What I Watched in July 2026

For some reason EVIL DEAD BURN (2026) has divided the franchise’s fanbase. Before I could see the film I was already aware that it featured a fractured family at its core leading to a lot of negative online commentary about this element of the story. I immediately smelled idiocy as the previous film EVIL DEAD RISE (2023) featured a troubled family as the central focus of its narrative. The claim that family dynamics are suddenly being injected into the Evil Dead world is the kind of silly nonsense that the need for internet ‘content’ generates in an attempt to provide clicks. It marks itself as ‘bot crap and anyone influenced by it should be thinking for themselves. But enough about politics.

  

I was unaware of actress Souheila Yacoub’s work even though she is featured in the recent DUNE sequel. She nearly carries EVIL DEAD BURN on her shoulders suffering mental and especially emotional indignities that put most classic final girls to shame. I’d be happy to see her continue in the series as the character she plays here. The film seems to pride itself on a return to the vicious violence and emotional degradation I associated more with the first film in the series than with the more over the top gushers of blood the first two sequels presented. This (re)turn to harrowing, visceral bodily destruction seems to have been a shock to some viewers. I found it much in keeping with the series’ recent tone and enjoyed the unpredictability of the manner and type of physical cruelty dished out by the Deadites this time around.

 

In the final analysis I think I slightly prefer EVIL DEAD RISE but only because I love the siege style story it leans on and the claustrophobic feel of DEMONS 2 (1986) it evokes. I’m enjoying the continuing series with new creators taking fresh shots at the concept. Bring on the next entry!

The List

THE BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL (2020) – 7 (Irish bloodsucker tale)

REFLECTIONS IN BLACK (1975) – 7 (giallo)

ZARDOZ (1974) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

TOY STORY 5 (2026) – 7 

THE SINFUL NUNS OF ST VALENTINE (1974) – 6 (rewatch)

KING SOLOMAN’S MINES (1950) – 7 

EVIL DEAD BURN (2026) – 8 

REVENGE (1986) – 4 (low budget sequel to Blood Cult)

ROAD HOUSE (2024) – 7 (rewatch)

SUPERGIRL (2026) – 8 

METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED SYN (1983) – 3 (well – I watched it)

CALL IT MURDER (1934) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (cinematic play adaptation)

THE ODESSEY (2026) – 8 

HUNTERS OF THE GOLDEN COBRA (1982) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

SCENE OF THE CRIME (1949) – 7 (rewatch) (sharp film noir)

IVANHOE, THE NORMAN SWORDSMAN (1971) – 5 (odd combination of Robin Hood and the sword in the stone myth)

MOTOR CITY (2026) – 8 (pure action cinema)

PHANTOM OF DEATH (1988) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BIRTHDAY (2004) – 4 (interesting idea but it needed a rewrite and major trims) 

What I Watched in May 2026

Damian McCarthy’s most recent film HOKUM (2026) is an excellent supernatural tale and as a follow up to ODDITY (2024) seems the perfect continuation of themes that he is addressing through horror. Both films use grief as the catalyst for actions taken by the main characters. In each story this grief leads to violence but in HOKUM the focus is not on revenge but on how grief can stunt the ability to move forward, twisting emotions into their darkest forms.

 

In the film successful author Ohm Bauman is dealing with writer’s block and decides to take his parent’s ashes to Ireland to spread them in a place they loved. Adam Scott’s phenomenal lead performance brings a cynical, layered desperation to the film that allows for shifts in tone a few times. When we get to know the character in the first act he is an offensive, unlikeable bastard with a pitch-black worldview. We are shown a visualization of the story he is currently working on and its darkness is clearly born of deep misanthropy. We follow him into the second act because the mysterious old inn with its tale of a haunted honeymoon suite is fascinating, not because we find him appealing. The folklore of the place and the odd individuals working there are interesting enough to keep us watching even as we have doubts about our main character’s personality. Slowly we become aware of his feelings of grief which mitigate some of the harsher judgements we are tempted to ascribe to him but we’re then distracted by odd occurrences with his place as an avatar for our curiosity  sufficient to stay engaged. Then the corpse shows up and all bets are off! Luckily, as the story unspools, we learn more about Ohm’s tragic history with his parents making him less of a jerk while never completely softening him. This is a smart, gorgeously photographed tale of the evil that we are capable of laced with enough hope to make its ending satisfying. I eagerly await McCarthy’s next film. 

 The List

SPECTERS (1987) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

HOKUM (2026) – 8

 

MOONLIGHT SWORD & JADE LION (1977) – 6 (Angela Mao searches for her master’s brother)

HELL HAS NO BOUNDARIES (1982) – 7 (well played Hong Kong horror)

ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (2023) – 9 (excellent documentary)

DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID (1982) – 7 (should have watched this years ago)

DJANGO STRIKES AGAIN (1987) – 7 (rewatch)

THE SHEEP DETECTIVES (2026) – 8 (heartwarming, funny and a good mystery as well)

MALOMBRA (1984) – 5 (dull Spanish softcore gothic)

ANTIVIRAL (2012) – 8 (Brandon Cronenberg’s futuristic thriller)

IN THE GREY (2026) – 7 (another well made action film from Guy Ritchie) 

OBSESSION (2026) – 8 (disturbing analogy for mental illness in romantic relationships)

THE SNOW WOMAN (1968) – 8 (excellent Japanese supernatural tale)

THE SLIME PEOPLE (1963) – 3 (rewatch on Blu) 

MALOMBRA (1942) – 8 (Italian gothic novel adaptation)

THE CRAWLING HAND (1963) – 4 (rewatch on Blu)

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU (2026) – 7

 

TEX AND THE LORD OF THE DEEP (1985) – 5 (fumetti adaptation that should be better)

What I Watched in March 2026

Kirill Sokolov’s THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026) is a hyper-stylized, violent rocket ride that prioritizes gory spectacle and shock reveals over all other considerations. This highly entertaining film feels like a feverish mix of KILL BILL and EVIL DEAD II set within a New York City high-rise hotel that feels like the setting of BARTON FINK. The director leans heavily into his cinematic influences utilizing rapid smash zooms, chapter titles, and over the top physics-defying action sequences. It feels like a mad action nightmare experienced after a movie marathon programmed to push heart rates high and make logical thought impossible. This film is derivative but it feels like a creative, slightly comedic variation on a theme rather than a pale copy of better work. Star Zazie Beetz commands the screen like she was born to play the role of the revenge seeking badass hunting her missing sister. I hope she is given more big screen chances to dazzle larger audiences but I suspect her performance here will become the stuff that inspires future potential action movie stars. This is a fun, popcorn action effort with grotesque horror elements and sometimes that is exactly what I want. 

