Where The Scary Things Are Episode 81: THEY REACH with Director SYLAS DALL and stars MARY MADALINE ROE, MORGAN CHANDLER, and EDEN CAMPBELL
In this weeks episode we talk to the stars and director of the new movie THEY REACH. SYLAS DALL and stars MARY MADALINE ROE, MORGAN CHANDLER, and EDEN CAMPBELL give us a behind the scenes look at this awesome scary movie.
Listen and/or watch below:
A man providing overnight watch to a deceased member of his former Orthodox Jewish community finds himself opposite a malevolent entity, in writer-director Keith Thomas’ electrifying feature debut.
Starring: Dave Davis, Menace Lustig, Lynn Cohen and Malky Goldman
Directed and written by: Keith Thomas
“The Vigil” has a job opening not many would apply for. Yakov (Dave Davis) is down on his luck, and short on money. He’s trying to find his place again in his community, and not sure where he stands religiously. While leaving a community meeting he’s met by Reb Shulem (Menashe Lustig), who has an offer for him. An offer that based on his financial troubles he can’t afford to turn down.
As for the offer, it’s to watch over a dead body for a night. This doesn’t sound like a great job, but it’s part of a real Jewish tradition. Yakov will be playing the role of Shomer, and watching over the body of Mr. Litvak. It’s more for the protection of the soul than the actual body. He also will be spending the night with the widow, Mrs. Litvak (Lynn Cohen). She’s a little strange, but soon enough he’s going to find out how strange things can really get.
This tradition sets up a terrific horror story. Horror fans can just imagine how many things that could go wrong watching a dead body overnight. The demon or spirit here might have been haunting Mr. Litvak while alive, and now is looking to torture Yakov overnight and possibly longer. The hauntings start slow, but becoming more aggressive as the night rolls on. A combination of lighting and sound effects help the jump scares keep the audience on edge. More fun might even be the random appearance by Mrs. Litvak when Yakov least expects her.
While the scares are what the audience is looking for they’re also going to get two particularly good performances. Lynn doesn’t spend a lot of time on screen, but she brings out all the oddness that makes up Mrs. Litvak. The audience will be homed in on every word she says. Obviously the other performance comes from Dave, who spends a lot of the film’s important moments alone. Alone, or often reacting to whatever the demon is trying to do to his character. He might be at his best when Yakov finds that he can’t run from the house and comes crawling back, and in a big show down with the demon in a tight hallway.
Fans are constantly on the hunt for new jump scares, and “The Vigil” is going to do its best to give them some good ones. It certainly will have the audience on edge, but might not ever get to the level of say “The Conjuring.” Dave and Lynn put on some great performances each with their own challenges. What really separates this film from others is the Jewish tradition the plot is based on. After seeing this horror fans won’t be jumping to watch over dead bodies anytime soon. With that, I give it 3 pools of blood!
HorrO
More information at: http://promotehorror.com/2021/01/15/new-poster-for-the-vigil-coming-feb-26th/
A quiet drifter is tricked into a janitorial job at the now condemned Willy’s Wonderland. The mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic animatronics. Fists fly, kicks land, titans clash - - and only one side will make it out alive.
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, and Beth Grant
Directed by: Kevin Lewis
Written by: G.O. Parsons
Check out the video below and find out how many pools of blood it received...
Friends hiking the Appalachian Trail are confronted by ‘The Foundation,’ a community of people who have lived in the mountains for hundreds of years.
Starring: Charlotte Vega, Emma Dumont, and Matthew Modine
Directed by: Mike P. Nelson
Written by: Alan B. McElroy
“Wrong Turn” has become a franchise about producing good kills above everything else, but can it be about something more this time? This story isn't about breaking down in the mountains, but getting lost up there. This group of young friends are looking for a Civil War fort in the mountains, but danger finds them before they can find the fort. Actually, danger comes rolling down the hill at them in the form of a tree trunk, and unfortunately one couldn’t get out of the way in time.
This causes a panic amongst the group, and uncertainty with what to do next. The longer they stay on the mountain the more they become convinced that they’re being watched by someone. One of them goes missing, while others stumble upon more traps in the woods. Before they know it, the hikers come face-to-face with men wearing animal skulls. Of course that means they’re the bad people, and things go terribly wrong from here on out.
The hikers are going to get a formal introduction to the Foundation, and the audience is about to see how different they are from the crazy cannibals in the past movies. This is a whole society of people that have been living in the woods since before the Civil War. Everyone contributes to life up in the mountains, and faces their own sort of court system if they get out of line. They even speak their own language as opposed to the cannibals who just preferred to laugh all the time.
It was always easy to see the cannibals as the bad guys in previous films, but a weak case could be made that they were just trying to eat and the people came into their territory. This time around the film really wants the audience to consider who is right and wrong here. Some of the hikers end up on trial, and some of the events on the mountain leading up to how the two sides crossed paths aren’t as clear cut as they seem. Obviously the longer this goes on the audience probably won’t be siding with the Foundation, but will still have plenty to think about.
So if this is a different group of people in the woods does that mean there isn’t the usual fun death scenes? Lets say there is a certain brutality with the kills here, and none really push the boundaries of craziness like getting split in half (still love that death as fake as it was). There’s some head bashing fun and some serious stabbing going on, but also something different happens with the hikers this time. No spoilers here, but lets just say Jen (Charlotte Vega) purposes something that has long seemed like a good idea in these type of movies in order to survive. It also lets the film explore a little more about the Foundation, and throw in a few more surprises before this one ends.
To answer the question at the top, yes they prove that they can make “Wrong Turn” about something more than the kills. They actually use it to make political and societal statements throughout the film. It starts with creating a diverse group of young people, and they even go out of the way to show how these young people plan to contribute to society. They’re compared with others who might be considered blue collared workers. Then of course there’s the Foundation, who play the socialist role here. They throw these groups of people into a pot together with some misunderstandings and fear, and out comes a horror movie.
Whether the audience wants to see this angle over the “we’re here for the kills” angle will be up to the audience to determine. I would’ve been fine with the killing angle again, but certainly appreciate the effort to do more with the story this time. Besides the statements being made, it adds someone to look for the hikers, and lets the hikers try something new to survive. Also, it’s certainly a more serious film to say the least. There are still some brutal kills, and some good twists and turns along the way. And don’t forget to sit through the beginning of the ending credits for a little more fun. “Wrong Turn” definitely takes a different turn this time around, but still manages to get 3 pools of blood.
HorrO
Saban Films will release the horror film On Demand, Digital, Blu-ray and DVD on February 23, 2021.
More about this film at: http://promotehorror.com/2021/02/01/wrong-turn-on-vod-digital-blu-ray-and-dvd-february-23rd/
When Mia, a social media star, becomes the target of an online terror campaign, she has to solve a series of games to prevent people she cares about from getting murdered. But is it real. Or is it just a game at her expense.
Starring: Grant Rosenmeyer, Nicola Posener, Daisye Tutor, and Emily Goss
Directed by: Jennifer Harrington
Written by: Jennifer Harrington and Alesia Glidewell
“Shook” will definitely do its best to get the audience all shook up! The film gets off to a quick start with the death of a social media influencer in a restroom. In a little bit of a surprise, it appears they might not have been the target, as a dog serial killer might have been after their dog instead. The death has left another social media influencer, Mia (Daisye Tutor), feeling down and not in the mood to do her next live stream.
Instead of pleasing her friends and fans, she decides to please her sister Nicole (Emily Goss) for once. She goes to her house to watch over Nicole’s little dog Chico. This task seems a little too much for her as she loses track of the dog in the very dark house. Finding Chico is only her first problem of the night, as a familiar caller offers first to help find the dog, and then to kill it. Let the games begin!
For those continuing to look for fresh storylines in horror this one follows several other new stories centered around the horrors of social media. This one doesn’t necessarily attack a specific network, but more how obsessed some can become with their presence on social media. Mia gets in trouble here because she has spent too much time building her audience, and forgot about the ones closest to her. When things go wrong no one on social media, or even her supposedly real friends can help her.
While the story might be new horror fans will be able to notice the influences of several other horror movies here. The first pair might be “When a Stranger Calls,” and “Scream,” as Mia is tormented by a caller. The caller wants her to play a game, which brings a little “Saw” into the frame. Not only do they play different games with her, she’s ultimately given decisions that will effect the lives of those around her. While this all sounds good, they might over do it a little with some debate over whether this is all real, or not.
“Shook” will try to get the audience shook with a good kill to start things off. If that doesn’t do it, there are a few moments while Mia plays the game that might, including an exciting ending. Tackling social media and influencers is a good new storyline, and you can’t go wrong with drawing influence from noticeably important horror movies. However the biggest problem here is not spending enough time setting up the characters before their downfall. Mia’s friends are important to her, but never to the audience. It also would have been nice to know a little more about Mia’s past before the twist of the story is revealed. With that said, it does just enough to score 3 pools of pool!
HorrO
More about this film at: http://promotehorror.com/2021/02/05/new-trailer-poster-released-for-shocking-social-media-thriller-shook-world-premiere-on-shudder-feb-18/
A woman’s life turns into a living nightmare when she takes in a roommate.
Starring: Elisabeth Steen-Nokleberg, Mia Ando, and Yukina Takase
Directed by: David Palmieri
Written by: Sami Sonnesso, and Elisabeth Steen-Nokleberg
“Heart of the Home” shows the importance of picking the right roommate. With one roommate and friend leaving, Natalie (Elisabeth Steen-Nokleberg) must find a replacement. Kimiko (Yukina Takase), her other roommate, helps her go through an interview process to find a new roommate. In one of the funnier moments, they go through several interesting characters before landing on Miko (Mia Ando). There’s something off about her too, but she’s in need of a place to stay as much as they need someone to take the room.
Natalie and Kimiko try to be nice to her, and welcome her into the apartment. However, Miko seems to just complain about things, and then hide in her room. As Kimiko spends time away from the apartment, Natalie and Miko quickly grow apart, and Natalie finds herself with a roommate they can’t get rid of. Not only is she a problem for the roommates, but now an unexpected danger for the neighbors in the building as well.
The audience will quickly figure out where the horror will be coming from once Miko moves in. An awkward set up of a bedroom helps create a creepy moment not long after Miko moves in. After that, some of the horror will be directed at neighbors before the final act. The strength here ends up keeping Miko’s secret a mystery until late in the film. There aren’t many hints, and it turns out being pretty horrific.
There is a lot of heart in this indie horror film. The set up is there, and so is the horror. Probably the biggest problem is relying too much on dialogue. There are some conversations that aren’t needed, or should have at least been shortened. This would have picked up the pace, and got the audience more engaged in the more important details. With that, I give “Heart of the Home” 2 pools of blood.
HorrO
More about this film at:
http://promotehorror.com/2021/01/08/heart-of-the-home/
A monster named Larry manifests itself through smart phones and mobile devices. Feature film version of the 2017 short film.
Starring: Azhy Robertson, Gillian Jacobs, and John Gallagher Jr.
Directed and written by: Jacob Chase
Check out the video below and find out how many pools of blood it received...
The follow-up to In Search of Darkness (2019) dives deeper into the practical-effects decade of ‘80s horror movies with all-new interviews from genre icons and industry experts alongside the original cast.
Starring: Robert Englund, Linnea Quigley, Tom Savini, Corey Taylor, Kane Hodder, and Geretta Geretta
Directed and written by: David A. Weiner
‘80s horror was filled with plenty of great original films, but also its share of sequels. Leatherface was back with his chainsaw for “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.” Freddy was plenty busy with several sequels to “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and Jason was right there keeping pace with “Friday the 13th.” These sequels just add to the tremendously long list of ‘80s horror films to talk about. Too many that you couldn’t possibly cover them in one documentary. So following the footsteps of these great franchises is another sequel… “In Search of Darkness: Part II.”
The ‘80s horror documentary is back on another journey through some of horror fans' favorite films. In similar fashion to the original documentary, they take fans year by year through some films that deserve to be talked about. This time the years seem a little more spaced out because of how the conversations go. While they talk to many famous faces, and horror icons, extra time is given to a few of them like Tom Savani, Linnea Quigley, and Robert Englund. As expected, Tom talks a lot about SFX, and some of the tricks behind his work. Linnea and Robert are given time to discuss several of their films, and give a behind the scenes look. It’s great when the audience can learn new things about films they saw decades ago, and maybe even learn new things about the horror icons they worship.
Certain performances are highlighted like Barbara Hershey’s in “The Entity.” The audience will see what she went through to pull off that movie. They also give the audience a look at Italian horror movies particularly Giallo films. Of course they get a great icon to talk about these films, Geretta Geretta. And for the gamers, there’s even a section discussing some of the horror themed games featuring Freddy, Jason, and more. Tom Savani, and Kane Hodder discuss their hand in making some of those games happen.
Year after year, movie after movie, and discussion after discussion. This documentary aims to tackle many of the movies missed in the original. It focuses on plenty of stand alone films, and sequels to big franchises fans know all too well. It asks and answers more interesting questions, and uses horror icons to give fans a personal take on their experiences. If you watched the original you knew it only touched the surface. So again, sit back, and enjoy another four hours plus of ‘80s horror enjoyment in the form of “In Search of Darkness: Part II.” With that I give it 4 pools of ‘80s style blood splatter!
HorrO
More information at: http://promotehorror.com/2021/02/03/80s-horror-superdoc-in-in-search-of-darkness-part-ii-returns-with-limited-time-flash-sale/
Secluded in a desolate forest, a broken family is observed by Sator, a supernatural entity who is attempting to claim them.
Starring: Gabe Nicholson, Michael Daniel, Rachel Johnson, and Aurora Lowe
Directed and written by: Jordan Graham
“Sator” kind of sounds like Satan, and probably has many of the same bad intentions. It’s also something that you don’t want to discover while living mostly alone in the forest. In this case, it’s Adam (Gabe Nicholson) who’s spending most of his life in the forest. Sometimes he’s shooting bottles, and sometimes looking through the trees like he’s waiting for something. But what is it that’s on his mind?
It could be his family, who he seems disconnected from. His brother does come for a visit, but they don’t show a lot of brotherly love. The source of the problem might be their grandmother, who seems to be suffering from dementia, and the lose of her husband. She apparently can’t remember the important things, but seems to be holding onto her relationship with the Sator. Yes, it turns out the Sator is on everyone’s minds here including Adam!
It shouldn’t take the audience too long to notice a couple of things about the film early on. One is that it’s going to move at its own pace. It’s a slow burner, but the audience is going to want to pay attention to the details. Details like the other noticeable thing, which is the imagery. There are some really stunning shots including a few with the Sator. Sometimes the shots are in the forest, and other times in the house, and they all help create an atmosphere of impending doom.
The audience is also going to have to listen carefully to some tapes that Adam listens to. They’re of his grandmother talking religion, and maybe references of the Sator. Adam is trying to figure out what’s going on in her head, and the audience will be on the case as well. Did grandma make up the Sator, or is it still out there? Adam and the audience will have to wait and see if this Sator is real, and coming back to haunt this family again.
“Sator” could’ve gone the more traditional haunting route, but instead became a film of its own. Real or fake, the Sator has been an influence on this family for a long time. While Adam tries to figure the Sator out, the audience is treated to some fantastic visuals, and creepy old tapes to listen to. Nothing might beat the final images of the movie. It really is a sad tale with the Sator taking advantage of the grandma’s illness to slowly destroy this family. With that said, I give it 3 pools of blood.
HorrO
More about this film at:
A man’s job requires him to clean a house, which turns out to be haunted. In the course of trying to exorcise the ghost, he falls in love with her.
Starring: MacLeod Andrews, Natalie Walker, and Sydney Vollmer
Directed by: Adam Stovall
Written by: MacLeod Andrews, Adam Stovall, and Matt Taylor
“A Ghost Waits” but it won’t wait too long! The film doesn’t waste time giving the audience a quick look at a family in a home before a ghost, Muriel (Natalie Walker), appears and gets them running in fear. Yes, they actually do the smart thing, and leave the house right away. This opens the door for Jack (MacLeod Andrews), a handyman, to come to the house for repairs.
He’s tasked with fixing up the house so that it can be rented out again. This is good for him because it gives him another job, and a place to stay. No, he’s not supposed to stay there, but has nowhere else to go while working on the house. As he works on the home it becomes clear most of the living world doesn’t know he exists anymore. However, he’s about to have the attention of the dead.
This movie is built to be a horror, comedy, and romance film, and it nails all three. To start, no it’s not high on the horror in terms of blood and guts, or jump scares. Horror is used more to set up the story here, and in some familiar and unfamiliar ways. The opening will be familiar as a family is haunted by a ghost, but instead of staying they run for the hills. This isn’t the same for Jack, who might get scared here and there, but sticks around for conversation instead.
A lot of the film is focused on Jack, even after Muriel appears to him because much of the comedy is delivered by him. He’s the only one in the house early on, so he’s busy talking to himself, or the toilet like in one scene. Then when he comes to terms with Muriel not leaving him alone, he has a long list of funny questions anyone would want to know from a ghost. Muriel adds her touch of humor in her response to many of the things Jack says particularly him referring to her as a ghost.
And then the romance, as eventually the audience will see Jack and Muriel’s worlds come together. What’s interesting here is how each takes stock in where they are in life and death. They are seemingly in the same spot even though one is alive and one is dead. There’s some great dialogue here that drives home what happens to the two in the end. And after the romantic gesture, the film does a good job of coming full circle bringing in horror, comedy, and romance in the final seconds.
Admittedly “A Ghost Waits” isn’t my typically kind of horror film, and there were times when I wondered if I should keep watching. Not because it was bad, but just different from what I usually watch. However, I’m glad I finished it because I saw a film merge three genres in a very smooth fashion. The horror worked because they took it in another direction, and the comedy entertained the audience while setting things up. The romance isn’t typical either because neither really bond physically, and it’s more on a spiritual level. They find what they have in common, and where life/death has taken them is what has brought them together. MacLeod and Natalie both put on strong performances bringing these two characters together. With that, I give this black and white film 3 pools of blood.
HorrO
More information at: http://promotehorror.com/2021/01/29/adam-stovalls-haunted-romance-a-ghost-waits-debuts-on-arrow-feb-1/
An adaptation of the novel “Frankenstein,” as told through the life of Mary Shelley. As she creates her masterpiece, she gives birth to a monster.
Starring: Alix Wilton Regan, Giullian Yao Gioiello, and Philippe Bowgen
Directed and written by: Nora Unkel
“A Nightmare Wakes” could have been a good title to use instead of ‘Frankenstein,’ but it certainly fits this story more. A story not about the monster, but the person who penned his creation, Mary Shelley (Alix Wilton Regan). Before Mary gets to her story, the film opens on an dramatic note with a pregnant woman walking into a lake. This is clearly a sign of how this moment in her life is going to be told.
Mary, along with her husband, Percy Shelley (Giullian Yao Gioiello), are at a lake house with some of his friends. With nothing to do on a rainy night, a suggestion that each of them tells a scary story is made. They each take turns with the focus being on Mary's tale. The more the audience ventures into her story, the more the lines between the horrors of her story, and her life come together.
Not being familiar with her real life, and some of the truths told in this wild story might have taken a little something out of it. For those familiar with her story, maybe this story was more meaningful. It’s obvious Mary has issues with her husband and child birth. It makes sense those things would lead to a story like the creation of a monster.
Within the mix of fact and fiction are some interesting nightmarish stories. Of course the most interesting is Mary's vision of the Frankstein story. She takes herself into the story, which will keep the audience’s attention. It will be keeping up with when she’s in and out of the story that’s the challenge.
