Entertainment Earth

8/30/2021

Superhost (Review)

 

Writer/ Director: Brandon Christenson
Cast: Sara Canning, Osric Chau, Gracie Gillam, Barbara Crampton
Year: 2021
Min: 83

Teddy (Osric Chau) and Claire (Sara Canning) are a couple who run their own travel vlog named Superhost. They have been losing viewers as of late and need to get their numbers back up. The latest place they are staying at and reviewing seems awesome and gorgeous. It is run by Rebecca (Gracie Gillam), who is eager for a good review from the duo. She seems nice, though very eccentric at first. But, it becomes clearer and clearer that she is insane, and the couple's lives are suddenly very much in danger. 

Superhost is a 2021 horror/ thriller with slasher elements from writer/ director Brandon (Z) Christenson. The movie throws in some found footage along with the more traditional third person camera perspective. It also has a great sense of humor, that is sometimes deliciously dark. On top of all of this, the film also serves as a pitch-perfect parody of vloggers, while still achieving some wonderfully creepy moments.

Christenson is at the top of his directing game. You can see this from the very get-go, with a nice little title scene that effectively sets up the movie. The vlog scenes feel, look, and sound like something you see on Youtube. This includes the whole "like and subscribe" line, which we have heard and seen a thousand times over. As he proved in "Z", he is very apt at having a creepy tone. A great example of this are the shots of our antagonist appearing at nighttime. He also very effectively uses his camera framing and movement to further enhance the movie's mood and feel. 

At a brisk 83 minutes it is very well paced and is always a great time to be had. The flick very effectively mixes the hilarious with the suspenseful. There are some really funny moments in the movie and others that are unquestionably filled with tension. It also doesn't fuck once it really gets going and has a killer and absolutely smashing climax. The ending is the perfect one for this film, making it end on a very high note.

There is a real fun attitude and feel to the flick, thanks in large part to the small but excellent cast. They really bring the strong script by Christenson to life, sucking you right into the story. Osric Chau and Sara Canning are very likeable as the couple. There is a real grounded feeling to their relationship, which makes them highly relatable. Genre legend and all around goddess Barbara (Re-Animator, Jakob's Wife) Crampton is awesome in her small, but actually pivotal role of Vera, a former superhost with a grudge of her own. But, it is Gracie Gillam's Rebecca that really steals the show. She is effortlessly both creepy and likable, many times being both in the same scene. In some ways, she is equivalent to a sort of female version of Norman Bates or The Stepfather, a character both likable and scary. Though, she is admit ably more fun or funny than either of two, classic psychopaths. 

Another aspect I really liked was the score by Blitz//Berlin (Psycho Goreman, The Void). The ominous music combines nicely and fittingly with the excellent cinematography, handled by Clayton ("Z") Moore. A great example of this is the aforementioned opening which made me recall The Shining. The superb music also does a nice job of setting up foreboding moments in the movie. 

Superhost is an incredibly fun horror/ thriller with some great, sometimes dark humor and is among the year's best. It manages to keep its tonal shifts flawlessly mixing the fun and the funny with the intense and creepy. The small but excellent cast really deliver the goods. But, it is Gilliam's Rebecca that truly shines and comes off as the horror villain of 2021. And, honestly, by the excellent ending, I was demanding more of her! The climax that proceeds it is suspenseful, shocking, and violent. Working also as a parody of vlogging, this winner works on multiple levels. You can catch it when it starts streaming exclusively on Shudder on September 2, 2021.





8/12/2021

Shudder to Start Streaming SUPERHOST on September 2


NEW YORK – August 12, 2021 – Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, will release Superhost, written and directed by Brandon Christensen (Z, Still/Born), in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand on September 2.

 

“Led by Gracie Gillam’s unshackled and wildly fun performance, Superhost is an unexpected, darkly humorous new terror from Brandon Christensen,” said Craig Engler, general manager of Shudder. “Following Still/Born and Z, we’re thrilled Brandon remains in the Shudder family, and are eagerly anticipating creeping out our members’ long weekends.”

