Entertainment

New to stream: Western horror Ghosts of The Ozarks and new sci-fi series Night Sky

Ghosts Of The Ozarks: Tara Perry as Annie and Thomas Hobson as James 'Doc' McCune
Ghosts Of The Ozarks: Tara Perry as Annie and Thomas Hobson as James 'Doc' McCune Ghosts Of The Ozarks: Tara Perry as Annie and Thomas Hobson as James 'Doc' McCune

GHOSTS OF THE OZARKS (Cert 15, 107 mins, Signature Entertainment, Western/Horror/Thriller, available from May 23 on Amazon/BT TV Store/iTunes/Sky Store/TalkTalk TV Store and other download and streaming services)

Starring: Thomas Hobson, Tara Perry, Phil Morris, Joseph Ruud, Angela Bettis, Erick Rowan, Tim Blake Nelson, David Arquette.

A FEW years ago, directors Matt Glass and Jordan Wayne Long created the seven-minute short film Ghosts Of The Ozarks and successfully whetted appetites for this feature-length project.

The result is an accomplished western horror with echoes of High Plains Drifter and The Wicker Man.

Set in post-civil war Arkansas, the film centres on lone African-American traveller James McCune (Thomas Hobson), who makes camp at night and is accosted by a stranger.

When an eerie fog rolls in and his captor is attacked, James runs for his life and fortuitously stumbles upon the remote fortress town of Norfork in the Ozarks, where he needs to be.

The locals are friendly and James makes the acquaintance of a blind barman, who uses a clicking sonar-style effect to navigate from A to B, huntress and medic Annie (co-writer and producer Tara Perry) and her hulking brother William (Joseph Ruud).

There's also Matthew McCune (Phil Morris), James's engaging uncle and town VIP.

The townsfolk mine for gas and enjoy seemingly normal lives, except for that strange fog.

Is the mist a supernatural force or could there be a less fantastical explanation for the meteorological phenomenon?

All becomes clear towards the end of this impressive spin on the western genre, which has been beautifully crafted by the multi-skilled Glass, Long and Perry.

There's also an infectious musical interlude, On This Mountain, which is reprised during the closing credits.

Ghosts Of The Ozarks is compelling and should keep most viewers guessing until the end.

Rating: 4/5


Reviewed by Roger Crow

NIGHT SKY (8 episodes, streaming from May 20 exclusively on Prime Video, Sci-Fi/Drama/Romance)

"YOU'RE always looking for an answer to life's great mystery," remarks Franklin York (JK Simmons) to his wife Irene (Sissy Spacek) in this Twilight Zone-style series created by Holden Miller and Daniel C Connolly.

The spouses stumble upon a potential answer in the form of a portal buried in their back garden, which connects them to a deserted planet.

This startling discovery has incredible ramifications for the Yorks and their nearest and dearest but when a strange man materialises, the couple's unease intensifies.

The supporting cast includes Chai Hansen and Kiah McKirnan.

Reviewed by Damon Smith