Wolf Man (2025) directed by Leigh Whannell, starring Julia Garner

Under normal circumstances this would have strictly been a "wait for streaming" release. But I was itching to see something that wasn't a revival, and I didn't have a NOSFERATU or THE BRUTALIST in me.

It's hard to believe this paint-by-numbers horror outing was conceived by Leigh Whannell, the guy who created and wrote SAW (not my favorite franchise, but at least it had an interesting concept) and was the writer/director behind the decent INVISIBLE MAN adaptation from 2020. (Though, as Ryan pointed out, that film succeeds more because of Elizabeth Moss than anything else.)

Stay-at-home dad Blake, his ambitious/never around journalist wife Charlotte, and their annoying daughter travel to Oregon after Blake’s father is officially declared dead. Seems ex-military, hardcase, loner nut dad has been missing for a while, and they need to go clean out his off-the-grid farm. Did I mention the nearby woods are purported to be home to some kind of manimal that Blake and his dad encountered when he was a kid?

ANYWAY… Blake has gone soft and gets himself bit by said manimal, so Charlotte has to kick into protector role, etc. The plot lurches along to the telegraphed conclusion, occasionally pausing for moments of ridiculous horror movie hilarity, but not the good kind of horror movie hilarity.

As the teenager in the lobby told his friend afterwards, “it was aight, I’d rather been watching MUFASA”. — Dan Taylor

Exploitation Retrospect Returns with 130 Page 30th Anniversary Issue!

The Journal of Junk Culture and Fringe Media returns with a super-sized 30th anniversary issue clocking in at 130 pages! 

This time out the ER Crew looks at the world of horror anthology films with a special review section featuring SLAUGHTER TALES (2012), TORTURE GARDEN (1967), THE UNCANNY (1977), TOMB OF TERROR (2004), HOLIDAYS (2016), GRIM PRAIRIE TALES (1990), ASYLUM (1972), THE BURNING MOON (1992), CRADLE OF FEAR (2007), SCREAMS OF A WINTER NIGHT (1979) and many more. Plus, we look inside the world of 21st century anthology flicks with filmmaker Scarlet Fry.

We remember THE DESTROYER co-creator Warren Murphy with an interview by The Paperback Fanatic and examine the legacy of Don Pendleton's Mack Bolan (THE EXECUTIONER) and other men's action heroes via reviews, articles and an interview with author Mike Newton.

Obscure horror gets its due thanks to an interview with Gary Wallace (star of video store oddity THE JAR) while Evan Romero waxes nostalgic about Joe D'Amato's PORNO HOLOCAUST and breaks down the films of Jorg Buttgereit.

Longing for the sights, sounds and smells of old movie theaters? Take a trip through Kris Gilpin's theatrical scrapbook while Chris Poggiali examines the history of hot pants cinema.

And what would an issue of Exploitation Retrospect be without a bulging review section? Join Douglas Waltz, Mitch Lovell, John Grace, Devin Kelly, David Zuzelo, Jim Ivers, Evan Romero, Eric Miller, Neil Vokes, Robert Segedy, Mike Hauss and Dan Taylor as they dive deep into a video vortex of horror, action, exploitation and sleaze.

The new issue is currently available from CreateSpace as well as Amazon.

If you prefer to order direct from the publisher, please visit the ER website.

Cinesludge Returns with a Double Bill of Hairy Hijinks!

The Evil Monks of Cinesludge Abbey have extracted themselves from mounds of snow and paperwork to return with an all new episode!

This time out it's a double dose of hairy hijinks from Fred Olen Ray that come under the spooky spotlight – the mutant-wolf-on-the-loose gorefest of DIRE WOLF aka DINO WOLF (2009) and the T&A horrorshow featuring Paul Naschy known as THE UNLIVING (2004), recently unleashed on an unsuspecting public like Waldemar Daninsky attacking some grubby peasants.

So sit back, crack a brew (or two) and enjoy!

If you want to watch first, DIRE WOLF and THE UNLIVING are both available at Amazon.

You can listen to the latest episode at Cinesludge or iTunes.