FrightFest: We need heroes

The 26th FrightFest wrapped up tonight in Leicester Square with the UK premiere of the thriller sequel Influencers. I'd hoped to catch it but was unable to tonight. So I only have three final highlights. It's been fun this year, and the comments below represent perhaps my favourite films of the festival. I do particularly love a movie that can get under my skin and scare me in some way. It doesn't happen often enough...

The Toxic Avenger
dir-scr Macon Blair; with Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay 25/US ***.
hile this remake of the iconic B-movie is relentlessly cheesy and often chaotically ridiculous, it also has a surprising warmth that sneaks up on us. Even more surprisingly, the film tackles some big ideas in the most outrageous way possible, overstating the issues with unsubtle pastiche and on-the-nose people and place names. But it's actually refreshing that writer-director Macon Blair so carefully avoids anything resembling cinematic polish.

Odyssey
dir Gerard Johnson; with Polly Maberly, Jasmine Blackborow 25/UK ****
Opening with a tooth extraction in extreme closeup, we are immediately aware that this is not a warm, fuzzy kind of movie. Skilfully shot and edited, the film creates a vividly realistic atmosphere that squeezes in around the central character, turning increasingly colourful and harrowing. Director-cowriter Gerard Johnson stylishly assembles this narrative, continually catching the audience off guard with its provocative twists and kicks. The storytelling feels electrifying.

213 Bones
dir Jeff Primm; with Colin Egglesfield, Dean Cameron 25/US ****
Set in the Pacific Northwest, this movie opens like a vintage masked-slasher thriller, then dives into its grunge-infused story with gusto, skilfully shooting and editing in a witty 1990s style. Late director-cowriter Jeff Primm keeps the tone buoyant, with sparky characters who have just enough personality to make us care for them. And the way the story develops is unusually robust, pulling us in while generating genuine suspense.

Full reviews will be linked at Shadows' FRIGHTFEST PAGE >

FrightFest: Be afraid

One of the top horror film festivals in the world, London's FrightFest runs each year over the August bank holiday weekend. This 26th festival kicked off on Thursday with the UK premiere of James DeMonaco's The Home, and the scary fun continues through Monday night at the grand Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square. Here are four highlights from the first two days... 

The Home
dir James DeMonaco; with Pete Davidson, John Glover 25/US **
In a rare serious role for comic Pete Davidson, he plays an aimless slacker caught up in a mind-spinningly nasty situation. Director-cowriter James DeMonaco (The Purge) tightly maintains his perspective, which pulls the audience into the nutty story before things cut loose into Get Out-style horror. Indeed, the imagery, sound mix and narrative include so many elements from genre classics that nothing feels original. Or particularly scary.

Night of Violence
dir Illya Konstantin; with Kit Lang, Russ Russo 25/US **
Mixing dark violence with a broad Big Pharma satire, this offbeat low-budget horror has some fun with its depiction of office workers before things turn nasty. Director Illya Konstantin creates a home-made vibe that plays up the awkwardness between colleagues before sending them into a blood-soaked nightmare. Tonal shifts are uneven, pacing is somewhat underpowered, and the plot closely follows the bare bones of the brutal invasion genre.

Don’t Let the Cat Out
dir Tim Cruz; with Anthony Del Negro, Cerina Vincent 25/US **.
Atmospheric and extremely tactile, this freak-out thriller traces a night that spirals into bizarre nastiness. Director Tim Cruz, who wrote the script with actor-producer Anthony Del Negro, cranks up the tension from the start, keeping the audience as disoriented as the lead character because everything feels so random and inexplicable. So while none of this makes much sense, there are enjoyably yucky moments scattered through the narrative.

The Degenerate:
The Life and Films of Andy Milligan
dir Josh Johnson, Grayson Tyler Johnson; with Gerald Jacuzzo, Jimmy McDonough 25/US ***.
Tracing the career of a notorious filmmaker who mixed experimental sensibilities with excessive schlock, this documentary tells the story of Andy Milligan, whose ethos was to just get out there and make a movie. As a scrappy artist, his work was inventive and influential, with distinctive themes and camera tricks, yet modern audiences have seen very little of it. So it's time for cinema scholars to rediscover him.

Full reviews will be linked at Shadows' FRIGHTFEST PAGE >

FrightFest: London scares me

And the 25th FrightFest comes to a close on this bank holiday Monday with Demi Moore's Cannes hit The Substance, after five days of colourful movies, filmmakers and cast members in Leicester Square. The festival also has events that run through the year. Here are four final highlights...

EUROPEAN PREMIERE
Scared Sh*tless
dir Vivieno Caldinelli; with Steven Ogg, Daniel Doheny 24/Can ****
Witty and gleefully gruesome, this comical horror movie revels in its practical on-set effects, as a creature causes all manner of grotesque nastiness as it emerges through toilets in an apartment block. Brandon Cohen's riotous script and Vivieno Caldinelli's amusing direction are packed with surprises that keep us both laughing and squirming, more than delivering on the promise of that rude title. And as outrageously ghastly as it gets, the tone remains amusingly offbeat.

ENGLISH PREMIERE
The Substance
dir-scr Coralie Fargeat; with Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley 24/Fr ****
A parable about body image, this stylish film gently introduces its fantastical premise, then cranks things way over the top. Writer-director Coralie Fargeat may hit the themes a bit forcefully, while indulging in outrageously excessive imagery, but there's a knowing method to this madness. Even the movie's most bonkers moments come with both pointed commentary and emotional undercurrents. Frankly, more movies need to wake audiences up like this... FULL REVIEW >

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
The Dead Thing
dir Elric Kane; with Blu Hunt, Ben Smith-Petersen 24/US ***.
Moody and mysterious, this dramatic horror opens as an introspective exploration of yearning before shifting into something much darker. It's beautifully shot and edited to evoke emotions that remain very deep under the slick, serene surface, and the increasingly creepy plot goes in directions that create some cool physical acting and effects trickery, plus echoes of big ideas as well. So as things begin to get scary, director-cowriter Elric Kane has already drawn us into the story.

WORLD PREMIERE
Members Club
dir-scr Marc Coleman; with Dean Kilbey, Perry Benson 24/UK ***
Camp, messy and outrageously grisly, this British working-class horror comedy starts as a silly riff on The Full Monty and quickly descends into bonkers hellish mayhem. While it's consistently witty and gleefully nasty, the story feels somewhat simplistic, which leaves the pacing rather slack. It doesn't help that the story is flatly ridiculous. But there are very funny touches along the way, and some cool character-based thrills as well... FULL REVIEW >

Full reviews of these and other festival films will be linked at the site's FRIGHTFEST PAGE >
For festival info, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: London freaks out

Each year at FrightFest, it's fun to see how many different kinds of films can be made under the genre banner, from wildly supernatural nuttiness to darkly emotional thrillers. Here's another cross-section of highlights for Sunday, including three world premieres...

UK PREMIERE
7 Keys
dir-scr Joy Wilkinson; with Emma McDonald, Billy Postlethwaite 24/UK ****
Skilfully shot and edited, this British dramatic thriller is vividly centred around a young couple who behave transgressively as they travel around London. Writer-director Joy Wilkinson beautifully captures the inner lives of two strangers as they get to know each other in other people's homes. And along the way, several superbly orchestrated set-pieces inventively mix romance and suspense. Although it's increasingly difficult to hope for a happy ever after... FULL REVIEW >

WORLD PREMIERE
Derelict
dir Jonathan Zaurin; with Suzanne Fulton, Mike Coombes 24/UK ***.
Flickering between black and white and colour, this moody British thriller builds a strong sense of violent tension, even if the splintered filmmaking style prevents us from getting involved in the story or characters. But while it feels over-serious and overlong, director-cinematographer Jonathan Zaurin gives the film a striking visual style, skilfully shot and sharply augmented by a beefy piano-based score and powerfully internalised performances from a solid cast.

