CategoryIndie
Independent horror: micro-budget features, short films and first-time filmmakers doing more with less — and often doing it better.
2,258 stories
IndieMoviesReviewsThriller
A dude named Jeb just so happens to be a director for a children’s television program…and that program just so happens to be tanking faster than Andrew Dice Clay at a feminist rally (I’ve been saving that one since 1988…I think you’ll agree it’s aged like a fine wine whose grapes were fermented in pure mirth). Anyway, ol’ Jeb has the 1000Watt idea to take a bunch of writers to a secluded lodge (the journey to which will bring to mind a certain Kubrick lensed fright flick…or the ending of the theatrical cut of Blade Runner…but what’s the difference really) to try and create some creative zeitgeist. Seems reasonable…oh, and Jeb decides to film everything with hidden cameras because he is coming unglued and is preparing a major case of the “goin’ ape-shits” that will leave the group all murdered like (but not before he uses their deepest secrets against them). I have to admit, ol’ American Killing shocked the
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IndieMoviesReviewsThriller
Ol’ Emma (Mhairi Calvey) is well and truly in the sinister soup! She’s been kidnapped and chucked into an abandoned bunker with a dude named Ben (Tyron Ricketts), a real shit-heel who sexually assaulted our heroine 15 years prior… along with her old school chum Jamie (Martin Kaps). Soon this gaggle finds themselves b.d. in the stalk n’ slay bag as they strive to keep alive when the psychos that abducted them begin chasing them through the wicked woods. 3 Lives has it’s ups and downs. Co-Writer (along with Wolf-Peter Arand)/Director Juliane Block presents Emma as a character shattered by the damage Ben inflicted on her, and Calvey certainly has the acting chops to make that believable…but unfortunately the situation she finds herself in is cliche and predictable for anyone that is a fan of the slasher genre. Fortunately the tension is kept relatively high and effective so the goings-on remain mostly watchable throughout. See how I said “mostly” up
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IndieMoviesReviews
Colette (Becca Buckalew) is a woman home alone doin’ a lil’ housework when she sees a news report detailing yet another missing woman in the area. Fortunately for her, the love of her life Cole (Matt McAbee) is heading home post-haste. Of course she doesn’t remain alone for long, but just who is in her house, and what do they truly want… Running just under six minutes, Cole & Colette packs a lot of suspense in it’s brief runtime…not to mention some great twists and turns. Writer Harker Jones along with Director Matt Boda actually manage to bring something new to that beloved horror biz trope; the stranger in the house…accompanied by news bulletins detailing a menace on the loose…seriously this shit was a “thing” all the way back in ’50’s era Tom and Jerry cartoons (Down Beat Bear for those of you keeping track at home)…probably even before, I’m not doing anymore research, my fingers are exhausted), yet it
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
There have been a lot of fantastic films that have come out since 2000. Somehow, some have gone without the love they deserve. We’ve come up with 10 overlooked and underappreciated films that you may have missed. If you haven’t seen them, stop what you are doing, grab a bag of popcorn and watch them now! 5. One Hour Photo (2002) Robin Williams stars as a mentally unstable photo developer who targets a family as they become a sick obsession in this psychological thriller. The dark and gritty, this intense film is Williams darkest role, he absolutely nailed the role of a disturbed man, earning the film a 4/5. 4. Fido (2006) Fido is one of my all-time favorite horror-comedies. It’s funny, a little cheesy (in the best possible way), and the most unique zombie movie you’ll ever see. Made on a shoestring budget, the movie was pulled off beautifully with special effects by Joe Castro who filled us in
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsThrillerTrailers
In Julianne Block’s nail-biting thriller 3 Lives, 15 years after Mhairi Calvey (Robert the Bruce, Braveheart), she comes face to face with the perpetrator again – in the wilderness. “Emma wakes up to find herself trapped in an abandoned bunker. She soon realizes that there are two other victims trapped with her, Ben and Jamie, who she knows from her days in high school. Now Ben and Jamie are Emma’s only means of escape from their savage captors, three ex-soldiers. Faced with the choice to stay in the bunker or to escape her kidnappers with the help of her former rapist and his old friend, Emma chooses the latter. Ruthlessly the ex-soldiers chase the group through the wilderness. While Emma tries to find out why Ben, Jamie, and herself have been kidnapped in the first place. Slowly matters start to spin out of control, facades start to crack and Emma has to learn who her real enemy is.” 3 Lives
