Brief thoughts on Z (2019) Blood in The Snow

I really don't know what I think of Z. The film is the story of a family that is possibly being terrorized by the son's imaginary friend it gets very convoluted at times and I wasn't certain what was seeing so I don't know I thought.

For the most part the film holds our attention thanks to a cast that sells the story of a family in crisis. The trouble is there is a point where things start to become unclear. For better or worse there is moment where events stop flowing naturally and instead begin to be moved by the hands behind the camera. We can feel that we are being moved toward the chosen conclusion and it lessens the tension.

The end result is that Z is a film I liked but didn't love.

For more information and tickets go here.

Blood in the Snow 2019 Shorts: Le otto dita della morte, ROMI, UTUKKE, TO NO MOAN'S LAND, SHE MUST VANISH and NEW WOMAN

ROMI
A woman's life is made hellish when her virtual assistant dredges up a past tragedy. An interesting idea kind of goes off the rails at some point as the line between not explaining too much and not explaining enough get crossed in the wrong direction. I've watched the short a couple of times to see why the film didn't click with me and while I understand what happens and why there doesn't seem to be enough back story to justify what happens, with the very end not quite working on an emotional level.

UTUKKU
Bullied girl in high school uses voodoo to exact revenge. The first thing I should say is that this is not a bloody ugly revenge tale but something else. Yea its a revenge tale but how it goes and where it ends up is not what I expected...and as a result I was pleasantly surprised. So much so that I immediately watched it a second time so I cold take it in on its own terms. Those terms make for something low key and special, and containing a great deal of suspense. Recommended.

TO NO MAN'S LAND
Pilot episode for a prospective series about an intergalactic troubleshooter who gets mixed up in political intrigue. There is a reason I loath to review pilot episodes with nothing to follow and that is situations like this where they give us a good set up with lots of potential and then it just stops. I have no idea how this will play out long term but I want to see what happens next.

SHE MUST VANISH
A witch comes to a small sea side town. Form over content horror film has some stunning imagery (the ending is haunting) and some genuine chills but the shortness of the film doesn't fully allow for the story to breath the way it should. We need to know more if this is to be fully satisfying.  I would love to see a longer version with a few more details...

NEW WOMAN
A woman who traveled from Europe in 1888 to North America meets a man on the road and takes him home... and to say more would be telling. Good looking film, with riffs a couple of classic films, is a nifty little mood piece. While I could quibble about the pacing, I will not quibble about anything else other than to say I would love to see this expanded into a feature because I want to see more of this story. There is a great story and killer central character here and I would love to see it fully explored. As it is it is a sweet little film

Le otto dita della morte
Four minute long giallo done in the style of a giallo trailer. What can I say except its a perfect homage to the form.

Brief word on DEEP SIX Blood in the Snow 2019

Astronauts on a deep space mission discover they are not alone.

Running at Blood in the Snow  as a single seventy minute block DEEP SIX is web/ TV series that echoes several other classic science fiction series. Consisting of  six episode that together run about the length of an extended TV episode the series throws a great deal at us. I'm not sure what I think of it all since I have the feeling that longer episodes would have allowed the events to play better. I know that I would have liked time to get to know the characters a bit more rather than having them race through events in ten minute chunks.

As it stands now it feels more like this is a pilot to something larger. Should that happen sign me up because there is something here that is definitely worth exploring more fully and not in small bite size pieces.

Blood in the Snow 2019 Shorts 6: MYSTERY TRACKERS, POLAR TOUR, COPENHAGEN ROAD and THE TRAINEE

MYSTERY TRACKERS
Animated proof of concept for a web series about a ghost hunter with a TV series who discovers that .ghosts are real. This could be something but I'm not sure because the 5 minute episode I was given to review doesn't give us enough to go on as to whether this will work for more than these 5 minutes. What here is good but I'm not sure if it' a series.

POLAR TOUR
Friends go off to tour the Arctic tundra only to have their van break down and a polar bear attack. A good idea that needs to be fleshed out.With no set up and the quick pace (this who film is under 5 minutes) there is no time for suspense to be created. We are just thrown into the terror with no idea who anyone is. I would love to see a longer version of this.

COPENHAGEN ROAD
The story of a motorist in need of help who brings back a long repressed event for a mechanic. Supernatural tinged thriller is a nifty little confection which I can't really discuss lest I spoil it.

TRAINEE
A superhero's vital interrogation of a bad guy goes horribly wrong when the sidekick trainee shows up. Funny for all the right reasons, and a whole lot of wrong ones (some of this is just wrong),  this is exactly the sort of superhero nightmare the comics never show us. A must for any superhero junkie.

Blood in the Snow 2019 Shorts 5:LIASON, HOUSEKREEPING, VIDEO VENGEANCE, DEMON X and SONGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

LIAISON
A woman makes sure the man who fills her mind never bothers her again. Okay short suffers in comparison to the other shorts at BITS.

HOUSEKREEPING
A maid at a hotel runs into a another group of people working the location but with a darker purpose. A good creepy film doesn't stick the landing and kind of wastes a good idea. On the other hand the sense of dread that fill most of the film can't be beat.

VIDEO VENGEANCE
Two girls at a video store deal with a snide customer. An interesting idea goes out of control with larger implications that the short run time can't quite handle successfully (This should have been longer)

DEMON X
An exorcist who is actually devil spawn fights for humanity. This is actually a long web series should be cut together into a feature film and not a series of five minute episodes. Forgive me for complaining but the story is good enough that the the episodes work against it  and don't allow it to build momentum. I went through the episodes on line and was delighted. This is a really good feature film  broken up into parts.

SONGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME
In order to cheer up her brother after the death of their mother a young woman throws a Halloween Party  and it all goes wrong when uninvited guests show up.  Gruesome horror film scores points by moving like the wind and giving us a chance to do more than scream repeatedly. I am tempted to say expand it but frankly the pacing here is so dead on perfect it would be a sin to ruin it. One of my favorites at Blood in the Snow.

Blood in the Snow 2019 Shorts 4: SKY SO BLUE, LADY IN THE SHOWER, REMNANT and ONE LAST HEIST

SKY SO BLUE
A man breaks into the home of the creator of an audio file that kills those who hear it. Well made film with a great idea is hurt by the miscasting of Jeff Sinasac as the man strapped to the chair. While not bad his expressions of terror look more often that he is on the verge of laughing. If you can get past that this is a killer little film

LADY IN THE SHOWER
Form over content story of a woman in a hotel room taking a shower and what happens. A well made show reel this is more a kick ass sequence that belongs in a larger film. What here is great but I want to see more....and you will too when you see this.

REMNANT
A team of parapsychologists investigate a haunting...
Good little horror tale surprises at several turns and ends up being a satisfying little thriller

ONE LAST HEIST
A heist has unexpected romantic complications. A wonderfully charming heist film has me wondering what it is doing at a horror fest-but then again its just so damn good who the hell cares since it is such an absolute blast.

Hunter's Moon (2019) Blood in the Snow 2019

At the launch of a werewolf inspired video game someone begins to be killing all of the guests...and it appears that the killer is a werewolf.

Old school murder mystery ala Agatha Christie or some of the great program thrillers of the 1930's and 40's but with monsters, HUNTER'S MOON entertains. Part of the reason is we haven't really seen this structure used much in the last couple of decades. We don't really get films where the hero, and the audience, has to deduce who the killer is at the same time. Nowadays filmmakers can't wait to reveal who the bad guy and what is going on. That isn't the case here and we are close to the end before we get a reveal.

I like that the cast works to sell the mayhem on screen. More often than not in inde horror films the cast performs with nods and winks and completely wrecks the tension and mood. That isn't the case here and as a result we are dragged all the way to the end . The cast also makes us like all the characters to the point we groan when someone dies.

If there is any complaint on my part it is that the pacing is slightly off. It isn't fatal but while the film takes it's time setting everything up, it kind of races to the conclusion. It's almost as if the filmmakers suddenly realized that they had to move things along a little quicker and it did so a little too fast. Again it isn't anything that hurts the film other than I would have liked a bit more time with the characters before they are taken from us.

This is an enjoyable little film and worth your time.

For tickets and more information on the Blood in the Snow screening go here

M.A.J.I.C. (2019) Blood in the Snow 2019

The MAJIC of the title refers to the alleged MJ-12 documents which say that the US government was in contact with aliens following a UFO crash in Roswell New Mexico.

The film is the story of an anti-conspiatorial podcaster who ends up dropped down the rabbit hole when she meets a supposed member of MJ-12 and begins to see things that are or aren't there. Worse she begins to doubt what she knows because history seems to be changing around her.

