Dark Discussions Podcast

After a long hiatus, the V/H/S franchise of films is back with a new installment.  Some say it is a reboot while others say it is a sequel, but either way, as an anthology film, with stories not necessarily related, it doesn’t matter all that much.  The new film had some of its talent taken away as they went off and were hired to direct the new Hellraiser film and the new Scream film, but others are back including Simon Barrett and Timo Tjahjanto.

The new movie entitled V/H/S/94 has four new stories and some new talent too.  First is the wrap around story entitled Holy Hell (written and directed by Jennifer Reeder) about a swat team that enters what appears to be a building owned by a suicide cult.  Next up is Storm Drain (written and directed by Chloe Okuno).  The next tale is by Simon Barrett entitled The Empty Wake.  Following is Timo Tjahjanto’s story entitled The Subject, and the last story is called Terror (written and directed by Ryan Prows).

The film has been getting excellent reviews from critics and has a huge fan base that was excited to hear of the latest in the franchise.  The movie appears on Shudder right now for all subscribers.  Dark Discussions Podcast takes a look at this new movie and gives their thoughts on each part of the anthology.

Sion Sono has made some very weird films.  One of Japan’s most interesting and prolific directors, he’s known for both gonzo films and oddities.  Even his most audience friendly films are still very much considered “weird cinema” too many.  His latest movie, PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND (2021), is a mix of English language and Japanese starring Nick Cage in what he says “might be the wildest movie I ever made.”

When a bank robbery in Japan goes bad, Hero (Nicolas Cage) is thrown in jail for life.  During his incarceration, a nuclear accident turns much of Japan into a wasteland simply known as the “ghostlands.”  When The Governor (Bill Moseley) of the Samurai Town has one of his granddaughters go missing, he makes a deal with Hero.  You find and rescue her, you go free. 

Considered a mix of weird western and horror film, PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND has received mixed to positive reviews from critics.  Besides Nicholas Cage, the movie stars Bill Moseley, Nick Cassavetes, Sofia Boutella, Tak Sakaguchi, Yuzuka Nakaya, among others.  The screenplay was written by actors Aaron Hendry and Reza Sixo Safai.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this very unusual movie and gives their thoughts.

Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg is best known for his grindhouse and midnight movies back in the 1970’s and 1980’s, but as his career has evolved, he has become known as an award winning director for his dramas and thrillers as well.  In 2005, his movie A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE stunned audiences with his real world implications.  Based off the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke, the movie received nominations for Best Adapted Screen Play (by Josh Olson) at the Oscars.

Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is happily married to attorney Edie Stall (Maria Bello).  He’s the owner of a local diner and has two beautiful children.  When two on-the-run killers attempt to rob his restaurant, Tom is labeled a hero by local media as he saves his employees from a possible massacre.  When a strange group of men appear in town, Tom and his family’s life are turned upside down.  Who are these men and what do they want?

The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, and William Hurt in an Oscar nominated performance.  As a commentary on the violent nature of humanity and even on Hollywood’s and Cronenberg’s own knack for aggression in film, the movie is a reflection on all of us and as a society that seems to fetishizes our own violent nature.  Your co-hosts take a look at this interesting film and give their thoughts.

Consumerism and insincerity – so-called mindful companies and those who purchase from them have become one of the biggest hypocrisies in today’s world.  When a company pretends to support all the “just” causes and consumers purchase their products to feel good about themselves, it can kind of make one roll their eyes.  The new Canadian horror-comedy SLAXX (2021) takes a poke at this phenomenon.

Libby (Romane Denis) gets a job at her favorite clothing store, Canadian Cotton Clothiers.  On her first day, she’s part of the crew to work overnight to help set up the release of the company’s new unisex jeans.  When the employees find out they are locked in and can’t get out, soon the death count rises.  Libby and her companions must find out who is killing them and a way to survive the night.

The film is directed by Elza Kephart and is co-written by her along with Patricia Gomez.  The film stars Romane Denis along with Brett Donahue, Sehar Bhojani, among others.  A Shudder original, this movie turns out to be a humorous commentary on the insincerity of how many company’s work.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this movie and gives their thoughts.

IndieSCREAM Halloween Spectacular

Prepare for a week of screens and screams! American Media Society, Inc. is proud to present IndieSCREAM, an online film festival featuring the works of horror filmmakers from around the globe. Featuring over 50 films airing over the course of a week, IndieScream will feature exclusive premieres, special guests, and an opportunity to interact with independent filmmakers who live and breathe horror films through a series of audience Q+A's. Get your popcorn ready and secure your tickets now!

Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews interviews the folks behind the festival and also the filmmakers that are participating.

The COVID-19 pandemic has obviously caused a lot of issues with the world.  In the new film SHELTER IN PLACE (2021), it becomes the focal point of why our characters happen to be where they are.  The stress of the unknown, the isolation, and even the fear of possibly dying from something that is unseen is definitely one scary thing.

