Tag: Blumhouse Productions

M3GAN 2.0 – Review

If there’s one thing we’ve learned after more than a hundred years of horror movies, it’s this: you just can’t keep a good “monster” down. That’s certainly true of the “Golden Age” icons, whether it was Frankenstein’s monster or Count Dracula (even in the “Silver Age,” it was a given that Christopher Lee would be back for blood). It may be more certain now in the age of “spin-offs”, prequels, and countless sequel. Plus it also extends to those fiends without flesh, like Chucky of CHILD’S PLAY. And now there’s a “gender flip” on that. Back in 2023 the January film “doldrems”, when often the thriller “dregs” would be dumped into the hungry multiplex, a chiller with a satiric “bite” brought us a new horror “heroine”. Well, she’s baaack! Finally, leaping off the toy shelf and into our nightmares comes M3GAN 2.0.

This one begins far away from the sunny California suburbs of the original. In the Middle East a super secret agent is on a rescue mission, which goes sideways. She’s ignoring all the orders from the US command center, as we learn that the agent is a robot. The story then shifts to an update on the main characters from the first flick. Gemma (Allison Williams) is part of media crusade warning parents about the dangers to their kids in the online world. But she has her own tech company with her loyal staff Tess (Jen Van Epps) and Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez). Gemma’s still the legal guardian to her niece Cady (Violet McGraw), who channels her trauma into her Aikido lessons. Oh, and Gemma’s in a thriving relationship with a former cyber-security expert, Christian (Aristotle Athari). But what she’s focused on right now is the powerful exo-skeleton they’re trying to sell to the tech billionaire mogul, Alton Appleton (Jemaine Clement). That day doesn’t go well, but the night is even worse, when Gemma and Cady are awakened by home intruders. They’re not burglars, but rather, agents of the FBI. Their commander (Timm Sharp) tells Gemma that they want information about M3gan, whose designs were the basis for their now missing rogue spy assassin Amelia (Ivana Sakhno). After the “guests” leave empty-handed, Gemma is startled when the old M3gan program announces her return via the big screen TV (and other devices). Soon it becomes obvious that the only way to stop Amelia’s path of destruction that leads to a sentient “doomsday” device from the 1980s, is for Gemma and her gang to team up with M3gan. But can the devilish doll ever be trusted despite all the “fail-safe” software that Gemma installs? Will Cady be put in danger once more as they’re drawn into a vast conspiracy that could end the planet? These toys aren’t playin’ around!

Yes, the “old gang” is back together again. And their comic timing is just as sharp two years later. The leader of “the pack” is probably Williams, as the frazzled, but full of steely determination, Gemma. She’s still the protective “mama bear” even as she’s rattling off endless bits of “techno-jargon” while making us root for her as she is often needed to be the “voice of reason” or a real “wet blanket”. Her family “jewel’ is the nearly teenaged McGraw as the sassy and very “pro-active” ( a certain martial arts movie star is her “role model”) Cady. Epps and Jordan are quite the effective loyal but bumbling comedy team as “sidekicks” Tess and Cole. The big comedy MVP might just be Clement as the arrogant, abusive snob Alton, who could perhaps be a satiric riff on a real-life odd uber “tech-bro”. We’re just waiting and yearning for his sneer to be “deleted’ ASAP. Other comic standouts are Sharp as the gung-ho mucho macho spy chef and Athari as the too, too sensitive and empathetic nurturing BF Christian. As for the “big baddie”, Sakhno is the face of pure banal evil, with big expressive but vacant “peepers” as Amelia, the Terminator packaged as a waif-like supermodel. And though she’s a mix of stunt folks, puppetry, and CGi, special kudos should go to M3gan’s main body double Amie Donald and the supplier of her snarky quips, vocalist Jenna Davis.

And this veteran cast is guided by OG director Gerald Johnstone, who also collaborated on the script with Akela Cooper (who created the characters with James Wan). They’ve decided to opt for a completely different tone with this outing, skirting around much of the first one’s horror “vibe” and making a scathing parody of cyber “chaos” and firing lots of parody “salvos’ at the modern action “high concept” blockbusters. While some of the set pieces and sequences take on THE MATRIX, Johnstone and company have some fun with the worlds (and imitators) of JOHN WICK and James Bond (I’m surprised the big secret villain HQ wasn’t inside a dormant volcano). Like ALIENS, it takes on new targets, though the hardcore fans will enjoy a riff on the “meme-fodder” murder-dance of M3gan and her aggressive, snarky “attitude”, guaranteeing that she’ll be a popular costume for the next Halloween and beyond. The doll doesn’t get all the best gags as the evil ‘mastermind’ has a casual “sing song” delivery as he tries to be a “Michael Scott” style cool, friendly boss. Now, as with most of the “straight” action-thrillers it piles on the endings along with the henchmen bodies literally exhausting us with “overkill”. But it’s easy to forgive its over-indulgences when we get a truly uproarious song scene and a “bizarro” AI convention. Sure, the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE epics need a good drubbing and this demonic doll can certainly dish out the “burns” and cyber “side eye”. If you can handle sharp satire and even sharper weaponry, then you may want to “click”on the upgrade that is M3GAN 2.0. Powering down…


