The weekend of May 4th-6th 2018, I had the pleasure of attending Texas Frightmare Weekend for the 4th consecutive time.  Anyone who know me knows that this became my favorite convention after my very first time, and this is for many reasons.  It is, without a doubt, the most well organized and well run convention that I have attended, and I've been to a lot of conventions over the last 17 years!

Just a few quick details about the convention itself.  It is held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at Dallas/Fort Worth airport.  This makes it very easy to attend the convention for me, coming in from out of state.  No car to rent.  No long distance drive.  I landed, got my luggage, and took a five minute shuttle ride to the hotel.

Speaking of the hotel, one of the things that makes this convention so much fun is the fact that the hotel staff is really into it!  Most of them are wearing horror costumes and/or makeup, and they truly embrace the event.

The TFW volunteers are also great.  They are all friendly and knowledgeable, and if they don't know the answer, they will get it for you.  TFW weekend is a VERY busy convention, especially on Saturday, and they do a great job of managing the crowds and the autograph/photo op lines.  Of course there are issues along the way, but I have never seen anything that was a big deal, so either those things don't happen, or they are handled well so that the general public doesn't really see them. 

The guest lineup for this year was stellar, as it always is.  Most of the "Loser's Club" from the 2017 film "It" were in attendance, and they were a great group of kids.  They were awesome with the fans, and seemed genuinely happy to be there.  Jackson Robert Scott, who played Georgie in the film, did an amazing job for a nine year old!  He was friendly and engaging with the fans, and was a real trooper the entire weekend.  He always had a long line, and handled it like a seasoned convention pro.

Ron Perlman, was one of the "headliners" and as expected, he had huge lines all weekend.  Meeting him was great.  Despite the characters that he plays, and his gruff exterior, he was very nice and always had a smile and a hug for the fans.  Billy Zane was another big guest, who was a last minute replacement for a guest who had to cancel, and he was a big hit with the fans....especially the ladies! 

There was a Child's Play reunion, which included stars Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif and Catherine Hicks along with other cast members from various films in the series, and also Don Mancini (writer/director) and Kevin Yagher (SPFX).  The "Cenobite Celebration" was another highlight, which included Doug Bradley, Barbie Wilde, Simon Bamford and Nicholas Vince.

A few other notable guests were Tobin Bell (Saw), Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby Doo), Adreinne Barbeau (The Fog, Creepshow) and Mischa Barton.  There were many other great guests as well.

Having said all that....My main reason for going to Texas Frightmare this year (besides the fact that it is my favorite horror con), was to meet my "holy grail" of celebrity guests, Clive Barker.

I have been a Clive Barker fan for over 30 years.  I have read every one of his books multiple times, and seen every film he directed, or had a hand in making of that was inspired no matter how remotely by his work.  It is safe to say that I have been waiting my entire life to meet him.  He has done conventions before, but for whatever reason, I was unable to attend.  There have also been times when he had to cancel an appearance due to his well documented health issues.

I can honestly say, without hyperbole, that meeting Clive Barker was one of the best moments of my life.  Due to his health, and the long, long lines of legions of fans waiting to meet him, each fan only had a minute or so with him, which is understandable, but it was well worth it.  Clive was warm and friendly and you could tell that he truly loved meeting the fans.  He took the time to briefly chat with everyone, and cheerfully signed all of the items that were handed to him.  I've met countless "famous" people over the years, and I don't often have true "fanboy" moments, but this time I did.  Between getting things signed, and the professional photo op, I saw him three times over the weekend, and they are a few moments in my life that I will never forget. 

A few other notes about the show.  As usual, there was a great array of vendors with tons of great merchandise.  There were a few familiar faces but quite a few new vendors as well.

One of the many things I like about TFW is that guests and vendors are located in the same room(s) together.  I know some people don't like this strategy, but I love it.  I don't like it when vendors are relegated to some room at the far end of the hotel.  Mixing the guests and vendors together means that the merchants will get a lot more foot traffic and, from what I have been told from friends of mine who vend at the show, they all do very well at this convention.

Finally, as with any convention or event of this size, there are things that I can nitpick.  Saturday is VERY crowded and, even though the staff does an amazing job managing the crowds, it can be a little difficult to move around, and I wonder if they are simply outgrowing the venue.  This is a good problem to have I suppose, but I like having a convention at a hotel, where you can just go up to your room if you need to "hide" for a little while.

My other issues had more to do with the hotel than with the convention.  The drinks at the bar and the food are a little pricey, but that's the case with every hotel.  There are options for ordering out or bringing in your own food, so there are ways around it.  However, and this happens every year, the restaurant and bar staff always seem very overwhelmed, and this is something I have noticed at other cons as well.  I know nothing about running a service establishment, but it seems to me that if you know that a major convention is coming in to your hotel, that you should be able to staff up to handle it.  Again, to be fair, this happens at a lot of convention venues, and I struggle to understand it.

Those things are very minor when it comes to the totality of the event.  As I mentioned, this was my 4th Texas Frightmare Weekend, and my intention is to be back next year, and the years after that, and so on......YOU should go too!  You will NOT be disappointed!

-The Horror Nerd

As the saying goes, "You should never meet your heroes", and there is a reason this sentiment exists.

As of this writing, I have been going to fan conventions for about 16 years, and I have met countless celebrity guests, including many that I consider "heroes".  Most recently, I met Clive Barker at Texas Frightmare Weekend.  Meeting Clive has been my "holy grail" of celebrity meet and greets for a long time and I have been waiting to meet him pretty much my entire life.  I can honestly say, it was NOT a let down.  Clive was warm, friendly and gracious despite the fatigue that comes along with poor health.  He made sure that each fan felt welcome and appreciated.

I met many other guests at Texas Frightmare, and I had great experiences with all of them.  Unfortunately, according to some social media posts, this was not the case with everyone.

One particular post caught my attention.  I will not name any names, as calling people out is not the point of this article, but I just want to make a few statements about the culture of celebrity.

In this post, a woman mentioned that her daughter had a very negative experiences with one of the "bigger" names at the convention.  She didn't get very specific, but only said that her daughter was extremely disappointed in the encounter, especially since she had spent $120 for the autographs and photo op.

Of course, right away, many people jumped on it in support of the daughter with statements like, "What a jerk!" or "That sucks, what an a***ole and other things like that.  Must be nice to be able to make such comments without knowing the entire story but, oh well.

Interestingly though, the vast majority of people came out in support of the celebrity guest, mentioning what a great experience they had, and how nice the person was.  By far, there were more comments like this than anything negative about the guest.  I myself posted that I had a great experience, and that I was curious as to what exactly had happened with this woman's daughter.  Still, she refused to say, and would only repeat that her daughter was "very upset".

I am still thinking about this five days later as I write this, and I cannot help but wonder what happened between this person and the guest.  I am very curious as to what she said, and as to what the guest said that made her so upset.   Since I was not there, I can only speculate, but I think that in many cases, fans have a very unrealistic expectation as to what is going to happen when they meet their favorite celebrities.  I think they believe it's going to be a lot more than what it turns out to me.  As a veteran of these events, I know full well that, especially for a popular/big name guest, there are going to be a lot of people on line, and at most, you are only going to have about 30-60 seconds with the guest.  Enough time to get something signed, exchange greetings, and snap a pic.  They are not going to spend a long time listening to what you have to say because there are a lot of people waiting to meet them.

Also, we only get to see these people up on the screen, or on TV, or on stage or in whatever other medium they perform.  We do not know what they are like in person.  Many times they are quiet and shy, and people misinterpret that as being rude.    Don't get me wrong.  There are some convention guests that have no business meeting the public, but in my experience, those are very rare.  For the most part, all the people I have met have been nice.

