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Evil is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King; this review covers Rose390. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, and Christine Lahti. It originally aired under CBS before moving to Paramount+. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.

The assessors investigate a young boy with a troubling history. David (Mike Colter) strives to teach the boy empathy. Kristen (Katja Herbers) finds some merit in exorcisms. Ben (Aasif Mandvi) protects Kristen’s children from an online stranger.

A boy looks onward, shrouded in darkness and over a dark gray background
Luke Judy as Eric

What I Like about Evil: Rose390

Of all the episodes discussed so far, Rose390 is the first that allows David to shine in a role closer to co-lead. While his secondary plots remain relevant, his importance increasingly grows as the series continues. Mike Colter certainly earns that screen time, receiving several nominations for Best Actor along the way.

David and Ben’s interactions with the children in the episode show two drastically different characters. Although David attempts to mentor the troubled Eric, he clearly has limited interaction with children. There’s an eagerness to help but flaws in communicating lessons effectively. Ben projects more annoyance with Kristen’s girls, but he enjoys their company even if he wants to display indifference. These interactions vastly contrast with Kristen, a mother of four and a licensed psychologist, who manages the troubled Eric in all her interactions with him.

Rose390 reveals several elements and secrets that will later earn more relevancy in the series. Where I find Evil’s writing excels are these moments when it naturally introduces plot-relevant clues to characters’ pasts or potential futures without spoon-feeding them in.

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Rose390 remains another episode that blends the procedural and overarching plot, with the title taking inspiration from a more plot-relevant storyline. If you enjoy child psychopaths and creepy children in your horror, this episode provides one of both. Though, the creepy child in question happens to be a digital avatar.

White background, rubber stamp with disclaimer pressed against the white background.
Disclaimer Kimberley Web Design

Tired Tropes and Triggers

An infant nearly drowns in an unsuccessful murder attempt. While not shown on screen, the viewer sees the results and coming aftermath. Similarly, there’s an implied murder of a child, though this leaves room for speculation as nothing remains on screen.

Aside from this, I don’t note any additional concerns or worries. Even the usual point of religious representation doesn’t hold much merit in Rose390.

A girl looks at the viewer. A scar aligns the right side of her face. Behind her are yellow lights and a living room setting
Nora Murphy as Rose390

What I Dislike about Evil: Rose390

I doubt anyone in the writing room grasps video game rating systems or the larger gaming sector industry. Ben labels the horror game in Rose390 as an MA (17+) when something like Five Nights at Freddy’s earns a T for Teen. The game only shows monsters with varying degrees of special effects. There are jump scares, but nothing that amounts to the rating he confidently categorizes the game as.

The special effects of the “game” linger on the goofier and campy side of horror. It certainly makes sense in context but won’t exactly horrify anyone. Some creatures rise above others, which doesn’t create a consistent game.

Another writing point for discussion is how quickly the show can raise some dark material only to drop it before it can effectively haunt the viewer. Cases in the procedural rarely linger with the ramifications of their plots past the initial episode, and even that remains left for the conclusion.

Final Thoughts

Evil: Rose390 dives into the horror of evil children. While far from the strongest episode of the series, Rose390 certainly travels into the darker side with drops of campy horror to make the bitter episode go down easier. If only it lingered in that horror, allowing the viewers to feel that toll, Rose390 might excel.
2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5)

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Zeth received his M.A in English with a focus in Creative Writing at CSU, Chico. As a human writer, he published in the 9th volume of Multicultural Echoes, served on the editorial board of Watershed Review, and is a horror reviewer for Haunted MTL. All agree he is a real-life human and not an octopus in human skin. Fascinated by horror novels and their movie adaptations, Zeth channels his bone-riddled arms in their study. Games are also a tasty treat, but he only has the two human limbs to write. If you enjoy his writing, check out his website.

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Movies n TV

American Horror Stories, X

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It happened. It finally happened. We got another good episode of American Horror Stories.

The story

We begin our story late at night, with a hospital security guard named Malcolm. He is frightened one night when he sees a woman with a distorted face in the hospital parking lot.

We then joined an RN named Claire. She’s doing her best to explain to a struggling mother that the hospital will not be able to treat her son with cancer because she can’t afford the treatment.

Mia Isaac in American Horror Stories.

Not like she’s happy about it.

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Fortunately, Dr. Nostrum, played by the legend Henry Winkler, swoops in at the last moment to tell the mother that her son qualifies for a special place in his cancer treatment clinic.

Claire is lamenting the fact that she became an RN to help people, but it feels like she isn’t doing anything good. Then, she and her friend Lilly stumble upon the same woman who menaced Malcom the night before.

While Claire is trying to figure out what’s wrong with this woman, she brutally slaughters an orderly and vanishes into the hospital. But not before struggling to say two words to Claire. Ward X.

What worked

I want to start by praising the effects of this episode. Because they were fantastic. Aided by the black and white filming, the bloody and distorted faces of Alice and her fellow victims are nightmarish. They look like a horrific version of Lockjaw taken to a terrifying extreme.

