CHÂTEAU
Filmmaker Luke Genton tells the story of a wannabe influencer living in Paris looking for a hook. Short on cash, she accepts a cleaning job, not knowing the location is an infamous murder castle. Thinking this might be her internet 15 minutes, she brings her nonexistent audience on the job. CHÂTEAU gives Popcorn Frights 2024 the YouTube ghost-hunting treatment.
Taking a page out of The Blair Witch Project and campy reality show Ghost Adventures, the format goes a step further, combining a lot of screen editing – past YouTube investigators, video calls, research blogs, and James’ real-time recordings. It is a clever move showing the audience her elaborate steady can rig.
The location boasts stunning architectural features, a winding staircase, sprawling grounds, chandeliers, and a full-sized barn with creaky rafters. Genton does a fantastic job utilizing James’ particular room to shoot a lot of set-ups. As well as classic haunted house tropes, like lingering on over-the-shoulder door frames and panicked running in circles.
The plot twist 30 minutes into the film caught me off guard. It was refreshing and kept me engaged. Another unexpected shift, delving into James’ unresolved trauma, sets the tone for the film’s remainder. The forced POV continues to be entirely unsettling. The jump scares are earned. The makeup team does a fine job with the progressive looks.
The camera loves Colton Tran. He steals every scene he’s in. Tran is effortlessly charming, and I wanted to see more of him. That does not take anything away from Cathy Marks essentially performing a one-woman show. She’s likable and down-to-earth. Marks easily carries the film, ultimately grabbing viewers with her backstory.
Slow clap. One last twist takes the cake, and the final performance is smashing. Bravo. CHÂTEAU is a fun entry into the found footage subgenre.
YEAR: 2024
COUNTRY: USA
RUNTIME: 83 min
DIRECTOR: Luke Genton
WRITER: Luke Genton
STARRING: Colton Tran, Cathy Marks
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SHOUTING AT THE SEA
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For all things Fantasia 2024, 
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DETAINED
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DIRECTOR Joe Stephenson 
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Jack Greig
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ONE FOR THE ROAD
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