Archive: Author: Gabby Foor

Werewolf Santa (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

Grandma may have gotten run over by a reindeer, but this season, Santa has been bitten by a werewolf. As the holidays draw near, the feature Werewolf Santa is arriving, telling the story of – yep – if Santa Claus were bitten by a werewolf. Directed and written by Airell Anthony Hayles, this film debuted at FrightFest this year, documenting an unusual Christmas Eve where a failing YouTube channel looking for werewolves might have found its big break. Billed as a horror comedy and trying to bring the cheer, I struggled to find focused dialogue or characters to deliver a good joke and did not receive as much monster action for such a short feature as I hoped. I began this film with all the excitement of a child on Christmas Eve, but sadly by the end, it seems I’ve only received coal this year.

We begin with a brief history lesson on Hastings, Sussex, England, a place with an active coast of bootleggers, smugglers and – as legend would have it – cave-dwelling werewolves. After a modern retelling of The Night Before Christmas, we arrive with Lucy (Katherine Rodden), in Hastings on Christmas Eve, 2018. Lucy and her friend with benefits and cameraman Dustin (Charlie Preston) run a failing YouTube channel searching for the paranormal, and from Oregon to Scotland, Lucy has had no luck. Sick of holiday cheer already for a laundry list of personal reasons, Lucy says they’re there for one purpose: to investigate werewolves. After a rollercoaster of a car ride, they arrive at Lucy’s mother’s house for Christmas festivities which are… edgy, to say the least. While Lucy and her mother can’t seem to find common ground or get a conversation on cryptids started, when her father arrives Lucy lights up for the first time since we’ve met her. The fight is on though the second he walks through the door, as her mother attacks her and is provoked further by his car horn being honked by yet another new girlfriend.

Outside in the cold, Lucy sits like a lost child trying to get away from her parents bickering. As her and Dustin chat, suddenly screaming pierces the night, and a man comes stumbling from the forest clearly the victim of a mauling, and collapses, his head clawed open. After calling the police for the maimed man, the two decide to follow the investigators as they don’t buy the story they were given that the man was simply mauled by a dog. In the office, they check in the station where they find silver bullets and other mysterious things that point them towards lycanthropy, but are interrupted before they can find more on the attack. They return to the spot in the park where the man stumbled out and begin rolling footage for their fellow “Monster Hunters,” slowly walking into the forest. In the trees, the two spot “a familiar festive figure” in the middle of a bathroom break, that is, Santa, in the woods, relieving himself. As the pair film and narrate the “Santa Sighting” a werewolf comes out of nowhere, attacking Saint Nick and goring him horribly. As the jolly man stands up in shock, it seems he’s in no pain despite his exposed organs, and with a roar, he drops to his knees transforming into a werewolf himself, disappearing suddenly from view.

I wanted to like this. Holiday horror can truly be fun and I like the idea of a feral Father Christmas, but this film misses both marks on horror and humor. Costuming and practical effects don’t go very far, and the budget on this film unfortunately shows its strain. Performances all around are unconvincing and it’s hard to find a likable character in the bunch as the group bicker their way towards the climax, encountering confusing and sometimes off-putting things that I assume are supposed to be funny, such as a Christmas orgy in the woods. The constant fighting can get to be grating to a point as the group can never seem to make a decision, their indecisiveness dragging out scenes and making for some less than believable interactions and frustrating standoffs. There’s not much being done camera-wise either, even with a partial mockumentary lens involved to perhaps mix up perspectives or create tension, but this film with such a whimsical idea lacks much else in the way of inspiration. Falling victims to tropes and clichés, rewriting some of the old school rules that usually make werewolves work but still somehow lacking innovation, this felt like an attempt to recreate the success of Werewolves Within without the cast chemistry or charm.

I would say the best descriptor of this film is unfocused. At only an hour, this film still failed to keep up pace or to develop the characters or their performances. Moments that are meant to generate tension draw out into no climax, jokes that often pick at low hanging fruit typically don’t land, and unrelated dialogue scenes seem to drag on, even in this compact runtime. I know holiday horror can be hard to nail, but I was disappointed that this brought nothing new to the table, except a ferocious version of Saint Nick. The storyline becomes predictable and repetitive, and the small town legend angle made this journey feel longer than it was, as there were clearly a limited number of shooting locations. Without a character to root for, you sometimes find yourself lost; not even finding common ground in Lucy, whose certainty bordering on arrogance combined with a general bitterness and thirst for clout make her sour to receive. So unfortunately, without much to laugh at and without much in the way of scares, our title creature comes out more toothless.

An admirable swing at a fun idea, Werewolf Santa unfortunately brings no cheers or chill, but to those still curious about a lycanthropic Saint Nick, feel free to check this out – in spite of my decision to put this film on my naughty list.

Werewolf Santa (2023) is out on the 6th November 2023.

Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

In 2015, horror fans, especially those that enjoy found footage, were blessed with the arrival of the terrifying Hell House LLC. Following five young haunted house creators in New York with dreams of repurposing the infamous Abaddon Hotel, tragedy strikes on opening night, and we get a behind the scenes look at the new set of ghouls and ghosts that would move to cult status from the frights they delivered. Shudder picked up the helm three years later, giving this film a well-deserved sequel, and one year later seemed to close the loop with a third film. Four years after the lake of fire was supposedly sealed, Hell House now returns with a new chapter outside of the stage we’re used to with Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor. Written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, who brought us the first three films, The Carmichael Manor was an overdue return to basics in what made the original Hell House LLC so effectively creepy, encapsulated in a standalone origin story that Cognetti hopes to make more of. With a dark new storyline to follow, a fresh set of faces, but with some familiar looking terrors still lurking, I believe this chapter of the franchise has come the closest of them all to matching the strength of the original, while reopening the franchise to new possibilities.

The Carmichael Manor. No one quite knows where to begin in the classic interviews that usually begin Hell House movies, with the ominous building and the mysterious family that occupied it. The Carmichael family itself, wealthy and private, has been plagued by mystery and tragedy. The matriarch Katherine and one of her daughters, Eleanor, were discovered brutally murdered one morning, and while the suspect was father Arthur Carmichael, the problem is he and his son Patrick have been missing for 30 years…. The true crime aspect drew plenty of investigators and the story was ripe to turn the manor into a ghost story, but supposedly no one was granted extended access to the house until a sleuth named Margot Bentley. She and her girlfriend Rebecca spent several nights in the mansion; five days after their last contact with the outside world, their bodies were found in the manor, along with unbelievable footage.

We begin the reel of Margot (Bridget Rose Perrotta) and Rebecca (Destiny Leilani Brown) in their final leg of their trip for a five day stay at the Carmichael Manor. Hosts of a website called Net Sleuths, the pair are looking to investigate the location. After a long, forested drive down dirt roads, the ladies arrive at their destination, already in awe of it. They meet with Donald (Michael Caprioli) who’s helped organize their stay, explaining to them he’s been trying to get setup as it’s hard to get companies to go out to the house to stage and clean before guests, what with all the gossip. In the meantime he’s been getting guests to stay for short periods of time, but according to him, no matter how long he offers, no one makes it more than a couple of evenings before leaving.

Donald takes the two on a tour of the house, including each bedroom where the grisly murders took place and also uncovering what they believe to be a locked storage room for which there is no key. With the house toured, Donald is on his way with assurances that the office isn’t far and if they need anything they can simply call—and if they’re interested in some antiquing, there’s a store that recovered some of the items from the Abaddon Hotel, if they’re interested. While Rebecca finds out that Margot’s brother, Chase, will be joining them, Margot finds the previously locked storage room open, with some familiar looking friends of ours inside: a set of life-sized clown mannequins. Just as the two are mesmerized by the disturbing circus faces, Chase (James Liddell) arrives.

We are given a little backstory into Margot and Chase’s love of sleuthing through our interviews again. As a child, Margot and her brother were taken to a county fair where a man tried to lure her away, but she luckily screamed and was able to get away. Others disappeared from that fair, and I can’t help but wonder if it was the fairgrounds near the Abaddon that claimed several victims before it was shut down. It seems the experience caused her to want to expose herself to places where she experienced fear and inspired her to create the site which has brought together so many detectives to solve the inexplicable. Away from the interview backstory, we join the group on night one in the manor, trying to reconstruct the murders from the information they have. As Rebecca goes to take a phone call, we get our first glimpse of the paranormal as a door creaks open by itself, and soon after, Rebecca drops a bomb on Margot that she plans for this to be her last trip for some time. The group settles in for bed, and shortly afterwards as noises begin to permeate the house, we see this is going to be a restless night.

An unsettling watch that kept my teeth clenched, Origins uses the found footage camera angle to its advantage in professional fashion and takes some classic shots that create tension while otherwise brilliantly misleading you into a jolt. Figures lurking just out of frame, creeping shadows and surprising visitors abound, packed with specters and ghouls: this was the haunting assault on our senses that makes Hell House LLC the movie where even hiding under the covers isn’t safe. Costuming, makeup, and prosthetics make for some disturbing entities, and the small cast is lively but never goes over the top, inserting humor in unexpected places with the use of their cameras and delivering performances that range from the charming to the unhinged and horrified. The storyline is refreshing and it was a pleasure to be introduced to a new set of obscure, sinister characters like the Carmichaels to replace the tepid reception of the monologuing Andrew Tully from previous films.

While creating a new chapter of the lore, this film expands on some of the interesting side pieces from the franchise that were never fully explained, introducing new details and secrets to old favorite items from The Abaddon. This fourth instalment of the Hell House franchise is the first film to rival the original in frights, lore, and performance, elevating it above its sequel predecessors. Tying together past and present, this was both a new beginning and a satisfying dose of explanation for much of the mystery surrounding the Abaddon and those who frequented it, while very much remaining its own film and not getting overly lost in previous storylines. An impressive entry that breathes life back into a frightening franchise and opened the door for expansion, I think Hellhouse LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor will be a treat for fans of the first film looking for a dose of the Abaddon chills with a brand new terrifying location to explore, new characters to follow, and new foes to fear. Now streaming on Shudder, which has kept this stirring story alive, I recommend you swing by the Manor and see what all the screaming is about.

Shaky Shivers (2022)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

A nostalgic, comedic and sometimes shocking ride, Shaky Shivers is a tribute to creature features and horror comedy through the ages. This feature film debut, directed by Sung Kang of Fast and the Furious fame, comes with a script penned by Andrew McAllister and Aaron Strongoni, and together the trio serves up laughs and surprises at every turn in this magical, monstrous gem. A film rolled out for “old school horror hounds” to share with those in their lives, this movie is a reflective revisiting of some genre darlings with a hilariously game cast and a director not afraid to shy away from a unique story, all while handing out acknowledgements to familiar favorites. A Screambox Original, this film is streaming now on the Screambox platform for your viewing pleasure with positive reception coming in for this piece from critics and audiences alike. Bringing Goosebumps-like charm and wit to a movie that draws comparisons to the likes of both The Cursed and Booksmart, I think all these references and more cover the whip-crack wit of this film, putting bite into the feminine buddy genre while keeping things creepy and wonderfully campy.

The stage is set in Winlock, Washington, 1993 as a white car slowly rolls through a sign that says “Camp Closed Indefinitely.” The passengers are two young girls, Lucy (Brooke Markham) and Karen (VyVy Nguyen), who find this camp the perfect place to wait for the full moon. It seems a very anxious Lucy has a mysterious bite mark on her arm, and is wondering what’s to become of her. With a bag packed with everything from a cryptid manual from a co-worker to an enormous handgun, the girls seem to be covering the potential werewolf angle from all sides, save forgetting the bullets should be silver.

As the clock begins to wind down Lucy winds up, getting hysterical at the possibilities of the night; Karen remains a sturdy friend at her side. Night finally descends, and the girls rouse from their sleep at a late hour, terrified of the time, with Karen fearfully observing the full moon overhead. Lucy is preparing for a transformation, putting the gun in Karen’s hand with a flashlight to analyze her if she changes, looking for fangs, claws and hair. With nothing happening to Lucy, the girls begin to celebrate the lack of transformation shouting with glee that Lucy isn’t a werewolf, when suddenly a person in a mask jumps up against the side of the car, scaring Karen, still ready with the gun, who fires, killing the prankster. Terrified by the accident, she turns towards crunching and cracking sounds as a roar and horrified scream abruptly end as we cut away.

