Toe Tags (2003)

Directed by and starring Darla Enlow; I'm always interested when there is a female director for horror movies - just because they're so underrepresented that it can be a refreshing take on the genre. Not to generalize, but they're still plenty sexy and even gory, but with a different tone than films directed by males (usually). So, let's have a look at this Oklahoma based production made for $30K.

CHARACTERS

• Detective Kate Wagner (Darla Enlow)
• Billy Gilmore (Dru Callis)
• Beth (Alicia Jenkins), Billy's neighbor, first victim
• Victoria Geiler (Judy Charles), landlady
• Jeff Stapleton (Andrew Lombardo), crime scene investigator
• Detective Mark Weiss (Marc Page), Kate's partner
• Dr. S. Kelly (Scott Killman), medical examiner
• Samantha Richards (Danielle Britton), second victim
• Terry Watson (Deseree Cook), third victim
• Jake Kitomer (Ryan Cole), Terry's boyfriend
• Rose Saperstein (Erin McCormick), fourth victim

RATING: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 7/10

REVIEW: Sorry, I can't help it - I have to give this bad boy high marks. If you can get past terrible acting (like beyond awful acting), this was a solid movie. It doesn't shy away from sleaze, and keeps the action going at a good clip. As soon as things start to slow, they pick right back up with another murder at what must be the murder capital of Oklahoma - Valley Creek Apartments. It doesn't try to do any of that "fancy" shit which plagues movies from this period - no shaky cam, no Instagram filters, no faux grindhouse effects, no desaturated color pallet... and for that alone we should be high-fiving Darla Enlow. She only did a few other movies, and her catalog definitely seems worthy of checking into further.

DOUBLE FEATURE - Toe Tags (2003) and The Toolbox Murders (1978)

Apartment Building Killing Spree 

SYNOPSIS

Billy Gilmore (Dru Callis) comes home from a long day's work and is annoyed by the racket from next door. A girl is screaming, presumably having wild sex. Beth (Alicia Jenkins) is making quite the racket. But Beth isn't having consensual sex. In fact, she's being murdered. Billy knocks on her door, but there's no answer. He runs into the weird landlady at Valley Creek apartments. Victoria Geiler (Judy Charles). Jeff Stapleton (Andrew Lombardo) the wise cracking forensics guy takes pictures of the gruesome scene. The detectives arrive. Detective Kate Wagner (Darla Enlow) arrives. (Enlow is also the director of this film). Kate's partner Mark Weiss (Marc Page) inspects. Afterwards, Kate and Mark discuss the case. Kate wonders about the landlady since she was seen by Beth's apartment. Billy may also have to answer a few questions. But they won't get that chance to talk to Billy. He's busy being killed. Weiss and Wagner are back on the scene with with wisenheimer Jeff.

Kate interviews Ms. Geiler. She seems very suspicious. Mark doesn't think this old landlady is capable of murder. Kate learns that Kate and Billy used to be an item. Dr. S. Kelly (Scott Killman) is pissed. The body is missing a toe tag - again! Samantha Richards (Danielle Britton) wraps up her workout in the Valley Creek apartment fitness center. Samantha returns to her apartment and prepares for a shower. She returns to the kitchen for a moment. The killer approaches. Samantha is brutally bludgeoned and slashed in the bathroom. Wagner and Weiss are back yet again to a Valley Creek Apartment crime scene. They find Samantha dead in the bath. Jeff and Kate are incredulous why Mark is so suddenly shaken up. Then they learn that he and Samantha used to be in a relationship. On the bright side, they found the murder weapon left at the scene.

Neighbor Terry Watson (Deseree Cook) is making a scene. She swears it's the landlady Ms. Geiler. She saw the woman milling around when Samantha was coming back from the gym. Kate runs to Ms. Geiler's apartment. She strongly believes Geiler is the killer; however, Mark insists it can't be. Dr. Kelly does Samantha's autopsy. Once again he's upset that the toe tag is mysteriously missing. Terry and her boyfriend Jake Kitomer (Ryan Cole) are in bed. Jake goes to the kitchen and is murdered. Terry gets up to investigate the noise. Terry is grabbed and murdered. Her body is dragged from the kitchen. Mark and Kate are back to the apartment complex yet again. I mean, my god, they may as well just set up their offices here. They inspect Terry's body; yet another dead Valley Creek resident.

Mark confronts Kate about something Jeff said, which sort-off implicates her in Billy's murder. Kate resents the accusation. Undeterred by the five murders taking place within a single week at her apartment complex, Rose Saperstein (Erin McCormick) works out in the fitness center alone. Big surprise - Rose is face to face with the killer. It's too late, but Kate runs to Rose's side. Mark sees through the window: Ms. Geiler approaching Kate from behind with a knife raised. Mark has Ms. Geiler drop her knife. But it's too late for Kate - she's been hacked to death! Plot twist - Ms. Geiler is Mark's mother! So, Mark has been protecting his mother from suspicion this whole time. And now all the murders can be pinned on the late Kate Wagner. With the seventh murder at Valley Creek Apartments in a single week, the news finally is on the scene. It's reported that Kate Wagner was the killer. THE END