LIZZIE LAZARUS
Filmmaker Aviv Rubinstien gives Popcorn Frights 2024 audiences a reason to stand up and cheer with LIZZIE LAZARUS. Set in 1990, Bethany’s sister dies in a car crash on the way to her house. Lizzie’s mental state causes Bethany to question if her death was intentional. Enlisting the assistance of Lizzie’s ex, Eli, truth is stranger than fiction.
Tommy Oceanak‘s cinematography got a vehement “Hell Yeah” from me during the first frame. Opening with a song by Megan Oesterreich, in the titular role, I thought the film was a horror musical. I was mistaken, making the moment all the more delightful. Oesterreich is so likeable as Lizzie. I would watch a franchise surrounding Lizzie and Bethany.
Omar Maskati balances genuine feelings and suspect behavior. Rubinstien does an expert job at keeping you guessing, and Maskati leans into the crumbs, dropped one at a time. Lianne O’Shea gives Bethany a smart-aleck edge that lures you in. She is quippy and self-assured. O’Shea owns the frame, daring Maskati to keep up.
The screenplay utilizes conspiracy theories, scientific studies, and their naturally sparked debate from one intellectual to another. It’s easy to see that Bethany believes Eli has something to do with Lizzie’s demise, asking pointed questions along their clandestine midnight trek. She is suspicious and relentless in her pursuit to do right by her sister. Eli does not do himself any favors with a combative attitude. Secrets and confessions spill as they try to reach their destination and begin a reanimation ritual.
LIZZIE LAZARUS is a feminist-driven narrative that reels you in at every turn. Reveal after reveal keeps you on the hook. The finale is beyond satisfying for genre fans, anyone with sisters, and spooky girls alike.
YEAR: 2024
COUNTRY: USA
RUNTIME: 91 min
DIRECTOR: Aviv Rubinstien
WRITER: Aviv Rubinstien
STARRING: Omar Maskati, Lianne O’Shea, Megan Oesterreich
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Jack Greig
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MISSING
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US Narrative Competition
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