I love this week's BEHIND THE LENS, and my interview with writer/director PAUL BOYD talking about his new film SCARED TO DEATH.

In this exclusive conversation, Paul dives deep into the making of his horror-comedy SCARED TO DEATH, a self-described "love letter to horror movies" that blends satire, absurdity, and genuine genre reverence. We explore the film's genesis and how the film uses a haunted-house movie-within-a-movie setup to examine belief, fear, masks people wear, and the absurdities of Hollywood itself. Paul details the personal inspirations behind the story (including buying a supposedly haunted house once owned by Charlie Chaplin), the joyful collaboration with his cast and crew, and the deliberate balance of scares, humor, and emotional undercurrents.

As you'll hear, we break down the visual grammar and Paul's work with cinematographer Steven Poster, whose work all of you are well familiar with – DONNIE DARKO, SOUTHLAND TALES, LIFE STINKS, ROCKY V, NEXT OF KIN, REVENGE OF KITTY GALORE, and more, and how they developed a color palette, lenses used, dutching, angles, POV, etc. And how about Paul's work with editor Ed Shiers who just happens to also be a drummer with an incredible sense of rhythm, something that comes in handy with editing? Plus, Misha Segal's score AND Kurt Diemer's end credit song "Scared to Death", which is fantastic. And you'll hear Paul talk about the location house in Altadena where the film was shot. The first home ever built in Altadena, and one of the only homes to survive the Altadena fires last year, and you'll find out how it lucked out.

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It's a jam-packed show this week on BEHIND THE LENS with two fantastic films and two equally fantastic filmmakers, both of whom are enthusiastic, energetic, and excited about filmmaking. You'll be hearing from writer/director CINQUE LEE in the second half of the show, talking about his new film, the survival thriller LAST RIDE. But first up is my exclusive interview with writer/director NASTASYA POPOV, going in-depth about her narrative feature directorial film, the oh-so-funny fashion and family comedy IDIOTKA.

In this sharp, irreverent comedy, a disgraced fashion designer with a dangerously low credit score, Margarita, enters a reality show (a la Project Runway) with a six-figure cash prize that would save her babushka's West Hollywood apartment. But as the competition intensifies, the show's slick producer Nicol pushes her to spin her family's struggle into spectacle, forcing Margarita to decide whether to play along or take control of her own narrative, one unhinged look at a time.

Written and directed by Nastasya Popov, IDIOTKA stars Anna Baryshnikov, Camila Mendes, Julia Fox, Benito Skinner, Saweetie, Owen Thiele, Galina Jovovich, Mark Ivanir, Nerses Stamos, and Ilia Volok.

Now we go from the fun of comedy to the fear, tension, and friendship that we find in the survival thriller LAST RIDE from writer/director CINQUE LEE.

LAST RIDE is set in the winter of 1982, where three 12-year-old American boys find themselves stranded in a cable car with a dead body, suspended midair in the mountains of Norway during a rare celestial planetary alignment. Ironically, we just had a 6-planet planetary alignment on Saturday night.

Written and directed by CINQUE LEE (and yes, he is Spike's brother), LAST RIDE stars Roman Griffin Davis (JO JO RABBIT, THE LONG WALK, GREENLAND 2), Felix Jamieson (GAME OF THRONES), Charlie Price (THE GREAT), and Kristofer Hivju.

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Welcome back to another week of BEHIND THE LENS! This week, we're taking a look at WORLDBREAKER, an apocalyptic, action-oriented, sci-fi, creature feature with a dad and daughter dynamic that is told from the perspective of a young teenage girl, directed by BRAD ANDERSON.

