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International horror: J-horror, European extremity, Latin American shocks and the films Hollywood keeps remaking.

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Spoiler-Free Review: HALFWAY HOME (Fantaspoa 2023)

Spoiler-Free Review: HALFWAY HOME (Fantaspoa 2023)

If you are looking for a film that is decidedly different from just about anything you have watched recently, look no further than director Isti Madarász’s Hungarian feature Halfway Home (Átjáróház, 2022). This film, which boasts supernatural elements galore, is perhaps the most charming, whimsical consideration of love and death that you are likely to see this year. Kriztián (Péter Bárnai) and Ági (Vivien Rujder) were both rescued from a hospital fire at birth. Kriztián was raised by a witch, which may help him after he is late for a first date — the pair are unaware of each other’s shared hospital story — with Ági. His tardiness resulted in her accidental death. Luckily for Kriztián, he has just landed a new job as a morgue attendant where the dead who have something left undone before their demise wait for a certain period, ascending into Heaven if their desire is fulfilled or meeting with a sadistic demon if it is

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 26, 2023
LEGEND Reveals Slate of Horror, Sci-fi and Action Premieres for May 2023

LEGEND Reveals Slate of Horror, Sci-fi and Action Premieres for May 2023

Sociopathic drivers, haunted soldiers and a vengeful Nicholas Cage, spearhead an action-packed May line-up on LEGEND, highlighted by the UK TV premieres of Western psychological thriller WAR ON THE RANGE and compelling suspense actioner VENGEANCE, starring Nicholas Cage. Plus, there are Channel premieres for HIDDEN AGENDA, starring a gun-toting, high-kicking Dolph Lundgren, suicide mission drama LAST PASSENGER, starring Dougray Scott, high-octane crime thriller PAYDIRT, starring Val Kilmer and Luke Goss and John Frankenheimer’s gripping, highly-acclaimed YEAR OF THE GUN, starring Sharon Stone. THE VINTAGE VAULT continues to haunt Sunday nights with its popular classic genre double-bills, which, this month, include cult favourites WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT and LUST FOR A VAMPIRE. The weekends are further enhanced by the continuation of the ever-popular original series of sci-fi anthology classics, THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Full film details in transmission order: Thurs 4 May @ 21:00 – WAR ON THE RANGE (2015) *UK TV Premiere In post-Civil War Texas, two neighbouring families

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 25, 2023
Spoiler-Free Review: KING ON SCREEN (Panic Fest 2023)

Spoiler-Free Review: KING ON SCREEN (Panic Fest 2023)

French/Belgian coproduction King on Screen is a valentine to the film adaptations of prolific author Stephen King — who truly needs no introduction here — and to the writer himself. Featuring talking-head interviews with filmmakers who adapted King’s works to big and small screens alike, along with behind-the-scenes footage and film clips galore, the film shows the diverse range of genres in which King has worked, and examines why his stories work as well as they do. Director Daphné Baiwir begins her documentary with an Easter-egg–filled seven-minute sequence in which King’s short stories and novels get name checked or alluded to, and it’s a fun way to begin this film. Even the most casual of the author’s fans will get some of the references, while more seasoned aficionados will appreciate the deeper cuts. From there, the interview segments, archival footage that includes King on different sets, and clips from both classic and lesser known King films begin. Filmmakers such as

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 17, 2023
Spoiler-Free Reviews: THE BIGFOOT TRAP and MEDUSA DELUXE (Panic Fest 2023)

Spoiler-Free Reviews: THE BIGFOOT TRAP and MEDUSA DELUXE (Panic Fest 2023)

The Bigfoot Trap The Bigfoot Trap (U.S., 2023) is not another movie about Sasquatch running rampant on misbehaving city folk — far from it, although we do get a nice variation on that type of person here. Josh MacMahon (Tyler Weisenauer) has set aside his goal of becoming a reporter of depth for some quick cash being a content provider for a clickbait-style website hungry for views. After a video of him making fun of a flat-Earth believer goes viral, Josh gets an assignment of doing another such video about Red Wilson (Zach Lazar Hoffman), the head of the Southern Sasquatch Research Foundation — the membership of which seems to be two people. At first trying to get yucks at Red’s expense, Josh begins to buy into the earnestness with which Red seeks to prove that Bigfoot actually exists. When a possible visual sighting of the legendary cryptid goes tragically awry, The Bigfoot Trap ratchets up its drama and suspense.

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 17, 2023
Spoiler-Free Reviews: MONOLITH and ACCUSED (Overlook Film Festival)

Spoiler-Free Reviews: MONOLITH and ACCUSED (Overlook Film Festival)

Monolith Australian science fiction/mystery Monolith finds a young reporter (Lily Sullivan) trying to revive her career as a journalist after not checking her sources on a controversial article. She has an opportunity to start a podcast but suffers from creative block — until, that is, she receives an email from an anonymous source that hints at a particular woman and a brick. The podcaster follows up on the mysterious message and finds herself going further and further down a rabbit hole, and revealing any more of the plot would be doing director Matt Vesely’s film a great disservice. Vesely, working from a marvelous screenplay by Lucy Campbell, masterfully builds the intensity, with Sullivan giving a first-rate performance. Sullivan is, with soem small exception, the only actor viewers see — other performers provide solid voice acting — and she carries the film wonderfully. Go in to Monolith as cold as possible and be prepared for a slow-burn mystery designed to keep

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 11, 2023
Spoiler-Free Reviews: GODLESS: THE EASTFIELD EXORCISM and THE ARTIFICE GIRL (Overlook 2023)

Spoiler-Free Reviews: GODLESS: THE EASTFIELD EXORCISM and THE ARTIFICE GIRL (Overlook 2023)

Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism Australian feature Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism (2023) eschews the cliches of films dealing with vomit-spewing, head-spinning people possessed by demons in favor of dealing with the religious beliefs vs. mental health question behind alleged possessions. The result is a riveting film that is ultimately as heartbreaking as it is chilling. Lara (Georgia Eyers) and Ron (Dan Ewing) are a young married couple. She has been exhibiting unusual behavior including dancing naked outside their home, and while Ron simply wants psychologist Dr. Walsh (Eliza Matengu) to give them permission to seek a church-sanctioned exorcism, Lara does not share her husband’s religious beliefs and leans more toward therapeutic help. As her behavior grows more violent, possibly because of either dissociative identity disorder or demonic possession, a desperate Ron seeks the help of unsanctioned exorcist Daniel (Tim Pocock), and this is when director Nick Kozakis’s film heads into truly terrifying territory. Based on a true crime case in Australia,

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 6, 2023
Spoiler-Free Film Review: “Enys Men” (2022)

Spoiler-Free Film Review: “Enys Men” (2022)

Shot on 16mm film and invoking the aesthetics of a 1970s film, writer/director/cinematographer Mark Jenkin’s U.K. psychological horror feature Enys Men (the translation of the term from its original Cornish is stone island) is an intriguing watch. It’s certainly not for everyone, but aficionados of cerebral and experimental fear fare will find plenty over which to mull. Taking place on an uninhabited island off the Cornish coast in 1973, Enys Men finds a character named The Volunteer (Mary Woodvine) tracking the growth of wildflowers. Her existence there is rather routine and silent — Woodvine’s riveting performance includes sparse dialogue — save for the occasional visit from a boatman (Edward Rowe) who delivers supplies, and some other presences which appear to be human, if perhaps no longer of this Earthly realm. The Volunteer was seeking solitude, but the past of this island is destined to lead her down a path of madness. Part character study and part look at a bygone

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 4, 2023
Brazil's Fantaspoa Announces Is Full 2023 Edition Lineup

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Announces Is Full 2023 Edition Lineup

Brazilian genre fest Fantaspoa has announced the final wave for its 19th edition, and scare-fare fans will find plenty of intriguing selections ranging from the whimsical to the weird to the wild. Following is the official press announcement. After presenting its first wave of 2023 titles, Fantaspoa Fantastic Film Festival is proudly announcing the remaining selection of feature films from its upcoming nineteenth edition. The massive lineup, between shorts and features, comes to a whopping 160 films. The festival’s feature films are divided into four different competitive sections: International; Ibero-American; Brazilian; and a new section “Low Budget, Great Films”, dedicated to the appreciation of those who take risks and make incredible movies with meager resources. According to festival directors João Fleck and Nicolas Tonsho, “Low Budget, Great Films is a section that emerged from our 2023 entries. There were so many amazing films that applied and blew our minds, and we simply had to acknowledge their abilities to overcome a

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 4, 2023
Ultra Violent Horror 'Project Wolf Hunting' Slashing Its Way Onto Blu-ray

Ultra Violent Horror ‘Project Wolf Hunting’ Slashing Its Way Onto Blu-ray

South Korea’s ultra-violent, action-packed horror Project Wolf Hunting is coming to a TV near you this April! In the film, “During transport, a group of hardened criminals stages a jailbreak that quickly escalates into a bloody, all-out riot. As the fugitives exact their brutal terror campaign onboard the ship, something even more terrifying emerges from below. The wild film is from director Kim Hong-Sun (Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area) and stars Seo In-guk (The Master’s Sun, Hello Monster), Jang Dong-Yoon (Search, Mr. Sunshine), Choi Guy-hwa (Train to Busan, The Wailing), Sung Dong-il (The Cursed, The Great Battle), Park Ho-san (The Call, Prison Playbook) and Jung So-min (Alchemy of Souls). Project Wolf Hunting features an all-new English dub and bonus content, including “Behind the Scenes” and “Making the Alpha” featurettes. Get your copy of this balls-to-the-wall, blood-drenched film on Blu-ray, DVD, or Digital on April 10, 2023, from Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment. And check out the trailer for this insane

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Mar 30, 2023
Boston Underground Film Festival Serves Up the Supernatural and The Super Funny

Boston Underground Film Festival Serves Up the Supernatural and The Super Funny

The Boston Underground Film Festival is mere days away, and Horror Fuel has our collective eyes on many of the fest’s fine fear-fare offerings. Following are official press announcements, with thoughts from Film Festival Editor Joseph Perry in italics. 23nd annual Boston Underground Film Festival returns to Harvard Square’s arthouse hub The Brattle Theatre with five days of vanguard cinemania from March 22nd through the 26th. This year’s lineup is stacked with fearsome folk horror, mendacious miscreants, harrowing horrors and hero/es/ines, godless god-complexes, eco-thrillers and chillers, sensational sci-fi, and all manner of midnight madness. BUFF is beyond honored to host the World Premiere of Jeffrey A. Brown’s haunting, Massachusetts-based horror thriller The Unheard for a homecoming heroes’ welcome on Opening Night. Starring Lachlan Watson (Chucky, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), The Unheard follows a deaf young woman ensconced in a signal-to-noise mystery of dueling senses, realities, truths, identities, and possibly worlds. Brown (2019’s The Beach House) and local screenwriting legends Michael

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 16, 2023

More from Foreign

Spoiler-Free Review: HALFWAY HOME (Fantaspoa 2023)

Spoiler-Free Review: HALFWAY HOME (Fantaspoa 2023)

If you are looking for a film that is decidedly different from just about anything you have watched recently, look no further than director Isti Madarász’s Hungarian feature Halfway Home (Átjáróház, 2022). This film, which boasts supernatural elements galore, is perhaps the most charming, whimsical consideration of love and death that you are likely to see this year. Kriztián (Péter Bárnai) and Ági (Vivien Rujder) were both rescued from a hospital fire at birth. Kriztián was raised by a witch, which may help him after he is late for a first date — the pair are unaware of each other’s shared hospital story — with Ági. His tardiness resulted in her accidental death. Luckily for Kriztián, he has just landed a new job as a morgue attendant where the dead who have something left undone before their demise wait for a certain period, ascending into Heaven if their desire is fulfilled or meeting with a sadistic demon if it is

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 26, 2023
LEGEND Reveals Slate of Horror, Sci-fi and Action Premieres for May 2023

LEGEND Reveals Slate of Horror, Sci-fi and Action Premieres for May 2023

Sociopathic drivers, haunted soldiers and a vengeful Nicholas Cage, spearhead an action-packed May line-up on LEGEND, highlighted by the UK TV premieres of Western psychological thriller WAR ON THE RANGE and compelling suspense actioner VENGEANCE, starring Nicholas Cage. Plus, there are Channel premieres for HIDDEN AGENDA, starring a gun-toting, high-kicking Dolph Lundgren, suicide mission drama LAST PASSENGER, starring Dougray Scott, high-octane crime thriller PAYDIRT, starring Val Kilmer and Luke Goss and John Frankenheimer’s gripping, highly-acclaimed YEAR OF THE GUN, starring Sharon Stone. THE VINTAGE VAULT continues to haunt Sunday nights with its popular classic genre double-bills, which, this month, include cult favourites WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT and LUST FOR A VAMPIRE. The weekends are further enhanced by the continuation of the ever-popular original series of sci-fi anthology classics, THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Full film details in transmission order: Thurs 4 May @ 21:00 – WAR ON THE RANGE (2015) *UK TV Premiere In post-Civil War Texas, two neighbouring families

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 25, 2023
Spoiler-Free Review: KING ON SCREEN (Panic Fest 2023)

Spoiler-Free Review: KING ON SCREEN (Panic Fest 2023)

French/Belgian coproduction King on Screen is a valentine to the film adaptations of prolific author Stephen King — who truly needs no introduction here — and to the writer himself. Featuring talking-head interviews with filmmakers who adapted King’s works to big and small screens alike, along with behind-the-scenes footage and film clips galore, the film shows the diverse range of genres in which King has worked, and examines why his stories work as well as they do. Director Daphné Baiwir begins her documentary with an Easter-egg–filled seven-minute sequence in which King’s short stories and novels get name checked or alluded to, and it’s a fun way to begin this film. Even the most casual of the author’s fans will get some of the references, while more seasoned aficionados will appreciate the deeper cuts. From there, the interview segments, archival footage that includes King on different sets, and clips from both classic and lesser known King films begin. Filmmakers such as

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 17, 2023
Spoiler-Free Reviews: THE BIGFOOT TRAP and MEDUSA DELUXE (Panic Fest 2023)

Spoiler-Free Reviews: THE BIGFOOT TRAP and MEDUSA DELUXE (Panic Fest 2023)

The Bigfoot Trap The Bigfoot Trap (U.S., 2023) is not another movie about Sasquatch running rampant on misbehaving city folk — far from it, although we do get a nice variation on that type of person here. Josh MacMahon (Tyler Weisenauer) has set aside his goal of becoming a reporter of depth for some quick cash being a content provider for a clickbait-style website hungry for views. After a video of him making fun of a flat-Earth believer goes viral, Josh gets an assignment of doing another such video about Red Wilson (Zach Lazar Hoffman), the head of the Southern Sasquatch Research Foundation — the membership of which seems to be two people. At first trying to get yucks at Red’s expense, Josh begins to buy into the earnestness with which Red seeks to prove that Bigfoot actually exists. When a possible visual sighting of the legendary cryptid goes tragically awry, The Bigfoot Trap ratchets up its drama and suspense.

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 17, 2023
Spoiler-Free Reviews: MONOLITH and ACCUSED (Overlook Film Festival)

Spoiler-Free Reviews: MONOLITH and ACCUSED (Overlook Film Festival)

Monolith Australian science fiction/mystery Monolith finds a young reporter (Lily Sullivan) trying to revive her career as a journalist after not checking her sources on a controversial article. She has an opportunity to start a podcast but suffers from creative block — until, that is, she receives an email from an anonymous source that hints at a particular woman and a brick. The podcaster follows up on the mysterious message and finds herself going further and further down a rabbit hole, and revealing any more of the plot would be doing director Matt Vesely’s film a great disservice. Vesely, working from a marvelous screenplay by Lucy Campbell, masterfully builds the intensity, with Sullivan giving a first-rate performance. Sullivan is, with soem small exception, the only actor viewers see — other performers provide solid voice acting — and she carries the film wonderfully. Go in to Monolith as cold as possible and be prepared for a slow-burn mystery designed to keep

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 11, 2023
Spoiler-Free Reviews: GODLESS: THE EASTFIELD EXORCISM and THE ARTIFICE GIRL (Overlook 2023)

Spoiler-Free Reviews: GODLESS: THE EASTFIELD EXORCISM and THE ARTIFICE GIRL (Overlook 2023)

Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism Australian feature Godless: The Eastfield Exorcism (2023) eschews the cliches of films dealing with vomit-spewing, head-spinning people possessed by demons in favor of dealing with the religious beliefs vs. mental health question behind alleged possessions. The result is a riveting film that is ultimately as heartbreaking as it is chilling. Lara (Georgia Eyers) and Ron (Dan Ewing) are a young married couple. She has been exhibiting unusual behavior including dancing naked outside their home, and while Ron simply wants psychologist Dr. Walsh (Eliza Matengu) to give them permission to seek a church-sanctioned exorcism, Lara does not share her husband’s religious beliefs and leans more toward therapeutic help. As her behavior grows more violent, possibly because of either dissociative identity disorder or demonic possession, a desperate Ron seeks the help of unsanctioned exorcist Daniel (Tim Pocock), and this is when director Nick Kozakis’s film heads into truly terrifying territory. Based on a true crime case in Australia,

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 6, 2023
Spoiler-Free Film Review: “Enys Men” (2022)