3 out of 4

M3GAN 2.0 is now playing in theatres everywhere

WOLF MAN – Review

Alright, now it’s feeling a bit more like January. I’m not referring to the frigid temps and formidable snowbanks. No, I’m talking about seasonal movie releases, since the first month of the new year is generally the time for horror flicks…of varying quality (often seen as a “dumping ground”). Mind you, for every M3GAN there are a couple of NIGHT SWIMs. Well, now one of the major studios (and a rising upstart production house) join forces to put a new spin on a ninety-year-old classic cinema creature. Yes, it’s the newest collaboration between Blumhouse and Universal (whose “fright fests” began a century ago). Oh, this is not an attempt to “jumpstart” their proposed “Dark Universe” concept (Dr. Frankenstein couldn’t revive it with any amount of lightning after that Tom Cruise reboot of THE MUMMY). They’ve tossed the idea of a shared continuity like the MCU in favor of stand-alone re-imaginings, as with the well-received 2020 take on THE INVISIBLE MAN. And so, they’ve tasked the same filmmaker to put the “bite” on moviegoers with a similarly named, but very different breed of WOLF MAN.

After a brief prologue concerning Native American legends of infected feral men, we’re taken to a desolate ranch/farm in Oregon. A survivalist single father takes his eight-year-old son on a hunting excursion in the deep woods near their home. Dad tries to get young Blake to focus and be aware of the dangers prior to them spotting a deer. When the duo separate, Blake gets the buck in his sights, he also sees something walking on two legs. Luckily his Pop returns, scoops him up, and the two scamper up a tree’s deer blind. Luckily the loud growling beast finishes the buck, then departs. Later that night, Blake listens in on his father speaking to a friend via the short-wave radio, saying that he’s sure he saw the “man-beast of the woods”. Thirty years later, Blake (Christopher Abbott) is living in a big city, San Francisco. He’s a stay-at-home dad (technically a writer in between gigs) tending to his adorable six-year-old daughter Ginger (Matilda Firth) while workaholic journalist wife Charlotte (Julia Garner) pursues her next “scoop”. During a tense dinner, Blake opens up a special delivery package that contains the deed to his father’s estate, along with a set of keys. It seems that his long-missing dad has finally been legally declared dead. Blake convinces Charlotte that a Summer extended trip to the old homestead in Oregon will be a great way for the trio to reconnect, as Ginger tends to bond more with him. They rent a big truck to empty the old place and eventually end up on a dirt road in the forest. Luckily an old childhood pal spots Blake and offers to ride along as a guide to his former home. With only a mile left, something on two legs appears in front of the vehicle, causing it to careen down a hill and onto a tree. Their guide tumbles out before a clawed hand smashes the window and cuts Blake’s arm. The trio finally scampers away to the old house, before their attacker catches up to them. But they’re far from safe as Charlotte realizes that Blake’s wound is having a strange effect on him. Soon mother and daughter will have to fight for their lives against the terror outside and the mysterious changes happening to Ginger’s adored daddy.

Headling what is basically an intimate “three character story”, Abbott in the title role evokes great empathy and pathos as Blake, who mixes the tragic persona of Lon Chaney, Jr.’s Larry Talbot from the 1940s fright flicks, with the struggles of a 21st century family man. As several commenters have pointed out, he shares the frustrations and gradual dark descent of Jack Torrance of THE SHINING (both are blocked writers), but Abbott conveys Blake’s rebellion against his own past, mainly the brutal demands of his loner father. He’s determined to be a warm loving papa, though his passion for protecting often recalls his own traumatic childhood. Plus Abbott shows us how Blake is working to repair the strains on his relationship with Charlotte, to patch the cracks in their marriage. This gives an added heartbreak to the ravages of his “sickness”. As the matriarch, Garner is the hyper-focused careerist (insisting she takes her work call at the “sacred” dinner table), but lets her emotional “walls” soften as Blake convinces her to adjust her priorities to repair their growing “rift”, though the wilderness trek may be a way for Blake to compensate for his home-based family role (rather than the more breadwinner out in the “world”). Firth is achingly sweet and adorable as the bouncy, precocious Ginger who may be the cliched “daddy’s girl”, though she is mature enough to process the often adult explanations provided by her parents. Yes, she’s often put in peril in order to “up” the suspense, but Firth makes Ginger more than the “rescue bait”. There are also a couple of dark sinister turns by Sam Jaegar as Blake’s off-kilter kin in the flashback, and Benedict Hardy as the creepy dead-eyed “watcher in the woods” who aids the family on their way to their possible doom.

