By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 50 seconds ago

It will always be a little strange to see a high-profile original series move from one streaming service to another, but as more and more discover the real money is in licensing out their productions versus streaming them themselves, it’s going to become more common. Amazon’s deal with Netflix involving the MGM catalog includes not only all of the James Bond films, but also 2015’s The Man in the High Castle, an alternate-history take on the world in which the Allies lost World War 2. The four seasons series is coming to Netflix on March 11 where again, the Netflix effect is going to turn the decade old show into another hit.

An Alternate World Where The Allies Lost World War 2

The Man in the High Castle might be worth the effort. The series loosely adapts the book by Philip K. Dick, very loosely, the two take place in the same world but the book goes further into mysticism, philosophy, and presents a far scarier world where the Nazi control of half the world has been completely normalized. By contrast, the television adaptation has a significantly larger cast with more of a focus on individualism, depicting a far more divided world, and it includes a guy by the name of Adolf Hitler. 

The less you know about The Man in the High Castle when you go into it, the more you’ll be able to appreciate the wild twists and turns that the dystopian story takes in a world where no one is safe. It starts off with Joe Blake (Luke Kleintank) in New York, offering to drive a truck into the Neutral Zone (the Rockies) for the Resistance, while on the opposite coast, under rule of the Japanese, Juliana Crane (Alexa Davalos) is escorting a box of film to the Neutral Zone for the Resistance. Those films show a different world, one where the Allies won World War 2. Our world. 

A Decade Later Man In The High Castle Is Going To Be A Hit

As far as hooks go, it’s a pretty good one. Fans and critics agreed that the first season was, at the time, a high point for an original streaming series weith a 95 percent fresh rating. The Man in the High Castle wobbles a bit under the weight of the story, and its cast of dozens of characters (including Rufus Sewell as an American officer who accepted the Third Reich’s offer to join them) to keep track of, but it levels out towards the end and finishes strong. Don’t worry, there’s no sudden cancelation cliffhanger here. 

It will be interesting to see the response to The Man in the High Castle a few months after Peacemaker Season 2 tackled a similar plot. What if the Nazis won World War 2 is one of the most common thought experiments in the world of alternate history, but it’s never been done on the same scale and production budget as it was in the Amazon original series. On March 11, thanks to the power of Netflix, it will feel like the show, over a decade old at this point, is being discovered for the first time. Stay away from social media to avoid the spoilers, but more importantly, the inevitable “hot takes” that will do nothing but raise your blood pressure.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

The concept of free will is a fickle one if you can see your own future and realize that no matter what choice you make in the present, you’ll wind up at the same outcome. 2019’s Volition toys with this deterministic notion when its hero can’t escape his fate no matter how many times he tries to course correct. He’s not living in a choose your own adventure timeline, but in an adventure with a grisly end that always seems to choose him.

Through this framework, Volition succeeds as a time traveling sci-fi thriller where free will and determinism are locked in constant opposition, with no clear way to break the cycle of betrayal, deception, and violence that traps our protagonist Jimmy (Adrian Glyn McMorran). As more variables enter the equation, Jimmy tries to make sense of his surroundings and correct the predetermined path he’s convinced he has to follow, hoping to reach a conclusion he can actually live with.

Clairvoyance, Diamonds, New Relationships, And Death

When we’re first introduced to Jimmy in Volition, we already know he’s blessed or cursed with clairvoyance. He uses his inexplicable ability for sports betting, while also experiencing fleeting flashes of deja vu that hit without warning. Having lived this way without too many complications, Jimmy’s life takes a turn when a woman named Angela (Magda Apanowicz) is mugged by a group of low level criminals. After catching a flash of a future moment suggesting they become friends, or maybe more than friends, he decides to pursue her.

