The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival begins on 13th October and runs until 20th October with screenings held at the Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg and Williamsburg Cinemas. Last year marked the return to theatres and whilst that line-up, which included When I Consume You, What Josiah Saw, and The Last Thing Mary Saw, this year’s schedule is bursting with even more excellent genre offerings. If you’re lucky enough to be attending the festival, here are a few films that you absolutely should be making time for.
Christmas Bloody Christmas
It’s Christmas Eve and Tori (Riley Dandy) just wants to get drunk and party, but when a robotic Santa Clause at a nearby toy store goes haywire and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she’s forced into a battle for survival.
If you’ve seen Joe Begos’ tale of vampirism, addiction, and avant garde art – Bliss – then chances are Christmas Bloody Christmas is high on your watchlist. Begos has that rare talent of being able to fuse insane visuals, weird stories, and killer soundtracks to create films. His wizardry consistently achieves films that the viewer is sucked into completely. Bliss is the perfect example of this, but Begos’ other projects, VFW and The Mind’s Eye, also work in a similar way. If the title didn’t give the game away, his new film will drag audiences kicking and screaming into the festive season.
Daughter
A young woman (Vivien Ngô) is inducted into a bizarre family as their new surrogate daughter.
We reviewed Daughter out of FrightFest and it has fast become one of our favourites of the year. A first-time feature from Corey Deshon, Daughter is a beautifully constructed and cleverly told riff on the cult movie. It also stars everyone’s favourite member of mobile infantry, Johnny Rico aka Casper Van Dien, in a career best performance as the enigmatic head of the family, Father. Shot on 16mm to ensure maximum quality of image. Daughter is a mesmerising and beautifully dangerous cinematic experience.
Influencer
While struggling on a solo backpacking trip in Thailand, social media influencer Madison meets CW, who travels with ease and shows her a more uninhibited way of living, but CW’s interest in her takes a darker turn.
Kurtis David Harder has a proven track record as both a producer and director, and anything he has had a hand in is an immediate must-see. For those unaware, Harder produced the amazing What Keeps You Alive, Harpoon, and Superhost, as well as directing the taut thriller Spiral. A filmmaker with a plentiful bounty of hits on his resume, we cannot wait to see Influencer.
Living with Chucky
A filmmaker who grew up alongside Chucky the killer doll seeks out the other families surrounding the Child’s Play films as they recount their experiences working on the ongoing franchise and what it means to be a part of the, “Chucky” family.
Another one we caught at FrightFest, this time a documentary, Living with Chucky is vital viewing for anyone with a passing interest in that killer doll. Created by Kyra Gardner, daughter of lead puppeteer Tony Gardner, Living with Chucky explores the movie franchise first, before shifting into a more personal space. Who knew that a documentary about a film series featuring a killer doll could be so emotive? Living with Chucky will have the audience reaching for tissues thanks to its hidden depths. A documentary that gets up close and very personal with its subjects, Living with Chucky is a clear labour of love
Mother May I
When his wife Anya (Holland Roden) starts behaving like his recently-deceased mother, Emmett (Kyle Gallner) must confront his deepest traumas to free his fiancee from this bewildering possession.
After having starred in Jennifer’s Body, A Nightmare of Elm Street (2010), and The Haunting in Connecticut, actor Kyle Gallner is having something of a horror resurgence in 2022. January saw him star in the fifth instalment of the Scream franchise, then came Smile, and now Mother May I keeps him in familiar territory. Starring alongside Gallner is Holland Roden, who is no stranger to genre content herself, having starred in six seasons of MTV show Teen Wolf. The pair are sure to attract many eyes to this independent production from writer and director Laurence Vannicelli who was the co-writer of 2019’s Porno, a film that was equally as wacky as this one sounds, which only builds our anticipation for Mother May I.
Next Exit
When a research scientist makes national news proving she can track people into the afterlife, Rose (Katie Parke) finds a way out and Teddy (Rahul Kohli) sees his chance to finally make it. These two strangers, both harbouring dark secrets, race to join the doctor’s contentious study and leave this life behind.
The film that left this year’s FrightFest audience in a puddle of tears, Next Exit will be seeking a similar response from the Brooklyn Horror Crowd. Despite its overtly science-fiction scenario gleaned during its opening, Next Exit is much more easily compared to films within the road movie, drama, and even romance category. A must-see for those that enjoy listening to characters discuss lofty topics whilst forming connections. Think Linklater’s Before Sunrise viewed through a Black Mirror lens.
Swallowed
Follows two best friends on their final night together, with a nightmare of drugs, bugs, and horrific intimacy.
Having previously made his name directing The Ruins, Swallowed marks the return to body horror for Carter Smith. Swallowed revisits Smith’s devastating short film Bugcrush, continuing its themes and ideas in interesting and traumatic ways. Smith’s step back into sickly horror is sure to have audiences squirming in their seats.
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival runs from 13th – 20th October with screenings held at Nitehawk Cinema Williamsburg and Williamsburg Cinemas. For more information head to the website.