The List

SCREAM 7 – 7 (another whodunnit that entertained me)

ATTACK OF THE ROBOTS (1966) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BRIDE! (2026) – 8

COBRA MISSION (1986) – 5 (ridiculous Uncommon Valor rip-off)

JUNGLE RAIDERS (1985) – 6 (slightly silly Indiana Jones rip from Margheriti)

CREEPAZOIDS (1987) – 3 (awful low budget ALIEN/THING rip)

LOVE CAMP (1977) – 4 (Jess Franco jungle brothel plod packed with nudity)

DANGER ON THE AIR (1938) – 6 (Crime Club mystery is entertaining)

READY OR NOT HERE I COME (2026) – 7 (sequel gets a little dark before the end but is still solid)

HAUNTEDWEEN (1991) – 4 (terrible horror film made in Bowling Green, KY)

THE WESTLAND CASE (1937) – 7 (first Crime Club film is quite good)

THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026) – 7

ISLAND OF THE DOOMED (1967) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

PROJECT HAIL MARY (2026) – 9 

 

What I Watched in January 2026

I loved 28 YEARS LATER (2025) finding it to be a brilliant revitalization of the film series. In fact, it felt like a story that almost needed a couple of decades to feel relevant in our zombie saturated media world. If you leave it up to scriptwriter Alex Garland to come up with a scenario and characters chances are good that he will bring something of quality to the screen. Director Danny Boyle seems to have enjoyed returning to this post-apocalyptic world and he keeps the energy high while prolonging the mysteries at the core of the drama.

With THE BONE TEMPLE Boyle has turned things over to the very talented Nia DaCosta who is slowly becoming someone I wish would just make nothing but horror films. Her CANDYMAN sequel from a couple of years ago and now this excellent series shifting entry show her as a surehanded director capable of working very well in other creator’s playgrounds.

This film picks up right after the end of the previous movie returning us to the tale of young Spike who learns to regret his decision to live on the mainland since Britain remains long abandoned by the outside world with the infected still roaming in packs. Quickly Spike is absorbed into the roaming violent group we saw in the final scene of the 2025 film and forced to kill to survive. The group is under the leadership of a mad Satanist named Lord Jimmy who sees the changed world as fodder for his Lord and Master’s cruel vision of correcting humanity. The group views the infected as demons loosed upon the world to inflicted punishment.

Meanwhile Dr. Kelson (a brilliant Ralph Fiennes) has found that his morphine-based sedative allows him to calm the monstrous rage virus infected ‘Samson’ to the point of establishing a relationship. This development gives us a glimpse inside the creature’s mind and a possible path to a cure. But when Jimmy’s group discovers Kelson among his human bone monument and speaking to Samson they think they have found Old Nick himself.

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE is as viscerally violent and dread inducing as fans of the series might expect but it is more emotional than even the 2025 movie. It expands the series’ universe in a thoughtful, unsettling way that has the potential to bring the entire story to an impressive end. If you are expecting relentless sprinting infected and nonstop carnage this may feel subdued. But for those interested in how horror evolves over time this film offers a chilling, contemplative chapter in a franchise that still understands how to disturb. With any luck we will get the promised third film in this tale so writer Garland can show us his conclusion.

 

The List

SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967) – 5 (Korean kaiju silliness)

STAGE FRIGHT (1987) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

QUENTIN DURWARD (1955) – 8 (widescreen period adventure)

WE BURY THE DEAD (2025) – 7 

DOCTOR WHO & THE DALEKS (1965) – 7 (rewatch on 4K)

BEATRIZ (1976) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

VENOMOUS (2001) – 4 (starts out well….) 

VHS: HALLOWEEN (2025) – 5 (some good moments but too much doesn’t work)

PRIMATE (2025) – 7 (obvious but effective thriller)

THE MAD EXECUTIONER (1963) – 7 (excellent krimi)

MISS V FROM MOSCOW (1942) – 4 (WWII propaganda from RPC)

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE (2026) – 9 

THE ROAD TO SINGAPORE (1931) – 6 (well-made William Powell pre-code drama)

STATION-SIX SAHARA (1963) – 7 (tense drama with Carroll Baker)

SO YOUNG, SO LOVELY, SO VICIOUS… (1975) – 6 (sexy drama that gets more serious as it goes along)

SHADOW OF FEAR (1974) – 7 (solid TV mystery movie)

THE GIRLS OF THE GOLDEN SALOON (1975) – 2 (terrible Euro-western packed with nudity)

THE DEADLY GAME (1965) – 6 (anthology espionage film) (a.k.a The Secret Agent)

HEAT LIGHTNING (1934) – 7 (great little drama at a desert gas station)

KNIVES OF THE AVENGER (1965) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE INVASION OF CAROL ENDERS (1974) – 6 (TV movie with a supernatural side)

What I Watched in November 2025

I’m aware that KEEPER (2025) is not a film that is built to appeal to a mass audience. It is slowly paced and hides its true genre for as long as possible before the horror of the events onscreen is revealed and explained. I’ll tread carefully since I think it is best to see this tight thriller with as little foreknowledge as can be managed. The central performance by Tatiana Maslany is brilliant and the entire film hinges on her skills as an actress. I expect her to be this good because of my introduction to her broad talent on the television show Orphan Black years ago. She shoulders the narrative perfectly as both our view inside this anniversary weekend in the woods with her boyfriend and the creeping dread of what begins to happen inside the cabin. Maslany’s ability to convey dozens of shades of emotion and intelligently give voice to subtle concerns elevate her performance into something award worthy. Sadly, director Osgood Perkins seems to be one of the few creators out there that recognizes her range and employs her accordingly. She is a rarely tapped resource that the entertainment field would be smart to cast more frequently.

 

As stated, I will not spoil the shocks the film deploys but I have to say that I find the final images to be some of the most satisfying of any horror film of recent vintage. KEEPER wasn’t made for a large audience but it is a deeply effecting tale for those who find its wavelength. 

