Film Fests
Movies We’re Most Excited To See At Brooklyn Horror Film Festival
Horror Press is pleased to sponsor the 7th annual Brooklyn Horror Film Festival (BHFF), presented by Shudder. Brooklyn Horror promises to deliver nightmare fuel and provide a platform for films that subvert expectations and push boundaries on what is considered to be a part of the genre.
From October 13-20, BHFF will present its most robust film slate to date, along with live events across Brooklyn. Horror Press writers Bash Ortega and Jenika McCrayer sat down to discuss what films and themes they’re most looking forward to seeing at the festival.
This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Bash: What’s the number one film you’re most excited to see?
Jenika: I’m most excited to see Give Me an A. It’s an anthology around the topic of abortion, which is obviously topical and important. Most of the films I picked are woman-led. I think it’s a great year for women in horror, and, on the flip side, it’s like a terrible year for women and queer people. So I’m excited to see how Give Me an A will tackle abortion rights and how it affects all women and queer people across the country.
B: Yeah, that one that looks really interesting. It’s definitely on my list. Out of all the films, I’m most excited about All Jacked Up and Full of Worms. It looks just absolutely bizarre. I watched the trailer, and the characters talk about doing worms, and they mean eating actual live worms. It’s grotesque! Have you watched the trailer?
J: I have not watched the trailer. I like going in blind. I know that you like body horror. Are most of your picks body horror-centric?
B: For the most part, but I also have a good mix. I’m really interested in body horror, practical effects, and anything that just seems sort of like mind fuck-y. Also, Something in the Dirt looks really interesting because the premise seems funny. A supernatural force invades the main character’s apartment, and they’re fighting it, but no one believes them. The trailer is vague and has a fairly serious tone, but the film seems interesting because the premise is absurd. I’m interested in things I’ve checked out that have left me wondering, “what’s going on here?”
J: Another film I’m looking forward to seeing is Mother May I. Mostly because I’m a fan of Kyle Gallner, but also because the premise seems bonkers. His wife is possessed by his dead mother, so he has to work through all of his mother-oeidopus-complex-trauma.
B: Yeah, that one looks wild. There are a lot of mother movies at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival this year.
J: Definitely! I’m also interested in Mother Superior!
B: All Jacked up and Full of Worms seems to have themes of motherhood too. From the trailer, it appears like the main character gets a fake baby in the mail and then starts seeing this woman who also becomes pregnant.
J: I’m interested to see how that plays out. When I was looking through the list of movies at BHFF I sorted them by topics I want to see. Women, mothers, and LGBTQ+ issues are having a big moment. I feel like mental health is also having its moment. I know we both saw Smile last week thanks to BHFF. Other than body horror, what else are you looking forward to seeing?
B: I’m also intrigued by The Weird Kidz. How often do we get a full-length animated horror film? It’s different, and it took eight years to draw. It seems like a straightforward monster movie, but I’m hoping the animation and comedy aspects will make it more unique. The style reminds me of Family Guy and makes me wonder how horror and crude adult cartoons will combine. What else would you like to see?
J: I’m excited to see the documentaries! Especially the one about Stephen King. King On Screen is one of my first choices. I love Stephen King, and the adaptations from his books usually blow me away. Carrie is one of my favorite horror movies. I’m also excited to see this horror comedy called Next Exit. It’s about grief and the afterlife. It should be a unique experience to see how they handle something so heavy through humor.
B: I’d also really like to see Falcon Lake. I know it’s their centerpiece film, and I’m interested to see why they’ve chosen that one. It appears to be more somber than some of the other films. It’s also the head trip category, which I’m very interested in.
J: Yeah. You love cerebral stuff.
B: Yeah. My friends make fun of me. They tell me I love movies that don’t make any sense.
J: They make perfect sense!
B: You just have to watch them five times, and then it’s fine.
B: And then the shorts! I think one of my personal projects will be to decide which shorts I like the best.
J: Yes! We both want to see the Slayed: LGBTQ+ Horror category.
B: Also, Slayed is a hilarious name.
J: Perfection! Speaking of LGBTQ+ horror, BHFF is also showing Swallowed.
B: Horror Press recently released an article on that one! It looks really interesting. I read about Swallowed when I saw that we were reviewing it. I know the characters smuggle drugs by eating them.
J: It could be pretty fun. The lineup looks absolutely wild. I love how horror is leaning into “what the fuck?” right now. I also think body horror is having a good year, which is very unfortunate for me.
B: You don’t do body horror?
J: I have a limit.
B: Very understandable.
J: But overall, I’m excited about their chosen themes.
B: Yes! I think the “Fear in Focus: French Extremity” theme is really fun.
J: I studied French for six years. Let’s test it out! I’m excited for Baise-Moi. I don’t usually watch a lot of French horror films. I don’t get into it enough. But I hear it’s fucked up and brutal.
B: I know! Movies like Raw had such an intense reputation. So I’m hoping the movies are as extreme as BHFF says. I think they will be!
J: Yeah! I also hope to see Irreversible. It’s the Straight Cut 20th Anniversary edition. So they’re going to show it in chronological order.
B: I haven’t seen the original.
J: The original is in reverse chronological order, about one night. It’s a rape-revenge film, which I don’t usually spend much time watching.
B: I also don’t, but I watched a couple for a paper in college.
J: I think they’re getting better, however. I’m enjoying them more. I don’t know if it’s like I’m older now or…
B: I do think they can be cathartic.
J: Right. So I’m excited to see a retelling of one that’s kind of the Classic.
B: I’m not very familiar with Lucio Fulci, and one of the categories of BHFF is a retrospective of his work. I’m mainly focusing on seeing new films, but I am still curious to learn more about Fulci and why he was important. The one that I do really want to see by him is Zombie because it’s a loose sequel to Night of the Living Dead, which is one of my all-time favorites.
J: Oh, yeah! Night of the Living Dead is phenomenal. The whole backstory of the film, the distribution, and the casting of Duane Jones, a Black actor: all great. I’m also interested to see Zombie and how Fulci handled it. The zombie genre has exploded. Are there any other zombie movies?
B: There definitely are! There’s City of the Living Dead and The House by the Cemetery.
J: My biggest takeaway is that all of these films look amazing! I want to see every single one. But it’s literally impossible.
B: I’m also incredibly excited to see Nocebo on opening night.
J: That one’s going to be fun!
B: Just the idea of going to opening night is exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there! I’m also excited to see the theaters because I haven’t been to Nitehawk or Williamsburg Cinemas where the films are playing.
J: Nitehawk is great! I also haven’t been to Williamsburg Cinemas. I’m usually an Alamo Girl, so I’m excited to branch out. I know some of the filmmakers will be there, and there will be some Q&A sessions. I can’t wait to see what other events they have planned around these films.
B: There are so many films that are getting their world premieres. I know you’re interested in Influencer.
J: Hell yes, I need to see this. How do you make influencing scary? Well, scarier than it already is.
B: It’s very topical, which sometimes I feel like those movies can be a little bit too on the nose, but I think this one looks pretty interesting. Because it sounds like the horror is not online, you know? I feel like sometimes those kinds of films can be too heavy-handed and have a very narrow view. They often are just trying to say that the internet is ruining our generation, and I’m not very interested in that take.
J: I like when horror dives into the conversations that we’re currently having. Movies that touch on issues that society is facing now give us a value system and ways to move forward. Jordan Peele is having a great moment. I also enjoyed Smile. There will be a Q&A for Influencer, so I need to think of questions! I’m mostly interested in what influenced—get it?—the filmmakers to make Influencer.
J: So, we’re both looking forward to BHFF! I can’t wait to see you there! Any final thoughts?
B: Yes! I’m excited to see as much as I possibly can! There are so many new and exciting films, and I know BHFF will be a good time!
You can find tickets for BHFF on their website.
Author’s Note: When this article was initially published, I had stated Weekend at the End of the World used AI. After an email from the film’s publicist and producer, I am updating that portion as we have been told they did not use AI in the creation of this film. Horror Press takes a hardline stance against the use of AI, generative or otherwise, and we will remain diligent on calling out its potential use and update where needed. We thank the crew behind this project for taking the time and clarifying how certain effects were created. It’s never our intention to punch down, but we owe it to our readers to be transparent and call out AI when we think we see it. However, this was not the case, and no AI was used in Weekend at the End of the World.
There is nothing wrong with a film festival that takes chances on films. Programming festivals seem like an incredibly tedious job that will always leave people underwhelmed, no matter how great the programming is. There are two films I screened at Another Hole In The Head that left me wanting more and questioning their inclusion within the festival. I’m sure these films worked for whoever picked them, but for me, they fell completely flat. And one of them was my most anticipated film from the festival.
Kombucha Review
Luke (Terrence Carey) is a down-on-his-luck musician who is stuck on the edge of recognition and nothing. His partner, Elyse (Paige Bourne), begs him to get a “real job” after his ex-band member, Andy (Jesse Kendall), mysteriously resurfaces with a too-good-to-be-true job offer. After taking this new job, Luke finds himself happy with the influx of money, but void of personal growth. His new boss, Kelsey (Claire McFadden), forces Luke to drink their company’s trademark kombucha, or else he’s out of a job. It turns out this mystery drink may just turn Luke into a shell of a man. Literally.
Kombucha was my most anticipated film screening at Another Hole In The Head. I was stimulated by the film’s description, which was described as Office Space meets Cronenberg. From that descriptor, I was expecting some pretty out-there comedic moments mixed with gnarly grossout scenes. Kombucha failed on both of those aspects. The film’s handful of jokes were fart and poop jokes that felt beyond out of place. (And this is coming from someone who loves fart and poop jokes.) On top of that, the film’s “Cronenberg” moments were few and far between.
Flat Visual Style Undercuts Kombucha’s Strong Concept
Co-writers Geoff Bakken and Jake Myers, and directed by Jake Myers, have an excellent concept on their hands. Even the film’s commentary hits perfectly. But the film’s bland writing takes the oompf out of the overall effect. I wanted much more from this film, visually. Matt Brown’s cinematography isn’t bad…it’s competent enough. At its core, this film just feels very by-the-college-textbook; dead-center framing with After-Effects-like handheld plugins make this film feel flat beyond belief. Some of the practical effects look good; unfortunately, I was checked out by that point.
Weekend at the End of the World Review
Karl (Clay Elliott) is reeling from his ex-girlfriend’s proposal denial. His best friend, Miles (Cameron Fife), decides to take him to his deceased grandmother’s cabin for a best friends’ weekend. Once at the cabin, Karl and Miles find themselves in a world of trouble when they open a portal to another dimension. These two friends, along with their nosy neighbor, Hank (Thomas Lennon), must travel through strange worlds in order to save their own.
Thomas Lennon is Weekend at the End of the World’s Biggest Missed Opportunity
One of my favorite things about actors like Michael Madsen (RIP) and Thomas Lennon is how they use/used their fame and time to bring independent horror films into the limelight. While that trajectory made a bit more sense for Madsen’s career, it has been a delight to see Lennon pop up here and there throughout the past decade in horror. Most horror fans delight in seeing a big-name actor take the time and star in a film that helps bring credence to a genre that was once looked upon with disgrace.
One of the two great things about Weekend at the End of the World was Thomas Lennon…and then they silenced him. Co-writers Clay Elliott, Gille Klabin, and Spencer McCurnin filled a script with teen-brained fart jokes in a way that feels lazy and cheap. Thomas Lennon’s ill-written character, who is nothing more than a punching bag for two characters who lack a single ounce of comedy or character, is (figuratively) castrated shortly into the film, and any sense of self the film had is then gone. While his character was flat, Lennon brought a sense of something to this empty film.
