CategoryIndie
Independent horror: micro-budget features, short films and first-time filmmakers doing more with less — and often doing it better.
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IndieMoviesReviews
As World War I rages above, a small group of Allied troops explore an abandoned bunker far below ground. Inside those claustrophobic confines they discover an unimaginable horror…okay, it’s pretty imaginable…but it’s bad fuckin’ news all the same! You see, those fun lovin’ goofs the Germans have created a super shitty biological weapon which infects one of our heroes faster than you can say The Kaiser. Naturally our sickly soldier begins stalking and slaying his erstwhile comrades with wild abandon! Trench 11 has one major plus going for it and that’s fantastic lighting and set design that really creates an air of hopeless claustrophobia. Our heroes literally have next to nowhere to hide as their infected friend goes plum crazy. It creates a fantastic aesthetic, and keeps the suspense rate high. Another plus are the effects, that while are not plentiful, are nevertheless well executed. Special mention must also be made to the period accurate costumes and gear which were
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesTrailers
Time and time again we’ve seen Santa as the killer in holiday horror films, but never Mrs. Claus, until now. From director Troy Escamilla comes Mrs. Claus (previously known as Stirring) about “A group of college students attending a Christmas party at a sorority house that has a sinister past are stalked by a bloodthirsty killer disguised as Mrs. Claus.” Brinke Stevens, Helene Udy, and Kaylee Williams star in this gruesome indie Christmas flick. Mrs. Claus arrives on November 13, 2018, from Wild Eye Releasing.
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IndieMoviesNews
RJLE has snagged the North American rights to the upcoming holiday horror film All the Creatures Were Stirring. In the film, a date on Christmas Eve leads a couple to a theater, where they’re treated to a bizarre and frightening collection of Christmas stories, featuring a wide ensemble of characters doing their best to avoid the horrors of the holidays. The couple will witness everything from office parties and shopping to vengeful stalkers and demons. Written and directed by David Ian McKendry (The Dump) and Rebekah McKendry (The Barista), the film stars Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians), Jocelin Donahue (Insidious: Chapter 2), Amanda Fuller (“Orange is the New Black”), Jonathan Kite (“2 Broke Girls”), and Graham Skipper (The Mind’s Eye). Morgan Peter Brown and Joe Wicker of FallBack Plan Productions produced All the Creatures Were Stirring which was executive produced by Kevin Kale. RLJE will gift horror fans with the film on VOD, Digital, and DVD on December 4, 2018,
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
As Eyes of the Dead begins we get to know our protagonist Eddie (writer/director Ben Samuels) intimately…because for the next hour and twenty minutes we will be seeing the world through his eyes…eyes that view his strained marriage, an errant, unscheduled drone spraying his crops, the arrival of mysterious agents, and the breakout of a zombie infestation on his property! Of course ol’ E-man’s family and friends end up holed up in his farmhouse as the shambling dead charge ever forward. Will they survive the onslaught or will they end up a feast for the flesh chewers? As you can guess from the above; the basics of this terror tale are familiar…but the execution is anything but! Presented in a single take, real-time POV style that really throws your ass into the arcane action hot n’ heavy (it also never presents a distraction or seems like a gimmick…even though it obviously is)! The whole affair comes off as a sort
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Ahockalypse begins with The Prairie Kings hockey team scoring a major victory on the ice, but the highfalutin celebrating is short lived as the city becomes ground zero for one of those zombie apocalypses that all the kids are into these days. Now the team has to tear ass all over the damn place in a desperate race to survive the night as gut munchers clash with team mascots, kung-fu vixens, and pepperoni obsessed goof-balls! As you can surmise from the sinister synopsis above; Ahockalypse is light on story, but that should come as no real surprise, as this is a fright flick filled with as many laughs (attempted anyway…more to come there) as lacerations, and one where the absurd rules the day…but that too is a tad lacking. First off, the cast are extremely game for the free wheeling nonsense at hand, and all are fun to watch, but unfortunately the material they are given more often than not
Continue reading →
EventsFilm FestivalsIndieMoviesNews
The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival returns to bring the best and most provocative of horror cinema to local screens and we’re thrilled to announce wave one of our programs today! Join them October 11th – 18th in venues across Brooklyn as they screen films from around the globe, along with their brand new HEAD TRIP block spotlighting films that push the boundaries and expectations of the horror genre as part of their most expansive and diverse curation yet. It’s an amazing time to love horror, with the genre being as diverse and challenging as it’s ever been, and our programming this year exemplifies the best of where the genre is currently at as well as the daring new directions in which it’s heading,” says Matt Barone, BHFF’s senior programmer. “Our mission remains to buck the genre’s conventions with forward-thinking films. Ranging from KNIFE + HEART’s modernization of classic slasher vibes to LUZ’s reinvention of exorcism tropes, not to mention TOWER.
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, a re-imagining of the popular and ubiquitous Full Moon fright franchise of the halcyon days of video stores, begins with it’s version of series mainstay (and the eponymous puppet master) Andre Toulon (this time brought to life by genre legend Udo Kier)…a scarred French/German ex-pat who fled World War II Europe (when the allies defeated his Nazi pals) after committing countless atrocities with his magical menagerie of living killer puppets…atrocities he continues to engage in in late ’80’s rural Texas..living in a mausoleum peppered with iron rods that conduct arcane energy which he uses to control his creepy creations. Flash forward to Texas of the present day and recently divorced comic shop employee Edgar (Thomas Lennon) discovering one of Toulon’s puppets in a box of rando shit in his parent’s house (a hold over possession of his dead brother which he acquired at camp in his youth). Edgar decides to sell the puppet (series regular
Continue reading →
BooksGamingIndieProductReviews
Daedalic Entertainment gave me access to their newly released sci-fi thriller, “State of Mind” that is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game takes place in Berlin where the year is 2045 and Earth’s health is declining. Technology is changing people’s lives for better and worse resulting in the rise of a terrorist group known as Breakpoint who are against the latest in technological advancements, especially with humanity’s reliance on drone, and robotic tech. The story of “State of Mind” is seen through the eyes of people from two dramatically different ends of the social spectrum, those who live in Berlin and those who live in the utopian city known as City 5. The first thing that stood out for me is the visual style of the game, for being low-poly, it’s beautiful! The scenery is absolutely stunning and visually appealing, reminding me of “Blade Runner” and the overall tone also reminding me of
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
After its highly-successful run on Amazon, the psychological thriller Prodigy makes its premiere on Netflix later this month as well as On Demand. In the film, “A discrete branch of the military calls upon psychologist James Fonda to take the case of a dangerous patient, nine-year-old Ellie. As their session begins, the young girl dissects Dr. Fonda’s unconventional methods, revealing her genius-level intellect. Only by challenging her to a battle of wits does Fonda begin to unravel the supernatural mystery surrounding Ellie — a deadly secret that threatens to destroy them both.” Prodigy wrapped an eventful festival run last year, accepting invites to nine festivals, including trips to Cinequest, Fantaspoa (Brazil) and Santa Cruz — where the film took home Best Narrative Feature honors. The film carried that success into its digital release, drawing a broad audience on Amazon, and maintaining a fresh Rotten Tomatoes score. Written and directed by Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal, the film stars Richard Neil
Continue reading →
GamingIndieNewsParanormalProduct
As the title of this article says, a new video game is coming next year with a twist; a musical romantic comedy about a grim reaper named Felix. “Felix the Reaper” is a puzzle game being independently developed by Danish game developer Kong Orange. Players will take on the role of the titled character, Felix, who works for the Ministry of Death, but alas, Felix is in love with Betty the Maiden who works for the Ministry of Life. Felix hopes to meet Betty while on the job as he works in the human world reaping souls as he groves to the tunes on his walkman. In each level, Felix works in the shadows (as he dances to music) where he can manipulate the surroundings to cause the death of a mortal. Each level is frozen in time allowing players to try to solve the puzzle where once they think they solved it, they can unfreeze time and let fate
Continue reading →
More from Indie
IndieMoviesReviews
As World War I rages above, a small group of Allied troops explore an abandoned bunker far below ground. Inside those claustrophobic confines they discover an unimaginable horror…okay, it’s pretty imaginable…but it’s bad fuckin’ news all the same! You see, those fun lovin’ goofs the Germans have created a super shitty biological weapon which infects one of our heroes faster than you can say The Kaiser. Naturally our sickly soldier begins stalking and slaying his erstwhile comrades with wild abandon! Trench 11 has one major plus going for it and that’s fantastic lighting and set design that really creates an air of hopeless claustrophobia. Our heroes literally have next to nowhere to hide as their infected friend goes plum crazy. It creates a fantastic aesthetic, and keeps the suspense rate high. Another plus are the effects, that while are not plentiful, are nevertheless well executed. Special mention must also be made to the period accurate costumes and gear which were
