PLOT: When a group of friends recklessly violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings, they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against death.

REVIEW: I almost had to check my calendar and make sure we weren’t in January. Usually, this level of horror is relegated to those dark winter months so I was surprised to see Tarot getting a May release. And then even further shocked to not see a single advertisement for the film. I go to the theater a lot and yet I wasn’t exposed to a single Tarot trailer. Never a good sign of a film’s quality. But also brings the advantage of having absolutely nothing spoiled for me leading in. Even still, this film is so generic that I feel like I’d not only seen the trailer, but I’d already seen the entire movie two decades ago.

The story of Tarot follows a group of college friends as they’re off on a weekend getaway. In typical horror movie fashion, they find a mysterious deck of Tarot cards in the basement and decide to use them. What starts as simple astrology readings results in the death of the members of the friend group, correlating to their horoscope. Yes, it’s every bit as dumb as it sounds. Every cliché you can think of, they’ve got here. And given the PG-13 rating, expect tame kills and tired jump scares. With no true establishment of the villain’s powers, the script seems to be constantly making up the rules as it goes along.

I knew I was in for trouble when the film spent nearly ten minutes on Tarot readings. Each friend in the group has theirs read and essentially spells out the rest of the film. The acting is brutal and there lacks any sort of tension. I’ve always found astrology readings to be very dumb so the fact that they’re treated so scientific here is painful. Every reading is taken as an absolute fact. But don’t worry, there’s still a healthy dose of skepticism as characters are constantly wary of their own situation. However, it gets to the point of annoyance as they go back and forth on whether or not they’re cursed. Even after they’ve fully seen the supernatural beings and multiple friends have died. As you can probably tell, you’ll be rolling your eyes a lot during the film.

Jacob Batalon is the only member of the cast that even somewhat works. Harriet Slater‘s accent was constantly popping through and it was very distracting. I loved Avantika in the Mean Girls musical but she just blends into the background here. Thankfully she’s involved in the only interesting kill in the film. I’ll never claim that it’s essential for a horror movie to have a likable cast. It’s an added bonus though not entirely necessary. But if you’re not going to give me someone to root for then at least give me a villain to cheer on. Instead, we’re treated to one of the most unlikable casts imaginable and a villain with weak reasoning. The design of some of the creatures work well but they’re shot awkwardly and lit way too brightly.

Tarot is an unbelievably bad film that will result in more groans than actual scares. It’s increasingly frustrating as it goes along and is lacking in any kind of originality. The creature designs feel very “been there done that” and lack any true tension. The characters are all cliches, constantly making bad decisions. Even looking at it from a trash appreciation angle, it’s hard to see what this film brings to the table. Unlikeable characters, a generic villain, and a story so convoluted it’ll make your head spin. So if you take the chance to see this in theaters, it doesn’t matter what month you were born, your reading is all the same: boredom.

TAROT IS IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE ON MAY 3RD, 2024.

Tarot

TERRIBLE

3

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PLOT: Cinderella is pushed too far by her evil stepsisters and stepmother, which causes her to switch out her glass shoes and use the assistance of her Fairy Godmother to seek bloody vengeance.

REVIEW: Everyone knows what they’re in for when it comes to these movies at this point, right? I don’t need to lay out the schpeal about public domain horror? Good, because it seems as though these films are here to stay. And in instances like this, I kind of get it. A twisted take on a tale that’s been told a thousand times? We saw Seth Grahame-Smith do something similar with his Pride, Prejudice and Zombies and even Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. So it’s not like this is a brand-new concept. The real question remains: how well does this film do with transforming the Cinderella story into one of horror?

Cinderella’s Revenge is a pretty basic concept, with young Cinderella (Lauren Staerck) is neglected by both her stepmother and her stepsisters. The entire stepfamily is utterly loathsome and comically mistreats her. Outside of the opening murder, there’s a very long stretch of time where this just feels like a Cinderella movie. One with plenty of eccentricities, but a standard adaptation nonetheless. It’s when the horror is introduced that I finally start to perk up again.

Staerck does a decent job as Cinderella and her charisma helps elevate an otherwise stale character. The writers don’t do her any favors by making Cinderella rather stupid and unable to completely get a grasp on most situations. Once she gets her cool little mask and starts getting her revenge, it’s not very believable. It mostly just feels like a teenage girl playing dress up versus her being given supernatural abilities by her Fairy Godmother. And she seems to mess up a lot for someone who is being helped by an otherworldly being.

After setting up the Stepfamily as being the worst of the worst, their comeuppance is absurdly satisfying. I found it extremely cathartic to see the step-family finally get theirs. I always hated them in their various incarnations, so it’s nice to have that sweet release that only horror can afford us. But I won’t deny that I was a little bit let down by the kills. A gnarly opening decapitation set my gore expectations high but it’s mostly tame. Sure, there’s blood, but outside of the final kill, they’re all pretty by the books. And even then, there’s too much CGI enhancement going on to really enjoy them.

I have to give credit to Stephanie Lodge who plays the wicked stepmother, Katherine. She truly nails the wicked and evil aspect and leans into being as awful as possible. Her treatment of Cinderella is all that was needed to show some great motivation but stepsisters Josephine and Rachel are the icing on the cake. They’re nearly as despicable, even in moments where they should learn their lesson. Natasha Henstridge is one of the film’s highlights as the Fairy Godmother. Obviously, this plays against the usual type of actress we see in this role, but I’d say it works. Henstridge looks to be having an absolute blast, and she provides a bit of charismatic light. If anything, I wish she was in it more because the film gains a bit of steam whenever she’s on camera.

But as much as I enjoyed the actors, they don’t have a lot to work with. There are stupid inclusions such as a celebrity designer montage. It almost feels like they’re making fun of the TV movie versions that always seem to spring up but it clashes with the rest of the film. I liked the concept but they do go a bit overboard with it, and there’s not much of a payoff. It seemed more like the filmmakers just wanted to include an Elon Musk lookalike (amongst many others). It was one of many times I was thinking “Where is the horror?” And even when there is something that involves blood and guts, the FX are so poor, that it mostly results in an eye roll.

One of the biggest issues is that I’m not really sure who the audience for this is. Because the story plays out like a standard Cinderella movie for far more than most would expect. And the vengeance angle doesn’t entirely land. So I’m not sure if their approach will really pay off. While there are some fun moments to enjoy with friends, this is mostly a dull affair. Without any great kills and failing to fully combine the story with horror in an effective way, the clock has struck midnight on Cinderella’s Revenge.

CINDERELLA’S REVENGE IS PLAYING IN THEATERS ON APRIL 26TH, 2024.

Cinderella

BELOW AVERAGE

5

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PLOT: In the wake of an environmental collapse that is forcing humanity to shed 20% of its population, a family dinner erupts into chaos when a father’s plan to enlist in the government’s new euthanasia program goes horribly awry.

REVIEW: The modern era consists of a lot of uncertainty. Whether it’s climate change or nuclear war, there’s no telling what the landscape of our future will be. And I love it when filmmakers provide a glance at those dystopic futures. Hopefully, they serve as a message of what not to do and provide a window into a future we want to avoid. Humane takes the ever-present crisis of climate change and combines it with a fascist government hellbent on a solution. Marking her directorial debut, Caitlin Cronenberg continues her family’s pursuit of thought-provoking cinema with an intense journey through family pain.

Humane follows the York Family as they gather for a special evening. The parents (played brilliantly by Peter Gallagher and Uni Park) have decided to enlist in the government’s euthanasia program. Given their status in society, they want to serve as a good example for others. But their kids have been raised in the lap of luxury and don’t have quite the same sense of altruism. So when one of them is forced to enlist, things go haywire.

One aspect I enjoyed the most was the family dynamic at play. It’s clear which children are considered the successes and which are the disappointments. So when the decision of who to enlist comes up, it’s easy to see arguments for each side. Emily Hampshire and Jay Baruchel are great as the darker, more clinical siblings. Their pursuits were more in the name of power and money. Meanwhile, the other two (Sebastian Chacon and Alanna Bale) have creative pursuits and are considered failures. I know it was easy for me to pick a side as I always side with lovable losers.

I absolutely loved Jay Baruchel here because he’s such a slimey douche and provides a lot of the humor. On the page, the character is such an awful person whose delusions echo much of the upper class. But by casting actors like Baruchel and Hampshire, there’s more of a shock factor when their characters do something twisted. They also share the ability to cut through the tension with a bit of dark comedy. I also loved how much Peter Gallagher really embodied the loving father. I half expected him to be a Logan Roy-type. And Enrico Colantoni is utterly perfect as Bob, the official tasked with Euthanizing the Yorks.

“These rules aren’t made for people like us.” This theme permeates nearly every aspect of the screenplay. Whether it’s the forbidden foods that they’re able to ingest during a massive food shortage or the manicured, green grass during a climate crisis, their luxuries exist in the face of tragedy. It’s easy to compare it to recent times, where life didn’t change for the rich and well-to-do, meanwhile, the have-nots struggled immensely.

There were some inconsistencies like the sun being bright enough that they have to put tint on all of the windows, but not bright enough to kill all the grass. And there are some definite holes to poke in the enlistment program itself. But I feel it’s all purposely vague in order to add a bit of reality. We wouldn’t know absolutely everything going on and sometimes life becomes satire. Bob may seem absurd to some, and to others, he represents every bad person in a role of authority.

Caitlin Cronenberg does a good job in her feature film debut. There was obviously a lot of pressure given her family lineage but I think she delivers a great thriller. She’s not as flashy as her brother and has a more simplistic approach. But she manages to build a very interesting world and has a way subverting expectations. The camerawork is a little plain and could have used a more kinetic approach at high-stress moments, but it works for the stageplay style of the narrative. The gore is brief but handled wonderfully. Don’t go into this expecting a bunch of body horror.

While it may have been an uncomfortable experience, I really enjoyed Humane. The subject matter is like a window into our possible future. Much like her father and brother’s work, I left this with a slew of questions, with none of them needing to be answered. It’s simply fun to let them swirl around and compare the situation to the ones happening today. Caitlin’s camerawork isn’t as showy as Brandon’s and her body horror isn’t as intense as David’s but she still possesses the same ability to build a cinematic world that intrigues.

HUMANE IS PLAYING IN THEATERS ON APRIL 26TH, 2024.

Humane

GREAT

8

The post Humane Review appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: A group of criminals kidnap a young girl who isn’t what she seems.

REVIEW: There was a period in my youth when vampire films ranked amongst the coolest in the horror genre. Films such as The Lost Boys, Fright Night, Near Dark, and From Dusk Till Dawn knew how to tell a story while not forgetting to show us a good time. With directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s latest film, Abigail, this pair delivers by bringing the fun back into horror. As with 2019’s Ready or Not, this genre-mixing rollercoaster primarily takes place in a large mansion, but instead of one lead being hunted, it’s an entire group.

The film jumps right into gear with the abduction of Abigail (Alisha Weir), the 12-year-old ballerina who is the daughter of a very powerful and wealthy man. Guaranteed a hefty ransom for the kidnapping is a motley crew of miscreants, each with their own quirks and secrets: Former dirty detective Frank (Dan Stevens), the enforcer and musclebound Peter (Kevin Durand), former Army medic Joey (Melissa Barrera), the spoiled hacker Sammy (Kathryn Newton), ex-Marine and gunman Rickles (William Catlett), and the wheelman Dean (Angus Cloud). Once they rendezvous at another location, the group is met by the heist organizer, Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito). They are given simple instructions: no real names, no personal information, no cell phones. Just 24 hours of babysitting a pre-teen. Being given the task of sole caretaker to Abigail, Joey learns that something bad will happen almost immediately. After discovering the potential identity of Abigail’s father, the group may have bitten off more than they can chew.

We all know going in, this is not your typical 12-year-old girl. Bloodshed looms on the horizon, but the film takes its time to give us the promise of the trailers. This could have been a disappointment, however, the cleverly plotted and witty script, written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick, unfolds with skill. In the first half, the storyline gives us just what we need to know about the characters, more often than not, in hilarious ways. Sure, they may be lowlifes, but we are emotionally invested before the stakes escalate.

Returning from Radio Silence’s Scream films is Barerra, who is in top form as the heroine of the group. While her role does not require the delivery of comedic punches, like the remaining cast, her character, Joey, easily switches from a caring mother to a full-on gun-toting badass. Sharing palpable chemistry with Barerra is Catlett, our stoic ex-marine, which adds to our emotional investment in the members of this group. Paired up with Barrera is a scene-stealing Stevens. As expected, this man is really leaning into his character. The filmmakers and Stevens are fans of the show I Think You Should Leave, which influences some of the qualities of ex-detective Frank. With his slick-backed hair, I was almost waiting for him to talk about his love for sloppy steaks. You know, a real piece of shit. Much like the lead character in Ready or Not, Newton is the one really put through the wringer. When Sammy is not being thrown into a pool of rotting bodies, she delivers some of the film’s funniest moments, especially when partnered with Cloud as Dean. His comedic timing shows another side we had not seen in previous roles. Real laugh-out-loud moments come from Durand, who plays his character as a hulking mimbo. Peter is a tough yet dumb, loveable enforcer who refuses to believe what’s going on when the bloodshed begins. However, it’s the film’s titular character who is the true star of the show. Weir’s performance as Abigail is nothing short of spectacular. Her portrayal of a scared little girl, afraid of her kidnappers, is convincing. Although, when the monster inside her comes out, Abigail’s pirouettes are lethal, resulting in a blood-soaked ballet.

