If there’s one thing you’ll never hear me complain about, it’s the intersection of horror and heavy metal. I’m a sucker for it in a myriad of ways because it ticks two of my favorite hobby boxes at the same time, and that often means I’m quite forgiving of anything that even attempts to blend the two together. While so many laud (rightfully) Charles Martin Smith’s “Trick or Treat,” fewer may be aware of 1988’s “Black Roses” or 1984’s “Rocktober Blood.” Needless to say, there’s plenty of room for more to learn about the overlap of headbanging and horror, and one of the more recent examples of mixing these two well is 2015’s “Deathgasm.” The scrappy New Zealand indie horror film from Jason Lei Howden blew the bloody doors off of horror heads with its “Evil Dead 2” levels of splatter and a deep adoration for the heaviest of music genres. 10 years later, Howden returns with some familiar faces for a reunion tour in “Deathgasm II: Goremageddon,” but can this story still rock and shock a decade later?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

When Brodie, a washed-up metalhead, resurrects his dead bandmates for a battle-of-the-bands, the result unleashes riffs, gore, and apocalyptic carnage only DEATHGASM can deliver.

HOW IS IT?

Picking up 10 years after the first film, “Deathgasm II” brings us back into the lives of Brodie (Milo Cawthorne) and Giles (Daniel Cresswell), and not much has changed. Brodie is living on government assistance, much to the chagrin of his designated devoutly Christian counselor, as he can’t hold down a job and persists in his dream of having his own metal band. To say things are rough would be an understatement, which leads Brodie to drunkenly use the pages that started this mess in the first film to bring back his two deceased bandmates, Zakk (James Joshua Blake) and Dion (Sam Berkley). Naturally, this doesn’t go well, and all sorts of gruesome, gross, and often hilarious hijinks occur. If you loved the first film, you’re gonna love this one, too!

For a film that had a 10-year hiatus, kudos to Howden for figuring out a way of resurrecting (pun intended) these characters and even getting them to return to their roles. The film simply wouldn’t work as well if we didn’t have the original cast, and they are all game for the kinds of over-the-top gags the second film has in store. There’s an increased amount of absurdity on display here, with all kinds of flying heads and appendages, and a noticeably lessened amount of seriousness. That’s not a bad thing per se if this brand of humor tickles your fancy, but it won’t be bringing new fans into the fold and misses an opportunity to be a little more sincere than silly, but who am I to complain?

Perhaps the most underdeveloped aspect of “Deathgasm II” is the looming threat. There’s a new band introduced that former love interest Medina (Kimberley Crossman) has gone on tour with, fronted by the skeezy Jesse Dead (Kieran Charnock). Dead seems to be the shoo-in for the heavy, but it doesn’t really play out that way and instead goes with something that isn’t as interesting. It’s not as if the merits of this film reside in storytelling, as it’s mostly a vehicle for jokes and gore gags (complementary), and it does that extremely well. Patrick Baxter heads up the prosthetics team, and his pedigree from working on films such as 2013’s “Evil Dead” and series like “The Last of Us” means the prosthetic and makeup work from him and his team is nothing short of outstanding. It’s gross, but never to the point of trying to be real as much as funny.

One last note (sorry for the puns) is that the score for the film adds an extra layer of heavy metal legitimacy with the inclusion of Matthew K. Heafy of Trivium as the composer for the film’s score. Heafy also makes a superb cameo in the film, but his musical chops get their chance to shine with the kick-ass original tunes composed for the film. “Deathgasm II” is at its best when it leans into its metal trappings, whether it’s by the choice of soundtrack or the weaving in music to the narrative itself. Howden clearly loves the music as much as he loves the horror genre, and while this isn’t the most intellectual horror movie you’re likely to see, it’s not supposed to be, and that’s part of the charm: crass and kick-ass!

LAST RITES

“Deathgasm II” is very much more of the same, which is sure to please existing fans and those who may have missed the original 2015 film. Enabling viewers to pick up here without needing to see the first film may open up accessibility, but the same broad-based jokes won’t win over anyone who wasn’t impressed with them the first time. Still, this is a rocking good time that hits the spot for heavy metal horror heathens like me!

THE GORY DETAILS

“Deathgasm II: Goremageddon” is available now on VOD from Raven Banner Entertainment and can be purchased/rented via:

Prime Video

Fandango at Home

Apple TV

Google Play Movies & TV

YouTube Movies & TV

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It’s fitting that a uniquely British horror studio resurrects itself with an original production that takes place in North America. Hammer Films, the legendary UK studio known for its genre-focused productions for both film and television, has had quite a journey since its inception in 1934 and recently celebrated its 92nd birthday. The studio that gave us Christopher Lee as Dracula and Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, to name just a couple of imprints those prolific actors contributed to, has always had a stranglehold on genre films across the Atlantic, and one of its first original productions in years feels spiritually aligned despite being locationally distant from its country of origin. Given how intrinsically tied to the UK Hammer is, it’s fascinating, but not unheard of, to see their newest original production in years actually takes place across the pond in Casey Walker’s wintry folk horror creature feature, “Ithaqua.”

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

During the decline of the fur trade, a mercenary struggles to unite the survivors of a famine-stricken outpost plagued by a dark force that leaves its victims with an insatiable hunger.

HOW IS IT?

“Ithaqua” scratches a very specific itch for a certain kind of horror fan (me) who constantly opines for more Horror Westerns. While many will cite “Bone Tomahawk” as their go-to champion of this niche sub-genre, it’s easy to forget other films like “The Burrowers,” Eyes of Fire,” or even the lesser-known “The Rawhide Terror” from 1934. The truth is, there’s a lack of Horror Westerns that have pierced the veil of the cultural zeitgeist enough to put this mashup genre on the map, but “Ithaqua” makes a good case as the one to be the canary in the coal mine as to why the world needs more of these, and perhaps some tips on what to do differently in the future.

The desolate and isolated landscape is perfect for the chilling terror that Walker and team conjure up, and it reminds us that snowbound horror movies are some of the scariest. The British command has employed a mercenary, Cole Franklin (Luke Hemsworth), as their last salvation against starvation, and alongside his partner, Nicolette (Craig Lauzon), they struggle to provide for those who rely on them. Cole is also romantically involved with an Ahnung (Leenah Robinson) who, along with her mother, is part of the indigenous Ojibwe tribe suffering under occupation by the British. While “Ithaqua” traffics in some historical accuracy, one somewhat underdeveloped area is the complicated relationship between the indigenous folks and those of the invading colonial forces. It’s a missed opportunity to speak to the actual horrors of their treatment, but this omission doesn’t drag the film down so much as present a minor gap in understanding. The true conflict is the need to create community with those who otherwise wouldn’t care for your wellbeing, which finds Cole reluctantly teaming with Lt. Walker (Kevin Durand) and magistrate Hendry (Aaron Poole), the latter of whom is battling a nasty case of scurvy and losing. Their dire circumstances require them to venture into the forest, and thus become the focus of a strange presence that may be eating all the animals and has its sights set on this near-dead community of folks. 

Clocking in at 110 minutes, the first half of the film is almost entirely focused on setting up the circumstances that lead this weary group into the cold wilderness in search of food. While this may be somewhat of a slow start for some, the action picks up significantly in the second half, but the performance dynamics are largely what carry it for the first 50 minutes. Given the caliber of talent in this cast, it’s no wonder they are all so effective in their respective roles. Durand is overbearing in size and stature, sometimes hilariously so as he struggles to enter some doorways, and Hemsworth plays the brooding loner with a dark and secret past to perfection, with a gruff, unkempt look to complement. Other supporting roles like those of Poole and Lauzon add personality to what would otherwise be a rather somber and sobering story, and while it’s not reinventing the narrative wheel with the “creature of the week” vibe it has going for itself, it does lend itself nicely to the almost anthology-like oeuvre that hangs over many Hammer Films that aren’t riffing on well-known and established monsters. If anything, “Ithaqua” pays homage to both the banner that produces it and its long-gone peer, Amicus.

Once the action gets going, it’s quite feral and ferocious. Walker knows how to shoot scenes in this dreary landscape that let the surroundings provide some of the scares while the creature effects do the rest. It’s never gratuitous, but the red stuff is plentiful as our unknown creature attacks its prey. The lore surrounding the creature isn’t as well established as it could be, but those familiar with the synonyms of the titular namesake should have an idea of what’s afoot. While “Ithaqua” certainly sketches out a home for itself alongside its Western Horror peers, it most definitely wears its “Ravenous” inspirations proudly, particularly in the film’s third act. Hell, the two films even share the same sense of chilly and chilling locations, but are markedly different in the kinds of story they are each trying to tell.

LAST RITES

“Ithaqua” may not feel like a traditional Hammer film given its location and characters, but make no mistake: this is as Hammer as it gets sans the inclusion of well-established cinematic horror characters. Casey Walker delivers a snowy piece of Western Horror that may not be innovating in the space, but certainly does a bang-up job of reminding us why we need the pairing of fright and the frontier to make so much sense!

THE GORY DETAILS

“Ithaqua” is currently finishing up its run at various film festivals, which have included FrightFest, Sitges, Beyond Fest, Grimmfest, and more!

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It certainly has been a while, but we’re back! At Macabre Daily’s Trailer Park, we aggregate some of the best trailers coming out so you don’t miss out on a single new piece of horror media!

Trailers are our window into the future, or at least they give us quite a few hints about what a film’s vibe will be, what it’s about, and, more importantly, give us just enough information to tantalize us into seeing it. Whether you avoid trailers or run towards them, we have a roundup of some of the best and brightest previews coming soon to a theater and VOD service near you, including…Terror Vision, Level 33 Entertainment, Bleecker Street, Trinity Content Partners, Shudder, and A24!

“Spirit Tasting” (2026)

Terror Vision Records & Video

Release Date: World Premiere November 12, 2026

Synopsis: A post-punk riff on The Monkey’s Paw, “SPIRIT TASTING” follows three former punks as they toast their late bandmate at a distillery on New Year’s Eve. When a strange sommelier invites them to a top-shelf tasting, they discover there’s only one catch: Every bottle requires a “wish.” But as each of their desires twists into doom, these old friends discover that every pour at the Red Bat Distillery comes at a deadly price.

Cast: Sean Doherty, Matt Lake, Melissa LaMartina, Trevor Wilhelms, Matt Baughman, Cate Paris, and Tatiana Nya Ford

Writer: Michael Varrati and Chris LaMartina

Director: Chris LaMartina

SPIRIT TASTING's roadshow dates + locations are as follows:

Thursday, November 12th - Baltimore, MD (The Senator Theatre)
Friday, November 20th - Chicago, IL (The Music Box)
Saturday, November 21st - Minneapolis, MN (The Heights)
Saturday, December 5th - Los Angeles, CA (Los Feliz 3)
Saturday, December 26th - Philadelphia, PA (PhilaMOCA)
Sunday, December 27th - Red Bank, NJ (Base Center Cinema)
Monday, December 28th - Brooklyn, NY (The Twisted Spine)
Tuesday, December 29th - Seymour, CT (Strand Theater)
Wednesday, December 30th - Providence, RI (AS220)
Thursday, December 31st - Salem, MA (Cinema Salem)
Friday, January 1st - Catskill, NY (Community Theater)
Saturday, January 2nd - Wind Gap, PA (The Gap Theatre)
Saturday, January 16th - Ashburn, VA (Alamo Drafthouse One Loudoun)
Sunday, January 17th - Harrisburg, PA (Midtown Cinemas)

“Dead of Night” (2026)

Level 33 Entertainment

Release Date: November 13, 2026

Synopsis: Set in Victorian England, Victorian Psycho sees an eccentric governess arrive at a remote gothic manor, where strange happenings stir suspicion that she’s not what she seems.

Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Scott Grimes, Jake Busey, and Kirrilee Berger

Writer: Derek Sulek and Eric Durham

Director: Derek Sulek

“Victorian Psycho” (2026)

Bleecker Street

Release Date: November 13, 2026

Synopsis: Set in Victorian England, Victorian Psycho sees an eccentric governess arrive at a remote gothic manor, where strange happenings stir suspicion that she’s not what she seems.

Cast: Maika Monroe, Jason Isaacs, Thomasin McKenzie, and Ruth Wilson

Writer: Virginia Feito

Director: Zachary Wigon

“7 Keys” (2024)

Trinity Content Partners

Release Date: November 16, 2026

Synopsis:  Stood up on a date, extrovert single mum Lena unexpectedly meets lost soul Daniel, and they have an instant connection, deepened by Lena’s discovery that Daniel still owns the keys to every home he’s ever lived in. Desperate for an escape from reality, Emma convinces Daniel to go on the ultimate property porn tour of London, embarking on a wild weekend of getting to know each other intimately in other people’s homes.  

 With each key, they unlock another layer of each other’s past lives, diving deeper into their thrilling game of risk. At first, they seem like soulmates, destined to save each other, until the adrenaline wears off, reality kicks in, and dark secrets surface. Will they get away with their whistle-stop raunchy real estate tour, or will they get caught before they get to the seventh home? 

Cast: Jeremy Saulnier, Billy Postlethwaite, Andrew Scarborough, Amit Shah, Jemma Moore, and Jane Goddard 

Writer/Director: Joy Wilkinson

See Macabre Daily’s review from FrightFest 2024 here

“The Holy Boy” (2024)

Shudder

Release Date: November 27, 2026

Synopsis:  Sergio, a teacher tormented by his past is transferred to Remis, a secluded village known as the happiest town in Italy. But Sergio soon discovers that behind the town’s joyful facade lies a disturbing secret: Each week, the villagers gather to hug Matteo, an introverted fifteen-year-old whose embrace can free one of all pain and sorrow. As Sergio uncovers that the village’s devotion to Matteo is far from benevolent, his attempt to rescue the boy known as the Angel of Remis ignites the community’s vengeful nature.

Cast: Michele Riondino, Giulio Feltri, Paolo Pierobon, Romana Maggiora Vergano Sergio Romano, Anna Bellato, Sandra Toffolatti, and Roberto Citran

Writers: Paolo Strippoli, Jacopo Del Giudice, Milo Tissone

Director: Paolo Strippoli

See Macabre Daily’s review from from last year!

“Slayground” (2027)

A24

Release Date: January 29, 2026

Synopsis: Scare-actor “Metal Mike” Graves wakes up in a haunted attraction surrounded by the dead bodies of his co-workers with no memory of how they got there. As a statewide manhunt closes in, he races to uncover the truth, even if the trail leads straight back to him.

Cast: Cory Michael Smith, Chase Sui Wonders, Sophie Wilde, James Badge Dale, Stanley Simons, Stephen Root, Chris Sullivan, Young Mazino

Writer/Director: Jeremy Saulnier

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It feels cliché to keep saying this, but horror truly hasn’t slowed down, and one could argue it’s still picking up steam. While there have been many box office surprises this year, there's also a strong undercurrent of independent films that aren’t just self-financed; they are being marketed without major distributors' support. This isn’t by choice, but by necessity, because most filmmakers would love a budget to get the word out, but times are tough, and that’s why horror fans are so great: we show up no matter what.

Case in point: “Frankie, Maniac Woman.” After an award-winning debut at last year’s Grimmfest, where Actor and co-writer Dina Silva won Best Actor, it has since achieved the rare 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes! Now, after loads of great feedback and a long journey, Frankie is coming home to physical media!

The film is directed by Pierre Tsigaridis, and the synopsis is as follows:

Battling against the legacy of childhood trauma, internalized misogyny, and the image-obsessed fat-shaming of the LA music business, aspiring singer-songwriter Frankie Ramirez finally snaps, with bloody results.

The technical specs include a 1080p HD Blu-ray disc showing the film in its intended aspect ratio of 2.35:1 with two audio options: a 2.0 DTS-Stereo track and a 5.1 DTS-HD Surround Sound mix, both in English. Subtitles will be available in both English and Spanish, and the special features include:

Audio Commentary

Behind the Scenes Featurette

Deleted Scenes

Trailer

Here’s the catch: this release is limited to only 250 copies! So you better act fast and grab yours using the button below!

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Making movies is hard and can get very expensive. While folks love to laud praise on the indie films that break the mold (e.g. “Obsession”) and do wild numbers that blow expectations completely out of the water. The thing is, these kinds of successes represent the very small minority of independently made features. To borrow a common phrase, these films are “lightning in a bottle.” What often isn’t explored in the process of getting a film out into the world is what happens after you make it, and we’re lucky that Eric Foss and Brandon Pickering linked up to show us the harsh and humbling realities of post-production in “Sell Your House.”

Foss and Pickering have both come from the reality TV world, but like so many in the industry, there are the jobs to pay the bills and the ones to fulfill your passions. “Sell Your House” focuses on the production of “Last Stop in Yuma County,” and the risk arrangement between filmmaker Francis Galluppi and his friend/producer, James Claeys. Foss and Pickering share a bit about their approach to capturing this experience, what they’ve learned, and how they’re taking these lessons on the road to different film schools in 2027. You can check out the interview below and our review of “Sell Your House,” and visit https://sellyourhousefilm.com/ to learn more about how you can see the film!

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We get a lot of news here at Macabre Daily, and frankly, we just can’t cover it all. The signs of a healthy horror genre also mean that the volume of announcements can become overwhelming, but at the same time, we know this means that the genre is alive and thriving. At Macabre Daily’s Trailer Park, we aggregate some of the best trailers coming out so you don’t miss out on a single new piece of horror media!

Trailers are our window into the future, or at least they give us quite a few hints about what a film’s vibe will be, what it’s about, and, more importantly, give us just enough information to tantalize us into seeing it. Whether you avoid trailers or run towards them, we have a roundup of some of the best and brightest previews coming soon to a theater and VOD service near you, including…

New Label: Video Visions

Veteran independent film producer and Cartuna founder James Belfer has launched a new home video label, Video Visions. The company will release Limited Edition, Collector's Edition and Standard Edition Blu-rays; the discs will be designed in close collaboration with filmmakers and sold directly on Video Visions’ website. Belfer is also building a physical store titled Video Visions Too in Chatham, NY, set to open its doors in 2027. The company (and store) pays tribute to the ethos of the original Video Visions, a locally revered rental store owned and operated by Stephen Campbell for nearly 40 years before his passing in 2024.

Titles in the collection run the gamut from festival darlings to fringe favorites, and lean toward visceral, provocative, experimental, and DIY works that will get the canonical treatment Belfer feels they deserve. They include: Grace Glowicki’s “DEAD LOVER” (with a Stink-O-Vision card included); the rotoscope-animated folk-horror and Latvia’s 2026 Oscar entry “DOG OF GOD;” Penny Lane’s acclaimed documentary “OUR NIXON;” a collector’s edition of Todd Rohal’s “FUCK MY SON!;” Braden Sitter Sr.’s microbudget cult comedy “THE PEE PEE POO POO MAN;” a new restoration of Bruce Bickford's legendary claymation “PROMETHEUS’ GARDEN;” Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña’s Cannes surrealist drama “THE HYPERBOREANS;” and a new edition of “HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS” (Cartuna’s best-selling Blu-ray to date with 17,000 copies sold) getting a fur covered slipcase treatment. 
 The initial slate is listed below, but which titles drop each month remains a mystery until a pre-order window opens each lunar cycle.

Pre-Order Now—Available October 26 on the Hunter's Moon
Hundreds of Beavers (new Fur Slip Edition) | Mike Cheslik | 2022 | A drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.

Boys Go to Jupiter | Julian Glander | 2024 | 16-year-old Billy 5000 zigzags around suburban Florida on his hoverboard between Christmas and New Year's with one goal: make $5000.

Dead Lover | Grace Glowicki | 2025 | A lonely gravedigger who stinks of corpses finally meets her dream man. When he tragically drowns at sea, she goes to morbid lengths to resurrect him.

Fuck My Son! | Todd Rohal | 2025 | A desperate mother drags an innocent stranger into an absurd, filthy nightmare beyond comprehension. Adults only.

The Pee Pee Poo Poo Man | Braden Sitter Sr. | 2024 | A paranoid young man launches a bizarre crime spree against the citizens of Toronto.

Coming Soon
Adam Green's Aladdin | Adam Green | 2015 | A hyper-sensory, poetic, and humorously modern take on the classic Arabian Nights tale that explores technology, repression, greed, and true love.

AJ Goes to the Dog Park | Toby Jones | 2024 | When dogs are banned from his favorite park, a Fargo man embarks on a surreal and wildly absurd mission to save it. 

Cash Cow | Matt Barats | 2022 | A struggling actor explores early Mormon historical sites as he anxiously awaits the national broadcast of his Domino's Pizza commercial.

Dance Freak | Alan Resnick, Robby Rackleff | 2025 | A dangerous experiment goes awry resulting in a Dance Freak running wild.

Dog of God | Lauris Ābele, Raitis Ābele | 2025 | In a rain-soaked 17th century Livonian village, a stolen relic sparks witchcraft accusations, and an 80-year-old self-proclaimed werewolf arrives with a mysterious gift: The Devil's Balls.

Edie Arnold is a Loser | Kade Atwood, Megan Rico | 2026 | A timid Catholic-school dork starts a punk band and becomes an icon to the losers, while pissing off the hot girls, the nuns, and one horny altar boy.

Empress of Darkness | Nick DiLiberto | 2020 | An Empress slain, a world cursed to darkness, and one man hunted by an evil horde. Nick DiLiberto's hand-drawn follow-up to Nova Seed.

The Golden Spurtle | Constantine Costi | 2025 | Contenders from around the world descend on a Scottish Highland village to compete for the title of World Porridge Champion.

The Hyperboreans | Cristóbal León, Joaquín Cociña | 2024 | From the makers of The Wolf House: a psychiatrist and actress films a script dictated by a voice in her patient's mind, haunted by a Chilean Nazi writer's shadow.

NUTS! | Penny Lane | 2015 | The unbelievable true story of John Romulus Brinkley, a Kansas doctor who discovered he could cure impotence by transplanting goat testicles into men.

Nova Seed | Nick DiLiberto | 2016 | In an age of men and beasts, mankind's only hope of stopping the Mad Doctor Mindskull lies out of reach... within the Nova Seed.

Olivia & the Clouds | Tomás Pichardo Espaillat | 2024 | Olivia hides a past love under her bed. A surreal, shape-shifting animated exploration of how love lingers, from the Dominican Republic.

Our Nixon | Penny Lane | 2013 | Nixon's top aides filmed the presidency on Super 8, then went to prison. Their seized home movies, forgotten for 40 years, seen for the first time.

Prometheus' Garden | Bruce Bickford | 1988 | Inspired by the Greek myth of Prometheus, Bruce Bickford's legendary 28-minute claymation epic unfolds as a dreamlike, violent struggle for survival.

The Reveries Trilogy | Graham Mason | 2018-2025 | Two mysterious drifters never speak; their inner monologues carry us across absurdist one-liners, weird tales, and stream-of-consciousness musings.

Sultana's Dream | Isabel Herguera | 2023 | Inspired by Begum Rokeya's 1905 feminist utopia Ladyland, a Spanish artist travels India tracing the visionary world - and the woman who imagined it.

The Timekeepers of Eternity | Aristotelis Maragkos | 2021 | Mr. Toomey tears paper to control his childhood monsters. When he wakes mid-flight to find most of the passengers gone, the paper nightmare threatens to rip everything apart.

Wasteland | Jonni Pepper-GoLions | 2019 | A five-part hand-drawn anthology about isolation, mental illness, and the subjectivity of reality, from DIY animator Jonni Pepper-GoLions.

When You Get to the Forest | Eric Power | 2023 | Overwhelmed, Dana seeks solace on a hiking trail from her youth - and awakens alone in a strange forest with one new companion: a talking cat.

Notable November Releases

November 3, 2026

“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season One” - 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD (Amazon MGM)

“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season Two” - 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD (Amazon MGM)

“He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Complete Series” - Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

November 10, 2026

“The Lovely Bones” - 4K UHD (Paramount Pictures Corporation)

November 17, 2026

Backrooms - 4K UHD, Blu-ray (A24)

Eli Roth's Ice Cream Man (Limited Edition SteelBook) - 4K UHD (Mill Creek Entertainment)

Ultraman Omega: Complete Series - Blu-ray (Mill Creek Entertainment)

November 24, 2026

Her Private Hell - 4K UHD (Decal)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (40th Anniversary Limited Edition SteelBook)  - 4K UHD (Paramount Pictures Corporation)

“Never Let Go” (2024) 4K UHD

Lionsgate

Release Date: November 11, 2026

Synopsis: From visionary director Alexandre Aja (Crawl) and the creative minds behind “Stranger Things” comes this psychological horror-thriller. As an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, a mother (Oscar® winner Halle Berry) and her twin sons find that their only protection is their house and their deep-rooted family bond. Needing to stay connected at all times — even tethering themselves with ropes — they urge each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions whether the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. 

Cast: Halle Berry, Percy Daggs IV, Anthony B. Jenkins, William Catlett, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Christin Park

Special Features: 
-Making Never Let Go
-Creating Momma’s House
-Tethered Together
-Deleted Scenes
-Theatrical Trailer

“Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire Collection” (Blu-Ray + DVD)

AMC / Acorn Media International

Release Date: November 23, 2026

SINK YOUR teeth into a gorgeously gothic and brutally bloody saga of immortality, love, betrayal and revenge with “Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire Collection.”  

Featuring “Anne Rice’s Interview With The Vampire Seasons 1 and 2” and “The Vampire Lestat,” this fangtasic Box Set will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on 23 November 2026, from Acorn Media International and would make the perfect gift for any horror hound this festive season.  

Adapted from Anne Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles” book series, the critically acclaimed series stars Jacob Anderson (Game of Thrones, Doctor Who) and Sam Reid (Belle, The Newsreader) as the star-crossed vampiric lovers Louis de Pointe du Lac and Lestat De Lioncourt. They are joined by a stellar ensemble including Eric Bogosian (Uncut Gems, Succession) as journalist Daniel Molloy, Assad Zaman (Hotel Portofino) as the vampire Armand and Claudia is portrayed by Bailey Bass (Avatar: The Way of Water) in the first season and Delainey Hayles (Holby City, Carrie) in Season Two onwards. 

The first season takes us to New Orleans, 1910, where we’re introduced to successful brothel owner Louis de Pointe du Lac. After crossing paths with the hedonistic French vampire Lestat De Lioncourt, Louis is lured into Lestat’s immortal world as his vampire companion. However, intoxicating powers come at a deadly price, and the introduction of child vampire Claudia sets them on a decades-long path of revenge and atonement. 

Season Two follows Louis and Claudia through post-war Europe as they attempt to rebuild their lives. Their journey leads them to Paris, where they unearth forgotten secrets and encounter a new blood-sucking community. But will they find the home they desperately seek, and are they truly free from Lestat’s grip? 

Season Three – The Vampire Lestat – goes glam as Lestat sets out to tell his side of the story in the only way he can… by channelling his fury into a glam rock band and going on tour. Haunted by the muses of his wild and rebellious past, the vampiric virtuoso’s newfound career forces him to confront the darkest aspects of his own immortality.  

Hailed as ‘the best Anne Rice adaptation ever made’ (Den of Geek), and with its fourth outing – Anne Rice’s Queen of the Damned – on its way, now is the perfect time to discover this devilishly delicious saga of immortal perils and passion. 

“Beware Boíuna” (2026) Blu-ray

Lionsgate

Release Date: On Digital - November 3rd, 2026, and Blu-ray - December 15, 2026

Nature fights back in the form of an ancient predator, as “BEWARE BOIÚNA” arrives on Digital beginning November 3 and on Blu-ray™ (+ Digital) and DVD December 15 from Lionsgate®. Directed by Mike P. Nelson (Silent Night, Deadly Night), from a screenplay by Alan McElroy and story by Tony Giglio and Alan McElroy, “BEWARE BOIÚNA” stars Kiana Madeira (Fear Street film trilogy), Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day), and Logan Marshall-Green (TV’s “Marshals”).
 
Deep in the Amazon, a medical mission spirals into a fight for survival when Boiúna, a colossal ancient predator, awakens to reclaim her domain. In the jungle where nature holds absolute power, she decides who lives and who dies.

On November 3, “BEWARE BOIÚNA” will be available to buy via Electronic Sell-Thru on participating digital platforms where movies are purchased, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango, Google TV, YouTube, and more.

On December 15, “BEWARE BOIÚNA” will be available for $29.99 on Blu-ray™ (+ Digital) and $24.98 on DVD.
 
SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Audio Commentary with Director Mike P. Nelson

• Making Beware Boiúna

• Journey Through the Jungle: Shooting on Location

• Deleted Scenes

• Theatrical Trailer

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As of October 31, 405 mass shootings have killed 415 people in 2026 alone. Of these, 107 occurred at schools, resulting in 34 deaths. It’s no secret that the US has a gun problem, and since the Columbine shooting, it seems that school shooters have become something of a norm here in the United States. Regardless of one’s stance on the 2nd Amendment, one of the overarching themes in the US is that access to guns is far easier than it should be, and yet, any attempts to correct this are met with fervent rejections on the grounds of infringing on rights. It’s a situation where the reality is far nastier than what any movie could imagine, and while school shootings are decreasing, gun violence isn’t moving as much. Writer/Director Todd Wiseman Jr. explores what a not-too-distant future would look like if America leaned into its lackadaisical attitude around guns and school shootings, and even propped them up as a means of salvation in his debut feature film, “The School Duel.”

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

In a near-future Florida where gun control has been abolished, the state's ambitious governor introduces a chilling solution to school shootings: a state-wide, televised fight-to-the-death competition known as 'The School Duel.' Sammy, a troubled 13-year-old, secretly enlists against his mother's wishes - seduced by promises of purpose, patriotism, and notoriety. But as the deadly spectacle unfolds, that dream begins to crumble.

HOW IS IT?

Horror and genre films have always been a great place to apply metaphoric relationships between fiction and reality. The rise of the “trauma is the monster” sub-genre is a direct result of the decreasing stigma around discussing mental health, and at the same time has led some of the worst people you know to co-opt therapy language as a means to excuse shitty behavior. Society’s impact on art, in this case, film, is that it often acts as a reflection of our psyche and predictions for the future. This can be cathartic, as horror is often lauded for helping people work through reality through imagined terror, but it also requires nuance to have the intended impact. “The School Duel” is stuck somewhere in the middle: a film that clearly feels a certain way about gun violence without the ability to articulate what that message actually is. It’s not a bad film by any stretch, but it’s certainly confused as it tries to make a not-so-subtle point without any sense of consequence or galvanization. 

The world shown in “The School Duel” is not too dissimilar from where the US is today, particularly Florida. A state that prides itself on enjoying the maximum amount of freedom the US promises, while also being a beacon of hatred and backwards politics that goes back almost as long as the 41 years I’ve been alive. In this Florida, things work more like they do in “Battle Royale” and “The Long Walk,” where young kids are actively being recruited to participate in a deathmatch against their peers until one student is left standing. Sammy (Kue Lawrence) is a kid who lost his father in the service and has a mother who is weary of this wave of encouraged violence, but also a bible-thumping believer. Sammy isn’t a popular kid, and the persistent bullying he experiences at school motivates him to want to stand his ground more directly, a mentality often shared by school shooters. In this future, there is no accommodation for kids who are bullied, as they are often punished for being seen as lesser than their peers in the eyes of the school administration. Wiseman Jr. presents a future that certainly reflects our present, but one that leans heavily into the worst-case scenario.

Sammy’s eventual recruitment into the titular “School Duel” is to the shock of those around him and his mother, but for Sammy, this is a chance to show he’s not one to be pushed around. Sammy is, without question, the most interesting character here because he exists within the margins of what is morally right and what is societally encouraged. We see the internal struggle within him as he struggles to maintain his humanity while being pushed in every direction to conform to a world that he doesn’t fully agree with. Then again, he’s young and impressionable, and his arc is what makes “The School Duel” worth watching, especially considering how things end for him. What doesn’t necessarily work as well is the mixed messaging and seemingly lack of stance the film takes as it reaches that conclusion. 

Films like “Battle Royale” aren’t subtle, but never make their point so explicit that you’re bludgeoned with it. Instead, it opens up a dialogue about how to curb societal violence and deter young folks from engaging in such behavior. “The School Duel” seems less confident in the point it wants to make, even if it isn’t bashful about where it’s coming from. It’s clear that the film is influenced by the rise of school shootings and continued easing of gun regulations, but it never uses those objections to make any points. Instead, Wiseman Jr. focuses on Sammy as a character in this world, and how he changes, but the world around him has not. While this shift in focus works in service of Sammy, it also weakens any potential broader point being made because of how the end succumbs to unearned nihilism. It starts at a low point and ends at a low point, presenting the appearance that something is different because of what happens to our characters, but the broader world remains unmoved, leading to the conclusion that this was all for naught. That may be a sober reality, but it conflicts with any point the film has about how absurd circumstances are and instead throws in the towel by saying, “it is what it is,” and it’s hard to know what to do with that.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

“The School Duel” is shot in black and white with a 1.47:1 aspect ratio, which is mighty close to the pan format of 1.33:1. The monochromatic look adds dread to the film’s already gloomy premise, and credit to cinematographer Kyle Deitz for capturing the bleakness of this dystopian future with precise framing and clever use of positioning to demonstrate hierarchies of power. The choice of aspect ratio is a tad distracting, and not sure it was used here, but that could be more personal preference than anything else. It’s an impressive and authentic look considering this was digitally shot and has the look of being shot on film.

Images from this release are used throughout this review.

HOW DOES IT SOUND?

For sound options, “The School Duel” features a 5.1 DTS-HD English audio track, with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. The 5.1 track doesn’t have a lot to save for a handful of action scenes, and considering how quiet and muted much of the film is, it feels a bit like overkill. There are some balancing issues with the audio that can make the dialogue come through a bit more softly than other sound elements, but not enough to deride the entire film.

ANYTHING SPECIAL?

“The School Duel” includes a handful of supplemental features, the first of which is a roughly 6-minute interview with director Todd Wiseman Jr. Wiseman recounts how the story was inspired by the lack of regulation around gun control, and his belief that guns are underregulated compared to other aspects of American society. Interestingly, Wiseman is a gun owner and doesn’t see it as a binary ban-or-not issue, but rather one that requires nuance. It’s an interesting perspective that also helps explain why the messaging feels quite muddled in the film itself. He also recounts how great Kue’s audition was, and how he had pitched the role of FL’s governor to Hulk Hogan before offering it to Oscar Nuñez.

The next special feature included in this review is Wiseman’s short film, “Six Stars.” The short runs just under 8 minutes and follows a French teenager as he lives out his dreams of causing havoc in GTA. It’s an interesting short if you’re a fan of wanting to see a “real” version of GTA, but it also feels thematically at odds with what “The School Duel” is trying to say about violence among young kids. Not to say that one can’t advocate for gun control while also enjoying GTA, because they are not exclusive; it’s just an observation that furthers my belief that the point of “The School Duel” isn’t as altruistic as it supposes.

A full list of special features is listed below.

Special FeaturesTBehind-the-Scenes Featurette

• Interview with Director Todd Wiseman Jr.

• Short Film: Six Stars

• Original Theatrical Trailer

• Other Trailers

LAST RITES

“The School Duel” is an interesting film about a dystopian future that we aren’t far off from, but in its attempts to communicate meaning it stumbles to offer anything coherent or consistent in its intentions. This is certainly the minority opinion given great Letterboxd scores, and while Wiseman’s thematic skills could use some work, the filmmaking is solid all around!

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends at MVD Entertainment for providing a review copy for the crypt! “The School Duel” is available now and can be purchased via MVD DIRECT!

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The 20th anniversary of “Saw III” (2006), directed by Darren Lynn Bousman,  crept up on October 27th, 2026, and the enduring legacy of this splatter franchise continues. A franchise like Saw lasting as long as it has is quite the marvel, and whether “Saw III” is one of your favorites or not, it’s the entry that serves as the major turning point for the franchise. We see the end of John Kramer (Tobin Bell), Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith), and the tragedy of Amanda’s circumstances because of her devotion to John. 

“Saw III” focuses on Dr. Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) and Jeff  (Angus Macfayden),  two separate characters in their own respective games. While Jeff slowly makes his way through his game, Lynn’s survival is dependent on her keeping John alive as he’s slowly succumbing to his cancer. Naturally, nothing goes as planned for any of these characters, and there’s a boatload of tragedy all around.

This entry in the “Saw” franchise heavily focuses on the nature of vengeance vs. forgiveness. Jeff’s vengeance and overall anger regarding the death of his son Dylan completely ruin his life. Meanwhile, Lynn is also dealing with grief because, much to first-time viewers’ surprise, she’s Jeff’s wife and Dylan’s mother. While all of that is key to “Saw III,” Amanda’s arc throughout the film deserves to be discussed in more depth.

In the previous film, “Saw II” (2005), it’s revealed that Amanda became one of John’s Jigsaw apprentices (shoutout to Jigsquad, right?) and believed in his very flawed philosophy. The manipulation of Amanda is complex, but her belief in John’s philosophy isn’t steadfast. After some time, Amanda slowly loses her faith in the philosophy, which leads to her orchestrating unwinnable games. Throughout “Saw III,” it’s very clear that her trauma has caught up with her, and it leads to self-destruction as well as the demise of other characters.

It’s important to make note of the fact that Amanda’s a recovering addict, and her struggle with addiction is part of why John chose to test her in “Saw” (2004). We got the first version of the reverse bear trap, and of course, the memorable scene in which she’s forced to survive. Becoming one of John’s apprentices wasn’t where her trauma started, but by joining up with someone who added trauma to her plate, her mental disintegration was bound to happen.

Trying to force people to survive by traumatizing them more, especially if they have mental health issues, isn’t going to garner the desired result. One might say that Amanda was even forcing herself to believe in the philosophy because what else did she have at that point? Her life wasn’t in a place where she could lean on a good support system, and she was keeping even more secrets from John.

The fact of the matter is that everyone’s response to trauma is different, and Amanda’s aggressive need for control is how hers manifests. She doesn’t believe there’s any way out for her, which is part of why she sets unwinnable traps. In her mind, these people can’t change, just like her own trap didn’t change her. During the events of “Saw III,” she’s very impulsive, erratic (and homoerotic) in her behavior towards Lynn, and she’s only reigned in because of John’s presence. She wants so badly to believe in his philosophy about life, survival, and what it means to be deserving of life. But underneath all of that is someone who doubts that people can change. It’s nihilism to the max, but Amanda’s way of thinking isn’t far-fetched.

As the film progresses, Amanda has some moments where she’s not entirely lashing out, and John still has some control over her. When he’s struggling because of how sick he is, Amanda desperately wants him to survive. Their relationship is extremely complicated, and her desire to make him proud of her comes out in these moments. At the same time, John’s psychological hold on her has eroded enough that, in the end, it doesn’t matter what he says.

The point being made is that regardless of the intensity of John’s traps, these people aren’t fundamentally changed as human beings in the way that he thinks they should be. Amanda doesn’t become the peak of stability because she nearly died. All that she becomes is more unstable, all while clinging to the philosophy of a bitter dying man. She’s a victim of John’s philosophy and games, all while also being an antagonistic force in the franchise. 

What makes it worse for Amanda is that she’s still being manipulated, even while she thinks she still has some control over her own way of thinking. John isn’t oblivious to how jealous Amanda is of John, how she’s been deceitful with her traps, and that she’s not as explicitly devoted as she should be. Her downfall was always going to come, whether Lynn and Jeff survived their games or not. If she had been able to take over as the new Jigsaw, there’s no telling what would’ve happened.

While the concept of forgiveness vs. vengeance can be intriguing, depending on how a piece of horror media unpacks either or, the emotional core of “Saw III” is undoubtedly Amanda and John. She’s by far one of the best characters in the franchise, and it’s partially because she’s a realistic look into the rejection of a philosophy that’s about as stable as a sandcastle near crashing waves.

Once you reach the end of “Saw III”, Amanda is so broken down and full of rage towards John and Lynn because of her own jealousy. When John reveals that he didn’t want Amanda continuing his legacy as Jigsaw because of who she’d become, it’s a gut punch because he’s a huge part of the reason she became the person we see in “Saw III”. Without John’s influence and control over her, Amanda’s story would look different.

“Saw III” doesn’t always rank as highly in the franchise for some folks, and it usually has to do with Jeff’s portion of the film. His scenes aren’t nearly as interesting as when we’re dealing with Amanda, Lynn, and John. But the extreme turning point in the franchise is still important to reflect on.

Despite the fact that it’s not the last time we see Amanda or John because of the flashbacks, and “Saw X” (2023)’s existence, it’s the end of their character journeys in the present. Amanda’s story ends tragically; John dies because he left his fate in the hands of others, and that wraps up the trilogy before the franchise pivots to focus on Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) as the one who takes over for John.

At the end of the day, Amanda’s trauma and nihilism are understandable, if nothing else. She’s not the first character in a horror franchise to be complicated and manipulated, and unpacking women characters in horror like this allows space to challenge gender roles in horror, particularly at the beginning of the 2000s. You don’t have to love her as a character, but understanding what drove her to be who she is and do what she did makes her one of the more sympathetic characters in a franchise known for egregiously bad people.

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Another year has passed, and another amazing Access: Horror Festival has come and gone! Expanding the format to include both an in-person event and an extended online showcase, this year’s festival was one of the best yet! Macabre Daily was proud to sponsor this year’s festival, and as part of our participation, we are sharing reviews of some of the amazing shorts featured in this year’s program. 

