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Review: A Quiet Place Part II

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As I entered the cinema to watch the highly anticipated A Quiet Place Part II I was unfortunately met with loud chatty audience members attached to their brightly lit phone screens, needless to say, my annoyance was strong.

However, the conversations halted and popcorn crunching was paused within five minutes of the attention-demanding film’s commencement. And that’s when I knew that I was in for a good time. Taming the teen audience is a challenge, but there’s only one film for the job… 

A Quiet Place Part II begins with Lee Abbot (John Krasinski), walking across an eerily quiet town, are we pre or post-apocalyptic? Our questions are soon answered as we enter into the same pharmacy that featured in the first film’s opening scene and see Lee talk to the friendly shopkeeper whilst stomping around in loud boots. Soon after, the buzzing sound of kids shouting and baseball’s batting begins as he turns the corner, entering into a loud family baseball game where we see the loving Abbot family cheering on their son.

However, it’s not long until the real action begins as a beaming flame crashes through the sky and unleashes a hellish parade of sound sensitive beasts. The strong opening scene sets the tone for the rest of the film, which boasts constant “Dun..Dun..Dunnn…” moments. This relaying of intense scares and unpredictable character fates is truly unique to The Quiet Place films. 

A Quiet Place (2018) focused on the Abbot family, consisting of wife and husband, Evelyn (Emily Blunt) and Lee (Krasinski), and their two children Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and Marcus (Noah Jupe) as they attempt to survive in this dangerous world, all the whilst having to prepare for the arrival of Evelyn’s baby who is due any day now. Due to Regan being deaf the family is able to efficiently communicate via American Sign Language (ASL).

Similarly, Part II follows the family as they reach their next hurdle. After their home and supplies have burnt down they need to make it on barefoot, with a low oxygen tank and a new-born baby. Fortunately, it’s not long until they run into Emmett (Cillian Murphy), a recluse who is still grieving the loss of his family. The story soon evolves into a triple threat as Regan goes on a voyage in search of finding a survival community, with Emmett trying to bring her back to the family, whilst Evelyn, Marcus, and the baby hideout in a risky bunker. Throughout the entire film, these interwoven segments never become muddled and always manage to successfully reunite separate themes together. 

Simmonds is a pure powerhouse, with her emotionally strong and courageous performance of a determined young woman taking on Lee’s role of the brave patriarch of the family, making her one of recent horror’s most interesting characters. But, Regan shows a distinct strength of selflessness and bravery that is entirely her own, not just a shadow of Lee’s commitment. Her actions resolved my initial worries about this sequel.

When a film is so outstanding it can be difficult to meet the same level of effectiveness, let alone top it, and I believe that most of that previous impact blossomed from Evelyn and Lee’s portrayal of a tender couple trying to raise their family amongst the carnage. And with Lee now permanently absent, I was slightly apprehensive over the lack of sentiment that Part II would obviously have. Alternatively, Part II brings about an abundance of maternal care, with Evelyn giving it her all to save her children, and Regan and Emmett being one another’s grief support partner. 

It would be impossible to review Part II without acknowledging the primary characteristic that swaddles the entire film, the creatures. Their exposure is much more generous in Part II, as they make a plethora of appearances throughout the entire film. Now, one creature element that I really did appreciate is the correlation between threat levels and creature exhibition.

Typically, as most recently seen in It: Chapter Two, when we constantly see the villain on screen we lose the mystery appeal, and most significantly we tire of the exaggerated emergence of the antagonist. Krasinski carefully tiptoes across this thread by placing the beasts only at the climax of the scene, where we are already on edge. 

Preserving my intrigue was the lack of prototypical survivor algorithms. The banality of the norm is almost completely eradicated, the death of Lee wholly surprised me, and I was not let down by the similar risks taken in this sequel. The phrase ‘no one is safe’ truly comes to mind in reflection, not even the new-born infant is safe!

These bold screams are of course not entirely unheard of, but they are rare. However, as much as I’ve sold this as an adrenaline-pumping rollercoaster, I actually found that one of the most pivotal instances is the inclusion of Emmett, who wallows in dread and devastating loss. Emmett transitions through his character arc with ease, possibly cementing a continued role in the upcoming third film…


Although I am unable to favour one film more than the other, due to their innately alternative routes, I can promise that A Quiet Place Part II is a brave, captivating, and adrenaline pumping thrill into tragedy in the midst of chaos.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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Review- The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

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James Wan changed modern horror in 2013 with the release of The Conjuring. No one was truly expecting how much of a success this out-of-nowhere film was going to gain, nor did anyone expect the lasting legacy that The Conjuring would have on the genre. Eight years down the line the Conjuring Universe is now eight films richer, with four primary branches being explored (Conjuring, Annabelle, The Nun, and The Curse of La Llorona).

The reason for the depth of films primarily relies upon The Warren’s having explored a senseless amount of paranormal cases, reportedly in the thousands. Out of these occurrences, the most opportunistic and intriguing one has to be the murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, which saw a young man who stabbed his landlord more than twenty times plead not guilty because “the devil made me do it…

Directing is Michael Chaves who is no stranger to the Conjuring Universe after the box office failure of The Curse of La Llorona, and in true Hollywood fashion, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It drifts entirely from the actual case. Not once did Ed and Lorraine Warren successfully bring a demon to court with them, instead, the judge immediately dismissed the claim of ‘default by possession’, but movie magic has to perform its spell to deliver.

So, in this fictional ‘true story’ we have at the roots a film that primarily follows Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson starring as Mr. and Mrs. Warren as they sieve through a plethora of ghastly ghouls whilst acting as actual detectives on multiple police cases. Matching this is a selective amount of dimensional characters, a heart warming love story, and a well-rounded look that thematically blossoms throughout. 

It is undeniable that The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It has its appealing features, with one of the top notes belonging to the Warren’s themselves. Most of the runtime is devoted to them as they scour to find clues as well as reminisce about how they met; in fact we are delivered quite a warming love story. 

And for me, this is what has allowed not just this entry, but the previous Conjuring films to draw fans in, we can’t help but adore a continuation, something steady to follow no matter how cliché the story gets. 

However, this is not a romance film at the basis, but instead a ‘supposed’ terrifying story of possession. But this is where the positive aspects begin to wallow. Joining the Warrens are our other leads, the harmless perpetrator Arne (Ruairi O’Connor) and his partner Debbie (Sarah Catherine Hook). As aforementioned, we see Arne become possessed and brutally murder his landlord whilst in the presence of Debbie, but she stands by his claims and is at his beck and call.

They spiritually embody a younger version of Ed and Lorraine whose bond is unbreakable, and I do have to admit that I was immersed in their theatrics and their overarching outcomes did matter to me. Chaves certainly relies on fleshing out fruitful characters to deepen backstories and strengthen the spine of the narrative. 

Clearly, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It has plenty of heart, but does it have any brains? Now comes the rapid downfall that sinks in just when we should be gripping to the edge of our seats. Unfortunately, Chaves’ bad luck from The Curse of La Llorona has followed him as the scares are certainly stretched thin. I watch a hefty amount of horror films every week so eventually, I do adapt to pre-packaged plot devices, particularly the dreaded jumpscare.

The sudden appearance of a daunting image accompanied by a swell in orchestral strings has plagued the genre for a dreadful amount of time. That is not to say that jumpscares are impossible to effectively use, with some of horror’s greatest scenes deriving from the tactic, including that terrifying scene in The Descent where the hideous humanoid appears behind a woman’s shoulder, or when the bright red demon appears out of nowhere in the infamous Insidious scene. Chaves on the other hand used them extensively to the point of being formulaic, where anyone could have seen them coming a mile off. 

Similarly, the entire film’s structure could be described as exposition, silence, jumpscare, exposition, silence, jumpscare; and so forth. What happens with this predictability is the essence of familiarity, and ultimately boredom. Sitting through a film that is 1hr and 52 minutes where you can see every single climax before it even happens is challenging, but what added to this was the constant tangent that the film drifted off to.

As I’ve previously mentioned, Johnson’s possession claim was immediately dismissed as legally there was no way to prove innocence, instead, the lawyers went down a self-defense route. Obviously, if the film would have followed reality then everything would have been solved in under an hour, but to uphold feature film requirements there needed to be plenty of filler. 

The gauzes to pad the film were dull, with unnecessary deep dives into other possession murder cases being explored by the Warrens. The overexertion dragged the film out until my attention had nearly completely broken down. 


My overall thoughts remain unbalanced, with neither a love nor hate opinion residing. Alternatively, I enjoyed the refreshing involvement of character arcs but was entirely let down by the extraneous shelling out in an attempt to deliver a ‘wide’ film. At times films with grand budgets get lost in the freedom of finance, with a favouring in exploring dozens of locations and expensive exterior shots; whereas indie films have to be good internally as there is no opportunity to fill in the gaps with pricy stills.

A keen focus to honing in is what The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It desperately needed, and more importantly the entire franchise needs to form its dedication to the genre better and take a note out of The Conjuring’s (2013) book of expertise.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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This week in horror – 4.6.21

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Upcoming Megan Fox horror Till Death gets an official release date

Megan Fox’s return to horror has been highly anticipated ever since it was announced early last year that S.K. Dale had cast Fox in his new thrilling horror. Till Death follows Emma (Fox), a shaken woman who has been handcuffed to her dead husband thanks to a malicious revenge plot.

The already horrific events soon take a turn for the worst as she has to race against two killers who are en-route to ‘deal’ with her as well. Straight away the key story elements ring similar to Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s original novel, Gerald’s Game. However, Dale along with writer, Jason Carvey, promises that Till Death will not work on a subliminal note, instead favouring a full-throttle thrill, promising the audience as a film to remember. 

Distributors Screen Media have announced an official release date of July 2nd this year.

Hellraiser reboot heads directly to Hulu’s streaming service

Who would’ve thought that Clive Barker’s 1987 horror based on sadomasochistic creatures would become a massive franchise with a total of 10 films behind its belt, alongside comic books, novels, and video games?

Now, the franchise is expanding yet again with the latest Hellraiser set for a direct VOD release, with streaming giant Hulu being the first to pick up the distribution rights. Plot details have been kept sorely secretive, but we do know that the acclaimed David Bruckner will be behind the director’s chair yet again. His previous credits include segments in both V/H/S and Southbound, as well as bringing Adam Nevill’s novel The Ritual to life on the big screen. 

Horror legends, Tony Todd and Tobin Bell join forces in the highly anticipated sci-fi horror, The Bunker 

Tony Todd is best known for his villainous role in the Candyman films, with Tobin Bell also portraying the antagonist in the Saw franchise. And now these two horror icons will team up to tackle aliens from a mysterious planet in The Bunker.

The film revolves around an alien invasion and an underground bunker, where we’ll follow a scientist as they must concoct a bio-weapon to prevent the aliens in their tracks before they rule dominance over earth. The upcoming exploration into the extraterrestrial is currently in production. Todd and Bell’s official roles have not yet been announced, but we do know that they will co-lead the film, alongside Chelsea Edmundson, who had a brief role as the Bride in Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. 

Season 4 of horror TV show ‘Slasher’ set for a Shudder release

The Canadian-American horror series has made quite the name for itself, with news of the fourth season being very welcomed amongst fans of the anthology-style show. So far across three seasons we have seen a mysterious serial killer tackle a small town in the brilliant first season, following is season 2 where we see a crew of camp counselors return to a campground where they murdered a fellow counselor, and lastly, season 3 follows a group of neighbours who neglected to help during a murder that happened in front of their complex during the summer solstice period.

The fourth season will surround a mishmash wealthy family with their own share of inner turmoil, all the while being killed off one by one on a secluded island. Officially titled Slasher: Flesh and Blood, the latest instalment will be released via Shudder in an early August premiere date. What’s even more exciting is the fact that the one and only David Cronenberg stars as the ruthless head of the family, in what seems like a combination of Ready or Not, Knives Out, and Friday the 13th. 

A Quiet Place Part II comes back with a silent bang as it tops the box office within days of its release 

A Quiet Place rushed through cinema with ease with the first installment taking in nearly $350 million since its 2018 release. News of its sequel was announced within days of A Quiet Place being released, so let’s just say that the success of the sequel was imminent. However, as with many films due to be released in 2020, restrictions forced the film to suffer from multiple delays. The wait seems to have luckily paid off as Part II has smashed the box office worldwide as the growing total is currently at $83 million, within just a week of its release. To meet this is the rapid acclaim that John Krasinski’s apocalyptic vision has gained, with both critics and audiences admiring the portrayal of a family struggling with literal monsters, as well as praising the addition of Cillian Murphy’s character. 

Clown documentary Behind the Sightings finally unveils trailer and an official release date 

The 2016 clown crazes went above and beyond, with numerous videos going viral of creepy clowns stopping cars on dark roads, meeting strangers at lift entrances and most frighteningly there were ‘rumours’ that people were using the prank knowledge of these videos to commit immoral deeds without people thinking they were being serious… 

Adding to the film’s fright factor is the mysterious background of Behind the Sightings. Supposedly, this found footage ‘docu’ is real, as we follow an actual couple documenting the clown epidemic. Typically the notice of true stories is an obvious marketing technique, but Behind the Sightings have taken a step outside the box and created such a genuine and secretive portrayal that have convinced many that the film is 100% non-fiction.

Eager viewers will finally get to decide for themselves whether this is true or not, with the DVD and VOD release date scheduled for July 7th. 

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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This week in horror – 29.05.21

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Spiral: From the Book of Saw cements it’s place as one of the most successful Saw films

Sprial: From the Book of Saw drove in heaps of hype even before its release, with fans buzzing about seeing the Jigsaw Killer back in action. However, Sprial scrapped the previous films and continued in a new direction in attempts to reinvent the franchise.

Despite mixed reviews, it seems that Darren Lynn Bousman has succeeded in doing so as box office figures reveal that it topped the theatrical charts and has racked up enough profit to make the entire Saw franchise gross over $1 Billion total. Pushing Spiral’s success even more is the announcement of its streaming debut. At home audiences will be able to watch Spiral in perfect time for Halloween, as Starz has picked up the film for an early October release. 

Check out our review of Spiral here

Netflix announces Fear Street trilogy

Streaming giant Netflix is no stranger to criticism for its lack of attention to horror, every week we see a plethora of dramas and comedies be spun out, yet the horror section remains bare in comparison. And it seems that this feedback has finally gotten back to them, as earlier this week it was announced that a “Fear Street” trilogy will be coming very soon. Goosebumps author R.L. Stine is known for his PG horror novels, including the Fear Street series.

Netflix will take on this trilogy by creating three separate film set at different times. Fear Street Part I is set in 1994, with the others based in 1978 and 1666. Little has been released concerning plot details, but what we can gather is that Part I takes inspiration from 90s teen horrors, such as Scream. Part II delves into a cabin/ summer camp environment, possibly emulating early 80s hits including Friday the 13th. And then finally we have Part III, which goes way back in time and certainly gives off The Witch vibes.

Fear Street Part I premiers on July 2nd. 

New Evil Dead movie begins production

The Evil Dead set audiences ablaze in 1984 with its inventive take on possession horror. Since then the franchise has seen two sequels, a very successful remake and a tv series. So its no surprise that Sam Raimi’s innovative direction is back once again. Evil Dead Rise brings back Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi as executive producers. Alongside them is Lee Cronin who will direct the upcoming hit.

Cronin’s credentials include a segment in the anthology horror Minutes Past Midnight and the A24 gem The Hole in the Ground. Production will commence shortly in New Zealand and even more excitingly Evil Dead Rise will not be based in the traditional wood setting, but instead a city landscape. 

Last Night in Soho’s highly anticipated trailer shows a promising descent into the disturbed  

Last Night in Soho has been the talk of the town since its announcement in 2019, and with restrictions it seems that fans have been waiting a lifetime to see Edgar Wright’s latest exploration into psychological horror. The film is set to follow in the footsteps of the genre’s most acclaimed thrillers, including Don’t Look Now and Repulsion.

The first trailer was released earlier this week and audiences already can’t get enough of Anya Taylor-Joy and Matt Smith in this frightful tale of delusion, distrust and madness. Despite the trailer being rather cryptic (possibly a hint to the film’s aura) Last Night in Soho alludes to the importance of time transference, with a keen focus on psychedelic themes.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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Review- Spiral: From the Book of Saw

“He could be anywhere, he could be anyone. We’re gonna tear this city apart”

Just like that Saw is revived. The Saw franchise has sorely embedded itself within modern horror instantaneously when James Wan and Leigh Whannell released the first segment in 2004. The series had reached a lull and drifted from its pioneering ways, with later instalments simply existing to test audiences’ gag reflexes, but could Darren Lynn Bousman’s Spiral sway the franchise back to its esteemed position? 

Bousman is no stranger to the world of Saw, with three previous installments under his belt. Joining him is Chris Rock who helms writing credits, as well as taking the lead as Detective Zeke Banks who reluctantly partners with rookie officer William Schenk (Max Winghella), as they race against the clock to solve a string of murders against the police force by a Jigsaw copycat.

Greeting Banks with more trouble is his tumultuous reputation within the force as his reputation has been plagued since he uncovered a dirty cop. Only tying the situation tighter is his estranged relationship with his police veteran father, Marcus Banks (Samuel L. Jackson). 

Persisting with the judicial rendition is a tempered story that loosely tackles a serious topic, police immorality. Such topics deserve a full backbone to thrive, but I believe that making a statement was not the goal, nevertheless the political basis could have profited off of a more rounded payoff if the bouncing clichés were not as blatant. Banks is divorced, rogue, and ridiculed, with a zealous newbie as a partner, which reads as a typical crime horror layout.

Nothing new here. Although we do not necessarily need a buzzing sub-plot of corruption for Spiral to have scored, possibly focusing less on factuating a sense of moral motive (similar to how Jigsaw targeted the ungrateful) and instead work on turning the attention towards the thrill would have helped avoidance of the negative criticism regarding a cluttered narrative. 

On a positive note, I fully appreciate that Bousman aims to reimagine the tale rather than just tell the same story in an alternative light. Let’s view this in lieu of franchise semantics, Spiral is not Saw IX, the actual subtitle is ‘From the Book of Saw’. Instead, Spiral simply takes a note out of Saw’s book, an ode, a dedication. Viewing Spiral as a spin-off resolves many issues that fans have raised. Take for example the bloody and brutal traps that Saw is known for, in Spiral they do not make a keen appearance.

No longer do we witness victims suffer from what seems like an endless prolonged death. That’s not to say that the new copycat is not as harsh, as although the traps are not suffocatingly graphic, they are all nearly impossible. Each trap is slightly tuned down when compared to the film’s previous reputation, yet the lack of exposed explicatives is not to be underestimated as I still winced at the sight of tongues being ripped off, melting faces, skinning, and a body being obliterated by a train. 

Conjoining the tension is an air of unease that Bousman brings to the table. With all types of cinema there is a certain sense of familiarity, a comfortable position where we know that despite hardships all will be resolved and the lead will get a happy ending. Spiral fortunately does not drift into the certain. Instead we are threatened with the fact that no one is off limits, seriously NO ONE. And its this infiltration of precariousness disavows us to tire entirely, no matter the viewer’s opinion. 

Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson’s performances are one of the most applauding features of Spiral. Their witty and dishevelled relationship is reminiscent of the buddy-cop genre, with a few back and forths forcing us to warm to their characters, despite obvious flaws. Not only did I actually care about their fates, I would have happily watched an entire cop drama with them two pairing as leads.

The on-screen partnering, combined with Spiral’s general thematics reminded me of 1990s crime thrillers, with Se7en (1995) immediately coming to mind. The mimicry to exhilarating police thrillers can be seen as a far bargain when we throw in the additional elements such as the above mentioned traps and the history of the Jigsaw killer that is frequently mentioned. However, Spiral is not entirely a plea to wake up an unkempt franchise, alternatively the film offers a bridge into horror for a new generation. 

Spiral has an instinctive drive for worming its way back to what made the early film’s so great, but with a contrasting guise. No longer will Saw continue as a hyper stylized, grungy gorefest with twists and turns pounding down as soon as the disequilibrium hits. Instead, the fresh take on a demented serial killer (arguable term) will breach out into a world of theatrical dramatics, heavily immersed with inner trauma and current topics. 

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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This week in horror – 14.05.21

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The controversial 1970s film ‘Faces of Death’ set for a remake from Cam creators 

The 1978 mondo film Faces of Death set audiences roaring upon its release. Never had viewers come across such so-called ‘filth’, with the UK hastily adding it to the infamous Video Nasty list. Now, we have not only become rather desentized to such material, but often there is a keen rejoice in praising once-controversial films.

The remake will follow the original closely but with a modern spin; the story will follow a young woman whose job it is to moderate and cleanse an internet streaming site of obscene material, but she soon stumbles across a channel showcasing snuff films. It is now her responsibility to uncover whether these gruesome clips are genuine murders, or some amateurs attempting to gain online fame. The remake will see a reunion of Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei who collaborated together in another online-based horror, Cam (2018). 

1980s documentary series In Search of Darkness announces a Part III

In Search of Darkness brought together all things holy within the horror world; featuring the genre’s most beloved icons, including Caroline Williams, Tom Savini, Robert Englund, Bill Moseley, Doug Bradley, Barbra Crampton and Kane Hodder. After a successful Part II, which acted as a continuation of this 1980s extravaganza, it was announced that a third entry into this documentary series is in development.

The new doc brings about a whole new wave of excitement, as they are welcoming fans to contribute with an official tweet inviting 1980s horror aficionados to help the creators in what movies and topics they want covered. It was made clear from Part I that the four-hour long film would be entirely inclusive to all areas of the genre, with discussions ranging from cult classics to the more unknown films to come from this iconic era. 

Check out our review for In Search of Darkness Part II 

George A. Romero’s lost film ‘The Amusement Park’ is restored for a summer Shudder release 

Romero’s legacy has pioneered the genre, not only due to his revolutionary zombie films including Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, but also due to his avid adventurous filmmaking that always manages to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Shudder has released an official trailer for his supposed ‘lost’ film The Amusement Park which will finally get a wide release this summer.

Filmed in 1973 was one of Romero’s most underweighted and controversial films, with it not even garnering a release. The Lutheran Society had contacted Romero about making a film on ageism and elder abuse, however due to its gruesome content it was shelved for over 40 years. It had a miniscule premiere in 2018, but audiences will finally get to see what is known as one of the most ‘Romero-esque’ films he ever made. 

DC set to release horror comics centring around The Conjuring franchise

Comic book powerhouse ‘DC’ recently announced their latest project and new venture into the horror universe, The Conjuring comics. The new line of comics will attempt to reach further than their usual audiences by drawing in horror and thriller fans as new readers. The first issue titled The Conjuring: The Lover, will be released as a prelude to the upcoming film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and follows a young college student who is dealing with a bad romantic experience paired with poor grades and mounting pressures, however she soon feels an uneasy presence that is holding an evil power over her life.

As the first issue shows, the comics will follow a clear character-driven study, with the horror arising from emotional and personal issues. The limited series will help majorly set up the above mentioned third Conjuring movie, with writer David Leslie johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring 2) co-writing the first issue with Rex Ogle. 

John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter announces new podcast collaboration with Realm 

Horror legend John Carpenter has brought us classics such as Halloween, The Thing and They Live, and now an official three series podcast released via Realm. Carpenter will collaborate with his wife Sandy King Carpenter, who has acted as a script supervisor on multiple projects including, Sixteen Candles, Big Trouble in Little China and Prince of Darkness. Together they revealed that their three shows Roanoke Falls, Angels to Some and Furnace will have a scattered release with Roanoke Falls being released first in October this year, with the other two series being released in late 2022.

Details have remained tightly guarded, but what we do know is that each series will follow different areas of horror, ranging from serial killers and the paranormal to sci-fi frights.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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Review- Relic

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Relic both devastates and captivates us all whilst establishing a rich environment made to heighten fear and immerse our intrigue. The 2020 Australian horror left its blemish across the virtual festival scene last year, with reviews storming in boasting its brilliance. Quite impressively this is Natalie Ericka James’ directorial debut, despite this, the film received almost immediate interest upon its pitching, with Jake Gyllenhaal serving as a producer. Relic’s buzz was imminent due to its pressing and at times daunting portrayal of decay, both physical and mental, paired with a haunting atmosphere that goes straight for the jugular. 

When Kay (Emily Mortimer) receives a call from police alerting her of her mother Edna’s (Robyn Nevin) disappearance, she packs her bags along with her daughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) to search their family home. They soon find the house withering away alongside multiple reminder notes scattered, hinting that Edna’s dementia has gotten worse. However, when she mysteriously returns as if nothing happened they soon get the feeling that something much more sinister is at play. 

Unfortunately, memory loss seen within elder people, particularly family, is a dreadful circumstance that many people find themselves dealing with. James understands that our reaction to horror is deeply personal, our own experiences and fears develop our reaction. The echoes of loss are as above mentioned dispersed across not just the characters but also the self.

We are presented with a haunted house story but are met with much more than doors closing on their own, strange whispers and ghostly figures. There is a rather surreal tonal element that James masters. In recent years horror cinema has matured. Although plenty of entertaining slashers and gory films remain popular, a good handful of films drift towards an art-house structure, using eerie environments and character-driven stories, with thanks being owed to Robert Eggers and Ari Aster with the likes of The Witch and Hereditary favouring dramatics over bloodshed. 

An element that I personally admired throughout Relic revolves around the looming sense of dread that both Mortimer and Heathcote portrayed so robustly. They perform with a cathartic drive that aims to accurately embody what our reactions would be in such a situation. I mentioned that Relic is an immersive experience, mainly due to the reality illustrated. We wouldn’t be able to feel compassion for their situation without genuity. We follow three generations, that’s multiple generations of baggage and experience, they all naturally have alternative responses to the situations, yet the roots remain the same. Relic has a reeling heart and soul, reminiscent of the gothic tales from Edgar Allen Poe and Heathcoat, Mortimer and Nevin soulfully handle an impassioned story with effective ease. 

Furthering the terror is the complicated setting. Similar to Kubrick’s The Shining, I noticed that the internals of the house are convoluted and seemingly never-ending. At least twelve different rooms are shown, and although the exterior boasts a lengthy space (thanks to cinematographer Charlie Sarroff’s work) the camera still endlessly weaves through this maze of a house, only exaggerating the inescapability of this haunted house.

It is disorientating and threatening to be alone in a big empty house in an already isolated environment, facilitating this even more is the immediacy of terror presented to us regarding the “coldness of the house”. Sam notes the copious amount of locks that Edna has installed as she remarks that someone has been breaking in and moving furniture, yet there is not a single trace left. The camera lingers on the still idleness across the empty rooms and hallways. However, the frames remain thriving with a presence of lingering life, visible or not; this awareness of spiritual manifestation blossoms through transcending visuals. 


Relic relishes in a simplistic disguise. There is no bountiful torture or dark humour (granted it is still entertaining). I applaud the mossy baroqueness that drifts throughout this slowburner. On the point of slowburner, although I sing its praises Relic certainly will not please every audience member, or at least at first.

Do not expect rapid twists and turns or countless jump scares; it’s a slow burner true to the bone. Relic aims to make a witness out of you, and to invite one to simply watch as the unease unravels. And for this very reason, I’m marking Relic as a must-see for anyone willing to bear a small ounce of patience in return for a big payoff.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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Review- Fried Barry

Warning: a few spoilers ahead…

Bashful, absurd, and full on chaotic is the aptest way to describe Ryan Krueger’s rising hit, Fried Barry. Describing trippy horror film’s as a sensory overload is nothing new, however I cannot stress enough that Krueger’s vision of an alien possession gone awry is anything but ordinary; in fact, good luck keeping a steady focus with forceful cinematics hitting you from every angle.

Fried Barry is a South African film streaming on Shudder and is based on Kreuger’s three-minute short from 2017, and is heavily improvised, with a traditional script being abandoned in favour of on the spot dialogue. 

We follow Barry (Gary Green), a grubby drug addict who after a string of highs is abducted by aliens. The extraterrestrial forces at play have free reign over Barry as they go on a wild night out in Cape Town. Plenty of sex, drugs, violence and mayhem takes centre stage in one of 2020’s most surprising films.

The neon drenched scenes take over the audience’s perception of conformity, whilst Cape Town transforms from a popular known destination to some sort of new dimension imitating a strange acid laden environment.

This foreign territory comes across as more alien than wherever these jovian creatures originated from. Barry is significantly outstanding in his role as a ridiculous caricature-esque being who at the stem is careless (even in serious circumstances), but I found his character to be so at home and warmed in this kaleidoscopic setting. Green is actually not a trained actor by profession, but instead a stuntman, making his performance extremely impressive in consideration. 

