Half in the Bag: End of 2025 Catch-up (part 2)

Quick Overview

The hosts primarily discuss the recently released horror film "Keeper," noting its low Rotten Tomatoes score (52% critic, 40% audience) and its slow, atmospheric style, which they compare to earlier, less overt horror, while also briefly touching upon upcoming releases like "The Mandalorian & Grogu" and "Starfleet Academy," concluding that "Keeper" had a strong, albeit perhaps too dark, approach to its themes of codependency and maternal struggle.

Key Points: The film "Keeper" received poor critical reception, scoring 52% on Rotten Tomatoes and 40% on the Popcornmeter. The hosts describe "Keeper" as a slow, atmospheric horror film focused on the themes of codependency and maternal struggle, rather than overt gore. The film's plot involves a woman plagued by terrifying visions who travels to a secluded cabin with the doctor she is dating. The discussion briefly pivots to upcoming projects, including a potential "Five Nights at Freddy's 2" and the announcement of the animated series "Star Trek: Tales from '85" and the live-action "Starfleet Academy." The hosts note that the film's visual style and tone were reminiscent of older, more subtle horror, contrasting with the direct horror seen in the It franchise. One host mentions that the director of Keeper, Jonathan Frakes (also known for directing Star Trek: TNG episodes like "Attached"), also wrote the script, which he found surprising. The hosts agree that the film's visual style, particularly the unsettling imagery like the hole in the ceiling and the glowing eyes, was effective horror.

Context: This video is an installment of the "Half in the Bag" review series, hosted by Mike Stoklasa and Jay Bauman, where they discuss recent and upcoming movies. The primary focus of this segment is the horror film "Keeper," which they analyze based on its plot, themes, and critical reception, using clips from the film and other announced projects to illustrate their points.

Detailed Analysis

Mike and Jay review the horror film "Keeper," which they find to be slow and atmospheric, scoring 52% from critics and 40% from the audience on Rotten Tomatoes. The film centers on a woman experiencing terrifying visions while secluded in a cabin with her doctor boyfriend, exploring themes of codependency and maternal struggle, symbolized by the hole in the ceiling from which fluid pours. The hosts praise the film's unsettling atmosphere and visual style, comparing it favorably to older horror styles rather than overt gore. They note that the film's plot thread involving the daughter is particularly strong, contrasting with the father's less compelling arc. The discussion briefly shifts to other media, mentioning the announcement of "Five Nights at Freddy's 2," the Star Trek tie-in "Tales from '85," and the upcoming "Starfleet Academy" series, with Mike humorously noting that Jonathan Frakes directed Keeper (which he also directed an episode of Star Trek: TNG). They conclude that while Keeper had strong elements, its overall narrative structure—especially the subplot involving the father—felt somewhat messy, though the film was still watchable.