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The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein
Kiersten White | 2018 | Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White is a retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written to commemorate the novel’s 200th anniversary. The novel follows Elizabeth Lavenza as she is first introduced to Victor Frankenstein and taken in by his family to manage his temper.

Elizabeth is a crafty protagonist who, over the years under the care of the Frankensteins, is constantly plotting and scheming. Regardless of how messed up Victor’s actions may be, White gives glimpses of moments in Elizabeth’s relationship with him where she entertains him and covers up his actions. Her survival depends on Victor, and her plots are twisted and manipulative to make sure she survives.

Kiersten White’s novel is a solid retelling that incorporates elements from Mary Shelley’s story. Although it is not necessary to read the original novel to enjoy White’s take, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is dark and disturbing and perfect for those who enjoy a horror story with a cunning female lead.

<a href="https://60secondsmag.com/review-the-dark-descent-of-elizabeth-frankenstein/">This review is originally posted on 60 Seconds Online Magazine</a>
  
    BioShock

    BioShock

    8.7 (19 Ratings) Rate It

    Video Game

    BioShock is set in 1960. The player guides the protagonist, Jack, after his airplane crashes in the...

Fresh (2022)
Fresh (2022)
2022 | Horror, Thriller
7
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Mimi Cave's feature debut is a delightfully slick, quirky, and gruesomely entertaining thriller that dives head first into the perils of dating in the modern world. Its first 30 minutes are pretty light hearted, with a whole bunch of funny moments, and a relatable and likable protagonist in Daisy Edgar-Jones' Noa. The chemistry she shares with Steve (Sebastian Stan) feels natural and the two of them make for an enjoyable couple to watch onscreen, and exactly the same can be said when it goes full horror suddenly. If it wasn't for the fairly aggresive advertising campaign that heavily focused on the cannibal side of the plot, one could be forgiven for thinking that Fresh was a straight up rom-com. The sudden change in vibe is executed nicely, complete with a title card 30 minutes in, and I'm a sucker for that shit.
What follows is a sometimes fun, sometimes grim, fight for survival. Edgar-Jones is a solid Final Girl, and Sebastian Stan is picture perfect as the suave psychopath that we've seen a fair few times before at this point, but he's clearly having a blast. It helps no end that he's so well known as Bucky Barnes, ensuring that his sinister role here hits even harder.
The last 40 minutes or so suffer from being quite predictable in how the narrative unfolds, but the films cast and some nice camera work ensure that it crosses the finish line without too many hiccups.
Horror comedy is a sub genre that shows no sign of dying anytime soon, and films like Fresh make sure of that. Definitely worth your attention.
  
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Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated the PC version of Dead by Daylight in Video Games

Jun 12, 2020  
Dead by Daylight
Dead by Daylight
2016 | Action
Dead by Daylight is a 5-player survival horror game. 4 players play as survivors and one plays as the killer. The survivors have to repair 5 generators and then open a gate and escape through it whilst avoiding the killer. The killer has to attack the survivors and sacrifice them to ‘the Entity’ by placing them on hooks and keeping them there until they are dead.
Survivors can work as a team or as individuals and can help on generator repairs and lift other survivors off the hook and help to heal them. The killer has a bonus power to help in the capture of the survivors. Both survivors and killers earn ‘Blood Points’ which can be used to add bonuses and items to the characters to aid in the next match.
The base game comes with 7 different survivors and 5 killers and 5 maps. Each survivor has a slightly different skill, speed, stealth, faster healing etc and each killer has a different skill, setting traps, throwing weapons etc.
Each of the maps represents a killer but playing as a killer does not mean that you will play on their map, the map is random, based upon what the killer player owns. The generators, hooks, exits and player starting place are all random
There are also an increasing number of expiation packs some are just survivors and others are survivors, killers and a map. Many of the expansions are licenced to horror franchises so you can have characters like Freddy Kruger and Ash from Evil dead. There are also different costumes that can be brought in game.
Dead by Daylight is violent and is rated for mature audiences.
  
Werewolf By Night (2022)
Werewolf By Night (2022)
2022 | Action, Adventure, Horror
The latest offering from Marvel Studios has arrived and it is a change of pace for the studio as it delves into the darker side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Werewolf By Night is a visually appealing tale that lovingly plays homage to the classic Black and White horror movies of old yet infuses modern content and a touch of humor.

When a group of Monster Hunters is assembled at Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader, the assembled guests are tasked to compete against one another to find a relic and oh yes, content with a deadly monster in the maze as well.

The hunters are informed that they are fair game for one another and the combination of competition and survival promises danger and deadly encounters along the way.

Things are not as they seem as one of the hunters named Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) has a dark secret or two and when he ends up working with Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), things get very interesting and deadly.

The show is deeply-enjoyable and makes me wish that this was a series versus a special but I would think that audiences will see some of the characters again in the future. There is a bit more violence than one might expect from the MCU but due to the Black and White filming, it is not as graphic as it could be but still might be more than some younger fans would expect.

Composer Michael Giacchino has done an amazing job with the show as the pacing is solid, the characters are interesting, and the visuals capture the enduring nostalgia of the bygone classics.

I enjoyed the special from start to finish and should be an enjoyable experience not only for Marvel fans but for horror fans everywhere.

 

Look for it on Disney+ on December 7th.
  
Never Hike Alone (2017)
Never Hike Alone (2017)
2017 | Horror
Never Hike Alone is a hell of an accomplishment - a fan made film based on Friday the 13th that is as good, maybe even better, than the best entries in the main franchise.

It's premise is simple - a survival/hiking enthusiast is collecting footage for his YouTube channel when he accidentally stumbles across the remains of Camp Crystal Lake, resulting in a one on one fight for his life when he discovers that Jason Voorhees still resides there - and it's short runtime (clocking in at just under an hour) make for a no-filler, sharp-shock slice of slasher goodness.
It carries a lot of tension, the first half being relatively calm as protagonist Kyle (Drew Leighty) explores the remnant of the camp. Fans of the original film will surely get a kick out of recognisable landmarks, including the bed that Kevin Bacon was skewered through. It's a nice way of showing that this short is a true love letter to the franchise. Kyle is a likable and believable lead who's survival skill set makes him a good match for the big bad.
When Jason eventually shows up, he's damn scary! This version of Jason is just relentless. He's quick, heavy footed, and smashes through doors like they're not even there. Director Vincent DiSanti fills the shoes of Jason, and his tall and broad figure make for a genuinely intimidating version of this beloved horror icon.
He looks fantastic as well, it's clear that a lot of effort was put into his make up and costume.
Top all of this off with a cameo from Thom Mathews himself, and what you get is a recipe for a successful short film, made for fans, by fans.

Never Hike Alone is a real treat for anyone who even has a passing interest in Friday the 13th. Hats off to Womp Stomp Films for their great work.