Welcome to the new home of Creepercast.com. Where we let the fear creep in with all things horror genre. News, Reviews, and more! STAFF:
J.P.: Editor (EIC - Editor in Cheif), Writer (CC - Content Contributor);
Joel Kenyon: Editor (AE - Assistant Editor), Writer (CC - Content Contributor); William S Mayfield: Writer (CC - Content Contributor)
In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a 2014 Persian-language American vampire western. Tagged as "The first Iranian vampire Western", the film was actually shot in the town of Taft in Kern County in southern California. The films star, known only as the "the girl" is fairly new to the industry (Sheila Vand), as is her would be lover played by Arash Marandi. In the meantime Dominic Rains is making his rounds and Mozhan Marnò is the CIA's Israeli intelligence office Samar Navabi on The Blacklist. The film is based on the short film of the same title also written and directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night also has Elijah Wood listed as a producer and we all love his involvement in horror.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is another one of those films that with a title that tells it all. Shot in black and white with an eye for classic cinema, it really reminds one of Let the Right One In. Here we have the story of a lonely girl, that just happens to be a vampire, trying to find love and acceptance in a seedy Iranian town. Ultimately it may be the clash of custom and vampire lore that makes this film interesting. There is nothing about the middle east that would make when expect a a vampire to be walking among them but with the veil of secrecy and fresh look at the dregs of the society it seems so natural.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is definitely a slow burn which, sadly, really drags the film down. we've already compared it Let the Right One In due to the stories contents but sadly there isn't enough in between the discovery phase and love story to keep it interesting. We never really get to the depth of the characters in this world we never would have seen otherwise. The girls curiosity in the experiences she is having seem too suttle and not enough Darling - ish crazy chick. Even the drug dealer is too mellow for a violent criminal. Perhaps this is by design by I feel some shocks to the brain are important to the concept. That is not to say the film is a total loss. Amirpour spins a pretty deep yarn and has offered up a fairly unique addition to the vampire genre if nothing else but because of where it takes place.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is currently available on all platforms, if you have the time to be immersed into a middle eastern tale you never thought you'd see give it a try. It is a cool addition to the lore and very interesting. But, it is no Let the Right One In, though it emulates it.
As with all of my reviews of films for The Creepercast, I fully recommend that you check each and every one of them out. I am one man and this is my opinion. I've seen plenty of movies that received reviews that were the complete opposite of how I saw the film. These writers, directors, producers and actors all put a lot of time and love into these projects. They deserve to be seen and appreciated for what they are. Everyone has a dream and I fully support the people that take the time to make theirs a reality. With that being said....
Found footage comes in my different shapes and sizes. Ever since 'The Blair Witch Project' was released in 1999, the genre has proven to be a marketable format for film makers and producers to keep costs low and profits high. It's also shown itself to be the preferred method for young directors, to make a movie no matter what kind of resources they have available. The problem is, that it's also flooded the market with a lot of bargain basement quality product. So much so, that the found footage genre has started to leave a poor taste in audiences collective mouths and made it a bit of pariah, especially in modern horror films. However, there are a lot of die hard fans out there that are still waiting for the next 'Blair Witch Project'. Among all of the cookie cutter product that's been produced, you still can find a diamond in the rough. When I started watching 'Children of Sorrow', I had no idea what I was in for. All I knew was that our patron saint, Bill Oberst Jr, was in it and was the lead. That was enough to make me intrigued. As soon as the film began, I realized that it was not your standard narrative, but a found footage style descent into darkness. For me, that's not a bad thing. I'm still a fan of the cinéma vérité style and was intrigued to see what director, Jourdan McClure, might bring to the table. What I got, was something that's lingered with me, ever since the credits rolled, after the third act was complete. That's not a simple feat, especially considering how many horror films I see in a year. I want to be shown something new or to feel that overwhelming sense of dread, that used to come more often, when I was younger. 'Children of Sorrow' brought all of those feelings back and has left me still puzzling over what I had seen.
The film tells the story of Simon Leach (Bill Oberst Jr), a man whose motives are clearly not pure from the moment the audience is introduced to him. He's being filmed by his partner in crime, Mary, as they begin to set the stage for some kind of semi-religious cult type retreat. As we get indoctrinated into his world, we begin to meet the men and women he would prey upon. One by one, their backstories are provided through exposition and character interaction. Slowly, things begin to take shape. At first, you feel that maybe the film title is a little misleading. That's something that doesn't last for long. Simon begins to reveal, what we think, are his true intentions, but not before the entire film takes a sharp left turn and the whole thing is turned on it's side. What happens over the rest of the second and third act, will shake you to the core and make you happy to be safe in your own home. It's not like anything I've seen portrayed in a film, outside of (maybe) Ti West's 'The Sacrament'. Even that film has a bit more redeeming qualities to it, if that's possible. This film shows the true heart of darkness and his name is Simon.
