***Warning, mild spoilers for The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires*** Vampires are my favorite monsters. I love how they represent a dangerous, alluring mixture of lust, power, sin, and death. I cannot get enough of how they are compelled by their desperate thirst even as they leverage human weaknesses to seduce victims. Likewise, I’ve always appreciated author Grady Hendrix’s nuanced understanding of monsters and horror tropes. He possesses an uncanny ability to tap into pop horror elements, investigate how they work, and map them onto our lives. He did it in Horrorstör and My B ..read more

Right now in Austin, Texas, film lovers from all over are converging to revel in their love of film. But not just any kind of films–weird films. Gory films. Films that make people squirm in their seats one minute and laugh out loud the next. I’m talking about Fantastic Fest 2019, the largest genre film festival in the United States. Fantastic Fest 2019, as in past years, is devoted to horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and “just plain fantastic movies from all around the world.” Further still, the festival “is dedicated to championing challenging and thought-provoking cinema, celebrating new voic ..read more

Earlier this month, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2019) delighted audiences and critics with a brand new slate of exciting films, not least among them being horror movies. I just love festival horror films. Most of the time, horror films that make the festival circuit are much more exciting and innovative than your run-of-the-mill major studio, teen-horror flick. They may not be the best movies in the world, and they may not be the scariest, but I feel that such films should be encouraged and promoted. Why watch the 8thParanormal Activity movie when you could see something new ..read more

September’s arrival means two things. First, that school is back in season, which means a return to old routines, much-appreciated cooler weather, and a fresh round of illnesses. (Yay for daycare, ugh!) Secondly, it means we’re officially less than a month away from 31 days of celebrating Halloween! The best part about Halloween becoming more and more of an event is that we get a ton of scary movies around this time of year, and September really ramps up the horror movie releases. As a fan, I love seeing what movies are released, especially if the September horror movies are buzzy or promising ..read more

***Mild Spoilers for The Terror: Infamy*** During the second semester of my first year of law school, I took Constitutional Law. I remember feeling so excited about this course because of all the landmark cases I would study and how much more I would understand about my country. Our Constitution is a complex document—hell, the ink was barely dry on the Constitution before the Founding Fathers started fighting about what it all actually meant. Consequently, The Supreme Court has used the powerful tool of judicial review to shape this country by deciding on the most pressing issues of the day. I ..read more

You know how sometimes there’s nothing good to watch? So many cable channels, so many streaming services, so many Blu-rays in your house, and yet you can’t find anything remotely interesting to watch? Either you’ve seen all the horror movies you own, or everything airing looks lame. So you end up watching The Office or Parks and Recreation for the five billionth time, or whatever your I’m-bored-and-want-the-TV-on show is. Well, buckle up buttercup, because it’s time for the 2019 London FrightFest Film Festival! This year marks the 20th anniversary of FrightFest, which is kind of insane when yo ..read more

The majestic peak of Alto del Perdón, also known as the Mount of Forgiveness, overlooks one of the most idyllic and picturesque countrysides in all of Spain. Located on the storied Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, between Pamplona and the town of Puente la Reina, Alto del Perdón basks in brilliant sunshine. An eye-catching metal sculpture, erected to honor past, present, and future pilgrims, sits at the top of the mount. The pilgrimage route itself leads to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where Catholic lore states that remains of the Apostle Saint James the Great lie ..read more

Guys, what did we do to deserve this many horror movies in a single month?!?! I’m overwhelmed with all these new August horror films! From a ton of VOD films (of varying quality) to some solid theatrical releases, the August horror cup runneth over. For my part, I’m excited for Ready or Not, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Tigers Are Not Afraid, and The Divine Fury. Watch those trailers and many others after the cut! August 6 The Night Sitter (VOD)(DVD) “In an attempt to steal from a wealthy occult enthusiast, a con artist poses as a babysitter. One of the children summons a trio of witches ..read more

With summer drawing to a close, I find myself contemplating how the meaning of “summer” has evolved throughout my life. As an adult, summer means vacation, renewed gratitude for Texas-proof air conditioning, and drinking copious amounts of rosé poolside. As a teenager, summer was consumed with plans to drop the ten pounds that held me back from being irresistible, scrape together spending money, and secure a sensitive-but-jocky boyfriend. As a kid, summer was dominated by summer sports camps, vacation bible schools (blergh), and babysitting gigs. Whatever my plans, summer means watching tons o ..read more

Petra’s Ghost, written by C.S. O’Cinneide, has a U.S. release date of August 13, 2019. It will be published by Dundurn. Petra’s Ghost starts off with a young widower standing on a windswept hill. He holds a plastic baggie. It is filled with the ashes of his deceased wife, Petra. He has carried her all the way to Spain, to the sun-baked and arduous Camino de Santiago, so he can complete the pilgrimage and scatter her ashes. To say goodbye. It should be easy—find a picturesque spot, open the baggie, and let his wife fall from his fingers. But it’s not that simple. He feels guilty; he’s the only ..read more