<p>Recently, I was sent a screener of a movie called <em>Brightwood</em>. I found the simple, barebones premise interesting, so I decided to give it a whirl. As the opening scenes unfolded, I found myself drawn into an eerie world where the familiar collided with the unsettling. The film's unique approach to horror, interwoven with the unraveling dynamics of a couple's relationship, impressed me a lot. I also got to interview the man who made it possible. In an exclusive interaction, I also had the privilege of delving into the world of Brightwood with Dane Elcar, the writer and director of the film. We discussed things like the inspiration behind the film, and the intricacies of his creative process, and uncovered the layers that make the film a standout in the horror genre.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-brightwood-movie-review-a-terrifying-journey-into-the-marital-abyss-626153">Brightwood movie review: A gripping, terrifying allegory about marital decay</a></strong></p>

<p>Here are edited excerpts:</p>

<h2><strong>Can you elaborate on the inspiration behind <em>Brightwood</em> and what motivated you to explore deteriorating relationships within an eerie setting?</strong></h2>

<p>The thought of being trapped and going around in circles first came to me about six years ago. At that time, I used to have this jogging stroller and I would take my small daughter on runs around this local pond. It’s a nice little park that really made you feel like you were in the woods. Over time it hit me that it would make for a great location. So I combined that location with the idea of being trapped and turned it into a short film called, The Pond. That film was just one character and it was really an experiment to see if the basic plot structure and single location would work — if I could make it entertaining and suspenseful.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As I was working on the short film, I thought how fascinating it might be if I threw a couple, especially one on the verge of divorce, into this nightmare scenario. Even though I didn’t have it all worked out, I could see the possibility of a strong metaphor for relationships. However, this idea percolated in the back of my mind for a long time before I ended up making the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6uiLq7urlxI?si=Hk8PIMvtnvfjvs-S" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>The film effectively blurs the lines between psychological torment and physical terror. How did you approach weaving these elements together to create a cohesive narrative?</strong></h2>

<p>I suppose my main focus was always emotional in regard to the character’s choices. How would these characters really react in this crazy and sometimes absurd nightmare? Their emotional journey was always at the forefront of our discussions of each scene. &nbsp;And that didn’t mean we were going for “less is more!” I wanted them to broach the extreme and, when possible, find the humour in it. As audience members, we experience their torment and physical terror by empathising with the characters. Even though it’s a physical impossibility to be stuck in time, we all do seem to know what that feels like. Especially if you've been in a bad relationship!&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The time loop serves as a significant allegory for the stagnation in Jen and Dan's marriage. How did you conceptualise and execute this allegorical representation?</strong></h2>

<p>I knew there was the possibility of a great metaphor for the cycles in a long-term relationship. However, that wasn’t what I was focused on as I was writing the script. Having made the short, I knew what the game was. I knew the rules and I knew the ending. So all I had to do was take this couple that was living in my head and drop them into this nightmare and sort of let it play out. I enjoyed writing it. Which is not always the case. There is always the idea of themes hovering around, but you have to push them away, and get down in the dirt. As you make a film, everyone is so focused on the scene. In that moment, it's about performance — getting it real, capturing lightning. It’s only later, after the film is done, that all that work comes together and there is this strong allegory there that seems to be resonating with people.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The contrast between Jen and Dan's personalities adds depth to their characters. How did you work with Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke to bring out these contrasts effectively?</strong></h2>

<p>Along with being an amazingly talented actor, Max is also an incredible producer and collaborator. He was the first person I gave the script to. He really responded to it and he was the one that suggested Dana. They had worked together years before on a play in New York. They were good friends and had this great chemistry already. That was so important. So I had a long conversation with Dana and she really got it. She’s just so funny and smart and I knew right away that she would be perfect to play Jen. And it was great that they were friends! I was going to have my hands full filming it and I knew it was going to be a hard shoot in the woods. I also brought them in early on in prep. We would get on these Zoom calls and they’d read the script over and over and then I’d go off and do rewrites. These meetings became a vital part of the process of honing down the dialogue and finding those idiosyncrasies in their characters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Independent filmmaking often comes with its set of challenges. What advice would you give to aspiring directors who are looking to create impactful films with limited resources? How can they maximise creativity within constraints?</strong></h2>

<p>This is my first feature film, so we’ll see what happens on the other side of this… But what I can say is the drive to make a feature film and see it through to the end was very strong. It became my obsession. In retrospect, I think the best decision I made was to focus on something I knew I could do–to write a story with the budget and those limitations in mind. Use the lack of resources and single location as a sort of artistic obstruction. I kept asking myself, 'what can I make with what I have'? I love cameras and lenses. But I didn’t want to rent a ton of lights. Something as simple as they are trapped in the bright daylight made it so I didn’t need those lights. You see, when I was younger, what we were taught was… well you can’t make a movie without the best camera, best lenses, a whole team of people. So you have to raise a ton of money to make a good movie. I’m a collaborator by nature, so I want talented people around me, but it was also in the middle of the pandemic. I knew I was going to have to wear a lot of hats. And If I didn’t know how to do something I’d learn how. Simple as that. There’s a lot of running in this movie. If you see the actors running, I’m also running, but backward, and with a Stedicam strapped on. I didn’t know how to work with a steadicam. So I bought a cheaper version of one and ran around my neighborhood for weeks teaching myself. My neighbors probably thought I was crazy.&nbsp;</p>

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<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BRIGHTWOOD lands on VOD tomorrow!<br />
<br />
I hope you enjoy my love story 🫀 <a href="https://t.co/cJqoqVBnse">pic.twitter.com/cJqoqVBnse</a></p>
— Dane Elcar (@DaneElcar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaneElcar/status/1693772425798823949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The film's atmosphere is enhanced by its ominous music and sound effects. How did you collaborate with the sound team to create an audio experience that complements the visuals?</strong></h2>

<p>As I was editing the film I started laying down the initial layers of sound design. I would add strange noises and then reverse them and play around. So that first stage of sound design came out very organically as I edited. As I was doing that, I’d send reels to Jason Cook, my amazingly talented composer, who started working on a score at the same time. Later, I took my sound design and worked with musician and sound editor, Joey Zampalla, who really cleaned it up, and also produced some haunting underlying layers of atmosphere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After waiting a bit, Jason finally emailed me his original score. It was an 84 min symphony! When I listened I cried! He gave me so much. I knew I would only be able to use maybe 30 minutes of it in total. When I dropped parts of it into the edit it worked so beautifully! He gave me not only an amazing score, but also this haunting love theme! After that, my good friend Jeff Prosser did a final pass and up-mix to 5.1.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Brightwood was clearly produced on a modest budget, yet it features interesting and unsettling visuals. Can you share your approach to creating a visually impactful film within these constraints?</strong></h2>

<p>I wanted the camera to have a strong point of view. Almost as if it’s another character watching all this happen. And except for a few scenes, I wanted to keep the film moving forward. It needed a frenetic quality. That’s hard with only two characters and one location. I would go out to Egbert Lake in Rockaway, New Jersey and just walk around, watching the shifting light. Nature can be so beautiful, but in the right shadows, there is something primal and sinister. I knew I needed markers, like the no swimming sign and trash can, to show the audience that Dan and Jen were going around in circles. I wanted the audience to become very familiar with the trail early on in the film. You become so familiar with it, that when things start to change, you feel that change, just as the characters do.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Is there a particular genre, story concept, or thematic territory that you consider a dream project, one that you would be eager to bring to life in the future?</strong></h2>

<p>I do have a project I’ve been working on with Max Woertendyke producing again that’s a real Hitchcockian thriller. It’s been years in the making and when the time is right we’re excited to get moving on that. In terms of a dream project… I love stories that challenge us. Challenge our perception of what we think is normal. I’m somewhat obsessed with identity in relation to time, space, and nature, but also how that changes as our relationship with technology changes. I’d love to one day put all that together into a big project! But for now, I’m happy I finished BRIGHTWOOD and would very much like a vacation!</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Recently, I was sent a screener of a movie called Brightwood. I found the simple, barebones premise interesting, so I decided to give it a whirl. As the opening scenes unfolded, I found myself drawn into an eerie world where the familiar collided with the unsettling.