I am really torn about MAJIC. I mean really torn. On the one had it is a killer story with some wicked twists and turns. I think that for the most part this is a super science fiction conspiracy tale that is fun to settle into and watch with a bucket of popcorn...

...and I think it is completely derailed by Paula Brancati in the lead role. Fast talking, at all times, and seemingly above it all, at all times, see seems to have been dropped in from another movie (which considering where this movie goes is a possibility). It's not that Brancati is bad, rather she is just completely wrong for the part. Knowing a couple of podcasters, and even regular human beings, I know people can be unconnected to reality, and I was willing to let it go but there is a point where reality came crashing in where her performance should have changed, she should have modulated things, she should have been in the shit instead of still thinking she was above it...especially since the dialog says she should have been.

On the other hand Brancati may work for you and you'll love the film.

Worth a shot when it plays at Blood in the Snow. For more information and tickets go here.

Blood in the Snow 2019 Shorts 3: FORET NOIRE, GILTRUDE'S DWELLING, TRASH, ONE IN TWO PEOPLE, THE THOUGHT OF YOU, SOLITUDE and BE GOOD

FORET NOIRE
 The reanactment of a murder doesn't quite go as planned. Low key gem is a fine French thriller with mood to burn.

GILTRUDE'S DWELLING
Inter-dimensional orphan has to decide whether to leave the safety of her home in order to help a wounded boy at her door. Part fantasy, part scifi, all wonderful. Gorgeous to look at short needs to be expanded into a feature film. There is great possibilities here that I would love to see explored.

TRASH
Why are the children in a small town disappearing. An okay idea doesn't quite come together despite a wicked looking monster. Too short a run time collides with a bit too little being said.

 ONE IN TWO PEOPLE
Millie gets her friends over, again, because something in her room is trying to kill her. no one believes her because she keeps saying this... creepy tale sets the mood perfectly and then pays off in the right way. One to see.

THE THOUGHT OF YOU
Survivor of a stalkers attack is stalked again. Okay idea doesn't work in execution

SOLITUDE
A lone camper makes a chilling discovery. I can't say more. And while  I have one reservation about the film- which I can't tell you what it is lest it wreck  the film for you- this is still worth a look

BE GOOD (SOIS SAGE)
Babysitter meets a little monster- and no its not what you think...and that's why this is so damn good. a must.

Dead Dicks (2019) Blood in The Snow (2019)

When a young woman gets a frantic message from her brother she rushes to his apartment to find him alive and well and the place filled with dead copies of himself.

Strange trippy film that, while very good, would probably  have been better as a short or TV show. This is exactly the sort of thing that would be perfect on Creepshow or Tales From the Darkside  or any of the hour long anthology shows. As good as the central idea is, the way it spins out here goes on a bit too long (even at about 75 minutes) and it could have used a bit of trimming or a sped up pace.

This is not to say the film is bad, it's not. It nicely acted, funny in the right places, its wonderfully philosophical and compelling to the end. It simply needs to move faster.

Quibble aside this is recommended when it plays Blood in the Snow.

For tickets and more information go here

The Nights Before Christmas (2019) Blood in the Snow 2019

The FBI is on the trail of a serial killer and are shocked to learn that a couple of mental paients who now think they are Santa and Mrs Claus are behind the killings...

If you ever wanted to know what the Joker and Harley Quinn would be like as reimagined as Santa and Mrs Claus this film is for you.  The wicked leads, played to near perfection by Simon Phillips and Sayla de Goede are demonic Clauses by way of the big bad of the DC comic universe. Frankly they are much more engaging than Joaquin Phoenix in the current major studio release and their mania is much more understandable.

That the film is as enjoyable as it is due entirely to the fact that the leads are engaging. Actually I should back that up and include the whole cast who sell the story of killer Clauses in a story that in the wrong hands could have been just okay. It is the cast that makes you not care that we are in familiar territory (no seriously how many killer Santa films are there?) and want to stay to the end. Best of all it has you thinking that as lame as most sequels are maybe this time that might be a good idea.

This is a small little treasure of a holiday horror film.

