Tag Archives: vampire

‘THE NIGHT IS YOUNG’ (Popcorn Frights 2024) Love bites, but only if you’re lucky in Patrick Rea’s newest film.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

popcorn frights 2024 logoTHE NIGHT IS YOUNG

TheNightIsYoung
Director Patrick Rea’s THE NIGHT IS YOUNG comes to Popcorn Frights 2024. Jumping on the content creator subgenre, or perhaps a page out of the REC playbook, this vampire romance uses all the best tropes for a breezy homegrown horror. 

Jake Jackson wears all the hats as cinematographer, special effects makeup artist, and Nora’s brother Jake. We only see him briefly at the end of the film because he’s but a voice behind the lens for the entirety of the film. He’s fantastic. 

Rea co-writes with star Sarah McGuire. I could have watched her dating shenanigans for another hour. McGuire gives Nora a relatable vibe, owning each moment with ease. Her chemistry with Valerie Bates (Emelia) feels incredibly natural. I’m excited to see what she does next.

Utilizing security footage and Jake’s real-time video maintains a sense of urgency during the countdown to sunrise. The reveal is unsurprising, but the why is much more fun for vampire canon nerds like me. THE NIGHT IS YOUNG is the definition of indie filmmaking. Taking a look at the credits, everyone had multiple roles. It’s a perfect runtime for the story. There is a solid set-up for a franchise, so color me intrigued.

DATE: Saturday, August 10
TIME: Video On Demand
VENUE: Digital Screening Room

YEAR: 2024

COUNTRY: USA

RUNTIME: 76 min

DIRECTOR: Patrick Rea

WRITER: Sarah McGuire, Patrick Rea

STARRING: Valeri Bates, Sarah McGuire, Jake Jackson

For more Popcorn Frights reviews, click here!
 

 

Review: ‘DON’T SUCK’ – *sigh* If only.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

PRESENTS THE NEW VAMPIRE COMEDY

DON’T SUCK

SYNOPSIS

Pete (Jamie Kennedy) believes that he has seen it all in his years as a road comic, that is until he meets his new killer opening act, a struggling comic qua vampire named Ethan (Matt Rife). During their time on the road, Pete fulfills his dream of becoming a comic’s comic.

DON’T SUCK follows a washed-up headliner and the newbie he agrees to mentor, who just so happens to be a vampire.

The film takes a solid 25 minutes for a genuine laugh, then weaves in and out of funny. Elyssa Mai is the perky and badass radio producer Carrie. She is a refreshing addition, as her delicious dialogue contrasts most of the script. Honestly, other than the following scene in the booth itself, the moments between Kennedy and Rife are the only watchable parts of the film. The numerous stand-up bits, some by well-known comics, are downright awful. Most of the jokes feel dated, misogynistic, and unfunny.

Jamie Kennedy plays Pete Brennan with a burnt-out, has-been energy, but there is an underlying reason for that. Listen closely for a perfect SCREAM reference. It’s probably the best joke in the script. Matt Rife is undeniably the best part of the film. Setting aside the controversy surrounding him as of late, DON’T SUCK would have been more enjoyable had they leaned more into Ethan’s history. Rife genuinely kills it in this role, even putting on a wonky affected accent. Somehow, it perfectly captures the oddly dour tone of the plot. You cannot take your eyes off him. His level of commitment deserves applause. The script needed vampire buddy comedy shenanigans in earnest. The possibilities were endless. As is, you might as well drive a stake through the heart of this film.

In Theaters & On Demand/Digital December 1, 2023

 

Distributor
VMI Worldwide

Starring
Jamie Kennedy, Matt Rife, Ellen Hollman, Russell Peters, Lauren Compton, Jimmie Walker, Jimmy Shubert, Scott ‘Carrot Top’ Thompson

Directed by
RJ Collins

Written by
Rick D’Elia

Run Time: 100 min  | Genre: Comedy, Horror

 

Shudder Original review: ‘BLOOD RELATIVES’ is a quirky vampire family comedy you can sink your teeth into. I already want a sequel.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

BLOOD RELATIVES

After her mother’s death, Jane tracks down her elusive dad to avoid foster care. When Jane unearths the truth about her father’s past, she demands a relationship, leading the estranged father-daughter team to take a road trip like no other. Oh, also, he’s a vampire. A unique take on the monster genre combined with a family road trip drama makes BLOOD RELATIVES one of a kind.

