1BR
Written & Directed by David Marmor
Starring Nicole Brydon Bloom, Taylor Nichols, Giles Matheny, Naomi Grossman, Clayton Hoff, Curtis Webster, Alan Blumenfeld
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Release date: April 24, 2020
Streaming on Netflix

Cults are scary. Unlike demons, vampires, monsters, etc., cults are both 100% real and 100% human. In the last few years evidence about the recruiting tactics behind the Church of Scientology and NXIVM have been detailed in docu-series and tell-all books. Los Angeles has its own storied history of cult behavior, most infamously The Manson Family. David Marmor’s new film 1BR captures the unsettling reality of modern cult behavior and gets to the core of things that terrify any and everyone who lives in a big city or an apartment complex. Who are your neighbors really? Who can you truly trust in your building? Who is really watching you from the security cameras? Add in some mesmerizing performances and you are left with one of the most tense psychological horror films of the year.

Homewrecker
Digital
Directed by Zach Gayne
Written by Precious Chong, Alex Essoe, Zach Gayne
Starring Alex Essoe, Precious Chong, Kris Siddiqi
Studio: Uncork’d Entertainment
Rating: 16+ | Run Time: 1h 16min
Release date: July 7, 2020 (Drive-In/DVD); July 7, 2020 (Digital/On Demand)

From Uncork’d Entertainment and Dark Star Pictures, Homewrecker is a surprising little movie. Imagine Single White Female meets Fatal Attraction by way of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but done almost as a minimalist stage play. And while the set was a bit conventional, it quickly spirals out of control in the best possible ways. The fact that the two leads co-wrote and co-produced the movie alongside director Zach Gayne shows how intimate this project was.

The Dinner Party
DVD | Digital
Directed by Miles Doleac
Written by Miles Doleac & Michael Donovan Horn
Starring Bill Sage, Lindsay Anne Williams, Jeremy London, Mike Mayhall, Alli Hart, Sawandhi Wilson, Ritchie Montgomery
Studio: Uncork’d Entertainment
Not Rated | Run Time: 115 minutes
Release date: June 9, 2020 (Digital/On Demand/DVD)

Plenty of horror movies in recent memory have used the “dinner party” as a plot device to mixed results, and Miles Doleac’s The Dinner Party does bear some resemblance to contemporary horror films like The Invitation and Would You Rather, but that’s only in the set up. After that the film follows with a beautifully shot, super gory, cannibal cult movie with a highly intellectual script, great soundtrack, and slick sense of humor.

Jeff (Mike Mayhall) and his wife Haley (Alli Hart) arrive at a beautiful mansion for the titular event, Jeff hoping to get his latest play produced by their wealthy hosts. Jeff wants things to go perfectly and that means Haley better behave. It’s clear from the onset Jeff is psychologically abusive, and we learn through a series of flashbacks that Haley has a very dark and troublesome past. They are greeted at the door by the obnoxiously playful Sebastian (Sawandhi Wilson) and we soon meet the dinner table of guests including Sadie (Lindsay Anne Williams), Carmine (Bill Sage), who is both a doctor and chef, famous author Agatha (Kamille McGuin), and Vincent (Doleac).

Horror is best when shared with friends and there is no better way to enjoy horror with friends than with The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs on Shudder. Back in 2018, a supposed one-time-only return for Joe Bob literally crashed the internet. Soon he was back for a few specials, before The Last Drive-In officially returned last year, a Friday night double feature of horror, complete with Joe Bob’s usually insightful and hilarious commentary, special guests, and of course Darcy the Mailgirl. Perhaps there is no better time, since we all quarantined away due to COVID-19, for Joe Bob to return and save us from the monotony of social distancing, remote learning, and zoom meetings. The Last Drive In’s second season begins this Friday night, April 24th on Shudder.

Felissa Rose has endeared herself to horror fans for nearly 40 years. The New York-born star was just 13 when she got her first role as a shy teen, turned killer in the now iconic Sleepaway Camp (1983). That role, as well as the film’s infamous ending (no spoilers), has stayed with her, launching a career in horror that has garnered nearly 120 roles on IMDb as well as recurring role as “Mangled Dick Expert” on Shudder’s The Last Drive In starring Joe Bob Briggs. Rose makes countless appearances at horror conventions throughout the country, and speaking from experience, there is no one more genuine and pleasant with guests. It was my pleasure to speak with her via telephone last week to discuss her career, current films, and the uncertainty of life in a true horror landscape.

Check out the full interview below.