As a lifelong fan of the horror genre, Jordan Peele’s latest film Us offered me many things to love. The performances were phenomenal all around, from Lupita Nyong’o’s dual roles that ranged from horrifying, to sympathetic, to downright eerie, and Evan Alex’s nuanced performance that was more astounding considering the actor’s young age, the film once again proved horror films are not just grounds for scenery chewing dramatics. The references to a multitude of horror films and pop culture events from the ‘80s included a treasure trove of “Easter Eggs.”
Read MoreThe Haunting of Sharon Tate (2019)
At this point, I’ve lost track of how many horror films have been made about Sharon Tate and the damn Manson family. From films like Wolves at the Door to Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the story has been told so many times, it’s arguably been fetishized. The Haunting of Sharon Tate does, however, take a slightly different look at the story.
Read MoreStarfish (2018)
Think what you will of H.P. Lovecraft as a person, his work has inspired countless filmmakers and storytellers. But as much as I love his writing, the one thing his stories always lack are deeply personal characters. That’s why it’s so refreshing to see films like Starfish taking his themes and doing something unique and beautiful with them.
Read MoreLords of Chaos (2018)
When watching Lords of Chaos, you’ll find yourself repeating these three words: this actually happened. Here it is, my first non-horror review for CineDump, but that’s not entirely accurate. That’s because this new black metal nightmare from director Jonas Akerlund is an utterly horrific descent into the dark void of the soul, and the subconscious terrors that lurk there.
Read MoreHorror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)
Roughly nine years ago, I taught a themed section of a college research and writing course. The theme was horror. My small group of 12 students were not super fans of the genre like myself, so I enjoyed introducing the class to a variety of films to broaden their horror horizons.
Read MoreThe Amityville Murders (2018)
Forty years ago, The Amityville Horror shocked the nation. Based on the book of the same name by Jay Anson, the film was a fictional account of the Lutz family, who moved into the house on 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, where a mass murder had taken place the year before. The Lutz family lasted only a month before leaving, claiming that the house was haunted.
Read MoreSt. Agatha (2018)
When I was kid, I was forced to attend CCD, aka, Sunday school. The hours of boredom and time away from video games weren’t the only reasons I hated going. While there, I was constantly yelled at and mistreated by the nuns, once for drinking water from the fountain “the wrong way”.
Read MoreMonster Party (2018)
All of us have an addiction. You’re not alone. Human beings are prone to it.
Read MoreInside (2007) #RetroReview
One of the great tragedies of modern horror cinema is the confounding ambivalence shown to Inside upon its U.S. release. The stunning 2007 French shocker generated some buzz during its award-winning festival run, but never received a proper theatrical release save for France and a handful of European markets. The Weinstein’s ended up purchasing the American rights, quietly moving it past go – and sending it directly to DVD jail in 2008 under their Dimension Extreme banner.
Read MoreChristmas Blood (2017)
You’ve seen Silent Night, Deadly Night. You’ve heard of Christmas Evil. Now comes a new take from Norway on the “killer Santa” sub-genre of horror, Christmas Blood.
Read MoreThe Demonologist (2018)
There’s a phrase that I often think of while writing: Keep it simple, stupid. The words may not always keep me from veering off into some weird tangent while you sit there wondering where the hell I’m going with this, but they’re words to live by when developing any sort of creative project. The intention is to remind us that simpler is always better, especially in storytelling, because when you cram in too much, the core theme of the tale is almost always lost.
Read MoreThe Cabin (2018)
Mysterious killer slices up old man in a cabin. Obnoxious couple that is so annoying they’re actually made for each other visits cabin because spending time alone together with nothing to do somehow seems like a good idea. Killer sets his sight on couple and decides the world would be better off without them.
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