Movies
Altered States
“Overall, this film comes highly recommended by me as one of the greatest sci-fi/horror films of all time. Those into sci-fi/horror are sure to enjoy this one as it gives us everything we could want in such a film, with superb direction, a sweet story, and genuine horror.”
Sci-fi/horror films have always been a treat for me due to my love of anything science oriented, and my supreme love of anything horror oriented. Mix the two together, and you have my utmost devout attention. Altered States is a film that surprised me with just how original and fascinating its content is, plus it gives us the ever-awesome William Hurt in his debut feature film role. For a Hollywood film, this one comes with guts and little glam.
This film follows Eddie Jessup (William Hurt), a Harvard psycho-physiological research scientist performing studies on human consciousness using an isolation tank. This brilliant and slightly crazy scientist decides to enter the isolation tank itself, and suffers captivating and addicting hallucinations. When a research trip to study a solitary Mexican Indian tribe that uses a potent potion of mushrooms to induce alternate forms of consciousness leaves Eddie bewildered over the effects of the potion, he decides to further study the drug on himself with the isolation tank. The resulting effects are more than any of Eddie’s colleagues nor Eddie himself would have ever imagined, and come with some heavy consequences.
I definitely underestimated this film. When I went into this piece I expected it to be the usual sci-fi/horror we get involving cool contraptions and a slowly maddening scientist, which I do enjoy, but I was wrong. We get all of those elements, plus a unique psychological aspect that I did not see coming but overly appreciated. William Hurt gives us a fantastic performance as the most politely selfish scientist of all time, a man who has the potential to love those around him, but chooses to pursue the questions we have no answers to as the true love of his life. This desire is what leads him to pursue his theories resulting from this dangerous experiment despite the obvious physically and psychologically damaging implications. His desire is not greed, but passion, and that is what makes his character so admirable despite the horrors he has created.
Based on Paddy Chayefsky’s novel of the same name, the storyline is an excellent one that blends horror, technology, evolution, anthropology, and psychology all into one film, and with just the right mix of each of those elements. Normally any film that blends that many different elements together winds up a mush due to improper writing and execution, but this film suffers not from that. Fans of any of those previously mentioned elements are sure to enjoy this film and may even find it thought provoking to say the least.
While the character usage of Eddie Jessup was excellent, we thankfully get several other worthwhile characters in this film that benefited the story. Emily Jessup (Blaire Brown), Eddie’s wife who is also a researcher, helps with the film’s conflict in the form of the loving wife who knows she is marrying a madman, but just the type of madman she can love and respect despite her fully aware that his research is his first and true love in his life. His co-researcher, Arthur Rosenberg (Bob Balaban; Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Lady in the Water), was another essential character thrown into the mix who serves as not only one of Eddie’s only friends but one who suffers from Eddie’s overbearing desire to find answers to the questions with no true answers. I mention these characters because time and time again we get films who throw in many characters yet 75 percent of them are worthless and seem only thrown in just to take up space and appease a bored audience. Well this film does not do that as we get another essential supporting character in Mason Parrish (Charles Haid; Nightbreed), an esteemed researcher overseeing Eddie and Arthur’s experiments and balking at their silly and unfounded theories, until he sees for himself just what they are talking about. Oh, and Drew Barrymore makes her screen debut as Eddie’s daughter, who we rarely see, but yeah.
So despite all of the different elements thrown into this film I’m sure you want to know how good the “horror” is right? Well…the horror is good, and fulfilling. I was quite surprised that this film in fact came with a few good scares, thanks much to Ken Russell’s superb direction. Most of the horror outside of the scares is psychological horror (no surprise there) as a result of the hallucinations Eddie goes through. Even the hallucinations themselves were very creepy, visceral, and definitely resemble nothing I would ever want to dream about. My favorite aspect of the horror though was the regression that Eddie goes through, which I found both scientifically horrific and just plain ole horrific in general. Without giving too much away, Eddie goes through some biological and genetic changes that are sure to have a very scary effect on anyone suffering from such things, but of course Eddie being the way he is just lives it up and goes along for the ride.
Overall, this film comes highly recommended by me as one of the greatest sci-fi/horror films of all time. Those into sci-fi/horror are sure to enjoy this one as it gives us everything we could want in such a film, with superb direction, a sweet story, and genuine horror.
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This week brings the next installment in the M3GAN Universe, plus a critically acclaimed queer horror movie, two new shark attack movies, and even a Lifetime Original clown thriller.
Here are the new horror movies that released July 27 – August 2, 2026!
Fresh out of theaters, queer supernatural horror film Leviticus is now available on Digital from NEON. Writer-director Adrian Chiarella makes his feature debut with Leviticus.
Joe Bird (Talk to Me) and Stacy Clausen star as star-crossed teenage boys who must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other.
Mia Wasikowska (Crimson Peak) co-stars alongside Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie (The Nightingale), and Davida McKenzie (Silent Night).
“Leviticus is a strong debut with an incisive voice at the helm,” Meagan Navarro wrote in her review out of Sundance. “We care deeply about Naim and Ryan’s survival, making Leviticus a tense, atmospheric, and claustrophobic vision of young love in a hateful world.”
Just in time for the annual Shark Week festivities, brand new shark attack horror movie The Devil’s Mouth debuted globally on Amazon Prime Video this past Wednesday.
Kathryn Newton (Abigail, Lisa Frankenstein, Ready or Not 2), Lana Condor (Pretty Lethal), Nico Hiraga, Gavin Casalegno, Tommi Rose, and Tayme Thapthimthong star.
