Movies
[Fantasia ’12] Mr Disgusting’s Mini-Reviews #1: The Best of the Fest!
Even though our man on the scene, Lonmonster, has already delivered two batches of mini-reviews out of the Fantasia Film Festival (read part one and part two), I too was on hand watching dozens of horror movies.
While I’m proud to report two sellouts for our V/H/S and Under the Bed, there were a handful of excellent horror films running alongside us that I’m more that ecstatic to tell you about.
Inside you’ll find the BEST of the fest, which includes my mini-reviews for Juan of the Dead, My Amityville Horror, Sleep Tight, Game of Werewolves, Hidden in the Woods, Resolution, Play Dead, Sushi Girl and Toad Road. The WORST comes next…
JUAN OF THE DEAD
After disappointing me at an early market screening, the final version of Alejandro Brugués’ Cuban horror comedy is an absolute gem. The indie production takes the tired zombie genre and injects a political subtext that’s refreshing, while also infusing it with a high body count, explicit gore, and more than a handful of gut busting laughs. The entire cast carries the weight of the film on their shoulders as they’re what’s interesting, not the undead horde. Frankly, zombie movies don’t get much better than this.
4/5 Skulls
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MY AMITYVILLE HORROR
I’m already sick of all of the Amityvile Horror films in the works, but what makes Eric Walter’s beautifully shot My Amityville Horror documentary so engaging is that it’s NOT about the infamous house. In fact, its primes focus in on Daniel Lutz as he recounts his version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975. The viewer is put in the position of focusing on Lutz’ recollections while outsiders question the validity of his stories. It takes viewers down the path that eventually leads to the following conundrum: is Lutz lying or does he believe his stories? The film reveals a few shockers, such as the alleged physical abuse inflicted by Daniel’s stepfather, the infamous George Lutz, and that Daniel rocks the guitar (ok, these shots are just funny). The movie works because Walter dissects Lutz and not the house, which makes for one compelling hour and a half.
4.5/5 Skulls
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RESOLUTION
Having already premiered at Tribeca I was a bit weary of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s psychological horror that tells the tale of a man helping detox his friend in a cabin in the woods (similar to the new Evil Dead). While the second act feels like heavy-handed filler, the rest of the film is full of creeptastic and intense moments that will get your mind racing. The film opens with an intense confrontation between the two friends as one handcuffs the other to the cabin wall. What proceeds is a snail-paced nail biter that delivers quite a bit of a final shock. There’s plenty of jolts to get your blood pumping, and enough gore to fulfill that bloody thirst. It’s not a date movie, but one for that night you’re looking to kill a few hours. Be patient and you’ll be rewarding with some quality indie horror.
4/5 Skulls
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PLAY DEAD
New York personality Shade Rupe teams with the infamous silent Teller to direct and preserve a live NY stage play about infamous serial killers and con artists in history. Todd Robbins (who is a fascinating and engaging host) writes and hosts the play where he takes theatergoers on a hands-on experience in terror filled with scares and illusions. While the content is incredibly interesting (and provocative, being that it calls psychics con artists) it’s visually unappealing and hard to watch. It’s blown out and lacks an artistic touch (presumably because it was rushed to preserve the play). And not actually being in the physical presence of Robbins makes the entirety of the feature feel a bit bloated. Overall, it’s more recommended that you see the actual play that the film.
3.5/5 Skulls
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SUSHI GIRL
Kern Saxton taps into Quentin Tarantino territory with Dead Sushi, a thriller jam-packed with intense exposition and bloody consequences. Star Wars vet Mark Hamill carries the film on his shoulders with his venomous portrayal as “Crow”, while the additions of Tony Todd, James Duvall and more add to the interesting cast. The only major issue is that the protagonist (Sushi Girl) isn’t a protagonist until the finale, which means the viewer is forced to watch a bunch of villains conspiring against each other for an hour. The single location helps the production value, and the finale warrants a second viewing. It’s a great crowd pleaser.
4/5 Skulls
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HIDDEN IN THE WOODS
With a remake already in the works, Patricio Valladares directs this Chilean thriller about an abusive, drug dealer father who pushes his children to the brink of madness. Hidden in the Woods, while inherently bloody, is extremely dark and takes viewers down a sad road filled with prostitution and rape. If you enjoy movies for the fun of them, this is not for you. Incredibly well shot with some remarkable performances, Hidden in the Woods is more dramatic horror that taps into a more realistic realm. It’s scary because this could be a true story.
