Grimmfest takes place in Manchester from 7-10 October with an online festival taking place from 14-17 October. They have a hell of a line-up and a really impressive guest list. We’re covering the festival remotely this year and here’s our pick of the Grimmfest films you should not be sleeping on:
The Beta Test – English Premiere & Opening Night Film
Jim Cummings (The Wolf of Snow Hollow) and PJ McCabe (The Block Island Sound) star The Beta Test a scabrous look at Hollywood and relationships. Jordan (Cummings) accepts a mysterious invitation for an anonymous sexual encounter at a hotel. Afterwards, he becomes obsessed with tracking down who sent it. Jim Cummings is utterly extraordinary playing a character that can best be described as Patrick Bateman with an anxiety disorder.
King Knight
Guys, I LOVE this movie. Seriously if you are attending Grimmfest or planning on joining the virtual fest do NOT miss King Knight. It’s a warm hug of a movie featuring sparkling performances from Matthew Grey Gubler (Criminal Minds) and Angela Sarafyn (Westworld). He’s hilariously deadpan and dances his ass off, she’s utterly luminous. Together they’re a joy to watch. Check out my 5-star review of the film here and my interview with director Richard Bates Jr.
Tense South Korean film about a charismatic serial killer targeting a deaf woman. Loses major points for having non-deaf actresses playing deaf but if that isn’t a deal-breaker for you this is a tense thriller with one hell of a performance from Wi Hyun-yi (Squid Game) as the serial killer.
When the Screaming Starts
Nothing is ever quite as chilling as the phrase “British horror-comedy”. Many have tried, most have failed. So it’s a delight to find a Brit horror-comedy that is actually really funny. When the Screaming Starts features a documentary filmmaker following a wannabe serial killer as he attempts to start a Manson style family. Violent and hilarious don’t miss this gem.
For Roger
Featuring in the virtual festival only For Roger is a really intriguing found footage style movie that features a grieving man looking back at his relationship with his fiancee and discovering it was very different than how he imagined. Cleverly inverts slasher tropes to produce something wonderfully unique.
Check out our interview with writer/director Aaron Bartuska here.
Night at the Eagle Inn
The Innkeepers meets Scooby-Doo in Night at the Eagle Inn a taught little number that plays out like a discovered episode of The Twilight Zone. With great performances from a committed cast, this is a riot.
Check out our interview with the writers, director and cast of the film.
Genre fave AJ Bowen (You’re Next) works as an uber driver and finds his night turning nightmarish when he picks up the wrong woman. Features a WILD third act.
The Righteous
Beautifully shot black and white film featuring a father being confronted by the sins of his past. Check out our review of the film from a previous festival here.
The Sadness
If you haven’t seen this yet you need to check out the hottest title doing the festival rounds at the moment. A wild black as night ultra-violent comedy/romance. Check out our review from a previous festival here.
Slapface
A modern-day Grimms fairytale. A deeply moving story of a boy in an abusive situation who conjures up a witch (the Virago witch) to protect him. Bring your tissues as everyone who has watched this leaves truly shaken.
Watch our in-depth interview with writer/director Jeremiah Kipp here
We’re All Going to the World’s Fair
Deeply unsettling screen life film featuring a teenage girl with mental health issues taking on an internet challenge. Featuring ASMR techniques this movie really gets under your skin and doesn’t leave. Do not miss this.