There’s a constant gothic tone to the film no matter what’s going on. It really fits the time period they’re portraying, and Mary's story. Alex Wilton Regan has a big challenge here, and she seems to do a good enough job. She does get some help by a good supporting cast.
Again, not knowing enough about Mary Shelley’s life makes it harder than usual to judge the film. I can’t really judge it on the truths, but I certainly did enjoy the horror in the story. The opening image set a good tone, and curiosity with what’s to follow. Admittedly, it’s a little bizarre at times, but still very interesting not to mention sad. Sad at seeing what Mary has to go through, but not too sad because she's about to create a masterpiece. With that said, I give it 2.5 pools of blood, and hope Frankstein doesn’t haunt my dreams!
HorrO
More information at: http://promotehorror.com/2021/02/01/a-nightmare-wakes-is-coming-exclusively-to-amc-networks-shudder-feb-4/
After losing her husband during the Great Plague, Grace Haverstock is unjustly accused of being a witch and placed in the custody of England’s most ruthless witch-hunter, Judge Moorcroft. Forced to endure physical and emotional torture while steadfastly maintaining her innocence, Grace must face her own inner demons as the Devil himself starts to work his way into her mind.
Starring: Joe Anderson, Sean Pertwee, and Charlotte Kirk
Directed by: Neil Marshall
Written by: Edward Evers-Swindell, and Charlotte Kirk
“The Reckoning” came for many back in the day, but did they deserve it? This story opens in dramatic fashion as Grace (Charlotte Kirk) is forced to bury her husband. Apparently he has committed suicide after getting the plague. She’s left with her baby, and rent to pay on the home they live in. Some might expect some compassion, but she won’t be getting any from Pendleton (Steven Waddington), the landlord.
Pendleton is looking for rent and more from Grace, but she’s not ready to move on. He doesn’t handle her rejection well, and eventually convinces the town that she’s a witch. They capture her, and put her on trial in front of Moorcroft (Sean Pertwee), who is part judge and part witch hunter. Now Grace is subjected with torture, and choices to make. Will she make it out alive, or be burnt at the stake like the rest of the witches?
The film starts off with the plague and some excitement, but then becomes a long witch trial. Once Grace is thrown in a cell it becomes Grace having her own demon to deal with, and one in the form of Moorcroft. They do manage to create a pretty creepy demon that haunts her nightmares, but the real danger here is Moorcroft. No matter what Grace says he has no intentions of letting her go. He tortures her time after time, but finds it hard to get a confession out of her. No worries for those who hate torture scenes, as they show more of the aftermath of the torture than the actual process.
Much of the middle of the film is used to try to get the audience to feel sorry for what Grace is going through. It tries to tear her down, and show this woman overcoming all these men who are holding her back. With this, the audience misses out on more of the better action scenes created early on, and in the final act. They manage to pop in a few good deaths that are almost forgotten in all the time watching Grace suffer. And while the audience should be focusing on Grace, it seems Moorcroft simply dominates the scenes he’s in, and that just might be a credit to Sean’s performance more than anything else.
In “The Reckoning,” plague and a witch trial are used to set up Grace’s downfall, and chance to overcome the odds. It shows what a woman had to go through during those times just to survive. Oddly, while the story is about a woman conquering her demons and the men around her the same can’t be said for the acting. Strong performances by Sean Pertwee, and Steven Waddington might overshadow what Charlotte Kirk tries to do with her character. It also doesn’t help she never seems to get as dirty as everyone else is. The opening and final acts create an appropriate atmosphere squeezing in a few nice shoots, and manage some good deaths. However the long trial is just too repetitive, and doesn't go far enough in showing the torture. With that said, the reckoning has come for this film, and I give it 2.5 pools of blood.
HorrO
RLJE Films and Shudder will release the action / horror THE RECKONING In Theaters, On Demand and Digital February 5, 2021.
More information at:http://promotehorror.com/2021/01/06/official-first-clip-poster-and-stills-for-the-reckoning/