 

Said writer and director Brandon Christensen, “I’m incredibly excited for horror fans to check out my newest film Superhost on Shudder. Superhost will stay with you long after the credits and have you rethink staying in a complete stranger’s house.”

 

In Superhost, travel vloggers Teddy (Osric Chau, Supernatural) and Claire (Sara Canning, Nancy Drew) share their experiences in and around vacation homes with their subscribers while maintaining a moderate level of internet fame.  When their follower count starts to dwindle, they pivot to creating viral content around their most recent host, Rebecca (Gracie Gillam, Z Nation). With all eyes turned towards their “superhost,” Rebecca, they slowly start to realize something isn’t right and as they investigate further, they unlock a horrifying truth.

 

Written and directed by Christensen the film stars Chau, Canning, Gillam and Barbara Crampton (Jakob’s Wife). Superhost is produced by Kurtis David Harder (Spiral), Christensen, and Chau. Chris Scordo, Darren Sivertsen, Ty Sivertsen, Jon Robinson and Rob Preston serve as executive producers.

 

Superhost will world premiere Saturday, August 14 at Popcorn Frights in Fort Lauderdale, FL.


 

ABOUT SHUDDER

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. For a 7-day, risk-free trial, visit www.shudder.com.

Trivium Announce New Album + Share "Feast of Fire" Video


 TRIVIUM ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM IN THE COURT OF THE DRAGON

BAND SHARES OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR NEW SONG "FEAST OF FIRE," WHICH IS STREAMING NOW — WATCH

BAND TOURING WITH MEGADETH + LAMB OF GOD THIS SUMMER

Grammy-nominated band TRIVIUM — Matt Heafy [vocals, guitar], Corey Beaulieu [guitar], Paolo Gregoletto [bass], and Alex Bent [drums] — have announced that they will release their tenth album, titled In The Court Of The Dragon, on October 8 via longtime label Roadrunner Records. The record was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur and recorded in the Fall of 2020 at Full Sail University in Orlando.


 Pre-orders are live here.

The band has also shared the new song "Feast Of Fire," which is joined by an official music video. Watch it here.

The footage was filmed at the band's HQ — The Hangar in Orlando. It was shot by director John Deeb.

"There's always that one song you aren't expecting when you begin writing a new album," says Gregoletto about the song and, in turn, sharing an inside look at the band's songwriting process. "It could be a riff written on the spot in the rehearsal space, a lyric that pairs just right with a melody, or in the case of 'Feast Of Fire,' sitting right there in front of us in the middle of a demo that Corey brought in. We were well into pre-production at Full Sail when we all decided that something about the demo we had tracked was good but could be even better. Our producer Josh Wilbur even had in his notes: 'Bridge is special, maybe so special it needs its own song.' We tore the song apart and began again on the spot."

He continues, "We went into this album knowing we had time to consider everything and anything that came about during this period, and if need be, we could start again if it didn’t feel right given that no touring was on the horizon."

Further pulling back the curtain, he says, "I had the words 'Feast Of Fire' written in my running list of notes for lyric ideas that I try to amass before we record. Something about the phrase stuck out to me. It felt like the missing piece of the story we were trying to tell with this album, a climactic moment and a real centerpiece for the narrative."

He finishes, "After all these years, I'm still blown away at how a song can really appear out of thin air and take the album to a place you weren't expecting. Those are the moments we are always looking for when making a record."

The album cover is an original oil painting by French artist Mathieu Nozieres (@mathieunozieres on Instagram)

"While the music of In The Court Of The Dragon was taking shape, we knew we needed epic artwork of the type that you might see on the wall of an important museum from a long dead renaissance master," says Heafy. "After extensive research, we found one of the few living artists who is capable of creating artwork like Caravaggio and Gentileschi — painter Mathieu Nozieres. Mathieu took our song title and created an original oil painting on canvas unlike anything we could have ever imagined. It's so staggeringly breathtaking and epic and it looks like what the song and album sounds like." 

The oil painting, which is also featured in both new videos, will be on display at the Bloodstock Festival from August 11 through 15 at the on site R.A.M. Art Gallery. This marks the painting's first public showing. The first 100 fans to view it in the gallery will receive a free poster of the image.

Last month, Trivium shared the album's title track, "In The Court Of The Dragon," which featured an epic intro composed and orchestrated by Ihsahn (Emperor) and was accompanied by an official short film music video directed by Ryan Mackfall. Loudwire called out the song as "a skillful blend of dynamics. And blast beats just sound really, really good beneath Matt Heafy's soothing clean singing" while Revolver labeled it "epic." 

IN THE COURT OF THE DRAGON TRACK LISTING:
"X"  
"In The Court Of The Dragon" 
"Like A Sword Over Damocles"  
"Feast Of Fire"   
"A Crisis Of Revelation"  
"The Shadow Of The Abattoir"   
"No Way Back Just Through"   
"Fall Into Your Hands"   
"From Dawn To Decadence"   
"The Phalanx"   


TRIVIUM ON TOUR:
8/20 — Austin, TX — Germania Insurance Amphitheater
8/21 — Irving, TX — The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
8/22 — Woodlands, TX — The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
8/24 — El Paso, TX — Don Haskins Center
8/25 — Albuquerque, NM — Isleta Amphitheater
8/26 - Wichita, KS - Cotillion Ballroom (headline)
8/27 — Denver, CO — Ball Arena
8/29 — Phoenix, AZ — Arizona Federal Theatre
8/31 — Reno, NV — Reno Events Center
9/1 — Irvine, CA — FivePoint Amphitheatre
9/2 — Concord, CA — Concord Pavilion
9/4 — Portland, OR — Moda Center
9/5 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheatre
9/6 - Boise, ID, Revolution Concert House (headline)
9/9 — Tinley Park, IL — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - Chicago
9/10 - Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE w/ Black Label Society
9/11 — Danville, VA — Blue Ridge Festival*
9/12 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
9/13 — Boston, MA — Leader Bank Pavilion
9/15 — Camden, NJ — BB&T Pavilion
9/16 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center
9/18 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center
9/19 — Clarkston, MI — DTE Energy Music Theatre
9/20 — Cincinnati, OH — PNC Pavilion
9/22 — Rogers, AR — Walmart AMP
9/24 — Mount Pleasant, MI — Soaring Eagle Casino Amphitheatre
9/25 - Des Moines, IA - Knotfest Iowa*
9/26 — St. Louis, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre - St. Louis
9/28 — Minneapolis, MN — Armory
9/30 — Toronto, ON — Budweiser Stage
10/1 — Laval, QC — Place Bell
10/2 — Quebec City, QC — Centre Videotron
*Festival Date featuring all 4 bands.

ABOUT TRIVIUM:
Trivium released their ninth full-length, What The Dead Men Say, through Roadrunner Records in 2020. The album was produced by Trivium and Josh Wilbur and debuted at #35 on the Billboard Top 200; at #2 on the Top Current Albums Chart, and at  #3 on both the Hard Rock Albums Chart and Top Rock Albums Chart. The band and album were praised by and featured in mainstream outlets like The New York Times, NPR, Forbes, Billboard, TechCrunch, and Kotaku, as well as Guitar World, Revolver, Alternative Press, and more. 

Trivium released its now-canonical album Ascendancy in 2005. It was recognized as KERRANG!'s "Album of the Year," achieved a gold certification in the UK, and eclipsed sales of 500,000 worldwide. Metal Hammer placed it in the Top 15 of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of the 21st Century." It ignited a string of six consecutive Top 25 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 and five straight Top 3 debuts on the Top Hard Rock Albums Chart, culminating on 2017's benchmark The Sin And The Sentence. That album elevated the group's total stream tally past a quarter-of-a-billion. Additionally, "Betrayer" received a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of "Best Metal Performance." Unanimous acclaim followed from Decibel, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, MetalSucks, and Metal Hammer, who dubbed them, "quite simply one of the best bands in modern metal." Not to mention, they performed alongside Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and many others and graced the main stages of Download, Bloodstock, KNOTFEST, and more. After two decades, eight albums, and hundreds of sold out shows, Trivium actualize the all-encompassing ambition they first set in motion back in 1999. Ninth album In The Court Of The Dragon arrives 2021.

