Category: Film
What We Do in the Shadows
Charming and oddly heart-warming, it’s testament to all involved that the film feels so fresh, energetic and cuspid-sharp.
Afterimages
Serves as a neat, interesting introduction to Asian folklore that allows some playing with storytelling techniques.
Blood Ransom
A slow-burn approach with a dreamlike quality that is at times hypnotic indicates a filmmaker to watch in director-writer Francis dela Torre.
Starry Eyes
A powerful rumination on the cost of fame and the monstrous things people are prepared to do in order to obtain it.
The Haunting of Black Wood
A carefully constructed and deliberately vague set-up that milks every ounce of tension, with twists coming thick and fast.
Stage Fright
A ludicrous blending of musical comedy with slasher flick that sets itself up as an over-the-top, camp romp, but sadly never quite nails it.
Iron Doors
Attempts to create something more thoughtful than the usual Saw-inspired torture porn, but lacks the edge to pull it off.
Bad Milo!
While the central concept obviously lends itself to crass humour, the film actually unfolds as a delightfully quirky comedy.
Shrew’s Nest
Begins as a fairly run-of-the-mill supernatural story but unpredictably gives way to a wickedly funny and bloody romp.
The ‘Burbs
For a film not well received at the time, The 'Burbs has dated very well. There is nothing a hard-core fan could want for in this package.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
An absurd, one-gag pony, but these alien clowns look incredible even now.
White Settlers
Pollyanna McIntosh singlehandedly carries the film, but all good work is undone with a crude final act, leading to a laughable climax.
The Forbidden Door
Bleak and multi-layered, the performances are solid throughout, the film benefiting enormously from stylish cinematography.
FrightFest: Blood Moon
While undeniably quite remarkable in overall aesthetic, Blood Moon seems to build to a climax which never fully materialises.
FrightFest: Doc of the Dead
A light-hearted introduction and jumping-off point for anyone new to zombies, with enough know-how to cope when the dead rise.
FrightFest: The Sleeping Room
A half-baked, ambitious ending, but the film is effectively creepy and satisfyingly lensed, its shocks permeated with a melancholy calm.
FrightFest: All Cheerleaders Die
Not a bad parody of 90s high-school horror, but its deliberate clichés fall short.
FrightFest: Housebound
It is not just in its writing and direction that Housebound excels; the production design is a feast for the eyes.
FrightFest: Wolfcop
With its icky transformation scenes, lashings of blood and gore, and bizarre sense of humour, this has cult stamped all over it.
FrightFest: The Last Showing
With frustratingly little to sink one's teeth into, the film is just as forgettable as the formulaic films it seeks to mock.
FrightFest: Late Phases
The inevitable showdown is a hoot, but overall, a throwaway experience that should have spent more time in development.
Camp Dread
Tries to pass itself off as self-aware, but in the end it is, disappointingly, a rather vacuous and plodding mess.
Willow Creek
With long takes, reliance on sound and suggestion, and chilling climax, it is one of the better found-footage titles.
After
With its engaging themes of destiny, fate, and redemption, After emerges as a strangely touching and haunting film.
The Quiet Ones
A script crying for a horror backbone is frustratingly weak for the most part, its tedious jump-scares no substitute.
Hatchet 3
The body count is huge, the dialogue abysmal, the story perfunctory at best, yet the enthusiasm ensures it's never tiresome.
Devil in the Woods
Delivers a number of tired tropes amidst a bland screenplay that largely consists of tedious, drawn-out padding.
We Are What We Are (2013)
Carefully conceals the cannibalism at its heart in favour of the examination of familial roles, rites of passage and ritualism.
Only Lovers Left Alive
Rich characterisation, an intriguing premise and delicately handled direction enhance this full-blooded yarn.
The Complex
Atmospheric and beautifully shot, it may not take any original paths, but should appeal to admirers of Japanese horror cinema.
Frankenstein (TV Miniseries, 2004)
A bloodless take that merely skims the surface of the story’s rich depth. Uninspiring direction further renders this dreary.
Shackled
A wonderful beginning to a story that promises surreal, and what follows calls to mind David Lynch in its dreamlike quality.
The People Under the Stairs
While it is often overlooked, it is an effective horror flick with a dark sense of unease that is still incredibly palpable.
My Amityville Horror
My Amityville Horror poses many questions, but by the film’s conclusion, very few have actually been answered.
Lifeforce
Unstrained and anarchic, Lifeforce may not be considered Hooper’s best work, but it’s certainly one of his most wildly entertaining.
Sharknado
Fearless in its idea, but disappointingly lacks the direction and acting needed to pull off its own wacky intellections.
Insidious: Chapter 2
Although the plot loses some of its intrigue, Wan superbly distracts us with his talent to make the audience feel constantly unsettled.
FrightFest: Big Bad Wolves
Deftly balancing genres, it's a remarkable script that never misses a beat, truly belying the writers' inexperience.
FrightFest: In Fear
A smart screenplay delivers an effective psychological thriller that wastes no time in initiating a tension that remains taut.
FrightFest: Missionary
Anthony DiBlasi maintains a firm hand on the reins and ensures Missionary slow-burns its way to a satisfying and moving finale.
FrightFest: No One Lives
Ryûhei Kitamura's second US venture is a riot; revelling in its throwaway nonsense, it's fun from the get-go and knows it.
FrightFest: The Paranormal Diaries – Clophill
One hell of a dull time, with nothing other than repetitive speculation to lull one to sleep.
FrightFest: Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman
Crams in every bit of exploitation style it can into the first 10 minutes alone.
FrightFest: Rewind This!
Nothing but fun is to be had here, the film a catalogue of gore and nudity posing as a behind-the-scenes survey of SFX techniques.
FrightFest: Haunter
Showcases a great deal of devil in its detail, with a tight-knit, metaphysical framework that may require multiple viewings.
FrightFest: 100 Bloody Acres
The upbeat tone is maintained so thoroughly that, even when the blood rises in gouts, it doesn't dampen the lightheartedness.
FrightFest: V/H/S/2
Improves on the formula established by the original film; by slim-lining the segments, and by featuring fewer, the impact is undeniable.
FrightFest: Wither
An entertaining if not very original demonic possession slash zombie gorefest that, at the very least, showcases energy and zest.
FrightFest: Hansel and Gretel – The 420 Witch
Incredibly fun with some fantastic gore, but falls just short of its own expectations.