Connect with us

News

Kurtis David Harder’s ‘Spiral’ is Unnerving Psychological Horror at Its Best

Published

on

Spiral

There is something powerfully insidious about Kurtis David Harder’s new psychological horror film, Spiral. The film* which originally played FrightFest in the UK in 2019 received strong reviews from critics and audiences alike.

Written by Colin Minihan (It Stains the Sands Red) and John Poliquin (Grave Encounters 2), the film takes place in 1995 and centers on Aaron (Ari Cohen) and Malik (Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman), a couple who leave the city behind for a small town in hopes of creating a better life for their daughter, Kayla (Jennifer Laporte).

From almost the first moment they arrive, however, something just isn’t right.

The neighbors are a little too awkwardly friendly and supportive. The town eccentrics stare just a bit too long. It is unsettling, and it plants a seed of dread in your stomach that carefully and methodically grows throughout the duration of the film.

Harder and cinematographer Bradley Stuckel (Still/Born) prove themselves time and again throughout Spiral with a meticulous attention to space and character proving that you don’t need walls or bars to make a scene seem claustrophobic. In fact there are times in the film when even the horizon seems to crash down on the characters, and when they move that focus inside, it can be almost unbearable.

The director also seems to wring every last ounce of believable emotion from the central family in this tale.

Bowyer-Chapman in particular gives a stunning performance as Malik. The actor was previously criminally underused in American Horror Story: Apocalypse as Andre Stevens, son of voodoo queen talk show host Dinah Stevens (Adina Porter).

His carefully crafted backstory proves a solid foundation for why he is willing to fight for his family, but it’s the actor’s performance that draws you to the edge of your seat simultaneously rooting for him and covering your eyes as he’s forced to make impossible decisions while everyone, including himself, doubts his own sanity.

Lochlyn Munro (Riverdale) is also rather brilliant as one of the family’s neighbors serving as the equivalent of Bradley Whitford in Get Out. He says all the “right things” which somehow never feel quite right and he sells it completely throughout the film.

What stands out most, and is truly terrifying about this film, is the statement it makes about marginalized communities and the way they’re viewed by those in the majority. The film also explores the long-reaching effects of PTSD, not only on the person suffering from it but also the people around them.

In other hands, it might have become the equivalent of a PSA, but instead of a spotlight, Harder, Minihan, and Poliquin, chose a laser-pointer.

This precision adds to the overall tension of the film without detracting in the least from story and character, and makes the final shocking moments of Spiral a stomach-churning nightmare.

*This review of the film was written in September 2019.

Spiral is now streaming on Shudder.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Movies

Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

Published

on

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.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

Movies

Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released

Published

on

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.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

News

Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers

Published

on

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.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading