PLOT: A group of teenagers in a remote location must barricade themselves in a pool to escape their rabies-infested pet chimp. No, seriously.

REVIEW: It was hard to know what to expect walking into Paramount Pictures’ Primate at Fantastic Fest, where it premiered a few months ago. All that was known at that point was it was a horror movie scheduled to release in January about a killer chimp directed by Johannes Roberts. When the Strangers: Prey at Night director introduced the film to the audience, he promised a real treat for Stephen King fans. He talked about being inspired by Cujo and Christine and how proud he was of the film and joked that he hoped this would make people forgive him for Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. As silly as the premise may sound, it was clear that everyone involved believed in this film. And it turns out they have every right to do just that.

Primate turned out to be an unapologetic blood bath of fun. The opening scene perfectly sets the tone and lets you know that this movie is going to have you laughing out loud while simultaneously squirming in your seat. For starters, the rabies-infested chimp Ben is amazing. It’s hard to discern exactly how they brought the adorable yet insane animal to life, but Roberts mentioned that they employed a variety of special effects techniques, including animatronics. All I know for sure is that it wasn’t done using very much CGI, if any at all, which brings you back to a better time of ’90s horror and action movies where maybe things didn’t always look perfect, but by God, they were far more entertaining. We also get more of this cute chimp turned sadistic little a-hole on screen than we ever could have imagined. He’s doing it all, from slow-stalking Michael Myers-esque suspense sequences to celebrating his kills in front of the crying friends of his victims. Therein lies the genius of Primate.

It’s an easy movie to snub your nose at if you are inclined to do so. Though our lead actors Troy Kotsur and Johnny Sequoyah are earnestly great, there’s a handful of dumb choices by our teens in peril. There are also some hilariously unbelievable moments involving what Ben is capable of doing. But the kicker is that everyone creating this madness is clearly in on the joke in a very meta way. You know this is the case when one character yells something completely stupid during an intense moment and the entire crowd bursts out in laughter together. It’s Neve Campbell talking about the big-breasted girl running upstairs when she should run out the front door. You’ll be feeling that way while you watch four human beings with at least almost fully grown brains unable to outsmart a rabies-crazed chimp hunting them down poolside. I don’t know what it is with Johannes Roberts and pool horror, but the man does his best work surrounded by floats and the smell of chlorine.

The music in Primate is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Steve Parr, who worked with Roberts on Prey at Night, returns and leaves his mark yet again. During a chase sequence or moment of over-the-top carnage, John Carpenter-esque synth music raises the stakes and the fun. On the flip side, when something especially messed up and dark happens on the screen, the notes turn darker and invasive in a way that reminded me of Marco Beltrami’s Sidney’s Lament from Scream. Which is the perfect dichotomy of Primate.

Yeah, this is a killer chimp movie with some dumb laughs, Terrifier 2-level kills (it doesn’t go quite THAT far, but it’s in the neighborhood), and is a lot better than should be expected for a dump month such as January. But Primate seems to know all that, embrace it, and deliver an insanely entertaining horror movie. 

Fantastic Fest

GREAT

8

The post Primate Review: Johannes Roberts’ Killer Chimp Movie Is a Blood Bath of Fun appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: It’s tough to make an original zombie flick (although hopefully that will soon change). Ever since 28 Days Later reinvigorated the genre back in 2003, we’ve been inundated with movie after movie, not to mention hundreds of episodes of The Walking Dead (and its spin-offs) and others. Into the fray comes the Australian We Bury the Dead, which is an attempt to make an elevated, realistic exploration of the genre. In this one, the undead are never referred to as “zombies” and are unlike any we’ve seen on film before. These undead victims aren’t particularly vicious, nor do they have a hunger for human flesh. They also can’t infect survivors. Instead, when they’re back “online” (which is how the film describes them), they’re relatively passive and sometimes have tiny remnants of who they used to be baked into them. 

Daisy Ridley plays Ava, an American woman whose husband, Mitch (Matt Whelan) was away on a company retreat in Tasmania when an American chemical weapons test went awry and killed millions. She volunteers to be part of a body retrieval unit so that she can have some measure of closure, but soon, she convinces another volunteer, Clay (Brenton Thwaites), to take her to a quarantined area so she can try to find the body of her husband. 

Much of the movie is a road odyssey through the infected parts of Australia. There’s very little in the way of horror, with it more focused on the human aspect. Ridley’s Ava is riddled with guilt over how, in the days before her beloved husband went on his fateful trip, their relationship had begun to curdle for some reason. She’s hoping that if she finds him, and he’s back “online,” she can help him have a more dignified end than what she’s seen, with the military simply shooting anyone who happens to come back. 

Ridley does a great job of evoking the character’s profound grief over both her husband’s death and her need to find out what happened to him. Brenton Thwaites steals scenes as Clay, the party-boy Australian who spends his nights hooking up with other volunteers and doing drugs to deal with the trauma of what they see day by day. 

As a drama, We Bury the Dead works well, with the Australian countryside beautifully photographed and the movie sporting an effective soundtrack by electronic musician Clay. Yet, the film goes awry at times, with writer-director Zak Hilditch unable to avoid falling prey to some cliches of the genre. One of the worst offenders is a lengthy aside featuring an intense soldier, Mark Coles Smith’s Riley, who seems wound too tight to be sane and is soon revealed to be a total psychopath. It’s such a familiar trope of the genre that when it hits, not only is it utterly predictable, but it’s also disappointing, as it makes the movie, for a good chunk of its running time, nothing you haven’t seen before.

As such, We Bury the Dead, for all its ambitions, can’t help but occasionally feel like a retread. With so much zombie content out there, it’s very difficult to add anything new to the genre. Inevitably, this movie doesn’t manage to overcome the familiarity of the genre, but even still, it is mostly entertaining for much of its running time thanks to the ace technical packaging, and good performances from Ridley and Thwaites. It’s solid but unspectacular. 

sxsw 2025

AVERAGE

6

The post We Bury the Dead Review: A grim, “elevated” zombie flick appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: There’s a reason that Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is often near the top of many “Best Horror Films Of All Time” lists. It’s imagery is iconic and its performances are legendary. The film has reached a status that few films can manage. And, despite Stephen King not being a fan of it, I think it actually goes pretty well with the book. There are plenty of little details that are enhanced if you’ve read the novel. But does The Shining hold up as an experience on IMAX 45 years later?

For the select few who are unaware, The Shining follows the Torrance family as they move into The Overlook Hotel. Jack Torrance has taken up the winter caretaker position, as the hotel needs looked after during the long and arduous winter during the off season. Isolation starts to get to the entire family, as weird events start occurring, and Jack’s sanity starts slipping more and more. Their son Danny has a unique psychic ability that warns him of the impending doom.

Jack Nicholson’s Jack Torrance is still wonderful demented and, despite his big turn towards the end, is much more subdued in the buildup. You can feel the hotel taking him over with each passing day. But this is really Shelley Duvall’s movie. Her performance as Wendy has been criticized over the years but if there’s anything about this film that’s aged well, it’s her take on the matriarch of the family. She plays the emotional abused mother so well, and it’s so gratifying to finally see her snap into action. Young Danny Lloyd is quiet but brings so much to the table, nailing every moment he needs to sell a moment.

Seeing The Shining on IMAX is an otherworldly experience, with so many elements getting a chance to shine on the large format. Kubrick is so intentional with his framing Kubrick and color palette and it’s a lot easier to appreciate on such a big screen. I also really love how much the sound design and score from Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind help to layer the film in such a sense of dread. The atmosphere is truly astounding and really engrosses you. The story aside, it’s easy to get lost in all the technical details as everything that shows up in the frame feels so intentional.

I really love that studios are doing these anniversary screenings as they provide the opportunity to see these films on something more than just the televisions in our living rooms. If there’s any film deserving of the theatrical experience, it’s Kubrick‘s 1980 masterpiece. I find myself jealous of those that may have never seen the film and this was their first time with it, as it’s still so impactful. It takes something truly special to feel so timeless nearly half a century later and this does just that. I can’t recommend this one enough.

The Shining Is Now Playing In Select Theaters For It’s 45th Anniversary.

The Shining

PERFECTO-MUNDO

10

The post The Shining (45th Anniversary IMAX) Review – A Seminal Experience appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: A child witnesses his parents’ murder by a man in a Santa suit. Years later, as an adult, he dons a Santa costume himself and embarks on a violent quest for retribution against those responsible for the traumatic event from his childhood.

REVIEW: The Silent Night Deadly Night Franchise is one of the craziest ones out there. From “Garbage Day” to a killer toymaker to a crazy witch cult that have nothing to do with the other films, it can be pretty all over the place. And with a remake already happening 13 years ago, I’m not sure I was even anticipating another stab at the franchise. But thankfully that has changed with Mike P. Nelson’s Silent Night Deadly Night.

Like the original, we’re following Billy as he goes on a bit of a rampage dressed as Santa. But plenty of the details are changed and is updated for more modern sensibilities. Gone is the rape of Billy’s mother, and the more psychological elements of the story, but there’s still plenty of killer Santa spectacle. It doesn’t all work, and those expecting something deep and meaningful should probably look elsewhere, but if you just want a good time, then this certainly provides that.

Putting aside my feelings on Halloween Ends, I was excited to see Rohan Campbell enter the Billy Chapman role, as it seemed like a part he could really pull off. While the character is very different from the more tormented version we see in the original, it makes up for that by presenting him in a more palatable way. Despite all the killings, Billy doesn’t immediately enter antagonist mode. I’ve been a fan of Ruby Modine since Happy Death Day so it’s nice to see her in a role that’s more than meets the eye. She shows some great emotional depth and is able to make the dialogue feel a little less awkward when she’s around. The movie definitely leans into the love story between those two characters.

There are some fun twists and turns along the way that will make some roll their eyes but I got a kick out of them. There are also really dumb ones that don’t work and are very expositional. Thankfully, even these enter the “so bad it’s good” territory so it’s all very palatable. Even those moments that don’t work entirely, still fit in with the world enough that they never feel overly egregious. Though, the ending is probably going to irk some people as it takes a big swing that isn’t going to work for all.

There’s been a strange pattern lately of “title cards to explain the situation” and I can’t tell if it’s just because of the short attention spans or what. Silent Night Deadly Night does this with nearly every kill, with a “Kill So and So” title card. I got pretty sick of it and it really made me realize how much I hate those in many films. Unless you’re telling us something that the visuals don’t then immediately follow-up with, then it just feels like it’s catering to dummies (which I feel like we need less of in this world).

I was very worried about this film after the Jason Voorhees short film Sweet Revenge released earlier this year as it annoyed me on just about every level. But thankfully, writer/director Mike P Nelson really pulls off the Killer Santa well here. While I do wish that there was some more impactful violence, the tone rides the line of slightly disturbing but always entertaining, very well. I’m sure the budget hampered it at times, but it’s never overly noticeable and I was always engrossed in the world.

It is difficult for me to call Silent Night, Deadly Night a good movie in the traditional sense. It’s melodramatic, over the top and just plain silly at times. But damn if it’s not extremely entertaining from start to finish. This will definitely be entering my annual Christmas rotation as it manages to bask in the Christmas spirit while still giving us plenty of violent mayhem. It’s not nearly as psychological as the original (or as disturbing) but it’s more than deserving of the name. Here’s just hoping there aren’t a bunch of pissed off mothers boycotting it. Or maybe that would be a good thing? Marketing is marketing, especially in this day and age.

Silent Night Deadly Night is playing In Theaters on December 11th, 2025.

Silent Night, Deadly Night

GOOD

7

The post Silent Night Deadly Night ’25 Review: A Fun But Flawed Christmas Slasher appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: Osgood Perkins has quickly become one of my favorite names in horror. He has such a unique voice and vision that he stands out so much these days. And with his rapid output, it’s a good time to be a fan of the writer/director. While he’s proven himself to be quite polarizing, that’s just because he goes so against the grain of what we usually see. And it’s so damn refreshing. Keeper follows suit, giving us a look at a couple going away to a cabin for the weekend, and the strange happenings that occur there. But it ends up subverting damn near every single expectation you could possibly have for it.

