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 373: ‘Mockbuster’ (2026)
We have spent years talking about how important The Blair Witch Project is. We discuss the pros and cons of the latest reimagining of the iconic found footage classic. And we are definitely interested. Plus, the latest internet horror fad that Hollywood wants to adapt into a movie. And while it does seem a little silly to us, they do have a strong director attached to it.
The Asylum has been putting out grade-A quality B movies for a long time. Sharknado may be their most well-known, but their specialty are mockbusters like Tomb Invader and Top Gunner. We could not wait to take a look at their inner workings.
Mockbuster does much more than that. Sure, there is plenty of footage from The Asylum library. And yes, all of it is amazing. The interviews with the people at the top of the company are also great. They know the score and are funny, entertaining, and informative.
But it is the documentary’s subject that is the beating heart of the film. Anthony Frith is one of the most charming people we have ever seen and we enjoyed watching his journey. Mockbuster ended up being an unexpected feel-good watch thanks to Frith and all of the incredibly supportive people featured.
On top of all that, we get to see how a movie from The Asylum gets made!
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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We have spent years talking about how important The Blair Witch Project is. We discuss the pros and cons of the latest reimagining of the [...]
July 10, 2026
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It has been a bad week for people who enjoy physical media. ‘GTA VI’ is not getting a physical release, Playstation games are not getting [...]
July 3, 2026
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The Evil Dead franchise holds a special place in our hearts. It is a part of our youth and brings back lots of pleasant memories. [...]
June 26, 2026
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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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