Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 151 i SciFi Now

The nights are drawing in, the temperature is dropping, the leaves are turning brown… yes, autumn is here and it’s time for the Halloween preparations to begin. Horror is booming right now and Hollywood has taken note; we only recently put together our horror special issue and the cinemas and TV schedules are flooded once more with tales to chill the blood. Hot on the heels of Riverdale’s success, Netflix has delivered an adaptation of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s wonderful Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, and we spoke to the cast and the man himself about bringing a darker take on the teenage witch that’s still a story about a girl finding her own path in the world. Matthew Holness told us about going from the comedy of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace to pure…

SEAHORSE AQUAMAN Yeah… thank you very much, Sixties Aquaman cartoon, for condemning poor Aquaman to years and years of ruthless teasing. Nice seahorse… SMALLVILLE AQUAMAN The Aquaman in the popular TV series came complete with a ‘Junior Lifeguard Association’ reference. Well done, Smallville. LONG-HAIRED AQUAMAN The comics, and also the Justice League Unlimited cartoon, decided to go for the long-haired, one-handed Aquaman look, in an attempt to make him cool. We’re not sure if it worked. ROBOT CHICKEN AQUAMAN Yeah, this is probably the sort of thing most people think of when they picture Aquaman.…

Streaming services are becoming the way to watch TV and film, and even television networks and movie studios are branching out into their own streaming platforms. We’ve already seen CBS launch CBS All Access, with Star Trek: Discovery available exclusively through it in the US. But two of the biggest ones are DC Universe – which is already up and running in America – and Disney’s forthcoming streaming service. Both will host old content as well as new exclusive TV shows, and both have been removing content from other streaming services. It’s unclear whether the platforms will branch out beyond the US, but if the model works then it’s a safe bet that they will. So what can we expect from them? DC UNIVERSE For $7.99 a month, DC Universe…

SEASON ONE OF Black Lightning impressed fans by blending family superheroics with hard-hitting political relevance – two things that are normally kept separate. But they make perfect sense in this story of two generations of super-powered Pierces navigating corruption in a predominantly black town. After seeing off the forces that were victimising poor, voiceless people in Freeland for their own immoral gains, Jefferson Pierce and his daughters Anissa and Jennifer are turning their attention to drug epidemics in Season Two. The drug Green Light was established in Season One, and as well as being highly addictive and destructive, it can also trigger superpowers in people who are exposed to it for a long period of time, so Season Two will deal with “the rise of the Green Light babies,” according…

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956) Alien creatures start to replace humans as their perfect doubles following a deadly invasion. DEAD RINGERS (1988) The brilliant Jeremy Irons played a pair of identical twin gynaecologists in David Cronenberg’s rather grisly horror. DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE (1931) There have been many variations of the classic story but Rouben Mamoulian’s early adaptation is still as memorable as ever. GODZILLA VS MECHAGODZILLA (1974) Even giant monsters come up against their doubles, which is exactly what happened to Godzilla. THE PRESTIGE (2006) When it comes to magic, illusions and, most importantly, great showmanship, things aren’t always as they seem.…

YOUR BODY IS GOING THROUGH MUTATIONS, hormones are out of control, you’re trying to figure out who your friends and enemies are while learning to say ‘no’ to those in charge and ‘yes’ to new adventures. Being a teenager can be hell. More so if you’re half-human, half-witch – like Sabrina Spellman, heroine of Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, a new Netflix series based on the gory comic books by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and artist Robert Hack, which explored Sabrina’s origins in many macabre, blood-splattered panels. It’s a far cry from the corny jokes of the Nineties TV series Sabrina The Teenage Witch: this Sabrina is more concerned with feminism than with her wardrobe, and these monsters are impressively rendered visual effects, not talking puppets. “The show is a balance of high-school…

SCARLET WITCH We haven’t yet seen her true potential (though she’s reportedly soon to get her own TV series). MISTY DAY Misty was the romantic necromancer with a penchant for silk scarves and Fleetwood Mac. NANCY DOWNS Fairuza Balk’s character in The Craft is surely the best thing about the 1996 film. URSULA The Little Mermaid’s voluptuous sea-witch was partly based on actor-singer-drag queen Divine. WILLOW Buffy’s bookish bestie went full-on black-eyed turbo-witch in one season, and it was a joy to behold. MELISANDRE The ‘red woman’ in Game Of Thrones definitely has hex appeal; just don’t ask her to remove her necklace.…

From the quiet, sunny terrace of the Majestic Hotel in Cannes, away from the hustle of the premieres and parties of the Cannes Film Festival, legendary Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda takes a breather and talks excitedly to us about the fact that this is the first ever anime to premiere at the Festival now in its 71st year. Mirai is the fifth feature film he has released under his production company Studio Chizu and it’s a down-to-earth story about family, inspired by real life and told in a magical way. It’s a fantasy film named after his own daughter – her name means future in Japanese – that celebrates his love, admiration and awe for all his children. Hosoda nails the disorder and warmth of the family dynamic with a…

Madame Blanc (Tilda Swinton) The famous Madame Blanc will be leading your lessons. If you excel, she may take a keen interest. Miss Tanner (Angela Winkler) As a new student you’ll be wanting to speak to Miss Tanner about settling in. She’ll take good care of you. Miss Huller (Renee Soutendik) Authoritarian with a wicked sense of humour, she’s a key member of our staff but don’t get on the wrong side of her. Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) The newest member of the Markos group. She dazzled in her audition and Madame Blanc sees a lot of promise in her… Sarah (Mia Goth) Sarah is one of our friendliest students. But she’s a bit preoccupied due to the disappearance of her former roommate. Patricia Hingle (Chloë Grace Moretz) She has…

