‘X comes together with a lot of exceptional elements and are worthy of consideration and discussion, but the substance ultimately gets muddled, and we’re left with a film that tries on a lot but doesn’t do anything with it…Despite some thematic missteps, there’s a lot to appreciate about X, and it is bound to be an influential horror standby for the next generation of horror creators.’

‘the setup engineered in The Outwaters is among the most memorable and unique because it’s shot with something that is increasingly ignored in the wider genre: patience.’

‘Kills sacrifice style in the name of brutality, and the scriptwriting is a joke. This is horror at its trashiest, for better or worse.’

‘Skinamarink is a triumph of cinematic intent, and an unshakably brilliant exploration of childhood fear and isolation. Both the camerawork and the sound design add a layer of sensory engagement that takes the film to another level and make it a unique piece of filmcraft that, regardless of whether or not you ultimately like it, succeeds.’

‘All in all, V/H/S 99 is a great return to form for the series…The segments weren’t especially scary, but they were universally fun. Each piece of the anthology does feel genuinely authentic to 1999, and I appreciate how much effort went into this particular aspect. ‘

We’re not inspired to feel sympathy for her, there are no sweeping intellectual forays into her beliefs. She’s a loud, absurdist goon, probably someone with a lot of hurt in their past who fell into the stupid pool and never got what she needed to swim to shore.

I appreciate that Head Count decides to ramp up its horror in the daytime, as this makes for a natural build as the day wanes. This also means there’s a good bit of diversity in the scary moments

‘At some point, that intricate canvas of wires, bands and whatever else goes into fixing a catastrophic jaw injury is going to be ripped open, and I am here for it.’

Instead of standing on the shoulders of a giant, the filmmakers have elected to create a watered down, lackluster version of Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. That’s right, The Widow is Russian Blair Witch 2.

…not a director I’d normally accuse of phoning in a project, but this kind of feels like that. Perhaps I just wanted something different, something more distinct; coming off of The Shape of Water, it’s not unreasonable to expect. Nightmare Alley is a weaker entry in his catalog, but quality writing and a top-notch cast means it’s still worth seeing. Once.

When he pops so much in a scene, it’s hard to believe he’s stalking us, and this is the core problem with the film’s ability to build dread.

…the film finds new life, imbued with the wonderful energy a viewer feels when their expectations have been subverted.