★★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
Isolation, misery, toil, secrets, and madness. Just another day for Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe in the Robert Eggers brilliantly bleak seascape The Lighthouse.
Happy Women in Horror Month! In celebration of the contributions of women creators and directors, The Scariest Things invited Gwen Callahan from The Portland Horror Film Festival to discuss some of the great contributions from women behind the camera.
The Saw franchise is getting a new twist as it is being produced, written, and starring Chris Rock. Yes, THAT Chris Rock. Oh, and some guy named Samuel L. Jackson. Him too. A potentially great career move for Rock, in a series that suggests that still has some legs left. (Though given that it's Saw, those legs may be gone by the end.)
A long-awaited graphic novel adaptation is hitting Netflix next week. The trailer captures a lot of the magic of the book, but will it go as dark as the comic was willing to go?
★★★ out of ★★★★★
Chalk one up for the old dudes! Drugged out mutant crazies siege the local veteran's watering hole in the latest offering from FANGORIA, featuring some fan-favorite genre actors getting a chance to step out of the supporting role shadows.
"Woulds't thou like to live deliciously?" Of course you would, and that's why you're going to get the Playmobil set of Robert Egger's The VVitch, courtesy of the very clever folks at Millionaire Playboy!
We've got some films for you to look forward to in 2020. Once again, we're faced with an onslaught of remakes and sequels, but you know what? There are some really interesting films that are coming out, and we're here to slap you some horror wisdom!
Oh, these dollies are the give me the creepies! Our Patron and friend of the Podcast, Brian Jillson has some slightly (OK sometimes REALLY) disturbing toys that need homes. Are you brave enough to get one?
What's that smell? That, friends of the podcast, is the stench of the worst horror movies of 2019! It's a smell that lingers and we'd like to move past, but we have to acknowledge the stinkers of last year.
★★★1/2 out of ★★★★★.
Underwater is a furiously paced movie that applies the pressure early (pun intended) and rarely lets you up for air (pun intended again). The familiar setting and lack of character arcs are overcome by a strong cast, great production values, and a simple but well-executed plot.
Welcome to Camp Nawgnamakit! (get it?)Come sit by the fire and be seranaded with tales of the tragic tale of revenge that is The Bloody Ballad of Squirt Reynolds! One of our favorite short films of last year has finally arrived for view courtesy of Antrum.
★★1/2 out of ★★★★★
What's the worst thing somebody just coming out of rehab should do to relax and find peace in the world? Go to a slasher camp re-enactment! This film telegraphs its moves like a brass band marching through the forest.
Can they pull it off again? The monster hit (both literally and figuratively) from 2018 is back, and pretty much everyone involved before is at it again. The first full trailer has dropped.
★★★ out of ★★★★★
This crazy mash-up cyberpunk-comedy-horror really shouldn't have worked. Surprisingly, it did. A movie that should have felt derivative comes out feeling like it has fresh ideas and has you on board for this Australian comic-bookish Satanic techno ride.
The Golden Era of Horror films shows no signs of letting up if judging by the quality of features offered up in 2019. Now it's time to talk about our favorites!
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
A stark and haunting minimalist horror-fantasy, about a vengeful father fulfilling his oath to bring down the monster that killed his daughter.
It's not just about the movies, it's about the MOMENTS within the movies that often make the difference between memorable and forgettable. Eric looks back on his favorite scenes from 2019.
BAD KITTY!
How did this get past us? Ryan Reynolds is hearing voices from a good dog, and a bad bad cat. The cat is much more fun. This one came to our attention from appearing in Liz Williams' top movies of the decade. This was her sleeper film from 2014!
It was a great year for Horror Films, and without an individual film that was head and shoulders above the rest, making this a bit of a challenge to pick a top 10. There was a nice mix of film festival independent darlings, as well as some surprisingly good major studio offerings this year. If you haven't done so already, go listen to our favorite movies of the decade. I believe we are still in the middle of the golden age of quality horror stories.
There can be little doubt that the past decade has been another wonderful golden era for horror movies. The generational change of horror voices arrived in a big way in the Teens, and horror movies have found serious purchase in both critical and popular appeal. The Scariest Things brings the WHOLE TEAM to the podcast this week, as Robert and Joseph join Mike, Liz, and Eric to promote our favorite genre offerings from the past ten years.
Two great tastes that go great together: You got your horror in my comedy! You got your comedy in my horror! Something in the brain likes the yin and yang of what scares us and what makes us laugh. The Scariest Things looks for some next level movies to make you howl with laughter as much as fear.
★★ out of ★★★★★
Tapping into the hipster zeitgeist, The Banana Splits Movie looked to provide nostalgic psychedelic infused wackiness with ironic ultra-violence layered on top. Instead, it's a depressing morass filled with unlikable characters.
★★★★ out of ★★★★★
Lex Luthor was right. This alien may look like us, but he is here to destroy us. This VERY dark take on the Superman parable is the very violent flip side of the Man of Steel, right down to the swing set and the waving wheat of Kansas.
Now that our American audience is digesting their Thanksgiving harvest feast, it's time to turn our attention to Holiday Horror. The rule Mike put to the group was that we couldn't use Carpenter's Halloween. No problem, plenty of pictures to pick from!
Once more, back into the abyss. The new big-ish budget Kristen Stewart feature brings audiences back to the bottom of the sea with mysterious sea monsters.
That's right! It's a face-hugger turkey! The Cthurkey craze has inspired folks to come up with some pretty dreadful Thanksgiving feast options, including this here monstrosity. Make sure to drain this of acid blood before Serving. These images may make you want to think twice before cutting into the celebratory roast this year.
★★★ out of ★★★★★
You might hate your job, but at least your supervisor isn't a vampire transforming your colleagues into thirsty minions. Bloodsucking Bastards is a fun but inconsistent horror comedy populated with colorful office characters, that in the end feels like an R-rated TV sitcom.
All hail the King from Maine! This was a big year for King as there were FOUR King productions: we got the monster hit It: Chapter 2, the reboot of Pet Semetary, The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, and the Netflix production In the Tall Grass. Plus, the television series Castle Rock. We live in a Stephen King world, and now The Scariest Things settles in to talk about it.
Wake up, Nancy! Falling asleep for a pop quiz could be DEADLY. Because, you know, Freddie might get you. Let's see how well you know your second level horror titles. Get your #2 pencils ready. This is a closed book test.
Sometimes the star of the movie isn't a person, or even a creature. Sometimes it's a building! Eric and Liz review some of their favorite Haunted Houses.