I hope you’re all keeping wonderfully wicked and well. First things first, forgive my brief disappearance into the ether. I promise I wasn’t dragged into the underworld or claimed by some ancient seaside entity… I was simply out of the country for a week.
My husband and I escaped to Tunisia for a short break, sunshine (kind of) instead of shadow for once, and while I did schedule a couple of posts before I departed, they were but meagre offerings to keep the crypt door slightly ajar in my absence.
But fear not… I have returned.
I’m back at my desk, candle metaphorically lit, mind brimming with deliciously dark ideas for future posts. Expect the usual hauntingly cosy chaos, horror book reviews to devour, games to survive (or not), and films to either worship or lovingly tear apart.
As always, this little corner of the macabre is ours…So if there’s anything you’re dying to see me review drop your suggestions below.
I’m back with another film review! This time it’s the 2024 psychological horror The Rule of Jenny Pen, directed by James Ashcroft and starring John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush.
The story follows Stefan Mortensen, who, after suffering a stroke, moves into a care home hoping for a full recovery and a short stay. But as his condition worsens, he not only has to come to terms with the possibility that he may never leave, but also contend with the bully Dave Crealy.
Geoffrey Rush as Stefan Mortensen
Crealy is a truly unsettling presence. His cruel actions somehow go unnoticed by the staff, who seem to believe that Stefan is the one causing trouble. But come nightfall, Crealy’s true nature emerges. He terrorises the other residents, using a creepy ass doll he calls Jenny Pen as his tool of intimidation. Lithgow’s performance is masterful. Every glance, every movement feels calculated to unsettle, and the doll only amplifies this as you begin to question if it’s sentient!
Lithgow is delightfully creepy in this role!
What makes the “horror” of this film resonate even more, though, is the way it portrays Stefan’s vulnerabilities. The stroke has left him with gaps in memory, brief lapses of time where he’s unsure what’s real and what isn’t. This uncertainty mirrors the audience’s own growing unease, making every interaction, feel tense and unpredictable. Some of the shots and framing lean into an almost fever-dream quality, which only adds to the claustrophobic, disorienting atmosphere.
I went into this one with zero expectations or knowledge but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s definitely worth a watch, I’m giving it 4 out of 5 skulls.
Have you seen it? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so comment below!
Another day, another horror film review. This time I’m going to be talking about the 2015 supernatural horror The Hallow.
Pretty cool poster design.
Directed by Corin Hardy, the film centres on conservationist Adam and his wife Claire, who move to a remote village in Ireland with their baby son, Finn. They take up residence in an old mill house, surrounded by a forest, the very forest Adam will be spending most of his time working in.
This is something he continues to do despite a distinctly frosty reception from the locals and repeated warnings from their nearest neighbour, Colm Donnelly. As a brief aside: it genuinely infuriates me how often Colm is mispronounced. It’s Cuh-lum. NOT Kolm. But that’s not the point of this post, but please take it as a learning moment ha!
Ignoring every red flag being waved directly in his face, Adam presses on with his work in the forest, collecting samples of fungi and plants. At one point he’s doing this with baby Finn strapped to his back, because of course he is. I get it, sometimes there’s no other choice than to take the baby with you but…Come on Adam, the spooky forest, really?!
Take your baby to work in a creepy ass forest day.
His dog, Iggy, draws his attention to an abandoned building where Adam discovers an animal carcass riddled with some very dodgy looking fungal growth. Now, the building could very well be full of asbestos, and he has absolutely no idea what that fungus is, but aye, by all means, have a wee poke about while your infant is strapped to you. I don’t think he’s going to win any father of the year awards for that!
Aye, nothing says good parenting like poking a carcass with your baby in tow, lad.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Claire is busy removing the iron slats from the windows (solid choice), when Colm pays yet another visit. He warns her that the forest isn’t good for Adam or “the little one”. Understandably shaken, Claire brushes it off and carries on with her day.
From here, things start to escalate. Finn’s bedroom window is smashed while the baby is sleeping. The Garda are called, and the couple voice their suspicions that they think Colm is to blame. The officer assures them that it was probably just a bird. Before leaving, Garda Davey fills them in on the legend of the forest: “The Hallow” a breed of creatures including faeries, banshees, and, delightfully, baby stealers.
Adam, naturally, dismisses this entirely. And as with most horror films, this is the exact moment where everything ramps up another notch and then keeps going until the bitter end.
