Horror Fuel
☰ Browse the Crypt
Author

Joseph Perry

652 stories
Horror Fuel

Movie Review: Evil Little Things

The latest offering in the killer doll subgenre of fright fare is director Matt Green’s Evil Little Things, a horror anthology consisting of two main tales and a wraparound. The film offers a fair share of amusement, but it falls a bit flat in the technical department, including some editing and sound glitches that are so jarring they had me wondering whether they were errors on the screener that I watched or baffling directorial choices. Evil Little Things kicks off with a fuming stepfather (Zach Galligan of Gremlins and Waxwork) threatening his stepson Jason (Mason Wells) when the little boy insists there is a monster under his bed at tuck-in time. Jason’s mother (L.A. Winters) takes the young boy doll shopping the next day to make him feel safer at night. A creepy doll maker (Geoff McKnight) spins two fanciful, eerie yarns to the twosome. In the first story, mother Jess (Hannah Fierman of Siren and St. Agatha), having recently

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
May 12, 2020
Horror Fuel

Review: Shudder’s “Cursed Films: The Crow” and “Cursed Films: Twilight Zone: The Movie”

Cursed Films, the original five-part documentary series from streaming service Shudder, strives to examine the facts behind the rumors and the tragic events that affected the making of some beloved classic horror movies produced in the 1970s and 1980s. These cinematic offerings have been deemed cursed, often because of urban legend and gossip. After launching with impressive episodes about The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Omen that offered rational considerations of their topics, the series wraps up with equally engaging looks at The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie. As he did so well regarding the tragic deaths of young stars Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne in the Cursed Films: Poltergeist installment, series writer/director/editor Jay Cheel once again provides poignant, respectful views on how on-set deaths and accidents affect those close to the victims — from those who worked with Brandon Lee on The Crow and with Vic Morrow and the two young child actors on Twilight Zone: The Movie to

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
May 7, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Review: The Perished

Writer/director Paddy Murphy’s The Perished is a horror film that explores the religious and social controversies in his native Ireland regarding abortion — which was illegal there until quite recently — and the stigma that it carries, but the film is easily relatable to viewers outside that country who bring their own differing viewpoints to it. It delivers as a body horror film and a monster movie with a decidedly creepy creature. Sarah (Courtney McKeon) is a young woman who accidentally gets pregnant by her boyfriend Shane (Fiach Kunz). During the same conversation when she planned to tell him about it, he dumps her before she can break the news. Not wanting a child at this point in her life, she travels alone to England to have an abortion. Her strictly religious mother Elaine (Noelle Clarke) finds out and kicks her out of the house in an uproar for bringing shame to their family as Sarah’s meek father Richard (Conor

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 8, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (Arrow Video FrightFest Glasgow): A Ghost Waits; Anderson Falls

A Ghost Waits Horror cinema has had a strong track record in the past couple of years of introducing stunning debuts from first-time feature filmmakers. Add writer/director Adam Stovall to that list with his winning entry A Ghost Waits, a black-and-white offering that delivers chilling moments (the third act contains a scene that may go down as one of the most controversial of this year), plenty of offbeat humor, and a truly charming romance angle. Jack (MacLeod Andrews) is a handyman who fixes up vacated houses and readies them for new tenants. His boss gives him the task of finding out why one certain property has such a frequent and sudden turnaround, with people leaving abruptly. Viewers learn long before Jack does that that the cause is a ghost — that of a young woman named Muriel (Natalie Walker). She is actually a “spectral agent” whose job it is to scare humans off the property, and she works for the

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 25, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (MidWest WeirdFest): Bad Witch; Squatchmore

Bad Witch In Bad Witch from codirectors Victor Fink and Joshua Land, Xander Perkins (Chris Kozlowski) is arrogant and not the least bit shy about using his occult powers until he finds himself on the wrong end of a dust-up over a girl, after which he tries swearing off using witchcraft. The power has a strong hold over him, though, and when he takes bullied, loner high school student Roland Grimm (Jackson Trent of North Woods) on as a protégé, things seem to work out well for the teenager until his conscience starts to weigh on him. Kozlowski handles the lead role winningly, playing Xander as a smarmy, selfish jerk with enough of a likable side to hold viewers’ interest without turning on the character. Trent plays the shy Roland wonderfully, and these two actors play off each other marvelously. In solid supporting performances, Clare Lefebure is terrific as Veronica, the girl who Roland likes but sees as out of

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 19, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (Arrow Video FrightFest Glasgow): Death of a Vlogger; The Cleansing Hour

