Theatrical - Page 56

POLITE SOCIETY reminded me of how unique stories told from diverse viewpoints can be. I love when a story is told that could only be told with a cultural context that is never overly explained, trusting audiences to be open to tropes and themes that may not always be present in one society alone.…

Nihilism has a new spokesman in Ari Aster. The writer/director who brought us HEREDITARY and MIDSOMMAR has now unveiled a piece of what feels like his soul in the bizarre, mind-numbing, and relentlessly unpredictable BEAU IS AFRAID. Aster’s work has fed into what has become known as “elevated horror,” while BEAU may not seem like a horror film on the surface, its combination of dark humor and horrific circumstances ties it neatly to the genre. The film is challenging to…

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 40 years since the release of Sam Raimi’s iconic classic EVIL DEAD. Yet, its immeasurable contribution to the horror genre continues to influence to this day. The film (and its sequels: EVIL DEAD 2, ARMY OF DARKNESS, and the acclaimed television series that none of us really deserved) combined horrific, graphic visuals with an obscure wit, creating an element of fun that would become a definitive Raimi trademark. In today’s horror market, one…

The titular character from Bram Stoker’s classic novel, DRACULA, has allegedly appeared in over 200 films—second only to Sherlock Holmes in literary onscreen portrayals. One particular character from the novel, glossed over again and again and given little explanation nor much of an arc, is Dracula’s maniacal henchman, Mr. R. M. Renfield. This man is scarcely explored even in the source novel. It’s about time he received his own redemption story. RENFIELD, directed by Chris McKay (THE TOMORROW WAR, THE…