FRIDAY FAMILY FILM NIGHT

In which the Mister and Kid 2 join me in reviewing LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY (2026) from writer/director Lee Cronin.  A grieving American couple (Jack Reynor and Laia Costa) are shocked when their teenage daughter is discovered alive inside a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus in Egypt, eight years after she vanished without a trace.  Relieved to bring her back to their quiet home, the family soon realizes that the traumatic abduction left her in a catatonic, physically altered state wrapped in strange, ancient bindings.  As terrifying, grotesque occurrences begin plaguing their household, her parents are forced to confront an insidious ancient curse that threatens to consume their entire family from within.  The film clocks in at 2 h 14 m, is rated R and we watched it on HBO Max.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#LeeCroninsTheMummy #JackReynor #Charlie #LailaCosta #Larissa #NatalieGrace #Kaie #ShyloMolina #Seb #BillieRoy #Maud #VeronicaFalcon #Carmen #MayCalamawy #DetectiveZaki #EmilyMitchell #YoungKatie #BodyHorror #FolkHorror #MonsterHorror #SupernaturalHorror #Horror  @HBOMax  #SpookySeason  #FridayFamilyFilmNight 

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing  EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC (1977 - with writing credits to William Goodhart and Rospo Pallenberg, the film is directed by John Boorman and Rospo Pallenberg) and BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL (2025 - from writer/director David Kittredge).  

EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC (1977): In John Boorman’s sci-fi horror sequel, Father Lamont (Richard Burton) investigates the traumatic past of a now-teenage Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) using a biofeedback device, inadvertently triggering a surreal psychic battle against the ancient demon Pazuzu.
BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL (2025): In David Kittredge’s retrospective documentary, director John Boorman, key cast members, and modern genre filmmakers reflect on the bizarre behind-the-scenes chaos, radical creative deviations, and disastrous release that turned Exorcist II into one of cinema's most infamous box-office misfires.

While John Boorman’s  EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC is a narrative piece of avant-garde 1970s studio filmmaking, David Kittredge’s  BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL serves as its analytical meta-companion.  The two films represent vastly different lenses on the exact same creative vision: one is the polarizing artistic product itself, and the other is a historical autopsy exploring how and why that vision came to be.  EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC operates as a high-concept narrative feature that abandons the grounded visceral horror of the 1973 original in favor of metaphysical melodrama, hypnotic synchronized-brainwave technology, and sweeping African landscapes.  By contrast,  BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL is a non-fiction documentary structured around archive footage and candid interviews - featuring Boorman himself alongside horror luminaries like Mike Flanagan and Joe Dante - that methodically deconstructs the film’s chaotic production.  Where the 1977 film asks audiences to take its spiritual symbolism seriously, the 2025 documentary contextualizes the alienating impact those choices had on theatergoers. Both films are fundamentally centered on John Boorman’s auteur ego and his ambitious refusal to make a standard studio horror cash-grab.  Neither project treats  EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC as a simple failure; instead, both view the story through a lens of grand artistic risk-taking, framing Boorman's clash with studio expectations as a fascinating, singular moment in Hollywood history.    

EXORCIST 2: THE HERETIC clocks in at 1 h 57 m, and is rated R and we watched it on the TCM app but it can also be caught on Howdy, Tubi, YouTube and to buy/rent on Prime Video. BOORMAN AND THE DEVIL clocks in at 1 h 52 m, and is unrated and we watched it on the TCM app but it can also be caught on YouTube and to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Exorcist2TheHeretic #JohnBoorman #BoormanAndTheDevil #DavidKittredge  

@TCM  @Howdy  @Tubi  @YouTube  @PrimeVideo  

#SpookySeason  #FridayFamilyFilmNight 

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 join me in reviewing WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (2014), from writers/directors Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.

A documentary crew follows the hilarious daily lives of four vampire housemates - Viago (Taika Waititi), Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Petyr (Ben Fransham) - sharing a flat in modern-day Wellington, New Zealand. Between petty bickering over chore schedules and navigating dress codes for nightclubs, the centuries-old roommates struggle to adapt to 21st-century technology and social norms. When a newly turned vampire and his mortal best friend join their inner circle, the group's secret lifestyle is thrown into unpredictable chaos while trying to avoid conflict with local werewolf packs and rival undead creatures. The film clocks in at 1 h 26 m, and is rated R. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#WhatWeDoInTheShadows #JemaineClement #Vladislav #TaikaWaititi #Viago #JonnyBrugh #Deacon #CoriGonzalezMacuer #Nick #StuRutherford #Stu #BenFransham #Petyr #JackieVanBeek #Jackie #ElenaStejko #TheBeast #Pauline #JasonHoyte #Julian #KarenOLeary #Policewoman #MikeMinogue #Policeman #DarkComedy #Mockumentary #Parody #Satire #SupernaturalHorror #VampireHorror #WerewolfHorror #Horror #Comedy #SpookySeason #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 2 join me in reviewing YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974), based on the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, from a script by Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks, the film is directed by Mel Brooks.

