Tag: Horror

V/H/S/HALLOWEEN (2025)

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Directed by Alex Ross Perry, Casper Kelly, Paco Plaza, Anna Zlokovic, Bryan M. Ferguson, R.H. Norman, Michelle Pitt-Norman 

Written By: Alex Ross Perry, Casper Kelly, Paco Plaza, Anna Zlokovic, Bryan M. Ferguson, R.H. Norman, Michelle Pitt-Norman and Alberto Martini (UT SUPRA SIC INFRA)

Cinematography: Adrian Hernandez, Robert Kolodny, Owen Laird, Daniel Marks, Sean McDaniel, Powell Robinson 

Editor: Robert Kolodny, Bryan M. Ferguson, R.H. Norman, Alex Familian, David Gallart, Dylan Hoang, Sean Mark Lamb Lewis, Phil Samson 

Cast: Rick Baker, David Haydn, Samantha Cochran, Natalia Montgomery Fernandez, Elena Musser, Maria Romanillos, Almundra Amor, Ismael Martinez, Riley Nottingham, Lawson Greyson, Jenna Hoffman, Sami Nye, Stephen Gurewitz, Carl William Garrison, Jeff Harms, Noah Diamond, Sarah Nicklin 

A collection of Halloween-themed videotapes unleashes a series of twisted, blood-soaked tales, turning trick-or-treat into a struggle for survival.

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It’s that time of year where this horror anthology comes up with a new collection. Which is a nice tradition. As usually each collection every year has a theme to it usually expressed in the title. This one is similar and revolves around stories that take place in or around Halloween, though unlike some of the former entries, it’s not so much about a group finding all these random tapes and watching them or being presented to them This year‘s anthology has a background story and then just plays each short film in between the main background story. One can admit this is a yearly guilty pleasure whose quality is a roller coaster yet still enjoyable. Even though after last years entries. One was wondering was it on its last leg and run out of steam.

Still think it should be like the ABC’S OF DEATH and allow new or struggling filmmakers a chance to submit their own entries and use maybe one of two of them as segments each year. After either being voted on by fans or the producers. 

Though truthfully, this year’s anthology should have the subtitle forget those kids as this year the anthology seems to have more of a presence of children. In most of the stories and none are not sacred cows. They are is open to violence and unfortunately death as any of the adult characters.

Even though each anthology is cruel in its own way for some odd reason this year, feel a little more disturbing again maybe it’s because children can be easily as victims as anyone but also there is one short in particular that is not only uncomfortable but again so warped. 

Writer/Director Alex Ross Perry’s Entry KID PRINT was the one I was looking forward to the most and it is unforgettable, Maybe because unlike the rest of them, it doesn’t really deal with fantasy or made up monsters. It’s a little too realistic and seems like it could really happen which is why it’s a memorable and all the more powerful even though at first it starts off seemingly normal and not that special but by the end, it has totally transformed itself as like the plot it starts off so innocently and so simple, and then catches you off guard with a heaviness that you never saw coming. Which is not surprising, considering it’s done by the director from the an anthology whose work I know the most. Alex Ross Perry, who is a journeyman independent director who is not known to do genre films. Usually this seems to be his first and definitely his first official Horror film. Which seems to be an experiment and exercise while using his usual filmmaking technique of realistic stories, and a love a film, the equipment in the filmmaking techniques.

This story is Based around Kidprint was a free service offered by Blockbuster Video in the mid-1990s. Participating stores had a kiosk that children stood in front of that showed their height, and staff would use a VHS camera to record a short video of them speaking basic information about themselves. Parents would take home the tapes to use for ID purposes incase their child went missing.

Another reason why this entry is so different is Because at heart most horror stories seem to be about revenge. Setting things right in whoever’s eyes no matter what. Even if there are extremes and plenty of innocents damaged and killed along the way. When it comes to this short it ends with an injustice that doesn’t seem like it will ever get righted and in many ways. As it should have never happened and has plenty of mistakes, mishaps, wrong turns and lack of communication that ultimately leads to tragedies that by the end seem like they will continue. Which makes it all the more disturbing. 

The film is messy more emotionally with where it goes that it almost feels like a snuff film. As most of the films live up to the title more shot with home video cameras and from point of view shots commonly. 

The other stories/segments are the wraparound segments of DIET PHANTASMA. Written & Directed by Bryan M. Ferguson. Which gets repetitive, as we watch a control group taste test a new soda with ghastly results. Where each segment shows how uncaring the executive watching the results is behind it and the creative ways in which the volunteers are killed or slaughtered after drinking the soda, by the soda. 

It seems to want to be an Anti-capitalist message and dark comedic satire, but the point or ultimate jokes comes off disappointing that we went through all of that to get to this punchline. Which isn’t weak but isn’t that strong either. Though it does help tie together not only the Halloween theme inspiration but also it’s indented to HALLOWEEN 3 

The film starts of with COOCHIE COOCHIE COO written & Directed BY Anna Zlokovic. Which as usual for the franchise ends up being the most disgusting and nasty entry of the film. Here more gore wise. The film is based around two female teenagers facing their last Halloween together, who decide to go trick-or-treating and are enticed by a mysterious house and the promise of free candy. Where once they enter, they can’t seem to escape. Not only that but are chased by various seeming demented adult babies and a breast feeding phantom. 

The next segment is UT SUPRA SIC INFRA directed By Paco Plaza (Director and mastermind behind the REC film franchise) which gives the film some international flavor. Which at least I can say this franchise usually provides. this is the only tale to have a co-writer not directing. This ends up being the weakest of all the segments. The most disappointing. As it has its moments and the filmmaking is great, but the story feels familiar and like we’ve seen it before. It has interesting dressing but lacks depth or reason. Where it feels like more thought was given to the look then the actual idea. As by the end nothing is truly explained and it seems to just lay there. As it comes across as a rather basic gory ghost story 

Then we have the segment FUN SIZE Written & Directed by Casper Kelly. That plays more like a demented fantasy. Where a group of friends take more then one piece of candy from a random table of candy none have ever heard of, breaking the rules they are taken and transported to a warehouse factory. Where they find out horrifically how the candy is made. As they try to revise they are haunted and hunted by the candy’s playful mascot and his assistant. This one seems to more lean into cruel gore and torture with a more playful macabre attitude. 

Wish this shirt had more of a point other than the consequences of breaking the rules. which is the set up but then that’s it other than the carnage. 

The previously mentioned KIDPRINT plays next. 

Then the final extended tale HOME HAUNT written & Directed by R.H. Norman & Michelle Pitt-Norman. Which revolves around a man and his family obsesssed with Halloween who host a haunted house every year for the neighborhood. Looking to impress his son who is finding this embarrassing he ends up taking a record from an antique store that is off limits and the record seeks to make his attraction come to life and transport his family and all of his customers to a personal hell. That they try to escape from.  This starts off fun until it just turns more mean spirited, but next to FUN SIZE the most comedic and so called fun segments. Which might be why they feel a bit similar. This has a meta money as most of these films have practical special effects and this film has legendary special effects artist Rick baker as a cast member.

This anthology makes it through another year, but at least it leaves behind better memories than recent past entries. 

Grade: B- 

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (2025)

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Directed by: Jaume Collet-Serra  

Written By: Sam Stefanak 

Cinematography: Pawel Pogorzelski 

Editor: Timothy Alverson and Krisztian Majdik 

Cast: Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokeasili, Peyton Jackson, Estella Kahiha, Russell Hornsby 

A mysterious woman repeatedly appears in a family’s front yard, often delivering chilling warnings and unsettling messages, leaving them to question her identity, motives and the potential danger she might pose.

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Didn’t necessarily have the highest of hopes for this film Going in. 

An african American cast in a horror film that ultimately is bleak and all about trauma. 

That feels like it would be a good starter horror film for those not accustomed to horror films. Even though it’s More a haunting or haunted story then out and out full horror with plenty of jump scares and the like. That ultimately ends up becoming more of a drama 

It feels more like a family drama that has horror or a l supernatural elements that makes it feel a bit like folklore that fits better into that form Of multilayered storytelling.

The reason it feels more like it would be for families is that it seems to follow a trend lately where African American starring horror films involve children more and more (THE BLACK GIRL AND HER  MONSTER practically spells it out. NEVER LET GO  with Halle Berry 

Jaume Collet-Serra (ORPHAN) knows how to direct and make a movie. Not always the most deepest of storytellers. This seems like the richest material he has worked with. Even as he seems to go for mood. His filmmaking goes for flashy and visuals. Though here he tries drama a bit more and the actors are up for it. Especially the versatile lead Danielle Deadwyler 

The woman played by Okwui Okpokeasili is an interesting original she moves in the shadows and becomes more scary the more we see her physically after making more of a mysterious impression in her introduction. When she moves she only moves in the shadows.

the cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski does show It’s well shot and offers a claustrophobic mood and environment. as it uses a si gel location that it milks for all it’s worth though makes it feel bigger even in its limited environment.

