The Woman In Black (2012)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds
Director: James Watkins


Premise:
A lawyer is sent to a remote village to settle the estate of recently deceased recluse. Once there is finds out a spirit haunting the village and killing off the children

My Take:
A great cast performs well in this movie which is never short on atmosphere and scenery. It requires the viewer to pay attention with your eyes and ears.The villagers do a great job at making the lead character feel isolated and not wanted and keeping a shroud of mystery around their children's death. 
My big issue is too many jump scare attempts. The movie would have been far more effective if the makers held off on a few. Still, it's better than most mass marketed horror flicks.

Rating: So Good





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Belly of the Black Tarantula (1971)

AKA:  La Tarantola dal Ventre Nero

Starring: Giancarlo Gianni
Director: Paola Cavera



Premise:
A detective is put on a case where woman are being paralyzed with a toxin before have the stomach sliced open.

My Take:
What I found most interesting in this giallo is how the killer paralyzes the victim. Other than that it's a typical giallo. But I do enjoy those.

Rating: In the middle






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Descendants (2008)

AKA: Solos


Director: Jorge Olguin


Premise:
A young girl searches for her mother in a world where a virus has wiped out the population and turned many to zombies.

My Take:
The movie looks good but it kills itself with constant voice over from the main character. which is a twelve year old. Plus the ending doesn't make much sense nor is a reason why it happens.

Rating: Steaming Pile




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Psychoville, Season 1 (2009)

Starring: Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton


Synopsis: A group of unrelated people all receive the same note which turns their lives upside down.


My Take:

There's a good mystery which starts with extremely interesting characters (most of which are played by Shearsmith and Pemberton) getting a note reading "I know what you did" and a follow up note reading "you killed her". There is a nice dose of dark humor involved as each character tries to figure out what is going on. I didn't enjoy the series nearly as much as I had anticipated. 

Favorite Episode:
"David and Maureen" - This shining moment of the first season is very reminiscent of Hitchcock's film Rope. It's a fantastic piece of television.

Rating: In the middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Satan Hates You (2010)

Starring: Angus Scrimm, Debbie Rochon, Michael Berryman, Reggie Bannister, Larry Fessenden
Director: James Felix McKenney


Premise:
Two separate individuals leading lives they dont enjoy head on a collision course when each decides to change their ways.

My Take:
A great cast delivers a decent story about two individuals. One a closet gay man trying to come to grip with his sexuality. The other a young female who is into alcohol, drugs, and sex. And how they attempt to alter their lives.

By the end of the movie I had the feeling I just watched a Christian horror movie and one that got a little preachy as it got closer to the credits.

Rating: In the middle



Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Burning Moon (1999)

Director: Olaf Ittenbach


Premise:
A brother tells his young sister two morbid bed time stories. One about a serial killer on a blind date and the other about a murderous priest

My Take:
An ultra low budget movie with tons of gore and blood which will make some people happy. But the stories aren't great and neither is the acting.

Rating: Warning

The Burning Moon


Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Goth (2008)

Director: Gen Takahashi


Premise:
Two teens become friends due to a shared interest in a serial killer poses his victims around the streets of Tokyo in artistic fashion.

My Take:
Far more of a relationship drama between two teens with a fascination for the macabre and a serial killer than a horror film. 
It's extremely slow moving and not much happens except them talking. And talking. And talking some more.


Rating: Warning




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Wound (2010)

Starring: Kat O'Rourke,
Director: David Blyth


Premise:
A woman murders her incestuous father. Then her thought for dead at birth daughter from the relationship shows up making the woman think she is being possessed. 

My Take:
The movie is completely fractured and makes little sense. I suppose it's because the directors wants the viewer to get inside the mind of the fragile main character. And I think there is even some sort of possesion involved. However, none of it really work. Often I felt like it was trying to shock and sicken just for the sake of doing so.   
There is some nice camera work creating on overall surreal feeling.

