Reviews: Horror Shorts for September 2020

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2020
Images from the Internet

 

Horror Shorts for September 2020

 

Atrophy
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers; Embretsen Productions
17:29 minutes, 2019

This is kind of a Swedish version of a cabin in the woods tale. Freja (Katja Lindgren Anttila) is starting a new position as a personal live-in caretaker for Alma (Isabel Camacho). Alma is wheelchair bound and can only blink her eyes to indicate “yes” or “no.” It is just the two of them in the house where they use candlelight (nice camera work there) at night. But mysterious things are afoot (which I will not divulge) and Freja is living more in fear with each passing day. Stenberg does well to keep up the tension among the mundanity of living with someone who cannot really respond. The pacing, the feeling, the dread are all palpable as the tale unfolds, even if you figure out the ending beforehand, it just looks so beautiful you will be riveted to the screen. I’m definitely becoming a Stenberg believer.
Film is HERE. 

 

Deranged Foxhole (aka Deranged Foxhole Deduction)
Directed by Dave Sweeney
Gold Productions
16:12 minutes, 2019

There’s a line in The Producers where Zero Mostel’s character turns to a statue and says, “They come here…they all come here! How do they find me!?” That is the problem facing sweaty and slovenly lunatic Johnny (John Cavavanico) as people keep coming to his apartment door and disappear into the bedroom one-by-one. A police detective (Nicholas Garafolo) from the local precinct is sent to investigate where it turns into a life and death struggle. The ending, which I will not give away, is straight out of either “The Twilight Zone” or Creepshow (depending on your age). There is definitely a sense of dark humor that follows the story and there are some really bad choices made by some of the characters, but the plot is engaging throughout. The acting is a bit over the top at time, and I found it to be quite fun. And ya gotta love the Bayonne accents (what, no Sinatra on the radio?). This is totally gonzo and a blast.
Film is HERE. 

 

The Dreamcatcher
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers
11:08 minutes, 2020

Young teen Nova (Ebba Ärlebo) is given a dreamcatcher to place above her bed, but a young male (of course) friend takes it upon himself to shake it, letting all the nightmare’s loose. The bits of the story are somewhat common tropes for shorts, but director Stenberg makes Nova such a likeable character, that you still hope for the best for her. The story is engaging, and really well shot (though hand-held). It’s in Swedish with subtitles, and it’s worth the view. It’s moody, atmospheric, and the music hits just the right tension notes. The costumes are definitely low-budget, but the idea is what makes this successful. Trevlig. Now I’m gonna go and have a krumkake and watch the next one.
Film is HERE.

Eden
Directed by Bobby Coston
Upper Stage Media; Don’t Wait Create; ISS
5:55 minutes, 2019

It’s the middle of the night in Arlington, TX, and three young men are on their way from (I’m guessing a bar) to their car. It’s a quite night and no one is on the streets, except Eden, a fine looking woman. Have the men met their match that night? This is a mostly talking piece until the action picks up, but retains its level of interest throughout. It’s not very deep, but it’s also not vacuous, so it keeps its level of fun pretty high, lulling you in. What is the outcome is somewhat predictable, but the route is an enjoyable ride and there are some nice surprises. A good watch.
Film is HERE. 

 

Home Movies
Directed by Dylan Clark
5:31 minutes, 2020

I am really enjoying the artistic output arising from the pandemic. Tight-knit groups or families are rising up and putting out art like crazy. What else is there to do if you have the filmmaking bug, right? In this short and sweet tale, a woman finds an old camera with an S-VHS tape in it that contains images of her when she was but a wee yoot. But there is something sinister on the tape, which seems to be manifesting itself in the real world. There are some well-worn tropes here, but Clark and clan work it together to make it cohesive and not seem the same old-same old. On shorts, my attention span is even shorter, but this kept my interest right through. Great job.
Film is HERE.