2012's 'V/H/S' is the film which started off the very underated and underground franchise of the same name.SYNOPSIS: 'When a group of misfits are hired by an unknown third party to burglarize a desolate house and acquire a rare VHS tape, they discover more found footage than they bargained for.'There's no big budget here but you'd not expect there to be when this is a film about found footage VHS tapes.What 'V/H/S' does really well is to have individual segments/stories that are genuinely terrifying and induce a real sense of dread and unease. Bloody isn't half of the matter! The twisted logic of the over-arching story is also brilliantly done and connects everything together nicely.A real horror gem.7/10
2024's 'The Inheritance' treads a lot of old ground and not in a good way unfortunately.SYNOPSIS: 'A billionaire on the eve of his 75th birthday, invites his estranged children back home out of fear that tonight someone or something is going to kill him. He puts each of their inheritances on the line, to make sure they'll help.'This film may as well not exist as it's so bland and boring, whilst taking a tried old concept and just repeating so many tropes which just aren't scary ****'s not terrible but it’s merely a paint by numbers generational survival horror. Something I've certainly had enough **** also treats the viewer as an idiot with endless explanations of what's going and, eventually, the most obvious ending possible.Horror this is not. 4/10
2024's 'Sunrise' is a low budget film with a unique and bloody spin on the vampire mythos.SYNOPSIS: 'A man, Fallon (Alex Pettyfer) roams the land as a creature of the night as he comes to terms with tragic loss of his family at the hands of a brutal demagogue, Reynolds (Guy Pearce).''Sunrise' has a dark and menacing atmosphere throughout but God it's slow going. If not going in reverse at ****'s the gritty performances from Pearce and Pettyfer that hold the film together, and apart from a interesting look into what a vampire actually is there's not a lot here.Very much a vampire film you can pass by.Bland at best.3/10
The darkest piece of TV the BBC has ever created is 1984's 'Threads'.SYNOPSIS: 'The effects of a nuclear holocaust on the working class city of Sheffield, England and the eventual long-term effects of nuclear war on civilization.''Threads' looks terribly dated now but overall it's probably more powerful than anything Hollywood has ever put out on this subject ****'s visceral in nature and absolutely lives it to the lore which surrounds it. For its time it was also sort of a 'what if' guide in the event of nuclear **** holds nothing back and rightly so. It's vital that the horror of a nuclear attack is shown however harrowing and shocking it ****'s not simply a powerful film, but an important one too, for it's generation and for the now.A classic which will never be repeated.9/10
After its initial release on Hulu 2023's 'Clock' is now available on Disney+.SYNOPSIS: 'A woman enrolls in a clinical trial to try and fix her seemingly broken biological clock after friends, family, and society pressures her to have children.'Although this film doesn't seem to have any idea of what it wants to be or where it wants to conclude that doesn't make it any less **** anything it feels like an extended episode of 'American Horror Story'.Overall it's an effectively disturbing thriller that examines a unique issue: the type of social pressure that exists on women to have children.'Clock' only really makes sense in the context of it forcing its main point, regardless of how nonsensical everything else **** somehow stumbles along but still becomes a watchable movie.6/10
As a big fan of the 'Quiet Place' franchise I was excited to see 'A Quiet Place: Day One'.SYNOPSIS: 'A young woman named Sam finds herself trapped in New York City during the early stages of an invasion by alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.'Like a lot of the franchises I'm really invested into this film takes it's own franchise in a direction I really wanted to see it go. What happens when this invasion takes place somewhere else? And here we go.This is a film where most of the violence takes out of our sight even though the set is abundantly there. There’s expectations of it, and that’s even more chilling because you don't know what's coming **** this universe noise is death and quiet is life. Could there be a better metaphor for the dynamics of our digital age?The film's far from perfect and there are holes in the story for me but it's minor stuff I can let **** film packs a punch but fails to reach the tension, horror and emotion depths of the first film.A decent addition to the franchise. Where next? 7/10
Sony's 'The Garfield Movie's recently brought the feline favourite back to cinemas.SYNOPSIS: 'After Garfield's unexpected reunion with his long-lost father, ragged alley cat Vic, he and his canine friend Odie are forced from their perfectly pampered lives to join Vic on a risky heist.'There's a nostalgia value with the Garfield character whether it's the original cartoon, the original animated series or the films with Bill Murray as Garfield's voice. As gorgeous looking as this film is, an expectation from Sony Studios nowadays, this just lacks something. Heart **** it ticks the boxes for younger viewers but beyond that it has nothing. Lots of famous voice stars (Chris Pratt stop it) but it almost has no relationship to the original source material and it just had me thinking of Bill **** lacks creativity and originality.Disappointing.5/10
A24's most recent movie, 'I Saw the TV Glow', is everything you'd expect from the studio. A psychedelic fever dream of epic proportions.SYNOPSIS: 'Two teenagers bond over their love of a supernatural TV show, but it is mysteriously cancelled.'I'm not sure what this film is supposed to be and that makes it even more intriguing. It's absolutely something very special with a story which rides a wave of being Cronenberg-esque in ****'s scary in an odd way, immersive, and poignant. The initial slow start might put off some but 'I Saw the TV Glow' is a masterful affirming of director Jane Schoenbrun's singular **** its blurring of reality and fantasy, the film compels us into this mysterious, scary new ****'s a film which is probably too clever for me, or maybe I'm not in the right demographic to understand it's dark look into a person's identity, but that doesn't stop it being an ground breaking genre film.Tragically beautiful and utterly brilliant.9/10
One of the most highly anticipated movies of 2024 has been Ishana Shyamalan's 'The Watchers'.SYNOPSIS: 'A young woman gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.'Even though this film comes from Ishana Shyamalan it feels very much like a film from her Father (M Night Shyamalan). But of course it does, she'll have grown up heavily influenced by his work.What seems like an interesting concept, an almost Irish fairy tale, or at least something from the Brother's Grimm, falls away badly part way through and ends up being unconvincing and ill **** fact the last 30 minutes seems tacked on to appease the studio because it really drives you out of the fantasy which has gone before.This film is a frustrating disappointment. There's no tension or dread, it's unclear how much time is passing, and the characters are shallow and one dimensional. Dakota Fanning just looks bored and is going through the motions. A scream queen she is definitely not!M Night's films are either pure genius or pure trash, and unfortunately his daughter has started off with the latter.A waste of time.5/10
'Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2' was made due to the crazy euphoria which came from the release of the first film. But I hated that film so I was dreading watching this.SYNOPSIS: 'Not wanting to live in the shadows any longer, Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, Owl, and Tigger take their fight to the town of Ashdown, leaving a bloody trail of death and mayhem in their wake.'I had low expectations about this film and rightly so. This film is still really poor, but there's something here this time which makes this film almost passable. The film moves from one gory set piece to another with aplomb, and you can clearly see that more money was spent on this film. Even the villains look scary here with some decent practical effects being used.'Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2' is everything the first film should have been. It's a sequel that outslays its predecessor in every possible way.However it's still campy rubbish. Maybe it'll be third time lucky?4/10
'The First Omen' sets a standard for other horror movies to follow by building on an established IP, creating further lore whilst also being respectful to what's come before.SYNOPSIS: 'A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.'As a huge horror movie fan I was absolutely entertained from start to finish and it's a fascinating entry into what appears to now be 'The Omen-verse.' And on that all I'll say is 'YES PLEASE!''The First Omen' defies the trappings of a horror prequel by giving this film an actual coherent story and context that actually adds to the original film. It creates an intrigue to a point where you might find yourself going back to the **** film's visuals are creepy, dark and bloody whilst the film's finale is bold and shocking. It's a slow burn but absolutely worth it, though it's not without its **** director has created a well crafted horror experience which is so gorgeous it's almost an art house movie. Prequels shouldn't be this good.Nell Tiger Free is an incredible lead and a star in the making. She plays her role to absolute perfection and I want to see more of her, especially within this franchise.Most definitely one of 2024's best horror films.9/10
How 'An American Werewolf in London' spawned a sequel as terrible as 1997's 'An American Werewolf in Paris' is completely beyond me. SYNOPSIS: 'An American man unwittingly gets involved with French werewolves who have developed a serum allowing them to transform at will.'How did they get this so wrong? I don't think a sequel has been this inferior to its horror classic predecessor....EVER!!!There's just nothing good about this.Lacks the style, wit and suspense of Landis' original works. It's just not funny, it's not scary and it's just not worth your time to watch it.This could be one of the worst films ever.1/10
Who wants a film about an underwater haunted house? If the answer is yes then 2021's 'The Deep House' is the film for you.SYNOPSIS: 'While diving in a remote French lake, a couple who specialize in urban exploration videos discover a house submerged in deep waters. Their dive turns into a nightmare when they discover the house was the scene of atrocious crimes.'This is certainly one way to take a different stab at the old haunted house horror story. A film which will leave you quite literally **** underwater settings play at my anxieties already and once you add in some terrifying horror sequences this film was definitely onto a winner.Unfortunately the performances of the limited cast and narrative intentions really let this film down. The film needed more, it deserved **** ending hints at a sequel, a sequel I hope we don't ever see. This is better as a one off.Lots of potential which ends up being a soggy disappointment.6/10
2023's 'Elevator Game' is a unique spin on the classic horror stories of cursed items and fables.SYNOPSIS: 'Supernatural horror, based on the eponymous online phenomenon, a ritual conducted in an elevator, in which players attempt to travel to another dimension using a set of rules that can be found online.'As much as this film takes this genre in a different direction it still falls down overall. Maybe due to it's own lofty ambitions and poor delivery but something went wrong **** backstory, the lore if you will, which explains the origin of the 5th Floor Lady is quite effective, and once onscreen she is impressively terrifying.Again there are some really clever and cute ideas here it's just a shame that they're not fleshed out more in a competent way. This could well have become an excellent franchise but it's more than likely now just going to be a one hit, one miss movie.Disappointing.5/10
There aren't many films which are truly classics and completely defined the genre they sit in, but 'An American Werewolf in London' is absolutely one of them. SYNOPSIS: 'Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.'This film is full of the darkest humour and the most horrific horror. It has influenced every werewolf film which was to follow whilst none of them have reached this **** also has that one scene, those few seconds, which will terrify me forever. And still does now on **** a time before CGI this film's practical effects are ground breaking and creator Rick Baker should be applauded forever for this work **** of the all time greatest horror movies, a pitch perfect mix and balance of belly laughs and genuine scares.A visceral movie which is both unforgettable and genre **** absolute best.9/10
2018's 'Suspiria' is a modern reworking of the classic 1977 horror film from Dario Argento.SYNOPSIS: 'A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.'This is by no means a remake of the original film as they are chalk and cheese. They're worlds apart. This is more of a homage to Argento's masterpiece than anything else.This is a very different piece of horror filmmaking.However, that doesn't mean this is a bad film because it isn't. It's actually a very accomplished and daring spin on a genre film horror fans will know inside out. 'Suspiria' is a cocktail in which art and terror hold hands to result in an imperfect, but inimitable production. It oozes evil though doesn't get anywhere near the heights of the original ****'s a haunting and ethereal tale of witchcraft, mutilation and death which has Tilda Swinton on the most magnificent form. Dakota Johnson also shows how good she can be in a serious role.A surreal horror adventure that warps the mind.7/10
The final part of Edgar Wright's 'Cornetto Trilogy' is 2013's 'The World's End'.SYNOPSIS: 'Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from twenty years earlier unwittingly become humanity's only hope for survival.'Crazy, ridiculous but so much fun this film highlights the talent and chemistry between Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. They're having so much fun here.This film is a great example of how we've all sat there and reminisced with our friends about days gone by. The best times of our youth and the mischief we got up to.Wright builds a story which barrels along and fizzes with unstoppable action, nostalgia and excitement. This was probably the most entertaining British film of the year.'The World's End' is worth watching just to see some of the finest underrated British actors going through hijinks together with Pegg and Frost. Many of them went onto bigger ****'s maybe the weakest in the 'Cornetto Trilogy' but that's only because the other two films are that damn good.A brilliant British treat!8/10
2024's 'Tarot' is an interesting spin on the horror genre which unfortunately falls apart on delivery.SYNOPSIS: 'When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings, they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death.''Tarot's twist on the cursed object genre is interesting and I really wanted it to deliver as the film moved along. It's just a shame that's not the **** we get through the tedium of the film it's obvious that the director just wants to tick off as many horror clichés as possible with a sprinkling of good **** movie is at it's best when the tarot manifestations take center stage and start murdering the cast. Each character is assigned a tarot card that spells out their gruesome end, and the filmmakers indulge in these moments with great mirth.'Tarot' is bland, uninspired and not scary in the slightest.A disappointing entry to 2024's already bloated horror offering.4/10
2016's 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe' is a really simple but creepy horror movie which absolutely delivers in every way.SYNOPSIS: 'A father and son, both coroners, are pulled into a complex mystery while attempting to identify the cause of death of a young woman who was apparently harboring dark secrets.'Fans of the horror genre, like myself, will rejoice in what was an original premise on the film's release. The threat here, the antagonist, is something new and haunts the small cast in the most horrible **** and Hirsch lend marvelous gravitas to their father and son team. Their relationship on screen really makes you believe that they are family. Their performances are perfect. Cox is exceptional in all of his works and that's very much the case here.There's an ominous sense of dread that runs throughout the film from the first scene and culminates in a chaotic fight for survival.A master class of horror directing.Short but very sweet.9/10
2000's 'Bless The Child' is a biblical horror film which appears to have inspired a load of films after made after it.SYNOPSIS: 'Cody, a little girl abandoned by her mother and raised by her aunt, a nurse, is kidnapped. The girl's guardian, aided by an F.B.I. agent, learn that Cody has supernatural abilities, and the abductees are a Satanic cult willing to do anything to gain them.Considering the amount of talent on display in this film it really should've been better, but director Russell just completely squanders what was at his finger tips.Watching this film stumble and fall as it moves from one poorly acted scene to another is mind numbingly bad. I know this was made in 2000 but is that an excuse for the CGI being so terrible? Rats should look like rats surely? It isn't scary. Unintentionally funny maybe, but rarely frightening.A film which clearly inspired so many films which were to come but also films which delivered this premise so very much better.Pretty bloody terrible.3/10