Around the same time, Jimmy’s old friend Sal (Frank Cassini) introduces him to Ray (John Cassini), who offers him the chance to fence a bag of diamonds worth millions. Jimmy only accepts because his visions imply that this is how events are supposed to unfold. In his mind, the future isn’t something to avoid, it’s something he has to fulfill. Up until this point, he’s believed he has no real influence over the outcomes of his visions, so he might as well go with the flow.

As expected, Jimmy and Angela grow closer while Sal and his accomplice Terry (Aleks Paunovic) plan to betray Ray by stealing the diamonds from Jimmy and keeping the profits for themselves. The double cross sets off a chain reaction that forces Jimmy and Angela to flee to Jimmy’s estranged foster dad, Elliot (Bill Marchant), who happens to be a quantum physicist. As fate would suggest, at least in Jimmy’s mind, these events build toward what was always destined to happen. There will be a scuffle at Elliot’s house, and Angela will be shot dead.

Refusing to accept that this is how the scenario must play out, Jimmy consults Elliot, who reveals he created a time travel serum administered intravenously, and that Jimmy’s clairvoyance isn’t mystical at all. It’s the result of being subjected to the serum during childhood. Jimmy is understandably furious that his foster dad used him as a lab rat, but he’s relieved to learn that his visions are actually memories from previous time hops. If that’s the case, he may be able to change the future if he can map it out correctly.

A Time Loop Worth Getting Lost In

Volition becomes especially enthralling once it leans fully into Jimmy’s time loop, which fragments at increasingly absurd levels as he tries to save Angela from the encounter that claims her life. He experiences memories, past, future, and present in rapid bursts, making split second decisions based on limited information. He uses the wall of his apartment as a reference point to track overlapping timelines, watching himself from afar and interfering when necessary, yet still failing to crack the code.

No matter what he does, Angela dies, and he refuses to accept that outcome. If saving her life while sacrificing his own is his purpose, so be it. Having never cared about anyone as deeply as he cares about her convinces him that the ultimate tradeoff might be the only way to find peace.

There aren’t any flashy special effects in Volition outside of Jimmy’s visions, which is exactly what I appreciate in a time travel story. The film benefits from that restraint because the experience isn’t driven by laser beams or futuristic gadgetry. Everything unfolds inside Jimmy’s fractured perception as he buries himself deeper in similar yet slightly different timelines that all appear to lead to the same destination.

To experience the deja vu, the confusion, and one man laughing in the face of fate because he refuses to let a deterministic timeline call the shots, you can stream Volition for free on Tubi as of this writing.

By Joshua Tyler
| Published 17 seconds ago

Some of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time revolve around humans in a desperate struggle for survival. Sometimes we’re fighting time-traveling robots or out-of-control plagues. Occasionally, we end up in a post-apocalyptic wasteland fighting ourselves.

What really brings humans together, though, is a battle against an outside force. All the better if those invaders are from the stars. This is the definitive ranking of the best alien invasion movies of all time.

13. Lifeforce

The 1985 movie Lifeforce begins with a naked girl in a box, and it ends with a love scene so explosive it destroys a cathedral and sends a race of alien vampires running for their lives. In between those bookends, Lifeforce is one of the wildest, most unique, most incredible science fiction movies almost no one has seen.

A mission to explore Halley’s Comet results in an alien vampire who looks exactly like one of the most beautiful women in the world wandering around our planet without clothes, luring men in, and sucking the life out of them. At one point, she briefly takes the form of Star Trek star Patrick Stewart, and despite now being a bald academic, she’s so alluring that people still want to make out with her, at their peril.

Movies like Species and Under the Skin owe everything to Lifeforce, the original super hot alien babe sucks the life out of the world movie. Those copies are just copies. They can’t hold a candle to Lifeforce. 

12. The Avengers

The 2012 culmination of Marvel’s phase 1, The Avengers, is one of the best superhero movies ever made, but it’s also entirely about an alien invasion. Loki shows up, opens a hole in the sky, and invites an alien army to pour directly into midtown Manhattan like it’s a curbside delivery. 

