Author: Richard Newby

InSession Film Podcast Talks IT (Feat. Richard Newby)

InSession Film Podcast Talks IT (Feat. Richard Newby)

Posted by | Sep 13, 2017 | |

On my fourth visit to the InSession Film Podcast, things got a little scary. I had the oppurtunity to discuss Andy Muschietti’s IT over the weekend with JD Duran and Brendan Cassidy. But it wasn’t all nightmares and trauma, as we delved into why the film works as well as it does, and examined the emotional and social themes that make IT such a horror event. We also discussed our Top 3 favorite scenes from Stephen King adaptations, which wasn’t as easy to narrow down as I initially thought. As always it was a pleasure to join them, and...

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Christine Returns in New John Carpenter Directed Music Video

Christine Returns in New John Carpenter Directed Music Video

Posted by | Sep 13, 2017 | , |

John Carpenter has returned to filmmaking! Well, sorta. The John Carpenter compilation album, John Caprtenter Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998, is being released by Sacred Bones in October. To commemorate the occasion John Carpenter directed a music video this his Christine theme. This marks the master of horror’s first narrative film work since 2010’s The Ward. While it may only a little over four minutes, it’s a wonderful treat, and enough to make us clamor for more Carpenter content.   Hopefully there will be more Carpenter music videos for some of his classic themes still to come! You can pre-order the...

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I’m Your Number One Fan: Misery and Perfecting Time, Tone, and Tension

I’m Your Number One Fan: Misery and Perfecting Time, Tone, and Tension

Posted by | Sep 12, 2017 | |

Overview: When a car accident leaves famous author Paul Sheldon for dead in the middle of a blizzard, his life is saved by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. As Paul recovers, he realizes that he isn’t just Annie’s patient. He’s her prisoner, and she’s got strong opinions about the next stage of his career. Columbia Pictures; 1990; Rated R; 107 minutes. Cold Comfort Rob Reiner’s adaptation of Stephen King’s 1987 novel manages what very few adaptations of the master of horror’s works manage to do. While things that go bump in the night often take precedence when we...

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IT Forces Us to Come to Terms With the Horror of Nostalgia

IT Forces Us to Come to Terms With the Horror of Nostalgia

Posted by | Sep 8, 2017 | , |

Overview: A group of kids band together over the course of a summer to defeat an ultimate evil disguised as a clown. Warner Bros; 2017; Rated R; 135 minutes. Want a Balloon?: Fear. It’s something that many of us encounter every day in some way or another, and in 2017 that’s particularly true. There are very real-world, concrete fears that pull at us, weigh us down, and sometimes sink us. So many of our best modern horror movies speak to that fact, so much so that even the supernatural becomes grounded, a reflection of our modern societal anxieties. This...

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Unlock the Trailer for Insidious: The Last Key

Unlock the Trailer for Insidious: The Last Key

Posted by | Sep 6, 2017 | , |

Here’s the first trailer for Adam Robitel’s (concluding?) chapter of the Indisidious franchsie, Insidious: The Last Key. Admittedly, I’ve fallen a bit behind on the Insidious franchise, having missed the third entry, but I’m a big fan of the first two. But after this trailer, I’m ready to catch up and prepare myself for Adam Robitel’s entry. Robitel, who we interviewed a couple years ago took horror audiences by surprise with The Taking of Deborah Logan. We’ve been eagerly anticipating his next feature, and The Last Key looks like it’ll make good on the long wait. It’s kind of...

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First Trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird Promises Sharp Coming of Age Woes

First Trailer for Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird Promises Sharp Coming of Age Woes

Posted by | Sep 6, 2017 | |

Here’s the first trailer Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut, Lady Bird. If you’re a fan of and familar with Greta Gerwig’s work (which we are!) it’s clear that Lady Bird is very much sticking to her dependable, witty, and optimisitc voice. Saoirse Ronan seems in many ways to be a take on the kind of character we’ve seen Gerwig play before, but we believe that her casting and specific ability to emote will give the film a different, and more youthful perspective than films like Frances Ha or Mistress America. There have been a string of really great, female-driven...

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Mudbound Trailer Points to Netflix Joining the Oscar Race

Mudbound Trailer Points to Netflix Joining the Oscar Race

Posted by | Sep 6, 2017 | |

Here’s the first trailer for Dee Rees’ sweeping period epic, Mudbound. The film tells the story of two men, one black and one white, who return to Mississipii after WWII and must adjust to the rampant racism and changing face of the America south. With a cast including Jason Mitchell, Garrett Hedlund, Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige, Kelvin Harrison Jr, and Jonathan Banks, Mudbound may feature the most stacked cast  a Netflix Original film has had. Dee Rees, who garned attention and critical acclaim for her films Bessie and Pariah, is sure to be a name that...

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Become Bound to the Trailer for Gerald’s Game

Become Bound to the Trailer for Gerald’s Game

Posted by | Sep 6, 2017 | , |

  Just in time for Stephen King month, here’s the trailer for Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Gerald’s Game! Gerald’s Game has long been considered one of King’s most difficult works in terms of adaptation. But if anyone can handle it it’s the team of Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard, who have managed to shock and surprise us with their collaborations on Oculus, Before I Wake, and Ouija: Origin of Evil. We’re confident that by the end of September, Gerald’s Game will join IT as one of the best Stephen King adaptations. Gerald’s Game will be available on Netflix on...

