Category: Festival

Suds in Knoxville

Posted on by Nic White

Sup Slicers!?

CinemaSlice is proud to present the first ever SUDS & CINEMA – Knoxville!

The ‘Slicer August Aguilar from Strange Films is hosting SUDS & CINEMA film festival in Knoxville, TN this September at Brickyard Bar and BBQ. In staying with the formula that makes SUDS & CINEMA awesome, CinemaSlice will be showcasing short independent films from multiple genres, while drinking craft beer!

The twist on this particular event is the inclusion of LIVE MUSIC! That’s right, Slicers! After all of the short films have shown on the big screen, you can kick back, grab a cold one, and enjoy the original musical arrangements from live bands!

If you’re an indy filmmaker with a short film that goes well beside a cold one, click the link below to submit your film for consideration.

Submit your short films here:https://filmfreeway.com/Suds-Knoxville

– June 11, 2019 – Opening Submission Date
– July 1, 2019 – Earlybird Deadline
– July 21, 2019 – Regular Deadline
– August 18, 2019 – Late Deadline
– August 24, 2019 – Notification Date
– September 21, 2019 – Event Date

As always, this SUDS & CINEMA event is FREE to attend– But space is limited.

Stay tuned to all upcoming SUDS & CINEMA events at CinemaSlice.com/Suds

#SLICETHEPLANET

Suds & Cinema – Grove City – Mini Reel Reviews – Part 1 of 2

Posted on by Mark Kelly

Following CinemaSlice’s first ever Suds & Cinema event in Grove City, OH, we just had to write up mini reviews for each official selection that screened! Without further ado, let’s get into these REEL REVIEWS!

Alive

directed by Naim David

A woman(Mary K. Riestenberg) begins to clean up after the gruesome murder of another woman(Celeste Blandon). She quickly finds that there are more important things to worry about than her blood soaked hands.

A very effective horror short in terms of setting and characters. In the short runtime it is well established that something terrifying has happened. The actors do a tremendous job with their movements and mannerisms to help flesh out this feeling of dread. I could have used a more in terms of plot but I understand that this was probably a purposeful choice.

4 out of 6 Reels

Clowns vs. Corn 4 Gold

directed by Matthew MCR Ellison II

The psychedelic trip of a clown whose drink of choice is Corn 4 Gold.

An animated short done in a very unique and creative style. As a piece of art this is a captivating look into a mad alternate universe where everything pulses with a fast and frenetic energy. Looking at it as a film, I would say it’s lacking in plot with no real narrative thread to speak of.

3 out of 6 Reels

Fear, Itself

directed by Alex Caperton

A girl(Rachel Hass) is having a fun and relaxing night eating junk food and playing video games. Fun and relaxing until she hears a sound coming from outside her bedroom window.

This horror short has a nice advancement of creeping dread from beginning to end. I enjoyed the use of video gaming in the film. As a video gamer I use the hobby as a relaxer and can imagine how the girl may have felt before the creepy events begin. Personally, the ending left me on a bit of a cliffhanger and I would have liked to have seen more. A very effective thriller nonetheless.

4 out of 6 Reels 

Haunted House

directed by Michael DeSanto

Amanda(Kenzie Phillips) and Ryan(Charles Wetzel Jr.) have just purchased a new home. Hilarity ensues when they find that the house is very lonely and would like some special favors done in return.

Enjoyable horror comedy that has fun characters and writing that is consistently funny. The writing is effective in that each character is specifically written for. This makes the characters distinctive and they don’t share the same jokes and personalities. I also have to mention the special effects, which were stellar for a low-budget film. My only minor criticism is that the story, while still very funny, was a bit disjointed and felt like we were just moving from scene to scene without much substance. Still a very funny and crowd pleasing film.

5 out of 6 Reels

Jilted Ex

directed by Christian Blackthorne

Sometimes breaking off a relationship can lead to some very dire consequences.

This very short horror clip definitely succeeded in setting a very dark and grim tone right from the start. A very unsettling visual accompanied by a gritty atmosphere made for a nightmarish combo. It seemed to play more like a trailer, however, and I was left wanting more. It would be very interesting to see this idea expanded upon in the future to give the viewer more to sink their teeth into.

