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Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
MOVIE REVIEW: We decide if you should feel compelled to watch exorcism-themed horror 'Shadow of God'
Wastes its genre-flipping premise and several actors we've seen do much better work. Exorcism-flavoured movies are a dime a multitude of dozens and while Shadow of God attempts to flip some of the genre tropes on their swivelled heads, it largely fails miserably. Mark O'Brien stars as Mason Harper, an elite exorcist with a troubled childhood who suspects the entity he is doing battle with might be a holy being rather than something demonic. If that sounds like an interesting take on the genre then you'll be even more disappointed by director Michael Peterson (Knuckleball) and writer Tim Cairo's execution of the material. Much of what they present to us, particularly during the final third, makes little sense. There's some sort of group-wide conspiracy at play but it's never clear exactly why they are doing what they are up to - or who is leading the show. O'Brien (Ready or Not) tries his best to embody his character with mistrust and grit on a downtrodden path but his lack of passion sometimes comes across as boredom and you are never fully behind his quest for answers. Speaking of bored, Shaun Johnston feels like he is sleepwalking his way through his turn as Mason's dad Angus. Jacqueline Byers (Tanis), who starred in her own religious horror, 2022's Prey for the Devil, is given such short story shrift, she could be cut from the film altogether and it wouldn't make much of a difference. Josh Cruddas is no stranger to offbeat roles but his presence here enters unintentionally hilarious territory. Peterson's visuals are very hit-and-miss; some are creative and interesting while others are bizarre and quite cheap looking. He should have made greater use of the well-rendered practical effects over the distinctly dismal CGI. Bungling an intriguing main central premise and wasting several actors we've seen do much better work, Shadow of God should've been doused in holy water before its creative team felt compelled to get their hands on it. ● Do you have any favourite exorcism-themed horror flicks? Pop me an email at and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers. ● Shadow of God is available to stream now on Shudder. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
![[Kim Seong-kon] We should be free from the specters of the past](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F05%2F20%2Fnews-p.v1.20250520.b3883c57f27e4f5898a2af0abb7458f3_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Kim Seong-kon] We should be free from the specters of the past](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Kim Seong-kon] We should be free from the specters of the past
One of the problems of South Korean politicians is their pertinacious obsession with the nation's past. Instead of envisioning the future of their country, many of them are hopelessly haunted by the specters of history, never having overcome their accumulated grudges. When our left-wing politicians seized political power in 2017, they immediately implemented a committee for investigating the past and consequently disgraced and ruined so many people's lives. According to recent press reports, Democratic Party of Korea politicians are once again planning to launch an investigation committee for 'insurgency' should they win the election in June this year. We hope that our politicians will stop dragging the country into the labyrinth of bygone eras. Instead, they should try to build a bright future for us. They should learn from Peter Burke in the American crime drama series 'White Collar,' who says: 'There are things in the past that live in the past. Not my life anymore.' Some radical politicians here have the delusion that South Korea is still in a colonial situation or under a dictatorship. Because of this, they believe that the fight for liberation and democracy is still going on. Stuck in the past, they do not seem to realize that South Korea is no longer a colony, whether culturally or economically, and no longer under military rule. Our right-wing politicians, too, do not seem to be completely free from the past. Recently, some of them tried to impose martial law, a remnant of the military dictatorship. Perhaps they did not know it, but martial law may have been possible four or five decades ago but is no longer valid in this era of smartphones and social media. South Koreans who are living in an advanced country with cutting-edge technology will no longer tolerate such an outdated, tyrannical measure. In fact, many Korean people want their politicians not to retreat into the past, but to foresee the future and prepare for the worst-case scenario in looming global crises. 'The Guardian,' too, recently wrote that Korean politicians face 'a stark choice: embrace the will of the people or retreat into South Korea's dark past.' The 2019 American movie, 'Ready or Not,' illustrates what to do with the dark past. 'Ready or Not' is a story about those who die because of an obsession with the dark past. Indeed, the solemn message of the movie is 'If you cling to the past, you will never be free from the chain of the diabolic curse lurking there.' In 'Ready or Not,' Alex, the estranged son of the rich le Domas family marries Grace, who has been raised in a foster family. After the wedding ceremony, Grace is informed that Alex's ancestor made a deal with a man named le Bail to bring fortune to the le Domas family. However, there was one condition: the family of le Domas must observe a ritual ceremony for new members of the family by pulling out a game card from le Bail's puzzle box at midnight and playing accordingly. Grace draws a 'Hide and Seek' card. At first, she thinks that it is a harmless initiation ceremony to become a family member. To her surprise, however, it turns out to be a deadly hunting game. Each family member grabs ancient weapons and chases Grace to kill her before dawn. If they cannot eliminate her before dawn, all the family members will die. Grace manages to survive the nightmarish night, and the bright sun rises at last. Then, every family member of the le Domas dies by exploding. Everyone in the le Domas family is cursed with the nightmares of the past. Although sometimes they harbor doubts, the le Domases never try to escape their dark past. Instead, they keep torturing or killing a new family member and call the diabolic ritual a 'family tradition.' The fact that the le Domas family members use ancient weapons to kill Grace reminds us of our past-obsessed politicians who provoke us to fight against our past adversaries with bamboo spears in these times of drones and artificial intelligence. In that sense, 'Ready or Not,' superbly illustrates the chronic problem of ideology-oriented politicians in South Korea who are hopelessly preoccupied with unresolved grievances in the past. 'Hide and Seek' reminds us of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher.' In Poe's story, Roderick Usher, too, lives in the past, calling it a family tradition. Eventually, the House of Usher collapses, just as the haunted house of le Domas burns down in the end. Likewise, our country, too, will stumble if we cannot overcome the gloomy past. We urgently need a future-oriented leader who does not retreat into the past. If we are lost in the past, 'ready or not,' our past nightmares will haunt us until we perish. If we forget the past and move on to the future, we will surely have a bright future. The choice is ours.
