The Ugly Stepsister
A superb addition to the blossoming canon of body horror focussed on the beauty industry’s inflictions on the female body.
Mom
When horror breaks rank and explores the raw realities of postnatal depression, we’re witnesses to something even more terrifying.
Birdeater
Brooding cinematography, jarring audio and an oddball cast build a sense of tension and paranoia that looms like a black cloud.
Last Straw
The viewer gutting it out to the bitter end will be treated to some unexpected flourishes that are arguably worth the wait.
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person
Faith in its characters and directorial vision, rather than gore and gimmicks, elevate this picture into a fable about morality.
The Coffee Table
The simplicity of its narrative arc is its biggest strength, allowing the script’s jet-black humour to work its absurd wizardry.
Lovely, Dark, and Deep
Consummately juxtaposes the staggering beauty of its locations with their immense (and somehow suffocating) vastness.
Lord of Misrule
William Brent Bell's irreverent world throws the viewer into what feels like something between a fever dream and a nightmare.
Herd
Herd implores us to ask the most important question at the heart of every great zombie fable: who are the real monsters?
Hunt Club
Hunt Club is an erratic, nebulous mess, but in many ways it perfectly mirrors and satirises the absurdity of toxic masculine ideals.
Swallowed
A more delicate expression of the body horror subgenre that is closer to reality and, arguably, more tragic and disturbing.
V/H/S/99
A gritty, bitty car crash into memory lane that impressively stitches its eclecticism together like a grotesque mixtape.
Bitch Ass
Some memorable performances, but ultimately fails to make us squeal or laugh. Go in with low expectations to enjoy the ride.
The Deep House
A suffocating rollercoaster that breathes new life into an enervated subgenre, trapping us into a nightmare that refuses to let go.
The Retaliators
Objectively superficial and messy, but that doesn’t mean it fails to entertain; The Retaliators is arguably brainless genius.
She Will
Haunting cinematography and subtle, constant terror are a perfect reflection of the patriarchy’s oppression of women.
The Righteous
A reluctance to spiral into the supernatural or grotesque prevents The Righteous from landing its message with conviction.
Father of Flies
Unreliable characters in an ethereal setting drive this powerful parable on disintegrating families and stolen childhood.
Amulet
With an allegory that seethes on its underbelly, Amulet is a disturbing and enigmatic picture that reflects a strikingly bleak view.
Prisoners of the Ghostland
The world Sono builds is engrossing and overwhelming, but the narrative never appears to shift out of first gear.
Jakob’s Wife
Hallmarks of the vampire genre coupled with a small-town America backdrop challenge patriarchal institutions.
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To
Incredible performances drive an emotional weight that oozes a transcendent power guaranteed to haunt you.
Initiation
Despite some shortcomings, Initiation, particularly in the wake of #MeToo, should be applauded for tackling these issues with gravity.
Willy’s Wonderland
An unapologetically ridiculous, trippy ride that will satisfy ardent fans of carefree horrors and, of course, Nicolas Cage himself.
Little Nightmares II
With a strangeness equalled by its unambiguity, Little Nightmares II has a fearless simplicity that allows the eerie, ethereal beauty of its visuals, music and sound effects to shine.
Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula
Scratches the surface of what the genre is capable of enunciating, but still provides the pales of gore and absurdity that make it so perpetually fascinating.
Maid of Sker
For gamers who can forgive certain flaws, Maid of Sker has a disturbing atmosphere and some wonderful eccentricities that are worth exploring.
The Inner Friend
Much like the work of Don DeLillo or David Lynch, the narrative summons more questions and mysteries than conclusions or answers.
Sea Fever
A terse, tight-fisted thriller possessing an inadvertent power that allows the audience to connect with the characters and their dire circumstances.
VFW
With its gritty cinematography, amplified violence and John Carpenter-esque soundtrack, VFW is a gruesomely entertaining bloodbath that oozes with nostalgia.
Itsy Bitsy
Occasionally eerie but doesn’t surprise us with any unique quirks that make it more than a one-dimensional creature feature.
Hail Satan?
Lane's documentary delivers a unique perspective: an inverted, transposed battle of good vs. evil that’s farcical and horrifying in equal measures.
Shed of the Dead
While this feature has a couple of notably gory moments, it seems to ignore the crucial cues that define and distinguish the genre.
Videoman
Brilliantly tragic and darkly comical performances successfully communicate the nihilistic sentiments at Videoman's core.
Castle Rock
A compelling plot explores Stephen King’s core themes while creating something truly unique with his mammoth bibliography.
American Guinea Pig: Sacrifice
In a stern test for even the most hardened splatter film fanatics, Roberto Scorza offers a powerful solo performance.
Habit
With nihilism and transgressional fiction at its core, Habit provides a putrid snapshot into a sordid, untold underworld.
Zombiology
Endlessly packed with memorable quirks and some exquisite anime sequences, this eccentric effort is essential viewing.
Caniba
Caniba provides a confidential, intoxicatingly claustrophobic portrait of Issei Sagawa that never fails to subtly unsettle and horrify.
Kuso
With the potential to become an instant cult classic, Kuso is a 90-minute assault on the senses which begs repeated viewing.
Lake Bodom
Masterfully blends suspense with breakneck violence to produce what is perhaps one of the best teen slashers of the 21st century.
Penny Dreadful: The Awakening #1
A huge deviation in tone from the derelict moodiness captured by director J. A. Bayona, despite some wonderful artwork.
Blind Sun
Explores uncomfortable humanitarian and environmental issues, but these themes fail to harmonise with supernatural elements.
Under the Shadow
A triumphant debut effort which offers unique tension and poignancy and isn’t afraid to confront uncomfortable cultural realities.
Train to Busan
Sardonic elements balance with emphatic characters and sharp camerawork to ensure the film's anxious torsion maintains its focus.
The Girl with All the Gifts
Uses all the hallmarks of Britain’s distinctive post-apocalyptic zombie cannon to make for powerfully relatable, bleak scenes.
Cell
Stephen King cultists will find the humour and originality of the author firmly intact, but perhaps only in fragments and flashes.
Prime Cuts: Vol. 2
A sardonic and entertaining chapter in an ambitious and bizarre adaptation, but disappointingly lacks allegorical meat.
Limbo
Ambitious and bizarre, Limbo is a hallucinogenic rollercoaster that takes giddy pride in disintegrating reality and reliability.
Estranged
Could have been so much more, but still an alluring watch which bursts with style and vengeful violence.