Part psychological thriller and part cold case murder mystery, the temperature is only lukewarm enough for a cable television movie and never anything more.

“Raze” is an intelligent action movie deliberately dipping its toe in only enough depth to prevent it from being empty girl on girl violence.

“Carrie” plays it far too safe to ever have a shot at standing out for audiences en masse, but it finds more than one way to work as big budget entertainment telling a relatable story to a modern audience.

Killer scarecrows are to horror movies what Arby’s is to cuisine. We know better than to indulge in something we will regret later, but we just cannot help ourselves and do it anyway.

It is fittingly appropriate that voodoo is occasionally debased as “mumbo jumbo” because “Voodoo Possession” has plenty of it.  Mumbo jumbo, that is.  Voodoo, not so much.

... in between the doldrums of whiny voices and overexposed views out a windshield, the too real terror of helplessness at the hands of a twisted stalker reflects a grim depiction of frighteningly relatable horror.

“You’re Next” bobbles a garden variety first act with a nearly nonsensical second, but redeems itself in the final third by replacing its straight slasher setup with a stylistic flourish of personality.

“Antisocial” misses the very opportunity it creates for itself by choosing to bite weakly as typical Armageddon terror instead of fiercely as savvy social media satire.

“The Monkey’s Paw” ticks every box on its To Do list of offering simple chills and suitable charms with a well-produced interpretation of a classic story fitting finely into a Friday night of horror entertainment.

“Ritual” needed a richer back half and a faster track to getting there.  A prolonged buildup to the discovery already revealed by the film’s own synopsis negates any tension and nothing along the way justifies the extended journey.

Big boys of isolated woodland horror have nothing to fear from this small indie, but it is a filling enough piece of bite-sized entertainment for anyone not too gorged on the young woman in peril premise.

Favoring realism over entertainment makes for a movie that had a good idea for a location and an updated take on the rote ghost hunt template, yet forgot to include genuine suspense anywhere in that formula.

As opposed to disturbing, uncomfortable, or hypnotic, the mood of “7E” is best described as uncertain, confusing, and outright uninteresting.

“Trail of Blood” is a case of some eye-rolling individual moments and unconvincing miscellany adding up to a whole that is average, yet far from noteworthy.

“Bucks County Massacre” is an exercise in extraneous exposition meandering so long that it misses the turnoff to exit its never-ending first act.

Making a movie about two people trapped underground without the ability to portray a realistic cavern equals dead on arrival atmosphere ... The blunt truth is that “The Underneath” should never have even tried.

In whatever Bizarro world where someone is forced to choose one “found footage” Asylum film based on a dead serial killer under threat of a firing squad, the correct decision is to light a cigarette and wear a blindfold.

Overlooking such exposed warts enables an improved view of the entertaining epidermis underneath, even if digesting the entirety of “Open Grave” leaves a hunger pang of unfulfilled satisfaction.

Bear in mind, this is a “found footage” horror film from The Asylum centered on a dead pedophile serial killer wearing clown makeup. Just how “good” does anyone expect it to be?

This update to turn “Black Christmas” into a more conventional slasher lacks the heart, soul, and uniqueness that originally made the property an enduring classic.