Moviefone Editorial

Tag: horror

  • ‘Cocaine Bear’ Interview: Director Elizabeth Banks

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    Opening in theaters on February 24th is the new dark comedy ‘Cocaine Bear,’ which was directed by Elizabeth Banks (‘Pitch Perfect 2,’ ‘Charlie’s Angels’) and is loosely based on a true story.

    What is ‘Cocaine Bear’ based on?

    According to Wikipedia, the film is inspired by the real story of a 175-pound American black bear that died after ingesting a duffel bag full of cocaine in December 1985. The cocaine had been dropped out of an airplane piloted by Andrew C. Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and convicted drug smuggler, because his plane was carrying too heavy a load. Thornton then jumped out of the plane with a faulty parachute and died. The bear was found three months later in northern Georgia alongside 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine.

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    What is ‘Cocaine Bear’ about?

    In the film, after Thornton’s accident and the bear ingests the cocaine, he goes on a killing rampage in a small town in Georgia. The movie follows three different groups, Sari (Keri Russell), a single mother looking for her daughter (Brooklynn Prince) and her friend (Christian Convery) who are lost in the woods, Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) and Daveed (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), two drug smugglers forced by Eddie’s father (Ray Liotta) to recover his missing cocaine, and Bob (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), the law enforcement officer hot on their trail.

    Who is in ‘Cocaine Bear?’

    ‘Cocaine Bear’ stars Keri Russell (‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’) as Sari, O’Shea Jackson Jr. (‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’) as Daveed, Alden Ehrenreich (‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’) as Eddie Dentwood, Ray Liotta (‘Goodfellas’) as Syd Dentwood, Isiah Whitlock Jr. (‘Da 5 Bloods’) as Bob, Christian Convery (‘The Tiger Rising’) as Henry, Brooklyn Prince (‘The Florida Project’) as Dee Dee, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (‘Ice Age: Collision Course’) as Peter, Margo Martindale (‘Downsizing’) as Ranger Liz, and Matthew Rhys (‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’) as Andrew C Thornton II.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actress and director Elizabeth Banks about her work on ‘Cocaine Bear,’ her initial reaction to the screenplay and the true story it is based on, balancing the movie’s tones of comedy and horror, and working with Weta FX to create the bear.

    Director Elizabeth Banks' 'Cocaine Bear' opens in theaters on February 24th.
    Director Elizabeth Banks’ ‘Cocaine Bear’ opens in theaters on February 24th.

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Banks, as well as Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Alden Ehrenreich.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction when you read a screenplay titled ‘Cocaine Bear’ and learned of the true story it is based on, and as a director, how did you balance the film’s different tones of comedy and horror?

    Elizabeth Banks: My first thought when reading it was, ‘This can’t possibly be based on a true story.’ Then I went down the rabbit hole of investigating what had really happened. At that point I realized, in real life the bear had overdosed on the cocaine and died. I thought, ‘Oh, man, this movie is like a redemption story for that bear.’ This is a way to avenge the untimely death of that bear. Because I really felt for that bear, that bear was like collateral damage. It didn’t know what it was getting into. It doesn’t want to do drugs!

    I loved that there was this crazy idea of a rampaging bear on a bender. That’s such a big, high concept, wild, crazy thing that, actually the way to balance the tone was really to ground everything else. So everything else has to be super grounded. The real story of a mom just trying to find her daughter. The real story of a guy grieving the loss of his wife, trying to be connected to his best friend again, trying to break away from his father. A man who is like, ‘I’ve got to find these drugs or we’re going to get killed.’

    Those are very grounded, relatable, emotional storylines that set against the backdrop of the bear. It’s in that space in between where human beings do crazy things in reaction to the bear that I really felt that’s where the humor was, that’s where the wackiness could live, as long as the characters remained relatable to the audience.

    'Cocaine Bear,' directed by Elizabeth Banks.
    ‘Cocaine Bear,’ directed by Elizabeth Banks. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: ‘Call Jane’ Interview: Sigourney Weaver and Elizabeth Banks

    MF: Finally, can you talk about working with Weta to create the design of the bear and developing it to look as real as possible?

    EB: Absolutely. Well, I’ve said before I thought that this movie was super risky for me. What I meant by that was I had to give up control over the lead character of the film. I had no idea while we were making it, if we were going to pull off the bear. And if the bear didn’t work, then the movie didn’t work.

    The partnership with Weta, they were great. From day one, they made me laugh. They got the tone. I think they saw it as an opportunity to do really intense, old school CGI. They’re so used to creating crazy, fantastical worlds in outer space and people flying around. This was like, ‘No, no, no. You’ve got to create something so realistic that people think a real bear was on set. How are we going to do that?’ This has to be a documentary about the bear.

    And the level of detail that went into animating this bear, this incredible lead animator, Carmen Leggiero, who did so much homework on how bears act. We looked at so many reference videos, picking and choosing every detail of the bear: the size of its head, its nose, its ears, its eyes, the coloration of its fur, the textures, all of that. What does it look like wet? What does it look like with blood on it? What does it look like with guts on it? What does it look like when it’s eating? That was the big, big, big question mark hanging over the movie until the very end. And I am just pleased as punch with the results.

    ‘Cocaine Bear’ is produced by Universal Pictures, Brownstone Productions and Lord Miller Productions, and scheduled for release on February 24th.

    Director Elizabeth Banks on the set of 'Cocaine Bear.'
    Director Elizabeth Banks on the set of ‘Cocaine Bear.’ © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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  • ‘Daughter’ Interview: Casper Van Dien Talks New Thriller

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    Opening in select theaters, on Digital and On Demand beginning February 10th is the new horror thriller ‘Daughter,’ from writer and director Corey Deshon (‘A Million Little Things’).

    What is ‘Daughter’ about?

    The movie follows a young woman (Vivien Ngo) who is kidnapped and inducted into a bizarre family as their new surrogate daughter. As she navigates through this twisted dynamic, awful secrets about the past are revealed, leading to even darker implications about the future and a conflict with Father (Casper Van Dien).

    Who is in the cast?

    The film stars ‘Starship Troopers’ Casper Van Dien as Father, Vivien Ngo (‘Queen Sugar’) as Sister, Megan Le (‘Big Sky’) as Daughter, Ian Alexander (‘Star Trek: Discovery’) as Brother, and Elyse Dinh (‘Spider-Man 2’) as Mother.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Casper Van Dien about his work on ‘Daughter,’ his approach to his character, working with the cast, having fun on set, director Corey Deshon, and the legacy of ‘Starship Troopers.’

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    Ian Alexander as Brother, Casper Van Dien as Father, and Elyse Dinh as Mother in the thriller film, 'Daughter,' a Dark Star Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ian Alexander as Brother, Casper Van Dien as Father, and Elyse Dinh as Mother in the thriller film, ‘Daughter,’ a Dark Star Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Dark Star Pictures.

    Related Articles: ‘Daughter’ Exclusive Clip

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Casper Van Dien about ‘Daughter.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, when you are making a film as intense as ‘Daughter,’ what’s the mood like on set? Is it fun or emotionally draining?

    Casper Van Dien: I think I always have fun when I’m on a set because I’m actually getting to do what I love. So I feel grateful, and I get to do interviews like this. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t an actor or in the entertainment industry like us. We’re a sick set of individuals because we have the weirdest schedules and the things that we do, but we get so excited talking about movies, and making movies. I know you understand this because this is what you’re doing too, so to get on set is insane.

    This movie, however, why it was so intense was that it was all shot on film, and even the camera that they used was an old camera from the ’70s. They even used the old Polaroids. So, I was so thrilled because we were doing that, but even with that you make mistakes.

    Because there’s one day when director Corey Deshon came to me and he goes, “Casper, you remember that three-page monologue you had?” I said, “Yeah. The one I shot four days ago?” He goes, “Yeah. It didn’t work.” I said, “The footage didn’t work?” He says, “No.” So we had to reshoot it. I said, “When are we reshooting?” He answered, “In 15 minutes.” So, as an actor you memorize all these things, and it was mostly me talking in that scene, but then we had to reshoot it. But the whole crew, everybody was so excited. It was mostly a Vietnamese cast and people of color. So, it was just a very enthusiastic and fun place to work.

    MF: Can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and your approach to playing Father?

    CVD: It was interesting. I went into this, even the way I was combing my hair in it, I would leave my house that way, and my wife and daughters were like, “It’s just creeping us out the way you are. Just the way you look and the way you walk.” I was just getting in my headspace. It’s not like I was some method actor, I’m not. I’m an insane actor, so I just do whatever it takes to make it work for me.

    I was in this place, and it just felt right, everything I did with ‘Daughter.’ The way Corey Deshon writes, he’s so creative and so intelligent, and his mind’s always thinking. I would ask him a question. He would pause and think about it and say, “I’m going to get back to you.” And he’d go and think about it, and he’d come back, “This is why that would work,” or, “This is why that wouldn’t work.”

    He was just such an interesting director. He had put so much thought and effort into it, as any good director should, but it was interesting to watch him. Then his explanations, he never wanted to answer me without really having a solid answer, which I thought was fascinating, and an interesting character study for me as well. I found him very fascinating. I found the whole cast fascinating.

    Ian Alexander as Brother and Vivien Ngô as Sister in the thriller film, 'Daughter,' a Dark Star Pictures release.
    (L to R) Ian Alexander as Brother and Vivien Ngô as Sister in the thriller film, ‘Daughter,’ a Dark Star Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Dark Star Pictures.

    MF: Can you talk about the emotional warfare that Father uses on his family and especially Daughter to control them?

    CVD: Yeah, he’s pretty intimidating. The character in there, I think he’s just somebody who is so set in his ways and he knows that if he does this, everybody’s going to be all right and everything’s going to be fine. If it doesn’t go the way he’s planned, then it’s all to going to Hell in a handbasket. As that character, I had to justify his actions, and it was all for my son and how special he was.

    MF: What was it like for you working with the rest of the cast?

    CVD: They were all amazing actors to work with. Ian was so incredible and so focused on it. Vivien was so into her character, and Elyse played a wonderful wife in it. I just loved all their nuances. Also Megan, who was the first Daughter who I was very brutal with, it was just interesting to see everybody. I got along great with everybody in real time. The wardrobe, and everything they set up was really nice. I liked all the concepts Corey had for all the stuff, everything just seemed old and out of place. So you’re not quite sure what time period it is, what’s happening or where it’s at. I liked that.

    The ambiguity of it all, everything being so you can’t quite place it, even my truck. It was just fun. Every aspect of it was so interesting for me. There was a moment where I would talk to Corey and I would see the way he wrote. Some of them are quotes from the Bible and different writings and teachings, and I thought that was nice because I researched some of that. I studied some of them and I was like, “Oh, this is interesting it came from this.” So, I’d ask him questions about it. He’s just a wealth of information, and I liked where he was going with everything.

    Then just to play that character was, my wife and daughters were all happy when I was no longer being him, because I literally went to set with my hair and everything set in that mode. I was just like, “I’m going to set,” and I came home like that. I didn’t go off and say, “Okay, let me go do something else.” I didn’t wear much makeup. I just had my beard, my weird part in my hair and the dialogue.

    The dialogue was so much. I just wanted to own all the dialogue. I wanted it to be something that would come out, so that’s why I would rehearse it, so that it felt like it was exactly the way Corey wrote it. I just thought he was so odd and different, and reading it, I was like, “What is he doing? Why is he doing that? Why is he preaching like this?” It was fun to play all those places and beats.

    Elyse Dinh as Mother, Casper Van Dien as Father, Vivien Ngô as Sister, and Ian Alexander as Brother in the thriller film, 'Daughter,' a Dark Star Pictures release.
    (L to R) Elyse Dinh as Mother, Casper Van Dien as Father, Vivien Ngô as Sister, and Ian Alexander as Brother in the thriller film, ‘Daughter,’ a Dark Star Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Dark Star Pictures.

    MF: Your character has some long, very intense monologues. Can you talk about the challenges of filming those scenes?

    CVD: Well, I think I have an advantage. I’m severely dyslexic. Now, I still have a hard time reading, because I’m extremely dyslexic, but it has become something that has become a superpower for me in a way. It’s something I’m really good at, memorizing scripts and learning dialogue, and over the years I think that’s just come from experience and continually doing it and training my brain that way, because it’s not something you can do. I write things out, I work on them, and I go over different things. I really rehearse it, because in the old days we used to rehearse. Now sometimes some actors, some of the younger ones today, nothing against them, but they’re like, “I don’t want to rehearse because I want it to be fresh.”

    The great directors back in the day, they used to rehearse for months beforehand. Then it became weeks but we still had that on the big sets, and we’re not afforded that luxury so often anymore. But I still try to take as much as I can. I try to do that process so that I’m working on it myself, and when I come in, if the other actors want to work, I’m so excited about it. Because I feel like if you rehearse it, then anything that happens, the magic can be a nuance and it can just come out and flow easy. It seems to come easier that way. If you practice and rehearse, then by the time you get in, everything flows better. I think that’s the same in sports too.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about the legacy of ‘Starship Troopers?’ People are still talking about that movie over 25 years later, so what does it mean for you personally to be a part of that project?

    CVD: I love ‘Starship Troopers.’ I love being a part of it, I love that we just had the 25th anniversary of it, and I loved working with director Paul Verhoeven. I think that it was mind-boggling to me back in the day when I was 27, but when it came out, some of the press and some of the publicity missed it. I think some of the people missed it because they were publicizing it more like a killing bug movie rather than what it really was, a reverse propaganda war movie, basically. That’s the genius of Verhoeven and Ed Neumeier, and I love them. But even when Robert Rodriguez had me in ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ playing Amok, he was like, “You’re Old Man Rico in this.” I said, “All right, I love it.”

