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John’s Horror Corner: No One Will Save You (2023), this jumpy, high-paced,...
MY CALL: If you think “story” is overrated and just want all the alien abduction, tractor beams and telekinesis without wasting a moment of dialogue to explain what’s going on or why, then this is...
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John’s Horror Corner: V/H/S/85 (2023), an “okay” horror anthology.
MY CALL: This was okay; a slightly above average horror anthology. I’m inclined to say V/H/S/94 (2021) was better and V/H/S/99 (2022) was way better. MORE HORROR ANTHOLOGIES: Dead of Night (1945),...
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John’s Horror Corner: Invaders from Mars (1986), a “hard PG” family-friendly...
MY CALL: This movie holds so much nostalgia for me—so I’m pretty biased. I’ve loved it since the late 80s! It’s a kid-friendly, generally bloodless horror that still packs some good creature effects...
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John’s Horror Corner: May (2002), a macabre, obsessive, romantic medical...
MY CALL: This movie is a thoughtful, engaging, one-hour character study of a sick young woman seeking love and friendship, followed by a 30-minute splatterfest of how it all goes wrong. Worth a watch,...
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John’s Horror Corner: Basket Case 3 (1991), the third and most zany of this...
MY CALL: If you love bizarre and violent 80s horror oddities, or enjoyed Basket Case (1982) or any other Henenlotter film, then you should enjoy this, too. It’s weird, it knows it’s weird, and it...
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John’s Horror Corner: A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989),...
MY CALL: The kills remain creative, Freddy has replaced all menace with silly mania, the characters are as shallowly written as ever, yet the rewatchability remains high. Otherwise, this is the first...
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John’s Horror Corner: Black Friday (2021), a decent, fun and hokey holiday...
MY CALL: Good and fun enough for a light recommendation to fans of gory zombedies or anyone seeking a one-off Christmas horror. The movie tries hard, it shows, and I appreciate its efforts more often...
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John’s Horror Corner: Pitchfork (2016), this “farm horror” tries hard but...
MY CALL: Yeah, I wasn’t impressed… by anything in this movie. It disappoints in all filmmaking dimensions and even fails us in the stabby gore department. Weak slasher. Hard pass! MORE MOVIES LIKE...
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John’s Horror Corner: The Exorcist: Believer (2023), this 6th franchise...
MY CALL: A worthy introduction of the Exorcist franchise to a new generation. Though not as “difficult to watch” as the original. I’d solidly recommend it to horror fans with the typical advice to not...
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John’s Horror Corner: Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023), Chucky Cheese...
MY CALL: Eh, it’s okay. If you love the game then I guess this is something you’ll see either way. But if you’re only interest is in the “murderous Chucky Cheese animatronics”, then you should just...
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John’s Horror Corner: Mountaintop Motel Massacre (1983), among perhaps the...
MY CALL: Nope. Hard pass. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone—not even an 80s slasher fan who hasn’t yet seen this. MORE MOVIES LIKE Mountaintop Motel Massacre: “Motel horror” tends to revolve around...
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John’s Horror Corner: Doom Asylum (1987), I’m not sure what this hidden gem...
MY CALL: Hokey, awkward, funny and gory, this weird hidden gem will surely please fans of silly 80s horror. MORE MOVIES LIKE Doom Asylum: Basket Case 1-2 (1982, 1990) and Frankenhooker (1990). After...
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John’s Horror Corner: Scared to Death (1980; Syngenor), a slow-paced creature...
MY CALL: This isn’t very good, and there are better bad movies out there. So, I’ll suggest that fans of 80s horror set their expectations low and this early “quasi-Alien–Body Snatcher hybrid rip” a...
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John’s Horror Corner: Neon Maniacs (1986), a really bad movie that I really...
MY CALL: This isn’t for mainstream horror fans. But if you enjoy campy, cheap, hokey, B-horror, then this is right up your alley. The diverse monster make-up for the homicidal ensemble of mutant is...
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John’s Horror Corner: Waxwork (1988), a bloody and creature-diverse...
MY CALL: This movie opens and closes clumsily on its ‘not the best’ comedic components. But fret not! For its redeeming creature effects, blood ‘n gore, and engaging story components more than make up...
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John’s Horror Corner: Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991), the dregs of...
MY CALL: If you are working your way through the Freddy movies for the first time, this may be the first movie you regret. Sorry. I love NOES 1-5 to varying degrees—but no love remains for this ‘part...
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John’s Horror Corner: The Evil (1978), this “classic” haunting would best be...
MY CALL: This was… not good. Lame, boring, bad death scenes… I have nothing good to say about this. Perhaps because of the director’s (Gus Trikonis; Baywatch, Beauty and the Beast) general...
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John’s Horror Corner: When Evil Lurks (2023; aka Cuando acecha la maldad), an...
MY CALL: If you often feel that horror fails to cultivate the dread, utter shock, and dire hopelessness it deserves, then this is the gut-punching atmospheric film you need in your life. That is all....
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John’s Horror Corner: Sorority House Massacre (1986), this female-directed...
MY CALL: Some blood, weak death scenes, no actual gore, and nothing scary. Still, solid characters and story (even if highly and obviously derivative) made this an experience I did not regret. I’m not...
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John’s Horror Corner: Waxwork II: Lost in Time (1992), an even more wild and...
MY CALL: This sequel is much less horror and more of an anthology-esque mix of Sci-Fi, fantasy and horror with moderate to hokey doses of comedy and loads of great effects. It’s silly and light, but...
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