Film Fests
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025: The Creep Tapes Season 2
In 2014, Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice created magic with their mumblegore-adjacent found footage epic Creep. Three years later, this dreamy duo brought us the second installment of their creepy killer. Seven years would pass until Josef (Mark Duplass) would creep back into our daily lives with six truly terrifying episodes of The Creep Tapes. It would only be a short time until a second season of The Creep Tapes was announced…and even less time for a third season! The best experience I had at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival was seeing the first three episodes of The Creep Tapes Season 2.
The Creep Tapes Season 2 Creeps Back Into the Spotlight
The Creep Tapes Season 1 was fairly straightforward throughout. It was a fantastic season (that I loved), but the majority of it was more of the same. Josef finds a victim (through various means), plays nice (and weird), goes after victim, and death. The season finale, “Mom (and Albert)”, was the first time we really got some (what seems to be) true background into Josef. From personal conversations, that episode was hit or miss. (I loved it, the dude hung dong!)
Upon hearing the news of Seasons 2 and 3, I was left wondering, will we get more background, OR will it just dive into Josef’s maniacal madness? While the first three episodes of Season 2 don’t do much to give us too much information about Josef’s background, it does up the ante considerably. Season 2 makes clear that Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have grandiose ideas that they’re only scratching the surface of.
The Creep Tapes: S2 E1 “Joseph”
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but what happens when the imitation is just… wrong? Josef finds himself in the sights of Joseph (David Dastmalchian), who is looking for a videographer to film a video for his unborn son, as Joseph has been diagnosed with cancer. Sound familiar?
How can someone possibly replicate the insane scenario Josef concocted in Creep? It can’t just be a coincidence—and it’s not. We come to learn that Josef has been doing something with his tapes (and films) that allows Joseph to view his work. Unfortunately for Joseph, the wrong man answered his ad.
This piece of information is crucial for understanding who (and what) Josef is. At points, he seems mentally ill, misguided, a man who just gets too damn lucky sometimes. The information gleaned reveals a much more careless, while still sophisticated, man who believes he’s creating art (of sorts). What’s the purpose of creating chaos in the modern age of technology if you can’t share it with other degenerates?
The “flip of the script” in Season 2 Episode 1 “Joseph” is a heart-racing 20-ish minutes of anticipation. I didn’t separate my butt from the edge of my seat until the credits rolled. But it’s with the casting of Joseph that the true magic of the Season 2 premiere excels. Who else can outmaniac a maniac? Of course, it has to be David Dastmalchian.
The Creep Tapes: S2 E2 “Mark”
Mark (Robert Longstreet) wakes up in a concrete room, his leg chained to the ground. A TV sits atop a table. An empty tub sits across the room. Someone lies still underneath a blanket, with a chain coming out of the bottom. And Josef accompanies Mark, leg chains and all. What could go wrong?
One of the most interesting things about Josef as a character is his ability to showcase his flaws, something that is extremely apparent in Season 2, Episodes 2 and 3. Nearly everything that can go wrong for Josef goes wrong. The reason it goes wrong is because of a simple oversight on Josef’s part. And it’s kind of heartening to see. Nearly every time we see Josef in action, he has a general grasp of his overall plan. He knows, more or less, how his targets will react, and his incredible improv skills allow him to course correct when necessary.
“Mark” just goes off the rails in ways Josef could never imagine.
Season 2, Episode 2 is Duplass and Brice’s nod at the Saw franchise. And, if anything other than a few laughs, solidifies the intense planning and expertise that goes into a John Kramer game. One simple oversight can cause a highly crafted plan to fall apart at the seams. To boot, “Mark” is one of the funniest pieces of horror media I have ever seen. It begs the question, what if an absolute dufus was put in a Saw film?
And don’t worry, bloodhounds, there’s gore aplenty!
The Creep Tapes: S2 E3 “Wes”
Wes (Diego Josef) finds himself taking a job to help Josef film a house-flipping show’s pilot episode. But night descends, and Wes realizes that they’re in the middle of nowhere. Wes’s attempted escape from Josef leads to an unfortunate run-in with law enforcement. Oh boy, how will he get out of this one?!
Even the greatest of franchises will bottom out at some point. Much of what we’ve seen Josef do involves a certain amount of suspension of disbelief. HOW is there not at least a Reddit thread about filmmakers/videographers who have gone missing after answering Craigslist ads? There is no way a 20/20 wouldn’t have been made about these killings if they were real. I mean, just look at how many tapes we see in the opening. Josef is talented at what he does, but everyone slips up eventually.
