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The Circle – An Interview with director James Ponsoldt

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Privacy has become a rare commodity, if it exists at all. We must assume that all of our phone calls and messages are being monitored. Somebody’s always watching. The only sanctuary left exists in our minds, with our thoughts, but what if this fell away? What if “they” could read our minds the same way they read our emails?

THE CIRCLE, TOM HANKS, 2017. PH: FRANK MASI/© EUROPACORP USA

This is the frightening premise of the new thriller film The Circle, which is based on Dave Eggers’ 2013 novel. The Circle is the name of a powerful Internet corporation that trades in freedom, privacy, and surveillance. Tom Hanks, who also produced the film, plays the head of the corporation. Emma Watson plays a young tech worker who joins The Circle and quickly unearths a conspiracy that could affect the future of humanity.

THE CIRCLE, EMMA WATSON, 2017. PH: FRANK MASI/© EUROPACORP USA

I recently had the chance to talk to James Ponsoldt, the director of The Circle, which opens in wide release on April 28.

DG: How would you describe the plot of the film?

JP: Mae Holland, a young woman who’s been out of college for a couple of years, isn’t happy with her post-college life. She has a boring job, and she’s living with her parents, and it’s very bleak. Then a friend of hers from college contacts her out of the blue and tells Mae that there’s a job opening at the company the friend works at, which is called The Circle. Mae gets a job at the company, which seems like a dream job to her. She starts off in the customer experience department, which is like being a customer service rep but much more exciting than the customer service rep job Mae was working in at the start of the film. This dream job becomes Mae’s life. It’s like a religion. There’s a cult-like aspect to The Circle, and she becomes a true believer. A utopian environment seems to exist within the corporation, and it takes over Mae’s life. Then she becomes the face of the company. This is when she begins to learn about everything that’s going on inside the company.

DG: What attracted you to this project?

JP: I loved the book. It stirred my imagination. I was swept up in Mae’s journey, which is a fascinating, strange journey. I felt a deep bond with her as I read the book, so much so that I felt protective of her. Then, as I continued through the book, I began to find parts of her character and personality unappealing, which really threw me. I had access to her thoughts, which is one of the key elements of the story, and then I realized: What if someone could read my thoughts? Well, maybe they wouldn’t like me so much either.

DG: What do you think audiences will find most compelling and frightening about the film?

JP: Our relationship with our devices, gadgets, has become frightening, and that’s what the film is about. I was horrified when I read the book, because it made me realize how addicted I was to technology. Could I let go of all of my gadgets? My wife and I were about to have our first child when the book came out, and the book made me think about the world that my child was about to enter. Now I have two children, and I hope the film makes people feel the same way. How much freedom and privacy will my children have in the future? How much will their lives be documented, and how much choice do we have over this?

DG: Having adapted books previously, what were the challenges you faced in turning The Circle into a feature film?

JP: I wouldn’t say this film shows an alternate vision of the future as much as it represents an alternate version of now. Because of that, it was vital that the film appear to be relevant, and I was very worried about how the film would age. When you make a film, you usually can’t worry about how your film will age in five or ten years, but I had to think this way with The Circle. While the book seemed very speculative when it came out in 2013, the ideas and themes are much closer to reality now, so how will the story appear in five years? However, the book really wasn’t about the technology. It was about our lives. It was about people and humanity and privacy, and the potential for our world to turn into a surveillance state. Having said that, nothing dates a film like its technology, so how we showed the gadgets was very important. In our film, there’s no Apple, no Facebook, and there’s no Twitter. There are Circle products, and the devices in the film don’t exist in our world yet, so people won’t be able to look at this film in ten years and laugh about how outdated the devices are.

DG: What did Tom Hanks and Emma Watson bring to this project that surprised you?

JP: I knew they were great actors, but what surprised me was how they respond to their massive followings, especially Tom. They understand that millions of people watch what they do and say, and they’re very cognizant of this, which relates to the film. This isn’t ego or vanity on their part: They’re famous actors, and the reality is that millions of people are following them, which gives them a very rare, unique perspective.

They communicate with their followers through technology. They have to. The film presents a possible future where everyone can become a celebrity, which isn’t far off from what’s happening today. Everyone has a website, and a social media platform, and everyone wants to feel important and to have their voice heard.

Tom, in particular, has been a major star for so many years, for decades, and he had a unique take on this film and its themes. He’s a producer on the film, and he was a champion of the book. He’s not the star of the film, which is very interesting, a new role for him. Emma’s the lead in the film, and because Emma and Tom are at very different points in their careers, they have different takes on the power of social media but also a deep understanding of its power. How many other people, celebrities, understand more than Emma and Tom do the power of social media and the paranoia of celebrity, of feeling that someone’s watching you at every moment in your life? It’s scary.

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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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