Recently, I was sent a screener of a movie called Brightwood. I found the simple, barebones premise interesting, so I decided to give it a whirl. As the opening scenes unfolded, I found myself drawn into an eerie world where the familiar collided with the unsettling. The film's unique approach to horror, interwoven with the unraveling dynamics of a couple's relationship, impressed me a lot. I also got to interview the man who made it possible. In an exclusive interaction, I also had the privilege of delving into the world of Brightwood with Dane Elcar, the writer and director of the film. We discussed things like the inspiration behind the film, and the intricacies of his creative process, and uncovered the layers that make the film a standout in the horror genre. Also Read: Brightwood movie review: A gripping, terrifying allegory about marital decay Here are edited excerpts: Can you elaborate on the inspiration behind Brightwood and what motivated you to explore deteriorating relationships within an eerie setting? The thought of being trapped and going around in circles first came to me about six years ago. At that time, I used to have this jogging stroller and I would take my small daughter on runs around this local pond. It’s a nice little park that really made you feel like you were in the woods. Over time it hit me that it would make for a great location. So I combined that location with the idea of being trapped and turned it into a short film called, The Pond. That film was just one character and it was really an experiment to see if the basic plot structure and single location would work — if I could make it entertaining and suspenseful. As I was working on the short film, I thought how fascinating it might be if I threw a couple, especially one on the verge of divorce, into this nightmare scenario. Even though I didn’t have it all worked out, I could see the possibility of a strong metaphor for relationships. However, this idea percolated in the back of my mind for a long time before I ended up making the film. The film effectively blurs the lines between psychological torment and physical terror. How did you approach weaving these elements together to create a cohesive narrative? I suppose my main focus was always emotional in regard to the character’s choices. How would these characters really react in this crazy and sometimes absurd nightmare? Their emotional journey was always at the forefront of our discussions of each scene. And that didn’t mean we were going for “less is more!” I wanted them to broach the extreme and, when possible, find the humour in it. As audience members, we experience their torment and physical terror by empathising with the characters. Even though it’s a physical impossibility to be stuck in time, we all do seem to know what that feels like. Especially if you've been in a bad relationship! The time loop serves as a significant allegory for the stagnation in Jen and Dan's marriage. How did you conceptualise and execute this allegorical representation? I knew there was the possibility of a great metaphor for the cycles in a long-term relationship. However, that wasn’t what I was focused on as I was writing the script. Having made the short, I knew what the game was. I knew the rules and I knew the ending. So all I had to do was take this couple that was living in my head and drop them into this nightmare and sort of let it play out. I enjoyed writing it. Which is not always the case. There is always the idea of themes hovering around, but you have to push them away, and get down in the dirt. As you make a film, everyone is so focused on the scene. In that moment, it's about performance — getting it real, capturing lightning. It’s only later, after the film is done, that all that work comes together and there is this strong allegory there that seems to be resonating with people. The contrast between Jen and Dan's personalities adds depth to their characters. How did you work with Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke to bring out these contrasts effectively? Along with being an amazingly talented actor, Max is also an incredible producer and collaborator. He was the first person I gave the script to. He really responded to it and he was the one that suggested Dana. They had worked together years before on a play in New York. They were good friends and had this great chemistry already. That was so important. So I had a long conversation with Dana and she really got it. She’s just so funny and smart and I knew right away that she would be perfect to play Jen. And it was great that they were friends! I was going to have my hands full filming it and I knew it was going to be a hard shoot in the woods. I also brought them in early on in prep. We would get on these Zoom calls and they’d read the script over and over and then I’d go off and do rewrites. These meetings became a vital part of the process of honing down the dialogue and finding those idiosyncrasies in their characters. Independent filmmaking often comes with its set of challenges. What advice would you give to aspiring directors who are looking to create impactful films with limited resources? How can they maximise creativity within constraints? This is my first feature film, so we’ll see what happens on the other side of this… But what I can say is the drive to make a feature film and see it through to the end was very strong. It became my obsession. In retrospect, I think the best decision I made was to focus on something I knew I could do–to write a story with the budget and those limitations in mind. Use the lack of resources and single location as a sort of artistic obstruction. I kept asking myself, 'what can I make with what I have'? I love cameras and lenses. But I didn’t want to rent a ton of lights. Something as simple as they are trapped in the bright daylight made it so I didn’t need those lights. You see, when I was younger, what we were taught was… well you can’t make a movie without the best camera, best lenses, a whole team of people. So you have to raise a ton of money to make a good movie. I’m a collaborator by nature, so I want talented people around me, but it was also in the middle of the pandemic. I knew I was going to have to wear a lot of hats. And If I didn’t know how to do something I’d learn how. Simple as that. There’s a lot of running in this movie. If you see the actors running, I’m also running, but backward, and with a Stedicam strapped on. I didn’t know how to work with a steadicam. So I bought a cheaper version of one and ran around my neighborhood for weeks teaching myself. My neighbors probably thought I was crazy. BRIGHTWOOD lands on VOD tomorrow! I hope you enjoy my love story 🫀 pic.twitter.com/cJqoqVBnse — Dane Elcar (@DaneElcar) August 21, 2023 × The film's atmosphere is enhanced by its ominous music and sound effects. How did you collaborate with the sound team to create an audio experience that complements the visuals? As I was editing the film I started laying down the initial layers of sound design. I would add strange noises and then reverse them and play around. So that first stage of sound design came out very organically as I edited. As I was doing that, I’d send reels to Jason Cook, my amazingly talented composer, who started working on a score at the same time. Later, I took my sound design and worked with musician and sound editor, Joey Zampalla, who really cleaned it up, and also produced some haunting underlying layers of atmosphere. After waiting a bit, Jason finally emailed me his original score. It was an 84 min symphony! When I listened I cried! He gave me so much. I knew I would only be able to use maybe 30 minutes of it in total. When I dropped parts of it into the edit it worked so beautifully! He gave me not only an amazing score, but also this haunting love theme! After that, my good friend Jeff Prosser did a final pass and up-mix to 5.1. Brightwood was clearly produced on a modest budget, yet it features interesting and unsettling visuals. Can you share your approach to creating a visually impactful film within these constraints? I wanted the camera to have a strong point of view. Almost as if it’s another character watching all this happen. And except for a few scenes, I wanted to keep the film moving forward. It needed a frenetic quality. That’s hard with only two characters and one location. I would go out to Egbert Lake in Rockaway, New Jersey and just walk around, watching the shifting light. Nature can be so beautiful, but in the right shadows, there is something primal and sinister. I knew I needed markers, like the no swimming sign and trash can, to show the audience that Dan and Jen were going around in circles. I wanted the audience to become very familiar with the trail early on in the film. You become so familiar with it, that when things start to change, you feel that change, just as the characters do. Is there a particular genre, story concept, or thematic territory that you consider a dream project, one that you would be eager to bring to life in the future? I do have a project I’ve been working on with Max Woertendyke producing again that’s a real Hitchcockian thriller. It’s been years in the making and when the time is right we’re excited to get moving on that. In terms of a dream project… I love stories that challenge us. Challenge our perception of what we think is normal. I’m somewhat obsessed with identity in relation to time, space, and nature, but also how that changes as our relationship with technology changes. I’d love to one day put all that together into a big project! But for now, I’m happy I finished BRIGHTWOOD and would very much like a vacation! WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Interview | Director Dane Elcar on crafting Brightwood's beautifully eerie world

<p>In the eerie world of <em>Brightwood</em>, the sinister underbelly of relationships is laid bare, transforming the commonplace into a chilling exploration of emotional decay. Writer-director Dane Elcar takes a daring leap into the labyrinthine complexities of a faltering marriage, crafting a narrative that meticulously dissects the deteriorating heart of Jen and Dan's relationship. Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke become conduits of raw authenticity, portraying Jen and Dan with a vulnerability that's as haunting as it is relatable. As the narrative unravels, it becomes evident that <em>Brightwood </em>is more than a science-fiction horror movie; it's a psychological study that explores the darkest recesses of human relationships, revealing how even the most reliable of bonds can crumble under the weight of unspoken tensions. The film illustrates that the most terrifying horrors are often those that dwell within the crevices of our own hearts.</p>

