Connect with us

Movies

Tokyo Horror Film Festival 2024: Short Films To Die For

Regarding film festivals, one of the unsung heroes is always the short films. Unfortunately, it seems most publications pay them little to no mind, and that’s a crying shame. Some of the best filmmakers got their start by making short films and so many future stars have short films on the festival circuit today. Let’s take a look at the short films of the Tokyo Horror Film Festival.

Published

on

Regarding film festivals, one of the unsung heroes is always the short films. Unfortunately, it seems most publications pay them little to no mind, and that’s a crying shame. Some of the best filmmakers got their start by making short films and so many future stars have short films on the festival circuit today. Let’s take a look at the short films of the Tokyo Horror Film Festival.

Stand Out Shorts Fresh From Tokyo Horror Film Festival

Kneading

Directed by Lulu & Augie Syracuse
Written by Lulu Syracuse

An office worker pisses their boss off when they forget to feed the office cat. Surely this will be a normal exchange!

Kneading is short, sweet, and to the point. Lulu and Augie Syracuse have crafted an incredibly weird and atmospheric short film with a stinger you won’t see coming a mile away. The practical effect work gets the job done and leaves a lasting impact. There’s a lot of potential within this two-and-a-half-minute short, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here.

Backward Creep

Written and Directed by Christopher G. Moore

Three friends are en route to an anime convention, but their plans are stopped in their tracks after they run over a pedestrian.

Delightfully campy, Backward Creep excels in one thing: giving audiences a good time. There’s not much to this short, and that’s fine. We have three friends who ran something over and it gets its revenge. It’s simple, in the best way possible. Some shorts try to overcompensate for their short runtimes; Moore doesn’t do that. He puts it all out there and lets you exist within this world for just a few minutes. Supposedly, there is a feature version of this in the works. If Moore keeps the feature fully practical and keeps the gnarly creature design, I’m sold.

Advertisement

Chateau Sauvignon: terroir

Written by David M. Night Maire and Allyssa Rivera-Cabrero
Directed by David M. Night Maire

A young boy and his father run a winery that might be more nefarious than it seems.

Like a fine wine, Chateau Sauvignon: terroir feels a bit pretentious. It takes itself very seriously and constantly withholds from the viewer. Night Maire and Rivera-Cabrero’s script ends up feeling a bit too smart for its own good. Michael Lorz charismatically, and creepily, leads this short with the exhausted vigor of a young adult resigned to a life of depravity. The practical effects in this short look gorgeous and impactful. It’ll make you think twice before going back to a winery, that’s for sure.

Ten of Swords

Written and Directed by Faye Jackson

What would happen if you woke up dead, destined to a life of forced labor? Would you take it on the chin, or fight back?

Let’s see a show of hands if you had no clue Ten of Swords was a tarot card reference. (Raises hand.) Ten of Swords has a lot to say. It comments on forced labor, predestination (to an extent), and the human condition. Jackson’s script does a decent job of getting the point across, but the short really feels like it just goes beat to beat without any real visual flow. Overall, it’s an enjoyable watch with some great action and practical effects. The set and production design is impeccable and provides excellent world-building for this dystopian future. Knowing now, what tarot card this short references feels a bit on the nose with some of the visuals, but that doesn’t mean it’s not impactful.

Grease Bunny

Written and Directed by Benedetto Cocuzza

After a long day of work, Stacy (Haley Hammonds) gets home and orders a pizza. What could go wrong?

Advertisement

The name Benedetto Cocuzza might ring a bell for a few of you. He is the founder of the indie horror video game studio Puppet Combo. I’ll be able to put my bias aside, but there isn’t a single Puppet Combo game I don’t consider a 5 out of 5. Cocuzza’s PlayStation 1 low-res style just tickles that nostalgic spot in my brain that reminds me of my childhood. If you think his short films would be stylistically different from his games, you’re wrong. Grease Bunny is a liminal body horror nightmare, dripping with grease, cheese, and pepperoni. Hammond’s campy acting perfectly embodies the Puppet Combo style, though it could possibly be a turnoff for those who aren’t familiar with Cocuzza’s style. If you’ve ever wondered what a giant pepperoni pizza monster nibbling on someone’s toes would look like, then Grease Bunny is the short film for you.

Also, go check out Puppet Combo’s games; they’re truly excellent.

Support indie game devs!

Beverly Hills Exorcist

Written and Directed by Rem Scobell

A group of exorcists in Beverly Hills attempt to exorcise a house from a giant-headed demon.

I’ll be upfront here, Beverly Hills Exorcist didn’t work for me. There’s a line of camp I can accept and enjoy…this short leaps over that line. The acting feels forced and unrehearsed and it all just happens too fast. Too much character development for too many characters happens in such a short amount of time and it feels overstuffed. Scobell’s idea is fun and could possibly work in a larger sense, but as a short film, it doesn’t.

Advertisement

Body

Written and Directed by Ronald Short

An electronic Frankenstein toy makes its way into a couple’s house…and it’s moving!

Body is incredibly cute. The entire short takes place in the kitchen with Dawn (Leila Anastasia Scott) and Jack (Aaron G. Hale). Scott and Hale are incredibly adorable together and exhibit one of the most believable relationships I’ve seen in a short film. Short has created a short film that should be studied by those who want to make short films. What he created with one prop, two actors, [presumably] one camera, and some fake blood is beyond impressive. Very little happens in this short, but it’s what happens and how it happens that makes this short film charming and exciting.

The Pencil

Written by Madina Schultz and Thomas Schultz
Directed by Thomas Shultz

Sara (Mika Saruar) is an artist struggling to make ends meet. One day she finds a pencil that brings her drawings to life; flowers, money…monsters.

One of my favorite things about festival coverage is when I see a good short at a festival, and then another festival, and another, etc. At this point, I think I’ve seen The Pencil at four different festivals, and it’s well deserved. Coming in at just over 10 minutes, The Pencil tells a harrowing tale of struggle and love. Schultz’s script is tight and precise, and it gets its point across with enough time to play around a little bit. After seeing this short for the first time, I had nightmares of the short film’s creature. Well, guess what’s back in my nightmares now! The Pencil is a perfectly crafted short film that NEEDS a feature-length version.

If you get a chance to see any of these shorts at a film festival near you, be sure you do!

Advertisement

Brendan is an award-winning author and screenwriter rotting away in New Jersey. His hobbies include rain, slugs, and the endless search for The Mothman.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Movies

The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in November 2025

Published

on

Halloween season is over, and many streamers have forgotten about us horror kids. While they take their 11-month hiatus from the genre, we can be grateful that we still have an app that cares. We are so lucky that Shudder remains that girl year-round. Whether you’re finishing their new original show Guts & Glory, catching up on The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans, or running at some of their deep cuts like I am, Shudder has your best interests at heart. As usual, she has quite a few titles fighting for our attention. Which is why I am here with five titles I think should be at the top of all of our watch lists this November. So, cancel your holiday plans and pick up your remote because we have got horrifying things to watch.

The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month

Habit (1995)

An alcoholic unwittingly enters into a relationship with a succubus in New York City. If you ever wondered what Larry Fessenden was getting up to in his youth, you need to see this ’90s gem. I lucked out and caught it at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival last year, and I lived my best life. While watching it on the small screen will not be the same, I plan to hit play anyway. Mostly because I love to see 1990s succubi leaving their mark on men…and also the horror genre. Shudder is also adding The Last Winter and Depraved, so we can spend a whole day with Uncle Larry’s work.

Sew Torn (2024)

A seamstress happens upon a failed drug deal and steals a briefcase. She soon finds herself caught in a deadly situation where all roads lead to death. I caught Sew Torn at SXSW last year and have been wondering what happened to it. So, I am very happy this odd little bird has found her way to Shudder. I cannot wait to make my friends who are looking for something cute and deadly watch. I knew nothing when I hit play on this, and I encourage you to know as little as possible, too. I fear I have already written too much in this blurb to be completely honest. 

Advertisement

You can watch Sew Torn on November 1st.

The Retreat (2021)

A couple goes on a pre-wedding retreat and unwittingly becomes targets of a group of serial killers. We have seen too many movies about retreats, and I thought this one would be more of the same. This title does not completely reinvent the wheel, but it does set itself apart within this oversaturated subgenre. The Retreat is a surprisingly fun and tense little thriller that feels made for the winter watches. Come for the lesbian characters leading the film, and stay for the violence. I also encourage you to check it out while it is on Shudder, because it is usually on apps with ads.

You can watch The Retreat on November 1st.

The Creep Tapes (Season 2)

Peachfuzz returns with more tapes, chaos, kills, and WTF moments. Mark Duplass and Patrick Brice have reentered the TV arena and are making things weird again. If award shows were real, this duo would be leading the Emmys charge. I saw the first three episodes, and Josef/Peachfuzz is still the serial killer after our own hearts. Our Wolfie is still cutting up (literally and figuratively) in the most amazing ways. Guest stars in danger this season include David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil), Katie Aselton (The League), and Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House). 

Advertisement

You can watch The Creep Tapes (Season 2) on November 14th.

Krampus (2015)

A kid accidentally summons demons during the holidays in this horror comedy. Krampus remains one of the top-tier Christmas horror titles for me. It is also my favorite Michael Dougherty film. Not only because it has the star power of Adam Scott and Toni Collette, either. This movie is wicked, and even the kids are in danger. I do not have many holiday horror movies I revisit every year, but Krampus is one of the very few. It still holds up, and I cannot wait to rewatch it with a festively boozy beverage. 

You can watch Krampus on November 15th.

Those are a few reasons I am grateful for Shudder this holiday season. While the rest of you are fighting with your family and friends, I will be parked in front of my TV. You can have your turkey because I would rather gorge myself on episodes of The Creep Tapes anyway.

Advertisement

Let me know what Shudder shenanigans you have got your little eye on. I am nosy and want to make sure I am not missing anything on my favorite streamer.

Continue Reading

Movies

The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in November 2025

Published

on

The year is winding down, and I don’t know about you, but I am trying to pack in as many 2025 horror movies as I can. Is this because I love making end-of-the-year lists? Yes. Is it because I am an unhealed overachiever? Also, yes. So, I am assuming some of you are also cruising the streamers to see what you may have missed. While Netflix has had my favorite new slasher Heart Eyes for a bit, and I have mentioned that in previous streaming guides, they also have other new horror titles to show you.

I do not talk about them as much because I did not have a good time with them. However, that does not mean you won’t enjoy some of these titles. That’s why I am taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for about each of them. That way, you will know there is a silver lining if you do watch them. Allow me to help you figure out what to prioritize this month and what to skip. Check out this chaotic Netflix hitlist below! 

The Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month

28 Years Later (2025)

A group of survivors on a small island has built a fortress to protect them from the rage virus. However, a young boy discovers what is really outside the walls of their community and sets off to find a cure for his sick mother. We all loved 28 Days Later, and some of us liked 28 Weeks Later. So, 28 Years Later was never going to live up to the hype with almost thirty years of anticipation. While I didn’t love it, I did enjoy seeing Danny Boyle helm another zombie installment. What he does in the subgenre is top-tier, and we are welcome (even if the script left me wanting more). That might have gotten buried in all the talk about the dicks seen in the movie, though.

Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025)

Advertisement

A group of girls competing for prom queen starts disappearing, leaving the underdog to figure out what is happening to her competition. I had a lot of thoughts about this lackluster installment in Netflix’s Fear Street adaptations. As someone who grew up reading Fear Street books and wanting to adapt them myself, I do not understand how this movie came out so badly. Which made it hard to find something nice to say about this title. However, the soundtrack slaps, and it is not the soundtrack’s fault that it was wasted on a low-energy bottom-tier slasher. So, if you hit play on this, you can at least look forward to hearing some retro bangers selected by music supervisor Nora Felder. If you are familiar with her work on Yellowjackets and Stranger Things, you know Felder does not miss.

Maa (2025)

To battle a demon’s curse, a mother transforms into the legendary goddess Kali. As usual, Netflix did not advertise an international horror movie that seemed to have some potential. If they had told us Maa was an Indian Hindi-language mythological horror movie, most people who yell for intersectionality and originality would have run at it. Instead, we had to find out about it months later while looking for something we hadn’t already seen on the app. This movie is too long, and I cannot say it is good by any stretch of the imagination. However, it also made me realize how little I know about the goddess of destruction. If you are a nerd like me, this might lead you down a cool rabbit hole. You can also say you gave a view to a horror movie starring Brown people. Who knows, maybe you could be one of the few who enjoy this chaotic film.

Until Dawn (2025)

A group of friends find themselves trapped in a time loop where they keep getting killed in gruesome ways. I love the video game and was so bummed this adaptation was so bad. However, the practical effects are very cool and should be celebrated more. I think the stuff that the SFX team pulled off might be the only reason to watch the movie personally. I’m happy the actors whose work I enjoy got paid, and that’s another positive thing I can say. However, if we want to see young people in deadly time loops, we have so many movies that do it better. Excuse me as I look right at Happy Death Day and all of the movies that have tried to copy her.

Advertisement

Ziam (2025)

A Muay Thai fighter battles through a zombie apocalypse to save the woman he loves. Netflix fumbled the advertising for this one too, because who doesn’t want to see a Thai zombie film? So, I was excited to watch it, but then sad I did not like it. However, I think this one is on me. It is an action-horror with a lot of heartfelt moments, and that’s not my bag. I wanted more violence and zombie action because I am a broken and heartless ghoul. So, Ziam might be the only movie on this list that does not deserve my bombastic side eye. I am waiting for other people to watch it and let me know if they have a better time with it, though. 

While I was not the audience for these movies, I am assuming some of you will dig them. Worst-case scenario, you cross off a few more 2025 horror movies and have something to talk about at Friendsgiving. Happy Horrordays! I will see myself out now…

Continue Reading

Horror Press Mailing List

Fangoria
Advertisement
Advertisement