NOSEEUMS (U.S., 2025)
Official synopsis: When college student Ember is invited to join her white friends for a fun weekend at the country home of school Queen Bee Abigail, she finds the place unsettling and oddly familiar. Drawn to an unkempt grave in the backwoods, Ember begins to be plagued by buzzing, biting, vicious almost invisible, black bugs known throughout Florida as Noseeums. Along with this constant irritation, she starts having premonitions of grisly death and bewildering, chilling flashbacks. Soon, the shocking lore of the land becomes clear as restless spirits seek a festering retribution for past crimes, and Ember embraces long overdue vengeful acts.
Set in Florida, Noseeums finds Ember (Aleigha Burt), a young black woman studying at university, taking her roommate Tessa (Jasmine Gia Nguyen) up on an offer to go on a trip to the country with Tessa’s friends Abigail (Tabby Getsy) and Lexi (Jessie Roddy) — who just happen to be friends of Ember’s ex-boyfriend. Their vacation lodging is a mansion owned by Abigail’s rich white family, and Ember’s sleepwalking since childhood kicks into high, nightmarish gear on the property, with dreams — and waking life — involving a black woman from the past named Tilly (Trisha Arozqueta). Ember initially brushes off local handyman Earl (Tyler Bibb) but finds that he is helpful in piecing together the mysteries involving Tilly.
Noseeums is a horror film with a social commentary take on such issues as illegal land grabs of black property by white people and line-crossing regarding such things as repeating rap lyrics inappropriately, among others. Director Raven Carter and screenwriters Jason-Michael Anthony and Hendreck Joseph do a nice job of balancing those aspects with supernatural fright-fare elements and in-fighting intrigue within the foursome. The performances are all impressive throughout, including Chase Johnson as Ember’s friend Jasmine.
PIG HILL (U.S., 2025)
Official synopsis: Shot on location in Meadville, Pennsylvania — the origin of the real urban legend — Pig Hill follows Carrie (Rainey Qualley), a woman haunted by a series of unexplained disappearances. As she investigates, she becomes entangled in the local lore of the “pig people,” uncovering a terrifying truth hidden in generations of myth. Alongside her new friend Andy (Shane West) and her brother Chris (Shiloh Fernandez), Carrie’s search for answers becomes a desperate fight for survival.
Director Kevin Lewis and screenwriter Jarrod Burris deliver a rather nasty piece of work with Pig Hill. Up front, if rape scenes (more than one, at that), child abuse, or sexual abuse upset you, consider whether you really want to watch the film, as it contains all of these elements. The violence is plentiful and often graphic. While the performances are solid throughout, the characters are mostly by-the-numbers and in one case, over the top. Protagonist Carrie gets the best writing and arc, and Qualley does admirable work in the role. Pig Hill telegraphs who its masked villain is rather early on, and once the official unveiling takes place, there’s an overly long exposition dump from the villain with reasons for their psychotic behavior. Fans of darker horror films are more likely to click with this feature.
Noseeums and Pig Hill screened as part of FrightFest, which ran Thursday August 21–Monday 25 August, 2025 in London, U.K.
