Here we are with yet another classic film franchise struggling to find a foothold in today's marketplace. The Predator series has always been more of a cult favorite than a genuine pop culture phenomenon. Not a single film featuring the creature(s) has cracked $100 million in domestic box office receipts, including the two films shared... Continue Reading →
Original US release date: June 4, 1982 Production budget: $10,700,000 Worldwide gross: $121,706,019 Horror films are among the most common, being both extremely popular and inexpensive to produce. That's a great combination and, when one really hits, it pays off in a major way. In the years preceding 1982, moviegoers had been treated to many... Continue Reading →
In the well-documented wake of the success of Marvel Studios' Cinematic Universe, we've seen many others attempt to duplicate the model and achieve the same levels of both critical and commercial success that has blessed Marvel over the last decade. Of those who have tried, none have risen to Marvel's heights. Warner Brothers has come... Continue Reading →
Does any urban legend have as fascinating (and disturbing) a history as Slender Man? The terrifying creature was created by Eric Knudsen as part of a 2009 online Photoshop contest and, from there, it took on a life of its own - literally, if you ask some people. There have been real-life rituals and even... Continue Reading →
Original US release date: December 7, 1960 Production budget: $200,000 Worldwide gross: $2,175,000 There's something special about old-fashioned, black-and-white horror, isn't there? Without reliance upon grisly and grotesque images, profanity, or nudity, horror used to stay firmly focused on delivering compelling stories, characters, and atmosphere. There are still horror films that accomplish those feats, today,... Continue Reading →
The original Unfriended was released over three years ago, in April of 2015, and instantly stood out as one of the more thoughtful - and thought-provoking - horror films in recent years. A cautionary tale against cyber-bullying, the movie worked on multiple levels and had the added novelty of being presented exclusively through the perspective... Continue Reading →
The Purge franchise is the best horror franchise going not named The Conjuring (read my reviews of part one here and part two here). The original film established the unique premise with an otherwise fairly standard home invasion story. But the seeds were planted and since then director-writer James DeMonaco has watered them and watched... Continue Reading →
From an A24 drought to two A24 films within a couple of weeks (you can find the other one here). Critics have loved Hereditary, the feature film directorial debut for Ari Aster. Audiences, on the other hand, have given it a D+ Cinemascore which I found incredibly encouraging. Yes, encouraging. Typically, the less general audiences... Continue Reading →
Original US release date: October 10, 2008 Production budget: $12,000,000 Worldwide gross: $41,319,906 Directed and co-written by John Erick Dowdle (Devil), Quarantine was a stylish horror thriller designed to take advantage of the found-footage fad that had hit big at the time. While in no way originated by the film, the found-footage subgenre was popularized by... Continue Reading →
I went into Dean Devlin's Bad Samaritan with low expectations. Despite starring the incredibly popular David Tennant ("Jessica Jones", "Doctor Who") there has been virtually no pre-release buzz around this film and I've gotten a vibe from the marketing that reminds me a little too much of 2016's Criminal, one of my least-favorite films of the last several... Continue Reading →
The Movie March! 