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3.5/5
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Annabelle: Creation
(2017)
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Brian Bisesi
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Annabelle: Creation is one of the scarier films in the The Conjuring Universe, but like other films in the franchise, it lacks both a compelling plot and compelling characters in the absence of the Warrens.
Posted Jan 28, 2026
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4.5/5
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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
(2026)
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Brian Bisesi
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The Bone Temple organically continues the narrative of its predecessor while adding new elements and themes that make the film a standout in the franchise. The film ups the menace despite the bold choice to de-emphasize the infected as the main threat.
Posted Jan 21, 2026
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3.5/5
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The Coffee Table
(2022)
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Brian Bisesi
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The Coffee Table perfectly balances its tone to make its horrific subject matter not only bearable but darkly comedic. Incredible performances further contribute to the unique tone that is masterfully struck by Casas.
Posted Jan 14, 2026
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4.5/5
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Signs
(2002)
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Brian Bisesi
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Signs succeeds not only as a suspenseful alien invasion film, but as a deeply moving family drama. Great dialogue and characters pull the viewer into the emotional core of the story, and make the tension all the more poignant.
Posted Dec 10, 2025
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2/5
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Keeper
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Perkins squanders some interesting creature design and legitimately creepy moments by directing two bizarre performances that tank the viewer’s interest in the film almost immediately.
Posted Dec 03, 2025
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5/5
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No Country for Old Men
(2007)
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Brian Bisesi
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The folksy characters typical of the Coens’ work are perfectly juxtaposed against the ruthlessness of Bardem’s incomparable performance. Both the landscape and soundscape are simultaneously barren and rich, mirroring the understated yet powerful dialogue.
Posted Nov 19, 2025
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3/5
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Frankenstein
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Del Toro succeeds in creating a visually rich world in which the story unfolds. As for capturing the human element of the story, his success is muted by the emotional whiplash in the film's conclusion, and some unearned yet beautifully scripted dialogue.
Posted Nov 12, 2025
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3/5
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Shelby Oaks
(2023)
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Brian Bisesi
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Shelby Oaks is a fairly paint-by-numbers affair, but it manages to squeeze some suspense and scares out of its familiar formula.
Posted Nov 05, 2025
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3/5
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Trick 'r Treat
(2007)
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Brian Bisesi
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Trick ‘r Treat’s intercut stories undermine both its stylistic homage to EC comics and the viewer’s engagement in each story, but the film succeeds largely on the strength of its iconic and original villain - Sam, and a handful of suspenseful scenes.
Posted Oct 29, 2025
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4/5
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Halloween
(1978)
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Brian Bisesi
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John Carpenter’s score and Dean Cundey’s cinematography elevate Halloween to a genre-defining classic. Its style and atmosphere are still unrivaled by any of the imitators released in its wake
Posted Oct 29, 2025
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3.5/5
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House
(1977)
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Brian Bisesi
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House's biggest strength and weakness is that it is utterly disorienting which can be very engaging for the viewer but can also keep you from being grounded in the film.
Posted Oct 22, 2025
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4/5
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Black Phone 2
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Black Phone 2 focuses on the prior film’s heroes while avoiding a rehash of the same plot. Its character-centric approach and creepy atmosphere saves it from being a mere ripoff of either its predecessor, or of a certain iconic film with a similar plot.
Posted Oct 22, 2025
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3/5
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Color Out of Space
(2019)
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Brian Bisesi
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Color Out of Space meets the visual challenges inherent in adapting H.P. Lovecraft, but the entertainment value is dampened by the lack of any engaging story, relationship, or chemistry between the characters.
Posted Oct 01, 2025
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3/5
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Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
(1991)
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Brian Bisesi
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The Final Nightmare deserves more credit for exploring the most interesting avenues of the Elm St. franchise since Dream Warriors, but some utterly silly choices squander its otherwise dark tone and blunt the impact of Freddy’s grim backstory.
Posted Sep 25, 2025
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3/5
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A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
(1989)
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Brian Bisesi
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The Dream Child has good ideas, and is entertaining despite its flaws. Partly a victim of a rushed production, and partly of extensive MPAA cuts, the final product is a slapdash jumble of what could have been a far more compelling entry in the franchise.
Posted Sep 25, 2025
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3.5/5
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The Conjuring: Last Rites
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Last Rites delivers on the franchise's usual brand of jumpscares & ghouls lurking in the shadows. It doesn't shy away from sentimentality in its goodbye to the Warrens, but it could have done more with its bloated runtime to bring their story full circle.
