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[Beyond Fest 2020] Review: ‘Freaky’ Is An Unlikely But Bloody Hilarious Horror-Comedy Mash-Up

Published

4 years ago

October 12, 2020

The slasher genre has existed for decades and just when it seems to exhaust itself, it manages to find new ways to revive again, like its killer stars tend to do sequel to sequel. In the case of Blumhouse, they found success in Christopher Landon’s Happy Death Day films which combined the genre with the time-loop comedy trope found in movies like Groundhog Day. Now, Landon’s returned with a new slasher mash-up, and it’s a killer!

Millie (Kathryn Newton, Big Little Lies) is an ordinary teenage girl who lives in the ordinary and seemingly peaceful small town of Blissfield. Despite the Norman Rockwell decor, the citizens are under siege from a maniacal masked murderer known only as The Blissfield Butcher (Vince Vaughn, Brawl In Cellblock 99) who’s picking off teens left and right. One night, the Blissfield Butcher stabs Millie with a mystical dagger he found in one of his previous victim’s possession but she’s saved at the last second, leaving them both wounded. The next morning however, they wake up to find their souls have switched bodies! Now Millie has just one day to get her original body back before the change is permanent and The Blissfield Butcher continues his killing spree.

Image via IMDB

Needless to say, this is a twisted twist on the old Freaky Friday flip where one person’s mind is switched with another’s, usually their polar opposite for additional comedic effect. The title of Freaky making it pretty evident. But this is the first time I think it’s been played for horror alongside comedy! Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn really shine as they switch characters and personas through a majority of the movie. The Blissfield Butcher a towering, intimidating monster, but with the mind of Millie, he becomes an awkward teenage girl in a hulking killer’s body! There are even several points where each character adjust to their new body’s newfound strengths and weaknesses. The Blissfield Butcher in Millie’s body realizing he can’t just overpower his victims anymore and utilizes cunning and speed to get the jump on his victims.

Which is another thing, Freaky does not hold back on the gore and kill scenes! Some complaints were made about the Happy Death Day series being a little ‘tame’ bound into its PG-13 rating, but Freaky has an ‘R’ rating and deservedly so. There are some excellent examples of inventive slasher deaths and over the top splatter via power tools and everyday items like bottles. Don’t want spoil any of them, but believe me when I say they’re memorable. My only complaint being that they feel a bit oddly paced toward the middle and end of the movie. The tempo breaks a little bit due to plot reasons, so it’s not exactly a rapid fire bloodfest, but there’s still plenty of bodycount to go around. But for the most part it does a decent job at the genre balancing act and following Millie in The Blissfield Butcher’s body and vice-versa.

Image via IMDB

Director Christopher Landon and writer Michael Kennedy do an excellent job of combining the tropes of the two decidedly different genres to make a bloody slasher and a fun ‘race against the clock’ movie as Millie figures out she has to get her body back fast. As well as establishing its supporting cast of Millie’s friends, family, and enemies (who tend to meet a gory demise at the hand of the Blissfield Butcher switched Millie). Even featuring a romantic sub-plot that feels organic instead of distracting.

I was fortunate enough to attend the world premiere at Beyond Fest’s drive-in variation of their annual festival at Mission Tiki in Montclair, California. In the wake of the pandemic, seeing a new movie on a big screen has been a joy that words alone cannot express. There were even promotional Freaky face masks taken from the poster. Freaky felt right at home in a drive-in cinema and made a fine double feature with the 2010 classic horror-comedy Tucker And Dale vs Evil chosen specifically by Landon and Kennedy.

Overall, Freaky is an unimaginable slasher/body swap comedy that manages to work. It’s got a lot of laughs and scenes to make you scream.

Freaky will be released in theaters on November 13th, 2020.

Image via IMDB

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

1 hour ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

3 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

5 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.