Here We Go Again Department: ‘Scary Movie’ (6) Review

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Do you like funny movies? Lolol (CREDIT: Paramount Pictures)

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Olivia Rose Keegan, Cameron Scott Roberts, Savannah Lee Nassif, Cheri Oteri, Dave Sheridan, Ruby Snowber, Benny Zielke, Sydney Park, Gregg Wayans, Kim Wayans, Lochlyn Munro, Heidi Gardner, Damon Wayans Jr., Chris Elliott

Director: Michael Tiddes

Running Time: 96 Minutes

Rating: R for Frighteningly Raunchy Humor, Getting Blazed All the Time, and Absurd Slayings

Release Date: June 5, 2026 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: In a parody of Scream (2022) aka Scream 5 (while also incorporating plot elements of Scream 6, Scream 7, David Gordon Green’s Halloween sequel trilogy, Ma, Sinners, the Wednesday Netflix show, Weapons, Get Out, The Substance, Smile, the Terrifier series, and Longlegs, among others), Scary Movie (2026) aka Scary Movie 6 lets loose its iconic ghostface-masked killer (or killers). They seem to have a bone to pick with our old friends Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris) and the Meeks siblings (Marlon Wayans and Regina Hall). But this time around, the main target is the new generation, particularly Cindy’s daughters Sara (Olivia Rose Keegan, uncannily impersonating a younger Faris) and Tuesday (Savannah Lee Nassif) and Brenda’s kids Brad (Gregg Wayans) and Dei (Sydney Park). Meanwhile, Ray Wilkins (Shawn Wayans) is gallivanting around fabulously amidst all the shenanigans, while controversial media personality Gail Hailstorm (Cheri Oteri) fights to stay relevant. Yes, the whole gang’s back together and ready to have an unforgettable time, even if they already died and/or were previously revealed as one of the killers.

What Made an Impression?: Parody, Spoof Thyself?: I’ve seen most (if not all) of this Scary Movie‘s targets, so when I clocked the references, I wondered, “How will they make a joke out of this scene?”, only to then remember that the originals were often already pretty (intentionally) funny on their own. No surprise, really, as that’s always been this franchise’s m.o., with the o.g. Scary Movie ragging on the o.g. Scream, which had famously already satirized its own genre. So here we are again, with a rebooted SM coming out four years after a rebooted Scream and the same year as the third entry in that reboot cycle. There’s a tease about SM6 potentially going a little deeper with its deconstruction by introducing the idea of “Elevated Comedy”, but for the most part it settles for the most surface-level gags.
Milk, Fudge, and Lemonade: When the script (penned by Rick Alvarez and four Wayanses: Marlon, Shawn, Keenen Ivory, and Craig) stretches beyond the parody, it burns with the fervor of someone who has just discovered dick and poop jokes for the first time. Shock value doesn’t always equal humor, though occasionally those raunchy moments are bizarre enough to pass muster. Somewhat related: this movie is fairly open-minded when it comes to the full range of sexualities and gender expressions, as well as the potential for all of those categories to be ripped to shreds just as much as anyone else. Although, it’s perhaps a little too amused by the fact that queer identities exist.
Die Together, Kill Together: So Scary Movie (6) is decidedly hit-and-miss and deeply, deeply stupid. But I’m nevertheless very happy to see Anna Faris and Regina Hall reunited! The Wayans crew, meanwhile, aren’t quite the main attractions for me, but it’s nevertheless nice to see everyone on good enough terms to get back together for this silly shebang. And when this crew inevitably gets self-referential, it’s less groan-inducing and more “That’s right, you do you.” Boogie on, you clowns.

Scary Movie (6) is Recommended If You: Believe that the Comedy Hall of Fame should begin and end with the Wayans Family

Grade: 2.5 out of 5 References

Is it a Yes or a No, ‘Dog Man’?

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What’s up, Dog (Man)? (CREDIT: Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation)

Starring: Peter Hastings, Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery, Lucas Hopkins Calderon, Isla Fisher, Ricky Gervais, Cheri Oteri, Billy Boyd, Stephen Root, Poppy Liu, Laraine Newman, Melissa Villaseñor, Kate Micucci, Maggie Wheeler, Pearce Bunting, Max Koch, Rahnuma Panthaky

Director: Peter Hastings

Running Time: 89 Minutes

Rating: PG for The Typical Animated Mayhem

Release Date: January 31, 2025 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Officer Knight and his canine companion Greg are one of the best crime-fighting duos in the city. That is, until a major accident renders Knight’s head and Greg’s body unusable. So their doctors decide to make lemonade and fuse the two of them together to form the titular Dog Man (barks and whines provided by writer-director Peter Hastings)! That would seemingly make him the perfect foil for the incorrigible feline criminal Petey (Pete Davidson), but alas, Dog Man gets off on the wrong foot with his Chief (Lil Rel Howery) and the Mayor (Cheri Oteri) and ends up having to stay on desk duty. Meanwhile, Petey obtains a clone of himself named Lil’ Petey (Lucas Hopkins Calderon), who may just soften his heart and convince him to become a doting father instead of a criminal mastermind.

What Made an Impression?: You Got to Be Silly: Dog Man is based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Dav Pilkey, who’s probably best known for Captain Underpants, which got its own big-screen adaptation back in 2017. I’m familiar with Pilkey’s output via pop culture osmosis, but this is my first time actually diving into what he has on offer. And now that I’ve been exposed, I must say: I hope I have kids soon so that we can fully explore the Pilkey-verse together. Simply put, this is silly sophomoric humor done cleverly and colorfully. Dopey wordplay and visual gags abound, befitting a world in which a canine-human hybrid is the hero.
Family Matters: Considering all the unabashed silliness on display, you might be surprised to learn that Dog Man also isn’t afraid to get heavy. To be clear, it’s not like it’s an unrelenting tearjerker about cancer and/or addiction. Nevertheless, you might find yourself shedding a tear or two. For example, after Officer Knight and Greg become Dog Man, they’re unceremoniously abandoned by Greg’s wife, who apparently couldn’t bear to ever see her husband and fur baby fused together. Meanwhile, Petey’s villainy seems to be entirely fueled by his abandonment issues with his own deadbeat dad (Stephen Root). These themes don’t weigh down the wackiness, but they certainly make themselves known. So if you want a steady stream of ultra-silly laughs with a side of genuine family therapy, Dog Man has you covered.

Dog Man is Recommended If You Like: Weird Al, Looney Tunes, “Cat’s in the Cradle”

Grade: 3 out of 5 Copz