Suspense
 | The Autopsy of Jane DoeMovie Review The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a small gem of contemporary horror cinema, a film that manages to combine classic suspense with an intelligent use of the supernatural. Directed by Norwegian filmmaker André Øvredal, the film sits halfway between forensic thriller and occult nightmare, maintaining a claustrophobic and refined tension throughout most of its runtime. The story unfolds almost entirely in a morgue, where a father and son (Brian Cox and Emile Hirsch, both in top form) are tasked with examining the body of a young woman found mysteriously intact at a scene of brutal carnage. It is precisely the paradox between the... Read More |
 | PresenciasMovie Review Presencias is a supernatural thriller that blends classic gothic aesthetics with a modern, psychologically unsettling narrative. Set in an isolated house deep in the woods, the film plays on the duality between what is seen and what is hidden—aptly hinted at by the striking poster, where a mirrored image reveals the disturbing element: an upside-down figure, symbolizing a world turned inside out, where reality loses all certainty. Luis Mandoki’s direction—known for his emotionally resonant touch even in tense dramas—serves the tone of psychological horror well here, with an atmosphere thick with suspense and a haunting... Read More |
 | Night WatchMovie Review "Night Watch" is a film that skillfully plays with the sense of paranoia and suspense, immersing the viewer in a gothic and claustrophobic atmosphere. Elizabeth Taylor offers an intense performance, making the protagonist's growing state of anxiety and confusion believable. The director makes the most of the psychological tension, maintaining the ambiguity between hallucination and reality until the final twist. The aesthetic of the film recalls classic gothic thrillers with dark houses, torrential rains and a constant sense of impending menace. Although it can be slow at times, the narrative crescendo and the shocking... Read More |
 | Dark WaterMovie Review An American adaptation of the 2002 Japanese film of the same name, directed by Hideo Nakata and based on the novel by Koji Suzuki (both known for The Ring saga), Dark Water marks Walter Salles' debut in genre cinema. The Brazilian director, already internationally appreciated for Central do Brasil and The Motorcycle Diaries, tries his hand here at a psychological thriller with dark and distressing atmospheres. The setting plays a fundamental role in building the tension: Roosevelt Island, an isolated strip of land in the waters of the East River in New York, presents itself as an oppressive place, dominated by gloomy... Read More |
 | Late Night with the DevilMovie Review Late Night with the Devil by directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes uses a retro TV show setting to create an unnerving atmosphere that draws viewers into a slowly intensifying horror. The film’s attention to detail, from the 70s grainy footage style to shifting between black-and-white and color, sets the tone perfectly. The clever cinematography immerses audiences as if they’re watching a live broadcast unraveling in real time, a technique that intensifies the suspense, especially during the eerie "commercial breaks." David Dastmalchian’s portrayal of Jack Delroy is a highlight, conveying both desperation and a... 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 |
 | Kairo (Pulse)Movie Review It’s safe to say that we’ve created our share of iconic horror characters here in America. Horror icons like Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Michael Myers (Halloween), or Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th) are so highly recognizable, that they’re pretty much synonymous with the mere concept of a horror movie. Even so, no country handles horror quite like Japan does. Japanese horror films have a much-deserved reputation for... 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 |
 | The Curse of La LloronaMovie Review If you’re a fan of the ever-expanding universe of The Conjuring, then it makes sense that The Curse of La Llorona would definitely be on your radar. It is the sixth addition to the franchise, joining other recent hits like The Nun and Annabelle in fleshing out the world first introduced by the original Conjuring back in 2013. It’s also the directorial debut of... Read More |
 | A Quiet PlaceMovie Review There are movies that take their time building a mood and movies that pull you right into their carefully crafted worlds pretty much right away. John Krakinski’s A Quiet Place is definitely the latter. The first thing the viewer sees is a barefoot family scavenging for supplies in the middle of an abandoned supermarket. However, they’re doing so completely silently – not exactly average for a family that includes three children. We’re promptly informed via a title card that we’re on “Day 89” of whatever’s going on and with that, our journey into this very quiet world... Read More |