In the film, “Five friends set out on one last adventure along Thailand’s stunning coast, eager for a final thrill before life in the real world begins. They sign up for a guided swim through a remote cave system known as The Devil’s Mouth, a natural wonder that’s as breathtaking as it is unforgiving. Deep inside the labyrinth of narrow waterways, their journey takes a terrifying turn when they discover that a freak storm the week before flooded the caves with sea life.
“The creatures died in the fresh water, but something survived… and it’s hunting them now— fast, silent, and deadly. Every corridor they round is overflowing with anxiety, and every wrong turn becomes a deadly encounter. As panic spreads and their sense of direction slips away, the group begins to fracture.
“Trust erodes, fear takes over, and survival becomes a savage game. In the suffocating darkness, every choice could be their last as they learn that to make it out alive, sacrifices must be made.”
Jeff Wadlow (Truth or Dare, Imaginary) directs the shark attack movie from a script he revised from Aja Gabel (“Sunny”) and Myung Joh Wesner (“Star Wars: Skeleton Crew”).
And speaking of new shark attack movies, Aura Entertainment brought director Jesse V. Johnson’s Above & Below to select theaters beginning Wednesday. Check local listings.
30 feet below. 10 minutes of oxygen. 1 apex predator.
In shark attack horror movie Above & Below, “Friends embark on a dream vacation of parties and diving, but their trip takes a terrifying turn when criminals attack them at sea.”
This one looks like every other shark movie that’s been released in the last several years, but it’s armed with something that puts it a fin above the competition. Oscar nominated actor Antonio Banderas stars in Above & Below, with the cast also including Christina Ochoa, Laura Marano, Timothy V. Murphy, Louis Mandylor, Jess Liaudin, Ryan Bertroche, Ramiro Alonso, Diego Llinás, Rodrigo Poisón, Mario Tardón, and Donncha Tynan.
Anthony Steven Giordano wrote the screenplay.
Pregnancy nightmare Son of Sara aims to be the next generation’s take on the horror classic Rosemary’s Baby, and it’s now available on Digital at home from Saban Films.
In Son of Sara, “A pregnant woman’s cravings turn sinister as her estranged boyfriend’s return coincides with a terrifying secret about the life growing inside her.”
The film stars Chloe Van Landschoot, Tymika Tafari, Garret Hnatiuk and Jane Moffat.
Canadian filmmaker Houston Bone directed Son of Sara.
There’s something seriously wrong with the newborn in dark fable Nightborn, the new horror movie from Hatching filmmaker Hanna Bergholm. It’s now streaming on Shudder.
In Nightborn, “With dreams of starting a perfect family, Saga and her British husband Jon move to the isolated house where she spent much of her childhood, deep in the Finnish forest. But as soon as their baby is born, despite the reassurance of all around her, Saga knows there’s something terribly wrong with her son. As their marriage starts to crack, Jon struggles to support his wife, but only Saga suspects the terrible truth about her newborn.”
Seidi Haarla (Compartment No. 6) and Rupert Grint (Knock at the Cabin, “Servant”) star in the Shudder horror film that’s been described as “a visceral, gripping and terrifying dark fable about motherhood and unconditional maternal love.” The movie’s cast also includes Pamela Tola, Pirkko Saisio, Rebecca Lacey and John Thomson.
Nightborn is inspired by Nordic folklore.
“Hanna Bergholm’s audacious sophomore follow up to Hatching delivers tension and shocking moments surrounding parenthood and self discovery — with a touch of humor,” said Shudder’s Emily Gotto. “We are thrilled to share Nightborn with audiences.”
Every so often, Lifetime premieres an original thriller that grabs hold of our attention and forces us to tune in. And they’ve got another one headed our way this weekend: Killer Clown.
Inspired by real stories, Killer Clown is a psychological thriller that explores trauma, memory, and gaslighting through the lens of a woman confronting the truth about her mother’s murder.
Premiering Saturday, August 1 at 8pm ET on Lifetime, Killer Clown stars Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers, The Last House on the Left, Weapons)! Watch the official trailer below.
Here’s the full plot synopsis: “Decades after witnessing her mother’s brutal murder at the hands of the Killer Clown, Elizabeth Helmer (Sara Paxton) remains haunted by the crime that shattered her childhood. When she begins investigating the long-unsolved cold case, Elizabeth becomes the target of a terrifying copycat stalker, forcing her to confront painful memories she has spent a lifetime trying to escape.
“As she searches for answers alongside her father Reed (David Cubitt) and husband Dan (Hamza Haq), Elizabeth uncovers a tangled web of family betrayal and long-buried secrets.
“As she closes in on the truth, Elizabeth must separate fact from manipulation and fight to survive before history repeats itself.”
Following Saturday night’s premiere, Killer Clown streams next day on the Lifetime app.
Killer Clown is directed by Annie Bradley and written by Katie Boland.
After multiple delays, Blumhouse Atomic Monster finally launches M3GAN Universe spinoff movie SOULM8TE directly onto Digital platforms this Saturday, August 1.
Lily Sullivan (Evil Dead Rise, Monolith) stars alongside Claudia Doumit (“The Boys”). The spinoff is described as a ’90s-style erotic thriller with a “new technological twist.”
David Rysdahl also stars in SOULM8TE.
The film follows a man (Rysdahl) who acquires an Artificially Intelligent android (Sullivan) to help him cope with the recent loss of his wife. In an attempt to create a truly sentient partner, the man inadvertently turns a harmless lovebot into a deadly soulmate.
Kate Dolan (You Are Not My Mother) directs. The filmmaker rewrote an original draft from Rafael Jordan (Salvage Marines), based on a story by James Wan, Ingrid Bisu and Jordan.
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