Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Another Hole in the Head Film Festival Highlights
Saturday, October 8, 2022
Reporting from Fantastic Fest 2022 ~ continued!
Hello! Ribbie here with another dispatch from Fantastic Fest @ home. This time we’ve got something of a theme running through the features at hand; Family discourse!
Everyone Will Burn
A weeping woman stands on the edge of a bridge ready to jump to her death when a young girl covered in mud wanders from nowhere claiming to be her child. The woman climbs down from her death perch to comfort the child and help her find her real parents. They drive off into the Spanish countryside and are quickly pulled over by the police; they’re looking for an individual who has killed off a good number of cattle in the area. Things escalate quickly when the police begin to question just who this filthy little girl in the woman’s passenger seat is. One cop ends up with a severely aerated throat and the other ignites spontaneously...
EVERYONE WILL BURN is a blood-soaked satanic telenovela with curses and lore out the wazoo, featuring a spellbinding performance by leading lady, Macarena Gomez. The stellar production design and lighting make every set piece, death, and scare pop. The decades-long secrets of the townspeople make for delicious melodrama and make this small Spanish town feel truly lived in.
Sidenote: I thought it was interesting that the cast/story used little people and never acknowledged or used as crux for the way they’re treated.
~💀~
The Elderly
Saturday, October 1, 2022
Reporting from Fantastic Fest 2022
Howdy! I’m Ribbie. I’ll be posting pocket reviews of films I’m covering for the 2022 edition of Fantastic Fest here at the Overlook Theatre. While I wouldn’t describe myself as a film critic, I have been considered a sort of tastemaker by some lowly individuals, and if you’re reading I have a feeling I know what your depraved ass might be into.
This year, like years past, offers a diverse selection of genre films ranging from horror to avant-garde to action to who knows what. The in-person event is currently crackin’ in Austin, TX, but for those of us that can’t make the trip, the FF@Home option gives you the opportunity to attend the festival from your couch or bed or sex dungeon at your leisure from September 29-October 4.
Join me here for coverage of all the wonderfully strange offerings the festival has to offer.
~☠️~
BORN TO SQUIRM.
Wild, goopy odyssey through the homicidal clown-filled alleys of Chicago. Goes places you wouldn’t think are even legal to depict and turns the dial even further when you think it couldn’t get any more daring. I admire the restraint of filmmaker Alex Phillips, as it feels like they’re holding back, and that’s saying something.
The deformed bastard child of Born to Win and Brain Damage; ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS is a film made for the midnight crowd and is sure to gain quite the reputation once it's unleashed on the worm-sniffing general public.
~☠️~
Deep Fear
You’d be forgiven for rolling your eyes at the premise of DEEP FEAR, a claustrophobic horror film set in the catacombs of Paris. You’ve seen The Descent with its glowstick-lit crawls through cramped spaces; You’ll get that here. And As Above, So Below and The Catacombs have used the setting, so how much more blood can be rung from this particular cloth? A healthy bucket apparently.
If you can get past some of the foolish decisions being made by our protagonists, you’ll have a blast. Deep Fear utilizes its 80 minutes expertly, filling the run-time with a gaggle of tense moments and scares.
I went in blind, only knowing the setting, and I suggest you do the same for maximum effect.
~☠️~
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Bodies Bodies Bodies: A New Reason to Fear House Parties in the Woods
Those that know me know that I can be very vocal about my hatred toward the term "elevated genre". To me this the coward's way of saying "I like horror films". It is the "elevated genre" fan and their cowardice that has led me to a healthy distrust of all things A24, since this brand above all others seems to be the church of the "elevated genre" lover. With that being said I was obviously skeptical about A24 releasing what appeared to be a fun "teen slasher" type film complete with attractive young people somehow trapped in a house as one by one they are taken out by a mysterious villain.
This film is Halina Reijn's "Bodies, Bodies, Bodies". At first glance this feels like a 90's nostalgia cash grab. From the storyline to its "floating head" style poster (think first Scream poster or new Scream poster as reference) it would be easy to dismiss this title with a "been there done that attitude". It was that exact feeling that sparked my interest. Why would a respectable brand like A24 put out such a film? A "horror" film if you will. Well I had to see for myself and I'm glad I did.
The setting is familiar, the characters are familiar, the setup is familiar, and yet it feels new and refreshing, kind of like listening to a favorite record to remind yourself why you first fell in love with it in the first place and falling in love with it all over again. We know people will die, and they do in ways that keep you guessing so that's fun. We know there will be "funny" people thrown into the situation to help ease the tension, and there are but with a strong social commentary that has us all laughing at ourselves and our friends. We know the phones won't work and the car can't start but has this ever stopped us from jumping headfirst into a good time at the movies?!? The atmosphere created by the lighting of glow sticks or a single cell phone flashlight was extremely effective. I had way too much fun playing along with the "Clue" like game of Bodies, Bodies, Bodies and hearing theatre goers around me gasping at the shocks, jumping at the scares, laughing out loud, and bobbing their heads to the music. What I am trying to say is this is a good movie that deserves to be seen and worked well with an audience who was ready for a horror film. Get your friends together, buy some popcorn and hit the theatre for a film I'm sure will be more entertaining than the next Scream. Nostalgia isn't bad but the future is bright and full of talented individuals ready to bring you new stories and new reasons to fear house parties in the woods.
-KillDozer
(The following are some of the negative comments that sparked interest in Bodies Bodies Bodies)
Wednesday, March 2, 2022
THE UNNAMED FOOTAGE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAM FOR 5TH EDITION
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon |
PUTREFIXION a video of Nina Temich |
The Outwaters |
Tickets: https://filmfreeway.com/UnnamedFootageFestival/tickets
Friday, September 24, 2021
FRIED BARRY Wants Your Fan Art!
Did FRIED BARRY blow your mind? Did it awaken your artist within or inspire you to create something as insane as it is? Good! Because you can enter it in their fan art competition and win a bunch of movie merch!
There are just three steps:
2. Post on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook using #FRIEDBARRY
3. Be entered into the draw to win a ton of FRIED BARRY merch
The winner will be announced on 10 OCTOBER by none other than FRIED BARRY himself, Gary Green.
If you haven't seen FRIED BARRY yet, you still have time. It's available on Shudder and several other VOD platforms. And if you're looking for inspiration, check out the Overlook Hour episode with director Ryan Kruger:
And be sure to use #FRIEDBARRY when you post your piece!
Thursday, September 2, 2021
Bluray Tuesday Goes to Vegas!
We have an announcement to make: Bluray Tuesday has a new home! No, it's not Vegas, that heat is not something that fog lovers like the Overlook family can just jump into 😅 No, our big move is to YouTube!
This particular episode was filmed on a phone in a hotel room, which isn't usually the case, and Terrell mentioned a couple of things I wanted to share the links to!
This is a terrifying six room escape experience that had me too frozen to touch anything! Each room is filled with amazing detail and disgusting effects, it felt like we were walking through a haunt but had a bit more time to take in the settings.
Tickets are available directly through their site at SawEscapeRoom.com but if you get them through Groupon, you will also get a commemorative Saw coin if you make it out.And heads up, the creators of this escape room are also the ones putting on Escape Blair Witch, which we're seriously talking about going back for! Unfortunately, it was starting up the day after we were leaving Vegas.
Tickets for this are also on Groupon and directly through their site. And from what we heard, it's going to be even scarier!