“Wes” brought me to a point where I was unable to suspend my disbelief. When AMERICAN police see someone moving a potentially dead body and don’t immediately cuff and detain them, you’re asking a bit too much. The crux of this episode revolves around a repeated word: “professionalism.” I get that it’s supposed to shine a light on how unprofessional the police are in this scenario, but it’s a step too far.
What I will say is that it’s a fun angle to take. We’re watching this killer that we’ve seen commit nearly 10 murders, and there are more we haven’t, interact face to face with the police. How will he get out of this sticky situation? I just don’t believe the way it is handled is grounded in a reality that would ever make sense. The chemistry between Wes and Josef, though, is some of the best in the entire franchise. They play off of each other incredibly well, and it makes you wish “Wes” were a feature-length film character instead of an episode character.
A Bold New Chapter for The Creep Tapes
Overall, the first three episodes of The Creep Tapes Season 2 were an overall blast. Even with the issues I had throughout “Wes”, I was entertained the entire time. “Joseph” and “Mark” are contenders for the best episodes of the entire series (and maybe even best entries in the entire franchise). I love seeing Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice spreading their wings to take Josef in different directions. They find ways to keep the product feeling original while still paying direct homage to horror properties beloved by the masses. If these are the first three episodes of Season 2, I think we’re in for a real treat with the final three.
The Creep Tapes Season 2 premieres November 14 on Shudder and AMC+.
It’s very interesting when critics cover Part # of a franchise without having seen the previous entries. I’ve personally seen critics who flat-out say that Part 2 or 3 doesn’t make sense without having seen the previous film. And therein lies the problem: film critics who refuse to admit they haven’t seen EVERYTHING. But does the hard work rely solely on the film critic (or the general viewer)? Should a sequel (or third in a trilogy) drop in heavy context clues for someone who is just now tuning in? I think the answer falls somewhere between those points. Of the many reasons, that is one of the main reasons I was able to enjoy The Barn Part III so much. Let’s dig into it.
Some time ago, Pastor Josh Harper (Courtney Gains) assumed he had rid the world of evil. He was dead wrong. Well, hopefully just wrong. His nephew Kyle (Tristan Olsen) and friend Megan (Amanda Byrne) accidentally re-unleash the evil; Josh must attempt to vanquish it. Again. There’s just one big problem…the Fall Festival is going on, and damn near the entire town will be in attendance. What can go wrong?
Can You Review PT. 3 Without Seeing PTS. 1&2?
Before we really get into it, I think we should jump back to the point I was making in the intro. I have seen tons of posts, screenshots, and scenes from The Barn franchise over the years. For some reason, I’ve never gotten around to seeing the films. So there was a sort of internal struggle when deciding whether or not to cover The Barn Part III. Would I watch it just for fun? What if I didn’t like it? Sure, I could review the film on its own merits, disregarding moments that don’t make sense to a first-time viewer. But that felt disingenuous. After writing a weighty pros and cons list, I figured, what the hell. Let’s give it a watch! It turns out that was the right decision.
Co-writers Justin M. Seamen and Zane Hershberger do an excellent job of balancing fan service and, surprisingly, first-time viewers. There are definitely moments where I felt a bit lost, though I was able to put the pieces together based on context clues after sitting with the film for a few hours. By the time the credits rolled, I felt like I saw enough (as a first time viewing of the franchise) to understand how we got to this point in the franchise. Moreover, it made me more motivated than ever to go back and watch the first two films. If The Barn Part III is this gory, then I can only assume there’s a similar level of gore to the first two.
Strong Script, Stronger Kills
Hershberger and Seamen tell a tale that’s not overwhelmingly original; evil is raised and must be stopped by the good people. It’s a race against the clock, fast-paced creature feature/slasher. It’s hard to really reinvent the wheel there. And somehow, Herhshberger and Seamen manage to make you feel like you haven’t really seen anything like it before. Even during moments of slightly cheesy dialogue, the script’s tone stays beyond consistent that it just all feels right. To me, that feels very rare in this subgenre of film. Rather than being nothing but conduits for buckets of blood, the characters in The Barn Part III exist within their story purpose while still feeling fully fleshed out.
Much of The Barn Part III’s enjoyment comes from the delightful performances of the film’s lead cast. Courtney Gains takes the reins from Will Stout as Josh Harper, and Gains is wonderfully charming. Much of his screen time is shared with Night of the Comet’s Kelli Maroney, who is still an absolute blast to watch on the screen. But it’s one of The Barn Part III’s co-leads, Amanda Byrne, who steals the show. It’s hard to believe this film is Byrne’s debut feature acting role. She really gives it her all, and you can feel it through the screen.
