- EIFF 2019: ANIARA is a Deeply Haunting Sci-Fi Experience [Review]
- Darkstar Pictures Announces Free Online Film Festival!
- Stunning First Look at Indie Fantasy THE WANTING MARE [Trailer]
- Stunning First Look at Indie Fantasy THE WANTING MARE [Trailer]
- Stunning First Look at Indie Fantasy THE WANTING MARE [Trailer]
- SKYLINES Is Coming! [Poster Premiere]
- Who Hunts Who in HUNTER HUNTER? [Trailer]
- MONSTER HUNTER Coming for Christmas [Trailer]
- Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival Returns with In-Person Event [Line Up]
- LUNATIQUE Director Returns with WASTELAND 3 Promo [Short Film]
- Re: Occupation, Australian Sci Fi movie
- Slice of Life, Blade Runner inspired short
- Is Snowpeircer a sequel to Willy Wonka?
- Re: Yesterday
- Re: Yesterday
- Yesterday
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- BERLINALE 2021: TIDES Comes After Hell [Trailer]
- LUNATIQUE Director Returns with WASTELAND 3 Promo [Short Film]
- A Comet Destoys Earth in GREENLAND Trailer
- Interactive WAR OF THE WORLDS Adaptation Out Now!
- 8K Trailer for Train to Busan Sequel PENINSULA Drops Hard!
- Making a Bomb Shelter in a Funhouse is a Bad Idea in IMPACT EVENT [Trailer]
- Retro Slave: FOX's Post-Apocalyptic Sitcom WOOPS!
- TRAIN TO BUSAN Sequel PENINSULA Gets a Teaser Trailer
- New on Blu-ray and DVD for March 11, 2020
- The Apocalypse Kills Women in ONLY [Trailer]
- Trailer for TheWalking Dead: World Beyond Spin-Off Series
- SATOR is a Welcome Addition to the Folk Horror Canon [Review]
- Women in Horror Month: NEAR DARK
- SOUTHLAND TALES: The Cannes Cut [Review]
- A Woman's Mind Unravels in BIGHT HILL ROAD [Review]
- TIFF 2020: Vanlife Gets a Reality Check in NOMADLAND [Review]
- TIFF 2020: APPLES, THE WAY I SEE IT, PIECES OF A WOMAN & ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI [Capsule Reviews]
- TIFF 2020: The Truth Tellers Return with THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL [Review]
- TIFF 2020: NEW ORDER is Brutal, Violent & a Must-See [Review]
- TIFF 2020: ENEMIES OF THE STATE, Or Are They? [Review]
- TIFF 2020: HOLLER Explores Life in a Dying Town [Review]
- 2067 Director Talks Inspiration, Environment & Time Travel [Interview]
- THE STRANGERS Director Returns with THE DARK AND THE WICKED [Trailer]
- Michael Shannon is Crime Boss in ECHO BOOMERS [Trailer]
- Hair Extensions Get Horrific in BAD HAIR [Trailer]
- TIFF 2020: Vanlife Gets a Reality Check in NOMADLAND [Review]
- VIFF 2020: Sobriety, Reintegration & Telekinesis Come Together in THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG [Interview]
- VIFF 2020: Revenge Thriller Re-Examined in VIOLATION [Interview]
- VIFF2020: Director Loretta Todd on the Making of Her Debut Feature MONKEY BEACH [Interview]
- TIFF 2020: APPLES, THE WAY I SEE IT, PIECES OF A WOMAN & ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI [Capsule Reviews]
- TIFF 2020: The Truth Tellers Return with THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL [Review]
- TIFF 2020: NEW ORDER is Brutal, Violent & a Must-See [Review]
- TIFF 2020: ENEMIES OF THE STATE, Or Are They? [Review]
- NO ESCAPE Director Talks Influencers, Escape Rooms & Writing [Interview]
- TIFF 2020: HOLLER Explores Life in a Dying Town [Review]
- The Funny Side of Alien Invasions: You have to SAVE YOURSELVES! [Trailer]
- Kodi Smit-McPhee Goes to the Future to Save the Present in 2067 [Trailer]
- First Look at Denis Villeneuve's DUNE [Trailer]
- Fantasia 2020: LAPSIS, THE COLUMNIST, MINOR PREMISE, FEELS GOOD MAN & HAIL TO THE DEADITES [Capsule Reviews]
- BUNRAKU Writer/Director Returns with LX 2048 [Trailer]
- BLOOD QUANTUM Writer/Director Talks Inspiration, Zombies & Representation [Interview]
Jack In
Latest Comments
Latest Forum Posts
PA News
Latest Reviews
Older News
Crew
Marina Antunes
Editor in Chief
Vancouver, British Columbia
Christopher Webster
Managing Editor
Edmonton, Alberta
DN aka quietearth
Founder / Asst. Managing Editor
Denver, Colorado
Simon Read
UK Correspondent
Edinburgh, Scotland
Rick McGrath
Toronto Correspondent
Toronto, Ontario
Manuel de Layet
France Correspondent
Paris, France
rochefort
Austin Correspondent
Austin, Texas
Daniel Olmos
Corrispondente in Italia
Italy
Griffith Maloney aka Griffith Maloney
New York Correspondent
New York, NY
Stephanie O
Floating Correspondent
Quiet Earth Bunker
Jason Widgington
Montreal Correspondent
Montreal, Quebec
Carlos Prime
Austin Correspondent
Austin, TX







