The Double (2013)

The Double (2013)

Dir- Richard Ayoade

A seemingly invisible office drone named Simon James has his life shaken up when he encounters a new coworker named James Simon, who is identical in appearance but displays the confidence he lacks. At first, James helps improve his confidence, but then he takes advantage of the woman he desires and makes a mess of Simon's life. The Double is a dark comedy thriller directed by Richard Ayoade and starring Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska. Based on a novel of the same name by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Double has a simple dystopian style that is similar to films like Brazil and Eraserhead. The dual roles of Simon and James are portrayed skillfully by Eisenberg, whose mental state is challenged by his desire for the woman he is afraid to approach. This dark comedy also features a cameo by Chris O'Dowd, best known as director Ayoade's coworker Roy on the English comedy series The IT Crowd.  

Laid to Rest (2009)

Laid to Rest (2009)

Dir- Robert Green Hall

A woman wakes up in a coffin with amnesia and soon finds herself being stalked by a camera-wearing maniac with a chrome mask and wielding a large knife. She finds some people to help her, yet why he is stalking her and who she is is pretty much a mystery. Laid to Rest is a 2009 slasher movie directed by Robert Green Hall and starring Bobbi Sue Luther as the woman nicknamed Princess. Despite a lower budget, the movie packs quite a punch with some intense gore and great performances by Ms. Luther and costars Kevin Gage and Sean Whalen. While not revealing too much about the killer's origin, Laid to Rest does feature a genuinely terrifying villain with a distinctive chrome skull mask and wicked blade. 

The Night Evelyn Came Home Out of the Grave (1971)

The Night Evelyn Came Home Out of the Grave (1971)

Dir- Emilio Miraglia

A mentally disturbed English Lord takes on a new wife to help overcome the loss of his previous wife. Trying to overcome his grief, his new wife suspects that someone may be trying to drive him mad, and her suspicion lies with his supposedly deceased first wife. The Night Evelyn Came Home Out of the Grave is a 1971 Italian Giallo film directed by Emilio Miraglia and starring Anthony Steffen and Marina Malfatti. Like many of the crime thrillers of this era, the story is about a "who done it" with a mysterious black-gloved killer taking out victims one at a time. Some scenes of torture, a mildly gory death, and plenty of female nudity would earn the film an R rating. As with many other Giallo movies, this film was dubbed in English rather poorly for the US and UK releases.  

Sorority Row (2009)

Sorority Row (2009)

Dir- Stewart Hendler 

A semi-sort of remake of the 1982 film House on Sorority Row, this update features a group of sorority sisters who pull a prank that backfires when a death occurs. Then, months later, on graduation day, they all receive online threats from someone who takes them out one at a time. Sorority Row was directed by Stewart Hendler and features a cast that includes Rumor Willis, Briana Evigan, Margo Harshman, Leah Pipes, Audrina Patridge, and Carrie Fisher. The plot follows a similar premise but shakes it up a bit, focusing more on the breakdown of trust by these young women who spent four years as sorority sisters. While following a routine slasher premise, this movie does have some fun dark humor, gory kills, and a unique murder tool. While it did not have the same impact as other slasher remakes, Sorority Row is still decent "Who Done It" with an attractive cast of young women and Carrie Fisher with a shotgun. 

The Haunting of Margam Castle (2020)

The Haunting of Margam Castle (2020)

Dir- Andrew Jones

A group of parapsychologists looking to keep their research grants accepts an invitation to check out Margam Castle in Wales due to its reported ghostly activity. Once there, they find the legends are valid as the ghosts of several murdered residents reveal the true horrors within the castle's walls. Directed by Andrew Jones, The Haunting of Margam Castle offers nothing special except for a cameo by Caroline Munro. The film has a slow pace with too few scares to make it worthwhile. There are some bits of true history involving the UK's Witchfinder General and references to the Necronomicon, but these elements are underutilized in this film. Despite being inspired by true stories of the paranormal, The Haunting of Margam Castle does not stand out as anything more than a dollar store version of The Haunting. 

