Category: Nightmother

47 Meters Down is the Horror Experience of the Summer

47 Meters Down is the Horror Experience of the Summer

Posted by | Jun 15, 2017 | , , |

Overview: Two sisters become trapped in a shark cage at the bottom of the ocean. With depleting oxygen and great white sharks roaming the dark depths around them, they must find the means to survive impossible odds. Entertainment Studios; Rated PG-13; 85 minutes. Open Water: There is a sequence, about forty minutes into Johannes Roberts’ survival horror film where, after venturing out to retrieve a flashlight, Mandy Moore’s Lisa is swimming back to the safety of the cage at the bottom of the ocean. Her sister, Kate (Claire Holt) sits waiting in the cage, gasping in the depleting air...

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New on Amazon Prime Instant Streaming: They Look Like People Offers Heartfelt Horror

New on Amazon Prime Instant Streaming: They Look Like People Offers Heartfelt Horror

Posted by | Jun 10, 2017 | , , |

Originally published on May 14, 2016. They Look Like People is now available on Amazon Prime’s instant streaming service. Overview: A man deals with several struggles in his life while his friend struggles with schizophrenic delusions and clinical paranoia. 2015; Not Rated; 80 minutes. Wyatt/Christian: At first there’s a choppy, muted, sloppy casualness to They Look Like People – an unobtrusive, mumblecore-esque distance kept by the story as it watches old friends Christian (Evan Dumouchel) and Wyatt’s (MacLeod Andrews) unexpected reunion. Director Perry Blackshear opens his first feature film with choppy takes, disjointed voiceovers, conversational fragments. The first half of They Look Like...

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Nightmother’s Unholy Matrimony, June 2017

Nightmother’s Unholy Matrimony, June 2017

Posted by | Jun 9, 2017 | , , |

Hi. Welcome to Nightmother’s new monthly horror post where I (your Nightmother, obviously) bring us together in unholy matrimony with the time-honoured tradition of collecting Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Bleu. Just stay with me here; it’s gonna be really good. Since this is our inaugural post, I’ll provide a little breakdown so you know what to generally expect. Something Old will feature an old horror movie that may be celebrating an anniversary of some kind, or a renewed relevance. For example, this month’s entry is Wait Until Dark which was released 40 years ago this...

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It Comes At Night, Emptyhanded

It Comes At Night, Emptyhanded

Posted by | Jun 9, 2017 | , , |

Overview: A family escaping an apocalyptic illness is disturbed by an intruder. A24; 2017; Rated R; 91 minutes. Who’s There?: I can be a bit of a pessimist at times. I’d rather be delightfully surprised than sadly disappointed, but sometimes it’s safer to expect the worst. But every now and then, something comes along that I can’t help but be excited about. It Comes At Night was one of those bright moments of excited cinematic anticipation. A year after his wonderful directorial debut Krisha, Trey Edward Shults took his dark bend further with an appetizing psychological horror that tells...

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Seoul Station is Entertaining but Inessential

Seoul Station is Entertaining but Inessential

Posted by | Jun 7, 2017 | , , |

Overview: A zombie outbreak begins in Seoul, striking first at the homeless population. Next Entertainment World; 2016; 90 mins. Prequel: Though billed as a prequel to 2016’s Train to Busan, Seoul Station is its own creature. It shares a lot of DNA with its live action counterpart but both movies can exist independently of each other. It feels feels like a class of film students were given the same assignment: make a zombie movie set in Korea that says something about class. Train to Busan took the idea and made a live action movie about zombies and salary men....

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10 More Horror Shorts to Freak You Out

10 More Horror Shorts to Freak You Out

Posted by | May 17, 2017 | ,

Last week we gave you a list of 10 Horror Shorts to watch while you’re tucked into bed and looking for a scare. This week we continue with another 10, maybe just to pass the time at work. Either way, it’s best if you close the door, turn off the lights, and put on your headphones for maximum fear. Not Alone – You may have heard of The Witching Season, an episodic show of sorts whose horror shorts include some of the best tropes the genre has to offer. If you haven’t, I touched on them briefly here. This...

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‘Hounds of Love’ Is Hard To Watch But Impossible To Look Away From

‘Hounds of Love’ Is Hard To Watch But Impossible To Look Away From

Posted by | May 16, 2017 | , , |

Overview: A murderous couple abduct a troubled teen who has only two choices: escape or die. Gunpowder & Sky; 2017; Not Rated; 108 minutes. Hot Hot Hell: There’s something about Australian crime dramas that makes them seem even more brutal than the average fare. Perhaps it’s the apparent stifling temperature adding a sheen of sweat to the anger, like viewing the film through mirage from the heat rising from the pavement. Hounds of Love is one such film whose violent content is only exacerbated by its location: Perth, 1987. It’s Christmas, only it doesn’t really feel like Christmas. Evelyn...

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10 Horror Shorts to Make You Afraid of the Dark

10 Horror Shorts to Make You Afraid of the Dark

Posted by | May 10, 2017 | ,

Horror shorts are special. They’re a wonderful introduction for those who are a little too nervous to sit in their own fear for two hours, and sometimes they even inspire feature-length versions or appear in anthologies (for better or worse!). Many filmmakers got their start making shorts, a more challenging feat than many realize. Here’s a list of 10 great horror shorts that aren’t Lights Out. For best results, turn out the lights, tuck into bed, and stay tuned for 10 more next week. Thresher gets an A+ for story and style. Featuring a man locked up in a...

