Horror Movie Talk

We watched The Number 23 and I was barely able to stay awake through this portrayal of the dark, end times of The Truman Show. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/TUTlOC4mVQ8 Synopsis The Number 23 can be found for rent on most major platforms right now. The Number 23 is the story of Walter Sparrow who becomes obsessed with a book that seems to have deep connections with his life. As he reads the novel, he begins to see clues that it may tie into the real world. As Walter dives down this rabbit hole, he becomes obsessed with the obsession of the protagonist of the novel – the number 23. Will Walter be able to hold on to his sanity, or will he suffer the same fate as the man in the book? Review I find it hard to review The Number 23 because it’s so forgettable and boring throughout with such a silly premise that I just can’t take it seriously.  It’s directed by Joel Schumacher and stars Jim Carrey and it’s exactly what you would expect that pairing of fellas would produce.  If you aren’t familiar with numerology and the mental gymnastics that it takes to believe any of that bullshit, this movie will catch you up quite well. Just don’t expect to be interested or enlightened. Between Walter’s real life and the life he delves into while reading his book, you would think one of them would be interesting.  The over-saturation of the film while we experience what Walter reads is annoying but why stop there? The constant adding and subtracting of seemingly symbolic numbers to achieve the number 23 falls so flat in what it tries to achieve that I can only laugh. The stakes are supposed to hinge on these coincidences in the number 23, but even the dimmest bulb will find them to be a stretch. The twists and turns of the end arise as quickly as they are doused, and the final reveal happens with 20 minutes left in the movie, leaving the remaining 20 minutes to clumsily mop up the pieces. It kind of bums me out because it’s probably the only Jim Carrey movie that we will ever get to review, unless The Cable Guy could somehow be considered horror. If you are looking for a crazy thriller, please try The Invitation, The House That Jack Built, or Ready or Not over The Number 23. Watch The Number 23 Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch Score 2/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Get 20% off your appointment for a soothing sound bath and tarot reading by entering code HMT at BloomingWand.com

It’s really the grade-schooler level diagrams that really sell it for me. This week we review one of my favorites, and I’m still not sure what that says about me. Join us on our break down of The Human Centipede. Synopsis The Human Centipede is about a centipede made out of humans. I mean it’s right there in the title, I don’t think that’s a spoiler. A mad German surgeon who’s specialty is the separation of Siamese twins decides to go in a different direction when he kidnaps a couple of American tourists who show up at his door.   https://youtu.be/glfBurdSUS8 Review of The Human Centipede (First Sequence) This movie exists in a world of it’s own. I think Roger Ebert said it best: “I am required to award stars to movies I review. This time, I refuse to do it. The star rating system is unsuited to this film. Is the movie good? Is it bad? Does it matter? It is what it is and occupies a world where the stars don’t shine.” Roger Ebert I’ll disagree and say that this film is great. It’s one of my favorite horror movies because of the absolute unflinching commitment to a ridiculous premise, while just barely betraying itself with subtle touches of dark dark humor. At walks the razors edge of storytelling and utter depravity.  It’s a movie that you only need to watch once, because it is going to stick with you. Score 10/10 The Human Centipede Add it to your collection or rent it now. Click here to buy Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Get a 30 day free trial at Shudder.com when you use the code HMT at checkout.

This was a really interesting movie that Bryce loved and David was ambivalent about. If you want to gain access to the full review, head over to patreon.com/horrormovietalk and sign up for the We All Spoop for Ice Spoop tier. That get’s you access to: The Afterpods Early Access to all reviews The Ability to vote for 1 movie a month for us to watch Thank you card loaded with stickers

We watched Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin on Paramount+ and I am so pleased with the fresh breath of quality that it has brought to this flailing franchise. While the activity is mostly not paranormal, it ain’t normal, and that’s good enough for me! @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/cyrhAScX80k Synopsis Margot is a young woman who was abandoned by her mother at a hospital as a baby. She heads to the Amish countryside to reconnect with the family that she 23 and me claims she came from.  She brings Chris and Dale with her to shoot a documentary that will follow her journey to reconnect with the community that she was torn from at such a young age. As Margot and her small crew are reluctantly welcomed by the Amish, they begin to notice that certain activities are going on across the spacious countryside – paranormal activities. Review Directed by William Eubank who also directed Underwater, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin brings the franchise back from the brink and gives it a kick in the old pantaloons. While it doesn’t carry on with the same content that we came to love in Paranormal Activity 1-3, it does have a solid premise, a great setting, and some decent scares. Mostly, I’m just thrilled to death that Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin was entertaining and well-done. There was a simple mystery placed before me, and plenty of twists and turns to keep me enthralled. While the subject matter is a bit different than the previous installments, it was still consistent and interesting.  When I think of the Paranormal Activity series, the first three are top tier. But 4-6 get hung up on goofy camera hijinks, played out tropes, and throw away acting and directing choices. Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin stands on it’s own two demon haunches and manages to be an original installment worth watching.  Watch Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch Score 8/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Get 20% off your appointment for a soothing sound bath and tarot reading by entering code HMT at BloomingWand.com

If you mess with the Wendigo, you get the antlers… Synopsis Antlers tells the story of meth cookers inadvertently disturbing an ancient evil, and the middle school teacher and student that suffer the consequences. Keri Russel stars as Julia Meadows, who has returned home to begin her first year as a middle school teacher. While dealing with trauma and guilt surrounding her childhood, she notices a student displaying signs of trauma. Jeremy Thomas plays Lucas Weaver,  the young boy that resembles a Tim Burton sketch. He is hiding the secret of his sick father and brother in his attic, who he is taking care of. Their sickness makes his father a rage filled, ravenous monster, and this is problematic for young Lucas. https://youtu.be/ng5eyOfL8qM Review of Antlers In the marketing, it heavily pushes Guiermo Del Toro’s name, but he only produced, and it was actually directed by Scott Cooper, who has mainly directed dramas before, such as Crazy Heart and Black Mass. It shows here, because the drama and internal world of the characters is front and center throughout most of the film. It turns what could be just a special effects demonstration monster movie into an actual story with stakes. I was looking forward to this movie. I wouldn’t say I had high expectations, but it definitely piqued my interest. The trailers show very little, but really sell the movie based on the performance of Jeremy Thomas. Out of all the new releases this year that I was looking forward to, this is the only one that actually delivered. This is a compelling and emotionally complex film, but it also has some of the year’s best gore and jump scares. I highly recommend it. Score 8/10 Pan’s Labyrinth The Criterion Collection Add it to your collection or rent it now. Click here to buy Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Get 20% off your appointment for a soothing sound bath and tarot reading by entering code HMT at BloomingWand.com

We went and saw Last Night in Soho and came away impressed but not enthralled. This is a movie that is well made and acted but just doesn’t hold much for me to relate to. That being said, it was an undeniably good twisted thriller that uses a tried and true formula to keep the audience thrown off the scent of the twist at the end. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/AcVnFrxjPjI Synopsis Last Night in Soho is about a girl in the present day named Ellie (Thomasin McKenzie). Ellie is a budding fashion designer who moves to the big city of London, where she is going to school to pursue her dreams. Coming from a small town and with a questionable heritage of mental health problems, Ellie is overwhelmed and taken advantage of in this new environment. She leaves the dorms after her roommate proves herself to the the biggest bitch I’ve ever seen on the silver screen. Ellie moves in with an elderly woman named Ms. Collins, who has a single room for rent in Soho.  When going to sleep in this room, Ellie is transported via dream into the world of London in the 60’s where she follows a gorgeous young woman named Sandy (Anya Taylor-Joy) who wants to make it big in show business and befriends a dashing manager, Jack (Matt Smith) played by Dr. Who.  But what hides behind her idyllic dream of the 60’s is a dark and dangerous side of London that’s still present today.  Will London take advantage of Ellie, or will she learn from the tragic and terrifying story of Sandy? Review Last Night in Soho is a mystery/thriller that is well-made and fun. It’s also dark and twisted with a fabulous soundtrack of solid 60’s hits and a wonderful cast of competent actors. It presents themes of bullying, human trafficking, mental illness, and revenge but it’s wrapped in such a sugary-sweet, neon-light fun show that the scares feel more like suggestions. If those themes sound like content that will trigger you, however, this will likely be a very scary movie for you.I, on the other hand, have not had to deal with much in the way of being preyed upon by men, or severe mental illness, so Last Night in Soho didn’t hit home for me. Watch Last Night in Soho Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch I can definitely appreciate that this is a well-made and thoughtful approach to a number of serious issues, but I’m not the target audience. I feel like this is geared toward women and suffers of mental abuse, but it’s so well-done that it will appeal to general audiences much more than hard horror fans. It was a little long but the length felt warranted and even necessary. If you are looking for hardcore horror, this may not be your best bet. I would steer you toward Antlers for the crazier side of horror that’s available in theaters right now. We reviewed a real stinker of a boring movie in episode 33 titled Greta and this feels like that movie done well because of the themes, setting, and characters. Score 7/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Get 20% off your appointment for a soothing sound bath and tarot reading by entering code HMT at BloomingWand.com

