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‘Leprechaun Returns’ Is Horror Comedy Gold

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The cycle of horror franchises is seemingly perpetual. Many starting in the 80’s with following sequels pumped out direct-to-video/DVD/VOD and so on to varying degrees of quality. Most are cash-grabs, but when you find a horror franchise sequel, regardless of format, that perfectly captures the spirit of the original, it must be lauded. Which is why I cannot recommend Leprechaun Returns enough!

Image via IMDB

A direct continuation of the original 1993 horror comedy, the story follows Lila (Taylor Spreitler) as she journeys to North Dakota AU Sorority’s brand new, eco-friendly house… which just so happens to be on the site of the dead fairytale creature. And as the old saying goes (or at least it should) you can’t keep a good Leprechaun down! The Leprechaun soon returns to his old habits of one-liners and murder as he tries to track down his pot ‘o gold while slaughtering any sorority sisters in his way!

Being a Syfy Channel TV movie, it’s easy to assume it’s just a schlockfest when there’s some real magic at work here. Directed by Astron-6 alum/SFX artist Steven Kostanski, CG is minimal and flows with a truly impressive array of practical work for all sorts of gory kills and mystical mayhem. Let’s just say the Leprechaun makes some creative use of the green sorority house’s solar panels and a wayward drone. The make-up on the Leprechaun is like that of the old while making it gnarlier to set it as its own. Gross green skin, a flowing red beard, and piercing golden eyes. If you’re in need of a practical heavy movie, this one’s for you.

The script by Ash VS Evil Dead writer Suzanne Keilly stands out in the best ways a horror comedy should. The Leprechaun’s one-liners are as fresh as ever, and there’s some self-referential bits that cracked me up. In particular, the shoe obsessed Leprechaun’s reaction to Crocs were hysterical. The characters are fairly typical of this sort of Greek Week terror. There’s the sorority sisters, some frat guys, and our main character who has some secrets to be unveiled.

Image via IMDB

As well as the return of the Leprechaun, Mark Holton as Ozzie from the first movie makes a comeback. It’s interesting to note that this is also the first time in the franchise that any sequel has connected to another, especially the first. On the Leprechaun himself, while Warwick Davis sadly does not return for this outing, his replacement does a fine job in filling his finely buckled shoes. Linden Porco is able to cackle and crack-wise while cracking skulls with his lepre-claws just fine.

Leprechaun Returns is not without its faults, but mainly can be attributed to a low-budget. Minimal cast means a minimal amount of kills. For the most part, those characters don’t really stand-out too much aside from being Leprechaun fodder. And while a majority share of the jokes land, some felt like they were trying a bit too hard to be current, as in millenials, eco-friendliness, that sort of thing.

Overall however, Leprechaun Returns is most definitely the Leprechaun sequel fans have been craving as much as the titular monster has been craving his gold. Truly recapturing the sickly green heart of the original and setting up for further maniacal misadventures.

Leprechaun Returns is out on digital/VOD December 11th, 2018 and will be airing on The Syfy Channel in 2019.

Image via IMDB

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

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Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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