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Review: ‘Followed’ Shows The Horrors of Internet Influencing
If there’s been one underlying fact when it comes to a variety of horror premises, be it spending a night in a haunted house or exploring an alien ship, it’s this: money is a motivator. As is the case of Followed, a found footage and livestream horror movie of sorts that brings this all too familiar premise to the digital age.
The story follows a vlogger and internet influencer named Mike (Matthew Solomon) who goes by the online persona of ‘DropTheMike’. He runs a horror themed video channel where he pulls pranks, visits the sites of crimes, hauntings, and atrocities, and plugs for subscribers. He receives an offer for hundreds of thousands of dollars in sponsorship if he can get his subscriber count high enough, and in order to achieve this goal, Mike decides to spend Halloween at the Hotel Lennox. An infamous hotel that’s supposedly haunted and was the site of several mysterious murders, suicides, and disappearances. Along with his friends Chris (Tim Direr), Danni (Sam Valentine), and editor Nic (Caitlin Grace), they check in and search for supernatural happenings. Mike himself is a non-believer and just wants to make some quick cash, but he get more than he bargained for in this particular project…
As I said prior, Followed takes a rather familiar horror premise and gives it a shiny, internet era update. Livestreaming from a haunting and letting the numbers uptick. And the setting of the ‘Hotel Lennox’ is an interesting one, clearly drawing from the infamous Los Angeles’ Hotel Cecil and its own cases of disappearances and notorious serial killer occupants. Offering a myriad of spirits and supernatural terror to unleash upon Mike and his crew. Which offers an interesting mix, but at the same time kind of muddled the exact nature of the supernatural menacing them. At the same time, culminating in a bizarre and surreal explosion of ghostly calamity that would make Lucio Fulci proud.
The story follows some rather typical beats, so the scares didn’t feel too strong. Jump-scares and entities in the corners of recording, that sort of thing. One of the bigger strengths of the story is the examination of influencer culture by way of the lead character of Mike. When introduced, he’s an obnoxious ‘it’s just a prank, bro!’ internet personality. His friends more often than not begrudgingly work with him, and his editor is introduced flipping him off. The only person that he shows any real emotion and empathy with is to his fiancee, Jess (Kelsey Griswold). And even then, revealing that his main motivation being his inferiority complex to her. Wanting to make enough money after his previous failures as a filmmaker and he’s willing to degrade himself and others in order to do it. As terrifying as the spirits are, the lengths a desperate man is willing to go for money, stability, and peace of mind is also to be recognized.
The cast are pretty decent, though Mike’s obnoxious vlogger persona is all too grating and it can be hard to differentiate between personas and genuine fear. The special FX are mostly digital and screen based, considering the found footage and internet angle of the story. Oftentimes involving the modern classic ‘glitch ghosts’ that distort the screen and blink in and out. A good touch.
So, while the horror aspect of Followed doesn’t offer too much in the way of new scares or plot, it’s still a solid found footage movie for 2020. So, if you want to see the last broadcast of DropTheMike, give it a watch either online or your local drive-in.
Followed is in Drive-In Theaters currently as of June 19th, 2020.
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Movies
Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed
The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.
Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.
The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.
Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”
Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.
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News
Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween
Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.
The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.
“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.
Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.
The prize also includes:
An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings
A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear
A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room
A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course
The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II
Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two
“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”
Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.
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Movies
’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power
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.
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.
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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