WORLD PREMIERE
Fright
dir-scr Warren Dudley; with Gwyneth Evans, Jill Priest 24/UK ***.
Designed like a 1930s melodrama, this British thriller features striking black-and-white cinematography, a florid orchestral score and accents that could cut glass. In other words, it looks and sounds fabulous. It also builds a strongly involving tension through the internalised feelings of the feisty young central character. Writer-director Warren Dudley is essentially making a pastiche here, but this is also an engaging mood piece that's thoughtful, emotionally engaging and even cathartic.

WORLD PREMIERE
Ladybug
dir Tim Cruz; with Anthony Del Negro, Scout Taylor-Compton 24/US ***
Packed with creepy and insinuating touches, this thriller builds a sense of impending nastiness right from the opening scene. Filmmaker Tim Cruz creates a haunting atmosphere that takes its time revealing the story's complex web of secrets. So while the script moves in fits and starts, peppered with moments that perhaps don't quite ring true, there's more than enough going on here to hold the attention. So the ghostly goings on become involving and, yes, haunting.

For info, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: London is uneasy

The 25th FrightFest continues to take over Leicester Square, providing grisly fun for audiences over the long weekend. Here are highlights for Saturday...

ENGLISH PREMIERE
Strange Darling
dir-scr JT Mollner; with Willa Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner 23/US ***.
After an opening caption states that this is the true story of a serial killer's rampage, this thriller unfolds in a wonderfully lurid style over six chapters that arrive out of sequence. With saturated hues and heightened performances, the film is grippingly over-the-top right from the start, impressively crafted by writer-director JT Mollner. So even it never feels very substantial, the film's twisty, playful touches keep us on our toes, messing with our expectations... FULL REVIEW >

UK PREMIERE
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
dir Andre Ovredal; with Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi 23/Ger ***.
A rarely filmed section of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula is the basis for this thriller, which is set on an ill-fated journey at sea plagued by something that's both murderous and unnatural. Norwegian director Andre Ovredal keeps the film grounded through quirky character touches while emphasising the dark and stormy menace. So the film becomes a claustrophobic slasher horror as it goes along, pitting a diminishing number of crew members against a monster... FULL REVIEW >

UK PREMIERE
Video Vision
dir-scr Michael Turney; with Andrea Figliomeni, Chrystal Peterson 24/US ****
Snappy dialog and a witty use of forgotten video formats add a sharply entertaining spark to this offbeat horror movie about a demon-possessed videotape player. And while the direction is fairly simplistic, there are terrific camera effects along the way that give the film a woozily disorienting tone, pulling us in because the characters are strongly well-developed. Filmmaker Michael Turney also gives the audience some genuinely nasty grisliness for good measure. Plus a storming theme song.

WORLD PREMIERE
Traumatika
dir Pierre Tsigaridis; with Rebekah Kennedy, Emily Goss ***.
Opening with a caption about childhood trauma, this horror movie submerges the topic in a demonic context that's full of jolts and grisly surprises. Instead of building suspense, director Pierre Tsigaridis deploys grubby production design, nutty editing and a super-heightened sound mix to keep us off-balance. So the main tension is the wait for the next moment of hyper-grisliness. Rather than a coherent, involving narrative, this is an enjoyably bonkers collection of nightmarish scenes... FULL REVIEW >

For info, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: London gets frightened

Taking over another long weekend in London, FrightFest celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with a film festival centred in Leicester Square's iconic Odeon Luxe cinema. I'll have short reviews of the films each day, with full reviews on the website in the coming weeks. This post starts with the opening film and ends with Critical Week below...

WORLD PREMIERE
Broken Bird
dir Joanne Mitchell; with Rebecca Calder, Sacharissa Claxton 14/UK ***
Blackly comical attitudes add an offbeat kick to this terrific looking British thriller, which perhaps turns a bit too grim as its plot swirls around some very nasty behaviour in a mortuary. The film has a beautiful visual style that captures the moods of characters who are grappling with big personal issues. Igor Marovic's cinematography is particularly eye-catching, while director Joanne Mitchell keeps even the most outrageous moments grounded in human emotion... FULL REVIEW >

UK PREMIERE 
Things Will Be Different
dir-scr Michael Felker; with Adam David Thompson, Riley Dandy 24/US ****
Skilfully shot in fascinating locations, this intriguing dramatic thriller centres on two likeable siblings who are dealing with past strain in their relationship while embarking on a time-shifting crime. Writer-Director Michael Felker cleverly grounds the people and settings in earthy reality, while the wildly imaginative premise deliberately avoids a clear explanation. This effectively puts us right into the story, and makes each mysterious thing that happens darkly riveting... FULL REVIEW >

WORLD PREMIERE 
The Dæmon
dir-scr Matt Devino, Dave Yohe; with Adriana Isabel, Tyler Q Rosen 24/US ***
Moody and dark, this creepy dramatic horror is sharply well shot and edited, with cool-looking effects work and outrageous yuckiness. Much of this feels rather overstated, most notably in the characterisations and some dizzying camerawork. And because it's played at such a serious pitch, it sometimes tips over into nuttiness along the way. The title gives away what we're dealing with here, and the filmmakers show admirable determination to make this as unnerving as possible... FULL REVIEW >

ENGLISH PREMIERE 
Scarlet Blue
dir-scr Aurelia Mengin; with Amelie Daure, Anne-Sophie Charron 24/Fr ***
Vibrantly filmed with intensely soaked colours and offbeat settings, this French mystery thriller has a distinct visual style that keeps it from falling into the usual expectations for a genre movie. Actor-filmmaker Aurelia Mengin blends the lurid reality with outrageously eye-catching visions that add layers of intensity, often without the need for explanatory dialog. In fact, much of the film feels like a swirling fever dream as the characters travel into fascinating corners of their minds... FULL REVIEW >

For info, FRIGHTFEST >

~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~
C R I T I C A L  W E E K

It's been all about FrightFest for me this week, as the rest of my time has been taken up with a production job on an independent TV series. So for the next two months reviews will mostly be of films I'd seen earlier or that I can watch at home on a screening link. I may also catch things on days off. This week, every film I saw was a FrightFest movie, and these will be blurbed here on the blog (as above), with full reviews appearing on the site after the festival. Next week I'll be watching Dennis Quaid in Reagan,  Mandoob: The Courier and The Exorcism of Saint Patrick, plus more FrightFest movies.

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 >

FrightFest: Stand by me

This long weekend is crazy busy in London, with the streets of the West End clotted with tourists, plus the pulsing events at Notting Hill Carnival. I've been hanging around in cinemas at the 24th FrightFest, surrounded by fellow oddball movie fans, actors and filmmakers. It's a lot of fun, and there's one day to go. Here are highlights from Sunday...

Here for Blood
dir Daniel Turres; with Shawn Roberts, Maya Misaljevic 22/Can ***.
Set around an aspiring professional wrestler, there's a wry double meaning in the title of this movie, which mashes up elements of broad comedy and home-invasion horror. Director Daniel Turres shoots this like a pastiche of vintage scary movies, complete with wildly excessive gore. The filmmaking may be somewhat cheap and cheerful, and the supernatural story elements unnecessarily over-egged, but the movie is also boldly inventive and riotously funny.

Cold Meat
dir Sebastien Drouin; with Allen Leech, Nina Bergman 23/UK ***.
Tightly contained within a snowbound car, this edgy thriller hinges around a battle of wills between two people who really don't want to be trapped together. Director Sebastien Drouin cleverly expands the visual palette with external scene-setting imagery, back-story flashbacks and some deranged nightmares, so the film plays intensively on various layers. And even if it's slightly half-hearted, the nod to Native American folklore creates a powerful undercurrent... FULL REVIEW >

The Seeding
dir-scr Barney Clay; with Scott Haze, Kate Lyn Sheil 23/US ***.
Skilfully creating an atmosphere of claustrophobic dread, writer-director Barney Clay echoes a range of wilderness horror classics as he carefully crafts a modern-day folk tale. And it's deeply disturbing, like some sort of a surreal nightmare. Nothing is terribly original here, but the movie has a confident sheen, building sympathetic characters against the odds as it cautions against venturing into isolated, and insulated, parts of the American West... FULL REVIEW >

Raging Grace
dir-scr Paris Zarcilla; with Max Eigenmann, Jaeden Boadilla 23/UK ***.
Issues of class and ethnicity run right through this British drama, which draws in elements of farce and horror as its story shifts and twists with pointed intent. Writer-director Paris Zarcilla stirs in details from his Filipino heritage to add some deeper currents of meaning. And even if the storytelling feels a bit undercooked, the settings, music and editing create at atmosphere that's almost too vivid... FULL REVIEW >

Minore
dir Konstantinos Koutsoliotas; with Davide Tucci, Daphne Alexander 23/Gr ***. 
Enjoyably offbeat, this Greek action-fantasy infuses a modern-day legend with a witty sense of humour and a surreal queer sensibility. A large ensemble cast has fun creating a collection of hilariously quirky characters, while filmmaker Konstantinos Koutsoliotas skilfully builds a growing sense of ominous menace before the gore starts to flow. And swirly dreamlike sequences, which ripple with inventive effects and makeup, add to the mythical sensibilities... FULL REVIEW >

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

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Now here's a treat

The 24th FrightFest powers into the long weekend with exuberant crowds at its Leicester Square venue. Hanging out there is a lot of fun, with a superb buzz of activity everywhere. It's almost more like a horror fan convention than a film festival, with people in freaky costumes but a full-on happy vibe. It runs through Monday, so if you're nearby, it's well worth a visit. And most films are British, European or even world premieres. Here are some highlights for Saturday...

Cobweb
dir Samuel Bodin; with Woody Norman, Lizzy Caplan 23/US ****
Unusually strong characters bring this atmospheric horror film to life, especially as it takes a twisted approach to issues like bullying and child abuse. First-time director Samuel Bodin uses every trick in the book to keep the audience on edge, putting us through the wringer alongside the people on-screen. It definitely helps that the adept cast bring much more to the characters than is written in the screenplay... FULL REVIEW >

Where the Devil Roams
dir-scr Zelda Adams, John Adams, Toby Poser; with Zelda Adams, Toby Poser 23/US ***.
Made by the entire Adams family, this stylised horror romp is packed with extreme gore and devilish humour. Actor-filmmakers John, Toby and Zelda play a father, mother and daughter in 1930s America who embark on a murderous rampage while trying to hold their family together. So the film is a bizarro mix of emotional connections and satanic nonsense, plus lots of blood. And underlying warmth continually takes us aback.

Herd
dir Steven Pierce; with Ellen Adair, Mitzi Akaha 23/US ****
Starting as a marital drama, this film develops strongly resonant themes before transforming into a marauding zombie thriller. Steven Pierce directs the film with a sharp sense of both the settings and relationships, which pulls the audience in further. It's a fresh approach that brings new ideas to the genre, highlighting the drama and grisliness while making pointed commentary about people who would rather fight than help each other... FULL REVIEW >

The Moor
dir Chris Cronin; with Sophia La Porta, David Edward-Robertson 23/UK ***

With an earthy, documentary style, this often unnerving thriller revisits a missing-children case through the eyes of people who have a lingering connection to it. Although the film is far too long, director Chris Cronin has a terrific sense of the English countryside, mixing wide-scale landscapes and gritty handheld urgency. So while the pacing is a bit choppy, the vivid central characters add a strong emotional kick... FULL REVIEW >

Transmission

dir-scr Mike Hurst; with Vernon Wells, Dave Sheridan 23/US ***.
This ambitious horror film uses a range of pastiche styles to tell a story that's created by channel-hopping through TV broadcasts. Writer-director Michael Hurst infuses everything with the same B-movie production values as the films and programmes within the film. Each element has a strong kick, and the way they combine is fiendishly clever. But there isn't space for character depth as everything circles around an overall narrative.

Pandemonium
dir-scr Quarxx; with Hugo Dillon, Arben Bajraktaraj 23/Fr ***.
Essentially three shorts woven together thematically, this relentlessly grisly and devastatingly bleak movie explores the afterlife through the eyes of three people whose sins have condemned them. Yes, it's all very catholic in its take on right and wrong, and French writer-director Quarxx wallows in this simplistic morality while having a lot of fun with elaborate sets, makeup and gore. It's also expertly shot, edited and acted... FULL REVIEW >

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

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Get me out of here

The 24th FrightFest kicked off in London last night, and runs over the long weekend with a programme of scary movies for genre fans. There's a wide range of films in the programme, and as usual I'll see as many as I possibly can. Horror is my favourite genre, simply because they are so hard to make well. If a movie can actually scare me (rather than jolt me with a loud noise or sudden edit), I'm in! Here are some highlights from Friday...

The Dive
dir Maximilian Erlenwein; with Sophie Lowe, Louisa Krause 23/Ger ***.
Filmed on location in Malta, this tightly contained thriller plays out almost in real time as two sisters fight for survival. With engulfing underwater cinematography, director-cowriter Maximilian Erlenwein avoids distractions, resisting adding something menacing like a hungry shark. Instead, the narrative expands to evoke the history between these siblings, adding some melodramatic touches to a series of frantic life-saving efforts that continually take our breath away ...FULL REVIEW >

What You Wish For
dir-scr Nicholas Tomnay; with Nick Stahl, Tamsin Topolski 23/US ****
Beautifully filmed in a lush corner of Colombia, this thriller starts out loose and relaxed before writer-director Nicholas Tomnay begins turning the screws. This starts with a skilfully orchestrated moment of silent horror, which spirals quietly into something chillingly nasty set against the contrast between the haves and the have-nots. Moral questions swirl throughout this film, so the narrative becomes startlingly involving as the events twist and turn.

It Lives Inside
dir-scr Bishal Dutta; with Megan Suri, Mohana Krishnan 23/US ***.
After a moody-nasty prolog sets the tone, this film cleverly shifts into the usual story about a social-media obsessed American teen. But everything is tinged by the characters' Indian heritage, which is linked to the horror that's unleashed. Writer-director Bishal Dutta tells the story skilfully, keeping the people and settings grounded while indulging in flurries of hyperactive movie grisliness. And the chaos escalates steadily to an outrageously nasty finale... FULL REVIEW >

New Life
dir-scr John Rosman; with Sonya Walger, Hayley Erin 23/US ****
Intriguing and enigmatic, this increasingly nasty thriller creates a tense situation long before any plot details begin to fill in the picture. Central themes connect to the process of starting over, while the plot becomes more intensely horrific in an eerily real-world sort of way. With slick, visual style, writer-director John Rosman skilfully keeps everything grounded, which makes the bonkers craziness and excellent makeup work that much more effective.

That's a Wrap
dir Marcel Walz; with Cerina Vincent, Monique T Parent 23/US **.
So meta that it's virtually a pastiche, this horror comedy continually references both scary movies and the moviemaking process itself. Director Marcel Walz keeps things moving, but the uneven pacing reveals the inexperience of the cast and crew. Still, the idea is strong enough to sustain the film through its rather long rough patches. As does the mix of witty red herrings, and a playful use of expectations.

The Weird Kidz
dir-scr Zach Passero; with Ellar Coltrane, Tess Passero 23/US ***.
Using an inventive and distinctly handmade animation style, writer-director Zach Passero spent eight years creating this witty horror comedy. With an amusing collection of teen characters, it's a pastiche of 1980s monster movies. A steady stream of hilarious banter and rude gags will appeal to the 12-year-old within most viewers. And the story takes some genuinely scary turns along the way, with moments that are tense and violent.

