| B | Fantastic Fest 2023 |
This film was made by a family of three. Looks to be a couple and their (now college-aged) daughter, and they just pull in a lot of friends to help. The three of them co-write, co-direct, and star. (And listening to the daughter rattle off camera stats is impressive—she’s definitely a full part of the team.) I’ll be interested in looking up their previous films after the festival.
The most impressive aspect was the direction/cinematography. So many of the shots were well thought out and executed. A very moody look. And being set in carnivals during the Depression added to the gloom perfectly.
The script was a little tougher. Not sure if they were intentionally trying to be opaque or just needed another polish draft. I really had to work to put some of the pieces together, and never gathered the full details behind some actions.
But as a horror movie, it’s less about character choices and arcs, more about the supernatural element. There were rules (and consequences) to the supernatural aspects so I was happy. Definitely enjoyed this one.
