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**Review: LADY** Oct 02, 2026
Show notes

by Rob DiCristino
Or: The Indiscreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
The most prominent critics’ quote included in Lady’s press materials touts it as “Saltburn on shrooms.” There’s a hint of truth there, I suppose, in that both films are set in stately English country houses and poke a fair bit of fun at the insularity of the spoiled aristocrats who reside in them. But while Emerald Fennell’s gaudy Talented Mr. Ripley knockoff collapses under the weight of its own smug self-satisfaction — poverty, says Fennell, is a dangerous and transgressive act — Samuel Abrahams’ charming new mockumentary approaches its subjects with decidedly more warmth and empathy. Lady follows the exploits of the solipsistic Isabella of Ravenhyde Hall (Fleabag’s Sian Clifford) — who would argue that she is merely “self-centered,” and that the distinction is consequential enough to mention — and the young, BAFTA-nominated documentarian (Laurie Kynaston as Sam) recruited to chronicle her life for Netflix. But when that gig is revealed to be a lie, Sam has two choices: Head home empty-handed or follow Isabella down a bizarre rabbit hole of self-discovery.Co-written by Abrahams and partner Miranda Campbell Bowling, Lady begins with an initiation into Isabella’s lonely, spiritually malnourished existence: Compensating for her isolation with a conspicuous display of acquired riches — Isabella claims to be a Kardashian of the aristocracy but behaves more like the Michael Scott of the decaying landed elite — the delusional dilettante regales Sam and his documentary crew with an invented itinerary of charitable acts, social obligations, and familial routines. Sam sniffs her out almost immediately, of course, noting the clear absence of any friends or family except long-suffering housekeeper, Becky (Juliet Cowan), as well as a general social awkwardness that betrays the fact that she hasn’t actually left Ravenhyde’s grounds in over five years. Still, Isabella’s commitment to the bit proves curious enough for Sam to indulge her as she prepares for “Stately Stars,” a self-funded talent competition for local youths that she — much to Sam’s surprise — intends to win herself. Yes, her own talent show. Against children.
Abrahams claims that the original inspiration for Lady came from his chance viewing of a fledgling YouTuber’s first half-baked attempts at video posts: “Every decision — the editing, song choice, subject matter — was gloriously off,” he says, but “beneath the ridiculous was something heartbreaking: a need to be seen, to connect, to matter.” It’s this undercurrent of sweetness and compassion that keeps Lady from ever getting too mean-spirited to be fun, especially as Sian Clifford ramps up Isabella’s unraveling with an innocence that becomes undeniably disarming. In a surreal turn that shapes the film’s later movements, Isabella’s fear of ignominy is literalized as she gradually turns invisible from the fingertips inward — think Marty McFly’s family photo in Back to the Future — a bold narrative move that would read as clunky and obvious if it weren’t so very right for a preposterous figure like Isabella. Known best as the uptight sister on Fleabag, Clifford is delightfully unhinged here, gleefully embodying a pampered toff who fancies herself a performance artist.Force majeure though Clifford may be, the more difficult role in Lady belongs to Laurie Kynaston as Sam, who begins the film as an unassuming audience surrogate but finds himself slowly corrupted by Isabella’s anxiety and lust for catharsis. The struggling filmmaker does everything he can to keep an ironic distance from his self-sabotaging protagonist, but even after a rough-cut trailer earns him an actual commission with Netflix to complete his documentary — the streaming giant presumably believes in Isabella’s “so-bad-she’s-good” potential — Sam grows too attached to the vulnerable human being under the bombastic facade to sell her out. Blending Grey Gardens, American Movie, and What We Do in the Shadows, Abrahams’ handheld camera captures their May-December disintegration without judgement or commentary: In a brilliant move that bears out a sly thematic poignancy, Sam’s camera operator eventually rebels against him, insisting on capturing the “objective” filmmaker’s unexpected assimilation with his accidental muse.Lady will ultimately fly too far under the radar to make any real noise this awards season, but its chaotic humor and infectious charisma testify to the craft and ingenuity of all involved. Armed with a talent like Sian Clifford, Abrahams and his team could have taken a much easier, more Tik-Tok-friendly route by keeping us laughing at Isabella rather than, eventually, with her. As both versions of The Office prove over and over again, it’s easy to churn cheap humor out of gutless schadenfreude, to mock the sincerity of the talentless and uninspired simply because they yield nothing we judge to be of any value. But as the far, far superior Parks & Recreation demonstrates, it’s always the trickier — and infinitely more resonant — path that encourages us to recognize our own frailties in those we’d presume to belittle. In the end, we’re every bit as naive, stubborn, and self-destructive as Isabella, and watching Sam and his crew come to terms with their own foibles and limitations makes his would-be punching bag’s vindication — as well as our own — all the more triumphant.
Lady is in limited U.S. release on Friday, October 2nd.

**2026 Scary Movie Challenge Day 2** Oct 02, 2026
Show notes

**FTM 840: BORDELLO OF BLOOD COMMENTARY** Oct 01, 2026
Show notes
Patrick, Adam Riske, and Mike kick off Scary Movie Month 2026 with some sexy vampires courtesy of the Crypt Keeper, babe.
Download this episode here.
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Your 2026 Scary Movie Month Primer Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

by Patrick BromleyOur annual Get Ready for the best time of year.It's the very best time of year: Scary Movie Month! We wait all year for these 31 days, when we devote F This Movie! to nothing but horror podcasts, articles, and everyone's favorite game.What's the game, you ask? Why the Scary Movie Challenge, of course! What's the Scary Movie Challenge, you ask? Boy you ask a lot of questions. Every time you watch a scary movie during the month of October, come to the site and leave a seven word review for that movie in the day's thread. We read a bunch of them on the podcasts every week and gush about how funny and smart they are.As is tradition, here's our annual primer to catch you up on all of our past horror stuff and put you in the mood for #ScaryMovieMonth. Because we tend to celebrate horror all year round, there's a lot of it. Scary!Patrick and JB on the Best Horror Movies EverPatrick and JB on the Worst Horror Movies EverPatrick and Mike on the Saw franchisePatrick and JB on Let the Right One In and Let Me InPatrick and Alex on The Blair Witch ProjectPatrick and Mike on Rob Zombie's Halloween and Halloween IIPatrick and Doug on PoltergeistPatrick, Doug, Mike and JB on Sleepaway Camp (commentary)Patrick and JB on the Best Zombie MoviesPatrick and Doug on American PsychoPatrick and Alex on Hostel and Hostel Part IIPatrick and Mike on the Halloween franchisePatrick, Doug, Mike and JB on Friday the 13th Part 3 (commentary)Patrick and JB on Universal MonstersPatrick and JB on V/H/SPatrick and Doug on The OthersPatrick and Doug on The Lost BoysPatrick and Mike on the Nightmare on Elm Street franchisePatrick, Doug, Mike and JB on The Burning (commentary) Patrick and JB on the Best Vampire Movies Patrick and Adam Riske on Carrie (2013) Patrick and Heather Wixson: The Horror Chick Returns Patrick and Mike on the Friday the 13th franchise Patrick, Doug, Mike and JB on Maximum Overdrive (commentary)Patrick and JB on Vincent Price moviesPatrick and Adam Riske on MayPatrick and Heath Holland on Event HorizonPatrick and Doug on The Monster SquadPatrick and Mike on the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchisePatrick, JB, Mike and Adam Riske on Halloween III: Season of the Witch (commentary)Patrick and JB on Horror Movies That Go Too FarPatrick and Eric England on ScreamPatrick and Adam Riske on Demon Knight & Bordello of BloodPatrick and Doug on HellraiserPatrick and Heath on Sleepy HollowPatrick and Mike on George Romero's Living Dead seriesPatrick, JB, Mike and Adam Riske on Pieces (commentary)Patrick and JB on Why Do We Watch Horror Movies?Patrick and Adam Riske on Tales from the HoodPatrick and Rob DiCristino on The Silence of the LambsPatrick and Heath Holland on The FogPatrick, Erich Asperschlager and Joe Maddrey on All Things KingPatrick and Jackson Stewart on The BeyondPatrick and Mike on the Child's Play franchisePatrick, JB, Mike and Adam Riske on Blood Rage (commentary)Patrick and JB on AlienPatrick and Alejandra on The Craft Patrick and Rob DiCristino on Stir of EchoesPatrick and Heath Holland on Prince of DarknessPatrick and Erich Asperschlager on Amicus AnthologiesPatrick and Adam Riske on CandymanPatrick and Stephanie on Return of the Living Dead II and IIIPatrick and Mike on the Leprechaun franchisePatrick, JB, Mike, and Adam Riske on Death Spa (commentary)Patrick and Adam Riske on Tales from the Hood 2Patrick and JB on Carrie (1976)Patrick and Rob DiCristino on Silent HillPatrick and Erich Asperschlager on Horror Movie MusicPatrick and Doug on Idle HandsPatrick and Mike on Make Your Own Horror FranchisePatrick, JB, Mike, and Adam Riske on Sleepwalkers (commentary)Patrick and JB on Our Favorite Horror MoviesPatrick and Adam Riske on The Ultimate CreepshowPatrick and Rob DiCristino on Shaun of the DeadPatrick and Mike on The Phantasm FranchisePatrick, JB, Mike and Adam Riske on Verotika (commentary)Patrick and JB on The Hammer Frankenstein CyclePatrick and Adam Riske on Tales from the Hood 3Patrick and Rob DiCristino on Psycho (1998)Patrick and Adam Riske on Bram Stoker's DraculaPatrick and Mike on Revisiting the Friday the 13th FranchisePatrick, Adam, JB, and Jan on The Happening (Commentary)Patrick and Rob DiCristino on TuskPatrick and JB on The Hammer Dracula CyclePatrick and Adam Riske on The Sixth SensePatrick and Anthony King on Dead AlivePatrick and Erika on House of 1000 CorpsesPatrick and Mike on The Hatchet FranchisePatrick, Mike, and Adam Riske on Rumpelstiltskin (commentary)Patrick and Adam Riske on SpeciesPatrick and J. Blake Fichera on The GatePatrick and Anthony King on Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)Patrick and Rob on Nina ForeverPatrick and JB on Hammer Loose EndsPatrick and Mike on The Hellraiser FranchisePatrick, Mike, and Adam on The Pit (commentary)Patrick and JB on Phantom of the ParadisePatrick and Adam on Urban LegendPatrick and Rob on UnderwaterPatrick and Mike on Revisiting the Saw FranchisePatrick, Mike, and Adam Riske on Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (commentary)Patrick and JB on The ShiningPatrick and Joel Edmiston on The Dead ZonePatrick and Adam Riske on Terrifier 3Patrick and Rob on Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon CityPatrick and Mike on The Tremors FranchisePatrick, Mike, and Adam Riske on Nightmare Weekend (commentary)Patrick and Joel Edmiston on SplicePatrick and JB on The Rocky Horror Picture ShowPatrick and Adam Riske on Ernest Scared StupidPatrick and Mike on The Rob Zombie Movies Massacre Podcasts:Patrick and JB on The Massacre 2010 (24 hour horror film festival)Patrick and JB on The Massacre 2011 (24 hour horror film festival)Patrick, JB, Doug and Mrs. JB on The Massacre 2012 (24 hour horror film festival)Patrick and JB on The Massacre(s) 2013 (24 hour horror film festival) Patrick and JB on The Massacre(s) 2014 (24 hour horror films