Werewolves by no means exit of favor.
The howling. The physique horror on steroids. The sense that our closest buddy or neighbor might be a snarling beast come dusk.
“Frenzy Moon” leans arduous into that spirit, together with some “Let’s placed on a present” gumption given its small, partially crowd-funded price range. Sadly, one of the best style intentions can’t carry the well-meaning shocker out of mediocrity.
A bloody prologue units the story in movement, a cheeky nod to the movie’s B-movie gumption. Three {couples} decamp for a, anticipate it, cabin within the woods. Alongside the way in which, one of many {couples} hits a stranger with their automobile.
Stated stranger is aware of what the six buddies don’t, no less than not but. Werewolves stalk the grounds, and their trip break will swiftly turn out to be a nightmare.
#FrenzyMoon (2025)
Six school grad college students and a mysterious stranger battle a pack of ferocious werewolves in a secluded cabin.#CreatureFeature #FilmsWithBite #FilmX ️ pic.twitter.com/lwKzymlQ15— QuirkyFilms (@FilmsQuirky) October 2, 2025
Director Gregory Lamberson, who walked off with the Pittsburgh Shifting Image Competition’s Greatest Horror Film honors, pours on the sensible results and gore. That ought to satiate horror junkies, as will the frequent creature close-ups.
Nonetheless, the extra we see of the beasts, the much less ferocious they seem.
Much less historical past, extra thriller, because the relationship recommendation goes. Or, as Steven Spielberg realized by way of that malfunctioning shark on the “Jaws” set, much less is extra. There’s no disgrace in throwing shadows over scenes to camouflage sub-Savini FX.
The principle characters supply sufficient doubtful habits to benefit their potential kill scenes, however a mid-film twist and a few livid, third-act gunplay can’t increase the stakes as hoped.
“Spelonk”
Water, water in every single place, nor any drop to drink.
So goeth “Spelonk,” a wildly authentic story from filmmaker Desmond Denton. The hour-long characteristic follows a warrior with severe Mad Max vibes as he wanders by means of a dystopian future the place water is briefly provide.
The indie movie stretches its modest price range to the brink, a lesson mainstream Hollywood dwellers could be smart to think about. Denton ingeniously depicts a future hellscape full with nightmarish characters and engaging tech instruments.
It’s a triumph of manufacturing design and craftiness, a storyteller refusing to bow to his fiscal constraints. Any given scene is a visible triumph, and the movie’s mix of high-tech goodies and swordplay displays a captivating realm value exploring.
The story nonetheless feels undernourished, clunkily shifting from scene to scene as if important moments have been left in a dystopian scrap heap.
The movie’s heartfelt moments hit tougher than anticipated, and star Eric Uys brings a melancholy spirit to the movie with out shedding his humanity.
“Spelonk” seems like a piece in progress, a mission demanding a severe re-evaluation. That may reveal one thing … revelatory.
‘Past the Drumlins’
A kindly professor (co-writer Michael Kowalski) leads a troupe into the woods for an archaeological discipline journey. It’s an opportunity to flex his data and provides an inquisitive TA (Emma Jessop) some real-world expertise.
The journey begins innocently sufficient, even when all they initially uncover is a rusty bottlecap. Quickly, the TA develops a mysterious cough, the crew’s employed hand (Goodfella Mike G) falls right into a stupor and a member of the group goes lacking.
That’s only the start. The mysteries deepen, the hazard escalates and we’re left questioning if any of the likable characters will emerge unscathed.
Co-writer/director Daniel W. Bowhers ladles out the mysteries with care, utilizing the panorama’s pure magnificence to his benefit. Performances are sturdy, and the cinematography veers from bucolic to unsettling as wanted.
No spoilers right here, however the movie’s mild sci-fi rhythms develop darker because the story unfolds.
The movie, dubbed the PMPF’s finest science fiction characteristic, proves a satisfying head-scratcher, even when its closing seconds go away audiences hungry for extra.
The 2025 Pittsburgh Shifting Image Competition runs by means of Oct. 9.
The put up PMPF Opinions: ‘Frenzy Moon,’ ‘Spelonk,’ ‘Past the Drumlins’ appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
