Translate:
Review Tweet January, 2023 - December, 2023
December, 2023
December, 2023
December, 2023
Coming soon
November, 2023
December, 2023
December, 2023
Coming soon
October, 2023
December, 2023
September, 2023
Coming soon
September, 2023
September, 2023
September, 2023
Pt 5-Wish it had happened sooner. Dead animals in the woods and a dead bird. I don’t recommend this one. It’s heavy and sad and the journey isn’t that entertaining.
Pt 4-The male lead is a terrible person and takes advantage of her desperation and asks her to do some questionable things. He also treats her terribly. The whole ritual is taxing and it’s hard to watch in some parts. I can’t say I wasn’t happy when the male lead got hurt.
Pt 3-When you’re desperate, you trust whoever can help, which is already a precarious situation to be in, but in this case with black magic, it's a dangerous combination.
Pt 2-It felt like two different movies fused together. This was a symbolic representation of grief from anger to acceptance. It’s a very slow movie and focused on the ritual and what the lead has to endure.
A Dark Song (2016). Pt 1-Let me start by saying the title doesn’t fit at all. Given the buildup, the ending is anticlimactic, confusing, torturous, and frustrating at best. This wasn’t the right execution for her more psychological journey.
Pt 4-Trigger warning for a female boss abusing her power and sleeping with an intern, and for eating a newt alive.
Pt 3-Ironically, they can work well as a team when it's against their boss. It's a good thing they practiced moving a giant boulder earlier in the movie. Came in handy later. I liked the ending. I wonder where the characters are going to go now. This was an enjoyable movie.
Pt 2-Pulled me in and held my interest. I wanted to see what would happen next and if they would get out alive. Great title. There are also some gross parts involving cannibalism. Some crazy surreal hallucinations. Lucy is a terrible boss. Wow!
Corporate Animals (2019). Pt 1-The team building exercise from Hell. Cave spelunking for a team-building exercise? Because what could go wrong with that, right? I loved the commentary here. Good comedic elements, great dialogue. The characters were fun. An interesting premise.
August, 2023
September, 2023
August, 2023
Pt 9-No part of this short was fun, entertaining, or even watchable save for the very beginning. The ending was terrible.
Pt 8-The fifth and final story was interesting until they ended up in that place. Why didn’t they just focus on the ritual instead of taking the characters somewhere else? The vision of Hell was…odd at best. Um…no.
Pt 7-The female character only exists to be ogled by men. She doesn’t even say anything. So the twist feels almost cheap --like a cautionary tale for men. Be wary of women because they could be monsters. Ugh. Save me from bad writers.
Pt 6-I was glad for the revenge though. I always like revenge stories. Sad story. It was a bit too long and the ending was terrible. The fourth story, which serves as the interlude, was just weird. When it goes from toy soldiers to stupid adolescent boys, I eye-rolled so hard.
Pt 5-The third segment is a good send up of obstacle course/challenge games of the 90s, if only it wasn’t all about torture. This one was creepy and interesting, and I connected to it. But the gruesomeness really turned my stomach, and it was hard to make it through.
Pt 4-I also never heard the term “suicide bid.” I am actually claustrophobic so this one was very tough for me. I connected with her fear. They are so mean and cruel. Why would she want to be in their group? They just leave her there? Wow. What an ending.
Pt 3-I can’t imagine being crushed to death by your own fans who are running out of a burning venue. Yikes. I have friends who saw sororities as the end all be all and would have done anything to get in. I don't share that opinion so the second story was hard to connect to.
Pt 2-No subtlety or nuance, no deeper messages. The lack of framing made these feel a bit disjointed. The first story would have been more powerful if it had ended in possession & not cannibalism. I liked the punk bands, both of them. Wish we could have heard more of their songs.
V/H/S/99. Pt 1-So I was sadly very curious about this one and I saw it on Shudder -- I figured why not? Wrong choice for me. Generally, the characters and premise of each story were interesting but the endings were just banal, torturous, disgusting, and frustrating.
Pt 6-This movie left me feeling drained and frustrated. Unless anything I said here sounds interesting, give this a miss.
Pt 5-So much cruelty here in the name of religion. Caging a child and child abuse. Yikes. Suicide warning. There’s one scene in particular that’s tough. I did like the lead being an eye doctor.
Pt 4-They were trying to kill her, what was she supposed to do? That doesn’t convince me that she’s evil. She can bring people back? Or so some characters say, but we never see it. That was a mistake. I also find the time loop/time travel bits way too complicated for this story.
Pt 3-This is a moody, somber, religious meditation on evil and whether we choose our fate or whether it’s decided for us. If only the movie really explored that theme. Honestly, I don’t think we as the viewers have enough evidence either way to tell whether she’s evil or not.
Pt 2-As we see, the lead can and does use her powers for good. She should be given a choice to choose which path to walk instead of people telling her what she is. This isn’t a horror movie in my mind.
Consecration (2023). Pt 1-So let me start out by saying that I wasn’t the target audience for this movie. Be that as it may, here are my thoughts. Strong women with powers always need to be contained and controlled but never listened to.
Pt 6-Sparse worldbuilding to say the least. Predictable. Worst ending ever. Trigger warning for a dead bird and beating a dog to death.
Pt 5-For a lot of the movie the “scares” consist of a door opening and closing by itself and some strange noises. Eye roll. The way they just accept “him,” the entity, is crazy. I could see why the lead would be concerned about being a father. Yikes.
Pt 4-It's a character study of a couple in crisis, who apparently can’t communicate with each other and constantly argue about having a baby. Considering the ending, that thread is handled in a very cruel way that feels punishing.
Pt 3-From not taking your wife to the hospital when she falls down the stairs in a house surrounded by smoke to randomly picking up a spell book and just reading it for the hell of it -- this movie made my brain hurt with its stupidity.
Pt 2-But no one would ever make these choices if they weren’t in a movie.
Incantation (2022). Pt 1-Stupid people making stupid choices -- along with a terrible script and some terrible directorial choices -- pretty much sums up the movie. The characters consistently make choices that boggle the mind and only make sense to further the plot.
Pt 4-The pilot didn’t completely convince me. The episode ends on an interesting note. I might like to see more. If you like ghost stories and Kdramas, this is worth checking out.
Pt 3-I like ghost stories and there were some really creepy moments here. Some terrible parenting too, like divorcing your husband and then telling your daughter he’s dead when he’s not. A folklore professor? Intriguing. The pacing is a bit off. I’m on the fence about this one.
Pt 2-Doesn’t do a great job of introducing the series or giving you an idea of where it’s going -- it just kind of throws the story at you. That being said, it is a good premise with an interesting cast of characters. Some are better and more approachable than others.
Revenant (2023). Pilot. Pt 1-Great opening credits. Liked the animation. What a creepy opening! Strong suicide warning here. Sad storyline but interesting.
Pt 6-That’s fine if we’re given enough material but for a remake of The Shining, we need a more hands-on approach. Disappointing. Trigger warning for referenced child abuse.
Pt 5-The pacing was all off and the best scenes were saved for the end but without deeper insight into the lead, they failed to pack a punch. The film throws out clues, suggests things, mentions other things, and expects you to put the story together yourself.
Pt 4-There were some creepy scenes, but it failed to really capture me because I barely knew anything about the lackluster characters. The music, which aside from two songs was mostly just sounds, was frustrating at best.
Pt 3-I also wonder who the lead really loved. Her character was very closed off and we didn’t get to really explore her mind. For a movie like this, that’s a huge problem. Every element felt isolated from the rest of the story. The acting was good.
Pt 2-The ghosts weren’t well utilized or explained and the trauma with her mother and the grief the lead character felt weren’t deeply explored. Where did her rage come from? There were shades of a female Norman Bates here that honestly felt like it came from left field.
Bad Things (2023). Pt 1-The trailer made it seem that it would be a queer retelling of The Shining and I was definitely game for that! Bring it on. Sadly, although we had the bones of a good story, nothing really hung together.
Pt 7-Trigger warning for child sex abuse and homophobia from a family member. Give this movie a wide berth.
Pt 6-The idea that abused or neglected kids turn into horsemen is an interesting idea that I wish we could have delved into more deeply. The title should have been Come and See. Ends abruptly with a whimper not a bang. Very anticlimactic.
Pt 5-The director is all over the place. You have artsy shots with slow lingering shots and then quick shots. It’s like the director was confused whether this was a horror movie or a thriller. The terrible direction and story structure muddle the theme.
Pt 4-He’s bad at his job too and needs his child to help him figure it out? Wow! Nothing about this movie is good. The movie tries to present an interesting story but the terrible pacing and story structure quickly dissipate any tension that had been built up.
Pt 3-This is a pale imitation of Seven but this movie offers nothing new. The lead is a terrible father who never has time for his kids. Clearly their late mother was the heart of the family. The lead takes forever to make the connections and try to figure out the case.
Pt 2-Torture, ripping out fetuses. Yikes! Someone saws themselves alive. How is that even possible? Unmitigated mess of torture, sadism, and cruelty with only a few bright spots but not enough to save the movie. So much sadness and pain.
Horsemen (2009). Pt 1-I wanted to see Zhang Ziyi as a villain. She gives a chilling performance and should have been in more of the movie. I liked the cat and mouse game between her and Dennis Quaid. That was the draw for me but this movie is too gruesome, nauseating even.
Pt 4-Representing the law in a lawless world, where people are constantly being violent and taking things, must be difficult. You have to do some bad things to make people fear you and respect you and listen to you. That being said, I really don’t like the Marshals.
Pt 3-I was a bit taken aback that we don’t see Negan with his wife and child but Negan with another child. Clearly the time gap will be explained, and it will offer some characterization for Negan as he is now, but it was a bit jarring.
Pt 2-Exciting scenes and a good introduction to the new villain who is honestly more sadistic than I’m comfortable with. I have a good idea of where this series is going. What a welcoming party they receive on arriving in New York. This sets the scene well for the series.
The Walking Dead: Dead City. Pt 1-What an emotional beginning. I like the premise and my two favorite characters from the Walking Dead are here: Negan and Maggie. I like the adversarial dynamic they have.
Pt 4-Lots of trigger warnings here for intense domestic violence, child abuse, racism, antisemitism, and suicide.
Pt 3-I liked how her psychic abilities were portrayed. The stalking was chilling. Her dreams were intense. The ending was great albeit a bit predictable. I guessed who the killer was and why they did it early on.
Pt 2-This movie had a lot of heart. A pastiche of dysfunctional characters in a southern town who are rocked by a murder. Wonderful acting. Something to see for just the cast: Keanu Reeves, Hilary Swank, Cate Blanchett, Katie Holmes, Gary Cole, Greg Kinnear and Giovanni Ribisi.
The Gift (2000). Pt 1-An amazing cast, directed by Sami Rami & written by Billy Bob Thornton? Of course, I’d check it out. I’m glad I did. Good movie. An unusual movie given the director. A moody, spooky thriller that’s very character driven & seems slow but it’s worth it.
Pt 5-Then it just ends. What?! If you need to waste time, this movie is OK, but if you actually want a decent horror movie look elsewhere.
Pt 4-It took the characters so long to find out who this girl was. We spent time on the wrong things. Such a sad story with a terrible execution. Just when you think it’s over and you have all the answers, the story shifts and reveals that you know nothing.
Pt 3-The characters make some frustratingly stupid choices. The parents of the lead make some questionable parenting choices. The movie keeps a somber atmosphere but fails to hold your attention to pull you into the mystery.
Pt 2-How is it this hard to get a ride to a club and then back home? Very cutthroat out there for car rides. Lots of predatory men here and one abusive parent. The lead is living in a stifling environment -- they need to move out of that town.
The Communion Girl (2022). Pt 1-Oh the body horror! Suicide warning. This movie is a frustrating mess with the bones of a good idea. The scares are low level, but I have a high tolerance for scares. The story is slow, and I didn’t care about any of the characters.
Pt 6-Good music. Sad framing story but I guessed it early on. That didn’t lessen the emotional blow. Great ending!
Pt 5-The story about the couple was sad but predictable. Sometimes it’s better just to let go than to hang on. He should never have done the procedure. Love the lead. Some awkward phrasing: “Upload old people to the cloud,” and “criminological artifacts.”
Pt 4-Recreating the pain of the electric chair? Why?! Are we really jaded and callous enough to want an attraction like that? Science and medicine never seemed scarier! I would find being in someone else’s mind claustrophobic and annoying but that’s just me.
Pt 3-From a doctor wanting to feel his patient’s pain to diagnosing a mother in a coma being implanted into her partner’s brain. These stories are not for the faint of heart. Trigger warning for severe masochism and hurting yourself. Suicide referenced.
Pt 2-I really liked the framing here when we’re listening to stories about the objects in the museum. Weird place to have a museum -- talk about the middle of nowhere!
Black Mirror. Black Museum. Pt 1-Stories of desperate people agreeing to biotech, wearable tech, without reading the fine print. Steeped in sadness and sadism. Tough to watch this one. Such a depressing, cruel, chilling, and horrifying mindscape.
Pt 5-I’m not a fan of reality shows at all but I might watch this one. I’m interested to see who makes it out, if any of them do.
Pt 4-The gas station was suspenseful. They made some questionable choices, but they felt like real choices people might make. What a place to end the first episode!
Pt 3-Will they continue to save people and protect others when it might mean death for themselves? I do wonder why one of the zombies was faster. I like how we’re learning about the world as they're learning about it. So naturally, we don’t have all the answers.
Pt 2-I mean part of the appeal of zombie movies and TV shows is watching people who appear nice at first slowly reveal who they really are without all the societal niceties and masks they usually wear. You see their baser selves and their instincts come out.
Zombieverse. Pilot. Pt 1-I liked the idea of a “realistic” zombie reality show. Good idea. The characters seem to be very nice, polite, and for the most part, happy to work together. I wonder if they’ll keep it that way.
Pt 5-Speaking of endings, it would have been so much more powerful to pull back from the story and reveal that everything was in her mind and that the neighbor was just a normal loving father.
Pt 4-Why continue when he was clearly dangerous? The subtitles aren’t great. Giving false hope is dangerous in any case, not to mention giving it to someone who’s already unstable.
Pt 3-The trials & tribulations of a killer who lives in an apartment with thin walls. Feels much longer than its running time. Failed to hold my attention. Why was the lead so intent on finding out the truth when she could have just written the screenplay & wrote her own ending?
Pt 2-It’s so sad and melodramatic: the villain is one-note, and the lead is a frustrating mess, who constantly puts herself and others in danger. Any exciting parts are mitigated by her stupidity and instead are frustrating at best.
Exist Within (2022). Pt 1-Sometimes neighbors can be the best inspiration for a story. I liked the premise of the story, but the execution and the ending need some work.
Pt 8-And the horrifying part is that I think it’s a happy sentimental ending or it’s meant to feel like that, but it isn’t happy either. It’s a nightmare. Tigger warning for child abuse. Unless you really like the actors, don’t check this one out.
