Suspense

	The Ward Movie Review The Ward marks the return of horror maestro John Carpenter after nearly a decade-long hiatus, and while it may not reach the heights of his iconic early works, it still showcases his flair for building atmosphere and suspense. The film is a psychological thriller that leans heavily on traditional horror tropes: haunted institutions, unreliable narrators, and a ghost with a grudge. Amber Heard delivers a strong performance as Kristen, portraying a mix of confusion, fear, and determination. The supporting cast—comprised of several other young women institutionalized in the ward—brings variety and tension to the narrative.... Read More
	Night swim Movie Review Night Swim is a 2024 thriller/horror film directed by Bryce McGuire, based on a 2014 short film of the same name. The movie explores a concept that is both simple and unsettling: a haunted swimming pool. What initially seems like a peaceful summer pastime hides a supernatural horror that emerges after dark. Strengths Atmosphere: The nighttime water setting is used effectively to build tension and suspense. The direction focuses heavily on unease and quiet dread. Visual and sound effects: Impressive, particularly in underwater scenes that evoke a sense of claustrophobia and helplessness. Psychological... Read More
	The House with Laughing Windows Movie Review The House with Laughing Windows is an unconventional masterpiece of Italian cinema—a film suspended between psychological thriller, rural horror, and gothic tradition, showing how true terror can stem more from suggestion than from explicit violence. Directed by a masterful Pupi Avati, the film stands out for its deeply unsettling atmosphere and its expert use of suspense. Avati builds horror with surgical precision, using a slow pace to generate anxiety and opting for a restrained yet elegant direction. The film's true protagonist is what remains unsaid: the silences, the glances, the distant noises, and the... Read More
	The Autopsy of Jane Doe Movie 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
	Presencias Movie 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 Watch Movie 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 Water Movie 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
	Occhiali neri/ Dark Glasses Movie Review "Dark Glasses": Between Stylistic Revival and Narrative Collapse The return of Dario Argento behind the camera with "Dark Glasses" ten years after "Dracula 3D" was an anticipated event, and the first part of the film initially seems to satisfy that expectation. The setting in Rome, a city flooded by an eclipse and immediately afterwards wrapped in a nocturnal and vicious atmosphere, is the perfect canvas for a classic Italian giallo. The opening sequences, with the introduction of Diana, a luxury escort (played by a good and likable Ilenia Pastorelli), and the immediate threat of a serial killer, unmistakably recall... Read More
	Late Night with the Devil Movie 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
	Ritual Movie 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 14^th original film distributed by After Dark Originals. It stars Dean Cates (Pod) and... Read More

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