Reviews
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025: Home Invasion 1 Shorts Block
Short films are the cornerstone of any good film festival. Sometimes shorts are packed before and after an accompanying feature, sometimes they get their own blocks. Whatever the case is, I’ll show up. Rarely does a film festival program its shorts to be nearly as great as the feature films; Brooklyn Horror Film Festival does.
The Binding // Written and directed by Ryan Kennedy
Stephen (Mike Houston) is a grieving father. Parker (Mel House) is (basically) a demon bounty hunter for hire. Can these righteous individuals beat the ticking clock and bind the demon to a human conduit?
This was the very first film I had the opportunity to see at Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. To say this set the bar for my entire festival experience would be an understatement. Religious horror/possession horror rarely ever works for me. I find these types of stories often overjustify unbelievable story beats because, well, demon. (Said like Giorgio Tsoukalos.) The Binding was quite the surprise.
Writer/director Ryan Kennedy takes an overdone subgenre and makes it feel new and exciting. Sure, stories like this have been told in broader ways, but Kennedy’s telling of this tale adds a humanistic layer to it. Gone are the Warren and Bagans-like characters who know the answers. Kennedy’s idea to make the main characters a grieving father and a demon bounty hunter ups the stakes while grounding the overall story.
Y.M.G. // Written and directed by Alexandra Warrick
A boyfriend (Joe Gallagher) breaks the fourth wall to tell the audience all of the things he loves about his girlfriend. From there, I don’t really know how to explain what happens except that the (potentially dead) girlfriend (Meg Spectre) gives a haunting musical performance.
Throughout the first few minutes of Y.M.G., I couldn’t figure out what the angle was. Why was this guy telling us all of these “my girlfriend” statements? How is this horror? And then we arrived at his apartment. One of the best things about short films is that there is no structure they need to stick to, no real rules to abide by. If you want to put a full three (and a half?) minute-long musical break into it…you can!
Alexandra Warrick’s blood-soaked epic takes an experimental turn in a way I don’t think I’ve seen before. Something about it feels like it shouldn’t work as well as it does, but I can’t help how many times I’ve thought about this film since I’ve seen it. The unattributed quote of “When words aren’t enough, you sing,” (no, it wasn’t Stephen Sondheim) couldn’t be more accurate than with Y.M.G..
The more I sat on the underlying idea of Y.M.G., the more it became apparent. How many times have you seen a true crime documentary or TV news interview where people say, “He was so nice, I never would have suspected him of this”? The boyfriend IS supposed to come off as a nice, wholesome guy when, in reality, a sinister being lurks behind the thousand-dollar smile. It’s to highlight the fact that no matter what you think, there’s a good chance you may not know what you think you know about your partner. Y.M.G. is a chilling film that provides an incredibly deep story with beautifully haunting visuals.
Brian Won’t Wear Condoms // Written and directed by Genna Edwards
(Please note, I wasn’t able to find many names regarding the cast/crew.)
Abby is a wellness influencer whose boyfriend, Brian, refuses to wear condoms. His refusal leads to Abby trying out a new form of contraception. Abby’s best friend doesn’t quite know how to feel about it, but wants to be there for Abby. What follows is a grotesquerie of epic proportions. (Yes, I’m talking about that scene.)
After reading an interview between Odd Critic and filmmaker Genna Edwards, one thing became clear: we have the same sex-ed experience. I’m from a town in Pennsylvania where you had to travel about one mile into the forest for high school. That should explain enough.
My middle school sex-ed teacher was a macho, dark black bottle-dyed, ex-military man who regularly arrived at school with dried deer blood in the back of his pickup truck. I come from a red-leaning purple town, but sex-ed was definitely not at the front of my school board’s mind. All of that is to say, I empathize with why and how Genna feels about how many (most?) men view their pleasure in sex.
Brian Won’t Wear Condoms exemplifies the struggle (I think) many people face in heterosexual relationships. Because Brian refuses to do the bare minimum, Abby takes charge in her own way. Unfortunately for Abby, that doesn’t come without consequences. I’ve heard people say things along the lines of their birth control (mainly IUDs, but also the pill) making them suicidal. If you truly loved your partner, wouldn’t you want to do the easiest step you could take to make them a bit more comfortable?
One of my favorite things about this short is how there are two ways to view it. If you’re a normal, good person, then you can see Abby’s struggle and sympathize with the physical and mental pain she’s put through. And if you’re a Brian, Genna introduces one of the most grotesque shots in horror cinema to make you SEE and FEEL Abby’s pain. Let’s just say, it’s one of the most impactful theatrical experiences I’ve had in a long time.
The Man & The Scarecrow // Written and directed by Justin Knoepfel
A man (Jacob A. Ware) struggles as he and his ex-wife (Kelly Grago) navigate a divorce. One day, while on the road, the man sees something that only he and Pearl would stop for…a scarecrow. And, like Pearl, the man forms a connection with the scarecrow.
Everyone copes differently, and Justin Knoepfel humorously navigates that topic. While Knoepfel plays into the humor of the whole situation, there’s a distinct amount of melancholy behind the whole idea. Most people have gone through a difficult breakup of sorts, and we all handle it differently. The man in this film just takes his grief a bit further than usual.
Knoepfel’s film is fairly down the middle, balancing normalcy and absurdism. On the surface, projecting your emotions onto an inanimate scarecrow is odd. And that’s really the furthest the film takes the idea. I wished it had delved a bit more into the man’s psyche to explore a wider range of emotions. But, at the end of the day, it was an enjoyable watch.
Some Dark Matter // Written and directed by Molly Fisher
A family dinner comes to a quick end after a husband/father dies of a stroke. Most are sad, except one. One daughter remains void of visible emotion. It’s not until a night alone in a hotel that she finally has to express her emotions…unless they express themselves first.
Some Dark Matter was a complete 180, lineup-wise, from the previous film. The Man & The Scarecrow had a levity to it, while Some Dark Matter is pure grief. It’s a very on-the-nose film that doesn’t have quite the bite I would hope for. Molly Fisher does a great job of slowly building the unnerving atmosphere that makes this film work as a horror property, which is obviously the most important aspect. But to me, it provides surface-level commentary on grief and loss, rather than delving deeper into the overall process.
You Have Her Eyes // Written by Lizzy Miller, Jordan Sommerlad, and Cory Stonebrook, and directed by Jordan Sommerlad and Cory Stonebrook
Elle (Lizzy Miller) and Jacob (Cory Stonebrook) are happy enough. They seem to have a wonderful relationship, a gorgeous house, and a wonderful group of friends. What more could you want?! Well, for Jacob, how about a baby? Elle is on the fence until an old, familiar face rears their head.
Oh boy, this one got me. You Have Her Eyes is a damn effective piece of psychological horror that gets right under your skin. It’s rare for a short film to pull the rug out from under you. The twist in this story by Miller, Sommerlad, and Stonebrook is a gigantic punch to the gut. And if anyone tells you they saw it coming, I can bet you a decent chunk of money that they’re lying.
Eyes takes a somber look at familial values, the human condition, and unconditional love. Elle’s slow descent into terror is done uniquely and brilliantly; it’s nearly impossible not to be chilled to your core with this film. When I tell you that the entire theater gasped at that moment, it’s no exaggeration. A film like this is a perfect example of effective storytelling in a short time.
Rebrand // Written and directed by Edoardo Ranaboldo
Leo (Adam Alpert), Alex (Xavier Clyde), Jess (Eleanor Lougee-Heimer), and Trey (Charlie McElveen) are a group of camping YouTubers. While they’ve seen great success with their channel, they’re ready to spread their wings and take on other personal tasks. But the crusade of campers isn’t alone on their final foray into the forest. A group of masked men, armed with cameras of their own, is hot on their trail.
Rebrand was clearly a crowd favorite. And, interestingly, it was the only found footage film in this entire block. Found footage is an easy go-to for short films, especially those that forgo proper permits. But Edoardo Ranaboldo didn’t pick found footage for ease or permit evasion.
Aside from Un Chien Andalou and The Big Shave, rarely does a short film define a moment in filmmaking. Rebrand has the ability not only to change found footage fundamentally but also to bring life back into a tired subgenre. Ranaboldo did everything right. His story has intrigue, stakes, emotion, [some] humor, and a HELL of a lot of blood. Moreover, the cameras and character motivations make sense, and the story is just incredibly compelling.
Rebrand is everything a short film should be. If you can’t tell, it was clearly my favorite. While it doesn’t do much on the commentary side of the conversation, that’s okay. Ranaboldo doesn’t outwardly try to make the film more than it is, and that’s okay! That’s not to say it’s a substance-less film. But, at the end of the day, Rebrand absolutely kills. And it kills incredibly well.
From Blood Shine to now, I’ve really been eating my words with my “don’t like cult horror” attitude. Maybe all I needed was a gigantic break from the hundreds of cult-based horror films that were being churned out. Or, maybe the subgenre just needed some space to find its footing? Anyway, imagine the shock on my face when I was researching snake-based horror films and came across Them That Follow, starring Walton Goggins, Olivia Coleman, Kaitlyn Dever, and *checks notes* Jim Gaffigan!
Lemuel (Walton Goggins) is the pastor of a snake-fearing religious group, tucked away deep in the Appalachian mountains. His daughter, Mara (Alice Englert), is set to marry Garret (Lewis Pullman), a man she seemingly has no interest in. As their young love comes into question, Johnny Law starts breathing down their necks. With her best friend Dilly (Kaitlyn Dever) on her side, Mara questions everything she’s known about her life thus far. Will she go forward and marry a man she may not even love? Or, will her former fling, Auggie (Thomas Mann), win her affection and get her to leave this awful life behind?
A Slow-Burn With Style
Writer/directors Brittany Poulton and Dan Madison Savage bring a wholly unique feature to the table with Them That Follow. At first, the film’s meandering and lackluster pace is grating. WHEN will something happen? WHAT will move this story forward? Slowly but surely, Poulton and Savage’s story serpentines its way into nihilistic horror. If you have zero control over your life, what kind of life is it? Them That Follow is a harrowing, albeit slow, exploration of grief in a way that “elevated horror” typically fails at doing. Rather than forcing audiences into its grief, Poulton and Savage craft an excellent story around it.
Them That Follow explores not just grief, but groupthink. In a world where deeply religious political parties storm pizza restaurants with automatic weapons and kill in the name of their god, this film acts as a harsh mirror. YOU may not be aware that groups like this exist…they do. One of my favorite articles is written by someone who embedded himself in a Q-adjacent cult as he chronicled just how broken some of these groups are. (I wish I could remember the title/author, sorry!) Them That Follow does an incredible job at visualizing some of the things I read in that article. Those who believe Lemuel see nothing wrong with letting one of their friends get bitten by a venomous snake and slowly drift into a quiet death in the name of their god.
Outstanding Performances and a Surprising Cast
What really excited me about Them That Follow is how wonderfully miserable the cast is. Never have I seen people portray misery as entertainingly as this cast. Walton Goggins embodies his violent optimism in a way I haven’t seen him do before (though I haven’t seen Justified). Olivia Coleman is brilliant as always. But it’s everyman comedian Jim Gaffigan who really caught my eye. His performance is subtle and refined, something I didn’t think he could pull off. And if you ever thought you would see the day where Jim Gaffigan and Olivia Coleman play husband and wife on screen, you’re lying.
It’s not until the final act that the film goes from stagnant (positively) forwardness to amped up energy. I was concerned Them That Follow wouldn’t nail an interesting stinger, but Poulton and Savage wrapped a bloody brilliant bow on the end of this gift. I did wish they had gone in a different, less realistic angle to the film’s ending; something more grotesque. But I can’t fault them for leaving the film grounded in a reality that is justified and believable. Not all films like this have to end with a supernatural, Lovecraftian twist. And for that, I tip my ten-gallon hat to them.
Why Them That Follow Deserves More Attention
Them That Follow was an incredible surprise, and a wonderful change of pace for what cult-based horror films typically are. With a stacked cast, brilliant writing, and stunning performances, I’m shocked more people haven’t stumbled across this film. It utilizes its snake-based horror well and doesn’t vilify those slithery sneaks in a way many snake-based horror films do. At the very least, watch this film to see what it would be like if Olivia Coleman and Jim Gaffigan were married.
I have no illusions that Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 entertained me due in no small part to personal bias. There was genuine enjoyment to be had for how silly and fun it was and enjoy it I did. I, of all people, am not immune to nostalgia. But there’s no mincing words: the second outing at the cinemas for creator Scott Cawthon’s behemoth horror franchise is, in no uncertain terms, a movie of mixed to low quality. It’s kind of bad. And that’s okay.
Its effects are simultaneously better and worse, its dialogue ranges from alright to atrocious, and its performances are all over the place. The premise it runs with, remixing the second game with its shiny new Toy versions of the Fazbear Entertainment gang, is a fun time fueled by fan service and busting at the seams to try and accommodate it all to an under two-hour runtime. But it’s messier than the backrooms of the pizzerias it takes place in.
