Stoker Hills is a found-footage genre blend that’s plenty of fun even if not always effective

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Found-footage horror movies seem to be hit-or-miss more so than any other subgenre, often because they carry a stigma of being bad. That’s something Stoker Hills has to contend with, and for the most part, this new movie creates an interesting genre blend with bold narrative swings—some of which pay off and some of which don’t.

Part of the problem with found-footage movies is that, more often than not, they don’t bring anything new and meaningful to the genre. It becomes one of those “you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all” types of things, mainly because at some point you have to wonder why on earth your protagonist is still filming despite the fact they’re fighting for their lives. The genre invites a lot of burnout from fans.

Stoker Hills spoiler-free movie review

I happen to be someone who actually doesn’t mind found-footage. I think, when done right, they can be excellent and compelling films. After all these years, I still love The Blair Witch Project, and I quite enjoyed the latest installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise. So I was eager to see what Stoker Hills had in store, and for the most part, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the movie.

Directed by Benjamin Louis with a screenplay by Jonah Kuehner, Stoker Hills begins with a film class receiving a lecture from Professor Smith (played by horror legend Tony Todd). I wish we got to see more of Todd in the film, but it’s always nice to see him pop up, even if only for a few scenes. Our protagonists, Jake (Vince Hill-Bedford) and Ryan (David Gridley), are pretty conventional and irritating frat-type college students who plan to make a horror movie called Streetwalkers about zombie prostitutes. Yeah.

Jake’s girlfriend Erica (Steffani Brass), an aspiring actress with a full-ride to Julliard on the horizon, will be their leading actress. Unfortunately, not long after they start filming Erica out on the streets, she gets kidnapped, and the movie immediately kicks into high gear. The rest of the movie primarily consists of Jake and Ryan trying to chase Erica’s kidnapper and rescue her.

What helps set Stoker Hills apart is that the movie isn’t entirely found-footage. Jake and Ryan lose their camera at some point during the night, and it gets picked up by two detectives searching for an active serial killer. We start at the beginning of Jake and Ryan’s night, but then we later pick up with the detectives who are in the process of watching the footage the same way we are since it appears our unsuspecting students have gotten into the path of a brutal killer.

While the detectives are a little too on-the-nose cheesy noir for my tastes, I did appreciate that neat little twist. The parts of the film involving the cops are not found-footage at all, and it felt like the audience got to be part of Jake, and Ryan’s story as we follow along with the cops who are similarly watching, discovering, and chasing down leads based on what they find on the camera.

Stoker Hills slowly veers into camp territory—especially because of the detectives and their get-up. But, the movie takes itself a little bit to go all the way there. The middle noticeably starts to drag despite the movie’s relatively short 90-minute runtime, and I didn’t find many of the scares all that successful.

Still, I would say there are enough twists (even if you’ll probably see most of them coming from a mile away), action, and even some gore to keep fans appeased. It’s definitely a better movie than it has any right to be, especially as it ends up drawing you in despite the gimmicky premise. I had a lot of fun with Stoker Hills. It’s entertaining, even if it’s not always effective.

Stoker Hills is out now in theaters and on demand.

‘Italian Studies,’ Animated ‘Belle,’ Docs ‘Who We Are,’ ‘A Cops And Robbers Story’ Open Arthouse: Betty White Tribute Set For Monday – Specialty Preview

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Fathom Events presents Betty White: A Celebration in 1,529 locations nationwide, a one-day-only special event on Monday honoring the actress who died Dec. 31 just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday. The star-studded reflection on White’s life and career, which had already been set by filmmakers Steven Boettcher and Mike Trinklein to celebrate her centennial Jan. 17, will run three showtimes at 1 pm, 4 pm and 7 pm.

As for weekend openings, a pair of solid documentaries and two dramas — about memory loss and global apocalypse by pink gas — debut in a frame where there isn’t much new. Distributors are carefully weighing expansion for award hopefuls already out amid the ongoing surge in Omicron and ahead of Oscar nods Feb. 8.

