FALLOUT: SEASON ONE Starring: Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Aaron Moten, Moises Arias, Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Emerson, Leslie Uggams, Zach Cherry, and Sarita Choudhury Creators: Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner PAIGE Despite never having played the game before, I found Fallout to be a post-apocalyptic blast. This action-adventure series accepts its ridiculousness, and even though it can occasionally be too quirky and over-the-top, it excels at keeping the viewer entertained the entire time. It has a lot of brutality, humor, and heart. Most importantly, though, is that they succeed in creating a fantastic universe inside the show that feels so lived in. Plus, the show's production design is next level. Overall, this is another huge win for video game adaptations. QUENTIN I can’t speak to how well Fallout works as an adaptation since I’ve never played the games, but as an independent series, it’s a funny, brutally exciting, twist-filled mystery box about 90 percent of the time. The world-building, Golden Oldies soundtrack, and retro-futuristic production design are flat-out phenomenal, and the show is at its most engaging during the storylines of The Ghoul (Walton Goggins, the easy highlight) and the mystery of Vault 31. On the other hand, the momentum halts anytime Maximus (Aaron Moten) takes center stage, mostly because Moten has the screen presence and charisma of a potato. Overall, though? A smashing surprise.

THE NIGHT AGENT: SEASON ONE Starring: Gabriel Basso, Luciane Buchanan, Hong Chau, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Sarah Desjardins, Eve Harlow, Phoenix Raei, Enrique Murciano, and D.B. Woodside Creator: Shawn Ryan QUENTIN If you enjoy the dime-a-dozen political conspiracy thrillers that pop up on CBS every season, then you’ll probably enjoy Netflix’s The Night Agent . Network thrillers are always too broad and undemanding for me, and this one is no different. Sure, there is a convoluted and poorly explained conspiracy mystery, but all you really need to know is that there are bad guys chasing good guys for unknown and mostly unnecessary-to-the-plot reasons. There are car chases, gun fights, hidden hard drives, disgraced FBI agents, corrupt officials, moles, and, of course, twists!…you know, all the typical things. If that’s your thing, it’s fine, I guess.

Previous Next October 31, 2022 WRITTEN BY: JOSEPH Horror stories have existed throughout history in a variety of forms. Oftentimes, horror is used as a cautionary tale to reflect on the ills of our own society. Children are warned to not venture too far lest the boogeyman will snatch them up, creatures like the Wendigo reinforce cultural taboos towards cannibalism during famine, and Frankenstein’s monster shows the fear of humanity wielding the power of God irresponsibly. While many horror stories certainly have greater meaning behind the terror, I think to most fans, horror has mostly been about gaining an adrenaline rush in a safe environment. We just want the scares! However, modern horror seems to offer much less in actual fear-generating. It makes me wonder…. “Is horror dead?” Growing up, I remember every other horror film being marketed as “the scariest film since The Exorcist ” (or the even more bold, “scarier than The Exorcist ”). While younger generations, myself included, may not find The Exorcist as scary as audiences did upon its release in 1973, it still holds up in many ways. It has yet to truly be challenged by any other film. Horror films of the late 90s and early 2000s may have been billed as the next The Exorcist , but many failed to leave a cultural imprint, only being remembered by the most devoted horror fans. With very few exceptions, horror films haven’t really made an impact since the turn of the millennium. I’d also argue that virtually none have come close to being as scary to their audiences as The Exorcist was nearly 50 years ago. Some may make a case for Hereditary , Paranormal Activity , or Sinister , but I say they did not have the same effect on their audiences that classic horror films did. Why is that? There is a lot of blame to go around, but I mostly blame the use of CGI over practical effects. The Universal Classic Monsters may have come out too far back to gauge how much they truly scared their audiences, but their cultural significance cannot be denied. They’re instantly recognizable and referenced in all forms of media, serving as a blueprint for much of the horror genre even today. The B-movies of the 50s and 60s continued the trend of using monsters on screen. While the costumes have become laughable because they were so cheesy, they still serve as a main influence in subcultures such as psychobilly and horror punk. They also paved the way for the exploitation films of the 70s. Still, it seems that the majority of what are generally considered to be the “scariest” movies of all time come from the 70s and 80s. As I mentioned before, The Exorcist is often touted as the scariest film ever, but it's not the only iconic piece of horror cinema from that era. We saw plenty of growth in the genre as it diverged to slashers and other forms of religious horror. Iconic creatures like Alien ‘s Xenomorph were spawned in sci-fi horror, and we saw increased reliance on practical effects as the slasher subgenre emerged. With Halloween ’s Michael Myers, the featureless white mask was extremely effective, while Friday the 13th ’s Jason Voorhees and A Nightmare on Elm Street ’s Freddy Krueger used make-up and still iconic costume designs to highlight their more grotesque features. There were grisly creatures and disgustingly fun deaths put on screen. Along with those iconic slashers, other great movie monsters graced the silver screen, like Predator, Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors , and, of course, the werewolf from An American Werewolf in London , which features an astounding transformation scene that has yet to be beaten. Furthermore, these practical effects gave way to bizarre body horror, allowing for potentially forgotten films from decades before, such as The Fly and The Thing , to be revisited and improved upon. In my opinion, the hey-day of horror was driven by practical effects, but as computers improved and became more