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7 BEST HORROR FILMS OF 2016-Timothy Noel Rawles Picks

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It can probably be said that 2016 was not greatest year for horror titles at the box office, that honor may go to network and cable television shows such as Ash Vs. Evil Dead, The Exorcist and yes even the convoluted American Horror Story: My Roanoke Experience.

Among the offerings the industry put forth in the theater, there were many valuable mainstream oblations to the horror Gods, which managed to be both entertaining and worth seeing before their three-month gestation journey to rent on streamboxes.

On the other hand, buried in the scrolling hell that is a streaming service, there were many films which managed to not outdo their glossy cinema counterparts, but infuse some originality into the medium with minimal cost.

So the question is: stream or mainstream?

I’m going to cheat a little bit here and place The Witch off into a side-bar of its own. Although creepy and well-acted, this film was nuanced just enough to win over the hearts of cerebral hipsters, but had the pacing of a tortoise race. Much like the presidential election, The Witch seemed evenly split down the middle among fans: Those who appreciated its attention to detail, and those whose attention waned after the first 30-minutes.

Which brings me to my best-of list for 2016. These titles were my personal favorites of 2016. They moved me, thrilled me, and regained some hope that writers and directors are capable of coming up with original concepts, or making better some existing ones, unlike the re-makes and re-hashes that plagued 2015.

Best titles of 2016. Tim's Picks

Here are my selections for the Best of 2016.

If you haven’t seen some of these titles, take a little time and round them up for a look, it may put some faith back in you as well.

# 7 “The Conjuring 2”:

Yes, this is a continuation of an already established budding franchise, but James Wan did something with this movie we haven’t seen others do in a very long time; he managed to outdo the original. Character development was key in The Conjuring 2, Lorraine and Ed Warren sometimes question the validity of their own skills even when the stakes are a lot higher than interference from a grounded poltergeist.

Each step of the way in this title draws closer a truth behind the beasts of the underworld and those that ravage a marriage, and sometimes they intersect.

#6 “Don’t Breathe”:

Home invasion titles have been a popular sub-genre of horror ever since The Strangers. In Don’t Breathe, that concept was turned inside-out with even creepier results.

One would think that being trapped inside a house with a blind man would be a piece of cake to escape, but in this scenerio nothing is what it seems.

Perhaps one of the most vile, but memorable scenes in modern horror history involves a seemingly non-threatening kitchen gadget. The holiday endcaps in the kitchenware aisle at Bed Bath and Beyond may now give you pause.

#5 “Lights Out”:

Making an exciting full-length motion picture out of a YouTube short seems impossible. One thing about short films is they are concise enough to get a full storyline across in 10 to 15 minutes. But the extended gimmick in Lights Out worked for me.

It has to be a record breaker for more jump scares than any before it, but that’s all a part of the fun. For director David F. Sandberg to successfully extend his mini-opus for 90-minutes is a formidable and thrilling feat.

#4 “Green Room”:

The genius of Green Room is that it didn’t give anything away in the trailer. You didn’t have a clue about the plot, and certainly didn’t expect the violence and gore once it got started. I won’t give anything way, but this survival film managed to be both disturbing, redeeming and completely surprising.

#3 “Pet”:

Pitching yet another serial killer movie to a Hollywood production company might get you kicked out of the office and through the gates with spec in hand. But Jeremy Slater’s script must have impressed at least a few people in the business. Paramount and Orion Pictures even came on a distributors.

“Pet” is a rare treat, in that it severs ties to genre favorites that came previously. At first it resembles a stalking picture, then a serial killer trope, then torture porn. But what ends up happening – the twist is revealed half-way through the film instead of at the end – is an original work whose after-taste is hard to rinse.

#2 “Incarnate”:

Once again moviemakers turn a well-worn concept on its head, this time possession movies. “Incarnate” manages to embrace one trope, incorporate another, blend it all up to create an energetic franchise.

The best part of “Incarnate” is making sense of the whole science versus religion dichotomy. It gives a fresh voice to what terrifies us and pays the skeptic’s levy with science fiction. Reality gets blurred in “Incarnate,” but the originality is crystal clear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF8WPk6_CbQ

#1 “The Monster”:

“The Monster” is the best horror film of 2016 period. The terrifying situation in which the main characters find themselves has compound fractures which splay inward; it’s as emotional as it is frightening. Though the creature in the title is only a supporting role with minimal, but effective screen time, the true stars of this picture are Ella Ballentine and Zoe Kazan, who play mother and daughter respectively.

Mother Kathy is a substance abuser, embracing her own personal monsters while her 13-year old daughter Lizzy is a powerless adolescent who has no choice but to play her mother’s co-dependent. That is until she decides to go live with her father who lives some distance away.

Kathy drives them both to see him, but have an unexpected accident on a desolate stretch of forest highway which strands them in the road overseen by a large monster with a penchant for flesh.

Told in real-time and flashbacks, The Monster contains two top-notch performances by its stars. The cinematography and overall feel of pending doom serves as the backdrop for this heartbreaking drama with a final act of redemption and personal freedom.

The Monster may eat the heart, but the viewer gets its strings.

Agree or disagree with my titles and their order listed above, one thing is for certain: Whether it be VOD or in the comfort of the cinema, the genre had a minor flourish this year which will hopefully translate into an even better 2017.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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