I did it, folks! Over 31 new-to-me horror films watched since Oct. 1st. This and 31 full reviews are just a couple of the perks of being unemployed! (laughter devolves into sobs) 44 Hell Hole (2024) – An American fracking operation in Serbia digs up a live man infected with an aggressive cephalopod-like parasite. I … More 31+ Micro-reviews for October 2025
Poor Agnes played here in Chicago at the Cinepocalypse Film Fest. Admittedly, I’ve never heard of director, Navin Ramaswaran before. Maybe because he hasn’t made a straight-up horror feature before (as far as I can tell). Whatever the reason, I had zero expectations going into Poor Agnes. I pretty much knew it was playing the … More Poor Agnes (2017) – 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’m not 100% clear on why I watch the extreme gore and torture films from Japan, but I do. And I’m not talking about cartoonishly/awesomely gory films like, Tokyo Gore Police, Robo Geisha, Machine Girl, etc. I mean, the minimal plot, gut-wrenching gore realism films. (see below for examples) When I learn of one that … More RAMBLING – Japanese extremes
I was once surveyed about films and movie rentals for Facets in Chicago. After I explained what I meant by “genre film” to the two college-aged kids doing the interviewing, they asked me why I enjoy those types of films. I gave them my (now famous) “no real danger” explanation. They pressed further, asking … More REVIEW – August Underground (2001)
I had mixed feelings about this Martyrs when I first heard about it. My gut reaction was that there was no way it would live up to the brutality and emotional impact of its French roots. How could it? The original Martyrs pulls no punches as it pulls the rug out from under the … More REVIEW – Martyrs (2015)
Whenever I can, I like to go into a movie blind, knowing little to nothing about it. That’s how I went into Goodnight Mommy. The only thing I knew about it was that I’d read some positive tweets about it and that it is Australian. It turns out that I only knew half of what … More Goodnight Mommy (2014) – REVIEW
No Real Danger 