Dark Discussions Podcast

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

Spiders, bugs, creepy crawlies - they are some of the worst phobias a person can have. The new film, STING (2024), certainly plays into those fears well and may be the reason it has received such fabulous reviews.From IMDB: "After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte must face the facts about her pet-and fight for her family's survival-when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster."Though primarily filmed in and starring mostly Australian performers, the movie takes place in the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. The movie was written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner. When it appeared on Hulu in late 2024, its word of mouth spread. Your co-hosts take a look at it and give their thoughts.

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

"Based on true events" or "Inspired by true events" is not that uncommon for film, especially the thriller and horror genres. The new film, THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN, is one of them. Though completely fictional, it is inspired by the real life Florida serial killer Billy Mansfield. From Rottentomatoes: "Inspired by a true story, "The Man in the White Van" delves into the eerie underbelly of a seemingly idyllic 1975 Florida town, and follows the harrowing experience of young Annie Williams, a spirited girl whose carefree existence is turned upside down as she becomes stalked by an ominous man in a white van."The film was directed and co-written by Warren Skeels. The film starts Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Ali Larter, and Sean Astin. With the help of Ali Larter, Sean Astin, and Giovanni Ribisi (as cinematographer) to independently produce, the movie was picked up by Relativity Media for distribution. It received mixed reviews on release, but is this film truly a hidden gem that everyone must see?

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

Some pretty solid independent horror films are always the surprises each year. A small budget horror film from Connecticut, USA, just arrived entitled CANDLEWOOD, based off local legends.From IMDB: A mixed family moves from the city to a remote village, buying a house unseen. Unwelcoming locals and a real urban legend threaten their new life as they confront the property's dark history.Your podcast hosts were able to interview the director, Mike Furhman, along with Kristi Schoonover who had a small part in the film. After its limited theatrical release, it is now available on VOD everywhere.

Legends, myths, and folklore are a perfect place to dig for ideas to bring life to a horror film. But what if you combine such a thing with the gangster and revenge thriller subgenres? That's when you get the brand new Japanese film DEMON CITY (2025) based off a manga and anime.From IMDB: Framed for his family's murder and left for dead, an ex-hitman will stop at nothing to exact revenge on the masked "demons" who have taken over his city.Director Seiji Tanaka had his debut film MELANCHOLIC (2018) win multiple awards at festivals like the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Udine Far East Film Festival. His latest stars Toma Ikuta, Masahiro Higashide, and Miou Tanaka. DEMON CITY was released in Q1 of 2025 on Netflix. Your co-hosts take a look at the film and give their thoughts.

IN THE BEDROOM, the 2001 Oscar nominated motion picture, was given praise by movie critic Roger Ebert as the best film he had seen at Sundance. It is a family drama, but it also is much more than that. Generational, getting old, losing a loved one, and seeing the end of a family line. The movie was ground breaking in many ways and has become a classic.From IMDB: A New England couple's college-aged son dates an older woman who has two small children and an unwelcome ex-husband.The film was directed by Todd Field who also acts. He co-wrote the script with Robert Festinger based off the story KILLINGS by Andre Dubus. The cast is filled with big names including Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Marisa Tomei, Nick Stahl, and William Mapother. It received fabulous reviews and earned over $40M USD at the box office. Your co-hosts take a look at this classic film and give their thoughts.

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

666, the number of the beast. Dark Discussions podcast has reached the 666th episode, and we decided to choose satanic horror as our special milestone episode. And we chose an obscure and yet fabulous 1960 Christopher Lee film entitled THE CITY OF THE DEAD.From IMDB: A young college student arrives in a sleepy Massachusetts town to research witchcraft; during her stay at an eerie inn, she discovers a startling secret about the town and its inhabitants.The movie was produced by a small production company, and the film landed up in public domain for years. Fortunately, it has been remastered and is finally available in pristine form. Titled THE CITY OF THE DEAD in the UK, it was released in the states and is known by the alternate title HORROR HOTEL. Your cohosts take a look at this classic film on their 666th episode. Thanks for joining us in our journey.

Welcome to The Rise of the Cordyceps Infected: A Last of Us Podcast. We discuss weekly each episode of the television series THE LAST OF US seen on HBOMax.

