Tag: Horror

It is Never Safe or Good to Enter “The Void,” A Movie Review

The Void

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Mild Spoiler Alert

Nearly everything I ever wanted to see in an H.P. Lovecraft inspired film can be seen filling The Void. This indie Canadian horror movie made its world premiere in 2016 at Fantastic Fest, and six months later (set to release April 7th), it is getting limited theatrical distribution in the United States (showtimes can be found on Screen Media films website) and is now available worldwide via VOD on outlets like iTunes.

This movie produced by Casey Walker (A Little Bit Zombie, one of many people involved) and written/directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie (who are also part of the maverick horror company Astron-6) show several heads are better than one to create a movie about cults on the loose and serving a greater cosmic force — or they have watched one too many Re-animator movies. I see a bit of Clive Barker influence with their editing style and visual direction (their use of real prosthetics is to be commended) for this film. When it comes to crafting a tale involving surviving a night at a ward, perhaps the familiar idea of taking the fight to a hospital from Hellraiser II is not needed. Technically, these filmmakers are paying homage to the horror movies they loved from their childhood (the 80’s), like John Carpenter’s The Thing, but sometimes I wonder if coming up with a new idea is even possible these days without conjuring up recollections of past products.

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[Victoria Film Festival 2017] Redefining the Ghost Story with Personal Shopper

mediaBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

This movie will get a wider release in the USA on March 10.

To delicately write and direct a ghost story often means understanding the underlying aspects of what makes this sub genre a delight to watch, if not read. Most stories are focused on an individual feeling isolated instead of terrorized and in some cases, the protagonist feels like a great weight is upon him or her. To be free means all of that is lifted.

The appeal of Olivier Assayas’ movie, Personal Shopper, is in how this subject is gently explored. He does a great job of making a film that is more of a thriller than a Woman in Black style spookfest. The heroine in this story, Maureen Cartwright (Kristen Stewart), does not like her job of being a fashion barista for celebrity-model Kyra (Nora Von Waldstätten) whom she rarely sees and fortunately (or not) she has a side job of being a medium. She can sense dead people and perhaps help them move on. But when she has her own dead weight of dealing with the death of her twin brother is more gifted, just what she’s looking for is actually closure. She is waiting for a sign from him.

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[Victoria Film Festival 2017] Beware the Girl With All The Gifts & What That Brings …

mv5bmjq0nza4ndcxm15bml5banbnxkftztgwmtk1njuzote-_v1_uy1200_cr9206301200_al_Plays Feb 10, 9pm
Cineplex Silvercity Tillicum
Victoria, BC

Please check local film festival listings for a screening near you.

* Spoiler Alert

In the movie The Girl With All The Gifts (GWatG), Professor Helen Justineau (Gemma Arterton) and Doctor Caroline Caldwell (Glenn Close) represents opposite sides of a belief in how to deal with a fungal outbreak turning humanity into mindless creatures. They are the walking dead and they are not the traditional kind of zombie Voodoo practitioners would expect. When they are born as children, they seem normal, but as they age, their behaviour and cognitive ability changes. These two academics have to interact with them in order to find a solution to save the world.

Instead, they are at odds with one another. It’s a battle of philosophies between the educator taking on one approach and the doctor who simply wants to cut them up. This film is a nail-biting look which looks at the inevitable. The big question is whether or not these children are indeed children.

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Putting Together “The Hollow Child” — An Interview with Jeremy Lutter and Ben Rollo

When the supernatural is involved, anything can be found in the wilds of British Columbia, where The Hollow Child was filmed. Just what terror is involved, well….

Jeremy Lutter and Ben Rollo behind the scenes of The Hollow Child
(left) Jeremy Lutter (right) Ben Rollo

Plays
Feb 9, 9:00pm and Feb 11, 4:00pm

Silvercity
3130 Tillicum Rd.
Victoria, BC

The supernatural world of malevolent entities is never far in “The Hollow Child.” It’s in the woods and the neighbourhood — a concept director Jeremy Lutter and writer Ben Rollo effectively convey in their debut feature film premiering at the 2017 Victoria Film Festival, which starts today.

