 PET SEMATARY
1989 / d. Mary Lambert
  
Who hasn’t lost a pet or a loved one and wouldn’t do anything to bring them back? Another simple life truth askewed delightfully into freaky charm and horror. The cast here is small but memorable -- Dale Midkiff as the desperate father and Fred Gwynne as the wise old neighbor who meets a very bizarre end. And the baby, well, he’s just so dang cute and disturbing at the same time! This is another one that might be too disturbing and confusing for super young ones. (KB)
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 PHANTASM
1979 / d. Don Coscarelli
What PHANTASM lacks in technique, it makes up for in atmosphere and overall "feel-good-ness". Sure, it's got its share of goofy special effects, and yes, arguably the acting is more than a wee bit hoaky, but this one is a real favourite of mine. Even with all its faults, it's still tough not to get sucked into the elusive and fantastical story. Low budget horror with balls! Get it? Oh ho ho! Clev-ah!
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 PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION
1998 / d. Don Coscarelli
Angus Scrimm, Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, and Reggie Bannister re-unite for this fitting final chapter to the series. A compelling storyline takes the audience on a cross-dimensional ride and shows them a glimpse into The Tall Man's past. If you can look past the slow pace and just appreciate the fact that these films have always been about old-fashioned atmospheric horror fun, you're bound to enjoy it. Big tall and scary is looking his best in this one: white haired, decrepit, and sinister. And without a doubt, the silver spheres look the best yet in this installment. Kudos to Coscarelli for making use of previously unseen footage from the first film, achieving an unexpected effect seemingly impossible without the aid of a time machine. Trippy, eerie, and fun.
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 POLTERGEIST
1982 / d. Tobe Hooper
Maybe in our rapidly changing television technologies, this one will loose some of its luster someday. For old school folks like me, however, who remember big old console sets full of static, POLTERGEIST never gets old. The warnings of technology being conduits for angry spirits, beasts in the closet, and demonic toys combined with adorable child victims and sassy little psychics remind us to respect the dead and appreciate the line between life and death. Naturally, there are sub par sequels, but behind the scenes documentaries detailing the tragedies surround this film are far more interesting. And the blu-ray is smashing! (KB)
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 PSYCHO II
1983 / d. Richard Franklin
Yes, this 1983 follow up isn’t as stellar as the original Hitchcock classic. Nevertheless, it is a fine sequel, continuing the story of Norman and his dearly not-departed mother in the spirit of the original. Fans who are for some reason not interested in the black and white original can appreciate Anthony Perkins here with more spice and Technicolor. PSYCHO III and PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING make a fine marathon for completists, but the franchise is best left here. Enjoy! (KB)
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 PULSE
2006 / d. Jim Sonzero
Kristen Bell is a-okay, but this scare about ghosts killing college kids via computers and cell phones is like every other film with static, strobing ghosts, and an unending, never escaping cycle. It’s THE RING without the videotape. Another intriguing premise wasted on plot holes, redundant effects, and teen angst. Wah!
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 PUMPKINHEAD
1988 / d. Jim Sonzero
Stan Winston works his dark-wizardry in conjuring up a gothic, heavily atmospheric, and still to this day underplayed horror classic. Lance Henriksen stars as a father who, after losing his son in a tragic accident, is driven into a world of unspeakable darkness when he seeks to invoke a powerful demon of vengeance -- the menacing, extraordinary creature known as Pumpkinhead. Genuinely eerie from start to end, Winston spins a moving tale of grief, regret, and one man's struggle for redemption. Like Tom Savini's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990) remake, we are shown that when special effects artists take the helm of a film, a truly memorable product can often result.
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