Danielle Deadwyler hit it out of the park as usual with her performance. 

The negative aspects of this film grief, depression, guilt and suicide idealization. Seems to only become available in stories of family trauma and the only time it seems that African American or people of color at times really get to show any range when it comes to acting roles that allow them to be three dimensional characters 

The ending leaves it up to the audience to interpret whether you want to see it as a positive happy ending or a negative one that fulfills what it has been leading up to. In other words it won’t spell it out for you. Whether that is a cop out or artistic choice will depend on your enjoyment of the film. 

Can’t say it’s all that original. Though it makes the most with as little as it might have. Though was hoping it was better then how it looked in the trailers. 

Not the most exciting Film but entertaining enough and under 90 minutes. Only wish it had more to it overall. As it needs the running time to flesh out the whole tale. Yet it feels more like a short story. 

In the end it becomes more of a psychological thriller. With metaphors of guilt, suppression and your pain becoming more of a figure to haunt and torture you. So that it’s a little deeper then it presents itself as.  

Even the ending isn’t cut and dry and leaves you to make your own decision as to what happened and how you see it. 

Grade: C

VENUS (2022)

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Directed By: Jaume Belaguero 

Written By: Jaume Belaguero and Fernando Navarro 

Based on the short story by: H.P. Lovecraft

Cinematography: Pablo Rosso 

Editor: Luis De La Madrid

Cast: Ester Exposito, Ines Fernandez, Angela Cremonte, Maugi Mira, Aten Soria, Maria Jose Sarrate, Sofia Reyes, Federico Aguada 

Horror invades the concrete corridors of a cursed apartment complex on the outskirts of Madrid.

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As usual, this is a film that might be best to go in blind. Does this offer quite a mystery in a surprise?

This film for all of its original elements end up being somewhat predictable. Even as it always keeps you guessing with all the detours it takes on the road forward.

As it does, keep changing genres, yet staying thorough with its story and characters. As it is a Pulpy noir crime story, one minute, a horror film the next, then on the edge of being a thriller, as well as a supernatural tale. Before in the last act being a story of revenge or a director Luc Besson style  action film.

The film starts off slow, though quickly gain speed as mentioned in the third act you think that’s the way the rest of the film will go before morphing into something different and more satisfying. 

especially with the journey that the film has put the characters and the audience through. Not to mention how the film has built up to these moments and characters and even the tone.

It continuously tries to throw you off center though it seems to be somewhat predictable, especially if you’ve seen this type of film before but at least it’s trying.

The film offers this mix you find that they feed quite well off of each other. As it’s based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft that tells you the places this story will take you.

The problem is that for all that it inspires and tension it makes the audience feel. It never offers up a good enough release. As it builds up you expect something bigger then what it eventually offers. Which is wild but feels a little bit too tidy and minuscule for what it seems to hint at. 

Though being helmed by Jaume Belaguero who works best with the supernatural and thrillers. Sometimes both in small spaces like in his films REC and SLEEP TIGHT. That unfortunately this one doesn’t rise to the occasion as his others have. As this one seems almost like a greatest hits for him or seems to have reached a limit. 

Grade: C+

BRING HER BACK (2025)

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Directed By: Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou 

Written By: Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman 

Cinematography: Aaron McLisky

Editor: Geoff Lamb 

Cast: Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Jonah Wren Phillips, Stephen Phillips, Sora Wong, Sally-Anne Upton, Mischa Haywood, Katryn Adams 

A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.

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This is one of the most unsettling, yet memorable films of the year. As the film works on a psychological level but also has its fair share of gore that comes across too realistic at times. As everything is not what it seems. 

This is a bleak film and world that the Philippou brothers usually drop us into and make us find our way out and try to figure the right path to make it through. Though so far no matter what story they tell and u oversee they take us to. It cuts to the heart of the matter by the end. 

As just like TALK TO ME. Here we are dealing with characters who are in over their heads. Not knowing how deep or the magnitude of their actions and what they are messing with in other realms. These characters are usually lead by their emotions. As they don’t appear to be bad people or mean harm but turn blind eyes to others when thorns to what they want and in pursuit of it to resurrect or communicate with a loved one. As it deals with grief. 