<h2><strong>Battle of the sexes</strong></h2>

<p>As the film opens, Jen and Dan's palpable dissatisfaction becomes the unsettling backdrop for a deeper descent. We see Jen jogging along a forest trail that runs alongside a tranquil pond, with Dan seemingly tagging along beside her. Fittingly enough, Jen is listening to a podcast about the fragility of modern marriages. The tension between the couple is taut, an indication of the fraying threads of their connection. With every bitter exchange, every strained glance, the film shows rather than tells the slow erosion of a once-vibrant love, transforming it into a mere shadow of its former self. It becomes evident quite quickly that Jen is the more sorted one between the two, while Dan comes across as a bit of a schmuck. It's a nice contrast that keeps the characters compelling.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6uiLq7urlxI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>Time loop as an allegory of a stagnant marriage</strong></h2>

<p>In <em>Brightwood</em>, the time loop, a timeless narrative motif of recurrence, morphs into a damning allegory mirroring the stagnation in Jen and Dan's marriage. Much like their relationship hurdles, the loop they are ensnared within becomes an inescapable trap, an incessant cycle of turmoil and hopelessness. The external threats of a mysterious hooded assailant pale in comparison to the horrors they have harboured within. Elcar's genius lies in his ability to blur the lines between the physical terrors and the psychological torment, turning the hooded figures into living embodiments of Jen and Dan's own festering fears.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/top-10-greatest-horror-movies-of-all-time-529631">Top 10 greatest horror movies of all time</a></strong></p>

<h2>Of inner and outer demons</h2>

<p>As the couple grapples with the hooded figures and their own internal demons, their evolution becomes palpable. Berger and Woertendyke's superlative performances evolve from grating to gripping, mirroring the transformation that emerges from facing the abyss together. The film underscores the importance of addressing our inner demons, even if it takes supernatural terror to compel us. Through this interplay of impending insanity and external chaos, it emerges as a sombre mirror, reflecting the unspoken horrors that fester within us all.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-talk-to-me-review-a-psychological-horror-film-that-will-chill-you-to-the-bone-622402">Talk to Me review: A psychological horror film that will chill you to the bone</a></strong></p>

<h2>So is <em>Brightwood </em>watchable?</h2>

<p>Produced on a clear budget constraint, the film doesn't hide its modest production value. However, this becomes a testament to the writer-director's ingenuity, who has crafted a script brimming with the essential elements of sci-fi, horror, and thriller genres, while relying minimally on visual effects. Taking on the role of cinematographer as well, he creates beautifully creepy visuals with ample use of closeups. He clearly has a keen eye for unsettling imagery, and when you have that you can make do with even a basic video camera. With also a nice use of ominous music and sound effects, he weaves an atmosphere that crawls under the skin.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So that's it. Clocking in at 84 minutes, it retains its momentum, never outstaying its welcome. Despite its seemingly straightforward premise, <em>Brightwood </em>constantly surprises. And just when you think you have grasped its pulse, the ending delivers a whack of a twist, jolting the narrative in ways you won't see coming.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


In the eerie world of Brightwood, the sinister underbelly of relationships is laid bare, transforming the commonplace into a chilling exploration of emotional decay.

In the eerie world of Brightwood, the sinister underbelly of relationships is laid bare, transforming the commonplace into a chilling exploration of emotional decay. Writer-director Dane Elcar takes a daring leap into the labyrinthine complexities of a faltering marriage, crafting a narrative that meticulously dissects the deteriorating heart of Jen and Dan's relationship. Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke become conduits of raw authenticity, portraying Jen and Dan with a vulnerability that's as haunting as it is relatable. As the narrative unravels, it becomes evident that Brightwood is more than a science-fiction horror movie; it's a psychological study that explores the darkest recesses of human relationships, revealing how even the most reliable of bonds can crumble under the weight of unspoken tensions. The film illustrates that the most terrifying horrors are often those that dwell within the crevices of our own hearts. Battle of the sexes As the film opens, Jen and Dan's palpable dissatisfaction becomes the unsettling backdrop for a deeper descent. We see Jen jogging along a forest trail that runs alongside a tranquil pond, with Dan seemingly tagging along beside her. Fittingly enough, Jen is listening to a podcast about the fragility of modern marriages. The tension between the couple is taut, an indication of the fraying threads of their connection. With every bitter exchange, every strained glance, the film shows rather than tells the slow erosion of a once-vibrant love, transforming it into a mere shadow of its former self. It becomes evident quite quickly that Jen is the more sorted one between the two, while Dan comes across as a bit of a schmuck. It's a nice contrast that keeps the characters compelling. Time loop as an allegory of a stagnant marriage In Brightwood, the time loop, a timeless narrative motif of recurrence, morphs into a damning allegory mirroring the stagnation in Jen and Dan's marriage. Much like their relationship hurdles, the loop they are ensnared within becomes an inescapable trap, an incessant cycle of turmoil and hopelessness. The external threats of a mysterious hooded assailant pale in comparison to the horrors they have harboured within. Elcar's genius lies in his ability to blur the lines between the physical terrors and the psychological torment, turning the hooded figures into living embodiments of Jen and Dan's own festering fears. Also Read: Top 10 greatest horror movies of all time Of inner and outer demons As the couple grapples with the hooded figures and their own internal demons, their evolution becomes palpable. Berger and Woertendyke's superlative performances evolve from grating to gripping, mirroring the transformation that emerges from facing the abyss together. The film underscores the importance of addressing our inner demons, even if it takes supernatural terror to compel us. Through this interplay of impending insanity and external chaos, it emerges as a sombre mirror, reflecting the unspoken horrors that fester within us all. Also Read: Talk to Me review: A psychological horror film that will chill you to the bone So is Brightwood watchable? Produced on a clear budget constraint, the film doesn't hide its modest production value. However, this becomes a testament to the writer-director's ingenuity, who has crafted a script brimming with the essential elements of sci-fi, horror, and thriller genres, while relying minimally on visual effects. Taking on the role of cinematographer as well, he creates beautifully creepy visuals with ample use of closeups. He clearly has a keen eye for unsettling imagery, and when you have that you can make do with even a basic video camera. With also a nice use of ominous music and sound effects, he weaves an atmosphere that crawls under the skin. So that's it. Clocking in at 84 minutes, it retains its momentum, never outstaying its welcome. Despite its seemingly straightforward premise, Brightwood constantly surprises. And just when you think you have grasped its pulse, the ending delivers a whack of a twist, jolting the narrative in ways you won't see coming. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Brightwood movie review: A gripping, terrifying allegory about marital decay

<p>In the eerie realm where the supernatural meets the mundane, <em>Talk to Me </em>weaves a chilling tale of grief, possession, and the harrowing consequences of meddling with the unknown. Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, this Australian supernatural horror film marks a hell of a debut for the filmmaker duo. I am in awe of these debut filmmakers, in horror in particular, who are able to craft masterful films that stands toe-to-toe with the greatest of the genre. <em>Talk to Me</em> grips its audience from the opening scene, plunging them into a nightmarish world of spectral encounters and psychological turmoil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-meg-2-review-jason-stathams-giant-shark-movie-is-glorious-b-movie-fun-622217"><em>Meg 2</em> review: Jason Statham's giant shark movie is glorious B-movie fun</a></strong></p>

<p>It is scary not in a thrilling or enjoyable way, but more like the way <em>Hereditary </em>was scary. More on that later.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PGo4wfCejsk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>What is <em>Talk to Me</em> about?</strong></h2>

<p>In <em>Talk to Me</em>, Mia (Sophie Wilde), a troubled teenager dealing with her mother's recent suicide, and her friends summon malevolent spirits using a mysterious embalmed severed hand. And yes, they are aware that they are summoning spirits from the Great Beyond (my term, not film's), and yet they do it anyway. Holding the hand and saying the film's title "Talk to me" summons the spirit, but to be possessed one has to say "I let you in".</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-insidious-the-red-door-review-patrick-wilsons-horror-film-fails-to-deliver-genuine-scares-612619"><em>Insidious The Red Door</em> review: Patrick Wilson's horror film fails to deliver genuine scares</a></strong></p>

<p>The thing is, the kids have means to drive them back to the said Great Beyond. Each of them get possessed in a party one night, their pupils enlarging and turning black, and their skin getting some kind of condition, and it's fun! Or at least that is what our teen heroes think (today's kids, huh?). What if one of the ghosties decide to stay back or there is something wrong with the ritual, if that is what it is? Well, that is exactly what happens.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As possession takes hold of the young pre-teen, Riley (Joe Bird), the brother of Mia's friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), the consequences become increasingly horrifying as he spirals into madness, engaging in self-destructive acts and displaying disturbing behaviour. In the chaos of the situation, the group forgets a crucial step in the ritual — extinguishing the candle that binds the spirits — unleashing a torrent of malevolence. As if battling the malevolent spirits wasn't enough, Mia's own inner demons resurface, plagued by haunting visions of her deceased mother, who denies she killed herself.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Struggling to distinguish reality from the supernatural, Mia's desperation grows as she finds herself entangled in the dark forces.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read:<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/top-10-greatest-horror-movies-of-all-time-529631">&nbsp;Top 10 greatest horror movies of all time</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Is<em> Talk to Me </em>worth watching?</strong></h2>

<p>I compared <em>Talk to Me </em>with <em>Hereditary </em>earlier because both films share a similar sense of terror that lingers long after the credits roll. because both films share a similar sense of terror that lingers long after the credits roll. <em>Talk to Me</em>, like <em>Hereditary</em>, doesn't rely on cheap jump scares or predictable horror tropes. Instead, it delves into the psychological aspects of fear, making it a deeply unsettling experience. The film's unsettling atmosphere and uncanny visuals will leave you on edge throughout, and its clever, sparing use of effects adds to the authenticity of the supernatural stuff. This film will not just scare you, it will chill you to the bone. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Sophie Wilde delivers an outstanding performance, portraying Mia's vulnerability and strength as she navigates the complexities of grief and the paranormal. Every teen actor, in fact, is superb and it is sort of creepy how good they are. I was squirming in my chair in some of the gorier moments, and this is a film that hardly relies on gore to ramp up the scare quotient.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So yes,<em> Talk to Me </em>is absolutely worth watching. I would say it stands tall among the finest horror offerings in quite a while and solidifies the Philippou brothers' place in the genre.</p>

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In the eerie realm where the supernatural meets the mundane, Talk to Me weaves a chilling tale of grief, possession, and the harrowing consequences of meddling with the unknown.

In the eerie realm where the supernatural meets the mundane, Talk to Me weaves a chilling tale of grief, possession, and the harrowing consequences of meddling with the unknown. Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, this Australian supernatural horror film marks a hell of a debut for the filmmaker duo. I am in awe of these debut filmmakers, in horror in particular, who are able to craft masterful films that stands toe-to-toe with the greatest of the genre. Talk to Me grips its audience from the opening scene, plunging them into a nightmarish world of spectral encounters and psychological turmoil. Also Read: Meg 2 review: Jason Statham's giant shark movie is glorious B-movie fun It is scary not in a thrilling or enjoyable way, but more like the way Hereditary was scary. More on that later. What is Talk to Me about? In Talk to Me, Mia (Sophie Wilde), a troubled teenager dealing with her mother's recent suicide, and her friends summon malevolent spirits using a mysterious embalmed severed hand. And yes, they are aware that they are summoning spirits from the Great Beyond (my term, not film's), and yet they do it anyway. Holding the hand and saying the film's title "Talk to me" summons the spirit, but to be possessed one has to say "I let you in". Also Read: Insidious The Red Door review: Patrick Wilson's horror film fails to deliver genuine scares The thing is, the kids have means to drive them back to the said Great Beyond. Each of them get possessed in a party one night, their pupils enlarging and turning black, and their skin getting some kind of condition, and it's fun! Or at least that is what our teen heroes think (today's kids, huh?). What if one of the ghosties decide to stay back or there is something wrong with the ritual, if that is what it is? Well, that is exactly what happens. As possession takes hold of the young pre-teen, Riley (Joe Bird), the brother of Mia's friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), the consequences become increasingly horrifying as he spirals into madness, engaging in self-destructive acts and displaying disturbing behaviour. In the chaos of the situation, the group forgets a crucial step in the ritual — extinguishing the candle that binds the spirits — unleashing a torrent of malevolence. As if battling the malevolent spirits wasn't enough, Mia's own inner demons resurface, plagued by haunting visions of her deceased mother, who denies she killed herself. Struggling to distinguish reality from the supernatural, Mia's desperation grows as she finds herself entangled in the dark forces. Also Read: Top 10 greatest horror movies of all time Is Talk to Me worth watching? I compared Talk to Me with Hereditary earlier because both films share a similar sense of terror that lingers long after the credits roll. because both films share a similar sense of terror that lingers long after the credits roll. Talk to Me, like Hereditary, doesn't rely on cheap jump scares or predictable horror tropes. Instead, it delves into the psychological aspects of fear, making it a deeply unsettling experience. The film's unsettling atmosphere and uncanny visuals will leave you on edge throughout, and its clever, sparing use of effects adds to the authenticity of the supernatural stuff. This film will not just scare you, it will chill you to the bone. Sophie Wilde delivers an outstanding performance, portraying Mia's vulnerability and strength as she navigates the complexities of grief and the paranormal. Every teen actor, in fact, is superb and it is sort of creepy how good they are. I was squirming in my chair in some of the gorier moments, and this is a film that hardly relies on gore to ramp up the scare quotient. So yes, Talk to Me is absolutely worth watching. I would say it stands tall among the finest horror offerings in quite a while and solidifies the Philippou brothers' place in the genre. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Talk to Me review: A psychological horror film that will chill you to the bone

<p>Going into M3GAN, I was fully prepared for a chilling experience. The story is about an AI-powered, talking doll going rogue, after all. And indeed, the movie often does maintain a creepy feeling and a sense of dread. And towards the end, it enters into downright terrifying territory. But I was not at all ready for how wacky and hilarious the movie would be. Directed by Gerard Johnstone (whose Housebound should be on the watchlist of every horror comedy lover) and written by Akela Cooper, the film is both a departure and a homage to creepy doll movies like Annabelle and Chucky franchises.</p>

<p>Allison Williams' Gemma works as a roboticist in a company that makes high-tech robotic companion toys for children. She has been developing a secret prototype for a lifelike doll with advanced capabilities like sentience, heightened intelligence, realistic facial expressions, and she can also learn and adapt to her environment by processing information fed through her "eyes". Like other products of the company, M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android) is meant to care for kids, both physically and emotionally, in their parents' absence but has not been properly tested.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BRb4U99OU80" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Gemma is saddled with the responsibility of her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw) whose parents died in a car accident. Conveniently for Gemma, for whom guardianship is strange and scary, Cady comes as a perfect subject for M3GAN. The little girl is paired with the robot as a primary user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>M3GAN is naturally protective of Cady, and Gemma allows herself some work while the child is under the care of the robot. But what she did not anticipate was the strength and sentient mind of her own creation. To paraphrase that great chaotician, Ian Malcolm, she was so preoccupied with whether she could, she didn’t stop to think if she should. The consequences are gradually disastrous.&nbsp;</p>

<p>M3GAN was programmed to protect Cady from each and everything she deems to be a threat to her ward, and she does not possess a sense of conscience or any other human qualities that may make her rethink her decisions. An excitable neighbourhood dog, a bully at school, potentially even Gemma — anyone endangering Cady or even raising her anxiety levels is a menace to be eliminated. Even when Gemma wants Cady to eat her vegetables, M3GAN looks at her with a frightening awareness that she will utilise later in the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OoDHM_A1axc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Universal's marketing campaign for M3GAN is a legend by now, though I took great care to steer clear of it (which involves muting related keywords on Twitter, and so on. I am nothing if not thorough). And turned out to be great. M3GAN should ideally be watched without learning anything about it. Due to my job, I had to see the trailer. But they were, thankfully, not too spoiler-ish. I managed to avoid posters, promo clips, interviews, and even reviews.&nbsp;</p>

<p>M3GAN is a joy from start to finish, irrespective of your general opinion on creepy doll movies. For the titular doll is a thing of dark majesty, and a far cry from the mostly passive dolls in other horror media. The design is extremely careful and deliberate to evoke a sense of uncanny valley, instead of hyperrealism. M3GAN's eyes look shadowed and always seem to possess a devilish intelligence that is far beyond human capacity. The doll is frightening in a primal way, and way before it actually begins to wreak havoc.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/critically-speaking-is-avatar-the-way-of-water-worth-the-hype-543816/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The throughlines are a bit pat and done better in other movies: dangers of AI,&nbsp;kids' relation to gadgets, and so on. But you will be hard pressed to notice any of that, M3GAN&nbsp;is so consistently entertaining.</p>

<p>And despite all the horror, gore, and screams, M3GAN, the movie that is, remains winking and self-reverential. Even a couple of deaths are funny — &nbsp;never mind the clotting blood on the slit throat — and you will not even feel guilty for laughing.</p>

<p>I cannot for the life of me understand what took Johnstone so long to direct a movie again. He has retained his keen sense of combining the winking humour and the macabre in a delicious, irresistible combination. Cooper's script is almost entirely without a weak spot.&nbsp;</p>

<p>M3GAN is an unadulterated joy.</p>


Going into M3GAN, I was fully prepared for a chilling experience. The story is about an AI-powered, talking doll going rogue, after all. And indeed, the movie often does maintain a creepy feeling and a sense of dread.

Going into M3GAN, I was fully prepared for a chilling experience. The story is about an AI-powered, talking doll going rogue, after all. And indeed, the movie often does maintain a creepy feeling and a sense of dread. And towards the end, it enters into downright terrifying territory. But I was not at all ready for how wacky and hilarious the movie would be. Directed by Gerard Johnstone (whose Housebound should be on the watchlist of every horror comedy lover) and written by Akela Cooper, the film is both a departure and a homage to creepy doll movies like Annabelle and Chucky franchises. Allison Williams' Gemma works as a roboticist in a company that makes high-tech robotic companion toys for children. She has been developing a secret prototype for a lifelike doll with advanced capabilities like sentience, heightened intelligence, realistic facial expressions, and she can also learn and adapt to her environment by processing information fed through her "eyes". Like other products of the company, M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android) is meant to care for kids, both physically and emotionally, in their parents' absence but has not been properly tested. Gemma is saddled with the responsibility of her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw) whose parents died in a car accident. Conveniently for Gemma, for whom guardianship is strange and scary, Cady comes as a perfect subject for M3GAN. The little girl is paired with the robot as a primary user. M3GAN is naturally protective of Cady, and Gemma allows herself some work while the child is under the care of the robot. But what she did not anticipate was the strength and sentient mind of her own creation. To paraphrase that great chaotician, Ian Malcolm, she was so preoccupied with whether she could, she didn’t stop to think if she should. The consequences are gradually disastrous. M3GAN was programmed to protect Cady from each and everything she deems to be a threat to her ward, and she does not possess a sense of conscience or any other human qualities that may make her rethink her decisions. An excitable neighbourhood dog, a bully at school, potentially even Gemma — anyone endangering Cady or even raising her anxiety levels is a menace to be eliminated. Even when Gemma wants Cady to eat her vegetables, M3GAN looks at her with a frightening awareness that she will utilise later in the film. Universal's marketing campaign for M3GAN is a legend by now, though I took great care to steer clear of it (which involves muting related keywords on Twitter, and so on. I am nothing if not thorough). And turned out to be great. M3GAN should ideally be watched without learning anything about it. Due to my job, I had to see the trailer. But they were, thankfully, not too spoiler-ish. I managed to avoid posters, promo clips, interviews, and even reviews. M3GAN is a joy from start to finish, irrespective of your general opinion on creepy doll movies. For the titular doll is a thing of dark majesty, and a far cry from the mostly passive dolls in other horror media. The design is extremely careful and deliberate to evoke a sense of uncanny valley, instead of hyperrealism. M3GAN's eyes look shadowed and always seem to possess a devilish intelligence that is far beyond human capacity. The doll is frightening in a primal way, and way before it actually begins to wreak havoc. The throughlines are a bit pat and done better in other movies: dangers of AI, kids' relation to gadgets, and so on. But you will be hard pressed to notice any of that, M3GAN is so consistently entertaining. And despite all the horror, gore, and screams, M3GAN, the movie that is, remains winking and self-reverential. Even a couple of deaths are funny — never mind the clotting blood on the slit throat — and you will not even feel guilty for laughing. I cannot for the life of me understand what took Johnstone so long to direct a movie again. He has retained his keen sense of combining the winking humour and the macabre in a delicious, irresistible combination. Cooper's script is almost entirely without a weak spot. M3GAN is an unadulterated joy.

M3GAN movie review: This horror movie is a creepy, madcap delight

<p>Russel Owens' 'Shepherd', a horror film set on a remote island in Scottish Highlands, uses its location to&nbsp;instill a sense of foreboding, but never gives a decent payoff for the setup. Despite its issues, fans of the genre would appreciate just how much dread and tension the film&nbsp;squeezes from the immense, breathtaking landscape. Tom Hughes plays a tormented, recently-widowed man called Eric Black, who is haunted by visions of his wife's demise. The film makes it clear that it is not simply grief that is bothering him. He has other demons that tumble out later in the film. After a sluggish first act in which Eric gets reacquainted with his estranged mother, we find him on the island. Where madness awaits him.</p>

<p>Kate Dickie plays Fisher, the person who drops Eric off at the island with a promise to return. The island is, I repeat, a thing of absolute beauty. But it is a beauty of the austere kind. Grey skies perpetually hover over the stretch of land like cruel gods, threatening rain at the first hint of sin. A promontory juts deep into the water. Apart from a rundown lighthouse and a cottage, there is hardly any hint of human presence.</p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BOMugu6WCHU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>The effect is almost that of writings of HP Lovecraft at times and the cosmic horror genre he invented -- even if we never see Cthulhu or anything similar. It is how the film juxtaposes the setting against Eric. He is like one man stranded on a planet.</p>

<p>Cinematographer Richard Stoddard wastes no time in familiarising the viewer with the place, panning down the camera and showing how insignificant our hero is before the vastness of the island and the water surrounding it. The island feels like a compelling thing you would want to observe, but from a safe distance. There is a great sense of place here. The island, however barren, feels lived-in</p>

<p>The thrillingly immersive setting echoes Robert Eggers' genre-defining 'The Lighthouse', which was similarly brilliant in evoking the horror of loneliness in a region that was raw and primal, and untouched. In 'Shepherd', the effect is heightened because here Eric is by his lonesome. There is the dog, but canines do not make for good conversation companions. Nevertheless, he does find comfort in his dog's presence for a while. And then his ghosts -- and the island's ghosts -- come alive.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="shepherd" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f1dcd7d1-7be6-4a23-9c43-041d6ee7a64b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Shepherd-1200.jpg" /></p>

<p>Apart from the visuals, the script also does a good job in making the viewer feel Eric's desolation. I was irritated by the pacing every now and then but the long-ish runtime (for the plot, that is) actually helps us in getting into Eric's shoes. The scares are few but worthwhile. It is the location that does the heavy lifting.</p>

<p>I liked 'Shepherd' overall, but there are a few things that keep me from wholly recommending this film to horror lovers. First, Hughes falls way short of what the role requires. He is, to put it bluntly, just not a very good actor. While his lack of emoting works for the character in the first half when Eric is supposed to be an impassive, stiff-upper-lip man who keeps his emotions in check, later on, when he begins losing his sanity, his performance is average at best. A better actor would have served the character better.</p>

<p>Also, the pace might be slow for most horror fans. The film has artistic pretensions, but does not have a substantial depth to its story or themes to back it up. The ending is also disappointing as the film tries to insert a twist that feels last-minute and so-so. Still, 'Shepherd' is worth checking out, I think. Those, in particular, who are looking for a film that relies on atmosphere and ambience to up the scare quotient rather than CGI monsters will love it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>'Shepherd' is available to watch on BookMyShow Stream.</p>


Russel Owens' 'Shepherd', a horror film set on a remote island in Scottish Highlands, uses its location to instill a sense of foreboding, but never gives a decent payoff for the setup.

Russel Owens' 'Shepherd', a horror film set on a remote island in Scottish Highlands, uses its location to instill a sense of foreboding, but never gives a decent payoff for the setup. Despite its issues, fans of the genre would appreciate just how much dread and tension the film squeezes from the immense, breathtaking landscape. Tom Hughes plays a tormented, recently-widowed man called Eric Black, who is haunted by visions of his wife's demise. The film makes it clear that it is not simply grief that is bothering him. He has other demons that tumble out later in the film. After a sluggish first act in which Eric gets reacquainted with his estranged mother, we find him on the island. Where madness awaits him. Kate Dickie plays Fisher, the person who drops Eric off at the island with a promise to return. The island is, I repeat, a thing of absolute beauty. But it is a beauty of the austere kind. Grey skies perpetually hover over the stretch of land like cruel gods, threatening rain at the first hint of sin. A promontory juts deep into the water. Apart from a rundown lighthouse and a cottage, there is hardly any hint of human presence. The effect is almost that of writings of HP Lovecraft at times and the cosmic horror genre he invented -- even if we never see Cthulhu or anything similar. It is how the film juxtaposes the setting against Eric. He is like one man stranded on a planet. Cinematographer Richard Stoddard wastes no time in familiarising the viewer with the place, panning down the camera and showing how insignificant our hero is before the vastness of the island and the water surrounding it. The island feels like a compelling thing you would want to observe, but from a safe distance. There is a great sense of place here. The island, however barren, feels lived-in The thrillingly immersive setting echoes Robert Eggers' genre-defining 'The Lighthouse', which was similarly brilliant in evoking the horror of loneliness in a region that was raw and primal, and untouched. In 'Shepherd', the effect is heightened because here Eric is by his lonesome. There is the dog, but canines do not make for good conversation companions. Nevertheless, he does find comfort in his dog's presence for a while. And then his ghosts -- and the island's ghosts -- come alive. Apart from the visuals, the script also does a good job in making the viewer feel Eric's desolation. I was irritated by the pacing every now and then but the long-ish runtime (for the plot, that is) actually helps us in getting into Eric's shoes. The scares are few but worthwhile. It is the location that does the heavy lifting. I liked 'Shepherd' overall, but there are a few things that keep me from wholly recommending this film to horror lovers. First, Hughes falls way short of what the role requires. He is, to put it bluntly, just not a very good actor. While his lack of emoting works for the character in the first half when Eric is supposed to be an impassive, stiff-upper-lip man who keeps his emotions in check, later on, when he begins losing his sanity, his performance is average at best. A better actor would have served the character better. Also, the pace might be slow for most horror fans. The film has artistic pretensions, but does not have a substantial depth to its story or themes to back it up. The ending is also disappointing as the film tries to insert a twist that feels last-minute and so-so. Still, 'Shepherd' is worth checking out, I think. Those, in particular, who are looking for a film that relies on atmosphere and ambience to up the scare quotient rather than CGI monsters will love it. 'Shepherd' is available to watch on BookMyShow Stream.

'Shepherd' movie review: This horror film uses its stunning, desolate setting to frightening degree

<p>A few days before Halloween, the @NetflixFilm Twitter account put out a call: “What movie isn’t technically a horror movie but feels like a horror movie to you?” Included was a photo of a freaky-eyed Gene Wilder in “Willy Wonka &amp;amp; the Chocolate Factory.”</p>

<p>Twitter being Twitter, some of the responses were flip, like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Cats.” But there were also heavy hitters like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Parasite.” Children’s films, including “Pinocchio” and “Bambi,” made the cut. It just goes to show, horror is what scares you, not me.</p>

<p>Horror has always been an elastic and regenerative genre. It lifts from and melds with just about every type of cinema: comedy, sci-fi, action, romance, fantasy, documentary. Its flexibility extends as far back as the monstrous love story in “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) and as current as the blood-drenched melodrama of “Malignant.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-spider-man-no-way-home-to-matrix-4-big-december-releases-you-cannot-miss-432729" hreflang="en">'Money Heist' S5 to 'Matrix 4': Big December releases you cannot miss</a></p>

<p>But how do you know if you’re watching a horror movie when there’s no killer or monster, exorcism or blood? It’s a decades-old question that’s being asked about new films that blur the line between a movie with horror and a horror movie.</p>

<p>Among them are “The Humans,” Stephen Karam’s darkly comic family drama set during a Thanksgiving dinner; “The Lost Daughter,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s forthcoming eerie character study of a college professor at a Greek resort who becomes obsessed with a fellow vacationer and her daughter; and perhaps unexpectedly, “Spencer,” Pablo Larraín’s speculative, dream-logic psychodrama about Princess Diana.</p>

<h5><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kanye-west-says-his-2020-presidential-campaign-put-a-strain-on-his-marriage-with-kim-kardashian-432681" hreflang="en">Kanye West says his 2020 Presidential campaign put a strain on his marriage</a></h5>

<p>The film follows an unsettled Princess of Wales (Kristen Stewart) as she spends a Christmas holiday on the precipice of a madness that may not be real. In his review for The New York Times, A.O. Scott called it a Christmas movie, psychological thriller, romance and “a horror movie about a fragile woman held captive in a spooky mansion, tormented by sadistic monsters and their treacherous minions.”</p>

<p>Read reviews and these films sound like Shudder originals. In The Times, critic Jeannette Catsoulis used the words “monstrous,” “despairing,” “eerie” and “sinister” to describe “The Humans,” concluding that the family was stuck in a haunted house. IndieWire said the drama “blurs the line between Chekhov and Polanski — Broadway and Blumhouse” and is “the first real horror movie about 9/11.” (Two of the family members were at ground zero that morning.) The Guardian said “The Lost Daughter” tells the story of a woman who “haunts the resort like a ghost while other ghosts are haunting her.”</p>

<p>For some directors, positioning the word “horror” anywhere near a film they don’t consider a horror movie would be erroneous or provocation. Not Karam. He was riveted by horror movies as a child in Scranton, Pennsylvania; his gateway drug was the Disney ghost story “The Watcher in the Woods” (1980), with Bette Davis as the owner of an English mansion who’s mourning her missing daughter.</p>

<p>Now 42, Karam remains a devout horror fan, citing Stanley Kubrick and Roman Polanski as inspirations for “The Humans,” which he directed and adapted for the screen from his 2016 Tony-winning play. Karam takes pride in the film’s horror elements because they help viewers visualize “how people are conquering or coping with their fears in a story that’s scary.”</p>

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<p>“It’s important for me to think of a film or a play or any story I’m telling as having a strong, confident personality,” Karam said in a video interview. “I don’t get bogged down by whether it’s a horror film or family drama because the definitions can upset people who take ownership of what a horror film is.”</p>

<p>“The Humans” takes place in a seen-better-days duplex newly occupied by Brigid (Beanie Feldstein) and her boyfriend, Richard (Steven Yeun). Visiting from Scranton are Brigid’s working-class parents, Erik and Deirdre (Richard Jenkins and Jayne Houdyshell); and Momo, Erik’s mother (June Squibb), who has dementia. Also joining is Brigid’s sister, Aimee (Amy Schumer), who lives in Philadelphia and is fresh off a breakup with her girlfriend.</p>