Some great films pass me by without me hearing about them on their release and 2013's 'Frozen Ground' is certainly one of those films.SYNOPSIS: 'An Alaska State Trooper partners with a young woman who escaped the clutches of serial killer Robert Hansen to bring the murderer to justice. Based on actual events.'A film with Nicholas Cage and John Cusack in it could go one of two ways: down the gutter or be totally entertaining. Fortunately here it's the **** film is a taut police procedural set within a gorgeous and atmospheric location. Cage plays this role straight as he races against the clock to catch an unhinged Cusack who, on the outside, appears to be the perfect family man.Hudgens is exceptional here and unrecognisable from her 'High School Musical' past.Akin to the recently reviewed 'Insomnia', 'Frozen Ground' absolutely delivers in every way it should for a dark crime **** doesn't break new ground (ahem) but it's a tense, atmospheric and creepy movie.Search this out. It's worth it.8/10
2023's 'Anatomy of a Fall' feels like a deep dive into the French legal system and that might just be part of this film's problems.SYNOPSIS: 'A woman is suspected of murder after her husband's death; their half-blind son faces a moral dilemma as the main witness.''Anatomy of a Fall' was a film I'd been looking forwarded to seeing, but it ended up being another Oscar winner which didn't endure itself to me one bit.I just couldn't engage with it This film is so slow and arduous it's painful. I was totally bored throughout the film as there's so little action to keep your attention. The film plods along and stumbles to it's own **** flirts with the idea of this being a thrilling murder mystery but it just ends up being a drab courtroom affair with not one ounce of excitement to **** film moves from French to English and back very quickly so you need to be hyper focused on the subtitles. I just found this to be exhausting. Pick one or the other, but not ****'s not a terrible film, it looks nice and there are good performances from the cast, but this feels like it'd have been better as a 2 part limited series rather than a movie.I'm not sure I've ever been so bored watching a film.Very much not for me.4/10
2022's Oscar winner 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' is the clear definition of 'bat **** crazy'.SYNOPSIS: 'A middle-aged Chinese immigrant is swept up into an insane adventure in which she alone can save existence by exploring other universes and connecting with the lives she could have led.'I guess I'm going to be in the minority here when I say I didn't enjoy this film. It was overly long, overly convoluted and made literally no sense at all.I've just watched a man be beaten to death with a pair of massive ****. How do I review this?The film looks incredible, has great acting performances from a strong cast but it's just an incomprehensible mess of a ****'s an absolute slog to get through even though I felt like I was having some sort of hallucinogenic episode.I was overwhelmed but underwhelmed.Whatever this is it's certainly not for me.Laundry, taxes, life. There you go I've saved you 139 minutes of your life.5/10
The highly anticipated 'Civil War' from acclaimed director Alex Garland is currently in cinemas.SYNOPSIS: 'A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House.'Firstly this isn't Garland's best film, but that's not a reflection on this film as a whole, it's just that what's come before has been that damn good.This is a really good film though but I do have some frustrations with it.'Civil War' feels like it should be an epic movie that deserves more screen time, however it feels like it's all been very much squeezed into a 109 minute movie. It needed more time to breathe never mind to give us some backstory to how this all came **** that case it's very similar to 'A Handmaid's Tale' where you always felt like you needed more detail.Could this happen? And this quickly? Could Washington DC really be taken like this?So many questions and so few answers. Is this setting up sequels or spin off series?However, where this film excels is in showing the horrors of war and how citizens are ripped apart, literally and morally, when choosing on which side to stand. It's a troubling matter to comprehend especially when Americans are considered so loyal to their **** film also shows the dark side of the media where 'that' story, 'that' quote and 'that' photo are more important than life itself and loyalties will be cast aside to **** film's conclusion really does slap you in the face with those issues. It's a disturbing and gut check of a moment.'Civil War' is a dark and powerful film with many moral questions left unanswered.I want more!7/10
1987's 'Angel Heart' is indicative of horror films of the 80's with its dark and disturbing story and A list cast.SYNOPSIS: 'A private investigator is hired by a man who calls himself Louis Cyphre to track down a singer named Johnny Favorite. But the investigation takes an unexpected and somber turn.'Set in the 1950's this film feels hot, sweaty and dirty as our lead character moves from one disturbing scene to another whilst also losing his mind.Director Alan Parker creates a movie which is exuberant in its style, whilst also being deliciously scary and **** even has a sex scene which was banned in the film's initial release but can be seen now in many versions. It looks a bit silly now in the modern day that it's almost laughable.Rourke is incredible in the lead role as he slowly loses his grip on reality, whilst De Niro is the perfect demonic villain.A film which feels as much like art as it does a gripping horror movie.Erotic, twisty and incredibly disturbed.8/10
If you want a globe trotting zombie adventure you should really be checking out 2013's 'World War Z'.SYNOPSIS: 'Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.''World War Z' is a film which splits many movie fans. On one hand it's a solid zombie action movie which is full of some incredible action scenes and special effects, whilst on the other hand it diverges massively from its source **** me it's a really entertaining film however implausible most of the story is. And it is stupidly silly in **** if you're a fan of the zombie genre you will not be disappointed. We've never seen zombies move like this before and that makes their existence that little bit more terrifying.This film is a string of unrelenting, harrowing sequences that continually manage to top one another. An effective zombie thriller.7/10
