The Killing Jar (1996)

          Mike has moved back to his hometown and with the death of his mother has taken over the family Winery. But this just ain't any old winery - it is the town winery and the business that makes the town profitable. But Mike's return isn't bittersweet because the residents haven't forgotten what happened years ago. Mike's father was driving Mike and 2 friends in the city one day, when a car accident took all their lives. Only Pete is left from the famous group of 4 and Mike is ignoring him. But once a string of serial killing murders gets closer and closer to the town of Soleto, the citizens are getting restless and Mike's presence is becoming unwanted. Mike's wife, Diane, hasn't figured out what all the problems are but she knows that Mike has gone weird since he witnessed a scene involving some of the murders. With the entire town tense and Mike going insane, only Diane can save them all, that is until the stranger comes to town bearing bad tidings!

          Overall: Film spends lots of time probing and prodding Mike's brain via hypnosis. Basically I think the film is miscast all-around. Xander Berkeley really should be the character of Mike, and Brion James is definitely the hypnotic doctor type - he's played too many bad guys to be good now. And basically I was shocked to see an Asian woman play a lead in an American horror film. Ask yourself: How many Asian women are not just in American horror films, but leads? "Deep Rising" comes to mind but take the bigtime slasher films such as "Halloween," "Friday the 13th" and even "A Nightmare on Elm St." - how many minorities are in those? I think it is refreshing and unique so I am definitely saying this is a nice change. The title essentially comes from the scene with the 4 kids and the spider in the jar - they watch the oxygen and life get sucked out of the spider, hence what Mike feels by the end of the film. Cute.

          Comparison: Pirates of Silicon Valley meets Shattered

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