Remember how Michael Myers was burned in fire? No you don’t, shut up. He’s fine, he was just resting. This week we review Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers with special guest Bug-Z! @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Synopsis 10 years have passed since the events of Halloween 1 & 2 (the first ones), and Michael Myers has awakened from a coma to escape from a prison transport. He hears that he has a niece, and will stop at nothing to kill her, because that’s kind of his thing. https://youtu.be/rfvBru3MKsg Review of Halloween 4 Halloween 4 is a Halloween Movie. It’s got Michael Myers. You should pretty much know what it is just by reading the title. You’re going to get kills. You’re going to have a stabby boy. The only difference is going to be the tone of the film, and the quality of kills. Halloween 4 goes full-on. This is the first Halloween movie where I kind of get it. Once they allow Michael Myers to poke a hole in a skull with his thumb… the series has turned a corner. Now he’s not just a guy with a knife, his hands are knives too! I enjoyed this entry a little more than the first two, but it is still limited by what it is. Loomis emphatically reminding us that Michael is not human, but EVIL, and various characters getting set up to be killed. Score 7/10 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Add it to your collection or rent it now. Click here to buy Get a 30 day free trial at Shudder.com with code HMT. Visit DSLaboratories.com and use code HORROR15 to get 15% off your order site wide. Check out the Revita.SOD hair growth supplements. Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Mentioned in the Episode https://youtu.be/QRtqg_I3oEQ https://youtu.be/KbkNul4wQH0 https://youtu.be/9qUiAdha-1Y It’s ya boy, Bug-Z

We went and saw Halloween Kills and i was shocked by the insanity of the violence at the start and end of the movie, and bored to literal tears by the squishy, awkward middle.  @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/OUwVHX3242M Synopsis Halloween Kills picks up directly where Halloween 2018 left off. Spoilers, he makes it through the fire, and goes on a murderous rampage through his hometown of Haddonfield.  https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2018/10/24/halloween-2018-review/ While the residents decide to make their own stand against his evil, they do their best to try to find and kill Michael in a mob justice style coup.  Michael creeps through the town brutally killing random bystanders and homeowners.  Eventually, everyone ends up with more Michael Meyers than they bargained for. Review Halloween Kills is a cool concept that is hampered by slow-witted dialog and an unneeded morality appeal.  Who was the person clamoring for a barebones morality tale in a Halloween movie? I feel like I understand the Halloween fanbase pretty well. I respect them, and I know I’m an outsider looking in, but none of them are asking for this. The entire second and third acts of Halloween Kills are bogged down by inane dialog, cameos, and homages to previous films.  I will say this – the violence is pretty incredible. Some of the kills are so brutal and disgusting that I was impressed. I don’t think I’ve seen such incredible brutality done so well since Possessor Uncut from 2020. The kills were done so well that I actually got into them to a degree.  Watch Halloween Kills Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Instead of a dialog driven homage-fest, why not do what Michael actually does best? Creep around the town of Haddonfield with Michael, stalking and killing his victims. Sparse music or silence accompaniment to pair with the gurgling, gasping, and screaming of defenseless townsfolk, just trying to get away. Show how evil Michael is, don’t tell us – WE KNOW! Make us gasp in awe. Make us fearful of walking through the parking lot at night to get back to our cars and drive home. It bums me out that Halloween 2018 didn’t get a hardcore follow-up, because I feel like if they had gone swung for the fence with the brutality, they could have made a movie that people spoke about in hushed tones.  Score 5/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We went and saw Lamb, and I’m still wondering about what I saw. This moody and intimate Icelandic horror movie may not have a lot of scares, but it serves up plenty of dread, and will stick with you for a while. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Lamb can be found in theaters now Synopsis Lamb is about a childless couple working a farm in Iceland that discovers a unique lamb born in their barn. They take special care in raising this lamb, but something’s not quite right. You can tell because some of the other lambs have shifty eyes. https://youtu.be/hnEwJKVWjFM Review of Lamb This is a very unique movie. It’s one of the things I crave in a moviegoing experience: novelty. There has definitely never been a movie like this one. The story is very simple and spare, but somehow punches you in the gut with vague allegory. It’s almost hard to come up with what this movie is about without just describing the plot, but the themes go into nature vs nurture, seeking happiness where you shouldn’t, motherhood, loss, jealousy, and synthpop.  It is definitely slowly paced, but that isn’t to say that it isn’t engaging. It held my attention, and affected me on an emotional level. The visuals were stark but beautiful, reminding me a lot of A24’s other recent release The Green Knight. https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2019/10/16/the-witch-review/ If you think all of A24’s movies are pretentious garbage, then you’ll hate this movie, but if you want to see something that you haven’t before and are willing to soak in some melancholy for a couple hours, I highly recommend it. Score 8/10 Watch The Witch On Amazon Click here to watch Get a 30 day free trial at Shudder.com with code HMT. Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We watched Ernest Scared Stupid and were reminded of a simpler time when all you needed for a kids movie was a man with bizarre facial expressions and copious amounts of boogers. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/ni50DLOKdZY Synopsis Many years ago an ancient evil was locked away in the earth below Briarville, Missouri and today our lovable clutz, Ernest has unleashed it upon the children. Won’t someone think of the children?  Well, Ernest did an oopsy and now he’s going to right his wrong with the help of all the kids in Briarville. But that means he will have to face the terrifying Trantor the troll! Will Ernest be able to save the kid’s souls? Will he fuck up even worse? Will children who watch this movie get more trolls than they bargain for?  Review Ernest Scared Stupid is probably the most memorable of all ten Ernest movies that have been made starring the legendary Jim Varney. There is a tried and true method for making kids movies that I think might have started with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids where the kids would build elaborate contraptions that were as goofy as they were oddly effective. This is one of those, but with the added benefit of starring a pre Jim Carrey slapstick aficionado, and goofball.  When you add trolls and a special effects department helmed by the Chiodo Brothers, apparently what you get is a horror movie made for kids that is so effective that I still remember it with glee. https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2018/12/26/gremlins-review/ Watch Ernest Scared Stupid Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Has this film aged well? It depends who you ask. If you are talking to me, I remember this being far more terrifying and interesting. If you ask my kids they will cry and tell you that it was the scariest thing they’ve ever seen. This film isn’t for me, but it’s a cult millennial legend for a reason. It did a lot of things right, even if it’s too scary for little kids and way too boring for me. This is a fabulous introduction to horror for kids, being accessible, fun, and not so gentle that kids feel belittled or coddled. It’s got some potty humor, but honestly that’s one of it’s strong-points. Ernest Scared Stupid is a ton of family fun and an easy title to throw on for background noise or to keep the kids entertained while you have a Halloween party. Score 4/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We went and saw Malignant, and It had me all turned around. I didn’t know if this movie was coming or going. Wan is an experienced filmmaker, but this film makes me wonder if he had brain trauma since Aquaman. (1:27) – Intro (5:51) – Trailer (8:42) – Synopsis (9:07) – Review (15:42) – Score (25:50) – Spoilers (1:02:17) – Make it Better (1:18:01) – Outro Malignant can be found in theaters now and streaming on HBO Max until Oct 10 @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Synopsis Malignant is about an abused wife, Madison (Annabelle Wallis), who after her husband is murdered, begins to see a figure in the shadows and having visions of murders. She finds out that these murders are real and that she has been witnessing them in real time. As police investigate the crimes, they seem to be tied together and related somehow to Madison’s past. https://youtu.be/Gczt0fhawDs Review of Malignant (2021) James Wan, the director of Malignant is an accomplished horror director. Say what you want about The Conjuring, Saw, and … Aquaman? The truth is he is a competent director that has made some very enjoyable and successful movies. So much so, that entire franchises have been launched from his films. So the question is. How did Malignant happen? Is this a joke? I can only assume that Wan intentionally made a bad movie, because otherwise, the only explanation is head trauma.  There are times when it shines with pure stupid fun — mainly the opening and ending scenes — but the majority of the movie seems to have poor footing with its tone. I could see some of these terrible lines of dialogue and ridiculous plotting work in a committed exaggerated campy horror film, But foolishly, everyone is playing it subdued and straight. I sat there watching the film, bored for most of it, desperately wanting a Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead 2 type actor to bring some levity and self awareness. Nope, just performances of the caliber that you would see on your mom’s favorite c-tier CBS crime procedural. The influences are many and varied. I’m reminded of most of Wans career with elements of The Conjuring and Saw apparent, but also campy horror classics like Re-Animator and Basket Case. However, instead of taking disparate ingredients and making an enjoyable stew, we are treated more to a bachelor’s feast of unrelated stale cold leftovers eaten out of tupperware containers.  The film could have gone a number of ways to explain what is happening to Madison. It could be a haunting, a possession, a serial killer, psychic powers, etc. What it ends up being, is so dumb that you almost want to stand up and clap. I wish I could like this movie more, but the story in the middle of the film, and the characters are so boring, The ridiculous parts that I did enjoy couldn’t overcome them. Score 3/10 Buy The Conjuring Now on Amazon Click here to Buy Get a 30 day free trial at Shudder.com with code HMT. Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

Just released, Horror Movie Talk presents the Midnight Mass Aftershow. We’ll breakdown each episode of the upcoming seven-part horror series by Mike Flanagan on Netflix with a companion aftershow episode. About Midnight Mass When Father Paul’s appearance on Crockett Island coincides with unexplained and seemingly miraculous events, a renewed religious fervor takes hold of the community. But do these miracles come at a price? From Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass tells the tale of a small isolated island community whose existing divisions are amplified by the return of a disgraced young man and the arrival of a charismatic priest. Subscribe Now Subscribe to Horror Movie Talk on your favorite podcast platform so that you can binge the entire aftershow on the same day that you binge Midnight Mass on Netflix. Midnight Mass Promo Poster

