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You could argue that THE OLD DARK HOUSE was too strange, and too early. Released in 1932, sandwiched between the earth-shaking shock of FRANKENSTEIN and THE INVISIBLE MAN, James Whale’s genre-blending haunted house film didn’t quite fit the mold of Universal’s monster-driven horror renaissance. It wasn’t a monster movie, and it wasn’t a straight gothic either—it was something else. Something campy and dry, macabre and absurd. And for years, it was nearly forgotten. Thanks to a meticulous 4K restoration and limited-edition release from Eureka’s Masters of Cinema series, that wrong gets spectacularly righted.

James DeMonaco’s THE HOME might come from the same mind that brought us THE PURGE, but this isn't a dystopian free-for-all. It’s something more contained, more psychological, and, ultimately, more personal. Anchored by an unexpectedly tame performance from Pete Davidson and bolstered by a stellar cast of stage and screen veterans, THE HOME reimagines the haunted house subgenre inside a decaying retirement facility where the dead don’t just haunt the halls—they might still be walking them.

BILLY MADISON shouldn’t work as well as it does. On paper, it’s a loud, abrasive film built around the antics of a man-child with too much money and too little maturity. But somehow, through a combination of perfect comedic timing, endearing absurdity, and an unforgettable supporting cast, it remains one of the most beloved comedies of the 90s—and arguably the film that made Adam Sandler a household name. He may have had a few memorable moments before this, but this was the film that put him front and center, allowing his unique blend of comedy to shine.

FUTRA DAYS is one of those films that’s difficult to dismiss entirely, even if you’re checking your watch by the halfway point. Writer-director Ryan David builds an intriguing premise—a man given the chance to travel through time to preview the outcome of a potential relationship—and then slowly drains it of urgency by focusing less on the sci-fi elements and more on the glacial tension between its characters.

AJ GOES TO THE DOG PARK is the kind of film where you're either in on the joke or you're the punchline. And if you can’t laugh at a man dramatically reacting to the closure of a dog park like it’s a national emergency, this may not be your kind of weird. But for those who can appreciate a proudly clunky, oddball comedy stitched together with more heart than budget, it’s a strangely enjoyable ride through the surreal suburbs of suburban malaise.

Romantic comedies love to ask whether love conquers all, but GHOSTED flips the question: What if the thing standing in the way of love is you? Built on the very real frustrations of dating in the digital era, this indie rom-com makes space for humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery, without losing the charm that defines the genre. While the film embraces some familiar tropes, it balances them with a refreshing honesty and emotional payoff that sticks. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very British, very romcom film, but there’s something to it, there’s a heart beneath it all that’s hard to explain.

MONSTER ISLAND isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel—it’s paying tribute to it. The latest Shudder original leans hard into the legacy of mid-century monster movies, echoing everything from CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON to ISLAND OF TERROR. But beneath its nostalgic overlay lies a modern sheen: slick cinematography, multifaceted performances, and a cultural lens that gives the familiar premise just enough of a twist to keep it interesting.

Kino Lorber’s 4K release of DANGER: DIABOLIK reminds us just how much style can accomplish when story takes a backseat. Originally released in 1968 and now restored with Dolby Vision and HDR from a 4K scan of the original negative, this chaos-fueled caper has only gained more swagger. It's a heady dose of Euro pulp sleaze, campy charm, and swinging ‘60s energy. You’re not here for realism—you're here for lasers, gas, vinyl jumpsuits, and a masked criminal who steals gold because he can.

THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL is a gentle but deeply moving story about unexpected connection, purpose, and the wildness we welcome into our lives when we least expect it. Director Judy Irving crafts an intimate portrait of Mark Bittner, a former street musician who, without trying, finds his calling among a flock of wild parrots living in San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill neighborhood.

SHANE is the Western that launched a thousand tropes—but resisted being trapped by any of them. George Stevens’ 1953 epic transcends shootouts and spurs; it's a sweeping, deeply human drama about violence, belonging, and the pain of exile masquerading as heroism. This was one of the films I watched on my journey through the book ‘1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die’ prior to completing the book, I wasn’t much of a fan of westerns, SHANE helped me to see that you can’t judge a genre by your expectations.

Paul Vecchiali’s ROSA LA ROSE, FILLE PUBLIQUE paints a portrait of life on the margins—romantic, theatrical, and unflinchingly real. Set in Paris in the 1980s, the film centers on Rosa, a sex worker who’s beloved in her corner of the city. She’s confident, joyful, and in control—until the fantasy she lives in begins to unravel after locking eyes with a stranger across a dance floor.

You think you know where it's going—until you don't. TRAVEL PLANS is the kind of short film that weaponizes brevity, using its compact runtime not to rush through a narrative but to unearth discomfort. It's about what’s said but what’s never spoken aloud. Marking the directorial debut of Zoey Sidwell, this film is sharp, quiet, and deeply unsettling in all the right ways.

There's a cold, detached rage simmering beneath the surface of THE BEAST TO DIE, a film that doesn't ask for sympathy but dares you to sit with discomfort. With its gritty 80s Tokyo setting, hypnotic anarchy, and a lead performance that lingers with you, this Japanese thriller has been restored for the first time in HD by Radiance Films—and the result is a time capsule of despair that feels alarmingly contemporary.