The Chitauri scream between skyscrapers, raining down death as civilians run and buildings collapse. The only way to stop them is if Earth’s mightiest heroes come together as a team and fight them off. 

The Avengers is the movie that made Marvel into the modern-day juggernaut it is, and it’s built entirely on the backs of Iron Man dogfighting alien attackers, Captain America commanding street-level resistance, and Hulk unleashing the full force of his anger on giant, alien beasts. 

11. Little Shop of Horrors

In Little Shop of Horrors, Rick Moranis stars as Seymour Krelborn, a meek florist whose life changes when he discovers a strange plant he names Audrey II. The plant brings fame and fortune to the failing flower shop until Seymour learns it only grows when fed human blood. 

Voiced by Levi Stubbs, Audrey II is an alien planet that has come to earth, but not an invader with a master plan to conquer us. Instead, it’s a manipulative alien parasite with ambition. 

As the plant grows, so does its appetite and its influence, pushing Seymour to kill in exchange for success, love, and validation, including a chance with Ellen Greene’s Audrey. The real threat isn’t an alien invasion, it’s alien temptation. Audrey II’s only goal is to grow bigger, spread farther, and use human weakness to do it.

10. Signs

M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs is an alien invasion from the perspective of a normal family, and the big global consequences are only in the background. That allows it to be about more than just aliens. It’s about belief, loss, and the terrifying silence of a God who might not be there. 

Mel Gibson’s Graham Hess, once a minister, has abandoned his faith after the tragic death of his wife. The alien invasion is the crucible; it drives his family into corners, tests their survival, and eventually forces him to confront whether life is chaos or design. It doesn’t end with humanity defeating aliens, it ends with one man putting his collar back on, embracing faith not because he got proof, but because he chose to trust again.

9. Predator 

In Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch, the leader of an elite mercenary team sent into the Central American jungle on what’s supposed to be a routine rescue mission. Alongside him are Carl Weathers as Dillon, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham, and Shane Black. Each is introduced like an action-movie archetype before the movie starts tearing those archetypes apart. 

One by one, the team is hunted by an unseen alien warrior using cloaking technology, advanced weapons, and brutal tactics. This isn’t a takeover attempt, like most alien invasions. 

The Predator is a lone trophy hunter on Earth purely for sport, seeking worthy opponents to kill and collect. As the squad is wiped out, the film strips away guns, gear, and bravado until it becomes a primal duel between Dutch and a creature that respects only strength, cunning, and survival.

8. Superman 2

Shot back-to-back with Superman: The Movie, the sequel, Superman 2, manages to exceed the groundbreaking original. It does that by pitting Superman against a trio of super-powered alien invaders from his own planet of Krypton, resulting in an eye-popping super-powered slugfest with special effects so amazing for the time that some still hold up today.

The heart of Superman 2 is the moral dilemma: godlike power versus human happiness. It treats Superman as a man making painful, adult choices. Superman has already given up his powers, leaving humanity defenseless. Realizing the cost of his choice, he reclaims his abilities, confronts the invaders, and ultimately restores both order and his secret identity.

It’s a great alien-invasion movie and one of the best superhero movies ever made. 

7. They Live

They Live centers on Roddy Piper’s Nada, a transient who arrives in Los Angeles looking for work after a string of bad luck. Nada investigates a nearby church, gets caught up in a wild late-night police raid, and walks away with a mysterious pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world for what it really is, a hotbed of political propaganda built on complacency and conformity so the aliens can quietly take over and throttle Earth’s resources for their own personal gain.

Nada’s glasses reveal not only the aliens but the true messages hidden in the magazines, billboards, and television shows we all watch. They Live is a biting commentary on the way we’re all manipulated by mass media, and in that sense, it may be one of the most important and eye-opening movies ever made.

