twist of fait accomplis

The Convent, 2000
Director: Mike Mendez
Availability: Medium (on DVD from Lions Gate)

So you've got Adrienne Barbeau reprising her role as an ass-kicking heroine, Coolio as a cop (!), and a tagline that reads "Nuns, Guns, and Gasoline!" Clearly, The Convent is quite a ride, and a joyfully sacreligious one, at that. Mike Mendez and Chaton Anderson created an indie horror film (made for under $1 million) with a big movie feel. The effects and off-center humor will appeal to fans of fun 80s horror gore, giving audiences a fast-paced horror film they can dig their teeth into.

The story is as such: in the 1960s, a woman walks into a convent, beats the nuns inside and proceeds to burn the place down. Ouch. 40 years later, the abandoned nunnery is a favorite location for frat boys and sorority girls as well as amateur Satanists. It doesn't take long for things to go awry after a human sacrifice, and demonic nuns are soon on the offensive, taking out a crew of teens one-by-one, Demons-style.

The Convent is another great party movie; the more people, the better. And word is that a sequel is underway... don't worry: Coolio's coming back.