Enter a Rotten Tomatoes movie slug to inspect the stored movie, batches, snapshots, and reviews.
Movie ID: 930
RT slug: buddy_2026
RT URL: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/buddy_2026
Release year: 2026
Runtime: 95 mins
Wide release date: 2026-08-28
Limited release date: —
Festival premiere date: —
Streaming release date: —
Tomatometer final: 84%
Audience score final: —
Genres: Horror
Directors: Chris 'Casper' Kelly
Writers: Chris 'Casper' Kelly, Jamie King
Producers: Drew Sykes, J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules, Tracy Rosenblum, Tyler Davidson
MPAA rating: —
Executive Producers: —
Created: 2026-07-24 20:23:31
Updated: 2026-09-18 16:53:46
Remember BUDDY--the bright orange unicorn and star of that classic children's television show who brought joy and life lessons into your living room? Inside the colorful world of "It's Buddy!", a group of children spend their days singing, dancing, and helping Buddy spread happiness. But when one child refuses to play along, Buddy is not pleased and cracks begin to appear in this seemingly perfect world.
—
Canonical reviews: 138
Canonical fresh: 122
Canonical rotten: 16
Canonical calculated Tomatometer: 138 (122/16), 88% (88.406% raw)
Latest snapshot UTC: 2026-10-05 15:10:53
Snapshot Tomatometer: 88%
Snapshot review count: 138
Snapshot fresh count: —
Snapshot rotten count: —
Source note: Imported from manual review paste batch #4350 (delta_update)
| Company | Role |
|---|---|
| Roadside Attractions / Saban Films | distributor |
| BoulderLight Pictures | production |
| Low Spark Films | production |
| Sipur Studios | production |
| Substance | production |
| Billing | Name | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cristin Milioti | Grace |
| 2 | Delaney Quinn | Freddy |
| 3 | Topher Grace | Ben |
| 4 | Keegan-Michael Key | Buddy |
| 5 | Michael Shannon | — |
| Batch ID | Status | Mode | Created | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 946 | processed | — | 2026-07-24 20:23:31 | Processed successfully into movie_id=930 using update_mode=merge_non_empty. |
| Batch ID | Local Snapshot | UTC Snapshot | Entered % | Entered Count | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4350 | 2026-10-05 10:10:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-10-05 15:10:53 | 88% | 138 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=138 reviews, 122 fresh, 16 rotten, tomatometer=88% (88.406%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (138 reviews, 88%). |
| 4139 | 2026-09-28 08:06:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-28 13:06:53 | 88% | 135 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=135 reviews, 119 fresh, 16 rotten, tomatometer=88% (88.148%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (135 reviews, 88%). |
| 3868 | 2026-09-20 17:52:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-20 22:52:48 | 88% | 134 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 6 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=6, fresh=6, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=6, fresh=6, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=134 reviews, 118 fresh, 16 rotten, tomatometer=88% (88.060%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (134 reviews, 88%). |
| 3651 | 2026-09-13 15:40:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-13 20:40:24 | 88% | 128 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 5 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=5, fresh=3, rotten=2, tomatometer=60%. Net new reviews added=5, fresh=3, rotten=2. Current canonical totals=128 reviews, 112 fresh, 16 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.500%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (128 reviews, 88%). |
| 3412 | 2026-09-06 13:30:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-06 18:30:58 | 89% | 123 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=123 reviews, 109 fresh, 14 rotten, tomatometer=89% (88.618%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (123 reviews, 89%). |
| 3376 | 2026-09-04 09:26:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-04 14:26:26 | 89% | 122 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 9 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=9, fresh=8, rotten=1, tomatometer=89%. Net new reviews added=9, fresh=8, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=122 reviews, 108 fresh, 14 rotten, tomatometer=89% (88.525%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (122 reviews, 89%). |
| 3351 | 2026-09-03 07:41:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-03 12:41:01 | 88% | 113 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 6 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=6, fresh=6, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=6, fresh=6, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=113 reviews, 100 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=88% (88.496%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (113 reviews, 88%). |
| 3336 | 2026-09-02 06:28:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-02 11:28:09 | 88% | 107 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=107 reviews, 94 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.850%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (107 reviews, 88%). |
| 3325 | 2026-09-01 06:35:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-09-01 11:35:35 | 88% | 106 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=106 reviews, 93 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.736%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (106 reviews, 88%). |
| 3319 | 2026-08-31 17:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-31 22:33:52 | 87% | 103 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=103 reviews, 90 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.379%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (103 reviews, 87%). |
| 3311 | 2026-08-31 13:14:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-31 18:14:41 | 87% | 101 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=101 reviews, 88 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.129%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (101 reviews, 87%). |
