CategoryReviews
Honest horror reviews of films, series, games and books — no hype, no spoilers, just whether it is worth your time and your nerves.
3,463 stories
GamingIndieParanormalProductReviews
Russian game developer Odd Meter had to leave their home country or face prosecution or worse, as their recent release INDIKA questions societal norms and points out the hypocrisy of the Russian Orthodox Church. I thank Odd Meter and 11 Bit Studios for this reviewing opportunity. INDIKA follows our titled character, a young Nun who is sent by her convent to deliver a letter, but her journey will be that of self-discovery as she begins to question her faith, along with dealing with the voice of the devil in her head. Now, onto the game itself! When it comes to the game’s controls, INDIKA is minimal as the gameplay is that of environmental puzzle-solving to allow Indika to proceed on her mission. A mechanic of the game that is confusing me at this time of writing, is the retro pixulated point system. Collecting items and interacting with the environment (like lighting candles) earns Indika points that will allow her to
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviews
Nothing hits you in the nostalgia bone more than survival horror games on the first PlayStation. Still, as gamers, we’ve evolved from the low-poly 3D graphics, synth soundtracks, and voiceless dialogues. Now, you can experience that feeling with SFB Games’ PS1 survival horror-inspired Crow Country. Crow Country takes players to the abandoned Crow Country amusement park as Mara Forest and investigates the mysterious reasons behind the park’s abrupt closure as well as the disappearance of its owner Edward Crow. Now, onto the game itself! The controls are minimal and easy to learn and modify for your playthrough. A nice touch the devs put in Crow Country is the ability to rotate the camera, allowing you to see objects from different directions! The soundtrack is reminiscent of the old-school horror games I played on PS1 growing up. The lack of dialogue is OK in this game as the written dialogue is to the point and short. The game’s graphics are a
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MoviesNewsReviews
Abigail has arrived on Digital, and the hype is real! This unique spin on the vampire myth chills audiences and offers a bloody good time. Forget the sparkly teen romance – Abigail throws a dark, brutal, and twisted vampire into the mix. Abigail is kidnapped for ransom. However, the kidnappers get far more than they bargained for when they discover their captive is a monstrous creature with a complicated past. This unexpected twist breathes new life into the vampire genre. Young, talented Alisha Weir delivers a hauntingly good performance as the titular Abigail, a young ballerina grappling with her monstrous nature and the feeling of abandonment. Weir is surrounded by a stellar cast that includes Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, and Giancarlo Esposito. Together, the cast brings both heart and brutality to their roles, especially Melissa Barrera, who gives an intense performance. Gorehounds rejoice! Abigail is a blood-soaked thrill ride, exploding with graphic violence and relentless action. It’s not
Continue reading →
MoviesReviewsSci-Fi
After an absolute earworm banger of a theme song by punk outfit The Dickies, a big top from beyond the stars lands on Earth and dispenses monstrous alien clowns. Naturally it’s up to a gaggle of college kids to try and save the day by facing off against the bizarre creatures and their even more bizarre weapons (cotton candy guns, man eating shadow puppets, killer popcorn et. al.)! As if all of that monstrous madness wasn’t enough, our heroes are dogged constantly by the town’s egomaniacal cop, Officer Moonie (the legendary John Vernon, Animal House) who would be more than happy to lock our heroes up and you can bet your ass he does not believe their wild tales of grease-painted ghouls stalking the city streets! Can our heroes survive the night and send those ha-ha horrors packing, or will they be jailbirds before sun up? Surreal, hilarious, and filled to the rafters with over-the-top practical effects goodness; Killer Klowns
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IndieMoviesReviews
Deathdream is the kind of flick that begins featuring the horrors of ‘Nam and the value of a man that can carve a roast all in equal measure (for the record, Roastmaster General’s son Andy is who we see buying the farm in Vietnam). Anyway, the family learns their son is dead and begins grieving… except later that night ol’ Andy comes home alive and…well alive anyway (after hitching a ride with a trucker who winds up dead after some high-larious antics at an all-night diner). Over the next few days Andy acts weird A.F.; he’s quiet, pale, and only offers a small smirk to anyone that talks to him…plus he picks up some new hobbies like wandering around cemeteries in the dead of night and simultaneously beating down androgynous kids who karate chop him with one hand while strangling a dog with the other (an underrated talent to be sure). Well, it turn out ol’ Awesome Andy is some
