frightnightt

[frightnightt]

Recommendation!

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS

Year: 2024 Directed by: Ethan Cohen Starring: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Joey Slotnick, C. J. Wilson, Colman Domingo and Pedro Pascal Genre: Comedy / Crime Duration: 84 mins (1h 24 min) Production: Working Title Films / Focus Features

Jamie and Marian are two friends very different from each other; one's a free spirit trying to deal with a break up and the other just needs to loosen up a bit. In search of a new beginning, they embark on a road trip to Tallahassee, crossing paths with a group of criminals. Everything from here has to go south, right?

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VIDEODROME

★★★★½

Year: 1983 Directed by: David Cronenberg Starring: James Woods, Sonja Smiths, Debbie Harry, Peter Dvorsky, Leslie Carlson, Jack Creley and Lynne Gorman Genre: Horror / Sci-fi / Mystery Duration: 88 mins (1h 28 min) Production: Guardian Trust Company / Filmplan International / Famous Players Limited

Making films about the future is no easy task, there are countless futuristic films out there, and most of them rely on the same plot. Nevertheless, this sci-fi horror 1983 film is kind of a look into what we are living nowadays.

Max Renn is the president of a trashy TV channel in Toronto and is in desperate need for a new program to attract viewers, as his programming consists of soft porn and violence.

While searching in a clandestine office that intercepts unauthorized broadcasting from around the globe, he comes across a bizarre tv show called “Videodrome”, dedicated exclusively to very graphic torture, which he finds very appealing. He tries to contact the director of the program but in the way, countless people, including his girlfriend, warn him to not go into that deep hole as there’s a rumor saying that everything that’s broadcast is real and it’s a program to fulfill the kinks of very important and powerful people. Max is determined to find out the truth but even with the warnings he’s surprised when he finds out what’s actually happening.

Directed by the one and only David Cronenberg, this is the first film to an unofficial trilogy, following “eXistenZ” (1999) and then “Crimes of the Future” (2022). All of them tell the story of how fast technology grows and what could happen if it were to replace mankind. This is fundamentally the essence of Cronenberg’s philosophy, he explores the mutation of self and human mind, as well as the language and worldviews. Its exploration of media's power to distort reality and its prescient commentary on the merging of man and machine resonate even more strongly in today's digital age. The film's influence can be seen in many subsequent works that deal with similar themes of media consumption and technology's impact on human identity.

He presents a narrative that is both a disturbing psychological thriller and a profound commentary on society's obsession with television and emerging technologies. He’s considered one of the most innovative figures of independent cinema of the 20th century and is also the “founder” of so-called biological horror.

This film is renowned for its groundbreaking special effects, which vividly bring Cronenberg's vision to life. The film's most iconic sequences—such as Max's merging with a pulsating TV screen and the emergence of a gun from his torso—are masterfully executed, combining practical effects and surreal imagery to create scenes that are as viscerally unsettling as they are visually captivating. These effects not only serve to shock but also to underscore the film's themes of bodily and psychological transformation.

As for the performances, James Woods delivers a riveting performance as Max Renn, capturing the character's descent from cynical curiosity into a nightmarish ordeal. Woods embodies Max's journey with an intensity that keeps the audience engaged, even as the narrative becomes increasingly surreal and disturbing. Debbie Harry, in a significant departure from her role as the lead singer of Blondie, portrays Nicki Brand, a radio host with a taste for the macabre. Her enigmatic presence adds another layer of intrigue and danger to the story, and her chemistry with Woods deepens the film’s exploration of desire and self-destruction.

"Videodrome" is a disturbing, thought-provoking masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of conventional storytelling and visual effects. Its exploration of the darker side of technological advancement and media influence remains as relevant today as it was at the time of its release. With its chilling atmosphere, striking visuals, and compelling performances, is a must-see for fans of horror and science fiction, as well as anyone interested in the profound questions it raises about technology, media, and the nature of reality.

[frightnightt]

Recommendation!

BODIES BODIES BODIES

Year: 2022 Directed by: Halina Reijin Starring: Maria Bakalova, Amanda Stemberg, Myha'la, Rachel Sennott, Chase Sui Wonders and Pete Davison Genre: Mystery / Horror / Comedy Duration: 94mins (1h 34 min) Production: A24 / 2AM

A few friends get stuck in a mansion due to a hurricane and things take a dark turn, starting with a game that goes very wrong and continuing with the discovery of a body. Who's the killer and what was the reason behind it?

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THE EXORCIST: BELIVER

★★

Year: 2023 Directed by: David Gordon Green Starring: Leslie Odom Jr., Lidya Jewett, Olivia Marcum, Ann Dowd, Linda Blair, Ellen Burstys and Jennifer Nettles Genre: Horror Duration: 111 mins (1h 51 min) Production: Universal Pictures / Blumhouse Productions / Morgan Creek / Rough House Pictures

This sequel to the famous 1973 film "The Exorcist", has everything we wanted, some of the original cast and not one but two possessions, what could go wrong? A lot of things.

This film follows Victor and his daughter Angela’s story. After 12 agonising years of mourning his wife���s death, they almost seem like a normal family, but obviously something had to go wrong. One day Angela and her friend Katherine disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them and acting really different from their usual behaviour. Their families try everything in their power to figure out a way to help their precious daughters but Chris MacNeil, the one person who witnessed things like this before, is the only one that can help them.

Directed and co-written by David Gordon Green, "The Exorcist: Believer" was probably one of the most anticipated films in 2023, given the success of the first “Exorcist” film in 1973. It was gore, bizarre and never seen before. The problem this film was facing, was the extensive number of exorcism films and the special effects we have nowadays. Everything you can think of is out there on the internet, so there’s a lot of competition.

Nevertheless despite all of the possession films ever made, visually it was great, equally creepy as the prequel. Warm toned contrasting with the cold and dark story.

The costume design was also really good, reviving the same possessed image, nothing new but it did the job.

Another positive thing was the acting, impeccable, and bringing back Ellen Burstyn was the best part. Not only was it a sequel, it linked characters from two different eras, using these and a few elements ,like the famous Tubular Bells, to make the audience remember the first film. But this particular thing was made purely to distract the audience from the lack of backstories, wasting a lot of potential.

What I think was the weak point, it’s the story, beginning with the main focus of the film which wasn’t the possession itself, it was the trauma and painful memories of Victor and her daughter.

There’s a thing with horror films nowadays, they always have some type of speech about how precious life is and how important it is to keep your family close but honestly I'm tired, I miss the time where horror films were just horror films, no drama, just pure gut wrenching creepy stories. Like some of the classics, take "Possession" for instance. This 1981 film cuts right into the chase, first the main characters are introduced, explaining a bit of their day to day routine, slowly building up tension with the wife’s weird behaviour. But once we know what’s really happening to her, the rest of the film still stays as pure suspense, trying to find a way to understand what’s happening. It allows the audience to make their own conclusions.

With this new exorcist approach, once we know Ellen Burstys’ character is the only one that can help them, all this build up tension disappears with her speech, explaining that the only thing that will sort them out is love, making the storyline predictable and of course a happy ending.

This film is full of clichés and cheesy lines, especially the climax. Victor assembles a team of “believers” (let’s call them that way) to defeat the demon by the power of friendship, apparently. Once they’re all together one of the most used lines in films starts “If anyone wants to leave, better leave now, because once we start, there’s no stopping”, making him the hero and losing half the audience interest because the climax didn’t even look like a climax.

Films nowadays startle the audience, which is a cheap and easy way to pump out a ton of sequels without having to come up with an original scary concept that's frightening on its own, but on this new exorcist film, they even failed to include scares.