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Samantha McLaren

Tomatometer-approved critic
Biography:

Born in Scotland and based in NYC, Samantha McLaren (she/her) is a queer writer, editor, and performer with a fixation on all things horror. Samantha began writing about horror movies and TV shows in 2015, and her work focuses on spotlighting LGBTQ+ representation, as well as underseen media from her beloved homeland.

Publications:

Reviews

Movies TV Shows
Stockton to Table Rock (2024) EDIT “For fans of family dramas that tackle serious issues, Stockton to Table Rock offers an absorbing story and a level of polish far greater than its meager budget would suggest. ” – MovieJawn Dec 8, 2025 Full Review Dorothea (2025) EDIT “Dorothea is too lax about the details and too kitschy in tone to do either well, resulting in a film that will make you question the decisions that led both you and the director here.” – MovieJawn Nov 9, 2025 Full Review CAMP (2025) 94% EDIT “The world that Fast conjures around these girls unfurls like a dream, impossibly lovely and faintly unreal. Camp feels like a hazy summer night that never ends, a memory slightly blurred by sweet wine.” – Horror Press Nov 5, 2025 Full Review The Serpent's Skin (2025) 100% EDIT “It’s all very wholesome, the kind of work designed to leave a queer audience smiling, and we need more of that. ” – Horror Press Nov 4, 2025 Full Review Tenement (2024) EDIT “Even the crispest cinematography can’t fill a hole in a script, and Tenement has a big one at the center of it.” – MovieJawn Oct 25, 2025 Full Review Affection (2025) 93% EDIT “For such a contained film, Affection is pleasantly high concept and well realized, even if it leaves the viewer with a few itches left unscratched. ” – MovieJawn Oct 17, 2025 Full Review A Halloween Feast (2024) EDIT “If you go in expecting a Michelin star, you’ll be disappointed—but if you’re the kind of person willing to take a chance on a suspicious burger from a roadside cart, A Halloween Feast may just hit the spot.” – MovieJawn Oct 14, 2025 Full Review V/H/S Halloween (2025) 89% EDIT “There’s truly something for everyone in entry, some sweet, some sour, but all immensely satisfying. It might rot your teeth, but V/H/S/Halloween is proof that this is one annual tradition that deserves to be revisited year after year.” – Horror Press Sep 30, 2025 Full Review Mārama (2025) 100% EDIT “Mārama is a shining example of all the stories that badly need to be told, and all the ways that the subgenres we love can benefit from an injection of fresh blood. ” – Horror Press Sep 30, 2025 Full Review Vicious (2025) 44% EDIT “The fuzzy rules and mixed messages ending make for a more befuddling than satisfying watch, ultimately lessening the impact of the scares. It all feels a little like a first draft.” – Horror Press Sep 30, 2025 Full Review Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) 77% EDIT “There are plenty of pitch-black Christmas horror films out there for people looking for coal in their stockings. The world is bleak enough right now—I’ll enjoy a sugar cookie where I can get one.” – Horror Press Sep 30, 2025 Full Review The Long Walk (2025) 88% EDIT “Misjudged ending aside, The Long Walk is a satisfyingly nasty little addition to the Stephen King cinematic universe. It’s a hard novel to adapt, but Lawrence and Mollner mostly find ways to keep the action moving, even if it’s only at 3 miles per hour.” – MovieJawn Sep 12, 2025 Full Review Influencers (2025) 96% EDIT “Influencer culture gets the axe once again in Influencers, a sleek and satisfying follow-up to the 2023 Shudder hit that sees the psychopathic CW (Cassandra Naud) returning to her killer ways. ” – MovieJawn Aug 26, 2025 Full Review Lilly Lives Alone (2025) 55% EDIT “Gradual is the operative word here: Lilly Lives Alone is the kind of achingly slow burn that will turn some casual horror viewers off, and its propensity to suggest but rarely state may aggravate as much as intrigue. ” – MovieJawn Aug 22, 2025 Full Review Die'ced: Reloaded (2025) EDIT “The score feels like a B-side to Stranger Things (2016–present) and some of the hair is lightly teased, but either through budget constraints or a lack of imagination, Die’ced: Reloaded never feels like a true ’80s throwback either in style or substance.” – MovieJawn Aug 9, 2025 Full Review Ebony & Ivory (2024) 73% EDIT “Ebony & Ivory wastes your time, knows it's wasting your time, knows that you know it’s wasting your time, and loves that you know. Make no mistake: it has extremely niche appeal. But having watched this film, I think I can safely say I’m in that niche.” – MovieJawn Aug 9, 2025 Full Review The A-Frame (2024) 81% EDIT “A quick and dirty sci-fi horror flick, The A-Frame’s tone can be a little shaky, but its concept and overall execution are compelling.” – MovieJawn Aug 9, 2025 Full Review The Occupant (2025) 94% EDIT “It’s all too easy for a film like this to grow stagnant, but The Occupant is always evolving. ” – MovieJawn Aug 8, 2025 Full Review T-Blockers (2023) 100% EDIT “With a predominantly queer, nonbinary, and trans cast and crew, and central characters it’s easy to love, T Blockers is a real treat for queer horror fans” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review Stopmotion (2023) 91% EDIT “Morgan’s assured direction glues us to our seats as the tragedy unfolds in front of our eyes, culminating in a breathless and bloody third act that we’re powerless to look away from.” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review The Sacrifice Game (2023) 90% EDIT “The script confidently switches genres in the blink of an eye, changing the stakes and shifting the upper hand with each reveal as it propels us toward a bloody climax. ” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review Doctor Jekyll (2023) 41% EDIT “Frankly, it’s also refreshing to see Izzard play two self-assured women for the price of one. The problem is that Doctor Jekyll doesn’t know what it wants to be.” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review Apartment 7A (2024) 45% EDIT “With a strong cast, beautiful costuming, and a few stand-out sequences, Apartment 7A is a solid prequel to Rosemary’s Baby — but that’s all it is. ” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review V/H/S/Beyond (2024) 90% EDIT “V/H/S/Beyond is the rare exception, delivering hit after horrifying hit and proving there’s still life (and gory deaths) in this long-running franchise.” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review Heretic (2024) 90% EDIT “It’s nonsense, but it’s entertaining nonsense wrapped in a script that will truly make you think.” – Horror Press Aug 1, 2025 Full Review
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