MOVIE REVIEW: MANDRAKE (2022)
28/11/2022
Mandrake A probation officer, Cathy Madden, is tasked with rehabilitating a notorious killer named 'Bloody' Mary Laidlaw back into society following a two-decade sentence. A Horror Movie Review by Hope Madden I have about six different cousins named Cathy Madden, but Lynne Davison’s Mandrake is not about any of them. I hope. Davison’s tale follows probation officer Cathy Madden (Dierdre Mullins), whose recently assigned client, Mary Laidlaw (Derbhle Crotty), has the county in a tizzy. Old “Bloody” Mary is thought to be a witch, you see, and no one’s too keen on her being let out after what she did to her husband in those woods. Twenty years wasn’t long enough. It’s tough to do something surprising within the witch genre. These films generally fall into two categories: she’s evil and in league with Satan, or she’s misunderstood and being wronged by hateful townfolk. Davison blurs that line. Her handling of Matt Harvey’s script treads a provocative path of moral ambiguity that requires constant guesswork and generates real dread. Connor Rotherham’s cinematography draws out the best in Vanessa O’Connor’s production design to give Bloody Mary’s environment a primal, organic and dizzying feel. Everything is draped in moss and knotted with roots. You can almost smell the rotting leaves. It’s gorgeous and dense, simultaneously lovely and terrifying. Crotty, all wild hair and knowing eyes, blends effortlessly into this primordial world. Mullins perfectly complements that performance with her own complex take on Madden. Straightforward with no time for nonsense, the parole officer still weakens, and Mullins finds depth here. The two performers play on their opposing look and vibe not to illustrate differences but to unveil sympathies. Mandrake never falls back on one-dimensionality. Characters are messy. They do the wrong thing, then the right thing, behave monstrously and also with kindness. The film is also mercifully light on religion, instead pitting the scientific world against something older. Whether that world and its options are more sinister is in the eye of the beholder. HOPE MADDEN Hope Madden is a writer and award-winning filmmaker living with her husband George and cat Velma in Columbus, Ohio. She writes what scares her, which worked out fine until she became a filmmaker and had to live what scared her for the duration of a shoot. Terrible decision. Her novella, Roost, was published in 2022 by Off Limits Press and her first feature film releases in late 2022. Check out Hope's Podcast here : https://soundcloud.com/frightclub And for more film reviews from Hope check out Maddwolf https://maddwolf.com/ THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR MOVIE REVIEW WEBSITESHORROR MOVIE REVIEW: SLASH/BACK
27/11/2022
 Production value is high, even when the images and performances on the screen seem a bit amateurish. Somehow the two fit together in this world at the edge of the world, Slash/Back Maika and her ragtag group of friends discover an alien invasion in their tiny arctic hamlet, and it's up to them to fight back using makeshift weapons and horror movie knowledge. Initial release: 13 March 2022 Director: Nyla Innuksuk Distributed by: Mongrel Media A Horror Movie Review by Hope Madden Nyla Innuksuk’s sci-fi horror Slash/Back opens with a likable, snow-suited scientist gathering permafrost samples in a breathtaking Northern Canadian snowscape. Researchers on the Arctic Circle don’t have a great track record for surviving horror movies. Don’t you love the way blood pops on snow? The tentacled menace that cuts the scientist’s research short is soon to terrorize a remote fishing village called Pangnitung, or as Maika (Tasiana Shirley) and her buddies call it, Pang. Innuksuk has a lot of fun reconsidering John Carpenter’s The Thing – the tale of an invasive species and the terrifying havoc it can wreak – from the perspective of four indigenous teens. And in case the point is lost on you, Maika has a badass jacket to wear when killing invasive species that may help to clarify things. None of the performances suggest a superstar in the making, although Nalajoss Ellsworth impresses as instigator, malcontent and comic relief Uki. Still, the buddies – who include Chelsea Prusky as Lee Lee and Alexis Wolfe as Jesse – share a rapport that feels honest and relatable. Innuksuk mines this to enrich the fantasy elements with realism. The filmmaker’s greatest collaborator is cinematographer