Movie Reviews

‘Elvira: Mistress of the Dark’ (1988) – 35 Years of (Un)pleasant Dreams

I had the pleasure of meeting Elvira, aka Cassandra Peterson in 2010. I waited in line at Canada’s Fan Expo where she was a guest, signing autographs and posing for photos with fans. I had something special with me: the sleeve of an old VHS tape I had possessed through …

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Fantastic Fest 2023 Review: ‘The Coffee Table’ Is A Wrecking Ball

Perusing the programming selections prior to Fantastic Fest, a particular movie’s title struck me – The Coffee Table, the solo feature debut from Spanish filmmaker Caye Casas cowritten with Cristina Borobia. What a peculiar name for a film with an equally intriguing premise: Jesús and María are a couple going through …

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Love Rings Eternal: Celebrating 100 Years of ‘THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME’ (1923)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Ladies and gentlemen, gather ’round and loosen those corsets because it’s time to dive into a true cinematic gem that’s turning 100 this month. Yes, you heard it right – a century of humps, bells, and dramatic rescues! We’re talking about none other than “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” the …

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Robbie Smith’s ‘GRIEVE’ (2023): An Atmospheric Horror Drama – Review

Grieve (2023) is relatable to anyone who has experienced the loss of someone close as they understand the nightmarish existence that the monster called grief creates. This horror drama submerges the audience into this terrifying, dreary abyss.  Grieve (2023) Synopsis Sam is grieving the tragic loss of his love. A …

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‘NIGHTSIREN’ is a Breathtaking Exploration of Feminine Power

Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SGA-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Nightsiren being covered here wouldn’t exist. Witch, hag, crone enchantress, necromancer, sorceress, and siren. All these words have been used for centuries against women to punish independent thought …

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The Heart Of Microbudget Filmmaking In ‘Once Upon A Time In Uganda’

Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SGA-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Once Upon a Time in Uganda being covered here wouldn’t exist. Once Upon a Time in Uganda is a feature documentary film that follows Isaac Nabwana (Who Killed …

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When Your Vacation Home Is A Blasted Out Hovel – Vinegar Syndrome’s ‘VACATION OF TERROR’ I and II – Blu-ray Review

Vacation of Terror

I know almost zilch about 1980’s Mexican horror cinema. I mean, I have a weird affinity for the “Coffin Joe” films, but those are Brazilian, and Paul Naschy did a plethora of Spanish language films, but other than the work in the last two decades from Guillermo Del Toro and …

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Did We Axe For Another ‘Killer At Camp’ Flick? John Isberg’s ‘FINAL SUMMER’ (2023) – Movie Review

Final Summer

I have a perfect “early retirement” scheme! Hear me out—find a summer camp, take out some life insurance policies on the counselors, and sit back and watch the cash roll in! I mean, c’mon, they all have: a disgruntled former employee, a grieving parent, a bullied tween all grown up, …

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Dustin Ferguson’s ‘Beyond the Gates of Hell’ (2022) – Movie Review

We at PopHorror have reviewed quite a few Dustin Ferguson films in our time. We’ve checked out Rattlers 2 (2021 – our review), The Beast Beneath (2020 – our review), Moon of the Blood Beast (2019 – our review), Frames of Fear 3 (2020 – our review), Mondo Shock (2017 …

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The Modern Freaky-Deaky Prometheus! Cauldron Films’ ‘FRANKENSTEIN ’80’ (1972) Blu-ray Review

Frankenstein '80

I’m a dyed-in-the-wool fan of Italian cinema. From giallos to cannibal flicks, from lush, gothic yarns to complete sci-fi rip-offs, I love ‘em all! Dubious dubbing, psychedelic soundtracks, frequent, unnecessary nudity from countless Euro-babes—gimmie more! So it was with an open mind and a sardonic grin that I popped in …

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