Mysterious
Gretel & HanselMovie Review Anyone familiar with the original versions of classic fairy tales like “Hansel and Gretel” already knows that they have lots of horror movie potential. As a rule though, most attempts to capture these tales on film tend to miss the mark. It’s clear from the conspicuous reversal of the titular names that Gretel & Hansel hopes to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack right from the get-go, but does it actually do the job, or are you better off spending 90 minutes of your time on some other film? ... Read More | |
RitualMovie Review A married couple with a complicated relationship, a corpse, and a room at a less than reputable motel. It’s a classic formula for a horror movie that’s no doubt familiar for many genre fans. It’s also the set-up for Mickey Keating’s 2013 film, Ritual. Ritual is the 14th original film distributed by After Dark Originals. It stars Dean Cates (Pod) and... Read More | |
Dead AwakeMovie Review Whether you’ve personally experienced it or simply heard your share of other people’s horror | |
The Noonday WitchMovie Review When you think of the most chilling horror tales of all time, there are a lot of staples that come immediately to mind when it comes to possible settings – like dank asylums, haunted houses, isolated forests, or just about anywhere that feels a little creepier and more sinister under cover of darkness. You don’t probably think of sun-drenched corn fields or bright summer days in the countryside, but The Noonday Witch may just change your mind about that. The Noonday Witch is a 2016 Czech language film brought to the screen by... Read More | |
The Black RoomMovie Review When it comes to classic horror tropes – like haunted houses and the dark secrets they hide – there’s definitely more than one way to approach material that is very familiar to the average genre fan by now. More and more modern filmmakers are adopting a cerebral approach and turning their haunted house movies into social commentaries with something larger to say. Others are focused on simply telling a good scary story with plenty of jump scares and special effects. Still more go for an exploitive approach that is almost intentionally trashy. The Black Room... Read More | |
The ShrineMovie Review The Shrine is the type of film that comes complete with lots of familiar horror tropes an avid genre lover will recognize. You’ve got the mysterious disappearance of a traveler under mysterious circumstances, as well as a team of people seeking answers as to the details of those circumstances. You’ve got a remote village in a foreign land populated by strange people who raise an eyebrow or two thanks to their mysterious beliefs and practices. Scares, jumps, and mysteries abound as the protagonists attempt to make sense of it all. Given those facts, the plotline of... Read More | |
Pet SemataryMovie Review Whether you’re the type of person who loves remakes or simply the type who loves to hate them, it’s highly likely that 2019’s Pet Sematary is on your radar for one reason or another if you’re into horror. It’s directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer (who also directed Starry Eyes) and is, of course, a reboot of the classic Stephen King film... Read More | |
Hereditary - Evil runs in the familyMovie Review “Hereditary” is a literally "homemade" horror. The physical home, as a place of family life and as creative microcosm of Annie, and the metaphysical home, as a dreamlike symbol of the stability or instability of the Ego, are inextricably intertwined in a game of Chinese boxes : a husband , a son, a daughter, and a miniaturist job she loves. But also a bulky mother: Ellen. Annie has always been trying to fix her "home": and soon we realize that something, in addition to the ambivalent relationship between her and the now defunct Ellen, does not work. Starting from Charlie, an... Read More | |
WinchesterMovie Review What horror fan doesn’t love a good haunted house story – especially one based on real people, places, and events? That’s Winchester in a nutshell. If you’ve ever been to San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House (or heard of it), then you’re already somewhat familiar with the backstory to Winchester. Also known as “the house that ghosts built”, the Winchester Mystery House was built by Sarah Winchester, widow of William Winchester, inventor of the famous rifle. After her husband and daughter both pass away, the grieving Sarah becomes convinced that she’s... Read More | |
It FollowsMovie Review Horror films at their very best successfully tap into the primal fears and apprehensions of its audience. They not only remind us of the things we’re afraid of but challenge us to ask why they make us so afraid. They also inspire us to contemplate whether or not falling victim to our worst fears is something that can be avoided, and if so, at what cost. If that’s the kind of horror film you absolutely love, then It Follows was definitely made with you in mind. It Follows made its debut at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and was later distributed by... Read More |