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Amazon’s ‘Carnival Row’ is a Timely Dark Fairy Tale

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Carnival Row

Amazon’s Carnival Row debuted yesterday, and the genre-blending series is already becoming one of the streaming platform’s most talked about titles.

Set in an alternate Victorian-era world, the series is built on the idea that humans, upon discovering the world of the Fae went to war over control of it. The battle lasted for years until The Republic of the Burgue withdrew from the conflict leaving the Fae world to the opposing force known as The Pact.

As the series begins, it has been seven years since the Burgue withdrew, and the Fae are now actively hunted by the Pact causing many of them to flee their world, selling themselves into indentured servitude and worse to escape death.

One Fae in particular, Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne), has been helping her fellow Fae escape, never fully understanding what the world outside was like until she has to flee the Fae world herself.

She soon finds herself entangled with her former lover Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate (Orlando Bloom) as a dark creature begins roaming the streets of the city brutally killing human and Fae alike.

Showrunners Rene Echevarria (MediumStar Trek: The Next Generation) and Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim) created the show’s meticulous mythology, expanding the world that Beacham had created in a film script which was never realized.

Much of it was filmed in the Czech Republic which proves an ideal backdrop for this particular tale. It is dirty and gritty, and surprisingly real considering its fantastic elements.

Delevingne and Bloom give excellent performances as Vignette and Philo leading an equally brilliant cast including Jared Harris (The Quiet Ones), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Alice Krige (Sleepwalkers), David Gyasi (Annihilation), and Tamzin Merchant (Salem) to name just a few.

The character relationships with each other and the world around them are incredibly complicated, and in many ways, reflect a sad reality we’ve seen play out time and again in our own world history.

Carnival Row Agreus

The make-up effects department on Carnival Row is second to none as you can see with David Gyasi as the wealthy Puck, Agreus. (Photo via IMDb)

The Fae face constant bigotry and prejudice by humans who in turn exploit everything about them.

At one point, for example, Vignette finds herself face-to-face with a poster advertising an exhibit of Fae artwork collected from Tirnanoc, the Fae World, but the exhibit comes with a prohibition: NO UNACCOMPANIED FAE ALLOWED.

A once wealthy brother and sister chafe when a Puck, a satyr-like Fae, buys the elegant home next to theirs, but they aren’t above using his resources to try to turn their own fate around.

The police constantly harass Fae street vendors asking for “permits” which they’re more than happy to sell to the unfortunate Fae on the spot, lining their own pockets, and nothing is so alluring and taboo for certain society gentlemen than traveling down to the Row to sample the delights at a Fae brothel.

The fact that we see these kinds of behaviors daily in our own society with lines drawn in the sand over race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion in 2019 makes Carnival Row feel relevant and timely.

Overall, Carnival Row is masterfully made though it does suffer from the growing pains we’ve come to expect from a brand new series in its first season caught between character development, exposition and a complex plot.

It stumbles from time to time, but it never falls, and anyone who has ever followed a series like Game of Thrones, for example, will have no problems with the complexity of the story.

Moreover, it has one of the most terrifying monsters we’ve seen in quite some time on any screen thanks to an incredible visual effects department.

And then there’s the glorious score created by Nathan Barr. No stranger to the genre space, Barr has composed for Cabin FeverHemlock GroveThe House with a Clock in its Walls, and The Domestics to name just a few.

He has that incredible ability to immerse the audience in a fantastic space, creating music and soundscapes that amplify what we’re seeing onscreen, and his work in Carnival Row is no exception. His score for the series, colored with Celtic instrumentation, sets the perfect tone for a dark fairy tale.

All eight, hour-long episodes of the first season of Carnival Row are available on Amazon Prime. It’s a series worth binging. In fact, it almost demands it.

Check out the trailer below, and let us know if you’re watching in the comments!

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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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