As the film reaches its climax, it reveals just how far the conspiracy against the masses goes, and at this point, there’s no turning back. It’s up to Nada to figure out how to wake everybody up, even if it costs him his life.

6. Edge of Tomorrow

What if the only way to save humanity from an alien invasion was to kill yourself repeatedly until you found the right answers? That’s the setup for 2014’s Edge of Tomorrow, starring one of potentially thousands of Tom Cruises as he wakes up repeating the same day until he nails the perfect combination of allies and strategic maneuvers to win the war.

Considered one of the best action films of the 2010s, Edge of Tomorrow moves at a breakneck pace because it can afford to. The first-act exposition keeps resetting, expanding slightly each time until our hero learns to survive the nightmare that’s been forced on him. Each loop inches him closer to completing his mission, but at the cost of dying over and over again.

5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

One of the best remakes hit screens in 1978: Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Even if you’ve never seen the 1956 original or its other remakes, the basics of the plot are easy to swallow: aliens invade Earth by replacing humans with emotionless duplicates. The catch is that the humans must be asleep for the process to work, a simple twist that turns every yawn into dramatic tension. 

Donald Sutherland leads the cast of famous sci-fi stars, including Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy. Our heroes try to uncover the mystery of the pod people, but that soon takes a backseat to trying to survive another night.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is treated as a very serious story where the stakes are life and death for the entire human race. That’s refreshing compared to modern films winking at the audience every twenty minutes with a tension-deflating joke. The result is one of the most impressive remakes of all time and remains a must-watch for any sci-fi or horror fan today

4. Independence Day

Independence Day is your classic alien invasion story, but with the best CGI that 1996 has to offer. This was years after Jurassic Park, so it’s pretty damn good. 

A powerful alien force has appeared over the skies of Earth with the mission to completely annihilate the planet over the Fourth of July weekend. They start by blowing up some of our best buildings in spectacular fashion. A ragtag group of people from Earth works together to stop the destruction of the planet in a last-ditch effort. 

Bill Pullman gives one of the best speeches ever as our president, Will Smith gives a performance so fun it turned him into a megastar, and the rest of the cast then totally matches it every second they’re on screen. No alien invasion movie is bigger, crazier, or more fun than this one. 

3. War of the Worlds

The world has seen numerous adaptations of HG Wells’ classic alien-invasion novel, both before and after the 1953 release of producer George Pal’s version, yet none have done it better. Especially not that Steven Spielberg version. Sorry, Dakota Fanning.

The movie takes the book that invented alien invasion stories and contemporizes it, setting the War of the Worlds in the 1950s. It also changes the alien ships from Tripod walkers into sleek, floating ships with heat-spitting cobra heads.

The movie’s plan was originally to stick with tripods, but they eventually went with something that was more feasible for the era’s limited practical effects. The change gives this version of the story a uniquely iconic look all its own, and the movie remains as effectively tense and suspenseful now as it ever was.

War of the Worlds holds up in a way few other movies this old do. The cinematography is still beautiful, the aliens are still scary, and the story is still haunting. It’s also a perfect window into 1950s America, complete with the innocence of weekly square dances and the hard-edged determination of soldiers who’d just survived a world war and now found themselves in another one. 

2. The Thing

1982’s The Thing is the gold standard of graphic sci-fi horror, an alien-invasion film where every grotesque transformation feels like a practical-effects masterclass in nightmare fuel. 

Unlike some of the bigger, more bombastic entries on this list, The Thing takes place in a more intimate setting. With people trapped in a remote outpost, and a creature from another world loose on the inside, mimicking and killing them.

John Carpenter doesn’t settle for simple jump scares; he unleashes a parasite that rips through flesh, bursts out of chests, and reshapes bodies into twisted parodies of life. Dogs split open into writhing masses of tentacles, heads sprout legs and scuttle across the floor, and human bodies melt and fuse in ways that are as mesmerizing as they are revolting. 

