Wolf Man review
In 1941, we got the classic Lon Chaney Jr./Bela Lugosi “The Wolf Man.” Chaney looked more like an angry psychotic meth head with a Justin Timberlake haircut back then. Now in 2025, we get a much updated hairy, scary dude with “Wolf Man” directed by Leigh Whannell. This isn’t Whannell’s first classic monster movie re-make rodeo. He also directed the 2020 “The Invisible Man” which was a critical and commercial hit. In “Wolf Man” we’re introduced to Blake and his wife, Charlotte, and daughter Ginger. Blake grew up in the remote wilderness of Oregon with just his Dad where all manner of danger lurks, but is now a writer in San Francisco. Events have him return to Oregon with his wife and daughter to his childhood home. His Dad with him, and now Blake with his daughter, are aggressive with how committed they are to keeping their child safe. It turns out, for good reason, from what we see in this movie. On the way up to the house, they get into an accident, in the middle of the woods. Soon it’s made apparent, they are not alone, and this new presence is no friend. Soon they find themselves in Blake’s childhood home trying to keep a wolf man out, but since Blake was cut by the wolf man, Charlotte and Ginger find that a danger is slowly emerging from inside the house. Time is ticking away for them. Will they survive the wolf man outside and what Blake is becoming on the inside? Is it worth finding out? Check out this episode to hear what I think. “Wolf Man” stars Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Benedict Hardie, Sam Jaeger, Mathilda Firth, Leigh Whannell, Ben Prendergast, Milo Cawthorne and Zac Chandler.
The Substance review
Are you sick of watching feel-good, heart-warming movies? I think I’ve got the cure with “The Substance.” Demi Moore plays an aging actress, not so unlike herself, named Elisabeth Sparkle who’s Oscar-winning movie career has plummeted. It’s plummeted so much, she’s the host of a Jane Fonda-type workout show. Now, because of her age, she’s even in danger of being fired from that. Also, she doesn’t get the looks from the men anymore that she used to. She’s just feeling extremely depressed about her own mortality and her perceived lack of worth. Enter in The Substance. She’s made aware of The Substance and how it can create a younger, more beautiful, “better” version of yourself. The rule is, the younger version of yourself gets seven days out in the world and then you get seven days. This must be respected. The balance must be respected or else. You are both the same person, not two separate people. As long as you follow the rules, the unspeakable won’t happen. Elisabeth’s younger self, named Sue, is “born” and quickly gets the adoration and career success that Elisabeth once had and it’s addictive. Can she, and Elisabeth follow the seemingly simple seven day rule? As you might’ve guessed, they probably don’t and this movie may, or may not, present the most disturbing and horrifying visuals you’ve ever seen. Is that part of a whole that makes this movie a must-see, or does it just make it a movie you should stay as far away as possible from? Watch this episode to find out! “The Substance” also stars Dennis Quaid in a hilariously, over-the-top performance as a misogynistic Hollywood studio head, maybe not coincidentally named Harvey.
The Crow (2024) review
In the original movie “The Crow” in 1994, there’s a prominent refrain of “It can’t rain all the time.” of course meaning sometimes it rains and sometimes there’s sun. Is this new retelling of “The Crow” in 2024 going to bring us rain or sun? Is it going to disappoint or will it entertain? You’ll have to watch this episode to find out. The new “The Crow” stars Bill Skarsgard (It, Barbarian, John Wick 4) as Eric Draven and FKA twigs as his true love, Shelly. The movie is kicked off by a friend of Shelly’s letting her know that there is something she has that incriminates the big, bad guy in this, played by Danny Huston. As you’d expect, the bad guys know about this and kick off the chase element of this movie. Shelly, in the meantime, is sent to a massive drug rehab center/prison where she meets, and strikes up a relationship with Eric. In one way this turns out to be a bad turn of fate for Eric because he and Shelly are murdered because she knows about that incriminating evidence. Eric, however, isn’t sent to the afterlife, he is offered a chance to go back to the land of the living and put right what was made wrong. In other words, find the scumbags that killed him and Shelly and exact terrible revenge on them. This way he and Shelly can find peace. Also, he has a crow to play criminal Google Maps for him to help Eric find the right baddies. This “The Crow” remake also stars Josette Simon, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, Karel Dobry, Jordan Bolger, Sebastian Orozco, David Bowles, Trigga, Samba Goldin, Isabella Wei, Jordan Haj and Dukagjin Podrimaj.
