Category: Horror/Thriller

“Fractured”

7.7

Recommended by a friend by way of a review that concluded “it’s f**ked.”

Well, I’ll simply add one word to reach peak summation of this film. “It’s f**ked up.” One of the more disturbing films I’ve seen in ages. To quote Charlie Sheen in “Scary Movie 3”: “I will never believe what I just saw.”

Not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. Strap into your straight jacket, and get ready to take a drive to crazy town. Every twist and turn leading the viewer closer and closer to the edge of madness. And then an ending that will leave you saying “what the hell just happened?!? You can’t do that. That ain’t right. Oh no…” Just a loving father who’s trying to save his marriage and daughter from a traumatic event…

Fun fact: I have a hard time watching movies with healthcare scenarios. I lost count of the number of times I said out loud to myself “that’s not how that works, movie!”

“Candyman (1992)”

7.2

Not too shabby… the psychological thriller of “A Nightmare on Elm St.” paired with the gruesome kills of “Friday the 13th.” All summoned by the old “Bloody Mary” ritual. A nice mix of genres with more than enough originality to go around. Well executed jump scares and tension. A well made horror film. Most uncomfortable scene involving bees I’ve seen on the big screen that I can remember.

“Hell Night”

5.1

If your movie is only an hour and a half long and feels “too long,” that’s a pretty big red flag. Typically, the cheesy, low budget horror film makes up for lack of pizazz with unnecessary nudity or amazingly gruesome kills. (See every 80s slasher flick) Less frequently, they actually stumble upon an unforeseen sense of originality. (See “It Follows”)

This film did neither, and constantly tripped over itself narratively, trying to be cool. Yawned my way through it, because I’m trying to give Shudder a try. Great streaming service for horror movie lovers, bad choice by me of first movie out of the gate.

“Ma”

6.9
Just as a viewing of the trailer suggests, this is a strange one. Then, once you reach the last half hour of the run time, you realize that even you’re already high expectations of weird aren’t adequate. Much like “Don’t Breathe,” this film will have you wincing at certain scenes due to their graphic nature, in between moments you’ll foresee miles away. It’s a very odd mix, but works in totality as it keeps you off your guard by mixing the two so effectively. If you’re like me, you’ll do a great deal of laughing. From genuine humor to such disturbing things that you will laugh in disbelief. All in all, a solid thriller with a refreshing premise.