HERMAN is a new psychological horror-thriller set mostly in one location but with far-reaching consequences. It’s a very powerful story with a final act that starts well, but drags on for too long. Unfortunately, as this had potential for more. Read our full Herman movie review here!

HERMAN is a psychological horror-thriller about an older man trying to live with the choices he made in life. Or rather, he is often trying to run from them, and on this fateful night, there is interference. The kind that forces him to acknowledge past misdeeds.

I was completely invested in this for the longest time, but that final act was a bit of a let-down. Not that it’s a bad story, but the pacing drags out, and the tempo is almost at a standstill for a few minutes too long. Still, this is definitely worth checking out, so I’m just irritated that it didn’t stay as good until the very end.

Continue reading our review of the Herman movie below. Find it on VOD from December 2, 2025.

Haunted or hunted?

In Herman, the title character is ready to end his life when someone comes knocking on his door. Having led a life of solitude, he tends to reflect on what he had and what he lost. On this particular night, he will be forced to come to terms with his past actions.

His misdeeds, to be exact.

Having Herman come out in December is perfect, as it has a touch of The Christmas Carol to its plot. Not in detail, but being confronted by people who insist that he look back on his life and acknowledge what has led him to this point.

Herman (Colin Ward) will find himself haunted (and almost hunted) by several dark forces. Many of which originate from himself in a roundabout way.

Will he be able to come to terms with his past, or will the late-night visitors seeking shelter at his cabin be forced to go to extremes?! Well, Herman is an older white man, so I’m sure you can imagine. No matter his objections, he will be forced to fully confront his inner demons.

Watch Herman on VOD now

Herman comes from writer-director Andrew Vogel, who has created a very engaging and fascinating story. I have seen it done better in movies such as You’ll Never Find Me and Pandemonium. However, this one does come very close at several points throughout the runtime.

Also, the cast led by Colin Ward (Mank, Perry Mason) as Herman was very strong. I especially liked Suzann Toni Petrongolo (Dead Giveaway, The Dirty South) as Sister Mary. Also in a key role is Lawson Greyson (V/H/S Halloween) as Alice, while writer-director Andrew Vogel himself also plays a very important role in front of the camera.

Personally, I loved how it was shot mostly in one location, which became increasingly claustrophobic as Herman is confronted with his past. Also, for the longest time, I didn’t look at how much time had passed. This ended somewhere during the final act, which is why the rating isn’t higher, but it is still a big recommendation to watch this horror-thriller.

Herman is out on VOD on December 2, 2025, via Scatena & Rosner Films.

Details

Director: Andrew Vogel
Script: Andrew Vogel
Cast: Colin Ward, Suzann Toni Petrongolo, Lawson Greyson, Andrew Vogel, Alex James, Soni Theresa Montgomery

Plot

Haunted by a dark force, a grizzled recluse is faced with late-night visitors seeking shelter at his cabin. As jealousy and demonic influence ignite, he is pulled into another dimension to confront his inner demons.

STAR PEOPLE is a new sci-fi thriller with a very sweet, but also twisted and dark, story featuring two siblings at the heart of the plot. Inspired by real events, this indie production won me over with its character-driven plot and the most gorgeous visuals. Read our full Star People movie review here!

STAR PEOPLE is a new indie sci-fi thriller that made me want to plan a night of stargazing somewhere with no light pollution. Honestly, if you don’t fall in love with the visuals of this movie, then I don’t know what it would take. Also, it has a character-driven story built on the aftermath of a real UFO sighting.

With a runtime of just over 100 minutes, I was worried that maybe it would be running a little too long. Fortunately, it didn’t, as there are more layers to the storyline than what you might expect. A small but fierce cast paired with a very interesting and relatable storyline made for a solid genre movie.

Continue reading our Star People movie review below. Find it on VOD now!

I want to believe

Star People is a classic “I want to believe”-plot that Fox Mulder would gladly support. We meet photographer Claire (Kat Cunning), who is convinced she has seen a UFO (or rather, several) when she was a child. Ever since this sighting, she has been waiting for them to come back.

The very specific UFO sighting in this 2025 sci-fi thriller is based on the very real 1997 UFO sighting in Arizona. It was known as the “Phoenix Lights”, and we see archive news footage of the event. Clarie’s brother, Taylor (McCabe Slye), isn’t a believer, so he would be the Dana Scully of the family – just to stay in the X Files character gallery.

Taylor, however, is a junkie and struggling in all areas of life, so Claire doesn’t care much about what he believes. Still, in a roundabout way, he ends up joining his big sister on a job. A man has spotted some lights that look similar to the 1997 Phoenix Lights, and wants Claire to take pictures of them.

Not because he thinks they’re aliens, but I won’t give away what he suspects here. Again, Claire doesn’t care what anyone else believes. She’s just eager to get out there and see the aliens again.

There is much more to this story, but Star People is the kind of movie that you should experience without too much prior knowledge.

Wonderful cast and an important story

Don’t worry, I’m not about to go back on the above and give away key elements of the story in Star People. I just want to highlight that I loved how it incorporated very current issues and dealt with them in a very straightforward manner. Being able to do this in a believable way means a cast has to sell the idea to us, the audience, and Star People has a wonderful cast.

With Kat Cunning (The Deuce, Trinkets) at the heart of the story, we have an actor who breathes life into Claire. She’s a woman who is conflicted and deals with past trauma as best she can. Sure, she handles it better than her brother, who is a junkie, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t struggling as well.

Also, McCabe Slye (Fear Street trilogy) is wonderful as her little brother, Taylor, with all the issues and baggage he comes with. As a boyfriend (well, sort of) to Claire, we see Connor Paolo (A Creature Was Stirring) as Justin. Honestly, Justin isn’t a very stellar man, but Connor Paolo manages to give him nuance in his portrayal. Really, he just isn’t a hero… at all!

Rounding out the cast of Star People are Eddie Martinez, Adriana Aluna Martinez, Chris Altice, and Bradley Fisher. All play important parts in the story, and all deserve to be complimented for their performances.

Watch Star People on VOD

Star People comes from writer-director Adam Finberg, and I am very impressed with this indie sci-fi thriller. A strong character-driven plot that isn’t afraid to include a few key elements of very current importance. And also, those visuals truly did take my breath away.

If Arizona wants to attract more tourists, just get Adam Finberg to make the commercial.

However, I do also have to highlight the audio. Not least the score by Reza Safinia, and the soundtrack. The end credit song “Constellation” by Reza Safinia, featuring vocals by the star of the movie, Kat Cunning, was amazing. I immediately wanted to hear that song again. And again!

If you love a solid sci-fi thriller and want to believe, then do check out Star People. Not only does it offer a UFO story, but it also deals with more grounded everyday “alien” issues that many will recognize. A strong combination that works elegantly here.

Star People is out on VOD now.

Details

Director: Adam Finberg
Writer: Adam Finberg
Cast: Kat Cunning, McCabe Slye, Connor Paolo, Eddie Martinez, Bradley Fisher, Adriana Aluna Martinez

Plot

Inspired by The Phoenix Lights, the largest mass UFO sighting in U.S. history, STAR PEOPLE is a sci-fi thriller that tells the story of a photographer (Kat Cunning) who receives a tip that could finally shed light on her childhood UFO sighting, but a deadly heatwave and unexpected guests threaten to derail her obsessive search for answers.

Director Jamie Langlands makes his feature-length debut with The Cellar, a slow-burning and atmospheric tale about a woman’s journal to escape from literal confinement and her spiritual journal to escape from her inner demons.

Meghan Adara stars as Abigail, a woman who wakes up trapped in a locked room in an underground cellar. Most of the film focuses on Abigail trying to escape from the cellar, with very little dialogue or other characters.

At times, it seems like Abigail might be being pursued by a mysterious assailant, although this was largely hinted at for the most part instead of being explicitly shown.

DO NOT CONFUSE THIS ONE WITH…

The 2024 thriller Cellar Door, which we have reviewed here >

And while some viewers might lose interest in the long sections in which Abigail prowls the underground maze of corridors due to the lack of dialogue or interactions which occur throughout these prolonged sequences, others will appreciate the way in which The Cellar presents an intimate journey into one woman’s desperate struggle to emerge victorious.

Never give up

Abigail is clearly a woman who refuses to give up, no matter how discouraging the odds stacked against her happen to be, and her largely uninterrupted journey to freedom will resonate with anyone who has ever felt trapped in a situation which they desperately want to escape from.

The way in which very little else is shown as Abigail tries to find a way out means that your attention will be laser-focused on her efforts to break free, and while some might lose interest, others will be captivated.

It also soon becomes clear that Abigail was deeply troubled prior to her ordeal in the cellar, and her dream of a better life if she manages to break free makes her seem even more admirable as a person.

And Adara delivered a compelling and persuasive performance despite her relative lack of dialogue, with Abigail’s sheer determination and desperation clearly being felt, regardless of the fact that she rarely speaks.

Impressive performances

Although there are some interludes to group therapy sessions which Abigail attended before being captured, with the attendees offering detailed accounts of why they believe they need help after their lives fell to pieces.

These scenes offer a welcome diversion from the portions of the film taking place in the maze-like cellar, and the actors all delivered impressive performances as lost souls who desperately need to be found.

Obie Dean delivered a particularly impressive performance as Darren, a former addict who describes how he overdosed during one of the group therapy sessions. Darren clearly struggles to hold back tears as he recounts his story, and you will do the same as you listen to his account of his harrowing ordeal.

Watch The Cellar (2024) on Digital now

Aside from the group therapy scenes, there are also some dream-like sequences showing Abigail seemingly experiencing visions of herself in a field, with strange events going on around her. It is unclear if these are flashbacks, dreams, or hallucinations, so you will need to make up your own mind about these scenes.

And while some will argue that these largely ambiguous sequences do not serve much of a purpose, they will still leave you pondering over the meaning for a long time after the end credits start to roll.

MORE MOVIES WITH A SIMILAR TITLE

If the title seems familiar, it may be due to this one from 2022 >

Viewers with long attention spans will no doubt be absorbed by Abigail’s quest to escape from the labyrinthine complex as they watch The Cellar, with Langlands proving that you do not need large amounts of dialogue to tell a character-focused story.

And the relatively short, eighty-four minute runtime ensures that The Cellar does not overstay its welcome, so even though there was not an awful lot going on for much of the film, your interest will not have too much time to waiver.

Although it may be too uneventful for some, The Cellar ultimately proved to be a captivating examination into the lengths that people will go to in order to find a way out of desperate situations.

THE CELLAR (2024) was released on digital on November 4, 2025.

Details

Director: Jamie Langlands
Writer: Jamie Langlands
Stars: Meghan Adara, Neil James, Charlotte Marshall, Wayne Liversidge, Obie Dean, Mickaela Sands, Sophie Flack

Plot

A young girl wakes up imprisoned underground, with amnesia. She must escape, unravel the mystery behind her captivity, and confront her personal struggles. A suspenseful tale of survival, truth, and inner turmoil unfolds.

THE THINGS YOU KILL is a new revenge thriller with a few unexpected twists along the way. It all plays out in Turkey, but the story is universal in many brutal ways. Also, this is Canada’s Oscar bid for 2026. Yes, I do mean Canada. Read our full The Things You Kill movie review here!

THE THINGS YOU KILL is a movie that I probably expected more from, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good movie. It’s just that I knew, before watching it, that this is the Oscar bid from Canada for the 2026 Best Foreign Film award. This made for some expectations that the movie didn’t deliver on.

Having said that, I still highly recommend watching this movie. However, I have to highlight that you need to go in with an open mind and pay attention. The premise is fairly simple as far as revenge stories go, but the storytelling style chosen for this thriller does challenge its audience.

Continue reading our The Things You Kill movie review below. Find it in select theaters from November 14, 2025.

Revenge or forgiveness?

With The Things You Kill, we see family members struggle with the choice between revenge and forgiveness. When dealing with trauma, this will often seem like the only two choices. If you want to move on, you must either forgive or react. Forgetting is rarely an option – and never the healthy one.

It all begins with a son, Ali, questioning the suspicious death of his mother. Very quickly, he suspects that his father had a hand in his mother’s accidental death. Ali is a university professor who has returned to his native Turkey after spending more than a decade in the USA.

Why he left is part of the story, so I won’t get into that. However, he returned to be closer to his family and wants to start a family and build a garden on a plot of land. To help with the latter, an enigmatic gardener plays a role. Appearing out of nowhere, he is ready to help Ali with whatever he needs.

Before long, thoughts of revenge take over, and family secrets will surface to reveal painful truths. Can Ali hold back the darkness that has been building up inside, or will he give in and let it out?

Up for a possible Oscar nomination

As already mentioned, The Things You Kill is the Oscar bid from Canada for the 2026 Best Foreign Language Film award. The director of this movie is an Iranian-Canadian filmmaker, and the story is in Turkish and takes place in Turkey.

I can’t say anything against this, as the amazing Under the Shadow became a nominee for the UK, and Holy Spider was a nominee for my own native Denmark. It’s all about following the filmmaker and, especially, the money. Who produced the movie? That’s where you discover the connection to which country will be the potential Oscar recipient.

Anyway, I also had Incendies in the back of my mind. Simply due to it being from a Canadian director, taking place in the Middle East, and also being nominated for an Oscar for Canada. The breathtaking 2010 movie was by Denis Villeneuve, and I truly cannot recommend it enough.

Incendies didn’t win the Oscar, because that went to my native Denmark for Susanne Bier‘s In A Better World. As proud as I am of that, I personally feel Incendies has a stronger story.

Anyway, my point is simply that I expected something that The Things You Kill never promised, and yet it did impact my overall experience with watching it. Fairly? Not at all, but here we are.

Watch The Things You Kill when you can

The Things You Kill was written & directed by Alireza Khatami. Despite not having watched anything by this Iranian-Canadian filmmaker before, I am very excited to see what he does next. The core story of this movie is heartbreaking yet offers hope. And yet, this is also a dark revenge story that involves choices you can never undo.

The movie has already won the 2025 Sundance Directing Award in the “World Cinema Dramatic” category. This alone makes it an obvious choice to send to the Oscars as well. That’s probably a good part of the reason for making The Things You Kill Canada’s official selection for the 98th Academy Awards.

It’s possible that I would’ve ended a rating higher on another day, but no more than that. The reason is the storytelling choices. It’s a strong story, but it does expect a lot from its audience before setting the stage and presenting the premise ideally. To this movie-watcher, anyway.

The Things You Kill opens in New York on November 14, 2025, before expanding to Los Angeles and additional markets on November 21, 2025. 

Details

Director: Alireza Khatami
Script: Alireza Khatami
Cast: Ekin Koç, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, Ercan Kesal, Serhat Nalbantoğlu, Aysan Sümercan, Selen Kurtaran

Plot

Questioning the suspicious death of his mother, a university professor and his enigmatic gardener descend into a hypnotic maze of mirrors and memories. As family secrets surface and painful truths emerge, they spiral toward a devastating reckoning with the darkness lurking within us all.

THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT is a new psychological thriller where Willem Dafoe plays the title character. It may feel like slow-burn storytelling at first, but it is ultimately a wild ride. Read our full The Man in My Basement movie review here!

THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT is a psychological thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 55 minutes, which may sound long, but it works. Yes, it does mean the movie has elements that are classic slow-burning, but don’t let that fool you.

With Willem Dafoe in the title role, this plot will end up taking some wild turns. It’s a movie that requires a lot of its audience, so you need to pay attention and be open to the story beneath the story. The ending itself is wild!

Continue reading our The Man in My Basement movie review below. Find it in select theaters on September 12, 2025, and on Hulu & Disney+ later this Fall.

Desperate times call for desperate actions?!

In The Man in My Basement, we meet Charles Blakey (Corey Hawkins) just as his life is at an all-time low. He lives in a gorgeous, big house that has been in his family for eight generations.

Now, he’s about to lose this house, which would make him the reason this ancestral home won’t make it to the next generation.

Enter Anniston Bennet (Willem Dafoe) with an offer that Charles Blakey won’t be able to resist for long. Anniston Bennet wants to rent the dusty stand-up basement for 65 days.

It isn’t anything illegal, and he is offering enough money that all the debt on the house will be cleared. Of course, if something sounds too good to be true, there’s usually a catch.

There is a catch for this offer as well. However, it isn’t anything he could have anticipated or expected. Nor is it anything I want to spoil for you.

Please, do yourself a favor and avoid spoilers for The Man in My Basement. You’ll want to experience the crazy and intense ways this story escalates without too much prior information.

Trauma, grief, and guilt!

The Man in My Basement deals with several deep and dark themes. Mostly trauma and guilt, but also grief, which is often a part of both trauma and guilt. To some extent, anyway.

Maybe that’s why it reminded me of the movie The Woman in the Yard. And yes, I do realize the titles are also eerily similar, but trust me, the actual movies do differ wildly.

DO CHECK OUT

Our review of the indie psychological horror-thriller here >

It’s more about the themes, where The Man in My Basement focuses on trauma and guilt first, The Woman in the Yard is much more about grief as its primary driver.

I know not everyone was on board with The Woman in the Yard, and I’m a little nervous the same could be the case with The Man in My Basement. However, I believe Willem Dafoe will win over most…in storytelling terms, I mean!

Watch The Man in My Basement as soon as you can!

This new psychological thriller comes from director Nadia Latif, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Walter Mosley. Filmmaker Nadia Latif has crafted a wildly intense and dark story with this one!

Fortunately, the casting is also spot-on with Corey Hawkins and Willem Dafoe in the two key lead roles. Both deliver exactly what their respective characters need and leave the audience floored more than once during its runtime.

Also, the supporting cast is wonderful with Anna Diop (Nanny), Jonathan Ajayi (Alien: Earth), Pamela Nomvete, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr., and Tamara Lawrance (both from Get Millie Black).

The Man in My Basement enjoyed its World Premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025. It will be coming to Hulu from September 26, so you can also watch it then.

However, if you get the chance to watch it earlier, I recommend that you jump at it. Again, all to avoid spoilers and get the first-hand experience of this story.

The Man in My Basement is out in Select Theaters from September 12, 2025.

Details

Director: Nadia Latif
Screenplay: Walter Mosley & Nadia Latif
Cast: Corey Hawkins, Willem Dafoe, Anna Diop, Jonathan Ajayi, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr., Pamela Nomvete, Tamara Lawrance

Plot

In the African American neighborhood of Sag Harbor, New York, Charles Blakey (Corey Hawkins) is out of work, out of luck and on the verge of foreclosure on his ancestral home. A knock on the door from a mysterious businessman, Anniston Bennet (Willem Dafoe), brings a bizarre and lucrative proposition; rent his dusty stand-up basement out for the summer and receive enough money to clear his debts for good. Once Charles accepts, he finds himself led down a terrifying path that confronts his family’s ghosts and locks the men in a terrifying puzzle, at the heart of it, race, the source of their traumas and the root of all evil.

DESCENDENT is a new Sci-Fi Thriller produced by Benson & Moorhead, but from a first-time filmmaker. It has a vibe familiar from previous movies by the iconic genre producers, but with a unique twist. Read our full Descendent movie review here!

DESCENDENT is a new Sci-Fi Thriller with a plot that feels like one long waking nightmare. Well, mostly for the main character, but as we’re watching it all unfold, we’re right there with him. It’s very efficient, but also a little too slow for my liking.

The character-driven story keeps you engaged from start to finish and will surely have you guessing along the way. Whether you guess where it’s all heading or not, I do think you’ll find it entertaining. I certainly did. The runtime is just 95 minutes.

Continue reading our Descendent movie review below. Find it in limited theatrical release on August 8, 2025, and out nationwide, plus on VOD from August 15, 2025.

Childhood trauma vs. alien abduction

With Descendent, we’re getting a story set in present-day Los Angeles, but events from decades earlier will soon come into play. We follow Sean Bruner (The Walking Dead‘s Ross Marquand), who is working as a school security guard, but hoping to move up in the world.

He is viciously haunted by childhood trauma, which seems to increase as his wife Andrea (Sarah Bolger) gets closer to her due date. Preparing for the birth of their first child is bringing back a lot of bad memories. Or rather, bad feelings, as he can’t actually remember much of his childhood.

After seeing strange lights in the sky during one late-night shift, things start to take a weird turn. Sean wakes up in the hospital, having fallen from a roof. Aside from a few superficial injuries, he now has an impressive talent for drawing.

Drawing nightmares or memories?

We’re talking beautiful, detailed drawings. However, the subject of his drawings is a little more unsettling. From extraterrestrials (which he believes stems from a weird fever dream he had while unconscious after his fall) to desert landscapes.

While Sean can’t remember the places he draws, it seems they could quite possibly stem from his long-long childhood memories. A psychologist encourages him to keep drawing, as these drawings could lead him to remember.

However, apart from drawing all the time, he also has a lot of nightmares. And he tends to wake up repeatedly within his nightmares, which will soon blur the line between dreams and reality. With the traumatic way each of his parents died, he is increasingly scared that history will repeat itself with him.

Watch Descendent in theaters or VOD soon

Decendent is a feature film debut from writer and director Peter Cilella. It’s a strong debut and one that promises very interesting and intriguing movies from him in the future.

As already mentioned, this movie was produced by Benson & Moorhead, and it’s easy to understand why they felt this was a movie they could get behind. Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead previously wrote and directed movies like The Endless and Synchronic.

This is a sci-fi thriller that operates in that waking nightmare area, where you both want it to stop and also want to follow it to its (most likely) brutal conclusion. Yes, it is slow-burn, but we do get clues and keep moving forward.

Descendent is out in Limited Theaters on August 8, and Nationwide & VOD from August 15, 2025. 

Details

Written & Directed by: Peter Cilella
Cast: Ross Marquand, Sarah Bolger

Photo Credits: Courtesy of RLJE Films. An RLJE Films Release.

Plot

Set in present-day Los Angeles, DESCENDENT follows Sean Bruner, a school security guard who is haunted by childhood trauma while preparing for the birth of his first child with his wife, Andrea. After a beam of light appears in the sky during a late-night shift, Sean wakes up in the hospital with an inexplicable talent for vivid, unsettling drawings of extraterrestrials and desert landscapes. As his visions blur the line between dreams and reality, Sean’s grip on sanity unravels. With time running out, he must confront his fears to escape his family’s tragic legacy.

THE UNDERTONE is getting its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025, and you’ll want to check it out as soon as you get the chance. This is a paranormal horror thriller that gets under your skin in all the right ways. Read our full The Undertone movie review here!

THE UNDERTONE is a new horror movie getting its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025. Based on the plot, I wasn’t sure what to expect of it, but I was definitely pleased with what I got. Or rather, I was on the edge of my seat and often horrified.

The plot is about a true crime podcaster caring for her dying mother, but the main plot turns more towards the paranormal. We’re in the one house from start to finish, and it’s entirely possible our main character is losing her mind. But then again, we might be too.

Continue reading our The Undertone movie review below.