The V/H/S found footage film franchise has been a huge success. Cheap to make, bringing in established and up-and-coming talent, both behind the camera and on the pen, the series has made a ton of money and brought us some solid found footage in an anthology format. The latest in the franchise is V/H/S BEYOND (2024) which links together shorts mostly based upon visitors from another planet.From IMDB: Six bloodcurdling tapes unleash horror in a sci-fi inspired hellscape, pushing the boundaries of fear and suspense.The talent behind the camera includes Jordan Downey, Jay Cheel, Virat Pal, Justin Martinez, Kate Siegel, and Justin and Christian Long. The film was one of the highest rated in the franchise by critics, and received a release in September 2024 on the streaming service Shudder. Your co-hosts take a look at this film and give their thoughts.

Robots and artificial intelligence seems to be the wave of the future. There have been a number of interesting films discussing such a thing including SUBSERVIENCE (2024) and THE ARTIFICE GIRL (2023). Now the latest in the horror subgenre is COMPANION.From IMDB: A weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin turns into chaos after it's revealed that one of the guests is not what they seem.Directed and written by Drew Hancock, the film stars Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, among others. The film was released on January 31st, 2025 and has received splendid reviews by both critics and audiences alike. Your co-hosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

Holiday films are themselves a subgenre of slasher films. For St. Valentine's Day, we've had a few examples including VALENTINE (2001) and MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1989 and 2009). Now in 2025, we have a brand new one entitled HEART EYES.From IMDB: For the past several years, the “Heart Eyes Killer” has wreaked havoc on Valentine's Day by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This Valentine's Day, no couple is safe.The film is directed by Josh Ruben and written by Philip Murphy, Christopher Landon, and Michael Kennedy. The cast includes Olivia Holt and Mason Gooding. Released on February 7th, 2025, the movie has received phenomenal reviews. Your co-hosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

Vampires don't die. Literally. They are still one of, if not the most popular monsters in literature. They have been modified and changed through time as their lore has evolved. The new Mexican horror film, VIOLENT DELIGHTS (2025), focuses on the psychopathic and violent nature of these monsters.From IMDB: The already rocky relationship of expecting lovers Lizbeth and Javier is put to the test when they become entangled with a disenchanted vampire couple.The movie was directed and written by Edin Martinez and had done well at festivals. The cast includes Ana Paulina Martinez, Guillermo Zapata, Ernesto Salinas, Jitzel Galicia, Paoola Hernandez, and Olivia Adriana Perez. Your co-hosts take a look at this new film and give their thoughts.

Stephen King's THE SKELETON CREW from 1985 was a highly regarded collection of short stories and one novella that he collected together as a major release. The book has had a few of the stories made into film. One of them, THE MONKEY (2025), was just released to theaters only a week or two ago as this is written. After THE MIST, it is possibly the most famous of the tales in the book as the original hardcover had a picture of the drumming monkey toy that the story and movie is about.From IMDB: When twin brothers Bill and Hal find their father's old monkey toy in the attic, a series of gruesome deaths start. The siblings decide to throw the toy away and move on with their lives, growing apart over the years.The film is directed and written by the highly prolific Osgood Perkins. The film stars Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, and Colin O'Brien. Receiving positive reviews, the movie has gone on to make back its $10M USD budget and more. Your cohosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

Spectacle. That's what old Hollywood was known for. And the 1972 film THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE was one of those big budget spectaculars with a huge superstar ensemble cast. When disaster movies were “fab” and this one definitely stood out as one of the best.The last voyage of the wonderful cruise ship the Poseidon sets sail between New York City and Athens. After, it will be retired and decommissioned. While during the last leg of the cruise in the Aegean Sea, it is New Year's Eve and many of the paying customers are having fun. However, an earthquake underwater creates a tsunami and the ship is in great peril.The movie's stars include Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, and Stella Stevens among many more. The film was directed by Ronald Neame and based on the novel by Paul Gallico. Getting fine reviews and making tons of money, the movie was a huge hit. With the recent passing of Gene Hackman, your co-hosts take a look at this classic film in cinema history and give their thoughts.

