Barbarian (2022)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year: Barbarian (2022)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Length:  1h 42min
Rating: R
Director: Zach Cregger
Writer: Zach Cregger
Actors: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis, Richard Brake, Kurt Braunohler, Jaymes Butler, Sophie Sörensen, Rachel Fowler, JR Esposito, Kate Nichols, Kate Bosworth, Brooke Dillman, Sara Paxton, Will Greenberg

Metacritic Blurb: In town for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that her rental has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway, but soon discovers that there is much more to be afraid of in the house than the other house guest.

Cat’s Point of View:
The first time I watched Barbarian; I did have some expectations because I had watched the trailer in preparation for September 2022’s Top 20list. This made my #11 spot and Selina had Barbarian listed as her #12. In another month, it might have cracked the Top 10 for me, but it had really stiff competition at the time with the likes of The Munsters reboot, Clerks III, and Hocus Pocus 2 releasing during the same general timeframe. I digress…

The trailer had given me chills and left me with a lingering sense of disquiet and dread, as well as many questions. I compared my initial perception of the story to a crazy amalgamation of nightmare Reddit stories and an Airbnb double-booking from hell.

That being said, it’s almost spoilers to even talk about that much of the plot. I think the trailer actually gives away too much. If you want the full impact of this movie – go watch it blind. Don’t watch the trailer, and try to forget anything you’ve read here that has given anything away.

If you need some training wheels with your psychological horror and thrills, then some fore-knowledge might soften the blow of what’s to come…a little.

Barbarian does, in fact, offer us a bleak story of barbarism on multiple levels, in addition to the wink wink, nudge nudge play on words involving the film’s setting. Some of it is quite intentional, while, I’ve read that writer and director, Zach Cregger (The Civil War on Drugs, Newsboyz, Weapons) chalks some up to coincidence.

Whether the many fan-theorized layers to the title of Barbarian are substantiated or not is beside the point, however. Cregger has woven together a truly horrific story that was cringe-inducing and eerily plausible (if a bit far-fetched).

I am really looking forward to watching Cregger’s new horror movie that is releasing soon in 2025. With the skillful twists and turns he employed with Barbarian, I expect that not only will the next one hit hard, but it will find a way to blindside audiences with chilling surprises much like Barbarian did.

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 92%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score –70%
Metascore – 78%
Metacritic User Score – 6.8/10
IMDB Score – 7.0/10

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

Movie Trailer:

Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (2021)

Streaming Service: Netflix
Movie Name/Year:  Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (2021)
Original Title: Fear Street: 1994
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Length:  1h 47min
Rating: R
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writers: R.L. Stine, Kyle Killen, Phil Graziadei, Leigh Janiak
Based On: Fear Street book series by R.L. Stine
Actors: Maya Hawke, Charlene Amoia, David Thompson, Ryan Torres, Noah Bain Garret, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Ashley Zukerman, Kiana Madeira, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, Fred Hechinger, Matt Burke, Matthew Zuk, Olivia Scott Welch, Jeremy Ford, Elizabeth Scopel, Eric Mendenhall, Todd Allen Durkin, Jordyn DiNatale, Lloyd Pitts, Kevin Waterman, Emily Brobst, Keil Oakley Zepernick, Michael Chandler, Lacy Camp

IMDb Blurb: A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300 years. Welcome to Shadyside.

Selina’s Point of View:
I’m going to start by saying I was a rabid fan of R.L. Stine as a kid. I read every single Goosebumps that came out. Hit up the Scholastic book fair with the few dollars my mom gave me and bought out any R.L. Stine books I came across. Because of that, Fear Street: Part One – 1994 felt like a warm childhood hug.

It’s a horror that utilizes a bread slicer as a weapon, so I understand how strange that sounds. Cat and I have been discussing what goes into the definition of a “comfort movie” for someone, and I think this fits right into that discussion. My favorite comfort movie is Jurassic Park (1993), after all, and people get eaten in that.

But I digress.

I never read the Fear Street books, but the story still feels familiar. It’s reminiscent of 80s and 90s horror flicks like Friday the 13th (1980) and Scream (1996). It follows a lot of the same familiar horror movie rules and still manages to end in a way that’s a bit unexpected.

There are some plot holes that could be attributed to either the books or the adaptation. I have to hold it against the film, though, because I’m unfamiliar with the original material. Some people die in situations that don’t make sense, seeing how the secondary characters manage to stay safe as long as they do.

Despite that, the acting is on point, and the film is a pleasure to watch. For horror fans, I could absolutely see it being someone’s comfort flick.

Cat’s Point of View:
I was rather surprised to discover that we hadn’t already reviewed the Fear Street trilogy that had premiered as Netflix Original features back in 2021. I remembered that I had watched them and enjoyed them. I also recall distinctly writing about them. Alas, it was apparently just regarding my #12 entry on July 2021’s Top 20 list, where I placed all 3 together as a unit due to their release dates following only a week apart within that same month. I digress…

When the newest Fear Street movie, Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025) hit Netflix recently, it took me back to my fond memories of watching the first three. It would be weird if we covered the newest without visiting the trilogy that came first, though. Thus, here we are.

I was happy to watch Fear Street: Part One – 1994 again to refresh my memory. This time, my daughter was excited to watch with me. She hadn’t been into horror movies when these first released. We fell all the way down the rabbit hole and binged the trilogy. I’m only covering the first installment here, however.

Part One sets the stage for the overall adventure. There’s a good bit of lore both touched on in obvious and subtle ways. Some of the characters don’t seem to have quite as much depth in this first bit of story, but trust me when I say that things do develop as the overall 3-part story arc progresses.

From odes to the era in which this movie was set and the slasher genre to the details that highlighted the contrast between neighboring rival towns of Sunnyvale and Shadyside, this really felt like a R.L. Stine book come to life. Of course, he is the author of the Fear Street series these stories were adapted from.  One of the aspects I appreciated about these films, beginning with Fear Street: Part One – 1994, was that the production team wasn’t afraid to lean into the darkness and give the teen-scream series an R rating. Stine’s Goosebumps series felt more appropriate to the PG-13 range. R. L. Stine is great for offering chills for a wide age range.

One thing to note about this trilogy is that it is not, in fact, an anthology as I originally guessed. Each movie leads directly into the next. While the three films lean heavily into the time mentioned in their titles, they are exploring an interconnected story that spans hundreds of years. The end of each movie closes with “to be continued” and dives right into a sneak peek at the next installment. It was very easy to binge all three, and Netflix also offers an option to skip the recap in the next installment.

If you’re a fan of slashers, I’d highly recommend giving the Fear Street trilogy a try. 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 84%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 63%
Metascore –  67%
Metacritic User Score – 5.8/10
IMDB Score – 6.2/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 3.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4.5/5

Movie Trailer:

Killer Countdown: Super 8 (2011)

 

 

Streaming Service: Hulu

Movie Name/Year: Super 8 (2011)

Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Length: 1h 52min

Rating: PG-13

Director: J.J. Abrams

Writer: J.J. Abrams

 

Actors: Joel Courtney, Jessica Tuck, Joel McKinnon Miller, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Riley Griffiths, Gabriel Basso, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, AJ Michalka, Andrew Miller, Jakob Miller, Jade Griffiths, Britt Flatmo, Elle Fanning, Glynn Turman, Noah Emmerich, Richard T. Jones, David Gallagher, Brett Rice, Michael Giacchino, Beau Knapp, Bruce Greenwood, Dale Dickey, Jack Axelrod, Dan Castellaneta, Thomas F. Duffy, Teri Clark, Tom Quinn, Caitríona Balfe, Bingo O'Malley, Tony Guma, Marco Sanchez, Katie Lowes

 

Metacritic Blurb: In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

 

 

Cat’s Point of View:

This year for our spooky month series, we decided to bring you something a little different – a countdown of horror or thriller movies that have a number in the title. These aren't in a bad/good arrangement or even in order of desire to watch, as our Top 20 Lists usually are. We're set to have 8 reviews for you, including this one, between now and the end of October, thus counting down from 8 to 1. Some of these movies are a little off the beaten path, so to speak, but they sparked our curiosity.

 

That being said, we're kicking things off with Super 8. This wasn't my first watch of this film, but I remember it fondly. It was a fun retrospective as well as a nostalgia fix given the time-period of the setting. I was happy to give Super 8 a fresh look to bring you this review with a new experience, rather than memories from years ago.

 

 

Super 8 has a very 'kids-with-bikes' adventure quality, and while this is a Sci-fi/ Horror blend, it is definitely watchable for the age range of the kids depicted on the screen. There might be some content that might be too disturbing for the younger set, but the PG-13 rating is very appropriate. There's little to no “real” blood, tame language for the most part, and a good deal of the violent shenanigans are just off-screen or obscured in a way that you don't always see it directly. I think it's a brilliant touch that helps build the suspense throughout the movie. Our imaginations are very crafty with filling in the horrible blanks. Not only does the anticipation ramp up for the “big reveal,” but it's also a little cost-conscious for the production due to savings on the effects – putting the big bucks into the payoff scenes at the climax. I was relieved that there was an amazing reveal here that was worth the wait.

 

 

I would, honestly, expect no less from a production helmed by J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens) and with Steven Spielberg (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Ready Player One, West Side Story) as a producer greatly hands-on with the project. He is one of, if not my top favorite creative cinematic voices. I have adored his movies ever since I was literally a baby.

 

This movie offers a full range of emotions on this wild ride of a story. It opens with some deep dramatic notes that helps the audience invest in the characters. Then you get into some relatable coming-of-age stuff right as all hell breaks loose. The fewer details I discuss here, the better – trust me.

 

If you haven't already seen Super 8, this season of chills and thrills would be a great time to cue it up. If you have already watched this film in the past, then why not give it another spin? It was definitely a pleasant re-watch for me.

 

 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 81%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 75%

Metascore – 72%

Metacritic User Score – 7.3/10

IMDB Score – 7.0/10

 

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5

 

P.S – There is a mid-credits scene.

 

Movie Trailer: