Final Women

Over 10 years ago, I bought and read this first volume of the slasher series Hack/Slash and loved it. I'm not sure why I never got around to reading any more of the series. However, I purchased Volume 2 recently and decided to revisit Volume 1 first. The series revolves around slasher killer Cassie and her hulking companion, Vlad. Cassie survived her undead mother's reign of terror as a teenager, leading her to set out on the road in search of other murderous monsters to kill. Hack/Slash is absolutely as good as I remembered it. I might even like it better this time around. I still completely love Vlad. Now that I'm older, however, I definitely view Cassie a little differently. I noticed her vulnerabilities more this time around. She may be a badass ass kicker, but she's also still very much a kid and still finding herself. I don't think I paid as much attention to that last time I read it, when I was still very much a kid myself. All three stories contained in this...

We want you to know how we lived. That we lived. That we were girls before we were game. That we were alive. Too often the voices of victims are silenced. In a world fascinated by evil, those that practice it become celebrities, and those who suffer from it, forgotten. In her collection, Many Restless Concerns , Gayle Brandeis speaks for the victims of Erzsebet Bathory in excruciatingly exquisite poetry. This is a haunting book. Take your time reading it; every line should be savored. Note: There is some debate whether Bathory was actually guilty of mass murder, or was framed by a government who couldn't abide a woman with the amount of power she wielded. That debate, and my opinions in it, did not affect how powerful I found Brandeis's book to be.

 Ravenous I know I've mentioned this on a previous list, but this was a recent rewatch for me, and I've got to say, I liked it even better the second time around. Based on the experiences of both the Donner party and Alfred Packer, Ravenous is a period piece with a lot of great snowy scenes. Guy Pearce leads the cast as a disgraced soldier sent to serve at a remote outpost, and Robert Carlyle steals scenes as the sinister stranger hiding some very gruesome secrets. Alien vs. Predator A team of scientists is assembled by an aging tycoon to investigate a mysterious structure found underground in Antarctica. Once inside, they find themself in the middle of a battle between the titular two franchise species. I did not expect a lot going into Alien vs. Predator; it had not exactly received rave reviews. However I ended up being pleasantly surprised. As usual, I dug the snowy atmosphere, and the film also gets bonus points for starring Lance Henriksen, who always classes up even the ...

6. Malignant Malignant is an action packed, freaky film that feels like a combination of the best of the late 90's/early 00's Dark Castle films mixed with a more mainstream Giallo. Those are two of my favorite things, so of course I loved this one! James Wan can really do no wrong film-wise, and this is such a fun movie - a carnival thrill ride for the screen. 5. Candyman I love the original Candyman, so this one had a lot to live up to. After watching it, I still prefer the first one, or at least find it scarier, but the reboot is still a treasure. Incredibly timely, this one takes on topics of racism, gentrification, and police violence in a compelling manner. 4. Slumber Party Massacre (remake) While the original had a quietly subversive feminist streak, the remake brings its feminism to the forefront. Our heroines break down in a backwoods town while on their way to a girls' weekend. There's more than meets the eye to this town, however. But there's also more tha...

Silent Night, Deadly Night & Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 These two movies are cheesy, often sleazy, but they’re Christmas horror classes in spite of, or perhaps because of, those characteristics. Half of the second one is simply a recap of the first one told in flashback, but it’s still worth watching for the original bits, which have to be seen to be believed. “Garbage day!” Silent Night (2012) Steven C. Miller’s loose remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night is a grim movie. Many of the inhabitants of its small town are sketchy and often downright sleazy. There’s no happy ending coming for anyone here. Definitely lacking in Christmas cheer, this is still a hell of a movie, bolstered by standout performances from horror regulars Jaime King as our heroine and Michael McDowell as the cocky and condescending sheriff. Donal Logue is also fantastic as a creepy Santa Clause red herring. Gremlins Joe Dante’s classic Christmas creature feature can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. This ...