While Nazis are a real and present danger and should not be joked about, we can at least enjoy the catharsis of seeing them being brutally defeated in movies. Here are some of the worst bastards… ARNOLD TOHT Raiders Of The Lost Ark No one is better at punching out (fictional) Nazis than Indiana Jones, but this greasy monster gets what’s coming to him courtesy of the Ark Of The Covenant. KARL RUPRECHT KROENEN Hellboy A undead Nazi assassin clad head to toe in leather with knives up his sleeves, this sick puppy helps Grigori Rasputin to open a portal to Hell. Still, he’s no match for a pissed-off cigar-chewing demon with a rock fist. RED SKULL Captain America: The First Avenger Wants to harness the power of the Tesseract…

To make The First as convincing as possible, real-life astronaut Michael López-Alegría, veteran of three Space Shuttle missions, one International Space Station mission and a whopping ten spacewalks, stepped in as an advisor for the show to share his wisdom on science, space exploration, the future of humankind and more… You were an advisor for The First — what did that job involve exactly? Formally, it involved reviewing scripts, plus providing advice on other matters from time to time. The show is sci-fi, but how accurate is it as far as the science is concerned? I don’t consider the show sci-fi at all. The technology reflected in the series is perfectly achievable in the time between now and the time in which the series is set. From a human spaceflight…

Halloween II This underrated follow-up picks up immediately after the end of the first movie as Michael stalks Laurie around a hospital. It’s nowhere near as good as the original but worth a look. Halloween III: Season Of The Witch Finally recognised as a cult classic, this Michael-free instalment is all about witches and their toys and the score is genius… Silver Shamrock! Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers Gorier and schlockier, this is a fun slasher that benefits from Donald Pleasence’s return as a battle-scarred and increasingly barmy Dr Loomis. Halloween: H20 There’s a lot to love about this attempt to straighten out the canon. Curtis returned to play Laurie, and the cast includes Josh Hartnett and Michelle Williams.…

Details 18 // 153 mins // 16 November Director Luca Guadagnino Screenwriter David Kajganich Cast Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Chloe Grace Moretz, Angela Winkler Distributor Mubi In all his work so far, Italian director Luca Guadagnino has shown a truly uncompromising, unique vision. Unsurprisingly, his Suspiria comes across as an homage rather than a copy of Argento’s masterpiece. But the 1977 film is a little miracle, an inimitable jewel; what could ever be a fitting tribute? Guadagnino thankfully avoids creating a superficial likeness to the original film. The peculiar Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture of the settings remains, but the director opts for a more realistic representation of 1977 Berlin, the time and place where his film is set. Besides the more true-to-life sets, everything looks as…

Details 15 // 95 mins // 2018 // // Released 22 October Director Justin P Lange Cast Nadia Alexander, Toby Nichols, Karl Markovics Distributor Signature Entertainment/FrightFest Presents Out on the periphery of a rural community, in an area known ominously as Devil’s Den, there is a derelict house storied among locals as a place where curious trespassers end up ‘torn to pieces’. It even draws the odd ghoulish tourist from the city, although they rarely live to tell the tale of what they find there. While writer/director Justin P. Lange’s feature debut certainly features axe murders and the flesh-hungry undead, it repeatedly confounds expectations while confronting us with unspeakable horrors that are altogether more real, grounded and human, as young blind Alex (Toby Nichols) is helped by a girl (Nadia…

Details 18 // 88 mins // 1986 // // Released Out now Director Fred Dekker Cast Tom Atkins, Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow Distributor Eureka Entertainment Proud owner of one of the greatest taglines of all time, Fred Dekker’s immensely enjoyable love letter to the genre has been given an appropriately packed Blu-ray release by Eureka Entertainment. Indeed, the beefy documentary on the disc discusses the film’s passionate fanbase and they should be very pleased with this upgrade. For the uninitiated, Night Of The Creeps’ selling point is: ‘The good news is your dates are here. The bad news is… they’re dead!’ and the film follows a pair of geeky college kids as they accidentally unleash a zombie from a government lab while on frat house hazing ritual and…

Details 12 // 91 mins // 2018 // // Released Out now Director Ryan Eslinger Cast Alex Sharp, Ella Purnell, Gillian Anderson, David Strathairn Distributor Sony Pictures There’s an unusually starry cast filling the supporting roles of Ryan Eslinger’s carefully constructed sci-fi, and the presence of Gillian Anderson and David Strathairn speaks to the promise at the story’s core. When an unidentified flying object briefly materialises over an airport, brilliant maths student Derek (Alex Sharp) uses his abilities to solve the question of what it really was, and if it’s coming back. Like William Eubank’s The Signal, the film is centred on three young gifted people who stumble across a government conspiracy by using their brains. However, UFO makes The Signal look positively action-packed by comparison, and its leisurely pace…

Details 15 // 87 mins // 2016 // // Released Out now Director Bryan Bertino Cast Zoe Kazan, Ella Ballentine, Aaron Douglas, Scott Speedman Distributor Icon Film Distribution It’s baffling that the latest effort from The Strangers writer-director Bryan Bertino should have taken two years to find its way to a UK release, but we’re very glad it did. A bold and ambitious blend of creature feature, horror and family drama, The Monster is walking a very narrow tightrope but it’s down to the commitment of all involved that it reaches the other side with only a few minor wobbles. Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick, Ruby Sparks) delivers a ferocious performance as Kathy, an addict who has a tempestuous relationship with her young daughter Lizzy (Ella Ballentine) which is getting…

