Latest news with #Kaitlin
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Red-Band Trailer For The Blood-Soaked Horror Romance Film STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING and Interview with Director Craig Ouellette — GeekTyrant
Here's the trailer for a great indie surival horror thriller titled Straight on Till Morning . This is 'a romantic horror feature with lesbian leads about the beautiful and terrible things people do in the name of love.' The director of the film, Craig Ouellette, explained: 'Every character in the movie is motivated by love. But of course what some people love might not be what other people love, and there is the conflict.' I watched this movie at the FilmQuest Film Festival and it delivers a unique blend of horror and romance, following two women, Dani and Kaitlin, who meet by chance in a roadside diner and impulsively decide to road-trip together to Los Angeles. Both women are at turning points in their lives with Dani, trying to escape the ghosts of her past, and Kaitlin, chasing a hopeful future. But soon, their path takes a sinister detour, plunging them into a nightmare that will test the limits of their love and resilience. The movie evolves into a 'house of horrors' scenario when Dani and Kaitlin cross paths with a seemingly pious couple who harbor far darker intentions. Kidnapped and locked away in the family's eerie home, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against their unhinged captors. I really liked the movie! As I said in my review, 'This film doesn't shy away from showing the harrowing lengths people will go to survive, nor does it compromise on its message: the fight for love and identity is worth every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears. Straight On to Morning is a thrill ride of romance and terror.' I also included an interview with the filmmaker below: What was the inspiration for your film? How did you come up with the idea? 'Neal McLaughlin, the co-writer, had the idea to do a romantic horror movie, ala True Romance meets Hostel. That's where it began and it's been a long journey to create and balance the tones of romance and horror into something that audiences at festivals seem to really enjoy.' Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker? 'I've been a storyteller since 1st grade when I wrote my first story 'The Adventures of Legoland'. It's brilliant! As for movies, it was in High School in Dallas, TX that I realized the magic of editing and the moment when two shots get put together that create an entirely new world. From that point on I was hooked!' What inspires you to work within genre cinema and tell these kind of stories? 'I love suspense. And I love that horror (and sci-fi, fantasy etc) allow us to dive into stories head on. We don't have to sugarcoat things and we can use our imaginations to tell outlandish stories that are grounded in real world issues and challenges. If you do a straight forward drama you often have to dance around what you are really trying to say, And in Horror you can put it front in center in all it's ugliness and beauty.' What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process for this project? 'Oh man! So many parts I love. Writing, Editing, Working with the actors and crew to create a world that otherwise does not exist.' What are you most proud of with this film? 'The audience reactions at packed festival screenings have been AMAZING. To hear an audience gasp, cheer, scream, cringe and be on the ride that we set out to make really means so much. I'm proud we were able to create something that is really connecting to people on an emotional and visceral level.' What is a favorite story or moment from the making of the film you'd like to share? 'So many people gave of their time and effort to create this. I'm forever grateful to all of them.' What was your most challenging moment or experience you had while making your film? 'The whole things was hard as hell. Making independent movies is one of the most difficult things to do it seems. I knew it would be harder than my many short films, but it was SO MUCH HARDER. Gathering money, resources, making things look good with little.' If it did, how did your film change or differ from its original concept during pre-production, production, and/or post-production? How has this changed how you'll approach future projects as a result? 'From the original concept to now, the biggest change is that it became a Queer film. A few years into the 15 1/2 year journey to make it, Neal and I realized how much stronger the film would be if it were a Queer story. It just opened up so many layers of subtext and became something more interesting on a lot of levels. It also makes a much stronger statement too. And then there are the hundreds of ways things change because of time, blocking, actor intentions, limitations, creativity and more. But that's all part of the creative journey of filmmaking that I love.' Who were some of your collaborators and actors on the film? How did you start working with each other? 