TERRIFIER REVIEW

A maniacal clown named Art, terrorizes three young women on Halloween night and everyone else who stands in his way.

Starring: Jenna Kanell, Catherine Corcoran, Samantha Scaffidi, and David Howard Thornton

Directed and written by: Damien Leone

  So why not follow up one review featuring a clown (IT) with another. While Pennywise is out for fear, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is out to terrify! This story takes place on Halloween so for Tara (Jenna Knell) and Dawn (Catherine Corcoran) to see a clown out in the streets isn’t that unusual. Unfortunately for them, there’s something seriously wrong with Art.

  After running into Art in the streets, the two drunk girls make their way into a small pizza shop. Not long after that, Art comes in, and sits across from them. He sits silently while making faces, and changing poses. While this creeps out Tara, Dawn decides to take a selfie with him. Knowing that Art wants to eventually kill them makes this such a crazy scene. As he does all movie long, he’s just mentally torturing his soon to be victims, which is something he apparently excels at.

  When it comes time to kill, Art isn’t clowning around anymore. There’s several nice and bloody kills, but there’s one in particular that stands out. Without giving it away, lets just say it includes a tied up girl, a saw, and lots of blood. Yes, what takes place is clearly fake, but the fact that they go ahead and try to pull it off anyways is awesome!

  Besides the blood, guts, and terrifying moments, the characters and performance of the cast make the movie easy to watch. Tara and Dawn are entertaining in the brief time Art isn’t around. Tara has an issue with Art from the beginning, and does her best to fight back. Jenna does a great job with both being afraid and then taking it to the clown. Catherine also does well being funny in the face of Jenna's fear.

  Without a doubt, Art the Clown is the star in this circus of a tale. David does a terrific job playing him, especially considering Art never says a word. Not talking and mentally messing with his victims before finishing them off really works for him. The story is easy to follow, including the connection between an odd beginning and the end of the movie. It also takes some risks, which can be appreciated. If you’re looking for blood, guts, and a silent creepy clown terrifying his victims, then “Terrifier” is for you! With that, I give it 3.5 pools of blood.

  HorrO

*Shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival*

IT REVIEW

A group of bullied kids band together when a monster, taking the appearance of a clown, begins hunting children.

Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Wyatt Oleff

Directed by: Andy Muschietti

Written by: Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman

  It has become common to hear a lot of complaints about remakes especially horror remakes. It’s rare for one to actually receive some positive hype like the way “IT” has. Social media has been buzzing a long time for this movie, and it’s finally here. So you know the question…does “IT” live up to the hype?

  Right off the bat it’s great to see that this movie is rated R. For those familiar with the original, Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) chases his toy boat down the street, into the sewer, and runs into Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard). That scene ends not showing much, but this remake shows the bloody tragedy that takes place. It sets the tone for many more bloody scenes, and proves that just because they’re kids that doesn’t mean they can’t get hurt.

  Speaking of the kids, this so called ‘Losers Club’ is anything but that. They’re a great mix of characters, and the acting by each kid is spot on. The kids have many of the characteristics found in the original like Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) stuttering, and Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) being a mamma’s boy. Richie (Finn Wolfhard) is particularly great, as he’s mocked for not shutting up, and really lets loose with his fowl mouth. They’ll definitely have the audience routing for them individually, and as the ‘Losers Club.’

  Now to Pennywise! This is where some will have mixed feelings. Yes, Tim Curry did an excellent job in the original, and many are right by saying his performance can’t be topped. However, don’t let that stop you from seeing and enjoying this movie. This Pennywise is dressed a little darker, and certainly acts that way. When they talk about Pennywise eating the children, he really brings new meaning to that. However, be prepared for some questionable CGI.

  Pennywise tries really hard to bring out the fear in the kids, and scare the audience. While he might not scare horror fans, he might just do a number on non-horror fans and those afraid of clowns. One of the craziest scenes is when the kids are watching a film in the garage. It starts off slow, but soon enough becomes a big problem for them. The scenes when the kids are in Pennywise’s house, and later in the well are pretty intense. Pennywise definitely wasn’t lying when he said “we all float down here!”

  So yes, for the most part “IT” lives up to the hype. The R rating alone gives this version a major upgrade. Some will like this Pennywise, while others will still prefer the original. Either way, he’ll produce scares that the seasoned horror fan should appreciate while they enjoy watching others jump out of their seats. Most of all, the kids will have the audience eating out of their hands. The acting by the entire Losers Club should be applauded. With that, I give “IT” 4 pools of blood and a red balloon!

  HorrO

TRAGEDY GIRLS REVIEW

Tragedy Girls, a twist on the slasher genre following two death-obsessed teenage girls who use their online show about real-life tragedies to send their small mid-western town into a frenzy and cement their legacy as modern horror legends.

Starring: Brianna Hildebrand, Alexandria Shipp, Kevin Durand, and Nicky Whelan

Directed by: Tyler MacIntyre

Written by: Chris Lee Hill, Tyler MacIntyre, and Justin Olson

  High schoolers Sadie (Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (Alexandra Shipp) are completely obsessed with trying to grow their Tragedy Girls social media accounts. They were hoping that following the case of the serial killer named Lowell (Kevin Durand) would get them some follows. However, they soon decide that Lowell just wasn’t cutting it anymore, and took over as the star killers in town. Their social media accounts get plenty of hits, but is “Tragedy Girls” a hit as well? 

  It doesn’t take long to see that this is going to be a fun movie. With a little plot twist to start, Sadie and McKayla quickly display they’re a perfect match. The best friends are clever in both their conversations, and plans to murder their soon to be victims. While their characters aren’t great roles models by any stretch of the imagination, their desire for a bigger social media following will certainly be relatable to many in the audience. 

  Don’t think for a minute that just because they’re teens that the kills won’t be bloody. While their plans are good, they aren’t always executed perfectly. This leaves for plenty of blood splattering scenes like in the school shop room. The girls prove to be well versed in killing, disposing of bodies, and cleaning up all while having little boundaries. 

  Brianna Hildebrand and Alexandra Shipp really do an excellent job in their roles. They pull off the times when they need to be average teens, and are definitely great when the killing begins. While the focus is obviously on them, don’t sleep on Kevin’s performance. He proves to be the perfect choice as the serial killer. Someone the audience can believe is a mean killer, but also make mistakes along the way. Also making an appearance in a little more serious of a role than expected is Craig Robinson, who plays Big Al.

  Audiences should enjoy “Tragedy Girls” because it provides a great tandem of female leads along with a nice mix of horror and comedy. The story is well played out from the small twist at the beginning to the motivation behind their madness at the end. There is plenty of blood and guts, and strong acting performances all around. Ultimately, it may seem like watching a modern version of “Scream.” With that, I would follow, and “Like” “Tragedy Girls” on social media, and give it 4 pools of blood.

  HorrO 

*Shown at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival*

SIGHTS & SOUNDS FROM THE POPCORN FRIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL

The 3rd annual Popcorn Frights Film Festival promised to be bigger, bolder, and bloodier and boy did they deliver! The festival experienced many sell out screenings, and topped ticket sales from last year! Horror fans were treated to 46 films over 7 days, including the North American premieres of “Jackals,” and “The Bride,” and the Florida premieres of “Mayhem,” and “Tragedy Girls” amongst others. Popcorn Frights also hosted its inaugural Homegrown: 100% Pure Fresh Squeezed Florida Horror program. Directors, writers, and actors attended the festival like Joe Lynch, Graham Skipper, Brandon Christensen, and Jeremy Gardner. PromoteHorror.com, as a proud sponsor of the festival, was there to witness it all, and now wants to share some of it with you. Below are pictures, and videos shot over the course of the week, including many of the Q&As. Enjoy…

Also check out these great recaps of the festival from our friends at TrueHorror.net 

Recap 1      Recap 2

ANNABELLE CREATION REVIEW

Several years after the tragic death of their little girl, a dollmaker and his wife welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home, soon becoming the target of the dollmaker’s possessed creation, Annabelle.

Starring: Stephanie Sigman, Miranda Otto, Lulu Wilson, and Anthony LaPaglia

Directed by: David F. Sandberg 

Written by: Gary Dauberman

  Marvel has created one of the best universes going right now with their superhero movies. Not long ago, Universal announced the return of their monster icons in what they’re calling the Dark Universe. And then there’s The Conjuring Universe that is somewhat quietly coming out from the shadows. A third Conjuring movie is on its way, along with “The Nun,” but first Annabelle gets a second chance to win over horror fans.

  With a title like “Annabelle Creation” the audience might expect to see a lot about her creation. However, after seeing dollmaker Samuel Mullins (Anthony LaPaglia) put the final touches on Annabelle, there isn’t much Annabelle backstory until the end. Instead the audience sees the tragedy that happens to the Mullins family, and then years later how they provide a home to some foster girls. It gets the movie off to kind of a slow start, as the girls have to be introduced, and get settled in. It isn’t until Janice (Talitha Bateman), a young physically challenged girl, finds Annabelle that things pick up.

  Being apart of The Conjuring Universe, the scares start happening the way the audience might expect. First Annabelle might appear here and there, and then something in the darkness sets its sights on freaking out the girls. Besides Janice, her best friend Linda (Lulu Wilson) has some run-ins with Annabelle. In one of the better scares, she’s shooting a ball into a dark hallway, and pulling it back with a string. Well, it’s not hard to imagine how creepy that scene can be. 

  The intensity of the scares really kick in when the demon reveals itself, and its intentions with the girls. Also, the story of how the demon attached itself to Annabelle is finally divulged. It might be obvious to some after events earlier in the movie. However, that’s not the interesting part. When the dust settles, the true connection between “Annabelle” and “Annabelle Creation” is revealed, and it puts a nice punctuation on the movie. 

  Before wrapping this up, I have to make a point about Annabelle. After seeing Annabelle in “The Conjuring,” I was instantly drawn in, and wanted to know more about her. However, after two movies my interest in her has greatly diminished. Why…well because after it’s said and done she’s just a creepy looking doll. She doesn’t really do anything other than show up here and there. The demon is the true evil force here, and the one creating the real scares. She’s pretty much the opposite of Chucky, and in the end that’s disappointing.

  Going back to the movie itself, it’s easy to see how “Annabelle Creation” fits into The Conjuring Universe. It has the same feel to it, and the scares are effective, but done in an expected manner. The demon eventually makes itself known and does its best to scare the girls, and the more importantly the audience. There’s usually some strong acting performances, and this time it’s courtesy of the Talitha and Lulu. While “Annabelle” might not have knocked the socks off fans, it seems “Annabelle Creation” might win over more fans this time around. With that said, I give it 3 pools of blood. 

HorrO

*There are after credits scenes so stay to the very end*