Connect with us

Reviews

[REVIEW] Brooklyn Horror Film Festival: ‘The Sacrifice Game’ (2023)

The Sacrifice Game is not the film I expected Wexler to make after The Ranger. Far from the raw punk shout of her debut, The Sacrifice Game displays a level of polish and precision that emphasizes her versatility as a director, without losing the fun. With a stand-out cast, a fantastic score by Mario Sévigny, and a delightfully twisty script that isn’t afraid to breathe when it needs to, The Sacrifice Game is destined to become an instant holiday horror hit when it arrives on Shudder on December 8th. Sure, some of the gore moments look better than others — but when the film bleeds, it gushes.

Published

on

With a title like The Sacrifice Game, you might think you know what you’re getting into with director Jenn Wexler’s sophomore feature. I promise you, you do not. Blending the instinctual terror of home invasion horror with something altogether more fantastical, The Sacrifice Game slyly dodges expectations at every turn, making for a devilishly fun addition to your holiday horror viewing. 

Set in December 1971, the film opens swinging with a slick sequence that oozes Manson-era anxieties. We’re then introduced to our protagonist, Blackvale boarding school student Samantha (Madison Baines), who’s reeling from the news that she can’t go home for the holidays as planned. At least she won’t be alone: reserved student Clara (Georgia Acken), teacher Rose (Chloë Levine), and Rose’s boyfriend Jimmy (Gus Kenworthy) will be staying behind, too. 

Unfortunately, they’re not the only creatures stirring in the vast halls of Blackvale on that fateful night before Christmas. The killer cult that has been slashing its way across the state soon arrives at their door with a terrifying plan. And that’s when the fun really starts. 

Genres Collide and Blood Flows

The idea of strangers breaking into your home is a fear that cuts deep for many of us. The first act of The Sacrifice Game presses its finger hard into that wound, with Baines and Levine perfectly selling the panic as Samantha cries through her gag and Rose tries to be brave for the girls. 

Things begin to turn when the cult reveals why they’re there. Tensions and conflicting priorities within the group, already teased, slowly rise to the surface as snags appear in the plan. Wexler and Sean Redlitz’s script takes the opportunity to flesh out the killers, giving egotistical Jude (Mena Massoud), in-over-her-head Maisie (Olivia Scott Welch), quiet Grant (Derek Johns), and mouthy Doug (Laurent Pitre) plenty to play with as the film gears up to pull the rug out from under everyone. 

Advertisement

Because The Sacrifice Game isn’t a straightforward home invasion horror. It’s not a straightforward anything. The script confidently switches genres in the blink of an eye, changing the stakes and shifting the upper hand with each reveal as it propels us toward a bloody climax. 

A Strong Supporting Cast Allows the Young Leads to Steal the Show

Levine shone in Wexler’s debut feature, The Ranger, and she shines here, too, her earnest eyes selling Rose’s emotion even with a gag in her mouth. But this is not Levine’s movie. The Sacrifice Game belongs to its young leads, both relative newcomers, who steal the show with the confidence of seasoned stars. 

Our first introduction to Samantha makes her seem more grown up than she is as she jogs in the snow. She’s becoming a young lady, demonstrating empathy her peers lack for picked-on classmate Clara, whose hunched posture makes her seem even smaller than she is. 

Samantha’s youth starts to show as she receives the phone call telling her she won’t be going home, triggering pleading and tears — the first of many Baines will be shedding in the film. Her energy is perfectly contrasted by Acken, who imbues Clara with a quiet, unexpected confidence that adds to the intrigue of the plot. 

This is Acken’s first feature, but watching her performance, you wouldn’t know it. The fun she’s having is contagious; she will grab you by the hand and drag you skipping into whatever danger lies around the next bend. 

Advertisement

The Sacrifice Game Will Keep You Guessing to the Bloody End

The Sacrifice Game is not the film I expected Wexler to make after The Ranger. Far from the raw punk shout of her debut, The Sacrifice Game displays a level of polish and precision that emphasizes her versatility as a director, without losing the fun. 

With a stand-out cast, a fantastic score by Mario Sévigny, and a delightfully twisty script that isn’t afraid to breathe when it needs to, The Sacrifice Game is destined to become an instant holiday horror hit when it arrives on Shudder on December 8th. Sure, some of the gore moments look better than others — but when the film bleeds, it gushes.

Samantha McLaren is a queer Scottish writer, artist, and horror fanatic living in NYC. Her writing has appeared in publications like Fangoria, Scream the Horror Magazine, and Bloody Disgusting, as well as on her own blog, Terror in Tartan. If she's not talking about Bryan Fuller's Hannibal or Peter Cushing, she's probably asleep.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Reviews

[REVIEW] ‘The Last Thing Mary Saw’: A Tale of Love and Loss

The Last Thing Mary Saw takes us to 1840s New York, where Mary (Stefanie Scott) finds herself on the opposite end of the law. Her family has been massacred, and she is the prime suspect. Mary’s life has been turbulent lately when word of her relationship with housemaid Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman) comes to light.

Published

on

I’m pretty much a broken record at this point from saying I’m not a huge fan of pre-1950s period pieces. The Devil’s Bath was a recent film that changed my mind about how I view period pieces, especially ones with a distinct message. For June, I wanted to take a wider look at LGBTQ+ representation and not just watch films that take place in a modern(ish) world. The Shudder Original The Last Thing Mary Saw could be the film to bring me out of my comfort zone and transport me to a world I would never know.

Exploring LGBTQ+ Representation in Historical Context

The Last Thing Mary Saw takes us to 1840s New York, where Mary (Stefanie Scott) finds herself on the opposite end of the law. Her family has been massacred, and she is the prime suspect. Mary’s life has been turbulent lately when word of her relationship with housemaid Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman) comes to light.

Love will always find a way, but the outcome may be far from what you expect.

Edoardo Vitaletti’s Directorial Debut

Writer/director Edoardo Vitaletti’s directorial feature debut is truly a sight to behold, pun intended. His approach to this film is one of care and respect. The film’s subject matter is incredibly distressing, and while not ‘based on…’, it feels all too authentic.

Mary and Eleanor are put through emotional and physical torture by those who vehemently disagree with their lifestyle. One thing I could never understand about religion is the hate that surrounds it. Luke 6:31, “treat others as you want to be treated.” Matthew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Advertisement

But the hate felt by nearly every marginalized community comes from the people who spend two hours on their knees for a zombie every Sunday.

A religious-like film such as Martyrs revels in its torture and uses it as a focal point to create a concise line between good and evil. Rather than making it a focal point, Vitaletti uses the pain and anguish of Mary and Eleanor to tell the heartbreaking story of two women who just want to be in love.

Standout Performances by Scott and Fuhrman

Stefanie Scott gives a chilling performance as Mary, but while not the titular character, Orphan’s Isabelle Fuhrman steals the show. Vitaletti struck gold on the casting for his debut as narry a performance falls flat.

It’s impressive to see a filmmaker with a singular short film under his belt pull such powerful performances out of actors while simultaneously never losing sight of their visual storytelling. Along with Black Friday cinematographer David Kruta, Vitaletti crafts a deliberate, atmospheric tale of love and loss.

A Gripe with Chapter Breakdowns in The Last Thing Mary Saw

My main issue with the film is something I’ve discussed before and is a pretty ridiculous gripe. Films that are less than one hour and 45 minutes should not be broken down into chapters. It strains a film’s pacing and puts the creatives in a box where they MUST hit certain beats to get to the end of said chapter.

Advertisement

There are some moments in the film where it does feel stretched out to accommodate its chapters, as well as times it feels a bit forced to end a chapter.