The trailer for the Eli Roth produced Netflix original series Hemlock Grove showed promise. Adapted from Brian McGreevy's novel, the show was being touted as "Twin Peaks" meets "Supernatural" which could bode well for fans of the creepy.
All 13 episodes are now streaming on Netflix in a number of countries and I made some time this morning to catch up with the pilot which is directed by Roth. The results? Mixed.
Hemlock Grove starts off with the brutal murder of a teen girl on the last day before school and then immediately back tracks to earlier in the summer in a rather dull attempt to introduce the rest of the characters. The fact that the murder isn't immediately dealt with only cements the notion that the reason for the inclusion of hte scene so early on is to hook potential viewers.
If one flashback isn't enough, the episode also goes back 13 years to introduce one of the central character's dead father. The scene isn't important to this episode and unless they're coming back to it later in the season, completely unnecessary as whole; even then I'm positive there's a more effective way to convey the information shared by the two characters in the scene.
The acting is mostly flat with the exception of Famke Janssen who's really laying the creepy mother angle on thick and at this point, the relationship between her and her son Roman, played by Bill Skarsgard (the newest member of the clan to make the move to Hollywood) is the most interesting thing the show has going for it. That and the possibility that she's some kind of demon and that there may be warewolves in town.
Though the pilot isn't great it shows potential, laying the groundwork for some interesting possibilities but be forewarned that if the pilot is any indication, things are likely to get pretty cheesy.







donc48 (7 years ago) Reply
I saw the first three episodes (So Far) I don't think it was that bad. The flashbacks didn't bother me and I found the relationship between the two male leads Roman and Paul unexpected and interesting. I agree with the reviewer Roman mom is a creepy woman, and I wanted to see more of her what is she? Demon was not on my list and is to obvious. Not wanting to get to much into it if you have Netflix streaming Hemlock Grove is worth a watch and much better then most of the Zombie movies on Netflix streaming.

Marina (7 years ago) Reply
I'm happy to hear it's pretty good. I though it showed promise just had some problems with the pilot.

Missphitts (7 years ago) Reply
Only watched two eps. Thought it was pretty good. Haven't formed a complete opinion yet but I'm gonna keep watching and see what happens.

agentorange (7 years ago) Reply
I'm four episodes in.
It was a bit of a slog at first because, as Marina alludes to, nothing feels particularly fresh about Hemlock Grove. It thinks its Twin Peaks, but it missed the quirky humor which was a huge part of that show's success.
But, it's sucking me in slowly now. Some storylines are interesting.

A new story of classic monsters (7 years ago) Reply
First off this is nothing like Twin Peaks, sans the weirdness, murder mystery, and slight "goth" feel of it due to the setting being the northeastern United States season of Fall... but Twin Peaks did not invent any of that anyways. I Finished all 12 episodes, and wow, it is pretty damn good. The thing is that the story develops over all 12 episodes and all of a sudden the story lines all tie in to paint the whole picture... and it is pretty close to being unpredictable. Bring on season 2!

skullan (7 years ago) Reply
The entire season under my belt. Personally, I now think it is a decent series, very odd, but in my opinion, worth a second season.