Spoiler-Free Film Review: “Enys Men” (2022)

Shot on 16mm film and invoking the aesthetics of a 1970s film, writer/director/cinematographer Mark Jenkin’s U.K. psychological horror feature Enys Men (the translation of the term from its original Cornish is stone island) is an intriguing watch. It’s certainly not for everyone, but aficionados of cerebral and experimental fear fare will find plenty over which to mull. Taking place on an uninhabited island off the Cornish coast in 1973, Enys Men finds a character named The Volunteer (Mary Woodvine) tracking the growth of wildflowers. Her existence there is rather routine and silent — Woodvine’s riveting performance includes sparse dialogue — save for the occasional visit from a boatman (Edward Rowe) who delivers supplies, and some other presences which appear to be human, if perhaps no longer of this Earthly realm. The Volunteer was seeking solitude, but the past of this island is destined to lead her down a path of madness. Part character study and part look at a bygone

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 4, 2023
Brazil's Fantaspoa Announces Is Full 2023 Edition Lineup

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Announces Is Full 2023 Edition Lineup

Brazilian genre fest Fantaspoa has announced the final wave for its 19th edition, and scare-fare fans will find plenty of intriguing selections ranging from the whimsical to the weird to the wild. Following is the official press announcement. After presenting its first wave of 2023 titles, Fantaspoa Fantastic Film Festival is proudly announcing the remaining selection of feature films from its upcoming nineteenth edition. The massive lineup, between shorts and features, comes to a whopping 160 films. The festival’s feature films are divided into four different competitive sections: International; Ibero-American; Brazilian; and a new section “Low Budget, Great Films”, dedicated to the appreciation of those who take risks and make incredible movies with meager resources. According to festival directors João Fleck and Nicolas Tonsho, “Low Budget, Great Films is a section that emerged from our 2023 entries. There were so many amazing films that applied and blew our minds, and we simply had to acknowledge their abilities to overcome a

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Apr 4, 2023
Ultra Violent Horror 'Project Wolf Hunting' Slashing Its Way Onto Blu-ray

Ultra Violent Horror ‘Project Wolf Hunting’ Slashing Its Way Onto Blu-ray

South Korea’s ultra-violent, action-packed horror Project Wolf Hunting is coming to a TV near you this April! In the film, “During transport, a group of hardened criminals stages a jailbreak that quickly escalates into a bloody, all-out riot. As the fugitives exact their brutal terror campaign onboard the ship, something even more terrifying emerges from below. The wild film is from director Kim Hong-Sun (Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area) and stars Seo In-guk (The Master’s Sun, Hello Monster), Jang Dong-Yoon (Search, Mr. Sunshine), Choi Guy-hwa (Train to Busan, The Wailing), Sung Dong-il (The Cursed, The Great Battle), Park Ho-san (The Call, Prison Playbook) and Jung So-min (Alchemy of Souls). Project Wolf Hunting features an all-new English dub and bonus content, including “Behind the Scenes” and “Making the Alpha” featurettes. Get your copy of this balls-to-the-wall, blood-drenched film on Blu-ray, DVD, or Digital on April 10, 2023, from Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment. And check out the trailer for this insane

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Mar 30, 2023
Boston Underground Film Festival Serves Up the Supernatural and The Super Funny

Boston Underground Film Festival Serves Up the Supernatural and The Super Funny

The Boston Underground Film Festival is mere days away, and Horror Fuel has our collective eyes on many of the fest’s fine fear-fare offerings. Following are official press announcements, with thoughts from Film Festival Editor Joseph Perry in italics. 23nd annual Boston Underground Film Festival returns to Harvard Square’s arthouse hub The Brattle Theatre with five days of vanguard cinemania from March 22nd through the 26th. This year’s lineup is stacked with fearsome folk horror, mendacious miscreants, harrowing horrors and hero/es/ines, godless god-complexes, eco-thrillers and chillers, sensational sci-fi, and all manner of midnight madness. BUFF is beyond honored to host the World Premiere of Jeffrey A. Brown’s haunting, Massachusetts-based horror thriller The Unheard for a homecoming heroes’ welcome on Opening Night. Starring Lachlan Watson (Chucky, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), The Unheard follows a deaf young woman ensconced in a signal-to-noise mystery of dueling senses, realities, truths, identities, and possibly worlds. Brown (2019’s The Beach House) and local screenwriting legends Michael

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Mar 16, 2023
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