Nightmare Cinema

The film comprises five segments and a wraparound, The Projectionist (D: Mick Garris). Five strangers converge at a haunted movie theater owned by The Projectionist (Mickey Rourke). Once inside, the audience members witness a series of screenings that shows them their deepest fears and darkest secrets over five tales. • The Thing in the Woods (D: Alejandro Brugués), a postmodern sendup of slasher thrillers, involving a killer who is not what he seems. Starring Eric Nelsen, Sarah Withers, Kevin Fonteyne, and Chris Warren. • Mirari (D: Joe Dante), a woman with facial scars seeks plastic surgery at a sinister clinic. Starring Richard Chamberlain, Zarah Mahler, Mark Grossman, and Belinda Balaski. • Mashit (D: Ryūhei Kitamura), Catholic schoolgirls become possessed by a demon of child-suicide. Starring Maurice Benard, Stephanie Cood, Calista Bess, and Mariela Garriga. • This Way to Egress (D: David Slade), a woman waiting for a doctor's appointment experiences disturbing shifts in reality. Starring Elizabeth Reaser, Adam Godley, Ezra Buzzington, Bronwyn Merrill, and Patrick Wilson. • Dead (D: Mick Garris), an adolescent piano prodigy dies, is revived, and is under attack from supernatural forces. Starring Faly Rakotohavan, Annabeth Gish, Daryl C. Brown, Lexy Panterra, and Orson Chaplin. == Production ==

The project was announced in September 2017 with the five directors attached and Rourke as the storyteller. Filming took place in the United States in November and December 2017. == Release ==

The film had its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada on July 13, 2018. It received a limited release in the United States on June 21, 2019. == Reception ==

At its premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival, Nightmare Cinema was praised for its eclectic anthology format. Critics highlighted David Slade's segment This Way to Egress as a standout for its surreal black-and-white style. Critical response On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Nightmare Cinema holds an approval rating of , based on reviews, and an average rating of . Its consensus reads, "Admirably eclectic yet more consistent than most horror anthologies, Nightmare Cinema should entertain viewers in the mood for a good old-fashioned creepshow." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews." Dennis Harvey, writing for Variety, gave the film a favorable review and called it an "uneven but fun compendium of scare tales." RogerEbert.coms Nick Allen provided a mixed review, praising certain segments for their creativity and execution but criticizing others for lacking coherence and impact. He noted that the film offers a little something for every type of horror fan, but it can be a bit of a mess. Noel Murray from the Los Angeles Times also gave a mixed review, appreciating the anthology format and the nostalgic appeal but mentioning that some segments work better than others, leading to an uneven overall experience. == References ==