Described as a pulse-pounding sci-fi action thriller about survival, sacrifice, and a young woman's fight to step out of the shadows and into the war she was born to face, we encounter this apocalyptic world at a time of war following "The Stitch", a rift in the earth that released the Breakers, monsters that infect and twist their victims. There are also the Hybrids, the term for infected humans when attacked and injured by the Breakers. Men succumbed first to the Breakers, leaving women to lead the fight. Willa's mother is one of the war's fiercest warriors. Her father, a battle-scarred veteran not yet infected by the monsters, hides with Willa on a remote island, training her to survive. Their fragile peace is shattered when a mysterious girl drifts ashore. Willa, longing for connection, shelters her in secret—until the truth emerges and danger follows. With Breakers closing in, Willa must rely on her father's training and her own courage to survive.

As I mentioned, WORLDBREAKER is directed by Brad Anderson and written by Joshua Rollins, and stars Luke Evans, Billie Boullet, and Milla Jovovich, with the bulk of the film carried by Evans and Boullet as Dad and daughter Willa.

For Brad, WORLDBREAKER is another exploration of the space where genuine emotion and genre tension meet—what he calls the yin and yang of heart and horror….and with this film, he finally got to do a creature feature!

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I'm very excited about this week's BEHIND THE LENS and my special guest, director KEVIN LEWIS. This marks Kevin's third appearance on #BTLRadioShow, following the brilliantly bonkers WILLY'S WONDERLAND and PIG HILL. Still, this time we're talking about his new film MISDIRECTION, which, in many respects, is a big departure from the horror films you've come to know and love from Kevin.

Set over one long night in a glass-walled modern house, MISDIRECTION follows a couple driven to carry out a series of high-end heists to pay off a dangerous mob debt. When their latest break-in — targeting a prominent defense attorney — spirals out of control, the pair find themselves caught in a web of secrets, deception, and deadly consequences.

Directed by Kevin Lewis and written by Lacy McClory, MISDIRECTION stars Frank Grillo, Olga Kurylenko, and Oliver Trevana.

MISDIRECTION is a completely new style for Kevin. It's a bold, different work in his filmography. So used to seeing horror films from him, he dazzles with this neo-noirish home-invasion crime thriller, which begs the question, how does directing a contained non-horror film like MISDIRECTION differ from multi-location films like "Pig Hill" and "Willy's Wonderland"?

With some time to spare this week, I've also got some fun, female-centric Oscar trivia for you about the 98th Academy Awards. And while you can see MISDIRECTION on digital, make sure to hit the theatre to check out Luc Besson's DRACULA.

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This is a fun week for me on BEHIND THE LENS, given the two films that we're talking about and the two filmmakers I'm speaking with. It's a great way to kick off my 44th year as a film critic (although I was published with reviews going back 5 years before that)! Today you'll hear from one of my all-time favorite directors, RENNY HARLIN, as we talk about THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3, which now completes his trilogy of the rebooted classic. And, then a new fave writer/director BRYAN FULLER, who makes his feature directorial debut with the sumptuous and fun visual feast, DUST BUNNY.

First up – RENNY HARLIN and THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3.

The Strangers began back in 2008 thanks to w/d Bryan Bertino, who treated us to the tale of James Hoyt and Kristen McKay, who visit an isolated vacation home to enjoy some time together. Hopeful bliss turned into terror, making their stay a bloody nightmare. In 2018, director Johannes Roberts, with a script by Bryan Bertino and Ben Ketai, rebooted the franchise with The Strangers: Prey at Night, starring Bailee Madison, Lewis Pullman, and Christina Hendricks. It was always Johannes's intent to do a sequel, but that didn't pan out. But then in 2024, RENNY HARLIN stepped into the franchise with what has become a three-chapter series with all three films shot at the same time over 53 days of principal photography, with a cast led by Madelaine Petsch.

Now, we have the final piece of the puzzle with THE STRANGERS CHAPTER 3. Maya is again the last woman standing. She survived what she thought was the worst of the worst, but now she must move on. But how to do that, when she must face the masked killers one last time in a brutal, full-circle reckoning of survival and revenge. This final chapter is very internalized, very observational as Maya tries to absorb what all has happened while trying to understand the psyche of these masked psychopaths. Where lighting and lensing were the key tools in the cinematic toolbox for Chapter 2, sound becomes all-important with CHAPTER 3. And that's what Renny and I focus on in this exclusive interview.

