MAGGIE MAY - Etheria Film Festival on Shudder

Reviewing the amazing MAGGIE MAY from Director Mia Kate Russell starring Katrina Mathers and Lulu McClatchy!

The short film is part of the Etheria Film Festival and is currently up on SHUDDER.

Artist: Stefan Koidl

Stefan Koidl • Illustrator | Concept Art  • AT, Salzburg

https://www.artstation.com/stefankoidl 

https://www.instagram.com/stefankoidl/


LOVING the work of Stefan Koidl!!!  Amazing artistic skills aside, his creation of really wild and creepy images is magical and chill inspiring.

He has a very interesting style as well. He plays with perspective and focal depth in his art that really helps sell the scene. The worlds he spins into life are all at once beautiful and horrible. Check him out on the links above and show this amazing artist some love!

Just imagine driving and running into this scene!!!!   Holy crap!!

Seeds

Jebus....this film. :::sighs and rubs his eyes feeling drained::::   :)

There are these films that are really hard to classify. They aren't standard horror. They have more creep and horror than a plain drama would have, too. But, you can't just toss out, "Hey - like horror? Watch SEEDS" because your more horror mad viewer will get all pissed off and start screaming, "HEY! Where's the BLOOD! And...why am I hearing all this TALKING and GOOD STORY stuff!? What a rip off!" as they go stomping away to watch the new HALLOWEEN film again. :::grin:::

No, this isn't that. It's a tense, visually stunning story with horror elements and some really grim and gripping storytelling backed by a small and amazing cast.

From IMDB:
When his increasingly depraved behavior spirals out of control, Marcus retreats to his family home along the New England coast. But instead of finding solace, Marcus is haunted by his darkest fears and deepest desires.

But, even that sounds too "sexy" for this film. This is an actor and story showcase of darkness and mental illness. It deals with issues that are...what are the kids calling it these days...."triggering" for sure. It's uncomfortable and sad and draining.

And I fucking loved it. :::grin:::

Trevor Long's performance as the lead Marcus Milton is stellar. You can see the emotions racing through him and when he brings things to the surface, it's powerful. There's a struggle of epic proportions running through him and he's struggling through the whole film trying to resolve them. Just fantastic.

Andrea Chen is equally amazing as Lily - Marin's niece.  She's able to walk the line of young adult expertly. At times she seems like a young woman and at other times she seems closer to a little girl. The balancing act makes the overall tension very intense. Some of the scenes between her and Long make the screen crackle with an energy that was wild.

And even child actor Garr Long's (related to Trevor?) performance is super solid. This is key. I've seen films where there is a key child actor playing along with adults and they just come off as distracting. However, Long handles the role wonderfully and maintains the acting levels set by Trevor and Andrea very well.

The story. Whew...the story....

Like if Lovecraft and Kafka got together to write a story about mental illness. Director Owen Long (( SO MANY LONGS LISTED IN THIS MOVIE!!!!  :)  )) and Steven Weisman really nailed the balance between reality and nightmares here. You're bounced between three worlds, really. A lovely dream world of perfection and love, a nightmare world of fear, and the real world where the dream and nightmare worlds come together to caress some and crush others. Whew. And, it's really tough to watch at times, though I found myself not able to look away.

I don't want to say this lightly, but SEEDS is a brilliant film.  Definitely worth a viddy for the brave of heart. Don't expect to be spoon fed here, however. You need to dive in a bit. Get your feet wet. Think. If you don't want to do that, pass on this film.

However, if you like to explore the darkness....give this a go for sure!

 If you enjoyed the film and what it brought to the table on the style and acting fronts, you might want to hunt these films down as well:

REVENGE (Hevn) - 
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2018/08/revenge-hevn.html

FAMILIAR (short film) -
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2016/07/familiar-made-me-squirm-in-my-chair.html

HEIR (short film) -
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2016/07/heir-fantastic-body-horror-creep-fest.html

I AM THE PRETTY THING THAT LIVES IN THE HOUSE -
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-pretty-thing-that-lives-in-house.html

HIERRO (Spain 2009) -
https://horrorsho.blogspot.com/2012/11/hierro-spain-2009.html

Hellmington

Part police procedural, part cult horror, and part crime drama, HELLMINGTON brings a lot to the table. And, like a large feast spread before you, you're going to like a lot that there, but you're also gonna wanna pass over some of what's offered up.

From IMDB:
A detective investigates her father's dying words; the name of a girl who has been missing for 9 years.

As usual, I'll kinda lead with this I wasn't thrilled with, but that others may love.

They had a heck of a story rolling that kept me engaged and thinking the whole time through, but where they veered off with it at the end didn't appeal to me 100%. That being said, I'm pretty sure it's a personal thing and that it's something that may change with an additional viewing. (Scheduled for the near future)   It's not like they made it a comedy at the end or something, but it just was a choice that had me scrunching my face up for a moment muttering, "Really? Hmmmm....ok..."  I guarantee that people will call me crazy for that.

Moving on.



What an engaging film this was! The characters were really well fleshed out, the relationships made sense, and the pace was great. Nicola Correia-Damude was great in the lead and managed to play it with a grace that sold it. She could have been overdramatic and big with it, but went into the realm of "dead inside and broken", then on task wonderfully. I have to look for her in THE BOYS on Amazon where she plays Elena. Michael Ironside is grand as usual and his performance is super solid. The supporting cast is all on par, turning in solid performances and believability that was really needed in order to care about a serious film like this. I've seen other films aim for this level, but the acting comes off as that of a college drama 100 play. This is professional all the way and helps to draw the audience in.

Hellmington was written and directed by Justin Hewitt-Drakulic and Alex Lee Williams which always interests me. I've written a comic with a friend of mine ( Gothic/horror/romance tale TAKING EDEN - shameless plug ) and that was a challenge to coordinate the path and characters. Then to take the story and direct it with someone else....it just must be challenging on many levels. But, the combination works and works very well in this case. The duo nail a fantastic flow and hit the PROFESSIONAL LOOK target without question. The film is beautiful and dreamy in parts and raw and gritty in others. The soundtrack backs the visuals beautifully as well. The whole package works like a charm!

Lastly, the overall plot. Gripes aside, this story had a lot to love for me. I am a big fan of something going naturally astray from the path. When you are moving along and think things are going to go a certain way, only to have them change, then change again in a naturalistic way (not jarring and awkward) it makes me happy. Films like LAKE BODOM and...keeping the lake theme....LAKE MUNGO did this and really brought a smile to my face. It's almost like a surprise party.  Hellmington does this, though some of the elements are eluded to in the trailer....




So, is the film worth a watch. Oh yes it is! I was super happy with the way things turned out on the whole and I'm looking forward to giving it a rewatch.  Totally worth a viddy!!!!

Terrified (Aterrados) 2017

SHUDDER has done it again, bringing the super fun film TERRIFIED (Aterrados)  to US audiences. There are times where a film just ticks off every box for me and this ghostly tale did just that.

The story revolves around several families in a small neighborhood in Buenos Aires and the strange events happening to them. Certain supernatural happenings are starting to run rampant for people and it doesn't show signs of stopping. When the police and a small team of investigators get involved, things really begin to run off the rails.








The story is super tight and we're danced through various happenings and are treated to a few perspective shifts that really created a lot of interest for me. It would be easy to break the story into parts and tell it in a chapter based format, but the flow here is expertly done and the choices the writer / director Demián Rugna makes are fantastic.





I heard a podcast say that there was really no explanation for what was happening and I have to differ. The investigators say everything they happen to know about what's going on, even if that may not be a whole lot, but that's all they really should know in this case. If they pulled out some ancient tome and started reading about what we we seeing, I'd be a bit pissed off. The way things were presented here kept enough information available, but didn't try to give you everything. It really left the right amount to the imagination.

The acting is top notch as well and all the characters are believable and realistic.  There was fantastic character development and some character shifts that were very engaging. I was all in on the arcs presented and really felt for most of the people in the film - caring about what was happening to them and really wanting to see them make it through.

Maximiliano Ghione

Above all I loved Maximiliano Ghione as Detective Funes. He nails the wide range he need to span here. He's the together and suave cop who's just about to retire to the terrified officer who is having second thoughts about his involvement. There are small comedy bits that are subtle and solid as well. It looks like he was mostly on TV, but he completely nailed his film role here.

The atmosphere is downright thick and creepy. This neighborhood is simple and sweet looking during the day, but some of the internal house shots at night were nightmare inducing. Taking that atmosphere and introducing some fantastic scares made it a whole lot of fun.




And the jump scares.....  ::::whew:::  They were really well done and completely earned. You need to EARN your jump scares, people. Kicking the volume up on a piercing music hit doesn't count. It's the equivalent of slapping someone in the face and bragging that you made them blink. Really drawing people in....baiting the hook....then springing on them visually is the way I love seeing it done and TERRIFIED does it a few times. I was giggling like a kid! There are some damn creepy visuals in here and I loved every one of them.

The saddest thing about the film were the comments made on SHUDDER's youTube channel where  the Terrified trailer lived. People are actually complaining about the fact that Shudder has a lot of foreign horror. Some even said that it was nothing but a streaming service only for foreign horror. The comments were ridiculous.

Oh look: another potentially great horror entry for Shudder...that will be completely unavailable to rent or own on physical media.

Um...GREAT! IF it's not on physical media, I'm happy Shudder has it available. YAY FOR HORROR!

Oh look at that... another foreign movie.....I wouldn't recommend shudder to anybody unless they fluently speak more than 2 languages.....the amount of English content is embarrassing

This is just a false statement. Shudder is adding new content ALL the time and at least 50% of the added titles seem to be in English. Hey..spoiler...there are other countries on the plant and not all of them speak English. Hate to break it to you.

See? THIS is why we can't have nice things!  

Shudder has one of the best horror streaming services available with a large selection of all sorts of films from all over the world. WHY would you complain about that at $10 a month, people?! Don't like foreign films? Here's an idea - don't watch them. You could watch one of the MANY other film offerings Shudder has for viewing. There are plenty of people who love foreign films and don't mind subtitles. It just seemed like a rather backwards way of thinking, but...that seems to be the going view for many people these days, sadly.

ANYWAY......TERRIFIED is a fantastic watch. If you are able to read and don't mind subtitles or foreign films, you need to check this gem out. And...if you don't like foreign films, skip it. You can watch the English remake that Guillermo Del Toro is producing when it comes out!

See? Easy, right?   :::grin:::

The Witch in the Window

Well well well....
Every once in a while you get a little film that ticks all the boxes without having major cash behind it. THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW manages to tell a great story, showcase some solid performances, and hums along at a wonderful pace. It's like a good book. The gothic tale spins out at one our and seventeen minutes and is now on my WIN list for small, atmospheric films like I AM A GHOST, THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN, I AM THE PRETTY THING THAT LIVES IN THE HOUSE, THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ROSALIND LEIGH, and THE MOOSE HEAD OVER THE MANTEL .

The tale is small and simple. A man and his son move into an old house to fix it up. The Father hopes that it may mend things between him and his wife. A place to rekindle their love and their lives. But, as usual, there is something in the house that might ruin all of those hopes and dreams.

The direction and cast are so solid here. The acting is rock solid and the turns the story takes are fantastic. Like a warm blanket, the film wraps itself around you and snuggles you in tight as you feel warm and cold all at once. The scares are pretty good and there are some moments that sent a chill up my spine.

Andy Mitton wrote and directed the film and I was really happy to see him behind the wheel. I loved WE GO ON and YELLOWBRICKROAD and was eager to check this offering out. And, BOOM - loved it. He writes characters that feel real. Interactions and events feel really. And, with the acting of people like Alex Draper (also from YELLOWBRICK) and the young man Charlie Tacker ( who really nailed it, thank the heavens ) Mitton was able to get a very solid spooky offering into the mix on the SHUDDER lineup. Seeing Tacker in this made me get a little excited about the LADY IN WHITE remake, too.

If you want a slow burn ghost story to watch one chilly night this fall, give THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW a look...and stay.  :)

Interview with Mitton from the FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL can be found here.

Channel Zero Series

The CHANNEL ZERO offerings are very solid and are filled with fantastic visual eye candy and creepy tales. The stories are based on "CREEPYPASTAS" which are basically online creepy tales created by online users. The lore is always something strange and creepy that is supposed to be based on true events.

Is that enough to support watching the episodes?

YUP!

There are currently two series from the CHANNEL ZERO - Candle Cove and No-End House.



CHANNEL ZERO - Candle Cove
Now I thought this was the more solid offering between the two. A child psychologist heads back home to see if his twin brother's disappearance has something to do with this creepy show that used to reveal itself to children on seemingly blank TV screens. The parents never new what happened all those years ago when children started disappearing and acting ever so strange. What will this investigation unearth?

The story and characters here are grand. The complexity of the story and backstory and what the past does to those living now was really rather interesting. The creepy figures that make appearances in the show are really the stuff of nightmares. And, since both series are only six episodes long, CANDLE COVE doesn't overstay it's welcome.

CHANNEL ZERO - No-End House
In this one, the story revolves around a mysterious house that appears in various locations at random times for a few nights, then disappears. People are notified of it's location through strange videos that play randomly on phones and TVs. If you find the magic horror attraction, you'll be lucky enough to walk through six rooms that will change your life. But...what is the house and what are it's plans for you?

I had different feelings about this section. While the concept was great, I felt that it was a little too long and that it would have been a super solid, four episode series instead of the six episodes it took to tell the tale. The otherworldly feel of it also removed it from feeling like it could happen to you in your world, so some of the post viewing creep factor was removed. However, it did bring a lot to the table and was a far more emotional experience than Candle Cove for me, even though I found it lighter on the creep factor.

Both are currently running on SHUDDER here in the US at the time of this posting.

Well worth a viddy...AFTER you watch Netflix's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, that is!

Two new offerings are around on SYFY - CHANNEL ZERO:  Butcher's Block and The Dream Door. Butchers Block looks like it will be interesting, but I fear that it might substitute strange visuals for story. DREAM DOOR looks very creepypasta and seems to have more of the CHANNEL ZERO feel I dug from Candle Cove. We shall see.

BLIGHT - short film

I just had the privilege to see the short film BLIGHT and loved it!

From YouTube:

BLIGHT is a terrifying short horror film inspired by the HP Lovecraft story "The Colour Out Of Space". A young police office get more then he bargained for when he visits the home of a reclusive farmer and his family. Starring Jack Parker (Doctor Who) and Adam Basil (Game of Thrones. Made in Conjunction with "The National Film and Television School" and "Neill Gorton Prosthetic Studio".


The film is tight and the effects are fantastic. The actors have a fantastic space to work within - the design is amazing and the minor effects used to situate the location are really well done. The acting is fabulous as well. The period piece works because they kept things very small and contained. Again, fantastic.

Take a look at tell me what you think!

Terrifier

Damien Leone's follow up to ALL HALLOW'S EVE is a wild ride. TERRIFIER is a fun watch.

The plot is simple. Old Art the Clown is at it again. He strolls through the night until he stumbles onto two unfortunate post-party gals who are too drunk to drive. He follows them to a diner and the fun begins.

The plot is super light, but you're really not visiting Terrifier for it's plot. It's all about Art the super freaky clown dispatching folks in inventive ways. And there are some ways in this film for sure. It's packed with shocking violence and fear, but somehow manages to avoid feeling too mean doing it, which really surprised me because...it's SO violent. 

Art is a great character. He's creepy as all get out, but manages to be endearing when he's doing his silent schtick and mime work. The acting all around is really solid and helps to sell the whole of it.

If you're looking for a good, old fashioned slasher horror flick, this is it! Check it!