This week on Friday Night Frightfest, our ultimate Evil Dead retrospective series reaches its devastating, blood-soaked climax! After surviving the cabin in the woods and journeying back to the Middle Ages, we are bringing the Necronomicon into modern, inhabited spaces. We’re pairing Lee Cronin’s terrifying high-rise nightmare, Evil Dead Rise (2023), with the franchise's newest installment that took the summer by storm, Sébastien Vaniček’s brutal Evil Dead Burn (2026). Lock the doors, stay away from the elevator, and whatever you do, don't trust your family. Evil Dead Rise (2023) Directed by L
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, our multi-part Evil Dead franchise retrospective marches onward! After surviving the cabin in our last episode, we are taking a wildly divergent double-road trip: first, traveling back in time to the Middle Ages for fantasy-slapstick mayhem, and then leaping forward to 2013 for one of the most unapologetically violent, blood-soaked horror reboots ever committed to film. Grab your boomstick—we are pitting Army of Darkness (1992) against Fede Álvarez's Evil Dead (2013)! Army of Darkness (1992) Directed by Sam Raimi, Army of Darkness abandons the cabin settin
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are heading deep into the Tennessee woods to kick off a brand-new multi-part retrospective series dedicated to the ultimate splatter-horror royalty! Over the next few episodes, we’ll be exploring the entire Evil Dead saga—from its scrappy, low-budget origins all the way to its modern reboots. To start our franchise journey, we’re pitting the raw, visceral terror of Sam Raimi’s original cabin-in-the-woods shocker, The Evil Dead (1981), against its legendary, laugh-out-loud slapstick horror-comedy follow-up, Evil Dead II (1987). Strap in as we track Bruce
Lock your doors, turn down the lights, and grab a glass of whatever keeps your nerves steady—it is officially time for our Annual Year in Review! We’ve spent the last twelve months tracking the cinematic highs, the baffling lows, and the absolute bloodbaths that have graced both theater screens and streaming platforms. In this episode, we’ll be counting down our official top 10 and bottom 5 films of the entire year! What a wild, terrifying, and hilarious ride it has been! Grab your drinks, settle in, and get ready as we break down our absolute favorites (and our biggest disappointments) of the
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are logging on and diving deep into the dark corners of internet-born folklore! Online urban legends—lovingly dubbed "creepypastas"—have officially conquered the silver screen, moving from text-based forums to major cinematic blockbusters. We are pairing Kane Parsons’ massive, record-breaking summer box office smash Backrooms (2026) with the indie lo-fi horror anthology, Creepypasta (2023). Dust off your old CRT monitors and mind the static—you never know what's lurking in the digital void. Backrooms (2026) Talk about a viral phenomenon making history.
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are wrapping up our epic franchise retrospective with a massive grand finale! While the internet love to debate the ups and downs of parody history, we’re throwing out the critical consensus and embracing the pure, unadulterated fun of the franchise's later eras. We are looking at an entry that deserve a lot more love: the hyper-chaotic, early-2010s time capsule Scary Movie 5 (2013) and the triumphant, star-studded legacy revival that just crushed the summer box office, Scary Movie (2026). Grab your popcorn—we’re closing this series out with non-stop la
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re entering the "Zucker Era" of the parody world! After the Wayans brothers moved on, legendary comedy director David Zucker (Airplane!) took the reins, shifting the franchise from gross-out gags to rapid-fire, slapstick absurdity. We’re comparing the blockbuster pivot Scary Movie 3 (2003) with the sci-fi-fueled madness of Scary Movie 4 (2006). It’s time for crop circles, cursed tapes, and alien tripods! Scary Movie 3 (2003) Widely considered the peak of the sequels, Scary Movie 3 masterfully weaves together the plots of The Ring and Signs. Cindy Campbe
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re trading pure terror for some classic meta-commentary and a whole lot of "Wazzup!" In anticipation of the Scary Movie reboot coming out this year, we are going back to the duo that started the parody phenomenon. We’re comparing the original slasher-skewering Scary Movie (2000) with its supernatural-themed sequel Scary Movie 2 (2001). Grab your popcorn and watch out for the killer—if he isn’t too busy getting high! Scary Movie (2000) Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, the first Scary Movie took the late-90s horror resurgence and turned it on its head. Pr
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re going "ape" over a terrifyingly specific subgenre: the lab-enhanced simian nightmare! We are looking at a classic piece of "scientific-experiment-gone-wrong" horror by comparing George A. Romero’s psychological thriller Monkey Shines (1988) with the highly anticipated, high-tech creature feature Primate (2026). Grab your bananas, but watch your back—these monkeys are smarter (and meaner) than you think! Monkey Shines (1988) Directed by the legendary George A. Romero, this film explores the terrifying bond between a man and his "helper." After a tragi
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are hitting the "lucky number seven" of two of the greatest slasher sagas in history! We are comparing two of the most daring entries in their respective franchises: the telekinetic showdown Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) and the groundbreaking meta-masterpiece Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994). It’s a clash between the ultimate supernatural slasher and the movie that dared to break the fourth wall before "meta" was a household word. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) Directed by John Carl Buechler, The New Blood is often cit
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are celebrating the ultimate "bad in-laws" survival guide! We’re revisiting the film that turned a wedding night into a heavy-metal bloodbath and comparing it to its highly anticipated, high-stakes sequel. We’re pitting the 2019 cult hit Ready or Not against the brand-new, expanded chaos of Ready or Not 2 (2026). Hide your crossbows and lace up your sneakers—it’s time for a family reunion from hell. Ready or Not (2019) Directed by the Radio Silence team (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett), this film introduced us to Grace (Samara Weaving), a bride
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are exploring the terror of "Found Audio" and hijacked airwaves. We’re looking at how a simple recording can become a gateway to obsession and ancient evil. We’re comparing A24’s latest descent into audible terror, undertone (2026), with the gritty, neo-noir mystery of Broadcast Signal Intrusion (2021). Whether it’s a podcast co-host sending you cursed files or a masked figure interrupting the nightly news, these films prove that some signals should never be decoded. undertone (2026) Written and directed by Ian Tuason in a stunning directorial debut, un
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are pushing the boundaries of reality and the silver screen. We’re comparing the highly anticipated, full-circle return of the Ghostface saga, Scream 7 (2026), with the ultimate "meta" love letter to 80s slashers, The Final Girls (2015). It’s an episode dedicated to the women who survive, the rules they break, and the generational impact of slasher trauma. Scream 7 (2026) Directed by the franchise’s original creator, Kevin Williamson, Scream 7 is a massive cinematic event that brings the story back to its roots. After the chaos in New York, we return to
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re slicing into the modern "requel" era of the most self-aware franchise in horror history. With Scream 7 currently on the horizon for 2026, we’re looking back at the two films that successfully passed the torch from the Woodsboro legacy to the "Core Four." We’re comparing the 25th-anniversary homecoming of Scream (2022) with the big-city brutality of Scream VI (2023). Scream (2022) Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (collectively known as Radio Silence), this fifth installment serves as a "requel"—a movie that functions as both a seque
ron Lung (2026) Marking the massive feature directorial debut of Markiplier, Iron Lung is a a film filled with existential dread and "minimalist" horror. Based on the 2022 cult hit game, the film is set in a future where a "Quiet Rapture" has caused all stars and planets to vanish. The remnants of humanity discover an ocean of blood on a desolate moon and send a convict (Fischbach) down to explore it in a ramshackle, windowless submarine nicknamed the "Iron Lung." Welded inside and relying only on a graining camera and a ticking proximity sensor, the protagonist must navigate the crimson depth
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are witnessing the rebirth of the film that redefined the zombie genre! Two decades after the infection first broke out, the original dream team of director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have returned to unleash a new trilogy. We are diving into the high-stakes survival of the long-awaited 28 Years Later (2025) and its immediate, myth-expanding follow-up, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026). The Rage virus is back, and it’s evolved. 28 Years Later (2025) Set nearly three decades after the initial outbreak in London, this film explores a world t
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re unwrapping a gift that keeps on giving... or rather, slaying. We are celebrating the return of the most controversial Santa in cinema history, comparing the infamous 80s slasher that caused parents to protest in the streets, Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), with the brand-new, twisted reimagining, Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025). Lock your chimneys and check your list twice—Billy is back! Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr., the original Silent Night, Deadly Night is a cornerstone of holiday horror. After witnessi
