In January ARROW presents an exclusive selection of the outstanding entries from its HORROR LOCKDOWN SHORTS contest, short films delivering slick, sharp scares, delving into oft-uncharted and bizarre worlds, offering a glimpse of burgeoning new talent just waiting to burst forth. The entries were judged by cult directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, who said the films are “better than they have any right to be”.
The films include the surreal and innovative lockdown lunacy of Silent & Deadly, featuring a disgruntled armchair; the marvellously macabre and unexpected UnTooned; the strikingly eerie The Wedding Ritual; the very creepy nerve-jangler Stagnant; the mini-giallo split-screen shocker A Date with Death; the almost unbearably intense and nightmarish Insecticide; the brilliantly chilling and atmospheric The Drawing; the mournful and moving The Garden; the unhappy playroom of Toys and the superbly realised Night Feed.
Resourceful, timely, and each delivering a bite-sized nugget of thrills and kills, the inaugural additions to ARROW Shorts show horror is alive, well, and incredibly exciting, even if it is socially distanced.
You can see them now on the ARROW – the home for weird and wild cult classics, newly-restored gems, and genre favourites.
Also showing on ARROW from January 4th:
[REC] (UK)
28 Days Later meets The Blair Witch Project as a mysterious virus turns the inhabitants of an apartment building into a horde of frenzied, bloodthirsty ghouls in [REC] – the original 2007 “found footage” phenomenon that spawned a hit franchise and US remake. Fusing the zombie genre with the “found footage” format to throw the audience right into the midst of the action, [REC] is a terrifying, relentless rollercoaster ride which builds to one of the horror genre’s all-time bone-chilling climaxes.
JSA – JOINT SECURITY AREA (UK/US/CA)
Visionary filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, The Handmaiden) helms this gripping tale of deceit, misunderstanding and the senselessness of war, set in the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea, where a team of investigators must investigate a shooting in the fraught no-man’s land. The recipient of multiple accolades, including Best Film at South Korea’s 2001 Grand Bell Awards, JSA – Joint Security Area showcases Park’s iconic style in an embryonic form, and demonstrates that humanity and common purpose can be found in the most unlikely places.
THE LOVE WITCH (US/CA)
From writer director Anna Biller (Viva) comes this startling and fabulous comedy horror about a modern-day witch (the wonderful Samantha Robinson) using spells to nab herself a man. Beautifully filmed and packed with gloriously retro stylings, this is a giddy take on the 1970s exploitation film with a uniquely feminist slant and eyeliner to die for.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (US/CA)
BAFTA-winning director Lynne Ramsay’s powerful adaptation of Lionel Shriver’s international bestseller is the controversial story of a mother attempting to connect with her son, who shows disturbing traits and a lack of affection. Featuring outstanding performances from Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, and Ezra Miller, chillingly believable as the titular character, Ramsay’s film is moving, shocking and profound, and a thoughtful and incisive examination of the nature or nurture debate.
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
