Reed Rodney (Blake Stadel) is a famous writer who is not only in a creative slump, but has also endured a brutal accident. With his mouth wired shut, he is left to linger about his home – sitting around on his laptop and slurping away at his nutritional drinks through a large straw. Things become […]
Reviews
[Review] ‘The Advent Calendar’ Offers Few Treats Inside Its Cursed Doors
Written and directed by Patrick Ridremont, The Advent Calendar offers an intriguing spin on holiday horror through the use of its titular plot device. For those unaware, an Advent Calendar is a calendar used to track the days leading up to Christmas. The calendar contains doors which people can open on each consecutive day, the […]
[Haunted Riffs Review]: Khemmis Capture Epic Doom on ‘Deceiver’!
Khemmis is a powerhouse of doom. Unlike the more oppressive side of the genre, the Denver, CO act take on a more triumphant tone – albeit one imbued with melancholy. Their sound offers the remarkable qualities of heavy doom, while also striding away from convention to provide more atmospheric variety. Though their debut 2015 LP […]
[Review] Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Nightmare Alley’ Is a Bleak, Winding Road to Ruin
The opening scene in Guillermo del Toro’s latest gives a grim introduction to lead Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) as he drags a wrapped body into the floorboards of a house, then sets the place ablaze. Intentionally presented without context, it casts Stanton in harsh light. That, of course, is by design. Appearances are often deceiving, and nothing […]
[Review] Netflix’s “Elves” is Perfect Christmas Horror for Fans of Creature Features and Folk Horror
When young Josefine asks why part of the forest is fenced off in Elves, a local woman (Ann Eleonora Jørgensen) replies: “So no one goes in.” She then tells the tourists to “stay away” from that area in general. As made very obvious earlier on in the series, the fence in question does more than […]
[Review] “Chucky” Season Finale Leaves You Ready for Season 2 With a Smile On Your Face
A lot of ground has been covered in just seven episodes of Don Mancini‘s “Chucky” series. Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur) overcame his isolation and rage to find a family in Lexy (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and Devon (Bjorgvin Arnarson). Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) once again found herself struggling to get the love and respect she so desperately […]
[Review] ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’ Embraces Horror With Mostly Faithful Video Game Remix
The Resident Evil films evolved from a barely recognizable adaptation of the video games into an action sci-fi series. It emphasized the action, growing further and further away from anything resembling the games’ plotlines. Writer/Director Johannes Roberts, with Paul W.S. Anderson executive producing, offers a reboot that goes back to the beginning. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City remixes the first two […]
[Review] The Penultimate Episode of “Chucky” Slows Down to Set the Final Stage of Madness
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. The adage thematically sums up the penultimate episode of “Chucky” season one. The last episode offered up a whirlwind of reveals, converging paths, and a meanspirited death to boot. “Twice the Grieving, Double the Loss” slows everything down to meticulously place the players on the game […]
[Review]: ‘Bloodmoon: I’ Displays the Brilliance and Musical Intrigue of Converge, Chelsea Wolfe & Stephen Brodsky!
Being the metalcore force that they’ve been for more than three decades, Converge has always been interested in experimentation. The band’s most iconic release, Jane Doe (which came out 20 years ago), is a testament to that; going beyond the realm of hardcore song structure, Converge laid out an experience that hammers and throttles away […]
[Review] Blumhouse’s ‘A House on the Bayou’ Makes for a Dull Dinner Party Too Invested in Its Twists
A remote location and uninvited guests make for a tension-filled scenario that could inspire a variety of chills and thrills. A House on the Bayou uses that to its advantage, shrouding its horrors in mystery. Trying to guess what is happening keeps you on the hook for a while, but the more the answers flow, the less […]
[Review] “Chucky” Packs Episode Six Full of Shocking Moments and Vital Reveals
The last episode marked a dramatic turning point in “Chucky” with major strides in multiple plot threads. Paths started to converge with the arrival of Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) and Nica (Fiona Dourif), and smaller loose ends sought closure in Jake Wheeler’s world. Flashbacks into Tiffany’s first meet-cute with Charles Lee Ray ran parallel with the […]
[Review] ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Crosses the Streams of Sentimentality and Fan Service
Director Jason Reitman called Ghostbusters: Afterlife his most personal film yet. That makes sense; he was seven when dad Ivan Reitman’s Ghostbusters was released in theaters and twelve when the sequel arrived. Ghostbusters no doubt made up a significant part of Reitman’s childhood and his family’s life. It results in a sentimental family film that examines the legacy and the film’s […]
[Review] Vampire Movie ‘Dead & Beautiful’ Hesitates to Bite Deep
With exceptions, many vampires are presented in a light (though not literally) of wealth. Class and vampires aren’t that far a stretch when it comes to topical overlapping; given the castles, decadent wardrobes, and fancy lifestyles, vampires have been accustomed to portrayals of high society. The monsters are a brilliant means to explore the corruption […]
[Review] The Zombies Mode in ‘Call of Duty Vanguard’ is a Stripped Down Experience, Lacking Some Flesh on its Bones
In Call of Duty: Vanguard, the long-running Zombies mode shambles back yet again. But, like a character who has suffered an unfortunate bite, it doesn’t quite look the way you remember it. The primary difference, which returning players will notice right away, is that Vanguard’s Zombies mode doesn’t include a campaign. The barest basics of […]
[Review] 200 Stab Wounds’ ‘Slave to the Scalpel’ Is Vicious, Gory Death Metal #HauntedRiffs
The noise that 200 Stab Wounds have been making is far from subtle. The Cleveland, Ohio death metal outfit are relatively new to the scene – having formed in 2020 – but have been rattling the underground. Their impressive EP Piles of Festering Decomposition bursts with ferocious sounding riffs and pummeling presentation. Compared to other […]