The List 

THE YEAR OF THE CANNIBALS (1969) – 7 

THE SEVENTH VICTIM (1943) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

BUGONIA (2025) – 9 

PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025) – 8 

A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (2025) – 8

BRONSON (2008) – 7 

BLACK BELLY OF THE TARANTULA (1971) – 6 (rewatch)

MORBO (1971) – 7 

THE RUNNING MAN (2025) – 7 (good but not great)

KEEPER (2025) – 8 (exceptional slow burn horror) 

KLEINHOFF HOTEL (1977) – 7 (erotic drama with Corinne Clery)

SISU (2022) – 7 

MURDER IS MY BEAT (1955) – 6 (classic hard-boiled noir)

FRANKENSTEIN (2025) Poster Art

 

What I Watched in August 2025

The small town in which WEAPONS (2025) takes place seems easily recognizable as a typical American place. The streets, buildings and people all seem exactly like what we see every day from our front yards or sitting next to us in traffic. So, when the majority of a classroom of students disappears one night the panicked reactions and insane accusations slung about seem typically American as well. I’m old enough to remember the Satanic Panic of the 1980’s in this country when madder and madder ideas of hidden child abducting cults grabbing vulnerable kids off the streets became a cartoonish obsession. This film’s small town, confronted with missing children, turns on the teacher and the school lashing out ignorantly but in exactly the ways expected. Frustrated fear becomes anger directed at any target available and lives are ruined accordingly. In this case, some of the parent’s darkest fears are reality but the danger stems from a nesting evil that presents in a disarming fashion. The film is a brilliantly done, chilling look at dangers from within and how dark actions are always waiting for the right trigger. I can even see it making a sly commentary on the older generation leeching the youth to extend its own reach.

 

Weeks after seeing WEAPONS I can still not shake images from it. The Ring doorbell camera footage of children running away from home into the night; the look of anger on Josh Brolin’s face as he wrestles with the mystery; the shadow creeping up behind a sleeping Julia Garner to snip a lock of hair; the flashlight illuminated basement that holds some of the answers. Rarely has a modern horror film drawn me into its story so effectively and haunted my thoughts for so long after I left the theater. Writer/director Zach Cregger knows how to work his way under our skins and presents a vision of America trying to fight off evil it can’t understand. How very modern. 

The List

MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (1944) – 6 (rewatch) 

QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC (1981) – 7 (Indonesian supernatural classic)

OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE (2023) – 8 (fun Guy Ritchie espionage)

THE WALKING DEAD (1936) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

ELI (2019) – 7 (that took an interesting turn) 

SWEATER GIRL (1942) – 6 (murder mystery musical) 

THE MONKEY (2025) – 9 

REDNECK MILLER (1976) – 6 (small regionally-made crime film)

WEAPONS (2025) – 9 

HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS (2022) – 8 (hilarious live-action cartoon)

ZENABEL (1969) – 4 (dull period soft-core comedy)

OPUS (2025) – 8 

ALLEY CAT (1984) – 4 (sloppy, low-budget revenge film)

GRAVEYARD DISTURBANCE (1987) – 7 (Lamberto Bava horror) 

LONGLEGS (2024) – 8 (rewatch)

THE MONKEY (2025) – 8 (rewatch)

MORBUS (1983) – 3 (Spanish mess with zombies, nudity galore and Victor Isreal!) 

DEATH OF A UNICORN (2025) – 5 (waste of a great cast) 

RELAY (2025) – 7 (well done thriller) 

ZORRO IN THE COURT OF ENGLAND (1969) – 6 (solid adventure - could have used more action)

THE OGRE (1989) – 6 (Lamberto Bava horror) (rewatch on Blu)

LUZ (2018) – 6 (interesting take on possession and desire) 

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

What I Watched in July 2025

EDDINGTON (2025) is Ari Aster’s latest movie and, after weeks of thought, I consider it brilliant. And I feel sure that the best way to describe it is as a movie about a data center being built in New Mexico. Seriously. That is the underlying element of the story that is the catalyst for all the madness that unfolds. The 2020 Covid lockdown pushes things to the breaking point and creates the tensions that erupt into violence but the corporate goal of using the town’s water supply wins out. All the human interactions, failed dreams and dark deeds are merely the details that allow the wealthy to get what they want while the deluded poor are discarded or destroyed. It’s a cruel world and this film is a harsh mirror showing our petty concerns being manipulated to distract from the truly important things. Welcome to 2025. 

The List

MEGAN 2.0 (2025) – 8 

THE DRACULA SAGA (1973) – 7 (rewatch)

ZORRO AND THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1963) – 7 

BODY PUZZLE (1992) – 7 (rewatch)

SPIRAL (1998) – 6 (takes the Ring story in an odd direction)

ASH (2025) – 7 (fascinating sci-fi horror)

WRATH OF MAN (2021) – 8 (rewatch)

SECRET OF THE CHATEAU (1934) – 6 (old dark house murder mystery)

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN (2025) – 6 

SUPERMAN (2025) – 8 

EYES BEHIND THE WALL (1977) – 6 (interesting drama about voyeurism with John Phillip Law) 

THE STRANGLER OF BLACKMOOR CASTLE (1963) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE DEAD DON’T DIE (1975) – 5 (TV movie penned by Robert Bloch needs a restoration)

EDDINGTON (2025) – 7 

SUPERMAN (2025) – 8 (rewatch)

ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1959) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

MURDER IN THE BLUE ROOM (1944) – 6 

THE LAST MAN TO HANG (1956) – 6 (interesting British courtroom drama) 

FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (2025) – 8 

LORD EDGEWARE DIES (1933) – 6 (Poirot adaptation) 

SWITCHBLADE SISTERS (1975) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

What I Watched in June 2025

28 YEARS LATER (2025) is one of the best films I've seen all year. In many ways it was an unexpected surprise. I did not expect this mostly forgotten series to suddenly spring back to life with possibly its best entry so far and I did not expect the story to be so emotional or touching. I did expect the violence and action which was very well handled in all cases. And I certainly did not expect that bizarre final scene setting up another film. But I'm onboard after this one! Bring it on. 