Overall, it’s a solid film with some great tension and striking imagery. The practical effects are well done, and it’s a good example of how smart shooting can make a limited budget work in your favour. For a small-budget production, it’s impressively executed.
That said, it is mildly infuriating that Claire has little to no personality beyond being “the wife” and “the mother,” while Adam is, at times, spectacularly dense opting for a kind of pseudo-macho stubbornness over the safety of his family. BUT if you can look past that, you’ve got yourself a tidy little folk horror with some genuinely creative creature design.
This one gets 3.5 skulls out of 5 from me and is definitely worth a watch if you’re looking for inspiration on how to do low-budget horror relatively well.
Got a different take? I’d love to hear it so drop a comment below.
I finally got round to watching Hell House LLC: Lineage and, oh boy, was I disappointed by just how little I enjoyed this one. I absolutely loved Hell House LLC from 2015. It was one of the first found-footage films I’d seen in a long while that genuinely gripped me and properly creeped me out. I went on to watch the rest of the series too, and after somewhat enjoying Carmichael Manor, I was really hoping this would tie everything up nicely.
But… that was not meant to be.
For starters, it ditches the found-footage style that defined most of the previous entries, and instead asks far too much of the audience. “What do you mean?” I hear you asking. Well, without going back and rewatching the entire series, can you honestly remember every single thing that happened in each film? Because I can’t, and I’d only recently rewatched the first one.
The story centres on Vanessa Shepherd, still living with the trauma of her experiences at the Abaddon Hotel in Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire. When people connected to Abaddon start mysteriously dying, she begins uncovering links between the hotel and Carmichael Manor. In theory, fine. In execution? Not so much. The writing is weak and relies heavily on the audience remembering every tiny, minute detail from the previous instalments which feels like a big ask.
Vanessa Shepherd played by Elizabeth Vermilyea.
Then there’s the clowns. And honestly? I hated what they did with them. Part of what made the clowns so terrifying in earlier films was their stillness, that subtle head turn that made your stomach drop. Turning them into fully mobile entities completely strips away that tension.
Hell House LLC, 2015 – The best in the series.
Also, I’m fairly certain it’s against the laws of being a therapist to openly discuss other clients’ issues and experiences, but hey, what do I know? Vanessa’s therapist just chats about other clients’ problems willy-nilly. Fuck the rules. Fuck patient confidentiality.
Combine that with a lack of scares or tension, dull dialogue, and a rushed attempt to both flesh out the story and wrap up lingering questions from previous films, and you’re left with what is easily the weakest entry in the series. To make matters worse, it doesn’t even really end, it just… stops. The last scene played, the credits rolled, and I genuinely said out loud, “Oh. So that’s it?”
It was so deeply underwhelming.
I’m giving this 2 skulls out of 5, and that’s me being generous, possibly still riding the goodwill of the first film. The lack of a solid script really let this one down, as did moving away from the found-footage format entirely.
Disagree with me? Think I’ve been too harsh? Drop a comment below and tell me why. I’m genuinely curious to know if I’ve misjudged this one.
Those of you who have been following the blog for a while might remember a post I made about some of my favourite podcasts and YouTube channels. Well, this is something similar only with even more suggestions for you spooky lot. So, let’s not delay any longer! I’ll kick off with a few that are perhaps already well-known, but that I love nonetheless.
This is an anthology series of original horror stories, narrated by talented voice actors with fantastic use of music and sound effects. It’s perfect for consuming horror while driving, commuting, or, in my case, washing up. Some stories are stronger than others, but it’s a great way to support lesser-known authors. If you want a recommendation, start with “Whitefall” (Season 12, Episode 25). Written by C.K. Walker, it’s brilliantly performed and one my husband and I have listened to multiple times. Give it a listen and fall in love with horror fiction in audio form.
Available both as a podcast and with two series on BBC iPlayer, Uncanny focuses on real-life paranormal experiences. Danny Robins presents with such passion that it’s easy to get hooked. Each week, someone represents Team Skeptic and someone represents Team Believer, sharing their thoughts and expertise on each story. A standout episode is the “Shadow Man” episode from Season 2, Episode 3 of the TV series. It’s genuinely creepy and unnerving, a must-watch.