Details 15 TBC // 600 minutes // 2018 // // Released Out now Creator Mike Flanagan Cast Michiel Huisman, Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas, Elizabeth Reaser, Kate Siegel Distributor Netflix Shirley Jackson defined the haunted house genre with her novel in 1953, and Robert Wise delivered one of the greatest horror films ever made with his 1963 adaptation. But if anyone was going to make a worthwhile update, it was Oculus writer-director Mike Flanagan. While his new spin may be jarring to Jackson devotees, it’s not only a skilful and intelligent way to tell the story, it’s faithful to the book and is in keeping with his interests. The Crane children are haunted by the tragic events that occurred while they lived at Hill House, as their father Hugh (Henry Thomas)…

Details Author: MR Carey Publisher: Orbit Price: £16.99 Released: Out now Trauma can be a tricky thing to deal with in genre. Of course, it’s been the basis for a legion of fantastic ghost stories as characters are forced to confront the horrors of the past, but it’s a fine line between that and being used as an excuse for trashy thrills, as we’ve seen in films like the successful Split or Lights Out. When MR Carey’s latest begins, you’d be forgiven for feeling on edge about the whole endeavour. The book opens with a scene of domestic abuse, as kindly single mum Liz Kendall’s ex-husband Marc finally snaps and violently attacks her after she reproaches him for bringing the kids home late. Just when it looks like Liz is…

Details Author: Richard Morgan Publisher: Gollancz Price: £20 Released: Out now Fresh off the success of Netflix’s adaptation of his Altered Carbon novels, Richard Morgan is back with a new blend of hardboiled noir and violent SF with the Mars-set Thin Air. The novel opens with our protagonist Hak Veil proving that he’s more anti than hero as he storms into a nightclub fresh out of jail, disables the bouncers and may or may not complete a possible revenge killing. While he’s on his way back into custody, it’s announced that a massive hostile audit team has arrived from Earth, sending a shockwave through the locals. At first, Hak is wryly amused but when he finds out that it’s going to interfere with his off-the-books payday, he gets mad. Suddenly…

Details Author: CF Iggulden Publisher: Michael Joseph Price: £12.99 Released: Out now CF Iggulden returns to his Empire Of Salt fantasy series with a more streamlined story that sets two parties on the road to the city of Darien to provide yet more trouble for Tellius, who has risen through the ranks of society since the events of the first novel. As well as he’s doing, he’s also the target for a band of soldiers sent from the city of Shiang to retrieve the old swordsman and bring him home to face the charges of treason from which he ran so long ago. However, a more serious threat comes in the form of Gabriel and his cohorts, who are not too far behind. While trying to restore the health of…

“THE STARTING POINT WAS WHAT TERRY PRATCHETT CALLED THE OTHER TROUSER LEG OF TIME” MR CAREY We’ve all had moments when we wished we were a slightly different version ourselves. A little stronger, a littler braver. In MR Carey’s latest novel, giving over control to that voice in our head proves to be a very dangerous thing indeed. One day, single mother Liz Kendall finds herself in a violent altercation with her ex-husband but somehow finds it in herself to fight back by giving over control to a voice inside her head. But this alter ego, named Beth, quickly proves to be difficult to control, and she may not have any interest in sharing. Meanwhile, teenager Fran is still struggling with the trauma of a terrible event from her childhood.…

As with Robert Englund and Doug Bradley before him, Tony Todd found himself as an overnight genre sensation thanks to his portrayal of the Candyman. Bringing some genuine sympathy to the role, whilst remaining formidable and occasionally vicious, Todd was not quite typecast as a horror movie stalwart (Star Trek fans will know him for recurring roles in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine) but he certainly kept a high profile in the scene all the same. His most notable A-list role would be in the Michael Bay actioner The Rock (1996), whilst his most prolific terror turns outside of the Candyman franchise arrived with Final Destination (2000), Final Destination 2 (2003), Hatchet (2006), Hatchet II (2010), the inevitable Final Destination 5 (2011) and a 2015 reunion with Bernard…

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS Johnny Depp plays the titular role of a vulnerable, orphaned man who has scissors for hands and was created by Vincent Price. When his maker dies he enters suburbia, becomes a hairdresser for bored housewives, and ends up falling madly in love. SPARKY FROM FRANKENWEENIE Brought back to life with electricity by a young scientist as homage to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this young pup helps his owner come to terms with grief and loss. JACK SKELLINGTON FROM THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS The patron saint of Halloween is a spindly-limbed, beautifully suited, stop-motion creation who sings and dances his way through the holiday season. Voiced by both Danny Elfman and Chris Sarandon his good-natured and naïve spirit are delightfully spooky. EMILY FROM THE CORPSE BRIDE An animated zombie bride…

THE OG 1. What is the full title of Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein? 2. In what year was Mary Shelley born? 3. Who was Mary Shelley’s Romantic poet and philosopher husband? 4. What was Mary Shelley’s maiden name? 5. Where is Mary Shelley buried? SILVER SCREEN 6. Who played Frankenstein’s monster in the 1931 film adaptation? 7. What was Frankenstein’s first name changed to in the 1931 film? 8. Who directed the film? 9. Who played the title character in the sequel Bride Of Frankenstein? 10. Which Hollywood studio produced Frankenstein (1931) and its sequels? LEGACY 11. In what year was Mel Brooks’ film Young Frankenstein released? 12. Who starred as Frankenstein’s monster in 2015’s I, Frankenstein? 13. Who played Frankenstein’s monster in 1987 film The Monster Squad? 14. Who…

