RESIDENT EVIL (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

9/21/26

95 minutes

‍ ‍One year after Zach Cregger blessed us with the surprise smash and Oscar winning Weapons, he now moves on to tackle what is arguably the biggest horror franchise in video game history. Resident Evil (or better known as Biohazard in Japan) was first introduced to the world on the PlayStation, PC, and Sega Saturn in 1996. A game so beloved, critically acclaimed, and profitable that it would spawn a never-ending series of sequels, spin-offs, and yes, even movies. I myself am most familiar with the first game, having been gifted it for Christmas back in 1998 for the PlayStation and spent countless hours playing it. Eventually, I suffered through all 6 of the movies that were helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson starting in 2002. Although I found the movies to be rather awful and got worse with every sequel, I can at least say that the first 2, Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Apocalypse, are at least dumb fun and watchable.

After 6 movies and 1 full playthrough of the first video game, I think I have at the very least an average amount of knowledge when it comes to Resident Evil. For those unfamiliar, Resident Evil is a survival horror video game franchise. The Basic Premise: a powerful pharmaceutical company known as The Umbrella Corporation creates viruses that cause humans and animals to mutate. When these experimental viruses escape their facility, all hell breaks loose as expected in the primary setting of Raccoon City. The outbreak of the T-Virus causes humans to become zombies, dogs become aggressive while decaying, monsters are formed, and government officials get worse at coming up with excuses. The character you play has one main objective. Survive. 30 years after it is first introduced and 24 years after its first movie, we now have what I guess we can call a reboot or revisioning. What are my overall thoughts?

The movie solely centers around Bryan (played by Austin Abrams). He is a courier who transports organs in a time sensitive manner. On this particular evening, he is assigned to deliver a mysterious package to the Raccoon General Hospital in Raccoon City. Despite the harsh snowy weather, he makes every effort to get there as quickly as possible. Bryan does not know the contents in this green cooler he is instructed to transport but knows that its importance is a matter of life or death. On his way to the hospital, he hits a woman with his vehicle by complete accident on a desolate, snowy stretch of road. We notice that there are many things wrong with this woman. She is acting strangely, and it’s not just because she got plowed by a vehicle. In a panic, Bryan loads her into his vehicle and proceeds to the hospital. At this point, everything that could possibly go wrong, goes wrong.

I find myself to be in a tough situation because as much as I want to continue talking about the movie, I also really don’t want to spoil it. Resident Evil runs 95 minutes long and my description only covers about 10 minutes of the actual movie. But I do promise you, there is action, excitement, gore, monsters, intense moments, and a lot of humor. Resident Evil continuously throws everything at you in its limited runtime for a guaranteed tightly paced thrill ride. Scenarios are incessantly built one scene after another with an ever so crowd-pleasing payoff. There is no complex storyline or plot that we have to follow. This movie’s goal is to entertain and thrill, and it absolutely accomplishes that.

I want to talk about Austin Abrams here because it’s impressive how well he carries this movie. The humor and charm he brings to the role of Bryan can best be described by me as Chaplinesque. There is a uniqueness in the way he is able to build up an intense moment, only for it to fail in hilarious fashion. It’s so easy to fall in love with the way he nails the comedic timing. His character wins you over quite quickly despite having very little character development. I had first seen Abrams act in a small role in Tragedy Girls back in 2017. A title I recommend by the way. It’s amazing to see how far he has come since then. Many will recognize him in a standout performance as the homeless drug addict in Zach Cregger’s Weapons from last year. He is front and center here and I have a feeling it won’t be for the last time.

‍ ‍One place I could see this new Resident Evil dividing opinions is its faithfulness to the video games. This is a completely different approach than what we saw in the Paul W.S. Anderson movies. There are no surprise characters from the games that show up or moments that will make nerds clap like the seals at the St. Louis Zoo. You might clap and cheer but not in the same fashion some were back in 2002. The entire movie plays out like Kevin Smith’s Clerks (1994), showing one man’s worst day of his life, but with a deranged horror element to it. This is its own original story and characters set in the Resident Evil universe. Those who were hoping for an easter egg hunt or paid to see exactly what they already played in the video games will probably be disappointed. No homework required in this story as well, thank goodness.

OVERALL

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is incredibly creepy, smart, and atmospheric. The score and settings are extravagant. The creatures and monsters are at a level that echo those from John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982). Austin Abrams as I mentioned is extremely likeable and relatable with his character. I love how he is the center focus from beginning to end and plays out exactly like he would a playable character in the video games. I was impressed enough with Abrams’ performance in Weapons, but Resident Evil has definitely solidified him as a major player and a leading star talent. Video Games that get turned into movies have a reputation for being duds right out of the gate. After giving this some thought, this might be the best video game adaptation we have gotten to date. It’s fast, efficient, and entertaining as hell. If that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re getting your money’s worth.

Rating:

**** out of 5

ONSLAUGHT (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

9/21/26

92 minutes

‍ ‍Onslaught is directed by Adam Wingard, fresh off of the big budget Godzilla x Kong summer blockbusters. Recall his film You’re Next, giving the upper class the middle finger, and feminism a high level of respect back in 2011. People immediately took notice. Or perhaps you’ve seen his film The Guest, a stylish, intense, and explosive action extravaganza that released in 2014. It’s easy to see his strengths as a director when viewing these films. Watch his live action remake of Death Note that is currently streaming on Netflix and it’s clear that the guy is far from untouchable. Mr. Wingard has now reteamed with his longtime collaborator and writer, Simon Barrett, along with A24 to get back to their independent filmmaking roots.

‍ The movie takes place in a secluded area of New Mexico. In a heavily guarded, secretive, Area 51 type facility, a Nazi / Scientist by the name of Dr. Hans Kammler (played by Dan Stevens) is working on a cruel experiment over sought by the U.S. Government. How can I describe Dr. Kammler? Google “Mordecai WWE”. He looks almost exactly like this guy who briefly wrestled for WWE in 2004. It’s pretty uncanny with the white tights and bleach blond hair. Now imagine Mordecai wearing a poorly added bald cap on his head to make him look like he lost most of his hair. There you have it, Dr. Hans Kammler. Anyway, this experiment involves programing 3 fallen soldiers into unforgiving, deadly killing machines. They are named Crybaby, Cockroach, and the Butcher.

These 3 zombie-like ICE agents are jacked to the gills and super powerful, built to survive while coded to eliminate anything that moves. During a demonstration that resulted in the deaths of about a dozen regular soldiers, the subjects escape the facility. While still being wired to kill everything and anything, the 3 make their way to nearby destinations to terrorize and murder many innocent people. Their weapon of choice mostly includes heavy-duty fire power. When the ammunition runs out, they resort to meat cleavers and chainsaws to get the job done. One particularly memorable scene shows off their ruthless abilities inside of a truck stop. A massacre ensues with the purpose of leaving absolutely no survivors.

Nearby, while all of this is happening, we are introduced to Celeste (played by Adria Arjona). She formally was a solder in the army but now manages a trailer park located a bit away from any type of civilization. How can I best describe Celeste? I imagine the filmmakers asking her to do a Michelle Rodriguez impersonation and there you have it. She is struggling quite a bit in life. Her ex is threatening to take away her daughter, she appears to be experiencing post-traumatic stress, and her noisy trailer park clients just can’t pay their rent on time. She is however a trained sniper and something of a survival expert herself. When the squad of killing machines show up, another massacre is about to go down. It’s up to Celeste to protect her daughter and the local residents. Her skills are about to be put to the ultimate test.

My immediate issue with Onslaught is its build-up and then its payoff. Crybaby, Cockroach, and the Butcher sound pretty badass, right? They are built up as such. Three forces ready to take out every human being. You are convinced that nothing can stop them. But what happens then they reach a trailer park? Suddenly they turn into The Three Stooges. Where are the guys we saw in the first half? They still continue to pound the competition, but nowhere near the same level we witnessed earlier. You’re telling me that these trailer park hosiers are more trained and equipped to take on this battle unexpectedly over the soldiers we watched get destroyed earlier? I don’t buy it. I felt cheated.

Onslaught has quite a bit going on and tries to cram it all in in just 92 minutes. I haven’t even gotten to the subplots involving Celeste’s daughter, the traumatic experiences in the army that keep her up at night, the neighbor characters, and the government cover-ups. All of these things eat into the big finale that feel lackluster and rushed. The overall plot borrows inspiration from John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), and this is where things mostly work. It’s everything around it that doesn’t. Every time you start to get into a scene or something that is finally working, the movie shifts to another scene or plot point that kills the pacing. Even the Evil Dead (2013) inspired finale can’t save this one. Sure, its gory, but the sloppy writing gives me little to no reason to care or feel excited.

‍ ‍oVERALL

The thing about Adam Wingard’s early films like You’re Next and The Guest, you need to remember that those movies were made years ago. You’re Next is now 15 years old! It’s still great after just reciently revisiting it. But some directors lose their touch. Coming back to a more indepedent filmmaking approach might be tough after spending years directing movies with $130 million dollar budgets. In the case of Onslaught, I’m sorry Mr. Wingard, but this movie just isn’t it. I will continue to watch what he feeds me, but I hope it’s better than his last 4 movies.

rating

**1/2 out of 5

GRAND THEFT AUTO VI: AN EXTENDED LOOK (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

9/3/26

27 minutes

‍ ‍We're getting close. I can feel it. A video game that is going to be so epic, even my grandma will be playing it. Of course, I'm talking about Grand Theft Auto VI. I hope you gamers have your PTO approved for the week of and after November 19th, 2026. I also hope that in preparation for this time you plan to stockpile 5-hour Energy Shots, G FUEL, Pizza Rolls, and Chickie Nuggies to get you through it with as minimal movement as possible. We now know that this thing is absolutely real. It is happening. After the official trailer drop 3 years ago and an extremely lengthy delay timeline, the wait will finally be over soon.

In anticipation of a video game that will no doubt make 40-year-olds never leave their parents basement and add more excuses for girlfriends to get mad at their boyfriends, an "Extended Look" feature dropped on Netflix. This Extended Look, glorified trailer, showcase, call it what you will runs for only 27 minutes. I think it does an excellent job at showing off what to expect. Looking at these segments, the thing that strikes me first is its realism. Lifelike detail, lighting, voice acting, characters, and camera movement hit you all at once. In its opening shot on the streets, your immediate reaction is a need to explore this open world video game on your own. The video first takes you inside a shady, run-down apartment complex. But I don’t want to go in there. I want to explore what I know will be a massive map layout. It’s tough to just simply watch and not get the chance to play.

I can tell that there is going to be a great deal of focus on the characters and their backstory. Our 2 leads are Lucia and Jason, who work well together given this preview’s limited run time. They play out like a modern-day Bonnie & Clyde, showing portions of their relationship and chemistry while displaying their violent behavior all around the city of Miami. The preview promises all the things that fans of previous installments in this franchise are accustomed to. Shootings, robberies, fighting, car jackings, and explosions. Crime themed missions look cinematic, like a cross between the mob movies of director Martin Scorsese and the epic scale of director Michael Mann. The intensity is immeasurable and the gameplay is engaging. The series has also noticeably not lost its touch when it comes to having a sense of humor. The riff on Arby’s sandwich commercials on a television got a big laugh from me. Montages of activities range from motorcross racing, all the way to deep sea diving. There will never be a shortage of things to do in this game. Say goodbye to your social life if you ever had one.

The thing I’m most looking forward to are the radio stations and their track listings. Vibing while exploring the game layout has always been the most important part for me in Grand Theft Auto. This goes all the way back to cruising the streets of Vice City on the PS2 back in 2002. “Let Your Love Flow” by The Bellamy Brothers appropriately begins over the Grand Theft Auto VI logo. A montage of chaos while “People are People” by Depeche Mode blasting with a resoundingly heavy bass tells me that we will for sure be getting an 80’s New Wave radio station. Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) by Phil Collins is also another standout needle drop. I’m too old to recognize a few of the more modern songs. Of course, this only scratches the surface of what is to come once the full game is released.

One massive controversy looming over the release of Grand Theft Auto VI is Sony’s big announcement of the discontinuation of physical game discs starting at the beginning of 2028. I’ve never purchased an entire game or movie digitally and never plan to. Retail purchases of the game will only include a digital download code. As of right now, there are no plans to release Grand Theft Auto VI on disc. This is really disappointing to hear since I’ve been a huge media collector my entire life. Physical Media is important to me bea-cu-ase it provides true ownership, the freedom to sell or trade, and you never have to worry about it disappearing from your library. Being a huge cheerleader for physical media and hearing this after being hyped for so long was a big letdown. I do hope Sony and Rockstar Games have a change of heart, but my gamer friend I spoke with has serious doubts and told me not to hold my breath.

