A HAUNTED HOUSE represents the kind of surprise leading to disappointment that crops up on the movie scene sometimes—the surprise being that it’s not quite as awful as you might expect, and the disappointment that it still isn’t nearly good enough to recommend.

It’s unclear whether “Spilt Milk” can be judged on its own. As AMERICAN HORROR STORY begins to wrap up its second season in earnest (and not just its typical stop-start-reset fashion) it may be integral to view this eleventh episode of ASYLUM alongside the final two that follow. That could be the key to figuring out whether, in the end, this all works. Because right now, after a truly head-tilting opening in which Dylan McDermott’s present day Bloody Face visits with a lactating prostitute, who can really be sure of anything?

One of the many struggles of independent horror filmmaking is finding a voice to attract your target audience, whether it’s devoting whatever budget you have to a bloodier body count or opting for a quiet, atmospheric tension as a result of limited resources. However, from the oversaturated opening credits onward, THE DEAD INSIDE prides itself on defying expectations, offering surprises within its low-budget boundaries that make it a unique and satisfying genre offering.

It's going to be a busy year for breadcrumb-chasers and candy-makers, and The Asylum have managed to pull the trigger first with their spin on the classic fairy tale HANSEL & GRETEL (coming to Blu Ray/DVD and VOD January 8). Close behind are at least three other titles in 2013, HANSEL & GRETEL in 3D, another project titled simply HANSEL & GRETEL and finally the film that holds most of the hype right now: HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS—a pretty clear ride on the coattails of old Abe and his vampire hunting. While it's still uncertain which film will capture the imaginations of audiences, The Asylum's early entry is worthy of a closer look.

BEAST WISHES, an utterly charming documentary about Bob and Kathy Burns, is about 60 minutes long, but it’s still going to take you hours to watch the DVD. Barely a scene goes by that won’t have fans grabbing for the remote, freeze-framing the image and gasping, “Is that [iconic prop/model/costume/creature]?”

The moment is loaded with potential. You’ve seen glimpses in its trailer. A saw—one that is presumably family—rattles against a chain-link fence. It gives way, and a barrier between Leatherface’s homestead rampages and the public has been knocked down. He’s out in the world—in, of all places, a town carnival. Could TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D aim to match the hysterical lunacy of the original?

It seems AMERICAN HORROR STORY can still surprise. Midst the madness that is ASYLUM, there was the question of Monsignor Timothy Howard, and if his cowering ways would remain intact throughout or if Joseph Fiennes would really get his hands on something. The tenth episode, “The Name Game” saw him take serious responsibility and do away with the show’s greatest character. It was a somber affair, and maybe all a bit unceremonious.