The Last Thing Mary Saw is a beautiful look at a time thankfully long gone. Well, there are still, unfortunately, a few too many people who think like the antagonists of this film. I’m not sure of the staying power a film like this has in the overall zeitgeist of the genre.

It doesn’t do enough to stand out as a powerful film, even though it’s visually gorgeous and has enough agency to feel effective in what it’s trying to say. This film is definitely not Friday night movie marathon material (it would put one hell of a damper on the night!), but the genre is in an overall better place because it exists.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Reviews

[Tribeca Film Festival 2025] ‘Man Finds Tape’: A Sinister Mockumentary With Something For Everyone

Published

on

For centuries, humans have been captivated by photographic evidence of the supernatural. From 19th century spirit photos to modern day TikToks of mimics, we just can’t get enough. Paul Gandersman and Peter Hall’s debut feature Man Finds Tape explores the idea of recording supernatural phenomena, as well as how other people react to it.

The Viral Mystery of Man Finds Tape

Lucas Page (played by William Magnuson) achieved internet notoriety after finding old, disturbing tapes in his childhood home, where he still lives. After the discovery of the first tape, which features him as a child and an unidentified person who puts something in his mouth while he was sleeping, Lucas began documenting his investigation into it, as well as the discovery of other tapes—featuring the other members of his family. As one does in our modern age of “share everything!”, Lucas posted videos of his investigation online, in a series he titled—you guessed it—“Man Finds Tape”. His series went viral, leading to thousands of people getting invested in the unfolding story, spectators egging him on, doubters accusing him of making everything up…and, of course, people tracking down his sister, Lynn (Kelsey Pribilski), and posting TikToks in which they invade her space and intrude upon her professional life.

Lynn is, understandably, not a fan of “Man Finds Tape”, so she’s less than thrilled when Lucas requests an urgent Zoom call to show her a video. This one isn’t from their childhood, though; it’s recent surveillance footage of a fatal hit-and-run on a main street in their hometown of Larkin, Texas. The homicide happened in broad daylight, and there were witnesses…sort of. In the video, everyone on the street stops moving simultaneously with their heads bowed down.

It’s enough to get Lynn to return to Larkin, albeit reluctantly and with a healthy amount of skepticism. When she reunites with her brother to help him investigate, things take a sharp twist and get even weirder. The siblings find themselves in the midst of a supernatural occurrence that’s been infecting the people in Larkin for years. At the heart of it all is Reverend Endicott Carr (John Gohlson)—a charismatic preacher and televangelist revered as a pillar of the community.

Style and Execution: A Fresh Take on Found Footage

Presented as a documentary, complete with 911 calls, interviews, recovered footage, and internet forums, Man Finds Tape is a bold and genuinely unsettling addition to the found footage horror genre. Pribilski and Magnuson star as Lynn and Lucas, respectively, both independently and as a team in their shared scenes. Their portrayal of familial conflict overcome by unwavering love and loyalty makes them believable as siblings. Nell Kessler also shines through in her performance as Wendy Parker, Lucas’s one-time girlfriend who is now a surrogate carrying Carr’s baby. Brian Villalobos is also featured as a mysterious stranger who is running his own investigation into Carr. Gohlson’s performance as Endicott Carr is fantastically sinister, but not overly so—he balances paranormal spookiness with the run-of-the-mill creep factor inherent in televangelists.

Advertisement

Along with a strong cast, Man Finds Tape has an interesting and compelling story that will hold viewers captive and at the edge of their seat. There’s something in this film for everyone: true found footage (as in, characters find disturbing recordings), a well-executed mockumentary style, cryptids, small town eeriness, body horror (major trypophobia warning!), and religious horror. The film gets a bit too expository towards the end, but the rest of the movie more than makes up for it.

Man Finds Tape had its premiere at Tribeca Film Festival

Continue Reading

Horror Press Mailing List

Fangoria
Advertisement
Advertisement