ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, FEB. 1, 2012 By Steve Newton One of the first movies to freak me out as a kid was The Haunting, a 1963 fright flick about a group of paranormal investigators studying an ominous mansion. Robert Wise’s black-and-white ghost story is a masterful study in less-is-more horror, where the fear comes mostly … Continue reading Horror review: The Woman in Black
Horror review: Underworld–Awakening
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JAN. 22, 2012 It’s been 10 years since British hottie Kate Beckinsale suited up in a skin-tight black-leather jumpsuit to portray Underworld’s Selene, a "death dealer" vampire bent on viciously obliterating any Lycans (werewolves) she can find--unless she falls in love with them first. The actress turns 40 next year, but judging … Continue reading Horror review: Underworld–Awakening
Horror review: The Devil Inside
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JAN. 6, 2012 Those exorcism flicks can be real hit ’n’ miss affairs. Back in 2010, The Last Exorcism took a documentary-style approach to demon-banishing and acquitted itself quite well, whereas the soul of last year’s priests-versus-Beelzebub epic, The Rite, couldn’t even be saved by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Now comes another feature … Continue reading Horror review: The Devil Inside
Horror review: Die
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, NOV. 2, 2011 By Steve Newton Name a horror film with three letters in its title that’s about a group of strangers who are kidnapped, held prisoner, and forced by a calmly voiced psychopath to play twisted games that decide whether their fellow captives live or die a slow, torturous death. … Continue reading Horror review: Die
Horror review: Paranormal Activity 3
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 21, 2011 By Steve Newton It’s not often that Hollywood spawns a demonic-horror film franchise that produces nothing but winners. It didn’t happen with The Omen; it didn’t happen with The Exorcist; and it sure as hell didn’t happen with The Blair Witch Project. But it has happened with Paranormal Activity. All three of … Continue reading Horror review: Paranormal Activity 3
Horror review: The Thing
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 14, 2011 By Steve Newton John Carpenter’s The Thing—his 1982 Antarctic update of a 1951 B movie about an alien organism on a rampage at a remote Arctic outpost—was one of the best horror movies ever made. It was a seamless work of dread-inducing art that boasted a brooding score by … Continue reading Horror review: The Thing
Rock Hall snubs Link Wray, inducts Cat Stevens. Let the slagging begin
By Steve Newton The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has done it again, proving once more that it has its head so far up its ass that it isn't even funny. I'm sure as hell not laughing. Today the Rock Hall named it inductees for the class of 2014 and, unbelievably, pioneering guitar legend … Continue reading Rock Hall snubs Link Wray, inducts Cat Stevens. Let the slagging begin
Horror review: Dream House
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 3, 2011 By Steve Newton Before reviewing Dream House, I tried to ignore the trailers constantly airing between my fave shows on Comedy Central, but I still got the impression that it was a Shining-like supernatural horror flick about a family menaced by evil spirits. Turns out it’s something a little more … Continue reading Horror review: Dream House
Horror review: Straw Dogs
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 16, 2011 By Steve Newton In this remake of Sam Peckinpah’s controversial 1971 payback epic starring Dustin Hoffman, pretty-boy Hollywood screenwriter David Sumner (James Marsden) and his sexy actor wife, Amy (Kate Bosworth), power their sleek silver Jag into the Mississippi burgh of Blackwater. They are there to fix up … Continue reading Horror review: Straw Dogs
Horror review: Creature
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 7, 2011 By Steve Newton With the plethora of fright flicks currently in theatres, it’s definitely a good time to be a horror fan. The list includes Final Destination 5, Shark Night 3D, Apollo 18, and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, so there’s pretty much something for everybody. And with the … Continue reading Horror review: Creature
Horror review: Shark Night 3D
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, SEPT. 6, 2011 By Steve Newton The best thing about last summer’s Piranha 3D was the part where a guy gets his dick chomped off before two fierce fishies fight over the mangled member. Nothing quite that memorable happens in the less impressive Shark Night 3D—maybe due to its milder rating—but just like Alexandre … Continue reading Horror review: Shark Night 3D
Horror review: Fright Night
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 18, 2011 By Steve Newton I totally enjoyed the original Fright Night when it was released back in 1985. Chris Sarandon was ideal as playboy vampire Jerry Dandrige, who moves in next door to monster-loving teenager Charley Brewster and starts nipping at his family and friends, including nerdy fanboy “Evil” Ed, until … Continue reading Horror review: Fright Night
Horror review: Final Destination 5
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, AUG. 11, 2011 By Steve Newton Those Final Destination flicks are hit-and-miss affairs. The ones that take themselves too seriously, like the 2000 original, are a drag, while others, like Final Destination 2 and the new FD5, earn a severed thumbs-up because they cut to the chase and give today’s thrill-seeking horror fans exactly what they … Continue reading Horror review: Final Destination 5