SYNOPSIS: A headstrong young man reluctantly joins a religious order that is locked in combat with the forces of darkness. REVIEW: Some impressive visuals and a decent script are undermined by weak acting and a desperately unoriginal story in this lively but unsatisfying tale of priests and demons. In a rehash of one of the most famous sequences from William …

SYNOPSIS: After wrecking their RV in the middle of nowhere, five young friends decide to pass the night at an abandoned motel which, it transpires, is haunted by the malevolent spirits of a family that died there. REVIEW: Judging purely by the title I thought NO TELL MOTEL was going to be dreadful. I mean, if that’s the best the …

SYNOPSIS: On New Year’s Eve, a small town sheriff hosts a party at his cabin in the woods; on the way home, one of the party-goers drunkenly desecrates a native shrine releasing a terrible curse. REVIEW: This movie has, on the face of it, all the elements to make a classic horror film: a literary source; a cabin in the …

SYNOPSIS: An anthology of horror tales, each involving malevolent dolls. REVIEW: Love him or loathe him, Charles Band is a leading figure in genre cinema. Admittedly his output varies wildly in quality but I could never bring myself to dismiss a man who gave the world a gem like TRANCERS. In recent years Band has largely been confined to working …

SYNOPSIS: A serial killer kidnaps a young woman and forces her to witness his crimes. REVIEW: A gruelling bloodbath, The Toolbox Murders 2 has some interesting ideas but they are swamped by a tidal wave of sadism, brutality and gore. On top of that there are numerous signs of a troubled production leading to a jumbled mess of a story. …

SYNOPSIS: Four guys from Brooklyn get in over their heads after exacting revenge on a mobster for a beating he gave them.  REVIEW: I suspect the title of this film originated from the pitch writer-director Kamal Ahmed must have given to potential backers when describing the movie he wanted to make. “It’s like MEAN STREETS”, I imagine him saying, “but …

SYNOPSIS: Partygoers gathering for a Halloween ‘haunted hayride’ at an isolated farm are picked off by a masked maniac who may be the killer ‘Pitchfork’ of local legend. REVIEW: A low budget but spirited slasher that takes a while to get going but eventually builds up a fair head of steam and delivers some effective moments. For those who don’t …

SYNOPSIS: A bereaved mother, struggling to come to terms with the murder of her daughter, begins to suspect that a depraved secret cult may have been involved. REVIEW: Adapted from Ramsey Capmbell’s 1981 novel, this Spanish thriller is intriguingly plotted but slackly directed by Jaume Balaguero and never really develops the requisite sense of dread or evil. When this film …

SYNOPSIS: A secret admirer develops a murderous crush on a high school soccer star. REVIEW: A thoroughly professional thriller that draws good performances from its cast and delivers a winning blend of mystery, suspense and teenage romance. Scott (Lucas Till) has it all: not only is he the star of his high-school soccer team, he’s bright, popular and a hit …

Original broadcast date: 8 February – 15 February 1964 Story Arc #003: 2 episodes: The Edge of Destruction / The Brink of Disaster Synopsis:  On leaving Skaro, the Doctor programs the TARDIS for its onward journey but as the ship departs there is an explosion on board which knocks out the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara.  Sometime later as the …

SYNOPSIS: In the middle of a lush forest, a man bursts out of a shallow grave, panting for breath. He has no knowledge of who he is or how he got there. Dazed, he makes his way to a nearby cabin only to find his wife dead, his two children missing and somebody trying to kill him. REVIEW: An excellent …

SYNOPSIS: Six inner city youths break into a derelict tower block to set up a pirate radio mast but soon realise they are not the only occupants when they find themselves being picked off one by one REVIEW: Another week, another tower block movie. This one treads much the same ground as its contemporaries and despite being competently made has …

SYNOPSIS: A Mexican curandero – a kind of spiritual troubleshooter – helps a detective to track down a vicious gang leader who dabbles in black magic. REVIEW: Unusual but incomprehensible, this horror / action movie scores high on originality but low on execution, marred as it is by a mangled narrative and flat performances. Carlos Gutierrez (Carlos Gallardo) is a …

Rate This MovieOriginal broadcast date: 21 December 1963 – 1 February 1964 Story Arc #002: 7 episodes: The Dead Planet / The Survivors / The Escape / The Ambush / The Expedition / The Ordeal / The Rescue Synopsis: The TARDIS, having hurriedly departed Stone Age Earth at the end of the previous episode, is flung randomly through space and …

SYNOPSIS: The last few residents on the top floor of a condemned high-rise apartment block are threatened by a sniper. As they are picked off one by one, the residents make an increasingly desperate series of attempts to escape. REVIEW: This is a good example of what I call a ‘dirty vest’ movie, namely a film where the heroine is …