What to Watch This Weekend: Meander, Rock Paper and Scissors, Our Friend, Son, Fear Street, French Exit, Words on Bathroom Walls, Black Widow

For A Mysterious Horror Sci Fi Film: Meander (Theaters, Redbox, and Digital)
Meander is just a superb horror scifi film, with great practical effects and a grueling, mysterious story all driven by Gaïa Weiss's captivating performance.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Simply Unsettling Family Horror: Rock, Paper, and Scissors (Digital)

Rock, Paper, and Scissors is an understated, unique, and unsettling film that uses some nuanced performances and fantastic music to create this sinister family thriller.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Family-Focused Cult Classic: Son (Shudder)

Son's slow burning story, great cast, and wonderful practical effects tell a family-focused demon story with plenty of hearts that should become a cult classic.  For more information, check out the review! 

For A Stylish Horror Throwback: Fear Street Part One 1994 and Part Two 1978 (Netflix)

The Fear Street Trilogy concludes next week so make sure to catch up on the first two stylish horror films.  Fear Street Part One 1994 is an entertaining horror movie, with a 90s feel and soundtrack, great blood and gore, and some modern updates to start this exciting trilogy.  Fear Street Part Two 1978 presents a summer camp slasher, with a similarly amazing soundtrack and style as the first movie, but with an increased body count.  For more information, check out the review!

Because You Need Your Marvel Fix: Black Widow (Theaters)

Sure I gave it a rental, but it is a Marvel movie in theaters that will entertain you and keep you from the heat.  Black Widow is an entertaining and funny Marvel movie that gives some background to one of the most popular Avengers while also providing an explosive summer blockbuster.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Poignant Tear Jerker: Our Friend (Amazon)
Our Friend is a poignant, painful, and powerful movie about love, family, and friendship that feels so real and raw and should not be missed.  For more information, check out the review!

For the Fan of Teenage Dramas: Words on Bathroom Walls (Amazon)

Words on Bathroom Walls portrays a complicated illness through strong performances and good lessons about family, love, growth, and pain.  For more information, check out our review!

For A Dark and Quirky Comedy: French Exit (Redbox)

The dry, dark comedic style, wonderful dialogue, and quirky cast of characters fueled by Pfeiffer's magnetic performance make French Exit a film worth staying for.  For more information, check out the review!

Son Review: A Cult Family Story With Plenty of Gore

Release date: July 8, 2021 Running time: 99 minutes Written and Directed By: Ivan Kavanagh Starring: Andi Matichak (Halloween franchise, Assimilate), Emile Hirsch (The Autopsy of Jane Doe), and Luke David Blumm (The King of Staten Island) In Son, after a mysterious group breaks into Laura’s home and attempts to abduct her eight-year-old son, David, the two of them flee town in search of safety. But soon after the failed kidnapping, David becomes extremely ill, suffering from increasing psychosis and convulsions. Following her maternal instincts, Laura commits unspeakable acts to keep him alive, but soon she must decide how far she is willing to go to save her son.

Son has a strange start, but one that will draw you in. It is a wonderful way to get this film going, from a horror, abandoned start to an idyllic one so quickly. And the film has a small, but wonderful cast headlined by Andi Matichak as a mother who is doing everything she can to protect her son. She gets to stretch her emotional chops here and really showcase some of the horror her character is going through. And Luke David Blumm is great as David, the young kid who has more to him than initially meets the eyes. He has to carry a lot as well, selling that his character is going through some horrible changes, and he does it quite convincingly. But he also keeps the childlike innocence that makes you root for this mother and son. And the film also showcases Emile Hirsch, who it is great to see back in so many gritty roles recently.

Where Son also shines is in the effects, which add just enough blood and gore to sell the story, without trying to do too much. Especially for a movie about a satanic cult, the film could have tried to add on CG which would have completely broken the suspension of disbelief. But thankfully it went for all practical effects and make up, and the results are wonderfully gruesome to watch. And on top of this, the movie has a slow burning story that really sets the tone before anything terrible happens. I loved the idyllic section where you were just waiting for the horror to begin, and when it does, it is more of a drip feed. Then, when it does get going it starts to up the horror and the creep factor quickly as the story descends further and further. And through it all, the movie has a great use of sound. It has wonderful creaks in the house when Laura is trying to protect David in their house, and it also has great otherworldly sounds when more sinister influences are happening. It has a sort of bone breaking, insect like sound that is wonderfully unsettling.

Son's slow burning story, great cast, and wonderful practical effects tell a family-focused demon story with plenty of hearts that should become a cult classic.

Watch it.

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Son is available to stream on Shudder starting July 9, 2021.