Scream VI (2023)

That went off the rails quickly. Clearly, pushing these out every year does not work to its advantage. This is a cheap, lazy sequel which lacks almost all the charm of the previous entry. That's nothing to say of the movie itself, which was completely forgettable, and worse yet, predictable on many counts. The motives for these killings continue to keep getting thinner and thinner, and we as the audience have to excuse a lot of ridiculous hand-waving in order for any of it to work.

If not for the talent pool of this cast, it would get a much lower score. Just don't go into it with any set of expectations.

1½ catfishes out of 5

Scream (2022)

AKA: Scream V

As a jaded horror fan, I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit. I'm not sure if I'm letting my defenses down lately, but I don't think it was worse than any of the other sequels. The leads (especially the sisters played by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega) were very well cast and I believed their relationship. I didn't anticipate the twists either, so it was a success in that regard.

It's not as slick and stylish as it was under the direction of Wes Craven, but it still manages to capture the ethos of the time it was made in. This volume introduces the idea of the "requel"—i.e. the reboot/sequel to a legacy series—which this film also represents (meta as always). 

3 toxic online comments out of 5

Your Monster (2024)

A cute, charming story about the monster in your closet. On the surface, it's a sweet romantic comedy, but it goes much deeper... 

Melissa Barrera plays the sad, lonely woman who's just received news that she has cancer, then learns her boyfriend has left her and she's lost the lead role in a musical she helped to develop. The horror element may be subdued, but that doesn't mean there isn't an undercurrent of darkness throughout.

3 trapdoors out of 5

Abigail (2024)

A group of criminals kidnap a young dancer and hold her hostage at a lavish estate while attempting to extort her father for a huge ransom. When the girl informs them that he has no intention of paying, they get cold feet and attempt to leave, tripping the security system and sealing them inside the secluded manor which happens to contain an evil, mysterious presence within.

Oh, wait...you mean all the posters and promotional materials spoiled this initial twist? Yeah, the little girl just happens to be a vampire ballerina who delights in playing with her prey and picking them off one by one. This one doesn't do anything special, but it's fun if you're in the right mood for a rip-roaring horror-comedy.

2½ deadly pirouettes out of 5