Pt 7-I thought at some point Dr. Koven would believe him. The “truth” would have been helpful to know before the last twenty minutes of the movie. Talk about a rushed ending. That ending didn’t fit with the rest of the movie -- abrupt, punishing, and cruel.
Pt 6-That being said, why wasn’t it his wife? Why was it some other woman? I liked Dr. Koven too. He was a good addition to the movie. I thought it was ironic that even though he was running psychic tests, he was more skeptical than the lead.
Pt 5-We spend too much time proving that the lead is a skeptic and once the supernatural elements happen, that he’s actually crazy. Cassie was a great character and I’m glad that when the lead started to feel something for the first time, he had someone to help him through it.
Pt 4-At first, this feels like a horror movie we might have seen on the TV back in the day but only until you get to the final act. The horror is light and it’s more focused on dark secrets, forgotten memories, and mysteries of the past. The pacing is off.
Pt 3-He does have a reason for this, but can you wait for the answer? Very slow. Deceiving storytelling. You think you're getting one movie and you get an entirely different darker movie.
Pt 2-He keeps everyone at arm’s length and doesn’t show an ounce of warmth for anyone. Why did his wife even marry him? I assume his wife thought he’d become more emotional when they had kids but sadly that isn’t the case.
The Skeptic (2009). Pt 1-I like the idea of a skeptical, unemotional person dealing with unexplainable supernatural phenomena. However, this character is really tough to like. Arguably, he’s too unemotional.
Pt 5-The killers chasing the lead reminded me a bit of the “Painiacs” from the #MurderTrending series by Gretchen McNeil. Torture, kidnapping and murder of a child — trigger warning.
Pt 4-It makes me think about the morality of this punishment since the person they’re punishing now doesn’t seem like the killer they claim that she is.
Pt 3-Is this justice or retribution? Are those the same things? The person that did the crime back then is not the character we see now. She is weak, broken, emotional, and can barely string together two thoughts. She cries for almost the entire episode and barely says anything.
Pt 2-This one makes you think and stays in your mind. Deep questions about morality and justice. Even if she did that horrible crime, is this justice? How many times did they do this to her? Isn’t this just as torturous? When is enough? What would happen when it is enough? Death?
Black Mirror. White Bear. Pt 1-Good premise. Chilling story. I liked the idea of what the story seemed to be about — that electronics made people into unfeeling monsters. Good commentary, but that’s not the real story. It’s even more chilling when you know the truth.
Pt 5-One “Anne” wore a shirt that said “Strike on Butter.” What was the intended purpose of any of these details? Clearly, we need to have a conversation about endings. What a way to ruin a good movie. Suicide warning and a deer is injured by a car and then shot.
Pt 4-One “Anne” never helping anyone else for most of the film was just frustrating. There was a lot of symbolism here that I felt was really just touched upon but not fully explored. Like the video game elements and the constant theme of water.
Pt 3-Really messes with your head about what is real and what isn’t. Abrupt editing and time jumps help to disorient you as well as the characters. We see the story from multiple POV’s. Imaginative. Held my attention.
Pt 2-There were so many places it could have gone to but the ending was depressing. Amazing sets especially that staircase. A very creepy location all around. The story as well as the characters' faces and the sets kept changing. It was unsettling to say the least.
Faces of Anne (2022). Pt 1-A good movie with a great premise, great sets and music, but sadly the ending was a letdown. Had so much potential to be really chilling and make some good commentary about technology or go into definitions of Hell.
July, 2023
September, 2023
August, 2023
Pt 8-Not a movie or experience I'd like to repeat but I'm glad I saw it.
Pt 7-Suicide warning and coming across an injured kangaroo (this is Australia after all) on the road dying. I hated the scene, but it's needed so that when the character loses their mind, you can see what they were like before.
Pt 6-The only criticism I have is that I felt the ending should have been explained a bit or that we should have seen the character try to see themselves in the mirror and instead see nothing since that was her fear. Would have come full circle. But it was an interesting ending.
Pt 5-I can’t remember a horror movie that was this focused on one character. Frenching a dog and humping the floor. Yikes. Would you touch the hand and let something possess you not knowing what potentially self-destructive or murderous thing you could do?
Pt 4-The worldbuilding was a bit sparse but it worked since the story was focused on a character's descent into madness and not really on the supernatural elements -- only as they related to her so to speak, at least that's how I felt.
Pt 3-Stupid young kids doing stupid things and making stupid choices. Liked the scene where they were singing Sia in the car, another scene that made it all feel realistic. Loved the mom. I hope I can be like that.
Pt 2-Unresolved grief can make you turn to harmful things to distract yourself and to numb the pain. Being addicted to possession is a new one. There was a level of realism here, aside from the supernatural elements. The dialogue was very good.
Talk to Me (2023). Pt 1-What a dark, horrifying, unique, intense, sad, chilling descent into madness. Very good editing, cinematography, & direction. This held my interest, unsettled me, & made me hold my breath. This movie is a PSA about not handling your grief productively.
Pt 5-And she has to eat sandwiches or eat in the basement away from people?! Wow. Weird technicality in the bylaws of their contract so to speak. Trigger warning for racism and child sex abuse and incest. Yikes. Good ending. This was a very memorable episode.
Pt 4-There’s a lot of racism here starting with her coworker and ending with political figures calling for war on immigrants. Her boss literally yells at her for any reason but the scene where he tells her to eat “normal food,” was painful. Apparently, her food “lingers?”
Pt 3-I loved the scene where she told her coworker off. Yesss! Good retro feel from the musical choices to the clothes. “Bright Eyes” by Garfunkel was a nice touch.
Pt 2-Talking runes. Cool. Held my attention. Murder you say? Soo many terrible people in her life to pick from. That demon is really out of touch with how to communicate with humans. He’s a very human demon. Finally we get to see her in the jacket. She looks awesome.
Black Mirror. Demon 79. Pt 1-A demon and a shop girl, both minorities, work together. Sold. Great set. Interesting, unusual, and entertaining. I liked watching the lead change from a weak put upon woman to a force to be reckoned with. Good premise and characters.
Pt 8-You’re left with hope at the end that knowing the truth will not ruin the world but will free everyone from the tyranny of the New Truth. Great powerful ending! Memorable.
Pt 7-I love Sodo and their services to protect the ones who were given the decree. Exciting episodes and good characters. I really liked the female lead.
Pt 6-This series really unsettled me. The Arrowhead should be the ones that go to Hell. They beat to death an old woman riddled with cancer and beat a female lawyer. Tough to watch those scenes. “Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.” The New Truth is creepy in its fervor.
Pt 5-Fear as a tool to control and motivate the masses to violence. "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” The problem with ruling with fear is that it just takes one strong person to defy you. Others will follow. Very violent and gruesome.
Pt 4-Turns into a witch hunt -- vilifying a single mother just because you have to assure yourself everyone taken to Hell deserves it. This series reflects our darker selves back to us like a mirror. The worst of humanity.
Pt 3-The idea that it could be random is a terrifying thought. I don’t think I could live with that idea. Starts to get crazy, cruel, and dark but mob rule is all of those things.
Pt 2-Something to see if you want to watch something philosophical that makes you think. Just be prepared for the emotional journey. Such sadness regarding those picked. A baby got picked? Yikes. That whole storyline was wrenching!
Hellbound. S1. Pt 1-This was one Hell of a story but not as satisfying as I would have liked because we got more questions than answers. I’m excited to see if we get some answers in season 2. High concept but so much death and suffering.
Pt 4-People are understandably divided and going crazy. I appreciate hearing all the viewpoints. Totes really to binge this series. Trigger warning for eagles picking apart a dead animal. Bleh.
Pt 3-It asks questions about autonomy and whether justice can be resolved by man instead of a higher power. Big questions to ask in the first episode. Intense start. Great opening credits. I am very suspicious of Chairman Jung! Sad undercurrent with the lead.
Pt 2-It’s also a morality play. Does intention matter or the act itself? If you only do good out of fear, does that count? If the demons or monsters only take evil people does their suffering not matter or is it murder regardless of the victim?
Hellbound. Pilot. Pt 1-First, let me say that I love that title and the premise though Hell looks rather unappetizing here. I love how detailed the pilot was. It really set the scene, gave you diverse characters, and diverse points of view about the main issue.
Pt 8-I’m left feeling as frustrated with the movie as I was when I started.
Pt 7-The final act is powerful, and I enjoyed it. The ending is frustrating because the lead finds out how to stop all this and doesn't do it completely. She haphazardly tried to burn things but not the one thing she should have burned.
Pt 6-There’s also a grammatical error in the dialogue. I loved the idea that feeding into your darker urges and your darker self through an internet addiction would create a demon. I wish they had really delved into it instead of just scratching the surface of that idea.
Pt 5-We go from an intense scene to the bedroom of a child, with an actor who looks like they’re in their late twenties with bubble gum pop that feels more at home in a romcom. Not OK with classifying women as either “the good girl” or “the bad girl.”
Pt 4-Getting a phone and being insta famous to stop people bullying you? Now there's a reason! I like the commentary on Instagram and how toxic it can be for the person and for their friend group. The music in the first part is cringy.
Pt 3-Neither of the guys following her around likes her. I don’t think anyone really does. But relying on the stalker takes away moments when we could have delved more deeply into the evil doppelganger and the theme of the movie.
Pt 2-Before the final act, it’s more of a high school drama about the lead and her terrible friends. I mean your best friend dates your bully, gives you excuses, and then says you've changed? Wow. Why have the stalker character at all? To create more drama?
No Filter (2023). Pt 1-This proves that having a good idea and a good theme isn’t enough. You need good execution, too. Most of the movie doesn’t know that it’s a horror movie until the end.
Pt 5-I worry about the mental state of the lead and what happens after the episode ends.
Pt 4-The switch from the AI acting like her beloved Ash to acting like an AI was jarring. The ending was sad because of the life the lead chose. Unprocessed grief and unhealthy coping mechanisms lead to being stuck in a life that feels very repressive.
Pt 3-This is the poster child for dealing with grief in an unhealthy way-- when an AI system is meant to help you process your grief and instead it fuels an obsession. There are no shortcuts to dealing with grief. This was a very intimate portrayal. The leads were great.
Pt 2-Missed opportunity to make this really scary and I think with the concept, scary would have worked better than staying with angst, depression, and anger. Didn’t dig as deeply as it could have. Not sure why some people found this scary. Unsettling sure.
Black Mirror. Be Right Back. Pt 1-A creepy premise but one that only scratches the surface of a topic. We have AI that can be your friend and horror games like Simulacra that are ten times scarier.
Pt 5-The final act is messed up, trippy, and crazy but not in a good way, at least for me. High production values though. The look of the monster was crazy! The ending was rather abrupt.
Pt 4-Very slow. This episode was just building up to the reveal and the reveal wasn’t what I expected or wanted. I did appreciate the retro feel and the synth music. Yes!
Pt 3-The dialogue was awkward & at times predictable. “Auditory voyage” will now live in my head rent free. Some of the deaths were cool & the sets were amazing! Great attention to detail from the sets to the very specific drinks every character liked, except for the ginger ale.
Pt 2-I wish the secret were better and the characters were richer. The characters were OK but could have been better. I mean, almost the whole episode was dialogue where they were trying to get to know one another and yet, I felt like I barely knew them.
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. The Viewing. Pt 1-Calling all creature feature lovers, this one’s for you. Not a huge fan myself, and I didn’t know that was what I was getting. I liked the mystery behind why they were invited to this secret meeting.
Pt 6-If only that were enough. Suicide warning. Seriously, it’s just a deep dive into depression. Strange ending that leaves more questions than it answers. Talk about a waste of time.
Pt 5-Why didn’t the kid call someone for help sooner? The final act where the parents are trying to harm and kill their kids was very tough to watch. I did like the very end where her child understands what she’s been going through and vocalizes the mother’s struggle.
Pt 4-Works well in concept but not in a feature-length movie. A short or a series might have been better. The characters are barely described. Takes a while to get your bearings. The two are not the best parents. So slow. Barely anything happens until the end.
Pt 3-This isn’t a twist. The reveal is just doubling down on sadness, guilt, and suffering. The story is also told in a disjointed way, where you’re not sure if some scenes are real or imagined. It’s like experiencing a fever dream or a nightmare.
Pt 2-If the mother had only gotten some proper help, she wouldn’t have given in to her darker self so to speak. I do wonder how she went from a loving, happy mom to this depressed, moody, put upon, resentful mother. Why don’t we see that transformation? Why save it for the end?
Contorted (2022). Pt 1-If you want to be depressed, this is the perfect movie! So much death and suffering. This is an ad for mental health and getting help early if you feel this way. Repressing things and taking pills is not the way to go.
Pt 6-But for me, this pilot didn’t draw me in or make me interested about the characters or the world. You might feel differently though.
Pt 5-I will say she faces a lot of betrayal and subterfuge with her family and business but she’s still standing, at least at the end of this episode. It was a good cliffhanger and does make you want to see episode 2.
Pt 4-She runs, screams, and hides? Her character seemed all over the place and she makes the worst choices sometimes. If I had to sum her up in one word, I‘d say unapproachable, which doesn’t endear her to viewers.
Pt 3-Why not just a demon? But it attacks a woman and infects her and tries to do that to another woman? Hmm…Good music. Interesting look at exorcists. I was a little frustrated by the lead. She gets in trouble for attacking someone and then can’t fight a demon?
Pt 2-You’d think a pilot would just give you a general idea of where the story is going and a good groundwork for the characters. Tough scenes to watch with the kids. Buffy had much better handlers than these guys. Yikes. Could have done without a lust demon.
Island (2023). Pilot. Pt 1-I’m a little bitter about the married couple in the beginning but OK. There was an awful lot of worldbuilding here and I kind of got lost in it.
Pt 2-I felt like I needed more worldbuilding. Domestic violence warning but related to some sort of infection. So again, using horror as metaphor or an explanation for the monstrosity and violence. The lengths a woman goes to for love.
Make the Call. Pt 1-A bit of an odd start. The characters don’t let you in. Takes a while to figure out what’s happening and even at the end, we barely know anything. What was the test for exactly? What was that substance? That is a huge tent with so many toys.
Go to Bed Raymond. I like how the dad gets up to check on his son and not the mother. For once it’s the dad. If only his dad actually believed Raymond. What a creepy and cruel story. Yikes but it was original.
Angels. An interesting premise. But ultimately kind of a sad story. I didn’t connect with this one. Interesting place to stop the story.
Sleep Study. The moral of this story is that when you’re experiencing scary sleep disturbances you go to a study. We see the story from her POV and the entity looks creepy. What a horrifying twist that I was not prepared for. Yikes.
Border. Very memorable and clever. I wish we had more of an explanation on why this happened. Original and chilling. Combines two things I like horror and k-dramas. Unsettling. Good ending.
Incomplete. Creepy neighbors and cop. I wish we had more worldbuilding of that town or neighborhood. It didn’t seem real almost. Interesting premise that I haven’t seen before. Which is scarier going outside or staying inside? Clever and memorable.
Pt 3-What a dark story that uses horror to portray a toxic relationship very well. This one got to me. Interesting ending.
Pt 2-Oh the body horror! A much older man feeding off her power and youth and forcing her to stay with him. As the character says, the man/deity isn’t much different from the townsfolk.
The Erl King. Pt 1-A real POV of how repressive the girl's community really is. Nice CGI of a tree man. Beware of men who promise you the world. Be careful of the lies they tell. How young and naïve the girl is. The sex scene was handled well and focused on her.
Sucker. Not a huge fan of body horror and this was too much for me. That creature was really disgusting. Barf. It also didn’t have a strong statement like the others.
Pt 2-The story got me right in the feels. What a way to use women. Make them feel and then punish them for it. Yikes.
Autopilot. Pt 1-Space never gets me, nor am I generally interested in those stories, but this was solidly creepy and interesting. What a sad and cruel twist. Kind of guessed it from the very beginning.
Pt 3-What an intense struggle. Perfect that this happened on Halloween. Wonderful ending. I wonder how she’ll deal with her husband. Good music.
Pt 2-What woman doesn’t turn on the lights in the car and look into her backseat especially after all that creepiness. Sigh. You’re asking me to suspend some disbelief here and I would always look in the back seat. Good at sustaining the tension and at character development.
No Overnight Parking. Pt 1-Almost didn’t recognize Alyssa Milano. Domestic violence warning. Parking lots are legit creepy at night. Perfect grounds for horror. The whistling was creepy too. The number of times women drop their keys while running to the car.
Pt 2-However, I didn’t connect with the body horror elements and I also was quite surprised by the cruelty here. Overall, though, I am glad I got a chance to see these. Each short will have its own tweet spaced out over two days.
Etheria Film Night 2023. Pt 1-The horror here is close to home and centers mostly around relationships. A lot of these stories really got me -- the characters were great, and the stories pulled me right in.
Pt 5-In the final act, the villains are a bit intense and slightly caricatured. I liked the art deco set for the lead’s job. Sick child warning and attempted rape.
Pt 4-Mimi was a great character too. I wish we had a few more scenes of the lead at her job taking calls. There were no twists and turns in the story. I guessed where it was going every time, but it was still an interesting watch.
Pt 3-Very character focused, but in my opinion, there weren't enough creepy scenes. As a result, it felt like a melodramatic, spooky thriller as opposed to a horror movie. I really liked the lead who was very sympathetic, and I liked her daughter who was a good singer.
Pt 2-It’s as if the director didn’t know what to do with those scenes-- they sometimes felt disjointed. The direction ruined the tension that had built up or added tension to scenes that weren’t inherently creepy.
Sunod (2019). Pt 1-What a dark and creepy story that would have been much more effective with a better director. Framed by the love between a mother and a daughter. Sad but powerful ending. The direction was very odd here, especially in the horror scenes.
Pt 6-It felt like a three-hour movie. Why is the final battle twenty minutes long? I did however like the end message and the welcome mat scene. I wouldn’t recommend this movie -- in all honesty, it's a mess.
Pt 5-I would’ve liked more worldbuilding, especially on how bugs can give one strength. Despite having the support group, which was a great touch and a smart way to open the movie, there was nothing to ground the story. The story structure and pacing were way off.
Pt 4-The level of police corruption and the story itself required the suspension of too much disbelief. Dracula himself was a caricature of his former self and felt like a cartoon villain. And the mob angle was ridiculous. Is all of this happening in the Twilight Zone?
Pt 3-Everyone else fell by the wayside and all we know about them could be put in one sentence. Nicholas Hoult did a fantastic job all things considered. And I did like the female cop. She was a tough, principled woman.
Pt 2-The tone was all over the place and didn’t quite mesh with the level of gore and violence in the movie. It was also mainly a fighting movie with very little introspection and character development save for the title character.
Renfield (2023). Pt 1-I thought it had a good premise focused on toxic relationships but as the story went on, it dissolved into one crazy, long drawn-out, violent mess. What a way to ruin a good idea.
Pt 3-Why did it have to be a family? Why not adults? The cat is apparently OK? It didn’t hold my interest, nor did it draw me in. It just got more disgusting as it went along. I wouldn’t recommend this movie at all to anyone.
Pt 2-I like horror that scares and digs deep into your consciousness --that's just my personal preference. I could have done without the misogynistic insults from the deadite. More worldbuilding was needed. Child death here. I mean really?
Evil Dead Rise (2023). Pt 1-Just no. Nothing about this movie was good. There were some creepy scenes, but this movie wasn’t scary. It was gruesome and gross which is not my kind of horror or what I look for or what frightens me.
June, 2023
April, 2023
June, 2023
Pt 6- They clearly want to make a sequel. Triggers: dead kids, dead dog referenced, child abuse, child sex assault referenced, and a dead hog.
Pt 5-I know it had to end the way it did, but I feel unusually sad about it, well, until the very last scene. What was that last scene? A dream? Why include it? Why did the character walk into the cornfield after all of this? Where are the others? Such a frustrating last scene.
Pt 4-I also wonder what killed the corn. GMOs or something else? Exciting final act. But I feel that even though the villains here were kids, they wouldn’t have made such an obvious mistake which would lead to their ruination.
Pt 3-Kate Moyer had a lot of stage presence. That child actor really became the character. I liked the look of the monster. Sinister and creepy vibe. Good music. Still unsure how the lead’s brother changed so quickly or why he would be OK with killing his sister.
Pt 2-That was one Hell of a revenge story from the kids they abused and discounted. I was siding with the kids. The town is better off without the adults. The movie gets under your skin. Very high body count. I really could have done without the torturous deaths.
Children of the Corn (2023). Pt 1-Very different from the original and I’m here for it. Takes no prisoners. A very dark origin story that I wasn’t prepared for. Strong sense of place. What a broken town filled with terrible adults!
Pt 8-I like seeing her this way. Sad that she had to go through all of this to get there. Trigger warning for one hell of a toxic, abusive relationship.
Pt 7-Good tense final act when the lead finally sees through the lies. Shades of Before I Go to Sleep. Good music. I really loved the ending. Oh the possibilities! The lead seems much stronger now, has more of a voice, and knows what she wants.
Pt 6-I like the idea of trapping memories or things that trigger memories in a box. This was a dark story. Stories of intense obsession are my jam and a theme I write about a lot in my own stories. I really liked how chilling the obsession was here.
Pt 5-It’s a journey through darkness and obsession into the light. Just go with it. It’s OK if you guess the villain early on. It’s a good watch regardless. I’m here for lesbian horror and this was a great entry.
Pt 4-Even when things seem happy here, there’s a sinister and ominous tone that pervades the scene. The villain of the piece may be obvious. We do see glimpses of her toxic nature here and there. But the movie isn’t trying to be purposefully tricky.
Pt 3-The time loop scenes in the beginning were done very well because every time it starts, we see different things happening, things we didn’t see before, or things we see from a different perspective.
Pt 2-It’s difficult to get your bearings and figure out what’s happening and when, which is the whole point.
Jagged Mind (2023). Pt 1-Great title. Good premise. Instantly drew me in. The edits and the way this movie was presented with the abrupt time jumps made it as disorienting for the character as it was for the viewer.
Pt 4-How the “villain” is stopped is a bit anticlimactic. The ending also felt very abrupt and a bit too happy for all that drama and excitement. Fair warning, at least for me, the English subtitles for this movie end halfway through the movie on Amazon. Watch on Tubi instead.
Pt 3-Some really suspenseful scenes, but I didn’t connect with this as much as I expected to. The cute couple in the beginning go through quite a change. Not OK with cheating husbands no matter the reason. The reunion the lead goes to felt like a trip to Hell.
Pt 2-It’s a ridiculous story clearly meant as comedy but it’s a bit too ridiculous and requires too much suspension of disbelief. Pacing is off. Terrible worldbuilding. I have so many questions. Great sets though and good music.
Night of the Undead (2020). Pt 1-This movie took predatory to a whole new level. I like the idea of three women working together, but some of this was really not my humor. It’s a very crazy story that dissolves into madness -- and I don’t mean that in a good way.
Pt 5-Someone runs over a cat and then drinks its blood…eww. There is a long dog fight scene where we do hear whimpers and see dead dogs. No thank you. If that’s the world of the lead, I’m leaving now.
Pt 4-I liked the vampires here and I would like to know more about them but honestly the animal deaths were a bit too much for me.
Pt 3-I could really feel the character’s feelings, especially his desperation and panic toward the end of the episode. Odd worldbuilding here. Why are Jews forbidden to become vampires?
Pt 2-The lead is a mess and while he may be adept at gambling, he’s a mess at everything else. Kept me entertained. The female vampire really draws you in. Loved the scene with the two leads lip synching to “Somebody That I Used to Know,” by Gotye.
Juda. Pilot. Pt 1-Not quite what I expected when I started. I will say that it has an interesting premise -- following a criminal who owes money to some bad dudes and then encounters a vampire. Violent start.
Pt 4-There is a rather traumatic miscarriage scene with a stillborn baby that’s very disturbing. You’ll know when it’s coming. Skip it if you have to. I really wouldn’t recommend checking this one out and that’s saying something because I usually enjoy Korean horror movies.
Pt 3-The male lead is such an unsympathetic character and a terrible father. We also don’t know much about the female lead. Neither of the characters pulled me in. The movie wasted its potential. Miscarriage and suicide warning.
Pt 2-There were some creepy dream sequences, but they were few and far between. Overall, it was more sad and depressing than scary. This movie really pulls you down into a rabbit hole I’d rather not have gone down. You need a lot of patience to get to the end.
Seire (2021). Pt 1-I liked the sinister and somber atmosphere but not the actual story. The buildup was good. If only the answer were better. Takes a long time to tell a simple yet depressing story. Strong beginning and it was unsettling.
Pt 7-Very suspenseful final act. I wish the ending were slightly different but I understand why it ended like that.
Pt 6-I did love the fortune cookie the cop received. I felt bad for the lead because she had no real friends or anyone to tell her about the world. I like the idea of women helping other women like the woman in the beginning who gave Mona shoes.
Pt 5-He stole the show for me. I honestly thought the cop needed more character development. One bad experience albeit one where he got shot, and he’s gunning for the woman? We needed to have more exploration of the cop’s intense hatred and fear and need to “stop her.”
Pt 4-There are some really intense scenes here. Mistreating an adolescent in a mental institution was tough to watch. Good music. Kate Hudson lost herself in the role and I’m all for it. I loved the kid. He had a lot of heart and was the best character of all of them.
Pt 3-I thought he was going to be much more dangerous than he was. There are predatory men here and a woman does get beaten up as revenge and it is tough to watch. There is some payback for that attack, but I feel like the bouncer should have gone farther.
Pt 2-I felt very immersed in the story, got very nervous, and was rooting for the character. However, the pacing is a bit off and there’s a lot of story here so it feels long. Some of the characters surprised me like Fuzz.
Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2021). Pt 1-What an interesting story. Very unusual and memorable. An intense movie with some tough scenes. A slow moody character study of a girl with a killer power. What a strong beginning!
Pt 6-Terrible worldbuilding. A few good scenes maybe. Such a frustrating ending!
Pt 5-Said woman seems to forgive and forget easily. Why is she OK with that? Things pick up as we approach the final act but by then, it’s too late. I’ve already lost interest. Pacing is so off that you could fast forward half of the movie, maybe more, and lose nothing. Gruesome.
Pt 4-No tension, terrible dialogue, overly dramatic scenes, and characters we barely know acting strangely. None of this makes you want to watch more. Not to mention the male gaze scene with “Shorty” the robot capturing photos of a scantily clad woman.
Pt 3-I was expecting more of an intense archeological discussion, watching them use tools, analyzing samples, etc. None of that is here. And aside from my own curiosity to experience this pyramid and see what the monster is, there’s no impetus to continue the movie.
Pt 2-Sadly even though the premise was good, the execution was terrible! Save me. How does this have so many stars on Amazon? The characters are paper thin & they are unconvincing as archeologists. They look more like ghost hunters in Egypt in a pyramid.
The Pyramid (2014). Pt 1-Not a huge fan of found footage movies but I do like mummies and curses and Egypt, so I was game. I also saw this for Denis O’Hare and I liked Nora’s character. That actor had a lot of presence at least in the beginning.
Pt 7-If you like Sarah Hyland, it may be worth checking out, but go in knowing the ending is torture for both you and the characters. Suicide warning and a hell of a lot of dead birds.
Pt 6-“Hell isn’t a place. It’s a beautiful confusion.” Color me intrigued. I thought that was an interesting idea but could have been handled in a more nuanced cerebral way as opposed to this.
Pt 5-The movie sustains an ominous threatening atmosphere but doesn’t quite prepare you for the ending. I like the less glamorous look at LA and the fact that they’re doing some “satanic tourism” before Coachella. An interesting premise.
Pt 4-The fact that peer pressure worked twice, when it was clear that they shouldn’t have done it, was beyond frustrating. But I’m the kind of person who can’t be convinced to do anything I don’t want to do and I couldn't be convinced even as a kid.
Pt 3-I expected more worldbuilding about Hell, demons, Satan, the mysterious girl --all of it. If only we had had that. I watched this movie for Sarah Hyland, and she was great in it. I liked the characters for the most part.
Pt 2-The final act is crazy and not in a good way! The ending is truly horrifying, gruesome, sadistic, and depressing. It’s powerful but not the same tone as the rest of the movie and not what I wanted.
Satanic (2016). Pt 1-Oh the Satanic Panic! I felt like this was a warning not to have wild and crazy friends and never give in to peer pressure. It also was the embodiment of the expression "no good deed goes unpunished." I was not prepared for this movie.
Pt 7-I mean I think the character grew and is healthier now but in terms of the narrative, it’s a weird note to end this very heavy movie on.
Pt 6-Felt a bit like a copout. Good cinematography. Great use of shadows. I did enjoy the lengthy character study, but I still feel like this could have been shorter. Suicide warning and a warning for mothers killing children. Ends on a really weird note.
Pt 5-Like many movies, what’s scary is in the POV of a character fighting the truth & not wanting to sit with the trauma. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. I went down the rabbit hole of that news case too along with the character & I was a bit disappointed by the resolution.
Pt 4-The haunting was very creepy as was the hypnosis scene. The reveal when you realize what happened in that shed is chilling. It’s a powerful and emotional movie that presents as something ominous and scary.
Pt 3-Everything here is toxic from the workplace, where they pit women against each other to her mother, who thinks that children kill your career and goals in life. The lead has no real friends and no support system. She’s forced to stifle herself to fit into her own life.
Pt 2-The lead is hard to like or get to know because the character keeps you at a distance. She’s very cold & tough, has no warmth at all because honestly, in the toxic male-dominated news industry where she works, that would be a weakness and a reason for possibly getting fired.
