213 BONES is a new Whodunnit Horror Movie with a mean Slasher streak. Also, it’s strangely charming thanks to both its characters and overall vibe. Screening at FrightFest, where I imagine the audience will have a blast with it. Read our full 213 Bones movie review here!

213 BONES is a new Horror Movie with a slasher vibe and a whodunnit plot. It takes place in the 1990s and features lots of pop culture references for that decade. And with the current retro love of the decade, it feels eerily fresh.

Admittedly, I guessed the killer from the first time this character was introduced. However, the how and why of everything remained to be seen, so I still had fun with the whole discovery. The runtime is just 85 minutes.

Continue reading our 213 Bones movie review below. The movie will have its World Premiere at FrightFest 2025 on August 24, 2025.

Anthropology students on the case

With 213 Bones, we’re meeting a group of anthropology students just as they’re about to embark on a group assignment. Their teacher is surprisingly kind and wants to truly engage his students, so he has set up something extraordinary.

Well, okay, it does go beyond what he intended, but his intentions are good.

For their assignment, the students (fewer than 10 of them) are sent to look at some bones in another lab on campus. They need to take pictures, write down anything of note, and recognize what happened to the apparent victim.

WAIT, HOW MANY BONES ARE IN THE HUMAN BODY?

The answer is usually 206 bones, but in this movie the answer given is “up to 213 bones” which explains the title. Want to know more? Head over here >

Also, there will be bones from other creatures, and they get extra points for recognizing those. If I seem a little excited about this assignment, it’s because I think it’s absolutely brilliant.

Sign me up!

This is a forensic anthropology class, so the assignment is perfect.

Of course, more actual human bones start showing up, and then the students start dying one by one, so things take a wild turn early on. In fact, they are clearly targeted and die violent, bloody deaths, making the class much less appealing.

Once they started dying, I no longer wanted to do the assignment, but up until that point, I was like: Sign me up!

We also see the masked maniac (The Grunge Monster) targeting the forensic anthropology students, so we know that a serial killer is on the loose. Actually, we see the serial killer attack for the first time two years earlier.

To survive this group assignment, they need to figure out who the killer is. Not of those plastic bones in the lab on campus, but the identity of the killer targeting them.

Helping them are Sheriff Bracco, Laurie, who is the County Coroner, and their teacher, Kelly. Will they figure it out before their entire group has been slain?!

Welcome to the 1990s West Coast

213 Bones has a story that plays out in and around a college in the state of Washington in the 1990s. This means lots of 1990s outfits of the grunge variety, so pretty much what the kids are wearing today, as the 1990s fashion is trendy again.

Also, this horror slasher has lots of amazing music from the 1990s, so I was having a blast with this movie for that reason alone.

From Seattle icons Soundgarden & Mudhoney to iconic tracks from Duran Duran, Bananarama, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Meat Puppets, and more.

The cast of 213 Bones features actors I may recognize, but most haven’t had starring roles yet.

The movie stars Luna Fujimoto, Hunter Nance, Colin Egglesfield, Sarah Brooks (Girl on the Third Floor), Toni Weiss, Allegra Sweeney, Dean Cameron (Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project) & Liam Woodrum (Based on a True Story).

For the record, Liam Woodrum looks so much like a child of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis. He looks like a male version of their daughters… and has great hair to boot. I can’t wait to see him in more genre films. He was charming and funny.

World Premiere of 213 Bones is at FrightFest 2025

213 Bones was directed and co-written by Jeffrey Primm, who also has a cameo in the movie. Sadly, the movie is also dedicated to him, as he passed away before this movie (his debut) could enjoy its world premiere in London.

That’s a real sad note to end on, and for me, it came just as I was trying to work out why I enjoyed it so much. It isn’t all that innovative or has the best production quality overall, but it is very well-made and strangely charming.

Yes, 213 Bones is a horror movie, a whodunnit, even a slasher, but also a very charming movie – both thanks to its characters and the overall vibe. Somehow, it feels very Canadian.

And yes, that’s a compliment to both the movie and Canada. And to the late Jeff Primm, who made this movie along with co-writer Dominic Arcelin. For the record, this is a U.S. production, shot in part at Eastern Washington University.

We’re reviewing this as part of our FrightFest coverage, but from a distance, as we couldn’t be there in person. I can imagine the audience loved this one.

World Premiere of 213 Bones is at FrightFest 2025 on August 24, 2025.

Details

Director: Jeffrey Primm
Writers: Dominic Arcelin, Jeffrey Primm
Stars: Luna Fujimoto, Hunter Nance, Colin Egglesfield, Dean Cameron, Liam Woodrum

Plot

College students are brutally murdered by a gruesomely masked attacker. It is left to Sherriff Bracco, Laurie the County Coroner and their teacher, Kelly, to find out who the real bone crunching murderer is.

ITCH! is a new zombie survival horror movie featuring a small cast and a low-budget production but made with plenty of heart. And yes, you are bound to end up scratching yourself when watching this one. Read our full Itch! movie review here!

ITCH! is a horror movie featuring a zombie virus outbreak, which leads to it becoming a survival movie. As indicated by the title, feeling itchy is a huge part of this storyline. And yes, you can expect that you’ll feel an overwhelming need to scratch that itch.

I certainly wasn’t able to watch people scratching for long without feeling itchy all over. It’s like when people just mention lice and your head starts itching. Somehow, it’s contagious. Not unlike the zombie virus that causes you to scratch yourself bloody in this zombie horror movie.

Continue reading our Itch! movie review below. The movie recently premiered at the NY film festival Dances With Films.

Scratch yourself to death and then reanimate

In the world of Itch! a new virus has taken a hold on our world. Or actually, we’re experiencing it all in real-time and the outbreak of this itchy virus is fast. The virus known as “The Itch” (for obvious reasons) spreads like wildfire.

Those infected become frenzied, self-destructive versions of themselves as they itch and scratch themselves – and anyone nearby – to death.

Jay (writer and director Bari Kang) is a widower grappling with grief in a very bad way as his daughter – who hasn’t spoken since her mom passed – just needs him around. In many ways, Jay is already a shell of his own self. And now a virus threatens to take away what’s left.

With his daughter, he seeks refuge in the store he runs with his family. Unfortunately, this isn’t the sanctuary he hoped for, so before the virus can get to them, another tragedy strikes. Now, a small group of mostly strangers must band together to keep the virus out, so they can remain safe.

A gritty old-school horror itch

Itch! is made in a deliciously gritty way that feels like a heartfelt and honest tribute to horror movies of decades past. We’re talking about the 1970s especially. And this doesn’t feel like a cheap ploy, but rather a style and vibe chosen because it works for this story.

However, some appropriate nods to other classic survival and/or zombie movies are also obvious. Especially The Mist (due to the refuge in a store) and 28 Days Later via the crazy way the infected act. Mostly, George A. Romero’s iconic 1978 zombie movie Dawn of the Dead is an obvious reference.

And no, Itch! is not set in the 1970s. Itch! is in the present as seen by the use of smartphones. However, the special effects and gritty images will remind you of classic horror movies where practical effects were at the forefront.

For a zombie movie where people scratch themselves bloody, this works perfectly.

Watch ITCH! as soon as you can!

Writer-director Bari Kang, who also stars in the movie, offers a fresh yet extremely brutal take on both the classic zombie and survival horror movie. The movie enjoyed its World Premiere at Dances With Films in New York, which feels only appropriate for the story.

Also, the inspiration for this movie came from the writer-directors own experience at his family’s discount store. One featuring a wild customer acting erratic. I can easily see how that would inspire the events portrayed in this zombie horror movie.

Itch! will probably continue to screen at various film festivals, so keep your eye out for any screenings near you, to check it out. Along with Bari Kang, the movie also stars Olivia Kang, Patrick Michael Valley, Ximena Uribe Vargas, and Maria Ventura Lucas.

The movie does run a bit too long for my liking, which is why the overall rating isn’t higher. However, it’s still a movie we recommend checking out.

ITCH! premiered at Dancing With Films in New York on December 7, 2024.

Details

Writer & Director: Bari Kang
Cast: Bari Kang, Olivia Kang, Patrick Michael Valley, Ximena Uribe Vargas, Maria Ventura Lucas

Plot

Amid a mysterious deadly outbreak called the ITCH! A widower and his estranged young daughter take sanctuary in a department store, only to realize the real terror is inside with them.

THE REBRAND is a queer horror-comedy found footage mockumentary. It deals with cancel culture and influencers gone wild. It’s deliciously wacky and even quite scary at times. Read our full The Rebrand (2024) movie review here!

THE REBRAND is a new horror-comedy with queer main characters and lots of tongue-in-cheek dark comedy. Actually, it’s not so much about LGBTQ+ people but rather about the world of influencers and their risk of getting into trouble.

This is made as a found footage mockumentary, which gives it a nice twist. One that tends to make it feel more personal and downright terrifying at times. We follow the photographer from start to finish and she goes through quite an ordeal. Also, the runtime is just 78 minutes, which is good.

Continue reading our The Rebrand (2024) movie review below. It’s currently playing at film festivals worldwide.

A sick and wild power dynamic

In The Rebrand, we follow the two queer influencers trying to make a comeback after an unfortunate event that resulted in them being canceled. Of course, the recipe for a comeback is a documentary about their next step in life.

To help document this, we have the very pregnant videographer Nicole (Naomi Silver-Vézina), who is in dire need of making as much money as possible to keep her apartment.

She goes to their home, which is a cabin in the woods (yeah, I know!), to document the “redemption” of this lesbian influencer couple. Their names are Thistle (Nancy Webb) and Blaire (Andi E. McQueen), but they have an agenda that slowly starts rearing its sinister head.

WANT MORE HORROR WITH LGBTQ+ CHARACTERS?

Be sure to check out our LGBTQ-tag here >

Nicole does her best to navigate the unsettling and very unhealthy dynamic between the two influencers. One is the psychotic content-queen Thistle (Nancy Webb) while the other is her codependent, heartthrob financée Blaire (Andi E McQueen).

Watching this story unfold really is like watching a trainwreck.

You can see the danger, but simply have to sit back and let it happen. Such is the nature of the “fly-on-the-wall” documentary style used to explore the toxic relationship and social media culture that comes crashing together in The Rebrand.

It’s funny to watch, but also gets extremely scary for our very pregnant videographer. Not least thanks to the opening and closing scenes that feature Tranna Wintour.

The horror of influencers and cancel culture

What happens to our two queer influencers in The Rebrand could easily be called cancel culture. Of course, whenever someone is the “victim” of cancel culture, it’s often due to their own poor choices or wrongful actions.

Also, most of those who are affected by cancel culture tend to come back on track again later. Especially men who have been affected by cancel culture. Not least due to the counterweight of those who are anti-woke and anti-cancel culture.

Never mind that the people who were canceled are usually responsible for it themselves. In The Rebrand, this is exactly the case. That’s why the story in this movie focuses on how them being canceled was indeed due to their own actions.

Including the very lackluster attempt at doing an apology video, which seems to dig them deeper into their cancelation. However, influencers who know how to work their base tend to find a way back.

Much like politicians, who also know how to talk to their fans or base in a way that resonates with them.

Watch The Rebrand (2024) when you get the chance

Director Kaye Adelaide is also the co-writer of the screenplay alongside one of its stars, Nancy Webb (“Thistle” in the movie). The two have created a wacky story that works remarkably well because it goes all-in on showing the dark side of the influencer world.

Produced by Mariel Sharp (True Sweetheart Films) without outside funding, this was made on a shoestring budget of around $5000. Created thanks to a team of three fantastic cast members and six crew members, The Rebrand is a true work of passion. And it comes across on the screen!

MORE FROM THE SAME PRODUCTION COMPANY

Check out the movie Bleed With Me from 2020 >

The Rebrand came fresh from its win as Best Feature at the Queer Fear Film Festival to Europe for the highly anticipated LUND Fantastic Film Festival. Kaye Adelaide’s unhinged mockumentary is the kind of movie you’ll definitely want to check out when you get the chance.

The Rebrand was screened at Lund Fantastic Film Festival on October 29, 2024.

Details

Director: Kaye Adelaide
Writers: Kaye Adelaide & Nancy Webb
Cast: Naomi Silver-Vézina, Nancy Webb, Andi E McQueen

Plot

Nicole, an eight months-pregnant videographer is hired by a lesbian lifestyle influencer couple to film a redemption documentary after they’ve been publicly cancelled, but Nicole quickly discovers that the couple have nefarious ulterior motives.

THE FIX is a new sci-fi action movie from South Africa. Set in a dystopian near-future where air pollution has gone wild and big pharma is working on a drug – for the right people. Read our full The Fix movie review here!

THE FIX is a new South African movie that everyone would do well to check out. Both because it has impressive special effects and a plot that feels very relevant. This is a sci-fi action genre hybrid and set in a dystopian future where air is toxic.

It has a runtime of around an hour and a half, and I could easily see the story continue in some form. Not that it needs to, but the world-building is so efficient that you want to know more. Filmmaker Kelsey Egan delivers yet again!

Continue reading our The Fix movie review below. The movie is currently playing at film festivals worldwide.

What to do when the air is toxic?

In The Fix, we follow the young model (Grace van Dien from Stranger Things) who is doing commercials for big pharma by day and taking drugs at night. She tries a new designer drug at a party, which results in a wild and shocking transformation.

We’re not talking The Fly but it’s in the same vicinity. It turns out the drug was a test meant to change a person so they can once again breathe the air. In this dystopian future, air has become toxic, so you need to wear a mask or take a pill.

Oh yes, Big Pharma has created a pill that lasts for hours but isn’t a cure. This change in a person’s DNA could be an actual cure. Needless to say, the drug company wants it and is chasing the young woman as she struggles with her body changing.

The cast also includes Daniel Sharman (Fear The Walking Dead), Clancy Brown (Gen V, Dexter: New Blood), and South African actress Nicole Fortuin (Heart of the Hunter on Netflix). 

The Fix was filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, which makes for the perfect setting for this story.

The few things that do not work

Overall, The Fix offers a story that is both intriguing and relevant in eerie ways. Air and water pollution are already part of life today, so the idea that it will get worse in the future isn’t exactly far-fetched.

