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OBSERVANCE (2015) is Overwhelmingly Strange

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There are a lot of films that start off with loads of buildup and ambiguity, only to lose the mystery later on in the film when everything finally gets an explanation. Usually, this explanation comes in the form of some type of monolog. Some sort of spoken epiphany or realization. They try and explain things as well as they can because, you, the viewer, can’t figure out things on your own. At least, that’s the feeling I get from many movies.

Observance does not care whether or not you understand what’s going on.

Everything about this film is soaked in mystery; it’s deep, dark, brooding, and overwhelmingly strange. This Aussie horror flick stars Lindsay Farris as Parker, a private investigator who takes on a job keeping track on a woman across the street from him while he stays in a decrepit apartment. His life at home is a wreck. His son has passed away and his wife will not speak to him. To keep up with an insurmountable level of hospital bills, he takes on this seemingly innocent job. Only, there’s something strange about this apartment. Something that is clearly beyond any human’s comprehension.

Who is this mysterious employer? What is this strange black liquid in jars around the house? What the actual Hell is going on here?

Observance is comparable to the early works of David Lynch. It’s artful; every frame seems purposeful and full of direction, though what direction it’s actually going is open to interpretation. The sound editing on this film is phenomenal – it’s wholly unnerving and tense. Every single thing about Joseph Sims-Dennett’s micro-budget film (it was shot for about $11,000) sets out to make you feel uncomfortable and upset.

It succeeds.

Scenes of a dreary ocean permeate Parker’s memory, coupled with the sound of the waves mixed with what sounds like a train roaring by. Sims-Dennett understands the impact that the film’s sonic frequencies can have on the viewer and pays careful attention to assure it’s dominance over the bleak mood. And while most of the imagery is not particularly gory, the sickly-green palette of the grimy walls help to make the viewer feel just plain dirty. You may feel the need to take a shower after the movie and wipe the filth off. That’s a compliment, I promise.

While some fans of conventional horror cinema may find the lack of explanation for the occurrences in this film a disappointment, those looking for a showcase of the bizarre will find the film a viable option to satiate their strange cravings. It’ll leave you scratching your head and wording what in the world you were just a witness to, but you’ll undoubtedly be pondering over it hours after the final frame.

Observance is now available on BluRay, DVD, and On Demand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBAEeBEuIKs

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News

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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Movies

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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