It’s too early to know whether Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s horror-comedy READY OR NOT will eventually become a cult hit in the manner of 1985’s CLUE, but the two films share a foundation in dangerous games and the even more dangerous people who play them. After parsing how READY OR NOT works as both horror and comedy, and inducting star Samara Weaving into the scream queen hall of fame, we dig into the two films’ crucial central performances, how both incorporate elements of class satire and farce, and the extent to which each is indebted to actual game mechanics. Plus, Your Next Picture Show, where we share recent filmgoing experiences in hopes of putting something new on your cinematic radar.

Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about CLUE, READY OR NOT, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email to [email protected], or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Your Next Picture Show: 

• Scott: Ognjen Glavonic’s THE LOAD

• Keith: Netflix’s THE DARK CRYSTAL: THE AGE OF RESISTANCE, Criterion’s The Koker Trilogy Box

Set, Olive Films’ BUCKET OF BLOOD Blu-ray release

• Tasha: “The Crazy Story of How ‘Clue’ Went From Forgotten Flop To Cult Triumph” by Adam B. Vary at Buzzfeed.com

Outro music: “The Hide and Seek Song” from READY OR NOT

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