EVER AFTER is a fairytale slasher, so you’ll be treated to many familiar stories and a cast full of iconic horror actors. It comes across as folk horror stories mixed and made even darker. While this is a fun watch and a good movie overall, it isn’t a great movie, and it is way too long. Read our full Ever After horror movie review here!

EVER AFTER is a slasher horror movie with a fairytale and folk-horror-driven plot. Not only will the stories and character types be familiar, but you’ll also see many famous faces and hear iconic genre voices throughout. The only real downfall of this fairytale slasher is its runtime. At just over two hours long, it does feel way too long.

Several scenes and moments could easily have been cut or shortened, all without hurting the overall viewing experience. However, once the movie does stop, make sure to stay seated, as this brutal fairytale slasher does have end credit scenes. Yes, Ever After (2026) has an end credit scene early on, so I suggest you stay seated to watch the whole thing. Also, to respect the cast and crew, obviously.

Continue reading our Ever After horror movie review below. Find it in theaters on September 4, 2026, and On Digital just in time for Halloween.

A fairy tale of creatures, mutilation, and blood

Ever After takes place in what appears to be woods haunted by fairy tale creatures. You’ll see pig people, a werewolf type, a girl with a red hood, a witch trying to get you to eat apples, and a man hoping you’ll fit into his special shoe. Oh yes, this is Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm meet the wild world of horror slashers.

It all takes place during a bachelorette party. Seven girls arrive at a forest lodge, where they’ll have fun before two of them are set to get married within the next week. Sadly for everyone, the fun is about to turn into pure dread and terror. Living in this particular “magical” forest is a group of lunatics. They all believe they’re classic fairy tale characters.

Yes, even the frogs living in the woods are given titles and powers by these bloodthirsty people, so you better not harm anything you come across.

Being trapped in these woods, where there is (of course) no signal or any normal people around, the girls find themselves going crazy. The lines between the real world and this fantasy fairy-tale land blur and distort everything. All they know is that they must survive and get out of the woods.

Horror Icons Assemble for Ever After

This 2026 release, which is officially from 2025, has so many horror icons in both small and larger roles. You can look forward to seeing (or at the very least hearing) so many wonderful and beloved horror icons.

Among these actors are Bonnie Aarons, who plays the demonic nun in The Conjuring movies and The Nun spin-off movies. Also, we have Michael Berryman from The Hills Have Eyes and The Devil’s Rejects, who you’ll see from the very beginning.

Using their recognizable voice talents are Kane Hodder, who most will know as Jason Voorhees of many Friday the 13th movies and Victor Crowley in the Hatchet movies, and Malcolm McDowell (Psycho Killer, A Clockwork Orange)

Among the girls in the bachelorette party are Maria de Sá (Lovely, Dark, and Deep), Lara Sas (Popeye’s Return, Popeye’s: Resurrection), and Lydia Pearl Pentz  (The Death of Snow White). Also, I have to highlight Philippe Reinhardt as a twisted “Prince Charming”. He was as weirdly funny as he was horrifyingly frightening. Great job on his part!

Watch Ever After in theaters now and on Digital for Halloween

Ever After was directed by Laszlo Illes (Haunting Trophies, The Shepard). He also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Laszlo Krisztian Gera (Haunting Trophies, The Basement). Even though I have not been eager to watch the horror movies based on Winnie the Pooh or Popeye, I do like it when folk horror or fairy tale characters are used in slashers.

In fact, I’m wondering if maybe I should give some of those other B-horror slashers, based on famous cartoon characters, a shot.

The Ever After fairy tale slasher has already won several awards. It won “Best Horror Feature” at the Hot Springs International Horror Film Festival. And while I don’t want to speak badly of any awards or film festivals, one should always look at what it was up against. In this case, however, I’ll just say “bravo” and move on.

I mean, I can easily imagine watching it during a film festival would be the perfect setting. People must have been having a blast, and that only heightens the experience. Again, the only real downfall of Ever After is its runtime. At 125 minutes, it also feels long. Too long. Other than that, I applaud the production quality and all the quirky elements. Clearly, both the cast and crew had fun making this, and the result is fun to watch as well.

Ever After is out in theaters on September 4, 2026, and On Digital from October 27, 2026.