The Anchor (2022). Pt 1-This really got under my skin as it went along. Great acting. You see things from the lead’s POV and really feel her fear, desperation, obsession, and claustrophobia coming from her oppressive environment.
Pt 10-I don’t know, I thought it had great potential, was unsettling and creepy but ultimately the film left a bad taste in my mind.
Pt 9-If you stay and watch through the credits you get more of a horror movie ending but it doesn’t quite make sense. How and why is that character kidnapped? Who did it?
Pt 8-How about actually talking about & processing the grief? Sigh. The ending is so jarring in its cheery happiness that I don’t believe it and would like the real ending. For such a depressing movie to end like that makes no sense. So now everything is OK & everyone is normal?
Pt 7-Sleepwalking, sleep paralysis and trauma make you that dangerous and psychotic to your loved ones? Umm…OK. This movie works best when they don’t try to explain. Good music. Suicide warning in serious effect here. Brainwashing as a treatment for trauma?
Pt 6-Use your own concepts better than you did in the movie. Ambitious and creative idea but not well executed. I don’t quite agree with the marriage of the ghosts/demons and the psychological.
Pt 5-I wish they played with the dreamscape more and some of the scary things were really dreams or dreams within dreams or dreams that the character wakes up from and then sees the creepy figure in their room waving at them or something.
Pt 4-And everything the big sister experiences is constantly downplayed and silenced by her dad. Not to mention how she’s expected to act. It all feels very stifling. I like that a lot of the creepy moments happen during the daytime.
Pt 3-For a movie called Ancestral I was expecting more talk of their ancestors or an ancestor haunting them. Aside from the family moving to their ancestral home, the title doesn’t quite fit. The family dynamics are crazy. The father is chilling and very dangerous.
Pt 2-I wish I were seeing the first half of the movie and not what the movie really was about. I liked the creepy old woman haunting the kids. I wanted to find out her story but it’s not really about her.
The Ancestral (2022). Pt 1-Let me start by saying this movie was effectively creepy but the second act goes off the rails and gets very dark. Not the movie I thought I was getting. Very dark and maudlin.
Pt 6-I liked the tension and ominous atmosphere. However, I would have wanted the film to go in a different direction and not that crazy twist.
Pt 5-It's a bit frustrating that we never get an answer about whether she is his sister or not, but given everything that happens it doesn’t matter in the end. An interesting movie.
Pt 4-The viewer, as well as the character, falls down the rabbit hole of this story. What an absolutely chilling explanation. Was not prepared for the utter madness of that twist. A child to wash away sins? Yikes.
Pt 3-Fertile ground for some real creepiness. Lots of tense scenes. I couldn’t wait to find out the truth. The lead is clever in his quest for the truth. Scenes filled with ominous undertones. Is the house and his family even his anymore? Gets pretty intense.
Pt 2-I can see how unnerving it is to have a stranger who says they’re related to you come into your house and upend your life. Also, as the character says himself, even if she is his sister they have no idea how she’s been living or who she is now.
The Intruder (2020). Pt 1-Pulls you right into the story and keeps you in suspense about whether it is his sister or not. She’s awfully helpful, butts in with his own child, and seems to take over the house and the family. Very creepy.
Pt 9-The ending frustrated me and got too trippy and artsy for its own good. With all the tension and the ominous undertones, it ended abruptly with a whimper not a bang. It does fit though, but I guess I was expecting something grander and more dramatic.
Pt 8-The negative and dark feelings and thoughts mothers may have in their minds after giving birth are rarely talked about so I hope this will inspire more of a conversation and more help for mothers. There are a lot of scenes of a baby crying, fair warning.
Pt 7-I wish her husband was more supportive of her and that they got her help with the baby sooner.
Pt 6-I feel like I know the lead now. I felt like I witnessed a part of her life. The lead’s insane desire for everything in her life to be perfect was her downfall and I called it early on. Life, humans, babies, etc are never perfect.
Pt 5-I feel like I know the lead now. I felt like I witnessed a part of her life. The lead’s insane desire for everything in her life to be perfect was her downfall and I called it early on. Life, humans, babies, etc are never perfect.
Pt 4-Good cinematography, music, and effective editing that adds a lot to the movie. I loved the mirrored shots and the jarring edits that made you feel as if you, the viewer, had no idea how much time had passed. You felt lost along with the character.
Pt 3-So in that way, it is a horror movie. Is the baby evil? Is anyone out to get her? Or is she just losing it? This movie held my attention and made me uncomfortable. Ominous atmosphere and some genuinely creepy overtones and scenes.
Pt 2-It was a very intimate character study of a woman spiraling out of control as she tries to adapt to motherhood. Since the movie is really from the POV of the main character, you feel her fear and things that could be normal seem ominous and threatening.
Baby Ruby (2023). Pt 1-Childbirth and motherhood don’t look rosy here. This movie is a mood piece. It’s an exploration of the fears, paranoia, conspiracy theories, and horror in a woman’s mind during motherhood. The conspiracy here felt a bit like Rosemary’s Baby.
Pt 9-Overall, I didn’t feel it was as bad as the reviews might lead you to believe. But I can’t say it was a fun experience either. Trigger warning for child abuse, suicide, and depression warning.
Pt 8-It leaves some questions about who made the Cube and what their goals were for doing this over and over again. I suppose they might want to make a sequel?
Pt 7-The sound levels were off. The dialogue is very soft but the door opening and the foley is louder. This felt slower than the original. The ending of this movie is VERY different from the original and I kind of like it.
Pt 6-We know barely anything about the characters; however, there were several deaths that got to me. The group dynamics are different here. I would have liked the characters to talk more and then I would have known more about them. Why were their professions saved for the end?
Pt 5-I also liked how the room somehow took on the vibe and emotions of the group members. Interesting "villain" here. His monologue was chilling. Good twist but I did see it coming. Doesn’t mean it wasn’t effective. The old man was a frustrating character.
Pt 4-I did like the interactive nature of the Cube and how it showed scenes from one of the character’s lives: a trauma. This could have been utilized better, maybe in addition to a trap that related to it, but I did appreciate adding a new element to the Cube.
Pt 3-There could have been more traps honestly. A lot of the movie went by with no traps. There were some new traps that were interesting, and the opening trap was intense.
Pt 2-“Death is the only choice we have.” Yikes! Did they do this to make this version seem different and hit harder? It kind of does but it also made me feel as though I'd descended into a depressing wormhole. I really liked the design of the room and the colors.
Cube (2021). Pt 1-Let me first say that this Cube was very different from the original but in all honesty, I think I liked the original better. At the core of this story is a depressing comment on the gap between the rich and the poor and how helpless your life can seem.
Pt 3-You also slowly see Pearl’s streak of cruelty blossom and grow into something truly chilling! Good music. A glimpse into a different world and a different time. What a truly chilling ending! Dead goose, killing a baby chick in an egg by breaking it, and miscarriage warning.
Pt 2-Sad and very dark but also very effective. That being said, I don’t think I was emotionally prepared for this movie. It somehow burrowed deep into my mind. It’s an intense movie. You can really feel the character’s longing and desperation.
Pearl (2022). Pt 1-Fantastic acting all around especially Mia Goth who really committed to the role. The entire film made me feel very tense and uncomfortable. Slow, character study of a psychopath who deeply desires to be someone, to be famous and loved.
Pt 5-As it stands, the narrator felt rather bland and a bit like a less lively version of the narrator in Creeped Out. The framing story and the ending were weak. Killing a pregnant woman because you were cheated on was in bad taste and didn’t feel like a Creepypasta story to me.
Pt 4-I wish they had spent more time on the stories and really explored the characters and the monsters instead of having super short stories and packing more into one movie. The narrator should have been someone older who could have been more ominous.
Pt 3-I could have done without the story that had Hellraiser vibes. Each story had a different vibe. I’m down for a creepypasta series.
Pt 2-Some stories were better than others. Some were creepier; some had better world building; some had better SFX; some loved using colored lenses a bit too much. Some stories had better characters. It was kind of a mixed bag.
Creepypasta (2023). Pt 1-Let me start by saying that I’m glad they made a creepypasta movie and I hope there are more in the future. However, I feel that they could have picked better stories. The Shadow People and The Grey Man were good ones.
Pt 7-The ending is also unrealistic given what the villain told us was available and unavailable on the island. If all you want is a creepy villain and some suspenseful scenes, this is fine, but if you want more from horror look elsewhere.
Pt 6-Then the villain of the piece gets increasingly sloppy. Not even cleaning up much or hiding the bodies effectively. There were no cameras in the hotel? Why was Madison so naïve and trusting at every turn especially on the island?
Pt 5-How was the villain so technologically savvy? The app that mimics someone’s voice mimics it without much tone. It sounded a bit robotic to me. Someone could be fooled by that?
Pt 4-The movie was very focused on the villain, and we know nothing about her. Odd how that can happen. The lackluster boyfriend is quite clever and was more invested than I thought. Realism in horror is difficult but I had to suspend too much disbelief.
Pt 3-The movie feels longer than it is because there’s a lot of story here. I wish we had more of a glimpse into the lives of the influencers. It just focused on them taking pictures and making some posts; sponsors were referenced but I didn’t get a feel for their lives.
Pt 2- I really wanted to know more. She is a very chilling mysterious character. She is very dangerous and good at manipulating everyone around her. This movie is a warning for anyone who likes to travel alone. The dialogue could have been better as well as the pacing.
Influencer (2022). Pt 1-The bones of a good story with a good tone. But sadly, it’s quite lacking in other areas. Is the villain creepy? Yes. Is it suspenseful? Yes. But that’s where the positives end. The characters aren’t fleshed out enough, especially the villain of the piece.
May, 2023
April, 2023
June, 2023
Pt 4-Who knew that eating one earthworm would spell doom? Lol. Trigger warning for cannibalism, eating live bugs and animal bones.
Pt 3-What parents do to control their kids. It would have been better not to lie and repress the lead but to have given her real tools to control herself or access a power stronger than the darkness. Why does feminine power have to be something dark?
Pt 2-An intense opening. I liked that black crown, too bad that it wasn’t used more. I liked the music but not the discordant sounds that overpower several scenes. They were unnecessarily abrasive. “Magic comes from the fear of death.” Interesting idea.
Hellbender (2021). Pt 1-Interesting ideas and themes but it didn’t hit as hard as it could have. The ending felt anticlimactic -- a kind of non-ending. A moody, atmospheric exploration of coming to terms with who you are and finding your power. Which isn’t a good thing here.
Pt 5-Many if not all of the choices the lead makes baffle me. She’s also a hard character to get to know. Nothing about this pilot draws me in. Instead, it keeps me at a distance and shows me how dark the series will likely be. I’m out.
Pt 4-She seems to enjoy doing things most of us wouldn’t such as killing that cat or using a razor to sharpen a pencil instead of a pencil sharpener. She seems to have an undercurrent of some darkness there. I dislike the serial killer. I question whether the sex is consensual.
Pt 3-I don’t like the implied comparison between Asperger’s and how a serial killer thinks. Oof. The lead is also exhibiting behaviors I’m not sure are consistent with Asperger’s.
Pt 2-There is a long scene of a cat that has been run over by a car and is in pain and crying out. The lead takes a while to think about what to do and ultimately decides to kill it. Oof. If that’s a trigger, skip the scene or the series.
Somebody (2022). Pilot. Pt 1-This is a problematic show and may be tough to see. I personally don’t recommend this one.
Pt 3-Definitely worth checking out. A good movie to watch with friends, which is how I saw it.
Pt 2- Of course the terrible toothpaste would prove essential! Lol. Everything flowed; it kept my attention and didn’t send me spiraling into a dark rabbit hole. :) Creepy ending that was perfect for tonality. The title fits perfectly with the tone as well.
Sorry About the Demon (2023). Pt 1-I thought this would be cheesy, but it was actually a lot of fun. Funny and spooky and exactly the kind of good, light horror movie I needed today, to be honest. Good premise and characters. Good set. Bit of a crazy final act. Great demon voice.
Pt 4-At first the ominous music that overpowers many scenes seems too heavy-handed but with that ending, it fits. This movie really got to me. I’m shook! Child abuse and child death triggers.
Pt 3-I was uncomfortable for most of the movie and screaming at the characters to make smarter choices. It’s a slow burn with a very cruel and dark ending. The twist -- while I saw it coming a mile off -- was truly horrifying! I knew what it was and I still wasn’t prepared.
Pt 2-I have to say it was quite frustrating watching these characters consistently make all the wrong choices. It was almost masterful how stupid these characters were. Very contrived story and characters.
Speak No Evil (2022). Pt 1-This is an example of why you have to be suspicious of overly friendly strangers you meet on vacation. Why didn’t they ask more questions? Why did they trust these strangers so much?
Pt 5-The ending is way too maudlin and depressing. Ghost babies needing mothers. Nope! Suicide warning.
Pt 4-I did really feel the lead’s emotions throughout: “It’s what you do with that pain that defines you.” I like that theme. Women stealing babies. Yikes. I liked how the “villain” was defeated.
Pt 3-Had I known that, I would have avoided it so I’m warning you. Are there creepy scenes? Yes. But it’s very slow and more focused on drama and how no one believes her. Why doesn’t the lead take photos and videos? Hard to argue with facts. Some good dialogue and conversations.
Pt 2-It’s a very maudlin movie that gives a real gut punch in its final act, if you make it through. It was like Paranormal Activity with a fragile pregnant woman as the lead, suffering from trauma regarding a stillbirth. That’s not how it’s advertised.
Bed Rest (2022). Pt 1-The beginning doesn’t prepare you adequately for the depressing mess that will follow. This movie revels in intense grief -- so much child death & sadness. Sounds fun, right? Watching this may have you calling in a mental health day. I don't recommend this.
Pt 2-Didn’t see that coming and I usually guess everything all the time. I liked being fooled though it is rare. For the very short running time, it tells a complete story, gives you some good characters, and a hell of a twist.
Beyond the Dark. Midnight Clear. Pt 1-What a dark and unsettling short. Chilling from beginning to end. Great acting. I liked the dichotomy between Christmas cheer and the chilling, supposedly psychotic father. Good lighting and music. What an ending!
Pt 4-The writers clearly meant to say that the people in authority don’t believe victims and can’t stop the cycle of violence -- that the victims have to stop it themselves. They have to face their own monsters and that’s the only way they’ll be free. Sad comment. Dead deer.
Pt 3-The police not believing all those separate victims when they were covered in blood defies logic --as does the killer vanishing and cleaning up everything so quickly. Did this happen on another plane of existence? Is the killer a demon?
Pt 2-I did like the cycle of final girls and boys helping each other and trying to figure out how to stop the cycle of violence. Is it all the same killer or different killers every time? What’s with the time loop? Where was the worldbuilding?