Presented by Dr. Rebekah McKendry and Elric Kane, both professors, writer-directors, and filmmakers in the horror genre, this podcast is perfect for fans of horror. They explore thematic elements, review the latest films, and often feature notable guests from the industry.
Hosted by the iconic Boulet Brothers, this podcast complements their TV series The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula while also diving into horror movie reviews, famous hauntings, and celebrity interviews. It’s a bit niche, but as someone who’s watched all the Dragula series, I adore these two and think other horror fans will too, for bringing horror into drag.
Hosted by Kainan Becker, this channel is all about horror. From recommendations to reviews, it’s perfect if you’re looking for films without spoilers or overexposed trailers. Kainan gives honest, thoughtful opinions, often championing lesser-known titles. As he himself says, “I highly, highly recommend” checking this channel out.
Run by Grimm and Jessica, this YouTube channel documents the couple’s travels as they visit real-life horror film locations, famous graves, and true crime sites. They always provide solid historical detail about the places they explore, and if you’re a horror fan it’ll give you plenty of inspiration. From Whitby and its historical links to Dracula, to a full tour of Tom Savini’s school and home, these two are well worth a watch.
Presented by former church minister, author, and Fortean Times columnist Peter Laws, this podcast is a must for lovers of the supernatural. Through chilling true-life storytelling, Peter delves into real tales of hauntings, cryptids, and much more. With immersive sound design and compelling narration, this is one you’ll definitely want to check out.
Are there any I’ve missed? Any spooky sounds or channels I should check out? Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear your recommendations!
I’m back again with another film review. This time we’ll be looking at 1988 Slasher film “American Gothic” I mean, look at this poster.
The tagline for the film was “The family that slays together stays together.” Incredible!
After the trauma of losing her baby, Cynthia decides to take a vacation with five of her friends: Jeff, Rob, Lynn, Paul, and Terri. They charter a plane from Seattle, but engine trouble forces them to make an emergency landing on an island in Puget Sound.
At first, they believe they’re completely alone. After spending the night and realising there’s no way to fix the plane, they decide to explore the island further and stumble across a large cottage hidden deep in the woods.After fooling around inside (as everyone seems to do in ’80s films, playing with shit that isn’t theirs), in walk Ma and Pa, the cottage’s owners. They seem pretty chill at first, but you instantly get those inbred, cut-off-from-civilisation, “no room for any of this newfangled nonsense” vibes. And those vibes only intensify.
Not gonna lie, it felt a bit shitty of the group to sit down and share a meal with Ma and Pa while completely forgetting about Paul, who they left behind at their makeshift camp to watch the plane. Guess he’ll just crack open some beans or something.
Just beans for you, Paul lad!
Believing Ma and Pa are the only ones living there, you can hardly blame the group for being shocked when they’re slowly introduced to their “children.” Enter Fanny, Woody, and Teddy all seemingly in their late 40s or early 50s, yet dressed and behaving like children. Albeit children with deeply unsettling habits and facial expressions.
I won’t go into too much detail, but needless to say, the bodies start piling up. It’s campy, and some of the acting is undeniably cringey at times, but there’s still something weirdly enjoyable about this one. It low-key gave me Tourist Trap vibes.
Some of the best moments come whenever Yvonne De Carlo (Ma) is on screen, and the same goes for Rod Steiger (Pa). You can tell they took the material seriously, which makes their delivery feel genuinely creepy rather than unintentionally funny. Cynthia is also an interesting protagonist she’s already a bit unhinged, so what unfolds with her feels… inevitable.
Yvonne De Carlo as Ma.
It’s not the best slasher I’ve ever seen, but as a huge lover of ’80s slashers, this one didn’t disappoint. I’m giving American Gothic3.5 skulls out of 5.
Have you seen this one? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so drop a comment below.
I’m always on the lookout for horror films to watch. I recently reinstated my Shudder membership because I was finding other streaming platforms seriously lacking in choice. Having subscribed before, I know Shudder can hide some real gems, not to mention those glorious periods when they unleash a huge catalogue of ’80s slashers and horror classics. For me, that era boasts some of the best practical effects ever put on screen.
As you may have guessed from my Reel Evil review, I’ve been on a bit of a found-footage kick lately. I’m desperate to watch the latest instalment of the Hell House series, Hell House LLC: Lineage, but I’m saving it for a film night with my husband. Despite growing up with a horror-loving mum (shout-out to my MIL for being an absolute gem), he really doesn’t like horror films. Still, he indulges me and his running commentary is often unintentionally hilarious.
