Thursday, June 30, 2016

The Overlook Theatre Reviews: Nick Simon's The Girl in the Photographs

of 9 viewers "Liked" "The Girl in the Photographs" (USA, 2015)
Here's what the creatures had to say:

The Berkeley Blazer - "Let's get the negative out of the way: the conclusion to this film was utter garbage and accounts for the loss of a full star. Its brilliant use of genre is undercut by the very demands of the genre, and this did not have to happen. That being said, I loved this movie. Each character is strongly embodied and presented by their respective actor in a compelling way. Kal Penn's comic "shallow photographer" character is a perfect example. This delightful, vulgarly pompous cad has some of the best lines in the film. Early on he perceives the aesthete main villains as adversaries not on moral grounds, but as competing artists. This conceit is carried by Penn and comes across as surprisingly organic, and this is true of the entire cast who fulfill their characters perfectly. The overt themes of voyeurism, power, and obsession don't come across as an after thought but rather an intentional theme the creators chose to meditate on, albeit in a thoroughly entertaining manner. I will be watching this movie again for both the hilarious dialog as well as the philosophical subtext; I will simply just have to remember to turn it off about twenty minues before the credits roll." - 4 Stars

KillDozer - "Hearing that this was the last film Wes craven was a part of will obviously peak the interest of any genre fan. Directed by the one of the writers of the amazingly awful The Pyramid, I went into this film both intrigued and frightened by what I might see. I am happy to say that this was a fun horror movie experience. This movie had solid yet obvious social commentary, plenty of dark comedic moments, and a well laid out plot that was not new but still interesting. Fun practical gore and a very real late 90's slasher feel made me feel nostalgic. I had a good time with this film and even though I won't be adding it to my collection I do look forward to sharing the title with friends." - 3 Stars

Speed Demon - "Wasn't expecting a lot of what happened. Actually a lot wasn't really explained either. All in all great film. Cleaver ideas throughout the film made this chilling and entertaining. Not gonna lie, there was one particular kill scene that was extremely intense. Always great to add a little humor throughout a film that focuses on being a slasher. A must watch. Awesome!" - 4 Stars

Book Wyrm -*Spoiler*- "I liked the aesthetics of this movie but at times it felt a little show. I enjoyed the movie, it was suspenseful. I was shocked that everyone actually died. The actors were good and the stalkers were creepy. I want to know what the deal with the big fat guy was though." - 4 Stars

Dabbles - "This slasher has an interesting formula but dragged a little too much. The kills where really good though. The characters helped this movie pull off the effects of the fear/ridiculous clichés. Great cast, great story, script, just the pacing killed me." - 3 Stars

Math Mage - "The most important thing for a slasher film is to make the audience care about the cast. This film succeeds at that." - 4 Stars

The Creature of the ComiCombs -*Spoiler*- "I was a bit unsure about this early on but a great performance by Kal Penn drew me in. There were some good kills in here and a few cringe worthy moments. I can see where people might dock this, as the plot doesn't really open up the way I had hoped and instead goes the way of just killing everyone off. Sometimes things are better left unsaid and I think this movie benefited from leaving some things up to the viewer. Overall this was an enjoyable movie and one I recommend watching." - 4 Stars

Lord Battle
- "A throwback to 90's slashers, The Girl in the Photographs takes pride in punishing a voyeuristic audience. The strong misagynist themes about how women are viewed through a camera ring true in a disturbing manner, creating an interesting tug-o-war between a hipster and a slasher. With Wes Craven as an executive producer and cinematography by Dean Cundy, this film will not be the one you're imagining. Much like both artists respective first films, The Girl in the Photographs will come to gain proper respect in the coming years. So grab your thinking cap and check this one out!" - 4 Stars

Huntress - "The Girl in the Photographs got a couple of interesting things right, things that I never really thought about before. The slasher's mask was awesome, but more importantly, his face was just as creepy. I thought the casting in general was pretty unusual, but I didn't have a single complaint about it in the end. There's no lack of amazing shots in this film, and I definitely want to rewatch it in the future." - 4 Stars 



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

The Girl in the Photographs isn't the easiest film to digest. Between the odd casting, subtle themes, and strange premise, we should all take a chance to rewatch and ponder this work. So instead of trying to write something interesting that's semi-related to the film I've taken 3 questions from an interview BlumHouse.com did with  director, Nick Simon. I think his answers offer some good insight into what we should be paying attention to, as far as themes and metaphors, when re-watching the film.