festival)Patrick and JB on Scary Movie Marathon 2015Video:F This Movie! at The Massacre (2012)Final Girls Our Favorite Werewolf Movies 24 Hour Horror Marathon Horror ComediesAsk F This Movie! (Scary Movie Month edition)More Horror Movie Podcasts:Patrick interviews director Tom HollandPatrick and JB on Scream 4 Patrick and JB on SevenPatrick interviews the cast of Return to Nuke 'Em High Vol. 1Patrick and Adam Riske on Insidious Chapter 2Patrick and Heather Wixson on The State of HorrorPatrick and JB on V/H/S/2Patrick and JB on The Mist Patrick, JB and Adam Riske on Evil Dead (2013)Patrick and Erich on AliensPatrick and Mark Ahn on Battle RoyalePatrick, JB and Mike on Silent Night Deadly Night (commentary)Patrick and Erich on Lady in WhitePatrick and Heather Wixson on Bad Horror We Love Patrick and Heather Wixson on The Howling II (commentary) Patrick and Heather Wixson on All Things HorrorPatrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2014Patrick and Heather Wixson on Their Favorite Horror DirectorsPatrick and Heather Wixson on Checking in on HorrorPatrick on The Funhouse (commentary)Patrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2015Patrick and Adam Riske on From Dusk Till DawnPatrick and JB on CloverfieldAdam Green InterviewBarbara Crampton InterviewPatrick on Tales of Halloween (commentary)Patrick and J. Blake Fichera on Scored to DeathPatrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2016Patrick and Izzy Lee on The BroodPatrick and JB on Kong: Skull IslandPatrick and Jackson Stewart on PhenomenaPatrick and Blake Fichera on Silver BulletPatrick and JB on Alien: CovenantPatrick and Stephanie Crawford on Video NastiesPatrick and Jackson Stewart on Italian HorrorPatrick and Heather Wixson on Underrated SlashersPatrick on Beyond the Gates (commentary)Patrick, Alejandra and A.M. Novak on Future Horror ClassicsPatrick and Dave Parker on Day of the DeadPatrick and Heather Wixson on Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (commentary)Patrick and Joe Maddrey on IT (2017)Patrick and Adam Riske on WishmasterPatrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2017Patrick and Mark Ahn on BladePatrick on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (commentary)Patrick on Invaders from Mars (commentary)Patrick and Adam Riske on Freddy vs. JasonPatrick, JB, Elric Kane and Brian Saur on Tobe Hooper Tribute Part 1Patrick and Jared Rivet on Tobe Hooper Tribute Part 2Patrick, Caroline Williams, Mick Garris, and Stephanie Crawford on Tobe Hooper Tribute Part 3Patrick, Heather Wixson, and Adam Riske on Tobe Hooper Tribute Part 4Patrick and Adam Riske on Predator 2Patrick and Mike on Leprechaun ReturnsPatrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2018Patrick and Rob Galluzzo on Home Video HorrorPatrick and Robyn Buckley on Pet Sematary (2019)Patrick and JB on Godzilla: King of MonstersPatrick and Mark Ahn on 28 Days LaterPatrick and Adam Riske on The People Under the StairsPatrick and Jill Gevargizian on The Texas Chain Saw MassacrePatrick and Chelsea Stardust on It Chapter 2Patrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2019Patrick and Rob on HannibalCravin' Craven: The Last House on the LeftCravin' Craven: The Hills Have EyesCravin' Craven: Summer of FearCravin' Craven: Deadly BlessingCravin' Craven: Swamp ThingCravin' Craven: Invitation to HellCravin' Craven: A Nightmare on Elm StreetCravin' Craven: ChillerCravin' Craven: The Hills Have Eyes Part IICravin' Craven: Deadly FriendCravin' Craven: The Serpent and the RainbowCravin' Craven: ShockerCravin' Craven: The People Under the StairsCravin' Craven: New NightmareCravin' Craven: Vampire in BrooklynCravin' Craven: ScreamCravin' Craven: Scream 2Cravin' Craven: Scream 3Cravin' Craven: CursedCravin' Craven: My Soul to TakeCravin' Craven: Scream 4Cravin' Craven: Our Wes Craven RankingsHanging With Tobe Hooper: The Texas Chain Saw MassacreHanging With Tobe Hooper: Eaten AliveHanging With Tobe Hooper: Salem's LotHanging With Tobe Hooper: The FunhouseHanging With Tobe Hooper: PoltergeistHanging With Tobe Hooper: LifeforceHanging With Tobe Hooper: Invaders from MarsHanging With Tobe Hooper: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2Hanging With Tobe Hooper: "No More Mr. Nice Guy"Hanging With Tobe Hooper: Spontaneous CombustionPatrick and JB on King Kong (1976)Patrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2020Patrick and JB on Godzilla vs. KongPatrick and Chelsea Stardust on The Final Destination FranchisePatrick and Anthony King on I Know What You Did Last SummerPatrick and JB on The Bird With the Crystal PlumagePatrick and JB on The Haunted MansionPatrick and Adam on Getting Ready for Scary Movie MonthPatrick and Adam on A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream ChildPatrick and Heather on The Best Horror Movies of 2021Patrick and Adam Riske on The Devil's AdvocatePatrick and Anthony King on Killer Klowns from Outer SpacePatrick and Mike on MimicPatrick and Adam on The FrightenersPatrick and JB on Dawn of the Dead (1978)Patrick and Outlaw Vern on Toolbox Murders (2004)Patrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2022Patrick and Rosalie on The VillagePatrick and Anthony King on Maniac (1980)Patrick and Adam on WolfPatrick and Izzy Lee on Crimson PeakPatrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2023Patrick and JB on Godzilla X Kong: The New EmpirePatrick and JB on JawsPatrick and Mike on Halloween with Nick Castle and Nancy StephensPatrick and Mike on DollsPatrick and Rosalie on FrenzyPatrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2024Patrick and Adam Riske on Alien: ResurrectionPatrick and Leo Brady on Fright Night (1985)Patrick and Adam Riske on CasperPatrick and Adam Riske on PopcornPatrick and Mike and Adam Green Live at Flashback 2025Patrick and Heather Wixson on The Best Horror Movies of 2025Patrick and Clark Collis on Dawn of the Dead (2004)Patrick and Mike on TriloquistPatrick and Tyson Legg on Disturbing BehaviorPatrick and JB on Exorcist II: The HereticPatrick and Mike on Prom NightPatrick and Adam Riske on In the Mouth of MadnessPatrick and Tyson Legg on End of DaysMore Horror Movie Writing:10 Superior Horror Sequels10 Werewolf Movies10 Horror ComediesSix Horror Movies Almost Directed by Someone Else 15 Horror Movie Anthems 13 Great Moments from the Friday the 13th FranchiseFive Great Monster Kids in Movies Five Movies That Made Me Love HorrorFive Novels by Horror Movie DirectorsMy 10 Favorite Final Girls11 Killer POV Episodes You Should Listen To11 More Killer POV Episodes You Should Listen To10 Shock Waves Episodes You Should Listen To12 More Shock Waves Episodes You Should Listen ToSix Horror Remakes I Was Wrong About13 Movies to Check Out on Shudder13 Great Horror Movies of the 2000s9 Underrated Horror Movies of the '90s9 Cool Witch Movies10 Great Barbara Crampton Performances10 Slashers to Watch on Shudder6 DREAD Titles to Check OutHow I Learned to Love the SlasherHow I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Italian HorrorRemembering Wes CravenTalking X-tro with the Number One Fan of X-troFemale-Directed Horror Movies on ShudderMonster Kids Love Monster MoviesRemembering Tobe HooperUnsung!: Bubba Ho TepUnsung!: Near DarkUnsung!: The Woman in BlackUnsung!: Dracula's DaughterUnsung!: PaperhouseUnsung!: The OtherTake Two: Jason XTake Two: Zombie Take Two: ShockerTake Two: The ManglerTake Two: Ghosts of MarsTake Two: The HappeningTake Two: TerrifierMy First Horror Movie: Silent Night Deadly NightWhat Do You Want from a Horror Movie?This or That: Dawn of the Dead '78 vs. Dawn of the Dead '04Heavy Action: 10 Action Stars in Horror MoviesIt Came from the '80s: Lifeforce It Came from the '80s: Invaders from MarsMovies I Love: The FunhouseMovies I Love: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Movies I Love: HatchetMovies I Love: Night of the CometMovies I Love: The Blob (1988)Movies I Love: Night of the CreepsMovies I Love: Terror FirmerMovies I Love: Silver BulletMovies I Love: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2Movies I Love: A Nightmare on Elm StreetMovies I Love: FirestarterMovies I Love: Psycho IIMovies I Love: The Toxic AvengerSh!#ting on the Classics: Stephen King MoviesSh!#ting on the Classics: Friday the 13thSh!#ting on the Classics: Dark Shadows Heath Holland on Horror and Belief Heath Holland on My Heroes Have Always Been Slashers Heath Holland on Is Psycho a Horror Movie? Heath Holland on The Puppet Master Challenge Heath Holland on A Rock 'n Roll Horror Double FeatureMike on The Ward Adam Riske on Carnival of SoulsAdam Riske on The ConjuringDirector Essentials: Tobe HooperDirector Essentials: Wes CravenDirector Essentials: John CarpenterDirector Essentials: George A. RomeroDirector Essentials: David CronenbergDirector Essentials: Peter JacksonDirector Essentials: Stuart GordonDirector Essentials: Jackie KongDirector Essentials: Larry CohenDirector Essentials: Jack SholderDirector Essentials: Steve MinerDirector Essentials: Lucio FulciErich Asperschlager on The BabyMark Ahn on HausuPatrick on The Cabin in the WoodsPatrick on The WomanPatrick on All the Boys Love Mandy LanePatrick on Tucker & Dale vs. EvilPatrick on You're NextPatrick on The Lords of SalemPatrick on Dracula Prince of DarknessPatrick on Frankenstein Created Woman Patrick on AftershockPatrick on The ABCs of DeathPatrick on ChilleramaPatrick on Hatchet IIIDrunk on Foolish Pleasures: The Blob (1958) Drunk on Foolish Pleasures: Really Universal HorrorsDrunk on Foolish Pleasures: The Giant Gila Monster and Attack of the Puppet PeopleDrunk on Foolish Pleasures: Halloween DisplayDrunk on Foolish Pleasures: White Zombie Full Moon Fever: The Gingerdead ManFull Moon Fever: Tourist Trap Full Moon Fever: Subspecies Full Moon Fever: DollsFull Moon Fever: Castle FreakFull Moon Fever: Bloodstone: Subspecies IIFull Moon Fever: Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-o-RamaFull Moon Fever: Trophy HeadsFull Moon Fever: Demonic ToysFull Moon Fever: Puppet MasterFull Moon Fever: Evil Bong 666Full Moon Fever: The CreepsFull Moon Fever: Pupp…

Full show notes at the publisher

**Fifty Before '50: Niles/Essanay, Part II: The Edison Theater** Sep 29, 2026
Show notes

by JB
What a wholesome little conclave.
Last week I wrote lovingly of the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, California. It is a special place that I enjoyed visiting. The museum also encompasses an original Nickelodeon theater that showed silent movies from 1916 to 1924 when it was “replaced” by a bigger theater next door, The Edison. The Edison showed movies from 1924 until 1956, when an unfortunate fire burned it to the ground. Years later, the museum people noticed the original Nickelodeon was still standing, purchased it, renamed it “The Edison” and set about restoring it to its 1916 glory. Their efforts are ongoing, and you can contribute to this worthy cause.Every Saturday night, the museum staff show silent movies on film with live piano accompaniment. It’s the berries! I attended two Saturdays ago. Here are the films we screened, with my comments. Pop yourself some corn, click on the links below (I carefully scoured the interwebs for the VERY BEST versions of these little gems), throw your laptop image and sound onto the biggest screen you can find, and you can recreate this wonderful night at the movies. Hire a big, tall Victorian woman to sit in front of you, wearing an impossible, huge, turn-of-the-century, Sunday-go-to-meeting-style hat... and then politely ask her, “LADY, PLEASE REMOVE YOUR HAT!”
The Immigrant (1917)The evening started with one of the twelve films that Charlie Chaplin made after he left Essanay for the Mutual Film Corporation in 1916. Mutual offered him more money. The total contract for $670,000—that was $10,000 per week with a signing bonus of $150,000. That’s the equivalent of $20 million in today’s money. Chaplin was expected to produce 12 two-reel comedy films over a 12-month period. It wound up taking 18 months.
