#downbelowmovie

[actordougjones]

A zombie, two vampires, and a creepy drunk walk into October!!! Many ways to see me this month!!

1) HOCUS POCUS 2 on Freeform Channel all month as a double feature with HoPo1 for the first time!

2) NOSFERATU: A Symphony Of Horror finally comes out Oct.18 on AppleTV & Amazon Prime!! (Not to be confused with the other one in December).

3) WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Final Season 6 starts Oct.21 on FX & Hulu!!

4) DOWN BELOW with me in a cameo is out now on Amazon, AppleTV and many more VOD’s!!

.

#hocuspocus #hocuspocus2 #billybutcherson #nosferatu #countorlok #whatwedointheshadows #baronafanas #downbelowmovie #actor #halloween #actorslife #dougjones 

[fearsmagazine]

DOWN BELOW - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Gravitas Ventures

SYNOPSIS: On the 20th anniversary of a horrific Christmas Eve massacre at St. Agnes Church, a malevolent preacher from the past reappears to haunt the residents of the same town. Among them is Salem, a young man whose once-joyful life is unraveling as he's falsely accused of a heinous crime. Only a disillusioned call-girl named Alexis Knapp, plagued by her own nightmares, believes in Salem's innocence. Together and individually, they must confront their inner demons and a tangible one known as Mr. Monday.

REVIEW: In Filmmaker Spyder Dobrofsky's "DOWN BELOW," the protagonist, Salem, embarks on a peculiar and intricate journey to reclaim his life, which has been shrouded in an enigmatic reality for nearly two decades. His quest to unravel the impact of the enigmatic Mr. Monday on his life unfolds as a perplexing tale, often feeling unnecessarily convoluted.

The film's 99-minute duration felt pointless, given its anticlimactic conclusion. The characters appeared to wander aimlessly without a clear sense of purpose. The confusing plot twists and turns seemed intentionally disorienting, perhaps aiming to establish a surreal universe similar to David Lynch's films, but falling short of that mark. To be candid, I found the movie to be much ado about nothing, leading to frequent boredom. The simplistic revelation at the end left me feeling aggravated, having wasted my time.

The film's peculiar narrative gives rise to some overtly puzzling performances. The talented cast portrays characters that seem lifted from various stories and dropped into this oblique tale. Doug Jones appears without prosthetic makeup, offering a refreshing change. Eric Roberts delivers a compelling performance, though his character's purpose remains unclear. Bai Ling tones down her recent film performances, focusing on her acting chops. David Steen, a Tarantino veteran, creates the villain and catalyst for Salem's troubles, Mr. Monday. While Steen's performance is solid, the character lacks depth and remains superficial, depriving the viewer of any tangible understanding or insight into the villain.

The film's cinematography and framing are a blend of functional and uninspired aesthetics. The overuse of smoke diffusion in lighting feels arbitrary, although the filmmaker's intent is understandable. Ambrose Soehn's score often overwhelms the dialogue, featuring clichéd movements and moments that feel like music for music’s sake.

In DOWN BELOW, the filmmaker's ambition to add complexity to an essentially simple story seems forced and unnecessary. While the film's production design elements hint at a horror genre classification, it fails to fully embrace this potential. The result is a plodding, slow-paced movie featuring recognizable actors in bizarre roles. This film resembles the type of independent horror movie that would have been submitted to festivals in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

CAST: Eric Roberts, Doug Jones, Alexis Knapp, Bai Ling, Hutch Dano, Diane Robin, Greg Kriek, Erin Matthews, David Steen, Christopher Livingston, Brittany Carel, Luke Mullen, Anna Greene, William Ford, David Steen, and Spyder Dobrofsky. CREW: Director/Screenplay/Cinematography - Spyder Dobrofsky; Producers - Dash Dobrofsky; Score - Ambrose Soehn; Editor - Joshua Ling Hei Wong; Costume Designer - Izzy Fran; Visual Effects Services - High Stake Entertainment OFFICIAL: N.A. FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/FQZmyS7IUa8?si=X_yLc-bydC-kbPaY RELEASE DATE: On digital & VOD Oct. 1st, 2024.

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike)

Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri