Happy Halloween from Road Rash Reviews!
Well, it’s that time again, the clocks have been turned back, the nights are drawing in and thoughts begin to turn to spooky matters, it’s almost Halloween!
There are plenty of good Halloween offerings out there this year, and Road Rash have put together a selection of entertainment for your perusal this All Hallow’s Eve.
“The world is not made of atoms. It is made of stories.”
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a very strange year, but in terms of horror films there have been plenty of fantastic offerings.
First up in our guide this year is horror streaming service Shudder, who have provided us with some fantastic original films including the fabulous creature feature Monstrum, superb horror anthology The Mortuary Collection, the highly atmospheric Spiral and Warning: Do Not Play and the brutal Revenge.
4 star bloody and fun South Korean period romp.
Monstrum is a South Korean period creature feature. Set during the Joseon Era, it is directed by Jong-ho Huh (Countdown). It was the Audience Award winner at the Sitges International Film Festival and is a Shudder original film. It is now enjoying a physical release in the UK courtesy of Acorn Media...more
4 star satisfyingly gory horror anthology.
The Mortuary Collection is a Shudder Original film, written and directed by Ryan Spindell and is his very impressive feature debut. This films also features another short written and directed by Spindell, called The Babysitter Murders.
“The world is not made of atoms. It is made of stories.”
The town of Raven’s End and a young boy...more
4 star thought provoking horror mystery.
Spiral is a Shudder original production available to stream on Shudder and Shudder UK as part of their 61 Days of Halloween celebration. It is written by Colin Minihan (Grave Encounters, Extraterrestrial) and John Poliquin (Room 203) and directed by Kurtis David Harder (Incontrol, Cody Fitz).
“Wow, that’s exciting. We don’t have any of you...more
3 star haunted video horror/mystery.
Warning: Do Not Play is a South Korean Shudder original horror film written and directed by Kim Jin-won (The Butcher). It is available on Shudder.com , a premium horror/thriller streaming service and also on Shudder UK.
“Do you have a religion? Stop thinking about Warning, start going to church.”
Mi-Jung (Ye-ji Seo – Save Me, Lawless Lawyer) is...more
4 stars of blood soaked and unexpected revenge thriller.
Revenge is written and directed by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat and is her very impressive directorial debut. It also features a standout performance from relative newcomer Matilda Lutz (Rings), whose transformation from a simpering and vulnerable mistress to homicidal killing machine is quite extraordinary.
It tells us the story of Jen (Matilda Lutz), a young...more
If you prefer a little comedy with your horror then you will love the absolutely hilarious but still gory Two Heads Creek and Little Monsters.
4 stars of deliciously disrespectful comedy horror.
Two Heads Creek is a British/Australian horror comedy film written by Jordan Waller (Darkest Hour, Victoria), who also stars and directed by Jesse O’Brian (Alien Arrival). Both of them are relative newcomers and this is a brilliant start to their careers, let’s hope for more to come in the future.
“You don’t belong here. You’re...more
4 stars of hilarious and very gory zomcom.
Little Monsters is an international co-production between Australia, the U.K. and the United States and set in Australia. It is written and directed by Abe Forsythe, a magnificent debut and extremely promising start.
“Dave, there are plenty of things to be scared of in this world, but having a kid isn’t one of them”
Dave (Alexander...more
There have been lots of great new releases this year including Echoes of Fear, The Final Wish, vampire thriller the Shed and the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep.
3 star surprisingly good supernatural horror/thriller.
Echoes of Fear is written by Brian Avenet-Bradley (Malignant, Dark Remains) who also directs alongside wife Laurence Avenet-Bradley (Freez’er). It has created a stir on the US festival circuit, winning numerous best feature awards and is presented in the UK On-demand, on Digital and DVD courtesy of Second Sight Films.
“You see, there’s a reason why...more
3 star sinister but slow supernatural horror.
The Final Wish is written by Jeffrey Reddick (creator of the Final Destination franchise) and directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. (Gangsterland, Hickok). It is available to stream on Digital HD from 25th May courtesy of Signature Entertainment.
“The Universe demands balance. For every yin there must be a yang. For there to be good there...more
3 star interesting take on the vampire genre.
The Shed is written by Jason Rice (his first venture into film) and co-written and directed by Frank Sabatella (Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet). It is produced by Peter Block (Saw), Mike Mendez (Snake Outta Compton) and Cory Neal (Hatchet).
“You’ve been trying to get into her pants every day since eighth...more
4 star triumphant return to the Overlook Hotel.
Doctor Sleep is based on the 2013 novel of the same name written by Stephen King (Castle Rock, Pet Sematary) which is a sequel to his 1977 novel The Shining. It also serves as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film adaptation of the book. It is written and directed by Mike Flanagan...more
For fans of vintage horror there have been some amazing releases too, including the magnificent Bela Lugosi in The Edgar Allan Poe Trilogy, the glorious genre defining Mr. Vampire and eighties classics Dream Demon and 976 EVIL.
