Director: Veena Sud
Writers: Veenda Sud, Based on “Wir Monster”written by Marcus Seibert & Sebastian Ko
Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, Mireille Enos, Joey King

Director: Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour
Writers: Wade Allain-Marcus, Stephen Herman, Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour
Starring: Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, Amanda Christine

Craig: If it was their original intention or not, Welcome to The Blumhouse felt like it was trying to capture the time of television movie/miniseries events, where these teleplays would play out over a couple nights that you just HAD to watch because it was the only time it’d air in the foreseeable future and we weren’t overloaded with an unlimited amount of content. It works, without going retro and being “in your face” about this four-movie event, Blumhouse was able to provide that feeling and the type of stories that would be used, and Black Box is a prime example of why it works. While many can (and have) made connections to Get Out thanks to some plot devices and themes within the movie, its Twilight Zone-approach to horror, and because it happens to be afrocentric, it’s undeniable that Black Box is its own tale that breaks away from the horror mountain that has become known as Get Out. 


The story is being told through the eyes of Nolan, who suffers from memory loss after a car accident that kills his wife. Finally after realizing he can’t get work and is on the verge of his daughter’s school calling CPS, he agrees to an experimental treatment that has the ability to go into his subconscious and make a virtual reality representation of his memory in some attempt to help the wheels turn. However, his memories seem slightly off based on what he’s been told by friends and family, and there’s a creepy figure that continuously attacks him within each simulation.


I don’t want to speak further on the plot to avoid spoilers but some of the genius within Black Box is by playing off of what has become Blumhouse-tropes (paranormal, jump scares, etc.) and then completely shifting the story with a reveal halfway through the movie. Normally this kind of “twist” would be used as an ending piece but instead setting it in the middle Nolan is forced to face the true horrors of the truth as the creepy figure takes a backseat. By doing this we don’t purely have a technically well-crafted movie but it allows for the acting and storytelling to shine through, giving the heart and substance needed to provide us with something memorable. Black Box offers some creepy scares associated with the Blumhouse brand but has a level of restraint to showcase the maturity of the company post-Get Out. ​

Writer/Director: Zu Quirke
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Jacques Colimon, Ji Eun Hwang

​Kyle:  Nocturne is a unique update of the classic Faust tale.  Juliet (Sydney Sweeney) is a dedicated young pianist and misfit overachiever teenager with big dreams of a career as a classical musician, the only thing is her sister Vivian (Madison Iseman) got accepted to Juilliard and she didn’t.  But there is a showcase coming up at their school and it is Juliet’s chance to show her stuff.  Then she discovers the music book of a virtuoso violin student who leapt to her death and she must decide what she’s willing to do for success.


There’s a lot of familiar beats of sibling rivalry and teen drama, but there’s also a great deal of social commentary about the idolatry of success, its effects on our mental health and the definition of success as an artist.  The cinematography and sound design are incredibly specific and effective, particularly a stunning visual nod to Vertigo.  That combined with the additional themes of youthful angst, art and success, make this more than just a rehash of a classic story.  And the ending is to die for. 

Directors: Elan Dassani, Rajeev Dassani
Writer: Madhuri Shekar
Starring: Sarita Choudhury, Sunita Mani, Bernard White

A superstitious mother is convinced that her daughter's new boyfriend is the reincarnation of a man who tried to kill her 30 years ago.

Craig: Evil Eye uses Hindu mysticism and modern-day parental relationships to create a new approach to the universal themes of domestic violence passed down through generations. While it’s accessible to all audiences, the subtle nuances connected to Indian-American culture is what allows this premise to stand on its own. As we follow Pallavi’s journey to escape from (what she considers) nagging from her more traditional-minded mother, Usha (Sarita Choudhury), the story shifts to Usha’s focus once Pallavi’s finds someone who seems like the perfect man. Is he the reincarnation of Usha’s abusive ex or does he just happen to have the same controlling traits? Or is he the perfect man and Usha has yet to overcome her own trauma? We know what the answer is going to be and it plays out exactly as expected. When you’re watching it you wonder how effective the story would be if it focused more on the realistic approach to untreated trauma instead of going into a full reincarnation plot. Maybe more memorable.


