THE VALLECAS FILES on HBO is a docuseries exploring the famous case that inspired the Netflix horror movie Verónica. With three episodes, it’s not a long documentary series, but it isn’t a great one either. Read our The Vallecas Files series review here!

THE VALLECAS FILES on HBO is a true crime documentary series. Or rather, it’s more of a supernatural or paranormal event than a crime… or is it?! That’s part of what needs to be examined and what this docuseries explores.

The case covered in this HBO Original is the very same one that inspired the Netflix horror movie Verónica. This docuseries has just three episodes. It’s off to a somewhat rocky start, I found, but it does cover the case well overall.

Continue reading our The Vallecas Files series review below. Find it on HBO Max from November 7, 2025.

This is why I don’t mess with Ouija boards

The Vallecas Files documentary series explores the most famous (and infamous) poltergeist case from Spain. A 17-year-old girl died very suddenly and with no apparent cause of death, which sparked an investigation into the cause.

This led to the belief that a paranormal phenomenon was the root of the problem. One that began after a few teenagers played around with an Ouija board.

With this HBO Documentary, it’s now 30 years later, and the family relives the events that made the lives of the Gutiérrez Lázaro family members a nightmare. 

As a horror fan, I follow the rules made famous by horror movies. I am not about to repeat the name Candyman, I wouldn’t say “Let’s split up” or “I’ll be right back” in a sticky situation, and I would never mess around with Ouija boards.

Well, apparently, other people are more adventurous than me. Unsurprisingly, teenagers are even more ready to play with danger. For the record, I didn’t mess around with this stuff as a teenager either.

I’ve always watched horror movies, so I know to be smart about this stuff.

Which horror movie is based on The Vallecas Files case?

The Netflix release from 2018, Veronica, is based on the case from The Vallecas Files. Just like The Enfield Poltergeist was the case featured in The Conjuring 2.

For me and many others, Verónica was a horror movie that hit hard. It was very efficient and became a huge success. So much so that a prequel came out in 2023 with Sister Death.

Obviously, the parts of these true stories that are used in movies can differ quite a lot from the reality of the events. Still, the facts revealed in The Vallecas Files docuseries are very brutal. Different, in some ways, but extremely scary.

Watch The Vallecas Files docuseries on HBO Max

This original documentary series was directed by Noemí Redondo and created by Irene del Cerro and Jorge Pérez Vega. Produced by Buendía Estudios for HBO Max, this is a docuseries that audiences worldwide should want to watch.

Yes, especially due to the success of the Netflix horror movie Veronica. It feels like a shame that Netflix didn’t make its own documentary, but HBO has always been good at documentaries as well.

I have to admit that the true story told in The Vallecas Files was an absolute nightmare. Of course, it was also a case where manipulation played a much bigger role than the kids in the family had a chance of recognizing back then.

This is a three-part documentary that allows the now-adult children of the family to tell the story. A story of what they experienced and how they understand, as adults, what was all very confusing as children.

The Vallecas Files docuseries is on HBO Max on November 7, 2025.

Plot

Three decades after the mysterious death of a 17-year-old girl, her family relives the traumatic events in Spain’s most infamous paranormal case.

SELF-HELP is a new horror thriller that plays out in a small community. The kind that has a cult leader, lots of strange exercises, and is ultimately just a bunch of grifters. A movie with a few gorgeous and sinister twists to keep you guessing.  Read our full Self-Help movie review here!

SELF-HELP is a horror thriller coming to theaters just in time for Halloween 2025. Admittedly, this is closer to 3½ out of 5 for me, but we don’t do half ratings here at Heaven of Horror, and I wasn’t ready to give it a 4 out of 5.

You’ll just have to trust me when I say that this horror thriller has some sinister twists and gorgeously creepy surprises along the way. Also, it gets rather physical (with practical effects) for those in the self-help community. Ironically, as they try to heal themselves.

Continue reading our Self-Help movie review below. Find it in theaters from October 31, 2025.

Trauma, cults, and grifters galore

Admittedly, I do love a good cult movie. However, Self-Help managed to both give me this and a few added layers. It’s no secret that cults often get a hold of new members when they’ve experienced trauma and are vulnerable. Usually seeking help.

Well, in this movie, what appears to be a self-help community is clearly something much darker. For one, it’s run by an obvious grifter. Okay, maybe not at first, but it won’t take long for money to come up. Also, everything about this “community” just screams cult.

MORE ON CULT TITLES

Be sure to check out our CULT-tag here >

Hot tip: If you need to hand over virtually everything you own to take part in a workshop, then run away. Fast! No one is looking out for your best interest. They’re just looking to get rich fast. At your expense.

That’s the circle of cult-life. First, you experience trauma, then you get caught up in a cult, which will ultimately cost you everything. Often both financially and emotionally. Exactly as you’ll see in this horror thriller.

For the record, no, I haven’t been in a cult. I’ve just watched a lot of cult documentaries of the true crime variety.