Switching gears into a film that I absolutely love is my conversation with writer/director BRYAN FULLER, talking DUST BUNNY. This is a cacophony of creativity and truly a sumptuous visual feast! How the work of production designer Jeremy Reed was ignored by the Academy members in Oscar nominations is beyond me. His work, in concert with that of costume designers Olivier Beriot and Catherine LaTerrier, and cinematographer Nicole Hirsch Whitaker, is vibrant, alive, and magical.

Written and directed by Bryan Fuller, DUST BUNNY stars Mads Mikkelson, Sigourney Weaver, and a scene-stealing performance by Sophie Sloan as the precociously adorable Aurora.

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Welcome back to another week of BEHIND THE LENS!

I'm excited about today's show and my exclusive interview with my special guest, director/writer/editor TOM BOTCHII, talking about his new film RELENTLESS. RELENTLESS starts as a seemingly straightforward home invasion robbery but quickly becomes a sustained chase between two men—Teddy, a homeless drifter, and Jun, a successful businessman—layering the pursuit with ideas drawn from what Tom calls the "Twitter mentality." Not Twitter as a platform, but as psychology: rage without listening, guilt assigned without process, justice declared without context.

A two-hander that stars Jeffrey Decker as Teddy and Shuhei Kinoshita as Jun, Tom wanted multiple journeys within the same film. The first is visceral: survive the pursuit. The second is moral and psychological: are we even right about who's guilty?

In this exclusive interview, Tom discusses the inspiration and creation of his film RELENTLESS, emphasizing its brutal and primal nature. As the film progresses, violence becomes bloody and brutal, increasing in that brutality until it reaches a savage, even barbaric level of primal ferocity.

Then keep listening for some fun, noteworthy tidbits about this year's Oscars and the little Golden Boy himself.

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Welcome back to BEHIND THE LENS! This past weekend was Dances With Films NY and from all accounts, it was a blast. You all know how much I love to champion indie films, which makes DWF one of my fave fests. And how lucky are we to not only have DWF in Los Angeles later in the year, but also an abbreviated version in NY!

First up, let's take a look and a listen at STOP TIME and my exclusive interview with writer, director, editor, and cinematographer PAUL SCHWARTZ. STOP TIME tells the intertwined stories of Peter de Vries, a photographer, and Adrianna Maier, a theatrical lighting designer. Both are carrying heavy burdens of sadness: burdens that mutual friends of theirs believe each could lighten for the other. Over the course of 24 hours in New York City, their lives circle, until they meet at the opening of Peter's gallery show, which leads them both down an unexpected path.

Written and directed by PAUL SCHWARTZ, STOP TIME stars Nelson Avidon, Tara Westwood, Patty McCormack, Kelly Deadmon, Christina Toth, Catherine Quirico, and Daria Karic.

Now, let's switch gears with a film that I was riveted by. ROOF. That's it. One word. ROOF. It's a human thriller, a nail-biter, it has some wonderful cinematic nods to beloved films of the past few decades, boasts strong performances, creativity, and, in all honesty, is a Must See Film.

The premise is simple and effective. When a catastrophic blackout leaves two strangers, Dev, a trader who just lost the company millions, and Mary, a pregnant woman with nowhere to turn, trapped on a rooftop in downtown L.A. over July 4th weekend, survival becomes a brutal waiting game. With no water, no exit, and the city oblivious to their cries for help, the heat and hunger push them to the brink, both physically and mentally. As desperation sets in, a bond forms between them, blurring the lines between fear, trust, and something deeper. But as their bodies weaken and the ledge starts looking like the only escape, they must decide: wait for a rescue…or take fate into their own hands.

Directed by SALVATORE SCIORTINO with script by JOSH TATE, ROOF stars Asif Ali and Bella Heathcote.

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We're looking at another emotional film this week on BEHIND THE LENS as I chat with writer/director and actor STEVEN GRAYHM in this exclusive interview about his latest film, SHEEPDOG, one of the most important and powerful films you will see this year.

SHEEPDOG is the story of decorated U.S. Army combat veteran Calvin Cole, who is court-ordered into treatment and into the care of a VA trauma therapist in-training. Things become even more complicated when Calvin's father-in-law, a retired Vietnam Veteran, shows up on his doorstep having just been released from prison. As Calvin's plan to run from his past becomes even more challenging, he learns through the support of his community: tough love and compassion, that he must put himself back together again for his family – and for himself.

Written and directed by Steven Grayhm, SHEEPDOG stars Vondie Curtis-Hall, Virginia Madsen, Lilli Cooper, Dominic Fumusa, Matt Dallas, and Steven Grayhm.

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Welcome back to another year of BEHIND THE LENS and BTLRadioShow!! I'm excited to be back and kick off Year 12 of #BTLRadioShow and am beyond thrilled to start the new year with a very special guest and talk about the absolute 'Must See' film of 2026. And that guest is none other than my friend of 40+ years – director RIC ROMAN WAUGH – and that film is GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION.

Action, deep palpable emotion, practical in-camera action, explosions. His films are always emotionally layered and capture all the shades of grey, both sides of the coin. And now with the next chapter of "Greenland", GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION, Ric tops his own level of excellence with more depth, humanity, and breathtaking action than ever before.

Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin are back as John and Allison Garrity, and Roman Griffin Davis steps in as their now 15-year-old son, Nathan. You may remember Roman Griffin Davis from his scene-stealing performance in Taika Waititi's "JoJo Rabbit".

Just before Christmas, Ric and I had the opportunity to chat about GREENLAND 2: MIGRATION. Now, any of you who have heard our prior conversations know that we can chat for a long time. LOL! This go round, we were only given about 30 minutes, but we covered quite a bit into Ric’s vision and directorial process for this film.

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It's the last BEHIND THE LENS for 2025! And this week, we shine a light on producer, director, writer, and actor RYAN FRANCIS and his latest film, SPEED TRAIN.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Ryan for more than two decades. I reviewed his first directorial short film and multiple feature films thereafter, and interviewed him. And over the years, he has moved from being an actor in front of the camera to going behind the camera into directing and, most recently, also producing. And now he brings us a fast-paced, entertaining futuristic film that posits some interesting questions for us as individuals and a society – SPEED TRAIN.

In this very candid, fun, and unfettered exclusive interview, writer/director RYAN FRANCIS discusses his career growth from acting to directing, highlighting his recent film SPEED TRAIN, as well as discussing at length some of his prior films of late in which he only acts or serves an Executive Producer versus directing; notably, "Reverence", "The Jurassic Games: Extinction", "Trail of Vengeance", "The Flood", and "3 Days in Malay". He also discusses two upcoming films he's excited about, "Bruton" and "Bring the Law." As we specifically dig into the making of SPEED TRAIN, Ryan shares the challenges of directing a futuristic sci-fi film in 12 days with a small budget, praising his team, including DP Nico De La Fere and editor Austin Nordell, as well as producer Daemon Hillin and his Thailand team. A large portion of our conversation also discusses the film's themes of AI and human reliance on technology. An interesting aspect of our discussion revolved around the challenges of the film industry, the importance of maintaining a passion for making movies, and the need to bring audiences back to the theater experience.

As you'll hear, Ryan speaks with a mix of candor, humor, and hard-earned perspective about a career that has quietly but decisively evolved. Once primarily known as an actor, Ryan has increasingly stepped behind the camera, carving out a space as a filmmaker unafraid of ambition—or of admitting when that ambition nearly outruns the clock.

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