There’s something off about the relationship between Liz (Tatiana Maslany) and Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) from frame one. The marketing has really not given away anything about this film, so I’ll have to be careful about how I speak about it. I would never want to spoil it, as it certainly benefits from going in knowing as little as possible. It’s a film about a struggling relationship, and both actors sell it very well. There’s a strange quality to every character interaction, and it adds to the overall uneasiness of the film.

Keeper is very much a slow burn and lets you soak in the mystery. I was never bored and always so intrigued by what was happening. There are some truly unsettling moments. But those expecting anything too horrific should probably lower those expectations. This falls more under the subtle side of things, with most of the violence happening off-screen. I was really impressed with the creepy imagery, with some of it evoking some classic Japanese Horror tropes. Several moments sent genuine shivers up my spine, and that’s hard to accomplish in this day and age.

Keeper is full of absolutely gorgeous shots, and Perkins really puts a focus on the editing. There are constant fades happening, interweaving the visuals in a way that takes advantage of the shot composition. It really helps keep things interesting while it’s still setting up what’s truly going on at the cabin. The technical side of Osgood’s filmmaking is enough to hide some of the weaknesses of the script, which doesn’t entirely come together with the finale. Even still, I liked where it ended up, and it’s really all a showcase for Maslany, who continues to be one of the best performers out there.

As with any film that takes a big swing, Keeper is going to be polarizing. While I probably wouldn’t rank it as high as Longlegs or The Monkey, it’s still an impressive display of filmmaking. Perkins maintains his uniqueness and gives us something that stands well on its own. It falters a bit with its ending, but the imagery was so great, that it still worked for me. Go into this knowing as little as possible, as it’s clearly meant to be experienced that way. It won’t work for everyone, but in this day and age of sequels and retreads, it’s great to watch something that truly feels unlike anything else.

Keeper Is Playing In Theaters on November 14th, 2025.

Keeper

GOOD

7

The post Keeper Review: The Finale Stumbles A Bit But Still Wholly Unique appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: I’m not a religious man, so I wasn’t exactly offended when it was announced that Nic Cage would be starring in a horror movie about Jesus. But I’m not ignorant enough to think this would be without controversy. Presenting a religious figure in any light other than sacred will result in some angry people. But it’s best to just drown out that noise and just watch the movie for what it is: a story of a mother, a father, and their son as they try to navigate the world over 2000 years ago. Throw in a bit of magic and miracles and you’ve got The Carpenter’s Son.

None of the characters have names (at least, for most of the runtime); they are simply The Carpenter, The Boy, The Mother, and The Stranger. But it’s all fairly obvious who they’re all portraying. I guess this was their way of skirting the topic, and I suppose it’s a classier way of doing it. Even if they are hitting you over the head with what the film is actually about, there are still some abstract moments that allow the viewer to watch it through their own lens. This is about Joseph, Mary, and Jesus’ time in exile, and is essentially the “missing years” of their story.

Nicolas Cage is fairly subdued as The Carpenter and honestly feels a bit out of place. His cadence is more modern and doesn’t really fit with the world. Cage seems like a difficult person to believably place in a more period-set story. But I also understand his value in getting eyeballs on the project. Thankfully, we do get one scene where Cage goes full yelling and crazy mode, but it’s not common with his character. Noah Jupe is proving to be more than just “the annoying kid from A Quiet Place” and this is very much his story. He’s lost and doesn’t fully understand his place in life, and Jupe gets that across without much dialogue. The standout of the film is The Queen’s Gambit‘s Isla Johnston. I won’t spoil her role here, but she’s gloriously evil while still providing a bit of nuance.

It is interesting to see a story about Jesus from a different perspective than we’re accustomed to. I understand where the allure of the project came from. But, as is, it feels far too subdued. The first hour can be a bit of a slog, though it really picks up in the final 30 minutes. Writer/Director Lofty Nathan clearly wants to tell the story with a bit of a horror slant, but it doesn’t feel any more horrific than some of the darker moments of The Passion of the Christ. I really enjoyed the vision of Hell (though I wouldn’t be shocked to hear that it utilizes AI, as something about it just looked off). If the movie had played out more like the final portion, I would have been more along for the ride, as it felt like it actually had something to say.

Ultimately, The Carpenter’s Son has some intriguing moments but it mostly feels a bit stale. It seems like they veered off too much for religious folks, and kept in line too much to be an entertaining horror film. It’s Biblical in nature, but never really gets to the meat of anything important. Cage isn’t very prominent, and something feels off about him when he is. His delivery could gain the film a bit of cult status, as it definitely allows for some unintentionally funny moments. Which is never what you’re going for with a film that’s often so deathly serious like this.

The Carpenter’s Son is playing in theaters on November 14th, 2025.

The Carpenter's Son

BELOW AVERAGE

5

The post The Carpenter’s Son Review: A Waste of Cage appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: How far would you go to protect your children? That’s the question Babak Anvari’s (Under the Shadow) Hallow Road asks. While it’s a familiar one, what makes Hallow Road unique is that the parents in this movie aren’t necessarily racing to save their children from an external force but rather from a deadly calamity of their own making. 

Running a taut eighty minutes, Hallow Road takes place mostly in a car, as Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys race the clock to drive out to the remote road of the title to save their daughter, Alice (Megan McDonnell), who’s just made the biggest mistake of her life, fresh off of having a massive blow-out with her folks. What’s unique about the movie is how flawed everyone is, with Alice no pure-hearted victim, as she’s willing to do what she has to avoid paying the consequences of her own actions.

Of course, something happens about halfway through the film, which brings it more in line with Anvari’s other, more genre-based films, when it becomes something of a morality tale/ fable about the protective gene baked into parents, which provokes them to do amoral things to save their children. It asks you to consider the fact that, by constantly protecting children from the consequences of their own actions, you wind up with kids who, even as adults, still rely on their parents for everything and have little to no scruples of their own. 

It’s a terrifically paced two-hander, with Pike and Rhys superb in their roles. Of the two, Pike is playing the slightly more conscientious parent, being a burnt-out paramedic who has some empathy for Alice’s victim. By contrast, Rhys’s character is solely focused on getting their daughter out of danger; consequences to himself (or anyone else) be damned.

Yet, the movie also doesn’t judge either of the parents, allowing you to make up your own mind about their actions. Pike and Rhys are two of the best in the biz, and throughout the scant running time, they give a masterclass in acting, with this one of the best-contained thrillers in recent memory.

However, the more genre-based twist seems prone to divide audiences a bit. While I was watching it, I wasn’t sure it entirely worked, but a mid-credits Easter egg changed my opinion as I walked out of the screening. Since it ended, it’s a movie that I’ve been chewing on, having made a bigger impression on me than I initially thought.

Anvari does an excellent job keeping the film visually interesting despite the contained nature of the film. One really cool addition to the film is the score by Lorne Balfe and Peter Adams, which uniquely uses a symphonic rendition of the Depeche Mode classic “Behind the Wheel” as the movie’s main theme. As a major DM fan, I found this aspect delicious.

It’ll be interesting to see how genre fans react to Hallow Road when it comes out. While it’s not directly labeled as a supernatural thriller, there are elements of that at play here, and they work quite well. The movie almost felt like a feature-length version of a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episode, albeit done with a lot of style. It’s the kind of morality tale a guy like Rod Serling would have appreciated. 

Hallow Road is playing as part of a horror double feature at AMC theaters this weekend with Vincent Must Die

sxsw 2025

GREAT

8

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PLOT: Drag queens and club kids battle zombies craving brains during a zombie outbreak at their drag show in Brooklyn, putting personal conflicts aside to utilize their distinct abilities against the undead threat.

REVIEW: When you think of the word zombie, many of us horror fans think of the name George A Romero. He helped to create the genre and gave us three of the best zombie films out there. So it’s exciting that his daughter Tina is picking up the undead filmmaking mantle and trying her hand at making this style of film, with a biting social message. Very apropos for 2025, Queens of the Dead follows a group of people at a drag show and their partners, as a zombie outbreak happens in the heart of New York City. And rather than the stylings of her father, she takes a decidedly more comedic approach that mostly works.

One thing I need to get out of the way immediately is that Queens of the Dead is a comedy. I struggle to even pair it with horror, as this is really just going for laughs. The zombies are more just a means for putting these characters in an interesting situation, rather than actually giving us any scares. The zombies are treated very unseriously, with there even being glitter embedded in their skin/appearance. They are not a threat and provide more laughs than scares. So long as you go in with those expectations, I’d say it’s much more digestible.

The film has quite an ensemble, with Katy O’Brian, Riki Lindholme, Margaret Cho, Jack Haven, and Jacquel Spivey all getting a chance to shine. Even Tom Savini makes a great cameo at one point, as the mayor of New York. This is a very large cast, yet everyone feels fully formed and not simply caricatures.

Obviously, a film about drag queens is going to be very LGBTQ positive, and it feels appropriate for the times we live in. Like her father, Tina is able to have a social message, this time with the simple message of: “Hey, queer people are people too.” It helps that Queens of the Dead‘s greatest strength is its characters, who are infinitely entertaining and pop out of the screen. Tina is quite capable of handling the performances and dialogue, making everything feel natural in a way that independent cinema can sometimes struggle with.

As a drag movie with fun characters, Queens of the Dead is pretty entertaining. But once it enters zombie mode, it feels more like satire than anything related to horror. I think this would be fine if it weren’t coming from the daughter of George Romero. Obviously, that brings with it a lot of baggage, and it’s unfortunately a bit of a disappointment in that regard. Every character death feels like “this has to happen to get rid of characters” versus actually having a cause and effect. Had there been just a little more stakes, the overall product would have greatly benefited.

Ultimately, as much as I enjoyed the characters, Queens of the Dead was a bit too silly at times for me. It also ends very abruptly, without much of a third act. There could have easily been at least ten more minutes, and given us a little more of a climactic third act. Instead, there’s a lot of setup without a ton of payoff. Romero proves to have a lot of potential so this should still be considered a massive win for her, as she certainly has her father’s knack for social commentary. While this does feel rather niche overall, that niche is going to absolutely love this.

Queens of the Dead is In Theaters on October 24th, 2025 and on Shudder soon.

Queens of the Dead

GOOD

7

The post Queens of the Dead Review: Does Romero’s Daughter Have The Zombie Chops? appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: There was a lot of interest when Chris Stuckmann announced he’d be making a horror movie of his own after years of YouTube film criticism. The reviews coming out of Fantasia last year weren’t so great (check out Bumbray’s review of that cut HERE), but then Mike Flanagan stepped in to up the scares. Given that his name has been a stamp of horror goodness, I was immediately more interested. Does it result in a better movie? Well…

Shelby Oaks follows Mia as she looks for her sister, after she and her YouTube team have disappeared while filming for an episode in a mysterious abandoned town. The film is part found footage, with the opening giving us an investigative look at the disappearance of a group of YouTubers. Things get slightly more interesting once it shifts into a more traditional narrative, but there’s still a found footage presence throughout. It’s a fairly basic satanic story, that keeps things fairly abstract, even in its conclusion.

I found myself not caring at all for the characters at the center, which is a massive problem for me. They’re more just vessels for the investigation versus actual living, breathing human beings. It’s hard to get invested in what may or may not happen to them when they’re so bland and devoid of personality. It was nice to see Keith David pop up (any movie is better with his presence), but it doesn’t amount to much. It doesn’t help that, despite Stuckmann coming from the YouTube space, its inclusion is given an all too serious vibe, with far too much societal importance put upon what amounts to ghost hunters.

As a director, Stuckmann impresses with a great handling of how the story is presented and gets some good performances out of his cast. I was intrigued by the mystery of what happened to Riley. I also quite enjoyed the look of the old dilapidated prison (which is actually the same prison from Shawshank Redemption) as it has a ton of character. If anything, I feel like it’s not fully taken advantage of. Unfortunately, the story just doesn’t have enough juice, and it’s very lacking in the scares department. There’s a monstrous entity shown, and it gets far too much screentime. It may have worked if it were just a glimpse or two, but the entire third act is absolutely littered with it. It results in several unintentionally funny moments due to how melodramatic some elements are.

Can we please just get rid of CGI glowing eyes in movies? I hated them in the Salem’s Lot remake, and I hate them here. They don’t make things scarier; they just make things look stupid. There’s also a very weird CGI shot from outside the prison that made me feel like I was watching someone play a video game. The movie could have excised all instances of these things and been better off for it. Unfortunately, there are more CGI moments that completely drain the film of any seriousness. I guess I expected a more practical approach, given the found footage aesthetic. And I think the less said about the dogs, who happened to have way too much of an impact on the narrative, the better.

I was intrigued by Shelby Oaks at first, but it just gets more and more ridiculous as it goes on. The ending is one of the dumber ones in recent memory, and I struggle to find anything redeeming about it. You know how they say, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey? Well, when the destination is a giant mound of garbage, it makes the fun part of the journey dreadful in hindsight. I’m not dismissing Stuckmann as a filmmaker, as there is some stuff to like here. But the bad completely taints everything else.

Shelby Oaks is playing exclusively in theaters on October 24th, 2025.

Shelby Oaks

NOT GOOD

4

The post Shelby Oaks Review: One Of The Year’s Worst Horror Films appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: In the psychological thriller from director Michelle Garza Cervera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Caitlin Morales, an upscale suburban mom who brings a new nanny, Polly Murphy (Maika Monroe), into her home, only to discover she is not the person she claims to be.

REVIEW: I think most of us remember the original Hand That Rocks The Cradle as the film that Rebecca De Mornay absolutely stole the show in. Her unhinged performance was a barometer for future “you did me wrong!” performances. And it’s honestly a bit shocking that it took this long for us to finally get a reboot of the film. Those who are worried this will follow the same path as the original should rest easy as, outside of the concept of a woman coming into another home to try and destroy it, many other elements are changed. I always appreciated the original but was never a massive fan, and I quite liked the changes here.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle follows a young mom, Caitlin, who brings Polly into her house to be a nanny. Polly starts to manipulate her way into the family and alienates Caitlin in a way that makes her into a paranoid mess as she tries to take her place. Her husband (played by Raul Castillo) is a bit of an aloof dummy, who is far too quick to think his wife is just being paranoid. And their daughter is desperate for a parental figure that is less stringent, so she takes to Polly almost immediately.

The film is really anchored by the performances of its two leads. Maika Monroe is able to flip that switch from sweet and innocent to absolutely crazy in an instant. It’s nice to see her get to play an antagonist for once. Mary Elizabeth Winstead also gets to do so much with the “am I just imagining this” side of things. Neither actress goes too far in either direction, so it keeps the intrigue alive throughout. However, it’s great to finally see Monroe get to embrace the craziness that’s been bubbling beneath the surface for most of the runtime. If anything, I wanted more of that. Then, to have the two square off is an absolute treat. These are two women who were/are big parts of the horror genre, so it’s really cool to get to see them spar in this way.

Admittedly, I do find that the film falters a bit narratively at times. It falls into basic horror traps rather than focusing on the strongest element: the performances. All it really needed to do was to show Monroe and Winstead going head-to-head psychologically, and it would have been improved. I, personally, didn’t need the subplot involving Martin Starr’s character, as it takes some of the ambiguity away. There are also a few too many scenes that feel more like they’re checking off a horror trope box versus actually adding anything substantial to the story. Not sure if it was studio notes to add more horror, but it clashes with the better parts of the film.

I really liked how the film was shot, with some wonderful use of windows and mirrors to visually reflect certain narrative choices. There’s a certain command of the frame that captures your attention at the right moments. Admittedly, the pacing can drag a bit, as this is more of a slow burn. But I was intrigued enough by the story that it didn’t bother me. While I’ll obviously avoid spoilers, I also felt the end stinger was very tacked on and unnecessary. It leaves the film on a strange note, and like another misguided horror trope.

Despite its flaws, I enjoyed The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. Sure, there are some over-the-top moments, but it’s mostly a grounded look at one woman trying to destroy another woman’s life. Monroe and Winstead give great performances, though Maika’s is obviously a more showy part, given the duality of the character. Both are able to bring plenty of intrigue whenever they’re on screen. They just needed some stronger supporting characters around them to really make this story pop. Still, those showing up for the conflict between these two underrated actresses should not be disappointed.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle is Streaming on Hulu on October 22nd, 2025.

The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (2025)

GOOD

7

The post The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Review: Monroe and Winstead shine in this Remake appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: If there’s one thing that’s great for a horror movie, it’s isolation. Putting a character by themselves with little hope for help when they need it is something that is instantly relatable. There’s a palpable tension and is a universal feeling, that immediately asks the question: “What would you do in this situation?” Add in a scary monster that mangles faces, and you’ve got Other, a film that isn’t confident enough in its initial concept to see through to the end.

Olga Kurylenko‘s Alice is a former model who clearly had a very traumatic childhood. Returning to her childhood home brings up a slew of distressing memories for her. The death of her mother means more than just dealing with her estate, it’s about dealing with the trauma that she inflicted on her daughter. Those are some of the film’s more interesting moments, as it deals with more psychological horror. One of the more intriguing aspects of the film is how much Alice does not want a kid. What first seems like maybe just a woman who is striving for independence quickly turns into a woman who clearly doesn’t want to mess up a child, like her mother did to her.

But there’s also a monster lurking in the woods and the house that is the more manifested terror of the film. It’s an interesting concept that the monster attacks people’s faces, especially given the whole model and beauty element. And the gore FX are handled quite well and can be rather disturbing. I really just wish that they had avoided the physical being and just stuck with a more psychological gut punch. Once things become more creature feature, it loses most of what it had going for it. And there’s a random side character who doesn’t really make a lot of sense other than for a bit of exposition, which makes the narrative feel a bit lazy.

David Moreau has always been a pretty interesting director, with last year’s zombie film MadS having the unique gimmick of being done in “one take.” Other takes a less extreme approach, but still an interesting one, with Kurylenko being the main face we’re seeing throughout the film. We see many of the other characters through masks or abstract imagery. It’s all done with a purpose, and is honestly not even something I noticed till close to the end. There’s a payoff for all of this, but I’m honestly not sure if it was even something that many viewers will even notice, the monster element overshadows some of the more subtle themes.

I really enjoyed where Other ends up, as silly as it may be, but the concept seems stretched pretty thin. I could see this working much better as a short film, as the material doesn’t seem to warrant a full-length feature. It’s well shot, and I enjoyed the secluded forest setting, but its pacing leaves a lot to be desired. Held up by Kurylenko’s performance, there’s not much else to grasp onto. Especially since the horror itself feels quite sterile outside of some quick jumpscares and “gotcha” moments. This does show that Kurylenko is capable of more than just action roles, and hopefully, she continues to get opportunities within the genre.

Other is Streaming On Shudder on October 17th, 2025.

Other

AVERAGE

6

The post Other Review: A Film That Works Better As A Psychological Thriller Vs Creature Feature appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: Set in 1982, four years after Finn escaped his abductor and killed the infamous Grabber, the nightmare returns. Evil never truly dies, and the black phone is ringing once more. Ethan Hawke reprises his chilling role as The Grabber, who now seeks vengeance from beyond the grave by haunting Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). As the older Finn (Mason Thames) struggles to rebuild his life, Gwen, now 15, begins receiving eerie calls in her dreams and haunting visions of three boys being hunted at a remote winter camp called Alpine Lake. Determined to end the torment that binds them both, she convinces Finn travel to the place in her visions during a raging snowstorm where they uncover a horrifying connection between The Grabber and their family’s past.

REVIEW: I caught the West Coast premiere of the film at LA’s Beyond Fest at the American Cinematheque, and you could feel the anticipation buzzing through the crowd, some fans even showed up dressed as The Grabber to match the vibe. It’s clear this series has quickly become a beloved staple of the modern horror community. Right off the bat, I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a cinematic possum when it comes to horror. I love the masterpieces, and I love the trash. Some things I enjoyed about this film might be dealbreakers for others, but that’s the beauty of horror: subjective chaos. The Black Phone 2 both sticks to tradition and tries to twist the formula, and in doing so, it highlights some of horror’s most time-honored tropes.

One big critique I’ve seen floating around is that the sequel tries to franchise what could have been a perfect one-off horror story. True, but that’s also one of horror’s oldest traditions. If a killer sells tickets, they don’t stay dead. Writer C. Robert Cargill was initially reluctant after his experience with Sinister 2. Still, when writer Joe Hill (whose short story the initial film was based on) pitched him the idea of Finn getting a call from the Grabber, straight from hell, he couldn’t resist pursuing that thread. And I am here for it. In our modern wave of horror, we don’t have a large batch of new boogeymen. In the 70s and 80s, we were spoiled with your Michaels, Freddys, Jasons, and Leatherfaces, but this generation needs their own iconic horror characters. Sure, Art the clown is undoubtedly on his way, but most modern slashers are legacy sequels. So with that in mind, I welcome the return of The Grabber with open arms.

The Grabber’s screen time is limited, but his presence looms large. When he appears, it’s impactful—and that’s partly thanks to his instantly iconic mask, designed by horror legend Tom Savini. Originally, The Grabber was going to be in clown makeup, since the character was inspired by real killer John Wayne Gacy, but Joe Hill requested they switch it up to avoid comparisons to the work of his father, Stephen King. He instead suggested a look based on 1930s magic acts, which often incorporated a devil mask. Tom Savini sketched it out on a cocktail napkin, and a new horror legend was born.

Of course, a mask is only half the equation, and is only as terrifying as the man beneath it. Ethan Hawke once again delivers pure menace. Every word drips with malevolence, his performance radiating the energy of a soul stripped down to evil itself. He is clearly relishing his second turn at playing the villain and he commits 100% to playing the ghost this character.

Now, having said that, there’s the elephant in the room, the Freddy Krueger of it all. I am not the first, nor the last, to see parallels to this character in the way they approached the Grabber’s resurrection. And to that I say, yeah, but is that enough to derail the movie? Hell no. Cannibalism is another horror tradition at play here, not so much in the literal sense, but horror is folklore, so there will always be some kind of derivative.. For example, I love Friday the 13th, but the filmmakers have openly admitted that it began as a shot at cashing in on the Halloween franchise, down to some of the stylistic choices. So yeah, horror can tend to eat its own tail, but it’s what it does with it that’s important, and I think Black Phone 2 uses its familiar villain resurrection in a way that they can spin in their own direction if they choose to move forward. So while yes, it contains elements of that, it’s honestly more of a ghost story than a nightmare. In fact, it can also be compared to films like Friday the 13^th for the lakeside camp setting, or even The Thing for its isolated, snowy horror. You can even find deeper cuts like Curtains and The Dead Zone sprinkled throughout.

The returning cast is stellar, and time has only improved their acting chops. Mason Thames as Finn showcases his ability to subtly portray the post-traumatic stress that follows the events of the first film. We find him dealing with the fallout through anger, violence, and a lot of weed. He hides his fear behind fights, channelling some of his dead friend Robin’s antics in the first Black Phone. But deep down, he is a caring brother, dedicating himself to protecting his sister, Gwen, as she finds herself a target of The Grabber. He even has some fantastic comedic beats, as Finn finds himself a bit of a chaperone when Robin’s younger brother Ernesto takes a liking to Gwen. And while he is the film’s heart, this movie belongs to his sister Gwen. Madeleine McGraw brings us a more mature Gwen, working through the rugged terrain of figuring out how her psychic abilities work. She brings a deep range of believable trauma, fear, and, at times, a deep sadness as she connects the dots between The Grabber and her dead mother. But through it all, she still manages to drop some profane quips that would make a pirate blush. Her blend of vulnerability and razor-sharp wit completely owns this movie.

