6.5
Matthew Pope’s feature debut, Blood On Her Name, is a well crafted, Southern-fried, neo-noir with a heavy reliance on tension, and while this method doesn’t always quite work, audiences are still in store for a satisfying crime thriller.
5
This product was provided by MVD for the purpose of this review. All opinions are our own.
Throughout the years, Bob Yari made a name for himself in Hollywood by producing a large selection of films, spanning all genres and subjects, with
4.5
It’s tough to recommend Deadly Manor to anyone but die-hard slasher fans, as there’s just not much here to grab onto aside from some super cheesy dialogue and a semi-interesting killer.
6
Written and directed by Michael Cristofer, The Night Clerk further complicates the issue of the male gaze in cinema by filtering it through a sympathetic character.
6.5
It was only a few months ago that we were talking about Joe Begos’ last horror feature, Bliss, a no-holds-barred splatterfest, and now here we are again with VFW, another throwback genre picture guaranteed to satiate those gorehounds out there hungering for
4
Downhill emerges as a miserable, pained experience that never commits to what it tries to be.
7
After Midnight is an effective genre blend that will no doubt divide audiences with its focus on the relationship drama over the horror elements, but despite the overabundant hipster vibes and slow pacing, it’s an intriguing film with a few surprises and a handful of solid performances that ultimately delivers a satisfying conclusion.
7
Beginning as a somber reunion of father and son and ending in a gore-filled bloodbath, Timpson’s first foray in the director’s chair is anything but a forgettable experience.
The live-action films for this year’s Oscar-nominated shorts seemed curated around the sensation of confronting unfortunate situations that none of us can truly plan for.
Multi-Oscar-winning director Brad Bird once said that, “Animation is about creating the illusion of life, and you can't create it if you don't have one.” It’s a simple observation that is often taken for granted, one that nonetheless highlights the detectable traces of life found in every pen stroke, clay imprint and line of code collected together to produce this year’s nominees for the Animated Short Films Oscar.
2
A lovelorn filmmaker attempts to use his craft to find the love of his life in a pathetic, creepy and pitiable act of desperation.
6
If you’re in the market for a more obscure ’80s slasher, featuring a creepy killer, ridiculous dialogue and predictably silly ending, Edge of the Axe is worth a look and is certainly a step above the rest of the derivative genre titles we saw in the waning moments of the decade.
7
Although it nearly doesn’t stick the landing, with things culminating abruptly and ending with less gravitas than the build-up had me anticipating, Sanzaru remains a thoughtfully crafted story that combines dread with melodrama to deliver a creepy, nuanced horror tale.
5
Jasper Mall takes you inside the titular mall in Alabama to witness the slow, monotonous process of its closing down.
6.5
Gus Krieger’s experimental hip-hop/spoken-word film mash-up makes My Name is Myeisha both memorable and challenging to watch.
