Text
© Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2016
Images
from the Internet
Reviews
are in alphabetical order, not by ranking
Attic
Panic
Written
and directed by David Sandberg
3:00
minutes, 2015
The people who brought you the
incredibly creepy short, “Lights Out,” are back with a new quickie piece with a
similar theme that is well written by Sandberg, and acted by Lotta Losten, who
also starred in that film as well. A woman is locked in what looks more like a
storage basement than attic, with little wire cages sealed by a gym lock.
Something is moving around and as it creeps along, the light bulbs start
twisting off by themselves. It’s creepy, short, and well shot. And effective.
Little time, and lots of tension. I really like these guys. Interestingly,
there is a “Making Of” available on YouTube that’s about twice as long as the
film itself, but I didn’t watch it.
Film:
Computer
Hearts (Vanessa2 Cut)
Written
and directed by Turner Stewart
Hentai
Cop Films
25:14
minutes, 2014
There is a maxim that states that the
introduction of a new technology does not change any one thing, it changes everything, and that all technologies are
a “Faustian Bargain”: to accept the good, you must also take in the negative.
There is also a discussion going among New Technology scholars on whether it is
accurate to compare internet usage such as on iPhones, and laptops, to addiction. This aspect is
explored in this surprisingly gruesome film.
Albert, a chubby telecommuter (played by the director, Turner Stewart), is
living with his fiancée, Vanessa (Alix Miller). But under his user name, Sgtecchi (ecchi, is Japanese hentai slang for
“dirty” or “sexy,” FYI), he is not only uncontrollably drawn to a particular
animated porn site, but with a particular character, also named Vanessa2
(Dionne Copland), to the point of obsession. He’s missed work and ignored
Vanessa, nicely presented as having Miller talk, with no audible voice, as
Albert stares past her at his computer. As a two-day period veers on, things
take a sinister turn that will effect (and affect) everyone in this
three-identity piece. There is bound to be some comparisons to both Her (2013) and Videodrome (1983), and rightfully so, but that’s okay because it
goes to some nice and moist extremes. Some of the SFX indicate the low budget,
but others are incredible considering
the mico-budget. An particularly well-developed and intriguing film, I just
want to add it’s worth the view, and also, “All hail the new flesh!” Oh, and
although I’ve included it, the trailer below doesn’t really tell you much
(okay, anything), but don’t let that
fool you, it’s truly impressive.
Trailer:
HI
KNK Acting Institute
KNK Acting Institute
Written,
directed (etc.) by Bahaish Kapoor
7:21
minutes, 2014
A really nicely done short from India
(in English) that seems to rely on the Japanese trope of the possible haunting
by a dead child (Vipassana Kapoor). A doctor (Monica Gill) thinks she’s
hallucinating, and trying to call a colleague in the middle of the night
seeking help, but the apparition keeps turning up. There is a hint of why this
is happening, but not much detail. It’s hair-raising and also employs the
common Japanese device of the moving elevator. Even though these elements are
oft used, it’s effective here.
Film:
Night
of the Slasher
Written
and directed by Shant Hamassian
We
Make Movies
11:16
minutes, 2015
Much like Scream (1996) – and I’m going to guess that I’m not the only one
who is going to make the comparison – this film plays with the topes of the
slasher film. Beautiful Jenelle (Lily Berlina) is acting strange, by drinkin’,
dancin’, sexin’ with The Bait (as Scott Javore’s character is credited), and
checking off the list of slasher film clichés, trying to draw out a masked
serial killer (Adam Lesar). But not just jump scary, this also plays with the
genre, such as The Bait mentioning that the schoolmates keep saying he looks
like he’s 30 (i.e., actors playing teenagers being older than their
characters), and that the Killer is wearing not a white Shatner mask, ala Halloween, but rather a Leonard Nimoy
one. It’s both spooky and hysterical, especially if you get the references, and
I’m only touching on them. Enjoyable and intelligent from the first frame to
the last.
