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First Terrifier 3 reviews call the horror film "big, intense" and "the best Terrifier yet"

Terrifier 3 reviews are coming in

First reviews for Terrifier 3 are coming in – and, so far, they're very positive. 

The threequel is set during Christmastime, and it sees Art the Clown return to wreak more havoc. We don't think he's got the holiday spirit, to be honest…

There's not enough reviews for a Rotten Tomatoes score just yet, but, as it stands, they're mostly praising the slasher. "It's the best Terrifier yet, just in time to make your Christmas bloodier," writes AV Club . 

"Leone's passion for pure, unfiltered shock value is truly on display. As messed up as it is, and as offended as you may be by it, it's hard not to respect it. It's a big, intense, and freaking insane exercise in blood-soaked mania," is the verdict of io9 . 

"Terrifier 3 is the best Terrifier movie yet, and one that turns murder into an Art-form," says Dexerto . 

There is, however, one negative review so far: "Terrifier 3 offers some satisfying kills and incredible practical effects, but with a runtime of over two hours, that's unlikely to satisfy anyone beyond the franchise's core fans," is FandomWire 's take. 

Terrifier 3 sees the return of David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, with Lauren LaVera also back as Sienna, Elliot Fullam returning as Sienna's younger brother, Samantha Scaffidi returning as Victoria, and Chris Jericho back as Burke. Newcomers include Daniel Roebuck and Jason Patric. 

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Writer/director Damien Leone has confirmed there is more to come , too: "Yes there will be a Terrifier 4," he shared during a Fantastic Fest Q&A.

Terrifier 3 arrives in theaters this October 11, 2024. You can check out our list of the best horror movies to fill out your watchlist, or keep up to date with upcoming horror movies heading your way in 2024. 

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

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Terrifier 3’s reviews make a wild slasher franchise feat possible.

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I'm So Happy To See Lauren LaVera's Sienna Back In Terrifier 3

Geena davis wasn't in beetlejuice 2, but one major twist perfectly honored her 38-year-old horror movie, 10 transformers one easter eggs & references explained.

While Terrifier 3 ’s arrival could have seen the Terrifier franchise’s unique appeal rejected by mainstream reviewers, early reactions to the sequel prove that it might instead pull off an incredible feat. The history of the Terrifier franchise is an unlikely one. Director Damian Leone’s grimy, unrepentantly nasty low-budget Terrifier was an indie hit upon its 2016 release. Despite its obvious limitations, Terrifier’ s shocking gore and David Howard Thornton’s mesmerizing, appropriately terrifying turn as the franchise's villain Art the Clown made the original movie a cult hit. 2022’s Terrifier 2 took this success to unprecedented heights with an extraordinary box office run.

Art the Clown is returning to ruin Christmas in Terrifier 3, and I'm happy the sequel is avoiding a classic final girl trope by bringing back Sienna.

Terrifier 2 made over $15 million upon release on a budget of only $250,000. In a surprising turn of events, the brutal slasher sequel also improved the franchise’s critical standing. Where the divisive Terrifier earned an average rating of 57% from critics on RottenTomatoes , Terrifier 2 easily beat this with an extraordinary 86% rating. This impressive feat means that 2024’s upcoming sequel Terrifier 3 arrives burdened with serious expectations. Leone’s upcoming horror movie has been hyped as the scariest movie of 2024 and a gory extravaganza that outdoes both earlier slashers in the series.

Terrifier 3’s Early Reviews Are Even Better Than Terrifier 2’s Reception

Director damian leone’s long-awaited sequel lives up to the hype.

All of this hype seems destined to lead to an inevitable critical disappointment for Terrifier 3 . After all, the stomach-churning violence of the series is not for everyone and many mainstream critics have historically displayed a knee-jerk aversion to unabashedly gruesome, pointedly provocative gorefests. However, Terrifier 3 ’s early reaction proves the slasher sequel might be able to beat the odds and become a critical hit , reversing a traditional genre trend in the process. Typically, slasher franchises tend to lose, rather than gain, critical acclaim as they continue. Surprisingly, Terrifier 3 ’s Fantastic Fest premiere paints a very different picture.

The Terrifier movies may become a rare slasher series that gets better as it progresses, judging by the sequel’s first reviews. The AVClub called Terrifier 3 Art the Clown’s “ Best outing yet ,” while SlashFilm commended the slasher sequel for accomplishing its “ Dark mission ” while displaying “ Skill that is undeniable .” DreadCentral called Terrifier 3 the “ Ultimate thrill ride ,” while Gizmodo noted that it was “ Hard not to respect ” the ambition of the ghastly, gruesome horror. As a sampling of Terrifier 3 ’s first reactions, this is about as unambiguously positive a reception as the infamously controversial series could hope for.

Terrifier May Become The Rare Slasher Franchise To Get Better With Each Movie

Most of the horror sub-genre's famous franchises decline with age.

Although Terrifier 2 ’s RottenTomatoes success was already impressive, Terrifier 3 ’s reception means the series could become a rare slasher franchise that improves with each new outing . The sub-genre’s four most famous franchises, A Nightmare On Elm Street , Halloween , Scream , and Friday the 13th , all faced a more predictable pattern when it came to their critical reception. All of these series included at least one sequel that was unexpectedly well received, whether it was New Nightmare , Halloween 2018 , Scream 2022 , or Friday the 13th VI: Jason Lives! . However, as a rule, each franchise’s reviews declined as they continued.

