When a Haunted Pub Has More Drafts Than the Script Every once in a while, a horror movie comes along that makes you wonder if the real curse was placed on the editing room. Baghead is that movie. Directed by Alberto Corredor, this 2023 supernatural thriller promises ghosts, grief, and generational curses—but delivers something closer … Read More “Baghead (2023): The Horror Movie That Forgot to Be Scary—and Forgot to End, Too” »
A Cautionary Tale in Cinematic Necromancy There’s a unique kind of dread that comes from watching a beloved novel brought to life—only to realize, twenty minutes in, that someone forgot to include the “life” part. Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan (Mama Susan’s Friends), directed by Chito S. Roño and based on Bob Ong’s cult-favorite … Read More “Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan (2023): When the Real Horror Is the Adaptation” »
When the Strings Are Showing—Literally You know a film is truly unhinged when its opening credits make you ask, “Wait, are those… puppets?” and the answer is a confident yes. Abruptio, the long-gestating adult puppet horror from Evan Marlowe, is what happens when someone accidentally mixes Team America: World Police with Mulholland Drive and then … Read More “Abruptio (2023): The Puppet Apocalypse You Didn’t Know You Needed (and Possibly Didn’t Want)” »
A Horror Movie Lost Behind Enemy Lines You know a film is in trouble when the most frightening thing about it is Mickey Rourke’s wig. Warhunt, directed by Mauro Borrelli, promises a pulpy mix of war, witchcraft, and supernatural chaos — and somehow manages to lose the battle on every front. It’s like someone tried … Read More “Warhunt (2022): When the Real Horror Is the Script” »
Pass the Hand, Not the Trauma Ah, Talk to Me — the movie that singlehandedly ruined sleepovers, séances, and casual curiosity about embalmed body parts. Directed by Australian YouTube horror twins Danny and Michael Philippou, this film is what happens when Gen Z meets necromancy. Imagine if your local high schoolers discovered the Necronomicon on … Read More “Talk to Me (2022): Teenagers, Trauma, and the Most Cursed Party Trick in History” »
A Bottle of Water and a Whole Lot of Doom There are two kinds of horror movies: the ones that make you afraid to turn off the lights, and the ones that make you afraid to check the pH balance of your drinking water. So Cold the River proudly belongs to the latter. Written and … Read More “So Cold the River (2022): A Ghost Story for People Who Think Mineral Water Is Haunted” »
Attack of the Bland If you’ve ever thought, “What if Jaws was directed by a yoga instructor who just learned about trauma bonding?”—then The Reef: Stalked might be the movie for you. Directed by Andrew Traucki, this “spiritual sequel” to his 2010 survival thriller The Reef tries to blend feminist revenge drama with killer shark … Read More “The Reef: Stalked (2022): When the Shark Isn’t the Only Thing Dead in the Water” »
Holy Water and Heavy Metal Let’s get one thing out of the way: Qodrat is not your typical exorcism movie. This isn’t a polite priest mumbling Latin over a trembling teenager while everyone sweats under candlelight. No, this is Indonesia’s version — where religion meets martial arts, demons speak fluent rage, and the exorcist himself … Read More “Qodrat (2022): Faith, Fury, and Flying Demons in Glorious Indonesian Style” »
A Star Is Born (in Hell) Somewhere between The Wizard of Oz and Psycho lies Pearl, Ti West’s deliriously unhinged 2022 prequel to X. Imagine if Dorothy Gale grew up on a Texas farm, lost her mind, and traded her ruby slippers for a pitchfork. That’s Pearl — a Technicolor nightmare about ambition, repression, and … Read More “Pearl (2022): The Technicolor Psychopath Who Just Wanted to Dance” »
When Your Favorite Child Murderer Makes a Comeback There are horror sequels, there are horror prequels, and then there’s Orphan: First Kill — the cinematic equivalent of finding out your creepy porcelain doll has gone pro. Directed by William Brent Bell and starring the eternally unsettling Isabelle Fuhrman, this 2022 prequel to Orphan shouldn’t work. … Read More “Orphan: First Kill (2022): The Pint-Sized Psychopath Returns — and She’s Still Outacting Everyone” »