Category: Horror

Re-Animator (1985) Movie Review: Going for the Jugular

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Few movies start with as bloody a bang as Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator. In those opening minutes, the film prepares you for everything you need to know; there will be gory special effects, deranged scientists, and more than a few surprises to keep you glued to the screen. Fans of such special effects driven horror movies, … Continue reading Re-Animator (1985) Movie Review: Going for the Jugular

The Monsters of MSPIFF

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The 42nd Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) wrapped up on Thursday, April 27. Offering two weeks of local and international fare, encompassing fiction, documentary, animation, and practically every conceivable genre, it's an almost overwhelming smorgasbord for cinephiles in Minnesota. Initially, my plan was to see more than 40 movies throughout the festival, but I … Continue reading The Monsters of MSPIFF

Cold Skin (2017) Movie Review: A Lovecraft Film Deeper Than Most

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A story about much more than having sex with fish people. That aspect occupies a sliver of the runtime, is shot with care, and provides intriguing layers to the themes of hate and isolation. While the film may be inspired by Lovecraftian Deep Ones, Cold Skin is foremost a drama; elements of horror are secondary … Continue reading Cold Skin (2017) Movie Review: A Lovecraft Film Deeper Than Most

Groovy Stake is in the Heart: “Dracula A.D. 1972” Movie Review

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Hammer Films tried to court the swinging London demographic with this campy outing in which Count Dracula (Christopher Lee), after being killed by Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) in a prologue set in 1872, is rebirthed a century later by one of his acolytes (whose highly suspicious name is Johnny Alucard, played with zealous abandon by … Continue reading Groovy Stake is in the Heart: “Dracula A.D. 1972” Movie Review

Grizzly (1976) Movie Review: A Cinematic Ursa Major

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Leading the bandwagon behind Steven Spielberg's Jaws, is the "Jaws with Claws" known as Grizzly. Directed by grindhouse auteur William Girdler, the movie about a killer grizzly bear was the highest-grossing independent movie in 1976. Its legacy, however, is far richer than any box office prestige. This is the film that kicked the cage open … Continue reading Grizzly (1976) Movie Review: A Cinematic Ursa Major