What makes it unforgettable is the sheer creativity of the terror, shot with brutal clarity. The Antarctic isolation only magnifies the terror, making every reveal hit harder. The Thing is a relentless catalog of the most inventive, character drama, and alien imagery sci-fi has ever dared to put on screen.

1. Arrival

In Arrival, mysterious ships invade Earth’s airspace, land, and then just sort of sit there. It’s an invasion, but one without any violence, and humans are left trying to figure out what’s going on. What’s going on will change everything about the way humanity views the universe, and also maybe the way the movie’s viewers do, too.

Amy Adams plays Louise Banks, an expert linguist who has tragically lost her daughter to an illness. She’s teamed with Ian Donnelly, played by Jeremy Renner, and the two are tasked with figuring out why the ships are there and finding some way to communicate with the beings inside.

Amy Adams is brilliant in the role, and we learn about these aliens and their language right along with her. We go through the pain of losing her daughter and find, along with her, the solace in understanding someone else for the first time. The alien’s invasion becomes a deep exploration of how our communication shapes our thinking. 

It’s one of the best movies of the past ten years, a totally unique take on what might happen if visitors from space show up on our doorstep. Though it contains no battle sequences or threats of annihilation, it’s the best alien invasion movie of all time.

Authorities have spoken out after the body of 21-year-old Kyle Bassinga was reportedly found hanging from a tree in a Georgia park.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Florida Rapper Lil Poppa Has Reportedly Passed Away At Age 25

Body Of 21-Year-Old Male Was Reportedly Found Hanging From Tree In Georgia Park

According to 11Alive, on Wednesday, February 18, authorities received a call “about a dead person in the wooded area” of Fair Oaks Park in Cobb County, Georgia. On Friday, February 20, Kyle Bassinga’s family confirmed that it was his body found.

Per the outlet, witnesses say Bassinga entered the wooded area at the park around 4:30 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. Furthermore, his family reported him missing on February 15.

“Right now, online speculation is the least of our worries. We are focused on burying our son and am happy to have found him,” Bassinga’s family reportedly told the press last week amid speculation around the nature of his death.

Authorities Reportedly Speak Out After Body Of 21-Year-Old Male Was Reportedly Found Hanging From A Tree In Georgia Park

On Monday, February 23, 11Alive reported that Bassinga’s death was officially ruled a suicide. Atlanta News First adds that Cobb County Police Chief Dan Ferrell has asserted that a “substantial amount of evidence” has been collected. This, reportedly including “video evidence, phone evidence, and witness interviews that [show] no indication of foul play.”

Cobb County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Lisa Cupid also spoke out, addressing social media concerns of the case mirroring Jim Crow-era lynchings.

“This is a violent manner that has caused many to think of the days of slavery and of Jim Crow, and this type of violence shown toward African Americans, particularly men, during that historical time has caused many to respond to what is occurring with great disbelief… I hear you, I understand, and we are sensitive to that here in this county,” she reportedly explained. “We want to see the truth of the matter first for the family, who is deserving… as they go through their own grief at this time, but it’s also important for our community to know the truth.”

Atlanta News First added that, as of Monday, police were waiting to sit down with Bassinga’s family to share their findings.

“Once that meeting takes place, we will discuss releasing additional information to the public and put that context around exactly what happened, and I believe that will answer the questions that people have actually been posing,” Cobb County Police Chief Dan Ferrell reportedly noted.

Fox 5 Atlanta reports that on Tuesday, February 24, a vigil was held in honor of Kyle Bassinga. Furthermore, a GoFundMe has been launched to “honor his memory and guide him to a peaceful rest.” As of Friday, February 26, the campaign has raised more than $10,000 out of its $20,000 goal.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users reacted to the death of Kyle Bassinga and his body being found hanging from a tree in TSR’s comment section. Additionally, social media users reacted to the authorities ruling his death a suicide.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Robert Cosby Jr., Son Of ‘RHOSLC’ Star Mary Cosby, Reportedly Passes Away At 23

Lisa Rinna Says Her Worst Feud Wasn’t On Reality TV

Rinna Describes A Hostile ‘Days Of Our Lives’ Set

Lisa Rinna Says Security Was Brought In After His Exit

Rinna Previously Spoke About The On-Screen Chemistry

Sullivan’s Crossing is coming back with a major love triangle as Maggie finds her genuinely torn between boyfriend Cal — and secret husband Liam.

The CW shared a teaser for season 4 on Wednesday, February 25, which showed Maggie (Morgan Kohan) having to explain to Cal (Chad Michael Murray) why she didn’t tell him about Liam (Marcus Rosner). In addition to Cal and Liam facing off while wood chopping, Liam appeared to grow closer to Maggie as they shared a tender moment in the present timeline.

“The vow she made or the life she chose,” read the message in the sneak peek.

Based on the book series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan’s Crossing follows neurosurgeon Maggie after she moves back home to rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged father, Sully (Scott Patterson). The brief getaway turns into Maggie making plans for a future in Sullivan’s Crossing with love interest Cal.

Related: Who Is Liam on ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’? Maggie’s Husband Reveal Explained

Sullivan’s Crossing took a surprising turn when Cal met Maggie’s secret husband — but who exactly is Liam? Season 3 of the hit series, which started streaming on Netflix in August 2025, initially hinted at Maggie’s (Morgan Kohan) ex when she mentioned Liam (Marcus Rosner) to Lola (Amalia Williamson) as a summer fling she had […]

Season 3 of the hit series, which started streaming on Netflix in August 2025, threw a wrench in Maggie and Cal’s relationship just as they were getting to a good place. After arguing about whether Maggie was taking things too slow, they made plans to move in together — just as a new guest named Liam checked into Sullivan’s Crossing.

Liam then approached Maggie and revealed he was her husband, which came as a surprise to both Cal and Us. Showrunner Roma Roth later teased what viewers could expect from the show moving forward after the shocking reveal.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that Sullivan’s Crossing is returning for a fourth season,” Roth said in a statement after the finale aired. “Seeing it resonate with a global audience and watching the ratings climb have been a dream come true. Season 4 will explore themes of change and transformation so you can expect a whole new set of exciting and emotional challenges for Maggie and Cal.”

Kohan also shared her reaction to the twist.

“I remember hearing a little bit [about Liam early in season 3]. I didn’t know they were married,” Kohan told Swooon in July 2025. “There started to be talk when we filmed the scene with Lola and having summer flings. I knew that he was going to be coming into it, but I didn’t really know when or in what capacity. That cliffhanger was so much fun for me to read as well.”

Advertisement

Related: Meet the Season 4 Cast of ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ After Secret Husband Reveal

Season 4 of Sullivan’s Crossing will be picking up the pieces after Cal met Maggie’s secret husband — but who else is expected to appear? Based on the book series by Robyn Carr, Sullivan’s Crossing centers around neurosurgeon Maggie (Morgan Kohan) after she moves back home to rural Nova Scotia to reconnect with her estranged […]

Kohan acknowledged that Maggie’s trepidation about getting serious with Cal could have come from her past with Liam, adding, “I feel like it came up so last minute that I didn’t really have time to think about it, but I think it definitely would. It makes a lot more sense, for sure, for her to be more hesitant.”

The actress noted that she was just as in the dark about Liam’s role in season 4 as the audience.

“At the same time, I still don’t know the history, so who knows when we get to find out a bit more of that information, what he really means that he’s her husband and all that kind of stuff,” she continued. “I mean, there’s gonna have to be a few conversations had [between Maggie and Cal]. It’s going to be a trust thing to have to build up again because that is a pretty big thing to leave out.”