Post-apocalypse films are usually centered around a zombie apocalypse, a disease epidemic, or the results of a nuclear war. But also a religious apocalypse is as common when it comes the end of the world. The new film AZRAEL (2024) that appeared on Shudder is just that film.From RottenTomatoes: "In a world in which no one speaks, a mysterious, devout community hunts down a young woman named Azrael (Samara Weaving) who has escaped their imprisonment. Recaptured by its ruthless leaders, she is to be sacrificed to pacify an evil which resides deep within the surrounding wilderness -- but Azrael will stop at nothing to ensure her own freedom and survival."The film is written by highly acclaimed screenwriter Simon Barrett (YOU'RE NEXT (2011)) and directed by E.L. Katz (CHEAP THRILLS (2013)) while starring Samara Weaving (THE BABYSITTER (2017)). The film has received mixed reviews and is from IFC/Shudder. Your co-hosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

Mental health, cluster B, bipolar, and OCD - there are so many types of behavioral health disabilities. The new movie, RED ROOMS (2025), seems to be a film about a man that has been arrested as a potential serial killer. But is it? The movie actually focuses on a person that in no way is involved in the case or the trial or the crime, until she places herself into it.From RottenTomatoes: "The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the puzzle: the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl, to whom Kelly-Anne bears a disturbing resemblance."A Quebec produced French language film, RED ROOMS (2025) is directed and written by Pacal Plante. The film stars Juliette Gariépy as a fashion model named Kelly-Anne in a fabulous performance. The casts also includes Laurie Babin, Maxwell McCabe-Lokos, and Elisabeth Locas. Getting excellent reviews, your co-hosts take a look at this new movie and give their thoughts.

Artificial Intelligence is one of the greatest technologies and is changing the world as we know it. Some scientists are trying incorporate it with robots and even first generational androids. Either way, horror movies have run with the “robot gone bad” scenario. The latest film starring Megan Fox doesn't disappoint.From IMDB: Follows a struggling father who purchases a domestic SIM to help care for his house and family, unaware she will gain awareness and turn deadly.Directed by S.K. Dale (TILL DEATH (2021)) and starring Megan Fox, Michele Morrone, Madeline Zima, and Matilda Firth, the film was cowritten by Will Honley and April Maguire. The movie has received mixed reviews. Your co-hosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

NOSFERATU, the silent film from 1922, is considered one of the most important films of all time. It's German Expressionism along with the vampire lore of the story has made it a classic. Remade in 1979 by Werner Herzog, and then now in 2024, by Robert Eggers, the new version has gotten quite the acclaim.From IMDB: A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.NOSFERATU was also written by director Robert Eggers. The cast includes Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe. The movie has received fine reviews from both critics and audiences alike. Your co-hosts take a look at the film and give their thoughts.

The latest German film, THE CALENDAR KILLER (2025), is a new addition to the serial killer film. Taking place in Berlin, the movie follows an unknown serial killer that pits a wife and husband to make a choice to kill one or the other.From IMDB: Klara is going to die today unless she kills her husband instead. The Calendar Killer has given her that impossible choice. When Jules starts his night shift at a safety helpline for lonely women on their way home Klara's call reaches him.The film is directed by Adolfo J. Kolmerer from a script by co-written by Sebastian Fitzek and Susanne Schneider. The performers include Luise Heyer, Sabin Tambrea, Friedrich Mucke, and Rainer Bock. Your co-hosts take a look at this early 2025 film and give their thoughts.

Long ago, the Universal Horror film, THE WOLF MAN (1941), was groundbreaking. Turning Long Chaney Jr. into a star, it was gothic, and filled with fortunetellers and the occult, and took place in the atmospheric country of Wales. Now, Leigh Whannell (UPGRAGE (2018)) has directed the reboot for Universal Pictures.From IMDB: A family at a remote farmhouse is attacked by an unseen animal, but as the night stretches on, the father begins to transform into something unrecognizable.The movie stars Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, and Matilda Firth. The screenplay is cowritten by Leigh Whannell and Corbett Tuck. The film was released on January 17, 2025 by Universal and Blumhouse. Your cohosts take a look at this new lycanthrope film and give their thoughts.

They say the stunt man gets no respect. Out of all the things that are in movies, they are unrecognized at the Oscars. Many times folks have tried to push for an award and category for the stunt men and women and yet each year it never happens. THE FALL GUY, a film from 2024, actually turns the stuntman into one of the main characters.From Rotten Tomatoes: “He's a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?”THE FALL GUY is directed by former stuntman David Leitch, who is best known for directing JOHN WICK (2014), ATOMIC BLONDE (2017), DEADPOOL 2 (2018), BULLET TRAIN (2022), among others. Written by Drew Pearce and starring Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling, the movie received fantastic reviews from critics and audiences alike. Though it wasn't the phenomenal box office success the producers had hoped, the movie has gotten a second life on streaming. Your co-hosts take a look at the film and give their thoughts.

We are already at the end of January in 2025, yet 2024 is now in the rearview mirror. It's time to take a look at the prior year and go through all the many films that came out that were considered horror and genre films. Dark Discussions and its co-hosts put together their year in review of all that was good and bad in 2024. Was it one of the better years in genre cinema or did it have too many missteps to be one to remember?Each of your co-hosts put together a list of movies they thought were good enough to recommend. Two lists were procured. This included a list of horror films and a list of other speculative fiction films. Afterwards we then combined those lists and came up with the Dark Discussions definitive lists, in both categories, as best of the year. Some obvious films like HERETIC and NOSFERATU appear but also little known films like EXHUMA and THE KING'S TIDE were too.But don't forget, we also have more lists: Our top and worst scenes, scream queens, breakout star, and anything else you can think of. Dark Discussions wraps up last year in a nice tight bow and gives their listeners a good many films to go out and search for.

The nation of Norway has made a number of disaster movies including THE WAVE (2015) and QUAKE (2018). Both titles are pretty basic but spot on what the disaster is. The latest in what is considered a trilogy from the same producing team is the 2022 film THE BURNING SEA (2022). This one takes place on an oil rig but expands the remote location to include the entire North Sea.From IMDB: "An oil platform dramatically goes down on the Norwegian coast, and researchers try to find out what happened when they realize this is just the start of something even more serious."Norway, one of the largest oil producers in the world, is a perfect country to make a film about oil rigs. However, is the movie a message film, or popcorn fun? Critically receiving acceptable reviews while audiences were not as keen, the film was originally released earlier in 2021 but made its American debut in February 2022. Your co-hosts take a look at this latest in the trilogy and give their thoughts.

Australia continues to produce horror films, and like many movies, they can be hit or miss. The horror-thriller from early 2024 entitled YOU'LL NEVER FIND ME (2024) is the latest. After playing the festival circuits, including Tribeca, it had its United States release on Shudder on March 22nd, 2024.From IMDB: "Patrick, a strange and lonely resident, lives in a mobile home at the back of an isolated trailer park. During a violent storm, a mysterious young woman appears at his door seeking shelter from the elements."The film was jointly directed by Josiah Allen and Indianna Bell from a script by Indianna Bell. The film stars Brendan Rock, Jordan Cowan, and Elena Carapetis. Though receiving fairly good reviews from critics, audiences were a bit cooler on it. Your co-hosts take a look at the film and see if it lives up to the critics' thought.

With January 2025 underway, it is time to visit what is coming this year to cinemas, video-on-demand platforms, as well as those genre films that are going straight to disc. Also, what's new in video games, television, and genre novels? Last year, 2024 was a heck of a good year and there were a lot of great flicks. This year once again there seems to be a lot of great ones coming. Plus also more superhero flicks. Reboots and remakes and sequels are also arriving too.Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews once again is back with their look forward to the new year and what seems to interest them most. Some of the more high profile items spoken of include TRON ARES, BALLERINA, ANDOR Season 2, THE MONKEY, and THE HOUSEMAID.But it doesn't end there. Other items talked about include DAREDEVIL, THE CONJURING LAST RIGHTS, THE BRIDE, and ALIEN EARTH. And then at the very end we list off other films and talk about some of the latest news about movies and genre cinema.

Vampires are one of the most popular movies, but their "cousin", the werewolf, always takes a backseat when it comes to movie monsters. There have been a few great werewolf films over the years, with the occasional hidden gem in-between. Now, late 2024, the film simply titled WEREWOLVES (2024) appeared at theaters.From IMDB: "Two scientists try to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves after being touched by a super-moon the year before."WEREWOLVES was directed by Steven C. Miller, and written for the screen by Matthew Kennedy. The movie stars Frank Grillo, Lou Diamond Phillips, Katrina Law, among others. It was released by Briarcliff Entertainment on December 6, 2024. Receiving mixed reviews, the film was evenly split. We take a look at the movie and give our thoughts.