As usual this film is off center, disturbing and confusing for the audience and the characters. While never offering up any easy answers. While usually ending tragically. Even when it appears there might be some hope by the end.

Surprisingly found this film more impressive than their debut film TALK TO ME. Even though this was harder to sit through, but even as this deals with similar themes and motivations. This feels more original, obviously more disorienting and less crowd pleasing. As this feels more like a mystery throughout. Even as we can easily see the rising manipulation and gaslighting. We still care about everyone.

It also feels like a smaller production and doesn’t involve too many characters. It’s a slow burn that is emotional and sudden. 

Sallybhawkns as always goes above and beyond in her performance which is u forgettable and not as briadnas one might expect.

Watching this film is definitely uncomfortable experience by design. Yet it’s hard to look away or abandon. As the story and characters are mostly dealing with trauma. Which the film indices in the audience as well. Truly making watching the film more of an experience than any kind of entertainment.

In the end it’s not a film you forget easily and will still probably haunt you for a while after. This isn’t a movie you simply shake off. 

Though it’s give the filmmakers credit. As originally it seemed like they were going to go more Hollywood and make a STREET FIGHTER movie. Where instead they decided to make a more original film that fit into their wheelhouse and allowed them to push a bit further then their previous movie.

This is something you have to see for yourself to fully understand. 

Grade: B

THE DEAD THING (2024)

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Directed By: Elric Kane 

Written By: Elric Kane and Webb Wilcoxen 

Cinematography: Ioana Vasile

Editor: Star Rosencrans

Cast: Blu Hunt, Ben-Smith Petersen, Katherine Hughes, John Karna, Josh Marble, Brennan Mejia, Joey Millin, Aerial Washington 

A young woman lost in a series of meaningless connections falls in love with a charismatic and sensitive man, who hides a dark secret that turns her affair into a dangerous obsession.

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The film starts off with such a shock that it reminded me of the film RED WHITE AND BLUE. The shows the mundane life she has and those around her are so lifeless, but when she is with different men. She feels alive and with this one who seems to finally grab her interest and want to see more than once, is of course supernatural. Which we won’t find out like her until later. 

Though It’s never quite explained as even the character who it happens to can’t understand. The film doesn’t make it too much of a spectacle. Though it doesn’t mystery and thus life to the character, but also the film. It’s never quite fleshes out its ideas. The film is always doom And gloom as ItMs never fun and becomes quite repetitive. 

The film explores, Just when you think you have made a connection and you each like one another. You get ghosted literally. As Later revelations is she a nymphomaniac using sex to make her desired and feel good about herself, not necessarily happy. As the film never quite explains her motivations. She is just very sexual and then meets the right guy. Who she makes a connection with, then her literally ghosts her and she can’t take it. Treating her how she has treated others, except without the death part 

The film is broody and moody. Though one you could certainly talk about even for It’s Cut and dry factors. It seems to have something to say, but not quite. As it seems more provocative only to be seen and noticed . It’s Not necessary, yet keeps you interested by its presentation. 

It’s also mainly due to the lead Blu Hunt that keeps one captivated. As she has an exotic yet plain attractiveness.

It seems ridiculous as her character is so attractive and she doesn’t appear to be that picky. Though even her original co-worker failed at seduction of her. But she is willing to keep hooking up with the undead/ghost/zombie/dead guy and she knows it. So that she comes off as a necrophiliac willing to cross the line because he is attractive. It’s Like the film substituted who she should have gone for for a cuter guy.

This is what happens when you forsake your friends, work and responsibilities for lust, their partner and/or sex. As Time passes and you don’t realize what you are missing or losing. 

The film keeps you guessing in its reveals but never quite tells or explains. Like in a relationship you learn more as it goes along.

The film is built on metaphors throughout. It also feels a bit superficial. 

As it’s a relationship horror film that offers It’s take on dead end relationships. Accepting the faults that might end up affecting you and killing you. 

She’s Obsessed as he Seems to feed off of her. He becomes more desperate as she rebounds. As She is ready to get over him he comes back and seems to only want sex and for her to take care of him and forget her own needs.

The film is slow paced and offers a slow burn as it takes its time. It keeps its world so small. So that there aren’t that many characters. Though it seems to take place in Los Angeles. It seems to stick to its neighborhood. 

