The Shock Doctors Podcast

The eighth installment in the found footage anthology franchise is a half-step up from the period-piece trilogy, but until they extricate themselves from this splatstick rut, these films will never live up to the promise of the first two. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple … Continue reading "Episode 210 – V/H/S/Halloween"

The Shock Doctors were already the farthest thing from M3GAN stans, but this needlessly convoluted sequel seals the deal. It’s given up on horror, and it’s an action comedy with no action and bad jokes. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or … Continue reading "Episode 204 – M3GAN 2.0"

After 200 podcasts, we’ve watched some great movies and a whole lot of crap. Give a listen as we pick out our favorite and least favorite subjects of past episodes. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea … Continue reading "Episode 200 – Matt and Jim’s Best and Worst"

The seventh installment in the found footage anthology franchise is perhaps a half-step above the period-piece trilogy that preceded it, but as Matt says, it’s getting increasingly hard to care or sit through the undifferentiated stew we’re presented with time and again. The Flanagan-Siegel segment is an exception. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on … Continue reading "Episode 193 – V/H/S/Beyond"

Robert Morgan is a gifted animator, but the stopmotion vignettes that give this film its narrative spine don’t tell enough of a story to keep us fully invested. That said, Aisling Franciosi is terrific. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune … Continue reading "Episode 191 – Stopmotion"

This Rosemary’s Baby prequel has visual style and strong performances, but fails to engender the same paranoid dread as the original. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check … Continue reading "Episode 190 – Apartment 7A"

Gary Dauberman’s long-delayed Stephen King adaptation is pleasantly old-fashioned and shows flashes of panache, but is ultimately light on scares and pretty disposable. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us … Continue reading "Episode 188 – Salem’s Lot (2024)"

The latest installment in the long-running anthology franchise is a step back up from V/H/S/99, but still doesn’t hit the same sweet spot as the first two films. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the … Continue reading "Episode 169 – V/H/S/85"

Strong sound and creature design fail to overcome a no-dialogue gimmick that doesn’t always work and an ending that, while conceptually interesting, remains flawed. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like … Continue reading "Episode 165 – No One Will Save You"

William Brent Bell’s latest is a cut above most of his other work, which is to say it’s a run-of-the-mill folk horror film with a lousy ending. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next … Continue reading "Episode 163 – Lord of Misrule"

For a sub-80-minute film, Sick feels weirdly bloated, and yet at the same time, suffers from a disappointing lack of ambition. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check … Continue reading "Episode 144 – Sick (2023)"

Nanny is visually gorgeous and chock-full of great performances, but eventually descends into “fugue soup,” and the overwhelming water motif spoils the ending. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us … Continue reading "Episode 138 – Nanny (2022)"

While intriguing and loaded with personality, Something in the Dirt would have benefited from a little more structure and stronger distinctions between John and Levi’s dialogue. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie … Continue reading "Episode 137 – Something in the Dirt"

V/H/S/99 marks the series’ full-on tonal shift into Creepshow-esque horror comedy, which ultimately proves detrimental. Better than V/H/S Viral, but that’s not saying much. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like … Continue reading "Episode 134 – V/H/S/99"

David Bruckner’s reboot of the 80s horror staple is a little too rigid, a little too sanitized… and frankly, just doesn’t raise all that much hell. But Jamie Clayton and Odessa A’zion are terrific. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune … Continue reading "Episode 132 – Hellraiser (2022)"

They/Them is a poorly scripted, entirely muddled mess, a shallow coming-of-age trauma-bonding teen drama with a vestigial slasher film appendage. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? … Continue reading "Episode 125 – They/Them"

With suitably gooshy effects and occasionally inspired mayhem, The Sadness is nonetheless often handicapped by its own excesses, falling awkwardly between being too unpleasant and not unpleasant enough. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the … Continue reading "Episode 123 – The Sadness"

Chloe Okuno’s meticulous direction, an arresting lead performance from Maika Monroe, and a stunner of an ending make this slow burn well worth the watch. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 121 – Watcher (2022)"

Jane Schoenbrun’s creepypasta opus is driven by an uncanny grasp of what makes the medium so effective, featuring two powerhouse performances and seamless transitions between found footage, Screenlife, and conventional filmmaking. It’s dynamite. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. … Continue reading "Episode 116 – We’re All Going to the World’s Fair"

The lack of a clear primary protagonist, poor integration of witchcraft elements, and a compromised would-be bombshell in the third act combine to limit the impact of the film’s important message and suitably oppressive mood. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or … Continue reading "Episode 115 – Master (2022)"

Buoyed by a pair of strong lead performances and a beguiling opening act, tonal issues nonetheless cause the film to stumble a bit as it builds toward and reaches its climax. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an … Continue reading "Episode 114 – Fresh"

Leatherface’s mask not actually being leather is only like the 17th-worst thing about this movie, which gives you an idea of how thumb-fingered it is. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 110 – Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)"

V/H/S/94 is a vast improvement over its immediate predecessor, but lags behind the first two films, providing a goofy, grindhouse atmosphere but forgetting to be frightening. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie … Continue reading "Episode 107 – V/H/S/94"

This sequel mostly dispenses with the series’ customary bag of tricks and replaces them with… well, nothing really. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free … Continue reading "Episode 104 – Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin"

