Panic Fest returns for more horror/sci-fi thrills and chills! Although we only watched a handful of titles this year, this continues to present unique opportunities by offering both a theatrical and a virtual component to viewing. Don’t miss out on our full coverage, just after the jump!
Films
CURSE OF THE SIN EATER
An oddity of a horror/thriller, Curse of the Sin Eater preaches the most obvious message of all: be careful what you wish for. Not long after the suicide of his zealot mother, Rick (Carter Shimp) must work a grungy construction gig to survive. During a job, Rick gets caught stealing money from an elderly billionaire. Instead of firing him, the man implores Rick to think of it as a down payment. As long as Rick consents to a meal eating the “sins” from the man’s body, he will inherent everything he owns! Definitely do not watch this flick while eating, as the ceremony itself is aptly one of the most disgusting as Rick must gag down every drop. Not long after, Rick begins to see strange spirits that scream in his face, refuse to let him sleep, and make every waking second a cause for fear. What is money worth if its inheritor remains set in a constant cycle of pain and torment? Carter Shimp does his thing as Rick. Curse of the Sin Eater has a great hook, yet never goes beyond the initial zing of its premise. There is simply nothing more to the film other than Rick inheriting these nasty spirits, and allotting for jump scares.
FACELESS AFTER DARK
Full review at the link.
KRYPTIC
(Written by Intern, Sean Barry) If something like Kryptic were released in the early 70s, it may have been more warmly embraced as a thriller classic, given an abundance of attributes reminiscent of the supernatural genre. Kay Hall (Chloe Pirrie) is fascinated by cryptids and the occult, but after a close encounter with a strange beast in the forest, she wakes up without any knowledge of her own identity. As she tries to regain her footing in life, Kay slowly discovers that she is psychologically connected with whatever she met in the wilderness. Despite an intriguing concept and haunting atmosphere, Kryptic is unable to maintain interest long enough to convey intended tones. Director Kourtney Roy does an admirable job of casting a shadow of unknown fear over the cryptid, and whirlwind editing mostly disguises it. However, the few split-second glimpses we get show nothing more than an actor in a large cartoonish suit with big teeth and wide eyes. Not exactly the mysteriously terrifying being one may have pictured. A lackluster screenplay and subpar acting do nothing to assist confusing storylines. Background characters often spout cheesy retorts that seem more appropriate for an 80s comedy than a modern horror. Attention is often paid to the wrong subjects, with vital fragments of information left abandoned on the cutting room floor. Instead of delving into her strange connection with the monster, we are given a superfluous scene where Kay talks and dances with a strange drunk woman at a bar who is never mentioned again. Disjointed plot points and vague themes elicit a quality not dissimilar from a student film, despite a higher budget and better cameras. These poorly constructed elements combine to create a final product that feels wholly unfinished and unsatisfying.
For more information on this year’s festival, head on over to the official website!