Aarcflick

 Those who think the days of truly surprising independent films are behind them should take note of the “Terrifier” films, which, with their straightforward and rather insular appeal to hardcore horror fans, have racked up a very sizable sum in profits from relatively small budgets. A third film is due out this fall, but in the meantime there’s “Stream,” an independent effort from much of the “Terrifier 2” team (save writer-director Damien Leone, a co-producer here), which capitalized on the original’s cult status to gross nearly $16 million two years ago. “Stream” is also being released as a limited theatrical event, scheduled for Aug. 21-25 in the U.S. and Canada, and then in other territories. Though it breaks from its conceptual template (there’s no killer clown), “Stream” also echoes the “Terrifier” films in its overall essence as well as its individual pros and cons. They are all higher quality films in that peculiar terrain of gore, where an excess of sadistic violence and v...