“Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire” is Faux True Crime at Its Most Horrific
Somewhere in between horror and true crime lies the faux documentary. While technically falling under the found footage genre, this unique subtype tells a fictional story through the lens of investigative journalism. Rather than disconnected snippets the audience must mentally piece together, the faux documentary walks us through each...
“Betrayal” is a Harrowing Test of Brotherly Love
Three brothers attempt to protect each other from their abusive father but find that the truth behind a tragic fall may be more horrific than they could have imagined. ...
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” Trades the Monster For a Matriarchy
Thirty-six years later, we return to Burton’s afterlife and catch up with these friends and foes as they deal with a web of tangled romance. While an excess of plot bogs the film down, it’s the Deetz matriarchy that rises to the top....
“Place of Bones” is a Boilerplate Western With a Few Bright Sparks
Something interesting is happening to the modern western. After decades of male-dominated frontier stories in which dutiful wives maintain the home while their brave men go off to be cowboys, attention has been turning towards the women left behind in the wild west. The 2017 Netflix miniseries Godless seemed...
“Before Dawn” Wrestles With the Futility of War
Prince-Wright uses the story of a single soldier and his noble companions to highlight the futility of war in and of itself. ...
“The Vourdalak” Terrifies With a Ferocious 18th-Century Monster
This frightening creature brings death and destruction to those he loves most and lurks in the shadows of his children’s dreams....
“Somnium” Blurs the Lines Between Dream and Nightmare
Set at a nefarious sleep clinic, this story has elements of pure terror and plays with the idea of consensual reality....
“MaXXXine” Is a Fun Ride to a Predictable Party
The concluding chapter in the X trilogy, this 80s satanic horror film is an enjoyable throwback with plenty of gore that falls apart when it tries to make sense....
“Oddity” Unleashes the Terrifying Power of Haunted Objects
In this harrowing story of supernatural revenge, Mc Carthy plays with our senses and fills the corners of a spooky house with unnerving monsters both spectral and human....
“Twisters” is a EF5 Crowd-Pleaser
The dust flies, the buildings disintegrate, and debris cascades down from all directions....