Man with the Screaming Brain is a 2005 science fiction comedy horror film co-written, co-produced, directed by and starring Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead and sequels; Moontrap; Maniac Cop 2). It was Campbell’s feature film directorial debut. Dark Horse Comics published a comic book series based on the film.

Cast: 

Bruce Campbell, Stacy Keach (The Mountain of the Cannibal God; Roadgames; Ooga Booga), Tamara Gorski (Friday’s Curse; To Die For; Poltergeist: The Legacy), Tamara Gorski (Intruder; Candyman; Skinner), Antoinette Byron and Vladimir Kolev (Python 2; Copperhead; Shark in Venice).

Plot teaser:

Bruce Campbell plays William Cole, the wealthy CEO of a US drug company who travels to Bulgaria with his wife, Jackie (Antoinette Byron) in the hopes of diversifying his company’s financial interests. Cole is a stereotypical ugly American who constantly complains about the lack of Americanization of the former communist country. They’re driven to a hotel by a taxi driver, and former KGB agent, named Yegor Stragov (Vladimir Kolev)…

Reviews:

” … a comedy that doesn’t build, lacks structural integrity, and often falls flat. But it’s also winningly loopy, with bizarre incidental ideas and performance riffing making for a series of parts that almost make up for the faults of the whole. Larkish spirit of the enterprise is contagious.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

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Tamara Gorski

” … unintentional actual badness that could not be redeemed by the ham-handed stringing together of B-movie clichés: scary gypsies, former KGB agents, cheap foreign locations, girly catfights, transplanted brains, and Ted Raimi in full-on dork mode. It’s so cluelessly dumb that it manages to make the genuinely Eastern European actors in the cast sound like they’re putting on fakey accents. This movie — how you say? — it suck.” Maryann Johanson, Flick Filosopher

“The story is pretty ridiculous from start to finish, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing since the film doesn’t take itself seriously at all.” Johnny Butane, Dread Central

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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Cast:

• Bruce Campbell as William Cole
• Tamara Gorski as Tatoya
• Ted Raimi as Pavel
• Antoinette Byron as Jackie Cole
• Stacy Keach as Dr. Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov
• Vladimir Kolev as Yegor Stragov
• Valentine Glasbeily as Uri
• Velizar Binev as Mayor
• Raicho Vasilev as Bartender
• Jonas Talkington as Larry
• Mihail Elanov as Punk 1
• Neda Sokolovska as Waitress
• Remington Franklin as Bar Punk

Wikipedia | IMDb

Bran Castle, situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Braşov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia.

Commonly known as “Dracula’s Castle” (although it is one among several locations linked to the Dracula legend, including Poenari Castle and Hunyad Castle), it is the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker‘s Dracula. There is, however, no evidence that Stoker knew anything about this castle, which has only tangential associations with Vlad III, voivode of Wallachia, the putative inspiration for Dracula.

Bran Castle – Brasov, Romania

As discovered by the Dutch author Hans Corneel de Roos, the location Bram Stoker actually had in mind for Castle Dracula while writing his novel was an empty mountain top, Mount Izvorul Călimanului, 2,033 metres (6,670 ft) high, located in the Transylvanian Călimani Alps near the former border with Moldavia.

The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture.

Wikipedia | Official site

13 Ghosts is a 1960 supernatural American horror film directed by William Castle (Homicidal; The Tingler; Mr. Sardonicus) from a screenplay by Robb White (Macabre; The House on Haunted Hill). It stars Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Rosemary DeCamp, Martin Milner, Donald Woods.

As with several of his more famous productions, Castle used a gimmick to promote the movie. For 13 Ghosts, audience members were given a choice: the “brave” ones could watch the film and see the ghosts, while the apprehensive among them would be able to opt out of the horror and watch without the stress of having to see the ghosts. The choice came via the special viewer, supposedly “left by Dr. Zorba.”

In the theatres, scenes involving ghosts were shown in a “process” dubbed Illusion-O: the filmed elements of the actors and the sets — everything except the ghosts — were displayed in regular black-and-white, while the ghost elements were tinted a pale blue and superimposed over the frame. Audiences received viewers with red and blue cellophane filters. Choosing to look through the red filter intensified the images of the ghosts, while the blue filter “removed” them.

It was remade in 2001 under the title of Thirteen Ghosts, directed by Steve Beck.

Plot teaser:

When occultist uncle Dr. Plato Zorba wills a huge ramshackle house to his nephew Cyrus and his impoverished family, they are shocked to find the house is haunted. Their new furnished residence comes complete with Dr. Plato Zorba’s housekeeper, Elaine Zacharides, plus a fortune in buried treasure and twelve horrifying ghosts.

His family soon discovers that these spirits include a wailing lady, clutching hands, a floating head, a fiery skeleton, an Italian chef murdering his wife and her lover in the kitchen, a hanging lady, an executioner and severed head, a fully grown lion with its headless tamer, as well as Dr. Zorba himself, all held captive in the eerie house looking for an unlucky thirteenth ghost to free them. Dr. Zorba leaves a set of special goggles, the only way of seeing the ghosts.

However, there is someone in the house who is also looking for the money and is willing to kill for it…

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

” … it hangs together pretty well. The story overall is not nearly as smart as it thinks it is, which can be a little grating, but that’s also part of the movie’s charm. Probably the most entertaining thing about 13 Ghosts is the palpable sense of how much fun the cast and crew had making it, combined with the knowledge that someone was willing to give William Castle enough money to make movie after movie after movie, despite and indeed because of the fact that he could absolutely be counted on to produce something like this almost every time.” 1000 Misspent Hours and Counting

“Actually, this mild little spook melodrama, directed and produced by William Castle, would be a lot better off without this gimmick, courtesy of the house. It’s too bad Mr. Castle, in serving up his ghosts, didn’t simply have some cartoonists draw, ’em on in full view. We have in mind, specifically, that dandy ghost entry during World War II called “The Uninvited,” when those vaporish coils were molesting Ray Milland and Gail Russell.” Howard Thompson, The New York Times (1960)

“Gimmick aside, it’s a pretty fun movie for the most part. The end kind of sucks, but I like the main family a lot (the kid is terrific), and each ghost is different enough to be memorable, from the lion trainer to the executioner to the chef that seems to have inspired a particular Swedish Muppet, they are all fun to watch during their brief appearances on-screen (you won’t need the glasses for more than maybe 10-15 total minutes of the film) and, despite being 50 years old, largely convincing in their ghostly appearance…” Horror Movie a Day

Buy The William Castle Film Collection: 13 Frightened Girls + 13 Ghosts + Homicidal + Strait-Jacket + The Old Dark House + Mr. Sardonicus + The Tingler + Zotz! on DVD from Amazon.com |Amazon.co.uk

Cast:

• Charles Herbert as Arthur “Buck” Zorba
• Jo Morrow as Medea Zorba
• Rosemary DeCamp as Hilda Zorba
• Martin Milner as Benjamin Rush
• Donald Woods as Cyrus Zorba
• Margaret Hamilton as Elaine Zacharides
• John van Dreelen as Van Allen
• William Castle as Himself
• David Hoffman as Messenger
• Roy Jenson as Dr. Plato Zorba’s ghost

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘Nine innocent people. One dark night of hell on earth. One by one, horror by horror, they will play the game of death.’

The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond is a 2009 supernatural horror film directed by Gabriel Bologna (African Gothic) from a screenplay co-written with co-writers Sean Clark and Michael Berenson. It stars Robert Patrick, Danielle Harris and James Duval. The film’s score was provided by Harry Manfredini (Friday the 13th and sequels).

Release:

It premiered on October 11, 2009 as part of the Freak Show Horror Film Festival at the yearly Spooky Empire horror convention and the limited theatrical release was on April 9, 2010.

The film’s DVD and Blu-ray release was long-delayed until September 10, 2013.

Buy: Amazon.com

Plot teaser:

On a remote island, party animal Rick (James Duval), wild child Veronique (Mircea Monroe), uptight Robert (M.D. Walton) and six other friends are on vacation staying in a plush mansion, where they find a mysterious board game. But the game proves dangerous when it draws out the nastiest qualities in all of its players.

As buried fears, resentments, greed and sexual attractions quickly and unsettlingly emerge, the game’s goal becomes crystal clear: stay alive…

Reviews:

“As truths unfurl, resentments flare, and soon the kids are slaying each other with all manner of sharp objects, including, of course, a chainsaw. Bloody and gory, but in a friendly way, this is a movie for old-school horror fans who understand that, sometimes, bad is good.” Chuck Wilson, Village Voice

“Rather than the hard-edge, gruelling approach of many contemporary horror films, Black Waters of Echo’s Pond opts for the old-fashioned, sudden sting – which is over almost as soon as it begins. It’s almost quaint in its utter effectiveness. Easily the most impressive effect is the computer-generated blackened eyes of the possessed, which clear up with eerie efficiency as they expire.” Steve Biodrowsky, Cinefantastique

“Multinational, multi-ethnic protags are so shallow and bitchy we can hardly wait for them to start getting offed, but it takes nearly an hour for that mayhem to commence. Even then, pacing remains flat, exacerbated by bad dialogue, some subpar f/x and variable perfs. Overall production values are B-grade, cable-ready.” Dennis Harvey, Variety

“Give the movie a little credit for coming up with the idea of an ancient monster. And the design of the game is terrific. But this is just Jumanji with gore effects and topless scenes.” Stephen Witty, Newark Star-Ledger

“Besides the rough start to the movie, a plot line that is also confusing almost midway through, and not being 100% polished; The Black Waters of Echo’s Pond was worth the wait! I can see myself watching it again, and soon too! It has everything a horror fan could want, and an ending that isn’t too predictable.” Horror Society

Choice dialogue:

Rick: “Shit, we’re fucked!”

Cast:

• Robert Patrick as Pete
• Danielle Harris as Kathy
• Sean Lawlor as Charles
• James Duval as Rick
• Mircea Monroe as Veronique
• Nick Mennell as Josh
• Arcadiy Golubovich as Anton
• Electra Avellan as Renee
• Elise Avellan as Erica
• Walker Howard as Trent
• M.D. Walton as Robert
• Declan Joyce as Danny
• Nitsa Benchetrit as Florence
• Adamo Palladino as Niegel
• Jason Loughridge as Clint
• Steve Eoff as The Butler
• Melissa Barker as Inn Keeper
• Julie Stensland as The maid #1
• Tom Proctor as Thomas
• Richard Tyson as Nicholas
• Kurt Carley as The Pan

Wikipedia | IMDb

Beaks: The Movie – Spanish: El ataque de los pájaros – is a 1987 Mexican-Spanish horror movie written, produced and directed by René Cardona Jr. (Night of a 1000 Cats; Tintorera; Guyana: Crime of the Century). It is also known as Beaks: The Birds 2; Birds of Prey and Evil Birds. The synthesizer score is by Stelvio Cipriani.

Cast:

Michelle Johnson (Werewolf  TV series; Waxwork; Dr. Giggles), Christopher Atkins (Mortuary Academy; Dracula Rising; Stageghost), Sonia Infante (Doctor of Doom; Museum of Horror), Salvador Pineda, Gabriele Tinti (Lisa and the Devil; Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals; Creepers), Aldo Sambrell (Monstroid; Killer Barbys vs. Dracula; Flesh for the Beast), Nené Morales, Manuel Pereyro, Cintia Lodetti, Carole James, May Heatherly.

Plot teaser:

Vanessa, a television reporter covering a story about a farmer attacked by his chickens, discovers that this is not an isolated incident. Travelling to Spain with her henchman, (also cameraman and boyfriend) Peter, the two discover the survivors of a town wiped out by the birds thirty years ago.

Meanwhile, attacks continue as a child’s birthday party ends in tragedy and doves devour a poultry farmer and his wife. Vanessa soon comes to the conclusion that the birds are organizing themselves against the ecological ravages of man but time is running out as thousands of birds of all types launch attack for revenge against a train Vanessa is travelling on…

Reviews:

“Making its contemporary in revenge of nature misfires Slugs seem sensible in comparison, you get lines like Atkins’ exclamation “These birds really know what they’re doing!”, constant distractions from the two leads to concentrate on Neilson’s granddaughter’s birthday party and a bickering family at the beach, and all the fake blood and slow motion you could want from an impoverished production punching considerably above its weight. So yes, it was garbage, but at least you could get a few cheap laughs from its ineptitude.” Graeme Clark, The Spinning Image

“Birds of Prey is a z-grade rip-off where pigeons rip people’s eyes out and doves menacingly organise themselves to destroy man. Clearly the blame lies squarely at the feet of the director: Hitchcock turned birds into a terrifying force of destruction that we’d never really considered a threat before. Here, Cardona Jr (who also brought us the equally-as-dire Jaws rip-off Tintorera) just makes them look dim-witted and laughable.” Popcorn Pictures

Some of the attack sequences are well done but writer-director-producer Rene Cardona Jr. lines his cage at every opportunity, relying on clichés.” John Stanley, Creature Features

Wikipedia | IMDb

The Barn is a 2016 American supernatural horror film directed by Justin M. Seaman from a screenplay with additions by Maggi Mizell, Michael Prutzman and Mark J. Reyes for Nevermore Productions. It should not be confused with the 2011 short film of the same name.

