CategoryIndie
Independent horror: micro-budget features, short films and first-time filmmakers doing more with less — and often doing it better.
2,257 stories
IndieMovies
A group of intrepid documentary film makers toil away making a film about the ethics of animal testing…a journey which leads them to a former testing site now supposedly utilized as a primate sanctuary. Upon arriving, they find the facility long abandoned, in complete disrepair, and full of an ungodly stench. As their investigation continues they cross paths with scientists, crazed Skunk Ape hunters, and a mutant monster they are ill-equipped to handle! For being an entry in a genre that has definitely had it’s highs and lows (many, many lows) Monkey Farm does quite a few things right. First of all, the animal testing angle is a nice (and welcome) change from the normal paranormal/ghost subject matter usually found in pictures such as these. Adding to that, this is a creature feature as well (which is ambitious for a film like this, plus you boils and ghouls now how a monster always warms my black little heart), and the
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IndieMoviesParanormal
In a parallel world heading toward a black hole, an ethereal albino beauty reads Revelations. As things progress, visions of angelic beings, strange shadow organizations, and pondering on man’s impact on the Earth leading to end times. The main thing Apocalypsis has going for it is style for miles. This is exactly the type of thing that comes to mind when I hear the term ‘arthouse genre film’…there are beautiful people doing oft times inexplicable things in aesthetically pleasing locations, fantastic stop-motion dreamscapes (reminiscent of the early work of Japanese auteur Shinya Tsukamoto)…in other words, it’s gorgeous…but as pretty as it all is there are some problems… Let’s start with the narrative…as mentioned above, and as the title suggests, the film involves the Biblical Book of Revelations…there’s also angels, parallel dimensions, strange conspiracies…all manner of bizarre and fascinating things, but all of it flies at you like a rocket, with some new element appearing every other minute that makes the
Continue reading →
IndieMovies
As the War of 1812 rages, British soldier Joshua Pinsmail (Eamon Farren) attempts to convince Mohawk elder Wentahawi (Sheri Foster) to align her people with the forces opposing America with the help of tribe members Oak (Kaniehtiio Horn) and Calvin Two Rivers (Justin Rain). After she refuses, Calvin does the murder biz on a cadre of sleeping American soldiers. this goes over like a fart in a submarine, and soon our heroes find themselves pursued by world-class psycho Col. Hezekiah Holt (Ezra Buzzington) and his small band of soldiers. What follows is an orgy of torture, suspense, and supernatural intervention all intertwining on the trail to sweet revenge. Mohawk isn’t a straight up fright flick, it includes so many earmarks of our beloved horror biz that it would be foolhardy not to consider it a part of our petrifying pantheon…there is effective practical gore, a protagonist that has some serious preternatural overtones, and a climax that has more than a
Continue reading →
ForeignIndieMoviesParanormal
Teen mom Chloe returns home to Eden Rock in order to have the support of her mother in raising her infant son. Man it would suck if the place was a concentration camp a hundred or so years ago where babies were summarily executed. Anyway, that baby gets to constantly cryin’, Chloe falls into a depression, and begins seeing and hearing signs that her baby may be haunted. Despite the fact that her family and psychologist think she is just stressed the F out being a new mother and all, the evil omens grow ever more intense and dark secrets are revealed that push our heroine further over the edge. The Lullaby is a dreary, dark, and at times difficult fright flick to endure. Chloe (played to perfection by Reine Swart) is a stressed out, angsty hot mess, which definitely helps audience unease, and the underlying subject matter of violence towards infants is rather off-putting as well. I’m of two
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Film FestivalsIndie
Writer-director Michael Tully’s Don’t Leave Home is set to make its world premiere at this year’s SXSW. Starring Anna Margaret Hollyman, Lalor Roddy, Helena Bereen, David McSavage, and Karrie Cox, the film centers on Melanie Thomas, “an American artist whose latest show recounts the infamous Irish urban legend of Father Alistair Burke, who painted a portrait of 8-year-old Siobhan Callahan in 1986. Days later, Siobhan went missing on the very morning that her figure miraculously vanished from the painting as well. Though absolved of any wrongdoing, Burke abandoned the priesthood and went into self-exile. After receiving a bad review before her opening, Melanie is contacted by the reclusive Burke, who offers to fly her to Ireland to create a new sculpture that he will help her to sell while she’s there. Telling no one where she’s going, Melanie never stops to consider that some urban legends are real.” Screenings: World Premiere: Saturday, March 10th at 1:45 pm (ZACH Theater) Public
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ForeignIndieMoviesTrue CrimeTrue Story
This is probably going to be one of the shorter reviews I have ever written…mainly because I think if I spend any more time time thinking about Cruel Summer I may get sick. Cruel Summer tells the charming (and supposedly true) tale of a young autistic man named Danny (Richard Pawulski) from the inner-city that gets a chance to go to the country thanks to a Governmental program. While there he encounters a real psycho of a human being who plans Danny’s demise after his equally atrocious girlfriend concocts a lie about the youth. You can guess the rest. Let’s see if I can put a positive on some of this…I guess if you want to see a film that fully displays the cruelty and unfairness that life can throw at someone then Cruel Summer is the picture for you. There is no epic revenge, no hope, barely any retribution…it’s just one unfortunate soul encountering a force that is out
Continue reading →
IndieMovies
Ashley picks up her husband Max after his stint in the big House and begins a trek through the Pacific Northwest replete with yokel locals, disappointing sex, and a batch of missing persons that rumor has it were spirited away by what the natives call Oh-Mah…also known as Bigfoot to you and me. Soon the duo find themselves well and truly in the shit when they find themselves lost in the woods (after a series of incidents involving an outrageously mutilated man, a mysterious force hucking rocks at roughly the speed of light, and a wild n’ woolly trip down some rapids). As they trek ever on it becomes evident that something large and hairy is on their trail and before long the woods run red with blood! Let’s get the nuts and bolts out of the way before we get to the ghoulish gravy shall we? Primal Rage is one hell of a well made fright flick! The story
Continue reading →
IndieTrailers
The trailer has arrived for Chicago-based filmmaker Jason Coffman’s feature film debut Housesitters, via Tomorrow Romance. Inspire by films like Ghoulies, the female-driven horror-comedy follows the misadventures of Angie (Annie Watkins, “Jan” in the original New York and Chicago runs of hit stage production The Brady Bunch) and Izzy (Jamie Jirak, formerly of Chicago’s pH Comedy Theater) as they take on a plum housesitting gig that kind of spirals into supernatural horror. Housesitters has been submitted to a number of 2018 festivals in advance of a VOD release later this year. Peter Ash, Jay J. Bidwell, Bethanie Louise, Mariah Michael, James Timothy Peters, and Ben Schlotfelt co-star in the film that features a creature puppet designed and built by Ohio-based independent filmmaker Dustin Wayde Mills (The Puppet Monster Massacre). Behind the camera, Jolene Vega served as cinematographer with Jef Burnham as assistant director and Tatiana von Recklinghausen as lead makeup/effects artist. The soundtrack includes a score by Chicago-based Joshua Burke
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IndieMoviesParanormal
In a small Irish village, orphan twins Rachel (Charlotte Vega) and Edward (Bill Milner) live a reclusive existence within the confines of their decaying mansion (handed down through generations of their family) which no stranger may enter. Also the place is cursed (as all of the previous heir’s parents have drowned together in a lake on the estate’s grounds) and haunted…and the spirits are gettin’ a tad restless… Anyhow, one day Rachel (more adventurous than her sullen sibling who has never left the house since their parents died years previous) strolls to town and meets Sean (Eugene Simon); an outcast soldier just back from World War 1. Rachel gets a case of the horny’s for Sean (seems masturbation and an incestuous relationship with Eddie ain’t cuttin’ the mustard anymore)…which creates an interesting love triangle to say the least. Complicating our protagonists’ lives further; they may have to sell the house as the family’s solicitor, Mr. Bermingham (David Bradley), arrives with
Continue reading →
IndieMovies
Viral Films, creators of last years impressive short For Her (which we reviewed right here), are preparing to unleash their next sinister short Werehouse…which as the title implies will feature some wicked werewolf action! Check out the official word from viscous Viral themselves! When a peaceful protest erupts into a full-blown riot, a trio of University Students who are caught in the middle seek refuge in a warehouse. Little do they realize that tonight is the one night of the month they really should’ve stayed out. The film is tentatively scheduled to shoot in the spring with a target release date of Halloween 2018! If you want to be part of the creation of Werehouse you can check out the film’s Kickstarter page right here!
