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‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ is Dread-Inducing Gothic Romance At Its Finest

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The Haunting of Bly Manor premieres this week on Netflix. Ostensibly billed as season two to The Haunting of Hill House, this new season reunites familiar faces to spin an entirely different tale about a majestic haunted manor and those ultimately affected by it.

Much like the first season with Shirley Jackson’s classic novel, Mike Flanagan and his production team have proven themselves masters and mistresses of storytelling this time mining the tales of prolific author Henry James to create something far greater than the sum of its parts.

The primary focus of the The Haunting of Bly Manor draws upon the The Turn of the Screw–arguably one of James’s most famous tales and certainly the most often adapted–which tells the story of a young governess named Dani (Victoria Pedretti) hired by a wealthy bachelor (Henry Thomas) to care for his niece and nephew, Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Bea Smith) at their sprawling, isolated ancestral home.

T’Nia Miller, Amelie Bea Smith, and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth all three give remarkable performances throughout the The Haunting of Bly Manor

Once there, she meets a rather eclectic and somewhat eccentric staff including the manor’s maid Mrs. Grose (T’Nia Miller), chef Owen (Rahul Kohli), and gardener Jamie (Amelia Eve).

Almost immediately, strange events begin to occur and Dani soon realizes that surface life at Bly Manor is paper-thin and what goes on just beneath it is not only troubling but ultimately terrifying.

Flanagan is an incredible storyteller, and this series is no different. He painstakingly draws you into his world, introducing you to his characters and almost forcing you to care about their safety and well-being so that dread soon creeps into every moment of each episode. We don’t simply want these characters to survive. We want them to emerge whole and happy, but we know what kind of story this is and how very small the likelihood of a happy ending truly is.

Flanagan further filled out the story of Bly Manor by pulling in more than one of James’s stories to complete his tale. Those familiar with the author’s work will no doubt recognize The Jolly Corner and The Romance of Certain Old Clothes, but by making Pedretti’s governess character American rather than British, they were also able to dig into some of the author’s larger themes.

His stories often took place at intersections where characters from the older European world met characters from America examining the ways in which they contrasted. This is heightened in Flanagan’s version by moving the action of the story to 1987 making Dani a far different young woman than the governess in James’s original tale could be.

Victoria Pedretti’s Dani is the undisputed heart of The Haunting of Bly Manor.

But, I digress. Back to Bly.

Ghost stories, much like stories about zombies or vampires or really any other scary horror creature, are almost always about something else. The Haunting of Hill House was about family. The Haunting of Bly Manor is ultimately about love and relationships.

Now before you skip out on me, understand that I’m not only talking about romantic love–though that certainly plays out here. This series is about the love between siblings, the love of caregivers for their charges no matter the age, unrequited love, and the ways in which those emotions tear us apart, change us for good and bad, and when mishandled can create monsters.

And while this season may lack some of the scares of the first, what it does perhaps even better than The Haunting of Hill House is create a sense of atmosphere and place.

Bly is real. Its residents are real. The dangers they face are real, and most importantly, the fear we feel for them is very, very real.

For their part, the cast of the series is quite amazing. Miller, Eve, and Kohli stand out in a season filled with great performances with their raw, subtle storytelling, conveying so much with a look or gesture. Ainsworth and Smith prove themselves as young actors to watch, with Ainsworth in particular presenting an unexpected maturity that can still give way to wide-eyed looks and reactions more fitting his age.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Miles in Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor

Oliver Jackson-Cohen also returns this season as Peter Quint, former driver and right hand man to Thomas’s character. I have seen this role played many times, but few have brought the complexity and emotional range the actor does here. It’s rather stunning to watch.

But in the end, it all comes back to Pedretti as Dani. One could easily argue that she was–in her own way–the heart of the first season, but she is undeniably so in the second. She comes to Bly Manor with a weight on her shoulders and we witness her adjust, carry, and manage it all so beautifully, throughout, even when she seemingly falls apart.

And of course, one can’t talk about The Haunting of Bly Manor without discussing the house itself. It is an absolutely stunning and painstakingly put together. It feels like a real place with halls that seemingly go one forever, creepy dolls that stare out from shelves and the confines of a lovely dollhouse, and corners just dark enough to make one wonder who or what might be lurking there.

The Haunting of Bly Manor is not for everyone, certainly. There will be those who will undoubtedly spend days talk about how boring it is, but for those who are open to classic, atmospheric ghost stories with well-written characters and masterful performances, this series is required viewing. You will, as I did, love every twist and calculated turn, but fair warning, you may be completely emotionally exhausted as the final credits roll.

My only question for Flanagan now, is what classic ghost story will you dig into next, sir?

Look for all nine episodes of The Haunting of Bly Manor this Friday on Netflix.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tykS7QfTWMQ

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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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