In both fiction and documentary, British moviegoers are largely presented with the same story about migrating to Britain: the arduous journey; the difficulty of fitting in; tales of suffering and overcoming hardships. Even a film like the highly acclaimed Flee from last year, which is ultimately optimistic, spends considerable time […]
Mike Leitch
I'm an autistic guy living in Cardiff, searching for any excuse to write and make the most out of what he got from his English Literature MA. Main interests are horror, in pretty much any medium, theatre and literature.
Evil Dead Rise (2023): Horror franchise reaches new heights
Evil Dead as a franchise has a clear trajectory though it is uncertain whether it has been a wholly positive one. Unlike Scream which started as blockbuster mainstream horror and has maintained that status with each instalment, Evil Dead began with a group of friends making a cheap horror film […]
Okja (2017): Superpig In the City (Review)
Originally released on Netflix, Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja is the second of a trilogy of films that launched his name recognition in the West, with Snowpiercer and the Oscar-winning Parasite on either side of it. Like the former, there is a strong Western presence with a cast including Tilda Swinton, Paul […]
Laurin (1988): A Luscious Piece of European Gothic Cinema (Review)
This new Blu-ray release of Laurin from Second Run highlights the debut of German director Robert Sigl, who made the feature when he was only 26 years old. Two accompanying short films provide some context for the preceding and following work to Laurin. Both star Sigl, with ‘Der Weihnachtsbaum/The Christmas […]
Next Exit (2022): A Heartfelt Search for Something More (Review)
After a glowing reception following its UK premiere at Frightfest 2022 and winning Total Film Frightfest Awards for Best Film, Actor and Actress, Next Exit is finally available on wide release through Blue Finch Film Releasing on digital download in the UK, having been earlier released in the US. It’s […]
Emily the Criminal (2022): Solid Thriller Showcases Plaza’s Skill (Review)
It’s a familiar and well-worn assumption that when an actor known primarily for comedy starts doing serious drama, they will likely get instant acclaim for showing previously unseen range. However, that narrative doesn’t really hold water much these days with actors going back and forth between comedy and drama with […]
Scare Package II: Rad Chad’s Revenge (2022): The Continuation of an Unexpected Parody Horror Franchise (Review)
Anthology horror films have a surprisingly long legacy, with the first one, Unheimliche Geschichten, being traced back to 1919. Arguably, Dead of Night from 1945 popularised the genre before the boom in the 60s and 70s, the latter of which had its own Dead of Night that went direct to […]
Mad God (2022): A Beautiful Collage of Sickening Horror (Blu-Ray Review)
Mad God is a film that is easy to recommend since it has something for everyone: it is a stop motion animation; an ambitious personal project over thirty years in the making; a gross horror film; a shining example of pure visual storytelling; a particularly squelchy take on dystopia; and […]
When The Screaming Starts (2021): A Mockumentary on a Killer Subject (VOD Review)
Premiering at Frightfest last year as part of their First Blood strand, Conor Boru’s When the Screaming Starts is finally released on digital platforms through Signature Entertainment. Boru co-wrote the script with Ed Hartland, who also stars as Aidan, an aspiring serial killer who becomes the subject of a documentary […]
Hellbender (2022): Feel the Chaos of a Teenage Witch (Blu-Ray Review)
Hellbender is the sixth feature film from the Adams family (made up of Toby Poser, John Adams and Zelda Adams) and their third in the horror genre. Following its release on Shudder in February, it arrives on DVD and digital through Acorn Media International making it their most readily available […]