Posted Sep 17, 2025
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3/5
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Troll 2
(1990)
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Ashvin Prakash
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Troll 2's lack of production value, awful acting and nonsensical plot would easily make this film a disaster, but its sense of humor and inability to take itself seriously serves as the greatest strength of the film making for a fun and hysterical watch.
Posted Sep 10, 2025
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4/5
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Troll 2
(1990)
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Brian Bisesi
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While Troll 2’s blemishes are part of its appeal, the film still manages to be fun, entertaining, and inventive for reasons outside of its “badness”. It is a very good bad movie.
Posted Sep 10, 2025
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2/5
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Alien 3
(1992)
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Brian Bisesi
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Alien 3 immediately and completely squanders everything that made its predecessors great. This bold new vision swaps in a drab setting, unlikable characters, and an uninteresting plot that lacks suspense.
Posted Sep 03, 2025
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4/5
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Together
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Together is a focused and powerful examination of personal identity and relationships that effortlessly balances its serious themes with its frequently playful tone.
Posted Aug 06, 2025
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3.5/5
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House
(1985)
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Ashvin Prakash
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A classic, zany 80s horror film with all the fun elements we expect from this decade, including fun monster designs, comical and over-the-top character decisions...and its integration of themes around PTSD elevate this movie above its contemporary peers.
Posted Jul 30, 2025
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3/5
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House
(1985)
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Brian Bisesi
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House adds some interesting and original elements to the typical haunted house template, but it takes far too many detours that add little weight to the film’s themes or the impact of its conclusion.
Posted Jul 30, 2025
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2/5
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I Know What You Did Last Summer
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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IKWYDLS is so busy cashing in on 90s nostalgia that it forgets to craft characters that matter and tests the boundaries of suspended disbelief. The kills somehow end up squandering the increased gore and suspense over the first film.
Posted Jul 23, 2025
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3/5
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M3GAN 2.0
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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M3GAN 2.0’s genre pivot is a fun change of pace, but its overly complex plot and shoe-horned parental themes keep it from surpassing the original.
Posted Jul 02, 2025
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5/5
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28 Years Later
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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28 Years Later is both a return to the stylistic form of Boyle’s first entry in the franchise, as well as an upgrade. The film takes bold swings that are anchored by a heartfelt plot and excellent performances.
Posted Jun 25, 2025
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3/5
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Ghostwatch
(1992)
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Brian Bisesi
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Ghostwatch’s commitment to realism hinders its ability to craft a compelling narrative, but the novelty of the approach, the early examples of found footage tropes, and a satisfyingly spooky ending make it a worthwhile addition to any Halloween watchlist.
Posted Jun 18, 2025
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2/5
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Friday the 13th
(2009)
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Brian Bisesi
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This is a modernized rehash of the same shortcomings that have plagued the Friday the 13th franchise since its inception: weak characters and a lack of suspense. The rapid cuts to cameras in motion makes the film even worse than its 80s counterparts.
Posted Jun 11, 2025
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4/5
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Bring Her Back
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Bring Her Back begins by pulling some of the familiar levers of grief horror, but once things get violent, it doesn't take its foot off the petal and it becomes a fun yet dark and disturbing ride.
Posted Jun 04, 2025
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3.5/5
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Scanners
(1981)
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Brian Bisesi
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Scanners would benefit from more focus on its main character. The intricacies of its plot would be more potent if filtered through an expressive and complex character. But the ideas are captivating, the effects are impressive, and the score is incredible.
Posted May 28, 2025
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4/5
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Final Destination Bloodlines
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Final Destination Bloodlines takes itself seriously while simultaneously embracing its ridiculousness. The film does not forget to go big, especially in its jaw-dropping opening scene.
Posted May 21, 2025
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2/5
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Suitable Flesh
(2023)
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Brian Bisesi
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Suitable Flesh gets repetitive fast. It lacks an emotional core. By the third act, rather than wondering how things would get resolved, I simply found myself eager for an end to the villain's uninspired rants.
Posted May 15, 2025
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3.5/5
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The Lair of the White Worm
(1988)
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Brian Bisesi
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The Lair of the White Worm lacks much substance. Its plot is scattered and at times rushed, but its casually humorous tone pairs well with the outrageous imagery sprinkled throughout.
Posted May 07, 2025
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5/5
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Sinners
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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The rich world, complex characters, and lush score of Sinners make for an all around wonderful experience. Music propels both the narrative and the film’s energy as gritty, soulful blues morphs into heavy metal in the film’s action-packed third act.
Posted Apr 30, 2025
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3/5
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Drop
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Drop begins as a stiff, paint-by-numbers, Blumhousian affair; but Fahy’s performance, a competent script, and tight direction ultimately buoy the strong premise as the tension flows organically in the final two thirds of the film’s efficient runtime.
