Tag: Supernatural Horror
The curse of endless sequels has plagued horror films for years with multifarious results. The Ringu series kicked off back in the late 90s and is no exception to this curse. With the previous effort in the series, Sadako (2019), seemingly failing to meet fan expectations—high expectations that were set by the involvement of Hideo
“I came out early, I couldn’t take it”“I hated it”“I loved it and won’t have a word said against it!”– Quotes overheard in the foyer, after having seen Skinamarink. Written and directed by Kyle Edward Ball and shot on a micro-budget at his childhood Canadian home, Skinamarink (2022) is inspired by a childhood nightmare. Pirated,
After File 01 went off with a bang, Koji Shiraishi’s Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 02: Shivering Ghost (2012) tries something different and turns out unexpectedly good. The first episode of the mockumentary series didn’t disappoint in serving Koji’s found footage brands and Japanese myth goodness, showing how his knack for storytelling and genre
It’s understandable why Japanese filmmakers focus so often on the feudal era in their horror cinema. It’s a setting so naturally horrific in the plight and pain of the peasant class that few supernatural elements are necessary to invoke dread in audiences. The stark reality of daily life alone is enough to make the viewer
Take a group of unhappy people, add a ghost, and plenty of bad life advice, and the result may look something like F. C. Rabbath’s 2020 film, The Waiting. Billed as a horror romantic comedy, The Waiting tries to be many things yet masters of none. Eric Brady, a new hotel employee, stumbles upon an
If Ugetsu is what kickstarted the Japanese tradition of Edo Gothic, Kaneto Shindo may have perfected it with Onibaba (1964). It’s a horror film that doesn’t resort to horror, a ghost story with no ghosts. Its evils reside in all too familiar sources: resentment, human nature, and religious hypocrisy, all woven seamlessly through its narrative
Having just landed on Shudder UK, The Final Wish (2018) is director Timothy Woodward Jr’s third film and boasts a story from Jeffery Reddick, writer of the first two Final Destination films; a fact that is emblazoned across the film’s trailer. Micheal Welch plays Aaron, a young law graduate who’s failing to make a living
Hellraiser fans rejoiced when the news broke out that Clive Barker would be regaining the U.S. rights to his novella The Hellbound Heart and the film it spawned in December of 2021. This meant that any upcoming Hellraiser projects would need his stamp of approval before going forward after the specified date. After a series
Veteran fans of Japanese horror are familiar with the name Takashi Shimizu, there’s no doubt about it. Having gained attention from horror fans all around the world with his Ju-On franchise, Shimizu-san has been a continuous contributor to the genre with varying reception from his audience. Admittedly, I haven’t been a good audience for some
There are few sins of horror movies making worse than lack of originality. Every year theaters and streaming services are flooded with tepid horror movies churned out for hungry fans, sometimes with disgustingly large budgets. I always walk out of such films with a poor taste in my mouth, imagining how those funds could have