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Kathryn Newton cast with Lana Condor in shark thriller Devil's Mouth
Kathryn Newton and Lana Condor have been cast in new thriller 'Devil's Mouth'. The 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' star will appear alongside 'Coyote vs. Acme' actress Lana in filmmaker Jeff Wadlow's upcoming survival film. The movie - which is being co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Lionsgate - will see college friends on their way to Thailand, who get stuck in an underwater cave system with a bull shark. Wadlow will be directing from a script by The Staircase's Aja Gabel and 'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew' scribe Myung Joh Wesner. Back in March, it was revealed Newton will also be starring in the upcoming 'Ready or Not' sequel, alongside a returning Samara Weaving. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are again directing the film from a script written by 'Ready or Not' writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. She previously worked with the directing duo on 2024 horror 'Abigail', and she's delighted for the upcoming reunion. She wrote on her Instagram Story: "So grateful to be back with my favorite directors!!! Love you @mattbettinelliolpin and @tylergillett thank you.' The first film followed Grace (weaving), a young bride played by Weaving who was hunted by the rich family of her new husband (Mark O'Brien) as part of a deadly supernatural tradition. The original film grossed almost $58 million at the global box office and was a hit with critics. Weaving recently confirmed she was coming back for the sequel. She told 'I'm all in. I think we're all in, I don't know. I think we're all in. I don't know if we've had our blood handshake, but pretty much. We've done the spit handshake, but we haven't cut each other's hands and rubbed our blood together.' Meanwhile, Newton previously admitted playing Cassie Lang in 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' was a dream come true. She told Empire magazine: "I started watching those movies when I was eight years old. So they're a big part of my life. "Honestly, one of the biggest goals of my career was to be a Marvel superhero. I would do it forever if I could." Despite this, she remains determined to try her hand at different roles and on-screen challenges over the coming years. The actress was just four years old when she landed her first role in 'Bun-Bun', a short film for HBO, and she remains as enthusiastic about her work as she ever has been. Recalling her debut appearance, she said: "I didn't even say my lines half of the time. I just thought I was dressing up."