Terrifier 3 takes the improvements that Terrifier 2 added to the franchise formula and uses these to make the Christmas horror movie Art the Clown’s most engaging killing spree yet.

Few slasher franchises reach the heights of their first installments, let alone outdo them. However, it seems as if Terrifier 3 is poised to do exactly that. According to its earliest reviews, 2024’s scariest movie, Terrifier 3 , takes the improvements that Terrifier 2 added to the franchise formula and uses these to make the Christmas horror movie Art the Clown’s most engaging killing spree yet. Critics noted that Lauren LaVera’s returning Final Girl Sienna feels more rounded and relatable this time around, while the pacing has improved since Terrifier 2 ’s unnecessarily lengthy runtime.

Terrifier 3’s Biggest Critical Test Is Yet To Come

Terrifier 3 might struggle with more mainstream critics upon release.

Although early reviews from outlets like The AVClub are unexpectedly stellar, Terrifier 3 ’s biggest test will be reviews from mainstream critics . While Terrifier 2 was an unlikely box office smash, the sequel was mostly reviewed by horror-centric outlets like BloodyDisgusting and DreadCentral . The New York Times, The AVClub , RogerEbert.com , RollingStone , and The LA Times all ignored the sequel outright, covering only its unlikely box office success and never officially reviewing Terrifier 2 . Terrifier 3 ’s wide release will change that, and Terrifier 2 ’s only major mainstream reviews prove its reception could go one of two ways.

Terrifier 3 will be released on October 11, 2024.

In a thoughtful but ultimately negative write-up for Variety , critic Owen Gleiberman questioned why Terrifier 2 existed and stopped well short of recommending the movie. In a less ponderous Guardian review, Sammy Gecsoyler dubbed the sequel “ Absurd fun rather than completely cruel .” Mainstream outlets may follow The Guardian ’s approach and write off Terrifier 3 ’s gore as a bracing acquired taste, albeit one with artistic merit, or the sequel’s major reviews may refuse to recommend the sequel based on its shameless disregard for good taste. This will ultimately decide Terrifier 3 ’s critical standing and, by extension, the Terrifier franchise’s overall reception.

Sources: RottenTomatoes

DreadCentral

Terrifier 3

'Crime Scene Kitchen' Season 3 Review: Joel McHale Competition Series Serves Up a Delicious Detective Game

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It’s no surprise that baking competitions are a sweet spot for TV lovers. Combining creativity with skill, the blend of these delicious layers adds another level of excitement to the reality TV genre . Moreover, the drama of experimentation in competition shows offers a nuance to the process that can be inspiring and fun, but also downright chaotic. One series consistently elevating these elements of tension is Fox’s Crime Scene Kitchen hosted by Joel McHale . Taking the basic baking competition concept and flipping it on its head with a pinch of mystery, the hour-long treat tests more than just those culinary skills as Season 3 continues to prove. With more varied challenges this season than ever before, the unexpected twists throw even the most seasoned bakers off their game , further immersing audiences into the part-guessing game, part-culinary competition with some serious drama.

With Crime Scene Kitchen being one of the first of its kind on network television, it’s bizarre to think this show has been one of the more underrated morsels of goodness across reality TV. The baking series is not only scrumptiously inventive thanks to its outlandish blend of chemistry and coordination, but it marries our love for “crime” culture with its objective. Sure, nothing heinous takes place in a kitchen filled with crumbs, dirty dishes and flour trails. But it’s through the surprise ingredients and last-minute changes in direction that inject fresh energy into each episode, ensuring Crime Scene Kitchen is flavorful fun that stays fresh from start to finish .

‘Crime Scene Kitchen’ Turns Its Whisks Into Wildcards

If the pandemic gave us anything more than those sourdough loaves of bread and trendy coffee creations, it was the belief that we, as ordinary people, could whip up anything . This is the spirit of Crime Scene Kitchen ’s third season which breaks off from its first two-season tradition and injects another dose of reality into its series. While previous seasons paired classically trained bakers with the self-trained kind, Season 3 puts friends and family members to the test , showcasing their culinary detective skills for a shot at the $100,000 grand prize. It’s this dynamic that stirs up a different kind of tension for the series as the intensity and pressure are evident with its contestants, particularly in its first episode, “A Family Affair.”

Without spoiling too much, there are certain groups that you can just tell don’t get along. Alongside the pressure of multiple cameras on them, every reaction and response gets pretty much amplified. Not only does this make for some interesting drama and solid reality TV that are the usual tasty morsels we welcome from the genre, but that tension flows into its baked goods. As that strain becomes a make-or-break for the contestants , it’s also a substantial way for the series to create emotional resonance with its audience. Episode 2, “The One With Friends” airs a week after its premiere, but is a little different and has a thoroughly free-spirited vibe filled with support and encouragement. But it’s not without its pressure to perform alongside some very eclectic and eccentric characters who audiences will appreciate.

‘Crime Scene Kitchen’ Season 3 Thrives on Unpredictability

By incorporating a detective-style format that challenges bakers to use both their culinary skills and problem-solving abilities, Crime Scene Kitchen remains an addictive treat in the genre. But while the show introduces its latest twist of family members versus friends this year and keeps its Season 2 addition of baked goods expanding to more savory bakes , its overall structural format is pretty much the same this year . Like previous seasons, the episodes kick off with the safety bake round, where the teams will search for clues in the kitchen to decode the mystery dessert. As previously seen, the duo that gets closest to solving the mystery earns immunity from the second bake and advances to the next week. But the remaining teams must face an elimination bake round, recreating the dessert they believe was made in the “crime scene kitchen.” As it goes every week, the team with the weakest performance in both rounds is eliminated from the competition until a winner is announced.

The crime scene segment might be one of the few moments in the whole series that brings out the most frustration for both viewers and the show’s contestants. Though the bakers get two full minutes to examine the scene, it’s never enough time. While the dessert mystery series is undeniably fun, the clue-solving elements in the kitchen can feel super ambiguous at times, creating a lot more drama and twists. This leads to naturally rushed decisions that lead to a lot more guesswork than skill, and a lot more tension. While Gampp and Stone evaluate each baked good with a keen eye and wholly appreciate sharp execution, Crime Scene Kitchen thrives on the element of surprise and its unpredictability , as the ingredients can create anything. It’s the critical and creative deduction that adds a nuanced layer of strategy to the detective game. Anyone can whip up a Queen Elizabeth cake , but knowing the exact ingredients to get there is where that element of intrigue pops in, showcasing more than just run-of-the-mill baking skills.

McHale, Gampp, and Stone’s Chemistry Adds Layers of Entertainment

As mystery and mastery collide for some high-stakes baking, one of the biggest appeals of Crime Scene Kitchen is its standout trio of McHale, Gampp, and Stone. Together, the three form a seamless unit of support for the contestants that blends expertise, warmth, and, of course, comedy. Their effortless chemistry allows for some very spontaneous and lighthearted moments . This all hinges on the personable nature of McHale, who is the best host to keep these competitors in check. It’s no secret the former Soup and Community star is one of our generation’s funniest comedians with a matchless sense of humor. But as the host, he brings another level of hilarity through a genuine heart and cares for the contestants. It’s through McHale that the audience understands not just the stakes, but the people behind them. As our connection to the competitors, McHale sets the right tone without ever overdoing it and gives us an impressive look behind the bakes.

As McHale works to humanize the contestants for audiences to connect with them on a personal level through his charm, it’s the strong “mom-and-dad energy” from Gampp and Stone that maintains the show’s weighted tiers of tension needed. Of course, all three of them bring a comfortable warmth to the series, but authority figures must steer things into play for the gravity of the competition . As a celebrated cake artist and social media influencer, Gampp is striking as the voice of reason to offer valuable insights and critiques that not only enlighten the contestants but let them know what is needed to truly elevate their game. On the other hand, Stone — who is not quite like Gordon Ramsay — still holds his own as an authoritative voice that is the balanced counterpart to McHale’s wit and Gampp’s “good cop”-type criticisms. His extensive culinary knowledge and sharp energy make him both a mentor and a source of inspiration for the contestants.

The Sweetest Baking Shows on Streaming Right Now

Knead to satisfy a sweet tooth? These baking shows will surely rise to the occasion.

While Crime Scene Kitchen packs in plenty of fun and mystery for the whole family, it’s still a serious baking competition at its core. The challenges feel a lot more weighty this time around , especially with the new twist on its competitor pool. Through this make-or-break dynamic, there is more room for drama, suspense and, unfortunately, replicating Season 1 terrors like the infamous “apple pie soup.” With its twists and turns and an unforgettable trio, the stakes are higher than ever this season. As a series that continues to stand out in the crowded world of food competition shows, it turns up the heat this time around with new challenges and recipes that will leave you stunned. Whether you’re in it for the sweet creations or the thrill of solving a mystery, Crime Scene Kitchen remains a delectable mystery competition that is far from turning stale .

Crime Scene Kitchen Season 3 premieres Thursday, September 26 on Fox. Watch the series now on Hulu.

Crime Scene Kitchen

Crime Scene Kitchen continues to bake up mystery and charm for a delightful, one-of-a-kind competition series.

• The blend of baking competition with a detective-style mystery adds an innovative twist.
• The introduction of family dynamics adds a compelling layer of drama, making the competition not just about baking but also about personal tensions.
• The chemistry among Joel McHale, Curtis Stone and Yolanda Gampp are the icing on the cake, making the show a treat to watch.
• The clue-solving segments can feel overly vague and lead to confusion, which may frustrate both contestants and viewers.

In a unique cooking competition, teams of bakers must piece together clues left in a kitchen to identify and recreate a mystery dessert. Each episode presents the contestants with a series of challenges, where they inspect ingredient remnants and cooking utensils to infer the recipe. The recreated desserts are then judged based on their similarity to the original. The show combines elements of detective work with baking expertise, as teams are progressively eliminated until one remains as the champion.

Watch on Hulu

Never Let Go

Alexandre Aja’s reputation has shifted in the years since his divisive 2004 film “High Tension”: Many genre fans have come around to recognizing his undeniable skill with set pieces and tight locations. If you don’t like “Crawl,” I don’t know what to tell you. He returns this week with another single-setting piece. However, this one has a very different tone, unfolding as a parable (or several) centered on how far a mother will go to protect her children. Maybe. Well, that, and a few other things. Aja’s directorial acumen remains top-notch, working with an ace tech team to elevate what’s a pretty muddled screenplay this time. Just as you wrap your arms around what “Never Let Go” is saying or thematically symbolizes, it slips through your fingers. A hodgepodge of mental illness, trauma, overprotection, the existence of evil, and what feels like COVID allegories, “Never Let Go” fails by virtue of its competing ideas. It leaves too little to hold on to.

