Writer/director Steve Villeneuve takes us from Comic Con to Comic Con as we learn stories about the fans of the Evil Dead franchise in a love letter to the franchise and to the fans, Hail to the Deadites.
Month: October 2020
Review: Creepshow Animated Special (2020)
I am a huge horror fan but I actually haven’t seen the feature films Creepshow or Creepshow 2, and evidently I have not watched Shudder’s revival of the character. Suffice to say, I’m no expert on the Cryptkeeper’s tales, though I was a big fan of that Tales from the Cryptkeeper animated series that ran on Teletoon in the 1990’s. With this special being the Creepshow Animated Special, I felt like it was right up my alley. The special features two stories, the first segment is called “Survivor Type,” based on a short story by Stephen King and directed and adapted by Greg Nicotero is a segment about a man stranded on a deserted island adamant to survive. The second segment is “Twittering from the Circus of the Dead,” based on a short story by Joe Hill and adapted by Melanie Dale, about a girl named Blake (Joey King) who live tweets a very unique circus.
Popcorn Frights Reviews – A Ghost Waits (2020)
Directed by: Adam Stovall. Starring: MacLeod Andrews, Natalie Walker, Sydney Vollmer. Runtime: 1h 20 min. Released: This film is currently playing as a part of Popcorn Frights' Wicked Weekend. In the unconventional love story A Ghost Waits, Jack (MacLeod Andrews) is a handyman tasked with fixing up a house before the new tenants can move … Continue reading Popcorn Frights Reviews – A Ghost Waits (2020)
Filmcraziest Interviews, Justin G. Dyck and Keith Cooper, “Anything for Jackson”
On this episode of Filmcraziest Interviews, I chat with director Justin G. Dyck and writer Keith Cooper for their new film Anything for Jackson, a great reverse exorcism horror that had its World Premiere at Fantasia Film Festival on Sept. 1, and recently had its U.S. Premiere as a part of the Nighstream Film Festival on Oct. 9. The plot: Dr. Henry Walsh (Julian Richings) and his wife, Audrey (Sheila McCarthy), lost their grandson, Jackson, in a car crash two years earlier and instead of accepting it, they found satanism. To get him back, they kidnap one of Henry’s pregnant patients, Becker (Konstantina Mantelos), to execute a ritual that would hopefully bring Jackson back, but they get more than they bargained for. The film also stars Yannick Bisson and Josh Cruddas. My review out of Nightstream can be found here, and my first review from Fantasia can be found here.
Austin Film Festival Review: Murder Bury Win (2020)
Chris (Mikelen Walker), Adam (Erich Lane) and Barrett (Henry Alexander Kelly) are aspiring entrepreneurs trying to sell the latest indie board game hit, the titular Murder Bury Win, where the premise is to kill someone and get away with murder. After their fundraising campaign on a site called Game Changer isn’t successful, they’re invited by a mysterious caller (Craig Cackowski) to his cabin in the middle of nowhere. He wants to publish their game, with the understanding that he is the sole owner and he will just give them cold hard cash. A freak accident occurs here, and the trio have to use everything they’ve learned from their game to dispose of the body so they can keep their dreams of board game fame alive. I love these kinds of films that start with innocent games that then become a little too real. Think recent hits like Game Night, Ready or Not, or even Jumanji. The charm of this film definitely comes from its screenplay (written by Michael Lovan, who also directs, with a story by credit to John Hart), as the film itself was partially funded by Kickstarter, which really helps make the film’s commentary on the struggles of indie creators feel more authentic.
Filmcraziest Interviews – Trish Harnetiaux, Jacob A. Ware and Anthony Arkin for their short film, “You Wouldn’t Understand”
Here’s another episode of Filmcraziest Interviews and this one was a lot of fun with a lot of laughs. I was joined by some of the creative team behind a new short film called You Wouldn’t Understand which recently premiered at Screamfest L.A., and those who joined me include director and co-writer Trish Harnetiaux, actor and co-writer Jacob A. Ware, as well as actor and editor Anthony Arkin.
Filmcraziest Interviews – Paul Komadina, “Abduction” (Short)
On this episode of Filmcraziest Interviews I am joined by Australian filmmaker Paul Komadina to discuss his new short film Abduction, which recently played as part of the North Bend Film Festival at Nightstream. The short film stars Alexandra Nell as Mathilda, a woman who after waking up in the middle of a field with no memory faces a streak of judgment and cruelty. The film is directed by Paul Komadina and written by Frances Elliott.
Review: 32 Malasaña Street (2020)
Right from the beginning, 32 Malasaña Street opens the floodgates for audience members to criticize character decisions as a small boy in an apartment complex loses a marble that goes to the door of Apartment 3B. This apartment, we learn, is haunted; as the marble magically goes into the creepy apartment and he follows it as it rolls beside a woman in a rocking chair. This all begs the question: Kid, why not just get a new marble? It’s a creepy tone-setter, regardless, as the film then skips to 1976 as we meet the Olmedo family. They are the unlucky bunch moving into Apartment 3B as they have left their small village to make a better life for themselves in Madrid. Each character feels distinct in their own right, though we learn quickly that each character goes into specific roles – like the eldest daughter Amparo (Begoña Vargas) being the main character, or the youngest son Rafael (Iván Renedo) very much being the most vulnerable character here. As well, they bring their grandfather, Fermín (José Luis de Madariaga), who has trouble breathing, and you better believe he’s utilized for some creepy moments.
Filmcraziest Interviews – Terence Krey and Christine Nyland, “An Unquiet Grave”
Welcome to another episode of Filmcraziest Interviews and for this episode I chatted with Terence Krey (writer, director and producer) and Christine Nyland (writer and star, pictured in the featured image) for their new film An Unquiet Grave, which had its World Premiere on Oct. 11 at the Nightstream virtual film festival. The film stars Jacob A. Ware as Jamie, a widow one year removed from the death of his wife. One night, he enlists the help of his sister-in-law Ava (Christine Nyland) to help him bring her back from the dead. It’s a two-actor chamber horror directed by Terence Krey, and written by Krey and Nyland.
Filmcraziest Interviews – Adam Rehmeier, Dinner in America
On this episode of Filmcraziest Interviews, I chat with Adam Rehmeier, the director, writer and editor for the new film Dinner in America, which had its World Premiere at Sundance and has recently won the Audience Award at Nightstream, a virtual genre film festival. The plot: An on-the-lam punk rocker, Simon (Kyle Gallner) and a young woman, Patty (Emily Skeggs) obsessed with his band unexpectedly fall in love and go on an epic journey together through America’s decaying Midwestern suburbs. It also stars Griffin Gluck, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Pat Healy, and others.
Filmcraziest 