Movies
‘The Antares Paradox’ and the Boeing Starliner Mystery Sound
The Antares Paradox is a chamber piece like never before. It’s a cosmic gumbo of adrenaline and emotion. Alexandra is a tenacious scientist who wants nothing more than to be a part of something bigger than herself. The film’s singular set lends to the claustrophobic nature of Alexandra’s dilemma. It’s interesting to look at her predicament from the outside. When faced with the idea of life beyond our solar system, she stays in a cramped room full of computers. Her only communication with the outside world is via telephone. One of the most intriguing questions Alexandra is faced with, at the beginning of the film, is if a genie granted her the opportunity to cure cancer or give us evidence of extraterrestrials, which one would she choose? It’s the perfect Chekov’s gun to set up her entire character arc.
Not too long ago, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams boarded a Boeing Starliner. Their destination? The International Space Station. In another hit to Boeing’s reputation, the world would be rocked with frightening news. Helium leaks and thruster issues would cause Wilmore and Williams an unexpected extension to their space journey. These two intrepid explorers will now be forced to spend the next [roughly] five months in space due to Boeing’s constant failures at every turn. Adding salt to the wound, Elon Musk and SpaceX have come to the rescue. A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will come to the rescue in February 2025 to escort Wilmore and Williams safely back to solid ground. How does this tie in with The Antares Paradox?
A Strange Sound From Space
As if things couldn’t get worse, or more weird, the crew of the Starliner would report back to base with some troubling information: a mysterious sound. On August 31, 2024, Butch Wilmore reached out to Mission Control at Johnson Space Center. Wilmore reported this strange sound, and it took the internet by storm. The sound Wilmore played for Mission Control was a haunting sonar-like sound. It still seems that the origin of this sound is unidentified, but it should be noted Wilmore seemed relatively unfazed throughout this whole correspondence.
Hearing this sound made me automatically think of two things. Firstly, it made me lament the passing of Art Bell. Just picture how much fun a Coast to Coast or Dreamland broadcast of this would be! The broadcast would probably start with Linda Moulton Howe interviewing one of her experts in this field and playing the interview off of a terrible-sounding tape recorder. Art would likely use ABBA’s hit song ‘SOS’ for his bumper music. And you just know the wild card line phone calls would be off the chain! Secondly, this event made me think of one of my favorite films, The Antares Paradox.
Why The Antares Paradox Comes to Mind
Two years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to catch The Antares Paradox at Fantastic Fest, and I was left breathless. Astrophysicist Alexandra Baeza (Andrea Trepat) is stuck on the overnight shift at the EART Observatory. Alexandra is set to have a life-changing night. Her father is dying in the hospital, they are about to experience the storm of the century, and EART has just received a signal from another planet that, if authenticated, could change the course of history.
The Antares Paradox is a chamber piece like never before. It’s a cosmic gumbo of adrenaline and emotion. Alexandra is a tenacious scientist who wants nothing more than to be a part of something bigger than herself. The film’s singular set lends to the claustrophobic nature of Alexandra’s dilemma. It’s interesting to look at her predicament from the outside. When faced with the idea of life beyond our solar system, she stays in a cramped room full of computers. Her only communication with the outside world is via telephone. One of the most intriguing questions Alexandra is faced with at the beginning of the film, is if a genie granted her the opportunity to cure cancer or give us evidence of extraterrestrials, which one would she choose? It’s the perfect Chekov’s gun to set up her entire character arc.
When Will The Antares Paradox Get Released?
This all brings me to the point I really wanted to talk about. While the relationship between the Boeing Starliner and The Antares Paradox is tangential, it made me think long and hard about how the smallest things make me think of this movie. I’m not exaggerating when I say this, I google The Antares Paradox once a week to see if there is any new information regarding, at the least, a VOD release. (And I’m really not exaggerating when I say I have a weekly calendar notification to remind me to google it.)
And that’s where the one frustration of film festivals comes in. The number of films I’ve seen at festivals that quickly die out and don’t go on to have a release of any kind is staggering. Even having your film run at some of the biggest festivals doesn’t necessarily mean it’s getting released for streaming or theatrical release. A film like The Antares Paradox is not only an overwhelmingly beautiful film, but it’s also poignant.
In the age of modern disclosure, a film like The Antares Paradox hits the nail on the head. People like Lue Elizondo, George Knapp, Jeremy Corbell, Brandon Fugal, and many others, probably feel like they’re the Alexandra Baeza of disclosure–stopping at nothing to get the truth out there. However, many of these people, especially Lue Elizondo, have ulterior motives that revolve around financial gain rather than disseminating the truth. Was all this just a thinly veiled excuse for me to talk about The Antares Paradox or throw a dig at Lue Elizondo? Maybe. What I think the real takeaway should be is twofold: that sonar-sounding thing aboard the Boeing Starliner is odd and creepy, and it’s a damn shame there isn’t a physical release of The Antares Paradox.
Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Habit (1995)
An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.
Sew Torn (2024)
A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest.
You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.
The Retreat (2021)
A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.
You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.
The Creep Tapes (Season 2)
Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House).
You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.
Krampus (2015)
A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage.
You can watch Krampus on November 15th.
Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.
Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.
The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.
I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below!
The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month
28 Years Later (2025)
A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.
Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)
A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.
Maa (2025)
To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.
Until Dawn (2025)
A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.
Ziam (2025)
A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though.
While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…
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