#horrorcinema moviereview

[esonetwork]

The Exorcist At 50

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The Exorcist At 50

The Earth Station One Countdown to Halloween begins! Five decades ago, William Friedkin and William Peter Blatty released a film about a little girl and her friend Captain Howdy. Mike, Mike, Mark Maddox, Rebecca Perry, and Burk Sauls look back at the landmark film that changed pop culture and people’s interest in pea soup forever. All this, along with Angela’s A Geek Girl’s Take and Shout Outs.

We want to hear from you! Feedback is always welcome. Please write to us at feedback@earthstationone.com and subscribe and rate the show on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Music, wherever fine podcasts are found, and now we can be found on our own YouTube Channel.

Links The Earth Station One Website Earth Station One on Apple Podcasts The Earth Station One YouTube Channel Earth Station One on Spotify Past Episodes of The Earth Station One Podcast Angela’s A Geek Girl’s Take Ashley’s Box Office Buzz Michelle’s Iconic Rock Talk Show Monsterama Mark Maddox Monster Kid ATL Cinemondo Confusing and Ambiguous – Burk’s Music Podcast

Promos Tifosi Optics Modern Musicology The ESO Network Patreon Unique Crafts by Jenn ESO Network Tee-Public

If you would like to leave feedback or a comment on the show please feel free to email us at feedback@earthstationone.com

[thekidfresh]

Are you ready for a horror experience that pushes limits? The First Omen takes terrifying storytelling to new extremes.

The First Omen pushes the boundaries of horror with intense, visceral imagery and dark themes, exploring the origins of evil in a bold way. It challenges viewers with its raw, unsettling atmosphere. Check out our review to see why The First Omen is setting a new standard for hardcore horror.

[deadlybuttsilentfilms]

🎃🔪 Step into the Shadows with Rob Zombie's "Halloween" (2007) 🔪🎃

Horror enthusiasts, gather 'round! It's time to revisit the gritty and raw world Rob Zombie crafted in his 2007 reimagining of the slasher classic "Halloween." This isn't just a remake; it's an exploration into the darkness that is Michael Myers, with all the unapologetic intensity you'd expect from Zombie.

Tyler Mane's portrayal of Myers is both colossal and terrifying, while Sheri Moon Zombie adds a devastating layer to the tale as Michael's mother. Scout Taylor-Compton shines as the iconic Laurie Strode, embodying the spirit of survival against pure evil.

The film's cinematography expertly captures the essence of Halloween night, filled with dread and suspense. The score revamps the classic theme, turning up the tension for a new generation of horror fans.

Whether you're here for the homage to the original or Zombie's unique vision, this version of "Halloween" is a cut above. It's a film that respects its roots while treading new ground in the horror genre.

Craving more? Head over to our website for the full review where we dissect every haunting layer of this modern horror gem. Don't miss out on this deep dive into terror!

Horror Movies Reviewed

#HalloweenMovie #RobZombie #HorrorCinema #SlasherFilm #MovieReview #Cinematography #HorrorTales #ClassicRemake #SurvivalStory #CultClassic #TumblrFlicks #HorrorCommunity #FilmAnalysis #NightmareFuel

[ihearthorror]

‘The Block Island Sound’ Movie Review: The Best Horror Film of the Year So Far?

The Block Island Sound is a film that refuses to fall into any particular category, preferring to embrace elements of various genres to unravel its mysterious narrative. I think it’s safe, however, to place this film somewhere within the horror realm, as it evokes feelings of uneasiness, foreboding, and fear. However, don’t go into this movie with an appetite for gore, jump scares, or some sort of Michael Myers-type bad guy, because it isn’t that kind of film. In fact, The Block Island Sound will likely split audiences, with some appreciating its nuances and simmering dread, while others will simply find it boring.

The Block Island Sound opens with Tom (played by Neville Archambault), a fisherman who has seemingly blacked out and awoken disheveled on his boat, which is in disarray just off of Block Island, on the Eastern coast of the US. Confused and shaken up, Tom notices that his dog is missing and sees his leash dangling off the side of the boat. He heads back home but cannot shake what happened to him. As the blackouts continue, Tom’s son Harry (played by Chris Sheffield) becomes concerned that his ailing father may have dementia.

Soon, others around town are experiencing strange phenomena and conspiracy theories run amuck, spouted predominantly by Dale (played by the always awesome Jim Cummings), who kind of reminded me of Nick Stahl’s character in Disturbing Behaviour, minus the teen angst. Whatever it is that’s happening to the wildlife around Block Island, it’s enough to have the Environmental Protection Agency sent down to investigate, and it just so happens that Harry’s sister Audrey works for them. By the way, Audrey is played by Michaela McManus, who happens to be the real life sister of the filmmakers behind The Block Island Sound, Kevin and Matthew McManus.  

Audrey and her daughter Emily (played by Matilda Lawler), who are from the Rhode Island mainland, stay with Harry and their ailing father on Block Island, though the siblings’ relationship has been strained since the death of their mother. It is this sister-brother bond that is the heart of the film, one that feels sincere and lived-in.

It’s with this family dynamic at play that Harry and Audrey must figure out not only what is happening with their own father but what’s been causing the bizarre occurrences on the island. Eventually, they begin to realize that it may be something far more sinister than some environmental phenomenon.

The film was written and directed by Kevin and Matthew McManus, identical twins known together as the McManus Brothers, and it is only their second feature and first in nearly a decade, since 2012’s Funeral Kings. Since then, they have also worked as producers on the TV series American Vandal and Cobra Kai, as well as the 2015 horror film 13 Cameras, which featured Archambault in the lead role. Their latest feature, which was largely shot on location by the way, was actually filmed back in the Spring of 2018 and premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal more than two years later.

According to the brothers, who grew up in Rhode Island mainland, the skeleton of The Block Island Sound was conceived years ago when they were making a zombie short back in college. It eventually morphed into what it is today, which is a tense and hair-raising film that explores our responses to real world threats like isolation and loss of one’s sanity. It uses these reactions to develop believable characters and to reinforce an ongoing sense of terror, optimized by solid performances and filmmakers who utilized their low budget to come up with one of the best horror features of the year so far.

The film is certainly not perfect, of course. One of its biggest shortfalls, in my opinion, is brief appearance of Ryan O’Flanagan’s character Paul, which enters horror movie trope territory. I think the film would have benefited from omitting that entire segment from the final cut. Other than a few other subtle flaws here and there, The Block Island Sound is an overall solid film that deserves a large audience. Thanks to being picked up by Netflix this year, it will get just that..

Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoyed my review. If you did, please feel free to like and subscribe. Take care.

FYI: The animalistic growl you hear in The Block Island Sound is actually the guttural sounds made by filmmaker Kevin McManus’ five-month-old daughter. McManus recorded the sounds on his iPhone, slowed it down, and added a filter to get just the right effect.

4/5 stars.

[ihearthorror]

‘His House’ Movie Review: The Best Horror Film of 2020, Hands Down!

The more empathetic you are as a person, the more you’re able to immerse yourself within the story of a horror film, or any film for that matter…placing yourself in the shoes of the characters being chased down by zombies or tormented by demons. You imagine what it might be like, or try to figure out what YOU would do in such a situation, and maybe even shed a tear when somebody gets slaughtered on camera. It’s all part of the cinematic experience, and empathy can really amplify that experience.

However, for some people, it might be difficult to truly imagine what it must feel like for a refugee landing in another country. It’s an entire story in itself, and one with far more horror elements than you might think, depending on the journey. And when you toss in an evil entity lurking beneath the surface, it really puts you to the test.

'His House' was written and directed by Remi Weekes, who had never made a feature film prior to this. That makes it all the more impressive that he was able to pull together what I think is not just the best horror film of 2020, but one of the best films of the year, period. But for some reason, too many people have never even heard of 'His House,' let alone seen it. And that’s a shame, because this is the sort of film we need to see more of within the horror genre, which is often overcrowded with bad B-movies or Hollywood features hellbent on making a buck rather than telling a gripping story of any real substance.

'His House' centers around Bol and Rial, a couple from Sudan who are seeking asylum in London, following a treacherous journey across the Mediterranean that nearly left them dead. They’ve been given a second chance at life in London, where they are assigned low-income housing in a rough neighbourhood. They can’t get jobs, are faced with strict restrictions, and are given a small amount of money to live off each week. To make things worse, their new home is situated on the outskirts of London and is plagued by peeling wallpaper, shabby furnishings, and trash lining their front lawn. Still, it’s a blessing compared to the war-torn bloodbath of their homeland.

Bol is fixated on assimilation, eager and desperate to fit into this new world, while Rial seems like a fish out of water, struggling to find her place here. As they try to settle into their new surroundings, it becomes clear that they aren’t alone, as something sinister lingers within the walls of their new home. As the terror escalates, we discover a dark secret that has been haunting the couple ever since they escaped Sudan, one that they must make right before it’s too late.

There is nothing bad I can say about this film. The story is distinct and relevant, the acting (namely the leads Sope Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku) is superb, the visuals are outstanding, and the horror elements are on par with some of the best horror films of this last decade. We get to experience something special here, in that this is a totally original story backed by a stellar cast and crew, helmed by an up-and-coming filmmaker ready to make his mark.

'His House,' which premiered in early 2020 at the Sundance Film Festival, was picked up by Netflix soon after and released that Halloween. Fortunately, it’s still available to stream; so, I recommend you seek this one out, because it’s a rare gem of a movie that deserves to be regarded as one of the best the horror realm has to offer.

For the record, I’d give ‘His House’ 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

[ihearthorror]

‘Caveat’ Movie Review: A Short Film Disguised As A Feature

The trailer for ‘Caveat’ did exactly what it was supposed to do…sell me on investing 90 minutes of my time into this film. Unfortunately, like so many trailers, it was somewhat deceiving. There is not much of a story to tell here and so the trailer really just sold us on what little ‘Caveat’ had to offer, much of which is simply not worth the investment. In fact, this film could have worked far better as a short film instead, a concept that would have filtered out the expanse of uninteresting and unimportant filler.

It all became a little clearer when I realized that this was the feature-length debut for Irish filmmaker Damian Mc Carthy, who had previously worked on only short films, some of which even garnering him comparisons to the great David Lynch. However, Mc Carthy’s talent for short films did not carry over into this feature-length production, or at least not in my opinion.

‘Caveat’ stars Jonathan French as a drifter named Isaac, who reluctantly agrees to watch over his friend Moe’s adult niece, Olga, in exchange for cash. It’s not just that simple, however, as Olga (played by Leila Sykes) is a disturbed young woman living alone in a rundown house on a remote island without a boat to speak of. Oh, and in order to put Olga at ease, Isaac must be chained in a harness that restricts him to only certain parts of the house. Still, he agrees.

It’s kind of a ridiculous scenario to begin with and only gets more absurd as the story unravels. There’s just too much here that is nonsensical and unnecessary, such as this sort of possessed toy bunny that serves no real purpose outside of padding the trailer and perhaps even the film’s poster art to entice an unsuspecting audience.

Outside of the story itself, it was tough to get through this one out of sheer boredom. It is dreary to the point of depressing, thanks to a setting that is even emptier than the film’s story. The characters are left to fend for themselves as well, with little backstory to lend them any empathy or sympathy. You just don’t care, or at least I didn’t.

I don’t mean to come off as overcritical or even mean, but I went into this film with high expectations and came out ultimately disappointed. I can’t say it was a missed opportunity, because I just don’t feel like this story had enough substance to fill nearly 90 minutes. Like I said earlier, ‘Caveat’ would have benefited had it been made into a short film instead.

Despite everything I just said, this film might be right up your alley, who knows! In fact, it’s got a pretty decent rating on both Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd, with an 83% certified score on the former. So, if you’d still like to give it a chance, it’s streaming right now on Shudder.

For the record, I’d give ‘Caveat’ 2 stars out of 5.

[ihearthorror]

‘Teddy’ Movie Review: The Werewolf Film You’ve Been Waiting For!

I’ve never really been a fan of werewolf movies, although to be fair, I’ve never really SEEN a lot of werewolf movies. Mostly because I was never really that interested in seeing werewolf movies. To be honest, it’s pretty tough to make a werewolf come off as genuinely scary or even realistic-looking on film, especially if you’re going to include a transformation scene. Good luck.

‘An American Werewolf in London’ has, for the most part, set the bar for these particular films, and it has certainly stood the test of time, although there have been a number of other werewolf films since that have left their mark as well. However, it seems as though there are far more misses than hits when it comes to this subgenre. Admittedly for myself, it’s hard to take a werewolf serious, even in a horror film. I just don’t find them that entertaining or scary.

‘Teddy,’ co-written and directed by French twin brothers Ludovic and Zoran Boukherma, is an exception. Perhaps because it doesn’t focus on the actual werewolf aspect (to the point where it’s hard to truly classify this film as such) and we rarely see the creature itself, but also because it’s just so well done. It is different than what you’d expect from an American feature, especially if you’re here for the gore factor. There’s some, but nothing gratuitous.

It pays its attention to the characters instead, namely the titular character Teddy, played perfectly by former French child star Anthony Bajon. He delivers a memorable performance of a guy you’re not supposed to like but you end up cheering for anyways. He keeps it real and has a dark, albeit juvenile, sense of humour. However, underneath it all, there’s a young man who truly cares about the people he’s closest to.

Teddy has his problems, for sure, struggling with money issues, working for a toxic boss, and living with some family members who are deemed the “village idiots,” according to Teddy himself. His saving grace is his girlfriend Rebecca (played by Christina Gautier) and his dream of building a home for them one day in the country. It’s what drives him to put up with all the rest.

