‘Divinity’ Red Band Trailer: Eddie Alcazar’s Wild Retro Sci-Fi Film Stars Scott Bakula, Stephen Dorff, And Bella Thorne

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October 31, 2023

By most accounts, Eddie Alcazar’s Divinity is one of the wildest, most bold films to emerge from Sundance. There’s a reason it caught the attention of Steven Soderbergh, who is aboard as a producer. And his backing seems to be working, as the retro sci-fi film with the eclectic cast is expanding into wide release this week, preceded by a brand new red band trailer.

Scott Bakula, Stephen Dorff, and Bella Thorne, along with Moises Arias, Jason Genao, and Karrueche Tran star in the film which features Alcazar’s unique visual style that he likes to call “Meta-Scope”. You can get a taste of it in this new trailer, which is definitely NSFW.

Here’s the synopsis: Utopia and Sumerian invite you to experience DIVINITY, from writer-director-producer Eddie Alcazar (PERFECT, FUCKKKYOUUU, THE VANDAL), Executive Produced by Steven Soderbergh. Set in an otherworldly human existence, scientist Sterling Pierce (Scott Bakula) dedicated his life to the quest for immortality, slowly creating the building blocks of a groundbreaking serum named “Divinity.” Jaxxon Pierce (Stephen Dorff), his son, now controls and manufactures his father’s once-benevolent dream. Society on this barren planet has been entirely perverted by the supremacy of the drug, whose true origins are shrouded in mystery. Two mysterious brothers (Moises Arias and Jason Genao) arrive with a plan to abduct the mogul, and with the help of a seductive woman named Nikita (Karrueche Tran), they will be set on a path hurtling toward true immortality.

Sound nutty? Check out Divinity for yourself in theaters this Friday, November 3rd.

‘Poltergeist’ TV Series In The Works From Amblin And Amazon

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Travis Hopson

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October 31, 2023

Like the many cinematic slashers and demonic entities, horror franchises are never truly gone. They are simply waiting for the next revival, sequel, or reboot to bring them back to life again. It’s only been eight years since the last Poltergeist reboot on the big screen, and now there will be another attempt that’ll haunt small screens.

Variety reports that Amblin Television is teaming up with Amazon on a new series set in the same world as the 1982 Poltergeist movie. That film about a family haunted by spirits in their new home, was directed by the legendary Tobe Hooper and co-written/produced by some guy named Steven Spielberg.

The original Poltergeist is a horror classic that turned the phrase “They’re here” into a popular quote for genre fans. Two sequels of diminishing quality and box office were produced, ultimately leading to the 2015 reboot attempt that also failed.

Amazon seems like a good spot for Poltergeist to get off the ground. It all depends on the approach, though. I could easily see it as an anthology similar to American Horror Story, and we’ve seen how well that long-lived series has done.

Horror Hit ‘It Follows’ Is Getting A Sequel, ‘They Follow’

By

John Nolan

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October 30, 2023

The only question I had when seeing this news is, “What took so long?”. It Follows which came out in 2014, wowed audiences and grossed $15m on a budget of next to nothing. That’s usually the recipe for immediate franchise in the horror world, but it will be a full decade before we get to see the aptly titled, They Follow. Neon, my second favorite “indie” studio (just behind A24) will produce the film which is bringing back director David Robert Mitchell and star Maika Monroe.

So back to the question of why it took so long, well if I had to guess I’d say it’s that current Neon CEO Tom Quinn was previously at Radius, the company that put It Follows out in the first place. Sometimes, you just need the right people in place.

While shooting won’t start until next year, I would put a safe bet on this one making it to the screen. It Follows wasn’t just a creepy film that was shot and performed well…it was an original idea that hit home with a lot of people…something you don’t see much of in horror these days. The constant anxiety the movie brought on was something people hadn’t felt with horror previously.

It always reminds me of that question “You get a billion dollars but there’s always a snail following you, and if it catches you you die, do you take the money?”. That idea that there’s some single minded thing out there to kill you and won’t stop until it does, but isn’t necessarily in a rush to do it…that’s just terrifying.

