“Considering that religious fundamentalists continue to persecute gay people, it’s shortsighted to present a story like ‘The Last Thing Mary Saw’ with such little concern for the current real-life ramifications of being queer.”
“‘Scream’ conjures up a fast-moving, razor-sharp, viciously violent and sufficiently surprising modern slasher of which Craven himself would be proud.”
“‘Orange County’ is inarguably a product of its time, but the movie is also timeless in its exploration of how writing requires us to look inward as well as outward — and be just as merciless in the process.”
Vague Visages’ Joey Keogh and filmmaker Malcolm Ingram discuss the 2021 Kevin Smith documentary ‘Clerk.’
“The biggest takeaway from ‘Clerk,’ aside from the fact that the terrific Joey Lauren Adams should’ve had a bigger career, is that nobody is more surprised by Smith’s success than the man himself.”
“‘The Addams Family’ is a beacon of hope for weird kids everywhere, since Wednesday and Pugsley are never forced to change who they are to fit in, nor do they care what anyone thinks.”
“Tebo’s low-stakes take on holiday horror is a lot like Christmas candy; ‘Black Friday’ hits the spot, but you might be left craving something slightly more substantial soon afterwards.”
“‘Martha Marcy May Marlene’ opines that it’s sometimes better to give up trying to fix somebody, rather than forcing them into a breakdown, particularly in instances when the source of their trauma isn’t completely clear.”
“‘Halloween Kills’ may not be to everybody’s tastes, but there’s a reason for that ‘kills’ in the title, beyond attention-grabbing marketing. The word refers not just to Michael himself but the rot at the core of Haddonfield…”
“‘Red State’ boasts a starry cast, but Smith’s story is ruthlessly contained, captured with a grainy texture, and presented like a true no-budget indie horror, with bursts of shocking violence punctuating the tense atmosphere.”
“At 100 minutes, ‘Bad Candy’ should be the ideal length for an anthology, but it feels equally overlong and rushed. The tone is also disconcertingly serious for such lowbrow material.”
“‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back’ is joyful and silly, colorful and wacky, with a surprisingly sweet core — broken down to its basest form, this is a film about friendship and, at a push, the importance of owning your IP.”
“Between ‘Rare Beasts’ and Alice Lowe’s brilliant ‘Prevenge,’ there might be a burgeoning market for pregnancy-themed horror movies.”
Joey Keogh Interviews ‘Lucky’ Director Natasha Kermani
“‘Werewolves Within’ has a puckish charm that’s difficult to resist. In spite of everything working against it, Ruben’s movie is eminently watchable thanks in large part to the brilliant cast, led confidently by Richardson.”
Joey Keogh on the 20th Anniversary of ‘The Fast and the Furious’
“Beautifully shot, wildly inventive and devilishly unpredictable – and with a swooning, dead-cool soundtrack to match – ‘Sexy Beast’ is well worth celebrating on its 20th anniversary.”
“‘Censor’ is an attention-grabbing debut whose true impact will likely only be felt with each subsequent viewing as the inner workings of the film’s darkest moments become clearer. Absolutely essential.”
“Deeply unsettling and profoundly frightening, ‘Caveat’ is a remarkably assured debut for Mc Carthy and a real showcase for the talents of its small cast, particularly French as the tortured protagonist.”
“Everything about ‘Seance’ is loudly, proudly feminine and female focused… if one didn’t know this was Barrett’s work, it could easily be mistaken for that of a female filmmaker, which is no small feat.”
