The fascination with nuclear apocalypse as a form of horror is understandable given how the threat of it lingers in the background of our own lives as silent and menacing as radiation itself. The harrowing impact of a radioactive disaster can be seen in gut-punching films such as When the Wind Blows, where the terror […]
Reviews
[Review] ‘Hail to the Deadites’ Documentary Pays Tribute to the ‘Evil Dead’ Franchise’s Most Ardent Fandom
True to its name, a documentary documents a subject and provides an examination of it in the process. Horror documentaries usually offer insight, analysis, and context for various aspects of the genre, either on a broad or niche scale. Hail to the Deadites doesn’t seek to provide any new details or analysis of the Evil Dead franchise but instead […]
[Review] ‘The Green Knight’ Conquers Its Epic Medieval Fantasy Quest With Richly Thematic Perfection!
Writer/Director David Lowery’s adaptation of the anonymously written, 14th-century poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” makes for one epic feast of a movie. Lowery deconstructs it, creating an intensely robust sword and sorcery feature thematically, visually, and narratively. The Green Knight doesn’t just ensnare you in its captivating spell piecemeal; it consumes you wholly from the opening […]
[Live Review] Tony Todd Proves He’s a Master of His Craft in August Wilson’s ‘How I Learned What I Learned’
The first time I made the trek to DeSales University campus I was in a hurry. It was Fourth of July, muggy and hot and the lush forests and cornfields offered me little comfort as I rushed from the airport straight to the theater. Anticipation that I’d been trying to stifle for weeks reared up […]
[Review] “American Horror Stories” Heads to the “Drive In” for an Encouraging Third Episode
The cost of art and the relationship between cinema and spectator come under scrutiny in this bloody, mindful American Horror Stories entry. “Fear?” “Why do you think horror films were invented?” There are no shortage of horror films that take place within movie theaters, but it’s considerably rarer for the carnage to be set at […]
[Review] M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Old’ Captures the Absurdities of Time
We spend a large chunk of our youth wishing for time to speed up so we can obtain the freedom that comes with adulthood. Then, once we reach adulthood, we wish for the ever-rapid passing of time to slow down to appreciate the freedom that came with youth. M. Night Shyamalan captures both sentiments and […]
[Review] King Woman Venture Into Rebellious Doom on Emotionally Crushing ‘Celestial Blues’
John Milton’s 1667 epic poem Paradise Lost holds a legendary status in the literary world. It not only revisits the Biblical story of the Fall of Man, but provides an added focus to that of Satan – his descent into Hell and rebellion against God. For centuries, Paradise Lost has been a work studied and […]
[Review] ‘Fear Street Part 3: 1666’ Closes Out the Netflix Trilogy With a Whimper
The first two-thirds of Netflix’s Fear Street trilogy delivered solid love letters to the slashers of yesteryear, connected by an overarching supernatural curse that’s plagued Shadyside since 1666. Director Leigh Janiak demonstrated a much-appreciated mean streak when killing off characters that audiences actively rooted for; she injected her slashers with emotional stakes. For its conclusion, Fear Street jumps even further back […]
[Review] ‘Escape Room: Tournament of Champions’ Struggles to Break Its Game Rules
The ending of Escape Room teased another doomed plane ride for heroine Zoey Davis (Taylor Russell) and fellow survivor Ben Miller (Logan Miller). The implication being that they’re once again one step behind in their quest to stop the evil Minos Corporation. Its sequel, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, quickly bypasses that ending and finds […]
[Review] “American Horror Stories” Struggles for Fresh Air in Lackluster Series Premiere
The American Horror Story episodic anthology spin-off starts with classic imagery that fits like a latex glove, but struggles for fresh air. “People love to be scared…” Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story marked a radical turning point not just for mainstream horror programming on television, but it’s also largely responsible for the massive resurgence of […]
[Review] ‘Gunpowder Milkshake’ Serves Up Stylish, Empty Calorie Action
Professional assassins remain the popular choice for protagonists in bone-crunching actioners, especially if the retired variety gets pulled back into the mix by force. The latest beat ‘em up features both former and active assassins, in the form of a mother and daughter team, fighting their way through the violent fallout of a botched job. Gunpowder […]
[Review] Shark Attack Horror Movie ‘Great White’ Sinks Under Shallow Tropes
Sharks remain the most prevalent predator in aquatic horror, thanks largely thanks to Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Unfortunately, the crowded subgenre means that it’s more challenging than ever to stand out among the sea of shark attack features. Enter Great White, the latest to pit humans against sharks. Instead of exploring uncharted waters, however, Great White sticks to the shallow […]
[Review] “Wellington Paranormal” is an Exceptional Spinoff That Often Surpasses “What We Do in the Shadows”
‘Wellington Paranormal’ is the horror comedy that genre fans have been waiting for and it’s far more than a silly ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ spin-off. Television has become a haven for cutting edge horror content and there are greater risks being taken with programs that gleefully deconstruct the genre or combine it together […]
[Review] Netflix’s ‘Blood Red Sky’ Soars with Intense, High-Altitude Vampire Tale
Blood Red Sky sets up expectations of an intense thriller with horror gimmickry thrown in for good measure between its title and the logline. Terrorists attempting to hijack a transatlantic overnight flight find resistance in the form of a vampire. It’s the type of plot that screams action-horror spectacle, yet this high-altitude thriller defies expectations from […]
[Review] Netflix’s ‘A Classic Horror Story’ Loses Itself in Borrowed Plot and Tropes
Paying homage to popular classics can be a tricky thing. It’s a delicate balance between appreciation and appropriation, and testing the boundaries without crossing them takes restraint. With a title like A Classic Horror Story and a logline that nods to formative horror movies, you expect a more pronounced degree of homage in store. But A Classic Horror […]