Nightstream 2020 recap
Unable to host their respective events in person, the organizers of the Boston Underground, Brooklyn Horror, North Bend, Overlook, and Popcorn Frights film festivals united Oct. 8-11 for Nightstream, a digital curation of new genre films. Asheville Movies critic James Shotwell was “there” and reports back on a few of the collaborative fest’s offerings.
Anything For Jackson: Justin G. Dyck makes the leap from Hallmark Original filmmaker to potential horror hotshot with this devilish slice of satanism. Julian Richings and Sheila McCarthy deliver darkly humorous turns as grieving grandparents who kidnap a pregnant woman for the purpose of performing a reverse exorcism. The couple, whose knowledge of the dark arts leaves a lot to be desired, get more than they bargained for as their home is overrun by a variety of nightmarish visions. There aren’t enough jokes to make this pitch-black tale a comedy, but there is more than enough human error to keep genre fans smiling with glee throughout. Grade: B-minus
Bloody Hell: The best film of 2020 thus far is an Australian horror-comedy set primarily in Finland that leverages American eccentricities to deliver big laughs alongside genuine thrills. Ben O’Toole stars as Rex, a former soldier and recently released convict who flees the country to find peace, but instead becomes trapped in the home of a sadistic family. His only hope for escape is Alia (Meg Fraser), the clan’s outcast daughter, and the two of them strike up a rom-com worthy relationship that’s soon tested when Alia’s siblings catch on to her affections for their latest captive. What happens next, as with nearly every beat of the film, is both wildly unpredictable and darkly humorous. It’s a true original that demands not only repeat viewings, but hopefully sequels. Grade: A-plus
Darkness: Italy’s answer to The Village feels twice as long as its runtime and half as engaging as the numerous films whose conceit it tries to sell as original. A trio of sisters trapped in a house under the guise of an apocalyptic event begin to believe their overly controlling father may not be telling the truth after his abrupt disappearance forces the eldest to search for rations. The cinematography is gorgeous, but the film relies far too heavily on long periods of silent reflection that do little to move the story or our connection to the characters. You could cut the film in half and still have a healthy amount of fat to trim, though the lead performance from Denise Tantucci is worth experiencing. I have no doubt she will go on to do much more work that’s far more interesting, which will then make this otherwise missable film the kind of thing that genre completists and indie horror snobs put on a pedestal for the rest of time. Grade: C-minus
A heart-wrenching thriller that puts Gillian Flynn to shame, Rose Plays Julie follows an orphaned young woman’s search for understanding about her birth. The titular character, brought to life with the impeccable talent of Ann Skelly, discovers more than she bargained for when her birth mother (Orla Brady) confesses disturbing truths about her father. The information is so troubling that Rose sets out to meet, understand, and possibly confront the man responsible for giving her life. That decision sets in motion a chain of events which, while delivered with a slow-burn formula, irrevocably changes the lives of everyone involved. It’s like watching a hideous car wreck unfold. You know there’s nothing that can be done, but you yearn to help anyways — and ultimately settle for watching chaos unfold. Grade: A-minus
Grief makes people do crazy things. In An Unquiet Grave, a young widower and the sister of his deceased wife embark on a trip with dark ambitions. Their plan is to resurrect the dead at the scene where she died, but the night soon unravels in unpredictable ways that manifest as an allegory on loss and the need for it. We must let go of the things that pass, and An Unquiet Grave makes the necessity of that release clear in a creepy, but not quite terrifying manner. Christine Nyland and Jacob A. Ware deliver fantastic performances amidst a shoestring budget and simple script. It won’t stay with you forever, but, then again, nothing should. Grade: C-plus
(Photos courtesy of Nightstream)
