Luz (2018) opens Friday

This is the review I originally posted in October when LUZ was making the festival circuit. I was asked to take it down until the theatrical release and with that happening Friday I am reposting it.

I am delighted that LUZ is playing so many major genre festivals (Fantasia, Fantastic Fest, Brooklyn Horror) and getting solid critical world of mouth. However at the same time I am very curious what most horror fans are thinking because ultimately the film is not really a horror film, it’s something else entirely. While there are chills, there are no jump scares. While there is some violence it’s not what you think.

The film is about a young woman named Luz. She is a cab driver who as the film begins has walked into a police station. From there it becomes essentially two monologs/stories as a woman at a bar tells a doctor about her friend and then the story that is revealed as Luz is hypnotized and relives the earlier part of the evening. Its low tech and chilling.

And while it does involve a demon it really isn’t a horror film. I can’t tell you why because…well… that would be telling. Yes it has some of the tropes of the horror genre but when you get to the end you’ll realize that the film was going somewhere else.

Its brilliant and probably one of the best films of the year. I say that because over 24 hours after I saw I can’t stop thinking about it. I can’t move on. The construction of the film is so damn perfect I kind of wonder why it hadn’t been tried before.

Actually the reason the film works is because of the cast Luana Velis as Luz, Jan Bluthardt as the doctor and Julia Riedler as the girl in the bar are Oscar worthy. They may very well be the best ensemble of the year. They get it right. All of them are as good as you can get. Bluthardt is particularly stunning because he simply has to turn on dime repeatedly. I am in awe. It is a performance that should be studied.

While most definitely a genre story selling it as a horror film is selling it short. There is way more going on here and we are better for it.

I am going to guess that the gorehounds and those expecting a typical horror film are going to be initially disappointed but I am guessing that down the road, when they revisit the film they will see it to be the masterpiece that it is.

LUZ is highly recommended. One of the must see films of 2018. (and now 2019)

Blood in the Snow 2018: Shorts with Features

With each of the feature films at Blood In The Snow Film Festival is also screening a short film. In order to for the films not to get completely lost I’m going to review the films in this post.

DEVIL’S DUE (playing With SUPER GRID)
Very short film has the devil talking about the hubris and hypocrisy of mankind. It’s a good short but way too brief to say more than that.

NEPENTHES (Plays with DEADSIGHT)
A young woman agrees to meet an online date at home. This is an okay film that works best as a show of effects rather than as a generator of chills.

FISTFUL OF MOLARS (Plays With THE HOARD)
A young girl becomes fascinated with the tooth fairy and pulling teeth. Amusing little film has a sting in its tail which I’m not too sure about.

FIRE WEED (Plays with LEVEL 16)
A woman fights to survive in a post-apocalyptic frozen world. Just okay film is a little too good looking -and why exactly are there fresh tire tracks in a deserted frozen world?



GOD’S MAD MEN (Plays with ALTERED SKIN)
A detective going door to door in a neighborhood where there is a rash of kidnapping makes an unexpected discovery. Great looking film is worth a look.

TO CATCH A MOUSE (Plays with ALIVE)
Twisted couple play twisted games. To be honest I remember the Japanese inspired images  more than I remember the plot

DEVIL YOU KNOW (plays with HAMMER OF THE GODS)
How do you deal with a loved one’s addiction when that loved one is addicted to murder? A solid little thriller

HOLY TANK (Plays with MONTREAL DEAD END)
Two friends looking for a missing friend wander in to a bar and get sucked into a game where the loser literally loses his head. Okay time killer isn’t anything special.

IDEE FIX (Plays withFUGUE)
Sam goes looking for Lana after being left on the side of the road. This more interesting for its technique rather than what it achieves.

PENNY WHISTLE (plays with ISABELLE)
After following a penny whistle a little girl is followed by a strange creature. One of the best horror shorts I’ve seen in 2018. It is a beautiful balance of horror, technique and commentary. It’s a neat little thriller and worth hunting down.

Submissions now open for The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2018!

Submissions now open for The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2018!

BHFF announces new HEAD TRIP sidebar, badge sales, and 2018 dates—spanning eight days!

Wednesday, December 20th, 2017 - Following our second edition in October 2017, where the festival doubled in size from our inaugural year, The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival will be expanding significantly once again in 2018. Already established as a premier East Coast genre festival, we’re elated to announce we’ll now span eight days, running from October 11-18, 2018. Adding four more days to the schedule means we’ll have the ability to screen more of the best independent genre film from around the world!

Submissions for The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2018 are now open on FilmFreeway & Withoutabox for shorts and features in the horror genre--and beyond! The first submission deadline is January 20th and the final deadline is August 13, 2018.

Horror Buff Badges (12 film selections) and Splatter Packages (6 film selections) are now on sale at early bird prices, so act now before they sell-out! Both of these specials offer pre-selection before individual tickets go onsale to the public and include access to our annual pre-fest kick off event!

We're extremely excited to be partnering with Nitehawk Cinema in 2018 which will become one of our primary screening venues, including Opening and Closing Night. The festival will maintain its tradition of extending our reach to old and new venues across Brooklyn, bringing together the dynamic cinephile culture that sets the borough apart. Stretching eight days the fest will offer the bulk of its screening and events on the weekend, while the weekday schedule will be lighter.

For our third edition we’re also thrilled to announce that our annual HEAD TRIP shorts program, which has spotlighted films that pushed the boundaries and expectations of the horror genre, will be expanding to its own sidebar and will include features as well. The HEAD TRIP program will accept horror films that play with all genres, from sci-fi to fantasy and documentary to (weird) drama!

Submit

filmfreeway.com/BrooklynHorrorFest

withoutabox.com/BrooklynHorrorFest

Festival Badges

http://brooklynhorrorfest.com/badges/