You can read our coverage of the “Edibles” block here. Next up, we’re turning to their block of programming, “The Body Keeps The Score,” which takes a hard look at the toll disability, or perhaps more accurately the world around us, takes. We covered two of the films in this block at past festivals. Be sure to look back at our reviews of “Four Itchy Boys” (2026) here and “Tal” (2025) here. Read on to see what we thought of the other films in this block.

“Inner Demons” (2024)  

Writer/Director: Jasmine J. Johnson

Runtime: 11 minutes

The trope of horror serving as a metaphor for mental health and trauma has become a bit long in the tooth. But we’ll be damned, when it hits just right, it still hits hard! “Inner Demons”, from writer-director Jasmine J. Johnson, isn’t interested in subtlety. The creature (Tamiah Bantum) is a manifestation of Mya’s (Ariel Brown) depression. It’s as simple as that. And it is compelling and frightening as all Hell!

Mya’s battle with her mental illness is captivating from the start. Johnson as storyteller and Brown as actor demonstrate a profound understanding of clinical depression and the toll it takes on its host and those who love them. Details like the affirmation-laden Post-its on Mya’s bathroom mirror suggest a depth of research and respect for the material that tells us we are in good hands. However, that respect for the severity of the disease does not stop Johnson from telling a dark tale that acknowledges the true despair and hopelessness that can take hold of the depressed.    

Bantam’s portrayal of the creature is what nightmares are truly made of. She carries herself like a dancer, if Juliard were the tenth circle of Hell. Her violent attack on Mya harkens back to our favorite home invasion films, made all the more potent by their psychic connection. Johnson’s film has no simple solutions to offer Mya, or those of us battling our own inner demons. It is her willingness to direct our gaze to the darker side of mental health that makes “Inner Demons” so effective.   

“Everhand” (2025)  

Writer: Mario Cassem

Director: Shane Hillier

Runtime: 9 minutes

Admirable as it is to strive for a world centered on inclusivity, part of horror’s draw has always been its refusal to let us off so easily. “Everhand”, written by Mario Cassem and directed by Shane Hillier, allows its protagonist the freedom to wish for a world in which they are “normal”. When an unnamed farmer (Lee Cleaveland) gives in to the temptation to “correct” his disability by purchasing a mechanical arm, it unleashes a nightmare on him and his wife (Sarah Beth Budd), forcing him to consider whether the price of becoming like everyone else is worth it.  

The story of “Everhand” feels plucked out of the classic era of “The Twilight Zone”, down to the inspired decision to film it in black and white. Hillier pushes the narrative’s creativity further by crafting a story without a single word of dialogue. The film is beautiful to watch unfold, even more so when you consider that it was crafted without a budget. Taking advantage only of what resources the cast and crew had at their disposal emphasizes many of the themes explored by a film (and festival) focused on disability.

“Everhand” is a classic story that warns us to be careful what we wish for, elevated by powerful performances and a skilled, art-forward director. As with stories about the experiences of other marginalized communities, representation matters because it gives creators the freedom to tell stories about disability that explore the full nuance of their experience. The journey to embracing one’s otherness is not always simple. “Everhand” is an effective, nuanced exploration of the ambivalence that disabled people may feel about themselves and the often messy journey toward self-love and compassion.   

“Cold” (2023)  

Writer/Director: Elizabeth Whitmere

Runtime: 20 minutes

Continuing the theme of telling forthright stories, the plot summary of “Cold” does away with nuance and tells it to us straight: “Jane has just turned 40–and died sometime last week.” This film from writer-director Elizabeth Whitmere puts Jane (Melanie Scrofano) in the pressure cooker that is life as a middle-aged woman and lets the ingredients mix and mingle until they reach a rolling boil of feminine rage. Jane knows something is wrong. But her husband, friends, and professional supports just can’t (or won’t) see it. It is an experience many will relate to and a classic story that Whitmere gives a fresh spin.

It would have been easy, and overly reductive, to center this story’s villainy around Jane’s husband and male doctor. She smartly brings Jane’s female friends and therapist into the mix, demonstrating the truly systemic issues at play in how our society refuses to deal with aging and our changing bodies. As Jane’s body literally begins to decompose, the fact that those around her won’t acknowledge it becomes more ludicrous. However, Whitmere handles the material with care and directness that emphasizes the horror rather than the dark comedy of Jane’s circumstances. 

The practical effects, makeup, and some particularly gnarly sound effects make watching “Cold” a visceral experience that had this reviewer flinching on several occasions. Scrofano brings a relatability and simmering anger to Jane that will inspire and infuriate viewers. The supporting characters do their jobs admirably, perhaps a bit too well, making it easy to come to hate them as Jane does. “Cold” tells an important story about an issue that is all too common. Sadly, it’s an issue that is unlikely to go away anytime soon, making Whitmere’s story all the more necessary.    

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With the state of the world that we are currently living in, it’s easy to feel frightened by the real-life horrors that are presented to us every day. But sometimes, the ghouls and goblins can seem like a more comfortable explanation for what is happening around us. From returning fest director Sean Hogan (“The Devil’s Business,” “The Borderlands”), we explore these themes in “The Dark Gets In.”

Social media is prevalent now more than ever, and it’s easy for children and teens to become influenced by something or someone they see online. “Stranger Danger” has always been an important phrase for a reason, even since we were kids (though that may feel like a lifetime ago). Many of you reading this can remember the Omegle days and what that hath wrought upon your young minds, and diving headfirst into this topic in a cinematic format was unsettling to watch, but overall, it has an important meaning behind it

Synopsis

After 15-year-old Aisling Sullivan (Kezia Cotterrell) is abducted from her home overnight, her parents are willing to do whatever it takes to find some sort of explanation for what actually happened to their daughter. When a documentary team steps in to help investigate, dark secrets are revealed about Aisling’s personal life that may have some sort of correlation to her disappearance.

Thoughts & Highlights

After our initial watch of this film, we had to go back a second time to fully understand what we had just seen (complementary). We wanted to make sure we didn’t miss anything of importance, as this was a very detailed and well-thought-out mockumentary that hinges on some really grounded and believable performances. Part of this has to do with how convincing the mockumentary aspects are, as they feel like they’re ripped right out of a true-crime documentary.

Each segment of the mockumentary is told in chapters as we dive deeper into the investigation. This aspect is always admirable in a film as it makes the story easier to follow and keeps you wanting more. Once we got into more about Aisling’s personal life, we see where things started to go dark; literally and figuratively. She had an online persona known as “Alice” and would dress as the fictional character whilst talking to strangers in chat rooms. These videos that were found were known as “The Alice Files” and are a huge part of the story. The young girl who was bright and full of life was slowly fading from her parents’ eyes.

Without spoiling too much, Aisling had met someone online known as the “Knave of Hearts,” whom they believed had to be the person who abducted her, and were further investigating. The only problem was, this man had supposedly been dead for 30 years. This is where things got a little confusing, but in an intriguing way. We were on the edge of our seats, wondering if maybe Aisling found herself now in a cult? A demonic entity that was able to come through the internet? There had to be a logical explanation for everything that was being unveiled, but there were still no definitive answers.

As you can already possibly infer, there were a lot of different themes going on here. The found footage segments from Aisling’s brother Owen (Scott Burchell) were chilling to watch, as was when her best friend Samena (Farah Ashraf) was sent an obscure text to meet the missing Aisling at their local park. What happened following these clips left us with an eerie sense of dread and actually frightened us a bit. One scene in particular we couldn’t leave out was what we’ll call the birthday celebration, which is sure to give you a jolt.

Towards the end of the film, you felt a sort of sadness not only for her parents, but for Aisling as well. Cotterrell’s performance as Aisling was delicate and melancholic, and we couldn’t help but be invested in what her life was like. We have a tendency to make anything we watch our entire personality for a certain amount of time, and when it’s something that can and does happen in the real world, it sticks with us even harder. As previously mentioned, Hogan did a fantastic job of making “The Dark Gets In” feel like something you weren’t expecting, and that says something about his directorial style. Cinematographer and executive producer, Paul Goodwin, also had a keen eye for choosing settings that fit the style of the film and enhanced these chapters seamlessly.

After its recent premiere on October 31st at Tubi FrightFest Halloween, we can guarantee this true crime mockumentary will make you question everything you’ve once been afraid of. Special thanks to the team behind “The Dark Gets In” and FrightFest for an early screening of the film for our review.

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Some of your favorite films are nothing without the stunt actors and coordinators who bring the most action-packed moments to life. In horror, stunts are as essential as the squib, and don’t take our word for it- hear it from stunt actor Paul Drechsler-Martel or, in this case, Daniel Bernhardt.

Bernhardt has been in the industry for decades and has done stunt work for major franchises like “John Wick,” “The Matrix,” “Fast and Furious,” and more. He also took on the lead role in my favorite film of 2025, “Deathstalker,” where he showed that the badassery of the sword-and-sandal genre is still alive, and that Steven Kostanski should make movies forever. Now, Bernhardt stars in the recently released Apple TV original, “Matchbox: The Movie,” starring opposite John Cena and Jessica Biel.

Bernhardt talks about his role as “Falko,” and how his remit was two-fold: playing the heavy and training Cena how to fight on screen. Check out our interview with Daniel below, and we hope to have him back again soon to talk about some killer new genre films he’s working on!

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High school student Ai sees her world collapse when a strange cult-like mentality gradually turns people around her into mindless followers who can transform simple gymnastics routines into a nightmarish dance of death. This is “New Group,” from writer/director Yûta Shimotsu (“Best Wishes to All”)!

HOW IS IT?

“New Group” instantly captivates the viewer with an intense and surreal opening sequence. Through a series of rapid shots, we witness a celebrity couple being violently beaten by paparazzi, schoolgirls singing with frothing mouths while filming dead elders, and a politician chanting “Japan is the best” while carelessly flashing money around unhoused people. These random shots serve as foreshadowing for an inhumane society that we are about to witness.

After that intro, we transition to our main character, Ai (Anna Yamada), waking up to news of a potential alien invasion. Yes, there’s a lot going on in the first few minutes, and I immediately knew I was about to brace myself for a world of chaos. Schools are essential to our social development and critical thinking, but that is not the case at Ai’s school, where students aren't even allowed individual expression, even in art class. The school is presented as a breeding ground for bullying and power dynamics.

In a scene, the art teacher tells everyone they have to draw exactly the same thing, and that there is no room for individual expression. She then tears the new student Yu’s painting because he drew something different. This school is a microcosm of a conforming society and the catalyst of all the mayhem about to unfold.