So....where am I going with this?  As I said, I am still intensely curious as to what transpired between this fan and this guest, but I will probably never know.  My guess is that there's some middle ground, but all I can say to everyone out there who is thinking of going to a convention to meet their favorite stars is, be careful and be reasonable.  They are also just people, and if you just treat them with a little respect, you will almost always have a great experience.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

-The Horror Nerd

In the summer of 2012, a buddy asked me to help him work his table, selling DVDs, at a film festival out on Long Island.  That festival was called the Macabre Faire Film Festival.  I had nothing to do that weekend, so I figured I would give him a hand.  Little did I know the impact that this decision would have on me....

The festival was in a Best Western hotel, and was relatively small. There were a handful of vendors, and a few celebrity guests, but what really struck me was the intimacy and closeness of the event.  It was NOTHING like the large celebrity autograph conventions I had been to, and that was SO refreshing.  It was all about the films and the film makers, and that's what stuck me.  I saw so many great films that weekend and met so many great people, and I was hooked.  One person stood out above all, and that person was Elsie Ginsberg, who, at the time, was introduced to me as LC Macabre.  She was friendly and genuine and I immediately got a good vibe from her.  We hit it off immediately, and I knew that I had found something special in this event.  I met several of the staff members, along with many filmmakers, actors and actresses who are still friends to this day.

As the years went by, I attended every Macabre Faire Film Festival, and it just kept getting better and better.  Every year there were more films, more filmmakers, and more opportunities to make new friends and new connections.  Every time, I looked forward to seeing the Macabre Faire staff, all of whom I were getting to know.  They are an amazing, diverse collection of dedicated people who really know how to run an event.  No matter what happens, someone is there to deal with it.  I found myself wanting to get more involved with this very strange, but very awesome film family.

By the summer of 2013, my feeling about this event had already been solidified, and I found myself looking forward to the event more and more.  The June 2013 event was special because I really began to cement friendships that had begun at the previous events.  The festival itself was really growing in terms of the films that were shown and the entertainment that was provided.  It was about this time that I began referring to Macabre Faire as "a convention unlike any other".  It was also a fun weekend because it turned into a road trip adventure with some very special people.  Wait....change that....it was a crazy weekend because of some very special people!  

Not only that, but I was touched that LC and the rest of the Macabre Faire staff marked my birthday, along with another member of the Macabre Family, with a cake presented by Eileen Dietz!

In January of 2014, Elsie and Adam Ginsberg, and the rest of the Macabre Faire Staff really took it to another level entirely with their first Red Carpet gala.  Never before had I been to a film festival where indie filmmakers were treated like royalty, as if we were all in Hollywood during the Oscars.  There were red carpet photos and interviews, and a tremendous dinner with great entertainment and a lot of fellowship, camaraderie and fun into the wee hours of the morning.  I had never attended an event like this.  I was just a patron, and yet I was still made to feel special.  I think about this time my reputation for taking photos with lovely ladies was pretty much etched in stone by hey, there are worse things to be known for!  

I had an amazing time at that first Macabre Faire Red Carpet gala, but little did I know that my experience with Macabre Faire was going to get even better.

For the 2015 Macabre Faire Film Festival, Elise Ginsberg honored me by asking me to be one of the judges on the judges panel.  I was humbled and honored that she asked me, and I took the job very seriously.  For that first time as a judge, I think I watched about 130 films.  It was a lot of work, but it was a joy to do it.  One of the great things about being a judge is that I actually get to watch all of the films.  One of the very few downsides of attending an event like Macabre Faire is that there are so many films screening all weekend that you really have to try and juggle your time and pick and choose which ones you are going to see.  Fortunately, I do not have that problem.  I have seen so many amazing films as a judge, and the quality of the work just goes up every year.

One of the other joys of being more involved with the festival is really getting to meet so many of the filmmakers, actors and actresses.  I've met so many creative people over the years, and I am proud to call many of them friends.  

An important note about 2015 is that for the first time, the Macabre Faire Film Festival partnered with another promotion, the NY Horror Show, which added a new element to the event.  There were a few more celebrity guests than usual, a bigger vendor room and yet another AMAZING red carpet gala.  Macabre Faire was now THE premiere film festival in the NY area.

Oh, and we also roasted the SHIT out of our buddy Paul Gmitter.

The 2016 Macabre Faire Film Festival was as epic as ever.  Once again, I had the honor of being a judge, and the Red Carpet Gala was more spectacular than the last time.  By now, the event had really hit it's stride, and so many of my friends started talking about it in the summer of 2015!  It really is an event where you can get to know people.  There are a ton of events out there where you wait on line for a long time to spend a few seconds with a celebrity, and these kinds of events can be a lot of fun, and I go to a lot of them.  But I go to Macabre Faire BECAUSE it's different, and because I can spend an entire weekend talking to filmmakers, actors, performers and fellow film fans.  Not to mention the ridiculous lobby and room parties! 

Here we are in 2017.  As I write this, Macabre Faire was two weeks ago, and I already miss it terribly and I wish it was next weekend. Once again, I spent a weekend with people I have come to regard as family.  I was honored to be a judge once more, and again, I have the privilege of watching almost 100 amazing films.  Even better, I got to meet many of the filmmakers and performers who brought the films to live.  It was truly an amazing experience, and it's hard to believe it's been five years since the first one I attended.  The event has grown in amazing ways and, through it all, Elsie Ginsberg has been the steady, guiding force.  I run a very small event, and I know the challenges that I face.  I can't imagine putting on a event of the scale of Macabre Faire Film Festival, and yet she does.  I also give full credit to Adam Ginsberg and the AMAZING Macabre Faire team.  They work tirelessly and do a fantastic job, and I am very proud to work with each and every one of them.

This time around I also had the honor of working with the lovely and talented Danielle Najarian on the red carpet, conducting interviews and meeting more of the filmmakers and actors.  I introduced her to my strange and wonderful Macabre Family, and she didn't run away screaming!

I also had a blast spending time with the great friends that I have made over the years, mostly because of this very event.  On Friday night, we spend two hours roasting my good friend Tom Ryan, and I must say, we did a hell of a job of it.

The Red Carpet Gala was fantastic yet again.  It's great to see everyone dressed up and having a great time, and I enjoyed seeing all the winners accept their awards

I could ramble on all night.......There's just so much to say about this event, and I could never possibly put all of my feelings into words.  I stand by my statement that the Macabre Faire Film Festival is an event unlike any other.  Nowhere else will you really get the sense that it is ALL about the films and the filmmakers, and the friendships and collaborations simply flow from that.  I get to a point where words fail, so I will just stop there.

I am honored and proud to have been with the Macabre Faire Film Festival since the beginning, and I look forward to many years to come.

​-The Horror Nerd

"It" (September 8th) - I am really looking forward to this one.  I am a fan of the original adaptation but let's face it, it does have it's flaws, Tim Curry as Pennywise notwithstanding.  If I'm being honest, he was the singular best thing about that movie.

As far as the remake is concerned, Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise looks suitably terrifying, and I can't wait to see what the production team will be able to do with current filmmaking techniques and effects.

"Get Out" (February 24th) - I am a BIG fan of Jordan Peele, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what he can do when it comes to writing and directing a horror flick.  Early buzz is very positive, and I like the trailer very much.

"Get Out" follows a young black man who discovers something very sinister while visiting his white girlfriend's family estate.  Given the state of race relations in the USA at the time this film was made, it should prove to be interesting to say the least.  

In "A Cure For Wellness" (February 17th), Dane DeHaan stars as an employee who goes to a European "Wellness Spa" to retrieve his boss, and soon realizes that there's something sinister going on, other than the health needs of the patients and that the miraculous treatments offered at the facility are not what they seem.  Oh, and he also discovers that he's trapped.

This is director Gore Verbinksi's first horror film since 2002, and I am a big fan of his, and I am a fan of psychological thrillers, such as this film, which might not be considered "true" horror films (whatever that might mean). 

Any time I hear that people puked during a film and others walked out, I am always skeptical, but with "Raw" (March 10), I tend to believe it, especially given some of the gruesome films that have come out of France over the last few years.

Justine (Garance Marillier) shows up for her first year of vet school at a, well "unusual" institution.  Almost immidiately, she is thrust into viscious hazing rutuals, some of which involve the consumption of raw meat, which is difficult for Justine, considering she's a strict vegetarian.  Things begin to escalate, of course, and this gorehound is looking forward to watching!!

