Frightening Strikes

Summary and Review of Z Beth: Keegan Connor Tracy Kevin: Sean Rogerson Josh: Jeff Klyne Director: Brandon Christensen Release: 2020 The "imaginary friend" sub-genre doesn’t really grab me, as too often I have been disappointed but I was intrigued enough by the description and promo poster to give "Z" a go and, I'm pleased to say, was not only grabbed but unceremoniously wrestled to the ground and left feeling distinctly dazed by the experience. "Z" starts predictably enough with an ostensibly happy family; Beth, Kevin and their son Josh. Beth’s mother is dying and her sister is unreliable, drinking to escape the inevitable outcome. Beth has matters on her mind and Kevin is the archetypal bread-winner who often works away. Josh is a quiet, reserved boy with few friends but suddenly he introduces an imaginary companion, whom he names as “Z”. Although taken aback, his parents are not unduly concerned at first and play along believing this to be a pha...

Summary and Review of The House on Mansfield Street Nick Greene: Mathew Hunt Emma King: Kathryn Redwood Director: Richard Mansfield Released: 2018 As he speaks into camera, Nick Greene is upbeat as he leaves his London home to start a new life in a Nottingham suburb in the “House on Mansfield Street”. He has secured a job locally and has decided to video-document his life, as he embarks upon this new adventure.  Soon after moving in, he’s visited by his next door neighbour, Emma King (Kathryn Redwood), who offers him a good luck charm as a welcome gift. After she leaves, Nick hears unusual noises from upstairs and when he investigates, finds displaced items and discovers another, much older “good luck charm” in the attic. All very strange but it doesn’t bother him for long as he’s busy exploring his new surroundings. As the days go by, things start to take a downward turn. Nick finds an unsettling video clip on his computer that he didn’t upload, strange occurrences and noises ...

Summary and Review of We Need to do Something Robert: Pat Healey Diane: Vinessa Shaw Melissa: Sierra McCormick Bobby: John James Cronin Director: Sean King O’Grady Release: 2021 A family takes refuge from an impending storm in their spacious bathroom, seemingly the safest room in the house. While they occupy themselves until it passes, the daughter, Melissa (Sierra McCormick), tries and fails to contact her girlfriend, Amy, a mysterious character with whom Mel has recently met and fallen for. As the storm builds so do the tensions within the family, until there is a sudden explosion and they realise that a tree has crashed through the house and blocked their exit from the bathroom.  From the off there are clear indications that this is a family in decline. The father, Robert (Pat Healy), is no role model husband or father and has an alcohol problem. Son Bobby (John James Cronin) clings to his mother, Diane (Vinessa Shaw), and Melissa seems estranged from both parents. Tellingly, ...

Summary and Review of The Atoning Vera: Virginia Newcome Ray: MIchael LaCour Sam: Cannon Boursage Director: MIchael Williams Release: 2017 The opening scene of “The Atoning'' shows Vera, (Virginia Newcomb) attending to her young son, Sam (Cannon Borsage), as he settles down for the night. Vera appears tense as she soothes Sam’s concerns about his father’s whereabouts. It cuts to a dream sequence where Sam is shown to be under threat and the viewer is led to wonder if this is a portent of things to come. At breakfast, the next morning, Sam is greeted with the palpable strain between his parents and the boy feels caught in the middle as he tries to please both and ease the tension. Later on we see that Vera and Ray no longer share a bed so things do seem to be going very badly. However, photos dotted around the house speak of happier times and we are led to wonder what has happened to cause this rift. The family go about their daily routines in their suburban home and, apart ...

Summary and Review of Driven Emerson Graham: Casey Dillard Roger: Richard Speight Jr Director: Glenn Payne Release: 2020 Emerson Graham (Casey Dillard) is an aspiring stand-up comic who makes ends meet as an Uber-style cab driver. The upbeat opening scenes show a montage of Emerson’s interactions with various customers during the evening as she perfects her comedy routine in between pick-ups.  Things take a turn for the unexpected when she picks up the mysterious, and rather terse, Roger who wants to stop at multiple addresses for reasons unknown. The sparks fly from the word go as Emerson tries to engage in casual conversation but Roger (Richard Speight Jr.) is having none of it. The chemistry between the two is immediately apparent in their humorous banter, which establishes the tone for the rest of the film.  After Emerson witnesses an alarming encounter between Roger and a stranger, he reveals that he is on a quest to rid the world of evil entities (which must be compl...