Quantcast
Channel: Dread Central
Viewing all 24783 articles
Browse latest View live

Little Nightmares (Video Game)

0
0

Little NightmaresDeveloped by Tarsier Studios

Published by Bandai Namco Entertainment

Available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Rated T for Teen


When it comes to indie horror, you’ve got one of three options. You have your Slender clones, maximizing the cheap jump scares and minimizing the gameplay for your YouTube viewing pleasure. Then you have the “retro” games, pixelated versions of classics like Resident Evil or Clock Tower generally missing a spacial dimension. Finally, you have your developer magnum opuses, games like Limbo and Amnesia that try to redefine the genre. They do so with a varied degree of success, but I guarantee for every indie horror thesis project there’s at least a few people willing to genuinely go to bat in defense of its genius.

Little Nightmares

I’ll give you one guess which one Little Nightmares is.

This third category is what Little Nightmares falls into, which makes my job very difficult. As much as Little Nightmares is a game—with objectives, enemies, puzzles to be solved, mechanics, etc.—it’s also a piece of art. The eternal issue with indie game criticism is that the gameplay is only half the package. No matter how sticky the controls or obtuse the objective, you run the risk of people claiming you just don’t, “get it.” It’s normally an issue I tend to ignore, as you are never going to please everyone. With Little Nightmares, I’m forced to confront it more directly. Little Nightmares is a game with a unique vision, an almost tangible artistic inspiration that defies the mechanical shortcomings. Mechanical shortcomings that the other half of my brain can’t ignore.

Little Nightmares

When running from a tidal wave of ravenous blob people, the last thing I want is the slide button to not work right.

It’s a duality that permeates almost every element of Little Nightmares. Story wise, you play as Six, a young girl who finds herself trapped in the belly of a massive ship called The Maw. Now, you will never learn any of this in game. Playing Little Nightmares, the entire story is told visually. You don’t know your name, and you only realize it’s on a boat if you notice the gentle rocking of the furniture and sliding of carts. The nature of the vessel and it’s ghoulish inhabitants is told viscerally, with terrifying lumbering figures and grotesque abominations hungrily chasing you. Start to finish, this story is far more compelling than the store page description. It’s a terrifying spectacle, grotesque and disturbing in a way few games manage to be.

Little Nightmares

The gameplay is similarly split between concept and reality, but this time in the other direction. On paper, it’s a physics platformer with fluid controls. You are much smaller and physically weaker than your predators, meaning you’ll have to use your wits and reflexes to jump, duck, slide, climb, and sneak to avoid their lethal grasp. When it works, it’s poetry in motion. Unfortunately, it rarely does. I would frequently try to slide under a table or crawl between nooks only to get caught on the lip of a wall. The isometric view makes precise movement difficult, which is crucial in a game that demands quick fluid escapes. At one point I got caught on an invisible wall behind one of the bosses, unable to move. When I reloaded the level, I was able to move through just fine. For a game that’s so visually immersive, it brought me right back to my living room.

Little Nightmares

It took me ten minutes of just running around to figure out I could even climb these.

It’s almost irrelevant, as even now I can feel the issues melting away in my brain in service of the visual marvel that is Little Nightmares. Playing the game, I was frequently frustrated by the loose controls. But I was never confused as to where I should be going or what I was trying to do. It’s all pretty obvious, but never stupidly so. Furthermore, the game is all about experiencing it. In that regard, I’ve played few games that have produced such a distinct and memorable visual experience. It’s absolutely terrifying in an unforgettable way. There’s really no proper way to describe it other than an experience that shouldn’t be missed. It’s like a horror claymation from the mind of a shadowverse Doctor Seuss.

Little Nightmares

There’s no way this ends well for both of us…

If you are a fan of indie horror games with tolerance for some loose controls, Little Nightmares should not be missed. The gamer side of my brain however won’t let me give this game any higher a score. It is constantly mechanically frustrating, and there is little replay value. It’s an artistic marvel, but is best regarded as art. If you’re willing to drop $20 on a horror art game, it won’t disappoint. To everyone else, consider what you’re buying.

The post Little Nightmares (Video Game) appeared first on Dread Central.


Director Chris von Hoffmann Throwing a Monster Party

0
0

The first word on Monster Party, a new film directed by Chris von Hoffmann, who helmed the post-apocalyptic cannibal movie Drifter, has arrived; and we have the details for you here.

Per THR, Sam Strike (“EastEnders,” Leatherface), YouTube sensation Kian Lawley, and Julian McMahon (pictured below; “Nip/Tuck,” Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer) are starring in the horror thriller, which just wrapped principal photography.

The cast also includes Erin Moriarty, Diego Boneta, Robin Tunney, Brandon Micheal Hall, Ginny Gardner, Chester Rushing, Jamie Ward, Bill Engvall, Mickey Gooch, Jr., Sofia Castro, Logan Huffman, Howard Charles, and Lance Reddick.

Monster Party is being produced by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (Insidious) and Fred Berger (La La Land) of Automatik. Also producing are Eric B. Fleischman of Diablo Entertainment and Jesse Berger of Radical Studios.

Dark Web Productions, Exhibit Entertainment, and Kodiak Pictures are financing with Fernando Loureiro, Roberto Vasconcellos, Maurice Fadida, Kyle Marcotte, Teddy Cabugos, Caleb Nelson, Mike Yedwab, and Mattson Tomlin executive producing. Brent C. Johnson is co-producing.

“I think Monster Party serves as a testament to not only Chris’ ability to blend genres together (until they bleed) but a commentary on the growing social issues in today’s society and just how violent some people actually are,” Fleischman said in a statement.

Synopsis:
Three teenage thieves infiltrate a mansion dinner party, unaware that it is secretly being hosted by a serial killer cult for the social elite.

Julian McMahon in “Childhood’s End” © 2015 Syfy Media, LLC

The post Director Chris von Hoffmann Throwing a Monster Party appeared first on Dread Central.

More Possible Clues of What American Horror Story Season 7 Is About

0
0

Ryan Murphy has again taken to his Instagram account to provide a few more clues of what will transpire during “American Horror Story” Season 7. One gives us a peek at a white-haired Billie Lourd (with yet another reference to “Games of Thrones”) while the other gives us a “Red, white and blue clue.”

Joining Lourd for the upcoming season are Leslie Grossman, Billy Eichner, and series regulars Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters.

“American Horror Story” Season 7 is set after the events of the 2016 Presidential election with the premiere episode taking place on Election Night. Stay tuned for more clues as they come trickling in!

Winter is coming. Can’t wait for everybody to see what the incredible Billie Lourd does this season on AHS.

A post shared by Ryan Murphy (@mrrpmurphy) on

AHS Season 7: Red, white and blue clue

A post shared by Ryan Murphy (@mrrpmurphy) on

American Horror Story Election

The post More Possible Clues of What American Horror Story Season 7 Is About appeared first on Dread Central.

#Brainwaves Episode 46: Author George Case – Here’s to My Sweet Satan: How the Occult Haunted Music, Movies and Pop Culture, 1966-1980 – LISTEN NOW!

0
0

Things got quite horny this week on Brainwaves as we were joined by author George Case to talk about his new book, Here’s to My Sweet Satan: How the Occult Haunted Music, Movies and Pop Culture, 1966-1980.

It’s radio without a safety net, kids. It’s Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio.

George Case Brainwaves

Listen to Stitcher

Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio is available to subscribe to on iTunes. Not an iTunes user?  You can also listen right here on the site.

Spooky, funny, touching, honest, offensive, and at times completely random, Brainwaves airs live every Wednesday evening beginning at 8:00 PM Pacific Time (11:00 midnight Eastern Time) and runs about 3 hours per episode.

Knetter and Creepy will be taking your calls LIVE and unscreened via Skype, so let your freak flags fly! Feel free to add BrainWavesTalk to your Skype account so you can reach us, or call in from a landline or cellphone – 858 480 7789. The duo also take questions via Twitter; you can reach us at @BrainwavesRadio or @UncleCreepy, @JoeKnetter, or @MrDarkDC and @JonathanBarkan using the hashtag #BrainWaves.

Have a ghost story or a paranormal story but can’t call in? Feel free to email it to me directly at UncleCreepy@dreadcentral.com with “Brainwaves Story” in your subject line. You can now become a fan of the show via the official… BRAINWAVES FACEBOOK PAGE!

Brainwaves: Horror and Paranormal Talk Radio is hosted live (with shows to be archived as they progress) right here on Dread Central. You can tune in and listen via the FREE TuneIn Radio app or listen to TuneIn right through the website!

For more information and to listen live independent of TuneIn, visit the Deep Talk Radio Network website, “like” Deep Talk Radio on Facebook, and follow Deep Talk Radio on Twitter. And don’t forget to subscribe to Brainwaves on iTunes.

Brainwaves Contact!

The post #Brainwaves Episode 46: Author George Case – Here’s to My Sweet Satan: How the Occult Haunted Music, Movies and Pop Culture, 1966-1980 – LISTEN NOW! appeared first on Dread Central.

X-Men Franchise Entry New Mutants Going Full Horror

0
0

The X-Men universe is known for being bombastic, exciting, and full of incredible superpowers. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s all fluff and lightness. Some of the themes over the years have been downright terrifying. That world would make a wonderful foundation for a horror movie, if done right. Apparently, that’s precisely what New Mutants director Josh Boone is planning.

Boone tells EW, “We are making a full-fledged horror movie set within the X-Men universe. There are no costumes. There are no supervillains. We’re trying to do something very, very different.

A source tells the site, “Held in a secret facility against their will, five new mutants have to battle the dangers of their powers, as well as the sins of their past. They aren’t out to save the world — they’re just trying to save themselves.

With Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”) as Woflsbane and Anya Taylor-Joy (Split, Morgan, The Witch) as Magik, it sounds like this spin-off might mix two genres in ways never before done. When was the last time anyone can remember a superhero movie mixing with horror with an emphasis on the latter?

New Mutants goes into production in July with a Spring 2018 release date.

The post X-Men Franchise Entry New Mutants Going Full Horror appeared first on Dread Central.

Exclusive: Three Spooky Images From What the Waters Left Behind

0
0

Yesterday brought the first teaser trailer for Luciano and Nicolás Onetti’s new film What the Waters Left Behind, which aired a 10-minute early-cut screening at Cannes. The film, which is currently in post-production, revolves around a group of people who venture to the ruins of a flooded city only to find that they are not alone.

The Onetti brothers, who usually bring films inspired by 70’s giallo, are venturing into the world of slashers for this film, taking inspiration from titles such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes.

Today, we’ve got three exclusive images from the film, which you can see below!

Synopsis:
Epecuén was one of the most important touristic villages of Argentina. Thousands of people concurred, attracted by the healing properties of its thermal waters. On November 10, 1985, a huge volume of water broke the protecting embankment and the village was submerged under ten meters of salt water. Epecuén disappeared. Thirty years later the waters receded, and the ruins of Epecuén emerged, exposing a bleak and deserted landscape. The residents never returned.

A group of young people take a trip to the ruins in order to film a documentary about Epecuén. Ignoring the warnings, and after a brief tour, they get stranded in the abandoned village. Contrary to what they thought, they begin to realize that they are really not alone…

The post Exclusive: Three Spooky Images From What the Waters Left Behind appeared first on Dread Central.

Mating Season Gets Grizzly in Bear With Us

0
0

Movies about killer Grizzly bears have been kicking around forever, but we’re pretty you haven’t seen anything quite like the new black and white indie flick, Bear With Us!

From the Press Release:
Comedy Dynamics announced today it has acquired William J. Stribling and Russ Nickel’s award-winning comedy film Bear With Us out of Park City, Utah.

Bear With Us is a modern farce about a guy (Mark Jude Sullivan) who attempts to propose to his girlfriend (Christy Carlson Romano) in the most romantic way possible, but his plan falls apart when a ravenous bear and a crazy mountain man (Cheyenne Jackson) stumble upon their cabin in the woods. The film is a comedy of errors that takes a close look at how far we’ll go to preserve our relationships.

Reel Honest Reviews calls Bear With Us “a clever dark comedy, embracing old-fashioned screenwriting with today’s sense of humor.”