Awaiting the death of a loved one

With The Undertone, we meet Evy (Nina Kiri) as she has moved in with her mother to care for her in the final days of her life. Instead of a hospice, she wants to be in her own home, so Evy is there to care for her. However, her mom is no longer conscious, so the days are long.

In that sense, it’s good that Evy has a job that she can take on from any location. She’s a podcaster, and with a remote partner, Justin, they’re working on the next episode. It’s a podcast about true crime, but usually with a paranormal or supernatural twist.

The podcast is called “The Undertone”, and while Evy is the skeptic, non-believer, her co-host Justin (voiced by Kris Holden-Ried) wants to believe. While on this solitary deathwatch, Evy tries to focus on their next podcast, but it’s a very odd one that seems to awaken something in her.

Justin has received an email with mysterious audio files. There are ten in total, and as they listen to them, something very strange seems to unfold for the two people in the recordings.

The recordings are of Mike and Jessa, who experience something extraordinary at night and have recorded it. What happens in these recordings will involve superstition, hidden messages in children’s songs, religion, and lots of sinister connotations.

Slow-burn but very intense

While slow-burn can sometimes just be slow storytelling, it can also be that creeping sensation that something dark is just around the next corner. Think Paranormal Activity, the first time you watched it.

Sure, it’s slow, and you’re constantly scanning the background looking for movement, waiting for something to happen. This is also the case with The Undertone, but you won’t be waiting too long before the first clues that something dark and sinister is afoot.

You’ll want to keep your eyes open and stay focused throughout, but don’t forget to also listen and pay attention. After all, there’s the concept of a podcast being made as well, so we also hear a lot of strange and eerie things.

In that sense, it reminded me of the horror anthology Calls, though we always see things happening on the screen as well.

The Undertone is screening at Fantasia 2025

The Undertone is the directorial debut of established sci-fi author Ian Tuason. I haven’t read any of his books, but after watching this movie, I think maybe I ought to.

In the press material for this movie, it’s listed as a slow-burn nightmare that fans of Skinamarink and I Am the Pretty Thing Who Lives in the House will love. This is probably true, but I wasn’t crazy about Skinamarink, though I did enjoy the latter by Osgood Perkins.

For me, it’s more along the lines of Paranormal Activity, Presence, or Monolith. The overall story and storytelling are strong with this movie, while Skinamarink was much more about a vibe and sensation, and very little core plot.

To each their own, but The Undertone is much more me.

Also, I like to see the eyes and faces of actors, and Nina Kiri (The Handmaid’s Tale, The Heretics) is brilliant in the lead here. In fact, she is the only one in the movie, we both see and hear.

We’re watching The Undertone as part of our Fantasia 2025 coverage, and you’ll want to watch it whenever you get the chance. We’ll update this review with information on a wider release when this is known. Try not to read spoilers before you watch it.

The Undertone is enjoying its World Premiere at Fantasia 2025.

Details

Director: Ian Tuason
Writer: Ian Tuason
Cast: Nina Kiri, Michele Duquet, Kris Holden-Ried, Keana Lyn-Bastidas, Jeff Yung

Plot

Podcaster Evy prepares for her mother’s death and becomes intrigued with a mysterious set of recordings that spirals into unexpected terrors. 

THE BANISHED is a new Folk Horror movie from Australia. I adored parts of it while also thinking it was too slow and long. It’s one of those strange rollercoaster experiences where it ultimately falls short, but I am so glad I watched it. Read our full The Banished movie review here!

THE BANISHED is a m Aussie Folk Horror movie with a story that offers quite a mindf**k. It has gorgeous shots and utilizes two forward-moving stories that connect before the final act. From the beginning, we know they’re connected as the same person is the protagonist in both.

While I expected it to reach a wild climactic ending, it did fall short for me. The ending is wild, in a sense, but the overall experience of that final third act was just too slow. And I can’t claim it hit home with me.

Continue reading our The Banished movie review below. Find it In Theaters & On Demand from July 18, 2025.

A family torn apart

In The Banished, we follow Grace (portrayed perfectly by Meg Clarke) as she goes searching for her brother. Their family has quite a tragic past, where the patriarch was clearly awful (to put it mildly). You’ll hear more in the movie, so I’ll let you “experience” this for yourself.

When the story begins – one of them, anyway – their dad has passed away, which is why Grace is back home.

Her brother, on the other hand, hasn’t been seen for quite some time. She hasn’t spoken to him either after having had regular contact with him; it seems he disappeared a few months ago. Obviously, she wants to find him now that the man who made their life hell is gone.

It seems their childhood was one long struggle to stay alive, and now a new survival story is about to begin for Grace.

