THE WHALE (2022). Brendan Frasier is very good (and deserving of his Oscar win) as a morbidly obese English professor in declining health hoping to reconnect with his estranged daughter before it's too late. Although, the teen is SO snotty, ones wonders why He would want to bother.
While Frasier gives a good performance, TW reminded very much of LEAVING LAS VEGAS where We get to see someone destroy themselves via their addiction and not really fun to see. **1/2

Friday The 13th (2009) the remake, yeah, its got that late 2000s vibe with some cheesyness, and annoying actors, but some of the visuals of Jason were pretty awesome, i wouldnt give it much more than a 5 out of 10, 6 at best....


also saw Us (2019), which i enjoyed, creepy lil movie, with alot of deeper meanings.

i enjoy both of those movies, the funhouse is one of my favorite tobe movies, and people was just like you said fucking weird...gotta give both of those a rewatch...

V/H/S/2 2013 ★★★★

Still holds up on a rewatch, even with the alien abduction segment losing a bit of steam.

The Usual Suspects 1995 ★★★★½

Still holds up as an amazing and very entertaining crime drama, even though the impression of the first watching can probably never be met. Largely due to the performances by Benicio Del Toro and Gabriel Byrne. Also a good idea to bring in classy actors like Pete Posthletwaite.

And yes, Kevin Spacey. Say what you will, but if you watch this without all the baggage you would go in with today, you would be blown away as well.

That does not mean that I'm oblivious. In fact, the irony about Kevin Spacey and his current situation is that the things that makes his best performances stand out (manipulation, calm menace,...) are the things that will make a possible comeback more difficult.

The Taking of Deborah Logan 2014 ★★★★½

A pretty impressive and scary movie. There's a lot to like about this one.

Like the idea of going in with the faux documentary style, because it gets you closer to the main characters. You get to live with them and their trials (Laura), their frustrations (Deb and Harris) and fears (the one camera guy who wants to make a run for it).

Or the notion that the makers found a way to visualise the horrors of suffering from Alzheimer's and its symptoms and consequences. For this and the next generation, this will probably be scariest disease to die from, making the explanation about its working less expositional and more fascinating. And best illustrated at the end. Before we even get the chance to have a “happy ending”, the disease is already there, ready to mercilessly pounce.

And of course the fact that this is all wrapped up into an entertaining horror flick, with good special effects and solid scares. Again, the possessing devil as a metaphor for the day to day fears of people related to a Alzheimer's patient. How will they be? Will they recognize me? Will they know my name? How does it feel when they don't?

Good stuff. Well recommended.

Deathgasm 2015 ★★★

Depending on where you stand, this little horror comedy can be either the raunchy comedy version of Evil Dead or the horror version of (a comedy like) Superbad. I know it's tempting to make the Shaun of the dead comparison, but Shaun is way too subtle with its callbacks and foreshadowing. This one is just a lot more staightforward. (Jerry: Not that there's anything wrong with that. George: No, of course not.)

A group of outcast nerds form a death metal group (with an obligatory quick dubstep joke) and the accidentally summon a devil. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

The movie does not reinvent the wheel. The shot of the adult shocked at the sight of the teenager's tastes or the winning over the bully's girlfriend subplot is something we have seen a million times, so nothing shocking there.

But it's not always about what you do, but also about how you do it. And this movie does it well. The pace is good, the jokes work and it's overall a fun flick with a happy end. The shot of Brodie in corpse paint and Medina having an icecream is just adorable, and everyone who has ever rocked out to one of their favorite tunes will recognize themselves in the scene where Medina discovers heavy metal.

Nice little discovery for horror comedy fans.

Better Watch Out 2016 ★★

In all honesty, I did not think all that much of it. The concept was okay. You know, the babysitting brat from hell. Go... to... bed! That's what you said. Go to bread.

So yeah, the idea was good and the kid portraying Luke did a good job. But it was not like it was very gripping or got a laugh from me. A good concept turned into a run of the mill.

I myself am not on reddit and I am not (really) familiar with the culture behind incels. I'm sure that they are annoying and such, that's not the point. But, like in other instances, it also sees a lot of people worked up and raging in either which direction over a movie that, at the end of the day, is pretty much just meh.

The best thing to do is to go in blind. Now the script was not all that captivating, the twists were not too shocking and, apart from Levi Miller, the acting was not bad, but not memorable either. At least we get an okay pay-off.

Two stars. For fans of holiday horror.

