“Better Watch Out” turns dark humor into darker horror with a wicked twist on home invasion thrillers no sane mind can see coming.
THE CRUCIFIXION (2017)
With unimpressive scope and a casual approach to inducing unease, “The Crucifixion” is a mediocre at best entry in the demonic possession subgenre.
HAUNTERS: THE ART OF THE SCARE (2017)
The film is so specifically focused on ‘McKamey Manor’ that Schnitzer may as well have made the entire movie about McKamey and nothing else.
WISH UPON (2017)
“Wish Upon” may be a textbook teen thriller. But that textbook is bound tight, with sharp corners, hefty content, and a crisp, glossy finish.
THE SOUND (2017)
CULT OF CHUCKY (2017)
If you’ve remained a happy passenger on the “Child’s Play” train, your boarding pass is still good for an entertaining ride on “Cult of Chucky” too.
GERALD'S GAME (2017)
Gugino and Greenwood pair perfectly, matching each other’s moods and mindsets with countering conflicts keeping intensity elevated.
RYDE (2016)
Whatever the unknown number of disposable DTV detritus I’ve reviewed is up to now, “Ryde” increases it by one.
FRIDAY THE 13th PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1988)
From the Carrie White clone to the cheap coincidence of a conveniently populated cabin a few feet away, “The New Blood’s” setups are admittedly silly.
LEATHERFACE (2017)
“Leatherface” can succinctly be summed up as an outstanding Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo effort that is only a mediocre “Texas Chainsaw” film.
THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT 2 (2017)
If vicariously living a 3D experience in 2D makes little sense to you as enthralling entertainment, prepare for a second serving of dull disappointment.
THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES (2007)
When anyone asks me as a jaded horror junkie if there is any movie capable of rattling me, my first answer is “The Poughkeepsie Tapes.”
FRIDAY THE 13th PART VI: JASON LIVES (1986)
On the list of all-time dumbest ways a horror movie character comes back to life, only Freddy Krueger’s flaming dog piss resurrection ranks higher.
A GHOST STORY (2017)
If it didn’t have two big stars and the clout of an A24 banner, I doubt people would pay one-tenth of the attention given to “A Ghost Story.”
AMONG THE LIVING (2014 - French)
“Among the Living” excels at eliciting reactionary impulses. Getting an audience to invest in true immersion however is easier said than done.
ENTRANCE (2012)
“Entrance” brings to mind “Absentia” in that it is a small-scale “slice of life” slow burner wringing oppressive dread out of an ordinary existence.
BAG BOY LOVER BOY (2014)
“Bag Boy Lover Boy” is what happens when a sleazy exploitation thriller impregnates an experimental arthouse indie.
DEMONS (2017)
A heavy emphasis on contemplative conversations keeps it calm, which isn’t an exciting way for a supernatural thriller to win over a crowd.
COLD MOON (2016)
While “Cold Moon” is not at all a total loss because of or in spite of its oddness, nearly everything about it is a little bit “off” in some way.
THE BASEMENT (2017-I)
What really ends up lost in translation is the film’s entire cinematic language for sensibly spinning a scary story.
It is moderately compelling in the moment, but it has a hard time holding up to even cursory scrutiny as far as believable “found footage” concepts go.