As fellow Creeps, you all know that I stray away from giving out too many details in my review. I'm a firm believer that experiencing what the writer and director have crafted is the only way to see a horror film. Too much information can kill an effective story and take away the gut punch contained within its run time. 'Children of Sorry' is a prime example of that. If I had gone into this film, knowing all I know now, it would have lost something. I was able, instead, to live out the moments that the naive main characters were forced to endure. It was unpleasant and off putting, but incredibly well done and something I won't soon forget. Once again proving that Bill Oberst Jr is an under utilized talent. Despite his lack of traditional Hollywood leading man qualities, he oozes charisma and swagger. He embodies each character that he portrays and never turns in less than a 110% performance. In this movie, he's surrounded on all sides, by fellow actors and actresses that jump feet first into the story and provide him with a solid base in which to move and breathe.
What more can I say about 'Children of Sorrow' other than, see it. Avoid all spoilers and just watch the movie unaware of any more than I've provided you in this review. It's a film that slid by under the radar and might be that weird little addition to your horror lexicon that you can introduce to your friends. All the while, hiding a sly little grin, letting them know that they're in for something special. I feel that this deserves a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Granted, it's not for everyone and could be difficult for some people to watch. Not that it's insanely gory, although it's pretty bloody, but that it's more psychological. Many of the most horrific death scenes are played out in short bursts of a few frames here and there. Some is more implied than shown and some are blatantly graphic. All of which, keeps you off balance and wondering what you may or may not see next. In the end, what are Simon's true intentions and what will happen after the credits have ended? You'll have to watch to find out. I only hope that this isn't a recruitment for Bill's personal fan club. If so, I could understand why people are dying to get in.
If you like this film, check out: 'The Sacrament', 'Red State' and 'Jug Face'
DAYS OF THE DEAD
FEBRUARY 3 - 5, 2017
Atlanta, Georgia
Sheraton Atlanta, 165 Courtland Street NE
Three days of horror movies, memorabilia vendors, special events, celebrity guests, and more. Guests include C.J. Graham, Steve Dash, Kane Hodder and more.
Brand-new genre feature and short films from around the world.
FANTASPORTO
FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 4, 2017
Porto, Portugal
An international film festival, annually organized since 1981 in Porto, Portugal. Giving screen space to fantasy/science fiction/horror-oriented commercial feature films, auteur films and experimental projects from all over the world
TERROR CON
FEBRUARY 25 - 26, 2017
Providence, Rhode Island
Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin St.
"This is a cautionary tale about the bad things that happen to bullies, and those who cause those bad things. It isn't pretty." ~ Creepercast
“A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, a good girl who became quite hot over the summer, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop quite mysteriously.” (IMDB)
Many of the best actors in Hollywood had humble, horror related, beginnings. The same holds true for Amber Heard and Anson Mount. One primary difference for these two was that their humble beginning, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, was filmed in 2006 but didn't see an official DVD release until last year. Long after Amber and Anson had become well established in genre films. It's not All the Boys Love Mandy Lane would have done anything to affect their careers. It is a beautifully shot and edited film. All actors work well within the confines of the story and very little of the film actually looks and feels like an low budget independent horror. Unfortunately those confines previously mentioned left little opportunity for Heard and Anson to develop, leaving the story flat, self sustaining but relatively lifeless, relying almost entirely on the kills, the twist, and Michael Welch (of Twilight fame). Welch delivers, the kills are decent, the twist... predictable.
That is not to say All the Boys Love Many Lane is a film to skip over. Everyone has to appreciate a story unless the chubby girl from last year (although its hard to imagine Heard as ever being chubby) making good and the geek getting revenge. Its a great homage to films My Bloody Valentine, but lacks the 80's over the top feel instead choosing to tell the story in slow monotone rather than throwing it your face. Which is alright when you have a lazy couple hours to kill and want to see something different but familiar.
Alice and her friends are betrayed by Albert Wesker, who gathers the entire forces of Umbrella into one final strike against the apocalypse survivors.
Written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is the direct sequel to Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) and the sixth and final installment in the Resident Evil film series, which is loosely based on the Capcom survival horror video game series Resident Evil. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Shawn Roberts, Ruby Rose, Eoin Macken, William Levy and Iain Glen.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is a final film for the fans of the franchise. It's definitely not a film for the uninitiated but if you are already addicted to Alice vs CGI creatures of all types than it is your moment of catharsis. As a fan of the origination films myself this final chapter wrapped everything up quiet nicely complete with an extra twist just in case you thought you knew everything about the Resident Evil world and the Umbrella Corp. In the end what we have is exactly what was promised, a return to the beginning bringing the entire franchise full circle, complete with amazing CGI monster fights and aerial acrobatics. Not the strongest film in the franchise, I'd still go with the first two, but a perfect close to a soon to be tired franchise.