Gerald’s Game 2017 ★★★★½

For a horror fan, this is the stuff that makes a Netflix subscription worth its money.

From a simple set-up – sex game goes awry – we venture into a minimalistic horror thriller that manages to keep you invested for the duration of the movie.

As with other of these limited setting horrors (Frozen comes to mind), they make maximum use of the objects available. But most of the credit goes to the actors. Bruce Greenwood and especially Carla Gugino make Gerald and Jessie into complex and layered characters. While I have not yet read the book, some of the monologue passages really reflect King's style of writing, making the whole thing look like a faithfull adaptation.

In that aspect, it was a stroke of genius to tie in the hallucinations and the dream sequences. They help you understand so much better how Jessie's mind works and where she comes from. Especially the moments surrounding the eclipse are very unsettling. Compliments for the young actress for portraying the shock and starting trauma she conveyed there and then.

It uses its gore very effectively, making you squirm at every gory moment, especially the climax when she gets out of the cuffs. Keeping you on the edge of your seat while she is behind the wheel. And even then, her happy ending is not fully certain. For some, the ending scene might feel a bit tacked on, but it mostly shows the progress she made and how she is ready to move on as a person.

Great film and certainly one of the better King-adaptations.

Overlord 2018 ★½

To be honest, I don't see why this gets good reviews.

I've seen this type of war horror before, just with lower budgets and more B-movie appeal. Cruel nazis, brave soldiers, a doctor Mengele-ish figure,... It has it all.

Maybe I was not in the right place for this one, but it did not do anything for me.

The Lighthouse 2019 ★★★

A24 delivers a solid mood piece about the horrors of isolation with William Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two maintenance men taking care of the lighthouse.

This is one of the movies that could have driven the final nail in the Twilight-coffin. Proving it only managed to reduce two solid actors to moon eyes. Kristen Stewart overcame that with solid or even great performances in The Runaways, Spencer, On the road,... This is the first I've seen of Robert Pattinson and it did not convince me all that much. He just does the generic insolent youngen and not even all that convincingly.

This becomes even more obvious because he's up against a powerhouse performance by William Dafoe. Dafoe had every last detail of his character down, right up until the old timey accent and the magnificent beard. While Pattinson's mustache, on the other hand, looked silly and glued on at the start.

Nonetheless, it was an entertaining piece of mood cinema. The isolation and the ensuing hallucinations are well shot and add to Pattinson's character slowly losing his mind. I also like the choice to film this in black and white, only further enhancing said atmosphere.

This also lends itself for a rewatch. Then you can pick up on details that you might elude on a first watch.

For fans of psychological horror.

Possessor 2020 ★★★★★

Good lord, I love the Cronenbergs.

The opening shot immediately has you hooked. Like any good Cronenberg-flick, it drags you into a surreal universe full of emotionally detached characters that you somehow end up getting attached to.

In this case, we follow a sort of hired killer who takes on the body of somebody else to do her job. Both men and women. Which should also be a clue for her “victim” wife. Anyway.

Sure enough, she gets stuck in this body and things get more and more sour with her fear and despair becoming ever more suffocating. Creating a great feel of unheimlichkeit with one or two shots that had me thinking “put that in one of Davids eighties movies and the people who are now bitching about how 'there are no more great horrors' would all call it brilliant and genious and so and so”.

I loved Jennifer Jason Leigh in her role as Girder. She did the manipulative part of her character really well and the dynamic between her and Tasya was very well done. Also, can we get Cara Delevigne to star in a Cronenberg-film? She'd be great for it.

5 stars. Highly recommended.

I’ll Be Watching 2023 ★★★

Of course, this one is not reinventing the wheel. If anything, it's a more subtle (and less funny) version of the treehouse of horror bit with Pierce Brosnan.

A woman best described as discount Allison Williams is left alone in an Alexa-like house where the house controls pretty much everything. Conveniently for the screenwriter, she has mental issues, so when she starts seeing and hearing all sorts of weird things, it's not that hard for the people around her to rationalise things, which of course only adds to her despair.

The acting is okay from the lead and her husband (1/3 Ben Wishaw, 1/3 young Jeff Goldblum and 1/3 Moss from the IT crowd). The story is kind of predictable, especially the fate of the cat. But the pacing is okay and overall, it is a well executed and an okay movie.

Good for one of those what-should-I-watch-on-Tubi kind of nights.

Malignant 2021 ★★★★ Watched 28 Oct 2023

James Wan delivers another solid offering, cementing his status as one of the finest genre directors of his generation. And certainly one of the most successfull.

