Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah)
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a film about retribution and redemption. Not just on screen, but in execution. After their last attempt at a blockbuster was shelved in the name of a tax loophole, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah seem intent on unleashing all their pent-up energy, whether they’re selling us Batgirls or Bad Boys. Even if it bears the baggage of a meta redemption arc for its star, Ride or Die brings enough stylistic gusto to its action in the absence of Michael Bay but has a hard time justifying most other decisions, which adopt the tedium rampant in modern blockbuster filmmaking. – Conor O. (full review...
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah)
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is a film about retribution and redemption. Not just on screen, but in execution. After their last attempt at a blockbuster was shelved in the name of a tax loophole, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah seem intent on unleashing all their pent-up energy, whether they’re selling us Batgirls or Bad Boys. Even if it bears the baggage of a meta redemption arc for its star, Ride or Die brings enough stylistic gusto to its action in the absence of Michael Bay but has a hard time justifying most other decisions, which adopt the tedium rampant in modern blockbuster filmmaking. – Conor O. (full review...
- 7/26/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Shudder streaming service and IFC Films, both of which are owned by AMC Networks, have secured a deal with boutique Blu-ray and DVD label Severin Films to put together eleven special edition physical media releases of some of the most popular Originals and licensed features in the Shudder and IFC Films library, Variety reports.
The announcement even reveals the titles of six of the eleven movies that will be receiving special edition physical media releases thanks to this deal: Joko Anwar’s 2017 horror mystery Satan’s Slaves (which was a remake of a 1980 film); Brandon Cronenberg’s 2012 feature directorial debut, the sci-fi horror film Antiviral; the 2015 Turkish horror film Baskin, directed by Can Evrenol; Franck Khalfoun’s 2012 Pov remake of the 1980 slasher classic Maniac; Douglas Buck’s 2006 remake of the 1972 Brian De Palma thriller Sisters; and André Øvredal’s 2016 horror thriller The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
Sisworo Gautama Putra, Naryono Prayitno,...
The announcement even reveals the titles of six of the eleven movies that will be receiving special edition physical media releases thanks to this deal: Joko Anwar’s 2017 horror mystery Satan’s Slaves (which was a remake of a 1980 film); Brandon Cronenberg’s 2012 feature directorial debut, the sci-fi horror film Antiviral; the 2015 Turkish horror film Baskin, directed by Can Evrenol; Franck Khalfoun’s 2012 Pov remake of the 1980 slasher classic Maniac; Douglas Buck’s 2006 remake of the 1972 Brian De Palma thriller Sisters; and André Øvredal’s 2016 horror thriller The Autopsy of Jane Doe.
Sisworo Gautama Putra, Naryono Prayitno,...
- 6/21/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Fantastic Pavilion, the genre business hub launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, announced a slew of deals closed at the venue this year, with L..A-based Severin Films, a boutique Blu-ray and DVD label, inking a pact to release eleven Special Edition physical discs of the most popular Originals and licensed features from horror subscription streamer Shudder and IFC Films.
Initial titles include Joko Anwar’s “Satan’s Slaves”; Brandon Cronenberg’s “Antiviral”; Can Evrenol’s “Baskin”; Franck Khalfoun’s 2012 remake of “Maniac”; Douglas Buck’s 2006 remake of “Sisters” and André Øvredal’s “The Autopsy of Jane Doe.”
The deal was brokered by Severin Film’s co-founder-ceo David Gregory, Shudder’s Vice President of Programming Sam Zimmerman, and AMC Networks Director of Content Sales Lucas Verga.
“The work done at Severin Films is astounding,” said Zimmerman, adding: “They are directly responsible for some of the greatest home video releases ever...
Initial titles include Joko Anwar’s “Satan’s Slaves”; Brandon Cronenberg’s “Antiviral”; Can Evrenol’s “Baskin”; Franck Khalfoun’s 2012 remake of “Maniac”; Douglas Buck’s 2006 remake of “Sisters” and André Øvredal’s “The Autopsy of Jane Doe.”
The deal was brokered by Severin Film’s co-founder-ceo David Gregory, Shudder’s Vice President of Programming Sam Zimmerman, and AMC Networks Director of Content Sales Lucas Verga.
“The work done at Severin Films is astounding,” said Zimmerman, adding: “They are directly responsible for some of the greatest home video releases ever...
- 6/21/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
For the longest time, Caitlin Cronenberg wanted no part of the director’s chair. As a highly successful photographer who’s shot everyone and everything — including the much-publicized cover art for Drake’s fourth studio album, Views — she had no interest in following in the footsteps of her father, David Cronenberg, and older brother, Brandon Cronenberg. But everything started to change when Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy gave Caitlin a call about a low-pressure directing job that would ultimately whet her appetite en route to her feature directorial debut, Humane.
“It was very much thrust upon me by my friend Annie Murphy from Schitt’s Creek. She was doing a web series [The Plateaus] and needed a fake music video … and over the course of that process, I realized that directing felt very natural to me,” Cronenberg tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And when I did a short film called The Endings...
“It was very much thrust upon me by my friend Annie Murphy from Schitt’s Creek. She was doing a web series [The Plateaus] and needed a fake music video … and over the course of that process, I realized that directing felt very natural to me,” Cronenberg tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And when I did a short film called The Endings...
- 4/26/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To paraphrase former White House Chief of Staff Tom Card, whispering in the ear of George W. Bush: a second Cronenberg offspring has made a movie. Whereas her older brother Brandon Cronenberg has more openly sought to replicate the visceral, satirical body horror of their father’s earliest work, offering some delightfully nasty thrills with the likes of Antiviral and Infinity Pool––even as he remained comfortably within his dad’s shadow––Caitlin Cronenberg couldn’t be accused of simply conforming to the expectations that come with her family’s brand-name recognition. The biggest surprise with her directorial debut Humane might be just how comfortably this could sit alongside Blumhouse and Screen Gems shlock at your local multiplex: a well-engineered, single-location thriller that prioritizes bloody, gut-punch twists and turns over the more thoughtful introspection that typically accompanies this in a Cronenberg effort.
The lack of a biting social critique...
The lack of a biting social critique...
- 4/24/2024
- by Alistair Ryder
- The Film Stage
‘Superman & Lois’ has garnered praise as one of CW’s top superhero shows. Despite CW’s restructuring and cancelation of many projects, ‘Superman & Lois’ secured its season 4 renewal shortly before the season 3 finale. Although loosely connected to the Arrowverse, the show has distinguished itself from other CW superhero series, which have faced criticism in recent years.
Season 4 has been confirmed as the show’s final season, with reduced episodes, a smaller main cast, and a smaller writing team due to budget constraints. Despite these changes, an iconic character, Jimmy Olsen, is set to appear, with Douglas Smith cast in the role according to TVLine.
In the show, Jimmy is depicted as an outgoing young adult who is known for being the life of the party at work. Despite working closely with Clark, he struggles to break through Clark’s reserved demeanor. Unaware of Clark’s secret identity as Superman, Jimmy is determined to befriend him.
Season 4 has been confirmed as the show’s final season, with reduced episodes, a smaller main cast, and a smaller writing team due to budget constraints. Despite these changes, an iconic character, Jimmy Olsen, is set to appear, with Douglas Smith cast in the role according to TVLine.
In the show, Jimmy is depicted as an outgoing young adult who is known for being the life of the party at work. Despite working closely with Clark, he struggles to break through Clark’s reserved demeanor. Unaware of Clark’s secret identity as Superman, Jimmy is determined to befriend him.
- 3/19/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Fiction Horizon
‘Superman & Lois’ is often touted as being one of the best CW’s superhero-based shows. This is why even following CW restructuring after many projects were written off, ‘Superman & Lois’ managed to score its season 4 renewal just weeks prior to the season 3 finale. Although unofficially a part of Arrowverse, the show managed to distance itself from other CW’s similar projects that were regarded as straight-up bad in the last few years, especially looking back at the disappointing Flash finale.
A few months ago it was confirmed that Season 4 would be the show’s last, even though the viewership remained steady, it wasn’t nearly enough to justify a high CGI budget. Season 4 is set to return with fewer episodes, with much of its main cast missing and a much smaller writers team. But the show must go on and so one iconic character will reportedly appear in the show.
A few months ago it was confirmed that Season 4 would be the show’s last, even though the viewership remained steady, it wasn’t nearly enough to justify a high CGI budget. Season 4 is set to return with fewer episodes, with much of its main cast missing and a much smaller writers team. But the show must go on and so one iconic character will reportedly appear in the show.
- 3/19/2024
- by Valentina Kraljik
- Comic Basics
Stars: Christopher Abbott, Andrea Riseborough, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh | Written and Directed by Brandon Cronenberg
Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg proves a proper chip off the old block with his second feature, Possessor, a brilliantly directed and startlingly original sci-fi horror that’s worthy of instant classic status. In fact, it’s fully deserving of a place alongside his father’s very best films, it’s that good.
Opening with an immediately unsettling stabbing sequence, the film centres on Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), a seasoned assassin who’s able to “possess” unsuspecting strangers and use their bodies to commit murder-for-hire, thanks to brain-implant technology developed by her employers. However, repeated exposure to the procedure has taken a cumulative psychological toll on Vos and she’s beginning to have trouble separating her own psyche from that of her unsuspecting hosts after a job.
Despite the concerns of her supervisor,...
Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg proves a proper chip off the old block with his second feature, Possessor, a brilliantly directed and startlingly original sci-fi horror that’s worthy of instant classic status. In fact, it’s fully deserving of a place alongside his father’s very best films, it’s that good.
Opening with an immediately unsettling stabbing sequence, the film centres on Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), a seasoned assassin who’s able to “possess” unsuspecting strangers and use their bodies to commit murder-for-hire, thanks to brain-implant technology developed by her employers. However, repeated exposure to the procedure has taken a cumulative psychological toll on Vos and she’s beginning to have trouble separating her own psyche from that of her unsuspecting hosts after a job.
Despite the concerns of her supervisor,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
Countless different types of Count Dracula stories have been told on the screen over the years, from Bela Lugosi’s black & white icon to Nicolas Cage’s scenery chewing take in Renfield.
The origin story of the Dracula character has also been told, most notably in Gary Shore’s 2014 movie Dracula Untold. And THR reports this week that it’s about to be told again.
Caleb Landry Jones (Antiviral) will star in an untitled Dracula origin story for director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), which is said to be a “big budgeted film.”
The Hollywood Reporter previews that the movie will be a “retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic Gothic tale with Landry-Jones set to play the Transylvania Count-turned-vampire.”
The site also notes, “Besson’s take will focus on the beginning of Dracula’s life and relationship with his wife.”
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) is also in talks to star.
The origin story of the Dracula character has also been told, most notably in Gary Shore’s 2014 movie Dracula Untold. And THR reports this week that it’s about to be told again.
Caleb Landry Jones (Antiviral) will star in an untitled Dracula origin story for director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), which is said to be a “big budgeted film.”
The Hollywood Reporter previews that the movie will be a “retelling of Bram Stoker’s classic Gothic tale with Landry-Jones set to play the Transylvania Count-turned-vampire.”
The site also notes, “Besson’s take will focus on the beginning of Dracula’s life and relationship with his wife.”
Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) is also in talks to star.
- 2/17/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Mubi has unveiled their February 2024 lineup, featuring Roy Andersson’s little-seen 1991 short World of Glory, Nicole Holofcener’s Lovely & Amazing starring Catherine Keener with an early Jake Gyllenhaal performance, and special Black History Month selections: Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer, Kasi Lemmon’s Eve’s Bayou, Carl Franklin’s One False Move, and more.
Check out the lineup below, including recently added January titles, and get 30 days free here.
Just-Added
American Movie, directed by Christopher Smith | Festival Focus: Sundance
Pieces of April, directed by Peter Hedges | Festival Focus: Sundance
The Blair Witch Project, directed by Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez | Festival Focus: Sundance
But I’m a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babbit | Festival Focus: Sundance
Secretary, directed by Steven Shainberg | Festival Focus: Sundance
Medicine for Melancholy directed by Barry Jenkins | First Films First
Antiviral, directed by Brandon Cronenberg | First Films First
Shithouse, directed by Cooper Raiff | First Films First
Age of Panic,...
Check out the lineup below, including recently added January titles, and get 30 days free here.
Just-Added
American Movie, directed by Christopher Smith | Festival Focus: Sundance
Pieces of April, directed by Peter Hedges | Festival Focus: Sundance
The Blair Witch Project, directed by Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez | Festival Focus: Sundance
But I’m a Cheerleader, directed by Jamie Babbit | Festival Focus: Sundance
Secretary, directed by Steven Shainberg | Festival Focus: Sundance
Medicine for Melancholy directed by Barry Jenkins | First Films First
Antiviral, directed by Brandon Cronenberg | First Films First
Shithouse, directed by Cooper Raiff | First Films First
Age of Panic,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Maple Syrup Massacre is an editorial series where Joe Lipsett dissects the themes, conventions and contributions of new and classic Canadian horror films. Spoilers follow…
Three films into his feature film career, Brandon Cronenberg has established himself as an innovative and confronting auteur in his own right. When he debuted his 2012 feature debut Antiviral, however, the quality of the film was a secondary topic; first and foremost he was compared to his famous father, David Cronenberg.
There’s a obvious level of cynicism involved whenever a celebrity’s child enters the same field (let’s all agree to bury the term “nepo baby” and move on with our lives). But in the case of Cronenberg junior, there’s an interesting argument to be made about how his father’s work influenced Brandon’s creative approach, and where he’s established himself in his own right.
For a time, David Cronenberg...
Three films into his feature film career, Brandon Cronenberg has established himself as an innovative and confronting auteur in his own right. When he debuted his 2012 feature debut Antiviral, however, the quality of the film was a secondary topic; first and foremost he was compared to his famous father, David Cronenberg.
There’s a obvious level of cynicism involved whenever a celebrity’s child enters the same field (let’s all agree to bury the term “nepo baby” and move on with our lives). But in the case of Cronenberg junior, there’s an interesting argument to be made about how his father’s work influenced Brandon’s creative approach, and where he’s established himself in his own right.
For a time, David Cronenberg...
- 11/1/2023
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
Looking for the 10 best Canadian horror movies that will send shivers down your spine? Canada is not only known for its stunning landscapes and warm hospitality (not to be too braggadocious), but also for its many killer contributions to the horror genre. In this article, we'll explore the top 10 films that have enthralled and terrified audiences, cementing their place as the best Canadian horror movies.
Get ready for a thrilling journey through the dark and terrifying world of Canadian horror!
Warner Bros. Black Christmas (1974)
Considered a trailblazer in the slasher genre, Black Christmas takes place in a sorority house stalked by a deranged killer during the holiday season. With its atmospheric tension and cleverly crafted scares, this cult classic continues to haunt audiences with its spine-tingling suspense.
Lionsgate Ginger Snaps (2000)
This unique werewolf tale follows two teenage sisters as one of them undergoes a horrifying transformation. Ginger Snaps blends coming-of-age themes with body horror,...
Get ready for a thrilling journey through the dark and terrifying world of Canadian horror!
Warner Bros. Black Christmas (1974)
Considered a trailblazer in the slasher genre, Black Christmas takes place in a sorority house stalked by a deranged killer during the holiday season. With its atmospheric tension and cleverly crafted scares, this cult classic continues to haunt audiences with its spine-tingling suspense.
Lionsgate Ginger Snaps (2000)
This unique werewolf tale follows two teenage sisters as one of them undergoes a horrifying transformation. Ginger Snaps blends coming-of-age themes with body horror,...
- 6/30/2023
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Oh my brothers and sisters, gather 'round! We're here to celebrate the 80th birthday of the one and only Malcolm McDowell– an actor whose talent knows no boundaries, and whose presence in the horror, sci-fi, and dystopian thriller sub-genre is simply a droog's dream come true.
From his iconic role as Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange to his chilling portrayals in other blood-soaked delights, we present to you the 10 best Malcolm Mcdowell horror movies! Brace yourself, dear reader, for a journey into the macabre with our witty, fun, and oh-so-horrorshow listicle!
Warner Bros. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Let's kick things off with the mother of all cult classics, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. McDowell's charismatic and devilishly mischievous portrayal of the charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is a straight-up punch to the gulliver. With his nadsat slang and a thirst for the old ultraviolence, McDowell set the benchmark for memorable horror performances.
From his iconic role as Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange to his chilling portrayals in other blood-soaked delights, we present to you the 10 best Malcolm Mcdowell horror movies! Brace yourself, dear reader, for a journey into the macabre with our witty, fun, and oh-so-horrorshow listicle!
Warner Bros. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Let's kick things off with the mother of all cult classics, Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange. McDowell's charismatic and devilishly mischievous portrayal of the charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is a straight-up punch to the gulliver. With his nadsat slang and a thirst for the old ultraviolence, McDowell set the benchmark for memorable horror performances.
- 6/13/2023
- by Jonathan Dehaan
by Cláudio Alves
It's been a decade since Brandon Cronenberg came into the scene, with Antiviral as his feature debut. That film was preceded by a couple of shorts, succeeded by various music videos, Possessor, and this year's Infinity Pool. Common themes reverberate through his oeuvre, linking him to his father's cinema. Like David, Brandon Cronenberg works within dimensions of horror, often considering transcendence through the body and the body transcended, altered, made a dream cum nightmare. Yet, despite similar interests, shared names, linked blood, father and son feel like unique auteurs, their connections superficial. One would expect the nepo baby to forever live in his patriarch's shadow, but maybe not…...
It's been a decade since Brandon Cronenberg came into the scene, with Antiviral as his feature debut. That film was preceded by a couple of shorts, succeeded by various music videos, Possessor, and this year's Infinity Pool. Common themes reverberate through his oeuvre, linking him to his father's cinema. Like David, Brandon Cronenberg works within dimensions of horror, often considering transcendence through the body and the body transcended, altered, made a dream cum nightmare. Yet, despite similar interests, shared names, linked blood, father and son feel like unique auteurs, their connections superficial. One would expect the nepo baby to forever live in his patriarch's shadow, but maybe not…...
- 4/14/2023
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Did you have a good Easter weekend? Apologies that this weekend contained no "reader's choice" so we're pushed back one week in that regard. So we thought it time to share some things coming up to help keep us on track...
April 10th - Succession Season Four Review
April 12th - Antiviral (2013) 10th anniversary
April 13th - Cannes Lineup Announced
April 14th - Reader's Choice: Marnie (1964) on Netflix
April 17th - Monday's Stage Door series returns as the Broadway season heats up and Tony buzz rises
April 21st - Reader's Choice: Fatal Attraction (1987)
April 28th - Reader's Choice: Tba
April 28th - Letters from an Unknown Woman (1947) 75th anniversary
Also this month: April Foolish Oscar Predictions, Interview with Joyland director Saim Saddiq, Interview with rising cinematography star Carolina Costa, the Year in Queer Cinema thus far, Erotic Thrillers on Criterion Channel continues, Love & Death on HBO Max, Polite Society at the movies,...
April 10th - Succession Season Four Review
April 12th - Antiviral (2013) 10th anniversary
April 13th - Cannes Lineup Announced
April 14th - Reader's Choice: Marnie (1964) on Netflix
April 17th - Monday's Stage Door series returns as the Broadway season heats up and Tony buzz rises
April 21st - Reader's Choice: Fatal Attraction (1987)
April 28th - Reader's Choice: Tba
April 28th - Letters from an Unknown Woman (1947) 75th anniversary
Also this month: April Foolish Oscar Predictions, Interview with Joyland director Saim Saddiq, Interview with rising cinematography star Carolina Costa, the Year in Queer Cinema thus far, Erotic Thrillers on Criterion Channel continues, Love & Death on HBO Max, Polite Society at the movies,...
- 4/10/2023
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
A new video series called Modern Horror Movie Talk recently made its premiere on the Arrow in the Head Show YouTube channel, and with each episode of this show we’ll be joining host Tyler Nichols as he covers all new horror releases, the latest horror movie news, and new horror trailers. Films discussed in previous episodes of Modern Horror Movie Talk include Cocaine Bear, Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, The Pope’s Exorcist, the newly released entry in the Children of the Corn franchise, The Blackening, Scream VI, and 65. Now, for the fifth episode, Tyler is joined by special guest Andrew Hatfield to discuss director Brandon Cronenberg’s film Infinity Pool (read our review Here). To find out what Tyler and Andrew thought of Infinity Pool, check out the video embedded above.
Cronenberg wrote the screenplay for Infinity Pool, as he did for his two previous feature films, Possessor and Antiviral.
Cronenberg wrote the screenplay for Infinity Pool, as he did for his two previous feature films, Possessor and Antiviral.
- 3/27/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The cinema release schedule in March is, in two words, quite random.
Not only is there Scream 6, a horror sequel fast-tracked following the success of a fifth outing released just 13 months ago, but there’s 65, a post-apocalyptic dinosaur thriller fronted by Adam Driver, who’d be the first to admit he’s an unexpected choice for lead.
Elsewhere, there’s a sports comedy following four Tom Brady-obsessed NFL fans, played by screen titans Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field, a Dungeons & Dragons adaptation starring Hugh Grant, and a sequel to (checks notes) the DC film Shazam! – as we said: random.
Ti West’s X sequel, Pearl, will also finally be released in the UK, an inexplicable six months after it came out in America.
Then there is the below five films, which we believe sit top of the peak. Here are the five films...
Not only is there Scream 6, a horror sequel fast-tracked following the success of a fifth outing released just 13 months ago, but there’s 65, a post-apocalyptic dinosaur thriller fronted by Adam Driver, who’d be the first to admit he’s an unexpected choice for lead.
