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Micah Gallo’s ‘Itsy Bitsy’ Fails to Successfully Spin its Web

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Itsy Bitsy

Micah Gallo’s new eight-legged creature feature Itsy Bitsy is a film that has all the elements needed for a fun popcorn movie. Unfortunately, those elements fail to fully work together to create an entirely enjoyable film.

Based on a story by Gallo with a script he wrote with Bryan Dick, and Jason Alvino, Itsy Bitsy is the story of a woman named Kara (Elizabeth Roberts) who travels halfway across the country with her children Jesse (Arman Darbo) and Cambria (Chloe Perrin) to take a job as an in-home nurse to Walter Clark (Bruce Davison), a man who has spent his life traveling the world, exploring, and collecting exotic treasures.

Now losing his mobility, Walter needs all the help he can get, especially after a mysterious artifact is delivered to his home with a deadly surprise inside: a spider tied to an ancient curse.

On the surface, it’s the perfect setup for a creature feature paying homage to its predecessors like Arachnophobia while creating their world.

Both Davison and Darbo give really great performances. Darbo, in particular, is a young actor to watch. He seems to have a maturity that others his age sometimes lack, and he brings emotional depth to his character in spite of the sometimes uneven writing.

The scenes the actors share are some of the most poignant and emotionally effective in the film.

Likewise, Gallo’s special effects team rose to the occasion, creating practical special effects for his creatures, giving them an interesting texture and allowing the actors to really interact with them during the film.

Unfortunately, where Itsy Bitsy drops the ball is in editing and pacing.

The first two acts of the film bog down repeatedly, dispersing what little tension they manage to build in key moments almost immediately. This makes for a particularly long first hour of the film which unfortunately the viewer cannot quite forget when the action finally does begin to ramp up toward the end.

Gallo manages a couple of genuine moments as Kara faces down the dog-sized spiders in an attempt to save her children, and Denise Crosby (Pet Sematary, 1989) gets to flex a bit as the local sheriff who made a connection with Jesse earlier in the film here.

It’s as if they know how to set up really great moments, but are unsure how to complete them. It’s rather like having that one person you really like asking you out on a date over and over again, but they never show.

The final showdown and denouement ultimately gives way to a somewhat saccharine, optimistic ending that just did not feel genuine given the previous events in the film.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with a horror film with a happy ending. This one simply did not land, mostly because of a couple of gaping plot holes, one of which they attempted to cover in 30-second tag after the family rides away into the sunset.

Gallo and his cast and crew attempted to make a horror film with heart. Sadly, the film’s issues prevented it from solidly landing its emotional message for this reviewer, and without that element the rest just seems to fall flat.

Itsy Bitsy is currently available on multiple streaming platforms and will be available on Blu Ray on October 1, 2019 from Shout Factory so you can watch and decide for yourself.

To learn more about the film, you can visit their official website or give them a follow on their Facebook page. Check out the trailer below.

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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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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

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Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

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