MFF Data – The Rundown, The Game Plan, Fast Five, Pain & Gain and Skyscraper: An In-Depth Look at Dwayne Johnson’s Sweatiest Performances
Make sure to listen to the companion MFF podcast episode after reading this insane data piece!
This is insane. It really is; however, after watching the Red One trailer and seeing the first image from The Smashing Machine, I became convinced that there was a correlation between the sweatiness of a Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson performance and its impact (good or bad) on his career. Between The Rundown, Fast Five, Pain & Gain, and The Game Plan, his career heats up when his body is trying to cool down. This is why I’m optimistic about The Smashing Machine, as it seems like Johnson is going back to basics to escape his recent VFX-heavy run. The Smashing Machine will be a sweaty reset – which is what Johnson has relied on for 20+ years of success.
Johnson has made a career out of talking/posting/writing about his sweat. The tagline for his Under Armour collaboration is “BLOOD, SWEAT, RESPECT,” and when talking about his career, he said, “You gotta get up in the morning, you gotta get after it, you gotta put in the work, you gotta sweat. There’s gonna be heavy iron, and there’s gonna be a lot of sweat, and it’s gonna be dirty.” His Instagram posts almost always make sure to include the word “Sweat.”. He’s basically worked sweat into his persona (Sweat Equity is his thing), so this data isn’t as random or dumb as you’d think.
The sweat levels should only go to 10, but after watching his movies again, I had to create an “11” category because there are a handful of movies in which Johnson’s sweat glands work overtime. To place each film in their respective categories, I rewatched his movies, looked for sweaty scenes/moments (Yes – it’s wild, but I had to follow the idea), and came up with a chart. It wasn’t too hard because, since 2017, I’ve been assigned a handful of Dwayne Johnson data posts and research assignments, so they’ve familiarized me with his filmography.
Six films fall into the 11 category: The Rundown, The Game Plane, Fast Five, Pain & Gain, Skyscraper, and The Smashing Machine (it’s hypothetical). In their own way, these movies have proven important in The Rock’s evolution as an actor and act as cornerstones of his filmography that have influenced his career.
Here’s a quick breakdown. I included longer explanations of their importance below, but these work as nice cliff notes if you are in a hurry or hate reading.
- The Rundown (2003) – In an interview with The Boston Globe, Johnson said that when The Rundown was met with praise from critics, action fans, and general audiences, he went from “The Rock” to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – which to him meant that people were starting to take him seriously.
- The Game Plan (2007) – After Walking Tall, Doom, Gridiron Gang, and Be Cool, Johnson needed a hit, which came in the form of the PG-Rated Disney film The Game Plan. Not only did it help him build a new fanbase, but it was his first non-action film to make more than $100 million worldwide.
- Fast Five (2011)– Once again, after Southland Tales, Race to Witch Mountain, Tooth Fairy, and Faster, Johnson found new management and reset his career path. He shaved his head, gained 30 pounds, and got mean again for Fast Five. This propelled him into the action stratosphere.
- Pain & Gain (2013) – Not only does it feature his best performance, but it’s also his best R-rated film, and he will probably never play a character like this again. In 2013, both Pain & Gain and Snitch failed to clear $100 million at the worldwide box office – that hasn’t happened since.
- Skyscraper (2018) – The movie underwhelmed at the box office and kicked off a new era of “immortal Superman” Johnson. It’s wild watching this film now and seeing a Dwayne Johnson character crying while cradling his daughter atop a burning skyscraper (don’t worry, Neve Campbell saves the day).
Here are longer explanations of why these films are important (if you read the above section, you can skip to the numbers below)
The Rundown (2003) – Johnson’s first starring role in The Scorpion King was a success, and it did well theatrically. Still, Johnson wanted other roles to prove he could carry a dialogue-heavy action film that wasn’t part of an existing franchise. Johnson took The Rundown role to step up his acting game and credits director Peter Berg as his “personal acting coach on set every day.” After watching the film, Ebert gave it 3.5 stars and dropped this doozy of a compliment
- Ebert – “Early in “The Rundown,” The Rock enters a nightclub to confront some tough guys, and he passes Arnold Schwarzenegger on the way out. ‘Have a good time,’ Arnold says. It’s like he’s passing the torch. Whether The Rock will rival Schwarzenegger’s long run as an action hero is hard to say — but on the basis of “The Rundown,” he has a good chance.”
- I like this David Shoemaker paragraph from his Grantland days – “For the first time, Johnson feels like a legitimate star, but that’s mostly thanks to director Peter Berg, who understood that Johnson’s true talent was his humor. Rather than portray Johnson as a muscly automaton in some hard-boiled revenge tale, Berg made a grimy comedy and allowed Johnson to have fun. Even the fight scenes (of which there are many) are played for chuckles.”
Johnson went all out (he lost 20 pounds for the role to be more lean), and the positive reviews proved that he could headline a reasonably successful action film. It was a big step in his acting career, and in an interview with The Boston Globe, Johnson said that after acting in The Rundown, he went from “The Rock” to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – which to him meant that people were starting to take him seriously.
Importance of the Sweaty Role—He carried a critically appreciated action film and proved he could act alongside people like Christopher Walken. It was his first critically adored film and his only Fresh (60% or higher Tomatometer score) film for eight years (2003 – 2011). It’s still his highest-rated “Dwayne Johnson” film (Hobbs and Shaw, he’s a co-lead, and he’s part of an ensemble in Fast Five and the Jumanji films).
Best Moment(s) – His character does wipe out an entire army, but it’s nice when he looks fallible. There are some good scenes when he has his butt kicked, gets harassed by baboons, and rolls down hills.
The Game Plan (2007) – The Game Plan was Johnson’s first $100 million grossing film since The Scorpion King (2002), proving he could headline family-friendly comedies. Johnson said he wanted to make a movie that his daughter could watch, but it was mainly a smart pivot after Doom, Be Cool, and Walking Tall didn’t take off. It definitely boosted his box office marketability, and he went on to appear in Get Smart, Tooth Fairy, Race to Witch Mountain, and The Other Guys (which all grossed over $100 million).
Importance of Sweaty Role – Johnson picked up a new fan base, and the role helped re-spark his career for a short time.
Best Moments – He cries, dances, sings, sweats, reads, and sings more. You can legitimately feel the desperation and willingness to do anything to make the movie work.
Fast Five (2011) – Fast Five currently has his highest IMDb and Letterboxd scores of any Johnson film, and it legitimately propelled him into the big leagues. On the set of Fast Five, he told his makeup artist to leave him alone and let him be sweaty—this paid off.
In an interview with Esquire, Johnson said he had a moment of clarity in 2010 when he realized he had to “stop, readjust, reassess, and change everything around me—and I gotta take one more shot.” He needed to take one more shot at superstardom after years of movies like Faster, Race to Witch Mountain, Tooth Fairy, and Planet 51 (Southland Tales didn’t help either), lowered his stock, and halted any growth as an actor. So, he changed up his management, and after years of talking to Vin Diesel about joining the Fast and Furious franchise, he shaved his head, grew an insane goatee, and put on 30 pounds of weight (after years of being encouraged to lose weight) to play Luke Hobbs in Fast Five. The film was a gigantic hit, propelling Johnson into the action stratosphere. It’s worth noting that this is easily his sweatiest film – and probably his best action movie.
Importance of the Sweaty Role – He got mean again and kicked some ass.
Best Moment – He loses a fight to Vin Diesel. This won’t happen again.
Pain & Gain (2013) – Pain & Gain features Johnson’s best performance (he’s perfect in it), and it was nice seeing him back in R-rated territory after Faster, Southland Tales, and Doom didn’t click with the mainstream. Johnson accepted a massive pay cut (the main actors all did this for a cut of the backend) because he loved the complexity of the role, and it was a nice departure from his typical type of role. The film didn’t make much money, but it’s a beautifully sweaty (and nasty) piece of Micahel Bay R-rated Bayhem. What’s interesting is that since Pain & Gain, he’s veered away from performances like this and, in 2018, said, “No one’s going to see me play a borderline psychopath suffering from depression.” This is kind of a bummer because he’s given up on edgy performances that push him as an actor and instead dove into more safe comedies and action films.
Quick Note – During a 2024 GQ article he backtracked on his 2018 comments and said “I don’t know who the f**k that guy is.”
Importance of the Sweaty Role – It proved he still had an edge and could push himself in non-blockbusters. Also, as Johnson said, “The biggest departure (for me) was the vulnerability, showing this type of vulnerability and playing a character who is easily influenced and who’s just out of prison and looking for salvation.”
Best Moments – The neighborhood watch scene is wonderful. He’s terrible at robbing banks, and I’m pretty sure we’ll never see him grill a hand again.
Overall, it’s easily his best R-rated film.
Skyscraper (2018) – Skyscraper didn’t make globs of money or achieve critical praise, BUT it features a different type of Johnson performance. SPOILER – At the end of the film, he’s sitting atop a skyscraper and awaiting his death while he clings to his daughter (he’s also crying, which is rare). At the last second, Neve Campbell saves the day and resets the skyscraper’s fire extinguishers. The movie received a lot of pre-buzz because Johnson’s character lost a leg and had to save the day with a prosthesis. It’s an odd choice (I guess it takes away from his superhuman prowess), but he went on an all-out promotional campaign and seemed to genuinely care about normalizing disabilities.
Interestingly, this is probably the last time we’ll see this kind of character from Johnson. He tried to play a “normal guy,” and it didn’t work. He followed it up with Hobbs and Shaw (Hobbs becomes a superhero in it), Jumanji: The Next Level (plays a dude named Smolder Bravestone), Jungle Cruise (no spoilers – you’ll see), Red Notice (barf) and Black Adam (wildly powerful). They are miles away from his Skyscraper character and more in line with his over-the-top persona. So, even though Skyscraper wasn’t a hit, his decisions were somewhat altered because of its lack of success.
Importance of the Sweaty Role – His plan didn’t work, and he slowed his film output. He played a major role in seven films between 2016 and 2018, and has appeared in six films in the last five years.
Best Moment – The finale of the film sees him cradling his daughter while they wait to be burnt alive (he’s also crying). He REALLY wanted to seem fallible.
Why do I think The Smashing Machine will be a sweaty success?
Here’s a quote from a recent GQ article – “It was also an opportunity for me, I realized, to stretch myself in ways that I hadn’t been stretched yet, and also challenge myself in ways that I hadn’t been challenged.”
Between Red Notice, Black Adam, Jungle Cruise, and the upcoming Red One, Johnson has taken a lot of flak for reportedly being the alleged reason for the swelling budgets and less-than-stellar critical and box office results (there are other reasons, of course…). His Fast X appearance didn’t light the world on fire either. So, when it was announced that he was going to star in the Benny Safdie-directed The Smashing Machine, a film adaptation named after the excellent 2002 documentary about MMA fighter Mark Kerr (watch the doc – it’s awesome) – I knew it was Johnson pulling a hard reset on his VFX heavy blockbuster run. When I saw the sweaty first image, it became obvious that Johnson was up to his old tricks he’s used throughout his career (hard resets and sweaty pivots). What’s funny is that Safdie and Johnson had talked about making the film since 2019, when Johnson bought the rights to Kerr’s story. Johnson admittedly ghosted Safdie for several years (“Benny thought I ghosted him, and maybe I was just a f***in’ asshole”), but after years of not-so-great movies and a chat with Emily Blunt, Johnson called Safdie back, and now they’ve made the movie. Johnson says he hasn’t quit “four-quadrant blockbusters,” but he needed a career reset to explore films with more humanity. It’s a smart move – and it all points back to sweaty performances.
The Numbers
Here’s a quick timeline from 2001’s The Mummy Returns to 2025’s The Smashing Machine.
- Category 11 – Red – The distribution makes me happy
- Category 9 – 10 – Purple – on average, it’s the most lucrative category
- Category 5 – 8 – Green – Hasn’t made a category 5-8 movie since 2017’s The Fate of the Furious.
- Category 0 – 4 – Orange – 6 of his last 10 movies fall in this category.
What’s really interesting is that his incredibly sweaty films have a slightly higher critical/user average than his less-sweaty movies. The differences aren’t anything big, but they prove that a little extra sweat helps.
11 – Wild Amounts of Sweat
- Tomatometer Average – 55.2
- Letterboxd Average – 2.9
- IMDb Average – 6.5
- Box Office Average – $249 million
- Movies – The Rundown, The Game Plan, Fast Five, Pain & Gain, Skyscraper
- Fast Five has the highest IMDb score (7.3) and Letterboxd score (3.4)
- The Game Plan was his first non-action film to clear $100 million worldwide
- The Rundown was his first film with a Fresh Tomatometer Score
The biggest drawback to sweat-heavy movies is that they aren’t huge earners. However, when done right, they lead to bigger box office results. This is why Johnson is taking the role in the A24-produced The Smashing Machine.
9-10 – Sweat City
- Tomatometer Average – 54%
- Letterboxd Average – 2.58
- IMDb Average – 6.2
- Box Office Average – $613 million
- Movies – Furious 7, Doom, Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, Rampage,
- Furious 7 is his highest-grossing film and most critically lauded
- Hobbs and Shaw is his highest-grossing film, with only one co-lead (Statham)
- Rampage is the fourth highest-grossing video game adaptation
Aside from Doom, these movies make money.
5-8 – Gonna Need a New Shirt
- Tomatometer Average – 40.9%
- Letterboxd Average – 2.48
- IMDb Average – 6
- Box Office Average – $268 million
- Movies – Hercules, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, Walking Tall, The Scorpion King, Tooth Fairy, GI Joe Retaliation, The Fate of the Furious, The Gridiron Gang, Race to Witch Mountain, Faster
- Note – None of these films feature an overly excessive amount of sweat.
- Only one of these films scores 60% or more on Rotten Tomatoes.
He hasn’t made a 5-8 category movie since 2017’s The Fate of the Furious.
0 – 4 – Zero to Light Sweaters
- Tomatometer Average – 53.2
- Letterboxd Average – 2.72
- IMDb Average – 6.28
- Box Office Average – $356 million
- Movies – Southland Tales, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Jumanji: The Next Level, Jungle Cruise, San Andreas, The Mummy Returns, Baywatch, Fast & Furious 6, Snitch, Get Smart, Central Intelligence, Be Cool, The Other Guys, Empire State, Black Adam, Red Notice
- Red Notice, Black Adam, and Red One fall in this category, and they have a 38% Tomatometer average. Not great.
- Notes – Race to Witch Mountain and San Andreas feature sweaty shirts but very little sweat.
- Jumanji 2 & 3 and Central Intelligence are all wildly popular and prove the Hart/Johnson connection is strong.
In conclusion – The Smashing Machine is a smart reset for Johnson.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 590: Army of the Dead, Zack Snyder, and Zombie Tigers
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Norbert discuss the 2021 action horror film Army of the Dead. Directed by Zack Snyder, and starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Matthias Schweighöfer and a zombie tiger, the movie focuses on what happens when a group of thieves accept the world’s most dangerous heist job ever. In this episode, they also talk about Garret Dillahunt, zombie movies and Zack Snyder’s filmography. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 589: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Excellent Sequels and Eel Larvae
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Niall discuss the all-time great sequel Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, and starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Ricardo Montalban and some ear slugs, the film focuses on what happens when a muscular villain really wants to kill Admiral Kirk. In this episode, they also talk about excellent sequels, even-numbered Star Trek films, and recycled sets. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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John’s Horror Corner: V/H/S/Beyond (2024), this 7th V/H/S horror anthology specializes in UFOs and extraterrestrials.
MY CALL: A bit of a standout in the franchise for its theme, which permeates 3 of its 5 segments. Of the recent V/H/S releases, I’m inclined to say V/H/S/94 (2021) was pretty good, V/H/S/Beyond and V/H/S/99 (2022) were even better, but V/H/S/85 (2023) was just okay (but still enjoyable) for me.
MORE HORROR ANTHOLOGIES: Dead of Night (1945), Black Sabbath (1963), Tales from the Crypt (1972), The Vault of Horror (1973), The Uncanny (1977), Screams of a Winter Night (1979), Creepshow (1982), Screamtime (1983), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye (1985), Deadtime Stories (1986), Creepshow 2 (1987), From a Whisper to a Scream (1987; aka The Offspring), After Midnight (1989), Tales from the Crypt Season 1 (1989), Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990), Grimm Prairie Tales (1990), The Willies (1990), Two Evil Eyes (1990), Necronomicon: Book of the Dead (1993), Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996), Campfire Tales (1997), Dark Tales of Japan (2004), 3 Extremes (2004), Creepshow 3 (2006), Trick ‘r Treat (2007), Chillerama (2011), Little Deaths (2011), V/H/S (2012), The Theater Bizarre (2012), The ABCs of Death (2013), V/H/S 2 (2013), All Hallows’ Eve (2013), The Profane Exhibit (2013), The ABCs of Death 2 (2014), V/H/S Viral (2014), Southbound (2015), Tales of Halloween (2015), A Christmas Horror Story (2015), The ABCs of Death 2.5 (2016), Holidays (2016), Terrified (2017; aka Aterrados, a pseudo-anthology), Oats Studios, Vol. 1 (2017), Ghost Stories (2017), XX (2017), All the Creatures Were Stirring (2018), The Field Guide to Evil (2018), Nightmare Cinema (2018), Blood Clots (2018), Shudder’s series Creepshow (2019-2021), Scare Package (2019), The Mortuary Collection (2019), Xenophobia (2019), V/H/S/94 (2021), Netflix’s series Cabinet of Curiosities (2022), V/H/S/99 (2022), and V/H/S/85 (2023).
It’s been too long since viewing the first three V/H/S anthologies. But of the four most recent anthologies, Beyond ranks high along with the more horror-comedy-themed V/H/S/99 (2022). In the case of Beyond, the stories have no direct links other than their presentation as snippets of “proof of the beyond” in a documentary-style wraparound segment.
Featuring a rather eclectic mix of brutal gun and chainsaw violence, projectile acid vomit melting faces, unconventional undeath, a lot of ripped off faces, zombie babies, bizarre animal attacks, UFOs, a brain-drinking beaked monster, gangly “laser-faced” extraterrestrials, faceless monsters, mentally ill dog groomers, this movie brings a healthy dose of gore, gashes, dismemberments, flesh-tearing and guts. So there’s that fun to be had!
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Abduction/Adduction (Director Jay Cheel; Cursed Films)
We open [in the Wraparound Story] with much more sleek footage than is typical fare of the V/H/S series, with a documentary style introduction to video proof of an alien abduction. I’m really digging the docu-style. Between segments, we enjoy discussions of past ideas regarding aliens in pop culture and videos of purported UFOs.
