I teach high school English and have a master’s degree in my content, so I’ve read quite a bit and I’ve studied many authors. I took a seminar in Jane Austen, but, to my disappointment, the only book I enjoyed was one NOT written by Austen (Evelina by Frances Burney, in case you’re curious). I’ve…
Breaking the cardinal rule of Ouija boards, an unnamed woman lays her hands on the planchette and asks the spirits of Halloween why Robert hasn’t called her yet. Growing tired of the game, she wanders aimlessly around her apartment until she hears a knock at her door. At her feet lies an old VHS tape,…
There are very few horror movie theater going trips that stick with me as incredible experiences. “Paranormal Activity” floored me with its outstanding ability to silence a packed theater, bringing to reality the idiom, “You could cut the tension with a knife.” The surprise ending of “Saw” thrilled me so much, I went to see…
In junior high school, my good friend Sara would show me “fast-forward” versions of films — she would sit me down and show me her favorite movies, speeding through the parts that were too drawn-out and inconsequential, with the purpose of getting to the good stuff faster. The Forest, the first mainstream horror movie of…
On a sunny drive through the desert, Emily (Anna Hutchison, “The Cabin in the Woods”) and Lesley (Andrea Whitburn, “Lonesome Dove Church”) chat about Emily’s boyfriend’s indiscretions and Lesley’s anticipation of a party weekend. They speed through twists and turns on a narrow roadway in their cherry red Mustang and joke that they’ll run out…
Every Christmas season, two categories of people emerge from their Thanksgiving comas: Those who identify with Buddy the elf and those who identify with the Grinch or Ebenezer Scrooge. Some start listening to Christmas music before Halloween; some “Bah, humbug!” their way through shopping malls and tree lots. Yet, there’s also the forgotten few who…
“Paranormal Activity 6” — yes, you’ve read that correctly; this is a review for the SIXTH “Paranormal Activity” movie — completes the franchise and focuses all of the action on present day, finally revealing the endgame for a demonic entity we’ve come to know as Toby. I’ve been a fan since the first “Paranormal Activity”…