<p>At the family table there’s turkey and good-natured ribbing, but also difficult conversations about work, love and depression. This is a family filled with love, but also resentment and heartache. Typical Thanksgiving drama stuff.</p>

<p>But from the start, there’s an uneasy feeling, as if something terrible is on its way. Parts of the walls ooze and bubble with pustules like growths on a David Cronenberg mutant. There are eerie portraits of spooky people, like the art from a possessed castle in a Hammer film. Jump scares, loud sounds, darkness, stillness: They’re all heart-pounding. Horror movie stuff.</p>

<p>So what &lt;em&gt;is&lt;/em&gt; a horror movie? It comes down to intent, said Wickham Clayton, a film scholar and the editor of “Style and Form in the Hollywood Slasher Film.” Horror movies, he said, are about audiences “being uncomfortable, unsettled and disturbed.”</p>

<p>Sometimes all it takes is a terrifying antagonist or mood, not an entire movie. Think of Robert Mitchum as a scoundrel preacher in the nightmare fairy tale “The Night of the Hunter” (1955), Faye Dunaway as a toxic Joan Crawford in the darkly camp “Mommie Dearest” (1981) or Robert De Niro as time bomb Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver” (1976).</p>

<p>Are they horror movies? Not quite. Are they scary? You bet.</p>

<p>“In each of these movies, there are moments, scenes and sequences that are so precisely and skillfully designed to make us feel unsettled, horrified and afraid,” Clayton said. “We are made to feel this way even if there is nothing obvious on screen, or as far as we know off-screen, to be afraid of.”</p>

<p>What else is scary about “The Humans” and “Spencer”? They’re both set during winter holidays. Andrew Scahill, an assistant professor of film at the University of Colorado, Denver, said that wasn’t a coincidence: For many people, family reunions and shame-filled year-end assessments are terrifying. It’s no wonder that in his class on Christmas cinema he includes both the feel-good movie musical “White Christmas” (1954) and the harrowing proto-slasher “Black Christmas” (1974).</p>

<p>“Some genres are more elastic than others,” said Scahill, author of “The Revolting Child in Horror Cinema.” “A mystery is predicated on surprising its audience. A rom-com wants to fulfill every expectation and not violate the contract of genre. Horror forces itself to keep innovating.”</p>

<p>This conversation about definitions will continue, and that’s a good thing, as young filmmakers take horror in unexpected directions and forge new shape-shifting films. When “Scream” (1996), “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) and “Get Out” (2017) each made waves, they were saying: It’s time for a jolt.</p>

<p>Another reason this discussion isn’t going anywhere is that the old debates still have legs. Look what happened earlier this year when writer Elle Hunt tweeted, “Horror cannot be set in space,” and horror fans got all kinds of irate, responding with examples like “Alien” (1979) and “Jason X” (2001).</p>

<p>“Horror,” writer Cory McCullough tweeted, “can be anything.”</p>

<p>This article originally appeared in&nbsp;The New York Times.</p>


A few days before Halloween, the @NetflixFilm Twitter account put out a call: “What movie isn’t technically a horror movie but feels like a horror movie to you?” Included was a photo of a freaky-eyed Gene Wilder in “Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory.

A few days before Halloween, the @NetflixFilm Twitter account put out a call: “What movie isn’t technically a horror movie but feels like a horror movie to you?” Included was a photo of a freaky-eyed Gene Wilder in “Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory.” Twitter being Twitter, some of the responses were flip, like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Cats.” But there were also heavy hitters like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Parasite.” Children’s films, including “Pinocchio” and “Bambi,” made the cut. It just goes to show, horror is what scares you, not me. Horror has always been an elastic and regenerative genre. It lifts from and melds with just about every type of cinema: comedy, sci-fi, action, romance, fantasy, documentary. Its flexibility extends as far back as the monstrous love story in “Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) and as current as the blood-drenched melodrama of “Malignant.” 'Money Heist' S5 to 'Matrix 4': Big December releases you cannot miss But how do you know if you’re watching a horror movie when there’s no killer or monster, exorcism or blood? It’s a decades-old question that’s being asked about new films that blur the line between a movie with horror and a horror movie. Among them are “The Humans,” Stephen Karam’s darkly comic family drama set during a Thanksgiving dinner; “The Lost Daughter,” Maggie Gyllenhaal’s forthcoming eerie character study of a college professor at a Greek resort who becomes obsessed with a fellow vacationer and her daughter; and perhaps unexpectedly, “Spencer,” Pablo Larraín’s speculative, dream-logic psychodrama about Princess Diana. Kanye West says his 2020 Presidential campaign put a strain on his marriage The film follows an unsettled Princess of Wales (Kristen Stewart) as she spends a Christmas holiday on the precipice of a madness that may not be real. In his review for The New York Times, A.O. Scott called it a Christmas movie, psychological thriller, romance and “a horror movie about a fragile woman held captive in a spooky mansion, tormented by sadistic monsters and their treacherous minions.” Read reviews and these films sound like Shudder originals. In The Times, critic Jeannette Catsoulis used the words “monstrous,” “despairing,” “eerie” and “sinister” to describe “The Humans,” concluding that the family was stuck in a haunted house. IndieWire said the drama “blurs the line between Chekhov and Polanski — Broadway and Blumhouse” and is “the first real horror movie about 9/11.” (Two of the family members were at ground zero that morning.) The Guardian said “The Lost Daughter” tells the story of a woman who “haunts the resort like a ghost while other ghosts are haunting her.” For some directors, positioning the word “horror” anywhere near a film they don’t consider a horror movie would be erroneous or provocation. Not Karam. He was riveted by horror movies as a child in Scranton, Pennsylvania; his gateway drug was the Disney ghost story “The Watcher in the Woods” (1980), with Bette Davis as the owner of an English mansion who’s mourning her missing daughter. Now 42, Karam remains a devout horror fan, citing Stanley Kubrick and Roman Polanski as inspirations for “The Humans,” which he directed and adapted for the screen from his 2016 Tony-winning play. Karam takes pride in the film’s horror elements because they help viewers visualize “how people are conquering or coping with their fears in a story that’s scary.” Bryan Adams dealing with 'symptomatic' COVID-19 after testing positive “It’s important for me to think of a film or a play or any story I’m telling as having a strong, confident personality,” Karam said in a video interview. “I don’t get bogged down by whether it’s a horror film or family drama because the definitions can upset people who take ownership of what a horror film is.” “The Humans” takes place in a seen-better-days duplex newly occupied by Brigid (Beanie Feldstein) and her boyfriend, Richard (Steven Yeun). Visiting from Scranton are Brigid’s working-class parents, Erik and Deirdre (Richard Jenkins and Jayne Houdyshell); and Momo, Erik’s mother (June Squibb), who has dementia. Also joining is Brigid’s sister, Aimee (Amy Schumer), who lives in Philadelphia and is fresh off a breakup with her girlfriend. At the family table there’s turkey and good-natured ribbing, but also difficult conversations about work, love and depression. This is a family filled with love, but also resentment and heartache. Typical Thanksgiving drama stuff. But from the start, there’s an uneasy feeling, as if something terrible is on its way. Parts of the walls ooze and bubble with pustules like growths on a David Cronenberg mutant. There are eerie portraits of spooky people, like the art from a possessed castle in a Hammer film. Jump scares, loud sounds, darkness, stillness: They’re all heart-pounding. Horror movie stuff. So what <em>is</em> a horror movie? It comes down to intent, said Wickham Clayton, a film scholar and the editor of “Style and Form in the Hollywood Slasher Film.” Horror movies, he said, are about audiences “being uncomfortable, unsettled and disturbed.” Sometimes all it takes is a terrifying antagonist or mood, not an entire movie. Think of Robert Mitchum as a scoundrel preacher in the nightmare fairy tale “The Night of the Hunter” (1955), Faye Dunaway as a toxic Joan Crawford in the darkly camp “Mommie Dearest” (1981) or Robert De Niro as time bomb Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver” (1976). Are they horror movies? Not quite. Are they scary? You bet. “In each of these movies, there are moments, scenes and sequences that are so precisely and skillfully designed to make us feel unsettled, horrified and afraid,” Clayton said. “We are made to feel this way even if there is nothing obvious on screen, or as far as we know off-screen, to be afraid of.” What else is scary about “The Humans” and “Spencer”? They’re both set during winter holidays. Andrew Scahill, an assistant professor of film at the University of Colorado, Denver, said that wasn’t a coincidence: For many people, family reunions and shame-filled year-end assessments are terrifying. It’s no wonder that in his class on Christmas cinema he includes both the feel-good movie musical “White Christmas” (1954) and the harrowing proto-slasher “Black Christmas” (1974). “Some genres are more elastic than others,” said Scahill, author of “The Revolting Child in Horror Cinema.” “A mystery is predicated on surprising its audience. A rom-com wants to fulfill every expectation and not violate the contract of genre. Horror forces itself to keep innovating.” This conversation about definitions will continue, and that’s a good thing, as young filmmakers take horror in unexpected directions and forge new shape-shifting films. When “Scream” (1996), “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) and “Get Out” (2017) each made waves, they were saying: It’s time for a jolt. Another reason this discussion isn’t going anywhere is that the old debates still have legs. Look what happened earlier this year when writer Elle Hunt tweeted, “Horror cannot be set in space,” and horror fans got all kinds of irate, responding with examples like “Alien” (1979) and “Jason X” (2001). “Horror,” writer Cory McCullough tweeted, “can be anything.” This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

