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Anya Taylor-Joy is the New Jamie Lee Curtis

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Gary Busey once eloquently noted that “A very familiar feeling is starting to come over me.” And it has nothing to do with being a horse’s ass.

In 1978, the daughter of Janet Leigh began a quest that saw her complete seven horror-related projects by 1982, a window of time which propelled Jamie Lee Curtis into a stratosphere of scream queen all her own.

And I have a sneaky suspicion that history is repeating itself.

For all her horror roles (which didn’t end in ’82 mind you), Curtis shall be forever linked to the role of Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s untouchable Halloween.

While Curtis hammered out “The night HE came home,” The Fog, Prom Night and some voice work for Escape from New York and Halloween III: Season of the Witch, she laid the groundwork for a career which has expanded into drama and even comedy, and thrives to this very day.

If early returns are any indication, however, we may be saying the same about Anya Taylor-Joy years from now.

The-Witch-Anya-Taylor-Joy-1034x500The Witch was a star-making performance for the 20-year old actress, which left critics and fans alike blown away by her portrayal of a young woman growing into her body and identity who seemed misplaced as the daughter of a devout Puritan family, only to be accused of witchcraft by the very people who were supposed to love her most.

From frustration and fear to anger and finally acceptance of what a new life could be, every step Taylor-Joy took along Thomasin’s journey of discovery was delicious.

But much like Curtis almost four decades before her, Taylor-Joy isn’t stopping there.

Curtis quickly moved into other roles that proved memorable in their own right, and though horror audiences have not yet had the opportunity to lay eyes on Morgan or M. Night Shyamalan’s Split, trailers for said films certainly seem to contain stories and Taylor-Joy performances that will place her firmly in the upper echelon of not only today’s scream queens, but set off a long career which will likely delve into other genres.

With turns in Barry and Thoroughbred completed or in post-production, that expansion into drama has already begun, but it can’t be overstated that simply appearing in horror films does not a scream queen make. Nay, like Curtis before her, Taylor-Joy is making quality horror which leaves a lasting impression. Films like The Witch don’t simply come and go, they stay with us. Subsequent films are held to their light years on, much like a little flick titled Halloween (to a lesser extent, of course).

Morgan hits theatres on September 2, and tells the tale of a sequestered, artificially created humanoid who has a little Carrie and Eleven in her, and the debate whether she’s too dangerous to be allowed to live and breathe. Taylor-Joy plays the title role.

Split, Shyamalan’s follow-up to The Visit, is scheduled for release next January and has the looks of an instant classic. Taylor-Joy plays one of three teenage girls abducted by a man with at least 23 personalities, one of which is known as “The Beast.”

Put The Witch, Morgan and Split on screen in less than a calendar year and images of a trio of films by the names of Halloween, The Fog and Prom Night begin dancing through this writer’s head.

While it can be difficult to contain enthusiasm for films and a performer which appear to hold so much promise, it cannot be overstated that 2016 has been an amazing year for the genre. However, due to films like The Witch and performers like Taylor-Joy, we are forced us to remind ourselves to not jump the gun.

That said, it is admittedly a bit early to compare an actress with but a handful of roles to a legend like Curtis, but take a moment to truly ponder what we have seen and what we shall soon see from Anya Taylor-Joy, and ask yourself if this is only the beginning.

And whether the new Laurie Strode isn’t already here.

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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