SPECIAL REPORT - Christina Critiques - GenreBlast Film Festival 2026: Part 2
- Christina Pfeiffer
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Title: DEMONETIZE
Directed by: Alexander Watson
Country: US Run Time: 96 mins
Synopsis: Five influencers are offered the gig of a lifetime, spend some time in a house and get paid. The problem is, a few former tenants aren’t all that keen on the visiting.
Favorite line: “What are you, a ghost gobbler or something.” - Cherdleys
“Oh, I’m about to Build-A-Bear inside of you.” - Cherdleys
Thoughts: Imagine the most annoying YouTubers currently (and I could name a few as I have children) and then imagine sweet, sweet catharsis. What kind? Well, you have to watch but let me say, it’s two chef’s kisses. I have to shout out the casting and special effects because both were perfection. But don’t let the jokes and blood fool you, this goes MUCH deeper than surface level and honestly, the viewer is left with a bit of a moral dilemma during the film. And that’s just the way I like ‘em.
Actor to watch for: Not a surprise to anyone: Paul Cory - Cherdleys
**A TOP 10 MUST WATCH**
Title: ANGEL LUST
Directed by: Michael Fausti
Country: UK Run Time: 105 mins
Synopsis: A woman is given the opportunity to reunite with the one she loves, but there are a few strings attached.
Favorite line: “Never let go of what you love.”
Thoughts: First, I love time travel movies. There is just something about the ability to try again that speaks to my soul. Second, poor Ophelia. Fausti does a bit of a bamboozle (well more than a bit) and the viewer will find themselves conflicted on who is the true villain in this movie. I could gab for hours about this one so watch it and we can gab together!
Actor to watch for: Lucien - Alex Nathan-Woods (one of the best film characters in years).
**A TOP 10 MUST WATCH**
Title: WOOLY BULLY
Directed by: Kristen Buckels Cantrell
Country: US Run Time: 21 mins
Synopsis: Becca and her father, Cameron, must deal with the financial and emotional toll of Jane (wife and mother) getting older. Little do they know, she’s also hiding a bit of a secret.
Favorite line: “She’s a witch.”
Thoughts: WOOLY BULLY hit me different; I’m aging and have a daughter so the ability to relate was strong. The love the viewer can sense from the three main characters made my heart weep, especially Cameron and the gentleness he has in his quiet moments. It will hurt because it’s real but will mend your heart for the same reason.
Actor to watch for: Janet - Kathryn Grody
Title: BRIGHT EYE
Directed by: Rio Miller
Country: Canada Run Time: 22 mins
Synopsis: Callie is into computers so much so that she knows a few tricks of the trade to make a bit on the side. The problem is she may get some wires crossed.
Favorite line: “I want to get the most bang for my buck. I want like a bento box of tech.”
Thoughts: I don’t know where to start with BRIGHT EYE. The LGBTQ+ representation? The social commentary? The killer creativity of using different forms of visual media? The set design? What about the writing? Everything culminates into twenty-two minutes of uncomfortable suspense that leaves the viewer wanting more… and that’s a good thing.
Actor to watch for: Callie - MacKenzie Robin
Title: THE ANCHORESS
Directed by: Kevin Ray and Matthew Fisher
Country: US Run Time: 15 mins
Synopsis: An anchoress asks for a sign from God. And boy does she get one.
Favorite line: “I need a sign from God.”
Thoughts: Hello? Religious commentary with a side of time travel? I’ll take five, thank you! The juxtaposition of the setting and the “demon” was some of the most fascinating to watch. A bit from my notes on the special effects, “That demon looks scary AF” and it does.
Actor to watch for: Anchoress - Erin Ownbey
Title: CLEAN SLATE
Directed by: Alex Geffen and Cass Huckaby
Country: US Run Time: 15 mins
Synopsis: When coming in from checking the mail in a quiet neighborhood, Eric, who is a new Father, must come to terms (and quickly) with his past as he enters his home.
Favorite line: “They even make you sound different.”
“They never told you who you used to be, did they?”
Thoughts: I sobbed so hard after watching this film and I have sat with it on my mind for days. On the surface it’s a revenge movie but it’s not that simple. Nothing about this short film is simple. Layered layer upon layer, Guffen and Huckaby force your views, convictions, and morals. What would you do if you were Eric? What about if you were Trevor? And is there such a thing as rehabilitation?
Actor to watch for: Eric - Michael Cunningham and Alex Geffen
**A TOP TEN MUST WATCH**
Title: STRANGE ORBITS
Directed by: Clayton Flagg
Country: Canada Run Time: 5 mins
Synopsis: When an explorer must find the antidote for an unknown sickness, a mysterious woman may just hold the answer.
Favorite line: “I’m running out of time.”
Thoughts: If you want a beautiful setting with a heaping side of “what if”, this is the short for you! Bonus: there’s an adorable robot that says “Fuck”. Science fiction never looked so beautiful yet bleak.
Actor to watch for: Ulyssa - Samantha Wyatt Smith
Title: MATCHLIGHT
Directed by: Joaquin Russek
Country: Mexico Run Time: 5 mins
Synopsis: A woman celebrates her wedding anniversary in a new light.
Favorite line: N/A (no dialogue)
Thoughts: While MATCHLIGHT is beautifully shot, it’s about as dark as it can get in regard to subject matter. Russek makes us watch as the unraveling of the story begins and ends too soon. I could have watched this for hours just for the acting of the wife. Absolutely stellar and highly emotional.
Actor to watch for: Wife - Ela Velden
**A TOP TEN MUST WATCH**
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