The film won Best Feature at the Hill Country Film Festival and the Gasparilla International Film Festival, Best Director and Best Lead Actor at the Chicago Comedy Festival, Best Narrative at the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival, Best Feature and Supporting Actor at FilmQuest, Best Ensemble Cast at the Orlando Film Festival and more. Bear With Us was written and produced by William J. Stribling and Russ Nickel.

Bear With Us

The post Mating Season Gets Grizzly in Bear With Us appeared first on Dread Central.

Dread Central to host FREE Retro Screening of Frankenstein: The True Story in NYC with Guests!

0
0

Dread Central and Forbidden Planet will be hosting a free retro screening and discussion of the classic 1973 miniseries Frankenstein: The True Story on Tuesday, June 27 at the Quad Cinema (34 West 13th Street, off 6th Avenue; 212-255-2243).

A unique 16mm print of Frankenstein: The True Story will be projected, which includes everything from the original telecast version (including the James Mason introduction), plus extra seconds of censored footage only seen in the foreign theatrical release. Running 3 hours and 13 minutes, this super-rare special screening event is presented in association with Cinéclub/Film Society of Montreal to celebrate the latest edition of Richard Klemensen’s Little Shoppe of Horrors magazine. Issue #38 features writer Sam Irvin’s definitive study on the making of this beloved, all-star, two-part telefilm.

The DreadVision screening of Frankenstein: The True Story will be a free show; to obtain tickets, send an email to screenings@dreadcentral.com. Please list “FRANKENSTEIN” in your subject line and provide your full name. Offer is good for you and a guest. We will confirm your RSVP, but seating is not guaranteed, so arrive early.

Following this unique screening, DreadVision host Tony Timpone will moderate a killer Frankenstein: The True Story panel with these cool guests:

Sam Irvin (special project editor of the issue; director of Elvira’s Haunted Hills, Oblivion, Dante’s Cove; co-executive producer of Gods and Monsters).

Alec Smight (son of the late Jack Smight, director of Frankenstein: The True Story; Smight visited his dad’s set daily and has written an essay in the magazine; Smight is now the three-time Emmy-nominated producer/director of “CSI” and “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders”).

Philippe Spurrell (film archivist and founder of Cinéclub/Film Society of Montreal [CFS]; curator of the only-one-of-its-kind 16mm print that will be projected; Spurrell has written an essay about the various cuts of the film for the issue).

James Anthony Phillips (expert on composer Gil Mellé, who wrote a sidebar for the issue on Mellé’s rousing score to Frankenstein: The True Story).

In addition, Forbidden Planet will sell copies of Little Shoppe of Horrors #38 at the show. Panelists will sign copies of the magazine at the conclusion of the Q&A. You can pre-order autographed copies here

Watch this site for more exclusive DreadVision screening events, and check back here soon for an exclusive article from Irvin on the making of Frankenstein: The True Story! Highlights from the movie can be found in the video below.

Frankenstein the True Story

The post Dread Central to host FREE Retro Screening of Frankenstein: The True Story in NYC with Guests! appeared first on Dread Central.


Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare Gains Five More Players

0
0

Blumhouse’s upcoming horror film Truth or Dare has locked down several more cast members in the form of Tyler Posey (“Teen Wolf”), Violette Beane (“The Flash”), Nolan Gerard Funk (House at the End of the Street, Riddick), Hayden Szeto (Chop Shop), and Sophia Taylor Ali (The Walking Deceased), according to Deadline. They join the previously announced Lucy Hale (“Pretty Little Liars”).

The plot follows a college student in Mexico who is conned into playing a supernatural version of “Truth or Dare.” The game doesn’t stop and follows her back home.

The screenplay was written by Jeff Wadlow, Chris Roach (Non-Stop), and Jillian Jacobs from a story by Michael Reisz and Wadlow, Roach, and Jacobs. The micro-budget project is being produced by Blum and Couper Samuelson with Wadlow and Roach as executive producers.
Blumhouse Productions

The post Blumhouse’s Truth or Dare Gains Five More Players appeared first on Dread Central.

Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built Gets Acquired by IFC Films

0
0

IFC Films has announced that they have acquired the US distribution rights for Lars Von Trier’s serial killer film The House That Jack Built. The film should be ending production this month and will then enter post-production, so I wouldn’t expect this film to come out until next year.

Set in the United States in the 1970s, the story follows Jack as he moves through five incidents and murders that define his development as a serial killer. He views each murder as an artwork in itself, though his dysfunction gives him problems in the outside world. Despite the fact that the final and inevitable police intervention is drawing ever nearer (which both provokes and puts pressure on Jack), he is – contrary to all logic – set on taking greater and greater chances.

The film stars Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Matt Dillon, Yu Ji-Tae, Riley Keough, Sofie Grabol, and Bruno Ganz.

The post Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built Gets Acquired by IFC Films appeared first on Dread Central.

Devanny Pinn to Ride a Party Bus to Hell

0
0

Devanny Pinn (House of Mansion, Nude Nuns With Big Guns) has joined the cast of the upcoming horror film Party Bus to Hell, which is written and directed by Rolfe Kanefsky (The Black Room).

Pinn (pictured right) states, “I have wanted to work with director Rolfe Kanefsky for awhile now and this film just looked like it was going to be alot of fun. I originally had a scheduling conflict, so I was glad when the producers contacted me regarding pickups.I am looking forward to shooting with Ms. Reid also!

Party Bus To Hell is produced by Michael and Sonny Mahal and also stars Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6), Elissa Dowling (We Are Still Here) and Aaron Groben (Face Off).

Synopsis:
When a party bus on its way to Burning Man filled with a bunch of sexy young adults breaks down in the desert and in the middle of a group of Satanic worshipers, all hell literally breaks loose. A massacre leaves seven survivors trapped on the bus, fighting for their lives while wondering if someone or someones are not what they seem.

The post Devanny Pinn to Ride a Party Bus to Hell appeared first on Dread Central.

Sony’s Serpent Poster Slithers In

0
0

We told you a few days ago that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment had acquired North American physical and digital distribution rights to the Distant Horizon-produced suspense thriller, Serpent, and today we have the one-sheet.

Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Amanda Evans, Serpent follows a husband and wife on a romantic escape out in the wild that quickly turns deadly when they are trapped in a tent with a poisonous snake.

Sarah Dumont (Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, Don Jon) stars alongside Tom Ainsley (TV’s “Versailles” and “The Royals”). The film will have its world premiere during the Nightfall portion of the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 17.

Synopsis:
A romantic escape into nature turns into the ultimate moment of reckoning when a husband and wife are trapped in a tent with a deadly snake. Unable to escape and with certain death looming, the tent becomes a heated confessional to a cataclysmic truth. Betrayed, the couple finds themselves spiraling into a dark and dangerous space of which only one can survive.

Serpent

Serpent

Serpent

The post Sony’s Serpent Poster Slithers In appeared first on Dread Central.

Camera Obscura – Exclusive Clip Comes into Focus

0
0

Chiller Films will be releasing the horror thriller Camera Obscura in limited theaters on June 9th where it will be followed by VOD and Digital HD on June 13th. Right now though we have an exclusive clip for you cats!

Camera Obscura stars Christopher Denham (“Billions”, Argo), Nadja Bobyleva (Bridge of Spies), Catherine Curtin (“Stranger Things”, “Orange is the New Black”), Chase Williamson (SIREN, Beyond the Gates) and Noah Segan (The Mind’s Eye, Tales of Halloween).

The film was written by Aaron B. Koontz, who is making his directorial debut, as well as Cameron Burns.

Synopsis:
A veteran war photographer with PTSD sees imminent deaths in his developed photos, questioning his already fragile sanity and putting the lives of those he loves in danger.

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Camera Obscura

The post Camera Obscura – Exclusive Clip Comes into Focus appeared first on Dread Central.

Scream Factory Infesting Your Shelves With Species Collector’s Edition

0
0

Scream Factory has released details for their definitive Blu-ray edition of the 1995 sci-fi horror film Species, which will include a 4k restoration of the film! The 2-disc collector’s edition will be coming to Blu-ray on July 11th, although, as with every Scream Factory release, those who pre-order it through their website will get the film two weeks early, so get your copy today!

Directed by Roger Donaldson, Species starred, Natasha Henstridge, Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Alfred Molina, Forest Whitaker, and Marg Helgenberger. The creature designs were done by H.R. Giger.

Synopsis:
When a beautiful human-alien hybrid (Henstridge) escapes from observation, scientist Xavier Fitch (Kingsley) dispatches a crew of experts to find her before she is able to fulfill her horrific purpose: to mate with unsuspecting men and produce offspring that could destroy mankind. As her deadly biological clock ticks rapidly, Fitch and his team are hurled into a desperate battle in which the fate of humanity itself hangs in the balance!

Special Features:

Disc One:

*NEW 4K scan of the film’s inter-positive
*Audio Commentary with Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen and director Roger Donaldson
*Audio Commentary with director Roger Donaldson, make-up effects creator Steve Johnson,visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund and producer Frank Mancuso Jr.

Disc Two:

*NEW Afterbirth: The Evolution of SPECIES featuring interviews with director Roger Donaldson, cinematographer Andzej Bartkowiak, production designer John Muto, composer Christopher Young, creature designer Steve Johnson, chrysalis supervisor Billy Bryan and “Sil” creature supervisor Norman Cabrera
*From Sil To Eve – an interview with actress Natasha Henstridge
*Engineering Life
*HR Giger At Work
*The Making Of Species: The Origin, The Concept, The Discovery
*Designing A Hybrid
*Theatrical Trailer
*Alternate Ending
*Photo Galleries (Production Design, Creature Designs, Film Stills, Behind the Scenes photos, posters and lobby cards)

The post Scream Factory Infesting Your Shelves With Species Collector’s Edition appeared first on Dread Central.

7 Witches (2017)

0
0

Starring Persephone Apostolou, Danika Kari, Megan Hensley

Directed by Brady Hall


The art of getting lost in a film simply due to the aesthetic way that it’s shot is something to revel in at times, especially when it encompasses the horror set. Vivid panoramas and crisply formatted tones can carry a story a very long way, making it look and feel as if it’s going to explode right off of the screen and all over your wife’s new designer rug… or in my case, a $7.99 splash-mat from Wal-Mart. In any event, director Brady Hall’s picturesque chiller, 7 Witches, relies heavily on the use of a gloomy, moody color palette – and lemme tell ya, it only adds to a very eerie plot.

The film kicks off with what appears to be a colonial massacre of sorts, implying that there’s going to be some serious trouble impeding on the events of today. We then hop into the time machine for a (hopefully) blissful union ceremony between Aggie (Hensley) and Rose (Danika Golombeck), but we soon realize that not everyone in the family is hunky-dory with the scheduled goings-on this weekend. The first part of the film focuses in on what exactly is working as a very large wedge in this family’s dynamic, and it aids in the progression of the plot – interesting tactic for a horror film, but it was very successful in its application.

As the hours pass, a very intriguing (if not straight-up spooky) clan of individuals wander into the boundaries of the family’s festivity grounds, and at the risk of sounding too cautious…this group should have been shown the exits a LONG time ago, but then who knows exactly where they came from in the first place? There are more than a few surprising facets of this family, and all the while the secrets begin to unfold, it’s almost as if the sun refuses to shine on this “happy” occasion – Hall knows exactly how to set up the scares, and they work to a bone-chilling degree. The tempo is solidly paced, and aside from a few hectic instances towards the film’s close, it’s nicely packaged into a scaled-down runtime that promises to not let you get too impatient with its contents.

Caveat-time: and this really isn’t anything negative to harp upon, but there isn’t exactly anything groundbreaking in the film’s body, but it’s the way that it’s all structured and fitted together, with above-average performances and some genuinely creepy moments. Recently released on VOD services, 7 Witches is one flick that should definitely be granted at least a one-timer – give it a look and judge for yourself.

The post 7 Witches (2017) appeared first on Dread Central.


Horror Box Office – OPENING THIS WEEK: May 26, 2017

0
0

It seems as if the release of Alien: Covenant has slowed our horror box office schedule down to a crawl with only two things opening this weekend that are genre related; and no, we don’t really count Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

Click on the titles below for our full coverage on each. Check back every Thursday at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET for updates.