| 3262 | 2026-08-31 07:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-31 12:33:49 | 87% | 100 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=100 reviews, 87 fresh, 13 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (100 reviews, 87%). |
| 3255 | 2026-08-30 12:16:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-30 17:16:14 | 88% | 98 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=98 reviews, 86 fresh, 12 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.755%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (98 reviews, 88%). |
| 3250 | 2026-08-30 10:11:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-30 15:11:08 | 88% | 97 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=97 reviews, 85 fresh, 12 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.629%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (97 reviews, 88%). |
| 3243 | 2026-08-30 08:02:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-30 13:02:44 | 88% | 96 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=96 reviews, 84 fresh, 12 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.500%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (96 reviews, 88%). |
| 3238 | 2026-08-29 15:52:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-29 20:52:09 | 87% | 95 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=95 reviews, 83 fresh, 12 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.368%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (95 reviews, 87%). |
| 3235 | 2026-08-29 15:26:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-29 20:26:11 | 87% | 94 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=93 reviews, 81 fresh, 12 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.097%). WARNING: entered headline 94 reviews / 87% did not match current canonical totals 93 reviews / 87%. |
| 3230 | 2026-08-29 12:00:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-29 17:00:46 | 87% | 92 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=92 reviews, 80 fresh, 12 rotten, tomatometer=87% (86.957%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (92 reviews, 87%). |
| 3228 | 2026-08-29 11:10:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-29 16:10:24 | 88% | 90 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=90 reviews, 79 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.778%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (90 reviews, 88%). |
| 3225 | 2026-08-29 09:42:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-29 14:42:32 | 88% | 89 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=89 reviews, 78 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.640%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (89 reviews, 88%). |
| 3212 | 2026-08-28 16:44:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 21:44:31 | 88% | 88 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=88 reviews, 77 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.500%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (88 reviews, 88%). |
| 3206 | 2026-08-28 15:24:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 20:24:41 | 87% | 87 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=87 reviews, 76 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.356%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (87 reviews, 87%). |
| 3201 | 2026-08-28 14:02:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 19:02:59 | 87% | 86 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=86 reviews, 75 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.209%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (86 reviews, 87%). |
| 3197 | 2026-08-28 13:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 18:33:07 | 87% | 84 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=85 reviews, 74 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.059%). WARNING: entered headline 84 reviews / 87% did not match current canonical totals 85 reviews / 87%. |
| 3196 | 2026-08-28 13:00:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 18:00:17 | 87% | 83 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=0, rotten=1, tomatometer=0%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=0, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=83 reviews, 72 fresh, 11 rotten, tomatometer=87% (86.747%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (83 reviews, 87%). |
| 3186 | 2026-08-28 10:55:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 15:55:10 | 88% | 82 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=82 reviews, 72 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=88% (87.805%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (82 reviews, 88%). |
| 3182 | 2026-08-28 09:36:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 14:36:53 | 87% | 79 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=79 reviews, 69 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.342%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (79 reviews, 87%). |
| 3179 | 2026-08-28 09:01:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 14:01:54 | 87% | 77 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=77 reviews, 67 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=87% (87.013%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (77 reviews, 87%). |
| 3176 | 2026-08-28 08:01:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 13:01:51 | 87% | 76 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=76 reviews, 66 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=87% (86.842%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (76 reviews, 87%). |
| 3174 | 2026-08-28 07:13:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 12:13:39 | 87% | 75 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 5 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=5, fresh=5, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=5, fresh=5, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=75 reviews, 65 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=87% (86.667%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (75 reviews, 87%). |
| 3167 | 2026-08-27 19:41:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-28 00:41:20 | 86% | 70 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=70 reviews, 60 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=86% (85.714%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (70 reviews, 86%). |
| 3160 | 2026-08-27 17:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 22:33:59 | 86% | 69 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=69 reviews, 59 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=86% (85.507%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (69 reviews, 86%). |
| 3158 | 2026-08-27 17:03:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 22:03:56 | 85% | 68 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=68 reviews, 58 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=85% (85.294%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (68 reviews, 85%). |
| 3157 | 2026-08-27 16:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 21:33:16 | 85% | 67 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=67 reviews, 57 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=85% (85.075%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (67 reviews, 85%). |
| 3148 | 2026-08-27 13:54:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 18:54:54 | 85% | 65 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=65 reviews, 55 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=85% (84.615%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (65 reviews, 85%). |
| 3146 | 2026-08-27 13:26:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 18:26:23 | 84% | 64 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=64 reviews, 54 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=84% (84.375%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (64 reviews, 84%). |
| 3142 | 2026-08-27 12:36:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 17:36:14 | 84% | 63 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=63 reviews, 53 fresh, 10 rotten, tomatometer=84% (84.127%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (63 reviews, 84%). |
| 3139 | 2026-08-27 11:46:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 16:46:28 | 85% | 61 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=61 reviews, 52 fresh, 9 rotten, tomatometer=85% (85.246%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (61 reviews, 85%). |
| 3136 | 2026-08-27 11:15:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 16:15:56 | 85% | 60 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=60 reviews, 51 fresh, 9 rotten, tomatometer=85% (85.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (60 reviews, 85%). |
| 3134 | 2026-08-27 09:43:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 14:43:14 | 85% | 59 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=1, rotten=1, tomatometer=50%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=1, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=59 reviews, 50 fresh, 9 rotten, tomatometer=85% (84.746%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (59 reviews, 85%). |
| 3129 | 2026-08-27 09:13:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 14:13:16 | 84% | 58 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=57 reviews, 49 fresh, 8 rotten, tomatometer=86% (85.965%). WARNING: entered headline 58 reviews / 84% did not match current canonical totals 57 reviews / 86%. |
| 3126 | 2026-08-27 06:48:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 11:48:02 | 86% | 56 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=56 reviews, 48 fresh, 8 rotten, tomatometer=86% (85.714%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (56 reviews, 86%). |
| 3122 | 2026-08-26 22:07:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-27 03:07:13 | 85% | 54 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=54 reviews, 46 fresh, 8 rotten, tomatometer=85% (85.185%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (54 reviews, 85%). |
| 3112 | 2026-08-26 15:51:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-26 20:51:25 | 85% | 52 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=52 reviews, 44 fresh, 8 rotten, tomatometer=85% (84.615%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (52 reviews, 85%). |
| 3103 | 2026-08-26 12:41:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-26 17:41:26 | 84% | 51 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=0, rotten=1, tomatometer=0%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=0, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=51 reviews, 43 fresh, 8 rotten, tomatometer=84% (84.314%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (51 reviews, 84%). |
| 3096 | 2026-08-26 08:46:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-26 13:46:45 | 86% | 50 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 4 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=4, fresh=4, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=4, fresh=4, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=50 reviews, 43 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=86% (86.000%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (50 reviews, 86%). |
| 3092 | 2026-08-25 15:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-25 20:33:46 | 85% | 46 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=46 reviews, 39 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=85% (84.783%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (46 reviews, 85%). |
| 3090 | 2026-08-25 14:33:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-25 19:33:40 | 84% | 45 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=45 reviews, 38 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=84% (84.444%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (45 reviews, 84%). |
| 3086 | 2026-08-25 13:21:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-25 18:21:11 | 84% | 44 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=44 reviews, 37 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=84% (84.091%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (44 reviews, 84%). |
| 3079 | 2026-08-25 08:42:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-25 13:42:55 | 84% | 43 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=43 reviews, 36 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=84% (83.721%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (43 reviews, 84%). |
| 3073 | 2026-08-25 08:19:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-25 13:19:33 | 83% | 42 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 3 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=3, fresh=3, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=3, fresh=3, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=42 reviews, 35 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=83% (83.333%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (42 reviews, 83%). |
| 3069 | 2026-08-24 16:43:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-24 21:43:32 | 82% | 39 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=39 reviews, 32 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=82% (82.051%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (39 reviews, 82%). |
| 3068 | 2026-08-24 15:13:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-24 20:13:29 | 82% | 38 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=0, rotten=1, tomatometer=0%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=0, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=38 reviews, 31 fresh, 7 rotten, tomatometer=82% (81.579%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (38 reviews, 82%). |
| 3067 | 2026-08-24 14:45:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-24 19:45:43 | 84% | 37 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 2 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=2, fresh=2, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=2, fresh=2, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=37 reviews, 31 fresh, 6 rotten, tomatometer=84% (83.784%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (37 reviews, 84%). |
| 2981 | 2026-08-21 15:38:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-21 20:38:54 | 83% | 35 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=35 reviews, 29 fresh, 6 rotten, tomatometer=83% (82.857%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (35 reviews, 83%). |
| 2742 | 2026-08-14 05:06:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-14 10:06:42 | 82% | 34 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=34 reviews, 28 fresh, 6 rotten, tomatometer=82% (82.353%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (34 reviews, 82%). |
| 2691 | 2026-08-10 08:02:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-10 13:02:34 | 82% | 33 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=1, rotten=0, tomatometer=100%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=1, rotten=0. Current canonical totals=33 reviews, 27 fresh, 6 rotten, tomatometer=82% (81.818%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (33 reviews, 82%). |
| 2675 | 2026-08-10 03:32:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-08-10 08:32:31 | 81% | 32 | processed | Mode=delta_update. Processed 1 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=1, fresh=0, rotten=1, tomatometer=0%. Net new reviews added=1, fresh=0, rotten=1. Current canonical totals=32 reviews, 26 fresh, 6 rotten, tomatometer=81% (81.250%). Entered headline matched current canonical totals (32 reviews, 81%). |
| 2332 | 2026-07-26 10:58:00 (America/Panama) | 2026-07-26 15:58:42 | 84% | 31 | processed | Mode=full_snapshot. Processed 31 row(s); 0 row error(s). Parsed unique reviews in this batch=31, fresh=26, rotten=5, tomatometer=84%. Net new reviews added=31, fresh=26, rotten=5. Current canonical totals=31 reviews, 26 fresh, 5 rotten, tomatometer=84% (83.871%). Entered review count matched parsed batch count (31). Entered tomatometer matched parsed batch value (84%). |
| ID | Critic | Outlet | Fresh? | Score | RT Time Raw | Approx Published UTC | Quote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 285035 | Tim Stevens | The Spool | Fresh | — | 2026-09-29T18:22:50.000Z | 2026-09-29 18:22:50 | For the world it creates and a Milioti who earnestly commits, it’s worth a watch. |
| 285036 | Sheraz Farooqi | CinemaDebate | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-09-28T18:58:47.000Z | 2026-09-28 18:58:47 | Buddy is a solid horror film that makes the most of its small budget, delivering enough creepy moments and nostalgic fun to keep things entertaining. Any millennial who grew up with Barney will get the goosebumps from seeing this film |
| 285037 | Amanda the Jedi | Amanda the Jedi (Youtube) | Fresh | — | 2026-09-28T15:04:55.000Z | 2026-09-28 15:04:55 | As absurd as it is disturbing. |
| 280935 | Walter Chaw | Film Freak Central | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-09-23T22:58:22.000Z | 2026-09-23 22:58:22 | Casper Kelly’s Buddy is the exact movie of this moment, a genuinely cathartic picture about how everyone pretending that everything is okay gets gutted, beheaded, flayed, folded, spindled and mutilated but not before they’re humiliated. |
| 276860 | Nicholas Bell | Fish Jelly Films (YouTube) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-09-17T17:23:07.000Z | 2026-09-17 17:23:07 | Casper Kelly perverts the syrupy schmaltz of 90s children's television programs with Buddy, creating what feels like a trippy mixture of David Lynch and Lewis Carroll, seemingly intended to terrorize children and disturb adults. |
| 276861 | Edwin Arnaudin | Asheville Movies | Fresh | B+ | 2026-09-16T23:54:55.000Z | 2026-09-16 23:54:55 | Certifiably insane. |
| 276862 | Joseph Tomastik | Loud and Clear Reviews | Fresh | 4.5/5 | 2026-09-16T03:16:19.000Z | 2026-09-16 03:16:19 | The most horrific thing to ever hit preschool programming since the creation of Caillou. |
| 276863 | Leo Brady | AMovieGuy.com | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-09-15T18:30:17.000Z | 2026-09-15 18:30:17 | Buddy is a warm, demented, and twisted hug of horror fun. |
| 276864 | Eric Goldman | Eric Goldman's Cultured Pop (Substack) | Fresh | — | 2026-09-15T05:20:05.000Z | 2026-09-15 05:20:05 | Taking something aimed at kids and turning it into horror fodder is hardly new, but Buddy still feels like its own thing and Casper Kelly makes this an engaging, very darkly funny story from the start. |
| 276865 | Jeremy Jahns | JeremyJahns.com | Fresh | — | 2026-09-14T23:27:25.000Z | 2026-09-14 23:27:25 | In the end this move was far more than I thought I was clocking in for here. |
| 270085 | Micheal Compton | Bowling Green Daily News | Fresh | B | 2026-09-11T15:30:29.000Z | 2026-09-11 15:30:29 | Director and co-writer (along with Jamie King) Casper Kelly has crafted another wildly original bit of the macabre that is both hilarious and horrifying. |
| 270086 | Carla Hay | Culture Mix | Fresh | — | 2026-09-10T22:59:30.000Z | 2026-09-10 22:59:30 | The offbeat horror comedy Buddy has a jumbled plot where the jokes don't always work. However, it takes risks by not following formulas that would typically be in a movie that's a satire of a Barney-like unicorn star of a children's TV show. |
| 270087 | Shawn Edwards | Fox 4 Kansas City | Fresh | 5/5 | 2026-09-09T23:43:06.000Z | 2026-09-09 23:43:06 | It's a delicately dark movie that manages some freshness and original spins. |
| 270088 | Joey Shapiro | Chicago Reader | Rotten | — | 2026-09-08T19:15:18.000Z | 2026-09-08 19:15:18 | I’m also not sure if it has anything to say that hasn’t already been said by the numerous direct-to-Tubi movies that came before it. |
| 270089 | Alison Willmore | New York Magazine/Vulture | Rotten | — | 2026-09-08T02:08:56.000Z | 2026-09-08 02:08:56 | It wants to bring to mind is not some half-remembered children’s programming but an Adult Swim show that riffed on that sort of stuff. And, costume-character carnage aside, that’s just not as compelling. |
| 258808 | Morris Yang | In Review Online | Fresh | — | 2026-09-04T20:05:53.000Z | 2026-09-04 20:05:53 | Gleeful is the hand that satirizes... the cloying grotesqueries of children’s television [and] their candy-colored jubilation, and it is this realization that informs and invigorates Casper Kelly’s mean-streaked feature debut. |
| 258702 | Korey Coleman | Double Toasted | Fresh | — | 2026-09-04T03:23:12.000Z | 2026-09-04 03:23:12 | The way the actor in the big orange Buddy costume conveys being mentally unstable and having anger issues is amazing. The film really commits to the kids' show format and nails the attention to detail. |
| 258703 | Courtney Howard | Fresh Fiction | Fresh | 3.5 out of 5 | 2026-09-04T00:58:44.000Z | 2026-09-04 00:58:44 | Buddy is a subversive middle finger to the generations that didn’t adequately prepare millennials and Gen Z for adulthood. ‘90s kids will feel seen, heard and – possibly – scared. |
| 258704 | Robin Clifford | Reeling Reviews | Fresh | B | 2026-09-04T00:42:40.000Z | 2026-09-04 00:42:40 | "Buddy" is an amusing, very dark parody of 1990’s children’s programming. I hope PBS can forgive the filmmakers for having fun. |
| 258705 | Abbie Bernstein | Assignment X | Fresh | B | 2026-09-03T21:49:29.000Z | 2026-09-03 21:49:29 | Director Casper Kelly & his cowriter Jamie King have brilliantly absorbed the molecular structure of the type of children’s programming they’re adapting. |
| 258706 | Dennis Harvey | 48 Hills | Fresh | — | 2026-09-03T20:12:36.000Z | 2026-09-03 20:12:36 | A creative gamble some viewers are bound to love. |
| 258707 | Michael Nordine | Movie Brief | Fresh | — | 2026-09-03T19:10:14.000Z | 2026-09-03 19:10:14 | If you grew up convinced that Barney and the Teletubbies were evil, Casper Kelley’s feature theatrical debut may be the demented horror-comedy of your dreams |
| 258708 | Kat Hughes | THN | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-09-03T17:16:18.000Z | 2026-09-03 17:16:18 | Wacky, wild and whimsical, Buddy is exactly the demented programming that parents have been crying out for. |
| 258709 | Frank Swietek | One Guy's Opinion | Rotten | C+ | 2026-09-03T17:10:40.000Z | 2026-09-03 17:10:40 | A third of a loaf is better than none at all, and so one has to give credit to a movie that starts as promisingly as 'Buddy' does, even if it declines depressingly in the later stretches. |
| 258710 | Joe Friar | Fort Worth Report | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-09-03T16:02:52.000Z | 2026-09-03 16:02:52 | It’s twisted, bloody fun. A gift from the Movie Gods to a parent forced to watch Barney with the kids. Thank you. |
| 258615 | Kiko Martinez | The Cinesnob Podcast | Fresh | B- | 2026-09-03T06:14:47.000Z | 2026-09-03 06:14:47 | Works best when it gradually moves from happy-go-lucky children’s TV show into something sinister. |
| 258616 | Chris La Vigna | CBR | Fresh | — | 2026-09-02T18:03:36.000Z | 2026-09-02 18:03:36 | While pretty much everyone in the cast of Buddy delivers a strong performance, the twin hearts of the movie are undoubtedly Cristin Milioti and Delaney Quinn. |
| 258617 | Matthew Passantino | Big Picture Big Sound | Fresh | 2.5/4 | 2026-09-02T18:01:18.000Z | 2026-09-02 18:01:18 | The attention to detail in creating a television program set is crucial in conjuring a comforting sense of nostalgia, and production designer Anna Kathleen and Teresa Strebler created the right design to bring the late-90s back to life. |
| 258618 | Lee McCoy | DrumDums | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-09-02T17:59:27.000Z | 2026-09-02 17:59:27 | Buddy would have been fine with the gimmick 4:3 tv setup turned horror, but fortunately it gets super ambitious and never fails to shock and entertain. |
| 258619 | Lyra Hale | Fangirlish | Fresh | B | 2026-09-02T17:47:45.000Z | 2026-09-02 17:47:45 | Buddy is proof that creativity isn't dead in Hollywood. [...] But horror still has a lot of work to do when it comes to how they portray women and underrepresented communities... |
| 258620 | DarkSkyLady | DarkSkyLady Reviews | Fresh | — | 2026-09-02T17:42:43.000Z | 2026-09-02 17:42:43 | Ultimately, Buddy moves from fantastic to good to okay, squandering potential even if you leave happy with it. |
| 258557 | Katie Hogan | FILMHOUNDS Magazine | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-09-01T19:10:15.000Z | 2026-09-01 19:10:15 | The real key to accepting Buddy is to ask as little questions as possible and let yourself be dragged into existential dread and fear. |
| 258534 | Susan Kamyab | Good Morning Texas (ABC 8 Dallas WFAA) | Fresh | B- | 2026-09-01T04:50:42.000Z | 2026-09-01 04:50:42 | While there are some creepy horror elements, you may find yourself awkwardly laughing more than anything and just appreciating the craft behind this twisted horror parody of Barney. |
| 258535 | Fico Cangiano | CineXpress | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-09-01T04:14:42.000Z | 2026-09-01 04:14:42 | Buddy is quite remarkable, and gloriously depraved. It effectively creeps you out, shocks you, and makes you laugh out loud - all at the same time. Grabs you with nostalgia, then smashes your head with OG horror. [Full review in Spanish] |
| 258536 | Robert Abele | Los Angeles Times | Fresh | — | 2026-09-01T00:12:55.000Z | 2026-09-01 00:12:55 | Enjoyably weird to the end, its horror soul in line with the creepypasta ethos of something undefined yet eternal. |
| 258495 | Joel Harley | Starburst | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-31T22:18:19.000Z | 2026-08-31 22:18:19 | A new horror icon is born in Buddy, a comedy-horror film that’s more than just empty nostalgia, or an unlikely killer parading around in a colourful suit. Now, how about that hug? |
| 258496 | Perri Nemiroff | Perri Nemiroff (YouTube) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-31T20:17:25.000Z | 2026-08-31 20:17:25 | I really love everything about how this movie was made and how practical and handmade the entire thing feels. I think it aligns with the whole concept, this being a Barney-like show. |
| 258480 | Keith Garlington | Keith & the Movies | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-31T14:44:40.000Z | 2026-08-31 14:44:40 | It is a bizarrely entertaining film in the "I can’t believe they’re doing this" kind of way. |
| 254516 | Joel Copling | Spectrum Culture | Rotten | — | 2026-08-31T05:21:03.000Z | 2026-08-31 05:21:03 | Buddy has some potential and a solid opening half-hour, but it’s too distracted and does a bit too much. |
| 254517 | Debbie Lynn Elias | Behind The Lens | Fresh | — | 2026-08-31T03:01:08.000Z | 2026-08-31 03:01:08 | Sick, twisted, hilariously funny, unexpectedly thoughtful, and gleefully drenched in blood, director Casper Kelly’s Buddy is one of those increasingly rare genre concoctions that feels genuinely fresh. |
| 254508 | Sarah Vincent | Sarah G Vincent Views | Fresh | — | 2026-08-30T16:28:20.000Z | 2026-08-30 16:28:20 | "Buddy" (2026) is a sick bastard’s delight. |
| 254503 | Maxance Vincent | Film Speak | Fresh | A- | 2026-08-30T14:48:33.000Z | 2026-08-30 14:48:33 | I don’t think audiences are ready for the reckoning they will experience once the credits roll. |
| 254486 | Rebecca Johnson | Movie Marker | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-30T11:22:04.000Z | 2026-08-30 11:22:04 | Pairing vibrancy and childlike wonder with brutal horror and gore, Buddy is an entertaining experience, even if its repetitive and one-note nature eventually holds it back. |
| 254478 | Andrew Parker | The Gate | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-08-29T20:20:23.000Z | 2026-08-29 20:20:23 | It’s unnerving not only because of the disconnect between its supposedly idealized world and the gory subject matter, but because it taps into fears viewers might have without them realizing at first how they’re being impacted. |
| 254479 | Sean P. Means | The Movie Cricket | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-29T20:17:33.000Z | 2026-08-29 20:17:33 | With a premise like this, the difficulty is in sticking the landing, and "Buddy" delivers with a tense, bloody conclusion that will make you think twice about what you let your little kids watch. |
| 254470 | Alise Chaffins | MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-29T19:53:48.000Z | 2026-08-29 19:53:48 | The film gets lost in the weeds a bit in the back half, but an exceptional first act and a phenomenal voice performance by Keegan-Michael Key make this a fun and unsettling movie. |
| 254464 | Michael Ward | Should I See It | Rotten | 2.5/5 | 2026-08-29T16:37:43.000Z | 2026-08-29 16:37:43 | (Eventually) the schtick wears thin. The movie burns off its gimmick and, by the end, I was ready for the series finale. |
| 254465 | Oscar Goff | Boston Hassle | Fresh | — | 2026-08-29T16:19:46.000Z | 2026-08-29 16:19:46 | Even if Buddy is a one-joke gimmick, it’s a great joke, and one which has rarely if ever been told better. |
| 254462 | Leah Schnelbach | Reactor | Fresh | 3.7/4 | 2026-08-29T15:51:26.000Z | 2026-08-29 15:51:26 | "Kelly and King give the jokey premise some depth without taking things so seriously that we lose sight of the pure joy of watching a sentient backpack go through an existential crisis. I love Buddy, and I’m pretty sure Buddy loves me." |
| 254456 | Christopher Llewellyn Reed | Hammer to Nail | Fresh | — | 2026-08-29T03:04:08.000Z | 2026-08-29 03:04:08 | The great joy of "Buddy" is discovering the how, what, when, and where of everything, though Kelly plays his cinematic cards close to the chest and refuses to unravel every thread. |
| 254432 | John Stark | Mac the Movie Guy | Fresh | 79/100 | 2026-08-28T21:02:49.000Z | 2026-08-28 21:02:49 | Funny, violent, strange, nostalgic, and feels like someone found an old VHS tape of a kids show that somehow became cursed. |
| 254421 | Chuck Bowen | Style Weekly (Richmond, VA) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-28T20:02:37.000Z | 2026-08-28 20:02:37 | The best and worst thing about "Buddy" is that it commits to its bit. |
| 254411 | Chris Sawin | Giant Freakin Robot | Fresh | 4.5/5 | 2026-08-28T18:34:39.000Z | 2026-08-28 18:34:39 | As a horror film, it feels fresh and original with not only its comedic roots and psychological elements but also because it thrusts the audience into a bloodthirsty wonderland ruled by a demented orange unicorn eager to twist your head off. |
| 254404 | Hailey Passmore | That Shelf | Fresh | — | 2026-08-28T18:23:20.000Z | 2026-08-28 18:23:20 | The drastic shift from that lighthearted, made-for-kids character to the horrifying terror we all feel in nightmares will grab and hold viewers’ attention until the credits roll. |
| 254405 | Laura Clifford | Reeling Reviews | Fresh | B- | 2026-08-28T18:16:53.000Z | 2026-08-28 18:16:53 | Casper Kelly, perhaps most well known cinematically for "Mandy's" Cheddar Goblin commercial, spins a more creative take on the recent trend of twisting child friendly characters into sociopathic killers. |
| 254403 | Al Alexander | Movies Thru the Spectrum | Rotten | C+ | 2026-08-28T17:22:43.000Z | 2026-08-28 17:22:43 | You’d swear Casper Kelly was using "Buddy," his satirical horror provocation, to make a thinly veiled political statement. But, no, it’s just another ho-hum slasher flick whose, excuse the expression, stabs at humor are decidedly hit or miss. |
| 254384 | Todd Jorgenson | Cinemalogue | Fresh | — | 2026-08-28T15:42:14.000Z | 2026-08-28 15:42:14 | Even as the thin concept feels stretched, the film adeptly juggles tones while the film retains a haunting satirical edge. |
| 254385 | Matt Oakes | Silver Screen Riot | Fresh | B | 2026-08-28T15:34:31.000Z | 2026-08-28 15:34:31 | Effectively uses the framework of off-putting children’s television to craft a supernatural comedy slasher that pokes fun at the inherent creepiness of kids’ entertainment |
| 254386 | Damian Danemann | AwardsWatch | Fresh | B- | 2026-08-28T15:26:02.000Z | 2026-08-28 15:26:02 | Anyone who has seen the filmmaker’s Adult Swim short Too Many Cooks will immediately begin waiting for things to go awfully awry, an expectation that Kelly manipulates against the viewer especially well during the initial sitcom-filmed portion. |
| 254371 | Tomris Laffly | RogerEbert.com | Fresh | 3.5/4 | 2026-08-28T14:16:24.000Z | 2026-08-28 14:16:24 | It’s a trippy, ballsy, and genuinely entertaining package that shouldn’t work at all. But it does, and I can’t believe it exists. |
| 254372 | Tristian Evans | Geek Vibes Nation | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-08-28T14:00:35.000Z | 2026-08-28 14:00:35 | Buddy is an insanely entertaining blend of childhood comfort and predatory horror. |
| 254364 | Randy Myers | San Jose Mercury News | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-28T13:47:54.000Z | 2026-08-28 13:47:54 | The voice cast — Keegan-Michael Key freaked me out as Buddy — is almost too good, and the young cast is strong, too. The only bummer is that it doesn’t exactly stick the landing at the end, but everything else works. |
| 254360 | Jared Mobarak | Hey, Have You Seen ...? | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-08-28T12:35:34.000Z | 2026-08-28 12:35:34 | The point is to let the terror and uncertainty of those trapped within its hellscape take us on an emotionally resonant journey of survival. Just because we aren’t forced to process its dense mythology now doesn’t mean it hasn’t been teased. |
| 254348 | Brett Arnold | Yahoo.com | Fresh | — | 2026-08-28T10:51:21.000Z | 2026-08-28 10:51:21 | There are so many wild and fun ideas here, and the commitment to the bit is astounding, |
| 254349 | Michael Gingold | Rue Morgue Magazine | Fresh | — | 2026-08-28T06:08:16.000Z | 2026-08-28 06:08:16 | The conviction of Quinn’s performance, combined with Kelly’s [as director], take BUDDY way beyond the Barney-gone-bad gimmick and make it one of this year’s most distinctive genre ventures. |
| 254350 | Allen Almachar | The MacGuffin | Fresh | B | 2026-08-28T05:32:27.000Z | 2026-08-28 05:32:27 | I don’t know if this is for everyone – some may not latch onto the tongue-in-cheek satire Kelly brings to the table. But for those that do, they’ll have an absolute blast. |
| 254351 | Sara Clements | Marmalade Matinee (Medium) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-28T03:24:19.000Z | 2026-08-28 03:24:19 | It’s colourful, playful, and completely committed to the bit, which makes the contrast with the horror that follows more effective. |
| 254352 | Russ Simmons | KKFI-FM (Kansas City) | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-28T02:56:03.000Z | 2026-08-28 02:56:03 | If you’re one of the people who thought Barney the Dinosaur was a little creepy, the horror flick "Buddy" should send a shudder up your spine. |
| 254335 | Erik Piepenburg | New York Times | Fresh | — | 2026-08-27T23:54:50.000Z | 2026-08-27 23:54:50 | Look past some logical holes and desultory messages, and there’s a playfully twisted and unsparingly gory horror romp here that fans of Kelly’s 2014 viral short film, “Too Many Cooks,” a macabre sitcom sendup, will eat up. |
| 254321 | Keith Phipps | The Reveal | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-27T22:02:35.000Z | 2026-08-27 22:02:35 | In its best moments, 'Buddy' raises questions about what makes certain types of children’s entertainment attractive to kids and repulsive to the grown-ups in their lives |
| 254319 | Liz Shannon Miller | Consequence | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-27T21:35:08.000Z | 2026-08-27 21:35:08 | Figuring out what the hell is going on is maybe one of the movie’s chiefest pleasures, a well-constructed puzzle box. Eventually, though, all the pieces come together for what ends up being a pretty emotional story. |
| 254317 | Luis Pomales-Diaz | Horror Press | Fresh | 7/10 | 2026-08-27T21:29:38.000Z | 2026-08-27 21:29:38 | If you meet Buddy on its level, it’s by all means a success as a practical effects horror doused in rainbow aesthetics and drenched in pitch black comedy. |
| 254318 | EJ Moreno | Flickering Myth | Fresh | — | 2026-08-27T20:54:41.000Z | 2026-08-27 20:54:41 | With the best final girl of the decade and awards-worthy production design, Buddy is one of 2026’s must-see horror films. |
| 254310 | Peter Sobczynski | Auteurist Class (Substack) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-27T18:37:31.000Z | 2026-08-27 18:37:31 | Buddy is probably too unrelentingly strange to appeal to a lot of moviegoers but those who have always sensed a certain unspoken malevolence in the forced cheeriness found in many icons of toddlers may want to give it a look |
| 254307 | Elliott Collins | Movie Files | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-27T18:03:21.000Z | 2026-08-27 18:03:21 | Buddy is a bizarre, creepy, and surprisingly funny childhood nightmare. The production design is fantastic, the cast fully commits, and I was completely invested in its weirdness. I just wish the lore went deeper and the kills went harder. |
| 254297 | Christian Toto | HollywoodInToto.com | Rotten | 2.5/4 | 2026-08-27T17:29:13.000Z | 2026-08-27 17:29:13 | Ingenious premise gives way to sporadic chills, occasional laughs. |
| 254298 | Julian Roman | MovieWeb | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-27T17:13:51.000Z | 2026-08-27 17:13:51 | Buddy will make your skin crawl as what's supposed to be wholesome and uplifting kids programming quickly descends into a bloody nightmare. |
| 254294 | Lyvie Scott | Inverse | Fresh | — | 2026-08-27T16:18:13.000Z | 2026-08-27 16:18:13 | Buddy is constantly hilarious, scary, and ingeniously shot, but its tone is nowhere near as consistent. |
