The twisted horror film Cuckoo finally arrived in theaters and we made sure to check it out.

I am always on the lookout for interesting horror films and Cuckoo has been on my radar for quite some time. There was something about the initial trailer for the film that was so unsettling I just had to know what this story was all about.

Cuckoo was directed by Tilman Singer and is set deep in the Bavarian Alps at a remote resort. 17 year-old Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) is deeply unhappy about having to live with her father and his new family and things only get more difficult as she begins hearing and seeing strange things all around her. Once she begins to investigate, it quickly becomes obvious that something very twisted is going on.

One area that Cuckoo particularly excels in is its ability to be unsettling. This is especially true in how the film utilizes sound. I’ve noted before that sound design can be a detail that makes or breaks a film, but it’s been a while since i saw a film utilize it so well. It was almost like the filmmakers were teaching the audience a language: at first the various weird sounds have no meaning and are somewhat confusing. But then, as the film proceeds into the second half, more information locks into place and the viewer is obliged to re-evaluate everything they’ve heard and what it actually meant.

From the opening scene of Cuckoo, it’s blindingly obvious that something is very wrong, but the film teases out the details in such a way that you’re led along from one horror to the next without getting so far ahead that you can see the conclusion before the director is ready to reveal that information.

Two performances that need to be highlighted are those of Hunter Schafer as Gretchen and Dan Stevens as the unsettlingly affable Herr König. Hunter completely blows it out of the water as the teenaged Gretchen, who finds herself completely in over her head and wants nothing more than to get away. It’s easy to empathize with Gretchen’s frustration as she’s trying so hard to be heard by her family, especially her father, but no one appears willing to listen. That makes her situation all the more stressful because there doesn’t appear to be any family safety-net for her to fall back on.

And then there’s Dan Stevens. Between his unhinged performance in Abigail earlier this year and his twisted turn in Cuckoo as Herr König, I may never be able to watch him the same way ever again. Dan Stevens possesses the unnerving ability to make you feel afraid without ever saying anything openly threatening. Even when he’s allegedly showing concern, it’s presented in a way that feels wrong, almost inappropriate. Once the story picks up in the second half, Stevens’ performance becomes one of the best parts of the film.

As for the overall story of Cuckoo, it is truly good when all is said and done. However, audiences will need to be patient as things don’t truly begin to pick up until the second act of the film. If the film has one weakness, it’s that the first act feels slightly scattered as we don’t yet have the later context clues to inform us what’s going on. Cuckoo is one of those films that will likely be easier to watch the second time around.

It could be argued that the film could use a hair more of exposition, i.e. what’s actually happening, but the thing with horror is that there is a fine line between telling the audience just enough to get by and ruining the suspense with too large of an info dump. It feels like the filmmakers erred on the side of caution with how much straight information the viewer receives, and that is probably for the best. While I personally would have liked a bit more, I also understand the desire to leave the audience wanting more.

Cuckoo is easily one of the best films to come out this summer. Fans of horror films who are looking for a scary experience that doesn’t retread the same old story will find plenty to love. Be sure to see it on the largest screen possible, it’s worth it.

Mitchell Altieri’s Consumed has some strong performances, but a weak narrative and undercooked ideas bring everything down.

Sure, there’s not a lot you can particularly do when all you have surrounding you are trees, but man, it’s just hard to muster up any interest in what ultimately amounts to a whole lot of standing around waiting for something scary to happen.

Now, horror movies, especially independent ones, often have only a tiny budget to work with, which can only add to the stresses of production. Consumed, from the jump, is a simple film. We follow a couple named Beth (Courtney Halverson, of True Detective) and Jay (Mark Famiglietti) as they take on a camping trip just one year after Beth’s cancer remission. Their little vacation starts well enough, but it doesn’t take long before the woods they reside in begin to show their dark side. As a mysterious skin-wearing creature hunts the couple down, they are saved by Quinn (Devon Sawa), a mysterious hunter living in the woods. Caught between this strange beast and a potentially dangerous man, Beth and Jay find themselves trapped in a horrifying nightmare and must make major sacrifices to escape.