While the story worked, this movie also has a few elements that do not work. One is the casting with some of the actors delivering lines in ways that completely kill them. No energy and no heart behind the words make them fall flat to the ground.

Fortunately, we also get strong performance. However, that just makes the lacking portrayals stand out even more in contrast.

Still, the worst things by far were the quick cuts and the soundtrack. The quick editing and – at times – quite heavy-handed cuts between scenes disrupted more than set the stage. And the volume of the soundtrack was completely out of wack.

The Fix world premiere at Chattanooga Film Fest

We reviewed Kelsey Egan’s debut feature Glasshouse when it screened at Fantasia 2021. That movie was also set in a dystopian future, but instead of air pollution, it revolves around an airborne disease that causes dementia. Scary stuff indeed!

Her debut was the most-awarded film of the year at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), which is definitely deserved. It has been streaming on the African streamer Showmax, Apple TV, Prime Video, and Tubi.

The Fix is her second movie and I would absolutely recommend watching this genre hybrid because the story is fascinating and the effects are good. Shockingly good for the most part. If only the audio had been as strong and solid.

You could not hear the dialogue (which is already obscured by masks in some cases) and the song choice was sometimes just wrong. It didn’t set the tone or follow the mood, it completely took over. The music wasn’t bad. Just wrong.

This results in 2½ stars if we gave half stars – but we do not.

The Fix got its world premiere on June 23, 2024, at Chattanooga Film Fest in Tennessee. Also, The Fix will debut on African streamer Showmax on October 31, 2024, as its Halloween highlight. In the US, it will be out on Digital on November 22, 2024.

Details

Director: Kelsey Egan
Writer: Kelsey Egan
Stars: Grace Van Dien, Terri Lane, Clancy Brown, Daniel Sharman, Aidan Scott, Chris Fisher, Nicole Fortuin, Keenan Arrison, Tafara Nyatsanza, Caleb Payne, Tina Redman, Robyn Rossouw

Plot

The Fix follows a model (Grace van Dien) who takes a new designer drug at a party and suffers a shocking transformation. Pursued by forces with competing interests in the drug’s effects, she discovers that her mutations could save the human race.

PROPERTY (org. title: Propriedade) is a Brazilian Thriller screening at Make Believe 2024. It’s a scary and dark tale where most people are villains in their own stories. Read our full Property movie review here!

PROPERTY is a Brazilian Thriller (org. title: Propriedade) screening at Make Believe 2024. It’s a movie that deals with many elements that may be familiar to you from social commentary movies. However, this takes place in the present and in Brazil, which does offer a very different perspective.

Ultimately, this is a revenge story and a survival story as we follow both the people wanting revenge and the woman trying to survive. Not many people are too likable as they get in the way of their own opportunities. Even when their chances of success are slim, they make the wrong choice.

Continue reading our Property movie review below. The film is screening at Make Believe 2024.

A different kind of survival story

In Property, we mostly follow a woman, who locks herself in her armored car to protect herself. Having just arrived at her family’s farm to discover that the workers are revolting is a shock to the woman. It would be to anyone, of course, but more so for her.

When Property opens, it’s with a scene of a hostage situation filmed on a cellphone. Then it’s years later, and we will come to learn that the woman was the hostage and has been living a very reclusive life ever since.

Having left her home for the first time in a long while, she arrives at this violent scene. Though armored, her little world is now only a layer of glass away from colliding with angry workers.

To be fair to her, she really cannot help them, and at least some of them have made it clear that they want to kill her. It’s a claustrophobic thriller in many ways, but our main character is used to being secluded, so that isn’t the worst thing. What she sees through the armored windows of her car is!

When people are property

In Property (org. title: Propriedade), the title refers both to a place and people. Most of the story plays out at a farm, where the workers have just been informed that the farm is closing. The property will become a hotel instead.

The big problem for these workers is that they not only work there but also live on the farm. They have no homes to go to, and their papers are also locked away along with their paychecks. Plus, it turns out quite a few of them have unsettled debt as well. It’s a sh*tshow. To put it mildly.

And while many of the people working on the farm are their own worst enemies, they never really had a chance in life. Sure, drinking, smoking, and gambling don’t help, but many of them were born into this life.

In fact, at one point, an older woman speaks of her son and states that he left when he was 14 years old, and that is what they all should’ve done: Left a long time ago. Instead, they now fight to stay because they have no other options in life.

Check out Property when you can

Daniel Bandeira is the writer and director of Property which was finished in 2022. It’s now still playing at film festivals worldwide. It won “Best Picture” in the main competition at Fantastic Fest 2023.

I think the story in this genre-bending movie is one people need to watch. Especially as I imagine not many of us are familiar with the situation and life of farm workers in Brazil. Also, as a fan of genre movies, you will get to watch scenes that feel straight out of a horror movie.

We’ve reviewed several Brazilian series and movies at Heaven of Horror over the years, and they also tend to have heart and passion. They often feature stories that deal with the harsh truths of living in a country where the poor are still being pushed down. Even as economic prosperity enriches the lives of others.

While I wanted some of the characters (rich and poor) to be more likable, I also recognize that this isn’t their job. A story is being told that shines a light on how things are. The result is a movie you won’t be able to forget anytime soon.

Property (org. title: Propriedade) is getting its West Coast Premiere at Make Believe 2024. It will be out on demand from May 28, 2024.

Details

Director: Daniel Bandeira
Screenwriter: Daniel Bandeira
Cast: Malu Galli, Zuleica Ferreira, Tavinho Teixeira

Plot

Teresa and her husband travel to their family farm to take refuge from violence in the city. But when they arrive they face a violent revolt by local workers. She locks herself in her armored car, but the layer of armor that separates these two universes may not be enough to contain the fear and violence that grows each passing minute.

HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON is a new vampire horror comedy with bite – and wit. Screening at the Make Believe film festival. Read our full Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant (org. title) movie review here!

HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON is the very long title of the vampire horror comedy with a runtime of 90 minutes. It’s a movie from Canada, and as it was made in Quebec, it’s in French. The original title isn’t much shorter: Vampire humaniste cherche suicidaire consentant.

This is a vampire movie with bite, but not from its main character as she refuses to bite. In fact, she can barely get her fangs to come out. This is a problem as she needs to feed and her mother is getting tired of bringing home blood bags for her hungry child.

Continue reading our Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person movie review below. It’s the Closing Night Film at Make Believe Film Festival 2024.

This vampire won’t bite!

In Humanist Vampire (let’s stick with this abbreviated title to not exhaust ourselves), we meet Sasha. She’s a 16-year-old vampire and she needs to start getting her own food. There’s just one problem. Sasha loathes the idea of killing people.

Quick side note: If this sounds a little familiar, it may be because the Netflix series First Kill begins with a similar premise. However, the two stories differ wildly after this initial detail.

Sasha (Sara Montpetit) is forced to find a solution when her blood bag supply – complete with easily accessible slurpy straw built-in – is cut off by her parents. Well, her mother mostly as dad (Steve Laplante) is quite the softie when it comes to his daughter.

Actually, so is her aunt (Marie Brassard), which doesn’t help when Sasha’s mother (Sophie Cadieux) is trying to get her daughter ready for life as a vampire.

Paul to the rescue

Everything starts looking up for Sasha when she meets Paul (Félix-Antoine Bénard). He is not a happy person and has decided to end things. As in his life. Being a suicidal boy, Paul agrees to be Sasha’s victim.

He just has one simple last wish: Sasha must spend the night helping him accomplish everything he wants to do before he dies. And just like that, Humanist Vampire turns into a quirky hybrid of being a dark coming-of-age story about a vampire girl and a suicidal boy.

Vampires are humanized in a very simple way. One you’ll recognize from What We Do in the Shadows to the earlier mentioned (far too short-lived) First Kill. Even Buffy the Vampire Slayer did this, but via supporting characters rather than the leads.

For Sasha, the suicidal Paul is an obvious solution as she wants to be humane in her actions as a vampire. After all, it is called Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person. This is, in essence, both the title and plot description.

Watch this vampire tale when you get the chance!

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person was directed by Ariane Louis-Seize. As far as I can tell, this is a feature film debut. She previously directed short films and music videos, which is always a great background. Especially for genre movie directors.

She also co-wrote the screenplay with screenwriter Christine Doyon, who previously created the Germain s’éteint mini-series.

This genre-bending vampire story is at the Make Believe Film Festival 2024, where it’s the Closing Night film. Quite an honor and definitely not a bad choice as this should be a crowd-pleaser. Especially at a film festival that caters to fans of genre films.

We’ll update this review with wider release information for Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person when available.

Details

Director: Ariane Louis-Seize
Screenwriters: Ariane Louis-Seize, Christine Doyon
Cast: Sara Montpetit, Félix-Antoine Bénard, Steve Laplante, Sophie Cadieux, Noémie O’Farrell, Lilas-Rose Cantin, Marie Brassard

Plot

A young female vampire is unable to kill to meet her need for blood, but may have found a solution in a young man with suicidal tendencies.

Fantasia 2023 is running from July 20 through August 9, 2023. And, as per usual, we’ll be covering the genre movies at the Fantasia International Film Festival. Here’s our pick of 6 Must-Watch Horror Movies, Thrillers & Sci-fi movies at Fantasia 2023!

Fantasia 2023 is always very high on my list of Summer things to do. Fortunately, this also means it’s not really a tough job to cover most of the horror, thriller, and sci-fi movies at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

Usually, we pick five genre titles, but this time around we just could not limit ourselves. That’s why we’ve picked six genre titles that we’re really looking forward to watching at Fantasia 2023.