Beyond the Dark. The Final Girl Returns. Pt 1-I really wish the storytelling here was stronger. You had to suspend too much disbelief to really get into it. We don’t know the characters very much, aside from the fact that they’re victims, which is problematic in and of itself.
Pt 3-Not a movie I’d watch again but it was an interesting watch. Interesting twists and turns. Keeps you on your toes. Tense final act. The ending packs a wallop. Triggers: Rape referenced of a patient in a mental hospital and of underage girls, child abuse, and cheating. Yikes.
Pt 2-I liked the way the secrets were revealed and the games they were forced to play. The web we weave: one mistake in conjunction with someone else’s can have a bigger impact than we think. Felt like a psychological horror escape room in some parts.
Death’s Roulette (2023). Pt 1-I’m all for locked room stories with kidnapped people who have something in common. I was here for the mystery. What a dark and sad story. Good music. I really liked Lupe. Interesting characters --creepy location.
Pt 7-Trigger warning for suicide, flashing lights, and a dead dog.
Pt 6-Instead of helping her and understanding her, everyone dismisses her and silences her. You, the viewer, can see how much anguish the lead is in and no one believes her or helps her except for the women at the end. Oh the body horror and the bones cracking.
Pt 5-I feel a bit cheated that it presented like a horror movie but isn’t quite horror. The old horror cliche of the unsupportive husband is taken to the extreme here. Of course, her husband is never up when the creepy occurrences happen.
Pt 4-This is a movie about a woman finding herself and the “monster” here is a manifestation of her own psychological torment or at least that’s what it seems. I was expecting a real monster and lore to go with it. There’s no worldbuilding. No reason why.
Pt 3-A bit slow because it’s character focused. The movie is really seen through the female lead’s POV. One very effective jump scare. But sadly the scares are in the background.
Pt 2-It’s quite a change from her previous life and her previous lover. She even has to give up her work room for the baby. How will she continue her work or is that not important now that she’s a mom? Creepy, unsettling, intense, frustrating.
Huesera: The Bone Woman (2023). Pt 1-An intimate portrait of what we give up to achieve what we thought we wanted. What a stifling and oppressive environment for the lead as she gives up everything to be a mother. But is that what she wants or what she thinks she should want?
Pt 7-Triggers: killing an injured deer and suicide warning.
Pt 6-So many things that don’t fit the logic of the world they created. The final twist was obvious. I guessed it in the first five minutes of the movie. It takes a while to get to the horror elements of the story. Not worth the wait. High body count.
Pt 5-The therapist wasn’t giving Morgan proper therapy. Morgan had warning signs that were ignored by her therapist. How did Morgan know how to drive a car? How did she know names and information about people she had never met?
Pt 4-Odd considering the research team thought of her as family. See, this doesn’t make sense. This is what we should have talked about. This should have been the psych eval. The character Lee Weathers should have done a psych eval of the whole team.
Pt 3-Maybe, but what did they teach Morgan? Did they show her love? Why weren’t they training her? They should have taught her skills to manage her anger effectively. Instead, when she acted out violently, she was punished cruelly.
Pt 2-We’re discussing whether Morgan is a person or a robot and exploring her emotions. What we should be discussing is nature vs nurture. Can a robot go against what it’s designed to do? If a robot is made for nefarious purposes, can we show it a different path?
Morgan (2016). Pt 1-Solid start. A psych eval for a murderous robot -- I’m so there. I wanted to like this one but even though it started strong and ended strong, the middle needs a lot of work. Most of the movie is spent talking but not about the right things.
Pt 7-Triggers: mutated baby, the b
and “Disease” sings about suicide and slitting wrists. Dead mouse/rat is put on a stick to be eaten. Bleh!
Pt 6-For such a strong lead, the ending feels like punishment. A career woman trapped with an evil baby. Hmm. Trying not to give too many spoilers.
Pt 5-Not to mention the scene with the construction workers harassing the lead and Victoria, and the harassing comments were louder than the conversation the two women are having. Some very odd and slightly thirsty camera work here. Some really messed up dreams.
Pt 4-A woman wanting to have male “playthings.” Interesting but I feel like the ending is a direct response to that. The camera lingers on the dead bodies of women way too long.
Pt 3-Where did the medical examiner get his degree from? The men here are overbearing, stalkers, harassers, or cheaters. Not sure why she stayed in a seven-year relationship with a man who constantly cheated and belittled her career but I’m glad the lead got out.
Pt 2-Over-acting and under-acting somehow at the same time, cheesy dialogue and cheesy music with the music overpowering the scenes, too much male gaze, and lots of nauseating scenes. Sounds like fun, right? The medical examiner scene was the height of nauseating scenes.
Night Feeder. (1988). Pt 1-Oof this was bad. It did have one bright spot though -- the female lead -- but honestly, she wasn’t enough to save this. I want my 1 hour and 30 mins back. Run, don’t walk away from this one.
Hi peeps. I’d love to do collaborations with fellow artists so don't hesitate to reach out. My poems could make great lyrics. I think a lot of my stories and poems could be interesting as graphic novels. I'm down for conventions, bookstore events, and galleries.
Pt 5-A pilot should be polished and focused. The next episodes can be slower and introduce dimensions to the stories and other characters. From what I saw here, I’d recommend this only if you have a lot of patience.
Pt 4-The storytelling included a lot of characters and dimensions to the story, but it doesn’t quite sell the vibe or the essence of the story. It distracts too much from the main themes. So I don’t feel that I have a good grasp of what they’re trying to do here.
Pt 3-Sadly, I’m not a fan of the other characters -- I don't even know them that much anyway. I needed more of a reason why, after the injury, they would do this again.
Pt 2-I have to say the beginning and end of the episode was solid but the middle needed some work. I like the mystery they’re setting up here with the creepy woman in the mask and the mystery of Eva and her powers.
Endless Night (2022). Pilot. Pt 1-I wanted to like this. Anything that’s intense and spooky involving nightmares and dreams is my jam but this didn’t grab me. Great name, not such great storytelling.
Pt 5-Exciting final act but frustrating at the same time. Picking out your baby among all the babies who were crying. That’s a mother! The mother trying to find her way back to our world reminded me of Insidious.
Pt 4-A supportive husband who believes her and experiences and sees the same thing? Novel approach for horror. The other baby taken was a boy, too. Are girl babies exempt? What happens when they grow up? Are they allowed to grow up? Weird worldbuilding but OK.
Pt 3-She’s with him every moment and even takes him into the bathroom with her. Lol. This movie gives us all another reason not to like mirrors. A mysterious lullaby that puts a kid to sleep instantly? Might be a good idea to be suspicious of that. Cockatoo death.
Pt 2-Lots of crying babies and babies in general like mutant babies and dead babies. Ends on a moral quandary. A very realistic look at motherhood where the mother in question can’t figure out how to get back to work with a baby.
Lullaby (2022). Pt 1-What an unsettling, sad, and dark story. This one got to me, and I found it quite creepy with an equally creepy landscape. Had I known how dark it would get, I likely wouldn’t have put myself through it. That ending is horrifying. This one packs a punch.
Pt 6-Rich people think they can get away with anything. Not a fan of the title. Feels too flippant compared to the scope of this story.
Pt 5-The Heaven & Hell party idea was an interesting addition. It would have been nice to play on good & evil more than just leaving it as a backdrop. Some exciting scenes and a very tense final act but again, it’s crazy to think that all of this happened over a video on a phone.
Pt 4-If the lead didn’t want to go to Pembroke College, all this could have been avoided. Shroder is a real piece of work, and no college entry is worth asking him for anything. Despite his mother telling him to “respect women,” he uses women as he sees fit.
Pt 3-Clearly, the two male writers don’t know the girl code, but you don’t leave a party without telling your bestie and you definitely don’t leave your drunk bestie passed out in a room somewhere. Anyone could walk in and do anything.
Pt 2-Someone didn’t do their anatomy homework because the injuries don’t match up with reality. Kendra deserved better.
You’re Killing Me (2023). Pt 1-I wanted to like this film, but it was ridiculous. Losing a cell phone was blown all out of proportion! Stupid characters making stupid choices. And that’s sad because the morality play at the core was a good one. Wasted potential.
April, 2023
April, 2023
April, 2023
Pt 7-With all the talk about rules and suspecting everyone, I really thought the killer/killers would be a deeper cut and not a continuation of the story. The running time is a bit much. The whole movie is too long and drawn out. Shorter is usually better.
Pt 6-The character was definitely dead. Franchise rules…interesting. I liked the explanation of the suspects aka the friends list. I like the “Core Four” nickname. Not the best villain monologue or the best villains.
Pt 5-Some great and extremely tense scenes like at the convenience store, the ladder across the window, and the train scenes. I wish the tone were less somber and more tongue-in-cheek. How did the character from an earlier movie survive? It makes no sense.
Pt 4-“I always wanted to stick something in you.” “When the knife went in, she wasn’t human anymore, she was an animal.” Yikes. Glad that the lead had multiple people checking that she was OK at a frat party.
Pt 3-Killers dehumanizing people, protective sisters, people dealing with trauma, a killer who wants to punish the two female leads, mistaking sex for murder, killing the lesbian lover early on.
Pt 2-It changes up the formula a little, at least in the beginning. There’s a lot here to unpack. The story is quite problematic. “Date rape Frankie.” Yikes.
Scream VI (2023). Pt 1-Let me start by saying that I grew up with this series and loved it, but I’m not sure I like what it’s becoming. This was a more intense and brutal and emotional part of the franchise. What an opening scene.
Pt 2-There’s a sense of sadness here with Reginald. Some relatable and interesting characters but not enough to save it for me. I don’t want to revisit that world.
Reginald the Vampire (2022). Pilot. Pt 1-The tone, the humor, the world -- while interesting isn't for me, but it might be for you. There’s so much fat shaming. Why? It’s hard to watch -- from the boss to other vampires. Big on the drama, low on vampire lore.
Pt 2-I didn’t quite expect how sad it might be. Wish the boyfriend were a better person. I like the lead’s friends. What a way to end this episode!
School Spirits (2023). Pilot. Interesting start. Love the idea of an afterlife support group. Ha! I’m here for the mystery of what happened to Maddie, and I’d love to find out the answer. Good intro to the ghost rules. Somber, emotional, and sad.
Pt 4-The female lead is a cliché. There’s also an awful lot of ducks here for no reason. Constantly hearing quacks. What’s with the ducks? Tragic portrait of a ventriloquist. The last line about women always changing their minds…why was that needed? Thanks, a lot.
Pt 3-I wish we saw Fats move independently and not just heard his voice bark orders. For a movie called Magic, there's no real magic here. The final act is intense but the pacing is very slow, too slow. We spend too much time down memory lane and with Peggy.
Pt 2-Wish the focus was primarily on Corky and Fats, and that Peggy was in the background. The story deserved a true character study. For most of the movie, Corky is just a put-upon, weak character who's only sometimes intense and creepy.
Magic (1978). Pt 1-Here for Anthony Hopkins. I wanted to like this, but I didn’t. It didn’t hold my attention. Nothing quite works here from Corky’s personality to the pacing to the romance. It’s all at odds with each other. It’s very clear where any romance will lead.
Pt 7-I guessed the “twist” a mile off! It’s very obvious! What an ending! Dead children trigger.
Pt 6-What an isolated main character. She doesn’t have one friend? The lead makes some questionable choices. Terrible décor. The old unkillable villain, eh? Eye roll. That IT guy who works for the police was an interesting character. Ha!
Pt 5-The female lead flits from one guy to another. She barely has any personality. The plot dictates her personality, making her seem hollow and confusing. Bad choice. She also weirdly enough has no chemistry with the men here.
Pt 4-Had he been a better and more attentive husband who wasn’t a workaholic cheater, the wife wouldn’t have been at her wits' end, distracted and calling him to help her with the kids. Of course, he doesn’t admit any wrongdoing for the accident. Eye roll. Slow and moody.
Pt 3-Can’t say I quite agree with the revenge here or rather that all of this was justified. Both drivers were both distracted.
Pt 2-Played fast and loose with the idea of amnesia and what she does and doesn’t remember. Maybe look up amnesia and see what a patient would experience? Don’t think too hard because the movie crumbles under any serious thought.
Night Night (2021). Pt 1-Sufficiently creepy, yes, but I wish they had put as much thought into the rest of the movie as they did to the creepiness. The movie’s basically a heavy-handed PSA about distracted driving. Hit-them-over-the-head with an agenda? Fun. Great writing.
Pt 3-Triggers: suicide referenced, rape referenced, domestic violence referenced, sheep death and you hear them squealing, slut shaming, forced marriage, dad wants to kill a pregnant daughter, saves a prostitute from an assault and attempted assault.
Pt 2-Such a bad movie! Their werewolf faces are as terrible as the dialogue. Why are the curse words edited out? To make this movie even more terrible? Is that even possible? Scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one. Misogynistic and chauvinistic.
Wolves (2014) Pt 1-A werewolf movie with Stephen McHattie and Jason Momoa -- the two reasons why I watched this and not even they could save this movie. Such a dark and depressing story. Terrible twist. Bored me honestly. Too dark. No saving grace. I eye-rolled so many times.
Pt 4-Sadly though, I’m not really a fan of most if not all of the characters. The mystery was the only thing that drew me in but it’s not enough to sustain my interest. Oof - those Victorian values. Familial abuse warning and taking a kidney out of a live person.
Pt 3-The costumes, the language, the sets all were carefully done but the casting, given the time period, was a bit odd. Explores the cast of characters in this episode and really gives you the lay of the land. You get a glimpse into the underbelly of Victorian England.
Pt 2-I like the idea of “Jack” the Ripper being a victim of a gruesome murder. Karma. Good riddance really with that sadistic character. I like the idea of a possible female serial killer in Victorian England.
Slasher: Ripper. Pt 1-Not my cup of tea but it presents an interesting mystery with a good cast. A bit too gruesome and dark for my taste. You get a good idea of just how gruesome it is from the opening scene.
Pt 3-It gets pretty creepy at the end. What a place to end the pilot. I’d definitely be down to seeing more episodes.
Pt 2-It shifts from one lead to the other seamlessly. That woman’s husband is a trip! Attempted suicide. Some creepy gun play. When you see it, you’ll know what I mean. It’s a wtf moment to be sure.
BEEF. Pilot. Pt 1-This episode has taught me to be careful when out on the road. Yikes. That was one intense start! It did a good job at presenting the two leads, the dysfunction in their lives, and the social masks they wear -- how we think we have to act vs who we really are.
Pt 7-Not worth checking out in my opinion. The buildup is great but when the story is fully revealed it’s just not worth it.
Pt 6-With better worldbuilding and a decent ending, this movie might have been good. How disappointing. What a sad and ultimately stupid story that keeps twisting the knife in as it ends. Even more disappointing.
Pt 5-Wish we had more worldbuilding. We’re kind of just thrown into a world we barely understand, a bit like the children in the story. I like my info sprinkled throughout. The movie takes a dark turn in the final act.
