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They had US$2m and six weeks. Everyone hated the name. Test audiences hated the film. Here’s the oral history of how Jennifer Kent’s debut got made – despite the odds

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His eyes are depthless pools, his mouth a taut rictus. His fingers taper to blade-like claws and he looms like a scarecrow. In the dark you might only make out his cheeks, a shock of bone-white puncturing the night. He is furry, hairy, a little scary. Or maybe he’s just misunderstood?

You know the Babadook even if you haven’t seen the film: Australian director Jennifer Kent’s ornate, expressionistic horror that premiered at Sundance in 2014 before becoming a household meme a few years later. The creature leaps from a menacing picture book to torment a single mother, Amelia (Essie Davis), and her son Sam (Noah Wiseman). The pair’s...

The Babadook director Jennifer Kent is turning her attention to Clive Barker’s The Thief Of Always for her next movie.

It’s been six years since Jennifer Kent made 2018’s The Nightingale, a follow-up to her incredible 2014 debut horror feature The Babadook. Considering that The Nightingale also met with positive reviews, it seems surprising that Kent hasn’t returned to feature filmmaking before now – but that’s about to change.

Kent herself recently revealed that an official announcement regarding her next project would soon be made, and World Of Reel seems to have landed the news on this one.

The outlet reports that Kent’s next feature will be an adaptation of Clive Barker’s The Thief Of Always. The 1992 novel, written and illustrated by Barker, is about a boy who visits a mysterious house owned by a villain who zaps the lifeforce out of his victims. A bit like that 1985 film,...

A decade has passed since the release of Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, and the titular boogeyman has since become an icon of the genre. To celebrate, Bloody Disgusting is giving away three (3) copies of the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, which contains over two hours of bonus content.

Here are all the special features…

This Is My House: Interview with Actor Essie Davis The Sister: Interview with Actor Hayley McElhinney Don’t Let It In: Interview with Producer Kristina Ceyton Conjuring Nightmares: Interview Producer Kristian Moliere Shaping Darkness: Interview with Editor Simon Njoo If It’s in a Name or in a Look: Interview with Production Designer Alex Holmes The Bookmaker: Interview with the Book Designer Alexander Juhasz Ba-Ba-Ba…Dook!: Interview with Composer Jed Kurzel

In The Babadook, “Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles...

There’s something about The Babadook that makes it one of those rare films capable of leaving you restless long after the screen fades to black. It’s not the kind of horror that jumps out at you in a moment of fleeting terror; it’s the kind that digs its claws deep into your mind, pulling you into its eerie psychological maze. Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut is a masterclass in horror, weaving together psychological torment, raw emotion, and an unforgettable creature that feels less like a villain and more like the manifestation of deeply buried fears. If you’re looking for a horror film that truly terrifies, The Babadook delivers on every level—and then some.

Unlike many contemporary horror films that rely on shock value or gore, The Babadook taps into something far more insidious: the psychological horrors of grief and motherhood. At the core of the film is Amelia,...

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The much-awaited sequel of the brilliant 2022 psychological mystery horror thriller film Smile is finally here and thankfully it doesn’t suck. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the 2024 film follows a young pop star who begins to experience a series of disturbing events while on tour. Overwhelmed by the horrors she must face her dark past to regain her sanity. Smile 2 stars Naomi Scott in the lead role with Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, and Rosemarie Dewitt starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the psychological horror, thrilling story, and compelling characters in Smile 2 here are some similar movies you should check out next.

It Follows Credit – Northern Lights Films

It Follows is a supernatural horror thriller film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell. The 2014 film follows the story of a teenager...

Although it may be hard to believe, this autumn marks one decade since the release of Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, and IFC Films is teaming up with Iconic Events Releasing to celebrate the film's 10th anniversary with a theatrical re-release beginning September 19th, complete with a new Q&a between Jennifer and Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón.

To celebrate The Babadook's return to the big screen, Daily Dead caught up with writer/director Jennifer Kent to reflect on making her beloved movie one decade ago, the cinematic influences behind The Babadook, and the film's enduring legacy and rising popularity ten years after its initial release.

Below, you can watch our video interview with Jennifer, and we also have a look at the amazing 10th anniversary poster (designed by Mutant and artist Sara Deck) and trailer for The Babadook. To learn more about purchasing tickets to the theatrical re-release of The Babadook,...

Jennifer Kent got quite a scare when “The Babadook” premiered at Sundance in 2014.

The writer/director made her feature debut with the horror film, which IndieWire recently ranked as the ninth best horror movie of the 21st century. However, first reactions to the feature were mixed at first, at least according to Kent.

The filmmaker told Variety as part of the film’s 10-year anniversary that the Sundance debut led her to worry that she “made a big turkey” of a movie after one audience member deemed it “crap.”

“It [was] a hyper-aware moment for me, ‘Why is that woman coughing? Why is there so much silence?,'” Kent recalled of sitting in the theater during the film’s first screening. “Like, what do I want them to talk through the film? Then when the film ended, the woman in front of me said, ‘Well, that was crap.’ I remember completely shutting down and thinking,...

Noah Wiseman in The Babadook

“If it's in a word or it's in a look, you can't get rid of the Babadook.” So the story goes, and indeed, this sinister being has proven to have remarkable staying power. It’s now ten years since The Babadook was first released, and he’s returning to cinemas all over the world in celebration. Though he had his origins in highly successful 2005 short The Monster, his creator, Jennifer Kent, tells me that she never had an inkling of how her film would be received.

“I genuinely didn't. You always hope as a filmmaker that you're going to make something that people see and, you know, most films then come and go, but for it to have this afterlife has been so exciting. I'm quite a private person, so to be honest I had to be coaxed into celebrating its ten year anniversary, but...

A 30-minute filmed conversation between Mexican auteur Alfonso Cuarón and Australian writer-director Jennifer Kent will follow each screening of the 10th anniversary re-release of the latter’s cult, modern horror classic “The Babadook.”

In a recent masterclass at the Locarno Film Festival Cuarón had expressed his interest in exploring the horror genre and name-checked “The Babadook,” praising how the film is grounded in reality and character. Following this, IFC Films – which released Cuarón’s “Y Tu Mamá También” in 2002 – reached out to Cuarón to moderate an in-theaters-only Q&a with Kent, and their filmed 30-minute conversation will play in theaters following every screening across the U.S.

During the conversation, which is a cinephile’s delight, Cuarón says that when he watched the film for the first time, he was “absolutely impressed by the thematic approach,” and was also “impressed by how cinematically it was assured. It was like it was a very confident film.

Fantastic Fest is bigger and better this year, which is its 19th. For 2024, Fantastic Fest is presenting 28 world premieres, 15 U.S. premieres and 23 international and North American premieres, plus some great events and plenty of special guests.

Ff will take place at the iconic Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin, Texas from September 19 through September 26.

The fun begins on opening night with the premiere of The Rule of Jenny Pen, starring Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow. Rush plays a judge who ends up in a nursing home. One of the other residents (Lithogow) is a strange man who takes great pleasure in terrorizing the others who live there.

Anthony B. Jenkins as Samuel, Halle Berry as Momma and Percy Daggs IV as Nolan in Never Let Go. Photo Credit: Liane Hentscher

Also premiering is Alexandre Aja’s new film Never Let Go. Aja will be joined by the film’s...

Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook celebrates its 10th anniversary with a return to theaters this September, and we’ve learned that a 10th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is also on the way.

IFC Films brings The Babadook back to DVD & Blu-ray on October 22, 2024.

The 10th anniversary release includes Over 2 Hours of bonus contents…

This Is My House: Interview with Actor Essie Davis The Sister: Interview with Actor Hayley McElhinney Don’t Let It In: Interview with Producer Kristina Ceyton Conjuring Nightmares: Interview Producer Kristian Moliere Shaping Darkness: Interview with Editor Simon Njoo If It’s in a Name or in a Look: Interview with Production Designer Alex Holmes The Bookmaker: Interview with the Book Designer Alexander Juhasz Ba-Ba-Ba…Dook!: Interview with Composer Jed Kurzel

In The Babadook, “Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her ‘out of control’ 6 year-old,...

Although it may be hard to believe, this autumn marks one decade since the release of Jennifer Kent's The Babadook, and IFC Films is teaming up with Iconic Events Releasing to celebrate the film's 10th anniversary with a theatrical re-release beginning September 19th, complete with a new Q&a featuring Kent!

Below, you can check out the amazing 10th anniversary poster (designed by Mutant and artist Sara Deck) and trailer for The Babadook, and to learn more about purchasing tickets, visit:

https://www.iconicreleasing.com/events/the-babadook/tickets/

Synopsis

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the iconic indie horror film The Babadook, the modern classic will return to theaters featuring an exclusive Q&a with writer/director Jennifer Kent.

Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her ‘out of control’ 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a...

Somehow, 10 years have already passed since the release of writer/director Jennifer Kent’s horror film The Babadook (watch it Here) – and to mark the occasion, IFC Films is teaming up with Iconic Events Releasing to give the film a theatrical re-release on September 19th! Fans who attend this re-release will also get to see an exclusive Q&a with writer/director Jennifer Kent. Tickets will be available to purchase at This Link as of August 14th. In the meantime, IFC Films and Iconic Events Releasing have put together a 10th anniversary re-release trailer, which can be seen in the embed above.

The Babadook has the following synopsis: Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her ‘out of control’ 6 year-old, Samuel, a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel’s dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both.

"You'll see him if you look..." IFC Films has revealed the official 10th Anniversary re-release trailer for the modern horror classic The Babadook, by Australian filmmaker Jennifer Kent. The film first premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and played at numerous festivals that year before opening in the fall and becoming an instant horror favorite for many. IFC Films, in partnership with Iconic Events Releasing will bring the Aussie horror film back to theaters featuring an exclusive Q&a with the writer & director Jennifer Kent. A single mother and her young child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book titled "Mister Babadook" manifests in their home. When Amelia begins to see glimpses of a sinister presence all around her, it slowly dawns on her that the thing her son Samuel has been warning her about may be real. Essie Davis stars as Amelia, with Daniel Henshall,...

The critically acclaimed cult classic The Babadook from director Jennifer Kent turned 10 this year! To honor the film's legacy, IFC Films is teaming up with Iconic Events for a nationwide anniversary re-release beginning on September 19.

After its Sundance debut in 2014, The Babadook received a limited theatrical release yet still managed to gross over $10 million at the global box office on a $2.1 million budget. It received multiple accolades, including several Fangoria Chainsaw awards and Critics' Choice nominations.

Beloved by critics and fans alike, The Babadook exploded in popularity when the titular monster became a meme online. Users declared him an openly gay icon and Shout! Factory even released a special LGBTQ Pride Edition of the Blu-ray.

The 10th-anniversary re-release will include an exclusive Q&a with Kent, who directed the film and wrote the script based on her short film "Monster."

Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman in Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook.

If it’s in a word, or it’s in a look, you can’t get rid of The Babadook.

Writer/Director Jennifer Kent’s feature debut shook audiences and helped usher in a new era of horror, and it’s turning ten this year. To celebrate, IFC Films, in partnership with Iconic Events Releasing, is bringing the modern horror classic back to theaters nationwide starting on September 19, featuring an exclusive filmed Q&a with Jennifer Kent.

Tickets go on sale on August 14.

The writer/director will also be touring with the film for select to-be-announced special screenings and in-person discussions in September to commemorate the special anniversary.

In The Babadook, “Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her ‘out of control’ 6-year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel’s dreams are...

Brace yourselves: “The Babadook” is back.

The beloved horror feature, which marked Australian filmmaker Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut, will return to theaters courtesy of IFC Films and Iconic Events Releasing to celebrate its 10-year anniversary.

“The Babadook” infamously centers on widow Amelia (Essie Davis) who struggles to parent her 6 year-old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman), especially due to his disturbing outbursts. Yet when Samuel tells his mother that he’s been dreaming of a murderous monster, it turns out he might be trying to save them both. Enter creepy storybook “The Babadook” and Samuel’s visions just might be stranger than fiction after all.

Daniel Henshall, Tim Purcell, amd Tiffany Lyndall-Knight also star in the 2014 indie film that was produced by Kristina Ceyton and Kristian Moliere. The executive producers were Jan Chapman, Jeff Harrison, Jonathan Page, and Michael Tear. “The Babadook” featured cinematography from Radek Ładczuk and first debuted at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Mike Hughes, Harvey Stevens, Alex Vincent, Paula E. Sheppard, Noah Wiseman, and Milly Shapiro Screenshot: YouTube There’s nothing scarier than childhood. Look no further than the movies (or your very own memory palace) for proof. With the upcoming release of Abigail and the recent child-adjacent scares from The First Omen and Imaginary,...

Mike Hughes, Harvey Stevens, Alex Vincent, Paula E. Sheppard, Noah Wiseman, and Milly Shapiro

Screenshot: YouTube

There’s nothing scarier than childhood. Look no further than the movies (or your very own memory palace) for proof. With the upcoming release of Abigail and the recent child-adjacent scares from The First Omen and Imaginary,...

Between the various streaming services and their gargantuan libraries, finding what to watch can be overwhelming at best. Each month brings a plethora of new additions to streaming libraries across all platforms, including Hulu. That means an insane selection of all styles and types of horror that can lead to hours of endless scrolling.

If you’re stuck trying to find what to watch on streaming, we’re here to help.

Here are the best Hulu horror movies you can stream right now, from new releases to underrated sequels to indie creature features and beyond.

28 Weeks Later

Six months after the rage virus depleted Great Britain’s population, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to return to resume a post-apocalyptic life. After a carrier of the highly infectious pathogen gets brought in for testing, however, the virus takes root in the quarantined...

Warning: The following contains major spoilers for The Babadook.

The first time I watched The Babadook, I nearly had a nervous breakdown. It was March of 2015. My husband, a Cpa, was deep in the throes of tax season, leaving me alone for long stretches of time with our one-year-old son and three-year-old daughter who was going through a screaming phase. Needless to say, the story of a mother pushed to the edge of sanity resonated with me deeply. One scene in particular, monstrous clothing reigning down as the frightened heroine crawls across the floor, was so affecting that I paused the movie and cried for a good ten minutes. Despite the extremity of my reaction, I would wager that I’m not alone. In the ten years since The Babadook premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, Jennifer Kent’s debut feature has become known for its ability to blend horror...

The episode of Revisited covering The Babadook was Written, Edited, and Narrated by Kier Gomes, Produced by Tyler Nichols and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

As we all know, horror films come in many forms and there are many sub-genres within horror that make it both easily accessible and appealing to just about everyone. Whether you’re looking for demon possessions, ghosts, ghouls, haunted houses, or you’ve just got an insatiable appetite for corn syrup- the horror genre has something for you. And as such, the subject of today’s video is the debut feature from Jennifer Kent that plays in the sandbox of the paranormal, while highlighting the idea that the Real fear- is fear itself. The Babadook (watch it Here) is a 2014 psychological horror film that follows a widowed single-mother and her troubled young son. The movie definitely feels confident in its approach to such a profound story,...

A word of advice: Don't watch Jennifer Kent's 2014 horror film "The Babadook" immediately after having your first child. Kent's film, sometimes cited as one of the best horror movies of the '10s, deals directly with the taboo topic of a mother's resentment of her own child's existence. In the film, Amelia (Essie Davis) has had to raise her six-year-old child Samuel (Noah Wiseman) by herself, as Noah's father died in a car wreck driving her to the hospital while she was giving birth. In addition to a burning, suppressed wrath Amelia feels toward her own son, Samuel also requires constant attention, often puts himself...

The post The Age of The Babadook's Star Presented a Unique Problem appeared first on /Film.

To mark the release of The Babadook on 28th March, we’ve been given 1 copy to give away on 4K Ultra HD.

Following the violent death of her husband on the day their son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) was born, Amelia (Essie Davis) struggles with his erratic behaviour, and is still battling with the never-ending grief. Refusing to celebrate Samuel’s birthday as it’s inextricably linked to such a traumatic time, life is a struggle and the one person who’s always been there for her, her sister’s (Hayley McElhinney) patience is wearing thin.

As Samuel’s seventh birthday approaches his fears get worse, he’s convinced a monster is coming to get them, and he won’t settle, no matter how many bedtime stories he’s told. When an intriguing storybook appears on the bookshelf, Samuel becomes convinced that the Babadook is the monstrous creature he’s always...

To mark the limited edition dual format release of The Babadook on 21st June, we’ve been given 1 copy to give away.

This standout film sees Essie Davis, star of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, as a grief-stricken mother who is desperately trying to bring up her troubled son the best she can, will a new book be the answer to his sleep woes, or is it the beginning of an unimaginable nightmare?

Following the violent death of her husband on the day their son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) was born, Amelia struggles with his erratic behaviour, and is still battling with the never-ending grief. Refusing to celebrate Samuel’s birthday as it’s inextricably linked to such a traumatic time, life is a struggle and the one person who’s always been there for her, her sister Hayley McElhinne’s patience is wearing thin.

As Samuel’s seventh birthday approaches his fears get worse,...