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“Horror: Where Metaphysics is Innate” An Interview with A Dark Song Director, Liam Gavin

“Horror: Where Metaphysics is Innate” An Interview with A Dark Song Director, Liam Gavin

Posted by | Apr 27, 2017 | ,

Quiet, moody and methodical in its deliberate march toward terror, A Dark Song is a remarkably self-assured first feature for director Liam Gavin. The film tells the story of an occultist hired by a grieving mother who wants to make contact with her dead son through the use of an ancient—and dangerous—rite. Audiences Everywhere recently had the chance to talk with Gavin about the freedom of working within a genre, and his experiences as a first-time director who set out to make a different kind of horror film. … Samantha Sanders (SS): Part of the film’s plot involves some pretty...

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Shyamalan’s Split and Cycles of Suffering

Shyamalan’s Split and Cycles of Suffering

Posted by | Apr 26, 2017 | ,

M. Night Shyamalan is having, for lack of a better term, a comeback. But contrary to popular consensus, this doesn’t mean he ever left. A string of critical failures was an undeniable setback, but the Sixth Sense and Unbreakable auteur has always had a singular eye for telling visual stories. Breaking into the public eye in 1999 with his tightly written, small-scale ghost story that effortlessly sets up and pays off its personal conflicts, Shyamalan began playing in a much more ambitious storytelling sandbox as the new millennium began. Better viewed as a cinematic analyst of people’s attempts to...

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‘A Dark Song’ Sings with Brightly Burning Promise

‘A Dark Song’ Sings with Brightly Burning Promise

Posted by | Apr 25, 2017 | , , |

Overview: A grieving mother seeks the help of an occultist to contact her dead son. IFC Films; 2017; Not Rated; 100 Minutes. Truth: Last year, I was blown away by Dan Trachtenberg’s 10 Cloverfield Lane, a horror mystery that succeeded in being affecting, thrilling and surprising by telling the 100% truth from start to finish. It’s a strange formula for any film looking to establish tension and unnerving control over its audience, and it’s hard to think of any comparative examples of films which presented multiple situational possibilities and then delivered on all of them. Now, we have another....

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The Void is Deep, Dark, and Delirious

The Void is Deep, Dark, and Delirious

Posted by | Apr 12, 2017 | , , |

Overview: After finding a wounded man and bringing him to a hospital in transition, a Sheriff discovers supreme evil lurking below. D Films; 2017; Not Rated; 90 minutes. Keep Watching: There is a scream, a gunshot, and a light between the trees. Quick, look closer: a girl is burning alive, the flame engulfing her body artificially bright next to the dusty, silverfish moon. In your horror, do you find yourself stepping forward unable to look away, or do you run? This is how The Void opens, a stumble for the audience upon a crime so ugly and shocking that...

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New on Netflix Instant: The Eyes of My Mother is Hauntingly Poignant Horror

New on Netflix Instant: The Eyes of My Mother is Hauntingly Poignant Horror

Posted by | Apr 7, 2017 | , , |

Originally published on October 26, 2016. The Eyes of My Mother is now available on U.S. Netflix Instant streaming. Overview: After witnessing an act of brutal violence, a young woman deals with her trauma and isolation with creative and depraved methods. Magnet Releasing; 2016; Rated R; 76 minutes. Open Eyes: Shot in stunning black and white, The Eyes of My Mother is a gorgeous looking film that has the added benefit of muting the inevitable gore. Nicolas Pesce’s directorial debut challenges the audience with timelines that expect you to keep up with them and choices that ask you to...

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The Blackcoat’s Daughter is Effective But Leaves Wanting for More

The Blackcoat’s Daughter is Effective But Leaves Wanting for More

Posted by | Mar 31, 2017 | , , |

Overview: Two girls are left at Catholic boarding school over winter break, and one of them has a mysterious connection to the devil. A24; 2017; Rated R; 93 minutes. What Was in the Holy Water?: The Blackcoat’s Daughter, formally titled February, is a cold film. The winter setting is only partly the reason why. It’s a film devoid of warmth, love, and God, and the absence of which is explored through three girls. The film opens in the aftermath of Kat’s (Kiernan Shipka) nightmare and the camera follows her as she marks off the days on her calendar which...

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Personal Shopper is a Thrilling Tour De Force

Personal Shopper is a Thrilling Tour De Force

Posted by | Mar 27, 2017 | , , |

Overview:  A personal shopper in Paris seeks direction from the afterlife. IFC Films; 2017; Rated R; 105 minutes. The Elephant: Personal Shopper, a French psychological thriller about a young woman working on the edge of the fashion industry, made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival last year. Kristen Stewart is the star and her performance is, quite frankly, incredible. Reputationally, Stewart carries baggage because of her role as Bella in Twilight, for better or for worse, and audiences who haven’t seen or appreciated her smaller indie roles (Adventureland, The Runaways) like to discredit her for what they perceive...

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