One day, a student is found frozen on hands and knees in the playground, and day by day the number increases until a full human pyramid is formed. There are violent consequences for those who refuse to join, but Ai and Yu manage to find ways to run away from this hellscape. Ai and Yu are opposites. Ai is an introvert, while Yu is a nonconformist who refuses to follow societal norms. Despite their differences, they unite in their fight against a collective that has been brainwashed into blindly following authority. Their story is one of resistance, solidarity, and finding common ground despite their differences.

The human pyramid represents power, hegemony, and control. It’s a movement that was started by the school principal, and the students blindly follow his orders because he is the authoritarian figure in this space.

This narrative is a unique critique of modern Japanese society that parallels Theodor Adorno’s Culture Industry. The culture industry is a system that reinforces hegemonic ideologies and controls the masses by erasing their individuality, which is exactly what the school and the principal do to their students by turning a gymnastic formation into a brainwashing technique to gain control. Social conformity is the true monster in this film. We live in a society controlled by what the media feeds us, trends to follow, and binary thinking, which makes it challenging to have nuanced perspectives. The principal says in the film, “Fear is the most important emotion to control people,” and this applies to society nowadays, where we are constantly fed fear through media outlets, leading to divisive societies and more hostility towards those with different views than ours.

Conformity and control were explored in John Carpenter’s “They Live” (1988), but in Yûta Shimotsu’s universe, you don’t need glasses to see the hidden systemic messages. The monster (human pyramid) is visible right in front of you. What makes this premise more terrifying is the way the media covers this topic so lightly. There is almost no emotion or concern regarding the horrors happening and the loss of autonomy in this dystopian Japan. As a result, people mindlessly follow this trend and form pyramids across town. It is now up to Ai and Yu to decide whether to comply or rebel because no matter where they go, there is a human pyramid spreading fast like a virus.

Shimotsu is an outstanding filmmaker who uses allegories, eerie sound design, and mise-en-scène for his unique style of visual storytelling. In under 90 minutes, he was able to tackle multiple topics all at once while making the message clear to the audience by warning them of the dangerous consequences of losing our autonomy and individuality. He is revolutionizing J-horror by using the genre to offer insight into current socio-political, economic, and familial issues. I argue that his debut feature “Best Wishes to All” (2023) exists in the same universe as “New Group” because they both navigate a version of Japan that lacks empathy. I highly recommend watching both films as a double feature to get familiar with Shimotsu’s style.

THE VERDICT

Although "New Group” focuses on Japanese society, its themes are universally relatable, especially as we continue to witness the consequences of capitalism and growing social divisions. By the end, I couldn't help but wonder whether an actual alien invasion would have been any worse.

“New Group” will be released on Shudder on Friday, November 6, 2026!

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Deeply religious ideologies rarely mesh well with the contemporary arts, let alone adult-oriented media full of hardcore sexuality, so virtually anybody would be surprised to hear that one of the most notorious supernatural horror pornos was directed by a guy from a Southern Baptist background, using generous donations from his local church sponsors. Meet Jonas (actually, Joseph) Middleton, a wildly underrated filmmaker born in Georgia's textile industry, where his family was committed to weekly sermons and his patriarch ordered him to earn a business degree before he moved to New York without looking back. It is in the Big Apple where his brief role as a negative cutter first led to the revelation that the city that never sleeps was home to an underground market of explicit sex films, and where inspiration rose for his directorial efforts that would help define the golden age of porn. His feature debut, "Cherry Blossom," opened to cash in on the success of porno chic immediately after "Deep Throat" took the 1972 summer box office, and its bigger-budget 1974 follow-up, "Illusions of a Lady," even starred disco queen Andrea True, with backing by devout Manhattan socialites who saw triple-X titles as a guaranteed means to make money theatrically while representing sexual scenarios of both comedic and frightening varieties.

"Through the Looking Glass" (1976) was his only feature of the three made with both R-rated and X-rated variants in mind, with alternative softcore scenes shot deliberately for mainstream and international audiences, but it was naturally the hardcore content that led to creative difficulties, as many interested parties dropped out at the thought of being exploited beyond the supernatural setup. Ronald Wertheim is credited as a co-writer, and while claims surrounding auteurship of the source material and its tweaks vary, the piece ultimately reads as a character study spun off from the triple-X bored housewife trope popularized throughout the period, performing well enough to warrant a novelization that same year by Molly Flute for Dell Publishing. Middleton formed two companies—Mastermind II and Miracle of Now—to produce the passion project, raising a solid $200,000 budget with the continued support of his church community and filmic collaborators such as Roger Caine (who stars under the pseudonym Mike Jefferson). As with comparable independent productions of the time, they held legitimate casting sessions, warning auditionees about the subject matter and the industry at hand. Also notable is the inclusion and marketing of then 14-year-old actress Laura Nicholson with her parents' consent and complete attention on set, as well as extensive professional protocols in place to ensure that she was never exposed to pornographic scenes during filming.

It opens with a transformation of a woman clearly haunted by visions of "Papa" and a crowd of zany, extravagant figures who seem nonsensical, with no context; her hair is straightened, her face mask peeled off, marvelous angles revealed, along with her upper-class image of all-white dressings, complete with a pearl necklace. Set six years following her unnamed father's death, "Through the Looking Glass" is the story of Catherine Burgess: a fictionalized version of Catharine Burgess, our lead actress, on the verge of an absolute psychological breakdown, introduced to the viewer as an expression of free will as she partakes in the newfound, casual, carefree consumption of alcohol alongside her boring husband, Richard (Douglas Wood), who cannot fulfill her sexual appetite. João Fernandes was sought as the director of photography under the pseudonym Harry Flecks, after his time working on "Deep Throat" and "The Devil in Miss Jones" (1973) for Gerard Damiano, well before he was an established force in the slasher horror circuit with beloved works like "The Prowler" (1981), "The Prey" (1983), "Children of the Corn" and "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" (1984) — he apparently even had an affair with the leading lady during the shoot!

Shot in 1976, the film makes great use of its historical Long Island setting, Winfield Hall, which had its sprawling gardens refurbished and an upper level temporarily converted into a studio for the duration of their craft, while the cast and crew had access to countless beds and bathrooms as they filmed on location around Glen Cove. Arlon Ober was hired to compose the original soundtrack, bringing along none other than the legendary Harry Manfredini ahead of his endless discography of iconic orchestral scores. "Through the Looking Glass" finds its stride at the twelve-minute mark, when one quiet evening, Catherine ventures up to the attic bedroom where she used to reside, toying with lamps, matches, and candles to set the mood for an accidental séance in front of a massive antique mirror. Undressing under a sudden, strange spell of arousal, she describes the textures of her skin as an exhibitionist trapped in a traumatized shell, ready to finally give herself pleasure; it isn't long before Jamie Gillis also appears as the apparition of her dead daddy, reaching across the brooding reflection to offer her a green, rotting helping hand. Most porno chic titles place an emphasis on the element of erotica, but this sets sights on building a harrowing, hypnotic atmosphere, and sexually explicit inserts with Burgess' double weren't captured until three months after the soft cut of the film was already edited. Optical effects that make the camera seem to go directly into her body were even achieved using a fiber-optic lens to add to the uncanny vibe!

Tension is fueled exclusively in the softcore cut in additional non-sex scenes where Catherine calls an airline in an attempt to flee the estate, but each potential trip is somehow booked, and she must remain in place. For those watching the X-rated version, we're simply treated to a nightly ritual by which she returns for consecutive rounds of masturbatory conjuring in front of the mirror, verbalizing the ways that people have failed to touch her, while yearning for worship; she eventually presses her entire body against the looking glass, being pulled in by Nancy Dare (billed alternatively as Suzan Swanson) with rainbow hair, and the two engage in a brief, ethereal lesbian affair on what looks to be a floor lined entirely with aluminum foil. Symbolic of the pressure cooker of her sexual desires, it's a scary image to see, representing the hidden realm to which she has no idea, or care, as to whether she can exit back through. Karen swiftly abandons her with the order to get ready for a dinner party in the estate's gorgeous garden, and so begins a gastro horror experience unlike anything else — returning from the opening sequence is Mr. Manchester (Jeffrey Hurst), Rocky Millstone (aka Jacob Pomerantz), Eve Every, Kim Pope, Ultramax, and a masked woman who lives in anonymity as the centerpiece of their bizarre could-be-Thanksgiving orgy.

This garden orgy feels like a tribute to Ken Russell and surrealist cinema from similar auteurs, where everybody is hysterical and sporting something odd. Makeup is theatrical and chalky, pubes are unnaturally vibrant, the ensemble wears powdery wigs, and their cheap jewelry clashes with the gothic aesthetic, but the craziest sights arrive in the form of carrots sticking out of women's behinds, men ejaculating into goblets, and our guest of the hour almost drowned by her spiritual host and succumbing to fate in the real world as if this were some psychosexual prototype of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984). Fifty minutes in, the most sinister sequence occurs when Jennifer (Nicholson) runs up to the attic to retrieve her grandfather's hairbrush and is stalked by the evil spirit lurking on the other side. Thankfully, she was never approached for an explicit simulation, and that responsibility of corrupted innocence was instead saved for the flashback scene that followed, in which Kristen Steen (as Marie Taylor) portrays a young Catherine, groomed by her father in front of the mirror with a lore-expansion of its influence over her adult life and sexually repressive triggers. "Through the Looking Glass," at this point, transforms into a deliberately dark depiction of incest and its lasting aftermath, unlike the genre-pioneering "The Fireworks Woman" (1975) or the long-running "Taboo" franchise, which later controversially played up these themes for laughs.

Demon and Father, as Jamie is credited, inevitably offers Catherine a journey of eternal, exceptional satisfaction, but refusing to join him, his eyes glow angry, and she sees past the trickery rude remarks in response regarding her well-off lifestyle are the ultimate act of coercion, stirring curiosity about the possibilities in this pocket dimension, and failing to convince her dull human lover of the manor's evil inhabitants, she succumbs to the advances of the glittery monster, who now gains the strength to rampage across their physical realm, taking advantage of the flesh before it is brought down to Hell in the climactic finale. Edited with a sepia filter that creates a warm haze where everybody glows with orange skin, tattered rags, walking on black sand while random fires are lit, the last sequence feels like it takes place on a different planet, where all hope is shattered by immediate, inescapable frenzied erotic torture for the sake of depravity due to her deal with the devil, leaving her daughter to live on a similar trajectory, abandoned in front of the mirror herself. Gillis finally gets the space to go full freak mode, which is also quite charming, and reinforces the idea that he was one of the strongest actors in this industry altogether. Wherever it lands on your dark fantasy radar, this cautionary tale stems from a grim reality of sexual abuse that many continue to face, and how our minds and bodies are rewired after survival. As "Through the Looking Glass" celebrates 50, it should be remembered for its transgressive attitude, unglamorous reflection of these themes, and undeniable ambition at the intersection of pornographic thrills and unflinching horror chills.

"Through the Looking Glass" is now available on 4K UHD from Mélusine!

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Dungeons and Dragons is a long-running and vast franchise, with endless stories being told within its realms. Amy Chu and Christian Rosado are exploring a darker side of this legendary franchise, venturing into the domain of Ravenloft. Ravenloft is a hostile, violent place; it’s a crueler, bloodier world than DND fans may generally expect. This second issue takes some bold steps; it’s a big swing by Chu and Rosado in an attempt to capture the magic of DND and the terror of Ravenloft in comic form. Unfortunately, it’s also a miss.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT?

Issue #2 of “Dungeons and Dragons: Ravenloft” takes a narrative pivot, focusing on monster-hunting sisters, Laurie and Gennifer Weathermay-Foxgrove. The sisters, implied friends of Ezermelda from issue #1, take center stage in a story told from the POV of a mysterious woman. The woman, struggling with memory issues, is lost in the Domain of Mordant, where the sisters save her and try to investigate her past.

HOW IS IT?

Chu has taken issue #2 in a wildly different direction from the first issue, with a new set of characters and a completely new style for the story. This is somewhat hard to take, because I was struggling to keep up with issue #1 already. There were a lot of characters and places tossed at me in the initial outing, so ditching most of those and introducing new characters isn’t exactly helpful. Again, a strong familiarity with the lore of Ravenloft probably helps here, but I struggled for a while to even figure out how the two issues were connected.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, something larger and epic is probably being built up with all these disparate, loosely linked characters, but I’m not clear, fully, two issues in what exactly that’s going to be. I get the sense that a party is being formed to go on a grand adventure, but as the saying goes, “nothing can kill a show like too much exposition”. If any Dungeon Master took this long to set up a tabletop adventure and introduce the different characters, the player would be groaning and itching to get started. 

I thought the stylistic choice to switch to a first-person POV for the comic was interesting; it felt like an attempt to make the reader feel like a player, but it doesn’t quite work. It’s a very cool visual concept for the first half of the comic, but it starts to wear out as the POV character's identity is revealed, and it stops feeling like my POV and starts feeling like someone else’s. Chu and Rosado are definitely onto something there, but it’s half-formed. It’s awesome for a fight scene and the start of a dialogue sequence, but running a dialogue-heavy comic in that format gets repetitive. It’s like watching one of those first-person video game cutscenes where everyone is rambling, and you can’t move the camera.

I find the characters somewhat interesting too; I just wish they’d do something. The opening of this comic is very good, and I loved Laurie and Gennifer’s fight with the swamp monsters, but then they go back to their house and just talk and talk and talk, and the story grinds to a halt. Somehow there’s been so much information dumped, yet I’m learning nothing. It’s hard to tell what’s relevant, or where any of it’s going. I imagine many easter eggs are flying over my head, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out. At least it’s all very nice to look at. 

Comics are a visual medium, and the POV choice is probably the most unique decision here. Rosado’s scratchy lines give the comic a heavy texture; Mordent feels real and mythic at the same time. It feels old and lived-in but also immediate and physical. The first ten pages of a first-person monster attack in a swamp are gripping and gross; it’s nasty and grimy and intense in all the right ways. This is the darker side of DND, fully realized. Once again, the art is easily the highlight of “Dungeons and Dragons: Ravenloft”.

The coloring specifically is terrific. Roman Stevens' luminous work on Rosado’s lines is really striking; there’s wonderful use of shadow and shading to convey the gloom of Ravenloft. Dark Fantasy can sometimes be drab, but “Dungeons and Dragons: Ravenloft #2” is anything but, filled with a variety of dark hues that balance color and bleakness. Letter Haley Rose-Lyon, whose work was so integral to issue #1, gets less of a chance to shine, but still makes her mark with some very cool spellcrafting symbolism. 

LAST RITES

“Dungeons and Dragons: Ravenloft #2” is another gorgeous comic set in a seemingly very world that I know far less about than I’d like. After two issues of character introductions, very little has formed in the way of plot, and I’m still left with many questions about the setting. “Dungeons and Dragons: Ravenloft” is clearly a carefully crafted love letter to the world of Dungeons and Dragons, but as a story, there’s just not much there, and there’s very little to look forward to. It might as well be an art book set up for campaign and character inspiration. I was very much hoping issue #2 would give me more reason to be invested than issue #1. Sadly, I didn’t get that reason.

THE GORY DETAILS

WRITTEN BY 

AMY CHU

ILLUSTRATED BY

CHRISTIAN ROSADO

COLORS BY 

ROMAN STEVENS

LETTERS BY

HALEY ROSE-LYON

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First and foremost, happy Godzilla Day to all of those who observe and celebrate our lord and savior, Godzilla! It’s hard to argue against just how culturally significant Godzilla is, and how resilient the atomic creature is to the changing tastes of time. Sure, some disregard the 90s film that, while imperfect, at least demonstrated that the King of monsters was still without compare, even if the film didn’t do the character justice. Toho has always taken good care of Godzilla, and even the early 00’s “Shin Godzilla” has seen a reappraisal for being a complete takedown of woefully inept bureaucrats at dealing with any emergency situation. It’s not hard to see why Godzilla still sticks around, and with Takashi Yamakazi’s glorious series reboot, “Godzilla Minus One,” he showed the world that Godzilla was still scary, and there are still great human stories to be told. Yamakazi is back and emboldened to upstage himself in “Godzilla Minus Zero,” but can he really make something better than one of the best Godzilla films of all time?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

Set in 1949, the Shikishima family confronts a fresh catastrophe two years after surviving their previous ordeal with the legendary monster.

HOW IS IT?

To answer the lingering question posed at the end of the first paragraph…hell yeah! Takashi Yamakazi’s “Godzilla Minus Zero,” or “Minus Zero” for brevity, doesn’t just build upon the greatness of the “Minus One”; it elevates the humanity of these characters while giving us even more kaiju action than before. It’s quite the feat: to not just improve upon an already great first film while being careful not to tread familiar ground or get complacent, and yet, Yamakazi and crew give us a masterclass in tension that had my jaw open for more than a minute before I realized. It’s a showcase for merging practical and CG to create something truly unbelievable, and a demonstration of what real movie magic looks like in 2026.

“Minus Zero” picks up some time after the events of the first film, and familiar faces abound as we once again follow the now-married Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe) and their adopted daughter, Akiko (Sae Nagatani). It’s a quiet life that all three of them welcome, as Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka) now heads up the center for studies about Godzilla, where he’s alerted them to a new threat requiring a new strategy. Noda’s team is budgeted and paid for, and brings along another key character in Professor Kanji Murakami (Min Tanaka). Murakami, like others, is weary of the US involvement, building upon the persistent lack of trust and pain caused by the dropping of two atomic bombs by the US, and the reason for Godzilla existing at all.

A core theme throughout “Minus Zero” is the idea of retribution, and the question of whether it is righteous or not, no matter how justified. Noda and newcomer hotshot meteorologist Makoto Aoyama (Masami Nagasawa) both harbor a sense of responsibility for deaths that occurred not because of them, but because of situations they had to make decisions in. Murakami, like them, is someone whose survivor’s guilt feeds his sadness and possible manic episodes. In that way, we see the different ways we deal with grief and guilt: Noda operates cautiously aware and thus, more confident that he’s doing his best, while Aoyama is still learning not to let the fear of past failure paralyze her future decisions, but Murakami sees no other option but to seek retribution. This is a far more emotionally complex and murky film than “Minus One” because it forces Western audiences to confront a past they didn’t contribute to, but that has altered the present we live in. Where “Minus One” explored how communities grapple with trauma, loss, and grief collectively, “Minus Zero” is more focused on the internal struggle of its characters. Like the would-be parents who simply can’t stay away when they’re in need, no matter the risk or cost. A thread we won’t pull on for this review, but the film has a lot to say about parenting that isn’t easy to take, but painfully genuine.

All of this talk about the humans would make one think that this Godzilla film is lacking that devastating action, but nothing could be further from the truth. Like in the previous film, Godzilla is a presence without equal when he’s on screen, but his opposite for this film is not just formidable; it’s absolutely terrifying. The destruction is laid out in spectacular fashion that puts the Dolby Atmos sound to the test in the best way possible, and the blending of both practical and CG here is perhaps the new gold standard for visual effects going forward. Having been old enough to see “Jurassic Park” when it was first released in theaters, it feels like deja vu what the team here has pulled off. These fights have weight, and you feel everything as havoc unleashes devastation throughout the course of the film's 135 minutes. This is the cinematic event of the year, and we should all hope that Yamakazi and crew want to keep making these movies for a long time.

LAST RITES

“Godzilla Minus Zero” takes an already perfect film and builds upon it by upping the complex emotions, the action, the visual effects, and once again proving that Takashi Yamazaki is the best thing to happen to Godzilla in decades! 

THE GORY DETAILS

“Godzilla Minus Zero” will be released in theaters on Friday, November 6, 2026, from Toho Films!

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A teenage girl killing racists in gruesomely inventive ways should be an easy sell, but the first two films starring Lulu Wilson as Becky Hooper didn’t quite live up to their potential.  The first “Becky” was more of a straight-up thriller, with our hero portrayed as a possibly nascent serial killer who just happened to put the bad guys in her sights. Its sequel, “The Wrath of Becky,” went for a more comedic approach, because how could it not with an ending featuring a 14-year-old girl becoming a CIA agent (working under Kate Siegel in a cameo)?  An ending that outlandish practically dares the audience to ask for another installment.  Enter director Jenn Wexler (“The Ranger,” “The Sacrifice Game”), who takes the reins for “The Last Temptation of Becky,” the best of the three by a considerable margin.

Credit to Wexler and co-writers Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote (also co-writers/directors of “The Wrath of Becky”) for making good on that promise.  “B3” is a spy movie that has Wilson’s Inglorious Brat going undercover as an American tourist in The Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s real-life stronghold in rural Poland. Her mission is to retrieve the mysterious golden key coveted by Becky’s fascist victims, past and future.  Yes, it turns out the events of the previous films were orchestrated by General Wilhelm Reuss (Neil Patrick Harris, proving his “Starship Troopers” wardrobe still fits like a Hugo Boss glove) to obtain the series’ MacGuffin for nefarious purposes. I wouldn’t dare spoil them here, but if you’ve been wondering what the key was intended for, Wexler, Angel, and Coote provide an answer as delightfully stupid as you would hope.