So mark your calendar for the Fantasia International Film Festival 2023, scheduled from July 20 to August 9, and delve into our must-watch selection below.

6 horror movies, thrillers, and sci-fi movies to watch at Fantasia 2023:

VINCENT MUST DIE

VINCENT MUST DIE by Stéphan Castang is an exhilarating blend of multiple genres, seamlessly intertwining horror, comedy, romance, fantasy, and thriller elements.

Random strangers have suddenly started attacking the otherwise unremarkable Vincent (Karim Leklou) with murderous intent. As things spiral violently out of control, he is forced to flee and change his life completely.

North American Premiere

#MANHOLE

A tale with more twists than a corkscrew factory, and an elegant balance of black humor, social satire, and nerve-wracking tension. This Japanese movie just sounds very intriguing in its brutal simplicity. Not unlike Buried (2010) or Oxygen (2021), but with a social media twist in #Manhole.

Plot:

Successful salesman Shunsuke falls into a concrete manhole with no way out.

Canadian Premiere

RESTORE POINT

We are ready to experience a groundbreaking moment in Czech cinema with Robert Hloz’s RESTORE POINT, the first science-fiction feature in over four decades. This thought-provoking neo-noir creation has already drawn comparisons to the acclaimed film MINORITY REPORT.

Plot:

2041. People have a constitutional right to experience one full life. If someone dies an unnatural death, they are revived. All that’s needed is to regularly create a restore point – a backup where one’s memory is saved like a computer. Murder is nearly impossible. Nearly. A detective attempts to solve the violent killing of a couple after only one of the victims is brought back to life.

North American Premiere

SWALLOWED is a new Horror-Thriller with LGBTQ main characters and a whole lot of creepy-crawly moments. Oh yeah, the horror is real in several ways here. We screened this movie at Fantasia 2022. Read our full Swallowed movie review here!

SWALLOWED is a new horror movie that is currently screening at Fantasia 2022 which is where we saw it. This horror-thriller has a runtime of 93 minutes and LGBTQ main characters. At first, it might seem like a strong (but fairly standard) thriller. Then the horror part kicks in.

One of the official descriptions of the plot is “… a nightmare of drugs, bugs, and horrific intimacy” which is very accurate!

Continue reading our Swallowed (2022) movie review below.

The bugs are real!

Whenever I hear “drugs” and “bugs” in the same sentence, I’m ready for the bugs to be of an imagined kind. As in, something people on the mentioned drugs think they’re seeing. Well, in Swallowed, the bugs are very real. You won’t really get to see them at first. However, before the movie is over, you definitely will.

Before we get that far, there are lots of creepy moments. Including those of “horrific intimacy” which is indeed the right way to describe what happens.

For the record, yes, the main character is LGBTQ (as is at least one other). He is a gay man about to embark on a career as a pornstar, which – to be fair – you can see that he’s built for. In every way, as you will see. There are several scenes with full-frontal nudity, but really, they’re all part of the horror story.

In any case, the fact that he’s gay isn’t really important to the story. It’s just who he is. Also, the whole “swallowed”-title doesn’t refer to anything sexual. Instead, this is where the horror begins. They just won’t realize until later.

Maybe just a bit too neat

Swallowed refers to the fact that the two best friends end up in a real shit show of a situation. And really, while bad decisions have been made, the real problems begin when they have no choice. Literally, they are forced to swallow bags of drugs at gunpoint.

Now, the whole “shit-show” description isn’t nearly as accurate as you’d expect. The feces part has been dialed back a lot. Well, completely, really. It’s as if they expected to land in this situation – which they clearly did not – and the bags could just slide through. Clean as a whistle.

Look, I get that it would be even more disgusting than what we do end up seeing, but really, it ruins the illusion that it’s all so neat. Having said that, this is actually my only real issue with how the story unfolds. So, you know, it’s just a pet peeve that I want more crude realism in my horror.

Simple plot, and a great cast!

The cast of Swallowed is very small but absolutely awesome. The main character, Benjamin, is the future pornstar and he’s played perfectly with both heart, charm, and pure dread by Cooper Koch. We’ll get to see him again soon in the John Logan (Penny Dreadful) created horror-thriller series They/Them produced by Blumhouse.

His best friend, Dom, is the one who gets them into trouble but never really knew what he was getting into. Also played so damn well by newcomer Jose Colon. And there is definitely a pun in there somewhere (so to speak), which you will understand far too well after watching this movie. In any case, this is a strong debut for Jose Colon.

Finally, we have Jena Malone (Antebellum, Hunger Games) and Mark Patton (from the iconic and virtually infamous A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge), in the final all-important roles that make this story.

