Tag: Horror

Wolf Man (2025) | REVIEW

Christopher Abbott in Leigh Whannell’s WOLF MAN — PHOTO: Universal Pictures (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Leigh Whannell — Screenplay by Leigh Whannell and Corbett Tuck.

It’s strange to think back to now, but the final film that I saw in theaters before the world shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was Universal and Blumhouse’s The Invisible Man from Upgrade director Leigh Whannell. Now, almost five years later, Leigh Whannell has taken another Universal Monster under his wings with Wolf Man, as he has taken over a project that was once envisioned as Ryan Gosling vehicle from Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines director Derek Cianfrance,. Instead, Whannell’s leads are Christopher Abbott (Sanctuary) and Julia Garner (Ozark). With an early-to-mid-January release, is Whannell’s second Universal Monster adaptation as good as his first? Well, let’s have a look.

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‘Fly Me to the Moon,’ ‘Late Night With the Devil,’ ‘Dear Santa,’ and ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ | Bite-Sized Reviews

Top Row (L-R): ‘Fly Me to the Moon (Apple TV+ / Columpia Pictures);’ ‘Late Night With the Devil (IFC Films).’
Bottom Row (L-R): ‘Dear Santa (Paramount Pictures),’ ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s (Universal Pictures).’

In this edition of Bite-Sized Reviews, I reveal my thoughts on a horror video game adaptation, a Jack Black-led Christmas film, an Apple TV+ film whose title references a Frank Sinatra song, and an indie horror film with an interesting premise.

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‘Night Swim,’ ‘IF,’ ‘For Evigt,’ and ‘Birthday Girl’ | Bite-Sized Reviews

Top Row (L-R): NIGHT SWIM (Universal Pictures); IF (Paramount Pictures).
Bottom Row (L-R): FOR EVIGT (Nordisk Film); Birthday Girl (Nordisk Film).

In addition to all of the other reviews I’m publishing by themselves, and other relevant articles to kick off the year, I am also starting the year by publishing a small handful of bite-sized review compilation posts. In this edition, I’ll give you my thoughts on two Danish films from last year that didn’t fully win me over, as well as an American horror film released 12 months ago, and John Krasinski’s family film about imaginary friends.

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Nosferatu (2024) | REVIEW

Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu — PHOTO: Focus Features / Universal Pictures (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch; The Northman) — Screenplay by Robert Eggers

Everyone knows the name Dracula. That name and character have become such an indelible part of horror fandom and popular culture since the original Bram Stoker epistolary gothic horror novel was published back in 1897 and forever put a name to the quintessential vampire figure. It’s a character that has been played by so many iconic actors through time including Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee, Nicolas Cage, and Gary Oldman. You may not have seen all of those films, but, I’m pretty sure, even if you haven’t seen a ‘Dracula movie’ before, certain images instantly pop into your head due to cultural osmosis when you hear the name. I am, however, not as certain most people know about ‘nosferatu,’ and, unless you’re a cinephile or a horror aficionado, you almost definitely don’t know who, or what, Count Orlok is. Kids may dress up as Dracula for Halloween (and many probably do), but you’re going to have to search for quite some time if you want to find someone who dressed up as Orlok. 

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Heretic (2024) | REVIEW

Hugh Grant in Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ HERETIC — PHOTO: A24 (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (65) — Screenplay by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place; The Boogeyman).

Though not their directorial debut, writing-directing duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods had their mainstream, big studio debut as directors with last year’s Adam Driver-led sci-fi flick titled 65, which, despite having a great trailer, was a relatively disappointing and unremarkable film. This was a disappointment because, in recent years, the duo had proven themselves to be effective genre film writers with their awards-nominated A Quiet Place screenplay. With their latest film, Heretic, they’ve crafted a psychological horror film that proves their talents and that what they had done a couple of years earlier was by no means an accident or a fluke. This one is terrific.  

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‘The Piano Teacher,’ ‘The Iron Claw,’ and More | Review Compilation

(L-R, top row) The Piano Teacher (MK2 Diffusion); The Iron Claw (A24); The Watcher (New Line Cinema).
(L-R, bottom row) Imaginary (Lionsgate); The Strangers: Chapter 1 (Lionsgate).

In this review compilation, I have shared my thoughts on a Michael Haneke classic, as well as one of the most devastating wrestling movies. In addition to this, I have highlighted three different horror films from 2024, none of which, sadly, won me over. Read more below to find out why that’s the case.

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‘Young Woman and the Sea,’ ‘Milk and Serial,’ and More | Review Compilation

(L-R, top row) BLACKBERRY (Elevation Pictures); MILK & SERIAL (that’s a bad idea); THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (Universal Pictures). (L-R, bottom row) YOUNG WOMAN AND THE SEA (Disney); VAN HELSING (Universal Pictures); Englemageren (SF Film).

I’ve been itching to get some of my thoughts on a wide variety of films out there here towards the end of the year. So, while there will still be both solo new release reviews and review compilations about TV-Shows, I’ve planned two or three film-related review compilations that’ll be released in the next few weeks. Today, I’m going to share my thoughts on a super popular YouTube film, two films from Norwegian film directors, and much more. Let’s get to it.

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The Substance (2024) | REVIEW

Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkles in Coralie Fargeat’s THE SUBSTANCE — PHOTO: Mubi / Camera Film (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Coralie Fargeat — Screenplay by Coralie Fargeat.

For whatever reason, there is a recent trend in French cinema where rising female filmmakers are gravitating towards horror filmmaking to tell stories with plenty to say. Palme d’Or-winning filmmaker Julia Ducournau is the best example of this, as her critically acclaimed oeuvre — consisting of Raw and Titane — is filled with sensationally good and attention-grabbing body horror films that in the case of Titane is so out there and distinctive that you can’t describe it without getting strange looks from the person you’re talking to about it. French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat — whose first film was the revenge thriller appropriately titled Revenge from 2017 — is following in her footsteps. Her sophomore effort was, similarly to Ducournau’s Titane, warmly received at the Cannes Film Festival. While Ducournau won the main award, Fargeat’s evocative and expressive body horror film The Substance earned her the festival’s prize for Best Screenplay. Like Raw and Titane when they were released, The Substance, which reportedly received a standing ovation at upwards of 9 minutes at its world premiere, is an excellent piece of genre filmmaking that is sure to be remembered as one of the best and most memorable films of the year.

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Smile 2 (2024) | REVIEW

Naomi Scott in Parker Finn’s SMILE 2 — PHOTO: Paramount Pictures (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Parker Finn — Screenplay by Parker Finn.

Set only days after the events of the original film, Parker Finn’s Smile 2 follows Skye Riley (played by Naomi Scottt), a genuine pop star, who is trying to improve her image as she prepares to go on tour following a very public struggle with rehabilitation from substance abuse and the traumatic car crash that she was in, which took the life of her boyfriend (played by Ray Nicholson) and which she is still in pain from. She is constantly supervised by her mother (played by Rosemarie DeWitt) and her team of assistants, and so, because of her history with substance abuse, when she needs painkillers from an injury she sustained, she feels compelled to do it behind their backs. However, when she secretly visits an acquaintance who also happens to be a drug dealer (played by Lukas Gage), everything goes wrong, as he is clearly troubled and he goes on to brutally kill himself whilst brandishing a disturbing smile. Desperate to cover her tracks, she rushes out and refuses to mention what she witnessed to anyone, but what she becomes gradually more and more aware of is that something was passed to her, and soon she starts to witness crazy things from people smiling creepily. 

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‘Salem’s Lot (2024) | REVIEW

Ben Mears (played by Lewis Pullman) looks out at the vampires in his hometown in ‘SALEM’S LOT — PHOTO: New Line Cinema/Max (Still image from trailer).

Directed by Gary Dauberman (Annabelle Comes Home) — Screenplay by Gary Dauberman.

This long-awaited Stephen King adaptation has gone through what many would describe as development hell. The film started principal photography in late 2021 and was originally slated to be released theatrically in 2022, but it was shelved or delayed due to a variety of circumstances including COVID-19-related post-production issues. Despite there having been talk about releasing it a year ago around the time of the SAG-AFTRA strikes, it remained shelved for quite some time, which led many to fear that, like Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s Batgirl or Dave Green’s Coyote vs. Acme, it could be yet another finished but unreleased and permanently shelved Warner Bros. Pictures product. Earlier this year, Stephen King even got involved and questioned its shelving, but, eventually, it was finally released straight to Max almost two weeks ago. Though not exactly a gem in its current state, there are definitely things to like about this adaptation that has, thankfully, finally seen the light of day.

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