News

M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Servant’ is Off to a Brilliant Start on AppleTV+

Published

4 years ago

December 2, 2019

Servant, the new series written by Tony Basgallop (To the Ends of the Earth) and executive produced by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), started strong last week when the first three episodes dropped on AppleTV+.

The series stars Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) and Toby Kebbell (Warcraft) as Dorothy and Sean Turner, a couple suffering after the loss of their infant child, Jericho. Dorothy was inconsolable to the point of catatonia after Jericho’s death but thanks to a controversial therapy using a lifelike doll as a substitute she has begun taking steps into her old life.

Making the decision to go back to work, she hires Leanne Grayson (Game of Thrones’ Nell Tiger Free) who takes the job, never questioning that her charge is not a living child.

The series is a gloriously atmospheric character study, carefully paced with unexpected surprises around every turn thanks to Basgallop’s writing and the cast’s commitment to their roles.

Ambrose moves from one moment to the next across a perilous psychological landscape with the alacrity of a trained dancer, giving each moment just enough weight before moving to the next inevitable hill or valley. Her performance is especially effective in those valleys, however, as we realize with a palpable sense of dread that even at her lowest, she is still standing on the edge of a cliff.

Kebbell’s Sean, meanwhile, is caught in the equally perilous balancing act between caring for his wife while trying to heal himself. His patience is thin and he lashes out before breaking down while trying to process all of the feelings he has going on inside himself.

And then there’s Leanne. Free plays her with a cold disconnect that leaves the audience uncertain of her actions as well as the motivations behind them. There is something terrifying about Free in this role that could very well place her on nomination lists when award season rolls around.

Nell Tiger Free as Leanne in Servant

The central cast is rounded out by Rupert Grint who famously played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise and continues to prove that he is much more than the role that made him famous with his no-nonsense portrayal of Dorothy’s brother.

It’s a dynamite mixture that keeps Servant on its slow-burn course from one episode to the next.

For his part, Shyamalan, who shares directing duties on Servant with Daniel Sackheim and Lisa Bruhlmann, brings some of his signature style and settings to the series. The man has an uncanny ability to inject dread into otherwise innocuous objects and that talent is on full display throughout the first three episodes.

Be warned, the pacing here is slow, and there are a lot of moving parts to the plot. There is nothing simple about this series at all, but despite its pace, Basgallop manages to include just enough unexpected twists and turns in each half-hour episode to keep the audience guessing.

Will that keep them watching?

That remains to be seen, and will almost completely hinge on whether they can maintain the precarious balancing act they’ve created for themselves and for their characters.

The first three episodes of Servant are currently available on AppleTV+ with new episodes debuting each week.

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News

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Thriller ‘Presumed Innocent’ Series Gets Early Release Date

Published

2 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Jake Gyllenhaal’s limited series Presumed Innocent is dropping on AppleTV+ on June 12 instead of June 14 as originally planned. The star, whose Road House reboot has brought mixed reviews on Amazon Prime, is embracing the small screen for the first time since his appearance on Homicide: Life on the Street in 1994.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s in ‘Presumed Innocent’

Presumed Innocent is being produced by David E. Kelley, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, and Warner Bros. It is an adaptation of Scott Turow’s 1990 film in which Harrison Ford plays a lawyer doing double duty as an investigator looking for the murderer of his colleague.

These types of sexy thrillers were popular in the ’90s and usually contained twist endings. Here’s the trailer for the original:

According to Deadline, Presumed Innocent doesn’t stray far from the source material: “…the Presumed Innocent series will explore obsession, sex, politics and the power and limits of love as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.”

Up next for Gyllenhaal is the Guy Ritchie action movie titled In the Grey scheduled for release in January 2025.

Presumed Innocent is an eight-episode limited series set to stream on AppleTV+ starting June 12.

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

21 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.

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News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

23 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.