The new split season of ‘American Horror Story’ presents a fractured family and a creative take on a classic creature, but already shows fatigue. “There’s no magic pill for greatness.” American Horror Story heads into its tenth season with Double Feature and at this point the overall horror theme for each season–as well as the […]
Reviews
[Review] Nia DaCosta’s ‘Candyman’ Is a Bold Reclamation of Legacy and Legend
Bernard Rose’s adaptation of Clive Barker’s “The Forbidden” unleashed an enduring boogeyman and horror icon almost thirty years ago. One with a darkly romantic and tragic history. Director Nia DaCosta’s Candyman returns to Cabrini-Green to reexamine the eponymous character’s legend and legacy, expanding its scale. It’s an ambitious and haunting reclamation realized by DaCosta’s bold vision, blending […]
[Review] ‘Tormented Souls’ is a Scrappy Throwback Survival Horror Experience
While plenty of indie developers have captured the essence of survival horror as it was on the original PlayStation, far fewer have managed to do so with the PlayStation 2 era of the sub-genre. This was arguably the peak of it at the time. Those few precious years, before the impact of Resident Evil 4 […]
[Review] ‘Quake’ Remains a Stellar Dark Fantasy Shooter, 25 Years On
As with the rerelease of any game celebrating more than a decade’s worth of birthdays, I went into this remastered version of Quake; the iconic, important evolution of the first-person shooter, fearing it may have been dulled by the cruel swing of time. Thankfully, I feel foolish for ever doubting it. Quake still rules 25 […]
[Review] In Chaotic Shooter ‘Aliens: Fireteam Elite’ It’s Cooperate or Collapse
For a franchise with such inconsistent efforts as a movie series, one would have to call the Alien video games “on brand” for being just about as unpredictable over the years. Aliens: Fireteam Elite has the unenviable task of coming after a broken mess of a shooter in Colonial Marines and a beloved horror that […]
[Fantasia Review] ‘Midnight’ Brings Propulsive Energy to South Korean Serial Killer Thriller
When it comes to unrelentingly bleak and suspenseful thrillers, South Korean cinema reigns supreme. Especially when serial killers enter the equation, with a cat and mouse chase that’ll leave all parties irrevocably changed. Kwon Oh-seung‘s debut feature, Midnight, enters the pantheon of breathless thrillers, delivering a propulsive, unpredictable film that’s lighter than most of its ilk […]
‘The Sadness’ Review – Gory Virus Movie Goes for the Jugular With Transgressive, Extreme Horror
Bloody Disgusting’s The Sadness review is spoiler-free. Everything about the premise of writer/director Rob Jabbaz’s feature debut reads like another formulaic zombie or outbreak horror that’s become overly familiar in the wake of our real-time pandemic. It quickly becomes apparent that The Sadness refuses to adhere to the average viral horror movie. Jabbaz keeps a […]
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[Fantasia Review] ‘Martyrs Lane’ Offers Ghostly Mystery Through a Child’s Eyes
There’s a mystery afoot in Ruth Platt’s ghost film, Martyrs Lane. The film, a feature adaptation of the writer/director’s 2019 short of the same name, is less interested in traditional spectral hauntings than exploring grief and loss through the eyes of a little girl who doesn’t fully understand what’s going on. While there are still […]
Popcorn Frights 2021 Capsule Reviews: Psychedelic Nightmare ‘Dawn Breaks Behind the Eyes’ and More
Another Popcorn Frights Film Festival winds down, bringing a hybrid model that offered in-person screenings, including a sneak peek of The Night House and a slew of curated online programming. Through their virtual showing and Q&A for the short film “Mask of the Evil Apparition,” the event even broke the news that Alex Proyas is […]
[Review] “Game Over” Ends the First Season of “American Horror Stories” With a Playful Look to the Past
Everyone’s favorite Murder House returns in a meta season finale that questions fan service and when it’s appropriate to return to the past. “We are like huge ‘American Horror Story’ fans…” I initially lamented at the start of this season of American Horror Stories that an episode that’s set within an existing American Horror Story […]
[Review] A Bewitching Atmosphere Can’t Save ‘Yuoni’ From Tired ‘Run and Hide’ Gameplay
Given the wealth of folklore, mythology, and the like there is to choose from, it’s starting to get a little underwhelming when yet another horror game selects cursed ghost kid/woman as its vessel. More so when the game itself ends up being another dose of ‘hide while defenseless’. Tricore Inc’s Yuoni is both of those […]
[Fantasia Review] Supernatural Indigenous Film ‘Don’t Say Its Name’ Is Topical, But Struggles With Its Scares
Rueben Martell’s Don’t Say Its Name opens with a hit and run. Kharis (Sheena Kaine), a young Indigenous woman, is walking on a back road when she’s struck and killed. Her assailant isn’t seen, but her death has immediate ramifications that extend far beyond her grieving mother Mary Lynne (Carla Fox); it winds up affecting […]
[Review] ‘The Night House’ Delivers Unrelenting Terror with Haunting Portrait of Grief
The finality of death is an inherently terrifying thought, especially if there’s absolutely nothing after. The idea that we cease to exist after our short time on Earth has been a perplexing thought for ages, which is why the pursuit of the question of an afterlife remains a constant. Writers Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski […]
[Review] Neill Blomkamp’s Sci-fi Horror Movie ‘Demonic’ Fails to Inject New Life into a Standard Possession Tale
Thanks to a particular seminal horror classic in the ‘70s, the possession and exorcism subgenre of horror followed in its wake by adhering closely to its blueprint and adopting its tropes. Getting trapped and held prisoner in your own body by an inhuman entity makes for an inherently terrifying setup. Still, it’s become increasingly difficult […]
‘The Righteous’ Review – A Slow-Burn Religious Thriller That’ll Creep Under Your Skin
Structured like a play and filmed in inky black and white, actor Mark O’Brien’s feature directorial debut The Righteous is a dialogue-driven examination of grief, responsibility and penance. The film follows Frederic Mason (Henry Czerny), a former priest who left the brotherhood to marry Ethel (Mimi Kuzyk) and raise a little girl. Ethel is devout […]
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