We sat down with director Adam MacDonald (Backcountry, Pyewacket) to discuss his latest film, This Is Not a Test, ahead of its Canadian theatrical release on February 27. We dive deep into why he chose to adapt Courtney Summers' acclaimed YA novel, the decision to set the apocalypse in the 1990s, and how he balanced the visceral horror of a zombie outbreak with the heavy themes of teenage trauma and depression.
Content Warning: This interview includes discussions regarding depression and suicidal ideation

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction
00:41 Adapting Courtney Summers’ Novel
01:27 Why a Zombie Film?
02:04 Balancing Horror with Teenage Trauma
03:16 Olivia Holt’s Character Arc (TW: Mental Health)
03:54 The 90s Aesthetic & The Age of Electric
05:51 Why the High School Setting Works
06:56 Where are the Adults?
08:01 Sloane and Her Sister (Minor Spoilers)
09:11 Adam MacDonald’s Next Project
09:50 Is a Sequel Possible?
10:27 Final Thoughts & Wrap Up
11:26 End Screen

Episode Summary: In this episode, we sit down with actor Caleb Landry Jones to discuss his transformative lead performance in Luc Besson’s 2026 adaptation of Dracula. Known for his immersive preparation, Jones breaks down how he approached the 15th-century prince not as a monster, but as a man defined by four centuries of grief and eternal love. We explore the technical "madness" of the role and what it’s like to serve as a muse for one of cinema's most visionary directors.

Key Takeaways:

• The Man vs. The Monster: How Jones balanced the predatory nature of a vampire with a deeply human emotional core.
• Inspiration vs. Originality: Whether previous screen depictions of the Count influenced this 2026 version.
• Directorial Vision: Behind-the-scenes insights into working with Luc Besson on this operatic reimagining.

Resources Mentioned:

Read Sean’s Full Review: https://skonmovies.ca/review/dracula-2026

Watch the Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/osu05kOG9mw

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction and Context

0:41 – Caleb Landry Jones: Balancing the Man vs. the Vampire

2:12 – How this adaptation differs from previous screen versions

3:04 – The singular "moment" that defined the character for Caleb

4:19 – Wrap-Up

Note to Listeners: This episode is a professional analysis of the film's artistry and performances. Sean Kelly on Movies does not condone the allegations against the film's director but remains committed to covering the significant work of the cast and crew.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Honey Bunch is finally here! To celebrate the nationwide theatrical release, Sean Kelly on Movies Interviews brings you a deep-dive conversation recorded just before the film’s premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (#TIFF50).

WHERE TO WATCH:

In Canada: Honey Bunch opens in cinemas nationwide via Elevation Pics starting Friday, January 23, 2026.

International: The film will begin streaming on Shudder starting February 13, 2026.

THE INTERVIEW:

In this episode, we go inside the making of this cinematic journey with the creative team that brought it to life.

First, Sean sits down with the visionary writer-director duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli to discuss their unique filmmaking process. Then, we are joined by the film’s stars—and real-life couple—Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie for a look at their collaboration on and off screen and how they navigated the complex psychology of their characters.

CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:

Subscribe: Never miss an episode by following Sean Kelly on Movies Interviews on your favourite podcast app.

Social Media: Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X/Twitter @skonmovies for more exclusive content and behind-the-scenes clips.

We hit the red carpet at the 2025 Blood in the Snow Film Festival, catching up with filmmakers from the festival’s short film programs, festival director Kelly Michael Stewart, and the team behind the documentary Nash the Slash Rises Again!

00:00 Introduction

00:13 Andrew G. Cooper on Strangers

02:23 Prasanna Paul & Gavin Downes on Sanctorum

04:23 Shelly Findlay on Donations

06:47 Juan Francisco Calero on Petit Demons

08:49 Lulu Liu & D'Arcy Quan-McGimpsey on Cherry on Top

12:24 Zach Green on cancer szn

14:30 Blood in the Snow Festival Director Kelly Michael Stewart

17:02 Tim Kowalski & Kevan Byrne on Nash The Slash Rises Again!

21:42 Closing Bumper

Opening Bumper: Hero In Peril by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://audionautix.com/

While in Toronto to promote the release of Dream Eater, writer/director/stars Jay Drakulic, Mallory Drumm, and Alex Lee Williams joined us to talk about their Lovecraftian found footage horror film.

In this interview, they discuss the film’s influences — from The Blair Witch Project to Unsolved Mysteries — and share how the project was picked up for distribution by Eli Roth’s The Horror Section.

00:00 Introduction
00:24 Where did the idea for Dream Eater come from?
01:46 Was Dream Eater Always Intended as a Found Footage Film?
03:46 How Dream Eater Was Influenced by Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project
05:11 Alex Lee Williams on Why He and Mallory Drumm Acted in the Film
05:49 The Lovecraftian Inspiration for Dream Eater
06:57 Unresolved Mysteries and the Sleepwalker Killing
07:44 How Eli Roth Picked up the Distribution for Dream Eater
09:23 The Growing Influence of Social Media on Film Promotion
10:38 Conclusions

The horror-comedy Scared Shitless arrives on VOD September 2, 2025, ahead of its U.S. release on October 3. During a special Fan Expo Canada screening, we spoke with writer/producer Brandon Cohen, director Vivieno Caldinelli, and Kids in the Hall’s Mark McKinney about bringing this outrageous film to life.

00:00 Titles

00:13 Introduction

00:54 Brandon Cohen on Writing the Original Short for Scared Shitless

01:37 Vivieno Caldinelli on Getting Hired to Direct Scared Shitless

03:10 Vivieno Caldinelli on Collaborating with Steven Kostanski

03:59 The Casting of Scared Shitless

04:42 Mark McKinney Invited to Join the Interview

04:56 Mark McKinney on the Character He Plays in Scared Shitless

05:31 The Influences on Scared Shitless

06:50 The Practical Effects of Scared Shitless

07:23 Will There Be a Sequel to Scared Shitless?

08:11 Concluding Notes

Scared Shitless Interview Timecodes

We spoke with artist Ben Maruo (Elysium, Chappie, The Hobbit Trilogy) at Fan Expo Canada 2025 about his sci-fi graphic novel series Huxley.

Ben Maruo Interview Timecodes

00:00 Titles

00:23 Introduction

01:29 Interview with Ben Maruo.

We spoke via Zoom with animator Seth Scriver (Asphalt Watches) and his half-brother and co-director Peter Scriver about their hybrid animated family documentary ENDLESS COOKIE, now playing.

Endless Cookie Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

00:26 Seth and Peter Scriver on the Genesis of Endless Cookie

03:59 The Decade-Long Development of Endless Cookie After Asphalt Watches

07:36 Coming Up with the On-Screen Depictions of the Family

09:31 How Seth Scriver Settled on the Title of Endless Cookie

11:18 What’s Next for Seth Scriver?

12:34 Conclusions