★★★★ out of ★★★★★
The son of De Palma’s Blow-Out! The grandson of Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up! A new vision of paranoid conspiracy theories as told through the latest fandangled piece of technology! Or in this case technologies.
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★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
This sexy Russian thriller morphs into the supernatural when a youthful indiscretion comes back to haunt a young engaged couple. This movie packs a lot in: A false villain, a foolish internet posting, a love triangle, and a vengeful ghost. It doesn't always patch its plot holes, but it is entertaining. The Ex has gorgeous cinematography, and, did I mention it's sexy? I think I did.
★★★ out of ★★★★★
After finding themselves upside-down in an ambulance, a group of paramedics, cops, and prisoner patients realize that they are the victims of an ambush, with the mysterious forces closing in around them. This siege thriller goes heavy with gore and extended exposition before settling in on a brutal and memorable final moment.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
The insurance game has never been more cut-throat than it has in Keeping Company!
We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Kratt, and Ultrasound screen as part of Montreal’s Fantasia 2021, which runs online from August 5–25, 2021.
★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Smash that Like Button! Two travel YouTubers on a mission to bolster their diminishing viewer interest visit a vacation rental cabin with an eccentric "superhost" who transforms from an off-putting oddball to imminent threat over their vacation stay. This movie has inertia like a locomotive covered in razor blades, with a near-perfect build of tension and release.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
A not-veiled at all analogy to sexual assault, Take Back the Night relects on the horrors of being attacked by a monster before, during, and after the event. This is a make-a-statement horror movie on a miniscule budget that is fighting well above its weight class, thanks to some standout acting performances and emotional resonance.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
Fans of classic J Horror rejoice! Howling Village takes you back to the golden age and your guide is Horror master and Ju-on creator Takashi Shimizu.
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
There have been a multitude of horror documentaries that chronicle the classic and most famous films of the genre, and there have been documentaries that celebrate certain favorite eras within horror. Director Ruben Pla focuses his efforts on the Independent films and shines a light on a number of the up-and-coming influencers within today's horror.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
A struggling horror novel author catches a fortuitous break, when a dashing young vampire crashes into her life. Red Snow is a cheeky and wicked little horror-romcom with great character chemistry that doesn't always go where you would expect.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
It’s fair to say that we might not know the full impact of the global pandemic tragedy for years or even decades. Some have been tragically impacted by the pandemic, some have wandered in a face-covered fog, and others have irresponsibly stuck their heads in the sand. Everyone has had choices to make during the pandemic and those choices have manifested in the horrible, but they’ve also been used for creativity and good.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
Straight outta the Pacific Northwest comes another joint from the same team that brought you 2018’s Big Legend. A far more daring, if not a little less linear, than their first outing with Bigfoot, 2021’s The Stairs is a complex bit of business wrapped up in a cautionary camping tale.
Every year, Montreal’s Fantasia International Film Festival serves up North America’s largest selection of genre-film goodness, and this year’s 25th edition running August 5–25 is no exception. Along with science fiction, thriller, dark comedy, action, animation, and other exciting genres, horror has always been a big part of Fantasia. Here are six of Fantasia’s exciting fear-fare feature offerings on tap this year.
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Throw the script overboard and set sail with Mareld!
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
A group of paranormal investigators gains access to an abandoned amusement park in Malaysia called Miimaland, as part of a challenge by a shady hustler. What starts out as an amusing lark becomes a deadly curse trap that proves to be a haunted destiny for the crew.
★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
edges, particularly the dialogue, but it has a lot of heart. The introduction of indigenous Borneo Iban villagers is respectfully done and makes this quintessentially Malaysian. You do root for the film, even while wincing at its deficiencies.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
An insightful take on a classic ghost story. Director Alex Galvin manages to maintain the melancholy tragedy of the Henry James Gothic tale, while adding in an appropriate modern twist that adds an extra layer of meaning to the proceedings.
Advance tickets are now on sale for both stream-at-home and in-person screenings of the Portland Horror Film Festival! All access passes are now available as well. The Scariest Things will be there, and we hope to see you there as well!
You can also catch Popcorn Frights from the comfort of your own home! From August 12-19, you can catch the big second wave of films that can arrive straight to your living room. Twenty-one feature films and a plethora of live and animated horror shorts for your entertainment. And, if you fest at home, the popcorn will be so much cheaper!
Here are three reviews from South Korea's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, for a highly artistic Spanish historical chiller, a moody Vietnamese horror based on Asian urban legends, and a fine Hong Kong psychological horror thriller.
One of The Scariest Thing's favorite genre film festivals is Popcorn Frights, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After a year where they couldn't have a live festival, things have now opened up. It's time to go back to the cinema in a big way!
Our beloved local Portland Horror Film Festival has announced its feature film roster for 2021. And for ONE MORE DAY, you can get the Patron of Horror Pass that gets you all of the fantastic swag that PHFF is famous for! The festival is doing a hybrid streaming and theatrical event this year, and you can pick and choose how you want to see the movies.
★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
The ultimate road rage movie that collides with a nail-biting home invasion film. This Dutch film absolutely pours the intensity on in a way unseen in many a year. A rude and headstrong man picks the wrong enemy in a highway tailgating incident, subjecting his entire family to the revenge of a nuanced killer who uses rat poison as his weapon of choice.
The United Kingdom's superb Arrow Video FrightFest is one of the highlights each summer for scare-fare fans, and the fest has just presented its stunning poster this year, designed by Graham Humphreys. Following is the official press announcement.
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
This horror comedy about two ghosts trying to work their way out of purgatory features humor that ranges from the broad to the uncomfortable, and is brought to cinematic life by a game cast.
The Fantasia International Film Festival has outdone itself with today’s mind-warping second-wave announcement. Featuring horror titles such as #BLUE_WHALE, Ghosting Gloria, and Hellbender (to name but a few) along with a plethora of science fiction, dark comedy, thriller, and other horror-adjacent genres, Montreal’s premiere genre-film fest promises to be a blast, as it is every year.
★★★ out of ★★★★★
Where does Annie Clark end and her St. Vincent rock star persona begin? Her friend Carrie Brownstein attempts to document that until the answer to that question winds up in an absurd, sometimes surreal blur in this ambitious mockumentary.
Washington’s North Bend Film Festival is back, and it is serving up a hybrid in-person and virtual version this July....
Destined to be one of the most talked-about and divisive fright-fare films of the year, auteur Mickey (Climate of the Hunter) Reece's possession-horror feature brings "But is it horror?" to a whole new level.
★★★ out of ★★★★★ Directed by Prano Bailey-Bond Enid (Niamh Algar) is a film censor in London who’s job it is...