TRIVIUM ONLINE:
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8/11/2021

AMC Network Shudder Obtains Period Piece Horror Movie THE LAST THING MARY SAW in Advance of Fantasia Festival World Premiere

NEW YORK – August 11, 2021 – Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, has acquired the period horror feature The Last Thing Mary Saw ahead of its August 15 world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival. Shudder will release the film, which is written and directed by Edoardo Vitaletti, in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand in early 2022.

 

Said Craig Engler, general manager of Shudder, “We are excited to bring Edoardo’s chilling and unique directorial debut to Shudder. Full of twists and turns that will keep viewers guessing until the very end and featuring an immensely talented cast and crew, The Last Thing Mary Saw is a gripping tale we can’t wait to share with our members.”

 

“It is such an honor to join Shudder’s incredible slate of films. For years they have been raising the bar for thought-provoking genre storytelling, and I’m thrilled to partner with them in releasing The Last Thing Mary Saw”, added writer-director Edoardo Vitaletti.

 

The Last Thing Mary Saw begins in Southold, New York, 1843: Young Mary (Stefanie Scott, Insidious: Chapter 3), blood trickling from behind the blindfold tied around her eyes, is interrogated about the events surrounding her grandmother’s death. As the story jumps back in time, we witness Mary, raised in a repressively religious household, finding fleeting happiness in the arms of Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman, Orphan), the home’s maid. Her family, who believe they are seeing, speaking, and acting on God’s behalf, view the girls’ relationship as an abomination, to be dealt with as severely as possible. The couple attempt to carry on in secret, but someone is always watching, or listening, and the wages of perceived sin threaten to become death, with the tension only heightened by the arrival of an enigmatic stranger (Rory Culkin, Waco, Halston) and the revelation of greater forces at work.

 

The acquisition deal was negotiated by Emily Gotto and Samuel Zimmerman on behalf of Shudder and XYZ Films (Pip Ngo, Nate Bolotin) and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmaker.

 

The Last Thing Mary Saw is produced by Isen Robbins and Aimee Schoof (Tesla, Blue Caprice) of Intrinsic Value Films, Harrison Allen and Madeleine Schumacher of Arachnid Films, Stephen Tedeschi (Blue Caprice) and Executive Produced by Scoop Wasserstein (The Outfit). The film will have its world premiere virtually August 15 as part of the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival, which kicked off August 5 as a hybrid event with in-person screenings in Montreal, Quebec and the virtual slate geo-locked to Canada. Following Fantasia, the film will have its UK premiere August 28 at FrightFest in London.

 

# # #

 

ABOUT SHUDDER

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service, super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. For a 7-day, risk-free trial, visit www.shudder.com.

 

About Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic Value has produced nearly 40 award-winning films that have premiered at the top festivals, with ten at Sundance and six nominations at both the Gotham and Independent Spirit awards. The company is developing a rich slate of movies, including Edoardo Vitaletti’s next film, several television projects and a partner in the Absolute Comics publishing company. www.Intrinsicvaluefilms.com

8/02/2021

The Stylist (Review)

Director: Jill Gevargizian 
Writers: Jill Gevargizian, Eric Haven, Eric Stolze
Cast: Najarra Townsend, Brea Grant, Davis DeRock, Sarah McGuire, Jennifer Seward, Millie Milan
Year: 2020
Min: 104

Claire (Najarra Townsend) is a hair-stylist, who we learn from the opening scene, has a propensity for scalping women and taking their hair to keep and wear for herself. This despite, the fact, that she is gorgeous and has beautiful, long, red-hair (which I would imagine many would kill to have themselves) of her own. One of her customers, Olivia (genre favorite Brea Grant), asks her to do her hair for her own wedding. Even though, Claire doesn't do wedding hair, she ultimately agrees to doing it.

Olivia begins to treat Claire as a friend, in gratitude for her amazing work with her hair-do. And, even invites her to her home and then to her bachelorette party. This makes Claire try to hold back her impulse to kill. But, as her mind cracks, this isn't helped by her overhearing two of Olivia's friend talking shit about her being creepy, It doesn't take long for her to go back to her murdering ways. She, in particular develops an obsession with Olivia, or more precisely with the life she leads. 

The Stylist is the feature length directorial debut of Missouri filmmaker Jill Gevargizian (a hair stylist, herself), after cutting her teeth a bunch of short movies. These include the excellent short, of the same name and also starring Townsend in the title role, which inspired this movie. This flick is a slasher film, but one with a clear female point of view and with a far more dramatic side than is usual. This helps to make it more of a psychological character study of Claire.

Gevargizian is an incredible filmmaker, who as this film shows, has style to spare. The movie is absolutely gorgeous, as I adored the colors it has. The movie really pops visually, especially on the recent, phenomenal Arrow Blu-Ray release. She has a real eye for beauty, with scenes being gorgeously lit. She also very effectively uses split screen in ways that would make Brian De Palma, himself, jealous. Aside, from the aesthetic aspect, she also really knows how to build tension. One of my favorite scenes, in the movie, is a great example of this. In it, Claire hides from a potential victim, whose house she has entered. I was felt myself get very tense as I watched this moment unfold.   

Another thing of beauty is the score. Nicholas Elert's music for the film fits it like a velvet glove. There are some tracks that give the movie a serene feeling that makes it all the more captivating. The soundtrack can also be chilling and creepy as fucking hell. In all, this is one of the best I have heard in a horror movie, all year. On a side note, that aforementioned Blu-Ray provides us with the soundtrack on CD, which is a very welcome bonus. 

Thanks to both the script, which Gevargizian co-wrote along with Eric Haven and Eric Stolze, and the phenomenal acting of the cast, there is some great character interactions. It all feels very natural and real. One great example, is the kill at the start of the movie. Before Claire offs this lady, whose hair she is doing, the talk they're having feels believable. It give us great insight into Claire, and what she feels when she talks with her customers. It's between its beautiful style, characterizations, and female leanings, that it sets itself as a stark contrast from the similar, in murderous methods and antagonist centralized story, to William Lustig's grimy and sleazy, masterpiece Maniac. And, really it further adds to this movie's brilliant ability to stand out, on its own. 

Najarra Townsend is phenomenal as Claire. There is something very likable about her. Her portrayal has an awkwardness, mixed with creepiness that really helps her stand out as, not just a horror antagonist, but as an overall character. Moments of genuinely heartbreaking sympathy add a deepness not regularly found in other character driven serial killer movies like this. There is one scene she has with Olivia towards, the end, that I felt very sorry for her. This is despite me knowing of her clear insanity. I very much liked how I can feel terrible for her, one minute, yet later be disturbed by her behavior. Then, there are her outfits, her make-up and hair, and her own, natural beauty, all of which makes Claire so enthralling. Brea Grant, as Olivia, is her usual wonderful self, helping to make the character feel like a very real person. Keep your eyes peeled for Gervargizian, herself, who has a pretty fun cameo, where she wears a T-shirt of the ass kicking horror flick The Ranger. 

The Stylist is a beautiful, stylish, and, at times, haunting flick. It features strong performances from both leads, especially Townsend as our main character and killer. It honestly, might be my favorite bit of acting in a horror movie this year. Director/ co-writer Gervargizian has incredible and immense talent, giving us a flick that is breathtaking to look at. It is without a doubt the most beautiful genre film, I've seen this year. But, it isn't all just pretty to look at, as she has given this flick heart and psychology to make it really stand out among its competition. To put it quite bluntly, this might just be the best horror film of 2021, or at least very damn fucking close to it.