The movie is based on a radio play of the same name and as much as I personally enjoy horror audio drama, Evil Eye feels like it worked better as purely audio or even a stage play. Most of the story consists of phone conversations between mother and daughter, with the (potentially) villainous Sandeep and Usha’s husband, Krishnan popping in occasionally. I’ll admit there are plenty of films that can make phone calls, a single actor/location, or anything else of that nature dynamic…for the most part, this isn’t one. It looks nice, the acting is fine, Choudhury carries the movie but unfortunately the script doesn’t provide her with the depth that her character and the story deserve. It comes down to a script that should have been adjusted better to fit the cinematic storytelling needed to counteract the minimal cast, plot, and location by making it more interesting.


Overall, Evil Eye is watchable and can keep you engaged but like many movies lately, it falls into the cliched category of a product that technically looks great, has strong plot/thematic elements but is pretty forgettable by the following day.

Welcome to the Blumhouse’s average score: 4 1/2 out of 5

Ah, Christmas. Is there any more awkward time for a family? Arguments over what to watch on TV, long-held secrets bubbling to the surface, demon-possessed guests spoiling dinner.  It’s not all tinsel and pressies, as film-makers Richard Oakes and Adam Leader remind us in Hosts, their impressive first feature as writer-directors.
 
When we’re introduced to Jack (Neal Ward) and Lucy (Samantha Loxeley), they seem like a normal sickeningly-in-love couple. They’re getting ready to go visit their neighbour Michael (Frank Jakeman) and his family for Christmas dinner when things quickly take a turn for the demonic. Cue sinister glowing eyes, bloody murder and the worst Christmas since that time your racist uncle Steve dropped by and drank all the brandy.
 
First things first – this film looks gorgeous. Oakes’ background in cinematography and music videos is a huge help here, as he has an eye for great shots. The directors make full use of this, with plenty of scenes that ramp up the creep factor from visuals alone. I love me some Dutch angles. The special effects are superb too, especially in the chilling possession scenes, especially especially in the very first one we see. Brrr! That image will stay with me for a while, I can tell you. The blood and gore are handled well too, it all feels very natural and realistic.
 
There’s something chilling about the thought that you willingly invited evil into your home, that your family are in danger because of your own hospitality. Couple that with the threat being from people that you don’t know are a threat, people you consider friends and perhaps even family? It hits you in a deep dark primal place. As events play out, you can’t help but feel for the victims because all they did was offer to share a Christmas meal.
 
A lot of the credit for this goes to the actors, especially Nadia Lamin as Michael’s daughter Lauren. She sells the distress and the terror very well, and not just as the blood is flung around. Ward and Loxley clearly have a whale of a time as they stalk around being sinister and terrorising the poor family who invited them in. They’re a joy to watch, and they each get some extremely creepy moments to shine in.
 
It does lead me to the first of the things that fell a little short here, though. When Michael invites them in, he doesn’t spot how off they are. No one does, no one notices that their friends are acting like monosyllabic automatons – it’s especially jarring because of how natural and bubbly the couple were at the beginning. It feels a little like Oakes and Leader have played their hand a little too early, as there would have been some good mileage in ramping up the paranoia if the possessed had the ability to appear normal. There’s also a weird moment in the climax that took me right out of the film; I obviously can’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil it, but where did the rope come from? Did I miss a set-up for that pay-off?
 
The story does have a tendency to run out of steam a little in the most emotionally-charged scenes, which do sadly drag and outstay their welcome a little. These scenes start great, but they each take a little too long to get to the emotional punches and it just takes the wind out of their sails a bit. I will say though that prolonging one particular moment makes it all the more jarring and shocking when one of the film’s most brutal acts of violence happens – I laughed and clapped like a toddler, but then I’m a sick man. There’s also a scene that plays out similarly to a scene in Us, but it didn’t quite work in the context of this film, though it was a game attempt at slipping some exposition in without just stopping and explaining what’s happening.
 
You might think that these problems would spoil the movie for me, but no. The thing is, there’s so much to enjoy in the film that these issues are far outweighed. There’s a great sense of fun to it all – not in the sense that it doesn’t take itself seriously, but in how its executed and put together. Oakes and Leader clearly love horror, and they make good use of the tropes and conventions. They know when to spook and when to shock, and they know how to press an audience’s buttons. The score by Benjamin Symons is great, full of tension and eeriness. The discordant Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies was a perfect choice too! It was just a really fun watch.
 
