J-horror had a huge impact on Western cinema in the late 90s, thanks to Ringu (1998), which led to a lot of American remakes. Takashi Shimizu remade his own film, Ju-On: The Grudge (2002), for an American audience in 2004 starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. There have been two sequels to this so far, but producer Sam Rami and director…
horror
‘Starfish’ Review: A Visually Stunning Debut Exploring Grief
“For the end of the world, press play.” A.T. White’s debut feature Starfish follows Aubrey (Virginia Gardner), whose reality begins fraying at the edges as she struggles with the death of her best friend, Grace (Christina Masterson). The film opens at Grace’s funeral and her gravestone reads ‘Always Right,‘ which is the first insight we get into…
Film Review: Shrew’s Nest (2014)
While browsing on Shudder, I came across Shrew’s Nest (2014); a Spanish horror and thriller set sometime in the 1950s. It revolves around Montse (Macarena Gómez), a highly religious and agoraphobic woman who spent her youth raising her younger sister, who is simply referred to as “the girl” (Nadia de Santiago), as their mother died during her birth…
Film Review: Trash Fire (2016)
“You know how some old people are asked to stop driving? It’s not that most of them are incapable, it’s just not particularly safe for them to be on the road. I mean that just about sums up how I feel about you as a psychiatrist.“ Trash Fire, the hugely anticipated third feature length film…
Film Review: Ava’s Possessions
“Demons are a girl’s best friend.” Jordan Galland brings a fresh taste to the demonic possession subgenre of horror in Ava’s Possessions as he begins his film where most of the others end: the exorcism. After she is freed from her demon, Ava (Louise Krause) is facing charges for property damage, assault, indecent exposure and two counts…
Film Review: Daughters of Darkness (1971)
“I’ve seen many a night fall away into an even more endless night.” Lesbian vampire films became a phenomenon in the 70s with Belgium film director Harry Kümel’s Daughters of Darkness (1971) as no exception. Known as Les Lévres Rouges (The Red Lips) in France, the beautifully crafted film is about two lovers who cross paths with the vampire…
Film Review: A girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014)
“So… what did you see all this time watching me?“ Advertised as the “first Iranian vampire western,” A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) is a stunning film, shot in monochrome black and white, written and directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. The film is set in the Iranian ghost-town Bad City and tells the story of…
RIP Andrzej Żuławski
Polish director Andrzej Żuławski sadly passed away on February 17th at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. Żuławski is mostly known for his controversial and violent art-house films. He mostly enjoyed the praise from EU art-house audiences. His most famous film is Possession (1981) which stars Isabelle Adjani as Anna; a young woman…
Film Review: The Herd (2014)
The first feminist vegan horror film. The Herd (2014) was first introduced to me at Celluloid Screams, Sheffield’s horror film festival, in October of last year. During this time I was working as part of the festival team and didn’t get a chance to see it. However, I did see the effect it had on people…
Film Review: Crimson Peak (2015)
“Ghosts are real, that much I know. I’ve seen them all my life…“ Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to dark fantasy with his impressive filmography including films such as The Devil’s Backbone (2001), Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Blade II (2002) and Hellboy (2004). His latest effort, Crimson Peak (2015), is no exception and is a remarkable gothic horror that tells a ghost story that isn’t…