North Carolina’s Wreak Havoc horror Film Festival presents award-winning independent horror features and shorts from around the world on October 1 and 2, 2021.
Joseph’s Sinister Six Picks from Fantastic Fest — Plus Two Bonus Restored Titles!
Among the Fantastic Fest films I have had a sneak peek at or can’t wait to watch are these half-dozen features, plus a bonus pair of newly restored rereleases.
Eric’s Review: Malignant (2021)
★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Malignant is the sloppy drunk Auntie of horror movies. It meanders along confusingly for the first two thirds of the movie, and then goes preposterously entertaining for a brief spell, and then closes with a logic defying conclusion. It is a hot mess of a movie but it has some redemptive high points.
Beyond Fest Returns Indoors with Fear-Fare Premieres and Restored Classics Galore
Los Angeles’ Beyond Fest returns to indoor cinemas this year with a mouth-watering lineup of horror, science fiction, and genre-film fare. From September 29th–October 11th, the festival features cutting edge fear fare including world and west coast premieres, 4K restorations of beloved classics, and much more.
The Scariest Things Podcast Extra: The Greatest Movie Monster of All Time Bracket Fight!
A little extra treat for our Podcast Listeners. We had a live run through of one of our favorite activities: A Bracket Fight! A live audience of about 150 got to hoot and holler for their favorite monsters and selecting a creature feature champion. There were some great upsets and definite fan favorites. Who won? You’ll have to listen in to find out.
Joseph’s Arrow Video FrightFest 2021 Reviews: The Parker Sessions, Killer Concept, and Mystery Spot
Joseph reviews three films from London’s Arrow Video FrightFest: psychochiller “The Parker Sessions,” comedy “Killer Concept,” and the enigmatic “Mystery Spot.”
The Scariest Things Episode CXXX: Masked Killer Horror!
One hundred thirty episodes in and we’re finally getting to what has to be what most horror fans identify as the iconic horror trope of all time: the masked killer! Well fret no longer horror fans, we are coming to one of the cornerstones of the genre. You start with Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Leatherface, but we’ll get you to the next level in episode 130!
The Scariest Things LIVE at Rose City ComicCon: The Greatest Movie Monster of All-Time Tournament!
Attention Northwest fans of the Scariest Things! Come to Rose City Comicon, the biggest convergence of genre fans in the Portland Area, and help us pick the Greatest Movie Monster of All Time! Saturday, September 11 at 5:00 at the Oregon Convention Center in Room E145 and E146. Be there, and get ready to select a movie monster bracket champion. There can be only one!
Joseph’s Japan Cuts Review: Wonderful Paradise
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
If you are looking for something outrageously different, you need look no further than this mind-boggling slice of surreal Japanese comedy.
The Scariest Things Review: Candyman (2021)
★★★★1/2 and ★★★★ out of ★★★★★
A powerful sequel of a beloved classic slasher movie that establishes that this franchise is perhaps the headiest and most nuanced of all the slasher movies. Director Nia DaCosta shows real visionary talent, and with co-writer Jordan Peele, adds updated depth and texture to an already fascinating urban legend.
Eric’s Review: Blood Conscious (Popcorn Frights 2021)
★★ out of ★★★★★
Blood Conscious is a movie whose ambitions exceed the execution of the film. This cabin-in-the-woods thriller treads familiar territory and sets up some recognizable trope concepts but never really pays them off.
Joseph’s Review: On the 3rd Day (Fantasia 2021)
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
Macabre, mysterious, imaginative, and a delight to watch unfold, this Argentinian chiller is must-see viewing for fans of horror cinema.
Joseph’s Review: Night at the Eagle Inn (Popcorn Frights)
★★★ out of ★★★★★
This frenetic independent chiller is a fun entry in the hotel-horror subgenre.
Eric’s Review: The Night House (2021)
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
The Night House is a serious, heavy, and somber film full of mystery and dread. Rebecca Hall turns in a powerhouse performance of a woman trying to overcome her grief and understand why her husband killed himself at their idyllic lakeside house. As she uncovers the horrible truth, the secrets unleash a wrathful spirit who wants to claim her as well.
Robert’s Review: Spontaneous (2020)
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
The directorial debut of super-scribe Brian Duffield is a splatterific horror-adjacent rom/com that brings the feels along with exploding teens.
Joseph’s Review: Hellbender (Fantasia 2021)
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
A true family effort, Hellbender sees a mother and daughter at odds when the youngster discovers a secret that her mother kept from her and the power that it involves.
The Scariest Things Podcast Episode CXXIX: Tricks, Traps, and Puzzle Horror
Shall we play a GAME? For some of the brainiest horror movies, go to the tradition of tricks and traps horror. The punishment for not figuring out how to win the game is often painful and deadly. And face it, you watch reality TV shows to see people get eliminated, right? This horror sub-trope takes that idea to the next bloody level.
Eric’s Review: Val (2021 Popcorn Frights)
★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Come for the promise of a devilishly sexy good time. Stay for some fantastic character arcs and hugely expressive acting performances. Val, which had its world premiere at Popcorn Frights is colorful, saucy, and snappy, with an undercurrent of something dark and ominous just underneath the surface.
Joseph’s Review: The House at the End of the Forest (2021 Popcorn Frights)
★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Swedish puzzler The House at the End of the Forest serves up more head scratching than it does hand wringing.
Liz’s Review: It Came From Below (Popcorn Frights 2021)
★★ out of ★★★★★
Lace up your hiking boots and grab your headlamp for a journey underground in It Came From Below.
Mike’s Review: The Last Matinee (Popcorn Frights 2021)
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
The Last Matinee is a loving homage to film. More to the point it’s a loving homage and exploration of Argento, Fulchi, grindhouse cinema, slashers, grimy movie theaters, and quite possibly the great Lamberto Bava film Demons. Don’t be fooled though. While The Last Matinee pulls from many of the classics, it’s got its own unique style and flavor, and it’s cram-packed with EYEBALLS.
Mike’s Review: Dashcam (Popcorn Frights 2021)
★★★★ 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.
Eric’s Review: The Ex (2021 Popcorn Frights)
★★★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.
Eric’s Review: Ditched (2021 Popcorn Frights)
★★★ 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.
Liz’s Review: Keeping Company
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
The insurance game has never been more cut-throat than it has in Keeping Company!
Joseph’s Fantasia 2021 Reviews: We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Kratt, and Ultrasound
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.
Eric’s Review: Superhost (2021 Popcorn Frights Film Festival)
★★★★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.
Eric’s Review: Take Back the Night (2021 Popcorn Frights)
★★★★ 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.
Liz’s Review: Howling Village (Popcorn Frights 2021)
★★★★ 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.
Eric’s Portland Horror Film Festival Review: The Horror Crowd (2020)
★★★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.