Just through this short video, I know that once you enter the world of Grand Theft Auto VI, it’s going to be tough to be pulled away from it. The pure scale of it is mesmerizing. Guaranteed to cure boredom and waste countless hours on. Who knows where we will be in the world of gaming in 10 to 20 years. I’ll probably laugh at my own comments about the game’s realism in the future. But where we are right now looking at these graphics and this world, “impressive” doesn’t even come close to describing it. I believe “insane” is a far more appropriate word. I know we waited years for this game to be released but If Grand Theft Auto VI is even half as good as this Extended Look, it will absolutely be worth the wait.

Grand Theft Auto VI will be available for the PS5 and XBOX on November 19th, 2026. The Extended Look was exclusive to Netflix for only a few hours. It has since been ported to YouTube. It can be viewed HERE.

BUDDY (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

9/2/26

95 minutes

I came across a tweet a few days ago from a well-respected Film Critic who caught Buddy at Sundance back in January. I won’t mention this critic by name, but his tweet reads “I saw Buddy at Sundance and was not a fan. ... Easily one of the worst films I’ve seen this year.” Dang man, that’s harsh. Up there with Return to Silent Hill, Scream 7, or even Renny Harlin’s The Strangers: Chapter 3? Me however, I’m not well-respected, I’m only a Film Critic in my own head, and probably only 2 people are going to read this review. Those are a few things I share in common with one friend who happened to attend the same Sundance screening. He gave Buddy his highest recommendation and simply told me to “Go see it!”. Hearing that was more than enough for me to go into this one blind.

I can best describe Buddy as a combination of children’s television programs from the 90’s. It’s Barney & Friends (1992), mixed in with a hint of Teletubbies (1997), and sprinkled in with bits of Blues Clues (1996). Heck, I’d even throw in Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (1986) for good measure. But looming over these shows, ready to ruin everybody’s day is somewhat of a cross between Willy’s Wonderland (2021) and Peter Jackson’s Meet the Feebles (1989). The show is called “It’s Buddy”. It’s sequence of events are presented in the style of a TV show, complete with opening and closing credits. After one episode ends, another one begins. But ‘It’s Buddy’ is a slow burn, with the show starting pretty straight forward before progressing more and more into a twisted nightmare.

The world of the ‘It’s Buddy’ TV show is quite on the nose when compared to what it’s mimicking. From the vibrant colored houses, fake plastic grass, and foamy flowers with happy faces on them all the way to the Standard Definition image quality and 4:3 Aspect Ratio. If this show aired as it is back in the 90’s, absolutely nobody would question it. It really is that visually accurate. Its colorful characters are made up of adults wearing suits (or so it appears), and the host is named Buddy (of course). Buddy is a bright orange unicorn who begins each episode as a stuffed plush toy before blowing up and coming to life whenever someone says his name out loud. He starts out innocent enough before revealing manipulative and narcissistic-like behavior before bursting out in a violent rage.

We are also introduced to Buddy’s friend and sidekick Betty Bunny, a cheery pink mascot-like rabbit who is always ready to play and participate in activities. There is also the anthropomorphic choo-choo train named Charlie, Mr. Mailbox, Strappy the backpack, Trashy, Couchy, the Worry Well, and Willie the Ventriloquist Doll. Child actors sing and dance with bright grins, positive energy, and overly joyful tones in their voices. The child actors are all very good here and understand their assignment quite well. Especially the leader of the pack, Freddy, who is played by Delaney Quinn. I also must mention the human supporting characters Nurse Nancy and Mailman Miles. There is more than enough material here to have done a serious children’s programming 13-episode TV series.

Like Barney & Friends, each episode has a theme or a life lesson. The plot begins with a dance party where all the magical characters and children are more than enthusiastic to participate in. All except one child named Josh. Josh does not want to dance, even after Buddy presents him with magical dancing shoes. When Josh’s behavior continues to not be in line to Buddy’s liking, Josh disappears. It does not take long for the other children to suspect that Buddy had something to do with it. With Josh’s bloody book in hand as evidence, their concerns fall on deaf ears. The world of ‘It’s Buddy’ is a place where any negative energy is strictly prohibited. Any such emotion causes Buddy to grow increasingly frustrated and often turn deadly. This sparks a plan from the children to leave the ‘It’s Buddy’ set in search of Diamond City. This is something the deranged and psychopathic Buddy just cannot allow.

‍ ‍Buddy is directed by Casper Kelly, who's comedic horror sitcom short film Too Many Cooks went viral and gained massive popularity back in 2014. It’s easy to see the tonal similarities when making comparisons. Seeing characters in a TV show break free from the traditional writing algorithm surprisingly works well here. There is a complete abrupt halt in the story close to half-way through where we are introduced to new characters, a different story, and dealings with what is happening in the real world. This shift in the story is something that I could see being a problem for many. It is a bit jarring, but it all does circle back around to where the story started. I promise. I feel that it all adds to the unpredictable nature of what is already a bizarre concept to begin with.

OVERALL

I’m surprised by how well the premise of Buddy actually works. It’s oddly nostalgic while at the same time also feeling demented. A fun time for those who, like me, have an immature sense of humor. If that is your thing, then this is right up your alley. I’m reading that the production budget for Buddy was only $250,000. Impressive if true. Looks like yet another financial win for independent horror movies in 2026. Perhaps that Film Critic I mentioned watched a totally different Buddy. Is it possible he watched the 1996 film starring Rene Russo and Alan Cumming by mistake? I can most definitely believe that to be on a “worst of the year” list.

rating

***1/2 out of 5

TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

8/27/26

112 minutes

‍ ‍Warning: Minor Spoilers

Moviegoers who knowingly buy a ticket for a movie titled Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma are guaranteed to get the 3 things the title promises. Firstly, there is sex. Lots of it. It’s loud and proud while also feeling awkward and unafraid. Second thing, we got death. There are campers being killed even within the minute the movie begins. Lastly, there is a camp, and it is indeed named Camp Miasma. You are promised those things, and you get them. But it may not be in a way you would expect. You’re expecting a slasher movie. Right? It is. But it goes so much further than that. I’m seeing this movie described in all kinds of different wild ways I’ve never even heard before. A “satirical surrealist psychological slasher”, a “psychosexual meta-horror comedy”, or how about a “steamy queer romantic slasher”. That last one is my favorite. If that isn’t your thing, you can stop reading now.

‍ ‍In this “steamy queer romantic slasher”, a young and promising filmmaker named Kris Williams (played by Hannah Einbinder) is hired to direct a reboot of a long running 80’s horror franchise, Camp Miasma. A montage of clips and articles give a pretty good idea of its rise, fall, popularity, and cult status. The films are best described as a cross between Sleepaway Camp and Friday the 13th. In Camp Miasma, a killer named “Little Death” (played by Jack Haven) stalks the camping grounds looking for horny teenagers to slaughter. Little Death was raised multigender by the parents during childhood and was murdered after being drowned by bullies in the camp lake. The ghost of Little Death rises from that same frozen lake every year in a white HVAC hazmat suit, an oversized square metal vent over its head, and armed with a long double-sided, double-bladed sharp spear.

‍ ‍The popularity of the Camp Miasma franchise dropped after a string of unsatisfying sequels, diminishing returns, and the cancel culture boom of 2020. Our reboot filmmaker, Kris, is instructed to make this new Camp Miasma reboot far less problematic to appease and not offend modern audiences. Despite its homophobic history and Kris being queer herself, she is still a life-long, die-hard fan of Camp Miasma. This is the thing that actually played a big part in her queer awakening during childhood. Not wanting to let the original movie lore to die outright, she plans a visit to the home of actress Billy Presley (played by Gillian Anderson). Billy played the “Final Girl” in the first Camp Miasma film.

‍ ‍The plan for Kris is to develop a working relationship with Billy, get a feel for the new movie, and reprise her role in the new film. But Billy is a recluse and hasn’t acted in years. Think of her as Shelley Duvall in her later years. Billy also strangely lives on the actual campgrounds the Camp Miasma series was filmed. Things start to go off the rails following a screening of the first movie between the two women. There are deeply personal confessions about sex, sexual assault, sexual fantasies, awkward sex, being bad at sex, good sex, etc. If you ever wanted to see Skully from The X-Files pleasure someone with great satisfaction, your prayers have been answered. An organism then spawns “Little Death” from the nearby lake. We are now in the movie within the movie.

I’m reminded of 2 other films here that may have borrowed inspiration. The first one being Anguish (1987), where we, the audience, are watching an audience watch a movie. We got 2 movies for the price of one with Anguish. The same could be said for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. We take a break from the story we have been following to watch another film that the characters have been admiring. The 2nd inspiration is Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994). Filmmakers making a new Freddy Krueger movie are living the real-life nightmare, just like our 2 leads at Camp Miasma.

It’s clear that director Jane Schoenbrun is a massive horror fanatic. Sometimes I feel we get hit with references a bit too often. A scene with a phone call to an agent (played by Sarah Sherman) unloads an obnoxious number of name-drops and actors to the point where I’m saying “Ok, I get it. You like horror movies”. But a reference to the 1981 slasher flick The Burning in the manor it’s delivered got a pretty good laugh out of me. It feels weird that Sleepaway Camp and Camp Miasma exist in the same universe when both movies share such a similar controversial twist. Friday the 13th is curiously never mentioned by name despite being an obvious inspiration. Cleverly, fake Camp Miasma VHS covers are seen that you know were heavily inspired by the Friday the 13th franchise posters. A DVD of Camp Miasma VI: A New Beginning that Kris picks up from the store has artwork that is a definite nod to the Friday the 13th Deluxe Edition DVD line from 2009. I much enjoy little things like this.

The standout performance is easily Gillian Anderson. Playing a former actress turned recluse who is not only able to suck her visitor into a bizarre fantasy world, but the viewers as well. Her character as a retired performer is parallel to that of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1950). I don’t see many films on Anderson’s resume. I know of her role in The Last King of Scottland (2006) and her more recent job in Tron Ares (2025). Her massive film gap screams an Amy Madigan type comeback for me. I’m no TV expert, but I know that’s where she has been most comfortable in her career, including an Emmy win for playing Margaret Thatcher in The Crown (2016). I doubt we’ll see an Oscar nomination here, but I do think it should be part of at least a conversation.

As for the rest of the cast, it’s a little hard to critique Jack Haven as Little Death since a good chunk of the performance involves a metal box on their head. There is one very memorable scene with Little Death that mixes a banger needle drop with Darren Aaronfsky’s SnorriCam shot. This is a sequence that would get rewound and replayed the most if available on a VHS. I’m not familiar with Hannah Einbinder’s work, but I see she does mostly TV and stand-up. She fits the role as an enthusiastic rising filmmaker quite well. Dumping Raisinets in her bucket of popcorn as a snack while watching a slasher movie in a hotel room was more than enough to win me over early. My only gripe with the cast is actor Dylan Baker as a Studio Executive, whose only 1 scene is in a zoom call meeting and likely took place in his own living room. Hate to see his talent underutilized in such a way.

What I admire mostis Jane Schoenbrun’s ability to take her knowledge of horror and make something that feels rather personal and meaningful. Something much deeper than a Love Letter like The Cabin in the Woods (2011). It certainly felt like a rare and uncommon experience. There are many feelings and themes on display here. After taking it all in, it’s a puzzle trying to understand all of it. I’m sure there are viewers that will leave feeling confused once it’s over, but experiences like this are ones we don’t get all too often. Jane’s previous film, I Saw the TV Glow (2024), did show a promising new voice for the genre. However, I thought that film was all vibes and no narrative, at least in my opinion. I enjoyed Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma a great deal more.

OVERALL

I hope Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma goes down in history as the greatest “steamy queer romantic slasher” of all time. Jane Schoenbrun teaches the importance of self-discovery through the art of film. I’m down with that. A deeply personal appreciation of horror movies. Quite brave actually. Its neon coded, quirky, and inspired. A strange and unpredictable crowd pleaser in the spirit of 80’s slasher movies. Do the right thing Mubi and release this on VHS.

rATING

**** OUT OF 5

THE END OF OAK STREET (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

8/14/26

99 minutes

‍ ‍You remember the last 3 Jurassic World movies? Terrible, right? I’ve been trying to forget. We all know dinosaurs on the big screen can deliver the thrills and chills. We’ve seen that with Jurassic Park back in 1993, a movie so iconic that I still see people wearing shirts with the logo regularly. But what happened? Why was I not having fun? Is it because I’m getting old? Even the movie 65 (2023), which served as a Jurassic World alternative, really failed to impress. Dinosaurs are cool, but can we still put them in a movie and actually make it good? After sitting through The End of Oak Street, I was overcome with joy and excitement. Take note, Colin Trevorrow. This is how you do it.