Guy Godfree (Maudie, Let Him Go). The two contrast the ramshackle buildings of Pang with the glorious natural landscape around it. The effect not only conveys what could be lost to these bloodthirsty outsiders, but what was lost the last time. Creature design is sometimes inspired, sometimes a little weak, but Innuksuk embraces these limitations. Production value is high, even when the images and performances on the screen seem a bit amateurish. Somehow the two fit together in this world at the edge of the world, where that adolescent urge to pretend to be someone you’re not feels like a real betrayal and those seal hunting trips you took with your dad finally pay off. HOPE MADDEN Hope Madden is a writer and award-winning filmmaker living with her husband George and cat Velma in Columbus, Ohio. She writes what scares her, which worked out fine until she became a filmmaker and had to live what scared her for the duration of a shoot. Terrible decision. Her novella, Roost, was published in 2022 by Off Limits Press and her first feature film releases in late 2022. Check out Hope's Podcast here : https://soundcloud.com/frightclub And for more film reviews from Hope check out Maddwolf https://maddwolf.com/ Check out today's other article on the ginger Nuts of Horror Website the heart and soul of horror movie review websites Mingled with the solid storytelling – visual and aural – the heady concoction delivers another solid look at the unexplainable. Sideworld: Damnation Village A Horror Movie by Hope Madden Director/narrator George Popov and writer Jonathan Russell return to England’s shadowy past for the third installment of their documentary series, Sideworld: Damnation Village. We leave the forests and seas behind to peek inside the cottages, inns and public houses beset by residents unwilling or unable to leave. The sixty-minute doc benefits again from the collaboration of a team that’s clearly on the same page. Russell and Popov have worked together, not only on both previous installments in this series (The Haunted Forests of England and Terrors of the Sea) but also the narrative features Hex and The Droving. Cinematographer Richard Suckling once again helps Popov fill the screen with spooky but beautiful scenes, while composer Matthew Laming again breathes eerie life to the imagery with his whispering, whistling score. Their focus this go-round are the tiny clusters of cottages dotting the English countryside, villages that have withstood centuries of war, pestilence and trauma that have left their marks. We begin, of course, in Pluckley – Guinness’s “most haunted village”. The film moves on to Prestbury and the tale of, among others, the Black Abbott. Visits to the mostly empty villages are accompanied by Popov’s associated tale of the macabre. The filmmakers enlist actors Helen O’Connor and William Poulter to give voice to letters, articles and witness accounts. As intriguing as the tales of lost love and criminal retribution are, it’s the mournful story of Eyam that stays with you. Perhaps it’s the connection to modern tragedy – Eyam voluntarily quarantined during the Plague, saving all the communities around it from infection but dooming themselves in the process. As the series progresses, an interest in connecting the spectral with the scientific has become one of Sideworld’s prominent elements. In this case, Popov and company explore British archeologist/author T.C. Lethbridge’s Stone Tape theory to help explain recurring, looping paranormal phenomena. Perhaps what best sets this series apart from other spooky folklore entertainment is its reverence for the subject – not just the scary stories, but the actual human lives behind them. Mingled with the solid storytelling – visual and aural – the heady concoction delivers another solid look at the unexplainable. HOPE MADDEN Hope Madden is a writer and award-winning filmmaker living with her husband George and cat Velma in Columbus, Ohio. She writes what scares her, which worked out fine until she became a filmmaker and had to live what scared her for the duration of a shoot. Terrible decision. Her novella, Roost, was published in 2022 by Off Limits Press and her first feature film releases in late 2022. Check out Hope's Podcast here : https://soundcloud.com/frightclub And for more film reviews from Hope check out Maddwolf https://maddwolf.com/ THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR MOVIE REVIEW WEBSITESHORROR MOVIE REVIEW: SOFT & QUIET
25/11/2022
 There are several themes running in the film, but all of them work together to paint a picture that isn’t hard to envision. It’s easy to imagine women like these among us. That’s the scariest part of all. Soft & Quiet An elementary school teacher organizes a mixer of like-minded women where an encounter with someone from her past spirals into a volatile chain of events. Release date: 4 November 2022 (USA) Director: Beth de Araujo Distributed by: Momentum Pictures Production companies: Blumhouse Productions A Horror Movie Review by Rachel Willis The idea that the kindergarten teacher at your child’s school might be a member of an Aryan group is terrifying enough, but writer/director Beth de Araújo takes that idea even further in her first full-length feature, Soft & Quiet. The kindergarten teacher, Emily (Stefanie Estes), is our focus as we watch her leave school one afternoon to attend a meeting of like-minded women. Right from the beginning, it’s clear Stefanie is unlikeable. She coerces a young boy into confronting a janitor over mopping the floor, painting it to the child’s mom as teaching him to be empowered. From this uncomfortable moment, the movie takes us further into discomfort as we follow Emily in real time as her evening progresses. Giving away anything more would remove the tension that is slowly built as the movie moves from unsettling to disturbing to terrifying. Telling a story in real time takes a truly talented editor, and Lindsay Armstrong nails it. Her cut is seamless, and it helps deepen the tension. The editing work keeps you in the moment, showing how quickly mob mentality can take over – especially if the group in question feels threatened (even when the threat actually comes from the group in question). Most of the time, the cinematography complements the writing and editing. But on occasion, it feels like we’re watching a found footage film, which detracts slightly from the tension. While there are many moments filmed to unsettle, at other times it removes us from the moment. However, these minor faults are easily overlooked. The acting throughout is perfect. Every woman feels like someone you might know. From the pregnant Stormfront member to the woman living paycheck-to-paycheck, each actor brings a realism that lends to the dread we feel as we follow the group. Though we follow Emily, it’s impossible to feel any sympathy for her. She is at times coerced into action and other times the leader of the pack. What she chooses to do is horrifying, and her responses to the events don’t evoke understanding. There are several themes running in the film, but all of them work together to paint a picture that isn’t hard to envision. It’s easy to imagine women like these among us. That’s the scariest part of all. Rachel Willis Rachel Willis is a freelance writer living and working in Columbus, Ohio. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Rachel has written for both Screenrelish and MaddWolf and is currently working on her first novel. Aside from being and active writer, Rachel is an avid film watcher with a soft spot for horror movies. Rachel is also a member of the Central Ohio Film Critics Association. THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR MOVIE REVIEW WEBSITESHORROR MOVIE REVIEW: MANDRAKE (2022)
21/11/2022
 The ending may leave you with more questions than answers, but it is not unnecessarily confusing, and we do get a complete story at the end of the tight, 85-minute run time, although we may not have seen the last of Bloody Mary! Mandrake (2022) Written by Matt Harvey Directed by Lynne Davison A probation officer, Cathy Madden, is tasked with rehabilitating a notorious killer named 'Bloody' Mary Laidlaw back into society following a two-decade sentence. (IMDB) A Horror Movie Review by Mark Walker Some very mild spoilers for Mandrake follow Mandrake follows probation officer, Cathy (Deirdre Mullins) after she takes on newly-released killer, ‘Bloody’ Mary (Derbhle Crotty) as her new ward. Mary was put away for killing her husband 20 years previously, but old wounds run deep and, as well as having to deal with Mary’s strange behaviour, Cathy finds herself facing the wrath of the locals who don’t want Mary, who they believe is a witch, anywhere near them. The community’s fears are realised when two kids go missing, and Mary becomes the obvious target of the pitchfork (shotgun) wielding locals. As the tension increases, Cathy finds herself caught between her duty, the locals, and the law in the shape of her ex-husband, Jason (Paul Kennedy) When the children’s bodies are discovered, posed with paganistic wooden trinkets, things just go from bad to worse and Cathy becomes embroiled in a situation that puts her and her family at risk. On the surface, Mandrake is a competently made folk-horror with all the requisite elements; a close community, tragedy, a suspicious loner, foreboding landscapes and brooding locals who live in fear of things they don’t understand. As the story evolves, we discover more about Mary and what her plans are; was she responsible for the murdered children? Who or what is the strange figure wandering the woodlands and is it related to Mary? However, dig a little deeper and Mandrake is also a story about family and what you might do to protect yours. Following her divorce, Cathy’s life is in turmoil now her son lives with her ex and his new partner, who he has begun to refer to as “mummy.” Cathy’s inability to have any more children is an underlying issue that fuels her love for her son, but which is also used against her by Mary, whose own pain Is reflected in Cathy’s, as her son was taken from her when she was arrested.  Despite their very different backgrounds, it becomes clear that Cathy and Mary may have more in common than they might first admit. Mary may even be trying to help Cathy reconnect with her family at the same time as she is reconnecting with her own, but Cathy and Mary clearly have vastly different approaches to healing their pain. By the end of the film there is more at stake than simple mother-son relationships. People are in danger and Mary’s actions have serious repercussions for everyone. First time director Lynne Davison has done a great job of realising Mandrake as a creepy folk horror that is full of mystery and creeping dread as we slowly discover Mary’s plans and the horror she has in store for Cathy and the locals. By following the conventions of the genre, however, there are few surprises for the audience, although there are still a couple of tense scenes towards the end of the film that had me second-guessing how they would play out. IMDB currently has it scored at 4.5 which I think is a little harsh, although that is based on just three reviews so far (at time of writing). Rotten Tomatoes has it at a much more healthy 91% and I think I would place it somewhere between the two. Part of the criticism will no doubt come from the slightly open ending, and I have talked before about how I dislike endings that are confusing just for the sake of it. Some people won’t like the ending to Mandrake, but I did. We do at least get an ending, we just don’t quite know if it is the ‘ending ending,’ as the finale of the film is left open for what might come next. That’s all I want to say without giving everything away, but it is what you expect from a film set in the folk-horror genre: things are always a bit confusing. We are taken into a realm of witches and spells and woodland spirits, a place in which we don’t normally dwell and which we sure as shit don’t understand, so we can’t always expect to know exactly what is going on. There is always some weirdness and perhaps only Mary knows the truth. This puts us on a level playing field with the other characters as they try to work out what is going on at the same time as the audience. So, yeah, despite the criticisms I enjoyed Mandrake. I may be slightly biased as I have a soft spot for folk-horror tales and always enjoy a bit of witchcraft and creepiness. It’s not overly scary, but the two leads work really well together, two women struggling to make sense of their lives and repair past wounds with varying levels of success. The ending may leave you with more questions than answers, but it is not unnecessarily confusing, and we do get a complete story at the end of the tight, 85-minute run time, although we may not have seen the last of Bloody Mary! Overall, Mandrake is a solid folk-horror that will intrigue fans of the genre. the heart and soul of horror movie review websitesHORROR MOVIE REVIEW: SOMETHING IN THE DIRT
17/11/2022
 the scale is smaller but the film breathes easier, as if Benson and Moorhead felt free to scratch the creative itches that make them unique. Something in the Dirt digs into all of them, digging up something ready to be filed under “low-budget nerdy sci-fi horror satire.” Something in the Dirt When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. Release date: 4 November 2022 (United Kingdom) Directors: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson Distributed by: XYZ Films A Horror Movie Review by George Wolf Five films in, have Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead cornered the market on low-fi sci-fi nerd horror? It’s a niche, but the directors/actors (both) and writer (Benson) carved it out well with Resolution, Spring, The Endless, and Synchronic. Something in the Dirt continues the winning streak, landing as an offbeat mindbender with even more of their wry humor. Benson and Moorhead are also back to taking the lead roles. Levi (Benson) has just moved into a new apartment in L.A., where he meets neighbor John (Moorhead). The two hit it off well, especially after they witness some possible supernatural activity in Levi’s new place. What else can they do but get some cosmic proof on camera, and then ride a paranormal wave to fame and fortune? But as an apartment doorway begins to resemble a portal to some twilighty zone place, the two men start to learn things about each other – and about their surroundings – that plant a seed of suspicion. The addition of interview footage from after the spectral adventure creates a quasi-documentary (even mockumentary) feel. Things did not go accordingly to plan, which only piques our interest in finding out why. A spare number of players in (mainly) one building recalls Resolution, Benson and Moorhead’s stellar debut. But the ten years since then have seen a worldwide pandemic and the rise of conspiracy-laden rabbit holes, and Something in the Dirt shows the guys revisiting the past with the benefit of their own hindsight. What has made us so susceptible to exploiting and to being exploited, and to eagerly delight in ignorance and foolishness? The mix of paranoia, nervous excitement and deadpan silliness is the vibe these guys revel in – as writers, directors and actors. 2019’s Synchronic brought a bigger budget and bigger name stars but felt a bit like an ill-fitting suit. Here, the scale is smaller but the film breathes easier, as if Benson and Moorhead felt free to scratch the creative itches that make them unique. Something in the Dirt digs into all of them, digging up something ready to be filed under “low-budget nerdy sci-fi horror satire.” Catchy! GEORGE WOLF George “Screen” Wolf is co-founder and writer for maddwolf.com. He’s also film critic for Saga Communications radio (25 markets across the US), Columbus Underground and UK Film Review. In Columbus, Ohio, you can catch George on TV every Friday morning on ABC6/Fox28’s Good Day Columbus. George is a member of the Columbus Film Critics Association, and lives in Grandview Heights with his wife, Hope Madden. Their son Donovan lives in L.A. George enjoys music, politics, his Harley, sports, travelling, and, oh yeah, movies! Contact George at maddwolf95@gmail.com. Follow George on Facebook and Instagram @maddwolfcolumbus and on Twitter @maddwolf CHECK OUT TODAY'S OTHER ARTICLES BELOW  THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR MOVIE REVIEW WEBSITES The first Indonesian film to be shot in IMAX, Satan’s Slaves: Communion looks as grimy and shadowy as any Anwar film – as it should. Satan’s Slaves: Communion Several years after a terrible incident cost their mother and youngest sibling their lives, Rini and her siblings Toni and Bondi live with their father in flats. They believe living in flats with many people is safe, but they soon realize this might be dangerous if they don't know their neighbors. On a night full of terror, Rini and her family must save themselves. Director: Joko Anwar Producers: Gope T. Samtani, Tia Hasibuan Cinematography: Ical Tanjung A Horror Movie Review by Hope Madden In what may be Joko Anwar’s most assured and consistently spooky effort, Satan’s Slaves: Communion evokes effective, building horror. Building, like a towering apartment building. It’s not an image you expect to find in horror, but it has been used to fantastic effect a number of times. Obviously, Rosemary’s Baby and The Sentinel delivered urban terror via creepy architecture. More recently, Rec and the action classic The Raid took advantage of layer upon layer of floors and doors for bloody mayhem. Anwar blends the supernatural of the earlier films and the pandemonium of the latter with the looming presence of the structure itself, a bit like what you’ll find in Eskil Vogt’s The Innocents and Ciaran Foy’s 2012 horror, Citadel. The mish-mash works wonders to conjure a