As we approach 2024’s end, we enjoy some holiday horror, review a couple of new indie releases, and celebrate the many gifts of the genre.
In our indie spotlight double feature, we pair a new release with an older holiday horror film. Is this duo a gift for genre lovers, a mixed bag, or a ho-ho-humdrum mess?
We kick things off with a lesser-known holiday horror film from 2003 starring Ray Wise and Lin Shaye, Dead End. On paper, this film sounds like a great idea. In fact, it does quite a lot of things right. Creepy road horror tends to be fun; there is a good kill or two, and there are even some funny moments. Unfortunately, the bad outweighs the good.
The film does not get the atmosphere right until it is just about over; most of the gore is told instead of shown, and none of the comedy seems to be intentional. Worst of all is the title. It is so on the nose that it will end up slipping by some people. To top it all off, it has the type of ending everyone hates.
In 2024’s Replicator, a young public defender investigates the sudden moral transformation of a small town’s criminals, uncovering sinister supernatural forces and a harrowing path to redemption.
Directed and co-written by Mark Andrew Hamer, the film gets off to a great start. This is quickly followed up by a looooooong courtroom scene that ruins all the goodwill that was built. As it turns out, the opening was just a tease, while what followed is a more accurate portrayal of what the movie actually is. And that is not even the worst of its problems.
300th Episode Special!
Our 300th episode is upon us, and we’re doing something a little different. You say you want to get into horror, but The Exorcist is not scary enough, and you have already seen Scream? We have some suggestions for you. Or maybe you are just getting into genre cinema, and you want to test yourself and push your boundaries. We have something for you, too.
This show is not just for those who are new to horror cinema. We know the majority of you are longtime horror lovers. The great thing about horror is there is so much of it. There are countless subgenres and sub-subgenres. We even have ideas for those who have been watching scary movies since they were little.
So, what movies did we discuss?
We talk about exploitation, arthouse horror, Lovecraftian terrors, creature features, remakes, hard-to-find frights, horror icons, and even vampires; this episode is truly for everyone.
DOWN AND DIRTY DOUBLE FEATURE: HELLBLAZERS (2022) AND STREET TRASH (2024)
Tony Todd was a horror icon, and we were devastated to hear of his passing. In his memory, we wanted to cover one of his lesser-known movies. It was not important if the film was “good” or not. We just wanted something that conveyed the essence of Todd. When we saw Hellblazers, we figured it was the perfect choice.
Even forgetting whether it is good (spoiler alert: it isn’t), it was a horrible choice. Todd is only given a pair of scenes; the sum total does not even equal five minutes. This is Hellblazers in a nutshell. There are lots of hints at a perfectly acceptable horror movie that instead leaves the audience with lots of questions. Why is it set during Christmas? Why spend so much time discussing a dog that never shows up? Why show chicken fat?
We paired that stinker with a recently released horror film.
While we admit 1987’s Street Trash is a cult classic filled with great special effects, we do not like it. Thus, we went into the film’s recent remake with some skepticism. As it turns out, director Ryan Kruger surpasses everything the original did with his vision of Street Trash. It is raunchy, silly, and very, very gory.
ABOUT THIS PODCAST:
Every week AIPT Movie Editor Nathaniel Muir and his cinema partner in crime Blake Heath discuss indie and genre movies you have have never heard of, the ones you cannot hear enough about, and the ones you never want to hear about again.
Episode: 367: ‘Speed Demon’ (2026)
Over the years, we have seen and discussed how horror has become more acceptable in the mainstream. This week we talk about two of the most striking examples of this. One is interesting while the other is just straight up weird. But both have us interested.
The idea of a nun who has lost her faith is not strange for an exorcism movie. Having the first introduction of said nun has her completely nude and coked up after a threesome is a little different. After showing off this incredibly buff nun, the awesomely titled Speed Demon takes off from there.
The film is an example of less being more. It does not reinvent the wheel and tells the simple story of a person trying to overcome their personal demons in order to defeat a literal one. And it works thanks to its setting and quick pace.
But it is in the closing moments that Speed Demon truly shines. In a whirlwind of revelations, the most powerful people in the world become entrenched in Sister Lu’s world. It also sets up the promise of what could be an exciting franchise.
Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.
Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com
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Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror.
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