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
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant; Canada, 2023) What an absolute blast Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is! Director Ariane Louis-Seize’s French language coming-of-age vampire dramedy is a true charmer. Sasha (Sara Montpetit) is a reluctant teen vampire who suffers from adverse reactions when she witnesses humans being physically harmed. Her family members do their best to wean her off of blood bags and start her biting people. Matters become even more complicated when she meets bullied teen Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard) at an anonymous meeting for depressed and suicidal individuals. Paul is looking for a meaningful way to end his life, and sees that in Sasha’s becoming a true, people-biting vampire. Louis-Seize, who cowrote the screenplay with Christine Doyon, has crafted a touching, whimsical feature that examines the potential humanity in an undead being, gently and thoughtfully focusing on two characters trying to find their way in this world — and in Paul’s case,
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsShudder
Arachnophobes, unless you are approved for serious exposure therapy from your medical or psychological professional, you will almost surely want to avoid director Sébastien Vanicek’s Infested (Vermines; France/U.S., 2023). But for everyone who loves a good — and in this case I mean really good — spider attack horror movie, you will absolutely want to see the film. Kaleb (Théo Christine), a twentysomething man trying to carve out a life for himself in a world that frustrates that goal at many a turn, lives with his sister (Lisa Nyarko) in an apartment that has seen better days and requires constant upkeep, which they inherited from from their late mother. The siblings have a strained relationship, and Kaleb also keeps other people at a distance, preferring to spend time with the exotic reptiles and bugs that he collects, though he considers the other building tenants to be more like family than merely neighbors. After Kaleb purchases a spider — the likes
Continue reading →
AdaptationAmazon Prime VideoGamingNewsProductReviewsSci-Fi
Vault Dwellers, power up your Pip-boy, get yourself a cold glass of Nuka Cola, and put on your Vault 33 Glasses from GUNNAR Optics! That’s right, GUNNAR and Amazon have teamed up in preparation for Amazon’s upcoming series Fallout, based on the hit game series of the same name that’s set to premiere on Prime Video on April 11th. I want to thank GUNNAR and Amazon for sending me a pair of the Vault 33 Glasses to try out! These glasses are awesome! With the retro look that appears to have come right from one of the Vaults from the game, or in this case, it bears the mark of Vault 33 (the Vault the Amazon Series protagonist is from). The glasses fit comfortably, and like the Year of the Dragon pair I was sent before, the lens is amber but you can choose between clear, amber, or sunglasses. These gaming glasses help block out the blue light spectrum which
Continue reading →
MoviesReviewsSci-Fi
Attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand, Fargo) has the dirt on the bribes big time developer Louis Strack Jr.(Colin Friels, Dark City) has been using to get the job done hassle-free, and this upsets his ass greatly… so much so, he enlists the help of gangster/psychopath Robert G. Durant (Robert G. Durant, Dr. Giggles) to destroy those documents with extreme prejudice! This is shitty news for Hastings’ boyfriend Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, Taken, Next of Kin), a scientist that has invented synthetic skin for burn victims that can be 3-D printed to any specifications… but the material only lasts 99 minutes before dissolving, as he’s around when Durant comes a-callin’ which results in him both getting severely burned, but impervious to pain thanks to the treatment for said burns (even though the world believes him dead). Naturally, he needs to exact revenge on those that wronged him… and he does just that, because not only has the attempted murder left
Continue reading →
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Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsThriller
Sleep (South Korea, 2023) A sleepwalking man becomes a danger to his family in writer/director Jason Yu’s eerie feature Sleep. HyunSu (Lee SunKyun) and SooJin (Jung YuMi) are a married couple expecting their first child. HyunSu begins having bouts of somnambulism that become increasingly disturbing, and when SooJin suspects supernatural influence, tension between the spouses increases. Lee and Jung give solid performances as the troubled couple, and Yu ratchets up the tension well, leading to a highly satisfying third act. The “love conquers all” element is a bit on the nose, but overall the film is a gripping one that fans of occult horror should find well worth a watch. Strange Kindness (U.S., 2024) Writer/director Joseph Mault’s Cape Cod-set thriller Strange Kindness is a meditative feature with political commentary on violence in the United States woven in with family trauma drama. Rose (Leanne McLaughlin) is a young woman helping her reclusive aunt Chris (Deirdre Madigan) with home treatments for Chris’s