Blumhouse.com: You had already directed and co-written the movie REMOVAL with Osgood Perkins. So what were the origins of THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS? Was this an idea you’d been thinking of for a while? Or just something that came together rather quickly?

Nick Simon: Oz and I started writing this right after REMOVAL. The idea came from just driving round Silverlake and seeing all the American Apparel ads everywhere and thinking it’d be interesting to do something that involved photography and something that was a throw-back “slasher,” if the girls in those billboards were actually terrified looking back at you. We started working on this script in 2009 and wrote back and forth.

Blumhouse.com: When you were working on this story, were there any specific influences you guys were pulling from? Because it’s a weird hybrid of a modern “slasher,” and yet it feels like a home invasion horror, even though that’s not what this is at all. What were some of the things you and your co-writers were talking about in terms of tone?

Nick Simon: I think we always wanted to tonally be a cross between HALLOWEEN and THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Where all these characters and their backgrounds were based in a real situation, but also have it be an homage & similar vibe to the earlier “slasher “ films that we loved, like HALLOWEEN. Those are the movies that made me want to make films! We wanted to come up with a current story that reflected now. We touched on the photography element of it, and the idea of objectification and trying to keep that theme all the way through, in particular the objectification of woman in advertising. The way you perceive models, and also the idea of the woman that works at Starbucks and has to deal with this creepy guy every single day who has built in his head this relationship they have that she has no idea about. He goes in every day and talks to her and sees their relationship as something more. I’ve seen it happen. I used to work at a Suncoast video for 5 years back in the 90’s and there were a few creepy guys that would come in specifically when this one girl would work. I don’t know how they figured out her schedule! But they’d stay there for a little longer than was appropriate.

Blumhouse.com: Let’s talk about the “look” of the killers. They both wear pretty unsettling masks in the film. Wasn’t that something that Wes suggested originally?

Nick Simon: He did. We toggled back and forth in the script about whether they should wear masks, or wear like a pancake make-up. I talked to Wes about it and he had this entire great backstory about the importance of masks in these types of films. He’d explain how they go back to ancient man and how it separates the killer from the victim. Wes had a very elaborate and detailed explanation on how important it was, so we went with masks. And then it was one of those things where I thought long and hard about how to get the masks right. If you’re trying to do a horror movie where the killer wears a mask, they’ve all been done, right? So you’re trying to come up with something interesting and something that will stay with you and tell a story at the same time.

             - BlumHouse web interview

If you'd like to read the whole interview, you can find it here.


- Lord Battle

The Overlook Theatre Materialized in a residence for Double Feature Thursday on 6/2/2016
*Based on the star ratings turned in by character reviewers, others viewed and got to "Dislike" or "Like" but that does not effect the rating.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Treasures From the ComiCombs: Top 5 of 2016 (So Far)


Today we see the 5th and final Wednesday bring a close to the first half of Treasures From the ComiCombs in 2016. It’s been a pretty busy first half of the year so this week I wanted to slow things down a bit and give you my top 5 books I have reviewed this year. I thought it would be easy to pick 5 but didn’t realize how many books I’ve reviewed! In no particular order, here are my top 5 reviewed books.


Nijigahara Holograph by Inio Asano

This story was written very well. Asano killed it with the writing and had some awesome art throughout the book. Each of the panels were carefully thought out and flowed seamlessly. This one deserves a look so check it out if you haven’t already!



Bigfoot by Steve Niles, Rob Zombie and Richard Corben

This one just might be my personal favorite from this list. Steve Niles, the master of the macabre, teams up with Rob Zombie and Richard Corben to bring us this masterpiece. The pacing is perfect, the action is exciting and the art is brutal. Everything works in Bigfoot.



MPD Psycho by Eiji Otsuka and Sho-U Tajima

MPD Psycho has some of the most memorable imagery. This is the second book I have reviewed by Otsuka and easily the better of the two. We just scratched the surface with vol.1 but Otsuka has a very intriguing tale being woven throughout this book. MPD Psycho delivered in just about every category.



Chilling Adventures of Sabrina by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack

This book was a complete surprise and it will make you appreciate the slow burn. There is so much amazing art by Robert Hack throughout this book and the gore is unforgettable. Don’t let the beginning fool you, things get dark fast!