Rating: (Extreme) Warning




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Room 33 (2009)

Starring: Austin Highsmith, Nina Hauser, Chad Collins
Director: Edward Barbini


Premise:
A roller derby team's van runs out of gas in the wood. They take sanctuary in a old mental institution which harbors a deadly secret

My Take:
A movie full of cliches and one dimensional characters. Then tries to wrap up an explanation in the closing minutes. It doesn't work.

Rating: Warning






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Horrors of the Black Museum (1959)

Starring: Michael Gough
Director: Arthur Crabtree


Premise:
A journalist wants accurate account of murders for his writing. So he hypnotizes his assistant to commit the acts in order to get the details.

My Take:
A decent flick with a shaky plot that never quite answers the questions it raises. At least Michael Gough effortlessly chews up scenery. 

Rating: In the middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Closed For the Season (2010)

Starring: Aimee Brooks, Damian Maffei
Director: Jay Woelfel


Premise:
A woman gets trapped in an old amusement park where she is haunted the past.

My Take:
With a plot similar to the classic Carnival of Souls the only interested part of the movie is the carny character. The rest is mind numbing terrible and you know it about fifteen minutes in.


Rating: Steaming Pile






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Dead Souls

Author: Michael Laimo

Synopsis:
A preacher believes he has found passages in the Bible linking Jesus to the black arts which is how he became resurrected. In an attempt to have immortality he performs a ritual calling on the ancient god Osiris. The ceremony goes horribly wrong as he and his family are slaughtered.
Eighteen years later the preacher's only living heir inherits the family estate and discovers its curse.


My Take:
The book contains a unique tale of possession and evil. The circumstances surrounding the characters feel a bit too familiar. The high suspense keeps the pacing strong. The author doesn't shy away from gory scenes either. 
It's worth a read.

Rating: In the middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Tell-Tale (2009)

Starring: Josh Lucas, Lena Headey, Brian Cox
Director: Michael Cuesta


Premise:
A heart transplant recipient starts having visions about the murder of his donor.

My Take:
A decent riff on the classic Poe tale. The movie is well acted by a good cast and is well filmed but really contains nothing to really take it over the top.

Rating: In the middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

The Collapsed (2011)

Starring: John Fantasia
Director: Justin McConnell


Premise:
A family tries to survive in the aftermath when civilized society comes to an end. 

My Take:
Not a lot really happens in this movie. Nor what does happen is rarely shown on screen (until the wrap up at the end). It's a minimalist survival movie. And it might have worked better, because there is a decent hook, if I cared about the characters. But they are so generic and make so many stupid decisions that is it hard too get into the story.

Rating: Warning




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Psychic Experiment (2010)

Starring: Debbie Rochon, Reggie Bannister, Adrienne King, Kate Featherstone,
Director: Mel House


Premise:
A "facility" in a small town harbors a secret which  could change the fabric of reality.

My Take:
A solid cast shines in a script that goes all over the place. The movie tries to incorporate too many different concepts and that's ultimately it's downfall.

Rating: Warning (but still worth a look)






Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Zombie Girl (2009)

Director: Justin Johnson, Aaron Marshall, Eric Mauck


Synopsis:
The  behind the scenes look at an eleven year old's attempt at making a feature length zombie movie

My Take:
Makes you want to get off your ass and make you own. If this kid is giving it a try, why cant you.


Rating: In the middle




Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Werewolf of London (1935)

Starring: Henry Hull
Director: Stuart Walker


Premise:
A botanist looking for a rare flower in the Himalayas is attacked by a strange creature. When he returns to London, the man turns into a werewolf and runs ramped on the city.

My Take:
A decent oldie film with a familiar story. One of the pioneering werewolf movies.

Rating: In the middle (a little more if you consider its place in history)





Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.

Moss (2010)

AKA: Iggi

Director: Woo-Suk Kang


Premise:
After an anonymous call, a young man comes to a remote village after his estranged father's death to find the locals are less than thrilled about his inquiries.

My Take:
A long movie which flies by due to great atmosphere, intriguing characters, and a fantastic plot that has you guessing until the end.
The lengths of human cruelty and manipulation knows no bounds. 

Rating: So Good







Fringes of Horror by Sean Kimmel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.seankimmel.com.