Currently in post-production and raising funds to complete The Barn, the filmmakers have created an Indiegogo page and released a second trailer via Fangoria‘s site.

Cast:

Mitchell Musolino (Delectus of Pain), Will Stout, Lexi Dripps, Cortland Woodard (The Poltergeist of Borley Forest), Nikki Darling, Nickolaus Joshua, Rik Billock (Gorgasm; FleshEater; The Dark Half; Schism), Ryan Nogy (Paracosm: The Untold Stories; Gore Orphanage).

Official synopsis:

Its Halloween 1989, best friends Sam and Josh are trying to enjoy what’s left of their final Devil’s Night before graduating high school. But trouble arises when the two pals and a group of friends take a detour on their way to a rock concert, finding an old abandoned barn and awakening the evil inside. Now it’s up to Sam and Josh to find a way to protect their friends and defeat the creatures that lurk within “The Barn”: The Boogeyman, Candycorn Scarecrow and Hallowed Jack.

First trailer:

Second trailer:

Filming locations:

Pennsylvania, USA

IMDb | Facebook |

‘Run from this man!’

Maniac is a 1980 American slasher horror film co-produced and directed by William Lustig (Maniac Cop and sequels; Uncle Sam) from a screenplay by actor Joe Spinell (who also stars as the titular character), and C. A. Rosenberg.

The gory special effects were the work of Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead; Day of the Dead; From Dusk Till Dawn), who also has a cameo role in which he gets his head blown off with a shotgun. Composer Jay Chattaway (Silver Bullet; The Ambulance) provided the brooding synthesizer score.

Principal photography began on October 21, 1979 and wrapped on January 18, 1980. With a minuscule $350,000 budget, many scenes in the 16mm film were shot guerrilla style. Originally considered purely an exploitation film, Maniac has since attained cult status and was remade in 2012 with Elijah Wood in the lead role.

Latest release:

On 26 October 2010, Blue Underground issued Maniac as a 30th Anniversary Blu-ray disc.

Disc 1 Extras:

• Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Producer/Director William Lustig and Co-Producer Andrew W. Garroni
• Audio Commentary #2 with Co-Producer/Director William Lustig, Special Make-Up Effects Artist Tom Savini, Editor Lorenzo Marinelli, and Joe Spinell’s Assistant Luke Walter
• Anna and the Killer – Interview with Star Caroline Munro
• The Death Dealer – Interview with Special Make-Up Effects Artist Tom Savini
• Dark Notes – Interview with Composer Jay Chattaway
• Maniac Men – Interview with Songwriters Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky
• Theatrical Trailers
• TV Spots
• Radio Spots
• Mr. Robbie: Maniac 2 Promo Reel

Disc 2 Extras:

• The Joe Spinell Story
• Maniac Publicity
• Maniac Controversy

Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Plot teaser:

New York: A young couple are lying on a beach, unaware that they are being watched by an unseen person. Within minutes, both lovers have been slain by an assailant.

Frank Zito (Joe Spinell) then sits up in his bed in sweat, screaming after having a nightmare. He lives in a small apartment that is full of bizarre paintings, artwork and a framed picture of a woman decorated with candles and trinkets. Zito also owns a collection mannequins, one of which is wearing the beach girl’s clothes and bloody scalp. He puts on a heavy winter coat and gloves and leaves the apartment…

Reviews:

” … the movie has more in common with the grungy Times Square aesthetic of Abel Ferrara (who made his own splatterfest a year earlier, The Driller Killer) than with the multitudes of slasher flicks that followed it. The pacing might be deadly at times — it feels a lot longer than its 88 minutes — but the filmmaking has a rough kind of integrity.” Rob Gonsalves, e-FilmCritic.com

“Despite some good direction and a sincere, even daring performance by character actor Joe Spinell (Rocky) … Maniac (1980) is alternately repellent and boring…” Stuart Galbraith IV, DVD Talk

” … a movie that shows how an aging, pot-bellied maniac slices up young women of no great intelligence. The setting is New York City, the time is frequently night, and the narrative shape seems to have been borrowed from an early pornographic film.” Vincent Canby, The New York Times, 31 January 1981

“A couple of hallucination scenes are quite imaginatively filmed, but Spinell’s performance is unsubtle and the movie as a whole a fairly dubious undertaking.” Phil Hardy (editor), The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror

“It’s not immoral but quite the opposite to create a film in which violence has consequences. In which a killer is depicted as a sad, frightening human being rather than a faceless automaton in a mask. In which one is encouraged to shudder, not laugh at the plight of a victim … After watching Maniac, you’ll want to take a deep breath, maybe even a shower, but you won’t have wasted ninety minutes on something that has no meaning, no pulse, no heart.” John Kenneth Muir, Horror Films of the 1980s, McFarland

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Cast:

• Joe Spinell as Frank Zito
• Caroline Munro as Anna D’Antoni
• Abigail Clayton as Rita (credited as Gail Lawrence)
• Kelly Piper as Nurse
• Rita Montone as Hooker
• Tom Savini as Disco boy
• Hyla Marrow as Disco girl
• James Brewster as Beach boy
• Linda Lee Walter as Beach girl
• Tracie Evans as Street hooker
• Sharon Mitchell as Nurse #2
• Carol Henry as Deadbeat
• Nelia Bacmeister as Carmen Zito
• Louis Jawitz as Art director
• Denise Spagnuolo as Denise
• Billy Spagnuolo as Billy
• Frank Pesce as TV reporter
• William Lustig as Hotel manager

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘The party begins when the lights go out!’

Slumber Party Massacre II is a 1987 American rock n’ roll slasher horror film. It was co-produced, written and directed by Deborah Brock (her only horror movie). It is a loose sequel to The Slumber Party Massacre and was succeeded by Slumber Party Massacre III. Roger Corman executive produced.

