Jordan Peele’s third feature film, Nope, was kept a mystery in its marketing and has been slotted into various categories since its release: supernatural horror, science fiction, modern Western, creature feature, and sardonic look at a society obsessed with getting the perfect money-making shot. Nope is all of these in …
When Moth was a little girl, she encountered in the woods what her mother called “the winter folk”. Years later, they found her again and offered her a job. Three months’ service for whatever she wished for. For three years, Moth returned to Deerhaven and worked for the winter folk. …
When a genre is ‘alive and kicking’ nobody bothers to look into its roots. But judging by the sheer volume and declining quality of spoof comedies, it’s safe to say this kind of movie is mostly living of its past. You ask any cinephile, and they’ll quickly point to Airplane!, …
Claire has spent most of her life alone, but all that changed five years ago when she met Elias. Then three years ago they got engaged, and Claire thought she’d finally have a family. But they still haven’t set a date for when Elias suddenly passed away. In one fell …
A strange island of stone has risen out of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Maine. Everyone is baffled by it, and the area is quarantined until the United States Army can go in and figure out what’s going on. But Edward Beck, Caro’s professor and secret lover, says …
Joe doesn’t know what’s wrong with his parents. Why would they move him to this creepy movie straight out of a horror movie? There are tombstones in the basement, strange noises everywhere, and he knows the doll he found in his room has been the star of a few horror …
The baby horror film hasn’t really evolved since Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby. While still an influential text for many burgeoning filmmakers – despite Polanski’s persona non grata status within the creative community these days (and for good reason) – they seem only interested in ripping it off or creating their …
Hokum stars Adam Scott as successful yet apathetic author Ohm Bauman, who journeys to Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes. He brings with him childhood trauma, a drinking problem and a pure hatred of the world. He has a touch of the Stephen King to him, or at least a …
Joe was supposed to have a bright future, but somewhere along the way, he got lost. Now he’s stuck in his apartment playing video games and “getting around” to calling his mom, meeting up with friends, getting a good job, just everything. Joe would stay in his apartment forever if …
A true Europudding includes plenty of gratuitous nudity and loads of sex, but those are the only things missing from the supremely ridiculous The Blood Countess. This movie is not good, but it is such a stupidly fun good time that you should see it anyway. It is always a …
The signs were there when Sony transferred the rights to Tommy Wirkola’s Shiver – now called Thrash – to Netflix, which the streamer is now attempting to quietly dump a few weeks ago, with minimal promotional awareness. It’s strange, though, because Wirkola’s filmography is filled with impassioned genre works, from …
The instructions are simple: Do not overlook any anomalies. If you find an anomaly, turn back immediately. If you do not find any anomalies, do not turn back. Go out from Exit 8. The instructions hang on the wall, where all who enter the switchback tunnels of this particular subway …
A lot of people are missing the point of The Bride! because they don’t want to consider the price paid for our entertainment. This is possibly because, in service to its original concept, this barnstorming horror movie contains only two original ideas not directly lifted from other films. The first …
Catie has always felt at peace in her forest. The giant redwoods that surround the Heights, her eclectic home in Northern California. Here, she’s surrounded by nature rather than people. Catie knows that nature can be unfair, but at least she can understand it, something she can’t say about humans. …
We first meet Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicky (Adam DiMarco) on their wedding day. The couple are meeting at the end of the aisle, but it hardly looks like a joyous day. She pulls up her veil, a look of terror on her face, something very bad is going to …
Grace Glowicki’s Dead Lover arrives as Frankenstein tales are having a real cultural moment. With Guillermo del Toro’s film released last autumn (and picking up three Oscars) and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride currently in cinemas, Glowicki’s picture as director, co-writer (with Ben Petrie, who also stars) and star may not …
“It’s a dating app for dead bodies”. Yep, that’s the main concept that drives Sarah G. Pierce’s debut novel, For Human Use. Basically, a charismatic (arguably) guy convinces the world that in order to prove you’re truly well adjusted, you need to enjoy spending time hanging out with dead bodies. For some reason, Tom …
Writing about the Scream saga is, personally, a nostalgic task that involves a constant reassessment of what horror represents in popular culture. After Scream (2022), one of the best sequels in the franchise, positioning itself right behind the original for me, and Scream VI that, despite some flaws, still managed …
Well, third time’s the charm. It’s no secret that I wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about The Strangers Chapter 1 or 2. Trading in the worst of jump scare tactics, while also being remarkably meek, ironic for a franchise defined by its chilling brutality, both films were exhausting exercises in patience as …
There are many subgenres of horror, but one of the most reliable is the “kids eff around and find out”. It’s a reliable setup that doesn’t require much work from filmmakers or the audience to make for a good time at the movies, even if the film we’re talking about …