The List

BRING HER BACK (2025) – 8 

BARBARA (1970) – 5 (interesting if meandering coming-of-age, sex drama)

UNKNOWN WORLD (1951) – 5 (rewatch)

PREDATOR: KILLER OF KILLERS (2025) – 8 

THE PHOENCIAN SCHEME (2025) – 8 

MOUNTAINHEAD (2025) – 7 (dark comedy about tech billionaire scum) 

TERROR OF THE BLACK MASK (a.k.a. The Invincible Masked Rider) (1963) – 8 (rewatch)

BALLERINA (2025) – 7 

ROGUE ONE (2016) – 8 (rewatch after ANDOR)

THE NIGHT THE WORLD EXPLODED (1957) – 6 (small sci-fi disaster tale)

THE UNDERWATER CITY (1962) – 6 (interesting science fiction story)

THE VISITOR (1979) – 5 (rewatch) (so aggressively strange) 

THE UGLY STEPSISTER (2025) – 9 

NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST (1958) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE CURSE OF THE YELLOW SNAKE (1963) – 7 (excellent krimi)

FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES (2025) – 7 

28 YEARS LATER (2025) – 9 

TALK TO ME (2022) – 8 (rewatch)

A FAMILY AFFAIR (1937) – 7 (first Andy Hardy film)

STRAIGHT-JACKET (1964) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

ASH (2025)

The new science fiction/horror/monster film ASH (2025) is a piece of throwback cinema that I truly enjoyed. It made me think repeatedly of not just the films that it's obviously referencing, but the rip-off films produced by Roger Corman in the decade after the earlier films that it is copying. It helps that the films being re-worked are some of my favorites of all time, notably ALIEN (1979) and John Carpenter's THE THING (1982). As a matter of fact, there are shots within ASH that are clever recreations of specific shots from those two movies. But, as stated, it was not those films that I was constantly thinking of while watching this new one. I was primarily thinking of those Corman produced B-movie rip-offs. The low budget efforts that kept being churned out for a solid 15 years (or even longer) after the box office success of ALIEN were a staple of video shelves throughout my teenage years. It feels like the people behind this movie was right there beside me, hunting for the next gooey sci-fi monster epic. Indeed, ALIEN is such a touchstone film for ASH that it almost feels as if it could exist in a slightly different variation of the same future just perhaps further down the timeline, when things had deteriorated in a different, non-corporate way.  

Like the 1979 classic, our main character Riya is a strong female with the surprise here being that she doesn’t know her own identity when we're introduced to her. She has temporary amnesia brought on by an attack that has damaged her planetary station and killed her crewmates. As the film unfolds she discovers what has happened and I was relieved that the obvious, telegraphed revelation of her involvement was not held until the third act but folded into the narrative much sooner. What happened to the rest of her crew and exactly what she's going to have to do for her mission to succeed and simply survive is the tale we are being told.

Riya, played by Eiza Gonzalez and the surviving crewmen played by Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul try to piece together what happened and what they can do to complete their rather important mission of determining if this planet is a candidate for colonization. It seems that in this future Earth is desperate for new settlement planets because the ecological system of our home world has deteriorated to the point that if we don't get off world, the human race might not survive. This scenario sets up a very good motivation for the character's actions and it puts us on their side. But success is going to be difficult as the aforementioned monster alien things seem to have other ideas.

There are many things to praise about ASH. This film is beautifully, at times artfully shot with images bathed in reds and purples. There's a dynamic visual style that belies the probably very low budget. The movie always looks good and it chooses when to use practical effects and when to use CGI effectively. Luckily, the two main actors are very good together and they often carry this story forward as a team effort. The script is not much more impressive than my beloved Corman produced rip-offs from decades gone by, but the direction is solid. The cinematography is also very good and the believability and staging of the action sequences is on point as well. I guess part of that is that down to the actor doing the most martial arts activity was also the star of amazing Indonesian films THE RAID (2012) and its sequel.  

The movie also has a dose of cosmic horror introduced within the narrative that I appreciated. I'll not spoil anything, but I was impressed with the way in which the amnesia problems and the discoveries on this alien world dovetail together in a way to bring some good chills along with the wonder of the special effects on display. ASH isn't a great film, but it is a very good b-movie. And it's one that I'll probably return to in years to come for the same reason that I sometimes go back to some of those some of those Corman produced rip-offs like THE TERROR WITHIN (1989) or GALAXY OF TERROR (1981) - because they're fun! Those movies know what they're doing and there are no pretensions involved. The beauty of a film like this is that it's assuming its audience is aware of its references, and it's just wanting us to enjoy this variation on a much-treasured theme. 

 

What I Watched in April 2025

I can understand why some would feel put off by David Cronenberg’s films over the past two decades. If the thing that drew you to his earlier work were the outrageous visions of horror from exploding heads, mutant vampiric appendages and full body insect metamorphosis then his work in this late period of his career is puzzling. These days the director seems less interested in straightforward formal narratives with his odd, obsessive musings hanging from the story like bits of transparent flesh. In the 21st century Cronenberg has seemed to dig into a style that was always there, but used more as setting than mood. His films have always had a dreamlike vibe that would occasionally push the story forward in an unnatural way, making the viewer unsure if what was being seen was ‘real’ or imagined within the character’s lives. With THE SHROUDS (2025) he seems to be taking that obsession to a new level. I’ll not spoil the film but it seems that the writer/director throws a half a dozen fine ideas at his doppelganger main character (has any actor looked more like his director than here?) only to discard them because they were mere distractions from the story’s real journey and purpose. All the complications about technological conspiracies, sexual betrayals, marital trust and the reverence we owe to the dead are fascinating but are details ‘shrouding’ the important truth of the movie. THE SHROUDS is about the horrors of dealing with bone-deep grief and its final image gives an indicator of Cronenberg’s personal solution to this universal problem. His darkly humorous way of coping is not for everyone, but then neither is this fine film. I suspect it will be found by the people that need to see it as time goes by.

 

As an aside – I think a screening of THE BROOD with this movie would be instructive. 

THE LIST

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD (2025) – 7

 

FRANKENSTEIN’S BLOODY TERROR (1968) - 7 (rewatch of the shorter 3D version)

THE CROSS OF THE DEVIL (1975) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

 

CRIES & SHADOWS (1975) – 5 (silly, sloppy Exorcist rip-off but I kind of liked it)

 

SATANICO PANDIMONIUM (1975) – 4 (Mexican nun tale)

THE SECRET MARK OF D’ARTAGNAN (1962) – 7

 

FROM BEYOND (1986) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

STRANGE DARLING (2024) – 9 (rewatch on Blu)

WOMEN OF DEVIL’S ISLAND (1962) – 7 (rewatch)

NIGHT OF THE BLOODY APES (1969) – 5 (women wrestlers and mad science)

 

SINNERS (2025) – 9 (brilliant period vampire tale)

THE CASE OF THE LUCKY LEGS (1935) – 7 (fast, funny Perry Mason mystery)

THE SHROUDS (2025) – 8 (Cronenberg’s latest is a meditation on grief)

 

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 (2025) – 8

 

THE RULE OF JENNY PEN (2024) – 7 (excellent cast in an elder horror tale)

 

DEAD MAN’S EYES (1944) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

PSYCHO GIRLS (1986) – 5 (amateurish Canadian horror with some good dialog)

 

What I Watched in February 2025

I simply don't have the time to write up what I'd like to about COMPANION (2025). I'm swamped with far too much work while also trying to complete researching and recording four commentary tracks. Why does everything have to happen during tax season? I'll just recommend seeing it and express my wish that I hadn't known the first twist the film takes because the trailer gives it away. 

The List

JUROR NO. 2 (2024) – 7 (solid courtroom drama)

 

THE CLIMAX (1944) – 5 (rewatch on Blu)

AIR HAWKS (1935) – 6 (a little bit of everything!)

COMPANION (2025) – 8

 

THE EXECUTIONER II: KARATE INFERNO (1974) – 7 (Chiba’s back!)

 

CAPTAIN KRONOS: VAMPIRE HUNTER (1972) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

 

GOD’S LEFT HAND, DEVIL’S RIGHT HAND (2006) – 5 (flat Japanese manga adaptation)

 

DICK TRACY (1945) – 7

 

DICK TRACY VS CUEBALL (1946) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

HEART EYES (2025) – 7

 

ZORRO THE AVENGER (1962) – 7 (fun Spanish adventure)

 

SOLOMAN KANE (2009) – 8 (rewatch)

 

TIGER OF THE SEVEN SEAS (1962) – 7 (rewatch)

SUDAN (1945) – 7 (colorful period Egyptian adventure)

 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD (2025) - 8

 

THE VOURDULAK (2024) – 7 (French adaptation of the Tolstoy tale)

 

TWO WITCHES (2021) – 4 (an ineffectual mess)

TRIPLE FRONTIER (2019) – 7 (NetFlix crime/action film with strong cast)

 

ISLAND OF DOOMED MEN (1940) – 7 (Peter Lorre as an evil prison owner/slaver)

ALIEN 2: ON EARTH (1980) – 3 (rewatch on Blu) 

 

What I Watched in January 2025

I love it when a horror film is able to hide what it is doing from me long enough for me to start to be concerned that it doesn’t have an actual destination. Such is CUCKOO (2024) which bends its narrative into something I could not predict from the first half of the story. This might be off-putting for some but I found it an intriguing change of pace. The film begins with an American family arriving in the German Alps for the parents to begin a new job. Teenager Gretchen has been brought along by her father but she has a strained relationship with her step-mother and mute step-sister. The recent death of Gretchen’s mother hangs over her and this grief is clearly making the transition to her new surroundings very difficult. After taking a part time hotel clerk job offered by her father’s new employer, she gradually becomes aware that there are strange things happening in this isolated location. First is a lurking, cloaked person that seems to only come out of the woods at night and second is a creepy man that checks into the hotel. Gretchen begins to investigate the odd events she witnesses and folk horror and mad science rear their unlikely heads. The film has a great cast and a fascinating, oblique approach to its unfolding secrets that kept me curious the entire time. I suspect this won’t be everyone’s idea of a good time but I loved it. 

The List

DEPORTED (1950) – 7 (criminal is sent to Italy but will he reform)

NAKED EVIL (1966) – 6 (British tale of voodoo)

I HATE MY BODY (1974) – 7 (rewatch)

NAKED ALIBI (1954) – 8 (blistering noir)

WICKED (2024) – 7

RINGU (1998) – 8 (rewatch)

TERROR CREATURE FROM THE GRAVE (1965) – 7 (rewatch)

THE GENTLEMEN (2020) – 8 (rewatch)

KILLERS FROM SPACE (1954) – 3 (I thought I’d seen this boring sucker)

BEHIND THE MASK (1932) – 6 (chiller with Jack Holt and Karloff)

STAR TREK IV: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY (1991) – 9 (rewatch)

THE THREAT (1949) – 7 (tight B-noir tale)

KRAVEN (2024) – 5 (a lot works but it never becomes what it was trying to be)

CUCKOO (2024) – 8 (fascinating modern folk horror)

FAST CHARLIE (2023) – 6 (Brosnan is good but the story is mostly a retread)

MIND FIELD (1989) – 4 (muddled Canadian thriller)

REBEL RIDGE (2024) – 8 (excellent action film)

THE KEEP (1983) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BLACK DUKE (1963) – 7 (Cameron Mitchell as Cesare Borgia)

WOLF MAN (2025) – 4 (never really works)

FEMALE PRISONER: CAGED (1983) – 6 (good roman porno)

THE HOUSE AND THE BRAIN (1973) – 6 (ghost story TV movie)

THE EXECUTIONER (1974) – 7 (Sonny Chiba action film)

RINGU 2 (1999) – 6 (pretty good follow up)

TERROR OF THE RED MASK (1960) – 7 (Lex Barker adventure tale)

THE HOUSE OF CLOCKS (1989) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

PRESENCE (2025) – 7 (Soderberg chiller)

Latest Patreon Audio Post - Dancing Among the October Views

Brief reviews of THE PRIMEVILS, SMILE 2 and a smattering of other movies.

 

What I Watched in October 2024

Although I SAW THE TV GLOW (2024) is an interesting movie, it never really connected with me. That is not to say that I think it is a bad film - it’s just one that doesn’t work for me. I can see what the story is doing and I’m impressed by the goal and the style (not to mention the excellent central performance) but I was never engaged with what I was watching. To be clear, I think the fault may lie with me rather than the film itself. It is such a sad tale and told in such a detached fashion that it feels purposely distancing so maybe my reaction isn’t as off as I fear it might be. I think the last time I saw a movie so drenched in a sense of melancholia it might have been INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (2013) or ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) but both of those films were easier for me to identify with and enjoy. I’m not sure if this disconnect relates more to the genre ISTTVG sits within or if it is that the depressive time of life the main character is enduring is less relatable for me now. I can imagine a younger person in their twenties having a very different reaction to this film and possibly a profound, emotional one at that. The final scene with the main character apologizing to his co-workers brought real tears to my eyes as it is the type of situation I find compelling and relatable in a heartbreaking way. That need to calm people and assure them that the fault is with you and not them is tragic and very much part of my mental makeup. The constant sense of loss the film exudes can be a painful, off-putting experience but that last scene feels emotionally right. In the end I know I will one day return to this film to see if my reaction remains the same or if anticipating that final scene colors my view of the story that leads to it. 