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsShort Films
Apotemnofilia The titular condition is the desire of amputation for a healthy limb, and writer/director Jano Pita’s Spanish horror short Apotemnofilia finds actress Clara (Lucía Azcoitía) dealing with that as her highly anticipated post-pregnancy comeback play is about to begin. The film addresses Clara’s mental breakdown through graphic displays of body horror elements made with impressive, disturbing practical effects work. Azcoitía gives a fittingly unsettling performance, with Pita delivering a shocking work infused with some dark humor. Lullaby U.K. slow-burn chiller Lullaby from writer/director Chi Thai examines the fragile mental state of a female refugee (Jane Le). She suffered a devastating loss that she finds herself reliving, with those around her providing no comfort or support. Thai uses ever-increasing dread in favor of jump scares and gore, crafting a mesmerizing short that packs a highly disturbing reveal. The Bleacher If you have ever wondered what happened to socks you lost after doing laundry, the animated short The Bleacher from cowriters/codirectors
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviews
In 1992, the world of interactive entertainment changed forever when Infogrames Entertainment released the first survival horror game, Alone in the Dark, which then influenced many future game developers who made many of the hit survival horror games we love now. Yesterday, THQ Nordic and Pieces Interactive released the faithful love letter remake of the original. Thank you to THQ, Pieces (especially Game Tomb) for the reviewing opportunity! Alone in the Dark takes players to the Derceto Manor, a sanitorium, in the middle of the Louisiana Bayou, where Private Detective Edward Carnby (David Harbour) is helping Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer) find her uncle Jeremy Hartwood, who says he’s being pursued by a “Dark Man”. Soon after arriving at the Manor, Edward and Emily encounter otherworldly happenings. Now, onto the game itself! When it comes to controls, They’re as basic as you would expect if you’re familiar with 3rd-person games, which makes it easier to get right into the story. When
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviews
Regarding CAPCOM, I’ve only really played the Resident Evil games and have not ventured far from that, but I thought I tried something new and did not regret it! I do like a good fantasy action RPG but few titles deliver the goods, especially if you’re waiting for the next Elder Scrolls to come out (personally, I think we’re in for a LONG wait for the 6th installment). CAPCOM came through with Dragon’s Dogma 2 the sequel to their 2012 hit. I want to thank CAPCOM for allowing me an early look at this game! Dragon’s Dogma 2 takes players to a high-fantasy world where you take on the role of The Arisin, a person who has had their heart taken by a dragon and whose fate is now linked to that dragon. Now you and your Pawns must venture the world to uncover The Arisin’s memories as well as squash a conspiracy. Now onto the game itself! Control-wise, you’ll
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviewsSci-Fi
Director Thomas Cailley’s The Animal Kingdom (Le régne animal; France and Belgium, 2023) tackles the well-tread science fiction concept of “Can mutants and humans get along?” previously explored in X-Men comics and movies, and films such as 2018’s Freaks. Although not a lot of new ground is covered storywise, Cailley’s feature is such a well-acted and beautifully realized work that it stands out of the pack. Francois’ (Romain Duris) wife Lana (Florence Deretz) has taken on animalistic tendencies, both in action and physically. She is one of many people who have suddenly become stricken and hospitalized with this disease. With many people turning against those afflicted, the government has opened a new facility for patients like Lana. When the bus that takes her and other mutating patients to the facility crashes and the patients escape to the nearby forest, tensions rise further. Francois has moved near the facility with his teenage son Émile (Paul Kircher), who is hiding his own
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviews
The girls at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic School are up to their teased-out tresses in trouble. If they aren’t constantly in danger of being caught by staff as they get hot n’ horny with the boys from nearby Winchester School (and occasionally a local or two… who just so happen to be the eternal subject of those rich Winchester lads bullying), there’s a killer on the loose on Lover’s Lane offing the student bodies of both academies with his barbwire killing implement! As the bodies (and suspects) go up exponentially the gals n’ guys must keep their wits about them if they are to survive this deadly ordeal with their Aquanetted coifs in-tact… and the rest of their bodies as well! Director Alec Mills certainly wanted to emulate the slasher genre that was sweeping America in the eerie ‘80s, and along with screenwriter Robert Brennan he does just that… but given the fact this film was produced in Australia we get
