Jimmy Kimmel made three commercials for Vulcan Video.
Jimmy Kimmel Live!/YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kefrdEqytOI]
Monday marked the beginning of Jimmy Kimmel's week-long broadcast from Austin. The talk show host has gushed about his love for Austin a lot lately, and during Monday's episode he kept his promise to "boost the local economy."
"Everyone was so warm and welcoming last year, and we wanted to do something to give back," Kimmel said. "There are many big companies here, all trying to get attention. I decided to focus this year on a little one."
In January, Kimmel tweeted out a call for submissions from small businesses on the premise that he and famed Austinite Matthew McConaughey would produce a commercial for one lucky company. Out of the thousands of responses, Kimmel picked the place he felt needed the most recognition.
Kimmel and crew headed to Vulcan Video, local purveyor of new movies, cult films and VHS. "I think we have to show people what's special about this video store, other than the fact that it still exists," Kimmel told Vulcan's proprietors.
Kimmel and McConaughey, his sidekick for the day, made three different — equally hilarious — commercials with a fun, lo-fi vibe. Filled with cheesy transitions, ridiculous voiceovers and multiple Star Trek references, the commercials capture the unique spirit of Vulcan Video. "Quit scrolling. Quit streaming. Start dreaming about V-H-S," quips McConaughey.
Horror franchises tend to endure for several reasons. First and foremost, the title conjures up nostalgia for older viewers, as many of the most popular ones started in the 1970s or ‘80s. Sequels can recycle key elements of past films as long as they tweak the formula enough to offer something original. And they’re also relatively cheap to make, as new films can bring in young or lesser-known actors to be terrorized.
All of those factors make Evil Dead Burna smashing success, giving viewers reminders of the past while still becoming its own thing. The film is almost non-stop from the jump as a series of people, known colloquially as “deadites,” get infected by a malevolent force. A long, 15-minute opening set piece introduces the main characters, including Alice (Souhelia Yacob), her brother-in-law Joseph (Hunter Doohan), his girlfriend Thya (Luciane Buchanan), and his parents, Susan (Tandi Wright) and Edgar (Erroll Shand).
They’re all mourning the death of Alice’s husband Will (George Pullar), who they think died while driving drunk. However, the infection in Will’s corpse soon latches on to Edgar, whose descent into murderous rage is initially masked by his intense grief. With the family all gathered together in an older, decaying home, no one is safe from the rampage of the supernatural force.
Written and directed by French filmmaker Sébastien Vanicek and co-written by Florent Bernard, the film is aimed directly at horror fanatics who are used to copious amounts of blood and gore. From the opening scene to the film’s final intense moments, Vanicek and his team come up with numerous hide-your-eyes sequences that test the stomachs of weak-willed viewers. But for those who can’t get enough of such things, they also indicate a creativity and willingness to push boundaries that is both thrilling and entertaining.
While some previous entries in the Evil Dead series leaned comedic, this entry follows the previous two films in 2013 and 2023 as as a pure horror. However, that doesn’t mean that the film is devoid of lightness. One of the most enjoyable aspects is Vanicek comically adhering to the concept of Chekhov’s gun. So many different potential weapons are introduced and later used that you can’t help but laugh when they come into play.
Ultimately, it’s the performances by the lesser-known cast that make the movie what it is. Doohan (Wednesday) plays a mild-mannered character who seems to be the main protagonist early on, but he cedes the spotlight to Yacob as the film goes along. The French actress knows how to hold the screen through both her actions and line deliveries. Shand, with his craggy face and bald head, turns into a superior villain, able to chill with just his intense stare.
Evil Dead Burn is not for everybody, but it’s another great addition to what’s turning out to be a banner year for horror movies. With highly effective, cringeworthy action sequences, moments that lighten the mood when needed, and a cast that carries the story, it’s an announcement of bigger things to come for all involved.