In the exciting conclusion to the Midnight Mass Aftershow, we cover Book VII: Revelations. We breakdown the horror and metaphysical aspects of this last episode of Midnight Mass. (0:46) – Welcome (1:51) – Opening Prayer (3:10) – Synopsis (11:02) – Sermon Synopsis In the finale, we see the resulting chaos of what happened in the church. Lines are drawn the turned and unturned, and Bev self righteously appoints herself as the leader to guide the islanders. While continuing the heavy violence from the previous episode’s finale, this final book takes a hard turn into the metaphysical as many characters confront their life choices, and their impending death. MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) KATE SIEGEL as ERIN GREENE in episode 107 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) ANNABETH GISH as DR. SARAH GUNNING, IGBY RIGNEY as WARREN FLYNN, ANNARAH CYMONE as LEEZA SCARBOROUGH, KATE SIEGEL as ERIN GREENE, and RAHUL KOHLI as SHERIFF HASSAN in episode 107 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) IGBY RIGNEY as WARREN FLYNN and ANNARAH CYMONE as LEEZA SCARBOROUGH in episode 107 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

At this point, everything has been set in motion and we get to see what “God” wants for the island of Crockett. Listen to Episode 6 of the Midnight Mass Aftershow. (0:45) – Welcome (1:22) – Synopsis (3:37) – Opening Prayer (4:30) – Sermon Synopsis This episode starts with Erin In the boat where… stuff just went down. At this point, everything has been set in motion and we get to see what God wants for the island of Crockett. The apostles who have been chosen on the island are setting to work doing what has to be done to spread salvation to the rest of the island. We sit and watch in dread and I have to wonder, is this all part of God’s plan? Maybe he does work in mysterious ways. Maybe this is salvation. Maybe those who stand opposed to Bev and Monsenior Pruit are in defiance of God’s will.  If that is the case, would you accept the sacrament? Would you follow this God? MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) SAMANTHA SLOYAN as BEV KEANE and HAMISH LINKLATER as FATHER PAUL in episode 106 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) KATE SIEGEL as ERIN GREENE in episode 106 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

Gospel means the good news, and this episode has some of the worst news for our favorite characters. (0:46) – Welcome (1:45) – Opening Prayer (2:42) – Synopsis (4:42) – Sermon Synopsis Riley is missing, and Erin is searching all over the island for him. Father Paul is starting to sound more militant in his Good Friday Sermon, and Mildred is appearing almost as young as her daughter. We eventually find out what Riley’s fate is and have some of the most emotional moments in the series. MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) ZACH GILFORD as RILEY FLYNN in episode 105 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) HAMISH LINKLATER as FATHER PAUL in episode 105 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

This episode of the aftershow we get to discuss some of the most pivotal revelations of Midnight Mass. (0:46) – Welcome (1:42) – Opening Prayer (2:58) – Synopsis (6:06) – Sermon Synopsis This episode starts with Erin at the doctors office, where they find one of the most disconcerting things I can possibly imagine out about her pregnancy, the baby appears to have vanished from inside her womb. This episode is pivotal to the series so far in that we finally realize what the flying, cat eating presence is, and what role it plays. We also learn that this new pastor is not new at all, but monseniour all young and vibrant again.  Finally, we get into pithy and heartfelt dialog about what life and death are and how they can mean different things to different people. MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) SAMANTHA SLOYAN as BEV KEANE in episode 104 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) ANNABETH GISH as DR. SARAH GUNNING in episode 104 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) CRYSTAL BALINT as DOLLY SCARBOROUGH in episode 104 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

In this episode, we discuss the major revelation of what happened to Monsignor Pruitt. (0:45) – Welcome (1:38) – Opening Prayer (2:15) – Synopsis (4:09) – Sermon Synopsis This episode fills in details about what happened to Monsignor Pruitt. We also pick up right at the moment after Leesa’s spine is healed. The town clamors for more healings and Riley is skeptical. Signs of de-aging become more pronounced, but no one openly talks about it. MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) ANNABETH GISH as DR. SARAH GUNNING, HAMISH LINKLATER as FATHER PAUL, and SAMANTHA SLOYAN as BEV KEANE in episode 103 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

We pick up where we left off, the day after the storm, but there is an unexpected surprise washed up on the beach. (0:45) – Welcome (1:44) – Opening Prayer (2:35) – Synopsis (6:26) – Sermon Synopsis This episode contains death, the building of relationships, the building of faith, and even the what appears to be a modern day miracle. We get to see a little bit more of the mysterious humanoid that stalks the island, and seems to be stalking Erin. MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) ZACH GILFORD as RILEY FLYNN in episode 102 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) ZACH GILFORD as RILEY FLYNN and HAMISH LINKLATER as FATHER PAUL in episode 102 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) KRISTIN LEHMAN as ANNIE FLYNN and HENRY THOMAS as ED FLYNN in episode 102 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) RAHUL KOHLI as SHERIFF HASSAN and ROBERT LONGSTREET as JOE COLLIE in episode 102 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

In this first official episode of the Midnight Mass Aftershow, we cover Book 1: Genesis. We introduce the characters and start asking ourselves questions about where we think the show will go. (0:47) – Welcome (1:41) – Opening Prayer (3:19) – Synopsis (6:06) – Sermon Synopsis This first episode starts out with Riley Flynn being convicted of vehicular manslaughter and serving 4 years in prison. As he returns home to the island community of Crockett, we are introduced to his family and the other townspeople of note. Much ado is made of the return of Monsignor Pruitt the elderly priest coming back from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The townspeople are surprised to learn that Monsignor Pruitt is replaced temporarily with Father Paul hill. Along with the arrival of Riley and Father Hill, spooky things are afoot in the dark of night. MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) RAHUL KOHLI as SHERIFF HASSAN in episode 101 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021 MIDNIGHT MASS (L to R) SAMANTHA SLOYAN as BEV KEANE in episode 101 of MIDNIGHT MASS Cr. EIKE SCHROTER/NETFLIX © 2021

We watched Paranormal Activity 3 and I literally had nightmares. This movie has taken the tried and true formula from the first few, sharpened it, and really knocks it out of the park in terms of scares. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Watch Paranormal Activity 3 Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch https://youtu.be/90r3CnPI0AM Synopsis While the first movie in the series focused on Katie (Katie Featherston), and the second focused on her sister, Kristi (Sprague Grayden) while they are in the present, the third installment focuses on their childhood. Katie and Kristi are at home in Carlsbad, CA in 1988 with their sexy mom, Julie (Lauren Bittner) and her remarkably likeable boyfriend, Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith). Strange sounds and movements start to happen throughout the house and Dennis, who owns a wedding video film taping company takes a big interest in catching this on tape. Kristi, the youngest girl, has an imaginary friend named Toby, and well, Toby fucking sucks. Julie’s mother doesn’t seem to approve of her dating Dennis. Eventually our ill fated family get more paranormal activity than they bargained for. Review Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, Paranormal Activity 3 blows me away. So much about this movie works and it scares me to death.  With the kids being a central focus of the happenings in the house, I am basically on high alert right from the beginning.  The stationary cameras that are the calling card of this series are done so well in this that I still think about it when I think about framing and timing perfection within film. There is a reason for almost everything that happens in Paranormal Activity 3 that is rooted in decent enough logic and for everything else the scares are so intense that I can’t be upset. The way this movie uses sound is masterful. The slight movement of boring objects around the house keeps me on the edge of my seat.  Producers, take note. For the low cost of some fishing line, you can scare me way more than if you pay a huge crew of computer animators to design a monster that runs around and skins people. Mostly, the tension is the highlight of Paranormal Activity 3. While it may not work for everyone, I think the build and release cycles of tension in this are second to none. Every single time it day turned to night in this film, I was shook.   Score 10/10 Final Recommendations If found footage is something that you even mildly enjoy, this is a master class. Of the first three, I think this one is the scariest to me, and I love the oscillating fan cam!

Why start an aftershow before the show is available to watch? Because we are going to first give our overall review and tell you that you need to watch Midnight Mass. (0:00) – Welcome (1:33) – Synopsis (4:37) – Themes (17:56) – Score (20:20) – A Letter From Mike Flanagan Synopsis An isolated island community experiences miraculous events – and frightening omens – after the arrival of a charismatic, mysterious young priest. Riley also returns home to Crockett island following his incarceration for the accidental slaying of a young woman while he was driving drunk. As we experience a community threatened by the death of their fishing industry, and an aging populace, we suddenly see new life being breathed into the church.  Midnight Mass brings us an even handed look at the themes of religion, death, and what it means to live a good life amongst those who do evil even when they believe themselves to be acting in the name of God. Score 10/10 A Letter From Mike Flanagan Welcome to Crockett Island. I’m just going to admit it—Midnight Mass is my favorite project so far. I don’t like saying things like that, as filmmakers are meant to fall in love with whatever we are working on at a given time—it’d be impossible to do the work if we didn’t—but this one is truly special to me. This project is more than a decade in the making. You may have noticed Midnight Mass as Maddie’s novel in Hush, or on the shelf in Gerald’s Game—two cameos that let me keep the project alive when it looked like no one would make it. When people on set asked me what Midnight Mass was, I smiled and told them it was the “best thing I never made”.As a former altar boy, about to celebrate 3 years of sobriety, it’s not hard to see what makes this so personal. It is also born of the things that scare me the most. The ideas that animate my work always scare me—but the ideas at the root of Midnight Mass terrify me to my core. Horror is an essential genre. It helps us develop bravery and courage in very small increments. It also gives us a safe place to examine the most uncomfortable truths about ourselves as individuals and as a society. The horrors and mysteries of Midnight Mass are some of the deepest—and the darkest—I’ve ever explored. The isolated community of Crockett Island sits, surrounded by grey water and overcast skies. While there are dark forces at work that are absolutely supernatural, this show is also about the most potent types of horrors—the horrors born of human nature. Horrors of fanaticism, corruption, and blind faith. Along with the figures who lurk in the shadows, whose plans for Crockett Island are far more sinister than we know, this show is about how belief shapes our communities, our world, and our fates. It’s a show about faith, fanaticism, addiction, recovery, destruction and redemption. The darkness that animates this story isn’t hard to see in our world, unfortunately. We see it in religious and political fundamentalism, in tribalism and racism, in science-denial, in systemic corruption, and in the eyes of normal citizens moved to acts of violence and horror by belief systems that have exploited their prejudices, fears, and blind faith. It speaks to a malignant insanity that has become absolutely normalized in our world. And as Carl Sagan said, “there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.” It’s about something else as well: faith itself. One of the great mysteries of human nature. How even in the darkness, in the worst of it, in the absence of light—and hope—we sing. I hope you enjoy our song. Mike Flanagan Creator/Showrunner Midnight Mass Press Materials

