It's A March Release Date For Scifi Thriller "White Chamber"

UK's scifi thriller "White Chamber" is set for wide release in March. The film is directed by Paul Raschid and stars Shauna Macdonald, Oded FFehr, Amrita Acharia and Candis Nergaard. It will see a limited theatrical run, and digital release March 29th. 

In a dystopian post-Brexit Britain torn apart by civil war, a woman with a questionable past finds herself the latest subject of a futuristic prison pod.

First Poster Release For "We Summon The Darkness"

Satanic thriller "We Summon The Darkness" has released first poster. The film, currently in post, is being directed by Marc Meyers and stars Alexandra Daddario, Keean Johnson, Johnny Knoxville and Maddie Hasson. Look for a trailer release to come shortly.

The film involves a series of Satanic murders, in the Midwest. Three friends head out on a road trip and they meet several interesting blokes, at a heavy metal music festival. Back at the girlfriend's family home, the afterparty turns into a night of bloody debauchery. Now, killers are on the loose, with no one to be trusted.

My Review Of "Fighting The Sky"

Strange other-worldly sounds are echoing around the world. A group of researchers, led by expert ufologist Lorraine Gardner, begin an expedition to track down the point of origin from which the sounds emerge. Yet as their journey deepens, they begin to discover more than they bargained for.

"Fighting The Sky" is directed by Conrad Faraj. The scifi thriller stars Angela Cole, Roger Conners, Matthew Ward, Nicole Ann Hicks, Alison Headrick, Jinette Faraj, Judith Faraj, Brianna Burke, Bailey Weaver, Logan Roberts, Ed Conrad, and Larry Cahill.

"Fighting The Sky" has a standard "It Came From Outer Space", story that plays along similar lines as "Dark Skies". It does manage to string together a pretty neat story from the many ideas ripped from classic scifi tropes. It does lack originality,and at times the pace falls flat when dialog heavy scenes seem clunky and forced.

The acting bounces from hokey and below B level to some truly cool moments that give a level of quality to the film. Notably Cole, stands out as a strong performer. The overall storyline is a good concept and for reasoning Faraj has created a cool little first contact, alien tale. Still,  there is plenty wrong,  making it a film to either dedicate ones' time to it, or just get stoned and let it happen.

The creature design is a unique choice , and the CGI was well done. At first the aliens made me whence,  but stayed with it and it works because not all aliens are the same. Right?! The cinematography is excellent and the cast get their groove at the halfway mark so the story amps up. Overall "Fighting The Sky" won't appeal to everyone,  this isn't high level effects mayhem like "The Fifth Wave", but the indie vibe,  and recognizable cast make it worth checking out. (2.5/5)

My Review Of "The 6th Friend"

"The 6th Friend" is a psychological thriller told from the female perspective. It is directed by Letia Clouston, and stars Jamie Bernadette, Chantelle Albers, Dominique Swain, and Jessica Morris.

Six college best friends throw their own private graduation party that goes terribly wrong when an uninvited guest arrives. Five years later, the girls gather once again and endure a night of far more horror and bloodshed.

The story has the potential to expose and,  to some degree, exploit very poignant and timely subject matter echoing from the #metoo movement. A group of women forced into a horrible situation at the hands of a really bad dude,  lives changed at a fundamental level, then reuniting once more only to have a new nightmare unfold. The concept just begs to perform. Unfortunately none of the material is truly developed enough to really bring life to this cultural battle cry. 

The cast do their best to breathe life into the characters,  but it soon becomes clear that they don't get it- not completely anyway. The social interactions of these friends feels made-up. The dialog isn't smooth enough to convince me that they experienced the original nightmare and maintained a bond strong enough to reunite. I mean there are moments of strong dialog and gritty story telling,  but not consistent enough to maintain cohesion. 

The horror elements and actual thriller edge was a bit to dull to sell me on the "new nightmare" situation that the group deals with in "The 6th Friend". Most of the scenes meant to provide chills and thrills seem placed as overworked tableaus. They looked good but in a film where things are already falling apart,  they just aren't enough to save it. Overall I didn't enjoy this one, I wanted to,  thought it was gonna be good, but it just wasn't. (2/5)

My Review Of "Blood Bound"

"Blood Bound" is a supernatural thriller from director Richard LeMay. It stars Joseph Melendez, Eden Brolin, Rosa Arredondo, Gerald McCullouch, and Vanessa Rubio. Bound to an ancient pact, a family of unlimited power descend upon a small rural town to sacrifice 4 human lives, one being a member of their own family.

Every 25 years, it begins. Bound to an ancient pact, a family of unlimited power descends upon a small rural town to sacrifice four human lives, one being a member of their own family. This Rosemary’s Baby meets Drag Me to Hell thriller takes a dark look into how far the human spirit can take one soul in it’s most desperate hour.

"Blood Bound" is a weighted story, with family dynamics, personal conflict, and social complexities. On the surface it is a story about the occult, and overcoming supernatural evil. But to its depth it is a character melodrama pitting self identity against clan mentality. And aesthetically the juxtaposition between backdrops of scenic beauty against such dark and damaged characters is total arthouse.

At the beginning the story falters near to being forced,  or convoluted. However it merely teeters there as characters become more developed and recognizable. It is mixed with some moments of quality acting and captivating storytelling. "Blood Bound" feels indie and at times it felt like a Lifetime movie, you know- the creepy kind they play during the Halloween season. I did keep asking "where's the horror"?!

There is some horror in the film but it comes nearly an hour into the story. The supernatural elements are slightly weak,  mostly coming off as "make-believe". They seem too understated. The occult aspects beyond that are done nicely, and really give into the witchy vibe that LeMay is going for. Overall "Blood Bound" fails to gain any major ground as far as the horror,  but the story is a good one and the film is worth checking out. (2.5/5)

My Review Of "Crossbreed"

In the near future, the President of the United States of America hires a team of military veterans to retrieve an alien bio-weapon from a top-secret research facility orbiting the Earth. These highly trained mercenaries must infiltrate the space station and recover the deadly experimental alien cargo located onboard. All is going according to the plan until the cargo escapes.

"Crossbreed" is directed by Brandon Slagle
and stars  Vivica A.Fox, Daniel Baldwin, Stink Fisher, Devanny Pinn, and Vernon Wells. Marines take on the monster in this throwback sci-fi space thriller.

"Crossbreed" is a pretty straightforward story that pits space marines against a alien bio weapon. It is simple but at moments it strong in representation and aesthetics. Reminiscent of mid-nineties space fare like "Jason X" and Syfy stuff back when it was spelled correctly. Vivica A. Fox is great in her limited role as Commander-in-Chief,  Madame President. The marines are stereotypical, but tolerable. 

Special effects are a mixed bag of cheap CGI and slightly better game-play level. Still it works and gives an entertaining affectation to the action sequences. The creature design and limited practical effects give "Crossbreed" it's real selling points. Plus add in some quality cinematography and the film is worth the watch. Just remember to go in with b-movie expectations. (3/5)

Pagan Festival Shout Out: Festival Of Neteret Bastet

Bastet is the Egyptian goddess of the home, domesticity, women's secrets, cats, fertility, and childbirth. She protected the home from evil spirits and disease, especially diseases associated with women and children. She was the daughter of the sun god Ra and is associated with the concept of the Eye of Ra (the all-seeing eye) and the Distant Goddess (a female deity who leaves Ra and returns to bring transfromation).  

Bastet appears early in the 3rd millenium BCE in her form as an avenging lioness in Lower Egypt. By the time of the Pyramid Texts (c. 2400-2300 BCE) she was associated with the king of Egypt as his nursemaid in youth and protector as he grew. In the later Coffin Texts (c. 2134-2040 BCE) she retains this role but is also seen as a protector of the dead. The goddess was worshipped primarily at Bubastis but held a tutelary position at Saqqara and elsewhere. They celebrated the festival of the goddess by drinking, dancing, making music, and displaying their genitals" (116). This "raising of the skirts" by the women, described by Herodotus, had as much to do with freedom from social constraints as it did with the fertility associated with the goddess