I also want to discuss the fantastic work of Henry Winkler. He is an absolute legend and never has a bad project.

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Henry Winkler and Mia Isaac in American Horror Stories.

Winkler’s character in this episode was exactly what we’d expect from him. He seems genuinely warm and kind, concerned about others’ well-being. Even when he’s planning to kill Claire, he comes off as such a caring guy.

Finally, I want to talk about the historical significance of this story. Because, like I always say, the scariest stories are the ones based on truth. And I’m sorry to say, this story has a basis in truth.

Mankind has a dark and twisted history when it comes to medical advances. Most doctors and scientists are good, moral people who abide by the first line of the Hippocratic oath, to first do no harm. Some, historically, are little more than monsters in white coats. Consider the Tuskegee Experiment, Unit 731, and the horrific acts of Josef Mengele. If you’re going to look up that middle one, be warned that it is NSFL.

While this episode of American Horror Stories was a work of fiction, it wasn’t that far off. I don’t think many of us want to admit how close to real life it was. This is the gift of good horror, to force us to come face to face with the worst aspects of humanity. To acknowledge them, accept them, and change them.

All in all, this was a perfect episode. The acting, the effects and the story were all top-shelf. And it’s certainly a story that will stick with you.

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There are just two episodes left in this season of American Horror Stories. Let’s hope that they reach closer to the quality of X, and away from the dull and dismal episodes that began the second half of this season.

5 out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

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The Substance: The Gnarly Body Horror of Womanhood and Aging

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The Substance is 2024’s body horror film that does not exhale until it’s final scene. It is a saturated and gory creation from French writer-director Coralie Fargeat, the creator of the 2018 movie Revenge. Fargeat created The Substance’s from her own personal experiences with body dysmorphia and unmet societal expectations. To be a woman or woman-presenting is to have one’s entire autonomy challenged and dissected. The Substance uses satire and classic movie references — ranging from Kubrick to Hitchcock — to dramatize female aging a one big body horror.

You Can’t Escape from Yourself

Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) turns 50 and is no longer relevant to a world that once loved her. Her boss, Harvey (Dennis Quaid), fires her from her long-running aerobic TV show and crudely decides to go with someone younger, all while shoving fish in his mouth. A breaking point comes when Elisabeth is in a near-fatal car accident after being distracted by construction workers tearing her face off a billboard. When she gets back home from the hospital, she realizes a young male nurse slipped a USB drive labeled THE SUBSTANCE in her pocket with a note that reads “It changed my life.” After a moment of reflection and realizing she is something of a has-been, Elisabeth decides to sign up for the Substance.

Elisabeth holding the substance drive

The Substance, much like Fargeat’s Revenge, relies heavily on visuals. The characters rarely speak, instead conveying their thoughts through their body language. The male gaze is its own character in the predominately male-casted film; exposition is conveyed through the character’s actions more than their words.

In one dialogue-free scene, Elisabeth is about to go on a date, but cannot stop fretting over her appearance. She looks at her younger self, Sue (Margaret Qualley), whose perfect body and makeup and hair and face only add to the turmoil. Several times, Elisabeth redoes her makeup, changes her outfit, then exasperatedly wipes her makeup and tears off her lashes, ultimately missing the date. Elisabeth sits on her bed, alone, captive by her insecurities. It is a quandary that drags her down a rabbit hole of self-destruction and hatred. This scene is particularly heartbreaking, because rather than being satirical and disgusting like the rest of the film, it is honest and real.

Elisabeth, in a desperate attempt to treat herself with love, only hates herself more.

Bring On the Practical Effects

The Substance is a practical effects and sound design goldmine. From the birth of Sue to Elisabeth’s devolution to the climactic Monstro Elisasue, makeup and prosthetics are the key to the movies shock value. Makeup artist Pierre-Olivier Persin and his team used an array of materials like plastic and silicone models to bring the Substance’s gruesome side effects to life. Practical effects are noticeably becoming more common in modern horror movies again; Terrifier 3 and Smile 2 are recent popular examples of such. Practical effects add an impact of surprise and awe, that, let’s face it, CGI does not produce. CGI is of course an impressive and important medium in movie making, but had Fargeat decided to go with CGI over practical, The Substance would have been an entirely different and less entertaining viewing experience.

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Is The Substance a Feminist Horror Movie?

Feminism in horror is a concept that will continuously be examined and theorized, especially when the film is created by a woman. If you look at the script and cast of The Substance, one can view it as a feminist horror movie. But it is important to keep in mind that the movie is very, very white. Of course, no artistic medium will please or include everyone. But it is worth noting that The Substance‘s approach to female aging and womanhood is specifically a white perspective, about white womanhood and white aging. There are Black and POC actors in the movie, but they are either minor characters or men or silent extras. The fact that Elisabeth, Sue and Harvey are all rich, cishet, white characters is not unnoticeable.

