Horror Report

Tag: horror

  • 28 zombie genitals later

    28 zombie genitals later

    Fans of the zombie genre—you’ve been patient. You waited what feels like 28 years for this follow-up to Danny Boyle’s iconic 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. And now, finally, 28 Years Later is here… with more controversy, bigger (literally) zombies, and a lot of very mixed feelings.

    Let’s talk about the elephant—or should I say appendage—in the room. Social media lit up after the early screenings, not with praise, but with memes, gasps, and raised eyebrows. Why? Giant zombie genitals. Yep. Not exactly the cinematic moment fans were expecting.

    While the critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film some love, the audience reviews are far less forgiving. Some say the trailer was better than the movie itself. Others questioned whether this franchise still has bite in a post-Walking Dead world, where zombie fatigue is very, very real.

    Still, 28 Years Later managed to pull in $30 million over its opening weekend, which isn’t bad for horror—but it’s worth noting that it front-loaded heavy with diehards on Thursday previews, then dropped off. Compare that to How to Train Your Dragon, which took $37 million and proved that dragons (at least this week) are hotter than the undead.

    Box office stats show the strongest numbers came from the East Coast, West Coast, and South Central U.S., with AMC Burbank leading the pack at $97,000 through Saturday. Demographics? 49% of the audience were men over 25, and 46% were Caucasian, followed by Latino/Hispanic (25%), Black (12%), and Asian American (10%).

    There’s also chatter about the ending—some calling it bold, others calling it baffling. Either way, 28 Years Later has stirred up more discussion than devotion. And while $30 million is a solid haul, don’t be surprised if it takes a steep dive as the weeks go on.

    So, was it worth the wait? That might depend on how much you like your zombies… anatomically enhanced.

  • WEAPONS: The Creepy, Viral Promo That’s Got People Freaked Out

    WEAPONS: The Creepy, Viral Promo That’s Got People Freaked Out

    Warner Bros. is going full creepy-viral to promote Weapons — the upcoming child-horror flick from Barbarian writer-director Zack Cregger. The latest move? An unlisted two-hour surveillance-style video that shows kids running through the night. That’s it. Two straight hours of eerie night vision footage — mostly silent, occasionally disturbing, all deeply unsettling.

    The official poster sets the tone perfectly:
    “Last night at 2:17 a.m., every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark… and never came back.”

    A few of the comments on the video are fun.. A sampling of our favorites:

    in the 1980s we would call this “normal”
    “Kids are gonna start doing this at night, running down the streets with their arms open and dangling”
    “Ok guys. This is the whole movie. Dont waste your money.”
    “E V I L….welcome to Holly Wood”

    Weapons stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, June Diane Raphael, Toby Huss, and Benedict Wong — a solid cast, but let’s be honest, the internet can’t stop talking about that video. It’s already disturbing viewers, with some thinking — at first glance — that it might be actual found footage or worse. It’s not. It’s modern horror marketing, devolved and digitized for maximum effect. And it works. Two hours of children screaming, vanishing, and disappearing into the dark. Nothing concrete, just vibes. Bad ones.

    Here is the official trailer:

    This might be the most highly anticipated horror release of the summer. The trailer itself? Looks phenomenal. A seemingly mundane setup — high schoolers disappearing on a random Wednesday — but that’s what makes it even more terrifying. I’ve always found that the best horror comes from that sudden rupture of normalcy. The ordinary turning otherworldly. The safe spaces suddenly unsafe.

    Horror fans, rejoice. The rest of the world? They’re recoiling at this ad campaign — and that’s probably exactly the point. Love it or hate it, Weapons has everyone talking. Mission accomplished.

  • Update on Crystal Lake production

    Update on Crystal Lake production

    Brad Caleb Kane just posted a photo on Instagram showing a production draft script for Crystal Lake — and he announced that the production offices are officially open for business!

    The script he shared was written by Kane himself, based on characters created by Friday the 13th (1980) writer Victor Miller. The copyright is registered to “Camp Blood LLC,” which pretty much confirms that pre-production is underway and things are starting to move.

    Also, Linda Cardellini has signed on to play Mrs. Voorhees for A24 and Peacock’s Crystal Lake. She’s described as “a mother who gave up a singing career to raise her special needs son, only to take a dark turn after losing him.” And that son, of course, is Jason Voorhees.

  • Trailer for FINAL DESTINATIONS BLOODLINES is the ‘2nd most watched of all time’

    Trailer for FINAL DESTINATIONS BLOODLINES is the ‘2nd most watched of all time’

    A bit of PR is coming from studios about the newest inclusion of yet another FINAL DESTINATION film into the ranks of horror history..

    New Line is bragging up the potential popularity of the film ..

    In the first 24-hours of release, the trailer traffic is the second best for any horror movie at 178.7M worldwide views behind New Line’s own It which had near 200M global views. 

    It is gaining on PENNYWISE and may surpass it..

