Film appreciator. @norealjason
Every October, I try to watch at least 31 horror films (as we all should). This is not a tradition that I made up. (just in case you thought i was claiming so) Some people challenge themselves to watch a film a day. I just try to average one a day. Some people challenge themselves … More Possession (1981) – REVIEW
The Greasy Strangler has garnered a lot of buzz on the festival circuit. A lot of that buzz boils down to, “whoa, Frodo produced a disgusting grindhouse gross-out!” That’s good, of course. But, considering that it seems to be dividing genre festival-goers – people who typically have iron stomachs and an affinity for weirdness – … More The Greasy Strangler – REVIEW – Fantastic Fest 2016
Do I know anything about Spanish psychological thrillers? Am I up on these things? Do I even know that ‘psychological thriller’ is usually a euphemism for highbrow horror? Let’s give me the benefit of the doubt here and assume that I can answer yes to ⅓ of those questions. (it’s the euphemism one) So, how … More Killing Words (Palabras Encadenadas) – (2003) – REVIEW
It’s hard to believe it’s been over 41 years since The Blair Witch Project hit theaters (give or take a decade or so). And now we have a true sequel – Blair Witch. It’s first sequel, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, was forgettable despite being directed by Joe Berlinger, one of the best documentary … More Blair Witch (2016) – REVIEW
As you may recall, I wrote very positively about the two Mickey Keating films that I’ve seen to date – Pod and Ritual. The former was a tense exploration of psychosis, fear, and family bonds, and the latter showed Keating’s potential as a genre film heavy-hitter. His latest film, Darling, garnered a lot of positive … More Darling (2015) – REVIEW
Fabrice Du Welz is a filmmaker that I keep tabs on because his film, Calvaire (aka: The Ordeal) made such an indelible impression on me. It wasn’t that the Belgian film was perfect, or particularly groundbreaking,. It was the raw grit and creativity that saturated the film. From the The Texas Chain Saw Massacre … More Alleluia (2014) – REVIEW
The trailer for Baskin made the social media rounds a while back (about a year ago). It looked pretty grimy and bloody. Right up my alley. I put it in my list of films to keep on my radar but never saw it. Did it come to Chicago? Maybe. But if it did, I certainly … More REVIEW – Baskin (2015)
I am a big fan of Laika Studio’s work. Coraline, Paranorman, and The Boxtrolls are all beautiful and beautifully dark. When I saw the trailer for Kubo and the Two Strings (hereafter, just Kubo. because i’m trying to stave off carpal tunnel syndrome) I was stunned. It looked even more beautiful than the studio’s previous … More Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) – REVIEW
I’ve discussed some of the issues that I have with the overwhelming majority of found footage horror films before. They tend to have glaring logical and common sense flaws. They are typically edited into a clear narrative (by whom? the cops?). They often have sound effects and a soundtrack/score (FOUND footage?) And so on. There … More Lake Mungo (2008) – REVIEW
If you’ve heard of Lake Nowhere, then you might be a bit surprised to see it here at NoRealDanger. “What are you doing reviewing a short film, idiot?!” you may be screaming at your screen. To that I say, “Whoa. Calm down. Take some deep breaths. Maybe have a cup of chamomile.” It’s true that … More REVIEW – Lake Nowhere (2015)
