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“Jackals” is a Welcome Addition to the 80s Slasher Genre

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Written by Shannon McGrew

“Jackals” is the latest film from director Kevin Greutert (Jessabelle, Saw 3D: The Final Chapter) and is an 80s throwback to the much beloved slasher genre. The film stars Deborah Kara Unger (Silent Hill), Stephen Dorff (Blade), Johnathon Schaech (Prom Night), and Ben Sullivan (“Hell on Wheels”).

The film, set in the 80s, centers around the Powell family, who have hired a cult deprogrammer to rescue their son from the grips of a murderous cult. However, not everything goes as planned, as the cult descends upon the Powell’s family cabin with horrific consequences. As the cult members start to infiltrate the cabin, the Powell’s learn that they must do whatever it takes to protect their family and their son before it’s too late.

There is a lot to love about this film, especially if you are a fan of 80s horror movies. Though the slasher genre has never really been a favorite of mine, I can still appreciate the fandom behind it; and in terms of “Jackals”, director Kevin Gruetert really hit the nail on the head. I really enjoyed the fact that there wasn’t just one killer, but many of them, as well as the fact that you never actually see their faces. Their anonymity made their actions that much more terrifying because who they are as a person is never revealed.

In terms of acting, there was definitely some standout performances as well as a few that fell flat. Though the majority of the actors showcased an immense talent, a felt that a few of the characters were miscast, which resulted in their mediocre performances. However, that did not take away from the stronger performances, most notably from new-comer Ben Sullivan. He is an actor that audiences are definitely going to want to keep an eye on as I feel like he has a long and successful career ahead of him. His portrayal of Justin Powell, the son who has been brainwashed by the savage and deranged cult, is raw and hypnotic.

I also want to make note the return of Stephen Dorff! He seems to be having a bit of resurgence as of late and I’ll be honest, I’m loving it. His portrayal of Jimmy Levine, the cult deprogrammer, is harsh yet understanding, as he tries to bring Justin back to his family without any harm. However, in a movie such as this, no one can truly get out unscathed, and it doesn’t take long before the blood begins to flow. The kills are inevitable, and how they are executed are brutal and unforgiving, with a touch of realism that makes each death uncomfortable to watch.

This year has been the year of the cults – whether it be through film, television, events, haunts, etc – they are all centering on this topic. Though I’m pretty much over that, I do applaud writer Jared Rivet for giving these cult members a unique spin. As I mentioned, we never see their faces, and for the most part they are unusually quiet, which is unsettling in and of itself. We aren’t privy to what type of cult they belong to, and though not knowing would typically annoy me, I was okay with it in this story. The horror isn’t about what they believe in, it’s about their power and their control over their “family”. They show no remorse for their actions and they aren’t interested in converting anyone. They have one singular focus in the film and that’s to get Justin back.

Overall, “Jackals” is a heart-pounding thriller that captures the 80s spirit of the horror genre. With solid performances and terrifying imagery, “Jackals” is sure to become a cult favorite within the slasher subgenre. Make sure to check out the film once it hits select theaters and On Demand September 1st, 2017.

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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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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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