“Never Let Go” unfolds almost entirely at a remote home occupied by only three people: an unnamed mother (Halle Berry) and her two sons, Nolan (Percy Daggs IV) and Samuel (Anthony B. Jenkins). They have a number of rules that make the first act of “Never Let Go” feel like a variation on “A Quiet Place,” another tale of a family struggling against the evil surrounding their sanctuary. The main one is that they must stay tied to a rope connected back to their cabin when they are out foraging for food or just experiencing the outdoors. Mom tells the boys of an evil that will infect them if they leave the rope behind—whether the rope can be read as masks/vaccines for a family in lockdown during a pandemic, you decide—but only she can see this evil, one that takes the form of dead loved ones like her abusive mother and awful husband. If it gets the chance, the “evil” will infect her or the boys, keeping the trifecta trapped in a house with dwindling supplies.

Since only mom can see the horrifying creations—and kudos to the makeup team—Nolan starts questioning whether they’re real. And, at the movie’s peak, so do we. What if mom’s visions are just hallucinations brought on by years of trauma? Is this all another horror allegory for mental illness? As the trio descends further into starvation, distrust forms between the boys. Nolan starts to doubt, and Samuel stands beside Mom. It leads to a showdown over what’s really in the woods and the question of whether or not Nolan and Samuel should be more scared of it or their mom.

There are a lot of ideas in “Never Let Go,” but too many of them go unexplored. Berry said at the film’s premiere at Fantastic Fest that she hoped that it was a movie that people would be thinking about days later. Still, that’s probably a mistake because thinking too much about this movie’s themes leads to confusion.

The biggest problem is the wasted opportunity to dig into the throughline of KC Coughlin & Ryan Grassby’s script with the most potential: the possibility that mom went mad years ago. Berry doesn’t do nearly enough with this idea, going too one-note as a protective matriarch when there’s a version of this film that allows her character to be truly unsettling. She speaks of an evil that took hold of her in the real world years ago, a world she says is now gone, but we have as much reason to believe this as the boys. This character should carry trauma and potential madness in every bone and line reading, but Berry makes too many simple choices for such a complex part.

The best parts of “Never Let Go” come from Aja’s direction and his hired team to pull it off. He makes wonderful use of background movement, drawing our eye to something threatening in the woods or through a window before our protagonists see it. He’s developed a visual language with cinematographer Maxime Alexandre on films like “Crawl” and “Oxygen” that works again here. It’s a visually striking film with a tone enhanced by an effective score from Robin Coudert.

While these elements are laudable, they can’t elevate where this movie misses its mark. Or, I should say, many marks. Aja’s best films have momentum, pushing us in one direction down an increasingly speedy track. This one never builds up that pace, wasting some of its best ideas to repeat some of its shallowest. Aja will recover, probably with the in-production “Crawl 2.” By that time, we’ll all have let this one go.

This review was filed from Fantastic Fest. It’s also now playing in theaters.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

• Anthony B. Jenkins as Samuel
• Percy Daggs IV as Nolan
• Matthew Kevin Anderson as The Stranger
• Christin Park as Paramedic
• Stephanie Lavigne as The Evil
• Cadence Compton as Young Girl
• Mila Morgan as Young Girl
• Alexandre Aja
• Kevin Coughlin
• Ryan Grassby

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‘His Three Daughters’ Review: Sisters at Odds Together

Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon and Elizabeth Olsen play sisters who are caring for their dying father in this tender, funny family drama.

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By Manohla Dargis

Every so often in the heart-heavy drama “His Three Daughters,” the filmmaker Azazel Jacobs frames the actress Natasha Lyonne in radiant close-up. Her character, Rachel, is one of the daughters of the title, and while she thrums with palpable energy, she also has a quality of stillness about her. When Rachel stares into the distance, as she tends to do, lost in thought or maybe just lost — her huge eyes shining, her face edged by flaming red hair — she brings to mind a hummingbird hovering in midair, its wings beating impossibly fast against the strongest headwind.

Rachel is one of three sisters who’ve convened to care for their father, Vincent (Jay O. Sanders), at the end of his life. With her siblings Katie (Carrie Coon) and Christina (Elizabeth Olsen), Rachel drifts through the New York apartment where their father is fading away, his heartbeat now supplanted by the beeping machinery that he’s hooked up to, which creates an eerie rhythm throughout. It’s a hard, painful setup but also absurdly funny, intimate and human. Jacobs is sensitive to life’s contradictions; he knows how abruptly love seems to boil over into hate, and how quickly adult siblings can turn into whining, raging children.

Set over an inexact number of days and nights, the movie tracks the sisters during the course of their vigil. Katie is the scold (and surrogate angry patriarch), who also lives in the city, while Christina (an anxious maternal type from California) plays the part of the diplomat. Outwardly, at least, Rachel — who lives with their father in the apartment — slips readily into the role of the black sheep (and unruly child), especially given her pursuits and pastimes. When she’s not fleeing from her sisters, Rachel is hunkered down in her room, watching sports on TV, playing the odds and taking hits off a blunt. Rachel seems to be in a fog, but she’s perfectly lucid.

Most of the movie takes place in the apartment, a modest, pointedly ordinary space with plenty of windows and a couple of bedrooms on the upper floor of a building in a large complex. It’s humble by mainstream, art-directed movie standards; it looks like a real apartment where real people live. There’s nothing fancy about it, just photos, tchotchkes and furniture people might actually use, middle-class people, working-class people, people lucky enough to have an affordable New York (Manhattan!) apartment. It’s a moving emblem of a nearly lost city and, by turns, a haunted house, a cozy home and a theater for the family’s drama, one that the sisters enact at times while reciting grievances they clearly committed to heart long ago.

