GODHEAD
HIPPO filmmaker Mark H. Rapaport brings his shocking sophomore creation to Fantasia 2026 audiences. GODHEAD follows a small-town priest with a secret. When a mysterious pair of twins dressed in white tracksuits appear in the church, they task Father with deciding which of them is the Holy Spirit.
Al Warren plays Father with an even-keeled temperament that is unnerving. Warren’s performance subconsciously splits the audience’s attention with our understanding that our priest has villainous tendencies. Right outside the walls of the church, he is holding a young boy, once abandoned on the church’s doorstep, captive with tales of an apocalyptic outside world. Matthew exists in an environment entirely curated to keep him afraid and controlled. Locked in his room after hours of bible stories, forced to listen to cassette tapes of chaotic audio playing just beneath his window. But, in truth, his flaws could not be darker.
Sarah Coffey and Kimball Farley deliver jarring physical performances, leaning into the idea that they are otherworldly. As First Born, Coffey speaks with unwavering assuredness. Each moment is powerful and intense. Coffey’s appearance from the neck up is one of a 90s raver kid, making her all the more intriguing as it visually counters the messaging. As Second Born, Farley gives a neurodivergent presenting performance that is pure and immaculate chaos. As a parent of AuDHD children, it is a meticulously accurate portrayal. Both bless us with award-worthy turns.
The original score from Austin Feinstein and Kenny Kusiak wavers between unsettling and ethereal. As with HIPPO, the film is shot in crisp black-and-white by William Tracy Babcock. The camerawork matches the unpredictability of the script, melding closeups, odd angles, and powerful framing to subvert our expectations.
If you grew up in a household that sat along the line of Christianity, you would catch the immense impact of the iconography and actions surrounding the care (or lack thereof) in handling and depicting certain objects and events. 24 minutes into the film, the audience understands the narrative gravity in GODHEAD.
As what those still in the church would call a Lapsed Catholic, or as my mother jokingly refers to my siblings and me as heathens, experiencing this story unfold had me captivated. Regardless of religious affiliation, the debates in the film will undoubtedly have audiences talking. If this film does not burrow into your brain, you aren’t paying attention.
Rapaport challenges viewers to examine the construct of good and evil; to study the effects of indoctrination and fanaticism in a world existing between truth and fiction. GODHEAD is a wild ride, and inarguably one of the most brilliantly complex films of the year.
English language, 98 minutes
Dir. Mark H. Rapaport
Alanna Ubach plays Emily’s mother, Sam. A former addict seeking redemption, Ubach is a pro, settling into a weighty role. For me, Ubach created some of the most memorable sidekick roles of the ’90s and early 2000s, carrying a Lili Taylor vibe with her comedic timing. It is a dramatic departure that is phenomenal.
Brittany O’Grady owns this role. Emily is in almost every shot, and O’Grady powers through unresolved trauma with ferocity. This fearless portrayal of a daughter dying for answers will pull you in. There is an undeniable gravity to this performance.
The mostly handheld camerawork subconsciously forces the audience to participate in the mystery and the emotional turmoil. Beyond the genre fare, IN OUR BLOOD also acts as a viewfinder for the vibrant yet desolate aspects of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Screenwriter Mallory Westfall provides clues, if you pay attention, so I suggest you do. Even with that said, the twists are absolutely clutch. Currently boasting a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, IN OUR BLOOD is a gripping mix of horror and thriller. True crime fans will eat this up for dinner. I’m demanding a franchise from Kos and Westfall, ASAP.
Genre: Thriller/Horror
DANGEROUS ANIMALS
Josh Heuston is Moses. Relentlessly charming and earnest, Moses tries his damnedest to find Zephyr, but his fate may be closer to any of the boy toys in the SCREAM franchise. Heuston is much more than a vapid heartthrob. He is an admirable scene partner, and you want more of him. 
Hassie Harrison is a childhood trauma-fueled badass. Harrison commands your attention and takes risks. She could carry any film. She is Final Girl heaven. 
DIRECTED BY CAITLIN CRONENBERG
In Caitlin Cronenberg‘s HUMANE, 
Alanna Bale is an aspiring actress and the youngest family member, Ashley. Her selfishness and loose lips cause nothing but chaos. Sebastian Chacon plays Noah York, adopted son, recovering alcoholic, and piano prodigy. Chacon is sensational, bringing a humanity that stands out among the ensemble cast.
Emily Hampshire, whose film cred has exploded since the Schitt’s Creek finale, is the eldest York daughter, Rachel. She is abrasive, unfiltered, and fearless. Hampshire owns every moment of screen time. 
The set is stunning, a stone mansion with deep jewel-toned walls and carved mahogany. The use of solar-lined umbrellas in the brief periods exposed to the sun and the implementation of solar film on the windows make a massive impact. The characters each comment on the ingredients their stepmother has procured, suggesting the food chain has affected every socioeconomic corner. It is all very carefully curated, and undeniably brilliant. 
DIG! XX
To find out more information on all things Sundance 2024, head to 
Following her rise to fame in shows like Orange is the New Black, The Handmaid’s Tale, and 
The main all-white set plays a dual role, subconsciously reminding you of white power and allowing your eye to focus on Brewer and the green plants she tends in her quiet time. The practical FX are gag-inducing. The score is ominous. It is easily one of the most affecting and unsettling things I’ve seen this year. 
When Abby’s grandma dies, the only thing she inherits a stupid kite – after giving it to her brother; he is mysteriously killed and the kite disappears. While searching for the truth, she is tangled in a strange supernatural plot, where this killer kite continues to kill! Now, Abby must string together a way to stop the kite before it blows us all away. Kites may not be the scariest monster ever, but they’re up there.
Could KILLER KITES be the new Midnight Madness screening? Anything is possible. Check out the trailer below. 
Michael Patrick Lane is Emily’s captor and psycho ex, Charlie. Scary and somehow kooky, he is like the Michael Myers of ex-boyfriends. Missi Pyle plays Carole, and she’s a real asshole. Her performance is both caricature and authentically terrifying. Pyle gives us rich, tacky, gun-toting Karen energy. I mean, had station is in Tallahassee. Her character work is unreal.
Midori Francis is an absolute badass as Emily. Minutes in, I was yelling at the screen, cheering her on. Her shockingly calm demeanor is all the motivation Sam needs to help. Jolene Purdy plays Sam with zero self-esteem and a heart of hold. Her emotional arc in the film will leave you with a smirk. She and Francis have electric chemistry, especially considering they are never in the same space as one another. They are both stars.
Areal shots are stunning. The addition of out-of-focus camerawork puts you in Emily’s chaotic mindset. The splashy neon colors of the Gator Galore station contrast beautifully with Emily’s overcast forest landscape. Directed by Yoko Okumura and written by Salvatore Cardoni and Brian Rawlins, UNSEEN balances comic, over-the-top characters with nuanced ones and the plausible scenario of a woman’s abduction by her ex. The script is a commentary on class and one hell of a story of gender-based violence. It is undeniably entertaining. Some audiences might initially make comparisons with Shudder’s 
The writing is perfectly genius, as it disguises the mystery within the secretive nature of the religion. I watch a lot of horror. ATTACHMENT had me on the ropes. I had no idea where this script would land. The language barrier raises the stakes, as important revelations become lost in translation, literally. Performances are spectacular and nuanced. The emotional journeys are lush. Their pasts slowly revealed creating a genuine and curious bond. I could not take my eyes off the screen while watching Attachment, fearing I’d miss the smallest detail. Audiences will be hypnotized.
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[MUBI Spotlight] 
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Narcoleap: S2
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