Stars: Olivia Nikkanen, Naomi Grace, Jayce Bartok, Devin Druid, Emilia McCarthy, Amy Hargreaves, Catherine Curtin | Written by Erik Bloomquist, Carson Bloomquist | Directed by Erik Bloomquist
The Bloomquist brothers, director Erik and co-writer Carson are back with their second film this year, following up their summer camp horror She Came from the Woods with Founders Day. Billed as a political slasher has an interesting history to it. The original concept dates back to 2011, and a script that was considered for inclusion in Project Greenlight. They even made a conceptual trailer for it before the project collapsed. And what better time to revive it than now in a time of political division and violence?
In the town of Fairwood, two things are fast approaching, its 300th anniversary and the election of its next mayor. The race is a contentious one, the first image we see is of a campaign sign being destroyed.
The Bloomquist brothers, director Erik and co-writer Carson are back with their second film this year, following up their summer camp horror She Came from the Woods with Founders Day. Billed as a political slasher has an interesting history to it. The original concept dates back to 2011, and a script that was considered for inclusion in Project Greenlight. They even made a conceptual trailer for it before the project collapsed. And what better time to revive it than now in a time of political division and violence?
In the town of Fairwood, two things are fast approaching, its 300th anniversary and the election of its next mayor. The race is a contentious one, the first image we see is of a campaign sign being destroyed.
- 4/29/2024
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Making it past the post by the smallest sliver of a hair, “Founders Day” is worth watching if only because it brings a jolt of femme queer weirdness to a genre historically dominated by men. Sure, it still includes a half-naked, quarter-witted, straight blonde chick getting attacked by a serial killer, promptly grabbing her boobs with both hands, and running down a school hallway scream-whining, “I learned my lesson!” But that’s just the (super creepy) price you’ll have to pay to enjoy star Naomi Grace as a likable lesbian final girl in an otherwise wildly misguided horror comedy from the Blooomquist Brothers.
The star-spangled political slasher starts off strong enough, introducing the authentically charming high school sweethearts Allison (Grace) and Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen). The seniors stand on the precipice of college, locking their initials to a local bridge in their hometown of Fairwood on a chilly, romantic night in November.
The star-spangled political slasher starts off strong enough, introducing the authentically charming high school sweethearts Allison (Grace) and Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen). The seniors stand on the precipice of college, locking their initials to a local bridge in their hometown of Fairwood on a chilly, romantic night in November.
- 1/21/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
“Divisive” has become the fallback term for just about any political personality or issue in recent years, so bitter have differences between the two parties and many of their adherents become. The more fanatical beliefs to be found in an era of increasingly alarmist rhetoric have already provided inspiration for some horror movies, primarily smaller indie productions. The new “Founders Day,” which opens Jan. 19 on 700-plus U.S. screens, is slicker than most such while also more overt in pivoting on political rancor.
But you can’t make a pointed movie about politics — not even a semi-tongue-in-cheek genre film — without political content, and Erik Bloomquist’s feature proves toothless in that regard. Apparently afraid to offend anyone, despite numerous murders onscreen, it centers on a hostile mayoral race between candidates who posture stereotypically yet seem to have no discernible platform, ideology or affiliations on the liberal-to-conservative continuum. That renders the intended satire feeble,...
But you can’t make a pointed movie about politics — not even a semi-tongue-in-cheek genre film — without political content, and Erik Bloomquist’s feature proves toothless in that regard. Apparently afraid to offend anyone, despite numerous murders onscreen, it centers on a hostile mayoral race between candidates who posture stereotypically yet seem to have no discernible platform, ideology or affiliations on the liberal-to-conservative continuum. That renders the intended satire feeble,...
- 1/20/2024
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
Founders DayPhoto: David Apuzzo/Mainframe Pictures
There are lots of ways to tell when you’re in good hands while watching a movie. It might be the casting, or the lighting, or the clever dialogue in the script. It might be the way the film plays with genre, or the...
There are lots of ways to tell when you’re in good hands while watching a movie. It might be the casting, or the lighting, or the clever dialogue in the script. It might be the way the film plays with genre, or the...