When is a horror movie not a horror movie?

<p>Anushka Sharma&#39;s home production &quot;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pari-teaser-anushka-sharma-will-give-you-the-creeps-32080" target="_blank">Pari</a>&quot;&nbsp;is finally out and husband Virat Kohli can&#39;t stop raving about Anushka Sharma&#39;s acting in the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Virat took to Twitter to express his feelings of being proud after watching the film and tweeted:&nbsp; &ldquo;Watched #Pari last night, has to be my Wife&rsquo;s best work ever!&nbsp; One of the best films I&rsquo;ve seen in a long time. Got quite scared but so very proud of you @AnushkaSharma&rdquo;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watched <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pari?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pari</a> last night, has to be my Wife&#39;s best work ever! ???? One of the best films I&#39;ve seen in a long time. Got quite scared but so very proud of you <a href="https://twitter.com/AnushkaSharma?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnushkaSharma</a> &hearts;️</p>
&mdash; Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/969442794493407232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>He was, in fact, looking forward to the film&#39;s release and had shared his excitement on several occasions before. He wrote:&nbsp;&ldquo;Can&rsquo;t wait to watch my one and only in an avatar never seen before and I&rsquo;m blown away already&rdquo;.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Can&rsquo;t wait to watch my one and only in an avatar never seen before and I&rsquo;m blown away already ❤. Can&rsquo;t wait ????❤ <a href="https://twitter.com/AnushkaSharma?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@anushkasharma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialCSFilms?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@officialcsfilms</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PariTrailer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PariTrailer</a><a href="https://t.co/6zbPAbzlFD">https://t.co/6zbPAbzlFD</a></p>
&mdash; Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/964011760851222528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-pari-trailer-anushka-sharma-will-not-let-you-have-a-pleasant-holi-32938" target="_blank">&quot;Pari&quot;</a>&nbsp;follows the story of Anushka Sharma who plays a mentally ill woman, confined to an asylum when she is taken home by Parambrata Chatterjee who later realises that she is troubled by a spirit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Directed by Prosit Roy, the film also features Rajat Kapoor in an important role. Anushka, who has also produced the film with her brother Karnesh Sharma, appears to have transformed herself to fit into the character and in some shots, she is looking absolutely horrifying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The horror movie titled Pari released today on March 2

Anushka Sharma's home production "Pari" is finally out and husband Virat Kohli can't stop raving about Anushka Sharma's acting in the film. Virat took to Twitter to express his feelings of being proud after watching the film and tweeted: “Watched #Pari last night, has to be my Wife’s best work ever! One of the best films I’ve seen in a long time. Got quite scared but so very proud of you @AnushkaSharma”. Watched #Pari last night, has to be my Wife's best work ever! ???? One of the best films I've seen in a long time. Got quite scared but so very proud of you @AnushkaSharma ♥️ — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 2, 2018 × He was, in fact, looking forward to the film's release and had shared his excitement on several occasions before. He wrote: “Can’t wait to watch my one and only in an avatar never seen before and I’m blown away already”. Can’t wait to watch my one and only in an avatar never seen before and I’m blown away already ❤. Can’t wait ????❤ @anushkasharma @officialcsfilms #PariTrailerhttps://t.co/6zbPAbzlFD — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) February 15, 2018 × "Pari" follows the story of Anushka Sharma who plays a mentally ill woman, confined to an asylum when she is taken home by Parambrata Chatterjee who later realises that she is troubled by a spirit. Directed by Prosit Roy, the film also features Rajat Kapoor in an important role. Anushka, who has also produced the film with her brother Karnesh Sharma, appears to have transformed herself to fit into the character and in some shots, she is looking absolutely horrifying.

Virat Kohli reviews Anushka Sharma's Pari, says 'my wife's best work ever'

<p>New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. on Monday announced a sequel to the horror blockbuster &quot;It&quot; that made waves at the box office recently.</p>

<p>The sequel will be releasing in theatres including Imax locations on September 6, 2019, according to the announcement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The movie with its Pennywise the Dancing Clown character wowed the audience earlier this month. The movie is originally an adaptation of Stephen King&#39;s book.&nbsp;</p>

<p>SInce its release, the movie has shattered numerous records including becoming the top-grossing horror film of all time. It has earned&nbsp;$266.1 million domestically and $478.1 million globally to date.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In comparison, &quot;It&quot; has surpassed the most loved horror film of all time, The Exorcist which released in 1973 and made&nbsp;$233 million in North America and $441.3 million worldwide.</p>

<p>According to trade numbers, the movie brought back the box office to life after a slow summer season.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by Hollywood Reporter, Gary Dauberman, one of the screenwriters of &quot;It&quot; has&nbsp;closed a deal to pen the screenplay for the follow-up, while director Andy Muschietti is expected to return as well. Producers Barbara Muschietti, Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg are also expected to return for the sequel.</p>

<p>&quot;It,&quot; tells the story of a&nbsp;group of friends who get together to defeat their small town&#39;s demon, first as kids and then as adults. While the first movie&nbsp;focuses on the kids and is set in the past, the sequel will take place in the present but will have&nbsp;flashbacks so that the same kids can be seen in the movie again.&nbsp;</p>


The horror movie surpassed previous records in the genre and helped bring the Hollywood box office to life

New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. on Monday announced a sequel to the horror blockbuster "It" that made waves at the box office recently. The sequel will be releasing in theatres including Imax locations on September 6, 2019, according to the announcement. The movie with its Pennywise the Dancing Clown character wowed the audience earlier this month. The movie is originally an adaptation of Stephen King's book. SInce its release, the movie has shattered numerous records including becoming the top-grossing horror film of all time. It has earned $266.1 million domestically and $478.1 million globally to date. In comparison, "It" has surpassed the most loved horror film of all time, The Exorcist which released in 1973 and made $233 million in North America and $441.3 million worldwide. According to trade numbers, the movie brought back the box office to life after a slow summer season. As reported by Hollywood Reporter, Gary Dauberman, one of the screenwriters of "It" has closed a deal to pen the screenplay for the follow-up, while director Andy Muschietti is expected to return as well. Producers Barbara Muschietti, Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg are also expected to return for the sequel. "It," tells the story of a group of friends who get together to defeat their small town's demon, first as kids and then as adults. While the first movie focuses on the kids and is set in the past, the sequel will take place in the present but will have flashbacks so that the same kids can be seen in the movie again.

'It' to have a sequel, will release in 2019

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