The greatness and horror of the wild

Grace is a strong young woman who got away from her hometown, and now she wants to help her brother get his life back on track. She finds out that he has left city life for the wilderness. Apparently, there’s some sort of commune where several people have “escaped” to.

This leads Grace to venture deep into the wilderness. A magnificent and glorious nature that will soon also reveal the horrors it contains.

Will she find her brother? Does he wish to be found? Also, what is going on in the wilderness that has led to a whole slew of missing people cases in their hometown?!

You’ll have to watch The Banished to find out. And I have to admit that several moments (mostly before the final 20 minutes or so) offered some intense and terrifying scares. If you’re going camping over the summer, maybe watch this once you’ve returned safe and sound.

Watch The Banished on VOD or in Theaters

The Banished was written & directed by Joseph Sims-Dennett. For the longest time, I was completely captivated and enthralled by the worldbuilding and the two stories that you feel getting closer to one another in time.

And then that last act just lost me… well, to a point.

I would give it a 2½ if we have half ratings, so it’s a recommendation… for some. The runtime of 96 minutes isn’t too long on paper, but it gets way too slow at certain points. I’m okay with slow-burn (I often love it), but there’s something about this ending that just didn’t work for me.

If you’re ready to just lean into this horror movie, which does offer some very real scares, then check it out. I don’t think fans of folk horror will be disappointed, but I feel it is a hit-or-miss experience. For me, it was ultimately a miss, but moments during it made me expect a hit.

The Banished releases in U.S. Theaters and digitally on July 18, 2025, and on digital platforms in the UK on July 28, 2025.

Details

Director: Joseph Sims-Dennett
Writer: Joseph Sims-Dennett
Cast: Meg Clarke, Leighton Cardno, Gautier Pavlovic-Hobba, Tony Hughes, Diane Smith

Plot

After her brother mysteriously goes missing, Grace ventures into the dangerous wilderness to find him. As she uncovers the horrific truth of his disappearance, she is faced with a darkness which threatens to claim her as well.

MIA is a new psychological thriller with an 80-minute runtime and a plot that packs a punch. This is a stellar indie production that keeps you guessing. It’s slow-burn but constantly moving forward. Read our full Mia movie review here!

MIA is the kind of psychological thriller that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Many movies attempt to have their audience in a state of uncertainty, but few are as successful as this indie movie.

Even the runtime of just around 80 minutes works perfectly for the story told. Very few characters are part of the story, and only two of them are on the screen for most of the movie. And yet, this movie has me on the edge of my seat.

Continue reading our Mia movie review below. Find it on Digital from July 8, 2025.

What is real?

With Mia, the struggle of the audience is trying to figure out what’s real. We meet Aaron (Shah Motia) as he apparently lives out of his car and appears to be stalking teenage girls. It gives major creep vibes, and people understandably react badly to this.

Next, we see him grab a young girl, whom we have previously seen traveling with her mom. Her name is Emma (Emiliana Jasper), and Aaron is convinced that she is his missing daughter, Mia.

His daughter has been missing for more than a decade, and now he’s trying to jog Emma’s memory to make her realize who she really is. Emma, however, denies ever having met him and is terrified of the man.

As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to figure out what’s real. Could Aaron be right? And what would that mean for Emma and her mom?!

Deeply unsettling

What makes Mia work so well is the character-driven plot. We feel for the characters as we see Aaron treat the girl with nothing but love. And Emma, whom he calls Mia, also goes from being afraid of him to feeling for him.

As everyone meeting Aaron will no doubt realize, he believes with all his heart that he has finally found his long-lost daughter. Of course, it also becomes apparent that Aaron’s grip on reality isn’t quite to be trusted.

WATCH THIS IF YOU LIKED

Though a horror movie, You’ll Never Find Me, is a good companion movie >

But can both things be true? Can Aaron be a man not quite in touch with reality, and could Emma be his missing daughter, Mia? That’s what you need to figure out, and the movie will keep you guessing.

In fact, the final twists around the ending of this story were both intense, heartbreaking, and full of compassion.

Comparisons to Prisoners and Gone Girl have been used for the press material, and it’s fair, but Mia has something even more unique that only small indie movies can achieve.

Watch Mia on Digital now

The writer and director of MIA is Luis Ferrer, and what an accomplishment this movie is. I don’t want to give away too much, as the 80-minute runtime needs to be experienced.

While I would’ve enjoyed watching a movie like this psychological thriller with a movie-loving film festival audience, it also works perfectly when watched at home. These characters get under your skin, and that is what makes you keep questioning everything.

Slow-burn intensity has an edge to it that makes a story hit much harder. For Mia, it’s the character-driven plot and a script that always anticipates the questions or possibly annoyances of its audience. Very impressive filmmaking.

