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The problem with many horror movie franchises is that due to lack of new ideas brought by their authors (who tend to solely exploit the trademarks and fundamentals of the original work instead of contributing something of their own) sequels/prequels lack originality, are too derivative, formulaic and overall subpar. None of these applies to the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre prequel entitled "Leatherface".

"Leatherface", directed by Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury ("À l'intérieur") is an example of a very well done prequel – to a certain extent reminiscent of the original work of Tobe Hooper, containing multiple references thereto as well (like the grandfather slamming a victim with a hammer and killing him with a single hit, as the granddaddy is in his prime here), but nevertheless original, self-reliant and solid piece of work.

The biggest achievement of the directors is a successful mixture of genres: a horror movie, a rural shotgun crime film and a mystery. An "asylum horror movie" could also be added to these as a sub-genre, however I have intentionally omitted it as the scenes taking place in the asylum were my least favorite (somewhat derivative, similar to Rob Zombie's "Halloween" prequel and other asylum horrors). The events taking place after the asylum part are much more interesting and exciting. The diner shootout (reminiscent of Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killers") is classic on its own terms. Then comes the mystery (big twist) part that I am not going to elaborate on (in order not to spoil anything). And, finally, the kid-to-monster metamorphosis (both, physical and moral) was done immaculately.

A few words about the cast: it was good! The characters felt real, there was no overacting (or just bad acting) that we often see in horror films. Lili Taylor, Jessica Madsen and Sam Strike did a great job.

Visual and special effects are topnotch. The movie is ultraviolent – just the way a full-fledged Texas Chainsaw Massacre film should be. The ability to create amazing violent scenes on screen was demonstrated by Bustillo and Maury in their prior work (primarily, in "À l'intérieur"). The imagery (rural landscape, Sawyers' house, killing weapons, etc) is spot on and consistent with the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The only way in which "Leatherface" is not fully consistent with its predecessor is that the latter is a dark comedy, while the prequel somewhat lacks the comic and the whole "Grand Guignol" elements of the original. This is only a minor issue though and does not affect the quality of the film in any way, especially if we consider that the film is already a mixture of various genres (as described above).

In a nutshell, "Leatherface" is one of the best installments in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise and is a great horror movie on its own terms. Definitely recommended to all horror fans.

Another Evil is one gem of a little film. Let the reference to 'little' not mislead you though - it's 'little' not due to lack of significance or quality, but because of its limited budget and its orientation towards a smaller audience (appreciators of intelligent minimalist horror comedy). The film seems to have been made by true enthusiasts of the genre who must have enjoyed every bit of making it. Another Evil is a good proof of the fact that it's not the budget and fancy special effects that make a good film but a quality script, skillful directing and good acting.

The Plot is simple. A family's house is haunted by evil (or not?) spirits and the man of the family invites a ghost specialist (or a ghost evictor?) to chase these spirits away from the house. The ghost man - a chubby and funny looking man (who first seems nice and friendly but eventually turns out to be totally bizarre weirdo) becomes very fond of the protagonist's company and does not seem to be wanting to part with the latter. He therefore extends the initially agreed term of the services and even offers to the protagonist a free-of–charge day (so that he can stay over a little longer with his new "best friend"). However, the protagonist does not quite share this affection (to put it lightly). He wants this weirdo to leave the house immediately, once and for all, even at the expense of some of the ghosts remaining in the premises. This is where the conflict begins and the comedy slowly picks up thriller elements, leading to unexpected events.

The film is hilarious, filled with irony and top quality subtle humor. The jokes are at times dry and somewhat dark, so they're definitely not for everyone, but the "right" audience will appreciate. The choice of the main actors was done very well (especially the ghost man) creating the right chemistry between the two.

Some tabloid could probably describe the film as "Cable Guy meets Conjuring" and this would probably be a pretty accurate description (despite the corniness). Overall, if you enjoy a good quality, subtle dark comedy and are a fan of John Landis/Sam Raimi movies, Another Evil is definitely worth checking out.

After seeing brilliant "House of Devil" I decided to check out other movies of Ti West, who seems to be a very talented and promising film director. Even lots of negative reviews on IMDb did not dissuade me to watch this film. "Innkeeprers" turned out to be a very well made horror film which will be truly appreciated by more mature horror movie fans looking forward for suspense rather than lots of gore and high bodycount. Tension builds up slowly, gradually reaching the climax. Actors are doing a great job and director is a true master of the genre attempting to produce a small masterpiece in a minimalistic premise, only a few actors and almost no special effects. Watch this movie at night, alone, with lights off and I promise you that you are going to be scared.