Cam is unique for so many reasons. First, it’s a genre-bending menagerie. You think you know what you’re in for with a sex worker vying to be in the top ten of her live sex show site. But the script is flipped several times and in completely unexpected ways each time. It’s difficult to categorize Cam and I do mean this as a compliment. It seesaws from horror to thriller and swings into surreal territory all while keeping the audience in the dark until the very end. Rarely do we see sex workers treated as human beings, but in Cam, there is a sense of empowerment attached to the storyline. Lead actress, Madeline Brewer, has the massive task of being more than two distinct characters and to explain further would ruin the plot. Brewer knocks it out of the park here. Her talent is undeniable. I will say that the commentary on social media and immediate gratification it can produce is front and center. The final scene renders the plot unapologetic. Cam is an all-around good trip.
Fantasia International Film Fest 2018 ends tonight. But we’ll keep you updated on release dates for all the films that screened this year.
presents
Against the Night has a plot we’ve seen before… until it doesn’t. I have to admit, this film tries really hard to be unique but ultimately ends up being totally convoluted. There are moments in the script that are so far out in left field I literally said, “What?!” out loud as I watched. The practical effects don’t help, and the majority of the acting is pretty blah and even ventures into the downright atrocious. Oftentimes, the cast’s reactions, (mostly the girls) are completely unbelievable and frankly, don’t lend you to care about them. The chemistry is humming along one moment and nonexistent the next. The tropes seem forced and cobbled together without any flow to the story. While I did enjoy the opening setup and the use of multiple camera styles, Against the Night just didn’t work for me as a whole. The one saving grace in this film is actor Josh Cahn. Playing what feels akin to Jaimie Kennedy‘s role in SCREAM, Cahn is funny, likeable, and I wanted more of him on screen. I would watch an entire stand alone film with him as the lead, any day. This kid is a gem. If you do catch the film, he and the appearance of Frank Whaley as Detective Ramsey are worth their short amount of screen time. Check out the trailer below. As always, we want to know what you think, so those of you heading to the theater this weekend, tell us how Against the Night played out for you!
When a group of 20 something friends plan a New Year’s Eve getaway at an old mansion, things get heated when accusations fly, drugs and alcohol are plenty, and there is no signal for phones or wifi. Oh, and did I mention they start dying one by one? While this may sound like you’ve already seen this movie a hundred times, don’t be fooled by the build up. Le Manoir is one hell of a unique dark comedy horror. This movie is what the Scary Movie franchise could have looked like if they were actually intending on genuinely scaring you. The dialogue is much less punny but seriously over the top. Think Evil Dead meets Scooby Doo in all the best ways possible (and you can add in Scream just for good measure). The cinematography is great and the impact of the music and sound editing is spot on. Not only that, but the cast is shockingly comprised of YouTube stars… and they’re fantastic! The chemistry is beyond and each holds their own and then some. I legitimately laughed out loud during the entire 96-minute run. I highly recommend you seek this film out at and after this year’s Fantasia Festival. Check out the trailer below.
KILLING GROUND marks the debut feature of writer/director Damien Power and stars Australian actors Aaron Pedersen (ABC’s “Jack Irish”), Ian Meadows (Network Ten’s “The Wrong Girl”), Harriet Dyer (Nine Network’s “Love Child”) and Aaron Glenane (Truth).
As a kid, I was an avid camper. After seeing Killing Ground, I may never go again. As a mother, thanks to this film, I’ll never, ever bring my children with me to a remote location where I am more than shouting distance away from lots and lots of other campers… with weapons. Killing Ground is a slow burn of menace that keeps you feeling uneasy and queasy it’s entire 93 min runtime. With a multiple narrative style, you already know something horrible is coming but you’re forced to sit through the time jumps just to get to certain doom. Anything with balls enough to put children in true, murderous harm’s way will get me every time now that I’m a parent. But you don’t have to have kids of your own to be deeply affected by the horrors on screen, you just have to have an ounce more heart than the film’s villains. While last week’s SOLD OUT screening at Fantasia Fest may have left many in the lurch, fear not. Killing Ground actually gets its theatrical and VOD release this week, July 21st. Check out the trailer below.
Camera Obscura has an engrossing plot. The script has nods to horror classics like Amityville, Final Destination, and every haunted object film out there. Adding in the element of PTSD allows the audience to further question what is real and what is in the mind’s eye. There are some truly vibrant visuals when those lines are blurred. With a fair number of skin-crawling moments thrown in, Camera Obscura does its job at entertaining and keeping you guessing. I certainly did not see the ending coming. I will also give credit to the fact that the pace is already ramped up in full force before we’re even 20 minutes in. The cast is wonderful with particularly outstanding moments coming from Catherine Curtain and (no stranger to the horror genre) Andrew Sensenig. All while utilizing throwback ideas, Camera Obscura stands on its own as something disturbing and unique. You can catch the trailer below.
Emma Roberts plays a mysterious young woman who is clearly troubled. It’s an unglamorous role but suits her well. She is, as ever, riveting on screen. Having watched Kiernan Shipka literally grow up on Mad Men, we find her in a role that’s totally unexpected and truly scary. The progression of her character is unhinged. Fun fact: Shipka has a hauntingly gorgeous singing voice. The script’s dynamic is engrossing and the concept of two stories colliding keep you consistently alert. The uncomfortable moments and there are many, will keep you on the edge of your seat long enough to get to the weird (in a good way) ending. The location screams typical New England boarding school. The winter weather adding to the gloom and darkness of the impending doom. The Blackcoat’s Daughter will stick with you in a disturbing way long after the credit roll. 