One of the telling visuals is how Lutter wanted the woods to appear outside of every window of the abode. Living by the forest can sometimes create a certain air of unease, especially if it’s everywhere. You never know what can thunder out. This danger is effervescent in “The Witch” (2016) and it may have inspired these two when making this work. Instead, in conversation, Lutter mused about the possibility of Rollo having his own dealings with those spirits since he lived by the woods. Part of the experiences seen in this film might be considered autobiographical.

“When living in the West Coast of Canada, it made sense to make the woods scary and have the story focus on the wild vs civilization,” said Lutter.

When the supernatural is involved, anything can be found in the wilds of British Columbia and this movie was filmed here. This province is well-known for its Bigfoot legends than fears over the ‘wee folks, namely gnomes or fairies from European tradition — to which this film takes inspiration from. With this movie, there’s a certain type of ‘tree-folk’ known to cause problems and, according to these filmmakers, the sleepy township is sort of aware of but does not talk about, which adds to this film’s ominous tone.

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The Call of Charlie is a Fun, H.P. Lovecraft Inspired Short

The Call of Charlie is a wonderfully whimsical short film written by Nick Spooner (who also directs), Guy Benoit and John Simpson who brings the scares in a different kind of way.

mv5bn2rkzdc2ztetotq0ys00ndk3lwfhndqtmzy4zdy3zjg1zwyyxkeyxkfqcgdeqxvymti1njcwotk-_v1_uy268_cr90182268_al_By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Disclaimer: a preview was provided by the director.

You never know where to find cultists from the Esoteric Order of Dagon (ala H.P. Lovecraft). The Call of Charlie is a wonderfully whimsical short film written by Nick Spooner (who also directs), Guy Benoit and John Simpson who brings the scares in a different kind of way. Why fight it when you can embrace it? This short film is making its rounds at select horror film festivals and comic conventions around the world. A schedule can be found on this film’s Facebook page.

Although never explicitly said, I’m guessing Mark (Harry Sinclair) and Diane (Brooke Smith) are from that cult. They seem like everyday folks who invited a friend, Charlie (Sven Holmberg), from work to dinner — or so they say. They are setting him up on a blind date. But when old friends Jay (Evan Arnold) and Virginia (Roberta Valderrama), unexpectedly show up, the night is going to hell in a hand basket in a downright hilarious way!

The scares are jovial in nature and the gore is handled with simple off-camera shots to convey a sense of you must not look lest you lose your mind. Jay is the only character who shows signs of wavering sanity as the evening can only go one way. Arnold conveys a charm to show he’s the only character who realizes what’s going on. The hosts handle the “threat” well, and they act like this occurrence is not above the norm. When you’re a cultist honoring an Elder God at home, common courtesy is a must!

5 Shoggoths out of 5

The Call of Charlie Trailer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J-fFbWeOp8%5D

Dark Horse Comics, Ed’s Picks of Winter 2017 (Dec/Jan)

Dark Horse Logo

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Rounding out the last few months of Dark Horse Comics goodness was not too tough. There were plenty of titles to pick from, and I settled for a mix of pulp action, movie tie-in and heroism with this company’s flagship captain. Yes, I smell Hellboy in the air and I’m excited to hear that talks are happening again to see if a third movie will indeed get made.

My picks for the winter season includes the following, and there’s only one bare skinned hero who can protect me from Jack Frost!

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Conan Omnibus Volume 1:
Birth of the Legend
Dec 7

Do not make the same mistake as I did and think that buying these omnibus collections later. Although what I sought out can be found in smaller trade paperback collections, to have them all, especially Conan’s earliest adventures in one great volume will have me ordering it locally! The Birth of a Legend contains the works of Kurt Busiek and Cary Nord, with tales such as Born on the Battlefield, The Frost Giant’s Daughter, The God in the Bowl and much more!

Also featured are the material by Thomas Yeates and Greg Ruth, with colours by Dave Stewart!

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