We follow a monster escaping from a … hospital? Mental institution? My best guess: the same kind of place where Mulder and Scully would send the fluke worm guy. And at the same time a woman living in Seattle. Obligatory shot of the Space needle? You bet.

She's stuck in an abusive relationship, though that does not last long. Though what she's on to is not much better, since she and the monster are closer than you might think at first and though, it's clear how early on, I'm not going to spoil it just yet. More fun to you find out.

We get some pretty intense chase sequences, the gore looks pretty well (not sure wether it's practical or CGI, probably a mix) and the cast does a good job. All's well that ends well.

Four stars. One of the better recent releases. Makes your Netflix subscription worth its money.

Scream 2022 ★★½

The last offering with Neve Campbell is a mixed bag.

Are there things to complain about? Sure.

The metaness is so out the wazoo it becomes annoying, even for me. There's hardly any scene that can go without an on the nose wink wink moment. The characters went from streetwise to smartalicky. It felt like a rehash of the original. And then people complain about Friday-sequels being cookie cutter. Not to mention the far fetched tie in with Skeet Ulrich.

And of course, the killers had to be toxic fans. Of course. Am I the only one who thinks these toxic fans are only a minority and that most fans are genuinely nice people? That “elevated horror” and rollercoaster rides can coexist the same way burger joints and fancy restaurants do?

Also, I am pretty sure there are people out there now who complain about movies with subtitles (I do nothing but read, I don't get to watch the movie) and yet, at the same time, are totally cool with watching a scene where about half of the dialogue is in text messages.

That does not mean it was all bad. The kills have good ideas behind them. The reveal of the killers comes suitably out of nowhere. The main characters are believable as a group of friends. And we get some touching moments between the Sidney, Gail and Dewey. And of course the dedication to its creator at the end.

For fans of the franchise who want to see everything.

The Conference 2023 ★★★

The Conference is a nice little Swedish slasher about government workers on an outing that's somewhere between the opening of a mall in smalltown and team building.

Most of the characters - with the exception of maybe Lina - seem to come straight from a sitcom like - I don't know - The Office(?), Arrested Development(?),... From that, we get a corruption subplot whose only goal seems to be setting up two characters as even more annoying. And you know what? As long as the pay-off is them (and us) getting two gruesome kills, I am okay with that. After all, we watch slashers for the kills, so any excuse for a good kill is a good one.

The identity of the killer is no big mistery, but that does not deter the fun in any way. I kind of enjoyed spending time with these characters and their respective quirks, like Torbjorn's obsession with food. Or the subplot about the nice guy - think Jim from The Office with a Dwight-like physique. No to spoil anything, but he meets his demise in a whoopsie Daisy-moment that's either sad or funny, depending on where you stand. I thought it was a bit of both.

I liked the killer's look with his NFL/MLB-mascotte like mask. And the kills look good. Suitingly brutal and gory. And, judging from the hammock kill, these people have their share of Fridays. Also, how the machete pierces both the body and the beercan... *chefs kiss*

For fans of slashers or Euro horror. Also... if you like this one, please check out a Norwegian flick called Cold Prey.

The Boy and the Heron 2023 ★★½

Visually stunning, but confusing as hell.

Don’t Look Away 2017 ★★★

A decent short about the world's deadliest staring contest.

More focus on the scares and that's actually well done.

resaw Saw 2 ::big grin::

also The Gallows from 2015....annoying teenagers ruined this movie for me and sense of any horror that is there...wanna be paranormal activities...meh....

Voodoo Apocalypse, feel like the cast and crew focused on having fun more than making a good movie, i liked some of it, than other parts seemed to drag on with too much weird dialogue.


also saw Boogeyman, that dvd with the cover of the arm coming out of the door has been in my sight for a while now finally bought it for 1 dollar at a pawn shop, so i gave it a try, and well i enjoyed the idea, and the cgi of the boogeyman and the different moments where it appears, but the characters/actors were very boring and could have used some work, so it was an alright experience all in all. i give it a 4 out of 10 simply for the moments when we see the boogeyman and its attacks/jump scares...

