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

The post Celluloid Screams 2023: Still Screaming appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

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

The post Celluloid Screams 2022: Screaming For More appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

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

The post Screaming Again: Celluloid Screams 2021 appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

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)

The post Share the Love in Lockdown appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

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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