One day, while on his way to work, Teddy is attacked in the bushes just outside his home, though he never gets a good look at whatever it is that bit him. Slowly, he understands what is happening to him, and it comes at a time when it seems as though his world is crashing down around him. You really feel for Teddy and his circumstances, especially as the film comes to an end.

There are no real special effects in ‘Teddy,’ no big names on the marquee, and no jump scares or cheap shots at comedy. It’s like a gritty, indie take on a genre that desperately needs more films like this one, which I feel would have been ruined with a larger budget or the wrong people at the helm, or if it had been made in America, for that matter. With that said, it is certainly not for everyone, especially if you’re looking for a creature feature.

‘Teddy’ is only the second feature film for the Boukherma brothers and their first foray into the horror realm, although I use the word “horror” loosely here. But I hope it will not be their last, because we need more horror filmmakers like this, willing to take risks, try new things, and breathe fresh air into worn-out ideas.

‘Teddy’ is streaming right now on Shudder.

For the record, I’d give ‘Teddy’ 4 stars out of 5.

[ihearthorror]

‘Come True’ Movie Review: A Nightmarish Look Into the Unconscious Mind

I have so much respect for those do-it-all types of filmmakers; the ones who turn a film into a personal passion project in which they invest all their time, effort, and skills into until they’ve come up with something special. Anthony Scott Burns and his latest film, Come True, is a perfect example of this sort of filmmaking, as he took on not only the directing of this Canadian sci-fi horror, but also the writing, editing, and cinematography, and he even provided some of the score under his musical stage name, Pilotpriest. Now that’s dedication.

With that said, Burns clearly had a specific vision for this film, one that he was able to pull off with a small budget and an even smaller crew. However, you’d never know, as Come True is a well-crafted film with striking visuals, impressive acting, and a fascinating plotline which is tied up with a twist ending that’ll only make you want to rewatch the movie with a new perspective.

Come True is set around an insomniac teen named Sarah (played by Julia Sarah Stone), who apparently has a troubled home life and so is essentially homeless and sleeping over at friends’ houses or even outside on playground equipment. This leads her to enroll in a university sleep study, where she befriends one of the scientists and soon discovers the true and surreal objectives of the research program.

The program has been monitoring the dreams of its sleep patients and then translating their brain wave activity into actual imagery, using a newly-developed and groundbreaking technology. In other words, they’ve been spying on their dreams. It’s something right out of a Twilight Zone episode, set to a synth-centric soundscape and a foggy tempo that leaves you feeling like you might actually be in a sleep state yourself while watching it.

In fact, this film as a whole had this sort of ambiguous element to it, from the protagonist and her backstory to the general setting of the film. But I’m sure this was done on purpose, especially considering that it really tied into the final reveal of Come True, which I’m sure some viewers will ultimately be disappointed with.

The film is cohesively broken up into four themes inspired by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung’s theories of the collective unconscious. Come True is really anchored in this realm of ideas, and visually and/or thematically inspired by the works of everyone from David Lynch to fellow Canadian David Cronenberg. Actually, the film sort of wears its influences on its sleeve, paying visual and auditory homage to classics like Night of the Living Dead, Twin Peaks, The Shining, The Prince of Darkness, and TRON, and even the recent sleep-paralysis documentary The Nightmare.

Another work that helped shape Burns’ vision was the 1951 Disney film Alice in Wonderland, which he said “inspired the dreams in this movie a lot: the artistry, the idea of spotlights, and everything else fading into blackness.” Burns continued, “A nightmare narrative that takes you on a journey of nonsense, continuously shifting based on what the protagonist is feeling at that time, is a huge inspiration for the film. I have terrible nightmares, too.”

Scattered throughout Come True are these sort of cinematic dioramas that seem to be ripped out of Sarah’s nightmares, which are simultaneously unsettling and beautiful. These particular scenes, which look like they’d be right at home in one of those depraved horror video games, also introduce an unnerving dark shadowy figure that haunts Sarah’s dreams, though it ultimately becomes a bigger piece of the puzzle here than some sort of boogeyman character.

Come True is not the type of film you’ll see riding high at the box office. They almost never are. It’s slow, it’s dreary, and it relies on complex themes and concepts rather than jump scares and bankable villains. In other words, this film is not for everyone. And sure, the fact that this movie was shot entirely in my hometown may have subconsciously influenced my rating of it, but I know that I would have enjoyed Come True no matter where it was filmed. Burns put in a lot of work here and if you ask me, it paid off.

For the record, I’d give Come True 4 stars out of 5.