| 254290 | Joseph Robinson | Fish Jelly Films (YouTube) | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-27T15:49:44.000Z | 2026-08-27 15:49:44 | Stupendously odd and delightfully deranged, Buddy co-opts a number influences while somehow emerging as something uniquely its own. |
| 254286 | Brian Eggert | Deep Focus Review | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-27T14:12:20.000Z | 2026-08-27 14:12:20 | If Buddy struggles to sustain its novelty over 90 minutes, leaving things to get overly serious and plot-driven in the final act, it’s also a delightfully morbid watch that will linger in your unconscious long afterward. |
| 254287 | Mark Dujsik | Mark Reviews Movies | Rotten | 2.5/4 | 2026-08-27T14:00:54.000Z | 2026-08-27 14:00:54 | Once the movie leaves behind the façade of existing as a piece of lost media ... it loses its bite. |
| 254273 | Maitland McDonagh | MaitlandOnMovies (Substack) | Fresh | — | 2026-08-27T13:27:34.000Z | 2026-08-27 13:27:34 | Holy sh!t. Positing a Barney the Dinosaur-like big orange unicorn that laughs and plays with kids and teaches them lessons about friendship, teamwork and doing whatever he says or suffering the lethal consequences, this is...a powerfully demented original |
| 254265 | Codie Allen | fade in, breathe out (Substack) | Fresh | 4/5 | 2026-08-27T05:28:22.000Z | 2026-08-27 05:28:22 | Ultimately, Buddy is just a really damn fun horror movie. |
| 254266 | Brian Orndorf | Blu-ray.com | Fresh | B | 2026-08-27T03:10:21.000Z | 2026-08-27 03:10:21 | Kelly makes perhaps his most accessible endeavor with "Buddy," but the feature remains quite bizarre, asking viewers to manage the lightness of satire with the viciousness of horror in a creative, if a tad overlong, offering of dark comedy. |
| 254262 | Steven Redgrave | Pop Culture Leftovers | Fresh | — | 2026-08-27T01:11:23.000Z | 2026-08-27 01:11:23 | Buddy is a nostalgic nightmare in the best possible way, and that tension is somehow eased throughout with the clever drops of humor between audible gasps. |
| 254263 | Eric Marchen | Rogers TV | Fresh | B | 2026-08-26T23:46:42.000Z | 2026-08-26 23:46:42 | Nostalgically crossing wires with early-morning edutainment and traumatizing midnight movies, Too Many Cooks creator Casper Kelly crafts a tubular tale of deeply felt, tactile terror that channels childhood nightmares. |
| 254235 | Nate Adams | The Only Critic | Fresh | B | 2026-08-26T20:14:34.000Z | 2026-08-26 20:14:34 | Kelly understands that explaining every corner of this universe would probably drain it of some of its power, and even when the thematic ambition exceeds the execution, the movie never loses its mischievous personality. |
| 254220 | Matt Goldberg | Commentary Track (Ghost.io) | Rotten | 2.5/5 | 2026-08-26T17:26:04.000Z | 2026-08-26 17:26:04 | The comic incongruity of children’s programming with slasher horror never coheres into anything more thoughtful. |
| 254200 | Ross McIndoe | Slant Magazine | Fresh | 2.5/4 | 2026-08-26T13:27:29.000Z | 2026-08-26 13:27:29 | Casper Kelly and company have meticulously recreated the look of ’90s kids’ television in all its vibrant, plasticky, narrow aspect-ratioed glory. |
| 254201 | Ben Wasserman | Film-Forward.com | Fresh | B | 2026-08-26T13:19:41.000Z | 2026-08-26 13:19:41 | While Buddy might not be a perfect horror film, it stands out as one of the most visually and tonally impressive entries in a year full of strong horror releases. |
| 254202 | Richard Crouse | Richard Crouse | Fresh | 3/5 | 2026-08-26T11:18:58.000Z | 2026-08-26 11:18:58 | A nightmarish version of Barney & Friends with a side of Pee Wee’s Playhouse thrown in for good measure, Buddy is a cult movie in the making, a bizzarro blast of retro fun. |
| 254203 | Joey Magidson | Awards Radar | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-26T07:51:14.000Z | 2026-08-26 07:51:14 | Buddy finds the horror in children's programming. |
| 254121 | Charles Koplinski | Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-25T20:06:26.000Z | 2026-08-25 20:06:26 | A story the Brothers Grimm would be proud to call their own, "Buddy" gleefully exposes its deluded young characters to the thorny world of adulthood. |
| 254119 | Bob Strauss | San Francisco Chronicle | Fresh | 3/4 | 2026-08-25T19:01:45.000Z | 2026-08-25 19:01:45 | Kelly does a great job of incrementally and inexorably building up Buddy’s menace in the film’s first act. |
| 254114 | Monica Castillo | AV Club | Fresh | B+ | 2026-08-25T18:10:29.000Z | 2026-08-25 18:10:29 | Kelly recreates the look of these shows right down to their transition wipes and hip hop-lite choreography, but his darkest scares come from how someone who's not-so-nice gets away with bullying. |
| 254095 | Matt Orozco | Macabre Daily | Fresh | — | 2026-08-25T13:26:39.000Z | 2026-08-25 13:26:39 | "Buddy" represents some of the most inventive and outrageously fun examples of genre filmmaking today, and Casper Kelly has created something that builds on his knack for the mundanely macabre. |
| 254078 | Joey Morona | Cleveland Plain Dealer | Fresh | — | 2026-08-25T12:56:36.000Z | 2026-08-25 12:56:36 | ‘Buddy’ might be the most bonkers movie of the year so far. |
| 254079 | Zach Pope | Zach Pope Reviews | Fresh | — | 2026-08-24T23:52:57.000Z | 2026-08-24 23:52:57 | 3.5 Buddy is absolutely bats*** crazy. As someone who woke up in the middle of the night as a kid, accidentally caught Too Many Cooks, and genuinely felt like I was losing my mind, BUDDY brought back that exact same insane feeling. |
| 254080 | Tom Jorgensen | IGN Movies | Fresh | 8/10 | 2026-08-24T23:14:36.000Z | 2026-08-24 23:14:36 | With the brute force of director Casper Kelly’s impressive command of tone, Buddy overcomes some woefully inconsistent pacing to deliver a nightmarish, exciting deconstruction of children’s programming. |
| 254073 | Robert Kojder | Flickering Myth | Fresh | 3.5/5 | 2026-08-24T21:28:52.000Z | 2026-08-24 21:28:52 | There is a deftly handled tonal balance here: such a subversive idea starts off amusing, steadily and successfully transforming into a legitimate piece of horror that has no interest in putting plot armor around these children |
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