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviewsSci-Fi
Tsui Chik (Jet Li, the Once Upon a Time in China series, Lethal Weapon 4) is a librarian leading a low-key lifestyle… so much so, that you’d hardly guess he was a top-secret super-soldier. Speaking of that Captain America biz, his former unit was disbanded due to one of his comrades going completely apeshit and putting a murder on a cop which resulted in the entire organization being marked for extermination. Now, our hero managed to lead his teammates to safety, but years later it appears that his fellow super soldiers have gone on a gangland killing spree… and since these dudes are near invulnerable, the police are practically helpless in dealing with the sitch at hand. Tsui then does the only logical thing; he dresses up like Kato from The Green Hornet and proceeds to begin a quest to whip super-soldier ass under his secret superhero identity; the Black Mask! Director Daniel Lee’s (working from a screenplay by directors
Continue reading →
MoviesReviews
A cursed videotape leads to supernatural shenanigans and wacky well-walkin’. I could be talking about Hideo Nakata’s 1998 influential J-Horror masterpiece Ringu… and while we will surely get back to Nakata soon enough, today we’ll be focusing our outre eye-balls on Gore Verbinski’s (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and two of it’s sequels) 2002 Hollywood re-make, and it’s sequels, all of which are included in Scream Factory’s new 4k/Blu-ray combo box-set; The Ring Collection… like, what else did you think they would call it?!! Anyway, The Ring… Seattle-based investigative journalist Rachael (Naomi Watts) gets herself one hell of a mystery to solve after she’s asked to check into the circumstances that led to her niece’s bizarre demise. It’s a long and winding road to the truth… a truth that involves the decades old murder of a child with psychic abilities… and that child, Samara (Daveigh Chase) is thirsty for revenge from beyond the grave which
Continue reading →
BooksReviews
.Are you into the darker side of life? Are you a goth but looking to ascend to a higher level? If the answer to either question is yes, I have the book for you: Gothic Life: The Essential Guide to Macabre Style. In all honesty, I got this book because I saw it had a bunch of recipes. Yes, your girl can cook. But as I wandered through its 204 pages, I found more than tasty snacks. It’s a whole etiquette guide featuring DIY, decorating, and even tips on throwing a dark sware, complete with detailed instructions and many images. One of the twelve chapters features a section on goth icons and their contributions, from Elvira to musician Cab Calloway. Let’s not forget the section on Halloween, its origins, and ideas for spooky season. If you’re looking for a spooky outing, Gothic Life has a whole section on places that will leave you with chills. From punches and potions, like
Continue reading →
MoviesNewsReviewsStreaming TVTrailersTubi
For a while now, Tubi has been one of the best streaming services for horror. It features over 10,000 horror movies, more than any other streaming service, and the fact that it’s free doesn’t hurt. Tubi has been releasing originals for the past few years, but they’ve mostly flown under the radar. That has just changed. Tubi recently released an original titled Lowlifes. To my surprise, it is one of the best horror films of 2024. The film was directed by Tesh Guttikonda and Mitch Oliver from a script by Al Kaplan. Lowlifes was released without major fanfare, leaving it mainly overlooked by genre fans (until now). And that’s a shame. I expected the kind of low-budget flick we get with recycled plots. But that’s not what I got. The film sees a family on their yearly trip in an RV: a dad, a mom, a teen daughter, and a teen son. While the family looks beguine enough, the family
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsParanormalReviewsStreaming TV
If you’re in the mood for a brisk supernatural comedy, you need look no further than the new Canadian six-part episodic short-form series Department of Paranormal Affairs. The series boasts highly likable characters in decidedly irregular situations. In the world of Department of Paranormal Affairs, ghosts, vampires, and other things that go bump in the night are real. This branch of the government deals with them in a different way than usual in series and movies. Rather than hunting them down to dispose of such entities, this agency looks to help them fit in positively with human society. The department’s civil servants consist of Director Greg LeGrow (Donovan Workun), who does as little as possible; Scott Power (David Feehan), the straight-laced rule follower of the bunch; and new hire Jenny Hicks (Nancy Ngo), who initially would rather punch a ghost than read a book about how to properly deal with one. Series creator Feehan, who shares screenwriting credits with Jessy
Continue reading →
More from Reviews
GamingIndieParanormalProductReviews
Russian game developer Odd Meter had to leave their home country or face prosecution or worse, as their recent release INDIKA questions societal norms and points out the hypocrisy of the Russian Orthodox Church. I thank Odd Meter and 11 Bit Studios for this reviewing opportunity. INDIKA follows our titled character, a young Nun who is sent by her convent to deliver a letter, but her journey will be that of self-discovery as she begins to question her faith, along with dealing with the voice of the devil in her head. Now, onto the game itself! When it comes to the game’s controls, INDIKA is minimal as the gameplay is that of environmental puzzle-solving to allow Indika to proceed on her mission. A mechanic of the game that is confusing me at this time of writing, is the retro pixulated point system. Collecting items and interacting with the environment (like lighting candles) earns Indika points that will allow her to
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviews
Nothing hits you in the nostalgia bone more than survival horror games on the first PlayStation. Still, as gamers, we’ve evolved from the low-poly 3D graphics, synth soundtracks, and voiceless dialogues. Now, you can experience that feeling with SFB Games’ PS1 survival horror-inspired Crow Country. Crow Country takes players to the abandoned Crow Country amusement park as Mara Forest and investigates the mysterious reasons behind the park’s abrupt closure as well as the disappearance of its owner Edward Crow. Now, onto the game itself! The controls are minimal and easy to learn and modify for your playthrough. A nice touch the devs put in Crow Country is the ability to rotate the camera, allowing you to see objects from different directions! The soundtrack is reminiscent of the old-school horror games I played on PS1 growing up. The lack of dialogue is OK in this game as the written dialogue is to the point and short. The game’s graphics are a
Continue reading →
MoviesNewsReviews
Abigail has arrived on Digital, and the hype is real! This unique spin on the vampire myth chills audiences and offers a bloody good time. Forget the sparkly teen romance – Abigail throws a dark, brutal, and twisted vampire into the mix. Abigail is kidnapped for ransom. However, the kidnappers get far more than they bargained for when they discover their captive is a monstrous creature with a complicated past. This unexpected twist breathes new life into the vampire genre. Young, talented Alisha Weir delivers a hauntingly good performance as the titular Abigail, a young ballerina grappling with her monstrous nature and the feeling of abandonment. Weir is surrounded by a stellar cast that includes Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, and Giancarlo Esposito. Together, the cast brings both heart and brutality to their roles, especially Melissa Barrera, who gives an intense performance. Gorehounds rejoice! Abigail is a blood-soaked thrill ride, exploding with graphic violence and relentless action. It’s not
Continue reading →
MoviesReviewsSci-Fi
After an absolute earworm banger of a theme song by punk outfit The Dickies, a big top from beyond the stars lands on Earth and dispenses monstrous alien clowns. Naturally it’s up to a gaggle of college kids to try and save the day by facing off against the bizarre creatures and their even more bizarre weapons (cotton candy guns, man eating shadow puppets, killer popcorn et. al.)! As if all of that monstrous madness wasn’t enough, our heroes are dogged constantly by the town’s egomaniacal cop, Officer Moonie (the legendary John Vernon, Animal House) who would be more than happy to lock our heroes up and you can bet your ass he does not believe their wild tales of grease-painted ghouls stalking the city streets! Can our heroes survive the night and send those ha-ha horrors packing, or will they be jailbirds before sun up? Surreal, hilarious, and filled to the rafters with over-the-top practical effects goodness; Killer Klowns
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Deathdream is the kind of flick that begins featuring the horrors of ‘Nam and the value of a man that can carve a roast all in equal measure (for the record, Roastmaster General’s son Andy is who we see buying the farm in Vietnam). Anyway, the family learns their son is dead and begins grieving… except later that night ol’ Andy comes home alive and…well alive anyway (after hitching a ride with a trucker who winds up dead after some high-larious antics at an all-night diner). Over the next few days Andy acts weird A.F.; he’s quiet, pale, and only offers a small smirk to anyone that talks to him…plus he picks up some new hobbies like wandering around cemeteries in the dead of night and simultaneously beating down androgynous kids who karate chop him with one hand while strangling a dog with the other (an underrated talent to be sure). Well, it turn out ol’ Awesome Andy is some
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviewsSci-Fi
Tsui Chik (Jet Li, the Once Upon a Time in China series, Lethal Weapon 4) is a librarian leading a low-key lifestyle… so much so, that you’d hardly guess he was a top-secret super-soldier. Speaking of that Captain America biz, his former unit was disbanded due to one of his comrades going completely apeshit and putting a murder on a cop which resulted in the entire organization being marked for extermination. Now, our hero managed to lead his teammates to safety, but years later it appears that his fellow super soldiers have gone on a gangland killing spree… and since these dudes are near invulnerable, the police are practically helpless in dealing with the sitch at hand. Tsui then does the only logical thing; he dresses up like Kato from The Green Hornet and proceeds to begin a quest to whip super-soldier ass under his secret superhero identity; the Black Mask! Director Daniel Lee’s (working from a screenplay by directors
Continue reading →
MoviesReviews
A cursed videotape leads to supernatural shenanigans and wacky well-walkin’. I could be talking about Hideo Nakata’s 1998 influential J-Horror masterpiece Ringu… and while we will surely get back to Nakata soon enough, today we’ll be focusing our outre eye-balls on Gore Verbinski’s (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and two of it’s sequels) 2002 Hollywood re-make, and it’s sequels, all of which are included in Scream Factory’s new 4k/Blu-ray combo box-set; The Ring Collection… like, what else did you think they would call it?!! Anyway, The Ring… Seattle-based investigative journalist Rachael (Naomi Watts) gets herself one hell of a mystery to solve after she’s asked to check into the circumstances that led to her niece’s bizarre demise. It’s a long and winding road to the truth… a truth that involves the decades old murder of a child with psychic abilities… and that child, Samara (Daveigh Chase) is thirsty for revenge from beyond the grave which
Continue reading →
BooksReviews
.Are you into the darker side of life? Are you a goth but looking to ascend to a higher level? If the answer to either question is yes, I have the book for you: Gothic Life: The Essential Guide to Macabre Style. In all honesty, I got this book because I saw it had a bunch of recipes. Yes, your girl can cook. But as I wandered through its 204 pages, I found more than tasty snacks. It’s a whole etiquette guide featuring DIY, decorating, and even tips on throwing a dark sware, complete with detailed instructions and many images. One of the twelve chapters features a section on goth icons and their contributions, from Elvira to musician Cab Calloway. Let’s not forget the section on Halloween, its origins, and ideas for spooky season. If you’re looking for a spooky outing, Gothic Life has a whole section on places that will leave you with chills. From punches and potions, like
Continue reading →
MoviesNewsReviewsStreaming TVTrailersTubi
For a while now, Tubi has been one of the best streaming services for horror. It features over 10,000 horror movies, more than any other streaming service, and the fact that it’s free doesn’t hurt. Tubi has been releasing originals for the past few years, but they’ve mostly flown under the radar. That has just changed. Tubi recently released an original titled Lowlifes. To my surprise, it is one of the best horror films of 2024. The film was directed by Tesh Guttikonda and Mitch Oliver from a script by Al Kaplan. Lowlifes was released without major fanfare, leaving it mainly overlooked by genre fans (until now). And that’s a shame. I expected the kind of low-budget flick we get with recycled plots. But that’s not what I got. The film sees a family on their yearly trip in an RV: a dad, a mom, a teen daughter, and a teen son. While the family looks beguine enough, the family
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsParanormalReviewsStreaming TV
If you’re in the mood for a brisk supernatural comedy, you need look no further than the new Canadian six-part episodic short-form series Department of Paranormal Affairs. The series boasts highly likable characters in decidedly irregular situations. In the world of Department of Paranormal Affairs, ghosts, vampires, and other things that go bump in the night are real. This branch of the government deals with them in a different way than usual in series and movies. Rather than hunting them down to dispose of such entities, this agency looks to help them fit in positively with human society. The department’s civil servants consist of Director Greg LeGrow (Donovan Workun), who does as little as possible; Scott Power (David Feehan), the straight-laced rule follower of the bunch; and new hire Jenny Hicks (Nancy Ngo), who initially would rather punch a ghost than read a book about how to properly deal with one. Series creator Feehan, who shares screenwriting credits with Jessy
Continue reading →
