Thursday, August 31, 2017

The Overlook Hour Guest Profile: Bill Watterson (Dave Made A Maze)


We ring in this last Thursday of August with the 54th episode of The Overlook Hour, where the main feature being discussed is Dave Made A Maze, a film we've both talked about and reviewed. But this time, the guys are joined by the director/ co-writer, Bill Watterson.


Bill has an extensive list of acting roles listed on IMDB, but with Dave made A Maze, he's moved into the director's chair and collaborated with a lot of people to get the film funded and made. And now, he joins the Overlook Hour's hosts to lovingly dissect his film and discuss everything from the film's sympathetic characters to how the hell they were able to pull off the style the whole way though. You guys can also check out what the creatures thought of the film in our review.

And get screening dates, still, and more info about Dave Made A Maze at DaveMadeAMaze.com!


But before that, the guys go around the table to discuss each creature's overlooked movie for  the week. KillDozer kicks things off with bargain bin gem Man's Best Friend, Lord Battle chimes in with low-budget indie Charlotte: The Doll Behind the Horror, and Clark joins randy to talk about the newly released Gook.



-Huntress

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Bluray Tuesday: Featuring The Lion King, My Cousin Rachel & Amsterdamed

August 29th 2017


The last Bluray Tuesday of August is here and it's a light one. Disney re releases from the Disney vault The Lion King. The Lion King has been one of my favorites since I was a kid and will be a part of the Disney signature collection line. Best Buy will be carrying an exclusive steelbook packaging and Target's exclusive is a storybook edition. Mystery thriller My Cousin Rachel hits shelves today as well. This film looks pretty interesting and is probably twisted so definitely one on my list to check out. Amsterdamed is an 80's horror mystery that arrives for the first time on bluray from Blue Underground. Amsterdamed is one I have never heard of but the more I look into it there more I wanna check it out. Another 80's horror film hits retailers today from Scream Factory, Viscous Lips. It sounds pretty cool as well. If you are a fan of films like The Hand That Rocks The Cradle then Inconceivable, starring Nicolas Cage, may be right up your alley. Baywatch got rebooted this year with The Rock and Zac Effron and hits shelves today. Exclusively at Target is a steelbook packaging and the Best Buy exclusive has a bonus disc with even more bonus features. Rounding out this week is straight to DVD and Bluray sequels to The Lion King, a few TV series to get you caught up for fall season and the 30th DC animated film Batman & Harley Quinn. So what will you buy, rent or just skip this week? Let us know in the comments. Until next week!

The Lion King: Best Buy - $19.99

This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Zoe Leader), the heir of his father, Mufasa (Ernie Sabella). Simba's wicked uncle, Scar (Rowan Atkinson), plots to usurp Mufasa's throne by luring father and son into a stampede of wildebeests. But Simba escapes, and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult (Jeremy Irons) to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Pumbaa (Cheech Marin).

The Lion King (Blu-ray) 

Steelbook: Best Buy - $24.99
The Lion King (Blu-ray) 

Digibook: Target - $24.99
The Lion King (Blu-ray)
Temporary cover art 

My Cousin Rachel: Amazon - $19.99

A young Englishman plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.
 
My Cousin Rachel (Blu-ray) 

Amsterdamed (1988): Amazon - $24.99

A mysterious diver hiding in Amsterdam's canal system embarks on a rampage of gruesome murders, terrifying city officials and leaving few clues for the city's best detective, who doesn't suspect that both his new girlfriend and twelve-year-old daughter may be closer than he is to finding the killer.

Amsterdamned (Blu-ray) 

Safe Inside: Amazon - $29.99

After suffering a nervous breakdown following his mother's suicide, JJ Tyler is spending his first night alone in her house. As the clock ticks away into the night, he begins to suspect he may not be the only thing lurking inside, or is he simply losing his mind?

Safe Inside (Blu-ray) 

Inconceivable: Amazon - $17.99

A mysterious young woman, Katie, and her daughter move to a new town to escape her past and quickly befriends Angela Morgan, a mother of one who longs for a bigger family. As their lives become intricately entwined, Angela and her husband, Brian, invite Katie to live in their guest-house to serve as their nanny. Over time, the blossoming friendship between the two women spirals into a dangerous obsession as Katie becomes overly attached to the Morgans’ daughter. Enduring lies and manipulations, Angela and Brian realize that sweet Katie is actually trying to destroy their family from within.

Inconceivable (Blu-ray) 

Vicious Lips (1986): Amazon - $27.99

A band finally gets the opportunity for that breakthrough gig if they can make it to an "in" club on another planet in time...

Vicious Lips (Blu-ray) 

Baywatch: Amazon - $17.99
 4k: Amazon - $25.99

When a dangerous crime wave hits the beach, the legendary Mitch Buchannon leads his elite squad of lifeguards on a mission to prove that you don't have to wear a badge to save the bay. Joined by a trio of hotshot recruits, including former Olympian Matt Brody, they ditch the surf and go deep under cover to take down a ruthless businesswoman whose devious plans threaten the future of the bay.

Baywatch (Blu-ray) 

Baywatch 4K (Blu-ray) 

Bonus Disc: Best Buy - $17.99
Baywatch (Blu-ray)
Temporary cover art 

Steelbook: Target - $19.99
Baywatch (Blu-ray) 

Batman & Harley Quinn: Amazon - $17.99
4k: Amazon - $29.99
Figurine Giftset: Amazon - $24.99

Batman and Nightwing join with the Joker's ex, Harley Quinn, to stop a global threat brought about by Poison Ivy and Jason Woodrue, the Plant-Master.

Batman and Harley Quinn (Blu-ray) 

Batman and Harley Quinn 4K (Blu-ray) 

Batman and Harley Quinn (Blu-ray) 

Giftset & Graphic Novel: Best Buy - $29.99
Batman and Harley Quinn (Blu-ray) 

The Lion King 1.5: Best Buy - $24.99

Anyone who has wondered how odd couple Timon and Pumbaa met will find out here, beginning with Timon's flight from home following disgrace and his chance encounter with the sweet but lonely Pumbaa.

The Lion King 1½ (Blu-ray) 

The Lion King 2 Simba's Pride: Best Buy - $19.99

Experience the power of "Upendi" - which means "love" - as Kiara, Simba's strong-willed daughter, seeks adventure away from her father's watchful gaze. Timon and Pumbaa can do only so much to protect her, especially when she encounters an intriguing rival, Kovu, a cub who is being groomed to lead Scar's pride. As Kiara and Kovu search for their proper places in the great "Circle of Life," they discover that it may be their destiny to reunite their prides and bring peace to the Pride Lands.

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (Blu-ray) 

Time Bomb (1991): Amazon - $19.99

Michael Biehn stars in this exhilarating story of a man who consults a psychiatrist (Patsy Kensit) for help after he begins suffering an unrelenting series of terrifying flashbacks.

Timebomb (Blu-ray)  

Black Sails (Season 4): Amazon - $34.99 

A prequel to the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel "Treasure Island," "Black Sails" is a pirate adventure that centers on the tales of Captain Flint, who has a reputation throughout the West Indies as being the most brilliant, most feared of all the Golden Age pirates. It's 1715, and as Flint fights for the survival of New Providence Island -- a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers -- in the wake of threats from British and Spanish forces, he aligns himself with Eleanor Guthrie, daughter of the local kingpin, to hunt the ultimate prize and ensure his people's survival. But standing in the way are rival captains, Eleanor's intrusive father, and perhaps the bigger obstacle of all: John Silver, a young, fast-talking, authority-flouting sailor recently added to Flint's crew.

Black Sails: The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray) 

Gotham (Season 3): Amazon - $39.99

Everyone knows the name Commissioner Gordon. He is one of the crime world's greatest foes, a man whose reputation is synonymous with law and order. But what is known of Gordon's story and his rise from rookie detective to Police Commissioner? What did it take to navigate the multiple layers of corruption that secretly ruled Gotham City, the spawning ground of the world's most iconic villains? And what circumstances created them – the larger-than-life personas who would become Catwoman, The Penguin, The Riddler, Two-Face and The Joker?

Gotham: The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray) 

Star Wars Rebels (Season 3): Best Buy - $34.99

This animated TV series is set in time somewhere between the events of Episode III (Revenge of the Sith) and Episode IV (A New Hope) and follows a group of ragtag but incredibly brave rebels as they watch with horror while the Empire increases its control of the galaxy. The rebels must band together to resist the Empire's vicious plan to hunt down and wipe out the last of the Jedi Knights. The series follows the adventures and tribulations of a scrappy rebel star ship as they use their wits and ingenuity to outwit the far more powerful Empire.
 
Star Wars Rebels: Complete Season Three (Blu-ray) 


 - The Impostor

Monday, August 28, 2017

Screenings in the Bay (Monday to Friday): Nightmares in a Damaged Brain, Lily, Benny's Video


Hey guys, hope your week started off smoothly. Or at least smoother than mine... 😅 This is a pretty late post for me, but I wanted to make extra sure I didn't leave anything out. We've got a lot of great curated screenings, some weird double features, and several very dark films. And unfortunately there's quite a bit of overlap, so we have some choices to make...
Let's take a look!


Terror Tuesday

Tuesday 29th @ 9:45pm (1hr 37min)
Slasher/ Mystery (Google)
A drug-treated schizophrenic (Baird Stafford) plagued by horrible nightmares escapes from the hospital and goes on a killing spree.


Weird Wednesday

Wednesday 30th @ 10:15pm (1hr 28min)
Adventure/ Crime/ Drama (IMDB)
Two BMX expert bikers and a friend of theirs (Kidman) become entangled with a group of bank robbers after discovering a carton of walkie-talkies.



Super Shangri-La Show Presents


Wednesday 30th @ 7:30pm (1hr 40min)
Action/ Fantasy (Google)

The two-fisted adventurer assembles his team of specialists to locate the man who murdered his father.

-with-


Wednesday 30th @ 9:15pm (28min)
Adventure (IMDB)
A figure flashes through the trees, swinging on a vine. One glimpse of the long blonde mane and the golden skin tells you - it's not Tarzan - it's the beautiful queen of the Kenyan jungle, the legendary Sheena. An orphan raised by wild animals, she commands the respect of the local tribesmen and of her friend, safari guide Bob Rayburn. Statuesque beauty Irish McCalla is perfectly cast as the leopard-skin clad heroine, who was based on a popular comic strip character of the same name. 



Double Feature

Wednesday 30th @ 7pm (1hr 35min)
International/ Comedy/ Drama/ Horror (Rotten Tomatoes)
Man Bites Dog is a Belgian faux-documentary and high-concept satire of media violence which follows the lethal exploits of Benoit Benoit Poelvoorde, an affable, and very talkative, serial killer. He kills for money, and he kills for pleasure, and he talks all the while about philosophy and the proper technique for weighing a corpse down underwater. He is followed through his slaughter-fest by the filmmakers, Rémy and André (the actual filmmakers, Rémy Belvaux and André Bonzel), and the line between reporter and subject becomes blurred pretty quickly. The filmmakers become more and more involved in Benoit's actions, starting with the relatively innocent act of holding a flashlight for him. Eventually, when their funding runs out, Benoit hires them to continue making the film, and soon they are accomplices in a gang rape. While this film has the subtlety of a sledgehammer, its message rings true: the media tend to become part of the stories they report upon as surely as a physicist changes a wave by looking at it.
-with-


Wednesday 30th @ 9:45 (1hr 45min)
International/ Drama/ Horror (Rotten Tomatoes)
For 14-year-old Benny, anything recorded on videotape is inherently better and more real than what he can see with his naked eyes. He is barely noticed by his professional parents and spends most of his time either viewing wild and violent films or looking at the view outside his window through his video camera. One day, on a whim, he invites a girl to his house and coolly murders her while his video camera is rolling. Then he hides the body temporarily in his closet and goes off to a party. The calm and unexcited way his parents discuss the situation when he explains it to him, using his video film to demonstrate, makes it clear that his own psychopathology has a long background in that of his parents.



New Filipino Cinema


Thursday 31st @ 7:30pm (1hr 30min)
Horror (IMDB)
A group of deacons are undergoing their final trial before ordination: a week isolated from the rest of the world, confronted by the demons that still haunt them. The story builds around the kind of religious imagery familiar to anyone who’s been to the Philippines, subverting those aesthetics in service of an exploration of how corruption clings to even the most repentant souls.



Friday 1st @ 5:30pm (1hr 50min)
Horror/ Fantasy
The film imagines a backstory for this witch, casting her as a woman betrayed by the man she loves, left to die while he flees for a better life in Manila. This story is filtered through an avant-garde lens that unravels the various imbalances in Filipino society, whether between man and woman, rich and poor, Christian and not. Lily is strange and haunting, yet speaks with an authentic, confident voice.



VOD Releases


VOD Friday 1st (1hr 25min)
Horror (Rotten Tomatoes)
A young man, Justin Powell, is held up at gunpoint by two ski-masked men and dragged back to a secluded cabin. This isn't a standard kidnapping, as Justin's estranged family is at the cabin waiting for him. Composed of Justin's father Andrew, mother Kathy, brother Campbell and former girlfriend Samantha (who has recently given birth to their child), Justin's family is dedicated to freeing him from the brainwashing he's undergone at the hands of a vicious cult. With the help of Jimmy Levine, an experienced cult deprogrammer, the family does their best to bring Justin back to reality. Everything goes awry when the cult (a murderous gang of masked men and women known as the Jackals) descends upon the cabin, demanding Justin back. A vicious battle unfolds, testing familial loyalties and unleashing a bloodbath in which there are few survivors.



VOD Friday 1st(1hr 31min)
Horror/ Suspense (Rotten Tomatoes)
Two estranged sisters are forced to rob a bank in order to save their brother. The heist begins smoothly, but mayhem ensues when the defiant bank manager sends them to a basement-level vault-home to something truly evil.


-Huntress

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Sunday Insider: Terror Tuesday Tribute to George A. Romero in October


Earlier this year, we lost an icon in the horror community, father of the zombie genre, George Romero. And this October the Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco will be paying their respects with a month of Romero flavored Terror Tuesdays.


The movies are listed in the order they will screen in but the times have yet to be announced. And the Alamo has been known to occasionally move dates and times of some movies but only as a final resort. These films will all be screening in 35mm and the eldest of the lineup, the one that started it all, will be premiering a new restoration. The lineup also includes a rare screening of Martin, which you aren't likely to see in theatres again any time soon. 



Season of the Witch (1972)
Tuesday October 3rd
Horror/ Drama
Frustrated with her uncommunicative husband and distant daughter, a suburban housewife seeks solace in witchcraft.



The Crazies (2010)
Tuesday October 10th
Drama/ Horror/ Sci-Fi
David Dutten is sheriff of Ogden Marsh, a picture-perfect American. But one night, one of them comes to a school baseball game with a loaded shotgun, ready to kill. Another man burns down his own house, after locking his wife and young son in a closet inside. Something is infecting the citizens of Ogden Marsh -- with insanity. In an effort to keep the madness contained, the government uses deadly force to close off all access and won't let anyone in or out -- even those uninfected. The few still sane find themselves trapped: Forced to band together, an ordinary night becomes a horrifying struggle for survival as they do their best to get out of town alive.


Rare Screening


Martin (1977)
Tuesday October 17th
Drama/ Horror
One of horror filmmaker George Romero's many "small" 1970s films, Martin was fortunate enough to foster a cult following that has enabled it to take its proper place as a minor classic. 17-year-old Martin (John Amplas) has convinced himself that he's actually an aged vampire. Since he has no fangs, Martin must resort to razor blades to draw blood. A regular caller to a local radio talk show, Martin is encouraged by the ratings-conscious host to persist in his vampiric behavior. Despite his random bloodletting, no one takes Martin too seriously except his grandfather Lincoln Maazel, who knows all too well that a vampire curse has befallen the boy. As is the case with all of Romero's films, Martin is best enjoyed on an empty stomach.


