Brian Bertino's The Strangers is one of my favourite horror flicks of the early 2000s. It wore its ode to John Carpenter's Halloween on its sleeve, and gave us a bleak-as-all-get-out ending that most studio efforts lack. A decade is a long time between sequels, especially successful horror sequels. So I was a bit hesitant going into The Strangers: Prey At Night. There was a different director at the helm, and I wasn't sure we needed more stories about our murderous gang of youthful home invaders, especially after such a long absence.

What's worse than a remake or a reboot? How about stealing an idea from a low-budget horror gem and pushing forward with a film of your own. Mandate Pictures, who produced The Grudge, Drag Me To Hell and The Strangers, is developing Cineplex, a horror movie about a group of teens being stalked in a movie theatre by the same killer they are watching on screen. Sound familiar? That's because it's the same plot for Midnight Movie, which Shawn and I reviewed months ago on our podcast. We both gave it a Good because it was an original idea and well made despite the minimal budget. It's a fun premise, and could benefit from a bigger budget, but I'd recommend checking out Jack Messitt's film before giving the glossy, Hollywood-produced project a watch. We'll keep you informed on the film as it develops. In the meantime, check out the trailer for Midnight Movie.