Elsewhere, there’s a sports comedy following four Tom Brady-obsessed NFL fans, played by screen titans Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, and Sally Field, a Dungeons & Dragons adaptation starring Hugh Grant, and a sequel to (checks notes) the DC film Shazam! – as we said: random.
Ti West’s X sequel, Pearl, will also finally be released in the UK, an inexplicable six months after it came out in America.
Then there is the below five films, which we believe sit top of the peak. Here are the five films...
- 3/1/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
It's only February, but Infinity Pool is already a key contender for 2023's wildest horror. Empire asks director Brandon Cronenberg why he makes such unhinged cinema.
Read an extract from our exclusive Infinity Pool feature from our April 2023 issue below, or read the full article here.
Faces peeling away from skulls. A syringe containing a deadly virus piercing the skin. A man vomiting blood livestreamed across the world. Few filmmakers have burst onto the big screen with such strange and agitating creations as Brandon Cronenberg.
The first mental challenge for audiences came in the form of his body-horror debut Antiviral (2012), in which celebrities’ illnesses are sold to rabid fans. In his second film, 2020’s Possessor, an assassin takes control of other people’s bodies via brain implants before encouraging suicide. But the horror, lust and disquieting feeling that envelops you watching those has nothing on the nightmarish new sci-fi Infinity Pool.
Read an extract from our exclusive Infinity Pool feature from our April 2023 issue below, or read the full article here.
Faces peeling away from skulls. A syringe containing a deadly virus piercing the skin. A man vomiting blood livestreamed across the world. Few filmmakers have burst onto the big screen with such strange and agitating creations as Brandon Cronenberg.
The first mental challenge for audiences came in the form of his body-horror debut Antiviral (2012), in which celebrities’ illnesses are sold to rabid fans. In his second film, 2020’s Possessor, an assassin takes control of other people’s bodies via brain implants before encouraging suicide. But the horror, lust and disquieting feeling that envelops you watching those has nothing on the nightmarish new sci-fi Infinity Pool.
- 2/22/2023
- by Hannah Ewens
- Empire - Movies
As much as he is indebted to his father, David Cronenberg's legacy as one of cinema's most beloved horror directors, Brandon Cronenberg has still managed to forge a path as a sleek and stylish modern provocateur in his own right. His newest outing, "Infinity Pool" has pretty much everything you're looking for from the Cronenberg name — it's a sexy, bloody, and debaucherous satire of the upper class and their nihilistic amount of apathy.
Set in an idyllic resort in the fictional country of Li Tolqua, "Infinity Pool" follows a novelist named James Foster (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wealthy wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) who are on vacation searching for inspiration. They are soon joined by Gabi (Mia Goth), an aspiring actress (who coincidentally is a huge fan of James's only published novel), and her husband, Alban (Jalil Lespert). Together, the two couples go to dinner and spend time by the...
Set in an idyllic resort in the fictional country of Li Tolqua, "Infinity Pool" follows a novelist named James Foster (Alexander Skarsgård) and his wealthy wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) who are on vacation searching for inspiration. They are soon joined by Gabi (Mia Goth), an aspiring actress (who coincidentally is a huge fan of James's only published novel), and her husband, Alban (Jalil Lespert). Together, the two couples go to dinner and spend time by the...
- 2/16/2023
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
Infinity Pool is a movie written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg starring Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth and Cleopatra Coleman.
You may hate it or love it, but this movie was created from an extreme and risky gamble.
Knowing where this director comes from and feeds on a tradition of risks… everything is under control.
This is a movie that knows how to penétrate into the most fascinating morbidity and fall into the excesses of grotesqueness.
Storyline
Some tourists are on vacation in an island paradise called Tolga (fictitious). They meet another couple, and accidentally run over a native of the island, which sends them into an inner nightmare.
Movie Review Infinity Pool (2023)
I already told you: You will love it or hate it. And you will even have reasons to do both at the same time, this is what is great about this movie. At times it is fascinating, grotesque...
You may hate it or love it, but this movie was created from an extreme and risky gamble.
Knowing where this director comes from and feeds on a tradition of risks… everything is under control.
This is a movie that knows how to penétrate into the most fascinating morbidity and fall into the excesses of grotesqueness.
Storyline
Some tourists are on vacation in an island paradise called Tolga (fictitious). They meet another couple, and accidentally run over a native of the island, which sends them into an inner nightmare.
Movie Review Infinity Pool (2023)
I already told you: You will love it or hate it. And you will even have reasons to do both at the same time, this is what is great about this movie. At times it is fascinating, grotesque...
- 2/16/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Infinity Pool, the latest sci-fi thriller from director Brandon Cronenberg, just reached theatre screens at the end of January, but now distributor Neon has revealed that they have already given the film a digital release as well! Infinity Pool is now available for digital purchase, and you can get it on Amazon at This Link.
This Valentine’s Day, find someone who looks at you the way Mia Goth looks at Alexander Skarsgård.
Give the gift of romance with Infinity Pool on Digital today. pic.twitter.com/9nzPmXTt3L
— Neon (@neonrated) February 14, 2023
Cronenberg wrote the screenplay for Infinity Pool, as he did for his two previous feature films, Possessor and Antiviral. This time, he tells the following story: James and Em are enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation when a fatal accident exposes the resort’s perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, reckless violence, and surreal horrors.
The film stars Alexander Skarsgard...
This Valentine’s Day, find someone who looks at you the way Mia Goth looks at Alexander Skarsgård.
Give the gift of romance with Infinity Pool on Digital today. pic.twitter.com/9nzPmXTt3L
— Neon (@neonrated) February 14, 2023
Cronenberg wrote the screenplay for Infinity Pool, as he did for his two previous feature films, Possessor and Antiviral. This time, he tells the following story: James and Em are enjoying an all-inclusive beach vacation when a fatal accident exposes the resort’s perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism, reckless violence, and surreal horrors.
The film stars Alexander Skarsgard...
- 2/14/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
When discussing body horror, David Cronenberg is the first director that often comes to mind. The man has made a name for himself with all the gross things he's done to the human body in many of his films. His recently released "Crimes of the Future" showcases some pretty messed up stuff, but the director has been exploding heads and turning people into insects from the very beginning of his career. Long live the new flesh, amirite?
This is why it's no surprise that Cronenberg's son, Brandon Cronenberg — who happens to be a filmmaker as well — also has a taste for the guts and the gore. The younger Cronenberg released his latest film, "Infinity Pool" at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it looks to be one hell of a gory good time. Before this, though, he captured the horror hearts of many with "Possessor" about an assassin...
This is why it's no surprise that Cronenberg's son, Brandon Cronenberg — who happens to be a filmmaker as well — also has a taste for the guts and the gore. The younger Cronenberg released his latest film, "Infinity Pool" at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and it looks to be one hell of a gory good time. Before this, though, he captured the horror hearts of many with "Possessor" about an assassin...
- 2/12/2023
- by Miyako Pleines
- Slash Film
Many cinematographers have close relationships with directors, but the bond forged between director of photography Karim Hussain and filmmaker Brandon Cronenberg is particularly intimate. “We’re friends and neighbors, so the visual style for ‘Infinity Pool’ was literally developed in my living room,” Hussain told IndieWire. Hussain and Cronenberg have been working together since Cronenberg’s 2012 debut “Antiviral,” and “Infinity Pool” represents the full fruition of the experiments that began with that film — experiments in disorientation, subjective point of view, and finding a way to create an analog mood using digital technology.
