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Posts Tagged ‘new horror movie reviews’

Black Phone 2 (Review)

Posted in New Movie reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Black Phone 2, directed by Scott Derrickson (Black Phone, 2021) and Starring Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeline McGraw and Jeremy Davies, follows brother Finn and sister, Gwen, after surviving a terrifying kidnapping.


A mind-bending psychological and supernatural thriller. The film’s edgy energy presented something classic and unique. Now 17, Finn (Thames) is struggling with the emotional scars and impact that (The Grabber), portrayed by (Hawke), has had on his life. Unable to shake off the dark and traumatic experience, Finn has changed, using those experiences as a means to protect himself.
Meanwhile, his sister Gwen (McGraw) is struggling with her special abilities as her dreams become more vivid and her power grows stronger within each dream. After a very disturbing dream, Gwen’s abilities force her and Finn to follow a lead connecting their past to a series of unsolved murders at a Winter Christian camp in the mountains.

The Black Phone becomes the key, while Gwen’s dreams become the door through which The Grabber can penetrate. The evolution of Finn and Gwen’s story is built on solid character development. Both present a vulnerability that connects resilience, pain, love, hope, and faith into a force that is capable of bringing evil to its knees. This film was a great horror that was well written and visually composed of many frightening elements that blended reality and the supernatural, creating a marriage between the two. Thames and McGraw’s chemistry as brother and sister balances well with their personalities. At the same time, Ethan Hawke’s hauntingly dark portrayal of the evil antagonist brings out an emotional rawness that further enhances the development of Finn and Gwen.


The music throughout the film took us back to the 80s, shaping the mood and atmosphere of this cinematic world. The special effects were scary, realistic, and visually stomach-churning at times, and grossly entertaining.


I gave Black Phone 2 (5)stars for an exciting, fun time!
Watch the trailer below.

Check me out having a little fun at the Black Phone 2 experience at New York City’s Comic Con NYCC2025!

The Black Phone 2 experience at New York City’s Comic Con NYCC2025.

Happy Halloween Season!!!

L.L.

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Weapons 2025 Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Weapons directed by Zach Cregger; (Barbarian) and starring Julia Gardner; (Wolfman), Josh Brolin (Avengers Endgame), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange) and Cary Christopher (Days of Our Lives) follows a teacher Gardner as she deals with the mysterious disappearance of the students in her 3rd grade class.

The film starts with the point of view of Justine as her part of the story displays a very hurt and fractured character. Justine tries to make sense of what happened with the kids while trying to cope in ways that are not healthy.

Weapons takes on an interesting twist as the story changes with every key character involved. This film is more of a physiological horror with haunting imagery and creepy vibes throughout.

The score added to the frightening nature of this film, creating a sense of thrills and chills within the structure of the story.

The characters balance out, each building upon the other while blending depth and complexity.

Overall, this film was enjoyable. The storyline was well-structured, and the jump scares and plot twists were unexpected.  The special effects and elements of gore were visually impactful.

I gave this film 4 out of 5 stars.

Check out the trailer below:

L.L.

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Halloween Ends (Review)

Posted in Horror Movies, New Movie reviews, Reviews, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

by LaTaeya Lane

Warning: Mild Spoilers Below

Halloween Ends, starring (Jamie Lee Curtis) and directed by David Gordon Green, takes place four years after the last battle, which left Laurie Strode and the residents of Haddonfield still reeling from the traumatic events after Halloween Kills.

We find Laurie once again attempting to pick up the pieces of her life. This time we see her and her granddaughter managing to fuse their lives as they try to move on. Things quickly spiral once Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson played by (Andi Matichak) finds a love interest, Cory, portrayed by (Rohan Campbell) who completely changes the narrative of Michael Myers.

Laurie Strode, portrayed by the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis, is a formidable force to be reckoned with. After all these years, she still has a lot of fight in her. However, Laurie is much older and is in a different place in her life as she continues her battle with Evil. On the other hand, the Shape has also weakened with time, and moviegoers will see the effects of that weakness and how it plays such a pivotal role within this storyline.

Without giving too much away, I think that the film presented a fresh take on the lasting impact that Michael has had on Laurie and Haddonfield. It also gave fans an interesting spin on how the magic of horror can be revealed without remorse or explanation. Finally, this film introduces dedicated fans to a new concept of energy transference to The Shape’s, aka Michael Myers’ persona.

To some degree, the film did miss the mark on providing a better conclusion to Michael’s and Laurie’s story but overall, I was very satisfied with how the way things ended with Michael. At one point, I got excited about Cory’s introduction, thinking he might take the reins as a new reincarnated version of Michael Myers.

After 44 years of screaming, running, chasing, hunting, hiding, fighting, haunting, struggling, hoping, believing, and persevering, the Halloween saga has pushed the limits of horror. It has transcended time as the ultimate Good versus Evil theme and will forever reign as a staple in cinematic horror history.

Halloween Ends is must-see for those fans dedicated to the franchise.

I gave this movie 4 stars

L.L.

Check out the trailer below:

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“Annabelle” Movie Review

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 6, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Annabelle poster

Annabelle directed by John R. Leonetti and starring Annabelle Wallis and Ward Horton tells the story about a young couple that experiences paranormal activity in their home. It all starts when Mia’s husband John brings home a vintage doll as a gift for his expectant wife. Soon after the couple’s home is broken into by a husband and wife that belong to a cult. Mia and John barely make it out alive. The cops intervene, killing both intruders. The female named Annabelle was found in the nursery holding the life sized doll in her arms.

The activity begins after Mia returns from the hospital on bed rest as instructed by her doctor. Strange things begin to happen. The doll starts to move on its own. At first the movement is very subtle but progresses throughout the film. The couple attempts to move out of the first house where the occult couple was killed, but the activity intensifies as time goes on. John attempts to throw away the doll but it mysteriously turns up in a box when the couple begin’s to unpack and settle into the new home. Mia decides to keep the doll and soon things get worse. Mia does some research about the young woman Annabelle and the occult she belonged to. She learns that the doll is possessed by a dark entity that Annabelle conjured and that it wants her daughter’s soul. Mia fights to protect her child and seeks the help of the church. Her local parish priest tries to help but is almost killed in the process. Mia’s friend Evelyn played by Alfre Woodard spends time with the family and experiences the activity first hand. She eventually sacrifices herself to save the baby.

The film had its scary moments and at times demonstrated the classic clichés of horror. Child’s play and Rosemary’s baby references were scattered around the film. The acting was just average and there were paths that I thought the movie was moving in but then moved in a completely different direction.
Overall the vision for the film could have been a lot better but I think that it’s a subtle flick for those horror fans that just want a taste of Halloween horror.
I gave this movie 2.5 stars.
Happy Horror
L.L.

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Carrie 2013 “Movie Review”

Posted in Fantasy literature, tagged , , , , , , on October 21, 2013| 1 Comment »

Carrie directed by Kimberly Peirce and starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore is the retelling of a classic, based on Stephen King’s novel. The story is about a religious teen girl that is extremely withdrawn and is consistently bullied to a degree that is unimaginably hurtful.
Carrie has the unique gift of telekenic powers and researches it’s origins,and tries to perfect her ability.
Carrie’s life is not just complicated at school,but her home life is also very difficult, as she deals with a religious crazy mother, (portrayed by Moore)Carrie is abused physically and emotionally. Its not until she is invited to Prom by Tommy Ross where she starts to defend herself. As she tries to recoup from a disturbing lockeroom prank she makes an attempt to try to fit in by accepting the invitation.
Prom night turns into a night of carnage as the final prank of the evening ends deadly.
Female directors are underrepresented in the world of Hollywood,so I must say that Peirce did a great job representing women in the industry. The film focused more on Carrie’s powers and the commotion among friends, but it still was entertaing. Chloe did a nice job holding her own, and Moore’s portrayal of Margaret was a unique take on an old character. The original role played by Piper Laure is irreplaceable and priceless.
I love the representation of Carrie’s powers in the movie, they had a life of their own and every time she used them, it sucked me in even more. The special effects were engaging and eye catching. If your looking for a lot of gore then this movie is for you. The anticipation to see the Prom scene intensifies with every moment.
I give this movie 3.5 stars.
Have a frightening week!!

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