16-20 MARY SHELLEY Frankenstein may have created a monster, but Shelley created them both. She created one of the greatest gothic horror novels. She created sci-fi. She held the world in her hands. And, according to your results, you do too. 11-15 VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN It takes a genius to be able to create new life from nothing, but it takes an idiot to want to attempt it. You’ve got the skills and the intellect. What you don’t have is the wisdom to know when to stop. 6-10 FRANKENSTEIN’S CREATURE You didn’t ask to be here. It’s a fluke that you happen to be alive at all. But while you’re here, being forced to fill out a quiz at the back of a magazine, you’re going to make the best of…

Q. Which comic book movie/TV show are you most excited about? Jonathan Hatfull Editor A. The Boys There’s no way it can be as...graphic as the comics but Karl Urban as Billy Butcher is ace casting. Abigail Chandler Deputy Editor A. Doom Patrol If it’s half as trippy as the comic, it’ll be different to any comic adaptation you’ve ever seen. Poppy-Jay Palmer News Editor A. Sabrina I shamefully haven’t read the comics, but I love Riverdale and I miss Melissa Joan Hart. Marcus Faint Art Editor A. Captain Marvel Before taking on Thanos in Avengers 4, it’ll be awesome to learn more about Carol’s origin story. Rachael Harper Sub Editor A. Titans I’m not sure if it can ever beat Teen Titans Go! but I’m glad it’s sticking with…

1 Hello Nineties! For our younger readers, Blockbuster was a ubiquitous part of the slightly rubbish end of the high street throughout the Nineties. When Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel crashes into it it’s both a neat way of placing her in history, and setting up her fish-out-of-water status – she’s human, but she doesn’t recognise Earth. 2 Young Fury The trailer shows that Samuel L Jackson is back, but with two eyes and a rather snazzy CGI facelift. He is working for SHIELD and was getting a little bored of his job until Captain Marvel drops into his lap and he seems to become her Earth guide/mentor. Coulson’s back too. 3 Top Gun Here we get a flashback to Captain Marvel’s forgotten human life, as ace pilot Carol Danvers, here…

Despite creating some of Britain’s most iconic comics, Ezquerra initially began his career in his native Spain, before moving to the UK when he started to get the majority of his work from British war and western comic strips. But he made his biggest mark on the industry when, in 1976, 2000 AD editor Pat Mills asked him to design the character of Judge Dredd and the look of Mega-City One. After a slightly rocky start – writer John Wagner wasn’t originally sold on Ezquerra’s design, and Ezquerra ended up not drawing Dredd’s first comic book appearance, even though his design was used – the two soon developed an excellent working relationship. They later worked together on a run of definitive Judge Dredd stories and created Strontium Dog in 1978,…

ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE This ‘zombie Christmas musical’ is joyously leaning into its kitsch premise in this poster that makes the film look like a cross between Shaun Of The Dead and Elf – which is a pretty spot-on description. Those zombie arms against a red background instantly evoke the most iconic British horror comedy of recent decades, but the candy cane spike and Ella Hunt’s cheery facial expression makes the whole thing feel younger and more fun. Mostly, it just makes us eager for a Christmas-themed horror comedy. THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT The new Lars von Trier horror movie has released a series of character posters showing serial killer Jack’s victims – and other characters, and even the director himself – in a variety of painfully improbable trussed-up…

A LOT WENT down in Arrow’s Season Six finale, ‘Life Sentence’: Oliver revealed himself to be the Green Arrow, breaking the fourth wall as he did so, the rest of Team Arrow were outed. As a result, as the title suggests, Oliver landed himself in prison. As you can imagine, Season Seven is set to be one hell of a ride. “Where we left the finale, Oliver admitted to the world that he’s the Green Arrow, and I wanted him to look right into the camera — that’s not something we usually do, break the fourth wall — [because] I wanted him to actually be addressing the world, and I think that came off well,” says director James Bamford, who is also set to direct episodes of the new season.…

Who is Zelda? “She’s definitely the matriarch of the family. She’s the strict aunt, the one who’s slightly less emotionally available. She tells Sabrina the mythology of the coven and sees herself as the saviour of the family… wants the Spellmans to be respected, and to regain the stature they had when her brother was the high priest of the Church Of Night. She’s very concerned with status and power and adhering to the doctrine of the Church. I think there’s another side of Zelda that’s actually quite rebellious but it’s not something that she lets out a lot, so as much as she admonishes Sabrina for certain things, I think she actually admires her spunk and rebelliousness.” Who is Hilda? “Hilda is very much more the maternal aunt. Lucy…

“A LOT OF MOMENTS ARE TRULY TERRIFYING” KIERNAN SHIPKA What’s your own history with Sabrina? I love the idea of a teenage witch, clearly. I actually didn’t have a lot of experience watching the show growing up. I wasn’t really aware of its big cult fan base. It’s really been eye-opening how many people completely dug the other show. I’m really excited for those people to watch this one because it totally honours all the fun, funny elements of the old show and it brings it in this new scary direction. It’s fun to be a part of something that people already have a bit of a history with. It looks like the show goes to some pretty dark places… Oh yeah, for sure. One of the main charms of…

