Britt Hayes is a writer, movie lover, and sensible sweater enthusiast living in Austin, Texas. She watches too much TV and never eats her vegetables.
Britt Hayes
‘The Purge: Election Year’ Review: Like the 2016 Election, But Less Scary
In 2013, The Purge introduced an interesting horror concept: In the not-too-distant future, the government allows citizens to commit violent crimes for one night each year. That first film featured a nice white suburban family besieged by yuppie college kids, only fleetingly paying any mind to more fascinating ideas about class warfare. The Purge: Anarchy further established the mythology of the franchise by weaving a “one percent vs. the 99 percent” element into a tale of revenge. In 2016, we have The Purge: Election Year, which turns the sociopolitical commentary up to 11 in the most ridiculous, relevant installment of the series yet. Far from nuanced allegory, the sequel splits the difference between satire and low-brow camp in a film that could just as easily be The Idiot’s Guide to Being Woke in 2016.
Weekend Box Office Report: ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ Is No Match For ‘Finding Dory’
It took 20 years for Roland Emmerich to deliver a sequel to Independence Day, a film that’s largely responsible for the modern summer blockbuster season. Unfortunately, it looks like most audiences didn’t think it was worth the wait. As predicted in recent weeks, Resurgence crash-landed in theaters with an underwhelming opening weekend that was no match for Pixar’s Finding Dory.
‘Lights Out’ Trailer: Oh Good, Another Reason to Be Afraid of the Dark
James Wan has firmly established himself as a modern master of horror with films like Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring, and though the filmmaker’s latest project isn’t one he directed himself, he is responsible for bringing it to the big screen. Wan produced Lights Out, and if the newest trailer for the upcoming horror flick is to be believed, you’re in for some serious scares.
‘The Neon Demon’ Review: Beauty and Brains From the Director of ‘Drive’
There’s a moment early on in The Neon Demon, in which a fantastically icy Abbey Lee tells Elle Fanning’s doe-eyed aspiring model the first thing women notice about other women. Basically it’s: “Who is she f—ing? Could I f— them? How high can she climb? And is it higher than me?" It’s the closest thing to a thesis statement you’ll find in Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest film, a stylishly surreal effort that’s equal parts deranged fairy tale and devious satire, where all that glitters is ultimately cold.
New DVD and Blu-ray Releases: July 2016
Summer is here and in case you’re blissfully unaware, it is gross outside. Good thing there are plenty of new movies to help you escape, whether it’s in a theater or at home. For the latter, July brings tons of options to enjoy from the comfort of your couch, including recent indie favorites like Green Room and Everybody Wants Some. If you’re looking for something a bit more…epic…then Zack Snyder’s Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman might be just your speed, and for the melodically inclined, next month has you covered with several biopics and the delightful musical Sing Street. Read on for our complete guide to July’s new DVD and Blu-ray releases.
That Spooky Nun From ‘The Conjuring 2’ Is Getting Her Own Spinoff
Like that creepy doll from The Conjuring, that creepy nun from James Wan’s The Conjuring 2 will also get her own spinoff, further expanding the spooky Wan-iverse. The director’s fictional versions of famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren have housed an entire collection of keepsakes and haunted objects from their cases, meaning there’s no shortage of possibilities for Wan’s ever-growing franchise.
‘Suicide Squad’ Officially Rated PG-13, Not That You’re Surprised
Warner Bros. execs made it pretty clear that Suicide Squad wasn’t aiming for an R-rating, though if any of their upcoming DC movies would be rated R, it’s the one that makes the most sense. Still, despite the success of Deadpool, WB has decided that Suicide Squad should be for everyone — well, everyone age 13 and up, and also probably a few clever kids who convince their parents that David Ayer’s rowdy comic book movie is an imperative exploration of complex morals in government relations, or something.
Stephen King’s ‘It’ Remake Finds Its Pennywise as Casting Begins
While we continue to mourn Cary Fukunaga’s adaptation of It that might have been, the remake of Stephen King’s classic horror story is still chugging right along with Mama director Andy Muschietti at the helm. Casting has begun for the long-developing project, which has officially locked down the role of Pennywise the terrifying clown, along with at least one of the young kids he’ll be tormenting.
‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot Will Show You a New Jason Voorhees Origin Story, Kind Of
By now, Jason Voorhees’ origin story has become as redundant and exhausting as the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. He was a kid with a physical abnormality who drowned because some careless teenage camp counselors were too busy gettin’ busy and smoking pot. We get it. But apparently we don’t get it enough because that long-developing Friday the 13th reboot is going to rehash Jason’s origins yet again — this time revealing even more needless information about the slasher boogeyman’s family history.
‘The Fundamentals of Caring’ Trailer: Paul Rudd Takes You to America’s Lamest Landmarks
Paul Rudd can make just about anything better, including this underwhelming trailer for Netflix’s latest original film, The Fundamentals of Caring. The impossibly charming and seemingly ageless (and possibly immortal?) actor teams up with Submarine star Craig Roberts for an unexpected buddy road trip dramedy, picking up a pregnant Selena Gomez and a Slim Jim along the way.