A WOMAN SCORNED: THE BETTY BRODERICK STORY (1992). Pretty good TV film of the bitter divorce of Dan and Betty Broderick with the brutal yet somewhat expected conclusion. Meredith Baxter Birney is great as Betty. And always nice seeing Michelle Johnson::love::. ***

The Bye Bye Man from 2017, finally watched this, and i actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would, i like the urban legend, and though it has its problems, it had its good moments and clever scenes...especially the train moments, primarily the car crash on the tracks trick the bye bye man did, but other times annoyed at some of the characters...it is what it is, i'd give it a 5 or 6 out of 10. Some of the moments dragged on in a boring fashion, other times I enjoyed the macabre imagery.

THE OUTFIT (1993). Pretty good DTV of a rogue FBI Man going undercover to undermine organized crime circa 1931. The main thrust of the story is what started as a pissing match between Legs Diamond and Dutch Schultz has escalated into extreme violence as both men will not back down. Pretty good all the way and pretty violent at times (especially in one instance) and a strong performance by Lance Henriksen as a growling snapping Schultz. ***

TURN IT UP! CELEBRATION OF THE GUITAR (2014). Pretty good documentary narrated by Kevin Bacon about how guitars were electrified and various companies and the models produced. Lots of interviews with players like Skunk Baxter, Paul Stanley, Jerry Cantrelll, Slash, Nancy Wilson, BB King , Ana Popovic as well as a Southwest Airlines CEO, a young girl who uses guitar as a therapy tool and other regular people. It also answered a question I had as to why Gibson Les Pauls from the 50's could command such high prices.
While I can't play guitar well at all, it is a comforting feeling holding it or strapping it on. Plugging in with the knobs all turned to the right and smacking the E chord is extremely stimulating...just protect Your ears. ***1/2

District B13 2004 ★★★

This French action flick sets a nuke in one of the infamous banlieues (suburbs of Paris known for their high crime and poverty rate). A supercop, fresh off a mission, is sent in to stop it from exploding.

Let's be clear: you don't watch this for the story or for character development. This is Seagal level writing with some French machismo thrown in. With one woman in the main cast, who's mostly an afterthought for most of the film. The camera throws back to her to literally remind us like “oh yeah, she's in this too (in case you forgot)”.

If anything, you watch it for the pacing and the action. The action set pieces are filmed within an inch of their life, with a type of editing reminiscent of The Matrix and a little of Lola Rennt. What with all the running and spectacular jumping. The fight scenes are filmed equally spectacular, putting them above other martial arts films. (Could this be a gateway movie into Van Damme territory?) And, in all honesty, it still holds up rather well, even while approaching its twentieth anniversary. Good lord, how time flies.

For fans of fast paced action.

Oxygen 2021 ★★★½

Alexandre Aja offers us a horror sci-fi with an interesting premise: waking up from hypersleep with nowhere to go.

Melanie Laurent delivers a strong performance as she struggles to find out what's going on and where she can go. At first, you flub it off as screenwriter convenience, but it's not until the twist that you find what's really going on.

Aja develops his trade, among others with revolving shots adding to the character's (and the audience's) sense of disorientation. And of course the majestuous images that the genre allows.

The movie lagged a bit towards the end, though I will give Aja credit for not relying too much on easy flashbacks.

Somewhere between 3 and 3.5 stars.

Otherkin 2022 ★★

Unremarkable short about a woman returning to her family, only to find a bit more than she bargained for.

The main horror here is the fear of the inevitable. The atmos does not get all too creepy, but the actors try their damndest.

Fun watch for people looking for atmost horror.

Otherkin 2022 ★★

Unremarkable short about a woman returning to her family, only to find a bit more than she bargained for.

The main horror here is the fear of the inevitable. The atmos does not get all too creepy, but the actors try their damndest.

Fun watch for people looking for atmost horror.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe 2016 ★★★★

We start at a crime scene where the body of a young woman is taken away. She ends up in a morgue where a young coroner (Emile Hirsch from Into the the wild and The girl next door) and his father (Brian Cox) have to find the COD. However, as the night progresses, they will find out that this is anything but an open and shut case.

It starts with more and more oddities popping up. Hang on, this is actually more interesting than I thought it would be. We then build up more and more atmopshere as the two coroners start gathering evidence, trying to find out what had happened to this Jane Doe. This is where the actors do a good job. Cox as the father, jocular with the girlfriend and concerned over the wellbeing of his son. Hirsch as the son, torn between his relationship, his personal ambitions and being the dutiful son doing his job. Of course, there has been a tragedy in the family and the two protagonists suffer a great loss. Not going to spoil the ending, but suffice it to say that it's not very sunny and cheerfull.