A small cast makes for a strong story

With Self-Help, we follow a young woman, Olivia (Landry Bender), as she is about to reunite with her mother. They’ve had a rather strained relationship for a long time. You’ll understand why from the opening scene.

Anyway, it turns out the “retreat” where she’s meeting her mom is actually a dangerous self-actualization community. And her mom, Rebecca (Amy Hargreaves), has started a relationship with the enigmatic leader.

His name is Curtis Clark (Jake Weber), and he is essentially a cult leader. Think Toni Collette in Wayward. However, where she wanted power, this new cult leader is all about getting bags and bags of money.

Much simpler, really, but also a different kind of terrifying.

Olivia didn’t go see her mom on her own. She brought her new best friend from college. Sophie (Madison Lintz), so there is another familiar face for her there. Also attending this self-help workshop (which will get wild) are others in need of help.

These poor fools are portrayed by Carol Cadby, Blaque Fowler, and the director himself, Erik Bloomquist.

Watch Self-Help in theaters for Halloween

Erik Bloomquist is the director of Self-Help, which he also co-wrote with Carson Bloomquist. The two previously made Founders Day (2023) and She Came from the Woods (2022). If you pay attention, you may catch a few Easter Eggs in this new movie.

The Bloomquist brothers also wrote the 2018 mystery thriller Long Lost alongside one of its stars, Adam Weppler. He’s also in Self-Help, but in a smaller role. If you enjoy Self-Help (and I suspect you will), then be sure to check out Long Lost as well.

The theatrical premiere of Self-Help is perfectly timed with a Halloween release. As in on Halloween night itself, which falls on a Friday. Check it out in a theater near you over the weekend, if you’re in the mood for something deliciously creepy in surprising ways.

Self-Help is out in theaters on October 31, 2025.

Details

Director: Erik Bloomquist
Cast: Landry Bender, Jake Weber, Madison Lintz, Amy Hargreaves, Erik Bloomquist, Carol Cadby, Blaque Fowler

Plot

A young woman infiltrates a dangerous self-actualization community after her mother becomes entangled with its enigmatic leader.

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES is the final chapter in James Wan’s franchise about Ed and Lorraine Warren. And it ends on a high (and quite nostalgic) note, so you’ll want to watch it. Read our full The Conjuring: Last Rites movie review here!

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES is out in movie theaters worldwide with the final chapter about Ed and Lorraine Warren. Fortunately, it offers a story that feels back on track. And it’s always good to end on a high note.

THE PREVIOUS MOVIE OF THE FRANCHISE

Check out our review of chapter 3: The Devil Made Me Do It >

In other words, even if you weren’t too crazy about the previous movie in the franchise, you’ll want to watch this fourth and final chapter. Sure, there are other movies in the franchise, but the core The Conjuring movies are ending with this one.

Continue reading our The Conjuring: Last Rites movie review below. Find it in US theaters from September 5, 2025.

Judy Warren is at the center

For their final case, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are in Pennsylvania. It’s the Smurl family’s home, and the year is 1986. Before we get that far, we meet Ed and Lorraine on one of their first cases in the 1960s.

And yes, the experience of The Warrens in the 1960s will tie into this latest case. It should also be said that the opening scene shows us a very pregnant Lorraine, so for The Conjuring: Last Rites, we see the birth of Judy Warren, as she is the key.

Of course, Judy Warren has already played a huge role in several movies in The Conjuring franchise. Not least stories involving Annabelle… and most stories in this franchise do ultimately involve that demon doll or a nun.

In this fourth chapter about Ed and Lorraine Warren, their daughter Judy Warren (Mia Tomlinson) is now a young adult woman. She even has a boyfriend, Tony Spera (Ben Hardy), and is very happy.

However, she has her mother’s talents and struggles with keeping visions at bay.

The final case of the Smurl Family

Getting back to the Smurl Family, this was what made The Conjuring: Last Rites work so well for me. Mostly, because it brought this core franchise back to a classic family and their house.

This was what made the very first The Conjuring such a powerful story. You feel for the family and want them to get help. Again, the same was the case with the sequel.

The third movie took a legal turn with a killer that claimed to be possessed (hence the subtitle of The Devil made Me Do It), and I much prefer the family angle. Life for the Smurl Family is very loud with eight people and Simon the dog living together.

We have the parents, their four daughters, and the patriarch’s parents, all living under the same roof. It’s a small house, where love is bountiful. And again, so is the noise level, but that is to be expected.

For the eight Smurl family members (or nine, if you include the dog, and I always do), life is about to take a violent turn as something sinister and malevolent has gotten inside their house.

Watch The Conjuring: Last Rites in theaters

This is the ninth entry to The Conjuring universe, and it’s a veteran of the franchise and its spin-offs at the helm. The director of The Conjuring: Last Rites is Michael Chaves, who previously directed The Curse of La Llorona, The Conjuring 3, and The Nun 2.

Producers on The Conjuring 4 are still James Wan and Peter Safran, who have been labeled the franchise architects. Writers of the story for this fourth chapter about the Warrens are Ian Goldberg & Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.

The story is the brainchild of David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick & James Wan, based on characters created by Chad Hayes & Carey W. Hayes.

And yes, this final story has a lot going for it. Not least thanks to the cast, which includes a few characters returning for the story. Plus, I don’t want to give away spoilers, but the final part of the movie is clearly a big goodbye to the franchise.

LOOK OUT FOR SHANNON KOOK AND STEVE COULTER

The two have been in all four movies alongside Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, portraying as Drew and Father Gordon respectively >

That’s when you need to really keep your eyes open, if you want to catch all the cameos of characters and actors from the previous installments. It’s a real trip down memory lane, and most of the key people do show up.

It’s quite nostalgic. It certainly was for me, but I was also (still am) a huge fan of that very first The Conjuring movie. As someone who is not a big fan of religion, this is no small feat. If you loved that first movie, then you’ll enjoy this one too.

For the record, it may be “Ed and Lorraine Warren”, but we all know these movies are really all about Vera Farmiga’s Lorraine. She’s the one with the gift. In the world of horror, she is, in all practical matters, a real-life Final Girl.

The Conjuring: Last Rites is out in theaters and IMAX® in North America on September 5, 2025, and internationally beginning September 3, 2025.

Details

In Theaters: September 5, 2025
Director: Michael Chaves
Writers: Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Mia Tomlinson, Ben Hardy, Shannon Kook, Steve Coulter

Plot

In 1986, the Smurl family’s home in Pennsylvania is haunted. Eight family members are subjected to malevolent occurrences and fear for their lives. Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine become involved in the case, only to discover that they are facing an old and sinister adversary.

THE HOLY BOY is a new horror drama from Italy (org. title: La valle dei sorrisi), and it was so much better than I ever dared hope.  This is a religious horror story, but unlike the typical exorcism plot we’ve seen so many times. Read our full The Holy Boy movie review here!

THE HOLY BOY is a horror movie from Italy (org. title: La valle dei sorrisi). It does have a religious twist, as revealed by the English International title. The original Italian title actually means “The Valley of Smiles”, which also makes perfect sense for this story.

To me, this horror drama is perfect for a remake thanks to the core plot. Sure, Christianity is a key element of this storyline, but it could have been any belief system. Plus, the key story deals more with grief and sadness, which is as international as it gets.

Continue reading our The Holy Boy movie review below. The movie premieres at the Venice Film Festival on August 31, 2025, and will also be part of Fantastic Fest 2025.

The Valley of Smiles… and Sadness

As already covered, the original title of The Holy Boy is “La valle dei sorrisi,” which means the valley of smiles. However, the people of the village of Remis may be smiling, but they are also very sad.

When The Holy Boy opens, it’s with a scene that plays out in Remis, and then we jump a good 15 years into the future and continue in the present. Here, we meet the P.E. teacher Sergio (Michele Riondino), who is clearly grieving and seems downright tormented.

For a long time, we don’t know what has happened, but we hear the sound of someone struggling to breathe, and a rope rubbing against something. And yes, it will all be revealed, so I’m not getting into it here, but it reveals the source of Sergio’s trauma.

In any case, it’s a good thing that Sergio arrives in Remis as this secluded village is known as the happiest town in Italy. Something, Sergio must admit, seems to be true. Everyone is open and kind in an almost unnatural way.

Of course, The Holy Boy is a horror movie, so you already know there’s something strange and sinister going on underneath the surface of this happiness.

Hug him and feel happy

What you will soon discover is that the people of Remis are happy because someone takes away their pain and sadness. That someone is Matteo (talented newcomer Giulio Feltri), a fifteen-year-old introverted boy, who is in the midst of discovering who he is.

He is known as “their angel,” and they believe his embrace can free them of all pain and sorrow. That’s why the villagers gather to meet Matteo every week, so that he can take away their sadness.

However, no one seems to ask the most obvious question: Where does the sadness and pain go?

Well, that’s what Sergio asks as he gets to know Matteo. Of course, he also feels the effect of hugging Matteo, so he’s torn between being happy again and feeling that Matteo isn’t allowed to be a normal teenage boy with hopes and desires… and a same-sex crush.

As soon as Sergio tries to help Matteo, it becomes obvious that the villagers are not ready to give up their source of happiness. Of course, Matteo also starts to realize that maybe there could be more to life than being “the angel of Remis”.

The Holy Boy premieres at the Venice Film Festival

This new Italian horror drama caught my eye after just a minute of watching the trailer, but you never know if the actual movie will live up to the expectations the trailer can create. Fortunately for The Holy Boy, it was above and beyond what I expected.

The movie was directed by Paolo Strippoli (Netflix’s A Classic Horror Story, Flowing), who also wrote the movie alongside Jacopo Del Giudice (Flowing) and Milo Tissone (A Classic Horror Story).

Very appropriately, The Holy Boy / La valle dei sorrisi will premiere as a Midnight title at the Venice Film Festival. I can only imagine this will become an immediate film festival darling and audience favorite.

Not least thanks to the ending of The Holy Boy, which is awesome!

This Italian horror movie will go on to screen at Fantastic Fest, and I’m sure many other film festivals will also feature it later. When you get the chance, you should make sure to watch it.

The Holy Boy will have its Venice Premiere on August 31, 2025.

Details

Director: Paolo Strippoli
Writers: Jacopo Del Giudice, Paolo Strippoli, Milo Tissone
Cast: Michele Riondino, Paolo Pierobon, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Sergio Romano, Anna Bellato, Sandra Toffolatti, Roberto Citran, Giulio Feltri

Plot

In Italy’s happiest village, a haunted teacher discovers dark secret behind weekly gatherings where locals seek healing from a teenage boy’s embrace. His quest to save the youth reveals the sinister nature of a community hiding behind joy.

SHAMAN is a 2025 horror movie with an exorcism plot that includes more than one religion. And this is the innovative twist of the movie, which isn’t nearly enough to get me interested. Despite a good cast, I felt like I had seen it all before. Read our full Shaman movie review here!

SHAMAN is a horror movie that takes place in Ecuador. English is spoken for the most part, but a little Spanish is in the movie as well. The brief explanation of the plot would be to say that a teenage boy becomes possessed. And, unfortunately, it all felt very familiar.

The movie is only around an hour and a half long, but I have seen people mention longer runtimes, so maybe it has been re-edited after its festival run. If that’s the case, I think I would rather have watched the longer version. This one certainly didn’t do much for me.

Continue reading our Shaman movie review below. Find it In Theaters and on digital from August 8, 2025.

Which religion should you turn to?

With Shaman, it seems self-evident that a shaman will come into play. So, despite the main characters being a Missionary family, other religions will appear. Of course, as someone who isn’t big on organized religion, we’re not off to a great start.

After all, the family of missionaries has gone to an Indigenous community in a remote Ecuadorian area near a volcano. And honestly, missionaries rarely do much good for an indigenous community in the long run.

As it turns out, it isn’t a good thing for the teenage son of the missionaries either. After he goes into a cave that the locals never go near, he appears to be possessed by some dark force that requires more than one religion to battle. Or, at the very least, Christianity won’t cut it here.

A paint-by-numbers exorcism story

Despite not being a fan of organized religion, I do actually enjoy a good exorcism movie. The operative word being “good”, and Shaman is not it. And really, I don’t even care what the religion used for the exorcism story is.

As long as the plot is good and the story is well-written with interesting characters, then I’m on board. Unfortunately, I don’t feel Shaman delivers on any of this.

WANT A GOOD EXORCISM MOVIE?

Check out the Mexican horror movie No Voltees on Tubi instead >

From the husband having asthma and using his inhaler like a binky (as someone who has asthma, this is a real pet peeve of mine) to the missionaries believing they know better than the locals, I am not a happy camper.

With a cast featuring Sara Canning (Influencer) and Daniel Gillies (Coming Home in the Dark), I was hoping for a story that had much stronger characters. Instead, it’s the stereotypical possessed kid with black veins and black blood coming out of every facial orifice.

It does nothing for me. And, as a result, Shaman did not work for me. I simply did not care what happened to these characters.

Watch Shaman in theaters or on digital

Antonio Negret is the director of Shaman, but in recent years, he has been directing a lot of TV series. From Lincoln Lawyer to Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Riverdale, so he’s stayed busy. His previous feature was the 2017 thriller Overdrive starring Scott Eastwood and Ana de Armas.

The screenplay was written by Daniel Negret, and while I wasn’t a big fan of the directing, the story is just weak. Or maybe it’s just too predictable. The directing often felt like it was forcefully trying to evoke feelings the story couldn’t. In other words, it just did not get under my skin.

This is the first feature film written by Daniel Negret, who has previously produced some very strong genre films. I mean, he was an executive producer on Talk to Me and Bring Her Back, which are some of the best movies with possession-adjacent plots in recent years.

Of course, he also produced Elevator Games, which didn’t do much for me either. Hopefully, the next movie written by Daniel Negret will be stronger than this first one, which is okay, but nothing more.

Shaman (2025) is out In Theaters and on Digital from August 8, 2025.

Details

Director: Antonio Negret
Writer: Daniel Negret
Cast: Sara Canning, Daniel Gillies, Jett Klyne, Humberto Morales, Alejandro Fajardo

Plot

A missionary family travels to rural Ecuador to convert the indigenous population. All is going well until their son ventures into a forbidden local cave and comes back with a demonic spirit in tow. Candice (Sarah Canning) believes that an exorcism in the Catholic tradition will free her boy from the evil bonds that bind him. The local shamans know that this spirit is older than her religion and must be dealt with or the demon will take them all.