See it at Blood in the Snow. For more information and tickets go here

Audrey Cummings talks her masterpiece SHE NEVER DIED at Blood in the Snow 2019 (possible spoilers)

With SHE NEVER DIED being one of my favorite films of 2019 I had to reach out and talk to the director Audrey Cummings about her monumental film. Because the film is playing tonight at the Blood in The Snow Film Festival tonight (tickets here) before a Canadian theatrical release December 6th I asked the people at Blood in the Snow to see if Ms Cummings would answer some questions via email. What follows is the result.

STEVE: How did you end up connected to this project?

AUDREY: The success of the film He Never Died starring Henry Rollins led the team to decide that they wanted to produce another film in the larger world that Jason Krawczyk had created. This next film would introduce us to Lacey, another fallen angel doomed to immortality on Earth. It’s a strong female driven film so they brought me on to direct it because of the success of my previous films. I fell in love with the script because every character was so incredibly complex and compelling.

STEVE: Jason Krawczyk wrote the earlier film HE NEVER DIED. How connected is this film to the earlier one?

AUDREY: We’re calling it a sister film because it takes place in the same mythological world as He Never Died with fallen angels and an impending apocalypse, but ultimately the stories are independent of one another. You don’t have to have seen one to understand the other - though they are both worth seeing.

STEVE: I am very curious about the mythology behind the events in the film. Knowing th legends that this comes from I did an "oh wow" when we found out who Lacey is.(I am not saying lest anyone who hasn't seen the film read this) Were you aware of all of the stories before you made the film?

AUDREY: I knew a bit about who Lacey is, but I had to do lots of research to get a full grasp on her. She really is a very interesting biblical figure; strong willed and independent, and ultimately punished for it.

STEVE: How involved were you in shaping the story?

AUDREY: Incredibly involved. The story takes on new shape once I start casting the roles of each character, then it takes on more shape once I start designing the sequences and figure how I’m going to shoot them. Then you have to be able to communicate your vision to every other key person working on the film. Then while shooting there are a million fires to put out and decisions to make that further affect the story. And then in postproduction - it takes on a whole other new level of shape. It’s an incredibly laborious process but when it all pulls together as well as this film did – it makes it all worthwhile.

STEVE: The backstory of everyone and everything is not forced front and center-indeed its not really until toward the end that we really get a sense that all of this is something more than simply supernatural. (Frankly this is one of the truly great turns of the film we have to piece together what it all means and the rules of the world) How important was it you not to overly explain everything at every turn?

AUDREY: I think the audience out there is incredibly intelligent and well versed in story telling. If you over explain things then there is nothing left for them to solve or figure out. For me the joy of watching a good movie is that it keeps me thinking and therefore actively engaged in what’s happening. And those movies affect me the most!

STEVE: While the entire cast is excellent the real stand out is Olunike Adeliyi who gives one of the great performance of the year. How did she come into the project?

AUDREY: Yes the entire cast did such a fantastic job. They all brought so much to the table and I fell in love with each and every one of them. I had already worked with Olunike on my previous feature film Darken. She is such a powerhouse actress who can tap into both her soft and vulnerable emotions and then turn around and be incredibly tough and fierce. I knew without a doubt that she would kill it. I called her up and she was on a hot beach in Jamaica. I asked her to leave paradise and come join me in cold northern Canada so we could make another movie together. And thankfully she did!

STEVE: Is there going to be a sequel?
AUDREY: There is no talk of it at this point – but you never know!

Blood in the Snow 2019 Shorts 2:DEATH'S TOLL, ASKING FOR A FRIEND, DON'T SNEEZE, DOCKING, WHAT'S WITHIN, EXT, EXPERIENCE MACHINE and THE ACRYLIC

DEATHS TOLL
Great looking villain in a horror short that is much too short to really work. It concerns a demon like monster hunting a young man.

ASKING FOR A FRIEND
Humor mixes with horror as a young woman discovers her friend has killed someone and realizes not they have to get rid of the body- but it's all going wrong... Amusing horror comedy that has some laughs and some chills as the two women try to just get rid of the incriminating evidence.

DON'T SNEEZE
Funny short film about the dangers of sneezing. I won't say more lest I ruin it.

DOCKING
Adult oriented horror tale that is kind of a too long shaggy dog story. This is probably the biggest head scratcher of the the festival, and the only film I'm really not certain belongs at this fest. Yes I am up or down on other films but I know why everyone was programmed, this one I'm not sure. This belongs at a different fest.