The Platt Family is going through a rough patch. Denise Platt (played by Anne Hathaway in her 4th movie this year!) is working on becoming a writer but is contemplating a divorce from her husband. That husband, Greg (played by Ewan McGregor), lost his full-time job and is trying to make ends meet as a pizza delivery driver. Their son, Brian (played by Christian Convery), is an awkward teenager and is having a difficult time with a local bully. The daughter, Audrey (Maisy Stella), feels like is in the movie simply for “checkbox filmmaking” reasons. We are also introduced to a few side characters. The first and most important is the Platt Family dog Starbuck, who could be the glue holding the family together. The unpleasant neighbor, Mel (played by P.J. Byrne), has a serious problem with Starbuck tearing up his yard. We are also introduced to the new local, Jeannette, who goes to a private school and is mostly kept to herself.

‍ ‍When the family awakens after a bad storm the electricity is knocked out, the water has stopped running, and their dog Starbuck is missing. When the family goes searching for their dog, they immediately realize something is off. The neighborhood of Oak Street is surrounded by a prehistoric landscape and a change in atmospheric pressure. Emerging from this new change in scenery are dinosaurs. Lots of them. They are ferocious, and hungry. Chaos ensues, and the local residents attempt to flee in terror only for many of them to meet their unfortunate demise. Can the Platt Family work together to accomplish the impossible by figuring a way out alive?

‍ ‍The Cretaceous period is brought to the 1980’s in The End of Oak Street. It really does have that authentic 80’s feel. For starts, the look of the movie appears to have been shot on film, rather than digital. White speckles and film grain is apparent if you look hard enough. The overall tone is a clear callback to director Steven Spielberg’s early years as a filmmaker. Obvious examples displayed are the dinosaurs of course, and exploring the unknown in a Sci-Fi fashion. Deeper examples include the importance of childhood, suburban life, struggling relationships, and a family bonding together to face an almost impossible task. It’s the most Steven Spielberg movie to not be directed by Steven Spielberg since Super 8 (2011) I think. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise since Super 8 was directed by J.J. Abrams, who serves as a producer.

My only real problem involves some of the character moments. You guys know there’s dinosaurs running around, right? Why are you standing around outside and talking? It was obviously wiser to stick together as a group, so why are you not doing that? Creating backstory for some of the characters halfway in does halt things a bit, especially in a setting filled with death and dinosaurs. Like actors on an empty set where CGI would be added later, clueless of their surroundings. The movie already does a pretty good job getting the characters, story, and connections out of the way early. Some might feel it starts slow, but I beg to differ. The build-up is necessary because it makes the pay-off satisfying.

‍ ‍Oak Street was given a PG-13 rating by the MPAA for “strong violent content, bloody images, some strong language, and suggestive material”. I had to check the rating for myself after leaving the theater. I thought “this movie is holding back a bit on the violence”. To my surprise, this movie isn’t Rated R. The PG-13 rating is pushed to its absolute max limit. Again, like with Steven Spielberg’s older movies, that PG rating was pushed to extreme lengths. Remember the melting faces and exploding heads in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), or every shark attack scene in Jaws (1975)? They stopped just short of an R rating. Amazing how he got away with that. In what feels like another nod to Spielberg, the violence in The End of Oak Street is shocking and merciless at times. The rating push and cruel nature of the violence give this movie a real sense of unpredictability. Something that, I cannot stress enough, was severely lacking in the last several Jurassic World movies.

‍ ‍OVERALL

‍ The End of Oak Street is the unofficial Jurassic Park sequel we have been waiting for. No locust, penciled-in legacy characters, aimless last-minute decisions. Just pure old-fashioned fun. It’s scary with an actual real sense of danger. I’m please to say that dinosaurs on the big screen are finally great again. This is being advertised for IMAX screens, but The Odyssey is still selling out at my local theater. After which, I’m sure it will move on with a last chance hurrah for Spider-man. A bit of a shame. Don’t sit on this one.

RATING

***1/2 out of 5

ICE CREAM MAN (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

8/6/26

86 minutes

‍ ‍Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010) meets I Drink Your Blood (1970) in Eli Roth’s new independent horror movie Ice Cream Man. The director of Cabin Fever (2002) and Hostel (2005) has an extensive filmography in the genre. Only one of his films I actually enjoyed, that being Thanksgiving back in 2023. The truth is I never cared much for many of Eli Roth’s films. I know I’m not the only one. Before the feature started, we were treated to a trailer for Eli Roth’s new film titled Don’t Go in that House, Bitch! starring Snoop Dogg (you read that right). I surprisingly found the trailer to be pretty funny and amusing. After Ice Cream Man was over, my curiosity for Don’t Go in that House, Bitch! fell off a cliff.

There’s a new ice cream man in town, and little Jared suspects something is wrong with him. If you see an Ice Cream Man with a creepy 70’s porn star mustache I hope you would run for your life. Unfortunately, the residents of this small town happily accept his company and buy the ice cream he is selling. But the sweet taste of frozen dairy comes at a deadly price when any child who consumes it turns into a zombified murderer. Their violent behavior after eating the ice cream is triggered by a crappy looking AI cartoon video with an obnoxious song that overtakes every cell phone and TV screen in town. The plot is, as expected, razor thin.

I must admit that there is one place where this movie works. Watching kids murder adults in new, creative, and hilarious ways is quite entertaining. I laughed quite a bit at all the chaos that is displayed. Think about the 3rd Final Destination movie. It’s bad, right? But what’s the one thing about it that makes it so entertaining to watch? The creative kills of course. Ice Cream Man has plenty of those. Most of them had me laughing in the theater. Watching a child smash an adult’s skull in with a fire extinguisher like Gasper Noe’s Irreversible is funny to me. Seeing 2 kids play tetherball with a severed head is just my sense of humor. But where does the movie fail? Well, it fails at absolutely everything else.

Attempts are made at character development. There’s a scene where our young lead Jared (played by Charlie Zeltzer) is having dinner with his family, his dad (played by director Eli Roth), mom (played by Karen Cliche), and sister (Sarah Abbott). I’ll bet if I got out my stopwatch, this scene would only last about 2 minutes. This 2-minute scene in this 86-minute movie feels like it goes on for half an hour. It’s so poorly written, sloppily put together, boring to sit through that it is mercifully one of the few attempts at any real character anything. Jared’s sister was dating a douchebag guy who shows up (played by Dylan Hawco) and go on and on about wanting another date, she is too needy and expensive, yada-yada. Nobody is going to care about any of this.

You might be aware of the original The Ice Cream Man from back in 1995. That movie had actor Clint Howard as the Ice Cream Man going on a killing spree. This new film is its own thing and not a remake. This modern Ice Cream Man is played by Ari Millen, who never says a word, always has a creepy smile, and plays his role like he’s trying to be the next Art the Clown from the Terrifier series. His backstory is nonexistent until the final act where an old guy locked in a freezer spills out everything at once. It all feels so lazy and penciled in. The last-minute explanation is delivered with such a lackadaisical attitude. I don’t understand why they even bothered delivering a backstory at all.

‍ ‍Now for the use of AI that is already sending the internet into a firestorm. I remember when Late Night with the Devil (2023) was released, a lot of anger and calls for a boycott filled Twitter (X or whatever) when it was revealed that 3 still intermission title cards were created using AI. It amounted to no more than 10 seconds of the actual movie. Not sure why the filmmakers couldn’t just, you know, make them the old fashion way. The hatred and disgust were probably enough to make those filmmakers realize that maybe they should never do that again. Here comes Eli “hold my beer” Roth who is using AI for things where it doesn’t even feel necessary, like a child with a new toy that he can’t put down. The AI art usage looks terrible and lifeless. It lacks any physics and composition, to the point where it took me out of this already below average movie. I doubt the director sees it this way, but as a viewer, it’s rough. Stick to things being practical, Eli. Your fans will appreciate it better.

‍ ‍OVERALL

‍ Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man is over the top and unapologetic, as it should be. But the real horror lies in its obnoxious overuse of AI. Roth had to know this was going to blow back in his face. Then again, we’re talking about the credited director of Borderlands (2024). The plot is thin, the characters are annoying, and the explanation is haphazard. After it was over, all I got from this was the urge to go to Ted Drewes.

RATING

** out of 5

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (2026) REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

8/6/26

145 minutes

‍ We are now at the 4th Spider-man movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Holland returns as the heroic web slinger, ready to tell crime to shut up. I had high expectations going into this latest installment. It’s no secret that Marvel has been in a major slump for some time now. I can’t even remember the last MCU movie I watched that I actually enjoyed. But Spider-man almost always knocks it out of the park on the movie screen, especially when Marc Webb isn’t in the director’s chair. So what did I think? Can Spider-man restore my faith in the MCU?

I must admit, I didn’t do my homework going into Spider-man: Brand New Day, and I could tell this is already a bad sign. If you want to be up to speed with what is exactly going on here, you will need to revisit the previous movie Spider-man: No Way Home. The people most important to Peter Parker have forgotten who he is. This includes his best friend Ned (played by Jacob Batalon) and his girlfriend MJ (played by Zendaya). It all comes after a spell that was put in place by Doctor Strange, I assume to protect them. We are reminded of another recent loss in Parker’s life, that is his Aunt May (played by Marisa Tomei in a few flashback scenes). Parker is trying desperately to overcome these massive losses in his life recently, but depression seems to be getting the better of him.

‍ ‍Depression makes our hero lose control of his powers. A plot point used in Sam Raimi’s Spider-man 2 back in 2004. Filling in these losses temporarily are Bruce Banner aka The Hulk (played by Mark Ruffalo), and Frank Castle aka The Punisher (played by Jon Bernthal). Together they must put a stop to Jean Grey (played by Sadie Sink), who has the power to telepathically jump inside a person’s mind, read their thoughts, and make them do things; usually bad things. Think of it as The Hidden (1987) meets Scanners (1981), minus the exploding heads. Jean uses her abilities to get close to Spider-man and hurt the people he cares about the most. But these shenanigans run much deeper as we learn Jean’s backstory and what is transpiring these events.

Let me talk about the good things first because my overall opinion of Spider-man: Brand New Day is quite mixed. This is a much more grounded superhero movie than what we are used to. The movie works best showing deep emotion and feelings. Overcoming loss, sense of belonging, the need to get back what is lost. It works so well. We feel Peter Parker’s frustrations, and by the end of the movie we feel Jean Gray’s as well. It’s surprisingly heavy and relatable. We want Peter to reconnect with his friends, but we understand that he can’t. We know what he is going through with the loss of his Aunt. There’s something here anyone watching can connect with.

I was also impressed with Jon Bernthal as the MCU’s new Punisher. He looks and fits the role perfectly. It might be a little disappointing seeing his first on screen appearance is a PG-13 rated movie, so much of what he is capable of is dialed back. But not only do I hope we see more of his character in the MCU moving forward, I would definitely pay to see him in his own movie. The MCU could use another R-rated hero alternative to Deadpool. Especially now after the cancellation of Blade. Is Bernthal the best Punisher we have had onscreen? I say yes! However, I have a friend who might make an argument for Dolph Lundgren.

Now for the bad. Actress Florence Pugh returns as Yelena Belova aka Black Widow. An addition that reeks of Producer Kevin Feige throwing his weight around. I’ve failed to mention many more characters in the story and believe me there’s too many. Black Widow is here to tell Spider-man things he could have just figured out for himself, drop a few lame jokes, and attempt to impress us with her shoddy accent. I’m sure Pugh got a good paycheck out of it, but this just creates more obnoxious homework for the audience watching. Nobody is going back and rewatching Black Widow or Thunderbolts, Kevin. Read the room. This is a lousy attempt to keep the recent Marvel characters that nobody cares about still relevant.

‍ The narrative shifts, we focus on Jean Gray, a villain named Scorpion shows up, we have the Punisher, here comes The Hulk, what does the Department of Damage Control want, who is this mystical ninja group known as The Hand? This movie has a serious problem tying its bloated script all together. But I think the thing that disappoints me the most is how little I still care about anything Marvel at this point, even after seeing a new Spider-man movie. It’s been a never-ending parade of mediocre Marvel movies for some time now. I don’t even bother with the TV shows. The “good enough” attitude just isn’t going to cut it. Spider-man: Brand New Day might be better than Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, The Marvels, Quantumania, and Brave New World but it’s not quite a home run.