In addition, out now on VOD/MOD are both Get Out (review) and Raw (review).

Opening this week are…

Berlin Syndrome
A passionate holiday romance leads to an obsessive relationship when an Australian photojournalist wakes one morning in a Berlin apartment and is unable to leave.

Black Butterfly
In this taut psychological thriller, Paul (Banderas), a down on his luck screenwriter, picks up a drifter (Rhys Meyers) and offers him a place to stay. However, when the deranged stranger takes Paul hostage and forces him to write, their unhinged relationship brings buried secrets to light.

Weekend Box Office

The post Horror Box Office – OPENING THIS WEEK: May 26, 2017 appeared first on Dread Central.

The Culling Drops on Xbox One Next Week!

0
0

We’ve been talking about the Battle Royale-esque game The Culling for a long while now, and finally we’re all gonna be able to get our hands bloody as it’s about to enter the Xbox One Game Preview Program.

From the Press Release:
Xaviant announced today that The Culling will be made available for Xbox One on June 2nd in North America and Europe as part of the Xbox Game Preview program.

Sharpen your knives, load your weapons and get ready for the fight of your life because the most deadly game show in the universe is heading to Xbox! The Culling arrives exclusively on Xbox One June 2nd, bringing the battle royale genre to console for the first time.

“We are thrilled to bring battle royale to Xbox One with The Culling,” said Xaviant CEO and Founder Michael McMain. “Our team has put a tremendous amount of effort into controls, optimization, and balance to make sure the Xbox experience is top-notch. We couldn’t be more excited to use feedback from Game Preview players to take The Culling to the next level.”

In The Culling, 16 players have less than 25 minutes to trap, fight and kill the competition in the name of survival and glory. Earn your spot on the podium by outthinking, outsmarting, and out-dueling the competition in adrenaline-filled first-person combat.

The Culling helped to define the immensely popular battle royale genre and is the first game of its kind on Xbox One. In battle royale here are no redos, no start-overs and certainly no respawns. If you plan to be crowned champion, you’ll need to survive to the end. The tension is high, and the stakes are even higher. Do you have what it takes to win?

Game Features

  • Intense 25-minute, 16-player matches. Available in both solo and team modes.
  • Sharpen your skills in the tutorial, or try your hand at the offline survival mode against waves of murderous robots.
  • Battle it out in the lush island paradise of The Island or the intimate halls of Cul County Correctional.
  • Gain levels and unlock more than one thousand customization items to help your contestant stick out from the pack.
  • Choose your poison and pick from dozens of ranged and melee weapons.
  • Turn up the action to 11 with Lightning Rounds.
  • What’s a game show without events? Try your luck at Shake & Bake, Loot Piñata and more!
  • Outfit your character with powerful perks and airdrops that could give you the upper hand in battle.
  • Victory is even sweeter when it comes at the expense of your friends. Play in private matches and find out who on your friends list is the best.

The Culling

The post The Culling Drops on Xbox One Next Week! appeared first on Dread Central.

Pranksters Get Faced With a Deadly Prank in Don’t Hang Up

0
0

A new trailer for the upcoming horror film Don’t Hang Up (review) has been released, along with the UK DVD artwork, both of which can be seen below along with several stills. The DVD hits UK shelves on June 12th with a digital release on June 26th.

Written by Joe Johnson, Don’t Hang Up was directed by Damien Macé and Alexis Wajsbrot. It stars Gregg Sulkin (“Pretty Little Liars”, Faking It, Anti-Social), Garrett Clayton (King Cobra, Teen Beach Movie), and Bella Dayne (“Humans”, Plebs).

Synopsis:
Following a long tradition of cocky teenage boys with too much time on their hands, Brady, Sam and Mosley like to amuse themselves by making prank calls. However, their cellular diversions are intensified by the extreme nature of the pranks they put their unsuspecting victims through, and the delight and encouragement they receive when they post videos of their hijinks online for maximum humiliation. Having pushed the wrong person too far, they find themselves on the other side of a call, and an evening intended for normal high school revelry turns increasingly bloody as their unknown assailant ramps up a prank of his own.