Victoria Moroles is Jane. Her precociousness is spot a delight. Segan gives her dialogue deliciously reminiscent of Dawson’s Creek, i.e., she is far too eloquent for fifteen. Her chemistry with Segan is comfortable and endlessly amusing. Her takedown of the film’s misogynist energy is chef’s kiss.

Josh Ruben (who also produces) plays Roger Fieldner. A patient who distinctly resembles Bram Stoker‘s Renfield. Kudos to Segan for the character name scramble. It is a role only Ruben could own. After witnessing his sycophantic behavior, I cannot imagine anyone else doing Roger justice. There is a reason he has become a scream king in the past few years. He is the best.

Writer-director-star Noah Segan plays Francis as a Yiddish-spewing loaner. His penchant for a happy-go-lucky attitude is more function over form. We learn about his deep-seated loneliness and unresolved trauma, which creates an equally funny and tragic persona. Segan gives a star-making performance.

The film occurs predominantly at night for obvious reasons. The use of moonlight, dusk, dawn, dashboard, and neon light gives the film a slick overall tone. The comedy shenanigans are balanced beautifully with dramatic growing pains.

BLOOD RELATIVES is an undeniably fun vampire coming-of-age family film. Heartwarming, silly, and intimate, it is easy to see why it garnered so much attention in the festival circuit. Shudder is the perfect platform for Segan’s madcap creation. I formally request a sequel when Jane gets to college. I have to know where this family unit ends up. Don’t forget to bring Fieldner along.

CHECK OUT THE TRAILER:  

Shudder will exclusively stream BLOOD RELATIVES on Shudder on November 22, 2022.

 

BLOOD RELATIVES stars Noah Segan (Knives Out) and Victoria Moroles (“Teen Wolf,” “Never Have I Ever”). It was written and directed by Segan. 

SYNOPSIS: In BLOOD RELATIVES, Francis, a 115-year-old Yiddish vampire, still looks 35. He’s been roaming American backroads in his beat-up muscle car for decades, keeping to himself, and liking it that way. One day, a teenage kid, Jane, shows up. She says she’s his daughter, and she’s got the fangs to prove it. They go on the road, deciding whether to sink their teeth into family life.

 

GRIMMFEST 2022 review: Neil LaBute lets his thirsty dialogue lead the way in ‘House Of Darkness’

Posted on by — Leave a reply

HOUSE OF DARKNESS

Hap meets Mina at a bar, offers her a ride home, and finds himself invited into her country estate for a nightcap. Along with some sexually loaded cat-and-mouse play, there’s more to this potential one-night stand, and it’s killer. If Bram Stoker wrote a #MeToo version of Dracula, you’d have something like Neil LaBute‘s House Of Darkness.

All the Easter eggs are there for literary fans. The costumes and production design scream at the audience. My suspicions were confirmed as soon as Mina introduced herself. Along comes Lucy. That was the final nail in the coffin for me, pun intended. Hap Jackson, if you reach, is the inverse initials for Jonathan Harper.

Kate Bosworth is powerful. Dressed in a long white lace dress, flowing blonde locks, and a choked to-boot, her elegance pours off the screen. A feminist owning her sexuality, Mina is never afraid to speak plainly. Bosworth is always controlling the scene. Gia Crovatin plays Lucy with a similarly straightforward presence. Each performance is a slightly nuanced take on the other but in the same family.

