M3GAN [2023] – ★★★ Everything in M3GAN is “in vogue”: sentient artificial intelligence (readers must have had their fill of it with Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun and McEwan’s Machines Like Me, and viewers – with After Yang (2021), Finch (2021) and Brian and Charles (2022)), cinematic mishmash of genres, and, in line with Ari Aster’s popular…
Category: Horror
“Titane” Review
Titane [2021] – ★★★★ 🔥 Titane hypnotises and mystifies as it repels and shocks, delivering not only a story, but also “an experience”. Titane is the second feature film of French director Julia Ducournau (Raw (2017)) and the Palme d’Or winner of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. The film is not for the faint of…
“Midsommar” Review
Midsommar [2019] – ★★★★★ ☀️ In this immersive, subtle and unsettling horror master-work, Ari Aster takes his audience by the hand, and slowly and surely introduces the disturbing beneath the festive, relaxing and innocent. Ari Aster takes horror to a completely new level in his latest film Midsommar. Inspired by The Wicker Man and horror…
“The Babadook” Review
The Babadook [2014] – ★★★★1/2 📖 A well-made horror film with oppressive atmosphere that also explores deeper, thought-provoking themes of coming to terms with trauma and overcoming grief. I am wishing all my followers and readers a very Happy Halloween, and am presenting a scary and psychologically-interesting Australian horror film The Babadook. This film by…
“In Fabric” Review
In Fabric [2018] – ★★★ 👗 A critique of consumerism and employment culture invades a ghost story, and with the 1970s aesthetics, and enough eccentricities and humour, culminates in a very unusual viewing experience. Peter Strickland is known for such unusual and, in some way, “brave” films as Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and The Duke of…
The “October Birthdayz” Blogathon: Repulsion (1965)
It is that time of the year again when everyone is writing about exciting spooky stuff, and to accomplish two objectives with one action, I am contributing to the “October Birthdayz” blogathon hosted by Nuwan at No Nonsense with Nuwan Sen to celebrate the birthday of his sister. The theme is famous people who were born…
“Hereditary” Review
Hereditary [2018] – ★★★★ 🏠 Ari Aster treats his horror like an epic masterpiece, paying close attention to story, setting, acting, pacing, look and small symbolic details, & the reward is, finally, a “quality” horror we’ve all been waiting for. Ari Aster’s debut feature horror film has caused quite a stir so far. With such…
Hitchcock’s “The Birds”: Review & Analysis of Main Elements
The Birds [1963] – ★★★★★ 🐦 Fifty-five years on, Alfred Hitchcock’s highly atmospheric, suspenseful and original horror creation is still a “must-see” film. This film by the “master of suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock, takes inspiration from a story by Daphne Du Maurier (Rebecca (1940)) of the same name, and is about strange behaviour of birds in…
“A Quiet Place” Review
A Quiet Place [2018] – ★★★★ 🤫 Silence never felt as terrifying as in A Quiet Place, a film that is truly scary, without appearing over-done. John Krasinski’s dystopia A Quiet Place is currently on everyone’s lips, a horror that tries to “reinvent” the horror genre (if such thing is possible after Get Out (2017) and The Witch (2015))….
The Horrorathon: Les Diaboliques (1955)
Maddy at Maddy Loves Her Classic Films is hosting the Horrorathon, celebrating horror movies in the light of the forthcoming Halloween, and I have decided to contribute with a review of one intelligent and highly influential film which some view to be one of the precursors to the modern psychological horror/thriller genre. Les Diaboliques [1955] –…
“Mother!” Review
Mother! [2017] – ★★★1/2 Aronofsky “recycles” others’ and, ironically, his own previous film ideas, resulting in Mother! appearing an unoriginal horror concoction & also an uncomfortable reminder of other, much better films. <<<I took care not to reveal any specific spoilers, but some discretion when reading is still advised>>> The story centres around Him (Javier…
“Get Out” Review
Get Out [2017] – ★★★1/2 🦌 An atmospheric and strange combination of The Stepford Wives (1972) and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), but with some “over-the-top” horror in the mix and, thus, hardly offering anything new or subtle by the end. Get Out is one of the best-reviewed films of this year. It is a…
“Raw” Review
Raw [2016] – ★★★★ 🥩 A staggering film debut with “unflinching” gore and disturbing atmosphere, reviving the best of what became known as the New French Extremity movement. Julia Ducournau’s debut feature film Raw provoked extreme reactions from critics and audiences alike. However, despite its grim story and graphic imagery, the film still managed to…
“Psycho” Review
Psycho [1960] – ★★★★★ 🚿 A true classic which stood the test of time, revolutionising the presentation of horror on screen and showcasing Hitchcock’s unparalleled talent for creating suspense. Adapted from a novel by Robert Bloch, this film is a classic of psychological horror genre, which practically revolutionised the way horror films were shot ever since…
“The Neon Demon” Review
The Neon Demon [2016] – ★★ 📷 Despite the visual beauty of certain scenes, Refn’s parade of random and confused ideas about LA show business and its qualities and appearances, produces a film which is the pretentious boredom, or the boring pretentiousness itself (as you like it). “Beauty isn’t everything. It’s the only thing”, says Roberto…
“Sleepy Hollow” Review
Sleepy Hollow [1999] – ★★★★1/2 🪓 Burton’s lavishly gothic period film is a top-notch mystery, combining intrigue, romance and horror, while also not forgetting to pay tribute to the original source material. “A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere” (Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow). …
“Insidious” Review
Insidious [2010] – ★★★★ 👻 An imperfect, but “effective” and genuinely scary work from a talented director. Insidious, directed by James Wan (Saw (2004), Dead Silence (2007)), is one of those few psychological horror films that are genuinely scary without sliding into ridiculousness or dullness, and that also provides good entertainment in terms of fascinating…
“Identity” Review
Identity [2003] – ★★★★1/2 👤 An intelligent and claustrophobic horror treat, with one mind-blowing final twist. “As I was walking up the stairs, I met a man who wasn’t there. He wasn’t there again today; I wish, I wish he’d go away.” Ten strangers: a family of three, a limo driver, a film star, a call girl, a…
“Antichrist” Review
Antichrist [2009] – ★★★★ ✂ The film targets the “primal human needs” in the audience, the Freudian connection between sex and death, and the “death” drive. Coming from Danish director Lars Von Trier (Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville (2003)), this controversial film promises to be anything, but an easy ride. Hailed in Denmark a masterpiece overnight,…
Spotlight on Film 