I've heard good things about this one, and I'm looking forward to checking out what I hope to be a well shot, gory film, with an interesting story line.

"The Belko Experiment" (March 17) - I'm a fan of "psychological experiment" films.  I will check out pretty much any film where a person or persons are thrust into some sort of scenario to see how they will react.  I've heard some good things about this one, where a group of about 80 Americans are trapped in their corporate office in Bogota, and forced to participate in a viscous game of kill or be killed. Greg McLean (Wolf Creek) directs this one, which was written by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy).  I am a fan of both of them, so I am optimistic about this flick.

There was much ridiculous controvery over the casting of Idris Elba as The Gunslinger in "The Dark Tower" (July 28th), and that alone would get me to see it, even if I was not a fan of the books. Admittedly, I only read the first three books, and I am still counting the days until this film comes out.  I am never one to bitch and moan about casting decisions.  I prefer to wait until the film comes out, and then make my judgments.  When you have an actor of the caliber of Idris Elba, how can you go wrong?  So the guy is Black, so what?  He will either be good in the role or he won't.

Stephen King adaptations have had mixed results so, if anything, I am more worried about some of the liberties they may take with the story, but I am still very excited about this one, as I have been hoping for a film version for a very long time!

"XX" (February 17th) - The Horror Nerd is a fan of horror anthologies to begin with, but here comes one where all of the segments are directed by women, with women in all the lead roles. Now, if I am being completely frank, that fact in and of itself would not really affect my desire to see the film.  However, when you have filmmakers like Jovanka Vuckovic ("The Captured Bird"), Roxanne Benjamin ("Southbound"), Karyn Kusama ("The Invitation") and two other excellent female artists, St. Vincent (Annie Clark) and Sofia Carillo, how can you go wrong?

Anthologies can be a bit uneven because, generally speaking, some of the segments are usually better than the others, but I have a good feeling about this one, given the talent that's involved.  We'll see!  Be on the lookout for this one from Magnet Releasing.

"Split" (January 20th) - I'm a big fan of James McAvoy, who is good in just about everything and yes, I am a fan of M. Night Shyamalan. Shyamalan is a guy who has had a very strange career, to say the least.  A few good to great films, and a whole bunch of duds (in my opinion anyway).  "The Visit" though was pretty good, not great, but definitely interesting enough for me to be looking forward to "Split".


McAvoy plays an man with 23 different personalities who kidnaps three young women.  The trailer, in my opinion, is fantastic, and makes me want to see more.  I truly hope this one is good, because I would love to see M. Night Shyamalan redeem himself.  I still believe he has it in him.  We'll find out I suppose!

"Alien: Covenant" (May 19th) - For the record, I was a fan of "Prometheus", despite it's many flaws, which admittedly are hard to ignore.  I liked the concept, and the visuals of the film.  It's like, there was something special there, but it just didn't come completely to fruition.  I'm hoping a lot of these flaws will be corrected in this upcoming installment, and that a lot of questions will be answered. Oh, and let's face it, the teaser poster is AWESOME!

The crew of the Covenant comes across a planet that appears to be a virtual paradise.  It turns out that the only inhabitant is David, the andriod played by Michael Fassbender, that managed to survive the Prometheus expedtion, and it turns out that the world may not be the paradise that it initially seems to be.

In interviews, Ridley Scott has said that this film will answer many of the questions left over after "Prometheus" and, while I don't personally need every plot point of a film spoon fed to me, I don't want to have to work that hard to understand a film, so I hope Scot is true to his word.  Either way, I can't wait to see this one!

"The Witch" - Many people complained that his movie was "too slow" and that "nothing happens" and some even said "It's not really a horror movie."  They would be wrong.  It was billed as a "New England Folk Tale," but it is most definitely a horror film.  I loved the sense of isolation, dread and paranoia that builds slowly throughout the entire film, and, for once, I was impressed by the performances of child actors.  The attention to detail for the period is amazing as well. Definitely one of the creepiest films I've seen in a long time, and I love the fact that, as it turns out, the "evil" in the film was most decidedly real.