dark, dreary, dangerous trap with supernatural evil waiting down every hall. And don’t even look in the laundry chute. A sequel to his 2017 Satan’s Slaves (itself a riff on Norman J. Warren’s ’76 cult horror Satan’s Slave), Communion picks up in 1985, just a few years since Rini (Anwar favorite Tara Basro) and her brothers Toni (Endy Arfian) and Bondi (Nasar Annuz) lost their mother and little brother to something very sinister. Their dad moved them to this building in Jakarta, and as long as they can survive the big storm that’s coming, Rini will finally leave the nest and pursue her education. Sure. Just don’t take the elevator. The first Indonesian film to be shot in IMAX, Satan’s Slaves: Communion looks as grimy and shadowy as any Anwar film – as it should. He uses shadows and distance, cramped spaces and lighting to set a stage that unnerves. Both sound design and practical FX complete that picture. Yes, the ideas and even some images are pulled from other films, but the final concoction is utterly Anwar. HOPE MADDEN Hope Madden is a writer and award-winning filmmaker living with her husband George and cat Velma in Columbus, Ohio. She writes what scares her, which worked out fine until she became a filmmaker and had to live what scared her for the duration of a shoot. Terrible decision. Her novella, Roost, was published in 2022 by Off Limits Press and her first feature film releases in late 2022. Check out Hope's Podcast here : https://soundcloud.com/frightclub And for more film reviews from Hope check out Maddwolf https://maddwolf.com/ CHECK OUT TODAY'S OTHER ARTICLES BELOW  THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR PROMOTION WEBSITES HORROR MOVIE REVIEW: GIRL AT THE WINDOW
14/11/2022
 To a degree, those same flaws plague Girl at the Window. There’s nothing wrong with it and there are moments of fun to be had, but there are also five better riffs on the same tune you should probably watch instead. Girl at the Window A teenage girl begins to suspect that the mysterious killer stalking her town is not only her neighbour, but also her mother's new romantic interest. As the girl tries to catch him, she finds her whole world turned upside down. Director: Mark Hartley A Horror Movie Review by Hope Madden Rear Window was first, but an awful lot started with Hitchcock. In 1985, Tom Holland’s Fright Night reconsidered the concept – a voyeur certain he spies villainy through a neighbor’s window – with less visual panache, more nostalgic supernatural horror. Then D.J. Caruso essentially remade Fright Night in 2007 with Disturbia, Craig Gillespie did remake it in 2011, and last year, Joe Wright did Hitch’s original pulpy homage with The Woman in the Window. Can director Mark Hartley do anything new or interesting with his spin, Girl at the Window? Even the title feels borrowed. Hartley’s take is more specifically horror than the films it apes – not supernatural, just horror. It’s a bit low rent and borrows quite liberally from better films. Still, it does take some fine turns. Ella Newton stars as Amy, a troubled teen whose moved with her mom (Radha Mitchell) to a small town after a tragedy. The goal is to start fresh, but immediately Amy becomes suspicious of her next-door neighbor’s late-night trips. When a dormant serial killer seems to return, Amy decides it’s definitely the guy next door. But her own trauma may be clouding her judgment. Mitchell’s solid as always, and the supporting cast delivers believable, often quite endearing turns. Newton makes for a fun central character, although there are times when Amy’s choices are idiotic and beyond forgiveness. Worse still, her tragic backstory, heavy-handed as it is, goes nowhere. Hartley is best known for fascinating documentaries on genre filmmaking. His narrative work is less impressive, unfortunately. His 2013 reboot of Richard Franklin’s 1978 horror flick Patrick (an inexplicable favorite of mine, if I’m honest) felt safe, tame, updated without soul. To a degree, those same flaws plague Girl at the Window. There’s nothing wrong with it and there are moments of fun to be had, but there are also five better riffs on the same tune you should probably watch instead. HOPE MADDEN Hope Madden is a writer and award-winning filmmaker living with her husband George and cat Velma in Columbus, Ohio. She writes what scares her, which worked out fine until she became a filmmaker and had to live what scared her for the duration of a shoot. Terrible decision. Her novella, Roost, was published in 2022 by Off Limits Press and her first feature film releases in late 2022. Check out Hope's Podcast here : https://soundcloud.com/frightclub And for more film reviews from Hope check out Maddwolf https://maddwolf.com/ CHECK OUT TODAY'S OTHER ARTICLES BELOW  THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR PROMOTION WEBSITES HORROR MOVIE REVIEW: BARBARIAN