    Jake Busey, Michael Ironside, Casper Van Dien, and Dina Meyer in director Paul Verhoeven's 'Starship Troopers.'
    (L to R) Jake Busey, Michael Ironside, Casper Van Dien, and Dina Meyer in director Paul Verhoeven’s ‘Starship Troopers.’
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    Buy Tickets: ‘Daughter’ Movie Showtimes

    ‘Daughter’ will be released in select theaters on February 10th by Dark Star Pictures from Thirteenth Floor Pictures and OneWorld Entertainment, and will be released in both English and Vietnamese.

  • ‘M3GAN’ Sequel in the Works

    M3GAN and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Even before ‘M3GAN’ arrived in theaters the titular doll-sized android has become a cult figure. Between her dance moves and her murders, she’s a new pint-sized horror icon joining the likes of Chucky and Annabelle.

    Given its thrifty budget (boosted by backers Blumhouse from their usual $5 million tier to around $12 million), the movie’s more than $95 million global box office haul since its January 6th debut means it is handily in profit already.

    It’s almost a no brainer, then, that Blumhouse and co-producers Atomic Monster (James Wan’s company) would look to get a sequel in the works as soon as possible, with ‘M3GAN 2.0’ now on the calendar. And that’s despite Blumhouse boss Jason Blum’s usual reticence for jumping the gun on sequels. “After I first saw the movie, we had a good sense that a sequel might really work,” he told Variety a few days ago. “So, we broke our cardinal rule and we started talking about a sequel before the movie was released. I felt so bullish that we started entertaining a sequel earlier than we usually do.”

    ‘M3GAN’ in case you’ve yet to see it, tells the story of tech toy creator Gemma (Allison Williams) who designs M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), who can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate and protector.

    When Gemma becomes the unexpected caretaker of her 8-year-old niece, (Violet McGraw’s Cady, orphaned in a tragic accident) she decides to give the girl a M3GAN prototype (brought to life by a combo of actress/dancer Amie Donald, the voice of Jenna Davis and some CG additions), a decision that leads to unimaginable consequences. Murder bot consequences. There, we imagined it for you.

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    In short, M3GAN, who pledges to protect Cady at all costs, starts a campaign of terror against anyone who dares threaten the girl. Soon, kids are being lured into traffic, others are stabbed and it’ll be up to Gemma and Cady to shut down the killing spree. It’s campy, often hilarious horror.

    We won’t give away here exactly what happens in the big finale but suffice to say there are hints that M3GAN could return––whether it’s in her doll form or some other way. The joy of being an AI for her is that she can go anywhere she wants and the possibilities are endless.

    The challenge of figuring all that out now rests with writer Akela Cooper, who worked on the first film’s story alongside Wan and wrote the eventual script. Williams and McGraw will both return in front of the camera, but there’s no news yet on whether director Gerard Johnstone is coming back for more M3GAN madness.

    It’s yet another success for the Blumhouse team, which has gained a real reputation for low-budget horror hits and is currently exploring a merger with Wan’s Atomic Monster company, itself no slouch in the scary franchise department.

    Universal has dated ‘M3GAN 2.0’ for January 17th, 2025.

    Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in 'M3GAN.'
    (L to R) Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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  • ‘The Price We Pay’ Interview: Emile Hirsch Talks New Thriller

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    Opening in theaters select theaters on January 13th and VOD on January 10th is the new horror thriller ‘The Price We Pay,’ from writer and director Ryûhei Kitamura (‘The Midnight Meat Train’).

    The movie stars Stephen Dorff (‘Blade,’ ‘True Detective’) and Emilie Hirsch (‘Speed Racer,’ ‘Into the Wild‘) as Cody and Alex, respectively, who after a robbery gone wrong, abduct a hostage named Grace (Gigi Zumbado). However, when they decide to hide on a remote farm, they discover a secret horror and becoming victims themselves.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Emile Hirsch about his work on ‘The Price We Pay,’ it’s unusual genre, creating his character, the challenges of acting tortured, reuniting with Stephen Dorff, and working with director Ryûhei Kitamura.

    Emile Hirsch in 'The Price We Pay.'
    Emile Hirsch in ‘The Price We Pay.’

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Emile Hirsch about ‘The Price We Pay.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, ‘The Price We Pay’ starts off as a heist film and quickly becomes a very dark horror movie. Can you talk about the genre-flipping aspects of the screenplay and is that what attracted you to this project?

    Emile Hirsch: Well, the initial thing that attracted me to the film was the chance to get to work with Ryûhei Kitamura. I watched his film, ‘Versus.’ The producer, Robert Dean, contacted me and he said, “Watch this movie. I’m going to do this movie with this Japanese director.” ‘Versus’ just had an energy and kind of a movement to it. It’s like cult classic now that Ryûhei shot in Japan.

    I loved it and I knew that he would make something different from this. This film has echoes of a lot of different movies and our goal was to give our own spin, and our own unique take on it. As far as the genre shifting, for me, I liked it because the first part, it almost has a ’90s, Quentin Tarantino kind of feel to it. Mobsters being bad, giving witty quips to each other, and really just being total and utter scumbags.

    So as an audience member, I think it’s one of those things where you buildup strong opinions about some of these characters. My character in particular, he might be amusing to you, but you don’t like the guy. So, when the genre shifts and you realize that it’s like that animated fish analogy, where there’s one fish and then the bigger fish comes and eats it, after it eats a little fish. It’s kind of like that.

    I think part of what’s satisfying about that shift from the first act to the second act is because we’re so in control, it’s almost more satisfying when you see the genre shift because suddenly they have nothing to say. They have absolutely no cool talk to say because they’re totally screwed. You see that these other villains are even worse than they are. They’re not talking like they’re in ‘Goodfellas’ or something. They’re just executing their plan.

    So, it’s a genre shift that I think doesn’t weaken the film. It makes it oddly more satisfying because you think that these guys are starring in their own movie. You know how there’s guys that the way they act, it seems like they’re starring in their own movie? Then suddenly it’s like, nope, you’re starring in these other guys’ movie. You guys are just on the chopping block!

    MF: Your character is very smart, sarcastic, and at times really funny. Was he written on the page exactly like that, or did you bring a lot of your own sensibilities to the role?

    EH: I think that the writer, Christopher Jolley, wrote a really great script and the director, he is very collaborative. So, I could have ideas here and there, but as far as what was written, I consider myself first and foremost an actor and it’s all a collaborative part of the process. We were able to rapidly change things around as we saw. So, very early on I went to Ryûhei and I said, “I think it’d be cool if Alex, if he has a pair of dice.”

    It almost reminded me of Humphrey Bogart in ‘The Caine Mutiny.’ You remember that, where Humphrey Bogart has these metal balls that he’s constantly swirling in his hands. I said, “It’d be kind of cool if Alex had something like that, that he refers to, it’s almost like a magic eight ball that he has where he is kind of consulting it and he’s just weird enough that he thinks it has some sort of magic powers.”