The Barn Part III Is a Practical Effect Gorefest
Enough edging. Let’s get into the actual meat and potatoes of The Barn Part III: the kills. Simply put, Justin M. Seamen and Zane Hershberger struck gold. I’ve seen way too many slasher films/creature features, so this isn’t hyperbolic…The Barn Part III has some of the most insane, captivating, and bloody kills I’ve seen. Especially for an indie film. Whatever the budget was, the film looks like it was more expensive than that.
I have a feeling that there is a heavy crossover between fans of this franchise and Joe Bob Briggs, so let me put it to you this way. The Barn Part III has it all: bisections, dissections, full-body degloving, mini killer pumpkins, pitchfork-fu, shotgun-fu, vine-fu…and that’s just scratching the surface. Besides transporting me to a time and place that I hold dear to my heart, the late 90s and early aughts, this film just checked every single box for me. I can only hope the first two do the same.
The Barn Part III is a violent, practical effects-filled rollercoaster that doesn’t let off the brakes from the jump. To me, this feels like the proper send-off to a franchise I’m new to, and it’s giving me severe FOMO. Full of insane kills and a charming main cast, The Barn Part III is neck and neck for best of the fest for me. Do yourself a favor, gas up your tractor and get to The Barn as soon as possible.
I frequently start my reviews about horror comedies along the lines of, “I typically don’t enjoy horror comedies…” and I noticed something: I’ve been saying that a lot. Has there been such a shift in horror comedies over the past few years? Or have I finally started looking in the right places? I started saying that line in my festival review coverage around the time I saw Sean Nichols Lynch’s Red Snow, and here I am five years later saying the same exact thing. Have I changed? Probably. All of that is to say, the first film I screened for GenreBlast X was Demonetize, and it restored my faith in the make-fun-of-influencers subgenre of horror.
What Is Demonetize About?
Martin Robinson (Sean Carrigan), host of Ghost Pros, and his cameraman/sidekick Terrence (Matty Cardarople) plan to bring the Ratliff House into the internet age. After Martin calls out Paul Corey (Cherdleys) on Jackie London’s (Kimia Behpoornia!!) podcast, Paul and a host of other online influencers, including Jane Lincoln (Janine Hogan), descend onto the Ratliff House to see if it’s as haunted as everyone says it is. But little does everyone know what deadly plans the ghosts have in store for the ill-fated influencers.
There Is NO AI in Demonetize!
First off, whoever’s idea it was to have “fuck AI” at the end of the credits deserves a standing ovation. Co-writers Janine Hogan and Alexander Boyd Watson took a chance with Demonetize, battling the influx of influencer-based horror. Very few seem to really nail the cohesion of creating characters who are just annoying enough without pissing off the filmgoer and crafting the right characters to make you feel something for. Moreover, the way Hogan and Watson craft an ensemble piece that gives everyone a moment to shine (like a diamond or a turd) helps glue the emotional threads from tip to tail.
Impressive Script About Annoying People
It’s hard not to be impressed by the writing prowess of this duo, but what’s even harder not to be impressed by is the restraint it took to not make Demonetize a found footage film. And that’s coming from someone who would consider found footage to be their favorite subgenre. There are a handful of times when you can see/feel the budget, which could have been easily obfuscated through found footage means. But instead, Demonetize is presented traditionally–warts and all– and you can feel the charm and craft behind it.
Much of the humor from Demonetize comes from Paul Corey and Martin Robinson. Cherdlys and Sean Carrigan, respectively, bring enough charm to their characters while maintaining the line of good and bad taste. Director Alexander Boyd Watson could have easily let Cherdlys take the Shawn Ruddy a la Deadstream route, but that route never works. Rather, Watson’s direction is more gauchely soft. We constantly get that influencer-like humor and annoyance, but there’s a beautiful balance that keeps everything entertaining.
The Horror of It All
While the humor lands and feels purposeful, Demonetize exists in this eerily frightening atmosphere. Once the house takes control, the humor slowly fades, leading to some memorable and creepy moments. The horror-y side of Demonetize won’t keep you up at night, nor will it make you rush to your bedroom after shutting off the hallway lights, but it’s different enough to stand out from the majority of influencer-based horror flicks.
There are some moments where the filmmakers rely a bit too heavily on CGI that doesn’t look too great. And honestly, it’s a relief to know their stance on AI. Too many times I have caught a film at a festival, and it’s full of AI, and no one seems to care. So it’s refreshing to see some CGI that maybe doesn’t look the greatest, but at least it’s not AI!
Overall, Demonetize is a fresh flick in an oversaturated subgenre. It delivers on laughs, some solid scares, and a cast of social media-obsessed people who you actually don’t hate. And that’s rare. Demonetize is a great horror film to throw on your rotation for our upcoming 31 for 31 (or 61 Days to Halloween). And extra points because this is now the second horror film I’ve seen with a Dropout.TV cast member!
