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Independent horror: micro-budget features, short films and first-time filmmakers doing more with less — and often doing it better.

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This is not how Horror Games work, Game Review: ‘FIRE AND ASHES’

It’s a fact that there’s a right way and a wrong way to make a horror game. Unfortunately, ASD Studio and Axyos Games’ first-person horror game, FIRE AND ASHES, has committed some of what I can call sins of horror gaming. FIRE AND ASHES follows Harry, a man who’s been institutionalized and trapped in a twisted asylum where he must fight for his survival and uncover why he’s there. The controls for FIRE AND ASHES are alright but are overcomplicated for combat for some reason. Graphics-wise, the game looks decent, along with the lighting…and that’s where the praise stops. Combat is clunky; animations for opening doors are bugged, there are supposed to be subtitles (if you turn them on), but they don’t appear, or when they do, it’s late. You can “Swim,” but I shit you not, they just animated the arms making the swimming motion, but you’re actually just WALKING underwater; yes, you sink to the bottom and just walk.

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Oct 23, 2026

Movie Review: Born a Ninja (1988)/Commando the Ninja (1988) – Visual Vengeance Blu-ray

Visual Vengeance have collected a duo of ninja films and put them out on Blu-ray, the first of which, Commando the Ninja (1988), was produced and co-created by Godfrey Ho (we are just going to go with the gloriously mentally unstable Cynthia Rothrock martial arts experience, Undefeatable… but he has been associated with…sometimes in a rather bullshit way… bananas cinematic fried gold on any number of other features such as Ninja Terminator)… Anyway, a dude named Tanaka went and developed a form of germ warfare during World War II, and nowadays plenty of folks are hot on his ass to obtain that formula right quick! Vying for possession of said formula are evil businessman Martin who desires the formula to sell at a tidy profit… there’s also a ninja named David involved… as well as Brenda, a woman in a bedazzled all-denim outfit who kicks a rather outrageous amount of ass… for instance she pounds another character in a scene

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Oct 23, 2026

Spoiler Free Reviews: My Love for You Is Deep But the Devil Loves Me Deeper and Man Eating Pussy (Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2026)

  My Love for You Is Deep But the Devil Loves Me Deeper (U.S., 2026) Official synopsis Alice, a young woman shattered by heartbreak after being dumped from her nebbish boyfriend Ryan, encounters the Devil and makes a deal for “all the love in the world.” Review If you have memories of encountering light-night cable TV movies involving “sex from out of nowhere” scenarios and the occasional erotic thriller or offbeat horror outing, you’ll have a decent idea of the vibe that director Casey Donahue has conjured up for My Love for You Is Deep But the Devil Loves Me Deeper. Alice (Emily Whittemore) has had it with her noncommittal ex, and somewhat unknowingly enters a Faustian pact with a stranger in a bar. Poor choice for her but a good one for viewers, as we are treated to her escalating descent into the realm of the demonic. Donahue delivers on his vision, from the opening cable TV announcement to

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 23, 2026

Movie Review: Roy del espacio (1983) – Deaf Crocodile

Long thought lost, Mexican-produced animated feature Roy del espacio (1983) begins as only it… and Flash Gordon… could. Evil space emperor Alome (Rubén Moya) gets a wild hair up his space-ass to put a threat upon the Earth. To counter this, Roy (Salvador Nájar), Dr. Faz (Esteban Siller), and comely psychologist Helena (Rommy Mendoza) launch themselves into the cosmos to battle the threat!     While that synopsis won’t exactly start a blaze based on it’s red-hot originality, Rafael Angel Gil and Hector Lopez Carmona’s Roy del espacio (which the duo co-wrote with Ulises Pérez Aguirre) instead offers a ton of heart… if not technical razzle-dazzle. Boasting an animation style that could best be described as a lil’ bit Sport Billy with a dash of Chargeman Ken and all of the jank and animation-whoopsies those pieces contained (including limited movement, costume inaccuracies, and uses of perspective that’ll have you think you snorted a fistful of premium Moon Dust)… but here

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Oct 22, 2026
Game Review: 'Psalm 5:9-13'

Game Review: ‘Psalm 5:9-13’

Well, this was a short one, so the review is…well…short. This is Psalm 5:9-13, possibly the creepiest game I’ve reviewed in months! There’s really no backstory to Psalm 5:9-13; you literally wake up in the dark and explore different rooms to get answers. The controls are extremely limited, as this is a walking sim. You use one button to zoom in the camera and another to interact when prompted; other than that, that’s it for controls. The sound design of the game is well done; the ambiance is creepy and makes you paranoid as you play, as some sounds seem to be designed to distract you in order to build up to a scare.         The graphics are great but hidden behind a VHS filter, unfortunately. I know people like that look, but sometimes it can be a tad much; in this case, it both works for and against the game. Gameplay-wise, the game is quite simple.