    We were able to incorporate that at the right moments through the film. Then I think it really pays off for me in my final scene where the ultimate gambler guy, where life is a game of living or dying, it’s just all a game, he finally gets to play this game except he’s like the player. He’s not like the instructor and he realize he’s a member of the game.

    It’s only a guy as demented as that that embraces the game. So, when he goes down the path of his fate, he is oddly okay with it and excited to play the game because it’s like he’s the perfect guy to do that with. So, I wanted to tie the logic of that character in so in those final scenes. It’s almost funny because you’re like, this is the guy that would actually want to do that. I didn’t come up with the glasses though, that was Ryûhei and Chris Jolley.

    Stephen Dorff and Emile Hirsch in 'The Price We Pay.'
    (L to R) Stephen Dorff and Emile Hirsch in ‘The Price We Pay.’

    MF: You first worked with Stephen Dorff over a decade ago on ‘The Motel Life.’ What was it like reuniting with him on this film?

    EH: Yes, Stephen and I worked together on ‘The Motel Life,’ and we played brothers. We always got along great. He’s such an incredible actor, he’s such a passionate guy and he gives everything he has in every project. So, it was a pleasure to work with him on this, and Gigi Zumbado, Tanner Zagarino and Vernon Wells as well. We had a really great cast. But with Stephen, I think we’ve always had an affection for each other.

    We’ve always kind of had that brotherly bond. I met Stephen at the premiere of ‘Old School,’ when I was shooting ‘The Girl Next Door,’ when I was 17 years old. We always liked each other. Here, it’s different because we’re kind of in adversarial roles. But I felt like the cat and mouse between Alex and Cody, I felt like it kind of works because the only reason why Alex doesn’t just completely steamroll or shoot all the hostages, is because Cody, Stephen’s character, is able to match wits with him.

    Because he matches wits with him, that’s what brings Alex down. That’s what keeps Alex in control. Because Alex is a guy who, if you can come back and spit something at him, he’ll sort of respect that in a weird way. Dorff was so good at that. I love the way he would spit out some of those lines. Some of the lines are really funny. He’d be like, “Unless you got yourself a bicycle.” I’m like, “We’re going to walk?” And he goes, “Affirmative. Unless you got yourself a bicycle.” It’s just like this military guy saying this sarcastic line. It’s really funny.

    MF: Did you enjoy working with actress Gigi Zumbado?

    EH: She’s so cool. She’s so spirited, full of ideas and energy, and she was so excited to be a part of this wild movie that we had. I thought she was great. She really takes that third act into the stratosphere for me. Her and Tyler Sanders, the young man who played the Danny. He was a wonderful, and a very intense actor who it was a real pleasure to work with.

    Gigi and Tyler, they really owned that third act space. There’s a couple of sequences in it where, when I first saw the movie, my jaw was really on the floor. I was so proud of Ryûhei, and his editor was amazing. If you look at the barbed wire sequence, and I won’t give anything away, it’s one of the craziest sequences in any horror movie, ever. The way that it’s edited and constructed with the machine, and the way it keeps cutting back to the machine, literally adding tension to the scene, it’s really something that I hadn’t seen before. It really spoke to the team that we had, because the sound design, the effects and the editing on that scene are masterful, and the cinematography as well.

    Stephen Dorff and Gigi Zumbado in 'The Price We Pay.'
    (L to R) Stephen Dorff and Gigi Zumbado in ‘The Price We Pay.’

    MF: Can you talk about the challenges of acting tortured on screen, and when you are making a movie as intense as this, what’s the vibe on set? Is it fun to play being tortured, or does it take a lot out of you emotionally?

    EH: It’s fun in certain circumstances. Let’s put it this way, when we’re shooting the torture stuff, I’m on a gurney, I’m wearing a backless smock, and I’ve got prosthetics all over my face covering my eyes so I’m blind as a bat. Then, there’s all these sharp medical instruments around me and we’re shooting inside this darkened office building, and I can’t see anything. It’s cold, damp and weird, and that kind of stuff, that is still fun, believe it or not. It’s still fun because it’s just so out there. But it’s a little bit nerve-wracking, especially when your vision’s gone.

    I asked a girl that was next to me, “You’re on the crew, right?” She’s like, “Yeah.” I was blind and I said, “Okay, don’t leave my side under any circumstances.” She was like, “I will not leave your side under any circumstances.” So, she would keep an eye on me as they were wheeling me around and I was being put in different nooks and crannies and this kind of maze like set. It was really intense with all the medical instruments, scalpels and saws, and being strapped down. Your imagination can go to a lot of places, and honestly, they’re probably not even crazy enough for this movie.

    MF: Finally, the last time we spoke you talked about working with Quinten Tarantino on ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’  As an actor, what are you looking for from a director on set, and what was it like working with Ryûhei Kitamura?

    EH: In terms of looking for something out of a director, I’m very simple where I’m only looking for a good movie. That’s it. I’m only looking for a good performance. However we get there doesn’t matter because directors are so very different. So, the process on ‘The Price We Pay,’ we were developing and rewriting the script every single day up to shooting. On the weekends we would get together and be rewriting, reworking, retooling, getting approval, and everything like that. It’s a day by day thing and that was something that Ryûhei was really into and embraced it. Then even on the set, we’re constantly blocking, rewriting, and all that type of stuff. It was an extremely fluid process.

    When you work with someone like Tarantino, for the most part, the writing is kind of word perfect. You’re getting there. Tarantino a lot of times will re-block things in his mind visually, and then he will find something in a scene. But he also has the time to do that with those bigger budgets. There’s not really any time constraints on Quentin. Whereas this film, we shot this movie in such a short amount of time, you can’t even believe it really. It was 17 or 18 days. It might even have bene less, and the budget is way less. We just don’t have that much time. So, to have that kind of fluidity with the director that I had with Ryûhei was great. He was insanely collaborative, fun and had a good sense of humor.

    I’m a very glass half full actor when it comes to my director. I’ve worked with actors that find things sometimes that they don’t like and they find them very easily. But I’m the kind of actor that I’ll stick my head in the sand about something that they might not like, and then I’ll find a bunch of things that I do like and I’ll just capitalize on the things that I like with that director.

    Part of it is just my natural personality, and I love making movies. I love being on set and working, and it’s something I actually have a lot of fun doing. So because of that, the more different the directors are, the more different the situations are, even the budgets are and the speed, I find a way to like every part of that process, even getting tied down to the gurney in the dark. Surprisingly enough, it’s still like, this is a cool new experience. All right, let’s do it.

    Stephen Dorff and Emile Hirsch in 'The Price We Pay.'
    (L to R) Stephen Dorff and Emile Hirsch in ‘The Price We Pay.’
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  • Movie Review: ‘M3GAN’

    M3GAN in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    M3GAN in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Convinced that doll you gave your daughter or niece for Christmas is watching you?

    Then you’ll relate to Allison Williams’ plight in ‘M3GAN,’ the latest horror offering from fear factory Blumhouse Productions, screenwriter Akela Cooper (‘Malignant’) and horror auteur James Wan (here co-writing and producing). Williams plays Gemma, an ambitious but OCD toymaker/roboticist who creates the film’s titular treat, the ultimate interactive doll, and then introduces her to her niece Cady (played by ‘The Haunting of Hill House’s Violet McGraw). Gemma assumes custody of Cady after her parents are killed in a car accident. Unfortunately, she’s much more interested in finishing her latest invention than being a parent.

    M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) sits firmly at the bottom of the uncanny valley, with shiny silicone skin and just-shy-of-human voice and mannerisms. But director Gerard Johnstone and the wizards at Weta FX are smart enough not to make her too creepy at first glance, lest audiences wonder why any grown-up would leave their child alone with the android plaything.

    The shivers begin in earnest when M3GAN starts taking her job as Cady’s guardian a little too seriously – and moves from making sure her charge brushes her teeth to murdering anyone who threatens her. Gemma’s then forced to decide between helping her hot-tempered boss (Ronny Chieng) launch a ten-thousand-dollar retail version of M3GAN and finally deciding to face her responsibility as caregiver.

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    While ‘M3GAN’ takes some admirable jabs at parents who too often rely on technology to babysit their kids, its principal strength is its campy black comedy. As ‘Chucky’ fans well know, it’s hard not to laugh at the sight of a four-foot doll slaughtering people; and Johnstone pushes his modest budget and PG-13 rating about as far as they can go. Like Chucky, M3GAN knows the value of a well-timed zinger, and her dance moves made for some much-shared memes months before the film’s release. ‘M3GAN’ also pulls a page from Sam Raimi’s scare-humor playbook in its editing, with several quick-cut mini montages amping up the absurdity of the film’s violence.

    Unfortunately, there’s only so much an over-the-top horror movie can do when it’s PG-13. Which means our enjoyment of M3GAN’s kills is frequently curtailed by shots that cut away from the payoff gore. As proven by classics like ‘Re-Animator’ and ‘Return of the Living Dead,’ when it comes to splatter comedy more is most definitely more. The film also plays it too safe in its storytelling. Innocent lives are spared, as all of M3GAN’s victims are portrayed as bad people who had it coming.

    If there’s an upside to this tidiness, ‘M3GAN’ could prove to be a gateway drug for budding young fright fans who might otherwise be prevented from witnessing on-screen mayhem. (The screening I attended had far more tweens in its audience than most horror movies.) Thankfully, ‘M3GAN’ is clearly made by people who know and love the genre, and it wears its influences on its sleeve. In its tale of a woman who creates – and ultimately rejects – a female without the aid of a partner, it functions as a twenty-first century take on Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein.’

    It also offers nods at plenty of other sci-fi fables, from long-forgotten TV sitcoms like ‘My Living Doll’ and ‘Small Wonder’ to cinematic masterpieces like ‘Robocop’ and ‘A.I.’ It’s the sci-fi equivalent of such fantasy-fueled killer doll films as ‘Child’s Play’ and ‘Annabelle’ (also produced by Wan), but unafraid to play with its genre’s big ideas.

    Allison Williams as Gemma in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    Allison Williams as Gemma in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The cast is more than up to what’s asked of them. Williams (who shined in Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’) gives an earnest performance as a woman more at home with machines than humanity. In that, she’s well-partnered with McGraw, who convinces as a trauma survivor in need of tenderness. (The always amusing Chieng is a fitting foil, taking his douche-bro persona – on full display in ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ – to hilarious extremes.)

    But while many of last year’s most acclaimed fright flicks – including ‘Barbarian,’ ‘Smile,’ and ‘Pearl’ – exploited their characters’ trauma to the point of exhaustion, ‘M3GAN’ gives audiences an opportunity to have fun with the genre again, while them that laughter and terror are close cousins.

    Just make sure the inevitable sequel is R-rated, Blumhouse, and we’ll forgive the gore deficit.

    ‘M3GAN’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.

    Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in 'M3GAN.'
    (L to R) Cady (Violet McGraw), M3GAN and Gemma (Allison Williams) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2022 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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  • ‘M3GAN’ Interview: Allison Williams Talks New Blumhouse Movie

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    Opening in theaters on January 6th is the new sci-fi horror film ‘M3GAN,’ which was produced by Jason Blum and James Wan, based on a story by Wan, and directed by Gerard Johnstone (‘Housebound’).

    The movie stars Allison Williams (‘Get Out’) as Gemma, a brilliant roboticist at a toy company who uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a lifelike doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally.

    After the unexpected death of her sister, Gemma gains custody of her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw) and enlists the help of the M3GAN prototype. However, her decision has horrific consequences when the doll becomes self-aware and overprotective of Cady, leading her to kill everyone!

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Allison Williams to talk about her work on ‘M3GAN,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, her character’s parental situation, the challenges of acting opposite M3GAN, and working with director Gerard Johnstone.

    Allison Williams stars in Blumhouse Productions' 'M3GAN.'
    Allison Williams stars in Blumhouse Productions’ ‘M3GAN.’

    You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Williams, director Gerard Johnstone, and producers Jason Blum and James Wan.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and did the scares in the film read on the page?

    Allison Williams: I read it really quickly and in one sitting. I found it just impossible to put down. I probably was sweating by the end, just wondering like, “Oh God, what’s going to happen? How are they all going to get out of the situation? Who’s going to come out of the situation alive?”

    So, it definitely had that momentum to it, and I didn’t want to put it down. I found it just super compelling. I mean, Akela (Cooper) writes a good screenplay, so it was a good experience to sit down and read it, for sure.

    MF: Your character suddenly becomes the guardian of her niece after her parent’s death. Can you talk about how that changes Gemma’s life?

    AW: She has total myopia. All she cares about is what she does for a living. She’s super passionate about it. She’s really brilliant. She’s really good at it. I have a ton of friends like this, she’s the kind of person who If you say, “Do you want a family?” She’s kind of like, “Yeah, maybe later, but probably not. We’ll see how life goes, but I’m kind of loving being focused on work right now.” Then boom, she’s an instant parent.

    I think that is just something she never saw coming in a million years. She probably promised her sister and then didn’t really remember, and now suddenly, here she is, with this little girl who went from having a very full life with two parents, to just living with her aunt in a less than ideal situation. So, it’s possible to imagine why Gemma thought, “Oh, I have just the thing to help me with this quagmire.” Enter M3GAN.

    M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in 'M3GAN,' directed by Gerard Johnstone.
    (L to R) M3GAN, Gemma (Allison Williams) and Cady (Violet McGraw) in ‘M3GAN,’ directed by Gerard Johnstone. © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: As an actress, can you talk about the challenges of working opposite M3GAN?

    AW: Without sort of ruining the magic of how M3GAN came to be, I’ve had many experiences that helped, and kind of added together, prepared me for the experience of working with her.

    On ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events,’ the Netflix show, I worked often with kids who either were or weren’t there, but there was a piece of tape on the camera. So, I had that experience. I’ve done work with puppets before and stuff like that, so I think that helped prepare me for what was happening.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about how Gerard Johnstone was able to help direct you in your scenes with M3GAN?

