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Boaz Yakin Takes Us Inside ‘Boarding School’

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In the grand scheme of things, Boaz Yakin is hardly new to the horror game. Once upon a time, he was partners with Eli Roth and Scott Spiegel at Raw Nerve Productions.

The company was responsible for the birth of the Hostel franchise, and had a hand in bringing the Robert Englund and Lin Shaye led remake of 2001 Maniacs.

“The company went away but I always felt like doing a horror movie on my own was something I really needed and wanted to do,” Yakin told iHorror in a recent interview. “I had this idea that embracing the things about yourself that you might be ashamed of and owning them is important. That’s where the idea for Boarding School came from, really.”

The writer and director mined that theme for everything it was worth in bringing the film to life blending genres and creating something rooted in genre archetypes yet somehow greater than its parts.

In the film, twelve year old Jacob (Luke Prael) becomes obsessed with the image of his deceased grandmother. Much to the dismay of his mother and stepfather, he revels in her music, tries on her clothes, and sees the story of her life play out in his head over and over again.

Before long, he finds himself shipped off to a super secretive boarding school with seriously sinister motives, and he has to find that strength within himself to protect himself and his classmates.

“For me, I’ve struggled for a big part of my life with the fact that I have a very strong feminine side,” Yakin explained. “In film, most hero journeys involve finding your father’s sword. I wanted to turn that convention on its head. Jacob doesn’t find power that way. It’s not his father’s sword, but instead his grandmother’s dress that empowers him.”

That’s exactly what he did.

But he was doubly lucky when it came time to cast the film, however, in finding Luke Prael to embody the role of young Jacob, however. The actor was only 12 years old when filming began but he brought a maturity to the role far beyond his years, and Yakin could not have been more impressed with the young man’s performance.

“This was his first movie and he was really raw, but he has this incredibly strong light about him,” the director pointed out. “He also has this very internalized strength. He keeps what he’s feeling very close to him. I like those kinds of performances.”

The director didn’t only find himself lucky in casting Prael, however. He hit a veritable gold mine in securing Tammy Blanchard (Into the Woods) and Will Patton (The Puppet Masters) as the Shermans, the couple running the school.

“When you read the script, there wasn’t much for Tammy’s character to do, but then she showed up on set and suddenly everything she does, every movement, suddenly had this weight to it,” Yakin said. “And then Will, man, one of my favorite things about the film is his performance. He was amazing.”

There was a final piece to the film’s puzzle, however. The sets for the school had to be perfect, but Yakin and the producers were already facing budget constraints. While scouting for locations, the director found exactly what he was looking for only 45 minutes from his home in Manhattan.

The woman who owned the property agreed to filming and soon, Yakin, Prael, and the rest of the cast were ensconced in what Yakin described as something out of a Kubrick film. It also allowed him to pay homage to one of his filmmaking idols.

“With that amazing location, we were able, with a limited lighting kit, to reproduce the look of some of Mario Bava’s classic films,” he enthused. “The reds and blues could be more extreme and impressionistic and it would help raise the tension level of the entire project.”

Yakin’s vision came to startling life in the finished product. It is both terrifying and moving, a rare combination in the genre but one that is most refreshing.

You can see Boarding School in its limited theater release and on VOD right now! 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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