Twisted Fiction

Lately we've seen a slew of anthology movies released into the market (there were about a dozen such films in the first 40 years since they debuted in 1916, but more than 40 in the last 40 years). Horror is one of the favorite topics of anthology films, and Twisted Fiction is a cut above the usual junk we might anticipate from a low-budget movie.

There are three tales of terror in this flick, the first being about a man parading as a stage-show hypnotist who's spell-casting turns out to be much worse than hypnosis. The second involves a young woman who goes WAY too far with her sexual escapade in a motel (and pays the price). The third features a movie producer who gets his just desserts for his criminal sexual behavior with aspiring actresses.

I'm sure everyone will be able to pick out their favorite of these three, as well as the weakest of the trio, but there's really not a clunker to be found here. I think the winner is the finale of the set, which is the most modern of the stories and provides a fraction of the revenge that women in Hollywood have earned after decades of Weinstein-like atrocities.

The acting, direction and production design are all pretty solid, while the special effects are hit-and-miss. But it's likely you'll find entertainment in at least one of these three stories, and with online movie-watching powers, you'll find your time (and mouse-button finger) well spent with Twisted Fiction.