In his return trip into “Univeral monster-land”, director Leigh Whannell puts another interesting modern spin on those late show “creature feature” tropes, thanks to the screenplay he co-wrote with his wife Corbett Tuck. Perhaps this accounts for the deep dive into the aspects of the family dynamic, while THE INVISIBLE MAN explored a dating break-up that goes beyond toxic. Mind you, Whannell heaps on the chills in the opening hunting sequence via his expert use of ominous noises (big kudos to the sound design team) and allowing us to peer through the rifle’s “site”. Then after the big time “jump” he’s putting us right inside a marriage that may be in its last gasps (plenty of those later). And though much of the action does take place in “the great outdoors”, Whannell makes the forest a bit claustrophobic as the tall trees become almost prison bars to keep the trio trapped. And that’s definitely the vibe in Blake’s creeky creepy family home, which seems “stuck in “pre-Y2K paranoia”. The filmmakers toss out the “werewolf” rules and legend early on because the beasts roam in daylight with a full moon having no effect. And the “transformation” here is more gradual, although claws and fangs extend, the whole “hirsute” cliches are somewhat turned on its “pointed” ear. And bravo for committing to practical make-up effects for the most part (a welcome new “trend” in last year’s films). However, some CGI is used with great creativity and skill when Whannell shifts around the camera giving us a POV through Blake’s degenerating diseased senses, making her family into glowing-eyed aliens. That terrific sound team returns to provide a sense of Blake’s enhanced hearing (a spider on the wall has an elephant’s tread), which makes speech garbled (ditto for his verbal attempts). There are some “jump scares”, happily kept to a minimum, and some squirmy gory moments (oh, that gnarly arm). In all this film is an interesting exploration of the man-into-beast campfire tales, mixed with family dramatics, though it’s diluted by an ending that feels drawn-out and flat, culminating in a final shot that’s quite anti-climatic compared to the tension of waiting for dawn to break. But it’s the strong lead performances that put the needed “bite” in WOLF MAN.

3 out of 4

WOLF MAN opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, January 17, 2025

M3GAN – Review

If 2022 could be known as the year of the male puppet, with two different versions of the fairy tale classic PINOCCHIO, then 2023 is shaping up to be the year of the female doll. A few weeks ago the internet nearly broke with the first teaser for BARBIE, which looks to be a candy-colored comedy. Oh, but that’s still months and months away, isn’t there any new toy-themed flicks out right now? Oh yes, there is, and she’s a terror. And though she looks like the kid cousin of Mattel’s queen she’s closer in spirit to Chuckie. Well, she’s lifesize and like last year’s movie subject, she’s “got no strings” on her. And unlike “Talking Tina” from TV’s Twilight Zone, she doesn’t just whisper threats. The “follow-through” is one of the upgrades on the interactive, and homicidal, doll called M3GAN.

To throw us a bit off-kilter, the story starts with a commercial for another toy. A talking fuzzy troll-like, puppy-sized toy has the kids flipping out, and their parents doling out the dollars. One of the toy’s fans is ten-year-old Cady (Violet McGraw) who is driving her parents crazy with its constant chatter. Mom’s regretting that her sister who helped invent the toy gave them such a good deal on it. But that’s the least of her worries as hubby can’t seem to navigate a curvy mountain road during a snowstorm. Which leads to a horrific tragedy. Meanwhile, the sister earlier mentioned, tech inventor Gemma (Allison Williams), is prepping her newest invention to show the toy company’s prickly prez, David (Ronny Chieng). It’s a life-size (for a preteen) human-looking doll dubbed M3gan ( Model 3 Generative Android). The unveiling is a disaster, so she’s tasked with making the current furry toy cheaper to produce until…she gets a fateful call. Gemma’s now the guardian of Cady who survived the crash that claimed both her parents. Unfortunately, the two just aren’t “bonding” until Cady sparks up when Gemma shows her an old robot she keeps in the garage. Cue the light bulb above Gemma’s head. In secret, after hours at her work lab, she and her team complete the repairs on M3gan. Soon Cady is introduced to the “project” and the toy “bonds” with the child in order to fulfill its main function: protect Cady. All’s going well until several odd disappearances and accidents begin popping up in the area. Could M3gan’s advanced programming include murder?

Williams shines in a modern female spin on the Dr. Frankenstein persona. Her Gemma has the best of intentions which indeed “pave the road to Hell”. Facing pressure at work, she’s thrust into parenthood and is terribly ill-prepared. The toy’s a quick fix, but it also bonds her to the new daughter in unexpected ways, developing real empathy. With this role following her great turn in GET OUT, Williams could be part of a new era of “scream queens”. She’s got a good rapport with McGraw, who ably handles Cady’s emotional shifts, going from a grief “numbness” to her euphoria over her new pal to an obsessive mania when Cady tries to become the defender of the bot. Chieng scores some solid laughs as the profit-minded big boss with a really short fuse and little time for considering the consequences of what he’s sending out into the world. And praise must be given to the people that bring the title character to life. Annie Donald gives M3gan an interesting style of movement, opting for brisk fluid moves with any mechanical stiffness, even making her rampages into aggressive dance steps and motions. Jenna Davis supplies her calm, sing-song-type voice which helps makes M3gan’s “descent’ more disturbing as she tosses off an oddly cheerful threat. And all this works due to the tech artists who give real expression to the vinyl-like doll’s head with those expanded glowing eyes.