‘Manodrome’ Trailer: Adrien Brody Invites Jesse Eisenberg Into A Mysterious Cult Of Men

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Travis Hopson

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October 30, 2023

Adrien Brody and Jesse Eisenberg in a Fight Club-esque cult thriller? Sure, let’s have it. Following its premiere at Berlinale, a new trailer has dropped for Manodrome, which stars Eisenberg as a troubled New Yorker trying to make ends meet, who has his world spiral further out of control when he is introduced to a mysterious “family” of men.

The film is directed by South African filmmaker John Trengove, whose acclaimed but controversial 2017 drama The Wound also featured cultish initiation rituals among men. Seems he’s beating on a theme, and it’ll be interesting to see how much further he runs with it.

Also in the Manodrome cast are Odessa Young, Evan Jonigkeit, and Ethan Suplee. What is it about Suplee that makes him so perfect as a fervent member of a shady sect?

Here’s the synopsis: Ralphie (Jesse Eisenberg) is a man wrestling with outside forces and the demons within when he meets a mysterious family of men who welcome him as one of their own. As Ralphie struggles to define himself, pressure mounts and a powder keg is lit that will blow a hole in the lives of everyone he touches.

Manodrome opens in theaters on November 10th and VOD on November 17th.

31 Days Of Horror: Day 30 ‘The Children’ (1980)
Directed by: Max Kalmanowicz

By
Ronny Sharpes
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Synopsis: A nuclear plant leak turns a bus load of children into murderous atomic zombies with black fingernails.

Continuing with the “creepy children” plot device, The Children opens up at a nuclear power plant in the town of Ravensback. Two inept workers, anxious to leave for the day, decide not to check for issues which in turn causes a leak of toxic gas to escape. At the same time, a busload of school children headed home quickly get engulfed by the noxious cloud. Sheriff Billy Hart (Gil Rogers) happens upon the abandoned bus near the local cemetery, blocking the road and still running with no sign of the children or driver. Little does he know that the children are now slow-moving, black fingernailed little zombies that microwave their victims with the slightest touch.

This is the first I’ve ever heard of this film and I’m kind of upset it took me 43 years to find it. This flick has everything I want in my campy 80’s horror. Inspired by the 3-Mile Island incident, this movie takes the zombie narrative and adds the creepiness of dead-eyed zombie children (denoted by the black fingernails) giving it a unique twist. It was made the same year as Friday the 13th utilizing the same composer, so the score sounds similar and gives an odd sense of familiarity while the horror bordering goofiness plays out on the screen. I mean, where else but in this era of film can you see a small-town sheriff wielding a samurai sword and having the sound of cats in heat as the death knells of the children?

The acting adds to the campiness with performances from the adult cast leaving you wondering if they’re actually playing it straight or in on the gag as well. There’s a scene midway through, where the town is cut off from outsiders and an obnoxious ass of a man attempts to bully his way through the blockade in his limo. It’s a cringe-worthy scene that left me laughing. Made even better when I read that the actor in question, Martin Brennan was reportedly a drug dealer who was selling cocaine to the cast and crew during production. Got to love Hollywood adjacent production in the Grindhouse era of film.

All in all, the cinematography was good for what it was, the practical effects worked well and the story, even though it was ridiculous, is enough to keep you thoroughly entertained. The rewatchability is pretty high on this one for me. There is actually a remastered cut on DVD that Troma put out back in 2006. I might have to track that down to add to the collection. You can find The Children streaming on Tubi as of this writing.

Join me again tomorrow as we close out the month of this strange little trip down the horror rabbit hole.

‘Sicario 3’: Original Cast Eyed To Return, Taylor Sheridan And Christopher McQuarrie Involved

By

Travis Hopson

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October 30, 2023

If you thought the prospects of Sicario 3 happening were dim, think again. Last month, a producer teased a sequel and the potential return of Benicio Del Toro, whose merciless Alejandro has been the most popular character by far. Well, if you think all of that seems unlikely, what about the idea of getting all of the original cast to return?

Collider spoke with producers Molly Smith and Trent Luckinbill who gave an update on Sicario 3, and they seem very high on Del Toro, Josh Brolin, and Emily Blunt being reunited…

“Our idea is to get the cast back together with Benicio, Emily, and Josh, and we’ve got a great story to tell,” said Smith. “Benicio, by nature of just working with us most recently, has been probably the closest to it at the moment. But we’re keeping all the talent informed. They’ve stayed close to it. Like Trent said, the strike has just slowed us down a bit on this last draft, but I think everybody is very excited. Everyone sort of knows the framework of the story and is very excited to, hopefully, get our shooting draft in order very soon.”

The choice of words here is key, and if the cast is interested enough to stay involved then there must be one Hell of a story coming together.

Sicario was originally directed by Denis Villeneuve and penned by Taylor Sheridan, going a long way in cementing both as major forces in Hollywood. Three years later, Stefano Sollima directed the less critically-acclaimed sequel, Day of the Soldado, with Sheridan sticking around on the story. It’d be interesting to see what involvement Sheridan might have with this new one. The producers don’t seem ready to commit to that, but they do include another surprising name: Christopher McQuarrie.

“But we don’t know who’s going to direct yet. It’s all gonna be about timing,” said Smith. “We’ve got obviously a wealth of great partners on it, everybody from Taylor Sheridan to Chris McQuarrie as a partner on it, but it’ll all be about the timing and what aligns with everyone’s schedule.”

McQuarrie is up to his eyeballs in Mission: Impossible stuff so he’s definitely not going to direct. But maybe produce and take a looksie at the script? As for Sheridan, the level of his involvement remains unclear, what with his massive Yellowstone franchise going strong…

“He is so busy, and he stays close to it, and will obviously have input, too,” Luckinbill said. “Then it’s just a question of when we get schedules lined up and all of that starting to have real conversations to see who’s available and who wants to do it. So certainly, I think everybody that’s ever been involved with this has stayed really close and has stayed fans of it. So, we’ll just push forward and see what lines up and who lines up in our window.”

Ron Howard’s Newly-Titled ‘Eden’ With Ana De Armas Adds Vanessa Kirby And Sydney Sweeney

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Travis Hopson

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October 30, 2023

Back in May, we learned of Ron Howard’s next film, titled Origin of Species, which was set to star Ana de Armas, Oscar nominee Jude Law, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, and Daniel Brühl. But in the months since, there have been some big changes on the survival thriller, starting with a change in title, and an almost entirely new cast.

While Ana de Armas is sticking around for the newly-titled Eden, Edgar-Jones and Vikander are out, and replaced by Vanessa Kirby and Sydney Sweeney. Law and Brühl are sticking around, as well.

The film from Tetris screenwriter Noah Pink tells “a darkly comic tale of murder and survival, set around a group of eclectic characters who abandon civilization for the Galapagos. They are all searching for the answer to that ever-pressing question that plagues us all: what is the meaning of life.”

Kirby is set to star opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, while Sweeney will meet cute with Glen Powell in the rom-com Anyone But You.

Production is set to begin in November, and this has all of the makings of another major film for Howard. His last two projects, Hillbilly Elegy and Thirteen Lives, had a lot of awards season buzz but petered out fast. This could be the film that turns things around. [Deadline]

Cinema Royale: Talking ‘Freelance’, A John Cena/Alison Brie Debacle

By

Travis Hopson

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October 30, 2023

People keep asking me “Where is your Freelance review”? You seriously thought I was going to sit down and write a review of this? There was no way I was going to spend more time writing a review than they actually spent writing Freelance. The only way I was going to review it was by talking it out with my homie, Chris Bumbray of Joblo.com, like the two seasoned pros that we are.

So this entire episode is about Freelance, which stars John Cena, Alison Brie, and is directed by Pierre Morel, director of one of the greatest action movies ever, District B13. But because this is us and Freelance is a “special” kind of movie, we go off on a few tangents so excuse us.

Enjoy this bit of silly fun.

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Review: ‘Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor’
Brings the Promise Of New Fears And Fresh Scares

By
Ronny Sharpes
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The creator of the Hell House LLC trilogy of films, Stephen Cognetti returns with his latest installment of the found footage horror series Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor. This time we step away from the familiar setting of the Abaddon Hotel and to explore the secrets of the Carmichael Manor.

Set in 2021, Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor follows cold-case investigator Margot Bentley (Bridget Rose Perrotta) and her crew consisting of her realtor girlfriend Rebecca (Destiny Leilani Brown) and her troubled brother Chase (James Liddell). Margot has been given five days of unfettered access by the current owner to explore and possibly unlock the mystery surrounding the manor. Armed with video cameras and her reluctant crew she begins a journey where each day the enigma surrounding the manor grows deeper and more terrifying.

