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Stars: Emma Fitzpatrick, Frederick Stuart, J. Quinton Johnson, Angela Gulner, Salvador Chacon | Written by Yuri Baranovsky | Directed by Mark Meir

Lyn and a guest have been summoned to Staufen House by the estimable Dr. Justus Frost. I’m not sure if that sounds more ominous or pretentious, but either way Lyn and her guest, boyfriend Elijah are on their way to the doctor’s retreat.

Joining them for the weekend are Tara, a famous and full of herself media personality, and Joe an entrepreneur specializing in self-help programs. They have a messy divorce in common, his fourth no less.

Writer Yuri Baranovsky and director Mark Meir lay on the tropes right from The Summoned’s opening scenes. A cryptic prologue, a creepy encounter on the drive to the retreat, undercurrents of trouble between Lyn and Elijah, etc. And, as you might expect, he also turns out to be the only...

Things are always going to get slightly messy on a couple’s self-help retreat – secrets, deception and resentment are just some of things that are bound to be brought up. Some people may attend and lose a marriage, but no one expects to lose their life, unless you attend the self-help retreat depicted in The Summoned.

Elijah (J. Quinton Johnson) – a struggling musician turned mechanic – and his girlfriend Lyn (Emma Fitzpatrick) – a rock star working on her third album – are ‘summoned’ to an exclusive and secretive self-help retreat at the Staufen House. Elijah seems cautious about the clandestine invitation, but tries to get into the spirit of the retreat. He even remarks that the pair are there to ‘work on some of our stuff.’ Once at the retreat they meet two other guests, entrepreneur Joe (Salvador Chacon) and actress Tara (Angela Gulner), who are both going through a divorce – from each other.

"We are baptized in shame, and in shame we live." And shame we must break free from! XYZ Films has revealed an official trailer for The Summoned, an indie horror thriller that's landing on VOD in July. This recently premiered at the 2022 Overlook Film Festival this month, a good horror festival to show a film like this. It's described as a "Faustian morality tale" from a script by Jewish-Ukrainian writer Yuri Baranovsky. Elijah attends a self-help retreat with his rockstar girlfriend Lyn, unaware that the enigmatic doctor, Dr. Frost played by Frederick Stuart, who runs the estate has summoned him here to settle a generations-old supernatural debt. The film stars J. Quinton Johnson as Elijah, with Emma Fitzpatrick, Salvador Chacon, Angela Gulner, and Freddy Douglas. This looks like it has some good thrills and chills, better than your average indie horror. That between-the-legs axe shot is the best shot from the trailer.

It is rare that we Game of Thrones fans are introduced to new characters seven seasons in, especially given the already sizable ensemble cast. However, viewers were treated to a surprise new addition in the latest episode, “The Spoils of War.”

The surprise in question is actor Tom Hopper, taking over the role of the uniquely-named Dickon Tarly, and here are five things you should know about the handsome Thrones newcomer.

He’s not technically a new characterThe curious thing about Hopper’s appearance is that while his face might be new to viewers, his character is not. We were first introduced to Tarly,...

Jeff Favreproduction: A Beautiful View, Son of Semele Theatre; Robots vs. Fake Robots, Powerhouse Theatre; Shipwrecked! An Entertainment, Geffen Playhouse.Playwriting: David Largman Murray, Robots vs. Fake Robots.Direction: Don Boughton, A Beautiful View; John Doyle, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre; Tiger Reel, Cartoon, Art/Works Theatre; Elise Robertson, The Women, Circus Theatricals.Music Direction: Sarah Travis, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Scenic Design: Simon Higlett, The School of Night, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum; Christine Jones, Spring Awakening, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre; Anthony Ward, My Fair Lady, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre.Lighting Design: Russell H. Champa, The School of Night; Richard Jones, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.Costume Design: Anthony Ward, My Fair Lady.Sound Design: Dan Moses Schreier, Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.Perfomance In A (Primarily) Straight Play:Gregory Itzin,...