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‘I Saw the Devil’ is Devastating, Fascinating, and Totally Amazing

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I Saw the Devil

Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, The Good The Bad and The Weird) has created a masterpiece of tension, terror and tragedy in his 2010 film, I Saw the Devil.

It was announced in 2014 that Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett (The Guest, You’re Next) have been slated to create the American remake (Click here for more info). For a film that is so uniquely intense, brutal, and heartbreaking, it will certainly provide a challenge.

In I Saw the Devil, NIS agent Kim Soo-hyun (Lee Byung-hun, The Magnificent Seven) embarks on a quest of revenge when his fiancée is brutally killed by a psychopathic murderer, Jang Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik, Oldboy). Their twisted game of cat-and-mouse descends into chaos as they engage in ruthless acts of ferocious retaliation.

First off, let me just say that the casting is perfection. Lee Byung-hun and Choi Min-sik are captivating as they trade the roles of hunter and prey. Their characters are both unstoppable forces and immovable objects, trapped in a battle of life and death.

It’s absolutely fascinating to watch how they travel further and further into darkness, knowing that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Both actors bring their A-game and, for such a bleak film, they make it very enjoyable.

via IMDb

I Saw the Devil is unflinching in its approach, taking the audience on a violent journey into madness. We spend the first act of the film in observation mode, tracking our hero and villain separately to show their dedication to their work.

Soo-hyun is sharp, focused, and committed to tracking down his fiancée’s killer. Kyung-chul is a savage and vicious opportunist, finding his victims as often as he can.

The second act is where we really have some fun. The first meeting between Kyung-chul and Soo-hyun thunders in like a freight train. From there, the action does not let up as Kyung-chul frantically tries to get the upper hand in this demented game of catch-and-release. He’s tired, furious, and completely bewildered. With moments of the darkest slapstick comedy you’ll ever see, it’s incredible to watch.

via IMDb

The film has justifiably received high praise for its cinematography and direction. Every action sequence is brilliantly shot, showing the full power and frantic skill of each character.

There’s one scene in particular that involves a tracking shot in a moving vehicle that strikes a balance somewhere between bizarre comedy and horrific violence. It’s gloriously filmed, visually striking and very bloody.

As a whole, the practical effects are visceral. Each torturous act is filmed from a close angle and the shots are held to completion. Just like our villain, there’s no way for the viewer to escape.

via IMDb

Ultimately, I Saw the Devil is sincerely haunting. It shows us how, even as civilized people, we can be horrifically destructive. All-encompassing hatred will transform and consume. In our natural world, the real devils are not demonic, they’re human.

Honestly, I could go on for days about the emotional landslide of this film and how it will punch you in the gut and leave you breathless. However, it would probably either be a paragraph of spoilers or just a lot of passionately unintelligible sounds that do not translate well as text. Mostly the latter.

There are so many reasons why it’s a personal favorite. This two-and-a-half-hour march of complete devastation is so absolutely heavy, but oh my god I love it. The acts of violence are insanely intense, and every single time they still make me squirm.

It’s a film that is, at times, gruesomely difficult. However, once you start watching, it’s impossible to turn away.

via IMDb

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Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released

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In true Shyamalan form, he sets his film Trap inside a social situation where we aren’t sure what is going on. Hopefully, there is a twist at the end. Furthermore, we hope it’s better than the one in his divisive 2021 movie Old.

The trailer seemingly gives away a lot, but, as in the past, you can’t rely on his trailers because they are often red herrings and you are being gaslit to think a certain way. For instance, his movie Knock at the Cabin was completely different than what the trailer implied and if you hadn’t read the book on which the film is based it was still like going in blind.

The plot for Trap is being dubbed an “experience” and we aren’t quite sure what that means. If we were to guess based on the trailer, it’s a concert movie wrapped around a horror mystery. There are original songs performed by Saleka, who plays Lady Raven, a kind of Taylor Swift/Lady Gaga hybrid. They have even set up a Lady Raven website to further the illusion.

Here is the fresh trailer:

According to the synopsis, a father takes his daughter to one of Lady Raven’s jam-packed concerts, “where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.”

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider.

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Woman Brings Corpse Into Bank To Sign Loan Papers

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Warning: This is a disturbing story.

You have to be pretty desperate for money to do what this Brazilian woman did at the bank to get a loan. She wheeled in a fresh corpse to endorse the contract and she seemingly thought the bank employees wouldn’t notice. They did.

This weird and disturbing story comes via ScreenGeek an entertainment digital publication. They write that a woman identified as Erika de Souza Vieira Nunes pushed a man she identified as her uncle into the bank pleading with him to sign loan papers for $3,400. 

If you’re squeamish or easily triggered, be aware that the video captured of the situation is disturbing. 

Latin America’s largest commercial network, TV Globo, reported on the crime, and according to ScreenGeek this is what Nunes says in Portuguese during the attempted transaction. 

“Uncle, are you paying attention? You must sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, as I cannot sign on your behalf!”

She then adds: “Sign so you can spare me further headaches; I can’t bear it any longer.” 

At first we thought this might be a hoax, but according to Brazilian police, the uncle, 68-year-old Paulo Roberto Braga had passed away earlier that day.

 “She attempted to feign his signature for the loan. He entered the bank already deceased,” Police Chief Fábio Luiz said in an interview with TV Globo. “Our priority is to continue investigating to identify other family members and gather more information regarding this loan.”

If convicted Nunes could be facing jail time on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and desecration of a corpse.

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Spirit Halloween Unleashes Life-Size ‘Ghostbusters’ Terror Dog

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Halfway to Halloween and the licensed merch is already being released for the holiday. For instance, the seasonal retailer giant Spirit Halloween unveiled their giant Ghostbusters Terror Dog for the first time this year.

The one-of-a-kind demonic dog has eyes that light up in a glowing, terrifying red. It’s going to set you back a whopping $599.99.

Since this year we saw the release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, it’s probably going to be a popular theme come October. Spirit Halloween is embracing their inner Venkman with other releases tied to the franchise such as the LED Ghostbuster Ghost Trap, Ghostbusters Walkie Talkie, Life-Size Replica Proton Pack.

We saw the release of other horror props today. Home Depot unveiled a few pieces from their line which includes the signature giant skeleton and separate dog companion.

For the latest Halloween merch and updates get on over to Spirit Halloween and see what else they have to offer to make your neighbors jealous this season. But for now, enjoy a small video that features scenes from this classic cinematic canine.

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