The Blogboard Jungle

I finally got a chance to watch Candyman (2021) directed by Nia DaCosta and produced and co-written by Jordan Peele. The film focuses on Anthony, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II who is playing a character we have met before in the canon of the Candyman franchise. The film does a really good job of adding to an already well-established story that was unique when it came out in the 90s and does nothing to ruin the legacy of one of horror’s favorite hook-handed spirits of vengeance.  You cannot look at this new film without re-visiting the original 1992 film starring Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen. Back then, while telling a great horror story the film did a good job at looking at social issues back then. So, not only does this new addition do the same, it does a good job at reminding folks none of those issues have gone away.  The trailer already lets fans of the franchise know that Anthony is the same Anthony the titular character abducts in the original film, so we’re not spo...

The Conjuring franchise's latest installment is due out this summer with part 3 entitled "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It."  The franchise has had a great financial backing tied along with the case files of Ed and Loraine Warren who are best known for bringing the Amityville Horror to light, as its source material. This one is based on the trial Arne Cheyenne Johnson who was accused of killing his landlord. His defense, you guessed it "The devil made me do it." Personally, I find The Conjuring franchise refreshing because it is sort of an original spin on "true stories" to make new films in a time where reboots and remakes seem all too normal. If you have not looked into the history of the Warren's you should, it could be some good foresight on what to expect from the franchise's future.  The Conjuring 3, or The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is due out this summer on June 4. Helps support the site by using the below Amazon affiliate...

The Color Out of Space (2019) is a nice mix of John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) and Invaders From Mars (1986).  It's been a while since a horror flick got a review on here but I came across this gem after going down an H.P Lovecraft black hole. Looking for something new to distract me from the COVID-19 pandemic, I came across this film starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Richard Stanley.  This movie is a modern adaptation of Lovecraft's Colour Out of Space, which is the story of a meteorite crashing and infecting a whole town with madness and other weird things. With today's special effects, this movie does some pretty interesting things with the visuals and makes for a few pretty good jump scares along with some disturbing imagery. As for the acting, Cage is about as good as you would expect him in anything he's done lately. Whether or not you think that's good or bad, it works for this movie. But the true reason to watch is the directing and special effects...

Candyman (2020) is not a remake but a continuation of the story from the original 1992 film of the same name. Some may not have seen the film and currently, it is viewable on Netflix. While the original was good enough to get to more sequels, like many movie franchises the first one was the best. It looks like Producer Jordan Peele recognizes that and has Director, Nia DaCosta bringing horror fans the iconic character Tony Todd made famous in the original to new fans. The original film is 28 years old, so if you want to do your homework, the most required viewing of the film as it stands now is the original film from 92', since it seems to be revisiting current day Chicago and where the projects of Cabrini Green once stood. **Update: Comicbook.com confirms Candyman (2020) synopsis In a time where it seems remakes for horror seem bankable after the success of IT: Chapter Two (2019)   Revisiting where it all started is a nice take on an original story that came at a time ...

The trailer for IT: Chapter two (2019) is out and it looks like it will be on par with the first half of the movie based on what is shown in the trailer. Fans from the TV version of the movie will remember what part of the story this takes place in, but with this new version and extra form of creepiness is very present. Check it out below: IT (2017) brought fans of Stephen King back to Derry and a new version of Pennywise that is just as creepy as Tim Curry's version. Bill Skarsgard returns to play the demonic clown in Chapter Two along with James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader in the adult versions of "The Loser's Club." What do you think of the latest trailer?

Overlord (2018) is a World War II horror film that should definitely be on your watch list . Starring Jovan Adepo, and Wyatt Russell as soldiers that are parachuted into more than just their D-Day mission when they stumble upon Nazi experiments in what seems to be an attempt at making enhanced soldiers out of the dead ones. The film is not all gore and horror, the story is actually quite good and it seems when the film was released in theaters may have gone under the radar. Regardless of that, the performance from actors that might not be considered “A-list” are really good. There is also some small comic relief in a film that takes place during an intense situation already in an intense war. Without ruining anything, you would think the soundtrack of a World War II based film may not be something that stands out but stick around for the credits, there is a nice track fitting of the ending you might like. The film is no longer in theaters but is available on Google Play...

Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Polar (2019) is almost like a John Wick story, but with an older version of the character. Mads Mikkelsen plays the protagonist, Duncan Visla in this film, who is an assassin known as "The Black Kaiser". Visla is fourteen days from retiring as a high-level assassin who works for a corporation known as Damocles. Their retirement plan allows those that work for them to match their pension contributions, allowing to retire with a lot of money. The catch is, Damocles kills their retirees so that they do not have to pay them, which is the main plot of the film. The action is decent and some, or maybe a lot of it is over the top but what do you expect from a film based on a graphic novel? Some critics are attacking the film for that reason but there are some great visuals too that are worth watching. Netflix films can give you a break from binge-watching something and this film is a nice escape from that. If you are looking f...

The trailer for Hellboy (2019) came out this week as promised and it seems to have kept the same tone as the previous films minus Abraham Sapien, but this is only the first trailer. The closer April comes the more might be revealed but since Deadpool (2015) showed an 'R' rated film based on a comic book will draw in fans, this could be a good move for the franchise.

The Hellboy movie franchise should have a trailer coming out soon and has already announced the release date for this Spring. David Harbour of Stranger Things will be playing the title character and a poster and a nifty GIF for social media was put out today to start generating some buzz for the 'R' rated reboot of the franchise.

The trailer for the upcoming 2019 Marvel film, Captain Marvel released this week and it seems to do the character justice. With the appearance of the Skrulls in the trailer, it looks like some elements of the "Secret Invasion" storyline may be mixed in with the film version, or at least introduce the Skrulls to use that story in a later film. If you have not seen the trailer, check it out here: Everything begins with a hero. Watch the brand-new trailer for @MarvelStudios ’ Captain Marvel. In theaters March 8, 2019. pic.twitter.com/2rA2k8gDfk — Captain Marvel (@captainmarvel) December 4, 2018

The newest entry in the longtime beloved Rocky franchise has arrived in grand fashion. The sequel to 2015’s Creed has produced a sequel that in many respects matches the heights reached by the original. Heading into Creed 2 there were many questions and concerns to the quality of the film with Creed director Ryan Coogler pulling out of directorial duties due to obligations with Disney for a sequel to Black Panther. Franchise creator Sylvester Stallone then stepped up to the director’s chair but also decided to back out of the position. Relative newcomer Steven Caple Jr., best known for the 2016 film The Land, took over directorial duties and more than holds his own. A vast majority of the cast of Creed returns for Creed 2 including Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, Tessa Thompson as Creed’s love interest Bianca and Phylicia Rashad as Mary Anne Creed. Stallone and Juel Taylor wrote the film’s screenplay giving Stallone the distinction of having written every movie in the fr...

In today’s pop-culture, climate and zeitgeist nostalgia reigns supreme. From movies to music, the past has put a stranglehold on the public’s obsession with remembrance. At times it can feel overwhelming and even annoying at the amount of old content that is being refurbished into new content. However, taking a trip down memory lane is not always negative. In fact, there are many stories of the past that may have been glossed over and never told. For those who relished in the world of hip-hop music and skateboarding whether it be in the 1990s or the 2000s, the film Mid90s will be a welcomed addition back to the world of Nostalgia. Mid90s was written and directed by Jonah Hill who would be making his directorial debut. Hill is best known for being in comedies such as 2007’s comedy classic Superbad , Get Him to the Greek and 21 Jump Street . However, Hill has also been a part of critically acclaimed films such as Martin Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wallstreet , 2011’s Moneyball and ...

Click image to watch on Amazon Prime John Krasinski directs and stars in this film with Emil Blunt about a family that has learned to survive in a world where most of the population has been wiped out by creatures that have nearly impervious exoskeletons and hunt humans by tracking them with their highly developed hearing. The film touches on family sticking together through tough times, and they don't come tougher than what happens in this movie. It is actually a quick watch but interesting enough that a sequel is being teased. Without spoiling too much, there is not much explanation as to why, how, or when the creatures got there or what type of resolution, if any you get after seeing the film. Well, there is but it may take more than one viewing to catch how everything came to be in the film. This may, or may not spoil things a bit for you but it was originally supposed to be part of The Cloverfield franchise . That may interest or deter you from se...

The film that has taken a stranglehold on the horror movie community has finally arrived. Since it was announced that David Gordon Green and Danny McBride would be taking the helm on a brand new Halloween film, fans have been following every single step of the process. When it was announced that Jamie Lee Curtis would be returning to star in the movie and original creator John Carpenter would come aboard in an advisory role while doing the film’s score that’s when the anticipation for the movie grew exponentially. David Gordon Green and Danny McBride are best known for comedies such as Pineapple Express, Your Highness and collaborating on the HBO series Vice Principals. Needless to say many were apprehensive as to how the duo would handle a horror film, not to mention one with such an iconic character as Michael Myers. However, the blessing given by John Carpenter over the script eased the minds of fans.  But with now, over ten films in the Halloween series even the most loyal...

Night of the Comet (1984) is getting a remake according to Deadline . The 80's sci-fi horror/comedy film about a comet that passes over earth causing anarchy and cannibalism or what seems like a zombie virus focused on a group of survivors that escaped infection from the comet's tail passing over the earth. The survivors were played by  Catherine Mary Stewart, Robert Beltran, and Kelli Maroney. The report said that Roxanne Benjamin would direct the film. Benjamin produced films like the VHS franchise, one that has been followed here on the site as they were released and we look forward to what she can do with a remake like this. Most horror's that came out in the 80s blurred the lines between horror and comedy and this film is said to be more "horror/ sci-fi" according to the report. Are you looking forward to a remake of this film or is it too much of a classic to be remade?

The new trailer for Venom is probably the best looking version of the character to date. The voice and usage of "we" in what is seen here could be good enough to convince anyone on the fence about seeing the movie to give it a chance. The reason fans might not be interested is because of director Ruben Fleischer's c omments at the San Diego Comic-Con where he explained why the Spider-Man symbol does not appear on this version of Venom. "If you look at the comics, in Venom, there is just elements of white within his suit. Because our character does not originate from Spider-Man, it makes no sense to put a spider on his chest. We tried to be as accurate as we possibly could, even though some people feel it’s inaccurate, but there is a lot of white and we wanted to give him a distinctive pattern.” -Ruben Fleischer That may have been off-putting at first, but this trailer still makes for a very enticing film that has a villain as the main character. What do yo...

Lombardo with the crew from I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday The thing that makes the NJ Horror-con and Film Festival unique is its award show for up and coming artists looking to get their work some exposure. Especially when the co-founder of the convention's film recently got featured on Amazon just before this last convention, it has to drive filmmakers to succeed. Michael Lombardo's drive was on full display at the Film award ceremony Saturday night when his film, I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday not only one best picture but also won for best special effects. I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday wins best film and best special effects. Speaking with The Blogboard Jungle, Lombardo talked about the long process of making the film and finding locations for the exterior shots in the film about a post-apocalyptic earth where a mother and son are trying to survive. With a budget of $11000 dollars, Lombardo put in a lot of effort to produce the award-winning ...

  Co-founder of the New Jersey Horror Con & Film Festival, Ryan Scott Weber's film is available on Amazon today. The film about a serial killing family in Bernardsville, New Jersey with extras that include Director commentary and cast interviews.  The New Jersey Horror Con & Film Festival is a great place to feature indie talent and horror fans in central New Jersey have found a home for their interests with every convention. To get inspired and meet like-minded folk like Weber check out information on for the convention and films on the official NJ Horror Con website . To support indie horror grab a copy of his film below:

Father Evil 2017/ Photo: Ed Carbajal As winter comes to a close, the New Jersey Horror Con & Film Festival returns in March to feature some of the best creative minds in Horror today while showcasing some of the icons fans know and love from Horror film history.  See the list of films to be featured during Spring 2018 NJ Horror Con & Film Festival weekend posted on their Facebook page: New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival!  Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel in Iselin, NJ  MARCH 2nd , 3rd and 4th 2018!  Tickets on sale NOW!  For all info got to: www.newjerseyhorrorcon.com