7/11/2022
 Not every moment works. Certain choices feel ridiculous and breaks of levity keep the film from being as disturbing as maybe it should be, given the content. But most of that is forgivable, mainly because of the surprises Cregger has for us, and the nimble way he brings them out of hiding. Barbarian A young woman discovers the rental home she booked is already occupied by a stranger. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the night but soon discovers there's a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest. Release date: 28 October 2022 Director: Zach Cregger Producers: J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules, Roy Lee, Arnon Milchan Distributed by: 20th Century Studios A Horror Movie Review by Hope Madden and George Wolf When you see as many movies as we do – especially horror flicks – taking us places we did not see coming is much appreciated. Barbarian certainly does that, mashing horror, dark comedy and social commentary to wild and mostly satisfying ends. Tess (TV vet Georgina Campbell) is in Detroit for a job interview. She books an Airbnb in an unsavory part of town, only to find out Kieth (Bill Skarsgård) booked the same place on HomeAway. What to do? They talk, flirt a little, and Tess agrees to stay in the bedroom while Keith takes the couch. They’ll sort it out in the morning. In his feature debut, writer/director Zach Cregger (The Whitest Kids You Know) lulls us with a competent but familiar hook. What’s really going on? Can Keith be trusted? Creeger throws in some creepy camera angles, terrific lighting maneuvers and jump scare fake-outs to build tension. Then Tess makes her way down to the basement. Yikes. But even after Tess’s startling discoveries, we’re still feeling like we have a grip on what’s ahead. And then Cregger takes us to Hollywood, where producer AJ Gilbride (Justin Long) is sacked from his latest project due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Um…what? AJ’s story suddenly crosses paths with a tale set in the same house in 1982, this one starring Richard Brake. While that’s often great news for viewers, it is rarely good news for other characters. What could start to feel disjointed and episodic instead congeals into a bizarre and brutal minefield of surprises. There are times when these surprises hang together with unrealistic decision-making, but Cregger’s sly script overcomes most of its conveniences and missteps. Not every moment works. Certain choices feel ridiculous and breaks of levity keep the film from being as disturbing as maybe it should be, given the content. But most of that is forgivable, mainly because of the surprises Cregger has for us, and the nimble way he brings them out of hiding. HOPE MADDEN  Hope Madden is a writer and award-winning filmmaker living with her husband George and cat Velma in Columbus, Ohio. She writes what scares her, which worked out fine until she became a filmmaker and had to live what scared her for the duration of a shoot. Terrible decision. Her novella, Roost, was published in 2022 by Off Limits Press and her first feature film releases in late 2022. Check out Hope's Podcast here : https://soundcloud.com/frightclub And for more film reviews from Hope check out Maddwolf https://maddwolf.com/ GEORGE WOLF George “Screen” Wolf is co-founder and writer for maddwolf.com. He’s also film critic for Saga Communications radio (25 markets across the US), Columbus Underground and UK Film Review. In Columbus, Ohio, you can catch George on TV every Friday morning on ABC6/Fox28’s Good Day Columbus. George is a member of the Columbus Film Critics Association, and lives in Grandview Heights with his wife, Hope Madden. Their son Donovan lives in L.A. George enjoys music, politics, his Harley, sports, travelling, and, oh yeah, movies! Contact George at maddwolf95@gmail.com. Follow George on Facebook and Instagram @maddwolfcolumbus and on Twitter @maddwolf CHECK OUT TODAY'S OTHER ARTICLES BELOW  THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR PROMOTION WEBSITES |
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