What to Watch This Weekend: The Opening Act, More Halloween Horror (Broil, Mortuary Collection, Evil Eye, Nocturne), Time, Helpsters, Trial of the Chicago 7, Tomiris

For Those Looking to Follow Their Dreams (or For A Laugh) - The Opening Act (Theaters and Digital)

The Opening Act is a hilarious, entertaining, and highly personal coming of age story with a who's who comedy cast and a touching, universal message.  For more information, check out our review!

For Horror Fans Looking For A Meaty Film - Broil (Disc and Digital)

Broil is a feast for the senses, with meaty characters, a savory simmering style, and an accompaniment of sharp writing and full bodied music.  For more information, check out our review!

For Horror Fans Looking Style - The Mortuary Collection (Shudder)

The Mortuary Collection teaches some macabre lessons while telling some wonderful short horror tales that are dripping with both blood and style.   For more information, check out our review!

For Horror Fans With Family Issues - Evil Eye (Amazon)

Evil Eye is a slow burning character drama with a wonderful dynamic between Choudhury and Mani and a suspenseful finale.  For more information, check out our review!  

For Horror Fans Looking For Suspense and Madness - Nocturne (Amazon)

Nocturne's fantastic music, story, and characters create a slowly building symphony of suspense, obsession, and madness.  For more information, check out our review!

For Those Looking For Something Uplifting - Time (Amazon)

Time is a beautiful expression of perseverance, love, and faith and gives you a personal window into this amazing family's life and growth.  For more information, check out our review!

For History Buffs (And Action Fans) - The Legend of Tomiris (Disc and Digital)

The Legend of Tomiris tells the epic tale of the warrior queen with exciting, well choreographed action sequences, good acting, and epic music.  For more information, check out our review!

For the Kids - Helpsters Season 2 (Apple TV+)

Helpsters Season 2 continues the great format of Season 1 with more celebrity guests, musical guests, helpful plans, and important lessons for kids and adults to enjoy.  For more information, check out our review!

For Justice Seekers - The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)

The Trial of the Chicago 7 tells a relevant, raw story with amazing performances, strong storytelling, and a balance of serious subject matter with up tempo music and some comedic elements.  For more information, check out our review!

Evil Eye Review: Mother Knows Best

Release date: October 13, 2020
Running time: 90 minutes
Starring: Sarita Choudhury, Sunita Mani, Bernard White 

Welcome to the Blumhouse is a seasonal horror event by Amazon and Blumhouse that is releasing four horror movies during October in two waves.  Evil Eye is part of the second wave of movies, releasing October 13 along with Nocturne.  A superstitious mother is convinced that her daughter's new boyfriend is the reincarnation of a man who tried to kill her 30 years ago.  Usha (Choudhury) has always been protective of her daughter and tried to find what is best for her.  However, when Pallavi (Mani) finally meets someone that she is interested in, Usha can't help but shake a bad feeling she has about this seemingly perfect boy.

I expected to love Evil Eye due to the melding of some of my favorite genres of film, Hindi movies and horror.  And Evil Eye does a lot right.  It starts very slowly but that lets you get introduced to the characters and their predicament.  Usha is a constantly worrying mother who lives in India and Pallavi is a free spirited daughter who lives in America.  They are polar opposites who live a world apart, but are in nearly daily contact.  The dynamic between the two and their way of thinking is really fun to see.  Usha is constantly trying to set her daughter up with nice Indian men but Pallavi prefers her freedom and to meet someone one her own.  I imagine this dynamic is pretty common for young Indian children that have left the watchful eye of their parents, and seeing the contrasting personalities of these two is really an interesting treat. 

Evil Eye is a slower burning horror film.  It's more of a psychological film about the clash of personalities and ideas from Usha and Pallavi.  Much of this plays out over the phone, and the uncertainty keeps you guessing what will happen next.  And as the story progresses, more of Usha's past is revealed to you giving the viewer some more context to her idiosyncrasies.  However, for those looking for a more traditional horror experience, that doesn't come until late in the film.  I was expecting more unease or thriller moments during the movie but that just isn't this film.  It is suspenseful at times, but not in what you would expect of a horror film.  It is not a bad movie, and I did enjoy it a lot, but it was mostly for the well done characters and the clash of personalities.  And at times, it was very suspenseful when you weren't sure what was going to happen next between Pallavi and her new boyfriend  Another thing I appreciated about this film is that there is some Hindi spoken during it but there were no subtitles.  It was a nice touch to show that the viewers don't necessarily need to always know what is going on and gave the film a little more authenticity in my mind.  And finally, although Priyanka Chopra Jonas is attached to the film, it is only as an executive producer role.  She doesn't appear on screen, although I imagine she had some input in the mother daughter relationship on screen. 

Evil Eye is a slow burning character drama with a wonderful dynamic between Choudhury and Mani and a suspenseful finale.

Rent it.

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Evil Eye is available to stream on Amazon Prime starting October 13, 2020.

Screening: Welcome to the Blumhouse: Evil Eye

Amazon Prime Video and Blumhouse invite you to step inside the worlds of Nocturne, Black Box, Evil Eye, and The Lie for an interactive virtual mystery that weaves the Blumhouse universe together in chilling synchrony.

After an exclusive screening of one of the four films, The Blumhouse Live will be open for you to explore. Kicking off with a live DJ set, you will be beckoned to discover a labyrinth of virtual sanctuaries, live performances, interactive tarot readings, an escape room that unlocks hidden levels, and more unsettling twists.

The screening takes place on Monday, October 12.  The event kicks off at 6:00 PM PST / 9:00 PM EST, with the movie starting at 6:30 PM PST / 9:30 PM EST.  After the movie, at 8:15 PM PST / 11:15 PM EST, the virtual experience will happen, giving you 45 minutes to explore to your hearts content.  Please note the recommended age for the film and the experiences is 18+.  This is a great way to kick off Halloween month and a unique experience to do from home!

To enter, please enter from the Gleam.io widget below.  Winners will be notified on Monday, October 12.  

EVIL EYE 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB2b6weKJcc

A seemingly perfect romance turns into a nightmare when a mother becomes convinced her daughter’s new boyfriend has a dark connection to her own past. 

Directed by: Elan Dassani and Rajeev Dassani 

Written by: Madhuri Shekar 

Starring: Sarita Choudhury, Sunita Mani, Omar Maskati, and Bernard White 

Screening Passes to Evil Eye

News: Amazon Prime Video and Blumhouse Launch "Welcome to the Blumhouse" Featuring Eight New Thriller Films

Amazon Prime Video announced today “Welcome to the Blumhouse”, a program of eight unsettling, genre movies produced by Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Television and Amazon Studios. Each film presents a distinctive vision and unique perspective on common themes centered around family and love as redemptive or destructive forces. This slate marks the first ever program of Amazon Original movies on Prime Video that are thematically connected. The films showcase exciting up-and-coming talent, alongside established actors in exceptional and shocking new roles. “Welcome to the Blumhouse” will launch in October, timed for the Halloween season, on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide. 

Amazon Prime Video will launch the initial slate of four films as double features starting with The Lie directed by acclaimed writer/director Veena Sud (The Killing, 7 Seconds) and Black Box directed by up-and-coming writer/director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. (Born with It), both premiering on October 6. Launching the following week on October 13 is Evil Eye, from talented young directors Elan Dassani and Rajeev Dassani (A Day’s Work, Jinn) and executive produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Quantico, White Tiger), and Nocturne written and directed by filmmaker Zu Quirke (Zugzwang, Ghosting) making her feature film debut. The latter four films will launch in 2021. 

The Lie is written and directed by Veena Sud, and stars Mireille Enos (The Killing), Peter Sarsgaard (An Education) and Joey King (The Kissing Booth 2, The Act). When their teenaged daughter confesses to impulsively killing her best friend, two desperate parents attempt to cover up the horrific crime, leading them into a complicated web of lies and deception. Produced by Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Christopher Tricarico, and Jason Blum.  Executive produced by Howard Green, Kim Hodgert, Jeanette Volturno, Couper Samuelson and Aaron Barnett.

Directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. (Born With It) and script by Osei-Kuffour Jr. and Stephen Herman, Black Box stars Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World 3, The Circle), Phylicia Rashad (Creed), Amanda Christine (Colony), Tosin Morohunfola (The Chi, The 24th), Charmaine Bingwa (Trees of Peace, Little Sista), and Troy James (The Flash, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark). After losing his wife and his memory in a car accident, a single father undergoes an agonizing experimental treatment that causes him to question who he really is. Executive produced by Jason Blum, Jay Ellis, Aaron Bergman, Lisa Bruce, Marci Wiseman, Jeremy Gold, Mynette Louie and William Marks.

Based off the award-winning, best-selling Audible Original production from writer Madhuri Shekar, Evil Eye is directed by Elan Dassani and Rajeev Dassani, and stars Sarita Choudhury (Mississippi Masala, Lady in the Water), Sunita Mani (GLOW), Omar Maskati (Unbelievable), and Bernard White (Silicon Valley). A seemingly perfect romance turns into a nightmare when a mother becomes convinced her daughter’s new boyfriend has a dark connection to her own past. Executive produced by Jason Blum, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Lisa Bruce, Marci Wiseman, Jeremy Gold, Guy Stodel, Anjula Acharia, Emilia Lapenta and Kate Navin.

Nocturne is written and directed by Zu Quirke in her breakout feature debut. Starring Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, The Handmaid’s Tale, Player’s Table), Madison Iseman (Jumanji: The Next Level, Annabelle Comes Home), Jacques Colimon (The Society) and Ivan Shaw (Insecure, Casual). Inside the halls of an elite arts academy, a timid music student begins to outshine her more accomplished and outgoing twin sister when she discovers a mysterious notebook belonging to a recently deceased classmate. Executive produced by Jason Blum, Lisa Bruce, Marci Wiseman, Jeremy Gold, Matthew Myers and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly.