The third season of the MGM+ series Fromdebuted this week, and fans know that what happened changes the series’ dynamic while deepening the mythology. Taking a cue from Lost, From follows an ensemble of characters trapped in a mysterious location that may have a significance they are not aware of. Lines are drawn, factions created, and deaths are abundant as the audience and characters follow the same journey to discover what is happening in the creepy Township. Starting on Epix and now streaming on MGM+, From is a scary thriller that has returned just in time for Halloween.
Over the first two seasons of From, we have gotten to know various characters, including self-appointed sheriff Boyd Stevens (Harold Perrineau), the Matthews family, including Tabitha (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and Jim (Eion Bailey), wealthy software developer Jade Herrera (David Alpay), the eerie Victor (Scott McCord), Boyd’s deputy Kenny (Ricky He), and many more. Characters have joined the cast, and others have been killed off, with the safety of everyone at risk from episode to episode. From is an intense serial that drops cliffhangers almost weekly and keeps you guessing what will come next.
I chatted with star and executive producer Harold Perrineau about his role in the series. Having appeared on Lost in a supporting capacity, I asked him what it was like stepping into the leader role and what lessons from Lost have carried over into this series. We also discussed the freedom of gore and profanity that comes with no longer airing on network television and we also chatted about a powerful scene early in the third season. Check out the full interview in the embed above.
From is now streaming with new episodes Sundays on MGM+.
One contributor to the film world who is unanimously loved by everyone is composer John Williams. The name rings of countless iconic movie themes that almost anyone can hum on a dime. From Jaws to E.T., Star Wars to Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park to Home Alone, Williams’ career is one that transcends generations. It’s only inevitable that the maestro would become the subject of a documentary and a new look at the man is coming to Disney+ this fall.
Music by John Williams from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries, and Imagine Documentaries, which offers a fascinating and insightful look at the prolific life and career of legendary composer John Williams, will premiere on Disney+ on November 1. The documentary will also open the 38th edition of AFI Fest on October 23. Disney has also released new images from the documentary as well as the one-sheet key art.
Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, J.J. Abrams and Kathleen Kennedy and more will be featured in the film, giving their testimonies on working with Williams and Williams himself appears as he shares his passion and his love for the movies and the music.
From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, the documentary takes an in-depth look at Williams’ countless contributions to film, including many iconic franchises, as well as his music for the concert stage and his impact on popular culture. The film features interviews with artists and filmmakers whose lives have been touched by his timeless music. Directed by award-winning filmmaker and best-selling author Laurent Bouzereau, the documentary is produced by Steven Spielberg, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Laurent Bouzereau, with Markus Keith and Michael Rosenberg serving as executive producers.
Williams initially thought about surrendering his conductor’s baton after arranging music for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. However, Williams shocked Spielberg earlier this month when he told his friend and filmmaker he’s continuing his career. Rest is for the wicked, as they say.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a disagreement,” Spielberg said about working alongside Williams for more than 50 years, “I mean, what am I going to do? Sit down and write the music myself?”
2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the classic Christmas slasher movie Silent Night, Deadly Night (watch it HERE) – and to mark the occasion, Scream Factory will be giving the film a 4K UHD and Blu-ray release on December 10th! Copies of the 4K UHD / Blu-ray set are available for pre-order on the Scream Factory website – but the company is also selling a bundle that includes a paperback novelization! Or, you can just buy the novelization on its own. The 4K UHD / Blu-ray set goes for the price of $35.99, the novelization bundle is $64.98, and the novelization by itself is $30.
Directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr. from a screenplay by Michael Hickey (with Paul Caimi receiving story credit), Silent Night, Deadly Night has the following synopsis: Bearing the emotional scars of a young boy who has seen his mother and father brutally murdered by a savage killer in a Santa Claus costume, 18-year-old Billy explodes into a lethal frenzy – he’s asked to put on a Santa Claus suit himself to entertain the customers of the department store where he works. Reminded of the tragic events that have marked his life, Billy embarks on a killing rampage that is as ghastly – and controversial – as anything ever seen on film. The novelization was written by Armando Muñoz.
Robert Brian Wilson, Lilyan Chauvin, Gilmer McCormick, Toni Nero, Britt Leach, Nancy Borgenicht, Linnea Quigley, and Leo Geter star.