It's our 650th episode. Over 13 years of podcasting. But even so, we usually don't hit the classics. Yet when we do hit each 50th episode, we do decide to do one. As usual, we put up a poll on our Facebook page, Dark Discussions Podcast, and let you, the listeners and contributors to the Facebook group make the decision. The winner of our poll was 28 DAYS LATER from 2002.From IMDB: "Four weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the United Kingdom, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary." The film was directed by Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland, and starred Cillian Murphy.Listen to us discuss this classic for one of our most important episodes, the 650th one.

New Year's resolutions are a big thing for folks. Some want to lose weight, find a spouse, get a new job, work towards completing something; others have goals that they strive for. Co-host Mike said that there are a lot of genre films he hasn't seen that he wants to get to, so as a New Year's resolution, why not ask all the co-hosts to see some film they always wanted to see and then discuss. Another year doing so, each co-host chose a genre movie that they had never seen and decided to watch it and give their opinions.Films we discuss are Lucio Fulci's 1981 Lovecraftian film THE BEYOND, the 1974 film known as DAN CURTIS' DRACULA starring Jack Palance, Dennis Hopper's neo-noir thriller THE HOT SPOT (1990), and Hammer horror film TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER (1976). A wide variety of films they are, but also some important ones too that one of your co-hosts finally got to see.With all that, Dark Discussions would like to say happy 2025 to all of our listeners and extra mention to our Patreon supporters, both new and old, and hope to hear about some of the films you folks have never seen and plan to in this new year. Email us at darkdiscussions@aol.com and let us know.

We take a different approach to the podcast today with some genre news. Instead of reviewing a film or book, we instead go through some of the news of the past year and discuss in detail some of the most interesting things we've heard. We talk about some upcoming adaptations of Red Sonja, Tomb Raider, Swan Song, among others. News about Lord of the Rings and the James Gunn DC Universe. Listed also are some "sleeper" science fiction films from the past that may have been overlooked. Take a listen and let us know what you feel.

Religious horror has been around forever. Obviously much of it has been related to demons, exorcisms, the devil, and vampires. Much of it has focused upon faith versus nihilism. Well, the new film HERETIC (2024) takes an interesting twist with this subgenre of horror. What if filmmakers decided to pursue more a philosophical approach. Two Mormon missionaries, young woman Sister Paxton (Chloe East) and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher), have donated their time to knock on doors to spread the word of God as well as promoting their religion. Following up on a lead from a man named Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), they leave the downtown area and knock on his door. He welcomes them in, offers them some blueberry pie that his wife has made, and listens to the young ladies and asks follow up questions.Scott Beck and Bryan Wood, the screenwriters of A QUIET PLACE (2018), both directed and wrote this new psychological horror film. Starring Hugh Grant once again in an expected and fabulous performance, the film is heavy on dialogue allowing actresses Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher to play directly against Grant's Mr. Reed. Your co-hosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

The new Indian film, SHAITAAN (2024), the Hindi word for demon, follows the home invasion film, but with a twist. The movie is a remake of a 2023 film entitled VASH, oddly starring the same actress Janki Bodiwala. Netflix picked this new version up and released it in March.When a family of four head to their rural vacation home, they stop at a rest area to grab some food. When the counter clerk can't take cash, a friendly man in line pays for their meal. Unfortunately the friendly stranger has his eyes upon the teenage daughter. And his kindness soon turns into a nefarious plot.SHAITAAN stars Janki Bodiwala along with Ajay Devgn, Anngad Raaj, Jyothika, and R. Madhavan as the stranger. The movie has received mixed to low reviews by both critics and audiences alike. However, it has gotten a bit of buzz from horror audiences looking for something different upon an old story line. Your cohosts take a look at this recently released film and gives their thoughts.

So the Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews podcast decided to do an episode on the 2009 movie WATCHMEN but our discussion went a bit long as we discussed the background to the movie, and its source material. So we decided to break it into two episodes. The second is all about the movie itself.Directed by Zack Snyder, written by David Hayter and Alex Tse, and starring Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Good, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, was not the success that the studio had hoped. With the usual debate between the fans of the graphic novel and superheroes in general, backlash and praise were both the norm.Now fifteen years later, the movie has become somewhat of a cult classic. With its fabulous special effects, splendid acting, and changes to the story to make it fit within a movie length, the film, though polarizing, continues to find audiences through streaming. Your cohosts take a look at the film itself and give their thoughts.

