Companion (2025) | REVIEW

A burning Iris (played by Sophie Thatcher) sitting across from Josh (played by Jack Quaid) in COMPANION — PHOTO: Warner Bros. Pictures (still image from trailers).

Directed by Drew Hancock — Screenplay by Drew Hancock.

In the marketing for this film (more on this later), trailers have highlighted the fact that this new genre-bendy flick is the product of the studio behind The Notebook, arguably the most well-known American romance film, and the creators of Barbarian, the hugely surprising horror film with multiple tricks up its sleeves from 2022. It’s a good marketing narrative that does communicate the film’s genre fluidity from one thing to another from certain scenes to certain scenes. But, in actuality, this is the brainchild of writer-director Drew Hancock, a Blue Mountain State writer, who, to be honest, has crafted something quite entertaining for his feature directorial debut. 

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Heretic (2024) | REVIEW

Hugh Grant in Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ HERETIC — PHOTO: A24 (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (65) — Screenplay by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place; The Boogeyman).

Though not their directorial debut, writing-directing duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods had their mainstream, big studio debut as directors with last year’s Adam Driver-led sci-fi flick titled 65, which, despite having a great trailer, was a relatively disappointing and unremarkable film. This was a disappointment because, in recent years, the duo had proven themselves to be effective genre film writers with their awards-nominated A Quiet Place screenplay. With their latest film, Heretic, they’ve crafted a psychological horror film that proves their talents and that what they had done a couple of years earlier was by no means an accident or a fluke. This one is terrific.  

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The Boogeyman (2023) | REVIEW

Sophie Thatcher, Chris Messina, and Vivien Lyra Blair in THE BOOGEYMAN — PHOTO: 20th Century Studios.

Directed by Rob Savage (‘Host’) — Screenplay by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods (writers of ‘A Quiet Place’ ; ‘65′), and Mark Heyman (co-writer of ‘Black Swan’).

It’s safe to say that The Boogeyman isn’t exactly a new idea. Not only is it built on the classic boogeyman — is there something in my closet or under my bed? — superstition and childhood fear, but it has also led to several films. Uli Lommel’s 1980 film of the same name spawned two sequels in spite of so-so-to-bad reviews, and Stephen Kay’s 2005 film Boogeyman, which was a financial success in spite of poor reviews, also spawned two sequels. It’s safe to say that audiences like to be spooked by this familiar concept. Well, this week, another film of its kind was released. What is different between the previous releases and this 2023 Rob Savage film is that Savage’s film is based on a Stephen King story.

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REVIEW: The Book of Boba Fett (2021-2022)

Boba Fett (Played by Temura Morrison) in Lucasfilm’s THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT, exclusively on Disney+. — PHOTO: Lucasfilm / Disney+.

Series Created by Jon Favreau — All Episodes Are On Disney+ Right Now.

Jon Favreau’s The Book of Boba Fett is a spin-off of the extremely popular Disney+ Star Wars live-action series The Mandalorian. The Book of Boba Fett follows the titular character (played by Temura Morrison), who became a fan-favorite character in the Original Trilogy (and who made his in-universe return in The Mandalorian), as he tries to become the new daimyo of Tatooine for the purpose of controlling the territory that once belonged to Jabba the Hutt. But he isn’t the only one who wants to control what can and can’t happen on the desert planet.

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