film review

A collection of 370 posts

Film

The Lighthouse Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

The Lighthouse is a psychological horror film about two men tending to a lighthouse in the 1890s. The younger man wants to do everything by the rules. The older man is an experienced keeper who knows and understands the true dangers of the job.

Film

Masters of Horror S2E13: "Dream Cruise" #31DaysofHorror

We’ve finally reached the series finale of Masters of Horror in our review/recap series at The Avocado. Norio Tsuruta’s Dream Cruise is one of the most unique episodes of the second season, which is largely filled with far more adventurous titles than the first season. For one thing, he filmed it as

Film

Climax Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

Climax is a horror film that pulls inspiration from queer ball culture. A group of dancers are interviewed as part of an audition for an international touring company. Think A Chorus Line, but far more invasive. The dancers are asked about their sexuality, their history of drug use, and why they dan

Film

Possum Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

A man walks around with an older leather bag. He is horrified by its contents and can’t seem to get rid of it no matter how hard he tries. Inside is a puppet, one that cost him his career and forced him to move back to his childhood home until he can find a way to redeem himself.

Film

The Last Showing Review (Film, 2014) #31DaysofHorror

A disgruntled former projectionist sets up an elaborate to plan for revenge after being pushed out of his job by the advent of digital projection. He will make his own “realistic” horror film that matches the demands of the modern audience. The stars are an unwilling couple on a midnight movie date

Film

Scary Stories Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

Scary Stories is a documentary about the legacy of Alvin Schwartz’ Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books. These beloved collections of horror stories became a sensation for a number of reasons, including controversy over their content, the perfect timing in the publishing industry, and the visual

Film

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead Review (Film, 1994) #31DaysofHorror

Phantasm III is camp. It’s self-aware. It has interesting things to say about the series but we’ve now added in the afterlife (after being told there is no afterlife in the series), people being trapped in the floating orbs if they’re not turned into the minions, and just shapeshifting everywhere. I

Film

Pulse Review (Film, 2005) The Archives #31DaysofHorror

Pulse is one of the better known J-Horror films from the late 90s/early 00’s. It is a technology/chain letter hybrid horror occupying an odd space between The Ring and Suicide Club. Essentially a metaphor for the increasing distance between people as the Internet gains prominence in the world, Pulse

Film

Guns Akimbo Review (Film, 2020) #31DaysofHorror

Guns Akimbo is a killer game film. Skizm is an international online sensation. Contestants from all around the world are chosen to fight to the death. Win, you see another day. Lose, you lose your life. Fail to play, lose your life. Run away, lose your life. Miles decides to troll the livestream cha

Film

Masters of Horror: S2E12 "The Washingtonians"

This week in our Masters of Horror review series at The Avocado, we take a look at Peter Medak’s The Washingtonians. This adventure/horror story adapted from a story by Bentley Little is a very different kind of episode. You can read the full review here [https://the-avocado.org/2020/10/14/masters-o

Film

The Quiet Room Review (Short Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

Michael, a writer, is put on a 72 hour hold at a mental hospital after attempting death by suicide. He’s warned about the screams from the quiet room and the resident demon Haunted Hattie. Hattie’s pushes men to death by suicide so she can be with them forever.

Film

Come to Daddy Review (Film, 2020) #31DaysofHorror

Norval is invited to visit his father who abandoned the family 30 years ago when he was five. His father is an alcoholic with no sense of empathy or appreciation for his son filling his request. After a brief struggle, his father dies of a heart attack, leaving Norval to deal with the physical remai

Film

Crawl Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

A competitive swimmer gets trapped in her father’s house during a Category 5 hurricane. The structure becomes compromised and the house begins to flood. Things go from bad to worse when alligators claim the home as their own.

Film

Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street Review (Film, 2020) #31DaysofHorror

Scream, Queen! My Nighmare on Elm Street is a documentary about Mark Patton’s experience starring in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. It goes much deeper than that, exploring the impact of homophobia and the AIDS epidemic on Hollywood, media, and criticism for decades.

Film

Phantasm II Review (Film, 1988) #31DaysofHorror

Mike, newly released from a psychiatric hospital, is doing everything he can to prove that what he saw nine years ago when The Tall Man started attacking is true. His only way to stay outside the hospital is to become the person they want him to be, a rational member of society who knows that metal

Film

Two Evil Eyes Review (Film, 1991) The Archives #31DaysofHorror

Horror giants George Romero and Dario Argento collaborated on a modern day adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories. Romero totally reset his take on “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” in the present, while Argento’s “The Black Cat” uses a little dream logic and unusual settings to aim for someth

Film

Prevenge Review (Film, 2017) #31DaysofHorror

A pregnant woman goes on a killing spree. She believes her unborn child is controlling her, telling her exactly what to do in her day to day life. Even her doctor tells her that her baby has ways of telling her what to do.

Film

Masters of Horror: S2E11 "The Black Cat"

This week, we take a look at Stuart Gordon’s second episode of Masters of Horror. The Black Cat is an adaptation of Edgar Alan Poe’s story “The Black Cat” mashed up with his own life as told by his worst critics. You can read the full review at The Avocado [https://the-avocado.org/2020/10/07/masters

Film

The Lords of Salem Review (Film, 2013) #31DaysofHorror

The Lords of Salem follows heavy metal radio DJ Heidi as she comes face to face with the history of witchcraft in Salem. That’s it. That’s the plot. There’s more nuance to it, but that’s the point. Rob Zombie wanted to make a film about witches, so he made one.

Film

Color Out of Space Review (Film, 2020) #31DaysofHorror

Inspired by the H.P. Lovecraft story “The Colour Out of Space,” Color Out of Space tells the story of the Gardner Family. They live in a remote house in the middle of the woods. Mother Theresa has cancer and everyone is struggling to cope. Then, a mysterious object falls from the sky, changing their

Film

The Love Witch Review (Film, 2016) #31DaysofHorror

The Love Witch is one of the most beautiful horror films ever made. Writer/director/producer/editor/composer/costume designer/set designer/art director Anna Biller crafts one of the most stylized horror films of all time. No detail is too small to be just good enough and nothing that appears onscree

Film

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror is a documentary about the role of black creators, artists, and audiences in the development of American horror cinema. It is adapted from the incredible book of the same name by Robin R. Means Coleman by director Xavier Burgen and screenwriters Ashlee Blackwe

Film

Phantasm Review (Film, 1979) #31DaysofHorror

Something strange is happening at the Morningside Cemetery. We witness a ritual sacrifice right by the chapel, though the death is reported as a death by suicide. Now a strange cloaked figure is sneaking around in the corner of everyone’s eyes and whispers fill the halls of the funeral home, church,

Film

Donkey Punch Review (Film, 2009) The Archives #31DaysofHorror

Donkey Punch is like a grotesque Agatha Christie mystery. You don’t know who will get popped off next, and you don’t know how it will go down. Donkey Punch even features one disturbing and unbelievable kill I’ve never seen in decades of consuming slashers like air. It’s And Then There Were None on s

Film

Nightmare Cinema Review (Film, 2019) #31DaysofHorror

Nightmare Cinema is a horror anthology film about an abandoned movie theatre. People are lured in by their own name appearing on the marquee and given a ticket. They walk inside and watch their worst nightmare play out in front of them, starring them. It’s a great concept for a horror anthology and