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Oct 19, 2026
Slasher Rom Com 'A Corpse in Kensington,' Starring Michael Madsen, Wraps Production

Slasher Rom Com ‘A Corpse in Kensington,’ Starring Michael Madsen, Wraps Production

Charybdis Pictures has confirmed that post-production has wrapped on the upcoming psychological slasher rom-com A Corpse in Kensington. The film is set on Halloween 2010 in San Diego’s Kensington neighborhood. The narrative follows a loner who reunites with his high school crush and her boyfriend several years after graduation. However, tension quickly escalates when a suspicious wave of local killings forces the group to uncover the murderer’s identity. Cast and Creative Team Derrick Acosta leads the ensemble cast alongside newcomer Alex Chernow, who makes his feature-film leading-role debut. The film also stars Kimberly Weinberger, Vinny Curran, Savannah Vale, Ryan Bollman, Sutheshna Mani, and the late Michael Madsen. Writer and director Brian Patrick Butler developed the project behind the scenes alongside producer Justin Burquist of Broken Swing Productions. Michael Madsen’s Final On-Screen Role Interestingly, Michael Madsen was initially cast in a voice-only role, which he recorded early in 2024. However, a successful crowdfunding campaign raised enough funds to bring his character

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Oct 14, 2026
Spoiler Free Reviews: Valley View Motel and Once Upon a Time in a Horror Movie (Screamfest 2026)

Spoiler Free Reviews: Valley View Motel and Once Upon a Time in a Horror Movie (Screamfest 2026)

Valley View Motel Official synopsis After a 1977 diamond heist goes sideways, two small-time crooks take refuge at a remote Pennsylvania motel, where a pair of bizarre sibling owners, a ruthless hitman and a night full of bad decisions turn their getaway into a desperate fight to survive the night and make it to their rendezvous before it’s too late.  Review Cowriters/codirectors/stars Kevin Ignatius and Nick Psinakis serve up neo noir thrills and slaughter aplenty with Valley View Motel. Set in the 1970s and boasting an aesthetic that wonderfully fits crime cinema of that era without overdoing things, the film features Ignatius as Cliff, the more reluctant half of a diamond thieves duo with the more hotheaded and desperate Reg (Soulo Smith), and Psinakis as Hal, math teacher by day and hitman by night who is hot on the trail after the thieves abscond with the diamond they were meant to hand over to their employer. Sunny Kang (Laura Im)

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 13, 2026
Tubi FrightFest Announces Fear-Filled Lineup for Halloween 2026

Tubi FrightFest Announces Fear-Filled Lineup for Halloween 2026

London’s TubiFrightFest Halloween has just revealed its 2026 lineup, and whether you prefer slashers, spiders, stalkers, or the supernatural, the festival has something for horror cinephiles of all stripes. Following is the official press announcement. Hot on the hellish heels of its spectacular 27th year August five-day event, the UK’s most vibrant genre film festival returns to the ODEON Luxe West End in Leicester Square to present its annual 2-day Halloween event. Taking over both screens on Friday 30th October and Saturday 31st October, the spine-chilling line-up heralds nine premieres from five countries, spanning Europe, North and South America and Australia/Oceania. Each film will be screened twice. So, hold on tight as Tubi Frightfest takes you on a spooky, carnage-crammed journey featuring powerful mutants, seasonal spooks, psychotic neighbours, venomous spiders, vengeful werewolves, and shocking Christmas tales where it’s not just the turkey that is carved up. Opening the gates to ‘Helloween’ is the UK premiere of FREAKS PART II, which

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 1, 2026
Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival Delivers the Fear with Its 2026 Lineup

Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival Delivers the Fear with Its 2026 Lineup

Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival enters its second decade with a mouth-watering selection of fabulous fear fare from October 15–18, 2026. From occult terror to home invasion horror to intriguing documentaries and beyond, the fest has something for horror fans of all stripes. Following is the official press release. Nightmares Film Festival (Oct. 15 to 18) today revealed its 2026 program, opening its second decade with a celebration of the boldest, freshest and most surprising work keeping genre dangerous.  “It’s our eleventh year, but we’re thinking of this as year one of a new decade of Nightmares,” said co-founders Jason Tostevin. “We’re celebrating the innovation, imagination and camaraderie that fuel the best of genre film.” Dubbed the “Cannes of horror” (iHorror), Nightmares is part summer camp for horror lovers, part annual reunion for some of the world’s top genre creators. Taking over the world-renowned Gateway Film Center, the festival will bring fans, filmmakers, screenwriters, press and industry reps together for

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 28, 2026
YouTube Filmmakers Break the Horror Box-Office Record with Help from Jason Blum

YouTube Filmmakers Break the Horror Box-Office Record with Help from Jason Blum

Australian filmmaking brothers Lucas and Curtis Nicotra, better known to their millions of followers as Sticks, released a viral video documenting their audacious quest: to make a movie on a micro-budget of under $1. With the help of horror mastermind Jason Blum. Their ultimate ambition: to surpass the legendary budget-to-box-office return ratio of Blumhouse’s seminal blockbuster, Paranormal Activity. Shattering a Legendary Horror Record on a Dollar Budget The stunt began when the Nicotra brothers revisited the legendary success story of Paranormal Activity. It cost roughly $15,000 to produce and grossed over $193 million globally. Wondering whether they could shatter that historic return-on-investment ratio, Lucas and Curtis set out in late 2024 to shoot a short film for $1. How? By relying entirely on a volunteer crew, borrowed camera gear, and donated locations. The script itself serves as a meta-tribute to Jason Blum. It recounts how the producer originally fought to turn Paranormal Activity into a global phenomenon. After recruiting actor Jake

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Sep 19, 2026

More from Indie

This is not how Horror Games work, Game Review: ‘FIRE AND ASHES’

It’s a fact that there’s a right way and a wrong way to make a horror game. Unfortunately, ASD Studio and Axyos Games’ first-person horror game, FIRE AND ASHES, has committed some of what I can call sins of horror gaming. FIRE AND ASHES follows Harry, a man who’s been institutionalized and trapped in a twisted asylum where he must fight for his survival and uncover why he’s there. The controls for FIRE AND ASHES are alright but are overcomplicated for combat for some reason. Graphics-wise, the game looks decent, along with the lighting…and that’s where the praise stops. Combat is clunky; animations for opening doors are bugged, there are supposed to be subtitles (if you turn them on), but they don’t appear, or when they do, it’s late. You can “Swim,” but I shit you not, they just animated the arms making the swimming motion, but you’re actually just WALKING underwater; yes, you sink to the bottom and just walk.

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Oct 23, 2026

Movie Review: Born a Ninja (1988)/Commando the Ninja (1988) – Visual Vengeance Blu-ray

Visual Vengeance have collected a duo of ninja films and put them out on Blu-ray, the first of which, Commando the Ninja (1988), was produced and co-created by Godfrey Ho (we are just going to go with the gloriously mentally unstable Cynthia Rothrock martial arts experience, Undefeatable… but he has been associated with…sometimes in a rather bullshit way… bananas cinematic fried gold on any number of other features such as Ninja Terminator)… Anyway, a dude named Tanaka went and developed a form of germ warfare during World War II, and nowadays plenty of folks are hot on his ass to obtain that formula right quick! Vying for possession of said formula are evil businessman Martin who desires the formula to sell at a tidy profit… there’s also a ninja named David involved… as well as Brenda, a woman in a bedazzled all-denim outfit who kicks a rather outrageous amount of ass… for instance she pounds another character in a scene

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Oct 23, 2026

Spoiler Free Reviews: My Love for You Is Deep But the Devil Loves Me Deeper and Man Eating Pussy (Toronto After Dark Film Festival 2026)