The List 

THE STRANGLER (1964) – 6 (solid thriller) 

ODDITY (2024) – 8 

SALEM’S LOT (2024) – 7 (wish it was longer but it is gorgeous) 

CANDYMAN (2021) – 8 (rewatch) 

SALEM’S LOT (2004) – 6 (Cable TV version isn’t bad)

BARON BLOOD (1972) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE CURSE OF THE VOODOO (1965) – 5 (rewatch)

TOWER OF EVIL (1972) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE NEANDERTHAL MAN (1953) – 4 (overwritten and overacted mad science tale) (rewatch on Blu)

THE 13TH FLOOR (1988) – 3 (Australian horror film that is mostly dull) 

THE WOMAN WHO CAME BACK (1946) – 6 (is it a reincarnated witch? Maybe.) 

STRANGLER OF THE SWAMP (1946) – 6 (rewatch)

SALEM’S LOT (2024) – 7 (rewatch)

BODIES BODIES BODIES (2022) – 5 (only catches fire in the final act and never very funny) 

PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES (2023) – 4 (pretty dull and pointless) 

HALLOWEEN II (1981) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE HAUNTED HOUSE OF HORROR (1969) – 6 (Tigon production is not bad)

BLACK SABBATH (1963) – 9 (rewatch on Blu) 

DRACULA – PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1966) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW (1971) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE PRIMEVALS (2023) – 6 (fun stop-motion adventure 50 years in the making)

I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943) – 9 (rewatch)

HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1944) – 7 (rewatch) 

SHE DEVIL (1957) – 6 (rewatch on Blu) 

FINAL PRAYER (a.k.a. The Borderlands) (2013) – 7 (British found footage creeper about a team investigating a possible miracle) 

I SAW THE TV GLOW (2024) – 5 (melancholy drips from every scene and the intense sadness of the main character is palpable but it didn’t really connect with me)

THE PHANTOM SPEAKS (1945) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

THE UNKNOWN TERROR (1957) – 6 (rewatch on  Blu)

THE LADY AND THE MONSTER (1945) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

SMILE 2 (2024) – 7 

MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (1935) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) 

THE WITCH’S MIRROR (1962) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

DRACULA’S DAUGHTER (1936) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

THE MASK OF SATAN (1989) – 6 (Lamberto Bava’s version of the tale) (rewatch)

What I Watched in September 2024

J.T. Mollner’s STRANGE DARLING (2024) is one of my favorite films of the year. It’s a clever, well-crafted thriller that keeps you guessing and announces from the opening couple of minutes that things are going to be off-kilter. The only thing you need to know going in is that this is a film about a serial killer. And that’s about all I can say about it to keep from spoiling the fun. The film carefully reveals information about the killer and the reasons for the actions we are witnessing not just carefully but out of chronological order. Mollner breaks the story into six chapters and tells it  starting with chapter four. There is a method to this mad jumbling of the film’s timeline but it can only be seen in the story’s final act. I cannot wait for more people to see this movie so that discussions of it can be had without fear of ruining first time viewings. If you enjoy thrillers that lean into the horror genre, put this one on your must-see list.

The List 

STRANGE DARLING (2024) – 9

PURANA MANDIR (1984) – 6 (mad Bollywood horror film)

BORDERLANDS (2024) – 3 (what a terrible, sad thing)

THE BAT WOMAN (1968) – 6 (the Blu-Ray makes it lovely!)

BLUE STEEL (1990) – 5 (rewatch) (as I felt in 1990, it becomes too ridiculous in the third act)

THE HOT SPUR (1968) – 6 (western roughie)

THE MUMMY’S GHOST (1944) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

TELEPHONE OPERATOR (1937) – 6 (would love to see a complete print)

HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP (1980) – 7 (rewatch)

TRAMPA INFERNAL (1989) – 5 (a.k.a. Hell’s Trap) (not bad, low budget Mexican backwoods slasher)

FUNERAL HOME (1980) – 7 (solid mystery chiller from Canada)

FINAL CUT (a.k.a. Death Games) – 5 (slight thriller from Australia)

ALIEN: ROMULUS (2024) – 8 (had to see it again in the theater – better on second watch)

BAR 20 RIDES AGAIN (1934) – 6 (the second Hopalong Cassidy film)

MS STILLETO (1969) – 6 (sexy, fun fumetti adaptation)

MALIGNANT (2021) – 8 (rewatch)

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (2024) – 8

IN A VIOLENT NATURE (2024) – 7

THE MAD BOMBER (1972) – 6 (Bert I. Gordon’s adult crime film)

CHILDREN OF THE CORN (2020) – 3 (just awful – but it looks good)

THE SUBSTANCE (2024) – 8

JAWS OF SATAN (A.K.A. King Cobra) (1981) – 6 (rewatch)

MEGALOPOLIS (2024) – 8

THE BLACK ROOM (1935)- 7 (rewatch on Blu)

CRUCIBLE OF TERROR (1971) – 6 (British thriller)

DIABOLIK (2021) – 7

HOUSEBOAT HORROR (1989) – 5 (Australian SOV slasher)  

THE SPIDER LABYRINTH (1988) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

RE-ANIMATOR (1985) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

PENNY GOLD (1973) – 7 (British murder mystery)

GYPSY WILDCAT (1944) – 6 (fun, colorful adventure story)

CRAZE (1974) – 7 

 

What I Watched in August 2024

From a 50,000 foot view there is nothing ground breaking about the story being told in BLINK TWICE (2024). It’s a straightforward female revenge tale in which multiple women exact bloody retribution on scumbag men. The structure of the plot hides the horrors being enacted in a clever way with the audience and the female characters slowly becoming aware that something strange is happening on an isolated billionaire’s island. This kind of film has been made for decades with varying degrees of success and excess. They range from crude and effective like I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (1978) to artful and effective like LADY VENGEANCE (2005) and PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020). But it seems to me that director Zoe Kravitz has done real homework studying the rape/revenge cinema of the past beyond just the more famous entries in the genre. I spotted several stylistic choices and certain editing techniques that reminded me of the Japanese film series Female Convict Scorpion. Tilted camera angles and bluntly editing away from dialog before the final obvious words are spoken can be seen both as a nod to those films (and others that used the technique) but also serves to be early indicators about what is being done to the protagonists. Indeed, BLINK TWICE is a very sure-footed film showing a strong sense of craft and vision that is always at the service of the story. The film hides its plot revelations well and allows the mystery to unfold naturally allowing the main character’s sense of curiosity to shift to anxiety and finally horror. This is a well cast movie sporting solid performances across the board with some character’s turns from antagonistic to friendly and (mostly) in the opposite direction seeming to be ordinary outgrowths of what we’ve seen in the proceeding scenes. This is a thriller that delivers not just the expected chills but provides a satisfying violent third act that feels justly deserved. And that final scene is quite nice!