Cool poster…The film? Not so much!
Instead, I put on Deadware (2021), written and directed by Isaac Rodriguez and starring Sarah Froelich as Rachel and Ali Alkhafaji as Jay. The film centres on two friends who’ve lost touch over the years but reconnect via webcam thanks to “modern” technology. (Although I’m not entirely convinced screen sharing was a thing in 1999, which is when the film is set.) They begin talking about a mutual friend, Amy who is mentioned frequently but never seen.
When a mysterious browser appears, revealing a game called House of Hunger, the pair decide to play it. This comes after what feels like an overly long stretch of Rachel being really annoying and teasing Jay, while he’s equally irritating, repeatedly saying, “I have work tomorrow.” Okay, man we get it. Chill.
As they play, “creepy” found-footage clips begin popping up, escalating the tension and hinting that Amy may be behind the disturbing game. I won’t spoil the ending—though anyone with a working brain will probably see it coming a mile off.
One moment that truly pissed me off: after a painting featured in the game has been on screen for at least ten minutes, and Rachel has been staring at it the whole time, she doesn’t react until Jay physically picks it up and asks, “Look familiar?” Rachel then responds, completely flatly, “Holy shit, that’s from the game.”
I probably should’ve turned it off at that point, but there were only about five minutes left.
The painting, that later on is staring Rachel in her face for like ten minutes.
I’m giving Deadware2 skulls out of 5 and that’s mainly because I have huge respect for anyone who manages to make a horror film on a small budget and with limited resources. It’s not the worst found-footage film I’ve seen, but it’s definitely not one that’ll stick with me.
If you decide to watch it, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Here’s hoping the next viewing choice is a better one.
I’m back with another review. I decided to give found-footage horror film Reel Evil (2012) a go, which, for reasons known only to the streaming gods, also shows up as Specters on Amazon Prime.
The basic setup: three friends (Kennedy, Cory and James) are aspiring filmmakers who realise pretty quickly that dreams don’t fund themselves. To get the cash and make some contacts, they take on a “shitty job” and land a gig filming a behind-the-scenes documentary for an upcoming horror movie produced by a major studio. Naturally, it’s set in an old lunatic asylum. Because of course it is.
I have a lot of admiration for independent filmmakers, especially those working with tiny budgets but fuck me, this was a hard watch. Even the scrappiest low-budget horrors usually have something to redeem them or make them enjoyable. This absolutely did not.
Every single character was an asshole. And I don’t mean “flawed but interesting” just straight-up insufferable. There was no one I wanted to survive. I was actively rooting for all of them to be taken out by the asylum’s spirits. Spirits which, by the way, never really go anywhere. Aside from a couple of still images and maybe half a scene involving old patient files, there’s almost zero exploration of the location’s history. A massive missed opportunity in my opinion.
At one point, Kennedy, our supposed protagonist, asks James (who is mostly off-camera, something the “actor” was probably very thankful for after seeing the final cut of this dog shit), “Is everyone a dick on this movie?”
Uh… YES.
Kennedy, who somehow fails to clock that she and her mates are, in fact, massive dicks.
I’m no stranger to a pair of tits, I’ve had my own for well over 25 years but the amount of boobs and sex scenes here felt completely unnecessary. They’re clearly shoved in to keep people watching, which, honestly, was a real struggle anyway. This is exactly how I looked when I checked the runtime and realised there were still another 30 minutes to sit through.
Me thinking, please make it end!
There’s zero atmosphere and no real tension-building. Even the moments that are clearly framed to try and do that fall completely flat. There was nothing remotely enjoyable about this film. It’s genuinely one of the worst horror movies I’ve seen. Watch it if you want but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
This one gets 1 skull out of 5, and that’s only because the practical effects (pictured below) slightly redeemed it.
As a side note: I’ve worked on TV shows, and I have never known a catering table to consist of unripe bananas and a single fucking stalk of celery to feed a crew. Honestly… what the hell?!
Did I miss something? Have you seen this and loved it? If so, hit me up in the comments below.
For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved all things spooky. My earliest memories of horror are of my dad sharing ghost stories with me as a child, one of which I have shared previously on this blog. They pulled me in and made the hair stand up on the back of my neck and I found it thrilling.
