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REVIEW: ‘Cult of Chucky’ Shines on Multiple Levels

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Chucky movies have grown into much more than what they originally were: a commentary on obsessive retail hoarding behaviors. Besides everyone does their ordering online now and that Christmas gift that everyone wants can be bought on Ebay. Perhaps Black Friday is the last remnant of consumer fanaticism in a pay-check-to-paycheck, “People of Walmart” world.

The original Child’s Play hinted at the consumer craze of the 80’s, but offered a solid horror movie with a serial killer, a memorable monster and preteen in distress. Horror gold!

The one thing all of these movies have in common is Don Mancini, the George Lucas of horror. Although not as publically scrutinized for changing things up in the fourth and fifth films as Lucas was with his, Mancini gives the fans what they want, and if they want to see more comic relief that’s what they get. More blood? Check.

But that was so 2004. With these last two Child’s Play sequels, Mancini has left most of the outrageousness behind and concentrates on elements of tension instead of acerbic wit. And that is just fine.

Curse of Chucky (2013) was one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a long time, it built up suspense amid the walls of a creepy old house with a wheelchair-bound heroine and a cast of fleshed-out characters which left me wondering why Mancini hasn’t put more effort on anything else but his beloved franchise.

In his latest installment the buzzword-worthy Cult of Chucky, he moves the claustrophobic atmosphere into a psych ward and again twists his story into multiple knots which get untangled through eye-catching imagery, solid performances, and sickening kills.

With less slapstick and more realism, this entry may be equal to or even better than his last. Humor is still present, but the charm is in its subtly, not the foul-mouthed doll. In an inspired bit, Chucky leaves a message in a pool of blood that proves he doesn’t have to say anything to make you chuckle.

This time around Chucky and his nemesis Nica are left to battle it out inside an asylum. Four years after the events of the last film, Nica is still struggling with reality. Her co-patients have heard the lore about her time in the outside world and are quick to deem her a mass murderer.

Left to live life in a wheelchair, Nica is already compromised, and her mental state is also in question, something her therapist is trying to break through, but he may not be who he seems.

Sad news comes in the form of visitor Tiffany played by the always enjoyable Jennifer Tilly, who also brings Nica a gift in the form of a Chucky doll. Nica’s niece has died and has somehow bequeathed the doll to Nica at the hospital.

But we already know this isn’t the real Good Guy doll, or is it?

Original Child’s Play hero Andy Barclay is revealed in the very beginning to have the original Chucky who he tortures in retribution on a daily basis. Yes, Alex Vincent returns to his original role in a satisfying “where are they now” moment.

Nica’s current restrictive digs become a bloodbath and more than one showdown later, Mancini puts a final twist into what we thought was a fitting end. It’s as if he’s thought ahead to the next three movies.

Fiona Dourif was born to play this part. The welds in her acting filigree are tempered just right. She brings a level of complexity to her performance that feels very dedicated to the design of the material. Which is to say, she might be over-qualified.

This same commitment is true for Brad Dourif who voices Chucky, making this one of the most memorable Villain vs. Hero dichotomies in recent horror movie history.

Cult of Chucky is a rare franchise much like, say Star Trek: It can re-imagine itself, and do it well because of the talent behind it.

The brilliance of writing carried out by dedicated and talented actors are really what horror fans want. If you think about it, we may complain about a remake-this or a re-boot-that, but we will follow as long as the material treats us with respect.

And that’s what Mancini does here, and then some. He gives us “Chucky” but doesn’t insult our intelligence with mindless re-hashing of things that may have “worked” in the previous films. Instead, he keeps changing it up, developing these characters, breathing fresh life into them. And that goes for the production design too. Ironically, he has given us a franchise which exemplifies something inspired by the first film: the compulsive need for more.

An impeccably paced sequel, with a screenplay filled with surprises, Cult of Chucky devoutly gives fans something more than they expect. It doesn’t insult their intelligence but manages to appease those looking only for blood.

It’s gruesomeness with heart, smarts and plenty of soul.

Cult of Chucky is now available on Blu-ray, digital and VOD. You can also check out this latest installment on Netflix starting today.

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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