ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, DEC. 3, 2014 By Steve Newton Is The Babadook a slow-burning, Repulsion-style psychodrama depicting a lonely woman’s paranoid descent into madness? Or is it more of a flat-out horror show that introduces a freaky new being—the titular pitch-black, long-taloned, top-hat-wearing demon thingie—to the fearscape? Who cares? Fact is, it’s the most moving and memorable … Continue reading The Babadook is the most moving and memorable fright flick of the year
Tag: Insidious
Ouija is by-the-numbers horror leading nowhere
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 23, 2014 I remember Ouija. When I was a kid in the late '60s my older sister would use our "weegee board" to try to conduct séances and communicate with the dead. I was never into it. "Leave the dead alone," was my motto. Plus, I didn't have much faith … Continue reading Ouija is by-the-numbers horror leading nowhere
Horror review: The Quiet Ones
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, APRIL 27, 2014 In the opening scene of The Quiet Ones a deeply disturbed young woman gets purposely awakened by a loud blast of "Cum on Feel the Noize", the 1973 hit by British glam-rockers Slade. After all these years that tune still sounds killer, but considering the film's subject matter, the band's … Continue reading Horror review: The Quiet Ones
Horror review: The Conjuring
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, JULY 18, 2013 Aiming to impress horror freaks, the poster for The Conjuring boasts “from the director of Saw and Insidious”, which was a much wiser choice than “from the writers of The Reaping”. But the fact remains that the team of director James Wan and scripters Chad and Carey Hayes comes up short with this demonic-possession … Continue reading Horror review: The Conjuring
Horror review: Paranormal Activity 4
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, OCT. 19, 2012 It was inevitable, I suppose. After three extremely scary and engrossing films about regular folks being menaced by demonic forces in their comfy homes, the Paranormal Activity franchise is running out of ways to keep the terror level at 10. The fourth entry in the hugely successful film series just … Continue reading Horror review: Paranormal Activity 4
Horror review: Insidious
ORIGINALLY POSTED ON STRAIGHT.COM, MARCH 30, 2011 By Steve Newton I’m a sucker for horror flicks that shred perceived notions of the safety of home, that haul their terrors right through your front door and leave them sprawled and bloody on the family-room floor. A prime example of that was Paranormal Activity 2, which earned … Continue reading Horror review: Insidious