Horror Archives - Film In Dublin

Reviews

The Babysitter: Killer Queen isn’t quite guaranteed to blow your mind

Director: McG Starring: Judah Lewis, Emily Alyn Lind, Jenna Ortega Running Time: 101 minutes

Released on Netflix in 2017, The Babysitter was a good example of what the streaming platform hopes for with a large amount of their ‘original’ films; fun, watchable, kind of disposable, and with a simple hook to lure viewers in: a murderous babysitter and a crew of high school clichés going after the kid who idolises her for a satanic ritual. It was a winking bit of playtime with horror tropes that new what it was and didn’t overstay it’s welcome, but what kicked it up a notch from ‘grand’ to ‘oh that was actually pretty good’ was Samara Weaving in the titular role, elevating proceedings through sheer force of charisma as she went on to do in Ready or Not and looks set to do in a fruitful career in Hollywood.

This sequel sees the return of some of the kids from the first film, as young Cole Johnson, now in high school, grapples with the events of the original. He’s a pariah in school and his parents doubt his mental health, nobody believing his side of the story. Weaving, now in high demand, is a shadow that hangs over Killer Queen, and while the film carries the same spirit of its predecessor quite well, it also serves as a strong indicator of the Aussie’s talent: it’s quality compared the first one is more or less proportional to the extent of her absence.

September 12, 2020
2020, Bella Thorne, Comedy, Emily Alyn Lynd, Hana Mae Lee, Horror, Jenna Ortega, Judah Lewis, Ken Marino, Leslie Bibb, McG, Netflix, Reviews, Robbie Amell, September, The Babysitter: Killer Queen

Podcasts

The Breakout Role Podcast – John Boyega

In the latest episode of the Breakout Role Podcast, Luke and Jess look at a more recent success story, that, in a personal attack on Luke as he pushes 30, was also 9 years ago…It’s Attack the Block! Joe Cornish’s cult hit sci-fi story of a group of London kids taking on vicious aliens in their block of flats.

August 28, 2020
2010s, Attack the Block, Comedy, Horror, Joe Cornish, John Boyega, Podcasts, Sci Fi, Star Wars

News

Ireland’s own Lee Cronin confirmed for new film in ‘The Evil Dead’ series

Irish filmmaker and horror wiz Lee Cronin, director of The Hole In The Ground, has been confirmed as writer and director of the latest film in the The Evil Dead series.

June 9, 2020
2020, Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead, Horror, Irish director, Lee Cronin

Reviews

Sea Fever is an unexpectedly timely horror about the infected and adrift

Director: Neasa Hardiman Starring: Hermione Corfield, Connie Nielsen, Dougray Scott Running Time: 89 minutes

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From the visceral threat of Jaws to the unnerving nightmares of H.P. Lovecraft, the sea has always been a fertile breeding ground for horror. To cast characters adrift into vast, unexplored and uncaring waters means that they are exposed to one essential real-life fears – the instinctual anxiety that kicks in when a human is fundamentally and literally not on their home turf. Start adding freaky monsters into the mix and you can really start turning the screw, just as Irish director Neasa Hardiman has done in Sea Fever. Set aboard a small Irish fishing boat that becomes infested with aquatic parasites, the isolated ship mates become their own vessels and are as much at risk from each other as they are the horrors of the deep. What the film lacks in originality, knowingly but practically taking inspiration from classics like Alien and The Thing, it has gained considerably in timeliness. Let’s hope we don’t start seeing every movie through an “of-the-moment” lens, but if the lifejacket fits…

April 23, 2020
2020, April, Ardalan Esmaili, Connie Nielsen, Dougray Scott, Elie Bouakaze, Hermione Corfield, Horror, Irish Film, Jack Hickey, Neasa Hardiman, Olwen Fouéré, On-Demand, Sea Fever, View On Demand

Reviews

Vivarium is a satire that has gotten suddenly very real

Director: Lorcan Finnegan Starring: Imogen Poots, Jesse Eisenberg, Jonathan Aris Running Time: 97 minutes

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Even as news reports were starting to darken and arrive ever closer to our doors, while sitting in the sold out screening for the Opening Gala of VMDIFF 2020 it was difficult to imagine just how real Vivarium would become. Or how quickly the energy of a film premiere, glamorous stars ; a room packed full of people eagerly anticipating the uncertainty and possibilities of the immediate future, would feel like a bittersweet memory of oohhh, a billion years ago.

