The Witch Review

While the 17th-century Age of Enlightenment brought about a wave of reason in European politics and religion, the Puritan riffraff over in New England still saw the Devil around every corner. Got a toothache? You’re not praying hard enough, pal. Did you dream about your neighbor? Then she’s most certainly a witch. A hailstorm isn’t just a hailstorm. The neighbor’s pig that wandered onto your land isn’t just a pig. To people consumed with prayer and chores, everything had meaning, and that meaning was usually the Devil.

Against this backdrop of sinful causality is writer-director Robert Eggers’ richly detailed debut film, The Witch.

Read the rest of my review over at the Orlando Weekly.

New Flash Fiction Up at Shotgun Honey

I’ve been miserable at updating the past few months. Which, in turn, has made you miserable as well. I’m sure.

Anyways, I’ve got a new piece of flash fiction up over at Shotgun Honey. You can read that silly little sucker here.

I wrote it during a bout of insomnia. I was too lazy to get out of bed so I typed the thing on my cellphone and emailed it to myself. Yes, that was a fascinating glimpse into my writing process.

I sold another short to Spinetingler Mag too. That should be out in a couple months or so.

Sony Sent My Ass to the Set of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

After a nine hour flight, an hour train ride, and a shameful amount of time trying to navigate the Underground, I arrived at London’s Langham Hotel looking, for lack of a better word, like a zombie. Thankfully, the doorman didn’t try to stab me in the head when I passed. Instead, he tipped his top hat in greeting and my adventure visiting the set of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had begun.

Read the rest of this sucker over at Blood Disgusting.

The Revenant Review

Hold a single-shot pistol to Jack London’s head and force him to snort a pile of coke while writing an epic survival story and you’ll only begin to get the gist of the cold road of revenge Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant voyages down. On the heels of a Best Direction Oscar win forBirdman, Iñárritu tackles the true story of American pioneer and trapper Hugh Glass, who was robbed and left for dead after being ripped to shreds by a grizzly. The bear even got him across the throat, for chrissakes. Fueled by revenge and raw bison, Glass made the grueling 200-mile trek back to civilization to take revenge on the backstabbers who tried to bury him alive.

Read the rest over at Bloody Disgusting.

2015 Mile High Horror Film Festival Recap

While Austin may be the high-falootin’ epicenter of the genre film festival universe here in the States, Colorado is nipping at its heels something fierce with two wholly unique fests of its own. With its immersive festival experience and haunted backdrop, the Stanley Film Festival in early summer has quickly become some kind of monster. Two hours south, just outside of Denver’s cloud of weed smoke, is the mighty Mile High Horror Film Festival in Littleton. Now in its sixth year, Mile High is like a horror film fest/convention hybrid – combining a strong lineup of new films from around the world, a ridiculous series of classic screenings, a stable of special guests, sideshow performers, panels, vendors, music showcases, and more. That Enigma jigsaw tattoo guy from The X-Files seems to be creeping around every corner too. Last year I was convinced he was stalking me. I swear I saw him outside my hotel window at 2am. And I was on the fifth floor. Dammit, Enigma.

They Look Like People Review

We’ve all gotten weird phone calls from unknown numbers at some point. Lines get crossed. Kids prank. People with sausage fingers press four keys at once, whatever. I once got one from a woman saying she wanted her leather pants back. We’re married now but usually these dumb calls are forgotten about by the next day. Not so for Wyatt (MacLeod Andrews). The calls he’s getting on his busted cellphone aren’t something easily shrugged off. Registering on the no-call list isn’t an option for this poor bastard.

The voice on the other end of the line is always different, but they tell Wyatt the same thing: everyone around you is a monster in disguise and only he can see their true form. They say there’s a war coming between these monsters and the remaining humans, leading to mankind’s extinction. The calls mostly come at night. Mostly.

Read the full review over at Bloody Disgusting

FARGO Season 2 Premiere Recap

I’m rabidly stoked to be covering the second season of Fargo for Collider.com. Check out my recap of last night’s busy season premiere, “Waiting for Dutch.”

Joe Dante Interview

It’s a safe bet to say that every horror fan has a favorite Joe Dante movie (or many). From Piranha to his breakout hit Gremlins and beyond, Mr. Dante has carved a niche deep enough into genre filmmaking to thrill generations. He was kind enough to give us some time to talk about his new film, how it brought him back to his old Roger Corman days, and discuss some tidbits about his older work as well. Having him on the phone, I had to ask him about one of my favorite shows of all time, Eerie Indiana, which he apparently doesn’t get asked about that much. Thank you, Mr. Dante.

Full interview at Bloody Disgusting

Secret Beyond the Door (1947)

A gothic Freudian nightmare from German maestro Fritz Lang, Secret Beyond the Door was adapted by his frequent collaborator Silvia Richards from a story by Rufus King. A sinister ‘40s twist on the French Bluebeard tale, the film is often considered a minor work in the great Lang’s oeuvre (far behind the almighty The Big Heat in my book), though even a lesser Lang film is better than the worst of most other filmmakers.

Sitting Target (1972)

As far as revenge flicks go, this one is pretty by-the-numbers. However, the buddy-criminal team of Oliver Reed and Ian McShane elevates the film to genre greatness. Our amoral avenger Harry is 200lbs of primal menace. He doesn’t speak much, but his concrete scowl and barrel-chest could punch a hole through a steel wall. How tough is he? He does pushups on the ceiling of his jail cell. On the flip side, Birdy has a silver tongue that more than makes up for Harry’s tight lips . The muscle and the mouth compliment each other nicely.