Kino Cult has built its brand on the bold, the bizarre, and the borderline unclassifiable—and this triple-feature release is exactly the kind of glorious nonsense I admire them for rescuing. While other labels cling to prestige and polish, Kino Cult barrels headfirst into the dregs of forgotten exploitation, unearthing artifacts that are so unapologetically weird they can’t help but earn a special place in the hearts of the curious. With MR. PETERS' PETS, EVERYBODY LOVES IT, and 50,000 B.C. (BEFORE CLOTHING), Kino offers not just a glimpse into a defunct genre but a full-blown showcase of the absurdity that defined a very particular—and very naked—slice of 1960s cinema. This is less about titillation and more about tone-deaf time capsules. And that’s exactly the appeal.

If you think you know where HALFWAY HAUNTED is headed, think again. And then think again after that. Sam Rudykoff’s blisteringly clever short film starts like a satire with ghostly flair—but by the time the credits roll, it’s evolved into something darker, stranger, and a whole lot wilder than you were expecting. This is the rare short that plays like a full-blown feature (although if you’re like me, you’re wanting more immediately once the credits start to roll), twisting the familiar haunted-house formula into something smart and gleefully unpredictable.

When BLACK TEA opens with a woman walking away from her wedding, it suggests something is brewing. The choice to leave one life behind to forge another in an entirely unfamiliar culture is ripe with narrative possibility. Abderrahmane Sissako, best known for the politically potent film TIMBUKTU (a powerful experience), returns with a romance of a more delicate nature. While its premise holds promise, it’s the imagery—not the intimacy—that leaves the deepest impression.

You don't just watch SUGAR HILL—you experience it. From the second Marki Bey struts onto the screen with her killer wardrobe and deadly glare, it's clear this isn't your average 70s horror flick. It’s a wild blend of voodoo, zombies, revenge, and pure grindhouse grit, and Kino Cult’s new Blu-ray release makes damn sure the funk, fury, and ferocity all feel brand new.

With a title like DEATH & TAXES, it's easy to expect something technical and rigid. But what filmmaker Justin Schein delivers is far more intimate—and far more revealing. What begins as a documentary about estate taxes evolves into a deeply personal reckoning with legacy, inequality, and the hard-to-swallow truths that often lie at the heart of American wealth. Schein turns the lens on his own family, and in particular, his late father, Harvey Schein—a powerful and complex business executive whose lifelong obsession with keeping his fortune out of the IRS's grasp nearly tore their family apart.

As a storm creeps closer to a sleepy Florida town, NO SLEEP TILL chooses to follow not the path of destruction, but the people who decide to stay behind. Instead of creating a race-against-time narrative or plumbing the depths of catastrophe, the film prefers to remain grounded in the stillness before impact, the silence before the storm. It’s a confident, stripped-down debut from Alexandra Simpson, and while its minimalism may frustrate some viewers, its commitment to atmosphere, character, and subtle expression is never in question.

Something is mesmerizing about ICONIC—a dark, stylish plunge into the psychosis of modern-day influencer culture that lingers longer than you’d expect (I still keep thinking about it.) Director Matthew Freiheit’s debut feature walks the line between satire and psychological horror. The film thrives on the boldness of its vision and the sheer commitment of its lead, Emma Jade, who plays the truly iconic Rose.

A documentary like LIFE AFTER enters the conversation like a challenge, asking not only whether we value disabled lives, but what it means when society quietly answers “not really.” Directed by Reid Davenport, a disabled filmmaker known for I DIDN’T SEE YOU THERE (another incredible film), this searing, often heartbreaking investigation reexamines the legacy of Elizabeth Bouvia, a disabled woman who, in 1983, became a flashpoint in the national right-to-die debate. But what Davenport uncovers in that legacy isn’t just history—it’s a warning.

THE SONS OF GREAT BEAR doesn’t just stray from the American Western blueprint—it redraws the entire structure. Crafted by East Germany’s state-run studio DEFA in 1966 and adapted from Liselotte Welskopf-Henrich’s popular novels, the film reimagines the frontier through a distinctly socialist lens. While the typical Hollywood Western centers on the concept of manifest destiny and rugged individualism, this film inverts that narrative, instead focusing on Indigenous resistance, collective struggle, and the moral bankruptcy of colonial greed.

MOTHER NATURE AND THE DOOMSDAY PREPPER blends opposites-attract rom-com charm with environmental notification and a healthy dose of fantastical absurdity. It's the kind of film where romance blooms amid wildfires and rising sea levels, where divine ultimatums are handed down from Mount Olympus via scrolls, and where the fate of the planet might depend on one man's bunker solution and one goddess's patience. If that sounds like a lot, it is—but it's also kind of the point.

Some rediscovered films feel like lost treasure. Others, like DAMES AND DREAMS, feel more like the contents of a forgotten drawer—curious, colorful, and undeniably nostalgic, but not exactly essential. Long buried and finally restored, this 1974 sexploitation oddity from director Harry Sahn reemerges after decades in obscurity.

In a landscape where psychological thrillers often lean on tired tropes and flashy aesthetics, SOUL TO SQUEEZE stands out by its restraint—and then slowly, methodically, pulling that restraint apart. What starts as a claustrophobic exploration of one man’s unraveling mental state morphs, quite literally, into something bigger. Director W.M. Weikart dares to build a film not just about perception but shaped by it, allowing form to follow function in a way that elevates the story beyond its roots.