In which the Mister joins me in reviewing BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (2025), from a screenplay by Roland Joffe, the film is directed by Edward Berger.  Based on Lawrence Osbornel's novel, BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER follows "Lord Doyle" (an absolutely stunning performance by Colin Farrell), a high-stakes gambler in the neon-soaked underworld of Macau who is drowning in massive debt.  His precarious existence is threatened when a relentless investigator from his past arrives to collect on his secrets, forcing him to seek a final, life-changing win at the baccarat tables to maintain his facade.  Amidst the spiritual atmosphere of the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts, he forms an intense bond with a mysterious woman named Dao Ming (Fala Chen), who may be his last hope for redemption as the line between reality and the supernatural begins to blur.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 41 m, is rated R and is currently streaming on Netflix.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#BalladOfASmallPlayer #LawrenceOsborne #RolandJoffe #EdwardBerger #ColinFarrell #LordDoyle #Reilly #FalaChen #DaoMing #DeanieIp #Grandma #TildaSwinton #Betty #Cynthia #AlanKChang #Kai #AlexJennings #Adrian  @Netflix  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Kid 1 joins me in reviewing HAMNET (2025), from a screenplay by Chloé Zhao and Maggie O'Farrell, the film is directed by Chloé Zhao.  Based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, HAMNET, the film follows the passionate and unconventional marriage between Agnes (an incandescent performance by Jessie Buckley), a mystical healer and falconer, and her husband William (equally outstanding, Paul Mescal), a struggling young playwright.  When their family is struck by a sudden tragedy after their young son Hamnet contracts the plague, the couple must navigate a profound and agonizing grief that threatens to pull them apart.  The film explores the intimate emotional journey of a mother’s mourning and a father’s creative struggle, ultimately tracing the painful inspiration behind one of the most famous masterpieces in literary history.  The film clocks in at 2 h and 5 m, is rated PG-13 and is currently in theaters.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#Hamnet #MaggieOFarrell #ChloeZhao #JessieBuckley #Agnes #PaulMescal #Will #JoeAlwyn #Bartholomew #EmilyWatson #Mary #JacobiJupe #Hamnet #OliviaLynes #Judith #BodhiRaeBreathnach #Susanna #NoahJupe #Hamlet #CostumeDrama #PeriodDrama #History #Romance #PsychologicalDrama #Tragedy #Drama #Biography

#FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 join me in reviewing STAND BY ME (1986), from a script by Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans, from a novella by Stephen King, the film is directed by Rob Reiner.  In the late summer of 1959, four young friends in the small town of Castle Rock, Oregon, set out on a weekend trek through the woods to find the body of a missing boy hit by a train.  As they follow the railroad tracks, Gordie (Wil Wheaton), Chris (River Phoenix), Teddy (Corey Feldman), and Vern (Jerry O'Connell) navigate personal struggles and the fears of growing up while trying to stay ahead of a gang of older bullies who are also hunting for the site.  The journey evolves from a simple quest for local fame into a profound exploration of friendship and the fleeting nature of childhood innocence.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 29 m, is rated R and is currently streaming on Netflix but also available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#StandByMe #StephenKing #RobReiner #RaynoldGideon #BruceAEvans #WilWheaton #Gordie #RiverPhoenix #Chris #CoreyFeldman #Teddy #JerryOConnell #Vern #KieferSutherland #Ace #CaseySiemaszko #Billy #GaryRiley #Charlie #BradleyGregg #Eyeball #ComingOfAge #DarkComedy #Drama #Quest #Adventure  @Netflix  @PrimeVideo⁩  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing GREMLINS (1984), from a script by Chris Columbus, the film is directed by Joe Dante.  When a struggling inventor (Hoyt Axton) buys a mysterious, adorable creature called a Mogwai as a Christmas gift for his son Billy (Zach Galligan), he is warned of three strict rules: keep it away from bright light, don't get it wet, and never feed it after midnight.  After the rules are inevitably broken, the creature spawns a brood of mischievous, scaly monsters that begin a violent and chaotic rampage through the idyllic town of Kingston Falls.  As the town's holiday celebrations turn into a nightmare, Billy and his girlfriend Kate (Phoebe Cates) must track down the malevolent leader, Stripe (Frank Welker), to stop the gremlins before they destroy the entire community.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 46 m, is rated PG and it's currently streaming on Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, AMC+  and to rent/buy on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Gremlins #ChrisColumbus #JoeDante #HoytAxton #Randall #ZachGalligan #Billy #PhoebeCates #Kate #CoreyFeldman #Pete #FrancesLeeMcCain #Lynn #GlynnTurman #MrHanson #PollyHolliday #MrsDeagle #HowieMandel #Gizmo #FrankWelker #Stripe #DarkComedy #DarkFantasy #FolkHorror #HolidayComedy #MonsterHorror #QuirkyComedy #SupernaturalFantasy #SupernaturalHorror #Fantasy #Comedy  @DisneyPlus  @Hulu  @HboMax  @Amc+  @PrimeVideo   #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which Kid 2 joins me in reviewing FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S 2 (2025), from director Emma Tammi and writer Scott Cawthon, the film is currently in theaters.  One year after the original nightmare, the survivors of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza find their trauma turned into a local spectacle as the town hosts its first "Fazfest" celebration. When young Abby (Piper Rubio) sneaks away to reconnect with her animatronic friends, she accidentally uncovers a second, more sinister restaurant location that has been hidden for decades. Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) are forced back into the darkness to rescue her, facing off against the vengeful Marionette and a new generation of possessed "Toy" animatronics while uncovering the grim origins of the Fazbear legacy.  The film is rated PG-13 and clocks in at 1 h and 44 m.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.      

#FiveNIghtsAtFreddys2 #FNAF #FNAF2 #EmmaTammi #ScottCawthon #PiperRubio #Abby #VanessaLail #Vanessa #JoshHutcherson #Mike #WayneKnight #MrBerg #FreddyCarter #Michael #MatthewLillard #WilliamAfton #YellowRabbit #BodyHorror #SlasherHorror #SupernaturalHorror #TeenHorror #Horror #Mystery #Thriller  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK (2025), from a screenplay by Lester Cole and John Wexley, a play from Ladislas Fodor, Jeffrey Dell and Bernard Merivale ("Blondie Wthe), the film is directed by Lloyd Bacon.  Francis Warren (Errol Flynn) is a wealthy, respectable stockbroker who secretly leads a double life as a successful writer of mystery novels under a pseudonym.  When a mysterious pearl necklace goes missing and a dancer who was involved in the crime turns up dead, Francis finds himself unwittingly drawn into the real-life murder investigation.  As he tries to use his fictional detective skills to uncover the truth, he struggles to keep his dual identity a secret from his wife and the actual police inspector on the case.  The film clocks in at 1 h 36 m, is rated approved and we previously watched it on TCM.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#FootstepsInTheDark # LadislasFodor #JeffreyDell #BernardMerivale #BlondieWhite #LloydBacon #ErrolFlynn #FrancisWarren #FXPettijohn #BrendaMarshall #Rita #RalphBellamy #DrDavis #AlanHale PoliceInspectorMason #LeePatrick #BlondieWhite #AllenJenkins #Wilfred #LucileWatson #Agatha #WilliamFrawley #Hopkins #RoscoeKarns #Monahan #GrantMitchell #Wellington #MarisWrixon #June #NoelMadison #Fissue #JackLaRue #Ace #TurhanBey #Ahmed #ScrewballComedy #Comedy #Crime #Mystery  @TCM  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing WAKE UP DEAD MAN: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2025), from writer/director Rian Johnson.  Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for a third time and travels to Upstate NY to solve the murder of Monsignor Wicks (Josh Brolin).  As the details of the crime are revealed, Blanc must navigate a series of twists and hidden motives to unravel a mystery that proves to be exceptionally challenging and even with inconclusive evidence at best, the suspicion is falling on Father Jud (Josh O'Connor).  The film clocks in at 2 h 24 m, is rated PG-13 and is currently streaming on Netflix.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#WakeUpDeadManAKnivesOutMystery #RianJohnson #DanielCraig #BenoitBlanc #JoshOConnor #FatherJud #JoshBrolin #MonsignorWicks #GlennClose #Martha #ThomasHadenChurch #Samson #JeremyRenner #DrNat #KerryWashington #Vera #AndrewScott #Lee #CaileeSpaeny #DarylMcCormack #Cy #JeffreyWright #BishopLangstrom #MilaKunis #Geraldine #DarkComedy #Comedy #Whodunnit #Drama #Crime #Mystery #Thriller  @Netflix  #FridayFamilyFilmNight
Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS (1955), from a story by Edna L. and Harry Lee, screenplay by Peggy Thompson, the film is directed by Douglas Sirk.  Cary Scott (Jane Wyman), a wealthy widow living in affluent New England suburbia, begins a scandalous affair with Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson), a significantly younger and unconventional gardener who lives a simple, natural life. The couple faces immediate and intense social condemnation from Cary's judgmental friends and her own grown children, who pressure her to end the relationship and conform to their expectations. Cary is forced to choose between her own genuine happiness with Ron and the comfortable, but stifling, security of her social status.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 29 m, is rated Approved and is available to buy/rent on Amazon.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#AllThatHeavenAllows #EdnaLLee #HarryLee #PeggyThompson #DouglasSirk #JaneWyman #CaryScott #RockHudson #RonKirby #AgnesMoorehead #Sara #ConradNagel #Harvey #GloriaTalbott #Kay #WilliamReynolds #Ned #HaydenRorke #DrHennessy #VirginiaGrey #Alida #CharlesDrake #Mick #DonaldCurtis #Howard#Drama #Romance  @TCM  @Amazon⁩  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 joins me in reviewing GIGI (1958), from directors Vincente Minnelli and Charles Walters (uncredited) with a screenplay by Alan Jay Lerner and based on the novella by Colette.  In turn-of-the-century Paris, the young, spirited Gigi (Leslie Caron) is being groomed by her grandmother (Hermione Gingold) and sophisticated great-aunt (Isabel Jeans) to become a successful courtesan in the manner of their own glamorous family tradition.  Gigi spends her time with Gaston Lachaille (Louis Jourdan), a wealthy, bored playboy and family friend, who views her as a charming younger sister and confidante, not realizing her true destiny.  As Gigi blossoms into a young woman, Gaston's feelings evolve from platonic affection to romantic desire, forcing Gigi to choose between becoming his kept mistress or demanding a respectable life on her own terms.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 55 m, is rated G (although maybe that should change based on the topic).  We caught the film on the TCM app but it's currently available to buy/rent on Amazon's platform.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Gigi #Gigi1958Movie #VicenteMinnelli #CharlesWalters #Colette #AlanJayLerner #NivenBusch #LeslieCaron #Gigi #MauriceChevalier #Honore #LouisJourdan #Gaston #HermioneGingold #MadameAlvarez #IsabelJeans #AuntAlicia #EvaGabor #LianedExelmans #Comedy #Romance #Musical @TCM  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing A REAL PAIN (2024), from writer/director Jesse Eisenberg.  Estranged cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Ben (Kieran Culkin) reunite on a flight to Poland after the death of their beloved grandmother to take part in a Holocaust heritage tour intended to honor her memory.  The trip forces the perpetually anxious David and the confidently detached Benji to confront their complicated relationship and contrasting personalities while navigating the emotional weight of their family history.  As they travel through Poland, the cousins struggle to find meaning in their grandmother's past and their own fractured present, leading to a raw and often funny exploration of grief and Jewish identity.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 30 m, is rated R and we caught it on Hulu/Disney+ but it's also available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#ARealPain #JesseEisenberg #David #KieranCulkin #Benji #Drama #Comedy #FamilyDrama  @Hulu  @DisneyPlus  @PrimeVideo⁩  #FridayFamilyFilmNight
Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing UNCLE BUCK (1989), from writer/director John Hughes.  When their parents must unexpectedly travel out of town due to a family emergency, the three Russell children are left in the reluctant care of their father's black sheep brother, Buck Russell (John Candy). Buck, who is known for his unconventional habits and general unreliability, must quickly adapt to the responsibilities of domestic life, which includes navigating the rebellious streak of the eldest daughter, Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly).  Despite his disastrous initial attempts at cleaning, cooking, and babysitting, Buck manages to connect with the children in his own unique way, proving that he may be the family's most dependable member after all.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 57 m, is unrated, is currently available on Tubi and HBO Max but it's also available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#UncleBuck #JohnHughes #JohnCandy #BuckRussell #JeanLouisaKelly #Tia #GabyHoffmann #Maizy #MacaulayCulkin #Miles #AmyMadigan #Chanice #ElaineBromka #Cindy #GarrettMBrown #Bob #LaurieMetcalf #MarcieDahlgrenFrost #JayUnderwood #Bug #Comedy  @PrimeVideo  @TBS  @TNT 

