TGGeeks

There is something to be said about "found footage" films. Recently, we have started to see an increase of this style of filmmaking, and while a few have been firmly grounded in the drama genre, the majority of them are easily in the horror category. It's even possible to consider "found footage" as a sub-genre. The trick, however, is to keep it fresh. And Occupants has succeeded.

From the opening moments of Occupants we are immediately introduced to the Peterson Research Institute, an organization that deals with parapsychology, metaphysics, mythology, and extrasensory perception. We are shown a case file of a young couple, Annie and Neil Curtis from Los Angeles California, as well as some text scrolling across the screen informing the audience that this footage we are about to see was used with permission by the Peterson Research Institute, and that this case is unsolved. From here on the entire movie is built on this "found footage" sub-genre on the story premise of this young couple going through a detox regiment. Annie, is a filmmaker/documentarian and her latest project is showing how detoxification through diet and healthy living for 30 days will improve their lives. To adequately record all of this she has placed cameras in almost every room of the home that she and her husband, Neil, live in. This includes their living room, dining room, and kitchen. Annie does have an office in her home where she edits her films, and some of the footage used is taken from her computer camera as we see her working and editing her recorded footage. It is here that the story slowly starts to turn badly for our young couple as the footage Annie, and later Neil, review start to show glitches. They start off really quickly and are sporadic, but as the film progresses they start to occur with greater frequency, and then the heart of this thriller is revealed; they continue to see the same rooms and the same people in the recorded footage, only they are not the same rooms and the same people. The rooms are painted and decorated differently, and the young couple has a different look and appearance about them. Somehow the cameras that Annie has set up are now peering into a parallel universe. The observations made by "our" Annie and Neil start off as purely benign, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that things are not all rosy "on the other side," and what started off as a bad, slow turn, for our happy couple, suddenly takes a very seriously dark shift in this movie, now adding a creepy voyeuristic layer to this film.

Julia Camera wrote the story and she also served as this film's co-producer. The movie's stars are Michael Pugliese and Briana White. They clearly make up half of why this movie performs so strongly. They have excellent chemistry with each other, allowing us to believe that they are a happy, very much in love couple, especially in the first part of the film as they are documenting their detox regiment. You believe that you are actually watching something that might be on YouTube or other form of social media. Kudos must go to director Russ Emanuel for it was his decision that these two actors spend time together away from the set and the cameras just to become familiar with each other before filming. It worked brilliantly, especially as Annie starts to slowly have an emotional breakdown due to a highly unpleasant turn of events. The comfort level that actress Briana must have with her acting partner, Michael, needs to be there in order to give a truly emotionally vulnerable performance of this nature.

Michael Pugliese, as Neil, comes off as mostly jovial, optimistic, and very much in love with wife Annie. However it is in his portrayal of the "other" Neil that we see a totally different person. Michael's challenge is to play the same character, yet with a different twist. As Annie observes earlier, she says, "they are us," but as Neil later states, "they are totally different people." That's a difficult line to straddle and Michael executes with perfection. Both Briana's and Michael's acting could have destroyed this film. However they didn't. Their performances pulled me in, kept me intrigued, and seeing the events unfold through their eyes, as well as their reactions to said events, created a level of suspense that left me exhausted when the film was over.

The other half of this film's success rests on the shoulder's of director Russ Emanuel. With Occupants he manages to deliver two different stories, and yet they are sort of the same story. The way he was able to direct both Michael and Briana to have them act out two different parts, and yet the same parts, is what makes this entire film work, not to mention having the vision to have two parallel story lines intersect, and then later interact, in near perfect synchronicity. One last mention must go to actor Robert Picardo as Dr. Alan Peterson of the Peterson Research Institute. We only see his character in the film by way of video chat, but his part is in no way inconsequential. He is there to occasionally provide advice to our Annie and Neil as they try to understand, and deal with, what has become a series of terror filled events.