When newly married couple Sara (Tatjana Marjanovic) and John (Brendan Hines) head off to their honeymoon in Los Angeles, a COVID outbreak forces them to shelter in place at their hotel.  With only a maid and the desk manager working, Sara and John begin to become stir crazy.  The days carry on slowly and there is only so much the couple can do for fun. While their patience with each other grows, the couple discovers that there may be a disturbing aspect with their residence that they hadn’t seen when they checked in.

The film is co-directed and co-written by Chris Beyrooty and Connor Martin.  Besides our two leads, the film also stars Ola Kaminska and Kevin Daniels as the hotel help in very pivotal roles.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this indy horror film and gives their thoughts.

Flash Gordon, the character, was created back in the 1930’s specifically as a space opera.  Space opera is the old science fiction that takes place in outer space but doesn’t necessarily follow the knowledge behind the science.  George Lucas brought it all back in the 1970’s with STAR WARS (1977).  With it being a huge subgenre once more, in 1980 the film FLASH GORDON as the next big budget film to set off a franchise.

New York Jets quarterback Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones), during space Emperor Ming’s (Max von Sydow) invasion of Earth, flies a space rocket with travel agent Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) and scientist Hans Zarkov (Topol) to Ming’s palace where they are captured.  With the help of Princess Aura (Ornella Muti) and others, Flash escapes and tries to start an intergalactic rebellion to free all those oppressed by Ming.

Produced by Dino De Laurentiis, directed by Mike Hodges, and written by Lorenzo Semple, Jr., based off Alex Raymond’s iconic character, the movie gained much press as the band Queen joined as the main composer along with Howard Blake.  Released world wide, the film’s retro look and strange story gained it mediocre reviews.  Yet years later fans found the film and gave it the rightful cult following that it has.  Your co-hosts discuss this wonderful film.

Director Chad Stahelski worked with Keanu Reeves on the MATRIX (1999) as a stunt coordinator for that film.  When screenwriter Derek Kolstad wrote the screenplay for a film about a bounty hunter that included crazy action set pieces, Stahelski thought of Reeves to play the lead role.  That film became JOHN WICK (2014) and the beginning of an iconic character and franchise.

John Wick, who’s wife died from illness, retires from bounty hunting to try to deal with his loss.  When a beagle puppy arrives as a gift from his late wife, he begins to find peace in his life.  However, when robbers break in and take everything that’s left in his world, he returns to his prior life, searching for revenge and vengeance and once more find peace in this crazy world.

Keanu Reeves returned to superstardom after being cast in the film.  The movie also stars Willem Dafoe, John Leuizamo, Ian McShane, Alfie Allen, and Michael Nyqvist.  JOHN WICK reviewed fantastic reviews and became a surprising money maker leading to the movie becoming a franchise.  A Patreon movie pick, Dark Discussions takes a look at the film that started it all and gives their thoughts.

Women in horror are essential.  Some actresses especially have made a career for themselves from this subgenre of cinema.  But recently a lot of women have become also directors and writers for films.  In one such case, the 2018 film MARLA had a woman that directs, writes, and stars in the film.  Lisa van Dam-Bates took the reigns to showcase her talents.

Marla (Lisa van Dam-Bates) is a young woman who works as a cocktail waitress at a local pub.  Her boyfriend, Jake (Johnnie Ware), works the bar and does the accounting for the establishment.  Being a normal sexually active couple, an old doctor friend of hers offers to give her an IUD free of charge.  Her boyfriend seems suspicious and soon Marla’s life begins to spiral out of control as unexpected consequences do appear.

The movie stars Lisa van Dam-Bates, Johnnie Ware, Katie Hemming, Palmer Chase, and Jason Stange as Dr. Lourdes.  After a two year festival run where it had the title MARLA MAE, the movie received a VOD release in 2018.  Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews takes a look at this film that should appeal to both thriller fans as well as midnight movie auteurs. 

The word Gaia means the goddess of Earth in the Greek mythos, also known as Terra in the Roman mythos.  The new South African horror film, GAIA (2021), obviously references the planet we live on, but its title is very much an enigma.  The movie is most certainly a film that focuses on nature, but it is much more than that.

Park rangers, Gabi (Monique Rockman) and Winston (Anthony Oseyemi), are tasked to change the digital memory cards of the various cameras that are set up within the Tsitsikamma forest.  When Gabi’s drone is incapacitated, she goes off to get it.  When unfortunate circumstances separates her from Winston, she is found by a father and son survivor duo who take her back to their cabin.  When she arrives there, she discovers the forest has a secret that she would never have fathomed of. 

Jaco Bouwer directs and Tertius Kapp wrote GAIA.  Partly in English and partly in Afrikaans, the movie digs deep into the health of the earth, what may exist out deep in remote forests, and how the loss of a loved one can change one’s life completely.  Besides starring Monique Rockman and Anthony Oseyemi, Carel Nel and Alex Van Dyk play the father and son survivalists.  Dark Discussions takes a look at this interesting film and gives their thoughts.