CategoryReviews
Honest horror reviews of films, series, games and books — no hype, no spoilers, just whether it is worth your time and your nerves.
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MoviesNewsReviews
Anyone who knows me knows that I love anything involving sharks, and I love a good action flick from time to time. I was super excited when The Meg came out in 2018. So, of course, I was going to watch The Meg 2: The Trench. Well, I have, and now I have some thoughts. Warning spoilers ahead. The Meg 2 picks up years after the original events and sees a research team encounter multiple threats while exploring the ocean’s depths, including a malevolent mining operation, multiple megs, “the Kracken,” dinosaurs, and a bunch of bad guys. A few of the original cast members return to reprise their roles, including Jason Statham, Cliff Curtis, Page Kenedy, and young actress Shuya Sophia Cai. Unfortunately, their director let them down. I’m not even going to attack how the giant beasts were portrayed. Let’s go ahead and chalk them up to suspension of disbelief. There are many moments when things make absolutely zero
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviewsSci-Fi
In 2019, Invader Studios released their love letter to survival horror games of the past, Daymare 1998. Now they’re back with its prequel, Daymare 1994: Sandcastle. Players partake in events mentioned in the first game as they take on the role of Dalila Reyes, a former Marine and current member of the HADES unit, as she must survive unexplained horrors in Area 51. I want to thank Invader Studios for allowing me the chance to check out the game! Now to the game itself!Daymare 1994: Sandcastle‘s controls are standard for a third-person over-the-shoulder game. I wish there could have been a tutorial level at the game’s start, as you seem to be dropped right into the story. Regardless, I do like that you can look at the tutorial in the pause menu, which can be helpful if you have not played the game for a while and are returning to it. The sound design and soundtrack of Daymare 1994: Sandcastle
Continue reading →
AdaptationGamingParanormalProductReviews
Urban Legends, are the jangling keys to those who want to test their courage or the merit of the stories behind them, but what happens when you become part of the urban legend? That is what awaits players in The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation, a Taiwanese game based on the film The Bridge Curse. I would like to give a thank you to Eastasiasoft Limited and Softstar Entertainment Inc. for the reviewing opportunity. The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation takes players to Tunghai University where they take on the role of a group of friends who are live-streaming their attempt to perform a ritual that’s part of an urban legend on campus about a bridge where the spirit of a vengeful woman appears. As you can guess, things go wrong pretty damn quickly for this group of friends as the evil is unleashed, and they can’t seem to escape it. Now onto the game itself. Controls are limited which
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviews
HERD (2023) I’m admittedly a hard sell on zombie fare, but am open to seeing if new releases have something different to offer. Although director Stephen Pierce’s Herd follows many of the subgenre’s familiar beats and tropes, it does serve up some novel takes along with surprises near the end that provide food for thought. Despite news reports of a pandemic outbreak, Jamie Miller (Ellen Adair) and her girlfriend Alex Kanai (Mitzi Akaha) set out on a canoe trip in an attempt to save their fractured relationship. During their travels, the outbreak results in the infected becoming covered in boils, suffering headaches, and becoming aggressive — the latter only when provoked, though. Scratches from the infected result in spreading the outbreak. Alex makes an unwise impulsive decision that results in a broken leg for her and that puts the couple in peril not only with the “heps,” as the infected are called here, but also with a cult-like community —
Continue reading →
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Film FestivalsMoviesReviews
THE BANALITY (2023) The Banality (AKA Death Letter Blues) is a moving meditation on the mysteries of life peppered with supernatural elements, set in rural Mississippi and rich in southern gothic atmosphere. A young feral boy is found in the area and town priest Father Moss (Sherman Augustus) persuades a childless couple to adopt him. Eleven years later, the boy has adapted well to life in the small town but is harassed by some of his classmates. When he turns up dead after a nighttime outdoor party, Father Moss, the parents, and practically every other local in the small community is affected by his demise one way or another. Gorgeous looking and wonderfully acted, this unique offering from cowriters/codirectors Strack Azar and Michael Stevantoni is contemplative, existential horror on the quiet side that asks viewers to consider how dark choices can lead to consequences years later, and even how such actions may affect people after their passing, whether or not
