Fantastic Fest 2023 - Before haunts became a multi-billion-dollar industry with massive theme parks, there was Spooky World in Berlin, MA. What started as essentially a hayride with a few horror celebs in attendance soon grew into a major attraction that sparked national attention. Spooktacular! is a fascinating documentary about Spooky World's meteoric rise in [...]

Fantastic Fest 2023 - Writer/director Demián Rugna had a tall task before him in topping the disturbing imagery from his 2017 breakout film Terrified. Well, his follow-up, When Evil Lurks, certainly doesn't skimp on the nightmare fuel. His latest is a demented depiction of hell unleashed upon a small village. No one is safe, not [...]

Fantastic Fest 2023- Fishmonger has it all, including tentacle sex, an ancient sea creature, frequent projectile vomiting, and plenty of other gross-out moments. Yet, despite the short's truly gonzo moments, it's also a deeply personal love story about two outcasts. Directed by Neil Ferron, who co-wrote the script with Alexandra Dennis-Renner, the black and white [...]

Fantastic Fest 2023 - After the lackluster 2019 Pet Semetary remake, horror fans and Stephen King readers especially may be leery of another film set in that universe. However, Pet Semetary: Bloodlines is a stronger entry than the remake for several reasons. It focuses much more on characterization and setting, while featuring strong performances, especially from [...]

Fantastic Fest 2023 - The Coffee Table is one of those films that manages to balance dark comedy with Hitchcock-like suspense. There is an actual coffee table, which features prominently during the runtime, but it's a trigger for startling events that unfold as early as the film's first act. Directed by Caye Casas, who co-wrote [...]

Fantastic Fest 2023 - Strange Darling is one of those movies that defies just about every single expectation. It opens in media res, with a set-up that feels like one too many tired serial killer narratives. However, the film is anything but that. It's an unpredictable and tense cat and mouse game that will make [...]

F. Javier Gutierrez, the acclaimed director of "Before the Fall" and "Rings," unveils his third feature film, The Wait (La Espera). Following its world premiere at Germany's Oldenburg Film Festival, this rural thriller is set to make its North American debut at Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the US, renowned for its [...]