For me, the most fascinating idea in the film is the question of memory and whether it is healthy to remember the traumas you have experienced in your life. One character speaks about not being able to remember anything from before the age of ten and contrasts that with a sister that remembers everything. Without getting into the question of if this offscreen sister has eidetic memory or not, the inability to remember events from childhood can be a sign of trauma. The film seems to be suggesting that those who can remember all the horrors of their life are doomed to never transcend them – until that revenge ending shows the other possible path forward. But the film does ask the broad question of is it better to remember every trauma, embarrassment, insult or slight? Or is it better to have time hide, or at least dull, those sharp moments? And what is the best way to handle real transgressions? Can our memory always be trusted?  These questions are not the focus of BLINK TWICE but having them as part of the story adds a level of awareness I was not expecting. We are a combination of our life experiences and our reactions to them. Sometimes the most transgressed against are the ones who end up overcoming and succeeding because of those terrible experiences.

Plus, billionaires are generally awful people.

The List

THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR (1961) – 7 (fun Disney silliness) 

KNOX GOES AWAY (2024) – 8 

HELLRAISER (1987) – 8 (rewatch on Blu) 

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024) – 8 

5 WOMEN FOR THE KILLER (1974) – 7 (giallo with interesting cast) 

BARBARIAN QUEEN (1985) – 6 (rewatch)

MAN WITH A CLOAK (1951) – 8 (rewatch) 

AVENGER X (1967) – 6 

FATAL WITNESS (1945) – 6 (slight mystery from Republic Studio with Evelyn Ankers)

THE STRANGE LOVE OF THE VAMPIRE (1975) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

LOVE LIES BLEEDING (2024) – 7 

HELLRAISER II: HELLBOUND (1988) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH (1993) – 5 (rewatch on Blu) 

HELLRAISER IV: BLOODLINE (1996) – 4 (a composite workprint found on YouTube – good ideas but a mess) 

TAROT (2024) – 6 (well directed, good characters and it looks great but its only pretty good)

SHARKSPLOITATION (2023) – 8 (excellent documentary on the beloved genre) 

SUDDEN FURY (1975) – 8 (excellent Canadian thriller)

JUNGLE MOON MEN (1955) – 5 (not bad but overlong Jungle Jim tale) 

FATAL GAMES (1984) – 6 (ridiculous low budget slasher with a lot of nudity) 

BOOKS OF BLOOD (2020) – 7 (adaptations of three Barker tales) 

BANDH DWWAZA (1990) – 5 (pretty silly, overlong Bollywood vampire film) 

THE RED DRAGON (1945) – 6 (Charlie Chan mystery)

ALIEN: ROMULUS (2024) - 7

HIDDEN GOLD (1940) – 5 (solid Hopalong Cassidy adventure) 

THE FEATHERED SERPENT (1948) – 6 (Charlie Chan mystery)

THE SKY DRAGON (1949) – 7 (very good Charlie Chan mystery)

BLINK TWICE (2024) – 8 

HOPALONG CASSIDY (1935) – 6 (first of the series) 

THE MUMMY AND THE CURSE OF THE JACKALS (1969) – 3 (gloriously terrible!)

THE CASE OF THE BLACK PARROT (1941) – 6 (pretty sharp stage adaptation) 

SATANIK (1968) – 6 (fumetti adaptation with a wicked female anti-hero) 

Patreon Post- LONGLEGS (2024)

Here's the first few minutes of my most recent Patreon review. Sign up for more. Many more!  

What I Watched in May 2024

I feared that the trailers for ABIGAIL (2024) had given away the big surprise of the film and that knowing that it was a vampire picture might stunt its effectiveness. Happily, I was wrong. Structured much like FROM DUSK TIL DAWN (1996) the film starts as a lean mean crime story as we follow a crew kidnapping the ballerina child of a wealthy family. They hole up in an abandoned mansion to wait for the father to fork over a ransom that they will split and then be on their way. But the imprisoned little girl turns out to be a vicious monster much worse than the criminals and quickly the situation reverses itself with the humans under threat and the pint-sized vamp gleefully working her way through fresh victims. The film becomes an entertaining stalk and bite affair with the criminal victims being interesting if not exactly sympathetic rats in a cage. There is some good dialog, a little wit, some very good actors and a few surprises in the final third that make the entire story particularly satisfying. And I’d love to know how many gallons of blood were used to make this film! Things get pretty red and sticky as the corpses flop around. There have been some nice horror surprises this year so far and ABIGAIL is on the plus side.  

The List 

NINE GUESTS FOR A CRIME (1977) – 7 (giallo version of And Then There Were None)

ABIGAIL (2024) – 8 (crime film becomes vampire film and I love it!)

