Basement contributor Matt Bellamy has taken it upon himself to watch and review at least one horror movie a day for the month of October . . . because he's awesome that way! For this entry, Bellamy lets it be known that you can't stop The Signal. This little seen horror, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi gem (yeah, it covers a few genres!) is one of the more interesting and thought provoking films released under the horror umbrella in the last several years. A mysterious signal manifests through television sets, radios, and phones that when seen or heard, turns people into psychopathic and homicidal killing machines. What's cool about this movie though is that it's put together in an anthology style, there are three different types of stories filmed by three different directors each with a unique vision and spin on the material -- one is romantic, one is darkly comedic, and the other is existentia...

Wow. Where to begin? How about with some deets on the plot: a ransom scheme turns into a nightmare for a group of kidnappers who become victims of a horrifying secret that must be paid every spring. But boy oh boy, is that just the beginning of this highly entertaining throwback to the horror flicks of the late 70s and early 80s. Rites of Spring is the kind of movie John Carpenter would have made in his heyday. It's that good. Yes, some of the acting is wooden. And the film just kind of ends, all Texas Chainsaw Massacre like. But -- and this is a heavy but -- nothing plays out quite as expected. There's the kidnapping plot AND another plot that has to do with the rites of spring. The way these two stories converge, and the slasher-film goodness that comes of it, are totally worth the watch. Kudos to A.J. Bowen and Anessa Ramsey, who pull off great performances here, not that that's what we're all about in The Basement. Is there blood? Yes. Boobies? Yup, but n...

Looking a bit like Jeepers Creepers meets Malevolence, director Padraig Reynolds' Rites of Spring premiers at the Screamfest Film Festival in Hollywood CA this Friday for those lucky folks who are able to attend. Not us, though, as we're in Canada, eh! The film follows a group of kidnappers who abduct the daughter of a wealthy socialite and hide out in an abandoned school on the edge of a town. But feelings of guilt soon overtake the kidnappers, dividing them and putting their entire plan in jeopardy. The evening further spirals out of control when their poorly chosen hideout becomes a hunting ground for a mysterious creature that requires springtime ritualistic sacrifices. Sounds like fun, and it stars genre faves AJ Bowen and Anessa Ramsey. Plus the creature is designed by Aaron Sims, who's crafted monsters for films like The Mist, The Thing, and I Am Legend, just to name a few. I have to admit the preview, featured here care of Bloody Disgusting,  looks pret...