To accomplish this, I will try to pick actors who are not yet huge stars, though some may have high-profile credits. Just to avoid this being a star-studded fan casting. Plus, the players will be in their mid-20s to early 30s. Like the original cast when they started.

Monica – Hari Nef

Throughout her relatively small career, Hari Nef has showcased many of Monica’s key qualities. Her role in Barbie demonstrated her comedic talent and her caring nature. Additionally, Assassination Nation platformed her more cutting wit as well as a vulnerable side that could be well utilised for Monica’s insecurities. Also, given that she stands out and plays well as part of an ensemble cast in both projects, it’s undeniable that Hari would make a great pick for the Friends’ mother figure.

Chandler – Jacob Batalon

Could there be a more perfect modern embodiment of Chandler Bing than Jacob Batalon? His turn as Ned in the MCU Spider-Man films shows that he can do pretty much any type of comedy you can throw at him. He is pitch-perfect as the funny, loyal best friend archetype. Coupled with this, his sweet small-scale courtship with Angourie Rice’s Betty Brant in Far From Home provides a great basis for him to build on with Chandler and Monica’s relationship storyline.

Phoebe – Geraldine Viswanathan

Phoebe Buffay wears her heart on her sleeve. She is also unpredictable, with a sarcastic, sometimes dark sense of humour. Geraldine Viswanathan can nail sarcasm and emotionally honest moments. Her underappreciated work in Drive Away Dolls proves it. Meanwhile, Miracle Workers: End Times gets many big laughs from her delivery of dark punchlines. Seriously, imagine Phoebe in a post-apocalypse scenario. You will end up with something like Geraldine’s performance in Miracle Workers: End Times.

Joey – Jacob Elordi

You see, Joey Tribbiani is an actor, he’s also charming, a devoted friend, and one of TV’s most beloved himbos. Who else could pull that off? Well, as Saltburn‘s Felix is a charming himbo who defends someone he considers a friend, and other projects like Priscilla and Euphoria indicate he can play a variety of roles, which he could utilise for Joey’s acting projects, Jacob Elordi would be fantastic as the jobbing actor.

Rachel – Aimee Lou Wood

Initially sheltered and naive, Rachel Green rises to have her own career while maintaining a welcoming personality. She is Friends’ most well-known character. If there is any equivalent that instantly comes to mind, it’s Aimee Lou Wood’s Aimee from Sex Education. Aimee also has a privileged background and appears naive at first, but she also goes through a lot of development and keeps a sense of warmth throughout. Plus, Aimee is really funny, having won a BAFTA for her performance. Which is a big deal.

Ross – David Corenswet

Yes, the new Superman would make a fantastic Ross Geller. He can play both the charming and darker aspects needed for Ross’ love life, see his Projectionist performance in Pearl. The sense of humour that saves Ross from being a repulsive presence is also on full display in his interviews. The dedication to acting we see in his role as Hollywood‘s Jack means he can also pull off Ross’s passion for Palaeontology. 

So ends our look at who we would cast in the iconic Friends roles in 2025. Who would you pick for these beloved parts?

The post Casting Friends in 2025 appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Sinners

As I write this, Sinners is 2025’s highest-grossing original film. It’s also written and directed by Ryan Coogler, one of Hollywood’s most revered and popular recent directors. That said, being popular doesn’t stop Sinners from being a cult film in the making. Like many cult films, Sinners constantly shakes things up with different genre elements. One minute it’s a 1930s gangster story crossed with a fun hangout movie, the next it’s a full-blooded horror film. All while peppering in a cast of brilliant characters, songs and musical numbers, and deep thematic topics. Such as cultural legacy, appropriation, ingrained power structures and America’s racism. Modern big-budget films are rarely this audacious. Considering Sinners’ success seemingly has studios spooked, we may not see another huge film this unique for a while. That’s why this film is destined for cult stardom. It’s too special and significant not to inspire a legion of fans.

I Saw the TV Glow 

Many cult films also speak to marginalised experiences, particularly LGBTQ+ audiences. This is where I Saw The TV Glow slots in. Its discussion of how media provides great outlets for young people to express themselves, along with its difficult but important discussion of how hard it is to break free from an identity that society expects of you and that you have internalised, holds particular resonance for trans audiences. Plus, it’s framing through a lens of 90s and early 2000s nostalgic memory and heavy psychological horror gives I Saw The TV Glow a distinct style and feeling. These elements and the film’s bittersweet message at such a horrendous time for trans people will ensure a devoted following.

Polite Society

Smaller action films are also prime targets for cult status, especially if they have an instantly iconic main character. Polite Society centres on Ria, a British-Pakistani teenager aiming to become a stunt performer. When her beloved sister, aspiring artist Lena, unexpectedly gets engaged, Ria tries to sabotage their relationship. Slowly, she discovers a dark plot involving cloning that will require all her skills to overcome. A loving ode to sisterly love, with two fantastic central characters, that surreally mixes martial arts and sci-fi trappings into a grounded family drama, Polite Society has all the right ingredients to become a fixture of playground conversations for a new generation of off-kilter action fans.

The Tales From Pandora’s Box Series 

Another proud cult film category is the so bad it’s good film. Tales From Pandora’s Box is a horror and sci-fi anthology trilogy with the same charm as The Room. The filmmaker clearly had big ideas for the stories, but a lack of budget and no care given to film production basics make the final products feel incredibly amateur. When the films feature an astounding amount of out-of-place nudity, hilariously bad dialogue, use of still images to transition between stories, the same actors popping up again and again, Windows Movie Maker transitions, and more, it’s impossible not to laugh a little. These films could definitely become Halloween roasting rituals for drunken friends.