Presents
THE DEVIL’S CANDY
I had to look twice, nay, three times to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Ethan Embry is a ripped, rock god in this surprising feature. I cannot express how much adored this film. With a slight Amityville feel, the latin voices heard in this film will get under your skin immediately. Loaded with seriously sick tunes from bands like Metalica and Queens of the Stoneage, the music takes on a life of its own in The Devil’s Candy. The film has an 80’s throwback feel in approaching the death metal and satanic ritual link. Visually, one of the coolest flicks I’ve seen in a while, especially for a horror. High-end effects are beautifully juxtaposed with unique paintings as each is being assembled… or disassembled as it were. The entire cast is spot on awesome. The Devil’s Candy has gorgeous framing and jump scares galore. I HIGHLY recommend you catch this particular selection if horror is truly your genre of choice. It will make your head spin and your skin crawl. It’s one of the best of 2017.
The film overall was underwhelming. The acting did hugely improve as the film went on, however I believe it really could of been better if select parts of the story had been done differently. The overall theme that I think 
The film was the 2016 official selection of the LA Film Festival, Fantasia, Sitges and numerous other festivals. The film stars Jessica Lowndes, Joe Anderson, Lin Shaye, Dayton Callie and was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman.
Darren Lynn Bousman, director of several of the Saw franchise sequels, and one of my all-time favorite films REPO! The Genetic Opera, brings to life a peculiar story and a visual maze. The look of Abbatoir is something to behold and one that evolves as the story rolls along. It’s a thriller, horror, and first person video game all wrapped into one lovely and bizarre package. The costumes are intentional throw backs that give further validity to a tale that criss crosses generations. Lin Shaye, who has what I like the call the “Timelord effect” (similar to another horror legend Barbara Crampton,) a timeless quality to her presence and ability to inhabit any character she tackles effoertlessly. Jessica Lowndes is reteaming with Bousman after appearing in The Devil’s Carnival. Her classic movie star looks only enhance her believeable performance as a headstrong and heartfelt woman determined to uncover the mystery behind who or what is buying homes where violent tragedy occurs and rips out the murder room. The answers are extraordinarily twisted. The films runs about 1hr40mins but feels very much likethe graphic novel it was based upon. This could have easily been made into a mini series. Abattoir is intriguing from the very first shot and will keep your brain engaged with plot and stunning sets throughout. Momentum Pictures is releasing Abattoir today in Theaters, VOD and Digital HD, December 9th
Scott B. Hansen‘s film is a visual feast for most of its run. At moments, it appears to be two different films with any scenes specifically involving the occult are spectacular. They rival any big budget film like The Conjuring. On the other hand, the scenes that are not directly linked to these moments come off as afterthoughts with a low quality to them. The difference between the two is rather astounding. The acting from the majority of the cast is down right atrocious, with three perfromances withstanding this criticism. Lead Chris Minor, who carries the film on his shoulders, does a great job taking on a familiar horror trope with his emtional heart on his sleeve. Jake Brinn, as stoner sidekick Clay, gives a down to earth portrayal. You could easily think he was plucked from a local college to play this role overnight. Our lady of the hour in The Possession Experiment is actress KT Fanelli. Her commitment to playing a woman too far gon to save is, frankly, award worthy. Color me impressed with her ability to take on the physicality required to make this a convincing performance. 
They say you can never go home again. Maybe some of us should heed this advice depending on the skeletons in our closets. In Thomas Dekker‘s new film JACK GOES HOME, Rory Culkin finds himself playing the title character whose loss might be his greatest gain. Or maybe it’s the other way around.
I’ve see a horror film or two in my day, but I’ve never seen anything like Jack Goes Home. The story appears to be straight forward: Jack’s parents are in a car accident. His father dies and he goes home to take care of his mother, who has survived. When something goes bump in the night, he is compelled, by his father’s own words, to explore his childhood like never before. It doesn’t take too long before things get weird. Grief can make people act in funny ways, but this film takes it to a whole other level. Dekker’s script is off the hinges with scares both physically and emotionally. You’re never quite sure who is fooling whom. 
With genre veteran Lin Shaye as Jack’s mother, you’re immediately thrown for a loop. Her presence is this insane mix of calming and unnerving. Each scene she appears in makes your skin crawl. Rory Culkin is more intense with each role he takes on. Following up on his fierce performance in 
Thanks to the likes of Stephen King, Poltergeist, and American Horror Story clowns are not cool. Lately, in fact, people dressed as clowns are attempting to lure small children into wooded areas in middle America. Why? That’s just sick! In Tom Nagel‘s new film CLOWNTOWN, a group of friends is stranded in what appears to be an abandoned town, until crazies dressed as clowns try to kill them. 
There is good, bad, and ugly about this film. We’ll start with the bad. The story is missing just enough explanation to bother me. The back story does not go far enough into the connection of why. That’s all I’ll say for now, because I do think the film deserves an audience. The ugly, while I’m being relatively nit-picky at this point, is as follows. The film runs long. It could have been much tighter getting to the “good stuff”. That’s basically all in that category. And now, for the good or I should actually say, the great: the acting. I have to say, with the exception of one character, this film has exceptional performances. I have to give our leading ladies a shout out for the level of terror portrayed on their faces. It reads completely genuine to me. Our clown friends are beyond unsettling. On the whole, I was impressed on this front. My favorite part of the entire film has got to be the opening scene. It harkens back to classic horror tropes featuring a babysitter and the creepy kids, brief gratuitous nudity included. It was a fantastic intro to a story that had all the potential in the world. Also, high five for the homage final shout. I’ll let you discover that fun gem on your own.
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