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesTrailers
Time and time again we’ve seen Santa as the killer in holiday horror films, but never Mrs. Claus, until now. From director Troy Escamilla comes Mrs. Claus (previously known as Stirring) about “A group of college students attending a Christmas party at a sorority house that has a sinister past are stalked by a bloodthirsty killer disguised as Mrs. Claus.” Brinke Stevens, Helene Udy, and Kaylee Williams star in this gruesome indie Christmas flick. Mrs. Claus arrives on November 13, 2018, from Wild Eye Releasing.
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNews
RJLE has snagged the North American rights to the upcoming holiday horror film All the Creatures Were Stirring. In the film, a date on Christmas Eve leads a couple to a theater, where they’re treated to a bizarre and frightening collection of Christmas stories, featuring a wide ensemble of characters doing their best to avoid the horrors of the holidays. The couple will witness everything from office parties and shopping to vengeful stalkers and demons. Written and directed by David Ian McKendry (The Dump) and Rebekah McKendry (The Barista), the film stars Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians), Jocelin Donahue (Insidious: Chapter 2), Amanda Fuller (“Orange is the New Black”), Jonathan Kite (“2 Broke Girls”), and Graham Skipper (The Mind’s Eye). Morgan Peter Brown and Joe Wicker of FallBack Plan Productions produced All the Creatures Were Stirring which was executive produced by Kevin Kale. RLJE will gift horror fans with the film on VOD, Digital, and DVD on December 4, 2018,
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
As Eyes of the Dead begins we get to know our protagonist Eddie (writer/director Ben Samuels) intimately…because for the next hour and twenty minutes we will be seeing the world through his eyes…eyes that view his strained marriage, an errant, unscheduled drone spraying his crops, the arrival of mysterious agents, and the breakout of a zombie infestation on his property! Of course ol’ E-man’s family and friends end up holed up in his farmhouse as the shambling dead charge ever forward. Will they survive the onslaught or will they end up a feast for the flesh chewers? As you can guess from the above; the basics of this terror tale are familiar…but the execution is anything but! Presented in a single take, real-time POV style that really throws your ass into the arcane action hot n’ heavy (it also never presents a distraction or seems like a gimmick…even though it obviously is)! The whole affair comes off as a sort
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Ahockalypse begins with The Prairie Kings hockey team scoring a major victory on the ice, but the highfalutin celebrating is short lived as the city becomes ground zero for one of those zombie apocalypses that all the kids are into these days. Now the team has to tear ass all over the damn place in a desperate race to survive the night as gut munchers clash with team mascots, kung-fu vixens, and pepperoni obsessed goof-balls! As you can surmise from the sinister synopsis above; Ahockalypse is light on story, but that should come as no real surprise, as this is a fright flick filled with as many laughs (attempted anyway…more to come there) as lacerations, and one where the absurd rules the day…but that too is a tad lacking. First off, the cast are extremely game for the free wheeling nonsense at hand, and all are fun to watch, but unfortunately the material they are given more often than not
Continue reading →
EventsFilm FestivalsIndieMoviesNews
The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival returns to bring the best and most provocative of horror cinema to local screens and we’re thrilled to announce wave one of our programs today! Join them October 11th – 18th in venues across Brooklyn as they screen films from around the globe, along with their brand new HEAD TRIP block spotlighting films that push the boundaries and expectations of the horror genre as part of their most expansive and diverse curation yet. It’s an amazing time to love horror, with the genre being as diverse and challenging as it’s ever been, and our programming this year exemplifies the best of where the genre is currently at as well as the daring new directions in which it’s heading,” says Matt Barone, BHFF’s senior programmer. “Our mission remains to buck the genre’s conventions with forward-thinking films. Ranging from KNIFE + HEART’s modernization of classic slasher vibes to LUZ’s reinvention of exorcism tropes, not to mention TOWER.
