Behind the Couch

Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) needs little introduction. Adapted from Stephen King’s chilling bestseller, it is an undisputed masterpiece of horror cinema, featuring a bleak atmosphere, striking visuals, frenzied performances, and an utterly unshakable, creeping sense of dread. It has long been an absolute favourite of mine, but I have always been somewhat hesitant to write a review of it; after all, what is there to say about it that hasn’t already been said? As there is indeed already so much to say, where on earth do you begin when just writing a straight-up review? An intimidating prospect to be sure, but it’s good to challenge yourself, isn’t it? With a little advice and much encouragement from the editor of Eye for Film (thank you Amber), I closed my eyes, opened my mind and took the plunge. Head over to Eye for Film to read my humble (and probably too gushing) take on The Shining , and the special features available on the Blu-ray it has just been released on...

2009 Dir. Christopher Smith Jess (Melissa George) is begrudgingly persuaded to take some respite from looking after her young autistic son and join her friend Greg (Michael Dorman) on his yacht for the day. They are joined by a group of Greg’s friends. Their day is shattered when the boat is capsized in a freak storm. They eventually see a huge ocean liner and board it to seek help. Once on board though, it gradually dawns on the group that all is not what it seems and something very ominous is afoot... Director Christopher Smith is no stranger to horror, having already directed Creep - a genuinely chilling and taut horror set in the London Underground that offers plenty of monstrous mayhem - and Severance – a morbidly humorous and very splashy horror about a corporate team building excursion that goes very, very wrong. With Triangle though, Smith keeps things very sombre and gradually builds an overwhelming mood of quiet dread and foreboding before unleashing a highly suspense...