NEW 4K Transfer From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono NEW Audio Commentary With Author Amanda Reyes And The Hysteria Continues Podcast
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION):
NEW 4K Transfer From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono NEW Audio Commentary With Author Amanda Reyes And The Hysteria Continues Podcast NEW “The Night He Came Home… For Christmas: Creating Silent Night, Deadly Night” – An Interview With Producer Scott Schneid NEW “In Search of Charles Sellier Jr: Remembering the Director” – An Interview With Editor Michael Spence NEW “Naughty or Nice: 40 Years Of Silent Night, Deadly Night” – An Interview The Producers Scott Schneid And Dennis Whitehead About The Longevity Of The Film
DISC THREE (BLU-RAY – UNRATED VERSION)
NEW 4K Transfer From The Original Camera Negative With Standard Definition Inserts Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Audio Commentary With Actor Robert Brian Wilson And Co-Executive Producer Scott J. Schneid Audio Commentary With Writer Michael Hickey, Composer Perry Boykin, Producer Scott J. Schneid, and Unit Director Michael Spence “Slay Bells Ring: The Story Of Silent Night, Deadly Night” – Featuring Interviews With Writer Michael Hickey, Co-Executive Producers Scott J. Schneid And Dennis Whitehead, Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Spence, Composer Perry Botkin, And Actor Robert Brian Wilson “Oh Deer!” – An Interview With Actor Linnea Quigley Christmas In July – Silent Night, Deadly Night Locations – Then And Now Audio Interview With Director Charles E. Sellier, Jr. From Deadpit Radio (Extended Version) “Santa’s Stocking Of Outrage” Poster And Still Gallery R-Rated Theatrical Trailer & Japanese VHS Trailer TV Spots Radio Spot
Are you a Silent Night, Deadly Night fan, and will you be buying the 4K UHD / Blu-ray set? Will you be adding the paperback novelization to your collection? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
It has been 14 years since Tron: Legacy hit theaters. And while we might need a refresher ahead of next year’s Tron: Ares, we should all remember at least one thing: the de-aging effects were suspect at best. Now, de-aging was still relatively new when Tron: Legacy came out in 2010 – and its usage does have some supporters – but Jeff Bridges still looks so phony…and he knows it!
Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast (via THR), Jeff Bridges recalled the de-aging of Tron: Legacy as nothing short of a disaster. “It’s the new thing…I got scanned and in the computer for when we did Tron 2 — What was it called? — Legacy. I wasn’t particularly fond of that recreation of myself. I thought I looked more like Bill Maher than myself.” And yes, he means that as an insult.
The de-aging effects of Tron: Legacy were almost immediately dated, a relic of an experimentation gone wrong. To me, they short of look like something out of Heartbeeps…While it would be great if the team would go back and re-do them, with even the most recent attempts at de-aging ranging from pretty shoddy to solid, it doesn’t seem it has been perfected just yet. In short, good luck, Robert Zemeckis!
Jeff Bridges, for his part, is still down to see where the Tron series goes, especially since so much time has passed since Legacy. “[I’m really excited] to see what the technology is going to be all about [this time]. When I did Tron: Legacy, we had to put all these dots on our face and all these kinds of things. And that’s [probably] all passé. I had to see myself as a young guy or as another character, but the same guy, but it was gonna be digitally created. I think it was [de-aging], but I didn’t like the way I looked in it…I’m anxious to see what the technology and what it will be. I hear there’s even less A.I. stuff in this. It’s going to be more a practical set, and they’re beautiful; there are beautiful sets that I’ve seen.”
Tron: Ares will hit theaters on October 10th, 2025.
What are your thoughts on the de-aging effects in Tron: Legacy nearly 15 years later? Share your thoughts with us below!
It has been 14 years since Tron: Legacy hit theaters. And while we might need a refresher ahead of next year’s Tron: Ares, we should all remember at least one thing: the de-aging effects were suspect at best. Now, de-aging was still relatively new when Tron: Legacy came out in 2010 – and its usage does have some supporters – but Jeff Bridges still looks so phony…and he knows it!
Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast (via THR), Jeff Bridges recalled the de-aging of Tron: Legacy as nothing short of a disaster. “It’s the new thing…I got scanned and in the computer for when we did Tron 2 — What was it called? — Legacy. I wasn’t particularly fond of that recreation of myself. I thought I looked more like Bill Maher than myself.” And yes, he means that as an insult.
The de-aging effects of Tron: Legacy were almost immediately dated, a relic of an experimentation gone wrong. To me, they short of look like something out of Heartbeeps…While it would be great if the team would go back and re-do them, with even the most recent attempts at de-aging ranging from pretty shoddy to solid, it doesn’t seem it has been perfected just yet. In short, good luck, Robert Zemeckis!
Jeff Bridges, for his part, is still down to see where the Tron series goes, especially since so much time has passed since Legacy. “[I’m really excited] to see what the technology is going to be all about [this time]. When I did Tron: Legacy, we had to put all these dots on our face and all these kinds of things. And that’s [probably] all passé. I had to see myself as a young guy or as another character, but the same guy, but it was gonna be digitally created. I think it was [de-aging], but I didn’t like the way I looked in it…I’m anxious to see what the technology and what it will be. I hear there’s even less A.I. stuff in this. It’s going to be more a practical set, and they’re beautiful; there are beautiful sets that I’ve seen.”
Tron: Ares will hit theaters on October 10th, 2025.
What are your thoughts on the de-aging effects in Tron: Legacy nearly 15 years later? Share your thoughts with us below!
Have you noticed a sad lack of Billy Crystal in movies or TV shows these days? If so, you’ll be glad to hear that Apple TV+ will soon begin airing a psychological thriller series called Before, which stars and is executive produced by the legendary “multi-award winning actor, comedian, and filmmaker” Billy Crystal! The first two episodes of the ten-episode limited series will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, October 25th, with new episodes following every Friday through December 20th. With the premiere date just a few weeks away, a trailer for Before has dropped online and can be seen in the embed above.
Described as “an atmospheric, character-driven psychological thriller” and a “supernatural mystery series,” Before sees Crystal taking on the role of Eli, a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn, encounters a troubled young boy, Noah, who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past. As Eli attempts to help Noah, their mysterious bond deepens.
Crystal is joined in the cast by multi-Emmy and Tony Award winner Judith Light (Transparent), Jacobi Jupe (Peter Pan & Wendy), Oscar Award nominee Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant), Tony Award-nominee Maria Dizzia (Orange Is the New Black), and Ava Lalezarzadeh (In the Garden of Tulips). Light plays Lynn, with Jupe as Noah.
Coming our way from Paramount Television Studios, Before is a limited series consisting of ten episodes. The show was created by Sarah Thorp (The Bounty Hunter), who serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer. As mentioned, Crystal is also an executive producer on the series, as are Eric Roth (Killers of the Flower Moon), pilot director Adam Bernstein (Silo) and producing director Jet Wilkinson (Truth Be Told).
I grew up watching Billy Crystal in the likes of When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, Throw Momma from the Train, City Slickers, and City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, among other things, so I’m very interested to watch him in a thriller series.
Are you a Billy Crystal fan, and will you be tuning in to Before to watch him take the lead in a psychological thriller series? Take a look at the trailer, then let us know by leaving a comment below.
Blu-ray.com has just announced a number of new 4K Blu-ray releases for this December. One of the releases includes the new 4K transfer of last year’s awards darling — The Holdovers. In a rather unusual process, while Universal’s home entertainment department would oversee the original Blu-ray release and distribution of the film (as is the standard procedure for recent releases), the studio would not do their Ultra High Definition remastering of the film in-house. Instead, Universal outsourced the job to Shout! Factory, which is more of a specialty label for certain kinds of releases of older films and television shows.
The Alexander Payne-directed (Election, Sideways, Nebraska) comedic drama stars Paul Giamatti in one of his most outstanding roles, with Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Dolemite Is My Name, The Lost City, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) and Dominic Sessa in his feature film debut. The 4K UHD release will hit retailers on December 17.
The description reads, “A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school remains on campus during Christmas break to babysit a handful of students with nowhere to go. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker, and with the school’s head cook, a woman who just lost a son in the Vietnam War.”