Hellblazer –“Dangerous Habits” by Garth Ennis and William Simpson

Preacher made me a fan of Garth Ennis so it was a great experience to see some of his work before he wrote it. This was by far the heaviest of the books I have reviewed. The writing was so good, I felt some of that desperation and hopelessness bleed out from the pages. When all was said and done, I needed a drink.


There you have it. These are my top 5 books that I have reviewed so far. Since this week is a slow one for releases, pick up any one of these from your local comic shop instead! I hope you enjoyed a bit of a break this week and be sure to come back as we will be back to our normal format next week!


-Creature of the ComiCombs

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Bluray Tuesday: Return of the Killer Tomatoes, Forgotten Tales and Kung Fu Panda 3

June 28th 2016


It's that time of week again, new release Tuesday. This week brings a brand new banner to our post. There aren't much horror released today to end June, but a few cool pickups. First up this week Arrow Video releases Return Of The Killer Tomatoes for the first time on bluray. Next horror related release is Forgotten Tales, this anthology horror I've heard nothing about but look forward to checking out in the near future. Forgotten Tales is also based off a comic series which is pretty interesting. I am a fan of anthology horror and am hoping this will surprise me. Rounding out the week is the main bluray to hit shelves is Kung Fu Panda 3. This sequel is currently 86% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and will have a few retailer exclusives. Target will carry a bonus disc exclusive and Best Buy will have the 3D edition only available at their retailer. So what will you be buying, renting or just skipping this week? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to check out our Instagram page here. We love the conversation and talking all things film and horror. Have a happy 4th of July weekend! Until next week.

Return Of The Killer Tomatoes: Amazon - $29.99

Crazy old Professor Gangreen has developed a way to make tomatoes look human for a second invasion. 

Return of the Killer Tomatoes! (Blu-ray)
Temporary cover art

Eye in the Sky: Amazon - $19.99

Complications arise when a lieutenant general (Alan Rickman) and a colonel (Helen Mirren) order a drone missile strike to take out a group of terrorists in Nairobi, Kenya.

Eye in the Sky (Blu-ray)

 Forgotten Tales: Amazon - $32.99 

A trilogy of serial killers and ghosts.
Combining all 3 originally short stories (Which only the first has been released in comic book format so far), Miss Misery (Writer/director) brings “Forgotten Tales” to the screen Starring Reyna Young (The Divine Order, No Service, Monster of Golden Gate) Harold Whitson, Jeanne Ladysage Capili (The Slam Show), Slammin’ Sam (The Slam Show), Wyzae Crankfield (Recording/performing artist), Kelsey Zukowski (What they say, Within these walls), Marv Blauvelt (Psycho Street, No Service, Within these Walls), Andrew Stone, Maureen Mo Whelan (The Divine Order, No Service), Natasha Tolanz Champion (Black Devil Doll, G-String), and so many more.

Forgotten Tales (Blu-ray)

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: Amazon - $19.99

In 2002, cable news producer Kim Barker (Tina Fey) decides to shake up her routine by taking a daring new assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dislodged from her comfortable American lifestyle, Barker finds herself in the middle of an out-of-control war zone. Luckily, she meets Tanya Vanderpoel (Margot Robbie), a fellow journalist who takes the shellshocked reporter under her wing. Amid the militants, warlords and nighttime partying, Barker discovers the key to becoming a successful correspondent.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Blu-ray)
Temporary cover art 

 Kung Fu Panda 3: Amazon - $19.99

Living large and loving life, Po (Jack Black) realizes that he has a lot to learn if he's going to fulfill the next challenge from his beloved instructor (Dustin Hoffman). After reuniting with his long-lost father (Bryan Cranston), Po must transition from student to teacher and train a group of fun-loving, clumsy pandas to become martial-arts fighters. Together, the kung-fu brethren unite to take on the evil Kai (J.K. Simmons), a supernatural warrior who becomes stronger with each battle.

Kung Fu Panda 3 (Blu-ray) 

 Bonus Disc: Target - $19.99
 Kung Fu Panda 3 (Blu-ray)

3D Exclusive: Best Buy - $27.99
Kung Fu Panda 3 3D (Blu-ray)
Temporary cover art


- The Impostor

Monday, June 27, 2016

Screenings in the Bay (Monday to Friday): The Purge: Election Year, Manic Cop 2, Midnites for Maniacs

Hey guys! We're at the beginning of a very busy week! I noticed a very authority heavy theme, but that might just be me... We're starting things off with Maniac Cop 2 (with director William Lustig in person!), then we're coming home from camp Tuesday, and ending he week with a Snake Plissken double feature and the release of The Purge: Election Year. And it's about time for a quick giveaway... but I'll save that for later. Read on to see what else is happening this week at the movies.


