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.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News

Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

Published

on

Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

Movies

New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

Published

on

Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading

News

Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film

Published

on

The Blair Witch Project Cast

Jason Blum is planning to reboot The Blair Witch Project for the second time. That’s a fairly large task considering none of the reboots or sequels have managed to capture the magic of the 1999 film that brought found footage into the mainstream.

This idea has not been lost on the original Blair Witch cast, who has recently reached out to Lionsgate to ask for what they feel is fair compensation for their role in the pivotal film. Lionsgate gained access to The Blair Witch Project in 2003 when they purchased Artisan Entertainment.

Blair witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast

However, Artisan Entertainment was an independent studio before its purchase, meaning the actors were not part of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, the cast are not entitled to the same residuals from the project as actors in other major films. The cast doesn’t feel that the studio should be able to continue to profit off of their hard work and likenesses without fair compensation.

Their most recent request asks for “meaningful consultation on any future ‘Blair Witch’ reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc., in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

The blair witch project

At this time, Lionsgate has not offered any comment about this issue.

The full statement made by the cast can be found below.

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Heather, Michael & Josh, stars of “The Blair Witch Project”):

1. Retroactive + future residual payments to Heather, Michael and Josh for acting services rendered in the original BWP, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.

2. Meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc…, in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.

Note: Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far un-utilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k grant (the budget of our original movie), paid out yearly by Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making theirfirst feature film. This is a GRANT, not a development fund, hence Lionsgate will not own any of the underlying rights to the project.

A PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTORS & PRODUCERS OF “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT”:

As we near the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, our pride in the storyworld we created and the film we produced is reaffirmed by the recent announcement of a reboot by horror icons Jason Blum and James Wan.

While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams. As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

We celebrate our film’s legacy, and equally, we believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise.

Sincerely, Eduardo Sanchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Continue Reading