And the supporting performances also land. Miguel Mora returns as Ernesto, the younger brother of Finn’s late friend Robin, adding both levity and warmth. Jeremy Davies reprises his role as Finn and Gwen’s father, now sober, remorseful and more loving, offering a quiet but meaningful redemption arc. 

Director Scott Derrickson returns with confidence and style, expanding the world while honoring the tone that made the first film work. He pushes boundaries, blending supernatural horror with psychological trauma and adding stunning new visual depth. He plays with the lore, expanding and shifting established plot points in interesting and bold ways. And he knows how to craft a visual style. The shift from a dingy basement to the great white outdoors opens the film up to a brand new visual palette. The shots of the lonely phone booth tucked between the vast mountains of Colorado never failed to look stunning. Also, hell yeah for winter horror, I can never get enough of the blood and snow combo. The quiet moments are often lit by vintage heating coils, giving a soft, humming glow to the tender moments. Also expanded in a big way is the use of old film grain to convey the shift between reality and nightmare. The use of old film style to indicate this shift is a cool visual choice, especially given the winter settings. It plays like a corrupted version of the old Christmas memories scene in Christmas Vacation, swapping holiday cheer for dismembered campers. And yes, Derrickson ups the ante on the gore, giving us some glimpses into some child murders that the first pulled its punches on. There’s a confidence in his decision, taking an unflinching look at the grim underbelly of the story.

The first movie was a missing child photo on a milk carton, the writers growing up in the 70s tapping into that fear that one day they would be listed on one. The Black Phone 2 is an after-school special, tapping into morality and the power of facing your fears. It’s a bit cheesy sometimes, sure, and can even come off a touch preachy to some. But this is how each character deals with the trauma, some using their faith to guide their actions. After all, the film takes place at a religious youth camp. And sure, it can tend to drag a bit at times, but it always tends to reward your patience. Overall, this is a welcome return to form for the entire cast and crew, and earns its keep as a worthy successor to the breakout hit that was The Black Phone. It is a chilling, bold follow-up that expands the mythology without losing its soul. It’s creepy, emotional, and surprisingly heartfelt, a worthy return for the cast and crew.

And if The Grabber decides to call for a third time…I’ll keep answering.

The Black Phone 2

GOOD

7

The post The Black Phone 2 Review: Not as fresh as the original, but still good appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: A woman (Fanning), frustrated with her station in life, is visited home alone at night by a freaky old lady with a box. What happens next leaves her struggling with unknown forces that question everything and leave her sanity in question.

REVIEW: One thing you can’t say Vicious is short of is talent. In one corner, you have Dakota Fanning one-handing a film that gives her a ton of room to flex her acting muscles and show off some rad new tattoos. In the other, The Strangers creator Bryan Bertino attempts to once again throw an entire kitchen sink of demons at the audience. It makes one wonder why Vicious was pushed from a theatrical release last February to a Paramount Plus direct-to-streaming release this October 10th. It’s not that big of a red flag considering everyone is pushing their streaming platforms these days and October is always a great spot for horror. But I think the film answers this question for us as well. It’s just not a very accessible experience.

Bertino uses the same talents he scared us all so mightily with in The Strangers and The Dark and the Wicked as we watch Fanning walk through her home alone at night taking haunting phone calls and answering thundering knocks at her door. In fact, there are several callbacks to The Strangers in particular when it comes to the eerie musical choices and late-night visitors. Only this time it’s a question of what is real and what is a figment of her imagination as she struggles to deliver the mystery box the three things it asks for: Something you want, Something you need, and Something you love. The kicker is that it knows when you’re lying, and if your offerings aren’t true? You suffer.

This all sets the table for us to watch Fanning’s character struggle to dig deep within herself about who she really is. It’s like being haunted by your own lack of self-awareness. It seems on paper like something that can really get after it on screen, but unfortunately that’s not the case for much of Vicious. The atmosphere is there: a dimly lit house on a dark street during a snowy evening that would be almost cozy if it weren’t for the awful things taking place that night. Fanning is fantastic, carrying the vast majority of the film, taking frightening phone calls and being chased around her home by her own personal demons. But as the audience waits patiently for the delivery to land, it becomes a frustrating experience. The audio blares as a phone rings or a vision of a woman screaming appears out of nowhere, but it doesn’t all connect into anything that makes much sense at the time. It’s hard to explain, but it feels like the dynamics of Vicious are simply off. You understand its intentions and believe that they come from a pure place. But the ride is simply too bumpy and narratively choppy to enjoy. By the end of the film, where Bertino and company are really going for it, I found myself too exhausted to care anymore, and that’s unfortunate because there was a lot here to root for.

Vicious is a very personal film that tries to infuse itself with horror theatrics that a general audience can get into, and that’s an admirable plan. Unfortunately, I came away being more frustrated with the experience than anything else, and I fear a general audience would also find it quite inaccessible. That being said, I believe there is an audience for Vicious in those that enjoy piecing together a difficult puzzle. It’s not that it’s hard to understand, you can easily grasp the plot. But you can tell there is a lot of depth to Vicious that those who are willing to spend more time in that world will be able to get something from. Maybe you!

Vicious is now streaming on Paramount Plus.

Vicious

BELOW AVERAGE

5

The post Vicious Review: Dakota Fanning Versus Everything appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: Pitfall is about to make its festival debut at ScreamFest and I was lucky enough to get an early screener. This featured some unfinished FX work, amongst a few other incomplete things, so I’ll try to not let that affect how I view the film overall.

The story follows a group of friends heads out for a 3 day hike, only for one of them to fall into a deep hole filled with spikes. What seems like an accident, ends up being something much more harrowing as a hunter is after them and will stop at nothing to kill them. A pretty basic premise but one that could provide plenty of fun deaths and tension. Unfortunately, it just tries to do too much instead of focusing on what works. From strange narrative choices, where dramatic beats that we already know happened are used to accentuate the big finale, to a random subplot that goes nowhere, it makes for a strange experience.

Final Destination: Bloodline‘s Richard Harmon is one of the only interesting characters, as the actor just brings a natural charisma to the role. Everyone else is just kind of there. They all feel dispensable and aren’t given much personality. Even Alexandra Essoe, who I absolutely love, has an extremely frustrating character to portray. In the friend group are two siblings, and there’s a lot of drama around the death of their parents, which occurred while they were heading to a similar hike. It has potential but it quickly moves to the point of absurdity. I get that it was a traumatic event but it

Randy Couture stars as The Hunter, and he’s practically Jason Voorhees with how violent he is. Though he sounds a bit like Freddy Krueger once he actually starts talking. He also makes quick work of anyone who would even be the slightest bit of help. It’s a pretty simple role for Couture, and his stature works well for it. Too bad they feel like they need to explain The Hunter’s origins, but only doing so in a very minute way. It’s like they weren’t sure if they wanted him to be a slasher villain or some hermit in the woods who likes to kill people. There are so many mixed messages.

I was also very confused by the secondary plot, which involved a second group running away from the hunter in the woods. It really just feels like an excuse to have some more deaths, and it feels straight out of a slasher movie. None of the characters are developed, and they’re just there to run and hide from the Hunter. There are some pretty cool practical deaths throughout. I really liked how they pulled most of those off. But anything else just feels hampered by a sloppy story.

Pitfall is all over the place narratively, switching between dream sequences and secondary plots to an absurd extent. Had it just stuck to being a story about this group of friends being hunted down by a crazy hunter then it would have gone a lot further. But as is, it feels like it’s simply trying to do too much. This would have been a much more satisfying experience if it had just stuck to a more basic experience. As is, it’s easily forgettable.

Pitfall is playing at ScreamFest on October 15th.

Pitfall

NOT GOOD

4

The post Pitfall Review: A Wilderness Survival Film Hampered By A Sloppy Story appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: It’s unfortunate that so many shark movies have just been relegated to being filled with cheap CGI jump scares. The Jaws 50th Anniversary release was a reminder of what is truly possible when you care about the product. And I hope that Beast of War is an indicator of the kind of shark film that we can expect going forward; where the creature is simply a tool for storytelling. That’s not to say that the Great White featured isn’t the main event, as it’s absolutely the grand spectacle of the movie. But there’s so much more to the film and the story than that.

The first act is not your typical shark movie, as it mostly introduces us to the Australian soldiers we’ll be spending our time with. There’s obviously some conflict going on between them before their boat gets blown up, but they mostly band together to try and survive this harrowing situation. We actually don’t get our first real appearance from the Great White until the 33-minute mark. It allows us to stew in the tension of the first appearance. But just because it’s introduced, it doesn’t mean the tension dissipates in any way. These guys are still on a raft in the middle of the ocean with a hungry shark after them. There’s always the question of when the shark is going to strike and where it actually is.

The special FX are extremely impressive, with the filmmakers going the practical route for the shark. It really helps the shark actually feel like a part of the world versus something that the actors are simply reacting to. There are some abstract shots of the shark in the water that are true nightmare fuel. That doesn’t mean it’s completely void of CGI, as there’s still some used, especially for some of the shots of it swimming underwater. But more often than not, it’s practical and absolutely terrifying. There’s one moment in particular, when one of the soldiers is in the water and just barely gets away from the shark, yet it’s not even acknowledged outside of a brief look beneath the surface.

That’s not to say that there isn’t usage of CGI, but it’s mostly to build the world around them. Whether it’s an upward shot, looking at the raft from underwater, or the fog covering their surroundings, it’s all handled with such technical precision. The performances from all the soldiers are great and make it easy to feel for them in this terrible situation. There were a few deaths that felt a bit like “we need to get a body count going,” but thankfully, it never takes the mystique of the shark away. Writer/Director Kiah Roache-Turner knows exactly when to bring the creature back, and when to give us a breather.

I really enjoyed Beast of War and how visually stunning it was. This is easily the best-looking shark movie we’ve gotten in some time, and so much of that has to do with the practical nature of the shark. There were some plot advancements that I didn’t love, as I felt the shark and the survival of being stranded were more than enough for drama. But I was completely invested in the story of these misfit soldiers. Here’s hoping other filmmakers take note when making a shark movie: CGI isn’t always the answer.

Beast of War is In Theaters and On Digital on October 10th, 2025.

Beast of War

GREAT

8

The post Beast of War Review: One of the Better Shark Movies Of the Decade appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: In a mythical land, during a time of war, a scavenger called Deathstalker just wants to get rid of a magic amulet that has bonded to him. He might have to save the kingdom from a never-ending reign of darkness in the process.

REVIEW: Back in 1983, legendary B-movie producer Roger Corman brought the world Deathstalker, a classic swords and sorcery fantasy film set in a mythical land that was overrun with conflict and populated by the likes of witches, sorcerers, mutants, pig-men, imps, and ogres, not to mention scantily clad women. Played by Rick Hill, the title character was a sword-wielding man who had to resort to stealing and killing to survive. The movie was a hit, so we got a series of what seemed to be increasingly lower budgeted sequels: Deathstalker II: Duel of the Titans in 1987, with the title character played by John Terlesky; Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell in ‘88, with John Allen Nelson taking over the lead role; and 1991’s Deathstalker IV: Match of the Titans, with Rick Hill circling back to star in what ended up being in the last movie in the franchise for more than thirty years. The Deathstalker movies were cheap, goofy fun, and I was a big fan of them when I was a little kid, probably because cartoons like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and ThunderCats were raising me to be a fan of sword and sorcery entertainment.

I went decades without watching the Deathstalker movies, but they always held a special place in my heart due to nostalgia for the good ol’ days. Thankfully, I still found them to be entertaining when I recently revisited them – and since my appreciation for this franchise stretches back to the time when the sequels were new releases on VHS, I was hyped to hear that Psycho Goreman director Steven Kostanski was going to be bringing Deathstalker back with a reboot / remake. So hyped that I even contributed to the crowdfunding campaign (which, full disclosure, earned me a “thanks” in the end credits). Now, Kostanski’s movie is here – and I think that anyone who enjoyed the sword and sorcery movies and shows of the ‘80s, not just the Deathstalker franchise, and the glorious practical effects of the ‘80s, will get a kick out of this one.

We get the set-up right up front: The kingdom of Abraxion is under siege by the Dreadite horde, which are vicious warriors wearing what appears to be organic armor. The Dreadites are cutting a path of death and destruction through the land. We’re asked, “Who wields the power to stand against the might of never-ending darkness?” Of course, the answer is probably right there in the title.

Previous movies never did much to flesh out the character of Deathstalker. He was just a scavenger with a cool name who would wander into battles with the forces of evil. Kostanski gives us a back story and even reveals the character’s real name, and also attempts to do some world-building and mythology crafting… but this dialogue, packed with weird names and references to locations and events that mean nothing to us, will probably just fly over the heads of a lot of viewers. Don’t worry about trying to keep track of all that, just sit back and have fun watching the fights, which occur frequently, and the crazy creatures Kostanski brought to the screen.

This time around Deathstalker is an older character, played by Daniel Bernhardt as a grizzled former warrior – and since the actor is a former stuntman with martial arts training, that means we get to see him participate in some impressive duels with a variety of enemies. He’s introduced in a great way, walking through the site of a Dreadite vs. Abraxion battle, dispatching attackers, then stealing whatever interesting items he can find on the body of a dying Abraxion. One of the items he steals is an amulet, which immediately attracts the attention of the greatest assassins in the land, as this amulet is wanted by a cult of sorcerers that was believed to have been wiped out long ago. They’re still around, led by the evil Nekromemnon (Nicholas Rice), and they could use the amulet to bring a never-ending reign of darkness to the kingdom. Deathstalker isn’t too concerned about that. Problem is, the amulet has bonded to him, he can’t get rid of the thing no matter what he does. At the advice of a witch, he seeks out the help of a goblin wizard called Doodad – played by Laurie Field and voiced by Patton Oswalt. That’s sort of the Gwildor of the movie.

As it turns out, the process of getting rid of that amulet is quite complicated. And so begins an epic journey, with Deathstalker and Doodad being joined by thief extraordinaire Brisbayne (Christina Orjalo) as they’re pursued by assassins and Nekromemnon lackeys every step of the way. As things play out, Kostanski shows us all sorts of freaky creatures, including a two-headed troll, a pig-man, a flying eye creature, bog creatures, and even a lazer-blasting assassin who seems to be directly inspired by the Masters of the Universe character Man-E-Faces. The movie never goes too many minutes without a fight breaking out or some kind of cool, practical effects creature showing up. It might be a bit long at 102 minutes (sort of like this review is getting long), but it’s not dull. And if you liked the three-bladed sword in 1982’s The Sword and the Sorcerer, you’ll be very pleased to see the weapon Deathstalker gets his hands on.

This Deathstalker is a really fun homage to the sword and sorcery movies of the ‘80s. It didn’t necessarily have to be Deathstalker, Kostanski could have just made it his own, original sword and sorcery movie – but it does have some structural similarities to the first Deathstalker early on, and this franchise was never one for continuity, so this new movie can easily be slotted into it. It is missing one key element, though. The gratuitous nudity. Nudity was so prevalent in the previous movies, you have to wonder, can a movie that doesn’t have gratuitous nudity really be considered part of the Deathstalker franchise? It’s truly a sign of that times that we’ve got a new Deathstalker movie that has been completely de-sexed (apparently at the encouragement of Gen Z).

Well, the Deathstalker reboot is severely lacking in the bare breast department, but it’s definitely worth checking out for the creatures and the swordplay. Shout! Studios and Radial Entertainment are bringing it to theatres on October 10th.

Deathstalker

GOOD

7

The post Deathstalker Review: A fun update of an ’80s cult classic appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: Beauty standards are always ripe for dissection, especially within Hollywood and even moreso within the thriller genre. The things that people are willing to do to stay young, or at least look young, seem endless. And Shell takes a look at the darker side of what people are willing to do to accomplish that youthfulness. Too bad it doesn’t really know what to do past its initial concept.

Set in the near future, Shell follows Samantha Lake (Moss) as, after many career setbacks as an actress, she succumbs to a wellness method that has darker means than initially lets on. Kate Hudson plays Zoe Shannon, the wellness mogul at the center of it all, and she’s clearly holding a twisted secret. And I expected her to be a bit more villainous and interesting, but she mostly just plays herself with a dark edge. In fact, that could be said of most of the film: intriguing at first, but it fails in its execution.

Elisabeth Moss is shot in an unflattering way in the first act, really accentuating how everyone in her life looks past her. She’s awkwardly framed in some shots, and it helps further belay the point. But the biggest issue with the film is that, despite her treatments, she doesn’t look all that different as the film goes on. There’s no “glow-up”, she’s simply treated better by society after we know she’s started taking the treatment. Kind of makes the point of the film feel missing. The supporting cast is great, giving this world a bit of life, but they seem to fall off once we leave the first act. Dustin Milligan is great as the vapid, shallow guy that Samantha goes on a date with, compounding her insecurities. It’s very against type for him, but he disappears from the narrative, despite feeling like they could do more with him. Randall Park, Kaia Gerber, and Elizabeth Berkley all appear in small roles and feel a bit underutilized.

Shell serves as Max Minghella’s second effort behind the camera, and he creates an appropriately vain dystopia. He’s clearly taken some notes from the many big directors he’s worked with, as he has a command of the camera, visually. But I found myself very annoyed at his staging, with too many characters just waiting around for something to happen. I’m also not sure if he was able to strike the tone that the story required, as it plays out a little too serious, especially once the absolutely absurd third act starts going. And there’s far too much determined by coincidence.

As a fan of the erotic thriller, this doesn’t quite get to the level of a Basic Instinct or Fatal Attraction, but there’s a definite uptick in sexuality throughout the narrative. If anything, it probably could have been increased to greater effect. Shell has its fair share of casual nudity, which I’m happy to see making a return to bigger films. But this clearly wants to be The Substance, without really realizing what made that film work so well. The monster element here is so silly and misguided, completely missing any messaging that it could have pulled off.

I won’t deny that, like it’s many characters, Shell can be quite shallow in its execution. The setup is quite intriguing, but it never goes far enough. And the longer the film goes on, the more ridiculous it is. The comedy doesn’t really work and it mostly just makes the world more offbeat versus genuinely more humorous. And the ending completely falls flat. While featuring good performances, this one feels like it’s merely a shell of what it could have been.

Shell is In Select Theatres & On Digital October 3, 2025

Shell

BELOW AVERAGE

5

The post Shell Review: Max Minghella’s Sophomore Effort Slumps appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: I’ll be the first to admit that found footage isn’t exactly for me. I often find the gimmick to be a bit stale, and it’s hard to make it last convincingly for an entire film. But I’ve certainly found some charm with the anthology element of the V/H/S series. I’ve liked that it has essentially become a yearly anthology series, because I always like some yearly familiarity in my horror. Unlike some of the recent ones, V/H/S/Halloween isn’t confined to a particular year. Instead, we’re getting multiple stories that are simply set on Halloween. Sign me up!

If this is your first time with the franchise, V/H/S tends to have a wraparound segment that appears sporadically throughout the film, and many different short stories in between. None of the segments connect here, and it’s all just about Halloween vibes. As a massive fan of the holiday (who in horror isn’t?), I really just wanted a good Halloween atmosphere and, for the most part, this film delivers. In fact, I had a hard time picking between “Home Haunt” and “Kidprint” as my favorite segment, as they both understood the assignment. Even still, none of the segments really have that high of ceilings, and there are still plenty of flaws present. And don’t go into this expecting much horror, as the comedy is ramped up here, and there’s not much in the way of terror.

“Home Haunt” almost feels like a classic Goosebumps story, with a man bringing home a mysterious vinyl to play during his Haunted House. But it ends up making his homemade haunted house into one of absolute terror as real-life monsters take over and start killing the patrons. It’s shot well, and with purpose, and provides the best Halloween vibes of the film. I also really enjoyed the variety of supernatural beings we get. “Kidprint” was disturbing and almost had a Saw feel to it in parts. I also really enjoyed the wacky killer at the center of it all, but the low budget really creeps in here.

“Fun Size” and “Coochie Coochie Coo” are mostly hampered by some pretty rough acting. They both took me out of it a bit. But I enjoyed how both films were able to manage that “trapped in a supernatural building” without feeling too independent. There’s nothing worse than seeing an actor clearly have an easy escape, only to ignore it because of the script. Both these segments do a good job of making the characters feel trapped. Sadly, they also require very stupid characters to even be able to advance the plot, which is something I’ll always find frustrating in a horror movie.

The wraparound story, if you can even call it that, “Diet Phantasma” is really just the same thing over and over, with various people drinking a mystery soda and dying in horrible ways. I kept waiting for it to break the mold and do something different, but it’s the same scenario damn near every time. And the payoff really isn’t worth it. This could have just been a contained segment, with the repeated deaths trimmed, and it probably would have worked out a lot better.

The worst of the segments is easily “Ut Supra Sic Infra.” It just doesn’t have much in the way of scares and feels far too simple. It also doesn’t help that it feels very detached from Halloween. Just putting some characters in Halloween costumes doesn’t really feel like it’s enough. But I feel like this always happens with the V/H/S franchise, where there’s always one segment that feels very disconnected from the rest, almost like the filmmakers didn’t quite understand the assignment.

Ultimately, I think V/H/S/Halloween would have been much stronger had it just focused on the stronger segments. But I suppose that could be true of any of the V/H/S films at this point. But with a nearly 2-hour runtime, they easily could have trimmed out one of the weak links, and the film would have been better off for it. I also found it very odd that there were no recognizable filmmakers involved. I love Indie film and discovering new talent, but wasn’t the point of this series to allow bigger names within the genre to make their own little short films? I’m not sure if this is just indicative of where they’re taking the franchise or if it’s merely a one-off, but I’d really like them to go back to what worked before. As is, this has some fun segments, but it’s very rough around the edges and feels more like watching growing filmmakers who haven’t quite figured it out versus those who are experts in the genre, wanting to toil in found footage.

V/H/S/Halloween is Streaming on Shudder on October 3rd, 2025.

V/H/S/Halloween

AVERAGE

6

The post V/H/S/Halloween Review: The Loss of Genre Vets Is Definitely Felt appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: Isolation and horror go together like peanut butter and jelly. Put a set of characters in a place, far away from civilization, and the possibilities for terror seem endless. I also always love a movie that blends genres, and if there are two that I love, it’s erotic thrillers and revenge tales. Bone Lake combines the two with a bit of dark comedy in the middle and gives us an interesting look at a struggling relationship and intense manipulation.

Bone Lake follows Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi) as they’re setting out on a weekend away at a nice AirBNB. Diego has recently quit his job and is trying his hand at writing a book. Sage, on the other hand, is the sole provider and has been stressed out due to the whole situation. And it’s resulted in some conflict between the two, which Diego seems practically ignorant of. It doesn’t help that the AirBNB was double-booked, and a second couple, Will and Cin, have encroached on their space. The two couples decide to just brave it together, which is a decision they may come to regret.

