Terror TWOsdays PUFF 2018 Edition: Witches and Devils Invade Blaine’s Living Room
Our final PUFF 2018 coverage comes in the form of a Terror TWOsday. Two solid horror entries that you need to keep your eyes out for. The Witch in the Window hits Shudder in the coming months and Luciferina hits Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD in November.
The Witch in the Window
When Simon brings his twelve year-old son, Finn, to rural Vermont to help flip an old farmhouse, they encounter the malicious spirit of Lydia, a previous owner. And now with every repair they make – she’s getting stronger.
A few years back a strange little movie popped up on Netflix called YellowBrickRoad that caught my attention. It was creepy and atmospheric, creating a unique film out of very little. It was made by a duo and kind of lost track of the guys who made it. A few months ago I came across this movie a few months ago and was jazzed to see that it was made by one half of the team behind the aforementioned film. I tried to get a screener from the Fantasia team… no dice, but finally scored a copy from PUFF. A big thanks to PUFF for the opportunity, because this was my favorite film that played the festival.
The Witch in the Window is a simple movie that spends its time building a realistic relationship between a father and son, culminating into something that is truly special/terrifying. Most films would rely on jump scares, but Witch builds dread and ears every moment of terror. The most amazing part about this film is how it taps into the changes that anyone has in their psyche when having a kid. You constantly feel like you are losing them and that plays a huge part in what works in the movie. I loved this simple and short film, hopefully we will see a wide release soon.
Luciferina
Natalia is a nineteen-year-old novice who reluctantly returns home to say goodbye to her dying father. However, when she meets up with her sister and her friends, she decides instead to travel the jungle in search of mystical plant.
So far, 2018 has been the year of Spanish language horror flicks! I have already seen at least 9 or 10 solid films from Spanish speaking countries. Between South America and Spain, we (USA) are definitely falling behind in the race for making the most unique horror films. One of the standouts this year is Luciferina, which will be released later this by Artsploitation Films. It’s the kind of Satanic mindfuck that you rarely get these days, taking huge risks throughout. Some of the risks taken work, but some of them really don’t. I have a hard time criticizing a film for really going for it (creatively), but the film can occasionally get bogged down in its complex story and overly long runtime.
The story centers on a young woman who is about to become a nun, but has to go back home when her father gets sick. Once home, she and her sister decide to try a hallucinogenic drug in the jungle. Their buddies tag along to an island that we later find out is directly linked to their family. What we get is an exciting “battle of the sexes” take on the satanic thriller, that culminates in a great climax. Getting to that final 25 minutes can be a little tedious, but really pays off in the end.