The Rake (2018)

The Rake (2018)

Dir- Tony Wash

Years after witnessing their parents being murdered, a pair of siblings come together to face off against the evil spirit that now seeks more victims. The Rake was directed by Tony Wash and featured Izabelle Miko, Shenae Grimes-Beech, and Stephen Brodie. Based on the popular creepypasta, The Rake features a terrifying supernatural creature that could have been a memorable villain but is saddled with a terrible storyline that ends abruptly with no conclusion. The Rake starts out promising and could have worked if the story focused on the younger siblings instead of aging them with a plot that was derivative and predictable. The creature effects are worth checking out, along with the kill scenes, but the rest of the movie's flaws make this a one-and-done movie. 

Outpost: Black Sun (2012)

Outpost: Black Sun (2012)

Dir- Steve Barker

Movies featuring Nazi Zombies have been a recent trend, with films such as Dead Snow, Frankensteins Army, and Overlord being among the top of the pack. The 2012 film Outpost: Black Sun is one such movie and is a sequel to the 2008 film Outpost. They are both directed by Steve Barker, and this edition stars Catherine Steadman and Richard Coyle. Steadman plays a woman who hunts Nazi war criminals, and her latest lead takes her to Eastern Europe, where she meets a contact who offers to assist her on her mission. Unfortunately, they soon discover NATO forces are fighting a seemingly invincible enemy that may have ties to a notorious Nazi scientist. Outpost: Black Sun picks up from the previous film with an army of dead Nazis emerging from the secret bunker as the two fight alongside a platoon to carry out a mission that could stop them. Much like the first film, this is a war movie with Nazi zombies as the bad guys. The action is intense, and while this film lacks the humor of Dead Snow, it is still a decent follow-up film, and the zombies are pretty terrifying.    

War of the Dead (2011)

War of the Dead (2011)

Dir- Marko Makilaakso 

A squad of Finnish and American soldiers seek out a German outpost near a Russian forest but encounter Germany's most secret experiments. War of the Dead is a 2011 zombie war movie directed by Marko Makilaakso and starring Andrew Tiernan. One of many Nazi Zombie movies released in the past decade, War of the Dead follows a fairly routine script for a zombie movie. Filmed in Lithuania, War of the Dead does feature great forest locations, and the action is decent for a war movie. The faults lie in the anachronisms and timeframe, but only historians will notice these issues. Unlike films such as Frankensteins Army or Overlord, War of the Dead focuses more on the action and fighting zombies and pretty much leaves the nazi experiments to an opening scene. While not as well known as Dean Snow, War of the Dead is a decent war movie with zombies, and it's always fun watching zombie nazis getting wasted. 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Dir- David Blue Garcia 

Recently we have seen a spate of horror movies that are not remakes and instead long gap sequels that often ignore previous editions to follow up the original. Director David Blue Garcia takes on the daunting task of picking up from one of the most famous slashers with his 2022 release. A social media influencer and her friends look to bring new life to an old Texas ghost town. Problems arise when they evict a longtime resident and her adopted son, revealing him to be Leatherface. This sequel ignores the previous entries; instead, it returns with a fresh group of victims and a survivor looking for vengeance. The film will not disappoint fans looking for bloody chainsaw kills, but this movie is not groundbreaking outside some wicked fantastic kill scenes. The film stars Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, and Olwen Fouere filling in for the deceased Marilyn Burns as Sarah Hardesty. Despite being filmed in Bulgaria, the small town looks fairly convincing for a film that does not really need too many locals. Sarah Yarkin and Elsie Fisher are pretty convincing in their roles as sisters, but I was disappointed to see Olwen Fouere underutilized in a part that should have been much stronger. Actor Mark Burnham has the challenging task of portraying Leatherface. He is quite terrifying in the role, but given the time lapse between the two films, it may be a stretch to believe this could be the same Leatherface, given that he would have to be a least 70 years or older. Despite these minor complaints, this version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a considerable improvement on the recent releases and should win over new fans hoping to see a classic old-school style slasher.    

