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Horror Short Sunday: ‘Intruders’

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December’s icy grip is already taking hold, and what better way to welcome the cold this Horror Short Sunday than with writer/director Santiago Menghini’s melancholy short film Intruders (2014). This chilling piece stars Joshua Young, Charles Sirard Blouin, Sarianne Cormier, Alain Gendreau, Lynda Lapierre, and Tristan Gabriel Chaput. The film was produced by Katerine Lefrançois.

Here is the official synopsis:

“In the aftermath of a deadly haunting in a small suburban home, a sinister omnipresent entity proceeds to cause havoc in the private lives of a young boy, an unsuspecting teen, and an absent minded inspector.”

Intruders plays out like an episodic horror story told in three parts. The first two segments of the film are adapted from short comics titled 5:45 A.M. by Al Columbia and Jacov by Uno Moralez, while the final segment titled Inspector is an original creation.

Here is a breakdown of Intruders’ three segments:

5:45 A.M.

We open on a suburban home now still and quieted in the aftermath of something terrible that occurred. The interior is left in disarray, as an older woman’s lifeless body sits with eyes wide open on the living room couch. But there is someone else with her. We hear a ruckus outside as eggs pelt the windows, and two young vandals are seen making a run for it into the cold night.

Jacov

One of the vandals now sits alone in the bedroom of his high-rise apartment drawing at his desk. As the snow falls softly outside, Jacov suddenly pauses sensing a strange presence. Something has followed the boys home from the sleepy suburban house they antagonized.

Inspector

An inspector wanders into the disheveled home seen in the first segment to investigate what occurred. He makes his way from room to room, snapping photos of the scene. As he continues searching for clues, he suddenly feels he’s not alone.

Intruders is a unnerving experience, as we drift in and out of each ambiguous segment like a bad dream. Jacov’s story is terrifying in such a surreal way. The monstrous woman inexplicably spots Jacov from the window, makes her way to him at impossible speed, and somehow knows exactly where he is in a large building. The pacing and tone feels like it was pulled directly from someone’s nightmares. It’s a horrifying call-back to Hitchcock’s Rear Window that absolutely stands on its own.

Director of photography Ray Lavers does a gorgeous job bringing the panels from the comics to life. The disheveled interior of the suburban home sits undisturbed and bathed in shadow like a mausoleum, with outside streetlights and headlights revealing the horrors within. The short has rich visuals with many stunningly lit shots resembling classic chiaroscuro paintings. The visual storytelling in Intruders is so strong you may not even realize until after you watched it that there is no actual dialogue.

Intruders has an eerie peacefulness to its snowy winter aesthetic. The sound department lends a delicate subtlety to the cold atmosphere with soft wind blowing outside, and no stinging jump scares breaking the mood. The score by Hugo Mayrand is subdued, creeping in and out of the silence during key moments.

Santiago Menghini’s Intruders is a dark force to be reckoned with that will keep you unsettled long after it’s over. This ominous film would pair well with the heavy atmosphere of Ju-On and Let the Right One In. Check out the full short film below!

Be sure to curl up on the couch and take a look at some of our other Horror Short Sunday picks! We’ll be back next week with another great short film for you to enjoy!

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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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