3.5/5 Skulls
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TOAD ROAD
Jason Banker directs a horror story that casts its roots deep into the realistic world of teenage culture. The problem is that the legend of “Toad Road” becomes a footnote in the tale, and ultimately, the payoff isn’t worth sitting through an hour and a half of kids abusing drugs and alcohol, and having lots of sex. In terms of dissecting the modern world of a teenage addict, there’s a lot of interesting footage, but there’s just not enough substance to make this worth watching more than once. The found footage aspect is well done and it has a nice look. In the end it is interesting, but nothing spectacular or special.
3/5 Skulls
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SLEEP TIGHT
REC co-creator Jaume Balagueró directs this Spanish punch in the face that’s skin-crawlingly intense and incredibly creepy. The pic follows a landlord stalker who slowly works at getting into the life of one of the building tenants. The realism makes it that much more terrifying, although it lends itself to an extremely trite and generic finale. But if a roller coaster ends with a whimper, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. In fact, it’s one helluva ride that I recommend more than once.
4/5 Skulls
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GAME OF WEREWOLVES
I’m in love with Juan Martínez Moreno’s hilarious Spanish horror comedy Game of Werewolves, which follows man who returns to a village only to learn he’s there to remove the town’s curse. The werewolf special effects work is incredibly well done (as you can see above) and it’s overflowing with gore. Still, the non-stop laughs and charm are what makes this a keeper.
4/5 Skulls
This week brings the next installment in the M3GAN Universe, plus a critically acclaimed queer horror movie, two new shark attack movies, and even a Lifetime Original clown thriller.
Here are the new horror movies that released July 27 – August 2, 2026!
Fresh out of theaters, queer supernatural horror film Leviticus is now available on Digital from NEON. Writer-director Adrian Chiarella makes his feature debut with Leviticus.
Joe Bird (Talk to Me) and Stacy Clausen star as star-crossed teenage boys who must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other.
Mia Wasikowska (Crimson Peak) co-stars alongside Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie (The Nightingale), and Davida McKenzie (Silent Night).
“Leviticus is a strong debut with an incisive voice at the helm,” Meagan Navarro wrote in her review out of Sundance. “We care deeply about Naim and Ryan’s survival, making Leviticus a tense, atmospheric, and claustrophobic vision of young love in a hateful world.”
Just in time for the annual Shark Week festivities, brand new shark attack horror movie The Devil’s Mouth debuted globally on Amazon Prime Video this past Wednesday.
Kathryn Newton (Abigail, Lisa Frankenstein, Ready or Not 2), Lana Condor (Pretty Lethal), Nico Hiraga, Gavin Casalegno, Tommi Rose, and Tayme Thapthimthong star.
In the film, “Five friends set out on one last adventure along Thailand’s stunning coast, eager for a final thrill before life in the real world begins. They sign up for a guided swim through a remote cave system known as The Devil’s Mouth, a natural wonder that’s as breathtaking as it is unforgiving. Deep inside the labyrinth of narrow waterways, their journey takes a terrifying turn when they discover that a freak storm the week before flooded the caves with sea life.
“The creatures died in the fresh water, but something survived… and it’s hunting them now— fast, silent, and deadly. Every corridor they round is overflowing with anxiety, and every wrong turn becomes a deadly encounter. As panic spreads and their sense of direction slips away, the group begins to fracture.
“Trust erodes, fear takes over, and survival becomes a savage game. In the suffocating darkness, every choice could be their last as they learn that to make it out alive, sacrifices must be made.”
Jeff Wadlow (Truth or Dare, Imaginary) directs the shark attack movie from a script he revised from Aja Gabel (“Sunny”) and Myung Joh Wesner (“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew”).
And speaking of new shark attack movies, Aura Entertainment brought director Jesse V. Johnson’s Above & Below to select theaters beginning Wednesday. Check local listings.
30 feet below. 10 minutes of oxygen. 1 apex predator.
In shark attack horror movie Above & Below, “Friends embark on a dream vacation of parties and diving, but their trip takes a terrifying turn when criminals attack them at sea.”
