Reviews in a nutshell
Unfriended offers some half-decent scares inside a rather claustrophobic environment, with the usual sacrifice of attractive teens. Unsurprisingly, it’s not unique in that sense. What is noteworthy is taking the social media platforms’ functionality and accentuated sounds to trigger its suspense. In this respect, Unfriended grabs and retains our curiosity.
Families moving into creepy haunted houses then things going bump in the night are the backbone of horror. It’s finding that slight tweak to the usual tropes that keeps things fresh. Debut filmmakers, director Adam Wimpenny and writer J.S. Hill have attempted that with British horror Blackwood, combining a traditional haunting with a psychological crime …
The thing that kept the tension wound tight in The Purge (2013) was everything being contained within a comfortable four walls, feeding on our deepest fears of being under siege in a safe environment; our home. Returning writer-director James DeMonaco now taps into the other fear that the first film triggers: What would happen if …
Hammer Films attempts to recapture its glory days with new horror The Quiet Ones, designed to play mind games while gradually unsettling the viewer as to the ethics of what transpires. It all sounds like a solid, nostalgic premise with a touch of the demonic – though reliant on our faith in what we witnessing …
The ‘found footage, handycam horror’ effect is fast becoming the norm in the horror flick stakes because it appears to suggest an ‘authenticity’ to forthcoming filmed events, like CCTV footage. Paranormal Activity paved the way for a new kind of cinematic style. Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s Devil’s Due borrows from this, with nods …
Meant to pick up where 2010’s Insidious left off, writer-director James Wan and co-writer Leigh Whannell place us in the company of the unfortunate Lamberts again, only this time at grandma Lorraine’s (Barbara Hershey) residence. The first thing that springs to mind is just why Renai Lambert (Rose Byrne) hasn’t run for the hills with …
Just the title alone means business, and sounds like something from the Scream franchise will be re-enacted here. However, this is a smarter-than-average and well-paced home invasion horror that has both gore and sniggers from horror filmmaking duo, director Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett, who reunite several cast members from their 2010 film, A …
Horror films about haunted houses and the paranormal are aplenty. Some are so contrived they are simply farcical; others lay claim to true stories backing up events that naturally elevate the chill factor. The Conjuring has just the right mix of horror troupes – most of which are featured, plus a creepy real-life back-story. However, …
‘Unpleasant’ is the word that comes to mind to describe The Seasoning House – and not necessarily in a complimentary fashion either for such a thriller. This description is not only for the obvious and upsetting subject matter of sex slavery during wartime but also how debut director Paul Hyett uses this a little too …
