Lucky (2020) (Review)

Director: Natasha Kermani
Writer: Brea Grant
Cast: Brea Grant, Hunter C. Smith, Kristina Klebe, Kauser Mohammed, Dhruv Uday Singh
Year: 2020
Min: 83

May (Brea Grant) is a self-help author, who is now in a creative slump. She is feeling tired of touring, book signings, and all the other issues that come with being a writer. Living in the suburbs with her hubby, Ted (Dhruv Uday Singh), everything else seems well enough. Except that one night, a masked, male intruder (Hunter C. Smith) breaks into their house and tries to attack her. Ted, nonchalantly says that this is a nightly occurrence. The authorities also take it all in a decidedly causal manner. Ted, doesn't even bother to tell them that the man has supposedly been there before. 

When May confronts her husband about this nightly intruder, he ends up leaving her. She then, must go at it alone, facing the increasingly more violent and bold attacks by the man. This man, who she clearly kills almost every single time, simply disappears afterwards. Only to continuously come back, clearly not hurt and, very much alive. The police, and no else one quite frankly, are of any use to her. May has no idea what the hell is happening, who her assailant is, or where the fuck Ted is, for that matter. 

Lucky is a Canadian horror movie that mixes elements of slasher, home invasion, psychological thriller, and David Lynch. All of which is filtered through a feminist eye, thanks to the directing of Natasha Kermani and lead actress and horror fan favorite favorite Brea Grant, who wrote the imaginative script. Much of it comes off as wonderfully original. Perhaps some bits and pieces recall other movies, but the sum of its wholes is unlike anything I can recall. And, that is something this weary viewer and critic can appreciate. As a matter of fact, the more I reflected on it, the more my admiration for it grew.

This flick stands as a great showcase for Brea Grant's immense acting talent. Her character of May is the one that really carries the whole story. A great example of her performance lies in the first time the man appears. Her facial reactions are priceless, as she conveys so much emotion in them. And, May, herself, comes off as a very likable person. You care and, thus, cheer for her.

While, the acting is strong from everyone else, the other characters tend to frustrate me. Which is, I think, clearly the point. Dhruv Uday Singh's Ted, in particular, doesn't ever win my affection. Singh is great, but I don't like or fully trust his character. He, like everyone around May, comes off as incompetent and/ or simply a bunch of dicks. Cause, the truth is May is out on her own in this and, in many ways, everything else in life. Which is not unlike the advice she gives as a writer.

All of this, of course, comes from Grant's wonderful, subtext filled script. Without giving away anything there are allegories to the struggles and menaces that women face, usual alone. Her story is timely and shows, once again, that the female voice in the genre is very much needed. And, that it can bring in fresh and bold takes on tired old sub-genres like slashers and home invasion flicks.

Kermani's directing slowly ratchets up the suspense, as each attack is seemingly more brazen and aggressive in both nature and, eventually, consequences. As such, the fights May and the man have are each bloodier than the last. Furthermore, her directing kept me invested in every single moment and detail. It should be mentioned that the ending doesn't clearly give any answers and nothing is ever fully explained. This isn't a problem though, as it fits the movie's narrative quite well. Of course, that won't be to everyone's liking, but it certainly was to mine. 

Lucky isn't your typical slasher/ home invasion movie, and is all the more fascinating for this very reason. It's a flick that the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated and enjoyed it. The well directed movie always held my interest, keeping me fully invested in it. Grant's excellent script made me question and analyze everything that was going on. And, speaking of Grant, while the whole cast is great, she really stands out in her performance. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a damn good flick, but it won't be for everyone. Those who like everything explained and for the story to be cut and dry, might feel frustrated with it. But, for those of us who love Lynchian terror and a movie with a deep and fully relevant socio-political message, will find much to enjoy here. You can catch Lucky when it starts streaming on Shudder, this Thursday, March 4, 2021. 

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Shudder: March 2021 Highlights- LUCKY, STAY OUT OF THE ATTIC, & More, Including Ken Russell's THE DEVILS!

Members can look forward to new Shudder movie premieres every week, including season two of the hit series A Discovery of Witches, Shudder original films Lucky, Stay Out of the Attic, Slaxx and Violation, the Shudder exclusive Koko-Di Koko-Da, and an impressive lineup of recent and classic horror favorites including Ken Russell’s The Devils.

Series and film details included below:

LUCKY – premieres March 4 **Shudder Original Film

View Trailer HERE

(Also available on Shudder UK, Shudder CA and Shudder ANZ)

Official Selection SXSW Film Festival

Life takes a sudden turn for May (Brea Grant, After Midnight), a popular self-help book author, when she finds herself the target of a mysterious man with murderous intentions. Every night, without fail he comes after her, and every day the people around her barely seem to notice. With no one to turn to, May is pushed to her limits and must take matters into her own hands to survive and to regain control of her life. Written by Brea Grant, directed by Natasha Kermani (Imitation Girl).

STAY OUT OF THE ATTIC – premieres March 11 **Shudder Original Film

View Trailer HERE

(Also available on Shudder UK, Shudder CA and Shudder ANZ)

A diverse group of ex-cons-turned-movers—played by Morgan Alexandria (Forever My Girl), Ryan Francis (Sisters) and Bryce Fernelius (Ruling of the Heart)—are convinced by their creepy client, Vern Muller (Michael Flynn, The Outpost), to pull an all-nighter for a generous pay bump. As the night progresses and rooms are cleared, they slowly uncover the horrors that exist inside his old Victorian mansion, including boobytraps, human experimentation, Nazi monsters and more. Will they survive the night? Written and directed by Jerren Lauder (Bug Bites).

SLAXX – premieres March 18 **Shudder Original Film

View Trailer HERE

(Also available on Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ)

A possessed pair of jeans is brought to life to punish the unscrupulous practices of a trendy clothing company. Shipped to the company’s flagship store, Slaxx proceeds to wreak carnage on staff locked in overnight to set up the new collection. Starring Romane Denis (Slut in a Good Way), Brett Donahue (Private Eyes), Sehar Bhojani (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Stephen Bogaert (The Umbrella Academy). Directed by Elza Kephart (Go in the Wilderness).

KOKO-DI KOKO-DA – premieres March 18 **Shudder Exclusive Film

View Trailer HERE

(Also available on Shudder CA and Shudder ANZ)

Official Selection Sundance Film Festival

As an unhappy couple (Leif Edlund, Operation Ragnarok, and Ylva Gallon, Corridor) embark on a camping trip to find their way back to each other, a sideshow artist (Danish rockstar Peter Belli) and his shady entourage emerge from the woods, terrorizing them, luring them deeper into a maelstrom of psychological terror and humiliating slapstick. Directed by Johannes Nyholm (The Giant).

VIOLATION – premieres March 25 **Shudder Original Film

View Trailer HERE

(Also available on Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ)

Official Selection Toronto International, Sundance and SXSW Film Festivals

With her marriage on the verge of collapse, Miriam (co-writer and co-director Madeleine Sims-Fewer, The Substitute) returns to her hometown to seek solace in the comfort of her younger sister and brother-in-law after years apart. In one evening, a small slip in judgment leads to a catastrophic betrayal, leaving Miriam shocked, reeling and furious. She embarks on an extreme course of action to address the situation, but the price of revenge is high and she is not prepared for the toll it takes as she begins to emotionally and psychologically unravel. Co-written and co-directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli (Chubby).

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, Season 2, Eps 9 &10

View Trailer HERE

(Also available on Shudder CA)

A Discovery of Witches, continues with its penultimate episode premiering Saturday, March 6, and finale episode Saturday, March 13. In the final two episodes of Season 2, Matthew (Matthew Goode, Downton Abbey) is forced to account for his disruptive visit to Bohemia and Matthew and Diana (Teresa Palmer, Hacksaw Ridge) reach a new level of intimacy. Diana makes plans to complete her training with Goody Alsop (Sheila Hancock, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) – and perfect the ninth magical knot – in order to return home, but surprising encounters ensue. A Discovery of Witches is a Sundance Now and Shudder original series based on the critically acclaimed and bestselling novels by Deborah Harkness.

New Additions To Shudder’s Movie Library:

 

MARCH 1

• The Burning

A former summer camp caretaker, horribly burned from a prank gone wrong, lurks around an upstate New York summer camp bent on killing the teenagers responsible for his disfigurement. (1981, Also available on Shudder CA)

• Amityville II: The Possession

A dysfunctional family moves into a new house, which proves to be satanic, resulting in the demonic possession of their teenage son. (1982, Also available on Shudder CA)

• The Devils

In 17th-century France, Father Urbain Grandier seeks to protect the city of Loudun from the corrupt establishment of Cardinal Richelieu. Hysteria occurs within the city when he is accused of witchcraft by a sexually repressed nun. (1971)

MARCH 8

• Sword of God

Two men in the early Middle Ages come to a pagan land: one to bring Christianity, the other to find his way of living. In the fight between dialogue and force, one of them will die. (2018, Also available on Shudder CA)

• Edge of the Axe

An axe murderer terrorizes a small Northern California mountain community, while two young computer-obsessed adults attempt to solve the killings. (1988, Also available on Shudder UK and Shudder CA)

