Category Archives: thriller

“The Prodigy” Trailers, Movie Clips, & Featurettes

horror, thriller, ,

If you can’t get enough of a horror movie rush, then watch this trailer. It will take you out of your skin and give you a massive rush with your heart flip-flopping to the fright the trailer provides at the end of the trailer.

Directed by Nicolas McCarthy, The Prodigy is a horror thriller transcending beyond Michael Myer in creepiness and Regan in disfigurement.

The story follows a mother named Sarah, played by Taylor Schilling, whose young son Miles, played by Jackson Robert Scott, is behaving in a more than disturbing characteristic. It signals that an evil, possibly supernatural force has overtaken him.

For her family’s safety, Sarah must choose between her maternal instinct to love and protect Miles and a desperate need to investigate what – or who – is causing his dark turn.

She is forced to look for answers in the past, taking the audience on a wild ride where the line between perception and reality becomes frighteningly blurry.

McCarthy’s directing credits include other horror movies and shorts. The screenplay is by Jeff Buhler, who seems very busy writing horror movies. The soon-to-be-released Pet Sematary is his last script, with others on the way.

The movie trailer will rock your horror socks off. Indeed, it is scary.

Creepy is the first thought I have about this second trailer. Mother’s worth fear becomes a reality. The second poster shows how the mother’s relationship with her son is the key to the horror story.

Do you see the hands reaching from behind?

The “He’s Here” movie clip is scary. I jumped out of my skin.

The movie clip and featurette set the pace for what to expect in the movie theaters. This is a mother’s worst nightmare. Scott, as the boy, is unbelievable as the “innocent” and creepy son of a single mother.

The featurette introduces you to the director, music composer, and other behind-the-scenes crew. The horror movie will shock you out of your head.

The cast and crew praise Scott, who plays Miles, and watching these clips, you see an evil kid. But, watch the featurette about Scott, and you see a normal kid who knows how to be evil.

https://youtu.be/bV-oPkGEQ0c

The movie is available online or Blu-ray/DVD package. No matter how you view this movie, it is fantastic and horribly intense.

Scott, as the young man possessed by some demon, is brutal. I am on the seat of my chair, anticipating something evil to happen.

Sarah goes through so many emotions about her son’s plight. Don’t watch the movie alone.

“Escape Room” Trailer, Featurette, & Poster

drama, suspense, thriller, , , , ,

Screenplay by Bragi Schut and Maria Melnik with the story by Schut and directed by Adam Robitel, Escape Room is a psychological thriller that follows six strangers. Each one finds themselves in circumstances beyond their control. They must use their wits to find the clues or die.

The ensemble cast includes Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Jay Ellis, Tyler Labine, Nik Dodani,  and Yorick van Wageningen.

Robitel directed a horror movie called The Taking of Deborah Logan, which won him an iHorror Award for Best Direct Release Film.  Schut scripted Season of the Witch and episodic TV shows while Melnik scripted episodic TV shows from Black Sails to American Gods.

The interview with Jay Ellis and Deborah Ann Woll explains the story behind the movie. It appears to have a tinge of horror.  Also, there are brick and mortar places called Escape Rooms, and they are fun as a group outing.  

The featurette explains the movie and compares the story to a real escape room.

“Destroyer” Trailer, Movie Clip, and Poster

drama, suspense, thriller, , ,

Directed by Karyn Kusama, Destroyer follows Erin Bell, played by Nicole Kidman, a veteran LAPD detective spinning out of control emotionally and physically while on a dangerous journey to find the murderer and gang leader, Silas, played by Toby Kebbell. Bell’s journey’s purpose is finally to make peace with her tortured past.

“Destroyer is, at its core, a film about confronting your mistakes and making the brave decision to be accountable for your actions. Within the relatable frameworks of crime thriller and cop movie, it’s also an insistent character study, hinging on the wounded but resilient psychic landscape of an LAPD detective named Erin Bell. The criminal underworld she investigates, alongside a storytelling structure that allows for a narrative surprise,” says Kusama.

Kusama’s directing credits include episodic TV series and feature movies The Invitation and Girlfight. The screenplay is written by  Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, who worked together on The Invitation and other projects. 

A pivotal aspect of the movie is Bell’s relationship with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Shelby, played by Jade Pettyjohn, with whom she is estranged. Her clumsy attempts to reach out to Shelby consistently backfire, exacerbating Bell’s overwhelming sense of hopelessness and loss.

The movie clip “I’m Bad” pretty much says it all about Kidman’s character. She believes she is terrible, but what do the other characters in the movie believe she is bad? I want to find out. At this point in the story,  she might realize she is terrible and then become good or better than she was – bad. As I mentioned before, and I might again, I hope the movie storyline includes some high points because it is obvious there are quite a few low points.

The movie seems like a downer, but hopefully, the story has some high points, and the ending is upbeat. So far, the movie trailer doesn’t show any upbeat points.

“The Possession of Hannah Grace” Trailer and Posters

horror, thriller, , , , ,

Directed by Diederik Van Rooijen, The Possession of Hannah Grace is a horror thriller scripted by Brian Sieve.

The story follows Megan Reed, played by Shay Mitchell, who is working the graveyard shift in the morgue. A new career move for Megan begins a shocking tale caused by an exorcism that spiraled out of control.

Claiming the life of a young woman and months later the dead girl body arrives during Megan’s shift. The disfigured cadaver is not quite dead, though Megan is not aware of the situation until they are locked alone together inside the basement corridors.

Megan experiences horrifying visions and realizes the body may be possessed by a ruthless demonic force.

The second poster is all about Mitchell’s character and her situation of being in the basement corridor, and it’s dark with the demon lurking around to get her.

Mitchell is best known for her role in the TV series Pretty Little Liars and her YouTube Channel.

Van Rooijen is from the Netherlands and directed several films in his country winning a couple of awards. Screenwriter Sieve is best known for writing for TV shows like Teenwolf and Scream. Recently, it was announced Sieve is signed on to script another horror movie called The Exorcism at Lincoln High.

The rest of the cast includes Grey Damon, Kirby Johnson, and Stana Katic.

The movie poster looks a little awkward until I saw the movie trailer. Then, the twisted arm and wrist made sense.

“Serenity” Trailers, Movie Clips and Posters

drama, mystery, suspense, thriller, , , , , ,

Written and directed by Steven Knight, Serenity follows Baker Dill, played by Matthew McConaughey, a fishing boat captain. Dill leads tours off a serene, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island.

I watched the movie last night on Prime. It is nothing like what we see in these clips and trailers, and the poster is not true to the story. I recommend this movie because it has a message that lingers with you long after the film ends.

The movies gradually become daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller as Dill’s quiet life is shattered. His former wife Karen, played by Anne Hathaway, tracks him down with a desperate plea for help. She begs Dill to save her – and their young son – from her new, violent husband, played by Jason Clarke, by taking him out to sea on a fishing excursion, only to throw him to the sharks and leave him for dead.

Karen’s appearance thrusts Dill back into a life he’d tried to forget, and as he struggles between right and wrong, his world is plunged into a new reality that may not be all that it seems.

The third trailer shows more of the movie and how it plays out for Dill.

These clips are intense, and this movie will have me on the edge of my chair. Such good acting in these two clips is all I can say right now until I see more. Here, we have two Oscar winners and a strong supporting cast. It is a suspenseful movie, which means it is plot-driven. That is even better. I love a good story.

The story thickens with three more intense and story-driven scenes. The whole time I am watching each scene, I think, “Dill is being taken advantage of.” He is vulnerable and surrounded by unscrupulous people. I am being kind when I say “unscrupulous.” McConaughey plays Dill as if he has no control over everything that happens; he is just being affected by the circumstances.

Bad Times at the El Royale Trailers, Movie Clip, and Poster

comedy, drama, thriller, , , , ,

Written and directed by Drew Goddard, Bad Times at the El Royale follows seven strangers, each with a secret to bury. They all meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale. The El Royale is a seedy rundown hotel with a dark past.

During the course of one fateful night, everyone will have the last shot at redemption, which appears to be a laughable venture for all of them. The reason I say appears is because watching the trailers,  all goes to hell in a handbasket.

The cast is dynamite starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson, and Cynthia Erivo.

The movie is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and of course, it’s streaming.

The movie clip shows Bridges at his best and a good reason to see the movie.

Goddard is attached to direct X-Force and his other directing credits include The Cabin in the Woods and episodic television.

 

“Lizzie” Trailer, Movie Clips, and Poster

horror, mystery, suspense, thriller, true stories, , , , , , ,

Directed by Craig William Macneill,  Lizzie is about the notorious woman Lizzie Borden, played by Chloe Sevigny. You might remember the famous or not-so-famous skipping-rope song about the woman who was accused of chopping her mother and father to bits.

“Lizzie Borden took an ax

And gave her mother forty whacks.

When she saw what she had done,

She gave her father forty-one.”

Still, there is a mystery to the true story that endures throughout American history. Many writers speculated in their own versions and books about what happened on that deadly day.

The movie follows Lizzie after a lifetime of loneliness. She finds a kindred spirit in housemaid Bridget Sullivan, played by Kristen Stewart. Their secret intimacy sets off an unthinkable act – while the movie explores the days leading up to the savage crimes in a dark tale of repression, exploitation and thwarted dreams.

The two movie clips below show the story’s dark and sinister aspects. Unfortunately, one of the movie clips is blocked, but the studio may lift the block in the near future.