When you’re someone who has watched a lot of horror films, it becomes very easy to spot all the clichés and contrivances that come with the genre. Sometimes, these can be used in charming ways, but other times, they serve to distract and overwhelm you in mediocrity. With Consumed, the set-up is compelling enough, but the execution leaves much to be desired. Whether it’s the budget or the general lack of creativity in the script that brings things down, the result is a movie that can’t stand out from the crowd. Every cliché and moment you’ve seen in horror films like this is hit here with no real fanfare. Budget constraints or not, the general lack of fresh ideas is where Consumed truly crumbles.

The relationship between Beth and Jay is undoubtedly the heart of Consumed, but at the same time, the script by writer David Calbert fails to drive home the emotionality of their situation. Beth is a character who’s deeply impacted by her illness and, despite seemingly beating it, finds herself distracted by something on her mind. Jay, on the other hand, finds his optimism for the future clashing with the trauma of the past.

These struggles the characters face largely get tossed to one side when the film’s horror elements begin to kick in, and frankly, it’s a real shame. Courtney Halverson and Mark Famiglietti are both strong performers, gathering a lot of emotion and heart purely through their confident performances. With the meagre budget on hand, it’s incredibly frustrating that Consumed seems to focus on the wrong things. When you add some cheap-looking CGI into the mix, many of the creepier moments fail to resonate. There’s occasional fun to be had in the film’s use of gore and practical effects, but it ultimately feels empty and underdeveloped.

In the third act of Consumed, there is an attempt to try and wrap its emotional core around its character once more to create a more impactful ending, but it comes a little too late. Despite reaching only 90 minutes, including credits, the film still feels a bit long in the tooth and aimless in what it has to say or what it wants to show on screen. Is it a story about overcoming the trauma of illness, or is it a story about this couple coming together to escape a terrifying skin-wearing monster and ultimately growing stronger together in the process? Consumed attempts to explore these concepts, but it ultimately reaches an unsure answer. Instead, it opts to do both things simultaneously with mixed results.

Consumed is far from a bad horror movie. The performances are strong, and there’s at least some fun to be had in its regular genre thrills. However, it is a case of unrealised potential, as director Mitchell Altieri and writer David Calbert ultimately feel too interested in the things they just don’t have the right script or budget for. The film plays around with some fun and more existential ideas in the third act, but it all arrives a little too late, leaving everything feeling undercooked. Some solid ideas throughout show that both Altieri and Calbert have engaging, creative minds, but it’s all ultimately wrapped around a story that is simply too shallow to hit as hard as it should.

Consumed will be released in US theaters and on demand on August 16, 2024.

Universal Music Group has signed a major expansion of its licensing deal with social media giant Meta, parent of Facebook and Instagram, which for the first time will allow users to share licensed tunes from the label’s artists on messaging service WhatsApp.

The companies Monday said the renewed deal will also boost commercial opportunities for Universal Music Group performers and songwriters on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Horizon and Threads.

“This partnership builds on the recognition that music can help connect us and bring fans, artists, and songwriters closer together, not only on established platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, but also in new ways on WhatsApp, and more,” said Tamara Hrivnak, Meta’s vice president of music and content business development, in a statement.

Universal Music first licensed songs to Facebook in 2017 in a landmark pact that allowed users to share videos containing music on the social media platform. Since then, music has become only more important on social media, powering viral posts on apps such as Instagram and TikTok.

“Since our landmark 2017 agreement, Meta has consistently demonstrated its commitment to artists and songwriters by helping to amplify the importance music holds across its global network of engaged communities and platforms, creating new opportunities and applications where music amplifies and leads engagement and conversations,” said Michael Nash, chief digital officer and executive vice president of Universal Music Group in a statement.

While UMG was able to reach an agreement with Meta, its negotiations with TikTok were not as smooth. In January, the two sides had a fierce public dispute, with UMG alleging TikTok was not paying “fair value for the music” and TikTok accusing UMG of putting “their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.” During the disagreement, songs from popular UMG artists including Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo vanished from TikTok. The companies eventually resolved their issues, announcing a deal in May.

Like other entertainment businesses, music companies have publicly said they are seeking protections for their artists from unauthorized AI, heightened by the proliferation of deep fakes. UMG said it will continue to work with Meta on addressing this content, which has proliferated on social media sites.

“We look forward to continuing to work together to address unauthorized AI-generated content that could affect artists and songwriters, so that UMG can continue to protect their rights both now and in the future,” Nash said.