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High in the Middle - Maddwolf
Eenie Meanie by Hope Madden Remember how great Cleveland looked in Superman? Writer/director Shawn Simmons takes us back to The Land, as well as to Toledo, for his thriller set among Ohio’s low rent criminal underbelly, Eenie Meanie. It’s not exactly as tourism friendly as Superman. Samara Weaving is Edie, and when we meet her, … Continue reading High in the Middle →
Holiday Road - Maddwolf
Nobody 2 by Hope Madden Hutch still has trouble getting the trash out on time, but other than that, his life is considerably different than it was four years ago when Nobody turned Bob Odenkirk into an action star and Odenkirk turned the film into the most watchable riff on John Wick ever. Hutch’s wife … Continue reading Holiday Road →
Viva la Revolution - Maddwolf
Sudan, Remember Us by Rachel Willis “Each time one revolutionary falls a thousand others stand up!” Sudan has appeared in the news off-and-on for years. The region has been plagued by coups, civil war, terrorism, genocide, and oppression of anyone who dared resist the regimes in power. It’s poignant for Hind Meddeb to name her … Continue reading Viva la Revolution →
Fright Club: Weapons - Maddwolf
Thought we’d veer slightly off course to take a deeper dive into Zach Cregger’s latest horror hit, Weapons. Poet and horror fan Scott Woods joins us! Weapons by Hope Madden I’m not saying that Barbarian was anything less than a creepy, disturbing good time. Writer/director Zach Cregger’s 2022 bizarre, brutal minefield of surprises announced him as a … Continue reading Fright Club: Weapons →
Don't Speak - Maddwolf
Relay by Hope Madden It’s been nearly a decade since director David Mackenzie’s brilliant neo-Western Hell or High Water delivered a moseying goodbye to a long-gone, romantic notion of manhood. After a successful run of TV series and miniseries, Mackenzie’s back to the big screen with the twisty thriller, Relay. Riz Ahmed stars, though he … Continue reading Don’t Speak →
Role Reversal - Maddwolf
Honey Don’t! by Hope Madden An entertaining if slight thriller of the old school, hard-boiled detective sort, Honey Don’t! is director Ethan Coen’s follow up to 2024’s Drive-Away Dolls. The second in a lesbian B-movie trilogy, the film sees Margaret Qualley as Honey O’Donahue, a modern day (if landline and analogue) private detective in sun … Continue reading Role Reversal →
Bagheads - Maddwolf
We’re Not Safe Here by Hope Madden The nightmarish images and unsettling sound design of writer/director Solomon Gray’s We’re Not Safe Here more than make up for its narrative stumbles. A lot of films open on a scene of horror to be contextualized later in the movie. Likewise, Solomon sets the stage early with a … Continue reading Bagheads →
Suspicious Minds - Maddwolf
Eden by George Wolf Eden tells a fascinating story. And it tells that story in a star-studded, well-crafted way that’s rarely dull, even when the weight of its melodrama gets heavy enough to be nearly undone by the film’s parting shot. Director Ron Howard joins co-writer Noah Pink to recount a historical tale “inspired by … Continue reading Suspicious Minds →
Fright Club: Best Black Vampire Movies - Maddwolf
I can’t imagine what prompted us to put together this list. Oh wait, it’s because Sinners is the best film of 2025 and we could tell from its reaction that too many people have not seen nearly enough movies about Black vampires. Because there are tons, and almost all of them are worth watching, even … Continue reading Fright Club: Best Black Vampire Movies →
Last Goodbye - Maddwolf
It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley by Rachel Willis Director Amy Berg (Janis: Little Girl Blue) paints an intimate portrait of songwriter Jeff Buckley in her documentary, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley. Berg understands her subject and skillfully weaves the story of Buckley’s life, which is bookended by tragedy. Buckley’s mom (Mary Guibert) opens up about … Continue reading Last Goodbye →
Seeing Red - Maddwolf
Animale by Hope Madden For most of cinematic history, the werewolf has been the territory of men. The Wolf Man and all that. Not always, though. Feminist classic Ginger Snaps was among the first films to see the metaphorical possibilities of a monthly curse, and plenty of films since have tossed aside the idea that … Continue reading Seeing Red →
Bloody Yield - Maddwolf
Strange Harvest by Hope Madden Strange Harvest is an evocative title. It conjures all kinds of folk horror notions, or better still, body horror. Mysterious, right? And what better way to solve a mystery than by working with the detectives on the case? Writer/director Stuart Ortiz’s latest horror film takes on the eerily realistic shape … Continue reading Bloody Yield →
Still No Free Drinks - Maddwolf
Ebony and Ivory by George Wolf How many “very”s would it take until you were convinced that the journey a movie character had just survived was quite long? Two? Twenty Hundred? If you’ve seen The Greasy Strangler or An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn, you know that writer/director Jim Hosking leans toward the latter. And … Continue reading Still No Free Drinks →
Night Moves - Maddwolf