Posted Apr 23, 2025
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2/5
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Suspiria
(2018)
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Brian Bisesi
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Suspiria’s unifying theme is robbed of its potency by an inscrutable plot, opaque characters, and an excess of cinematic flourishes.
Posted Apr 23, 2025
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3/5
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Final Destination
(2000)
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Brian Bisesi
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Final Destination is a vapidly entertaining film, with sleek production and effects making up for a lackluster plot and bland characters. The film’s bread and butter are its elaborate deaths, and on this front it mostly delivers.
Posted Apr 09, 2025
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2.5/5
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Opus
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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While Opus is a fairly enjoyable watch, its original pop music is the film’s only memorable take-away, as the rest of the movie feels anything but original. Opus feels like deja vu in the wake of multiple recent releases that share the same plot.
Posted Mar 26, 2025
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2/5
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Arcadian
(2024)
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Brian Bisesi
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Arcadian is more frustrating than enjoyable. Neither the camerawork, script, nor the performances allow the viewer to be absorbed into the film’s world or its emotional arc. Characters barely emote, and the film feels hollow and stiff.
Posted Mar 19, 2025
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3.5/5
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Tourist Trap
(1979)
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Ashvin Prakash
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The creepy dolls, creative kills, and the over-the-top score elevate Tourist Trap from being a throw-away late 70s slasher and make it into a fun ride.
Posted Mar 12, 2025
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4/5
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Tourist Trap
(1979)
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Brian Bisesi
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Tourist Trap may not be the most exciting or gruesome film from the Golden Era of Slashers, but it is more haunting and eerie than the bulk of its peers. What it lacks in slasher tropes it makes up for in its memorable production design and aesthetic.
Posted Mar 12, 2025
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5/5
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The Sixth Sense
(1999)
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Brian Bisesi
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All these years later, The Sixth Sense still holds up as an all around great film. The film powerfully portrays the emotional journeys of three separate characters without short-changing any of their stories.
Posted Mar 05, 2025
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2/5
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The Monkey
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Unfortunately, most of The Monkey’s attempts at dark humor do not land. The film is repetitive, nonsensical, and allows us no connection to its characters. The film’s confusing tone and CG kills further undermine its effort at splatstick comedy.
Posted Feb 26, 2025
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3.5/5
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I Saw the Devil
(2010)
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Brian Bisesi
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While I Saw the Devil may not have the narrative complexity to justify its runtime, the examination of vengefulness and its toxic effects is a theme perhaps better served by the length and relentlessness of this grisly thriller.
Posted Feb 19, 2025
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4.5/5
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Companion
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Companion’s twists, turns, and stellar pacing keep you engaged for the film’s entire runtime, but what makes the film stand out from the pack of similarly themed stories is its effortless sense of humor and an excellent performance from Sophie Thatcher.
Posted Feb 12, 2025
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4/5
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Eraserhead
(1977)
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Brian Bisesi
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Eraserhead is unsettling on nearly every level. The film is so surreal as to be profoundly disorienting, but still maintains enough structure to give emotional weight to its themes.
Posted Jan 29, 2025
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2/5
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Wolf Man
(2025)
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Brian Bisesi
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Neither the horror nor the drama lands in Wolf Man. The film adds nothing to the werewolf genre. The choice to ignore many of the genre’s tropes and tenets may even dissatisfy those coming to the film simply to immerse themselves in all things werewolf.
Posted Jan 22, 2025
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4/5
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Oculus
(2013)
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Brian Bisesi
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Despite some questionable logic and character motivations, Oculus delivers an intense descent into madness and fear as it deftly juggles two terrifying timelines.
Posted Jan 15, 2025
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4/5
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Nosferatu
(2024)
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Brian Bisesi
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The meticulous style of Robert Eggers is a perfect fit for a remake of the 1922 classic. The film’s visual aesthetic and dialogue make this feel like a work of art that stands on its own two clawed feet.
Posted Jan 02, 2025
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3.5/5
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Christmas Bloody Christmas
(2022)
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Brian Bisesi
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The film’s first act is soured by its insufferable dialogue. But in the rest of the film, Begos’s chaotic tendencies are channeled into sleek, stylish action that feels more focused than any of his prior work without feeling any less kinetic.
Posted Jan 02, 2025
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4/5
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Oddity
(2024)
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Brian Bisesi
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Oddity infuses originality into the classic gothic horror structure, but it shines the brightest in its masterfully crafted home invasion scenes, which contain some of the most suspenseful movie moments of the year.
Posted Dec 18, 2024
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