#JohnCandyILikeMe #ColinHanks

#FridayFamilyFilmNight
Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB (2025), from a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote director Chris Columbus, and based on Richard Osman's book.  At the luxurious Cooper's Chase retirement village, four sharp and witty retirees—Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), and new member Joyce (Celia Imrie) — meet weekly as "The Thursday Murder Club" to casually solve cold cases.  Their amateur sleuthing turns serious when one of the property's developers, Tony Curran (Geoff Bell), is brutally murdered on their doorstep, followed soon after by the death of his business partner, Ian Ventham (David Tennant).  Using their unique skills and the assistance of a young, bored police constable (Naomi Ackie), the four friends set out to investigate the real-life whodunit, uncovering secrets that connect the present-day killings to a decades-old crime hidden within the retirement home's past.  The film clocks in at 1 h 58 m, is rated PG-13 and is currently available on Netflix.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#TheThursdayMurderClub #RichardOsman #KatyBrand #SuzanneHeathcote   #ChrisColumbus #HelenMirren #Elizabeth #PierceBrosnan #Ron #BenKingsley #Ibrahim #CeliaImrie #Joyce #NaomiAckie #Donna #JonathanPryce #Stephen #TomEllis #Jason #GeoffBell #Tony #NeilTennant #Ian #HenryLloydHughes #Bogdan #DanielMays #DCIHudson #RichardEGrant #Bobby #IngridOliver #Joanna #JosephMarcell #FatherMackie #MartinBishop #Bernard #RuthSheen #Maud #SusanKirby #Penny #PaulFreeman #John  

