Displaying items by tag: Ella Rubin

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN

US, 2025, 90 minutes, Colour.

India Fowler, Suzanna Son, Fina Strazzi, Katherine Waterston, Lily Taylor, Chris Klein, Ariana Greenblatt, David Iacono, Darren Baker, Ella Rubin.

Directed by Matt Palmer.

A further instalment in the Fear Street franchise, based on the many Young Adult novels by prolific author R.L.Stein (even more Goosebumps novels). It follows three Fear Street features which range from the 17^th century to the 20^th century.

This is a very straightforward film. The focus is on a school, having something of a disreputable reputation but aiming higher. It is final year and the preparation for the 1988 Prom, six students vying to become Prom Queen. It highlights each of the characters, their friends, especially boyfriends, the principal of the school who is dominated by the vice principal played by Lily Taylor.

There are class sequences, some mocking of the teacher, and even further mocking of one of the students, Lori Granger, played by India Fowler. She is at the centre of the film. She has been the object of ridicule because of the death of her father and the explanation of his being murdered by her mother who was found not guilty. Gossip and shame remain.

Lori has a good friend, fond of horror, does some recreational drugs, some mocking touches, especially towards the click vying for prom Queen.

Audience sympathy is for Lori, the sympathetic character, tensions with her mother, but her wanting to become Prom Queen to make some amends, even vengeance, for her mother who lost Prom Queen because of the death of Lori’s father.

As expected, there is a dominating character, very much pushed on by her mother and father, with the jock boyfriend – but whose eyes often roam towards Lori, some pleasant gestures towards her, especially in the diner where she works.

One of the contestants is murdered by a masked and hooded character. Then, on the night of the prom, a whole lot of background of the film given to the choosing of dresses for the prom, the star, Tiffany, helping her girlfriend whom she dominates, Melissa, and mocking and threatening Lori. Four of the girls before a Stars & Stripes dance number, edging Lori off the stage.

Then, four others of the girls and their boyfriends are killed in grim and gruesome manner, some gory touches for horror fans.

Ultimately, there is a threat to Lori and her best friend, pursuits, the masked character entering into the hall after Lori is named and crowned Prom Queen. The character attacks, threatening Lori’s friend, Lori attacking him in the face with her crown.

For this reviewer, the masked character was not on the list of suspects! Police arrive, complications, Lori escorting her rival, Tiffany, home to keep guard for her.

Then, some more, perhaps unexpected, mayhem, explanations of the murder of Lori’s father, some more gruesome killings – and a Young Adult version of Stine’s story, very much geared towards teenagers, especially girls identifying with the characters, and comparisons being made by Prom Night aficionados for the film of that name.

UNTIL DAWN

US, 2025, 103 minutes, Colour.

Ella Ruben, Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, Maia Mitchell, Peter Storemare..

Directed by David F.Sandberg.

 An often grim and gory horror film. Audiences watching this film will be reminded of Groundhog Day, except that this is a Groundhog Night story, repetition after repetition, but starting at night, the audience seeing an hourglass, the sand running through, then starting anew.

But, the idea here is that a character goes to sleep and wakes up the next morning. This time, however, the characters die, often brutally, sometimes in pieces, smashed, but, there they are, starting again each night.

In fact, the film begins with a young woman, night, crawling through the grass, trying to escape a vengeful pursuer – but failing, executed. Her sister, depressed, some suicide attempts, gathers her friends together to find and rescue her disappeared sister. On the way, they meet the storekeeper in the isolated town who gives them directions, their driving through a mysterious mist, exiting to find an old mansion – and the film does give an explanation of how this mysterious place came to be.

Enjoyment of the film will depend on how well the audience relates to each of the characters, sometimes sympathetic, often irritating, and even more frequently behaving erratically. No wonder, because they know are each night they are going to die again, trying to prevent it and failing, clashes with each other…

Until Dawn is a PlayStation production, the film version of a popular computer game. And, in computer games, every setting is possible, rapid change of settings possible, living, dying, living again are all possible parts of the game. So, not to be taken too literally, and, of course, expecting the unexpected as the players try to defy the odds.

There is a revelation as to who is behind all the mayhem, a mad psychologist who appears finally, and a challenge then for the group, or survivors, at least, to confront him.

A horror film for those who like to observe – game-players would prefer to be actually playing rather than watching.

(The director, and David F.Sandberg, is Swedish that has made a number of American films, one of the Annabelle thrillers as well as the two Shazam films.)