Director Gerald Johnstone smoothly steers the story through bits of satire and into moments of real suspense. And much of the comedic beats from screenwriters Akela Cooper and James Wan do land, especially in their swipes at marketing with TV ads that seem right from SNL. Unfortunately, many of the characters feel a bit cliche such as a nasty neighbor who feels out of place on Gemma’s upscale block (she’s a modern Mrs. Kravitz from TV’s “Bewitched” with a vicious pet and a “Karen attitude”), and a school bully straight outta’ “juvie”. The sequence with the latter had real terror potential, but the filmmakers seemed to back off in order to hang on to the “PG-13” rating (it’s rumored that several reshoots were needed to keep the flick away from an “R”). This may be a problem for the hordes of horror fanatics who also may be put off by the “slow burn” of the set-up. Several awkward family dynamics are presented before the doll goes “wonky”. Luckily some interesting ideas involving connected tech liven up the action-packed finale. It all makes for a fairly good modern cautionary fable about keeping off “the screens’ and making human connections rather than bonding with algorithms. By that fiery finale, most viewers will be happy that they didn’t look under the tree a couple of weeks ago to see those yellow glowing orbs from the face of M3gan.

3 Out of 4

M3GAN is now playing in theatres everywhere

THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020) – Review

Recalling the classic movie monsters of Hollywood’s Golden Age, visions of those hardworking actors (Karloff, Lugosi, the Chaneys, etc.) suffering through hours of cumbersome, often restrictive make-ups spring to mind. Ah, but one didn’t occupy “make-up marvel” Jack Pierce’s “barbershop” chair. Why? Because he wasn’t “there”, aside from a wig, bandages, dark sunglasses, and hard molded rubber nose. Springing from the imagination of celebrated science fiction/fantasy author H.G. Wells in 1897, “The Invisible Man” joined Universal’s “gallery of the ghoulish” (Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Mummy) in James Whale’s 1933 classic. And, as a twist on the old saying goes, you can’t keep a good “creep” down. The unseen fiend returned with four follow-ups (well, more like spin-offs) in the 1940s before Abbott and Costello met him in 1951, as TV beckoned. At least four action/adventure series began in 1958 (one was a secret agent code-named “Gemini Man” in 1976, no relation to the recent Will Smith feature flop). But the movies weren’t done with the “concept”. It was mined for laughs in 1983’s THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE and 1992’s MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN with Chevy Chase. The serious scares returned with 2000’s HOLLOW MAN and its 2006 home video sequel. Universal’s now teamed with “scare studio” Blumhouse on a modern take. So, will Twenty-First Century audiences still shudder at the transparent terror of THE INVISIBLE MAN?

As with many a “spook story”, this one begins on a “dark and stormy night”. The camera pans over the violent surf to the ultra-modern mansion overlooking the crashing waves. Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) awakens and slides away from her sleeping (we see that she “Micky-Finn-ed” his glass of water) spouse, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Near silently, she evades the many surveillance cameras, tiptoes past his high-tech home laboratory, and enters a lush closet to retrieve the “flight bag” she has stored inside a vent shaft. Cecilia climbs over a wall and runs into the night until spotting the most-welcome headlights of her sister Alice’s (Harriet Dyer) car. It’s then off to her boyfriend’s house, where Cecilia will “hide out” with police detective/single dad James (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). A few weeks later, Alice makes a surprise visit with the news of Adrian’s death, a suicide. A letter soon arrives from his brother and attorney Tom (Michael Durman) about the reading of the will. It seems she has been quite financially rewarded. But Cecilia still feels his presence as the strange noises during the night increase. After a nocturnal “tug o’ war’ with her bed blanket, she comes to a startling conclusion. Adrain somehow faked his demise and found a way to become invisible. Can this really be true or has she given in to a grief-inspired paranoia? Sure he was a brilliant inventor, but it’s impossible, right? Right?

