John’s top 10 movies of 2022
2022 movies: The horror genre enjoyed a particularly strong year, but I rallied toward the comedies as I ranked my favorites.
All 9 ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ movies, ranked
Movie rankings: From dull and rusty to cutting-edge, here are my rankings of a half-century’s worth of films in the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” franchise.
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ still has meat on its bones
Movie review: This third try at a direct sequel to the 1974 classic is a smart mix of old-school horror grit with the current zeitgeist.
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation’ (1995) takes another crack at comedy
Frightening Friday (Movie review): It’s considered the worst of the franchise, but I find this fourth film easier to watch than the bloated “Chainsaw 2.”
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning’ (2006) a robust prequel
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Between Brewster’s emotive Final Girl and the relentless dread, this is the best “Chainsaw” since the 1974 original.
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (2003) a remake done right
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Director Nispel taps into the old backwoods horror while Kosar has a blast writing an alternate narrative.
‘Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III’ (1990) surprisingly OK
Frightening Friday (Movie review): This is the “Chainsaw” film that most embodies the slasher aesthetic: dumb entertainment, not something that’ll haunt you.
‘Leatherface’ (2017) recaptures ‘Chain Saw’s’ grotesquery
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Featuring nasty people embarking on creative bouts of violence, this is a surprisingly good prequel.
‘Texas Chainsaw’ (2013) a direct – and stupid – sequel
Frightening Friday (Movie review): This 2013 sequel chronicles the events directly after the original. But it doesn’t make much sense.
‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2’ (1986) a bonkers comedy
Frightening Friday (Movie review): This is a rare sequel in a different genre from the original. The switch from scares to laughs is not for the better.