Pt 4-Calling plot holes, please. Yes, I’ll hold. I can’t understand a mom who loved her children this much but can’t be bothered to call the agency the nanny claims she’s from.
Pt 3-The nanny is ominous and creepy and kind of reminded me of the nanny in The Omen (1976). Haunting atmosphere. Oh, the body horror. What did we learn from this movie? That bars have all the good gossip and that they are willing to serve kids who come in alone?
Pt 2-I wanted to watch this because Zander from Buffy was in it, but sadly his character is woefully underdeveloped and cruel, so no thank you. The story immediately shifts from one family to the other and you don’t see the connection until later.
The Nanny (2018). Pt 1-Had the bones of a good story but after all that buildup, I was a bit frustrated that this was the story I got. That final act and ending needs some serious work.
Pt 7-Kids can get expelled for being late? And there’s a guard who lets late kids get into school if they give him a Playboy…really?! Suspenseful at times. Worst ending ever!
Pt 6-The lead wears dinosaur pj’s (really?) and his mom’s pillow has a weird pattern on it for the 80s. The dialogue needs some serious work; it's actually quite funny despite its effort to be serious. Acting could have been a lot better.
Pt 5-Satan has powers? He can levitate people? Saved that for the end, did we? A cop calls a high school student, “Baby?” Eww. Someone dies falling from the ceiling? Stupidest death ever! The music doesn’t work save for “Don’t Panic,” which was actually decent & the title song.
Pt 4-You could have a drinking game for how many times someone said, “Stay there and don’t move” or some variation on that. The worldbuilding was barely there. Why is he killing them? Where was Tony? How did Tony get there? Why didn’t we see that crucial scene?
Pt 3-Playing with Satan turns deadly. The story structure could have been better -- the romance slowed everything down. They love each other after one date and sex? I liked the bully working with the lead. Wish we had more time with these two.
Pt 2-An absentee father berates a mother who drinks and both of them let someone kidnap their son. A boy who breaks up with his girlfriend right after having sex because he has to deal with the supernatural evil afoot. Feels like this movie was part of the satanic panic.
Don’t Panic (1987). Pt 1-Cheesy with a capital C. Makes bad choices across the board and I’m calling them out. What a bleak, albeit bland and hopeless story, despite Satan being the villain. That’s so bad it’s funny.
Pt 4-Not a fan of the ending. It leaves some things up in the air, no pun intended.
Pt 3-There’s a lot of story here that could have been taken out. Yikes. If animals in pain and dying are triggers, don’t watch this. Lots of horses shrieking and an ape who’s shot after some intense, gruesome violence. Crazy plan to get proof. Suspenseful final act.
Pt 2-I did like some of the characters though. The story structure is odd and holds you at a distance. The pacing is very slow, too slow. I will say the roof scene was very effective. Why was this movie so long? Did it need to be in order to be effective? I don’t think so.
Nope (2022). Pt 1-Nope is generally what I felt about the film, and I like Jordan Peele movies. This just wasn’t for me. Odd premise -- a very strange story. The characters, the setting, all of it was hard to stay invested in. I wasn’t engaged and it didn’t pull me in.
Pt 3-The dialogue could have been better. She makes some questionable choices. Suicide warning. The ending was terrible and disappointing.
Pt 2-A bit predictable. A one-note dark story. Chilling testimony from the Manson-like gang. The police station is truly a portal to Hell. If she only had someone who could help her. Could have done without the cracking sounds and the body horror.
Last Shift (2014). Pt 1-Good premise. What should have been an easy shift turns into a nightmare. That was one creepy haunted police station! No wonder they’re using a new station. A simple story that is all about the scares. No deeper messages, just surface level scares.
March, 2023
February, 2023
April, 2023
Pt 4-Shades of The Killing of the Sacred Deer. The movie really packs a wallop. Just check in with yourself to see if you’re able to endure it.
Pt 3-As a result, this was very tough for me to get through. What would you sacrifice? What a horrifying thought to think that one family has to make this decision every so often.
Pt 2-The story unfolds slowly but unlike M. Night Shyamalan’s usual movies, there is no twist at the end. It’s a giant morality play focused on suffering from the deaths & natural disasters on the news to the emotional & mental torments the family goes through to the ending.
Knock at the Cabin (2023). Pt 1-This was a very tense, dark movie. It’s very emotionally fraught and quite an uncomfortable journey. I can’t say I enjoyed the experience, but I do think it’s an interesting premise. Interesting characters. Sadly, I really liked the couple.
Pt 3-Such an abusive guy who loves to play the victim. I wonder how he tricked her into being with him in the first place. That’s a very colorful garage. Emily makes some questionable choices here. And how does a charger break in a phone? I like the final act.
Pt 2-This was one hell of a battle and a real rollercoaster as a movie. A hell of a lot happens in such a short amount of time. Used the time well. The abuse these two women have to deal with on a daily basis. That rich customer…OMG!
Unseen (2023). Pt 1-Good premise. I’m here for horror where women help other women. Non-stop suspense. Good characters. I loved the interaction between the two women, which was the whole story really. That was crazy and very intense. Very emotional movie overall.
Pt 5-Birth had to be the most torturous, nauseating, sickening one yet and I hated it but OK, one out of 8 episodes isn't bad. I strongly suggest that you skip that one. Overall, it was a memorable series.
Pt 4-Crack did a great job at starting off the series with some seriously creepy vibes but also had some body horror, bleh. Destination reminds us that no good deed goes unpunished. Birth was tough to watch. Starvation and child death trigger here.
Pt 3-Nauseating body horror with some mutilated faces. The Threshold used body horror in an interesting way. But mostly, I feel like it was overused as a shorthand for horror instead of actual scares.
Pt 2-Maybe skip Birth, though. Special Guest and Dimension were my two favs. Some connected stories here and there were a few stories about students. Not as diverse as it could have been. I felt quite a few stories needed a bit more explanation.
Goedam. S1. Pt 1-Overall creepy, gory, and effective. Some episodes more than others although they all pack a punch. Some felt incomplete, some were too nauseating, some were variations on urban legends, and some really spoke to me. A mixed bag but worth checking out.
Pt 3-What a stressful night after a round of drinks. This gives new meaning to no good deed goes unpunished. Creepy end credits song.
Pt 2-Interesting setting. I liked the stairs a lot. Don’t you hate it when your phone runs out of battery life at crucial times? Since we don’t know who the characters really are, we’re not sure who is telling the truth and who is lying.
Ghost Theater. Burial. Pt 1-Simple premise. What a chilling, dark, and sad story. How well do you know your fellow students? Her “friends” from class really should have taken her home and not dumped her on some kid from class they had barely spoken to.
Pt 7-Odd that we don’t get to see her actually sing. Why not? Then the story switches to another character and another haunted object? Wtf. The logic in these choices are hard to understand. Triggers: suicide, domestic violence, child death.
Pt 6-Singing is kind of important and the whole motivation for the character and what she wants to do with her life.
Pt 5-They give away some of the few good creepy scenes. I did like the ending with women standing together and having a voice, but at the same time that was a frustrating explanation of how to destroy the evil. We don’t even get to see how her audition goes at the end.
Pt 4-He needs to go to therapy for his hatred of sounds. Hard to watch the family’s fear and his abuse in the past. Evil never dies; it lives on in objects. There's a creepy haunted object but the execution really needs some work. Don’t watch the trailers.
Pt 3-The ghost is the most articulate, intelligent ghost ever…cue the sarcasm! Predictable in every way. And the abusive husband? All that’s given to explain why he’s like this, is that he was a soldier. Oof. So...soldiers become abusers? Yikes. PTSD? Hmm.
Pt 2-Who forgets their wallet when they’re making a food run? Why would you make extra noise and type a full message on a typewriter rather than use abbreviations when you want to avoid making sounds? If she doesn’t hear you, she’s probably in the studio? Duh.
Sound of Silence (2023). Pt 1-A sad story about an abuser who hates sounds. Not what I thought I was getting. If you’re looking for logic, look elsewhere. Every single choice in this movie defies logic, including the choices the main characters living in the present make.
Pt 5-Odd ending. You, like the main character, go through a journey, and it's worth checking out if you feel like taking a trip to Hell.
Pt 4-How do they always find James? Nice colored lenses and good cinematography. Story shifts into sheer madness. Defies genres. A bit slow in the middle. The verbal degradation of a writer was tough for me. Some flashing lights. Creepy policemen. One particularly weird scene.
Pt 3-Missed potential here. If there's always a get out of jail free card, then you can do anything. Morality doesn't matter? Who is James really? These questions were only briefly mentioned & not fully explored, sadly in favor of crazy unhinged antics from his toxic "friends."
Pt 2-One wrong decision can unravel your life and yourself. Good characters. The games rich people play. Monsters hiding in plain sight. Wonderful acting. I liked watching James' descent into madness. Gabi was unhinged and creepy. A creeping sense of dread.
Infinity Pool (2023). Pt 1-Came here for Alexander Skarsgard and Mia Goth. This movie is an experience! Tense, unsettling, creepy, intense, interesting, trippy, and sensual with a very claustrophobic setting. This is Hell -- Hell consists of these people. A strong sense of place.
Pt 8-Just roll and pick a card. They saved a small morality play and a riddle for the end and admittedly it was a decent ending, but that’s if you make it through to the end.
Pt 7-The story structure was all over the place. The rules for the game were ridiculous and all based on luck. There’s no skill involved here, nothing is learned about the characters through the gameplay, no morality plays, nothing clever or exciting with the game.
Pt 6-How old were the characters supposed to be -- because the dialogue didn’t quite match, nor did it offer any character development or insight into anything. We didn’t know anything about the lead guy, just that he wasn’t a womanizing, cheating jerk like his friend.
Pt 5-I’m not sure how that’s possible because the board game looked like there was a board there. But OK, even if it was made from the body of a witch, who made it & why? Bad CGI & SFX. Again, the monster looked like a bad CGI job & not like the scary entity it should have been.
Pt 4-They relied too much on that instead of an actually scary scene or scary death. Could have done without the Spanish Inquisition torture in the beginning, thank you very much. And so what if the board game is linked to her flesh and blood?
Pt 3-The deaths are kind of the point for a game that kills and a horror movie, but these deaths were not creative and loosely based off cards from the game. Oh the body horror here -- from skinned-alive corpses to poisonous snakes! Yikes.
Pt 2-Even a card on the game board had a grammatical error. Some serious shades of Final Destination. It was a decent idea but all the choices were the wrong ones.
Open Graves (2009). Pt 1-Promising title with Eliza Dushku, but sadly even she couldn’t save this movie. Nothing in this movie, from the dialogue to the characters to the music, was carefully done. They made all the wrong choices.
Pt 7-What a bleak and uninteresting story. Referenced 'baby taken out," suicide, and child murder if those are triggers. I will say that I did love the fire in the doll’s eyes at the very beginning. What a waste of time this movie was.
Pt 6-If body horror is your thing, you may enjoy the hellish images of various people emerging from the shadows. A demon who feeds on grieving people. How original. Burning people isn’t part of the usual exorcism script. Save me from bad writing.
Pt 5-The characters are paper-thin and the worldbuilding or rather the thin explanation of what’s happening that takes the place of worldbuilding comes too late into the film when you’re already bored to tears. And it’s the most ridiculous explanation.
Pt 4-It lays out the entire plot from the beginning so what’s the point of watching it? You know how it’s going to end.
Pt 3-You don’t think, "Hey maybe something’s wrong" and start investigating? They should have done a lot more research when they were “planning.” How stupid do you have to be? There’s stupid and then there are these characters. No twists and turns.
Pt 2-You can tell that something’s off from the get-go and it’s something about her. I do wonder with all the “planning” these career criminals did, how could they not see the deaths and the decay in the house? The door was even open, and the alarm wasn’t on.
House on Willow Street (2016). Desperate and stupid people doing stupid things following an equally stupid and boring script with way too much nauseating body horror -- pretty much sums up the entire movie.
Pt 7-Fair warning: the translation on Apple TV isn’t the best --“by-corner” is my new favorite word. The rap performance from one character isn’t translated and the translation sometimes has grammatical errors. But aside from that, this is a great show. Recommend checking it out.
Pt 6-Torture, lots of cat deaths, and some teeth stuff. Speaks to how much we repress and the monsters inside us all. Great ambiguous ending that’s actually more chilling than a concrete ending.
Pt 5-Their treatment of her reminds me of how Clarice was treated in Silence of the Lambs. I wish the girlfriend was a bit stronger and had a bit more character development. It’s definitely a man’s world here. Good music and cinematography.
Pt 4-Good at showing how the male cops belittle the female policewoman when she’s on the right track, actually investigating and concerned about the hostel and its inhabitants. They habitually edge her out of conversations.
Pt 3-That decay kind of reflects the characters' mental states. Consistent ominous atmosphere -- so much so that I was apprehensive the entire time. I think Hell Is Other People is the better title but on Apple TV it’s under Strangers from Hell.
Pt 2-Shades of Hannibal, the TV show, but the tone is much darker here. The acting is wonderful. A true descent into madness. The characters in that hostel are super creepy! Strong sense of place with the crumbled decaying hostel.
Strangers from Hell/Hell Is Other People (2019). Pt 1-This is one dark Kdrama that I fell in love with. It draws you in and doesn’t let you go until the end. I binge watched it. It was one HELL of a journey. Rich, deep characters especially the male characters.
Pt 6-Not an easy movie to get through. If you don’t fall asleep and you make it to the end, there isn’t a huge payoff. Hunter gets the answers, and it ends. Eh! Domestic violence and rape triggers. Suicide is referenced. The ending is rather abrupt.
Pt 5-How about her mother as a person or getting to know her family? Those two things seemed to take a backseat in her quest for answers. Plodding middle section. Paint dries faster than this movie can tell a story. The “twist” or “twists” were easy to figure out for me.
Pt 4-If they would have spent as much time creating actual scares and building tension as they did building an ominous and oppressive atmosphere, this movie would have been good. Most of the movie, once Hunter gets to Norway, is about why she was left there.
Pt 3-If only the main character was more likeable, and we actually knew anything about her. The movie fails to create any tension.
Pt 2-If you thought Carrie’s religious mom was creepy, you haven’t seen creepy yet. Despite the fact that this movie crawls at a snail’s pace and is not scary in the least, it does have a good atmosphere. Strong sense of place.
Leave (2022). Pt 1-I understand wanting to find your roots but sometimes finding the answers isn’t a good idea. I mean especially if people left you in a cemetery. Maybe leave the past in the past. A dark and depressing story of a truly disturbing family full of psychos.
Pt 6-The ending was very unsatisfying and stupid. Run, don’t walk, away from this movie. You’ll thank me later.
Pt 5-I don’t appreciate using either of these two subjects, body dysmorphia and racial profiling, as fodder for character development without exploring the issues. The only decent character was Virgil and I watched this movie for Jonathan Rhys Meyer who played Sam.