This one was pretty damn good. I liked how they set up the atmosphere or used the radio to their advantage. How all these small, daily life appliances can be turned against you and drive you crazy. The actors do a good job and one horror cliché I like seeing confirmed is how the fans look at human death – oh yeah! – and animal death – oh no :'-(

Four stars. Underrated gem and well worth checking out.

Luckiest Girl Alive 2022 ★★★½

From what I can tell and from what I have seen of Mila Kunis, this is probably (one of) the most emotionally complex role(s) in her career and she pulls it off very well. In a way, Ani challenges the tendency of (a part of) the audience to overfocus on wether or not and how much a protagonist is likable.

Ani is ambitious and wants to do what it takes to get to the top (even change her name), yet she is not blind not to the backstage nonsense. That makes for an interesting duality between desperately wanting to fit in and at the same time loathing the less nice things that come with it. You can hear her the whole time saying to herself: ugh, I hate this shit, I feel like a fraud. Now now, you got this chance, your mama is expecting stuff from you, don't let her (and yourself) down. Leaves you as a viewer wondering how much of this is nature and how much is nurture, which is a lot more interesting than finding a character you can just blindly like and agree with.

It's a bit, for lack a better word, rich to hear somebody clearly on her way to better things complain about things other people would give an arm and a leg for. And at the same time, it's a nice change of pace from The devil wears Prada-ish characters, the small town girl making it big and who's just so gosh darn happy to be there. As if reality is that simple.

And of course, there are the demons from the past lurking underneath the surface, causing her to lash out at not necessarily the best possible moments. All adding up to an interesting character arc, told in an entertaining way and at a good pace.

Also makes a nice duality between what we know of someone and the full picture. Like the character of Dean. Somebody who was a jerk at first and then, for lack of a better term, stumbled upon something that somehow gave him the chance to morph into a hero/nation sweetheart, yet not wiping out what is/was underneath that surface. Sure, the reveal with the tape recorder was predictable and the montage of the reactions came with some cheesy music. But why base judgment on one part when the bigger picture has a lot more to it?

All this together makes for an interesting drama/thriller that you can enjoy on more than one level. Well worth checking out.

Black Mirror: The National Anthem 2011 ★★★★

A very nice first introduction to Black mirror.

An interesting premise that leads to an edge of your seat thriller with a very tense build up to a turn your head away climax.

A princess is kidnapped and then the Prime Minister is coerced into having sex with a pig. How the kidnapping happened with the Fort Knox security that royals enjoy and the motives for the request are beyond me. That said, it does not deter from tension and your compassion with the PM. You're really shaking for the guy in the final minutes before the inevitable. Great performance by Rory Kinnear.

Looking forward to see the rest. Based on this first episode, this could become a modern version of Brian Clemens' Thriller. Just to say that it looks promising.

Ps: The fact that this came three of four years before David Cameron and Pig-gate adds a unique touch. The cliché about truth being stranger than fiction.

Amber Alert 2012 ★★★

I don't really understand the hatred that this film gets. Not saying this is briljant, but as far as found footage, this is actually kind of okay.

Michael and Samantha are believable as friends. You can understand why they go for it and even their arguing... the shouting match may be annoying, but you can see them having this argument as friends. Maybe it would help to have a bit of background (a throwaway line or two should be enough) to help understand Sam's emotional reaction (help us see where she is coming from), but that's nitpicking.

With a runtime of 70 minutes, this movie does not overstay its welcome. It is a bit of a slow burn and most of the tension is in the last ten, fifteen minutes. But that's par for the course for the subgenre.

"fuck the haters" is an annoying cliché and I can understand why some people don't like this one. But if you go in with an open mind, this might turn out to be a pleasant surprise and a nice addition to your FF collection.

The Sixth Sense 1999 ★★★★

Undoubtedly one of the better Shyamalans.

Upon this rewatch, some of the original thrill is of course gone. We all know what's coming and the proverbial cat is out of the bag.

The funny thing is, that the build up still stands. Of course you still see the hints now towards the inevitable. But one of his strengths is that Shyamalan, on a good day, can create an atmosphere of unheimlichkeit. And of course Bruce Willis in a, at the time, uncharacteristic role.

And the main scares – the ones the movie revolves around – still work.

The Dinner After 2021 ★★★★

Talk about an awkward dinner.

From the very start, you can feel the somewhat relatable awkwardness. You know what's handy about knowing people all your life? You get to know all of their buttons of how to push them. Or in this case, drive in the knife.

