Tales from the Hood 3 (2020)
(On Cable TV, March 2021) This is my first exposure to the Tales from The Hood series, and I should probably have a look at the previous volumes. A black-themed horror anthology, it’s heavy on supernatural revenge stories, starting and ending with a framing device (“The Mouths of Babes and Demons”) that sees the would-be aggressor punished. “Ruby Gates” starts things off with a tale of fiery eviction and just-as-demonic comeuppance. “The Bunker” features an unrepentant white racist, but is a two-minute joke stretched over five minutes — striking in concept, but a bit too long for maximum impact. I liked “Operatic” a bit better than the other segments, with a story of schemers getting schemed pumped up with musical history and life-sucking creatures. “Dope Kicks” best showcases that the film was shot in Winnipeg, although its main idea is once again supernatural retribution. Tales from the Hood 3 isn’t all that memorable, but it’s a horror anthology that remains watchable throughout, and showcases a bit of diversity in the horror landscape. Writers-directors Rusty Cundieff and Darin Scott do well here, although their creative ideas may want to get away from straight-up revenge fantasies once in a while.