Coming September 24, Horror Movie Talk presents the Midnight Mass Aftershow. We’ll breakdown each episode of the upcoming seven-part horror series by Mike Flanagan on Netflix with a companion aftershow episode. About Midnight Mass When Father Paul’s appearance on Crockett Island coincides with unexplained and seemingly miraculous events, a renewed religious fervor takes hold of the community. But do these miracles come at a price? From Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass tells the tale of a small isolated island community whose existing divisions are amplified by the return of a disgraced young man and the arrival of a charismatic priest. Subscribe Now Subscribe to Horror Movie Talk on your favorite podcast platform so that you can binge the entire aftershow on the same day that you binge Midnight Mass on Netflix. Midnight Mass Promo Poster

This is not the greatest horror movie in the world, this is just a tribute. James Gunn’s love letter to monster movies is a shining star in the morass of 2000’s horror, It’s surprising that it doesn’t get more love. (0:34) – Intro (8:45) – Trailer (10:39) – Synopsis (11:19) – Review (17:15) – Score (21:48) – Spoilers (52:10) – Attack of the Rotten Tomatoes Game (1:01:01) – Outro @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Synopsis Slither tells the story of a loving husband trying to have sex with his wife by any means possible. He discovers a lot about himself and makes a lot of friends along the way. Actually it’s about a parasitic worm that arrives from space to terrorize a small town in South Carolina. The worm inserts itself into a sexually frustrated local businessman and multiplies until it takes over most of the town. Along the way a ragtag group of townspeople join together to fight back against the slithering invasion. https://youtu.be/SI0BcgVdSWg Review of Slither Slither is written and directed by James Gunn, before he got canceled and then uncanceled by Disney. His style shows here with just the right amount of humor and winking at the audience. It was obviously a love letter to the horror genre, as it imitates about a dozen other horror classics such as The Thing, Society, The Blob, Rats: Night of Terror, and Star War The Phantom Menace. The cast is great, the premise is fun, and the story is executed well. It drags at some points, but has some genuinely great scenes and set pieces that overshadow any momentary boredom.  More than anything, this is a fun ride and probably deserves more attention than it gets.  Score 7/10 Watch Slither Now Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Mentioned in the Episode https://youtu.be/_lK4cX5xGiQ

We watched Cube from 1997 and it held my attention from start to finish with an interesting premise and very little in terms of budget. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/Esjc0rPj3K4 Synopsis Cube has a simple premise, an assortment of individuals wake up and find themselves trapped in a maze of cubes. Each side and the ceiling and floor of each room they enter has a door on it.  Some cubes are booby trapped, and others are safe. Each individual brings a unique perspective and talent to the party, and they all must work together to escape the Cube.  In the end everyone gets more cube than they bargained for. Review Cube is an interesting low budget, sci-fi horror from the 90’s. While that low-budget feel is present in Cube, director Vincenzo Natali does a great job of masking it with a variety of clever choices. Saw, which came out in 2004, feels as if it were modeled after Cube, or maybe a loving tribute to the Cube. But it’s interesting to see what feels like the start of the puzzle gore genre. The setting and premise of Cube are compelling and force the audience to imagine the setting that they aren’t allowed to see. Whenever a movie makes me imagine the larger scale universes or sets that they hint at, it works quite well for me. The primary focus of this movie is on a handful of Cube dwellers and their attempt to escaped the Cube.  These are very highly exaggerated stereotypical 90’s protagonists that can fit into their own little boxes. These protagonist tropes range in the following ways: Nerdy student who wears glasses and can do math Disaffected office worker  Overly aggressive cop Empathetic doctor Autist Escape artist The puzzle aspects of Cube are often explained through confusing dialog with questionable logic, but I never found myself hung up on these problems. Instead I just had a little chuckle to myself about “simpler times” and let the movie unravel. At the end I found myself engaged and interested in the story and the reason for the Cube and I will be watching Cube 2: Hypercube. Watch Cube Watch on Amazon Click Here to Buy or Rent Score 6/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

A soft-reboot of Candyman (1992), this new Jordan Peele written/produced feature re-invents the legend of Candyman into a fresh, new, and boring villain. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Synopsis Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is an up and coming black artist living in the gentrified Cabrini Greens. Searching for a muse, he stumbles upon the legend of Candyman by talking to the lesser known Laundryman. McCoy’s output increases and he starts getting much wanted attention for his work as he goes down the rabbit hole of the legend and becomes obsessed. Mysterious deaths start to happen surrounding his work, and slowly Anthony gets more unstable mentally and physically as he realizes there may be a Candyman or Candymen in the house. https://youtu.be/TPBH3XO8YEU Review of Candyman (2021) Candyman (2021) lures you in with the sweet sweet promise of reviving a seductive and unique horror villain icon, and ends up remolding the legend of Candyman into a more generic set of boogeymen that fail to capture the imagination in the same way. Nia Dacosta attempts to expand the lore of Candyman by expanding the scope of his representation of historical and contemporary black trauma. It’s an ambitious goal, and unfortunately never quite hits home.  A lot of ideas and plot points in the film were interesting, but lacked some of the connective tissue to make a compelling whole. The most disappointing aspect of the film is how much flavor and charm from the original that they left behind. I kept asking myself, where is the sexy, seductive menacing Candyman? By making the Candyman legend into abstraction and less of a personality, it becomes slightly more interesting intellectually, but vastly less compelling emotionally. The protagonists of this film are never really compelling. Anthony’s obsession and vanity are the real driving forces for his motivation, but they seem to appear out of the blue, and never culminate in a satisfying end for the character. The end of the film is probably the most disappointing aspect. It just kind of happens. I was literally dozing off at what should have been the most exciting part of the movie. The reveal and transformation at the end seemed obvious and arbitrary at the same time. I’m maybe being harsh on the film, because it’s not a bad movie, it just pales in comparison to the original and I had high expectations.  Score 5/10 Watch Candyman Now Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Mentioned in the Episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmHEv7pmB-g https://youtu.be/2Hq0wH7MI38

We went and saw The Night House and I was blown away by the depth of storyline, the way the movie played with tension, and the insane twist. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/W8WQGXkif_s Synopsis Beth (Rebecca Hall) which you will remember most recently from Godzilla vs. Kong has just lost her husband, but not to natural circumstances. He killed himself on the lake, in their boat.  This is an incredible surprise to Beth because not only was it sudden, but her husband never showed any signs of depression or mental illness. As we follow Beth in her shocked grief, we learn more and more about her husband who seemed to be hiding an alternate life. He went to great lengths to keep this other life hidden from Beth which is concerning enough without the nightly visits she gets from an ominous presence that may be human, or may be paranormal in nature. As Beth digs deeper into her husbands past, she finds a terrifying secret that he kept from her which left me quite emotional. Review The Night House came out of left field for me. I vaguely remember seeing the trailer before the theaters shut down and not being impressed by the title or the portrayal of the story. What I walked away from left me emotional, scared, and somewhat enlightened. The Night House takes grief and places it front and center, then places weird new rules on the night time that Beth now experiences. There are moments when this movie feels very much like a home invasion flick and others where it feels straight out of a Paranormal Activity movie. It even feels like a detective thriller at moments. But with all this it never feels cluttered or confused. The way this movie deals with sadness and curiosity is something that I connected with deeply and I am finding it hard to review because of how perfectly gobsmacked it left me. If monsters or aliens or raging killers are what scare you, this may not be your thing. But if death, and things that go bump in the night make your hackles rise, this is right up your alley. Watch The Night House Watch on Amazon Click Here to Buy or Rent Score 10/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

This was an incredibly fun movie that we watched on HBOMAX, and wow, what a ride! If you want to gain access to the full review, head over to patreon.com/horrormovietalk and sign up for the We All Spoop for Ice Spoop tier. That get’s you access to: The Afterpods Early Access to all reviews The Ability to vote for 1 movie a month for us to watch Thank you card loaded with stickers

If you have been wondering to yourself what the turkey baster rapist from Don’t Breathe is up to nowadays, I have good news for you. The sequel to Don’t Breathe, Don’t Breathe 2 has come out and boy is it a doozy. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Synopsis Don’t Breathe 2 is a wholesome coming of age tale of a blind father teaching his young daughter how to survive in the world. This sequel to Don’t Breathe takes the elderly kidnapper/rapist and casts him as the good guy. When a band of home invaders come to kidnap little girl: Old man not like this. He listen good. Bangy bangy, choppy choppy. https://youtu.be/gRbG2tjHYCA Review of Don’t Breathe 2 This movie is bonkers. It makes so many absurd choices and switcheroos, that I asked myself about every ten minutes “What am I supposed to be thinking right now?” The world in which this movie inhabits is so depraved and insane that I started rooting for the little girl to die, just because that seems like the only way she could escape this hell. There are so many times where my suspension of disbelief was completely shattered, that it was almost impossible to watch this as a movie, and I ended up looking at it like performance art. The ideas of character, theme, and morality are thrown out the window to give way to pure depraved spectacle.  If you are looking for gore and kills, this movie has them. If you want to have a story that is consistent where things happen for a reason, this ain’t the movie for you. The plot is a series of events that just happen sequentially, and the only thing that almost holds it together is that there is a constant stream of surprise reveals and switcheroos in the second and third act, that it captures your attention like a car wreck might. Score 3/10 Watch Don’t Breathe Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

