THE GOLDSMITH (aka L’Orafo) *** Italy 2022 Dir: Vincenzo Ricchiuto. 89 mins A trio of childhood friends turned criminals attempt to raid the house of a goldsmith. You may think this is a crime thriller but you would be deceived. This film slowly descends into some full-on horror madness. THE GOLDSMITH or L’ORAFO is a sweet revenge thriller turned horror with a string of well done twists that are sometimes a little obvious. Otherwise, this was well written. Germano Tarricone pairs with writer director Vincenzo Ricchiuto to create a script that allows the cast room to display their excellent acting…
Author: Poppy Blundell
DARK NATURE *** Canada 2022 Dir: Berkley Brady. 85 mins A small group of women head out on an isolated retreat to face their demons. Little do they know they will literally face one. This is another Grimmfest feature that taps into Native American legends. This dark parable of trauma recovery is filled with horror cliches, so of course I loved it. Brady uses the characters’ fears to make them appear weak and vulnerable, ideal victims for the mysterious entity. The sound effects combined with the score really draw the audience into the ladies’ fears. This is helped by their…
VESPER ** France / Lithuania / Belgium 2022 Dir: Kristina Buozyte & Bruno Samper. 114 mins A sci-fi dystopian drama that came after the highs of horror comedy FEED ME at Grimmfest Film Festival 2022, which definitely had an affect on my viewing of this film as it felt totally flat in comparison. Buozyte and Semper create a futuristic Earth where the ecosystem has collapsed. 13-year old Vesper cares for her father and enjoys adventuring, which is how she meets a mysterious stranger who could help her change the world. Due to the dystopian Earth setting, the film had to…
NIGHT SKY *** USA 2022 Dir: Jacob Gentry. 96 mins A petty thief struggling with a gunshot wound, stumbles across a girl that is out of this world. She saves his life so he agrees to take her to her family on a road trip to New Mexico. For a sci-fi thriller, this could have added a little more pacing to avoid any lulls and to keep the tension that had been building. AJ Bowen was a great choice for lead Oren, providing a worthy performance and easy chemistry with Annie (Brea Grant) who also performed with ease. Psychopathic hitman…
MALIBU HORROR STORY **** USA 2021 Dir: Scott Slone. 93 mins A mockumentary, found footage mash-up that focuses on a group of high school graduates who disappeared after a wild night out. With a great interest in the supernatural, I certainly enjoyed the unknown entity. Blair Witch Project vibes and nods to Paranormal Activity, with a cultural twist. Slone had clearly researched the Native American cultures and the role of a Shaman. Even without a grand budget, this film worked wonders. An unconventional take that provides a creepy atmosphere and appears quite realistic, even if a little obvious at times.…