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Why ‘Ruby Sparks’ Is Actually a Horror Movie

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Why ‘Ruby Sparks’ Is Actually a Horror Movie

Ruby Sparks is a beautiful fantasy film directed by Little Miss Sunshine co-creators Johnathon Dayton and Valerie Faris. It centers on an author (Paul Dano), Calvin Weir-Fields, who finds himself wrapped in loneliness and isolation a decade after the release of his first novel. After a prolonged episode of writer’s block, he writes a scene about a woman meeting, and liking, his dog. The following night he has a cryptic dream about the woman. When he wakes up, she’s in his house. As events unfold, it becomes apparent that he has invented this woman, Ruby (Zoe Kazan), using his typewriter.

Ruby Sparks was generally received as a romance, or at times, a romantic-comedy by audiences and critics alike. It definitely had romantic elements like the glamorous shots of the couple gallivanting through sweaty concert crowds and arcades awash with pink-and-blue lighting that are irresistible, but the film is ultimately quite dark at its core. Whatever Calvin writes about Ruby becomes integral to her personality, behavior, or appearance. This starts off as a relatively benign “what if?,” but quickly devolves into a tool of coercion and control. The way the pair’s relationship, specifically Calvin’s behavior within a relationship, unfolds on screen is harrowing. The film captures the audience with a quite literally too-good-to-be-true relationship, before taking a turn into unexpected horrors.

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At the start of the film, Calvin appears flawed, but ultimately you’re led to sympathize with his struggles. He’s depicted as struggling massively with fame and hype generated by his first novel, released when he was nineteen, and totally unable to form adult relationships and meaningful connections with people in this new phase of his life. However, instead of reflecting on these issues and developing as a person, the film charts his psychological downward spiral as he deflects his problems onto others and attempts to shape narratives within his life to fit his perspective – essentially rewriting his life however he sees fit.

On the first watch of the movie, it’s easy to miss the context cues that foreshadow Calvin’s toxic and abusive behaviors. But, on subsequent viewings, it’s impossible to miss the warning signs strewn throughout the story, and the film’s visuals. The honeymoon phase of the relationship is established clearly, before everything crumbles under the weight of Calvin’s controlling actions. Instead of allowing Ruby to exist as a whole, complex human being, he attempts to play God by writing more about her. At first, it appears to be innocuous – he writes to make her happy – but it quickly becomes clear that Calvin’s actions are rooted in a need to be in control and micromanage situations, without resolving them head-on. This makes the film into a perfect thriller of an unhealthy relationship, each twist more uncomfortable to witness than the last.


The cinematography in the film loops between idyllic shots of golden-hour romance with soft focus, and tension-filled, intentionally shaky shots of the couple. When Ruby first appears in Calvin’s house, the scene is shot like the depiction of a home invasion. Ruby startles Calvin by appearing at the top of the stairs, as we watch from afar at the end of the landing. Once Calvin affirms to himself that she is real, not a hallucination, and that she isn’t a home invader, the film cuts back to its honeyed hues and lighting. However, as the story progresses, the unsettlingly tremoring scenes and shots of figures lurking in doorways, staircases, and reflections are gradually reintroduced. This really pinpoints the way the dark undertones of the film sneak in under the viewers’ noses.


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RELATED: Directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris Talk RUBY SPARKS, Why It Took So Long to Choose a Follow-Up Project, Their HBO Pilot With Dan Clowes, More

The film begins focusing on Calvin’s isolation, but the focus shifts onto Ruby’s isolation. The isolation in Ruby’s life is mostly caused by Calvin’s treatment of her. At first, he keeps her existence very close to his chest, and when he eventually introduces her to the wider world, he becomes very possessive and jealous. This shift in focus is evocative of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. The Shining focusses at first on the stability of novelist Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), before shifting to look at the impact it has on his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and child, Danny (Danny Lloyd). This shift in focus, mirroring the way Calvin displaces his feelings onto other people, underlines the way the film leans into the horror genre perfectly.


The narrative structure of Ruby Sparks isn’t the only way the film evokes The Shining, either. Calvin types the majority of his work on a vintage typewriter. Throughout the film, the viewers are often shown close-ups of the typewriter, revealing what Calvin is making Ruby do next. This is reminiscent of the infamous shots from The Shining, wherein we witness Jack frenetically typing “No work all play makes Jack a dull boy”. It’s difficult to watch these scenes without being reminded of the nerve-wracking sequences they are echoing, setting the tone perfectly for the horrors yet to come.

Calvin’s home, a beautiful house located in Los Angeles, plays a significant role in creating the eerie atmosphere of the movie’s darkest moments. In a Q&A session, as reported by Los Angeles Magazine, the filmmakers referred to Calvin’s house as being an integral “character” of the film, as much so even as the co-stars. This is an idea used in horror relatively often, too. The Overlook Hotel in The Shining, and 112 Ocean Avenue in The Amityville Horror are both as fundamental to the morbid events of each story as any given character across the movies. This is fully embraced by utilizing the building to enhance the sense of isolation and seclusion the leads experiences at various points throughout the story. Otherwise benevolent shots, such as depictions of Calvin looking out over L.A. from a floor-length, second story window in his house, elicit imagery from classic horror and thriller titles like Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, forecasting spine-chilling events later in the plot.