Deck the halls with boughs of... horror! This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re celebrating the dark side of the holiday season and pitting two modern festive slashers against each other: the neon-soaked, robotic rampage of Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022) and the clever, multiversal "what if" slasher It’s a Wonderful Knife (2023). Grab your cocoa (and maybe an axe), because Santa is coming to town—and he’s not bringing toys. Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022) Directed by Joe Begos, this film is a loud, proud, and incredibly gory tribute to 80s synth-horror and The Terminator. Tori Tooms
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are celebrating the glorious, chaotic energy of Nicolas Cage as we compare two distinct vampire films, both featuring his unique brand of eccentric intensity: the modern horror-comedy Renfield (2023) and the 90s psychological vampire tale Vampire's Kiss (1988). Renfield (2023) Directed by Chris McKay, Renfield is a dark comedy-horror film that reimagines the classic Dracula story through the eyes of his long-suffering henchman, R. M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult). Nicolas Cage delivers an unforgettable performance as Count Dracula himself, portraying the ic
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we are diving into the twisted world of Edgar Allan Poe adaptations filtered through the lens of Italian horror masters! We’re comparing two distinctly different takes on Poe’s works, both featuring the iconic killer feline: the atmospheric Giallo-tinged film The Black Cat (1981) from Lucio Fulci, and he anthology film Two Evil Eyes (1990), directed by Dario Argento and George A. Romero. The Black Cat (1981) Directed by the "Godfather of Gore," Lucio Fulci, this film is a loose, Gothic interpretation of Poe's famous short story. Set in a small English vill
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we're facing a chilling truth: nothing is scarier than when the children are not alright. We're exploring the horrific subgenre of "creepy kids" or "kids in danger" by comparing the \ multi-perspective horror epic Weapons (2025) from the director of Barbarian, and the recent Blumhouse chiller There's Something Wrong with the Children (2023). Weapons (2025) Directed by Zach Cregger, Weapons is an ambitious, sprawling horror film that centers on a terrifying mystery in the small town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania. The plot follows the case of seventeen children
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re stepping back in time and into your television screen to explore the scariest subgenre of horror: the fake live broadcast! We're comparing two films that blur the lines between reality and terror: the American analog horror cult classic WNUF Halloween Special (2013) and the infamous, nation-terrifying British pseudo-documentary Ghostwatch (1992). WNUF Halloween Special (2013) Directed by Chris LaMartina, this film is presented as a salvaged VHS recording of a local TV station's 1987 Halloween night special. A cynical reporter, Frank Stewart, takes a
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we're tackling a horrifying real-life case that has inspired decades of terror! We are bringing our extensive deep dive into the Conjuring Universe to a chilling conclusion by comparing the final main installment of the cinematic saga, The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025), with an older, made-for-TV movie based on the very same haunting: The Haunted (1991). The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025) Directed by Michael Chaves, The Conjuring: Last Rites is set to be the final chapter featuring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren. Based on the infamo
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we're continuing our journey through the chilling Warrenverse, exploring instances where demonic influence takes center stage. We'll be comparing The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021), which delves into a real-life murder trial with a supernatural defense, against the direct demonic confrontation of The Nun II (2023). Get ready for legal scares and unholy terrors! The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) Directed by Michael Chaves, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It takes a darker and more grounded approach, inspired by the real-life trial
This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we're diving into the more direct demonic confrontations within the Warrenverse! We're pitting the terrifying origin story of a powerful demonic entity, The Nun (2018), against the chilling installment that brings multiple cursed artifacts to life, Annabelle Comes Home (2019). Get ready for intense scares and a closer look at the forces of evil Ed and Lorraine Warren battled! The Nun (2018) Directed by Corin Hardy, The Nun takes us back to 1952 Romania to explore the terrifying origins of the demonic nun Valak, who first terrorized Lorraine Warren in The C