    We will help by linking it here:

  • Amanda Seyfried says that marketing ruined Jennifer’s Body

    Amanda Seyfried says that marketing ruined Jennifer’s Body

    “I can’t critique this movie, to me it’s perfect. It’s got balls. [Screenwriter] Diablo Cody was outspoken and beautiful and smart and funny,” she said. “We were expressing a certain angst in a very specific, comedic way in a very specific genre. The special effects were so incredible, there were stunts, there was everything you could want.”

    Though “Jennifer’s Body” has since found an audience as a subversive feminist cult classic, the film flopped on initial release, which Seyfried chalks up to poor marketing. “If the critics criticize anything, it would be the marketing,” she said. “The marketing sucked, it just did. And we all agree.”

  • I just saw a PRECENSE, so you don’t have to– but actually you should too

    I just saw a PRECENSE, so you don’t have to– but actually you should too

    It’s been quite a while since I did a movie review, so here goes nothing!

    I just finished watching Presence, the David Soderbergh film starring Lucy Liu.

    Before heading into the theater, I, like many others, had a general idea of what to expect—a ghost story, but not your typical one. Instead, it’s a story told through the eyes of the ghost, offering a fresh and unique perspective.

    For a modern ghost story, it’s surprisingly creative. The last time something remotely similar was done was probably in the early 2000s with Nicole Kidman’s The Others. However, this film is vastly different. It stands apart with its stark tone and emotional depth. In fact, I believe many of the reviews I’ve read don’t do justice to what this movie offers.

    x x x

    Without giving away spoilers, I’ll just share this: the experience of watching the film in an empty theater added to the creepiness for me. I went alone, expecting a few other moviegoers, but since it was an afternoon showing, the theater was dark and empty. The occasional theater staff peeking in added to the eerie vibe, as if even they were surprised to find someone watching.

    Now, about the film itself: Soderbergh invites us to see life—or rather, death—through the ghost’s perspective. We witness a troubled family with clear signs of sibling rivalry, teenagers dealing with the pressures of peer influence and drugs, and, overarching it all, the theme of death. The antagonist is genuinely dreadful; you despise him. And by the end, in a dramatic twist, he gets his just deserts—though not without deep, dark, unintended consequences for the family.

    What struck me the most was the emotional impact of the film. None of the reviews I read beforehand prepared me for the depth of feeling it evoked. The last 10 minutes were utterly draining, and in the final moments, I sat alone in that dark theater, almost weeping. The intensity of the family’s struggles, the chilling implications of the story, and even the haunting nature of the 100-year-old mirrors left me shaken.

    This movie isn’t boring, contrary to what some critics have said. It’s also nothing like Skinamarink, as some comparisons suggested. This film has dialogue, music, and a narrative style that’s far more engaging. It’s beautifully shot and masterful in its dialogue. While some might argue the human interactions weren’t as creative, I’d disagree. I left the theater deeply moved.

    While there aren’t many jump scares, this film doesn’t rely on cheap tricks. Instead, it reaches into your soul and leaves a lasting impression. There’s something profound and meaningful about it. Even if it’s not to everyone’s taste, I urge you to ignore the critics who call it boring and give it a try. Perhaps you’ll leave the theater as I did, emotionally shaken yet strangely grateful for the experience.

  • Today’s special birthday: NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

    Today’s special birthday: NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

    A little movie about a guy with claws.. Freddy went from villain to 1980s phenom as movie after movie eventually got minced out like sausage in a factory..

    But it all started on November 9 1984 when Wes Craven’s creation took hold as a pop culture icon.

    It also gave is Heather Langenkamp–and Johnny Depp.

    The original A Nightmare on Elm Street, released in 1984, was a groundbreaking slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven. With a modest budget of around $1.8 million, it grossed over $25 million at the U.S. box office, making it a surprise hit. The film not only launched the iconic horror franchise but also helped propel the careers of several key figures. It introduced audiences to Robert Englund as the infamous Freddy Krueger, whose portrayal became legendary. Additionally, it played a significant role in the early careers of actors like Johnny Depp, whose role as Glen earned him his first major film credit, and actress Heather Langenkamp, who starred as the film’s protagonist, Nancy. The success of Nightmare also solidified Wes Craven as a major force in the horror genre.

    But..

    Going back in time, just for fun, we find this little snippet review of the film from the AP that was shared in newspapers across America a the time–and with reviews like this, 40 years of Freddy just should never have happened.

    Happy birthday Fred … no worries about bad reviews anymore.

  • Election 2024: America chooses the clown it secretly loves

    Election 2024: America chooses the clown it secretly loves

    Now we know America still loves clowns, just not the one portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix .. Art the clown took center stage at the box office this weekend and trounced Joker 2.

    And with the news of this small budget box office bonanza, something bigger seems to be happening..  something cultural seems to have shifted.

    The Terrifier movie franchise centers on Art the Clown, a silent but sadistic killer who brutally murders his victims in increasingly horrific ways.