Hosts is a great directorial debut, with a compellingly tense story and brilliant performances all round, sure to leave a lasting impression. I’m looking forward to their next horror feature Dirge!
 
Review by Sam Kurd 

A man finds a sexy genie and wishes for her to tell him ten terrifying tales of horror.
Director: Mathew Kister
Writers: Tony Crumpton (Segment "Whispering Board"), Mathew Kister | 2 more credits »
Stars: Jim Brodhagen, Danielle Brookshire, Kevin A Casey |

Collegian Tree Gelbman wakes up in horror to learn that she's stuck in a parallel universe. Her boyfriend Carter is now with someone else, and her friends and fellow students seem to be completely different versions of themselves. When Tree discovers that Carter's roommate has been altering time, she finds herself once again the target of a masked killer. When the psychopath starts to go after her inner circle, Tree soon realizes that she must die over and over again to save everyone.

The Conjuring 2 (known in the UK and Ireland as The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case [4][5]) is a 2016 American supernatural horror film, directed by James Wan. The screenplay is by Chad Hayes, Carey W. Hayes, Wan, and David Leslie Johnson. It is the sequel to 2013's The Conjuring, the second installment in The Conjuring series, and the third installment in the Conjuring Universe franchise. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga reprise their roles as paranormal investigators and authors Ed and Lorraine Warren from the first film. The film follows the Warrens as they travel to the United Kingdom to assist the Hodgson family, who are experiencing poltergeist activity at their Enfield council house in 1977 which later became referred to as the Enfield poltergeist.

In July 2013, before the release of the first film, it was reported that New Line Cinema was already developing a sequel with both Farmiga and Wilson signed on to reprise their roles. By October 2014, it was announced that Wan would return to direct the sequel and would make his first contribution as a writer in the franchise. Principal photography began in September 2015 in Los Angeles and concluded in December 2015 in London.

The Conjuring 2 had its world premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 7, 2016, and was theatrically released in the United States on June 10, 2016, by Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. The film received generally positive reviews from critics—who praised the performances, Wan's direction, screenplay, atmosphere and Joseph Bishara's musical score—and grossed over $320 million worldwide. A spin-off prequel, The Nun, was released on September 7, 2018. A sequel, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, is scheduled for release on June 4, 2021.

Directors: Chris Green, Steven Morana
Writers: Matthew Campagna, Rudy Jahchan

A lavish launch party for a new gaming app "Werewolves Awaken" has all the media bigwigs in attendance. The young lead developer, August, is promoted as the star talent driving the game's launch. The festivities are interrupted by a priest who condemns the party guests as "marked for the beast." Convinced it's a publicity stunt, the party-goers disregard the protest until a dead body is found.
​
A murdered body is discovered at a Gaming App launch party, guests grow suspicious of each other as they become players of the deadly game.

Enemy is a 2013 Canadian surrealist neo-noir psychological thriller mystery film directed by Denis Villeneuve, produced by M. A. Faura and Niv Fichman and written by Javier Gullón, loosely adapted from José Saramago's 2002 novel The Double. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal in a dual role as two men who are physically identical, but different in personality. Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, and Isabella Rossellini co-star. It is internationally co-produced by production companies from Spain and Canada.

The film premiered in the Special Presentation section at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2013.[5] It was then released on March 14, 2014, by A24. It earned $3.4 million at the box office and received positive reviews. The film earned five Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Director for Villeneuve, as well as a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for Gadon and Best Motion Picture. It was named Best Canadian Film of the Year at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2014.

Spiral is a Canadian horror thriller film, directed by Kurtis David Harder and released in 2019. The film stars Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and Ari Cohen as Malik and Aaron, a same-sex couple who move to a small town with their daughter Kayla (Jennifer Laporte), only to suspect that their initial welcome from their neighbours Marshall (Lochlyn Munro) and Tiffany (Chandra West) may be concealing something much more sinister.

The film premiered on August 25, 2019 at Arrow Video Frightfest, and screened at other horror and LGBTQ film festivals through late 2019 and early 2020. It premiered on Shudder in September 2020.

