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)
The haunting and unique AMERICAN FABLE finally comes to select theaters, VOD and cable On Demand today from IFC Midnight! A truly unique and original cross between Guillermo del Toro and Terrance Malick, AMERICAN FABLE is a dark, dreamlike mystery plays out amidst the expansive farmlands of the American Midwest. With her family’s livelihood imperiled by the farm crisis of the 1980s, eleven-year-old Gitty (Peyton Kennedy) loses herself in a world of fantasy and make believe. But she stumbles into her own fairytale when she makes a startling discovery: a well-dressed mystery man (Richard Schiff) being held captive in her family’s silo. It’s the beginning of a labyrinthine journey that will turn Gitty’s world upside down and force her to question her loyalty to her own family. The feature debut from director Anne Hamilton unleashes a torrent of gorgeous, stunningly surreal images as it immerses viewers in a child’s imagination in this wondrous, storybook thriller.
Are you tired of the same old horror films? Looking for something new? Johnny Macabre and TheBloodShed have created www.IBleedIndie.com, a new indie VOD website that’s full of fresh meat.
You may already subscribe to streaming websites such as Shudder and Netflix, but IBleedIndie is the first of its kind. If you’re looking to see films that you truly haven’t seen before, this is the website for you.
The site provides a safe haven for indie filmmakers around the globe to share their work without the pressure of distribution contracts or sales agents.
As a pay-per-view service, 90% of the proceeds from sales and rentals go directly to the filmmakers. This is fantastic news for self-distributors who were previously limited to creator-operated channels on YouTube and Vimeo.
The filmmakers don’t have to sign over their soul, either. They keep the rights to their own films without any multi-year contracts to weigh them down.
IBleedIndie was launched in mid-November with a little over 100 films. They have now grown to 160 and aim to have 200 by the end of the month.
Filmmakers like Ryan Nicholson (Gutterballs, Live Feed), David Williams (FrightWorld, Red Scream Nosferatu), and Daniel Murphy (House of Whore, Night of the Dolls) have already supplied multiple films upfront.
With a library of titles, the site is divided into sub-genres, such as Anthologies, Foreign, Grindhouse, Shorts, Christmas Horror and Award Winning. If you’ve got a hankering for a specific type of terror, they’ve got you covered.
The beauty of the pay-per-view VOD structure is you only pay for what you want to watch, when you want to watch it. There’s no monthly charge for films that you’ve already seen five times.
Feature films rent for 72 hours at $3, short films are $1. A select few are available for digital download.
The Winchester brothers will be back for another round of horror, humor, and eerie action, as The CW has officially renewed Supernatural for a 13th season.
The CW President Mark Pedowitz announced the 13th season of Supernatural at the Television Critics Association Press Tour. A premiere date for the 13th season has not been revealed yet, but we'll keep Daily Dead readers updated as more details are announced.
The show is currently in its 12th season, which premiered on October 13th. Below, we have the official press release with full details:
Press Release: January 8, 2017 (Pasadena, CA) — The CW Network has given early renewals to seven of its primetime series for the 2017-2018 season. The announcement was made today during the network’s session at the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena by Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW. “Over the past several seasons, The CW has built a schedule of proven performers, from our lineup of DC superheroes, to critically acclaimed comedies, to sci-fi dramas,” said Pedowitz. “Early pickups of these seven series now allow our producers to plan ahead for next season, and gives us a solid base to build on for next season, with original scripted series to roll out all year long.” The series being ordered for the 2017-2018 season include ARROW (Season 6), CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (Season 3), DC’s LEGENDS OF TOMORROW (Season 3), THE FLASH (Season 4), JANE THE VIRGIN (Season 4), SUPERGIRL (Season 3), and SUPERNATURAL (Season 13). Specific premiere dates for each series will be announced at a later time.
If you have ever rented a room then this
movie will hit home. Our story starts off with a older couple being questioned
by the police, we are introduced to Henry (Christopher Craig) and Josephine
(Antonia Davies) Baker. They are explaining that a younger couple had rented a
room from them but had just left pretty much in the middle of the night. The
detectives seem to believe them and leave. Now enters Mark (Michael Lieber) and
Jill (Loren Peta), a young couple in need of a room to rent. I'm starting to
see a pattern. ‘A Room to Die for’ is directed by Devanand Shanmugam. This is
his second time directing and its pretty good for an unseasoned director. All
the actors deliver top notch performances.
The Bakers put up another add to rent out
the spare room they have and Mark and Jill answer. Mark is a standup comedian
and Henry right from the start gives him crap for it, saying it’s not a real
job and how could a real man let his girl go out into the work force and stay
at home. So there is that tension brewing and Jill starts to resent Mark as he
does not work very much and only complains about Henry. The Bakers also have a
baby that you don' see but is heard crying through the house. The Bakers true
intentions come around slowly and the true horrors of this house are revealed. It’s
refreshing that a director can make a movie that does scare and disturb and
does not rely on big time special effect.