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsThriller
BIBI (2023) A gorgeous looking meditation on grief and loss, writer/director Christopher Beatty’s atmospheric thriller Bibi uses gothic elements in its story of a woman named Vivan (Elizabeth Paige in a riveting lead performance) and the troubled relationship she has with her teen daughter Bibi (Judith Ann DiMinni). Vivian has suffered psychological issues since childhood, when her father caused her sister’s death. Now plagued further by Bibi’s troubling behavior and the threat of danger from a constant intruder, Vivian is spiraling further downward. Seasoned viewers of psychological shockers may sometimes find themselves a step or so ahead of some of the proceedings, but the journey to the end of the film is one well worth taking thanks to gorgeous set design by Melissa Edmond and art direction by Alec Addalia, sumptuous cinematography by John W. Rutland, a compelling story and assured direction from Beatty, and a terrific performance from Paige with fine support from DiMinni. WINTERTIDE (2023) Director John Barnard’s
Continue reading →
MoviesNewsReviewsTrailers
The Haunting of the Queen Mary is out now in theaters. I watched it, and I have some thoughts. This horror, directed by Gary Shore (Dracula Untold), explores the mysterious and violent events surrounding one family’s voyage on Halloween night in1938 with their story interwoven with the destiny of another family onboard the infamous ocean liner in the present day. The film also integrates the characters of the ship’s crew, both past and present, giving us three stories to follow. The film required a large cast of characters, and that led to a flaw. We didn’t get to know a lot of the characters intimately, leaving many feeling a bit hollow. The main characters played by Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness, Belgravia), Joel Fry (Cruella, Game of Thrones), and Nell Hudson (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) had their flaws as well. Most of the characters aren’t very likable. They often lack the emotion the story should have required, especially the mother. She’s
Continue reading →
BooksGamingProductReviews
Candles really set the mood for anything, a relaxing bath, reading a good book in the dark, summoning an eldritch demigod in order to earn your admission into an esoteric order, OR setting the mood for you and your friends for a dungeon crawl. At Candle Qwest, that’s exactly what you get, and more! I want to give a big thank you to Wyl and the other Wizards over at Candle Qwest for making this review happen! My olfactory adventure has brought me to the land of the undead with the Zombie Survival Candle. what sets this candle apart is that it’s a game of chance all on its own! How? Inside each candle, there are three layers with a unique treasure waiting for you to pull from the molten wax, the first layer there’s a weapon (I got a cleaver), the second has a unique character pin, and finally, the third layer will reveal your fate with either a
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Writer/director/producer/actor Fred Vogel’s 2001 found-footage free-for-all August Underground (co-written by Allen Peters) is light on story… in fact the entirety of the film’s 70 minute run-time can be summed up thusly: two serial killers on a spree of mayhem and murder film their exploits… but it’s in building that world… that depraved, disgusting world that this film shines. Our two main madmen are played by those aforementioned fellas… Vogel in front of the lens, and Allen behind it (and I’m sure plenty can be made of the psychological meaning behind the artist becoming one with their art)… and both uncredited for their performances… and the feature holds nothing back showing what these two rollicking rascals are up to, and what they are up to results in hard-to-watch, unflinching degradation and violence… so much so that you’ll swear you’re watching a real-deal snuff picture… and therein lies the genius of the piece. Along the way we are also “treated” to some
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Subject (2023) Australian shocker Subject centers on Willem (Stephen Phillips), who we meet when he is under arrest and in a police van, only to be taken away by mysterious agent Dalesky (director Tristan Barr), who offers him an alternative to prison. Willem, who proclaims innocence of any crime, accepts the offer, which involves observing a monster in the room next to his while being denied contact with any other human other than Dalesky, who conducts occasional question-and-answer sessions involving electrical shocks. Memories reminiscent of home movies cloud Willem’s mind, bringing back thoughts of his late wife Carrie (Cecilia Low) and their two daughters, most of which are unpleasant. Barr, working from a screenplay by Vincent Befi, builds the mystery and suspense terrifically, leaving open to viewer interpretation exactly what is happening to the highly troubled Willem. Phillips is on screen for the majority of the film, and he gives a fine performance depicting his complex character. Challenging, intriguing, and
Continue reading →
More from Reviews
MoviesNewsReviews
Anyone who knows me knows that I love anything involving sharks, and I love a good action flick from time to time. I was super excited when The Meg came out in 2018. So, of course, I was going to watch The Meg 2: The Trench. Well, I have, and now I have some thoughts. Warning spoilers ahead. The Meg 2 picks up years after the original events and sees a research team encounter multiple threats while exploring the ocean’s depths, including a malevolent mining operation, multiple megs, “the Kracken,” dinosaurs, and a bunch of bad guys. A few of the original cast members return to reprise their roles, including Jason Statham, Cliff Curtis, Page Kenedy, and young actress Shuya Sophia Cai. Unfortunately, their director let them down. I’m not even going to attack how the giant beasts were portrayed. Let’s go ahead and chalk them up to suspension of disbelief. There are many moments when things make absolutely zero
Continue reading →
GamingParanormalProductReviewsSci-Fi
In 2019, Invader Studios released their love letter to survival horror games of the past, Daymare 1998. Now they’re back with its prequel, Daymare 1994: Sandcastle. Players partake in events mentioned in the first game as they take on the role of Dalila Reyes, a former Marine and current member of the HADES unit, as she must survive unexplained horrors in Area 51. I want to thank Invader Studios for allowing me the chance to check out the game! Now to the game itself!Daymare 1994: Sandcastle‘s controls are standard for a third-person over-the-shoulder game. I wish there could have been a tutorial level at the game’s start, as you seem to be dropped right into the story. Regardless, I do like that you can look at the tutorial in the pause menu, which can be helpful if you have not played the game for a while and are returning to it. The sound design and soundtrack of Daymare 1994: Sandcastle
Continue reading →
AdaptationGamingParanormalProductReviews
Urban Legends, are the jangling keys to those who want to test their courage or the merit of the stories behind them, but what happens when you become part of the urban legend? That is what awaits players in The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation, a Taiwanese game based on the film The Bridge Curse. I would like to give a thank you to Eastasiasoft Limited and Softstar Entertainment Inc. for the reviewing opportunity. The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation takes players to Tunghai University where they take on the role of a group of friends who are live-streaming their attempt to perform a ritual that’s part of an urban legend on campus about a bridge where the spirit of a vengeful woman appears. As you can guess, things go wrong pretty damn quickly for this group of friends as the evil is unleashed, and they can’t seem to escape it. Now onto the game itself. Controls are limited which
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviews
HERD (2023) I’m admittedly a hard sell on zombie fare, but am open to seeing if new releases have something different to offer. Although director Stephen Pierce’s Herd follows many of the subgenre’s familiar beats and tropes, it does serve up some novel takes along with surprises near the end that provide food for thought. Despite news reports of a pandemic outbreak, Jamie Miller (Ellen Adair) and her girlfriend Alex Kanai (Mitzi Akaha) set out on a canoe trip in an attempt to save their fractured relationship. During their travels, the outbreak results in the infected becoming covered in boils, suffering headaches, and becoming aggressive — the latter only when provoked, though. Scratches from the infected result in spreading the outbreak. Alex makes an unwise impulsive decision that results in a broken leg for her and that puts the couple in peril not only with the “heps,” as the infected are called here, but also with a cult-like community —
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsMoviesReviews
THE BANALITY (2023) The Banality (AKA Death Letter Blues) is a moving meditation on the mysteries of life peppered with supernatural elements, set in rural Mississippi and rich in southern gothic atmosphere. A young feral boy is found in the area and town priest Father Moss (Sherman Augustus) persuades a childless couple to adopt him. Eleven years later, the boy has adapted well to life in the small town but is harassed by some of his classmates. When he turns up dead after a nighttime outdoor party, Father Moss, the parents, and practically every other local in the small community is affected by his demise one way or another. Gorgeous looking and wonderfully acted, this unique offering from cowriters/codirectors Strack Azar and Michael Stevantoni is contemplative, existential horror on the quiet side that asks viewers to consider how dark choices can lead to consequences years later, and even how such actions may affect people after their passing, whether or not
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviewsThriller
BIBI (2023) A gorgeous looking meditation on grief and loss, writer/director Christopher Beatty’s atmospheric thriller Bibi uses gothic elements in its story of a woman named Vivan (Elizabeth Paige in a riveting lead performance) and the troubled relationship she has with her teen daughter Bibi (Judith Ann DiMinni). Vivian has suffered psychological issues since childhood, when her father caused her sister’s death. Now plagued further by Bibi’s troubling behavior and the threat of danger from a constant intruder, Vivian is spiraling further downward. Seasoned viewers of psychological shockers may sometimes find themselves a step or so ahead of some of the proceedings, but the journey to the end of the film is one well worth taking thanks to gorgeous set design by Melissa Edmond and art direction by Alec Addalia, sumptuous cinematography by John W. Rutland, a compelling story and assured direction from Beatty, and a terrific performance from Paige with fine support from DiMinni. WINTERTIDE (2023) Director John Barnard’s
Continue reading →
MoviesNewsReviewsTrailers
The Haunting of the Queen Mary is out now in theaters. I watched it, and I have some thoughts. This horror, directed by Gary Shore (Dracula Untold), explores the mysterious and violent events surrounding one family’s voyage on Halloween night in1938 with their story interwoven with the destiny of another family onboard the infamous ocean liner in the present day. The film also integrates the characters of the ship’s crew, both past and present, giving us three stories to follow. The film required a large cast of characters, and that led to a flaw. We didn’t get to know a lot of the characters intimately, leaving many feeling a bit hollow. The main characters played by Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness, Belgravia), Joel Fry (Cruella, Game of Thrones), and Nell Hudson (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) had their flaws as well. Most of the characters aren’t very likable. They often lack the emotion the story should have required, especially the mother. She’s
Continue reading →
BooksGamingProductReviews
Candles really set the mood for anything, a relaxing bath, reading a good book in the dark, summoning an eldritch demigod in order to earn your admission into an esoteric order, OR setting the mood for you and your friends for a dungeon crawl. At Candle Qwest, that’s exactly what you get, and more! I want to give a big thank you to Wyl and the other Wizards over at Candle Qwest for making this review happen! My olfactory adventure has brought me to the land of the undead with the Zombie Survival Candle. what sets this candle apart is that it’s a game of chance all on its own! How? Inside each candle, there are three layers with a unique treasure waiting for you to pull from the molten wax, the first layer there’s a weapon (I got a cleaver), the second has a unique character pin, and finally, the third layer will reveal your fate with either a
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Writer/director/producer/actor Fred Vogel’s 2001 found-footage free-for-all August Underground (co-written by Allen Peters) is light on story… in fact the entirety of the film’s 70 minute run-time can be summed up thusly: two serial killers on a spree of mayhem and murder film their exploits… but it’s in building that world… that depraved, disgusting world that this film shines. Our two main madmen are played by those aforementioned fellas… Vogel in front of the lens, and Allen behind it (and I’m sure plenty can be made of the psychological meaning behind the artist becoming one with their art)… and both uncredited for their performances… and the feature holds nothing back showing what these two rollicking rascals are up to, and what they are up to results in hard-to-watch, unflinching degradation and violence… so much so that you’ll swear you’re watching a real-deal snuff picture… and therein lies the genius of the piece. Along the way we are also “treated” to some
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Subject (2023) Australian shocker Subject centers on Willem (Stephen Phillips), who we meet when he is under arrest and in a police van, only to be taken away by mysterious agent Dalesky (director Tristan Barr), who offers him an alternative to prison. Willem, who proclaims innocence of any crime, accepts the offer, which involves observing a monster in the room next to his while being denied contact with any other human other than Dalesky, who conducts occasional question-and-answer sessions involving electrical shocks. Memories reminiscent of home movies cloud Willem’s mind, bringing back thoughts of his late wife Carrie (Cecilia Low) and their two daughters, most of which are unpleasant. Barr, working from a screenplay by Vincent Befi, builds the mystery and suspense terrifically, leaving open to viewer interpretation exactly what is happening to the highly troubled Willem. Phillips is on screen for the majority of the film, and he gives a fine performance depicting his complex character. Challenging, intriguing, and
Continue reading →
