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Review: Nacho Vigalondo’s ‘Open Windows’

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The webcam movie isn’t an entirely new idea. 2013’s The Den, for example, is still fresh in our minds, and the concept has been carried out to varying degrees of success throughout the Internet age.

That said, Open Windows feels like something entirely unique within this sub-sub-genre (is the webcam thing its own sub-genre within the found-footage sub-genre?). It makes use of a real-time element (which on its own is certainly not new either), and takes place entirely on a computer screen. If it sounds boring, it’s not. At least not through most of the 100-minute runtime.

First off, here’s the official synopsis:

Oscar-nominated writer-director Nacho Vigalondo (The ABCs of Death, Extraterrestrial, V/H/S Viral)   creates an action-packed world of voyeurism and suspense in his thriller OPEN WINDOWS. Nick  (Elijah Wood, Maniac, The Lord of the Rings) is excited to discover that he’s won a dinner date with his favorite actress, Jill Goddard (Sasha Grey, Would You Rather, The Girlfriend Experience). But when Jill refuses to honor the contest, her manager Chord (Neil Maskell, Wild Bill, Pusher) makes an offer he can’t refuse: the ability to view Jill secretly via computer. Nick begins watching the unknowing star on her webcam, not realizing that this decision will put both himself and Jill at risk as they enter a terrifying world of cat-and-mouse where nothing—and no one—are as they seem. 

VOD Release: October 2nd / Theaters: November 7th

[youtube id=”_Qz7DDvTA-I” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

There’s no question that the project sought to bring something to the table that we’ve never seen, and it does this at a steady pace for the first hour or so before things start to take a turn toward the less coherent and substantially more unbelievable, though it’s certainly worth sticking around until the end.

The story basically follows a path from somewhat believable in a “Yeah, I guess that could happen if someone was dedicated enough” kind of way to stretching it a bit, to stretching it to the point where it completely snaps, and finally by the conclusion, your mind is completely fucked (this is the guy who made Timecrimes after all). In other words, it starts as more of a conventional thriller, but turns into something else entirely.

It really is more of a suspense thriller than a conventional horror film (especially if you compare it directly to something like The Den), but there are some creepy and otherwise uncomfortable elements that should satisfy genre fans. There’s also a guy in black gloves with a knife, so that’s certainly a familiar trait. Don’t go in looking for gore though.

The subject matter is actually fairly thought-provoking, and is particularly timely in light of “The Fappening” and various other celebrity leaks and scandals that dominate the Internet’s headlines. In fact, the film also offers a comment on our very culture which promotes the exploitation of celebrities. It also makes you think about just how vulnerable you are as a user of technology. Are you reading this on a device that has a camera pointed toward your face? Well, you’re probably being watched by somebody.

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I believe it also comments on the general objectification of women and men who think they are entitled to something from them. Watching the film, it was easy to recall the infamous Isla Vista mass shooting from a few months ago.

The performances were good, though some of the dialogue feels a bit forced to simplify things for viewers, which considering some of what happens, may actually not be such a bad thing in hindsight.

I don’t know if Open Windows is a must-own, but it’s worth a watch at the very least.

We’ll conclude with these words from Vigalondo: “This is a film about the opportunity of observing without being observed; about the fear of being exposed every second of our lives; about the right not to be in front of a camera. We follow the action from hundreds of different points of view, but the fundamental stance will be taken when we turn off the computer forever. I hope that watching the film is like making the movie – at least the adventure it was for us all.”

On a side note, I also couldn’t help but be reminded of the video for A Tribe Called Quest’s Scenario, which follows a similar visual format.

Open Windows is out on VOD on October 2nd and in theaters November 7th.

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film

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The Blair Witch Project Cast

Jason Blum is planning to reboot The Blair Witch Project for the second time. That’s a fairly large task considering none of the reboots or sequels have managed to capture the magic of the 1999 film that brought found footage into the mainstream.

This idea has not been lost on the original Blair Witch cast, who has recently reached out to Lionsgate to ask for what they feel is fair compensation for their role in the pivotal film. Lionsgate gained access to The Blair Witch Project in 2003 when they purchased Artisan Entertainment.

Blair witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast

However, Artisan Entertainment was an independent studio before its purchase, meaning the actors were not part of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, the cast are not entitled to the same residuals from the project as actors in other major films. The cast doesn’t feel that the studio should be able to continue to profit off of their hard work and likenesses without fair compensation.

Their most recent request asks for “meaningful consultation on any future ‘Blair Witch’ reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc., in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

The blair witch project

At this time, Lionsgate has not offered any comment about this issue.

The full statement made by the cast can be found below.

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Heather, Michael & Josh, stars of “The Blair Witch Project”):

1. Retroactive + future residual payments to Heather, Michael and Josh for acting services rendered in the original BWP, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.

2. Meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc…, in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.

Note: Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far un-utilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k grant (the budget of our original movie), paid out yearly by Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making theirfirst feature film. This is a GRANT, not a development fund, hence Lionsgate will not own any of the underlying rights to the project.

A PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTORS & PRODUCERS OF “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT”:

As we near the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, our pride in the storyworld we created and the film we produced is reaffirmed by the recent announcement of a reboot by horror icons Jason Blum and James Wan.

While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams. As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

We celebrate our film’s legacy, and equally, we believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise.

Sincerely, Eduardo Sanchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello

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