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Review: ‘#FromJennifer’ Is a Social Media Horror Movie That Delivers
As technology advances, and society shifts to accommodate, leave it to the horror genre to come up with stories to make these changes and our anxieties about them tangible and terrifying. Such as ‘Christine’ for cars, ‘Frankenstein’ about the line between life and death, or even ‘Black Christmas’ for phones, horror is always representing the shadow cast by these everyday tools. Social Media is on the forefront now such as with ‘Unfriended’ and ‘Friend Request’, but it’s with #FromJennifer that the mundane yet overbearing fear that such a platform has so much control over us now.
Image: Youtube
Directed by Frank Merle entirely in a 1st Person Camera POV, #FromJennifer follows the titular Jennifer Peterson (Danielle Taddei) who is trying her damndest to make it as an actor in Hollywood with a positive attitude. But don’t call her Jenny, a Jenny is a female donkey. After being fired off a low-budget horror movie, her manager, Chad (Played by ‘Candyman’s Tony Todd) encourages her to try and establish a stronger social media presence in order to find more work, like her bright and shiny best friend Stephanie (Meghan Deanna Smith) who has a million subscribers and does daily sketch videos.
She gets a web presence- thanks to her ex-boyfriend uploading revenge porn of them and essentially sinking her career when Chad drops her as a client. Determined for fame and revenge of her own, Jennifer continues. Recording everything as a part of her plan with a Go-Pro camera Stephanie gifted to her. She recruits Butch (Derek Mears of ‘Friday The 13th’) off of Craigslist as her henchman. A giant, well-meaning, socially anxious man who’s just getting over being broken up by his boyfriend and being laid off from his job at the DVD factory (Topical!) Together, they embark on what will be either a massive viral hit… or a deadly spree.
Image: Youtube
It is a tale that is sadly all too often today. The search for fame at any cost. Even after having her acting career thrown for a loop, she becomes focused on reaching the masses directly through the internet. Recording EVERYTHING. Even the crimes and deaths she and Butch commit in the name of their project. Though distinctly a dark comedy, there are some great scenes of tension as Jennifer’s plot unfolds and her mind unravels, and you just don’t know who will become a casualty along the way. Jennifer and Butch are distinctly sympathetic and complicated characters outside the usual ‘killers’ of horror movies. Having more in relation to the protagonists of a Coen Brothers’ movie, whose ignorance and determination get people killed. There are some really funny characters and jokes that only further juxtapose how dark and brutal things get.
Image: IMDB.com
The characters are an eccentric group. From Jennifer’s well intentioned but violent manservant, Butch, to the sleazy dates she entraps in her internet dating scheme, everybody who appears makes an impression. Unlike a lot of horror movies, and especially with the themes of social media, the plot is a pretty slow build-up through most of the first half, but when things go wild, they go wild! If you’re looking for a pitch black horror comedy of fame in the internet age, you can get it #FromJennifer.
#FromJennifer is now available for VOD and digital download.
Feature Image: Youtube
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Movies
Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released
In true Shyamalan form, he sets his film Trap inside a social situation where we aren’t sure what is going on. Hopefully, there is a twist at the end. Furthermore, we hope it’s better than the one in his divisive 2021 movie Old.
The trailer seemingly gives away a lot, but, as in the past, you can’t rely on his trailers because they are often red herrings and you are being gaslit to think a certain way. For instance, his movie Knock at the Cabin was completely different than what the trailer implied and if you hadn’t read the book on which the film is based it was still like going in blind.
The plot for Trap is being dubbed an “experience” and we aren’t quite sure what that means. If we were to guess based on the trailer, it’s a concert movie wrapped around a horror mystery. There are original songs performed by Saleka, who plays Lady Raven, a kind of Taylor Swift/Lady Gaga hybrid. They have even set up a Lady Raven website to further the illusion.
Here is the fresh trailer:
According to the synopsis, a father takes his daughter to one of Lady Raven’s jam-packed concerts, “where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.”
Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider.
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News
Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers
Warning: This is a disturbing story.
You have to be pretty desperate for money to do what this Brazilian woman did at the bank to get a loan. She wheeled in a fresh corpse to endorse the contract and she seemingly thought the bank employees wouldn’t notice. They did.
This weird and disturbing story comes via ScreenGeek an entertainment digital publication. They write that a woman identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes pushed a man she identified as her uncle into the bank pleading with him to sign loan papers for $3,400.
If you’re squeamish or easily triggered, be aware that the video captured of the situation is disturbing.
Latin America’s largest commercial network, TV Globo, reported on the crime, and according to ScreenGeek this is what Nunes says in Portuguese during the attempted transaction.
“Uncle, are you paying attention? You must sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, as I cannot sign on your behalf!”
She then adds: “Sign so you can spare me further headaches; I can’t bear it any longer.”
At first we thought this might be a hoax, but according to Brazilian police, the uncle, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga had passed away earlier that day.
“She attempted to feign his signature for the loan. He entered the bank already deceased,” Police Chief Fábio Luiz said in an interview with TV Globo. “Our priority is to continue investigating to identify other family members and gather more information regarding this loan.”
If convicted Nunes could be facing jail time on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and desecration of a corpse.
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News
Spirit Halloween Unleashes Life-Size ‘Ghostbusters’ Terror Dog
Halfway to Halloween and the licensed merch is already being released for the holiday. For instance, the seasonal retailer giant Spirit Halloween unveiled their giant Ghostbusters Terror Dog for the first time this year.
The one-of-a-kind demonic dog has eyes that light up in a glowing, terrifying red. It’s going to set you back a whopping $599.99.
Since this year we saw the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it’s probably going to be a popular theme come October. Spirit Halloween is embracing their inner Venkman with other releases tied to the franchise such as the LED Ghostbuster Ghost Trap, Ghostbusters Walkie Talkie, Life-Size Replica Proton Pack.
We saw the release of other horror props today. Home Depot unveiled a few pieces from their line which includes the signature giant skeleton and separate dog companion.
For the latest Halloween merch and updates get on over to Spirit Halloween and see what else they have to offer to make your neighbors jealous this season. But for now, enjoy a small video that features scenes from this classic cinematic canine.
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