Jessica Messenger - The Next Great Scream Queen? - Interview

Jessica Messenger © Philip Gardiner

Jessica Messenger was born in Derbyshire in 1989, Jessica started her love for the stage from an early age. Whilst studying at school, she took both a dance GCSE and performing arts GNVQ, where she found contemporary, street jazz and learned how to be an all round performer. During Jessica's time at school and college, she was a guitarist and vocalist in a local band. During her time in college Jessica really focused her attention on her strength that was contemporary dance, and had a chance to evolve her skills within both the physical and musical theatre fields. Here is where she really knew acting was something she wanted to do, and after a chance to perform at the royal Albert hall for the Mardi Gras, she decided to study for film degree at university, as she began to book more and more modelling work, Jessica stumbled upon a chance to audition for films. It was from this point Jessica starting shooting her first lead roles in a variety of UK indie films.

Grace - Review (Blu-ray version)

So let me preface this review by saying I really, Really, REALLY wanted to love this movie... with that said, let's move on...

After years of trying to conceive, Madeline (Jordan Ladd) and Michael Matheson (Stephen Park, 'Scary Movie 3', 'The Pink Panther') are finally about to become parents. But with only weeks to go before delivery, an accident leaves both Michael and the unborn child dead. Devastated, Madeline decides to carry the child to term and deliver naturally. What seemed like madness becomes a miracle when, after delivering a dead child, Madeline finds her baby is indeed alive… and hungry.

She soon discovers that her baby – now named Grace – thirsts for something more than mother’s milk, and Madeline is determined to feed her child, no matter the consequences. With nowhere to turn, Madeline must make a mother’s ultimate decision: What will she sacrifice to keep her child alive?

Digital Spy loves Berberian Sound Studio

Check out Simon Reynolds' review of Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio over at Digital Spy - I personally can't wait to see this movie... hopefully we are going to see a resurgence of those Lindsay Shonteff/Peter Walker days in the UK Indie Horror/Thriller scene?

Grave Encounters - Review (Netflix Version)

"Found Footage" Movies seem to be turning very quickly into a staple for the nouveau horror genre. Not to say this is a bad thing; but sifting through the ocean of titles currently within this oeuvre can prove daunting for any would-be viewer or purchaser. Thanks to the prevalence of Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow! and their ilk it is much easier than I ever anticipated.

Now, let me preface this review with the fact that I loved the first wave of "Found Footage" movies from The Blair Witch Project on thru the little known The Poughkeepsie Tapes to the much lauded [REC]. These films had an immediacy and originality that afforded the genre some much needed relevance, in a market place of ever escalating megabudget movies from the big studios.Then suddenly everything changed when mainstream audiences caught on to the trend and we started to see a string of weak offerings from such luminaries as George A. Romero (Diary of the Dead) and J.J. Abrams (Cloverfield). So in recent weeks it's been a delight for me to discover not one, but two, well made examples of the genre, I will be dealing with the The Last Exorcism in a later review but for now, say hello to Grave Encounters...

New Indie Thriller Riffs on Classic Horror

Below Zero, the recently produced horror-thriller starring Edward Furlong (Terminator 2, American History X, The Green Hornet), Michael Berryman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Hills Have Eyes, Scooby Doo, Weird Science), and Kristin Booth (Young People F*cking, Defendor, The Kennedys) will be released on DVD in North America on August 28th via Screen Media.