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Co-Writer/Director Brandon Christensen Talks “Still/Born”

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Brandon Christensen’s Still/Born began with a simple set of images: a woman giving birth to twins, a look from the nurse as the second twin emerges into the world, and the same woman standing between two cribs…one of which is empty.

He was just finishing up his work as producer on Colin Minihan’s It Stains the Sands Red. It was a grueling shoot in the desert, and as the two were discussing possibilities for Christensen’s first feature in the director’s chair, they decided that the Blumhouse method might be the best route.

So, setting aside the image he had in his mind, the two began to scour scripts that offered minimal sets, a small cast, and atmospheric tension, but nothing seemed to fit the bill. Before long, they returned to Christensen’s idea, and this time they realized they were really onto something.

“I started building around that idea of a woman who is dealing with loss,” Christensen says. “That led us down this rabbit hole of postpartum depression and psychosis, and we learned a lot about how these things affect new mothers.”

With the addition of a supernatural element in the guise of a Mesopotamian demon by the name of Lamashtu who steals babies to feast on their flesh, the two men knew they had hit upon a subject that exactly fit what they wanted to make.

“We’re dealing with a main character whose inner thoughts are where we are living and breathing,” he says. “She thinks one thing is happening and then she thinks it’s something else, but she’s never sure so we, as an audience, are never sure until it’s too late to turn back.”

With a finished script, they’d soon cast Christie Burke as the young mother in question, and were headed to Christensen’s home town, Calgary, to begin filming. When they arrived, however, they found that the house they’d rented for the shoot had been sold out from under them.

Scrambling to find another location led them to the director’s family home where he’d planned to stay during filming.

In the end, he, Burke, Minihan, and another of the film’s producers ended up actually living on the set while filming.

“It was kind of a Jack [Nicholson] in The Shining moment,” Christensen laughs. “I woke up on set every day and I went to bed every night on set. I didn’t have a car so there was really no escape.”

It might not have been the ideal situation, but the director has high praise for his crew and especially for his lead actress.

“The first six days of shooting were just her [Christie] and the baby, and a lot of the horror stuff happens while she’s alone,” he says. “She went through a huge gauntlet of emotions in those first few days especially, but she was amazing and pushed right through it.”

The film relies heavily on Burke. In many ways, if she hadn’t worked then the film itself wouldn’t have worked.

Luckily, the proved she was up to the task. Her performance is a lesson in the strength of a mother in the face of a threat to her child.

As filming came to a close, Christensen had time to reflect on the things he’d learned from his first time directing a feature film, and he definitely feels he learned a couple of valuable lessons in the process.

“There were times when I was focused on the wrong thing and it would bleed into a scene and I regret that now, but it’s like trying to sprint a marathon,” he points out. “In the end I learned to focus on story and performance first. If you do that, then a lot of other things will just fall into place.”

Still/Born will be given a limited release on February 9, 2018 and will be available on VOD on the same day. Check out the trailer below!

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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