When it comes to movies in general, and reviewing movies in particular, I love it when I'm caught completely off guard by a flick. No idea about the story going in, no clue as to how it will play out, and then being blown away by what a good time I had. The Rental is one such movie, and flicks like it are few and far between. On the one hand, this is a relationship drama about two couples who rent a vacation home for the weekend hoping to have a really good time, but instead have all their dirty laundry exposed... and I'm not talking the clothing kind. On the other hand, this is an intense horror movie about far more sinister things going on inside the home. In less capable hands, The Rental would've been a mess. But first-time director Dave Franco ratchets everything up to eleven, and does so with such artistic flare that those who like horror movies should appreciate how good it is, and the arty crowd should be drawn in by the fine acting, tight storytelling, and killer -...

I've wondered what the director of The Raid series, Gareth Evans, has been up to after he'd made two excellent action films... This lead me to check out his 2018 Netflix original movie Apostle. I wasn't sure what to expect from the religious, 1905-set horror film, but I was curious. I went in with mixed expectations, and it turned out to be quite a "mixed" experience. It started off fairly strong, creating a subtle, but tense, mystery around Thomas Richardson (Dan Stevens) as he infiltrates a cult holding his sister for ransom on some far-off island. As he sneaks his way onto the island, we get brought into its strange world. We see twisted traditions, its oppressive leadership, and we event get a glimpse at the supernatural secret beneath it all. this is also happening while the cult leaders begin to suspect Thomas, and are hunting him. the tone has been set, I'm invested, let's see where this rabbit hole takes us. That brings us to Act 2. I w...

I've been a fan of directing/screenwriting duo Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett since A Horrible Way to Die back in 2010. What's impressed me most is their movies tend to lean toward horror, but the tone and filmmaking style shifts from flick to flick to suite the story. So how do Winged and Barrett handle a (kinda) loving tribute to 80s action flicks? With some British guy who stars in a period drama called Downton Abbey in the lead? Stick with me! A soldier introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son, who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of deaths seem to be connected to his presence.

I've been a fan of writer/director Adam Wingard 's work since A Horrible Way to Die. Although I enjoyed his segments in the V/H/S films, I don't believe the man truly came into his own until he made the absolutely brilliant You're Next . Wingard's home-invasion thriller showed he has a flair for more than horror. In fact, some elements of You're Next slid into the action genre , which the director embraces with his latest flick, The Guest.