Reviews

Reviews, anecdotes, and the like related to Halloween, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, or the bizarre.

[Reviews]

I Love Creepshow

The title really says it all, but I’ll elaborate. I must have been 11 or 12 when I first watched Creepshow. My grandmother had rented some scary movies for me in early October of that year and most of them were classics I’d seen before. One film in that stack though was new to me,

[Reviews]

A Taste of Texas Part 2

Terror in the Aisles. That was the film which pushed my obsession with Texas Chainsaw Massacre into a full-blown case of fanaticism. Released in 1984, Terror in the Aisles was a horror documentary of sorts. Donald Pleasence and Nancy Allen took audiences on a tour of the best parts of horror movies, all while talking

[Reviews]

A Taste of Texas Part 1

When asked about my favorite films, one always comes to mind. I feel it changed American cinema, and it definitely influenced my horror writing. That film is none other than the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (using the more common spelling of the title). It is a movie I can watch multiple times and find something

[Reviews]

Cujo

As a novel, Cujo works. There is some clutter to it, sure, but overall it keeps the tension ratcheted very high and has a satisfying end. For a story that is essentially about a woman and a child trapped in a car it sure packs a punch. Even the film did a fine job, getting

[Reviews]

Burial Ground

Burial Ground (1981) could not get more Italian if it tried. I recently revisited the film by watching Severin’s remastered Blu-ray of the classic, and it is exactly how I remember, though it looks far better than it did on the VHS tape I originally watched it on decades ago. If you have not seen

[Horror, But Not Horror]

Horror, But Not Horror: More Red Dead Redemption II

Part I | Part II of spooky stuff found in Red Dead Redemption II Wow. I really had no idea. In part I of my exploration of all things creepy in the world of Red Dead Redemption II, I had already beaten the game and done a ton of exploring and mystery-solving, but I had

[Reviews]

Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Franchises

When I mentioned to my girlfriend that I needed to think of something to write about for this week’s column, she immediately suggested Child’s Play because it was timely. My reaction to her suggestion was lukewarm. I had not seen the remake yet, so what could I say? I started to tell her my feelings

[Reviews]

Argento

If you want to throw someone into a nightmare, and they don’t love horror (or only like the Saw series), show them a film from Dario Argento. Anyone who is a fan has a favorite. Many like Suspiria (1977). Great film, but not my favorite. The one that I think works best is one a

[Reviews]

Halloween Hate

It is a movie title that inspires near instant anger when it is mentioned. Purists tear it down every chance they can get. Few will say it is actually a good movie. There are some out there, however, who understand that it is not only a good film, but actually a very creative and original

[Reviews]

Layers of Fear 2 is a Haunted House Simulator

I love, love, LOVED the first Layers of Fear game. Like the first game, Layers of Fear 2 is essentially what people would refer to as a “walking simulator.” However, I feel like the developers have basically created their own sub-genre, a “haunted house simulator.” At least, that is the very best possible way to