In Trust, a taut psychological thriller directed by Carlson Young, Sophie Turner trades dragons and mutants for something far grittier—a panic room, a hacked iCloud, and a pregnancy that raises more questions than stakes. Set in the rural outskirts of Redlands, California, the film aims for visceral tension and trauma survival but lands somewhere between earnest ambition and overwrought genre mashup. Turner plays Lauren, a Hollywood starlet in hiding after a scandal leaves her life—and her trust—shattered.
Read MoreBrute 1976 (2025)
Director Marcel Walz’s latest film, Brute 1976, is a blood-soaked, bell-bottomed descent into grindhouse homage. Co-written with Joe Knetter and released by Cinephobia Releasing, the film aims to channel the chaotic spirit of ‘70s horror staples like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes. It mostly succeeds—but not without hitting a few potholes on the desert road to cult glory.
Read MoreHell House LLC: Lineage (2025)
The Hell House LLC franchise has built its reputation on atmospheric scares, lore-heavy storytelling, and an uncanny ability to make simple images like a clown standing still in a dark hallway feel utterly terrifying. With Lineage, the fifth and supposedly final installment, writer-director Stephen Cognetti takes a new approach by moving away from found footage and into a more traditional narrative style. The result is a film that is both ambitious and frustrating, offering moments of genuine tension alongside stretches weighed down by exposition.
Read MorePools (2025)
Sam Hayes’ Pools crashes onto the indie scene with a splash, balancing stylized flair and emotional sincerity in a coming-of-age story that’s part Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, part Rushmore, and all heart. Powered by a breakthrough performance from Odessa A’zion, this is a film that isn’t afraid to get weird, go deep, and dive headfirst into the chaos of growing up. Set over the course of one neon-soaked night, Pools follows Kennedy, a rebellious college student with one last shot at staying in school.
Read MoreTake from Me (2025)
Take From Me, the feature debut from writer and director West Eldredge, is a slow-burning horror-thriller that weaves grief, temptation, and psychological tension into a story that sticks with you. Originally known under the title Love Dogs, the film follows John, a widowed Appalachian man portrayed with quiet intensity by Ethan McDowell. Still reeling from loss, John finds himself drawn to a mysterious young woman, Elizabeth, played by Kyla Dyan, who purchases his old farmhouse. As John becomes increasingly tethered to her, a local disappearance unsettles the town, leading the police captain to suspect a darker presence lurking beneath the surface of their seemingly quiet community.
Read MoreWitchboard (2024)
Chuck Russell makes a triumphant and gloriously over-the-top return to the horror genre with Witchboard, a deliriously fun reimagining of the 1986 cult classic. The filmmaker behind A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and The Blob is clearly in his element, blending practical effects, camp, and chaos into a film that feels like a 1990s VHS treasure, rewound and reborn in a high-def 2024 package. Set in the voodoo-rich atmosphere of New Orleans, Witchboard introduces us to Emily and Christian, a couple opening an organic café in the French Quarter.
Read MoreCut (2025)
Malik Salaam’s Cut is a bruising yet beautiful slice of Atlanta street life, where ambition collides with survival and the dream of something better can vanish with one bad choice. It’s a story that blends the emotional grit of John Singleton with the lyrical undercurrent of streetwise Shakespeare, giving voice to characters often left on the margins. Bunny arrives in Atlanta determined to leave behind the small-town oppression and substance abuse she grew up with.
Read MoreThe Anger (2025) #HHFF
Anthony Knasas’s The Anger is a fierce, emotionally charged revenge thriller that strikes with precision, both in its message and execution. Following the relentless torment of an innocent teen, the film pivots into a blood-soaked reckoning as a group of bullies begins to face the consequences. What sets it apart is how it blends social commentary with shocking twists and visual flair, delivering a deeply unsettling experience that lingers.
Read MoreMcConadilla (2024) #HHFF
There’s something undeniably charming about a puppet serial killer movie, especially one that leans into its own absurdity with as much heart and grit as McConadilla. While it doesn’t quite hit the same highs as Puppet Killer, it still carves out its own space in the niche but growing subgenre of killer puppet horror-comedies. And let’s be honest, there’s always room for another puppet with a taste for blood.
Read MoreWe're So Dead (2025)
In We're So Dead, Ken MacLaughlin transforms every restaurant worker’s worst nightmare into a blood-soaked, laugh-out-loud love letter to the service industry. Equal parts Waiting... and Scream, this indie horror-comedy slices through customer service hell with a steak knife and a smirk, and the result is chaotic, crude, and absolutely delightful. Set on the slowest shift of the year, Christmas Eve, this Dunwoody, Georgia-filmed slasher turns an empty dining room into a war zone when a deranged “Karen” takes her dissatisfaction to homicidal levels.
Read MoreSign Your Name (2025)
There’s a moment in Sign Your Name when Xavier Edwards’ character, Artist X, quietly mutters, “I’m evolving as an artist.” It’s a telling line that not only defines his character’s arc but mirrors the film itself, a personal, often intimate short about change, artistic freedom, and staying true to oneself in the face of industry pressure. Inspired by the journey of real-life musical icon Sananda Maitreya, Sign Your Name tells the story of Artist X, a breakout R&B star struggling to break free from the formulaic expectations of his record label.
Read MoreNo Tears in Hell (2025)
Watching No Tears in Hell feels like flipping through the pages of a disturbingly well-written novel—one where you know the ending won’t be happy, but you can’t look away. Set in the bleak chill of an Alaskan winter and based on the horrific true story of Russian serial killer Alexander Spesivtsev, the film drips with tension, discomfort, and a grim fascination that sticks with you. Luke Baines commands the screen in a way that’s hard to shake.
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