And blood there is. Straight from the cast, this is the bloodiest film they’ve worked on, and I believe it. The excessive use of blood cannons in this movie takes me back to the glory days of genre films. And Abigail really lets it explode, particularly in the film’s final act.

From the ensemble cast, incredibly detailed production design by Susie Cullen, the choreography of Belinda Murphy, and the practical effects of Matthew Smith, Abigail is a guaranteed good time. It is one of the better vampire films I’ve seen in recent years and one the audience can really sink their teeth into. Chalk this up as another win for team Radio Silence.

Universal will be giving Abigail a theatrical release on April 19th.

Abigail

GREAT

8

-

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PLOT: Nicolas Cage stars as a father desperately trying to take care of his two sons in equally heartfelt and innovatively terrifying post-apocalyptic vision from director and lauded visual effects artist Ben Brewer.

REVIEW: It’s hard not to perk up when seeing Nicolas Cage‘s name attached to a project these days. Not only is it guaranteed to have a great performance, but he tends to take on very interesting work. Hell, I can’t remember the last generic movie the man was in. And no matter his role, he always elevates the material. So slap Mr. Cage in the middle of a post-apocalyptic world and I feel right at home. But where Arcadian stumbles is its lack of true identity.

Arcadian follows Paul (Cage) as he’s trying to take care of his sons in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world. Most of society has been wiped out and there are mysterious creatures that attack at night. So each evening, the family barricades themselves in their house and prepares for the worst. And despite his prominent placement, Cage gets fairly limited screen time. He’s mostly there to spring the narrative forward for his two sons. They’re the main focus. Which is too bad as I thought the story of a father raising his two sons under these conditions was much more rewarding.

I can’t say I was the biggest fan of the oldest brother, Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins) as he was a little too “head in the clouds” for my liking. Thomas’ motivation seems to be entirely motivated by what’s between his legs. It makes sense for a teenager but, given the harsh world that they’re in, it’s hard not to see the boy as stupidly ignorant. I get it, they needed an excuse for some conflict but it results in the character looking rather simple-minded. I did enjoy his haircut, which is clearly done with scissors and therefore uneven. It’s the little details that add up in a film so reliant on world-building.

Meanwhile, Jaeden Martell‘s Joseph is much more logically motivated and approaches the world in a clinical manner. Martell continues to be an impressive standout, providing a vulnerability that just lends even further to those moments of inner strength. And Cage is great as always. He doesn’t have a ton to say but he was clearly invested in the role and took care to pay off the small moments. I could have done for more of him but it made sense to force the brothers to evolve.

The narrative can be a little bit frustrating as, despite the post-world society, the consequences of nighttime don’t really land. While it’s obvious that bad things can happen at night, there’s a flippancy to the dusk that can be annoying. And the creature designs are going to be very divisive. I’d argue it’s all worth it for a couple of scenes of tension that it produces. I found myself nearly pacing in anticipation of a certain moment, and it’s pulled off wonderfully. Genuinely worth a bump in score, it’s so good. But once the creatures are shown in full light, they lose a bit of their luster. Especially with their sometimes subpar CGI.

One of the film’s coolest scenes, the “oner” at the beginning involving Cage, doesn’t really fit the rest of the world we’re seeing. If anything, I’d have been even more intrigued by that world versus the one we got. Beautiful shots like that are aplenty, with the story taking place in the hilly countryside. There are elements that feel a bit like A Quiet Place. But unlike that film, the rules behind the creatures aren’t well established. There’s no “be quiet or get killed” it’s mostly just avoiding nighttime because that’s when they hunt.

In many ways, Arcadian follows a similar formula we’ve seen before in these post-apocalyptic films. And despite my criticisms, I still enjoyed the movie. I just wish it hadn’t wasted its time on stuff like teen romance rather than focusing on the dystopic world they’re inhabiting. There’s a much more interesting story when it focuses solely on the family and their dynamic. And the film really excels when those moments are front and center. I enjoyed my time with Arcadian and think the director has a lot of potential. Here’s hoping he gets to keep Cage longer next time.

