On the night of November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. took a high-powered rifle and murdered his entire family as they slept. At his trial, DeFeo claimed that “voices” in the house commanded him to kill. This is their story.
The Amityville Murders offers alternative theories about the infamous killings right off the bat. Whether they a result of parental abuse, drugs, mental illness, or something altogether more sinister actually occurring in the house itself. It also seems to suggest that family and friends were experiencing unexplained phenomenon within the home. There is much controversy surrounding Ronald DeFeo and the deaths of his entire family. The house has been called one of the most haunted in America. Subsequent owners have come and gone throughout the years. DeFeo’s story of what happened that night changed so many times it’s hard to keep track of. We may never know the truth and that what makes this story a great one for film. Writers and directors can take poetic license with all the information that we do have and fill in the blanks. As the film progresses, it unequivocally suggests that the grandparents had something to do with a paranormal aspect. While of the performances in the film are a bit campy, our leading man John Robinson is amazing. He is terrifying all while being vulnerable. He carries this film from start to finish. You are rooting for his sanity and survival. Overall, the film has a classic possession feel to it. The tension is genuine and the scares are visually engrossing. The Amityville Murders is a historical true crime/ paranormal nerd’s fantasy.
THE AMITYVILLE MURDE
Coming to terms with the explanation of his mother’s untimely death, Alex turns to spiritual contact after the relationship with his father breaks down. As a student of metaphysics, Alex learns of the “scientific” premise of astral projection—the ability to project your spirit into an unseen spatial dimension. Attempting to astral project, Alex becomes plagued by shadow spirits—malevolent entities vying to enter his body to access our world. Alex soon learns that he is not the only member of his family to have been besieged by such beings, as his mother’s dark past is brought to his attention.
The pace of the film is a mystery. By that I mean, it has the feel of a slow and steady burn but in reality, the time passes really quickly. Which is sort of ironic when you consider the editing of a few scenes. You’ll have to watch to see what I mean by that. I was fully engrossed the entire run. Admittedly, the plot went in an entirely different direction than I was expecting which is always refreshing. At first, I thought it was going to be a typical setup of students and professor engaging in some private and shady experiments outside of the classroom but it has none of that. Then you think, well maybe it will a bit Flatliners inspired. Wrong again. Bravo for not falling into any of those traps. With Astral, there is very specific CG and used rather sparingly throughout the majority of the film. The effectiveness of the CG is impactful and it’s all that’s needed to build up the suspense. The film’s believability rests solely with our leading man, Frank Dillane. He happens to be my favorite actor from Fear The Walking Dead and he does not disappoint here. His natural ability to make you feel comfortable is pretty astounding. You genuinely root for him. Astral does an amazing job at making you feel on edge. The ending is worth the wait and the familiar occult historical references give it nicely grounded feel. Is astral projection the new Ouija board? Maybe.
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Blood Fest takes a page out of the Scream franchise playbook by breaking down the scary movie rules and tropes. It’s a horror fan’s playground, literally. “Bloodfest” is horror’s Comic-Con or Disneyland. The film doesn’t take itself too seriously, the dialogue is snappy as hell, and the sets are incredible. I know people, myself included, that would pay good money to enter such a gore-infused playland. Blood Fest is unapologetically silly and wonderful. Once on location at Bloodfest, we get right into the slashing, enhanced by a nice practical FX and some CG shots. It’s like being trapped in a horror video game you’re watching someone else play for you. Every nightmare someone might have is explored even if only for a moment.Think Cabin In The Woods level humor and (frankly, plot, as well) but with some new twists. To top it off, the entire cast is phenomenally talented. Also, ladies and gentlemen, Zachery Levi cameo. Blood Fest is wildly entertaining and undeniably fun. If you love the horror genre you’ll be thoroughly amused by the tongue-in-cheek way the plot rolls out, despite a few corny moments. Simply sit back and enjoy the bloody ride. Oh, and back to the franchise mention, there is no reason why this couldn’t turn into one itself. A sequel, at the very least, is completely plausible and welcome.
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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.
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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. 
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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.
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