Details

Director: Laszlo Illes
Writers: Laszlo Illes, Laszlo Krisztian Gera
Cast: Mark Sheppard, Michael Berryman, Bonnie Aarons, Malcolm McDowell, Kane Hodder, Maria De Sá, Lydia Pearl Pentz, Meg Vermette, Philippe Reinhardt, Lara Sas, Miklós Béla Székely, Riana Emma Balla

BIG SHARK on Tubi is a Tommy Wiseau movie. It’s not exactly new, but now it’s coming out in a wide release via Tubi, so we watched it, and it was worse than I imagined. In fact, it’s not really a shark movie, nor is it really a parody. It’s a Tommy Wiseau movie, which means it’s more of a buddy improv situation. Perfect for a drinking game. Read our full Big Shark movie review here!

BIG SHARK is a Tommy Wiseau movie being released on Tubi. Yes, Tommy Wiseau, as in the filmmaker behind the infamous 2003 movie The Room, which was the basis of the 2017 movie The Disaster Artist. As much as watching The Room can be a fun and weird experience, I don’t believe in hyping someone for making more bad movies. And Big Shark is a bad movie.

Not a bad shark movie, mind you, as this isn’t really a shark movie. It’s just a really terrible movie. Also, it has a runtime of just around 100 minutes, which is way too long. The commercials on Tubi make it longer, but you will come to love the sweet relief of those commercials. My editor wanted to give this 0 out of 5 and break our ratings system. However, I wanted to give it 1 out of 5 to applaud the actors having to co-star in this mess.

Continue reading our Big Shark movie review below. Find it on Tubi now.

Patrick, Patrick, Patrick

Tommy Wiseau stars in Big Shark as Patrick. If you’re at all familiar with Tommy Wiseau’s filmmaking, you already know that names are said a lot. As in, the names are said in virtually every sentence. Because his character’s name is Patrick, you will hear that particular name an obscene amount of times.

Whenever another name was said, all I could think of was the SpongeBob SquarePants meme of “No, this is Patrick“. Tommy Wiseau is the star of everything he does, so Big Shark is no exception.

Get ready for the first ten minutes to feel like half an hour. Then wait another 30 minutes before you actually see a shark. And the shark is made in the vein of Sharknado as it slides and glides through New Orleans on and in a puddle.

Oh, I suppose I forgot to mention what this supposed “Shark attack movie” is actually about.

Well, it’s very simply about three firefighters, Patrick, George, and Tim, who decide that it’s up to them to save all of New Orleans from a gigantic shark.

That’s the plot.

The 1 star goes to anyone not Tommy Wiseau

Of course, you won’t see the CGI shark much. Instead, you’ll be subjected to scene after scene of strangely improvised buddy moments.

The 1 out of 5 rating goes to Isaiah LaBorde (The Hoodoos), who is working overtime to turn this into… well, something resembling a movie with an actual plot and real actors. No, he isn’t brilliant in Big Shark, but he is one of the only professional elements in this. Also, Ashton Leigh (Portal in the Pines) and Erica Mary Gillheeney (Famously Afraid) who play the girlfriends of the lead characters.

Admittedly, I am annoyed that so many truly talented filmmakers are never given the opportunity that Tommy Wiseau gets. All because he’s a “cult filmmaker” known for making bad movies. I am not down with that.

Nor am I, for the record, down with any movie that has scenes with animals but isn’t certified by the American Humane Society. And no, I’m not talking about the CGI shark. Obviously. It’s a scene featuring live pigs, and that does require oversight.

You can watch Big Shark on Tubi now

As already mentioned several times, Big Shark is a Tommy Wiseau movie. That means he produced, directed, starred, and wrote it. Or, let’s be honest, he probably wrote down an idea for the overall “plot”. A lot of it seems improvised. Fortunately, Isaiah LaBorde is there. Usually giving his all to try and breathe life into the “Yes, and…” element in virtually every scene.

The “shark movie” was originally announced back in 2019. Since then, it seems to have lived a tumultuous “life”.

This is Tommy Wiseau’s first directorial project since The Room, and in that time (a few decades), he appears to have learned nothing new. Also, the movie supposedly began its theatrical rollout in 2023, and now the wide release is here as it’s streaming on Tubi.

Look, I know one could say, “What did you expect from a Tommy Wiseau movie?” Just like I get annoyed when people watch a slasher and complain about the blood, gore, and campy scenes. And yet, I do not think it’s too much to ask for a shark movie to actually be about the shark. Or for an actual plot.

Either go all the way into Sharknado territory and have fun with that, or make a decent movie. This is just a home video with less production quality, passion, and talent than your average YouTuber or influencer.

Big Shark is available to stream on Tubi from September 4, 2026.

Details

Director: Tommy Wiseau
Writer: Tommy Wiseau
Cast: Tommy Wiseau, Isaiah LaBorde, Mark Valeriano, Ashton Leigh, Erica Mary Gillheeney

DARK HOLLOW is an Appalachian-set horror movie that turns into an actual creature feature and has social-realism horror. A fairly short runtime, gorgeous practical effects, and a story that should resonate with many viewers. Read our full Dark Hollow movie review here!

DARK HOLLOW is a horror movie that feels both like a horror drama and a straight-up creature feature. It’s set in the Appalachians, where a rural area is being tormented by those trying to pull out more coal from the surrounding mines. The results are coal dust all over the place and people getting sick.

I can already see a sequel in the same vein, where the problems come from Data Centers, ruining the water supply of those living nearby. In any case, whether you want social realism and commentary with your horror or simply a creature feature, Dark Hollow will deliver.

Continue reading our Dark Hollow movie review below. Find it in select theaters and On Demand from September 4, 2026.

The horror of reality

Dark Hollow has many strong moments as we become familiar with a monster emerging from an Appalachian coal mine. Covering the human angle is a young mother (June Shreiner), who can see the coal dust affecting her young son. It already killed her dad, and her mom is sick from the impact. To top it all off, her husband has seemingly been trapped in an abandoned coal mine.

If you’re the kind of person who just loves some “good, clean coal”, then Dark Hollow won’t be your cup of tea. On the other hand, it’s very appropriate for the struggles of anyone living near coal mines (or data centers), as it deals with the impact on the locals.

This might not sound like a horror story to you, but for me, the horror of reality always hits harder than anything fictional.

If you prefer your horror with a heavy dose of fictional creatures, you’re also in luck with Dark Hollow. You will discover how the coal mine has started fighting back. Whether you see this as the symbolic reaction of Mother Nature or something more demonic is up to your own interpretation, I suppose.

Watch Dark Hollow on VOD or in select theaters

Dark Hollow was written and directed by Daniel Byers. This isn’t his first feature film set in the Appalachian Mountains, and I love how he uses real-life horror stories to build on. Seeing nature being ruined and people getting sick from the greed of others is the real horror of the world today. Previous movies by Daniel Byers include the Tubi Original Eradication and the documentary short Aguilucho: Dance of the Harpy Eagle.

WANT MORE HORROR SET IN THE APPALACHIANS?

Be sure to check out The Devil to Pay here >

Overall, the cast of Dark Hollow ensures that the story comes across as intended. Especially June Shreiner in the lead role helps it all come together and feel alive and realistic. Yes, despite this also being a creature feature with an impressive monster, there is plenty of realism as well. Overall, I also loved the use of practical effects. The use of CGI was a little hit and miss, but nothing that ruined the overall experience.

Dark Hollow is coming to select theaters and On Demand on September 4, 2025.

Details

Director/Writer: Daniel Byers
Cast: June Shreiner, David Garelik, J. Stephen Brantley, Brennon Weese, Ian Deighan, Jonathan Spivey, Sean Michael Wilkinson, Sharon Murray, Harvey Roberts, Brian O’Neill, Annie Cook, Radu Spinghel

PARASOMNIA on Shudder is a creepy supernatural horror movie about night terrors, a demonic entity, and the line between nightmares and reality. Read our full Parasomnia movie review here!

PARASOMNIA is a supernatural horror movie that follows a young woman tormented by night terrors and a past filled with unresolved tragedy. When her best friend becomes the latest person to disappear, she begins to suspect that the demonic figure lurking in her nightmares may have crossed over into the real world.

Fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street and horror movies that blur the line between dreams and reality should give this one a shot.

Read more in our review of Parasomnia, coming out on Shudder on September 4, 2026.

A nightmare that refuses to stay in your dreams

Parasomnia follows Riley, whose life is already marked by tragedy. After losing her parents, she grew up in the same group home as David, her best friend from childhood. Now, when David suddenly disappears, Riley begins to wonder whether the demonic presence that has been haunting her sleep could somehow be responsible.

What follows is a disturbing journey between nightmares and reality as Riley tries to understand what is happening around her.

One of the things I really liked about the movie is the friendship between Riley and David. They have known each other since childhood, and their relationship feels genuine. All without the story constantly hinting at a romantic connection.

It’s refreshing to see a close friendship between a man and a woman that is simply allowed to be a friendship. The movie also does a good job of shifting between Riley’s nightmares and the events happening in the real world. This creates some effective moments of uncertainty about what is actually happening.

A promising supernatural horror feature debut

Parasomnia is written and directed by James Ross II, who describes his goal as bringing “a fresh perspective” to the frightening aspects of sleep. He does this by creating an immersive experience that stays with the audience. While his feature debut is not without its faults, I think Ross does a good job of bringing that idea to life.

