Movies
‘Other’ Offers Taut Techno-Paranoia from ‘MadS’ Director That Showcases A Scary Schism Of Self [Review]
“You are beautiful.”
Generational trauma is nothing new for horror, but it’s gradually become one of modern horror’s most popular ingredients. Horror inherently holds a twisted mirror up to society, and so it makes a lot of sense that its current era is so steeped in generational trauma, the sins of the past, and how this can “elevate” certain genre ideas into something deeper. To this point, a movie like Other isn’t doing anything that horror fans haven’t seen plenty of times before. Alice (Olga Kurylenko) learns that her mother has brutally died, which brings her back to her childhood home, revisiting territory that she’s been all too eager to leave behind. Alice’s childhood home is steeped in painful memories, vestiges of the past, and reminders of her mother, yet it also features an over-the-top surveillance system that leaves Alice feeling perpetually watched. Soon, these feelings of being on display and observed extend beyond any security system, and Alice begins to worry that a cruel creature may also be keeping tabs on her.
There’s a built-in structure and style to these homecoming horror stories that Other doesn’t necessarily escape. There’s a lot to love in this alienating and raw meditation on grief, beauty, motherhood, and the fragmentation of one’s self. Other is a promising and impressive offering from filmmaker David Moreau, but it’s a tough sell that struggles not to get lost in the digital noise.
Other is a heartbreaking story of regression, self-destruction, and acceptance that’s triggered by Alice’s cathartic homecoming, in which she must address certain demons from her past that she thought were long put to rest. Moreau’s previous film, MadS, was a maddening single-take stylistic masterpiece. Other is another subversive journey inward, but in a considerably more conventional narrative. This is not to say that Other is “normal” by any means, because that’s certainly not the case either. It’s a wildly bold and experimental examination of something truly terrible that leaves Alice feeling utterly violated.
Other reins itself in to some degree, yet it’s still full of disturbing visuals, upsetting characters, and an exceptional sound design that brings Alice’s paranoia to life. The film showcases an abundance of cold, sterile shots of empty spaces and drone-fueled surveillance footage that erases any sense of privacy. Other suffocates its audience through confusing, cryptic filmmaking that bombards the viewer with sirens, lights, and nonlinear visuals. It’s as if Other wants to keep the audience as disoriented as Alice is and unprepared for what’s next.
Other, and the many similar films before it, often prompt their main characters to come to terms with who they have become in reference to who they were in the past. Alice’s journey in Other is all about figuring out her truth and making peace with it, once and for all, without compromise. It’s just as much a tender character study as it is a surreal and psychological thriller. Other’s compulsion to put Alice’s realized self against her idealized self isn’t fresh territory for horror. However, Other adds more fuel to this fire with how it uses technology – and surveillance – to endlessly split Alice. Other makes some compelling points regarding audio and video’s ability to cement permanent versions of people in history, despite how they may now no longer ring true. These preserved versions of our past selves may even ultimately outlive and define us. It gives videotapes the same power as David Lynch’s Lost Highway, where pieces of Alice are permanently trapped on these tapes, and she’ll never fully have ownership of herself if they still exist.
Other really embraces this fragmentation of self and how Alice, even if she hasn’t realized it, has led an infinitely divided life. The film is filled with evocative imagery that finds ways to contort and refract individuals through broken screens, blurred video footage, and rainy windows. People are consistently reduced to corrupt, lost versions of themselves, and Other intentionally obscures everyone’s faces except for Alice. It’s a powerful way for Other to visually reinforce its themes, while Alice is made to feel increasingly isolated.
Olga Kurylenko is an actress who is used to playing cipher-like characters. This carries over, to some extent, with Other’s Alice. Alice is someone who requires a layered, rich performance so that the audience can fill in Alice’s (many) blanks. It turns into a sad, slow psychological breakdown that’s akin to Repulsion or Possession. Kurylenko puts everything that she has into this pained performance. She’s consistently a magnetic performer who must carry the film on her shoulders, and she’s practically in every scene. Other is really a one-woman show in many respects.
Kurylenko’s performance will likely divide the audience, which is unfortunate for those who aren’t into what she brings to the table because she represents just so much of the movie. Alice’s background in veterinary studies highlights that she’s someone who innately wants to help and heal creatures and find them homes. There are small touches like this that indicate why Alice is the ideal person to be caught in this situation. The evidence continues to mount until Other’s punishing finale.
Unfortunately, Other reduces Alice to a rather facile stereotype that undercuts the film’s message. Her character is far too broad at times and caught up in behavior that feels more like a male’s interpretation of how women process feelings than the real thing. Other is often able to rise above these moments. That being said, it becomes easier to recognize these weaker characterization beats and plot holes when other moments fall short.
Other is sublime slow-burn horror that may not necessarily stick the landing, but it certainly deserves points for effort and never sacrificing vibes. There’s also some excellent gore involving a certain body part during the film’s climax, despite Other’s scares largely being psychological in nature. The final act, while messy, conjures such palpable nightmare fuel and feels like a true descent into Hell. There’s a lot to appreciate in Other, and it’s absolutely exciting to watch Moreau further refine his craft. Unlike MadS, Other does get a little repetitive and becomes full of itself, especially when it comes to the movie’s simplistic examination of women. Other occasionally condescends, but Kurylenko makes the material worthwhile, even when the audience may want to roll their eyes. Other is destined to be a polarizing film, yet those who have zero patience for Other’s methodical and introspective storytelling should at least appreciate several setpieces and jump-scares that are genuinely unnerving. It’s perhaps only fitting that a film that’s so obsessed with keeping up appearances would become a case where beauty is so firmly in the eye of the beholder.
Other debuts on Shudder on October 17, 2025.
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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