If you’re an anime fan, then you probably know Mamoru Hosoda already. If you’re not, then Hosoda’s films are some of anime’s great gateway titles. Not only are they excellent, but they’re very accessible if you’ve never taken the plunge into the artform In that way, they’re like the films of Ghibli and Miyazaki – a comparison that has some irony when we’re talking about Hosoda, but we’ll explain that below. Hosoda’s films are suitable for pretty much any age, though they’re maybe a notch harsher than Pixar at times (the BBFC rates Hosoda’s films PG or 12). They all have SF and fantasy elements, but they mix them deftly with the experiences and trials of everyday life. Unlike many of the Ghibli films, Hosoda’s work is rooted in modern-day…

“I DON’T THINK THIS IS A FILM MY PARENTS ARE GOING TO WATCH!” laughs Pilou Asbaek, and it’s difficult to argue with that assumption. Overlord is, as the Danish star of Ghost In The Shell and Game Of Thrones puts it, “not Saving Private Ryan the sequel.” As intense, visceral and surprisingly grounded as the Bad Robot-produced movie is, directed by Son Of A Gun’s Julius Avery, it’s also a completely outlandish and terrifying horror movie with stomach-churning gore effects. “I thought it was one of the most insane scripts I’d ever read,” remembers star Jovan Adepo (The Leftovers), who plays the film’s lead, a young paratrooper named Boyce. “It came with a lot of prestige because I knew that JJ and the other creative minds had been developing it…

These days you can’t watch a sci-fi or horror movie without noting the influence of John Carpenter. The man’s fingerprints are everywhere, from The Purge and The Guest to Midnight Special and Stranger Things. But this October, UK audiences will have the opportunity to watch four of his best films on the big screen in beautiful new 4K restorations: The Fog, Escape From New York, They Live and Prince Of Darkness. Dean Cundey shot the two former movies and his career hit the big time at the same time as Carpenter’s, also working with the director on Halloween, The Thing and Big Trouble In Little China. He’d go on to shoot classics like the Back To The Future films, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Jurassic Park. But overseeing the restoration…

Details 18 // 82 mins // 2018 // // Released Out now Director Bradford Baruh Cast Brea Grant, AJ Bowen, Barbara Crampton Distributor Studiocanal The Pollack family are heading to a cabin in the woods for the healing power of the rocks it’s built on, but genre fans shouldn’t be too surprised to discover they’re heading towards creative dismemberment instead… but what really happened? Bradford Baruh’s debut cuts between two explanations: mother Casey (Brea Grant) lost her mind and went on a murder spree, or her family was targeted by a coven of witches. There’s more than enough working in the film’s favour to look past anything that’s less than convincing. There’s a very well-written and well-played family unit, but while we’re rooting for the Pollacks, it’s impossible not to…

Details 18 // Various mins // 1986, 1990 // // Released Out now Directors John Carl Buechler, Claudio Fragasso Cast Michael Moriarty, Shelley Hack, Michael Paul Stephenson, George Hardy Distributor Eureka The notorious Troll movies make their way to Bluray in a beautiful double pack that only emphasises the total lack of connection between the two. The former is a fantasy horror about a young boy who discovers that his little sister is possessed by a troll spirit, and it has an impressive cast and some decent effects. The latter is, as you surely know, a deranged and delightful pinnacle of bad cinema, with a family going on an exchange holiday to a town named Nilbog and discovering that the hospitality is all a ruse to get them in the…

Details 15 // 95 mins // 1980 // // Released Out now Director Simon Wincer Cast Robert Powell, David Hemmings, Carmen Duncan Distributor 88 Films Ozploitation tends to conjure images of either Mad Max dystopias or gruesome horrors, but as Kim Newman points out in the documentary on Harlequin’s extras, the term is a catch-all for Seventies/Eighties Australian genre movies made in Australia. Harlequin is absolutely unclassifiable, drawing on horror, fantasy, political thriller and family psychodrama, as a mysterious magician named Gregory Wolfe (Robert Powell) shimmies his way into the life of ambitious politician Nick Rast (David Hemmings) and the affections of his distant wife (Carmen Duncan) after seemingly curing his young son of cancer. Is he truly gifted, or is he, as Nick’s shady backers believe, a con artist?…

Details 15 // 91 mins // 1991 // // Released Out now Director Mark Herrier Cast Jill Schoelen, Tom Villard, Dee Wallace, Derek Rydall Distributor 88 Films A group of film students put on a horror movie marathon to remember in this cult horror comedy, but the spooks and scares they put on for the audience have nothing on the bloody revenge that’s coming their way from a face-swapping lunatic. There’s a lot going on in Popcorn, from the Matineeesque fun of the painstakingly created fake B-movies on the screen, to the twisted plotting behind the villain’s motivation, and given how much of a nightmare it was to make (seriously, make sure you watch the excellent hour-long documentary on the Blu-ray), it’s frankly remarkable that it holds together as well…

Platform PS4, Xbox One, PC Publisher Ubisoft Developer Ubisoft Quebec Released Out now Ancient Greece is huge. Intimidatingly so. An entire eye-meltingly pretty country of sprawling islands, dense forests with hidden temples, desolate hillsides where stags wander through the mist, and, of course, blood-drenched beaches as you skillfully yank another Spartan shield from its carrier and send it spinning into their skull. The Assassin’s Creed franchise has been on the free run for 11 years now and, while the core concept remains the same – use a genetic memory playing Maguffin to jump into a specific historical time period – the gameplay itself has evolved so drastically that it’s almost unrecognisable. Odyssey is a fully-fledged Ancient Greek RPG complete with character choice, skills, upgradeable gear, romance, and a multi-layered story…