I can’t wait to see what comes next from Luis Ferrer, but I really hope it will be a thriller or horror movie. Until the next movie, you can now enjoy watching this one at home.

MIA is out across digital and home platforms on July 8, 2025.

Details

Director: Luis Ferrer
Writer: Luis Ferrer
Cast: Shah Motia, Emiliana Jasper, Julie Lucido, Eden Ferrer, Tim Willis

Plot

When Emma, a sheltered 17-year-old girl, crosses paths with Aaron, a mentally troubled drifter, they embark on a harrowing journey of discovery.

ABRAHAM’S BOYS: A DRACULA STORY is a new horror movie out in theaters. It’s based on a short story by Joe Hill. The runtime is only around 90 minutes, but it still feels too long. Read our full Abraham’s Boys horror movie review here!

ABRAHAM’S BOYS is a new vampire horror movie. However, it’s a different take on a Dracula story. It plays out in California in 1915, so we’re on a farm with just a few characters.

I knew this movie was based on a short story by Joe Hill, and watching this movie did make me curious about that story. This is obviously a good sign. What isn’t very good is the fact that I felt this movie was far too slow-burn. And I usually like slow-burn.

Continue reading our Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story movie review below. Find it In Theaters from July 11, 2025. It will also be on Shudder later this year.

Meet the Van Helsings

In Abraham’s Boys, the title characters are Max and Rudy Van Helsing. Yes, the very same Van Helsing you’ll know from countless vampire stories. For this movie, we meet the two sons of the very strict and overprotective father, Abraham (Titus Welliver).

They have no idea what Abraham Van Helsing has gone through in the past. Nor do they know what their mother, Mina (Jocelin Donahue), has lived through. And is, to be fair, still living under the shadow of.

Especially Max Van Helsing (Brady Hepner) is getting to be old enough to notice the paranoia and very strange behavior of their father. His younger brother Rudy (Judah Mackey) keeps more to himself and escapes via books, so he’s always reading something.

Abraham finally realizes that he needs to let his sons in on what it means to be a Van Helsing. It’s not nearly as dramatic or action-fueled as you might think. In fact, for Max especially, it’s hard to fully grasp whether his dad is being truthful or has lost his mind.

Who is the real monster? And who will be the true hero of this story?!

A strong cast always helps

As soon as I saw Jocelin Donahue as Mina, I felt very safe. Like a treat had been given from the onset of this story. She looks very thin and frail in this role, which I feel confident is very purposeful. Mina is not happy, nor does she feel safe, which Jocelin Donahue exudes.

From Ti West‘s The House of the Devil (2009) to the amazing Holidays segment, and on to I Trapped the Devil and Doctor Sleep (2019), I have always enjoyed Jocelin Donahue. She’s great in Abraham’s Boys as well, but I wish she had played a much bigger role.

Of course, the title of this movie doesn’t include “Mina”, so instead the focus is on Abraham, who is portrayed by Titus Welliver (Bosch), who also produced this movie. The sons are portrayed wonderfully and believably by two strong young actors.

There’s Brady Hepner from The Black Phone and The Waterfront Netflix series as the older brother, and Judah Mackey (What/If, Deadcon) as the younger brother.

Watch Abraham’s Boys in theaters (or on Shudder later)

Abraham’s Boys was written & directed by Natasha Kermani. I was very impressed with her movie Lucky, which was written by (and starred) Brea Grant. Unfortunately, this new movie didn’t hit those same notes that made me enjoy Lucky.

Of course, this new movie is based on the short story by Joe Hill, and since I haven’t read that one, I don’t know just how closely it follows it. I found myself getting annoyed by things that shouldn’t matter – like if stupid details were accurate for its 1915 rural setting.

BONUS INFO: The score comes from Brittany Allen, who is another of my favorite indie horror movie actors. You might recognize her from What Keeps You Alive, which she also composed the score for.

I can’t blame filmmaker Natasha Kermani for this, but something about the execution of the movie allowed room for these thoughts. In other words, I wasn’t completely hooked, which is a real shame. It’s a fascinating story at its core, so maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this particular story and vibe. It did look gorgeous!

Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story is out In Theaters from July 11, 2025. It’s being released by RLJE Films, which means we’ll also be getting a Shudder release later this year.

Details

Director: Natasha Kermani
Script: Natasha Kermani
Starring: Titus Welliver, Jocelin Donahue, Judah Mackey with Aurora Perrineau and Brady Hepner

Plot

Max and Rudy Van Helsing have spent their lives under the strict and overprotective rule of their father, Abraham. Unaware of his dark past, they struggle to understand his paranoia and increasingly erratic behavior. But when they begin to uncover the violent truths behind their father’s history with Dracula, their world unravels, forcing them to confront the terrifying legacy they were never meant to inherit.