Weapons by Hope Madden I’m not saying that Barbarian was anything less than a creepy, disturbing good time. Writer/director Zach Cregger’s 2022 bizarre, brutal minefield of surprises announced him as a master of misdirection, unsettling humor, and horror of the nastiest sort. I’m just saying Weapons takes a lot of what worked in that film … Continue reading Night Moves →
Nothing New to See Here - Maddwolf
Birthrite by Hope Madden There’s no limit to the number of horror films that begin with a family inheriting a secluded house that’s not all they hoped it would be. How many are there? Dozens? More? In just last couple of years: Mother May I, Abandoned, The Front Room, The Visitor. But maybe Birthrite does … Continue reading Nothing New to See Here →
On a Mission from God - Maddwolf
Shaman by Hope Madden Director Antonio Negret and writer Daniel Negret have something interesting to say. Unfortunately, they can’t find a consistently interesting way to say it with their latest film, Shaman. The film shadows an American Catholic missionary family working with an Ecuadorian priest in a mountain village. Candice (Sara Canning) teaches catechism and … Continue reading On a Mission from God →
Super Freaky - Maddwolf
Freakier Friday by George Wolf The story goes that it was the way-too-early early Oscar talk for Jamie Lee Curtis in 2003’s Freaky Friday that inspired her hubby, Christopher Guest, to make For Your Consideration. No surprise, then, that Curtis is the best thing about the sequel. Freakier Friday catches us up with Dr. Tess … Continue reading Super Freaky →
The Call of the Wild - Maddwolf
Folktales by Brandon Thomas Roger Ebert was once quoted as saying, “No movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmett Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad.” I don’t have a particular actor or two for whom this rule applies, but I am a tad biased when a film features a slew … Continue reading The Call of the Wild →
Cloudburst - Maddwolf
Cloud by Hope Madden The films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa distinguish themselves with a sense of human dread in a larger, inhuman, often digital landscape. They unsettle with notions of something or someone beyond that organic veil able to exact harm. Sometimes the realm is more unworldly than digital, but the result is often the same: … Continue reading Cloudburst →
Drawn This Way - Maddwolf
The Bad Guys 2 by Hope Madden Nothing promises irresistible fun like a heist movie. That, plus a remarkable voice cast, elevated 2022’s animated adventure The Bad Guys above its sometimes convoluted writing. Well, those bad guys gone good—Mr. Wolf (Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), and … Continue reading Drawn This Way →
Daddy's Girl - Maddwolf
She Rides Shotgun by George Wolf She Rides Shotgun sports a passionate performance from Taron Egerton as a desperate man on the run. It also features John Carroll Lynch – one of the most reliable character actors around – digging into the role of a crooked sheriff carrying a very nasty streak. But it’s the … Continue reading Daddy’s Girl →
Master of Puppets - Maddwolf
Shari & Lamb Chop by Brandon Thomas Documentaries based on beloved children’s entertainers have become quite the trend in the last 10 or so years. Both Mr. Rogers and Jim Henson were the subject of wonderful films that chronicled their lives and the impact they both had on children’s entertainment, education, and culture. With Shari … Continue reading Master of Puppets →
Sea Creature in Paradise - Maddwolf
Monster Island by Hope Madden Thanks in part to the success of Dan Trachtenberg’s 2022 Prey, period piece creature features have come into vogue. Nice! Writer/director Mike Wiluan’s Monster Island (originally titled Orang Ikan) is the latest. In a case of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” two men—a Japanese traitor (Dean Fujioka) … Continue reading Sea Creature in Paradise →
Prey for Her - Maddwolf
Saint Clare by Adam Barney Clare (Bella Thorne, The Babysitter) is a college student who believes she is on a mission from God. Blessed with visions, she hunts down the men who prey on the women in her small town. Detective Timmons (Ryan Phillippe, Cruel Intentions, MacGruber) grows suspicious of her extra-curricular activities as she … Continue reading Prey for Her →
Found and Lost - Maddwolf
House on Eden by Hope Madden Can you watch a found footage horror film and not be constantly asking yourself, who edited this footage together? Who pulled from one camera, then another, spliced in security cam stuff? Who looked at all the footage from all the different cameras and decided what we would see when? … Continue reading Found and Lost →
Paint It Black - Maddwolf
Sketch by Hope Madden When I was 10, I wrote and directed a school play. In it, a babysitter and her charges are murdered by a roving madman. I got in a lot of trouble. Young Amber Wyatt (Bianca Belle) knows my pain. To the dismay of her out-of-his depth dad (Tony Hale) and protective … Continue reading Paint It Black →
Baby Steps - Maddwolf
The Fantastic Four: First Steps by Hope Madden Wholesome is the new look in superheroes. Just a couple weeks back, James Gunn and Superman made kindness punk rock. And now, director Matt Shakman hopes to draw on a retro-futuristic vibe to conjure a less skeptical, cynical time. The Fantastic Four: First Steps owes much of … Continue reading Baby Steps →