Emotions are already raw when the movie opens on Katie. Seated against a white wall, arms tightly folded across her chest, she is in the midst of an epic tirade directed at an offscreen, silent Rachel. As the camera holds on Katie, she talks and talks, her words running together into a near-indistinguishable slurry. It’s as if she didn’t believe in punctuation or the niceties of conversation; it soon becomes clear she has next to no patience for Rachel. Katie asks her a question without waiting for the answer, emphasizes the obvious, makes demands. It’s not for nothing that the first time you see each sister she is alone in the frame.

As the vigil continues, things shift and settle, and other characters come and go, including a hospice worker, Angel (Rudy Galvan); a security guard, Victor (Jose Febus); and Rachel’s friend, Benjy (Jovan Adepo). Each brings some air into the fraught scene; more subtly, they reveal something about how the sisters relate to the larger world. Katie, for one, jokingly refers to the hospice aide as an Angel of Death, which isn’t funny the first or the second time she does so. That Rachel talks more readily to Victor than to her sisters says much about the family — about the siblings’ relations, worldviews and aching need for connection — as does the moment when, in her bedroom, she wearily rests her head on Benjy’s shoulder.

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‘His Three Daughters’ Movie Review: Should You Watch Netflix’s Big Oscar Contender?

The new family drama, His Three Daughters, is now streaming to critical acclaim, but do we think you should you watch it?

Acquired by Netflix out of the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, His Three Daughters is one of several festival films with awards season aspirations that Netflix will be releasing this year. Fresh off a limited theatrical run, the film and its creators hope to continue to connect with audiences & critics alike when it hits the platform this weekend. 

Set almost entirely in a small apartment in New York City, the story centers around, as the title suggests, three daughters coming together in the final days of their father’s life. Like many families, the sisters bring their own personal complicated past into the equation alongside the more obvious battles with grief at this stage of their father’s health. The film gives us a look into family dynamics at its hardest time, following them along for three volatile days of back-biting, in-fighting, & ultimately finding love and common ground while dealing with the impending loss hanging over them.

Written & Directed by Azazel Jacobs ( French Exit ), His Three Daughters is blessed with a mighty trio of actors tasked with carrying such a heartfelt and emotionally explosive narrative: Carrie Coon ( The Leftovers , Gone Girl ) as the high-strung, detail-oriented Katie, Elizabeth Olsen (The MCU’s Wanda Maximoff) as peacemaking people-pleaser Christina, & Natasha Lyonne ( Russian Doll , Orange is the New Black ) as the independent-minded and constantly stoned Rachel who’s been living and taking care of their father for the past year.

The clashing of these very different people and their very different energies allows us all to explore the various family archetypes that force their hands in times of crisis and identify the many faces & stages of grief in the process of losing someone we love. 

From the more dominating, mile-a-minute mouth of Katie, we get to witness someone who tries to avoid her feelings by keeping busy, taking on more than she can handle, & controlling the process as much as she can. She believes she can talk down to whoever gets in her path because she’s doing “everything” and only wants what’s in the best interest of her dying father.

In Rachel, we see a woman who’s been the under-appreciated, everyday caretaker for her father when no one wanted to do so. In the eyes of Katie, she’s just doing the bare minimum for a rent-controlled apartment in her name; But in reality, she’s doing her best out of love for the man who raised her when her biological father wanted no part. She’s a survivor who has always had to fight for her place in her unconventional family.

Finally, in Christina, we see the smile through the pain and the port in the storm. She’s the reluctant go-between for a tension that pre-dated her. While she may have a blood bond with Katie, she also wants more out of her relationship with Rachel outside of coming to her aid against Katie’s strong will & reluctance to let her in. She found love & community in the Deadheads and her soul in motherhood; things she may have not come upon easily in her own family.

The beauty of this film is in the collision of these well-developed characters & their backstories in a time when even the smallest of grievances can tear people apart. The chemistry, in tension and in harmony, is well constructed by Jacobs and his crew with a welcomed & well-earned conclusion. The use of an obituary as a means to determine how well you know someone and the use of something as simple as “someone’s chair” to feel their presence are some of the best storytelling devices Jacobs uses to bring even more humanity into this already rich philosophical & sociological examination.

While the film is firmly held up by its powerful lead performances, His Three Daughters also boasts a strong use of space & blocking in its cinematography to avoid the trappings of claustrophobic small space shooting locations and solid supporting performances that engage with the leads at critical times in the story. A great combination of both is the scene in which Benjy, played by Jovan Adepo ( The Leftovers , Sorry For Your Loss ), confronts Katie after she offers him food. The use of the hallway & conjoining room to illustrate his relationship to their father while giving enough space between them to allow Katie to stand up and charge him is a great use of big performances in small environments.

His Three Daughters. (L-R) Natasha Lyonne as Rachel and Elizabeth Olsen as Christina in His Three Daughters. Cr. Netflix ©2024.

The only detraction for this film is that the early moments of the story feel more rigid and monologue-heavy. Some of the initial interactions within the first act feel more like a filmed play than possibly intended, but obviously from what I’ve previously stated, these concerns quickly dissipate as the chemistry increases. Of course, part of this could be by design as the relationship is supposed to advance, but the level of talking past each other in conversation and the lack of reaction shots early on could possibly turn off casual viewers. 

