Don’t Look in the Basement 2
– (2015) – Doctors at an infamous mental facility deal with patients and their visions of a dark past. On the positive side, the is relatively well-made and the acting isn’t terrible. As for the rest? This is a blood and suspense free slog of one dragging scene after another. What it lacks in horror it makes up for with characters endlessly yelling at one another.
Things II
– (1998) – An author tells an aspiring writer two stories about a creature involved in a robbery and a creature involved in the disappearance of a model. A zero budget outing that will never win points for drama, but some of the acting is above average while the scant plots move quickly. Could have used more gore, but that would only have added to an already bleak budget.
Poor Things
– (2023) – A woman with a child’s brain tries to come to terms with her own body before coming to terms with the world at large. A humorous and well-written fantasy about rare second chances at life and how mankind always veers toward personal domination. The atmosphere is as unique as the plot, and never feels artsy on purpose. Instead, this is a superior looking film to coincide with superior human performances.
Night Swim
– (2024) – An injured baseball player moves his family into a house whose pool harbors an evil secret. It’s hard to say which is worse, the morose characters, the languid attempts at horror, or the by-the-books investigation into a weak mystery. An insanely dull and humorless venture that pits a force we know nothing about against characters we care nothing about.
Undying Love
– (1991) – A suicidal misanthrope hooks up with a vampire who grants him eternal life. If you’ve seen any other vampire movie you’ll know what to expect from this one. Does absolutely nothing new, but does it rather competently despite the meager budget. Takes itself a bit too seriously, but some unintended humor and a quick pace help cast aside some of the negatives.
your a-z guide to obscure & classic horror movies
– (2020) – Survivors of the original film, and a few others, continue to outlast monsters that hunt on sound. Has a few distinct moments that separate itself from the first outing, but most of the proceedings feel like a retread. The way to defeat the creatures is further exploited, but doesn’t bring any advancements to a distinct conclusion. Money talks, so an obvious Part III will eventually walk.
– (2007) – A woman who survived a zombie attack on an island returns to that island to bring them all down. Pretty much Aliens with zombies in place of monsters, yet has so many off-the-wall moments it’s hard to condemn as just a casual rip-off. Gore is plentiful, zombies are everywhere, and the outcome is admiringly disgusting.
– (1923) – A manipulated freak protects the woman every man seems to want in a religious town full of corruption. Has more to do with a twisting tale of love and deceit than with the title character, which isn’t a problem since the story and its presentation are always gripping. An epic plot with grim atmosphere.
Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort
– (2014) – A group of friends breaking in an inherited estate absorb the plight of the manor’s past. A lost series that now finds wooded mutants involved in a cult. The nudity is okay, but the violence is lacking.
Killer Crocodile
– (1989) – A radioactive crocodile attacks an Amazon-ish area. Starts with a perfectly chintzy shot that raises hope for what follows, but doesn’t take long to drift down a river of nothingness. Enough occurs to keep this afloat, but too many stretches are far too dull.
Evil Town
– (1987) – A small town hospital is collecting tourists as pituitary donors. A slow but somewhat involving mystery, until the cat’s out of the overexplained bag. Doesn’t have a moment worth remembering.
The Kiss
– (1988) – When the sister of a dead woman moves in with her sibling’s family, people begin to die. The plot isn’t very sound, and the voodoo motif makes no sense, but much of what’s here is worthwhile on a low level. Has an almost-exciting ending, but that too comes up short.
The Park (aka Chow lok yuen)
– (2003) – Obnoxious friends search for someone’s missing brother in a haunted amusement park. Nothing of interest occurs throughout, and the ten minutes in 3-D are lame. The exorcism-through-camera gimmick is dumb enough to murder brain cells.
Blood Sisters of Lesbian Sin
– (1997) – A small group of evil women battle men in their attempts to take over the world. The title suggests gore and sleaze, but there’s not much of either. This is mainly a bad action movie with lame highlights.