With horror this half-hearted, it’s no wonder that the impression left by “The Witching” doesn’t even make an indentation.
THE MONSTER (2016)
As skilled as "The Monster" is at tightening intensity between its two leads, suspense timing is way off once the beast drops between them.
THE HOUSE (HUSET) (2016 - German/Norwegian)
Connecting with its creepiness requires a deep appreciation of tiptoeing down haunted hallways, constant creaking, the persistent metronome of a pendulum clock, etc.
MY FATHER DIE (2016)
“My Father Die” is rough around the edges, though on that jagged edge is precisely where its unflinching grit demands to live.
THERAPY (2016 - French)
Awareness that the director was only 16 during filming seems essential in understanding why “Therapy” is the rather green movie it is.
INCARNATION (2016 - Serbian)
Serbian mystery-thriller “Incarnation” can be spoiled by revealing the ending isn’t the revelatory missing link you desperately want it to be.
THE CLEANSE (THE MASTER CLEANSE) (2016)
When its themes aren’t fully in the foreground, in-between scenes induce a mood of malaise where the film falls out of its eccentric groove.
THE CHARNEL HOUSE (2016)
An improbable twist plus an improbable premise equals an improbable chance of this film finding an appreciative audience.
FOUND FOOTAGE 3D (2016)
Immense credit goes to the film’s complete cast for keeping comedy tuned with subtlety so it doesn’t detract from the drama.
DON'T KILL IT (2016)
Having a few PBRs and a couple of friends on hand wouldn’t hurt to help with finding the fun in something so good-naturedly absurd.
BEDEVILED (2016)
Describing "Bedeviled" as by-the-book isn’t quite right as it never turns past the first page of being pat, predictable, and pedestrian in every sense as a supernatural slasher.
LAKE BODOM (2016 - Finnish)
“Lake Bodom” is what a savage slasher film looks like when the kids aren’t caricatures and the murderer isn’t a merchandisable masked maniac.
HAPPY HUNTING (2016)
“Happy Hunting” takes a confidently big bite out of the competition when it comes to “Most Dangerous Game” thrillers.
FEAR, INC. (2016)
Earnest homage, entertaining performances, and some nailbiter setups of suspense make for a cheeky crowd-pleaser of surprise shocks and humorous horror.
TRASH FIRE (2016)
“Trash Fire” is about confronting challenges in relationships, both romantic and familial, and the frightening honesty in its fiction can be unsettling to see.
OUIJA: ORIGIN OF EVIL (2016)
“Ouija: Origin of Evil” ranks alongside “The Conjuring” as a memorably mesmerizing thriller with substance to match its style.
PATIENT SEVEN (2016)
Not only does “Patient Seven” collect seven strong shorts worth watching, it includes a proper wraparound tying everything together in a creatively clever way.
RAW (2016 - French)
“Raw” does not disappoint with unsettling scenes certain to have you uneasily scratching at sympathy pains as Justine goes down her hole of macabre metamorphosis.
RWD (2015)
“RWD” is an overachieving endeavor that doesn’t want for good intentions, but has low production quality and entertainment value to show for it.
THE INVOKING 3: PARANORMAL DIMENSIONS (2016)
I suspect that in twelve months time, I won't be able to tell you a single thing off the top of my head about “The Invoking 3.”
There's nothing intriguing about watching Eric track down and slaughter stuntmen instead of exacting a deserving vendetta against distinct villains.