    AW: Gerard has the most specific tone, and it is very easy to read these things on the page and be like, “I’m not totally sure how this is going to translate to film.” But he just always saw and understood how that was supposed to look.

    For example, the dance, it reads one way on the page and you’re like, “Ooh, that’s probably spooky and eerie.” But it’s entirely another thing to see it in that hallway, the way it was choreographed, the way it was filmed. It just works perfectly in this way that only he can conceptualize.

    Allison Williams and director Gerard Johnstone on the set of 'M3GAN.'
    (L to R) Allison Williams and director Gerard Johnstone on the set of ‘M3GAN.’ © 2023 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    EHoHneTp3nydUSOSsXuuw

  • ‘Lullaby’ Interview: Oona Chaplin Talks New Horror Movie

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    Opening in select theaters and On Demand December 16th is the new horror movie ‘Lullaby,’ which was directed by John R. Leonetti (‘Annabelle’).

    The film stars Oona Chaplin as Rachel, a new mother who discovers a lullaby in an ancient book and regards the song as a blessing. But her world transforms into a nightmare when the lullaby brings forth the ancient demon Lilith (Kira Guloien). Ramon Rodriguez (‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’) also stars as Rachel’s husband, John.

    Actress Oona Chaplin was born into acting royalty as she is the daughter of actress Geraldine Chaplin, granddaughter of legendary filmmaker Charlie Chaplin, and the great-granddaughter of playwright Eugene O’Neil.

    Chaplin is probably best known for her role as Talisa Maegyr on HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones,’ and will be seen in the upcoming sequels for James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ currently entitled ‘Avatar 3’ and ‘Avatar 4.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Oona Chaplin about her work on ‘Lullaby,’ how she got involved in the project, her character, and the legend of Lilith, as well as working with Ramon Rodriguez, director John R. Leonetti, and a baby that won’t cry.

    Oona Chaplin stars in director John R. Leonetti's 'Lullaby.'
    Oona Chaplin stars in director John R. Leonetti’s ‘Lullaby.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Chaplin and director John R. Leonetti.

    Moviefone: To begin with, how did you get involved with this project and what was your first reaction to the screenplay?

    Oona Chaplin: Well, John Leonetti actually reached out to me, which I found extremely flattering and wonderful. We met up in Toronto and talked about the script. Then I think the reason that it appealed to me was a number of things, but the main thing was this mother’s love, and the lengths to which a mother will go to take care of her baby.

    That journey is really beautiful, especially with this person who is coming from a very successful career. She knows what to do, she’s got everything under control, and then she completely loses control because she invites life into this world and then there’s no stopping the baby from crying. So, it’s like this person that’s got everything all set suddenly being challenged with the most natural process in the world that she can’t handle and then that gets taken away from her. It was an interesting piece.

    MF: Every new parent fears for the safety of their child, can you talk about how being a new mother affects Rachel and your approach to playing her?

    OC: I have never had the experience and I hope to God that I never needed to deal with it, but I imagine that losing a child is the most horrible thing that can happen to a person. It takes a lot to recover from it. But I think the fact that the child isn’t lost, that it is just taken somewhere else is easier, I think.

    Oona Chaplin stars in director John R. Leonetti's 'Lullaby.'
    Oona Chaplin stars in director John R. Leonetti’s ‘Lullaby.’

    MF: Your character spends most of the film either exhausted or in complete fear. What was the mood on set and was it difficult to keep those emotions going while you were shooting?

    OC: It’s very tiring and it’s also really fun. It’s only fun because of the people really. The people make it fun. I was blessed with the most beautiful group of people to make this film. It was just so chipper in between the takes, even though the takes were very horrible, and we were just finding moments to laugh with one another in between the horrible horror moments. So, that makes it easier.

    But it was very, very exhausting. My nervous system was completely shot. I think that’s one of the great gifts that John gives, is he’s not relying on CGI. So, he wants everything to happen right there. So, that for me was like, let’s do this, because it really stretches your imagination and it stretches your emotional resilience.

    MF: Can you talk about Rachel and John’s marriage, and what it was like working with Ramon Rodriguez?

    OC: Ramon and I clicked instantly. It was on Zoom and it was more like we spoke about relationships and in that conversation, within the first two minutes, I just thought, we think about things in a really similar way. We’re going to get along just great. This is going to be really easy. We can totally go. So, that made things very pleasant.

    Then I feel like the trust, it’s very difficult to trust other people when you don’t trust yourself. I think that in fact it’s impossible. I think that what happens is that Rachel finds herself not trusting herself, and she’s not used to that. So, therefore in that place, she can’t trust John. She can’t trust anything.

    So, until she finds that trust within herself again, and it happens in the film, then she’s working with John and they’re in tandem again. I don’t know if the writers did that on purpose, but it was a really astute analysis of relationship. Because it’s what it’s like. If you don’t trust yourself, there’s no way you’re going to trust anyone else.

    Ramon Rodriguez and Oona Chaplin star in director John R. Leonetti's 'Lullaby.'
    (L to R) Ramon Rodriguez and Oona Chaplin star in director John R. Leonetti’s ‘Lullaby.’

    MF: Can you talk about the challenges of acting opposite a baby?

    OC: It was challenging because the babies were so well behaved and they were having the time of their life, and the baby’s are supposed to be crying the whole time in the film. They wouldn’t cry! They were just smiling, super chill and fascinated by the camera and playing with my face. They were so adorable. It was like, how am I going to make this baby cry?

    So, I’m trying to hide his head away from the camera. The parents were there. They were so sweet. The parents, they were such a beautiful family and we were so blessed to have gotten to be with them in that time. But yeah, the babies were just having the time of their lives.

    MF: Lilith is based on an actual character from the Talmud, can you talk about how she is depicted in the film?

    OC: I think that it’s really handy that she has that horrible hag doing her dirty work, because they make a really good duo. Then Lilith, for me, for the movie as the Boogeyman, it was just great because she’s super beautiful, but really spooky, mesmerizing and enchanting. But then if you look at the real Lilith myth, I feel like they didn’t quite do her justice. It’s like we get to explain in the movie, there’s a lot that happened to this woman.

    MF: Finally, what was your experience like working with director John R. Leonetti?

    OC: Working with John was great. He’s extremely nice and that was very confusing to me because he makes such scary films. I was a little bit nervous because he’s created so much horror, and then he’s so lovely. As I said, I really admire his conviction of making things that are right there on the set without having to lean too heavily on fancy computer stuff.

    Kira Guloien stars as Lilith in director John R. Leonetti's 'Lullaby.'
    Kira Guloien stars as Lilith in director John R. Leonetti’s ‘Lullaby.’
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  • Eva Green Talks Psychological Thriller ‘Nocebo’

    Eva Green stars in director Lorcan Finnegan's 'Nocebo.'
    Eva Green stars in director Lorcan Finnegan’s ‘Nocebo.’

    Opening in theaters on November 4th and on demand and digital November 22nd is the new psychological thriller ‘Nocebo’ from director Lorcan Finnegan.