Hamilton Spectator
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Sequel to horror hit ‘Ready or Not' shoots at Columbia College in Dundas
The latest horror movie to film in Hamilton involves a bride who survived a fight with her in-laws. Better call that a bloodbath. The sequel to 'Ready or Not' filmed scenes last week inside the Columbia College Campus on Northcliffe Avenue in Dundas. The sequel is titled 'Ready or Not: Here I Come.' 'Ready or Not' came out in 2019 and was a sleeper hit. It was shot in Toronto and Oshawa and cost producers Radio Silence and Searchlight Pictures $6 million to make. It collected more than $57 million at the box office across the globe. So you gotta believe there would be talk about a sequel. It got rolling in 2021 during the pandemic and it was confirmed in October of last year that cameras would roll again, with Samara Weaving ('Babylon' and the remake of 'Scream') returning as Grace. Kathryn Newton from 2024's horror flick 'Abigail' will co-star. Last week, it was announced the cast will also include Sarah Michelle Gellar ('Buffy the Vampire Slayer'), Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings trilogy), Shawn Hatosy (HBO's 'The Pitt), Nestor Carbonell (FX's 'Shogun'), Kevin Durand ('Abigail') and Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg. Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg appears in 'Ready or Not: Here I Come.' In the first flick, Grace marries Alex Le Domas (Mark O'Brien), a member of an eccentric and wealthy family that has a family games company. On the night of her wedding, she finds out she has to play a game of hide-and-seek against her in-laws, which includes father-in-law Tony (Henry Czerny), mother-in-law Becky (Andie MacDowell) and brother-in-law Daniel (Adam Brody). She soon learns it is a fight for her life against a family that believes it has to play this blood sport because it is cursed and will all die if they do not. The tagline was 'Stay Hidden. Stay Quiet. Stay Alive.' There is plenty of dark humour. When a cop asks Grace what happened to her, she simply replies, 'in-laws.' 'With 'Ready or Not: Here I Come,' we get to go on another ride with the amazing Samara Weaving, mix in awesome new voices, and bring audiences a fresh take that's every bit as twisted and fun as the first one,' Searchlight president Matthew Greenfield said in a statement. 'This is for those who've been waiting, and those who didn't see it coming.' The horror movie sequel 'Ready or Not: Here I Come' shot inside the Dundas campus of Columbia College last week. The movie stars Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood and filmmaker David Cronenberg. A number of horror films have shot in Hamilton the last few years. Since January, there have been zombies in 'This is Not a Test,' a cursed wedding in 'Something Very Bad is Going to Happen' and ghosts in 'My Haunted Hometown.' 'Ready or Not: Here I Come' is expected to return to Hamilton before it wraps up filming this month. Three local actors have received web series nominations from the Canadian Screen Awards. Hamilton actor Ann Pirvu has been nominated for Best Lead Performance for her role in 'Poly is the New Monogamy.' It plays on Hollywood Suite. Scott Farley, who is from St. George in Brant County, has also been nominated for Best Lead Performance in 'Stories from My Gay Grandparents.' It runs on YouTube. Darren Stewart, who plays drag queen Ruby La Rue, was nominated for Best Host, Web Series, for 'Ruby Tries Everything.' The show ran on Cable 14. In other CSA nominations, North End resident Jayne Eastwood has been nominated as Best Guest Performer, drama, for her appearance in CTV's 'Sullivan's Crossing.' Hamilton native Patrick McKenna has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Comedy, for his role in '1 Man's Treasure.' He also received a Best Guest, Comedy, for his appearance in the Crave sitcom 'The Trades.' The second film being made in Hamilton by Michigan-based Branch Out Films rolled cameras this month. 'Son of a Preacher Man' shot at Pier 4 Park, the former Gallery on the Bay and the Really Living Centre on Upper James Street. The company in March shot 'The Holy Hustle' for BET. Its partner is Toronto-based Spaceman Entertainment.
Newsweek
30-04-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Why It Takes Parents Year To Understand How Kids Feel About Starting School
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It takes most parents a full year to truly understand how their child feels about school, according to a new study led by psychologists at the University of Cambridge. The "Ready or Not" study, which tracked over 200 UK children through reception (pre-kindergarten) and year 1 (first grade), found that parents' perceptions of their child's school experience often lag reality—mirroring how the child actually felt a year earlier. "We found a clear and wide gap between how parents think their children feel about the first year of school, and how children actually feel about school," Professor Claire Hughes, who led the research, said in a statement. Group of happy elementary classmates listening to teacher during lesson. Group of happy elementary classmates listening to teacher during lesson. Ridofranz "Our research shows that it typically takes parents a year to tune into their child's experiences of school," Hughes continued. "By year 1, parents are often only just catching up to where their children were a year earlier." To help close this gap sooner, Hughes and her team partnered with writer Anita Lehmann and illustrator Karin Eklund to create "How I Feel About My School", a new picture book published on April 29 by Routledge. The book uses relatable stories and built-in prompts to encourage meaningful conversations between children and their caregivers about the ups and downs of school life. The research found that children's wellbeing at school tends to dip between reception and year 1, likely due to the transition from play-based learning to more structured academic demands. Yet, those who reported feeling good about school early on developed stronger confidence in their reading, writing and math abilities by the next year. "A closer understanding of how a child feels about starting school will allow parents to gauge wellbeing and help their child adapt as key stages kick in," Hughes said. "Happy children are better learners, and the first years of school can set the tone." The findings suggest that children don't always talk about school unless something's gone wrong, which can leave parents with a skewed view. The new book aims to normalize everyday emotional fluctuations and help parents tune in before a full year passes. "Kids have ups and downs in a day for lots of reasons," said Hughes. "There can be a tendency to over-medicalize sadness, but getting through a school day is a big deal for children, and problems are a natural part of that." With tools like "How I Feel About My School", parents may no longer have to wait until year 1 to finally see school through their child's eyes.
