★★★★★ Falling somewhere between twisted erotic thriller goodness, VC Andrews sleaziness, and gory horror schlock, Bone Lake may be one of the most surprising films of the year. Led by a four-way ensemble cast, this unique chamber piece throws together two straight couples for a twisted weekend of sex and secrets. The simplistic setup seems … Continue reading Film Review: Bone Lake
4K Blu-Ray Film Review: Jurassic World: Rebirth
★★★★ As a massive fan of the Jurassic Park franchise, it was difficult not to be skeptical of Rebirth. After all, the “end of the Jurassic era” just occurred merely three years ago with the massively disappointing Jurassic World: Dominion. Why would there be a series reboot so soon afterward, and would it have anything … Continue reading 4K Blu-Ray Film Review: Jurassic World: Rebirth
FrightFest 2025: The Red Mask
★★★★ Subversive, clever slashers are difficult to come by, especially ones that do not just feel like carbon copy Scream clones. While The Red Mask certainly has so many meta trademarks of that iconic horror franchise, it surprisingly feels original, a decidedly queer-forward flick with plenty to say about the state of the genre. Screenwriting … Continue reading FrightFest 2025: The Red Mask
FrightFest 2025: Self-Help
★★★ Bookended by atmospheric Halloween aesthetic, the new film from indie workhorse Erik Bloomquist has little in common with some of his other genre titles. Of his impressive filmography, my favorite is definitely still quirky gem, Night at the Eagle Inn. Self-Help shifts to the world of cult horror, but with a decidedly fresh, character-focused … Continue reading FrightFest 2025: Self-Help
Fantasia 2025: Lurker
★★★★★ The line between love and obsession is a thin one, especially in the psychological thriller genre. In writer/director Alex Russel's Lurker, a lonely retail clerk encounters a mega-star musician by chance, launching an unexpected connection. This bond threatens to destroy both their lives as the two become intrinsically linked to one another. The lifestyle … Continue reading Fantasia 2025: Lurker
Film Review: She Rides Shotgun
★★★★ Produced by and starring Taron Egerton, one of the greatest working actors of our generation, She Rides Shotgun was always going to be a must-see merely by association. Since his Golden Globe-winning performance in Rocketman, Egerton has embarked on a series of increasingly fascinating performances, from Tetris and Carry-On to standout Apple TV series … Continue reading Film Review: She Rides Shotgun
Fantasia 2025: Haunted Mountains: The Yellow Taboo
★★★★ Atmospheric and haunting, Taiwanese import Haunted Mountains: The Yellow Taboo tackles one of Taiwan’s most legendary ghost stories in style. For the uninitiated, the urban legend of the Mountain Gremlins—an evil spirit who dons a yellow raincoat and a bamboo hat—has been passed down since the 1970s. For debut director Tsai Chia Ying, the … Continue reading Fantasia 2025: Haunted Mountains: The Yellow Taboo
Fantasia 2025: Influencers
★★★★ 2022's Influencer was a surprising delight, nicely folding into the crazy bitch canon alongside the likes of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle or Poison Ivy, yet with a decidedly modern twist. Its serial killer used deepfakes and AI technology to quite literally become her victim, in a purely online sort of way. Now, … Continue reading Fantasia 2025: Influencers
Film Review: The Home
★ Since 2023, AMC has been regularly holding their 'Screen Unseen' program—an exciting event that often drops surprise movies early. This can help to expose audiences to films they would not have otherwise sought out. Most recently, they dropped perhaps their most high profile title yet with Jurassic World: Rebirth. Their horror iteration, 'Scream Unseen,' … Continue reading Film Review: The Home
Film Review: Bambi: The Reckoning
★★★★ From director Dan Allen of the surprisingly good It Came from Below comes the next entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe: Bambi: The Reckoning. Admittedly, only Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey came across my radar, and I neglected to check out subsequent entries in the series. Bambi was too good a concept to … Continue reading Film Review: Bambi: The Reckoning