A better-than-average entry in the haunted hotel genre, The Night is boosted by an understated and compelling ending. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free … Continue reading "Episode 94 – The Night"

This Ilana Glazer vehicle grapples with some serious real-life issues, and elements of the film have a great deal of merit, but it also has a lot of problems – none more glaring than its WWE-inflected climax that makes a few tone-deaf choices. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check … Continue reading "Episode 91 – False Positive"

Zack Snyder’s return to the zombie genre finds him still plagued by the self-seriousness of his superhero films, even as he tries to recapture the breezy tone of Dawn of the Dead ’04. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. … Continue reading "Episode 88 – Army of the Dead"

This blatant Body Snatchers knockoff has nothing to contribute to the formula, except an unnecessarily convoluted life cycle for the pod people. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to … Continue reading "Episode 85 – Assimilate"

In Ivan Kavanagh’s latest film, a young woman who escaped a cult finds that her idyllic life with her son has an expiration date. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like … Continue reading "Episode 84 – Son"

Matt and Jim can’t decide which is more horrifying: Hunter’s marriage, or her rapidly escalating case of pica. Just kidding – it’s definitely her marriage. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 83 – Swallow"

Those hoping for dose of vintage Cage Rage from this Five Nights at Freddy’s knockoff will be sorely disappointed. In Matt’s words, “Cage spent too much of the movie faffing about, or should I say, FNAFing about.” Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, … Continue reading "Episode 82 – Willy’s Wonderland"

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is another eerily effective entry in the venerable traditions of K-horror and “old haunted building movies,” as well as the not-so-venerable tradition of found footage films. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for … Continue reading "Episode 81 – Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum"

The Vigil adds a relatively strong and low-key entry to the decidedly mixed bag of the Jewish demon horror subgenre. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? … Continue reading "Episode 77 – The Vigil"

Not to be confused with the James Wan-produced mess that we reviewed a while back, Jayro Bustamante’s film gives the well-worn legend a politically-conscious twist. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 76 – La Llorona"

In Matt’s words, “Praise be, praise be.” Saint Maud has finally arrived, and it does not disappoint. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free to … Continue reading "Episode 75 – Saint Maud"

The deft noir flourishes and political subtext of Jeff Barnaby’s zombie thriller complement, rather than detract from, the delightfully gooshy practical effects and post-apolcalyptic chaos. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 74 – Blood Quantum"

With his latest film, Yeon Sang-ho has achieved a zombie hat trick, even by Matt’s stringent standards for the subgenre. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? … Continue reading "Episode 73 – Peninsula"

While the film’s message of (trans-inclusive) female empowerment is certainly more enlightened than the “women can’t handle ultimate power” implications of the 1996 original, The Craft: Legacy also loses much of its predecessor’s trashy fun, and doesn’t replace it with much else. Apologies for the late upload. We’ve had a busy last few days. Please … Continue reading "Episode 68 – The Craft: Legacy"

Brandon Cronenberg’s sophomore feature is a mind-bending melange of body horror paranoia, buoyed by stellar turns from Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. And it even has Sean Bean! Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an … Continue reading "Episode 67 – Possessor"

One of the four initial entries in the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” film series, Nocturne doesn’t quite measure up to other tales of artistic obsession. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 66 – Nocturne"

“Name one time I was ever a bad mother.” Every time. All of the times. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free to send us … Continue reading "Episode 65 – Run"

Bryan Bertino’s latest film is strong on atmosphere and boasts some genuine scares, but sometimes gets bogged down in a miasma of indiscriminate misery. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like … Continue reading "Episode 64 – The Dark and the Wicked"

Death of Me adds a distinctly undistinguished new entry to the ethically fraught “scary foreigners” subgenre. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free to send … Continue reading "Episode 63 – Death of Me"

This tale of the immigrant and refugee experience is harrowing in more ways than one. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free to send us … Continue reading "Episode 61 – His House"

The diminishing returns inherent to horror sequels are never more apparent than when you make a sequel to a horror comedy that’s a rock-solid… 5.5/10. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d … Continue reading "Episode 60 – The Babysitter: Killer Queen"

Justin Simien’s tale of a demonic weave has some tonal inconsistencies and juggles a variety of somewhat incompatible influences, but the end result is generally a good time. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the … Continue reading "Episode 58 – Bad Hair"

David Koepp’s House of Leaves riff is best described, in Matt’s words, as “medium clever.” Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free to send us … Continue reading "Episode 56 – You Should Have Left"

If the pandemic hasn’t made you skittish about AirBnB, this movie definitely should. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next movie you’d like us to check out? Feel free to send us a DM … Continue reading "Episode 52 – The Rental"

All space parasite movies must by necessity stand in the shadow of Alien, but this oppressive Russian period piece takes a good crack at it all the same. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the … Continue reading "Episode 51 – Sputnik"

This deliriously funny deconstruction of zombie filmmaking is an instant classic that Matt and Jim are glad to have picked for the 50th episode of the podcast. Please follow us on Twitter @ShockDoctorsPod, on Facebook at facebook.com/shockdoctorspod, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or Tune In. Got an idea for the next … Continue reading "Episode 50 – One Cut of the Dead"