News

TRAGEDY GIRLS Perfectly Combines Gore, Horror and Good Times

Published

7 years ago

October 19, 2017

There has been a recent new wave of what I like to call “millennial-sploitation” films as of late. Its hard to tell if these films are being helmed by a card carrying, H&M clad, actual millennial or if they are being directed by an archaic hand who is trying to simultaneously understand and preach about a generation they don’t understand. I go into those films with the bar set low. The heavy handed-exploitative nature can be abrasive. Lucky for us, while Tragedy Girls does fit into the above mentioned sub-genre it manages to do everything spot on and refreshing in its approach.

Tragedy Girls follows Sadie Cunningham (Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla Hooper (Alexandra Shipp), two social media obsessed high school students, who have some super macabre extra curriculars. See, they spend their time playing a dangerous game that toys with serial killers, incorporates murder and the inevitable posting of true-crimish manipulative material to social network channels. Like other students, they have goals, only difference is theirs seem to be more on the blood soaked side of the spectrum.

Almost anything said about this film can spoil it. I have to treat this synopsis with kid-gloves. So, I don’t want to say too much more about the plot. All I can say is that if you can skip the trailer and just go in blind to the experience, I definitely recommend it.

The film is gleefully, gory, stylish and self aware. But never gets heavy on the whole social commentary of, say, the dangers of social media usage. It isn’t a PSA, even though it could have quickly become that. It is refreshing to see a film that knows it is allowed to be fun and light – and Tragedy Girls absolutely revels in the fun and the gore.

Director, Tyler MacIntyre makes interesting choices in terms of the look and feel of the film itself. He chooses to use an overly-neat, crisp digital polish that is easily comparable to a Lifetime movie. I found it distracting at times but there there is reward to this method of madness. Once realized, it makes that aesthetic choice part of the experience in a smart subtle wink that doesn’t reveal itself until late in the movie.

Both Hildebrand and Shipp are great. They balance the right amounts of playfulness and sociopathic tendencies to make them a great new addition to the horror genre. Watching these two, its hard to not be silently praying that Tragedy Girls becomes a franchise. Cause dammit, these two could easily carry one.

I also, gotta give a shout out to actor Timothy V. Murphy who plays Sheriff Blane Welch. It took me a while to recognize him with the moustache and accent, but this is the dude from those adorable DirecTV ads, that featured an overly wealthy Russian guy kissing a tiny giraffe. I was a sucker for those ads and it made me happy to see him pop-up in this. Dude does great work and I hope to see him in a lot more stuff.

Also, keep your eye out for tons of small winks and easter eggs that will appeal to genre fans. From the two lead characters last names, to some of the kills in the film. This is ultimately a love letter to the things, people and places in horror that all us fanatics hold dear.

Tragedy Girls is smart about its nature. It takes the best of Heathers and Scream, mixes in social media obsession and works up some horror alchemy that reaches exciting heights. It is unrelenting in its ideals and semi-sociopathic in some of its choices, but choosing those paths helps to subvert tropes and keep you engaged and surprised from start to finish.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Related Topics:Brianna Hildebrand Tragedy Girls

Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

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.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

6 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

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.”

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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.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

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

Published

8 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

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.