“Damien: The Omen II” 45 Years Later – A Solid Sequel Better Than It Should Have Been

Somewhere in the Bible it says “Thou shalt always make a sequel to a successful, popular movie.”  Well, it’s not actually in there, but Hollywood seems to operate as if that’s a commandment.  And while sequels have been rampant in recent years, the horror genre has been known for them for decades. Even with 70s classics like Jaws, The Exorcist, and The Omen, sequels were … Continue reading “Damien: The Omen II” 45 Years Later – A Solid Sequel Better Than It Should Have Been

“Brooklyn 45” – A Compelling Character Study Wrapped in Supernatural Horror [Review]

They say that war is hell, and nowhere is that more evident than in Shudder’s latest original film Brooklyn 45.  While it plays more as a low budget, character driven drama than a war movie with all the battles and explosions, it demonstrates the horrors and lasting trauma that war can bring, with a supernatural twist of course! Awkward Get TogetherThe film opens in December … Continue reading “Brooklyn 45” – A Compelling Character Study Wrapped in Supernatural Horror [Review]

“The Purge” 10 Years Later – How It Predicted the Future

In moments of road rage and (sometimes) justified frustration, we’ve all imagined what we would like to do if for just a little bit, the rules of society didn’t apply.  At least this was the idea that James DeMonaco had when he wrote and directed The Purge back in 2013.  In fact the whole concept started with a road rage incident involving a drunk driver … Continue reading “The Purge” 10 Years Later – How It Predicted the Future

“Psycho II” 40 Years Later – A Massively Underrated Sequel

Making a sequel to a classic movie 20+ years later seems all too common now.  Often referred to as the “legacy sequel”, it’s often bemoaned as nothing more than a cheap cash grab to milk an existing property.  And while that’s often the truth, there’s always a hidden gem among the mix, one of them being what is arguably one of the first legacy sequels … Continue reading “Psycho II” 40 Years Later – A Massively Underrated Sequel

“The Boogeyman” – An Atmospheric and Creepy Assault on Your Senses [Review]

What do you get when you pair the Master of Literary Horror with an up and coming filmmaker who took all of society’s woes of 2020 and turned it into a horror movie?  The result is 2023’s The Boogeyman.  Based on a Stephen King short story from 1973, and directed by Rob Savage, who was behind the 2020 quarantine-based horror film Host, The Boogeyman packs … Continue reading “The Boogeyman” – An Atmospheric and Creepy Assault on Your Senses [Review]

Do Horror Movies Have to “Scare” You to be Good?

Much like comedy, horror is the only genre that relies on a visceral reaction from its audience.  Both laughs and scares are automatic responses we have when we find something amusing or frightening.  And you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who would disagree with the statement, “comedies should be funny”. The fact is, there’s nothing more awkward than sitting through a comedy movie or … Continue reading Do Horror Movies Have to “Scare” You to be Good?

“Wrong Turn” 20 Years Later – A Solid Slasher Better Than Its Reputation

We’re now getting to the point that the early 2000’s are twenty years behind us and starting to become nostalgic.  In terms of horror films, it was the era of ultra violent “torture porn”, no doubt a reflection of society’s anxieties about the post 9/11 and War on Terror era. And while you had famous franchises like Saw or Hostel, another one that often gets … Continue reading “Wrong Turn” 20 Years Later – A Solid Slasher Better Than Its Reputation

“The Wrath of Becky” – A Gory, Hilarious, Over the Top Sequel [Review]

Back in 2020 when the world was in lockdown and movie theaters were mostly closed, a small indie survival horror/thriller called Becky managed to rule the box office at the #1 spot for 3 weekends in June.  At a time when big summer blockbusters usually dominate the landscape, this low budget movie gained national headlines for its success, given that it was still playing in … Continue reading “The Wrath of Becky” – A Gory, Hilarious, Over the Top Sequel [Review]

“Influencer” – Movie Review

There are vacation horror stories and then there are vacation horror stories.  The former usually involves bad food, less than ideal lodging, and bad experiences with tourists.  And the latter aptly describes the latest Shudder original movie, Influencer. Like many other vacation horror movies, Influencer follows a character whose tropical getaway turns into a life or death situation.  Filled with twists and turns (some of … Continue reading “Influencer” – Movie Review

“Killer Klowns From Outer Space” 35 Years Later – A Cult Classic With a Legacy

Horror fans have always held a special place for the 1980’s.  It was a decade filled with Reaganomics, heightened Cold War tensions, heavy metal, Satanic panics, a boom in consumerism and technology advancement.  And for the movie industry, it served as a sort of democratization of filmmaking. With the advent of VHS and video rental, you didn’t need a movie to get a big hit … Continue reading “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” 35 Years Later – A Cult Classic With a Legacy