All of this praise over visuals is certainly not a case of ‘style over substance’. Personally speaking, although motive serves purpose in most films, it is not always necessary. Barry’s possession is a deep exploration into humankind, with all things weird and wacky embraced. It’s through his lack of control that we end up warming to his disillusion, he is not aware of his cruel behaviours and you understand the glimpses of his past self.

Through this a series of pinnacles become risen via creative filmmaking. We are witness to constant narrative contortions where we genuinely have no clue what’s going to happen next. This sporadic nature thrives throughout, with one rather memorable scene exhibiting Barry impregnating a prostitute, to which she immediately gives birth in a grotesquely excruciating scene. 

Kreuger’s direction is invasive, resulting in a strikingly seedy tale of innocent pandemonium. What Fried Barry accomplishes so well is the inherent nature of bringing Grand Guignol adventures back to the mainstream. The film fits right in with 1980s schlock, with a clear ode to oddball characters and rather testing sights.

We thrive with the obscene, which quite simply drips throughout the entire film. Alongside this is the lack of situational care, we see plenty of aggressive pimps, sign-wearing preachers, deluded asylum patients, nagging housewives and then we have Barry himself, a stereotypical substance abuser – There really is something to offend everyone.

I could easily compare Fried Barry to similarly eccentric films such as The Greasy Strangler (2016) and Bad Boy Bubby (1993), but in reality Kreuger has created an immensely unique and convoluted film that really is worth a watch.

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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This week in horror – 07.05.21

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Amazon Video pens new TV series based on the 1990s hit, I Know What You Did Last Summer 

1990s horror wouldn’t be the same without the writing talents of Kevin Williamson, who penned Scream, The Faculty and I Know What You Did Last Summer. As with any classic we are set to get a remake of Jim Gillespie and Williamson’s collaboration as Amazon Prime Video bravely begins early production stages. Following closely to the original 1997 slasher hit, we’ll see a bunch of teenagers in small town America battle a mysterious killer after one of their most deadliest late-night adventures leads to a fatal ending.

The series will be directed by Craig William Macnelli (Them, Channel Zero & The Twilight Zone) and stars Chrissie Fit (Picth Perfect), Madison Iseman (Annabelle Comes Home), and Brianne Tju (Scream: The TV Series). So far the series will follow a limited format, with only six episodes lined up, however with its already hyped reputation, we could possibly be seeing a major franchise revival of I Know What You Did Last Summer. 

One Cut of the Dead remake starts shooting 

In 2017 a relatively new director Shin’ichirō Ueda released One Cut of the Dead, a low-budget Zombie comedy. Little did the industry know that the film would go on to make over a thousand times its budget. The meta-parody flick zoomed across the horror world with a powerful force, as it went onto win several acclaimed awards. Now four years down the line French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) directs the French-language remake of this Japanese hit.

Production has just begun rolling with an official cast finally being revealed; starring is Bérénice Bejo, Romain Duris, and Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz (Revenge). Further details still remain quite hidden, but fans have speculated that this remake will be far from ordinary, with Hazanavicius bringing French extremism vibes to this Japanese rooted horror. Certainly an interesting combo…

Shudder’s May line-up revealed 

Shudder reveals quite the exciting line-up for this month’s schedule. Armed with a mix of older classics, and Shudder originals equals to a rather fan-pleasing month. New gems including the sci-go extraordinaire Fried Barry, Neil Marshall’s witchy haunt The Reckoning and the trippy Psycho Goreman will be released throughout May, with other genre essentials such as folk horror’s The Blood on Satan’s Claw and The Witchfinder General, as well as the very much underrated classics Def by Temptation and Black Roses. 

Dexter’s return is imminent as the first teaser trailer premieres

Ever since it’s 2006 release serial killer TV series Dexter has been nothing but a hit with audiences. Back in October, it was revealed that Michael C. Hall will return as the Jekyll and Hyde killer one more time with a ten-episode limited series premiering some time next year. The long-awaited revival’s trailer was released this week, which shows a snowy cabin setting with the camera backing to Dexter with a menacing grin, perhaps signaling that he’s been hiding all these years, preparing for his imminent return. 

First images revealed of the Children of the Corn reboot 

Stephen King’s 1997 short story has been adapted yet again. Kurt Wimmer’s take on evil children has already had a quiet release last year as it briefly played at two theatres, but the reboot is now set for a wide release later this year. Wimmer takes us down a less traditional route (in comparison to the other adaptions) as the film is primarily a prequel leading to the massacre situation that the story essentially follows.

The film will focus on how one young girl recruits the youth of the town to slay corrupt adults, but a hopeful high-schooler is not as easy to fool as the rest. Although the Children of the Corn franchise has spun several follow-up films, their success rate has rapidly descended with each release. However, the recent images that have circulated definitely show some promise, with a dark atmosphere, impressive cast, and a lingering sense of dread being very apparent. 

First look: Brand new images for new Saw film ‘Spiral’

Patient audiences finally get a sneak peek into the long-awaited ninth installment in one of modern horror’s most brutal franchises. The brand new images tease a brutal cat and mouse chase between the wicked Jigsaw and the brash detectives investigating a series of bloody and twisted murders. Although the series has gradually become slightly more slick and esteemed, Spiral promises that this new entry will be far from mundane, with one particular image graphically showing a torn open body strewn across train tracks! Spiral will be hitting theatres next week over in the States, however, here in the UK, we won’t have to wait long as Spiral premiers across the country in cinemas from the 17th of May. So, who’s booking their tickets?… 

New and exclusive trailer for Stranger Things season 4 

It has been nearly two years since season 3 of Stranger Things ended, and after such a long wait we have finally been granted a quick preview into the upcoming series. However, the eerie clip seemed to leave more questions than answers as we see Eleven (Milly Bobby Brown) back at Hawkins Laboratory with the creepy Dr. Brenner abusing her powers yet again. The climactic finale of season 3 left audiences shocked with the apparent death of beloved Chief Hopper, yet the new trailer does not reveal or tie up any of these loose ends that have left audiences quizzical for a while now. And it seems that the wait will only continue as earlier this year the proposed release date was postponed until further notice. 

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.

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This week in horror 02.05.21

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Friday the 13th: The Game finally gets new patches 

Friday the 13th: The Game has been keeping both horror and gaming fans fueled since 2017. Creators have been battling with further developing the game as ongoing licensing issues have prevented brand new additions from being made. Yet, a little loophole allows players to still play online. To keep the old content fresh developers have done a series of patches to create a better playing experience. New features include fixing max safe zones, alterations to combat teleportation, spawn issues resolved and easier access to weapon changes. 

American Psycho comes to TV as new series begins development 

Mary Harron’s American Psycho has successfully maintained acclaimed status ever since its release 21 years ago. Fans can’t get enough of Patrick Bateman’s maniacal behaviour with an official TV series closely following the film officially beginning development. The production details have been kept tightly under wraps as we’ve been left with more questions than answers; will we follow Bateman in his 50s continuing his ritualistic beauty regimes and intricately discussing business cards? Or will we see a new serial killer embody Bateman’s eccentric murder tactics? Quite interestingly this is not the first time Bret Easton Ellis’s 1991 novel has been adapted, with American Psycho 2 (2002) and a musical showing Bateman (played by Doctor Who’s Matt Smith) taking his music obsession to the next level as he dementedly sings his way through the murders. 

NECA debuts the sixth generation of Toony Terror horror figures 

Horror collectors rejoice as the game-changing merchandise machine NECA showcases their latest series of Toony Terror figures. Previous editions featured genre favourites, such as Pennywise (90’ & 17’), Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Beetlejuice, Leatherface, Pinhead, Ash, Regan, and Victor Crowley! The sixth wave may just be one of the most exciting volumes yet as we see some of horror’s most underrated characters get a cartoon makeover, including Elvira, Captain Blake (The Fog), Herbert West and The Miner (My Bloody Valentine). 

Trailer for William Brent Bell’s upcoming horror Separation has horror fans adding it straight to their watchlists 

The trailer for Separation shows a haunting story of a young girl struck by grief as she attempts to find solace with her dead mother. The beyond creepy clips grab your attention immediately as we are treated to gloriously unnerving imagery of adult sized puppets who have seemingly come to life, as well as a disturbingly dark energy riveted throughout this haunted house. Separation stars Rupert Friend (Homeland), Mamie Gummer (The Ward), Madeline Brewer (Cam) and Brian Cox (Braveheart). 

Set for release 30th April. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXQdaCkmmIU

Netflix announces official plans for Death Note 2 

Japanese Manga series Death Note was bravely adapted by Netflix in 2017, but feedback from both fans and critics left a sour note on its reputation. However, despite the negative reception the streaming giant recently announced that a sequel is most definitely taking place… The nervously anticipated sequel has conjured plenty of rumours, with creators supposedly hoping to win fans back by focusing more on the horror and abandoning the stereotypical character developments and Americanisation that the first Death Note succumbed to. Allegedly one of the few positive aspects surrounding the first remake will be resurrected in the sequel; Willem Dafoe will return as the death god Ryuk, who will surely rise plenty of torment.

Blumhouse Productions set for another triumph as The Black Phone nears the end of production

The Black Phone follows Finney Shaw, a cunning teenage boy who is abducted and locked in a soundproof room. All hopes seem to be lost, but when Finney finds an old phone he discovers that it can transmit the killers’ previous victims’ voices. The Black Phone is directed by Scott Derickson, who has directed The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and Sinister (2012). His return to horror has been welcomed by fans as we also get to see a reunion between him and Ethan Hawke, who takes on the lead role. The Black Phone is based upon Joe Hill’s award winning short story of the same name. 

Set for an early 2022 release. 

This weeks article comes via Grace from Film Overload, you can check out more of her work here.