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....
Sometimes, a movie won't garner enough inspiration to write a full review. Rather than mince words and spend a lot of time digging for words and content to explain what I saw on the screen, it's easier just to make it short and sweet. Hit the high points and leave you, the reader, with the opportunity to make a snap decision on whether or not it's really worth your time. This movie was a prime example of that.
The first time that I heard about this entry in the found footage genre, I thought it was a joke. Strictly created for the name alone. It sounded like some kind of spoof or parody film. As time went on and I realized that it was a real, honest to goodness horror film, I became a bit more interested in checking it out. Then came the reviews. So many negative reviews. It seemed like everyone walked in with an expectation for something completely different than they got. I didn't know why so many people felt cheated and being a fan of the genre, it actually increased my interest in seeing it. Because of that, I tried to stay away from too many reviews, so I could eventually watch it with an unbiased pair of eyes. Then it became a waiting game. I wanted to let the hype die down and watch it in my own time. Last night, was that time....
From the beginning of the movie, you can tell that you're in for something completely different than you've seen before. It's one of the new crop of films taking an approach to movie making that uses modern technology to create something unique. Similar to the use of GoPro cameras to make first person story lines. This one utilizes Skype, Facebook, YouTube, Gmail and other web based applications, to learn about the suicide of Laura Barns, a teenager who kills herself after being bullied by all of her classmates. One by one, our 5 main characters die off, seemingly by their own hands. As the body count rises, so does the suspicions as to who may have been the one to post the original video that started off the whole chain of events. What sets this apart from your typical narrative is that in 'Unfriended', we see the entire story play out from the perspective of our main character, using her laptop screen. I think this is the main reason it lost the audience and caused so much of a negative backlash. Even in found footage films, there's a formula that's we've become familiar with and that people expect to see. This one took that in an entirely different direction and left people feeling alienated and confused. I, however, felt that this gave a fresh coat of paint on a subgenre that was in dire need of a remodel. That doesn't give it a pass though and style over substance is never a good idea.
Once again, Hollywood felt that it knew best, in terms of what horror fans were in need of. It started out with such promise and made me believe that maybe all the criticism was unwarranted. In the end, it fell back on the same old, tired and worn out cliches. The deaths got more and more silly as the movie went on and in the end, all the characters were so unlikable that you didn't even love to hate them. You just kind of felt like they were the kids you never really liked in the first place. Not too mention that, Laura Barns herself, was not all that likable. There was no one to root for. No one to represent us, the viewer. In the end, it felt like a mispent night on Chatroulette, but with a killer ghost at the end. I wish that this one had proven all the reviewers wrong. That it had just been misunderstood. Sadly, it didn't. 'Unfriended' was a good idea gone bad. A high concept horror movie, that took more than it gave. If you want to give it a shot, go for it, but keep your expectations low. Maybe it'll end up being more than a 2 out of 5 star movie for you, but for me.... I'm going to have to unfriend it. I'm probably going to block it too.
If you'd rather watch some decent found footage films, check out: 'Creep', 'V/H/S' or 'The Sacrament'
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....
Ever since the advent of Netflix and other streaming services, I've never been one to be a binge watcher. I prefer to savor my shows, just like a good meal. Knowing full well that all good things will come to an end, at some point. People seem to be confused by my desire and ability to take things slowly, but once you've rushed through something, you can't just make the next season appear right away. Why put yourself through several hours of pure enjoyment, only to be let down at the end? I've also, in the past couple of years, kind of become 'turned off' to anything episodic on television or otherwise. I've become a full time film watcher and even though I enjoy a lot of things on TV and streaming services right now, I have a hard time getting into the same formulaic mold of ongoing series. It seems kind of backwards to feel that way, considering my love of franchises and long running shows like 'Doctor Who'.... but here we are. However, I found myself home sick on Monday and have been intrigued by a new series that everyone kept recommending to me, saying it was “My kind of show!”. So, having nothing else to do, but lay on the couch, I started watching the first episode of 'Santa Clarita Diet'. That was the best thing and the worst thing I've done in a long time. Why? Because I binge watched the entire series in one day and am now longing for season 2!
Without giving away any major plot points, as this is a brand new series on Netflix, I'll try and rough out the basic story line for you. 'Santa Clarita Diet' tells the story of two real estate agents, Joel and Shelia Hammond, played by the amazing Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore (both 'Scream' alumni). They live a VERY normal and hum drum life, complete with a teenage daughter, played by Liv Hewson and two neighboring families on either side. One sheriff and one police officer, complete with wives and kids in tow. We quickly get a sense of how mediocre and hum drum their lives are, before something strange happens at one of the Hammonds open houses. Shelia begins vomiting and ungodly amount and that's where the show really begins. From that point forward, no ones life will ever be the same again, as things spiral out of control in the best and worst way possible. That's really all I can say, without ruining what could be one of the most surprising horror/comedy hits since 'Ash vs Evil Dead'.
