Category: Film
Zombie 108
A reasonably good start rapidly falls victim to a lack of direction, resulting in an incoherence that does not entertain.
Axed
Intriguing at first with some style to be had and attention to detail, but let down by a lack of direction and poor acting.
Absentia
Will keep you guessing, until all possibilities for explanation are eventually tied together in an excellent balance of subplot.
Grave Encounters
It's pure pantomime and about a decade too late, but with the lights down and sound up there's fun to be had.
Seance: The Summoning
Despite the potentially ominous setting, this is a lethargic outing augmented by lifeless direction and a leaden script.
The Innkeepers
It's only really for specific moments that The Innkeepers very obviously feels like a horror film, yet it is effectively creepy.
Chernobyl Diaries
The set piece needs more attention, but the attacks are done reasonably well, an instil of progressive tension reasonably effective.
The Amityville Haunting
Cliches abound, as does overkill, while the characters are irritating. And yet, a wound-up tension is impressed without noticing.
Father’s Day
Has everything one could desire of a daft evening's entertainment, from sibling incest to a meeting with the Devil/God himself.
Skew
Found footage is a tricky subgenre to add an original concept to and Skew makes a good attempt. But it's not enough.
666: The Prophecy
You would almost expect tongue planted firmly in cheek, yet this sagging clod of a movie takes itself quite seriously.
The Watermen
A stalk-and-slash film with very little stalking or slashing, little happens until the inevitably contrived conclusion.
Return of the Living Dead
A superb package teeming with extras; a fitting tribute to a film that fully justifies its reputation as a cult classic.
Juan of the Dead
Zombie fans will enjoy the numerous genre references, but many will see the same old tired and perfunctory plot devices.
Island of Lost Souls
The foreboding set piece complements the horrific story wonderfully, while Charles Laughton is genuinely sinister.
Osombie
Quite possibly one of the most lacklustre attempts at a zombie film ever made, Osombie is simply excruciating.
Dark Shadows
At first glance Dark Shadows is fun, but there is simply little story to be had, with a script that relies on just the one joke.
The Monk
An unusually restrained Vincent Cassel is a pleasure, but it's a drawn-out story that runs out of steam before a rushed conclusion.
Cassadaga
Enough strands are left to ponder to deem writers Bruce Wood and Scott Poiley as worthy of keeping an eye on.
Break
Deeply irritating; places far too much focus on stunted, badly-acted banter that is difficult to understand at points.
The Cabin in the Woods
A perfect introduction to the genre, accessible enough to reel folk in. The rest of us will go giddy counting the references.
Sometimes They Come Back
A painfully average film, its classic horror status somewhat baffling. Purchase to complete your Stephen King collection.
The Revenant
D. Kerry Prior's limited experience mostly lies in SFX, but you wouldn't know it from what is perfect comedy timing.
Dellamorte Dellamore
Its own bizarre entity; a curious commentary on the protagonist’s descent into madness as he combats love, loss and zombies.
A Horrible Way to Die
A non-linear approach wears thin, initial intrigue giving way to frustration as the story continually dances away with the cuts.
Evidence
There is probably a good film hidden somewhere in here, but the entire experience feels like a waste of time.
The Raven
John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe is immensely watchable, but the story is downgraded to a bog-standard thriller.
The Shrine
Effectively creates tension to complement an overall creepiness, to deliver a climax that keeps the viewer in the dark.
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2010)
Under the impressive visuals and solid cast there are genuine flaws, and it allows itself to surrender to cliché too easily.
Grindhouse Trailer Classics 3
Nucleus Films continue their mission to educate the masses on the concept of the grindhouse subgenre. Go purchase.
Rabies
The central story is drowned in subplot after subplot, red herrings running amok to the point of frustration.
The Human Centipede 2
Laurence R. Harvey turns in an excellent performance, but there is no escaping the knowledge of a rapidly hashed idea.
Snowtown
A truly effective film that will stay with you long after the credits roll; to have achieved this in a debut is quite remarkable.
Straw Dogs (1971)
This 40th anniversary edition, hosting a plethora of extras, is surely one of the year's most essential releases.
Straw Dogs (2011)
The dumbing down of the violence to tiresome torture porn, robs it of its parallel to David Sumner's psychological shift.
Evil Things
On the whole achieves its aim of imitating amateur home video, as director Dominic Perez steers the ship to a solid finale.
The Awakening
The raison d'être is ludicrous and sewn up in minutes, but the cast is very good, as is the cinematography and symbolism.
Season of the Witch
B-movie fluff at best, dull at worst, and not a patch on the films it tries to emulate. Fortunately, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
Not quite as funny as you’d expect if you have seen the shorts, the film plays it straight.
The Woman
An interesting statement on misogyny, albeit subtle as a sledgehammer — but then, this is from Lucky McKee and Jack Ketchum.
Buried Alive
A required watch for fans of Frank Darabont, creator of The Walking Dead, if only to see what a difference 20 years can make.
Death Bell
Believes itself brutal, when in reality a small number of strong images are tied loosely together with a basic story.
Evil Rising
The script really is slow, with nothing remotely interesting happening until the final few minutes. But what an ending.
Red State
A disappointing film with a script that is too basic for any kind of social commentary Kevin Smith may have been aiming for.
The Silent House
Florencia Colucci is superb, easily shouldering the film. Also impressive is some genuine creepiness courtesy of clever lighting.