Newcomers include Magnolia Pictures’ drama Italian Studies in seven theaters including New York and LA, and on demand. Directed by Adam Leon (Tramps, Gimme The Loot) it stars Vanessa Kirby, Simon Brickner, Maya Hawk, Annika Wahlsten, Annabel Hoffman and Fred Hechinger. (It’s scored by Nicholas Britell of Succession fame). After author Alina Reynolds (Kirby) loses her memory, she finds herself adrift on the streets of New York City. She unexpectedly connects with a group of teenagers, in conversations both real and imagined, as she searches for a way home.

Related Story Betty White To Be Honored In NBC Primetime Special

Sony Pictures Classics presents Who We Are – A Chronicle of Racism in America. Directed by Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler, written by criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson. The SXSW Film Fest selection interweaves lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews and shocking revelations as Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the U.S. from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America.

Opens in four theaters (Lincoln Square and Film Forum in NY; the Landmark and the Grove in LA). SPC also moves Pedro Almodovar’s Oscar contender Parallel Mothers with Penelope Cruz to 50 theaters this weekend.

From Greenwich Entertainment, A Cops and Robbers Story, opening theatrically at the Quad in NYC, and on VOD. The doc by by Ilinca Calugareanu set in the 1990s follows Corey Pegues, who was embroiled in a life of crime as a member of New York City’s infamous Supreme Team gang. After a near-death confrontation, Pegues flees the city, only to return years later as a rising star in the NYPD. When he speaks publicly in support of police reform, he becomes a target.

Blue Fox Entertainment presents Sundance World Cinema selection The Pink Cloud, from Brazil, written and directed by Iuli Gerbase. With Renata de Lélis, Eduardo Mendonça, Kaya Rodrigues, Girley Brasil Paes, Helena Becker, Lívia Perrone Pires. Humanity is forced indoors by a mysterious cloud of gas lethal to anyone who breathes it. The arrival of the gas is inexplicable and it pops up across the globe seemingly simultaneously causing lockdowns, food shortages and general panic. Giovana (de Lélis) finds herself stuck in an apartment with a man she just met, changing her life in a way she never expected. (Scores 95% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.) Opens in 11 theaters nationally.

Netflix notes that following its triple SAG nominations this week, The Power of the Dog continues in 35 theaters, including its NYC Paris Theater, the IFC Center, Landmark Nuart, the Bay and Los Feliz. The streamers’ World War II thriller Munich – The Edge of War expands to 10 theaters in the U.S. The Lost Daughter, Don’t Look Up and The Hand of God all continue limited runs.

On the wider-release side, GKIDS, known for its sophisticated anime, opens the gorgeous Belle by Mamoru Hosoda from Studio Chizu (Mirai, Wolf Children, Summer Wars) on over 1,000 theaters and Imax screens. A fantastical story of growing up the age of social media, it follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years, she’s felt like a shadow — until she enters “U,” a virtual online world with five billion members. There, she is Belle, a world-famous singer, and embarks on a journey of adventure, challenge and love.

Belle counts five Annie Award noms for Best Indie Feature, Direction, Writing, Production Design and FX. The movie stands at 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Elsewhere in specialty, some scary fare in limited release/VOD:

From Screen Media found footage thriller, Stoker Hills, directed by Benjamin Louis, written by Jonah Kuehner. Starring David Gridley, Vince Hill-Bedford, Eric Etebari, William Lee Scott, Steffani Brass, Tyler Clark, and Jason Sweat with Tony Todd Special Appearance by Danny Nucci. In the secluded town of Stoker Hills, three college students filming a horror movie find themselves trapped in their own worst nightmare. Their only hope for survival are two detectives who find the camera they left behind in the woods.

From Liongate, action suspense film Shattered by Luis Prieto with Cameron Monaghan, Lilly Krug, Frank Grillo, John Malkovich. As lonely tech millionaire Chris (Monaghan) falls for charming, sexy Sky (Krug). When he’s injured, she quickly steps in as his nurse. But Sky’s odd behavior makes Chris suspect that she has more sinister intentions, especially when her roommate is found dead. On 35 screens.

Two from Vertical Entertainment: The Curse of La Patasola written and directed by AJ Jones. With Gillie Jones, Luciana Faulhaber. On a weekend camping trip, two struggling couples encounter a vampiric monster from Amazonian folklore, testing their relationships, their courage, and their will to survive.

And The Surprise Visit by directed by Nick Lyon, written by Steven Meier. With Jacqi Vene, Eric Roberts, Rob Riordan. After a botched robbery goes awry, leaving one person dead and one on the run, two drug-addled youths must make a difficult decision.

What to Watch podcast: Buzzing about the Yellowjackets finale and the end(?) of The Expanse

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Meredith has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Meredith may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.

This weekend’s podcast also dives into Ray Donovan: The Movie, The Tragedy of Macbeth, and more.

What to Watch podcast: Buzzing about the Yellowjackets finale and the end(?) of The Expanse

The intense action comes to a head on the season finale of Yellowjackets, when the women go to their 25th high school reunion and try to heal after last week’s twists and turns. Ray Donovan: The Movie star Kerris Dorsey previews the action, as the series officially concludes with this finale after the series was canceled in 2020. And The Expanse ends its six-season run…maybe. There are more books in the series, after all, but someone will have to save the show…again.

In movies, the fourth and final Hotel Transylvania movie, Tranformania, debuts on streaming — plus trivia about the first movie’s director Genndy Tartakovsky; and Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand star in Joel Coen’s take on Shakespeare with The Tragedy of Macbeth.

10 Horror Movies and Shows Releasing This Week Including the Return of Ghostface in ‘Scream’!

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We’re only two weeks into 2022 and this week is already a HUGE week for the horror genre, with the brand new Scream movie bringing Ghostface back to theaters this coming Friday.

But Ghostface’s return isn’t all we have to look forward to this week…

Here’s all the new horror premiering between January 10-16, 2022!

Three indie horror movies kick off the week on Tuesday, January 11, the first of which is The Legend of La Llorona, yet another new take on the ghost story of the “Weeping Woman.”

What’s different about this one? For starters, Danny Trejo stars!

In director Patricia Harris Seeley‘s La Llorona movie…

“A malevolent spirit bent on vengeance, stalks a young family visiting Mexico. Andrew, Carly and their son Danny travel to an isolated hacienda in Mexico for a much needed vacation. As they enter the town, signs showing missing children set an ominous tone. The family learns of the legend of “La Llorona,” the evil spirit of a distraught mother who lurks near the water’s edge and strikes fear in the hearts of all who see her.

“La Llorona torments the family mercilessly, snatching Danny and trapping him in a netherworld between the living and the dead. Aided by the resourceful taxi driver Jorge (Danny Trejo) the family races to save their only child, navigating the foreboding countryside held by menacing cartel thugs. Gaining strength and power and leaving a path of death and destruction in her wake, La Llorona is seemingly unstoppable. But a secret from Carly’s past may provide an opportunity to finally defeat the spirit.”

You can watch the official trailer below.

Tuesday also brings us back to Amityville for Amityville Uprising, the latest in a long, long line of horror movies that have nothing to do with the actual Amityville Horror franchise.

This one happens to be an Amityville-set zombie movie!

In the film, “A chemical blast at a military base sets off a supernatural disaster. As Sgt. Dash tries to keep the peace at the local police station, the explosion unleashes a toxic acid rain that dissolves the flesh of anyone trapped in it. Even worse, it causes the dead to rise again and attack the living. Can Dash and fellow officer Nina Rossi figure out who is friend and foe, fend off the attacks, and defend their colleagues until the savage cataclysm subsides?”

The final release for Tuesday, January 11th is Old Strangers, written and directed by Nick Gregorio. Ted Evans, Madeleine Humphries, Colton Eschief Mastro, and Andy Riesmeyer star.

In the film, “Three friends reconnect in a secluded mountain town after a long quarantine. While out for a hike, the trio stumble upon something dark and terrible in the deep woods.”

You’ll find this one on VOD outlets. Watch the trailer below.

Jumping to Friday, January 14th, the big release for the week is of course Scream from directors Radio Silence (Ready or Not), a legacy sequel to all four movies in the franchise.

Expect our review right here on Bloody Disgusting this Wednesday!

The filmmaking team this time around includes directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett, as well as executive producer Chad Villella, the three members of the filmmaking group Radio Silence (Ready or Not, V/H/S, Southbound). In the new movie…

“Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.”

Dylan Minnette (Goosebumps), Mason Gooding (Let It Snow), Kyle Gallner (Ghosts of War), Jasmin Savoy Brown (“Love”) and Mikey Madison (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) join an ensemble that also includes Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott, David Arquette and Courteney Cox who will return as Dewey Riley and Gale Weathers, as well as new cast members Jack Quaid (“The Boys”), Melissa Barrera (“In The Heights”) and Jenna Ortega (“You”). Marley Shelton is also returning as Scream 4 character Deputy Judy Hicks.

James Vanderbilt (Murder Mystery, Zodiac, The Amazing Spider-Man) and Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Castle Rock) wrote the script. Michel Aller served as the editor for the film.

Also on Friday, the discovery+ streaming service celebrates the return of Scream with “Scream: The True Story,” a new special that uncovers the reality behind the film franchise.

The latest installment in discovery+‘s “Shock Docs” series looks at the alleged “true roots” – the horrific story of serial killer Danny Rolling, aka The Gainesville Ripper.

Launching Friday, January 14, 2022, the docu-special – through a groundbreaking paranormal investigation, archival media and expert interviews – takes a closer look at the alleged diabolical forces involved and whether Rolling’s spirit still lurks in the shadows.

Preview the Scream-themed special below.

For families and younger audiences, fourth installment Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (read our review) comes to Amazon Prime Video this Friday, and it’s being billed as the final installment in the animated franchise that centers on lovable versions of classic monsters.

In the franchise’s final installment, “Drac and the pack are back, like you’ve never seen them before in Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. Reunite with your favorite monsters for an all-new adventure that presents Drac with his most terrifying task yet. When Van Helsing’s mysterious invention, the “Monsterfication Ray,” goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny becomes a monster! In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.”

The voice ensemble features Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Jim Gaffigan, Fran Drescher, and Brian Hull.

Netflix is also bringing fresh horror to the table on Friday, with the brand new original series “Archive 81” premiering on January 14. Notably, James Wan exec produced this one.

The series is inspired by the found footage podcast of the same name.

“When archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) takes a mysterious job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes from 1994, he finds himself reconstructing the work of documentary filmmaker Melody Pendras (Dina Shihabi) and her investigation into a dangerous cult. As Dan is drawn into Melody’s story, he becomes convinced he can save her from the terrifying end she met 25 years ago.”

Marc Sollinger and Daniel Powell created the podcast and co-produced the series. “Stranger Things” director Rebecca Thomas directed half the debut season.

From Gravitas Ventures, the indie horror movie The Free Fall is also coming to VOD Friday. The Free Fall is about a suicidal young woman who must contend with an overbearing husband.

Adam Stilwell (The Triangle, The Sighting, Holidays) directed the film that stars Shawn Ashmore (Frozen, The Ruins), Andrea Londo, and Jane Badler.

Watch the trailer below, which weirdly begins with music from… Candyman?!

The final new release for this Friday is Stoker Hills, which will be making its way to limited theaters and VOD platforms on January 14, 2022 via Screen Media.