This erotic thriller that catches your attention immediately, but always so downtrodden. As it’s only an erotic thriller as it seeks that theme with mood, sex scenes and nudity. Though the lacks of chemistry between the leads messes up the experiment and the nudity in the sex scenes is solidly focused on her and her being topless. 

How come no one else like her roommate checked on her. Even though they share a place. 

As we watch the Dangers of jumping into a relationship. Even though demand the attention does make them both feel Separately and together. Even if the couple on the middle of this film don’t necessarily have any chemistry. 

It has a plot point that you can see coming, but doesn’t need to be there. As it seems there just to add a body count. 

The film might have made a more effective short or could have been edited down a bit to be shorter. Maybe if it had gone with some stronger ideas that it sets up. It would feel stronger and about more then relationship similes and a doomed love story. Which we have seen before. 

It might have helped if there was a female writer on this film. As it is written and directed by males. Where it feels less sensitive and more masculine. 

Even the ending why does one character,  who he kills come back but not any of his other victims?

In the end it seems to be a film that shows the emptiness of sex. As it goes out of its way to make it look so unappealing for the most part and how it causes nothing but pain eventually and even death. That is the way I read it maybe i am dyslexic when it comes to this film and also I am single. 

THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE (2024)

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Directed By: Magnus Von Horn

Written By: Magnus Von Horn And Line Langebek 

Cinematography: Michal Dymek 

Editor: Agnieszka Glinska 

Cast: Vic Carmen Sonne, Trine Dryholm, Besir Zeciri, Joachim Fjerstrup, Tessa Hoder, Ava Knox Martin, Ari Alexander, Benedikte Hansen 

Copenhagen 1919: A young worker finds herself unemployed and pregnant. She meets Dagmar, who runs an underground adoption agency. A strong connection grows but her world shatters when she stumbles on the shocking truth behind her work.

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This is a film that is hard to talk about as it is definitely a film. You should watch before fighting out too much information about the film so that you can discover what the film offers.

So if you haven’t seen it already, please stop reading this review as to discuss it. You can’t help but spoil part of it, though I will say this is definitely an experience. 

A historical tale filmed in black and white in Germany. This is a film that you admire the acting in the filmmaking, but it’s not a film. You will watch repeatedly due to it subject matter as it is definitely a hard watch after a while. 

The film does start out bleak, but it also at time seems to offer mercy and forgiveness that you think that the main character might still have a chance at a good life or things turning around for her only for it to become bleak again and things turned tragic.

especially when you get to the third act of the film, which is where the audience will be tested as to whether they can finish the film and go further it’s not what is shown on screen, but what the characters do that will be the thing that will be upsetting for most of the audience. Especially where in the end it reveals that this is based on a true story.

as when you’re watching the film, you’re just wondering like what kind of sick mind came up with this storyline and did it have to be as harsh but then the truly scary part is that it’s not necessarily an extension of the writer directors imagination, but presenting the facts to a certain extent 

The film is breathtaking in a way in which it begins at first you think it’s gonna be a rags to riches story but it seems to be a rags with hopes of riches gets a taste of riches get thrown back into rags and at the worst moments sort of gets lifted up only to be thrown down and even lower than they were before.

It humanizes even the violent characters giving a twisted reasoning for their behaviors as the film tries to end with a little bit of hope that you wonder is it too late and have the characters gone too far for that 

One of the amazing aspects of this movie is the lead played by Vic Carmen Sonne. as an actress she is quite a chameleon because though her character is pretty here, she’s so run down and grab that she has common looks, but has a look that stands out and then as a film goer, you remember her from the controversial movie HOLIDAY in which she played pretty much a cat woman, a sugar, baby, who all these men desired and literally were harming each other over her and here she’s treated like a little nothing

If anything this film ends up being a survivor story the cinematography black and white film is so beautiful and timeless that even though it’s said in the past, it feels like something that could still happen today when people are at their lowest.

This is one of those films where you know you’re never going to watch it again necessarily more because of the subject matter because it’s a beautifully made film. The filmmaking is exceptional, but the subject matter is hard for anyone to take and watch, even if not showing graphically just the thought of it the horror, the horrors. 

No one can understand why the story needs to be told but also you wonder once you know the twist does it lose the power of it as if you go into this film blind and let it build you’re going along a journey where you don’t know where it’s going to lead, and then that choice happens And has its effect on subsequent views if you choose to, is the filmmaking still powerful now that you know the twist, does it stay as strong on a repeat view it or was this meant to be a one and done?