Death of a Vlogger The U.K. faux documentary Death of a Vlogger uses the possibility of supernatural occurrences to explore the pitfalls of today’s social media world. It does so in a manner that is consistently entertaining, and though it offers some criticism on both internet fame seekers and the often callous audiences that follow them, it never gets too heavy-handed in its messages. Writer/director Graham Hughes stars as Graham, a YouTube personality who begins experiencing strange incidents in his flat after he has laser eye surgery. He is joined by his friend Erin (Annabel Logan), and the duo further explores the possibilities of what might be taking place in his home. Eventually, paranormal investigator Steve (Paddy Kondracki) comes aboard, seeking as many new likes and follows as he can get, only for the trio to be called out on their story by fellow YouTuber and skeptic Alice (Joma West). Hughes leads a strong cast, and he helms the film

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 9, 2020
Horror Fuel

Ghosts, Religious Horror, and Obsession Are Slated for Boston Underground Film Festival 2020

Among the incredible films selected for the 22nd annual Boston Underground Film Festival are some mouth-watering horror movie options. The fest returns to Harvard Square, bringing with it five days of cutting-edge cinema to the Brattle Theatre from March 25th through the 29th. This year’s program boasts, according to BUFF’s press release, “a whole lot of unholy obsession, objectophilia, WTF thrillers, genre-spinning slashers, familial dysfunction, queer clairvoyance, and more!” Among the fear fare on display at BUFF will be U.K. writer-director Rose Glass’ gut-punch feature debut Saint Maud, a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and salvation in a fallen world. BUFF hosts the Boston premiere of this highly anticipated upcoming A24 release, with director Glass in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. The fest’s thematic strand of unholy obsession continues with the world premiere of the 2K restoration of Philip Ridley’s 1995 awe-inspiring The Passion of Darkly Noon, courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive and Arrow Films.

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 6, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (Women in Horror Film Festival): Horror Shorts — The Shadow, Asking for a Friend, Always Going Never Gone

The Shadow Writer/director/star Bridget Barbara’s period piece horror The Shadow drips with dread and foreboding from the opening frame and never lets up. A young woman (Barbara) showing signs of physical distress walks through a forest around sunset, has a meal while looking troubled, and then is confronted by the titular presence in her bedroom. Barabara gives a splendid silent performance, investing her character with a sadness that feels palpable, and shows a keen eye for framing haunting shots. Artfully shot by director of photography Derek Haager, the short recalls gloomy, Old World-set tales of the supernatural, and the score and sound design are terrific accompaniments. Asking for a Friend Winner of the fest’s Horror Comedy Short award, writer/director Kelsey Bollig’s Asking for a Friend is a humorous look at the strong bond of friendship between Blake (Jacqueline Bell), who has just come home from a hard day at work and is looking forward to a plate of nachos, and

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 4, 2020
Horror Fuel

MidWest WeirdFest Announces a Festival Lineup Filled with Monsters, UFOs, and the Supernatural:

The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird known as MidWest WeirdFest returns to the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire from March 6-8 for its fourth edition. Fans of narrative horror films, documentaries of the supernatural and unexplained, and offbeat, unusual film fare will find much to celebrate about in this fourth edition of the festival, which includes special side events, more guests, more films (including three world premieres), and two additional venue partners: Ivy Creatives and the Volume One Gallery. “When we started to plan on screening Hellier, we knew that Midwest WeirdFest had to be the first festival we submitted to, said Greg Newkirk, renowned paranormal investigator, co-creator/star of the hit paranormal series Hellier, and one of the fest’s headlining guests. “The festival’s commitment to celebrating the underground, the independent, and the just plain weird is a mission that’s very near and dear to our hearts, so we’re beyond thrilled to be

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 27, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Review (Final Girls Berlin Film Fest): Dark Whispers Vol 1

Dark Whispers Vol 1 is an Australian film that collects previously released short horror films from female directors into one impressive anthology. Fresh spins and unique takes on classic fright-fare themes abound. Director Megan Riakos’s new wraparoundThe Book of Dark Whispers concerns a young woman (Andrea Demetriades) who finds the titular tome while going through her recently deceased mother’s belongings. It’s an effective approach that comments on how traits and baggage are handed down from one generation to another, and how they are not so easy to rid oneself of. Birthday Girl (directed by Angie Black) A ghost story about grief rather than outright horror, this gripping short about a woman (Sarah Bollenberg) who takes an elevator ride with a little girl (Michaela Teschendorff-Harden) still delivers the chills. The Man Who Caught a Mermaid (directed by Kaitlin Tinker) My favorite of the bunch, this short about an elderly fisherman (Roy Barker) whose dream of catching a mermaid comes true is

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 12, 2020

More from Joseph Perry

Horror Fuel

Movie Review: Evil Little Things

The latest offering in the killer doll subgenre of fright fare is director Matt Green’s Evil Little Things, a horror anthology consisting of two main tales and a wraparound. The film offers a fair share of amusement, but it falls a bit flat in the technical department, including some editing and sound glitches that are so jarring they had me wondering whether they were errors on the screener that I watched or baffling directorial choices. Evil Little Things kicks off with a fuming stepfather (Zach Galligan of Gremlins and Waxwork) threatening his stepson Jason (Mason Wells) when the little boy insists there is a monster under his bed at tuck-in time. Jason’s mother (L.A. Winters) takes the young boy doll shopping the next day to make him feel safer at night. A creepy doll maker (Geoff McKnight) spins two fanciful, eerie yarns to the twosome. In the first story, mother Jess (Hannah Fierman of Siren and St. Agatha), having recently

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
May 12, 2020
Horror Fuel

Review: Shudder’s “Cursed Films: The Crow” and “Cursed Films: Twilight Zone: The Movie”

Cursed Films, the original five-part documentary series from streaming service Shudder, strives to examine the facts behind the rumors and the tragic events that affected the making of some beloved classic horror movies produced in the 1970s and 1980s. These cinematic offerings have been deemed cursed, often because of urban legend and gossip. After launching with impressive episodes about The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Omen that offered rational considerations of their topics, the series wraps up with equally engaging looks at The Crow and Twilight Zone: The Movie. As he did so well regarding the tragic deaths of young stars Heather O’Rourke and Dominique Dunne in the Cursed Films: Poltergeist installment, series writer/director/editor Jay Cheel once again provides poignant, respectful views on how on-set deaths and accidents affect those close to the victims — from those who worked with Brandon Lee on The Crow and with Vic Morrow and the two young child actors on Twilight Zone: The Movie to

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
May 7, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Review: The Perished

Writer/director Paddy Murphy’s The Perished is a horror film that explores the religious and social controversies in his native Ireland regarding abortion — which was illegal there until quite recently — and the stigma that it carries, but the film is easily relatable to viewers outside that country who bring their own differing viewpoints to it. It delivers as a body horror film and a monster movie with a decidedly creepy creature. Sarah (Courtney McKeon) is a young woman who accidentally gets pregnant by her boyfriend Shane (Fiach Kunz). During the same conversation when she planned to tell him about it, he dumps her before she can break the news. Not wanting a child at this point in her life, she travels alone to England to have an abortion. Her strictly religious mother Elaine (Noelle Clarke) finds out and kicks her out of the house in an uproar for bringing shame to their family as Sarah’s meek father Richard (Conor

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 8, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (Arrow Video FrightFest Glasgow): A Ghost Waits; Anderson Falls

A Ghost Waits Horror cinema has had a strong track record in the past couple of years of introducing stunning debuts from first-time feature filmmakers. Add writer/director Adam Stovall to that list with his winning entry A Ghost Waits, a black-and-white offering that delivers chilling moments (the third act contains a scene that may go down as one of the most controversial of this year), plenty of offbeat humor, and a truly charming romance angle. Jack (MacLeod Andrews) is a handyman who fixes up vacated houses and readies them for new tenants. His boss gives him the task of finding out why one certain property has such a frequent and sudden turnaround, with people leaving abruptly. Viewers learn long before Jack does that that the cause is a ghost — that of a young woman named Muriel (Natalie Walker). She is actually a “spectral agent” whose job it is to scare humans off the property, and she works for the

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 25, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (MidWest WeirdFest): Bad Witch; Squatchmore

Bad Witch In Bad Witch from codirectors Victor Fink and Joshua Land, Xander Perkins (Chris Kozlowski) is arrogant and not the least bit shy about using his occult powers until he finds himself on the wrong end of a dust-up over a girl, after which he tries swearing off using witchcraft. The power has a strong hold over him, though, and when he takes bullied, loner high school student Roland Grimm (Jackson Trent of North Woods) on as a protégé, things seem to work out well for the teenager until his conscience starts to weigh on him. Kozlowski handles the lead role winningly, playing Xander as a smarmy, selfish jerk with enough of a likable side to hold viewers’ interest without turning on the character. Trent plays the shy Roland wonderfully, and these two actors play off each other marvelously. In solid supporting performances, Clare Lefebure is terrific as Veronica, the girl who Roland likes but sees as out of

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 19, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (Arrow Video FrightFest Glasgow): Death of a Vlogger; The Cleansing Hour