Bonus Content will include:
4K Presentation
Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
Working with Alexander
The Cast of The Holdovers
Deleted Scenes
Alternate Ending
The technical specs read:
Video Codec: HEVC / H.265 Resolution: Native 4K (2160p) HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10 Aspect ratio: 1.66:1 Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Discs 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)
Playback 4K Blu-ray: Region free 2K Blu-ray: Region A
Meanwhile, the film’s director, Alexander Payne, is seriously considering teaming with writing partner Jim Taylor to create a sequel for their early film Election, saying, “There is talk and Jim Taylor and I are conceding that now,” with him adding, “If there were to be a sequel to Election, what would that look like?”
The leaves are changing, the neighborhood decorations are getting spooky, and the air is (hopefully) getting crisper. It’s the Witching Season! And Halloween is finally upon us. Which means, more horror movies! So, with that in mind… here is your guide to seventeen brand new horror movies coming your way this Halloween season by theater, streaming, and video on demand.
Salem’s Lot
On October 3rd, HBO Max will bring us a movie that’s been in development since before vampires even existed, Salem’s Lot. A film so scary, they didn’t want to show it in theaters! They wanted you to watch it in the safety of your own home. Right? I’m sure that’s what’s why. Couldn’t be anything else… The Salem’s Lot trailer proudly boasts that this new iteration comes from the people who brought you the recent IT and Conjuring Universe Films and it’s insanely apparent when you watch the trailer. A trailer shows a lot and I mean a LOT of the major moments from the film. Gary Dauberman (whose sole directing credit is Annabelle Comes Home) wrote and directed. His writing credits include the original Annabelle film, The Nun, and both recent IT film screenplays. Dauberman will of course be basing his story on Stephen King’s second-ever published book of the same name. King himself has seen the film and offered its praises, saying, “It’s quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything.” Referencing the fact that this film has been in the can for some time, with multiple rumors surrounding the film’s lack of release date. We’ll find out for ourselves on October the 3rd sitting crisscross applesauce naked in our living rooms. I mean, if we want. It’s our house, dammit.
House of Spoils
Also premiering on streaming, on October 3rd, we have House of Spoils. This film stars Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (most recently seen in ISS), dealing with the anxiety of being the new head Chef at a fancy restaurant where something supernatural may or may not be going on. The trailer doesn’t make clear if this is all happening in her head or if there’s something more sinister at play. I can’t help but see the potential for some gross-out food gags, ala Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell but I wonder if that’s the kind of fun we’re shooting for here. This Blumhouse-produced film (headed straight to Amazon Prime) Could be a sleeper in a good way… or in a bad way. We’ll have to wait and see.
Hold Your Breath
Another October 3rd streamer is Hulu’s Hold Your Breath starring the queen of television horror: Sarah Paulson. The film takes place in 1930s Oklahoma during a series of violent dust storms. This creates an environment reminiscent of the one on Earth in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar…..only with Stephen King vibes. There are rumors of a drifter killing children and a legend is uncovered of the “Grey Man” who, like dust, seeps through the cracks and makes humans do terrible things. Again, this trailer plays out as either this is a supernatural dust demon who makes you do terrible things or Sarah Paulson’s character might just be crazy. I’m always a little bit skeptical when I hear that a movie’s boogeyman simply possesses others to do “bad things”. It’s often a guarantee that the climax will just be a parent chasing their kids around the house. Because it’s far cheaper and easier than creating a monster.
Monster Summer
October the 4th we’ll have the gateway horror flick Monster Summer in theaters. Monster Summer looks like yet another twist on Stranger Things, with a group of kids on bicycles investigating supernatural forces. But at least this one has Sandlot vibes to it! You can disagree if you want but that is literally the kid from The Sandlot during a baseball game. Monster Summer stars Mel Gibson as this movie’s version of The South Bend Shovel Slayer from Home Alone.
V/H/S Beyond
Also on October 4th, Shudder brings us the seventh and latest installment (not including the spin-offs) in the fun, original found footage franchise: V/H/S Beyond. The VHS franchise has reinvented itself as a yearly Shudder offering of anthology shorts from a bevy of up-and-coming and established horror directors. This year’s sacrifice will be directed by the likes of Justin Long, Kate Siegel, and Jay Cheel with the Kate Siegel entry being written by Mike Flanagan. The trailer promises a plane crash, first-person shooter, “the greatest discovery in human history”… and hopefully some mother effin’ aliens.
The Platform 2
If that’s not enough for you to feast your horror holes on… yes, that sounded weird… October the 4th also brings us The Platform 2 on Netflix. In the original film, a vertical prison system feeds all its prisoners on a descending platform. Meaning, that prisoners on the higher levels take what they like, creating a dangerous predicament for those on the lower levels. The original director returns and the trailer offers a moody, mysterious vibe that also featuresan unpleasant guy rubbing himself. Don’t like that. Though the trailer doesn’t offer too many details, the official synopsis is, “A thrilling physical journey that allows an approach to the darkness, where it is scary to look. It appeals to the viewer’s civil responsibility and forces them to face the limits of their own solidarity.” That cleared up absolutely nothing for me. And I like it.
Things Will Be Different:
Time travel horror fans rejoice! On October 4th, Magnet releasing brings us the day and date release of Things Will Be Different; Produced in part by the directors of well-made independent horror think pieces Spring and Synchronic. Which, Things Will Be Different ironically feels very comparable to. In the film, a brother and sister commit a robbery and hide from the police using time travel. Everything is going great until a mysterious force shows up and starts “pushing their familial bonds to unnatural breaking points”. Festival critics who have seen the film seem to recommend it: The film currently sits at the time of this writing at 92% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Frankie Freako:
Also, on October 4th (seriously), we have the release in some theaters of Psycho Goreman and The Void director Steven Kostanski’s Frankie Freako from Shout Studios. The horror comedy comes off as Puppet Master meets Drop Dead Fred in a trailer that never stops getting weirder. When the dorky Conor Sweeney (who looks like the kid from the 90’s “cool” kid computer meme) calls a party hotline promising a good time, he goes on a journey of wild self-discovery, creating a mess he has to clean up before his wife gets home. Sounds like Dude Where’s My Car meets Little Monsters. Which, sounds kind of awesome.
Spin the Bottle
ALSO, on October 4th we see the VOD release of Paramount’s Spin the Bottle, which basically is a lower budget version of Tarot or Truth or Dare or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Guessing at that last one. Teens unleash a deadly force in an abandoned house that somehow involves the game spin the bottle. All I can say about this one is that it stars one of my all time favorites: Scream King Justin Long as well as Ali Larter.
Little Bites
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Also on October 4th, releasing in theaters and on VOD, we have Little Bites. In this film, a mother lets a monster in her basement take literal bites off of her body in an effort to keep her daughter safe. But we’ve all read “When You Give A Mouse a Cookie” and we know how that story goes. This Shudder film is Executive Produced by Cher. Yeah, I know, weird. As well as horror royalty Heather Langenkamp, Barbara Crampton, and Dead Meat’s James A. Janisse and Chelsea Rebecca. Sounds like a fun set! That is, until you hear the director, Spider One (who you may know from his band Powerman 5000), say that “Every day was filled with terror and tears. Shooting Little Bites was by far the most rewarding creative experience of my life.” To be fair terror and tears is how I can describe a lot of my previous working environments.
Caddo Lake
October 10th we have Caddo Lake starring Carhartt Dylan O’ Brien. This film popped up relatively out of nowhere and features a story about a lake where bad things have happened to a family throughout their history. Whether it’s missing people or deaths, something about this area is freaky. Though he’s not directing or writing, this has Producer M Night Shyamalan’s fingerprints all over it.
Terrifier 3:
October 11th brings us the next entry in the highly anticipated Terrifier franchise with Terrifier 3. I always thought it was smart to release a slasher movie during the Halloween season. But releasing a Christmas slasher during the Halloween season is just pure genius. That’s the kind of intellectual prowess director Damian Leone and Co. have displayed with a franchise that continues to push not just the gore needle, but the profit needle. Terrifier 3 will bring back the instantly loveable Lauren LaVera as our final girl, as well as the Jim Carrey of death, David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown. The film will continue the batshit, ballsy story of the first two films and promises to push the ever-growing mythology of Sienna and Art forward. But don’t forget the gore! David Howard Thorton recently shared that there was one scene so particularly disgusting on set, that he became sick to his stomach. I can’t wait to not eat lasagna before heading to see Terrifier 3!