Harris is a welcome addition to the franchise, continuing the tradition of actors known primarily for comedy, playing ruthless Nazi antagonists without winking to the camera. That’s Wilson’s job, which she does with aplomb, slipping back into the role as if no time has passed. She was hilarious in this year’s “Pizza Movie,” but proves she’s still invested in all things “Becky” alongside the series’ most stacked cast yet.  Siegel returns to try out some new tropes as Becky’s exasperated handler, and Brandon Flynn (“13 Reasons Why,” the “Hellraiser” reboot) appears as a fellow agent, who is, refreshingly, neither a love interest nor a rival for the titular terminator. 

While the film’s budget shows constraints here and there, with a few instances of dodgy CGI and not nearly enough brownshirts for Wilson to demolish until the end, there’s plenty of carnage to enjoy, and everyone appears to be on the same wavelength.  Harris plays it straight, knowing just the right amount of sneering required to appear as a real threat, without turning into a full caricature. On the other hand, James Urbaniak goes full-cartoon as a Nazi doctor using outdated technology to bring about global domination. He swings for the fences so often I had to wonder if he signed up for this thinking it was a voiceover. And yet, both performances fit snugly in the tone Wexler has set. One of the film’s canniest observations is the embellished cosplay and fetishization that American Nazis have for the Third Reich.  Yes, it’s easy to make fun of Nazis, but “Last Temptation” has some great jokes about just how endlessly silly they all are.  

Not many trilogy-cappers are the best in their series, but “The Last Temptation of Becky” is just as wonderfully, chaotically absurd as a movie called “The Last Temptation of Becky” should be. While I’ve been cynical about continuing the story of Becky Hooper, as long as Wilson is happy to bleed more battalions of Proud Boys, I’m here for it.  Here’s hoping “Becky 4” sees her hunting down J6ers.

“The Last Temptation of Becky” is only in theaters November 4th, 2026.

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A new father suspects a supernatural force is after his child.  Is he suffering from sleep deprivation and the anxiety that comes with taking care of a newborn, or is something more sinister at play?  This is the concept behind Billy Nawrocki’s short film "Won't Be Long Now,” which has already won awards and accolades at Hudson Valley Film Festival, Ridgefield Film Festival, and Smodcastle Horrorfest. Hey, if it’s good enough for Kevin Smith, it’s probably better than “Yoga Hosers” (kidding, Kevin, we love you).

Nawrocki is primarily known as an editor for Fuzz on the Lens, the company behind the “Terrifier” and “Stream” films.  His latest is a labor of love which he starred in, wrote, directed, edited and made for only $200.  The one-man production house previously lent his editing and DP skills to friends of Macabre Daily Sean Kenealy and Eric Silvera’s short film “Two Knocks on a Door.” He’s also editing the feature “The Pitchfork Retreat,” with Danielle Harris and the late Tony Todd. We spoke about the origins of his short, shooting in upstate New York, and the perils of parenthood.  Rest assured, no babies were harmed during the course of this interview.

“Won’t Be Long Now” can be seen at the link above.

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It feels fitting that just after the 6th anniversary of Macabre Daily’s existence, we make a fun and exciting announcement to celebrate. But first, some context…

For the last 6 years, Macabre Daily has grown not just in terms of our reach, but also in the amazing people who contribute the content you read every single day. This growth is both humbling and validating, but it also carries with it an increased sense of responsibility. In short, running Macabre Daily has become a full-time job, and that’s on top of the jobs that all of us (myself included) work just to make ends meet and survive. This is all to say that with this growth, it was time to bring in some help, and I’m honored that someone as amazing as Ariel Powers-Schaub has decided to join as Macabre Daily’s new Managing Editor!

For those who don’t know Ariel, she’s the author who created her own genre category with her book, “Millennial Nasties: Analyzing a Decade of Brutal Horror Film Violence,” and inspired a swath of horror fans to revisit early-aughts films. She’s contributed film essays to Second Sight Films multiple times and has written for other publications, including Filmhounds and Ghouls. Ariel is no stranger to Macabre Daily, as she’s penned some great op eds for us in the past, and has been a consistent champion of horror and friend to many of us here at the site. I’m excited to welcome Ariel, not just because it will allow Macabre Daily to continue growing consciously, but because Ariel is just so damn cool and fun to be around!

So please, join me and the rest of the Macabre Daily team by welcoming Ariel on board with open arms and thunderous applause!

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For many, the slasher film is their introduction to horror. When we ask filmmakers and fans what the first scary movie they saw was, it’s without question that one of the most popular answers is John Carpenter’s “Halloween.” While many start with the classics, a true horror fan never settles on just one thing, and many of us will seek out as many similar films as possible in an effort to consume all the content. Few people know more about the slasher film, and horror at large, than Michael Gingold. Chances are if you’ve ever read an issue of Fangoria or other publications, you’ve seen Gingold’s name somewhere. In the world of horror history, he is the alpha and omega of horror knowledge, and runs a regular trivia outing (Final Exam Trivia) with Ted Geoghan where they put their combined knowledge of genre together to test the mettle of NYC horror heads.

Michael is also the writer and director for the upcoming CreatorVC documentary, “Slasher Trash,” and was kind enough to spend some time talking to us about what goes into making a doc such as this, and why they won’t be focusing on franchise slashers. It’s a great companion piece to our previous interview with Executive Producer Gareth Morgan, and you can still pre-order “Slasher Trash” before the sale ends tonight!

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Another year has passed, and another amazing Access: Horror festival has come and gone! Expanding the format to include both an in-person event and an extended online showcase, this year’s festival was one of the best yet! Macabre Daily was proud to be one of this year’s sponsors, and as part of our participation, we are sharing reviews of some of the amazing shorts featured during this year’s program. First up, the “Edibles” block!

“Blindsided” (2025)

Writer/Director: Patrick Hogan

Part of the joy of Access: Horror is that the programming guarantees you’ll see something from perspectives that lack representation, but it also lets you see genre through another’s experience. In the case of “Blindsided,” a blind schoolteacher (Crystal Loverro) tries to survive the night through a deadly alien invasion. It’s a singular experience in that the entire cast is low-vision, and the camera stays intently on Loverro as she navigates the situation. We rely on sound to make sense of what is going on around us, while the fixed camera denies the viewer the ability to look around, creating the same sense of limited vision. It’s a clever and engaging way to tell the story, and it doesn’t hurt that the sound design is outrageously good!

Writer/Director Patrick Hogan weaves a taut and fast-paced experience that is as immersive as it is terrifying. It’s the kind of film best watched with headphones on if possible, or on a loud speaker system to get the full intended effect. The alien design, while brief, is quite nasty and lends itself nicely to how things turn out for the schoolteacher. At 8 minutes and 23 seconds, it keeps a breakneck pace from the very jump and doesn’t let up until the credits roll, making it the shortest in this block, but one of the most exciting!

“Mango” (2025)

Writer/Director: Joan Iyiola

Joan Iyiola’s “Mango” speaks to an experience that is quite often all too familiar in the world of healthcare: male physicians downplaying the severity of women’s healthcare. While gender representation is showing some improvement over time, there is still a dearth of empathy amongst some providers who refuse to simply listen to their patients; alas, this is the story of a florist, Zadie (Olivia Nakintu), whose fibroids are increasing in pain as countless doctors tell her, “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” As you may have guessed, Zadie is not, in fact, fine, and she is bleeding profusely and increasingly interfering with her nailing her dream gig for work. The gaslighting and lackadaisical attitude from her various providers, of course, lead to further consequences, and while it veers into some strange visual territory, it never loses sight of the fact that the horror is squarely in the terrestrial world of modern women’s healthcare.

While I’m not a woman, it’s not hard to empathize with Zadie’s experience of not being believed. Compounding the situation is that Zadie is a Black woman who is constantly faced with White male doctors who both don’t seem to care about her concerns and, every time, downplay them despite evidence of increasing severity. “Mango” takes place in the UK, which isn’t that much better off than the US, given increased privatization efforts and decreased funding for social healthcare programs, but is still quite relatable given the universality of how differently Black women are treated in many Western healthcare systems. The title of the film also refers to the potential size of the fibroids inside Zadie, which the doctor again downplays, suggesting they could get bigger. Again, missing the point that just because it could get worse doesn’t mean it shouldn’t get better now.

“A Fermenting Woman” (2024)

Writer: Maisie Jacobson

Director: Priscilla Galvez

If there ere an award for the most “grotesquely gorgeous” film, it would have to be “A Fermenting Woman.” The film, from writer Maisie Jacobson and director Priscilla Galvez, revolves around a chef and master fermenter, Marielle Lau (Sook-Yin Lee), who defers to some rather strange and disgusting methods to refine her daring recipes. It’s not easy to talk too much about this one, as so much of the surprise is derived from trying to figure out just what Lau is up to, and what she’s trying to accomplish with her “ingredients.” While it features heaps of gore in its finale, it’s mostly confined to the context of eating and is exacerbated by the reveal that leads up to this moment. Not for the squeamish, for sure!

Galvez captures Lau almost like excerpts from Netflix’s “Chef’s Table,” alongside cinematographer Nikolay Michaylov, who makes everything look appetizing, until it isn’t. It’s a bit hard to understand, at least for this reviewer, what the film’s ultimate message was, but it was such a unique experience that it never feels like something’s missing as much as open to some interpretation. Easily the grossest short of this block, perhaps the entire festival, but one that you won’t soon forget and will want to talk about!

“The Hog Queen” (2025)

Writer/Director: Katherine Craft

After the disgusting decadence (complementary) of “A Fermented Woman,” Katherine Craft’s “The Hog Queen” is a breath of campy horror air. This is essentially a siege film taking place at a gay bar where a group of deadly, feral hogs is making it a bit hard for two folks to skip town on their obligations and lovers. What starts as a normal night out quickly turns into anything but as two young men show up, disrupting the drag show, with the horrific hogs on their heels. We never really get a glimpse of those hogs, or any hogs, but we are treated to a lot of witty and funny banter to cut the tension as some in the group devise a plan to escape.

Never taking itself too seriously, but also serving up its own sense of moral justice, Craft’s film is sitting in company with “From Dusk Till Dawn” in terms of concept, but this setup is so good I’d love to see an entire feature-length film of this! “Queens of the Dead” showed just how much fun the gay bar siege film can be, and perhaps it needs to become its own subgenre, with “The Hog Queen” being a taste of what could be. Great performances from the cast, who are all in on the joke but never wink at the camera, and kudos to Craft for doing a lot with a little in terms of setting and style!

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