‍ ‍OVERALL

‍ Spider-man: Brand New Day might have a lot of heart, but it fails at restoring my faith in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some of the action scenes are cool, but nothing memorable. There’s too much story, too many characters, not enough surprises. This comes just a few short months before Avengers: Doomsday in December. Spider-man: Brand New Day doesn’t even rank in my top 5 Spider-man movies, and my interest in the next Avengers film has been quite low for some time now. I found this to be just an okay piece of entertainment.

RATING

*** out of 5

THE ODYSSEY (2026) MOVIE REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

7/20/26

172 minutes

‍ ‍One of the most highly anticipated movies of the year is here. Christopher Nolan’s THE ODYSSEY will no doubt be an end-of-the-year contender and will easily sweep the Oscars in nominations across the board. This is the type of movie you go into if you want to feel immersed. I left feeling far from disappointed. What an unforgettable time this was.

‍ ‍The Odyssey has put me in a difficult place. How do I describe what this movie is about? I’m going to do my best. The Trojan war that took place around the thirteenth century which pitted the Greeks against the city of Troy has ended. Odysseus, the Greek King of Ithaca (played by Matt Damon), along with his surviving army now must travel back home. What follows is a journey that lasts several years by foot and by sea. Their voyage comes to several halts when they encounter monsters, witches, a whirlpool, and even a giant cyclops.

Back at home, Penelope, the wife of King Odysseus (played by Anne Hathaway) is convinced that her husband is dead. She must now pick a new husband, much to Telemachus’ dismay, who is the son of Penelope and Odysseus (who is played by Tom Holland). The lead suiter is Antinous (played by Robert Pattinson), who is a self-centered sleazeball. It all comes down to who is man enough to string Odysseus’ bow and fire an arrow through a tiny opening of axe heads that are tied together and lined up in a row. A talent only the King was able to do.

The cast is large and impressive. When you look at the theatrical poster and see all the big names, you’re reminded of those awful paycheck movies from the 2010’s (see posters for New Year’s Eve from 2011 and Valentine’s Day from 2010 and you’ll know what I’m talking about). Those movies are sloppy and underutilized many of their cast members. Many characters in The Odyssey are only given about 5 minutes of screentime. However, you can see that these figures are carefully calculated in placement, and the actors make their moments count.

Of all the supporting performances, I was most impressed by John Leguizamo (playing Eumaeus). Transforming himself into a blind and elderly, yet faithful servant left me quite captivated. If there is one place I would like to see any Oscar Nomination for acting, it would have to be for Mr. Leguizamo’s Supporting Performance. Samantha Morton (who plays Circe) is in one particularly memorable scene that sticks with you. It’s both haunting and visceral. There is a very good chance that we will see a nomination for Anne Hathaway, who gives her best performance on screen since Les Misérables back in 2012. I also want to mention a fleeting scene that involves Elliot Page that just might be my favorite segment in the entire film. It’s brief but deep and impactful.

I’m getting ahead of myself mentioning the Oscars since we are only in July, but I was so awestruck by the technical achievements this movie displays that I’ll make one thing clear; The Odyssey will be an Awards frontrunner. This is an easy lock for the craft categories such as Editing, Cinematography, Sound, Score, Costume Design, Visual Effects, Casting, Production Design; this will be walking away with a few trophies. We’ll see if it gets a nomination for Adapted Screenplay as well. Director Christopher Nolan was already given his flowers for directing Oppenheimer in 2023, I can easily see Nominations for Picture and Director, but it’s too early to tell if those are guaranteed wins.

I understand Christopher Nolan much prefers film over digital, one of the few filmmakers fighting to keep it alive. I was lucky enough to see The Odyssey on 70mm in a standard auditorium. No IMAX 70mm near me unfortunately, but still rare to see any movie this way these days. I was extremely pleased with the overall presentation. High in detail, beautiful texture, vibrant, and massive in scale.

Not everyone is going to get the option to view this on film. I’m seeing bookings on every premium screen imaginable; IMAX, SuperScreen, UltraScreen, Screen X, 4DX, Dolby. A few co-workers mentioned plans to see it in the Omnimax Theater at the St. Louis Science Center, a giant dome shaped auditorium with a hemispheric screen, for those unfamiliar. It’s unfortunate that the premium screen window is only lasting 2 weeks before Spider-man: Brand New Day takes over. Even more unfortunate, almost all IMAX screenings, even the 10am weekday showtimes at my go-to theater are close to sold out. If you plan to see it, you don’t want to be stuck watching it in a closet. For a movie like this, go big or go home. I highly recommend seeing this on the biggest screen possible.

‍ ‍OVERALL

‍ This is what movie theaters are made for. The Odyssey carries a 3-hour runtime, and it zips by super quick. Another cinematic masterpiece from director Christopher Nolan who you can tell is a fan of the source material and truly wanted to tell this story. Will definitely be a top Oscar contender. Don’t sit on it, see it on a premium screen. An absolute spectacle. One of the best movies of the year.

RATING

***** out of 5

JACKASS BEST AND LAST (2026) MOVIE REVIEW

Joshua Lightfoot

6/26/26

92 minutes

‍ ‍ “WARNING! The following show features stunts performed either by professionals or under the supervision of professionals.”

‍ ‍I’ve been a Jackass fan since the beginning. From being tackled by a friend outside of Elementary School cause he saw Johnny Knoxville do it on MTV, to being given a burnt copy of CKY 3 and 4 in middle school and watching it over and over again. The controversies, publicity, glorious stunts, and insanely crude behavior. America loved watching people get hurt. Those were good times for sure. But the good times don’t last forever. They eventually become good memories.

In this 5th, and likely final installment in the Jackass film franchise, our immature childhood favorites are back. Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Wee Man, Preston, Dave Englund, and Ehren McGhehey return with a mixture of a few new stunts and a few recycled segments from previous ventures. We also get a mix of antics that have never been seen before. I found the use of older footage to feel a bit lazy, but it’s still satisfying and entertaining all around. Go into it expecting a “Best Of” presentation in what feels like a farewell tour.