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GamingIndieNewsProductReviews
Monster Couch was kind enough to give me a chance to try out their party game based on a Japanese game show, Tetsumo Party, which is coming out on July the 26th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Woovit. The main premise of the game is that players take on the role of a sumo wrestler and control his limbs so he’s able to fit through a human-shaped hole in a bamboo wall. This idea is also the basis for a real-life Japanese game show that was adapted a few years ago for American television and renamed Hole in the Wall. Tetsumo Party features a variety of characters that can be unlocked by completing challenges that each character has. Being a party game, up to eight players can play at one time on two controllers. Players manipulate the character’s arms and legs to put them into the right formation in order to allow the character to pass
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
A few months ago we sat down for an interview with writer-director Mario Cerrito III to talk about his upcoming cannibal film Human Hibachi. Now, Cerrito Productions has released a new bloody teaser trailer (watch the first one HERE). “The film follows two couples as they celebrate a 35th birthday party at a Japanese owned restaurant. What was caught on film is some of the most grotesque, horrifying images imaginable.” Elizabeth Gaynor, Carmine Giordano, Wataru Nishida, Carley Harper, Sopheaktra Theng, Andrew Hunsicker, John Campanile, and Stafford Chavis star. Human Hibachi is set to have a limited premiere this October. Be sure to check out our exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the film.
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IndieMoviesNews
Horror flick Kill Giggles has now wrapped filming and we have a batch of behind-the-scenes images to share with you. The film stars talented North Carolina local Michael Ray Williams (Watch If You Dare (2018)) as unhinged killer Tommy dos Santos alongside the fan-favorite Scream Queen Ellie Church (High on the Hog (2019), Harvest Lake (2016), Headless (2015) etc.) as Eden di Prima, the brave woman who may just save Tommy from himself. The pair were supported by genre legends Vernon Wells, Felissa Rose, and Judith O’Dea. What we’ve done here is truly make movie magic, shooting 148 scenes over a period of 20 days in 36 different locations with a 20-25-person crew,” says writer-director Jaysen Buterin. “From a ghost mall to a haunted hospital to beautiful theatres and downtown settings, there are some amazing sequences and death scenes coming up that we hope people will be talking about for some time, but the highlight HAS to be drawing and
Continue reading →
ForeignGamingIndieMoviesNewsProduct
Cult classic horror films are not just popular because of the cheap gore effects, campy acting, and boobs, the poster art alone for many of these films are masterpieces to those with an eye for horror art. Messed Up Puzzles is a company that takes these artistic pieces and turns them into jigsaw puzzles that will make any ghoul happy! These Not Safe For Work (NSFW) puzzles feature the art of films only without the title getting in the way. Recently added to their growing collection are the 1980 slasher Maniac and the 1979 Italian zombie flick Zombie (also goes by Zombi 2, and Zombie Flesh Eaters). Maniac follows a serial killer in New York City who murders women and then removes their scalps and affixing them to mannequins. The film’s poster was controversial at the time and fell victim to heavy altering and censorship when shown overseas. Fans of this film will be happy to know that there is
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNews
The latest offering from the Scottish studio is a demon-themed anthology featuring 13 shorts produced especially for the project by up-and-coming directors from around the world, For We Are Many, the first of several anthology features in the works at Hex. Each segment tells the terrifying story of a particular demonic entity, from a devastatingly sensual succubus to a Native-American demon that drives its victims to cannibalism, and many more, ranging from the biblical to the Lovecraftian. Each segment tells the terrifying story of a particular demonic entity, from a devastatingly sensual succubus to a Native-American demon that drives its victims to cannibalism, and many more, ranging from the biblical to the Lovecraftian. The film stars a host of horror icons including Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist), Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser), and Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede II). Following an open pitching process, the producers at Hex worked closely with the filmmakers to ensure that each short would feature unique and