Death of a Vlogger The U.K. faux documentary Death of a Vlogger uses the possibility of supernatural occurrences to explore the pitfalls of today’s social media world. It does so in a manner that is consistently entertaining, and though it offers some criticism on both internet fame seekers and the often callous audiences that follow them, it never gets too heavy-handed in its messages. Writer/director Graham Hughes stars as Graham, a YouTube personality who begins experiencing strange incidents in his flat after he has laser eye surgery. He is joined by his friend Erin (Annabel Logan), and the duo further explores the possibilities of what might be taking place in his home. Eventually, paranormal investigator Steve (Paddy Kondracki) comes aboard, seeking as many new likes and follows as he can get, only for the trio to be called out on their story by fellow YouTuber and skeptic Alice (Joma West). Hughes leads a strong cast, and he helms the film

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 9, 2020
Horror Fuel

Ghosts, Religious Horror, and Obsession Are Slated for Boston Underground Film Festival 2020

Among the incredible films selected for the 22nd annual Boston Underground Film Festival are some mouth-watering horror movie options. The fest returns to Harvard Square, bringing with it five days of cutting-edge cinema to the Brattle Theatre from March 25th through the 29th. This year’s program boasts, according to BUFF’s press release, “a whole lot of unholy obsession, objectophilia, WTF thrillers, genre-spinning slashers, familial dysfunction, queer clairvoyance, and more!” Among the fear fare on display at BUFF will be U.K. writer-director Rose Glass’ gut-punch feature debut Saint Maud, a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and salvation in a fallen world. BUFF hosts the Boston premiere of this highly anticipated upcoming A24 release, with director Glass in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. The fest’s thematic strand of unholy obsession continues with the world premiere of the 2K restoration of Philip Ridley’s 1995 awe-inspiring The Passion of Darkly Noon, courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive and Arrow Films.

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 6, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Reviews (Women in Horror Film Festival): Horror Shorts — The Shadow, Asking for a Friend, Always Going Never Gone

The Shadow Writer/director/star Bridget Barbara’s period piece horror The Shadow drips with dread and foreboding from the opening frame and never lets up. A young woman (Barbara) showing signs of physical distress walks through a forest around sunset, has a meal while looking troubled, and then is confronted by the titular presence in her bedroom. Barabara gives a splendid silent performance, investing her character with a sadness that feels palpable, and shows a keen eye for framing haunting shots. Artfully shot by director of photography Derek Haager, the short recalls gloomy, Old World-set tales of the supernatural, and the score and sound design are terrific accompaniments. Asking for a Friend Winner of the fest’s Horror Comedy Short award, writer/director Kelsey Bollig’s Asking for a Friend is a humorous look at the strong bond of friendship between Blake (Jacqueline Bell), who has just come home from a hard day at work and is looking forward to a plate of nachos, and

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 4, 2020
Horror Fuel

MidWest WeirdFest Announces a Festival Lineup Filled with Monsters, UFOs, and the Supernatural:

The cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, paranormal, and just plain weird known as MidWest WeirdFest returns to the Micon Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire from March 6-8 for its fourth edition. Fans of narrative horror films, documentaries of the supernatural and unexplained, and offbeat, unusual film fare will find much to celebrate about in this fourth edition of the festival, which includes special side events, more guests, more films (including three world premieres), and two additional venue partners: Ivy Creatives and the Volume One Gallery. “When we started to plan on screening Hellier, we knew that Midwest WeirdFest had to be the first festival we submitted to, said Greg Newkirk, renowned paranormal investigator, co-creator/star of the hit paranormal series Hellier, and one of the fest’s headlining guests. “The festival’s commitment to celebrating the underground, the independent, and the just plain weird is a mission that’s very near and dear to our hearts, so we’re beyond thrilled to be

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 27, 2020
Horror Fuel

Movie Review (Final Girls Berlin Film Fest): Dark Whispers Vol 1

Dark Whispers Vol 1 is an Australian film that collects previously released short horror films from female directors into one impressive anthology. Fresh spins and unique takes on classic fright-fare themes abound. Director Megan Riakos’s new wraparoundThe Book of Dark Whispers concerns a young woman (Andrea Demetriades) who finds the titular tome while going through her recently deceased mother’s belongings. It’s an effective approach that comments on how traits and baggage are handed down from one generation to another, and how they are not so easy to rid oneself of. Birthday Girl (directed by Angie Black) A ghost story about grief rather than outright horror, this gripping short about a woman (Sarah Bollenberg) who takes an elevator ride with a little girl (Michaela Teschendorff-Harden) still delivers the chills. The Man Who Caught a Mermaid (directed by Kaitlin Tinker) My favorite of the bunch, this short about an elderly fisherman (Roy Barker) whose dream of catching a mermaid comes true is

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Feb 12, 2020
Next →