Though the film’s title reflects the masculine protagonist (really, a monster in all aspects), at its heart is the story of courage and survival of a woman, Cecily, portrayed by Moss is a “movie star”-making performance. Over the last couple of decades, she has riveted TV audiences with superb work in many series, from “The West Wing” to “Mad Men” and continues to garner acclaim and awards for “The Handmaid’s Tale”. The “big screen” hasn’t served as well despite supporting roles in several “indies” and studio films like GET HIM TO THE GREEK and last year’s disappointing THE KITCHEN. This role is a game-changer as we live the horrors of Cecilia through Moss’s expressive, haunted eyes. We’re rooting for her in the opening scene as she escapes the opulent but cold fortress that was once a home. She describes the trauma of that abusive life to her sister with a powerful delivery, though her inability to embrace what should be “good news” speaks volumes. Even as she realizes the new terror in her life, Moss shows us that Cecilia has a fierce intelligence, her sense of survival kicks into high gear as that “ghost’ force tightens around her throat. When she shares her concerns with her friends, her eyes dart about, looking for that unseen demon, but also fearing that anyone hearing her ideas will think she has “snapped”. Moss is a smart formidable, relatable warrior against this unknown evil, more action hero than “scream queen” (though she can heighten the tension with an ear-piercing wail). The flick works due to her considerable acting gifts. And her castmates are no “slouches”. Particularly Hodge as the amiable cop pop, quick to help Cecily, but gobsmacked by what he perceives as her plunge into madness. He’s also got a terrific screen rapport with Reid as his fiesty but still endearing “Daddy’s girl”. Dyer is tough but compassionate as Cecily’s no-nonsense sibling. Dorman is a skeevy white-collar weasel as the estate lawyer and brother to Griffin (nice tie-in to Welles’ literary creation and Claude Rains in the 1933 original), who is pure menace as he teeters the line between distraught apologetic beau and controlling brute ready to strike at the least offense.

That recent label that movie-marketers dreamt up a few years ago, “re-imagining” has gotten a bad rap of late because of the dismal, uninspired remakes (the original word that’s now shunned) and re-do’s (mostly rip-offs). Now writer/director Leigh Whannell has given that phrase legitimacy because this take on the nearly 125-year-old tale is truly imaginative and inspired, offering a fresh “spin” that hooks into current concerns. Rather than a hunched over scholar laboring over bubbling test tubes, a youthful tech guru (probably on the cover of “Wired”-style magazines or websites) has used computer-enhanced “nano-gizmos” for his discovery. But unlike the usual “mad scientists”, he’s not out to rob banks or conquer the world (as in James Whale’s flick), this Griffin creates it for his own warped personal agenda. It’s an SF-spin on recent stalker thrillers like ENOUGH and SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, but also a commentary on the use of new conveniences to enable the controlling of others (you’ve heard of young girls having to “check-in” digitally with their beau or suffer their wrath). Aside from his personal “cloak”, Griffin also masters the web to “suffocate” and isolate Cecily, sending hate-spewing emails in her name. This is not to get too much into the “message” aspects since it’s also a tense, edge-of-your-seat exhilarating thrill ride. Whannell frames much of the action “off-center” to have us, like Cecily, to wonder if something’s in that empty corner or vacant space. Plus there’s a restaurant sequence that will go down as a “classic” horror movie moment. And of course, the special effects are state of the art (as is the gore, hence the “R” rating) with no floating objects wobbling with their attached strings. This a rollicking entertainment with a not so subtle message about abusive relationships (and summoning the strength to go forward). Scuse’ the pun, but THE INVISIBLE MAN is really something to see.

3.5 Out of 4

The New Trailer For THE INVISIBLE MAN Lands And Its Super Creepy

Okay, the IMAX poster for Blumhouse Productions’ THE INVISIBLE MAN is pretty cool. The rated R horror film will be released by Universal Pictures in cinemas and on IMAX on February 28.

What you can’t see can hurt you. Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss (Us, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale) stars in a terrifying modern tale of obsession inspired by Universal’s classic monster character.

Here’s a look at the brand new trailer giving an unnerving glimpse into the upcoming thriller.

Jason Blum, our current-day master of the horror genre, produces The Invisible Man for his Blumhouse Productions. The Invisible Man is directed and executive produced by Leigh Whannell, from his screenplay and screen story. Whannell is one of the original conceivers of the Saw franchise who most recently directed Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3. Benjamin Wallfisch (It, Blade Runner 2049, Shazam!, Hidden Figures, Annabelle Creation) is the film’s composer.

Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer, NBC’s The InBetween), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge, Straight Outta Compton) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid, HBO’s Euphoria).

But when Cecilia’s abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

The film is also produced by Kylie du Fresne (Upgrade, The Sapphires) for Goalpost Pictures. The executive producers are Whannell, Beatriz Sequeira, Charles Layton, Rosemary Blight, Ben Grant, Couper Samuelson and Jeanette Volturno. The Invisible Man is a co-production of Goalpost Pictures Australia and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Nervous Tick, for Universal Pictures.

https://www.theinvisiblemanmovie.com/

Watch The First Trailer For THE INVISIBLE MAN

What you can’t see can hurt you. Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss (Us, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale) stars in a terrifying modern tale of obsession inspired by Universal’s classic monster character.

Here’s a first look at the brand new trailer for THE INVISIBLE MAN.

Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer, NBC’s The InBetween), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge, Straight Outta Compton) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid, HBO’s Euphoria).

But when Cecilia’s abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.

Jason Blum, our current-day master of the horror genre, produces The Invisible Man for his Blumhouse Productions. The Invisible Man is written, directed and executive produced by Leigh Whannell, one of the original conceivers of the Saw franchise who most recently directed Upgrade and Insidious: Chapter 3.

The film is also produced by Kylie du Fresne (Upgrade, The Sapphires) for Goalpost Pictures. The executive producers are Whannell, Beatriz Sequeira, Charles Layton, Rosemary Blight, Ben Grant, Couper Samuelson and Jeanette Volturno. The Invisible Man is a co-production of Goalpost Pictures Australia and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Nervous Tick, for Universal Pictures.

THE INVISIBLE MAN opens in theaters February 28, 2020.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE: https://www.theinvisiblemanmovie.com/

US – Review

What is the difference between the lines that divide us and connect us? A line can be a form of communication or it can be a separation between two sides. It can be a line in the sand that you can’t cross or it can be a line that connects two points. It’s a word with multiple implications that represents the duality of the very things it connects or divides. In Jordan Peele’s US, lines and duality are echoed through the inclusion of two ordinary items: mirrors and scissors. One creates a connection between the self and the reflection, the other serves to separate one item from another. And yet, the mirror can break and the reflection splits, and the scissors only function when two halves come together. Like the line, both represent division and connection simultaneously. 

Jordan Peele already held a mirror up to the cultured, open-minded white Americans in GET OUT, and asked if they were going to ignore their own passing comments that add to the larger systemic problems with race in America. With US, he doesn’t just hold the mirror to the white faces suddenly blindsided by their own shame, but to all of privileged America. All of us, regardless of skin tone, who have been privileged to ignore those in the class below us; those whose voices aren’t heard and whose actions are seen as meaningless in society. Despite what some may think, the human connection to people across all classes exists even if some fail to acknowledge it.

GET OUT and US are both horror films that bring deep-rooted cultural issues to the surface, but US is much more subtle and less-incendiary in its approach. While the visual metaphors of mirrors and doppelgangers show how we’re all one-in-the-same, the message is more nuanced and harder to read. It’s a film that sprinkles in questions about political revolution and the class system amid tense stand-offs and shocking scenes of carnage. This might frustrate some looking for the culture shock that GET OUT provided but results in a film that will no doubt be studied and deconstructed for years to come.

After a chilling opening set in a carnival at night that perfectly sets the mood for the film, the story reveals a woman (Lupita Nyong’o) and her family returning to the beach that left a haunting impact on her as a child. What starts as a sunny getaway quickly turns into a nightmare for her and her husband (BLACK PANTHER’s Winston Duke) and two children (Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex) when their doppelgangers mysterious show up in the driveway one night. The arrival of these strangers triggers a series of terrifying events and revelations.

Much like Wes Craven’s THE HILLS HAVE EYES where a family vacation triggers a series of incidents where the protagonists have to look inward to defeat enemies, each family member in US has to defeat their own demons in order to battle… well… “themselves.” The daughter has to put down the iPhone; the son has to use intellect instead of his magic tricks; even the dad has to realize that money isn’t going to buy him happiness (though his new boat does come in handy). Most importantly is the journey of Lupita Nyong’o. She has to overcome her past trauma and become the strong one to lead the way for her family. But like the heroes in Craven’s grindhouse classic, she in many ways turns into the violent aggressor that she’s fighting. Even her son looks at her apprehensively at one point because her white garment becomes soaked in blood – turning her outfit into the red jumpsuit like that of the enemy.

Like GET OUT, Jordan Peele hints at a bigger world but still keeps it relatively small and claustrophobic. This allows for the central characters to shine. Winston Duke hilariously captures the awkward dad that’s trying to be cool. He walks the line perfectly without taking it into a caricature, providing many laugh-out-loud, tension-breaking moments. Despite a well-rounded cast that all leave their mark, the film is led by a powerhouse performance by Lupita Nyong’o. The role demands her to flex her emotional and physical acting chops. She transitions seamlessly from a woman dealing with past trauma to someone forced to protect her children. Even amid the chaos of the home-invasion-turned-chase story in the second and third act, Peele always has fun with the audience. His approach to horror and violence never feels over the top or mean-spirited. US is not a marathon that puts audiences through the wringer, but more of a journey through a funhouse complete with things popping out, nervous laughter, and reflections of ourselves.

Mike Gioulakis, best known for his striking cinematography in IT FOLLOWS and this year’s GLASS, lends the film a stark look with long shadows and a minimal color palette so that the red jumpsuits of the late night visitors pop off the screen. While GET OUT might have more iconic scenes, US has more iconic shots. Nothing proves this more than the final standoff. The tense sequence is masterfully filmed and intercut with gorgeous, unexpected footage. The beauty of the film balances the brutality. Peele’s decision to go with Gioulakis – a different cinematographer than his last film – shows that he’s continuing to sharpen his teeth as both a storyteller and filmmaker.

US opens with footage of the 1986 “Hands Across America” event playing on the television. In real life, despite the good intentions, the event became a symbol for the hypocrisy of how America has handled homelessness in this country. Outspoken people gathered hand in hand with their neighbors from the Atlantic to the Pacific to raise $50 million for the poor – each person in line was supposed to donate $10. The event cost $16 million to execute, and after expenses were paid, only $15 million was donated to charities. It became an empty, symbolic gesture with a message that fell on deaf ears. In 2019, there is still a sense of apathy in this country. What doesn’t directly affect us can be ignored. When you are living with even the most modest sense of wealth, you can afford to look the other way; you can avoid those who remind you of wealth disparity; you can mute their cries for help. While US might not have the same eye-opening effect that GET OUT left audiences, Jordan Peele, once again, successfully blends thrills with a message. It cements his standing as a master in “social horror” and serves as a reminder that a horror film that holds a mirror up to our society will always connect with audiences.

 

Overall score: 4 out of 5 

US opens in theaters everywhere March 22

 

THE GALLOWS – The Review

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Just when you think the found footage horror film has gasped its last breath, the sub-genre finds a way to revive itself – like how Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers somehow always find a way to return. The PARANORMAL ACTIVITY series tapped into the public’s desire for handheld “real” scares back in 2009 when the first film became a huge success. Five sequels followed since then with a long-delayed sixth one planned for release this Halloween. Many of the other found footage horror films during this period consisted of the same two elements that Oren Peli included in the hit film: human possession and otherworldly spirits. THE LAST EXORCISM, THE DEVIL INSIDE, and AS ABOVE/SO BELOW are just some of the films that I’m referring to.

It’s interesting to see the found footage horror genre come back like one of these 1980’s screen killers considering THE GALLOWS seems to tap directly into the slasher territory these masked men got their names from. Well… at least on the surface. THE GALLOWS combines the handheld aesthetic of these previously mentioned films but then dabbles in revenge, murder-mystery territory. Being a horror fan, I couldn’t help but recall the cheesy high school slasher SLAUGHTER HIGH. Both films tell the story of a high school student who died many years ago in the school, but then flash forward to the present showing dumb kids breaking into the school and messing with things they shouldn’t. It’s a similar concept if you only watch the creepy and effective trailers for THE GALLOWS, but what’s really behind the trailers is a film lacking anything close to that 1986 horror film. Missing is the fun tone, the body count, and quirky 80’s characters. In its place we have four amateur actors that barely make an impression, a predictable story that retreats into the usual paranormal territory we’ve seen before, and only a handful of scares that barely stick out amongst the nauseating camerawork. THE GALLOWS may appear to signal a rebirth of the found footage film with its slasher slant, but reminds horror fans of the sub-genre’s cheap and uninspired limitations.

After a flashback to 1993 where a young boy named Charlie accidentally dies during a school production of “The Gallows,” the film flashes forward to the present day where a new group of students are resurrecting the show. It’s been 20 years but the memory of the tragic accident still looms over the show. Pfeifer (Pfeifer Brown) is center stage in the production and is starring opposite jock turned actor Reese (Reese Mishler). Reese’s friend Ryan (Ryan Shoos) follows the cast of the show around with his camera but doesn’t take the show or the show’s curse very seriously. So much so that he thinks it would be funny to tamper with the set the night before the show opens to prevent it from even opening the following night. He convinces his girlfriend Cassidy (Cassidy Gifford) and Reese to help him dismantle the set in the middle of the night. The three of them break-in and find Pfeifer there working late. But that’s not all. There’s someone else with them in the dark hallways and abandoned auditorium and all signs point to the ghost of Charlie.

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I hate to judge a film for what it could have been and not for what it is, but the initial setup here seems to hold so much more potential than what is on screen. THE GALLOWS feels like a gigantic missed opportunity. Throw a group of high school kids into an abandoned high school after-hours and let them run wild while a killer slowly picks them off one after another. It could have been a fun throwback to 1980’s horror mixed with the found footage film; ratchet up the tension with some good scares and throw in some gory killings all with the “realistic” shaky cam. So what exactly went wrong?

What holds back the film the most is that it chooses to focus on only four characters – one of which is our cameraman/narrator who becomes annoying very quickly. I understand that we’re partially rooting for his eventual hanging, but his obnoxious dialogue is a chore to sit through. That leaves us with three other characters, two of which are weak female characters that feel like a bigger joke than our narrator throwing a football at a “theater nerd.” I get that there’s somewhat of a tradition in the horror genre of having a dumb push-up-bra clad girl run around and scream, but could you maybe pepper in just a plain normal female character or dare I ask, strong female character? Then we have the jock with a heart of gold rounding out the goof troop. Reese is boring at best and has absolutely no discernable characteristics. At least he’s better though than our insufferable cameraman who dishes out lame lunk-head jokes more often than we see the hooded killer on-screen. If there was a larger group for Charlie to pick off, maybe his hangman’s noose would have inspired more thrills.

