josephpoulter Reviews

Sorority House Massacre (1986)

Slasher Blend

[3/10 · 26 May 2022]

Sorority House Massacre figures that taking elements from many better slasher films will churn out something interesting, but it doesn't and, on top of it all, it feels oddly chaste and bloodless for a slasher film of this era.

The Seduction (1982)

Not That Satisfying

[6/10 · 26 May 2022]

It's handsomely filmed and Morgan Fairchild looks beautiful but the script has too many plot holes and loose ends to be a satisfying watch. There's an element of threat missing even if Andrew Stevens does his best to creep out Fairchild and the audience.

You're Next (2011)

Exciting Home Invasion Film

[8/10 · 26 May 2022]

A family gathering turns to terror as masked psychos crash the get together and the family has to stick together to fight them off. Twists and turns are around every corner, there's a great and tough Final Girl character, and lots of the death sequences are creative.

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Melodramatic, Violent, and Shocking

[8/10 · 26 May 2022]

Made on the cheap and starring people you've probably never heard of before, Sleepaway Camp isn't a scare fest or an incredibly emotional story of bullying, but it has a unique vibe and a lot of the themes touched upon are disturbing to say the least. It gives you everything you'd expect from a camp-based slasher film with a little extra melodrama and camp.

Ghost (1990)

Makes You Feel Every Emotion

[10/10 · 25 May 2022]

A great mix of romance, horror, spiritual drama, and comedy with excellent performances especially by the scene stealing Whoopi Goldberg as a phony psychic who gets used as an instrument of communication for a dead man and his lover.

Drag Me to Hell (2009)

Scares Galore

[9/10 · 25 May 2022]

Sam Raimi loads up his morality tale about a banker who gets cursed to go to hell with tons of clever scares and funny sight gags while keeping the stakes of the story high and the tension unrelenting.

Suspiria (I) (2018)

Interesting Retelling

[7/10 · 25 May 2022]

Like any good remake, Suspiria reinvents the story while keeping some of the best and most essential elements of the original tale. This one swaps out bold primary color schemes for subdued browns and cold greys and blues and the witchcraft is less slasher/giallo inspired and closer to the body horror of David Cronenberg.

Hereditary (2018)

Gripping Domestic Horror

[8/10 · 24 May 2022]

Toni Collette steals the show as the troubled matriarch of a family falling apart at the seams after the death of her elderly mother. The mix of domestic drama and outlandish supernatural horror don't always mix as well as they should, especially in the film's bizarre final act, but when they do gel, it's very scary.

Scream (I) (2022)

An Alright Continuation of the Series

[6/10 · 24 May 2022]

This new entry in the Scream series isn't a film that you have to run out and see immediately. It doesn't rewrite the rules or do anything particularly brilliant with the concept, but it's surprising that it doesn't complete suck considering Wes Craven had nothing to do with it. The filmmakers do capture a bit of Craven's style and some of the death scenes have a surprising amount of intensity.

X (II) (2022)

Top Tier Sleaze

[9/10 · 24 May 2022]

You don't see many movies like X these days unless they're shot with bargain basement budgets, so it's nice to see a movie like this with a little money behind it. Beautifully shot, well acted, and full of memorable and cringe-worthy death scenes.

It Follows (2014)

Gorgeously Shot and Full of Atmosphere

[7/10 · 24 May 2022]

This is probably the closest in visual tone and mood to the horror films of the 70's and 80's without becoming an obnoxious and self-aware throwback. It uses a lot of the trademarks of those films like the colorful widescreen photography, creeping dread, and otherworldly synth score to create tension. The story, while strong at first, does hit a few problem areas midway through, but the experience is still worth it.

Fresh (2022)

Charming and Quirky

[8/10 · 24 May 2022]

Not you usual run of the mill horror film. The performances are well above average as are the production values and it has a great sense of humor without skimping on the horror elements and still maintains a high degree of threat.

Scream 4 (2011)

A Little Anemic

[6/10 · 24 May 2022]

There really isn't enough interesting or original ideas here to make a return to Woodsboro necessary, but it's always pleasant to spend time with the beloved trio of Dewey, Gale, and Sidney. The new cast of teen characters are a mixed bag with some having more charm than others, but the tone of the film doesn't hit the sweet spot of some of the other films in the series.