SPOILER ALERT!!! AS WITH ALL SPECIAL EDITIONS WE HAVE A LOT TO SAY AND SAY IT ALL

Horror movies have ramped up their marketing efforts in recent years. Weapons is the latest example. The movie created a website, released two hour security cam footage, along with traditional tactics like an awesome poster and excellent trailer. The end result? It exceeded box office expectations.

Where does Zach Cregger stand among current horror directors? There is a very strong argument that he is the best at mixing horror and humor. And this includes the Winters and Osgood Perkins. Along with being satisfying, the ending of Weapons is one of the funniest of the year.

The major twist comes well before the final moments. How much people enjoy the twist will also determine how much they like the film. More so than any other movie in recent memory. It will be the point of return for everyone who watches it. For some, Weapons will not be able to do any wrong; for others it will be a complete turnoff.

Non-linear storytelling is very tricky to pull off. Not only can it disorient the audience, but it can open things up to plot holes. We talk about one possible issue with Weapons and another nitpick. We also debate how effectively Weapons told its story.

Whatever a person’s final opinion on Weapons, there is no denying the amazing performances. There has been a shift the past few years, but horror tends to get ignored around awards season. It may not end up getting nominated for anything, but it would be surprising if some names from Cregger’s release are not thrown around. One character will definitely be an inspiration for Halloween.

What does the success of another original movie IP mean for horror movies in the future? Obviously, franchises and Stephen King adaptations are not going to end; they are the lifeblood of the genre. But will studios be willing to take more risks on new properties?

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

There is a lot of news surrounding the real Annabelle doll in recent weeks. We weigh in on what we feel is true, what is fake, and what lies in between. You may be surprised to hear what we think about the supposedly cursed doll. We also talk about being attractive in the 1980s and the latest comedic reboot of a serious property.

We thought The School Duel would be a much rougher watch. It does deal with school shootings and the depiction of a bullied teenager will affect some audiences, but it did not have the out and out carnage we were worried about. Instead, it is a well told character study that sucks the audience in.

So, why didn’t we care that much for it? The last third of the film feels like it is spinning its wheels. The part that should be the most exciting feels tacked on and pointless. It gets a little too much like a video game. And the ending undermines all the good the earlier parts of The School Duel had carefully built.

Animale is a confusing French horror movie. The storytelling is straightforward and there is a lot of good here. It is atmospheric, dark, and has one of the most unique settings we have ever seen. The plot is very engaging and the writing does an excellent job of providing character depth.

The final moments feature some amazing imagery that will stay with anyone who sees it. It is disturbing and will make anyone who sees feel something. The delicate subject matter is treated with sensitivity and ties everything together. It is what happens after that left us unsure how to feel.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

How long has Todd McFarlane been teasing a new Spawn movie? It seems like it has been at least a decade. Do his latest comments mean anything? Sticking with comic books, we discuss the adaption of the controversial Garth Ennis book, Crossed. Is the name being attached to it the perfect match or overkill? Plus, Predator: Killer of Killers new.

One of the wildest films we have ever covered on our humble little podcast is All Jacked Up and Full of Worms. We were not exactly sure of what to think once it was over, but we knew we liked it. We also could not wait to see what writer-director Alex Phillips was going to do next.

Anything That Moves is a psychosexual dark comedy about a bike courier sex worker who is living his best life until a serial killer begins killing the people he loves. It sounds straightforward, but it is a bonkers all over the place experience. It is a stylish watch that will definitely not be for everyone.

Our feature presentation has a great set up. Lena wakes up in a moving trailer. She has no idea how she got there or where she is going. A voice comes over a speaker and lets her know that she has been infected and they are taking her to get cured. It starts with a sense of mystery.

Like sports, movies are not about how you start, but you how finish. It is unfortunate that Hellcat is unable to take advantage of this premise. There is too much going on, but somehow the movie still has nothing to say. The twists are nonsensical and the characters are not as compelling as they need to be. And that ending…

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

Video games and movies seem like a perfect fit. For whatever reasons, adaptations done in either direction do not seem to work so well. Over the past few years, there have been a number of familiar horror franchises turned into games. They have been multiplayer affairs with limited shelf life. What makes the Hellraiser video game different?

We really enjoyed In a Violent Nature. It was unique, had some great kills, and had an excellent big bad. It left itself open for a sequel, but is that a good thing? Can a movie shot in this style sustain a franchise or should it be left alone? We talk about the next installment and talk about our reservations.

Shaw Studios is responsible for some of the most influential and well-regarded kung-fu movies of all time. Even those who have never seen any of their films are likely familiar with names like Five Deadly Venoms and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. The Battle Wizard definitely belongs on that list.

Awesome martial arts fights. A villain with extending metal legs that can break rock. Limb cutting lasers. A protagonist that eats exotic animals. The Battle Wizard has it all and then some. And in between all the wackiness it has a surprisingly well written will they/won’t they love story that will gross you out until it warms your heart.

Terrestrial has a lot going for it. Its director helmed Hot Tub Time Machine and co-wrote Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity. The cast includes Jermaine Fowler and Pauline Chalamet. The premise is a fan favorite that has been used in screwball comedies and sitcoms. So, what happened?

The writing is surprisingly dodgy. There is a science fiction aspect that does nothing to the story but seems like it is supposed to be something very important. Even worse, the characters are very poorly done. Most tellingly, Terrestrial goes out of its way to turn the main character into an awful person that is impossible to get behind. Which makes the movie impossible to enjoy.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

We have really enjoyed what we have seen from Zach Creggers. Barbarian was fantastic and Weapons looks like it is going to be great. But what could he do with a video game movie? Especially one with as passionate of a fan base as Resident Evil. Well, as long as he sticks the lore he should be alright.