Even more so when this movie takes a hard left turn. Did not see that one coming. Turns out that mum and dad were not the only ones holding a grudge against Angela.

Recommended for fans of short films and people enjoying the feeling of unheimlichkeit.

Goodnight Darling 2021 ★★★

Mum went a bit overboard there.

Typical short. All build up to a jump scare and it pays off enough to warrant a third star.

Mercy Falls 2023 ★★½

In this Scottish 2023 release, a group of friends go into the woods to find a lost cabin. Though the term friends is used rather loosely here, judging from how quickly the group falls apart.

The cast is generic slasher fodder and the final girl is not all that captivating. In fact, from the very first moment, she is overshadowed by the villain, who has more charisma.

At least, we get some good kills from it and some of the tension moments do a good job.

Who would I recommend this to? Tubi fans? Fans of the Scottish accent?

Jackie Brown 1997 ★★★★

Back to the DVD collection for a rewatch.

For some reason, this one never stood out to me as much as, say, Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, but it is sort of growing on me with this rewatch.

The dynamic between Forster and Pam Grier, who makes for an amazing lead. Samuel L is always reliable. And holy shit, Chris Tucker is in this? Though I wonder what gave Quentin the idea to cast De Niro as the slow jailbird.

Tarantino himself of course remains a master of visual storytelling, showboating all the techniques that he masters and all the knowledge he absorbed throughout the years in video stores, turning himself the walking cinema encyclopedia that he currently is.

Damn good stuff.

Hatchet II 2010 ★★★★

I loved this one.

For one, it has all the genre lovies together for a big get together: Tony Todd, Kane Hodder, Danielle Harris, Tom Holland, Jon Carl Buechler... and, given the circumstances, they do a good job with the material.

Is that great writing or a baffling story? No. Danielle Harris' Marybeth escapes by the skin of her teeth, only to come back with a group of local bountyhunters who are in essence just there to be Hodder-fodder. And a sex scene that's appropriately stupid.

This is a love letter to gorehounds. If you're icky about blood and gore and can only stand the type of slasher where it's all stab wounds looking like paper cuts, then you better give this one a skip.

However, if you are looking for a heaping helping of splatter, then this is right up your alley. Each kill more ludicrous and awesome than the last. The special effects reaching Mortal Kombat levels in both these categories. Special mention for Doctor Zombie getting it the worst. Toasty!

The Night Flier, stephen king flick, 1997.

Finally saw this movie. It started off a little slow, but it picked up, and what a great ending! Kinda reminded me of an italian giallo in a way where it kills off people left and right and gives you that ending where the killer is revealed and something has to go down. ::devil::

Body Bags 1993.

John Carpenter, and Tobe Hooper directed and star in this movie, also apearances by Sam Raimi, and Wes Craven.

My introduction to Art the clown, Terrifier 2016, finally checked out this franchise, I enjoyed it for the most part, would be cool to have a Art Vs IT clown faceoff movie haha.

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor 7/10

I'm surprised neither Hammerfan or Bloof have revieved this already, but I guess they don't come around here anymore, since the site is so damn unstable.

Well,, for my part, this has been the best entry in the franchise so far. Both the actors, charaters and story worked better than the former. I'm not a fan of found footage, but bring on nr. 5.

Johnny Mad Dog 2008

No stars here, because it would be wrong to rate this in terms of entertainment value. Also because, as a straight forward film, it does not fit the custom definition of entertainment. There is not much plot to speak of: a young boy gets recruited as a child soldier and then goes on a rampage until the final scene where he gets some sort of cumuppance.

Can I judge the realism of this movie? No. It is probably a mix where some elements capture reality better than others do.

It is, however, a very raw and visceral piece of cinema. The seemingly chaotic plot line perfectly fits the way this ragtag gang of child soldiers goes about their business. Completely desensitized to the suffering that they are causing and keeping themselves in that zone with drugs and the type of army chants reminiscent of all the army movie classics.

For fans of raw cinema. Or fans of war films.


Maggie 2023 ★★★★

An old man living alone gets a visit from a nurse. In an atmosphere filled first half we build up tension with the nurse wanting to take the man to a home and him seemingly not wanting to say goodbye to his widow.

At the half point, Maggie turns into a pretty well made haunted house story with some solid jump scares. And even a bit of a callback with the line about how “it's never the same person twice” is not just an indictment of the health care system and what not.

Four stars. Well recommended.

The Night They Knocked 2019 ★★

Bland low budget home invasion flick with subpar acting, a John Wayne Gacy looking clown and little or no redeeming values.

Searchers 2023 ★★★★

When Alter does the atmosphere thing well, they do it really well.

The interview with the mother, the shot of the crow near the end,... it all feels like part of an episode of some supernatural investigation drama, like Millennium, The X-Files,...

And like a good concert, it leaves you wanting more.

Spiral: From the Book of Saw 2021 ★★

Chris Rock the comedian is great at what he does. Funny, incisive,... you name it. However...

His physique, his body language, his way of speaking,... they all feature a mix of brashness and cheekiness that work better for comedy (or voice acting) than they do for more serious drama. That's an extra hurdle he has to take, because it's so easy and tempting for the viewer to see the character and go “oh, that's just Chris Rock”. So as funny as the Gump bit is, it does not help you buy into his character Zeke.

The movie itself then.

It's about what you can expect from a SAW-sequel by now. Gory torture porn and speeches about why not-billy the puppet picks out this particular victim. The fact that this copycat – with an annoying voice nowhere near Billy's grunt – goes after cops might come across as criticism in an era of topics like defund the police. But I doubt that the Saw-sequels are capable of this level of subtlety.

This one does however continue the tradition of having mostly rather unlikable characters. The only two who do, well... one dies horribly, and the other... guess what? And the twist? I was expecting something else, but that did not make it less predictable.

Some people find this terrible, but I'm closer to meh. Second star for Samuel L Jackson and Marisol Nichols. And for the gore of course.

Black Mirror: Fifteen Million Merits 2011 ★★★½

The second episode of Black Mirrors does not grab you the same way as the first one did. Where the first one immediately grabs you by the neck, this one takes its time to set up the atmosphere and characters.

A Wall-E like dystopian world, except that, in this one, they stop people from getting fat. Also, apples are wrapped in plastic, because of course they are.

There's a lot to like about this story.

Wether it's the subdued performance by Daniel Kaluya (blimey, he's British?) or the obvious social commentary on things like peer pressure, social conformity or, on the other hand, the desire to stand out and succeed in places like the Got talent-ish contest . Desperately hoping to please a Simon Cowell-like snob, who in fact had more of a porn stache than the actual porn guy. Or the subplot with the “love intrest” being turned on its head. Making you wonder who is the hero and who is the jerk in this piece.

Not the most uplifting, but in retrospect great storytelling.

The Last Halloween 2013 ★★★

Makes you wish your house was "just" TP'ed.

Nightmare at Camp Bloodbath 2022 ★★★★

As a horror comedy, this one goes full on College Humor.

And it was a lot of fun.

We Forgot About The Zombies 2022 ★★★½

A fun little horror comedy that looks like a crossover between Braindead and a Robot Chicken sketch.

Little Bone Lodge 2023 ★★★★

Well recommended. Check it out. Spoilers below.

I love it when you go in with little expectations and then end up with the pleasant surprise of a hidden little gem.

Little bone lodge (aka The Last Exit) is promoted as a bit of a home invasion movie. But in fairness, that is by default in this story.

From the first scene with this “innocent” family, you get an intriguing sense that there is a lot more to them than meets the eye. With the arrival of the criminal, the script does a great job at creating this amazing “who should be afraid of who” atmosphere.

I have to say that both the writing and the actors make for a good rendition of the major plot points like the tension between Jake and Mama. Or the bittersweet moments when Mattie and Maisy/Jenny get to some bonding, before its ruined by the radio. Making it more frightening when he snaps. Or the scene with the cop aka the moment when things really go south and you start feeling what is really going on.

The ending where (nearly) everybody dies is expectable, but well told. In a twisted sense, everybody is happy (except for one) and we also get the possibility of a sequel.

Underworld: Evolution, never really got into this series so i watched this 2006 film. I liked the visuals alot they swayed towards that blue tint cgi style. Action fantasy horror film with werewolves, knights and lore (which I didnt really understand).

king kong, 2005, peter jacksons try at a remake, i loved the bug pit scene, as many others seem to have, those tape worm things gave that guy quite the shitty death.

From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money


Only seen the first one which I liked, so continuing the series, this one not quite as good, so I dont even know what to expect with the third...

Black Mirror: The Entire History of You 2011 ★★

Well, the first season of Black Mirror certainly had its share of talent: Rory Kinnear, Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Whittaker,... wonder who I'll see in the next series.