Sue walking down a hall that looks like something out of The Shining

Another interesting aspect of the film is its refusal to indicate a specific time period. The internet evidently does not exist, but everyone uses iPhones. Aerobic TV shows are prominent and Harvey’s office looks like it was decorated by an 80’s interior designer. This could either be a simple filmmaking mistake or a metaphor for the timeless degradation of women’s bodies. Whatever time period the film takes place, The Substance proves that, even though being a woman often sucks, white women historically have reached success faster and easier than marginalized women (e.g. Sue immediately lands a role for a new TV show mere moments after her incarnation from Elisabeth’s spine). Is Fargeat’s new movie horror? Yes. Is it political? Definitely. Is it feminist? Yes and no. But that does not make the movie any less worth of a watch.

The Verdict

The Substance is a deeply personal body horror. It picks apart the expectations that come with femininity and aging, then twists it into an amalgamation of terror, quick cuts and uncomfortable closeups, sprinkled with body mutations and all the perverted men you could dream up. Elisabeth and Sue are over-the-top, but honest, illustrations of the damage resulting from generations of men controlling women’s autonomy. It is visually stunning and saturated, and the practical effects are pure fun. The Substance, from beginning to end, is a gnarly body horror absolutely worth the watch. 4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

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Agatha All Along, Maiden Mother Crone

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We’ve reached the final episode of Marvel’s Agatha All Along. And after an emotional week for those of us living in the States, it was exactly the heartfelt, funny and inspiring ending I think we all needed.

The story

We begin this episode in the 1700’s, with Agatha in labor. As she struggles in the woods alone, Rio comes to her. It’s clear that she’s there for the baby. But Agatha begs for the life of her child. Rio says she can give her only time.

We then see ten years of Agatha with her son. They play together. They sing together. And they lure witches to their deaths together.

But of course, Rio’s warning hovers over their lives. Because she was clear, Agatha wasn’t going to be able to raise her son to manhood. She only had some extra time. And it could never have been enough.

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Kathryn Hahn and Abel Lysenko in Agatha All Along.

What worked

I want to start by pointing out that our two main characters, Agatha and Billy don’t exactly get happy endings. One of them, Agatha, is a horrible person so I’m kind of okay with that. And Billy gets a happy enough ending for now.

Jen, on the other hand, gets a happy ending. If you’ve already seen episode eight, I don’t think I’m ruining anything by telling you that she gets what she wanted and can now move on with her life. It isn’t flashy, it isn’t spectacular. But she has her life, and she has her powers. She deserves those things. All the other witches deserved them too, but at least Jen made it out alright.

I also loved the depiction of Rio as Death. While she was certainly not cuddly, she was comforting. I especially liked it when she sent Nick back to kiss his mother goodbye.

Abel Lysenko and Aubrey Plaza in Agatha All Along.

I think we like to write Death this way. As a friendly face and a caring companion who will someday come for us all. Think of Death from American Gods or Discworld. Rio felt similar.

There was something I enjoyed about this season that I frankly didn’t think I was going to enjoy. And it was unexpected.

Agatha is not a good person. Agatha has never been a good person. She’s a bad person who happens to have a soft spot for Billy because he reminds her of her son. She loved her son fiercely, but that didn’t stop her from using him to trick innocent witches. She continues to use his song after he dies.

Likewise, Agatha loves Billy and even sacrifices herself to save him. This shouldn’t be surprising, since she literally drank poison earlier in the season to keep him from doing so. But she’s still mean to him. She’s still constantly pushing his buttons.

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I kind of love that they didn’t give her a redemption arch. Especially since I know Disney had a hand in this, and they tend to like black-and-white morality characters. Agatha is not a good person. But she is still capable of love. She is still capable of regret. She is, in short, more realistic a character than we tend to see.

Finally, I loved this ending. And let me explain why.

If this is all we get, and there’s a good chance it will be, this is a satisfying enough ending. I can live with this ending. But this ending also leaves the door open for a season two.

We never did find Tommy, after all. And Agatha was too afraid to move into the afterlife and see her son. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a plotline right there.

What didn’t work

Unfortunately, nothing is ever perfect. And this season has had one big plothole as far as I’m concerned.

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Why did Billy care so much about Agatha? Right from the start, he wanted her to like him so much.

Part of this is because he wanted something from her. In that way, they are very much alike. Part of it is probably that he remembers her from his past life. But I don’t know that this is enough for him to be almost entirely loyal to her.

Yes, he has his moments. But she always manages to get him back on her side with a smile, or a moment of honesty. It just doesn’t make sense. But then, the show doesn’t work without it.

I think it would have been better to have a scene, or maybe a flashback, of him remembering some kindness from her in Westview. Maybe her tucking him in and singing The Ballad of The Road to him and Tommy. I think that would have gone a long way toward explaining why he always seems to be looking for a reason to forgive her.

All things considered, this was a great mini-series. It was funny, dark and touching. And for having such an unrepentant monster for a main character, it’s surprisingly inspiring. I hope they make another season. But even if they don’t, Agatha All Along was a wonderful journey.

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4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5)

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