While enjoying their annual Halloween party, residents of Isleen Pines get visited by strange beings.
Written and directed by Matthew Festle and Alexys Paonessa, Isleen Pines is a micro-budget independent film that makes the most of its budget, creating a story that brings to the screen a variety of characters and fun situations. There’s a bit of chaos, ok a lot of chaos, but it works for this film and its story. The characters are many, but don’t feel like they are crowding the story or there just to add a cast member. There is a whole lot going on, yet it’s easy to focus on the main story and its own chaos. The writing and direction are well done here, allowing all of this to come together and make sense, even when it doesn’t all make sense initially.
The cast here is good and clearly having fun, something that adds to the film in a major way. Naiia Lajoie and Darren Deng are fun here and give solid performances, along with just about anyone with speaking roles. As mentioned before, there is a large cast here, so many of them, it’s almost difficult to remember them all, but making strong impressions are Glenn Plummer, August Kyss, and Jeremiah Benjamin to name a few. The cast here is filled with good folks giving it their all and having fun in the process, something that is contagious as the film moves along.
The special effects here are handled by Oliver Poser and his team, bringing the horror and the weirdness to the screen in a great way, showing that practical effects are still king, especially on a budget. The cinematography by Matt Leal looks decent here, but the budget limitations do show. Still, the careful framing in most scenes and sequences, the at-home lighting, and the friendly-film look of it all work well together to bring this film and its story to life.
Isleen Pines is a fun Halloween film that will fit right in during a house party or in a genre Holiday-themed marathon with friends. It’s easy to follow, fun, and entertaining. There is chaos, there isn’t a lot of budget, but there is a lot of fun, seen in the performances and on the screen in general. This is a Halloween film made by fans for fans of the season.