Pt 4-He racially profiles a black man in a grocery store as a criminal and proceeds in different scenes to shoot him several times when he isn’t a criminal. Yikes.
Pt 3-I understand the morality play they wanted to set up here but for that to work, we needed deeper characters and more nuanced situations. A woman who may have body dysmorphia and plastic surgery addiction is bad enough, but they also added a racist cop.
Pt 2-And on top of that, I feel like I got sucked into a depressing rabbit hole. I mean horror isn’t a feel-good genre -- we all know that -- but this was too much.
Disquiet (2023). Pt 1-If you’re looking for a movie that spoon-feeds you the answers but is structured like a mystery, with paper-thin problematic characters, actors who phone it in, and a story structure that’s a hot mess -- look here. That pretty much sums up the entire movie.
Pt 5-Gets pretty creepy as it goes along. This pilot did its job. It sets up the story and the characters and pulls you in. I’d definitely watch more and sci-fi horror is not particularly my jam.
Pt 4-I felt like a glossary might help, but you can pick it up as you go along. I really liked the set design and the main character’s rooms. I appreciated the chance to explore the ship a bit. I hope in future episodes, we’ll see a little bit more of the ship.
Pt 3-The biggest draw for me to keep watching is the mystery of who this Captain is, where he really is, and who is attacking the ship. Why can’t people from the future explain things easily instead of using tech jargon? Another trope.
Pt 2-That being said, I will say there are some interesting characters here that I’d like to learn more about. The L1 especially. I also like it that one character can speak to the ship through a chip in their arm.
Nightflyers (2018). Pilot. Pt 1-What a bleak ending. Suicide warning from the start. A pandemic started by Celio virus? Shades of COVID. Good premise for why they’re going into space. The old "child death" as backstory for the lead. Ugh! I hate that trope.
Pt 6-Trigger warnings. Let’s talk about dogs here. The movie opens with a commercial that dogs die but toys are forever. Ugh! Dog death later on in the movie and we hear whimpers. He’s a dog that bites but still. Bland story we’ve seen time and time again. Nothing new here.
Pt 5-Did I miss something? How in hell can she control any and all electronics? Again, with the stupidity of her inventors. This story deserved better writers and deeper characters. The final act was the height of stupidity here. Robot vs robot? Ugh!
Pt 4-The doll was made with no protocols or values? And they thought it wasn’t going to be evil? Why wouldn’t it be? It doesn’t even know what evil is. What inventor would be that stupid?
Pt 3-Working through trauma is always better than distraction. You gotta put in the work as a parent. I wonder if she wouldn’t have been better off with her father’s family. The dangers of having a homicidal friend!
Pt 2-They killed the parents off in the stupidest way ever. Then again most of the movie is stupid so I guess they were consistent. Terrible parenting - I get that she never planned to be a mother but wow. Exploiting Cady for her career under the guise of helping her? Oof.
M3gan (2022). Pt 1-Talk about wasted potential. This could have been so much scarier. The Haunting Hour did a humanoid robot story, and it was better than this and it was for kids/teens. Every part of this movie was predictable. I guessed the entire trajectory from the beginning.
Pt 4-Terrible ending. For all the patience it takes to get through this movie, the viewer is not rewarded with a very satisfying ending or a decent story.
Pt 3-Also there’s a hell of a lot of men here who like minors. One in particular is an artist who uses nude children as models. Worst villain monologue I've heard yet.
Pt 2-What kind of movie was that schoolteacher watching? Predatory, “hungry looking” men whipping a woman? And why does she have a handsaw just lying around? Suicide warning and there’s a kid who's kidnapped and dies of starvation.
My Dear Killer (1972). Pt 1-Starts off with a decapitation. Nice -- but then the story derails. This has to be the most confusing way to tell this story. Good music. The movie is very slow as is the investigation. Good subjective camera.
Pt 5-Calling women a “honeytrap” or other demeaning words. The final battle is over a guy, with his sister and lover fighting? Really, I don’t recommend it.
Pt 4-She couldn’t take on a few vamps herself? She needed to be constantly saved by a man? How empowering. In fact the only women who are capable and strong here are the villains because they’re not human. Another comment on power.
Pt 3-The woman who doesn’t define herself by her relationships, loves sex and men and is free, that's the character who’s killed by the man she likes? Feels like a comment on female sexuality and power.
Pt 2-Constant victim blaming about making yourself into prey for vampires. A vaccine that turns you into something else. Feeding into the fear people had with COVID vaccines? How helpful. The story is steeped in paranoia, where the theme seems to be trust no one about anything.
Slayers (2022). Pt 1-Tries too hard to be fresh and hip and the movie has an agenda or several that I don’t agree with. This is not a comedy -- it’s an insulting diatribe: from misogyny to victim blaming to anti vaccines. The narration is really where the problem arises.
Pt 5-Dead rat and bugs…so many bugs. Oh the body horror! Fair warning. Short scene of attempted assault/abuse of power. Mother on a ventilator if that’s a trigger. This movie works best if you don’t overthink it and don’t take it too seriously. Just go with it.
Pt 4-It would also have been good for the creature to have a weakness or a way to test those who might be infected. Why is it called "The One Hundred"? Interesting place to end the movie. They’re clearly thinking of a possible sequel. Great ending!
Pt 3-Who knew bugs could do that much damage? Interesting lighting choices and colored lenses. I was waiting for the explanation of why one character’s blood was important. I would have liked it explained a bit more though.
Pt 2-The SFX especially of the creature could have been a bit better. Oh the emotional deaths! Twists the emotional knife a bit too much for my liking. Odd positive quirk for someone to be quick to anger and develop such physical strength as a result.
The One Hundred (2022). Pt 1-A quarantine, COVID, creature feature, horror movie. It’s crazy, fun, silly, emotional, and interesting all rolled into one. Great intro. Love the opening credits. Great premise and good characters.
Pt 5-This was an OK watch, but I wasn’t emotionally engrossed in it. It didn’t pull me in. I will say the final scene is really great --ominous, tense and powerful.
Pt 4-Some really disgusting body horror. Wow! Dead rat. This is a reminder to always read the fine print and know what you have to give up. Nothing is for free.
Pt 3-It’s all focused on eternal youth and beauty and a woman’s worth being evaluated on those two things. I might wish that it wasn’t as one-note as it was and that it had something else to it. A case study on psychosis brought on by starvation and isolation.
Pt 2-Some are slightly more creative than others. The kills are tied to the rules they broke so again, a bit formulaic. I liked the mysterious nature of some of the characters. Not much character development but it was sufficient for the story.
Yoga Hakwon (2009) Pt 1-A bit slow. Gets much more unsettling and creepier as it goes along. That’s one interesting location for a yoga retreat. Good setting. A bit formulaic in that bad things happen when the women break the rules of the yoga class. The kills are a mixed bag.
Pt 5-It’s a nasty little story. It takes forever for the characters to realize what’s happening and there doesn’t seem to be any way to stop it. So really, what’s the point? Not worth checking out.
Pt 4-Systematic abuse of power and rape and possibly statutory rape. I have no idea how old these characters are. There’s also a ton of flashing lights if that’s a trigger for you. Such cruelty, jealousy, sadism, and sadness. Suicide warning here as well.
Pt 3-All the characters are too stupid to live. The song, which is fundamental to the entire movie because it’s a cursed song, is not subtitled?! That is a grave oversight to say the least.
Pt 2-The “kills” weren’t creative -- they were bottom of the barrel and the people didn’t even die. Somehow one of the characters survived a heavy camera mounted on a dolly falling on their head. How? Is this movie set in an alternate reality where logic has left the building?
White: Melody of Death (2011). Pt 1-I was lured in by the premise of a horror movie about K-pop but this was terrible. We barely even know the characters. This movie gives new meaning to the expression "paper-thin characters."
Pt 4-In terms of triggers, there are some torture scenes, child death and suicide. A much more emotional movie than I thought it would be. Packs a wallop but the ending is quite depressing. I need to watch a comedy now.
Pt 3-Not quite sure why he didn’t just leave but instead said, “Stop screaming.” WTF! That part was odd to me. I was glued to the screen waiting for the final verdict about what was really happening. It was an intense, unsettling, and creepy ride, that’s for sure.
Pt 2-Good characters, great subjective camera work! Very good at suspense and sustaining tension even if the pacing is a little off. What a dark but interesting story. Plays out almost like a Greek tragedy. Fantastic acting.
Forgotten (2017). Pt 1-That is one HELL of a twist! OMFG! I was not prepared for that. I actually had to take a small break. I will say that the twist, while awesome, does come early and makes the movie feel longer because there’s so much more left to explore.
February, 2023
February, 2023
February, 2023
Pt 4-That’s one disgusting no tell motel room. Love the Lyft driver. What a dark and sad story. Not a fan of the ending but it makes sense.
Pt 3-Very slow. Takes a while to get going and there’s a lot of story here. The pacing could have been a lot better. Got some ET vibes here. Some suspenseful scenes especially the chase scenes, a few interesting and fun scenes but they were too few and far between.
Pt 2-Weird that he can’t talk but it does make sense if he experienced trauma. I love how the lead shows the ghost respect and sensitivity and really helps him. I have to say that I really only like two, maybe three characters. One of them was a caricature.
We Have a Ghost (2023). Pt 1-So I was here for the ghost. Sad comment on humanity, showing how the public would handle a real ghost. More focused on society and how they want to use the ghost than on the ghost himself.
The master list of all of my links. Check out my website, my interviews, a dark Spotify playlist and some of my horror photography. My books, "A Fine Day for Murder," and "Into the Dark," are available for purchase on Amazon. Welcome to the dark.
Pt 5-The lead and really all the characters were more like clichés or archetypes so they were a bit thin. I would have liked a stronger, more realized lead.
Pt 4-There’s also a quick scene of a priest who starts to touch the lead. Sexuality, goths, and the alternative scene are all jumbled together to create a rather nefarious landscape. I wish the evil here was a bit more nuanced.
Pt 3-Manipulative, obsessed love vs real healthy love subplot. A bit of a PSA about not being distracted when driving. OK ending but very sappy. Sex is implied here in the middle but it’s murky who she had sex with and whether there was consent. So -- a warning.
Pt 2-It was an OK watch, but the twist was obvious, and the storytelling and characters could have been better. I wish the clues about what was really happening were more subtle and not so in your face all the time. Bit of a slow middle. Emotional final act.
Soul Survivors (2001). Pt 1-Here for Wes Bentley and Eliza Dushku. A very emotional, character-driven story that's haunting and spooky. From creepy men stalking her to ominous warnings.
Pt 4-Oh the bugs! Some gruesome scenes. Bleh! Keeping a burned husk of a woman alive so she can give birth. Disgusting. An endless cycle. No hope whatsoever here. I really don’t recommend this one!!!
Pt 3-This supernatural cyber stalking is all predicated on the fact that the victim and her friends have Facebook. But what if you don’t? What if you live off the grid? An evil that destroys everything you care about. Suicide warning and rape is implied.
Pt 2-If you’re too nice and want to reach out to people who seem isolated, you will be tormented. Is that the message? This movie is like falling down a dark and depressing rabbit hole that never ends.
Friend Request (2016). Pt 1- Be careful who you accept friend requests from. Embodies the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished." When a friendship turns into an obsession. I liked the lead’s friend group.
Pt 3-I like having the villain remain mysterious, but at the same time, I would have liked to know more about him. His reason for doing all of this is chilling. This is a PSA: always make sure you know where your phone is. Definitely worth checking out.
Pt 2- A bit long -- there’s a lot of plot here but it held my attention. I would have liked to see more of a resolution at the end with all the people who didn’t believe her. Good camera work.
Unlocked (2023). Pt 1-The acting was phenomenal. A very chilling adversary. The lead was smart when it counted. A movie like this makes you think about how much information about you is out there on the internet. A realistic & very smart serial killer. An intense, emotional ride.
Pt 4-You can fast forward almost all of the movie and not miss anything. Save yourself from this “experiment” in horror.
Pt 3-Just a jumble of sounds and boring walls. The content does involve self-harm with children which I was not prepared for, nor do I appreciate. Some evil entity tells you to hurt yourself and you do? Bleak ending and a depressing, boring mess.
Pt 2-The camera seemed to be obsessed with the walls. The whole movie is basically just looking at walls. The picture is so grainy you can barely make out what's there although it's not like there’s anything to see. There’s no real story, no explanation, no worldbuilding.
Skinamarink (2022). Pt 1-This is a movie you’ll either hate or love. This might have been intended to be a “new kind of horror,” a more experimental horror, but wow did it fail! It's neither scary nor insightful. We don’t even see the characters. We just sometimes see their feet.
Pt 2-Was fun to see Amy Acker. I don’t trust anyone, not even the lead. I’d love to find out what secrets everyone is hiding. That’s one creepy, lecherous husband! I’m down for seeing the rest of this series.
The Watchful Eye (2023). Pt 1-Suicide warning. A darker version of Only Murders in the Building. Or at least that’s how it feels to me. Love the strong female lead. She’s quick on her feet. Good characters and intrigue. I really want to know all the answers.
Pt 4-Too focused on the friends and not enough on the app which is the real selling point for me. Suicide warning in the beginning.
Pt 3-I’m glad I’m grown and don’t have to be around fair-weather friends. Oh. the insults and betrayals! Signing shirts? What happened to yearbooks? Could have done without the Nazi joke. That’s a weird way to play Guess Who but OK.
Pt 2-Interesting introduction to the story and the series but too much drama and infighting between terrible friends and not enough of the creepy horror app. That is one app I wouldn’t download! I liked the lead character, but the others are not likeable.
Red Rose. Pilot. Pt 1-I LOVE horror involving evil apps. So I was stoked to find this series. Sadly though, it wasn’t as scary as I would have liked and not the type of story that appeals to me.
I’ve been noticing that there’s more Jewish horror (fun) and werewolf stories (why?). It’s an odd trend. I miss the zoom call, pandemic, haunted technology angle.
Pt 3-The characters could have been better as well. I really didn’t feel that they knew each other well enough to face all of this. That’s a lot to ask your new girlfriend to deal with and help with. Creepy final act. Good ending.
Pt 2-A slower, sadder, more character-driven possession story. Awkward start. Slow, moody, character driven but focused on grief and sadness. Haunting atmosphere. Creepy body horror elements.
Attachment (2022). Pt 1-A strange movie where things aren’t what they seem. I thought I’d be getting something different. The worldbuilding could have been better as could the “villain.” How, who, and why this happened is left up to us to figure out.
Pt 3-The worldbuilding is done very quickly and haphazardly. The static sound is overplayed and too loud. Dead kids, talk of miscarriages, killing a rooster.
Pt 2-Arthur could have been a better son and father. If he was only a more fleshed out character. Sad that father and son couldn’t reconcile. Slow. Pacing is off. Creepy with one particularly good jump but the scares are generally low grade, at least for me they were.
