trailer alert for short film The Waiting Room, or Eggs in Purgatory
While Mike risked life and limb in the jungles of Costa Rica, Robert, Liz, and Eric gathered to discuss films at Fantasia Fest, BiFAN 2023, and a couple of excellent Stephen King Documentaries. Listen in to a recommendation filled episode, Spooky Time 19!
Bathrooms are the most private of places. These are places where we clean ourselves, relieve ourselves, medicate ourselves, and we usually like to do these things in private. With the exception of being with our young children and lovers/mates, we do our business in the bathroom ALONE. There are large percentages of our time in the bathroom naked or with our pants down. We are vulnerable in there. That's why we have privacy locks on these doors.
Horror Movies turn the tables on our perceived privacy and security in bathrooms, and Trapped in a Bathroom is one of the most evergreen tropes in the genre. Here are 30 films that showcase the trope really well.
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The slow-burn folkloric feature The Seeding follows an oblivious photographer who gets trapped in the bottom of a desert crater, whose only inhabitant is a lovely young woman, and a pack of nasty feral boys preventing his escape. What do they want? What does SHE want? This was one of BiFan's Bucheon Choice film selections.
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With a complex multi-story plot featuring an alien in a basket, a serial killer, sister assassins, a failed Yakuza strongman, and a discount ninja instructor, the BiFan showcased feature Life of Mariko in Kabukicho is a delightful slice of life in sleazy Tokyo that Quentin Tarantino could admire. The story complexity is grounded by the clever and stalwart young detective Mariko (Sairi Itô) who investigates all sorts of strange goings on in her neighborhood. This is only horror adjacent, and is more of a storytelling collage featuring several genre types. It is intoxicating, Go see it when you get a chance.
The 27th Fantasia International Film Festival will be running from July 20 through August 9, 2023 and with the amount of amazing films on offer, you're going to need every one of those days!
Highlights include a Special Presentation of Clive Barker’s NIGHTBREED: DIRECTOR’S CUT, an Under the Stars event on Miami Beach’s famous Ocean Drive, celebrating Tobe Hooper’s all-time horror classic TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, plus seven more Virtual Film Premieres!
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Amazon brings the hit podcast The Horror of Dolores Roach to the small screen and it is the perfect way to beat the summer heat.
I hear a limousine pulling up! That could only mean one thing. It's time to announce the winners of the 2023 Thingy Awards! Horror's new Golden Age continues its wonderful run, as the big budget studios have arrived with new original ideas in tow, and there are a number of break-out stars emerging from the genre. Read, or listen in to our podcast for Episode 168: The 2023 Thingy Awards Show!
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A Korean couple fail to heed the warnings of a serial killer on the loose when embarking on a romantic chabak (car camping) excursion. A standout performance by Kim Minchae and a strong story foundation probably pushes one too many melodramatic twists at the end. Still an entertaining slasher film worth watching.
2035 (2023)
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The New Tale of Rat Wife (2023)
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Home (2023)
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Among South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival’s premiere and classic offerings from around the globe are new voices in Korean cinema. Following are reviews of three works from up-and-coming Korean directors.
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In keeping with the latest trend in J-Horror, Bldg. N (a.k.a., N-Goto) is based on true events that happened at an apartment complex in Gifu Prefecture back in 2000. Ghosts! Cultists! Corpses! Hooray!
Highlights include seven feature film World Premieres, a special spotlight of made-in-Florida films, and a live original score performance for Herschell Gordon Lewis’ splatter masterpiece BLOOD FEAST for its 60th anniversary. Plus, a “1983-D” celebration of 3-D films and a focus on the “Australian Invasion” of bold new genre films coming from down under!
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Argentina's genre darling Tamae Garateguy returns with her latest period piece/nunsploitation/occult/LGBTQ/feminist manifesto! With its World Premiere at this year's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), Garateguy's given us a lot to unpack.
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From producer and Japanese horror stalwart, Takashi Shimizu, comes a meandering social-horror tale of a young woman returning to visit her small hometown only to discover that life there was never as rosy as it seemed.
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An after graduation party gets out of hand in We Might Hurt Each Other.
We're spinning the Wheel of Misfortune with our special guests, The Jersey Ghouls. It's Summer School Homework, by way of horror franchise binge mode! The Wheel wants, the Wheel needs, and the Wheel decides.
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A fairly recent phenomenon in cryptozoology is the dogman, a variation on the classic werewolf. The Dogman Triangle: Werewolves in the Lone Star State, the latest documentary from the Small Town Monsters filmmaking crew, considers eyewitness testimonials and possible explanations about these hirsute horrors.
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A psychic has to save an unlucky trio after they run over the wrong old lady in this mid-length chiller!
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As uber-auteur Stanley Kubrick once famously opined “Everything has already been done. Every story has been told. Every scene has been shot. It’s our job to do it one better.” Christmas horror has been done. Space alien zombies have been done. Christmas and zombies have been done. Have they been done together under the banner of the worst holiday there is? May be not.
The 27th Fantasia International Film Festival will be running from July 20 through August 9, 2023 and with the amount of amazing films on offer, you're going to need every one of those days!
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Hold your breath! Black Mold is gonna get you! When two photographers try and capture the beauty of decaying structures, they get more than they bargained for in an abandoned industrial facility. Strong character studies and lovely cinematography bolster this film, which could have been more decisive about its third act structure.
Just ahead of their film screening at the Chattanooga Film Festival, Liz sat down with the co-writers and directors of the (only?) yoga horror movie, Mind Body Spirit!
FrightFest reveals its 2023 poster
The Scariest Things has the trailer and poster reveal for Asian horror short BORDER.
Are you familiar with DSM-5? It's the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Eric was fortunate to participate in a panel with moderator Terri Harden, a licensed trauma therapist to discuss how the DSM-5 models apply to horror movies! FASCINATING! We have an audio interview with Terri here, as well as a Video of the Panel that we did with Jungian Scholar and horror trivia host Willy Greer. I hope you find this informative and entertaining!
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This is a film that is definitely on the right side of history. It also contains a sharp and laser-focused social commentary around LGBTQ+ justice. T Blockers also puts forth a poignant and editorialized storyline that sadly is undone by a wild lack of focus. Even at an hour and 14 minute run time, and with a varied series of storylines, the film still felt long.
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A solid entry in the Indie Slasher genre that starts off strong with a claustrophobic, trust-no-one vibe.
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The horror-romance-comedy of Love Will Tear Us Apart builds like a wave and crashes down with a gonzo fun final act. Endearing performances from child actors, and strong character arcs anchor this best of the fest film from the Portland Horror Film Festival.
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Unroll you yoga mat, deepen your breath and allow this film into your Mind Body and Spirit.