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
![The Restoration at Grayson Manor_press 3 kit.docx - [www.dropbox.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Restoration-at-Grayson-Manor_press-3-kit.docx-www.dropbox.com_.png?resize=678%2C283&ssl=1)
![The Restoration at Grayson Manor_press 2 kit.docx - [www.dropbox.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Restoration-at-Grayson-Manor_press-2-kit.docx-www.dropbox.com_.png?resize=620%2C413&ssl=1)
![The Restoration at Grayson Manor_press 1 kit.docx - [www.dropbox.com]](https://i0.wp.com/reelnewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Restoration-at-Grayson-Manor_press-kit.docx-www.dropbox.com_.png?resize=654%2C396&ssl=1 "The Restoration at Grayson Manor_press 1 kit.docx - [www.dropbox.com]")
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
This heartwarming doc has some amazing personalities. Audrey is Sound. Her infectious wonder is the epitome of SILVER SCREAMERS. David is Special Effects. With his puppeteering skills, the film’s villain comes alive. Diane is in charge of Makeup. Her theatre background is key to her role. Sonny is the Camera Operator. He is reactivating the dreams of his youth. 
The team takes on their jobs with a refreshing enthusiasm. Watching each one tackle their assignments is like a boot camp into the complexities of filmmaking. Editor Lee Walker delivers an incredibly engaging montage of their initial endeavors. The opening credits are integrated into the film’s storyboards. It’s a brilliant device. 
SILVER SCREAMERS acts as an advocacy pitch for art therapy at every age. Wait until you hear the ADR session. It’s a riot. The horror homage final scene is the cherry on top. Fantastic Fest audiences are in for a real treat.
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.
[Viewfinders] 
[Viewfinder] 
[MUBI Spotlight] 
[Debuts] 
[Debuts] 
This Halloween, MUBI presents 
Legendary horror master George A. Romero returns to MUBI with a gruesome double feature with a generous amount of blood, guts, and sociopolitical allegory to satisfy any zombie movie cravings. From the final two chapters of Romero’s epic five-decade long Dead series: the “found-footage” shot 
This October, as the days grow shorter and the air grows colder, MUBI presents a double feature celebrating some of the very best of contemporary Icelandic cinema, which has recently experienced a resurgence of sorts in the international festival circuit. In 
To celebrate the Halloween spirit, this October MUBI presents Michio Yamanto’s aptly titled 
British experimental artist, critic, and writer Morgan Quaintance explores cinema as collective memory. Through his texturally rich short films, Quaintance focuses on hidden or forgotten history through the reconstruction of archival materials, moving image, photographs, written text and disconnected sounds. This month MUBI presents a double bill of his most recent work: 
To celebrate the release of 
This month, MUBI continues its ongoing retrospective of misunderstood French master Maurice Pialat with 
You must be logged in to post a comment.