The Immigrant is a very funny film with a dash of social commentary. I love when the immigrants aboard ship see the Statue of Liberty for the first time, the titles tell us “The Land of the Free,” and the immigrants are quickly herded behind a thick rope like cattle to be processed. Subtle!
The Baloonatic (1923)This celluloid hodgepodge was made when Buster Keaton was about to “graduate” to feature films. It represents Keaton’s attempt to use all the gags he had written down in his little notebook before he moved on to the stricter narrative requirements of longer movies. This probably explains the randomness of much of the film, and that randomness is one of the reasons I love it; it moves from carnival to sky to woods to lake and back to sky. The plot, such as it is, is just a laundry line upon which Keaton hangs his inventive gags. Considering the title, Keaton sure spends a lot of time in a BOAT.
What Price Goofy? (1925)Charlie Chase is largely forgotten today, and that is a shame because his films were very funny. (Check out Mighty Like a Moose or Movie Night if you ever have some spare time.) This film was a particular highlight at The Edison screening. Besides being very funny, the audience was experiencing the joy of discovery. I experienced that as well, as this was the only film screened that night that I had never seen. Is that a LEG sticking out of that bundle?
That’s My Wife (1929)Apparently, on nights that feature comedy shorts, it is a tradition at the Edison to end with a Laurel and Hardy film. This one did not disappoint. One of only a few films by the boys that sees Stan Laurel donning drag, I think the audience at The Edison was surprised by how racy parts of this film were. A necklace falls down the back of Stan’s dress, and the boys keep trying to find out-of-the-way-places in a nightclub where Ollie can retrieve it. I love the line when Ollie is caught groping Stan in a phone box, and Ollie calmly explains to a shocked onlooker, “Believe it or not, we were calling Philadelphia.”
Music was provided by Bruce Loeb on the piano and he did a terrific job, underscoring the films and the jokes. Basically, he was engaged to play a 90-minute solo recital. Bravo, Bruce.I wish more theaters, aside from reparatory theaters, art houses, and museums, would feature silent films. The sixty or so patrons who visited this 100-seat gem last Saturday were having a great time! It felt good to laugh with strangers. Perhaps one reason that silent comedies remain so popular is that, aside from clothing and hairstyles, human behavior remains remarkably consistent.
For any of my readers who happen to live in the Fremont area (or just don’t mind the drive), The Edison turns over its programming next weekend to silent horror movies, all featuring live music accompaniment and horror-themed comedy shorts. This Saturday, October 3, The Edison features an all-shorts program, including The Haunted House with Buster Keaton and Haunted Spooks with Harold Lloyd; October 10 features the 1922 Nosferatu; October 17 features the 1920 Cabinet of Dr. Caligari; October 24 features 1928’s The Last Warning; and Halloween features a screening of 1924’s Dante’s Inferno.
Another series that runs through October is Spooky Fridays. The Edison will screen Little Shop of Horrors (1960) on October 2, The Milpitas Monster (1976) on October 9, Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) on October 16, House on Haunted Hill (1959) on October 23, and the original Night of the Living Dead on All Hallow’s Eve Eve.
Oops. Gotta go. My wife and I are planning to call Philadelphia!

**Reel Talk: Our Plans for Scary Movie Month** Sep 28, 2026
Show notes

by Adam Riske and Sonia Mansfield
Adam and Sonia chat about their excitement for Scary Movie Month. What are you all planning to watch in October?
Adam: We’re back, and I’m pumped because it’s almost Scary Movie Month, one of the best months of my movie-watching year where I normally (irrationally) decide I can only watch horror movies for 31 days. I have a few screenings planned at repertory theatres already, know what movies I’m covering for podcasts/commentaries/articles at F This Movie, and I’ve set aside my stack of DVDs I want to either revisit or watch for the first time. I can’t wait to get into it. How about you, Sonia? Have you started your Scary Movie Month preparation yet?
Sonia: October is the best month of the year. It’s my birthday month (Libras, rise up!). Fall is officially happening, which means the weather is delightful and everything has pumpkin in it. Plus, it’s Scary Movie Month, so a lot of folks are talking about spooky stuff. I usually give myself a theme for Scary Movie Month. In the past, I’ve worked my way through the Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street movies, or I've just watched a lot of movies about vampires. One year I only picked movies from Patrick and Heather’s book In the Search of Darkness. This year I’m torn between two themes. Maybe you and the F This Movie community can help me decide.
A new show called Crystal Lake drops in October, and it's about the origins of Jason and Pam Voorhees, with Linda Cardellini as Pam Voorhees. This makes me think it’s a perfect time to work my way through the Friday the 13th movies. I’ve seen the first three multiple times (they were on cable a lot when I was a kid), but I’ve skipped a lot of the other sequels.
The other idea is I just go all in on witches. I thought Practical Magic 2 would have great witchy vibes and ease me into October, but I kinda hated it.
Adam, what do you think? Also, I’d love to hear how you decide what to watch. Now that practically everything ever made is available, it’s getting harder to make choices.
Adam: I kind of like the witch idea. I know I’ve accidentally watched a ton of vampire and werewolf movies during Scary Movie Months prior and didn’t realize I was doing that until near the end of the month. It’s fun and offers a lot of variety under a broad subgenre.
It’s funny you ask how I’m deciding on what to watch because up until a couple of weeks ago I was very structured in what I was watching. Everything was falling into a category or a project I was trying to complete like watching movies from 1998 or movies from 2006 that I wasn’t writing about for 2K Replay or they were movies I was covering at F This Movie or repertory screenings etc. It was good for taking the guesswork out of what to watch but also kind of took the fun out of watching movies. It became work and I felt guilty or like I was wasting my time if I was stuck watching something that didn’t fit into one of those boxes. I’m trying to have as little of a plan as possible this October.
I’ve also tried to watch 60 horror movies during Scary Movie Months in the past. It was the number I felt like I really went all-out on horror but didn’t get burnt out on horror over 31 days. I’m not sure (for mostly work and playoff baseball-related reasons…go White Sox hopefully!) I’ll get to 60 this year but I’m kind of curious how many I watch by winging it more than I have in the past.That said, I do have a bunch of ideas of what I plan to watch. I’d really like to catch up on 2026 horror next month. I’ve seen the big things like Obsession and Backrooms, but I’ve missed movies like Buddy, Evil Dead Burn, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, etc. I also have tickets purchased for a few repertory screenings like Aliens (in 70mm!), Se7en, Ernest Scared Stupid, Grindhouse, and the annual Music Box of Horrors marathon. I revisit some movies every October, like The Blob (1958), The Last Man on Earth, Bubba Ho-Tep, and the Tales from the Crypt movies, Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood. I also have a stack of movies I own I want to give another spin, like An American Werewolf in London, Hannibal, and Monkey Shines, to name a few. I just don’t want to make a list and feel like I have to check things off like I’ve done in the past.
Now that you’ve had many Scary Movie Months under your belt, what is your favorite part of the month typically? It can be movie-related, something at the site, general Halloween goodness, etc. Also, have you established any Scary Movie Month quirks? I know one of mine is that by October 5th I’ve either thought I’ve fucked up my whole month with no chance of recovery based on picking one of two bad movies to watch upfront and/or I get sad the month is almost over even though it barely has started.
Sonia: My biggest quirk probably isn’t that unusual. I spent waaaay too much time debating what to watch, switching from streamer to streamer before I finally end up watching one of Scary Movie Month regulars, like The Love Witch, a Halloween movie, or a Vincent Price movie (usually The Masque of the Red Death or The House on Haunted Hill).
This is why I like a theme. It makes it easier for me to narrow down my choices. But I get what you’re saying. It sucks when watching a movie feels like homework.
I have some 2026 horror to catch up on, too. I need to see Backrooms and Hokum. Also, I want to rewatch Obsession, a movie I loved the first time. I have a feeling it will hit harder with a second viewing. I’ve also got my eyes on the new releases Resident Evil and The Other Mommy.
I’m jealous of that Aliens screening. That’s one of my favorites, but another one of my favorites is screening in San Francisco: Poltergeist in 35mm. I can’t resist an opportunity to see it on a big screen with a crowd.
My favorite thing about Scary Movie Month is reading everyone’s 7-word reviews. It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway), the F This Movie community is pretty hilarious. It’s also a great place to get some movie recs.
By the way, I like to imagine that you and Patrick will watch Hannibal together, and you’ll just do your Mason Verger impression the entire time. If you do that, can I Zoom in? I just want to listen. You won’t even know I’m there.
What’s your favorite part of Scary Movie Month, Adam?
Adam: That’s a tough one. One of the peaks for me is the morning of the Music Box of Horrors marathon. There’s a lot of fun anticipation there. Or really anytime I go to see an 11:30am weekend matinee of a horror movie at that theater during October, because it means afterwards I can go to some nearby horror collectible stores/coffee shops and/or the bars that turn themselves into haunted houses over by Wrigley Field, which is within walking distance of the Music Box.
Another standout is when Patrick and I record our F This Movie commentary track with Mike to kick off Scary Movie Month (we always get Pizza Hut beforehand and it’s like peak silliness all night) and when Patrick and I record our Scary Movie Month podcast and go over our month-to-date Scary Movie Month watching/7-word reviews, etc.
I try to pepper the month with a lot of Halloween season activity (e.g. seasonal farmers markets etc.) so I’m keeping the spirit alive since it’s such an endorphin booster. I also kinda love Halloween night, but not because of Halloween (by the 31st I’m usually ready to wind down and move on), but because I start to get really excited for November and December especially. Q4 is my favorite time of year with Scary Movie Month kicking off the Holiday season.
I’m also looking forward to watching the Fat Albert Halloween Special, which I found on DVD for $8 at a resale shop. Should I admit that? Is Fat Albert also canceled, or just Bill Cosby?
This reminds me. Until now, I completely forgot I have to start decorating for Halloween/Scary Movie Month soon!
Question for you…since I love love love your ‘working at a movie theater’ stories…do you have any memorable October/horror movie experiences from when you worked at a theater?
I remember when I worked at Blockbuster that The Blair Witch Project came out on VHS around Halloween and we got all of these other tapes for a bonus feature-type documentary called Sticks & Stones, which was on the shelf next to Blair Witch in hopes people would rent both. After Halloween, no one really rented either, especially Sticks & Stones. By the next year, we got a memo to not return the extra copies of Sticks & Stones we couldn’t sell off (as previously viewed tapes) but to…destroy them??? That night after work me and my fellow coworkers were like “Uh, should we hit them? Unfurl the tape?” We eventually just started chucking them onto the roof of the building. The location is now a T-Mobile. I wonder if VHS copies of Sticks & Stones are still up there, having braved 27 years of Chicago winters.
Sonia: I like to think that someone who works at T-Mobile climbed up on the roof and upon discovering those tapes they decided not to jump. You saved lives, Adam!Obviously, a lot of horror movies come out in October. This meant that every October customers would ask me if a specific movie was scary, and it would go something like this:
Customer: “Is Halloween 5 scary?”
Me: “Well, it’s a horror movie, so, umm, yeah.”
Customer: “Do you think I could handle it?”
Me: “I don’t know you, but, umm, no?”
And scene.
My theater had Leprechaun 2, and almost no one bought a ticket for the entire week. *cue Mark Jones voice* The movie had a short run. When the projectionist was breaking down the film (meaning the projectionist unspools the giant reel of film onto smaller reels for transport), he noticed that two of the reels were in the wrong order! The few people who did see it, didn’t even notice. My coworkers thought it was hilarious, but I was bummed for those Leprechaun fans. They didn’t see the movie as director Rodman Flender intended.
Thanks for talking about Scary Movie Month with me, Adam.
Now it’s your turn, dear readers. What are your Scary Movie Month plans? How do you decide what to watch?

**TIFF 2026 Rankings** Sep 28, 2026
Show notes
by Joel EdmistonWell, TIFF is over and I am back to my regular life. Just one shift at my nine-to-five and it already feels like things are normal again.
Feels weird writing this article to be honest. What a silly thing I just did for a week and a half. Even doing this slapdash ranking feels odd. These are just 21 movies I watched. Anybody could’ve watched them. I guess, yes, they were all at the same film festival, and yes, I saw them early, so I suppose I am allowed to write this article without getting all existential, if that’s even what I’m doing. For some reason, I am picturing the readers of this article to be all the contractors in their 60s that I saw at Home Depot today, me telling them “So at number 21, I have Fjord, which may be controversial since it won a big prize in France,” and them looking at me saying, “OK, little buddy.” But, no, this is a movie site. It’s not that deep, Joel. I saw 21 movies at a film festival and I am putting them in order, based on my enjoyment.
I am writing a little bit about each of the movies I haven’t written about in my previous round-ups. Unfortunately, it started getting tough securing tickets for the victory lap screenings of the buzzed-about movies, so I wasn't eating great for a few days. I fear that if you are reading my work for the first time here, you will think I’m a very negative man. The bottom four in this list all have lil blurbs and then you don’t hear from me for a bit. Please know, I love movies. I liked most of the movies I saw this week. Luckily, on my last day I was able to snag a couple good ones, including the big winner of the People’s Choice Award, La Bola Negra. For good measure, I will provide some extra words about my number one.
A couple of the ones I didn’t end up getting to: River, Arrested Memory, The Face of Horror, Club Kid I Play Rocky, Elsinore. The first four I do wish I’d seen, and then with I Play Rocky and Elsinore I have some FOMO about simply out of obligation.
21. Fjord (dir. Cristian Mungiu)
I saw this on the first day of fest and I famously forgot to write about it, realized this before publishing, and remained staunch. I did not care to write about it. Its high approval rating has certainly contributed to my growing disdain for it. I simply just do not get what people like about this movie. The subject matter is pedantic and none of my business. I will not judge anyone who liked it, but it did nothing for me. Well, it kind of pissed me off, but not so much that I am gonna yell about it. It's all good. I’m fine.
20. The City of the Living (dir. Edoardo Gabbriellini)In a festival full of dramas hellbent on upsetting me, this one made me very sad. I did not care for that feeling. The movie ended and I thought to myself “Can we just not?” Like, can we just not make me sad like that? Who do I need to hug? Everyone do me a favor. Hug the filmmakers in your life so that I am not so sad next year. I get it. The world is fucked up, but damn, this was sad and it made me want to take a long, cold shower.
19. Trees Are Watching (dir. Bahman Ghobabi)
Another bummer. I really wanted to like the haunted chair movie, but it did nothing for me. Also, it seems like there’s some generative AI stuff in here, so it's not just the subject matter that's a bummer. Hey, there is a good scene where Eva Green fights a chair, but why does a movie with a scene like that in it gotta take itself so seriously?
18. Ink (dir. Danny Boyle)
This one starts strong, but as the movie goes on, I started to realize that the delights of the first half were all style and no substance. The ideas here about Rupert Murdoch's effect on society are presented to us as if it's some brilliant observation the movie’s just thought of and I just sat there like “Ya dude, we know. I agree it’s fucked but we’ve been saying this shit for a while.” And then it just keeps making the same point. Disappointing that Danny Boyle made this, not just because of the generative AI (but seriously what the hell guys). I will say, I don’t think the first half would have been as entertaining if it weren’t for him. He clearly still has a semblance of a fastball. I just hope he’s gotten this type of thing out of his system.
17. Rogue Trooper (dir. Duncan Jones)
16. The Spiral (dir. Paolo Strippoli)
15. Toy Gun Bandit (dir. Rémi St-Michel)
14. Woman Unknown (dir. May el-Toukhy)
13. God Bless You, Mr. Kopu (dir. Alex Liu)
12. Possible Love (dir. Lee Chang-dong)11. Ladies and Gentlemen, Brian Mulroney (dir. Matt Rankin)
10. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (dir. Noah Segan)
9. Anchors Aweigh (dir. Matt Barats)
8. Half (dir. Samjad)
This one’s a total ripper. A pair of twins get robbed and left for dead, but guess what? They have Wolverine powers (or I guess they’re vampires maybe?) and all their wounds heal overnight and now they’re gonna go fuck up the lowlifes who fucked them over. Awesome fight scenes and a handful of despicable villains who you want to see get their shit rocked so badly and then they do and it rules.
7. La Bola Negra (dir. Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi)While I didn’t weep like the two people on either side of me, it’s undeniable that this movie packs a huge emotional punch. I think had I seen this earlier in the week, I may have been a puddle. Had it been a little longer, I may have been a different kind of puddle. A puddle of piss. This movie is long and I don’t think I could’ve held it any longer. The washrooms at the TIFF Lightbox are so far away from the theatre. It was the longest walk of my life. My knees nearly buckled and then at the urinals I felt like Austin Powers in that scene in the first Austin Powers movie when he takes a piss for the first time after being frozen for 30 years. But yes, the movie is long, but it kind of needs to be. It’s telling three stories, and all of them need time to breathe. I fear rushing through any of the character stuff in the first half would be detrimental to what the second half achieves. I found the way in which the three stories are connected to be quite clever, even though it’s eventually told to us in a rather obvious scene of exposition. But hey, at least this movie sort of does a variation on James Cameron’s “put your exposition in a car chase,” but instead of a car chase, it’s Glenn Close.
