THE BEAST soars high again: SPLIT reigns for second weekend

THE BEAST soars again..

For the second week in a row, SPLIT reigned high at the box office, delivering another decisive victory for M Night Shyamalan.

From BOX OFFICE MOJO:

SUNDAY AM UPDATE: Looking to hold on to the number one spot with ease, Universal’s Split brought in an estimated $7.9 million on Friday and is looking at an impressive $25+ million second weekend.

Landing in second on Friday is Universal’s A Dog’s Purpose with an estimated $5.3 million as it looks as if it will finish around $18.5 million for the three-day weekend.

Screen Gems’s release of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter is projected to take in $13.7 - $14 million for the weekend after taking in an estimated $5.1 million on Friday.

The stories and video about dogs from DOG’S PURPOSE being treated questionably probably didn’t help the film–and with the cloudy month we had we are sad enough without watching a movie about dogs dying continuously.. 

That said, I also loved the movie SPLIT.. The ending wasn’t the twist I completely have come to love with M Night, but it worked for the film and the atmosphere presented about a city of Philadelphia under siege from 24 personalities without knowing it..

James McAvoy was impressive, completely impressive. Anna Taylor Joy was as well–as usual M Night cast the film with the perfect people to perform the roles necessary..

This is also a much needed victory for M Night Shyalaman, so many films now he has been hit was criticism.. 

I have loved each movie he made–even the ones others didn’t..

So happy to see SPLIT performing well..

Weekend final numbers for this week: 

• Split (3,199 theaters) - $18.8 M
• A Dog’s Purpose (3,058 theaters) - $18.0 M
• Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (3,104 theaters) - $12.2 M
• Hidden Figures (3,351 theaters) - $11.6 M
• xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (3,651 theaters) - $11.0 M
• La La Land (3,136 theaters) - $10.0 M
• Sing (2,690 theaters) - $5.4 M
• Gold (2,166 theaters) - $4.1 M
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2,049 theaters) - $4.0 M
• Monster Trucks (2,496 theaters) - $3.5 M

Rob Zombie's '31' Receives an R-Rating - Bloody Disgusting!

There were tears from the hardcore horror buffs who demand blood and gore.. This movie got an NC 17 two times.
Obviously something or somethings were cut to make it R..

No worries for those still craving the desire to see needless violence.. 31 is still going to feature, “strong bloody horror violence, pervasive language, sexual content and drug use.”
Rejoice. I suppose.

Rob Zombie's '31' Receives an R-Rating - Bloody Disgusting!

DREAD CENTRAL gives us a list of the top movies for the winter season–horror with cold and chill as the background theme of the flick. The list here..

I disagree–you heard that right–with virtually the entire list.

The biggest problem is the lack of inclusion of my all time favorite snow/cold related movie: STORM OF THE CENTURY, by Stephen King. It’s the amazing near day-long experience, one that’s perfect for a night stuck in because of snow or a day held up because of closings.. Andre Linoge walking the streets of a town during a blizzard, looking for what he wants to go away. That’s scary. The list from DREAD CENTRAL, to me at least, not scary.

I am sure you have your favorite too..
Mine will always be the STORM..

New Films To Shed Light On Japan’s Infamous ‘Suicide Forest’

Ben Arnold writes:

It is beautiful, dense and tangled - it’s sometimes called the ‘sea of trees’ - and boasts ice caverns hidden in its volcanic rock.

But it has become known for a much more dark and tragic reason – it’s also been called ‘the suicide forest’, a place where up to 1988, around 100 suicides would occur each year.

A new movie, starring ‘Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer, has now been unveiled called ‘The Forest’, a horror thriller which finds Dormer searching for her twin sister who has gone missing in Aokigahara.

