Mahal Empire Double-Feature: Written Review

Mahal Empire Double–Feature

Written Review

Hi everyone and welcome to the final episode for Season One of MyIndie Review Vlog, the show that gives you spoiler-free reviews of indie films. My name is Asaf Angel from MyIndie Productions.

And in today’s closing episode I will be reviewing two feature films produced by the Mahal Brothers of the Mahal Empire! Both directed by Rolfe Kanefsky and co-written by Rolfe and the Mahal Brothers, Michael and Sonny Mahal.

Thank you Gentlemen for sharing your projects with our show!

Let’s jump right to it!

The first film to be reviewed is 2017’s Horror Comedy, Bus Party To Hell.

Darby, played by none other than Tara Reid, is an out of place party girl we see frantically running through the Navada desert, desperately trying to avoid a grave danger she encountered earlier.

As Darby’s predicament serves as ominous exposition for what lies in store, we follow a group of fun-seeking party goers who get together on a luxurious bus in Las Vegas that is meant to take them to Burning Man Festival in Black Rock city, Navada.

Due to some delay, their bus driver Joan, portrayed by the Sadie Katz opts to take them through the scenic route in order to save time.

Things go horrifically and hilariously wrong when the bus gets stranded with its driver, Joan missing, as our group come to a violent realization that the fun is over as a devil worshiping cult of bloodthirsty, half-naked, snake loving Goth maniacs, crowd the bus and begin killing off anything that moves, while prepping for some kind of dark ceremony.

As the group is confined to the under siege vehicle, they must devise a plan to get mobile and fast. Alast their missing bus driver had the keys on her.

It feels that Rolfe and the Mahal Brothers really had fun with this one. The film is filled with gore, sex and supernatural forces. Basically everything one should look for in a party, no?

In their roller-coaster ride of a film, that has a pretty awesome production value for what I imagine was a tight Indie budget, Rolfe and the Mahal Brothers managed to bring to life a fun, quirky story, that in some ways parodies films like The Hills Have Eyes, as well as Jeepers Creepers, and is seemingly very self-aware.

I did find some issues with story and scene structure, but those can’t really be held against the film’s creators too much because of the fun and lighthearted nature of the film.

Having said that, it was extremely impressive for any film, let alone an indie production, to have so many characters and participants involved.

We have multiple men and women wearing weird elaborate costumes, heavy makeup and body-art, snakes and other creepy creatures in frame (Real Creatures!) complicated Practical and Makeup effects and more!

Bus Party To Hell Gets a 7/10 on the Look At Me, I’m A Film Critic Scale!
Keep in mind, though it is a Horror Comedy, the film is not for everyone. It is pretty packed with Gore and Nudity. Hey, I’m not complaining, but viewer’s discretion is advised.

Go check it out for yourself, and let us no what you think. Links for streaming or purchase at top of page and also below.

Next film in line is Rolfe and the Mahal Brothers’ upcoming 2019 Horror Art Of The Dead!

The Wilsons, a wealthy and unsuspecting family purchases a set of seven rare paintings at a bourgeois auction that are said to each represent one of the seven deadly sins by Christian belief. Greed, envy, gluttony, lust, sloth, pride, and wrath.

Dylan Wilson, played by Lukas Hassel consulted with his wife Gena, Jessica Morris, before placing the winning bid on the paintings, much to the delight of the auction’s curator played by Tara Reid.

Little do they know, there is a lot more than skillfully expressed oil painted themes on the canvas of their new exciting art pieces, as these particular paintings carry a grave evil within them.

Prior to being displayed at auction and acquired by the Wilsons, we get to see the aftermath of the disaster the paintings brought forth, in the home of one Douglas Winter, played by non-other than, Richard Grieco.

Slowly but surely, the seven conduits of evil wreak havoc at the Wilson’s household and poisons the minds of Dylan, Gena and their children. Question remains, will they be able to break free from the forces that hold them before it is too late?

In comparison to Bus Party To Hell, Art Of The Dead has a much more serious tone and multilayered plot, lead by a deeper and a clearly more cultivated premise. This time the horror originates from Catholic theology.

As the sins are numbering Seven, Rolfe and the Mahal Brothers diligently built sub plots that enrich the entire film, and as I have already seen in their work, they fearlessly incorporate multiple characters and participants in a variety of locations and sequences. Keep in mind, this is still a tight budget indie production, but our guys show remarkable capabilities, yet again.

Production value is fairly high by any standard. Set design, Practical, makeup and special effects, Cinematography: all wonderfully executed.

The only issues, again, I had a problem with have to do with story and scene structure, but there is a definitely nurtured and evolving skill and I can’t wait to see what comes next from Rolfe and the Mahal Brothers.

Art Of The Dead gets a 7.5/10 on the Look At Me I’m A Film Critic Scale!

The film is said to be officially released during early 2019 so stay tuned for updates!

The Mahal Brothers are currently hard at work raising funds for their upcoming Sci-Fi thriller: Attack Of The Unknown

Starring Richard Grieco, Tara Reid and Robert Lasardo, this time with Brandon Slagle at the helm as director and as co-writer along with Michael and Sonny Mahal.

To all you Sci-Fi Indie film enthusiasts, Go support indie film and help bring this amazing new project to life!

We at MyIndie Productions wish the Mahal Brothers the best of luck and can’t wait to see the completed result of their new project!

So that completes 35 wonderful weeks of reviews, where I got to sit here and talk about independent films by independent hard-working filmmakers from around the world.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for tuning in, as it is tremendously important to keep getting the word out on Indie projects, so that we can all keep on making them.

Among other projects, we are currently planning an awesome Season Two, so please keep an eye out for further updates.

Until next time, keep supporting Indie film. My name is Asaf Angel, I thank you for tuning in to MyIndie Review Vlog. See you next season!