The Offering (2022). Pt 1-What a dark story! You really go down a dark and depressing road here. Depressing and full of death. No hope to defeat an evil that’s unstoppable. Interesting characters but I wish the wife had any survival instincts whatsoever.
Pt 5-The motivation of the killer was just sad. Boo hoo for him. Paying cam girls for “love” and then realizing it’s all fake? Really? If you want a relationship, try a dating site, dude! Also how did the killer find her? Dead kids and dead deer.
Pt 4-Now for the ending…wtf! This meta ending is just confusing and frustrating after feeling for the lead and following her story. I feel like the rug was pulled out from under me for no other reason than the fact that the writer wanted a twist. Sigh.
Pt 3-Keeps you guessing who the killer is but if you pick up on the clues, you’ll find out early. Very suspenseful throughout. The Sheriff’s Department offers some comedic relief, which I appreciated. The shaky cam and the colored lens were odd touches. Why were they needed?
Pt 2-Including COVID into the narrative made the story feel grounded. The terrible reality show “Trap Stars” with Paris Hilton felt real. It’s a wonder we don’t already have it -- not that we need it though. I liked the slow creeping tension here.
Alone at Night (2023). Pt 1-Did a hell of a lot of things right but got two things wrong: the ending and the motivation for the killer. I watched this for Ashley Benson, and she didn’t disappoint. I liked her character and found her relatable.
Pt 2-If a mother knows her son messes up all the time, why would she assume the son can get to his friend’s house by himself? Would mothers really leave their sons in a mall? What an ending! That ending saved the episode for me. Interesting morality tale.
Creeped Out. Splinta Claws. Pt 1-Theme of boys always messing up and disappointing their parents. The Santa could have been creepier. His “robot” face left a lot to be desired. This is more of a comedy than horror, probably not intentionally.
Pt 3-I feel like there’s so much more to this story that wasn’t told. I think this might make a good movie. I do wonder why her "friends" did that to her? We get no real characterization of them and their friendship with the lead.
Pt 2-The Tullies themselves could have been scarier. I mean, come on, a cake that pinches? Even given the target audience, the cake is a weak idea. Junebug is a great villain. The story holds a lot back and we only get a few puzzle pieces.
Creeped Out. Tilly Bone. Pt 1-A good idea but a messy execution. The story would have really benefited from being told in a linear way. We lose all the built-up tension and creeping sense of dread by having the end be the beginning. I do like the idea of the Tullies and revenge.
Pt 4-I did like Augustus Landor but, like the story itself, he is such a sad character. Trigger warning: Dead animal stapled to a tree, rape warning and suicide. Yikes!
Pt 3-I did like how it began with a hanged man missing a heart. You have to wait for it but it’s not worth it unless you really like the actors. Such a sad storyline. I really rather disliked how Poe was portrayed and acted here.
Pt 2-Slow, moody, and grim; although some parts of the investigation might be interesting as was the mystery itself, sadly, it moves so slowly and blandly that it’s difficult to stay focused. This would have worked better as a series.
The Pale Blue Eye (2022). Pt 1-Starts off right with a quote by Poe but then dissolves into a moody atmospheric mess.
Pt 7-Just from that, I’d be really hesitant to see the next episode.
Pt 6- Forest animals running from the fire while being on fire; various animals getting hurt and hurting humans while running away from the fire; a dog whimpers from a fight but runs away and a ram in pain with a severe wound. I think that’s all of the scenes.
Pt 5-The “monster” that’s after them could have looked a bit better. Animals in distress -- trigger warnings.
Pt 4-What’s up with the supernatural connection between the two leads? Why haven’t they talked about that to each other? A high school kid has a therapist on speed dial to have a session on a school bus? Is that our new reality?
Pt 3-We don’t get to learn much about the kids on the bus or really get a grasp on where we are. We also didn’t see the leads get their wounds. The scene was chaotic but still, it would have been better to focus on that rather than extras and animals panicking.
Pt 2-If we only had more relatable & fun characters! Equal parts suspenseful & slow. Odd to achieve both but they do. We barely learn anything but there are some good chase scenes. Starts right away with a bunch of kids looking at a wildfire for a few beats longer than necessary.
Wolf Pack. Pilot. Pt 1-Not a great start. Didn’t love any of the characters; nor did I love the way the story was told. Focuses on the wrong things and doesn’t give you an adequate look at the world they’re trying to build. So I’m going to stop watching here.
January, 2023
February, 2023
February, 2023
Pt 2-A very exciting episode. Sad storyline. Kids used by adults. In fact the adults are portrayed negatively as a whole. Dead kids. I would definitely watch more!
Lockwood & Co. Pilot. Pt 1-Interesting characters and worldbuilding. Great sets. Good visualization of their supernatural abilities. This drew me right in, but it also throws a lot at you at once. It’s a very layered story with enough mystery and intrigue to hold your attention.
Pt 2-Why is that woman married to him? He doesn’t seem at all supportive. One hell of a cliffhanger. Not scary enough or interesting enough for me. Just sad. Don’t want to go there but you might. Good music and a good ominous atmosphere.
Servant (2019). Pilot. Pt 1-A broken family suffering through the death of a child. Unsettling but also very sad. Leanne is strange and mysterious. How this is happening and where they plan to go with it is a bit of a mystery. But those mysteries aren’t enough for me.
Pt 5-The whole movie revolves around who Diana is and what she is or is not doing and that mystery holds your attention. Wonderful acting here. Dead bird and flashing lights warning.
Pt 4-There were glimpses early on of everyone’s personality but the reveal of who the “villain” really was, was rather shocking. Wasn’t prepared to see the person as they really were.
Pt 3-An interesting premise and good worldbuilding. Those were some really insidious symptoms. Eve Green’s character really needed some help. Oh, the body horror and cruelty here!
Pt 2-I guessed why everything was happening early on, but you might not. They do a good job at creating a lot of doubt as to who the culprit is. The clues are very subtle. The ending is a real gut-punch: very emotional, powerful and sad.
Nocebo (2022). Pt 1-I’ve gotta say this movie packs a punch! There’s a point to the horror here. I’m a sucker for revenge stories and this is a good one. It’s slow and moody and full of creepy scenes but you gotta wait for it. Be patient, it’s worth it.
Pt 3-Great opening credits. Good cinematography. Domestic violence. I will say the villains here are scary and sadistic and well-acted. Attempted suicide.
Pt 2-This makes the bullying in Carrie look almost sweet. Such severe burns that make scars over her whole body. Nauseating. I would stay to watch the revenge, but I think it’s best to get off the train now. It’s making me think of some things I’d rather not dwell on.
The Glory. Pilot. Pt 1-I was here for the revenge. I went into this not sure how dark it would be or if I was able to go there. I will say this is a horrifying picture of some brutal bullying and I really hope the character gets some fantastically equally brutal vengeance.
Pt 8-Miscarriage, child death and domestic violence warning here. Depressing ending. I need a minute to recover from this movie.
Pt 7-The movie doesn’t do a good job of preparing you for the craziness, violence and depravity you’re in for. Maybe that was the point, but I felt like it all came out of left field.
Pt 6-The horror here needed to be explained better. An orgy of murder in the final act. Is it evil that was created by a woman wanting to be free? I don’t like the idea of women bringing about evil which seems to be what it’s suggesting.
Pt 5-She seems mysterious, crazy, unapproachable, unreasonable and uncaring. I wish that we knew more about her, and that she would have let the viewer in. I also wish we had a more concrete answer for the birth of the creature and why he was made.
Pt 4-Since the story is told from his point of view and you’re wondering, as he is wondering, why she wants a divorce, you see her through his eyes. There are very few scenes where she shows us who she is, scenes where she defines herself.
Pt 3-Sam Neil was very chilling in many of the scenes. At the center of the story, it’s a real folie à deux. Wonderful, crazed, possessed, raw acting from everyone.
Pt 2-Watching the film, I felt like I was falling down the rabbit hole into a bleak world of madness, suffering, demons and creatures. Or maybe that was Hell? Feels a bit like a fever dream. Everyone here is possessed -- but by different things or emotions.
Possession (1983). Pt 1-While the music, the cinematography, and the acting were wonderful, the story itself is a depressing mess. It’s more of a mood piece than a plot-centric story. Not a story with any concrete answers about anything.
Pt 4-I felt the killer was a bit obvious given the amount of screen time the killer had. I wish there were a proper villain monologue. The movie ends very abruptly.
Pt 3-I wish I knew Francis a little less. Such a vile, lecherous character. Oh, the chauvinism here. If the guests were smarter and more worried about being trapped, this might have been more effective. The premise was great though and I liked the lead, the widow.
Pt 2-The tone isn’t horror. The rest of the movie is just dialogue. Not a well-structured script. The characters weren’t dynamic enough and there was no palpable tension here. We didn’t know everyone’s motives, nor did we have enough time to really know these characters.
The Killer is One of 13 (1973). Pt 1-An OK choice if you’re looking for a mystery. The killer uses a different weapon every time - how industrious. A decent number of deaths here but not much blood & the murders come toward the end so I think it was mislabeled by AMC+.
Pt 6-At the end of this movie, you’re left questioning your own sanity and wondering why you actually stayed with it. Rape warning.
Pt 5-Interesting twist but with no real explanations, it packs no punch. This is a movie you have to put together yourself. No reasons why, no villain monologue, nothing.
Pt 4-The characters themselves are all a mystery as are their motivations. They don’t act consistently from one scene to the other. The story also doesn’t let you in -- it keeps you away. The possession could have been better as could the cursed item.
Pt 3-It felt like there was a lot more being referenced here that we didn’t see. What happened in New York? You can’t have a psychological movie without a psychological aspect. Having a bunch of nonsensical creepy dream sequences and art scenes doesn’t make up for that.
Pt 2-Had we focused more on the lead’s psyche and really dug deep into her character and the rift between her and Sam, this could have worked. What exactly was the lead dealing with? Was it just what happened with Keaton?
Presence (2022). Pt 1-A complete waste of time. Run from this one. Possibly underneath all the artsy scenes and the confusing nonsensical plotting, there might have been a decent story. If only the writer were better at his craft.
Pt 6-Where is the worldbuilding? It’s left up to the viewer to decipher. Good ending but honestly, given everything that happens, it seems too easy. Suicide warning. I’d give this one a miss for sure.
Pt 5-Why couldn’t the story just be told in a linear way? Did the writer think that jazzing up the chronology of the story would help? It’s also not scary -- boring, slow, and rather pointless. The message is muddled here. What’s with the colored lenses?
Pt 4-It would have been a much richer story if the friendship was deeper from the get-go. The addition of alternate realities is confusing & not well integrated. The story structure is an absolute mess, constantly jumping in time and switching from one character’s POV to another.
Pt 3-What we get is shitty friends and even shitter guys. One’s a creepy stalker and the other is a heartless player who ruins lives. OK, that was a dramatic statement, but true. And why, after seeing how dark they can get with each other, would we care if they win or lose?
Pt 2-We barely know anything about the characters or their lives save for their concern that when they leave for college, it will be the end of the group. While relatable, that should have been just the beginning of some rich character development.
The Friendship Game (2022). Pt 1-A decent idea and in the hands of a more capable writer, this could have cut deeper, been scarier, and provided more insight into their friendship. Sadly though, this was a superficial mess.
Pt 4-This pilot served as a good intro for the series and intrigued me enough to want to know more. You may feel the same. Trigger warning for suicide referenced and suicidal ideation as well as attempted suicide. Basically if suicide is a trigger, be real careful here.
Pt 3-Shades of Rosemary’s Baby. Cruel storyline for one of the characters who is constantly imprisoned, first in the house and then in her own mind. What a place to end the episode.
Pt 2-I really loved the lead. Rowan is such a strong and independent woman. I can’t wait to see what happens when she fully realizes her power. She’s developed a knack for getting rid of men who try to control her. I’m looking forward to learning more about Lasher.
Mayfair Witches (2023). Pilot. Pt 1-We get a very meaty pilot with a lot of threads and a very complete story. Interesting start that draws you into a complex and dark world. Rich character development, good sets and worldbuilding.
Pt 5-Unless you like the actors in the episode or are dying to experience a male fantasy-driven episode, I’d give this one a miss. Too much misogyny for me.
Pt 4-Not a fan of fetishizing a character’s death at the end and most of the story with Caitlin really. Feels like a punishment for goth girls and any woman who doesn’t want to be "normal." That theme is reinforced by the therapist berating her just for being different.
Pt 3-A Velcro skirt that’s easy to get off? Ugh! The old "sex equals death'' trope. Part 2 is focused on Caitlin, the female lead, as she battles with Freddy. Interesting idea to have Caitlin like Freddy because she wants the power he has.
Pt 2-The episode is focused on an adolescent’s desire for a certain goth girl. Gotta love a male fantasy dream where he changes a woman and she’s OK with it. No more goth attire, and she even has blonde hair. Why doesn’t he just pick a blonde who isn’t a goth?
Freddy’s Nightmares. 1x22. Pt 1-Calling Dr. Freud. He’d have a field day with this episode. Part 1 is a male fantasy framed by trips to a therapist. Speaking of the therapist, Dr. De Vries is an odd name. He’s also not a great therapist.
Pt 3-Tense atmosphere as it slowly gets creepier and more ominous. Things get pretty dark. Suicide warning and sexual harassment. Just like the dishes that the Chef makes, this movie is an experience. Crazy ending. When cooking becomes performance art.
Pt 2-Good satire about food critics and making food as an intellectual exercise rather than making food with love that tastes good. “Margot” is a great character. That cheeseburger looked really good. Love the presentation of the food on their plates. Great sets.
The Menu (2022). Pt 1-Interesting premise. An intense and mostly unpredictable movie. Good characters. Some of the comeuppances made sense while some of them needed more of an explanation. Bit muddled about the Chef's motivations.
Pt 5-There were some scenes of burned children, bloody teeth falling out, and hair falling out to depict a nuclear attack so if you need a warning for that, this is it. Aside from that, you may want to check this out.
Pt 4-Forget school or a future. I liked the small scale of part 1. Can you change the past? There are always unforeseen pieces that will change as you change things for “the better.” Part 2 unfolds on a much larger scale including the literal end of the world.
Pt 3-I will say that I did like the idea that nightmares can shape reality and I also liked the chilling ending of the story. Instead of helping her, white military men see her as a weapon to use. She’ll never be free again. She’ll just be a human lab rat.
Pt 2-However, the story is cheesy, and the dialogue could’ve been sharper. The ideas are great but the dialogue doesn’t quite match. “… how a sleepwalking whacko wound up with his trigger finger on the big banana?” Hm… The acting, like the story, was very melodramatic.
Freddy’s Nightmares 1x12. Pt 1-A rather unique story for the series with an interesting premise and some good twists and turns. Part 2 is not a new story but a continuation of the story with the same female lead, which is rare for the series
Cookie Policy
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.