Seven Minute Takes: “Scherzo Diabolico,” “What We Become” and More

It’s Friday the 13th and Seven Minute Takes strikes back with two new indie horror films, plus an exclusive interview! Who says this isn’t your lucky day?

With SCHERZO DIABOLICO, the prolific and wildly inventive Adrián García Bogliano (Here Comes the Devil, Late Phases, The ABCs of Death, Penumbra) has created a tale of dread concerning a seemingly mild-mannered man who enacts a disturbing plan for vengeance.

A desperate man is pushed to take an extreme action to alter his life, but it may turn out to be the worst decision he’s ever made. The new film from genre maestro Adrián García Bogliano, will be available now on VOD and Digital HD platforms!

Check out Seven Minute Take’s interview with Adrian and star Francisco Barreiro right here!

Also on this edition of SMT: IFC Midnight’s WHAT WE BECOME

The Johansson family’s idyllic summer is brought to an abrupt halt as deaths stack up from a virulent strand of the flu. The authorities start off by cordoning-­–off the neighborhood, but soon panic and force the inhabitants into quarantine in their hermetically- ­–sealed houses. Isolated from the rest of the world, teen Gustav spies out and realizes that the situation is getting out of control. He breaks out, but soon the family of four comes under attack from the riotous, blood-­–thirsty mob who forces them to the extreme to escape alive.

Director/ Writer: Bo Mikkelsen
Producer: Sara Namer
Cast: Mille Dinesen, Troels Lyby, Benjamin Engell and Marie Hammer Boda
Distributor: IFC Midnight
Total Running Time: 82 minutes
Release Date: May 13, 2016 (NY/LA  and VOD)
Rating: The film is not rated.

This Swedish zombie thriller is a passable take in the genre, being set up with the standard fractured family, rebellious teen, passive dad, innocent toddler, etc… The painting is by the numbers with this zombie apocalypse to boot. How many zombie virus outbreaks can one planet have, anyway? The characters don’t break any new ground, but Mikkelsen’s direction is steady and the stunts and effects are watchable. If you are the type of horror watcher who passes the time looking around for swiped beats ( I mean “homages”) from other zombie fare, you’ll get a kick out of the flick. The bikini team didn’t make this shoot, however. IFC has had some better films this year, but if you’re superstitious, stay in and read the subtitles on this one.

Seven Minute Take: Two and Half Vaders

Coming Attractions: EMELIE

As their parents head out for a date in the city, the three young Thompson children immediately take to their new babysitter, Anna (Sarah Bolger, Into the Badlands, Once Upon a Time), who seems like a dream come true: she’s sweet, fun, and lets them do things that break all of their parents’ rules. But as Anna’s interactions with them take on a more sinister tone, the kids realize that their caretaker may not be who she claims to be. Soon it’s up to big brother Jacob to protect his siblings from the increasingly nefarious intentions of a very disturbed woman whose weapon is trust, and whose target is innocence.

Featuring tour-de-force performances from Bolger and its three young leads, EMELIE is a multidimensional, nail-biting thriller that asks the question: how can you put an end to horror after you’ve already let it in?