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Marlon Wayans’ Response to HIM Criticism is Significant For All Film Discourse

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By: Myriam Akbar HIM is a supernatural cult horror film directed by Justin Tipping and produced by Jordan Peele. On a surface level, the plot follows a rising football star named Cameron who goes to remote grounds for an intense mentorship after an injury that could end his career. However within that, supernatural elements and religious allegory are used to examine the obsessive and exploitative nature of American football culture. Following its release, reviews were initially negative in terms of online discourse but became divisive as more people watched the film. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 56% score based on 1000+ verified ratings, impacting the overall reception of the film. Often people use these scores to determine whether they’re going to watch in theaters or wait for streaming–sometimes whether they’re going to watch at all. From what I gathered, viewers had issues with the cohesiveness of the story, lack of scares, relatability to the characters, and multitude of complex theme...
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The Body Remembers: Marshmallow Review & Analysis

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By: Myriam Akbar Marshmallow is a 2025 indie sci-fi horror film that feels like an episode of Goosebumps —focusing on adolescence, adventure, and a frightening mystery. However, it’s clearly made for a broader, more mature audience and has higher stakes. This slasheresque camp tale is written by Andy Greskoviak and directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio. The plot follows children attending a summer program as they investigate an urban legend-like mad scientist. It’s now available to watch on Shudder, rightfully becoming a part of horror discourse and receiving the praise it deserves. Viewers like myself were blown away by its originality and third act’s plot-twist.  The film opens with twelve year old Morgan having a terrifying nightmare involving water, moving to a scene of him attempting to play basketball with his new neighbors who cruelly reject him. One evening during dinner, he and his family discuss his leaving for summer camp which fills him with agitation. His grandfather attemp...
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Interview with Andy Greskoviak, Screenwriter of 2025’s Marshmallow

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By: Myriam Akbar Recently I had the opportunity to interview screenwriter Andy Greskoviak about his film Marshmallow , directed by Daniel DelPurgatorio. We dove into his passion for filmmaking, inspiration for film, and the themes explored throughout it. The plot of this sci-fi horror film follows children at a summer camp investigating an urban legend-like mad scientist. It’s currently available to stream on Shudder and rightfully receiving the recognition that it deserves. Like myself, viewers are raving about the inventive and unexpected nature of the third act’s unforgettable twist.  Greskoviak has been living in Los Angeles for the last decade; however, he was born and raised in Illinois–something he’s proud of. When asked about his personal relationship to cinema, he said, “Movies are the closest thing I’ve ever had to religion.” Like many of us who love film, that love began during childhood and this was no different for him. He recalls enjoying the feeling of being s...
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Interview with Indie Filmmaker, Patrick Guera

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By: Myriam Akbar Meet Patrick Guera–a San Diego Native, indie filmmaker, and one half of Rewind of the Living Dead Podcast. He spent most of 2025 promoting his horror short, The Path which is currently making its way through the festival circuit. It’s an image driven script that relies on visual storytelling and like his other short, Don’t Do It uses little to no dialogue. It’s receiving great responses and has moved Guera into the horror filmmaking space, allowing him to connect people in the field. He is now working on a feature length film, expanding on The Path and is immensely excited for the project. I had the opportunity to watch the short a couple months ago and think that its ominous atmosphere will translate well in a larger piece of work. I recently interviewed Guera about his passion for cinema, inspiration behind his films, and advice to aspiring filmmakers. “My love for cinema began as a young child. I remember The Goonies and E.T. having a  huge impact on me. An...
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Horror 2025: The 10 Films That Impressed Me Most

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By: Myriam Akbar The year 2025 was great for the horror genre, with many films tackling unique concepts and serious themes of inner turmoil. Filmmakers took risks by focusing on the perspectives of non-humans, combined genres, emphasized the power of metaphors, and shocked audiences with gory visuals. I tried to watch as many as I could before making this list and formed it by highlighting the ones that impressed me the most. I have attempted to give as much detail as possible to describe the films honestly and illustrate why I enjoyed them so much, without spoiling anything major in the plot. My hope is that this reads as a list of recommendations rather than thorough reviews, some of which will be fully examined on my site this week.  10.) Good Boy Good Boy is a supernatural horror film directed by Ben Leonberg–starring his very own dog, Indy. He co-wrote it with Alex Cannon and co-produced it with Kari Fischer. The plot follows a man suffering from lung disease, whose dog attemp...
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