The movie understands that nightmares can be frightening precisely because they don’t follow the rules of reality. 

The screenplay is also kept fairly tight, with a runtime of just 85 minutes. That works well for this type of horror movie, as the story doesn’t have too much time to wander.

There are a few rough edges that keep Parasomnia from being truly scary throughout. However, overall, it makes for a solid feature debut. If you’re in need of a scary nightmare movie for a Friday night, this new Shudder addition should work well for most horror fans.

PARASOMNIA is streaming on Shudder from September 4, 2026.

Details

Director: James Ross II
Writer: James Ross II
Cast: Jasmine Mathews, RJ Brown, Sally Stewart, Stephen Barrington, Danny Brown, Simon Longnight

CONFINEMENT is a psychological thriller from the UK, and it’s out on VOD in the US now. The movie has Claire Forlani and Nathalie Emmanuel leading a wonderful cast. Admittedly, I was a little unimpressed when it first began, but it grew on me and is a definite recommendation to watch. Read our full Confinement movie review here!

CONFINEMENT is out on VOD now, and this is the kind of psychological thriller that works much better than I expected. Based on the trailer, I wasn’t sure it would be as entertaining as it is. Maybe because the trailer appeared to show a very different version of the plot than what it actually delivers.

In my experience, this was a much more character-driven movie than the trailer let on. Also, the cast is truly magnificent and has just the right amount of quirky characters to keep you engaged. One minute, they’re acting in ways that will surprise or shock you; the next, they’re doing something weird to make you laugh and put your guard down. Always a winner for me in any genre film, as this makes whatever comes next hit harder.

Continue reading our Confinement movie review below. Find it on VOD now.

Pregnant and Alone

Confinement opens with a pregnant Stella (Nathalie Emmanuel), whom we meet on the night she loses her husband. She is now a pregnant widower, with no family, and while she has friends, she is very much alone. Her husband never talked about his family, but appeared to want nothing to do with them, so Stella doesn’t know them. She doesn’t even know about them.

This is about to change when Caroline (Claire Forlani) shows up on her doorstep. She has lost touch with her son, but never stopped hoping he would return to the family. After reading his obituary in the paper, she learned of his expectant wife and turns up to welcome her to the family.

As a result, in a roundabout way, Stella ends up being taken in by her late husband’s estranged family. In the “summer cottage” (which is a straight-up mansion), she spends the last few days of her pregnancy. However, it doesn’t take long before it becomes obvious that their generosity is mixed with something deeply unsettling.

Is the family crazy, cursed, or something third? And can Stella get away before she discovers the answer?!

Such a wonderful cast

As much as I ended up enjoying the plot and storyline of Confinement, I’m not sure it would’ve worked as well with another cast. This cast is simply perfect for the very “special” kinds of characters we’re introduced to as the story evolves.

Most important for the core plot are Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones, The Invitation) and Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black, All the Good Ones Get Away) as the expecting mother and paternal grandmother, respectively. These two work extremely well together. No matter which wild direction the story goes next.

We also meet another pregnant woman, Rose, who is portrayed by Angela Sant’Albano. We recently reviewed the horror-satire Namaslay, where she was really good as well.

Also in the Cadell Family, which Stella unwittingly married into, are some truly gorgeous characters. “Granno” is the paternal grandmother, which means she’s also the mother-in-law of Claire Forlani’s character. And yes, Granno is very special and extremely entertaining, which is both thanks to the script and the stellar performance by Tina Gray (Apartment 7A). She makes so much of the overall plot feel realistic, even as it gets crazy!

Other family members include Charlie Hiscock (Red Rose, Ted Lasso) as Bunny and Eloise Lovell Anderson (The Bastard Executioner) as Lake. These two are the siblings of Stella’s late husband, and both deliver some very memorable moments, in very different ways.

On a personal note, I have to mention that Eloise Lovell Anderson reminded me a lot of my fellow Dane, the always amazing Stephanie Corneliussen (Mr. Robot), who Nathalie Emmanuel co-starred with in The Invitation. Just a fun coincidence, but it made me think of that quite overlooked vampire movie, which deserved a lot more recognition than it got.

Watch Confinement on VOD now

Confinement is directed by British actor and filmmaker Peter Howitt. He previously directed diverse movies such as the 1998 rom-com Sliding Doors, the 2001 crime thriller Antitrust, and the 2003 slapstick spy comedy Johnny English. He’s directed a lot more movies than those, but these certainly stood out to me. It also explains why he got the comedic timing down so amazingly in Confinement, which is by no means a comedy!

Will Honley and April Maguire wrote the screenplay for this new psychological thriller. You may be familiar with Will Honley’s work from Bloodline (2018) or Escape Room: Tournament of Champions. Also written by him and his Confinement co-writer, April Maguire, is the 2024 movie Subservience starring Megan Fox, which I did not care for.

Confinement is released as a direct-to-VOD thriller, but I assure you that it is actually better than much of what makes it to a theatrical release. This was close to getting a 4 out of 5 rating, but the opening of the movie just has too much of a TV movie feel, so we’re staying at 3. Just trust me when I tell you that it doesn’t last long. For most of its runtime, this is a high-quality production and a very entertaining movie.

If you’re pregnant, you may want to skip it, though.

Confinement is out on VOD from September 1, 2026.

Details

Director: Peter Howitt
Writers: Will Honley, April Maguire
Stars: Nathalie Emmanuel, Claire Forlani, Tina Gray, Charlie Hiscock, Eloise Lovell Anderson, Adam Woodward, Henri Brugère, Ben Cura

THE RUNNER on Prime Video is a psychological thriller that plays out virtually in real time and has a fairly short runtime. Gal Gadot stars in the title role and delivers a solid performance. Unfortunately, the plot and pace never live up to the intensity I expected. Read our full The Runner (2026) movie review here!

THE RUNNER is a Prime Video thriller starring Gal Gadot of Wonder Woman fame. I know she was also in Fast & Furious before this, but to me she is Wonder Woman. In any case, she does what she can in this movie, but there’s something about the pace and choices in everything from camerawork to storyline that does not work for me.

Usually, I love a good psychological thriller playing out in real time. It’s often the kind of movie that results in heart palpitations and leaves you feeling like you just completed a workout. And yet, not much about this Prime Video thriller elevated my pulse. I can’t say exactly what it was, except possibly the feeling that I never doubted it would all work out in the end.

Continue reading our The Runner movie review below. Find it on Prime Video from September 2, 2026.

Running to save her son

In The Runner, the title character is Maia Marten (Gal Gadot), a lawyer working some of the biggest cases in London. She has built her career and life on being one step ahead and shaping her own version of the truth. Something I’m sure comes in handy for this high-powered lawyer. Soon, it will also be key to getting through this particular morning.

While out on her routine morning run, she gets a phone call that shatters her world. Actually, even during her morning at home with her son, we see that something happens to her phone. This particular element is virtually the same as in the new South Korean Netflix series Mousetrap, which is definitely worth watching.

Anyway, back to the phone call in The Runner.

The man on the other end of the line says that he has her son. If Maia wants him back, she has to keep running in order to make it to a very specific location in time. She can’t speak to others and has to do exactly what the man says, or her son will not survive this ordeal. If she stops, then her son dies, and if she doesn’t follow all orders, then he will also die.

So, how far will this woman go to get her son back home safely?

A nightmare plays out in real-time

With The Runner, we’re getting a psychological thriller with a plot that reminded me of many other movies, where the main protagonist must act fast to save someone they love. Drop is the first movie that comes to mind. Also, A House of Dynamite and Bury the Devil should be mentioned, as both play out in real time as well. Of all these examples, The Runner is the least successful.

Not because of its cast or the core plot, but the storyline and execution of it all just did not work.

I mean, even Gal Gadot herself seems to be trying almost too hard to make it exciting and thrilling. I’m not blaming her, but when we have a scene where she isn’t running, yet seems more out of breath than when she was, something is off. Admittedly, it is a pet peeve of mine that I am notoriously annoyed by the “Mark Wahlberg school of acting” that consists mainly of sounding out of breath when things are tense.

Gal Gadot is better than this, and I would’ve thought the director was as well, yet here we are. And I am not a happy camper.

With a runtime of just 84 minutes, it still managed to feel a tad too long and even a little slow at times. Is it good for a night in, when you just want to watch something “fun and easy”? Well, yes, sure. But a movie about a woman being forced to go to extreme lengths to save her son, and having to run through the busy streets of London, should not feel “fun and easy”.

Watch The Runner on Prime Video

Kevin Macdonald is the director of The Runner, and he is also the reason I expected more from this Prime Video movie. Previously, Kevin Macdonald directed the 2021 movie The Mauritanian, an episode of the Stephen King-adapted series 11.22.63, and The Last King of Scotland (2006). This also means he has directed several actors to Oscar-nominated (or winning) performances over the past two decades.

That will not happen with this one. And not just because it’s coming out on Prime Video.

Actually, Kevin Macdonald is an Oscar winner himself as well. He won “Best Documentary Feature” in 2000 for One Day in September. When it comes to The Runner, I can only imagine that it came with a lovely paycheck. Unfortunately, it also must have come with many people wanting to decide things, as this is nothing like his previous productions.