- 1/15/2024
- by Matthew Jackson
- avclub.com
Slashers often contain political elements, but we rarely see a slasher about politics. Enter Founders Day, from co-writers Carson Blomquist and Erik Blomquist.
The town of Fairwood is celebrating its tricentennial and there’s a mayoral election on the horizon. The incumbent, Mayor Blair Gladwell (Amy Hargreaves), is campaigning on consistency, while her adversary, Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok), is advocating change. Divided along campaign lines are their children: Faulkner’s put-upon lesbian daughter Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen) and his son Adam (Devin Druid) who used to date Gladwell’s daughter Lilly (Emilia McCarthy).
The star-crossed lovers of competing political parents is a tantalizing premise, but Founders Day packs innumerable other characters and subplots into the mix. Adam and Lilly’s failed relationship involves bad boy Rob (Tyler James White), there’s plenty of plotting among the town council involved in the election, and even Melissa’s girlfriend Allison (Naomi Grace) has...
The town of Fairwood is celebrating its tricentennial and there’s a mayoral election on the horizon. The incumbent, Mayor Blair Gladwell (Amy Hargreaves), is campaigning on consistency, while her adversary, Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok), is advocating change. Divided along campaign lines are their children: Faulkner’s put-upon lesbian daughter Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen) and his son Adam (Devin Druid) who used to date Gladwell’s daughter Lilly (Emilia McCarthy).
The star-crossed lovers of competing political parents is a tantalizing premise, but Founders Day packs innumerable other characters and subplots into the mix. Adam and Lilly’s failed relationship involves bad boy Rob (Tyler James White), there’s plenty of plotting among the town council involved in the election, and even Melissa’s girlfriend Allison (Naomi Grace) has...
- 10/23/2023
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
In the small town where Erik Bloomquist’s latest slasher movie is set, everybody knows everybody, and most of them hate each other. They may try to hide it, but with a mayoral election looming, bitterness is rising to the surface. It even seeps into the home of opposition candidate Harold Faulkner (Jayce Bartok), who is at odds with his teenage daughter Melissa (Olivia Nikkanen). He’s not homophobic, he insists – he just wishes she’d consider the importance of them maintaining a wholesome family image at this time. Unimpressed, Melissa storms out. She wants to spend time with her girlfriend Allison (Naomi Grace). They’re coming to the end of their time at high school and, with college beckoning, separation is on the horizon. In fact, with somebody else planning to visit the bridge where they’re meeting that night, it will happen a lot sooner than that.
‘Iron bars will bend and break.
‘Iron bars will bend and break.
- 8/27/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Stars: Olivia Nikkanen, Naomi Grace, Jayce Bartok, Devin Druid, Emilia McCarthy, Amy Hargreaves, Catherine Curtin | Written by Erik Bloomquist, Carson Bloomquist | Directed by Erik Bloomquist
The Bloomquist brothers, director Erik and co-writer Carson are back with their second film this year, following up their summer camp horror She Came from the Woods with Founders Day. Billed as a political slasher has an interesting history to it. The original concept dates back to 2011, and a script that was considered for inclusion in Project Greenlight. They even made a conceptual trailer for it before the project collapsed. And what better time to revive it than now in a time of political division and violence?
In the town of Fairwood, two things are fast approaching, its 300th anniversary and the election of its next mayor. The race is a contentious one, the first image we see is of a campaign sign being destroyed.
The Bloomquist brothers, director Erik and co-writer Carson are back with their second film this year, following up their summer camp horror She Came from the Woods with Founders Day. Billed as a political slasher has an interesting history to it. The original concept dates back to 2011, and a script that was considered for inclusion in Project Greenlight. They even made a conceptual trailer for it before the project collapsed. And what better time to revive it than now in a time of political division and violence?
In the town of Fairwood, two things are fast approaching, its 300th anniversary and the election of its next mayor. The race is a contentious one, the first image we see is of a campaign sign being destroyed.
- 8/21/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
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