There are only a few hours left until Mariah Carey breaks out of her icy cocoon to usher in winter break. If you need some thrillers to stem the inevitable tide, some new features released this month include Hold Your Breath and Die Alone.
DIE ALONE Starring Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, The Acolyte), Frank Grillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, One Day as a Lion), Douglas Smith (HBO Big Love), Kimberly-Sue Murray (Netflix’s V-Wars). The film was written and directed by Lowell Dean (WolfCop, Supergrid) and released by Quiver Distribution. After an outbreak turns the majority of the population into plant-based zombies, an amnesiac young man (Smith) searches for his lost love and meets a hardy survivalist (Moss). Check out the trailer:
If you’re feeling The Last of Us vibes, you’re on the right track. The film features some very good creature effects, a good sense of desolation to sell the apocalypse, and a surprisingly original story. Moss is by far the star of the show, carrying scenes with deadpan humor that keeps the heavy subject matter from engulfing viewers in despair. Despite the obvious budget constraints, the resulting film is certainly a smart and entertaining piece of work that hits all the right notes for an apocalyptic thriller, with (predictable) plot twists and great performances.
I had the chance to talk with Carrie-Anne Moss about making the film, her bicycling skills, and her dream role.
Carrie-Anne Moss: Hello, how are you?
Eric McClanahan: I’m fine. how are you?
Cam: I’m fine, thank you.
EM: Thank you for joining us today to talk about the movie “DIE ALONE.” I saw it last night and it was really impressive. Lowell Dean has quite a few scripts, and he’s made quite a few movies here, and you’ve had quite a role in them. Could you please briefly explain what this film is about and what specifically attracted you to it?
CAM: Well, it’s very difficult to explain it without giving too much away, so I should probably start with how I got involved with it. It might be better to answer that. So I received the script because I thought my manager would read it and really like it, and I loved it as soon as I read it. My immediate reaction was, “I want to play her.” I talked to Lowell Dean. He had a very clear vision. I really enjoyed talking to him, but then I got to be part of the process, which was tough. Like most movies, it was tough to make, but I’m really grateful that we were able to make it. I think Lowell Dean is a great director and writer, and I’m really looking forward to him getting this out there and people investing in him and maybe telling more stories. he is so amazing
EM: There’s definitely a clear post-pandemic theme to the film, and it kind of discusses what we learned and didn’t learn from the pandemic when it happened. But there’s another theme in this movie about unity and caring for the people we care about. What is the thematic motivation behind May’s portrayal?
CAM: Well, actually, we shot after the pandemic, but you should know that he was writing this before the pandemic. So this is his imagination, the earlier one. Yes, for me this movie is about love, but what would you do for love? That’s what I thought. I don’t really like zombie genre movies. When such elements are present in a film, it can sometimes become difficult to see yourself in the film. I thought he struck a very good balance in this movie. I’ve seen that movie too, and I really enjoyed it, even though sometimes these kinds of movies can be difficult to watch. I feel like this movie is not only for people who are interested in the genre, and I don’t watch that genre very often, so I think that’s a pretty good measure. I can’t see that genre. (Laughs) It upsets me too much, or I’m too sensitive, or whatever, but I think the characters are really strong, the storytelling is really well done, and the actors are great. I think it was a really great result and I’m very proud of it. I’m very excited for Lowell.
EM: There’s a lot of physicality in your performance as tough Mae in this film, and I was particularly interested in the bicycle scene. This is a scene where he rides his bicycle through the countryside with Douglas on the back. Are you really pedaling that bike or is it that exercise vehicle?
CAM: (laughs) Yes, that’s me. I did it for a very long time and it was so much fun! It was so beautiful to see the scenery and I loved doing it. It was really fun. I think I remember at first they said, “Do you think you can ride a bike?” And this is what I thought. “Do you think you can ride a bicycle?” Hmm, yes. ”
EM: “It’s been about a minute, but yeah.”
CAM: No, it’s been less than a minute, but I thought it was interesting. For example, it was a big stunt or something I could see, but who can’t ride a bike? Really? That was fun.
EM: Were you able to spend time with Kimberly-Sue Murray to improve her performance?
CAM: No, but we kind of met, we met on set, we talked a little bit, and I was like, “You’re doing your own thing. You’re doing your own thing.” I’m going to find my way, you’re going to find your way, and Lowell’s going to be there to make sure that that particular moment is going well.’But I’m not going to control it or participate in it. I didn’t feel the need to do anything. That’s her job, and I think she did a great job.
EM: I think we have time for one more question, so as I was watching this film, I noticed a recurring theme in some of your other work. Like there’s an apocalyptic theme (THE MATRIX) that you covered. There’s the insomnia theme you covered in the movie (MEMENTO) and the zombie theme you covered (FIDO). What genre or thematic stories are you looking forward to that you haven’t had a chance to explore yet?
Cam: Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know. There are many. There are no limits to stories, right? I don’t look for genre as much as I look for story. What’s the story? So I don’t know. I mean, there are billions of stories I want to be a part of.
EM: I noticed that there was a lot of humor in this movie. Did you enjoy the humor? May has a wonderful dry wit. Please tell us about your approach to that.
CAM: Yeah, he wrote that really well. I loved the humor. I was laughing so hard reading her book, which was also a good sign. He wrote her in this dry way that was interesting. I think I can do it too. Because I’m not a bada bing, bada bing kind of comedian. I don’t have that, so I can do things dry and straight, but I’m not a comedian. I wish that was the case, but it wasn’t to my liking. But I really enjoyed her humor.
EM: Well, thank you for speaking with us today. I wish the movie success.
Cam: Thank you. good bye.
“DIE ALONE” is a bit of a misnomer, as it’s ultimately a movie about persevering for the sake of a loved one, but it’s currently available for purchase on all major streaming outlets.
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HOLD YOUR BREATH is the latest thriller from Hulu for its Huluween promotion, and the period thriller is produced by frequent collaborators Carrie Close and Will Joines. The film stars Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear, Fantastic Four: First Steps) and is set to expand westward. The story is set in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of the 1930s, when it was still a dangerous endeavor. If wind, rain, and drought weren’t enough, Paulson’s mother finds herself and her daughters scattered like sand, threatened by the Gray Man, a creature who possesses unwanted people and is a murderer or worse. I begin to believe that I am. .
This movie is atmospheric and tense as hell. The producers purposely built a dilapidated house to use as the central set piece, and the work the three lead actresses do in that small space is nothing short of amazing. I frequently felt short of breath while watching this tense thriller.
I was able to speak with writer/co-director Carrie Close and co-director Will Joines about the technical aspects of the film, the story choices, and the benefits of working with Sarah Paulson.
When asked how the idea to create such a special thriller in a chosen time and place came about, Carrie Close said that the script’s origins lie in Ken Burns’ documentary about the Dust Bowl. He said that his love for Steinbeck and his personal experience with the universal film. He collected sand after a trip to the beach and brought the idea to modern times. Director Will Joynes elaborated on filming the movie in New Mexico despite being set in Oklahoma, saying, “Oklahoma in 2022 doesn’t look like Oklahoma in 1933. But… New Mexico is similar.”
Another actress was originally chosen, but after the original actress was forced to leave, Carrey was happy to bring Sarah Paulson on board. “I’m sure you’ve heard this a lot, but I can’t imagine a movie starring anyone other than Sarah these days. And I don’t think the inspiration for casting Sarah necessarily came from Sarah’s horror movies. This character… Reduce anxiety and stay in control I know there’s a kind of operatic arc from people who are very successful at something to people who become less and less able to contain it, and it’s pure chops, It was guts. Sarah has an uncanny ability to play struggle.”
“Hold Your Breath” is now available on Hulu.
We also got to see some movies at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival that may not be distributed at this time, but are worth keeping an eye on.
Directed by Tice Muvese, Psychonaut stars Julie Batteran, Fiona Dourif, and Yasmine Blake as a young woman enters her lover’s mind through a Star Trek bed and remaps his brain after extreme trauma. The story depicts someone trying to unlock their “essential memory” for the sake of their future. The horror elements of the story are minimal, but the racing memories and mind journeys are beautifully depicted, with some charming metaphysical winks along the way, making it better than most other psychological thrillers of this era. .
BLACK-EYED SUSAN is the latest film from provocateur Scooter McRae (Shutter Dead, St. Frankenstein) and stars Damien Maffei, Yvonne Emily Tailker and Black Mirror’s Jerry Seinfeld. Mark Romeo, who looks like that, is in the cast. The film follows a hapless sap after he gets the chance to test a new sex doll named Susan, who bleeds, bruises, and learns to provoke and pleasure. Unflinching in its dialogue, graphic nudity, and disturbing subject matter, the film aims to ‘challenge’ viewers and generate discussion.
Finally, THE LAST SACRIFICE, written and written by Rupert Russell, is about the murder of Charles Walton in England’s Cotswolds in 1945, and the hysteria, controversy, and ultimately film revolution it sparked. This is a documentary that I directed. This brutal, ritualistic murder, which baffled police inspectors at the time and remains unsolved to this day, spawned the “folk horror” revolution, including films such as The Wicker Man, Midsomer, Men, and Mandy. produced a movie. A great watch with a few surprises along the way and a must-see for folk horror lovers.
We hope these features will help you celebrate HAPPY HALLOWEEN day. If no one has said it yet, HAPPY HALLOWEEN. And before that, Happy Holidays!
-Makerrick, aka Eric McClanahan-
