CELLAR DOOR
Director Vaughn Stein brings us CELLAR DOOR. Following a loss, couple John and Sera seek a new beginning. A mysterious man offers to gift them his elegant home. But, it comes with one unusual caveat. They must never open the cellar door.
Laurence Fishburne is Emmett Claymore. His iconic presence and voice offer equal parts comfort and sinister edge. Scott Speedman is John. This anxiety-soaked performance keeps you on the edge of your seat, reeling you into the slow-creeping plot. Jordana Brewster is Sera. She offers enthusiasm and hope through her grief, which feels wholeheartedly inspiring. Writers allow her to pull off an illusion that makes the film something special. Speedman and Brewtser’s chemistry is solid.
The set is marvelous. Wood-paneled rooms mixed with modern updates, a sprawling terrace, and an exterior straight out of Great Expectations, the audience falls in love with the house at first glance.
Screenwriters Sam Scott and Lori Evans Taylor toy with our emotions. The mystery simmers, and what we don’t see creates a boundless tension. The plot has sprinkles of What Lies Beneath and Gone Girl, focusing on themes of temptation, betrayals, secrets, and boundaries. CELLAR DOOR delivers a classic, tense build-up of scenarios, boasting a delicious final twist. It’s the best of the Faustian subgenre.
Cellar Door Trailer:
In Select Theaters and On Digital November 1st
Directed by: Vaughn Stein
Written by: Sam Scott & Lori Evans Taylor
Starring: Jordana Brewster, Scott Speedman, Laurence Fishburne
Produced by: Tom Butterfield, John Papsidera, Craig Perry, Sheila Hanahan
~
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Runtime: 97 Mins
Looking for a fresh start after a miscarriage, a couple (Brewster and Speedman) find themselves being gifted the house of their dreams from a wealthy homeowner (Fishburne) with one caveat – they can never open the cellar door. Whether they can live without knowing triggers shocking consequences.
Secretly centered around deep childhood trauma, Random Acts Of Violence, is one of this year’s most visually stunning horror films. Reminiscent of Creepshow with its comic book window integration, actor/producer/writer/director Jay Baruchel‘s newest feature will freak you out. The gore factor is insanely high, the kills are next level disturbing. The killer has a literal playbook. But from page to screen they are all the more unsettling. Bravo to the makeup effects team for building purely maniacal creations. But in truth, they come from Jay Baruchel’s brain. Scary shit, indeed. Performances are top-notch from everyone. The honest intensity and fear will rattle even the hardcore viewer.
The script is filled with just enough breadcrumbs to keep you invested but completely blindsided. The feminist monologue Baruchel writes for Brewster is amazing; throwing the glorification of violence against women in our faces. The psychological trauma being explored makes for such a smart screenplay. The camera work slowly reveals just how sick the premise is, how vile the imagery. And that’s coming from someone who ingests horror more than the average person probably should. Good news for Shudder, this film will reverb in viewers’ nightmares. Random Acts of Violence is anything but random. It is genre art.
The road to FURIOUS 7 starts here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.