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If we are honest with ourselves, most of us would identify more with the imperfect Elvira than the flawless Cinderella. Emilie Blichfeldt has produced a master class in deconstructing a modern myth. Beauty may only be skin deep, but its impact on one's self-worth can be devastating. The Ugly Stepsister is a boundary-pushing movie that is guaranteed to make you uneasy or even queasy and will leave an emotional mark on you.

★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★

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Crossword (2024) is a psychological thriller that pays close attention to the smallest details and is rich in symbolism. James is struggling to come to terms with the drowning of his young daughter, Lily. His grief is expressed through the daily crossword puzzle, which he believes is an omen communicating with him.

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A bloodied woman on the run begins a frantic chase in John Rosman's debut thriller, New Life. This film holds its cards tight for half the movie, allowing the major implications of the plot lines to simmer before revealing the root causes of the pursuit, like a bomb drop. New Life transitions from political thriller to body horror in a dramatic shift that moved me from curious to engrossed.

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A Korean couple fail to heed the warnings of a serial killer on the loose when embarking on a romantic chabak (car camping) excursion. A standout performance by Kim Minchae and a strong story foundation probably pushes one too many melodramatic twists at the end. Still an entertaining slasher film worth watching.

★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★ A crumbling relationship leads a couple to take their frustrations out on a jog around a nearby pond, but they get trapped in a mysterious Mobius loop that becomes a private hell for the two of them. A smart,, if repetitive (of course) time paradox tale that explores the truly destructive nature of a breakup in some very clever ways.
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What happens if your imaginary friend is full of homicidal suggestions? Daniel Isn't Real is a trippy tale of psychological breakdown and showcases two actors from proud Hollywood family legacies giving great performances

The latest addition to the Portland Horror Film Festival scene arrives on August 18-20, the Queer Screams Film Festival! Filmmaker J.T. Seaton spends some quality time with Eric to describe the fabulous offerings that this festival is serving up in this exclusive Scariest Things Interview!
★★★★ out of ★★★★★ It is wholly appropriate that The Whisperer in the Darkness is an adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story. As in Love + Craft. It is a lovingly and well-crafted period piece creation of Cosmic horror. Not only does the film take the look of the era when the story was written, but it also captures the film noir aesthetic in glorious shadowy black and white. If you like Cthulhu and cold walks in the rain, this is a movie for you!
★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★ This savage and grisly new Danish production features a carefully threaded story line that follows two young women, stuck working at a lonely rural gas station, who are subjected to what at first appears to be creepy pranking turns into something wholly sinister. This movie will reward hardened horror fans. Not for the faint of heart!
★★★★ out of ★★★★★ Two French dullards discover a giant housefly in the trunk of a car that they stole, and they realize that this monstrous insect could be their ticket to fame and fortune. Toro! From Quentin Dupieux, the director and twisted imagination behind Rubber (2010), the bonkers Mandibles was the festival closing feature for Nightstream.
★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★ A grifter with good intentions, but in need of a lucky break, signs up for a job that seems too good to be true. Lapsis is a dystopian parable for the treadmill of old-fashioned hard work and the fear that technology is going to make you obsolete.
★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★

Intensity and effectiveness of jump scares

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Oddity is the horror who-done-it, supernatural, revenge thriller, comedy you have been waiting for!

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