Continue reading →
More from Indie
IndieMoviesReviewsThriller
A dude named Jeb just so happens to be a director for a children’s television program…and that program just so happens to be tanking faster than Andrew Dice Clay at a feminist rally (I’ve been saving that one since 1988…I think you’ll agree it’s aged like a fine wine whose grapes were fermented in pure mirth). Anyway, ol’ Jeb has the 1000Watt idea to take a bunch of writers to a secluded lodge (the journey to which will bring to mind a certain Kubrick lensed fright flick…or the ending of the theatrical cut of Blade Runner…but what’s the difference really) to try and create some creative zeitgeist. Seems reasonable…oh, and Jeb decides to film everything with hidden cameras because he is coming unglued and is preparing a major case of the “goin’ ape-shits” that will leave the group all murdered like (but not before he uses their deepest secrets against them). I have to admit, ol’ American Killing shocked the
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviewsThriller
Ol’ Emma (Mhairi Calvey) is well and truly in the sinister soup! She’s been kidnapped and chucked into an abandoned bunker with a dude named Ben (Tyron Ricketts), a real shit-heel who sexually assaulted our heroine 15 years prior… along with her old school chum Jamie (Martin Kaps). Soon this gaggle finds themselves b.d. in the stalk n’ slay bag as they strive to keep alive when the psychos that abducted them begin chasing them through the wicked woods. 3 Lives has it’s ups and downs. Co-Writer (along with Wolf-Peter Arand)/Director Juliane Block presents Emma as a character shattered by the damage Ben inflicted on her, and Calvey certainly has the acting chops to make that believable…but unfortunately the situation she finds herself in is cliche and predictable for anyone that is a fan of the slasher genre. Fortunately the tension is kept relatively high and effective so the goings-on remain mostly watchable throughout. See how I said “mostly” up
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesReviews
Colette (Becca Buckalew) is a woman home alone doin’ a lil’ housework when she sees a news report detailing yet another missing woman in the area. Fortunately for her, the love of her life Cole (Matt McAbee) is heading home post-haste. Of course she doesn’t remain alone for long, but just who is in her house, and what do they truly want… Running just under six minutes, Cole & Colette packs a lot of suspense in it’s brief runtime…not to mention some great twists and turns. Writer Harker Jones along with Director Matt Boda actually manage to bring something new to that beloved horror biz trope; the stranger in the house…accompanied by news bulletins detailing a menace on the loose…seriously this shit was a “thing” all the way back in ’50’s era Tom and Jerry cartoons (Down Beat Bear for those of you keeping track at home)…probably even before, I’m not doing anymore research, my fingers are exhausted), yet it
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
There have been a lot of fantastic films that have come out since 2000. Somehow, some have gone without the love they deserve. We’ve come up with 10 overlooked and underappreciated films that you may have missed. If you haven’t seen them, stop what you are doing, grab a bag of popcorn and watch them now! 5. One Hour Photo (2002) Robin Williams stars as a mentally unstable photo developer who targets a family as they become a sick obsession in this psychological thriller. The dark and gritty, this intense film is Williams darkest role, he absolutely nailed the role of a disturbed man, earning the film a 4/5. 4. Fido (2006) Fido is one of my all-time favorite horror-comedies. It’s funny, a little cheesy (in the best possible way), and the most unique zombie movie you’ll ever see. Made on a shoestring budget, the movie was pulled off beautifully with special effects by Joe Castro who filled us in
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsThrillerTrailers
In Julianne Block’s nail-biting thriller 3 Lives, 15 years after Mhairi Calvey (Robert the Bruce, Braveheart), she comes face to face with the perpetrator again – in the wilderness. “Emma wakes up to find herself trapped in an abandoned bunker. She soon realizes that there are two other victims trapped with her, Ben and Jamie, who she knows from her days in high school. Now Ben and Jamie are Emma’s only means of escape from their savage captors, three ex-soldiers. Faced with the choice to stay in the bunker or to escape her kidnappers with the help of her former rapist and his old friend, Emma chooses the latter. Ruthlessly the ex-soldiers chase the group through the wilderness. While Emma tries to find out why Ben, Jamie, and herself have been kidnapped in the first place. Slowly matters start to spin out of control, facades start to crack and Emma has to learn who her real enemy is.” 3 Lives
Continue reading →
GamingIndieNewsProductReviews
Monster Couch was kind enough to give me a chance to try out their party game based on a Japanese game show, Tetsumo Party, which is coming out on July the 26th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Woovit. The main premise of the game is that players take on the role of a sumo wrestler and control his limbs so he’s able to fit through a human-shaped hole in a bamboo wall. This idea is also the basis for a real-life Japanese game show that was adapted a few years ago for American television and renamed Hole in the Wall. Tetsumo Party features a variety of characters that can be unlocked by completing challenges that each character has. Being a party game, up to eight players can play at one time on two controllers. Players manipulate the character’s arms and legs to put them into the right formation in order to allow the character to pass
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNewsTrailers
A few months ago we sat down for an interview with writer-director Mario Cerrito III to talk about his upcoming cannibal film Human Hibachi. Now, Cerrito Productions has released a new bloody teaser trailer (watch the first one HERE). “The film follows two couples as they celebrate a 35th birthday party at a Japanese owned restaurant. What was caught on film is some of the most grotesque, horrifying images imaginable.” Elizabeth Gaynor, Carmine Giordano, Wataru Nishida, Carley Harper, Sopheaktra Theng, Andrew Hunsicker, John Campanile, and Stafford Chavis star. Human Hibachi is set to have a limited premiere this October. Be sure to check out our exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the film.
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNews
Horror flick Kill Giggles has now wrapped filming and we have a batch of behind-the-scenes images to share with you. The film stars talented North Carolina local Michael Ray Williams (Watch If You Dare (2018)) as unhinged killer Tommy dos Santos alongside the fan-favorite Scream Queen Ellie Church (High on the Hog (2019), Harvest Lake (2016), Headless (2015) etc.) as Eden di Prima, the brave woman who may just save Tommy from himself. The pair were supported by genre legends Vernon Wells, Felissa Rose, and Judith O’Dea. What we’ve done here is truly make movie magic, shooting 148 scenes over a period of 20 days in 36 different locations with a 20-25-person crew,” says writer-director Jaysen Buterin. “From a ghost mall to a haunted hospital to beautiful theatres and downtown settings, there are some amazing sequences and death scenes coming up that we hope people will be talking about for some time, but the highlight HAS to be drawing and
Continue reading →
ForeignGamingIndieMoviesNewsProduct
Cult classic horror films are not just popular because of the cheap gore effects, campy acting, and boobs, the poster art alone for many of these films are masterpieces to those with an eye for horror art. Messed Up Puzzles is a company that takes these artistic pieces and turns them into jigsaw puzzles that will make any ghoul happy! These Not Safe For Work (NSFW) puzzles feature the art of films only without the title getting in the way. Recently added to their growing collection are the 1980 slasher Maniac and the 1979 Italian zombie flick Zombie (also goes by Zombi 2, and Zombie Flesh Eaters). Maniac follows a serial killer in New York City who murders women and then removes their scalps and affixing them to mannequins. The film’s poster was controversial at the time and fell victim to heavy altering and censorship when shown overseas. Fans of this film will be happy to know that there is
Continue reading →
IndieMoviesNews
The latest offering from the Scottish studio is a demon-themed anthology featuring 13 shorts produced especially for the project by up-and-coming directors from around the world, For We Are Many, the first of several anthology features in the works at Hex. Each segment tells the terrifying story of a particular demonic entity, from a devastatingly sensual succubus to a Native-American demon that drives its victims to cannibalism, and many more, ranging from the biblical to the Lovecraftian. Each segment tells the terrifying story of a particular demonic entity, from a devastatingly sensual succubus to a Native-American demon that drives its victims to cannibalism, and many more, ranging from the biblical to the Lovecraftian. The film stars a host of horror icons including Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist), Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser), and Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede II). Following an open pitching process, the producers at Hex worked closely with the filmmakers to ensure that each short would feature unique and
Continue reading →