Swallowed was screened at Fantasia 2022 – on VOD later

Carter Smith is the writer and director of Swallowed. You may recognize his name because he also made the 2008 horror movie The Ruins which also starred Jena Malone. Carter Smith is an out and proud gay man himself, which is not unimportant when making a horror movie with LGBTQ characters.

This is indeed both a horror-thriller, a queer nightmare, and everything in between. Personally, being part of the LGBTQ community myself, I love it when I get to see LGBTQ characters in movies. Especially genre films where they get to be more than the first victim or stereotypical villain and are just there for comic relief.

In Swallowed, Benjamin is an out-and-proud gay man, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with the story. With his future career and friendship, yes, but not that they embark on this dangerous drug-smuggling mission.

From its premiere at the Overlook Film Festival in the US in June of 2022 to its Fantasia 2022 screening in Canada, Swallowed is sure to be one of those movies you cannot forget. Be sure to check it out when you get the chance. It is definitely worth your time – and do expect quite a lot of discomfort!

Swallowed had an international premiere at Fantasia Film Festival 2022 on July 15, 2022. It comes to VOD and digital on February 14, 2023.

Details

Director: Carter Smith
Writer: Carter Smith
Cast: Jose Colõn, Cooper Koch, Jena Malone, Mark Patton

Plot

Two old friends gets caught up in an overnight drug smuggling operation that is anything but normal. And when things go wrong, they must survive a horrific night in a backwoods hell of drugs, bugs, and obscene intimacy.

GOD’S PETTING YOU is a new crime-comedy movie premiering at Fantaspoa 2022. It’s a dark comedy with lots of quick dialogue. To be completely honest, it has me a bit torn. I liked parts of it, while I could very easily have done without other parts. Read our full God’s Petting You movie review here!

GOD’S PETTING YOU is a new British movie premiering at the film festival Fantaspoa 2022 in Portugal. It’s a crime comedy, which means it’s a little less crazy (and a lot less violent and bloody) than a horror comedy. Since I tend to love horror comedies, it doesn’t quite hit that proverbial sweet spot for me.

Basically, this movie is a dark comedy with some violence and a lot of dialogue. And yes, I do also feel there is too much dialogue. Actually, strike that. There is rarely such a thing as too much dialogue if it’s delivered right. And in this crime-comedy, it is delivered superbly by a wonderful cast.

Continue reading our God’s Petting You movie review below.

Alice Lowe in a small key role

One of the reasons I was excited about watching this movie, for its Fantaspoa 2022 premiere, was the fact that Alice Lowe was in it. This actor and filmmaker is absolutely brilliant and if you don’t know her already, then be sure to check out Prevenge (2016). A movie she wrote, directed and starred in. Also, you might recognize her from the Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch or Hot Fuzz (2007).

In God’s Petting You, Alice Lowe plays a smaller role, but she is in the movie almost from beginning to end. Just in an on/off way, since she’s the person being told the story that we actually see play out. She’s wonderful as always, but so is everyone else.

The main protagonist of Charlie is played by George Webster (Finding Alice). He’s a heroin addict – though he never shoots up and only smokes it, which he clearly thinks makes it much better. He’s also the one explaining the title when he says that someone once explained the feeling of heroin as being as if “God’s petting you”.

The story that plays out in this crime-comedy is his. And he’s also telling it himself, so keep that in mind.

Scenes that go on forever!

The problem is that the scenes tend to run for too long. Way too long. Maybe it was shot during the lockdown and it was easier. Watching it now, it feels like some sort of strange TV series shot as “minisodes” that each has to stay in one location for the duration. For a movie with a runtime of just around 90 minutes, it feels much longer.

Probably because I sometimes felt trapped in a scene that dragged on for 10-15 minutes. Or so I think because I refused to keep looking at the time.

Okay, to be completely fair, it wasn’t a bad movie. Which I realize the above makes it sound like it was. It had so much going for it and that’s probably why I get annoyed. The premise is there and I know this writer-director can do better. So why is this the final result?! That’s probably what I was left thinking when the end credits came.

And it’s also why I feel a bit torn. I liked parts of God’s Petting Me, while I could very easily have done without many other parts.

Also, I did not care for many of the final “plot twists”. It feels over-used and tired already. To me, anyway, but maybe I’ve just seen this “shock twist” one time too many in recent months. And I still don’t buy it most of the time.

God’s Petting You premiered at Fantaspoa 2022

Jamie Patterson is the writer and director of God’s Petting You. This was another huge reason why we wanted to check out this film for Fantaspoa 2022. We recently reviewed his previous movie The Kindred (2021) which we enjoyed. That one was closer to getting four out of five stars while this one was dangerously close to getting just two!

