Movies
Horror-Thriller ‘Hypernormalized’ Starring Robert LaSardo Wraps Production
Principal photography has wrapped on Hypernormalized, an independent horror-thriller shot between four cities: Los Angeles, Toronto, Tokyo, and Málaga, Spain.
Justin McConnell (Lifechanger) directs, handling the Canadian shoot in person and supervising the others remotely. Unit directors include Tricia Lee (Silent Retreat) in the U.S., Darryl Shaw in Japan, and Adam Mason (Songbird) in Spain.
In the film, plagued by intense nightmares and a relentless otherworldly entity, one isolated man’s sanity begins to slip. As he works to understand the source of his torment, he begins to suspect his overseas online friend group is experiencing the same occurrences.
Robert LaSardo (“Nip/Tuck”), Michelle D’Alessandro Hatt (Lifechanger), Victor Miró, Hiroshi Watanabe (Letters from Iwo Jima), Matt Farley, Duane Whitaker (Pulp Fiction), Caryn Richman (Beyond the Gates), Adrian Patterson, Adam Buller, and McConnell himself star.
Practical make-up effects were handled by David Scott (In the Tall Grass, The Blackcoat’s Daughter).
The genre-bending story mixes a traditionally shot narrative with various forms of modern media platforms, including VRChat, the largest VR-based social platform in the world.
“When approaching this project, I wanted to tell a globally-minded story steeped in the existential dread we all experience to varying degrees,” said McConnell “It’s a very art-collective approach to production, in a lot of ways. It just happens the collective is located all across the globe, and new tech allows us to work like we were in the same room.”
From Unstable Ground and Federgreen Entertainment, the film is produced by McConnell produced and executive produced by Avi Federgreen (Frankie Freako, Deathstalker).
Duane Whitaker in ‘Pulp Fiction’
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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