4 star excellent presentation of three absolute horror classics.
This trio of Pre-Code horror films starring Bela Lugosi (Dracula, The Ape Man) are brought to Blu-ray for the first time in the as part of the Eureka! Masters of Cinema series #233-235. All three have been beautifully restored in High Definition Blu-ray (1080p). They are based on the stories of Edgar...more
5 Star
Who Gives a Pluck?
Eureka Classics lives up to its name with this jiangshi action adventure. Mr Vampire started a trend in the late 1980’s early 90’s. Produced by the legendary Sammo Hung (Three Films With Sammo Hung, Wheels on Meals, Zu Warriors From the Magic Mountain, The Fate of Lee Khan, Jackie Chan’s PROJECT A & PROJECT A PART...more
4 star super creepy remastered eighties horror.
Dream Demon is written and directed by Harley Cokeliss (Malone, Black Moon Rising) and was originally released in 1988. It has been remastered and is presented here on Blu-ray for the first time following a 2K restoration, in 1080p courtesy of Arrow Video.
The film features an introduction from Harley Cokeliss, who describes this release...more
4 stars of nostalgic 1980’s horror film.
Originally released in 1988, this classic horror is the directorial debut of legendary horror actor Robert Englund, best known for his portrayal of Freddie Kruger in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. Written by Rhet Topham (Trick or Treat) and Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, Legend), it is presented here on Blu-ray for the first...more
Anime fans are in for a Halloween treat this year with the release of Tokyo Ghoul:Re Parts 1 and 2 and Calamity of a Zombie Girl,
5 star blood soaked battle for the streets of Tokyo.
Tokyo Ghoul:re Part 1 is based on the manga sequel of the same name written by Sui Ishida. It is effectively Season 3 of the Tokyo Ghoul anime series. It is produced by Studio Pierrot (Yona of the Dawn, Twin Star Exorcists) and directed by Toshinori Watanabe (Mix: Meisei Story).
This release...more
5 star final battle for the fate of Humankind.
Tokyo Ghoul:re Part 2 is based on the manga sequel of the same name written by Sui Ishida. It is effectively Season 3 of the Tokyo Ghoul anime series. It is produced by Studio Pierrot (Yona of the Dawn, Twin Star Exorcists) and directed by Toshinori Watanabe (Mix: Meisei Story).
This release features episodes 13-24 and is...more
3 stars of gruesome zombie anime.
Calamity of a Zombie Girl is an O.N.A. (Original Net Animation) produced by studio Gonzo (Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing) and Stingray. It is based on the light novel series written by Ryō Ikehata and illustrated by Hagane Tsurugi.
It is presented here on Blu-ray in Japanese with English subtitles, courtesy of Anime Ltd.
“I wanted...more
while those of you following independent filmmakers will love this years offerings which include The Whispering man, Dead Again and Aftermath.
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4 Star
The Master of Found Footage Strikes Again and Again.
Once again the all round writer, director, actor, producer József Gallai (Spirits in the Dark, A Guidebook to Killing Your Ex, Moth, Bodom) collaborates with writer, producer, blogger Bálint Szántó (Gone, Parallel) to bring us a spine chilling tale of possession. Again they put Hungary’s indie film scene on the map,...more
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4 Star
Flesh Rippingly Funny.
Greenway Entertainment, Rellik Films under the direction and writing talents of Steven M. Smith (Ghosts, Borstal, The Doll Master, Essex Boys: Law of Survival, The Haunting of Borley Rectory, Red Army Hooligans) they bring us a Big Trouble in Little Pitchfield. A quiet day you are not going to have.
Only the dead have seen the end of...more
4 star enigmatic post-apocalyptic tale.
Aftermath is a short post-apocalyptic Hungarian thriller written and directed by the highly creative József Gallai (Bodom, Moth) and Gergö Elekes (A Guidebook to Killing Your Ex). Once again, we are presented with an entirely new concept from these outstanding writers.
“I hoped it wouldn’t end like this…”
Our hero, 4re4_51 (Péter Inoka – The Poltergeist Diaries) is...more
For your little ones this year comes The Addams family and if you fancy some reading material you can’t go wrong with the brilliant Gangoul and Tricksy: Don’t be Mean This Halloween.
3 stars of family friendly spooky fun.
The Addams Family is based on the beloved characters created by American cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938. This animated version of the family offers a slightly more modern perspective on what it means to be different. It is directed by Greg Tiernan (Sausage Party, Thomas and Friends) and Conrad Vernon (Monsters vs. Aliens, Shrek...more
Something for everyone here, and although trick or treating is off the table this year, we can still grab some popcorn and enjoy Halloween from the comfort of our own homes.
Happy Halloween and stay safe everyone!
Category: Review