SAINT CLARE is a new mystery horror-thriller with a solid vigilante story starring Bella Thorne. The protagonist compares herself to Joan of Arc and feels it’s her calling, in a religious way. Watching it is a delicious guilty pleasure. Read our full Saint Clare movie review here!

SAINT CLARE is a horror-thriller mystery with a great edge to its storytelling. This is the story of a young college student who sees herself as an avenger. Or actually, she’s more of a protector as she tries to get in the way of bad guys before they attack again.

It’s a real genre-mix with a retro indie vibe that I loved. The entire cast is clearly completely onboard with the style and vibe the filmmaker is going for, and the result is a very entertaining movie. The runtime is just 92 minutes, so do check it out.

Continue reading our Saint Clare movie review below. Find it In Theaters and On Demand & Digital from July 18, 2025.

Small town with wicked people

We’re in a small town, where a young woman, Clare (Bella Thorne), finds herself haunted by both voices and circumstances. One particular person is literally haunting her and serves as a sort of conscience for her.

And she needs someone to help her think things through. Clare (as in Saint Clare of the title) kills people. No, she kills men. Or actually, she assassinates men who have and will hurt women.

This is something she’s getting away with in this new town, where she lives with her very colorful grandma, Gigi (Rebecca De Mornay). In this town, they’re in desperate need of a Saint Clare, as women have been disappearing for decades.

As Clare will soon discover, this town is riddled with corruption involving trafficking.

Along with Bella Thorne and Rebecca De Mornay, we have Frank Whaley (The Shed), Erica Dasher, Ryan Phillippe (Wish Upon), Jan Luis Castellanos (Uglies), and Dylan Flashner in key roles.

Joan of Arc meets Revenge

With Saint Clare, we get a character who views herself as a modern-day Joan of Arc. She feels completely safe and confident in going after predators, as she is convinced this is her life goal: That God has given her this task and will protect her.

The comparison to Joan of Arc also means that she fully recognizes it will probably cost her everything in the end. As in, this will be the death of her, but she cannot stop reacting to the dangerous men she comes across.

With Bella Thorne (The Babysitter, Girl) portraying this character, we’re getting a tough young woman who reminded me of Mathilda Lutz in Revenge. And to me, Revenge (2017) is one of the very best revenge movies ever.

Of course, that movie also came from Coralie Fargeat, who most recently gave us The Substance (2024). While Saint Clare doesn’t go quite as far (or get quite as bloody) as Revenge, the story in Saint Clare is equally dark and sinister.

Watch Saint Clare on VOD or in theaters

Saint Clare comes from director Mitzi Peirone, who also wrote the screenplay with Guinevere Turner. In case you’re not too familiar with Guinevere Turner, apart from her work as an actor, she is actually a writer with some hefty genre titles on her resume.

Guinevere Turner co-wrote the iconic serial killer movie American Psycho (2000) with the director Mary Harron. Of course, that movie was based on author Bret Easton Ellis’ book, and Saint Clare is also based on a novel. That one was written by Don Roff.

Director and co-writer Mitzi Peirone is also a familiar name as she wrote and directed the 2018 horror, mystery, crime-thriller Braid starring Madeline Brewer (Cam). Based on her first two feature films, Braid and Saint Clare, I can’t wait for what comes next.

SAINT CLARE is In Theaters and On VOD & Digital from July 18, 2025.

Details

Director: Mitzi Peirone
Writers: Mitzi Peirone, Guinevere Turner
Stars: Bella Thorne, Rebecca De Mornay, Frank Whaley, Ryan Phillippe, Erica Dasher, Jan Luis Castellanos, Dylan Flashner

Plot

In a small town a solitary woman is haunted by voices that lead her to assassinate ill intended people and get away with it, until her last kill sucks her down a rabbit hole riddled with corruption, trafficking and visions from the beyond.

THE RITUAL is a new exorcism horror movie… and it’s not a good one. In fact, despite the impressive cast led by Al Pacino and Dan Stevens, it’s absolutely terrible. It’s even more generic than the title. Read our full The Ritual (2025) horror movie review here!

THE RITUAL is an exorcism horror movie based on “the shocking true story of the most infamous exorcism in American history”. Well, after watching it, I’d say what’s truly shocking is just how boring and generic a movie this was.

DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH…

The very good Netflix movie The Ritual from 2017 – watch that instead >

The director is better than this, the cast (certainly historically) is better, and the true story should also make for something more interesting. Unfortunately, virtually everything about the way this story is told makes it boring and unengaging. Including the CGI choices.

Continue reading our 2025 The Ritual horror movie review below. Find it In Theaters from June 6, 2025.

The most lackluster exorcism story

With The Ritual, we’re off to a terrible start because the focus is on the priests rather than the possessed girl. If The Exorcist taught us anything, it should be that despite the title, the heart of the movie is the possessed girl.

The same goes for The Exorcism of Emily Rose, which also focused on the girl as well as made her the focus of the title. With this 2025 exorcism movie about a real case from 1928, it’s all about the priests.