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

For details, FRIGHTFEST >

FrightFest: Scary monsters

The 23rd FrightFest is running this weekend in central London, scaring the life out of happy moviegoers. I tend to only catch a handful of films each year, and here's my selection this time round, starting with one of the best films I've seen all year...

Piggy [Cerdita]
dir-scr Carlota Pereda; with Laura Galan, Richard Holmes 22/Sp ****.
Bright, sunny and blackly humorous, this small-town Spanish drama takes an unblinking look at bullying and the complex emotions it evokes. Even more than a fiendishly clever approach to a serious topic, the film is an audacious genre mashup, mixing a high school comedy with a tense horror movie. Writer-director Carlota Pereda has a terrific eye for detail, and notable skill as a storyteller who cares about her characters.

Fall
dir Scott Mann; with Grace Caroline Currey, Virginia Gardner 22/US ***.
Shamelessly playing on its vertiginous premise, this adventure thriller keeps us in a state of nerve-wracking suspense right from the start. We're so frazzled that we never mind that many of the scares are gratuitous, the filmmaking is painfully obvious, and the continuity is more than a little iffy. This is a nonstop exercise in the most basic fear, and it's feels almost exhilarating when we survive it... REVIEW >

Burial
dir-scr Ben Parker; with Charlotte Vega, Tom Felton 22/UK ***
Set at the end of WWII, this mystery thriller generates a sense of secrecy at every step. It's packed with skirmishes that are nasty but not always easy to follow, while the story structure moves from one incident to the next without much overall momentum. It's sharp enough to hold the interest, but it lacks a compelling point of view, relying on intrigue rather than any human element.

Hypochondriac
dir-scr Addison Heimann; with Zach Villa, Devon Graye 22/US ****
Opening with a caption noting that it's "based on a real breakdown", this psychological horror immediately gets under the skin. Writer-director Addison Heimann creates a superbly subjective perspective, using inventive camerawork, editing and effects to explore the central character's thoughts. It's a terrific approach to internalised terror, which continually grounds mind-based delusions in earthy authenticity. This adds emotional angles that make the movie both gripping and bleakly moving... REVIEW >

Incredible But True [Incroyable Mais Vrai]
dir-scr Quentin Dupieux; with Alain Chabat, Lea Drucker 22/Fr ***.
French filmmaker Quentin Dupieux delights in telling wildly bonkers stories with a straight face. This lightly farcical tale involves time travel but delights in never quite explaining it. But while the premise is blatantly silly, with several riotously funny scenes along the way, the film has a warm heart that brings its characters to life. So while the central point feels somewhat simplistic, it's an engaging little romp.

Deep Fear
dir Gregory Beghin; with Sofia Lesaffre, Victor Meutelet 22/Fr ***
Earthy and confident, this French thriller maintains a lightly comical tone while layering in the usual hints that something horrific is brewing. This includes a standard randomly violent opening scene and a freak-out dream before the plot even begins, sending four young people on a day out that looks intriguing, fun and of course more than a little harrowing. It's a sharply well-made movie with a seriously vicious streak.

The Leech
dir-scr Eric Pennycoff; with Graham Skipper, Jeremy Gardner 22/US **.
There's a deranged sense of humour in this black comedy, which places an upstanding priest on a slippery slope to hell. Writer-director Eric Pennycoff encourages the cast to go for heightened performances that play up the in-your-face characters and dialog. As the story continues, it gets relentlessly darker, spiralling through swirly dream sequences before revealing some bleak truths about people who aren't particularly easy to empathise with.

Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin
dir-scr Dima Ballin, Kat Ellinger; with Veronique D-Travers, Brigitte Lahaie 22/US ****
Brisk and packed with detail, this documentary traces the life of a little-known filmmaker who told poetic stories about dreams and memory, often using horror and sex. Critics dismissed his work as exploitation, but scholars now see his roots in the art world and his important contribution to the French New Wave. Even if it's overlong, this is an essential doc about a rarely explored side of cinematic history.

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