One thing directors Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing do get right is the location. The school at night becomes the best character. New entryways and hidden rooms are discovered, and there’s an eerie atmosphere, as you never quite know when Charlie is going to appear at the end of a hallway or step into frame. I also have to applaud them for delivering a truly creepy final scene that will leave you wondering why this type of dread couldn’t have been maintained throughout the entire film.

THE GALLOWS is a small scale horror film that wants to at times feel bigger but other times is content with dumb downing for its teen audience. It attempts to create a mythology for a new horror icon in the form of Charlie, but it’s kind of hard to do so when his masked face doesn’t appear until a little over the 60 minute mark in a 81 minute film – in fact, the scares don’t even really start to ramp up until 45 minutes in, unless you think the Scooby gang running around pulling locked doors for 10 minutes is scary. Having a killer haunt a group of high school thespians with an executioner mask and a noose sounds like a terrific modern take on THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. And there are a few moments that will cause unseasoned horror audiences to jump, but there’s so little for true horror fans to give a standing ovation to. Mostly though, THE GALLOWS serves as a frustrating reminder that Blumhouse is now in the market of serving summer entertainment for teens. Over the years I have sat through my fare share of these kinds of films. It’s just disappointing when you’re hoping for more from a winning concept and a production company that once sought to breathe life into the horror genre with films like INSIDIOUS and SINISTER. With THE GALLOWS the stage setup has potential, but the production quickly shows that it truly was made for a high school stage.

 

Overall rating: 2 out of 5

 

THE GALLOWS opens in theaters everywhere July 10

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A Second Look M. Night Shyamalan’s THE VISIT Poster; Trailer Online Thursday

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As we first showed you over the weekend, here’s another look at the poster for M. Night Shyamalan’s THE VISIT.

Tune-in this Thursday for the trailer debut from Universal Pictures. Attached to prints of UNFRIENDED, check out our trailer description here.

Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit.

Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip. Once the children discover that the elderly couple is involved in something deeply disturbing, they see their chances of getting back home are growing smaller every day.

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The movie stars Kathryn Hahn, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, Ed Oxenbould, and Olivia DeJonge.

Shyamalan produces THE VISIT through his Blinding Edge Pictures, while Blum produces through his Blumhouse Productions alongside Mark Bienstock (Quarantine 2: Terminal). Steven Schneider (Insidious) and Ashwin Rajan (Devil) executive produce the thriller.

THE VISIT opens in cinemas September 2015.

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M. Night Shyamalan’s THE VISIT Trailer Attached To UNFRIENDED; First Poster In Theaters

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While the DC Comics and Marvel camps were celebrating the new STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS and BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE trailers, audiences were treated to a coming attraction of another kind this weekend.

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions quietly released the first trailer and poster of M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming horror movie THE VISIT into theaters on Thursday attached to the prints of UNFRIENDED.

Scheduled for a September 11 release, the film (originally titled Sundowning) is from the Oscar-nominated director and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series).

Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister (Ed Oxenbould and Olivia De Jonge) who are sent to their grandparents’ remote and pastoral Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip by Mom, Kathryn Hahn.

In the chilling trailer, things appear normal until the children discover that Nana and Papa (Peter McRobbie and Deanna Dunagan) are involved in something deeply disturbing. They’re even warned not to come out of their room past 9:30 at night.

Once they see their chances of getting back home growing smaller every day, they plead with Mom online to come and rescue them.

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No Shyamalan trailer would be complete without the words appearing on the screen and in red, “From the writer and director of THE SIXTH SENSE, UNBREAKABLE, THE VILLAGE, SIGNS.”

Neither of our St. Louis screenings of UNFRIENDED had this teaser attached. Ever the flag waving, Shyamalan cheerleader that I am, I went to a few of the local cinemas to get crowd reactions. With its quick jump cut edits and blaring sounds, the enthusiastic remarks ranged from “how scary,” to “that’s creepy,” to my favorite from a whispering teenager in the row behind me, “I’m not going to my grandparents anymore.”

When the trailer turns progressively darker, the audience shrieked when Grandma stoically asks, “Would you mind getting inside the oven to clean it?”

Complete with a list of rules, the first poster is reminiscent of the original teaser one used for THE VILLAGE. Even the teens working at the theater thought both the haunting trailer and blood stained poster were eerie.

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Shyamalan and Blumhouse were on Twitter looking for moviegoers’ reactions and to let fans know that the official trailer would be released online this coming week.

Rated PG-13, Shyamalan produces THE VISIT through his Blinding Edge Pictures, while Blum produces through his Blumhouse Productions alongside Mark Bienstock (Quarantine 2: Terminal). Steven Schneider (Insidious) and Ashwin Rajan (Devil) executive produce the thriller.

Until the trailer comes online next week, I’ll be watching UNBREAKABLE and LADY IN THE WATER.

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