    The new movie stars Eva Green (Casino Royale) as Christine, a fashion designer suffering from a mysterious illness that puzzles her doctors and frustrates her husband, Felix (Mark Strong).

    Help finally arrives in the form of a Filipino carer named Diana (Chai Fonacier), who uses traditional folk healing to reveal a horrifying truth.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Eva Green about her work on ‘Nocebo,’ her first reaction to the screenplay, portraying a character going through trauma, Christine and Diana’s relationship, how that is affecting her marriage, and working with director Lorcan Finnegan.

    Eva Green stars in director Lorcan Finnegan's 'Nocebo.'
    Eva Green stars in director Lorcan Finnegan’s ‘Nocebo.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, how did you got involved in this project and what was your first reaction when you read the screenplay?

    Eva Green: It was actually during COVID. Lorcan sent me the script and I actually saw his movie, ‘Vivarium,’ a few months before. I really loved the very unique atmosphere, kind of claustrophobic and disturbing, and I was very excited. Just the idea of working with him was exciting.

    Then I read the script and I thought it was kind of a daring project. It’s not just a horror movie for the sake of being a horror movie. It’s quite psychological. The bond between those two women was very appealing.

    MF: In the film, your character is going through a traumatic experience, both physically and mentally. As an actress, how do you prepare for those scenes and was it ever exhausting?

    EG: Yeah, but it’s quite fun. I mean, it probably looked exhausting on screen, but, it’s kind of jubilating as an actor to let the demons out and do extreme stuff. We’re so controlled in life so, it’s a good opportunity. With Lorcan, he has a very dry Irish sense of humor, so that kind of helps to not fall into a deep depression. But, it’s fun, really.

    Chai Fonacier stars in director Lorcan Finnegan's 'Nocebo.'
    Chai Fonacier stars in director Lorcan Finnegan’s ‘Nocebo.’

    MF: Can you talk about Christine and Diana’s relationship, and how Christine becomes dependent on her?

    EG: The journey of Christine is quite interesting, because at the beginning she seems, quite confident, active, and like a normal person. Then she receives this phone call that completely devastates her, and after that she develops this very mysterious illness.

    She’s quite unique, this woman, this Filipino helper named Diana. At the beginning, Christina’s quite suspicious, but Diana kind of quickly gains her trust by being the perfect nanny. She cooks amazing stuff and she even manages to cure some of the symptoms Christine suffers from.

    So, they really bond that way. Christine becomes so indebted to Diana that their relationship shifts, and the servant becomes the master. I really love that. Actually, one of my favorite movies is ‘The Servant.’ So, it was kind of echo to this.

    MF: Can you talk about how Diana jeopardizes Christine and Felix’s marriage, and what it was like working with Mark Strong?

    EG: I think the fact that this is a very strong relationship with Diana, and it enrages Felix who thinks that Christine’s illness is psychosomatic due to something that happened in her past and that she feels guilty about.

    He becomes very jealous of this relationship. It’s almost like you would think at some point that Christine’s in love with Diana now. It’s like she’s a goddess or something, and she doesn’t listen to Felix anymore.

    But Mark, he’s such a gentleman. He’s so nice. I remember shooting that scene when I argue with him towards the end of the movie. I remember one night I threw this shoe at him, and I was like, “Oh my God, I hurt him.”

    He was like, “No, no, I’m all right.” But he was so lovely, and we were very lucky to have him on board. He’s such a strong and very charismatic actor. So, it was very important to have that kind of strong man in the house.

    Mark Strong stars in director Lorcan Finnegan's 'Nocebo.'
    Mark Strong stars in director Lorcan Finnegan’s ‘Nocebo.’

    MF: Finally, can you talk about watching director Lorcan Finnegan execute his vision for this project?

    EG: I mean, Lorcan knows exactly what he wants. He’s very visual. He has an amazing imagination. He speaks a lot with his cinematographer, and they really wanted to do something different, with interesting angles.

    I know that both of them really loved the Polanski Cinema, like ‘Repulsion,’ it was all about creating this disturbing, oppressive world. They were really working together, and it was quite contagious.

    Eva Green stars in director Lorcan Finnegan's 'Nocebo.'
    Eva Green stars in director Lorcan Finnegan’s ‘Nocebo.’
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  • Movie Review: ‘Halloween Ends’

    Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, and Andi Matichak as Allyson Nelson in director David Gordon Green's 'Halloween Ends.'
    (L to R) Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, and Andi Matichak as Allyson Nelson in director David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween Ends.’

    Opening in theaters and streaming on Peacock beginning October 14th, ‘Halloween Ends’ represents David Gordon Green’s stab at closing out the trilogy he began with 2018’s ‘Halloween’.

    You may recall that Green sought to up the mayhem levels in his last outing, 2021’s ‘Halloween Kills’. That film saw mob violence overtake the town of Haddonfield Illinois and largely sidelined Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie, hospitalized after her latest brutal encounter with Michael Myers (played by both James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle).

    While it was a big swing in terms of the mythology, it didn’t quite work, coming across as unfocused and chaotic, and robbing the movie of its personal vengeance connection. It tried to balance that out by (spoiler alert for anyone who hasn’t seen the movie) killing off Laurie’s daughter Karen, played by Judy Greer.

    ‘Ends’ moves the story on four years, as Haddonfield has enjoyed a time of relative calm after the disappearance of Michael Myers. Though the vibrating hum of tension is always present as an undercurrent, Laurie has done her best to move on with life.

    Andi Matichak as Allyson in 'Halloween Ends.'
    Andi Matichak as Allyson in ‘Halloween Ends,’ co-written, produced and directed by David Gordon Green.

    She’s living without a complicated security system, writing about her experiences and the nature of evil and trying to guide granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak), who is still suffering the psychological scars of her parents’ loss and trying to move on by working as a nurse at the local hospital.

    But even as everyone looks to cope and heal, the town is set back on edge when Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) accidentally kills the boy he’s babysitting. Though it’s a tragic mistake, the repercussions are devastating, turning Corey into an unwitting bogeyman and the target of bullies.

    And when he makes an unexpected connection with Allyson, their traumatic histories drawing them together, things become even more complicated, forcing Laurie to act.

    Of course, by this point, you’re probably wondering how Michael Myers factors into all this – but we’ll not reveal that for the sake of keeping the movie’s secrets.

    Jamie Lee Curtis and director David Gordon Green on the set of 'Halloween Ends.'
    (L to R) Jamie Lee Curtis and director David Gordon Green on the set of ‘Halloween Ends.’

    Suffice to say, this once again represents Green, plus co-writers Danny McBride, Chris Bernier and Paul Brad Logan, still trying new ideas within the existing ‘Halloween’ mythology. But as with ‘Kills’, the results are severely mixed.

    Curtis is thankfully handed more to do as Laurie this time, and of course she’s still fantastic as the haunted heroine we’ve come to know and worry about. Switching up her attitude once more works for the character, as she tries to put the past behind her and concentrate instead on a future for her and her family.