Smile 2
On October 18th, we have another wide release in Smile 2. The sequel to Parker Finn’s 2022 box office hit will bring back the writer/director for another go at our anxieties. This time, featuring a global pop sensation as the f*cked-up focal point. Horror royalty Kyle Gallner is slated to return via IMDB, though you wouldn’t be able to tell from any of the marketing. Which, makes you wonder. Slated to play the pop star Skye Riley is Naomi Scott, who you may have seen grace the screen as the Pink Ranger in 2017’s Power Rangers movie. Those who have only seen the first trailer may want to steer clear of the second, which appears to divulge a huge plot point in the film. From the trailer, one can’t help but wonder if this will walk the fine line the first film did between thoughtful suspense and Friday Night jump scares. Or, if it will falter into safer generic films such as recent Blumhouse fare such as Night Swim. I mean Imaginary. I mean Afraid.
Die Alone
October 18th also brings us the VOD and limited theatrical release of Wolfcop director Lowell Dean’s Die Alone. Looks like Dean is putting on his serious pants somewhat with this post-apocalyptic thriller starring an impressive cast led by Frank Grillo and Carrie-Anne Moss, as well as Douglas Smith. In the movie, The Happening meets The Walking Dead as a virus has wiped out humankind, replacing humans with some kind of mystery creatures (that look pretty great, practical FX-wise). Die Alone so far reminds me of both a low-budget version of the underrated horror flick The Ruins and the Dane Cook joke about the guy dying and coming back as a “f*cking Ficus”.
Your Monster
Scream and Abigail actress Melissa Barrera continues to add to her horror resume with the horror-comedy Your Monster. Coming to some theaters on October 25th. In the film, Barrera’s character is dumped by a jerk played by Edmund Donovan while she’s in the hospital. She then moves to her childhood home where a monster is currently residing. But it’s cool… because she really needs someone to talk to. In what appears to be a great pairing with Lisa Frankenstein from earlier this year, Your Monster looks to be a pretty obvious take on Beauty and the Beast. And hey, if they can dip Winnie the Pooh in the film equivalent to a port-a-potty and parade his corpse about like some kind of f*cked up Weekend at Bernie’s in Hell? These folks can half their crack at a Disney property too, you know?
Don’t Move
Also on October 25th, Sam Raimi produced horror flick Don’t Move premieres on Netflix. The premise is simple: A woman (Kelsey Asbille) has been poisoned by a psychotropic hallucinogen… RACHEL!… well, not kinda. But she has been poisoned with something that will give her twenty minutes before her body completely shuts down. And to make matters worse she’s running from a serial killer (Finn Wittrock) in the middle of a huge forest. Should be a fun thriller and if not, we can always just pop in Crank for the opposite effect.
Rippy
Finally, on Halloween, we have Rippy (originally titled The Red). The film stars Tombstone and Aliens actor Michael Biehn fighting a seven-foot-tall zombie kangaroo. That’s right, I said a seven-foot tall zombie kangaroo. Australian horror films are wild, man! The poster and premise alone sell the film amazingly. The trailer leaves some things to be desired when it comes to seeing the giant kangaroo in action. But there are some good comedic one-liners, and it could be a good time. As of now, the only clear release schedule is an Australian release on Halloween. Here’s hoping we’re all going to receive this weird little film on Halloween by the time it rolls around.
And here’s hoping you all have an amazing Halloween season, and that some of these movies scare the ever-loving shit out of you and your family along the way. Or at the very least you don’t end up as a wall ornament at the other end of Michael Myer’s knife. It’s all about perspective.
Warner Bros. has been keeping writer/director Gary Dauberman‘s adaptation of the Stephen King novel Salem’s Lot (buy a copy of the novel HERE) on the shelf for a long time – but they won’t be keeping it there for much longer. The movie, which was supposed to be given a theatrical release back in September of 2022, is now set to be released through the Max streaming service on October 3rd. During interviews with SFX magazine, Dauberman confessed that making this adaptation was more challenging than he expected it to be – and producer Michael Clear confirmed that there are elements that are purposely reminiscent of the Tobe Hooper-directed mini-series adaptation of King’s novel.
This is the third adaptation of Salem’s Lot. The previous two were both mini-series, which aired in 1979 and 2004. This new take on the concept is said to be set in 1975, the same year King’s novel was first published. Here’s the synopsis: Haunted by an incident from his childhood, author Ben Mears returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover the town is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire and his loyal servant.