It's 1999 and over the course of one 12 hour shift at an Arkansas hospital, a junkie nurse (Angela Bettis), her scheming cousin and a group of black market organ-trading criminals start a heist that could lead to their imminent demises.
​

K.  Right off the bat, 12 Hour Shift expertly evokes the world of 1999 Arkansas (with a nod to Kroger and Surge and Squirt brand sodas with a ‘Spurt’ soda machine) and the grueling life of shift nurse, Mandy (Angela Bettis).  Bettis oozes world weariness as the cynical Mandy.  We quickly find out she’s a chain-smoking, pill snorting misanthrope engaged with head nurse Karen (Nikea Gamby-Turner) in a scheme selling kidneys on the black market.  Her hot mess cousin by marriage, Regina (Chloe Farnworth), acts as courier, transporting the organs to a gangster named Nicholas (Mick Foley in a fun cameo).  The only thing is Regina forgot to bring the kidney and now she needs to come up with one in an hour or Nicholas will be all too happy to remove hers.  So Regina forces Mandy to help her come up with another kidney under the noses of the hospital staff, visitors and the cops.


There’s an odd assortment of other wacky characters bouncing around the hospital, most notably David Arquette as a cop-killing prisoner, who sadly gets little screen time.  The performances are solid across the board.  Bettis anchors the piece as the acerbic and tense Mandy.  When it lands the humor is black and appropriately weird but the writing feels unfocused at times with some of the characters being underused.  Despite the feeling that there’s some lost potential there, it’s still funny and a lot of fun and it’s great to see Bettis getting the kind of role she deserves.


C. I’m at a crossroads with 12 Hour Shift as it accomplishes something that makes me crave more but also leaves me with the feeling of unfulfilled frustration. I’ll return to this in a second.


I adore black comedy and eccentric characters, which this movie has in excess, so on paper and for the most part while watching it I am fully in, because this is my subgenre niche. Angela Bettis as Mandy is outstanding and makes you wonder why she doesn’t get more roles like this. She commands the screen, even as a worn down nurse that’s meant to be more on the deadpan-side of delivery. A large reason for her character is to play “straight” and counter all the over-the-top characters that pass through the story, which there’s a lot. Some of the frustration actually comes with this interesting supporting cast that makes you wish they were more expanded upon. You don’t want boring characters but by having more caricature-like performances we’re left daydreaming of a “what could be” scenario if the story followed this person or went this route. Overall the story feels like a nurse dealing with all these strange people over the course of her shift, which is the intention but it’s not fine-tuned enough for us to feel like this is the only correct version of this story. I avoid going into a movie thinking “this is how I would’ve done it” but that’s what this invokes, which is as much of a compliment as a criticism.


Technically it’s fine, there’s some clunkiness in the editing here and there that feels purposeful but doesn’t achieve the desired effect it was going for, which I guess is the general theme of my review. It’s fun, watchable, and fills that black-comedic itch I have, if only it had a little more editing throughout every level of production.

C. Ultimately I liked the movie a lot and would watch the next thing that Brea Grant releases. I can’t deny you get the sense of “here’s another actor that’s trying to transition into directing because (insert reason here), so they’re making a low budget genre flick because those get attention.” But Grant comes from that spot in the indie horror community where they all wear many hats so it doesn’t feel completely out of the ordinary unlike many others that have come out within the last couple years.


K.  I agree with Craig completely.  There’s a lot of things to like about the film but there’s also a lot of things across the board that felt like they needed some elaboration and there were some hiccups in the editing and score.  But Bettis is reason enough to check out the film and I do think Brea Grant shows promise as a writer/director and I look forward to seeing what she creates next.


Bloodhound’s average score: 3 ½ out of 5

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To Your Last Death is a 2019 American adult animated action horror film directed by Jason Axinn, and written by Jim Cirile and Tanya C. Klein. The film premiered at the London FrightFest Film Festival on August 23, 2019, and was released on video on demand on March 17, 2020.

​Sole survivor of a brutal attack that destroyed her brothers and sister, Miriam Dekalb is given a chance to re-live that night from the beginning, armed with foreknowledge of the events. Of course, there's always the chance that Miriam is insane and murdered everyone herself.