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5 Reasons to Watch Wolf Creek 2

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After hitting VOD and select theaters earlier this year, the long-awaited sequel to Wolf Creek finally arrives on DVD and Blu-ray next week. John already wrote a great review that echoes my sentiments on the film, but I’d like to supplement it with 5 reasons to watch Wolf Creek 2.

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1. Mick is back – and meaner than ever!

While it wasn’t until halfway through the original film that shit hit the fan, Wolf Creek 2’s action begins with the opening scene. The audience is already familiar with Mick Taylor, the psychotic killer of the Australian outback played by John Jarratt, so there’s no reason to pretend like we don’t know his modus operandi.

Mick is even more evil in the sequel. The kills and torture sequences are more sadistic, bloody and brutal than before. There’s full-body dismemberment and the most intense version of 20 Questions you’ll ever see, to name a few.

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2. It offers a fresh take on a familiar situation.

Crafting a good sequel is no easy task. It should retain the feel of the original while bringing something new to the table. Too often, however, sequels are near-copies of their predecessors.The sequel to Hostel (to which Wolf Creek received frequent comparisons upon its initial release), for example, was essentially the same plot as the first with a different set of characters.

While Wolf Creek 2’s plot remains true to the original, the approach is decidedly different. Mick plays a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with his victim, reminiscent of The Hitcher. With the ancillary characters, Wolf Creek 2 feels like a slasher, as the is focus on Mick and how his victims will meet their gory demise. There’s even a pinch of pitch-black humor. On the other hand, the sequel still maintains the strong protagonists and the tense torture scenes.

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3. It’s on par with the original.

The first Wolf Creek still holds up well (dated only by the humorously large camcorder), in my opinion. But, more often than not, sequels lead to disappoint, especially after so much time; more than 8 years passed between the premieres of each film.

The integrity remains the same on Wolf Creek 2, however. I think a large part of the quality control can be attributed to writer-director Greg Mclean returning (who, this time, co-wrote the script with Aaron Sterns). His passion for the project oozes onto the screen, delivering a sequel that is equally as enjoyable as – and, in many respects, better than – the original.

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4. Everything is bigger.

A sequel to Wolf Creek could have easily been churned out on a low budget and sent direct to video to appease (and cash in on) fans. Instead, Wolf Creek 2’s budget has multiplied. The original was made for around $1 million, while the sequel was produced for an estimated $7.2 million.

That money can definitely be seen on the screen, as everything is amplified. Most noticeably, there’s a lot more action – including some cool car crashes, explosions, fire, guns, knives and even a horse! The bigger budget allows for more locations and actors. Of course, the body count is higher and the blood is more plentiful as well.

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5. It has franchise potential.

To build a successful horror franchise, you need an iconic character – and Mick fits the bill. He’s already a cult favorite, but he could join the ranks of recognizable genre icons for decades to come, alongside such new-school characters as Saw’s Jigsaw and Hatchet’s Victor Crowley.

Wolf Creek 2 proves that the original was not a fluke. It’s safe to say that if you enjoyed the first, you’ll also like the sequel. As such, the series has the potential to carry on with a long-running franchise. As long as Mclean and company maintain the quality and Jarratt is willing to reprise his role, the fans – myself include – will continue to flock to the films. Hopefully we don’t have to wait as long for the next installment!

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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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