6. The Debut (dir. Jesse Eisenberg)
5. Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother (dir. Basam Tariq)
4. Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo (dir. Takashi Mikke)
3. The Stunt Driver (dir. Michael Dowse)
2. Tender Loving Care (dir. Mike Leigh)
1. Wild Horse Nine (dir. Martin McDonagh)I’ll admit it feels kind of lame that in a festival full of movies from all over the world from so many filmmakers and genres, my number one is probably the most mainstream of the lot. What can I say? It really got me. I’m a fan of Martin McDonagh, but I really think he’s operating on all cylinders here, combining the strengths of all his works and shedding the things I’ve complained about with him. While funny and well-paced, I’ve always found his scripts a bit writerly at times, which makes me think about him rather than his characters. Wild Horse Nine is totally engrossing, which, yes, is in large part due to the performances, but I think it’s McDonagh’s most coherent screenplay yet. I rewatched In Bruges last week and I loved it, but I did at times feel like it was about the universal experience of feeling guilty about being a hitman. Wild Horse Nine makes the inner turmoil of its violent main characters more relatable, more lived-in, truly heartbreaking. It is also an urgent piece of work. Never in a heavy-handed way, but this is about our times, who is complicit in fascism, how to act when resistance feels pointless, what we can do to reckon with our own actions or inaction. It’s not always hopeful, and its stand-up-and-cheer moments always have a tinge of moral questionability, but it is hilarious and the laughs don’t ever stop, even in the hardest-hitting scenes. The true reason this is my number one is because it is the answer to the question “What do I most desperately want to be released widely, so that I can watch it again?”
Thank you for reading.

**Weekend Open Thread** Sep 26, 2026
Show notes

**Review: PRIMETIME** Sep 25, 2026
Show notes

by Rob DiCristino
In which our Robert Pattinson summer transitions to our Robert Pattinson fall.
In the decade and change since he wrapped up his work on the Twilight saga, Robert Pattinson has quietly put together one of the most eccentric and fascinating filmographies in Hollywood. He’s become a favorite collaborator of auteurs like Christopher Nolan, David Cronenberg, Werner Herzog, Bong Joon Ho, and Hayao Miyazaki. He’s boosted newcomers like Josh Safdie and Robert Eggers, and he’s even strapped on the cowl of The Goddamn Batman just for good measure. Though he’s blessed with leading-man good looks and impossible charm, Pattinson has eschewed the path of conventional A-listers like Brad Pitt and George Clooney at every turn, resisting easy paychecks from brainless actioners and romantic comedies — unless they’re absolute freakshows like this year’s underrated The Drama — and taking the road less traveled. Good thing, too. A “normal” acting career would be a waste of Pattinson’s left-handed, cock-eyed potential, and our cinematic landscape is a far better place thanks to his unwavering commitment to the offbeat and the absurd.It should be no surprise, then, that Pattinson’s flavor of four-quadrant drama would be renowned documentarian Lance Oppenheim’s narrative debut, Primetime, a sleazy, strung-out thriller that chronicles the rise of 2000s NBC tentpole To Catch a Predator and its star, Chris Hansen. Eager to dethrone Lost as the gold standard in Must-See TV, Hansen (Pattinson) weaponizes America’s lurid fascination with its own depravity by drawing would-be child sex predators into the “homes” of youthful decoys like Dan Plumb (Skyler Gisondo) and Del Harvey (Phoebe Bridgers, in her acting debut) before exposing them live on camera and turning them over to the police. Hansen’s smug self-assurance makes him the ideal mouthpiece for a nation of deluded malcontents, an audience of hypocrites and moralizers too oblivious to admit their own complicity in the perversions of their society. Along with ruthless producer Andie Bender (Merritt Wever, channeling Faye Dunaway in Network), Hansen plumbs the depths of the Heartland for the sickest monsters he can find.
But as Oppenheim and screenwriter Ajon Singh illuminate with endless perverse pleasure, flop-sweated attention seekers like Hansen need not look very far for sickness and depravity. Hansen’s serial philandering already has his picture-perfect marriage to Mary Joan (Anna Faris, in a rare dramatic turn) hanging on by a thread, and his unscrupulous approach to Predator’s production standards — including selling branded thongs that read “Contents Are Over the Age of 18” on the show’s official website — leaves many of his targets rightfully questioning the sturdiness of his particular high horse. As Predator’s popularity builds to a fever pitch, Hansen and his team find themselves uncomfortable bedfellows with its Extremely Normal and Well-Adjusted fanbase — overfunded redneck police departments, kill-crazy online vigilantes, NBCUniversal program director Jeff Zucker, etc. — who lead them to their biggest score yet: Rockwell County, Texas’ Assistant District Attorney and budding sexual predator, Bill Conradt (Alex Winter; yes, that Alex Winter).Combining the withering social commentary of Paddy Chayefsky with the grimy nihilism of Dan Gilroy’s masterful Nightcrawler, Primetime tosses out the conventional “Based on a True Story” playbook in favor of something darker, nastier, and infinitely more excoriating. This isn’t the tale of a journalist who loses his integrity — NBC Nightly News’ Stone Phillips (Bill Heck) never tires of reminding Hansen that he’s always been a hack and always will be — or a parable about the bold lengths that Good must go to in order to bring down Evil. No, everyone on the Predator team revels in their abhorrent opportunism, from Hansen — who believes catching a well-connected sicko will absolve him of his own transgressions — through Bender — who joyfully admits to a rival producer that she doesn’t care much for “the feel-good stuff” — all the way down to “Decoy” Dan Plumb, who’s willing to play as many hairless twinks as it takes for him to get a SAG card. Only Bridgers’ Del Harvey grows a conscience, but her revolution is so muted and incidental that we barely notice it at all.Primetime’s detractors will argue that it lacks any substantive insight into human nature or investigative journalism, especially in the wake of David Osit’s 2025 documentary on the same subject, Predators. That may be a fair criticism! But Oppenheim and Pattinson are not crafting an archetypal tragic hero here. This isn’t the Rise and Fall of Henry Hill. Their Chris Hansen isn’t Jay Gatsby. He isn’t Daniel Plainview. The Chris Hansen of Primetime is a fucking vampire — a selfish, contemptible degenerate who embodies David Fincher’s great maxim on the human race: “People are liars and perverts.” Why does he risk his marriage to fuck random women? Because he’s a shithead! Why does he weaponize the deep-seated personality disorders of honeypot hackers like Xavier Von Erck (Matthew Maher)? Because he’s a sociopath! Audiences hoping for a psychological profile of “social deviants” like the men Hansen targets (including familiar faces like Tony Revolori and Jonathan Lipnicki) are missing the point of Primetime: We’re all culpable. We’re all guilty. It’s as simple as that.
Primetime hits U.S. theaters on Friday, September 25th.

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