This week we went and saw Old by M. Night Shyamalan and I was reminded of super-obvious dialog from 50’s monster movies in the most charming way possible. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/s8xXNxBdhj8 Synopsis Old is a film about a group of strangers who meet on a resort trip to a special beach. Our main characters are the family of father Guy (Gael Garcia Bernal), mother Prisca (Vicky Krieps), daughter Maddox, and son Trent. Our protagonist couple are experiencing marital strife, but are taking this vacation nonetheless.  As our band of beach-goers spends their day, they find a woman’s body in the waves and things take a turn for the unpleasant. They also start to notice that they seem to be showing signs of mysterious aging… At the end of the day, everyone gets older than they bargained for. Review Old is, at it’s core, a fun movie. It has some disturbing concepts, impressive stakes, interesting characters, and that trademark M. Night twist that we’ve all come to expect. We expect the twist so much that it might be more of a twist if he left the twist off, but whatever. I found myself giddy with laughter at points in Old, and oddly disturbed at other points. Mostly I had a wonderful time in the theater giggling like a school-girl with my buddy Bryce, tittering over little jokes we made or quotes we thought of. Old is not a serious movie, it’s like going to see Batman Forever with friends in the theater, but good.  https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2019/01/30/creepshow-1982-review/ Is it Scary? If you are looking for something to terrify you, let’s face it, M. Night isn’t your guy. He’s your guy for stuff that makes you think about all the weird possibilities in this world he dreamt up. How do we get out of this trap? Why is this happening to us? Who is in charge? How old do I have to get before I accidentally shit my pants? There are lots of panning shots that cleverly make use of space and time, but some of the panning was distractingly stuttery. This stutter may be because of the theater we were in which is quite old, I’m not sure. Watch Old Watch on Amazon Click Here to Buy or Rent So much of Old felt like an homage to thrillers and monster movies from the fifties because the script is utterly expositional. It’s cheesy, yes, but it’s not remotely offensive in the way it’s pulled off. I cared about and was interested by all the characters and their sometimes insane actions.  Old was way more fun than I thought it would be, and thanks to the beautiful sunny locations, it’s this year’s must-see summer thriller. Score 7/10 Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

Sam Raimi‘s cabin in the woods film par excellence The Evil Dead stands as the paragon of independent, cult, and horror films since it’s release in 1981. It’s influence is felt in the films of the Coen brothers, Peter Jackson, and Edgar Wright. It’s dynamic direction and camera work declared a new and bold style for the 80s and 90s, but it’s real influence for independent filmmakers is in it’s success story as a bootstrapped production. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/NL6mioAlpJk Childhood Friends The Evil Dead launched the careers of childhood friends director Sam Raimi, and lead actor Bruce Campbell, which you probably recognize as Brisco County Jr. from Fox’s 90s television hit The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. During and after high school they collaborated shooting short films on super 8 film. This film began shooting right after Sam Raimi turned 20, and he considers it a right of passage in his life. As first time filmmakers, Raimi, Campbell and producer Robert Tapert sought financing by shooting a “proof of concept” short film titled Within the Woods. The strategy worked, and as the result of many rounds of private investment, they were able to cobble together a budget of $375,000. Even Bruce Campbell’s family’s property in Northern Michigan was leveraged to finish the film and blow it up to the industry standard of 35 mm to be shown in theaters. https://youtu.be/6Ccmkooeo5g?t=617 Sam Raimi Talking about the budget of The Evil Dead Production Initial photography was shot over the course of 12 weeks from the end of 1979 to the beginning of 1980. It was a grueling experience for all involved. The production was shot on location in an actual cabin in the remote woods of Morristown Tennessee. The cabin had no running water, and actors would go days without showering. Campbell described being doused with fake blood so much that he could only ride in the back of a truck to get home. While filming, the cast and crew of 13 actually slept in the cabin. The conditions were so cold that Campbell said that after drying a blood soaked shirt outside, it cracked in half when he tried to put it on again. The ironic part is that Raimi and crew decided to shoot in Tennessee instead of their home state of Michigan to avoid extreme conditions in the winter. As it turned out, Michigan has an unusually tame winter, and Tennessee had one of the coldest winters in 1979. Ingenuity with a small budget The makeup and effects were accomplished by Tom Sullivan completely without CGI, relying on foam latex, corn syrup blood, and stop motion photography. The low budget production was creative in its use of makeshift camera riggings such as the “vas-o-cam” which slid the camera down wooden ramps. One of the most influential techniques was the “shaky-cam” which was accomplished by mounting the camera to a 2×4 and having two operators at each end to roughly simulate a steady-cam. This technique was used for the POV shots of the demons running through the woods, along with the final shot that was accomplished with a tripod mounted to a motorcycle driven by Raimi. The Coen brothers used the shaky-cam technique in Blood Simple after Ethan Coen was inspired as an assistant editor for The Evil Dead. Reception of The Evil Dead The film is so gory that it was unrated, and banned in many countries upon its release. The grueling and plucky production resulted in a unique and shocking film that has since become a cult icon in the horror community. Synopsis It tells the story of five Michigan State students vacationing to a remote cabin in the Tennessee country. During their playful and drug fueled exploration of the cabin, they stumble upon an ancient Samarian tome that is a translation of the Egyptian Book of the Dead and a curious recording. Upon Ash (Bruce Campbell) playing the tape that contained incantations from the book, the friends are beset by evil demons that possess one of them, turning them into an undead “deadite”. They eventually learn that the only way to kill the entity is to dismember a possessed host. As the demon turns the friends against each other, the remaining living fight to save themselves torment, death, and vine rape. The Evil Dead Poster Review of The Evil Dead (1981) The Evil Dead is the film that all other cabin in the woods movies are compared to, and for good reason. It spawned an entire subgenre of horror that was so prevalent in the decades following, that the meta-comedy-horror film Cabin in the Woods had plenty to draw on in 2011. Exclusive Pretentious Cabin in the Woods Review Our Patreon supporters at the “We All Spoop For Ice Spoop” level get access to our exclusive pretentious review episodes, such as our recent review of Cabin in the Woods. Support HMT on Patreon Even with the jaded eyes of someone

Sputnik is a Russian movie released in July of 2020. It follows the lone survivor of a spaceship incident and is set in the 1980’s to give it that cold war feel. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Watch Sputnik Watch on Amazon Click here to Watch https://youtu.be/oGgtRsvq6hc Synopsis Sputnik is the story of Konstantin Veshnyakov (Pyotr Fyodorov), who was the lone survivor of a russian spaceship crash. His partner was inexplicably killed after the crash but on the crash site.  Konstantin is being detained at a Soviet research facility in the great land of Kazakhstan for study as things don’t seem to be quite right with him. The man in charge of this research facility, Colonel Semiradov (Fedor Bondarchuk) goes in search of a neuroscientist to help him determine what is going on with Konstantin. He finds Tatyana Klimova (Oksana Akinshina) and enlists her help because she seems to care deeply about the well-being of her patients, even to the point of risking her career. As the movie progresses we learn that Konstantin isn’t alone in his return to earth, and everyone gets more Sputnik than they bargained for.  Review Having seen a few teasers for Sputnik, I thought I knew what I was getting into. I did not. This movie looks like a creature feature, and it is, but it’s a drama too, and a convincing one. As Sputnik unwound itself, I kept having to rejigger my expectations to fit what was happening. I kept asking, why is all this morality and guilty being touted around instead of a bloodthirsty monster.  Don’t get me wrong, there was some bloodthirsty monster in there, but with a hefty helping of personal drama and good old-fashioned Russian guilt. This is not a movie for the traditional horror fan looking for a good scare, this is more of a tale of heroism, personal responsibility, and standing up to your fears for what is right.  Is it a creature feature? It is in a similar way to Monsters (2010). There is a monster, and it’s weird, but it’s one of several focal points of the movie. Subtitle Issues I had a technical critique of the version of Sputnik that I watched, which was that the subtitles are sometimes blisteringly fast. I had to back up the movie many times to get to see what was happening and see what was said. I am not a fast reader, so one could chalk this up to my shortcomings, but I feel it’s worth mentioning. I enjoyed a lot of what Sputnik had to offer, and I particularly liked the way it handled personal relationships and dialog. What I didn’t love about it was it’s slow pacing and lack of a satisfying finale to the incredible action at the end of the film.  A tremendous amount of time is devoted to the will they won’t they aspect of this, which makes for a boring middle of the film. Score 7/10 Final Recommendation If you enjoy horror that doesn’t try too hard to scare you, instead focusing on intriguing you, this is for you. It’s a thriller with a monster, and the morality play makes it an interesting discussion piece, especially in the context of it’s Russian roots. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code HMT at Manscaped.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

Anna and the Apocalypse is a mix of Shaun of the Dead and High School Musical, except less funny and with worse music. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/dfWIfwKJ7vA Synopsis Anna and the Apocalypse takes place in a little town in England during Christmas. Anna and her friends are finishing up their last year at high school, or as the English call it, Chumbumbly School. During the Christmas show, a zombie apocalypse breaks out and the next morning, all the people have to go from one place to another, and they sing about it.  Review of Anna and the Apocalypse This film is touted as “Shaun of the Dead meets La La Land”, but it’s really Shaun of the Dead meets high school musical, except not as funny and with less memorable songs. It takes almost a third of the runtime to get to the actual zombie apocalypse, which is way too long. I was expecting more, because it had a relatively high rotten tomatoes score, but for me, it fell flat. It has super generic characters along with super generic songs executing a super generic zombie apocalypse plot.  https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2019/06/19/the-dead-dont-die-review/ It wasn’t all bad. They don’t skimp on the gore and dread, even though the latter is kind of undermined by the cast singing poppy songs after losing loved ones. There are some stand out songs that did work “soldier at war”, that sounded like an eighties pump up song, and  “the fish wrap”, a throwaway song from the Christmas show. The petty and ruthless headmaster was a fun villain, but he was relegated to the B story line of the film. I wish that they had gone all in on the humor and the music. The music is only 38 mins of the 1:33:00 runtime. This is comparable to a lot of recent musicals, but feels sparse here. The humor was even more sparse, but mostly because they painted themselves into a corner by killing off a lot of characters in tragic ways. Overall, it’s ok, but I’m not going to watch it again. Score 5/10 Anna and the Apocalypse Add it to Your Collection Click here to Buy/Rent Support our sponsors Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Use code “HMT” to get a 30 day free trial of Shudder.com. Go visit our friends over at Nightlight Horror Club and give them a listen. Thanks to Emma for guest hosting this week.

We watched Creep on Netflix for the tenth time, and I have to say, this movie is just pure genius. Mark Duplass turns into the most playfully nefarious creep you’ve ever seen, and it’s one of the best performances I’ve ever seen anyone achieve. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/FBR8VcdpE4Y Synopsis Creep is a found footage film where Aaron answers a classified ad to film Josef for one day. The money being offered seems incredible, but not over-the-top unbelievable. Aaron arrives and is immediately put-off by the insane, jump-scare greeting that Josef gives him. Josef shares that he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and only has a few months to live. He wants Aaron to film this day so that his unborn son, Buddy, will have something to know his father by. Josef starts the day of filming off with Aaron filming him in the tub while pretending to bathe his son – the day gets infinitely more weird from there. https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2018/12/05/the-house-that-jack-built-review/ As we follow Aaron and Josef, we keep learning that Josef is not above lying to Aaron, and is very into making him feel uneasy and upset, without ever crossing the line of outright mania. What becomes very apparent is Josef is a total creep, and it’s more unsettling and hilarious than anything I’ve seen since. Review Creep is low-key one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. It’s directed by Patrick Brice who also plays Aaron, and written by both Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass. It’s clear that Creep is based on a series of conversations around a creepy guy that Mark and Patrick dreamed up and the way Mark brings him to life is unforgettable.  The movie lacks a formal script, instead they wrote a barebones outline and improvised most of the scenes and dialog.  Watch Creep Watch on Amazon Buy or Rent Now! The result is something akin to meeting a far-too-kind stranger on the street. They welcome you and are so excited to meet you, but you can’t help but wonder, what are they after? Why are they so excited about this exchange? What are they hiding? Mark Duplass keeps the character of Josef playful and fun, with an undercurrent of danger and seriousness just below the surface. Aaron and his actions are very easy to empathize with, which makes it very disturbing when thing go wrong. Ultimately Creep is a provocative and hilarious character study that I love to death.  Score 10/10 Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code HMT at Manscaped.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

What can I say about The Forever Purge that hasn’t already been said by its title? @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/xOrXpK-rUaI Synopsis of The Forever Purge Like the previous movies in The Purge franchise, the government of the United States has set aside each year, 12 hours where all its citizens struggle with bulimia. No wait that’s wrong, for 12 hours, all crime is legal, including murder. In this movie the citizens can’t overcome their urge to purge, and continue on their killing spree in a clumsy analogy of Trump’s America. It follows a group of recent Mexican immigrants and several of their white employers as they try to escape the murderous hordes of racists. Review of The Forever Purge This movie wasn’t good. From the other purge movies that I have seen, it feels like the franchise came up with the concept of the film, and then proceeded to have no creativity after that point. This film is no exception. The Forever Purge handles social commentary like The Family Guy handles jokes. It points out that racism, xenophobia, and classism are things. See how clever we are!? The writing is bad, to the point where I wonder if there was more than one draft. Every character is there to deliver lines that state what they are going to do next, just so the audience is prepared for what the character is going to do next. The action is probably the only good thing about the movie. There was a big enough budget to have plenty of splosions and shootouts. Overall, the impression you get from the movie is that it was written by 17 year old drama students attempting their first script inspired by the Handmaid’s Tale. Score 3/10 Binge The Purge Add The Purge Franchise to Your Collection Click here to Buy Support our sponsors Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout. Checkout Elias’ custom knife shop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheRainyForge

10 Cloverfield Lane is a reminder that horror doesn’t have to be stilted and boring with a total lack of good acting. Sometimes it can feel like a tremendous whodunit, that has layer upon layer of intrigue and terror. On today’s episode we are joined by Kate from Nightlight Horror Movie Club Podcast. She’s a delightful person and runs my favorite horror movie podcast, so check them out! @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/saHzng8fxLs Synopsis Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is the victim of a car accident, and wakes up to find herself stuck like a prisoner in a bomb shelter. Henry (John Goodman) says he saved Michelle from the accident and explains that some kind of global nuclear event has occurred, forcing them to take shelter in his bomb shelter. Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.), is also in the shelter and soon explains that he helped Henry build it.  The shelter is almost as impressive as Henry’s temper and paranoia. In the end everyone gets more John Goodman than they bargained for. Review 10 Cloverfield Lane is a freshman masterpiece for director Dan Trachtenberg, who has only this film to his name but has started production on the new Predator movie. https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2018/09/19/the-predator-review/ We follow Michelle’s point of view and are given a glimpse into what it would be like to live through a global disaster of epic magnitudes.  The script unfolds in layers of mystery and discovery, always leaving the next question around a corner, or outside the doors of the bomb shelter we inhabit with our lonesome trio. Henry is a profoundly interesting character, and is John Goodman makes him come to life the same way Ted Levine and Anthony Hopkins brought Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter to life in The Silence of the Lambs. I love the way the Cloverfield series switches between storytelling mechanics, genres, and scripts. 10 Cloverfield Lane is, by far, the best of the trilogy which includes Cloverfield, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and The Cloverfield Paradox. Watch 10 Cloverfield Lane Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent The way this movie deals with relationships, the terror of the unknown, and the incredibly thin veneer of society in a way that is so real that you just feel it in your bones.  The problems that arise and the resolutions to them are practical, well thought out, and relatable. Everytime Michelle sees a way out, she sees the dreadful terror of the consequences for her actions, and the audience is right there with her for the ride. I am blown away that 10 Cloverfield Lane didn’t receive any award nominations, especially considering the strength of Goodman’s performance. Score 10/10 Get 30 day free trial, with the code HMT at Shudder.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

In honor of pride month, we watched Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, and it brings a whole new meaning to scream queen. Freddy’s back for revenge, and he doesn’t give a fuck if you’re dreaming or not. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Synopsis A totally straight young man named Jessie, with the scream of Ned Flanders, is haunted by nightmares of a scarred and razor clawed monster-man named Freddy Krueger. He finds out from his gym bro that the house he lives in was once inhabited by a young girl named Nancy driven crazy by the death of her boyfriend across the street. Jess discovers Nancy’s journal while cleaning his room and finds out that she was tormented by the same nightmares. Freddy Krueger in this film isn’t out to kill the protagonist, he seeks to possess his body and carry out his murders in reality https://youtu.be/9iqNVyjwLFA Review of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 This film has a reputation as a huge disappointment to fans of the original, and has a long history of getting shit on. I don’t see the drop in quality as being that big. The reason for the dislike of this film is probably because it strays so far from the premise of the first movie. Freddy’s unique selling point is that he can kill you in your dreams and that sleep is unavoidable. In this film, that is barely touched on. The terror in this film is very personal to the protagonist, as he witnesses Freddy take over his body in harm his friends around him. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge Poster Homosexual Subtext The homoerotic subtext might have been lost on a majority of general audiences in the 80’s. Many of the scenes must have felt random if you didn’t understand that Jessie’s experience was an allegory for being a closetted gay teen. Now 40 years later, it adds a new layer of interest, especially when you view it in the context that it was released right at the beginning of the AIDs epidemic. Special Effects and Acting All of that aside, this movie has some great special effects. The scene with Jessie’s were-Freddy transformation is going to stick in my mind. It’s definitely not as tight as the original. At some points it looks like Freddy runs out of ideas of how to supernaturally and psychologically torture his victims, and just resorts to chasing them around. The acting ranges from kind of bad to very good. Mark Patton does a really convincing job at conveying his torment and his performance keeps getting better and better throughout the film. I think it deserves more love. It’s not fantastic, but is a very good followup to the first film in my opinion. Score 7/10 Get The Whole Collection Buy Nightmare on Elm Street 1-7 on Blu-ray Buy Now Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

What a great time we had bashing this train wreck of a Zack Snyder movie. We go on and on with this one, head on over to our patreon and consider supporting us to gain access to the full review!

