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‘The Visit’ is a feverishly bizarre horror/comedy that works

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Oh, M. Night Shyamalan, how the critics love to rip your works to pieces, let me count the ways. 1. Lady in the Water, 2. The Happening, 3. The Last Airbender, 4. After Earth. I myself am a fan who has to constantly defend my fandom of Shyamalan. Constantly, I have to refer back to The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs. If I am talking to someone who doesn’t even like those three, I politely change the subject. Underneath that dismissal has always been a deep desire for him to come back and surprise everyone with something  really good again.

The Visit doesn’t quite have the same quality of my above mentioned favorite three. It does however show Shyamalan trying something different and giving us his 4th best movie yet.

The Visit takes the found footage approach. It introduces Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould), two kids who are going to visit their grandparents for the first time in their lives. Becca has decided to make a documentary about the visit and to ultimately have an ending to her film that gives her mother, who has a been feuding with her parents since she left home, “The Elixir,” or a catharsis.

Once they arrive at Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop’s (Peter McRobbie) house, the two loving grandparents, start off as really sweet elderly people who bake cookies for and take care of their grandkids. When the two sweet grandparents start behaving oddly and commanding the children not to leave their room after 9:30 p.m., things begin to spiral into the bizarre.

One of the most interesting things about Shyamalan’s new approach, is how he doesn’t go for the ever popular jump scare. He combines oddly timed horrifying images, that he immediately combines with a fair amount of goofiness. He also skips the loud shrieking violins and other classical music scare cues and relies on shock imagery instead. For example, a creepy scene includes the two kids playing hide and go seek under the house and discover that Nana is under the house with them, crawling on all fours and whispering “I’m gonna get you” and chasing them around. Only to come out from under the house laughing with one of her ass cheeks hanging out of her dress. The kids are left in total terror and confusion as she walks inside to make cookies… ass still hanging out.

The kids reaction to their otherworldly grandparents, is the reaction that Shyamalan is giving the audience. You are constantly terrified by bizarre images and then slapped with comedy. The mixture of these two elements make The Visit one of Shymalan’s most spellbindingly odd films to date. It is rare that off beat timing makes a good mix but in this case it works and makes for a memorable experience.

The Visit is also cleverly self-criticizing itself through Becca. She constantly questions her choices in what will make a powerful documentary, what will be accepted, or what will come across superfluous. Becca’s at times, know it all and pompous tone reminds the audience that some things in cinema are just here for fun and don’t have to be taken seriously. Shymalan definitely backs that up with every decision that he makes throughout this film, with tools like dirty diaper subtext and a kid that takes every chance he can to rap into the camera.

The Visit manages to be a goofy and fun horror movie. There is a bit of a drag in act two but it is redeemed in the final fifteen minutes, which are a blast, a feverishly bizarre blast, but a blast none the less. This is definitely a direction that Shymalan hasn’t gone before and definitely gives me hope for whatever comes next.

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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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