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Review: ‘BUGS: A Trilogy’ Horror Anthology Leaves a Powerful Sting

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BUGS: A Trilogy

Written by Alexandra Grunberg and directed by Simone Kisiel, horror anthology BUGS: A Trilogy will make your skin crawl – for all the right reasons.

“On their own, spiders, parasites, and bedbugs hold their own private horror for those who are beset by the quiet scuttles and slurps of inhuman creatures. But for Diane, Hannah, and Elena, three varied yet eerily similar women, these bugs represent the larger horrors of paranoia, helplessness, and abandonment.” 

Composer Miriam Mayer has fitted the anthology with a score that perfectly adapts its musical style for each new segment. Musical tones shift from an avant-garde prickling that matches the first story’s stark aesthetics; to a slower, melancholic drone that reflects the declining state of the next segment’s main character.

Similarly, the lighting and color palettes build a strong contrast between each story. These subtle and well-blended differences have a big effect.

Writer Alexandra Grunberg stars in the lead role for all three segments. Each character is brought to life with sincerity — fleshed out with a different characterization and defining physicality. Grunberg’s performances are skillfully distinctive and you truly empathize with her in each frustrating situation.

via YouTube

As an anthology film, BUGS: A Trilogy is confidently focused in its themes and phobias. The women in each segment struggle to be heard as they face steadily growing fears.

In Hatchling, the first segment, a woman named Diane is trying to help make a young ward feel at home while his mother takes a much-needed break (of an ambiguous nature). Young Elliott – who seems hesitant about this arrangement – shows a blatant disregard for Diane’s efforts. To be perfectly frank, he’s a little shit. Diane is in an awkward position where she must put on a smiling, supportive face, trying to maintain some control over the situation while this bullheaded child does what he wants.

Parasite, the second segment, follows Hannah as she suffers mysterious stomach problems. Hannah tries to speak with her doctor to explain that her pain and discomfort have been getting worse, but her doctor insists that she must continue with her medications. Hannah tries to reach out for support, but her calls are not returned. In isolated agony, she faces accusations that she must be doing something wrong to feel this way.

The third and final segment, Bed Bugs, shows the sleepless Elena who is convinced she must have bed bugs in her home. She voices her concerns to her mother and roommate who either refuse to deal with the situation or tell her that it’s all in her head. Elena knows there must be a problem, but she’s regularly hushed or made to feel as though her fears are just an overreaction.

via Indiegogo

Diane feels the need to stay positive and “smile” while her efforts are ignored with rude demands for more. Hannah’s health concerns are dismissed, her strength weakening as she feels something growing inside her. Elena is told she must be imagining the things that are happening in her own bedroom.

The underlying message of each segment is crystal clear, despite the fictional nature of the story. These feelings of being pushed, ignored, silenced, and diminished are ones that all women have experienced.

In a press release for BUGS: A Trilogy, director Simone Kisiel eloquently explains:

“I believe that film is a medium through which an artist can use comedy or scares to not only entertain and provide an escape, but to also spur critical thought in the audience,” Kisiel says. “BUGS: A Trilogy presents female issues, horrific fictional examples of a very real oppression in modern American society in a genre that is widely enjoyed and watched by a range of audiences.”

On its surface, BUGS: A Trilogy is a well-balanced horror anthology with an excellently creepy unifying theme, because – let’s face it – bugs are pretty damn scary on their own. But the film also has a topical honesty that bites like a tick; it will burrow under your skin and leave you with a lasting chill.

BUGS: A Trilogy

via DecayMag

BUGS: A Trilogy premiered at the Women in Horror Film Festival and is available now through Amazon (and streaming on Amazon Prime). You can watch the trailer below!

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Childhood Memories Collide in New Horror Film ‘Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble’

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It looks like ITN Studious and Jagged Edge Productions are going the Avengers: Infinity War route with their upcoming film Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. From the deranged mind of Rhys Frake-Waterfield (Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey) comes this belligerent mash up of beloved childhood icons.

According to an article out of Variety today, Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will consist of Winnie the Pooh, Bambi, Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Tigger, Piglet, The Mad Hatter, and Sleeping Beauty. All of these iconic figured will be warped into nightmarish versions of their former selves. Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble is set to be released upon the world sometime in 2025.