Continue reading →
More from Reviews
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant; Canada, 2023) What an absolute blast Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is! Director Ariane Louis-Seize’s French language coming-of-age vampire dramedy is a true charmer. Sasha (Sara Montpetit) is a reluctant teen vampire who suffers from adverse reactions when she witnesses humans being physically harmed. Her family members do their best to wean her off of blood bags and start her biting people. Matters become even more complicated when she meets bullied teen Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard) at an anonymous meeting for depressed and suicidal individuals. Paul is looking for a meaningful way to end his life, and sees that in Sasha’s becoming a true, people-biting vampire. Louis-Seize, who cowrote the screenplay with Christine Doyon, has crafted a touching, whimsical feature that examines the potential humanity in an undead being, gently and thoughtfully focusing on two characters trying to find their way in this world — and in Paul’s case,
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsShudder
Arachnophobes, unless you are approved for serious exposure therapy from your medical or psychological professional, you will almost surely want to avoid director Sébastien Vanicek’s Infested (Vermines; France/U.S., 2023). But for everyone who loves a good — and in this case I mean really good — spider attack horror movie, you will absolutely want to see the film. Kaleb (Théo Christine), a twentysomething man trying to carve out a life for himself in a world that frustrates that goal at many a turn, lives with his sister (Lisa Nyarko) in an apartment that has seen better days and requires constant upkeep, which they inherited from from their late mother. The siblings have a strained relationship, and Kaleb also keeps other people at a distance, preferring to spend time with the exotic reptiles and bugs that he collects, though he considers the other building tenants to be more like family than merely neighbors. After Kaleb purchases a spider — the likes
Continue reading →
AdaptationAmazon Prime VideoGamingNewsProductReviewsSci-Fi
Vault Dwellers, power up your Pip-boy, get yourself a cold glass of Nuka Cola, and put on your Vault 33 Glasses from GUNNAR Optics! That’s right, GUNNAR and Amazon have teamed up in preparation for Amazon’s upcoming series Fallout, based on the hit game series of the same name that’s set to premiere on Prime Video on April 11th. I want to thank GUNNAR and Amazon for sending me a pair of the Vault 33 Glasses to try out! These glasses are awesome! With the retro look that appears to have come right from one of the Vaults from the game, or in this case, it bears the mark of Vault 33 (the Vault the Amazon Series protagonist is from). The glasses fit comfortably, and like the Year of the Dragon pair I was sent before, the lens is amber but you can choose between clear, amber, or sunglasses. These gaming glasses help block out the blue light spectrum which
Continue reading →
MoviesReviewsSci-Fi
Attorney Julie Hastings (Frances McDormand, Fargo) has the dirt on the bribes big time developer Louis Strack Jr.(Colin Friels, Dark City) has been using to get the job done hassle-free, and this upsets his ass greatly… so much so, he enlists the help of gangster/psychopath Robert G. Durant (Robert G. Durant, Dr. Giggles) to destroy those documents with extreme prejudice! This is shitty news for Hastings’ boyfriend Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson, Taken, Next of Kin), a scientist that has invented synthetic skin for burn victims that can be 3-D printed to any specifications… but the material only lasts 99 minutes before dissolving, as he’s around when Durant comes a-callin’ which results in him both getting severely burned, but impervious to pain thanks to the treatment for said burns (even though the world believes him dead). Naturally, he needs to exact revenge on those that wronged him… and he does just that, because not only has the attempted murder left
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsThriller
Sleep (South Korea, 2023) A sleepwalking man becomes a danger to his family in writer/director Jason Yu’s eerie feature Sleep. HyunSu (Lee SunKyun) and SooJin (Jung YuMi) are a married couple expecting their first child. HyunSu begins having bouts of somnambulism that become increasingly disturbing, and when SooJin suspects supernatural influence, tension between the spouses increases. Lee and Jung give solid performances as the troubled couple, and Yu ratchets up the tension well, leading to a highly satisfying third act. The “love conquers all” element is a bit on the nose, but overall the film is a gripping one that fans of occult horror should find well worth a watch. Strange Kindness (U.S., 2024) Writer/director Joseph Mault’s Cape Cod-set thriller Strange Kindness is a meditative feature with political commentary on violence in the United States woven in with family trauma drama. Rose (Leanne McLaughlin) is a young woman helping her reclusive aunt Chris (Deirdre Madigan) with home treatments for Chris’s
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsShort Films
Apotemnofilia The titular condition is the desire of amputation for a healthy limb, and writer/director Jano Pita’s Spanish horror short Apotemnofilia finds actress Clara (Lucía Azcoitía) dealing with that as her highly anticipated post-pregnancy comeback play is about to begin. The film addresses Clara’s mental breakdown through graphic displays of body horror elements made with impressive, disturbing practical effects work. Azcoitía gives a fittingly unsettling performance, with Pita delivering a shocking work infused with some dark humor. Lullaby U.K. slow-burn chiller Lullaby from writer/director Chi Thai examines the fragile mental state of a female refugee (Jane Le). She suffered a devastating loss that she finds herself reliving, with those around her providing no comfort or support. Thai uses ever-increasing dread in favor of jump scares and gore, crafting a mesmerizing short that packs a highly disturbing reveal. The Bleacher If you have ever wondered what happened to socks you lost after doing laundry, the animated short The Bleacher from cowriters/codirectors
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviews
In 1992, the world of interactive entertainment changed forever when Infogrames Entertainment released the first survival horror game, Alone in the Dark, which then influenced many future game developers who made many of the hit survival horror games we love now. Yesterday, THQ Nordic and Pieces Interactive released the faithful love letter remake of the original. Thank you to THQ, Pieces (especially Game Tomb) for the reviewing opportunity! Alone in the Dark takes players to the Derceto Manor, a sanitorium, in the middle of the Louisiana Bayou, where Private Detective Edward Carnby (David Harbour) is helping Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer) find her uncle Jeremy Hartwood, who says he’s being pursued by a “Dark Man”. Soon after arriving at the Manor, Edward and Emily encounter otherworldly happenings. Now, onto the game itself! When it comes to controls, They’re as basic as you would expect if you’re familiar with 3rd-person games, which makes it easier to get right into the story. When
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviews
Regarding CAPCOM, I’ve only really played the Resident Evil games and have not ventured far from that, but I thought I tried something new and did not regret it! I do like a good fantasy action RPG but few titles deliver the goods, especially if you’re waiting for the next Elder Scrolls to come out (personally, I think we’re in for a LONG wait for the 6th installment). CAPCOM came through with Dragon’s Dogma 2 the sequel to their 2012 hit. I want to thank CAPCOM for allowing me an early look at this game! Dragon’s Dogma 2 takes players to a high-fantasy world where you take on the role of The Arisin, a person who has had their heart taken by a dragon and whose fate is now linked to that dragon. Now you and your Pawns must venture the world to uncover The Arisin’s memories as well as squash a conspiracy. Now onto the game itself! Control-wise, you’ll
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviewsSci-Fi
Director Thomas Cailley’s The Animal Kingdom (Le régne animal; France and Belgium, 2023) tackles the well-tread science fiction concept of “Can mutants and humans get along?” previously explored in X-Men comics and movies, and films such as 2018’s Freaks. Although not a lot of new ground is covered storywise, Cailley’s feature is such a well-acted and beautifully realized work that it stands out of the pack. Francois’ (Romain Duris) wife Lana (Florence Deretz) has taken on animalistic tendencies, both in action and physically. She is one of many people who have suddenly become stricken and hospitalized with this disease. With many people turning against those afflicted, the government has opened a new facility for patients like Lana. When the bus that takes her and other mutating patients to the facility crashes and the patients escape to the nearby forest, tensions rise further. Francois has moved near the facility with his teenage son Émile (Paul Kircher), who is hiding his own
Continue reading →
ForeignMoviesReviews
The girls at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic School are up to their teased-out tresses in trouble. If they aren’t constantly in danger of being caught by staff as they get hot n’ horny with the boys from nearby Winchester School (and occasionally a local or two… who just so happen to be the eternal subject of those rich Winchester lads bullying), there’s a killer on the loose on Lover’s Lane offing the student bodies of both academies with his barbwire killing implement! As the bodies (and suspects) go up exponentially the gals n’ guys must keep their wits about them if they are to survive this deadly ordeal with their Aquanetted coifs in-tact… and the rest of their bodies as well! Director Alec Mills certainly wanted to emulate the slasher genre that was sweeping America in the eerie ‘80s, and along with screenwriter Robert Brennan he does just that… but given the fact this film was produced in Australia we get
Continue reading →