Stork (Director Jordan Downey; The Head Hunter, Thankskilling 1 & 3)
A group of cops followed by a cameraman infiltrate an old house filled with deadites-style zombies. The pacing is fast with loads of undead, ample monster make-up, and a lot of blood and gore—a lot. Panicked shaky cam, zombies with chainsaws, severed heads, occasional stylish FPS-POVs, macabrely stocked refrigerators, and non-stop action make this segment a joy!
This is one of my favorite segments of the entire franchise for raw, high-octane entertainment value alone. And the “stork” is a videogame boss sight to behold!
Dream Girl (Director Virat Pal)
Two Indian (?) paparazzi trying to get footage of the recent Bollywood starlet Tara (Namrata Sheth) sneak onto her film set and into her trailer to capture some candid video. But upon talking to her and sharing his opinion of her, she becomes… a monster. This wanders into some very gory, over-the-top territory that feels like Carrie (1976, 2013) meets Lady Terminator (1989).
Live and Let Dive (Director Justin Martinez; Southbound, V/H/S)
A group of skydivers endure a complicated encounter with a UFO, a loss of cabin pressure, an unwanted boarding onto their plane, and an off-schedule dive.
Some really great gore gags accompany this improvised in-a-panic sky diving scenario, and the alien monster design and effects are pretty wild. There’s also a hilariously gross hand injury.
Fur Babies (Director Christian Long and Justin Long)
An animal cruelty prevention group’s film team plans to expose the Fur Babies kennel business for some sort of fraud. But the business owner has some sick operations that the film team suffers a la Tusk (2014) or Pet(2016), with a dash of Tales from the Crypt’s “Collection Completed.” The “dog attack” scene is pretty bizarre, and includes some almost slapstick gore.
Stowaway (Director Kate Siegel)
A documentarian investigates a series of witness accounts of lights in the sky in the Mojave Desert. She witnesses exactly what was described by locals, and she encounters a sort of spaceship that has landed, which she enters and documents everything she observes… and gets more than she bargained. It wanders into some fun, macabre ideas.
Written by Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Absentia, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil).
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This is probably the greatest overall production value of any of the V/H/S anthologies, with effects, acting and budget all seeming rather superior for the franchise. But while some segments were very good to great (e.g., Stork), I still wouldn’t call this the best of the franchise. Like all anthologies, there are highs and lows to be found. The great strength in this anthology, is that it lacks distinctly weak segments, making this a generally satisfying anthology experience.
Like V/H/S/85 (2023) had a delicious 80s nostalgia to it, the UFO-alien theme (which did not apply directly to Dream Girl or Fur Babies) was also a nice change from most of the other V/H/S installments. Still, I feel this anthology would have been stronger if the theme could have held through all included segments. Of course, this is not to say I didn’t enjoy Dream Girl or Fur Babies.
Keep’em coming. I’ll take every V/H/S movie I can get. So many interesting ideas to be shared.
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John’s Horror Corner: House of Spoils (2024), a haunting culinary dark fantasy/horror for fans of Chef’s Table.
MY CALL: Really light on the horror, mild on haunting atmosphere, and rich in tasting menu visuals. This is more where contemporary dark fantasy meets horror, and perhaps more a movie for foodies than horror fans in many ways. MORE MOVIES LIKE House of Spoils: For sure The Menu (2022), and while not horror it can be emotionally horrifying so… The Bear (2022-2024).
After turning down a lucrative offer to stay at her job, chef (Ariana DeBose; I.S.S., Westworld) leaves her current employer to follow her dream (or compulsion) to open her own restaurant and be head chef of her very own high-end destination dining experience.
Like an amuse-bouche to kick off a tasting menu, kitchen visuals of stainless steel, immaculate white cooking staff uniforms, and slicing and torching and delicately positioning gorgeously plated entrees tease our eyes to want more.
This film doesn’t take us into the rough emotional trenches of The Bear (2022-2024) or Chef’s Table (2015-2024) to illustrate the kind of person, and the kind of compulsion and its psychological baggage, that leads to the inception of Michelin star restaurants. However it gives it a fair gleaning for those unfamiliar. Our chef “has to” do this. She turns down having her salary doubled and comes from having not a single day off in seven years. This is not a goal. It’s a destiny.
As a serial indulger of Michelin star tasting menus and the pageantry that accompanies it, I’m mildly disappointed but understanding in this film’s approach. The presentation and explanation of courses is kept light. It spares no detail, but it almost seems casual and devoid of the reverence its creation deserves. But not everyone knows this world, and we’re not here to have meat and potatoes horror fans suffer over-sophisticated explanations of concoctions being shoehorned down their throats. So I’ll accept this gentle introduction to this way of life. And for those who want a closer idea, even if a bit over-the-top in presentation, try The Menu (2022).
Exploring the estate her investor Andres (Arian Moayed; Succession) procured for their restaurant, Chef finds an eclectic assortment of quite probably cursed curios. It’s as if someone ransacked the basement from The Cabin in the Woods (2012) and decorated this esoteric house with its witchy wares of questionable histories. Probably haunted. Or so, the movie seems to want us to think so.
She renovates, cleans, and begins test-kitchening dishes. But within a day, everything is unimaginably foul, rotten, corrupted, or infested with vermin. Her garden has been razed overnight by rabbits, her assistant is inept and considers chicken an adequate substitute for monkfish, and things just couldn’t possibly be going worse. The stress is immense. But—that’s the job. She bucks up and prepares a test menu, during which we begin to wonder—is the estate haunted, or is she experiencing some sort of psychological episode.
With a positive turn, we wander into cooking and recipes that feel almost witch-ishly communing with nature. The imagery of the food preparation remains a lovely spectacle. With a creepy turn, Chef continues to learn more about the estate, its hidden nooks, and the former “witch” owner. For everything that seems to go right, something new seems to go very wrong.
As a horror movie, this is just maybe okay. But as a movie for lovers of the culinary arts, I just loved this. So much splendid attention went into the food, the process of discovery and failure, the plating, the workshopping, the adjusting… if you love fine food, you’ll probably enjoy this film. Written and directed by Danielle Krudy and Bridget Savage Cole (The Stand), this movie was clearly challenging to market. This is more where contemporary dark fantasy meets horror.
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Heretic (2024) – Review
Grade – A – Heretic expertly uses the horror genre to create an interesting discussion about faith and belief. It obviously doesn’t have any answers about the afterlife, but it does explore the messiness of organized religion and its quest to create one true religion.