Tony Todd appears in Stoker Hills, seen in the trailer below.

The film takes place in the secluded town of Stoker Hills where three college students filming a horror movie find themselves trapped in their own worst nightmare. Their only hope for survival is two detectives who find the camera they left behind in the woods.

The week ends with the return of The CW’s “Two Sentence Horror Stories,” with the brand new Season 3 episodes premiering on The CW on Sunday, January 16, 2022.

“Two Sentence Horror Stories” is a critically-acclaimed psychological horror anthology series featuring a different sub-genre of horror in each episode.

Designed to subvert classic horror tropes by centering everyday people and diverse, intersectional perspectives, the half-hour series taps into universal primal fears while tackling provocative social and cultural issues that exist within our modern society.

Structure fire that started in chimney of townhome on Donlee Drive leaves family displaced

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ST. GEORGE — It was all hands on deck when a structure fire was reported Sunday night at a townhome off Tech Ridge Drive. A cavalcade of fire engines and trucks responded to fight what started as a chimney fire and ultimately left the family displaced and a pet missing.

Shortly before 9:30 p.m. the fire was reported in one of the townhomes located on the corner of South Donlee Drive and West 265 South, just northwest of Black Hill View Park.

The St. George Fire Department responded to find flames and smoke coming from the attic area of the home, while multiple engines and two ladder trucks were called in to help fight the blaze before it had a chance to spread to the adjacent units. The family had safely evacuated the home and were waiting outside when fire crews arrived.

Fire Chief Robert Stoker told St. George News the fire started in the chimney area and then spread into the attic and continued to burn for more than 30 minutes before the time the active flames were extinguished.

Fire suppression efforts were hampered by a number of obstructions that prevented crews from accessing several areas that continued to smolder. After breaking through the ceiling and other barriers, Stoker said, crews were able to access the active flames still burning in the attic that were sending smoke billowing into the adjacent unit.

Meanwhile, the framing near the top of the chimney continued to burn for more than 45 minutes, fueled by material that had built up over time, Stoker said, adding that once the ladder truck was deployed, crews were able to access and remove the cap near the top of the chimney to gain access to the material still burning.

Crews then began the task of overhauling the residence in search of burning embers, including pulling material from the scorched area to extinguish anything still smoldering and prevent a reignition that could cause a secondary fire, a task that ensued for several hours.

The family’s cat went missing shortly after the fire started, but crews continued to search for the animal, which Stoker said at the time was likely hiding in somewhere in the structure. On Monday morning, the cat was found safe and unharmed.

The blaze caused extensive damage to the chimney and attic and also burned through several trusses and caused significant smoke and water damage throughout the interior of the home. Much of the ceiling toward the front of the residence was also damaged when firefighters broke through the barrier to access the flames concealed in the attic.

The damage to the structure is estimated to be in excess of $150,000, Stoker said, adding the home will remain uninhabitable until repairs can be made. As such, the family contacted relatives from the scene to arrange for emergency shelter. If those arrangements somehow fell through, Stoker said the Utah Red Cross would step in to help the family with emergency provisions.

The adjacent unit sustained smoke damage, but thanks to the fire-rated walls separating the units in the attic, which are thicker and designed to prevent the blaze from jumping from one unit to the other, the bulk of the damage was confined to the corner unit.

Stoker said it is important to maintain chimneys, fireplaces and vents, all of which should be inspected and cleaned at least once a year by a professional in addition to regularly checking the fireplace for any buildup of soot that can catch fire at high temperatures. Also inspect the chimney cap at the top, which is typically covered in mesh to keep rain, birds or debris out, and replace it if necessary. That was an area that continued to burn during the structure fire Sunday.

The St. George Fire Department responded with nearly a dozen engines, a squad truck and two ladder trucks, along with the St. George Police Department and Gold Cross Ambulance. No injuries were reported.

This report is based on statements from police, emergency personnel or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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