Director - Mark J. Parker (Deathbrella, Dragged Beneath the Shadows)
Starring - Mike Pratt, Gavin Damian-Loring (Johny, The Most Precious Thing), and Olivia Barberian (The Parody News Network, Your Last Summer: A Fan Film)
Release Date - 2023
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Some actors would kill for this opportunity"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I was lucky enough to watch several amazing shorts during my October horror binge and while I liked them all, some were most definitely better than others. One of the shorts that was sent my way was Mark J. Parker's Casting Kill. The poster he sent along with it sold me on the film and I quickly added it to my month long horror binge. I want to take a moment to thank Mark for sending this one over!
The film follows a casting agency working on a new project when someone enters the building and starts murdering everyone he crosses paths with.
I went into this short thinking I knew what it was about based on the title. I was wrong. The title does appropriately represent the film but in my mind I was picturing a casting director or director killing the cast for a snuff film. However, what we actually got was still enjoyable. The acting in this one is fairly well done. The cast has some experience while others have very little. No one delivers a bad performance but you can see some inexperience from time to time. I really liked the characters and how they are all representatives of what you would find in an actual casting firm. The story for this one is straight forward and something that could easily happen. A man who was once cast in a project was told the project was no longer happening. Distraught, he attacks the firm for revenge. Pretty straight forward story that works. It doesn't have any playback value and it's not the most memorable film but it's fun for a first time viewing. Finally, the film has some blood and some stab wounds with minimal effects but that is the extent of it. They do work for the film and how the story is told but it's not something the hardcore gorehounds would appreciate. Overall, Casting Kill is a solid indie short that has a strong cast and decent story. It works very well as a short and doesn't overstay it's welcome. Check it out.
Director - Brian Dorton (Trashology, Crazy Fat Ethel)
Starring - Lynn Lowry (Shivers, The Crazies), Scarlett Freeman (An Extremely Uncommon Set of Circumstances, All That Remains), and Lucas Dunaway (They See You, Wolf Hollow)
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror/Comedy
Tagline - "Nothing can prepare you for the terror in the..."
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
It's been awhile since I've been able to review a hixploitation horror flick. I have reviewed several over the years but it's been a year or so since my last hixploitation flick and, honestly, we need more. A few weeks back director Brian Dorton, who brought us the fantastic remake of Crazy Fat Ethel, messages the Horror Society Facebook page to see if we could review his newest film Early Morning Calm, which stars legend Lynn Lowry. I quickly agreed to it and added it to my watch list. Sadly, I wasn't able to get it in during my October horror binge but it's better late than never. I would like to thank Brian for sending this one over!
The film follows a father, his daughter, and his mother as they make the trip to his late father's favorite lake to spread his ashes. However, they have car issues on the backroads to the lake and are forced to stop. When they try to find help or someone to fix their car they accidentally come across a cannibal family who would love to have them over for dinner.
I've reviewed several films from Brian over the years and he has always impressed me. Many years ago I befriended the folks over at Olive Films who was releasing several of Brian's films on Blu at the time. I fell in love with Trashology and found Brian on social media where I added him to keep up with his future projects. Since then I've reviewed a great deal of his films and look forward to every project he announces. I was super excited when he dropped news of Early Morning Calm and I was even more excited when he revealed that living legend Lynn Lowry would be starring in it. When I finally got to watch it I was a bit underwhelmed by it but there was a few moments I enjoyed. The acting in this one is solid but very inconsistent. Lynn does a solid job and shows that she has decades of experience in front of the camera. However, there is scenes meant to be funny but they couldn't find their footing. I wanted to laugh at these scenes but the comedic timing just wasn't right. The rest of the cast is just as solid but we do have several scenes with awkward dialogue and one dimensional performances. I don't know if they were rushed or or inexperienced but some of the scenes were not as well acted as others. The story for this one is one we've seen many times before. People traveling through rural America, or Appalachia, and find themselves lost, stranded, or both only to fall victim to a cannibal family is something that has went back to the late 60s. Hell, some can even argue that films like Spider Baby may have inspired it while movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Wrong Turn brought similar stories to pop culture status. Regardless, I love these types of stories and could have loved Early Morning Calm if it was a more traditional horror film. However, the humor is out of place and a lot of the dialogue feels forced. This brought the pacing of the film down drastically and made several of the scenes difficult to finish. Finally, this one has some fun and kills you would expect from a story like this but if you are looking for memorable deaths and a lot of gore then you will be disappointed. The deaths work for the film and can be fun if you are a fan of indie horror. However, if you are expecting deranged deaths and buckets of guts then you are watching the wrong film. Overall, Early Morning Calm has a great cast and a story I could really get behind but it struggles with it's own identity. The humor is extremely out of place and the lack of memorable deaths makes this one a miss for me. I seriously wanted to like it due to how phenomenal Brian is as a filmmaker but it's clear this film was not meant for me.
Starring - Celia Au (Asian Persuasion, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens), Chris Day (Wish Man, The Hunt with John Walsh), and Matthew Del Negro (American Horror Stories, Teen Wolf)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Horror
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
My Dark Red Film Festival marathon continues with another horror short that was sent my way with this years selections. I just finished the 2023 Spanish horror short Baba and wanted to keep the marathon going so I decided to fire up the 2018 horror short Black Dragon from filmmaker Alex Thompson. Like always, I want to thank the fine folks behind Dark Red Film Festival for sending this one my way.
The film follows a group of soldiers in Vietnam who just captured a young woman. However, this is no regular woman. This female prisoner of war is able to bring the dead back to life. They decide to use her power to bring a fellow soldier back after seeing her resurrect a dead rat. However, doing so doesn't miraculously heal their wounds and the dead soldier is brought back in excruciating pain.
Black Dragon is one that really caught me off guard. The poster and title had me thinking it was going to go in one direction but it did not. Instead, it was something completely different but it works. It does fall prey to Short Syndrome but that's a good problem to have. The acting in this one is great. It's not a dialogue heavy film. In fact, the silence in this one speaks louder than the words. The cast does a phenomenal job at conveying their emotions and keeping it grounded. It doesn't feel overdramatic or cheesy. Everyone has their own specific job to do and they did it. The story for this one is very well written. A prisoner of war with the power to bring the dead back to life is pretty interesting especially when you consider the shape of the dead bodies found during wartime. However, I need more than what we were given. Who is the woman, who was the dead soldier, how did she get captured? I have so many questions that will never be answered. Finally, the film has some impressive visual effects and some make-up effects but those looking for serious gore will be disappointed. Overall, Black Dragon is a a great short with an amazing story but I need more. The story is just too rich to contain in a short. Check it out if you can and be like me wanting more!
Starring - Carolina Castellano (The Ministry of Time, Love in Difficult Times), Lucia Hoyos (Mambo, Down There), and Alvaro Ramos Toajas (Inspector Sun)
Release Date - 2023
Genre - Horror/Fantasy
Tagline - "A short film by Pablo Otero"
Rating (out of 5):
I've still got a handful of shorts left to review from the Dark Red Film Festival. I recently marathoned several of their films but I decided to take a break from them after I had watched three or four of them. I decided to get back into them after watching a few feature length films. The first in this marathon was 2023's Baba from director Pablo Otero.
The film follows a young woman who returns to her childhood playhouse in the woods to see her imaginary friend. They do a little reconnecting and that's when her talking rabbit notices the blood on her hands. He knows she did something horrible but before he can find out the police arrive to arrest her.
Baba is not a gory short with a story that will leave your squirming in you seat. In fact, it's the exact opposite of that. It's a film that relies heavily on character development and story which it has. It's a fantastic short but it's another one that leaves me with more questions than answers. The acting in this one is great. The film's lead is acting out her entire scene with an imaginary puppet that is visually added. I don't know if someone was filmed in place and green screened out for the rabbit or she was talking to someone not there the entire time. Either way, she does a phenomenal job and I would be even more impressed if she delivered her dialogue with no one there. The story for this one is a solid psychological thriller that makes you think the film is going one way but, instead, it goes in a completely different direction. It wants you to think it's a sweet film about a woman rekindling her friendship with her imaginary friend but it's not. With that being said, I have so many questions. The most obvious is what lead to the bloody hands and the police after her, what was the body count, and did her imaginary friend and childhood lead to the murder/murders? While it is a fantastic short, I feel this story could have been stretched a lot longer than it actually was. Finally, if you are looking for amazing gore and great practical effects then you will be very disappointed. The film does showcase some visual effects with the rabbit. I liked the look of it in all honesty but I don't think it will age well. Overall, Baba is a great short but does struggle from short blindness. There is so much left to tell with this story which it doesn't really do as a short. Regardless, it's still a fun watch so check it out!
Director - Jacob Ennis (Red River, Kill Granny Kill)
Starring - Heather Harlow (Curse of the Weredeer, Psycho Ape Part II: The Wrath of Kong), Kayla Perkins (Wicked Ones, Clown Nightmare), and Dixie Gers (Crazy Fat Ethel, Bigfoot Exorcist)
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "The end is just the beginning"
Format - Streaming (Tubi)
Rating (out of 5):
I've seen so many Halloween movies during my life and a lot of them are easily forgettable. While I do have favorites like The Midnight Hour, Night of the Demons, Double Double Toil and Trouble, Trick 'r Treat, Hack O' Lantern, and a few more, there is dozens, if not hundreds, more that are centered around Halloween but are not worth your time. I'll be completely honest here, I absolutely love Halloween but I don't get excited for Halloween horror flicks anymore. Too many have let me down over the years so unless it's something I truly want to see then I usually skip them. However, a few days ago a new Halloween flick was brought to my attention when actress and director Dixie Gers announced that The Town Without Halloween was streaming on Tubi. I've been a fan of Gers for sometime and decided to added it to my Halloween viewing. I'm glad I did because it was actually a lot of fun.
The film follows a small town with a mayor who plans on stopping Halloween completely. He is working with an evil presence and once he can channel the power of Halloween he will become unstoppable. He uses a special elixir to brainwash some of the townspeople to accomplish his sinister plan while turning a select few into tiny creatures to do his bidding. Stuck in the middle of all this is a group of kids who want nothing more than to celebrate their favorite holiday and score some candy.
The Town Without Halloween only caught my attention because Dixie Gers was attached to it. The title and artwork did nothing for me. However, the film is actually really fucking good. I knew very little about it going into it and was very surprised by the overall film and I could see myself revisiting it every October. The acting in this one is very well done. The entire cast delivers exceptional performances. The film has a lot of great characters that are very memorable and enjoyable to watch but it's the film's young cast that makes it stand out. I've been fortunate enough to review a few films recently that does feature a young cast and a lot of time their age and inexperience hinders them. That is not the case for this film. This young cast demonstrates a lot of natural talent and I will not be surprised if I see their names appear in another genre film in the future. The story for this one is not what I was expecting when I saw the title and film's artwork. The movie has so much going on and while the title is related to the story, it doesn't do it any justice. I absolutely love the occult angle and when you toss in the little monsters like this one did then you have me hooked. Personally, I feel like these little delights didn't didn't get enough screen time and could have been a bigger part of the story. Regardless, I like the flow of the film and the story but some of the scenes felt out of place. I don't know if that was a result of editing or if some parts of the story had to be cut due to budget. Finally, the film has a lot of practical effects but those looking for gore and a lot of carnage will be very disappointed. We do get some make-up effects along with some fun looking puppets. While they are stiff and don't show a lot of motion, I still enjoyed them and hope that if we get a sequel they are updated. However, the lack of death scenes was a bit of a disappointment. While the film is clearly being aimed at children and as family friendly, but some fun deaths would have knocked it over the top. Overall, The Town Without Halloween isn't going to be for everyone. However, fans of shows like Eerie, Indiana and Big Wolf on Campus will appreciate this light hearted horror. Check it out.
Starring - Chelsea Jurkiewicz (The Seeding, Trim Season), Tanner Gillman (Faith of Angels, The Best of Studio C), and Colin Cunningham (He Never Left, Blood Drive)
Release Date - 2022
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "This Halloween an ancient Irish curse will awaken"
Format - Streaming (Tubi)
Rating (out of 5):
Horror movies set during Halloween are a dime a dozen and every year I see several more hit store shelves and streaming services. Honestly, it's exhausting trying to keep up with every Halloween horror movie there is so I don't even try to anymore. If something catches my eye I will check it out but it's impossible to try to watch all these during the holiday season. However, some films are released and they immediately catch my eye. One such film is Rob York's Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween. I've seen this one floating around on social media for sometime and when I spotted it on Tubi I quickly added it to my October horror binge.
The film follows a young delivery food driver who is trying to save up some cash while earning her father's respect. However, her neighbor is a bit odd and it has caused friction between her and her father. Her neighbor is an elderly man that often orders food, has her open the containers on the porch, and then refuses to tip. She confronts him about it and when she goes back the next day to apologize she finds him dead. She soon starts to see something sinister near her home and involves her friend who are skeptical at first but overtime start seeing the same thing. They start researching the old man and discover he was Irish and may have been ordering the food to keep an Irish spirit at bay and she may be closer to her neighbor than she realized.
Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween is absolutely nothing like I was expecting but it the kind of film I like to watch as Halloween approaches. I love horror and no one can argue that. I've spent my entire adult life covering horror, especially indie horror, and I don't see myself slowing down anytime soon. However, as Halloween draws near I often want to watch Halloween films. They don't always have to be horror and some of the best Halloween films are often aimed at children or made for television. My go to Halloween films are usually WNUF Halloween Special, The Midnight Hour, Halloweentown, Double Double Toil and Trouble, and Under Wraps. Sure, they are not necessarily horror films but they are a lot of fun and truly embody the spirit of Halloween. Curse of Crom is ALMOST that kind of film. It is a bit darker than those films I previously mentioned but it is family friendly, has great atmosphere, but doesn't really feel like a Halloween film. It doesn't make it a bad film, because it's not, but it might not be the new additional to my 10/31 rotation that I had hoped for. The acting in this one is fantastic. This young cast does one hell of a job at bringing their characters to life and delivering what I would consider genuine performances. The dialogue is heartfelt and down to Earth through most of the film and their interactions with one another is very natural. The cast may be young, but they absolutely kill it. The story for this one reminds me a lot of the supernatural shows I watched growing up but with an Irish twist. I grew up with a heavy dose of shows like Eerie, Indiana, Big Wolf on Campus, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Goosebumps. More modern genre fans may be quick to compare it to Stranger Things, and they would be right to do so, because the show and this film feature a younger cast fighting a supernatural presence except with this film there is no body count. It has great pacing and the story development runs the entire process of the film. I also really liked the mystery aspect of the film and how you can never fully know where the story is going to take you until you get to the destination. It's not one that is easily predictable and the viewer can clearly see how much time went into writing it. With all that being said, I would have loved to have a bit more of the Halloween aesthetic. If the Halloween part of the title was removed then the viewer would have no clue it was centered around Halloween. Finally, the film has a fun looking creature and a lot of tension but zero blood. It's not a violent film with a body count. Instead, it's a story rich film that focuses more on the characters than the gore. Overall, Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween is a fun watch especially if you are looking for something on the lighter side of the genre. While it's not violent or the most Halloween looking film, it was still a lot of fun. I highly recommend checking this one out on Tubi before it's pulled. Check it out.
Director(s) - Robert D. Parham (Mad as Hell, The Hanged Man) and Rene Margary (Love Code)
Starring - Elise Hollywood Evans (Snow Black, Everyday Amazing with Sky Alton), Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Escape from Death Block 13, Dead Man Rising), and Gary Turner (Reanimation Team, Jackson Bolt)
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "They will bug you to death"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I don't think Cocaine Bear realized that they would be creating one of the most popular trends in indie cinema when it was released several years back. I've been a fan of the wild "when nature attacks" films for as long as I remember going all the way back to films like Night of the Lepus and The Birds. When you mix these random animals with illegal drugs then you are sitting on a movie idea that I have to see. While Cocaine Bear is not the first drug fueled killer animal I've seen, it did spawn so many other films like it. So far I've been lucky enough to see Crackcoon, Cocaine Shark, Cocaine Cougar, Cocaine Crabs from Outer Space and now Cocaine Roach. While I was preparing for my review of Crackcoon I came across the imdb page for Cocaine Roach. I quickly searched for co-director Robert Parham on social media so I could track down a copy of the film for review. He was kind enough to send over a review link and I added it to my October horror binge. I want to thank Robert for allowing Horror Society and myself the opportunity to check it out!
The film follows two slackers who are tasked with doing a coke drop off for their drug dealer. A simple transaction turns deadly when the trap house they are meeting their handler happens to be the home of cocaine addicted roaches who will stop at nothing to get their next fix.
I knew absolutely nothing, and I mean, nothing about Cocaine Roach aside from the title. I didn't watch the trailer, read the synopsis, or look at reviews of the film prior to watching it. My only look into the film was what could be seen on the poster. I'm glad I went into this one blind because nothing could have prepared me for the film I was about to witness. The acting in this one is very inconsistent but I fucking loved it. The film has a lot of colorful characters that really stand out. Their personalities are bold and memorable with the cast really going all in for the scene. However, some have inexperience and it shows. While they are fully dedicated to their performances, their dialogue and so on is a bit awkward and stiff. The story for this one combines LGBTQ+, crime, and the cocaine crazed animal/insects craze that we expected. While the crime and cocaine roaches were expected, I was not expecting the film to have the drag presence that it does. Don't get me wrong, this was fantastic and very welcomed coming from a genre fan who grew up on John Waters and To Wong Fo. However, not all of it really meshes well. Personally, I wish the film focused more on the drug dealer and the other drag queen/trans characters as they fight for their lives. Instead, we get them in segments that break up the actual story, whether it be movie clips or television show episodes, that feature these characters and serve very little purpose. All it does is add to the film's run time and destroy the pacing. The film is too chaotic with all of this together. Finally, the film has a lot of visual effects that are not that impressive. While the film's budget does dictate the effects, I feel this one would have benefited from having plastic roaches on strings or sticks instead of the visual effects we get. Also, I wish the film was a little more bloody. It's not violent and those looking for a body count will be very disappointed. Overall, Cocaine Roaches was n interesting idea but the execution is a bit off. The movie struggles with it's own identity and at the end of the day the film missed it's mark. I seriously wanted to love it but I couldn't get into it.
My Dark Red Film Festival marathon is moving along with my fourth short so far and this time it comes from India. I haven't reviewed a lot of films from India over the years but I am very familiar with it especially the Bollywood horror efforts and not to forget that one of my favorite zombie films, The Dead 2, takes place in India. I knew this wasn't going to be like either of those that I previously mentioned and that actually excited me. A straight forward horror film from India was something I didn't realize I needed. Before I jump into my review for Another Short Film About Killing from director Andrews Dev Clarson, I want to thank the Dark Red Film Festival for sending this one over.
The film follows an old man who is a shut in with his dog. However, one day his dog gets ahold of a kitten and kills it. The kitten's teenage owner is devasted by the loss of his kitten and sets out for revenge with bloody results.
Another Short Film About Killing is nothing like I was expecting and I loved that. The film is more of a dark thriller with a lot of blood and I'm completely fine with that. It was very rich with story and character development while still keeping the run time very short. The acting in this one is great which is surprising when you consider how little dialogue is actually spoken. One of the many reasons this was an effective short is because even though there is a language barrier, the dialogue is such a small part of the film. Instead, we are given silent performances where the cast showcases emotions through their facial expressions and actions. It's a fantastic cast and this works very well at helping the viewer follow without following subtitles closely. The story for this one is was nothing like I was expecting. From looking at the poster and title I was expecting a film where a child murdered meets an actual murderous child. Instead, the story we get is full of character development which I really enjoy. While I would have loved a definitive ending, the open ending we do get works for the way the film was shot. Finally, the film has a lot of blood during the end. It's not a gory flick but the "death" is done in such a way that you really absorb the violence without seeing it. It was a beautiful shot and that scene will stick with you for days after watching it. Overall, Another Short Film About Killing is a well done genre short that doesn't have a body count but has a lot of passion behind it. It's so well put together and the cast is fantastic. I highly recommend this one.
Starring - Amy Puente (Better Call Saul, Open Range), Evelyn Coffing (Wretched, The Night Shift), and Gavin Bohn
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Keep the lights on"
Format - Streaming (online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I've found myself in the middle of a Dark Red Film Festival marathon and I'm honestly enjoying it. I just finished watching and reviewing the fantastic 1 Star Review and kept the marathon going with the second film send to me from Dark Red. This film is a mystery to me as I can't find any info on it outside of what the poster had to say. Apparently, it's directed by William Frankenstein for Video Vermin along with the cast listed. That's all I can find on this which made me even more interested in it. I want to once again thank Dark Red for sending this one over.
The film follows a young woman who is cleaning up the belongings of a loved one when she comes across some old recordings. She watches them and learns that her disappearance may be something nefarious and sets out to find her.
I went into this one knowing absolutely nothing about it aside from the director being a Mary Shelley fan. However, the short wasn't for me. I loved the look of the short and the cast but the story itself just didn't cut it. It was missing something that maybe a feature length film could have given us. The acting in this one is very well done. The cast is extremely small and has no weak links. They do a great job creating characters that don't blend into the background while carrying the story. The dialogue feels natural and not stiff which makes it so much easier to follow. The story for this one is where the film lost me. The basic premise follows a young woman looking into the disappearance of a loved one. It's somewhat unclear as to the relationship of the two but it's clear they loved each other. Some random home videos gives her a glimpse into her disappearance and when she finds her she realizes they both are in danger. What we have is a story that has a lot of potential but doesn't give it enough time to fully tell the story. It doesn't really work as a short as I had more questions than answers. Finally, it's not a short with a body count or gore. However, if you are looking for something that is beautifully shot then you are in luck. Overall, Angler just didn't do it for me. I wanted to like it but it but it failed to find it's traction. Given a longer run time then we may have been onto something.
Director - John Ferrer (Trial 22, The Milk Situation)
Starring - Judah Abraham-Silas, Charlie Clee (The Private, World's Most Evil Killers), and Peter Dombi (The Flowerman, The Queue)
Release Date - 2024
Genre - Horror
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
I may have bit off more than I can chew with my month long horror binge. Right as the month began I was approached by Dark Red Film Fest to review their current selection of films for their film fest. I was reluctant at first but decided to add them to my watch list. I was expecting a few films but I had no idea there would be as many as they actually had. After watching a few films it was time to dig into a few of their official selections. The first one on the chopping block was 1 Star Review. While the title did not stir up any excitement, the short itself really packed a punch. I want to thank Dark Red for reaching out to me to check this one out.
The film follows a chef who invited a woman to his restaurant late at night to try one of his dishes. Unbeknownst to her, he holds a grudge against those that give him poor reviews and she had given him one sometime ago.
1 Star Review is one of the few films that really embodies it's title. Not that it deserves a 1 star, because it doesn't, but because the premise of this short is summed up perfectly by it. Honestly, I can't believe we haven't seen a thriller or horror film in this modern era of Yelp, Google Reviews, and so on. It's a great idea and works so well as a short. The acting in this one is fantastic. The entire cast shines regardless if you are the chef killing people with poor taste or a helpless victim. It's a great cast and everyone pulls their weight, so to speak. The story for this one is a lot of fun and works so well as a short. The film runs for less than 10 minutes but in that time we get some character development and a body count. While it does make great use of it's time, it would not be as effective as it is if the run time was to be extended. Finally, the film has some blood and a few deaths require you to use your imagination but it all works together to create an effective horror short. While I would have loved some gore, it doesn't necessarily need it to be good. Overall, 1 Star Review is a well made short that really scratches an itch I didn't know I had. While most shorts could easily be expanded upon and turned into a feature, this one is damn near perfect as a short and would be spread too thin if stretched to a feature run time. Check it out.