Suspect Your Elders - Maddwolf
The Home by George Wolf About an hour into The Home, things escalate. And quickly. There’s a big enough jolt of blood and violence to make you hopeful the foolishness that’s been rolled out so far can be rescued. Sorry, too little, too late. Pete Davidson gives the film a solid, sympathetic anchor as Max, … Continue reading Suspect Your Elders →
So Happy - Maddwolf
Together by Hope Madden Horror has always trodden the terror of losing your identity, of losing your very personality or individuality, of what makes you you. From Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to every Invasion of the Body Snatchers iteration (including The Faculty) to most zombie horror, horror fiction and cinema reflect our own worry … Continue reading So Happy →
Fright Club: That's Not Your Baby! - Maddwolf
The idea of a changeling—a baby that’s not really yours, and who knows where your dear sweet little one really is?!—is so primal a fear that it’s existed in folktales for centuries. Ireland really picks this scab well in their horror movies, but they are not alone. It’s an idea that can’t help but unsettle. … Continue reading Fright Club: That’s Not Your Baby! →
You'll Never Go in the Onsen Again - Maddwolf
Hotspring Sharkattack by Matt Weiner Japan’s beloved onsen (natural hot springs) are the site of grisly shark attacks in the town of Atsumi. A weary police chief butts heads with the town mayor hellbent on welcoming as many tourists as possible, even as the body count rises and outside shark experts and influencers alike converge … Continue reading You’ll Never Go in the Onsen Again →
Vampire Blues - Maddwolf
Abraham’s Boys by Hope Madden The problem with crafting a feature length film from a short story is that, often, the story’s too short. Filmmakers need to pad, and that can be tough because if the story needed more, likely the writer—certainly a writer as strong as Joe Hill—would have realized that. But it can … Continue reading Vampire Blues →
Killer Neighborhood - Maddwolf
Push by Hope Madden From the moment Push holds on the “for sale” sign in front of an isolated Michigan mansion, co-writers/co-directors David Charbonier and Justin Douglas Powell proclaim their inspirations. The Craven Road property, for sale by Hitch & Wan Real Estate, is probably not the house you want. Will the mansion be haunted … Continue reading Killer Neighborhood →
Be Loud - Maddwolf
Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore by Rachel Willis In 1986, Marlee Matlin won the Academy Award for her performance in the film Children of a Lesser God. Nearly three decades later, she remained the only Deaf actor to win an Oscar. This, as well as Matlin’s trailblazing career, is the focus of director Shoshannah Stern’s … Continue reading Be Loud →
Undocumented Alien Thrashes Billionaire - Maddwolf
Superman by Hope Madden and George Wolf James Gunn’s brand of humor is so sincere—never snarky, never brooding and mysterious—that he seemed a good fit for Superman, the most sincere of all the superheroes. Still, we were skeptical. Can something as wholesome as Superman be relevant in a time more rife with corruption and swampy … Continue reading Undocumented Alien Thrashes Billionaire →
De”FIN”itive - Maddwolf
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story by George Wolf You may have heard Jaws celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last month. The celebrations and remembrances, the memes and mementos have been joyous fun, reminding us of a landmark film that changed the landscape of the movies. And now, like the fashionably late party guest everyone … Continue reading De”FIN”itive →
Fright Club: Best Horror Movies, First Half of 2025 - Maddwolf
It is not that time! It is! It most definitely is time to celebrate how great the first half of 2025 has been for horror. Indeed, easily the best film of the year so far (and a tough contender for the balance of the year) is a vampire movie! Here are our favorite horror films … Continue reading Fright Club: Best Horror Movies, First Half of 2025 →
More Teeth - Maddwolf
Jurassic World: Rebirth by Hope Madden Every great creature feature from King Kong to Godzilla to Jaws to Jurassic Park and on and on understands one basic principle. The monster is not the problem. Human greed is the problem. Some monster movies are just better than others at telling that story. It’s not a new … Continue reading More Teeth →
The Mushy Middle - Maddwolf
The Old Guard 2 by George Wolf Look, it’s just science. You get a glimpse of Uma Thurman and Charlize Theron in a sword fight, you get your hopes up. I did, hopeful that The Old Guard 2 on Netflix could match – or maybe even exceed the fun of the original. But while it … Continue reading The Mushy Middle →
Promised Land - Maddwolf
40 Acres by Hope Madden At one time, a lot of people were promised 40 acres and a mule. It was a lie. But Hailey Freeman’s ancestor had freed himself, left his family behind, and walked to Canada to make his own promises. Generations later, Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler, a force of nature) will be damned … Continue reading Promised Land →