The post Pranksters Get Faced With a Deadly Prank in Don’t Hang Up appeared first on Dread Central.

Grindhouse and Sin City Alum’s Flay Picked Up at Cannes

0
0

Fresh news out of Cannes as Deadline is reporting that Uncork’d Entertainment has picked up worldwide rights to the horror film Flay. The film was directed by Eric Pham, who provided special FX works on films such as Grindhouse and Sin City.

Pham explains, “I’ve always been fascinated with ghost stories and the mythologies behind ghosts and spirits. I see Flay as a contemporary mashup of the Japanese legend of the Noppera-bo, or faceless ghost, and Native American legends.

The cast includes Violette Beane, A. Michael Baldwin, Elle LaMont, Dalton Gray, Johnny Walter, Aaron Spivey-Sorrells, Peggy Schott, Kaylee King and Noe de la Garza.

Synopsis:
Flay follows an estranged daughter who, after the death of her mother, struggles to save her brother and those around her from a malevolent faceless spirit.

The post Grindhouse and Sin City Alum’s Flay Picked Up at Cannes appeared first on Dread Central.

Species – Steve Newton’s Retro Reviews

0
0

News has just hit the Interweb about the upcoming release of a “definitive Blu-ray edition” of the 1995 sci-fi horror film Species.

You know, you could go ahead and order that movie, or you could just read my original review from way back when.

Then you probably won’t go ahead and order that movie.


Somebody should have told the makers of Species that if they’re gonna blatantly rip off other movies, they should at least do it right. It’s obvious—from the H.R. Giger–designed creature right on down to the glowing, thin-lettered logo—that the folks behind Species took Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens as the inspirations for their film.

Too bad the result is such a shabbily written, ineptly directed, and poorly acted homage to those four-star efforts.

At a secret U.S. government laboratory somewhere in the Utah desert, scientist Xavier Fitch (Ben Kingsley) is overseeing the elimination of a potential threat to mankind in the form of what appears to be a sweet, perfectly normal 12-year-old girl. Seems that she (Michelle Williams, looking like a young Pia Zadora) is the result of the scientists’ experiments with a unique sequence of DNA that was received via transmissions from outer space.

But after videotape surveillance of the fast-growing child during REM sleep shows her making that high-pitched monster noise from Aliens while spiky protuberances rise out of her back, Fitch decides to close down the show. In what turns out to be the only smidgen of expression shown by Kingsley in his somnambulistic portrayal, a tear rolls down his cheek as technicians fill the girl’s observation chamber with cyanide gas. That’s when she/it decides it’s time to split, busting out and hopping a passing train to freak-filled L.A. just in time for some predictable “she’ll fit in well there” quips.

Desperate to destroy the alien before it can breed, the hapless Fitch assembles a hunting team of experts in various fields who turn out to be four of the dimmest and most boring characters you could find. Forest Whitaker plays an “empath” whose gift for intuiting emotions and motivations merely translates into endless, angst-ridden guesswork that goes ridiculously over the top.

Reservoir Dogs’ Michael Madsen plays former Marine Press Lennox, who specializes in tracking and eliminating yet spends most of his time smirking à la Mickey Rourke and running around with a piddly handgun most aliens would eat for breakfast.

Marg Helgenberger as a molecular biologist and Alfred Molina as an anthropology professor are also along for the ride, but their crucial roles in Species are to have frantic sex, respectively, with Lennox and the now older and beautiful alien (Canadian model Natasha Henstridge).

Once impregnated, the alien heads down to the surprisingly well-lit L.A. sewer tunnels to have a kid and await the predictable showdown, which includes a climactic human tug-of-war that’s right out of Aliens. Unfortunately, Species director Roger Donaldson is no James Cameron, and his cartoonlike, computer-generated shots of the alien in battle are the ultimate cop-out in a film more deserving of the title Feces.

For more from Steve Newton, visit his website about rock ‘n’ roll and horror movies, Ear of Newt!

Species

The post Species – Steve Newton’s Retro Reviews appeared first on Dread Central.

Viewing all 24783 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images