SPACE AMOEBA (1970) – 8 (rewatch)

3 FANTASTIC SUPERMEN (1967) – 6

RINGS OF FEAR (1978) – 6 (least of this loose trilogy of gialli)

ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND (1980) – 8 (Sammo Hung horror/comedy is gold)

ANGELS FROM HELL (1968) – 4 (meandering biker film)

CHATTERBOX (1977) – 6 (slight, sloppy, silly comedy about a talking vagina)

HELLZAPOPPIN’ (1941) – 7 (actually fun Olsen & Johnson collection of stuff)

DEATH KISS (2018) – 3 (miserable right-wing screed masquerading as a vigilante film)

MAYA (1989) – 5 (flat Euro-horror)

THE TERROR (1963)- 6 (rewatch on Blu)

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2024) – 8

MUTE WITNESS (1995) – 6

WHITE SAVAGE (1943) – 6 (Maria Montez and Jon Hall in the South Seas)

THE GHOST WALKS (1934) – 5 (not bad old dark house tale)

THE JAGUAR (1963) – 6 (Franco’s Shakespearian western tragedy set in 1860’s Venezuela)  

DORELLIK (1967) – 6 (Italian spoof of the Diabolik fumetti)

SONS OF STEEL (1988) – 4 (pretty bad but I enjoyed the music)

MARK OF THE GORILLA (1950) – 5 (typical Jungle Jim adventure)

THEY HAVE CHANGED THEIR FACES (1971) – 7 (excellent modern vampire tale with a perfect bloodsucker metaphor at its heart)

THE LIFT (1983) – 4

THE FALL GUY (2024) – 7 (funny but the leads’ charm papers over the need for stakes)

PYGMY ISLAND (1950) – 5 (Jungle Jim adventure)

A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

FURY OF THE CONGO (1951) – 5 (Jungle Jim tale)

THE RETURN OF PETER GRIM (1935) – 6 (play adaptation with Barrymore) 

 

What I Watched in October 2023

Easily the most impressive new horror film I saw in October was WHEN EVIL LURKS (2023) from Argentina. A decidedly different take on the idea of possession it goes in directions both sledgehammer violent and subtly nuanced while creating a different way of thinking about the concept from nearly every angle.

Starting in rural Argentina we are slowly introduced to the evidence of some possibly supernatural event involving the death of a visitor to the area. The film’s slow build of information felt perfect as it puts us in the position of an outsider looking in and having to put together the pieces before things are presented in an unambiguous fashion. The characters refer to these disturbing events as something that is not unknown but more common in heavily populated areas. Adding to the mystery the film’s dialog points toward the possible dystopian/apocalyptic nature of this situation and the story plays out in a way that leaves that open. The terminology used to describe the victims of these ‘possessions’ is very different from the standard but exactly the kind of identifiers that people with limited means and education would use. Referring to the victims as rotten or ‘the rotten’ both prolongs the question of what is happening and is an excellent descriptor of the effect that this ‘demon possession’ has on the individuals affected by it.

As the story moves from rural to urban we follow the rising desperation of the main character as he attempts to make people believe him and then his utter despair as he realizes that his task might be impossible. When he begins to understand that it is his fears that have brought about the worst imagined consequences the film moves into some of the darkest material I’ve seen in a horror tale in years. The film leaves the ultimate answer about what is happening a question with many possible answers but the dark nature of the actions of the affected are undeniably awful. I found the setting of the third act in an abandoned children's school to be incredibly effective and without a doubt one of the most satisfyingly dark endings of a horror film I've seen in a long time. There are depths to this film that many of us will be discussing for years to come.

Needless to say, I recommend the film.

The List  

IT LIVES INSIDE (2023) – 6 (interesting Hindu demon tale)

RUN RABBIT RUN (2023) – 7 (Australian psychological horror – family ghosts resurface)

SOCIETY LAWYER (1939) – 7 (fast and sharp crime story with Walter Pidgeon)

SHADOW OF DEATH (1969) – 7 (twisty Spanish murder tale)

SCREAM OF THE BLIND DEAD (2021) – 3 (dull 40 minutes of love for the original film)

ANNABELLE (2014) – 7 (well made with one outstanding scare that really got me)

SPECTERS (a.k.a. Spettri) (1987) – 5 (spooky events around an archeological dig – barely hangs together)

YOU’RE NEXT (2011) – 8 (rewatch)

THE INFERNO (1979) -7 (remake of Jigoku (1960) – this is a little too long but very good)

SLAUGHTERHOUSE ROCK (1987) – 3 (Toni Basil is the only bright spot)

A HAUNTING IN VENICE (2023) – 8

LONDON BY NIGHT (1937) – 6 (interesting murder mystery with one awful supporting performance)

THE ONES YOU DIDN’T BURN (2022) – 6 (low-key slow-burn tale of modern witches)

THE INCUBUS (1982) – 7 (fascinating if clunky supernatural horror – great cast)

KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS (1977) – 6 (rewatch)

FRIGHT NIGHT (1985) – 9 (rewatch in Blu)

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (1983) – 6 (rewatch on Blu)

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT (2022) – 8 (rewatch)

EXORCIST: BELIEVER (2023) – 7

FRIDAY THE 13^TH VII – THE NEW BLOOD (1988) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

V/H/S/85 (2023) – 7 (well done anthology entry)

MIDNIGHT MAN (2013) – 6 (interesting low budget Irish ghost tale)

ANNABELLE: CREATION (2017) – 7 (effective, creepy evil doll origin tale)

FRANKENSTEIN (1931) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

INSECT (a.k.a. BLUE MONKEY) (1987) – 6 (a better than I expected giant bug film)

PRINCE OF DARKNESS (1987) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

LUANA, THE GIRL TARZAN (1968) – 6 (rewatch)

THE KINDRED (1987) – 7 (well done mad scientist/monster film)

A FIELD IN ENGLAND (2013) – 7 (fascinating period horror)

THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1964) – 7 (rewatch on Blu) (it falters in the last act but until then..)

THE FREAKMAKER (1974) – 7 (solid mad scientist crossed with FREAKS story - great cast)

BROOKLYN 45 (2023) – 8 (excellent WWII ghost tale)

STOP ME BEFORE I KILL (1960) – 7 (well done Val Guest directed thriller)

HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH (1982) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

THE RAVEN (1935) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

TERROR OUT OF THE SKY (1978) – 5 (killer bee TV movie – sequel to The Savage Bees)

THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963) – 8 (rewatch on Blu)

WHEN EVIL LURKS (2023) – 9 (excellent demon possession tale from Argentina)

THE HEARSE (1980) – 6 (rewatch)

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (2023) – 9

PHASE IV (1974) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

ANNABELLE COMES HOME (2019) – 7 (becomes a suburban haunted house story)

THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN (1942) – 7 (rewatch on Blu)

HALLOWEEN (1978) – 10 (rewatch on Blu)

THE MONSTER WALKS (1932) – 5 (clunky per-code old dark house thriller)

HALLOWEEN II (1981) – 7 (rewatch of the TV version)

THE DEVIL’S WEDDING NIGHT (1973) – 7 (rewatch)