In this iconic horror comedy, a respected American brain surgeon named Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) - who insists on pronouncing his name "Fronk-en-steen" to distance himself from his notorious grandfather - travels to Transylvania after inheriting the family estate. Though initially skeptical of his ancestor's reanimation experiments, Frederick discovers his grandfather's secret journals and, with the help of his hunchbacked assistant Igor (Marty Feldman) and lab assistant Inga (Teri Garr), sets out to bring his own creature (Peter Boyle) to life. Chaos rapidly ensues as the towering, misunderstood monster escapes into the surrounding countryside, forcing Frederick to prove that his creation is capable of intellect and emotion before angry townspeople intervene. The film clocks in at 1 h 46 m, and is rated PG. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#YoungFrankenstein #Frankenstein #MaryShelley #MaryWollstonecrafShelley #MelBrooks #GeneWilder #DrFrederickFrankenstein #PeterBoyle #TheMonster #MartyFeldman #Igor #MadelineKahn #Elizabeth #ClorisLeachman #FrauBlucher #TeriGarr #Inga #KennethMars #InspectorKemp #GeneHackman #BlindMan #Farce #Parody #Slapstick #Comedy #SpookySeason #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 2 join me in reviewing THE MONKEY (2025), from a short story by the legendary Stephen King, the film is written and directed by Osgood Perkins.    In this dark comedy horror, estranged twin brothers Hal and Bill (Theo James) are forced to reunite decades after discovering a vintage, drum-playing toy monkey in their childhood attic that unleashed a trail of horrific, inexplicable deaths.  Though the brothers tossed the cursed object away years ago to escape its gruesome influence, a new wave of bizarre and fatal freak accidents began erupting around them, proving the entity has returned to finish what it started. Driven by trauma and desperate to protect what remains of their family, the brothers embark on a frantic race against time to permanently destroy the toy before its deadly mechanism claims their own lives.  The film clocks in at 1 h 38 m, is rated R and is currently streaming on Hulu but is also available to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#TheMonkey #OsgoodPerkins #StephenKing #TheoJames #Hal #Bill #TatianaMaslany #Lois #ChristianConvery #YoungHal #YoungBill #ColinOBrien #Petey #AdamScott #CaptainPetey #ElijahWppd #Ted #RohanCampbell#Thrasher #Ricky #SarahLevy #AuntIda #OsgoodPerkins #UncleChip #TessDegenstein #Barbara #DanicaDreyer #BabysitterAnnie #BeaPerkins #Florence #BodyHorror #DarkComedy #FolkHorror #MonsterHorror #PsychologicalHorror #SupernaturalHorror #SplatterHorror #Horror  @Hulu  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNightOpening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 join me in reviewing KEEPER (2025), from a screenplay by Nick Lepard, the film is directed by Osgood Perkins. In this psychological folk-horror film, an artist named Liz (Tatiana Maslany) travels with her boyfriend Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) to his family’s isolated, glass-walled cabin in the woods for a romantic anniversary weekend. Soon after arriving, Malcolm unexpectedly departs for an urgent matter, leaving Liz alone in the secluded forest as she begins experiencing terrifying visions of bloodied women and unsettling supernatural occurrences. Trapped in an increasingly surreal nightmare, Liz must uncover the gruesome history of the cabin and the dark secrets her boyfriend is hiding before the unseen horrors surrounding the property consume her completely. The film clocks in at 1 h 39 m, is rated R and is currently streaming on Hulu but is also available to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#Keeper #OsgoodPerkins #NickLepard #TatianaMaslany #Liz #RossifSutherland #Malcolm #BirkettTurton #Darren #EdenWeiss #Minka #BodyHorror #FolkHorror #MonsterHorror #PsychologicalHorror #SupernaturalHorror #SuspenseMystery #Tragedy #Horror #Mystery #SpookySeason @Hulu @PrimeVideo #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing RESIDENT EVIL (2002), from writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson.  In this sci-fi action horror film, an amnesiac security operative named Alice (Milla Jovovich) wakes up in a deserted mansion with no memory of her past before a heavily armed commando squad breaks in and takes her captive.  The soldiers lead her underground into the Hive—a massive, top-secret underground genetic research facility owned by the Umbrella Corporation—where a deadly experimental virus has escaped and wiped out the entire staff.  As the team works to isolate the rogue supercomputer controlling the facility, they quickly discover that the deceased personnel have returned as flesh-eating zombies and mutated biological horrors.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 40 m, is rated R and is still streaming on PlutoTV and to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#ResidentEvil #ResidentEvil2002 #PaulWSAnderson #MillaJovovich #Alice #EricMabius #Matt #ColinSalmon #One #MartinCrewes #Kaplan #PasqualeAleardi #JD #MichelleRodriguez #Rain #ArtificialIntelligence #BodyHorror #DystopianSciFi #MonsterHorror #OnePersonArmyAction #SplatterHorror #SupernaturalHorror #ZombieHorror #Horror #Action  @PlutoTV  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight     

