Tag: horror-movies

Undertone “Review”

Release dateMarch 13, 2026 (USA)

DirectorIan Tuason

LanguageEnglish

Running time1h 33m

MPAA ratingR

Budget500,000 USD

Got to love small budget horror movies – The creativity can far surpass that of a big budget production

Despite advertising as the scariest movie ever heard. The visuals add a lot to this film in creating an unsettling horror experience. Let it cook is literally this movie summed up. You may want your ice cream before it melts, but you may have filled up on your cake before getting to it 😉 :D.

What’s the setting of Undertone? Well, it’s the name of the podcast being hosted by two individuals. You’ll be following the story through one of the hosts who is taking care of their dying mother. Speaking of visuals – Some of the freakish scenes were with her mother. No spoilers here, but your eyes will either be playing tricks on you, or the complete subtlety of the visual settings and scenes is so well done that something is in the background while you’re experiencing the audio messages playing.

Messages? The podcast Undertone is recording its latest episode with 10 audio clips sent in from an anonymous sender. Diving into these clips is where the scares truly begin as the narrative unfolds. Good Luck, Have Fun & Don’t look away as you may have experiences playing tricks on you like a few of us did attending the early showing at midnight! Multiple people saw things that didn’t happen, and a lot of visual settings and an uncomfortable atmosphere were felt. Make of that as you will, but have fun 😀 Happy Horror watching. The closest experience is probably watching Paranormal Activity for the first time.

Planning to check out Undertone this weekend? Love to hear from you in the comments below. From me here at Popped – Undertone is getting a very good watch score of 7.5. That ending cost a potential 8, but it’s worth checking out in theatres. Especially for those with great speakers. Watching this at 3am is a must for those watching at Home streaming.

Thank you all for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Next posting will be for the Oscars as they broadcast this coming Sunday the 15th. Good luck to all those that participate in voting and happy viewing for those tuning in to see who wins best picture of the year. I’ll be live updating during the broadcast for all to follow along.

Until then though, happy movie going fellow movie-goers! 😀

0

Scream 7 “Review”

Release date: February 27, 2026 (USA)

Director: Kevin Williamson

Prequel: Scream VI

MPAA rating: R

Running time: 1h 54m

Screenplay: Kevin Williamson, Guy Busick

I had to get ahead of spoilers, seeing the awful critic scores and word of mouth….I won’t waste your time!

This franchise needs to be buried. Like the recent reboot sequel “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” This franchise has become stale. I hope that batch of Popcorn was good because you’ll get nothing from this 7th edition of the scream/stab? franchise.

3/10 Stream it or skip it, don’t waste your time if you’re getting into the franchise, and hopefully, for those watching from the start, you’re ready to move on or got something out of this. I saw 3 trailers before Scream 7 started that hit that dark horror want, and 1 obvious one hit nostalgia.

It’s been 3 years since Scream 6, and I couldn’t care less about the characters anymore. Meanwhile, Scary Movie 6 releases June 12th this year, and with a 13-year gap, I’m so ready for this franchise’s return. Watch the trailer and tell me you weren’t entertained by some of the appearances from recent horror movies over the past decade.

For the other two trailers, The Undertone tapped into audio for the scares. Playing off the surround sound speakers, which I’m very excited to see explored. I feel like horror movies don’t tap into sound at the theatre, focusing on the jump scare or a creepy setup. Watch the trailer’s ending to see what I mean. Lastly, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy looks to be a dark, disturbing tale.

If you’re still into checking out Scream 7, I hope you get something out of the 2-hour viewing time. There’s a mid-credit scene that I read up about as I was ready to leave the movie. I’m glad I took the family to watch Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, as that second viewing solidly is a 9/10 for me :D.

Checking out Scream 7 this weekend? Love to hear your thoughts. Did I place some upcoming horror titles on your radar? Love to hear your thoughts when Undertone drops on March 13th and then The Mummy in April.

Appreciate you coming by, Popped for your movie “Review.” Hopefully, you had a better time than I. There was 1 kill I thought was cool. Otherwise, nothing special, and I was generally bored.

But until next time, fellow moviegoers – Happy Movie Watching 😀

0

Shelby Oaks “Review”

Release date: October 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Chris Stuckmann

Producers: Chris Stuckmann, Ashleigh Snead, Cameron Burns, Aaron B. Koontz

Screenplay: Chris Stuckmann

MPAA rating: R

Running time: 1h 42m

Trailer intrigued me – Then found out who wrote & directed this movie – Chris Stuckman!

The film starts off almost like a mockumentary style – the Last footage of Riley (Played by Sarah Durn) being alive. One of 4 members of a paranormal show called Paranormal Paranoid. As they’ve all gone missing and news spreads across the area around Shelby Oaks. We get introduced to Riley’s sister Mia (Played by Camille Sullivan) being interviewed by the news before this style of intro gets flipped on its head and enters an actual cinematography film. Done superbly, mind you. Both from the intro to the switch, this movie had captivated me from here on out. (Despite being mega tired from a close open shift, I forced myself to stay awake to not miss a second.)

I made big praise to Chris Stuckman as I used to watch his movie reviews on youtube awhile back. Now I’m a returned subscriber but also a fan of his movies from here on out :D.

As usual, I won’t get into spoilers. So with the above, and with Mia going to find out what happened to her sister Riley. I will let you know this movie creates tension. Scares across several layers of depth. Not just jump, sound, presence etc. This is a well executed and produced movie which I’d watch again if asked. I can see this being huge on streaming.

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie with some slight weakness for the last act. Ending saves it? You decide. But honestly a well worth watching movie at a Popped score of 7.5/10.

Appreciate you coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. A triple dose batch of worthy watches for someone across the board. Sadly holding out to watch Chainsaw Man on Monday for a sub version. Local theatres near me has majority Dub which I’m not a fan of to be honest.

If spoilers are something to avoid with Chainsaw Man and the Dubs are not bad, then let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, though, fellow moviegoers. Happy movie watching 😀

0

Good Boy “Review”

Release date: October 3, 2025 (USA)

Director: Ben Leonberg

Language: English

MPAA rating: PG-13

Genre: Horror

Running time: 1h 13m

Poster had me, hearing it’s from the perspective of Indy, this dog had me intrigued. Let’s discuss shall we.

Stick around for after the movie ends, there’s a behind the scenes with the director and his dog Indy. We find out that Indy didn’t even know they were in a movie and it’s pretty cool the difference between movie scenes and the behind the scenes footage.

Todd (Played by Shane Jensen) has something going on, potentially health risk. He moves into his grand fathers haunted house where he lived prior to passing along with his own dog.

Within this hour and 13-minute movie, you’ll have a good horror movie. Filled with scares and uncomfortable scenes that Indy does an incredible job at, along with the directing of the scenes. (There’s a film style they used (Which I forgot) to play off the audience’s own viewing experience to fill the movement and meanings of how the characters are feeling/portraying.)

I was between a 7 and a 7.5 throughout this feature. Ultimately, going to give a Popped scoring of 7.5 for the story told. There’s potential to rewatch to connect dots, but also to watch along with others’ first viewing. This was a good horror movie done with a unique style that isn’t used often. It’s a mixture of the dog’s POV along with regular movie shots, focusing mostly on the point of view of Indy from outside the eye and within.

Thank you all for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews” I’ll be back over the weekend with 2 more movies released this week Bone Lake & The Smashing Machine.

However, until next time – It’s time for Critical Role Campaign 4 to start 😀 and also, happy movie-going fellow movie goers :D.

0

Bring Her Back “Review”

Release date: May 30, 2025 (UK)

Starring: Sally Hawkins; Billy Barratt

Directed by: Danny Philippou; Michael Philippou

Producers: Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton

MPAA rating: R

Distributed by: Stage 6 Films

By the creators of Talk to Me, we have their next horror film. Bring her back. Although the hype for Talk to Me disappointed my expectations. This feature, in my opinion, deserves it all. Let’s discuss.

With this being an early “Review” I’m going to keep spoilers away heavily. I’ll set the story up and go into the incredibly actors and some parrels before teasing you with my overall thoughts and score.

After tragically loosing their father and being placed in care of a new foster mother. Andy (Played by Billy Barratt) & Piper (Played by Sora Wong) step brother and sister have 3 months until Andy turns 18 and able to file for guardianship of his sister. Piper is blind which creates more of a protective nature for Andy to be there for his step sister.

Their new foster mother? Laura, (Played by the incredible Sally Hawkins) the person whom I feel is most similar to that of Hugh Grant’s character in Heretic. You never know during this feature if you’re safe or not. When situations can be trusted, and who can be trusted.