Found footage horror is one of those gimmicks that I began to grow tired of. Ever since The Blair Witch became such a massive success it seemed like every director looking to score a quick, cheap hit would default to that cliched method. Although there were a few unique films that followed, the quality was few and far between. That is, until I came across Hell House LLC. Something about that first film grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go. The growing dread felt real and even though the plot was a bit far-fetched, the way it was presented felt plausible. The sequels were enjoyable as well but nothing quite hit that same level as the first. When I saw that Cognetti was building out the universe from the Abaddon, I jumped at the chance to see if that feeling could be recaptured.

Origins created that same type of feeling for me right off the bat beginning with interviews basically spelling out the investigating crew’s fate. By the time we see file one from the investigation we’re already primed and pumped, ready for all the gory details. Transitioning from the Abaddon Hotel to the Carmichael Manor brings the promise of new fears and fresh scares building upon the terror already experienced 20 years earlier.

Cognetti wastes no time tying the two locations together as day one unfolds and we see that all too familiar black & white faced harlequin and his clown associates standing menacingly in the dark recesses of the house. Even our black clad, hooded Satanists make an appearance. Initially, I thought that would be detrimental to the story, relying on old tropes from the previous films. But to my surprise, Cognetti was able to utilize them in a way that felt familiar but also new, tying everything together in one hellish universe.

The scares are simple but effective. What begins as unexplained loud thuds over the course of days progresses to disembodied singing, balls rolling seeming unassisted out of the darkness and a masked young girl peeking around corners wanting to play. Oh and those damn clown mannequins. The ever-so-slight movements as the camera momentarily shifts away and back is enough to haunt your nightmares. It was effective in the first Hell House LLC and still got me this go-round. As a fan of this series, I was thoroughly entertained.

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor goes back to the basics but shows promise in what looks to be an ever-expanding universe. I’m excited to see what comes next from Cognetti and his team. You can find this one streaming on Shudder October 30th.

31 Days Of Horror: Day 29 ‘Bloody Birthday’ (1981)
Written and Directed by: Ed Hunt

By
Ronny Sharpes
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Synopsis: Three children were born at the height of an eclipse of the sun in 1970. Ten years later, they begin to murder the people around them – even their family members.

Ten years after being born during the height of a solar eclipse, Debbie (Elizabeth Hoy), Curtis (Billy Jayne) and Steven (Andrew Freeman) have become inseparable. Due to Saturn being blocked in their astrological sign, they also lack the ability to feel remorse. One day on a whim, they decide to kill a young couple making out in the local cemetery. That kicks off a series of murders including Debbie’s sheriff father, their teacher and Debbie’s sister Beverly (Julie Brown). The bodies are piling up but when they attempt to take out young Timmy Russel (K.C. Martel) in a junkyard, he cleverly escapes. That begins multiple attempts of the evil trio to hunt down and kill Timmy and his sister Joyce (Lori Lethin).

This is one of those classic 80’s horror flicks and I’m shocked it never crossed my path before now. You have a trio of creepy little doe-eyed children getting progressively more evil as the plot moves forward. There’s pint-sized violence that gets more hilarious as the kill count rises. With shovels, jump ropes, bows, arrows and even one kid brandishing a high-caliber revolver you’ll find yourself uttering “WTF am I watching?”. It’s pure gold though. For being an early, early 80’s horror film, this one holds up surprisingly well.

If you’re a fan of 80’s fare, you’ll probably recognize a few faces in this as well. Elizabeth Hoy was the “small child” Jake tried to buy in Blues Brothers and Billy Jayne was younger brother Bud in Just One of the Guys (an absolute classic in my book). Lori Lethin from Return to Horror High plays Timmy’s older sister. Had this biggest crush on her in that one. Not to mention, Julie Brown from Earth Girls Are Easy plays the other older sister who takes her top off a few times.

All in all, this was a fun little flick with insane rewatchability. I mean, creepy kids? How can you go wrong? Aside from dolls (a fear that I’m slowly desensitizing to) kids are second on the list of all-time fears. They’re all smiles then, boom, they’re shooting you with a .357. Can’t trust those little assholes. Haha!

If you’re looking for a good 80’s horror that doesn’t require a whole lot of thought then look no further. Bloody Birthday can be streamed on Tubi as of this writing.

Join me again tomorrow as we hit the home stretch. Two days left in this strange little journey down the horror rabbit hole.