The Cycle

The Cycle starts as a grim murder mystery and ends in monster mayhem. Is the payoff worth the wait? We review Shudder's new horror movie in this bonus October episode of Messed Up Movies. When her father's body turns up at a horrific crime scene after he's been missing for 36 years, a daughter investigates the past he left behind. Coming out of Fantastic Fest with plenty of buzz, The Cycle had our attention. Keeping it was another story. Griffey, Heath, and Sam debate the slow-burn investigation, comparisons to Se7en and True Detective, confusing clues, and the practical creature effects that send the final act into overdrive. Does that change of direction make the movie, or highlight what was missing all along? ⚠️ Full spoilers ahead, including the creature reveal and ending. Watch The Cycle on Shudder before listening if you want to preserve the surprise. What did you think of The Cycle? Did the ending win you over? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe for New Movie Monday, Friday movie drafts, and more horror movie discussions. Support Messed Up Movies on Patreon for exclusive episodes and bonus series. https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod Visit https://www.misfitparade.com for updates on Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, merchandise, and our upcoming roadshow. #TheCycle #Shudder #HorrorReview

DC's Clayface delivers gruesome transformations, practical effects, and a tragic Batman villain origin story. But does it work as a horror movie? This week on New Movie Monday, our Clayface review splits the crew between a surprisingly enthusiastic recommendation and serious frustration. Griffey, Heath, Sam, and Nick dig into the film's R-rated body horror, its grimy vision of Gotham, and the influence of David Cronenberg's The Fly. We debate whether Matt Hagen's transformation delivers the emotional punch it needs, how the romance affects the pacing, and whether Clayface succeeds as a standalone horror story. Plus: the airplane bathroom scene that had us squirming, the grotesque effects that won us over, and an ending that gives us plenty to argue about. ⚠️ Full spoilers for Clayface. Did Clayface deliver the horror you wanted, or did the story hold it back? Share your review and rating in the comments. Subscribe for New Movie Monday reviews and our Friday movie drafts. Join the Misfit Parade Patreon for bonus episodes and more. https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod Find our newsletter, updates on Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, and more: https://www.misfitparade.com #Clayface #BodyHorror #MovieReview

What happens when horror gets inside your head and refuses to leave? This week on the Messed Up Movies Podcast, we're diving into the twisted world of PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR! Griffey, Heath, Sam, and special guest Brodie go head-to-head, drafting four movies each to build the ultimate psychological horror lineup. . From mind-bending mysteries and fractured realities to disturbing characters and movies that make you question everything, we're exploring the films that prove sometimes the scariest place is inside your own head. With picks including American Psycho, Black Swan, Jacob's Ladder, Requiem for a Dream, Perfect Blue, and The Lighthouse, this draft has no shortage of psychological damage. Expect questionable decisions, plenty of trash talk, some seriously disturbing movie recommendations, and a last-minute change to the draft board! Who drafted the strongest lineup? Which psychological horror masterpiece did we leave off the board? Drop your winner and your biggest snub in the comments! 🎬 Subscribe for more horror movie drafts, interviews, and all things messed up! 🌐 Website & Merch: https://www.misfitparade.com 🎙️ Special thanks to Brodie! Check out his work with the @gorenmorepodcast and kaineyskrypt #PsychologicalHorror  #HorrorMovies #MessedUpMovies #HorrorPodcast #MovieDraft

Today Griffey and Dandino hop a Train to Busan. They discuss the movie's mega dose of emotional trauma that deepens the journey, how Griffey's preference for slow zombies stands up vs this movies nightmare horde, and the incredible cast of humans and evil business men fleshing out the this Messed Up banger. Grab your tissues and sing Aloha Oe with us as we get steamrolled.  Synopsis: While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan. Starring: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok Directed by Yeon Sang-Ho Keep up with all the news on our first feature film Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole as it makes its way into the world!  https://www.misfitparade.com/ Support the show on the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod  

Whalefall delivers a brutal survival horror experience, but does its emotional story hit as hard? We review the bestselling book adaptation starring Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin on this week's New Movie Monday. Griffey, Heath and producer Nick discuss the claustrophobic underwater sequences, gruesome body horror and father-son conflict at the center of Whalefall. The terror inside the whale gets a strong reaction from all three of us. The family drama and ending are another story. We debate Josh Brolin's intimidating performance, whether the film earns its emotional resolution, and how its most harrowing moments sit alongside its more sentimental ones. Full spoilers throughout, including the ending and discussion of the book. Did Whalefall work for you? If you've read the book, how did the adaptation compare? Share your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe to Misfit Parade for New Movie Monday reviews, Friday movie drafts and more Messed Up Movies. Join the Messed Up Movies Podcast Patreon for exclusive episodes, programming input and our Discord community. https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod Follow our debut feature, Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, and let us know where you want the roadshow to stop: https://www.misfitparade.com #Whalefall #MovieReview #HorrorMovies

