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[REVIEW] Fantastic Fest 2024: ‘Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire’, ‘Else’, and ‘Heavier Trip’

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The lineup for Fantastic Fest 2024 was just as impressive as always. Where does one begin? My experience at this year’s fest started with Stuart Ortiz’s solo directing debut Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire. Ortiz made a name for himself as one-half of The Vicious Brothers, the two filmmakers who created the brilliant found footage film Grave Encounters. Ortiz sets off on his own to bring audiences a truly terrifying true crime mockumentary.

Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in the Inland Empire

Strange Harvest is framed as your typical true crime doc. We follow the chronological timeline of detectives Joe Kirby (Peter Zizzo) and Alexis Taylor (Terri Apple) who are on a decades-long hunt to find a serial killer by the name of Mr. Shiny (Jessee J. Clarkson). It becomes clear all too quickly that Mr. Shiny is a force to be reckoned with as he unleashes terror throughout Southern California.

Ortiz shines with a fully realized vision in his solo debut. Rarely can true crime-focused mockumentaries instill true terror into the viewer, but Ortiz finds new and creative ways to scare. Bordering on too realistic for its own good, Strange Harvest sets a new bar for mockumentaries. You can learn more about Strange Harvest and the possible connections to The Vicious Brothers’s Extraterrestrial in our interview here.

Still image from Else

Else

Thibault Emin’s Else hooked me on press photos alone, though the plot also sounded pretty intriguing. Quar-horror is here to stay, and we must accept that. Thankfully, Else ditches the COVID-like pandemic tropes and takes a new route with this world-halting disease. As the credits rolled, I couldn’t help but feel Emin bit off more than he could chew.

Else follows Anx (Matthieu Sampeur), a neurotic and frustrating man who lives in a garishly childish apartment. The film opens with an awkward sexual encounter between Anx and Cass (Edith Proust). Cass, who is childishly self-obsessed, quickly takes a liking to Anx. Cass [basically] forces her way into staying with Anx when their city is put in lockdown. The two quickly fall for each other as the world falls into madness.

Alice Butaud, Thibault Emin, and Emma Sandona’s script might be too smart for its own good. It raises questions and predicaments that never feel fully fleshed out. Emin’s directing, in company with Léo Lefèvre’s cinematography, singlehandedly carries the film to the finish line. Sampeur and Proust give decent performances, but it feels like everyone is holding something back (and not in a way that propels the story). The film hinges on how trippy it becomes, and that’s where the biggest issue lies.

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I could not find any information regarding the digital effects in Else, but the amount of visual effect artist credits provides an answer. There are multiple points when the visual effects kick off, that you feel like you’re bombarded with AI imagery. And that will be a huge thorn in the side for many viewers. Whether AI was used or not, it feels almost purposeful how close the effects look to the AI images you see all over Twitter and Facebook. I can’t in good conscience say AI was definitely used, but I can’t say it didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the film.

Still image from Heavier Trip

Heavier Trip

Ending my first day of film viewing was the rock-solid sequel to 2018s Heavy Trip, Heavier Trip. I hadn’t become aware of Heavy Trip until I heard of Heavier Tripboy did I miss out. Heavy Trip was an incredibly fun Finnish film about a metal band called Impaled Rektum. The finale of Heavy Trip finds our loveable band members, Turo (Johannes Holopainen), Xytrax (Max Ovaska), Lotvonen (Samuli Jaskio), and Jynkky (Antti Tuomas Heikkinen) (and eventually Oula (Chike Ohanwe)), on the run from the law as they try to make it to a festival to premiere their band. All they want is to premiere their unique sound, which is called symphonic-post-apocalyptic-reindeer-grinding-christ-abusing-extreme-war-pagan-fennoscandic metal.

Heavier Metal follows Impaled Rektum years later as they serve their jail sentence. One day, they are graced with a visitor Maxwell Efraim Fisto (Anatole Taubman), or M. E. Fisto, for short. Get it? Fisto promises the band a spot on stage at a gigantic metal festival in Wacken, Germany. The only problem is, they’re still in jail. When Lotvonen’s father falls ill, Impaled Rektum must question how far they will go to save his life (and farm).

The big issue regarding sequels is matching the tone and feel that makes the first film work so well. Yes, you have to [usually] go bigger, but at what cost? When does a parody film start to feel like a parody of itself? Is that the point? Or is it an unintended outcome? At points, Heavier Trip feels too preachy, with its “Music industry bad,” statement being hammered over your head repeatedly. Not to mention the multiple times they figuratively jump the shark.

But that’s not enough to make me dislike Heavier Trip. While the vibe feels different, and a bit more forced, than its predecessor, Heavier Trip turns the amp up to 11 and doesn’t let go. There’s a heavier emotional undercurrent to this film that unintentionally bogs the pacing down quite a bit, but the cast is just so damn great together, it doesn’t cause much of an issue. Fan service abounds, and Heavier Trip gets the job done–and does it loudly. Oh, and the Baby Metal bit is so damn cute and I’m glad to see metalheads accept and appreciate them!

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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.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Shudder in November 2025

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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. 

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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). 

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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.

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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.

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The Best Horror You Can Stream on Netflix in November 2025

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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)

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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.

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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…

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