Continue reading →
More from Indie
IndieMovies
A group of intrepid documentary film makers toil away making a film about the ethics of animal testing…a journey which leads them to a former testing site now supposedly utilized as a primate sanctuary. Upon arriving, they find the facility long abandoned, in complete disrepair, and full of an ungodly stench. As their investigation continues they cross paths with scientists, crazed Skunk Ape hunters, and a mutant monster they are ill-equipped to handle! For being an entry in a genre that has definitely had it’s highs and lows (many, many lows) Monkey Farm does quite a few things right. First of all, the animal testing angle is a nice (and welcome) change from the normal paranormal/ghost subject matter usually found in pictures such as these. Adding to that, this is a creature feature as well (which is ambitious for a film like this, plus you boils and ghouls now how a monster always warms my black little heart), and the
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesParanormal
In a parallel world heading toward a black hole, an ethereal albino beauty reads Revelations. As things progress, visions of angelic beings, strange shadow organizations, and pondering on man’s impact on the Earth leading to end times. The main thing Apocalypsis has going for it is style for miles. This is exactly the type of thing that comes to mind when I hear the term ‘arthouse genre film’…there are beautiful people doing oft times inexplicable things in aesthetically pleasing locations, fantastic stop-motion dreamscapes (reminiscent of the early work of Japanese auteur Shinya Tsukamoto)…in other words, it’s gorgeous…but as pretty as it all is there are some problems… Let’s start with the narrative…as mentioned above, and as the title suggests, the film involves the Biblical Book of Revelations…there’s also angels, parallel dimensions, strange conspiracies…all manner of bizarre and fascinating things, but all of it flies at you like a rocket, with some new element appearing every other minute that makes the
Continue reading →
IndieMovies
As the War of 1812 rages, British soldier Joshua Pinsmail (Eamon Farren) attempts to convince Mohawk elder Wentahawi (Sheri Foster) to align her people with the forces opposing America with the help of tribe members Oak (Kaniehtiio Horn) and Calvin Two Rivers (Justin Rain). After she refuses, Calvin does the murder biz on a cadre of sleeping American soldiers. this goes over like a fart in a submarine, and soon our heroes find themselves pursued by world-class psycho Col. Hezekiah Holt (Ezra Buzzington) and his small band of soldiers. What follows is an orgy of torture, suspense, and supernatural intervention all intertwining on the trail to sweet revenge. Mohawk isn’t a straight up fright flick, it includes so many earmarks of our beloved horror biz that it would be foolhardy not to consider it a part of our petrifying pantheon…there is effective practical gore, a protagonist that has some serious preternatural overtones, and a climax that has more than a
Continue reading →
ForeignIndieMoviesParanormal
Teen mom Chloe returns home to Eden Rock in order to have the support of her mother in raising her infant son. Man it would suck if the place was a concentration camp a hundred or so years ago where babies were summarily executed. Anyway, that baby gets to constantly cryin’, Chloe falls into a depression, and begins seeing and hearing signs that her baby may be haunted. Despite the fact that her family and psychologist think she is just stressed the F out being a new mother and all, the evil omens grow ever more intense and dark secrets are revealed that push our heroine further over the edge. The Lullaby is a dreary, dark, and at times difficult fright flick to endure. Chloe (played to perfection by Reine Swart) is a stressed out, angsty hot mess, which definitely helps audience unease, and the underlying subject matter of violence towards infants is rather off-putting as well. I’m of two
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsIndie
Writer-director Michael Tully’s Don’t Leave Home is set to make its world premiere at this year’s SXSW. Starring Anna Margaret Hollyman, Lalor Roddy, Helena Bereen, David McSavage, and Karrie Cox, the film centers on Melanie Thomas, “an American artist whose latest show recounts the infamous Irish urban legend of Father Alistair Burke, who painted a portrait of 8-year-old Siobhan Callahan in 1986. Days later, Siobhan went missing on the very morning that her figure miraculously vanished from the painting as well. Though absolved of any wrongdoing, Burke abandoned the priesthood and went into self-exile. After receiving a bad review before her opening, Melanie is contacted by the reclusive Burke, who offers to fly her to Ireland to create a new sculpture that he will help her to sell while she’s there. Telling no one where she’s going, Melanie never stops to consider that some urban legends are real.” Screenings: World Premiere: Saturday, March 10th at 1:45 pm (ZACH Theater) Public
Continue reading →
ForeignIndieMoviesTrue CrimeTrue Story
This is probably going to be one of the shorter reviews I have ever written…mainly because I think if I spend any more time time thinking about Cruel Summer I may get sick. Cruel Summer tells the charming (and supposedly true) tale of a young autistic man named Danny (Richard Pawulski) from the inner-city that gets a chance to go to the country thanks to a Governmental program. While there he encounters a real psycho of a human being who plans Danny’s demise after his equally atrocious girlfriend concocts a lie about the youth. You can guess the rest. Let’s see if I can put a positive on some of this…I guess if you want to see a film that fully displays the cruelty and unfairness that life can throw at someone then Cruel Summer is the picture for you. There is no epic revenge, no hope, barely any retribution…it’s just one unfortunate soul encountering a force that is out
Continue reading →
IndieMovies
Ashley picks up her husband Max after his stint in the big House and begins a trek through the Pacific Northwest replete with yokel locals, disappointing sex, and a batch of missing persons that rumor has it were spirited away by what the natives call Oh-Mah…also known as Bigfoot to you and me. Soon the duo find themselves well and truly in the shit when they find themselves lost in the woods (after a series of incidents involving an outrageously mutilated man, a mysterious force hucking rocks at roughly the speed of light, and a wild n’ woolly trip down some rapids). As they trek ever on it becomes evident that something large and hairy is on their trail and before long the woods run red with blood! Let’s get the nuts and bolts out of the way before we get to the ghoulish gravy shall we? Primal Rage is one hell of a well made fright flick! The story
Continue reading →
IndieTrailers
The trailer has arrived for Chicago-based filmmaker Jason Coffman’s feature film debut Housesitters, via Tomorrow Romance. Inspire by films like Ghoulies, the female-driven horror-comedy follows the misadventures of Angie (Annie Watkins, “Jan” in the original New York and Chicago runs of hit stage production The Brady Bunch) and Izzy (Jamie Jirak, formerly of Chicago’s pH Comedy Theater) as they take on a plum housesitting gig that kind of spirals into supernatural horror. Housesitters has been submitted to a number of 2018 festivals in advance of a VOD release later this year. Peter Ash, Jay J. Bidwell, Bethanie Louise, Mariah Michael, James Timothy Peters, and Ben Schlotfelt co-star in the film that features a creature puppet designed and built by Ohio-based independent filmmaker Dustin Wayde Mills (The Puppet Monster Massacre). Behind the camera, Jolene Vega served as cinematographer with Jef Burnham as assistant director and Tatiana von Recklinghausen as lead makeup/effects artist. The soundtrack includes a score by Chicago-based Joshua Burke
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesParanormal
In a small Irish village, orphan twins Rachel (Charlotte Vega) and Edward (Bill Milner) live a reclusive existence within the confines of their decaying mansion (handed down through generations of their family) which no stranger may enter. Also the place is cursed (as all of the previous heir’s parents have drowned together in a lake on the estate’s grounds) and haunted…and the spirits are gettin’ a tad restless… Anyhow, one day Rachel (more adventurous than her sullen sibling who has never left the house since their parents died years previous) strolls to town and meets Sean (Eugene Simon); an outcast soldier just back from World War 1. Rachel gets a case of the horny’s for Sean (seems masturbation and an incestuous relationship with Eddie ain’t cuttin’ the mustard anymore)…which creates an interesting love triangle to say the least. Complicating our protagonists’ lives further; they may have to sell the house as the family’s solicitor, Mr. Bermingham (David Bradley), arrives with
Continue reading →
IndieMovies
Viral Films, creators of last years impressive short For Her (which we reviewed right here), are preparing to unleash their next sinister short Werehouse…which as the title implies will feature some wicked werewolf action! Check out the official word from viscous Viral themselves! When a peaceful protest erupts into a full-blown riot, a trio of University Students who are caught in the middle seek refuge in a warehouse. Little do they realize that tonight is the one night of the month they really should’ve stayed out. The film is tentatively scheduled to shoot in the spring with a target release date of Halloween 2018! If you want to be part of the creation of Werehouse you can check out the film’s Kickstarter page right here!
Continue reading →
