Samantha McLaren
@themeatispeople.bsky.social
Queer Scottish writer, artist, and horror fanatic. Words at Fangoria, MovieJawn, and Horror Press. Occasional Chesapeake Stripper.
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, "CORPORATE RETREAT aspires to the “eat the rich” satire of films like THE MENU, READY OR NOT, or AMERICAN PSYCHO, but it has neither the brains nor the dexterity to find a nerve to strike." #CorporateRetreatMovie is now available on demand
CORPORATE RETREAT’s satire doesn’t even cut skin deep — Moviejawn
by Samantha McLaren, Associate Editor Corporate Retreat is a horror-comedy that mistakes squeamishness for fear and seemingly forgot to write any jokes.
moviejawn.com
I'm living for #TheVampireLestat so I jumped at the opportunity to interview production designer Andres Cubillan for @horrorpress.com 🎸 Lestat almost had a bitchy book club? His Montreal apartment was designed in part with Louis in mind? These tasty tidbits and more inside! 👇 #tvl #iwtv
[INTERVIEW] Inside the Glitter-Streaked World of ‘The Vampire Lestat’ with Production Designer Andres Cubillan
Lestat, Lestat, Lestat. That’s been the name on my lips ever since the first teasers for AMC’s The Vampire Lestat dropped last year. This new iteration of the show formerly known as Interview with the...
horrorpress.com
What we watching first 👀 (I have tickets for Rose of Nevada on Friday, always interested to see what Mark Jenkin is up to)
From queer horror romance LEVITICUS to Mexico’s first-ever stop-motion feature, here are six movies from all over the world that deserve your eyeballs this June.
My bi-annual non-horror review and of course it's a Mads Mikkelsen movie 😊
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, "A genre-mashing exploration of modern masculinity and the power of vulnerability, THE LAST VIKING is remarkably touching amidst all the chaos, bloodshed, and ABBA." #TheLastViking is in theaters and on demand
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, "Between Calder’s immaculate performance, Spajic’s flawless production design, and Marovic’s cinematography, which balances eerie detachment with shockingly tender intimacy, BROKEN BIRD is remarkably well realized..." #BrokenBird now playing in theaters
BROKEN BIRD is an audacious debut feature that isn’t afraid to poke at taboos — Moviejawn
by Samantha McLaren, Associate Editor Broken Bird is remarkably well-realized for a first-time feature, at turns bitter and sweet, with a feverish edge.
moviejawn.com
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, "The care and craft that went into THE CALLING WITCH is noticeable, right down to the hand-painted storybook illustrations created by artist Richard Ingersoll." #TheCallingWitch is now streaming on Tubi
THE CALLING WITCH is a well-acted indie horror that doesn’t take the easy route — Moviejawn
by Samantha McLaren, Associate Editor The film’s ability to twist expectations is startling, leading the audience to question our assumptions about who we villainize, who we trust, and the true inten...
moviejawn.com
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, "AFFECTION is pleasantly high concept and well realized, even if it leaves the viewer with a few itches left unscratched." #Affection is now playing in select theaters
BHFF 2025: AFFECTION pulls off high-concept sci-fi horror with a tiny cast — Moviejawn
by Samantha McLaren, Associate Editor For such a contained film, Affection is pleasantly high concept and well realized, even if it leaves the viewer with a few itches left unscratched.
moviejawn.com
Deciding to chaotically start doing drag at the ripe age of 32 has been truly liberating, but nothing will make you feel older faster than watching a 23 y/o throwing themselves around the stage like it's nothing, then giving yourself two-week bruises just for skidding across the floor on your knees.
Do it then come talk to me about it because I'm not done talking about Dust Bunny!
It's becoming problematic how many unsuspecting friends I have tricked into watching Wish Upon (2017).
MJ’s @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, “What is impressive about 1000 WOMEN IN HORROR is not its depth but the sheer amount of ground it manages to cover in a little over 90 minutes.” #1000WomenInHorror is now streaming on @shudder.com
1000 WOMEN IN HORROR unpacks a lifetime of scares in a single sitting — Moviejawn
by Samantha McLaren, Associate Editor Let’s get this out of the way: Women have always and will always be major creators and consumers of horror. This acknowledgement bookends director Donna Davies’ ...
moviejawn.com
If you're looking for an alternative to LEPRECHAUN tonight, @fangoria.bsky.social let me put together a lil list that's full of Irish folklore, drunken shenanigans, and even a little Gaelic. Check it out and let me know what you're watching (or what I missed)! 🍀
Scream as you may, scream as you might, we have a slew of St. Patrick’s Day horror movies to give you a fright!
I like a weird slow burn. If you also like a weird slow burn, this one is interesting (and Scottish!)
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says this on THE HOUSE THAT WAS NOT HUNGRY THEN... "An aching meditation on what it means to be alone and stagnating in that loneliness—and the hope, perhaps, that it’s possible to move on." #TheHouseWasNotHungryThen is now available on demand.
This was a lot of fun and I will always seize the opportunity to tell people about RAVENOUS, an underrated queer cannibal gem 🥩
MJ PODS 🚨 AVAILABLE NOW! The March episode of our movie trivia gameshow podcast Intermission is available now, with guest @themeatispeople.bsky.social playing on behalf of RAVENOUS (1999). Sign up on the MJ patreon to listen today! www.patreon.com/moviejawn 🎥🎦📽🎞🎬🎟🍿 #filmsky #moviesky
Sitting at my hotel bar tonight reading my book about the Scottish witch trials and having a quiet drink, a 60+ year old man approached me and struck up a conversation. Because I am an idiot, I didn't immediately shut it down. Here is a thread of things that transpired, in no particular order 🧵
I have some reservations about WHISTLE, the new teen horror flick from THE NUN dir. Corin Hardy (and THE HALLOW, which is worth checking out!) but I can't deny it's got some wickedly vicious kills. I especially enjoyed the contortionist work from Twisty Troy James & co. Full review @moviejawn.com
MJ's @themeatispeople.bsky.social says, "WHISTLE isn’t afraid to get vicious when it comes to offing teens, though it shirks the sly humor of those films in favor of a more serious exploration of survivor’s guilt and choosing life." #Whistle is in theaters Friday.
There's some banger international horror coming out this month by the looks of it! I'm especially curious about South Korean anthology GHOST TRAIN but the sapphic vibes of DIABOLIC also have me intrigued. Read more in my latest for @fangoria.bsky.social 👇✈️
This month's roundup of new horror movies from across the globe includes a haunted South Korean subway station, one sinister Spanish senior, and more. Full list right here!
Received a gorgeous advanced copy of HANNIBAL LECTER: A LIFE from @simonandschuster.bsky.social so naturally I did an unhinged photo shoot with it. You can read my interview with the author, Brian Raftery, over at @horrorpress.com now. Book is out Feb 10! horrorpress.com/books/12783/...
Thinking about how I was chatting to a lassie about 'IT: Welcome to Derry' a few weeks ago and my sweet mother piped up with "oh, I saw an advert for that on the telly - it's the Irish version, right?" Lads, she thought it was set in Derry, Northern Ireland.
I'm still mad about Poor Things and it shows 😅 Thanks @sharai.bsky.social for letting me vent - check out the episode below 👇
The incels are doing it for themselves in Bugonia. 🌚 Listen to me and @themeatispeople.bsky.social unpack that in this new episode. It’s a delightful time filled with threats and conspiracies. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...
Currently rewatching THE LODGE for some nice feel-bad wintery vibes, what's everyone else watching on snow day? 🥶
The more things change, the more I rewatch Saw, apparently
In the summer of 2023, I visited the set of @bryanfuller.bsky.social's DUST BUNNY in Budapest, and you can read all about it in the next issue of @fangoria.bsky.social! But first, you should go see the movie - one of my favorites of the year - which is in theaters RIGHT NOW! 🐇🐇🐇
Look out! Sigourney Weaver and a giant DUST BUNNY are on the newsstand cover of FANGORIA #30. Pre-order your copy now and come on in for a peek at what you'll find inside.
We are sitting at 60% funded, a 1 week increase of 20%! The challenge grant from Jeffrey H. Skillman has made all the difference! Our greenlight is $3,320 away and we only need y'all to kick in 1660! Please consider giving us the gift of your support at termsandcons.com! #Filmsky #Scriptsky
Tonight, in a classy midtown Manhattan bar at a holiday function, I gradually became aware that the classy instrumental playlist they were piping in included the score to fucking Cannibal Holocaust 💀 Loudly announcing that it was the score from Cannibal Holocaust also did not go down well.
My last international horror round-up of 2025 for @fangoria.bsky.social is live! I've been doing these for three years now and it has helped me discover so many interesting international titles that might otherwise have slipped under my radar. Check it out if you wanna do the same! ✈️🌏
Norwegian kaiju clashes, time-loop terror from the UK, blasphemous Swedish miracles—and so much more. Follow in Santa's footsteps and travel around the world with these new and upcoming releases.
Come kiki with us! ✨🧟♀️💅 This was a really fun chat, thanks for having me!
Me and @themeatispeople.bsky.social are catching ax wounds while trying to get into this club to see Queens of the Dead. Listen to the episode now at the link below! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...