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Straw Dogs (1971)

Directed by: Sam Peckinpah

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughn

Rated: R for Strong Brutal Violence Including a Sexual Attack, Menace, Some Sexual Content, and Pervasive Language

Running Time: 1 h 58 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Pacing, Acting, Directing, Editing, Characters

WEAKNESSES: Uncomfortable Controversial Material

Straw Dogs (1971)

August 14, 2018

A young American and his English wife move to the wife’s hometown, only to face harassment from the locals.

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In Action, Adventure, Art House, Drama, Thriller, Horror Tags 1971, Sam Peckinpah, Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, Peter Vaughn, R Rated, 4 Stars, Seth Steele
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House (1977)

Directed by: Nobuhiko Obayashi

Starring: Kimiko Ikegami, Miki Jinbo, Kumiko Ohba

Rated: NR (Best Guess: R)

Running Time: 1h 28m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Atmosphere, Concept, Unique Feeling of Nostalgia/Terror

WEAKNESSES: Sound Mix/Distracting Music

House (1977)

August 14, 2018

A group of High School/College girlfriends visit the home of one of the girl’s aunt’s, for the holidays. That wouldn’t be a problem if she wasn’t a child eating witch who has eaten all the girls from the nearby village.

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In Fantasy, Horror, Foreign Film Tags mjamesmcdonald, Nobuhiko Obayashi, 5 Stars, 1977, Haunted House
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Solomon Kane (2009)

Directed by: M.J. Bassett

Starring: James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Pete Postlethwaite

Rated: R for Violence Throughout

Running Time: 1 h 44 m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Cool Concepts, Grimdark Storyline

WEAKNESSES: Tepid Execution, Wooden Lead, Tropes

Solomon Kane (2009)

August 10, 2018

After an encounter with a demon that tells him his soul is bound for hell, a mercenary renounces his ways of violence for a life of peace, but when he’s forced to travel back to his homeland, his vow of peace is tested. 

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In Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Action, Adventure Tags 2009, M.J. Bassett, James Purefoy, Max von Sydow, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Pete Postlethwaite, R Rated, 3 stars
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Eraserhead (1977)

Directed by: David Lynch

Starring: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph

Rated: NR (Best Guess PG-13)

Running Time: 1h 29m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Overall Directorial Vision

WEAKNESSES: It's Weird Dude.

Eraserhead (1977)

August 9, 2018

A strange man in a strange world is forced to marry a strange woman when he gets her pregnant. She has a strange baby which she cannot console so she leaves the man and he kills the baby. The baby might be an alien. Strange.

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In Art House, Fantasy, Horror Tags mjamesmcdonald, David Lynch, Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph, 5 Stars, 1977, Surrealist, Black & White
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Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Directed by: Peter Weir

Starring: Anne Lambert, Jane Vallis, Rachel Roberts, Helen Morse

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1 h 47 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Ambiguity, Acting, Cinematography, Directing, Writing

WEAKNESSES: Ambiguity Will Leave Some Viewers Unsatisfied

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

July 18, 2018

During a Picnic on St. Valentine’s Day, 1900, a few students and a teacher disappear without a trace.

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In Adventure, Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
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The Village (2004)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Pheonix, William Hurt, Adrien Brody

Rated: PG-13 for a Scene of Violence and Frightening Situations

Running Time: 1 h 48 m

TMM Score: 2.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Cinematography, Score, Some Acting

WEAKNESSES: Some Acting, Directing, Writing, Pacing

The Village (2004)

July 18, 2018

Weird things happen to the villagers of an isolated hamlet.

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In Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
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Split (2016)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckly

Rated: PG-13 for Disturbing Thematic Content and Behavior, Violence and Some Language

Running Time: 1 h 57 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Cinematography, Story

WEAKNESSES: Dialogue

Split (2016)

July 17, 2018

A man with 23 different personalities kidnaps three girls and locks them in a basement, where he plans to hold them until his 24th personality arrives.

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In Crime, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci Fi, Thriller
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Personal Shopper (2016)

Directed by: Oliver Assayas

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Sigrid Bouaziz

Rated: R for Some Language, Sexuality, Nudity and a Bloody Violent Image

Running Time: 1 h 45 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Atmosphere, Directing, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: Some Stilted/Unnatural Dialogue

Personal Shopper (2016)

July 13, 2018

A personal shopper for a celebrity living in Paris refuses to leave the city until she makes contact with her twin brother who died there. When a stranger starts sending her texts, things get even more complicated.

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In Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
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The Visit (2015)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie

Rated: PG-13 for Disturbing Thematic Material Including Terror, Violence and Some Nudity, and Brief Language

Running Time: 1 h 34 m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Meta-Humor, Creepy Imagery

WEAKNESSES: Annoying Protagonists

The Visit (2015)

July 13, 2018

While their mother goes on a cruise, two children go to stay with their Grandparents, whom they’ve never met, only to find their Grandparents have strange habits.

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In Comedy, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
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The Happening (2008)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo

Rated: R for Violent and Disturbing Content

Running Time: 1 h 31 m

TMM Score: 2 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Unintentional Hilarity

WEAKNESSES: Writing, Directing, Acting

The Happening (2008)

July 12, 2018

While strange event causes people to inexplicably kill themselves, a high school science teacher runs around.