We just get right into it, and it’s not good. The story isn’t good, and the actors are given virtually nothing to work with, so I can’t fault them.

Or maybe that’s not entirely true…

Too good a cast for this exorcism movie

Okay, I have to admit that Al Pacino does deliver a very lackluster performance. He sounds exactly like in Hunters, where he was damn good, but here it’s just a mess. Robert De Niro is still great, but Al Pacino dropped the ball on this one.

This is Russell Crowe territory, but I guess he was too young for the role in The Ritual. We see pictures of the real-life people, which explains this.

Dan Stevens is good, but it’s nowhere near enough to make the movie interesting. Meanwhile, Ashley Greene and Patricia Heaton as a young nun and Mother Superior, respectively, are given so little to work with, it’s embarrassing.

The possessed girl, Emma Schmidt, is portrayed by Abigail Cowen. She does nothing wrong, but this movie isn’t the great role for her that it could (should!) have been.

You can watch The Ritual in theaters

The Ritual (2025) was written and directed by David Midell. Everything from the title to the production is as generic as the title. And the camerawork is downright terrible. The most wobbly, handheld motion-sickness-inducing experience. It’s truly awful.

The story comes from writer-director David Midell and Enrico Natale, and is based on a true story. This fact alone should’ve made for a more interesting viewing experience, but it’s all about the priests and very little about the possessed girl.

In fact, at the end of the movie, we see pictures of the priests but not the girl. Why?! Pictures do exist of her, so a quick Google search can help you.

Could it be because the true story involved a 46-year-old Emma Schmidt (or Anna Ecklund as she was also known), and not the young girl featured in this movie?

Even that detail makes for a very crappy take on a “true story.” The old priests are the “heroes,” and the real person suffering through it all is de-aged to tell her story. I thought it couldn’t get worse than the actual movie, but this detail made it all even more terrible to me.

The Ritual (2025) is out in US Theaters nationwide from June 6, 2025.

Details

Director: David Midell
Script: David Midell
Cast: Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene, Abigail Cowen, Maria Camila Giraldo, Meadow Williams, Patrick Fabian, Patricia Heaton

Plot

The shocking true story of the most infamous exorcism in American history.

SHADOW OF GOD on Shudder is a new horror movie with an exorcism plot. However, this time, it’s different. Both the priest performing the ritual and the actual possession are unconventional. Read our full Shadow of God horror movie review here!

SHADOW OF GOD is a new Shudder horror movie starring Mark O’Brien. I wasn’t sure what to expect and, having watched the movie, I’m still uncertain about a few elements. I do, on the other hand, feel confident that I would’ve given this movie 2½ stars out of 5 if we did halves.

The movie has an average IMDb rating of under 4, as of writing this, which is wildly misrepresenting the quality of it. Instead, it probably has more to do with the content, which isn’t for everyone. And I’m still not sure it’s for me either, but it was a well-made movie.

Continue reading our Shadow of God horror movie review below. Find it on Shudder from April 11, 2025.

When exorcists start dying, something is up

In Shadow of God, we begin (as is often the case with exorcism movies) while our main protagonist is performing an exorcism. It does not end well, which turns out to be a theme for the Vatican in those exact moments.

In strange – to put it mildly – ways, several Vatican exorcists are being killed simultaneously. Or, at the very least, within minutes or hours of one another.

Father Mason Harper (Mark O’Brien) is a renegade type of Vatican exorcist who needs a breather after that opening scene. He returns to his childhood home, which floods his mind with memories and even visions. Or are they visions?!

He’s planning to spend some time with his childhood friend, Tanis Green (Jacqueline Byers), while waiting for new orders from the church. This is when we find out more about both their lives. They grew up in a cult and escaped together – mostly Tanis made sure they got out.

Life after a cult

After leaving the cult, she turned to the army, while he turned to the Church. Now she works as a psychiatrist with PTSD veterans, and he’s an exorcist for the Vatican. Quite a crazy life for both of them despite their young age.

I would watch an entire movie about their life in the cult. And also, how they escaped and the time after this. The origin story of these two characters, which admittedly is covered successfully in flashbacks, was extremely fascinating to me.

In any case, they’re now both back in the town, where the cult was run by Mason’s father, Angus. Mason believed his father was dead – especially because he saw him die – but now Angus reappears. Not to hurt Mason, but rather to warn him.

Possessed by something holy?

Angus is very different now and states that he was wrong about everything. With what Mason knows now, as an exorcist, he believes his father is possessed. However, not by a demon or the devil, but possibly something from the other end of the spectrum.

In other words, he suspects something holy and all-powerful is trying to come to Earth via his father’s body.

This might sound intriguing and like the “second coming”, but if that’s the case, then it’s nothing like what you’d expect. It’s quite terrifying, and everyone seems confused by this drastic and strange turn of events.

Watch Shadow of God on Shudder

Michael Peterson is the director of Shadow of God, and I really enjoyed his 2018 movie Knuckleball, so I’m always ready for more from him. Even as a producer, he has impressed me. Like with the 2019 movie Harpoon. He’s also a producer on this latest movie.

The screenplay comes from Tim Cairo, who also has a resume with something I loved. For him, it was the survival horror movie Dark Nature (2022), which has an average IMDb rating of just 4.4, and I have no idea why that is. I just know I disagree with it.

The runtime of Shadow of God is just shy of 90 minutes, which worked well for it. The special effects, however, I’m still unsure about. It’s obviously a very deliberately chosen style, which reminded me of something from the 1990s. Not my cup of tea, but it didn’t ruin it for me either.

Shadow of God begins streaming on Shudder on April 11, 2025.

Details

Director: Michael Peterson
Writer: Tim Cairo
Stars: Mark O’Brien, Jacqueline Byers, Shaun Johnston, Adrian Hough, Josh Cruddas

Plot

When several of his fellow Vatican exorcists are simultaneously killed, Father Mason Harper returns to his childhood home to spend time with childhood friend while he awaits orders from the Church. However, this small town holds dark secrets about Mason’s past and the religious organization once run by his father, Angus. Thought dead, Angus reappears, forcing a reunion between father and son. But Angus is different now, and before long, Mason suspects he’s possessed, not by the devil, but by something… holy. When Mason attempts to exorcise the presence from his father, he sets off a chain of events that may end in a cataclysm of biblical proportions testing everything he holds sacred.

HOOD WITCH is a new survival thriller from France (org. title: Roqya). It surprises, makes you uncomfortable, and keeps you engaged. Golshifteh Farahani stars in the title role and is breathtaking. Read our full Hood Witch movie review here!

HOOD WITCH is a new survival thriller out in theaters and on digital. The story deals with both the role of religion and traditional (alternative) practices that can be labeled as good or bad. If this sounds too “deep” or boring, then I assure you, it is not.

Especially as this is then coupled with the impact of social media and how quickly you can be the subject of an actual witch hunt. In this movie, the main character may be living in the “hood” of present-day Paris, but when she is called a witch, the people chasing her are primeval in method.

Continue reading our Hood Witch movie review below. Find it in Theaters and on VOD from March 21, 2025.

A wild opening scene

While the opening scene of Hood Witch may seem simple, I assure you it will quickly develop into something quite unexpected. Our main character, Nour (Golshifteh Farahani), makes a living from smuggling exotic animals and other illicit products.

Her reason for doing this is that her clients are what many would call witches. Basically, they are people who use animals and plants from nature to create spells and potions. Nour herself is no stranger to the odd little potion either, but that isn’t her business plan.

She’s aiming much higher as her goal is to get her son out of the city (specifically the ghetto-like area of Paris, where they live) to offer him a better future. She has designed an app meant to connect clients with spiritual healers in their area.

What’s the difference between a witch and a preacher?

Nour’s app is an instant success in this world, where people don’t trust modern medicine or can find no cure for their ailments. Unfortunately, the success will end abruptly when someone dies and Nour is blamed and labeled a witch.

Via the very same social media that made her app a success, she is now in the middle of a sh*t storm and hunted all over Paris. Those shouting the loudest about hunting and killing the witch, are those who claim to be religious.

All while they attack Nour for being a witch, they seek various “treatments” from preachers in their own religion. Hood Witch does an excellent job of highlighting that there really is no difference. Whether you invoke the God of your religion or Mother Nature, the methods are eerily similar.

Of course, those hunting Nour see it differently. And Nour herself is one tough mamma. She will do whatever it takes to protect her son and herself. In that order, mind you.

Golshifteh Farahani is unforgettable as Nour

For the story of Hood Witch to work, the title character must come across as believable and (preferably) likable. At the very least, relatable. In the capable embodiment of Golshifteh Farahani, Nour is a character who manages all three.

In a movie that ends up being a cautionary tale about social media pitfalls paired with religious extremism and an unregulated black market, you need an actor who can carry these heavy themes and still be “just” a human being trying to get by. She does all that and more.

In short, Golshifteh Farahani is breathtaking as Nour. When you watch Hood Witch, you’ll probably find her face recognizable even if her name doesn’t ring a bell. Yet!

You may have seen Golshifteh Farahani in the Apple TV+ series Invasion, the Netflix movies Extraction 1 and 2, or the brilliant French zombie movie The Night Eat the World. Also, she was in the amazing psychological thriller About Elly and the 2019 dramedy Arab Blues. She does it all.

Watch Hood Witch on VOD or in select theaters now

The director of Hood Witch is Saïd Belktibia. He also wrote the screenplay with Louis Penicaut. In fact, the filmmaker dedicated the movie to his mother and it hits close to home in certain ways. Saïd Belktibia was raised by his single mother who practiced witchcraft in her apartment just like Nour.