Director Neil Marshall's best film to date, and one of the best horror films from the 00's is 2005's 'The Descent'.SYNOPSIS: 'A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.''The Descent' is probably the most claustrophobic horror film around and is full of taut, nerve jangling action.There are two endings to this film and depending where you watched the film you may well have never seen both. Marshall has tried to defend the US ending but the original ending is where it's at. It's the perfect ending to an already terrifying movie and a true look at the solace of madness caused by great loss.'The Descent' is most definitely a sleeper hit which shocked many. Marshall's direction is on point whilst the creature effects are practical and ****'s a gut wrenching thrill ride one you should probably watch in the day or you'll be scared to look behind the sofa.A modern horror classic.8/10
Rolling off Netflix's animation conveyor belt is 2024's 'Thelma The Unicorn'.SYNOPSIS: 'When a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate makes Thelma the Pony's wish of being a unicorn come true, she rises to instant international pop-superstar ****, but at an unexpected cost.'Despite this film looking sickly gorgeous and there being enough jokes to satisfy parents and children alike, this film feels like it's ripping off loads of other franchises like 'Sing' and 'Despicable **** film presents the audience with a brightly coloured story which is silly and fun, but also a look at friendship and ****'s just a shame, as a parent, I felt I was watching a replay of a well worn kids film I'd seen a million times **** do you know what? My kids loved it so what do I know!?7/10
Taking a slightly different spin on the vampire genre 2024's 'Abigail' has been ripping things up in cinemas recently.SYNOPSIS: 'After a group of criminals kidnap the ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, they retreat to an isolated mansion, unaware that they're locked inside with no normal little girl.''Abigail' certainly is a film which takes its time to get going. For a while I wondered if we'd ever see the reveal that had been spoiled by the film's **** once that reveal drops things move at breakneck speed as many, if not all, of the usual vampire tropes make an appearance.Things get bloody by the bucket load in this film which is an intense, and entertaining piece of horror **** times the film is frenetic, and the disturbing madness that follows means this film sits nicely within 2024's plethora of horror releases. I can ignore it's faults and flaws because when it comes to bloody horror 'Abigail' really delivers.8/10
Only director Shane Meadows could create a British movie as dark, disturbing and emotional as 2004's 'Dead Man's Shoes'.SYNOPSIS: 'A disaffected soldier returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother years ago.:There are so many things that trouble me about 'Dead Man's Shoes' and I think the film is doing exactly the job it was designed to **** film is an unrelenting revenge fantasy thriller that's probably Meadow's best work to date. The film meanders along with a powder keg performance from Considine at its core. At times he's totally unhinged and that makes his moments of clarity even more **** journey is both grimly satisfying as it is sadly insightful. A mirror into the darkness inside all of us.'Dead Man's Shoes' is a truly disturbing, uncompromising and completely gripping movie. It's also deeply unpleasant.A classic British movie.8/10
'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' returns the franchise back onto a firm footing and back to what made the original films so special.SYNOPSIS: 'When the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second ice age.'Back in New York and back in an environment which seems to suit the franchise a lot better, 'Frozen Empire' provides two more hours of the best Ghostbusters **** the plot is a bit ropey but have you seen the original films? The quirkiness is a vital part of what makes these films work. The story is a lot of fun and I really enjoyed this in comparison to its predecessor. The humour is subtle and on point.This film builds on the past and points us squarely to the franchise's future. Yes it's great to see the original cast in play here but at some point these new characters need to go it alone. And it does appear we'll get more **** one point there were 11 Ghostbusters on screen. And in anyone's world that's too many.Overall the end result is an entertaining comedy horror film with full tilt action from the off and a strong finale. Rudd is at his best here and it was great to see Acaster in a Hollywood movie. He was a highlight for **** 'Ghostbusters' franchise is firmly back on form.8/10
Released in the same year as 2022's 'X', 'Pearl' is the prequel to that film and builds on the lore created previously.SYNOPSIS: 'In 1918, a young woman on the brink of madness pursues **** in a desperate attempt to escape the drudgery, isolation, and lovelessness of life on her parents' farm.:Director Ti West is building his reputation from these films and their upcoming sequel 'Maxxxine', which is due for release in the coming **** Goth is an actress I have a new found respect for as she appears to be able to morph into different characters with an ease which is quite **** commitment to every choked cry for attention, to every glassy eyed departure from reality, is unimpeachable. It's an award deserving **** film has a dark comedy element which is absolutely delightful. You feel like you could be watching a 1950s musical and I was just waiting for Fred Astaire to make an appearance to fully complete the imagery. And then things change. For the worst.Tipping a hat firmly at 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' 'Pearl' is brutal, emotionally satisfying and horrifying in all the best ways. It's exactly what you want from a horror film.9/10
2018's 'In Fabric' is one of the most bonkers and incomprehensible films I've ever seen.SYNOPSIS: 'In Fabric is a haunting ghost story set against the backdrop of a busy winter sales period in a department store and follows the life of a cursed dress as it passes from person to person, with devastating consequences.'I'm really not sure what this film is because it's so **** up! Part horror, part dark comedy this story hurtles through some terribly dark and disturbing scenarios akin to a Cronenberg **** director seems to want to test our patience and our will to sit through some totally absurd and macabre ****'s also a film which feels totally out of time. This is something I'd expect from a British horror film from the 1980s.'In Fabric' wants to totally overwhelm us, to be a sensory overload of stylish filmography and some totally weird synth music.This is so odd it's almost impossible to review. Maybe it's just too arty for me.Give me more horror any day of the week.6/10
2008's 'Doomsday' is a futuristic thriller looking at an apocalyptic event which strikes the UK.SYNOPSIS: 'A futuristic action thriller where a team of people work to prevent a disaster threatening the future of the human race'.This is director Neil Marshall's 'Mad Max' but rather than it being something explosive and unique it feels more like a poor copy.Marshall also takes a lot of influence from other films like 'Resident Evil', '28 Days Later' and his very own 'Dog Soldiers'. In fact, most of the 'Dog Soldiers' cast appear **** this is another killer virus story and they've clearly been done to death nowadays, but 'Doomsday' just fails to deliver anything really cohesive or scary. It's just a rollercoaster of a mess with no direction or reason.I hate to criticise Marshall or his work but this is a really bad film. Once a director to keep an eye on he's now slowly inching precariously close to being one to forget and avoid.Hopefully the film's grim resolution doesn't lead to the sequels it hints at.3/10
Rolling off the production line of horror films coming out of Shudder is 2023's 'Baghead'.SYNOPSIS: 'A young woman inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement - Baghead - a shape-shifting creature that will let you speak to lost loved ones, but not without consequence.'To be fair creating a film set in England called 'Baghead' wasn't probably the best idea in hindsight. And that's just the start of this film's ****'s not a bad film overall but it's so clichéd it's just a film which isn't really that scary. 'Baghead' is too incoherent to be frightening, too needlessly over written to make a great deal of sense, and it needed an exposition dump part way through just so it appeared there was some sort of **** is creepy at times but it just wiffs of copy and paste **** delivers exactly what I'd expect from a low level B movie. Nothing more, nothing less.6/10
'Godzilla Minus One' is a triumph of film making and one of the greatest monster movies of all time.SYNOPSIS: 'Post war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form **** monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb.'Similar to 'Shin Godzilla' this film focuses it's core around the human element of the story. Their fears, their losses, their triumphs. And because of that the film has a heart and isn't just created to become a cash cow for a Hollywood ****'s a thrilling mix of epic kaiju battles and destruction, and heartfelt family **** scale and action within the film is impressive and is a welcome alternative to Warner's monsterverse which now feels very subpar in **** a huge Godzilla fan this is the film I, and many others, have been waiting for. Please let this bring about more **** a spectacle this film looks incredible and it deserves all of the awards it's won.A proper monster of a movie. 9/10
2017's 'First Reformed' is a powerful film that isn't all you believe it to be right up until its conclusion.SYNOPSIS: 'A minister of a small congregation in upstate New York grapples with mounting despair brought on by tragedy, worldly concerns and a tormented past.'This film feels like an unappreciated work of art. Most people, like myself, will never have heard of this, yet it's so emotionally charged it's difficult to shake off it's messages after watching it.Ethan Hawke is outstanding in his role of a reverend battling his own inner demons, his own questions about faith and how they fight against the world of big **** performance is raw, ragged and taut. His exasperation leads to hopelessness which in turn nearly leads to a desperate end.A portrait of spiritual agony that I've never seen on screen before. As much as this film is a slow burn, maybe tedious at times, it's a film which is so impactful it'll pose so many questions for the viewer.A masterful piece of cinema.8/10
If, like me, you're a bit of an arachnophobe then 2024's 'Infested' is not the film for you.SYNOPSIS: 'Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.'This French language horror film is the perfect creature feature where initial innocent acts eventually have catastrophic outcomes and the absolute worst deaths.I hated this film as much as I loved it. This is horror which got under my skin and had me searching my living room for uninvited guests.'Infested' features some of the most horrible, skin-crawling, and anxiety-inducing scenes I've ever come across. Yes, I hate spiders and this preyed on all of those **** delivery of the director and performance of the cast is really impressive, especially as all are unknown to me. I'll be keeping an eye out for their future **** this film does fall down it's in the final third where there's too much reliance on CGI. When the spiders are and/appear real the horror and ickyness is a whole lot worse. With these films practicality is king.Arachnophobes beware this will mess you up.8/10
Surely the oddest film I'll see from 2024's new film releases will be 'Sasquatch Sunset'.SYNOPSIS: 'A year in the life of a unique family. It captures the daily life of the Sasquatch with a level of detail and rigor that is simply unforgettable.'It's really difficult to review this film because it's impossible to know why it even **** however odd, outlandish and stupidly funny it is at times you can't fault the filmmakers and the cast for being totally committed to a film which feels like some sort of weird fever ****'re not supposed to take this seriously as this is just four people in furry suits and a lot of prosthetics. It's daft, and plain stupid at times.I can't fault how gorgeous this film looks with the incredible landscapes stealing every shot. There's also a gorgeous soundtrack which absolutely enhances the madness you're witnessing on screen.'Sasquatch Sunset' will not be a film for everyone, it's certainly not a film I'll ever return to.Oddly entertaining but it feels like an extended SNL sketch. And not for the better.5/10