The newer faces seen in the previous film Jackass Forever are back as well, but with mixed results. Zach Holmes and Sean “Poopies” McInerney do the most out of all the newbies, feeling as special and accepted as the original members. But I can’t help but dunk on Rachel Wolfson and Compston “Dark Shark” Wilson who are sidelined the entire movie. Why are you here, besides for the paycheck? They occasionally play dress-up, stand around, laugh, and look shocked. It’s almost embarrassing to see them do so little. It is also worth mentioning that Eric Manaka, another new member introduced in the previous movie, is nowhere to be found.

Fans are going to be most curious about how Bam Margera is handled here. As you may know, Bam was fired from Jackass Forever early into production for reasons I’d rather not get into. He did not film any new material for Best and Last, which is a huge shame. However, he is far from being left out entirely. Much of the recycled bits used that are scattered throughout the film do feature Bam front and center. The real surprise here is the inclusion of one of the stunts deleted from Jackass Forever is presented here in full. I’m not sure if this completely makes up for his absence, but this is the best we were going to get.

New faces that fail to impress, no Bam Margera, half the movie being reused footage. Why am I still recommending Jackass Best and Last? From beginning to end, this movie is still a blast. The old material that I paid to watch over again still got a roaring reaction from the crowd I was with. Not all of the new material hits the right notes. For the most part, what we are given should have you remembering why you were a fan in the first place. Just wait until you get to the segment titled “The Human Pretzel” and you’ll know what I mean.

OVERALL

‍ This might be my least favorite of the Jackass movies. Too much recycled footage, too many members being unused, too many lame new bits. But I was undeniably still entertained from beginning to end. The ending credits montage is a real satisfying and emotional package. I feel there’s enough Bam here that will prevent fans from complaining too hard. If this is truly the end, I feel it’s an appropriate final send off.

RATING

***1/2 out of 5

EVIL DEAD BURN (2026) MOVIE REVIEW

‍ Joshua Lightfoot

7/10/26

115 minutes

A widow’s get-together with her in-laws turns into a nightmare in Evil Dead Burn, the 6th installment in the Evil Dead film franchise. Here is a movie that delivers what it promises, massive amounts of gore, sadistic torture, cringe inducing scenes of pain, 100% pure chaos. I’m here for it. If you’re going into this movie with expectations of lots of blood and guts, then yee-haw, you struck gold!

Alice (played by Souheila Yacoub) is put in a difficult spot when her abusive husband is unexpectedly killed in a car accident. This accident occurs when her douchebag husband Will (played by George Pullar) plows through a possessed Deadite standing in the middle of the road with his vehicle. What is a “Deadite” exactly? Oh, you don’t know? It’s a Kandarian demon possessed by the Book of the Dead. These Deadites are never referred by name in this film, but after watching all the other installments multiple times, you just kind of know things. It’s Alice’s brother in-law, Joseph (played by Hunter Doohan) who is writing a novel about this ancient book and its demon resurrection passages. You see, this family’s grandfather studied and spent years researching the Book of the Dead and even recorded himself reading some of its passages on a Panasonic reel-to-reel tape recorder. Fans of the franchise will definitely see call-backs to the first original 2 movies here.

After the funeral, newly widowed Alice is invited to temporarily stay at her in-laws secluded, run-down home that was previously owned by their grandfather. This house has an attic filled with research and artifacts about the Book of the Dead, so of course it doesn’t take long for family members to make stupid mistakes, start getting possessed, and kill each other. There’s quite a bit of emotional baggage to unpack here. Alice’s husband was abusive, the family she is staying with are difficult to be around, blame games, grief, animosity, loss. All of this on full display here and we haven’t even gotten to the possessions yet, but when it starts, it really does let loose. You might have seen the scene in the trailer of a young man falling on top of an open dishwasher with the sharp utensils sticking pointy side up (who the hell loads their dishwasher this way?). Or the scene where a girl gets the loose end of a car headrest stabbed through the back of her head and through the front of her face. This is only what is shown in the advertisements. There’s plenty more where that came from and it’s not for the squeamish.

Director Sebastian Vanicek follows the footsteps of directors like Fede Alvarez and Lee Cronin, an up-and-coming director handpicked by Sam Raimi (director of the original Evil Dead films) to helm a new installment in this franchise. Vanicek directed one other film titled Infested back in 2023, and as of this writing, I’ve unfortunately not seen it. With Evil Dead Burn, I see his craft and style, his signature and fingerprints all over this thing. The massive number of cuts in the editing is a bit of a nuisance near the beginning, and some might not care much for the low lighting. I do admire the unique camera angles and the structure of the story. The way animosity and stress builds tension and for it to explode on screen in many shocking ways, it all works pretty well. Tense moments end with a satisfying payoff every time as well. There’s plenty of scenes that will make you wince or cringe, maybe even upset, and they accomplish what is intended.

Souheila Yacoub fits well as your lead and “final girl” character. Tension fills the screen when she shares scenes with her in-laws Susan (played by Tandi Wright) and Edgar (played by Erroll Shand). So many scenes of mental anguish and physical torture might strike a nerve or two. Might even be relatable to some viewers when it comes to relatives they can’t stand. It’s the kind of smart chemistry that gets under your skin, even more so than every Evil Dead movie that has come before it. It’s serious in tone unlike earlier installments. There are scenes that involve a grandmother named Polly (played by Maude Davey) who is going through a severe case of Alzheimer’s. This might be the only place in the film that has any kind of comedic relief, if you want to call it that. The real highlight is the gore effects. This franchise does not play around when it comes to the glorious practical effects that many horror fans prefer. A few spots of rough looking CGI are noticeable, especially near the end. For the majority of the Evil Dead Burn, the satisfying gore effects are mostly practical. This is one spot I can guarantee will not disappoint.

OVERALL

There are massively successful horror films out now like Obsession and Backrooms. The Bone Temple is in my top 10 of the year so far. Weapons won an Oscar last year for Amy Madigan’s performance. The Substance got 5 Oscar nominations. Get Out received 4 including Best Picture and got Jordan Peele a win for his Screenplay. Even A Quiet Place received a small nod at the Oscars in 2019 for Sound Editing. All of this and more in the past decade. Horror is having a moment. So, does Evil Dead Burn have place in all of this, seeing how far horror has come? Probably not. And that’s okay. There are many different flavors of horror, and sometimes you don’t need anything too deep, sometimes you just want the gore. There’s lots of that, I promise you. Given in a unique and stylized way. Not to say that Evil Dead Burn isn’t deep in moments. It’s plenty deep… and disgusting too. If that’s what you’re looking for, enjoy the ride.

RATING

***1/2 out of 5