'Bonnie Jean Tyer, who plays Kaitlin Sanbourne, one of the two leads and is a producer, wardrobe and more on the film is an amazing woman with so much passion and so many skills I'm constantly impressed. We met at a team building day job, and over the years began to work together on her western series, and then this. The is a powerful queer filmmaker and amazing actress who is going to go far. 'Kelsey Christian, who plays Dani Dupree, the other lead, is a fabulous actress and singer from Nashville. We met via audition and she was so purely the character AND she's a great singer (which is important for the film). I'm grateful she stuck through all the ups and downs of the project and has always been a supporter of the film. 'She brought her heart and soul to the project. In truth, all the actors, Bill Hengstenberg, Michael Gmur, Maria Olsen and Travis Lincoln Cox, as well as all the supporting actors were incredible. I love working with actors and am awesome in awe of the amazing ways they can create emotion and connection. 'Behind the lens we had an amazing set of producers and crew members who really gave so much for this film. As I mentioned before I'm grateful to all of them.' What is the best advice you've ever received as a filmmaker and what would you like to say to new filmmakers? 'Take business classes. It's something I wish I did, but I didn't so now I have to figure out all this business stuff along the way. Each movie you make (if it's for profit) is a small business (or a big one) and having that basic understanding is helpful. Make movies (and live life) with passion, without being precious. Being precious is a limiting agreement. Nothing will EVER be perfect. It is impossible. But we can strive for greatness and connection. Exercise regularly and eat well because making movies is so hard.' What are your plans for your career and what do you hope this film does for it? What kind of stories would you like to tell moving forward? 'I'm ready to be making movies, both smaller indie films and large studio pictures. I love the idea of jumping back and forth between scales of projects because each of them has their plusses and minuses and provide ways to creatively tell stories.' What is your next project and when can we expect to see it? 'I have two feature scripts ready to go that we are in the fundraising stage for. So one of those two, or if someone had a script and a plan I'd be interested in exploring other opportunities as well.' Where can we find more of your work and where can interested parties contact you? Do you have a website or YouTube/Vimeo channel? Social media handles? 'My website is Craigofilm is also my youtube channel, instagram and facebook too. The movie's website is and @straightontillmorningmovie on the IG.' Bonus Question #1: What is your all-time favorite film? 'I love love so many movies. But if I have to choose one it is ALIENS'
Hamilton Spectator
17-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Hundreds attend inclusive UnBirthday in Brantford
Nearly 800 people attended the annual Friends 4 Kindness UnBirthday Party at Mohawk Park in Brantford on Saturday, July 12, 2025. Nicole Callander, founder and president of Friends 4 Kindness, first started the event back in 2018 when her daughter Kaitlin Coghlin was about to turn 18, and what began as a way to cheer up her child, quickly snowballed into something bigger. Coughlin has Williams Syndrome, and at the time, the Grade 12 student was feeling upset that she wasn't getting to experience the same milestones that other kids her age were. 'When you're an individual with disabilities, you stay in school until you're 21, and so, we have a daughter that's a year older than Kaitlin, and the year before, she was seeing her sister experiencing all those big moments you get in Grade 12; things like graduation, prom, and university acceptance letters, but she wasn't getting any of those milestones and she kept asking, 'is it because I have no friends?' I tried to explain to her why but she was still really upset,' recalled Callander. 'Her birthday is in July and so that January, I went on social media and asked my family and friends if they could cards between then and her birthday so that when all these milestones were happening, she would get mail and feel the love.' The mother never expected what would happen next. 'It went viral and we got 6,000 birthday cards from 34 countries, every province, and every state. We actually took a trip to Scotland, and somebody stopped us in the mall because they recognized Kaitlin and even they had sent her a birthday card,' said Callander. 'There were just so many cards that we had to start a group called Kindness 4 Kaitlin because people started messaging me asking if we got their gift, so we started making videos of her opening everything. But with that, came hundreds of messages from families saying things like 'I just sent out 30 birthday invitations, nobody showed up and we're sitting at the restaurant by ourselves,' or 'the whole class went to this party and my kid was the only one who wasn't invited because of their disability.' Relating to the struggles that other parents and children were experiencing, the mother wanted to try to find a way to give back. 'For Kaitlin's 18th birthday that summer, I decided I would rent some pavilions at Mohawk Park and invite that community for an 'un-birthday' so that whoever had never been to a birthday party, could be celebrated together,' she said. 'Two-hundred people came from as far away as Ottawa and even the United States just so that their child could experience a birthday.' Callander said that the goal was to really create an inclusive event where everyone was welcome. 'People always say to me, 'why are kids so mean?' and personally,I don't think they're mean, I think they sometimes avoid people with disabilities because they wonder, 'how do you talk?' or 'how do you eat,'' she said. 'So for this party, I really wanted the community to see that our friends can have fun, and it's not too much work. They might be different, but it's easy. So now it's become a thing where we have a big social, and inclusive event, where the community and our friends can come together.' During the party, parents and their children could pick up an UnBirthday passport and collect stamps for all the stations they visited, and at the end, they got to walk away with a loot bag (500 of which were gone in the first hour-and-a-half) and their selection of prizes. All around the main Mohawk Park pavilion, there were plenty of activities to enjoy. From the petting zoo to the bouncy castles, the ever-popular train ride, princesses and superheroes, lawn games and bracelet making, bucket drumming and rock decorating, quiet sensory areas and a photo booth with props, there was truly no shortage of fun to be had. Callander said that none of it would be possible without all of the volunteers and the kind donations. 'There's only a few of us that puts it all together, and it's 100 per cent volunteer run. The bigger it gets, the more the community has gotten involved and that just means that our friends mean a lot to them,' she said. 'It just goes to show you that people want a place where they truly belong and to see that the community wants to make that happen is really special. I'm just overjoyed to see too, how many people showed up given that it's a really busy weekend with the Special Olympics going on in Brantford. Noting that Kaitlin turned 25 on Friday, July 11, Callander said that her daughter has made her a better person, and that she wouldn't trade her for the world. 'When your child is born and you get the diagnosis, it can be really devastating because it feels like all of the things that you dreamed for your kid have gone out the window; the graduation, the prom, and all of those things that prompted me to start Friends 4 Kindness, but then you see all of this,' she said motioning to the party. 'None of this would have happened if I didn't have a daughter with special needs, right? I would never have recognized any of the silos in our community and the systemic barriers without her. Honestly, I feel like my life is way more fulfilled, and I am way more unconditionally loving than I probably would have been if I didn't have her. I am truly the best version of myself because of her.' Kimberly De Jong's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Woman Goes Viral for Surprising Longtime Pal with a 'Best Friend Proposal' (Exclusive)
Amaiyah surprised her close friend Kaitlin with a "best friend proposal" that included thoughtful gifts and an emotional moment caught on video The TikTok has gone viral, with viewers praising the pair's deep, supportive and judgment-free friendship The two describe their bond as deeper than friendship, calling each other soulmates, sisters and a safe space in a world where trust is rareIt started with a simple text: 'Let me take you out to eat,' but what followed was a moment that would touch millions. In a now-viral TikTok, Amaiyah surprised her close friend Kaitlin with a gift bag full of her favorite snacks and a life-changing question: 'Will you be my best friend?' The emotional moment, captured on video and shared with the world, ends in a tight embrace and tears. 'I met Kaitlin in 10th grade and we had classes together every year of high school, but we just never talked,' Amaiyah tells PEOPLE. 'In 11th grade, that's when we started getting cool and I realized she's just so wholesome.' Though they were already inseparable, they had never put a title on their bond. Amaiyah decided it was time to change that. 'When I'm with her, it's always good vibes, smiles, and I can trust and talk to her about anything,' she says. 'And I was thinking this is the one I want to be around me forever.' The video, which features a visibly surprised Kaitlin receiving her favorite treats and a handwritten note, has been shared across TikTok and beyond. But for Kaitlin, the magic wasn't just in the moment: It was in the meaning. 'I was feeling everything you could possibly think of. I was feeling joy,' Kaitlin tells PEOPLE. 'It was such a joyful moment. I couldn't stop smiling and it took me a minute to answer because I was so full of joy.' She had no idea the bag of gifts was even for her. 'I was just so shocked. It has never happened to me before," she adds. The gifts were items and snacks that Kaitlin loves. That vulnerability — and filming a gesture many reserve for private moments — felt natural to Amaiyah, whose decision to go all in came from a place of deep trust. 'The conversations we have, the bond we have is unspoken … unbreakable,' she says. 'The amount of trust, love, support, honesty is everything a girl could ask for. The relationship we have, I've never had in anyone. And I just feel so safe and so comfortable around her.' The clip struck a chord far beyond their friend group. Thousands of comments poured in, with strangers reflecting on the power of female friendship and longing for that kind of connection themselves. 'Honestly, I feel like when it comes to girl friendships and having best friends, people don't really have the best of luck,' Amaiyah says. 'Friendships tend to go wrong most of the time. And I feel like people seeing our friendship made a lot of people say, 'That was really sweet.' ' She believes the gesture itself, both thoughtfully planned and joyfully given, is something that's missing from many relationships today. 'I feel like if you care about someone, you should take those extra steps to make them feel loved and seen,' Amaiyah adds. Going viral didn't just validate their friendship but it amplified it. In the video's caption, Amaiyah calls Kaitlin her 'soulmate in friend form' and 'sister.' It's a label both girls say reflects something deeper than typical friendship. 'I just feel like the level of respect and just being seen ... we got to be there for each other,' Amaiyah says. Kaitlin nods and adds, 'Who else is going to do that? We clicked instantly. It's actually crazy.' But what stands out most to Kaitlin is Amaiyah's unwavering acceptance. 'I love that we can tell each other anything and she does not judge,' she says. 'Most of the time you can't find people like that. But Amaiyah, I just know Amaiyah is so genuine. Her heart is so pure and I love it.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. For Amaiyah, it's the ease and honesty that define what they have. One moment in particular left an imprint on Amaiyah's heart. 'I was going through a situation and Kaitlin sat there and listened to it for 40 days and 40 nights,' she laughs. 'Never once was I judged. She was just there for me without any question.' The friendship has reshaped how both women see themselves and what they expect from others. 'You inspire me,' Amaiyah tells Kaitlin. 'You make me want to be better in a way.' Kaitlin adds, 'You opened my eyes to see who's genuine, who's not genuine, and what type of energy I want around me.' As for what Amaiyah hopes people take away from the video? It's simple: 'If the bond is there, take the extra step. Don't lose hope. It's good people out there,' she says. 'And you are what you attract.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Home Bargains shoppers 'obsessed' with 'girly' range from £1.49
People were quick to fall in love with the latest bow-themed items available at affordable prices Home Bargains shoppers say they are 'obsessed' with the latest range of "girly" products landing in stores. For as little as £1.49, people can embrace a simple yet popular trend that is sweeping social media in many areas of their homes. TikTok user Kaitlin (@kaitlinbaileyx) posted the latest range of bow-inspired items added to the discount store's shelves. The trend has exploded online, with many retailers taking advantage of its popularity. Kaitlin claimed online that she was "obsessed" and said: "Girls don't walk, run to Home Bargains." She then included a string of photos taken during a shopping trip, during which she found items starting from as little as £1.49. The shopper found soap dispensers and drinkware, including mason jars with straws, ceramic mugs (£2.99), glass mugs (£1.49), and wine glasses (£3.99). Beyond the kitchen, fans of the pattern can embrace all things bow in the bedroom with a trendy duvet set that doesn't break the bank - if you can find it. The packaging showed that it came from The Lifestyle Edit range, with some items, such as the bathroom soap dispenser, tumbler, and tray (sold separately), available to buy online. However, others will be available in-store only. People were quite to jump into the comments section after spotting items that they "needed". One said: "I have the glass it's so cute." Another added: "I need all the girly stuff! Bow obsessed!" A third wrote: "Love this collection! Time for a long overdue Home Bargains visit!" Someone else posted: "As someone who is obsessed with pink, I'm coming to get it all!" But, one comment gave women a word of warning. An employee of the discount chain commented: "Guys be careful with the glassware, it's very fragile. I work at HB and a coworker dropped one the other day and it didn't break in pieces, it literally shattered into tiny little specs of glass. I'm talking like Demerara sugar size! Just be careful!" Other commented how they were unsuccessful at getting any in their local Home Bargains, with another staff member shedding a bit of light on why that might be. They said: "Home bargains worker here! We've been gradually getting it all the past few weeks after the bow pjs but some of these are only in our larger shops." Away from all things bow, Home Bargains has been impressing fans in other ways. The store recently added a fitness bundle to its shelves —ideal for gifting to anyone you know who's obsessed with exercise and hitting their protein goals. For £30, the Applied Nutrition Fitness Starter Pack (worth £50) includes a JD Gym 1 Day Guest Pass. There is also a range of goodies that are "tasty samples and top products to kickstart your fitness journey".
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- General
- Wales Online
I'm a chef and I've been cooking fried eggs wrong – there's a better way
I'm a chef and I've been cooking fried eggs wrong – there's a better way Kaitlin, who is also the founder of Modern Vintage Cooking, says people should avoid cooking their fried eggs with butter or oil as it is more likely to become a 'big mess' Frying eggs might seem like a simple task but it can quickly turn into a disaster if the egg falls apart in the pan or becomes rubbery due to excessive use of oil and butter. Kaitlin, a culinary expert and founder of Modern Vintage Cooking, has revealed her secret to avoiding such mishaps – she ditches the butter and oil altogether and uses just a splash of water instead. She explained: "I've discovered that there is another way. It's called 'steam-frying.' "You can do it with all kinds of foods but I love using the method for fried eggs. It's kind of a cross between poaching (which I also love but is a bit of a hassle as well) and frying." While it may sound odd it's quite easy to overcook an egg when using butter or oil – especially since most people tend to use too much, resulting in a greasy, burnt fried egg. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here Lots of people also ruin their fried egg by attempting to flip it over to cook the top, which can be quite troublesome when you're simply trying to prepare a straightforward breakfast. However adding water to a frying pan creates steam. Article continues below It is easier and will make a fried egg tastier if steamed with a little water (Image: Getty ) This gently cooks the egg from above, preventing it from burning as the pan doesn't need to be on the heat for long, reports the Express. The steam cooks the entire egg simultaneously, allowing it to cook quickly and evenly, including the top, resulting in a perfect golden yolk without the need to flip the egg. Steam-frying is a straightforward cooking technique and once you've mastered it you'll be able to whip up a perfectly-cooked egg in less than five minutes with minimal effort. Frying eggs with butter and oil can lead to them becoming a greasy mess (Image: Getty ) How to cook the perfect fried egg Start by heating a frying pan on medium-high heat on the hob. Lightly spray the pan with cooking oil then crack the egg into a small bowl. Once the pan is hot swiftly pour the egg from the bowl into the pan. Cracking the egg into a bowl first makes it easier to remove any shell fragments that may have fallen in. Reduce the heat to medium and let the egg cook for one minute until it starts to turn white but hasn't set yet. Article continues below Next drizzle a teaspoon of water around the edges of the pan, lower the heat, and then place the lid on the frying pan. Allow the egg to cook for another minute then simply remove the lid and your perfectly-cooked fried egg should be ready to serve.
