The Mortuary Collection (2019) is a stylish and inventive horror anthology that breathes new life into the portmanteau format. Set in a creaky, atmospheric funeral home, the film follows a young woman named Sam who applies for a job with the enigmatic mortician Montgomery Dark. As part of her interview, he regales her with a series of twisted, phantasmagorical tales drawn from his long and macabre career. Each story serves as a darkly moralistic fable, ranging from a cautionary tale about a predatory college student to a heartbreaking story of a man caring for his terminally ill husband, all filtered through a distinctively Gothic and fantastical horror lens.

Writer-director Ryan Spindell demonstrates impressive command over tone, weaving together chilling horror, dark humor, and genuine pathos. The production design is a character in itself, with the mortuary setting providing a perfectly eerie frame narrative. Clancy Brown delivers a wonderfully theatrical and compelling performance as Montgomery Dark, anchoring the film with gravitas and a twinkle of menace. The cast of each individual segment is equally committed, selling the bizarre and often tragic turns of their stories.

For horror fans, The Mortuary Collection is a must-watch online. It’s a love letter to anthology classics like 'Creepshow' and 'Tales from the Crypt,' but with a modern sensibility and stunning visual flair. The film successfully balances scares with substance, ensuring its tales of cosmic justice and grim irony linger long after the final curtain. Its 6.4 IMDb rating undersells the quality of this hidden gem, which offers a satisfyingly complete and creatively ambitious horror experience in its 108-minute runtime.