We get some on-screen preamble before the events of The Lair (2022) unfold before us. Locating the film in conflict-ridden Afghanistan in 2017, we’re told that a US bomb strike on a certain province, intended to destroy an insurgent stronghold, occurred after alleged ‘disturbing activity’ in the area. So there we have it: we’re going […]
The horrific side of motherhood has been amply explored in films recently, with varying levels of success; Adalynn (2023) takes its place amongst them, and appropriately, its own success is variable. It certainly has excellent intentions, focusing its scrutiny on a new mother for whom the walls start to close in. But it quickly becomes […]
By guest contributor Chris Ward Featuring an all-star cast of familiar household names – well, they were household names thirty years ago – Renegades is a British revenge thriller that sees a group of former soldiers take to the streets of London to get revenge for the murder of former Green Beret Carver (Lee Majors), […]
By Guest Contributor Chris Ward In Southold, New York in 1843 a young woman named Mary (Stefanie Scott) is being interrogated by the local authorities about what has happened in her family’s mansion house. The thing is, Mary is blindfolded and behind the blindfold there is blood trickling down her face, and as she starts […]
There’s a small, but noteworthy number of films in which actors appear as themselves – that is, as actors reflecting in some way on the fact that they’re actors. It’s a risky thing in some ways: ego has to be balanced against just enough self-deprecation to make it all hang together, else it could all […]
Anyone who’s been paying close attention to the changing face of horror in the 21st century should hopefully be well aware of filmmaker Johannes Roberts. In some respects the British writer-director always seems to be just one big film away from really breaking through into the popular consciousness, yet at the same time he’s quietly […]
After the Firefly family got caught in a hail of bullets at the end of their little road trip in The Devil’s Rejects, I don’t think anyone really foresaw a sequel. But it turns out these characters have a life of their own now that defies expectations: House of 1000 Corpses and Devil’s Rejects are […]
If it comes in miniature and could conceivably be evil in nature, chances are Charles Band has probably used it as the basis for a schlock horror film (even ‘worry dolls’ have gone very, very wrong in his hands). And, in terms of success stories, the Puppet Master franchise has probably been one of his […]
By Guest Contributor Matt Harries In an era where a phrase such as ‘world building’ has entered the lexicon of the expectant cinema-goer, it is all too easy for the brightest lights, most groundbreaking camera work and most stupendous action sequences to steal the hearts and minds of the viewer. Conversely, it seems that all […]
As much as I shouldn’t make broad assumptions, when it comes to horror properties getting rebooted I rather doubt that too many fans are likely to get up in arms regarding Leprechaun. Sure, the series that began with Mark Jones’ 1993 movie notched up five direct sequels and one existing reboot, making it one of […]
The festive season has always been a popular setting for horror movies. This may in part be a natural evolution of the old tradition for setting ghost stories on Christmas Eve, but I daresay it’s more of a Grinch-like reaction against the crassness, commercialism and artifice of the event in modern culture; how, as much […]