“Which way are we going? Pineway!!” Pack your (body) bags and get the campfire started as it’s going to be one hell of a summer! Neon Rated‘s highly-anticipated and hilarious, comedy slasher film, Hell of a Summer, is making its way to theaters on April 4, and it’s frighteningly good. The great Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk make their directorial debuts in the movie, proving that this talented duo are not only incredibly gifted actors, but also brilliant directors.
Hell of a Summer follows 24-year-old camp counselor Jason Hochberg (played by the phenomenal Fred Hechinger) who can’t get enough of his time at Camp Pineway, no matter how old he is. Jason is ready to make the most of the summer and comes in full force, eager to bond with his fellow camp counselors over some activities. But, things don’t really go as planned. Not only does Jason have a hard time fitting in with his teenage coworkers, but there’s an even bigger problem on the campgrounds—there’s a masked killer targeting each of the counselors one by one. Chaos ensues as the counselors aim to figure out who the killer really is, all while trying to survive.
Inside the Hell of a Summer Special Screening
Neon Rated hosted a remarkable special screening in celebration of Hell of a Summer on March 23. The event immersed attendees in a full camp experience, taking place on actual campgrounds at Camp Bob Waldorf in Glendale, California. Attendees enjoyed tons of fantastic activities including snapping photos at a photo-booth and playing games like Jenga and cornhole. Time at camp isn’t complete without some s’mores, of course. Guests were able to sit by the fire, roast marshmallows, and snack on the sweet treats. There was also yummy food including fries and mouthwatering sliders. Attendees also got to choose between three camp-inspired cocktails featuring LALO Tequila: “Lights Out,” a tequila espresso martini, “Campfire Killer,” a hot toddy, and “Pineway Champion,” a good ‘ol classic margarita.
Then, it was time for the screening of the film. Hell of a Summer is incredibly entertaining. In addition to Wolfhard, Bryk, and Hechinger, the movie also stars Abby Quinn, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Pardis Saremi, Matthew Finlan, Krista Nazaire, Julia Doyle, Julia Lalonde, and Daniel Gravelle. All of the stars in this flick did a magnificent job and delivered standout performances, making each of their characters unforgettable.
Q&A with the cast
Following the screening, Wolfhard, Bryk, Hechinger, Quinn, and Saremi opened up the floor for questions during a terrific Q&A.
“This movie, in a lot of ways, has been our entire friendship,” said Bryk. “[Finn and I] started writing it as teenagers when we met on a set of a different movie. We wrote it for several years, shot it a couple of years ago, and now it’s coming out and it’s a really surreal experience.”
I had a spectacular time attending the special screening and immersive experience of Hell of a Summer. This movie will definitely be the movie of the summer and is one of the best modern day slashers.
Get an inside look at the event through the video below and check out some more photos from the experience. Hell of a Summer releases in theaters on April 4. You don’t want to miss out on seeing this exceptional film!
Photo Credits: Brian Feinzimer
