Spooky happenings are afoot with 2024’s iteration of UK’s Pigeon Shrine FrightFest. Don’t miss out on the exciting offerings from the genre-heavy festival, and check out our full coverage after the jump!
Films
7 KEYS
(Written by Intern, Sean Barry) 7 Keys shows the immense dangers of falling in love after mere hours, a practice depicted in many romance stories. In this version, Lena (Emma McDonald) and Daniel (Billy Postlethwaite) start an impulsive relationship when they both get stood up at the same restaurant. Lena discovers Daniel’s collection of keys from previous residences, and urges him to break into each one. Despite an initial hesitation, he gradually enjoys the thrill and risk of getting caught. However, dark secrets emerge as each door opens, and Lena soon realizes that Daniel is hiding something from his past. Writer/director Joy Wilkinson effectively weaves an unsettling atmosphere that progressively heightens as time progresses. Earlier scenes are often lit by bright daylight casting warm colors into the room, but later on when fates are unknown, characters wash over with chilling blues and blacks, displaying a disintegrating connection. Wilkinson’s alluring screenplay depicts a couple who both feel like actual people. A well written backstory and McDonald’s grounded performance bring Lena to life with intention, successfully avoiding a one dimensional ‘bad girl’ archetype. If not for Postlethwaite’s mesmerizing internal evolution, Daniel would have been an eccentric caricature with sudden personality shifts. Later events keep viewers constantly guessing, but earlier portions appear somewhat formulaic by comparison. During the first three keys, Lena and Daniel break into an apartment, mess around, and have a serious heart to heart conversation before leaving. Nonetheless, second act surprises justify the preceding mundanity. Although 7 Keys may not be especially scary or disturbing, captivating central performances and intriguing storytelling will keep thriller fans hooked from beginning to end.
BROKEN BIRD
(Written by Intern, Sean Barry) The line between reality and illusion is drawn in the sand in Broken Bird. Following two different plotlines involving people fulfilling their desires by whatever means necessary, it is not a story for the faint of heart. Emma (Sacharissa Claxton) struggles with motherhood and an impending custody battle with her ex-husband. After the unspeakable happens, she turns into a shell of her former self and seeks any sort of solace. Sybil (Rebecca Calder) works as an undertaker and regularly attends restaurant poetry nights, much to the customers’ dismay. Her disquieting mentality quickly reveals itself through multiple scenes showcasing various intrusive thoughts or fantasies, often involving intense anger or violence. As a terrifyingly unreliable narrator, Sybil’s imagination becomes nearly indistinguishable from objectivity, causing events to spiral as she begins acting on her dark impulses. From the first image, director Joanne Mitchell instantly creates an unsettling atmosphere that never abates. When Sybil enacts a fantasy, camera angles skew or shots turn uncanny, emphasizing a removal from the natural world. Likewise, once Sybil finishes reading a poem, idle building noises disappear and are replaced with thunderous artificial applause to show how she perceives the moment. While Sybil’s life engrosses and intrigues, it is constantly interrupted by Emma’s far more mundane story. Interesting filmmaking techniques are rarely employed here, and too much time is left wondering how the two opposites connect. Nevertheless, Rebecca Calder gives a deeply troubling performance, captivating in every scene. Sacharissa Claxton’s portrayal of a lonely woman processing grief in unhealthy ways is similarly sensational. Despite a strong opening, the latter half does not maintain the same power through until the conclusion. A strong climax does not make up for the lack of thrills in the preceding half hour. Regardless, Mitchell’s feature debut announces a bold new artistic vision in the horror genre that is not to be ignored.
GENERATION TERROR
Full review at the link.
LADYBUG
Full review at the link.
SAINT CLARE
As a casual fan of most of Bella Thorne’s work, including her brief but memorable stint in the Scream TV series for MTV and Freeform’s short-lived Famous in Love, I was rather excited to see what she could do in a lead horror role with Saint Clare. Here, Thorne plays Clare, an attendee at a catholic school with a history of unchecked trauma… and murder. From the very beginning, we witness Clare chanting from her bed that “everything I’ve said and done has been in the hands of God.” Honestly, if one wanted to create a drinking game, this would be the phrase—it must have been repeated a minimum of ten times. It becomes Clare’s go-to mantra when things get tough. Haunted by her past, Clare kills troublesome men who take advantage of women. Bob (Frank Whaley), one of Clare’s past victims, becomes the voice of her conscience. An unexpected human trafficking operation threatens everything Clare holds dear. A Dark Passenger situation a la Dexter almost develops, only the execution leaves much to be desired. Ryan Phillippe plays a detective, whilst Rebecca De Mornay portrays Clare’s concerned addict grandmother. Some elements of Mitzi Peirone’s follow-up to her 2018 feature Braid work. However, the finale is far too unsatisfying, blatantly obvious, and scattered to recommend.
SCARED SHITLESS
Apparently expecting excellence (or at least a giggle or two) from a movie titled Scared Shitless was a grave error. In this mildly amusing horror/comedy, a plumber (Steven Ogg) and his extremely germophobic son, Sonny (Daniel Doheny), find their match in a Tremors-esque giant leech-like creature, a failed lab experiment called Project X. Throughout the very brief seventy-six minute runtime, nervous farts and gory practical effects attempt to make up for a thin script with very little to chew on. Each time it seems about to take a daring risk, director Vivieno Caldinelli backpedals instead. Though the creature looks impressive, it never feels dangerous enough. There are nowhere near enough silly, over-the-top kills or funny moments. Only a brief sequence with an old woman seems to live up to the premise the title promises. The ending credits tease an obvious sequel setup that at least appears to imply bigger and better things, but it’s hard to care when the first installment fails to take advantage of a game cast and single-setting vibes. “Sometimes, shit happens,” the characters repeat more than once. That’s basically how the movie comes across. Shit happens without a care for depth or development, and what we are left with in the end is mostly just poo.
For more information about Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, head over to the official website.