Another long running horror property is the Amityville series. It lost the plot a long time ago - there have been comedies, stories about government conspiracies, and even a dildo movie. But it is still chugging along. The news that Johnathan and Vanessa Winters are taking a stab at an original Amityville is the most exciting thing to happen to the franchise in decades. But is it more exciting than the announcement surrounding the next Robert Eggers movie?

Film fests give up a chance to cover short films. On this show, we talk about Shrimp Fried Rice, the story of a renowned chef who is about to face his biggest nemesis. It is an outrageous tale that is a reminder of everything we love about genre movies. It is laugh out loud funny and a nice change of pace.

Baba Yaga from 1973 is much more serious. Arguably, it is too serious. But, it is also self-aware which makes it much more palatable. The film is unabashedly arthouse, name dropping Fellini while mixing animation and psychedelia. There also seems to be a message about consumerism and why supposed intellectuals are not as smart as they think they are. It is also a straight up horror movie with a witch, creepy S&M doll, and a whole lot of nudity. It is an intriguing, if not always entertaining, watch. It is a strange mix that is confusing, but also hard to turn away from. As if it is casting a spell on you…

A surprisingly short lived trend was social media horror. Even to this day, there are plenty of movies made about it, but nothing has seemed to catch fire in a big way. So while Friend Request is not covering new ground, it also does not feel derivative. It is also really good; so why isn’t it more popular?

For everything it does right, the writing constantly does things to hold it back. It is inconsistent and overly complicated. It feels like they kept every idea they had. The end result is scary and surprisingly effective, but there are also many moments that just feel off. It also has one of the worst types of endings.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

It is hard to talk about this follow up without asking what happened. The first was a surprise hit that was popular among audiences of all ages. M3GAN also took the internet by storm which is always a big win. It was not long before a sequel and spinoff were announced. Everyone seemed excited about the prospect of a M3GAN universe.

We talk about how the marketing failed the movie. Was the trailer too campy? Maybe, it is not like the original was super serious. It definitely gave people the wrong impression. What made the first so appealing was how it mixed camp, sass, and creepiness. The camp and sass were in the trailer, but all of the horror was removed.

Which is a shame, since M3GAN 2.0 is a pretty fun watch. It is laugh out loud funny, has some great action scenes, and did a better job of developing its main characters. It did all the right things; it just was for the wrong movie. This will have many leaving the theater feeling confused.

What does the future hold for the franchise? While there has been no announcement regarding a third movie, Soulm8te is still set to be released in January 2026. Is it already time to reboot the mainline franchise? Or can they salvage something from what they already have? Was M3GAN just a matter of right place, right time?

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

We were so excited to see 28 Years Later and based off of the box office, we were not the only ones. And much like many of those who went to see it, we have mixed opinions on it (most of it not good.) We are a little surprised that there is another adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. We understand that there will always be retellings of King’s works - and retellings of those retellings.

But this one caught us off guard since it is so soon since the recent miniseries based on his book. Even stranger is how it will reportedly all be done in one movie. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, but it is in good hands. Much like Weapons, whose marketing continues to impress.

It is strange how the silliest things will make you think of the most serious issues. Kracker Jack’d (or CrackerJack: The Movie) is an inconsequential comedy horror movie from the early 2000s that somehow got us really worked up. This shouldn’t be a surprise being that it is written and directed by a white man who calls himself an “honorary soul brother”.

Putting the racial insensitivity aside - which is pretty much impossible since it uses stereotypes that range from modern Black life to ugly myths created during slavery - it just isn’t a very good movie. Along with being tone deaf , it is poorly edited and nonsensical. There is a good joke to be found, but this is a bad movie. On the plus side, it provides the best line ever heard on this show.

It is a low bar when it comes to the best performance by a wrestler. Pro wrestlers usually play themselves. And when they are given a character a part, it is basically the same thing. Sure there are exceptions like Roddy Piper and Bautista, but the norm is Hulk Hogan and The Rock. Al Snow may not be the biggest name in pro grapes, but his performance in 2024’s Unnatural is one of the best we have ever seen from a wrestler.

It is too bad that the rest of the movie could not keep up with him. It is way too long. You could have shaved close to an hour off of this and gotten a much better film. The dialogue is also really bad. But the Snowman succeeds in making it watchable. He has great screen presence, is funny, and is the only consistent character. We definitely want to see more of him in the future.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com

We love Mel Brooks. He is responsible for some of the funniest movies of all time. Young Frankenstein is also one of the best adaptations the Mary Shelley classic ever made. So, we were both excited to hear about the sequel to Spaceballs. We rank our favorite movies from Brooks and why Spaceballs once disappointed us.

We are also huge fans of Fright Night. While there was a great remake in the early 2010s, you just do not hear enough about it. Despite having one of horror's most iconic lines, it does not get that much love. This week, we have two bits of news; one is concrete; one is its rumored connection to one of the most infamous murders of all time.

This year for Pride Month we are discussing The Last Thing Mary Saw. It is a great bit of folk horror that is frightening, atmospheric, and filled with great characters. The mystery is engaging and the performances are top notch. It also treats its queer subject matter with a sensitivity that is not seen enough.

The first six months just whooshed by and we have a lot to discuss. We cover a wide range of topics. Why do we sometimes consider no longer reviewing documentaries? The good and bad of AI in film. More folk horror, a slasher, and a reverse exorcism all enter our conversation about 2025’s first six months.

Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.

Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.

Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com