Plot teaser:

Courtney, the younger sister of the “new girl across the street” in the first film is all grown up now. But suffers from nightmares from the events from the first film. She and the other members of her female rock group go to a condo for the weekend to play music and have fun with their boyfriends.

Courtney’s dreams are of her sister, who is in a mental institution, warning her about the killer, and the dreams begin to spill into real life, threatening Courtney and her friends…

Reviews:

” … one that takes forever to start killing people. The movie is only 75 minutes long but it’s not until around the 50 minute mark or so that we have our first real kill. Until then, all (brief) action comes courtesy of our heroine Courtney (the young sister from the first film, albeit played by a different actress here) “seeing things”, which I guess are premonitions of what is eventually to come.” Horror Movie a Day

“The absurdity of the film’s premise is to be applauded, with its mixture of a typical sorority slasher with a pinch of A Nightmare on Elm Street, however this doesn’t disguise the films flaws. As with a lot of horror comedies, it is neither particularly scary nor particularly funny although I do admit to giggling a bit at the frozen chicken attack.” Erik Threlfall, Hysteria Lives

Buy: Amazon.com

“Slumber Party Massacre 2 is no doubt an odd and brainless movie but still a pretty funny and entertaining popcorn flick and I enjoyed it in all it’s cheesy glory. So if you like your slashers with a bit of cheese and some Rock ‘N’ Roll to boot, then this is for you as long as you’re willing to shut off your brain for an hour and a half of fun. But beware, it’s definitely not for everyone.” Michael Sarago, Retro Slashers

“The driller killer’s attempts at Kruegeresque one-liners fall pretty flat, although the cast are fairly funny as they around desperately trying to look scared. It’s not enough to make the film worth it, however. Avoid this at all costs. It’s not even ‘so-bad-it’s-good’ bad. It’s just really, really bad.” Jim Harper, Legacy of Blood

“It also may not be immediately obvious that I love this goofy ass film. And the lion’s share of that love rests at the feet of Atanas Ilitch, who is having such a blast as the greaser version of The Driller Killer that it might be illegal. He chews the scenery and cuts a rug, usually in the same shot. He’s never honestly menacing, but he’s so damn much fun you don’t care.” The Terrible Claw

“I’m not so sure that all of this really works, much of the humor is lame and the whole thing is pretty frustrating to sit through, but it’s still more interesting to watch than most other slasher flicks. Interestingly, this is by far the goriest film in this series, but it also has the least amount of nudity (which is relegated to just one scene).” Bloody Pit of Horror

Cast:

Crystal Bernard as Courtney Bates
Kimberly McArthur as Amy
Juliette Cummins as Sheila Barrington
Patrick Lowe as Matt Arbicost
Heidi Kozak as Sally Burns
Joel Hoffman as T.J.
Scott Westmoreland as Jeff
Jennifer Rhodes as Mrs. Bates
Cindy Eilbacher as Valerie Bates
Michael Delano as Officer Krueger
Hamilton Mitchell as Officer Voorhees
Atanas Ilitch as The Driller Killer

Wikipedia | IMDb

Hex –  aka Charms; The Shrieking and Grass Land – is a 1973 American horror film directed by Leo Garen from a screenplay co-written with Steve Katz, based on a story by Doran William Cannon and Vernon Zimmerman (Fade to Black). It was filmed on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

Main cast:

Keith Carradine (Dexter; Cowboys and Aliens), Dan Haggerty (Terror Night; Elves; Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan), Gary Busey (Silver Bullet; Piranha 3DD; Mansion of Blood), Scott Glenn (Gargoyles; The Keep; Silence of the Lambs), Hillarie Thompson and Cristina Raines (The Sentinel, billed as Tina Herazo).

Plot teaser:

Set in 1919, immediately after the First World War, a loosely knit band of motorcyclists back from fighting in Europe is making their way across the United States to seek their fortunes in California. They come upon the fictional town of Bingo, Nebraska and are challenged to a race by a local hot rodder. The outcome of the race is disputed, and the bikers flee into the surrounding countryside. They hide on a farm owned by two sisters, Oriole and Acacia, whose recently deceased father was a Native American shaman. The bikers are soon discovered by the sisters, who reluctantly allow them to stay overnight. One of the bikers attempts to rape the younger sister, after which the older sister dons her father’s shaman regalia and casts a hex on the gang. The bikers soon start departing this world in not so natural ways…

Buy: Amazon.com

Reviews:

“Mostly humdrum, the muddled and incomprehensible plot is additionally hampered by clumsy attempts at lightheartedness. But the cast of solid ’70s performers bring a strange watchability to this wayward tale.” The Terror Trap

“None of the characters seem to react realistically to the strange events that go on around them; when one of the characters finally says that there’s “something strange going on”, it’s so late in the movie that it became the biggest laugh line in it for me (and a lot funnier than the intentional comedy). In the end, it feels like a somewhat arty mess. Recommended only to the extremely curious.” Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings

“Largely a mess, but an engaging one. A horror film/Western/World War I biker movie, it exudes an improbable degree of charm precisely because of a freewheeling script that refuses to be tied to any one genre. Although the girls’ motivations remain consistently traditional (well, almost), on the whole the film exudes the feeling of being, almost subliminally, a nostalgic valediction to the counter-culture. ” Time Out

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

‘The sins of the past will become your present.’

The Gift – original title Weirdo – is a 2015 Australian-American psychological thriller film written, co-produced, and directed by Joel Edgerton for Blumhouse Productions and Blue-Tongue Films. It stars Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Edgerton.

The film is released in the USA and UK on August 7, 2015.

Plot teaser:

Simon and Robyn are a young married couple whose life is going just as planned until a chance encounter with an acquaintance of Simon’s from high school sends their world into a tailspin. Simon does not recognize Gordo at first, but after a series of uninvited encounters and mysterious gifts prove troubling, a terrible secret from their past is uncovered. As Robyn learns the truth about what happened between Simon and Gordo, she begins questioning how well she really knows her husband…

Cast:

• Jason Bateman as Simon
• Rebecca Hall as Robyn
• Joel Edgerton as Gordo
• Tim Griffin as Kevin ‘KK’ Keelor
• Allison Tolman as Lucy
• Beau Knapp as Detective Walker

Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site

‘Welcome to Crystal Lake’

Friday the 13th is a 2009 American slasher film directed by Marcus Nispel from a screenplay by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift (Freddy vs. Jason) for Platinum Dunes (Michael Bay, Brad Fuller). Nispel had previously directed the 2003 remake of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and a 2004 version of Frankenstein.

Distributed by Warner Bros. in the US and Paramount worldwide, the film is a reboot of the Friday the 13th film series which began in 1980, and is the twelfth instalment in the franchise. With a reported budget of $19 million, the film took $91.4 million worldwide at the box office.

Main Cast: 

Jared Padalecki (House of Wax; Cry Wolf; Supernatural), Danielle Panabaker (The Crazies; The Ward; Fight of the Living Dead), Amanda Righetti (Return to House on Haunted Hill), Travis Van Winkle (Left in Darkness; Asylum (2012); Bloodwork), Aaron Yoo (Disturbia; A Nightmare on Elm Street; Demonic), Derek Mears (as Jason Vorhees), Jonathan Sadowski, Julianna Guill (Killing Poe), Ben Feldman (As Above, So Below), Arlem Escarpeta (Final Destination 5; Midnight Son; Grimm).

Buy Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Plot teaser:

In the woods near Crystal Lake, a group of campers are massacred by a killer wearing a sack over his head…

Searching for his missing sister, Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki) heads up to the eerie woods of legendary Crystal Lake, where he stumbles on the creaky remains of rotting old cabins behind moss-covered trees. And that’s not the only thing lying in wait under the brush.

Against the advice of police and cautions from the locals, Clay continues his search for his missing sister, Whitney (Amanda Righetti), with the help of Jenna (Danielle Panabaker), a young woman he meets among a group of college kids up for an all-thrills weekend. But they are all about to find much more than they bargained for. Little do they know, they’ve entered the domain of one of the most terrifying figures in American film history — the infamous killer who haunts Crystal Lake, armed with a razor-sharp machete…

Reviews:

” … this “reboot” solidifies once and for all just who Jason is: a motivated killer with speed, strength, vision and a revenge streak that runs blackheart-deep. By firming up the details of his origin, establishing some supernatural elements (Hint: Jason is always really, really hard to kill.), and lending purpose to his body-mangling rampages, the film establishes firm ground for the character’s mythos and makes him much scarier as a result.” Chris Carle, IGN

“The original “Friday” films were, in their own way, a celebration of teenage lust and rambunctiousness. In Nispel’s update, the kids are mostly distasteful cretins with a disturbingly clinical, post-porn attitude to sex that micromanages the pleasure right out of it. Even a topless wakeboarding sequence is more an emulation of fun than an actual sun-kissed reverie.” Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times

“It delivers everything you demand of a slasher; blood, mayhem, and beautiful women disrobing.  Producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller have done the franchise justice, along with fanboy writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, who manage to piece together all the elements that make an effective slasher.  Let me just say – Jason Voorhees is back and scarier than ever.” Robert Fure, Film School Rejects

Buy Crystal Lake Memories on Blu-ray + DVD combo from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

“True, the characters often act in unbelievable and downright suicidal ways. ”Where’s he going?” ponders Jared Padelecki upon first espying a corpse-carrying Mr. Voorhees. (Really, that’s the question? Not: ”How the blue blazes do we get out of here?”). However, this film is (be)head and shoulders above the recently reanimated likes of Prom Night and My Bloody Valentine.” Clark Collis, Entertainment Weekly

“Scenes of binge drinking and topless wakeboarding provide respites from the requisite series of gory murders. Besides deploying the genre’s usual devices (e.g., cellphones with no reception, faulty flashlights, swift punishment for the horny), the movie also makes good on the old stage adage that if a wood chipper is introduced in the first act, it will be used in the third.” Jason Anderson, Toronto Star

“Put the remake hatred and nostalgia factor aside and the movie is really no different than the Friday instalments we all love, certainly no worse.” John Squires, iHorror.com

“The white people get abundant nooky. The black guy is reduced to seeking, shall we say, solo erotic inspiration in what looks like a Sears catalog. The Asian dude, we can safely assume, will take his virginity to the grave … Director Marcus Nispel makes no attempt to have the movie be about anything other than earsplitting noises and skullsplitting machetes.” Kyle Smith, New York Post

“There’s no real getting to know the characters here – they’re all pretty much cardboard cut outs set up like bowling pins just so they can get killed. There was one scene that just really didn’t fit and was obviously inserted into the film just to show you how Jason ends up with a hockey mask (he starts out with a burlap bag on his head). Also, after the adrenaline-pumping opening 20 minutes, the rest of the film just wasn’t able to quite measure up and it suffered for it.” Ric Holtreman, Screen Rant

“This is not the lumbering psychopath we’ve all come to know and love these past three decades. As played by veteran stuntman Derek Mears and conceived by the filmmakers, this Jason may still be a bloodthirsty backwoods mutant but he’s got speed, agility, and most importantly brains. … Plus under this creative team Jason no longer just shows up and kills his prey without much warning. He enjoys the hunt as much as the kill. Jason toys with his victims, even using one of them as bait for their friends in one scene.” Geeks of Doom

Buy Crystal Lake Memories book from Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com

Wikipedia | IMDb

Related: Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th | Freddy vs. Jason | Friday the 13th (1980) | Friday the 13th (2009) | Friday the 13th (2016) | Friday the 13th (coffee table) | Friday the 13th (video game) | Friday the 13th: Halloween Night | Friday the 13th: No Man’s Land | Friday the 13th Part 2 | Friday the 13th Part III | Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood | Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan | Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter | Friday the 13th: A New Beginning | Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI

WH

Terror Hotel  – aka Love Hotel; Dread Hotel and Horrible Hotel – is a 2012 Chinese horror film written and directed by Laizhi Zheng (and he has a cameo role as a taxi driver). The YanYan Bros Media production’s original title is 恐怖旅馆.

Cast:

Victor Chen Sze Hon, Xi Lai, Yudi Sun, An. Ya, Mi Gong, Lifan Dong, Fengqian Li, Xiao Yang, Ming Zhao.

Plot teaser:

A series of  murders occur at a supposedly haunted motel. Two television journalists  investigate but find themselves in danger when people around them start dying…

kl

Wikipedia | IMDb

Revenge of the Living Dead Girls aka The Living Dead is a 1986 French supernatural horror film directed by Pierre B. Reinhard from a screenplay by producer Jean-Claude Roy. Originally titled La revanche des mortes vivantes it was released in France on 16 September 1987.

Cast:

Véronique Catanzaro, Kathryn Charly, Sylvie Novak, Anthea Wyler, Laurence Mercier, Patrick Guillemin, Gabor Rassov, Christina Schmidt and Cornélia Wilms.

Plot teaser:

In France, the CEO of a chemical company looks to cheaply dispose of their plant’s chemical waste. He and his secretary come up with the idea to dump it illegally. When the secretary contaminates a milk tanker, it causes several deaths in the town. The toxic waste, dumped in a nearby graveyard, then causes the recently dead townspeople to rise as ravenous zombies, who seek revenge on the unscrupulous company and its employees…

Reviews:

“In the end, the utter nonsense of the whole affair undermines Reinhard’s “Give a hoot, don’t pollute” message and the general sleaziness undermines the female empowerment angle of lady zombies (and Bridget) beating up the boys. What you have is some nakedness, some blood and some terrible dubbing.” Dave Bow, Portland Mercury

“What follows is a impossible-to-follow-even-if-we-cared plot involving chemical dumping, corporate blackmail, and enough fornication to make a soap opera roll its eyes; everyone seems to be involved with everyone else’s partners. As toxic chemicals seep into the graves of the dead girls, they rise and exact their revenge on those who are responsible – just as the title advertises! See zombie girls rise from the grave looking like cheap knockoffs from Thriller. Kill girls kill! Mix in some unsexy nudity. Rinse. Kill again.” Peter Schorn, IGN

” … for fans of bad trash cinema, this one is worth a look. Despite some slow spots it offers enough ineptitude, gore and completely unnecessary nudity to satisfy the wants of most exploitation fans and the unintentional hilarity scattered throughout give it a fair amount of entertainment value if you have a tolerance for bad movies.” Ian Jane, DVD Talk

“The best bit is probably when the three women zombies lamely sexual assault and play grab ass with a female victim, who sort of starts masturbating with a severed hand. She loses interest in the sex about the time a zombie chick sticks a sword into her vagina. No, I’m not kidding. Yes, on paper it sounds like it would be an awesome, brutal, gross scene. In execution, its kind of like bad softcore porn, but it is a scene worth watching, horror fans.” Robert Fure, Film School Rejects

” … numerous dull boardroom scenes and typically gratuitous nude scenes featuring the majority of the female cast. Almost everything about this production is inept, thanks to director Pierre B. Reinhard (who, unsurprisingly, also has several soft-core porno titles to his credit). Gives milk a bad name.” Glenn Kay, Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide

Trailer 1:

Trailer 2:

Wikipedia | IMDb

‘One small step for man… One giant leap for terror’

Leprechaun 4: In Space is a 1996 direct-to-video horror comedy-science fiction-horror film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (Turkey Shoot; Night of the Demons 2; Leprechaun 3) from a screenplay by Dennis Pratt.

Buy:Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

On 30 September 2014, Lions Gate released a Blu-ray collection of all the Leprechaun films in the US:

Disc One:
* Leprechaun
* Leprechaun 2
* Audio commentary on Leprechaun by director Mark Jones
* Audio commentary on Leprechaun 2 by director Rodman Flender
* A making of featurette on Leprechaun and Leprechaun 2 with never before seen behind the scenes footage and photos.

Disc Two:
* Leprechaun 3
* Leprechaun 4: In Space
* Audio commentary on Leprechaun 3 and 4 by director Brian Trenchard Smith
* A making of featurette on Leprechaun 3 and 4 with never before seen behind the scenes footage and photos.

Disc Three:
* Leprechaun In the Hood
* Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood
* Audio commentary on Leprechaun In the Hood by director Rob Spera
* Audio commentary on Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood by director Steven Ayromlooi
* A making of featurette on Leprechaun In the Hood and Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood with never before seen behind the scenes footage and photos.

Disc Four:
* Leprechaun: Origins
* Leprechaun: An Icon Reborn featurette
* Leprechaun: Behind the Blood featurette

Plot teaser:

On a remote planet, the Leprechaun attempts to court a princess named Zarina, Queen of the Damned, in a nefarious plot to become king of her home planet. The two agree to marry, with each partner planning to kill the other after the wedding night in order to enjoy the marriage benefits.

A platoon of space marines arrive on the planet and kill the Leprechaun for interfering with mining operations. Gloating over the victory, one of the marines, Kowalski, urinates on the Leprechaun’s body. Unbeknownst to Kowalski, the Leprechaun’s spirit travels up his urine stream and into his penis, where his presence manifests as gonorrea. The marines return to their ship with the injured Zarina, whom they plan to return to her homeworld in order to establish positive diplomatic relations.

The ship’s commander, the cyborg Dr. Mittenhand, explains his plans to use Zarina’s regenerative DNA to recreate his own body, which was mutilated in a failed experiment. Elsewhere on the ship, the Leprechaun violently emerges from Kowalski’s penis after he is aroused during a sexual act. The marines hunt the Leprechaun, who outsmarts them and kills most of the crew in gruesome and absurd ways…

Reviews:

” … retains little beyond the concept of a diminutive, demonic, wisecracking Irish stereotype (Warwick Davis) picking off meatheaded Americans. Pretty much everything else goes out the window in a space “epic” with ClipArt visual effects, a confusing subplot about royal succession on a far-off planet, and a bizarre amount of screen time dedicated to a naked German cyborg who won’t stop making Wizard Of Oz references.” A.V. Club

“Cheerfully ripping off the Alien films, with numerous Star Wars references thrown in for good measure (well they would do, considering Warwick Davis was in one of them), whilst the film had potential, this actually proves to be one of the least entertaining of the series. The jokes don’t seem to work as well this time…” Realm of Horror

” … an incomplete, wonky, immature, campy, chuckle-fest. It is certainly worth your time.” 90 Lost Minutes

“It even dispenses with the mythological elements (the pot of gold, the granting of wishes) that motivated the little monster in the previous films; here, he’s just an ill-tempered jokester who kills the space soldiers because the genre requires it. The plight of Dr. Mittenhand, both as cyborg (a human head, shoulders, and arm on a wheeled mechanical base) and multilegged mutation, is in fact given almost as much attention as the film’s ostensible star.” TV Guide

“You’ve got a murderous leprechaun, in space, with a green lightsaber who, at one point, comes out of a guy’s erect penis. You’ve got a sexy space princess who suddenly decides to show us her boobs telling us “this is your fate!”. You’ve got a cross-dressing general. You’ve got a half-man/half-machine tyrant with a thick Colonel Klink-style cartoon German accent. But I shouldn’t ruin it for you: just watch it and see the wonders that Leprechaun 4: In Space has to offer. Then get a good drink.” Adam Ezagouri, Retro Critic

“The CGI is of the early generation home brew variety you’d expect to see in some of the first Star Wars fan films. The make-up and practical effects are just as bad with the Leprechaun’s look being the best of the bunch. The whole project reeks of a rushed and overly cheap production which ruins a lot of the moments that could have been enjoyable (the Mittenhand spider monster).” Geektastic

Choice dialogue:

Leprechaun: “Let that be a lesson to you lad, always wear a prophylactic!”

Sticks: “Oh maaan, 21st century and they still can’t dance!”

Cast:

• Warwick Davis as The Leprechaun
• Brent Jasmer as SSgt. Books Malloy
• Jessica Collins as Dr. Tina Reeves
• Guy Siner as Dr. Mittenhand/Mittenspider
• Gary Grossman as Harold
• Rebekah Carlton as Princess Zarina
• Tim Colceri as MSgt. Metal Head Hooker
• Miguel A. Nunez Jr. as Sticks
• Debbe Dunning as Priv. Delores Costello
• Mike Cannizzo as Danny
• Rick Peters as Mooch
• Geoff Meed as Kowalski
• Ladd York as Lucky
• James Quinn as Computer Voice

Wikipedia | IMDb | Images thanks: 90 Lost Minutes

‘Evil gets an upgrade’

Jason X is a 2001 Canadian-American science fiction slasher film directed by Jim Isaac from a screenplay by actor/writer Todd Farmer (My Bloody Valentine, 2009). It is the tenth instalment in the Friday the 13th film series and stars Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees. Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg (Shivers; The Dead Zone; The Fly) has a cameo role.

The film took $16,951,798 worldwide at the box office against a budget of $11 million.

Plot teaser:

In 2008, (five years after Freddy vs. Jason) Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) is captured by the United States government and held at the Crystal Lake Research Facility.

In 2010, a government scientist decides to place Jason in frozen stasis after several failed attempts to kill him. While Private Samuel Johnson (Jeff Geddis) places a blanket on Jason, Dr. Wimmer (David Cronenberg), Sergeant Marcus (Markus Parilo), and a few soldiers hope to further research Jason’s rapid cellular regeneration and try to take Jason. They pull off the blanket covering his body, but find Johnson dead, instead. Having broken free of his restraints, Jason kills the soldiers and Wimmer. Rowan (Lexa Doig) lures Jason into an “ice” pod and activates it. Jason then ruptures the pod with his machete and stabs Rowan in the abdomen, spilling ice fluid into the sealed room and freezing them both.

Over 445 years later, in 2455, Earth has become too polluted to support life and humans have moved to a new planet, Earth Two. Three students, Tsunaron (Chuck Campbell), Janessa (Melyssa Ade), and Azrael (Dov Tiefenbach), are on a field trip led by Professor Braithwaite Lowe (Jonathan Potts), who is accompanied by an Android robot, KM-14 (Lisa Ryder). They enter the Crystal Lake facility and find the still-frozen Jason and Rowan, whom they bring to their spaceship…

Reviews:

“Jason X is well-paced, provides plenty of kills, has enough camp to make it enjoyable, and provides an interesting transformation for our antagonist in its final third. It’s nowhere near scary, and it’s because of that fact that the Alien comparison can only be taken so far, but it’s a slasher movie set in space and it takes a character who has been the villain for eight previous movies in a place and time he hasn’t previously had to deal with. That’s a go-for-broke approach and I have to commend the filmmakers for it.”  Marter, The Escapist

” … there’s a legitimately fine comic sequence in which the surviving crew members, in an attempt to distract Jason, put him in a virtual-reality sim of Camp Crystal Lake. For a brief moment, new-school splatterpunk steps aside for old-school slash, and the sequence, prankish as it is (the sim comes complete with a couple of giggling, topless girls in sleeping bags), points up what’s fundamentally wrong with Jason X: It just isn’t the same when Jason stalks the sterile halls of a spaceship.” Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

“Wittily scripted, smartly directed and well-played by an unfamiliar cast, this is a real treat for all those who have suffered through the story so far.” Kim Newman, Empire

“This sucks on so many levels. — dialogue from Jason X. Rare for a movie to so frankly describe itself. Jason X sucks on the levels of storytelling, character development, suspense, special effects, originality, punctuation, neatness and aptness of thought. Only its title works.” RogerEbert.com

“It’s crazy that it took until the tenth film in the series for someone to say “you know something, we should have a proper laugh with this”, but finally someone did and it’s all the better for it. As a serious horror film it’s a failure in every respect. It isn’t scary, it doesn’t build much tension and it just takes the piss at every opportunity. But it’s because of this third point that Jason X entertains – it knows it’s shit and it’s proud.” Chris Scullion, That Was a Bit Mental

“Jason X is one of those films that gets laughed at before it’s even mentioned. A good group of society just doesn’t like the flick. Truth be told I was kind of put off by it at first too. Uber-Jason? Come on now. But upon further viewings I’ve realized I actually have a blast with the flick! Maybe you should give it a go.” Jared Pacheco, Arrow in the Head

Choice dialogue:

Professor Lowe: “Guys, it’s okay! He just wanted his machete back!”

Cast:

Lexa Doig as Rowan LaFontaine
Lisa Ryder as Kay-Em 14
Chuck Campbell as Tsunaron
Jonathan Potts as Professor Brandon Lowe
Peter Mensah as Sergeant Brodski
Melyssa Ade as Janessa
Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees
Melody Johnson as Kinsa
Phillip Williams as Crutch
Derwin Jordan as Waylander
Dov Tiefenbach as Azrael
Amanda Brugel as Geko
Kristi Angus as Adrienne Thomas
Yani Gellman as Stoney
Todd Farmer as Dallas
David Cronenberg as Dr. Wimmer
Robert A. Silverman as Dieter Perez
Marcus Parilo as Sgt. Marcus

Wikipedia | IMDb

“If you have a craving for terror come to the class reunion”

The Redeemer: Son of Satan (also known as Class Reunion Massacre) is an American horror film directed by Constantine S. Gochis and starring Damien Knight, Jeanetta Arnette, Nick Carter, Nikki Barthen and Michael Hollingsworth. It was filmed over four weeks in 1976 and released in 1978.

Plot Teaser:

Six people are trapped within the confines of their old high school during their 10th high school reunion with a psychotic, masked preacher who kills them off for their sinful lives they have made for themselves…

Buy The Redeemer on DVD from Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Reviews:

“From a production standpoint the direction and acting all hold a lot better than other low budget horror films. And the overall quality of this production is even more impressive considering that this was the only film that most of the cast, the screenwriter and the director ever worked. Ultimately if you can look past its shortcomings, Redeemer: Son of Satan is a fun ride that fans of the slasher film genre should thoroughly enjoy.” 10K Bullets

“Ultimately, despite the fact that it’s basically a stalk and slash, The Redeemer has enough going for it in terms of creativity and unpredictability that horror fans should find a lot to like about the movie. It’s not a perfect film and there are moments that work better than others, but overall there’s plenty of entertainment value here and even a couple of creepy thrills.” DVD Talk

“The Redeemer: Son of Satan is a truly great, forgotten horror movie. Yes, it’s got it’s cheesy problems just like any other film of its era, but it also builds a sense of foreboding doom more palpable than a lot of movies I have encountered. From the minute the hapless victims set foot into the school, you feel they are in great danger and a number of moments in the film come off as genuinely suspenseful.” Oh, the Horror!

Wikipedia | IMDb

WH

The Devil in the White City is a forthcoming 2016 psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese from a script by Billy Ray (The Hunger Games) and starring Leonardo DiCaprio (Shutter Island). The film is based on a 2003 non-fiction book, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson.

The book is set in Chicago, circa 1893, intertwining the true tales of Daniel H. Burnham, the architect behind the 1893 World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes (DiCaprio), the serial killer who lured his victims to their deaths in his elaborately constructed “Murder Castle, which contained a gas chamber, crematorium and a dissecting table where Holmes would murder his victims and strip their skeletons to sell for medical and scientific study…

Deadline.com has reported that Paramount have acquired the rights to Larson’s book after a Hollywood bidding war. Appian Way’s DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson will be producing the movie along with Stacey Sher, Scorsese and Emma Tillinger Koskoff.

Image thanks: Frank Geyer

Terrordactyl is a 2015 comedy action horror film directed by Don Bitters III and Geoff Reisner from a screenplay by Don Bitters III.

Cast:

Bianca Haase, Victoria Summer (The Zombie Diaries; Dracula: Reborn; Transformers: Age of Extinction), Candice Nunes (Poseidon Rex), Jason Tobias (The Unraveling), David Landry (In the Woods; Teeth & Blood), Jack E. Curenton, Kevin Keator, Aubrey Wakeling, Christopher John Jennings, Adam Key.

Official plot teaser:

When a meteor shower rains down outside Los Angeles, Lars and Jonas, two friends stuck in tired, boring lives, head out to find one and strike it rich. After recovering one, they start being stalked by terrordactyls, ancient flying reptiles, that launch a full-on assault on the city. They go on the run, trying to survive, where the unlikely heroes, along with Candice, a tough-and-sexy bartender, Valerie, her sultry roommate, and Sampson, a constantly drunk and sassy ex-marine, soon discover that there’s more to the meteor than meets the eye. They must learn to put their differences aside, and fight back to make the terrordactyls extinct once again…

IMDb | Facebook | Image credits: Dread Central | Related: Prehistoric horror | The Land That Time Forgot

Pod is a 2015 American sci-fi horror film written and directed by Mickey Keating (Ritual). It stars Lauren Ashley Carter (Jug Face; The Woman), Dean Cates, Brian Morvant, Larry Fessenden (Wendigo; I Sell the Dead; Beneath), and John Weselcouch.

The film premiered at the South by Southwest festival (SXSW) on March 16, 2015.

Plot teaser:

After receiving a warning not to come to their family lake house in Maine, siblings Lyla and Ed stage an intervention for their brother, Martin. When they arrive, they find that he has descended into apparent paranoid psychosis and claims to have trapped a monster in the basement…

Reviews:

” …  taps into a supernatural/suburban ambiguity reminiscent of the best of The X-Files … in what is basically a three hander, stunt man/actor Morvant furiously pushes the scenario to its limits, making the increasingly dangerous and erratic veteran equally enthralling, terrifying, and tragic.” Richard Whittaker, The Austin Chronicle

“Pod takes an interesting approach to both the  condensed paranoid drama (à la Bug) and the creature feature, resulting in a wildly entertaining film.” Patrick Cooper, Bloody Disgusting

“Pod is a jarring, exciting cinematic funhouse; an aspect seemingly inherent to Keating’s developing voice. In two features, the director is intent on bursting into various subgenres, not with a focus on deconstruction but—with manic narratives that take place over hours—certainly tearing shit up.” Samuel Zimmerman, Shock Till Your Drop

“Credit Keating with throwing together some tense moments of claustrophobic monster horror, which he’s able to generate by using a tiny cabin located in the middle of a wooded lake area … You will be scared, but more importantly, you’ll gaze upon a snowy landscape with a beautifully sinister feel, and for that, Keating’s team deserves a tip of the cap.” Matt Donato, We Got This Covered

Cast:

Lauren Ashley Carter as Lyla
Dean Cates as Ed
Brian Morvant as Martin
Larry Fessenden as Smith
John Weselcouch as John Boy

Locations:

Round Pod, Maine, USA

Trailer:

Clip:

Wikipedia | IMDb | Twitter | Facebook

Ouija 2 is a forthcoming 2016 supernatural horror film directed by genre specialist Mike Flanagan (Abstentia; Before I Wake; Oculus) from a screenplay co-written with Jeff Howard (also announced as the co-scripter of the 2016 remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer).

Oculus actress Annalise Basso (also in Ghost Image; Dark House; and TV series Bones) is the first cast member to be announced.

Although it received largely negative reviews, Ouija went on to earn $102.5 million worldwide against a budget of $5 million. For the sequel, a host of producers are on board: Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form are representing Platinum Dunes (The Unborn; The Purge 3; Friday the 13th 2016 reboot) while Jason Blum will produce for Blumhouse Productions (they also produced Flanagan’s horror hit Oculus).

Buy: Amazon.co.uk

Meanwhile, ouija board manufacturers Hasbro are represented by producers Brian Goldner and Stephen Davis, whilst Flanagan’s frequent collaborator, Trevor Macy, is on board for Intrepid Pictures. Sara Scott, Universal’s director of development, is also along for the ride.

Buy: Amazon.com

IMDb

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Related: Biggest earning horror films