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Review: Identity Thriller ‘Cam’ Captures a Cam Girl’s Twisting Nightmare

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cam

As the feature film debut for both director Daniel Goldhaber and writer Isa Mazzei, Cam is a very strong start.

The film follows an ambitious cam girl, Alice aka Lola (Madeline Brewer – Orange is the New Black, The Handmaid’s Tale) as she navigates the highs and lows of the ratings system on an erotic webcam site.

via IMDb

Alice is dedicated to breaking the ranks and becoming one of the top performers on a site populated by the perkiest and brightest cam girls. She curates her daily shows to maximize engagement with her audience and goes the extra mile to develop a personal relationship with some of her top tippers. Just when things are looking up for her ranking, Alice discovers that she’s been locked out of her account – but her live shows are still running, hosted by her spitting image. As her world crumbles around her, Alice struggles to reclaim her identity and solve the mystery of what the hell happened to her channel.

Writer Isa Mazzei is a former cam girl herself. She drew from her personal experiences and the industry’s anxieties to develop a unique story about a woman’s agency over her own identity and sexuality. Cam puts a mysterious identity theft spin on the techno-thriller subgenre we’ve mostly (recently) seen explored through “technology gone awry” films like Ex Machina and Morgan, and “security breach” horror like Unfriended and Open Windows.

via IMDb

From a technical standpoint, Cam succeeds in bringing the uninitiated viewer into the world of the erotic cam girl. Without beating us over the head with exposition, we gather information about Alice’s activity, her boundaries, her goals, and the cutthroat competitive streak that’s needed to truly succeed.

Cam keeps focus with a phenomenal performance from Brewer who is front and center in every single scene. Brewer faces the challenge of playing several different “versions” of her character; we see Alice as her off-camera self in different environments, Alice as on-camera Lola, Alice as private session Lola, imposter Lola as Lola, and more.

Brewer infuses each version of herself with a different energy; she communicates a range from earnest optimism to frantic paranoia. Brewer finds a subtle difference in her performance as imposter Lola that reads as hollow and false to an audience that has – in just a few scenes – tuned in to Alice’s on-screen persona.

It’s a delicate and detailed performance that settles so naturally that it’s easy to empathize with Alice while seeing the differences between the “real” and fake Lola.

via IMDb

As a character, Alice is someone we can easily support. She follows the logical steps; she takes precautions and she’s mindful of the possibilities for danger. It’s refreshing (and long overdue) to see an erotic entertainer character that doesn’t fall in to the naïve cliché habits we traditionally see from these roles in film.

Speaking of setting aside the clichés, Alice actually has a healthy relationship with her supportive and tight-knit family. We’ve been inundated with female characters that are ashamed of their sexuality (heaven forbid their parents find out), but Alice is more concerned about waiting until her rank has improved before she shares her accomplishments with her mother.

via New York Times

Cam plucks at the anxiety we feel about our follower count and how many likes we receive on a post, while grinding on a fear of the loss of control over our own life.

Alice has been working so hard to organically earn her place at the top of the list. When she’s locked out of her own life (and sole revenue stream), she can do nothing but obsessively watch as her rank changes, knowing that this fake version of her is achieving what she couldn’t.

And there’s a distinct, rattling horror there. Alice is stuck watching while this fake Lola crosses boundaries that she herself would not; she loses the ability to control her image and command her own sexuality.

Cam

via Indiewire

Part identity thriller, part techno-mystery, Cam finds a clever way to prey on the layers of our online personas. It highlights the idea that what others see on our timeline is not necessarily an accurate representation of our lives. On top of that, it’s a poignant reflection on consent and privacy.

Cam challenges these online practices without demonizing them. It’s a gorgeous neon nightmare; a twisting, gripping thriller that will make you hesitate to log in and share.

Cam uploads to Netflix on November 16th. You can check out the trailer and poster below.

via Blumhouse

 

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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