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In Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci Fi, Thriller
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Ivan's Childhood (1962)

Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky

Starring: Nikolay Burlyaev, Irina Tarkoskaya, Evgeniy Zharikov

Rated: Running Time: 1 h 24 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Directing, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: -

Ivan's Childhood (1962)

July 9, 2018

A twelve-year-old boy works for the Soviet army as a spy behind German lines during WWII. 

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In Adventure, Drama, Epic, Foreign Film, Horror, Thriller, War
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Signs (2002)

Directed by: M. Might Shyamalan

Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin

Rated: PG13

Running Time: 1h 46m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Theme, Acting, Storytelling

WEAKNESSES: Heavy Handedness

Signs (2002)

July 5, 2018

Graham (Mel Gibson), an ex-reverend, and his family, still reeling after his wife’s death, are faced with the unexplained as crop circles and shadowy figures start frequenting their farm. As fears rise, will Graham's faith begin to regrow or die for good.

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In Christian Film, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci Fi, Thriller Tags M. Night Shyamalan, Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, Thriller, Sci fi, Faith, Suspense, Family Drama, PG-13, 4 Stars, Signs, 2002
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The Lure (2015)

Directed by: Agnieszka Smoczynska

Starring: Marta Mazurek, Michalina Olszanska, Jakub Gierszal

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Sexual Content Including Nudity and Dialogue, and Some Violence)

Running Time: 1 h 32 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Originality, Music, Production Design, Directing

WEAKNESSES: Some Acting, Some Objectionable Material

The Lure (2015)

July 4, 2018

A musical about two mermaid sisters who are hired to work at a nightclub; when one of them falls in love with a bassist in the band, threatening their very way of life.

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In Fantasy, Foreign Film, Musical, Thriller, Horror, Comedy
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The Sixth Sense (1999)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette

Rated: PG13

Running Time: 1h 47m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Story Telling

WEAKNESSES: Unimaginative Cinematography, Weaker Theme

The Sixth Sense (1999)

July 3, 2018

Malcolm (Willis), a troubled child psychologist, works with a young boy, Cole (Osment), who exhibits all of the same problems another boy Malcom once failed to help. When this 'second chance’ takes a disturbing supernatural turn, will Malcom be able to help Cole or fail once again?

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In Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller Tags Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, The Sixth Sense, 1999, PG-13, 5 Stars
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Hereditary (2018)

Directed by: Ari Aster

Starring: Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff

Rated: R for Horror Violence, Disturbing Images, Language, Drug Use and Brief Graphic Nudity

Running Time: 2 h 7 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Pacing, Story, Atmosphere, Acting

WEAKNESSES: Some On The Nose Dialogue

Hereditary (2018)

June 11, 2018

After the grandmother of the Graham family dies, her daughter’s family begins to experience strange and terrifying things.

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In Drama, Horror, Thriller
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Revenge (2017)

Directed by: Coralie Fargeat

Starring: Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Boudeche

Rated: R for Strong Bloody Gruesome Violence, A Rape, Sexuality, Graphic Nudity, Drug Use and Language

Running Time: 1 h 48 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Style, Acting, Cinematography, Practical Effects

WEAKNESSES: Gruesomeness Will Turn Away Viewers

Revenge (2017)

May 31, 2018

A wealthy man brings his young mistress to an exotic isolated location, but things take a turn for the worse when the man’s friends arrive a day earlier than their supposed to.

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In Action, Adventure, Crime, Horror, Thriller
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Deep Red (1975)

Directed by: Dario Argento

Starring: David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Macha Meril

Rated: R

Running Time: 2 h 6 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Directing, Soundtrack, Ridiculousness

WEAKNESSES: Also Ridiculousness

Deep Red (1975)

May 9, 2018

After witnessing the murder of a psychic, composer Marcus Daly teams up with reporter Gianna Brezzi to investigate the crimes of a serial killer.

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In Crime, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Foreign Film, Drama Tags Dario Argento, David Hemmings, Daria Nicolodi, Macha Meril, R, 1975, 4.5 Stars
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Come and See (1985)

Directed by: Elem Klimov

Starring: Aleksey Kravchenko, Olga Mironova, Liubomiras Laucevicius

Rated: NR (Suggested Rating: R)

Running Time: 2 h 22 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Cinematography, Directing, Writing, Acting, Unique Perspective

WEAKNESSES: -

Come and See (1985)

May 2, 2018

After finding an old rifle buried in the sand, a young boy named Florya is recruited by the Soviet resistance to help fight the Nazis.

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In Adventure, Drama, Foreign Film, Epic, Horror, Thriller, War
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Jaws (1975)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw

Rated: PG

Running Time: 2 h 4 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Pacing, Direction, Writing, Music

WEAKNESSES: -

Jaws (1975)

April 19, 2018

The Sheriff of Amity Island teams up with a marine biologist and a local captain to hunt down a shark that’s terrorizing the beaches.

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In Action, Adventure, Drama, Epic, Horror, Thriller Tags Steven Spielberg, Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
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A Quiet Place (2018)

Directed by: John Krasinski

Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt

Rated: PG-13 for Terror and Some Bloody Images

Running Time: 1 h 30 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Pacing, Simplicity, Writing, Sound Design, World Building, Directing

WEAKNESSES: -

A Quiet Place (2018)

April 9, 2018

In a post-apocalyptic world, creatures that hunt by sound stalk a family that hides in farmhouse.

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In Horror, Mystery, Sci Fi, Thriller Tags John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe
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