Reviews

Mārama // Revenge Meets Gothic Imagine Film Fest 2025 Review

A Gothic horror exploration set in 1850s England, Taratoa Stappard’s debut feature film, Mārama, binds exquisitely crafted dread with intentional storytelling. Gothic horror stories are often rooted in the fear of something (or someone) and about revealing a dark past. These haunting stories became popular around the mid to late 1800s with books such as

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Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round

Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round // An Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2025 Review

It’s all fun and games until you grow up. At least that’s what Monkey’s Magic Merry Go Round will have you believing. Perhaps there is some truth to it. Oh how we long to go back to a simpler time in our lives. Peanut butter sandwiches with no crust, sitting in front of the TV

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I Live Here Now // A Disappointing Directorial Debut

I Live Here Now knows exactly the type of movie it wants to be and it’s successful in its execution. I applaud the success. Unfortunately, that’s where the praise ends. This new (not new) trend of striving for “elevated horror” has unfortunately inspired some to tackle the genre. A genre that should be left alone

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Hold the Fort movie still. Imagine Fantastic Film Fest 2025

Hold the Fort // Party Time: Imagine Fantastic Film Fest 2025 Review

Up next from Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2025 is the horror comedy Hold the Fort, written and directed by William Bagley. A couple moves into their dream home, but it has an HOA. Nightmares for most, this couple moves in and quickly learn that they should have spent some time reading over their contract. With

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Roqia movie still Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2025

Roqia // Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2025 Review

The Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2025 is underway, and first up for me is Roqia, the debut feature film of Algerian director Yanis Koussim. Pairing the exorcism subgenre with Algeria’s generational trauma, Roqia piqued my interest from the get-go. I am a sucker for exorcisms, and featuring them with the cultures and religions of different countries

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Dolly film still Fantastic Fest 2025

Dolly // A Disturbing Backwoods Getaway: Fantastic Fest Review

This year, Fantastic Fest featured several films with terrifying mother figures, like Crazy Old Lady, The Evil That Binds Us, A Woman Called Mother, and Fuck My Son. Dolly offers up another version of a mother from hell. While Dolly doesn’t reinvent the wheel with a masked killer stalking a couple during a pivotal moment

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Appofeniacs movie still Fantastic Fest 2025

Patterns in the Madness // Tarantino Meets Tech Horror in Appofeniacs

Apophenia is the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things. In simpler terms, it’s paranoia dressed up in science. Chris Marrs Piliero leans into this idea with Appofeniacs, his feature debut, which had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025. The film is a cautionary, blood-slicked, and frequently

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V/H/S Halloween movie still Shudder

V/H/S Halloween // A Return to Form: Fantastic Fest 2025 Review

Found footage fans can rejoice. V/H/S Halloween made its debut at Fantastic Fest 2025 and proved itself worthy of the hype. This year’s installment leans fully into the spirit of the season, with every short tied to the theme of Halloween. And the result? A wild, unpredictable ride that is as chaotic as it is

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