This French movie (org. title: Roqya) originally premiered at MOTELX, the Lisbon International Horror Film Festival in Portugal in September of 2023. From there, it went on to screen at the iconic Spanish genre film festival Sitges and then SXSW in March of 2024.

Having screened at these amazing genre film festivals since the Fall of 2023, you can now finally watch it as well. And you definitely should! Sure, it will make you uncomfortable and it gets insanely scary, but you cannot look away. Even if you want to, you shouldn’t.

Hood Witch is in select theaters and on digital from March 21, 2025.

Details

Director: Saïd Belktibia
Writers: Saïd Belktibia, Louis Penicaut
Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Amine Zariouhi, Denis Lavant, Alexis Manenti, Karim Belkhadra, Issaka Sawadogo

Plot

Nour makes a living from smuggling exotic animals and illicit products. Wishing to get her son out of the city and offer him a better future, she designs and develops a mobile app that connects clients and spiritual healers. It’s a success – until a patient’s consultation turns into a tragedy.

THE BUILDOUT is a new mystery thriller with a gorgeous setting, few characters, and lots of mystery… even too much. I was completely mesmerized as I watched it but was left wanting more. Read our full The Buildout movie review here!

THE BUILDOUT is out on VOD after a great festival run. I can easily see why this mystery thriller would work well at film festivals. Especially the kind of screenings where the filmmaker is doing an interview afterward to help clarify details.

Ultimately, The Buildout felt like reading the middle chapter of a really good book. It was engaging and I wanted to read the chapters before as well as those that came after, but was denied this. Needless to say, this doesn’t result in any kind of optimal experience. Certainly not for me.

Continue reading our The Buildout movie review below. Find it on VOD from February 25, 2025.

A lot of mystery in a gorgeous setting

With The Buildout, we’re following two friends, Dylan and Cameron, as they head out to the desert. One is going there to support a friend and the other is going there to live. It’s something she’s doing to join others from her church – which is possibly an actual cult, according to their friend.

There’s something about this particular place in the middle of the desert. Could it be a place of religious power and significance or possibly something alien? Maybe a place that has been used for experiments and left something strange behind?!

No one really knows, but it’s the belief of this church that they need to live right in the epicenter which is marked by a strange tent. One that is humming with an esoteric energy and more mystery.

According to the official synopsis, The Buildout is about this place and states that “…What is found within its walls is incomprehensible.” Well, I would agree as we’re never entirely sure exactly what is found there.

Still, the place looks amazing and the shots are worthy of National Geographic. And yes, I do mean this to be a huge compliment. I loved it!

The power (and danger) of friendship

When we first meet Dylan (Hannah Alline) and Cameron (Jenna Kanell), they are out on one last adventure together. Going ever deeper into the desert, this is a final goodbye to their friendship as one of them will stay secluded in the desert while the other goes back home.

This is all documented by a handheld camera, but it never gets too wild in that motion sickness-inducing way that I abhor. Instead, they switch to also using cameras attached to the helmets when riding dirtbikes or placing the handheld camera somewhere solid, so it’s not all over the place.

Kudos to the filmmaker for this choice. That is how you use a handheld camera to create up-close action without making the audience nauseous.

In any case, the actual plot in The Buildout is less about what was or is and more about what comes next. Having experienced trauma involving someone dear to them both, they struggle to get back to their former selves.

Two strong lead actors

With Jenna Kanell (Renfield, Terrifier) and Hannah Alline (The Hunt, Doom Patrol) in the lead roles, we’re getting very strong performances. And also very different character portrayals.

One has gotten clean and found God (or something similar) which has led them to choose a life in the desert. The other is grinding through it and finding another way to live their life with this loss.

The Buildout aims to “bridge the gap between found footage and traditional cinematic storytelling while leaning into strong, capable, and unapologetic characters” which I will say is accomplished. very much so.

If only the focus on the plot and storyline had been slightly more evolved, I would’ve been one happy film fan.

Watch The Buildout on VOD now

The Buildout was written and directed by Zeshaan Younus and is the debut feature from distributor Ethos Releasing. As stated initially, I can understand why this was a festival favorite. Hell, I would’ve loved to watch this at a festival screening.

The meditative and mesmerizing imagery is perfect for a dark theater with other fans of genre films. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this movie, because I really did.

However, I was also left wanting more. And sure, sometimes that is a good thing. Less can be more in a roundabout way, but sometimes it’s just too little. I was left wanting more answers. Not that I needed everything explained, but this was just a little too little.

I loved watching it but was still left wondering about a few details too many. The mystery in this thriller is fascinating but also left way too unresolved for my liking. The runtime is short at just around 70 minutes, but I would’ve liked just another five minutes to explore further.

THE BUILDOUT arrives on all VOD platforms on February 25, 2025.

Details

Director: Zeshaan Younus
Writer: Zeshaan Younus
Cast: Jenna Kanell, Hannah Alline, Natasha Halevi, Michael Sung Ho

Plot

In THE BUILDOUT, a friendship is tested as two women experience something strange in the desert.