Maddie Hasson carries the film as Sage, as she manages to make her both likable and a bit mysterious. And I’m sure many people will relate to the relationship that is strained due to shifting power dynamics. I found Marco Pigossi‘s Diego to be the weaker link in the couple, but that’s simply how the character is written. He’s a bit pathetic and clueless; however, he is finally able to get some agency by the end. I also really got a kick out of the other couple played by Alex Roe and Andra Nechita. They’re very comfortable with their sexuality and are more than ready to push the boundaries of an already fragile relationship. I do think they could have pushed a bit further with some of their attempts, and there are some elements that feel a bit left of the table.

I really loved how much Bone Lake starts off with a bang, setting up the villains of the piece in both a brutal but mysterious way. Not to mention featuring one of the most brutal deaths I’ve seen in a while. Made me intrigued from minute one as to where this story would go. And, with Hasson being so likable, caring about her fate was also made easy. Admittedly, the title of the film doesn’t really feel super apropos by the time the credits roll. There’s a weak explanation, but it feels more like exposition to fit with the title, versus actually representing the story at play.

Admittedly, there are some pacing issues that present themselves, as the film goes in circles a bit, waiting for the horror to kick into high gear. We get it, Sage and Diego have a complicated relationship and the other couple is clearly very adventurous with their sex life. I feel like more attention is given to the weaker part of the story, versus the very strong final act, which could have easily been extended. As such, there’s an underlying tension in the film, but it’s mostly psychological. By the time the characters actually are forced to contend with a life-and-death situation, it all happens so quickly, and I wish it had been drawn out a bit more.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed my time with Bone Lake. It’s not a super deep mystery, but I enjoyed how the narrative was presented. The characters are constantly manipulating each other in so many ways that it kept me on my toes. It can be a bit over the top at the times, but never escalates towards absurdity. I really enjoyed the revenge element that get’s introduced in its second act and found the film very satisfying overall. I continue to be a big fan of Hasson, who is very likable and brings a quiet strength to Sage, who has so much bubbling beneath the surface. I feel like Bone Lake is going to really catch on with audiences.

Bone Lake is playing In Theaters on October 3rd, 2025.

Bone Lake

GOOD

7

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REVIEW: The classic possession/haunted house story has been done to death. It’s hard to introduce an element that actually makes the film stand out. Good Boy does just that by making its lead character a dog and following the entire story from his perspective. While that can certainly be limiting, both in scope and in quicker exposition, it’s an interesting look at a familiar story from a different perspective.

Good Boy follows a dog named Indy who watches as his owner is haunted by a dark entity. Once they move to a countryside house, things only get worse, and Indy has to try and help out his master before it’s too late. There’s a lot to like about any film that tries something different and I certainly had my concerns that the gimmick would wear thin. Thankfully, the filmmaking is up to snuff and cares about more than just fulfilling the idea of a dog in the movie, and works to make the canine an actual character in the story.

It’s so strange to be talking about a dog’s performance, but it’s hard not to when it comes to a film like this. Indy isn’t a “stunt dog,” yet he clearly takes commands well, as the filmmakers are able to get what actually feels like a performance out of him. There are so many ways that this could have gone wrong, and yet they were able to do a great job making the dog emote and move at the right times. I wonder how many treats were used during the making of this movie to coax him? It helps that Indy himself is absolutely adorable and seems like the most loyal dog in the world. Really lends to the narrative of this dog doing whatever it can to save his owner.

The human performances are mostly okay, but definitely come across as a bit awkward. I assume this is because the primary focus was on the dog and probably had to use takes where the dog does what is required, versus the human performance working. It’s nothing egregious, but it’s certainly noticeable. It doesn’t help that the human characters themselves lack depth and therefore are hard to connect with. Given that the whole plot of the film revolves around saving this guy from the darkness, it’s certainly a mark against it. Ultimately, though, this is really about the dog and, if you want more than that, then you should probably look elsewhere.

Admittedly, the haunted house tale is filled with pretty basic tropes, like the former occupant dying mysteriously, and all the ghostly shenanigans happening at night. It’s very by-the-numbers and doesn’t really reach outside of the gimmick often. I do wish that they had gone for some more original story beats, but I assume the filmmaking was probably quite limited with a canine lead. While Good Boy is very short (with a runtime of only 72 minutes), it’s an interesting and unique experience. While it’s all rather simple and doesn’t break new ground story-wise, seeing everything from Indy’s POV colors the film in an interesting way.

GOOD BOY IS PLAYING IN THEATERS ON OCTOBER 3RD, 2025.

Good Boy (2025)

GOOD

7

The post Good Boy Review: A Horror Flick From The Dog’s POV appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: I think I was one of the only people on the planet who actually enjoyed The Strangers: Chapter 1. It was a simple remake of the original film, and I appreciated how slashery it was in its setup. I’ll always be a sucker for anything slasher-related. So I was interested in seeing where they’d take Maya’s story. Much like Halloween 2, we get a continuation from the previous night, starting out in the hospital. The Strangers realize that they haven’t finished the job and are out to get her, while she has to try to escape their clutches and get out of Venus, Oregon. But how does The Strangers: Chapter 2 compare to the first? Well…

The best part of the film is Madelaine Petsch‘s Maya, who breaks from her passive mold from the first film and is much more proactive here. She really takes the lead, often alone and without a scene partner, and is able to portray a much more interesting version of Maya. She’s unsure of her surroundings but is very take charge. Sure, she gets very lucky in several instances, but it prolongs the cat-and-mouse chase that is at play throughout the movie. I found her journey believable, and I’m curious to see what they do with her in Chapter 3, especially since it seems like she’s going to have some more at stake. I love a good final girl, and Maya is turning into one I’m quite enjoying.

As shown in the trailers, much of the movie is about the paranoia around who could be The Strangers themselves. And there are plenty of red herrings and moments where it feels like they’re showing their hand too soon. But it ultimately ends in more of a whimper than a bang, and I found myself annoyed at how little progress was actually made in the story. We find everything out in the first five minutes, and very little changes throughout the runtime. In fact, narratively, it doesn’t even feel like we’re getting an entire film as it just sort of ends. I was shocked when the credits started rolling. I get there’s another film but at least the first one had a complete arc.

I was most disappointed in the lack of violence. I actually had to check and make sure this wasn’t PG-13, as there are so many cutaways, versus actually showing us the good stuff. What’s the point of killing off so many characters if you’re not even going to make the audience feel it? Instead, so much is done offscreen. I was definitely expecting more of a ramp-up after Chapter 1 took it relatively easy, but this feels like they dialed it back further. And I’ve never been more sick of the “crossbow out of nowhere” kill, which happens far too many times, and leaves more questions than answers. It doesn’t help that the film is practically void of tension, given that we know Maya makes it to the next film.

There’s a moment with a CGI boar where I let out an audible groan upon seeing the creature. It’s both poorly rendered and an overall silly sequence. Are the Strangers themselves really not enough of a threat that we also need to bring wildlife into the mix? It feels like maybe the wrong lessons were taken from the backlash to Chapter 1, and they went a little further off the beaten path. But instead of increasing the gore (a la Prey at Night), they felt like giving the Strangers backstory was the way to go. Whether it brings a satisfying conclusion or not will have to wait until Chapter 3 releases, where we hopefully get a completed arc.

Ultimately, I was not a fan of the direction they took Chapter 2 in, and felt like the flashbacks were very misguided in the overall scheme of things. Audiences want these people to be mysterious, so explaining their motivations feels like it’s going against what people want. There’s a way to do that and still keep it interesting, but to make it something that goes back to childhood? Feels a bit lame. Just show us a town of people who threaten and kill outsiders; no reason to make it so convoluted. I hope they’re able to fix it with Chapter 3, as I really like the creative team and want this to end on a high note.

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2 IS IN THEATERS ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2025.

The Strangers: Chapter 2

NOT GOOD

4

The post The Strangers Chapter 2 Review: A Sloppy Mess That Simultaneously Does Too Much And Too Little appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: The same V/H/S franchise you know and love. Stuffed to the gills with Halloween goodness across multiple anthology segments.

REVIEW: V/H/S has, in its own way, filled the shoes of two different franchises over the last few years. It’s become the gnarly sequel machine Saw used to be (if you remember, it used to feel like a new Saw movie came out every year around October). But it’s also a kind of modern Faces of Death.  Obviously, no one is being tricked into thinking any of this is real in today’s day and age. But this franchise has created itself a nice little niche where it can get away with whatever the hell it wants and it revels in it. This adds a sense of danger to everything the same way that Cineverse has been able to do with the Terrifier franchise. You don’t know what to expect because these guys can get away with it.   

When it comes to this newest entry, expect the usual: A handful of fresh found footage anthologies that make you feel like you’re doing something wrong just by watching. But this sequel keeps it fresh by doing a few things differently.

For starters, it feels like there’s a bit more comedy this time around. There’s still a fine collection of “I need to shower with a steel loofah after watching this” moments. Only with just a few more comedic gags than usual. For instance, the glue surrounding the entire anthology is an ongoing segment taking place in a lab.  What takes place there is so over-the-top disrespectful to the value of human life that you can’t help but laugh out loud. Men, women, and children are treated as something as disposable as packing peanuts and you can’t help but giggle at the anarchy. 

The addition of the Halloween theme this year really keep things from getting stale as well. Most surprising is that they inject the franchise with holiday atmosphere in their own authentic and depraved way. V/H/S isn’t trying to replicate the season-soaked opening of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (though that’s never a bad idea). Instead, they take the Halloween aesthetic you know and love, dip it in the Men’s room toilet of a trashy 7/11, sprinkle some genital jokes in, and call it a day. Somehow, it works. I’m just a few percentage points even more psyched for the Halloween season. Which is exactly what the assignment was here. I just won’t be eating any phallic shaped chocolates. I mean, not that I would have before. 

V/H/S Halloween is perfect spooky season viewing for the initiated. For the uninitiated, you might feel like they are watching something they aren’t supposed to see. Hence The Faces of Death reference earlier. It’s easy to go out and do something just for shock factor. It’s much harder to sustain something annually celebrated by horror fans that still manages to stay innovative and entertaining.  Perhaps what is most impressive about V/H/S Halloween is that a franchise with a handful of new filmmakers every year is able to keep a finger on the pulse of exactly what the franchise tick. 

So, if you like the V/H/S franchise, you aren’t skipping V/H/S Halloween. It’s the same disreputable party you’ve been attending every year, now featuring horror fan’s favorite holiday. And this viewer wouldn’t mind if the franchise pivoted to being Halloween themed every year. Though I will say it could have benefited from ending the party a few minutes earlier. It gets to be a lot to take in on the ole eyeballs after a while and loses its edge. But either way, another solid addition. 

V/H/S

GOOD

7

The post V/H/S: Halloween (Fantastic Fest) Review: VHS Uses Their Own Brand of Halloween Atmosphere To Up The Fun Factor appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: If there’s one thing that I love it’s a slasher movie set in the 1980s. The decade that gave us the most slashers is also one that’s absolutely prime for them. No cellphones, no social media, and no meta element where characters are self aware. But unfortunately, Night of the Reaper seems to forget that it’s an 80s slasher after the opening scene and thinks it’s more clever than it is.

Summer H Howell (who we’ll see next year in Mike Flanagan’s Carrie as the title character) appears in the intro, setting up the film. It’s a pretty standard slasher opening and feels a bit tonally off from what we get later. Eventually, Night of the Reaper settles into a story about a girl coming home from college and babysitting. Unfortunately for her, the town has had a bit of a problem with a killer. Only…no one really knows about it. It’s a strange setup. Jessica Clement is great as Deena and easily the most interesting character. As much as the story follows Deena and her night babysitting, it splits time with the sheriff investigating the murders in the town. There’s a whole mystery element, with the sheriff being given various bits of evidence to lead him in a certain direction.

I can’t really say that the mystery element works too well. Maybe I was just hoping for a more straightforward slasher film, but this felt closer to something that Blumhouse would do, with a more PG-13 approach. Thankfully, we do get a bit more violence as the film goes on, but it’s very scant for the first 80 or so minutes. There’s also a very strange “overly planned” element that feels like it may work on paper, but is poorly executed here. The twist is unsatisfying and feels a bit wasted.

Despite being set in the 80s, the camerawork is all very modern. This looks like every other horror movie out there in terms of its framing and camera movement. I was a bit disappointed because, especially with the VHS elements at play, I thought it’d be more of a throwback like House of the Devil did with the 70s. One thing that I appreciated about Night of the Reaper was how it utilized darkness in the frame. Too often with these films, everything is fully visible at all times, and there’s no mystery at play. But by allowing true blacks, it has a great look that allows it to actually look like a movie versus a commercial.

Director Brandon Christensen (Superhost, The Puppetman) presents the story in a bit of an odd way. I’ll avoid spoilers but there are actions that don’t make as much sense in its second watch. It feels a bit misguided and lacking in cohesion. The pacing also leaves a lot to be desired, and the film doesn’t really pick up until the final act. There’s also not much intrigue with the kills themselves, as they’re very basic, and none of the characters feel layered outside of Deena.

Night of the Reaper is a perfectly serviceable… slasher? I struggle to even call it that, as it doesn’t really follow typical slasher beats. There aren’t many kills, and most of which come via videotape, and having already happened well before the events of the film. It tries to do a “gotcha” twist but it mostly comes across poorly formed and surface level. It doesn’t really hold up to scrutiny and feels a bit silly overall. Even still, at least it’s trying something different, so I’ll give it that.

NIGHT OF THE REAPER IS STREAMING ON SHUDDER ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2025.

Night of the Reaper

AVERAGE

6

The post Night of the Reaper Review: A Babysitter Slasher Without Much Slashing appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: Jordan Peele’s name is certainly enough to intrigue the average viewer due to his phenomenal work on Get Out, Us and Nope. Even when he’s just producing, it tends to be a mark for higher-quality horror. Here’s hoping that Him doesn’t destroy that for him. While the trailers certainly looked intriguing, what we ultimately got was simply style over substance. And the lack of clear vision makes this feel like an awkward mishmash of ideas.

Him focuses on Tyriq Withers’ Cameron Cade, a young quarterback who is looking to be the greatest of all time. He’s invited to his compound of his hero, Marlon Wayans’ Isaiah White, who takes an unconventional approach to training. The film ultimately asks the question of “How far are you willing to go, in order to be the best?” The first half of the film is really intriguing, as we get to see Cade’s journey and the pressures of completing his lifelong goal. He almost feels like he’s on a track laid out for him by everyone around him, and it’s easy to see how the expectations are getting to him. But it falters once it gets into the back half of the narrative.

Withers is great as Cade, and is able to show plenty of nuance in his intense motivation. He was the best part of the new I Know What You Did Last Summer, and he’s continuing to be one to watch. Wayans also gets plenty of moments to shine, even if he can be a bit over the top at times; it’s clearly what the character called for. His narcissism bleeds through the screen, though I’d say he’s not entirely convincing as a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. It was also nice to see Jim Jefferies in a more serious role. Everyone else feels somewhat miscast, with Julia Fox, in particular, being quite awkward in her delivery.

The cinematography from Kira Kelly is a standout, with some truly gorgeous shots throughout. Combined with the fantastic sound design, Him is quite the encompassing cinematic experience. However, I’ve never seen football look so gorgeous while simultaneously giving us so little of the action itself. Maybe let us see why Cade is considered to be so great, versus mostly just telling us. Justin Tipping is doing his best Jordan Peele impression, but fails to connect the themes in a meaningful way. And he definitely overdoes the absolutely ridiculous X-Ray shots.

The biggest problem with Him is that it treats a certain element of the film as a mystery, when it’s painfully obvious from the start which direction the film is going in. Maybe I’ve just watched enough horror in my life, but it was a bit insulting once they started to reveal different things. And far too many of the mysteries amount to nothing. Violence isn’t shocking when it’s just done for the sake of it, and this film has a hard time making any of it meaningful. Once everything is laid out, it’s hard not to feel a bit annoyed by the whole experience. Nothing makes sense, and it all ends up being pretty shots with little else to latch onto.

While I don’t think that Him is nearly as bad as some people are making it out to be, it’s hard to deny that it’s not disappointing. The trailer promised a unique and interesting look at what a man would do to be great, and ends up throwing too many ideas into the mix, without really committing to any of them. Wayans and Withers are worth a watch, but they just can’t carry the film across the finish line.

HIM RELEASES TO THEATERS ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2025.

Him

BELOW AVERAGE

5

The post Him Review: A False Start That Fails To Bring Meaning To Its Message appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: There are few films in the horror genre that have had the impact of Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The 1974 classic has provided so much inspiration for generation after generation of filmmakers and it’s no wonder that it’s still talked about more than 50 years later. Chain Reactions looks at how the film influenced five specific artists, while also showing outtakes from the original film. It’s a bit different from some of the other documentaries focused on a singular film, as it’s more about the film’s impact on individuals versus a behind the scenes deep dive.

The structure of Chain Reactions is pretty unique, in that it’s split into chapters, with each chapter being focused on a different interview subject. Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Stephen King, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and Karyn Kusama all have their own segments and they’re able to share the impact that TCM had on them. The King segment feels like it will get the most attention, as he himself has so much impact on the horror genre. The other’s feel a bit more loosely connected and feel a bit more broad in their connections to TCM. King actually makes a ton of salient points and makes specific connections with Hooper’s film and unexpected films it inspired. I love Patton Oswalt, but it gets to the point where you’re just hearing a fan talk about their love for the film versus them actually taking part in a ripple effect that affects pop culture.

Karyun Kusama gives some great takes as to why TCM is as brilliant as it is, as she breaks down why specific shots are so expertly crafted. She gets into why the film made the impact that it has, versus going for more personal anecdotes, and Americana at its roots. It honestly gave me more appreciation for the film, which is exactly what this kind of documentary should be doing. This also taught me that I could listen to her talk about cinema for an entire movie, as she’s clearly a great orator who knows her stuff.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is more reliant on its viewing experience than damn near any other film out there. I would argue that the lower quality you see it in, the more impactful it is. It’s why I’ve found myself a bit resistant to the re-release and 4K restoration of the film. There’s just something about seeing the overexposed image bouncing around with scratches aplenty and a scratchy mono track. So it’s nice to see that properly represented in Chain Reactions. On the technical side, the interviews are well shot and all of the footage is presented in a concise way. I did find it hilarious that they decided to do a split diopter shot between King and

Admittedly, the film can drag at points, as it’s hard to keep so many different people on track, no matter how influenced they were by the subject at hand. There are some asides about Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights or Picnic at Hanging Rock that are only loosely connected and would have been cut in a doc featuring more interviews. Because of that, there are times where the narrative doesn’t feel quite as concise as it seems like it should be. But, again, I think a lot of that just has to do with the decision to make this simply framed around these five artists and their experience with TCM.

I think that if you go into this with the right expectations, you’ll have a fun time. As it feels more like a YouTube dissection versus a hardcore deep dive into the film or its filmmakers. That’s not a slight, as many of those types of videos can be very entertaining. But some of the interview subjects here can be a bit bland and drag the film a bit. Thankfully, the outtakes from TCM and some truly insightful moments with King and Miike make it worth a viewing, especially for longtime Texas Chainsaw fans.

CHAIN REACTIONS IS PLAYING IN NEW YORK AND LA ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, AND EXPANDED NATIONWIDE ON SEPTEMBER 26TH.

Chain Reactions

GOOD

7

The post Chain Reactions Review: A Texas Chainsaw Doc With A Different Twist appeared first on JoBlo.

REVIEW: Book adaptations can be a tough nut to crack, especially when dealing with more intense themes. It’s really about getting the right people in place to tell the story and, even then, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. That’d be a good way to describe The Man in My Basement: a movie with good intentions that just doesn’t fully realize its potential. It’s really too bad, as I’ve heard that Walter Mosley’s book, which it’s based upon, is a pretty decent read.

The Man in My Basement follows Charles Blakey (Corey Hawkins), a man who hasn’t worked for some time and is in danger of losing his house. But when a mysterious man (Willem Dafoe) shows up and offers him money to rent out his basement, his predicament may be saved. Only he doesn’t put all his cards on the table, and has different intentions for his stay in the basement. And get ready for a long wait until this reveal, because the film really takes its time in developing the story. I don’t mind a slow burn, but when other elements are handled so sloppily, it makes the buildup all the more frustrating.

Corey Hawkins has been one of those actors that I’ve just been waiting to breakout in a big way as he always fantastic in his various roles, whether it’s as Dre in Straight Out of Compton or Clemens in The Last Voyage of the Demeter. Charles Blakey is another intriguing role for the actor, if not for the sole fact that he’s a deeply flawed human being. Charles is deeply unlikable, not having a job, and letting his ancestral home be in danger of being taken away. And he constantly makes terrible decisions that seem to contradict his motivations. Hawkins does a great job, but the character is just constantly in his own way. Not great qualities for a lead that gets most of the runtime.

It’s damn near impossible to be a fan of cinema and not love Willem Dafoe. He always does such a phenomenal job and is a highlight. But here, he’s simply…there. The character of Anniston Bennet is intriguing at times, and frustratingly vague in others. His interactions with Hawkins are intriguing in first, but often go in circles, hitting the same points every time. The story seems to want to make a point with him, while never really nailing it home. Everyone else just kind of blends together, and the film mostly seems focused on Charles and his story. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing if it actually committed to any of the ideas that it merely hints at. Director Nadia Latif feels tentative about committing to the theme of complacency or even guilt.

It’s also increasingly frustrating with how the film handles its horror, if you can even call it that. Random editing flourishes and lazy jump scares do most of the heavy lifting, with this really falling more under the thriller category. But with a name like “The Man in My Basement”, you kind of expect a bit more from that concept. I know I did.

The Man in My Basement plays with themes of race and guilt, but never sticks with anything long enough to matter. It tries to shoehorn a message in that feels very disconnected from the actual events of the film. Focus is put in the wrong areas, and it often feels lacking in truth. Good performances from Hawkins and Dafoe aren’t able to save what is an otherwise dull affair.

THE MAN IN THE BASEMENT RELEASES TO THEATERS ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2025.

The Man in My Basement

NOT GOOD

4

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REVIEW: I’ve been a fan of The Conjuring since the beginning. Even the spinoffs have their own charm to them, but there’s nothing quite like Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga taking on spirits to get the heart pumping. Do I think that they’re representative of what Ed and Lorraine Warren actually got up to? Absolutely not. But they’re fun possession films that love to show off ghostly imagery. They’ve devolved a bit into a jump scare franchise, but I still get a kick out of how they present the scares for the most part. But what about the latest, and seemingly “final” outing?

The Conjuring: Last Rites sees a family in Pennsylvania getting haunted by the presence of a few malicious spirits. And who else to turn to? Ghostbu–I mean, Ed and Lorraine Warren. Despite being essentially retired, the two take on the case as it turns out it involves a case that they’d originally abandoned decades prior. It’s pretty by-the-numbers, and the movie essentially plays like a greatest hits of Conjuring moments, with plenty of callbacks to other cases. While unlikely to sway non-believers of the franchise, those who are on board should continue to like where the story ends up. Just wish we could have had a bit more originality instead of the story constantly feeling like a retread of the other films.

Farmiga and Wilson continue to have so much chemistry that it practically bursts through the screen. I could watch these two, just hang out for two hours, and find some enjoyment in it. They are the heart and soul of this franchise and always have been. But this is really more of an ensemble, and their daughter Judy (played by Mia Tomlinson) seems to get more screentime. And it’s not a surprise, as it really feels like they’re setting her up to take over the franchise. She and Ben Hardy’s Tony make for a decent couple (though Hardy’s British accent slips through a few times), but no one can replace Ed and Lorraine. But I wouldn’t be upset to see them take the reins if Wan and company want to go that route.

One of my favorite parts of the Conjuring-verse is how it introduces the audience to tremendous young actors. The two standouts here are Beau Gadsdon and Kíla Lord Cassidy, the two older sisters of the family haunted in the film, the Smurls. They both do a great job. I also really liked that, rather than de-aging Wilson and Farmiga, younger actors were cast for the younger versions of them. We really need to go back to that approach versus going for the de-aging tech at every turn. It worked out so much better here, with Madison Lawlor in particular giving a great performance as young Lorraine.

James Wan’s absence from the series has been sorely felt, and Michael Chaves has struggled with his entries. Thankfully, this is his best outing and feels a lot more in line with the original film. They’ve cut back on the excessive CGI and have taken a more practical approach. I really enjoyed how the spirits were treated in this, with some genuinely creepy visuals and some great moments. I did feel like the haunting itself ended with a bit of a whimper, despite a good buildup, but there’s only so much you can do with exorcising a demon.

While it certainly meanders at times, and the 2-hour 15-minute runtime feels a bit unearned, I enjoyed my time with Last Rites. This was a movie made for the fans, and it’s satisfying enough that most of them should be leaving the theater happy. Whether this end actually remains permanent, I’m certainly sad to see Wilson and Farmiga leaving the world of The Conjuring behind them. Last Rites doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but make sure to pay homage to all the things that made the series what it was.

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES IS PLAYING IN THEATERS ON SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2025.

The Conjuring: Last Rights

GOOD

7

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REVIEW: There are few films that are as influential as Steven Spielberg‘s 1975 classic. 50 years later and it’s still just as impactful as it was back upon its initial release. The way that it still commands an audience’s attention must be studied because it’s an experience unlike any other (indeed, the movie is still topping the box office fifty years after it came out). And I was lucky enough to see the film on IMAX for this 50th anniversary re-release. I’m not a religious man, but this was as close to a religious experience as I could have asked for.

The opening with Chrissy going out into the water had such a palpable tension to it. I knew what was coming yet it still felt like seeing it all for the first time. Her screams and thrashing in the water were absolutely horrifying. I was hearing stuff in the mix that I never even knew existed. Whether it was the drones of the ocean during the opening shot to the various lines that somehow slipped past me, it felt like seeing the movie anew. And dear god, how did I never notice how many dogs show up in this thing? I felt like in every scene, there was a different dog just wandering around.

The performances from Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw are one of the best trifectas I can imagine. They bring so much to the table (or the boat, rather) that it’s hard to imagine anyone else embodying these folks. I, and the audience I was with, was hanging on to every word that came out of Quint’s mouth during the Indianapolis speech. It’s something you can feel deep down, and every syllable demands your attention. I’ve seen this movie probably a hundred times, and it never gets old.

Seeing it in such a large format really showcases Bill Butler’s incredible cinematography. From the pull-in, zoom out on Brody’s face to the incredible cuts from Verna Fields as Brody is scanning the beach for any signs of trouble: it all fits together seamlessly. The score by John Williams can bring about unease in one moment and sheer hope in the next. There’s a reason that Jaws is taught in film schools across the country, and the theatrical experience is a must for anyone who appreciates the art form.

Bruce the shark is a large monstrosity that makes me glad we don’t actually have sharks this big in real life (I hear he’s a 25-footer). And how Spielberg is able to shoot him is truly astonishing. Sure, we all know the story of how the damn thing wouldn’t work half the time, but when it did, it was used so expertly. He didn’t just say “yeah, that’s good enough,” and because of that, he excels beyond a standard B-movie creature feature. There’s a reason that there haven’t been any truly great shark movies since.

I know that for some people, the theater experience just isn’t what it once was; and I agree. But this was as close as I’ve gotten to feeling like an old-school movie theater viewing in a very long time. No one was talking or on their phones. They were completely enthralled with what was happening on the big screen. This is a testament to the longevity of Jaws and why it may just be the greatest film ever made. Bold statement, but after this theatrical viewing, I don’t think it’s a controversial one. Make sure you check this one out on the biggest screen possible before it’s too late!

WATCH JAWS IN THEATERS FOR ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY NOW!

Jaws

PERFECTO-MUNDO

10

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PLOT:  Loosely based on the 1984 cult classic, The Toxic Avenger stars Peter Dinklage as a terminally ill janitor named Winston Gooze who transforms into a mutant vigilante after a toxic accident.  He then must rise from outcast to become a hero, battling corporate greed and corruption to protect his community and step son.  But does it live up to the cult status of the original?

REVIEW: Let’s get this right off the bat.  Director Macon Blair’s riotous remake of The Toxic Avenger might not win over the uninitiated, at first, but for those steeped in the radioactive grime of Tromaville, it’s a sludge-soaked triumph. A worthy spiritual successor to Lloyd Kaufman’s 1984 cult classic, this new iteration is less reboot and more reanimation—one that gleefully rips off its own limbs and reattaches them with the kind of DIY gross-out ingenuity only a Troma fan could love.

Once again, we follow a hapless everyman who becomes an eco-mutant avenger after being tossed into a vat of toxic waste. But here, that man is Winston Gooze, played with surprising pathos by Peter Dinklage. A janitor at a pollution-spewing chemical plant, Winston is a widower, a reluctant stepdad, and—thanks to a cold-blooded insurance denial—one very sick man. After a botched robbery and a dip in a glowing sludge bath, Winston re-emerges as a grotesque, one-eyed antihero with skin the color of expired guacamole and a mop that doubles as a head-splitting, intestine-yanking death tool.

That’s where The Toxic Avenger gets unexpectedly potent. For all its over-the-top splatter and comic-book violence, there’s real-world sting in the satire. In a country where navigating health insurance can feel like a horror movie in itself, Blair uses Winston’s predicament to take a not-so-subtle jab at a broken system. The horror here isn’t just mutant limbs or disemboweled henchmen—it’s being sick and poor in a world that doesn’t care.

Blair, whose directorial debut I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore showed an eye for righteous rage, approaches this remake with reckless abandon. While the gore is cranked to cartoonish extremes and the kills escalate into full-blown symphonies of splatter, Blair injects real heart into the ooze. Dinklage, voicing both pre- and post-mutated Winston, grounds the character in melancholy, letting the emotional weight bubble just beneath the surface like a slow-simmering toxic vat.

Kevin Bacon chews scenery with relish as Bob Garbinger, a morally bankrupt CEO whose chemical empire would make even RoboCop’s OCP blush. Hot off his slimeball performance in MaXXXine, Bacon is clearly having a blast playing another grotesquely charismatic villain, leaning into the role with a perfect mix of sleaze and swagger. And he’s matched beat for beat by Elijah Wood, who delivers a wonderfully weird turn as Garbinger’s ghoulish brother, Fritz. Wood, barely recognizable beneath prosthetics and makeup, channels an unhinged mad scientist vibe that feels equal parts The Penguin from Batman Returns and Riff Raff from Rocky Horror. Together, the two make for an unforgettable pair of corporate creeps, anchoring the film’s satirical bite with devilish glee.

Taylour Paige’s J.J. adds firepower and moral clarity to the chaos, and Jacob Tremblay, playing Winston’s stepson, delivers a rare horror-comedy performance that’s sweet without being saccharine.

Longtime Troma fans will find plenty of Easter eggs buried under the slime. Class of Nuke ’Em High gets a few sly nods, as does Poultrygeist for those with sharp eyes (and stronger stomachs). Even Motörhead—whose music has been synonymous with Troma’s punk spirit for decades—makes an appearance, hammering home the reboot’s deep-rooted affection for its radioactive lineage.

And none of this would have been possible without Legendary Pictures, who deserve massive credit for having the guts to back a movie like this. For a studio known for global mega-franchises like the Monsterverse, it’s refreshing—almost shocking—to see them champion something this raw, this punk rock, this unapologetically grotesque and relentlessly funny. When people say “they don’t make movies like they used to,” The Toxic Avenger dares to shout back, “Then we’ll make one ourselves.”

The town of St. Roma’s Village, a thinly veiled stand-in for Tromaville, is alive with madcap detail and constant background chaos. You can practically hear the chatter just offscreen: conspiracy theorists, shady cops, deranged newscasters—all part of the glorious, grotesque tapestry.

Is it for everyone? God, no. But The Toxic Avenger was never meant to be a four-quadrant crowd-pleaser. It’s an inside joke, yes—but it desperately wants you in on it. For fans of the original, for gorehounds, and for anyone who’s ever shouted “they don’t make movies like they used to”—look no further. This is the return of a cult icon in the most gloriously disgusting way possible.

The Toxic Avenger

GREAT

8

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REVIEW: Few films in the horror genre are more entertaining than The Blob and A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. They bring a great mix of over-the-top violence with humor. So I was ecstatic to see writer/director Chuck Russell make his return to the genre for the first time in nearly 25 years. Setting his sights on updating the 1986 film Witchboard, which itself was a play on the popular Ouija board, this seems prime for the modern era. So, it’s upsetting for me to say that 2024’s Witchboard is a bit of a mess.

If you’re hoping for some kind of update to the 1986 story, you’re in for disappointment because we’re instead given a story about a girl finding the board and becoming possessed. Okay, that actually makes it sound more like the original, but add in a whole subplot of opening up a restaurant and a mysterious benefactor. There were times when I had to check and make sure I wasn’t watching a Blumhouse title. From the bland characters to a very stereotypical story, everything about Witchboard feels generic.

Madison Iseman has come and gone from the genre over the years, and she works well as lead, Emily. I’m curious how others will react to her as she essentially is why her friends are roped into this. I always struggle to care about that kind of character. Her complete ignorance of the situation is very frustrating. The Witchboard is clearly influencing her but it also makes it hard to root for her since she comes across as kind of stupid. And the inclusion of her former drug dealer didn’t make things any better. Again, really hard to root for. But Iseman herself does a great job. Aaron Dominguez is our real lead, and he’s decent enough. His love for Emily comes through, even if I’m often going, “What on earth does he see in this girl?” His character is very one-dimensional.

The real standout is Jamie Campbell Bower as Alexander Babtiste. As proven by his performance as Vecna in Stranger Things, Bowers has a voice that can pierce your soul. His role is very stereotypical, but he gives it so much life. He’s sadly underutilized, especially in the film’s finale. He can feel a bit one-dimensionally evil, but it worked for me. While he’s only briefly in the film, Ozark‘s own Charlie Tahan appears as the most relatable character in the film. The only person who, the moment he sees the Witchboard, is immediately against it and wants it as far away as possible. If only they’d listened to the poor guy.

Instead of using a simple ouija board, I liked the inclusion of a newly designed board. While it wouldn’t surprise me if, like the original, it was done for copyright reasons, it has a cool design. New Orleans serves as the setting for this version of Witchboard, giving it a properly witchy aesthetic. The city has a long history of witchcraft so it makes sense to set the film there.

The CGI blood can get a tad out of hand, and I became increasingly frustrated the more it was used. There are even simple moments when something physical could be used, yet they go the digital route, which is a bit disappointing. That’s not to say everything is CGI, as there’s a great throat slash and other moments. They also combine elements to great effect. The film certainly isn’t afraid to get wet. But I was often flabbergasted at the sheer amount of CGI violence. Is it really that difficult to mix some Karo Syrup and red food coloring? And the kills are often very uninspired; they just happen for shock value and without much thought. I was hoping for some Rube Goldberg-style kills but came out sorely disappointed.

Witchboard is very silly and clearly meant to be seen with a crowd. It’s more formulaic than I was expecting, but Russell delivers some great Final Destination-y kills. There aren’t any characters to attach to as they’re busy making bad decisions but the villain is eclectic and fun. I’m sure with another viewing, and rooting against these kids, could have a better return on time investment. But boasting this level of talent and getting this result, means this film is better off on the shelf.

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Witchboard

BELOW AVERAGE

5

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