The Morgue Twins (Black Public Media) Honoring legacy

Posted on October 19, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

THE MORGUE TWINS

In Rebecca Blandón‘s short film THE MORGUE TWINS, retired identical twin brothers Melvin and Marvin Morgan reflect on their over 20 years in the death-care industry.

In sixteen minutes, these men express a profound outlook on life and death that most of us would rather sweep under the rug. Audiences get a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at a morgue, autopsy tools, and the Morgan brothers’ very specific and necessary jobs. They discuss the job’s unfathomable emotional toll. Even if they claim to disassociate, the audience can see it written all over their faces.

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Besides the touching personal revelations, true crime fans will be riveted by the insider knowledge and what feel like secrets of the profession. (I’m looking at you, SVU faithful.) Melvin and Marvin are on a higher plane of humanity. These extraordinary gentlemen have lived their lives in service of everyone else. This short honors their legacy with all the respect and kindness they have earned.

The Morgue Twins premieres on Black Public Media’s (BPM) AfroPoP Digital Shorts series, Monday, October 19. Rebecca Blandón’s film follows retired mortuary technicians and identical twins Marvin and Melvin Morgan as they reflect on two decades of work in New York City’s death-care industry and consider their own mortality. The film will stream on Black Public Media’s YouTube channel.

For more than two decades, the Morgan twins, who were named after a funeral home, worked in close proximity to death. Melvin worked at Elmhurst Hospital, including when it was an epicenter of New York City’s COVID-19 pandemic; Marvin worked at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office and served after tragedies like the September 11, 2001, attacks, and the American Airlines Flight 587 crash in Queens later that year. As technicians, their duties were exacting and intimate: collecting bodies, assisting with autopsies and caring for the dead. In their spare time, the twins advocated for the living — creating local sports youth leagues, advocating for voter rights, and collaborating with the city council to create a safe and thriving community. In the film, the brothers speak candidly about the toll their work has had on their psyches and how it informs their perspectives on life and death.

Blandón, a Nicaraguan-American documentary filmmaker born and raised in the Bronx, served as director, cinematographer and editor of the film. Her independent films, including Corpus Christi, Glen Eden and Run the Meter, have screened at festivals, been exhibited at museums and received support from The Bronx Documentary Center, The Jacob Burns Film Center, Rooftop Films and the New York State Council on the Arts. As a visual journalist, she has created award-winning work for news organizations including The New York Times, Axios, PBS Frontline and The Boston Globe.

BPM is a Harlem-based national media arts nonprofit that funds and helps distribute stories about the Black experience and supports the filmmakers and media makers who tell them.
“Rebecca’s film is a moving portrait of two brothers who spent more than two decades facing what most of us look away from, meeting death with professionalism, humanity and grace,” said Denise A. Greene, BPM director of programs and curator of AfroPoP Digital Shorts. “The twins’ service is part of an enduring tradition of care in Black communities, where tending to the deceased has long been an act of dignity, service and respect.”

With The Morgue Twins, BPM continues its commitment to advancing Black stories, despite Congress’s 2025 rescission vote, which defunded public media and eliminated $1.8 million from BPM’s budget. In response, BPM launched the Black Stories Production Fund, supported by a grassroots fundraising campaign. The 1.8 Million Donors campaign seeks to raise $9 million to help ensure that Black stories are never again left vulnerable to political interference or chronic underinvestment.

To support BPM’s Black Stories Production Fund, visit: https://secure.everyaction.com/IkFxVSdjX0qpQkceW1r27g2.

For more information about BPM, go to blackpublicmedia.org or follow it on social media at @blackpublicmedia (IG, FB, TikTok and LinkedIn).

ABOUT BLACK PUBLIC MEDIA:
Black Public Media supports the development of visionary content creators and distributes stories about the global Black experience to inspire a more equitable and inclusive future. For nearly 50 years, we’ve invested more than $18 million toward iconic documentaries and innovative immersive media projects. We help independent makers — especially those whose work might otherwise be overlooked — bring their stories to life and reach audiences.
BPM-supported projects have earned numerous awards, including five Anthem Awards, five Emmys, 10 Peabodys, 14 Emmy nominations and an Academy Award nomination.

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MORELIFE (Twin Cities Film Fest 2026) Shines in unrelenting truth and outstanding performances

Posted on October 17, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

MORELIFE

With his Twin Cities Film Festival 2026 World Premiere, C.J. Renner offers audiences a quietly profound tale of connection laced with pure heart and unexpected whimsy. In MORELIFE, two men pause their suicide attempts on the edge of a bridge. Shawn is a young man in his 20s. Kermit is older. How much? We don’t know, because he has a fish head. Striking a deal to experience something worth living for, Kermit describes the rumored collective joy of the rare morel mushroom. A quest to taste one ensues. This unique road movie will bewitch you.

The dialogue is equally quippy and philosophical. Shawn and Kermit explore topics across the board: capitalism, art, environmentalism, religion, childhood, regret, and love. Kermit becomes the ultimate hype man for existence, challenging Shawn’s apathy at every turn. But the tables slowly turn as the duo comes closer to finding personal happiness.

No one in Shawn and Kermit’s sphere bats an eye at Kermit’s face. His appearance becomes normalized as he and Shawn get deeper into their journey. It doesn’t physically change, but the audience becomes so accepting that you eventually forget about the mask entirely. It’s a true testament to Renner’s dialogue and Clayne Crawford‘s performance.

Jackson Whitman is exceptional, keeping pace with his foil’s eccentricities. Clayne Crawford is enchanting and funny, putting on accents and letting his body language become living theatre. Their chemistry is heaven-sent. It’s like watching a chess match of sarcasm, anger, silliness, and yearning.

Sarah Mevissen’s editing is truly impactful. Her utilization of slow motion is perfection. The soundtrack swings between intoxicating and celebratory. The score is like a curated list of meditation tracks, perfect for soul-searching. Ben Enke‘s cinematography is delicious, filled with thoughtful close-ups and unusual angles that make you sit up a bit straighter and focus on the dialogue.

The metaphor of a morel is fascinating. The audience hears Shawn explain the mushroom’s elusive prestige through voice-over, forcing elegant, contemplative moments. The film’s final shot is everything. Renner understands the simplest truths; it is the small things, connection is life, and we don’t always get a happy ending. MORELIFE exquisitely captures it all.

MORELIFE Trailer:

MORELIFE actively embraces a lo-fi aesthetic that harkens to the heyday of 90s and early-00s offbeat cinema, giving shades of Charlie Kaufman, early Wes Anderson, and Richard Linklater in his prime. Shot against the backdrop of Minneapolis, this beautifully strange, life-affirming drama stars stage actor Jackson Whitman (recently seen in The Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of The Winter’s Tale in New York’s Central Park) and Clayne Crawford (star of FOX’s Lethal Weapon), with the latter’s utterly-remarkable performance completely under a rubber fish mask.

MORELIFE is written and directed by C.J. Renner, and stars Jackson Whitman and Clayne Crawford. It is produced by Back40 Pictures.

For more film festival coverage, click here!

HEAT OF MADNESS (Sitges 2026) Reality bites back

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

HEAT OF MADNESS

Karim Ouelhaj‘s Megalomaniac shocked audiences in 2022. I will never be able to erase some of those images, no matter how hard I try. In his latest film HEAT OF MADNESS, a con man hopes to score big with one last heist, but everything goes wrong. Scola gets double-crossed and lets his loose cannon persona take hold. Putting his pregnant wife in the direct line of fire, he embarks on a violent rampage for revenge, or so he thinks.

Heat of Madness is a morality trial, and Scola is failing. Ouelhaj offers audiences a splintered and enigmatic journey through time. One could draw comparisons to Ebenezer Scrooge’s emotional journey, or even Dorothy Gale, as figures from all timelines interact like ghosts or lost souls.

As Scola wreaks havoc in the real world, a mysterious and apprehensive young woman appears as a moral compass. But Scola has no interest and revels in her beratement. But her emotional importance quite literally bears the weight of grief for Scola, but he is too blind to understand.

Julie Carrol plays our cryptic Petite Pomme with a purity and gentleness that perfectly balances Scola’s vitriol. Her physical performance is spectacular. Olivier Picard is our leading man. He is a selfish, violent, and abusive figure that audiences will loathe with a passion. That is the ultimate compliment in the acting world.

Music by Empusae is undeniably sinister. Bernard Vervoort’s cinematography is strikingly framed. Truly breathtaking scenes look like still-life paintings. These moments often give the viewer a moment to take a physical breath from the story’s intensity.

The script is twofold: stylistically beautiful and a challenge to follow. Scola’s journey is fascinating, and I encourage viewers to take every beat in. Memory, hallucinations, and consequences finally get some semblance of an explanation, but not until an hour and ten minutes into the film.

Karim Ouelhaj creates yet another mind-blowing narrative that pushes boundaries off the cliff. Audiences will find their hearts in their throats as they sift through various realities. Heat of Madness is a thought-provoking examination of regret, loneliness, anger, and redemption. Questions will gnaw at you long after the screen goes dark.

For more Sitges coverage, click here!

V/H/S/MIXTAPE (2026) Mayhem and music to my ears

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

V/H/S/MIXTAPE

The unhinged horror anthology franchise is back with a delightfully disgusting vengeance. This time, Qwar hosts an MTV-style clip show of weirdness, debauchery, and terror all based around audio. These hysterically gagworthy transition pieces are, IMHO, the most cohesive upgrade. This departure from the previously heavy-handed mystery and more MST3K comedy stylings works like magic. Now let’s get into each new segment, shall we?

Tape One: Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance.

Directed by Renee Zhan, a bug-themed kids’ show opens by teaching young viewers about death. Barbara Crampton plays an exasperated network exec with a frightening authenticity. Time and time again, Crampton’s chameleon abilities to inhabit any role prove startling and celebratory. That’s why she never stops working.

Cut to present day, and the original puppets are set to be scanned, digitized, and documented for promotion. But puppet caretaker and forever-fan George is visibly resistant. When the team begins work, a seemingly odd glitch makes the cameraman wander. The secret is out when the puppets become sentient and murderous mayhem ensues.

The reboot joke is chef’s kiss if you’re a fan of the franchise. Practical FX are jaw-dropping. As a product of 1980s Sesame Street and a genre babe, this is my Christmas. It’s a felt, fur, and blood-covered house of horrors.

Tape Two: Another Cabin

Directed by franchise favorite Flying Lotus, this fairy-tale-inspired stop-motion short follows a young boy and his ungrateful elder who are attacked by a flesh-eating, shapeshifting monster from the woods. After years of abuse, the boy fights back by sacrificing her to the monster, but this is a horror short we’re talking about. The film looks incredible. Laika studio fans will dig this a little extra. Zero dialogue, but none is needed to convey the darkness.

Tape Three: Heartbeat

David Moreau follows YouTuber couple, Wes and Maya, as they journey through the woods to find an abandoned underground military facility. They discover an anechoic chamber, designed to shut out all outside noise. But there’s a reason they warn against staying longer than fifteen minutes.

The handheld camerawork comes from camcorders and GoPros. Julie Clergerie and Elie Kaempfen give incredible physical performances that look like theatre training. _’s augmented sound editing is hypnotizing and triggering even the calmest viewer. It is auditory torture.

Tape Four: The Music of Mr. Sze

Ernest Dickerson (Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight *hell yes) gives us a story of a lonely but enthusiastic film student named Philip as he embarks on his day-in-the-life series in his new apartment. We briefly meet the other renters, but Philip is drawn to the sound of a violin emanating from another unit. Most of the footage (POV) comes from Philip’s brand-new camera glasses. As the music continues day and night, it profoundly affects Philip. He waits for Mr. Sze, offering to film his performances. But the offer backfires when Philip hums a song he should not have heard. Curiosity killed the cat, though in Philip’s case, it opens a portal to a Lovecraftian hellscape. Brilliant world-building and chaotic kills, this segment is a handcrafted throwback.

Tape Five: Premature Burial

Tobias Forge gives audiences a hardcore metal video. The story follows a twisted and satisfying revenge plot. You will be cheering with glee by the end of the song. Tee hee.

Tape Six: Death Tone

RZA dives into his world of music with a tale of a young woman’s attempts to connect with her deceased music producer father. Upon discovering a cassette with how-to instructions for creating a great track, Lydia records video diary entries to document her process and progress. When she connects most with a more visceral tone, she taps into her Patrick Bateman instincts to capture the perfect pitch. Video diaries and body cam footage get an immersive, artistic edit. Production design is moody and drenched in blood. The final moments put Johnny Depp‘s Nightmare on Elm Street demise to shame.

V/H/S/MIXTAPE is a GenX playground filled with old-school references, blood-spattered humor, and insane kills. It’s everything you want and then some. How each consecutive anthology tops the last is a mystery.

DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, DANCE: Directed by Renee Zhan

A studio attempts to reboot a long-cancelled puppet show with a mysterious past. Featuring work from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

HEARTBEAT: Directed by David Moreau

A pair of YouTube urbex influencers find themselves trapped in a decommissioned military facility used for sonic experimentation.

THE MUSIC OF MR. SZE: Directed by Ernest Dickerson

A college film student’s documentary project uncovers the reclusive life of a tormented musician.

DEATH TONE: Directed by RZA

A young sound engineer follows her late Dad’s instructions to create the ultimate track.

Wrap Segment

GWAR hosts skits and music videos in an MTV-style show from hell.

Featuring music videos directed by Tobias Forge and Flying Lotus.

Synopsis:
V/H/S/MIXTAPE cranks the franchise’s signature found-footage horror up to eleven with an electrifying new anthology where music and sound become the source of terror. United by a theme that explores the power of music, rhythm, and audio to haunt, possess, transform, and destroy, the film blends cosmic horror, psychological suspense, outrageous splatter, and groundbreaking practical effects into one unforgettable mixtape of nightmares.

Featuring all-new segments from legendary filmmaker Ernest Dickerson, hip-hop icon RZA, visionary director David Moreau, and acclaimed filmmaker Renee Zhan, the latest installment pushes the boundaries of found footage with four wildly original stories that each put a unique spin on the terrifying relationship between sound and fear.

Producers: Josh Goldbloom, Steven Schneider, Roy Lee, Michael Schreiber, Brad Miska

Writers: Zoe Cooper, David Moreau, Ernest Dickerson, RZA, Matt Landsman

Executive Producers: Ben Ross and Rami Yasin

Genre: Horror
Country: United States

Language: English

Runtime: 98 minutes

For more V/H/S franchise coverage, click here!

Disforia (Grimmfest 2026): The commodity of terror

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Disforia

Christopher Cartagena‘s Grimmfest 2026 feature DISFORIA dives headfirst into darkness with a global rash of suicides beginning two years prior. The system is near collapse. Aided by cult-like groups claiming to assist in suicides, when in reality, they are filled with murderous psychopaths.

Tomás, Esther, and their young daughter Say have a plan: drive over the Pyrenees to reach Esther’s sister in an isolated area untouched by the sadness. The audience quickly learns that secrets complicate everyone’s agenda. When Act Two begins, any inkling of intuition disappears. Enter Vera, a woman who claims to be a buyer for the house, but we suspect something more sinister. Cartagena keeps you teetering on the brink of hyperventilating.

Cartagena and co-writers Joan-Pol Argenter and Imanol Ortiz deliver a deeply twisted screenplay. Esther’s relationship with Say is entirely dysfunctional. When she decides not to listen to her mother, Say dons a chimpanzee mask. The choice is incredibly unsettling. But it is the trying dynamic that throws a wrench in future survival. The bond must hold, or it might spell certain doom. The script slowly reveals the trigger of unresolved trauma and detachment, making every beat between mother and daughter all the more explosive.

The set looks like an authentically abandoned home, from the draped furniture to the boarded-up entry points. Camerawork feels immersive, particularly in Say’s POV shot from behind the mask. Introducing an interactive audience ramps up the perverse nature. Internet commentators inspire increased mayhem and award points for violence.

Essentially, DISFORIA is commodifying terror. The film comes at a particularly auspicious time for American audiences with the government’s announcement of a livestreamed execution. Performances are spectacular across the board. Ranging from manic to unhinged, every cast member deserves a slow clap and a standing ovation. Each consecutive moment tops the last. As the credits roll, DISFORIA leaves nothing in its path but frayed nerves and your heart in your throat.

Year:2025
Runtime:82 minutes
Language:Spanish
Country:Spain
Premiere:UK
Rating:15

Director:Christopher Cartagena
Screenwriter:Christopher Cartagena, Joan-Pol Argenter, Imanol Ortiz López
Producer:Isabel G. Peralta
Executive Producer:Raúl Cerezo, Silvia Melero
Cast:Claudia Salas, Fariba Sheikhan, Eloy Azorín
Cinematographer:Jorge Roig
Production Design:Irene Cogolludo

For more Grimmfest coverage, click here!

The Restoration of Grayson Manor (2026): Queer Camp Horror Delights

Posted on October 8, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

The Restoration of Grayson Manor

Glenn McQuaid brings us into the colorful (in every sense) world of legacy, sex, and monstrous overtone. Welcome to The Restoration of Grayson Manor, and all its double entendres for dysfunction, identity, and frivolity.

Matriarch Jacqueline’s obsession with son Boyd producing an heir comes with debasing strings attached, but disguised as a favor. Jacqueline poo-poos Boyd’s career as a pianist, which further strains their already thin bond with her disapproval of his sexuality. Following a one-night stand on the grounds, and an “oops, I forgot to change out of your nightie” to rub it in mummy’s face, a freak accident in which Boyd saves his mother from death ultimately severs Boyd’s hands at the wrists.

The Restoration at Grayson Manor_press 3 kit.docx - [www.dropbox.com]

To motivate Boyd to keep living, Jacqueline claims to bring in a world-renowned team of doctors and therapists, creating him a one-of-a-kind set of bionic hands. As Boyd slowly lets his guard down with nurse Lee, his connection with the bionic hands grows stronger. Boyd’s emotions begin to control the hands, but their actions play out his deepest, most vengeful desires.

The Restoration at Grayson Manor_press 2 kit.docx - [www.dropbox.com]

Gabriela Garcia Vargas plays Boyd’s therapist. Her unresolved trauma, triggered by drugs, creates another dramatic, over-the-top addition to this already wacky screenplay. Daniel Adegboyega is a treat, delivering a presence that wavers between Dr. Frankenstein and a sexy lap dog. Declan Reynolds is genuinely charming. I loved every single second of him. Reynolds is the only grounded character in the entire film. Alice Krige is a genre legend. If you haven’t seen her in She Will, how dare you. Chris Colfer is a snarky bitch, in the best way possible. Krige and Colfer have delicious chemistry. I could watch them ping-pong insults all day long.

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The film is the epitome of queer camp. The dialogue, by McQuaid and co-writer Clay McLeod Chapman, is searing vitriol. The costumes are vibrant; the production design mixes a crumbling mansion with light-saturated medical tech. The pace dips at points, but if you’re choosing a film like this, you’re not there for some profound life revelation. The script gets weirder and weirder, with all the kooky kills a genre fan could desire. The film has a perfect ending once you understand the bitchy mother-son dynamic. A touch of Misery, Edward Scissorhands, and every John Waters film ever made, The Restoration of Grayson Manor is ultimately a campy romp, and we, the audience, are just along for the ride. McQuaid never apologizes for style, nor should he have to. The queer camp horror catalogue has a new member. Act accordingly.

*What do you mean you’re dressing up as the bionic hands from The Restoration of Grayson Manor for gay Halloween?*

directed by: Glenn McQuaid
written by: Clay McLeod Chapman & Glenn McQuaid
starring: Chris Colfer, Alice Krige, Daniel Adegboyega, Declan Reynolds, Gabriela Garcia Vargas, Matthew McMahon, Issac Cairns, Dave Byrne
produced by: Brendan McCarthy, Deirdre Levins, Thomas Herberth, Florian Brüning, John McDonnell

runtime: 90 Minutes
language: English
country: Ireland

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LADY (2026) Outlandish and charming

Posted on October 6, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

LADY

Samuel Abraham‘s feature-length directorial debut LADY is an unhinged portrait of identity and connection. This magical realism mockumentary comedy follows isolated English aristocrat Isabella Ravenhyde as she invites an ambitious filmmaker and his small crew to film her and her vast estate for Netflix. Within minutes of their arrival, it is quickly revealed to be a ruse. Co-host of an annual talent show for underprivileged youth called Stately Stars, Isabella believes that if she can win her own competition, Netflix will surely take notice.

Very suddenly, Isabella’s hands disappear. Caught on camera, Sam believes this is his one shot to cash in on this strange occurrence and make a one-of-a-kind film. The translucency climbs, but Isabella refuses to see a doctor. She is hell-bent on finding her path to success through experimental performance art.

The more Sam examines Isabella’s footage and her odd behavior, the more enamored he becomes with her enigmatic existence, blurring the lines between subject and filmmaker.

Laurie Kynaston is charming and easy-going as Sam. He is a delightful foil for Isabella’s unwavering whimsy. Kynaston’s vulnerability is only matched by his co-star. Sian Clifford is diabolically delicious. A purely eccentric performance akin to Grey Gardens. Her nuanced idiocracies and unresolved trauma all play a role in Izzy. A freight train of narcissism and caricature behavior, Clifford delivers sheer comedic brilliance.

The handheld camerawork is equally dizzying and entrancing. Cinematographer Korsshan Schlauer and editor Josh Mallalieu keep your eyes darting from one corner of the screen to the other with beautiful imagery and gorgeous framing.

Filmed entirely on location at Somerleyton Hall in Suffolk, England, with production design straight out of Architectural Digest. Costumes are both remarkably wacky and incredibly elegant.

The film is a unique metaphor for feeling seen and a surprising meditation on grief; it is inarguably one of the year’s best films. LADY dazzles with its sumptuous setting, hilarious premise, and Sian Clifford’s tour de force turn. It is relentlessly quirky, ultimately overflowing with heart

Release: Theatrical in NY on 10/2 and LA on 10/9

Writer/Director: Samuel Abrahams
Writer: Miranda Campbell Bowling
Cast: Sian Clifford, Laurie Kynaston, Juliet Cowan, Olisa Odele, Jacob Masterson, Autumn Halse, Emma Buckworth, Olivia Norton
Producers: Anna Mohr-Pietsch, Stewart le Maréchal
Executive Producers: Jonny Persey, Maggie Glastonbury, Sean O’Shea, Tom Balkwill
Genre: Comedy, Mockumentary
Rating: Unrated
Run-time: 95 minutes

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Girl In The Night (Fantastic Fest 2026) He would do anything for love, but it will backfire

Posted on September 26, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Girl In The Night

Luka Marčetić‘s Slovenian dark crime comedy Girl in the Night won Fantastic Fest 2026’s Audience Award, and voters absolutely made the correct choice. Kleptomaniac Rok lives a pretty uneventful life, seeking small drips of adrenaline with petty thievery. When he encounters a mysterious girl with a head wound, Rok’s intrigue gets the better of him, and he makes excuses to be in her presence.

Nighttime shenanigans ensue. Activities include retrieving a lost ferret, moving apartments, and intense physical interrogations. Like Rok, the audience assumes Iza is a hooligan, but we soon discover her goal is merely to help people in her own curmudgeonly style. To keep her attention, Rok creates a villain character whom he claims stole her bike. Keeping up the lie without life-altering consequences proves challenging. The clock is ticking for this vigilante-sidekick duo.

Urban Kuntarič is superb as Rok. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and we are along for the rollercoaster of thrills and sadness. Lara Wolf somehow gives our leading lady equal parts spunk and moroseness. She has a living cartoon character quality somewhere between emo and tomboy. Their chemistry is cinematic magic. Witnessing Kuntarič pine for her good graces while Wolf appears to eschew his advances is dazzling.

Girl in the Night has found its audience at Fantastic Fest 2026. The cinematography, editing, and lighting are gorgeous. The deadpan delivery, the long takes- it’s all delicious weirdness. The film is undoubtedly one of the year’s best genre gems.

“Girl in the Night” can be seen next week on September 28^th at the Strasbourg Film Festival for its European premiere and then to the Sitges Film Festival in October in the Noves Visions section. Noves Visions continues to be the section reserved for the most unique, experimental, and ground-breaking productions, for filmmakers willing to challenge traditional genre conventions and explore new ways of depicting the fantastic.

For more Fantastic Fest coverage, click here!

The Incomer (2026) A winsome tale we all need right now.

Posted on September 25, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

THE INCOMER

Filmmaker Louis Paxton‘s laugh-out-loud film THE INCOMER has arrived to capture your heart. The story follows two siblings who have never left their isolated Scottish isle. When they discover a lowly land recovery coordinator, they take him for an invader. Sandy and Isla have been raised on fear-mongering folklore, making their reality incredibly fragile. Daniel immediately recognizes the danger (and potential madness) and attempts to distract them with his mainland knowledge and technology while waiting for rescue.

Relationships are tested, as Sandy instantly becomes enamored with Daniel, but Isla is suspicious of every word. Meanwhile, on the mainland, when Roz cannot reach Daniel, she sends in her most unhinged employee to finish the job.

The dialogue is like watching toddlers argue, and it is relentlessly hilarious. Daniel slowly realizes that his awkwardness is the key to connecting to this whimsical duo. Gleeson’s manipulation of The Lord of the Rings is chef’s kiss.

As the trio bond, Daniel comes out of his shell, Isla’s hardness softens, and Sandy feels left out. Things get increasingly complicated when Daniel’s hyper-aggressive coworker, Cal, becomes the latest Incomer, and the siblings each deal with their changing feelings in extreme ways.
Performances absolutely rule. Michelle Gomez, John Hannah, and Emun Elliott are delightfully funny additions to this quirky cast. Grant O’Rourke plays Sandy as a lovable, childish oaf. Every bit of newness lights up his eyes. O’Rourke steals every scene he appears in. Gayle Rankin is a comedic goddess. Her fearless career choices run the gamut of creativity. Rankin gives Isla an infectious feral energy. Domhnall Gleeson exudes unassailable charm as Daniel, and somehow remains a Timelord, with his boyish good looks. His effortless slapstick comedy is a director’s dream. Together, they are magic.
The animation during Isla’s stories is darling. The score is epic, swinging between jarring and jubilant. Costumes and production design are fantastic. The script is a joyous examination of human connection, patience, and open-mindedness. It wholeheartedly celebrates uniqueness, imagination, jumping into the unknown, and finding your people. The Incomer is undeniably one of the year’s best films.

THE INCOMER Trailer:

IN THEATERS: September 25, 2026

DIRECTOR: Louis Paxton

WRITER: Louis Paxton

CAST: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke, Emun Elliott, Michelle Gomez, and John Hannah

SYNOPSIS: Sundance Award-winning comedy, The Incomer is a modern folk fairy tale set on a remote Scottish island, where two siblings survive by hunting seabirds, retelling the stories of their ancestors, and defending the isle from dreaded Incomers. Their world is upended with the arrival of an awkward council worker who has come to uproot them from their homeland on behalf of the government.

RUN TIME: 102 minutes

RATING: R

GENRE: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

DISTRIBUTOR: Sumerian Pictures

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Death Has No Master (2026): The haunting legacy of colonizer trauma.

Posted on September 19, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Death Has No Master

Jorge Thielen Armand‘s Fantastic Fest 2026 feature, Death Has No Master, stars Asia Argento as Caro, a woman who returns to Venezuela to sell her father’s cacao farm, only to discover former staff have moved in and refuse to leave. Caro carries obvious signs of unresolved trauma. You can see it in her physical presence and hear it in her voice. Being in the house is unbearable, but the town and societal rules have changed since she was a child, and her uphill battle to claim her inheritance and reclaim her sanity seems impossible.

Luis Armando Arteaga’s cinematography makes the film look timeless. The locations are stunning. The combination of Vittorio Giampietro’s music the entire sound editing burrows under your skin.

Dogreika Tovar gives Sonia a bitterness that feels earned, putting the audience squarely in a morally grey position. Arturo Rodriguez gives Yoni a dazzling, enigmatic energy. He is almost a gateway between past, present, and future. Asia Argento‘s Caro teems with fear and anger. A performance that must be witnessed. It is mesmerizing.

Jorge Thielen Armand utilizes quick flashes of memory to suggest despair, but it is not until the film’s final act that we fully understand the chokehold this house, this land, and this country have on Caro’s entire existence. Time and memory blur, and the madness is unrelenting. Death Has No Master is an examination of power, trauma, and class. It is dark and haunting in a way that feels physically heavy. It is a complex and unsettling film.

Showings :Fri, Sep 18th, 5:30 PM @ Theater 7Wed, Sep 23rd, 11:00 AM @ Theater 1Wed, Sep 23rd, 11:00 AM @ Theater 2Wed, Sep 23rd, 11:00 AM @ Theater 4

Year:2026

Runtime:106 minutes

Language:Spanish

Country:Venezuela, Canada, Italy, Luxembourg

Premiere:North American Premiere

Director:Jorge Thielen Armand

Theater 1September 23, 2026, 11:00 AM – 12:51 PM CDT

For more Fantastic Fest coverage, click here!

SICK (Fantastic Fest 2026) Gagworthy sibling summer

Posted on September 18, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

SICK

Agata Trzebuchowska’s Fantastic Fest 2026 film Sick is just that. The story follows sixteen-year-old Maks and his nineteen-year-old sister Emma as they spend an isolated summer with their ailing grandmother. Maks is stuck between a sexual awakening and childhood reminiscence. He grew up spending lazy days on the lake, exploring the forest trails, and playing with Emma alongside his doting grandmother.

Now, with Gran suffering from a mysterious illness and Emma creating an increasingly aggressive and inappropriate dynamic in the house, everyone’s behavior intensifies. Emma actively flirts with Maks, testing his self-control. Her power trip does not end with Maks. She treats Gran as a nonverbal prop to bait her brother into risky behavior.

Two bizarre plotlines play out simultaneously: a brother-sister scenario that creeps you out and a grandmother transforming into something completely unknown. Somehow Trzebuchowska weaves the two together seamlessly. Gran’s health improves. Maks and Emma go deeper down the rabbit hole. Their health begins to deteriorate. Gran is acting weird… and leaving strange goo in her wake.

Tomasz Kajetan Naruszewicz’s editing is spectacular. The lighting is stunning. Maciej Edelman’s music and camerawork are jarring. Performances are mind-blowing. Katarzyna Łubik is enthralling as Emma. She has the audience in a chokehold. Nonrad Kąkol gives Maks a beautiful balance between innocent puppy dog and weak-willed hormone monster. It’s a gorgeous turn.

SICK is unrelenting. Fantastic Fest audiences are done for. Sick tells viewers that when you break the laws of nature, all bets are off. It’s a jaw-dropping film. It obliterates rational boundaries. Akin to a car crash. You cannot look away.

SICK
Feature Film (Poland)
(World Premiere, 2026, 90 mins, In Polish with English subtitles)
(Drama/ Horror)

Directed and written by: Agata Trzebuchowska
Producers: Patryk Sielecki, Adrianna Rędzia
Starring: Konrad Kąkol, Katarzyna Łubik, Monika Niemczyk, Julian Świeżewski, And Eliza Rycembel.

FANTASTIC FEST 2026 OFFICIAL SCREENINGS
Location: Alamo Drafthouse Lamar
Address: 1120 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704

Friday, Sept 18 at 5:30PM (Theater 6)

Thursday, Sept 24 at 5:45PM (Theater 6)

Thursday, Sept 24 at 5:45PM (Theater 7)

For more Fantastic Fest coverage, click here!

Portal To Hell (2026) No good deed goes unpunished in this devilish delight

Posted on September 8, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Portal To Hell

Woody Bess’ outstanding horror-comedy Portal to Hell is a Faustian deal wrapped in an emotional redemption arc I didn’t see coming. The film follows a lonely debt collector who discovers a portal to hell in this local laundromat. After following the tracks of a demon into the back alley, Dunn is presented with a deal: three souls for the life of his cancer-stricken neighbor. But as the saying goes, “No good deed goes unpunished.”

Roping in Weir, the laundromat’s manager, the two devise a plan to lure terrible people into the porta to fulfill the deal. But nothing is easy. Killing people, good or bad, is complicated.

The Sun Never Sets (2026): Authentically messy love

Posted on September 4, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

The Sun Never Sets

Joe Swanberg‘s ability to write real life shines once again in his latest film, The Sun Never Sets. Wendy, a woman in her early 30s, has been dating Jack, a father of two great kids, for two years now. Wendy is an outdoorsy, impulsive Anchorage native whose dreams of marriage and kids don’t fit into her current relationship.

Jack puts her in an impossible position, proposing that Wendy take a few months to explore other options to make sure she understands that Jack does not plan to remarry or have more kids. The consequence of this well-meaning deal? Wendy runs into her ex and sparks fly. Now she must wade through the complexity of age and stage, unresolved trauma, and all the what-ifs in life.

Watching each other date rewires Wendy and Jack. Chuck is trying his best to get his shit together; it just happens to be a slower process. Jack immediately regrets his proposition and goes all in, pushing Wendy to confront mixed messages. Can the two overcome passion, sadness, and regret to find one another again as reality crashes around them?

Anna Konkle plays Jack’s ex-wife. Their chemistry is lovely. Konkle gives Johnson a gentle sounding board for his headspace. They feel like a real-life co-parenting team with an amicable, we used to be married connection. Debby Ryan is the best friend every woman wishes she had. Authentic and level-headed, she is always a delightful addition.

Lamorne Morris plays Jack’s confidant. While we only see him in scenes with Johnson via Zoom, their years-long relationship in real life shines through with humor and heart. Morris, like Ryan, brings sincerity to the film. Corey Michael Smith gives Chuck the right amount of frustration with his current state, while also delivering a breezy connection with Fanning’s Wendy.

Jake Johnson plays Jack with a grounded sense of self. Jack is a grown-up in all the right ways. Anyone who’s been an avid reader of my work knows how much I adore Johnson. His effortless charm sneaks under your skin, and Jack is no exception.

Dakota Fanning gives Wendy the most earnest longing to figure life out in her 30s. Like every role she tackles, her tangible humanity is magnetic. Johnson and Fanning’s chemistry is off the charts. The arguments feel more like intimate peeks into the viewer’s life than acting.

The script forces Wendy to choose between a spontaneous and seemingly perpetual bachelor and an adult. While all three people are flawed, they are also incredibly human. Swanberg is a master at making the mundane the most important. This is why his films hit on a different level.

Unresolved feelings take years to manage, no matter how much you care for someone. There is no big secret to how we grow as couples or individuals as life rolls on. Swanberg taps into undeniable life truths. Love is unpredictable. Love is messy. Love is work.

While I was initially let down (maybe for 30 seconds) by the ending, Swanberg absolutely delivers perfection in those final moments. Wendy’s pursuit of closure with everyone is emotionally healthy, and who knows what the future brings for her. The Sun Never Sets is hopeful.

IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE SEPTEMBER 4, 2026

Synopsis: Wendy (Dakota Fanning) believes she’s perfectly happy in her relationship, until her older boyfriend, Jack (Jake Johnson), who is divorced with children, insists they take a break to make sure she’s truly okay giving up on the idea of marriage and babies. During this time, Wendy unexpectedly runs into her ex, Chuck (Cory Michael Smith), who reignites her carefree and spontaneous side, and suddenly seems to want a family. The three of them navigate a chaotic, confusing, and often funny relationship triangle, reminding us that the pursuit of love is beautiful and messy all at once. The film was shot on 35mm on location in Alaska.

Writer, Director, & Editor: Joe Swanberg

Cast: Dakota Fanning, Jake Johnson, Cory Michael Smith, Debby Ryan, Anna Konkle, Lamorne Morris, Karley Sciortino

Producers: Jake Johnson, Ashleigh Snead, Joe Swanberg, Dakota Fanning, Cory Michael Smith

Executive Producers: Kathy Gitibin Parsa, Ariana Parsa, Dan Johnson

Director of Photography: Eon Mora

Genre: Romantic Drama

Language: English

Runtime: 102 min

For more Joe Swanberg films, click here!

Our Hero, Balthazar (2026): I need you to pay attention to this film.

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Our Hero, Balthazar

Oscar Boyson‘s dark, complex, and grossly timely film, Our Hero, Balthazar, has arrived to jar you. Affluent Manhattan private school student Balthazar finds himself taking advantage of the cultural tragedy of mass shootings for validation and attention he’s missing from his absent mother. When his efforts to impress his activist crush fail, Balthazar concocts a demented plan.

Void of any real feelings, his apathetic worldview is fueled by pills, money, and online dopamine hits. When a scholarship classmate, Eleanor, rejects his creepy attempts to connect, Balthazar decides to make a move so dangerous that he couldn’t possibly understand the ramifications. Balthazar’s over-the-top TikTok videos pique the interest of a random commenter. To gain her affections, he sets out to “save a potential school shooter,” or so he claims. But really he’s playing God.

Enter Solomon, the face behind the computer screen. Solomon exists in the shadow of his pyramid-scheming, supplement-hawking father. Catfished by Balthazar, Solomon decides that having a friend is more important than harming a genuine connection. As the tension ramps up between bravado and action, the relationship proves deadly on every level.

Asa Butterfield is haunting as Solomon. At first glance, he seems to embody the red pill manosphere, toxic masculinity persona to the nth degree. But the lack of control and loneliness manifest in people-pleasing and big talk to hide feelings of failure and to please his scumbag father.

Jaeden Martell delivers a breathtaking performance in the titular role. His ability to move through the spectrum of emotions within the same beat is chilling. Balthazar is a manipulative asshole, often manic. His tunnel vision energy is very ADHD presenting, and yet to discern between diagnosis and entitlement is all shades of grey. Martell is a chameleon. It is an award-worthy turn, and I hope people are paying attention.

Butterfield and Martell are an exhilarating pair. Emotionally, they are the same person. Watching them bounce off one another is a masterclass. Both characters are part victim and part product of their environment. The give and take is dazzling.

The score is unforgettable, moving between upbeat after-school special (this is a compliment), death metal riffs, and quieter, deeply sinister pieces. The handheld camerawork is incredibly immersive. It makes you an unwitting accomplice to every moment.

OUR-HERO-BALTHAZAR-Official-Trailer-1-33-screenshot

Boyson and Ricky Camilleri‘s script is a freight train. Tackling AI, influencer and incel culture, political theatre, poverty, gun regulation, and media culpability, Our Hero, Balthazar, will permanently imprint on your brain. Between cinephiles, activists, and traumatized generations of kids and adukts, the film will undoubtedly trigger every feeling imaginable. It’s an impressive feat of storytelling and a candid look at our reality. Our Hero, Balthazar, is a prime example of how essential the art form of filmmaking is.

Our Hero, Balthazar Trailer:

Rotten Tomatoes Certified-Fresh Pitch-Black Comedy Available for Digital Rental and Purchase August 11, 2026 from WG Pictures and Radial Entertainment

The film stars Martell, Butterfield, Chris Bauer (“The Wire,” “True Blood”), Jennifer Ehle (“Pride and Prejudice,”
Saint Maud), Anna Baryshnikov (“Dickinson,” Love Lies Bleeding), Noah Centineo (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, “The Recruit”), Becky Ann Baker (“Girls,” “Freaks and Geeks”), Avan Jogia (“Twisted,” “56 Days”) and Pippa Knowles.

Runtime: 96 Minutes | Rated R

For more drama coverage, click here!

The Dollmaker (2026): Unhinged horror will scar you

Posted on August 26, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

The Dollmaker

José María Cicala‘s The Dollmaker has a lot going on: missing women, a disturbed protagonist, a woman who sees dead people, and that’s only the beginning.

Tomás is a video store clerk and amateur dollmaker who becomes the main suspect in a string of female kidnappings. But not before he tries his hand at the dating scene, all while keeping his doting mother apprised of his every move.

Haunted by severe unresolved trauma and heinous visions surrounding his mother, the audience understands that Tomás is not right in the head. When he meets Tina, a waitress whose past trauma and fragile daughter have triggered visions of the dead, a romantic spark takes a sinister turn as Tomás exists in a demented reality.

The film’s opening credits immediately draw you in. The characters are flamboyant and unforgettable, almost as if a graphic novel sprang to life. The colors are vivid through a crime noir lens. Cinematographer Martín Nico utilizes soft focus as a keen device, while Cecilia Calarota‘s chaotic editing keeps us off balance. Rodrigo Noya swings between sweet and sociopathic in the same beat. It’s a chilling turn.

The homages to classics like Texas Chainsaw, May, The Shining, and Psycho are clear. Practical FX are gruesome. The script spirals into total madness. The Dollmaker is one of the year’s most chaotic and unhinged films. It will make your nightmares seem tame.

THE DOLLMAKER from director José María Cicala arriving on VOD, digital on August 25?

Dripping with Lynchian style, The Dollmaker (Encantador; Argentina, 2025) is part charming, funny, decidedly weird and enjoyably bloody. Things are not all they seem to be in a cheerfully idyllic town that soon becomes a hotbed of female kidnappings. No one seems to care much about the missing women including nerdy video store clerk and amateur dollmaker Tomás (Rodrigo Noya.) But when a new inspector comes to town determined to find the solve the disappearance, Tomás soon becomes the unlikely prime suspect. A horror film which becomes increasingly dark, and gruesome, and unpredictable.

ICE CREAM MAN (2026) Eli Roth returns with a sick treat

Posted on August 3, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

ICE CREAM MAN

In Eli Roth‘s latest deranged installment, Ice Cream Man, a quaint seaside town gets rocked when an evil, dairy-centric pied piper turns the kids in town to murderous lemmings. An unlikely group of 12-year-olds who did not partake in the product band together. Can they survive middle school and make it to summer break alive?

Jared finds himself the target of every bully in town. His empathetic, quick-witted, lactose-intolerant nature proves resourceful when all the other kids transform into supernatural maniacs from the treats they’ve consumed the night before that last week of school. In true Roth fashion, what you see is never what you get, and no one is safe. Roth does not give a rat’s ass where your line in the sand exists.

The cast is phenomenal. Charlie Storey plays Piper, the featured deranged girl and pseudo-leader of the rabid pack of littles. She is terrifying. Eli Roth is Jared’s dad. Spectacularly snarky, Eli writes a slick character every time. Ari Millen gives the Ice Cream Man a happy-go-lucky vibe that immediately creeps viewers the fuck out. He never says a word, but is easily a fan-favorite baddie.

Shiloh O’Reilly gives Tommy an abundance of swagger. He is a solid addition to the cast. Sarah Abbott delivers a brilliant physical performance as Jared’s older sister, Lizzie. Kiori Mirza Waldman nails the socially aware preteen, offering an unexpected but welcomed complexity. Charlie Zelyzer gives Jared the most fun, charming, watchable star power. Cast him in everything immediately.

Practical FX and makeup effects are as gruesome and memorable as we’ve come to expect from Roth’s resume. Kills are diabolical, and the children’s subsequent actions are bonkers—a huge shout-out to Appled Arts FX Studio and Morot FX for their work. Brandon Roberts‘ music is appropriately unhinged. I hear you, Snoop Dogg.

Roth consistently pushes the envelope in horror, delivering unforgettable films that leave a mark on your psyche and make you laugh at their intrusiveness. The lore created by Roth combines a generational curse, the church’s abhorrent crimes, and an immigrant’s supernatural revenge plot. Yes, all the things wrapped in one absolutely bananas package.

Ice Cream Man arrives on the heels of Weapons, but here we have a more comedic angle, and the children target all adults. It plays more along the lines of Cooties (2014). Ice Cream Man is a sick treat, as satisfying going down as it is coming back up. Always stay through the credits.

ICE CREAM MAN will be In Theaters Nationwide on August 7, 2026.

DIRECTED BY: Eli Roth

WRITTEN BY: Eli Roth & Noah Belson

STORY BY: Eli Roth

PRODUCED BY: Eli Roth, Kate Harrison

CAST: Ari Millen, Benjamin Byron Davis, Eli Roth, Karen Cliche, Dylan Hawco, Sarah Abbott, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Charlie Zeltzer, Charlie Storey

SYNOPSIS: Ice Cream Man follows an idyllic summer town descending into madness when an ice cream man serves kids sweet delights with horrifying results.

RUN TIME: 86 minutes

RATING: Unrated

GENRE: Horror

DISTRIBUTOR: The Horror Section

OFFICIAL SITE: www.icecreammanmovie.com

SOCIAL HANDLES:

@horrorsectionstudios (IG, FB, YT, Threads) | @thsstudios (X) | @ths_studios (TikTok)

HASHTAG: #icecreammanmovie

For more horror coverage, click here!

THE FATED HOUR (Fantasia 2026) Haunting short

Posted on July 30, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

THE FATED HOUR

Based on “The Relationship with the Spirit-World” by Friedrich Laun, filmmaker Peter Hengl‘s Fantasia 2026 atmospheric period short THE FATED HOUR begins in Austria, 1810. Florentine recounts her deceased sister’s supernatural predilections to her fiancé, ultimately warning him of her potential impending destiny.

Seraphine was gifted or afflicted with telepathy, astral projection, and an overwhelming melancholy air. Her inexplicable connection to the spirit world and her ability to receive messages from beyond create a rather chilling existence in 1810. But Florentine’s eternal love for her sister reigns supreme.

Costumes are beautiful. The camerawork, editing, and candlelit rooms lend to a haunting atmosphere. Every aspect of production is divine. Alina Schaller is incredibly compelling as Florentine. You truly hang on every word. Fanny Altenburger, who also provides stunning songwriting and vocals for the film, is mesmerizing as Seraphine, with an ethereal aura.

THE FATED HOUR delves into grief, the indescribable bond between sisters, and even believing women. It’s a genre delight, and extra delicious for us bookish, gothic-loving girlies to get lost in.

Director

Peter Hengl

Executive Producer

David Gregory

Producer

Lola Basara, Kier-La Janisse

Writer

Peter Hengl

Cast

Fanny Altenburger, Daniel Holzberg, Cornelius Obonya, Alina Schaller

For all things Fantasia, click here!

BACKSTAGE MADNESS (Fantasia 202) Creative chaos

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

BACKSTAGE MADNESS

Filmmaker Amanbek Azhymat‘s Fantasia 2026 dark comedy BACKSTAGE MADNESS is every writer’s intrusive thoughts come true. Hilarious and bold from the moment the film opens, the story begins with a screenwriter overwhelmed by his creations who seem to haunt and judge him. A slimy producer concocts a wacky scheme, promising big bucks in return. Each film investor must be featured in the script as they are funding the film. But with every dollar comes another genre switch, resulting in a hybrid script that has no right being this entertaining.

This pay-for-play approach raises the stakes for both our screenwriter and the audience. Anything is fair game as we go along on this wild ride. We are treated to an insanely creative and over-the-top plot rollout in real time. It shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does.

This fly by the seat of your pants approach leaves you salivating for the next scene. The meta script follows a crime boss, his deadbeat clients, his morally conscious thugs, and the one man who alludes capture due to mistaken identity and a murder plot gone awry. Each cast member plays multiple roles, and they nail them.

Performances are hysterical across the board. The practical FX and make-up are fantastic. Discerning meta script from actual script is fun and shockingly uncomplicated. Azhymat and Janysh Dadabaev‘s editing is outstanding. Azhymat flips between scripts with typewriting transition moments, introducing the next act of the meta script, his former characters cheering him on when needed.

Dynamic camerawork by Bekzat Turarbek Uulu enhances the comedy and mirrors the stylized genre of each scene. The score does the same, changing up to match any particular scene’s vibe. I equate the energy to something like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

BACKSTAGE MADNESS is a direct dig at the profit side of Hollywood, but moreover, it is an ode to the physical and emotional toll of creativity. Within the brilliant chaos, it honors the magnitude of power a writer truly possesses. BACKSTAGE MADNESS is never-ending fun.