I remember one evening as a child, when I first saw the music video for Michael Jackson’s song Thriller. The lyrics seemed to be talking about all the things I was curious about and when Vincent Price’s rich unique voice appeared and zombies started clawing themselves from their graves, I was captivated. Not only did I want to go away and learn the all the lyrics and the dance immediately. But I also wanted to watch films with zombies in and devour more of this kind of stuff. Whatever it was, I wanted in.
I became obsessed with Vincent Price’s words in the songs and the images they conjured up, which is probably why my parents introduced me to a film that I still love and watch to this day.
It was the first time I watched a film and thought “I think this film was made for kids like me.” Beetlejuice had me hooked from the moment Danny Elfman’s score started playing and the title came on the screen.
I lost count of how many times I watched it. I fell in love with it and saw something of a kindred spirit in Lydia. A young girl who seemed something of an outsider and had macabre interests. It would always be my choice for family film nights, much to my parents chagrin. They even hid the VHS tape eventually in a bid to encourage me to choose something else.
I’d definitely pinpoint it as the first horror film I fell in love with. I know there are people out there that wouldn’t class Beetlejuiceas a horror, but I would argue that it has elements of horror and is the perfect gateway into the genre. At least it was for me.
After that I spent my time reading horror books aimed at my age group, so we’re talking things like Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, Goosebumpsand Point Horror. And whilst these definitely kept me entertained, I desperately wanted to watch more horror as opposed to just reading stories. Not long after 11-year-old me was gifted with a VHS tape one Saturday, my dad told me he thought I’d like it and that it had vampires in it.
I piled some cushions on the floor and pushed the tape into the VCR, static filled for the screen for a second and then the film started. A camera panned over a body of water slowly, and a haunting choir sang the words “Thou shall not fall” and a second later the title The Lost Boysfilled the screen. I was hypnotized. Needless to say it became a regular rotation in my viewing. And become my other go to film on family film nights!
I’d say from that point it just spiraled. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t claim to be horror film connoisseur but I would say it’s a genre I have devoured a lot of. I’ve watched and enjoyed the groundwork layed by The Cabinet of Dr Caligariand appreciated modern day horrors such as Us, Gloriousand Host (to name but a few) And I imagine most people will call me a cliché but from the moment I first watched John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween I have always considered it my all time favourite horror film. Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I watch it every single Halloween without fail. I will probably dedicate a separate post to this film at some point. But needless to say viewing it has become a ritual.
I usually buy a load of snacks and a pumpkin. I carve the pumpkin, light a candle, stick it inside, turn out the lights and put the film on. I’ve seen it so many times yet there are still moments that make me jump. But I love that. And I love that horror films exist and can make that happen.
It could be the way you’re sure the Clown’s face was turned the other way a moment ago, like in Hell House LLC. Or you could be recoiling in horror at that infamous chest bursting scene from Alien. No one can deny that horror has the ability to make us react in the most hair raising, stomach churning, toe curling ways.
It’s like a drug and it’s high I’ll probably keep chasing till the day I die.
I apologise for my lengthy silence, I started a new job and I got COVID over Christmas so I haven’t had much energy to do things, nor the attention span to focus on much. However on the plus side I have been watching lots of movies so I am back with another Wicked Watch.
This time it comes in the form of the 2018 film “Possum” written and directed by Matthew Holness (perhaps better known as the creator and star of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace) The film is based on a short story by Holness and stars the incredible Sean Harris and Alun Armstrong.
Philip, a disgraced puppeteer returns to his childhood home and is forced to face the trauma he suffered there at the hands of his Uncle Maurice. Instantly there’s a gritty bleakness to the tone of the film that only increases as it goes on. Throughout the film Philip seems to be haunted by a marionette he refers to as “Possum” and despite numerous attempts to discard himself of this creepy looking thing (see below for reference) it always seems to find a way back to him.
When a school child goes missing, Philip becomes suspect number one and it’s around this point things take a darker turn. I won’t say much more as I don’t want to spoil anything but what I will say is that this film is a masterclass in psychological horror. The perfect blend of great writing, brilliant acting, locations, directing and sound design only add to the increasing sense of uneasiness and creepiness.
It’s probably one of the best horror films I’ve seen, with a standout performance from Alun Armstrong, this is definitely one to watch.
5 out of 5 skulls from me.
If you’ve seen this, I’d love to know your thoughts so why not comment below.
☽ SpookyGee ☾ 