This year's 'Sting' is one of two spider related horror films recently released onto streaming. There's money in those 8 legs!SYNOPSIS: 'After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte must face the facts about her pet-and fight for her family's survival-when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster.' 'Sting' is very much modelled on the 80's B list horror creature feature films which used to thrill and terrify me in good measure.This extra terrestrial arachnid tears through the cast of what is a film which feels a bit dated, but is great for some sort of nostalgia value.This film is fine for what it is and plays on the viewers fear of spiders. The problem being I never for a second believed I was seeing a real spider on screen. And that dulls the arachnophobia within me.However, as much as this is a low budget movie, all of the practical and CGI effects look great and very bloody.Camp and silly at times 'Sting' manages to make us care for the principle cast, wallow in their downfall, and eventually, their triumph to survive as a family.Great horror fun!7/10
2019's 'Midsommar' was the first film to introduce me to the work of director Ari Aster and the production house of A24. Thank god!SYNOPSIS: 'A couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.''Midsommar' is one of the most unsettling and disturbing films out there at present. It's Aster's intention to cause as much emotional strife inside the viewer, to the point you question your own feelings by the time we reach the film's gripping finale.Aster splices together moments of the most graphic horror with gorgeous production designs and some silly, laugh out loud moments. You never know what's coming next, what emotions he'll tear at in the next scene. Where is the next gut punch coming from? We know it's ****'s visceral cinema at its best. The modern day 'Wicker Man'.Florence Pugh gives a gut wrenching turn as our heroine. Or is she? A career's best performance.This film is a modern day horror classic and cements Aster as being the genre director to catch.Incredible.9/10
1992's 'Sleepwalkers', based on the work of Stephen King, is a film which desperately needs a remake as this film is so cringy in the modern world.SYNOPSIS: 'A mother-and-son team of strange supernatural creatures move to a small town to seek out a young virgin to feed on.'Films of this era will never be a good representation of King's work and 'Sleepwalkers' is an excellent example of this. It follows all of the writer's tropes in such a lazy fashion it's almost laughable.Cameo appearances by horror icons Clive Barker, Tobe Hooper, and the King himself add little to this slapstick attempt at a horror movie, whilst also bordering on incestious soft ****'s not scary now, assuming it ever was, and is more camp than anything else.A typical 90's King adaptation.4/10
2020's 'The Reckoning' is a film which ultimately fails to deliver on the violent historical times it's trying to depict.SYNOPSIS: 'Grace, a young widow haunted by the recent suicide of her husband Joseph, is falsely accused of being a witch by her Landlord after she rejects his advances.'This is not director Neil Marshall's (The Descent) best film by a very long way and it feels very cheap in its production. Yes he likes to create films which are different to the norm but he's lost his way here.'The Reckoning' just isn't a very good film which suffers from being boring, lacklustre, and so poorly constructed from start to finish it's just a waste of your time.There's a lot of torture in this film but none of which is as bad as the torture of watching it.2/10
In 2002 visionary director Christopher Nolan brought his 'Insomnia' remake to cinemas.SYNOPSIS: 'Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.'Along with 'One Hour Photo' this film is up there with Robin Williams' best works. It's a shame we didn't see more performances like this during his life.'Insomnia' is an excellent crime thriller which is incredibly smart and riveting, and absolutely drags you into the story whether you like it or **** Pacino gives one of the best performances, with his role of a man struggling with sleeplessness being so infectious it weighs down the entire atmosphere of the film with a kind of relentless fatigue. What's madness? What's insomnia? These questions are all asked here.'Insomnia' is a pretty flawless movie, and continued Nolan's career into becoming a Hollywood A lister. It's a dark and haunting thriller that gets right under your skin and asks a number of moral questions of the characters and **** exceptional movie which needs more eyes on it.8/10
I'm a huge fan of Warners Bros' 'monsterverse' so I was excited to see 2024's 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire'.SYNOPSIS: 'Two ancient titans, Godzilla and Kong, clash in an epic battle as humans unravel their intertwined origins and connection to Skull Island's mysteries.'As much as I love this franchise it's a fair comment to say the films have progressively gotten worse as we move through this new universe. And with GXK this is by far the worst of the lot.This film has moved on far from the franchise's dark and powerful beginnings to become almost comic bookesque. It's a caricature of **** action is great in places and if you're after big dumb (literally) fun this is the film for you. However, the story and its delivery are diabolically bad. Almost **** CGI quality has also dropped significantly and is really shown up by its lower budget brethren in 'Godzilla Minus One'. Why you'd skimp on quality is beyond me as you've now devalued the characters.Perspective is lost in this CGI world so we also lose the awe of the titans. If every character is the same size nothing looks powerful or imposing. Director Wingard has created a monster movie where you just don't care for the monsters.Rebecca Hall seems to have been paid to perform huge exposition dumps to save this becoming a 10hr steaming pile of ****. She clearly did this for the money.Also, this film is so full of continuity errors it's embarrassing, and contradicts most of the science revealed in 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters'. Bad, bad, bad!If this franchise is to continue on the silver screen whole scale improvements are needed behind the scenes.A franchise killer.4/10