The screenplay comes from Mark Gibson, who previously wrote a few Disney movies. Now, I’m not saying this to suggest that he isn’t able to write a decent psychological thriller as well. Quite the contrary, as most Disney movies rely heavily on evoking emotions and keeping their audience engaged. Again, I cannot say what went wrong with this movie, but it feels like outside forces – as in not those usually making movies.

Maybe I’m just disappointed that it didn’t deliver the intensity I expected. At the same time, I think I should have expected this from a movie with this plot, cast, and crew, and that’s why I feel so let down by it.

The Runner is streaming on Prime Video from September 2, 2026.

Details

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writer: Mark Gibson
Cast: Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, Rory Wilmot, Alfred Enoch

HY3NA is a serial killer movie covering thriller, crime, and mystery. A small cast with a character-driven plot that evolves via flashbacks makes for smart filmmaking on a lower budget. You may guess the twist well before it’s revealed, but it’s still an entertaining watch. Read our full Hy3na movie review here!

HY3NA is getting its world premiere at Tubu FrightFest London, which seems like a great place for the low-budget production. I’m not speaking about its budget to put it down in any way, but rather to say that the passion and talent of the filmmaking is strong enough that it deserves this prominent premiere.

This is a serial killer movie, and not one of the most innovative, but it still manages to be entertaining. Also, it has a gorgeous production, which is certainly not always the case. Whether low, decent, or even a bigger budget. Talent and passion will always beat out a bigger budget that lacks those two elements. The runtime is right around an hour and a half, which also works to its advantage.

Continue reading our Hy3na movie review below.

A hyper-stylised serial killer thriller

Hy3na is described as a “hyper-stylised thriller” in its press material, and while this can mean “style over content”, it does not in this case. I am not a fan of blue and pink neon lights used at will, but I do like it when it’s done right. Then again, one of my fellow countrymen has built much of his career on this. That probably means I’ve seen it done right so many times that I also notice when it’s done wrong or without reason.

In Hy3na, most of the movie takes place in an interrogation room. Or rather, this goes for the scenes that play out in the present. We see everything that happened before as it’s revealed during the interview. Rather than hear the explanation, we see it.

A violent car crash has linked Nicole (Kristen Kaster) and the enigmatic Rachel (Storm Steenson) to a string of brutal murders. Yes, the very same serial killer case that two detectives have been working on for quite some time. We see the detectives working Nicole to get to the bottom of everything by saying that Rachel is already talking and putting the blame on Nicole.

As a result, they get Nicole to start talking about their shared world of online sex work and manipulation. But how do you go from being a cam girl to killing people?! Well, you’ll just have to watch HY3NA when you get the chance, and all will be revealed.

No, Hy3na is not about AI

Don’t be fooled by the way the title is written. It could just as well have been Hyena, which is also used in several places. Often, the use of numbers within a title has been for movies about an AI or Android character.

Examples include the M3GAN movies, T.1.M, and SOULM8TE.

For this serial killer movie, there is no artificial intelligence, androids, or any supernatural element. Instead, it’s very human, which works very well for the plot. No need to overcomplicate things, as the story already has an extra layer.

Hy3na is world-premiering at London Fright Fest London

Matthew Ninaber is the director and co-writer of Hy3na, which was co-written with Jannah Kitzman. And if the name Matthew Ninaber is familiar, it may be because he also stars in the movie as one of the police investigators. So does his brother, Jeremy Ninaber, and I was so relieved when I found out. I kept thinking the two looked eerily similar, so it was nice that there was a reason for this. Not just “white guy”-blindness.

Previously, Matthew Ninaber also directed the Shudder movie Death Valley, which was not my cup of tea. In terms of acting, he played the title character in Steven Kostanski’s Psycho Goreman. In other words, you won’t recognize him from that one, but I certainly enjoyed his performance! Finally, he also played various characters in the recently released Deathstalker reboot.

For me, there is no doubt that my many hours (or years, really) of watching crime mysteries make me ready to guess right off the bat. I don’t know that everyone else will see the reveals and twists as quickly as I did, but even if you do guess things ahead of time, it’s still a fun and entertaining watch.

Also, as always, one has to acknowledge (and I gladly do) that anything I guess before it’s revealed is often due to clues. The opposite is a red herring situation, where the filmmaker is actively steering me in the wrong direction. This is something I don’t like (in fact, I loathe it), so I have to appreciate that this is the opposite. And no, I’m not someone who guessed The Sixth Sense plot before it was revealed. I can get surprised as well.

