★★★★ Nearly a decade after the original film first unleashed its torrent of Halloween demons, The Barn Part III arrives as a gloriously cheesy culmination of everything that came before it. Writer/director Justin M. Seaman truly puts everything into this go-for-broke installment. The result is an often messy, always entertaining genre delight that fully embraces … Continue reading FrightFest 2026: The Barn Part III
FrightFest 2026: Full Moon Rising: The Charles Band Story
★★★★ As a certified Full Moon kid of the 90s, I grew up on the Puppet Master franchise and Moonbeam offshoot films like Prehysteria! and Mystery Monsters. The specificity of these low budget flicks made them easy rental choices at video stores, colored by their iconic VHS artwork and wild concepts. For this very reason, … Continue reading FrightFest 2026: Full Moon Rising: The Charles Band Story
FrightFest 2026: Oddities
★★★ Seeking shelter at a strange barn shop of antiques, what could possibly go wrong? Scream queen Adrienne Barbeau (Creepshow, Swam Thing) plays a character with a hell of an answer as the wayward shopkeeper in writer/director Tyler Savage's literal oddity. Tight, unique little horror Oddities places Barbeau's instantly-iconic performance at center stage in this … Continue reading FrightFest 2026: Oddities
FrightFest 2026: Fresh Meat
★★★ A throwback slasher set in an abandoned prison with super gory practical kill effects? That's Fresh Meat, the new film from Here for Blood director Daniel Turres. This movie is the latest in a long line of films that deposit random influencers at the center of the story, but here, it seamlessly fits. The … Continue reading FrightFest 2026: Fresh Meat
FrightFest 2026: Another
★★★★ The 100 star Bob Morley was my primary reason for interest in FrightFest feature Another. This sci-fi horror thriller cuts deep with compelling moral dilemmas and ambiguous characterwork. It's not only a great genre flick, but a hugely original indie that absolutely deserves to be seen by a wide audience. One of the best … Continue reading FrightFest 2026: Another
FrightFest 2025: The Other People
★★★ Stating a film is based on true events at this point is no longer a moniker of a quality horror experience, especially considering how loosely the label can be applied. Making this claim used to elicit chills down one's spine, but now simply feels too commonplace. The Other People, co-written and directed by Chad … Continue reading FrightFest 2025: The Other People
FrightFest 2025: 213 Bones
★★★ The 90s may unofficially be the new 80s. More than ever before, a flood of titles hoping to emulate my birth decade have been trying hard to replicate that nostalgic magic. Campy slasher 213 Bones is the latest in a long line of them, and thankfully, just enough fun to wholeheartedly recommend. First-time writer/director … Continue reading FrightFest 2025: 213 Bones
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: The Mannequin
★★★ Writer/director John Bernardo may only have a couple films under his belt, but his Initiation was one of my favorite slasher films of the last few years. His sophomore effort, The Mannequin, came with a certain set of expectations that resulted in a bit of disappointment from my end. Expectation: a movie about a … Continue reading FrightFest 2025: The Mannequin
FrightFest 2025: Sane Inside Insanity
★★★★ When looking through the roster for 2025’s FrightFest, I almost had to do a double take. Sane Inside Insanity is the year's second documentary based on the phenomenon that is The Rocky Horror Show. Somehow, both docs have worked the yearly film circuit as 1975’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show rings in its 50th … Continue reading FrightFest 2025: Sane Inside Insanity