Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019
Images from the Internet
ABI
Directed by Timothy Troy
Crazy Little Monster Productions / P3 Mediaworks
9:43 minutes, 2019
Viruses, be it physical
or digital, are hard to terminate. Vaccines don’t always work, and for the
computer trodden, sometimes it means erasing everything and starting from
scratch. The former is the focus of this film, which uses a clever acronym that
I won’t give away. The titular Abi (Clare Cooney, who reminds me of Brinke
Stevens) is a computer scientist who is trying to fix a virus in a computer
system created by head researcher Vincent (Rom Barkhordar) and his assistant,
Julie (Emily Berman). Julie wants to reboot, Abi does not even though the virus
is at 98 percent, and Vincent is torn between the two. In an interesting plot
point in this sci-fi horror is the possibility of the virus jumping from
computer to human. With some sharp objects and a bit of blood, it becomes a
battle of what is to be the next step. The sets are stunning (filmed at a high
school in Chicago), and there’s just enough blood to keep the gorehounds happy,
but not a whole splash-dash of it. It’s a smartly written and direct piece that
is just long enough to keep your attention throughout. Part of me wanted to
shout out at the end, “All hail the new flesh,” but that’s more video than
computer. Technology is a Faustian Bargain, and these people have figuratively
signed away their souls. But haven’t we all?
Trailer HERE.
From Hell, She Rises
Directed by Ama Lea
Cackling Witches Production
7:58 minutes, 2017
There are a few different levels to unwrap this film, but the best is to
take it from the Feminist perspective. Strong women vs. toxic masculinity
equals a lot of fun. Go beyond the cleavage-fest and that it was written by a
man (the amazing Michael Varatti, who has a literally veiled cameo), and we
have a beautifully shot and directed short that kind of sparkles in its light. After
her brother basically tells her what she is good for (or not, actually),
Elizabeth (Zena Grey) is visited by two vampires, Marguerite (scream queen extraordinaire
Sarah Nicklin) and Alessandra (super buxom Emma Julia Jacobs). Together they
form a bond to stand up to even the Avis (he tries harder) of the Christian god
world. It’s filled with some nice humor and gets its point across in its short
length.
Film HERE.
Luna
Directed by Ross Williams
XRATS Productions
10:02 minutes, 2019
www.xrats.net
I believe it may have
started with the original Ringu (1998) and, as a trope, caught on fire.
What I’m talking about is the Japanese (and then worldwide) icon of the ghostly
girl in white with the long stringy hair and a scary face that haunts people.
Well, director Ross Williams has taken this now cliché and re-envisioned it in
this tense and effective short. A family is discussing a loss of someone close,
and the youngest daughter, the titular Luna (Zoe Williams, daughter of the
director) shows up in the form of this ghostly apparition to bring fear and torment
her young brother (Harlan Cox). The parents (Kirk McKenzie and Twanissa Cox –
mother of Harlan?) don’t acknowledge Luna’s appearances as she creaks up the
stairs, peaks into bedrooms, and generally makes her mark in the house. It is
shot really well, and is quite creepy, but please note that the ending punchline
is worth the wait. The film doesn’t waste a minute of its length, and keeps the
viewer interested, while being short and edited to it’s maximum strength.
Full film can be seen free HERE
Full film can be seen free HERE
Occurrence at Mills Creek
Directed by Don Swanson
Spruce Films
19:45 minutes, 2020
What is the shape of
things to come? Well, this short is an example and it is just an introduction
to what will eventually be a longer, full-length feature. You want a taste?
Well, here it is. The film opens on a prologue of the passing of the mother of
two teens, the main protagonist Clara (Ava Psoras,) and her younger sister,
Cassandra (Alexa Mechling). There is also a nice performance by Betsy Lynn George (she was in Petticoat Planet in 1998, one of the first DVDs I owned), who plays their mother. The story picks up on the funeral of Cass. Or is
it? Weird things are happening around Clara (hence the title), and the presence
of her estranged father, Victor (Joe Fishel), isn’t helping. Clara walks around
like she’s in shock, in a mostly muted state even while these events are
happening. And the ending? Well, it’s easy to see how this is both a starting
and tipping point. The film is beautifully shot, and the music is eerily
ethereal, fitting the mood perfectly. How much of this is real, and how much is
left to the mind of Clara is all swirled together, leaving it open to the
viewer in a way that will grab your attention right from the start. I look
forward to the bigger picture.
Trailer HERE
