Right now, a modern storytelling tool is tools of the past. What might have been an older technique, or a formerly technical limitation is now an aesthetic. Musical genres like chiptune which utilize 8-bit video game sound processing or video games that seek to emulate the heyday of Nintendo have carved a niche for themselves.... Continue Reading →
In my review for Saint Maud, I noted that most religious horror isn't actually about religion it portrays. Most religious horror films tend to be about fights with monsters rather than faith. Instead of a test of faith, these films end being battles between good priests and evil demons. Monsters with rules that can be... Continue Reading →
I am not averse to remakes. I’m also not averse to making new adaptations of books. I think it’s important to revisit texts and re-examine them. “New” is key word here though. Something has to be done that brings something to the table. For better or for worse, we live in a new cycle of... Continue Reading →
Being Film #31 for Hooptober 2022 And so at last we come to the end of Hooptober 2022, at least for me. 31 and done. I've watched more films, and more horror (currently relishing every delicious moment of Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities), but I'm also relishing simply watching without thinking about what to... Continue Reading →
Being Film #30 for Hooptober 2022 And so at last we come to the end of Michael Myers. No more will we have to deal with his nasty shenanigans, as I am sure this is without a doubt the definitive end of this storied franchise. HA! I kid - where there's money to be made... Continue Reading →
Being Film #28 for Hooptober 2022 I'm as shocked as you are that I am reviewing Deadstream. Found footage is not my thing, and yet here we are, not only reviewing a found footage film but sheepishly admitting it worked like gangbusters on me. All credit to Joseph Winter, who along with his wife Vanessa... Continue Reading →
Being Film #27 for Hooptober 2022 There are a lot of folks saying that Dark Glasses, the first film from Dario Argento in a decade and his return to giallo in even longer is a return to form. Certainly it's his best film in over 20 years, but if you look at those film (and... Continue Reading →
Being Film #24 for Hooptober 2022 I came into the latest remake of Firestarter with little in the way of expectation; I left with those little expectations satisfied, but not in the way I thought. The biggest sin of Firestarter is that it feels so small and uninspired, like it's just there to get you... Continue Reading →
Being Film #20 for Hooptober 2022 Is it enough to say David Bruckner's legacy sequel/soft reboot of Hellraiser is the third best entry in the series after the first two films? Because that is most definitely true, and if you're looking for some serious Cenobite action and some great effects, well...you'll certainly get your money's... Continue Reading →
Spoilers galore In a post Saw world, it’s hard to describe how transgressive watching either Hellraiser or Hellbound: Hellraiser II on cable felt as a teen. If you grew up in a religious family like I did, of course the title feels taboo. There’s also the aesthetics of those first two movies. The torture and... Continue Reading →
Cinema Dual 