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Nicholas Woods Takes Us Inside “The Axiom”

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Nicholas Woods set out on the road to The Axiom a long time ago.  He was only seven years old when his brother introduced him Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

“I think that was the breaking point for me,” Woods says.  “I was completely fascinated by horror films from that point.  I wanted to watch them, and I wanted to make them.”

Just over a decade later, he left his home in Phoenix, AZ to attend the prestigious film school at Chapman University.  At 22, he graduated and received his first job as a production designer, but he knew when that film was completed that all he really wanted to do was write and direct.  He can’t tell you exactly when and where the idea came from for The Axiom, but once it struck him, he had to see it through.

“I mean, it’s not exactly an original idea,” he explains.  “A lot of my favorite movies and books deal with the idea of portals to other dimensions and the creatures that might inhabit them.”

Still, the idea grew in his mind and his own spin on the theme began to take shape.

Filmed in the stunning Idlewild area southeast of Los Angeles,The Axiom centers on McKenzie (Hattie Smith) and Martin (Zac Titus) who are searching for their missing sister Marylyn (Maria Granberg).  She’s disappeared and they only have a battered journal with pages missing to point them toward her intended destination.  Joined by their friends Darcy (Nicole Dambro), Gerrik (Michael Peter Harrison), and Edgar (Taylor Flowers), they head into the woods after stopping to meet with a man who says he remembers seeing Marylyn only days before.

As they set out to find her, it’s clear that McKenzie knows more than she’s saying, but the truth isn’t revealed until the group finds themselves in an alternate reality where nothing is what it seems.

The setting is beautiful and the action takes place almost entirely in full daylight, unlike many genre favorites.  And that’s just one thing that makes this film stand out from the crowd.

Woods’ script is smart with precision timing, and his characters are actual human beings rather than the tried (tired?) and true archetypes.  In fact, it’s in the story of Edgar in the film that the writer/director’s genius really comes to the surface.  Edgar is prone to hallucinations and is being treated for his mental illness.  So, in the best of times, he cannot trust his own perception.  This makes him an easy target for the beings inside the Axiom, and of course, his friends can write off what he’s saying because they know of his ongoing struggles discerning reality.

 

“That’s the most terrifying thing to me,”  Woods admits.  “You generally trust what you see in front of you, but someone with his mental illness can’t do that.  You’re never sure if what you’re seeing is real.  You’re constantly questioning.  That’s a nightmare to me.”

It was clear during our interview that Woods didn’t just want to scare or entertain his audience.  He wants them to think.  He wants them to walk away from the movie discussing what they saw, and there are a host of elements and little homages to keep that conversation going.

Some of them, he admits, he didn’t even plan.

During our conversation I brought up the moment when the group of friends drink a red liquid from small vials that opens their eyes to the danger around them and brings them back to reality.  I couldn’t help but think of The Matrix and the red pill Morpheus offers Neo during that pivotal scene, but when I brought it up to Woods, he just laughed.

“I love the way that cinema can put color coded messages into your head,” he laughs.  “We’ll never be able to see a red pill and a blue pill on screen without thinking of that scene ever again, I don’t think.”

Woods is working hard for distribution of his debut film, at the moment.  His biggest dream is to make sure that as many people as possible see The Axiom, and iHorror will keep you posted on all the latest news as it comes in.

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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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