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Kid 1 join me in reviewing RESIDENT EVIL (2026), from writers Zach Cregger and Shay Hatten, the film is directed by Zach Cregger.  In this horror-action film, an ordinary medical courier named Bryan (Austin Abrams) accepts a last-minute high-paying delivery to transport a package to a hospital in the snowy mountains.  Little does he know, his route leads straight into Raccoon City just as a catastrophic viral outbreak transforms the local population into terrifying, mutated monsters.  Thrust into a frantic, non-stop race for survival, Bryan must navigate the collapsing, chaos-ridden city and avoid horrifying creatures long enough to complete his delivery.  The film clocks in at 1 h and 34 m, is rated R and is still in theaters - definitely go check it out.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#ResidentEvil #ResidentEvil2026 #ZachCregger #ShayHatten #AustinAbrams #Bryan #ZachCherry #Carl #KaliReis #Maxine #PaulWalterHauser #Paul #WillMerrick #Dave #AndreaMiltner #Pedestrian #KarelDorby #Farmer #ZoeBellas #Birdie #ChrisLewKumHoi #Stanley #GriffinNewman #Wade #JoMartin #AndreaVasquez #EmilyPiggford #DrMariaStokes #IslaMcRae #RVgirl #JamesBeaumont #Surgeon #SaraPaxton #Michelle #ShaunWLoeser #Puker #MagdalenaSittova #Agatha #BodyHorror #MonsterHorror  #Survival #Zombie #Horror #NewRelease #SpookySeason  #FridayFamilyFilmNight     

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU (2026), from writers Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Noah Kloor, based on characters created by George Lucas, the film is directed by Jon Favreau.  The seasoned bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his diminutive, Force-sensitive foundling Grogu take on a high-stakes mission for the fledgling New Republic to track down remaining Imperial holdouts.  As they navigate the dangerous fringes of a galaxy still reeling from the fall of the Empire, the duo crosses paths with both old syndicates and unexpected new threats.  Along the way, Grogu steps into a more active role using his unique abilities, forcing the inseparable pair to rely on their wits and bond as a "Clan of Two" to survive.  The film clocks in at 2 h and 12 m, is rated PG-13  is streaming on Disney+ but also to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#StarWarsTheMandalorianAndGrogu #GeorgeLucas #JonFavreau #DaveFiloni #NoahKloor #PedroPascal #TheMandalorian #BrendanWayne #TheMandalorianSuitPerformer #LateefCrowder #TheMandalorianStuntPerformer #SigourneyWeaver #ColonelWard #SteveBlum #ZebOrrelios #JeremyAllenWhite #Rotta #JonnyCoyne #LordJanu #MatthewWillig #Hogsbreth #MartinScorsese #HugoDurant #StephenMcKinley Henderson #Gatori #ShirleyHenderson #TheAnzellans #CullenDouglas #PrefectNobah #HemkyMadera #CommanderBarro #StarWars #ActionEpic #AdventureEpic #FantasyEpic #SciFiEpic #SpaceSciFi #Adventure #Action #Drama #Family #Fantasy #OnePersonArmyAction # @DisneyPlus  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight     

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing TOY STORY 5 (2026), from writers Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris, the film is directed by McKenna Harris and Andrew Stanton.  

Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, and the rest of the gang face an unprecedented challenge to traditional playtime when their owner, Bonnie, receives a high-tech smart tablet named Lilypad.  As Bonnie becomes increasingly engrossed in the digital device and begins to drift away from her physical toys, Jessie and her loyal horse Bullseye set out on a chaotic mission to help her reconnect with the real world.  Meanwhile, a reunited Woody and Buzz must team up once again to navigate this clash between old-school toys and modern technology to save their friends and secure the future of playtime..  The film clocks in at 1 h and 42 m, is rated PG  is streaming on Disney+ but also to buy/rent on Prime Video.  Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#ToyStory5 #McKennaHarris #AndrewStanton #JoanCusack #Jessie #GretaLee #Lilypad #ScarlettSpears #Bonnie #TimAllen #BuzzLightyear #TomHanks #Woody #ConanOBrien #SmartyPants #ShelbyRabara #Snappy #CraigRobinson #Atlas #MykalMichelleHarris #Blaze #BonnieHunt #Dolly #TonyHale #Forky #KristenSchaal #Trixie #WallaceShawn #Rex #BlakeClark #Slinky #JeffBergman #MrPotatoHead #AnnaVocino #MrsPotatoHead #AnniePotts #BoPeep #BadBunny #PizzaWithSunglasses #JohnRatzenberge #Hamm #KeanuReeves #DukeCaboom  #LoriAlan #BonniesMom #JayHernandez #BonniesDad  #BuddyComedy #ComputerAnimation #UrbanAdventure #Animation #Adventure #Comedy #Drama #Family #Fantasy  @DisneyPlus  @PrimeVideo  #FridayFamilyFilmNight     

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library