The country most people associate with the idea of a horror franchise is America. The UK has a few, as do Hong Kong, Japan, and Thailand, but the notion of anyone competing with the USA on franchising is laughable. Which is why the existence of a Norwegian slasher trilogy isn’t […]
Movies & Documentaries
Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025)(II) – Long-gestating gutbuster from Canada’s finest pranksters
When it comes to stealing intellectual property, asking for permission is overrated. The same goes for dangerous stunts, particularly that of the skydiving variety, especially if it means a shot at playing a gig at the most esteemed live venue in your hometown. At least, that’s the logic preached by […]
Our Picks from Fantasia Film Festival’s 2026
Happy 30th Anniversary to Fantasia Film Festival, the Montreal‑based titan of the genre space. Over the past three decades it has grown from upstart festival to one of the few global events genre fans look to for upcoming trends, talent breakouts, and the next 12 months of must‑see titles. Put […]
Seahorse (Raindance Film Festival 2026) A Compassionate Feature Debut
Having just completed its run at the UK Raindance Film Festival, Seahorse is an affecting and well-intentioned feature debut from Canadian actor & filmmaker Aisha Evelyna. As well as writing and directing the film, Evelyna also takes the lead role of Nola, a Toronto woman seeking stability following a stay […]
Littermates (Dances with Films 2026) A Whimsical, Well‑Crafted British Oddity
Scott Tinkham & Michael Woloson’s feature debut fills me with the best kind of nostalgia. Before the most destructive vote in British political history, independent British cinema was in a far healthier place, to the extent that it felt like there was a genuine breakthrough of a new creative voice […]
Love is the Monster (2026) A Handsome, Horny, Hopelessly Chaotic Horror
After the cultural success of Ari Aster’s Midsommar, I’m surprised there weren’t more Scandisploitation, English‑language horror movies. Just as countless people became fascinated with Norse mythology off the back of Chris Hemsworth’s now‑iconic turn, this too felt like the perfect set‑up for more. There have been a few, but the […]
Madhouse (1974) The Price is Right
There’s a point in a horror icon’s career, usually when they’re still bankable but aren’t the newest fright any more, when they go meta. The roots of this can probably be traced back to all those Universal movies that pitted the studio’s once-formidable monsters against Abbott and Costello. Later on, […]
Kraken (2026) A tale of tension, patience, and a creature waiting in the wings
Since André Øvredal’s era‑defining Trollhunter in 2010, there’s been a small but persistent Scandinavian micro‑scene of giant‑monster movies, even Netflix got involved through its Troll outings (2022 & 2025). Now in 2026, we have a new addition to that tradition: Pål Øie’s Kraken, released by Signature Entertainment. At one end […]
Signal One (2026) A small‑scale sci‑fi that refuses to stay small
One of the great existential questions for modern man is whether we are alone, and given the sheer expanse of the universe surrounding us, the answer cannot possibly be no – there’s simply too much out there for us to be the only ones. It’s a statistical probability bordering on […]
Empire of the Ants (1977) The Surprising Liminality of a B.I.G Killer Ant Movie
Bert I. Gordon was a filmmaker who constantly strived to live up to his B.I.G. initials; beginning in 1955 with King Dinosaur, the cult director-producer would quickly carve out a name for himself as the master of the giant creature-feature, going on to direct monster-movie classics such as The Amazing […]