Opening This Week
Opens Friday 1st
Action/ Horror/ Scifi (IMDB)
"Two years after choosing not to kill the man who killed his son, former police sergeant Barnes has become head of security for Senator Charlene Roan, the front runner in the next Presidential election due to her vow to eliminate the Purge."



Monday 25th @ 9:30pm (1hr 30min)
Drama/ Slasher (Google)
"Renegade police officer Matthew Cordell (Robert Z'Dar) once roamed the streets of New York City unleashing his murderous brand of vigilante justice upon its denizens before being struck down by good cop Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell). Now, Forrest is eager to move on from those heinous events, but he is stopped short when a familiar killing spree begins. Though thought dead and gone, Cordell is back from the grave and ready to wreak his merciless havoc once more."

With Director William Lustig in person!


Terror Tuesday
Tuesday 28th @ 10:15pm
School is out! Summer is here! AND SO IS DISMEMBERMENT!! This month, we're packing up the sleeping bags, confiscating the weed, and practicing the fine art of french kissing by the fire as TERROR TUESDAY GOES TO CAMP! In true camping fashion, each week's presentation will be a complete mystery. Because you never know what you're going to get when you climb aboard that broke-ass school bus. Maniacal crazies with a thirst for blood? Abominable beasties with a passion for chaos? An inbred lunatic dancing in the moonlight? From beloved favorites to impossible obscurities, anything is fair game. So stock up on tube socks, flip your parents the bird, and prep your face for some exclusive menu offerings at TERROR TUESDAY GOES TO CAMP!! Fun is guaranteed. Survival is not. (Joseph A. Ziemba)

(We'll be there with Terror Tuesday Shirts!)


Weird Wednesday
Wednesday 29th @ 10pm (1hr 20min)
Mystery/ Crime (Google)
"After two bikers kill her fiance (Kelay Miller), a grief-stricken woman (Melody Wiggins) embarks on a quest for revenge against men."


Thursday 29th @ 7pm & 9:55pm (1hr 35min)
Fantasy/ Drama (Google)
"Being stranded on a deserted island leaves young Hank (Paul Dano) bored, lonely and without hope. As a rope hangs around his neck, Hank prepares to end it all, until he suddenly spots a man (Daniel Radcliffe) laying by the shore. Unfortunately, he is dead and quite flatulent. Using the gassy body to his advantage, Hank miraculously makes it back to the mainland. However, he now finds himself lost in the wilderness, and dragging the talking corpse named Manny along for the adventure."




The Naked Prey (1965)
Wednesday 29th @ 7:30pm (1hr 36min)
Thriller/ Action (Google)
"A safari guide (Cornel Wilde) cautions the hunting party he is leading to respect the African natives they encounter. Instead of heeding this advice, one of the party actively insults the tribe, which captures and kills the entire group. Only the guide is spared. But he is stripped of his clothing, and given a head start before the warriors give chase. Using his knowledge of the land and resourcefulness, the guide must make his way back to the closest British fort."

-with-

Gargoyles (1972)
Wednesday 29th @ 9pm (1hr 14min)
Horror (IMDB)
"An anthropologist/paleontologist and his daughter, while travelling through the southwestern US, stumble upon a colony of living, breathing gargoyles who in the end only want to be left alone."



Thursday 29th @ 9:30pm (2hrs 17min)
Action/ Adventure/ Scifi (IMDB)
"A Duke's son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father's evil nemesis when they assassinate his father and free their desert world from the emperor's rule."


Friday 1st @ 10:30pm (2hrs)
Drama/ Mystery/ Thriller (IMDB)
"The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child."



Wednesday 29th @ 7pm (1hr 30min)
Thursday 30th @ 9:15pm 
Mystery/ Slasher (Google)
"A masked man with a metal-claw glove stalks models at a couple's (Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok) fashion salon in Rome."


Wednesday 29th @ 9pm (1hr 36min)
Thursday 30th @ 7pm
Thriller/ Indie (Google)
"Vincent Towers (Michael Harris) and Clay Arlington (Dennis Haysbert), identical looking half-brothers, do not meet until their father's funeral. Vincent convinces Clay to switch lives with him, and Clay accepts. Clay, however, doesn't know that Vincent killed their father and, in an effort to fake his own death and get away with the crime, plans to murder Clay as well. Clay lives through the first attempt on his life. But, left amnesic and confused, how long can he survive?"



Friday 1st @ 7pm (1hr 39min)
Action/ Scifi (IMDB)
"In 1997, when the US President crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him."

-with-

Friday 1st @ 9:15pm (1hr 41min)
Action/ Adventure/ Scifi (IMDB)
"Snake Plissken is once again called in by the United States government to recover a potential doomsday device from Los Angeles, now an autonomous island where undesirables are deported."


-Huntress

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Texas Filming Locations: Hunting Down the Chainsaw House

Any self respecting Horror nerd visiting Texas would have one goal in mind, and that goal would be to visit Leatherface's stomping grounds. That's just what Lord Battle and I were dedicated to. Even though we were there on business we still found time to play! Our first stop was Ft.Worth Texas "Tattoo Ranch" which is not only home to talented artists and awesome taxidermy but also one of the most noteworthy members of the Sawyer family, "The Saw"! 


 Yes the very same chain saw wielded by the late great Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface) in the original 1974 classic. The cool kids at the Tattoo Ranch are cool enough to let anyone in free of charge to see the saw in person.


 Next stop on the Texas Chainsaw trail was the Sawer house in all it's glory. The house was moved to Kingsland Texas in 1998 and is now a restaurant, which is awesome because the house is well kept for generations to enjoy and it is even painted in the exact same way (we nerds appreciate the little things). 


Make sure to reserve a table in the "kingsville room" as that is the location of the famous dining room scene. 


It was incredible to look down the hall way, walk down the porch and sit on the steps like some lost roadtrippers looking to use a phone. We also stumbled upon a few bonus locations in Austin like the football field and school used in Robert Rodriguez's under-appreciated "invasion" movie The Faculty


This is actually Lockhart and Texas school for the deaf and can be found easily but be careful as it is an operational school and jumping fences to line up screen shots is not appreciated. 



Back in Dallas (which was the primary location of our work trip) we were excited to find out that not one but two awesome cult classics were filmed around the corner from our hotel. First stop was the Majestic Theatre, home to Brian De Palma's 1974 Rock classic Phantom of the Paradise! This location is beautiful and still functioning as a venue for all kinds of entertainment. And if the film is true you can also sell your soul there. 


I was lucky enough to have my wife and daughter with me and also lucky that they are nerds as well because as soon as we found out that 1987's ROBO COP was filmed in Dallas we knew it was time for a location hunt. These locations were easy to get to and still look exactly as they did when the film was shot. First was futuristic Detroit City Hall which is actually the Dallas municipal building parking was easy and lining up screen shots could't be more fun. Unfortunately the "Detroit police station" was torn down which is why you should never take for granted that these location will always be around :(. 


But the evil OCP headquarters is alive and well; it's actually the Dallas City Hall. It's easy to see why a location scout would see a 1980's Dallas and feel like it would be the perfect back drop to futuristic Detroit. All in all the trip was extremely successful. The next time you are visiting family or out on work do yourself a favor and investigate the sights and sounds of the area, because these fun sights are free to visit but are being remodeled or torn down every year. Get out to Texas have some BBQ and tell the Sawyers Lord Battle and Killdozer sent you!

-KillDozer

Saturday, June 25, 2016

The Overlook Theatre Reviews: The Shallows

of 6 viewers "Liked" "The Shallows" (USA, 2016)
Here's what the creatures had to say:

Math Mage - "There is nothing surprising about The Shallows; you've seen the trailer, it's 90 minutes of that. That's not to say it isn't good, because it is. Except for a few laugh out loud moments (how did the shark cut him in half?) and a tacked-on feeling ending, the film was well made and suspenseful. One element in particular: I often complain about the unrealistic response to injury in horror movies. This film takes wounds seriously (including effects like blood loss), up until the very end when she goes full action girl." - 3 Stars

Clark Little - "Five minutes into the movie, a stylistic choice is made by the director. I hate that choice. It's off putting and a bit confounding and it doesn't go away. Neither does the boredom or my apathy towards our "cover girl" protagonist. This is the only case outside of West Side Story where I pulled for a shark. This movie is not made for me. I get that. The mind numbing exposition and slow motion surfing sequences set to some sort of Electric Daisy inspired score, made me wish I was stranded alone surrounded by death instead of being surrounded by excited moviegoers who became transfixed by whirling cameras, ridiculous looking CGI oceanic creatures and the comic relief of the film, which came in the form of a bloody, crippled seagull." - 1 Star

Dabbles - "First and foremost this entire first half of the movie felt like a giant commercial but was built pretty well in the sense of visuals. There are a few special effects that totally annoyed me and that I believe the movie could have done without, areas where simplicity would have been stronger. What really worked for me in this movie was the sense of suspense using the sounds of the waves in the air as it moves above and below water. They used the soundscape and practical effects greatly which was the better pay off. The character work from Blake Lively is pretty simple, for some reason it worked for her, but it didn't give me a feeling of wanting her to win in this situation. It made me feel more like a fly on the wall than an "in her shoes" kind of experience... I am really on the fence with this one, a lot of it worked for me, but then a lot of it didn't." - 3 Stars

Lord Battle - "It's hard to resist the obvious pun and just riff on how The Shallows is actually a shallow film. Instead I'd like like to point out all of the other, more interesting directions this film could have gone but that's kinda the same thing. So I'll just say The Shallows is a beautifully shot, well acted film, that I would not recommend to horror/challenging film fans. I wouldn't say to stay away because it's terrible or boring, I'd just say The Shallows doesn't tread any new waters." - 3 Stars (I'd purchase a used bluray just to own a few select moments)

The Impostor - "If there's one film I've seen this year that surprised me it would be The Shallows. I went in not expecting much and I was blown away. Beautiful scenery, simple story-line that played out quite well. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Blake Lively had some authentic moments of hopelessness and pain, she carried the film quite well. I was rooting for her the whole time which added to the tension. The minuses for The Shallows for me would have to be a few CGI scenes that came off a bit weird, out of place and comedic. Overall I'd definitely recommend this gripping survival horror to anyone. I felt it's a great way to start off the summer." - 4 Stars

Huntress - "The Shallows was a pretty fun summer-horror movie with some very surprising effects that made me squirm in my seat. I had a very pronounced moment of wondering how the hell are they were going to turn this story into a feature film almost as soon as Nancy's situation started to change from fun in the sun to dangerous, but it happened and it wasn't boring. I admit I raised my eyebrow a handful of times during the first half of the movie, but as the sandy paradise turned to treachery, the pretty blonde revealed how tough she really was. Even if you think you know where it's going, The Shallows is worth a watch." - 3.5 Stars




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

It's safe to say that The Shallows is a fairly straight forward film, unless you'd like to argue that perhaps she actually dies at the end. I could see some justification to that position even though its pretty clear she survives. Yet days after watching The Shallows I found myself still trying to ponder one of the film's seemly meaningless yet center stage characters, the seagull.


Given hints from the film, I've come to the conclusion that the seagull is a metaphor for Nancy's mother's death. Much like the fiend in The Babadook, the bird is a physical medium for her intense emotions.
Now you may find yourself asking how I came to support this absurd theory but if you look closely at how Nancy interacts with the bird, she seems to be uncharacteristically mean or even uncaring. This is strange as the film constantly reminds us that she's a doctor because she wants to help people and that's who she is. Then why does she try to force down an unappetizing crab while staring the obviously cute and hungry seagull in the eyes. I think this moment was meant to show that Nancy will do anything to survive, even deny a helpless animal a much needed meal.


Of course karma gets Nancy as she can't hold the crab down and regurgitates her meal in a very mother-bird way for the gull.
A little later in the film, Nancy names the seagull Steven and is even at one point woken up by him alerting her of another human presence. These moments are pretty clear cut, they are both victims of circumstance and are stranded because of it. The strange thing is that it honestly feels that she may use Steven as a distraction at any given point. This tension feels wrong as our survivor girl Nancy can't really be contemplating this animals life as a distraction. I mean they clearly focus on explaining how understanding and caring she is... Then she resets his wing.
The dislocated wing moment is weird because it came so late in her stay on the rock. She had already patched her self up long ago and had been quite aware of the birds wound, so why now? This is the moment in the narrative where Nancy stops trying to compromise who she is in order to get along with the universe. She is now clearly unwilling to sacrifice Steven to the gods in exchanged for her own life. This all feels like a test, like Nancy's mom has possessed Steven and is using him as a moral judge to make sure she gets out of this nightmare mentally sound and focused on who she is and what she wants. It's not enough for her to just survive anymore, no now they both have to make it out.
If you like strange films that feature paranormal birds, checkout The Vatican Tapes. The crow in that film is equally puzzling/absurd.

- Lord Battle

The Overlook Theatre materialized on 6/24/2016 for the 7PM show at Century Tanforan.
*Based on the star ratings turned in by character reviewers, others viewed and got to "Dislike" or "Like" but that does not effect the rating.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Screenings in the Bay (Friday to Sunday): The Neon Demon, Blood and Black Lace, Tickled

Hey guys, happy Friday! We have a pretty busy movie weekend, with two new releases coming out today (both of which I would recommend checking out, maybe one more than the other though...), and some restored older films being shown throughout the weekend, and into next week. This Sunday is also Video Vortex at the Alamo, which we'll be at. So if you wanted to pick up one of the limited Terror Tuesday Goes to Camp shirts, that'll be another opportunity. Let us know through a comment, message, or whatever and we'll make sure to have one ready for ya. Now, let's take a look at the coming weekend lineup.


Opening Today
Opens Friday 24th (1hr 57min)
Drama/ Horror/ Thriller (IMDB)
"When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has."




Opens today (1 hr 27min)
Drama/ Horror/ Thriller (IMDB)
"A mere 200 yards from shore, surfer Nancy is attacked by a great white shark, with her short journey to safety becoming the ultimate contest of wills."


Alamo Drafthouse

Video Vortex

Sunday 26th @ 9:30pm (1hr 20min)
Action (?)
This is the only super-hero movie from Union, Missouri that you’ll ever need to see. Shot on Super 8 by filmmaker Glen Gruner, THE SKID KID feels like what would happen if an episode of THIS AMERICAN LIFE was cross-mutated with a teenage demo version of BATMAN. By day, Scooter “Cousin of Steven” Spielberg drives around in his hot corvette. But also by day, Scooter dons a pair of magic boots that are powered by RC Cola and transforms into the Skid Kid! Scooting along in stop-motion magnificence, the Skid Kid cleans up the mean streets of Union the only way he knows how -- with his fists!! THE SKID KID is a snapshot of people who are in love with the magic of making movies. It’s also a snapshot of sweet BMX wheelies, dummies being lit on fire, and amateur nunchuck attacks. When can we move to Union, Missouri? (Joseph A. Ziemba)


Special Screening this Monday:
Monday 25th @ 9:30pm (1hr 30min)
Drama/ Slasher (Google)
"Renegade police officer Matthew Cordell (Robert Z'Dar) once roamed the streets of New York City unleashing his murderous brand of vigilante justice upon its denizens before being struck down by good cop Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell). Now, Forrest is eager to move on from those heinous events, but he is stopped short when a familiar killing spree begins. Though thought dead and gone, Cordell is back from the grave and ready to wreak his merciless havoc once more."

With Director William Lustig in person!


Landmark Embarcadero


Starts Today (1hr 32min)
Documentary (Google)
"A journalist intends to document an international tickling competition for kicks. Instead, he finds a bizarre and even threatening world created by a bully with deep pockets."




Starts Today (1hr 28min)
Horror/ Comedy (Google)
"In 1932 Vienna, Dr. Sigmund Freud (Karl Fischer) helps a depressed vampire (Tobias Moretti) whose 500-year marriage is on the rocks."




Thriller/ Indie (Google)
Sunday 26th @ 7pm (1hr 36min)
"Vincent Towers (Michael Harris) and Clay Arlington (Dennis Haysbert), identical looking half-brothers, do not meet until their father's funeral. Vincent convinces Clay to switch lives with him, and Clay accepts. Clay, however, doesn't know that Vincent killed their father and, in an effort to fake his own death and get away with the crime, plans to murder Clay as well. Clay lives through the first attempt on his life. But, left amnesic and confused, how long can he survive?"

Sunday 26th @ 9pm (1hr 24min)
Horror/ Mystery/ Thriller (IMDB)
"A shadowy killer in black brutally murders fashion models."


VOD Releases

Action/ Scifi (IMDB)
"A group of online gamers are invited to try a state-of-the-art virtual reality video game but things take a turn for the sinister when these masters of the shoot 'em up discover they will literally be fighting for their lives."

-Huntress