Justin Long hails supreme as Hap. The middle management everyman looking to get laid and fumbling in the presence of a beautiful woman is a universal story. Witnessing him struggle to keep up with Bosworth keeps the audience engaged, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Long’s effortless charm slowly wanes as the plot rolls along. As Hap gets more intoxicated, so to does his misogynistic inner thoughts. LaBute is famous for writing meaty female roles and exposing the darkness in men. Long devours this role at every turn. With a resume including films like Jeepers Creepers, Tusk, After Life, Barbarian, and Drag Me To Hell, there is a reason he’s constantly working. He’s a damn genre darling.

House of Darkness works for those who come to terms with that LaBute knows you know how this story ends. The fun comes in the complexity of his dark humor, his delicious dialogue, and Bosworth and Long playing a table tennis match in which he has no idea he’s losing. The audience is in on the joke, and that’s where the fun lives.

Showings – select to order tickets:
  • Year:
    2022
  • Runtime:
    88 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    United States
  • Premiere:
    International Premiere
  • Rating:
    15
  • Director:
    Neil LaBute
  • Screenwriter:
    Neil LaBute
  • Producer:
    Daryl Freimark, Tim Harms, Shaun Sanghani, Shelley D. Needham
  • Cast:
    Justin Long, Kate Bosworth, Gia Crovatin
  • Cinematographer:
    Daniel Katz
  • Editor:

    David Hyatt

Shudder exclusive: ‘Boys From County Hell’ working hard or hardly working?

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Strange events unfold in Six Mile Hill – a sleepy Irish town that claims to have been traveled by the famed author Bram Stoker – when construction on a new road disrupts the alleged grave of Abhartach, a legendary Irish vampire said to have inspired Dracula. Deadly and sinister forces terrorize the work crew led by Francie Moffat and his son Eugene, a free-spirited young man who prefers pints to pickaxes, and they’re forced to fight to survive the night while exposing the true horror that resides in the town’s local myth.

When anyone moves a relic, I can’t help but think of the words of Martha Plimpton in The Goonies, “Brand, God put that rock there for a purpose and um, I’m not so sure you should um move it.” She’s always right, of course. But then we might not have fun horror films like Boys From County Hell on Shudder. The opening scene is jarring as hell. With a plot that revolves around a legend and the locals that are tasked to bring the modern world into small-town life, starting with a bang was a perfect choice. The score is truly something. Mixed with ominous string and kickass local rock songs. The script is funny and has a bit of a Shawn of the Dead vibe minus the heavy-handed camp. Take your vampire tropes and shove them, because this is altogether new. The comic timing of this cast combined with the writing gives you equal belly laughs and fright. I would watch an entire series about this town! The makeup and practical fx are phenomenal. For me, the biggest visual impact was the blood CGI. There’s something so unsettling about this that creeps under your skin. It’s incredibly effective. Boys From County Hell also touches on community. Respecting where you come from and being unafraid to expand your horizons. It’s a rollicking good time.

BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL comes to Shudder in the US and Canada on April 22nd

Starring Jack Rowan (Peaky Blinders), Nigel O’Neill (The Bookshop), Louisa Harland (Derry Girls), Fra Fee (Animals, the upcoming Hawkeye series) and John Lynch (The Terror, The Banishing) and Michael Hough (the upcoming Chapelwaite series), and written and directed by Chris Baugh (Bad Day for the Cut).

‘THIRST’ (Screamfest 2020) sinks its teeth into cult status.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Screamfest 2020 banner logo

THIRSTThirst poster

The addict Hulda is arrested and accused of murdering her brother. After she is let go because of insufficient evidence, she meets Hjörtur, a thousand-year-old gay vampire. Together they fight a cult while being investigated by a rogue detective.

Thirst Still 1

Wowing Screamfest 2020 audiences, the gloriously gory and unapologetically in your face, vampire horror-comedy Thirst is a movie about a girl and her unlikely gay best friend. Poor Hulda just wants to stop being blamed for a bunch of murders and find someone to care about her for the right reasons. Poor Hjörtur just wants to play with his food, and as The Prince of Darkness, he can damn well do what he pleases. The performances are wildly funny and the chemistry between Hjörtur Sævar Steinason and Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir is simply electric. The visual gags, quite literally, are unforgettable. The overt sexualization of the men is genius. If you know nothing going in, you know everything soon enough.

Thirst Still 2

It could have been made by the same filmmakers as genre film fest favorite Fried Barry. The colors, the camera work, the visual mindfuckery. They are cut from the same weird and wonderful cloth. In Thirst, the amount of practical fx and blood are equal parts laughable and joyous. Genre fans will literally cheer. The relationship between Hulda and Hjörtur is what stays with me 12 hours after viewing. You could write an entire television series on their dynamic and I would be there to watch it. The climax of the film is nothing short of a spectacular splatterfest. Combined with the over the top power ballads(which I’m pretty sure is my favorite aspect), this is sure to reach cult status. Stick around once the credits start to roll. Your ears and eyes won’t be sorry.

Thirst Still 3

Direct from a well-received festival run, where it played such fests as Screamfest 2020, London FrightFest, and Out On Film, Thirst comes to DVD and Digital 12/1 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

From directors Steinþór Hróar Steinþórsson, Gaukur Úlfars comes a high-energy thrill fest with some of the most creative films to grace a screen in years. Hjörtur Sævar Steinason, Jens Jensson, Hulda Lind Kristinsdóttir, Ester Sveinbjarnardóttir, Birgitta Sigursteinsdóttir, and Birna Halldórsdóttir star.

Direct from a well-received festival run, where it played such fests as Screamfest 2020, London FrightFest, and Out On Film, Thirst comes to DVD and Digital 12/1 from Uncork’d Entertainment.

For more Screamfest reviews, click here!

Shudder exclusive: ‘Blood Vessel’ is a genre mashup with bite.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Blood Vessel

A life-raft lost at sea encounters an abandoned Nazi vessel. Boarding the ship, they find a far more daunting enemy.

Totally insane and gleefully brutal, Blood Vessel, a new Shudder exclusive, is the genre mashup that we’ve been waiting for. Nazis and vampires? Yes, please. What is it with Nazi’s and their penchant for screwing with the occult? It will never end well. This ragtag crew of survivors is rife with big personalities, different accents, and abilities. While a few have a shorter shelf life (pun intended) it gives us a ton to focus on as the plot reveals itself. The camera work is awesome, from drone shots of the ocean to maneuvering inside the tight confines of a ship. The costumes are cool and period-accurate. The set design, too, puts you back in time and makes you feel the claustrophobia of the space. Kudos to the makeup team for innumerable reasons.

Performances are badass. Nathan Phillips gives a really grounded portrayal of Sinclair. As much as one can be discovering that a family of vamps are trying to kill you. Alyssa Sutherland, as a nurse who lost her daughter and husband in the war, is the sensible, even-keeled figure and voice of reason. She is fearless and kind and a nice foil for the boat’s majority of overly masculine residents. Ruby Isobel Hall is phenomenal in her timing and perceived innocence. It’s some truly nuanced work. For me, the star of this film is Alex Cooke. Frankly, I could have watched an entirely separate film of the history of his character (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, writer-director Justin Dix and writer Jordan Prosser!) His totally nonchalant epicness deserves more screen time. Cooke kills it in this role.

The most unusual aspect of Dix‘s and Prosser‘s screenplay is that I found myself questioning who the real villains are? A family is kidnapped for profit. Then said family is punished for defending itself. Our crew is merely intervening after a tragedy and gets caught in the middle. I found myself relating to the vampires as a mother, which is both weird and wonderful. While there are definitely a few telegraphed plot points, the majority of the script is super original and wild as hell. Blood Vessel could easily become a franchise based on a very satisfying ending. You’ll undoubtedly hunger for more.

 Starring Nathan Phillips (Wolf Creek), Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), Robert Taylor (Longmire), directed by Justin Dix (Crawlspace). A SHUDDER EXCLUSIVE. (Also available on Shudder Canada and Shudder UK)

Review: ‘THERAPY FOR A VAMPIRE’ is a glorious romp with bite.