Overall, His Three Daughters is a tremendous kickoff to the heavy drama, award-centric season. With memorable performances from Coon, Olsen, & Lyonne and quality writing & direction from Azazel Jacobs, the film will stay with you in the best of ways. With so many different personalities & emotional complexities, it’s hard not to identify and relate with something from this film in your core. 

Watch His Three Daughters On Netflix if You Like

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MVP of His Three Daughters

The Benjy Confrontation Scene

While many times I will give an actor or director their due in this section (and there were many to choose from), this time I’d like to champion a specific scene that changed the tenor of the movie for the better so much that it needs to be recognized. 

At almost the 40-minute mark in the film, someone may think we know what this movie is: three sisters having their own individual experiences with the grieving process while getting a glimpse into a realistic portrayal of what the hospice home death system is like. 

But then Katie offers food to Benjy and says “Well, nice meeting you”.

What transpires completely changes everything. Benjy stops in his tracks and comes back to the room with Katie & Christina. He tells her how they’ve met before, only a few months prior, and notes that it may have been the last time she was there, putting an emphasis on the lack of time she’s put in with her ailing father. He also regales them with how much he loved spending time with their father himself. But no matter what he said, Katie always tried to put her own sense of snark on her attempts at kindness. 

But he continues in the best way. He sticks up for Rachel and puts Katie & Christina on notice. He gives the unsavory details of taking care of someone in his condition every day. He makes sure they know that he sees them for who they are and more importantly what they aren’t. Even after Benjy & Rachel leave when the temperature gets too hot, Benjy makes sure to say goodbye to Vincent and show respect to the people who matter.

This scene means everything to set up what’s to come. The trio of accomplished actors on the poster may get the headlines (and rightly so), but this scene with a supporting player out front changed everything I thought I knew about what this movie would say. 

A family drama filled with so much tension, perspective, & character that handles the complex dynamics of siblings at the time of impending loss with such knowing compassion. Easily one of the best Netflix films of the year so far. 

Andrew Morgan is a film critic & podcaster with 20 years of experience on the sets & offices of film & television. Current podcast host of the entertainment review show, Recent Activity. He lives in the Northeast of the United States.

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'Singam 3' Review: Suriya Roars!

Movie: Singam 3 Rating: 2.75/5 Banner: Studio Green Cast: Suriya, Anushka Shetty, Shruti Haasan, Radhika, Sharad Saxena, Thakur Anoop Singh, Suri, Sharat Babu, Vijay Kumar and others Cinematography: Priyan  Music: Harris Jayaraj  Editing: V T Vijayan Fights: Kanal Kannan Producer: Malkapuram Sivakumar, Gnanavel Raja Story-Screenplay-Direction: Hari   Release date: Feb 09, 2017

Suriya and Hari have created "Singam" series seven years ago and the franchise has become hugely popular in all languages.

The first movie in the series was successfully remade in Hindi too. So, ever since the third installment was announced, the fans and general audiences have been waiting for its release.

Although the movie got postponed several times, the expectations on the movie have not diminished. So has the third part lived up to the standards set by the earlier parts? Let's find out.

Story: DCP Narasimham (Suriya), who belongs to AP cadre, is sent to Mangalore city when some gang kills the city's Police Commissioner. As per rule, he cannot work in another state, but he is sent to Mangalore on central deputation.

Narasimham is married to Kavya (Anushka) but he tells everyone that he is divorced so that the gang would leave his wife.

In Mangalore, comes to know about MS Reddy (Sharat Saxena) and his link with Australian businessman Vittal Prasad (Thakur Anoop Singh).

The Australian businessman is dumping all the medical waste and other scrap from Australia in Mangalore. This whole nexus is interlinked with the killing of Police commissioner. How DCP Narasimham cracks the case is the rest of the story.

Artistes’ Performances: If there is no Suriya, there is no Singam movie. He is the epitome of an angry young cop. As Narasimham aka Singam, he has lived in the role in the earlier versions and he is even more aggressive in this third part too. The movie is completely Suriya's show.

Anushka who was also seen in the earlier two movies has played her continuation part but hers is minor role here. She looks very stout.

Shruti Haasan's is regular masala movie heroine's character that we see in Hari's movies. She has played the journalist role but mostly does what Hansika did in the second part. Radhika and other actors have done their job well. 

Technical Excellence:   Major feature of "Singam" movies has been the high-octane action episodes shot with high technical values.

Kanal Kannan’s action stunts are the main strength. He has come up with some good action episodes, while the cinematographer Priyan has filmed them in an equally grand way and those are edited with sharp pace.

The slick editing and rich photography are noticeable. Music by Harris Jayaraj is bad. 

Highlights: Suriya's performance as Singam Better second half Classy taking  Racy action episodes

Drawback: Weak story Dull first half Shruti and Anushka both lack appeal

Analysis: The first and second parts in the "Singam" series have already prepared us what to expect from this third. While the first movie "Yamudu" was 100 percent paisa vasool cop drama, the second instalment was pretty average.

The third part also goes in same way but the racy action episodes and rich visuals in the second half make this movie worth a watch.

Truth be told, there is no dhum in the story at all. But director Hari makes the movie racy, giving us no time to think but enjoy Suriya's action and performance. As always, Surya carries the entire film on his shoulders with his terrific charisma.

Since story is single point - bringing down the Australian businessman, there are no major twists and turns in the screenplay. This has made the movie seem lengthy. Despite typical Tamil style comedy track, it is Suriya who makes the movie interesting.

