Can a Horror Movie Still Scare Me?

Today during dialysis, I was talking with one of the nurses, and somehow the conversation turned to horror movies. I'm not exactly sure how we got there, but that's dialysis for you. You show up to get your blood cleaned, and somehow you're discussing demonic possessions, haunted houses, and things that go bump in the night.

I mentioned that I love horror movies and suggested checking out my movie reviews. Come to think of it, most of them are horror. Apparently I spend my free time voluntarily trying to scare myself.

During our conversation, I came across the trailer for this upcoming movie:

🎬 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEpTgowZ1dI

Take a look and let me know what you think.

This actually looks like a movie that might shock me. My biggest concern? That Hollywood pulled a Hollywood and stuffed every scary scene into the trailer. If that's the case, congratulations...I've already seen the best three minutes.

I've been watching horror movies for as long as I can remember. One of the first that really stuck with me was Poltergeist (1982) with Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams. Between the creepy clown, the TV static, and all the stories about the so-called "Poltergeist curse," it left quite an impression on a younger me.

The nurse and I talked about how years of horror movies may have desensitized me. These days, it takes a lot to make me jump. Most horror movies follow a familiar formula: creepy kid, dark hallway, loud violin screech...cue the popcorn.

But now and then, one comes along that reminds you why you love the genre. I'm hoping this is one of those movies.

Here's hoping I leave the theater thinking, "Wow, that was terrifying," instead of, "The trailer was the best part."

And to whoever at the studio is reading this...I need a pre-screen! Hook a brother up! I promise I'll bring honest feedback, avoid yelling at the screen (probably), and write a review. That's a fair trade, right?

If you've watched the trailer, let me know what you think. Does this look like a future classic, or is it another victim of the "we showed you the entire movie before opening weekend" marketing strategy?

And if you're a fellow horror fan, be sure to check out my movie reviews. Misery loves company...especially when it comes to watching scary movies together.

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.

I Thought It Was a Tom Cruise Tribute... Then It Took a Weird Turn

One of the unexpected highlights before my screening of Supergirl (2026) wasn't the movie itself—it was one of the previews.

It opens with one of the most recognizable movie moments ever:

"I feel the need... the need for speed."

Immediately, I thought, "This is going to be an homage to Tom Cruise."

The trailer starts with clips from his career, not just the blockbusters. It goes way back.

We're talking about movies like Taps, released before Risky Business. Then there's Risky Business itself, followed by All the Right Moves. I've seen both, and it was fun watching the montage remind me just how long Tom Cruise has been entertaining audiences.

As the clips kept rolling, I figured this was simply a celebration of one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Nope.

I was completely wrong.

After a couple of minutes of walking down memory lane, the montage suddenly pivots into about thirty seconds of footage from Tom Cruise's upcoming movie, Digger, scheduled for release in October 2026.

Talk about a plot twist.

The footage itself looked... odd.

Not bad.

Just... odd.

The kind of trailer that left me scratching my head and wondering, "What exactly did I just watch?"

Then it hit me.

Maybe that was the whole marketing strategy.

Instead of opening with an unfamiliar movie that audiences might ignore, they first remind everyone why they've spent decades watching Tom Cruise. They build excitement by revisiting the films that made him a global movie star. By the time the new footage appears, you're already invested enough to give it a chance.

If that was intentional, it's actually a pretty clever piece of marketing.

Whether Digger ends up being a hit or a miss remains to be seen, but that preview definitely got my attention—and that's exactly what a trailer is supposed to do.

If you'd like to see my full review of Supergirl along with my other movie reviews, head over to https://NielFlamm.com/videos and let me know what you think.

And Tommy... if we're really Scientology buddies in some alternate universe... thanks for the memories.