279 | The Ugly Stepsister

• Not Rated 

• Runtime: 1hr 49min

• Written & Directed by Emilie Blichfeldt

• Stars: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss and Ane Dahl Torp

• Premiered at Sundance January 23, 2025

• Limited Release in US theaters April 18, 2025

• Currently Streaming on Shudder and AMC+

• RT: 96% critics / 86% audience

  Synopsis

  Rebekka and her two daughters, Elvira and Alma, move into the estate of her new husband, Otto, and his beautiful daughter, Agnes. Elvira, the oldest of Rebekka’s daughters, is a dreamy, braces-wearing teen who swoons over the kingdom’s handsome prince and his romantic poetry. But when Otto dies suddenly and it is revealed that he was deeply in debt, Rebekka is forced to pile all her hopes for financial stability on the prince choosing Elvira as his bride at the upcoming ball. In order for the plain and gawky Elvira to catch his eye, she must undergo a series of horrifying medical procedures to become more beautiful.

Join us again in two weeks when we will be reviewing 28 Years Later, currently playing in theaters.

Theme music: "Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

262 | Apartment 7A

• Rated R

• Runtime: 1hr 47min

• Directed by Natalie Erika James

• Written by Natalie Erika James, Christian White and Skylar James

• Stars: Julia Garner, Dianne Wiest and Jim Sturgess

• Premiered at Fantastic Fest September 20, 2024

• Released on Paramount+ September 27, 2024

• RT: 39% critics / 73% audience

Synopsis 

Terry Gionoffrio is an aspiring dancer who is desperate to revive her career after a bad fall injured her ankle. Known as “the girl who fell” in the industry, she endures humiliating auditions and breaks down while trying to visit a producer in his lavish apartment building, the infamous Bramford. There she meets elderly couple Minnie and Roman Castevet, who offer her a place to stay and access to their many high society connections. But you know what they say about offers that seem too good to be true…

Join us in two weeks when we review Terrifier 3, currently in theaters.

Theme music: "Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

261 | The Substance

• Rated R

• Runtime: 2hr 21min

• Written & Directed by Coralie Fargeat

• Stars: Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid

• Premiered at Cannes Film Festival May 19, 2024

• Released in theaters September 20, 2024

• RT: 90% critics / 71% audience

Synopsis 

Fading Hollywood star Elizabeth Sparkle has just been fired from her fitness show and is to be replaced by a younger actress. She decides to use a mysterious drug called “The Substance” to make herself look younger. But this is no ordinary fad drug…

Join us in two weeks when we review Apartment 7A, currently streaming on Paramount+.

Theme music: "Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

243 | Birth/Rebirth

• Directed by Laura Moss

• Written by Laura Moss and Brendan J. O'Brien

• Rated R 

• Runtime: 1hr 41min

• Stars: Marin Ireland, Judy Reyes and A.J. Lister

• Premiered at Sundance January 20, 2023

• Limited release August 18, 2023 

• RT: 96% critics / 75% audience

  Synopsis 

  A morgue technician has developed a method to reanimate the dead using embryonic tissue. When she tests it on the recently deceased daughter of a delivery room nurse and the nurse catches wise, they work together to keep the child alive at all costs.

Join us next time when we'll review Society of the Snow, currently streaming on Netflix.

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Theme music: "Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

237 | Appendage

• Written & Directed by Anna Zlokovic

• Rated TV-MA

• Runtime: 1hr 34min

• Stars: Hadley Robinson, Emily Hampshire and Kausar Mohammed

• Premiered at South by Southwest March 11, 2023

• Released on Hulu October 2, 2023

• RT: 52% critics / 62% audience

  Synopsis 

  A stressed-out young woman finds that her anxieties are manifesting themselves in strange ways, as a growth begins to appear on her stomach and soon dislodges itself and develops a mind of its own.

Join us next time when we'll review Argentinian import When Evil Lurks, currently in theaters and coming to streaming October 27.

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Theme music: "Secret of Tiki Island" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/