Hack or Slash

New Releases Episodes

Stay up to date with the latest in horror cinema! This category features episodes centered around the newest horror films hitting theaters and streaming platforms, offering fresh insights and reviews.
270: Piranha (1978)
May 5, 2023

270: Piranha (1978)

This week we’re in for another creature feature as we check out Piranha (1978). We assess the quality of its effects, question the likability of its main characters, and unpack the intensity of its third act. This episode contains spoilers,...

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269: Renfield (2023)
April 28, 2023

269: Renfield (2023)

This week we head back to the theater to check out Renfield (2023). We break down Dracula and Renfield’s chemistry, unpack the campy gore, and assess the quality of its modern approach to a classic tale. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at...

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268: Evil Dead Rise (2023)
April 21, 2023

268: Evil Dead Rise (2023)

This week we’re heading back to the theater to check out Evil Dead Rise (2023). We climb back inside the world of deadites, reflect on the film’s depiction of brutality, and explore the franchise’s transition from the malevolent woods into the...

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263: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921)
March 17, 2023

263: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921)

This week we're traveling back more than 100 years in cinema history by checking out The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921). We examine the film’s impact on modern cinema, unpack the structure of its storytelling, and consider the deeper subtext behind...

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262: Scream VI (2023)
March 10, 2023

262: Scream VI (2023)

This week we head to the theater to check out Scream VI (2023). We unpack the franchise’s relocation to New York, examine its parallels with its predecessors, and assess the quality of its tension. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 32:40....

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261: Evil Dead 2 (1987)
March 3, 2023

261: Evil Dead 2 (1987)

This week we prepare for an upcoming theatrical release by checking out Evil Dead 2 (1987). We debate the necessity of its opening, assess the quality of Bruce Campbell’s performance, and examine the franchise’s tonal shift. This episode contains...

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260: Sick (2023)
Feb. 24, 2023

260: Sick (2023)

This week we’re checking out Sick (2023). We unpack the film’s depiction of quarantine, debate the tone of the antagonist’s motive, and assess its place as a light-hearted slasher. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 30:13. Mentioned...

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259: Warm Bodies (2013)
Feb. 17, 2023

259: Warm Bodies (2013)

This week the Hack or Slash patrons have voted for us to review Warm Bodies (2013). We discuss its balance of zombie and romance, unpack Nicholas Hoult’s performance as R, and discuss its merits as a Romeo and Juliet-adjacent property. This episode...

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258: Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Feb. 10, 2023

258: Knock at the Cabin (2023)

This week we head to the theater to check out Knock at the Cabin (2023). We discuss the emotional differences between the movie and the novel, unpack the difficulty of sacrificial choices, and assess the quality of performances. This episode contains...

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256: Skinamarink (2022)
Jan. 27, 2023

256: Skinamarink (2022)

This week our patrons have voted for us to review Skinamarink (2022). We unpack our interpretations of what unfolded during the film, assess the quality of its lighting and cinematography, and debate the effectiveness of its run time and ending. This...

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255: M3GAN (2023)
Jan. 20, 2023

255: M3GAN (2023)

This week we’re checking out the latest Blumhouse film M3GAN (2023). We explore the intersection of technology and parenting, unpack the film’s approach to processing grief, and assess M3GAN’s place among killer dolls. This episode contains...

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250: The Mean One (2022)
Dec. 23, 2022

250: The Mean One (2022)

This week we commemorate the holidays by checking out The Mean One (2022). We assess the quality of its cinematography, unpack its take on a Dr. Seuss classic, and debate the effectiveness of its kills. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at...

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248: Terrifier 2 (2022)
Dec. 9, 2022

248: Terrifier 2 (2022)

This week we welcome a new team member as we check out Terrifier 2 (2022). We break down Art’s brutality, debate the quality of parenting in the film, and consider the future of the franchise. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 36:36. ...

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244: Barbarian (2022)
Nov. 11, 2022

244: Barbarian (2022)

This week we’re checking out Barbarian (2022). We assess the quality of its twists, examine the approach to its villain, and dissect the transitions between its acts. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 21:58. Sponsors This episode is...

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243: Hellraiser (2022)
Nov. 4, 2022

243: Hellraiser (2022)

This week we unpack the newest take on a Clive Barker classic: Hellraiser (2022). We compare the presence of the cenobites, unpack the differences in narratives, and assess the quality of its gore. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 29:45. ...

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238: Halloween Ends (2022)
Oct. 14, 2022

238: Halloween Ends (2022)

This week we celebrate our 5th anniversary by watching Halloween Ends (2022). We break down the treatment of its characters, reflect on the Laurie Strode and Michael Myers saga, and consider the impacts of nature versus nurture. In this episode's...

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235: The Munsters (2022)
Oct. 7, 2022

235: The Munsters (2022)

This week we’re joined by a special guest as we check out Rob Zombie’s The Munsters (2022). We assess the quality of the film’s aesthetic, compare the characters to their predecessors, and unpack the quality of its ending. In this episode's...

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232: Pearl (2022)
Sept. 23, 2022

232: Pearl (2022)

This week we head to the theater to check out Pearl (2022). We unpack the quality of its origin story, assess the power of Mia Goth’s performance, and explore how the film differentiates its intensity from X (2022). This episode contains spoilers,...

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228: Spree (2020)
Aug. 26, 2022

228: Spree (2020)

This week our patrons have voted for us to review Spree (2020). We unpack Joe Keery’s performance, analyze the film’s tension, and assess how it compares to the value society places on social media. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at...

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227: Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Aug. 19, 2022

227: Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)

This week we head back to the theater to check out Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022). We assess the film’s use of comedy, critique its depiction of cellphone flashlights, and lament the struggle of toxic friend groups. This episode contains spoilers,...

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226: They/Them (2022)
Aug. 12, 2022

226: They/Them (2022)

This week the gang’s back together to check out They/Them (2022). We uncover the director’s push for authentic representation, break down the film’s emotional punches, and ponder the success of its ending. This episode contains spoilers,...

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223: NOPE (2022)
July 22, 2022

223: NOPE (2022)

This week we head to the theater to check out NOPE (2022). We unpack the layers of its plot, ponder the power of a spectacle, and explore Jordan Peele’s mark on sci-fi. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 30:09. Mentioned in the Episode ...

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219: The Black Phone (2022)
June 24, 2022

219: The Black Phone (2022)

This week we head back to the theater to check out The Black Phone (2022). We assess the quality of the performances, break down the source of its tension, and consider how local tragedies impact their communities. This episode contains spoilers,...

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211: The Descent (2005)
April 29, 2022

211: The Descent (2005)

This week the Hack or Slash patrons have voted for us to review The Descent (2005). We assess the film’s atmosphere, unpack the chemistry between its characters, and ponder the quality of its plot. This episode contains spoilers, beginning at 28:21....

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