New Films To Shed Light On Japan’s Infamous ‘Suicide Forest’

THE NIGHTMARE worth a watch .. maybe not before bed

In April of this year the HORROR REPORT profiled the NIGHTMARE, a documentary film from Rodney Ascher (from ROOM 237).. It’s a series of stories told by people who Ascher collected to tell their tales of sleep paralysis. Along with the verbiage, horrific images of what they saw–documentary style.. The creation is amazing. It’s a documentary but can easily as one of the best horror movies of the…

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Car from JEEPERS CREEPERS now up for auction on eBay.. One way to tell you’re aging: The cars from movies you still think are sort of new but aren’t are up for auction on ebay..

..…the location for the house, during shooting, I chose because it had a strange and unnecessary field that the houses of this particular community were built around. And we found – throughout production – that we had persistent and repeatable equipment field only on that strange plot of land. For instance, lights that could turn on anywhere else in the neighborhood would blow out the second you’d try to light them on this plot,” he added. “Also, I used a lot of aerial drone photography in the film, and the drone-pilots were never able to lock in the GPS signal in this field. We would have to move 10 feet away to launch the craft.

I was too afraid to find out what the land used to be. We filmed outside of Toronto, somewhere between Buffalo New York and Toronto, Ontario, in a town called Hamilton

POLTERGEIST REMAKE DIRECTOR GIL KENAN during a REDDIT AMA..

But forgive me for dumping some doubt on these paranormal tales..

First off, the original POLTERGEIST is known for creepy rumors and urban legends that surround the production—there are tales that the clown used in the original film actually had a moment where its seemingly tried strangling Oliver Robbins.. There’s also the creepy and tragic factor of Dominique Dunne and Heather O’Rourke passing away after completing production.. There are lots of other weird and strange rumored paranormal possibilities that you can read in depth there..

But as far as this new movie? I have a problem with the remake already. The trailer looks ridiculous. It looks forced.. I said a few months back that this may be a remake I am okay with. The more I contemplate it the less I’m okay, as a matter of fact, the more it’s just, in my humble opinion, a remake that will be chalked up as a blip on the radar of horror..

And these comments offered by Kenan are a little offensive. I think the filmmakers are trying to push a paranormal ‘reality’ to the film to give it some form of ghostly street cred—almost to overshadow the original film’s nostalgic and paranormal feel.. 

Nothing will beat the original POLTERGEIST. And quite frankly, there is nothing ‘haunted’ about where this new remake was shot. 

But the scary thing is the possibility of a flop.. therefore Gil and company are trying to push some false narrative to employ your most fearful imaginations about this new movie.

I also read comments on several horror related message boards.. Most are chalking these Gil Kenan remarks up as fiction.. and BS.. 

People need to be careful when walking on the gravesite of past actors who may have truly been affected by a movie curse (though that is still a stretch, too, some would say) .. But even more, directors and movie makers need to be extremely cautious in over-hyping a movie that will most likely bust like a balloon loosing air.

IT FOLLOWS review roundup and theater locations

IT FOLLOWS review roundup and theater locations

IT FOLLOWS: Heard from a review, who heard from a review, who heard from a review this is going to be a good movie

This movie looks amazing.. can’t wait to see it.

IT FOLLOWS: Heard from a review, who heard from a review, who heard from a review this is going to be a good movie

UK censors horror movie about neo-Nazi hate crime

I am not in favor of censorship.. but I don’t think the banning of this type of film has me particularly upset.. There is a certain style of torture movie I typically avoid.

However.. In no way am I in favor of this being banned.. Or anything else.

UK censors horror movie about neo-Nazi hate crime

That moment of disappointment

musingsinhtx:

When you turn on the scifi channel and see “Friday the 13th” followed by “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and after being psyched for an 80s slasher fest find out they’re the remakes.

MY GOD.. I agree with this 10000%

ESCAPIST picks: The Scream Queens: 4 Actresses Who Defined A Horror Genre

Marilyn Burns—RIP. I agree.. a legend..

Jamie Lee Curtis, another agreeable selection by the ESCAPIST.

Janet Leigh from PSYCHO.. Good pick, didn’t think of that one.

But the fourth should have been one of the best: Heather Langenkamp from NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.. I often think her role as Nancy defined the 1980s comeback kick and set into motion a generation of feminist strength. I am serious about that.. I believe she was an inspiration for a lot of girls.. Her roles in the Freddy films she appeared in should never be forgotten..

