‘You’ll die laughing’
Untitled Horror Movie is a 2021 comedy-horror film about six vapid actors who learn their hit TV show is about to be cancelled. So, they decide to shoot their own film, unintentionally summoning a vengeful demonic spirit with an affinity for uber-violence. The story is told entirely via computer screens and found footage because the film was shot during the 2020 lockdown.
Directed by Nick Simon (Karma; Truth or Dare 2017; Lava 2 Lantula!; The Girl in the Photographs; Removal) from a screenplay co-written with Luke Baines (Shadowhunters TV series). Produced by Bronwyn Cornelius and Marina Stabile.
The Bronwyn Cornelius-Spectrum Studios production stars Katherine McNamara (Assimilate; Girl vs. Monster), Aisha Tyler, Claire Holt (47 Meters Down; The Vampire Diaries; Messengers 2: The Scarecrow), Darren Barnet (Instakiller), Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), Kevin Daniels, Luke Baines (American Fright Fest; Truth or Dare; The Girl in the Photographs; The Possession of Michael King), Timothy Granaderos (Plan B), Sohm Kapila and Lesly Kahn.
Reviews:
” …a quite clever, double-meta movie with fun characters and some appealingly creepy situations. Of course, Untitled Horror Movie does ride on the coattails of several sharper, scarier movies that came before it — specifically, Unfriended, Searching, and Host. But it works thanks to its insider knowledge of Hollywood […] and the way those cynical, insider attitudes clash with the world of horror.” Common Sense Media
“It’s a horror-comedy whose horror is basic “found footage” flopping, whose comedy can’t buy a laugh, and whose characters are only remotely relatable if you’re also an entitled egomaniac […] Frost the clichéd cake by having the entire thing take place in two dimensions over computer screens, liberally sprinkle ham-fisted music on top, and you’ve baked up a start-to-finish snoozer with nearly no clever creativity to speak of.” Culture Crypt
“Fans of these actors will love seeing them here, especially as they show off their range beyond their most famous roles. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the stars of the film or not, though, Untitled Horror Movie is an energetic blast. Funny, irreverent and smart, it has all the makings of a future cult classic.” Film Racket Movie Reviews
” …the plot of Untitled Horror Movie, as meta as it is, happens to be only marginally better than the cheesy plot its characters concoct. Self-awareness only takes the production so far. Don’t come looking for scares either […] As a comedy, however, the feature is infinitely more effective.” Film Threat
“Though not quite as creative as Host, Untitled Horror Movie remains another shining example of the ingenuity of creatives during the pandemic era of filmmaking. A very watchable and entertaining low budget horror comedy that plays as Unfriended meets Host by way of Scream.” The Hollywood News
“The meta charm, chock-full of celebrity and movie references, can only take you so far before it begins to grow stale. Thankfully, the strength of that excellent ensemble cast means I was never bored for a second […] It turns out the movie itself ends up reminscient of the real-life one they create in Untitled Horror Movie—hollow, silly and made up as it went along.” Josh at the Movies
“A strong comedy horror film with memorable characters, a strong grasp on what it can achieve and balances the comedy with some excellent scares. The characters are all very broadly drawn with very little beneath the surface though in some ways that seems to be exactly the point.” Kneel Before Blog
” …even though some might find the beginning a bit cringeworthy, this film sneaks up on you […] So, if at first, you find yourself not caring about the characters or find the pacing slow, then just wait! Once the demon starts slapping people around, you will find yourself invested.” Nightmarish Conjurings
“The lightness with which Untitled Horror Movie pokes at genre conventions […] and at the superficiality of celebrity, though, makes it a pleasant watch that doesn’t overstay its welcome or overcomplicate its story […] it might be the perfect at-home streaming watch, demanding little from the viewer, but delivering more than anyone might expect.” Polygon
Choice dialogue:
Kelly: “Supernatural stuff gets so cheesy really quick”
Bobbie Brower: “Jesus Christ, f*ckin actors, man.”
Release date:
Following a special live-stream premiere event on June 12, 2021, (Yet) Another Distribution Company will release the film On-Demand and Digital platforms on June 15, 2021.
Cast and characters:
Katherine McNamara … Chrissy
Aisha Tyler … Bobbie Brower
Claire Holt … Kelly
Darren Barnet … Max
Emmy Raver-Lampman … Alex
Kevin Daniels … Harry
Luke Baines … Declan
Timothy Granaderos … Kip
Sohm Kapila … Michelle
Lesly Kahn … Self
Technical details:
87 minutes
Trailer:
MOVIES & MANIA mini-review and rating:
Despite its initially unappealing premise, Untitled Horror Movie soon becomes an engaging and surprisingly amusing meta-take on the worn-out found-footage sub-genre and self-obsessed actors in general. It’s hard to imagine anyone being scared by this silliness – the cynical comedy is the focus and it really works. Much more fun than last year’s overrated lockdown horror Host.