This one did not do all that much for me. Guessing this is about how unlimited access to all data can make you paranoid. I was not all that engaged in the cheating wife subplot, so the removal of the grain did not feel as cathartic for me. Though it did reinforce the whole atmosphere at social gathering, the feeling of having to be on guard, having to be on every single second of the day.

In The Weeds 2021 ★★½

This twenty minute short relies more on atmopshere and suggestion than on actual scares and gore. That's commendable, but in my opinion the cast did not get that across as much as hoped.

That being said, there are good things to this flick. The shot with the aroused old lady, suggested only through moving her feet, worked well and the film had an overall nice aesthetic. Particularly the shots on the bicycle reminded me of Licorice Pizza and Linklater films.

For people looking for mood horror and for mystery and suggestion.

Asking For A Friend 2019 ★★★

A decent horror comedy. Maybe not hilarious, but funny and good for a few laughs. The blood dripping from the ceiling is funnier than it sounds on paper. I also liked the vegetarian joke.

No need to reinvent the wheel, but a good way to spend a half hour.

Check it out when you have some time to kill.

Til Death Do Us Part 2023 ★½

It starts off well with a nice premise, but then... it devolves quickly into the kind of “horror” that gets that label to rake in some cash from people like me who let themselves be suckered in.

Like Dollar Store Negan, this movie quickly lost its steam and all that we have left is “witty” dialogue and an endless slew of martial arts fights.

Half a star extra for Claudia Van Damme, the badass bride. And, if he did not devolve into a POS, maybe a half star for Dollar Store Dinklage. Well... tiny half star.

Teeth 2015 ★★★

An amusing animated short on Alter about a man obsessed with his teeth.

It goes from weird to creepy to abusive in order to end with a bit of dark humor when he finally get his perfect teeth.

King of the Ants 2003 ★★★

A crime thriller that ventures a bit into horror at times.

Chris McKenna plays an antihero of sorts who gets in way over his head when he wants to make a quick buck doing a job for a crooked construction company chief. Daniel Baldwin with a nice slice of ham in his performance, though he can be scary at times (the bit with the golf club).

It was an enjoyable as a crime thriller. McKenna makes for an okay anti-hero and I liked seeing George Wendt again. Sure, the first shot of him (sipping a beer, of course) had me giddily going “Norm!”, but that quickly changed, morphing into a bit of maybe a generic thug, but I liked the way he portrayed that.

The romantic subplot with the widow provided a nice bit of fresh air, even though you could see the end of that (and everything else) coming from a mile away.

I like how Stuart Gordon ventured into different genres and what little gore was in this flick was right up his alley. Norm's decapitation and the shots of his headless body were done pretty well.

The Skeleton Key (2005), interesting little voodoo movie, not too bad, not too special,

Very true...My wife loves this, but I'm less than thrilled with it.

WILD WILD WEST (1999). I enjoyed the TV show when I was little and took my pre-Teen daughter to see WWW when it was released. I could not believe how bad this was...Actors I like (Will Smith, Kevin Kine, Kenneth Branagh nd Salma Hayek) and a director of one of my favorite from the 90's (GET SHORTY), pissed away by historical inaccuracies, an awful script and lots of "Ha-Ha" moments that were anything but.
I had a chance to watch it again and still awful. *

what lies beneath (2000)

one of those movies that I seemed to have passed by, I actually really liked it, Harrison Ford's character was very interesting.

House of Wax (2005)

I really couldn't stand the cast and characters, and how annoying they were which made me anxious to see them die faster, the movie took too long to get to the good stuff but once it did, it definitely had some good moments, nothing special, but I do like the wax style horror idea.

Caved In: Prehistoric Terror (2006)

weird little made for tv movie you'd probably see on the scifi channel, love me some giant insects, kill those annoying actors ::big grin::

next up on the viewing experience is Dark Parasite (2023)

Have you ever seen those snails that get infected with parasites that control their bodies? This is the human version of that. Crime, parasites, aliens, and some serious dragging on stitches this movie together. I liked all the moments where we see the alien and the damage it inflicts, but I dreaded all the acting and background story of the characters...


Day of The Dead (2008)

Doesnt feel like a remake of the original classic, but I guess it is....I prefer the original by a longshot.

Territory (2016)

Uk movie, as much as I was confused, I was equally intrigued by the skinned looking human like monster creatures (maybe aliens?).

Black Pumpkin (2018)

slasher with some interesting kills, but nothing special...lots of teens and kids trying to survive some weird midget sized killer, and honestly alot of the movie bored me. I liked the cover art.