Movies

Director Brandon Christensen has a successful history with Shudder, with previous films like *Z*, *The Puppetman*, and *Superhost* all proving popular. His latest, *Night of the Reaper*, feels like a classic horror novel from the 1980s – and even its poster captures that retro vibe. But it’s more than just a nostalgic trip. While shows like *Stranger Things* have recently brought 1980s aesthetics back into the spotlight, many attempts to recreate that era’s look and feel fall short. *Night of the Reaper*, however, perfectly captures the true essence of the ’80s, and it might surprise you.

Over the years on 90 Day Fiancé, we’ve definitely seen cast members change a lot – like Tiffany Franco after losing weight, or Andrew Kenton getting much more muscular. But even after watching for a long time, I haven’t seen anything quite like what’s happening with Matt and Jasmine, and honestly, their reasons for changing make a lot of sense.

Adapted from Elena Ferrante’s novel, *The Lost Daughter* first premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and went on to receive widespread critical praise after screenings at other festivals and its release on Netflix. The film is a deeply moving and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of motherhood and the mother-daughter relationship, with Olivia Colman delivering a nuanced and unforgettable performance as the central character, Leda, in this psychological drama.

When a team-building retreat in Eastern Europe turns deadly, seven colleagues must fight for their lives. Sabotage and a ruthless enemy turn a simple weekend into a terrifying struggle for survival against a dangerous, forgotten force. They’ll face treacherous traps and brutal attacks, and quickly realize that teamwork isn’t enough when the goal is simply to survive – and that being stuck with your coworkers while facing mortal danger isn’t ideal.

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team are still working to stop a dangerous artificial intelligence called the Entity, which has hacked into intelligence agencies worldwide. As governments pursue them, and a figure from Ethan’s past reappears, Hunt teams up with new allies. They have a chance to permanently disable the Entity, but they must act quickly to prevent a catastrophic global shift.

The third season of *Murder, She Wrote* included a particularly clever episode called “The Days Dwindle Down.” While crossovers between TV shows and movies are common today—think of how the Marvel Cinematic Universe connects its films and series—they usually happen within the same shared universe. *Murder, She Wrote* did something truly unique: this episode functioned as both a sequel and a remake of a 1949 film. With a new *Murder, She Wrote* movie starring Jamie Lee Curtis as Jessica Fletcher on the way, it’s a great time to revisit this exceptionally original episode.

You wouldn’t typically expect to see DC Comics mentioned in a film centered around the Yale philosophy department. However, a poster for the WWII hero Sgt. Rock – specifically the cover of *Sgt. Rock vs. Army of the Dead* – appears briefly when Julia Roberts’ character walks past a comic book store. This creates a timeline problem because that particular comic wasn’t published until 2022, yet the movie, *After the Hunt*, is set in 2019. Beyond the timeline issue, the reference is a poignant reminder of how close fans came to seeing a *Sgt. Rock* movie directed by Luca Guadagnino. This explains why the respected Italian director included the comic and details about the project that ultimately didn’t happen.

It’s hard to pick a best story from this collection, as they all deliver unique scares for horror fans. However, the third story is particularly noteworthy for its fresh take on a familiar legend. Werewolves have been a staple of horror for ages, appearing in countless films with a consistent theme: someone is bitten, transforms painfully, and becomes cursed by the moon. But in *Trick ‘r Treat*, director Dougherty flips the werewolf myth on its head, presenting the transformation not as a curse, but as a symbol of female power fueled by desire instead of lunar cycles.

In a recent appearance on NPR, Ford was asked about the best piece of advice he ever ignored, because sometimes advice is just terrible. The actor implied that he always ignored whatever advice he had been given. He indicated he hadn’t necessarily been given much, probably because he says he probably looked like somebody who wouldn’t listen to it.

Prices for many items increased earlier this month, and while everyone will notice higher ticket costs, some things actually went up in price by a larger amount. It seems like Star Wars fans, in particular, experienced a significant impact.