Dead Sea (2014)

Dead Sea (2014)

Dir- Brandon Slagle

A marine biologist investigating a series of marine life deaths in a saltwater lake encounters hostility from the community and learns of a deadly secret that the townsfolk keep from her. Dead Sea is a 2014 eco-horror monster movie directed by Brandon Slagle and starring Devanny Pinn. Dead Sea is a terrible movie that seems more of a conspiracy-driven story than a monster movie. Some sequences make no sense, and when we see the monster, it is pretty much kept hidden from the viewer. The story itself is not the problem and would make for a fun monster movie; instead, the monster story is used as a gimmick for another storyline that does not work for this kind of film. 

The Mind's Eye (2015)

The Mind's Eye (2015)

Dir- Joe Begos

A young man with telekinetic abilities is on the run from a scientist who promises to help him but instead has another darker motive. The Mind's Eye is an indie sci-fi horror movie written and directed by Joe Begos and starring indie horror favorites Graham Skipper, Lauren Ashley Carter, and Larry Fessenden. With a release in 2016, The Mind's Eye is clearly influenced by David Cronenberg's Scanners with its bloody gore and plot involving telekinetics on the run. Instead of focusing on the exploding heads gimmick, director Begos relies on the chemistry between Skipper and Carter as test subjects looking to escape and find freedom from the evil intentions of their doctor. The Minds Eye is an above-average B movie with a great cast and wicked special effects. 

Rogue (2007)

Rogue (2007)

Dir- Greg McLean

On an Australian riverboat tour, tourists become stranded when a 25-foot crocodile attacks their craft with a taste for human flesh. The survivors, led by their guide Kate, must work together to survive as the tides threaten to push them into the river with the deadly beast. Rogue is an Australian creature feature directed by Wolf Creek's Greg McLean and starring Radha Mitchell, Michael Vartan, and Mia Wasikowska. As an independent horror film, Rogue is a well-made and well-acted thriller that will keep its audience wondering how they will survive against such a massive killing machine. In many respects, this film is Jaws Down Under and does not fail in that comparison. The crocodile in Rogue is menacing and certainly one of the best movie monsters in recent years. Rogue did not perform well at the box office, but this is a great movie for people who enjoy movies involving killer creatures.  

Broken (2006)

Broken (2006)

Dir- Simon Boyes & Adam Mason. 

A single mother wakes up in the woods as a prisoner to a psychopath who puts her through several challenges hoping she can escape and be reunited with her daughter. What he wants is uncertain, but her place and safety are threatened when her captor brings in another woman. Broken is a  2006 thriller written and directed by Simon Boyes and Adam Mason. Set primarily in the forests of England, Broken is a deeply disturbing tale about a woman facing her greatest fears and learning to overcome them by sheer will and determination of her spirit. The film does have several shocking scenes and is grouped along with films such as Saw, Hostel, and other Torture Porn fare. While not as obscene in its violent content, Broken is a movie that is difficult to watch and, for many, quite extreme.   

Automaton Transfusion (2006)

Automaton Transfusion (2006)

Dir- Steven C Miller

A trio of high school buddies travels into town to attend a concert at a dive bar. Instead, they find the city overrun by zombies that trap them inside. One of the guys leads them to safety and locates his girlfriend as they watch all their friends and classmates getting turned into flesh-eating monsters. Automaton Transfusion is a micro-budget zombie movie directed by Steven C Miller and intended to be part of a trilogy. The film starts reasonably well but falls apart after 30 minutes with poor editing, continuity issues, and the absurd ending that sets up for a sequel. The only positives are the gory special effects and the wicked cool poster.    

Mercy (2014)

Mercy (2014)

Dir- Peter Cornwell

A single mother has to care for her ailing mother after she suffers a stroke. Her youngest son spends the most time with his grandmother and soon learns that her condition may be related to a bargain she made in her youth that is now due. Based on a short story by Stephen King, Mercy stars Shirley Knight, Frances O'Connor, and Chandler Riggs. Mercy is a supernatural horror film that centers on the relationship between a grandmother and her grandchild. The film touches on deeply personal issues that we all face in life. These include the struggles of having a family, dealing with mental illness, and losing a loved one. The superb cast helps the film along as most of the action occurs late in the movie, but the payoff works well for this Stephen King entry.  

The Veil (2016)

The Veil (2016)

Dir- Phil Joanou

A documentary filmmaker invites the sole survivor of a suicide cult to visit the crime scene twenty-five years later. Once there, the crew discovers lost films showing what happened and encountering supernatural occurrences. The Veil was produced by Jason Blum and directed by Phil Joanou. The film stars Jessica Alba, Lily Rabe, and Thomas Jane as cult leader Jim Jacobs. Mr. Jane's portrayal of Jim Jacobs models Jim Jones's and is the best part of the movie. Although the film involves found footage, it is edited as a straight supernatural thriller. The Veil is a terrifying look at cult behavior, and Thomas Janes's role helps carry the film that otherwise would not stand out among other cult films such as The Sacrament or Faults. 

Visions (2015)

Visions (2015)

Dir- Kevin Greutert

A young woman expecting her first child begins to suffer premonitions involving a hooded figure and a violent crime. These visions call into question her sanity as her husband, friends, and doctor worry that the trauma from a recent accident may be behind these visions. Visions was directed by Kevin Greutert and has an impressive cast that includes Isla Fisher, Ansom Mount, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Parsons, and Joanna Cassidy. Produced by Jason Blum, Visons is a decent thriller that makes the viewer wonder if the main character is suffering delusions or if the new house she moved into is behind the problems.  

Mockingbird (2014)

Mockingbird (2014)

Dir- Bryan Bertino

Three random people receive a mysterious package that includes a camera and instructions that must be followed, or someone will face certain death. Mockingbird is a thriller that incorporates found footage to show how three different people react to a camera that they can't turn off and a series of harassing events that pushes them to follow the instructions and not contact the authorities. Mockingbird was directed by Bryan Bertino, best known for his 2008 breakthrough film The Strangers. Mockingbird was his follow-up movie featuring an implausible series of events that led to a very predictable conclusion. The film has some great ideas, but the use of found footage does not work as well as the more conventional narrative style that The Strangers employed. Mockingbird certainly has plenty of tension and isn't a bad movie, just one that didn't need to be done as found footage.  

The Daisy Chain (2008)

The Daisy Chain (2008)

Dir- Aisling Walsh

A couple moves to a coastal town in Ireland as they await the birth of their child. After a house fire, the wife wishes to adopt an orphaned young girl, but a series of accidents seem to follow her as people in the community suspect she may be cursed. Daisy Chain is a psychological thriller starring Samantha Morton and directed by Aisling Walsh. The film is a terrifying example of how the most seemingly innocent can be a harbinger of evil. The young actress Mihairi Anderson who portrays Daisy deserves praise for her convincing portrayal of a troubled young girl who may be autistic and is certainly sociopathic. The beautiful Irish coastal setting also shows how an isolated community can benefit a thriller, especially if the protagonists are city dwellers. Daisy Chain will have you guessing if the young girl truly is evil or if the community may be suffering a bout of poor luck and blaming their struggles on others. 

Solstice (2008)

Solstice (2008)

Dir- Daniel Myrick

After losing her twin sister to suicide, a teenager invites her friends to her family's vacation home for the summer solstice. Once there, she begins to encounter signs that she suspects may be her sister trying to communicate with her. Solstice is a 2008 supernatural horror film directed by Daniel Myrick, best known as one of the writers and directors of The Blair Witch Project. Solstice stars Elisabeth Harnois in duel roles and Amanda Seyfried as her friend. Set in the remote bayous of Lousiana, Solstice has a great setting that adds to the eeriness of the story, much like Blair Witch. While not as terrifying as Blair Witch, Solstice has some scary moments for a ghost story and mystery.   

Lake Fear (2014)

Lake Fear (2014)

Dir- Michael Crum

Four ladies head out into the woods for a weekend getaway of fun, alcohol, and bonding. They instead encounter evil forces after finding an old doll and creepy barn. Lake Fear was directed by Michael Crum and featured a cast of unknown actresses and one of the most confusing plots. The movie is inspired by Evil Dead and borrows from other horror movies such as Hellraiser, Cabin in the Woods, and Night of the Demons. Unfortunately, the film lacks any coherent plot and instead features a series of bloody visuals, random music, and some confusing scenes of the different ladies being possessed by something that is not explained all too well and maybe hallucinations. Filmed in Texas, Lake Fear was was originally titled Cypress Creek and is a much better title as there is no lake in the film.   

Camp Cold Brook (2018)

Camp Cold Brook (2018)

Dir- Andy Palmer      

With his TV reality show facing cancellation, a ghost hunter seeks a rating boost when he gets a tip involving the site of a mass murder. So taking his crew from LA to Oklahoma, they begin filming at an abandoned summer camp that soon reveals some long-lost secrets. Camp Cold Blood is a 2018 horror film with a conventional ghost story plot despite looking like a found footage movie. Although the film is your run-of-the-mill supernatural story, the summer camp setting makes for a unique location. The film cast includes Chad Michael Murray, horror scream queen Danielle Harris, and Courtney Gains's in a cameo. One of many movies that capitalizes on Ms. Harris's fame as a horror icon, Camp Cold Brook certainly isn't her worst movie, but if you are a fan of her work, this movie may not disappoint.     

Sand Serpents (2009)

Sand Serpents (2009)

Dir- Jeff Renfroe

A Maneater Series film made for the SyFy channel stars Jason Gedrick as an Army Lt who leads an infantry squad that the Taliban ambushes in the Afghan desert. Taken hostage and facing certain death, his team is saved when the insurgents are taken out by giant worms that prove to be a much more deadly threat when they try to get to safety. Sand Serpents is a monster movie with giant CGI worms that look decent for a TV movie. The cast is decent, but the Romanian setting makes for a poor substitute for Afghanistan. Sand Serpents is undoubtedly not a Hollywood-level monster movie, but for a SyFy channel film, it isn't a complete waste of time, and the giant worms are pretty cool looking. 

Megan is Missing (2011)

Megan is Missing (2011)

Dir- Michael Goi

Social media is a dual-edged sword offering people access to information and presenting significant risks. Megan is Missing is a 2011 screen-life horror movie that shows the dangers that young women face from internet predators. Amy Herman and Megan Stewart, two teenage best friends from different social circles, meet someone online who proves to be a dangerous online stalker. After Megan disappears while meeting a guy, Amy looks for answers and learns she is also in grave danger. Megan is Missing is a low-budget film that shocked audiences with its realistic and tragic storyline that would gain the film a reputation as one of the most disturbing movies of its day. The cast featured young unknown actresses in the lead roles giving the movie a pseudo-documentary feel as if the audience was watching a true-crime documentary. The film is very graphic in its depiction of over-sexualized teen behavior and sexual violence that pushes into exploitation territory. This is not an easy film to watch, and in recent years, it gained a dubious reputation on the social media app TikTok with people revealing their shock and disgust with the film's intense and graphic final act. The film was banned in New Zealand for its sexual and violent content. The director Michael Goi has even put out messages warning people about the movie but feels it is an effective way to warn parents of the dangers that unsupervised social media presents to young teens.

Sleep No More (2018)

Sleep No More (2018)

Dir- Phillip Guzman

One of the scariest places we encounter is the human mind, and our nightly dreams can yield some terrifying experiences. Yet what if one could take away the need for sleep and allow you not to waste a third of your life in idleness. In the movie Sleep No More, a group of graduate students working on such a project loses their test subject in a horrible accident. They decide to continue the research secretly by using themselves as the test subjects and discover something no person was meant to encounter. Sleep No More is directed by Phillip Guzman and features actress/director Brea Grant, Yasmine Aker, and Stephen Ellis. Fans of creepypasta stories will undoubtedly recognize this movie was probably inspired by The Russian Sleep Experiment. Despite this similarity, Sleep No More is quite terrifying, and the special effects used to create the terrors witnessed by the cast are convincing. Special note to indie actress and director Brea Grant, who always stands out in her roles and is one of the best parts of this movie.