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There are other narrative devices used throughout the film that are borrowed from classic horror tropes, too. When Calvin is dictating Ruby’s actions through his typewriter, she loses all autonomy. Not only is the thought of losing that grip on oneself, or having the will to take that independence away from another person, completely chilling to begin with, it’s also reminiscent of the use of possession in horror. During the movie’s climax, Calvin reveals to Ruby that he has been able to puppeteer her for the entire course of their relationship, by forcing her to behave in a number of bizarre ways: crawling on all fours, maniacally singing, and removing her clothes, among other behaviors. This scene is agonizing to experience. It draws from films such as The Exorcist, depicting a total loss of control. However, in this case, Ruby isn’t being possessed by a ghost or a demon, but instead by Calvin’s need for control and dominance.

As with many excellent horror films, the story concludes with a debatably unhopeful cliffhanger. Calvin “releases” Ruby by writing a new passage encouraging her to leave the house, and the relationship, to become “freed from the past”. After this, he retires the typewriter from which Ruby was created, and moves on to write a new book. His life seems to continue without Ruby in the picture. Then, when walking his dog through a park, he runs into a woman who looks exactly like Ruby (also depicted by Zoe Kazan). It isn’t established to the audience if this woman is or is not Ruby, as she doesn’t recognize him, and her name is never disclosed. It seems the two go on to connect, and the film ends with them spending time together in the park.

On one hand, this could be interpreted as much needed character development on Calvin’s behalf, as he embarks on a redemption arc and receives a second chance. On the other hand, regardless of whether the woman is really Ruby or not, it’s difficult not to view the ending as the frightening potential for the cycle of abuse to continue. While Calvin doesn’t have the ability to control this woman with his typewriter, there’s nothing to say that he’s certainly overcome the underlying issues that led to his original mistreatment of Ruby, and that he wouldn’t end up finding new ways of exerting control over this person. And so, as new doors open, the horror has the chance to continue.

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Review: SAMARITAN, A Sly Stallone Superhero Stumble

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Review: SAMARITAN, A Sly Stallone Superhero Stumble

Hitting the three-quarter-century mark usually means a retirement home, a nursing facility, or if you’re lucky to be blessed with relatively good health and savings to match, living in a gated community in Arizona or Florida.

For Sylvester Stallone, however, it means something else entirely: starring in the first superhero-centered film of his decades-long career in the much-delayed Samaritan. Unfortunately for Stallone and the audience on the other side of the screen, the derivative, turgid, forgettable results won’t get mentioned in a career retrospective, let alone among the ever-expanding list of must-see entries in a genre already well past its peak.

For Stallone, however, it’s better late than never when it involves the superhero genre. Maybe in getting a taste of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) with his walk-on role in the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel several years ago, Stallone thought anything Marvel can do, I can do even better (or just as good in the nebulous definition of the word).

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The property Stallone and his team found for him, Samaritan, a little-known graphic novel released by a small, almost negligible, publisher, certainly takes advantage of Stallone’s brute-force physicality and his often underrated talent for near-monosyllabic brooding (e.g., the Rambo series), but too often gives him to little do or say as the lone super-powered survivor, the so-called “Samaritan” of the title, of a lifelong rivalry with his brother, “Nemesis.” Two brothers entered a fire-ravaged building and while both were presumed dead, one brother did survive (Stallone’s Joe Smith, a garbageman by day, an appliance repairman by night).

In the Granite City of screenwriter Bragi F. Schut (Escape Room, Season of the Witch), the United States, and presumably the rest of the world, teeters on economic and political collapse, with a recession spiraling into a depression, steady gigs difficult, if not impossible, to obtain, and the city’s neighborhoods rocked by crime and violence. No one’s safe, not even 13-year-old Sam (Javon Walker), Joe’s neighbor.

When he’s not dodging bullies connected to a gang, he’s falling under the undue influence of Cyrus (Pilou Asbæk), a low-rent gang leader with an outsized ego and the conviction that he and only he can take on Nemesis’s mantle and along with that mantle, a hammer “forged in hate,” to orchestrate a Bane-like plan to plunge the city into chaos and become a wealthy power-broker in the process.

Schut’s woefully underwritten script takes a clumsy, haphazard approach to world-building, relying on a two-minute animated sequence to open Samaritan while a naive, worshipful Sam narrates Samaritan and Nemesis’s supposedly tragic, Cain and Abel-inspired backstory. Schut and director Julius Avery (Overlord) clumsily attempt to contrast Sam’s childish belief in messiah-like, superheroic saviors stepping in to save humanity from itself and its own worst excesses, but following that path leads to authoritarianism and fascism (ideas better, more thoroughly explored in Watchmen and The Boys).

While Sam continues to think otherwise, Stallone’s superhero, 25 years past his last, fatal encounter with his presumably deceased brother, obviously believes superheroes are the problem and not the solution (a somewhat reasonable position), but as Samaritan tracks Joe and Sam’s friendship, Sam giving Joe the son he never had, Joe giving Sam the father he lost to street violence well before the film’s opening scene, it gets closer and closer to embracing, if not outright endorsing Sam’s power fantasies, right through a literally and figuratively explosive ending. Might, as always, wins regardless of how righteous or justified the underlying action.

It’s what superhero audiences want, apparently, and what Samaritan uncritically delivers via a woefully under-rendered finale involving not just unconvincing CGI fire effects, but a videogame cut-scene quality Stallone in a late-film flashback sequence that’s meant to be subversively revelatory, but will instead lead to unintentional laughter for anyone who’s managed to sit the entirety of Samaritan’s one-hour and 40-minute running time.

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Samaritan is now streaming worldwide on Prime Video.

Samaritan

Cast
  • Sylvester Stallone
  • Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton
  • Pilou Asbæk

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Matt Shakman Is In Talks To Direct ‘Fantastic Four’

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According to a new report, Wandavision’s Matt Shakman is in talks to direct the upcoming MCU project, Fantastic Four. Marvel Studios has been very hush-hush regarding Fantastic Four to the point where no official announcements have been made other than the film’s release date. No casting news or literally anything other than rumors has been released regarding the project. We know that Fantastic Four is slated for release on November 8th, 2024, and will be a part of Marvel’s Phase 6. There are also rumors that the cast of the new Fantastic Four will be announced at the D23 Expo on September 9th.

Fantastic Four is still over two years from release, and we assume we will hear more news about the project in the coming months. However, the idea of the Fantastic Four has already been introduced into the MCU. John Krasinski played Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The cameo was a huge deal for fans who have been waiting a long time for the Fantastic Four to enter the MCU. When Disney acquired Twenty Century Fox in 2019 we assumed that the Fox Marvel characters would eventually make their way into the MCU. It’s been 3 years and we already have had an X-Men and Fantastic Four cameo – even if they were from another universe.

Deadline is reporting that Wandavision’s Matt Shakman is in talks to direct Fantastic Four. Shakman served as the director for Wandavision and has had an extensive career. He directed two episodes of Game of Thrones and an episode of The Boys, and he had a long stint on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. There is nothing official yet, but Deadline’s sources say that Shakman is currently in talks for the job and things are headed in the right direction.

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To be honest, I was a bit more excited when Jon Watts was set to direct. I’m sure Shakman is a good director, but Watts proved he could handle a tentpole superhero film with Spider-Man: Homecoming. Wandavision was good, but Watts’ style would have been perfect for Fantastic Four. The film is probably one of the most anticipated films in Marvel’s upcoming slate films and they need to find the best person they can to direct. Is that Matt Shakman? It could be, but whoever takes the job must realize that Marvel has a lot riding on this movie. The other Fantastic Four films were awful and fans deserve better. Hopefully, Marvel knocks it out of the park as they usually do. You can see for yourself when Fantastic Four hits theaters on November 8th, 2024.

Film Synopsis: One of Marvel’s most iconic families makes it to the big screen: the Fantastic Four.

Source: Deadline

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Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase Star in ‘Zombie Town’ Mystery Teen Romancer (Exclusive)

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Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase have entered Zombie Town, a mystery teen romancer based on author R.L. Stine’s book of the same name.

The indie, now shooting in Ontario, also stars Henry Czerny and co-teen leads Marlon Kazadi and Madi Monroe. The ensemble cast includes Scott Thompson and Bruce McCulloch of the Canadian comedy show Kids in the Hall.

Canadian animator Peter Lepeniotis will direct Zombie Town. Stine’s kid’s book sees a quiet town upended when 12-year-old Mike and his friend, Karen, see a horror movie called Zombie Town and unexpectedly see the title characters leap off the screen and chase them through the theater.

Zombie Town will premiere in U.S. theaters before streaming on Hulu and then ABC Australia in 2023.

“We are delighted to bring the pages of R.L. Stine’s Zombie Town to the screen and equally thrilled to be working with such an exceptional cast and crew on this production. A three-time Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award winner with book sales of over $500 million, R.L. Stine has a phenomenal track record of crafting stories that engage and entertain audiences,” John Gillespie, Trimuse Entertainment founder and executive producer, said in a statement.

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Executive producers are Trimuse Entertainment, Toonz Media Group, Lookout Entertainment, Viva Pictures and Sons of Anarchy actor Kim Coates.  

Paco Alvarez and Mark Holdom of Trimuse negotiated the deal to acquire the rights to Stine’s Zombie Town book.

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