Mike DeAngelo

With its mix of splatter-speckled horror, dark humor, and unexpected emotional depth, The Monkey is an absolute riot that lands high on the rewatchability scale. It may not be as sleek as “Longlegs,” but Perkins proves once again that he’s one of horror’s most unique and daring voices.

Arcadian is more than a mere horror film; it’s a haunting meditation on the fragility of humanity and the enduring power of hope in the face of despair. It turns out that mixing heart with horror still works.

There are pockets of joy and wonder, but they’re not quite enough to let “Riddle of Fire” stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the cinematic classics that inspired it.

As the title suggests, Swallowed gives you something to chew on, but apart from a few shining and delicious morsels, it’s less of a feast and more of an underwhelming meal.

On the surface, Talk to Me is a blast of demonic horror that will make your skin crawl. Underneath, it offers a new twist on the teen horror film that explores the complexities of grief and the transition from childhood to adulthood.

What you’re left with is a mixed bag of colorful, bizarro superhero world-building and threadbare characters that leaves the viewer with little-to-no interest in what happens next.

it’s a flawed but welcome throwback.

Bad characters? Check! Well-worn, uninventive plot? Check! Forced physical comedy? Check! A big-budget and no oversight? Check! Put all of that together, and what do you get? Another bad Netflix comedy from the makers of other bad comedies. Sorry, McCarthy and Spencer, but you’re better than this.