Hell of a Summer

Last updated

Hell of a Summer
Directed by
Written by
  • Finn Wolfhard
  • Billy Bryk
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyKristofer Bonnell
Edited by
Music by Jay McCarrol
Production
companies
Release date
  • September 10, 2023 (2023-09-10)(TIFF)
Running time
88 minutes [1]
Countries
  • Canada
  • United States [1]
LanguageEnglish

Hell of a Summer is a 2023 comedy-horror film written and directed by Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk (in his directorial debut). It stars Fred Hechinger, Abby Quinn, Bryk, Wolfhard, Pardis Saremi and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai.

Contents

It premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023.

Premise

As the counselors are getting Camp Pineway ready the night before the campers arrive, a masked killer begins killing the staff. [1]

Cast

Production

Hell of a Summer was announced in July 2022 with Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk writing, directing and starring in the film, making it Bryk's directorial debut. Fred Hechinger joined the cast and also produces with Aggregate Films' Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan, and Parts and Labor's Jay Van Hoy. [3] [4] Wolfhard (who was 20 years old at the time) told Entertainment Weekly that he initially struggled to find a financer for the film, with potential investors often citing his age as the reason. [5] Inspiration for the film came from Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead (2004). [6]

Principal photography began in July 2022 in Ontario, Canada and wrapped that August. [3] [7] By December, the film was in the editing process and in post-production by February 2023. [8] [4]

Release

Hell of a Summer premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023, where it was named second runner-up for the People's Choice Award for Midnight Madness. [9] [10] [1]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 50% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5/10. [11]

Valerie Complex of Deadline Hollywood gave the film a positive review. She praised Wolfhard and Bryk's direction, saying "they craft a distinct cinematic piece that is both a tribute to and a reinvention of the slasher genre". She wrote the film's lighting was an issue, which causes some of the nighttime scenes to be dimly lit. She ended her review writing that the film "is a delightful mix that strikes the right balance of '80s horror nostalgia and fresh, modern creativity. While it occasionally stumbles in its visual execution, the clever narrative and sharp societal insights ensure it’s a movie worth watching". [2]

Jourdain Searles from The Hollywood Reporter ended her review saying, "The biggest problem with Hell of a Summer is that there's really not much to say about it. Watching it is like being in a freshman film class in which the professor is asking everyone to come up with detailed notes on how to improve the film. But making a film is still an achievement in itself, paving the way for more polished work in the future. Maybe it's enough that Hell of a Summer leaves us eagerly wondering what Bryk and Wolfhard will make next". [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scream queen</span> Actress known for her work in horror films

A scream queen is an actress who is prominent and influential in horror films, either through a notable appearance or recurring roles. A scream king is the male equivalent. Notable examples include Barbara Steele, Sandra Peabody, Linda Blair, Olivia Hussey, Marilyn Burns, Neve Campbell, Daria Nicolodi, Dee Wallace, Jamie Lee Curtis, Heather Langenkamp, Shawnee Smith, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linnea Quigley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryuhei Kitamura</span> Japanese filmmaker

Ryuhei Kitamura is a Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. Kitamura relocated to Sydney, Australia at age 17 and attended a school for visual arts for two years. In 1997, Kitamura directed and produced the short film Down to Hell, which received a positive response from students, teachers, and an award which motivated Kitamura to seriously pursue a film career. He went on to independently finance and direct his feature film debut Versus (2000). The film proved to be successful within the film festival circuit and opened doors for Kitamura to direct more high-profile films such as Alive (2002), Sky High (2003), Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), The Midnight Meat Train (2008), No One Lives (2012), the live-action adaptation of Lupin the 3rd (2014), and several other Japanese and Hollywood productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Hechinger</span> American actor (born 1999)

Fred Hechinger is an American actor. He began his career with supporting roles in such films as the coming-of-age film Eighth Grade (2018), the period drama News of the World (2020), and the psychological thriller The Woman in the Window (2021). Also in 2021, he starred in the Netflix horror The Fear Street Trilogy (2021) and the first season of the HBO anthology series The White Lotus (2021). He has since portrayed Seth Warshavsky in the miniseries Pam & Tommy (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mackenzie Davis</span> Canadian actress (born 1987)

Mackenzie Rio Davis is a Canadian actress. She made her feature film debut in the drama film Smashed (2012). In 2013, she appeared in the film The F Word, for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. From 2014 to 2017, she starred as computer programmer Cameron Howe in the AMC period drama series Halt and Catch Fire.

<i>The Final Girls</i> 2015 American comedy horror film

The Final Girls is a 2015 American comedy horror film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and written by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller. The film stars Taissa Farmiga and Malin Åkerman, with supporting performances from Adam DeVine, Thomas Middleditch, Alia Shawkat, Alexander Ludwig, and Nina Dobrev. The plot follows a group of high school students who are transported into a 1986 slasher film called Camp Bloodbath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finn Wolfhard</span> Canadian actor and musician (born 2002)

Finn Wolfhard is a Canadian actor and musician. He is known for playing Mike Wheeler on the Netflix series Stranger Things (2016–present). He also played the roles of Richie Tozier in the horror film It (2017) and its sequel It Chapter Two (2019), and has starred in the supernatural film Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). Wolfhard has since made his directorial debut with the comedy short film Night Shifts (2020).

Abby Quinn is an American actress. She is known for her role in the 2023 M. Night Shyamalan horror film Knock at the Cabin.

<i>Hell Fest</i> 2018 American film

Hell Fest is a 2018 American slasher film directed by Gregory Plotkin and written by Seth M. Sherwood, Blair Butler, Akela Cooper and from a story by William Penick, Christopher Sey and Stephen Susco. The film stars Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, Bex Taylor-Klaus, and Tony Todd, and follows a group of teens who are stalked by a serial killer while visiting a traveling Halloween carnival.

<i>The Turning</i> (2020 film) 2020 film by Floria Sigismondi

The Turning is a 2020 American gothic supernatural horror film directed by Floria Sigismondi and written by Carey W. Hayes and Chad Hayes. It is a modern adaptation of the 1898 ghost story The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. It stars Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklynn Prince, and Joely Richardson, and follows a young governess in 1994 who is hired to watch over two children after their parents are killed.

<i>Rabid</i> (2019 film) 2019 Canadian film

Rabid is a 2019 Canadian body horror film directed and co-written by Jen and Sylvia Soska and starring Laura Vandervoort, Ben Hollingsworth, and Phil Brooks. It is a remake of the 1977 film of the same name directed by David Cronenberg.

<i>When You Finish Saving the World</i> (film) 2022 film by Jesse Eisenberg

When You Finish Saving the World is a 2022 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg in his feature directorial debut. The film is based on Eisenberg's 2020 audio drama of the same name. Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard star as a mother and son who navigate their contentious relationship while trying to connect with other people. Jay O. Sanders, Alisha Boe, Billy Bryk, and Eleonore Hendricks also star. The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and was released by A24 in the United States on January 20, 2023, to generally positive reviews.

<i>Night Shifts</i> (film) 2020 Canadian short comedy film

Night Shifts is a 2020 Canadian short comedy film written and directed by Finn Wolfhard, starring Billy Bryk and Artoun Nazareth.

<i>Knock at the Cabin</i> 2023 film by M. Night Shyamalan

Knock at the Cabin is a 2023 American apocalyptic psychological horror film written, directed and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, who wrote the screenplay from an initial draft by Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman. It is based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay, the first adaptation of one of his works. The film stars Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint. In the film, a family vacationing at a remote cabin is suddenly held hostage by four strangers, who ask something unimaginable.

D'Pharaoh Miskwaatez McKay Woon-A-Tai is a Canadian actor of Indigenous descent. He is best known for his role as Bear Smallhill in the FX on Hulu comedy-drama series Reservation Dogs (2021), for which he received two Critics' Choice Television Award nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

<i>Fitting In</i> 2023 film by Molly McGlynn

Fitting In is a 2023 Canadian coming-of-age comedy drama film written and directed by Molly McGlynn. It stars Maddie Ziegler, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Djouliet Amara, and Emily Hampshire. The film was titled Bloody Hell in its first showing at SXSW. Several additional film festival showings were presented in 2023. The film won the award for Best Canadian Film at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival.

William Nicholas Bryk is a Canadian actor and filmmaker, most noted as co-director with Finn Wolfhard of the 2023 film Hell of a Summer.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Hell of a Summer". Toronto International Film Festival . Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Complex, Valerie (September 11, 2023). "Hell Of A Summer Review: Finn Wolfhard & Billy Bryk's Feature Helming Debut Takes A Nostalgic Dive Into Slasher Cinema – Toronto Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on September 11, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Grobar, Matt (July 18, 2022). "Hell Of A Summer: D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Abby Quinn & Pardis Saremi Join Horror-Comedy From Directors Finn Wolfhard & Billy Bryk". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Lang, Brent (February 6, 2023). "Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk's Directorial Debut Hell of a Summer Drops First Look, Altitude Film Sales Boards Horror-Comedy (Exclusive)". Variety . Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  5. ↑ Romano, Nick. "Finn Wolfhard says people thought he was too young to direct slasher". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  6. ↑ Franklin, McKinley (September 9, 2023). "How Shaun of the Dead Inspired Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk's Directorial Debut Hell of a Summer". Variety . Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Finn Wolfhard on Instagram: "We wrapped"". Instagram . Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ↑ O'Rourke, Ryan (December 12, 2022). "Finn Wolfhard Teases What to Expect From His Directorial Debut Hell of a Summer[Exclusive]". Collider . Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ Steve Pond, "‘American Fiction’ Wins Toronto Film Festival’s Audience Award" Archived September 17, 2023, at the Wayback Machine . TheWrap , September 17, 2023.
  10. ↑ Complex, Valerie (August 3, 2023). "TIFF Unveils Cinematic First Looks With Discovery And Midnight Madness Program; World Premieres Include Hell Of A Summer, Gonzo Girl, Widow Clicquot, And Boy Kills World". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Hell of a Summer". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  12. ↑ Searles, Jourdain (September 18, 2023). "Hell of a Summer Review: Finn Wolfhard's Summer Camp Slasher Film Is Limp as Horror but Likable as Comedy". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.