The film opens with Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), two missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, questioning the size of magnum condoms and sharing quirky revelations that come from watching amateur pornography. Thatcher and East bounce the dialogue back-and-forth with a comfortable ease and their characters have a relaxed comradery as they travel around their coastal town (the movie was filmed in Squamish, British Columbia – it looks lovely) and deal with unresponsive locals and punk teenagers who question their magic underwear. Despite the many setbacks of pushing a fringe religion on small town residents, the two stay upbeat and positive as they visit homes of potential converts who rarely open their doors for them. Their travels lead them to the house of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant = perfection), a seemingly milquetoast man who lures them inside for a miserable night of religious lectures and locked doors.
What’s impressive is that Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are immediately likable and a lot of credit goes to the performances from Thatcher and East who create intelligent, kind, funny, and naive women who find themselves inside a house of horrors where they’ll have their religious knowledge put to the test by an extremely smug man. The back-and-forth debate between the missionaries and their captor is captivating and it’s fun watching the power shifts that come from their night of conversing. The script from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (the two also directed the movie) does a fine job of never revealing too much by slowly doling out surprises and revelations that are never seen coming.
One of the things I love most about the horror genre is that films like Heretic can feature an intelligent discussion about the history of organized religion AND death by pie. Heretic blends social commentary, humor (there’s a great bit about metal in the walls), and violence into a tight film that showcases a different side of Hugh Grant. He’s been a villain in Paddington 2 and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, but Heretic utilizes his sharp wit and intelligence in different villainous ways. Mr. Reed is way too pleased with himself and he’s the type of guy who’d never consider that he’d lose games like chess, checkers or Monopoly (or The Landlord’s Game) to two naive missionaries (which is what makes him great). Mr. Reed is also an excellent character because of the intense work that Hugh Grant went through to bring him to life. Grant scoured the script, and created a biography for the character in an effort to create a “suffering” villain who isn’t too over the top.
The production design by Phillip Messina (mother! Tales From the Loop) and the cinematography from Chung-hoon Chung (Stoker, Oldboy, The Handmaiden, It, Thirst) are pitch perfect as the house feels like a prison loaded with shadowy corners and dark tunnels. Both have experience with films featuring memorable houses and prisons (Oldboy, mother!), so it’s no surprise that their work is top-notch.
Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have created an interesting experiment that manages to challenge and excite. Since it’s a 110-minute film, it never comes close to exploring the depths of organized religion (which is impossible and not necessary). However, it manages to cover interesting themes of control, plagiarism, and humanity – which makes it an excellent horror film that I hope does well with mainstream audiences.
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Conclave (2024) – Review
Quick Thoughts – Grade B+ – Blessed by an excellent performance from Ralph Fiennes and outstanding production design, Conclave will prove to be a crowd pleasing experience.
Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), and written by Peter Straughan (who adapted the 2016 novel written by Robert Harris), Conclave focuses on the papal conclave attended by the College of Cardinals who gather together to choose a new Pope after the prior Pope died of a heart attack. The cinematography by Stéphane Fontaine (Jackie, Elle, Rust and Bone, A Prophet) and production design by Suzie Davis (Saltburn, Mr. Turner) will surely be nominated for Academy Awards as they make the hallways, corridors and Sistine Chapel (which was built in 10 weeks for the film) look gorgeous. This PG-rated drama/thriller is loaded with a welcome dose of human drama, backstabbing, and surprises – which should make it a sleeper hit.
Conclave works on many levels, but it’s powered by Ralph Fiennes who plays Cardinal-Dean Thomas Lawrence, the Dean of the College of Cardinals who is forced to organize the papal conclave to choose the new Pope. The guy has an absurd amount on his plate as he’s dealing with potential candidates, troubling reports, and the surprise appearance of the Archbishop Benitez of Kabul, who became a Cardinal when the prior Pope secretly bestowed the honor on him (without telling anyone else). Fiennes excels as a man who is spearheading the vote for the next Pope while dealing with religious doubts that make him an excellent candidate to become the next visible head of the Catholic Church (nobody wants to vote for the person who wants it too much). He’s flawed, dogged, and committed to making sure the correct Cardinal wins the popular vote. The four popular candidates are Aldo Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci), Joseph Cardinal Tremblay (John Lithgow), Goffredo Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) and Joshua Cardinal Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), who represent the traditional, liberal, conservative and social conservative branches of Cardinals. They all have supporters and detractors and a couple of them have skeletons in their closets that come out at the worst time. What makes Conclave work so well is that it plays like a thriller that offers twists and turns as the Cardinals lock themselves away to pick their next leader. I really don’t want to spoil anything, just know that there are many heated conversations in stairwells, hallways and cafeterias.
While the film does go a bit off the rails, the human drama is always interesting as the Cardinals argue over tradition, liberal values, inclusion and unethical ways to gather votes. It would be too naive to think that Cardinals have never jockeyed for the Pope position, and it’s interesting watching them talk about votes and alliances while inside the Vatican. Despite their religious professions, these men are messily human (and some have lots of power) and they aren’t above bickering or worrying about past transgressions that can ruin their Pope campaign. In the middle of all this is Cardinal Thomas, who wanted to leave the church but was forced to stay and finds himself dealing with a comical amount of stress as he leads the conclave. Conclave offers a fun and fictional look into a mysterious process and manages to raise interesting questions about how the Catholic Church needs to adapt and become better.
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 588: The MFF 25 Favorite Horror Films Released Since 2000 List
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Zanandi talk about their favorite horror films released since 2000 and share the “Movies, Films and Flix Top 25” list that 22 MFF regulars contributed to. In this episode, you’ll hear them talk about Green Room, Get Out, The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Hereditary, Raw, Titane, 28 Days Later, Dawn of the Dead, The Host, The Devil’s Backbone, and many more cool horror movies. Enjoy!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
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Movies, Films and Flix Horror Special: 25 Favorite Horror Films Released Since 2000
If you’ve followed Movies, Films and Flix for a while you know that we love horror movies, ranked lists, and movie math. It’s been a while since I released an epic horror list so I recruited 21 MFF website and podcast contributors (who love horror cinema) to submit a ranked list of their 25 favorite horror films released since 2000. I then created a point system (the #1 movie gets 25 points, and the 25th gets one point) and added them all together to create a super list. Putting this post together has been a lot of fun because I genuinely didn’t know which films would be included and what the overall #1 film would be. The lead changed many times and it was thrilling when a new list arrived that shook up the rankings and maybe pushed a film out of the top 25. Overall, I’m really proud of this list (Green Room could be higher ranked though) and I think it showcases a wide range of horror cinema released since 2000. After reading the list, make sure to send me your picks.
The following list was written by myself (Mark) and fellow horror lover (and frequent MFF podcast guest) Zanandi Botes.
25. Drag Me to Hell
The Sam Raimi directed Drag Me to Hell is one of the most entertaining horror films of the 21st century and it features the greatest fight inside a parking structure ever put to film. Raimi’s film feels refreshingly alive and tells the story of a woman named Christine (Alison Lohman is perfect in the role) trying to prevent a curse from dragging her to hell. The plot is simple, but the shenanigans aren’t as Raimi gleefully torments his doomed character for 90 minutes as she deals with terrible dinners, cat sacrifice, failed séances, dishonest coworkers, grave digging, and funeral appearances that go horribly awry. It’s easily one of the most entertaining horror films released since 2000 and it’s nice knowing that it made the top 25 – because it belongs in the list.
24. Doctor Sleep (2019)
Who would’ve thought that it would ever be possible to make a darn good sequel of The Shining and, at the same time, keep both Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick fans happy? Enter Mike Flanagan, probably the best filmmaker to adapt King’s fiction right now and a storyteller who can get to the root of a tale and run with it. It’s a killer sequel that looks great, features an incredible cast and has some wonderful nods to Kubrick and the original. Folks may have slept on it at the box office, but it’s since received the praise and following it so rightly deserves.
23. Frailty
Released in 2001, the Bill Paxton directed Frailty didn’t have a long run at the box office, however it lingered in the memories of those who watched Paxton’s tale about a widowed father or two who believes God has given him the power to kill demons (in the form of humans). The atmospheric film featuring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton and Powers Boothe feels like an old school mood piece that relies on close-ups, shadowy sets, and two iconic axe shots to tell its story. It’s an earnest and theatrical experience that works its way under your skin and stays there. What’s interesting is that it isn’t a gory experience and instead creates dread by making you question whether the man simply named “Dad” has gone insane or really had the ability to kill demons. In Roger Ebert’s four-star review, he sums up the movie perfectly.
“Perhaps only a first-time director, an actor who does not depend on directing for his next job, would have had the nerve to make this movie. It is uncompromised. It follows its logic right down into hell. We love movies that play and toy with the supernatural, but are we prepared for one that is an unblinking look at where the logic of the true believer can lead? There was just a glimpse of this mentality on the day after 9/11, when certain TV preachers described it as God’s punishment for our sins, before backpedaling when they found such frankness eroded their popularity base.”
22. Barbarian (2022)
Horror fans were practically giddy following the release of Zach Cregger’s solo directorial debut, and with good reason. The plot of this comedy horror (albeit way more horror) slowly unspools and takes audiences to wild and, at times, hilarious places. Barbarian felt like a breath of fresh air as it took inspiration from the greats while still feeling wholly original. If you haven’t seen it yet, go in blind. We promise, it’s worth it.
21. Let the Right One In
Released in 2008, this Swedish vampire tale directed by Tomas Alfredson is a blood-soaked beauty about a young boy named Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) befriending his new neighbor Eil (Lina Leandersson), an ancient vampire who was turned into a vampire at the age of 12. The two form a bond (Oskar is lonely, and Eil needs a new employee) that leads to tragedy and a swimming pool massacre that showcases the awesome strength of the tiny vampire. Powered by Hoyte Van Hoytema’s (Nope, Oppenheimer, Her, Interstellar) gorgeous cinematography and several brutal and bloody scenes involving Eli’s regular (AKA human caretaker) Håkan (Per Ragnar) attempting to gather blood for his vampire boss, Let the Right One might be one of the most beautifully grim horror films ever made.
20. Mandy
Mandy is so much more than a “Nic Cage freaking out” movie, and I love that it’s become a cult classic that is celebrated by loving fans who love every blood spurt that sprays in Nic Cage’s face. It can best be described as a thrilling experience that bombards your senses with bright colors, loud noises and ultra-violence, that will either make you cheer or cringe. Director Panos Cosmatos has created a movie that feels familiar with its Mad Max, Giallo and Clive Barker/Nicolas Winding Refn vibes, and totally alien with its fever dream cinematography, heavy metal score and dedication to anarchy. I love how Cosmatos found a way to combine the grindhouse aesthetic (lots of blood and heightened performances) with an unconventional arthouse style that will alienate the masses and gain a very loyal audience who embrace how niche Mandy is.
19. The Babadook
Jennifer Kent’s 2014 psychological horror film The Babadook is a marvel of a film that introduced the world to a memorable new monster while expertly tackling themes of grief, depression, and repressed trauma. The performances from Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman are top-notch and it never gets old watching Davis juggle about 300 different emotions (while repressing many). The world is currently in a neat horror renaissance and The Babadook helped lead the way by showcasing that horror films can be scary and carry an emotional weight while tackling real-world issues. The partially crowd-funded Australian horror film’s legacy keeps growing as it recently received a theatrical re-release for its 10th anniversary and constantly appears on 21st century “best of” horror lists (Like this one!).
18. REC (2007)
This Spanish horror by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza is arguably the best found footage horror film this side of The Blair Witch Project. With a straight and simple plot that sees a film crew accompany a bunch of firefighters to a building only to get caught up in a quarantined zombie outbreak, this movie goes fast and hard and doesn’t miss a beat. Its inevitable U.S. remake wasn’t that bad, either, because the formula of a bunch of vicious zombie neighbors in a small apartment building just works.
17. Raw (2016)
We at MFF love ourselves some French horror, and Julia Ducournau’s first feature film is the kind of stuff we live for. A coming-of-age psychological body horror, this movie takes us into a French veterinarian school alongside two sisters who are vegetarians, but only because their parents say so. When the lust for flesh starts flaring up, body parts get devoured — and we’re talking literally here. It’s gorgeously filmed, the acting is solid and there are sequences that will make even the toughest among us feel squeamish.
16. Midsommar (2019)
On some people’s “Worst Date Movie” and others’ “Best Date Movie” list (yikes!), Ari Aster’s folk horror about a bunch of Americans who go to Sweden only to be sacrificed one by one became one of the most polarizing movies of 2019. That, in our eyes, is not a bad thing. If you think about it, people are still talking about men, women and bears these days. In all seriousness though, the movie’s unsettling tone, attention to detail and strong performances elevates it to more than just some perverse breakup movie. It’s all about intention and perspective here. That, and men stuffed inside disemboweled bears.
15. The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
In Osgood Perkins’ directorial debut, we venture into a Catholic boarding school where girls are either lonely, or bored, or both. Naturally, the devil comes knocking, but in this twisty story of three women who are severely misunderstood, things are slightly more complicated (as they usually are with teenage girls). Perkins crafted a tense, coming-of-age tale that not only shows a young woman finding her agency, but also questions what that agency truly means after all is said and done.
14. Saw (2004)
Put two guys in a room with a dead body, a tape recorder and two hacksaws, and let the game begin. An ingenious idea born from Australian filmmakers (and, by now, horror alumni) James Wan and Leigh Whannell, Saw came out during the so-called “torture porn” wave that struck horror cinema. Only, these guys showed that you can do sadistic body horror and be clever about it at the same time. It shocked and delighted audiences across the world, and gave rise to the seventh highest-grossing horror film franchise of all time (to date). It also gave us another legendary serial killer in Jigsaw who, let’s be real, falls somewhere between Hannibal Lecter and Geppetto.
13. Green Room
Green Room is one of the best thrillers I’ve seen in years because director Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin – watch it now!) has mastered the art of creating white-knuckle tension and killing people very violently. His films drip with authenticity, and the naturalness of the characters’ insane-decision-making push the films to stressful heights. The characters in Green Room are in over their heads and the result is a glorious exploitation movie that is also very smart.
It made me very happy that Green Room made the list because it legitimately deserves to be considered amongst the elite. It proves that director Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Hold the Dark) is an amazing director who knows how to deliver the goods (AKA insane amounts of tension). I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and I love how Saulnier makes violence look so ugly and realistic. Nothing is glorified, and you will find yourself incredibly nervous for the trapped punk band, The Ain’t Rights, who put up a pretty decent fight against some neo-nazis who aren’t afraid of committing ultra-violence. Also, Patrick Stewart is awesome as the Neo-Nazi leader who is simultaneously charismatic, calculating and insane. Please watch Green Room.
12. The Witch (2015)
Robert Eggers’ directorial debut will go down in history as a legendary piece of folk horror. Set in New England in the 1630s, it tells the story of a Puritan family who is banished from their settlement and has to start life over on a farm near the woods. Only, there’s a witch who lives in the woods and makes ointments out of babies. Throw in two insufferable twins, a young woman out of sorts with the traditions imposed on her and a black goat who’s all for living deliciously, and you get a thought-provoking, religious horror that has a lot to say, and shows it well.
11. The Ring (2002)
One of the better American remakes of the century, this Gore Verbinksi movie all but screwed over anyone who ever tries to use the phrase “seven days” in earnest again. This movie was downright scary, and who among us have ever been able to erase the image of Samara climbing out of that television? Relying on creepy visuals over gore paid off here, and Hans Zimmer’s score took us all the way to Chills Town.
10. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead is a supercharged remake that blends fast zombies, likable characters, intense set pieces and cool songs to create a crowd-pleasing delight that is still Snyder’s best film. Whether it’s casting Sarah Polley in the lead, or picking the Stereophonics song “Have a Nice Day” to play while characters are having the worst day of their lives, the film is packed full of neat choices that made it much more than a stock remake of an all-time classic. One of my favorite all-time theater going experiences happened when I watched the movie in a packed theater in Houston, Texas. I remember the crowd going insane during the opening house battle that sees a young girl biting a giant chunk out of a guy’s neck, and the lead character Ana (Sarah Polley) scrambling for her life as the young girl AND her zombified husband try to rip her apart. It’s a thrilling opening and the film never loses its momentum. Toss in the solid performances from Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly, Mekhi Pfeiffer, and Sarah Polley, and you have one of the best remakes of the 21st century.
9. Train to Busan (2016)
Zombies, but on a train — a winning formula for director Yeon Sang-ho who gave us one of the best zombie movies of the 21st century. These zombies are fast, these undead mutants can traverse escalators and these infected creatures can work their way through a train like a fart in a crowd. Best of all, this movie has heart, giving us one of our favorite 21st century side-characters in Sang-Hwa (played by Ma Dong-seok) and a tear-jerker climax to boot.
8. Hereditary (2018)
While many consider Ari Aster’s breakthrough 2018 horror film to be the greatest horror film of the 21st century, I think it’s an excellent heist film involving a cult of people looking to snag loads of money from a demon named Paimon. What’s great about Hereditary is that Ari Aster is wildly upfront about his intentions and hides nothing from the viewer. From the very first moment, it features a wonderfully executed shot to make it seem like the doomed family lives inside a dollhouse, which suggests they are just toys to be moved around. And wow, are they ever played as a cult pulls out all the stops to drive them into insanity, despair and eventual death. Why? Well, they worship Paimon, one of the eight kings of hell, who if put into a suitable male host, will deliver sweet tax-free demon money to all who follow him. Watch the film again, the cult puts A LOT of work into getting rich.
7. 28 Days Later (2002)
I recently had to rewatch 28 Days Later for a Fandom assignment (watch the video) and it reminded me of how much of a miracle it is. Directed by Danny Boyle, and written by Alex Garland, the digitally shot (which was very ambitious back in 2002) horror film blends excellent performances, great music, and utter depression perfectly. It’s a bleak world filled with fast zombies (AKA people infected with a rage virus) and morally corrupt soldiers who went bad after like 3 weeks of living in a zombie apocalypse. What makes 28 Days Later so great is that it’s loaded with memorable visuals like the moment when Jim (Cillain Murphy) leaves a hospital and wanders the empty streets of London until he catches the attention of several rage-filled humans who chase him through the empty alleys and streets of the deserted city. Toss in a desperate stairwell chase and a crow dripping blood into Brendan Gleeson’s eye, and you have a movie that is easily one of the best horror films of the 21st century.