2017's 'A Ghost Story' is one of the most powerful and haunting (ahem) films I've ever seen.SYNOPSIS: 'In this singular exploration of legacy, love, loss, and the enormity of existence, a recently deceased, white-sheeted ghost returns to his suburban home to try to reconnect with his bereft wife.'This is a film like no other and a truly unique take on the ghost story genre. It's personal, powerful and builds to its ultimate conclusion with care and **** all have our theories on what's next and this is a special take on this, depicting an existence which is so sad and lonely, and that can move literally across time and ****'s profoundly beautiful and sad. The fact this film exists means it'll live long in my memory. It feels very ****'s a complex journey our lead character goes on and ultimately, the conclusion doesn't show us whether they move on at peace or in **** wrenching. Heart breaking. Perfect.9/10
1973's 'Don't Look Now' is considered a classic British horror film and has moments which have become part of the horror genre lore.SYNOPSIS: 'A married couple grieving the recent death of their young daughter are in Venice when they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond.:A classic film this may well be but it feels like it's aged badly now with there being minimal scares whilst it feels like it overuns by some **** the big twist is there, but it feels ineffectual now. It's just not that **** 'that' sex scene is here, but in 2024 it feels awkward and stale. It's certainly not shocking in the modern world.I also expected to find a film fraught with the grief of mourning parents. But no. Sutherland and Christie feel like they've moved on and I've seen better, more emotional performances, concerning the subject ****'s a film which looks fantastic and it has some ground breaking (at the time) camera work which disorientates you and unsettles you. But the story is ****'s very much a classic, just one that doesn't tick enough boxes for me.Disappointing.6/10
From pushing the boundaries with 'Wall-E' to **** the barrel with 'The Good Dinosaur', Pixar certainly knows how to ride the creative roller coaster.SYNOPSIS: 'In a world where dinosaurs and humans live side-by-side, an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend.'I must remember this is a film really aimed at kids but I really dislike this film. Even though the film looks fantastic as you'd expect from a Pixar film (though a bit screen saver-esque in places), I absolutely HATE the animation of the main character Arlo and his family. It just isn't a dinosaur for me, and compared to the character design of the other dinosaurs it's just glaringly bad.Story wise it's the most mundane of any Pixar film, if not any Disney film, even ripping off 'The Lion King' for one of it's essential plot points. The innovation and imagination of previous Pixar films is just non existent here, maybe even extinct :)Pixar films shouldn't be forgettable but I wanted to forget this as quick as I'd seen **** for me.3/10
2020's 'Possessor' is a disturbing thrill ride into the mind of writer/director Brandon Cronenberg.SYNOPSIS: 'An agent works for a secretive organization that uses brain-implant technology to inhabit other people's bodies - ultimately driving them to commit assassinations for high-paying clients.'Whenever you see the name of Cronenberg attached to any film, whether it's David or his children Brandon and Caitlin, you know you're going to see something very weird, mind melting, and **** that's absolutely the case here with 'Possessor'. All of the boxes are ticked and more.Brandon Cronenberg is very much walking in his father's footsteps. There's no attempt to do something different, to move away from the oddities that manifested in his father's work. But if it's not broken, which it isn't, why fix it. He's going to create his own legacy based on works like this.This is a violent, taut and over the top sci-fi nightmare. It's so disturbing in places and has an underlying message of the struggles with mental illness and the demons which creep into our souls.Many will hate this. But those same people will hate anything Cronenburg-esque. Personally, I loved ****'s a fascinating experience with some incredible acting performances and trippy special effects.A must watch!8/10
Nic Cage is back in the post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror that is 'Arcadian'.SYNOPSIS: 'A father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the end of the world.'The story here is both heart breaking and harrowing as a family fights to survive in a world full of monsters. Sound familiar? Well it very much is.With a few tweaks this film could've easily been part of the 'Quiet Place' universe. This feels very much like a 'Quiet Place' rip off, but the difference being this isn't anywhere near as good as anything in that franchise.Director Brewer's efforts demonstrate unwavering commitment to the story and what looks like is his intention to create a new franchise. Unfortunately, it just falls short of being a product to keep me enthralled.Cage isn't really used a lot here, he takes it easy whilst the support cast do the heavy lifting, and there's nothing wrong with that. Less is more.Where this film does excel though is with the monster designs. It's very much something I've not seen before and their 'attack method' is truly terrifying.This is very much an exploration into human behaviour as it is a monster movie. It just needs to do **** appears sequels are coming. Hopefully they'll be better than this.5/10
