HORROR. “The Dreadful.” / “Cobweb.” / “Monstrous.” / “Things Heard & Seen.” / “Without Name.”

“The Dreadful” (2026, Amazon Prime) Gothic horror. Set in the 15th century during the Wars of the Roses, Anne and her mother-in-law Morwen exist on the outskirts of society when someone from their past re-enters their life. The film is based on the same Shin Buddhist parable on which the 1964 film “Onibaba” was based.


       Mired in gothic obligatories and subtle religious ridicule, this movie, written and directed by Natasha Kermani, is rich in production esthetics (by Errol Jarc) yet still restrained–but overall, it is a derivative bore and the thematic message is predictably corny. 

       High credits though should go to the performance of Sophie Turner, Marcia Gay Harden, and Kit Harington. 🎥💻📽


“Cobweb” (2023, Pluto TV) horror film. A young boy, raised by overprotective parents, suddenly hears noises coming from behind his bedroom wall. 



       An eerie atmosphere of mystery and suspense was craftily established in 3/4th of the movie. It was honestly scary. Intriguing. And then the movie slid into a derivative horror stereotype till the end. 

       High-fives though to the film's technical qualities, notably the production design, camera-work, and sound editing. Overall, “Cobweb” is a promising directorial debut by Samuel Bodin. 🎥💻📽


“Monstrous" (2022, Sling) supernatural thriller. A traumatized mother flees her abusive husband and relocates to a remote lakeside farmhouse with her 7-year-old son. They are soon terrorized by a sinister amphibian-like monster lurking in the lake. Stars Christina Ricci. 



       The pace is slow, which conveniently plays into the film's intrigue.  But in no time, our suspicion starts to build, that is a stereotype of the supposedly thought-provoking psychological shenanigan. But Christina Ricci delivered a fine performance, irrelevant of the flimsy storyline. 🎥💻📽


“Things Heard & Seen” (2021, Netflix) horror film, based on Elizabeth Brundage's novel “All Things Cease to Appear.” Described as "a Swedenborgian thriller,” the film references the teachings of 18th-century theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. 



       In 1980, Catherine Claire (Amanda Seyfried), an art restorer, lives in Manhattan with her husband George (James Norton) and daughter Franny. When George lands a job teaching art history at a college, the family moves into a large farmhouse in upstate New York.

       This horror movie is supposedly scary and profoundly provocative. But writer/director Shari Springer Berman's handling of the material lacked depth, tension, and credible continuity. The apt word is “uninspired.” Consider the powerhouse cast! Wasted. 🎥💻📽


“Without Name” (2016, Tubi) Irish eco-horror. A land surveyor is sent to a mysterious forest harboring a strange secret. 



       This is not a typical faceless intruder in the woods or monster in the dark horror. It's all about eerie sounds and jumpy editing. All about acting (mainly Alan McKenna's Eric), mood and nuance. Fine directorial debut by Lorcan Finnegan. 🎥💻📽


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