Stopmotion

Cult films are also known for how they experiment with cinema as a medium. Stopmotion’s blend of live-action and animation is an unnervingly impressive reminder of how great smaller-budget genre films can be. Additionally, it has some hard-to-watch effects work, a layered story about the creative process and Aisling Franciosi’s outstandingly raw lead performance. While Stopmotion should be held in higher regard, it will undoubtedly become a future cult favourite.

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In this article, we will analyse why horror stories, even now, like to draw on these cultural touchstones, before looking at some horror films and the folklore and myths that inspired them.

Past Horrors

Older forms of storytelling like myths, legends, folklore etc. have concerned themselves with confronting our fears of the unexplained for thousands of years. Whether it be existential, rooted in the problems of a particular region/culture or often both. Many of these stories act as tales of morality or explorations of the fantastical, they are also seen as formative teaching moments for children to learn about the world and the moral frameworks through which to view it. But these stories also have a hint of horror about them. With the dire consequences visited upon those who are evil (e.g. burning to death or in hell) and villains being capable of scary/dark things (e.g. devouring people in their path). Thus these stories act as a foundation for horror stories by prominently using the fantastic and unexplained.

Since the beginning of cinema films have been drawing inspiration from this kind of storytelling. Allowing stories from across the Earth to be experienced in a way that foregrounds a sense of reality and immediacy. 

Horror and Myths

So why do horror films keep returning to these older stories? Well, one reason is that these types of stories value reinterpretation. These stories have been told differently in various regions with each storyteller giving the story a different spin. Providing filmmakers with a great license for creativity. 

Equally, these sources can provide production with an air of seriousness due to drawing on older traditions that those outside of the genre are more familiar with.

They also add an extra eerie factor. Due to the association of myths and folklore with formative childhood experiences and a time before cinema, it allows films using these stories to act as a dark confrontation of childhood innocence and evokes feelings of a time before modern technology which creates feelings of unfamiliarity and thus unease in viewers.

But most significantly horror as a genre has a habit of recontextualising these older stories. With many of these older stories attempting to explain the unexplained or offering definitive morals their use in a modern context, where many questions posed by these stories have been answered and morality is less black and white, refocuses the story’s meaning to show humanity’s fallibility. Notably folk horror, which focuses a lot on invoking folklore, takes the trappings of old tales and puts more focus on humanity’s capacity for self-destruction.

Folklore in Horror Films

To see how widespread the influence of older stories are in horror here are three horror films and the stories that inspired them:

Haxan

The groundbreaking silent horror essay film dramatises and analyses the folklore of witches and the societal factors that resulted in these stories being used to destroy the lives of women from the Middle Ages to the then modern day.

Midsommar

This film’s story has ties to several traditions and folk tales. For example, Midsommar’s Hårga cult is influenced by a folk story which concerns a group of villagers who are visited by the devil and made to dance to death – something at the heart of the dramatic displays of Midsommar. Plus there is the use of May Queen imagery. This symbolises someone being chosen to embody the coming of growth in Spring, with Dani representing the growth of the cult’s ideology.

Huesera: The Bone Woman

Huesera’s central threat is based on a Mexican legend. The story concerns a woman who collects bones. Upon having enough to form a skeleton she brings them to life. Creating a wolf which then becomes a woman. The story is said by scholars to be about restoring lifeforce, which does not want to be tamed. The movie updates this theme by making the central threat encompass how women are viewed by and harmed under patriarchy, with the main character Valeria’s visits from the bone woman revealing more about herself and how society views her.

Also Read: Animated Horror: The Overlooked Genre Fusion

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In this article, we will look at some directors without many feature credits to their names who have films starting to make festival tours. We will look at their backgrounds, their styles, and why we think viewers should be excited about their projects.

Rose Glass

Rose Glass got her start making short films at the London College of Communication and the National Film and Television School. In 2019, she made a splash in the horror world with her first feature film, Saint Maud. Her direction and writing yielded a film with an impressively dour and creepy atmosphere, fantastic lead performances and nuanced female characters. Saint Maud saw Glass nominated for several industry awards, including at the BAFTAs and Fangoria’s Chainsaw Awards. Marking her as a director to watch. With her latest film, Love Lies Bleeding, having its UK premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival later this month, it will be interesting to see Glass’ dark, character-focused style in use in a different genre, in this case, a crime story.

Pamela Adlon

With a career reaching back to Grease 2 (1982), which includes acting, writing, producing and TV directing credits, Pamela Adlon is now making her feature directorial debut this year with Babes. Which will be premiering at SXSW. Her citing John Cassavetes’ “conversational, documentary-style” as a creative influence on prior projects, her long acting career and her previous experience directing the naturalistic comedy series Better Things, which, like Babes, deals with themes of motherhood, it’s easy to see Babes being a great launching pad for an artist interested in creating more realistic, grounded work.

Jon Bell

RGM artists call Jon Bell “one of the most experienced Indigenous Screenwriters in Australia”. With writing credits on several award-winning television projects already under his belt. His first feature film is an extension of his short The Moogai. Which I stated was the scariest short film at Celluloid Screams 2021. Owing to Bell’s ability to develop great tension through dark visuals, careful editing and eliciting great performances from his cast. The Moogai (2024) has already had a screening at Sundance and will have a later showing at SXSW. If Bell can keep the style he demonstrated in the original short while expanding the story in interesting ways then The Moogai (2024) may be on track to be one of 2024’s best horror films.

Tiago Teixeira

Another horror director about to make the leap from shorts to full-length films is Tiago Teixeira. The Frightfest regular (his previous shorts Molar, Dog Skin and Wrong Number all having played at the festival before) will be debuting his upcoming movie Custom at Glasgow Frightfest in March. The award-winning filmmaker’s penchant for precise and glacial camera movement, eye-catching colour and his clear understanding of visual storytelling, owing to his studying of cinema and design, should have horror fans excited for an arresting work that doesn’t rely solely on sound for scares.

Julie Lunde Lillesæter

Finally, we would like to highlight a documentary filmmaker whose work has already been featured on several high-profile news sources and whose feature debut will be coming to SXSW soon. A critical media and communication studies graduate from LSE, Lillesæter’s career has focused on humanising marginalised and oppressed voices. Such as migrants, the LGBTQ community and people affected by climate change. Her mixture of handheld and poetic visuals creates both an immediacy and an emotional depth to her work. Her film An Army of Women looks at a group of women’s struggle for justice against law enforcement for their inaction regarding sexual violence cases. An unfortunately all too common occurrence. With Lillesæter’s track record, this film is sure to provide searing insight into a difficult subject. In a way that sensitively foregrounds the people affected.

These are just some up-and-coming directors whose careers we are interested to see progress. Hopefully, their upcoming projects will cement their positions as filmmakers. And with many talented new directors out there we will continue seeking out more rising creators for everyone to see.

Also Read: The Impact: How Dozens of Filmmakers Around The World Crowd-Created A Film About The Apocalypse

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This year attendees saw another beautiful horror gallery (from Vice Press), an array of merchandise stalls from Arrow Video, Fab Press, Last Shirt on The Left, Killer Kultpins, FunkeeJunkeeMunkee and more, and themed food from Showroom Cinema. We also had filmmaker masterclasses, live Turbo Kid commentary from filmmakers François Simard and Yoann-Karl Whissell, plus a special 35mm grindhouse experience. 

So how did the films stack up? Here are my ratings and reviews of every film at the festival in 25 words or less. Accompanied by some recommendations for short films I saw.

Reviews

Where The Devil Roams: Beautiful imagery and good performances, though it would have benefited from being a short film (2.5 / 5).

The Origin: A slow, clunky Stone Age survival adventure made passable by a tense third act. Although the explanation behind the stalking force is anticlimactic (2.5 / 5).

The Chapel: The film’s central relationships and exploration of how children process death are interesting however it spins its wheels a lot before the climax (2.5 / 5). 

Pandemonium: This anthology has a fantastic introduction and a standout segment involving a mother and bullied daughter. It’s failed by an excessive ending and confused theming (2.5 / 5).

Freaked: Freaked has glorious effects work but goes for quantity over quality regarding jokes and its plot feels too throwaway (3 / 5).

What You Wish For: Suspenseful cannibal cooking, global south exploitation allegory voted the festival’s best film. Foiled by some bad “lying” performances and convenient plotting (3 / 5). 

It’s A Wonderful Knife: Mostly a predictable slasher riff on It’s A Wonderful Life enlivened by Justin Long’s, Jane Widdop’s, Jess McLeod’s, and Katherine Isabelle’s great performances (3 / 5).

Lady Terminator: Our grindhouse screening and the festival’s best theatrical experience. Bloody, fast-paced, unintentionally funny and so playfully poor taste it’s hard to get angry (3 / 5). 

#Manhole: A gripping simple premise quickly becomes so overcomplicated it detracts from the drama. Thankfully Yûto Nakajima’s performance and the over-the-top ending make #Manhole watchable (3 / 5). 

All You Need Is Blood: A fun amalgamation of other ideas explored during the festival. Unfortunately, it suffers from an uneven tone and trying to do too much (3 / 5).

Hellbound: Hellraiser II: Introduces great new characters and features excellent effects work but it lacks the original’s impact due to the peeling away of the villains’ mystery (3 / 5).

Turbo Kid: This slight coming-of-age story has a lovely central relationship, charming effects, and Michael Ironside is gloriously villainous. The live commentary was wonderful (3 / 5).

T Blockers: Packed with an envigorating liberatory message and affectionate characterisation (Sophie is among 2023’s best characters). The horror elements just needed better incorporation (3 / 5).

Falling Stars: The characters make this work. Everyone feels so genuine you get completely swept up in their journey and the tension is built masterfully (3.5 / 5). 

Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The schlocky genre affection radiates off the screen. Consistently funny with outstanding effects (3.5 / 5).

We Are Zombies: A zombie genre reinvigoration that loses its way by the end but has enough guffaws (insensitive moments aside) and guts to satisfy genre fans (3.5 / 5).

Loop Track: Thomas Sainsbury’s anxious performance and a masterful balance of serious and comedic tones make Loop Track an effective paranoid ride (3.5 / 5).

Stopmotion: A well-made nightmare about the creative process that features tremendous animation and a fierce performance from Aisling Franciosi (4 / 5). 

Shorts

Now here are the best short films.

Women’s Stories: Only Yourself to Blame and Incubus provide haunting looks at the consequences of sexual violence, meanwhile Vibrator Girl hilariously looks at how patriarchy frames women’s pleasure.

 Scary: Butterscotch and Stop Dead had some of the festival’s scariest monsters and moments.

Award Winner: You’re Not Home is a disturbingly real look at racism and the asylum system’s inadequacy. The 1st place jury prize winner. 

Conclusion

Celluloid Screams 2023 continued the high standards expected by attendees. The new additions were definitely welcome and the programming was as amazing as ever. Showing that come rain or shine Celluloid Screams will always give genre fans what they need.

Also Read: Horror Films To Enjoy During The Long Dark Winter Months

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This year we saw film worker Q&As and introductions, and stalls from Arrow Video, Last Shirt on the Left, HotFoodSheffield, and more. Surprisingly we also got to enjoy an event menu in the Showroom Cafe Bar, as well as a Celluloid Screams branded beer, Jim’ll Paint It’s excellent artwork was displayed throughout the cinema and the festival even hosted a live event experience. Giving this year’s festival some nice variety.

But now it’s time to review and rank every movie I saw at Celluloid Screams 2022, from worst to best in 25 words or less. Additionally, like last year, I will give you some short film recommendations at the end.

Reviews

Wolf Manor: Some minor laughs from ridiculing on-set power dynamics don’t prevent the bland performances and poor staging from tearing this werewolf movie apart. (2 / 5)

Matriarchy: This year’s audience award winner is destined to become a so-bad-it’s-good classic. With its hammy acting, gloriously ridiculous writing, and surprisingly great effects. (2 / 5)

Megalomaniac: Realistic handling of abusive power dynamics and Eline Schumacher’s resonant performance, unfortunately, give way to something more conventional that provides little beyond shock value.  (2.5 / 5)

Evil Eye: Ofelia Medina is the reason to see this movie. Her passion and energy are amazing. Shamefully nothing else in the movie matches her.  (2.5 / 5)

The Elderly: Zorion Eguileor and Paula Gallego’s performances, the suspense, and high-scale finale are laudable. Unfortunately, that goodwill fades thanks to baffling decisions making many characters unlikeable. (2.5 / 5)

V/H/S/99: Parts of this movie are boring, leery, and poorly structured. But three-fifths is inventive, ambitious, and well-done storytelling. Just skip stories 1 and 4. (3 / 5)

The Leech: Sometimes The Leech cheaply paints homeless characters as “parasitic”. Overall though it’s a great satire of how destructive extremist Christian views are. Perfect Christmas viewing. (3 / 5)

The Passenger: Paula Gallego’s second great performance this year. Definitely a future star. Despite an unlikable lead and overly familiar setup, it’s a fun b-movie throwback. (3 / 5)

Barbarian: Constantly shifting focus and stakes make Barbarian an exciting ride. Even if by the end it feels rather lacking in impact. (3 / 5)

Holy Sh*t: This portaloo thriller initially feels stagey and narratively frustrating. But an over-the-top second half and Gedeon Burkhard’s deliciously evil performance help salvage it. (3 / 5)

Something in the Dirt: Although Benson and Moorhead’s films (Synchronic aside) never fully satisfy me, it’s good seeing filmmakers exploring complex ideas and creating rich characters over spectacle. (3 / 5)

Bubba Ho-Tep: Some of Bubba Ho-Tep’s writing and editing are juvenile 2000s relics. Conversely, Ossie Davis’ charm and Bruce Campbell’s comedic timing carry it over those hurdles. (3 / 5)

Ghostwatch (Live Experience): It’ll never recapture its broadcast’s shock factor. That said the live experience added lots of atmosphere and Ghostwatch remains a well-photographed, piece of TV history. (3 / 5)

Watcher: Maika Monroe can do no wrong. The forced final coda and the movie’s slow pace don’t keep it from being an effective gaslighting thriller. (3.5 / 5)

The Harbinger: A dark lament for those we lost (and now seemingly have forgotten) during the Pandemic. With one of the year’s most frightening villains. (3.5 / 5)

Huesera: The excellent cast and effective direction anchor this creepy story about societal expectations’ impact on motherhood. My favourite new release from the festival. (3.5 / 5)

Evil Dead 2: 35 years later almost nothing tops Evil Dead 2’s sheer energy, enthusiasm, and imagination.  (4.5 / 5)

Shorts

And what were Celluloid Scream’s short highlights?

Comedy: The pooch slasher Good Boy, werewolf howler The Wilds and the sweet personal favourite Unicorn all provided some much-needed laughs.

Drama: The bitterly depressing Everybody Goes to the Hospital and the gothic Memento Mori animation effectively made us empathise with our fellow human beings.

Historical: Facies (El Semblante) was a horrific look at the torture inflicted during witch trials.

Conclusion

2022 was another great year for Sheffield’s perennial horror festival. Even if the features didn’t hit the highs of last year the new experiences, great shorts, atmosphere and standout moments left me hungry for more. 2023 can’t come soon enough.

Also Read: Screaming Again: Celluloid Screams 2021

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With this list, we are going to try something different. Obviously, there are higher-profile releases coming up like Scream (2022) and Halloween Ends. But since these movies are part of big franchises they already have an inbuilt audience. Instead, this list is going to focus on original IP, or first adaptations to encourage us to watch a more diverse range of films. Now join us as we spotlight five horror movies that you should watch in 2022. 

Abruptio (????)

Puppets are creepy at the best of times. So the idea of a full-length horror film made using puppets sounds like a match made in heaven. Our story here follows Les Hackel who wakes up one morning with a bomb implanted in his neck. Though it is not clear when the film will be released it is predicted for some time in 2022. And with unique presentation at its core along with a great voice cast (including the talents of Jordan Peele, Robert Englund, the late Sid Haig, and James Marsters among others) this definitely feels like a production to keep an eye on.

Bed Rest (15^th July)

The first film from director Lori Evans Taylor (who is also writing the upcoming Final Destination 6). Bed Rest’s narrative is about a pregnant woman who tries to figure out if her house is haunted or if she is simply imagining the spooky occurrences happening around her. With a fresh talent behind the camera and a script that was on the Black List (a list of popular unproduced screenplays) in 2015, there is every possibility that this will be a creepy start for a new horror talent.

Nope (22^nd July)

Jordan Peele’s latest movie reunites him with Daniel Kaluuya and also includes Steven Yuen and Keke Palmer in the cast. Some people may need more details to be convinced to watch Nope, but when you have made movies as great and impactful as Get Out and Us, little information is needed for horror fans to get excited about Jordan Peele’s next project.

Dark Harvest (9^th September)

We all love having a new iconic villain to gush over, and Dark Harvest appears to be offering just that. Based upon a novel by Norman Partridge and brought to us by cult horror favourite David Slade (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night & Black Mirror: Bandersnatch) this film concerns an annual tradition where a monster, called Sawtooth Jack, rises from a cornfield to scare and kill any residents of a midwestern town unfortunate enough to come across his path. One hope exists however. If one of the residents is able to kill him they can earn their freedom and escape the town. While the plot sounds interestingly subversive what catches our attention here is the prospective look of the antagonist, a monstrous creature with the head of a pumpkin (see the picture below). If done right Sawtooth Jack could join Jack Skellington and Sam as a modern Halloween icon. 

Don’t Worry Darling (23^rd September)

Like with Jordan Peele’s Nope, excitement for Don’t Worry Darling is largely based on the pedigree of those involved. This is Olivia Wilde’s sophomore directorial effort after the well-received Booksmart. It also stars the incomparable Florence Pugh alongside Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, Harry Styles and Wilde herself. But the story also looks intriguing, focusing on a 1950s housewife who slowly begins to uncover the dark secrets at the heart of a community that her husband is involved with. With an enticing premise and that kind of talent, there is no need to worry about the movie finding an enthusiastic audience.

And these are just five 2022 horror movies to add to your watchlist. Which films did I miss that you are looking forward to? Please get discussing and let’s get excited for horror in 2022. Happy New Year horror fans.

Also Read: Netflix Horror Movie Written Entirely Using Artificial Intelligence

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SohoLIFF is a ground-breaking film festival bringing together new and seasoned filmmakers in one space – a showcase and networking event where ideas can be shared, and advice proffered. Including drama, documentary, comedy, animation, experimental, horror, student and social impact categories… it is open to everyone.

The Soho London Independent Film Festival take place from 18th November – 21st November in Soho, London (U.K).

Also Read: Screaming Again: Celluloid Screams 2021

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We of course had some nice extras to enjoy as well. Including horror merchandise stalls. And some in-person and online Q&As with filmmaking professionals.

But, how good was this year’s film line-up? Like in 2019 I managed to watch everything. To my delight, there were even some classic horror film screenings. However, this year I was also impressed by several short films. So, today along with reviewing and ranking every programmed feature film (in 30 words or less) I will also recommend 5 shorts to watch. Let’s begin.

Reviews

Tin Can: What could have been a thought-provoking Cronenberg-esque body horror is hampered by hollow characterisation, overdone cinematography, and dire pacing. Unfortunately, this can’s contents are rotten. (1.5 / 5)

The Deep House: This well-shot film with initially great atmosphere becomes unintentionally hilarious once supernatural elements are introduced. When combined with abysmal exposition and performances The Deep House sinks completely. (2 / 5)

The Advent Calendar: Get past the ableist messaging (the protagonist is a wheelchair user whose sole goal is to walk again to have a “normal” life) and the story is competent but repetitive.  (2.5 / 5)

Ultrasound: Full of twists and high aspirations. But the human anchors get lost in the confusing plot. Ultimately, this sound feels like background noise.  (2.5 / 5)

Hellbender: Teen angst and witchcraft is well-trodden ground for coming-of-age stories. Unfortunately, this movie brings little to the table beyond some ok performances. (2.5 / 5)

When I Consume You: This film juggles multiple genres, from supernatural horror to borderline sports movie. Sadly, this mashup lessens the impact of the film’s addiction theme. Which needed a consistent tone. (3 / 5) 

Offseason: Despite some hokey delivery and the unfolding cosmic horror being kneecapped by overexplaining everything the atmospheric sound design and visuals make this Lovecraft/Fulci tribute worthwhile. (3 / 5)

Event Horizon: Event Horizon has much to love. Like the set design, witty dialogue, and good performances. That said it never achieves greatness thanks to the ever-present obnoxious stingers and stock characters. (3 / 5)

We Need To Do Something: A single location film carried by dialogue, the central players, and a few standout set-pieces. Sometimes that’s all you need to do for a good time. (3 / 5)

Lamb: Is this film about humanity’s relationship to nature, or just the struggles of raising a human-lamb hybrid? Either way, the film remains oddly engrossing despite its slow pace. (3 / 5)

Antlers: Clunky exposition, a superfluous child character, and native American mythology appropriation aside, this sharp folk horror shines through its central performances (especially Jeremy T. Thomas), heavy story, and grisly violence. (3.5 / 5)

A Banquet: Using food as a metaphor for rebellion this mothers and daughters tale effectively explores how terrifying it is being a parent and knowing your child won’t always need you. (3.5 / 5)

Titane: Julia Ducournau’s latest is vicious, well-crafted, and perhaps overly daring. But the story is sometimes hard to engage with emotionally. Still, the audience saw it as the festival’s best film (3.5 / 5)

Broadcast Signal Intrusion: An eerie conspiracy thriller. It works more emotionally than logically but it builds a fantastic air of paranoia. And Harry Shum Jr. is impeccable. (3.5 / 5)

Nocturna: Intrusive music notwithstanding this film deals with ageing and dementia in an amazingly unique genre-defying way. And Pepe Soriano gave the festival’s best performance.  (4 / 5)

Mad God: My favourite movie so far this year. An insanely bleak post-apocalypse film that mixes stop-motion and live-action with little dialogue or conventional structure. It’s an incredible trip.  (4 / 5)

Little Shop of Horrors (Director’s Cut): One of the best movie musicals ever. (4.5 / 5)

Shorts

Of the short films screened at Celluloid Screams here are five you must see.

FREYA & Please Hold: Both disturbingly relevant shorts about how the system can use technology to control women’s reproductive rights and oppress the marginalised.

Guts: An over-the-top silly comedy that really runs with its ridiculous premise – a man with his guts on the outside of his stomach. Creating hilarious results.

The Moogai: Undoubtedly the festival’s scariest short. Creating an unrelentingly tense atmosphere through showing very little of the monster and the lead couple give some great performances.

You’re Dead Hélène: This year’s Short Film Jury Award winner is all-around great. It deals with the pain of letting go of love; is scary, funny and heart-warming.

Conclusion

That wraps up 2021 at Celluloid Screams. While some films worked better than others it was simply a pleasure to attend the festival again and hopefully you all found some films to watch. See you next year Celluloid Screams.

Also Read: Online Film Festivals Are Here To Stay

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Interacting on Social Media and YouTube

Sometimes the best motivation to give something a watch is knowing that others will be watching the same thing. Well over the past few weeks various social media sites and platforms like YouTube have presented opportunities for you to give a film a watch and interact with the wider community.

Several big names have encouraged the world to check out certain titles on Twitter. Jared Leto started his own tweet along cinema club with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. And director James Gunn recently joined in with a #QuarantineWatchParty of Guardians of the Galaxy. Meanwhile, on Facebook, groups like Celluloid Screams have used the Watch Party function to host their own movie marathons. Here the festival programmers provided intros for several horror films encouraging people to binge-watch all of them in a single day.

Also, platforms like YouTube have proven a great place for watch parties to be hosted. Actor Riz Ahmed recently hosted a live stream on the platform where he provided commentary on the film Four Lions along with the films other actors Kayvan Novak & Nigel Lindsay.

The appeal of these online events comes from knowing that you are watching these titles along with others. And that you are able to engage and interact with them. So keep an eye open for similar events coming up on these platforms. Or why not host your own?

3^rd Party Applications and Add Ons

There are also several applications and add ons you can use to interact with others while watching films. Video and voice chat applications like Skype, Messenger Video Call and Discord allow you to connect with friends and chat along together while watching something.

But there are also apps that allow simultaneous viewing of films with your friends. For example the Netflix Party application for Google Chrome. This app allows you and several friends to watch and text chat over the same show/movie on Netflix at the same time. However, it’s currently only available on Chrome. Other resources like Metastream also offer similar services. Finally, there are services like Kast. This application works on Windows and Mac; it allows you to connect with several other people and stream your computer screen to them. Allowing you all to sit back and watch a movie on your platform of choice.

These apps and add ons provide a great way to Netflix and chill with your friends while in lockdown.

Festivals

Finally, because many film festivals have had to cancel physical screenings, several festivals including the upcoming SXSW festival in America and Visions du Réel 2020 in Switzerland have opted to showcase their films and other content on the internet. Releasing films through subscription services or websites, hosting interviews and performing masterclasses online. Which when coupled with the social media and connective opportunities mentioned above will allow the public to remain in touch with film culture. So be sure to keep an eye out for more opportunities like this in the future.

Conclusion

With all these options provided by 3^rd party companies and online platforms, we have ample opportunity to connect together and still enjoy a social media experience during the lockdown.

With many filmmakers and stars providing opportunities for socialization the community has a great opportunity to interact with each other as well as creatives in the industry. Allowing us to gain extra insight into films and perhaps giving us some inspiration to make something for ourselves. And while it may not be the same as the cinematic experience, these apps and events will help us stay in touch. As well as allowing us to continue experiencing great movie moments with others.

Also Read: The Most Important Cinema In The World (To Me)

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This past weekend to celebrate Halloween I decided to return to the Celluloid Screams horror festival for the second time. And, I wanted to take the opportunity to let you guys know what I thought of the festival this year.

As ever Celluloid Screams was a fantastic experience for genre fans. The staff, organizers and fellow festival-goers were all incredibly friendly and helped contribute to the best festival atmosphere I have been to yet. Everyone was willing to engage in conversation about films, help out with any problems and were incredibly well behaved when it came to watching the films, as well as enforcing good cinema-going etiquette. Something that is always appreciated by me.

Though we didn’t have any director Q&A’s like last year it was more than made up for by the extras we got. Firstly, we had stalls from the likes of Fab Press and Arrow Video. As well as exclusive previews for the second season of Wellington Paranormal and a local production called Seepers: A Love Story coming next year from Gory Hole Films. Both bode well for the upcoming projects. And the festival also did their bit to contribute to a good cause by encouraging people to sign up and give blood with the NHS.

Lastly, of course, I got to see loads of films. Unlike last year, I saw all 17 feature films shown at this years festival. But like last year I thought I would give you guys my short takes on the movies I saw. All kept under 50 words, ranked from worst to best:

Corporate Animals: A movie that thinks merely referencing popular culture in a snippy, self-aware fashion (including the Weinstein case) is the same thing as humor. None of the jokes have any sense of timing or build-up. They’re just thrown out by a cast clearly killing time until their paycheques clear. (0.5 / 5)

Outback: Some beautiful cinematography and decently tense moments in the third act don’t make up for the unbearably whiny characters, cringy dialogue and one of the most obnoxious soundtracks I’ve heard all year. (1 / 5)

Tone-deaf: Despite a standout performance from the ever-great Robert Patrick and a good round of ironic laughs to be had, the films unsubtle nature in regards to delivering jokes, postmodern sub-Scream dialogue and thin characterization make the movie hard to really engage with as anything aside from a funny diversion. (2.5 / 5)

Making Monsters: Using a YouTube prank show as the story basis is quite cringe-inducing. And for the first half only serves as an elaborate crutch to hold up the story. However, once the reasoning behind its use is revealed Making Monsters becomes very entertaining. Even if certain things still don’t make sense. (2.5 / 5)

After Midnight: A movie that suffers from an identity issue. Part formulaic romance part unengaging monster movie, After Midnight’s first 2 thirds will leave many viewers cold. The finale however, while not entirely justifying the first portion, will leave viewers satisfied. In addition, it features the best jump scare of the festival. (2.5 / 5)

Colour Out Of Space: Nic Cage does cosmic horror. The second Nicolas Cage neon-soaked horror film in as many years (the first being Mandy), does have a lot of dodgy CGI, very wonky performances and an uneven tone. But it more than makes up for it with its sheer entertainment value. (2.5 / 5)

Girl On The Third Floor: While the film would’ve benefited from a different lead actor than CM Punk and it does feel like a first feature, if you want an enjoyable horror movie that focuses on tension over jump scares and thoughtfully addresses issues of sexism present throughout many genre movies then check this out. (3 / 5)

Bliss: A mixture of Climax and The Addiction, Bliss is a visually stunning foray into psychedelic horror with a glorious 70s grindhouse aesthetic, some great performances and an infectious soundtrack. Hampered by a severely unlikeable main character, obnoxious dialogue and a very repetitive structure. (3 / 5)

Daniel Isn’t Real: Adam Egypt Mortimer’s second feature is a powerful watch. With a strong dower tone, visuals and mostly great performances from its cast. However, it crumbles under its own weight in the third act. Trading in subtlety in favour of overexaggerating everything to the point of unintentional parody. (3 / 5)

The Golden Glove: Chillingly straightforward in its execution of an incredibly bleak story. Featuring an incredibly slimy turn from Jonas Dassler and haunting use of licensed music. The Golden Glove is not a movie you watch to enjoy. But as a well-made true-crime horror movie, you definitely won’t forget it. (3 / 5)

Little Monsters: A charming cute zombie romp, that is formulaic, often cheesy and relies a little too much on man-child angst in the beginning. But through Lupita Nyong’o’s heartfelt central performance the film soon finds its footing as a funny love letter to teachers and childhood optimism. (3 / 5)

Come to daddy: This black horror-comedy starring Elijah Wood about family reconnection isn’t for everyone. It’s slow, deliberately uncomfortable pace means you never know whether you’re supposed to be laughing or not. Though not all the jokes land and some threads feel like padding, it’s worth seeing purely for its odd presentation. (3 / 5)

Why Don’t You Just Die!: No country does social metaphor pictures like Russia. Set mostly in an apartment and taking aim at many aspects of Russian society the film goes in so many different directions and juggles so many different tones so well that you won’t want it to end. (3.5 / 5)

Synchronic: My introduction to Benson and Moorhead (The Endless) couldn’t have made a better first impression. With an incredible premise, fantastic acting (I’d love to see Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan together in another movie), beautiful visuals and a lean pace, this is something any cosmic horror fan needs to see. (3.5 / 5)

Antrum: If you get the chance to see this movie in the cinema, do it. Because so much of this movie’s effectiveness comes from seeing it with a crowd. A brilliant example of transmedia storytelling, thick with atmosphere and imagination. A must watch for fans of 70’s euro cult horror. (3.5 / 5)

Extra Ordinary: The film that won the hearts of everyone at the festival, winning first place in the audience vote. A charming homegrown comedy filled with personality, pitch-perfect timing, quirky and engaging characters and the best editing gag I’ve seen this year. All horror-comedy lovers need to see this. (3.5 / 5)

The Nightingale: My favourite film of the festival. Jennifer Kent’s sophomore feature focuses on the horrors of colonialism and oppression with awe-inspiring results. The pacing is a little slow, but everything really comes together to create one of the most hauntingly beautiful, brutal and nuanced films to discuss oppression in years. (4 / 5)

So ends my second experience at Celluloid Screams 2019. It was yet again a fantastic experience that makes me proud to be a horror fan. I hope you all found this little retrospective informative and that I’ve encouraged you to check out some of these movies or perhaps even attend the festival in the future. I know I will definitely be trying to return next year. Either way, happy viewing and Happy Halloween.

Also Read: 5 Classic British Horror Films

The post Return of the Screams: Celluloid Screams 2019 appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

There’s plenty of things out there to satisfy the film lover this Halloween, so today we’re going to recommend five gift ideas to put a smile on your face.

Horror Festival Passes & Themed Screenings

What better way is there to celebrate this scary of year, than by watching as many horror movies as you can with a dedicated community of fans?

October and early November is a big time for horror festivals as well as themed film screenings. There are of course big names like Frightfest that have their own Halloween events but there are also smaller festivals like Celluloid Screams among many others that offer fantastic lineups and experiences for their audiences.

And you may also be able to find special themed events near you that allow you to experience a horror film in a genuinely spooky atmosphere. Such as in Churches, adding an extra layer to the horror experience.

These experiences drastically vary in price depending on how long you want your experience to be. But you’ll doubtlessly have a good time immersing yourself in the best of horror film culture.

Horror Movie Collectors Editions

As I have said before, every film fan loves collectors’ editions. And when it comes to horror films there’s no end of companies that pride themselves on releasing fantastic deluxe editions of great horror films.

You can choose from the likes of Arrow Video, 88 Films, Second Sight Films, Powerhouse Films, Studiocanal, Blue Underground, Eureka Entertainment and many more.

All of these companies pack their releases with special features, fantastic transfers and loving attention to detail that will give fans a great amount of insight and appreciation for their favourite films. And for the quality of these releases, they are well worth their asking price.

Horror Movie Costumes

Everyone likes to dress up for Halloween. So, it stands to reason that any film fan needs a great costume. Just find out what costume you want and then its time to get creative.

Remember the devil is in the details so be sure to think about the costume, the trimmings, the character props and any makeup that may be needed.

Costuming will, of course, vary in price depending on the quality you want and the level of detail you want to put into your outfit. But whether you’re buying from a costume store or buying induvial parts from the high street, you’re sure to bring out a lot of smiles on the big day.

Horror Decorations

Another fun idea for movie lovers on All Hallows Eve is to decorate your house and get into the spirit of the season. And there are many creative ways to do this.

You can buy standees of famous horror movie characters to scare your guests. You can litter the place with props, replicas and fan-made decorations to give a spooky atmosphere. Or if you want to save some money you can make your own decorations?.

Why not make wanted posters to go in the window? Or carve a pumpkin in the likeness of a horror icon like Freddy, Jason or Pinhead?  The possibilities are endless.

Whatever you choose it will definitely help to bring your house to life this season.

