Suspense
 | Dark WaterMovie Review An American adaptation of the 2002 Japanese film of the same name, directed by Hideo Nakata and based on the novel by Koji Suzuki (both known for The Ring saga), Dark Water marks Walter Salles' debut in genre cinema. The Brazilian director, already internationally appreciated for Central do Brasil and The Motorcycle Diaries, tries his hand here at a psychological thriller with dark and distressing atmospheres. The setting plays a fundamental role in building the tension: Roosevelt Island, an isolated strip of land in the waters of the East River in New York, presents itself as an oppressive place, dominated by gloomy... Read More |
 | Late Night with the DevilMovie Review Late Night with the Devil by directors Cameron and Colin Cairnes uses a retro TV show setting to create an unnerving atmosphere that draws viewers into a slowly intensifying horror. The film’s attention to detail, from the 70s grainy footage style to shifting between black-and-white and color, sets the tone perfectly. The clever cinematography immerses audiences as if they’re watching a live broadcast unraveling in real time, a technique that intensifies the suspense, especially during the eerie "commercial breaks." David Dastmalchian’s portrayal of Jack Delroy is a highlight, conveying both desperation and a... Read More |
 | RitualMovie Review A married couple with a complicated relationship, a corpse, and a room at a less than reputable motel. It’s a classic formula for a horror movie that’s no doubt familiar for many genre fans. It’s also the set-up for Mickey Keating’s 2013 film, Ritual. Ritual is the 14th original film distributed by After Dark Originals. It stars Dean Cates (Pod) and... Read More |
 | Kairo (Pulse)Movie Review It’s safe to say that we’ve created our share of iconic horror characters here in America. Horror icons like Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Michael Myers (Halloween), or Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th) are so highly recognizable, that they’re pretty much synonymous with the mere concept of a horror movie. Even so, no country handles horror quite like Japan does. Japanese horror films have a much-deserved reputation for... Read More |
 | The ShrineMovie Review The Shrine is the type of film that comes complete with lots of familiar horror tropes an avid genre lover will recognize. You’ve got the mysterious disappearance of a traveler under mysterious circumstances, as well as a team of people seeking answers as to the details of those circumstances. You’ve got a remote village in a foreign land populated by strange people who raise an eyebrow or two thanks to their mysterious beliefs and practices. Scares, jumps, and mysteries abound as the protagonists attempt to make sense of it all. Given those facts, the plotline of... Read More |
 | The Curse of La LloronaMovie Review If you’re a fan of the ever-expanding universe of The Conjuring, then it makes sense that The Curse of La Llorona would definitely be on your radar. It is the sixth addition to the franchise, joining other recent hits like The Nun and Annabelle in fleshing out the world first introduced by the original Conjuring back in 2013. It’s also the directorial debut of... Read More |
 | A Quiet PlaceMovie Review There are movies that take their time building a mood and movies that pull you right into their carefully crafted worlds pretty much right away. John Krakinski’s A Quiet Place is definitely the latter. The first thing the viewer sees is a barefoot family scavenging for supplies in the middle of an abandoned supermarket. However, they’re doing so completely silently – not exactly average for a family that includes three children. We’re promptly informed via a title card that we’re on “Day 89” of whatever’s going on and with that, our journey into this very quiet world... Read More |
 | Super Dark TimesMovie Review When it comes to suspense films populated by teenage characters, there are lots of elements that can mean the difference between hit or miss. However, mood could well be the most important. A mood that’s perfectly on point can convince an audience to forgive plenty of other things and Super Dark Times definitely delivers in that department, but is it enough to earn this directorial debut from Kevin Phillips a spot on your must-see list? Super Dark Times follows the story of two... Read More |
 | It FollowsMovie Review “Where ever you are, it’s somewhere. Walking straight for you but it is walking. If you drive far enough you can buy yourself some time to think decide if you want to give it to somebody else.” Finally! A horror movie warning about the serious dangers of STDs, sexually transmitted demons. I had concerns going into this film based solely on that premise however I was pleasantly surprised by the film as a whole. It focuses on building suspense, like the great classic horror films, instead of just trying to use blood splatter and gore to shock screams from the audience. The fact that we are dealing with a shapeshifting... Read More |
 | Interview with the Director of The Sublet - John AinslieInterview Canadian Film Centre alumni John Ainslie is best known for the throwback horror comedy feature JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER. His screenplay was nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award and the film won Best Midnight Film at the prestigious Sitges International Film Festival. Prior to writing, John worked as a Director of Photography and won the Borsos prize of Best Cinematographer at the Whistler Film Festival for his work on the feature SK8 LIFE. In 2016 John wrote and directed his first feature film – the award winning THE SUBLET. A psychological thriller Ain't it Cool News describes as "scares and shocks to a nerve... Read More |