Back in October 2023, I had the opportunity to see Late Night with the Devil at a screening at the London Film Festival. I, along with several dozen others, sat patiently as theater workers struggled to fix some sort of tech issue for two hours (sadly, they never did) because we knew we were in store for something special. Fast forward five months later, and boy, were we right. Late Night with the Devil is like no other horror film I have ever seen.

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If the term “found footage” turns you off, I totally get it. The genre has been overstuffed with less-than-average offerings for years, but this little film has officially brought it back to life. In a role I swear he was born to play, David Dastmalchian plays Jack Delroy, a well-meaning but slightly deluded host who is struggling to keep his show on the air opposite Johnny Carson. Everything about this faux show screams “‘70s,” down to the title graphics and color grading, and the film’s warm authenticity drew me in immediately. 

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To appease his audience, lovingly referred to as “night owls” after the name of the program, Jack plans a spooky Halloween episode with all the bells and whistles – right down to the scary sound effects. He invites parapsychologist Dr. June Ross-Mitchell (Laura Gordon) onto the show, as well as the subject of her new book -- a young girl named Lilly who she claims is possessed by an evil entity. Wanting to put on the show of a lifetime, Jack convinces June to conjure up the spirit on live television. That’s when things go horribly awry.

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An intriguing blend of Anchorman and The Conjuring, this movie is destined to join the ranks of films such as The Blair Witch Project and REC as one of the greatest found footage horror films of all time. Not a single shot, line, or second of film is wasted – and I found myself at the edge of my seat from minute one. Its charm and subtle humor make it incredibly rewatchable. Late Night with the Devil is an intelligent commentary on the lengths people go to achieve success, and the fallout that comes with it. Do not miss this absolute gem of a film.