not skimp on the visuals and does not fail to deliver. My expectations in this specific arena were pretty high, especially as I really believe Asylum VFX have improved a hundred-fold in the last couple of years, but the things these guys pulled off in this one? Some of the most memorable visuals of the year. And you'd never know it was Lawson's first time at the helm; there's a very keen sense of control over the picture, for as crazy and labyrinthine a mystery as this film is, it moves at an expert pace, doling out the goods like breadcrumbs leading to a wholly satisfying and thoroughly unexpected climax.

The story comes courtesy of Paul Bales (Sherlock Holmes, 2010 Moby Dick) and is smart, steeped in scientific and historical details that only enrich the suspense and horror, and wickedly brutal. Seriously, I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how surreally awesome this film is, while at the same time being starkly scary, wildly inventive and all-too possible. The last 35 minutes of this film is a masterclass in WOW. Plus, I learned a lot of useful German.

So have I beamed enough? Have I spit enough hyperbole to convince you that Nazis at the Center of the Earth is a tent-pole Asylum project, certain to be one of the first three anyone mentions 100 years from now? This one's a game-changer, folks; the bar has been raised. This isn't what you were hoping for, this isn't what you were expecting: it's sooooo much better. Out Tuesday on DVD, Blu-Ray, and VOD. Whatever else you thought you were doing, scrap it. Trust me.

inmate profile: Lilan Bowden

For the last couple of weeks, Committed has been spotlighting various cast and crew members of the next Asylum release, Nazis at the Center of the Earth, now only a week away. That spotlight shines now on actress Lilan Bowden, an up-and-coming actress/writer/host making her third appearance in an Asylum film.

After working in a couple of shorts, Ms. Bowden made her feature debut as a television reporter in Princess and the Pony. Her second feature was the polar opposite of her first, Zombie Apocalypse, in which she played arrow-wielding badass "Myrah." And now, she plays the character "May Yun" in NATCOTE. Pretty impressive couple of years she's had, I'd say; sounds like The Asylum's taken a shine to her, and who can blame them. On screen Ms. Bowden is that delicate combination of strong and fragile, a real person in unreal situations, making her terror and resolve palpable things that resonate with any viewer. And with the spattering of Asylum films yet to come this year - at least 9 as of this posting - it could be that we haven't seen the last of Ms. Bowden this year. If that isn't enough to tide you over, though, you can always catch her as a host of "Short Notice," a talk show "featuring Asian American short films, wrapped around candid & eye-opening conversations with the filmmakers behind them."

As for the immediate future, however, line up now (cuz there will be lines for this one, at least at your local Redbox depository) to see her shine in the year's most highly- and hotly-anticipated film, as well as a contender for greatest film title ever, Nazis at the Center of the Earth, out next Tuesday, April 24th everywhere people enjoy entertainment.