I’ve been pretty clear for some time that cult-based horror isn’t my bag. Many subgenre tropes and cliches work well for me, but cult horror tropes do not. I can see how they work for some audiences, and I tend to flat-out stay away from them. Why watch a film in a subgenre that you don’t necessarily care for? But when I heard that Larry Fessenden was gracing the silver screen, I didn’t care what the subgenre was. I knew I would be seated with popcorn and a cola, ready to see whatever he’s up to. Plus, when one of the writers/directors of the film leads with, “We hope this fucks you up,” how can you not get excited? Little did I know I was about to witness a film with a scene so genuinely grotesque (and kind of hot) that it would make David Cronenberg blush. Thankfully, I was surprised by Blood Shine.

I think there will be a debate over whether Blood Shine is a film about cults. On one hand, it very much is. Larry Fessenden is the leader of this cult who spreads his word (and teachings) through a series of VHS tapes. On the other hand, it’s a film that examines the psyche of two very different people going through similar experiences: Clara and her attempt to come to terms with herself, and Brighton, who deserves little respect and, over his 26 days of torture, starts to realize it. The film’s main driving point is cult-forward. However, the majority of the film’s runtime is spent between Brighton and Clara. So, whether or not this is a cult film will depend on the viewer.

Fessenden and Bennett Give Standout Performances in Blood Shine

The performances in Blood Shine are stellar. Emily Bennett pulls incredible triple duty as co-writer, co-director, and lead. It’s hard enough to do one of those well, let alone three. She weaponizes her charm in the most deadly ways possible. Of course, Larry knocks it out of the park. As always. There’s a natural charisma behind Fessenden’s on-screen (and off) personas. Whether he has one line or a hundred, Fessenden continues to bring his A game. And for the time she’s on screen, Toby Poser does a great job of creating an incredibly creepy atmosphere. Though many of her films haven’t worked for me, I can’t help but admire how genuinely talented she is.

With Blood Shine being a film about emotional and physical torture, the question everyone should be asking is, “How are the practical effects?” Brian Spears (Smile 2, Bloody Axe Wound) does not play around. Spears’s SFX work is impeccable. From the simplest of knife wounds to that scene towards the end, Spears refuses to let the audience get a second of comfort. What’s seemingly becoming a lost art in the digital world, Spears gives a giant middle finger to anyone who thinks practical is dead.

Blood Shine Is a Cult Horror Movie Worth Watching

Would I say that Blood Shine changed my mind about cult horror? Not in a million years. Blood Shine is an outlier. Its emphasis on character and substance is something I find many films of its kind missing. Rather than being a film about a cult, it’s a film that exists around a cult. The only thing I would have asked for more of is to see a bit more of Clara’s torture of Brighton. We see a very solid amount, but it does become a lot of the same after a while. Even though it does become very samey, it’s still effective as hell. It’ll make me think twice before knocking on someone’s door if my car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

One final note, I’d be remiss to not bring up how wonderful it was to see Brendan Sexton III on screen. It’s always a delight to see him, and I think this is the first time he and Larry Fessenden have reunited for a film (though not sharing screentime) since Session 9!

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.