Theatrical Release – The Shock Doctors Podcast

With his pitch-black pinhole glimpses of chaos in the desert, Robbie Banfitch clearly wants to put our imaginations to work, but he doesn’t leave us quite enough to work with. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea … Continue reading "Episode 146 – The...

Reaching a new low for the franchise, Scream VI spends most of its runtime insisting that everything is different and all bets are off, only to keep rehashing the same tired tropes. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got … Continue reading "Episode 145 – Scream VI"

Featuring good performances but a slightly flabby second act, Knock at the Cabin settles comfortably into the middle tier of M. Night Shyamalan’s oeuvre. It doesn’t really work as a climate change allegory, though. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune … Continue rea...

Drab, incoherent, and brainless from start to finish, Fear is the result of director Deon Taylor hurling a bunch of tropes at the wall and seeing what sticks – and nothing does. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got … Continue reading "Episode 142 – Fear (2023)"

Brandon Cronenberg adds another strong entry to his weird and unsettling oeuvre, while Mia Goth gives her third standout horror performance in the space of ten months. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next … Continue reading "Episode 141 – Infi...

A team-up of the talents behind Housebound and Malignant should have been a slam dunk, but don’t believe the hype – M3GAN is an assembly-line-style dud. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie … Continue reading "Episode 140 – M...

Skinamarink is not a perfect film, but it’s so weird and singular that we might not change a thing about it. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check … Continue reading "Episode 139 – Skinamarink"

While not quite up to the standards of his prior work, Luca Guadagnino’s cannibal romance road movie is moody, occasionally arresting, and driven by good performances all around. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the … Continue reading "Episode 136...

Even if The Menu doesn’t qualify as horror comedy haute cuisine, there are some tasty morsels knocking around in there. Ralph Fiennes is a delight. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 135 – The Me...

Prey for the Devil is a movie that is impossible to care about, a worse-than-average exorcism film in a subgenre where “average” is a pretty low bar to clear. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for … Continue reading "Episode 133 – Prey for t...

Halloween Ends – about two movies too late. The film is a misbegotten mess, top to bottom, riddled with baffling story decisions and underwhelming direction. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 131 &#82...

In spite of a few solid scares, Smile is too full of same-y mystery thread-pulling – and in Matt’s opinion, annoying cops – to really succeed. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie … Continue reading "Episode 130 – Smile...

The back end of Pearl isn’t as visually arresting as its opening act, and suffers from some scripting issues, but the film is a knockout showcase for Mia Goth’s delightfully broad performance. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got … Continue reading "Episode...

Although it falters a bit in the back half, Barbarian has a killer opening act and an assortment of thrilling hard left turns in plot and style sprinkled throughout. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for … Continue reading "Episode 128 – Barbarian (2022...

The Invitation features the sexiest vampires this side of Twilight, and in spite of some satisfyingly old-fashioned gothic horror touches, has about as much dramatic heft – or as many scares. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an … Continue reading "Episode 127...

Orphan: First Kill is a wholly unjustified prequel that attempts to top the original’s already ludicrous twist, but is mostly just an inert mess. William Brent Bell is a hack of the first order, and always has been. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, … Continue reading "Episode 126 – Orphan...

Some promising early sequences are quickly undone by a melange of poorly-differentiated characters and a distinct underuse of the “dark and stormy night” atmosphere. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like … Continue readin...

Jordan Peele has done it again, building terrific popcorn entertainment around stunning, already iconic new horror imagery, impeccable pacing, and note-perfect performances from Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Steven Yeun, and Michael Wincott. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher,...

Based on a Joe Hill story, The Black Phone nails a trifecta – strong performances from Ethan Hawke, Madeleine McGraw, and Mason Thames, assured direction by Scott Derrickson, and a smart script from Derrickson and writing partner C. Robert Cargill. It’s a blast. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check … Continue reading...

Meet the new sex… very much NOT the same as the old sex. Crimes of the Future isn’t quite vintage Cronenberg, but it’s still plenty good. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie … Continue reading "Episode 119 – Crimes of...

Strong performances by Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear (in his case, several), as well as some interesting ideas, at least make this film deeply watchable, if utterly confounding. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the … Continue reading "Episode 118 &#821...

A flawed but entertaining Stephen King property from the ’80s is turned into dimly lit, poorly written CGI capeshit. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel … Continue reading "Episode 117 – Firestarte...

While the film tries to grapple with important themes – the cyclical nature of violence and the hardships of the immigrant experience – an utter lack of suspense and a script allergic to subtext leave the whole endeavor dead on arrival. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out … Continue reading "Episode 113 &#8211...

After nearly a decade away from the genre, Ti West still builds tension as well as anyone in the business, but old people having sex isn’t quite as repulsive as he wants it to be. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or … Continue reading "Episode 112 – X"

Period creature-feature goodness and an interesting twist on the mechanics of lycanthropy are diminshed by pacing issues, a sometimes-drab color palette, and some questionable choices about the film’s Roma pseudo-antagonists. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea...