We’re not so far away from the outbreak of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic that I don’t remember how it felt. The itchy, pain in the ass masks. The six foot social distancing. The closure of movie theaters, restaurants, essentially anything that took place inside.* The gnawing uncertainty, the feeling that the virus could be virtually […]

Like comedy, horror is all about provoking a reaction. It’s the setup and the punchline, only horror traffics in chills rather than chortles. If a skilled filmmaker causes a viewer to react the way they want, that means the director knows their job. If the same filmmaker can play an audience like a violin, you […]

When Rick* and his wife Lisa checked the voicemail, there was nothing, only silence. Rick thought nothing of it, until getting a phone call later from his father-in-law. He said to Lisa, “I want you to talk to your mother.” Her mother had slurred speech, and she had no idea what day it was. They […]