For all the praise that movies like the sixth sense for instance gets and it is a well-made movie, but it doesn’t hit as hard once you know the twist so would it be quite as remarkable or stand the test of time without it. As always, I guess that is up to the individual. As some will keep watching just for the innovations or the filmmaking or the performances or they’ll find something to come back for. No matter how grizzly it might eventually become or even just to study it to see the clues if any early on order to see how it affects them slowly going to where they know the film is going to go.

as always, I will warn this is definitely not a film for everyone. If you are highly sensitive I would definitely say skip this movie maybe read up about it instead as again the film isn’t glory or even a violent, but it is subtle and it’s horror that will haunt and disturb you. 

Grade: A 

EIGHT EYES (2023)

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Edited & Directed By: Austin Jennings 

Written By: Matthew Frink and Austin Jennings 

Cinematography: Sean Dahlberg

Cast: Emily Sweet, Bradford Thomas, Bruno Velvanovski, Nenad Mijatove, Jovan Ristic, Jovan Stanlovic, Gordana Jovic, Milica Djurickovic 

When Cass begins to hear voices while backpacking with her husband Gav through former Yugoslavia, she attributes it to travel stress and cracks appearing in her new marriage. However, when the couple embarks on an unplanned sight seeing expedition with a mysterious local named Saint Peter, Cass quickly suspects that his promises to give them an “authentic” tour of his homeland conceal a much darker purpose. When Gav goes missing, Cass soon finds herself dragged into an increasingly paranoid web of manipulation and murder from which even death offers no escape.

I can give this some credit for trying to build an aesthetic of the Giallo’s that it’s obviously modeled after and also it’s obvious modern inspirations such as CABIN FEVER, A SERBIAN FILM and TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE The film seems especially throughout homage to the latter where we have a couple in a foreign land, who want to see the sights and trust the mysterious Stranger, who’s jovial a nice at first, but seems to slowly turn, and they don’t seem to pick up on the signals that somethings strange as a foot

As the film is definitely a two-parter, where the first half is more mysterious, and the second half Kisco’s balls to the wall off its hinges where it becomes more violent and everything is explained. Though the film stays atmospheric. 

The filmmaking is fun and creative. The problem is that while wanting appreciate that it’s not as violent or Gore fest, as it seems to be where it was going it also seems to lack a certain sense.as theoughout the film. It begins to be filled with psychedelic images and different film stocks. Which help give it a true grindhouse feel

here’s what I mean is is that lol it’s perfectly fine and never quite seems to go the places. It either seems headed or quite instill, fear or tension as much as it seems to want to. It always seems to be good enough yet fall short it doesn’t amaze, nor does it have to do but it always just seems to rise to a certain temperature and then go back that I never met maintaining what is the kid 

No, it seems like the filmmaker has to know how to do so even though it would be over the top for Sam it just feels like in a strange way. They are holding themselves back unless it was just cut to be that way. 

I can’t even say that it’s a perfectly good background movie because it’s something you have to pay attention to to fully understand everything as much as you can.

It just seems like the lead of the husband he is seems to have victim written all over him, especially his nerdish demeanor, which he seem to go overboard on, and his way to trusting nature, though Bruno Veljanovski At Saint Peter and Emily Sweet  Are both noteworthy in the cast, especially at they are pretty much the

Leads

Grade: C+

DASHCAM (2021)

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Directed By: Rob Savage 

Written By: Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd

Editor: Brenda Rangott

Cast: Annie Hardy, Amer Chadha-Patel, Angela Enahoro, Seylan Baxter, Mogali Masuku, Caroline Ward, Jemma Moore

Viewed through her livestream, abrasive musician Annie Hardy’s night takes a dangerous turn after she agrees to help transport a frail elderly woman out of town. Annie and her friend Stretch embark on a horror-fueled road trip and livestream the most terrifying night of their lives.

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Writer/director Rob Savage’s follow-up to his hit film HOST. That was quite a bit, due amongst other things to being made during the pandemic and how believable the effects were. 

The enjoyment of the film will depend on how much or how long you can stand the lead character.  as she is very unpleasant and her behavior at times only seems to make things worse as she continuously makes bad decisions.

She will split the audience for this film

You do have to send through a third of the film with her as an introduction before any of the supernatural or horror elements take place. 

The film does work at being creepy and scary most of the time. As we spend most of the film

The main character. The audience will be happy any time another character shows up and interacts and partially takes over the narrative.