  My Love for You Is Deep But the Devil Loves Me Deeper (U.S., 2026) Official synopsis Alice, a young woman shattered by heartbreak after being dumped from her nebbish boyfriend Ryan, encounters the Devil and makes a deal for “all the love in the world.” Review If you have memories of encountering light-night cable TV movies involving “sex from out of nowhere” scenarios and the occasional erotic thriller or offbeat horror outing, you’ll have a decent idea of the vibe that director Casey Donahue has conjured up for My Love for You Is Deep But the Devil Loves Me Deeper. Alice (Emily Whittemore) has had it with her noncommittal ex, and somewhat unknowingly enters a Faustian pact with a stranger in a bar. Poor choice for her but a good one for viewers, as we are treated to her escalating descent into the realm of the demonic. Donahue delivers on his vision, from the opening cable TV announcement to

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 23, 2026

Movie Review: Roy del espacio (1983) – Deaf Crocodile

Long thought lost, Mexican-produced animated feature Roy del espacio (1983) begins as only it… and Flash Gordon… could. Evil space emperor Alome (Rubén Moya) gets a wild hair up his space-ass to put a threat upon the Earth. To counter this, Roy (Salvador Nájar), Dr. Faz (Esteban Siller), and comely psychologist Helena (Rommy Mendoza) launch themselves into the cosmos to battle the threat!     While that synopsis won’t exactly start a blaze based on it’s red-hot originality, Rafael Angel Gil and Hector Lopez Carmona’s Roy del espacio (which the duo co-wrote with Ulises Pérez Aguirre) instead offers a ton of heart… if not technical razzle-dazzle. Boasting an animation style that could best be described as a lil’ bit Sport Billy with a dash of Chargeman Ken and all of the jank and animation-whoopsies those pieces contained (including limited movement, costume inaccuracies, and uses of perspective that’ll have you think you snorted a fistful of premium Moon Dust)… but here

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Oct 22, 2026
Game Review: 'Psalm 5:9-13'

Game Review: ‘Psalm 5:9-13’

Well, this was a short one, so the review is…well…short. This is Psalm 5:9-13, possibly the creepiest game I’ve reviewed in months! There’s really no backstory to Psalm 5:9-13; you literally wake up in the dark and explore different rooms to get answers. The controls are extremely limited, as this is a walking sim. You use one button to zoom in the camera and another to interact when prompted; other than that, that’s it for controls. The sound design of the game is well done; the ambiance is creepy and makes you paranoid as you play, as some sounds seem to be designed to distract you in order to build up to a scare.         The graphics are great but hidden behind a VHS filter, unfortunately. I know people like that look, but sometimes it can be a tad much; in this case, it both works for and against the game. Gameplay-wise, the game is quite simple.

Continue reading →
Daniel S. Liuzzi
Oct 19, 2026
Slasher Rom Com 'A Corpse in Kensington,' Starring Michael Madsen, Wraps Production

Slasher Rom Com ‘A Corpse in Kensington,’ Starring Michael Madsen, Wraps Production

Charybdis Pictures has confirmed that post-production has wrapped on the upcoming psychological slasher rom-com A Corpse in Kensington. The film is set on Halloween 2010 in San Diego’s Kensington neighborhood. The narrative follows a loner who reunites with his high school crush and her boyfriend several years after graduation. However, tension quickly escalates when a suspicious wave of local killings forces the group to uncover the murderer’s identity. Cast and Creative Team Derrick Acosta leads the ensemble cast alongside newcomer Alex Chernow, who makes his feature-film leading-role debut. The film also stars Kimberly Weinberger, Vinny Curran, Savannah Vale, Ryan Bollman, Sutheshna Mani, and the late Michael Madsen. Writer and director Brian Patrick Butler developed the project behind the scenes alongside producer Justin Burquist of Broken Swing Productions. Michael Madsen’s Final On-Screen Role Interestingly, Michael Madsen was initially cast in a voice-only role, which he recorded early in 2024. However, a successful crowdfunding campaign raised enough funds to bring his character

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Oct 14, 2026
Spoiler Free Reviews: Valley View Motel and Once Upon a Time in a Horror Movie (Screamfest 2026)

Spoiler Free Reviews: Valley View Motel and Once Upon a Time in a Horror Movie (Screamfest 2026)

Valley View Motel Official synopsis After a 1977 diamond heist goes sideways, two small-time crooks take refuge at a remote Pennsylvania motel, where a pair of bizarre sibling owners, a ruthless hitman and a night full of bad decisions turn their getaway into a desperate fight to survive the night and make it to their rendezvous before it’s too late.  Review Cowriters/codirectors/stars Kevin Ignatius and Nick Psinakis serve up neo noir thrills and slaughter aplenty with Valley View Motel. Set in the 1970s and boasting an aesthetic that wonderfully fits crime cinema of that era without overdoing things, the film features Ignatius as Cliff, the more reluctant half of a diamond thieves duo with the more hotheaded and desperate Reg (Soulo Smith), and Psinakis as Hal, math teacher by day and hitman by night who is hot on the trail after the thieves abscond with the diamond they were meant to hand over to their employer. Sunny Kang (Laura Im)

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 13, 2026
Tubi FrightFest Announces Fear-Filled Lineup for Halloween 2026

Tubi FrightFest Announces Fear-Filled Lineup for Halloween 2026

London’s TubiFrightFest Halloween has just revealed its 2026 lineup, and whether you prefer slashers, spiders, stalkers, or the supernatural, the festival has something for horror cinephiles of all stripes. Following is the official press announcement. Hot on the hellish heels of its spectacular 27th year August five-day event, the UK’s most vibrant genre film festival returns to the ODEON Luxe West End in Leicester Square to present its annual 2-day Halloween event. Taking over both screens on Friday 30th October and Saturday 31st October, the spine-chilling line-up heralds nine premieres from five countries, spanning Europe, North and South America and Australia/Oceania. Each film will be screened twice. So, hold on tight as Tubi Frightfest takes you on a spooky, carnage-crammed journey featuring powerful mutants, seasonal spooks, psychotic neighbours, venomous spiders, vengeful werewolves, and shocking Christmas tales where it’s not just the turkey that is carved up. Opening the gates to ‘Helloween’ is the UK premiere of FREAKS PART II, which

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 1, 2026
Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival Delivers the Fear with Its 2026 Lineup

Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival Delivers the Fear with Its 2026 Lineup

Columbus, Ohio’s Nightmares Film Festival enters its second decade with a mouth-watering selection of fabulous fear fare from October 15–18, 2026. From occult terror to home invasion horror to intriguing documentaries and beyond, the fest has something for horror fans of all stripes. Following is the official press release. Nightmares Film Festival (Oct. 15 to 18) today revealed its 2026 program, opening its second decade with a celebration of the boldest, freshest and most surprising work keeping genre dangerous.  “It’s our eleventh year, but we’re thinking of this as year one of a new decade of Nightmares,” said co-founders Jason Tostevin. “We’re celebrating the innovation, imagination and camaraderie that fuel the best of genre film.” Dubbed the “Cannes of horror” (iHorror), Nightmares is part summer camp for horror lovers, part annual reunion for some of the world’s top genre creators. Taking over the world-renowned Gateway Film Center, the festival will bring fans, filmmakers, screenwriters, press and industry reps together for

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 28, 2026
YouTube Filmmakers Break the Horror Box-Office Record with Help from Jason Blum

YouTube Filmmakers Break the Horror Box-Office Record with Help from Jason Blum

Australian filmmaking brothers Lucas and Curtis Nicotra, better known to their millions of followers as Sticks, released a viral video documenting their audacious quest: to make a movie on a micro-budget of under $1. With the help of horror mastermind Jason Blum. Their ultimate ambition: to surpass the legendary budget-to-box-office return ratio of Blumhouse’s seminal blockbuster, Paranormal Activity. Shattering a Legendary Horror Record on a Dollar Budget The stunt began when the Nicotra brothers revisited the legendary success story of Paranormal Activity. It cost roughly $15,000 to produce and grossed over $193 million globally. Wondering whether they could shatter that historic return-on-investment ratio, Lucas and Curtis set out in late 2024 to shoot a short film for $1. How? By relying entirely on a volunteer crew, borrowed camera gear, and donated locations. The script itself serves as a meta-tribute to Jason Blum. It recounts how the producer originally fought to turn Paranormal Activity into a global phenomenon. After recruiting actor Jake

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Sep 19, 2026
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