West Coast Premier of the Criterion Restoration


Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Tuesday October 24th
Horror
There is panic throughout the nation as the dead suddenly come back to life. The film follows a group of characters who barricade themselves in an old farmhouse in an attempt to remain safe from these flesh eating monsters.



Day of the Dead (1985)
Tuesday October 31st
Horror
Flesh-eating zombies close in on a handful of soldiers and scientists holed up in an underground bunker. Final chapter of Romero's trilogy.



-Huntress

Saturday, August 26, 2017

The Overlook Theatre Reviews: The Blackwell Ghost

5 of  5 viewers "Liked" "The Blackwell Ghost" (2017, USA)
Here's what the creatures had to say:

Huntress - "The Blackwell Ghost was recommended to me with the disclaimer that it might actually be real, which the short run time kind of supported. But either way, I was really excited to watch it. It had a really good setup and wasn’t over the top in any aspect. Several scenes caused the entire audience to hold their breath amid tension so thick that Dabbles almost peed again. At the end of the film, I was left with several questions which means there is room for theory and discussion, and that is a crucial aspect to the longevity of a film." - 4 Stars

Math Mage
 - "Creepy not quite found footage film. A bare-bones kinda lame setup but good execution. Chekov would be annoyed that his pliers weren't used." - 3 Stars

Lord Battle - "One of the most authentic faux-docs I've ever seen. Now I'm assuming it's fake here but I should point out there is some debate over the subject. But the most shocking part of The Blackwell Ghost is how our characters fly a private plane to their investigation location! The Blackwell Ghost also seems to have solved the problem with terrible 3rd acts in paranormal films by simple removing it. Yes, this film has a much appreciated run-time of 59 minutes. The only real issue I have with the film is its horrendous cover art! Found footage fans, do yourselves a favor and check this one out." - 4 Stars

Dabbles - "Why more ghosts? I admit the film was well done and it played really well to a lot of the ghost tropes like things you would read on the internet. My anxiety yet again. I hate ghosts and ghost stories. Well done though." - 3 Stars

Wandering Panda - "A very good watch! I found this movie very intriguing and easy to relate to the filmmaker. Good run-time." - 3 Stars



The Overlook Theatre Final Rating*
(Below is for after you've seen the film)


What makes a good found footage movie? Is it how well the film blurs the lines of fiction and non-fiction storytelling? Or how the audience knowingly enters with a certainty and yet curiosity of the protagonists demise in mind? Or even how the filmmakers play in the parameters of the found footage sub-genre?

Honestly that wasn't a unfair question since no one can figure out just what makes a "good" found footage film but I assure you that all three of those topics are crucial to how valuable a found footage film is to a hunter of the subgenre and The Blackwell Ghost has a unique take on all 3. Starting with blurring the lines of reality, The Blackwell Ghost seems to be under some debate and rather than jump into that here I'll put a link to an article written beautifully by Waylon Jordan on the topic at iHorror.com

I like to think that a found footage audience enters into a type of contract with the film stating that they understand the filmmakers will die and they've come to see why and how. Now since you're reading this I can assume you've watch The Blackwell Ghost and know that no one dies in the film. I know a couple of creatures that frequent the Overlook who would be very upset with this discovery but I however wasn't. I think the fact that a demon didn't arise strengthened this film immensely and allowed viewers to walk away questioning if what they saw was real. I mean a ghost turning water faucet turning on seems dumb when you're a step removed but to think of that really happening is quite unnerving. I also think this choice (assuming it's not real) that has become more popular in the found footage horror culture. And success from films like The Tunnel and What We Do In The Shadows have definitely pushed for the increased use of the phrase "Faux-doc".

We may never really know what the perfect equation for a found footage film is but randomly coming across indies like The Blackwell Ghost will continue to give us insight on the internal and external points of the sub-genre. And I think it's safe to say that if you leave a found footage horror film questioning if it's real or not, they've succeeded.


- Lord Battle

The Overlook Theatre materialized in a residence for a screening on 8/24/2017
*Based on the star ratings turned in by character reviewers, others viewed and got to "Dislike" or "Like" but that does not affect the rating.