Satan’s Blood - 1978 - Spain

Satan’s Blood - 1978 - 5/10 
AKA - Escalofrío

 
“I’m telling you, I don’t remember him.  We were never in school together.”
“It’s a nice afternoon out, and we have our dog with us.”
“We’ve driven over an hour already.  How remote is their home?”
Young marrieds Ana and Andrés blindly follow, even as they arrive at the estate, iron gates locking behind.
Ana is beguiled by the Satanic artifacts, and both she and Andrés drink and smoke those curious cigarettes.
Soon, the Ouija table comes out, then off come the clothes and they are out of their depth.
Euro-sleaze exploitation all the way, lubricated events a trifle foreseen.

Death Among The Pines - 2025 - UK

Death Among The Pines - 2025 - 6/10 

 
Secluded cottage, cold downpour outside, Angela is home alone.
When the stranger knocks.  He’s cold, wet.  Could he come inside just to warm up?
He is a bear of a man, with facial cuts and blood.
Nonetheless, she opens the door, even while the radio broadcasts a police manhunt alert.
Thriller lays down the tropes, the expectations, only to twist perceptions repeatedly.
A few glaring logic holes keep this from being great.

Kutob - 2005 - Philippines

Kutob - 2005 - 5/10 

 
The tarot reader warned Erica to be careful.
Her boyfriend is two-timing her and lying to her face.
The new guy … she realizes too late he had been stalking her a long time.
His was an obsessive, territorial, jealous love.  Dozens of texts hourly. 
He is emotionally unstable, fueled by the crazed auntie he lives with.
Wildly over-the-top melodrama veers predictably into blood.

Necrophobia - 1995 - Netherlands

Necrophobia - 1995 - 6/10 

 
Still grieving, still visiting his wife’s grave site, Mark is unaware he has picked up a stalker.
Colette is already seeing a psychologist for her taboo impulses.
Yes, she had suffered trauma, but was that reason enough to drag others into her orbit.
Including Mark, Martha who tries to warn Mark, no telling who the others were.
This wanders a bit, before surging into kinky and blood.

Foreign Correspondent - 1940 - USA

Foreign Correspondent - 1940 - 7/10

 
New York newspaper sends “Huntley Haverstock” to investigate the goings-on in Europe.
In Amsterdam, he finds intrigue and murder, and mouthpieces jockeying for influence.
As Europe begins to burn, our reporter flees to England, steps ahead of assassins.
Rousing flag-waver aimed at US audiences, still clutching the “we’re neutral” stance.
Joel McCrea fine as the everyman reporter.
Goebbels, of all people, admired this, declaring it excellent propaganda.

The Survivors - 2025 - Australia

The Survivors - 2025 - 6/10 

 
Answers may lie in the coastal caves that flood during high tide.
One girl went missing, was forgotten; two men drowned, were enshrined.
Another local took blame, others shoulder massive guilt.
Fifteen years pass, until an outsider arrives, asking all manner of questions.
Before her death.
Enjoyable thriller mystery chock full of suspects, motives and secrets.
Along with jealousies, resentments, buried longings.
Bit of an emotional overload at times.

Psycho - 1960 - USA

Psycho - 1960 - 7/10

 

 

Bank secretary, annoyed by a pompous braggart, casually embezzles $40K.
Drives into oblivion, plagued by guilt, anxiety, growing regret of her impulsive action.
A downpour forces her off the main highway, where she takes shelter at an old motel.
A classic shocker that must be viewed stone cold.
If you have never viewed this one, don’t read a damn thing.  Really.
Turn off the distractions, just focus on the female criminal and relax.

The Girlfriend - 2025 - UK

The Girlfriend - 2025 - 7/10 

 
Pampered mama’s boy Daniel swoons over high-end realtor Cherry.
Mother Laura is incestuously possessive, and Cherry is a knockout with a murderous streak.
Daniel?  What a dunce.  30 years old, still clutching Ma’s skirt, no employment.  A rich manboy.
Short series is an extended, delicious catfight, each side with sharp claws and drawn knives.
All of us actually know overly close mother-son relationships shown here.
Occasionally over-the-top, never dull.

Housewarming - 2024 - UK

Housewarming - 2024 - 6/10

 
Saskia is still unpacking in her new home.
Nosy neighbors say hello, make snide comments.
They pale, however, next to the guy who knocks, looking for his old girlfriend.
“Can I charge my phone?  I need to use your bathroom.”
On and on, as he insinuates himself, the casual misogynist emerges.
Slow boil thriller will be uncomfortable for women, and a reminder of how alone we are.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3372260

Bewitched - 1945 - USA

Bewitched - 1945 - 5/10

 
“Hey, cupcake, how’d you like some hot frosting to paint a smile on your sad little mug?”
Mouse-faced Joan was a magnet for men: protectors and exploiters.
Truth to tell, it was her other half who attracted the heels, the ones who pictured her ankles kicking high.
The half who lusted to live wild, instead of a mild, buttoned down existence.
Might explain why, in the opening, Joan faces the electric chair.
Early film of split personality suffers from hammy direction (Arch Oboler), tepid supporting cast, and a seemingly miscast Phyllis Thaxter (wild as the darker character, however).
Oboler was best known for the OTR horror show “Lights Out” which Bill Cosby parodied in “Chicken Heart”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3UJr5n6lfk