1. Katniss Everdeen The Hunger Games “I mean. Katniss Everdeen all the way! Brave, resourceful, intelligent - and she just felt totally real. #BookClub” @SarahDobbs 2. Valkyrie Cain Skulduggery Pleasant “Valkyrie Cain from Derek Landy’s Skulduggery Pleasant series. She’s intelligent, resourceful, snarky, funny, increasingly badass and practically fearless. #BookClub” @SemiProGeek 3. Paul Atreides Dune “Paul Atreides from Dune is the first one that comes to mind! Such an interesting, well-written character. #BookClub” @MissRainbowPie 4. Swan Swan Song “Swan in Robert McCammon’s Swan Song. Innocent but capable, vulnerable but tough and she sits bang in the middle of a brilliant novel. #BookClub” @NakMac 5. Vic A Boy And His Dog “A Boy And His Dog by Harlan Ellison with Vic the teenage boy and Blood the dog with power wandering the…

“I am reading The Tall Man. The 2016 passages that I unfairly maligned earlier really came together as I got further through the book and they featured all of the action at the end. #BookClub” @GaryRenton2 “ The Black Room Manuscripts Vol 4 edited by @Mr_JRPark and @TracyFahey . A brilliant end to this amazing anthology series. #BookClub” @GNHorror “ The Magician’s Nephew. It’s not the best Chronicle of Narnia, but it’s not the worst either. #BookClub” @lisaplant4 “Was in the mood for some classic Doctor Who, so been reading Death To The Daleks by Terrance Dicks. A good adaptation of the TV story featuring the 3rd Doctor and Sarah Jane, also I love the cover! #BookClub #DoctorWho” @paul_bowler “ The Labyrinth Of The Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the…

Details Author: VE Schwab Publisher: Titan Books Price: £16.99 Released: Out now Vengeful is VE Schwab’s follow-up to her superpowers tale, Vicious, catching up with her two alliterative ExtraOrdinaries, Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Despite their separation at the end of the previous novel, Victor and Eli are set on a collision course when another ExtraOrdinary (EO for short) rises to power. Marcella Riggins is a walking conduit of destruction and she has a plan, one which could bring down the city of Merit. If Vicious was an intimate tale of revenge, then Vengeful is a superpowered epic. Marcella Riggins is one of the best villains to have come along in recent times; a woman scorned with a thirst for payback as big as her ambition. Schwab uses her brilliantly…

CANDYMAN (1992, BERNARD ROSE) Say his name five times and you risk the appearance of the son of an ex-slave who, in 1890, was tortured to death after impregnating a white woman. In 1992 a young PhD researcher (brilliantly played by Virginia Madsen) researching urban legends, traces the genesis of the modern Candyman story back to Chicago’s notorious Cabrini-Green housing project – where it is said his ashes were scattered. Uttering his name in the mirror five times, the bold/naive doctorate student soon finds out there is more to Candyman than mere myth. Bolstered by an unforgettable performance by Tony Todd, this original feature film is suspenseful and sublime – rivalling The Blair Witch Project as the best spine-tingler of the Nineties. CANDYMAN: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH (1995,…

No one quite knew what to make of Beetlejuice at the time of its production. Michael Keaton was famously bewildered by the material but stuck by Tim Burton to bring the titular character to ghoulish life. Robert Goulet, the famous Broadway actor, who took on the role of moustachioed tycoon Maxie Dean, according to screenwriter Larry Wilson, could be found wandering the set exclaiming how much he just didn’t get the film. In 1988 on its release, the reviews were a mixed bag. Roger Ebert wrote Tim Burton’s visually unique comedy horror off as gimmicky but the New Yorker magazine gave it a positive write-up for its inventiveness. The only theatrical release Burton had helmed at that point was Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (not exactly ground-breaking) and Beetlejuice was marketed to…

“It was the early days of the female revolt,” suggests Thora Birch, reflecting on the timely resonance of Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. Okay, so admittedly Director Kenny Ortega’s dark and delightful Disney tale of three witches hellbent on stealing the life force of Salem’s children couldn’t be more OTT Nineties cinema – but look back and you’ll see it’s packed with 2018 empowerment. After all, it may have been unfortunate teen virgin Max (Omri Katz) who lit the Black Flame Candle and brought Sanderson Sisters Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) back to life but it’s ten-year-old Dani (Birch) and Max’s better half Allison (Vinessa Shaw) who call the shots throughout. Twenty five years later and Hocus Pocus couldn’t be more popular, yet back in…

It’s not until the film’s climax that Doug Jones’ zombie boyfriend Billy Butcherson finally gets his voice back – and when he slices the stitches binding his mouth, he’s got more than a little morning breath. Yep. Those were real moths that flew out of his dusty gob. “This was the era before CGI, so real moths were brought in by a moth keeper who had a net to catch them between takes,” explains Jones. “I had retainers in my mouth that held a latex sheath to protect the moths from the moisture of my tongue, as they don’t fly unless completely dry. We did it in two takes,” he recalls. “I could feel saliva in my mouth building up. When we were ready to film I cut the stitches,…

PULL-UPS You will need: a bar, and an audience to see how strong you are. Try a mix of commando, typewriter and one-handed pull-ups to get the most appreciation. HANGING LEG RAISES Another bar-dependent workout, this is best to do during yard time when there’s a proper crowd. For best results, do them with your top off. PUSH-UPS Try narrow and wide hand placement, handstand pushups and one-armed pushups to effortlessly show people that you’re multi-talented and super fit. SQUATS A mix of one-legged pistol squats, prisoner squats with your hands behind your head and squat jumps will have your muscles popping, so everyone knows you’re hard. BURPEES Doing frequent strength workouts is all well and good, but how will people know you’re also good at cardio if you don’t…

VERY FEW BRITISH TV series have a fanbase as dearly devoted as Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace. It was a love-letter to the horror genre, it was beautifully observed, and it was absolutely hilarious. But creator and star Matthew Holness has delivered something very different with his feature debut Possum. It’s a chilling, challenging and deeply unnerving psychological horror about a disgraced children’s puppeteer named Philip (Sean Harris), who returns home with the titular horrible puppet in a bag. As he verbally spars with his monstrous uncle Maurice (Alun Armstrong), Philip repeatedly tries and fails to dispose of the terrifying Possum as the mystery of a missing young boy swirls around him… The film is based on a short story that Holness wrote in 2008 for a collection inspired by Freudian fears.…

SECRECY No one can know what you’re up to. Only the most vague plot description imaginable can be leaked early on in the process to get the internet worked up, but once production begins, shut all that down. Nobody talks. MEGA TWISTS Oh, you think you know what kind of movie you’re watching? You thought you were settling in for some kind of thriller, a war movie? Think again, pal. This is Bad Robot, you expect the unexpected. UP AND COMING DIRECTORS Generally speaking you don’t find too many big name filmmakers stepping behind the camera for these movies, as Abrams and co seem to favour promising newbies, like Dan Trachtenberg, Julius Onah and a budding Matt Reeves… VIRAL CAMPAIGNS How do you know it’s a Bad Robot movie? Because…

1997 SETI scientist Dr Eleanor Arroway makes first contact with extraterrestrial life. (Contact) 1998 The crew of the Freedom undertake a suicide mission to destroy an asteroid (Armageddon) 1999 The crew of the Messiah undertake a suicide mission to destroy the asteroid Wolf and save the people of Earth. (Deep Impact) 2047 Space time is folded to create a black hole that accidentally leads to a hell dimension. (Event Horizon) 2057 The crew of Icarus II restarts the sun. (Sunshine) 2063 Humanity achieves warp speed. (Star Trek: First Contact) 2154 When Earth becomes overpopulated, the rich and powerful move to space habitat Elysium. (Elysium) 2805 The Earth is evacuated by Buy-N-Large and left abandoned and covered in garbage, only to be later restored by humans and robots. (WALL-E)…

THE FOG (1980) Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins, Janet Leigh The pitch: A small coastal town is terrorised by a fog that’s moving against the wind on its centenary. Can this supernatural attack be linked to how Antonio Bay was founded? See it on the big screen because: It shows that Carpenter’s got more in his horror toolbox than synth-driven slashers. This is a big, ambitious ghost story, and it’s fantastically atmospheric with great characters. It’s difficult to believe the iconic opening ghost story sequence was an added reshoot, but the result, as Carpenter says, is now “a minor horror classic.” Most iconic moment: “11:55, almost midnight. Enough time for one more story. One more story before 12:00, just to keep us warm.”…

SEASON 1 EPISODE 1 ‘MR WEAVER’ The pilot is a great introduction to the show as Brian struggles to adjust to life in Munty. It’s also worth it for the reveal on the Fairies and the first of Howell’s many deeply rubbish spells. SEASON 1 EPISODE 2 ‘MR CHARISMA’ Howell feeds Brian a charisma potion to help him get the amulet back from the Protector, Barbara sits her soothsayer exams and Steg makes some terrible choices. There’s some especially great stuff for Ricky Grover to do, the first of Barbara’s many excellent hats and some peak Howell moments. SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 ‘THE TRIAL’ Accused of starting the Snail Wars, Brian is persuaded to opt for trial by combat with the deadly warrior Radnok. Some excellent Barbara and Herman stuff…

Details 15 // 85 mins // Out now Director Matthew Holness Screenwriters Matthew Holness Cast Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong Distributor Bulldog Films Best known for co-writing and starring in Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace, Matthew Holness goes to very dark places with his debut feature as a writer and director, Possum. Starring an unnerving Sean Harris, an equally upsetting Alun Amstrong and a human-arachnid hybrid that joins the ranks of cinema’s scariest puppets, the film’s a two-hander horror with eight limbs. Following his disgraced exit from a job, troubled Philip (Harris) returns to his childhood home – or, rather, one of them, as we learn his parents died in a fire when he was young. The isolated former home he does visit is occupied by Morris (Armstrong), the deranged man who raised…

Details 18 // 109 mins // 7 November Director Julius Avery Screenwriters Billy Ray, Mark L Smith Cast Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier, Pilou Asbaek, Iain De Caestecker Distributor Paramount Given that Overlord’s setup of ‘small team of paratroopers find Nazi monster factory in a small French village on the eve of D-Day’ sounds like the starting point for a highly entertaining video game, it’s quite startling to see just how seriously everyone involved is taking it. That’s no bad thing necessarily, but after a thrilling, action-packed opening, viewers expecting the fairground ride sold by the trailers should instead settle in for something a little more po-faced until the creatures are unleashed. This small squad, led by the taciturn Ford (Wyatt Russell, delivering Kurt-levels of morally ambiguous intensity), is…

Details 18 // 113 mins // 1988 // // Released Out now Director George A Romero Cast Jason Beghe, John Pankow, Kat McNeil, Stanley Tucci Distributor Eureka Entertainment The adorable Boo and her increasingly brutal acts of revenge get a handsome upgrade with Eureka’s new release of George A Romero’s creature thriller Monkey Shines. Based on Michael Stewart’s novel, it’s the story of quadriplegic Allan (Jason Beghe) who’s given a Capuchin helper by his scientist brother (John Pankow). Little does Allan know that ‘Ella’ is one of his bro’s lab experiments, and their powerful bond means that Ella will do anything to protect him… As the excellent documentary details, this was Romero’s first studio film and he takes the subject matter seriously. There’s a great cast (including early turns from…

Details PG // 125 mins // 2018 // • // Released 12 November Director Brad Bird Cast Craig T Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Samuel L Jackson Distributor Walt Disney Studios After a 14-year intermission, the Parr family finally returned to the big screen this summer for another action-packed adventure in Incredibles 2, and it was like no time had passed at all. Literally. With the sequel immediately picking up from where the first film left us, Mr Incredible, Elastigirl, Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack are already suited up as the title card fades, while the city crumbles into chaos during an attack from the Underminer. There’s barely time to grab another handful of popcorn as an exhilarating and entertaining family fight sequence violently welcomes in the sequel, which…

Details 12 // 128 mins // 2018 // • // Released 5 November Director JA Bayona Cast Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Isabella Sermon, Jeff Goldblum Distributor Universal Pictures One of the best things about Jurassic Park was how scary it was. Over the years, the franchise has sadly abandoned that sense of dread and leaned into action, which is why it’s so exciting to see JA Bayona inject some scares into latest instalment, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Its first half plays out like a race-against-the-clock rescue mission as ex-Isla Nublar residents Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) are sent to the island to save some dinosaurs from an erupting volcano. Its second establishes themes like corporate greed and morality - and ends with a well-paced…

Details Author: April Genevieve Tucholke Publisher: Simon And Schuster Price: £7.99 Released: Out now Orphaned girls in Vorseland don’t have many options open to them. They can join Bliss Houses, or become servant girls. But those kinds of lives don’t appeal to girls like Frey. Frey dreams of freedom and adventure. So she joins the Boneless Mercies, taking up the raven cape of a mysterious tribe of women who bring quick deaths to the old, sick, and injured. Together with her fellow Mercies – witchy Juniper, ruthless Runa, and wise little Ovie – Frey goes wherever her sad and creepy trade takes her. Until the day it takes her on a troll hunt. Frey sees killing a monster as an opportunity – perhaps the only one she will ever get…

“IT’S A MODERN RIFF ON ALICE IN WONDERLAND” Details Author: LL McKinney Publisher: Titan Books Price: £8.99 Released: Out now When her dad dies unexpectedly, Alice finds herself with new responsibilities. But she doesn’t just have to worry about looking after her mum and keeping up with schoolwork. She also gets handed a set of magical responsibilities, being invited into a parallel world to stop nightmarish monsters crossing over into the human world. If you were wondering if her name was an intentional reference – it is. A Blade So Black is a modern riff on Alice In Wonderland, where Wonderland is strange and threatening, and the weird creatures Lewis Carroll imagined have been replaced with attractive teenagers. It’s a conceit that’s both charming and irritating; the Mad Hatter is…

Details Author: Brandon Sanderson Publisher: Gollancz Price: £10.99 Released: Out now The manipulation of time to solve or prevent crimes has been explored a fair few times in science fiction but Brandon Sanderson finds a new spin on this concept; in his new novella Snapshot, time is not altered. Instead, a Snapshot is created. It’s an exact replica of a location and events leading up to crimes. Then, two cops go in to find any evidence that might help the case back in the real world. In this instance, Anthony Davis and his partner, Chaz, are on a fairly routine beat when they chance upon a swimming pool full of corpses. They decide to use their time in the Snapshot to investigate what they can, despite their real-life superiors forbidding…

Readers who like their SF hardboiled can relax, as Richard Morgan has returned with Thin Air, a new mystery story set in the same universe as Thirteen. It follows ex-mercenary ex-con, Hak Veil, who’s assigned to protect an auditor visiting Mars from Earth, and who’s poking her nose into dangerous business. Corruption, crime, murky agendas… it’s just as well Veil’s good at taking care of himself. Had you been wanting to do something set in the same universe as Thirteen for a while? Yeah, something like Thin Air was always on the cards, even back when I was writing Thirteen. In fact, there’s a reference in the back of that novel to someone Carl Marsalis knew on Mars, a hibernoid PI, and that was the initial template for Hakan Veil.…

When Candyman was originally released on DVD it came with a set of linear notes that were – much to the frustration of any seasoned genre scholar – best described as ‘phoning it in’. Worst of all was the erroneous claim that Rose never got to finish Candyman and was sacked before the film was finished. “Let me go on the record and set this straight,” states Clive Barker when quizzed about the ‘controversy’ by SciFiNow. “Bernard Rose was the director of Candyman and he finished the movie. He signed off on it with his cut and except for some things the American censor board may have cut out of it – and I don’t think it would have been a lot – it was Bernard’s movie. The first place…