Sunday, February 10, 2019

Quick Movie Review: Huluween Film Festival 2018 Edition

I'm not sure if this is the first time that Hulu has put together their own online film festival of sorts. It contains a series of short Halloween films from various directors around the world. Each film is about 4-5 minutes long and is easy to binge watch with company, which is what I pretty much did.


The Rizzle | Rating: 4/5

Have you ever looked up something on YouTube and checked out the related videos? Well, this is what our main character does when exploring 1920's dances. This short shows just enough to keep you on edge for a few minutes and dread to see what's on the other end of the hall or even in her bedroom. The conclusion was surprising and a little fun, but everything leading up to that moment is perfectly suspenseful. It had the right amount of creepiness and it didn't show too much of the threat lurking in the shadows.



Carved | Rating: 3/5

Selecting a pumpkin is a relatively simple process, whether you're selling or buying. Both the farmer and a little boy happened to be attracted to this huge and odd looking one particularly. Honestly, I wouldn't have picked that one, but the little boy threw a huge tantrum over it. Of course, any suspicions you feel about the large vegetable are correct, but I did not expect to see what I saw happen next for the family and the pumpkin. It's kinda hilarious watching the events unfold, especially with the addition of cheap CGI you can easily find in a 90's movie. Nonetheless, this short was enjoyable, even if the kid was annoying.



The Hug | Rating: 4.5

Just looking at the thumbnail I could tell this is some Chuck E. Cheese or Five Nights at Freddy's inspired fanfare. This wasn't going to be a simple, fun little birthday party and most likely, you don't want the hug. [ala Don't Hug I'm Scared] The set looks like it's from the 90s, as it triggers some nostalgia from my childhood, and the kids are running around during a birthday (as kids do). The birthday boy wants to see the mascot of the establishment, Pandory the Panda, and right now he's not ready to perform for the kiddos. The birthday boy becomes impatient and decides to sneak a glance of Pandory, once one of the employees steps away. Along with The Rizzle and some of the other entries below, this was one of my favorites and enjoyed how they didn't hold back with how creepy and disturbing the situation became. This short proves that bratty kids never win, even if it's their birthday.



Lippy | Rating: 3/5

If you ever thought about stealing make-up, this short might make you think twice about it. This one was a little creepy, weird, and confusing until a certain point in the short. This short was one I didn't know what direction the story would go. I knew it had to be interesting, based on the thumbnail, but I wasn't quite sure what this story could be with a lady wearing a lot of red lipstick. Nonetheless, it ended up being an entertaining story with a small twist with its culprits. Steer away from this one if you have coulrophobia though.



Haunting, Horrifying Sounds From Beyond the Grave | Rating: 3.5/5

Spoiler: This was probably the most disturbing out of the bunch of me. Following the son of a famous producer of haunting sounds and effects, he becomes stuck with his newest soundtrack of creepy noises. So, he takes advantage of his tragic situation and makes the best haunted and horrifying track for the masses. Of course, things don't completely fall into place with his success. I don't know if they still make CDs of spooky noises for haunted houses and such or if kids even know about such things, but it was interesting to see another throwback setting of kids listening to a record player. This tale has a nice karma like punch at the end, which made it disturbing, but satisfying.



The Gillymuck | Rating: 3.5/5

I was a little skeptical with this one, judging from the title and the thumbnail, but this camping trip gone wrong had some unexpected surprises. A girl scout troupe are out in the woods and, of course, they have to tell scary stories when night falls. Listening to this story made me roll my eyes at such a silly name for a monster, but the Gillymuck means business. I ended up liking this one more than I expected, especially with its conclusion. It also made me want my own Gillymuck to protect me. There's some good chills, thrills, and humor to keep you entertained.



The Box | Rating: 3.5/5

This title and concept have been used before in a few movies I've seen: The Box, The Gift, and XX. Most of the time, you don't find out what's in the box at all, which can be either frightening, disappointing, or both. Surprisingly, we get to see what's hiding inside this strange box, but it's the contents that keep you in suspense. I think this is a great example of playing with the viewer's imagination and also simply insinuating what might've happened off screen.



Urn | Rating: 4/5

I meant to watch this in order of how it was listed on Hulu, but somehow it got skipped and ended up being the last thing I saw. This short focuses on a little bit of grieving and claustrophobia. When you think the story with our main character mourning her mother is just that, it takes different turn and leaves you gasping for air or clutching your seat. I really enjoyed the intimate shots, the shocking flashbacks, and the uncomfortable suspense leading to its conclusion.


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