The film takes us back in time now, to the day before all these events occurred. Another road trip leads us down winding back thoroughfares to a rustic ice cream parlor, where we find Karen and Lucy dealing with a fussy customer named Karen (Skyler Day), obviously. It turns out Karen recognizes Lucy from school, mocking her big dreams as she’s now only working in customer service, and soon recognizing “the other Karen, scary Karen,” from humiliating high school anecdotes. She manages to shake the girls’ tempers by prying at their insecurities until their well-meaning boss Bob (Herschel Sparbar) jumps in and defends them, kindly sending the problematic woman on her way. The girls go about joking about their boss when co-worker Eric (Jimmy Bellinger) pops out to scare them and flirt, so uncomfortably.

The day goes on and Karen makes a concoction she wants to sell called “The Shaky Shiver” which Lucy dismisses immediately, the group breaking down into discussing high school again. As Eric dismisses himself, the girls discuss Lucy’s ideas (which are the pre-cursor to Snuggie and Uber, hilariously) and as Karen is over Lucy’s ideas, Lucy spots a strange woman outside who seems to disappear with speed into nothingness in the dark, reappearing silently moments later in the parlor, stating, “Hungry.” The woman, who offers to pay in pinecones, says she and “others” have been hungry for a long while, and after Lucy ridicules her, offering to spoon-feed her a nut over the counter, the woman begins a spell. Snatching Lucy by the arm with what looks like a toothy hand puppet, she curses her blood to turn black, turning her into a devil wolf, leading us finally back to the camp grounds with enough backstory to fill in our werewolf hijinks.

With references overflowing to older and newer horror icons like Dog Soldiers and Saw, and a storyline that continuously throws freaky, funny curveballs, this is certainly a must-see for genre fans of all ages. Practical effects amp up a fun gore factor of arterial spray, dismembered heads and feasting monsters, all of which come from the brilliant supervision of Gabriel Bartalos; makeup and prosthetic work are equally as impressive at creating monstrosities and victims. Nguyen and Markham have a zany chemistry, and Markham shows great emotional and comedic range, leading the charge of this very fun cast of characters. This story is a unique genre blend that doesn’t take many breaks from the kooky action, and provides lore, humor and confidence in surprising places. If you’re not one to enjoy some camp, though, this might not be the place for you. From a zombie brought back the old-fashioned way, to bigfoot enthusiasts, this film makes sure to pack in as much action and fantasy as possible into its breezy runtime. A throwback to the 80’s and 90’s nostalgia from the music by Timo Chen to the costuming choices, this is an amusing time traveling journey with enough humor and horror to spare.

So, I add my voice to the list of endorsements this film has amassed and say this is a memorable, wild ride worth taking, and you’ll have two fantastic co-pilots leading this unconventional story and Kang’s unflinching vision tells a captivating tale. Fans rejoice, your next horror comedy hit is streaming right now.

Shaky Shivers (2022) is available now on Screambox: for more information, please click here.

Unveiled (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

Most films are hours of investment; short films, on the other hand, are often hard to come by for the average watcher, but today I present to you my tiniest viewing experience yet, the wonderfully effective two minute micro-short Unveiled. Director and writer Ryan Graff’s piece will reveal itself on Halloween on stream, and Vimeo shortly after, making it a perfect bite-sized snack to add to your holiday watchlist. The story is simple enough: a young woman is wrapping up her evening, brushing her teeth in the bathroom when suddenly, there’s a movement, unmistakable, behind the shower curtain. What will moving the curtain reveal? We’ll have to find our courage to see.

Cinematography from Tim McCombe works flawlessly here to create at first a general feeling of closeness in the room, but then an all-out claustrophobia. Tight shots peeking around corners, close ups and quick panning shots create tension and soon, explosivity. The tone of the movie is edgy from the first few moments and offers hardly any moments of reprieve as the anxiety builds up in such a short time frame. Our lead actress Nika Khitrova does an excellent job in the few minutes she’s given on camera, delivering a shaky performance with no dialogue to rely on that would mimic the fear I imagine all of us have had when we’ve seen a curtain or sheet blow in the wind for just an instance, making it seem alive. With a devilishly clever idea and a tried and true device that’s given all of us the creeps before, Graff gives us an engaging two minutes of film that you’ll want to set aside that short 120 seconds for, if only to discover what could be unveiled.

Unveiled receives a Halloween release on BronxNet and then on other platforms. For more information, please click here.

The Price We Pay (2022)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

A grisly genre mashup of heist and exploitation, The Price We Pay doles out punishment in heavy doses once you let it build up steam. As ominous and brutal as promised, the story is split in two with a heavy turn into some extreme gore and memorable images, helped along by strong performances from a fierce and gritty Stephen Dorff and an unhinged Emile Hirsch. It’s directed by Ryuhei Kitamura of Midnight Meat Train fame, who helped write this piece alongside Christopher Jolley—if you’ve seen Kitamura’s previous films, then you may be aware just what levels of depravity our director can reach. Part slow burning crime, part explosive bloody survival, this film changes tones on a dime and measures different levels of human wickedness with some level of success—though at times its exploitative features steal the show from what I hoped would come to be a more concrete storyline.

We begin with the brief sounds of radio discussing a sheriff’s manhunt. The occupants of the car however, a man and a prostitute, aren’t interested. The man won’t be seen anywhere near his home town with a working girl, and drops her forcefully at what appears to be an abandoned gas station. In the restroom, she finds that the place is not so abandoned after all, spotting a pair of dirty boots creeping outside of her stall as she arms herself for an encounter. When the intruder seems to leave, she tries to flee, only to be blinded and quickly hauled away by the same pair of menacing boots. We shift into a new scene, to a parking lot, where Grace (Gigi Zumbado), is having one last sip of liquid courage before heading into a pawn shop. Nervously, she heads to the back where it appears she’s a regular, and meets with a sleazy, sweaty man who informs her she’s four weeks behind on “payments”, panting at how she might settle her debt. Unimpressed by her offers to pay up, the shop owner turns up his advances, all the while not noticing on the security monitors what Grace is seeing: a robbery in progress, quickly shifting this movie into heist gear.

The store owner is alerted to the masked men taking over the store: confronting them, he wounds one but is immediately killed. Grace hides as another employee is rounded up to get the loot; he is also quickly killed. This enrages one of the men as this has turned from robbery to multiple homicide: not good for news coverage. Grace sees an opportunity to escape, but alerts the men who see an opportunity to catch a getaway ride, seeing as theirs abandoned them. Officially under the group’s control, Grace is on a road trip to hell, and if she wants to live, she must obey. The trip goes smoothly enough with the men discussing a getaway plan and their hostage. The two brains of the operation appear to be Cody (Stephen Dorff) an older man, former military, focused on practicality, contrasted with the more often loose cannon Alex (Emile Hirsch), who is concerned with the moving pieces of the heist and his own personal games within it.

The car’s engine suddenly fails as Cody is starting to pry at Grace, stranding the group in the desert after dark. Alex and Cody debate the merits of killing Grace, with Cody asserting her as leverage as he “doesn’t do civilians” and Alex happily saying she’s Cody’s baggage now. Now on foot, the group and their injured member Shane (Tanner Zagarino) crawl along the road until they come across a farm. Cody calls for no bloodshed and tells his two accomplices to wait outside, bringing Grace as cover as he approaches a young farmhand. Taken aback initially, but reassured by Grace leaning into her role as the helpful hostage, the two manage to secure a farmhouse from the boy to stay in while they supposedly wait for their ride. They can’t imagine what twisted playground they’ve made their hiding place.

Performances are all fairly strong, but even an eccentric, masochistic Emile Hirsch with Dorff as his opposing force of measured grit can’t draw focus from the over the top second half of this movie. Dorff does get to show some range, from torturously painful scenes to triumphant blows being thrown, but the violence is the star. A slow start designed like most heist movies, the beginning half of this film doesn’t offer much originality in terms of its story, just a well-rounded set of performances, save the unfortunate exception of the main antagonist who often talks himself into the cliché. It’s also that all too familiar “don’t open that door” setup of the farmhouse no one would ever want to stop at.

The lazy start that turns into an absolute frenzy seems to be an homage to every farm movie gone wrong from X to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with decidedly enough blood, but far less substance. Effects from a simple bullet wound to creative, explosive kills pass as teeth-grindingly realistic or shockingly campy splatter, and the gore and its extravagance is the main focal point after the heist game fades into memory. The practical effects are horribly effectual, and even I was disturbed by some of the torment and cruelty that takes place. However, this is billed as a blood chilling exploitation film, and no doubt it uses its cast as objects of depraved violence, risking overshadowing everything and swallowing any semblance of a storyline, boiling it down to a bloody slasher formula with the benefit of some creative kills. I suppose, though, that may be the point with this form of sensory overload.

Dark from beginning to end and offering as much torturous violence as you can spread amongst a group of people, The Price We Pay is a hefty one for those involved. This doesn’t offer up much originality in the way of story, but gore hounds may appreciate some of the agonizingly long scenes of gruesome mayhem and some uncommon, shocking deaths, perhaps some of the most original material in the film. Style certainly takes place over substance in this piece, but I appreciate what the actors are able to do with the material and I was able to wince through the violence I somehow took head on in Kitamura’s other contributions. An offering of blood, pain, and abuse, expect to be amazed by the effects team and the traumatic events they create. Exploitative indeed, there is no safe place when this film takes its dark turn, and whatever price is paid, it may be too steep for me; but perhaps some more sturdy, unshakable viewers can ante up.

The Price We Pay (2022) will be released digitally in the UK from 16th October.

Saw X (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

This year was a special year for Saw X to cross my path. Only one month ago, my mother was diagnosed with two types of cancer, her first surgery causing a near fatal cardiac episode. I suddenly felt the clock begin to tick as my father began to schedule treatments and started to verse me on wills and estates. As horror so often can be, this film would be my catharsis in my grief as events spiraled beyond my control. Saw X is a stunning return to the series’ roots, centering on the all too misunderstood Jigsaw or John Kramer as portrayed by the magnificent Tobin Bell. While the series took a hard turn into “torture porn” as it was labeled after the third installment, we were due for a more introspective look at the game and its master; perhaps it’s the closest, most humanising look we’ve taken at a character that’s long inspired me to stop wishing away my time and to live a life worth remembering. Director Kevin Greutert and writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg design a new vision for Jigsaw in this tenth instalment, and give us the most personal game we’ve seen Kramer create since his breakthrough with Dr. Gordon in the first film. A more compassionate, gruesome, and heart racing return, Saw X is the best entry we have seen in decades, perhaps the strongest since its inception. So, without wasting time, I bought my ticket to see the world not through the eyes of police or victims, but John Kramer’s.

Timelines with the Saw series have always been muddled, but this film appears to take place between the events of the first and second films. Unlike previous Saw films, this entry takes a more measured approach, easing us into the story and allowing Bell to flex his cinematic muscles for the storyline, instead of hitting us with a game out of the gate. Opening with several scenes showing his treatment, diagnosis and grim life expectancy, we bookend these scenes with Jigsaw imagining a particularly nasty trap, inspired by a medical device. Outside of his imagination though, the awful truth is being unveiled before him. His diagnosis is terminal, his mortality is on an even faster ticking clock, and we see at what stage we’ve found John Kramer: he has realized himself as the Jigsaw killer, but is very much still fighting for his life and not vengeance – for now. He is part of a support group for cancer patients, still trying to find connections amongst his fellow doomed passengers on this trip to hell.

It’s later, outside the meetings, that John runs into a man formerly in his group, Henry (Michael Beach). Sporting a new scar, the man claims that he found a program that runs off grid that cured him of his stage four pancreatic cancer. He provides John a link, and shortly John is in touch with the polished Dr. Cecilia Pederson (Synnove Macody Lund), who says that since he is short on time, she would be able to fit him into an upcoming trial in Mexico City. With a smiling, pristine looking staff and witnesses testifying to the groundbreaking surgical and pharmaceutical methods the team uses to treat cancer, John is hopeful that he’s found his miracle. After the treatment, and after John’s money has been taken, he discovers that nothing has been done to cure him, and the whole setup, every last team member, was a conman. Peddling false hope like a poison placebo, John sees these monsters for what they are, and the engineer gets to work designing a fitting new game for those who have unknowingly volunteered their lives.

The stars of the show are undoubtedly Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith, who have reprised their roles with style and ease, developing their characters and backstory with more dramatic intensity and giving us more story on these mysterious game masters. Saw X feels the closest of all the installments to a dramatic film instead of a pain-based chamber piece, with a disposable cast of characters lacking personal histories. Kramer is empathetically portrayed by a patient, carefully emotional Bell; he is a dying man in pain putting his cunning to the test in order to exact justice. Seeing his joy at his perceived cure shattered my heart, as he tries to embrace life freely, and his rage is unparalleled when he finds there was never any hope of salvation. With Smith at his side, even more confident, committed, and caring as the budding prodigy Amanda, she puts on her finest performance of the series.

Dramatic achievements aside, this was a flawless reawakening of the series to invite new fans and give old fans the history they crave and the violence they expect. Jigsaw’s traps are perhaps his most menacing; even more torturous looking devices were created in his earlier days. Practical effects are masterful here, delivering gallons of blood and horrendous wounds. Fixtures like Billy the Puppet and the musical composition “Hello Zepp” make what is made to look like their feature debut, creating the ambience and drama we expect from Jigsaw. These games were not just designed as a lesson, but as an exercise in sacrifice, bloodshed, and agony – in order for one to call themselves a survivor. Saw X may start slowly but it’s like boiling a frog in water, its heat building to a blaze as we approach justice and satisfaction.

A long-awaited beginning, Saw X takes us closer to the players we love most, characters which have solidified the life of the series – which still has a strong pulse, all these years later. What this film says for the future of the franchise, I can’t say. But with positive reviews pouring in and a fandom that is ravenous from the bloodshed, I wouldn’t say Saw has necessarily reached its conclusion. While my sun sets to rise again, this was an experience I’d been waiting years for, and on a personal level, one that has arrived at a crucial moment in my life where time means everything. Savor every moment, choose your allies carefully and love them completely, and don’t resent the timer running for us all; there’s so much to be done, and you never know when the game could suddenly come to an end. My takeaway: live your life meaningfully; after all, we all have a choice.

Saw X (2023) is in cinemas now.

And Then Come the Nightjars (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

Bringing Broadway to the big screen, And Then Come the Nightjars is the screen adaptation of the multi-award-winning play from Bea Roberts. Based around two men over a period of years in rural England, facing the rise of disease in their cattle and difficult choices for both parties, this intimate drama centers around the relationship of two men trying to live vastly different, difficult lives. We get a close look into pastoral farm life and the struggles of modern agriculture as well as the opposing end, of the veterinarians assigned to care for, and sometimes cull, a farmer’s beloved animals. Written and adapted by Bea Roberts and directed by Paul Robinson, this film dedicated to the thousands of farmers that lost their livelihood is a glorious, vivid look at rural England and the tumultuous times faced in the region throughout the years.

Beginning in Essex, early 2001, there has been a resurgence of foot and mouth disease for the first time in three decades—and it’s spreading. We arrive on a bustling farm where Michael (David Fielder) is going about his routine. Arriving shortly after the day has begun, in a pink cowboy hat no less, and receiving a string of mostly friendly curse words is veterinarian Jeff (Nigel Hastings). Come to tend to his cattle, especially one that’s due to give birth, the two seem to have a healthy, happy connection. A twanging guitar and brilliantly lit stills of landscape and farm life give you a snapshot into the life with a rural soundtrack as the men banter, smoke and for Jeff, sometimes drink while they wait. We come to find Michael was recently widowed, but isn’t interested in speaking about it, turning from the conversation instead to the birdcalls, noting he’s never seen a nightjar, but he always hears them. Bad luck he calls them: the bird of death.

Talk goes to the culling happening in the country, everything farmers had to their name put up in smoke, but it’s all for precaution, Jeffrey assures. The discussion pointedly turns towards Jeffrey’s tumultuous marriage which he also seems keen on avoiding, realizing in the face of a widower he shouldn’t count himself unlucky. Michael opens up that illness suddenly claimed his love, and Jeffrey resorts back to their banter to bring up better memories, distracting from the pair’s collective sadness. Jeffrey takes this as his cue to leave, believing Michael can tend to the new calf. As he leaves Michael still doesn’t understand the purpose of the man’s visit, and believes it’s a sign of bad news, and a quiet Jeffrey can’t make any promises.

Another beautiful landscape fades into a radio broadcast informing residents that the government’s top officials believe this outbreak is worse than the last outbreak that plagued the country in 1967. A month has passed since we last saw our characters, and the government will be extending the policy of culling, that all animals within a three-kilometer radius of an infected farm will be slaughtered, and burned. Jeffrey arrives at Michael’s farm which has been taped off and has plenty of personnel standing by to cull. Brandishing a shotgun, the farmer tries to drive off the invaders threatening his herd, and Jeffrey steps in to try and comfort and reason with the man before the inevitable.

Cinematography and soundtrack blend seamlessly for a gorgeous look at the English countryside accompanied by a very rustic guitar, piano and string blend. While the dialogue can sometimes feel dense, and sometimes events can slow to a crawl, we focus almost exclusively on the interactions between the two men; the performances of the pair is a feat in itself. Fielder is every bit the foul-mouthed pensioner afraid to move forward and sad to look back, trapped in an industry that never seems to change, even as the culture around it shifts for selfies and subsidies instead of tours of the dairy worker’s farms. Jeffrey is an empathetic character as well, fighting a growing alcohol dependency and trying to stay connected to the community he works with; his portrayal as well as his chemistry with his co-star carry the film with their close ties. The sanctity of life itself, its beauty, as well as its friendships, is the focal point of this piece, whether it be the lives of the cows we slaughter or those that tend to them. This film is distinctly compassionate in its delivery, sometimes so you find yourself heartbroken.

Tender and sometimes barbaric, hopeful yet sometimes tragic, this is a truly human film that’s transferred the stage to the screen rather successfully. Reminding me sometimes of the theatrical achievements of The Banshees of Inisherin, this tale of friendship is tested repeatedly by loss and change. If you’re interested in a dramatic thriller with tour de force performances executed by their leads, this might be the intimate, dialogue driven film for you to sit down with. This emotional tale weaves through modern history, highlighting an often-forgotten industry and the individuals working in it, showing the evolution of not just culture but connection between people. If you’re feeling patient and want an expressive, historical piece to move you, And Then Come the Nightjars is a compelling journey of adjustment through the ages that has all the intimacy of a live theater performance, delivered adeptly for the silver screen.

And Then Come the Nightjars (2023) is available to view on major streaming platforms from October 2nd.

Everybody Dies by the End (2022)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

This film is another Warped first for me as I hadn’t seen a mockumentary before. The portmanteau, coined in the 60s, was popularized by director Rob Reiner in the 90s as he described the film This is Spinal Tap. I dove into the delightful Everybody Dies by the End for an engaging, critical look through a mockumentary lens at the creation of horror films and the caricature of the tortured director seeking his magnum opus in his final film. Ian Tripp pulls triple duty, writing, directing and starring alongside co-director Ryan Schafer, who also features in this film. The cast is ever-evolving and committed to their performances, giving a nuanced and believable presentation of showbusiness, fear, and the varying perspectives of members of the film industry. An interesting, often comic look at the inner workings of a movie and a race towards a director’s career high or his shameful exit, I was fully transported into this journey within the first minute of the film.

We arrive to a talk show where director Alfred Costella (Vinny Curran) is being interviewed by a wry, sharp-eyed host, sceptical of his films’ merits. The usual banter ensues about his latest piece, arguably his most successful to date, solidifying the director’s cult status in the community. Costella is animated and comical, giving vivid descriptions of how he wants his work to be perceived whilst expressing passion for the violence the genre demands. As the questions ratchet up in their intensity, and the host starts throwing curveballs and curt glances at the camera, we see Costella begin to come undone, facing backlash where he might have thought there was to be praise. In a tirade, Alfred melts down in an amazingly comical, mostly censored run of every curse word in the book, ending the show and potentially ending his career.

Sometime post interview disaster, we join a different filmmaker, Calvin (Ian Tripp) with his camera to dish some exciting news. He’s received a message from Alfred, looking aged and a bit haggard, announcing he’s making his final film: his masterpiece. He trusts Calvin’s eye to capture his vision and says he can bring along only one other member for a skeleton crew. Selecting his sound guy, Mark (Joshua Wyble) as his plus one, the two giddily prepare and dash off the next morning, footage already rolling, to meet Costella and the crew. The pair reach “Camp Costella” (which looks like an abandoned Mad Max set) where they meet Alfred’s cheerful, hugging personal assistant Grant (Brendan Cahalan) who is bubbling over at the duo’s arrival. He helps the two settle in and escorts them to Costella for their first meeting. The conversation is led by the foul-mouth, silken robe wearing director who is announcing his film “Everybody Dies by the End.” This is his supposed practical FX-based swansong, and he wants the whole thing memorialized through Calvin’s distinctive documentarian eyes.

When cast and crew arrive, the usual is done to prepare for a film: table readings, testimonials, and critical feedback are all present. Calvin’s lightly shaky camera (a favorite of found footage) makes things feel more familiar for the audience as we get close-ups on actors and directors and a feel for each portion of the process. Calvin captures their preparations and gets to know the actors more closely, prying away at their motives and inspirations to star in this particular film. Though cast, crew and documentarians seem comfortable enough, it’s Costello and his odd, obsessive or explosive habits that have people on edge the day before shooting begins.

Camerawork is executed flawlessly from the hazy television images of a past Costello, to the fresh webcams and ever-moving documentary lenses. There is no angle unexplored here as we try and expose the inner workings of movie magic; it makes for creative, intimate shots. Curren is a powerhouse of frenetic energy, neuroses, passion and crude language, delivering an explosive performance as Alfred and taking point so strongly that I sometimes forgot I’m watching through another cast member’s camera; he has commanding screen presence. He’s rounded out by a talented group though, as Tripp is just as convincing a documentarian, earnest, open, and interested in all the tiny moving pieces that make the monstrous movie. His chemistry with Curren is undeniable, making for sometimes tender moments among the chaos. Wyble, as well, carries his weight gracefully as the goofy but game best sound guy ever, Mark.

This film never feels stale or overwhelmed by tropes, and that makes it such a lovely entry into the genre. Directorial references to famous, controversial filmmakers are worked into the script and practical effects are utilized masterfully, as promised by Costella, and we get a bloody look into how movie murder gets created, potentially exposing some of the tricks of the industry as they display just how some of the sausage gets made. This was a hilarious and sometimes shocking look at filmmaking, created with awareness, experience and boatloads of humor that disarms you as they raise the stakes slowly, keeping you in the dark about just what might have you feeling nervous about what’s to come. There is far more being made here than just a magnum opus, but I won’t dare spoil the sinister surprises.

If you have the chance, have some laughs and horrified gasps at what Tripp and Schafer have created in this low budget, high value gem. If this is their feature debut, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them in the future as they develop and hopefully secure more funding; I can’t imagine the bloodbath that could have ensued with a Hollywood budget. That being said, I was completely charmed by this mock-doc and I feel so privileged that this was my first mockumentary review. Make sure the next film you see this season is a masterpiece; Costella’s sure his film is, and I might have to agree with him.

Final Summer (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

It’s a throwback to your days at summer camp as we turn back the clock to enjoy some nostalgic slasher fun with Final Summer (2023). With counselors dressed in cheerful shirts, picturesque forest views, and a camp that serves as a family legacy, this promises to be an eventful vacation. Following the urban legend of a masked figure that stalks the woods of a camp ground nightly, we find ourselves with a group of camp counselors grappling with a fight for their lives. Writer and director John Isberg pens a tribute to the heyday of slashers with his debut film, with references as clear as Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp, as well as some aspects and humor of modern slashers such as The Final Girls. Neatly shot and beautifully lit, this summer slasher will have plenty of familiar material from inspirations past, while making sure not to skimp on intense kills or well-used but entertaining scares.

We begin in the year 1986 at the Camp Silverlake Winter Retreat. Counselors are gathered around a campfire, listening to a tale of a blaze that raged back in the 70s. According to legend, a man named Warren Copper tried chopping down a tree to create a barrier, but the fire consumed him, which never appeared to stop the man as they claim to have only found his charred skeleton. In the ensuing years, locals say they’ve seen a figure with a skull for a head, wielding an axe, guarding the woods at night. They seem fond of the legend, delving into rumors of the mysterious figure’s past, connecting him to some local gossip wrapped into the lore. In a classic “Let’s split up” horror scene, two of the men are sent to fetch firewood in the dark, and one decides he’s going to head back to camp alone to check on the girls. Strange noises start to emerge from the forest. The solo counselor soon discovers his dead friend and the figure with the bat returns to bludgeon the remaining man to death, bringing us forward in time.

It seems tragedy is present in 1991 as well, as police have swarmed the camp and counselors wait to be questioned. Counselor Lexi (Jenna Kohn), gives her account of her discovery of a corpse. The woman taking her statement doesn’t seem moved by the death though, as this camp is her family legacy, and this could trouble its reputation. After questioning is over a hysterical man emerges from a building in tears, approaching an ambulance. It’s Warren Copper, groundskeeper and story inspiration, and it’s his son whose life was cut tragically short. His desperation and despair reminded me of the tragic scene in Pumpkinhead when Ed’s son is killed in a biking accident and is reminiscent of the old grizzled local contrasted with the young summer vacationers.

Counselors are called to a staff meeting where the woman who owns the camp announces it is to be sold to developers next week, as Camp Silverlake has been plagued by loss for some time. She tells the counselors to prepare the camp, and in the meantime, stay safe. The counselors all go about their separate business, gossiping, bickering, working, and coping. As the groups are off, we see at the administrative building, the camp’s owner hands off a file on Warren Copper to a man she deems a suitable leader for the time she’s away. The two wish each other luck, and within the pages of Warren’s thick file, we see the red flags of his past.

With references to keep trivia buffs busy for the duration, plenty of humor and false flags, and a sense of self awareness, this film may feel stale for some, but that’s only if you’re overlooking its purpose. I don’t believe Final Summer sets out to break the mold, but rather honor the many films before it that created this iconic slasher formula that fans are now so aware of. The cast is both convincing and game for the running, screaming and over the top action that this axe toting maniac requires, despite there being little character development amongst the group. With a small budget, this can’t deliver much in the way of practical effects so gore hounds will have to settle for the satisfaction of the kill and the doses of blood production could afford, as opposed to the typical spraying fountain wounds of slasher victims. When plans are finally laid bare, there aren’t too many surprises, but it’s also packed with very 80s slasher hallmarks. Though I’m sure it won’t defy certain expectations, this is a clean, fast-paced slasher that aims to salute the titans that came before it, and spin another clever campfire tale to keep you awake in your bunk.

Final Summer (2023) was released on 18th September 2023.

That’s a Wrap (2023)

Posted on by Gabby Foor

Colorful, bloody, campy and sometimes self-aware, That’s a Wrap is a vibrant slasher entry that pays homage to giallo style. Director Marcel Walz finds, perhaps, his most successful horror feature yet among his many offerings, with the help of writers Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas. The tale finds us at a film’s wrap party with no crew but the cast and director in attendance, and one special uninvited guest: a killer that’s donned the costume of the film’s villain, Mistress, staging stylish murders. Taking on full frontal brutality (and sometimes full-frontal nudity) with practical effects to leave your blood cold, this is very much a tribute to Hollywood horror and sometimes a mixed message about horror movies and the tropes and stereotypes that run rampant within the field. Often meta enough to defy clichés, other times delivering the muddled memo that they might be playing into tropes rather than mocking them, That’s a Wrap is a fun film for genre enthusiasts and fans looking for a tribute to the poppy bloodbaths of days gone by, with a score that would make any slasher from Halloween to Terrifier proud to hunt the night by.

We begin just prior to the wrap party with an actress preparing to depart her dressing room. She’s received a text that her night’s plans have been cancelled, so she heads out to her car, where she receives a very uncomfortable call from her manager. Startling her after the awkward call ends, a security guard checks in on her suddenly, and she informs him she’s just an actress on the film heading home. She sees when the guard departs, however, that a back door to the set has been left open, and leaves her car to investigate. Inside, she is the first to encounter the killer, dressed in a mask, wig, and costume left behind on set. The chase is excruciating but eventually, in a very cinematic kill with water pouring down upon the pair, the killer dispatches the poor woman slash after slash in heady red lights and torrential rain drops.

We flash forward to the party, where egomaniac, director and writer Mason Maestro (Robert Donovan) is watching his film… again. His wife Lily (Monique Parent), enters to ask about getting ready for the event, but obsessed with his work and himself, he dismisses her comments about the photographer arriving and settles in to watch the film just one more time. Arriving on the red carpet the photographer is capturing all the stars of the film with names popping up for every face. For the ladies we have actresses Amber (Gigi Gustin), Harper (Sarah French), Lana (Sarah Plednak), and Molly (Eve Marlowe). For the gentlemen we present Troy (Brandon Patricio), Stoney (Steve J. Owens), Carter (Ben Kaplan), and Jamie (Adam Bucci).

After the parade of actors is finished, Lily has an uncomfortable haggle with an overbearing photographer, before heading back to the party where Mason is giving a speech about the importance of cast and crew, especially its writer and director, obviously. The reason for the crew’s absence, apparently, is the movie was such a hit the crew was booked for a new gig in Minnesota. We find soon that attendees were not allowed to bring partners and have had their phones taken away. No leaks allowed. Mason finally gives thanks to someone other than himself, Harper, who apparently had the most physically demanding role, and thanks an actress absent from the party, Alexis (Cerina Vincent), referred to as “the film’s Drew Barrymore” as she is the first kill both in Mason’s film as well as in our opening scene, supposedly setting the tone. With this, Mason dims the lights to present the group with the teaser trailer. At the end of the trailer in a spoof jump scare, someone in the villain’s costume pretends to attack Mason, and both the party and the hunt is on.

The movie has some sharp moments of self-awareness and a cast of characters that fit into neat little archetypal boxes which occasionally takes away from character development, though some storylines, like Troy’s LGBT roots, can add dimension. The stereotypical stars present include the stoner, the final girl, the aging beauty, etc., all accounted for with tongue in cheek sensibilities that would make the Cabin in the Woods formula proud. Among the stereotypes and cannon fodder cast members in the killing frenzy is Monique Parent, delivering a grounded and graceful performance as the wise, elegant and underappreciated Lily. Sexuality on its own, and horror’s lurid use of the female form, is also up for debate. One of the characters apparently did a fully nude scene for the director, and also appears fully nude in this feature, offering up the additional details that she’s… done some favors to get parts in the past, if you get my meaning. The meta slips a bit here as the film presents this woman fully nude and in a very sexualized position, while saying she takes advantage of her sexuality, for no real reason driving the story. The film attempts to say women have the right and opportunity to use their bodies how they want, including nudity, but the onus here seems to be solely on the female participant with uncomfortable advances or intrusions made regularly towards the women, while the men seem to explore their sensuality more freely. This fits with the hallmark sexploitation that giallo boasts but it can’t help but feel slightly lopsided— and perhaps this is the intent to highlight how women have been portrayed in horror cinema.

Otherwise, this beautifully lit and creatively shot piece is a feast to watch. In true giallo fashion Walz paints the set red literally and figuratively, both with some imaginative, and sometimes comical, over the top kills and his deliberate, excellent choices of light with bursting red, purple and orange permeation. Cinematography and editing are creative, leaving the viewer with some interesting and extraordinarily artistic looking shots of brutality created with some bloody practical effects. References from Scream to Psycho were all present, with this film penning a love letter to genre breakthroughs from all decades with the retro stalker score to match. For slasher fans, I think this gory treat that plays with perspective might be a fun watch as you hunt for Easter eggs in the script and follow the trail of bodies left like breadcrumbs. Though it sometimes loses footing with its attempt at creating a meta narrative, it still delivers the homage and entertainment value of a modern slasher tribute. If you’re up for a film that takes horror’s sometimes by the books formulation and tears it wide open for you to look inside, have a look at That’s a Wrap, and see if you think it properly celebrates its many inspirations.

That’s a Wrap (2023) featured at this year’s FrightFest on August 25th and was released on digital platforms in the US on the same day.

FrightFest 2023: Failure!

Posted on by Gabby Foor

Ironically, Failure! is nothing short of a triumph. This film, captured miraculously all in one shot as opposed to several takes, is theater (with the added benefit of a sensational string score) in movie form. Directed and written by Alex Kahuam, the tale follows a man on the brink of financial ruin facing difficult or impossible choices every which way he turns. Surrounded by an ever-changing cast of characters, this movie – that feels so intimate – is truly a behemoth, with many moving pieces below its surface and many performers in the spotlight. Led by Ted Raimi who also helped produce the piece, this could be described more as a “three act play” than the traditional film you might expect from horror veteran Raimi, who actually has his roots in theater. A psychological drama or thriller depending how you view it as tensions and violence escalates, it leans heavily into the performers’ abilities and pushes cast members’ skills to the limit to get the perfect take—and I’d say it was worth it.

We start with our Prologue. In an expensive looking home we find James (Ted Raimi), trying to negotiate a personal loan with a bank employee. It’s too late for this line of credit though, as James is six months behind on another loan already and is facing foreclosure. He keeps his chin up and insists his prior history and his choice of banks should count in his favor, but this man is getting his last courtesy call. The bank makes it clear: pay is the only way. Four days is all he has to gather the money, and with that, he sees the woman to the door and faces the gravity of his situation with some good hard liquor. His voicemail is overflowing with angry messages from investors and partners, even some well-wishers who want to help, but James tears the cord out, sick of bad news. As he thinks out loud, another man appears, dressed in pajamas and a bathrobe. He tells James avoidance is pointless and a decision needs to be made. He is listed simply as “Unknown Man” (Noel Douglas Orput). His arrival is mysterious and looks to be a nuisance to James. The Unknown Man tells him to take a stand and claim what is his; as this pep talk wraps up, James’ ex-wife angrily calls regarding their daughter’s wedding and after she hangs up on him, the shouting outside begins.

Michael (John Paul Medrano) is furiously approaching the house demanding James speak to him. He urges James to make the smart decision regarding his business, and James invites him inside to avoid prying eyes. Offering Michael some liquor, James is surprised that Michael knows about the sale of the company. Michael uses this leverage to say he wants a loan, and on top of that, he says the sale is a betrayal to everyone that works for him. James has had it, and sits Michael down hard and exposes that he knows the man has been stealing for years. Countering this point, Michael says his father saved the company when James’ father nearly drowned it. Enough is enough and James strikes the man until he’s unconscious. He almost kills him, but the Unknown Man intervenes, insisting on restraint. Time to focus: we have a man to tie up, a daughter calling about wedding plans, and Chapter One: The Family, arriving.

James’ daughter informs him over the phone (as he’s dragging the unconscious man) that he should expect the groomsmen shortly for a fitting. Feeling the pressure as the group is set to arrive in mere minutes, they head to the closet to store their captive, which takes a comical amount of time, I was shocked he didn’t come to. Having duct-taped Michael up, James puts on his party face to greet his daughter Maria (Melissa Diaz) and the gentlemen’s half of the wedding party. It’s when this group enters that we see that no one else seems to acknowledge the Unknown Man except James. The group is led by the wildly unpleasant Junior (Spencer Langston), insistent that the men wear some horrendous festive garments that he designed himself. Junior’s father doesn’t have to wear the garment, but everyone in the party is expected to look ridiculous. Tensions spike as the group argues and they disperse to get refreshments. James takes this moment and speaks with his daughter, confiding in her the future of the factory and trying to play the dutiful father role, learning names as the boys try on the ill-fitting shirts. Unfortunately for James, one of the group members is headed for the restroom… the room right next to where Michael is being held hostage.

The film’s subsequent Chapter is entitled Greed, and I will say, this truly felt like a live experience. Shaky camera work lends itself to the live experience the way found footage cinematography feels closer to reality. This cerebral piece covers all its bases, injecting drama, comedy, and escalating doses of violence that leave you wondering where this could end. Characters cycle in and out in a frenzy and it’s a rush to keep up with names and faces as the unhappy masses of James’ inner circle pass through his home.

Raimi is in prime form and seems to have hit his theater stride, landing a convincing one shot take as lead and delivering a stellar, dynamic performance, with his shadow Orput never far behind with a snappy remark or wise reply. I can safely say this was a first for me as I’ve never seen film imitate theater in this way, unless in musical form. This delivery felt more raw and determined than if a one shot take wasn’t on the line, giving Raimi (who only had three weeks to learn the material, I hear), a tremendous task. Director and cast achieve synergy here, and create an eccentric little movie. If you’re looking for something completely out of the ordinary, which has a strong lead with a psychological burden being kept on a timer, try this powder keg of unpredictability and thrills created with confidence and creativity.

Failure! screened at FrightFest 2023.