Last year we were lucky to catch some truly excellent indie horror hits and thrillers. This year, we hope to see some big swings at Fantastic Fest. The genre festival has a rewarding slate for those willing to dive into the fray. We will be covering the festival remotely, but there is a lot to be excited about. With any luck, you’ll see interviews, reviews, lists, and more on this page. Check out our exciting coverage below!
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The darkest stories of the human experience often revolve around money. Wealth often forces people to compromise their values and morals. Yet, sometimes, our fight for survival coincides with our financial worries. In the case of Your Lucky Day, the feature film debut of Daniel Brown, one Christmas Eve turns into a bloodbath. With some…
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The V/H/S series has become a yearly landmark for most horror fans. It’s been a source of discovery for some prominent voices while established names experiment with their craft. This year’s V/H/S/85 features some of the biggest names to date, including Scott Derrickson (Black Phone, Doctor Strange) and David Bruckner (The Ritual). However, this will…
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While horror movies often center around our spookiest holiday, it’s a nice treat when they center around the season of giving. While Christmas horror does not always get the spotlight, the blend can be extremely pleasing. With bright colors on white backgrounds, directors show a sense of style. That, plus some fun designs, helps There’s…
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The iconic Alfred Hitchcock once noted the difference between surprise and suspense through the metaphor of a bomb. When the audience knows about a bomb, you can build entire sequences around its dangerous consequences. While an instant explosion can still shock the audience, it does not have the staying power of drawn-out tension. Director Francis…
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Watching an actor land his first starring role is always exciting. For Oliver Jackson-Cohen, the young actor has lurked just beyond stardom. While he played the titular Invisible Man, the film focused on turning him into a villain. His work with Mike Flanagan resulted in two great performances, though he was undeniably evil in Bly…
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Horror prequels walk an incredibly fine line. On one hand, they need to scare the hell out of the audience as much as the initial film. On the other hand, they cannot leave trauma that will forever jade the characters. After all, if they have to return, they need to be functional humans. For a…
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Few would dispute that Mike Flanagan knows how to tell a great dramatic story. However, even the famed horror director has outdone himself this time. A master of suspense and dramatic storytelling, Flanagan tells his most ambitious story to date with The Fall of the House of Usher for Netflix. The eight-part limited series debuts…
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While the 1999 Wachowski film The Matrix looms large over the cyberpunk genre, directors and artists have long been interested in the subgenre. After all, as computers gained a foothold in American culture, the figures that promoted them became fascinations. Through various projects, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Paul Allen became integrally tied to the…
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Few genre festivals feel like instant kingmakers. Yet a great showing at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, can be a launchpad for smaller films. The impressive list of alumni continues to grow year after year. With another excellent lineup on the horizon and a handful of secret screenings to contend with, 2023 could be a…
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We are grouping reviews to ensure we can cover all of the films we saw at the 2022 Fantastic Fest. Check out our series of dispatches as we release them. Hundreds of Beavers – Directed by Mike Cheslik We love a director that wears their influences on their sleeves. In the case of Hundreds of…
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No matter where you are from, the fear of losing a child can hang over your life. Once you have created life, one can not imagine the pain of seeing it extinguished. This danger hangs over Everyone Will Burn from the start of the film. Director David Hebrero takes us into the mind of a…
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While many imagine futuristic worlds require expensive sets and massive special effects, there’s been a long thriving indie sci-fi industry. Stripping down on the spectacle allows most directors to focus on the character and complex world-building. For Vesper, which recently played Fantastic Fest 2022 before releasing in theaters and VOD this week, these ideas burst…