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‘M.O.M. (Mothers of Monsters)’ is a Bone-Chilling Thriller

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M.O.M.

M.O.M. (Mothers of Monster), a new found footage style film from writer/director Tucia Lyman will have its big screen debut in Los Angeles on Friday, March 13, 2020 with a release on digital VOD and cable to follow.

The film focuses on Abbey (Melinda Page Hamilton), a single mother who suspects her son Jacob (Bailey Edwards) might be a budding psychopath. Unfortunately, no one will listen to her growing concerns, so she decides to document his behavior for other mothers who might find themselves in the same situation.

Told through cellphone footage, surveillance cameras, and Skype calls, a film whose subject matter is already disturbing delivers a shot of unexpected and uncomfortable realism that will leave audiences squirming in their seats.

Hamilton, who previously appeared in the Netflix series Messiah as well as the ABC hit How to Get Away with Murder, is believable as a woman at the end of her quickly fraying rope. Her emotional arc from anger to vulnerability to fear is utterly captivating.

It’s Edwards, however, in an impressive debut–he’s previously had small roles in film’s like Netflix’s Bright–that will have you on the edge of your seat in M.O.M. He has an unnerving way of staring into the camera, his eyes wide in faux innocence with a dangerous, violent undercurrent just beneath the surface of the mask.

What I found most impressive in his performance was the precision with which he could flip from one emotion to the next in a realistic portrayal of a boy who may have no real emotions at all, but who has learned to mimic what he sees in others. Honestly, it’s the kind of talent one expects from a much older and more experienced actor and it was a pleasant surprise to find in Edwards.

It is ultimately the subject matter, itself, that is most disturbing in M.O.M. Lyman tapped into primal fears of parenthood and the supposed innocence of childhood to craft a story that is tension-filled and compelling.

“I’ve always been intrigued by real-life horror films that use the dysfunctions of society as a vessel to explore the truth,” the filmmaker said in a statement. “M.O.M. is a work of narrative fiction, but much of the behavior, scenarios, and dialogue were borrowed from the journals and publications of real-life school shooters and their parents. It is a very confronting film, much like the subject matter itself, and I hope it will contribute to the national debate surrounding mental health stigma and gun violence in America.”

The realism and the fact that we’ve so many instances of this type of violence in the U.S. rings true throughout. It’s the kind of film that will no doubt fuel discussion in audience members long after its limited release.

M.O.M. will screen for a week at the Arena Cinelounge on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles beginning on March 13, 2020 with release dates for home viewing to be determined.

Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think in the comments.

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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