Category: Nightmother

VIFF: The Crescent Only Wanes

VIFF: The Crescent Only Wanes

Posted by | Oct 17, 2017 | , |

Vancouver International Film Festival runs from September 28 – October 13, 2017. Screening films from more than 70 countries on nine screens, VIFF’s program includes the pick of the world’s top film fests and many undiscovered gems.  Overview: A widow and her toddler head to a beach house to get away and come to terms with death. Cut Off Tail; Not Rated; 99 minutes. Why: It’s hard to say immediately where The Crescent is going. Initially we meet Beth (Danika Vandersteen), the young widow and single mother who’s lost her husband in an accident. She’s empty and numb and left...

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20 Great Horror Posters

20 Great Horror Posters

Posted by | Oct 17, 2017 | , |

Originally published October 26, 2016. The horror genre has some of the most striking and visually interesting posters in cinema. Here are 20 to appreciate (in order of release) whether they’re framed on your wall or just in your heart. Don’t forget to check out the other posters we’ve highlighted here! Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) There’s something really special about the style of horror/sci-fi thriller posters of the 1950s. Creature from the Black Lagoon is a classic favourite, but take your pick: they’re all charming and pulpy as hell. Black Sunday (1960) Starting off strong with, “Stare...

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Celebrating the Monstrous Love of Guillermo del Toro

Celebrating the Monstrous Love of Guillermo del Toro

Posted by | Oct 16, 2017 | , ,

Over the last month, Audience Everywhere has been celebrating Hispanic filmmakers and representation in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month. But no celebration of Hispanic contributions to the world of cinema could possibly be complete without mention of Guillermo del Toro. Among other achievements, he is a member of the Three Amigos, as Hollywood has termed them, a triumvirate of critically successful Mexican directors, along with Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro González Iñárritu. This connection to his country and his countrymen is evident in his work as well as his interactions online. He is consistently supportive of Hispanic filmmakers, without any...

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Happy Death Day Dies A Slow Death

Happy Death Day Dies A Slow Death

Posted by | Oct 16, 2017 | , , |

Overview: A young woman must solve her own murder as she relives it repeatedly. Blumhouse Productions; 2017; Rated PG-13; 96 minutes. The Hook Brings You Back: Any great horror movie needs a satisfying hook. This is necessary for a film to not get lost among the countless other horror entries that come and go every Halloween season. Luckily, Happy Death Day has that buy-in even from the promotional materials. It has been described by many as a horror version of Groundhog Day. Honestly, this was enough to get me in the theater. There are several directions that this film...

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Leatherface is Exactly What You’d Expect

Leatherface is Exactly What You’d Expect

Posted by | Oct 16, 2017 | , , |

Overview:  A young nurse is kidnapped by escapees from a mental institution; Lionsgate Films; 2017; 90 Minutes. The Whole World’s Gonna Know: This time of year calls for a good old-fashioned blood romp through the fields. Fans of horror classics will turn to the days of yore for that nostalgia-flavoured death dream: ‘80s franchises, favoured cult classics, and, of course, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. TCM didn’t need an origin story. Its unanswered questions made up for some of the most depraved and creative imaginings for its audience. How did this family get so completely maniacal? How long has this...

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 Lost Legends: George A. Romero

 Lost Legends: George A. Romero

Posted by | Oct 12, 2017 | ,

In our second week of Lost Legends, we’re turning our attention to the King of the Zombies himself, George A. Romero. As tempting as it would be to focus solely on his work with the undead, I’ve instead opted to look at some of his other horror work (and Dawn of the Dead because if there’s an excuse to watch Dawn of the Dead I’m taking it.)  The Crazies (1973) Overview: A small town becomes infected with a virus that sends its citizens crazy. Focus: A novel aspect of this film is how little it focuses upon the infected. After...

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False Prophets and the Hatred of Red State

False Prophets and the Hatred of Red State

Posted by | Oct 12, 2017 | ,

Much has been made lately (and has been made before and will be made again) of the question “is ________ really a horror movie?” This has become even more ridiculous with the questioning of Stephen King’s It, a story about a shape-shifting clown who hunts and eats children. If that’s not horror, what is? But regardless, the goal of a horror movie is, at its simplest,to frighten. But there is no way to guarantee every member of the audience will be frightened of the same thing. We all bring ourselves into the experience of every movie. So, what scares...

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VIFF: The Endless is a Perfect Circle

VIFF: The Endless is a Perfect Circle

Posted by | Oct 11, 2017 | , , |

Vancouver International Film Festival runs from September 28 – October 13, 2017. Screening films from more than 70 countries on nine screens, VIFF’s program includes the pick of the world’s top film fests and many undiscovered gems.  Overview: Two brothers revisit the cult they escaped years before to confront their past and present. Snowfort Pictures; 2017; Not Rated; 111 minutes. Hey, Guys: We’ve been fans of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead for a long time. It began with Resolution, their first inventive indie horror back in 2012, continued in 2014 with their dark romance Spring, and rounds out this...

