TAD 2018: You Might Be the Killer (2018) – Brett Simmons

The final night of Toronto After Dark gets underway this evening, and while I didn’t get to see all the films I wanted to see (life gets in the way), I enjoyed the ones I did, and loved sharing my thoughts on them with you. The final screening tonight (which does so twice, once at…

Countess Dracula (1971) – Peter Sasdy

The history (and legend) of Elizabeth Bathory gets the Hammer Films treatment in Countess Dracula the next vampire film for review in DK Canada’s highly enjoyable Monsters in the Movies book by director John Landis. Countess Elisabeth (Ingrid Pitt) ‘mourning’ the recent loss of her husband, rules her part of Europe with cruelty and the…

Toronto After Dark 2018

It’s that time of year again, and it seems Toronto always knows what to get me for my birthday – a film festival. Specifically the Toronto After Dark film festival. Running October 11th through to the 19th the genre festival features films from around the globe that highlight horror, action and science fiction films that…

The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003) – Stephen King

Roland Deschain of the line of Eld, and his ka-tet, Jake Chambers, Eddie and Susannah Dean, and Oy the billy-bumbler, take on the role of The Magnificent Seven or The Seven Samurai in the next volume of Stephen King’s opus, the Dark Tower saga. The fifth installment of the fantasy/western/ horror/science fiction series sees the…

The Vault of Horror (1973) – Roy Ward Baker

Taking its cue from the EC and Horror comics of the 1950s, The Vault of Horror is an anthology film and is the next stop in John Landis’ Monsters in the Movies book, available now from DK Canada. While I’m still in the Vampire section of the book, this film only features one vampire tale,…

The Vampire (1957) – Paul Landres

Don’t do drugs kids! That’s the message behind this horror gem from the 50s that is my next stop on DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies by legendary director John Landis. Set in Smalltown, Anywhere USA, single father Paul Beecher (John Beal) is the local sawbones, and when he’s called to a scientist’s home to…

A Quiet Place (2018) – Blu-Ray Review

The horror game-changer, A Quiet Place, hit blu-ray and DVD this week from Paramount Pictures, and it’s just as amazing and terrifying in your home theatre. Director and star John Krasinksi (who also had his hand in the screenplay – and for some people will always be Jim from The Office, though this film definitely…

The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (1982) – Stephen King

Stephen King’s fantastic epic adventure gets underway with this stellar, yet surprising short entry into what will be a massive tome, The Gunslinger. Starting with the iconic line. “the man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed” one can’t help but be swept up in the epic western style fantasy.  The Man…

20th Century Ghosts (2005) – Joe Hill

Joe Hill first came to my attention as the writer for the superior comic series Locke & Key, which is alternately fantastical, innocent, joyous and horrifying. As such I think I was properly ready for more of his work, and found a fascinating short story collection to use to expand on our relationship. 20th Century…