Trailer:
Opus
Dei
Written
and directed by George Najdzien
Terror
Vision Pictures
8:23
minutes, 2015
In the lush countryside of West Sussex,
along the southern edge of the U.K., we meet a Priest (Tom Driver) and a cop
(Tim Cullingsworth-Hudson). I won’t go into details as this is short and sweet
so I wouldn’t want to give the twist(s) away, as this would certainly be more
thriller than horror (though the definition of “Opus Dei” scares the crap outta
me more than most fictional tales). What I will say is that in its brevity, the
actors, especially Driver, are effective in this account that has a bit of a Miller’s Crossing (1990) vibe, but is
more present day than flashback. Najdzien, in his first film, effectively
presents the viewer with a premise and then sucker-punchers you. Honestly, I
figured out the twist before the big reveal, but that didn’t stop it from
working. I was impressed by Najdzien’s camerawork, especially one scene where
you see the front of a car at an angle, and the trunk close in the windshield reflection, rather than the actual
action. Nicely done. I certainly look forward to more work from him.
Trailer:
Tailypo
Written
and directed by Cameron McCasland
Red
Headed Revolution
14:20
minutes, 2015
Perhaps I’m from too far up in Yankee
country (Mason-Dixon wise, not the Bronx Bombers), but I’ve never heard of this
Appalachian=based American Folk Horror Tale of an English speaking big cat that
comes after people in desolate areas who have taken his tail. What the beastie
says, over and over, is “Taily-po, taily-po, give me back my taily-po” (it’s
pronounced “-poh,” and in “po’ boy”). Hunting for food in a desolate area free
of game (I think there is a hint that the cat is the reason) is a backwoods
man, Levon (David Chattam), who shares his cabin and life with his beloved dog,
Jasper (Ranger). Taking a shot at some apparent food, all he gets is the tail
(enough to make some soup). Well, you know who’s gonna come a-callin’ lookin’
fer it back. Without giving too much away I hope, the creature is a bit
reminiscent of the Michael Jackson Thriller
werecat, made by puppetmaster Dustin Mills, who knows about these things. It is man (and dog) against creature, but I
won’t say who wins. The fall (spring?) brown-leafed woods of Kentucky fills in
beautifully under McCasland’s direction in a story that’s loyal to the folktale, and shot to give a bit of a claustrophobic field,
even in the out of doors. You can see
the whole film below:
Film:
Thresher
Directed
by Mike Diva (aka Michael Dahlquist) and Sam Shapson
Legendary
Pictures
7:41
minutes, 2014
Nick Gregorio is stuck in a room for a
reason we are not privy to for a while, locked by a bunch of chains and
combination locks. He works on the numbers methodically and takes them off one
by one until all but one is left. Time, however, is running out, as demonic
creatures are ever moving forward. It takes a while for this to take off, but
once it gets going, it does not let up. With CGI backgrounds and creatures,
great and small, we get to see and feel his terror. The thingies looked a bit
familiar, and then I realized some of the work was done by ScreamerClauz, who
did the effects for (and directed) Where
the Dead Go to Die (2012). Some imagery is also reminiscent of both The Mist (2007) and John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), but by no means is the story
weighed down by it.
Film:
Trouser
Snake
Written
and directed by Alex DiVincenzo
Grimbridge
Productions
4:50
minutes, 2016
www.facebook.com/grimbridgeprods
While being, quite frankly, nonsensical,
every moment of this film is enjoyable. And that’s with an estimated $100
budget! The setting is a world that is kind of a mix of mid-1950s “Gee Whiz”
dialogue and visuals, and present day bone-jumping horndogs. Perhaps this is a
spoof of a “Sex Warning” scare film, though it’s in full and clear color. It
shoots back and forth between the narrative of poor Thomas (Alexander
Gauthier), a [supposed] teen who is having a bit of trouble you-know-where
(read the title, that’s all I’m gonna say). His doctor (Michael Thurber in a
facially expressive turn) doesn’t know what to make of the – er – situation, and Thomas’s girlfriend Lucy
(Jamie Lyn Bagley, who as I’ve said before, has a wondrous sense of both comic
timing and expression; she should be hired on a sit-com) is in the car and
ready to take it to the next step…aggressively. There is no explanation for the
events (hey, it is under 5 minutes), but who cares. I’m assuming it’s both a
satire of a cautionary tale. Screw it; I just know I smiled through the whole
thing.
Trailer:
No comments:
Post a Comment