Night Of The Rat - 2015 - Spain

Night Of The Rat - 2015 - 5/10 
AKA - La Noche Del Ratón

 
If only they had not been arguing.  Jorge would not have missed his preferred gas station.
Maybe he would have turned around.  If only they had not been arguing.
Instead, he drives to the next one – where an urban sniper is targeting clients.
Past midnight, Jorge, twice wounded, hides in the aisles.
The marksman is patient and deadly accurate.
Excruciatingly slow.  80 minutes feels like 8 hours.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3372137

Storm Warning - 2007 - Australia

Storm Warning - 2007 - 6/10 

 
Celebrating a pregnancy, husband and wife set sail for relaxation.
Too bad they forget to check the weather forecast.  Reference title.
They end up stranded on an island … where rednecks are going reefer.
Aroused males, whose mouths water at the French wife.
Rough Ozploitation survival film.  Fans of Mick Taylor will enjoy.
Mind you, Mick would have been unimpressed.

Mārama - 2025 - New Zealand

Mārama - 2025 - 6/10 

 
Mary Stevens receives passage money and hints about her parents.
An orphan, she travels from New Zealand to York, only to learn the man who contacted her is dead.
Local landowner Nathaniel empathizes and offers her a position as governess. 
The little girl is precocious, but the manor itself repeatedly sends warnings.
Mary Stevens, part of the Maori, possesses second sight and realizes the house has terrible secrets.
Brooding film, especially dark, draws from a wellspring of Maori culture and British colonialism.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3371749

Airport - 1970 - USA

Airport - 1970 - 6/10 

 
All star cast in this Grand Hotel in the sky.
An overworked airport administrator, philandering pilot, suicidal passenger, blizzard. 
Based on Arthur Hailey novel, this piles on characters and jeopardies.
Slow buildup examines motivations and backstories may gall the impatient.
Exciting in its day, spawned a string of “disaster” films.
Frequent flyers today, check out the leg room in coach!

Koma - 2004 - Hong Kong

Koma - 2004 - 5/10
AKA - Jiu Ming // 救命

 
Ching drunkenly grabs the bridal bouquet at a lavish wedding.
While above, Ling watches with resentment, jealousy, envy, greed?  We don’t know.
Scattered thriller of threats, paranoia, violence.
Police are indifferent as they are preoccupied with a body parts harvester.
The two ladies are frenemies.  One poor with a dying mother, the other rich with a failing kidney.
Misses Cat III as it tries too hard with too many disconnected plots.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3371181

Thank You For The Ride, Aileen - 2024 - USA

Thank You For The Ride, Aileen - 2024 - 6/10

 
Aileen is a Chicago teacher, on strike, doing ride sharing to survive.
Late at night, it’s a matter of trust.
Neither driver nor rider know the other.
Small talk freights undercurrents.
How lucky are you?
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3371180

Deep Water - 2026 - Spain

Deep Water - 2026 - 6/10

 
Lithium batteries, dude.  Unpredictable and flammable.
Fire in the cargo hold, and passenger airliner must ditch in the Pacific.
Survivors soon discover they are shark bait.
A whole mess of sharks, attracted by the kicking, flailing, bleeding, squealing meals.
Summer popcorn flick, although batteries go off in aircraft every week.

Scent Of A Spell - 1985 - Japan

Scent Of A Spell - 1985 - 7/10
AKA - Masho no Kaori // 魔性の香り

 
Leaving the waterside poolhall, a journalist sees a women jump into the waves.
He rescues her, forgetting the old rule that when you save someone, you are responsible for them.
Indeed, Akiko moves in with Esaka, and they have a torrid affair.
Even though Akiko is married, and her husband will not grant a divorce.
Akiko’s husband has moved his mistress in with them, yet will not divorce.
Leaving Akiko unstable, unpredictable, and dangerous.
Erotic thriller / arthouse / Noir drenched in rain, waves, body sweat.
English subs = https://sub-scene.com/subtitle/3370955

Les Biches - 1968 - France

Les Biches - 1968 - 6/10
AKA - Bad Girls

 
Frédérique spies a poor street artist, drops a large banknote in her pot.
Later, talking and navigating barriers, she invites the girl home where she seduces her.
Next, they leave for Frédérique’s chateau in Saint Tropez.
Frédérique has money, does not need to work, idles away ennui with parties and games.
So that when the girl, named Why, meets an architect, Frédérique casually steals him.
Slow thriller of observing and coveting.  Tastes, possessions, identities.
Borrows from Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley.

The Brood - 1979 - Canada

The Brood - 1979 - 6/10

 
Mommy’s not well.  In fact, she is under restricted care by Dr. Raglan.
Specializing in a new treatment, psychoplasmics.
Husband Frank is unable to pry wife Nola from his care.
“She’s at a critical stage, don’t you know?”
Raglan role plays with Nola, permitting her to release her demons.
Psychological drama steadily descends into Horror.
Early gem from Cronenberg.  Patience, then hold on.