It looks exactly like the “Waterworld” stunt show Universal Studios puts on 10 times a day, and is about as impressive.
SPUTNIK (2020 - Russian)
Anticipate epic sci-fi action and the movie’s dialogue-driven drama certainly won’t slake a thirst for thrills.
STAR LIGHT (2020)
Considering Scout Taylor-Compton’s current career trajectory, maybe a manager from Hell would do better than whoever holds that job now.
BLACK WATER: ABYSS (2020)
It’s befuddling to see that “Abyss” boasts two new writers when it seems like it’s cribbing from the exact same script and storyboards used for “Black Water.”
SHE DIES TOMORROW (2020)
Imagining “She Dies Tomorrow” as a person, it would be a wine-drunk waif spinning with outstretched arms at an outdoor arts festival due to psychedelic intoxication.
HOST (2020)
“Host” keeps it together for an undemanding amount of time certain to satisfy easygoing appetites with a snack serving of scares.
THE POOL (2018 - Thai)
If it were a big studio production starring Chris Hemsworth, Pine, or Evans, “The Pool” would have been a ballyhooed box office smash.
THE SILENCING (2020)
“The Silencing” isn’t a cat-and-mouse thriller. It’s a connect-the-dots goose chase from Point A to Point Z, with every stop in between being a barren detour worth bupkus.
IMPETIGORE (2019 - Indonesian)
Even when Joko Anwar digs into well-trod soil, his shovel shines with the sheen of someone who is as much of a fan as he is a provocative puppeteer of skin-crawling horror.
THE RENTAL (2020)
If you ever want to convince your friends why an Airbnb getaway presents frightening prospects, show them “The Rental” and watch how fast they decide to stay home instead.
AMULET (2020)
Call “Amulet” a slow burn if that helps calibrate personal perspective. I’ll call it “quiet horror.” Too quiet, in fact.
VOLITION (2019)
The movie’s magic lies in its knack for keeping intrigue hot on the front burner so simmering pots in the back don’t singe you with their logic-popping bubbles.
ARCHIVE (2020)
“Archive” neglects to plug in a script worthy of the wonderful world it builds, leaving the movie feeling as coldly sterile as a metal mass of silicon and circuitry.
GHOSTS OF WAR (2020)
A satisfyingly eerie climb to a wickedly creative conclusion combats frequent attacks from convention.
AMITYVILLE ISLAND (2020)
“Amityville Island” looks like it was made for less than I spend on lunch at Taco Bell, and I say that without any hyperbole.
DEAD VOICES (2020)
Horror is so far past everything “Dead Voices” has to offer, the movie may as well tie a tag around its own toe.
THE BEACH HOUSE (2019)
“Masterpiece!” “Miserable!” Meet the Independent Party candidate for this year’s most divisive horror movie.
BROWSE (2020)
Get used to not being entirely sure what this movie is up to. I’m not sure “Browse” always knows either.
BLACK WATER (2007)
“Black Water” requires investing in vicarious living or else you’re not going to sweat the same small stuff with everyone onscreen.
RELIC (2020)
With its somber setting and serious performances, nothing else in cinema tackles the terror of dementia with as much tact and creepy creativity.
Although sleeker and perhaps scarier, “Smile 2’s” fault is that it’s arguably “more of the same” rather than a real advancement on what came before.