Art the clown shocked audiences with the first film in the franchise, TERRIFIER (2018). With its sequel, adding a true “final girl”, and giving Art a back story, the sequel TERRIFIER 2 (2022) became an instant money grosser. Now 2024, TERRIFIER 3, following our hero and villain from the second film, was released in October for the Halloween season.Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) has been released from a mental health hospital after the trauma of facing Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) and surviving. She has moved in with her aunt, uncle, and cousin while her brother Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) has gone of to college. When true crime podcaster Mia (Alexa Blair Robertson) tries to get interviews with the two, the past comes crashing back leaving no one safe.Director and writer Damien Leone is back with the latest in the franchise. Costing only $2M USD to make, the film went on to gross $63.9M USD and became one of the highest grossing films that have been released as unrated. The film, with its great reviews, has solidified Art the Clown as a new horror icon. Your cohosts track to the theater and take a look at the new film and give their thoughts.

In this day and age, not all that surprising, there are sequels to multiple films. One of them that was just released is SMILE 2, the sequel to the 2022 original. SMILE was a bigger success than the studio had expected and so they signed director/writer Parker Finn to a film deal and the first to be produced is SMILE 2.Pop singer Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) is about to go on tour. Its a new beginning for her after a car accident that injured her back and left her boyfriend and actor Paul Hudson (Ray Nicholson) dead. Recovering from drug abuse, no doctor will prescribe her painkillers for her back pain. When she meets up with a drug dealer, he begins freaking out that some sort of entity is following her.Picking up right where the prior film ended, SMILE 2 follows the same antagonist from the original. Receiving fairly good reviews from critics and audiences alike, the movie almost tripled its $28M USD budget with a profit of close to $110M USD. You cohosts head to the theaters and decide to review the film giving their thoughts.

1975 was the release of Stephen King's second novel, ‘SALEM'S LOT. It was a huge success. Shortly after the novel was turned into a classic television mini-series (1979), and a sequel (1987), plus a further remake (2004). But Hollywood wasn't finished yet. The television prequel series CHAPELWAITE (2021) was released. Now finally a third remake has been released straight to VOD on HBO Max.Ben Mears (Lewis Pullman) returns to his childhood home of Jerusalem's Lot as he begins to write a tale about an old dark house entitled the Martsten House which overlooks the town. At the same time two European immigrants set up an antiques store on main street. When a boy disappears, the local police chief begins to suspect that one of the new arrivals may be the perpetrator.Immediately, the film production and what was screened was mediocre at best. As a result, the movie was shelfed as producers tried to decide what to do with it. But still, some big names were involved with the production. James Wan produced and Gary Dauberman wrote and directed. Your co-hosts take a look at this new adaptation and give their thoughts whether the bad rumors were true.

When Moses parted the Red Sea, it was considered to be an obviously miracle. The ocean and the tides have always been part of sea faring life and have had legends and myths follow them throughout history. A king's tide is those tides that occur at points throughout the year where they are their highest as the moon, sun, and gravity play a part. The new Canadian film THE KING TIDE popped up on VOD recently to some fairly good reviews. But its title is more a metaphor than part of the interesting plot.Bobby (Clayne Crawford) is the mayor of the only town on an island off the Atlantic Canadian coast. A small dingy appears by the shore with a young baby in it. He and his wife, having just lost a pregnancy, adopt the girl. When she grows up, she begins to show miraculous powers of healing and fortune. Though Bobby tries to hide this from the community, his mother-in-law thinks otherwise leading to great change upon them all.The movie is directed by Christian Sparkes from a script from four writers. Besides Clayne Crawford, other stars include Frances Fisher and Lara Jean Chorostecki. The film was originally did the festival circuit in 2023 before a full release in 2024. With very good reviews, the movie had a short lived window of note. Your co-hosts take a look at it and give their thoughts.

The 2016 South Korean film, THE WAILING, showed a number of things about Korea. It included the nation's feelings of the stamp Japan had left from its occupation of Korea during and prior to World War II. It also showed the superstition of some Koreans and how it still remains years later. The new film, EXHUMA (2024), though much different than THE WAILING has both these aspects within its plot as well.When a wealthy American family of Korean ancestry believes that medicine will not cure a mysterious illness of their new born, they enlist two “Mu” (or shamans) to get to the bottom of what may be a long lasting curse that has followed the Americans from generation to generation.The film is written and directed by Jae-hyun Jang and the cast includes superstar Min-sik Choi (OLDBOY 2003) in a very different role than some of his previous. The film was a huge success in its native country and appeared on the television station Shudder for North American audiences. Your co-hosts take a look at the film and give their thoughts.

