PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Recently, I had the opportunity to review a very interesting set of eight short films (one of my favorite genres!) for 2021’s Fantasia Fest in a shorts block called Things That Go Bump In The East.
Chewing Gum (Chingum)
Directed by Mihir Fadnavis and starring Ratnabali Bhattacharjee (Sold), Bandita Bora (Antardwand), and Randeep Jha (Hum Purane Hoke BHi Naye).
Synopsis:
On an eerie full moon night in Mumbai, a man with a box of chocolates boards a local train to go on a date. But as the train pulls away from the station, the lights in the compartment suddenly go out, eerie noises are heard in the shadows, and shit begins to go down real quick.
Filmed in stark black and white with a dark, slick style that hides more than it shows, this is one hell of a fun film. With much of it shot in the dark, it relies on sound to ratchet up the terror. When the reveal comes, the build up has all been worth it.
Carnivorous Bean Sprout
Directed by Seo Sae-rom
Synopsis:
A black comedy about an unidentifiable strange creature that will satisfy the desires of those who seek fear for sheer pleasure.
This super short animated film is about an animal theme park that is now featuring a new carnivorous bean sprout as an attraction. This is both thrilling and terrifying for the tourists (I couldn’t help but think of SeaWorld). The animation is gorgeous, and though short, it has a lot to say about consumerism!
Juan-Diablo-Pablo
Directed by Ralph Pineda and Dyan Sagenes and starring Bobby Tamayo and Antonio Adlawan.
Synopsis:
A devil’s dutiful daily dealings with the dead don’t preclude the desire for a friend.
I really enjoyed this one. The juxtaposition between the dignified, somber Diablo and the sweet, open boy determined to befriend him was fun to watch. Just because a demon has a job, does that mean he doesn’t get to have a little bit of humanity, too? Bobby Tamayo is simply magnificent as Diablo.
Huh
Directed by Kim Tae-woo
Synopsis:
As the full moon nears, maladies and malevolent ghosts infest a village, and only humble craftsman Huh can save his neighbors’ souls.
This anime is crazy! The style of animation is retro and cool, but that’s not what makes it special. The entire film is one long music video! It’s pretty cool, upbeat, danceable and tons of fun.
Koreatown Ghost Story
Directed by Teddy Tenenbaum (You Too) and Minsun Park and starring Margaret Cho (One Missed Call), Lyrica Okano (The Affair TV show), Brandon Halvorsen, and Minsun Park (Sidepiece).
Synopsis:
In this supernatural horror tale based on a Korean ritual starring Margaret Cho and Lyrica Okano, a woman entertains a macabre offer that would let her pursue her dreams for better or for much much worse.
My absolute favorite film of the eight Things That Go Bump In The East shorts! This film has it all: great acting, spooky atmosphere, a complete and clever storyline, and just enough scare value. The two leads blow it out of the water in this film. This would be such a fun one to see made into a feature length film! Like the saying goes, if you only see one on this list… well, see Koreatown Ghost Story!
Night Bus
Directed by Joe (A.K.A. Wen-Ming) Hsieh (The Present) and starring the voices of Shu-Fang Chen (Dear Tenant), Shang-Sing Guo (Pete Smalls Is Dead), Yao-Ren Kuo (Juliets), and Ming-shiou Tsai (The Free Man).
Synopsis:
Under a moonlit sky, a bus speeds along the coast when a panicky scream shatters the silence – a necklace is stolen. Then it is followed by a fatal accident as the plot unfolds with love, hatred, and vengeance.
What a crazy animated short! While it seems like a simple plot, there’s a lot going on in this one. I haven’t seen a film with more evil demonic monkeys in my entire life. YIKES!
Seen It (Kandittundu)
Directed by Adithi Krishnadas
Synopsis:
A marvelous menagerie of monsters, plucked from the imagination of Mr. P. N. K. Panicker of Kerala, India, a top-notch teller of tall tales.
A series of tales done in black and white with simplistic yet beautiful animation. They are quirky, interesting, and have a unique style I’ve never seen before.
Incarnation
Directed by Noboru Suzuki and starring Mayumi Amano (The Neighbor), Shiino Fujita, Shinsuke Kato (Ken to Kazu), and Bakko Maeda (Tokyo Vampire Hotel).
Synopsis:
A conman refuses to believe that the nice old lady sitting opposite him at the bar is a centuries-old vampire, yet he’s starting to feel more and more uncomfortable.
A quirky, cool short that starts as an extortion racket and morphs into something far more interesting. A young man shows up to a restaurant, claiming to be a friend of an old lady’s grandson. He tries to shake the woman down, but she makes a shocking admission to him. She’s a vampire. This one was great fun, and you need to keep your eyes open so you don’t miss a single thing!
This wraps up our coverage of Fantasia Fest 2021’s Things That Go Bump In The East shorts block. Have you seen any of these shorts? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!
