10-19-25 — Christina Critiques GenreBlast Film Festival finalist (Part 7)

Title: THE NIGHT KILLS LOVERS

Directed by: Jonathan Brito

Country: Canada   Run Time: 10 minutes

Themes: Safety

Content Warning: N/A

Synopsis: A couple argue the finer points of home safety. One or both of them lose.

Favorite line(s): “How about I eat you?”

Thoughts: It started off as a construction worker Twilight Zone opening and I loved that, like a homage of sorts. Then it went into the shenanigans. The viewer is stuck much like our main character who recently had an accident and broke his leg. You catch yourself (or at least I did) trying to see around open doors like I was really there. Sassy and bloody, a total win!

Title: THE WOMAN IN BED

Directed by: Victor Mellors

Country: UK   Run Time: 4 minutes

Themes: Life and death

Content Warning: Paralysis

Synopsis: A woman is haunted by a figure that may or may not be death coming to take what is his.

Favorite line(s): “I’ll be downstairs.”

Thoughts: Oooooh, this was creepy AF. I recently had my first sleep paralysis and I cannot imagine not having a functioning body much like our main character. But what really impressed me was while short, it packs a hell of a gut punch. Somehow it forces the viewer to contemplate their own morality and the after both Earthly and beyond.

Title: OBEY

Directed by: John Hale and Earl Clark

Country: US   Run Time: 5 minutes

Themes: Obedience

Content Warning: Cult mentality

Synopsis: A woman is tied down and must learn that marriage isn’t equal at all and that running can just make it more of a lesson she doesn’t want to learn.

Favorite line(s): “I’m not your wife, you sick fuck!”

Thoughts: Do you know what pisses me off more than anything? Asshole men in a film where I can’t yell at the woman to kick them in the dick. Movies like this bring out the feminist in me (and if you know anything about me, it’s a low amount to begin with) and I love it! Getting that kind of reaction out of me is a win on it’s own and then making say “Goddammit” out loud, well, that’s a double win. Absolutely stellar.

Title: BABY TOOTH

Directed by: Olivia Accardo

Country: US   Run Time: 6 minutes

Themes: (from my notes) “Uh… yeah.”

Content Warning: Kinda offscreen teeth - it’s insinuated and somehow it makes it worse.

Synopsis: A woman has a weird kink (I think) and is also trying to sell a boat.

Favorite line(s): “Are you here for the boat or the tooth?”

Thoughts: Again, from my notes: “The fuck was this about?” And that’s a good thing. The absolute insanity that is the six minutes of BABY TOOTH may stay with me for a while. Did you know that explaining the features on a boat can be done in a sexy manner? Well, if you doubt me, watch this one for sure. “I’ve got fucking high blood pressure.” Should be the tagline of this film because that’s what I had after watching it. Hilariously insane.

Title: BORGLESQUE

Directed by: G. Wilson

Country: US   Run Time: 7 minutes

Themes: Misogyny

Content Warning: Misogyny

Synopsis: A laboratory scientist at a strip club is given a chance to make a robot stripper to please men. It doesn’t go as planned for Dick Horn.

Favorite line(s): “I make the bodies, you experiment on them.”

Thoughts: This one was weiiiiird. It was a cross between the robot ladies from Austin Powers and Tony Sopranos strip clubs but in Vegas. The commentary is there - women trying to make other women into what men desire but oftentimes it backfires. Add in the Vegas setting and it’s even more ramped up. While it’s weird, it is visually impressive and the commentary is on point.

Title: THE TIME CAPSULE

Directed by: Michael Charron

Country: US   Run Time: 6 minutes

Themes: From my notes: “I have no idea.”

Content Warning: From notes: “They ruin Wendy’s food forever.”

Synopsis: A group of friends come back together 30 years later to unearth their time capsule.

Favorite line(s): “You know who else didn’t cut corners? Wendy’s.”

Thoughts: Well, if you like Wendy’s food, don’t watch this. Somehow the writer/director has ruined my love of those sweet square patties. I also learned that their Frosty is vegan. Did I check that fact? No. But you can. This is 100% a WTF film and it’s perfect.

Title: TORTURED ARTIST

Directed by: Thomas Laurance

Country: UK   Run Time: 3 minutes

Themes: Art being subjective

Content Warning: Clowns

Synopsis: An artist is going through imposter syndrome… as he should.

Favorite line(s): “Honestly, it’s good. You’re too hard on yourself.”

Thoughts: A clown wants to make art but makes shit. Literally. It’s animated and that doesn’t help the damping of what the viewer is watching. The commentary on art and who sees the value versus the process of making it was interesting as well as the imposter syndrome. I mean which is better - a clown shitting art or a man jacking off and using the … release as art? That’s where YOU get to decide. And I’m pretty sure that’s the question philosophers have been asking since the time of Aristotle.

Title: EFFLORESCENCE

Directed by: Sofia Gaza-Barba

Country: US   Run Time: 15 minutes

Themes: Female self-love, veganism

Content Warning: … vegans

Synopsis: A woman is suppose to meet (ha) her boyfriend’s best friends but her hunger causes a bit of a conundrum for the rest of the night.

Favorite line(s): “What are you eating behind my back? Are you eating meat?!”

Thoughts: What this film starts out as and what it turns into at the end - what a twisty ride? From my notes: “More concerned with her eating meat than turning into a [redacted]. Ha - classic vegans.” There is a lot happening in this short film: changing oneself for the validation of others, realizing self-worth, veganism, and just how some people are insufferable. Taco was my favorite.

Title: WRECKLESS

Directed by: Timothy Troy

Country: US   Run Time: 10 minutes

Themes: Alcoholism

Content Warning: Drunk Driving and consequences

Synopsis: Lucy must come to terms with what happened one night that alcohol was involved but she can’t seem to remember anything about it.

Favorite line(s): “Life is pain. If something isn’t hurting you - you aren’t alive.”

Thoughts: WRECKLESS got me. I had no idea where it was going and what was about to happen but what a powerful story. The acting was perfection so kudos to the casting director. The writing impeccable and the cinematography was stellar. The choice at the end is soul-crushing for the viewer and Lucy.

Title: TEPACHE

Directed by: Carlos Garcia Jr.

Country: US   Run Time: 13 minutes

Themes: Savior complex

Content Warning: N/A

Synopsis: A man must decide if he will save the princess or walk away empty handed… but is it really his choice?

Favorite line(s): “You’ve forgotten who you are when you’re not being a knight.”

Thoughts: TEPACHE is a tale old as time, a man wanting to save a woman who doesn’t want to be saved. But told this way, was so fascinating. Gail wants to defend his girlfriend’s honor but she may not want it. I really want to point out the fight scenes at the strip club, those looked real as hell. The choreographer really needs to be commended for those as well as the actors. As a bonus - it has a FROM DUSK TIL DAWN feel which I absolutely loved!

Title: SLUSH

Directed by: Ashley George

Country: US   Run Time: 17 minutes

Themes: Forgiveness and revenge

Content Warning: N/A

Synopsis: A daughter comes home after some time away because of a tragic accident but those in town haven’t forgotten what happened.

Favorite line(s): “You got tall.”

Thoughts: Bottomline - I loved this one! I do have one complaint and that’s I wish it was longer. I could have watched a full two hours in this universe. The father and his inability to come to terms with what happened, the daughter needing to take revenge and find herself, mixed with the hatred of some of the townspeople just made for the perfect witchy revenge tale. Kudos to everyone involved in this short.

Title: DEFILE

Directed by: Brian Sepanzyk

Country: Canada   Run Time: 12 minutes

Themes: cults, trust vs. common sense

Content Warning: N/A

Synopsis: A couple go into the woods to spend a few days in a cabin to work on their relationship when there is a knock on the door.

Favorite line(s): “Don’t look it in the eyes, it will go faster.”

Thoughts: First off, anytime I see a couple making a weekend trip to a cabin in the woods I know I am in for a bloody time. But somehow every story or film is so different than the last and this is no exception. Also, people, stop letting others into your house if you don’t know them. Reality or film, this is just a PSA for free. And just when the viewer thinks there is hope and it’s over, nah, you goofy goober. There’s more.

Title: THE DEEP CLEAN

Directed by: Olivia Mayberry

Country: US   Run Time: 4 minutes

Themes: Cleanliness

Content Warning: Self-harm, possible trauma response

Synopsis: A woman goes in to clean her tub but realizes it isn’t the only thing dirty.

Favorite line(s): N/A

Thoughts: Soooo, this one is extremely open-ended. Sure she cleans the tub and it looks much more inviting but there are still signs of dirt and use. Then the woman starts cleaning herself with the same brush. Is this a secret she’s trying to “get rid of” or to cleanse herself of some trespass? The religious music in the background really adds to the idea of trauma be it a loss of faith or even physical trauma. And that is the real question - what does the viewer see when the film is a reflection of them? Talk about deep.

Title: MONSTER GIRLS: A Conversation with Jennifer Aspinall

Directed by: Jessie Seitz

Country: US   Run Time: 3 minutes

Themes: History of TOXIC AVENGER and the sculpture of the famous mask

Content Warning: N/A

Synopsis: A short dive into the woman behind the mask - the making of that is.

Favorite line(s): N/A

Thoughts: I REALLY wish this was longer just because the way Seitz set it up was amazing. I wanted to know so much more about Jennifer and her work throughout her career. The inspiration for the mask and the start of her career thanks to Fangoria is fascinating. A definite must watch for any lover of the TOXIC AVENGER movie.

Title: BESTIES!

Directed by: Colin J. Mason

Country: US   Run Time: 15 minutes

Themes: Friendships

Content Warning: Attempted murder… numerous times

Synopsis: Two best friends find themselves in a bit of a pickle and possibly dead.

Favorite line(s): “Keep it up. I like this side of you.”

Thoughts: Talk about hilarious and the perfect amount of insanity. We have all been there, wanting to murder our best friend for a perceived slight. Wait… I’m alone in this? Nevermind. It’s one hilarious situation after another. Imagine a funny EUPHORIA. From my notes: “This is perfect in every way - soundtrack, acting, SFX 10/10”. It’s that damn good.

Title: DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

Directed by: William Coughlan

Country: US   Run Time: 8 minutes

Themes: Watch what you sign your name on

Content Warning:

Synopsis: A woman doesn’t want to feel the effects of her hangover so she has a chance to delay the results… I mean, who wouldn’t want to go on a bender or two with no negative effects until a year later.

Favorite line(s): “This is weird.”

Thoughts: The bamboozle that Coughlan gives the viewers is a gotdamn gut punch. It’s not even close to what we were expecting and it hurts so much worse. (I even did a sad face in my notes, that means serious business.) A interesting commentary on the effects of drinking and the lengths alcoholics will go to. Just… when you watch it, know it’s going to hurt.