accessible, film studios did their best to utilize the technology in all their films. As a result, many 90s films are filled with ugly polygonal creatures and special effects that weren’t convincing even then (and have only grown to be worse now). Just like director David Cronenberg thought he could use improved physical effects to make a better version of The Fly in 1986, some filmmakers thought they could use new computer technology to reinvent the films of the past to inspire terror in new generations. Sadly, it didn’t happen. The incredibly self-indulgent Van Helsing (2004) may have had some cool ideas, but the tone removed all the scary elements of the creatures they were reinventing. The Fog (2005) replaced leprous, ethereal zombies with wispy, transparent spirits. CGI quality may have improved, but there were no real scares to be had. There are some outliers from that era, like The Others and The Descent , but they used practical effects and large sets to deliver their thrills. There aren’t many, if any, CGI-driven horror movies that will keep you up at night. Nothing that kids will dare each other to watch at sleepovers for years to come. It’d be easy to say horror is just a genre of tired clichés, trying to constantly reinvent the wheel while staying formulaic. As a horror fan, I resent that notion because a lot of great, if not scary, horror comes out every year. However, one film embodies nearly all the flaws I see in modern horror: A Quiet Place . Don’t get me wrong, A Quiet Place has a fantastic premise and is overall well executed, but like many horror films, the film gets less scary once we finally see the monster. The Death Angels in A Quiet Place are fully CGI, and though they are imposing, they’re clearly not actually there. Death Angels share similar characteristics with the Xenomorph, yet they are incredibly forgettable. Can you remember what they even look like? Probably not. On top of that, they never physically interact with our protagonists, which only fuels the lack of believability. Meanwhile, the Alien franchise has historically done things the opposite way. For the most part, each film has used primarily practical effects for each stage of the Xenomorph’s life cycle, eliciting a myriad of emotions from disgusted by the slimy, fleshy eggs to horrified by the large Alien Queen. Eventually, though, even that franchise took the lazy CGI path in its latest and probably final entry, Alien: Covenant . Aside from having some of the dumbest movie characters ever, Alien: Covenant almost exclusively used CGI for its creature designs. While this did assist with the newer Neomorphs, it only hurt the Xenomorph. A creature that almost always had been shown with practical effects and under the cover of darkness was now a fully CGI rendering in broad daylight. The result is disappointing, distracting, and odd. But, more importantly, it’s no longer scary. While Alien: Covenant may have put the nail in the coffin on any future Alien sequels, Universal also had some problems with horror and CGI. 2017’s The Mummy tried to spearhead the launch of the Dark Universe, a reimagining and modernization of the classic Universal Monsters in a shared universe akin to the MCU. However, in trying to bring this giant spectacle to the big screen so quickly, even going as far as to publicly release an ill-fated cast photo, the Dark Universe was quickly shelved after The Mummy ’s poor critical and commercial performance. If a CGI-driven horror movie starring Tom Cruise was a failure, the lesson should be that horror as a CGI spectacle just doesn’t work. Truthfully, it’s a lesson that should have been learned after the previous soft attempts at reinventing the Universal Monsters with Dracula: Untold and 2010’s The Wolfman . Neither of those films resonated with audiences or critics, but one good thing did eventually come out of it: the course correction that is Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man . The Invisible Man offers a full reimagining of the original H.G. Wells tale by turning it into a social commentary on domestic violence and gaslighting. It may not keep you up at night, but it touches on the fears that someone is always watching you, as well as the horrifying concept of someone actively trying to drive you crazy (even more so for women). Blumhouse, the company behind that 2020 hit, has fueled some of the more successful horror films in recent years, from the Purge franchise to the “scariest” film according to science, Sinister . Still, a fast heart rate doesn’t quite replicate the same cultural effect as The Exorcist , and while Sinister may be the scariest film ever according to “data,” that seems more attributable to the famous lawnmower scene causing a significant rise in heart rates than it being an overall scary movie. The best thing The Invisible Man did was highlight one of the horror genre’s biggest strengths, which is the unseen. The unseen, especially before a jump scare, is precisely why jump scares often work. It’s also why ghost stories remain so effective. The Conjuring and Insidious are other modern examples of effectively scary films, even if they don’t inspire the same widespread fear as The Exorcist ; however, I do think The Conjuring has created another issue permeating modern horror: branding. The Conjuring has ultimately become its own cinematic universe, taking the loosest bit of “true stories” and weaving them into a film that somehow ties into the real-life paranormal investigators/charlatan couple, the Warrens. Annabelle and the Nun have both become leaders of their own spin-off franchises, but like with movie monsters, the more that is shown, the less scary these characters are. The greatest example of this is Annabelle Comes Home , the third film featuring the demonic doll. It serves as a fun romp through the Warrens’ occult museum, but it’s more focused on setting up new spinoffs and serving as a litmus test to see what the studios can turn into a film later than it is delivering scares. The first two The Conjuring films focused more on ghosts and the unseen, but the spinoffs have turned into a whole ‘nother thing. Same thing can be said about what The Walking Dead has done to the zombie. Though the show uses practical makeup and effects, and is technically a horror show, it’s more of a brand than anything else at this point. People do not watch it to get scared. Anecdotally, it feels like a show for people who dislike horror, as the only fans of the show that I know aren’t typically horror people. It’s a post-apocalyptic survival show that uses zombies as a selling point. The zombies are almost irrelevant at this point, and they certainly aren’t scaring anyone. So, is there anything that can be done to revitalize the horror in horror? The answer is I’m unsure. The ghost story still seems effective, building upon the notion of the unseen, and a lot of fear can be generated from items moving around inexplicably. As for any creature features, there is an uphill climb to get away from the recent norm of computer-generated spectacle. CGI monsters don’t inspire fear, zombies have been overdone, and practical effects are becoming rarer and rarer. Lovecraftian tales are a little more effective as they typically deal with unknown and unseen forces, while also blending them with bizarre and horrific practical effects (two notable examples being Annihilation ’s bear and the fused bodies in The Color Out of Space ). There’s also the fact that I think the indifference and nihilism within Lovecraftian stories represents the current cultural landscape really well, as the state of the world has left many feeling hopeless. These types of stories may prove to be more effective in horrifying and inspiring dread, especially among younger generations who dread every day life. And in the prior statement lies my final point: the world is scary. There is so much instability and anxiety in every factor of real life that horror can barely compare. There is hardly a singular monster we can channel all our insecurities into like in days past. For Cold War insecurities, we had pod people and The Thing . For a youth culture interested in breaking the taboos of premarital sex and recreational drug use, the slasher entered the scene. Wartime scandals like Abu Ghraib were mirrored by torture porn like Hostel and Saw . Now, we have all that and more, and it’s everywhere…television, news, social media, a crowded street, the dinner table. We can’t escape it, and the only truly scary thing is the feeling of “oh, god, what’s next?” Hardly anything can compare to “not knowing” and the unexplainable, which is why I feel ghost stories still manage to maintain a hold on audiences most consistently. It’s also why I feel that Lovecraftian horror is maybe the only chance we have at making films truly scary again. The unknown is terrifying, especially when one considers all of the known horrors in the world. At the end of the day, though, horror is in the eye of the beholder. There is no one thing that scares everyone anymore. Horror has expanded to a plethora of subgenres and niches. Still, it has managed to stay relevant, and is beginning to reemerge as a more popular genre following films like Get Out and Hereditary . Recent films like Barbarian and Terrifier 2 are showing film studios that there is a market for good horror, and more importantly, that these films don’t need a huge budget or an over-reliance on CGI to be successful. Hell, Terrifier 2 has had some of the best viral marketing I’ve seen thanks to the leaked clip that so many found too gruesome (personally, I thought it was hilarious, but different strokes for different folks). Ultimately, the future of horror as a genre seems to be in good hands, but it remains to be seen what that means in terms of actual scares. Photo Credits: Photo 1, 4, 7, 8 - Universal Pictures; Photo 2, 3, 6 - 20th Century Studios; Photo 5, 10 - Paramount Pictures; Photo 9 - Warner Bros.; Photo 11 - Bloody Disgusting

Previous Next June 17, 2022 WRITTEN BY: JOSEPH As we come to the halfway point of Pride Month, I feel it’s important to shine a light on some spectacular queer films and series. Sadly, due to the likes of the Hays Code and the Legion of Decency (perfect supervillain group name, btw), many minorities, including queer people, were unable to be depicted on screen in the early to mid-20th century, so the entries on this list are relatively recent. That being said, these titles barely scratch the surface of queer media, and I implore you to seek out the beautiful work being done on a daily basis by the queer community. As for the list, while some titles may be more about the subtext, others are more direct and explicit. I did my best to include the underseen gems and less traditional options that often get overshadowed by more mainstream fare. That’s why you won’t see the likes of Moonlight and Schitt’s Creek below. Nevertheless, I feel there is something on this list for everyone, and I hope you walk away from this article with at least one new entry for your Watch Queue. But, more importantly, I hope you come to understand that the LGBTQ+ community is not a monolith. It’s a wide spectrum, and queer representation on screen should be depicted as such. Hopefully, as society begins to embrace alternate lifestyles more and more, so will Hollywood. I wish you all a Happy Pride Month, and may you all live your truest, fullest lives! WEEKEND (2011) While I haven’t seen the classic Before trilogy starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, Weekend has aptly been regarded by many as its queer contemporary. Following a one-night stand, Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) begin to form a bond over the course of Glen’s last weekend before he leaves the country. The film asks its viewers the question “can you fall in love in just three days?” As they spend more time together, you find it increasingly believable that the answer is “yes.” It’s arguably the best gay romance ever made, and one that has not been granted the same level of praise as similar films such as Call Me by Your Name . BOYS DON'T CRY (1999) There has been plenty of debate regarding cisgendered actors portraying trans characters in recent years, but it’s hard to deny that Hilary Swank gives an amazing performance as Brandon Teena in Boys Don’t Cry . The film follows Teena’s last days as he experiences romance and friendship in the lead up to a tragically violent death. The true story is heartbreaking, and the film does a great job of capturing that pain. Along with that, it goes the extra mile to show Teena’s process