Bring Her Back deserves the saying “I was on the edge of my seat”. This title honestly got to me. I was literally cheering for characters, wanting people to die and beside myself on the options characters have within their situation. The actors and all those behind the scenes did an incredible job with the tension of this movie.

I often get asked. Was it scary. Scary is hard to define. For instant. Scary being jumpy? Creeped out? Un Nerved? Short of breath? How does one define someone’s meaning of scary. What I can tell you though. It sure had my feeling a lot of these emotions of scary. I mentioned at the start the hype for Talk To Me disappointed my experience of the movie as it didn’t reach those levels. I honestly hope that Bring Her Back does for you. It’s an easy 8/10 tier and worthy of re-watching if you can stomach it. To place this in at a 9 is pretty impressive for a horror movie. Then I thought. Well, the great horror films of my youth are Blu Ray worthy so why wouldn’t or couldn’t this be…..

Thus the score was settled. Popped gives Bring Her Back a solid 9/10 placing it in my top 10 list. Loved the ending which is where the solid throughout performance and directing of this movie is above that of Heretic. Placing it up there with Black Phone for doing a great job of getting into your psyche.

Want to know more? Then check out Bring Her Back in theatres opening May 30th.

P.S I’ve watched the trailers and even that didn’t prepare me for what unfolds in this feature. Buckle up and enjoy…. If you have the stomach for it.

With that fellow movie goers. Was our Horror feature batch from A24. A solid hit that I dread going back to watch and re-live it but alas I most likely will with my wife at the end of the month.

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “Review” of Bring Her Back and I’ll look forward to your thoughts in a couple of weeks time. Until then, come back Thursday with our “Review’s” of Lilo & Stitch along with Mission Impossible 8.

Until next batch, happy watching 😀

2

Night of the Zoopocalypse “Review”

Release date: March 7, 2025 (USA)

Directors: Ricardo Curtis, Rodrigo Perez-Castro

Music by: Dan Levy

Distributed by: Elevation Pictures, Apollo Films

Based on: ZOOmbies; by Clive Barker

Had no expectations going in. Was either caught off guard or on moon rocks but this was a fun experience at the theatre. (Not for everyone….you’ll see soon :D)

What I’m calling, an intro to zombie movies for kids (But not all kids) – Night of the Zoopocalypse starts us off with a chase between our main wolf lead and a scary identity. This is her pack running drills to keep their survival instincts fresh and ready to protect the pack. The scope opens up to reveal their an exhibit of this zoo and we see a new face brought into the zoo during the pack lead’s teachings.

Showing that scope of the zoo, the animals, layout and environment playground for the film to have fun within later was a blast within just a few minutes. The characters were fun, good sound track and despite playing on all the movie troupes, played right into a bow tie of movie for big kids and little ones interested in a movie that’s a great entry point for zombies.

Sometimes this did get dark and scary. Other times let up and was bright and fun. The zombie gummy animals were a treat and seeing the combinations and designs was so much fun. Using the cutest of critters to be the zombies was great as you get to explore the horde navigating this space in addition to our “living” group leads.

As said from the top this was a blast and I had a lot of fun. Maybe having the theatre to myself released my inner kid but honestly I’d watch it again. Just be mindful of space rocks that come down within the zoo because you never know what the outbreak will be.

A potential sequel was teased at the end but I wouldn’t stick around for it. An audible queue and a lot of title screens. I’m not sure on the production house but I’ll be keeping an eye on these guys going forth.(L’Atelier Animation – Found out it’s a Canadian Animation Studio founded in 2014 and owned by Cinesite since 2022). Definitely got my interest and thus breaking the 7.5 pattern of late and scoring a popped score of 8/10. Great movie.

Another animated title I’m keeping my eye on is from the writers of Paddington in Peru with a title called Critterz. Have an inkling to check this title out? Waiting for streaming and catch the sequel in theatres next time? Let us know in the comments, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one.

I’m back and forth on my next couple of films but I plan to “Review” Mickey 17 either tomorrow or Tuesday night. Depends if I watch it twice or not. In the lost lands should be today’s movie. With possibly Mickey 17 or Rule Breakers tomorrow. Taking a break Monday 😛 then back in it with Mickey 17 Tuesday, Looney Tunes Wednesday & Black Bag Thursday.

Going to be a big week for movies as I catch up / ramp up throughout March before the big titles hit for summer next month / May.

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews” and I’ll see you, next time!

0

A WordPress.com Website.

Up ↑