"Train to Busan" - I had no idea I needed to see yet another zombie movie until I saw this one.  If most other zombie films handled the genre as deftly as this one does, they would all go up a notch in quality.  The film does an excellent job of balancing the violent zombie action with character driven drama and in the end, it's really just the story of a father trying to connect with his daugher.....and incidentally, trying to protect her from an undead horde.  Last I heard, there is going to be the obligatory American remake.  It's probably something I can do without.

"Baskin" - Holy shit!  My podcast co-host pushed me to finally watch this film and I am so glad I did.  This Turkish film drags us on a journey into hell along with a group of police officers.  Once there, we're treated to a series of surreal, violent and bloody set pieces that almost made my break split in half.  The main "villain" of the story is awesome and, I don't want to give anything away, but it turns out that his "look" in the film is real!  So help me, he actually looks like that!  Honestly though, this is a gory treat that will satisfy gorehounds but will also make horror fans happy with a good story.  "Baskin" is a must see!

"Don't Breathe" - OK, OK.  I know that Fede Alvarez's thriller is not what people usually consider a "horror" film and I know it has its detractors, but I liked it. Despite its flaws, of which there are a few, I genuinely liked it.  I am Stephen Lang fan, so that could be a big part of that, but mainly I enjoyed seeing three basically unlikeable people get tormented for 90 minutes.  Yes, there are some plot inconsistencies that will drive some people crazy, but overall, I had a fun time at the movies with this one.  There are some genuinely tense moments, and one of the better "total darkness" scenes that I've watched in a while.

I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like "The Eyes of My Mother".  My favorite horror films are the ones that get under my skin and stay there, and this is definitely one of them.  The fact that i's shot in haunting black and white gives it that much more of an impact.  Without giving too much away, I will say that basically we're witnessing a realistic (I think) and grim birth of a serial killer.  The truly horrifying thing is that it's presented in a very sympathetic way. It bothered me a bit that I sympathized so much with the main character, despite the graphic violence.  I think that is the true power of this film.  Director D. Nicolas Pesce is one to watch.  I just hope that after this stunning debut, his future films are not judged too harshly.

"10 Cloverfield Lane" - Again, not really a "horror" film per-se, but I had to include it because I really liked it.  I just wish the studio hadn't forced a tie in with "Cloverfield" that doesn't really make sense.  This film was originally called "The Cellar" and I wish it had stayed that way.  I also wasn't thrilled with the theatrical ending.  If you're curious, once you've seen the film, look up the description of the original ending and I think you'll see what I mean.  Other than that, I truly enjoyed this film, and John Goodman's performance is a revelation.  I have always felt that he is highly underrated as an actor. He creates some moments in this film that were so tense I could barely take it.  Ugh, again, that ending.......Still an very enjoyable film though.

I admit it.  I'm a fan of anthology horror films. They're hard to pull off because the individual segments can be (and usually are) uneven in quality, but "Southbound" is one of the better horror anthologies I've seen in a long time.  It manages to stay consistent in it's tone, through the 5 separate tails tied together in a circular fashion through a radio DJ (Larry Fessenden).  There are some good scares and some funny moments as well, along with a good mixture of genres in the individual stories (creature, religious cult, medical horror and others).  The performances and even the score are excellent as well.  Check it out!

"Hush" could easily have been just another "cat and mouse" type home invasion thriller, but is it most definitely not.  Let's face it, I've never seen one that featured a deaf protagonist, have you?  Maddie is a deaf author leading a reclusive life in a home in the woods.  A killer begins stalking Maddie, and the story that follows is tense, creepy and unsettling, and does not go down the path you might expect it to. I found the idea that sound had been removed as a factor in the story allowed the film to avoid most of the traps and cliches that films like this tend to fall into.