In “Infinity Pool,” married American tourists James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are staying at a posh resort in an unnamed foreign country when James is involved in a car accident and discovers the local justice system: Anyone found guilty of a crime is either executed or can pay a hefty fee to watch their double created...
In “Infinity Pool,” married American tourists James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) are staying at a posh resort in an unnamed foreign country when James is involved in a car accident and discovers the local justice system: Anyone found guilty of a crime is either executed or can pay a hefty fee to watch their double created...
- 2/11/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
Eight years after his debut feature "Antiviral," Brandon Cronenberg made the provocative sci-fi body horror, "Possessor," which pushed the envelope when it came to exploring the relationship between the mind and the body. Brilliant and subversive, "Possessor" explores an alternate timeline in which the virtual takeover of bodies is possible — a technique used by assassin Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) to carry out her hits. However, when Vos' consciousness enters Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott), the latter's psyche fights back to regain control of his body, leaving Vos reeling with the after-effects of a fragmented mind and the steady erosion of identity.
Instances of violence in "Possessor" are aplenty. For starters, there is the psychological violence of robbing another human of their autonomy, where the body is forced to revolt against itself. While target elimination is Vos' end goal, she navigates her missions with the aid of physical brute force. As a result,...
Instances of violence in "Possessor" are aplenty. For starters, there is the psychological violence of robbing another human of their autonomy, where the body is forced to revolt against itself. While target elimination is Vos' end goal, she navigates her missions with the aid of physical brute force. As a result,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
Infinity Pool is the third feature film from writer-director Brandon Cronenberg, whose previous efforts include 2012’s Antiviral and 2020’s Possessor. Yes, in case you didn’t know already, he is the son of legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg, and yes, both work in horror and sci-fi and do share some stylistic and thematic similarities. But the younger Cronenberg is very much establishing his own aesthetic as he moves forward, with Infinity Pool being the latest evidence of his own uniquely personal exploration of realities just adjacent to ours that are full of dread, psychological dysfunction, and bodily torment.
The film follows a couple named James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) who are vacationing at a pristine, secluded, and extremely expensive resort that happens to be part of a totalitarian island nation. Guests are sternly advised not to leave the grounds and venture into the country outside, a rule that James...
The film follows a couple named James (Alexander Skarsgård) and Em (Cleopatra Coleman) who are vacationing at a pristine, secluded, and extremely expensive resort that happens to be part of a totalitarian island nation. Guests are sternly advised not to leave the grounds and venture into the country outside, a rule that James...
- 1/31/2023
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Left to Right: Mia Goth, Alexander Skarsgård in Infinity Pool Photo: Neon It’s the collaboration horror fiends have been dying for. Infinity Pool brings together the awesome Mia Goth, a scream queen blessed with the acting chops of any current Oscar nominee, and Brandon Cronenberg, the writer-director who freaked...
- 1/31/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
The first time I witnessed Brandon Cronenberg’s work, I was stunned. Certainly, you could compare the filmmaker to his famous father. And yet, Brandon has added an incredible voice to his own features. From Antiviral to Possessor, he beautifully examines violence and character (read our review of the Nc-17 cut here). Infinity Pool is yet another incredible work from the writer/director. Cronenberg’s latest is an eye-popping feature featuring excellent performances from Alexander Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Cleopatra Coleman, and Thomas Kretschmann. If you have the opportunity, try and check out this daring film as soon as possible. And if you can see it “uncut,” I highly recommend you do. It’s an insane shocker, folks.
We recently sat down with the two talented stars of the film, Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth. It’s always wonderful to speak with Mia, who should be getting more awards for her show-stopping work in Pearl.
We recently sat down with the two talented stars of the film, Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth. It’s always wonderful to speak with Mia, who should be getting more awards for her show-stopping work in Pearl.
- 1/30/2023
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Trying to break out from the foundation laid by a filmmaker responsible for some of the most lasting body horror films ever made is not an easy task, but Brandon Cronenberg has shown that he has the stuff. Although I'm not huge on "Antiviral," which sees Caleb Landry Jones as a clinician who injects paying customers with sterilized diseases of their favorite celebrities, it's an admirable debut feature that shows he has a pulse on the grotesque commodification of the human body. His latest film, "Infinity Pool," which /Film's Chris Evangelista calls a "debauched nightmare vacation into hell" in his review, takes this idea even further.
Smack dab in the middle of his filmmaking career, however, is "Possessor," which not only feels like an excellent companion to his father's work, but a sci-fi horror thriller that creates its own monstrous legacy. Taking place in an alternate 2008, assassinations are carried out...
Smack dab in the middle of his filmmaking career, however, is "Possessor," which not only feels like an excellent companion to his father's work, but a sci-fi horror thriller that creates its own monstrous legacy. Taking place in an alternate 2008, assassinations are carried out...
- 1/27/2023
- by Matthew Bilodeau
- Slash Film
About 20 years ago, Brandon Cronenberg went on a vacation to the Dominican Republic. “It was an entirely absurd and sinister experience,” he said in a recent interview with IndieWire at the Sundance Film Festival. “They would bus you in in the middle of the night and you wouldn’t see anything. They’d drop you into the resort, which was surrounded by barbed wire fence that was loosely disguised by dried palm leaves.” He shopped at a fake town inside the walls and dined at a Chinese restaurant. He rode back to the airport during the day. “I saw that the surrounding area was entirely poverty-stricken,” he said. “It was a horrible contrast.”
That experience provided the foundation for “Infinity Pool,” the writer-director’s third and most ambitious undertaking to date, a class satire on par with “White Lotus” and “Triangle of Sadness” that offers its own tantalizing body-horror twists.
That experience provided the foundation for “Infinity Pool,” the writer-director’s third and most ambitious undertaking to date, a class satire on par with “White Lotus” and “Triangle of Sadness” that offers its own tantalizing body-horror twists.
- 1/27/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Few names carry as much weight in horror as Cronenberg. For nearly half a century, Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg has cemented his name in every decade with groundbreaking genre films — from Rabid to Videodrome to Crash to even last year’s Crimes of the Future. So much so that the word ‘Cronenbergian’ has emerged as a synonym for body horror. It’s quite a legacy to live up to, though his son Brandon Cronenberg is accomplishing the impossible.
A lover of books, Brandon initially wanted to be a writer, and he claims it wasn’t until his final year of film school that he decided to pivot into film. And while his work also deals with body horror, Brandon is adding a new signature to the genre by examining identity and the complex relationship between our body to our mind. What is it that makes us ourselves? Is it the...
A lover of books, Brandon initially wanted to be a writer, and he claims it wasn’t until his final year of film school that he decided to pivot into film. And while his work also deals with body horror, Brandon is adding a new signature to the genre by examining identity and the complex relationship between our body to our mind. What is it that makes us ourselves? Is it the...
- 1/26/2023
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
Photo: Neon It’s a little perfect that Infinity Pool, written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg, makes its debut just as the topic of “nepo babies” (those given unfair professional advantage through family connections) is a feverishly trending topic. It’s not wholly unreasonable to question who gets the keys to our collective cultural ship,...
- 1/24/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- avclub.com
Jg Ballard meets Ben Wheatley in Brandon Cronenberg’s latest. Which is a bit of a surprise, since the two have already met: in 2015, in the latter’s dystopian satire High-Rise. There are (literal) shades of Nicolas Winding Refn, too, and a healthy smattering of body horror inherited from the old man, whose filmography Cronenberg Jr. raids to make an unlikely fusion of Videodrome and A History of Violence, two very opposing milestones in his father’s career.
Unexpectedly, so much mixing and matching has resulted in the younger director’s most original and ambitious film so far; seeming to ditch the intellectually intriguing but dramatically sterile precision of his debut film Antiviral, Cronenberg is now going all-in for the cinema of nightmares, with a film that gets under the skin and itches, invades the brain and plays havoc with the synapses.
The Wheatley connection is not as far-fetched as it sounds,...
Unexpectedly, so much mixing and matching has resulted in the younger director’s most original and ambitious film so far; seeming to ditch the intellectually intriguing but dramatically sterile precision of his debut film Antiviral, Cronenberg is now going all-in for the cinema of nightmares, with a film that gets under the skin and itches, invades the brain and plays havoc with the synapses.
The Wheatley connection is not as far-fetched as it sounds,...
- 1/23/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the most envelope-pushing movies to ever unspool at Sundance was injected like a drug into audiences’ eyes as Infinity Pool, the latest mind-warping outing from Brandon Cronenberg, hit the Midnight section Saturday night.
Neon is opening Pool in theaters Jan. 27 with an R-rating but the cut that screened at Sundance was Nc-17. There were no notable walkouts, so that meant the crowd fully ingested the cocktail that not only featured skull-crushing violence and rich people behaving badly with clones, but also doses of blood, sperm and other bodily secretions — real or imagined — coming in and out of various body parts.
“There’s a lot of conformity and monotony when you read scripts,” said star Alexander Skarsgard at the post-q&a with the cast and filmmaker. “You’ve just seen the movie. It’s just crazy, crazy.… Love it or hate it, but it’s rare to experience something like this as an actor.
Neon is opening Pool in theaters Jan. 27 with an R-rating but the cut that screened at Sundance was Nc-17. There were no notable walkouts, so that meant the crowd fully ingested the cocktail that not only featured skull-crushing violence and rich people behaving badly with clones, but also doses of blood, sperm and other bodily secretions — real or imagined — coming in and out of various body parts.
“There’s a lot of conformity and monotony when you read scripts,” said star Alexander Skarsgard at the post-q&a with the cast and filmmaker. “You’ve just seen the movie. It’s just crazy, crazy.… Love it or hate it, but it’s rare to experience something like this as an actor.
- 1/22/2023
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Brandon Cronenberg, the son of filmmaker David, hasn’t deviated far from the tree in conjuring up ultra-explicit body-horror thrillers that hinge on psychedelic images of orifices, organs, and limbs being torn apart. His latest nightmare, the dystopian tourism horror movie “Infinity Pool,” continues that tradition to alienating lengths, homing in on the destructive capacity of the pursuit of sensual pleasure.
Stars Alexander Skarsgärd and Mia Goth deliver terrifically unhinged performances as a failing novelist and a mysterious tour guide, and Cronenberg has absolutely no shortage of original ideas, but t.
James (Skarsgärd) and Em Foster (Cleopatra Coleman) are on an all-inclusive vacation in the fictional state of Li Tolqa, where writer James hopes to take the defibrillators to his writer’s block. The pricey beach getaway is ensconced away from the rest of the state’s surroundings, and it’s here that the heedlessly rich can shut out the rest of the world.
Stars Alexander Skarsgärd and Mia Goth deliver terrifically unhinged performances as a failing novelist and a mysterious tour guide, and Cronenberg has absolutely no shortage of original ideas, but t.
James (Skarsgärd) and Em Foster (Cleopatra Coleman) are on an all-inclusive vacation in the fictional state of Li Tolqa, where writer James hopes to take the defibrillators to his writer’s block. The pricey beach getaway is ensconced away from the rest of the state’s surroundings, and it’s here that the heedlessly rich can shut out the rest of the world.
- 1/22/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Over a year has gone by since we heard that Alexander Skarsgard (Godzilla vs. Kong) would be starring in Infinity Pool, a new sci-fi thriller from director Brandon Cronenberg, the son of the legendary David Cronenberg. Infinity Pool, which also stars Mia Goth – who Ti West is working on turning into a genre icon with his X, Pearl, and MaXXXine trilogy – has since made its way through production, and was recently screened for the ratings board at the Motion Picture Association. And that screening didn’t go the way Cronenberg and distributor Neon were hoping it would. The ratings board has slapped Infinity Pool with an Nc-17 rating for “some graphic violence and sexual content”.
The ratings announcement on FilmRatings.com comes with the note that the makers of Infinity Pool intend to appeal to the Classification and Rating Administration appeals board in an attempt to get the Nc-17 turned into an R.
The ratings announcement on FilmRatings.com comes with the note that the makers of Infinity Pool intend to appeal to the Classification and Rating Administration appeals board in an attempt to get the Nc-17 turned into an R.
- 9/21/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Infinity Pool
As we learned late last year, cinephiles can now expect Cronenberg riches from not one, but three sources. Sprinkling his filmography with a generous amount of shorts, Brandon Cronenberg took his namesake but found his own niche space in the horror sub-genre. After Cannes’ Un Certain Regard selected Antiviral (2012) and Sundance preemed Possessor (2020), the next project among items in development to push forward was Infinity Pool – a project delayed by the pandemic but that eventually began in the fall of 2021 in Croatia and then, Hungary. Toplining we have Alexander Skarsgård, and once again Cronenberg teams with trusted cinematographer Karim Hussain.…...
As we learned late last year, cinephiles can now expect Cronenberg riches from not one, but three sources. Sprinkling his filmography with a generous amount of shorts, Brandon Cronenberg took his namesake but found his own niche space in the horror sub-genre. After Cannes’ Un Certain Regard selected Antiviral (2012) and Sundance preemed Possessor (2020), the next project among items in development to push forward was Infinity Pool – a project delayed by the pandemic but that eventually began in the fall of 2021 in Croatia and then, Hungary. Toplining we have Alexander Skarsgård, and once again Cronenberg teams with trusted cinematographer Karim Hussain.…...
- 1/12/2022
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Stars: Christopher Abbott, Andrea Riseborough, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh | Written and Directed by Brandon Cronenberg
Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg proves a proper chip off the old block with his second feature, Possessor, a brilliantly directed and startlingly original sci-fi horror that’s worthy of instant classic status. In fact, it’s fully deserving of a place alongside his father’s very best films, it’s that good.
Opening with an immediately unsettling stabbing sequence, the film centres on Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), a seasoned assassin who’s able to “possess” unsuspecting strangers and use their bodies to commit murder-for-hire, thanks to brain-implant technology developed by her employers. However, repeated exposure to the procedure has taken a cumulative psychological toll on Vos and she’s beginning to have trouble separating her own psyche from that of her unsuspecting hosts after a job.
Despite the concerns of her supervisor,...
Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg proves a proper chip off the old block with his second feature, Possessor, a brilliantly directed and startlingly original sci-fi horror that’s worthy of instant classic status. In fact, it’s fully deserving of a place alongside his father’s very best films, it’s that good.
Opening with an immediately unsettling stabbing sequence, the film centres on Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), a seasoned assassin who’s able to “possess” unsuspecting strangers and use their bodies to commit murder-for-hire, thanks to brain-implant technology developed by her employers. However, repeated exposure to the procedure has taken a cumulative psychological toll on Vos and she’s beginning to have trouble separating her own psyche from that of her unsuspecting hosts after a job.
Despite the concerns of her supervisor,...
- 2/10/2021
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
The horror director is back with a sci-fi shocker about mind-robbing assassins going on violent killing sprees. He tells our writer why digital effects just don’t cut the eyeball
Brandon Cronenberg has the sniffles. This would not be worthy of note, but for the fact that the 40-year-old Canadian film-maker, son of horror pioneer David, made his directorial debut in 2012 with Antiviral, about a clinic that harvests diseases from celebrities. For the right price, patients can be infected with Hollywood herpes, or catch the exact strain of flu that caused their favourite singer to cancel a tour. So whose cold is he wearing? “Nothing so interesting,” says Cronenberg through a bunged-up nose. “It’s just sinus trouble. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be disgusting.”
It’s a bit late for that, as anyone who has seen his films will attest. In Antiviral, restaurants serve steaks cultivated from A-list...
Brandon Cronenberg has the sniffles. This would not be worthy of note, but for the fact that the 40-year-old Canadian film-maker, son of horror pioneer David, made his directorial debut in 2012 with Antiviral, about a clinic that harvests diseases from celebrities. For the right price, patients can be infected with Hollywood herpes, or catch the exact strain of flu that caused their favourite singer to cancel a tour. So whose cold is he wearing? “Nothing so interesting,” says Cronenberg through a bunged-up nose. “It’s just sinus trouble. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be disgusting.”
It’s a bit late for that, as anyone who has seen his films will attest. In Antiviral, restaurants serve steaks cultivated from A-list...
- 12/7/2020
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Christopher Abbott, Andrea Riseborough, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, Jennifer Jason Leigh | Written and Directed by Brandon Cronenberg
Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg proves a proper chip off the old block with his second feature, Possessor, a brilliantly directed and startlingly original sci-fi horror that’s worthy of instant classic status. In fact, it’s fully deserving of a place alongside his father’s very best films, it’s that good.
Opening with an immediately unsettling stabbing sequence, the film centres on Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), a seasoned assassin who’s able to “possess” unsuspecting strangers and use their bodies to commit murder-for-hire, thanks to brain-implant technology developed by her employers. However, repeated exposure to the procedure has taken a cumulative psychological toll on Vos and she’s beginning to have trouble separating her own psyche from that of her unsuspecting hosts after a job.
Despite the concerns of her supervisor,...
Writer-director Brandon Cronenberg proves a proper chip off the old block with his second feature, Possessor, a brilliantly directed and startlingly original sci-fi horror that’s worthy of instant classic status. In fact, it’s fully deserving of a place alongside his father’s very best films, it’s that good.
Opening with an immediately unsettling stabbing sequence, the film centres on Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough), a seasoned assassin who’s able to “possess” unsuspecting strangers and use their bodies to commit murder-for-hire, thanks to brain-implant technology developed by her employers. However, repeated exposure to the procedure has taken a cumulative psychological toll on Vos and she’s beginning to have trouble separating her own psyche from that of her unsuspecting hosts after a job.
Despite the concerns of her supervisor,...
- 11/27/2020
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
Now would seem to be the ideal moment for Brandon Cronenberg’s 2012 debut Antiviral, but the director told a Talk Salon at Tokyo International Festival that a global pandemic was not the time for his movie about a deadly virus.
“The virus stands in for something in the film. As is the case often in sci-fi and horror, the horror is metaphorical, but now those things are so immediate and so literal,” said Cronenberg via a video link from his Toronto hometown.
The festival is screening his second feature, the psychological body-swapping, sci-fi horror Possessor, and Cronenberg took questions from ...
“The virus stands in for something in the film. As is the case often in sci-fi and horror, the horror is metaphorical, but now those things are so immediate and so literal,” said Cronenberg via a video link from his Toronto hometown.
The festival is screening his second feature, the psychological body-swapping, sci-fi horror Possessor, and Cronenberg took questions from ...
- 11/3/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Now would seem to be the ideal moment for Brandon Cronenberg’s 2012 debut Antiviral, but the director told a Talk Salon at Tokyo International Festival that a global pandemic was not the time for his movie about a deadly virus.
“The virus stands in for something in the film. As is the case often in sci-fi and horror, the horror is metaphorical, but now those things are so immediate and so literal,” said Cronenberg via a video link from his Toronto hometown.
The festival is screening his second feature, the psychological body-swapping, sci-fi horror Possessor, and Cronenberg took questions from ...
“The virus stands in for something in the film. As is the case often in sci-fi and horror, the horror is metaphorical, but now those things are so immediate and so literal,” said Cronenberg via a video link from his Toronto hometown.
The festival is screening his second feature, the psychological body-swapping, sci-fi horror Possessor, and Cronenberg took questions from ...
- 11/3/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Brandon Cronenberg has proven to be an heir to his father, David, with his grisly sophomore feature, “Possessor Uncut,” which took home best film and director at Spain’s 53rd Sitges Film Festival on Saturday.
Running Oct.8-18, the fantastic film fest, Europe’s biggest, wrapped yesterday in Sitges, a picturesque seaside resort just south of Barcelona.
With these new honors, Brandon Cronenberg also suggests that his best new director award at 2012’s Sitges for debut feature, “Antiviral,” was no fluke.
A sci fi-horror hybrid, “Possessor Uncut” tracks an elite corporate assassin who uses brain-implant technology to take possession of other people’s bodies and slay prominent targets. The film first premiered at Sundance where Variety’s Peter Debruge described it as a “brilliant sci-fi puzzle” that was “more than just another bracingly extreme psychological thriller.”
Just Philippot’s “The Swarm” also snagged two awards: the Special Jury Prize and...
Running Oct.8-18, the fantastic film fest, Europe’s biggest, wrapped yesterday in Sitges, a picturesque seaside resort just south of Barcelona.
With these new honors, Brandon Cronenberg also suggests that his best new director award at 2012’s Sitges for debut feature, “Antiviral,” was no fluke.
A sci fi-horror hybrid, “Possessor Uncut” tracks an elite corporate assassin who uses brain-implant technology to take possession of other people’s bodies and slay prominent targets. The film first premiered at Sundance where Variety’s Peter Debruge described it as a “brilliant sci-fi puzzle” that was “more than just another bracingly extreme psychological thriller.”
Just Philippot’s “The Swarm” also snagged two awards: the Special Jury Prize and...
- 10/18/2020
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
October is here, which means it’s the time of the season for getting scared. With Halloween gradually becoming a month-long celebration over the past few years — even if the coronavirus has put a damper on many activities such as trick-or-treating — one thing we can always look forward to during these 31 days is a deluge of horror movies old and new, whether via streaming, cable network marathons or even fleeting theatrical releases.
Horror is already a reliable genre both at the box office (under normal circumstances) and in the digital space, so it’s no surprise that even in these compromised times, scary movies are coming at us hard and fast in October. Below is a round-up of fresh horror releases arriving either at your local multiplex (and we urge you to keep the risks of going to the theater in mind) or right in your living room. Ironically, even in decidedly unnerving times,...
Horror is already a reliable genre both at the box office (under normal circumstances) and in the digital space, so it’s no surprise that even in these compromised times, scary movies are coming at us hard and fast in October. Below is a round-up of fresh horror releases arriving either at your local multiplex (and we urge you to keep the risks of going to the theater in mind) or right in your living room. Ironically, even in decidedly unnerving times,...
- 10/2/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Possessor is the name of the new film from Brandon Cronenberg, who made his feature debut in 2012 with Antiviral. Like that film, Possessor is an unnerving hybrid of sci-fi and horror about the invasion of one’s body by something transplanted from another human being. But while Antiviral focused on a bizarre fan culture in which people injected pathogens harvested from their favorite celebrities, Possessor deals with the ramifications of one person actually taking over the mind of another and controlling all their actions and thoughts.
The movie stars Andrea Riseborough (Mandy) as Tasya Vos, who works for a clandestine company that uses brain implant technology to take over the bodies of others and have them commit assassinations for the benefit of the company and its clients. Sent by her superior (Jennifer Jason Leigh) on her most dangerous mission yet, Vos begins to suffer long-term effects from the process that...
The movie stars Andrea Riseborough (Mandy) as Tasya Vos, who works for a clandestine company that uses brain implant technology to take over the bodies of others and have them commit assassinations for the benefit of the company and its clients. Sent by her superior (Jennifer Jason Leigh) on her most dangerous mission yet, Vos begins to suffer long-term effects from the process that...
- 10/2/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
What better title for Brandon Cronenberg’s initially intriguing second feature than “Possessor”? For one thing, his techno-thriller stars Andrea Riseborough (“The Death of Stalin”), whose chameleonic gifts are as impressive as they remain underappreciated. This, of course, makes her an ideal choice to play a virtually anonymous woman whose career involves burrowing into other people’s brains.
But there’s a bit of defiance in that name, too. When your dad is most famous for expanding the concept of body horror, and you make movies about the very same thing, you can either chafe at inevitable comparisons or go out of your way to acknowledge them.
So does Cronenberg possess the talent of his genre-defining father, David? Well, despite the titular provocation — and openly clear influences — that’s not really a fair question. What’s more pressing is this one: Does he possess the talent to make movies we’ll want to watch?...
But there’s a bit of defiance in that name, too. When your dad is most famous for expanding the concept of body horror, and you make movies about the very same thing, you can either chafe at inevitable comparisons or go out of your way to acknowledge them.
So does Cronenberg possess the talent of his genre-defining father, David? Well, despite the titular provocation — and openly clear influences — that’s not really a fair question. What’s more pressing is this one: Does he possess the talent to make movies we’ll want to watch?...
- 10/2/2020
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
In 2012, Brandon Cronenberg offered the world his feature film debut Antiviral. And now, the filmmaker returns with the transcendently stunning and fascinating new sci-fi thriller starring Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, and it's frankly one of the best films of the year. Possessor Uncut is the story of an assassin with a set of extremely special skills, one that I'd hate to spoil too much of the plot because the less you know the better.…...
- 10/2/2020
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
It has taken me eight months and three viewings to wrap my mind around “Possessor.” From the beginning, I recognized Brandon Cronenberg’s brilliant sci-fi puzzle to be more than just another bracingly extreme psychological thriller, but I wasn’t sure what to make of the violence. Like a cold metal probe to the cortex, you can’t un-think certain images once they take root there. “Possessor” is by far the most disturbing film I’ve ever seen at Sundance, for reasons that, if I were to list them, would not only spoil the experience, but send a certain contingent of shock-horror fans rushing to see what all the fuss was about.
I suspect that’s precisely the audience Neon is courting by releasing the film as “Possessor Uncut,” when what I think they mean is “Possessor Unrated.” To my knowledge, no censored version of this film exists, or has even been suggested,...
I suspect that’s precisely the audience Neon is courting by releasing the film as “Possessor Uncut,” when what I think they mean is “Possessor Unrated.” To my knowledge, no censored version of this film exists, or has even been suggested,...
- 10/2/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Andrea Riseborough isn’t afraid to raise hell, from a murderous architect on the run in “Black Mirror” to a serial identity thief in “Nancy” and, most recently, a body-snatching assassin in “Possessor.” In Brandon Cronenberg’s gory, slick techno-thriller, Riseborough’s screen time is limited as Tasya Vos, as she spends most of the movie hijacking Christopher Abbott’s character. But her specter hovers over the entire movie as the puppeteer of madness, hired by a shadowy operation to take over Abbott’s body, and kill his future father-in-law, the head of a major data-mining company.
Why the affinity for destruction in Riseborough’s work? “There’s something about the subconscious bubbling up to the surface that feels very honest,” she said. “I don’t know whether that’s just me. But I feel certainly, now more than ever, that there is an underlying frustration, violence, turmoil in all of us.
Why the affinity for destruction in Riseborough’s work? “There’s something about the subconscious bubbling up to the surface that feels very honest,” she said. “I don’t know whether that’s just me. But I feel certainly, now more than ever, that there is an underlying frustration, violence, turmoil in all of us.
- 10/1/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
A fall movie season unlike any other continues this month, one absent of now-delayed blockbusters but still chock full of some of the year’s best films. With a mix of VOD, virtual cinemas, the Amazon Prime and Netflixes of the world, and limited theatrical runs, there’s a variety of how one can experience our top recommendations of the month––but rest assured, you should seek them out anyway you can.
13. Scare Me (Josh Ruben; Oct. 1)
It’s only fitting we kick off the list with a horror selection. A favorite upon its premiere at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Dan Mecca said in our review, “There’s an obvious love for chamber mysteries past, Ruben making a specific homage to the great Sidney Lumet thriller Deathtrap at one point. Where Scare Me distinguishes itself from standard fare is in its rendering of fear. Specifically, the fear of irrelevance that Fred cannot shake.
13. Scare Me (Josh Ruben; Oct. 1)
It’s only fitting we kick off the list with a horror selection. A favorite upon its premiere at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Dan Mecca said in our review, “There’s an obvious love for chamber mysteries past, Ruben making a specific homage to the great Sidney Lumet thriller Deathtrap at one point. Where Scare Me distinguishes itself from standard fare is in its rendering of fear. Specifically, the fear of irrelevance that Fred cannot shake.
- 10/1/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Mind Benders: Cronenberg Returns with Eerie Exercise of Mind/Body Horror
Eight years after his 2012 debut Antiviral, Brandon Cronenberg returns with Possessor Uncut, an intriguing, artistically inclined melding of mind and matter which conjures the significant legacy of his father, David Cronenberg.
Secret organizations and clandestine operations provide the framework which utilizes a similar perversion of objects and humanity as in the horrific Videodrome (1983). But now set in a world so hopelessly interconnected through virtual environments wherein the notions of identity and free will have mutated into something sinister and otherworldly in their manipulation and mutability, Cronenberg finds a new avenue of invasion and violation.…...
Eight years after his 2012 debut Antiviral, Brandon Cronenberg returns with Possessor Uncut, an intriguing, artistically inclined melding of mind and matter which conjures the significant legacy of his father, David Cronenberg.
Secret organizations and clandestine operations provide the framework which utilizes a similar perversion of objects and humanity as in the horrific Videodrome (1983). But now set in a world so hopelessly interconnected through virtual environments wherein the notions of identity and free will have mutated into something sinister and otherworldly in their manipulation and mutability, Cronenberg finds a new avenue of invasion and violation.…...
- 9/28/2020
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
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