Photo: Jennifer Kent/ Over the last decade, Australian director Jennifer Kent has certainly made a mark on Cinema. Her first two films, ‘The Babadook’ and ‘The Nightingale’, are both brilliant. Kent is able to tackle difficult subject matter such as familial trauma and colonialism with a healthy blend of grit and tenderness. ‘The Babadook’, Kent’s first film, stands out as one of the better horror films of late. It presents a fairly simple evil-monster premise whilst remaining firmly rooted in themes of mental illness. Kent’s follow-up, ‘The Nightingale’, is an even better and admirably different venture which tackles the horror of British colonialism in Tasmania during the 19th century. Related article: Patty Jenkins is the Real Wonder Woman: The Master Director’s Journey Related article: Greta Gerwig: A Creative Force of Nature, Paving a Path for Women in Cinema Jennifer Kent's 'The Babadook' (2014) Jennifer Kent’s debut is an intelligent,...

Creepy isn’t the same as scary.

Of course horror movies can be scary simply by using loud noises and sudden movements to make their audiences jump, but creepy is harder to pull off. To be effectively creepy, a film needs to establish a certain atmosphere; it needs to draw you in and make you care. It needs to give you something to think about when you’re trying to drop off to sleep at night; to make you wonder whether that creaking noise down the hallway was just the house settling or something lurking in the shadows. Creepy stays with you. It gives you goosebumps.

Here are 85 of the best horror movies (in no particular order) to chill your bones. Enjoy the nightmares.

Us (2019)

Jordan Peele’s follow up to his award winner Get Out is another social horror. While it might not be quite as accomplished or coherent...

Feels Good Man Photo: Kurt Keppeler and Christian Bruno The Babadook, iPlayer

If you're looking for something give you chills ahead of Halloween, then Jennifer Kent's breakout debut horror should definitely do the trick. Her riff on parent and child psychological horror lifts its "monster" - the Babdook of the film's title - from a story book, so that her film delivers not just the story she crafts but the weight of dark fairy tales we all carry with us in our subconscious. The story begins some years after the fatal accident that claimed Samuel's dad as his mum, pregnant with him was being rushed to hospital. Grief swirls around the pair as her loss and his emotional problems feed on one another in increasingly disturbing ways. Carefully calibrating just the right level of unease, helped enormously by intense performances by Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman as the troubled mother and son,...

CommentaryIn a lot of horror films, the woman gets possessed or victimised because she is vulnerable – but could that be simply because she is exhausted from the labour?Geetika MantriScreenshot/The BabadookA woman who is chirpy, kind and nurturing suddenly starts becoming broody, aggressive and withdrawn after a supernatural entity takes hold of her: this trajectory is a common one in many horror films that have been released over the years, such as The Conjuring. In other films like The Omen and Paranormal Activity, and horror series The Haunting of Hill House, the woman is shown to become disoriented and paranoid, and is often disbelieved when she says that strange things are happening with her. Some research and commentary on the gender in horror films suggests that this female vulnerability is owing to traits that are traditionally considered feminine – such as openness, passivity, and the need for protection that is often provided by male characters.

Earlier this month, distributor IFC Films announced it was partnering with Shout Factory for a gay pride limited edition Blu-ray release of “The Babadook,” considered one of the best horror films of the decade since its debut at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The special release is debuting this June in celebration of gay pride month and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to the Los Angeles Lgbt Center. While Australian director Jennifer Kent may have moved on,, Lgbt fans of “The Babadook” are keeping his memory alive.

“I’m still trying to work that one out… It’s quite perplexing,” Kent recently told EW about the status of her creation as a queer icon. “I feel it’s really quite beautiful, but I still have no idea why. … I mean, I kind of do.”

“The Babadook” stars Essie Davis as a single mother haunted by the violent death of her husband.

Jennifer Kent’s “The Babadook” has been a regular title on lists of the best horror movies ever made since it made its debut at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, but, in the years, since the film has unexpectedly become a queer classic. It all started when the eponymous boogeyman started popping up at gay pride events in 2017. The internet turned images of the Babadook at pride events into a full blown meme, and the rest was history.

Now distributor IFC Films is taking the meme and making some good out of it. IFC has announced it is partnering with Shout Factory for a gay pride limited edition Blu-ray release of “The Babadook.” The special release is debuting this June in celebration of gay pride month and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to the Los Angeles Lgbt Center.

IFC Films originally opened “The Babadook” in November 2014, where it...

Twenty years, in terms of horror films, doesn’t sound all that long. Yet it adds up to a generation, and the list below reflects that. It’s a catalog of the cinematic fears and obsessions that define an era. The list is also destined to start a few fights. So feel free to object, and to point out the dozens of terrific films I left out.

20. The Babadook (2014)

It’s scrappy and, at times, a little short on atmosphere, but Jennifer Kent’s sinister maternal psychodrama puts you inside the head of a woman on the verge like no horror film since “Repulsion.” It’s set in Australia, where Amelia (Essie Davis) was widowed in a car crash the night she gave birth to her son (Noah Wiseman), who is now six. (Her husband was driving.) The son is deeply troubled, but not nearly so much as his mother,...

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: In honor of “The Florida Project,” which has just started its platform release across the country, what is the greatest child performance in a film?

Jordan Hoffman (@JHoffman), The Guardian, Vanity Fair

I can agonize over this question or I can go at this Malcolm Gladwell “Blink”-style. My answer is Tatum O’Neal in “Paper Moon.” She’s just so funny and tough, which of course makes the performance all the more heartbreaking. She won the freaking Oscar at age 10 for this and I’d really love to give a more deep cut response, but why screw around? Paper Moon is a perfect film and she is the lynchpin.

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday morning. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?” can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question: What is the best horror film of the 21st century?

Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse), Freelancer for Rolling Stone, The Verge, Vulture

Everyone knows that the greatest Halloween film of all time is the 1962 nudie-cutie “House on Bare Mountain,” and my slavish devotion to giallo means that personal favorite horror movie of the new century is “Berberian Sound Studio”, but those are both answers to questions nobody asked. The finest horror film of the new millennium is “Cabin in the Woods”, both a dissertation on the history of the American scary movie and a chilling piece of work in its own right. With a fiendishly clever narrative hook,...

Almost every horror movie stops for a moment of exposition that sets up or explains the horrors that await or that have been endured. These are the scenes where directors can either conjure their inner cheeseball and pump up the spooky music or prepare the audience for more than what they bargained for. The legend of the monster, the backstory of the slasher, the warning to the meddling teenagers, these are all elements of atmosphere designed for one thing: to make you squirm before the real scares begin.

****

American Werewolf in London (1981) – Beware the moon

The horror genre is at its most impactful when leaving exposition to a minimum. Prioritizing narrative clarity over effective scare-mongering may ensure a tight narrative that can’t be held up to scrutiny, but it also ensures that the audience knows what to expect, all but draining the movie of tension. In An American Werewolf in London,...

With just a week to go until Halloween, we've decided to put together a list of a few movies to get you in the mood for the fright night. Watching a scary movie on Halloween is a time honoured tradition and brilliant way to cap off the night once the fireworks and bonfires are all over. The list we've put together is made up of movies from the last decade you may have missed in the cinema first time around, and one each night for the next week is guaranteed to give you a few scares no matter what type of horror movie sends shivers down your back. First up is the best horror movie of last year, and one of the most effective in recent memory - The Babadook. A psychological horror that spends as much time dealing with very real fears as it does with the supernatural, it's...

Welcome back to This Week In Discs! If you see something you like, click on the title to buy it from Amazon. God Help the Girl Eve (Emily Browning) is suffering from an eating disorder, but while it limits her body she refuses to let it shortchange her creativity and musical interests. She steals off for an adventure in Glascow where she meets two kindred spirits in James (Olly Alexander) and Cassie (Hannah Murray). Together they write and perform songs for themselves, strangers and us as they struggle to decide what they want their futures to hold. Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch wrote and directed this incredibly sweet, playful and joy-filled gem, and if you’re even remotely a fan of his band’s music you’ll be equally addicted to the tunes here. They’re all fantastic, and two in particular are so incredibly good that I’ve already made a habit of listening to the...

The Babadook Along with It Follows, The Babadook is a bit of a re-energizer in the horror genre, delivering mood and atmosphere over jump scares and gore. I will say the little kid played by Noah Wiseman got on my damn nerves early and often, but overall this is an effective little feature. You can read my theatrical review here.

Sullivan's Travels (Criterion Collection) I am woefully behind on my Criterion reviews as I have been inundated with my day-to-day duties and screeners, but I will be catching up soon and Preson Sturges' Sullivan's Travels will be one of the first ones I get to. I have heard plenty about this movie, but never seen it myself. I can't wait to give it a look. Here's the description from Criterion: Tired of churning out lightweight comedies, Hollywood director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) decides to make O Brother, Where Art Thouc--a serious,...

Jennifer Kent’s disturbing directorial debut The Babadook arrives on Blu-ray this week, scoring some of the most critically acclaimed notices ever for a recent psychological horror film. With The Exorcist director William Friedkin’s glowing praise splashed over the front and back cover, proclaiming that he has “never seen a more terrifying film,” and that it will “scare the hell out of you as it did me,” (horror master Stephen King also submits his stamp of approval), Kent’s film has reached a level of unprecedented cultural saturation since premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Though pulling in a surprisingly paltry sum at the domestic box office in Australia, foreign markets embraced the film, including in France, the UK, and the Us, bringing its worldwide box office to just under five million.

Satisfying genre films are generally few and far between these days, so it’s with absolute delight...

Mixing supernatural scares, psychological tension, and thrilling suspense, and wrapping it up all around a sinister children's book, there have been few horror movies in recent quite like "The Babadook." Now we want to you have a copy of the Special Edition Blu-ray for Jennifer Kent's highly buzzed film. The film tells the story of Amelia (Essie Davis), still feeling the pain of husband's loss six year ago, as he she struggles to raise her six-year old son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). He's a handful, an issue compounded by the fact that his dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. Initially dismissing his terror as fantasy, things to take a turn when Amelia starts to discover the terror might be much more real than she thought. Read More: 3 Clips For Aussie Horror 'The Babadook' To win "The Bababook" on Blu-ray, here's...

Scream Factory isn’t the only genre label resurrecting classic movies (and “classic” movies for that matter) from the past and giving them new life on Blu-ray, but they’re definitely one of the best and busiest. They’ve been in the habit of releasing a few titles each month for the past few years, but they’ve stepped up their game this month as something of a tease heading into 2015’s Summer of Fear. Eight new Blu-rays are hitting shelves in April including two brand new releases and six catalog titles — well, eight technically as two of the releases are double features — and while the movies vary in quality they all get their share of Scream Factory love. —————————————————– The Babadook Amelia (Essie Davis) is a single mom still grieving from the death of her husband during their son Samuel’s (Noah Wiseman) delivery. Her days are spent apologizing for the boys antics while her nights are...

In the Us Jennifer Kent.s The Babadook has raked in more than $US950,000 at cinemas and been viewed online, legally, more than 360,000 times. The horror movie starting Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman thus ranks as the most successful title ever for the Us distributor IFC Midnight, which typically releases films in a handful of cinemas day-and-date with VOD, or straight to VOD.

By contrast, The Babadook platformed at three cinemas last November, concurrent with VoD, and gradually expanded to 80 screens. IFC Midnight orchestrated an ultra-vod release which meant the film was available one month before theatrical via streaming service DirecTV for $US9.99. Causeway Films' Kristina Ceyton, who produced with Kristian Moliere of Smoking Gun Productions, tells If that IFC Midnight reported there were more than 200,000 orders on cable VOD and 160,000 on digital VOD. The distributor has not yet put a monetary value on those transactions. However one executive...

Charlie.s Country was named best film and Rolf de Heer best director at the 2014 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards presented on Tuesday night.

The Water Diviner scored five gongs, for best actor Russell Crowe, supporting actors Yilmaz Erdoğan and Jacqueline McKenzie and David Hirschfelder.s score. The Babadook nabbed three awards, for Jennifer Kent.s screenplay, Noah Wiseman for best performance by a young actor and Simon Njoo.s editing, shared with Predestination.s Matt Villa. Sarah Snook was named best actress for Predestination and the prize for best cinematography went to Mandy Walker for Tracks.

Best documentary was Nick Torrens. China.s 3 Dreams, which follows the attempts of Zhang Lei, a troubled young café owner and single mother in Chongqing, central China, to unravel her family.s traumatic history, contrasted with another Chongqing couple as they struggle to buy an apartment on minimal wages.

The awards were...

They've done what they've had to do to survive on AMC's The Walking Dead, brining hope and despair to palpable life on the small screen with gritty realism every week. Covered in grime, splattered in blood, and trudging down the sun-baked backroads and brush-bordered trails this season, the stellar cast and crew of The Walking Dead have paid their dues and then some, and now they're getting a tip of the cap in return with seven nominations for the 41st Annual Saturn Awards.

Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Emily Kinney, Melissa McBride, Chandler Riggs, and Andrew J. West have all earned nominations, with the TV series itself receiving one as well. Also recognized in this year's nominations is Scream Factory's Nightbreed: The Director's Cut Blu-ray, NBC's Hannibal TV series, Only Lovers Left Alive, and many more.

Press Release - "The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films announces the...

13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards

Here are the results for the 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards.

Thank you to the 342 movie fans from across the nation voted in the awards this year.

Click Here for instructions to the Tsr Movie Awards.

Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Past Tsr Movie Awards coverage

Best Blockbuster

7.87 Guardians Of The Galaxy

7.80 The Lego Movie

7.57 Captain America: The Winter Soldier

7.48 X-men: Days Of Future Past

6.96 Big Hero 6

6.68 The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies

6.51 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

6.40 American Sniper

5.09 Maleficient

3.63 Transformers: Age Of Extinction

Funniest...

13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition)

Here are the results for the 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition).

Twenty-nine film critics from across the nation voted in the awards this year.

Click Here for instructions to the Tsr Movie Awards.

Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 12th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 11th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards Read 10th Annual Tsr Movie Awards (Critics Only Edition) Past Tsr Movie Awards coverage

Best Blockbuster

8.43 The Lego Movie

7.70 Guardians Of The Galaxy

7.43 Captain America: The Winter Soldier

6.70 X-men: Days Of Future Past

6.63 Big Hero 6

6.58 The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

5.79 American Sniper

4.96 The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies

4.38 Maleficient

2.68 Transformers: Age Of Extinction...

13th Annual Tsr Movie Awards

Best Quote in a Film of 2014

“You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilisation left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. Indeed that’s what we provide in our own modest, humble, insignificant… oh, fuck it.” – Ralph Fiennes as M. Gustave – The Grand Budapest Hotel

“You know how everyone’s always saying seize the moment? I don’t know, I’m kind of thinking it’s the other way around, you know, like the moment seizes us.” Jessi Mechler as Nicole – Boyhood

“Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.” Brad Pitt as Wardaddy – Fury

“You can’t get rid of the Babadook.” Noah Wiseman as Samuel – The Babdook

“You two are the most fucked up people I’ve ever met, and I deal with fucked up people for a living.” Tyler Perry as Tanner Bolt – Gone Girl

“Nothing goes over my head.

Stars: Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinny, Benjamin Winspear | Written and Directed by Jennifer Kent

The Babadook is a fairy-tale, you could almost start explaining it with “once upon a time”…the story revolves around the relationship between Amelia (Essie Davis) a single mother and her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Still mourning the death of her husband who died six years previously she is left alone to deal with her son who is out of control. One day a book appears at the house, The Babadook, proclaiming the coming of a dark character who immediately has an effect on the imaginative child. When Amelia too begins to be haunted by Mr Babadook it’s not long before she is in a battle not only for the safety of her child, but also her sanity.

I like to think of The Babadook as a love letter to iconic movies in horror history.

The Babadook, released on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital on February 16th, tells the story of a widowed mother Amelia (Essie Davis) battling with the loss of her husband, and her son’s growing fears of a monster invading their house. When a strange new book is found by Samuel (Noah Wiseman), reading it seems to invite a sinister presence in to the house, leaving both Amelia and Samuel to face their fears.

This isn’t the first time in film history that we’ve been shown the sinister power of books. Using the right book at the wrong time can lead to all sorts of issues or adventures. In anticipation of The Babadook’s home release, we take a look – in no particular order – some of the most sinister books in film.

1. Evil Dead – The Necronomicon

Klaatu… verata… n… Necktie. Nectar. Nickel. Noodle. Or something like that, right?

The Necronomicon,...

After tying for best film with The Water Diviner at the Aacta Awards, Jennifer Kent.s The Babadook has won the major prizes at the Australian Film Critics Association annual film and writing awards.

The horror movie took the awards for best film, director, lead actress Essie Davis and supporting actor Noah Wiseman.

Emulating his Aacta Award, David Gulpilil was named best actor for Charlie.s Country. Sarah Snook (who was recognised as best actress for Predestination at the AACTAs) was the surprise winner for best supporting actress for These Final Hours.

Gulpilil and Rolf de Heer collected the original screenplay award and Charlie.s Country.s Ian Jones was feted as best DoP. Gulpilil received his best actor statue on Friday evening from Aaron Pedersen (last year's Afca best actor winner for Mystery Road) during the BlakNite event at Treasury Gardens. He dedicated the award to .the spirit of the country and his family.