MeeMaw’s Practical Effects Are a Highlight
The film’s other standout moment is the practical effects used on MeeMaw. So much has been done in horror, and creating a new viscerally icky character is hard to do. MeeMaw’s character (creature?) design is delightfully awful to look at. She could have easily become the film’s star and propelled this film to be something if it had been more interesting. But this film’s story is bland and recycled from other stories.
I have so little to say about this film because it exists as an hour and a half of attempted flash, with little to nothing to add to the genre. The story is bland, the characters are flat, and the jokes will make a teenager laugh (before they inevitably go back to scrolling on TikTok). Full of D-grade visual effects that aren’t even fit for the year 2015, Weekend at the End of the World is an overall forgettable experience; it’s an apocalypse of entertainment…an exercise in futility. Not even Thomas Lennon or MeeMaw’s well-thought-out (and achieved) character design could save us from this…experience.
When you watch films for a living, you sometimes feel like you’ve seen it all. It’s hard to be surprised by films when you’ve seen everything from Salo to Inside to Slaughtered Vomit Dolls. For those looking for the next “big thing” in horror, the festival circuit is the best place to look. When I pressed play on Hoagie, I had no clue I was about to watch my favorite film of the year.
A Gooey Goblin and an Everyman Hero
An average family man, Brendan Bean (Ryan Morley), is left home alone while his family heads out for the weekend. While home alone, Brendan finds himself in the company of a homunculus zygote named Hoagie. Hoagie is a devilishly cute little goblin man that sprang to life from an alien egg and is about to give Brendan much more than he bargained for. When a right-wing militia attempts to get Hoagie back, Brendan and Hoagie find themselves in a fight for survival. Can this everyman save his new best friend? Or will these weekend warriors succeed in stealing this goopy goblin?
Hoagie toes the line between low-budget schlock satire and a genuinely great film. From the start, my reaction was nothing more than, “Ah, this film knows what it is.” As the minutes ticked by, I couldn’t help but notice how honestly incredible it was. Co-writers Matt Hewitt and Ryan Morley, under Matt Hewitt’s direction, have an incredibly heartfelt story of love and compassion that is wrapped up in a sinewy bow. I’ve said time and time again that horror comedy doesn’t typically work for me. Hoagie’s schtick never gets old for a singular second. Whether it’s poking fun at right-wing nazis who spend their weekends getting shirtless and “training” together, or literal poop jokes, Hoagie does not fail to deliver laughs and tears.
A Third-Act Bloodbath That Proves Hoagie Goes Hard
Just when you think the film has run out of tricks, you get hit with a third-act tour de force of blood, carnage, and mayhem. I’ve come across many festival films that I think could be used as wonderful teaching tools in film school…Hoagie could be used as a master class. This film demonstrates how filmmakers can effectively stretch a budget. They lean into the lo-fi aesthetic but never use it as a crutch. From the film’s unique and odd acting to its purposefully quirky, stilted dialogue, Hoagie is a film that does not fail to entertain all of the senses.
Hoagie Is One of the Best Indie Horror Films of the Year
I could go on, waxing poetic to hit a word count or get a pull quote. But Hoagie taught me that sometimes minimalism is best. It’s important to learn when to say too much and when to say enough. I’m stunned by how impressive a feature Hoagie is. This gooey little goblin gets at your heartstrings and refuses to let go. If you’re a fan of well-done, fully realized practical effects that have substance and style, then Hoagie is the fix you’ll find yourself chasing for years to come. Oh, and there are enough dong shots to make another full frontal ranking list.
If you get the chance to catch Hoagie, I cannot recommend enough that you do so. Humanity is not ready for these forces to be unleashed onto this world. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, you’ll squirm, but, most importantly, you’ll feel. Hoagie is more delicious than a fatty patty six-stack (with the beans).
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