in transitioning from pre-op transgendered male to present masculine. The film was originally rated NC-17 in the United States, and it certainly came with a fair share of controversies, including concerns about historical accuracy; however, it’s an undeniably powerful film that, while not a happy watch, definitely leaves an impression. COWBOYS (2020) It’s hard to think of a film that was as fully overlooked at awards time as Cowboys . This quaint character piece of a man trying to support his young, transgendered son is heart wrenching. Steve Zahn gives the performance of his career, playing to his strengths and showcasing a talent that had been previously unseen for the most part. It’s an emotional coming of age film that deserves your attention. MYSTERIOUS SKIN (2004) Filmmaker Gregg Araki has become more appreciated as the years have gone by, but I don’t think it’s controversial to say Mysterious Skin is his best work as a director. The film is an adaptation of Scott Heim’s novel of the same name, which follows two young men in a small town - one is a hustler (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the other (Brady Corbet) believes he was abducted by aliens. The film is a sickening yet beautiful portrayal of how trauma manifests itself. Araki does a spectacular job at directing certain scenes in a way that evokes the appropriate feelings of disgust while also capturing a sense of whimsy. It’s one of my favorite films, and while it’s not for everyone, it is a must-watch. EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE (2021) In terms of Pride, good luck finding a film that’s more loud and proud than Everybody’s Talking About Jamie . Based on the hit stage production of the same name, this musical follows a high schooler’s (Max Harwood) journey to becoming a drag queen. The music is an absolute blast and the film itself is visually stunning. There are a multitude of traditional high school themes and tropes, but they're all done full justice in the telling of this unique story. It’s a great example of how to properly adapt a musical and bring the energy of the stage to the screen. Good luck watching this without smiling the whole way through. GOOD MANNERS (2017) You’ve probably never heard of this Brazilian film, but Good Manners should be on the top of any queer horror film list. It’s filled with so much heart and tenderness that it’s absolutely adorable at times. Yes, a tender and adorable horror movie, but it’s hard to describe it without those words. Go into it blind, expect some sad moments and some deaths, but mostly, be prepared for a unique film experience and a creature feature like no other. KNIFE+HEART (2018) Another international film that should top queer horror lists is Knife+Heart . This film isn’t for the faint-hearted, as it follows a gay porn studio whose stars are being killed off one by one. Done in Giallo-style, Knife+Heart is a colorful treat that is more cerebral than scary, yet it nevertheless delivers. Sure, it’s explicit with its violence and sexuality, but with a premise like that, what else would you expect? G.B.F. (2013) G.B.F. is a fantastic teen comedy that had a small cult following around its release that has since dwindled somewhat. Standing for “Gay Best Friend,” the movie follows a freshly outed teen (Michael J. Willett) who is being sought after by various popular girls who feel that having a gay best friend is necessary to their popularity. There are a lot of moving parts, but it touches on friendships and self-acceptance while making you laugh the whole way through. Along with that, it shows why Pride is so necessary to make a statement and that queer identities are not there to just help people get social points or virtue signal. LUCA (2021) In early 2022, Pixar employees claimed that Disney and Pixar had cut out nearly all gay affection and explicit representation in their films, which highlighted that corporate meddling had derailed the storytellers’ attempts to be inclusive. When hearing that, one film that instantly came to mind is Luca . A film about two friends sharing the same hidden identity that could get them hurt if they went public feels like it was meant to be a queer story in many ways. Even if it wasn't, the subtext is strong enough that it can be embraced as such, especially considering the powerful final words from the grandmother. WE ARE WHO WE ARE (2020) Jack Dylan Grazer is one of the most talented up-and-coming actors in Hollywood, and his work in We Are Who We Are really puts that on full display. This miniseries certainly has its primary characters, but it’s really an ensemble piece that explores issues of love, infidelity, identity, and life. It’s a multifaceted, multi-layered series that hits on every human emotion. It can best be described as “just good vibes.” NOW APOCALYPSE (2019) Another Gregg Araki entry, Now Apocalypse highlights sexuality and self-discovery between young people through Araki’s bizarre indie film style and a neon-soaked backdrop. The characters are filled with so much life and personality that it's a shame the show was canceled after one season. Now Apocalypse is a statement that sexuality is essential to the human condition and that there are multiple ways to display it with personal zeal and agency. It’s weird, quirky, and fun. HERE COMES YOUR MAN (2021- PRESENT) Dekkoo is an up-and-coming streaming service that focuses on primarily queer content, and their original series Here Comes Your Man is one of the best things I’ve seen on the platform. It’s a truly independent show that feels as professional and well-funded as anything I’ve seen. Writer/director Omar Salas Zamora understands what he wants out of his story and absolutely delivers. While it could stand alone as a miniseries, I am looking forward to the upcoming second season. If the aforementioned Weekend catches your eye, you’ll definitely want to check out this show about a year-long, unexpected gay romance. HOLLYWOOD (2020) In another world, things like the Hays Code and Legion of Decency would have been nipped in the bud, but sadly, too many studio executives gave in to the pressure. Well, what if they didn’t? Ryan Murphy’s miniseries Hollywood reimagines the past through an alternate timeline that allows us to imagine a brave new world where individuals