Two radically different horror films. One’s all chaos, blood, and neon body horror. The other is slow, quiet, and hypnotic — like a nature doc if the subject was a reanimated killer. In this episode, we’re talking The Substance and In a Violent Nature, both from Variety’s Top 13 of the year, and we’re still kind of haunted.
📹 The Premise
The Substance follows a woman who tries a mysterious program promising perfection — but ends up splitting into two versions of herself. It’s gooey, stylish, and unhinged.
In a Violent Nature flips the slasher format, giving us the killer’s POV in long, still takes across empty woods and forgotten cabins.
🎥 The Format
It’s a double feature breakdown — one maximalist, one minimalist — and somehow they both reinvent horror in totally different directions. Cade & Kit dig into the risks, the pacing, and what it means when horror stops trying to explain itself.
✅ What Makes It Work
The Substance hits hard with practical effects, bold visuals, and a lead performance from Demi Moore that deserves every bit of attention. It’s like Videodrome meets Showgirls and then takes a baseball bat to the mirror.
In a Violent Nature is mesmerizing in its restraint. No music cues. No shaky cam. Just dread building slowly with every steady frame.
⚠️ What Doesn’t Land
Kit wanted The Substance to pull back a little in the third act — it gets wild and doesn’t always earn it.
Cade felt In a Violent Nature could lose some viewers with its pacing — it’s not here to entertain, it’s here to watch you watch.
💸 Should It Have a Bigger Budget?
The Substance looks expensive and delivers on every dollar.
In a Violent Nature thrives on its lo-fi approach — it doesn’t need polish, it needs patience.
🎯 The Verdict
Cade: “One of the most visually committed horror films I’ve seen in a while. It knows exactly what it wants to do and does not care if you’re ready.”
Kit: “I thought In a Violent Nature would be a gimmick. It’s not. It’s weirdly moving. Quietly brutal. It just sits with you.”
📺 Where to Watch
The Substance is slated for release later this year.
In a Violent Nature is streaming and in limited theatrical run now.
🍿 Pair This Movie With...
Snack: Raspberry jam on white bread
Drink: A cocktail that looks delicate but hits like a truck
Activity: Staring in the mirror a little too long, then walking outside without your phone
The Substance
Cade: 9/10
Kit: 8/10
In a Violent Nature
Cade: 8/10
Kit: 8.5/10
This is horror turned inside out. One rips through your screen, the other stands silently in the woods. Either way — you’ll feel it the next morning.
Come argue with us on Instagram @cadeandkit. Or just lurk. That’s fine too.
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2kaH2BpUcEouX5LWCUQ7ed?si=ff1e2b355c5944e1
🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cade-and-kit/id1771553610
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