    But of course, she can never quite put Michael Myers out of her mind, given all the pain and suffering she’s endured at his hands (and knives).

    The emphasis, though, is less on her than it is on Matichak and Campbell. And while they try to make the unexpected partnership work, there’s often the creeping feeling that you’re watching people act a certain way because the movie demands they do, not out of logic. Certain actions you can understand, but as the narrative goes to more extreme ends, it becomes less easy to comprehend.

    Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, and Rohan Campbell as Corey Cunningham in director David Gordon Green's 'Halloween Ends.' Curtis as Laurie Strode, and Rohan Campbell as Corey Cunningham in David Gordon Green's 'Halloween Ends.'
    (L to R) Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, and Rohan Campbell as Corey Cunningham in director David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween Ends.’

    Campbell’s Corey is at least an interesting addition to the story, a young man pushed to extraordinary behavior by guilt, grief and the local community’s reaction to him. He’s got a haranguing mother and an indulgent quiet-spoken father, so there are added layers to how he’s gotten to this point and what happens when he decides he’s been pushed too far.

    As for others in Haddonfield, there are brief, human moments for Kyle Richards’ Lindsey and particularly Will Patton’s Hawkins, who fosters his tentative feelings for Laurie. But while the story is fortunately trying to juggle far fewer balls this time, there’s still the feeling of not quite hitting all its targets.

    On a subtextual level, there are attempts here to reflect on the effects of trauma and the continuing injuries that no one can see or comprehend. And in slightly clunky voice-over as she continues writing, Laurie muses on the nature of evil.

    For those after a slasher movie – because, after all, isn’t that what we really want from a ‘Halloween’ installment? – there could be some disappointment, at least until the slaying starts. But while it was Laurie in the background in ‘Kills’, here it’s her nemesis, which can be disappointing (again, we won’t go into details).

    Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in director David Gordon Green's 'Halloween Ends.'
    Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in director David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween Ends.’

    Musically, ‘Ends’ is of course up to the task, with franchise founder John Carpenter once more providing the score, all electronic terror and creeping notes.

    As shot by Michael Simmonds, who was cinematographer for both ‘Halloween’ and ‘Halloween Kills’, Haddonfield here is at least authentic looking (albeit with suburban Illinois played by Georgia and Utah) and there are some fantastic visual moments.

    Green has also not lost his talent for building tension. There’s less of it here than in the previous two movies, but he and his team are adroit at designing sequences that quicken the pulse. Yes, there are the usual fake-outs and jump scares, but Green doesn’t lean on them.

    Without going into specifics, ‘Ends’ truly does aim to wrap a bow on at least Green’s take on the franchise but pushed to slightly ridiculous levels. The result is a movie that succeeds more than ‘Kills’ but never lives up to the promise of the director’s first film featuring Laurie vs. Michael.

    ‘Halloween’ as a franchise never truly ends (no matter how many times Michael has died – or appeared to), but this particular conclusion is never as satisfying as it might have been, and that’s a shame.

    ‘Halloween Ends’ receives 2.5 out of 5 stars.

    Michael Myers (aka The Shape) in 'Halloween Ends,' directed by David Gordon Green.
    Michael Myers (aka The Shape) in ‘Halloween Ends,’ directed by David Gordon Green.
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  • ‘Halloween Ends’ Interviews: Andi Matichak and Rohan Campbell

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    Opening in theaters on October 14th is ‘Halloween Ends,’ which is the thirteenth film in the ‘Halloween’ franchise and the final movie in the “H40” trilogy that began with 2018’s ‘Halloween’ and continued with 2021’s ‘Halloween Kills.’

    Once again directed by David Gordon Green (‘Pineapple Express’) and co-written by Danny McBride (‘Tropic Thunder’), ‘Halloween Ends’ stars Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her iconic role as Laurie Strode.

    Set four years after the events of ‘Halloween Kills’ and Michael Myers last rampage, the new movie finds Laurie living a quiet life with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). But when Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.

    In addition to Curtis, Matichak, and Campbell, the cast also includes Will Patton, Kyle Richards, and James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle, who together portray Michael Myers.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking to Andi Matichak and Rohan Campbell about their work on ‘Halloween Ends,’ their characters, the plot, and working with director David Gordon Green.

    Rohan Campbell and Andi Matichak star in 'Halloween Ends.'
    (L to R) Rohan Campbell and Andi Matichak star in ‘Halloween Ends,’ co-written, produced and directed by David Gordon Green.

    You can read the full interview below of click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Matichak, Campbell, and Kyle Richards.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Andi, Allyson went through a lot in ‘Halloween Kills.’ What is she doing when we catch up with her at the beginning of ‘Halloween Ends?’

    Andi Matichak: What is really wonderful is that there is that four-year time jump. So, we had a lot of attention to detail and a lot of care went into figuring out what happened and where she goes on that journey in that four-year period that as an audience you do not see. When you meet Allyson in this new version, she’s seemingly quite okay.

    She is trying to live a pretty normal life and holds a job and just has this kind of stoic facade. The thing about trauma and the thing about pain and tragedy is it kind of lives within you. Even if you’ve done the work, done the healing and moved on in the best way you can, it still is right under the surface. As new characters emerge and new relationships blossom, it’s kind of tested and you start to get a peek underneath, which is really a fun exploration of character.

    MF: Rohan, what does it mean to you to be a part of this movie and join the ‘Halloween’ franchise?

    Rohan Campbell: It’s crazy. It’s just incredible. I mean, obviously I’m a massive fan of John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween.’ It was one of the first horror movies I ever watched. It’s a crazy thing because the opportunity comes and you’re so excited. I was so amped.

    Then you show up on set and you’re actually making a ‘Halloween’ movie and you freak out. You’re like, “What am I doing here? This is crazy!” It’s just an honor. I’m so grateful and it’s just been the most special experience of my life so far.

    Director David Gordon Green, Andi Matichak and Kyle Richards on the set of 'Halloween Ends.'
    (L to R) Director David Gordon Green, Andi Matichak and Kyle Richards on the set of ‘Halloween Ends.’

    MF: Andi, what was it like for you to reunite with director David Gordon Green after making the last two ‘Halloween’ movies with him?

    AM: He is an incredible filmmaker. This to me is really David Gordon Green’s stamp on the franchise. This is him personified in a movie and albeit a ‘Halloween’ movie. It is an incredible film. I have a deep appreciation for it, largely because I do feel like it’s so close to David’s heart. He’s such a blast to work with.

    MF: Finally, Rohan, what was your experience like working with David Gordon Green on this project?

    RC: I think when I first watched the film, I had an experience where the movie’s end credits are rolling, and I said, “I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a movie with a tone like this.” I realized it’s just the purest part of David coming out in cinema. It’s such a wild ride and I can’t wait for people to watch it.

    Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Corey (Rohan Campbell) in 'Halloween Ends.'
    (L to R) Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Corey (Rohan Campbell) in ‘Halloween Ends,’ co-written, produced and directed by David Gordon Green.
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