like Rock Hudson could be openly gay and not blackmailed via threat of being outed. It’s not a flawless show and things work out a little too well, but it's nice to imagine a world where progress started a lot earlier, begging the question: Where would we be now? EVERY DISNEY MOVIE WITH A MEMORABLE VILLAIN Admittedly, this is a bit of a hot take, but one that I am standing my ground on. See, back in the day when Hollywood was lousy with censorship due to things like the Hays Code, queer characters were left in the shadows since they couldn’t be explicitly shown on screen. As a result, to some degree of mockery, there were certain signs of a character being queer. Typically, the telltale signs were flamboyance, being unwed, and being the villain. Some are explicit, like The Little Mermaid ’s Ursula, whose look was directly inspired by drag queen Divine; meanwhile, others are a little less clear, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ’ Evil Queen or 101 Dalmatians ’ Cruella de Vil. Still, these specific traits are shared by so many Disney villains. Despite the original intent to villainize the queer community, many of these characters have been reclaimed by the community and are queer icons now. Disney seems to have made better, though still questionable, efforts with recent representation though, from the genderfluid aliens Pleakley and Jumba in Lilo & Stitch to Frozen ’s queer-coded ice queen Elsa. There’s more work to do, but incremental progress is still progress. Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Peccadillo Pictures; Photo 2 - Searchlight Pictures; Photo 3 - Samuel Goldwyn Films; Photo 4 - Palisades Tartan; Photo 5 - Amazon Studios; Photo 6 - Imovision; Photo 7 - Memento Films; Photo 8 - Vertical Entertainment; Photo 9, 14 Disney; Photo 10 - HBO; Photo 11 - Starz; Photo 12 - Dekkoo; Photo 13 - Netflix

MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN: SEASON FOUR Starring: Jeremy Renner, Hugh Dillon, Tobi Bamtefa, Taylor Handley, Derek Webster, Hamish Allan-Headley, Nishi Munshi, Necar Zadegan, Laura Benanti, Lennie James, and Edie Falco Creators: Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon QUENTIN With a soft reboot in its fourth — and, by some reports, penultimate — season, Mayor of Kingstown has emerged as the best and most consistent of Taylor Sheridan’s seven(!) Paramount+ properties (I am, admittedly, still catching up on Landman ’s second season). Jeremy Renner’s star power and relatable too-old-for-this-shit energy, alongside new cast additions Edie Falco and Lennie James, goes a long way, but the character chemistry, layered storytelling, and willingness to not play it safe makes the bleak exploration of gang warfare and enduring corruption endlessly compelling, if not relentlessly grim. It’s easily the best season so far, just in time for (maybe) a stretch run. ROBERT Paramount+ is boosted by three entities: NFL football, CBS procedurals, and Taylor Sheridan. He creates and writes gritty American stories, with one of his best being Wind River . From his work on that came a relationship with Jeremy Renner and Mayor of Kingstown . By Season Four, the show knows what it is, but unfortunately, it coasts off its mature rating and star power, with conclusions coming too easily and silly character decisions undercutting plot threads spun out over multiple episodes. I respect how danger lurks constantly and no one, outside of Renner, feels safe to see another day, but otherwise, Kingstown feels inconsequential. Check out our reviews for Season Three HERE .

STRANGER THINGS: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Eduardo Franco, and Joseph Quinn Creators: The Duffer Brothers PAIGE PART ONE With Part One of Stranger Things ‘ fourth season, The Duffer Brothers set the stage for the darkest, scariest, and strangest season yet. In reflecting how far these characters and the audience have come, the tone is more mature while also keeping the elements that have made it Netflix’s best original series intact. Furthermore, the scope of the season is insane, with a reported price tag of $30 million per episode. It was worth every penny because this season is truly astonishing. It feels more like a cinematic experience than a TV series, and each episode will keep you on the edge of your seat. PART TWO Part Two marks the beginning of the end for Stranger Things , which is thrilling for both the characters and the fans. It’s truly one of the best seasons of television ever created, achieved by elevating the series’ greatest aspects through a more cinematic approach and more mature inspiration. It’s much closer to dark horror films like Poltergeist and A Nightmare on Elm Street than E.T. and The Goonies now. Given the episode runtimes, Netflix probably should have released the season weekly, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’ll be glad you got stuck in the Upside Down again. QUENTIN PART ONE For multiple reasons, I was skeptical about Stranger Things ’ fourth season, and while it’s certainly not terrible, Part One just didn’t do it for me. There are four mostly unconnected storylines, but since they are working overtime to set up Part Two (and the final season), they are only interesting about half the time. It’s also a little distracting just how much the child actors have aged out of their characters. That said, this season is the best since Season One, and there are nearly six hours of story still to come. It’s possible that everything ties together nicely once all is said and done. PART TWO Being Part Two, it’s understandable that several of my issues with Part One have carried over to these final episodes. That said, the disparate storylines (unnecessary subplots and all) eventually come together in a way that mostly make sense, and the final showdown may be the best stretch of the entire series. However, judging the season as a whole, it just takes so long to get to the grand finale (not to mention the 40-minute epilogue) that the climactic impact of it is somewhat muted. Still, it’s a worthwhile, if imperfect, season, and I hope Metallica’s “Master of Puppets'' enjoys the same “Kate Bush bump.” AMARÚ PART ONE The long awaited fourth season of Stranger Things jumps right into the series’ major strength: lovable young stars with refined acting ability being comfortable in their roles. They carry this season through fairly commonplace coming-of-age, thriller, and horror storylines. It’s a much darker season, and show creators The Duffer Brothers bring that out with grander scale, story, and direction. The cast fills the growing world with charm and commitment, and while the episodes’ length are heavily felt if binge-watched, following the characters you love keeps your eyes glued to the screen. Now we wait expectantly for the final two episodes to arrive with Part Two. PART TWO In its fourth season, Stranger Things is the strongest it has ever been, arguably positioning itself to be one great season away from being the best Sci-Fi series of all time. It takes all the best parts of previous seasons and learns from their missteps. Breaking the season into two parts allows for the final two episodes (aka movies) to wrap up multiple storylines with extremely satisfying cohesion, concluding the penultimate season in an intense and emotional way. It also has one of the most badass guitar solos in recent memory, which mirrors the exhilaration evoked throughout the nine epic episodes. JACOB PART ONE Packed with story to the point of straining, the first part of Season Four of Stranger Things is nonetheless off to a great start. It’s unlikely anything surpasses the micro-miracle of Season One, but this batch of episodes does a lot to resurrect the good parts of the last two seasons, including re-introducing the Upside Down and Hawkins Lab as major players in the overall narrative. It can sometimes feel overwhelming with the epic runtimes and multiple story threads to follow, but the character work and performances are excellent, while the editing this time around may be the best it’s ever been. PART TWO Following the release of Part Two, I can confidently say that this season of Stranger Things is easily the best season since the first, a return to form for the show itself, and a huge triumph for Netflix. There is a lot of story to keep up with, which can make some episodes feel bloated, but on the whole, it’s excellently paced and brilliantly edited. The Amblin-style horror vibes are back in full-force, and nearly every character gets something interesting to do as the season finale ratchets up the tension for one final go-round. Bring on season 5!

GRISELDA Starring: Sofía Vergara, Alberto Guerra, Christian Tappán, Martín Rodríguez, and Juliana Aidén Martinez Creators: Carlo Bernard, Ingrid Escajeda, Doug Miro, and Eric Newman QUENTIN “The only man I was ever afraid of was…Griselda Blanco." - Pablo Escobar When you lead with that quote, an expectation of pure evil is set. Sadly, Griselda rarely paints Blanco, played terrifically by Sofía Vergara in a performance that demonstrates her dramatic bonafides, in a light that lives up to that ideal. Sure, she engages in typical narco criminality, but Blanco is depicted more as a paranoid woman trying to succeed in a male-dominated field, not a ruthless kingpin. Plus, at only six episodes, the series is rushed, only giving surface-level insights. The typically comedic Vergara is a revelation, but as a series, Griselda is meh. PRESTON Griselda is a fictionalized miniseries based on the life of Colombian drug mafiosa, Griselda Blanco (Sofía Vergara). At first, the extremely likeable Vergara seems like the wrong casting choice, but as the series progresses, you realize it is all part of the beautifully ugly transformation that makes for a believable and relatable story that will have you intermittently wondering, “Am I rooting for her?!” Attention to detail is appreciated in the use of proper dialectical Spanish vernacular choices, but not so much with the utterly distracting makeup for Vergara. No matter, though; this is highly bingeable entertainment!

Previous Next January 28, 2026 WRITTEN BY: QUENTIN After Fantasy Filmfest 2025 delivered some of my favorite genre movies of the year, including Good Boy , The Toxic Avenger , and Code 3 , I couldn’t wait for their quick-hitter festival, Fantasy Filmfest: White Nights. Thankfully, despite being smaller in stature, it still delivered the goods. But before we get to the ranking, what is White Nights? White Nights is a two-day festival that takes place near simultaneously across seven German cities, and much like the core Fantasy Filmfest, it focuses on thriller, horror, and sci-fi. As always, White Nights features 10 films. This year included the feature film directorial debuts from YouTube sensation Chris Stuckmann, which was the most-funded horror film project in Kickstarter history, and Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller. It also featured My Daughter is a Zombie , which was nominated for seven Blue Dragon Film Awards (Korea’s equivalent to The Golden Globes). Unfortunately, I only saw eight of the 10 movies because the final two overlapped with the New England Patriots playoff game, and I’m nothing if not a man who has his priorities straight. First, New Zealand’s horror comedy sequel Deathgasm: Goremaggedon ; second, the Turkish remake of The Coffee Table , aptly titled The Turkish Coffee Table . Still, it was a great festival (and the Pats won!), and I look forward to attending each Fantasy Filmfest iteration for years to come. Until then, let's rank what White Nights 2026 had to offer… 8. EVERY HEAVY THING Every Heavy Thing is terrible. From the low-budget aesthetics to the abysmal performances, it’s an 89-minute endurance test. Even if one wanted to forgive its indie trappings, which is valid, director Mickey Reece’s insistence on adding weird, Max Headroom-ish fever-dream interludes make for an epileptic fit waiting to happen. Admittedly, there is some Lynchian surrealness, which isn’t my thing, but I can usually recognize the merits of such films even though they aren’t for me. I have nothing positive to say here. Late in the movie, one character says, “…the shit that passes for art in this town.” Preach. 7. SHELBY OAKS There was some hype amongst my cohorts surrounding Shelby Oaks because it’s the feature directorial debut of popular YouTuber Chris Stuckmann. To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of Stuckmann, but after watching, I fully believe this was directed by a YouTuber and bankrolled by Kickstarter. The narrative is unremarkably fine for something that wears its influences so blatantly on its sleeve, but something about the direction and performances just exudes homemade YouTube sensibilities. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but for someone who doesn’t enjoy original YouTube content because of its inferior quality, it was jarringly noticeable. Maybe I’m just of the wrong generation for this movie. 6. DOLLY While I appreciate the homage to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre , both in general story and 70s aesthetic, Dolly ultimately falters because there is little in the way of character development. There is plenty of violence and blood, including one especially gnarly kill, but the story is nothing more than a paper-thin final girl trying to survive a murderous psychopath. That’s not to say there isn’t some fun to be had, but the unrelenting moments of gore, modest thrills, and doll-driven creep factor can’t make up for the complete lack of actual plot. This review originally posted with Bitesize Breakdown’s coverage of the Fantastic Fest 2025. 5. CRAZY OLD LADY Everything about Crazy Old Lady , from its title to the premise, is basic. Not “basic” in the way Kristen Bell’s character in The Good Place uses it (Ya basic!), just... simple. I mean, it’s called Crazy Old Lady . What’s it about? It’s about a crazy old lady, lost in dementia, violently hurting those around her. Nothing more, nothing less. And it’s mostly fine while featuring some genuinely unsettling moments. That said, its overall basicness can’t sustain even the modest 94-minute runtime before feeling too repetitive. It’s decent enough, but it would have worked better as a 45-minute episode in an anthology series like Tales from the Crypt . 4. DECORADO Despite vibrant animation that recalls old-school Disney and Looney Tunes, Decorado is a grim and depressing exploration of the meaning of life in a capitalist world. Sure, the points made may be apt, perhaps even relatable to some, but it’s uncomfortable to watch in the same way that movies like Marriage Story are uncomfortable — and, dare I say, not enjoyable — to watch even when they are, admittedly, competently and effectively made. Who wants to sit with such an in-your-face, pessimistic view of the world? Not me, and definitely not while at the cinema. So…high marks for the artistry, but low marks for the entertainment value. 3. THE HOLY BOY As the old saying goes, “there is no joy without pain.” The religion-tinged Italian horror flick The Holy Boy attempts to explore that idea but somewhat loses itself along the way by throwing too many ideas at the screen. On top of that central theme, there are questions about repressed sexual identity, self-agency, appeasing the masses, and cultism. That’s not to say it doesn’t work, just that it gets a little messy. Thankfully, the sleepy mysteries and melancholic atmosphere engage the viewer well enough to keep the narrative momentum moving forward even when a subplot goes astray, making for a serviceable, if not exactly noteworthy, experience. 2. DUST BUNNY Stylish as it may be, featuring a production design that blends the fantastical sensibilities of Tim Burton with Wes Anderson’s whimsy, director Bryan Fuller is seemingly confused about who Dust Bunny is for. Although R-rated, it’s as safe for pre-teens as the PG-rated Gremlins and Ghostbusters , which means those coming for the hardened scares and violence advertised will walk away disappointed given how tame and cutesy it all is. The slow, virtually dialogue-free first act and extremely shoddy special effects won’t help win those people over, either. That said, if allowed to see it, younger audiences and fans of Goosebumps will eat this thing up. 1. MY DAUGHTER IS A ZOMBIE Korea’s highest grossing original film of 2025, My Daughter is a Zombie is an unmitigated delight. Don’t let the “zombie” of it fool you, either, as this has more in common with heartfelt family movies like E.T. and Free Willy than anything resembling The Walking Dead . That includes the piano-driven, 80s-inspired, sitcom score. The performances are terrific, none more so than Choi Yu-ri (the titular daughter) and Lee Jung-eun (her boozy grandmother), which makes investing in both the Korean silliness and surprisingly deep sentimentality easy to do. These types of movies are rarely my thing as I get older, but I can’t deny the overwhelming charm of this one.

PEACEMAKER: SEASON ONE Starring: John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick Creator: James Gunn QUENTIN I loved everything about Peacemaker . First, the little things: great action, R-rated hilarity, and a rad 80s metal soundtrack that support a multi-layered story and a cast with tremendous chemistry. But second, and more importantly, is the star-making turn by John Cena. While terrific in The Suicide Squad , this series highlights Cena’s range as an actor. He imbues Peacemaker with a depth not seen in Squad , making him a tragic, sympathetic figure despite his dickheadery. And let’s talk about those opening credits: They were often the best 80 seconds of my week. I even made the theme song my ringtone. AMARÚ I had some doubts after the first episode of Peacemaker because James Gunn’s comedic dialogue is 50/50. Either it’s absolutely hilarious or it goes over my head, unlike Drax (see what I did there?). What always delivers is Gunn’s heart and earnestness, and throughout every episode, the entire cast embodies both qualities. John Cena proves he’s today’s go-to comedic actor with range, Danielle Brooks is as charming as ever, and Freddie Stroma comes from nowhere to steal the whole show. There isn’t a weak link in the acting, writing, action, or pacing making Peacemaker a bonafide staple in comic-book entertainment. NICK I enjoyed The Suicide Squad , but I’m going to go out on a limb to say that Peacemaker is better. John Cena may be among the most consistent comedic actors today (which is wild to say), and he proves here that he can continue that in a leading role. The accompanying ensemble is a collection of unique characters that all work well together, especially Danielle Brooks’ Adebayo, who is the series’ MVP. It’s vibrant, the violence is reminiscent of The Boys , and it’s bolstered by an exceptional soundtrack, not to mention it has the best intro of any series on air.

THE SHRINK NEXT DOOR Starring: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, and Cornell Womack Creator: Georgia Pritchett QUENTIN When you see a cast list that features Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, and Kathryn Hahn, you likely expect a laugh-out-loud riot. This miniseries is not that. It’s still pretty decent, but it’s far more serious than what you’d want from those involved. Rudd and Ferrell do a great job playing against type as schemingly manipulative and sadly tragic, respectively, though, and while it’s a little slow, it still manages to rope you into its true story by the end. Also, the “based on a podcast” aspect is palpable, as the tone, approach, dialogue, and score feel like Visual NPR.

YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS: SEASON ONE Starring: Jon Hamm, Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Mark Tallman, Hoon Lee, Lena Hall, Aimee Carrero, Isabel Gravitt, and Donovan Colan Creator: Jonathan Tropper QUENTIN Your Friends and Neighbors is a flawed show that is kept afloat by Jon Hamm's excellent performance and a surprising amount of humor. Yes, stories about affluent white men turning to crime have been done before (and better), several of the characters and subplots are entirely unnecessary and underwritten (Coop's (Hamm) sister, Ali (Lena Hall), in particular), and the family aspects can get a little soapy at times; however, I was fully invested in Coop's situation from the jump because Hamm makes it all so damn compelling, both through his presence on screen and his Dexter -like narration, especially in the back half of the season.

Previous Next With the release of The Woman King, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Badass Women in Film. Each writer ranks his or her top 15 characters in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five. 5. SARAH CONNOR (TERMINATOR FRANCHISE) When you think of “badass” characters, Sarah Connor comes to mind almost instantly. From being the final girl in The Terminator to a woman teetering on the edge of sanity in Judgment Day , Linda Hamilton brought this character to life with unmatched energy. While outside of the first two films there hasn’t been the same level of success (critically or financially), the fact that the franchise has continued trying to reinvent and reintroduce the character shows how important she is. There’s even an underrated television show focusing on her. She is tougher and more interesting than most other male badasses, and one of the most layered and complex female action heroes of all time. - Joseph 4. LEIA ORGANA (STAR WARS FRANCHISE) I’m a huge Star Wars fan, so of course I would have the iconic Princess-turned-General Leia Organa listed here! Portrayed by the late, great Carrie Fisher, Leia is the most badass woman in the galaxy far, far away. Not only is she royalty, but she’s one of the greatest leaders of the Rebel Alliance. She’s a feisty woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and take charge, making her a fearless leader that I’ve admired since I was a little girl. There will never be another heroic badass like her in this or any other galaxy. - Paige 3. IMPERATOR FURIOSA (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD) Imperator Furiosa could have been a simple hardened warrior, but with her disability, her incredible fighting spirit, and her deeply felt emotions, she becomes a hero. To have Charlize Theron be the true lead of Mad Max: Fury Road 's stellar ensemble was an inspired choice by director George Miller, and her absolute ferocity is exhilarating to witness. She is, without doubt, one of the most badass female characters of all time. - Jacob 2. BEATRIX KIDDO (KILL BILL FRANCHISE) In Kill Bill , director Quentin Tarantino and star Uma Thurman created the ultimate female badass in a world full of female badasses by getting to the heart of the old adage "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." The Bride (Thurman) violently tears through former assassins, Yakuza bosses, hit squads, and endless henchmen with martial arts, a samurai sword, and a relatable sense of purpose to exact her revenge. She's the definition of a badass, female or otherwise. - Quentin 1. ELLEN RIPLEY (ALIEN FRANCHISE) Over the course of three movies (technically four, but TECHNICALLY, TECHNICALLY that isn’t Ripley in Alien: Resurrection ), Ellen Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) story arc delivers arguably the most well-rounded, fleshed-out character in movie history. She checks every “badass” box: action star, alien killer, mech suit-wearer, mother, leader, martyr, survivor, and all-around woman you don’t wanna mess with. Even her clone is more badass than most characters who only have one body. - Amarú HONORABLE MENTIONS LAURIE STRODE (HALLOWEEN FRANCHISE) RITA VRATASKI (THE EDGE OF TOMORROW) HIT GIRL (KICK-ASS FRANCHISE) CLARICE STARLING (HANNIBAL FRANCHISE) PALOMA (NO TIME TO DIE) Photo Credits: Photo 1 - Paramount Pictures; Photo 2 - Disney; Photo 3 - Warner Bros; Photo 4 - Miramax Films; Photo 5 - 20th Century Studios