#Comedy #Crime #Whodunit #Mystery #Thriller  ⁠@Netflix  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 2 join me in reviewing NONNAS (2025), from writer Liz Maccie and director Stephen Chbosky, and based on Jody Scaravella's life story.  The film follows Joe (Vince Vaughn) who decides to open a restaurant after his mother's passing.  To honor his mother's memory  he decides to take a chance on a group of wise, outspoken Italian grandmothers, or "Nonnas," who agree to lend their culinary expertise and wisdom for the restaurant.  As the Nonnas (Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro and Talia Shire) bring life into the kitchen with their traditional recipes and hilarious antics, Joe not only finds a path to success but also discovers a new appreciation for family and heritage.  The film clocks in at 1 h 48 m, is rated PG and is currently available on Netflix.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Nonnas #JodyScaravella #LizMaccie #StephenChbosky #VinceVaughn #Joe #JoeManganiello #Bruno #DreaDeMatteo #Stella #SusanSarandon #Gia #LorraineBracco #Roberta #BrendaVaccaro #Antonella #TaliaShire #Teresa #LindaCardelleni #Olivia #Comedy #Family #FeelGood  ⁠@Netflix  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing FIELD OF DREAMS (1989), from writer/director Ron Shelton.  An Iowa corn farmer named Ray Kinsella (Keivn Costner) hears a mysterious voice in his cornfield telling him, "If you build it, he will come."  Inspired by the message, Ray risks financial ruin to plow under his crops and build a pristine baseball diamond, which soon attracts the ghosts of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox, led by the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta).  To understand the deeper meaning of the mysterious message, Ray undertakes a cross-country journey to find reclusive author Terence Mann (James Earl Jones) and confront his own estranged past.  The film clocks in at 1 h 47 m, is rated PG and is currently available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#FieldOfDreams #WPKinsella #PhilAldenRobinson #KevinCostner #Ray #AmyMadigan #Annie #GabyHoffman #Karin #RayLiotta #ShoelessJoeJackson #TimothyBusfield #Mark #JamesEarlJones #Terrence #BurtLancaster #Moonlight #FrankWhaley #Archie #Baseball #SupernaturalFantasy #Drama #Famiy #Fantasy #Sport  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which Kid 1 joins me in reviewing BULL DURHAM (1988), from writer/director Ron Shelton.  The film centers on the minor-league baseball team, the Durham Bulls, where veteran catcher Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) is assigned to mentor Ebby Calvin LaLoosh (Tim Robbins), a talented but wildly undisciplined pitching prospect.  Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon), a local baseball groupie who chooses one player each season to initiate and educate, selects the young pitcher, leading to a complicated love triangle involving Crash.  As the season progresses, a witty battle of wits and affections ensues between Annie and the cynical, intellectual Crash, while the three characters navigate their own feelings about baseball, sex, and growing up.  The film clocks in at 1 h 48 m, is rated R and is currently available on Plex, Pluto TV, TBS, TNT, Tubi and to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#BullDurham #RonShelton #KevinCostner #Crash #SusanSarandon #Annie #TimRobbins #Nuke #Baseball #RomanticComedy #Comedy #Romance #Sport  ⁠@Plex  @PlutoTV  @TBS  @TNT  @Tubi  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing HELLBOY (2004), from a comic by Mike Mignola, a script by Guillermo del Toro and Peter Briggs, the film is directed by Guillermo del Toro.  Hellboy introduces the world to Anung Un Rama, a demon infant rescued from Nazis by Allied forces during World War II and raised by Professor Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm (Kevin Trainor/John Hurt) to become Hellboy (Ron Perlman), a powerful agent for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD).  Hellboy, a gruff but benevolent supernatural investigator, is tasked with stopping the resurrected Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden) and the elite Nazi assassin Karl Ruprecht Kroenen (Ladislav Beran), who plot to bring about the apocalypse.  Aided by his BPRD colleagues, the pyrokinetic Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), psychic-amphibian Abe Sapien (Doug Jones, voiced by David Hyde Pierce) and Agent Myers (Rupert Evans), Hellboy must battle demonic forces while struggling with his own destiny as the harbinger of destruction.  The film clocks in at 2 h 2 m, is rated PG-13 and is currently available on HBO Max but also to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Hellboy #MikeMignola #GuillermoDelToro #PeterBriggs #RonPerlman #Hellboy #JohnHurt #KevinTrainor #ProfessorBroom #DougJones #DavidHydePierce #AbeSapien #SelmaBlair #Liz #RupertEvans #JohnMyers #JeffreyTambor #TomManning #KarelRoden #Rasputin #LadislavBeran #KarlRuprechtKroenen #BiddyHodson #Ilsa #BrianSteele #Sammael #CoreyJohnson #AgentClay #DarkFantasy #Superhero #Steampunk #Monster #Action  #Adventure #SciFi #Horror  ⁠@HBOMax  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 join me in reviewing FRANKENSTEIN (2025), from a story by Mary Shelley, the film is directed and has screenplay credits to Guillermo del Toro.  The film follows the driven and egotistical scientist Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), who, to conquer death after a childhood tragedy, assembles and brings to life a monstrous Creature (Jacob Elordi).  Victor immediately recoils in horror and abandons his creation, forcing the intelligent, but emotionally childlike Creature to wander the world and suffer humanity's cruelty.  The film then chronicles the Creature's poignant and desperate quest for love, companionship, and understanding, leading him back to his creator to demand accountability for his lonely existence.  The film clocks in at 2 h 29 m, is rated R and is currently available on Netflix but also playing in selected cities/theaters.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Frankenstein #MaryShelley #GuillermoDelToro #OscarIsaac #Victor #JacobElordi #TheCreature #MiaGoth #Claire #Elizabeth #ChristophWaltz #Harlander #FelixKammerer #William #CharlesDance #Leopold #DavidBradley #BlindMan #LarsMikkelsen #CaptainAnderson #ChristianCovery #YoungVictor #BodyHorror #DarkFantasy #MonsterHorror #PsychologicalHorror #PsychologicalDrama #Tragedy #Drama #Fantasy #Steampunk #Horror  ⁠@Netflix  #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

It's a wrap!

On the thirty-first night of our #31DaysToHalloween the Mister joins me in reviewing THE THING (1982), from the master, director John Carpenter, the film has a screenplay by Bill Lancaster , from a short story "Who Goes There?" from the author, John W. Campbell Jr.  A team of American researchers at a remote Antarctic outpost encounters a sled dog fleeing a Norwegian helicopter, only to discover a terrifying, shape-shifting alien entity.  After the entity infiltrates their camp and begins absorbing and perfectly imitating the men, extreme paranoia takes hold, as no one can be sure who is still human and who is the "Thing."  The remaining men desperately fight to expose the alien before it can escape the base and assimilate all life on Earth, leading to a desperate final confrontation in the frozen isolation.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 31 m, is rated R and we caught it on DVD but you can find it on AMC+, Peacock and on Prime Video to buy/rent. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#TheThing #JohnCarpenter #BillLancaster #JohnWCampbellJr #KurtRussell #MacReady #WilfordBrimley #Blair #TKCarter #Nauls #DavidClennon #Palmer #KeithDavid #Childs #RichardDysart #DrCopper #CharlesHallahan #Norris #PeterMaloney #Bennings #RichardMasur #Clark #DonaldMoffat #Garry #JoelPolis #Fuchs #ThomasGWaites #Windows #NorbertWeisser #Norwegian #LarryFranco #NorwegianWithRifle #AlienInvasion #BodyHorror #MonsterHorror #PsychologicalHorror #SupernaturalHorror #SuspenseMystery #Tragedy #Mystery #SciFi #Horror  @PrimeVideo  @Peacock  @amcplus  #31DaysToHalloween #SpookySeason #Day31 #FridayFamilyFilmNight 

And in #SpookySeason don't forget to use your powers for good - support our friend KT as she raises funds for the good folks at St. Jude's - any little bit helps and is whole heartedly appreciated by the families who rely on St. Jude's @stjude

https://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/thewolfmans

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

On the thirtieth night of our #31DaysToHalloween the Mister joins me in reviewing THE HOWLING (1981), from director Joe Dante, the film has a screenplay by Gary Brandner, John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless.  Scarred after a terrifying encounter with a serial killer, Los Angeles television news anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace) is sent with her husband to "The Colony," a secluded, New Age-style self-help retreat for trauma patients in the countryside.  As her husband is seduced by one of the seductive, predatory locals, Karen and her journalist friend slowly discover that the peaceful commune is secretly inhabited by a pack of werewolves who can transform at will.  Realizing her life is in danger and the world must be warned, Karen races against time to expose the horrifying truth before the bloodthirsty community can silence her permanently.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 31 m, is rated R and we caught it on Prime Video but you can find it on Fawesome, Tubi and on Prime Video to buy/rent. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#TheHowling #JoeDante #GaryBrander #JohnSayles #TerenceHWinkless #DeeWallace #KarenWhite #PatrickMacnee #DrGeorgeWaggner #DennisDugan #ChrisHoward #ChristopherStone #BillNeill #BelindaBalaski #Terry #KevinMcCarthy #Fred #JohnCarradine #Erle #SlimPickens #Sam #ElisabethBrooks #Marsha #RobertPicardo #Eddie #BHorror #DarkComedy #Farce #FolkHorror #Slapstick #SplatterHorror #SupernaturalHorror #BodyHorror #FolkHorror #WerewolfHorror #Horror  @PrimeVideo  @Fawesome  @Tubi  #31DaysToHalloween #SpookySeason #Day30 #FridayFamilyFilmNight 

And in #SpookySeason don't forget to use your powers for good - support our friend KT as she raises funds for the good folks at St. Jude's - any little bit helps and is whole heartedly appreciated by the families who rely on St. Jude's @stjude

https://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/thewolfmans

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

On the twenty-ninth night of our #31DaysToHalloween the Mister joins me in reviewing EVIL DEAD 2 (1987), from director Sam Raimi, the film has a screenplay by Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel.  Continuing his gruesome ordeal, Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is left alone and trapped at a remote cabin after his terrifying encounter with the evil forces unleashed by the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis.  He spends a horrific night battling the demonic entity, which possesses his own hand and drives him to the brink of insanity with surreal, slapstick violence.  When a small group arrives at the cabin with the missing pages of the Book of the Dead, Ash must overcome his madness and embrace his role as a Deadite-slaying champion.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 24 m, is rated R and we caught it on HBO Max but you can find it on Prime Video to buy/rent. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#EvilDead2 #SamRaimi #ScottSpiegel #BruceCampbell #Ash #SarahBerry #Anniew #DanHicks #Jake #KassieWesley #BobbyJoe #DeniseBixler #Linda #TedRaimi #PossessedHenrietta #RichardDomeier #Ed #JohnPeaks #ProfessorKnowby #LouHancock #Henrietta #B-Horror #DarkComedy #Farce #FolkHorror #Slapstick #SplatterHorror #SupernaturalHorror #ZombieHorror #Comedy #Horror #Thriller  @HBOMax  @PrimeVideo  #31DaysToHalloween #SpookySeason #Day29 #FridayFamilyFilmNight 

And in #SpookySeason don't forget to use your powers for good - support our friend KT as she raises funds for the good folks at St. Jude's - any little bit helps and is whole heartedly appreciated by the families who rely on St. Jude's @stjude

https://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/thewolfmans

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library