Loud soundtracks. Wild colors. Outrageous gore. Movies that grab you and refuse to let go. This Friday, we're drafting "Sugar Rush" movies: cinema with every dial cranked up to 11. Griffey, Heath, Sam and Sophia each build a four-film lineup of sensory overload, from the relentless action of Mad Max: Fury Road and Run Lola Run to the splatter insanity of Braindead and Re-Animator. Add Mandy's psychedelic nightmare, Suspiria's colors and Goblin score, and the anything-goes madness of House, and subtlety is officially off the table. Of course, agreeing on the category turns out to be harder than picking the movies. Do Kill Bill and Natural Born Killers have too much story to qualify? Why does The Neon Demon get rejected? And where exactly is the line between a sugar rush and a drug trip? We also revisit Peter Jackson's outrageous early films, argue about Jimmy and Stiggs, and make room for killer llamas, Speed Racer and some deeply questionable puppets. Then the final swaps lock in our lineups. Who built the best four-movie marathon: Griffey, Heath, Sam or Sophia? Vote in the comments and tell us your ultimate Sugar Rush pick. Spoilers for several films discussed. Subscribe to Misfit Parade for Friday movie drafts, New Movie Monday reviews and more Messed Up Movies. Join the Messed Up Movies Podcast Patreon for exclusive episodes, mini-series and our Discord community. https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod Follow our debut feature, Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, and let us know where you want the roadshow to stop: https://www.misfitparade.com #MovieDraft #CultMovies #MessedUpMovies

Today we hop in the way back machine as Griffey and Dandino have 7 Days to discover what made The Ring on of the best horror remakes of all time. This is an old recording we offered as a Patreon Exclusive we wanted to share this spooky season as the Adult Life monster tried to keep us down. Neigh monster! They discuss how the film works with and builds upon the original Ringu film, the nightmarish cursed tape video, and the films unforgetable finale.  Synopsis: A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone one week to the day after they view it. Starring: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Hiroshi Takahashi, Brian Cox, Amber Tamblyn Directed by Gore Verbinski Keep up with all the news on our first feature film Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole as it makes its way into the world!  https://www.misfitparade.com/ Support the show on the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod  

Griffey, Heath, Sam and Sophia break down the latest V/H/S installment, segment by segment. Heath embraces its punk rock energy and early MTV spirit, while Griffey struggles with the constant sensory assault. Sophia finds plenty to love in the puppet mayhem, and Sam returns with strong opinions of his own. We dig into the claustrophobic terror of "Heartbeat," the cosmic horror of "The Music of Mr. Z," and the gruesome sound collection in "Death Tone," Griffey's standout segment. Plus, we debate Barbara Crampton's performance, Flying Lotus' animated nightmare and whether GWAR's wraparound adds to the fun or keeps interrupting it. As filmmakers behind our own horror anthology, Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, we also discuss how these movies hold together, why everyone walks away with different favorites, and when outrageous imagery needs more story behind it. Full spoilers for the segments and their endings. Which segment was your favorite? Tell us where V/H/S/Mixtape lands in your franchise ranking. Subscribe to Misfit Parade for movie reviews, Friday drafts and more Messed Up Movies. Join the Messed Up Movies Podcast Patreon for exclusive episodes and our movie-loving Discord community. https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod Follow Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole and let us know where you want the roadshow to stop: https://www.misfitparade.com

What went wrong? This New Movie Monday, Griffey and Heath tear into Other Mommy, and Griffey makes his case for the worst horror movie of the year. We discuss the jump scares that never landed, the family drama that left us cold, and why the movie's biggest moments felt spoiled before we bought a ticket. Heath sees flashes of Chastain's talent and director Rob Savage's visual ambition, while Griffey sees a movie that never gives either of them a compelling story to tell. We also get into the ball pit sequence, the muddled ending, Karen Allen's welcome appearance and a bigger frustration with studio horror: recognizable stars and expensive effects can't replace characters we care about. Plus, Heath delivers his argument against centering horror movies on young children, and Sam steps into the producer's chair without having seen the film. By the end, we're wondering if he made the smartest choice of all. Full spoilers throughout, including the ending. Did Other Mommy scare you, or did the trailer give you everything you needed? Tell us where you landed in the comments. Subscribe to Misfit Parade for New Movie Monday reviews, Friday movie drafts and more Messed Up Movies. Join the Messed Up Movies Podcast Patreon for exclusive episodes and a say in what we cover. https://www.patreon.com/c/messedupmoviespod Follow our debut feature, Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, and let us know where you want the roadshow to stop: https://www.misfitparade.com #OtherMommy #HorrorReview #MessedUpMovies

From the nightmare foster mother in Bring Her Back to Darth Vader's version of father-son bonding, we're drafting the most messed-up parents in movie history. Griffey, Heath and Sophia each build a four-film lineup of terrible moms, monstrous dads and families you'd never want to join. With The Shining, Hereditary and Carrie off the board, the picks range from Sinister and The People Under the Stairs to Chinatown, Coraline and some unexpected contenders. But what actually makes a bad movie parent? Does demonic possession count? Is Coraline's Other Mother eligible? And how much danger can you put your family in before "I'm doing this for us" stops being an excuse? Along the way, we celebrate Sally Hawkins' terrifying performance in Bring Her Back, revisit Nicolas Cage's meltdown in Mom and Dad, and argue over parental ego, good intentions and truly unforgivable behavior. Sam is absent, but his influence still finds a way into the draft. Then the final swaps shake up the lineups. Who drafted the strongest four movies: Griffey, Heath or Sophia? Vote in the comments and tell us which terrible parent we missed. Spoilers for several films discussed. Subscribe to Misfit Parade for Friday movie drafts, New Movie Monday reviews and more Messed Up Movies. Support the Messed Up Movies Podcast on Patreon for exclusive episodes and a say in what we cover. Follow our debut feature, Mr. Creamjeans' Hidey Hole, and let us know where you want the roadshow to stop: https://www.misfitparade.com #MovieDraft #HorrorMovies #MessedUpMovies