I found myself in the crosshairs when 2019’s “Pet Sematary” came out. Most times I’m okay with remakes or retellings of novels, especially when in this case it had been 30 years since the original Stephen King adaptation. When I heard Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer of “Starry Eyes” fame were directing I was giddy with anticipation.
Read MoreTotally Killer (2023)
Think high school rocker boy Marty McFly, only now it’s a high school hipster girl named Jamie Hughes. Think a time machine DeLorean, only now it’s a time machine carnival photo booth. The comparisons between 1985’s “Back to the Future” and this year’s “Totally Killer” are practically endless, but don’t let that deter you.
Read MoreAnd Then Come the Nightjars (2023)
The year 2001 brought a slew of tragedies across the world. One that flew over my radar was the Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic among livestock throughout the UK. By December of that year, over six million animals were culled to stop the spread, leaving over 7,000 farmers without jobs and the meat and dairy economy on the razor’s edge of collapse.
Read MoreAlien Nation (1988) #RetroReview
Debuting on October 7th, 1988, Graham Baker’s Alien Nation seems to have only grown in relevance. A sci-fi allegory about racism and immigration, the film delivers on its action beats while keeping its message front and center. With a strong cast and an earnest tone, the film plays like a genre spin on In the Heat of the Night.
Read MoreSaw X (2023)
How has this franchise lasted all the way to this tenth installment? In every sense of logic, it shouldn’t have, especially in these last five or so years. The 2020s, maybe even a few years before, will go down in horror history as the Age of Elevated Horror.
Read MoreMary Had a Little Lamb (2023)
Well, Mary certainly did have a little lamb, but I don’t think its fleece was ever white as snow. Not this lamb anyway. Something trending lately has been taking innocent childhood themes and stories and making them into grotesque caricatures that have zero reason for existing.
Read MoreFrightfest Film Festival (2023)
FrightFest 2023, a spine-chilling extravaganza of the macabre, unfolded before eager eyes and beating hearts, embracing horror enthusiasts in the most captivating manner. For those fortunate enough to participate, this year's festival brought an added thrill, as the haunting and hair-raising cinematic spectacles were made accessible for remote reviewing. Embarking on a virtual journey through the shadows of terror, delving into the twisted tales of horror from the comfort of one's own domain, was an exhilarating treat for every avid film critic and horror aficionado.
Read MoreGrandma (2023)
True story: in 2014, while I was living in Riverton, Wyoming, I went to a thrift shop for fun and found two unlabeled VHS tapes. I was so stoked to see what was on them. I asked the little old lady at the front desk how much she’d sell them for and with a raised eyebrow she said, “Eh just take ‘em.”
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