There is so much to love about this show. It's not only for horror fans, but it also has something for the gore hounds, normal folk and everyone in between. It takes the modern day sitcom and turns it upside down. All the while, sending a positive message about what it means to be a family and how you can't judge a book by it's cover. No matter what that cover depicts. Not unlike the show itself, this is not anything like you be be expecting. I went into it not knowing anything more than the title of the show and that it was, apparently, created just for me. Complete with a main character with my same first name. Over the course of the season, things do tend to get a little bogged down with the old school cliches that are bound to happen with an ongoing series. This is partially the reason why I kind of stopped watching regular TV. Because, at some point, all shows have to follow a certain pattern, in order to keep the show moving forward. It's not a bad thing. It's just one of the pitfalls of creating something that doesn't wrap itself up in an hour and a half run time. Regardless of that, the show has laugh out loud moments, revelations that are unexpected and very heartfelt exchanges between the main characters. Created by Victor Fresco, the man behind 'Better Off Ted', he's get a wry sense of storytelling and humor that works well within Netflix's free form format. If you have a day to sit and binge watch or a week to take it in stride, 'Santa Clarita Diet' is well worth your time.
By the time the final episode was coming to a close, I was hooked. It left the viewer with an open ended invite to come back for season 2, to find out what happens with our hapless real estate agents. Each episode runs approximately a half an hour in length and can be viewed in one sitting, with very little effort. While, I don't recommend watching it the way I did, (Yes, I'm still anti-binge watching) I still recommend watching it as soon as you can. Don't let the internet and water cooler conversations ruin the surprise for you. Stay away from the trailer and just jump in, feet first. 'Santa Clarita Diet' earns a very hearty 4 out of 5 stars and a near pitch perfect start to, what I hope, is at least a 3 season run. Check it out now! Available to stream on Netflix exclusively.
If you like what you see, check out: 'Ash vs Evil Dead', 'Cabin in the Woods' and 'Tucker and Dale vs Evil'
Twenty-five years after members of a religious cult committed mass suicide, the lone survivor returns to the scene of the tragedy with a documentary crew in tow.
Director: Phil Joanou; Writer: Robert Ben Garant (screenplay; Stars: Jessica Alba, Lily Rabe, Thomas Jane
Director Phil Joanou has had some early success in film making starting with the the band U2's hugely successful Rattle and Hum video. He went on to direct irish mob film State of Grace with Sean Penn, Ed Harris, and Gary Oldman, and even directed Richard Gere and Dwayne Johnson in mildly successful films. So what exactly brought him to his first foray into horror is hard to determine. I wouldn't say its a down hill project given Thomas Jane and Jessica Alba's involvement. Also, as far as cult/ghost movies, its a pretty fresh concept. Then of course we add a screenplay by Garant, best known for his comedic role as Deputy Travis Junior in Reno 911 and writing credits that include Night at the Museum, you can't help but be confused at tis unlikely combination of experiences presenting a horror film. Fortunately we've learned that a comedians involvement in horror has often lead to decent films. There's obviously something about this pairing that attracted Jason Blum and given that endorsement alone we at the Creepercast are likely to dive into it without many questions. We usually discovery Blumhouse runs a 60/40 record on quality horror and The Veil is definitely one of those that snuck in on the side of 60.
As far as cult movies go, The Veil is fairly unique. The usual expectations are met as everything starts out looking believable and understandable. Jane's Jim preaches of love and acceptance. Than it starts to go crazy as we learn that Heaven's Veil is that space between life and death, which Jim is planning on conquering while taking everyone else with him. This is conveyed to us via found footage videos of the experiments viewed in present day by the documentary crew that is visiting the old compound with the only survivor of the mass suicide. Jessica Alba is mediocre as the leader of the documentary which is all that can be expected these days. As the weird stuff and possessions happen, driving the film to its inevitable conclusion, the lesson becomes more about misunderstanding and revenge. The Veil is a little slow to get to the point with all its build up through Jane's influence to insanity. But Jane is only reason to keep you riveted on whats happening. Without him its likely the entire story would collapse. The twist to the end almost took this reviewer out of the film. Give thanks again to Jane's performance and the uniqueness of the story.
Interesting trivia to consider while watching... originally, the film was supposed to be found footage. When the team felt found footage had run its course, Robert Ben Garant re-wrote his script to make it more traditional. We are thankful they made this decision. Also, Jane rewrote most of his character's dialog to convert him from a fundamentalist Christian to an occultist. This works in so many ways as Jane seems to be channeling Jim Jones and David Koresh, with elements of the rock star Charles Manson.
Available now on all platforms perhaps even Netflix.
