The Boogeyman (***) Training wheels horror
There is nothing here that a pre-teen would be damaged by, and it works as the kind of film one might watch for their first horror.
Evil Dead Rise (****) above the maggots
If one is a fan of creative gore, Evil Dead Rise has it in spades.
The Pope’s Exorcist (***) shows Crowe still has the ability
If not for Crowe’s performance, this film is considerably unerwhelming.
Renfield (***1/2) is Familiar Territory
Director Chris McKayScreenplay Ryan Ridley based on characters by Bram StokerStarring Nicholas Hoult, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Nicolas Cage, Camille Chen Ever since this remarkably funny moment […]
Scream VI (**1/2) – Gutted, but ok!
If one likes knowing what is coming will look as cool as what they saw before, then this film will not disappoint.
Knock at the Cabin (***) holds no surprise, aside from Bautista
As it is, his takes are curiousities as much as anything.
M3GAN (***1/2): Little Miss Terminator
It’s a fun movie for a slumber party, but not much more than that.
Sick (**) is Williamson quarantined
That it’s Williamson’s name on the script this time out is as disappointing in result as it is exciting in prospect.
The Menu (****) – Willy Wonka in hell
Even with the tongue firmly in cheek, there will be some who step away from the film viewing only what they see, but not why they see it.
Another Look at The Fly (1986) – Cronenberg at his most…
As long as Cronenberg has the lens on Goldlum, The Fly is a winner.
Violent Night (****) is done right
In the list of movies with Santa Claus being an ass-kicker, this has to be near the top.
The Invitation(**) Where do they get the wait staff?
Save your time and watch something original, or at least something that can create a mood beyond waiting for the credits.
V/H/S/99 (*1/2): It’s not scary if it lacks imagination
If one finds any of these segments more scary than annoying, they’ve got a lot of patience and not much in the way of expectations when it comes to story telling. It’s not easy to envision the future of film making in this crowd.
Forgotten Gem: Lake Mungo (***1/2) is buried deep
For those who are patient enough to hang back, the end result is solid enough. Especially if one likes details.
Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood breaks ground, among other things (**)
As bad as it is, A Bay of Blood stands as a moment in time for cinema.
Shudder’s Tailgate (****) what happens when you don’t let your wife drive
Most women, whether on a bicycle, or a motored device, don’t get into road rage situations. They have no need to express themselves on the freeway.
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 