Fright Night Horror

  By Jon Donnis NYX UK is delivering a terrifying lineup this February, packed with cult classics, gruesome horror and supernatural chills. Leading the charge is the Channel premiere of BIG BAD WOLVES, the critically acclaimed Israeli psychological thriller from Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado. Blending dark comedy with an unsettling narrative, the film arrives on Friday 21 February at 9pm, offering a gripping and thought-provoking experience. BIG BAD WOLVES The month is stacked with ten other Channel premieres, including two of Herschell Gordon Lewis’s notorious splatter flicks, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS! on Monday 24 February at 9pm and THE WIZARD OF GORE on Wednesday 19 February at 9pm. Fans of vintage horror can also enjoy PARASITE on Wednesday 26 February at 9pm, the cult sci-fi horror from Charles Band, and Bob Clarke’s quirky undead gem CHILDREN SHOULDN’T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS on Sunday 23 February at 9pm. Rounding out the roster of gruesome classics is Jeff Lieberman’s SQUIR...

  The following review is sponsored by  GamingCouchPotato.co.uk  your go to place for Gaming and tech reviews and previews. --- Venom: The Last Dance serves as a heartfelt and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy that began with Venom in 2018. Written and directed by Kelly Marcel, this final chapter manages to combine chaotic fun with surprising emotional depth. Tom Hardy delivers yet another standout performance as both Eddie Brock and Venom. It's remarkable how he brings such distinct personalities to life with ease. The back-and-forth banter between Eddie and Venom, alongside their genuine moments of connection, remains the heart of the series. The story picks up with Eddie and Venom on the run, trying to clear Eddie's name after being framed for murder. Their journey takes them from a dive bar in Mexico to Area 51, with plenty of madness along the way. Meanwhile, they’re hunted by a terrifying new villain, the Xenophage. This creature brings genuine tension to the plo...

  Venom: The Last Dance serves as a heartfelt and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy that began with Venom in 2018. Written and directed by Kelly Marcel, this final chapter manages to combine chaotic fun with surprising emotional depth. Tom Hardy delivers yet another standout performance as both Eddie Brock and Venom. It's remarkable how he brings such distinct personalities to life with ease. The back-and-forth banter between Eddie and Venom, alongside their genuine moments of connection, remains the heart of the series. The story picks up with Eddie and Venom on the run, trying to clear Eddie's name after being framed for murder. Their journey takes them from a dive bar in Mexico to Area 51, with plenty of madness along the way. Meanwhile, they’re hunted by a terrifying new villain, the Xenophage. This creature brings genuine tension to the plot and ties into the larger Marvel universe, adding a layer of complexity involving Knull, the ancient symbiote creator. The stakes h...

  NYX UK is gearing up for a thrilling February with a packed programme celebrating the horror genre. From February 10 to February 16, Women in Horror Week shines a spotlight on the extraordinary impact of women in horror, presenting a lineup of films that are as empowering as they are terrifying. Meanwhile, Zombie Week, running from February 3 to February 9, offers a deep dive into the undead with iconic films that have defined the zombie subgenre. Women in Horror Week kicks off on February 10 with Axelle Carolyn’s debut feature, Soulmate (2013). This gothic ghost story explores grief and the supernatural with an emotionally charged narrative, haunting cinematography, and a score that lingers long after the final frame. Marina de Van’s Dark Touch (2013) follows on February 11, a chilling tale of trauma and psychological horror that blends supernatural elements with poignant social commentary. Dark Touch On February 12, Ida Lupino’s The Hitch-Hiker (1953) takes centre stage. A grou...

Your Monster, directed by Caroline Lindy, is a daring and unconventional blend of romantic comedy and horror that entertains while tackling deeper emotional themes. With a standout performance from Melissa Barrera and a story full of unexpected turns, the film manages to be quirky, heartfelt, and occasionally unsettling. It may not be for everyone, but it is definitely memorable. The story follows Laura Franco, a young actress recovering from cancer and a painful breakup with her boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan. Forced to move back into her childhood home, Laura stumbles upon a mysterious creature living in the upstairs closet. What begins as a tense and fearful interaction gradually evolves into an unusual friendship. Bonding over their shared love of theatre, Laura and the Monster develop a connection that is as touching as it is bizarre. Melissa Barrera delivers an exceptional performance, capturing Laura’s vulnerability and resilience. She grounds the film with a raw and believable portr...

Your Monster, directed by Caroline Lindy, is a daring and unconventional blend of romantic comedy and horror that entertains while tackling deeper emotional themes. With a standout performance from Melissa Barrera and a story full of unexpected turns, the film manages to be quirky, heartfelt, and occasionally unsettling. It may not be for everyone, but it is definitely memorable. The story follows Laura Franco, a young actress recovering from cancer and a painful breakup with her boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan. Forced to move back into her childhood home, Laura stumbles upon a mysterious creature living in the upstairs closet. What begins as a tense and fearful interaction gradually evolves into an unusual friendship. Bonding over their shared love of theatre, Laura and the Monster develop a connection that is as touching as it is bizarre. Melissa Barrera delivers an exceptional performance, capturing Laura’s vulnerability and resilience. She grounds the film with a raw and believable portr...

1. When did you first become interested in horror? As a child, my parents would read Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” as a bedtime story. So, horror is literary comfort food for me. Add family movie night when I was a teenager featuring most of the great 1980’s slasher franchises, and my interest in horror was set. 2. Did you always enjoy writing? Always. One of my years at school there was a fifteen minute ‘quiet time’ in which we could do – silently – in preparation for the day. I used that time to craft stories. I have always loved reading and writing.  3. Do you prefer writing short stories or novels? Short stories are my go-to, although I am trying my hand at novels. There is a wonderful challenge with short fiction, trying to capture so much in so few words.  4. Is there another genre that you write in? I have written horror, thrillers, science fiction, and even a few fantasy stories. I have     also been an author on scientific research articles published in...

  Salem's Lot feels like a nostalgic return to classic vampire horror, following Ben Mears as he revisits the eerie town of Jerusalem's Lot. What starts as a simple homecoming quickly spirals into a full-scale vampire invasion that consumes the entire town. The film has all the right ingredients for a solid horror experience, including creepy old houses, suspicious townsfolk, and a dark, unsettling history. The cast delivers strong performances, with Lewis Pullman as Ben and Makenzie Leigh as Susan standing out as a believable pair trying to survive the nightmare unfolding around them. The story sticks closely to Stephen King's original novel, which works both for and against it. On the positive side, it preserves much of the book’s slow-burn tension and attention to detail. However, this loyalty also leads to pacing problems. The buildup takes too long, and the movie introduces too many characters without giving the audience enough time to connect with them. The vampires t...

  Salem's Lot feels like a nostalgic return to classic vampire horror, following Ben Mears as he revisits the eerie town of Jerusalem's Lot. What starts as a simple homecoming quickly spirals into a full-scale vampire invasion that consumes the entire town. The film has all the right ingredients for a solid horror experience, including creepy old houses, suspicious townsfolk, and a dark, unsettling history. The cast delivers strong performances, with Lewis Pullman as Ben and Makenzie Leigh as Susan standing out as a believable pair trying to survive the nightmare unfolding around them. The story sticks closely to Stephen King's original novel, which works both for and against it. On the positive side, it preserves much of the book’s slow-burn tension and attention to detail. However, this loyalty also leads to pacing problems. The buildup takes too long, and the movie introduces too many characters without giving the audience enough time to connect with them. The vampires t...

Terrifier 3 is a brutal, no-holds-barred ride that pushes Christmas horror to shocking new extremes. Damien Leone has raised the bar, mixing a twisted holiday atmosphere with gut-wrenching terror that dives deeper into Art the Clown’s deranged psyche. Picking up five years after the events of Terrifier 2, Sienna and Jonathan are still haunted by the horrors of that Halloween night. Just when they start to believe they might finally move on, Art returns, more sadistic than ever, armed with a twisted take on Christmas cheer and a terrifying new ally, Victoria Heyes, now possessed by the unsettling Little Pale Girl. One of the film’s biggest strengths lies in its practical effects. Leone’s use of gore is both a tribute to old-school slashers and a masterclass in modern horror. Every wound and mangled body looks disturbingly real, making the violence feel even more shocking. Art’s kills are more creative and grotesque than ever, whether it’s freezing a victim with liquid nitrogen before sh...

Terrifier 3 is a brutal, no-holds-barred ride that pushes Christmas horror to shocking new extremes. Damien Leone has raised the bar, mixing a twisted holiday atmosphere with gut-wrenching terror that dives deeper into Art the Clown’s deranged psyche. Picking up five years after the events of Terrifier 2, Sienna and Jonathan are still haunted by the horrors of that Halloween night. Just when they start to believe they might finally move on, Art returns, more sadistic than ever, armed with a twisted take on Christmas cheer and a terrifying new ally, Victoria Heyes, now possessed by the unsettling Little Pale Girl. One of the film’s biggest strengths lies in its practical effects. Leone’s use of gore is both a tribute to old-school slashers and a masterclass in modern horror. Every wound and mangled body looks disturbingly real, making the violence feel even more shocking. Art’s kills are more creative and grotesque than ever, whether it’s freezing a victim with liquid nitrogen before sh...

  Smile 2 is a strong sequel that delivers all the psychological horror you’d expect while adding a fresh angle by focusing on a pop star, Skye Riley. Played brilliantly by Naomi Scott, Skye is on the brink of a major comeback after struggling with substance abuse and surviving a car accident that killed her boyfriend. Just as her tour preparations get underway, her world unravels when she witnesses the horrifying suicide of a drug dealer named Lewis, who is clearly under the influence of the same curse from the first film. From that moment, Skye’s life spirals out of control as she’s plagued by terrifying hallucinations and unsettling encounters with smiling strangers. The story follows Skye as she becomes increasingly isolated, hiding her mental deterioration while desperately searching for answers about the curse. The tension escalates as she reconnects with her estranged best friend, Gemma, and teams up with Morris, a nurse obsessed with the entity after it took his brother’s l...

  Smile 2 is a strong sequel that delivers all the psychological horror you’d expect while adding a fresh angle by focusing on a pop star, Skye Riley. Played brilliantly by Naomi Scott, Skye is on the brink of a major comeback after struggling with substance abuse and surviving a car accident that killed her boyfriend. Just as her tour preparations get underway, her world unravels when she witnesses the horrifying suicide of a drug dealer named Lewis, who is clearly under the influence of the same curse from the first film. From that moment, Skye’s life spirals out of control as she’s plagued by terrifying hallucinations and unsettling encounters with smiling strangers. The story follows Skye as she becomes increasingly isolated, hiding her mental deterioration while desperately searching for answers about the curse. The tension escalates as she reconnects with her estranged best friend, Gemma, and teams up with Morris, a nurse obsessed with the entity after it took his brother’s l...

1. When did you first become interested in horror? "My first experience with horror was actually The Wizard of Oz. I was around three or four, and I remember being terrified of what was happening in the movie. It still scares me to this day. But when I really started getting into horror, it was the late 80s. Icons like Jason from Friday the 13th fascinated me, and I decorated my bedroom walls with articles and pictures from Fangoria Magazine. These characters became my heroes. Another big moment was seeing Gremlins in the theater, which was my first movie theater experience. I loved everything about being in that space and watching the film, and I begged my uncle to take me back several times. He did, and it solidified my love for horror and the magic of the big screen. Return of the Living Dead was another film that truly captured my imagination. I remember seeing the poster at a local movie theater in 1984 and being blown away by the idea of zombie horror. When I finally saw the...