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Poetry of the Steak: Reinterpreting The Fly 30 Years Later

Poetry of the Steak: Reinterpreting The Fly 30 Years Later

Posted by | Oct 11, 2017 | ,

Originally published on August 14, 2016. When we think about David Cronenberg’s The Fly we think about the grotesque transformation of Seth Brundle that drives the film and weakens our stomachs. 30 years later and the artistry of Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis on Seth Brundle’s six staged transformation into Brundlefly remain an unmatched feat in practical effects, paralleled only by Rob Bottin’s work on The Thing four years prior. Despite the effects wizardry that keeps audiences returning to Cronenberg’s film over and over again, The Fly’s memorable body horror and exploration of the flesh would be lessened if...

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Cult of Chucky Brings New Toys to Madcap Seventh Entry

Cult of Chucky Brings New Toys to Madcap Seventh Entry

Posted by | Oct 9, 2017 | , |

Overview: Picking up five years after Curse of Chucky, the titular killer doll tracks Nica down to a mental asylum where he continues his assault of terror, while revealing a larger scheme that brings his original target, Andy, back into the fray. Wanna Play?: It almost goes without saying that by the time the seventh entry of a horror franchise comes around, expectations are pretty low and justly so. The examples are numerous. The same could be said of sixth entries as well. Yet, Don Mancini bucked the trend with 2013’s Curse of Chucky, which broke the curse of...

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Now Available on Netflix Instant Streaming: Raw May Be the Year’s Best Horror Film

Now Available on Netflix Instant Streaming: Raw May Be the Year’s Best Horror Film

Posted by | Oct 6, 2017 | , |

Originally published on June 9, 2017. Raw is now available on Netflix instant streaming. Overview: A gifted veterinarian student finds her dietary and personal values challenged through a triggering event at college. Petit Film; 2016; Rated R; 99 minutes. Let it Sink In: Raw bared its flesh at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Adding to its critical success in Europe was the story that several audience members at the Toronto International Film Festival had to receive medical attention after fainting, a tried and true horror marketing ploy that, no matter how valid, always gets my attention. It delivers on...

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Nightmother’s Unholy Matrimony, October 2017

Nightmother’s Unholy Matrimony, October 2017

Posted by | Oct 6, 2017 | , |

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year. Horror fans all over the world rejoice at the crisp leaves, the ever-expanding pumpkin fields, and the witch’s brew simmering on the stove. This month we’re going hard for Halloween, a boon of celebration for our regular Unholy Matrimony. Read on for horror recommendations and stay awhile, there’s a lot to eat. Need to catch up, or missed the last monthly recommendations? Just click here. Something Old: The Sender (1982) A man awakens near a family park, disoriented and seemingly afraid. He walks quietly through families enjoying the sun, placing...

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Charismata is Unmissable Indie Horror

Charismata is Unmissable Indie Horror

Posted by | Oct 6, 2017 | , , |

Overview: A rookie detective investigates satanic killings while dealing with her own demons. Loose Cannon Films; 2017; Not Rated; 100 Minutes. Resting Bitch Face: Detective Rebecca Faraway (Sarah Beck Mather) has had it. It’s clear in the first frame of her face reflecting the harsh red light of the dashboard; she’s done. It’s a look recognizable to anyone who has been forced into confinement with a difficult personality. In this case, it’s her partner Detective Smith (Andonis Anthony) who condescendingly pries about her well being, comments on her appearance, and makes jokes at her expense. They’re on their way...

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A Sinister Mating Ritual: Hellraiser and the Sublime

A Sinister Mating Ritual: Hellraiser and the Sublime

Posted by | Oct 5, 2017 | , |

The last month has largely consisted of talking about Stephen King, about his particular brand of horror and his insights into the human spirit. There was no preventing some of that from bleeding over into this consideration of Clive Barker, who King once described as the future of horror. Well the future is now here, and this conclusion has come to the forefront: if Stephen King’s works are about facing the dark with the companionship of others and ultimately finding the light again, then Barker’s works are about staring into and being consumed by the dark…forever and entirely alone....

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Lost Legends: Wes Craven

Lost Legends: Wes Craven

Posted by | Oct 5, 2017 | |

For this year’s Halloween celebrations, Audiences Everywhere is looking back on some of the horror icons who are no longer with us and looking at some of their most famous/infamous movies. For the first week, we’re looking back at Wes Craven, a true master of the genre who made some of the most iconic horror movies of the past forty years. Don’t forget to take to Twitter for your chance to win all of these films. The Last House on the Left (1972) Overview: Two teens are captured and tortured by a gang of criminals who then take refuge in...

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