Scalene - 2011 ***

I had really not been expecting much from this film, but was really amazed at how clever it was and how much I enjoyed it. The very first scene shows a woman appearing manically at a woman's door with a gun and trying to break in. This looks crazy and makes the whole movie seem like it's going to be very bad indeed. But it's not, so stick with it.
It's similar to 'Rashomon' in that it's one story told from 3 points of view, involving a brain damaged boy who is possibly being abused by his mother, a rape committed by the boy and murder.
I finished watching it and had to sit and take in what I had seen for a time afterwards. That doesn't always happen. Clever and twisted in equal amounts, although the acting is probably the weakest point.

(HORROR) Among Friends - 2012 ***

Average, independent horror movie about a group of self obsessed friends who go to a lieder mystery evening held by the snobbiest friend of all. Things start getting a bit creepy when she goes loopy and starts cutting off her friend's scalps and decapitating their fingers after revealing home truths about each one of them. 

It's quite original and not badly acted although a bit silly.

(HORROR) The Appearing - 2014 *

Oh dear. Not a good film. An abandoned building that a family decide is the perfect place to be (when will these people learn??), a scary Patrick Swayze clone who can't act, a load of 'scary' pop up moments that make you chuck water over yourself (by mistake, not because they are any good). It's a poor excuse for a film. It's really not worth watching. I saw this right after 'The Quiet Ones' thinking it couldn't be any worse, but actually...

(HORROR) Oculus - 2013 ***

"Oculus' tries to be original, tries to be quirky and tries to be unique. On some levels its pretty good, and I haven't seen anything like it before. On the other hand its too much of an arty mishmash to be anything other than a mess of director s and writers trying to be too clever. The idea of a haunted/cursed mirror has been done before, but even so its never been done in this manner, and certain parts are genuinely frightening. Overall though, the two main characters are ridiculous. The girl comes across as though she's taken a hearty suck on a bong and hasn't quite come down, and the bloke doesn't fare much better. The film combines the past lives of the brother and sister with the present, as all the awful things that happened when they were younger centred around/next to the star of the show; the mirror. The mirror makes normal people do horrible things, and turn into vicious psychopaths, and will take said people 'into the parallel universe. It's all a bit complicated. Worth a watch I guess.

(HORROR) Devoured - 2012 ***

Not a bad movie. A young mother is working in America to earn enough money to send back to her mother to pay for her son's operation. She works the night shift cleaning in a restaurant and finds the work boring and demeaning, as well as come across some unpleasant characters who try to take advantage of her. Before long she starts to see things that aren't there in the dead of night, alone in the restaurant, and is unsure whether she is going mad or not. Lead actress was a good choice. 

The Haunted Mansion - 2003 ***

I've never watched a film based around a ride in a theme park before. Quite interesting idea I think.
Jim is brilliant at his job. So much so that it does tend to interfere with the other areas of his life like his marriage and his children.
After missing his wedding anniversary he promises to make it up to his wife by taking the family away for the weekend, which then goes off the rails when they are contacted by the occupants of a scary old mansion, and asked to go there and do business. Arriving in a torrential downpour, they are greeted by the butler and persuaded to stay the night in one of the beautiful rooms. That's when the fun starts...
For a children's movie, this creeped me out quite a bit, and I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated i would. Murphy is very funny, and his two children are adorable.

(HORROR) The Resident - 2011 ***

Tough, no nonsense Hilary Swank stars as Juliet, a young woman who moves into what she believes is her perfect apartment after breaking up with her cheating boyfriend, but soon starts to believe that she is being stalked by somebody close by. At the same time, Max, the man she is renting the apartment from begins to make his feelings for her known, and the couple get closer. But there is something wrong, and when Juliet decides to start seeing her ex-boyfriend again, Max is not happy. Not happy at all.
I quite liked this, but found it dragged on a bit after the first hour or so. It was quite predictable and that might be what made my mind wander towards the end. Still a good watch though.

Maternal Obsession - 2008 ***

 Gripping movie about a young woman named Lily who tries to live a normal life whilst being slowly smothered by her mother at home. The mother cannot stand the idea of her daughter having any sort of life, especially if it involves a man.
When Lily starts a relationship with a man from work her mother will do anything to stop it happening, whatever the costs.
Worth a watch.

You're Next - 2011 *

'You're Next' tries to follow in the footsteps of successful "home invasion" films such as 'The Strangers' and Funny Games' but just doesn't work. The whole idea of the film, and the 'surprise twist' towards the end are simply pointless, and do little to enhance what is already a bit of a mish-mash.
A group of relatives all spend the evening at the large house owned by one of them.
Throughout the night they are harassed and terrified by a group of masked villains who try to get inside the house, and cut off all outside contact for the trapped people inside.
It sounds good but it's not, the acting is atrocious, and the motives and opinions of the family are just dire.

Cult Rescue - 1994 **

Infuriating movie about a wife and mother who falls prey to a dangerous individual who leads a cult. Nora begins having agonising back and head pain and goes to see a 'new age' doctor who she believes will cure her. What she doesn't realise is that his deep meditation techniques are actually infiltrating her deepest subconscious and changing her way of thinking towards her family and her life.
Its very frustrating seeing someone being brainwashed with absolutely no control.

The Ex - 1997 ***

It's quite bizarre that Yancy Butler has actually been in serious trouble with the police in real life. It sort of adds to her downright terrifying character. Here she plays a psychotic ex wife who cannot accept that her husband has moved on and married someone else despite years of being in a mental institution. Its actually quite scary how unhinged she is.

Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story - 1995 **

Teresa Walden is a young and impressionable woman who is swept off her feet by a charming mechanic. Little by little he abuses and mistreats her, even going so far as to shoot and kill her new boyfriend. Making friends with the local kids, they all have the same idea - to kill her husband.
Sad to watch.

Shameful Secrets - 1993 ***

One of those films that makes you mad. Mad because in this day and age, it seems almost impossible to charge a man even if he has been beating up his wife and terrifying his children. This is the situation for a devoted wife and her two children who become victims of the husband's unpredictable anger and violence. One evening she makes the brave decision to leave him, but he's not giving in to get or giving the children back without a fight. Painfully real.

Deceived by Trust - 1995 ***

A young student confides to her guidance counsellor that her headmaster has been sexually abusing her.
Despite the counsellor's best efforts, the student is transferred to another school and the headmaster is let off with a metaphorical slap on the wrist.
To make matters worse, the student then recants her story leaving the counsellor to fight the battle for her alone, and many people automatically take the headmaster's side.
I enjoyed this and found it was extremely well acted.

Stalked at 17 - 2012 ***

A young student named Angela begins a relationship with an older good looking man named Chad. Things start well, but as time goes by, Chad becomes more and more controlling towards Angela, especially when she finds out that she is pregnant. Her parents are disgusted, especially because of Chad's age.
Angela is content to let Chad go, but Chad has other ideas.
Quite hard to watch, but even so, worth a look.

(HORROR) Funhouse - 1981 *

Absolutely awful film. One I had waited so long to see and then when I got to see it I realised how bad and tasteless it was. Not so much scary as thoroughly stupid and incredibly boring. A waste of time. When you think of how genuinely scary other films such as 'Halloween' were in the next few years it's such a let down. Offended on Tobe Hooper's behalf.

(HORROR) Child's Play - 1988 ****

'Child's Play' is a scary film. Especially scary to me because I have a bit of a hysterical nature regarding dolls becoming real. The 'Good Guy' doll itself, even when it's just a doll, has a menacing look about it, but when it starts walking and talking, my god!
A doll being possessed by the soul of a psychotic murderer named Charles 'Chucky' is quite a good idea for a horror film. It's certainly unique, and it's got enough material to spawn a number of sequels. Definitely a must see for horror fans.

(HORROR) The Conjuring - 2013 ***

Scary but not original (are any new horror films original anymore?). A family move into a cursed house with a cursed doll and strange occurrences begin to happen. All related to being cursed of course  They call upon a renowned psychic and his wife to cleanse the house .
Nothing new here, although a few jumps and especially bad if you have problems with dolls.

(HORROR) Taste the Fear - 1961 ****

Ironic really, that a 60s hammer horror would be scarier than something churned out in the last few years pertaining to be a horror film. A woman goes to stay at her father's house which her stepmother appears to be running with routine precision. Every time she asks about her father however, she is told that he is away on business. Which is strange really, because she could swear that she saw him in the summer house, and in his wheelchair by the pool at night. Haunting and scary. Worth a watch.

(HORROR) Dead Souls - 2012 **

'Dead Souls' is particularly gruesome, but also ridiculous in every possible way. It starts off with a flashback that I can only describe as disgusting, and then flips backwards and forwards for the rest of the film which leaves the audience rather confused. The main character is a rather wimpish year old who discovers on his birthday that not only was he adopted, but that he has been left a house. And a terrifying, evil house at that. Once he arrives he finds a strange girl has been living in the house (a bit squat-like if you ask me) and they find themselves mixed up in the horrific stories of the house.
It's certainly atmospheric but I cannot possibly say that I enjoyed it.