"They Look Like People" has a very simple, yet intriguing premise.  Creatures are slowly taking over the world by gaining control of the human race.  How?  They look just like humans, reminiscent of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", only with more convincing "replacements".  Here's the catch though....is this invasion really happening, or is it all in the mind of the main character?  Star Macleod Andrews does an excellent job projecting the fear and paranoia that would be associated with such a premise.  This was one of the most fun, interesting films I've seen in 2016.

"The Autopsy of Jane Doe" is one of the most unsettling horror films I've seen in a long time, and one with a very original plot, unlike anything I've seen, yet with some elements that seemed familiar.  I can't really explain it.  All I will say is that if you're a horror fan, you MUST see this film.  A small town coroner and his son conduct an autopsy on an unidentified woman. whose body was discovered at a crime scene where a violent murder has occurred.  As they perform the autopsy, they begin to discover that this is no ordinary corpse, and they experience a series of bizarre, supernatural events.  I won't give away anything more.  Just see the damn movie!!

On December 7th and 8th 2016 I had the pleasure of attending the Northeast Film Festival Horror Fest, held at the Teaneck Cinemas in Teaneck, NJ.   The NEFFHF is an extension if you will of the Northeast Film Festival, which is held at the same location in the Summer.  I also attended that event this year.  Festival director Larry Rosen, who is also a filmmaker and actor, does an excellent job of putting this festival together.  On a more mundane level, ordering my ticket online was a snap and getting my pass at the theater was also a breeze.  I love the easy going nature of the festival, which is apparent as soon as you get there, given that Larry is such a friendly, easy going guy.  He's approachable and easy to talk to, and it's clear that he loves what he's doing, but more on that later.

Teaneck Cinemas is a small, local theater that that serves and an excellent venue.  It truly is a movie going experience, with all the movie snacks you might enjoy, and it's great to see independent films being shown on a big, true "movie theater" screen, which is not often the case at local film festivals.  Several of the filmmakers and actors/actresses in attendance mentioned to me how cool it was to see their work up on an actual big screen, and I shared their enthusiasm for this touch.  Again, well done on Larry's part for finding the location.

Films are screened in blocks throughout the evening, starting at 6:00PM and divided into two hour blocks.  Each block might consist of a feature and a short film or two, or anywhere from 5-6 short films.  Tickets are available for each block, or you can purchase an all-day pass, or an all access pass which covers the entire two-days of films, plus the awards ceremony and the after party that takes place at the end of the second day.

After each block of films, any filmmakers, actors or crew members who were involved in any of the films are invited down to the front of the theater to take questions from the audience.  This is always a highligh of any film festival for me.  I love hearing people talk about their work, and I always try to come up with a good question or two, as I am genuinely fascinated with the filmmaking process, and I always want to learn more.

There is also a great red carpet room, where festival attendees, filmmakers and guests can have their photos taken, either by the professional event photographer or with their own camera.  Red carpet hostess, the lovely Bethany Nicole Taylor, was conducting interviews with the filmmakers and guests.  All of this is a very nice touch, and it definitely added a level of glamour and excitement to the evening.  Who doesn't like to have their picture taken on a red carpet? I mean, I realize I am a photo whore......but still.....

In any case, it was a lot of fun to take pictures and to mix and mingle with the filmmakers, actors and actresses who were there.

There were a total of 22 films accepted into the festival this time around, and I had a chance to see almost all of them.  There was such a wide array of excellent films shown.  It's undeniable that the indie film world is alive and well.  This is why I get so annoyed when people complain that "there are no good movies to watch."  BULLSHIT!  You have to seek them out!  Go to a film festival and see what you've been missing!

On the first night, I saw a great short film called "Gemma", which is the story of one young girl telling a bedtime story to her twin sister, with a very clever sci-fi type twist, that turned out to be very touching.  I had a chance to meet the filmmakers and the girls that starred in the movie, and the were a pleasure.

Also on the first night I saw a great feature film called "Bad Frank", directed by Tony Germinario (a NJ native) and starring Tom Sizemore as a sleazy crime boss, and another NJ native, Kevin Interdonato.  Kevin turns in an excellent performance as Frank, a guy with a sketchy past who is trying to stay on the straight and narrow, but people and events from his past keep trying to pull him back into a world of violence and trouble.  Kevin won a well deserved Best Actor award at the festival for his performance and I can honestly say he definitely earned it.  I plan to write up a comprehensive review of the film separately.  Again, people who skip these festivals really are missing out.  Not only was the film excellent, but I had a chance to meet with and speak to both Kevin and Tony after the film, which was a treat.  I look forward to following the film, as I am sure it's going to be a hit everywhere.  The film also featured yet another New Jersey guy, Brian O'Halloran, whom I am sure everyone will remember from Kevin Smiths "Clerks".  The remainder of the cast, including Amanda Clayton as Franks wife and Lynn Mancinelli as the daugher of Sizemore's character is excellent as well. 

Click on the image below to go to the Bad Frank IMDB page

 There were so many great films shown over the course of two days that I cannot possibly write about them all, so I will mention a few of my personal favorites.  (Note: If I do not mention a particular film, it means NOTHING!  All of the films were good in their own way.  I just happened to particularly enjoy certain ones.)

"Wraith", written and directed by Daniel James, produced by Sam Borowski and starring Gregg Prosser and Melissa Archer is an excellent little ghost story, and I am a sucker for a good ghost story.  Gregg and Melissa turn in great performances, and Daniels directing is top notch.  The camera work in this film is particularly well done, which I made sure to mention BOTH times I've seen this film.  I've also been lucky enough to meet Daniel, Gregg and Sam on more than one occasion to speak to them about the film, and about filmmaking in general.

"The Catalyst", from filmmaker Alan Fine, is another cool ghost/possession story which I really liked.  Again, I have to mention how indie filmmakers are really stepping up their game, and this is a prime example.  Well shot, well acted, and well directed, with some very cool special effects.   According to Alan, this short is a "proof of concept" film, and the goal is to secure funding to develop a feature.  I am looking forward to the day I can see that!

"Let's Play Dead Girl" was an interesting short film, directed by Christian A Moran, and based on the "Slenderman" events that occurred in Wisconsin.  In this film, two girls create a fictional, on-line character called "Alto", who they hope to bring to life through an act of terrible violence.  Another example of the great work that's happening in the indie horror world.

"The Cabinet in the Woods" is definitely one of the most "different" indie horror films I've seen in a long time, and I mean that in the best possible way!  It concerns a witch, and some of her victims, and what she does to them..........well, I am not going to say, but you just need to see it to believe it.  Andrew Schwarz won Best Director at the festival for this film, and it was easy to see why!  A very clever film with a great story, great cinematography and great performances.  I had the good fortune to be able to discuss the film, and filmmaking in general, at length with Andrew and I am definitely a fan!

My last two mentions are "Evil Rising" and "Megrim".  "Evil Rising" is another "possession" type short film written by and starring Brandi Alyssa Young and directed by Savion Smith.  Brandi's reaction and exuberance when she won Best Actress at the festival was one of the highlights of the entire event.  She is adorable!   "Megrim" (directed by Stuart Valberg) concerns an artist and a subject, only the artist does not have the best of intentions when it comes to his subject!  The dialogue between the two, and the gleefully malevolent performance by Pascal Yen-Pfister as the artist made this short film one my absolute favorites.

The climax of the second night of screenings was the awards ceremony, where awards were handed out in the usual categories.  All of the awards were well deserved, and I enjoy seeing talented filmmakers and performers being recognized for their work.

The two day event ended with a great after party at a local restaurant.  The festival attendees had a chance to mix and mingle with many of the filmmakers and performers and it was great opportunity to network.  I made a lot of great new friends and a lot of new contacts in the indie filmmaking world.  I am looking forward to working with many of them in the future.  I also won't hold it against Sam Borowski for taking candy from a little kid....after all, he actually did ask!

Overall, it was a great two nights.  Events like this are why I love being involved in the indie film world.  So many great movies and so many great people.  Cheers to Larry Rosen for putting on a great evnt and cheers to everone who was there.  I look forward to doing it again next year!  For more information on the Northest Film Festival Horror Fest, just click on the link!!