March 2, 2026 “Deadbolt” (*1/2 out of four) was a banal procession of half-hearted horror-movie cliches about a young woman (Rebecca Liddiard) seeking a fresh start who moves into a new house when (yawn) she notices strange occurrences keep happening that affect her sleep and eventually her sanity. More fun and more scares may have ensued if she had asked her doctor for a prescription for ambien instead; she certainly could have watched the movie for help with sleep. Liddiard’s sincere performance is one of film’s only virtues. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “The Raven” (** out of four) was a languid retelling of the classic Edgar Allen Poe horror story about a grieving man (Kristos Andrews) haunted by the death of his wife who has recurring visits from a raven and soon finds himself spiraling into madness and insanity as the line between the supernatural and the sane is blurred and he finds himself longing for death. Good production values and stark cinematography from Will Barratt fail to enliven or enrich this tired story. About on par with the 2012 John Cusack adaptation but neither are much to “rave” about. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Phantoms” (** out of four) was a not-bad horror psychodrama about two siblings (Casey McCullum and Tra’Waan Coles) who return home for their father’s (David E. McMahon) retirement but instead find a group of intruders (Taylor Murphy, Gonzalo Betancor, and others) who are hellbent on killing all of them. Too predictable and derivative to really score but stylishly made and proficient enough to hold your attention and keep it watchable. No relation to the Godawful 1998 Ben Affleck thriller of the same name but owes more than a bit to “Desperate Hours” and (especially) “The Strangers.” Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Ted Bunny” (*1/2 out of four) was a mirthless horror thriller about a documentary filmmaker (Diana Roman) who meets a woman (Dee Wallace) who claims to be one of Ted Bundy’s famous victims and is lured to her abandoned farmhouse where both her and her crew are mauled one-by-one by the title killer. You know you’re in trouble when film’s title is the most clever thing onscreen! Pretty gruesome and pretty dumb in equal measure. Wallace looks great at nearly 80 years old but she would have probably fared better re-appearing at “Howling” conventions instead of in this trifle. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Nighttalk” (**1/2 out of four) was an intuitively done suspense psychodrama about a detective (Ashley Bryant) who has to go undercover on a dating app to track down an elusive (and unseen) murderer and finds herself entangled in a dangerous romance with a seductive online user (Al Mukadam) who may or may not be the killer but provokes all sorts of hidden and provocative secrets from her. Film eventually gets lost in its own sordid and muddled entanglements but is sharply written and well-acted and better than most of its ilk. Bryant’s strong lead performance helps you overlook some of film’s shortcomings. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Butchers Bluff” (*1/2 out of four) was a hackneyed horror show about four college friends (L.C. Holt, Tyler Shea Cone, Johnny Huang, and Dakota Millett) who go to the town of Emerald Falls to investigate the horror Hogman legend but find out that (yawn) he is alive and well and ready to slice-and-dice anyone and everyone who gets in his path. Permeated and packed with horror cliches to the point that this even (at times) feels like a self-parody. Jeremy London shows up as a surly sheriff but it’s timewasters like these that have severely “butchered” his career. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Unintended Consequences” (*1/2 out of four) was a schizophrenic mess that changes tones and styles in almost every scene about a dedicated father (DeWayne Owens) whop confesses a long-ago affair that he had to his son (Aaron Jennings) and his wife (Nancy Brook) and doesn’t anticipate the plethora of personal/religious/ spiritual downfalls and redemptions this will take them all through. Hokey in the extreme and goes on forever and a day. Owens’ sincere performance is film’s sole saving grace. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Tow” (*1/2 out of four) was a heavy-going suspense psychodrama about twin sisters (both played by Kit Goldsmith) who are haunted by visions and nightmares of the psychotic killer (Kane Hodder) who stalked them when they were younger and they both realize that to end their torment they must find and put an end to him. But who is he and does he really exist? Intriguing ideas on PTSD and anxiety and anguish from attack survivors are completely lost in the rubble of this unpleasant and uninvolving film. Hodder also played Jason in a few “Friday The 13th” films which were a lot more fun (and intelligent) than this dreck. Continue reading →
March 2, 2026 “Field Of Screams” (0 out of four) was a screamingly awful horror show hodgepodge about a group of friends (Jessica Shepherd, Justin Marxen, Justin Heinz, and others) who are helping a friend clean out their farmhouse when they are ravaged and attacked by a killer scarecrow on the loose who wants them to leave immediately. If Ed Wood had survived and were still making horror movies, this absolute mess might be the result although it is unlikely even he would want his name on this. Unbearably low-rent production values are matched by terrible acting and dialogue. Clever title though. Continue reading →
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