Review: Mike P. Nelson’s ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’
“Nelson’s ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ redux is a masterclass in how to successfully reboot a franchise while paving a bloody path forward that is uniquely its own.”
Review: Kurtis David Harder’s ‘Influencers’
“‘Influencers’ does what all great horror sequels do: it ups the ante considerably, it increases the body count, the kills become much more elaborate and the writer-director organically deepens the already-established mythology.”
Twists, Turns, Frights and Some Personal Growth: ‘Goosebumps’ Still Rules at 10
“‘Goosebumps’ stands as further proof that there’s real demand for scary movies for kids…”
Review: Tina Romero’s ‘Queens of the Dead’
“‘Queens of the Dead’ is queer excellence in all its messy glory.”
Review: David Moreau’s ‘Other’
“‘Other’ may not be the sharpest or most original take on childhood abuse, but there’s more than enough to keep viewers invested until the devastating denouement — especially if you’re a parent.”
TV Review: ‘Alien: Earth’ (Season 1, Episode 8)
“The ‘Alien: Earth’ season 1 finale, ‘The Real Monsters,’ is a violent disruption in the franchise canon.”
Review: Justin Tipping’s ‘HIM’
“Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of ‘HIM’ is that Tipping is clearly a talented visual stylist, but his keen eye never quite helps the screenplay transcend various cliches.”
Review: Jimmy Warden’s ‘Borderline’
“Just like a Hollywood actor or actress who doesn’t quite know when to stop performing amongst family members and friends, ‘Borderline’ is frequently annoying yet always entertaining and unpredictable.”
TIFF 2025 Review: Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s ‘A Useful Ghost’
“As interesting as ‘A Useful Ghost’ is in concept, it’s a typical film by a talented debut artist and storyteller, one with a litany of ideas but no clear voice that brings them together.”
TV Review: ‘Alien: Earth’ (Season 1 – Episodes 3, 4 and 5)
“It appears that Hawley mapped ‘Alien: Earth’ methodically, though the FX on Hulu series often feels worlds apart from writer Dan O’ Bannon’s original source material.”
Review: Joe Begos’ ‘Jimmy and Stiggs’
“‘Jimmy and Stiggs’ is frenetic, metal AF and feels dangerous, which is something that’s sadly missing from a lot of modern horror movies.”
VV Double Review (2/2): Macon Blair’s ‘The Toxic Avenger’ (EIFF)
“‘The Toxic Avenger’ isn’t unpalatable to the mainstream, but it quickly becomes evident why the film was left on the shelf for a couple of years.”
VV Double Review (1/2): Macon Blair’s ‘The Toxic Avenger’
“Blair’s ‘The Toxic Avenger’ does what a great reboot should do — the film carves its own path, in every sense of the word, while paying homage to what came before and taking some big swings along the way.”
Review: Paul Etheredge’s ‘The Other’
“‘The Other’ is a massive technical achievement with some real heart, and Etheredge fortunately avoids bland metaphors about racism.”
Review: Morihito Inoue’s ‘Hotspring Sharkattack’
“There’s a madcap charm to ‘Hotspring Sharkattack,’ a real sense of DIY ingenuity and, crucially, fun, which makes the film impossible to resist.”
Review: Christopher Smith’s ‘Consecration’
“‘Consecration’ is a disjointed affair with sparks of interest scattered throughout that nonetheless ends up as a middling entry into the newly popular religious horror sub-genre.”
Review: Sean Byrne’s ‘Dangerous Animals’
“Byrne paces ‘Dangerous Animals’ perfectly, hitting all the scariest beats with the requisite care and attention to detail…”
Review: Mickey Keating’s ‘Invader’
“What sets ‘Invader’ apart from more conventional stalker horror films is its feverish aesthetic that owes more to the manic energy of 1970s and 80s exploitation cinema than modern genre trends.”
Review: Zeshaan Younus’ ‘The Buildout’
“With a brisk running time of approximately 64 minutes, ‘The Buildout’ showcases a storyteller in harmony with a specific cinematic vision about life, death, trauma and healing through friendship.”
Review: Cody Kennedy and Tim Rutherford’s ‘The Last Video Store’
“‘The Last Video Store’ is a nostalgic horror production that talks the talk and walks the walk.”