Film is one of the best artistic mediums because it’s always growing; it speaks every language, and every place in the world has their iteration as to what’s scary, twisted, weird or just downright bizarre. Different countries offer different interpretations of horror, from China where vampires hop to Korean Shaman. They don’t wave crosses, nor do they compel the power of Christ upon anyone, but just don’t fall in love with Isabelle Adjani.
Halloween – the season of ghouls, screams and tricks or treats. It’s the time of year when scares of all kinds are acceptable and even welcomed. We become the creatures of the night, in search for something to satisfy our yearly holiday craving.
Is there a term for one-hit wonder film directors? Whilst the idea of the one-hit wonder is quite prevalent within music (I’m a sucker for late ’90s, early 2000s one hit wonders, who doesn’t love Breakfast at Tiffany’s?), it’s a concept that’s becoming quite frequent in cinema as well; filmmakers who coast off the success of one film.
Over at our official Facebook page, we are currently posting daily film recommendations, with each week being a different theme. This is a collection of those recommendations! This week’s theme is films shot by a female cinematographer.
In Matthew Solomon’s Chatter, Agent Martin Takagi (Tohoru Masamune) comes across the intimate video chats of married couple while monitoring Internet traffic for the Department of Homeland Security. The married couple, played by Brady Smith and Sarena Khan, begin to discover that their new home is haunted. In the same vein of horror films such as Paranormal Activity and the more recent Unfriended, the mechanics within this film felt familiar.
As 2015 comes to a close, the promises of 2016 in film leave excitement fizzling like the fireworks of New Year amongst Quentin Tarantino fans. We have been treated to an influx of releases ripe from the mind of the divisive director over the past few years, with Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained providing much controversy and dividing many opinions, but it is The Hateful Eight that is now beginning to incite anticipation about its January release. But, as this excitement grows towards the end of Tarantino’s twenty-fourth year in the filmmaking business, the success he enjoys now has progressed in an initially unexpected way.
For as long as movies have existed, there have been a slew of gimmicks to lure audiences in. Audiences were drawn into 3D movies as early as the 1920s, and gimmick color effects existed even earlier. Some directors have even taken more clever approaches.
I’m going to preface this article by saying I’m very set in my ways. Taken into a different context that means I’m old, and at the ripe wizened age of 27, I shun your new fan-dangled ideas of what makes a good movie. Furthermore I will use this mindset in reviewing the short film 9 Minutes.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the sequel to the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes, with which 20th Century Fox rebooted the Planet of the Apes franchise. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the 8th film of the franchise, and was directed by Matt Reeves. It stars Gary Oldman as Dreyfus, Andy Serkis as Caesar and Jason Clarke as Malcolm.
A well-executed horror film is quite possibly the most pure and affecting of all cinematic experiences. A horror film can be the ultimate ‘pop-corn’ movie – a work that draws you into its world, gnaws on your emotions and intellect, and finally spits you back into your seat, thrilled and grateful and dripping with adrenaline. It makes sense that horror films illicit a strong response – after all, we are naturally hard-wired to fear.