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TADFF Review: ‘You Might Be the Killer’ Finds Killer Comedy in the Shape of a Slasher

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You Might Be the Killer Brett Simmons Fran Kranz

You Might Be the Killer is a deeply satisfying meta-horror comedy love letter to the slasher subgenre.

The film was inspired by a brilliant, spot-on twitter thread between writers Chuck Wendig and Sam Sykes (click here to read it in full) that quickly went viral. In the thread, Sam reaches out to Chuck to seek advice when his new position as a summer camp counselor puts him in a bit of an odd spot. There’s a serial killer on the loose, and counselors are dropping like hacked-and-slashed flies. Through their conversation, Chuck guides Sam to the unsettling realization that he might actually be the one responsible.

via TADFF

Director Brett Simmons (Husk, Animal) – who also wrote the script with Covis Berzoyne and Thomas Vitale – succeeds in creating a film with his own voice and energy, while honoring the spirit of the source material. The script maintains Sykes and Wendig’s chemistry and comedic voices while fleshing out an 80-tweet long conversation into 90 minutes of film.

Some of the dialogue comes directly from the thread, but it never comes off as disingenuous thanks to pitch-perfect performances from Fran Kranz (The Cabin in the Woods) and Alyson Hannigan (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

It’s not hard to understand the moral complexities of the position that both Sam and Chuck find themselves in. Sam is struggling to find some kind of win-win resolution as Chuck balances feelings of concern and – due to her vast knowledge of and passion for the subject – reluctant enthusiasm. Which, honestly, kind of makes sense. As a horror fan, if you got a call asking for advice on a stereotypical subgenre situation, wouldn’t you feel just a little bit excited?

You would. Don’t lie.

via TADFF

If you’re at all familiar with Kran and Hannigan’s prior work, you’ll know that they’re both gifted actors with strong emotional range and natural comedic timing. It’s incredible that they were never acting in the same room together – they didn’t even read lines off-camera – because the flow and chemistry of their conversation is absolutely seamless.

The casting of Hannigan as Chuck is inspired. She shows a natural understanding of the emotional content of the script and walks that fine line with such charm and confidence that you one hundred percent would want to call her for advice on literally any topic. She’s the perfect straight man, and we feel safe with her there as a voice of reason. And Hannigan is so comfortable sliding into research mode that you half expect to see the rest of Buffy’s Scooby Gang poring over ancient tomes in the background.

via TADFF

Although You Might Be the Killer embraces the meta-horror comedy subgenre, it doesn’t entirely dismiss the ethics of the slasher situation. The stakes are still very high, and Kranz’s performance as Sam leans in to that moral crisis.

Kranz is able to channel a manic energy that – with just subtle changes in performance – can be hilarious and slapstick one moment, and frantic and distressed the next. He is so earnestly likable that it’s easy to connect with him and root for his character. Kranz carries the viewer through a range of emotional levels that give depth and emphasis to the outrageous slasher setting.

via TADFF

You Might Be the Killer flips the script on classic horror tropes while paying homage in a truly loving way. Simmons shows his passion for the genre with the inclusion of visual references, dialogue, and set/prop designs that act as a clear nod to horror favorites and genre stereotypes.

These details are part of what makes You Might Be the Killer such a deliciously fun film for any horror fan. But, as much as we love our slashers, there can be some problematic elements.

The final girl character is traditionally a young, sexually unavailable, morally superior survivor, and she is rarely a woman of color. In You Might Be the Killer, one particular conversation in the third act slyly addresses this stereotype with a subtle insinuation that’s threaded through the dialogue.

via IMDb

You Might Be the Killer climbs inside the slasher subgenre to explore its tropes from a different perspective. It’s a cheeky and super meta experience that may be lost on anyone without at least a passing familiarity of the horror genre. That said, the clichés are so broad that they’re hard to miss.

The film really finds strength with the right viewing experience. I had the opportunity to see it on a big screen as part of the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, and it’s certainly the type of movie that is best seen with a group of excited genre fans.

You Might Be the Killer is an effective, satisfying meta-horror comedy in the vein of The Cabin in the Woods, but on a more intimate scale that will feel deeply personal for any 80s slasher fan. Brett Simmons graciously shares his love for the horror genre and – in the process – shows that he is a name to watch for.

 

For more on You Might Be the Killer, click here to read my interview with Brett Simmons and Fran Kranz! You can check out the trailer and poster below.

via TADFF

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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Part Concert, Part Horror Movie M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Trailer Released

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In true Shyamalan form, he sets his film Trap inside a social situation where we aren’t sure what is going on. Hopefully, there is a twist at the end. Furthermore, we hope it’s better than the one in his divisive 2021 movie Old.

The trailer seemingly gives away a lot, but, as in the past, you can’t rely on his trailers because they are often red herrings and you are being gaslit to think a certain way. For instance, his movie Knock at the Cabin was completely different than what the trailer implied and if you hadn’t read the book on which the film is based it was still like going in blind.

The plot for Trap is being dubbed an “experience” and we aren’t quite sure what that means. If we were to guess based on the trailer, it’s a concert movie wrapped around a horror mystery. There are original songs performed by Saleka, who plays Lady Raven, a kind of Taylor Swift/Lady Gaga hybrid. They have even set up a Lady Raven website to further the illusion.

Here is the fresh trailer:

According to the synopsis, a father takes his daughter to one of Lady Raven’s jam-packed concerts, “where they realize they’re at the center of a dark and sinister event.”

Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Hayley Mills and Allison Pill. The film is produced by Ashwin Rajan, Marc Bienstock and M. Night Shyamalan. The executive producer is Steven Schneider.

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