She stays a jerk even in the worst of times always saying the wrong thing. It seems like the film wants you to root against her. She makes it political to go with the time that the film was made and released. 

So you wonder if this is a commentary on people with this kind of political worldview at what seems like an apocalypse. This is a particular character.

As the film is well put together and has great direction that kind of pays off if you stick with it as it gives a commentary on social media or presentations of craft and character and story.

Though it’s weakness is that while nothing is ever totally explained everything seems like it’s happening instead of offering even a general explanation

As it is filmed in first person. You not only feel like you are a character in the film taken in for a ride. But also get a running commentary from the characters and comments on the side at times. The film feels like a hard journal.

It even sticks to the cliché of characters of color, not making it to the very end.

There are some moments where you feel like not again. Yes, it gets crazier as it goes along and her strange phrases and times of trouble and terror only helped to make it feel a little more different and strange

The film might’ve been a better shot as at times it feels like the premise is a bit stretched out even at under 90 minutes, so it almost feels like an extended V/H/S anthology story made into a feature. 

By the end, it feels like an interesting experiment, though not sure if it makes the audience care one way or another the end 

Grade: C 

28 YEARS LATER (2025)

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Directed By: Danny Boyle

Written By: Alex Garland 

Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle 

Editor: Jon Harris 

Cast: Aaron Taylor Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, Edvin Ryding, Jack O’Connell, Chi Lewis Parry, Amy Cameron, Christopher Fulford

It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

This is a  Long waited, sequel from the filmmakers who made the first and original 28 days later. Come back to offer another original slice for the franchise even after sitting out the previous sequel 28 WEEKS LATER.

Well, with this film, they up the ante, actually filming it with an iPhone, but not in the way you think not an actual cell phone but the same technology and rigged up. 

while it does tell its own tale that is connected to the franchise, that might be part of the problem with the film as the film works like a Marvel movie where it should be a standalone that offers the promise of sequels or expanding the world of the 28 later franchise by the end of the film after it tells its tail it just feels like a part one of a way bigger saga so that it comes across is more episodic than a standalone which can work, but it drags the quality of the film down as everything that you’ve seen before you know is going to lead to something else but it’s not quite its own tale or its own film.

It also doesn’t help that the film isn’t really a horror film in the traditional sense. It’s more a post apocalyptic tale and family drama more than anything else. 

As it seems like the two sequels after this will be handled by different directors so it’s almost like a tag team effort like this is director Danny Boyle coming back to start it off, and then he passes the baton to the next person who then continues the story from what we’ve previously seen and tells it in their own way, and then finally the next film is held by somebody different. Who then will tell the 28 later tales in their own way, but give it an ending for now as far as we know

Though let’s focus on what this film does again it sets up the rules of this world and it’s been 28 years since it has been out there. How people have survived what the culture has been and certain territories and what it seems like the rest of the world is doing or handling the situation.

From the opening scene, this film shows that it has no sacred cows and it’s slaughter and violence so that not even children or holy people are safe. Everyone is treated the same.

The film focuses on a young boy and his family him, and his father are hunters who go to the mainland to hunt and look for any kind of supplies to hopefully bring back . Though when the young boy whose mother is suffering from a disease as there are no doctors here that there might be a doctor out there in the wild is willing to take the risk to escape with his mother to the infected lands to try and find this doctor, so hopefully diagnose and care of her so that the rest of the film is pretty much an Odyssey.

It’s also a family tale so that at times it’s its own demented fairytale that has a very demented backstory, but could be folklore also

You’re enjoyment of this film will really retested by how much you can stand this child whether you think he is making the worse and stupidest decisions or you will be able to have empathy and understand why he would risk all of this for his mother 

The film is not going, please everyone and seems to have divided audiences who either seem to have wanted more of the same of the previous films or wanted something a little better structured story wise as the visuals and direction are definitely tight but the story for some might be a little too light or feels like it’s filling the blanks

though in these days and times it’s harder and harder to make an original zombie tale when there’s already so many zombie films out there plus you have The Walking Dead television show telling tales of zombies, even if this is the franchise that helped start the trend of fast or normal speed, running zombies.

The film also has things or seems that you never would have expected on screen such as a pregnant zombie giving birth, which one hadn’t really seen since the remake of day of the dead. The film does depict the zombies with full frontal, nudity, male and female.

The actors are all good in their roles, even if not given too much to do or more playing a bit more cliche roles. As Jody Comer is the costar of the film, and even though she’s in more than half of the movie, I still wish they had given her more to do or she had more to play refines as always steals his scene in his supporting role, as well as Aaron Taylor, Johnson showing his compassion as a father, but also showing that he can do action fiercely.

The film works, as it is a tail that is set in a larger universe that has been built slowly, but surely the story might not be as strong as some people would’ve liked nor as action oriented or violent as maybe some had hoped, but I will give the film credit for trying something unexpected whether it succeeded or not is up to the individual audience member, but I enjoyed myself watching the film

The soundtrack is very good by the group young fathers who I am also a fan of him was surprised to find out they did the soundtrack for which is excellent.

it’s an adequate attempt and a good return to the franchise for Danny Boyle and Ryder Alex Garland one just wishes the film felt a little bit stronger and into more of the hints that it feels like will be revealed in further films but are introduced here that keep your imagination open but doesn’t do this to any favors of adding anything to itself.

This is like seeing the sketch before you see the finish painting that is how I would compare this film.

Grade: B 

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN (2025)

~ jbg ~ Leave a comment

Directed By: Matt Palmer

Written By: Matt Palmer and Donald McLeary

Based on the FEAR STREET Books By: R.L. Stine

Cinematography: Mark Gyori

Editor: Christopher Donaldson

Cast: India Fowler, Fina Strazza, Suzanna Son, Katherine Waterston, Ariana Greenblatt, Lili Taylor, Chris Klein, Ella Rubin, David Iancono, Rebecca Ablack 

Welcome back to Shadyside. In this next installment of the blood-soaked Fear Street franchise, prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown. But when a gutsy outsider is unexpectedly nominated to the court, and the other girls start mysteriously disappearing, the class of ’88 is suddenly in for one hell of a prom night.

What hurts this film is that when it’s compared to the first FEAR STREET set of movies which were a trilogy they were so richly connected and had so much deaths even for their familiar elements they want you over.

Watching this film is a disappointment as everything is lowered especially in quality now. Don’t know if it’s supposed to somehow be connected to the other three films movie take place in the same town or just be part of that franchise a FEAR STREET, but this is very disappointing.

As this film plays more like a basic Netflix, nostalgic, horror film, it doesn’t even need to really be part of the fear Street franchise.

As it makes the same mistakes that those other Netflix films make where they try to get into the decade that it’s setting in this case, the 80s in the fashion in pop culture that the story soon Almost takes a backseat.

It also doesn’t help that all or most of the female main characters looks similar. so that at times it’s really hard to tell them apart other than maybe sometimes when part of their personality or role, Well help the audience Remember who they’re supposed to be, that would least all of the teenage characters look age-appropriate 

If you’ve ever seen a horror found this film is pretty predictable when it comes to its kill scenes, and as always, the murder scenes at times seem to be the only action, or the only noteworthy parts of the film, even though some kills remain off screens, though this film does love the show or have a lingering shots of people getting their packages, cut off and watching bloodsport from it

The film does have a good soundtrack, but it has one of the worst dance battle scenes I’ve ever seen in a film that is supposed to be kind of heroic in its own way.

While watching this film, it’s obviously inspired by other better and popular horror films of its lineage so that it feels familiar and it would be worth it if there was some kind of value or reason behind it all, but this film just feels so desperately to be on trend that things seem the more happen just because.

Making the film feel less than significant. There’s nothing special about it. It’s rather bland wear other than the violence. This could’ve easily been a PG-13 movie. The film barely has any momentum

Now again, I didn’t read the source material, but the film feels undercooked and predictable and then tries to go gonzo and it’s 30 even though by halfway into this movie, you will figure it out pretty much who’s behind the killings no idea and loves to present tired, red herrings throughout like the grizzled old janitor, who is a drunken likes to stare at all the girls.

Then one of the biggest names or teenage stars in your cast, and you give her such a minor role, and she’s almost one of the first people to be eliminated from the movie Ariana Greenblatt no she seem to have the most interesting character.

Then the movie Try to build its main character up so much that it feels like it’s a portrait or a character story without much death and it doesn’t help that I mean she’s already ridiculed around town but yet she has no negative aspects to her character. Nothing risky so like the film she’s kind of boring the only thing that saves The film is that short.

As even when it comes to the original trilogy any of those film separately as a single film is still better than this one.

This might work as a starter horror, film for some, or an introductory for people who are not used to the horror genre, but other than that this is just basic and bland with no sauce or seasoning.

Grade: D+