Arcadian

GOOD

7

-

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PLOT:  Dan Lawson, a Chicago detective, travels to Scotland to link up with Scottish Det. Boyd, following the resurgence of a serial killer whose crimes match an unsolved case that he looked into 5 years previous in Chicago.

REVIEW: Ever since David Fincher’s Se7en, I’ve been a fan of the simple premise of a detective hunting down a serial killer. This game of cat and mouse allows for just the right amount of mystery and intrigue that will keep you guessing until the end. I’d argue the big reveal at the end is nearly as synonymous with crime thrillers as cops and criminals. If there’s one thing a good mystery needs, it’s something unexpected. And Damaged certainly has that.

The story follows Detective Lawson (Samuel L. Jackson) as he travels to Scotland to help with a case. Someone is recreating the murders that Lawson investigated back in Chicago five years prior, so he’s been asked to help. It’s nice to see Jackson in a lead role after mostly being relegated to side roles in Marvel Cinema for years. But I’d argue that the filmmakers are still being a bit deceptive as it’s more of Gianni Capaldi’s movie. Also, do not be fooled by Vincent Cassell’s high billing and prominent placement on the poster. He has a fairly small role that only really comes into play in the second half.

Jackson inhabits a role that really clashes with his Nick Fury persona, so that’s a breath of fresh air. He’s an alcoholic who has clearly let the world get the best of him. It’s not to the quality of his Tarantino work, but seeing him get a bit grittier is nice. Funnily enough, this almost feels like an extension of his character from Spiral. And shoutout to John Hannah, who shows up in a brief but memorable role.

I enjoy Terry McDonough’s work on TV, but it doesn’t translate well in this instance. The main issue is that it simply looks like a television show. There were many times that I felt like I was watching an episode of some CBS crime drama. The action feels very limited and lacking in energy. Conversely, I felt the more serial killer-focused elements were handled with a little more grace. Even if they did involve murder. Though, according to this movie, Scottish women cannot open the door to strangers in the middle of the night.

There’s not much in the way of hope either, as the police prove to be hilariously inept at even the simplest of tasks. They set a trap and then seem completely flummoxed when it doesn’t go perfectly to plan. It was interesting to see Detective Boyd pursue the bad guy with guidance from a drone. It’s a neat concept that provides some of the only unique action in the film. But most of the cop stuff is on the absurd side.

The ending featured a twist I did not see coming, as I thought they’d be taking a different approach. In fact, the ending is twist after twist. I could hardly catch my breath. And as a fan of Saw, I love a ridiculous twist ending, no matter how convoluted. And this one has fun with it. In fact, it made me rethink most of the film as it felt like Bond villain, and it clashed tremendously with the rest. However, I still question whether any of it was particularly good.

Damaged was a very strange experience overall. Sam Jackson is chewing so much scenery it makes me worried for his teeth, and I always love an appearance by Vincent Gallo. Unfortunately, the movie is too preoccupied with setting up twists so it doesn’t think about how it reflects upon the characters. Instead, they just end up comically stupid or maniacally smart. There’s not much of an in-between. I ended up enjoying it in a “so bad it’s good” kind of way, but I’m not sure others will feel the same.

DAMAGED IS STREAMING DIGITALLY ON APRIL 11TH, 2024.

Damaged

AVERAGE

6

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PLOT: Infected by the bite of a werewolf, a man sets out to bring down a shady businessman before arranging the end of his own life.

REVIEW: Larry Fessenden has over 100 acting credits to his name, and if you’ve been following the horror genre over the last few decades there’s a good chance you’ve seen him show up in something, whether it be a Ti West movie, Stake Land, Late Phases, You’re Next, or the movie I first noticed him in, Session 9. He’s also a prolific producer, and has directing credits stretching back to the 1980s – most of those credits being on horror movies. Over the course of his career, he has told stories of vampires, the Wendigo, a man-eating fish, and even came up with his own take on Frankenstein’s Monster with his 2019 film Depraved. Continuing down the path of putting his stamp on the concept of classic monsters, Fessenden has now made an update of The Wolf Man, beating Universal Pictures to it by a year.

The lead character in Fessenden’s Blackout isn’t Larry Talbot, the beleaguered fellow Lon Chaney Jr. played in five movies back in the 1940s, but that character does get a prominent shout-out in the film, as the events take place in a town called Talbot Falls. Wolf Man franchise fans will remember that Larry Talbot hated being afflicted with his curse and was always hoping to be put out of his misery, whether through a cure or death. Similarly, the lead character in this film would rather be dead than be a wolf – but he has some unfinished business to attend to first.

