The Only Ones
Official synopsis: A group of friends’ plans unravel when a string of misfortunes spirals into bloodshed. Trust crumbles as the survivors are forced to confront harrowing the truth that sometimes, the deadliest threats come from within.
After a highly entertaining cold open involving a fabled slasher, we are introduced to the vanload of young adults who are destined for trouble in writer/director Jordan Miller’s The Only Ones. Nicky (Paul Cottman) is headed to the remote house that was owned by his late uncle, and is joined by true-crime podcaster Zach (Zach Ruchkin), Zach’s documentary filmmaker girlfriend Casey (Cayla Berejikian), hot-headed and troubled Jude (Jeb Aufiero), and girlfriends Sarah (Tatiana Nya Ford) and Valarie (Emily Classen). Rather than delivering another homage/rip-off of classic slasher movies, Miller takes viewers further into the “megameta” realm of post-Scream shockers. To say much more would be heading into spoiler territory, and The Only Ones is the type of film that is best experienced by going in as cold as possible. Suffice it to say regarding the proceedings that plenty of unexpected turns occur, and that there is no shortage of the red stuff on display. Several modern horror films suffer from making all of the characters unlikable, giving viewers no one to root for. Miller avoids this problem by giving us some characters in the group who may have their issues, but who display some positive qualities along with their faults. The ensemble cast members do a solid job of inhabiting those characters. The Only Ones serves up clever riffs on familiar tropes and is infused with dark humor, making it well worth a watch for fright-fare fanatics.
You can view the official trailer here.
The Only Ones has signed distribution with DeskPop Entertainment and is set for a release on Blu-ray, DVD, and Streaming in 2025.
Outside Noise
Official synopsis: An overwhelmed woman listens to a sleep ambience app to unwind before bed, but when the sounds eerily begin to blend with reality, she suspects it has conjured something frightening into her room.
Director Ethan Evans (U.K., 2024) crafts a gripping horror short that many viewers will find highly relatable with Outside Noise. Layla (Bobby Rainsbury) has much on her mind, judging by her restlessness at bedtime, her incoming phone messages, and all of the Post-It notes on her walls. She tries an app that offers soothing nature sounds to hopefully rest, but this being a fear-fare tale, naturally that backfires. Evans, who cowrote the screenplay with Jess Bartlett, builds the tension admirably and delivers a highly satisfying climax. Fans of The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror will find plenty to enjoy with Outside Noise, with its dark take on modern anxiety and people’s complicated reliance on technology to try and relieve it.
The Only Ones and Outside Noise screened as part of Panic Fest 2025, which took place beginning March 27 with an in-person festival in Kansas City running through April 2 and a virtual version running through April 6. For more information, visit https://panicfilmfest.com/.