If Vivarium is a horror, it’s a horror about the domestic drudgery, a blunt jab at how social constructs can be so narrowly confined, widely expected and hellish to navigate that they can feel like a trap from which there is no escape. The fact that we all have to stay indoors right now with unknown and deadly consequences lurking ominously over us all the time has made the film’s blunt, exaggerated parody of suburbia very real in ways that director Lorcan Finnegan and writer Garret Shanley (who paired previously on Without Name) might never have anticipated when putting this story together, and it would be hard to blame the average viewer for running a mile from its ideas at the moment. The black joke has gotten a few shades darker, but the film is so committed to the bit, so giddily weird, it manages to pull off the delivery.

March 27, 2020
2020, Horror, Imogen Poots, Jesse Eisenberg, March, Sci Fi, View On Demand, Vivarium, VMDIFF20

Reviews

The Invisible Man Can’t Hide Its Hollow Clichés

Director: Leigh Whannell Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Oliver Jackson-Cohen Running Time: 124 minutes

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Leigh Whannell is in the director’s seat for this modern adaptation of the 1897 sci-fi horror tale by H.G Wells. Whannell has had plenty of horror experience on screen, as a long time collaborator with James Wan. He’s also dipped his feat into directing with some impressive results. Insidious 3 was arguably the second best film of the series, and 2018’s Upgrade was well received by critics.

At a time when Ireland has just seen its first conviction for coercive control handed down in February of this year, it would be an understatement to say that the timing is appropriate to clear up narrow misconceptions about domestic abuse. It’s not always about physical abuse, nor is it exclusively about sexual harassment. Often, it’s a sociopathic lust for control. This is an aspect that The Invisible Man attempts to tap into, with limited success.

March 5, 2020
2020, Aldis Hodge, Blumhouse, Elisabeth Moss, Horror, Leigh Whannell, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Storm Reid, The Invisible Man

What's On

Womxn in Horror Month Ireland 2020 promises frightening fun this Feb

Founded in 2009 by Hannah Neurotica, Women In Horror Month is an international grassroots initiative that assists female genre artists in gaining opportunities, exposure, and education through various events, printed material, articles, interviews, and online support. The vision is a world wherein all individuals are equally given the opportunity to create, share, and exploit their concept of life, pain, and freedom of expression. Every February, WiHM supporters host events (blood drives, film screenings, art shows), write blogs and articles, conduct interviews, and create videos and podcasts for mass consumption, and over the last number of years has been a regular part of the calendar here in the fair city of film. Womxn in Horror Month Ireland are hosting a number of events this month.

February 11, 2020
2020, Aislinn Clarke, Dame Street, Directed by women, February, Francis Street, Horror, Ireland, Irish Film, Market, Short Film, Table Quiz, The Devil's Doorway, The Liberties, What's On, Women in Horror Month

Reviews

Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse shines bright

Director: Robert Eggers Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe Running Time: 109 minutes

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Flying witches, talking goats, mystical seagulls. That’s only a select few of the mad and intriguing things that director Robert Eggers has brought to his first two feature films; 2015’s The Witch and, now, The Lighthouse. There is no doubt that Eggers likes to challenge cinema goers or, more accurately, create stories that demand attention and encourage debate. A straightforward cinema experience is not something you are going to get here, but you are, without a doubt, the better for that. With The Lighthouse, Eggers delivers an atmospheric psychological thriller unlike any other you’ll see all year. This is an intoxicating, feverish, unnerving and often hilarious experience and one that will have fans ruminating on its messages for years.

January 29, 2020
A24, Comedy, Craig Lathrop, Horror, Jarin Blaschke, Lighthouse, Movie, Review, Robert Eggers, Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe

What's On

IFI & Horrorthon presents Deathcember

We here at Film In Dublin would be big fans of the aul Christmas now, whether it’s catching classics at the Light House or taking the time to look out for those in need around us. Or just eating cheese and crackers by the boxful. But even we can admit that the same old thing, year in, year out every December can occasionally wear a little thin. Enter Horrorthon to cater to those who are bloody tired of the Yuletide grind and are looking for something alternative. The Irish Film Institute and Horrothon will be hosting the screening of Deathcember, a Nollaig-nightmare that looks sure to delight horror fans.

December 11, 2019
2019, Anthology, Christmas, Crowdfunding, Deathcember, December, Horror, Horrorthon, IFI, Irish Film Institute

What's On

Stephen Cleary’s screenwriting workshop is ALIIIIVE this October

Later this month the experienced writer/producer Stephen Cleary will be in the fair city of film to provide two intriguing workshops on interest to budding storytellers on screen. Running next week with Film Network Ireland, the workshops will provide an opportunity to advance their knowledge of story structure, genre writing and more.

October 15, 2019
2019, Balfe Street, DBS, Dublin City, Film Network Ireland, Film Workshops, FNI, Halloween, Horror, Masterclass, October, Screenwriting, Stephen Cleary, Workshop, Writing

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