Our lycanthropy-afflicted protagonist here is alcoholic painter Charley, played by Alex Hurt – and this could turn out to be something of a breakthrough for Hurt (who is the son of William Hurt, and there are pictures of his dad in the movie to prove it), as this was my first time seeing him in anything, and I was impressed by his performance. He does a good job of carrying the film on his shoulders and getting across the drama of his character’s situation. My only issue with Charley was actually due to the writing, not Hurt. As soon as we see Charley, we assume he’s the wolf man in this story, and it’s not too long before Fessenden confirms our suspicions. But for a long stretch of the movie, none of the everyday life scenes involving Charley show him expressing concern about his lycanthropy problem. Instead, his scenes are focused on his attempts to bring down shady businessman Hammond (Marshall Bell), who has made some questionable decisions while pushing forward his plan to build a resort called Hilltop in Talbot Falls. Charley goes around town, talking to people (including a lawyer played by genre icon Barbara Crampton) about Hammond, and it got to the point where I was getting frustrated. “Why is he always talking about Hammond instead of worrying about the fact that he’s a wolf man?” But Fessenden eventually explains why Charley is so focused on the businessman: he wants to do something good by bringing Hammond down before he exits this world. Once I got that explanation, I could go along with the story, but it took a while to get there.

Amidst all the Hammond talk, Fessenden gives Charley a few opportunities to wolf out and do the things we expect wolf men to do. Things go poorly for several Talbot Falls residents, and these sequences are fun to watch. You shouldn’t put this movie on expecting to see a really cool werewolf design, but the FX artists did fine work with their version of the classic Wolf Man idea of a werewolf.

You might think that Charley’s vendetta against Hammond would be complicated by the fact that he was dating the guy’s daughter Sharon (Addison Timlin), but his enemy and his former lover being related to each other doesn’t add much to the story. It wouldn’t have changed things if Hammond and Sharon had never met in their lives. Even though that element isn’t played up, Timlin was given some good dramatic scenes to work with, and her presence in the story was another thing that reminded me of the films from the ‘40s.

Actors who show up in smaller roles, like Crampton, include Joseph Castillo-Midyett, Ella Rae Peck, James Le Gros, Marc Senter, Joe Swanberg, John Speredakos, Kevin Corrigan, and Rigo Garay, among others, with a standout for me being Motell Gyn Foster as Charley’s buddy Earl, the only person he has told his werewolf secret to. Charley and Earl have a plan for how to deal with the problem, but you’ll have to see the movie to find out how that works.

Since he has made so many creature features, Fessenden has jokingly said that he’s competing with the major companies by building his own Monsterverse – or maybe you could call it a Dark Universe, since it includes characters inspired by Universal Monsters movies. I thought he did a great job updating the story of Frankenstein with Depraved, and while I didn’t find Blackout to be quite as fascinating as that movie was, I always liked Universal’s Frankenstein better than The Wolf Man, too. Blackout is a good update of the ideas presented in The Wolf Man, and is probably more in line with the original film than the official reboot coming from Universal and Blumhouse will be.

In a nod to the major studio cinematic universes, Fessenden drops a Depraved Easter egg into the end credits of Blackout, a moment that is sure to be baffling for viewers who haven’t seen Depraved. Fessenden was just having fun by putting this quick moment in the credits, but it does give me a reason to say that anyone who watches Blackout should also seek out Depraved, and vice versa. Both of these monster movies are recommended viewing.

Dark Sky Films is giving Blackout a digital and VOD release on April 12th.

blackout

GOOD

7

The post Blackout Review appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.

REVIEW: It’s been a long time since we were blessed with some good spider horror and right now, we’re fortunate to have multiple hitting the scene. Sting (which I highly recommend checking out Cody’s review) takes a more comedic approach, while Infested goes right for the throat. And they both have a place in our wonderful genre of horror. Because if there’s one thing that’s been missing, it’s those creepy crawlers we know as spiders.

Infested follows Kaleb and his sister as they’re trying to keep their lives together after the death of their mother. Kaleb is fascinated with bugs, and when he brings home an exotic spider, he makes the mistake of not properly caging it. What he unleashes onto his apartment complex is an unimaginable horror of deadly spiders that will not stop breeding and getting bigger and bigger. When I tell you that these spiders don’t play around, I mean that. Get ready to develop a slight case of arachnophobia.

