From the infamous grandfather paradox to accidentally creating a timeline where Ned Flanders rules the world, there’s an element of existential horror to every single time travel story. However, it seems that most filmmakers prefer to focus on the exciting adventure aspects of these mind-bending yarns, as very few films choose to explore the terrifying personal ramifications of going back in time to mess with events in your own life.

Obviously, there are several exceptions to this “rule,” and one of the most entertaining just happens to be Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber’s sci-fi thriller The Butterfly Effect, an under-appreciated relic of the 2000s that I think has aged into a much better movie than most folks give it credit for. And now that we have two decades of hindsight regarding time travel cinema, I’d like to take a look back on this weird little flick and dive into why it might also appeal to horror fans.

The film that became The Butterfly Effect began its journey to the big screen as a highly-sought-after spec script that just couldn’t secure enough funding to be brought to life. It was only when Bress and Gruber made a name for themselves by writing Final Destination 2 that they managed to get a hold of Ashton Kutcher to produce and star in their long-gestating project, leading to the flick’s release in early 2004.

In the finished film, we follow Kutcher as Evan Treborn, a troubled young man who experienced a series of mysterious blackouts when he was growing up. He eventually discovers that these blackouts were the result of his ability to travel back in time and occupy his own consciousness in the past, with this discovery leading Evan to use his powers to improve his depressing present. Naturally, this temporal meddling has unforeseen consequences, and Evan soon finds himself trapped in increasingly dire timelines as he faces the titular Butterfly Effect.

SO WHY IS IT WORTH WATCHING?

Over the years, The Butterfly Effect has garnered a reputation as “Donnie Darko for frat bros,” with a lot of cinephiles agreeing that it’s a deeply silly and excessively morbid movie that bites off more than it can chew when it comes to sci-fi shenanigans. While I can’t exactly argue that this film is an unsung masterpiece, I think folks have been way too hard on what was always meant to be just an entertaining midnight movie.

The overall plot may not stand on its own where logic is concerned (though I guess you could say the same for pretty much all time-travel flicks), but you’ve got to admit that the film does a great job of using its sci-fi elements as an excuse to explore deeply disturbing subject matter as it tells a story about coming to terms with trauma. Sure, some of these situations feel like they were ripped straight out of a soap-opera, but the exaggerated emotional stakes give the characters a chance to shine as they deal with sociopathic children, abusive parents and even dead babies.

And regardless of what you think about his career before and after Butterfly Effect, there’s no denying that Kutcher is completely dedicated to his role here. The actor supposedly conducted months of research into both psychopathology and chaos theory in order to bring the troubled Evan to life, and while not all that effort can be appreciated on-screen, you can certainly tell that he was really psyched to a part of this project.

Lastly, while this doesn’t necessarily reflect the overall quality of the movie, I also really appreciate the flick’s overall vibe. I mean, The Butterfly Effect contains some quintessential early-2000s atmosphere, with the movie being part of the so-called movement that the internet is now referring to as “nu-metal cinema.” The saturated colors and period-appropriate outfits and soundtrack may be unintentional quirks of the era, but they also make the experience feel like a snapshot of a slightly more stylish (and admittedly corny) moment in film history – which I think is quite fitting for a time travel flick.

AND WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?

The Butterfly Effect may not contain any out-right jump-scares or imagery traditionally associated with the horror genre, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t tackle some downright scary ideas. From forcing the protagonist to face a sociopath hell-bent on burning his dog to death to having characters be brutally murdered, there’s no shortage of dark moments here.

Sure, the movie is regrettably blunt when dealing with some of its disturbing subject matter (like the surprisingly insensitive subplot about sexual assault in prison and the entire character of Katie’s pedophile dad), but I appreciate that the filmmakers were willing to explore the logical extremes of their intriguing premise. Hell, the movie even managed to squeeze in a little bit of body horror once Kutcher’s temporal shenanigans result in a timeline where his character loses both arms after trying to prevent a childhood tragedy.

However, one of the most horrific aspects of the film didn’t actually make it to the theatrical release, as the studio originally opted to change Bress and Gruber’s original ending due to its uncomfortable implications. And while I have some reservations about the director’s cut (mostly due to it feeling like It’s a Wonderful Life in reverse), I’d argue that it’s the more interesting version of the film and worth seeking out if you’ve only ever seen the theatrical cut.

The Butterfly Effect is far from a perfect film, suffering from inconsistent time-travel logic and more than a few groan-worthy plot contrivances, but I think it’s still a really great time if you can set logic aside and simply enjoy the ride. While I understand that some viewers may be put off by the more edgy and mean-spirited elements of the flick, I think this blast from the past is just as effective today as it was back in ’04.

There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.

The post ‘The Butterfly Effect’ 20 Years Later: Exploring the Dark Side of Time Travel appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Do you need a new best friend? Lionsgate and Blumhouse introduce teddy bear Chauncey in their upcoming horror movie Imaginary, and a new clip has arrived this week.

He’s not imaginary… he’s not your friend… and he wants to play a game…

DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion) will both star in and produce Imaginary, which is scheduled for theatrical release on March 8, 2024. In the horror movie…

“Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family. Her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful and become increasingly sinister. As Alice’s behavior becomes more and more concerning, Jessica intervenes only to realize Chauncey is much more than the stuffed toy bear she believed him to be.”

The film also stars Tom Payne, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun, Veronica Falcon, and Betty Buckley. The screenplay is by Jeff Wadlow & Greg Erb & Jason Oremland.

Blumhouse’s Jason Blum will produce, with Jeff Wadlow (Cry Wolf, Kick-Ass 2, Truth or Dare, Fantasy Island, The Curse of Bridge Hollow) producing and directing.

Ryan Turek will Executive Produce Wadlow’s Imaginary.

The post ‘Imaginary’ – Clip from Blumhouse’s New Horror Movie Plays a Twisted Game With a Deadly Friend appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

From producer M. Night Shyamalan comes The Watchers, written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Ishana Night Shyamalan (“Servant”) and based on the novel by A.M. Shine. Warner Bros. has debuted the mysterious official teaser trailer today, which most definitely channels the intriguing “mystery box” spirit of M. Night Shyamalan’s work.

Watch the trailer for The Watchers down below.

You can’t see them, but they see everything…

New Line Cinema presents The Watchers, set to open in theaters internationally beginning June 5, 2024 and in North America on June 7, 2024; it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film follows Mina, a 28-year-old artist, who gets stranded in an expansive, untouched forest in western Ireland. When Mina finds shelter, she unknowingly becomes trapped alongside three strangers who are watched and stalked by mysterious creatures each night.

The Watchers stars Dakota Fanning (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Georgina Campbell (Barbarian), Oliver Finnegan (“Creeped Out”) and Olwen Fouere (The Northman).

The upcoming mystery-horror film is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Ashwin Rajan and Nimitt Mankad. The executive producers are Jo Homewood and Stephen Dembitzer.

Joining writer/director Shyamalan behind-the-camera are director of photography Eli Arenson (“Lamb,” “Hospitality”), production designer Ferdia Murphy (“Lola,” “Finding You”), editor Job ter Burg (“Benedetta,” “Elle”) and costume design by Frank Gallacher (“Sebastian,” “Aftersun”). The music is by Abel Korzeniowski (“Till,” “The Nun”).

M. Night Shyamalan, meanwhile, returns with new thriller Trap in August.

The post ‘The Watchers’ Trailer – Ishana Night Shyamalan Debuts With Mystery Box Thriller in True Shyamalan Fashion appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Fresh off the haunting and utterly creepy indie We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Jane Schoenbrun is back this year with a new horror movie for A24 titled I Saw the TV Glow.

Next headed to the SXSW Film Festival next month, I Saw the TV Glow first earned rave reviews out of Sundance, and several of them are featured on the film’s official poster.

A24 promises the trailer will arrive online tomorrow, February 28.

Meagan Navarro wrote in her Sundance review for BD, “I Saw the TV Glow offers a layered and authentic portrait of identity, wrapped in ’90s nostalgia and surreal imagery that embeds itself deep into your psyche.” Meagan continues, “Schoenbrun delivers a singular vision of arthouse horror that entrances for its fevered dream style and insanely cool imagery.”

Justice Smith (Jurassic World Dominion) and Brigette Lundy-Paine (Bill & Ted Face the Music, Bombshell) will lead the cast of the upcoming movie alongside Helena Howard (The Wilds), Danielle Deadwyler (The Harder They Fall), Amber Benson, Ian Foreman, Michael Maronna, Conner O’Malley, Emma Portner, and Danny Tamberelli.

In A24’s I Saw the TV Glow…

“Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.”

Lindsey Jordan (Snail Mail), musician-director Fred Durst, Haley Dahl’s Sloppy Jane (featuring Phoebe Bridgers), and King Woman also appear in I Saw the TV Glow.

Emma Stone is producing for her Fruit Tree banner.

The post A24 Debuting ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Trailer Tomorrow; Check Out the Official Poster Now appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.