Alien: Romulus review
In 1979, director Ridley Scott got caught up in the “Star Wars” hype and knew he needed to direct a space movie. That movie ended up being “Alien.” Now 45 years later, the Alien franchise is still alive and kicking with the new movie, “Alien: Romulus.” In this latest installment, we start out on a space mining planet with our main character, Rain, played by Cailee Spaeny. She’s trying to find a way off this hazardous planet, to a better planet, with her “brother” Andy who is really a synthetic her Dad programmed to protect her. She then is presented with a plan to get them off the planet by her friend Tyler, which is to fly up to another ship floating above the planet and use that to escape. All of them get up there, along with some others in the group, only to realize it’s not a ship. It’s a seemingly deserted massive scientific space station. They move forward with their plan to find some cryo-pods to use for them to cryo-sleep they’re way to the new planet but you know what they say about best laid plans. Little do they know that this space station isn’t deserted, it’s a graveyard. The reason it is, is still on board and this group unintentionally unleash it and its a nightmare from there. Soon Rain and the group are being chased down by alien face huggers looking to implant their alien seed. On top of that they have another synthetic trying to secure some corporate research from the space station and if humans have to die for it, so be it. The group aren’t allowed off the space station until this mission is complete, all the while, having to try not to get killed or impregnated by killer aliens before the space station crashes. Is it good enough to blast off out of your house to go see? Check out this episode to find out.
Cuckoo review
Some people go to the mountains for vacation, for a little rest and relaxation, not for a sinister and terrifying experience, like the one you see in “Cuckoo.” This movie from German director, Tilman Singer, is about a teenager, Gretchen, who ends up moving with her Dad, her stepmom and much younger half-sister to a mountain resort in the German Alps. There, they are greeted by Herr Konig, who runs the resort and for who Gretchen’s Dad and stepmom will help build a new resort. Gretchen gets serious “stranger, danger” vibes immediately from Herr Konig, played by Dan Stevens, with his creepy voice and suspicious ways of touching her. Gretchen, played by Hunter Schafer, is a fish out of water here and she also soon sees some undoubtedly strange things around the resort. She’s already the stereotypical angst-filled teenager, but soon she also finds herself chased by horrifying entities, and trying to help a cop figure out who’s responsible for several murders at the resort. All while, trying not to get killed and survive one more minute with her stepmom and half-sister, whom she despises. It’s a mountain of trouble in the German Alps and Gretchen just isn’t having a great week. Is it worth your 90 minutes to see why? Check out this episode to find out. “Cuckoo” also stars Jan Bluthardt, Marton Csokas, Jessica Henwick, Mila Lieu, Greta Fernandez, Proschat Madani, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Konrad Singer, Kalin Morrow and Johannes Benecke.
MaXXXine review
There have been some bizarre movie trilogies but the Ti West-directed “Pearl Trilogy” tries to take the bizarre trilogy crown. “Maxxxine” is the final movie in this bloody, murderous trilogy where all the movies feature two dynamic, driven, crazy ass women who will do anything for fame. One is Pearl and the other is Maxxxine. Mia Goth plays both parts in a provocatively intriguing way. We first saw Maxxxine in the first movie in this trilogy, “X.” Now in this third movie she’s in 80’s Hollywood trying to find that elusive fame that so many crave. She’ll do anything to get it, including some things you just couldn’t imagine. On top of that, there’s a serial killer running around Hollywood doing things you just couldn’t imagine. Maxxxine suddenly has something maybe chasing her while she chases fame. The body parts pile up even if the primo acting parts aren’t piling up for Maxxxine. Also Kevin Bacon co-stars as a private detective who threatens Maxxxine with her bloody past. Will she survive this and get the fame she’s looking for? Is it worth surviving traffic to get to the theater to find out? Check out this episode to find out! “Maxxxine” also stars Elizabeth Debicki, Giancarlo Esposito, Michelle Monaghan, Halsey, Charley Rowan McCain, Simon Prast, Deborah Geffner, Daniel Lench, Chloe Farnworth, Brad Swanick, Uli Latukefu, Susan Pingleton, Moses Sumney, Zachary Mooren, Ned Vaughn, Marcus LaVoi and Sophie Thatcher.