The two movie clips below show some fine acting chops. I am impressed. Notably, the scene in the barn is worth a look. It is an excellent acting scene for student actors because the undertones are deep.

The movie clip helps you understand how the movie is presented. You will notice a date at the bottom of the right-hand corner of the screen. These are actual events that happened.

“Reprisal” Trailer and Poster

action, thriller, , ,

Directed by Brian A. Miller, Reprisal follows Jacob, played by Frank Grillo, a bank manager haunted by a violent heist that took the life of a coworker.  He teams up with his ex-cop neighbor, James, played by Bruce Willis. Their plan is to bring down bring down the assailant of his co-worker.

While the two men work together to figure out the thief’s next move, Gabriel, played by Johnathon Schaech, the highly-trained criminal, is one step ahead. The tables turn when Gabriel kidnaps Jacob’s wife, played by Olivia Culpo and his daughter, played by Natalia Sophie Butler.

Jacob barrels down a path of bloodshed that initiates an explosive counterattack and brings all three men to the breaking point.

The screenplay is by Bryce Hammons and this is his first movie credit as screenwriter. Miller has directed Willis before in similar low-budget movies – Vice and The Prince.

https://youtu.be/5q7C6DyG3cQ

“Homecoming” Teaser Trailer

drama, mystery, thriller, , , , , ,

Directed by Sam Esmail, I am excited about this Prime Video Series. Homecoming is a mind-bending psychological thriller. The story focuses on Heidi Bergman, played by Julia Roberts. She is a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center, a Geist Group facility helping soldiers transition back to civilian life. Walter Cruz, played by Stephan James. He is one of these soldiers, eager to begin the next phase of his life. Overseeing Heidi and the facility is Colin Belfast, played by Bobby Cannavale. He is an ambitious company man whose manic behavior puts demands on questionable motives.

Four years later, Heidi has started a new life, living with her mother, played by Sissy Spacek. Heidi is working as a small-town waitress, when a Department of Defense auditor, played by Shea Whigham, comes to her with questions about why she left the Homecoming facility. Heidi begins to realize that there’s a whole other story behind the story she’s been telling herself.

The cast also includes Jeremy Allen White, Alex Karpovsky, Dermot Mulroney, among others. Here is a very short teaser trailer.

“Glass” Trailers, Movie Clips, Featurettes, & Poster

thriller, , , ,

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, he brings collectively the tales of two of his champion originals— Unbreakable and Split. Combining the two movies into Glass, Shyamalan is calling the movie a comic-book thriller.

Bruce Willis returns as David Dunn and Samuel L. Jackson returns as Elijah Price with his pseudonym Mr. Glass.  Joining from Split are James McAvoy, reprising his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities who reside within, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Casey Cooke, the only captive to survive an encounter with The Beast.

After the finale of Split, Glass starts with Dunn pursuing Crumb’s superhuman figure of The Beast in a series of intensifying encounters, while the shadowy presence of Price emerges as an arranger holding secrets vitally important for both men.

Sarah Paulson joins the cast as the psychiatrist treating these three men. Other cast members include Spencer Treat Clark and Charlayne Woodar.

The next trailer tells more of the story, which is rare for Shyamalan.

True to Shyamalan style of promoting his movies, he is not saying much about the movie and the trailer shows awkward edits and extreme action.

The first movie clip released, and I am still trying to understand the story behind this movie. In the interview I’ve watched, I get the idea they are superheroes at some level.

This movie is strange and unreal. I am not sure what Shyamalan is trying to accomplish in this story. One of the producers in an interview on my YouTube Channel said he wanted people to get the messages “Why are we hear?” “What is the meaning of life?” All I can say is this is a strange way to put it.

The movie clips show how Glass is trying to get these guys to do something. I am not sure what, though. This is a very different and strange movie about superheroes. The main point is this is real or unreal. I am not sure.

The next featurette sums up the last movie of the trilogy, and what M. Night Shyamalan had in mind when he decided to make this movie. It’s pretty clear you need to have seen Unbreakable because he refers to it in Glass quite a bit.

The three clips show more of the story and how James McAvoy’s character is the most important aspect of the movie. I am not sure I understand the movie, but McAvoy’s acting is incredible.

The next featurette shows more of McAvoy’s talent when Anya Cliparette visits with the Beast.

The Blu-ray/DVD is available with the movie streaming on the main platforms. I’ve heard mix reviews about the movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, now is your chance.

The bonus features are epic with a look at each main player in the story, and how they work within the framework of Shyamalan’s creation.

M. Night Shyamalan works with the same crew from film to film.  The cast and crew share stories of working on his productions is like being with family. The Blu-ray or DVD is filled with deleted scenes and alternate ending.