The most bone-chilling horror film is that where it is voyeuristic, and while this film starts off as "found footage," the moment it shifts to where Annie and Neil are the voyeurs is when the true psychological horror manifests itself. Through the incredible acting and directing of this film, we become the voyeur as we witness the nightmare that Annie and Neil are experiencing. Even as the closing credits were rolling, and for quite some time after that, I found myself quite shaken by what I had watched.

A Tricky Treat by Patricia Chica is very tricky indeed. It starts with a little musical vamping to set a light mood and then in the first shot something seems to be slightly off. It isn't anything that you can really identify, just a feeling that is accented by the use of body only shots.

Once the real action starts there is an artifact-y overlay to the film that gives it an ethereal atmosphere and emphasized by little bits of music. I really enjoyed the effect. Of course, I love any type of effect used to appropriately enhance a film whether that is lighting, coloring, or cinematography.

The short gets a little gory but in retrospect it really isn't that much considering the subject matter.

The dialog is a little campy but then you realize why at the end.

This short (just over three minutes) is a almost master class in misdirection from a filming perspective. I really enjoyed it and the surprise at the end is delightful, Patricia Chica has done it again.

You should make time to see this fabulous short.

Imagine Medusa having a child and caring for it….. There it is, the basic plot idea for Serpents Lullaby, but it is so much more than that small idea.

Charles Hall, screenwriter for Serpents Lullaby, weaves a tale of love and sorrow that turns to desperation in this short film that features very little dialogue, in fact, there are less than a dozen lines spoken.

The appeal (for me) and complexity of this award-winning thirteen minute short is in the filming, direction, and fabulous setting. The setting appears to be a very lovely private residence (mansion) in Sainte Agathe des Monts, Québec, Canada (the filming location), giving the film's lead character an air of wealth. Of course, it is the filming and direction that takes this lovely setting and crafts it into a classic Gothic horror with a present day sensibility.

The filming techniques used have an almost film noir look and a modern, but somewhat subdued, Ice Blue color palette resulting in a cold and dark mood, as it should be for this subject. The direction was exquisite in the use of unusual camera angles as well as close-up photography highlighting the mystery and suspense of the film. There were several critters used in the filming that made it that much more creepy (for me anyway, "Why did it have to be snakes?"), but were necessary for the telling of the tale.

The film feels predictable in where you think the story is going to go… Until the twist. Actually there is more than one twist. Just when you think you know where it is going to go it veers away from that idea, and then delivers yet another twist. Serpents Lullaby is a heartbreaking story with a sad, but satisfying end.

Kudos to Patirica Chica and crew for creating a very smart horror short that is visually stunning and a delight to watch.

Zombies are all the rage right now. While they have been a part of the horror genre for quite a number of years, they have become almost chic with the level of visibility they have on television and in movie houses. This of course brings up a problem. What do you do if you're an independent filmmaker/writer and you wish to make a zombie movie? How do you craft a story and film so that it stands apart from all the other zombie TV and movie properties out there? The answer is actually quite simple: you make I Am Alone.

Michael A. Weiss (writer) has worked on numerous projects and in many different positions, from Grip (Movies 101), to Assistant Camera (Pimp My Ride), Editor (Unconventional) and even Producer (People Of Earth). Here he gets his chance to try his hand at writing a zombie story like no other, and working with veteran co-writer/director Robert A. Palmer (People Of Earth, Elysian, The Potchki Chronicles) they have made something which almost flies in the face of conventional horror movie making.

The movie stars Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood) as Jacob Fits (host for reality TV show "I Am Alone"), and Gunner Wright (My Haunted House) as Mason Riley, and his role is to monitor Fits' progress as he continues to film and document his trials while being all alone in whatever environment the reality show calls for him at the time. This is the setting for this movie's "zombie apocalypse" as some unknown virus is causing the townsfolk of Montrose, Colorado to slowly degenerate into this movie's zombie threat. While that may seem somewhat ordinary as far as zombie movies go, it is in the story narrative that the film establishes itself.

Much of the story (both Fits' and Riley's) is told through the form of flashbacks (by way of found film footage that both Fits and Riley were taking simultaneously). Riley's footage is basically about a man on the run as he tries to evade his zombie pursuers. Where his scenes stand out are those in the CDC bunker. Virtually everything there is "told" from the POV of the security cameras that monitor and document everything that is happening. Gunner Wright really shines in those scenes as a man who is frustrated at his sudden captivity, as well as his sense of helplessness in trying to understand why all of this has happened, as well as what has happened to his best friend (Fits). It's safe to say that practically no one has gone through what Riley is facing while in the CDC bunker. Actors usually try to draw upon some type of reality in their lives in order to fuel the performance needed for the role they are playing, and Wright does a magnificent job at giving us a character that is beyond both frustrated and terrified. Also the use of "security cameras" as our means to watch what is happening in the room is very unsettling. It creates a sense that there is a dispassionate observer on the other end. Then again I have always found such film techniques to be very disturbing.

Then there is Gareth David-Lloyd. All of his scenes are "found footage," and as the movie progresses we see how Fits, after having is close encounter with a zombie, is gradually losing himself. It starts with issues of fatigue, and then his mind starts to go. It is here that this film is now compelling. David-Lloyd, more than convincingly, gives us a character who is degrading right before our very eyes. The use of the footage that documents this gives us the feeling that we are there with him. We are now more than just witnesses to this terrible plight he's facing. Now we are with him on this terrible journey he's on. We believe that he's slowly losing himself to this affliction. His performance pulls us in and we forget that we are watching a horror film, but instead start to believe that we are also watching some found footage of a man succumbing to a terrible disease, with an even more terrible ending. Where he found the internal motivation to deliver such an acting performance escapes me. It was to this movie watcher, nothing less than brilliant. Of course I must also give compliments to the writing, the directing, and the editing of those scenes. The writing gave David-Lloyd the wonderful material to draw upon, the directing helped him to focus his acting energy with just the right level of intensity, and the editing gave those scenes the ideal pace that could have ruined an otherwise Oscar worthy acting performance.

The movie has a very open ending which may seem distressing to some, especially if they are watching it for the first time. However as I re-watched it and thought about it I realized that Weiss and Palmer were trying to create something that would defy convention. The typical horror/action movie would introduce your players, then subject them to the story threat, followed by the resolution as the survivors manage to escape their doom. However I Am Alone isn't that type of film. Through the use of found footage this film becomes a psychological study of what happens when a person becomes a victim of the zombie apocalypse. This isn't about a movie threat that needs to be overcome before the ending credits. No, this is a movie about the human condition, and what happens when it is slowly eroding away as it does with Fits, and with a movie that explores this topic under such a zombie threat, there can be no real ending. There can only be despair, and that is why the movie succeeds at being a true horror film.

The Two Gay Geeks saw this film during the Horror Comedy block of films at Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego. We immediately liked it.

One of the fun aspects of this movie is the use of misdirection. At first we see two people having a conversation, first somewhat stiff, then loosening up to one that relies on movie clichés. It is here that once we think we understand what is going on that the short gives us another surprise right at the end creating a short film filled with giggles at first, and then one good laugh at the end.

The cast is excellent and the setting is quite disarming. A truly well thought out and produced film short.

We had the opportunity of interviewing the filmmaker, Pia Thrasher, after the screening to learn more about her inspiration for the film, the shooting location, and the actual shoot.

Interestingly enough, this is the first film for Pia and we think she did a fabulous job of creating an engaging dark comedy short.

