Dead Air Horror Review

David Dastmalchian is a familiar face that's been in a ton of movies and has no trouble holding his own as the lead in this 2024 horror. As a late night TV host struggling for ratings, he's essentially willing to make a deal with the devil. It's silly but will certainly divide horror fans into 2 camps, those who love it and those who couldn't care less.

This was Liv Tyler's film. Did she fumble it? Well, TJ and Chris will decide that on this episode of Dead Air Horror Review. This is a mix of subgenres, both thrill killing and home invasion, and while it's core concept was solid, it was a build up for a truly anti-climactic end--at least for Chris.

This not a film for the faint of heart. The psychological torture of the protagonist is the main focal point of this movie and it is utterly disturbing through and through. Before we review, we already know this is going to be a huge thumbs up for TJ. We just know him like that. Let's see if Chris feels the same way.

Ever want to see Memento or Time Crimes, but based on a boat in the middle of the ocean...then we got you fam! This thriller, starring Melissa George and featuring Liam Hemsworth, has an an intriguing start and finish but the bulk of the film (the middle) leaves a lot to be desired--at least for Chris.

We offer you what has been offered to us...a steaming pile of "meh." Originally, Chris was really into this film mostly b/c of the Jewish Orthodox lore of a child-stealing demon, but the story slowly deflated like a sad, old balloon about halfway through. It had a lot of potential that sadly it didn't capitalize on. Don't get TJ started on the lazy CGI monster. Oof!

In Episode 7 we discuss From Beyond starring Jeffrey Combs as his oft portrayed weirdo character that can't help but shift his just in such a way that makes Chris feel uneasy. This movie is fantastic in that it a) start Jeffrey Combs b) has a character named Bubba that is eaten alive by alien flies and reduced to bone and c) has a weird sex fetish/Hellraiser vibe that seems like it fit well in 80s horror. High scores from TJ and Chris on this 80s horny psychological horror.

TJ and Chris are split on this one. Suitable Flesh was either an authentic grab at 80's camp a la Tales From the Crypt or was a complete mess that totally hit the mark (depending on which one of us you ask). Very high scores elsewhere, almost suspiciously though because even they TJ really enjoyed this film it was wayyyyyy overhyped. Neither of us would recommend.

Okay, so...wow. That movie was something else. But what else would you expect from Alex Garland. You know whenever his name is attached to any movie that it's going to take you in a direction you hadn't anticipated and that's why he's a master of his craft at both writing and directing. Men gives men a bad name and for good reason. What a bunch of scumbags!

As a child, were you ever afraid of swimming in the presence of ghosts in a neighborhood pool? Nope? Yeah, neither were we. A great white shark squeezing it's way through through pipes that led from the ocean to the pool drain was more of a terrifying thought than ghosts. This should have remained a 4-minute short film available on Vimeo rather than a full-fledged feature film including horror heavyweight James Wan and Blumhouse, but sadly this is the watered-down horror genre world we live in now.

Hang out with us for Season 2, Episode 3 of Dead Air Podcast where we watch The Frighteners this week. Starring Michael J. Fox, this dark comedy is definitely Peter Jackson's most polished film up to this point in his career. With the backing of Robert Zemeckis as Executive Producer and a big Hollywood studio, he essentially builds his Weta Workshop to what is it today. Not knowing what to expect from this film, it was a big surprise to say the least.

Apologies in advance for Chris' terrible audio. It was our first time going live, but he's since learned from his embarrassing mistake. Maybe it's more tolerable to watch on YouTube, but then you'd have to see our faces. Dead Alive has got to be Peter Jackson's most disgusting film to date. Start with a rabid Sumatran rat and add a smothering, zombie mother with an appetite for dogs and human flesh and toss in a sprinkle of decapitations. This movie is almost too difficult to describe unless you watch it for yourself. Join us for a live viewing and review of what we think makes this movie a must watch.

We made it to Season 2! We're starting with another theme...Peter Jackson January. His first film Bad Taste (1987) is a ridiculous film in every aspect but you can't help but love the off-the-wall storyline, disgusting monsters, and Derek (who has a skull flap that refuses to close throughout the movie's entirety). A huge thumbs up for Peter Jackson's 1st of many movies.

It's Episode 38 and we've decided to call and end to Season 1. Holy crap! It's been a lot of fun so far and we're looking to bring more spice to add in the mix in Season 2. Calling all horror directors, we want to talk! We've got questions and you have answers. But first let's tackle this episode and find out what were TJ's and Chris' favorite reviewed films of 2023. TJ's Picks: 1. When Evil Lurks 2. Time Crimes 3. Watcher 4. High Tension 5. Silent Night, Deadly Night Chris' Picks: 1. When Evil Lurks 2. The Innocents 3. Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell 4. Silent Night, Deadly Night 5. The Loved Ones

In Episode 37, we finish our "Christmas" themed month-long movie extravaganza with a New Year's twist...NEW YEAR'S EVIL!!! This is a movie that neither Chris or TJ had seen or heard of previous to the podcast. Apparently, it's one of Quentin Tarantino's favorite 80's slasher (if that means anything to anyone). We agree with Quentin on this one though. This movie delivers on dialogue, unintentional humor, kill scenes, and music. But most of all it gives us the greatest line ever uttered in a film, "GET SMASHED!"

In Episode 36, we don't even bother trying to show our dislike for this movie. Like the Winnie the Pooh horror movie spoof, this one relies heavily on the viewer being simply enchanted with the character instead of the actual script. It's overall a boring and weak attempt at a retelling of the Grinch story (but you can't call it the Grinch unless you want to get sued!). 2.4/10 from us!

In Episode 35, we spend 34 minutes talking about a movie that will surely go down in history as the worst footage ever put to tape. This abomination of a movie has comedy stalwarts, Justin Long and Joel McHale, attempting somewhat dark and terrifying territory. It's a giant flop and although they are not directly at fault, they certainly didn't help carry the movie across the finish line. Was it suppose to be funny? Scary? Thrilling? Well, it was none of those. Just place this one in the "WTF Was That?" bin.

In Episode 34, we start our Christmas theme in December by exploring the very controversial (for good reason) "Silent Night, Deadly Night." This film is the sleaziest 80s horror TJ & Chris have come across in ages. They are admittedly first time viewers of this slashic and walked away surprisingly content with everything it offered minus the totally unnecessary, tasteless and inconsequential s*x scenes. If you are a fan of 80s campy horror flicks, this one will not disappoint. Just don't watch it around your family. You've been warned!

In Episode 33, T.J. declares his disgust for the typical "Walmart" variety scares that attach themselves closely to this film while Chris sings its praises for nearly the same reason. While they won't see eye to eye on this particular horror movie that falls somewhere within the timeline of the Conjuring universe, they still deeply admire one another's convictions. True friendship, baby!

Not just when evil lurks, but where? Apparently, everywhere! In this soon-to-be nihilistic classic, the director knows no bounds--which is a good thing. Nothing is off the table in terms of gore, psychological torture, and abuse which if that sounds unsettling it's because it is. This movie is not for every fan of horror. This film will stick in your gut like a heavy meal and won't be flushed until you give yourself a mental laxative. There are no gimmicky horror tropes, just pure horror on every level. We dare you to watch it!

In Episode 32, we explore the sensation that is Five Nights At Freddy's. Freddy Fazbear and Co. are tortured souls trapped within Saw-like animatronic contraptions that hunger more children's souls. Actually, in this movie the motivation for murder is somewhat muddy, but we enjoyed the movie on face value because it's Rated PG-13 and you can only get away with so much blood and guts. While the storyline seems to fold over itself in an illogical way, the first hour of the movie is better than average. Truth be told, this movie wasn't made for T.J. or Chris' tastes but we could definitely see why die-hard Freddy fans would categorize this as a win. 4.2/10 for scores!

Because we never watched Saw W we have no context for Saw X. We can only hope that Saw Y will be slightly less terrible than this movie, the latest in the Saw franchise. The kills were not satisfying, the script was messy and we're not interested in feeling any sympathy for Jigsaw. Nice try, Hollywood! Pretty low scores from both TJ and Chris.

When Sooty, the Swedish mascot for the average blue-collar worker, shows up at your work conference it could go 1 of 2 ways: unbridled joy or murder. Guess which way it went for the poor saps that showed up to the conference? You guessed it, 24 hours or murder and mayhem served up on a Sooty platter. Mixed reviews for this Swedish slasher. Regardless, it's still worth a watch!

We're going back Down Under, mate! Australia has become a second home for horror according to TJ and Chris. While the reviews were pretty mixed between the two, it's still worth a watch. There really hasn't been many movies that have come close to the realism that The Blair Witch accomplished back in the late 1990's, but this certainly hits that mark.

No One Will Save You produced the lowest scores we've dished out to date! Collectively, less than 2 out of 20 stars. This is a total bore that uses dated alien tropes like aliens with giant eyes and super powers, probings, and mind control. The only redeeming quality of this film was that there was almost NO DIALOGUE to make it worse. You heard us right! There was probably 3 lines of dialogue in the entire film. Lazy or ground breaking? You decide!

TJ taught Chris how many subgenres there are in horror and Chris subsequently blacked out. Can Wicker Man be a genre? Sure, why not. This movie is no Wicker Man but that isn't a bad thing. TJ loved this film and is a huge fan of director Gareth Evans style especially when it comes to action scenes. He gave the movie a 8.5 while Chris gave it a not-so-shabby 6.1 for the cinematography & casting of Michael Sheen. He claims he was falling asleep during the film due to boredom, but we suspect it's more likely due to exhaustion from doing 3 loads of laundry in a single day.

It's hard to wrap our heads around 2 YouTube bros (literal brothers actually) that churned out one of the best horror films of the year. The atmosphere is dense and dark and the writing is intelligent. At no point do the writers think that the audience is too dumb to read between the lines. We appreciate when writers think we're smarter than we are! Hats off to the Australian twosome that made widely accessible horror flick feel cult-like. Do us a favor and don't make a sequel because it's perfect as is. *A sequel is in the works

We love a good movie poster and the Invisible Man look-a-like stopped us dead in our tracks. This Spanish feature film by Nacho Vigalondo is not your typical time loop movie that chases its own tail. It's also not really scary enough to be called a horror, but if you could place yourself in the main character's shoes, you'd probably sh*t your pantalones. High scores all around!

There's nothing more American than immediately trying to capitalize off the success of one viral hit and then make 20 more just like it. We're not sure where this falls in the V/H/S cinematic universe but it doesn't really matter. It's crap. Low scores for nearly every episode in this flick.

Joseph and Vanessa Winter, the directing team behind Deadstream and V/H/S 99, successfully pulled off one of the hardest feats for any horror movie...a comedy that was actually funny, clever, and a bit scary. The concept on paper is pretty rock solid and does a good job at poking fun of social media influencer culture. High scores from both TJ and Chris of this Shudder Exclusive.

Chris hadn't even heard of this 80s slasher until TJ recommended it for the podcast. While there are certainly triggering elements to this film involving gratuitous nudity and sexual assault, this can and should be considered a slasher classic. It has all the elements you do love like awkward dialogue, overacting, campy practical effects, and a burn victim turned killer named Cropsy. Also, it's the first film appearance by Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Holly Hunter (Raising Arizona) and Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit).

Director extraordinaire, Takashi Miike, makes the prototype for what horror movies should be. Like TJ said, "there is no fat to trim on this movie." Every character serves a specific purpose and has a cause and effect for the way this movie progresses. It's deeply disturbing and ahead of its time in some way, including how it addresses misogynistic, incel culture. This is pretty close to a 10 in both of our horror books.

Remember that VHS that was hidden in the back of your closet because you were afraid your parents might watch it and think they need to send you to therapy? This is that movie. But, if I'm getting sent to therapy I want it to be for a decent movie, not this garbage pile of Mylar magnetic tape that someone passed off as a film. We couldn't hate this movie more. It definitely took its toll on TJ and Chris' friendship. Will they ever recover from this? Only time will tell.

Artsy fartsy, visually appealing, confusing at times, funny character names like Mouth of Gold...all reasons FOR SOME to watch this film. This was a giant "Meh" from TJ and I. Very graphic sexual violence paired with a boy with a bird claw may be appealing to our listeners, but this sort of fell flat for the sole reason that the most likeable character, Archibald, wasn't in the movie enough and it was placed in actress Vanessa Paradis' lap to carry it across the finish line. Whether she did or did not will be for you to decide.

You just can't fit this masterpiece into a genre box. It simply won't fit. Writer/director, Ben Wheatley, created a genre bending thriller that will please just about anyone that is remotely into horror, suspense, and psychological thrillers. Just when you think you have this movie all figured out, another curveball comes right at you! TJ absolutely loves this movie and Chris highly recommends. The movie title sucks though. Oh well, nothing is perfect! And please don't compare it to Wicker Man for f*cks sake!

Hey, everyone! It's John Wayne Gacy in a tracksuit! Except this serial killer doesn't discriminate when it comes to slaughtering children. He's very progressive in that way. In all "seriousness" this 2015 horror brought to you by director Sean Byrne of The Loved Ones fame doesn't hit the bullseye, but it's still on the board. As TJ famously says, "I'm not sure what's worse, giving it 1 star or 5 stars, because at least you'll remember a 1 star movie for how bad it is."

All hail the new old king of campy horror, Shinichi Fukazawa! He's not a household name but should be for any fan of the horror genre. This movie never takes itself too seriously and quite literally takes notes from the pages of Evil Dead, Army of Darkness and Brain Dead. With a run time of 63 minutes it's a crowd pleaser that makes you wish you had more. The only movie that could possibly top this would be a behind-the-scenes documentary about how it was made. Fun fact: It was shot over the course of 7 years with an additional 7 years of post production and wasn't properly released until 2012! It's a feast for the eyes. A MUST WATCH!

What is a show without conflict? What is pudding without tapioca? Answer: a waste of your time and taste buds. TJ and Chris transverse this complicated topic along the latest episode of Dead Air Horror Review with the release of the much anticipated Evil Dead Rise. While they could easily agree that the Evil Dead remake of 2013 was a diarrhea filled porta-potty of a mess, this current film in the Evil Dead franchise delivered...more for some than others. What we both can agree on is that there is enough blood and gore to fill your hearts with joy.

TJ gave it a lower rating b/c of cat violence. Chris gave it a lower rating b/c of the ending. Guess what, it was still probably the highest score we've give out yet over the course of this season. A must watch! It's Norwegian so you're going to have to read subtitles, but don't let that deter you. We know you can do it!

Have you ever stared at baked potato in the oven until it was so overcooked that it was a shriveled black mass? Neither have we but it would have been more entertaining than this slop job of a horror flick. Everything was wrong with this movie. Everything! You know it's bad when even Jenna Ortega has a poor performance. We don't blame the future Queen of horror for this flop; she was handed trash and was told it was a script.

Justin Long wasn't funny, but you know what was? That 8ft tall incest mutant that yearned for a baby to take care of! Comedy gold brought to you by director and former Whitest Kid You Know, Zach Cregger. Barbarian is essentially 2 movies in one: the first 20 minutes becomes a real "Ooooh, what's gonna happen next" nail-biter and everything after that is "Okay this is pretty entertaining, I'll stick it out for that silly monster thing." Mixed reviews for Barbarian by hosts TJ and Chris.

Someone told TJ he should watch Australian horror flick, The Loved Ones, because it's Texas Chainsaw Massacre set at a high school prom. Intrigued but skeptical, we gave it a shot in this week's review! Come for the review, stay for TJ's Australian accent.

What is especially frustrating about this horror flick is that the gore and visuals are top-notch, but the storyline fell of the back of a truck heading nowhere. This directorial debut from Fede Álvarez isn't a sleeper, but it doesn't deliver the goods. Also, it makes no sense as a sequel to the original.

Isn't it disappointing when people you know and trust recommend a movie that they swear you'll love and after you finally get around to watching it IT'S TOTALLY BORING? Well, that didn't necessarily happen this week. We need to be more careful about whom we trust with horror recommendations especially if they have historically bad taste. A great cast in this date night horror flick but its "blink too quick and you'll miss it" jump scares leaves us with a bad taste in our mouths.

This Taiwanese found footage thriller is flat-out good. Don't sleep on this one! Yes, you'll have to read the subtitles but you can show off to all of your friends how smart you are.

What do you get when you cross a movie with a weak storyline with an anthropomorphic bear and pig? Well, you get a horror version of your beloved children's book, Winnie the Pooh, that is now part of the public domain. Get ready for this trend of children's books that hit the public domain to be "horrorized" every damn chance they get. "They" meaning creators who want to cash on a premise they think people will enjoy or at least watch. How about Bearenstained With Blood Bears? The Human Flesh Hungry Caterpillar? Charlie Brown - The Sacrifice of Snoopy?

Ti West directs this homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Let's just say it's as close to a real horror as Leatherface's mask is to a real face. Starring a stellar Mia Goth and featuring Jenna Ortega.

Not to be confused with The Watcher on Netflix, this Shudder original titled simply, Watcher, really hits on all cylinders. That acting is excellent as well as the dialogue. No cheese, no cringe, no Naomi Watts.

Director Alexandre Aja created a French Extreme masterpiece with this sordid tale of 2 out-of-sync friends. It delivers on its "promise" of High Tension with the blood and gore that has become synonymous with the horror subgenre.

If you love Halloween movies like we do, you'll be satisfied with the Trilogy…well, depending on who you ask. Also, this episode marks the 2nd time in 2 episodes that we butcher the director's name. We're on a roll.

When no plot and no dialogue make a baby, it's SKINAMARINK! TJ breaks down week 1's horror movie in review with little help or guidance by his ever flappable sidekick, Chris.