The film stars Lewis Pullman as author Ben Mears; Makenzie Leigh as Ben’s love interest Susan Norton; Spencer Treat Clark as Mike Ryerson, “one of the town’s simple folk”; Bill Camp as Matthew Burke, “a former high school English teacher who knows about the Marsten House’s evil past and helps out Ben”; Alfre Woodard as Dr. Cody; Pilou Asbæk as the vampire’s familiar Richard Straker, whose style this time around includes a purple cloak, feathered Homburg hat, and push broom mustache; Nicholas Crovetti and Cade Woodward as Danny and Ralphie Glick; Jordan Preston Carter as horror fanatic Mark Petrie; William Sadler as Constable Parkins Gillespie; and John Benjamin Hickey as Father Callahan. Alexander Ward is the vampire Kurt Barlow.
James Wan and Michael Clear produced Salem’s Lot for Atomic Monster alongside Roy Lee of Vertigo and Mark Wolper.
Dauberman told SFX magazine that making this adaptation “was more challenging than I anticipated, and I anticipated it being really challenging! My initial goal was to try and stick to the book as much as I could, but when the first draft started to feel like it was going to be just as long as the book, I knew some changes would have to be made.” To trim it down, he dropped side characters and focused on the core group of Ben, Mark, Susan, Dr. Cody, Matt, and Father Callahan.
Although the vampire Kurt Barlow was “a cultured, charming, and very human-looking man” in King’s novel, the Tobe Hooper mini-series presented the character as a terrifying, Nosferatu-like creature… and the new adaptation decided to take the same approach to Barlow. Michael Clear explained, “Tobe Hooper’s Barlow had haunted all of us. When something like that is in your nightmares you would be doing a disservice to the movie by not bringing to life the thing that was terrifying to you. It’s similar to the Danny at the window scene, where we wanted to capture the essence of the thing that has stuck inside of our brains for so long.” The FX team didn’t try to do an exact replication of Hooper’s mini-series Barlow, though. They were able to “put a little bit of our own spin on it.“
Are you looking forward to this new version of Salem’s Lot? Let us know by leaving a comment below. JoBlo’s own Tyler Nichols already had the chance to watch the movie, and his review can be read at THIS LINK.
Nicole Kidman recently starred in the Netflix comedy A Family Affair, which involved an unusual tryst with a younger man. Now, Kidman’s lust gets her into more than she bargained for again with the much darker-toned Babygirl. A24 has just released the trailer for this intense and unconventional erotic thriller that plays with power struggle, consent, grooming, and coercion. Our own Chris Bumbray enjoyed the provocative film at TIFF this year, saying in his review, “It’s controversial, but it’s also one of the sexier films to come along in recent memory. Kidman deserves major praise for her consistent refusal to play it safe as an actress.”
Babygirl stars Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos), Antonio Banderas (Desperado), Harris Dickinson (The Iron Claw), Sophie Wilde (Talk to Me), and Jean Reno (Léon: The Professional). Babygirl will cheekily be released in theaters just in time for Christmas viewings, giving it a December 25 release date. That’s the same weekend Disney is releasing Mufasa, Paramount is releasing Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Angel Studios is releasing the faith-based post-apocalyptic film Homestead.
Reijn directed Babygirl from a screenplay she wrote herself. The story she crafted for this one centers on a high-powered CEO who puts her life’s work on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.
Reijn is producing Babygirl for MAN UP Film, alongside A24 and David Hinojosa of 2AM. Julia Oh, Zach Nutman, and Christine D’Souza Gelb of 2AM serve as executive producers. A24 is providing the financing. In addition to working with Reijn on Bodies Bodies Bodies and Babygirl, A24 also picked up the distribution rights to her feature directorial debut Instinct, which was selected as the official Dutch entry for the Best International Feature Oscar.
In his review, Chris Bumbray also highlights the film’s look, “Like Bodies Bodies Bodies, Babygirl is stylish. She reteams with her usual cinematographer, Jasper Wolf. She includes a propulsive score by Juan Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, composer of HBO’s The White Lotus (to which this shares some thematic similarities). Technically, the film is pretty impeccable, although at close to two hours, the pace starts to drag in the last act. The film’s ending is somewhat anti-climactic, although perhaps leaving it so open was the intent all along.
While Babygirl might be too provocative to work as an awards play for A24, the company’s notoriety, and the premise will no doubt make it a hotly debated film once it hits theaters later this fall.”