His aggressive performance, damn fit look, and terrific screen presence score over everything. And the action sequences deserve special mention. The container chase sequences are mind-boggling in the second half. The proceedings post-interval are super-racy.

There are many clap-worthy moments post-interval too. Though overall, the movie is not as gripping as the first part. But if you are fan of Suriya or Singam series, you will not be bored.

The director has completely followed the same template of earlier two movies but he has shot the film with classy production values. Though songs are shot richly, they are not catchy.

On the downside, the movie doesn't have any novelty; it follows the same path of the first two parts. In the second part we have Hansika trying to win the love of Suriya, here Shruti Haasan fills in her shoes.

In earlier part, Suriya goes to some African country hunting the main villain; here he goes to Australia to do the same hunt.

As said earlier, director Hari’s grip in handling action episodes with high technical strength and extracting best output from heroes has helped this movie too. After "Yamudu", Suriya has shown high energy now.

All in all, "Singam 3" works due to never-a-dull-moment in the second half, Surya's excellent and fab performance and Hari's racy narration. This is paisa vasool for Singam lovers.

Bottom-line: Only for Singam!

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Kantara review: మూవీ రివ్యూ: కాంతార.

టైటిల్: కాంతార రేటింగ్: 3/5 తారాగణం: రిషబ్ శెట్టి, కిషోర్, సప్తమి గౌడ, అచ్యుత్ కుమార్, మానసి సుధీర్, ప్రమోద్ శెట్టి, శనిల్ గురు తదితరులు  కెమెరా: అరవింద్ ఎస్. కాశ్యప్  ఎడిటింగ్: కె.…

Greatandhra

టైటిల్: కాంతార రేటింగ్: 3/5 తారాగణం: రిషబ్ శెట్టి, కిషోర్, సప్తమి గౌడ, అచ్యుత్ కుమార్, మానసి సుధీర్, ప్రమోద్ శెట్టి, శనిల్ గురు తదితరులు  కెమెరా: అరవింద్ ఎస్. కాశ్యప్  ఎడిటింగ్: కె. ఎం ప్రకాశ్, ప్రతీక్ శెట్టి  సంగీతం: అజనీష్ లోకనాథ్  నిర్మాత: విజయ్ కరగండూర్  దర్శకత్వం: రిషబ్ శెట్టి  విడుదల తేదీ: 15 అక్టోబర్ 2022

కేజీఎఫ్ సినిమాతో హొంబలే బ్యానర్ దేశం మొత్తంలో ఒక స్థాయిని సంపాదించుకుంది. ఆ సంస్థ నుంచి వస్తున్న సినిమా అనగానే క్రిటికల్ గా కాకుండా ఓపెన్ మైండ్ తో చూసే ప్రేక్షకులు ఎక్కువగా ఉన్నారు. కొత్తగా వచ్చిన “కాంతార” ట్రైలర్ ఆకట్టుకుంది. ఏదో విషయం ఉందనిపించింది. ఇంతకీ ఏముందో చూద్దాం. 

కథగా చెప్పాలంటే ఒక అటవీప్రాంతంలోని కుగ్రామం. రాజుల కాలం నుంచి అక్కడొక ఆనవాయితీ ఉంటుంది. ఒక వ్యక్తిని దేవుడు పూనుతుంటాడు. అతను ఆ పూనకంలో ఊరి పెద్దకి ఊరి మేలు కోసం దిశానిర్దేశం చేస్తుంటాడు. ఆ క్రమంలో తరాలు గడుస్తుంటాయి. 1990 ల కాలం వస్తుంది. అక్కడ కూడా పూనకం వచ్చే వ్యక్తి ఉంటాడు. ఊరి పెద్దకి భూదాహం. పేదల భూములన్నీ లాక్కోవాలనుకుంటాడు. ఇంతకీ పూనకం వచ్చే వ్యక్తి మన హీరో శివకి తండ్రి. కానీ ఊరి పెద్ద దైవ ధిక్కారం వల్ల ఆ పూనకంలోనే అతను మిస్టీరియస్ గా మాయమైపోతాడు. ఇక తిరిగిరాడు. హీరో పెరిగి పెద్దవుతాడు. తర్వాత ఏం జరుగుతుందనేది కథ. ఈ కథలో అటవీభూములు, వాటి అక్రమణలు మొదలైన అంశాలకు సంబంధించిన కథ సమాంతరంగా నడుస్తుంటుంది. 

కథ ఇది..అని అర్థం కావడానికి చాలా సమయం పడుతుంది. ఇంటర్వల్ వరకు అసలు పాయింట్ ఏంటనేది క్లారిటీయే రాదు. ఒక జానర్ అని కాకుండా అన్నీ మిళితం చేసి కలగాపులగంగా రాసుకున్న కథ ఇది. అయినప్పటికీ మ్యాజిక్ వచ్చి లాజిక్ ని పూర్తిగా మింగేసింది. 

కథ‌ ఎలా ఉన్నా సాంకేతికత బలంగా ఉంటే ప్రేక్షకుల్ని ఎలా కూర్చోపెట్టొచ్చో పాఠం చెప్పే సినిమా ఇది. సాంకేతికత అనేది స్క్రీన్ ప్లే, కెమెరా, ఎడిటింగ్, నేపథ్య సంగీతాల్లో ప్రధానంగా నిక్షిప్తమై ఉంటుంది. అవన్నీ అద్భుతంగా ఉండడం వల్ల కథలో కూడా ఏదో అద్భుతముందనే భావన కలుగుతుంది. అభూతకల్పన అయినా, రియలిస్టిక్ అయినా, సూపర్ నేచరల్ అయినా, క్రైం అయినా..ఏ జానర్ అయినా కూడా సాంకేతికతతో హిస్టిరికల్ గా అద్భుతాన్ని సృష్టంచగలిగితే కథలో లోపాలు కూడా ప్రేక్షకుల అనుభూతికి అడ్డురావు. 

తెలుగు డబ్బింగ్ క్వాలిటీ బాగుంది. ఎక్కడా వాడుకలో లేని పదాలు లేవు. పాటల్లో సాహిత్యం కూడా తెలుగుతనం ఉట్టిపడుతూ వినసొంపుగ ఉన్నాయి. ఎక్కడా డబ్బింగ్ సినిమా పాటల్లాగ లేవు. 

నేపథ్య సంగీతం, సౌండ్ ఎఫెక్ట్స్ ఈ సినిమాకి హైలైట్స్. తెర మీద సినిమా చూస్తున్నట్టు కాకుండా ఆ ప్రపంచంలో ఉన్న భావన కలిగించాయి ఆ రెండూ. అలాగే కెమెరా వర్క్, లైటింగ్ కూడా. ఎడిటింగ్ కూడా ఎక్కడా గ్రిప్ తగ్గకుండా సాగింది. 

కథ, కథనాల విషయానికొస్తే కొంచెం రంగస్థలం, కాస్త తుంబాడ్ సినిమాలతో పాటు పురాణాల్లోని వరహావతార కథ స్ఫూర్తి చెదురుమొదురుగా కనిపిస్తాయి. అన్ని స్ఫూర్తులున్నా ఇది పూర్తిగా కొత్త కథ. తెలుగువారికి తెలిసిన పేరున్న నటీనటులు ఒక్కరూ లేకపోయినా సౌండ్ ఎఫెక్ట్స్ తోటి, కెమెరా వర్క్ తోటి కట్టిపారేసిన సినిమా ఇది. 

కన్నడ సినీ రంగం హఠాత్తుగా కేజీఎఫ్ తో తన సాంకేతిక శక్తి ఎమిటో చూపించింది. దానికి ఏ మాత్రం అనుకరణ కాకుండా మరొక కోణంలో ఈ కాంతార కన్నడసినీరంగ గౌరవాన్ని నిలబెట్టే ప్రయత్నం చేసింది. 

భూమి మీద ఆశ, దైవ ధిక్కారం..ఈ రెండూ వరాహపురాణంలోని హిరణ్యాక్షుడి లక్షణాలు. ఇక్కడున్న విలన్ కి ప్రధానంగా ఉన్నవి ఆ రెండు గుణాలు. అసుర లక్షణాల్లో హింస కూడా ప్రధానమైంది కనుక అది విలన్లో ఎలాగో ఉంటుంది. అసురసంహారం అయిన వెంటనే విష్ణువు అవతారపరిసమాప్తి చేసే ఘట్టాన్ని స్ఫురించేలా ఇక్కడ కథనం ముగుస్తుంది. మరలా నరసింహావతారంతో సీక్వెల్ ఉంటుందేమో అన్నట్టుగా కథానాయిక గర్భంపై కెమెరా ప్యాన్ చేసి ఆపడం జరిగింది చివరిగా. 

అలాగే రంగస్థలంలో జగపతిబాబు, ప్రకాశ్ రాజ్ ఇద్దరూ ఒకే పాత్రలో కనిపిస్తే ఎలా ఉంటుందో అలా ఉంటుంది ఇందులోని అచ్యుత్ కుమార్ పాత్ర. ఆ రకంగా స్క్రీన్ ప్లే, గ్రామీణ నేపథ్యాలు రంగస్థలాన్ని గుర్తు చేస్తుంటాయి. 

ఇక రెండు మూడు టైం లైన్స్ లో కొనసాగే కథతో సూపర్ నేచురల్ అంశాలతో కూడిన మిస్టరీ కోణం తుంబాడ్ నుంచి స్ఫూర్తి పొందినట్టు అనిపిస్తుంది. 

కథానాయక పాత్రలో రచయిత దర్శకుడు అయిన రిషబ్ శెట్టి చక్కగా ఒదిగిపోయాడు. ఈ బహుముఖ ప్రజ్ఞాశాలి వెండితెర మీద కొత్త ప్రపంచాన్ని ఆవిష్కరించగలిగాడు. విలన్ పాత్రలో అచ్యుత్ కుమార్ డబుల్ షేడ్ లో నటించి మెప్పించాడు. హీరోయిన్ గా సప్తమీ గౌడ పర్వాలేదు. మిగిలిన నటీనటులందరూ తమ తమ పరిధుల్లో పాత్రకి తగ్గట్టు నటించారు. 

కొత్త తరహా కథలు రావాలి అని కోరుకునే వారికి “కాంతార” కొంత ఉపశమనాన్ని ఇస్తుంది. కథలో కచ్చితంగా లాజిక్ ఉండాలనుకునే వారికి మాత్రం ఆయాసాన్నిస్తుంది. సినిమా అంటే సాంకేతికపరమైన మేజిక్ ఉంటే చాలు అనుకునే వారికి అనుభూతి చెందే అవకాశాన్నిస్తుంది. మొత్తంగా ఈ సినిమా వెరైటీగా ఉందనిపిస్తుంది. 

బాటం లైన్: కన్నడ రంగస్థలం