WHAT'S WITHIN
Parents come home to find that their daughter has made a mess in the house. They are unaware that there things are not as they think they are...real world scary film about something all of us hope we never face.

EXT
As human's return to the real world from a digital one a war breaks out. An intriguing premise, sort of like what would happen if everyone woke up in the matrix, is much too short to full explore all of the ideas kicked around. One of the few times I'm not sure if the film should be a feature or not...but it definitely need more than 9 minutes. As it is it's an intriguing 9 minutes.

EXPERIENCE MACHINE
How do I write this up without wrecking the twists and turns? A couple seemingly having a perfect life begin to have a break down as the way the see the world and the way it really is don't mesh. Its a really good film that kicks you in the ass with how it plays out.

THE ACRYLIC
A woman buys a haunted painting and weird things happen. Yes, we've been here before but at the same time this is a well made little chiller that hits all the right notes.

For more information or tickets to any of these shorts at Blood in The Snow go here

Puppetkiller (2019) Blood in the Snow 2019

High school students go into the  woods to celebrate Christmas and are hunted by mad man. Is it the guy who was raised on horror films from when he was an infant or was it his favorite toy- a muppet like puppet.

Amusing send up of horror film just misses the greatness when it tries to push things too far by having twenty and thirty somethings playing the high school kids. Don't get me wrong, the film still works in all the right ways, but the idea of casting the film like an old school schlock horror film takes the edge off the proceedings.

Miscasting aside this is a really good film. There is something about an evil "Elmo" that warms the darkest places in my heart. Watching him go though his paces recreating classic horror scenes is a blast and worth the price of admission.

The opening night film of Blood in the Snow is a must. For tickets and more information go here.

Blood in The Snow Shorts 1: LONG PIG,SPECTRE, SNACK TIME!, WILLA, VIDEO STORE COMMERCIAL, PEPPER and ABHORRENT

LONG PIG
Wicked story of an ex-con and a job interview...and well I dare not say more...trust me. This is one to see

SPECTRE
Love it or hate it tale of a woman realizing there is something in her house. While I understand why this was programmed at BITS it didn't work for me, with the brevity of the tale (it's about 4 minutes) not being enough to generate the tension it needs.

SNACK TIME!
A mother monster enrolls her hungry kids in kindergarten... this is a twisted, yet sweet tale about monsters and their snacks, the humans in the class. What a blast to think a school would be happy to produce a film like this. Great fun.

WILLA
Stephen King Sourced tale about a man on stalled train trying to find his fiance but being told not to go because the train would be moving shortly. Largely well done film is enjoyable but is ultimately a trifle with the denouncement a bit too clear much too early.

THE VIDEO STORE COMMERCIAL
Absolutely great short film about a cursed video tape being broken during the shooting of a commercial and releasing an evil spirit.. two hours of horror have rarely been as good as these four minutes.

PEPPER
The job is simple, go down and let the dog out... chilling mood piece will keep you on the edge of your seat. A great film

ABHORRENT
Things are not right at an isolated farm house...and a pregnant mother soon finds how wrong. Nasty in the right way horror film keeps you off balance with its dark goings on. I missed the write up for this one and had no clue what this was and was shocked and delighted by having no clue... just see it and be disturbed.

For tickets or more information on any of these shorts at Blood in the Snow go here.

Happy Face (2019) Blood in The Snow 2019

Alexandre Franchi's HAPPY FACE is a wonderful little film that will put a smile on your face and tears in your eyes.  It was one of the unexpected pleasures at this years Slamdance and will delight you at Blood in the Snow.

Stan tapes up his face to appear disfigured. He is trying to come to connect with his mother who is being ravaged by cancer. When Stan's masquerade is discovered he  fights to be allowed to remain part of the group which has become his found family. As Stan helps his friends come to terms with their problems they in turn come to help him deal with his fears.

Before you ask, yes the film does hit some of the themes and points you'd expect a film like this to hit. At the same time Franchi does a few things that are unexpected with the result the film never feels like something we've seen before.

Helping a great deal is the fact that Franchi has found a killer cast of actors. Everyone on screen is actually a person with some sort of difference. It may sound like a "no duh" thing to say but the fact that we are watching real people on the screen makes the film all the more real. If you ever need an game set and match reason as to why filmmakers, and all of Hollywood needs to hire real people and not make up artists, bring up this film. Seeing David Roche, Cindy Nicholsen, E R Ruiz, Dawn Shaw and the others adds a layer of humanity that seeing say Angelina Jolie with a rubber face could never duplicate. Seeing all these fine actors on screen makes the film connect us to the story all the more.

I really liked HAPPY FACE a great deal. And by the time Stan offered his mother some french fries and vinegar I was gone, reaching for a tissue to mop up the tears.

While I probably can't call it one of the absolute best films at Slamdance, I will call it one of the great joys and one the great finds not only of the festival but also of 2019.  Ultimately this is a wonderful little film that is marvelously full of life.

Very Recommended.

HAPPY FACE plays Friday the 22nd at Blood in the Snow.

She Never Died (2019) Blood in the Snow 2019

SHE NEVER DIED is one of the best genre films of the year, one of the best films period for 2019 and is also one of my absolute favorite films of 2019. I love this film so much that I am dying for more people to see it so I can discuss its wonders with them.

Th plot is simple: a woman who lives on the street devours the bad guys who wander skid row. She is immortal she and weary of her life. Along the way she meets a cop who suspects there is something about her and she befriends a young woman who had been grabbed by some bad men. I'll leave the rest for you to find out.

Stunning genre film is do damn good on every level that I kept thinking "it can't be this good can it?". I  also kept waiting for it to completely fall apart but it never did, it just went from start to finish with a drive unmatched in most similar films. This film just goes and grows and gets better with each new revelation.

All hail director Audrey Cummings and writer Jason Krawczyk for crafting one hell of a tale. It is a balls to the wall thrill ride that just goes, all the while making you ponder your own existence. Its rare that films this fun are this thoughtful

Seemingly connected to Krawczyk's earlier HE NEVER DIED (which I haven't seen and which appears to have a jokier tone) SHE NEVER DIED stands completely on it's own. You don't need to have seen the earlier film (I only discovered it after the fact), though since I am in love with SHE I am definitely interested in the earlier film...and in the teased sequel.

As good as the writing and direction are the real story here is Olunike Adeliyi who gives one of the great performances of the year. Because of her full bodied performance we have the creation of of one of the great screen heroes. Forget that she is a woman she is just a kick as character and would probably give any of the comic sourced heroes, male or female a run for their money. It is a stunning performance where you can literally feel the weight of millennia and then some on her. Once we know who she is you realize she literally has seen it all and is done with it. With her performance she wrecks the notion of  the joys of living forever. Clearly it isn't skittles and beer. Never mind that Oscar never notices small scale genre films, Adeliyi is so quietly understated that the true magic of what she is doing most of the time is going to be completely missed by most people. Olunike Adeliyi has given a performance for the ages and created one of the great screen characters that I have ever seen. I ache to know what both her character and the actress are going to do next.

A must see not only at Blood in the Snow but where ever you can see it.

For tickets or more information on the Blood in the Snow screening go here.

Blood in the Snow Film Festival Starts Thursday- Go Buy Tickets

The exquisitely programmed Blood in The Snow Film Festival starts Thursday in Toronto Canada and you must go buy tickets. because there are pretty much no bad movies...

...no really there really are no truly bad films. Yes, there are some I don't care for but they aren't bad, they are not my cup of tea and I know why they were programmed because odds are if I was doing the programming I would have chosen them too. While I have not seen everything, I still have a few more to go, I have seen most of the films and I can attest to how good the films are.

Our coverage starts in a day or so and it will feature pretty much every film that was made available to the press for screening so expect a lot of pieces over the next week.

If you want a few choices before the reviews start might I suggest the following:

HAPPY FACE- is a great film about a young man who finds a family with a group of people who don't look normal. They have diseases or conditions that make them look different. It is not a horror or any sort of genre film, but a loving and lovely drama that I have been recommending since I saw it January at Slamdance.

THE NIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS is proof that we do need another crazed Santa film. I know you will argue against it, but I say this wicked little gem is the exception to the rule and a must see.

SHE NEVER DIED is a masterpiece. One of the best films of any type I've seen in 2019 it has Olunike Adeliyi in a star making performance as Lilly, a woman who has been alive for centuries and has seen it all.  She is one of the greatest women ever put on film and is so good that you will be jonesing for a sequel.

As for the shorts- they are all worth a look. I am planning on reviewing them all, however because the films have been coming in dribs and drabs, and becuase some are playing with features, I am reviewing them in random grouping instead of in the groups they are being shown. They are all worth seeing.