6. The Mist ((2007)
Frank Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1980 novella can best be described as a gut punch that’s followed by about 43 more gut punches. The harrowing film about a small town beset by a mystical mist that hides a plethora of deadly monsters works because of Darabont’s unflinching direction and the committed performances from Thomas Jane, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones and Marcia Gay Harden (who plays one of the most despicable characters ever put on screen). The most impressive aspect of The Mist is how depressing and violent it is for an American mainstream horror film. Between the bleak and darkly comedic ending, and the religious zealots who add problems on top of problems, The Mist isn’t afraid to wallow in terror and despair – which is very refreshing. On top of being an excellent horror film, it’s one of the best Stephen King adaptations and he’s gone on record to defend the “terrific” ending that has divided audiences for 17 years.
5 The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
It’s the movie that turned the splatter genre on its head and rode it all the way to cult status. It’s the one that gave us the magnificent pairing of Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins. It’s the sci-fi comedy horror that features everything from zombies and homicidal trees to a guy who looks like Pinhead and yes, the Merman. All hail the Merman, even though the cleanup on them is apparently a nightmare.
4. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
The early 2000s were a great time for zombie cinema enthusiasts as 28 Days Later, Resident Evil, Dawn of the Dead and Shaun of the Dead revitalized the genre and gave zombie fans new films to devour. The Edgar Wright directed Shaun of the Dead came out of nowhere (for people who weren’t familiar with Spaced) and immediately gathered a fanbase of dedicated fans who loved the unique energy created from Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The zombie-comedy is packed full of inspired editing, memorable characters and several surprise kills that give the film real stakes. The low-key zombie invasion film set the stage for Edgar Wright’s successful career and also proved that zombie’s could be beaten with pool sticks to the tune of Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now.
3. It Follows
I’ve spent A LOT of time with It Follows over the years as I tracked the total miles traveled by the creature and even learned how to defeat it by creating a rigid travel schedule to keep it as far away as possible. MFF co-writer John Leavengood and I and I also talked at length about the swimming pool finale and I just really adore the David Robert Mitchell directed movie. Not only did the film introduce the world to Maika Monroe, who has proved herself to be a horror legend with movies like Longlegs, The Guest, Watcher, and Significant Other, it also gave the world a truly frightening monster
What’s neat about the film is that it raises some interesting moral questions about what you would do if you were being pursued by a sexually-transmitted monster that is following you (the monster has a great GPS system) because a terrible person passed it onto you during a sexual encounter. The thing is, you can pass the curse to someone else, but after they die the creature starts working its way back down the list – which is horrifying because you can never relax knowing that it could make its way to you days/weeks/years/decades later. Would you have sex with someone and curse them to a horrible death to buy some time for yourself? How could you avoid it and live a somewhat normal life? Not only does It Follows create some interesting questions, but it’s also legitimately scary and features a killer synth soundtrack that hits hard and adds to the crushing paranoia.
2. The Descent (2005)
With visuals of dark corners and cave crawlers that can easily get stuck in the crevices of your mind, it’s no wonder this British spelunking banger climbed all the way to number two on our MFF list. Neil Marshall and the entire cast did good here, and we got both an iconic heroine and a great twist ending on top of a non-stop thrill ride.
1. Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele’s debut film Get Out is one of the most successful horror films ever created, so it makes sense that it landed in the #1 spot on the list. The global blockbuster pulled in $255 million worldwide and is one of six horror films to be nominated for Best Picture. Jordan Peele won an Oscar for his original script about a black photographer named Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) having a terrible time while meeting his white girlfriend’s family for the first time during a weekend trip to a secluded mansion. Peele wrote and directed the film because he wanted to master his fears and show audiences of all races the subtle racism that black people in America experience. Peele’s deep love of the horror genre helped him tell an inclusive and crowd-pleasing horror film that can be watched on many levels. Kudos should all be given to Daniel Kaluuya (who was nominated for A Best Actor Oscar), Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, and Caleb Landry Jones, who are all fantastically committed and add a level of comedy and menace to an all-timer horror film. Like Dawn of the Dead, Raw, The Babadook, and The People Under the Stairs, Get Out blends suspense, brain smashing, and a social thriller aspect perfectly, and it’s a great example of the genre being used as an entertaining form of art that can excite and educate.
Here’s the point breakdown and other fun information.
Here’s a list of all the contributors.
- Zanandi Botes – Follow Zanandi on X
- John Leavengood – Follow John on X – Make sure to read his MFF Horror Corner reviews!
- David Cross – Follow David on X and buy his books!
- Aaron Neuwirth – Listen to The Out Now With Aaron and Abe Podcast – Follow him on X
- Short Round 2.0 – Follow SR2 on X
- Isaac Thorne – Follow Isaac on X
- Adam Clement – Listen to our Halloween franchise MFF episodes!
- Clayton Thompson – Listen to the MFF As Above, So Below episode.
- Robert Lamb – Check out all of his 7 Lamb Podcasts.
- Joey Lewandowski – Listen to the 2 Fast 2 Forever Podcast
- Lisa Leaheey – Listen to the Pictures and Conversations podcast
- Megan Hofmeyer – Listen to our annual Random Awards for the MFF podcast
- Zachary Beckler – Follow Zach on X
- Brandon Peters – Listen to The Brandon Peters Show – Follow Brandon on X
- Nick Rehak – Listen to the Exploding Helicopter Show
- Jonny Numb – Follow Jonny on X and listen to our Feel Good Series on the MFF podcast
- Jay Cluitt – Listen to Deep Blue Sea – The Podcast – Follow him on X
- Mo lightning – Follow Mo on X
- Norbert Morvan – Follow Norbert on X – Listen to all of our episodes about the Alien franchise.
- Justin Gott – Follow Justin on XChris Kelly – Listen to Classic American Movies
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The Movies, Films and Flix Podcast – Episode 587: Overlord, Superpowered Zombies, and Bokeem Woodbine
You can download or stream the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker (or wherever you listen to podcasts…..we’re almost everywhere).
If you get a chance please make sure to review, rate and share. You are awesome.
Mark and Zanandi discuss the 2018 action horror film Overlord. Directed by Julius Avery, and starring Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, and several superpowered zombies, the movie focuses on what happens when a group of American soldiers are given the worst assignment ever during World War II. In this episode, they also talk about creative grenade usage, Bokeem Woodbine, and insane movie openings!
If you are a fan of the podcast, make sure to send in some random listener questions (we love random questions). We thank you for listening, and hope you enjoy the episode!
You can download the pod on Apple Podcasts, Tune In, Podbean, or Spreaker.
Movies, Films & Flix 