Poohniverse

Actor-producer Scott Chambers (Malevolent) had the following to say about Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. “As horror fans, we would love an Avengers that is all villains. It’d have Freddy Krueger, Jason, ‘Halloween,’ ‘Scream,’ all of those. Obviously that will never happen, but we can make it happen in our own little way, and that’s where this film has been born.”

Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble will be a part of The Twisted Childhood Universe. Just like the MCU, each character will first get a standalone film. After introductions are made, they will be reunited in an Avengers style film. Although they will be killing off the survivors from the previous films, they won’t be working together.

Chambers describes this as an “epic sequences of monster vs. monster.” And I don’t know what more fans could ask of the studio. This fantastical idea is a huge risk but Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble sounds amazing.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Check back here for more updates on Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble. If you haven’t already, check out the trailer for Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2 below.

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Blumhouse’s ‘The Wolf Man’ Reboot Kicks Off Production with Leigh Whannell at the Helm

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Blumhouse Productions has officially commenced filming its reboot of the Universal Monsters legend, “Wolf Man”. Under the direction of Leigh Whannell, known for his acclaimed work on “The Invisible Man” (2020), the project promises to breathe new life into the iconic tale. The film is slated for a theatrical release on October 25th, marking a new chapter in the storied franchise.

Wolf Man

The journey of a “Wolf Man” reboot began in 2020 when actor Ryan Gosling presented a fresh take on the classic story to Universal. This concept quickly evolved into a screenplay crafted by the talented duo Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, who are known for their work on “Orange Is the New Black,” alongside contributions from Whannell and Corbett Tuck. The narrative is set in contemporary times, drawing inspiration from the atmospheric tension of Jake Gyllenhaal’s “Nightcrawler,” albeit with a distinct supernatural twist.

The film has seen its share of directorial and casting shifts, with Whannell initially signing on to direct in 2020, only to step away and then return to the project after Ryan Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance exited. The lead roles have been filled by Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner, both of whom bring significant talent to the screen. Abbott portrays a man whose family faces the terror of a lethal predator, with Garner likely playing his wife, sharing in the familial peril. The storyline also hints at a daughter named Ginger, adding a layer of depth to the family’s harrowing experience.

Julia Garner and Christopher Abbott

This reboot represents a collaboration between Blumhouse and Motel Movies, with Jason Blum producing. Ryan Gosling remains involved as an executive producer, alongside Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, Mel Turner, and Whannell himself. The announcement of the film’s production start was made by Jason Blum, who shared an exciting glimpse of Whannell on set, signaling the beginning of what is hoped to be a memorable addition to the horror genre.

As the “Wolf Man” reboot moves forward, fans and newcomers alike are eager to see how this modern interpretation will pay homage to its roots while offering a fresh and thrilling experience. With a talented cast and crew at the helm, the film is poised to reintroduce the timeless tale of transformation and terror to a new generation.

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‘Immaculate’ Stars Reveal Which Horror Villains They Would “F, Marry, Kill”

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Sydney Sweeney is just coming off the success of her rom-com Anyone But You, but she’s ditching the love story for a horror story in her latest film Immaculate.

Sweeney is taking Hollywood by storm, portraying everything from a love-lusting teenager in Euphoria to an accidental superhero in Madame Web. Although the latter got a lot of hate among theater-goers, Immaculate is getting the polar opposite.

The film was screened at SXSW this past week and was well-received. It also gained a reputation for being extremely gory. Derek Smith of Slant says the, “final act contains some of the most twisted, gory violence this particular subgenre of horror has seen in years…”

Thankfully curious horror movie fans won’t have to wait long to see for themselves what Smith is talking about as Immaculate will hit theaters across the United States on March, 22.

Bloody Disgusting says that the movie’s distributor NEON, in a bit of marketing smarts, had stars Sydney Sweeney and Simona Tabasco play a game of “F, Marry, Kill” in which all their choices had to be horror movie villains.

It’s an interesting question, and you might be surprised at their answers. So colorful are their responses that YouTube slapped an age-restricted rating on the video.

Immaculate is a religious horror movie that NEON says stars Sweeney, “as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.”

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