I wish there were more movies like Jesse Blanchard’s “Frank & Zed” in theaters and midnight movie showings. It’s a movie that promises to become a cult classic and for good reason. Not only is it wildly inventive, and absolutely charming, but I was completely sucked in to everything from the story, the gruesome gore, and the shockingly incredible production values (40 Handmade puppets!). While the movie is low budget, Blanchard’s ability to make every single element of his film feel epic in scope, keeps “Frank & Zed” consistently brilliant and absolutely entertaining.
Tag Archives: Indie Film
Shorts Round Up of the Week: October Terrors
I hope this year has been merciful to you, as October is now in full motion. After such a terrible, bizarre year, feel free to lose yourself in five short horror films for our October festivities, which are no in full swing! Warning: Some of the reviews include the short films for your viewing pleasure, while others are just the teaser.
If you’d like to submit your short film for review consideration, submissions are always opened to filmmakers and producers.
Fear Pharm (2020)
Dante Yore’s “Fear Pham” is three quarters a really good Halloween horror film, and one quarter an absolutely ridiculous waste o time. It’s a shame because for most of “Fear Pharm,” I was genuinely lost in the engaging concept and entertaining mix of horror and comedy. Yore has a great concept with a narrative that’s mostly smooth and interesting. Yore makes good use of limited scenery while also building entertaining and sympathetic protagonists forced in to an absurd but creepy circumstance.
Murder in the Woods (2020)
I love the fact that with the accessibility of filmmaking with modern technology, that more filmmakers are trying to give us different perspectives. With “Murder in the Woods” it’s one in many efforts to give us the classic genre horror fixes with different kinds of characters. This time around the Latinx characters aren’t tokens, but the actual protagonists fighting against the film’s villain.
Interview with Honey Lauren, Writer and Director of “Wives of the Skies”
With the award winning “Wives of the Skies” now available on Amazon Prime Video (courtesy of Hewes Pictures), I was able to speak with writer and director Honey Laurens. Laurens, a prolific and notable cult actress has unleashed her third short, which she describes as an ode to “randy stewardesses.” Lauren’s “Wives of the Skies” has garnered over 30 awards, and features a great cast including Rachel Alig, Maddison Bullock, Sebastian Fernandez, and Drew Brandon Jones, and she speaks enthusiastically about her newest work.
I Am Lisa (2020) [FrightFest 2020]
Following a brutal beating, Lisa is left for dead nearby her town by her assailants. While in these woods, Lisa encounters something else and comes out of her ordeal with interesting side effects.
Cool Summer (2020)
It’s not often I get an independent animated film for the blog and that’s probably for a good reason. Animation is long, and demanding, even if it’s essentially cheaper as a filmmaking medium. “Cool Summer” has its heart in the right place, and also has a good idea in its corner, it just needs so much work to be done from top to bottom, and much of the pitfalls narratively and production wise keep it from being great.