#31in31 – “The Dead Room”

Posted on October 17, 2025 by Denise


“I don’t feel anything.”

Story: Techie Liam, psychic Holly, and skeptic Scott, are sent to a house to investigate possible supernatural issues. What caused the family to run, leaving everything behind? Could it be…SATAN? Oh, you know the drill.

Scares: A few eerie moments.
Splat Factor: Slim to none.

Subgenre: Ghost Hunters Horrors
Year Released: 2015
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Inspired by a local New Zealand legend of a haunted house.

Trick or Treat?: I love local folklore. Urban legends. Y’know, stuff where folks from around those parts have been talking about Something Spooky Around Here for years and years. Room takes the usual “people go into a house they should not have gone into” story and deliver nothing but the usual creaks, groans, and unsurprising ending we’ve seen a million times before. But this time they have New Zealand accents! Yay.

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#31in31 – “Rounding”

Posted on October 16, 2025 by Denise

“Man. Something really bad must have happened to you.”

Story: James Hayman, a compassionate young medical resident, transfers to a small town hospital from a much larger one after he became too obsessed with the wellbeing of his patient. Now there’s an asthmatic girl in his care, and things look like they’re headed the same way. But is there more to this case?

Scares: Just the horror of reality.
Splat Factor: Basic hospital stuff, a horribly wrecked ankle, an autopsy.

Subgenre: Reality Is Horrifying Horror
Year Released: 2025 (wide/streaming) 2022 (Tribeca)
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: Rounding is the kind of dark psychological case study that isn’t easily slotted into a single genre. It’s horror, it’s drama, it’s modern gothic, and it’s a character study. It’s also a meandering path to one hell of a finale.

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#31in31 – “Dangerous Animals”

Posted on October 15, 2025 by Denise

“Aww. How romantic. It’s too bad I’m more of a horror fan.”

Story: A couple decides to go on a shark cage expedition, but things take a bloody turn when their guide Tucker feeds one of them to the sharks. And when American surfer Zephyr gets caught by the crazed guide, things are gonna get even bloodier. But for WHOMST. (Everyone. It gets bloody for everyone.)

Scares: Lots and lots of terror and suspense.
Splat Factor: Serial killer + sharks feeding = you betcha

Subgenre: Sharky Goodness From Australia
Year Released: 2025
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: This ain’t a horror movie. It’s an extended meet-cute, with sharks. Fine. It’s more than that, but with The Loved Ones‘ Sean Byrne directing this? You know there’s gonna be a twisted take on feelings and shit.

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#31in31 – I finally watched Ice Cube’s “War of the Worlds” because I hate myself

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Denise

“Here we go.”

Story: Will loves hanging out in his DHS computer bunker, to the detriment of his relationship with his kids. But when aliens come to earth with a nefarious agenda? Um, who cares? Let’s rock this computer security shit y’all. Let’s gooooo…

Scares: Just the horror of how lackluster this film is.
Splat Factor: A few splashes of blood, as people get hurt in the attack.

Subgenre: Bad Movies So Bad They’re Just…Bad
Year Released: 2025
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Based on the book of the same name, by H. H. Wells. Very, very, very loosely based.

Trick or Treat?: Honestly? I only watched this because I have a quota of movies released in the current year I need to review, so I can keep my credentials. So here we go.

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Baltimore Screening Pass-palooza – “Good Fortune”!

Posted on October 13, 2025 by Denise

Got anything going on tomorrow night? Why not hang out with Keanu? Synopsis!

In GOOD FORTUNE, a well-meaning but rather inept angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker (Aziz Ansari) and a wealthy venture capitalist (Seth Rogen).

Ready? Let’s go!

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#31in31 – “Death Becomes Her”

Posted on October 13, 2025 by Denise

“Ernest? My ass! I CAN SEE MY ASS!”

Story: Ever since high school, actress Madeline Ashton and writer Helen Sharp have been frenemies. But when Madeline steals Helen’s fiancé Ernest? Helen snaps. Years later though, Helen is a thriving author whose 50 years look more like 35. So Madeline decides to go visit a woman who seems to have the answers to aging. But now, a warning…

Scares: None. This is campy, not creepy.
Splat Factor: Some blood, as the ladies go to town on each other.

Subgenre: Campy Horror Satires
Year Released: 1992
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original


Trick or Treat?: I remember liking this one a lot when I first watched it. My re-watch showed me the fun, and the flaws, in this lightweight satire.

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#31in31 – “Grizzly II: Revenge”

Posted on October 12, 2025 by Denise


“You got the devil bear.”

Story: Yellowstone National Park. Beautiful. Deadly? Well, some hunter shoots a baby grizzly cub like a complete asshole. Then shoots momma… But she’s not dead. Hunter, you done messed with the wrong Tawanda. Yeah, her name is Tawanda. Dammit. And she’s not only mad at humans, she absolutely hates 80s Euro-pop.

Scares: None. This is just 80s horror cheese.
Splat Factor:  Offscreen, and some poorly done proto-CGI of bears getting shot.

Subgenre: Campy Sequels To Campy Movies
Year Released: 1983 (filmed) 2020 (released) Why? Because.
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Sequel to the 1976 film Grizzly.

Trick or Treat?: Grizzly II has everything. Stars before they were famous. Shouting bears. Bad, off-key 80s Euro-pop. Native English speakers spouting pidgin English to portray “native authenticity”. Pointless subplots that fizzle out. Bad guys on sad looking dirt bikes. And lots of off screen kills.

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#31in31 – “Bloody Axe Wound”

Posted on October 11, 2025 by Denise

“May your slashes be swift & sure, & may your success know no bounds. ❤️, Dad  P.S. Follow the rules.”

Story: The killer known as Bladecut is infamous. His films are classics of the horror genre. But let’s face it, the guy is aging out. Time to tap a successor. His daughter Abbie is eager to take on the mantle, and lord knows she’s studied at the knee of the legend. But what if one of your victims is, like, really cute though? And, y’know, your dad like, killed her girlfriend last year? I mean, Sam is single now, right? Right.

Scares: Meh.
Splat Factor: Slasher killers equal some fun kills.

Subgenre: Slasher Killers All In The Family
Year Released: 2024
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?: Original

Trick or Treat?: Great cast, great premise, and fun, effective FX. So why was I bored? Maybe because Wound doesn’t know what to do with it all. There’s a lack of cohesion to the story and emotional weight that lies firmly at the feet of the director. This film is yet another victim of the written/directed/produced-by curse. With Matthew John Lawrence helming all three positions, he succeeds at none of them.

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#31in31 – “Arcadian”

Posted on October 10, 2025 by Denise

“Wanna play Crack The Apocalypse?”

Story: 15 years after a global apocalypse, dad Paul, his sons Joseph and Thomas, and the bestest doggo Rocco, are simply trying to survive. But what happens when dad gets hurt, and the rebellious boys have to step up? Well…

Scares: Great “who goes there” creepiness
Splat Factor: Blood and guts. Plus a dissection scene. So, yeah.

Subgenre: Post-apocalyptic Monster Drama
Year Released: 2024
Remake, Sequel or OG (Original Ghoul)?:Original

Trick or Treat?: Nic Cage, baybeeeee! This film is genuinely chilling, and a great one for a night where you want to be afraid of every creak and groan in your house. Arcadian is a quiet horror that centers around the bonds between brothers, sons, fathers, and family. Y’know, with the ever present threat of gruesome death around every corner.

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“Roofman” – sky high talent, bargain basement movie

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Denise

“Don’t you want to be a good guy?”

Story: Jeff just can’t catch a break. He’s been floundering ever since his tour in the 82nd Airborne ended. His wife divorced him, gaining custody of their three young children. And money? Well, he gets that by robbing places. So naturally, he gets busted…only to break out. But where to hide out ’til things cool down? Why not be a Toys ‘R’ Us kid? Not like he’s gonna fall in love or anything.

Genre I’d put it in: Based On A True Story That Feels Like Straight To Streaming
Release Date: 2025
Remake, Sequel, Based-On, or Original:Based on the life of Jeffrey Manchester, called “Roofman” for his MO of breaking into places through the roof.

Gotta say: This shallow bait-and-switch of a movie puts highly likeable characters into a film that switches gears in the last act. Which is fine if there’s a solid foundation in the screenplay, but here? It feels like this wannabe Netflix meet-cute story record-scratches into a “well’p, guess I am actually the bad guy but now I’m wiser” ending. Spoiler? Kinda, if you don’t know about the man this is based on. But y’know what? I don’t care. Roofman is an enjoyable if tepid by the numbers romance that becomes absolutely insufferable at the end. I really hope this stellar cast got seriously paid for starring in this clunker.

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