This one looks like every other shark movie that’s been released in the last several years, but it’s armed with something that puts it a fin above the competition. Oscar nominated actor Antonio Banderas stars in Above & Below, with the cast also including Christina Ochoa, Laura Marano, Timothy V. Murphy, Louis Mandylor, Jess Liaudin, Ryan Bertroche, Ramiro Alonso, Diego Llinás, Rodrigo Poisón, Mario Tardón, and Donncha Tynan.
Anthony Steven Giordano wrote the screenplay.
Pregnancy nightmare Son of Sara aims to be the next generation’s take on the horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, and it’s now available on Digital at home from Saban Films.
In Son of Sara, “A pregnant woman’s cravings turn sinister as her estranged boyfriend’s return coincides with a terrifying secret about the life growing inside her.”
The film stars Chloe Van Landschoot, Tymika Tafari, Garret Hnatiuk and Jane Moffat.
Canadian filmmaker Houston Bone directed Son of Sara.
There’s something seriously wrong with the newborn in dark fable Nightborn, the new horror movie from Hatching filmmaker Hanna Bergholm. It’s now streaming on Shudder.
In Nightborn, “With dreams of starting a perfect family, Saga and her British husband Jon move to the isolated house where she spent much of her childhood, deep in the Finnish forest. But as soon as their baby is born, despite the reassurance of all around her, Saga knows there’s something terribly wrong with her son. As their marriage starts to crack, Jon struggles to support his wife, but only Saga suspects the terrible truth about her newborn.”
Seidi Haarla (Compartment No. 6) and Rupert Grint (Knock at the Cabin, “Servant”) star in the Shudder horror film that’s been described as “a visceral, gripping and terrifying dark fable about motherhood and unconditional maternal love.” The movie’s cast also includes Pamela Tola, Pirkko Saisio, Rebecca Lacey and John Thomson.
Nightborn is inspired by Nordic folklore.
“Hanna Bergholm’s audacious sophomore follow up to Hatching delivers tension and shocking moments surrounding parenthood and self discovery — with a touch of humor,” said Shudder’s Emily Gotto. “We are thrilled to share Nightborn with audiences.”
Every so often, Lifetime premieres an original thriller that grabs hold of our attention and forces us to tune in. And they’ve got another one headed our way this weekend: Killer Clown.
Inspired by real stories, Killer Clown is a psychological thriller that explores trauma, memory, and gaslighting through the lens of a woman confronting the truth about her mother’s murder.
Premiering Saturday, August 1 at 8pm ET on Lifetime, Killer Clown stars Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers, The Last House on the Left, Weapons)! Watch the official trailer below.
Here’s the full plot synopsis: “Decades after witnessing her mother’s brutal murder at the hands of the Killer Clown, Elizabeth Helmer (Sara Paxton) remains haunted by the crime that shattered her childhood. When she begins investigating the long-unsolved cold case, Elizabeth becomes the target of a terrifying copycat stalker, forcing her to confront painful memories she has spent a lifetime trying to escape.
“As she searches for answers alongside her father Reed (David Cubitt) and husband Dan (Hamza Haq), Elizabeth uncovers a tangled web of family betrayal and long-buried secrets.
“As she closes in on the truth, Elizabeth must separate fact from manipulation and fight to survive before history repeats itself.”
Following Saturday night’s premiere, Killer Clown streams next day on the Lifetime app.
Killer Clown is directed by Annie Bradley and written by Katie Boland.
After multiple delays, Blumhouse Atomic Monster finally launches M3GAN Universe spinoff movie SOULM8TE directly onto Digital platforms this Saturday, August 1.
Lily Sullivan (Evil Dead Rise, Monolith) stars alongside Claudia Doumit (“The Boys”). The spinoff is described as a ’90s-style erotic thriller with a “new technological twist.”
David Rysdahl also stars in SOULM8TE.
The film follows a man (Rysdahl) who acquires an Artificially Intelligent android (Sullivan) to help him cope with the recent loss of his wife. In an attempt to create a truly sentient partner, the man inadvertently turns a harmless lovebot into a deadly soulmate.
Kate Dolan (You Are Not My Mother) directs. The filmmaker rewrote an original draft from Rafael Jordan (Salvage Marines), based on a story by James Wan, Ingrid Bisu and Jordan.
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