We had the pleasure(?) of screening this short in the Horror Comedy film block at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego. Wow! What a ride! Have you ever wondered what your toilet might say if could speak? Well the writer of this amusing British short did and gives us a straight up comedy when a man's toilet gives its owner quite a lecture about toilet maintenance as well as some dietary recommendations. The horror element doesn't come in until the very last moment in a very surprising way which could raise a few questions regarding the character of the toilet, but when you take a step back and remind yourself that this is a short about a talking toilet you immediately disregard any logical questions that might come up. It's a truly funny short! This short is not for everybody due to the language and the subject but, it fits well in our warped sense of humor. I would have to say it is craptastic. ;-)

We screened this short at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego. We also had the immense pleasure of speaking with the filmmaker, Pablo Absento, who flew all the way form Japan to be in attendance.

Japanese influenced horror about a ghost/demon hunting a man who has just received bad news. His day is getting worse! Good effects help to raise the tension combined with excellent cinematography, make this film a great experience. There is clearly more to this story, which we would love to see filmed and according to the filmmaker, it appears that there is another film in the works. What helps this film is the borrowing of classic Japanese horror element, but wrapping it up in a modern "western" way of storytelling.

Sometimes in horror, especially of the supernatural variety, it is what you don't see more than what you do see and this film is no exception to that rule. The creep factor really is in the stuff you don't get to directly witness.

It is definitely worth watching. We are definitely going to be on the lookout for more.

This film was on the roster at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego and screened the LGBT Film Block.

I love being surprised, and at the very beginning of the short the GLBT element (lesbian in this case) seems to be rather incidental, and that this short is more about "family serial killer in training," but this short from Spain doesn't follow some of the American stereotypes in that there is a strong GLBT element to the short, albeit not in the way we originally come to expect which delivers a truly surprising, and funny, ending to the story.

There is some gore in this short film but the real appeal is the somewhat comedic and absurd aspect of the premise. It plays on the serial killer aspect with an outlandish flare.

Well worth watching. Subtitles are a must for viewers that do not speak Spanish.

We had the immense pleasure of screening this film on 35MM during the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego. The print was immaculate. We found this to be one the most artistically beautiful movies in a long time. This gorgeous Italian film from 1994 stars Rupert Everett (as Francesco Dellamorte) and is entirely in English. The filmmaking style is unlike anything I've ever seen before and deals with a cemetery caretaker who must kill the deceased when they return as zombies. The style of this movie clearly took me back to the heyday midnight monster (or in this case zombie) movies.

At times the movie comes off as almost hallucinatory in its imagery, but all the while gives us a rich looking movie accompanied by a spectacular music score. It's basically comprised of what could be considered story vignettes, all threaded together by Francesco's responsibility to rid his little community of Buffalora of its zombies. If you're a fan of artful movies, or even zombie movies, then this is a film you definitely need to see!

This film was the last to be screened at Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego where it won the award for Best Cinematography in a Feature Film.

Monster movie by a local San Diego filmmaking team, this could be classified as a "B" monster movie with Bigfoot as the monster. The movie takes its time in developing its cast of characters and the circumstances which brings them to the setting where the monster mayhem is to take place. The cinematography is nice in making good use of the woods in the state of Washington, and the setting in the woods makes use of its own claustrophobia when out in the woods, especially at night. Scenes taking place in the cabin were oddly reminiscent of the original Night Of The Living Dead with the confined space that our humans have to deal with. The gore factor does increase after a time which creates uneasy laughs in the audience. Bigfoot itself looks rather poor at times, but since Bigfoot arguably doesn't exist (although the filmmaker would argue) we must accept what the movie presents. The tension is fun and the final confrontations with the family of Bigfoot is a good payoff for a monster movie of this type. If there is a downside to this movie is that the film's most likable character is the first to die. What breaks with cliché is how it happens. Other than that this is a fun late night/midnight monster flick.

We screened this film at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego where it won two awards: Best SFX in a Short Film and Best Director of a Short Film – Gigi Saul Guerrero.

We were surprised by this short as it did not fall into what we were expecting out of Mexican Horror based on an interview we did with another filmmaker. The film style has a very graphic sense of realism to it making the viewer almost FEEL what is going on in the movie. The fact that it borrows from the Luchadore (masked Mexican wrestling) is a strong cultural element to the film, but it has a strong violence element, not to mention a story idea that borrows from Texas Chainsaw Massacre as well as Motel Hell.

We interviewed the film's director, Gigi Saul Guerrero which revealed a great deal as to why the short film had the tone that it did. We would recommend this film for those that have strong stomachs.

We had the immense pleasure of screening this film during the LGBT film block at Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego where it won four awards: Best Score in a Feature Film, Best Actor in a Feature Film – Matthew McKelligon, Best Director of a Feature Film – Jim Hansen, and Audience Favorite Film. American GLBT movies tend to rely on a variety of tropes, all depending on what kind of story you're telling. Sadly, the types of stories have all revolved around either AIDS or coming out. Even when the movie is a comedy, the tropes remain the same. However with this film the tropes are deliberate and played for laughs.

The narrative sort of revolves around two elements. We have our antagonist who relishes in killing anyone who gets in the way of his happiness, and then we have two gay friends (the movie heavily hints that they SHOULD be a couple instead of just friends) who have web series filled with comedic skits. The main plot of this story is when the two elements come together where our killer starts dating one of the friends behind the web series. It is here that the many gay tropes come into play, and while at first I found myself taking exception to these jokes, I suddenly remembered that I actually have some (gay) friends who are truly like that!

Once all is revealed the movie continues to take us on a few left turns, including the surprise appearance of a famous 80's TV actress. The acting is VERY well done by the leads in this movie, and the horror element balances out well with the comedy. This movie also suggests that perhaps there is a place for the GLBT community in the horror genre. We would recommend this film to all whether you are in the LGBT community or not, it has a lot of great laughs and is rather thought provoking.

We were fortunate enough to be in the audience for the premiere of AfterImage, at the Horrible Imaginings Film Festival in San Diego. It was screened in the Supernatural film block. This is one of the creepiest movies we've seen in a long time, where photography can be used in a supernatural, stalking sort of way. It also deals with how people view themselves, how they wish to be viewed, and what happens when that goal is met. The open ended nature of the short only added to the creepiness of the short which left us feeling both weirded out and very unsettled. It has a Night Gallery, Twilight Zone feel to it that makes this film that much more intriguing. After the premiere, we were able to speak with Greg, the filmmaker, and learned that he had been a physics teacher for 16 years, which helped influence the story. He and Alyssa were walking on the beach when the question was asked, "what would you do if you found a photo of yourself, that you did not remember?" We would highly recommend this short film.

Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) who screened this short at the first Phoenix Loves Sci- Fi Film Festival along with 20 other shorts. This was one of the ones they chose as a standout among the crowd. This short was part of the second block of short films screened that evening. Keith was amused by the homage to the Twilight Zone and the twist. Some of the acting was a little over the top, but what do you expect form a comedic short that pokes fun at comedic shorts. It was a nice diversion form some of the more serious works we saw. Ben's thoughts: I loved the couple of instances of "misdirection" which happen here. What clearly started off as an homage to "Terror at 5,000 Feet" from The Twilight Zone series, the twists start off pretty quickly and received a lot of laughs from the audience. The short then ends with a new twist that felt like it could have come from John Landis' Twilight Zone: The Movie. A nice romp just for the fun of it. We hope to see more from this director.

Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) who screened this short at the first Phoenix Loves Sci- Fi Film Festival along with 20 other shorts. This was one of the ones they chose as a standout among the crowd. This was part of the second block of films on the program. It is too bad so many people left during the break. This was likely the best on the program. Keith thought it was fun and a humorous look at our planet. I will say in this short, they did a lot of universe building (insert rim shot here). Nice to self expression at its best. Ben's thoughts: One of the most charming shorts I have ever watched with plenty of nods to Magrathea from The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, but drawn from a very interesting premise regarding the science regarding Earth's own moon. It was heartwarming, beautifully animated, and left me with a smile on my face by the time it finished. No wonder this fine short is award winning, it truly is a winner. We look forward to seeing more form this director.

Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) who screened this short at the first Phoenix Loves Sci- Fi Film Festival along with 20 other shorts. This was one of the ones they chose as a standout among the crowd. This heartwarming short was part of the second block of films on the program. Too bad so many left during the break. This was a true piece of art by one of our local Phoenix filmmakers. Keith is a frustrated wannabe photographer so lenses are a very important piece of equipment and while the initial hook of the lens drew me into the short, what kept me intrigued was the story and the emotional content of the message. Ben's thoughts: Here was another short that drew from an older idea, but its execution was entirely fresh. Granted, the love of photography is what made this one stand out, but the story here could have easily been shown on an episode of Amazing Stories regarding a very specific telescopic camera lens and the importance of family. We look forward to more output form this fine young director.

Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) who screened this short at the first Phoenix Loves Sci- Fi Film Festival along with 20 other shorts. This was one of the ones they chose as a standout among the crowd. This short was part of the second block of films we screened and is easily on of the better shorts screened during the evening. This short, in addition to the others we screened, are amazing. Keith originally thought this was stop motion photography. It was very well done and had a great emotional payoff. Ben's thoughts: One of the most poignant, if not tragic, shorts of the evening. This beautifully digitally animated film looks as if it could have been done with stop motion, and simply tells the story of man with his mechanical bear on a search for his father who was lost to him as a young boy. It was artistically beautiful with a somewhat sad ending. The art of filmmaking is clearly alive and well based on what we saw here, and we look forward to seeing more from this talented filmmaker in the years to come.

(May contain spoilers) Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) who screened this short at the first Phoenix Loves Sci- Fi Film Festival along with 20 other shorts. This was one of the ones they chose as a standout among the crowd. Keith's thoughts: The characters were written and portrayed made you truly feel for them in the short amount of time we get to see part of their lives. Ben's thoughts: An amusing, and thoughtful, look at time travel by sending out invitations to time travelers for a party scheduled for a date which has already passed. This was not concept as I have heard of people actually trying to host such parties, but to see it done here was a delight, and at the same time one thing about cause and effect.

Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) who screened this short at the first Phoenix Loves Sci- Fi Film Festival along with 20 other shorts. This was one of the ones they chose as a standout among the crowd. This was the product of one of our local Phoenix filmmakers. Here is what Ben thought of the short: One of the "headiest" shorts I have ever seen. What I loved about this was the attention paid towards actual theoretical science, all starting with quantum entanglement, followed by a nod to such advanced notions as temporal physics and possibly even string theory. If I only had one complaint is that there was so much science being thrown out that there was too much for me to absorb in one viewing. This is one short I would most definitely want to watch again. Keith enjoyed the characterizations and the heart of the story as well as the more true science of the short. A must see for anyone that enjoys hard science fiction. We look forward to seeing more form this director.

Ben and Keith (The Two Gay Geeks) screened this short at the Phoenix Loves Sci-Fi Film Festival along with 20 other short films. It was one of the standouts in the program. It was first up on the program. Keith thought it was a cute comedic short to whet the appetite for the rest of the festival. Ben's thoughts: This was a totally delightful computer animated short about two different individuals, their personal outlook on life, and how fate just brought them together. It was charming, very humorous, and done with such quality it looked like it could have easily been done by the folks at Pixar. We look forward to seeing more from these two artists.

Just finished watching the first three installments of Origin: Beyond the Impact. From the information to be gathered, it appears this is the first release from Etched Motion Productions and Director Jeff Patton.

Origin: Beyond the Impact (BTI) is a web series and is available to watch on Vimeo. The most recent installment (Episode 3) was released on May 18, 2015, with future episodes available this Fall. Each episode runs 15+ minutes, just enough to whet your appetite. The nature of the series is tagged as sci-fi, but I would also add suspenseful drama in my description. As far as I am concerned it has something for everybody in those categories.

BTI is set in current day Southern California and has its origin (wink) in a space object (alien?) impact in 1962. The first few minutes are the set up for the series, interspersed with some impressive credits, along with music that seems very "Hans Zimmer-ish" in places and "Daft Punk-ish" in other places in the series. We are introduced to a number of characters in the first episode but given no real background other than some kind of secret is being kept (hence the intrigue) and it appears everyone wants to know what that secret is. The plot thickens when a Russian operative is introduced and sent to the U.S. As each episode progresses we are given very tiny glimpses into the characters personalities and what may be at the heart of this big secret. The secret is so secret even elements the U.S. government are kept in the dark. I could go on with my description but then I would be in spoiler territory.

I like the writing and the pace of the episodes, although I wish they were longer and we could have been given more answers. I will say, however, that this is no Lost (don't get me started). They do give just enough in the way of clues to be exciting and to keep me coming back. I don't know how many episodes are planned but they could stretch this out for a while at 15+ minutes a pop.

The acting was solid, although one of the actors made me want to pinch his head off at first, but then I realized it was the way his character was written. It will be interesting to see the actors grow into their characters as the series progresses.

I really like some of the filming and cinematography techniques used for BTI, especially at the beginning for the 1962 sequence where they employed a classic sepia tone to depict that era, and then flowed into what could be referred to as a blue-sepia or maybe a cyanotype sequence; whatever you call it, I loved it for the artistic expression. The color palette for this series is somewhat muted, with hints of deeper color (primarily blue), allowing for scenes that appear underexposed as well as scenes that are extremely overexposed giving an ethereal feel to the series.

All in all I liked Origin: Beyond the Impact web series and can't wait for more because I want to know the secret.

As many of you know and have discovered I am not the writer portion of The Two Gay Geeks, but I will give this a go. It was a dark and warm-y night at Phoenix ComiCon 2015 and time for the late (way past pumpkin time for this guy) Horror Short Film Festival. While the program said 10:30, we had to wait until 11:00 due to a scheduling error, and in a different room. As soon as the short started I was immediately intrigued. I was always a fan of the old black and white horror films form the 1930's and 1940's. I stayed up one too many Saturday nights watching Mezzepa's Uncanny Film Festival and Camp Meeting on channel 8, but I digress. Forgive me. What intrigued me specifically was the post- production addition of artifacts and scratches on the "film," as if it had been shown a few too many times. The odd camera angles and the use of a vintage home in San Diego's Logan neighborhood (although the modern deadbolt as well as the contemporary guitar case, were a little obvious) and the set decorating (which, as I understand, some of the props necessary were already present in the home) was a real treat and showed the attention to detail in this short. The costumes, as well as the over the top performance of Rebecca Sausedo as the hoodoo witch, Louisa Sampson, was delightful as it harkened back to the actors of that time period. Merrick McCartha's portrayal of Deke Williams, the former blues musician trying to regain his "muse" was, shall we say, equally delightful for his even and somewhat subdued manner. The scoring and performance of the music were right out of a 1930's horror flick and set the tone complimented by the classic opening title sequence. All in all I very much liked the film. The only real issue I had with this wonderful short was that it was too short. I would love to have seen a little more exposition on the plot and history of the case. I believe it could have been expanded to 30 minutes, but I do understand they were probably under a specific set of constraints; time being one, to be eligible for certain film festivals. If you would like to know more about the short film "The Case of Evil" you can view the trailer, that gives a great introduction (which I wish they had shown) on Youtube.

Thank you to Neal and Jana Hallford for a treat that ended a long Friday at Phoenix ComiCon 2015. Thank you also to Bill Hensley (Neal's cousin) whom I have known since the 5th grade for alerting us to this delightful short film.