Doesn’t get any better than Nancy..

ESCAPIST picks: The Scream Queens: 4 Actresses Who Defined A Horror Genre

Police Concerned About Flash Mob Violence Based On Horror Movie

Social media posts promise violence in Florida, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

The story linked here serves as a collection of headlines from various states—states where people have been posting social media announcements about “purges” to take place in the respective cities where the Tweets and messages are coming from.. AS notes, Florida, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania are among the states where police are monitoring the situation …

The horror movie where the ‘purge’ is stemming from is, none other than THE PURGE.. the sequel to the original film was released this summer and had respectable box office numbers..  The movie was less gruesome horror and more social commentary—rich vs poor and the government suspending all police protection to allow for  a ‘purge’ is the plot..

While this new social media purge scare may be more hype than upcoming horror, it’s noteworthy that so many places and police forces are monitoring the situation. And just a brief stroll through morning headlines each day may showcase the reason why it should be a concern of law enforcement—times like these, there aren’t many reasons to take things for granted..

In the areas where the social media purge is being spoken of, police are announcing that they have contingency plans to deal with any issues.. I know there are lots of ill will feelings towards police after watching the mess they made in Ferguson, but we need to support social justice, law enforcement, and order.. It’s why America works.. It’s what made us work to begin with… 

It feels like a long hot summer.. the tensions within this nation is palpable.. The rhetoric across this country is emotional and cruel..

A cruel summer.

The fabric of this nation is tearing.. I fear that there aren’t any seamstresses left to fix it.

Police Concerned About Flash Mob Violence Based On Horror Movie

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHaoIdqfwzE?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]

This is the trailer for ANNEBELLE, the prequel to the CONJURING by James Wan.

It looks highly disappointing. That’s an early judgement, perhaps too early.

Trailers aren’t everything.. 

This one was not.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

What looks to be a pretty amazing movie is going to be released into theaters on July 2.. the film is called DELIVER US FROM EVIL and is based on a book by a policeman-demonologist..The New York TIMES details the story of how the book became the movie–and why it may do exceptionally well at box offices..

Your childhood could have been forever changed if this is what ET would have looked like.

And he almost did.

I am sure by now in life you’ve heard of that old tale that ET was originally going to be a horror flick. It’s true.. The movie was going to be called NIGHT SKIES and was going to feature aliens that could kill each other with the tips of their fingers.. And now images of how ET was going to look proves that NIGHT SKIES would have been a pretty freaky story..

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eD2UpdhbwA?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]

Wow… FROZEN would make a pretty scary film.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Robin Williams is returning as MRS DOUBTFIRE for a sequel.. really.

Hollywood is clearly out of ideas..  

Call it the revival of the 90s. Nostalgic for the roaring end to the 20th century..

But now is the chance for Hollywood to make it right: Let’s make MRS DOUBTFIRE 2 a horror movie!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kTlFQHDIIo?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]

Some of the best comedy on YOUTUBE is when comedy films are re-cut into horror movie trailers. Such is the case with “CLARK” .. I love this one.

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

GAWER INTERVIEWS KENT: The Year's First Must-See Horror Movie Is So Much More Than That

The BABADOOK continues to receive high praise from world media outlets..

The Australian film was a big success at SUNDANCE.. 

GAWKER interviewed Jennifer Kent, the woman behind the movie.. a few interesting quotes, as re-printed here, are shown:

I don’t look down on horror, but I my definition of horror is probably quite a lot broader than most. I don’t see it as a straight horror film

Interesting..

I did want to create a crazy world. My friends say, “You should write a comedy!” But, you know, I don’t think I’ll get many comedy offers after this.

And this

I’m just really proud of Noah’s performance in this film because he’s just 6. But yeah, not having them, I think, has given me a little distance from the horrors of motherhood

I think I really want to see this movie.

GAWER INTERVIEWS KENT: The Year's First Must-See Horror Movie Is So Much More Than That