    The first film, Terrifier follows Art as he torments two women on Halloween night, marking his debut as one of modern horror’s most terrifying villains. Terrifier 2 expanded on the lore, exploring more of Art’s supernatural abilities while maintaining the intense gore that became the series’ hallmark.

    Both films are known for their graphic violence, practical effects, and unrelenting brutality, drawing comparisons to classic slasher films while pushing the envelope in terms of shock value.

    The franchise was created by writer and director Damien Leone, who is also known for his work in makeup and special effects. Leone first introduced Art the Clown in a short film titled The 9th Circle eay back in 2008 and later included him in the anthology film All Hallows’ Eve in 2013.

    As a filmmaker with a deep passion for practical effects, Leone’s work on Terrifier showcases his skills in creating disturbing, realistic gore, which has become a defining feature of the series.

    Leone has expressed that he draws inspiration from horror classics like Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street while wanting to push horror into new, more extreme territory.

    Terrifier 3 seemingly took the gore aspect to a much higher level. Just search up the rat scene or chainsaw scene. Choose if you wanted to watch it, but at least read about it. Chances are many of you already saw it at the either’s anyway.

    Joker 2 dropped 82% at the box office Terrifier 3 for being a movie that costs little to nothing to make. It scored almost $20 million.

    Timing is key.

    Perhaps the fact the movie came out October. The weather’s colder and those Halloween decorations are abundant. Or perhaps just maybe something else is going on. It seems to be that there’s a craving out there for gore. Suddenly, it seems that society itself relishes in the macabre. And the dastardly.

    It feels a lot like when the Saw movie franchise started back in the early 2000s. Then, society was overrun with torture and war footage on television. Reality was grosser than fiction, so fiction had to try to outdo it, and it tapped into a pop culture moment in which we as a people shifted into the acceptance of gore due to the acceptance of torture and a war stands in response to terrorism.

    Art the clown then signifies something.. maybe Terrifier 3 is just a blip on the horror radar, or perhaps this movie coming out right before a really painfully divisive election showcases how painfully divided we all are ..

    Art the clown is the instigator .. he’s the killer with no conscience, murdering children at a Christmas decorated mall without mercy. The darkest of crime and inhumanity.

    Is it possible that Art the clown, while maybe not signifying how we all feel WE ACT, certainly signifies how society itself feels.. no remorse, no mercy and just relentless over the top violence to the point of absurdity.

    Or maybe not.

    Terrifier, 3 again could just be that blip .. the moment when moviegoers just said no to the supernatural scares, and they would rather have a blood-soaked and  vomit laden theater to slip and fall in..

    Time will tell, but either way Terrifier 3 has certainly made bloody waves.

  • When marketing horror movies, it’s always best to say that someone vomited it the theater

    When marketing horror movies, it’s always best to say that someone vomited it the theater

    No, really.. We’ve been seeing this for quite some time now. Terrifier 3 is coming out in theaters, and with the run up to the film, a lot of reviews have been talking about how revolting the movie is they’ve been talking about the amount of gore and for native bonus.

    Now, websites and Facebook pages are discussing actively. How many people vomit during the film?

    Fangoria also has a full wrap on the bodily fluid drenched premier of the movie..

    It’s really difficult to prove a negative, so it’s tough to say unless we’re there, whether people really have walked out in disgust, it’s also very difficult to say what the puke count is unless we’re literally in the audience watching people regurgitate while the movie’s playing.

    But it certainly brilliant marketing.

    A lot of movies have done this before Netflix films with headlines of people saying it’s the scariest film they’ve ever seen or other headlines saying people were so disturbed.

    They walked out of theaters. Now, we’re able to find out that people are actively vomiting during the film, perhaps from a flu, the stomach virus, or from the blood and gore in the terrifier..

    Tough to say, I guess unless you vomit from the film, you may never know.

  • LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL earns $666,666 on Palm Sunday

    LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL earns $666,666 on Palm Sunday

    You can’t make it up.. bit all joking aside is this a wee bit too..strange.. for confort?

    The  indie horror film “Late Night With the Devil” opened this weekend across 1,034 venues where it made $2.8 million and ended up in sixth place.

    However our eyebrows are rising now that final numbers are being analyzed .. it has been revealed that the film’s estimated Palm Sunday one-day haul is coming in at $666,666 according to trade paper Variety..

    No joke..

    From Variety:

    On the independent scene, “Late Night With the Devil” took sixth place and summoned $2.8 million from 1,034 venues, including (and you can’t make this up) $666,666 on Sunday. This marks the biggest opening weekend for its distributor IFC Films, overtaking 2022’s “Watcher” with $826,775. The low-budget thriller stars David Dastmalchian as a late-night talk show host who keeps the cameras rolling during a live Satanic incident. 

    “This weekend’s release of ‘Late Night With the Devil’ set fire to our old opening record,” says Scott Shooman, head of AMC Networks Films, which encompasses IFC. “[It] continues to showcase that there is still potential for highly reviewed, intelligent auteur films in movie theaters across all genres.”

    666 for the devil on one of the holiest days of the year.