• Vampyres

Two mysterious women lure various passers-by to their rural mansion in the English countryside and hold them captive in order to feed on them to satisfy their insatiable thirst for blood. (1974, Also available on Shudder UK and Shudder CA)

 

MARCH 9
• Prey

After the death of her sister, Elena, a young quadriplegic, retires to a country house with her father and Athos, a Belgian Shepherd Dog specially trained to help her. But the creature who is supposed to be her best friend has contracted a strange disease and has turned into her worst enemy. (2019, Also available on Shudder CA)

• Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker

An orphaned teenager finds himself being dominated by his aunt who is hell-bent on keeping him with her...at all costs. (1981, Also available on Shudder UK, Shudder CA and Shudder ANZ)

 

MARCH 15

• Hosts

A family falls victim to a series of violent murders when they invite their neighbors over for Christmas dinner. (2020, Also available on Shudder CA and Shudder ANZ)

• It Cuts Deep

While on Christmas vacation, a young man with commitment issues tries desperately to hang on to his relationship when a rival enters the picture. (2020, Also available on Shudder UK, Shudder CA and Shudder ANZ)

• Game of Death

Kill or be killed is the golden rule of the Game of Death, which sucks for seven decent-looking millennials who decide to play one sunny day. They quickly and gruesomely realize that if they don’t murder people, their heads will literally explode. (2017, Also available on Shudder CA)

• Shakma
Students are trapped with a testy baboon while playing a fantasy game in a research building. (1990, Also available on Shudder CA)

 

MARCH 16

• Nosferatu

In this highly influential silent horror film, the mysterious Count Orlok summons Thomas Hutter to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains. After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle, knowing that he and his wife are in grave danger. (1922, Also available on Shudder CA and Shudder UK)

• The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

At a carnival in Germany, Francis and his friend Alan encounter the crazed Dr. Caligari. The men see Caligari showing off a hypnotized man who the doctor claims can see into the future. Shockingly, Cesare then predicts Alan's death and by morning his chilling prophecy has come true, making Cesare the prime suspect. However, is Cesare guilty or is the doctor controlling him? (1921, Also available on Shudder CA)

• The Great Gabbo

The Great Gabbo is a mentally unstable ventriloquist who brutally demeans his assistant, Mary, blaming her for the duo's lack of success. Fed up with his abuse, she quits, only to find herself performing as a dancer in a major stage show featuring Gabbo two years later. Though she is now married, Gabbo makes a play for her. When she rejects him, his madness returns, and he begins to speak only through his puppet. (1929, Also available on Shudder CA, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ)

• White Zombie

A young man turns to a witch doctor to lure the woman he loves away from her fiancé, but instead turns her into a zombie slave. (1932, Also available on Shudder CA, Shudder UK and Shudder ANZ)

 

MARCH 22

• Let's Scare Julie

A group of teen girls set out to scare their reclusive new neighbor, but the prank turns to terror when some of them don't come back. (2019, Also available on Shudder CA)

• White of the Eye

Joan White is informed by the police that her husband, a soundman who specializes in high-end audio systems, might be responsible for a series of gruesome murders in their Arizona community. As her husband’s behavior turns violent, Joan begins to suspect his guilt. (1987, Also available on Shudder CA)

• The Untamed

A couple in a troubled marriage locate a meteorite, initiating an encounter with a mysterious creature. Their lives are turned upside down by the discovery of the creature, which is a source of both pleasure and destruction. (2016, Also available on Shudder CA)

 

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 .

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Tera Patrick at Exxxotica NJ 2018

The beautiful and legendary Tera Patrick was present at this year's Exxxotica NJ, at the Bad Dragon booth, to meet and greet and her fans. As always, she is such a pleasure to see and catch up with. Aside from being one of the world's most beautiful women, Tera is always down to earth and a sweetheart.

This time, on top of her 8x10s, she was also selling a comic-book: Lucky No. 2: Dope Men. It was a Special Edition Variant Cover by J. Liswed, that has Tera, herself on it (below). Published by Stache Publishing and Grind Studios, the thrilling true crime comic is written by Christian Cipollini, who was also on-hand with her, and illustrated by Yevgeniy Frantsev. It tells the tale of Lucky Luciano and other of the world's original dope men, like Legs Diamond, Frank Castello, Bugsy Siegel, and more.

They both signed the copy that I picked up. Having read the issue, I can say that it is a damn good read. Entertaining and eye-opening to those curious about the mafia's early days in the drug business. Fans of true crime, especially those interested in organized crime, should most definitely take heed!

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