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich, a re-imagining of the popular and ubiquitous Full Moon fright franchise of the halcyon days of video stores, begins with it’s version of series mainstay (and the eponymous puppet master) Andre Toulon (this time brought to life by genre legend Udo Kier)…a scarred French/German ex-pat who fled World War II Europe (when the allies defeated his Nazi pals) after committing countless atrocities with his magical menagerie of living killer puppets…atrocities he continues to engage in in late ’80’s rural Texas..living in a mausoleum peppered with iron rods that conduct arcane energy which he uses to control his creepy creations. Flash forward to Texas of the present day and recently divorced comic shop employee Edgar (Thomas Lennon) discovering one of Toulon’s puppets in a box of rando shit in his parent’s house (a hold over possession of his dead brother which he acquired at camp in his youth). Edgar decides to sell the puppet (series regular
Continue reading →
BooksGamingIndieProductReviews
Daedalic Entertainment gave me access to their newly released sci-fi thriller, “State of Mind” that is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game takes place in Berlin where the year is 2045 and Earth’s health is declining. Technology is changing people’s lives for better and worse resulting in the rise of a terrorist group known as Breakpoint who are against the latest in technological advancements, especially with humanity’s reliance on drone, and robotic tech. The story of “State of Mind” is seen through the eyes of people from two dramatically different ends of the social spectrum, those who live in Berlin and those who live in the utopian city known as City 5. The first thing that stood out for me is the visual style of the game, for being low-poly, it’s beautiful! The scenery is absolutely stunning and visually appealing, reminding me of “Blade Runner” and the overall tone also reminding me of
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
After its highly-successful run on Amazon, the psychological thriller Prodigy makes its premiere on Netflix later this month as well as On Demand. In the film, “A discrete branch of the military calls upon psychologist James Fonda to take the case of a dangerous patient, nine-year-old Ellie. As their session begins, the young girl dissects Dr. Fonda’s unconventional methods, revealing her genius-level intellect. Only by challenging her to a battle of wits does Fonda begin to unravel the supernatural mystery surrounding Ellie — a deadly secret that threatens to destroy them both.” Prodigy wrapped an eventful festival run last year, accepting invites to nine festivals, including trips to Cinequest, Fantaspoa (Brazil) and Santa Cruz — where the film took home Best Narrative Feature honors. The film carried that success into its digital release, drawing a broad audience on Amazon, and maintaining a fresh Rotten Tomatoes score. Written and directed by Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal, the film stars Richard Neil
Continue reading →
GamingIndieNewsParanormalProduct
As the title of this article says, a new video game is coming next year with a twist; a musical romantic comedy about a grim reaper named Felix. “Felix the Reaper” is a puzzle game being independently developed by Danish game developer Kong Orange. Players will take on the role of the titled character, Felix, who works for the Ministry of Death, but alas, Felix is in love with Betty the Maiden who works for the Ministry of Life. Felix hopes to meet Betty while on the job as he works in the human world reaping souls as he groves to the tunes on his walkman. In each level, Felix works in the shadows (as he dances to music) where he can manipulate the surroundings to cause the death of a mortal. Each level is frozen in time allowing players to try to solve the puzzle where once they think they solved it, they can unfreeze time and let fate
Continue reading →
