Screamers (1979)

Screamers (1979)

[2] When this Italian flick (originally titled Island of the Fish Men) was picked up for North American distribution, a new opening featuring some gloppy special effects and a handful of kills was added. That opening is the best part…
The Predator (2018)

The Predator (2018)

[1] When I heard Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, screenwriter behind Lethal Weapon) was directing and Fred Dekker (The Monster Squad) was cowriting, I thought The Predator would have the right ingredients for a successful relaunch. I don't know…
Godzilla (1998)

Godzilla (1998)

[2] A giant radioactive lizard terrorizes New York City. There are probably at least 100 different ways this could have been more interesting and exciting, but producers Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) instead opt to make their Godzilla…
The Meg (2018)

The Meg (2018)

[3] Jason Statham headlines this giant killer shark movie that is far more concerned with pandering sentimental bullshit to Chinese audiences than entertaining American audiences. The Meg should be an exploitation action/horror flick. And indeed director Jon Turteltaub and star…
A Quiet Place (2018)

A Quiet Place (2018)

[7] John Krasinski and Emily Blunt star in this high-concept apocalyptic horror flick in which the human race has been decimated by creatures of unknown origin that have super-hearing abilities. And if they hear you, they kill you. So the…
Razorback (1984)

Razorback (1984)

[6] Razorback is a passable midnight horror movie from Russell Mulcahy, who would go on to direct the cult fave Highlander a few years later. Razorback is about a giant boar that terrorizes the Australian outback. After an American reporter disappears,…
The Howling (1981)

The Howling (1981)

[7] Dee Wallace plays a TV reporter who escapes to the country after a traumatic experience. Unfortunately, the country turns out to be filled with werewolves! The Howling is a well-made horror flick from director Joe Dante (Gremlins), who likes…
The Void (2016)

The Void (2016)

[4] A motley group of townsfolk fall under siege at a nearly-abandoned hospital surrounded by mysterious, hooded cult figures brandishing knives. Before they can figure out who the cultists are or what they want, strange creatures start popping out of…
20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

20 Million Miles to Earth (1957)

[6] An army rocket returning from Venus crash lands in the Mediterranean, releasing a Venusian creature that wreaks havoc in Italy. This matinee monster movie is better than most of its kind. The first thirty minutes are surprisingly strong, building…
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)

[5] This monster romp was the first solo effort by effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. All the stop-motion animation has the usual Harryhausen charm, including a famous scene where the dinosaur rages down Wall Street and chomps on a policeman. Unfortunately,…