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10 Stephen King Novels That Deserve Modern Adaptations

10 Stephen King Novels That Deserve Modern Adaptations

Posted by | Sep 5, 2017 | |

If this year has showcased anything in terms of pop culture trends, it’s that we’re in the midst of a renaissance of sorts in terms of Stephen King adaptations. While not every adaptation this year has panned out in terms of critical or box office expectations, King’s name has certainly been on many tongues and minds this year as we saw a number of new star-studded adaptations of his work. With The Dark Tower, Mr. Mercedes released, and IT (so close!), Gerald’s Game, 1922, and television series Castle Rock and The Dark Tower still to come, it’s clear that...

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Explore the World Before 2049 in the First of Three Blade Runner Shorts

Explore the World Before 2049 in the First of Three Blade Runner Shorts

Posted by | Aug 29, 2017 | |

Like Alien: Covenant, and Prometheus before it, the latest Ridley Scott production is releasing short film prequels, this time via Collider, that tie into the film. Setting up Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, this short titled Nexus: 2036, gives us some hints at the state of the world in the film. Directed by Luke Scott, the short introduces us to Jared Leto’s Niander Wallace, who appears to be one of the film’s central threats. The short may also suggest, albeit subtley, further ties between the Blade Runner and Alien franchises, which is something Scott introduced in the  in the...

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The Defenders is a Satisfying Urban, Kung-Fu Mystery

The Defenders is a Satisfying Urban, Kung-Fu Mystery

Posted by | Aug 22, 2017 | , |

Overview: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist team up to stop the mysterious organization known as The Hand from destroying New York City in its quest for eternal life. Netflix; 2017; TV-MA; 8 episodes. Ties That Bind: Over the past two years, Marvel and Netflix have been weaving together intricate tales of grounded heroism in the midst of social consequences. Through, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, a tangential side of the MCU opened up, and within these New York boroughs and back alleys every choice had a cost.  While The Defenders, led by Daredevil...

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The Killing of a Sacred Deer Trailer Promises Crippling Horror

The Killing of a Sacred Deer Trailer Promises Crippling Horror

Posted by | Aug 16, 2017 | |

Eventually, we may run out of great things to say about A24. Today, however, we’re gushing about the trailer for Yorgos Lanthimos’ horror film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Lanthimos’ who thrilled and challenged us with The Lobster, looks like he’s venturing into even darker territory as he reteams with Colin Farrell for tale of a surgeon who’s relationship with a dysfunctional family has horrific results. Every shot in this trailer is a thing of exquisite framing and Raffey Cassidy’s cover of Ellie Goulding’s shifts from innocence to eerieness as the trailer progresses. Whatever mysteries lie at the...

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Tangerine’s Sean Baker Returns with Stunning Trailer for The Florida Project

Tangerine’s Sean Baker Returns with Stunning Trailer for The Florida Project

Posted by | Aug 14, 2017 | |

It’s A24’s world and we’re just living in it. Sean Baker crafted an empathetic look at the life of a transgender working girl in Tangerine, and now he moves from L.A. to Florida with another look at America’s often underseen and disenfranchised. Awash in pastel colors, golden sunsets, and characters we’re already falling in love with, there’s little doubt that The Florida Project will be one of the year’s best films. The Florida Project will be released on October 6th. Featured Image:...

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Hitchcock Flashback: Notorious

Hitchcock Flashback: Notorious

Posted by | Aug 14, 2017 | , |

Originally published August 13, 2015. Overview: The daughter of a convicted Nazi emissary is enlisted by an American agent to spy on a Nazi cabal in Rio de Janeiro. RKO Radio Pictures; 1946; Not Rated; 101 minutes. The Spy Who Loved Me: Alfred Hitchcock’s classic espionage story is often cited as the film that marked a shift in the director’s career, a move towards the deeper, more emotionally resonant character work that defined his most popular films. If there was anything “inessential” about Hitchcock’s films preceding 1946, the cast of Notorious made the film an indispensable example of his...

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New on Netflix Instant Streaming: The Transfiguration Explores Black Mental Illness Through Vampirism

New on Netflix Instant Streaming: The Transfiguration Explores Black Mental Illness Through Vampirism

Posted by | Aug 11, 2017 | , , |

Originally published on August 4, 2017. The Transfiguration is now available on Amazon Prime’s streaming service. Overview: A black teenager with an irresistible urge and a fascination with vampires meets a troubled girl who changes his self-perspective. Strand Releasing; 2017; NR; 97 minutes. Lost Boy: When we first meet Milo (Eric Ruffin) he’s sucking blood out of a dead man’s neck in a subway bathroom stall. It’s a grisly first encounter that quickly forfeits any notion that this film will toy with the with ‘is he or isn’t he a vampire?’ Milo believes he’s a vampire, and that’s what...

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