Just 20 years ago, Demi Moore was a star. Not only a star, but a superstar. Her latest film, THE SUBSTANCE (2024), is a perfect example of aging and stardom and what can happen to folks as a younger generation appears on the scene. And the old, to remain relevant, try to hang on to their glory days.Actress Elizabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) has transitioned from award winning actress to becoming a huge television star as she hosts an aerobics show. On her fiftieth birthday, her producer Harvey (Dennis Quaid), lets her go as he decides a new and young starlet is needed. Approached by a company called The Substance, she is offered a chance to create a younger and better version of herself using their experimental medication. Things alas don't turn out all that well.The film is directed and written by Coralie Fargeat (REVENGE (2017) and also stars Margaret Qualley. Released to the festival circuit and nominated for the Palme D'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival while winning best screenplay. Released at theaters, the film underperformed, yet still received good reviews by audiences and reviewers alike. Your cohosts take a look at the movie and give their thoughts.

It's the new thing. And it's called the multiverse. It's the running joke of the televisions series RICK AND MORTY. Where at any point in time, your existence diverts into millions of "you" depending on what you do next. The new movie HOSTILE DIMENSIONS (2024) opens up a door (literally) into existences beyond ours.When graffiti artist, Emily (Josie Rogers), finds a standalone door in the middle of a cellar of an abandoned building, she opens it and disappears. Two documentary filmmakers along with a college professor decide to find the truth of what happens, hoping to solve a mystery that has gone viral on the internet.The Scottish film is written and directed by Graham Hughes. Besides Josie Rogers, the cast includes Annabel Logan, Joma West, and Paddy Kondracki. With talking dogs, flying whales, and bronze giants, Emily's dilemma may turn out to be more "supernatural" than one thought. Your co-hosts take a look at this hidden gem and give their thoughts.

A new film from the land of the Irish has arrived to streaming after a short run at the theaters. The new movie is called ODDITY (2024). Does it live up to that name? Well, it isn't as odd as the title says, but it sure is a well received supernatural movie.Dani Timmis (Carolyn Bracken) is home alone at night as her psychiatrist husband, Ted (Gwilym Lee), is at work. When an ex-patient arrives at her front door, he warns her of a stranger that is in her house. A year later, her clairvoyant twin sister Darcy decides to find out what happened that night when she receives a talisman that may be the key to her answers.The movie is written and directed by Damian McCarthy. Besides Gwilym Lee and Carolyn Bracken, the movie's cast includes Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton, Steve Wall, and Jonathan French. Picked up by IFC and Shudder, the film received a quick release at theaters after getting good reviews from critics. Your podcast hosts take a look at this new movie and give their thoughts.

Detective Comics, better known as DC, has delivered some of the most iconic superhero characters of all time such as Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Harley Quinn. In 1986, the first issue of Watchmen appeared which was something altogether different. A violent, transgressive, political, and sexual take on superheroes, the series (now a graphic novel), was troubling to some but loved by others.The talents behind the graphic novel include write Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins. Since its debut, the popularity with its alternate timeline has only grown as it became a movie simply titled Watchmen, written by David Hayter and Alex Tse, and directed by talented and enigmatic Zack Snyder.Receiving mixed reviews, the movie may have been before its time as comic book films were just at the cusp of dominating the movie box office. In this first of two episodes, your co-hosts talk about the backstory of source material and the dream of Zack Snyder trying to make what many thought as an impossible source material to adapt into what is now considered a beloved cult film by many.

The ALIEN franchise is one of the most successful horror franchises of all time. ALIEN (1979) and the sequel ALIENS (1986) are two of the best films of all time. Others in the franchise have received fine reviews and have interesting premises. Now, the new movie in the franchise, ALIEN: ROMULUS, has arrived.Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her synthetic brother Andy (David Jonsson) work for the company Weyland-Yutani as essentially indentured servants. When Rain's ex-boyfriend suggests a chance to flee to a different planet, Rain and the group head to an abandoned space station in orbit to get the fuel needed. Unfortunately there is a secret onboard that may be the death of them all.The film is directed by Fede Alvarez and co-written with his film partner Rodo Sayagues. The film takes place between the first two films in the franchise. Receiving decent enough reviews, the movie is the first from Disney and has been a financial success. Your co-hosts take a look at the film and give their thoughts.

The co-German and American film CUCKOO arrived to theaters in August of 2024. Neon, the film company that has been releasing some fairly interesting films, got it a general release. Small as it is, the film received a bit of buzz from genre fans. But what is the film about? Is it a monster film? A film about cryptozoology? Demons? Aliens? Whatever it is, many reviewers wondered as much as the audiences did.Synopsis: 17-year-old Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) moves to a resort in the Bavarian Alps with her father, stepmother, and mute half-sister. The resort is managed by the enigmatic Herr König (Dan Stevens). As Gretchen starts working at the resort's front desk, she encounters strange and unsettling occurrences that may put her life in danger.The film is written and directed by German filmmaker Tilman Singer. It stars Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwirk, Marton Csoskas, Jan Bluthardt, and Greta Fernandez. Before its theatrical release, it played at the Berlin International Film Festival, South By Southwest, and Fantasia. Your co-hosts take a look at this odd film and give their thoughts.

M. Night Shyamalan as of 2024 is now hit or miss with his movies. There hasn't been any further “classics” in his filmography over the last two decades, but he's had some fairly enjoyable productions. His latest is called TRAP (2024) and has received a large theatrical release from Warner Brothers Pictures.Riley (Ariel Donoghue) and her dad Cooper (Josh Hartnett) are attending a Lady Raven concert in Philadelphia. When Cooper notices that a very large and present law enforcement attendance, he asks a vendor what's up. There was a tip that the serial killer known as the Butcher is in attendance. Soon a cat-and-mouse game begins where everyone, including the talent on stage, has to make decisions that will save their own skins as well as others.Shyamalan directs from a script that he wrote. Besides an absolutely fantastic performance by Josh Hartnett, the film also stars Hayley Mills, Saleka Night Shyamalan, and Alison Pill. With an interesting premise, based off the mixed reviews by audiences and writers alike, the question of its success depends on the individual viewer. Your co-hosts take a look at this recently released theatrical feature and give their thoughts.

Sometimes a horror film is called a “comedy.” But usually they are actually dark comedies, or simply dark drama. Well, the 2022 film THE MENU most certainly has some dark humor in it, but it is definitely a horror film through and through. With its exaggerated caricatures of those in certain social statuses, people are going to get a chuckle. But all in all, the frights do come through.A well known chef has opened up an exclusive restaurant on a remote island. Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) has been invited to a private dinner there by her boyfriend. The restaurant is filled with various folks from the upper class, new money and old. When Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) begins to serve each course, he brings a story with the food that is specific to each of the attendees. A quiet dinner turns out to be much more.The film is directed by Mark Mylod based on the script by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy. Starring Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, the movie's cast also includes Nicholas Hoult and John Leguizamo. Having received a theatrical release, the film has garnered fine reviews by both reviewers and audiences members alike. Your co-hosts take a look at this commentary on the class system and people behaving badly and give their thoughts.

Serial killer movies are some of the most frightening films one can see. Whether it is a thriller or a horror film, the unhinged aspect of someone that just doesn't follow empathy and care for their fellow human being can be pretty horrifying. The new film, LONGLEGS (2024), is another “police” procedural where the FBI has an unknown killer out in the world that endangers everyone.FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe (IT FOLLOWS)) is a recent grad from training. She's assigned to the Longlegs killer case because she shows signs of a sixth sense if not true clairvoyance. Longlegs (Nicholas Cage) is somehow convincing or hypnotizing a family member to murder their entire family before killing themselves. Lee begins putting the pieces together while discovering the case is much closer to home than she ever thought.LONGLEGS is written and directed by Osgood Perkins (THE BLACKCOAT'S DAUGHTER). Besides Nicholas Cage and Maika Monroe, the film co-stars Blair Underwood and Alicia Witt. The film was produced by Nicholas Cage and released to theaters by Neon. Though receiving good reviews from reviewers, audiences seem not to be as keen on the movie. Your co-hosts take a look at the feature and give their thoughts.