Posted on by — Leave a reply

 

Presents

THERAPY FOR A VAMPIREtherapy for a vampire poster

A Film by David Ruehm

Opening in New York and Los Angeles June 10th 

therapy fpo a vamp Freud and count

How long do you have to be a couple in order to know everything about the other person? A few months? A few years? Does your lover leave their socks on the bedroom floor instead of putting them in the hamper? Do they slurp their soup, even in public. Is their neediness just too much to bear sometimes? How long is too long to have to endure these annoying habits?  In the new festival favorite finally coming to theaters, THERAPY FOR A VAMPIRE, 500 years is enough.

Running Time: 87 minutes 

Vienna, 1932. Count von Közsnöm (Tobias Moretti) has lost his thirst for life, and his eternally long marriage to Countess Gräfin Elsa von Közsnöm (Jeanette Hain) cooled centuries ago. Fortunately, Sigmund Freud (Karl Fischer), with his innovative new approach to solving life’s existential problems, is accepting new patients. During their strictly nocturnal sessions, the good doctor suggests the Count appease his vain wife, desperate to see her own reflection, by commissioning a portrait of her by his assistant, Viktor (Dominic Oley), an aspiring painter. But it’s Viktor’s headstrong girlfriend Lucy (Cornelia Ivancan) who most intrigues the Count, convinced she’s the reincarnation of his one true love. Soon, the whole crowd is a hilarious mess of mistaken identities and misplaced affections in this send -up of the vampire genre, proving once and for all that 500 years of marriage is enough. 

Vampire_-_5

Writer/Director David Ruehm‘s script could not be funnier. The dialogue is filled to the brim with clever double entendre. Using Freud as a go-between was a massively ingenious choice, using his dream analysis and general beliefs as a backdrop for a film that is, in all accounts, about relationships and their deeper meaning. The story is a fantastical cat and mouse game, centered around longing, jealousy, boredom, and vanity. There is not a loose end when it comes to performances. For a brief moment, I tried to imagine an American version of this film and could not think of any other actors that would have done the roles justice. Tobias Moretti, as the Count, might very well be an actual vampire for all I know. His natural comic timing is a pure delight to watch. Jeanette Hain, as the Countess, is seductive and a sheer wonder to behold on-screen. Cornelia Ivancan, as Lucy, is effortless in her 1930’s ingenue look and quirkiness. Dominic Oley‘s portrayal of Viktor is dashing and adorable all in one, as a man who idolizes his restless lover. Karl Fischer, as Dr. Freud, is genuinely funny and endearing. The cast’s chemistry is immaculate from end to end. Vampire_-_2The cinematography from Austria’s preeminent DP Martin Gschlacht (Goodnight Mommy, Oscar-nominated Revanche) is splendid. The sets are meticulous and the costuming is both period appropriate and completely innovative. I have nothing but absolute love for this film. If Wes Andserson ever made a vampire rom-com, THERAPY FOR A VAMPIRE might look something like the final product. The film has been making the rounds at film festivals for quite some time, and racking up awards as a result. No matter the state of your relationship, everyone, (living or undead) will relate to how the comedy plays out on-screen. The film is nothing short of brilliant.

Official Website: www.musicboxfilms.com/vampire 

Awards & Festivals

  • Winner, Audience Award – Fantasia International Film Festival
  • Official Selection – Zurich Film Festival
  • Official Selection – Sarasota Film Festival
  • Official Selection – Minneapolis / St. Paul Film Festival
  • Official Selection – Secret Film Festival, Santa Cruz

Liz’s Review: ‘A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night’ – A love story you can sink your teeth into

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

a-girl-walks-home-at-night-poster

I LOVE horror movies. I love an original script. I love a great soundtrack. Put them all together and you’ve got me on your side from minute one. There are few movies ever made that deliver on all of these aspects. The one I am about to describe blows it out of the water. Read More →