A Remix of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (And Others), Heavy on Fanservice
This time, the primary antagonist puppeteering a cast of aggressive animatronics is literally a puppet; the Marionette, a scorned victim of the previous film’s antagonist William Afton. Slain and bound to the very first restaurant Afton started, a group of ghost hunters unleash its evil when a recording of their show goes horribly wrong. It’s up to Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) to try and seal it away again, or risk their lives being torn apart by the supernatural once more.
For the game fans this film was crafted for, it will satiate any lore craving they might have. Well, at least until the third film, when Mike will combat oxygen deprivation that causes him to hallucinate phantom animatronics (no, that sentence is not a joke, that actually happens). There are tidbits of foreshadowing for sequels, confirmations of theories, retcons, and somewhat amusing cameos. For everyone else, you’ll get a good laugh and the occasional scare, but you will have a plethora of questions.
The Screenplay Has Been Springlocked
The script for this sequel is riddled with oddities, nothing characters, and genre cliches that are in a quantum state of “good because it’s hilarious” and “bad because it’s genuinely bad” depending on who is delivering them. The story isn’t always predictable just because of the adaptation factor it relishes in, but its dialogue is undeniably silly and hamstrings what could otherwise be good performances with a need to rush along lore and forced character development.
Hutcherson’s go around as Mike this time is phoned in, and it doesn’t help that he wasn’t given anything to work with other than being a stereotypical single father figure to his kid sister. It’s not all bleak; Lail does actually deliver the film’s best bits in a genuinely frightening dream sequence delving into Vanessa’s backstory. She also gets a few fun final girl moments, but hasn’t reached the level of iconic that would garner calling her a scream queen; we’ll see if that changes in 3 given the radical shift in character she goes through here.
Great Villains Hamstrung by an Imperfect Script (And Effects)
Piper Rubio is once again fit to her role as Abby, though the character she’s playing is oddly one note for a child who is psychic friends with the ghosts of dead kids. The brief voice lines for the animatronics by guest stars garner little in the way of memorability, but long-time Freddy voice actor Kellen Goff does manage to make a solid impact with the one or two lines he receives.
While we’re on the topic of those new fiendish animatronics, they are much better than anticipated. Their practical puppetry bases and how they’re composited with the CGI isn’t bad at all, with game designs translating well and moving nicely. The Marionette’s myriad forms, however, do feel exceptionally goofy despite the terrifying concept of a slithering octopoid puppet ghost with no concrete skeleton. They’re the lowlight of the film’s effects, but it’s kind of endearing how silly they look.
The biggest victim of the film, however, is Freddy Carter. He plays the creep factor of his character up to a thousand in a way that absolutely would work with better writing and a darker tone. But he’s shackled by the lore implications of being a character people have been waiting for, in a way that feels more offensive to the story than the constant easter eggs. Every word that leaves his mouth feels comically bad, laden with exposition or just outright limp and cold linework.
We Underused Matthew Lillard Again (And Skeet Ulrich This Time Too)
Which is a shame, because our minor villain does get to have fun. Matthew Lillard’s brief screen chewing time in the sun as William Afton once more is delightful, playing a deranged killer in a yellow bunny costume with all the glee that visual would indicate.
Skeet Ulrich as fan favorite character Henry Emily, however, doesn’t get nearly enough time to shine. Despite being a perfect casting for the role and delivering a convincing turn as a grieving father, he’s relegated to just delivering a plot device that gets 30 seconds of screentime. Here’s to hoping the next film reunites the Scream alums, allowing the long-time rivals of the game to finally cross paths.
Can Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Be More Than Fan Service?
I suppose the constant reiteration of that last point is important to address: the current train of thought is that hopefully, eventually, the kinks will be worked out as far as the Five Nights at Freddy’s films go. Though I’m not holding my breath.
There are no reservations that this is, first and foremost gateway horror for younger audiences, with a nostalgia barbed fishhook to sink into in older fans as well. My humble prediction is that almost all of these films will remain roughly the same level of quality (middling to poor), the same level of frightening (more than you’d think and much less than you’d hope), and the same level of entertaining for the segments of the population it hits for (a fairly fun time).
And maybe that’s enough. To simply be entertaining gateway horror is fine, I don’t think there’s a screaming necessity for these to be masterpieces. This movie is kind of bad, and that’s okay if all you need is some fleeting entertainment or to see your favorite game adapted to film. But films with this much franchise potential should be treated as all others. They can be strong horror films with great iconography rather than features beholden entirely to that iconography.
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 fails to wow in any particular department other than being “for the fans” and much of its unintentional humor. Still, there’s a glimmer of hope here in its silvery eyes that this can all be something more down the line.
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