HY3NA is getting its World premiere at Tubi FrightFest London on August 31, 2026.

Details

Director: Matthew Ninaber
Writer: Matthew Ninaber
Cast: Storm Steenson, Kristen Kaster, Jeremy Ninaber, Matthew Ninaber

MOUSETRAP on Netflix is a thriller series from South Korea (org. title: Deuljwi) about a man who has his identity stolen. This is truly the stuff of nightmares, and in this case, it is made worse by the man himself. The season has 10 hour-long episodes, so there’s plenty of storyline to go around. Read our Mousetrap series review here!

MOUSETRAP is a Netflix thriller series with 10 episodes, which sounds like a lot, but this is also from South Korea (org. title: Deuljwi). Usually, Korean productions are fairly long. This goes for both feature films, which tend to be over two hours long, and series, where the episodes are often around one hour each.

What also tends to be a rule for most Korean plots is that they are character-driven. I love this about them as we get characters to root for or loathe. At times, this may even switch as the plot evolves, because characters are (again, this is almost a rule) somewhere in the gray. Never entirely good or bad, but somewhere in between. In other words, they are human. The key characters in Mousetrap are no exception.

Continue reading our Mousetrap series review below. Find all ten episodes on Netflix now.

A waking nightmare

Mousetrap is the story of a reclusive writer who hasn’t left his home in three years. He lives in a penthouse apartment and looks down at the people living in the outside world. Both literally and figuratively, as he looks down at people doing the same thing day in and day out. Of course, he also does the exact same thing every day.

This author has debilitating anxiety, which is why he stays in the safety of his own home. However, he has also given up all autonomy as he trusts one person with everything in his life. His friend from high school is the person who officially owns everything. Also, he doesn’t even use his real name in his job as a writer.

Basically, he doesn’t really exist, which is something that can be exploited.

One day, he wakes to find his identity stolen. He cannot gain access to his bank account, and his apartment has been sold from one moment to the next. Whenever he asks who authorized any of this, the answer is the same: You did!

Prove you’re not the imposter

Things are off to a very bad start for Moon-jae (Ryu Jun-yeol) on this day, but before it’s over, something even more terrifying will happen. Or really, two things. First, he meets a ruthless loan shark known for burying people alive if they don’t pay him back. His name is No-ja (Sul Kyung-gu), but he’s known as “The Rat”. And yes, of course, the person who stole Moon-jae’s identity borrowed money from The Rat. A lot of money.

And second, he meets the man who stole his identity. It turns out, he didn’t just steal his name; he also took his face!

There’s a reason you’re usually innocent until proven guilty; It’s just so much harder to prove that you didn’t do something. I mean, how do you prove who you are if nobody knows your face? Or even worse, if the imposter also has your face and all the ID and credentials that you have lost.

From the struggle to get into your phone or bank account, which many may recognize, to the actual identity theft, this is a perfect premise for a crime thriller. Of course, with ten hour-long episodes, we will get to the bottom of everything. And yes, this does involve a lot more than you ever imagined.

The Korean folklore behind Mousetrap

Like most other countries, South Korea has a lot of fascinating folklore. For Mousetrap, there is a particular juicy piece of lore used as the premise.

It comes from an old Korean folktale, which states that if a rat eats someone’s clipped fingernails, they turn into that person.

And yes, fingernail clippings are something we return to several times in this Netflix series. Including the opening scene, which deals with how our main character lost his parents.

Watch the Mousetrap series on Netflix now

The Netflix Mousetrap series is directed by Kim Hong-sun, who also directed Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area and The Guest series. Mousetrap is based on a webtoon titled “Field Mouse”, and the series adaptation was written by Lee Jae-gon. Previously, Lee Jae-gon wrote the Netflix series A Model Family.

Fans of South Korean productions should recognize many of the actors in key roles. In the lead, we have Ryu Jun-yeol, who starred in the 2025 Netflix movie Revelations and the Netflix series The 8 Show from 2024. As “The Rat”, you can look forward to seeing Sul Kyung-gu, who you should recognize from Memoir of a Murderer (2017) and Mantis (2025). Also, as a police detective, there’s Lee Kyoo-hyung from All of Us Are Dead.

As always, a series may feel complete, but if it’s a smash hit, we will undoubtedly be getting more seasons. Just look at what happened with Squid Game! I don’t want to compare Mousetrap to that iconic Netflix mega-success, but it is a fascinating story that should please genre fans.

Mousetrap is on Netflix worldwide from August 28, 2026.

Details

Director: Kim Hong-sun
Writer: Lee Jae-gon
Cast: Ryu Jun-yeol, Sul Kyung-gu, Lee Kyoo-hyung

THE WHISPER MAN on Netflix is a serial killer thriller with an extremely strong cast, which saves the weaker parts of the plot. Fair warning: The victims are all children, which hits hard. Fortunately, the focus isn’t on their suffering, but rather on catching the killer. Read our full The Whisper Man movie review here and find it on Netflix now!

THE WHISPER MAN is a Netflix crime thriller about a serial killer of children. It’s based on a book, which I have not read, so I can’t speak as to how closely it follows the novel. However, what I can definitely say is that the casting of this Netflix movie is absolutely breathtaking. Every single key role is portrayed by an actor who makes the storyline strong with their presence and portrayal alone.

It is a fairly long movie with an official runtime of 1 hour and 51 minutes. Sure, when the ending was still 20 minutes away, I was wondering what would come next. However, it delivered a very strong ending. And also, an extremely brutal ending. One many will probably love and applaud, though it goes further than we usually see.

The end credits kept going for me (instead of suggesting what to watch next), but The Whisper Man has no end-credit scene.

Continue reading our The Whisper Man movie review below. Find it on Netflix from August 28, 2026.

The wrong guy or a new copycat?

The core plot of The Whisper Man isn’t all that new or surprising. A serial killer was caught decades ago, but now new victims show up. The question becomes: Did they get the wrong guy? Was there an accomplice? Or are we dealing with a new copycat?

Fortunately for the plot development, there is no real doubt about the guilt of the convicted serial killer, so the other two theories are prevalent.

We follow a widowed crime writer (Adam Scott), who has just moved to a small town, when his eight-year-old son is abducted. He turns to his estranged father (Robert De Niro), who is a retired police detective. And yes, he is the man who caught the serial killer known as “The Whisper Man.”

Of course, something about that serial killer case always bothered the seasoned detective, and now it seems that it has come back to haunt him as his grandson may be a new victim.

You don’t need to know anything else about the plot, as it develops and evolves in ways that give you all the clues you need. In fact, it gets pretty forced and a little hamfisted with its clues at times. If you’re used to watching crime thrillers, you’ll likely be one step ahead of the reveals. Of course, this is only because the clues are there.

As are the supporting cast actors, who you may (like I did) recognize even from just the briefest glimpse of them.

The many talents of The Whisper Man cast

The three main stars of The Whisper Man are Michelle Monaghan (Echoes), Robert De Niro (Zero Day), and Adam Scott (Hokum). They are all involved in finding the serial killer, though coming from fairly different angles and reasons. All three are fierce and solid in their portrayals, but then again, I am always very fond of these actors, so I wouldn’t expect anything less.

When it comes to the supporting cast, we are truly being spoiled. And yes, pun intended. There is something almost dangerous in having so many amazing actors in your cast. I mean, obviously, every single one of them cannot be the serial killer.

Amazing talent like Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass), Owen Teague (The Stand, It), and Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) are not cast in a movie like The Whisper Man without having a big impact on the plot. For the record, all three actors are brilliant in their respective roles. Each in their own way, and this is absolutely why our rating is a 4 instead of a solid 3.

Especially, Michael Keaton delivered the kind of performance where I found myself wanting to watch an entire movie about his character.

Watch The Whisper Man on Netflix now

James Ashcroft is the director of The Whisper Man, and I do tend to like his work. The most recent movie of his that we have reviewed was The Rule of Jenny Pen (2024), which hit damn hard. This was not least thanks to the actors in that movie, which seems to be a pattern with this director. When he gets a great cast, he makes the very most of it.

His 2021 horror-thriller Coming Home in the Dark is another such example. Really, watch that one too!

The Whisper Man is based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Alex North. The screenplay was written by Ben Jacoby (The First Omen) and Chase Palmer (It), who adapted the novel. As already mentioned, I have not read the book, but this movie made me want to, and that is always a good sign. Just like the opposite is not the case, as I experienced with another release this same week.

It’s produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO banner, and as gritty crime thrillers go, this is an easy recommendation to watch. And yes, the casting of such immense talent – and the portrayals they deliver – ensures a very entertaining experience. If you like crime thrillers or serial killer plots, then The Whisper Man is a great choice. Yes, even if the plot seems a bit predictable at times, the performances more than make up for this.

The Whisper Man is out on Netflix from August 28, 2026.

📺 Watch trailer

Details

Director: James Ashcroft
Writers: Ben Jacoby, Chase Palmer, Alex North
Stars: Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott, Michael Keaton, Owen Teague, Hamish Linklater, Acston Luca Porto