Director Sébastien Vanicek was thrust into headlines earlier this year when it was announced he would be directing the next Evil Dead film. All the more intriguing is that he won the job because of his work on Infested. And it sure is earned. There’s a meanness present here that cannot be denied, with a wonderful blend of practical and digital effects. But his control of the camera made me really excited at all of the possibilities. The camera work here is top-notch, with some tricks being utilized to give the film more production value.

Infested is extremely intense, making full use of its creepy crawly villains. Not since Arachnophobia have spiders been utilized so well in horror films. But don’t be fooled into thinking this has the same lighthearted humor as the Frank Marshall classic. This film is mean and never cracks a joke. The kills are brutal in their intensity while still staying within the lanes of realism. A great bit involves a timed light, which gets multiple payoffs. Hell, every setup has a great payoff.

One of the only real issues I had with the film was the main character, Kaleb (Théo Christine). Remember the guy from the Evil Dead remake who reads the book and unleashes bloody fury amongst his friends? That’s Kaleb. He’s one of those protagonists who constantly does ignorant things that result in chaos. He claims to be a big expert yet constantly makes mistakes with the bugs. He often comes across as a petulant child, which can be frustrating.

Despite being a spider movie, there’s still plenty of focus on the humanity of it all, though not all of it is pretty. Infested does a great job of highlighting how much the world doesn’t really care about singular events. So long as it doesn’t affect them, most would rather turn a blind eye. This furthers the trope of police doing more harm than good, giving the characters even less hope for salvation. The only people they can rely on are themselves.

I’ll be honest: I was rooting for every character’s demise by the film’s end. A man can only take so many dumb decisions and incessant screaming. But I’d argue it doesn’t really harm the story a ton, as most are watching for the spiders and that element is spectacular. This is simply a conduit of fear and with how rampant the fear of spiders is, I can imagine this affecting many. Because Infested managed to make my skin crawl in a way that I haven’t felt since I was a wee lad. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful.

INFESTED IS PLAYING THE OVERLOOK FILM FESTIVAL RIGHT NOW AND IS STREAMING ON SHUDDER ON APRIL 26TH, 2024.

Sébastien Vaniček

AMAZING

9

The post Infested (Overlook Film Festival) Review appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: A young novitiate in Rome (Nell Tiger Free) is warned by an ex-communicated priest (Ralph Ineson) that she’s at the center of a sinister conspiracy at her church dedicated to spawning the anti-Christ. 

REVIEW: I’ve always really enjoyed The Omen as a franchise. Even as a kid, I found something about the original trilogy centring around Damien Thorn especially gripping. However, I never had much use for the cheap TV movie sequel (Omen IV: The Awakening) or the scene-for-scene remake, which, despite a game cast, didn’t come close to recapturing the grisly spirit of Richard Donner’s original. 

As such, I figured The First Omen would be just another would-be franchise starter, but I have to give 20th Century Studios and Disney credit – they made one hell of a cool horror flick (pun intended). In some ways, it’s a bit like Wonka (bear with me) in that it’s a prequel that does its own thing without shitting all over the original, with the Donner film and the original movies that follow all existing in the same universe this does. 

Director Arkasha Stevenson (of SyFy’s Channel Zero) will likely come off this as one of the fastest-rising new names in horror. She’s made an Omen film that’s distinctly not what fans feared it might be – watered-down and overly safe. It’s actually quite provocative, with several images, including a gruesome birthing scene, pushing the limits of the R-rating in a way I didn’t expect from a movie bankrolled by Disney.

Without giving too much away, The First Omen basically sets up the events, eventually leading to the birth of Damien Thorn. They do so by telling the story of a young, would-be nun who travels to Rome to work with the seemingly kind priest (Bill Nighy) who helped raise her. Once there, people begin dying in grisly Omen-fashion, with Ralph Ineson’s Father Brennan warning her that a child she’s helping care for, Carlita (Nicole Sorace), is at the center of a vast conspiracy. 

If you remember your Omen films, you’ll know Damien always had many devout followers, and this film does a good job laying the groundwork for a new series of Omen flicks that could, theoretically, exist alongside the original films. It’s helped by the surprisingly gruesome and grim tone that feels right in league with the original films. 

Nell Tiger Free makes for a terrific lead, with her having had years of work on Apple TV +’s Servant to prep her horror bonafides. Her Sister Margaret is a believable lead in the same way that Gregory Peck was in the original, in that both are victims of a vast conspiracy they have no idea how to fight, with the movie having a cool moment towards the end that mirrors a particular scene with Peck in the original that I won’t share. Notably, Margaret isn’t an action heroine; she is believably conflicted and vulnerable throughout. She’s well supported by Ineson, who fills a similar role to what Leo McKern did in the original, with his unhinged stories of a conspiracy in the church being one Margaret doesn’t want to believe but eventually must. Sonia Braga, who I’ll always remember for her henchwoman role in Clint Eastwood’s The Rookie, also has a nifty role as one of the nuns at Nighy’s church who – wouldn’t you know it – might be up to no good.

The film is set in early 1970s Rome. Stevenson takes a different approach than the people in the similarly themed Immaculate in that she doesn’t ape Dario Argento, which is a temptation many horror directors can’t seem to resist. Instead, she makes the film in the vein of Richard Donner’s work on the original, meaning it’s more reality-based and evocative of the era it’s set in. I enjoyed one especially impressive sequence set at an Italian discotheque. Stevenson does a better job making this in the spirit of the original than David Gordon Green did recently when he tried to riff on William Friedkin’s style for his abysmal Exorcist sequel. The score by Mark Korven (The Lighthouse) is also quite good, initially seeming a little too subtle until, as the horror starts to ramp up, it starts playing with the classic Jerry Goldsmith themes in a delicious way.

All in all, I was shocked by how much fun I had with The First Omen. My only complaint is that despite a few shocking bits, too much of the gore had that CGI look, which is a trend I wish horror movies would get away from. Even still, that’s a minor complaint, and I have to say that I’m actually interested in seeing where this new Omen franchise will go. It’s a worthy follow-up to the original trilogy. 

The First Omen

GREAT

8

-

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PLOT: A young woman inherits a run-down pub and discovers a dark secret within its basement – Baghead – a shape-shifting creature that will let you speak to lost loved ones, but not without consequence.

REVIEW: I always get excited whenever Shudder is releasing a new film to their streaming service that I know next to nothing about. Add in a recognizable actor and I’m ready for whatever comes my way. So Baghead had me interested with its vague title and inclusion of Freya Allan (who I love in The Witcher). The trailer made it look like a creepy look at the living’s relationship with death. And the original short film was creepy as hell! So I then proceeded to go on a journey of intrigue that was completely ruined by terrible storytelling and bad CGI.

Baghead follows Iris as she inherits the old pub that her father owned. She quickly learns that she inherited more than just the bar, but also the shape-shifting creature that resides in the basement. This creature can work as a conduit to the dead and provide a link to those who have passed. As much as Iris may want to just board up the basement and go about her life, her financial situation causes her to explore the mysterious abilities of the dweller. Now imagine every boneheaded decision you can make, and that pretty much sums up Baghead.

I’ll start with the good because it’ll be fairly brief. Freya Allan is really great as Iris and continues to be a formidable actress. She manages to be believable while providing plenty of reasons to care about her in the beginning. I’d love to see her in a horror movie with a stronger script as she conveys a lot with very little. I also enjoyed Peter Mullan as Iris’ dad, Owen, as I always feel he’s underrated. They worked well as father and daughter, and their brief interaction is one of the highlights of the film.

But things quickly move to frustration as the character of Iris is so unbelievably stupid. Every time there’s a rule set up that Iris is supposed to follow, she seems to immediately forget. They establish early that the bad guy can only harm her in her little hobbit hole, so any reasonable person would stay far away from it. Even then, it’s hard to differentiate between strict rules and those the movie simply decides not to follow. Because there’s one major death that doesn’t make a lick of sense when you think more about it.

The atmosphere is suitably creepy, with a great gothic aesthetic and ear-pounding sound design. I loved the imagery of the hole in the wall and the villain has a cool look at times. But other times they look very generic and overly CGI. Anytime the makeup is shown in full light, it completely breaks the illusion. I also question how their CGI fire can look good at times but then awful at others. They also borrow a little heavily from Barbarian with the villain’s lair so it feels very “been there, done that.”

Unfortunately, Iris makes some remarkably stupid decisions. The rules for Baghead are established pretty quickly and are reinforced throughout the film. So the pure fact that Iris is constantly being tricked makes her a poor lead. There was a certain point in the film where I started rooting for Baghead and had a lot more fun with it. The human characters prove to be lacking in much common sense, so it’s easier to just root for their demise. And that’s rarely what I’m going into a horror film for. I wanted connection and all I got was nonsense.

BAGHEAD IS STREAMING ON SHUDDER ON APRIL 5TH, 2024.

Baghead Review

BELOW AVERAGE

5

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