PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Aww, it’s February, the month of love… and also, more importantly, the celebration of Women in Horror Month. Ten years of celebrating women in horror, to be exact! That was just one of the reasons I was so excited to help cover one of my favorite film festivals for the second year in a row, the Final Girls Berlin Film Festival. This year, I got the coveted honor of being able to review the Tainted Love Short Block. I can say with absolute certainty that it did not disappoint. So let’s go ahead and break down each of these tainted, gruesome love stories, and give you some insight into these incredible horror shorts!
My Monster (2018)
Official Synopsis of My Monster:
Christmas is coming. If that’s not stressful enough, Lily (Brea Grant) has to contend with a clueless partner (Adam Egypt Mortimer) and an unexpected, inter-dimensional holiday guest who just wants two things — blood and cuddles.
I’m always so curious when I see a title for a horror short, and I start to speculate what it could mean in relation to the movie. My Monster delivers a fun, fresh take on the idea of what a monster is to someone. This is a quirky little short with, at times, a really creepy Monster. I would actually like to see the Monster character have his own feature. I really think he is franchise potential. Director Izzy Lee brings the erie factor as well as the laughs to all new depths!
Check out another reviewer’s thoughts on My Monster here.
Pages (2018)
Official Synopsis of Pages:
An engaged couple trying to write their vows is unwillingly forced to face their darkest fears from a storied past.
Pages may seem like a simplistic tale, but it delves into the madness of what a couple is really vowing themselves to do and to whom. The cinematography is visually stunning, and it takes this short to the next level. Director Shaan Couture definitely knows how to make something hauntingly beautiful. A perfect addition to the Tainted Love Short Block.
Supine (2018)
Official Synopsis for Supine:
A French taxidermist, living in the remote countryside, meets an American hitchhiker and begins to question her life.
Let me just start off by saying that the poster art for this short is fantastic. I am in love with it. Director Nicole Goode gives us what feels like a full length feature movie in Supine. I could feel the journey through the brilliant portrayal of Sylvie by the stunning Eva Larvoire. This was a slow descent into the depths of darkness. Taxidermy is something that has always gotten under my skin, and this short managed to make me literally squirm in my seat. Bravo.
Instinct (2018)
Official Synopsis of Instinct:
A psycho-sexual thriller about Isabelle, a lonely gallery owner who meets a dangerously seductive performance artist and discovers they have more in common than expected. Will Isabelle allow herself to let Camila in without giving in to her true nature?
Director Maria Alice Arida has a definitive eye for visual art in beauty. The concept of this one is rather intriguing and mind gripping as well. I loved the tainted love premise, as it is not something your eyes capture everyday. I feel like there were many levels to this short that go deeper than the average horror short. This is one that needs to be seen to be believed.
Puppet Master (2018)
Official Synopsis of Puppet Master:
A lonely woman allows a man to transform her into a puppet.
Wow…. Where do I even start with this one? Puppet Master is so moving. I was captivated the entire time. It was like watching a ballet or a symphony perform. The short was as gracious as it was creepy. You can actually feel the movement as you watch. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about way despair is so beautifully portrayed in this Tainted Love Short Block offering. Hanna Bergholm is one to watch! I expect beautiful nightmares from her in the future.
Sell Your Body (2017)
Official Synopsis of Sell Your Body:
A horror comedy about a med school dropout who is clawing her way out of crippling debt by luring a couple seeking a threesome on a dating app.
Sell Your Body was the one I had the most fun watching. I loved the narration that Hannah (Nadira Foster-Williams) brought to the screen. Foster-Williams is so memorable without a doubt. I really liked how fluid the story was and how it reminded me of Urban Legends: Final Cut (I actually really dug that movie). But, Sell Your Body is seriously just fun as all hell. The jokes hit when they should, and this is a story that could actually happen. Major props to Jaanelle Yee for directing such a fun, cohesive tainted love story!
Final Thoughts:
I had such a blast watching the Tainted Love Short Block! Final Girls Berlin Film Festival is one of the best there is. I highly recommend watching all of these fabulous filmmakers’ films. I am excited to go watch the other block of films from the fest that I haven’t seen yet, and I already can’t wait until next year!
