FrightFest: Say your prayers

The 24th FrightFest comes to a close this evening in Leicester Square. It's been fun to mix with such an enthusiastic crowd over the past four days, wishing I'd dug more deeply into my wacky T-shirt drawer. Watching these indie films on the huge Imax screen has been fun, especially when the filmmakers themselves are there, slightly overwhelmed by how big their movies are and how much the crowd is enjoying the nastiest bits. Here are a few final highlights, including a link to my 23-year-old review of a 50-year-old classic...

The Exorcist
dir William Friedkin; with Ellen Burstyn, Jason Miller 73/US *****
People who call The Exorcist the scariest movie of all time must not get out much. It's creepy, genuinely disturbing and thoroughly wrenching ... but it's not scary! As it gets into the minds of its characters, it finds powerful suspense and drama. And a startling examination of how we can never really understand the nature of mankind ... or God... FULL REVIEW > (from the 2000 director's cut)

Failure!
dir-scr Alex Kahuam; with Ted Raimi, Noel Douglas Orput 23/US ***.
Full of witty touches, this crime thriller is shot in a single, prowling take as an already dodgy situation spirals even further out of control. Writer-director Alex Kahaum keeps things moving briskly, with colourful characters entering the frame of skilful cinematographer Ernesto Lomeli's camera. The film is talky and repetitive, with personal scenes more engaging than business ones, but it's anchored by a riveting turn from Ted Raimi.

Founders Day
dir Erik Bloomquist; with Naomi Grace, Devin Druid 23/US ***.
Like a 1980s slasher movie on meths, this riotously energetic thriller deploys high-volume grisliness from start to finish. It's sharply shot, played and edited, although it's the sound and music that carefully guide the tone, stirring up anxiety exactly as expected. But there are also constant throwaway deadpan comedy moments. Actor-filmmaker Erik Bloomquist packs a lot into this nutty movie, which is sure to keep genre fans happy... FULL REVIEW >

Home Sweet Home: Where Evil Lives [Wo das Böse Wohnt]
dir-scr Thomas Sieben; with Nilam Farooq, Justus von Dohnanyi 23/Ger ****
Filmed in one elaborate take, this German horror thriller becomes increasingly bonkers as night falls in real time. It's adeptly directed by Thomas Sieben and powered by an astonishing performance from Nilam Farooq. Because the expert camerawork by Daniel Gottschalk maintains her point-of-view so skilfully, the fact that several plot elements remain enigmatic only adds to the freak-out. And the filmmakers have several cool tricks up their sleeves... FULL REVIEW >

Reviews of these and other films will be linked at SHADOWS' FRIGHTFEST page.

For details, FRIGHTFEST >