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Our review of Jamie Patterson’s movie The Kindred here >

Of course, Jamie Patterson didn’t write The Kindred and maybe that’s the big difference. With some directors, I absolutely prefer their work when it’s based on screenplays, they’ve written themselves. For other directors, they just seem to do work I enjoy more when it’s based on a screenplay written by someone else.

Whether Jamie Patterson falls in the first or last category remains to be seen. Right now it looks like the latter, but it’s clearly too soon to tell based on just these two movies.

And I do still very much recommend watching God’s Petting You. However, you need to be ready for a rather slow and dialogue-heavy movie. Fortunately, it’s also laced with intriguing (and often fascinating) characters. Including someone working in adult films and moonlighting as an escort. A man with a rather umm impressive appearance.

God’s Petting You was screened as part of Fantaspoa 2022. For more information on the festival, please visit www.fantaspoa.com.

Details

Director: Jamie Patterson
Writer: Jamie Patterson
Stars: George Webster, Skye Lourie, Alice Lowe, April Pearson, Joe Wilkinson, Joss Porter, Chris Willoughby, Patrick Bergin

Plot

Charlie’s a drug addict. He meets a woman. She’s a sex addict. What could go wrong?

THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE on Netflix is a horror movie that premiered at Fantastic Fest 2021. A classic teen horror movie. Still, interesting characters and a strong cast make this work. Read our full There’s Someone Inside Your House movie review here!

THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE is a new Netflix horror movie that premiered at Fantastic Fest 2021, which should tell you something. More precisely, it should tell you that this Netflix production is worthy of playing on big screens and works remarkably well as a classic teen slasher horror movie.

While it keeps you guessing – with some nice twists and turns along the way – it’s the characters and cast that really make it work. Also, it was produced by James Wan who is still one of the great horror filmmakers (despite the fact that Malignant has left audiences torn).

Continue reading our full There’s Someone Inside Your House movie review below and check it out on Netflix from October 6, 2021.

Perfect opening scene for a horror movie

While the opening scene of any movie can play a key role in setting the tone, sometimes I feel it’s even more true for horror movies. Just think of Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell or James Wan’s The Conjuring franchise. They both excel at using one story to set the rest of the movie.

For There’s Someone Inside Your House, you’ll get one of the strongest opening scenes for a horror movie.

First, you’ll be introduced to the killer, who wears a mask that resembles the face of their next victim. Second, you’ll see how brutal the kills will be. Plus, you get the motive: The killer wants to expose the dark secret of their victim. The mask element is a cool angle that works well throughout the film. And the kills will clearly be brutal in true slasher fashion!

Great casting

The star of this new Netflix horror movie is Sydney Park who you may recognize from The Walking Dead, Santa Clarita Diet, or the 2017 horror movie Wish Upon. Sydney Park plays Makani Young, who is a classic final girl.

Well, in the sense that she’s a kick-ass character anyway.

Among Makani’s friends, you’ll see many familiar faces along the way. Including Jesse LaTourette (The Devil Below), Dale Whibley (October Faction), Asjha Cooper (Black as Night), Jesse LaTourette (The Devil Below), and Théodore Pellerin (The OA).

Watch There’s Someone Inside Your House on Netflix!

There’s Someone Inside Your House was directed by Patrick Brice, who had his feature film debut with Creep (2014). He went on to direct Creep 2 (2017). Also, he was the one who came up with the story for this crazy horror franchise with its star Mark Duplass.

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Our review of Creep 2 which is a strong sequel for a very innovative original movie >

For his latest movie, the screenplay was written by Henry Gayden and based on a book by Stephanie Perkins. Henry Gayden also wrote the screenplay for David F. Sandberg‘s Shazam! and the upcoming sequel. For me, Henry Gayden is definitely someone to keep your eye on. He writes characters that feel real and works with stories that surprise in all the right ways.

Be sure to check out There’s Someone Inside Your House when it comes out on Netflix. This teen slasher is the kind of movie that you automatically want a sequel to. The style just works well – much like Scream did. And yes, the star of the Scream horror franchise, Neve Campbell, is actually mentioned during this Netflix movie. In a perfect way!

We screened THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE at Fantastic Fest, but it will also be out on Netflix from October 6, 2021.

Details

Director: Patrick Brice
Screenplay: Henry Gaden (Based on the novel by Stephanie Perkins)
Stars: Sydney Park, Théodore Pellerin, Asjha Cooper, Dale Whibley, Jesse LaTourette, Diego Josef, Burkely Duffield, Sarah Dugdale, William MacDonald, Andrew Dunbar, Markian Tarasiuk

Plot

Makani Young has moved from Hawaii to quiet, small-town Nebraska to live with her grandmother and finish high school, but as the countdown to graduation begins, her classmates are stalked by a killer intent on exposing their darkest secrets to the entire town, terrorizing victims while wearing a life-like mask of their own face. With a mysterious past of her own, Makani and her friends must discover the killer’s identity before they become victims themselves.