Horror Merchandise

And of course, every true film buff loves their movie memorabilia. And horror films have a number of great types of merchandise, in any price range, to gift to yourself, family and friends.

Whether it’s a replica of your favourite fictional killer’s weapon. A poster of your favourite spook film. Or something as simple as a themed mug.

Every film fan appreciates having something eye-catching to furnish their home and remind them of their favourite films.

Conclusion

So there are a few ideas for how you can help add a little spice to a film lover’s Halloween. If you have any suggestions for cool things for film lovers to do this Halloween then tell us in the comments.

Also Read: A Christmas Buyer’s Guide for Film Lovers

The post A Halloween Buyer’s Guide for Film Lovers appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Whilst there I was enthralled by the friendly atmosphere and pervasive sense of fun. Horror fans are always a delight to be around. Every screening was packed, almost every audience member was well behaved and the ability of horror audiences to jump, laugh and squirm at the right time makes experiencing each film a true communal bonding experience. Supported by friendly organizers who were always happy to engage with the audience and a myriad of extras. Including a DVD, Blu-ray, book and merchandise stalls, Q&A’s with film directors and stars, novelty drinks and karaoke at the bar. With the heart-warming cherry on the cake being how everyone came together and donated money to help the wife of a friend of the festival after her tragic loss. It was a remarkable display of solidarity. And everyone should be proud.

But the atmosphere of a film festival is only half the experience. Films are of course also needed. So here are my thoughts on all the feature films I managed to see. All kept at 50 words or less and ranked from worst to best. This is by no means a comprehensive overview of the festival as I was unable to see everything. But I hope this gives you an idea of some films to check out in the run-up to Halloween.

You might be the killer– A cinematic eye-roll, that thinks it’s too cool for its genre. Content to point out slasher clichés and nothing more. It’s nice seeing Alyson Hannigan again and Scream fans may enjoy it. But this makes me miss the days when slashers were fun and funny without being glib and self-effacing. Verdict: (1.5 / 5)

What Keeps You Alive– A movie that substitutes unrelenting building tension for lazy exploitation and torture yarn, because it does not know the power of subtlety. The first half is a tense build but once the twist happens it swiftly falls as a steady pace gives way to cartoonish over the top villainy. Verdict: (2 / 5)

Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss By Passing Through the Gateway Chosen By the Holy Storsh– Making shouting funny, is hard. The thick of it can do it. It’s always sunny in Philadelphia can do it. This movie cannot do it. Despite Taika Waititi’s presence and the cult plot providing great opportunities for dark comedy, the film is too light and undisciplined to fulfil its potential. Verdict: (2.5 / 5)

Nightmare Cinema– Subpar slasher satire, plastic surgery horror and catholic demon slaying, a terrifyingly surreal odyssey through depression and a survivor’s guilt ghost story make up this uneven anthology film. The final two films, however, elevate it into the realms of watchable. Verdict: (2.5 / 5)

Puppet Master: The littlest Reich– Welcome to your new guilty pleasure. The Puppet Master reboot features a silly plot, subpar CGI and very politically incorrect jokes. But has charming lead characters, impressive practical effects and if like me, you have a twisted sense of humour, Puppet Master will have you laughing till the end. Verdict: (2.5 / 5)

Assassination Nation– A gonzo, violent and righteously angry middle finger to Trumps America, that at times is very annoying and is nowhere near as clever as it thinks it is. But never the less it is worth the price of admission for sheer entertainment value. Verdict: (3 / 5)

Mandy– The artiest excuse to make a Nicolas Cage movie ever. The first half is a visually beautiful but narratively boring excuse for when Cage goes full blood-drenched psycho. If you want Nic Cage insanity this delivers. And the visual inventiveness may make up for the lack of dramatic engagement. Verdict: (3 / 5)

Halloween (2018)– Everything a Halloween sequel should and shouldn’t be. The Laurie Strode/Michael Myers story gives you everything you’ve wanted since the original. But the time in between that is padded with high school dope comedy that becomes obnoxiously overbearing. Tension and character work make it a must-see despite its flaws. Verdict: (3 / 5)

Summer of ’84– A great example of a fantastic ending saving an otherwise by the numbers nostalgia trip. This fun mixture of Stranger Things and The ‘Burbs starts as a fun distraction but at the end reveals itself to be a lot more thought-provoking and unnerving than expected. Verdict: (3.5 / 5)

Cam– This film began by giving me unfortunate flashbacks to Unfriended, but soon turned into an intriguing look into the world of online cam girls that deals with themes of identity, female empowerment and sexuality in the digital age in a mature, non-judgemental, and intensely gripping way. A welcome surprise. Verdict: (3.5 / 5)

Wolfman’s got nards– This documentary about the sub-cultural impact of The Monster Squad is an affectionate analysis of fans, cult movies and their effect on the creative forces behind them. Although occasionally self-aggrandizing and waffly, its subjects’ humanity always shines through and will even have Monster Squad newcomers and haters shedding tears. Verdict: (4 / 5)

Knife + Heart– A psycho-sexual, magical realist, giallo seed-fest, with no shame and the power to enrage “moral” and storytelling puritanical’s but to those who can get past that, they will find a beautiful, frightening and often darkly hilarious mood piece which although it explains a bit too much, feels like pure cinema. Verdict: (4 / 5)

Tigers are not afraid– An unrelentingly grim coming of age story that pulls no punches regarding the impact of the Mexican drug war on children. A magical realist edge, reminiscent of Devil’s Backbone helps to underline the tragedy of a tale that was undoubtedly the best film of the festival. Verdict: (4.5 / 5)

So ends my personal retrospective of Celluloid Screams 2018. It was truly wonderful to share a cinema screen with so many likeminded people for four days. Even when the films let me down, a smile was never far from my face. I definitely hope to return next year. Until then I hope I have given you guys an idea about some upcoming releases that you can check out and hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Happy viewing.

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