My favorites so far are:

THE VIDEO STORE COMMERCIAL- which is what happens when the making of a commercial for a video store goes wrong.

ABHORRENT- a horribly unpleasant film about a pregnant woman trying to protect her family.

GILTRUDE'S DWELLING which is a wonderful fantasy which I want to see expanded or continued.

As I said it's all good so see when you can go and buy some tickets. Information and tickets can be had here.

Blood in the Snow 2019 Lineup!

The biggest celebration of Canadian horror is back with a fresh slate of northern chills! Blood in the Snow (BITS) 2019 takes place from November 21 to 26 at the Royal Cinema in Toronto.  With six nights of the best horror fare in the nation, including feature films, shorts, webseries, and the newly added podcast category, BITS 2019 is set to be our most exciting year yet.

The Festival opens with the comedy slasher PUPPET KILLER (dir. Lisa Ovies), featuring BITS alumni Gigi Saul Guerrero (The Purge, Culture Shock). A group of teenagers must discover if the psychotic killer stalking them is their emotionally damaged friend, or his murderous childhood toy.

BITS veteran Audrey Cummings (Darken, Berkshire County) returns with SHE NEVER DIED, the followup to 2015’s He Never Died staring Oluniké Adeliyi as the cannibalistic immortal Lacey, who must face her own inner demons while simultaneously finding her next meal.

Also returning is THE NIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS (dir. Paul Tanter) where we revisit the killer couple of Santa and Mrs. Claus for another murderous rampage in this follow up to 2017’s Once Upon a Time at Christmas.

Montreal filmmakers Chris Bavota and Lee Paula Springer (Even the Darkness has Arms) make their feature BITS debut with DEAD DICKS, which took home the audience award for best Canadian feature for its world premiere at this year’s Fantasia Film Festival. 

Other feature debuts are the award winning HAPPY FACE (dir. Alexandre Franchi), UFO conspiracy film MAJIC (dir. Erin Berry) and the long-awaited werewolf thriller HUNTER'S MOON (dir. Matt Campagna). 

The Festival closes with Z (dir. Brandon Christiensen), starring Keegan Connor Tracy (Bates Motel), about a family terrorized by their son’s imaginary friend.

BITS 2019 features three new short film showcases:

FUNNY FRIGHTS sees the return of BITS alumni Ryan LaPlante (DON'T SNEEZE), Ryan Couldrey (THE TRAINEE), as well as debuts from Kelsey Bollig (ASKING FOR A FRIEND), Anik Jean (BE GOOD), and Nada Cosovic (VIDEO VENGENCE).

EMERGING SCREAMS features emerging Canadian filmmakers including the return of Kaw Tay Whee School (Frostbite) with SNACK TIME! We also see BITS’s first film from Newfoundland with NEW WOMAN directed by Benjamin Noah and the first from Nunavut with TRASH by Suzanne Ethridge.

DARK VISIONS takes a moodier tone with shorts including ROMI by Robert Cuffley, ABHORRENT directed by Davis Scott, DREAMCATCHER from Michael Alexander Ucello, and FORET NOIRE by Jean-Marc E. Roy and Philippe David Gagné.

Our web series program returns as well as a newly introduced feature length web series program with the World Premiere of Sci-Fi series DEEP SIX (dir. Davin Lengyel), sponsored by the Independent Production Fund.

The festival closes with our yearly “Bloodies” awards show followed by the exclusive World Premiere of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD VR, both presented by Hollywood Suite. BITS fans will be able to try out this 360 degree virtual reality experience at our closing party at the Monarch Tavern. For the first time ever, fans will be able to interact inside the virtual version of the original house from the 1968 classic film by the late George A. Romero.

BITS 2019 is presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada and the Independent Production Fund and sponsored in part by McCam Insurance, Hollywood Suite, Spacefy, FlexDay, Henderson Brewing and the Peacock Public House and Pub.

Full Lineup and tickets available now at www.bloodinthesnow.ca

About Blood in the Snow
Now in its 8th year, the Blood in the Snow Film Festival (“BITS”) is a unique and imaginative showcase of contemporary Canadian horror, genre, and underground cinema, that exists to challenge social boundaries, explore artistic taboos, and support and exhibit independent Canadian genre media artists.