We watched House of Wax starring Elisha Cuthbert, Paris Hilton, and Robert Ri’chard (from Cousin Skeeter) and were treated to a fairly decent bit of gore porn. This was a patreon pick, so if you ever get the idea to recommend we review a movie, head over to our patreon and see all the goodies we offer to our most loyal of fans! We had Max from Screaming Cinema Podcast on this episode! @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/Q-Akt68SGfE Synopsis House of Wax is based on a pretty simple premise and is a loose remake of the 1953 film of the same name. A group of fun-loving but angsty teens find themselves stranded in the woods near a strange, small community which seems to center itself around a wax museum. As the teens split up and try to find help in this sleepy community everyone seems to realize that the inhabitants aren’t as lively as they once thought In the end, everyone gets more wax than they bargained for. Review House of Wax is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra who also directed Orphan, The Shallows, and is in the middle of directing the upcoming Black Adam movie starring  Dwayne Johnson.  House of Wax was his directorial debut and is pretty good, all things considered. This effort is clearly inspired by early 2000’s exploitation gore/slashers like Saw and Wrong Turn. Throwing Paris Hilton into the mix gave this movie a huge amount of momentum at the time because just like candle wax – “that’s hot”. Unfortunately, House of Wax has a seemingly unlimited supply of rope to hang itself with. There is a tremendous amount of extraneous details that force us to wade through this 113 minute slog with no real rhyme or reason behind their inclusion. Watch House of Wax (2005) Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Backstory and character development that doesn’t seem to matter. Character inclusion that is wholly unnecessary. Even chase sequences that are out of nowhere. If the movie were a bit tighter I would be impressed with it, especially after considering the ending payout, which is impressive to say the least.  Ultimately, House of Wax was a decently fun movie that shot itself in the foot with the inclusion of a ton of extraneous content. Even so, the ending makes it worth the wait. Score 6/10 Get 30 day free trial, with the code HMT at Shudder.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We had a TON of fun reviewing one of the most meta horror movies ever made, Cabin in the Woods, by director Drew Goddard! This was a total blast. If you would like to hear the full review, it will only be available on our Patreon at the “We all Spoop for Ice Spoop” tier. All proceeds go to making the show better and growing into a podcast that can support our families, so do consider this as us begging!

The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It, or as I call it “TCTDMMDI” is the 8th movie in the Conjuring Cinematic Universe, or as I call it “The CCU”, and the second direct sequel to the original The Conjuring, and the 5th film in the series since anyone gave a fuck. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Featured Artwork by Dustin Goebel. Follow him on Instagram @dgoebel00 https://youtu.be/h9Q4zZS2v1k Synopsis In this entry, Ed and Lorraine Warren are performing an exorcism on the young David Glatzel boy (Julian Hilliard), when oops, the demon is transferred over to Arne Cheyenne Johnson (Ruairi O’Connor) after he invites the demon to possess him instead. Everyone goes about their business like that didn’t just happen, and then Arne commits homicide, because, you guessed it, the devil made him do it. The Warrens rush to investigate the evil origins of the possession to convince the rubes on the jury in time to save Arne from the death penalty. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Poster Review of The Conjuring 3 I’m a little torn on how to review this one. It’s right in line with the other Conjuring Movies, none of which are bad (in the main storyline), but none are particularly great to me. I was relieved to see that it wasn’t all based within one spooky-ookie house, so that was nice.  One of the things that gets annoying after a while is the repetitiveness of the setup of Lorraine being psychic and Ed being worried.  The story is interesting enough. There is enough mystery and revelations over time that kept me engaged.  The special effects and scares were a little lackluster. You’ve seen most of it before. Demon possessed children, evil rickety contortion, rotted corpse ghosts, etc. The new element that was the most interesting, that I wished they explored more of was the Satanic element, specifically playing into the 80’s era satanic panic. It’s a really interesting topic that would have been more interesting if they committed completely to it, rather than just using it as a story device. Surprisingly, the whole premise of legally defending Arne on the basis demonic possession, is barely touched on. If you are expecting a courtroom drama, you will be disappointed. That all being said, the movie as a whole is of a high enough quality to be grouped in with the first two Conjuring movies, which is a welcome relief after The Curse of La Llarona.  Score 7/10 Buy The Whole Conjuring Collection on Blu-Ray or shop Amazon for your missing piece Buy Now Where The Conjuring 3 Disappoints It really is unfortunate that they didn’t pick a lane and either focus on the court case of Arne, or focus on the Satanic Panic elements. While I appreciate that they finally left the haunted houses behind, It would have been nice to see a stronger departure from The Conjuring formula. Support Our Sponsors Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We went and saw A Quiet Place Part 2 and it was quiet and then VERY loud, and then quiet again. Always loud after quiet. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/BpdDN9d9Jio Synopsis A Quiet Place Part 2 picks the story up from exactly where we left off on A Quiet Place (2018) and progresses the story of the Abbott family who have just lost their father, Lee (John Krasinski). The surviving members of the Abbott family consists of Mother Evelyn (Emily Blunt), deaf daughter (Millicent Simmonds), brother Marcus (Noah Jupe), and their little baby have to travel the landscape to find someplace safe to live.  Along the way, they meet their neighbor Emmett (Cillian Murphy) who has recently lost his whole family to the hoards of angry alien librarians. As our rag-tag band of plucky survivors make their way through the apocalyptic landscape, everyone gets more quiet places than they bargained for. Review The first Quiet Place is a hard act to follow just about any way you cut it. Director, writer, star, and Pam-Pam enthusiast John Krasinski nailed it with the original movie in every way that counts. This second installment does an admirable job of trying to follow in very quiet footsteps of the first, but like so many sophomore attempts, doesn’t catch the magic that the first had.  Magic or not, A Quiet Place Part 2 is a stellar monster movie thriller with a ton of action and a tight run time of 97 minutes. I was not bored during the movie, and it provided wonderful argument fodder for after the show.  I can honestly say that I will remember many of the incredibly loud and offensive jumpscares until the day I die.  This is really a movie to see in the grandiosity of a theater not only for the dynamic range of the audio, but because hearing a totally silent theater with many viewers in it is something of a spectacle in and of itself. A Quiet Place Part 2 gave me my money’s worth and then some, and left me wondering how many installments they will be able to squeeze out of this audio-based entertainment.  Watch A Quiet Place (2018) Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Score 7/10 Get 30 day free trial, with the code HMT at Shudder.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We watched Train to Busan, and it was a bullet train to fun! @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Train to Busan Trailer https://youtu.be/pyWuHv2-Abk Train to Busan can be found on Shudder as well as on Tubi and Crackle with ads. Synopsis This synopsis is very easy. While a father takes his and daughter to her mothers house in Busan, a widespread zombie outbreak spills onto their bullet train. Wacky hijinx ensue. More detail? I have a sense there is a reader that wants more detail. The action starts with a reported leak in a biotech building starts spreading a zombie disease that makes zombies. The cynical workaholic protagonist is taking his daughter to Busan on the bullet train when chaos breaks out in the station. There is much confusion, but over time, it’s revealed that some of the infected have made their way onto the Train to Busan. The super aggressive contortionist zombies start taking over the train until only a few small bands of survivors remain. Like most zombie movies, there are many archetypal characters and dramatic relationships that explore all the implications of a zombie outbreak. Good enough? Ok, let’s move on. This is the poster to Train to Busan Review of Train to Busan I’m pretty jaded on zombie films. The variation of content in zombie movies only barely beats out the variation in content found in slashers. It’s a very simple premise. You set some simple human story with the backdrop of the zombie apocalypse. Rinse, repeat. In rare occasions, there are uniquely new interpretations of this genre. This would be one of them. This one takes the runner zombies from 28 days later, and puts them on a train. Honestly in describing it, it sounds much less impressive. But nevertheless, this zombie film feels fresh and brings a new perspective to the same old story. This film really excels at pacing. It’s not long, but zombie movies often feel like an eternity to me. This one kept me engaged throughout. Since Night of the Living Dead, social commentary has been built into pretty much every zombie movie, and this one is no exception. However, it keeps it simple. Should you help people or not. You’ll have to watch the movie to find out which. Watch Train to Busan Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Score 9/10 Exciting Filler Did you know that there is a sequel to Train to Busan? No you didn’t. It’s called Peninsula. I don’t know anything about it, but thought I would mention it for SEO purposes. Leave a comment below to let us know if it’s worth watching. Ma Dong-seok, who played the inimitable Sang-hwa in Train to Busan is starring in they upcoming MCU film The Eternals. It’s very exciting. I’m very excited. Let’s look into Ma Dong-seok’s career in film. He is most well know for Train to Busan to American audiences, he also starred in The Neighbors , directed by none other than Hwi Kim. Isn’t that interesting? What else can we talk about? How about our sponsors? Get 20% off and free shipping at Manscaped.com, with the code HMT Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We watched Spiral in theaters, and if you aren’t familiar, this is the latest chapter in the book of Saw movies and this is exactly what you think it might be after having learned that it’s a Saw movie. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/gzy6ORqE9IY Synopsis Spiral is a Saw movie from the perspective of the detectives on the case of the Jigsaw Killer. Chris Rock plays our classic burn-out detective Zeke Banks, who is constantly looking over his shoulder in the police force for having turned in a crooked cop over a decade ago. Max Minghella plays William Schenk, the rookie Dick that gets paired with Zeke to tackle the case of what appears to be a copycat Jigsaw Killer, because at this point in the timeline the original Jigsaw (John Kramer) is dead. The police force seems to have a problem with accountability at best and backstabbing murder at worst, and Zeke doesn’t like it. Zeke’s dad, Marcus (Samuel L. Jackson) is the, now retired police captain who used to manage this department.  This new Jigsaw killer seems to be trying to clean up the force by making ultimatums of crooked cops and detectives, forcing them into twisted games that make them choose between their body parts and life. In the end everyone gets more pig than they bargained for. Review I’m not a big fan of the Saw franchise, but I don’t hate it either, it just doesn’t hold a place in my heart. While Spiral tries to give us a new take on the perspective from which a normal Saw movie is shot, it delivers a very on-brand Saw movie nonetheless.  There are four or five creative gore-porn situations that our characters find themselves in, and an edgy take on what it means to be the good guy or the bad guy in real life. Casting The casting is pretty impressive for a Saw movie, with Rock and Jackson stealing the show as themselves, but I don’t feel like they were utilized as well as they could have been.  Rock had some great moments in Spiral, but they were few and far between. I wish we could have seen more clever takes from one of the most quick witted and interesting comedians of our time, but that didn’t end up happening. Watch the Original Saw Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Storyline and Direction The story in Spiral was solid and not overly convoluted. I do feel like the places where I’m not as happy with this movie as I could have been are the directors fault. Darren Lynn Bousman who directed Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV, chose some shots and deliveries on the editing room floor that I am certain could have been better.  Overall Spiral is a pretty good installment in the franchise, I’m just not the target audience, but I would say that if you hear “Saw” and get excited, this might be your favorite movie of the year. Score 6/10 Get 30 day free trial, with the code HMT at Shudder.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

One of the best and most influential family-based haunted house movies. Poltergeist still holds up in terms of story and special effects. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. Poltergeist Trailer https://youtu.be/9eZgEKjYJqA Poltergeist can be found places Synopsis From the director that brought you cannibalistic families in Texas, Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist is the story of the Freeling family being tormented by an unseen force in their totally not built over a cemetery house. Just kidding, it’s obviously Spielberg’s film. The Freelings are an aggressively all american family comprised of the father Steve (Craig T. Nelson), mother Dianne (JoBeth Williams), almost non-existent teenage girl Dana (Dominique Dunne), young boy Robbie (Oliver Robins), and the littlest, and most angelic little girl, Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke). Carol Anne starts talking to the TV, and not the wholesome Blues Clues kind of talking, more of the talking to whispers in the static kind of talking.  Weird occurrences start happening, at first to the delight, and then to the horror of that family when it ramps up and the house steals Carol Anne into the netherworld.  A Haggard Steven Freeling recruits paranormal investigators and the worlds tiniest psychic to get Carol Anne back and Exorcise the demons from their house. Poltergeist Poster Review of Poltergeist I am unapologetic in my love for this movie. It really is a template for family-based haunted house horror. It really has something for everyone. It’s accessible enough to general audiences that don’t want to see gore, or be constantly scared out of their gourd, but it has enough scares and good special effects to satisfy most horror fanatics. On the scale of Ghostbusters to Exorcist, Poltergeist definitely leans more towards Ghostbusters, but it matches the quality of both in my opinion. This is another example of Spielberg being a master storyteller. There is very little fluff in this finely paced film, but there are a constant stream of little vignettes that add character, humor, or realism to the story. Watch Poltergeist Watch on Amazon Click here to Buy or Rent Score 10/10 Get 30 day free trial, with the code HMT at Shudder.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We watched The Bad Seed (1956) and it was a lot slower than I remembered it being but knowing it was a stage play first, it kind of makes sense. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/fZt7gtFiVJk Synopsis The Bad Seed can be found for rent on Amazon, or anywhere you rent movies online. The Bad Seed is a story about a little girl, Rhoda Penmark (Patty McCormack) who may have been born bad, with no conscience, empathy, or soul.  Rhoda’s mom, Christine (Nancy Kelly) learns of a death at her daughter’s school picnic. The Daigle boy, who died, just happens to have been the same young man that beat little Rhoda at the penmanship competition. Rhoda seems unconcerned and even a bit peckish following the death of her classmate.  As the story unravels we learn about more and more mysterious deaths that seem to have occurred in Rhoda’s presence, and everyone gets more evil child than they bargained for. Review The Bad Seed was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and adapted from Maxwell Anderson’s play, which was adapted from William March’s book, all of the same name.  As a result, it feels a bit like a stageplay, which by today’s standards means that it feels a little fluffy in areas. At the core of the movie is a mystery of how Rhoda got to be this way, was she born evil, or did Christine and her husband raise her wrong? The movie preys on a parents innate fear of being unable to bring their child back from completely unacceptable behavior. The way The Bad Seed handles tension works quite well, even by today’s standards. The conversations about Rhoda and what is to be done with her continue to escalate the feeling of unease. Watch The Bad Seed Watch on Amazon Buy or Rent Now! This is a character driven movie, and all of the actors chewed up the set in their respective roles. From precocious Rhoda, to suspicious Leroy, and even Rhoda’s teacher, the characters and dialog are what make this movie very similar to a play. The Bad Seed is incredibly slow by today’s standards, and a lot of the dialog winds its way in and out of being useful or progression the story. One thing that everyone will agree on is Patty McCormack steals this show and sets the standard for one of the biggest tropes in horror movie history – the evil child. https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2018/10/31/halloween-1978-review/ Score 8/10 Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code HMT at Manscaped.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

This is simply an introduction to the Horror Movie Talk podcast.

No, not the woods, nothing good ever happens in the woods.. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/2YYnSJF0fcY In The Earth Trailer In The Earth can be found in theaters now for probably one more week. Synopsis Martin Lowry, played by Joel Fry, leaves behind COVID quarantine to help with important scientific work in the woods. He will be working with his Ex, and she is studying forest rave science or something. Martin is led through the woods by Alma, played by Ellora Torchia, who is a capable young woman that side-eyes Martin’s lack of hiking skills. Things don’t go well. In the Earth Poster Review of In The Earth This movie had two speeds. Slow and measured, and Intense skull fucking. It has a lot going for it, Great acting performances, a unique story, and crazy hobos. I went in with no expectations, and was pleasantly surprised by an engaging, and entertaining Lovecraftian story. It’s an interesting mix of Midsommar, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and intense foot trauma. Score 7/10 Get 30 day free trial, with the code HMT at Shudder.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

The original Annabelle, while not an audience favorite, is one of my favorites in The Conjuring franchise because it is bare bones scary. It takes the scary doll concept, and does something kind of new with it. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/paFgQNPGlsg Synopsis Annabelle follows a new family of Mia (Annabelle Wallis) who is a pregnant homemaker in the 60’s, and John (Ward Horton) who is a new doctor at a hospital. John gets the Annabelle doll for Mia, who is a doll collector as a present, and very soon the couple find themselves with more doll than they bargained for! The Annabelle doll seems to attract bad luck at best and demons and killers at worst. As the family finds themselves constantly the target of misfortune and terror they begin to realize that the doll is at the center of the horrors being inflicted on them.  The family reaches out for help to the local priest, who is surprisingly well versed in dealing with “demons and shit”, and he tells them that the doll basically is a lieutenant of hell and wants to grab their newborn’s soul for satan. https://www.horrormovietalk.com/2019/07/03/annabelle-comes-home-review/ Review I don’t get the hate for this movie, I think it’s one of the strongest in The Conjuring franchise, and does a great job with disturbing themes and spooky jumpscares. Annabelle does an admirable job of keeping tension high and the scares are legit. The two real issues I take with this film are the rather lackluster ending and the total lack of levity or humor.  If you are looking for a good, formulaic horror movie, Annabelle fits that bill nicely. Watch Annabelle Watch on Amazon Buy Now! Score 7/10 Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code HMT at Manscaped.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.

We had a TON of fun reviewing one of the most insane horror movies ever made, Dead Alive (Braindead), by director Peter Jackson! This was a total blast. If you would like to hear the full review, it will only be available on our Patreon at the “We all Spoop for Ice Spoop” tier. All proceeds go to making the show better and growing into a podcast that can support our families, so do consider this as us begging!

Mary is scary. Not the virgin Mary, I’m talking about a different switcheroo Mary. This film ends up being an interesting idea poorly executed. @dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website. https://youtu.be/1Uog4AeVdIk The Unholy is in theaters now. Synopsis A disgraced journalist Gerry, played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, is sent out to a small town to investigate cattle mutilations. When he finds out the story is a fraud, he scrambles to salvage it by creating his own false narrative. While there, he inadvertently stumbles into the story of a lifetime when a deaf and dumb girl named Alice, played by Cricket Brown, is visited by Mary and is now able to hear and talk for her. As the story spreads thousands flock to witness the miracles that Mary continues to perform. When bad things start happening, Gerry starts to wonder whether it’s the virgin Mary or some other more nefarious Mary that fucks. Leprechaun in the Hood Poster Review of The Unholy This one is a hard one to review for me. There are a lot of things that I like about it. I love the religious theme of good being deceived by Evil. The bones are really great in this story, however, it’s dragged down by ham-handed dialogue and mediocre acting.  You know how some TV shows get exported to other countries and remade with that country’s language and actors? Like when the Everybody Loves Raymond concept is remade over in Russia, or when the US remade the Office. This movie feels like a better Hollywood movie was remade in a foreign country and then was remade in the US. Like if you put something through Google translate and then back into English. It all makes sense, seems really simplistic, and something is slightly off. That being said, I do think there was some creativity with some shots and the creature design was good.  As far as scares, it relies heavily on jump scares. Some of which are very effective. I want to like it more, but it was very predictable and I was bothered by the dialogue and acting. Score 4/10 Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code HMT at Manscaped.com Get 13% Off your order at NightChannels.com when you use code HMT at checkout.