Sullivan’s Crossing is currently streaming on Netflix. Season 4 premieres April 20 on The CW.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 7 seconds ago

The beauty of Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi produced films is that you always know what you’re getting into. You get weird characters thrust into even weirder situations, and you have to rely on their charm to carry you through whatever chaotic premise the screenplay lays out. More often than not, outings from this era, like 1991’s Lunatics: A Love Story, are extremely low budget, low brow, and high concept, and you just have to roll with it.

Written and directed by Josh Becker, and starring Ted Raimi and Deborah Foreman, Lunatics: A Love Story centers on agoraphobic machinations, giant spider monsters, call girl hotlines, and misguided romance. Set almost entirely inside a run-down Los Angeles apartment wrapped in tin foil, we catch a glimpse of just how far one man’s mind can spiral when he needs companionship the most, resulting in romantic exchanges that are baffling to say the least.

The Dangers That Await Outside

Lunatics: A Love Story, despite its 87-minute runtime, takes a while to get going. We’re first introduced to Hank (Ted Raimi), a recluse who hasn’t left his apartment in over six months. His neighbors have never seen him, and the mail carrier who stops by daily is irritated because he never comes downstairs to collect his correspondence. The inside of Hank’s apartment looks exactly how you’d expect. His door has multiple locks, and his walls are wrapped in foil.

Though we don’t know the exact reason Hank has become so isolated, it’s established early on that he has nightmares about spiders crawling on his brain, and a masked doctor (portrayed by Bruce Campbell) chasing him with comically large needles filled with mysterious fluids.

Meanwhile, across town, Nancy (Deborah Foreman) faces her own obstacles. She’s dumped by her boyfriend Ray (also Bruce Campbell) and kicked out of the hotel she’s staying at after he steals her money on his way out, leaving her unable to pay for the room. While wandering the streets, she’s attacked by a group of thugs and seeks refuge in a nearby payphone at the exact same time Hank is dialing out to call a sex hotline.

By sheer coincidence, or maybe something cosmic is at play, the payphone rings when Hank dials, and Nancy picks it up. He invites her to his apartment because he needs company. Up until this point, he’s been hallucinating rappers who forcibly scratch beats on his turntable using his face, and intruders trying to breach his front door with a bone saw.

When Nancy takes Hank up on his offer, they finally sit down and talk through their problems, both terrified of the horrors, real and imagined, that await them outside.

One Glaring Problem 

It goes without saying that any fan of Bruce Campbell and the Raimi brothers’ unhinged style of filmmaking will enjoy the creature design and schlocky special effects that Lunatics: A Love Story has to offer. There’s always a manic charm you can get behind if you know what you’re signing up for, and this film is no exception.

Narratively speaking, though, the film falls apart for one specific reason. It takes nearly 40 minutes for our two protagonists to cross paths, meaning there’s very little time for them to establish trust, become friends, and hit things off in a believable way. Given just how unhinged Hank is at the beginning of the film, it’s wildly improbable that somebody like Nancy would not only enter his apartment, but stick around for more than five minutes given how uncomfortable the setting is.

Then again, I’m not seeking out movies like Lunatics: A Love Story for a tight screenplay that makes logical sense. I seek out movies like this because I want to watch somebody go off the deep end while whoever gets dragged into his chaotic life by happenstance tries to make sense of everything. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll have a great time watching Hank finally suit up in his tin foil armor and make his way into the Los Angeles streets, where he hallucinates giant spiders, encounters the gang members tormenting Nancy, and completely loses his mind in the process.

All the elements of an insane, low-budget Raimi and Campbell production are here, and writer-director Josh Becker couldn’t have asked for a better team to help realize his vision, as bootstrapped as it may be. What you get is a fun, quick trip into the mind of a deeply unstable man searching for a romantic partner in his increasingly closed-off life, and it works shockingly well within that framework.

To witness all of the low-budget, genre-bending charm that Lunatics: A Love Story has to offer, you can stream the title for free on Tubi as of this writing.