3 out of 6 Reels

Not From Around Here

directed by Eric Mishne

Connie(Rachel Luther) and Parker(Colin Luther) are traveling the United States with dreams of traveling the world. Their plans hit a snag when their car breaks down on a lonely stretch of road. They are not concerned until a stranger(Chris Johnson) in a pickup truck pulls up behind them.

This short was awesome. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, the characters and especially the film’s conclusion. The plot is straightforward, putting us in a believable scenario that many enjoy doing, traveling the world. It then establishes characters that we can see ourselves as and puts them in a scenario that we all hate, our car breaking down. It wraps up brilliantly with an ending that I won’t give away, but I will say to go back and give this a second watch. Little details will emerge that go unnoticed on the first viewing and the experience will become that much more enjoyable.

6 out of 6 Reels

That’s it for PART1!!! Tune in next time for the mini reel review of the remaining films featured at SUDS & CINEMA – Grove City!

SUDS & CINEMA – Official Selections

Posted on by Nic White

The jury has spoken! Our goal was to select the best films across a variety of genres that fit into the theme and vibe of Suds & Cinema: good production quality, entertaining/exciting, and fun to watch.

…Before we get into it, we should all take a moment to thank our festival jury: Jeremy Borden, Mike Neider, and Jeremy Allen for taking the time to view, rate, review, and curate the official film selections for the first ever Suds & Cinema film festival!

And this was no simple task– As we received so many great film submissions! Some film submissions were technically fantastic, but were not selected simply based on the fact they may not fit into this particular event program. Which is to say– I WISH WE WERE ABLE TO SHOWCASE EVERY SUBMISSION WE RECEIVED!

But I digress.
The list below is of all of the awesome official film selections of Suds & Cinema on March 9th, 2019.F

  • Static – Horror – Wayneville, OH
  • Not From Around Here – Thriller – Jake Barry – Grove City, OH
  • Fear, Itself –Thriller – Alex Caperton – Columbus, OH
  • The Chair – Comedy – Zebulon Griffin – Hilliard, OH
  • Clown vs Corn 4 Gold Malt Liquor – MCR Electric Otto – Detroit, MI
  • The Pizza Guy – Comedy/Thriller – Naim David – Columbus, OH
  • The…ال… Horror – Diaa Bahaa – Egypt
  • Subject – Sci Fi August Aguilar – Knoxville, TN
  • Alive – Horror – Naim David – Columbus, OH
  • Strike It – Action/Heist – Tom Dallis – Dayton, OH
  • Haunted House – Ghost/Comedy – Michael DeSanto – Toledo, OH
  • CUT – Horror/Thriller – Jeremy Allen – Grove City, OH
  • Whiskey Chips – Comedy – Columbus, OH
  • Golden Dong – Kung Fu Comedy – Mike Neider – Columbus, OH
  • READ A BOOK – Horror – Michael Welborn – Bay City, MI
  • Blood on the Lens – Horror/Comedy Nic White – Columbus, OH
  • Retribution – Action – Jeremy Borden, London, OH

    • Be sure to arrive at the Suds & Cinema event EARLY, as this is a FREE event, and seating space is LIMITED.

    SLICE THE PLANET

Suds & Cinema – Late Pass?

Posted on by Nic White

ATTENTION FILMMAKERS– CinemaSlice has extended the final late film submission date until February 11th, 2019!

Before getting to far ahead of myself, what is Suds & Cinema? Well, thanks for asking! SUDS & CINEMA is a celebration of independent film and craft beer. The idea is simple: CinemaSlice will curate and present the best film submissions — short films (less than 15 mins) and Microfilms (less than 1 min)– on Saturday, March 9th, 2019, at HopYard 62 (a tap room in Grove City, OH).

This film presentation will be chalked full of awesome independent films from the Mid-Ohio region and beyond– and the 21 taps will be flowing with tasty craft beers all night long!

SUDS & CINEMA FILM FESTIVAL is a FREE event that will feature over 13 accepted film submissions, as well as an award ceremony to immediately follow the event. We’ll be awarding select films with trophies, CinemaSlice swag, gift cards, certificates of authenticity, and MORE!

If you are a filmmaker, and into having a good time, consider submitting your films at FilmFreeway.com/Suds

#SLICETHEPLANET #SUPPORTINDEPENDENTCINEMA

Suds & Cinema – Regular Deadline

Posted on by Nic White

The first EVER Suds & Cinema film festival is searching for short films!

Suds & Cinema will take place on Saturday, March 16th in Grove City, OH. We’re hoping to receive submission of fun, terrifying, gorey and hilarious short films from the mid-Ohio area and beyond!

The Regular submission deadline is January 21st, so get your films submitted ASAP!

And if you’re unable to submit your film by the regular deadline, CinemaSlice has added a “Late Deadline” of February 11th, 2019.

We’re looking for short films in all genres (action, adventure, horror, comedy, etc) that are shorter than 15min, and also for MICRO FILMS from 15 – 60 seconds.

Join us for this celebration of independent films and craft beer!

#SLICETHEPLANET

Suds & Cinema – SUBMISSIONS OPEN NOW!!

Posted on by Nic White

CinemaSlice is presenting an evening celebrating Independent Cinema and great craft beer at an awesome tap room in Columbus, OH! This multi-genre film celebration is searching for short films of all genres– that can be enjoyed beside a beer or three!

The film festival will be held on Saturday March 16th– in Columbus, OH, and ONLINE!

Are you interested in getting involved? We’re searching for quality horror, comedy, action, and more!

WHAT: A celebration of short films and craft beer! CinemaSlice is hosting an evening of amazing craft beers and finely crafted short films!

WHEN: The first event will be held on Saturday, March 16th, 2019

WHERE: This FREE celebration of independent cinema and craft beer will be held at a tap room called HopYard 62 – 4057 Broadway, Grove City, OH 43123 — AND streaming online at festival.tv

WHY: CinemaSlice loves craft beer, and supports independent cinema! What a great marriage! CinemaSlice will curate great short films to showcase to the public at this FREE event!

Support The Arts

Enjoy some tasty craft brews and some quality films at Suds & Cinema!

Short Films

CinemaSlice is showcasing multi-genre short films from Mid-Ohio and beyond! Film submissions will be considered that are submitted from all over the world!

Craft Brews

Amazing craft beer on draft! Come out and enjoy 21 rotating taps of craft beer, a great wine selection, and new mead varieties. — OR Stream online and enjoy a craft beer from your private collection!

Encore Scare

Posted on by Nic White

ENCORE!

For any Slicer that has been living under a rock, A SLICE OF FRIGHT FILM FESTIVAL 2018 was Cinema’s Slice’s first ever film festival event (named after the CinemaSlice short horror anthology series) which took place in Michigan on October 13th, 2018.

CinemaSlice has teamed up with Festivault to bring an exclusive online-only encore presentation of A SLICE OF FRIGHT FILM FEST to the World!

That’s right! All of the creepy, gorey, twisted films showed at the State theatre last October can now be viewed online this December 14th – 21st! Just log on to Festivault.tv, buy an online ticket, and stream all of the films from the comfort of your movie lair!

That’s 22 short horror films, as well as the docu-thriller, The Monster With 21 Faces!

Continue reading “Encore Scare” →

A Slice of Fright – Mini Reel Reviews (pt 2)

Posted on by Mark Kelly

I’m back to review more short films from A Slice of Fright Film Festival!

*6 YEARS

directed by: Kamil Wojcik

Year by year, we see events play out in a mans life. As we go through each event things get progressively more disturbing and terrifying. 

An abstract telling of a series of horrifying and gory scenes, at first I thought this animated short would turn me off. After multiple viewings, however, I find myself constantly amazed at how many interpretations I have about the plot of this film. I’m more fascinated by this short with each and every viewing.

6 out of 6 reels.

*MEAT SACK

directed by: Wages of Cine

A detective and her partner come across a horrific crime scene. After the investigation she must track down the killer that committed the unspeakable act. 

This short is oozing with style. The extremely grainy film footage combined with the excellent practical gore effects makes this film have strange sense of realism. It feels as though you’re watching footage found directly at a real crime scene. Unfortunately, this film also suffers from a case of style over substance. It’s as if this film is missing a second act, something that could explain how we get from the murder to the apprehension.

3 out of 6 reels.

*PLAY WITH ME

directed by: Ash Hamilton 

A girl (Katie Schooley) finds that she and 3 other “strangers” are in a very dangerous situation. A skull-masked murderer is after them and their options for survival are quickly running out. 

I’m a big fan of movies that nail their surprise endings. Without giving anything away this film begins with a brutal “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” type feel, but ends in a completely different fashion. The two components complement each other without ruining the overall cohesiveness of the short. In my opinion things get a bit overly silly at times, especially near the end of the film. It was also very interesting to find out that this film also doubles as a clever advertisement.

5 out of 6 reels.

*AM I SCARY NOW

directed by: Jon David Leslie

After losing a Halloween pumpkin carving contest a boy decides to go out trick or treating. His pumpkin may have lost the contest but it may be more scarier than we previously thought. 

I loved this animated short. In starts off with a “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” feel, making it seem like you’re watching a children’s Halloween special. By the end I was surprised, to my delight, at the gruesome twist that it takes.

6 out of 6 reels.

*COMPENSATION

directed by: Chu-Yi Chen

A man (Ying-Hong Li) is shackled in a dark and dirty room. He has committed a crime, a crime with which a creative punishment is in store for him. 

In a sense this is a revenge film, and a good one at that. With most revenge films we see killing as the chosen course of action. In this film we see that idea being turned on its head. Although a bit more details about the plot could have been useful for clarification, it’s an excellent film nonetheless.

5 out of 6 reels.

*THE LAST CRY

directed by: Cynthia Bergen

After receiving reports of mysterious sounds coming from a abandoned warehouse a paranormal investigator looks into the situation. What she encounters within will haunt her dreams forever. 

At first I thought, “Oh no, not another one of these paranormal investigation films again.”. When this type of movie is done well, however, it can feature some of the creepiest imagery in all of the horror genre. This film is an example of getting it right. It’s the only short that gave me a nightmare in which the creepy old man standing next to the crib made an appearance. Super scary stuff.

6 out of 6 reels.

*ANGEL WATCHING OVER ME

directed by: Even Keel Productions

Kendra(Kendra Lodewyk) is being tucked into bed for the night by her mom(Kelly Fortier). Her grandmother has recently passed away and she confides to her mother that she can hear grandma calling to her every night. Every night at exactly midnight. 

Every element of this film was done fairly well. For me it borders on being a bit forgettable, but definitely deserves a watch for the likable characters and creepy villain at the end.

3 out of 6 reels.

*DETROIT EXPLOITATION ANIMATION BLOCK

directed by: Matthew MCR Ellison II

Disturbing animation and experimental music is abound in this collection of animated shorts. 

This feature is comprised mostly of short bursts of chaotic scenes with deformed creatures being ripped apart and jarring distorted sounds. While I wouldn’t say that these would be for everyone, I also see the creativity and imagination that is put into the final product.

3 out 6 reels.

*LA ROI DE LA MORT

directed by: Jeremy Borden

Madame (Diana Moore) is excited to find that her ancient artifact has arrived. The artifact is soon revealed despite warnings of danger from the attending archaeologist (Jose Bastidas). 

A very enjoyable watch. It executed the classic silent film elements perfectly and had an old school monster movie feel. The costumes felt period accurate which was also a very nice touch. I story was fairly basic but was performed well enough that it complemented the overall esthetic. 

4 out of 6 reels.

*I’M HERE

directed by: James Pinson

A husband (Azhar Ali) has stayed over at work to catch up on some “extracurricular activities”. When he starts receiving texts he begins to realize that maybe this tryst wasn’t such a good idea after all.

The atmosphere of a darkened office coupled with the growing realization that this man is up to no good creates a setting that is perfect for tense thrilling moments. As the time of his rendezvous draws near you can actually feel the heightened apprehension that leads to the realization that he may have made a grave mistake.

5 out of 6 reels.

*CUT

directed by: Jeremy Allen

In a scene reminiscent of “Saw” we see a woman (Valerie Gilbert) and a man (Ian Beckroege) wake up in an abandoned hallway. Bloodied and beaten they both struggle to figure out what has happened. They soon find out that they are in a situation that is more dangerous then they could have ever imagined. 

I enjoy films that are able to borrow an idea and breathe new life into it. The “group of people trapped in a room” idea has been done before but never quite like this. I’d also be remiss not to mention the acting of Tommie Grabiec. He was phenomenal in “Par-A-Site” but arguably even better in this.

6 out of 6 reels.

A Slice of Fright – Mini Reel Reviews (Pt 1)

Posted on by Mark Kelly

Sup, Slicers?

Mark Kelly here– I wasn’t able to attend the festival in person, so I’ve decided to write mini REEL REVIEWS of each film featured at A SLICE OF FRIGHT FILM FESTIVAL.

On Saturday the 13th, at The State Theatre in Bay City, MI, CinemaSlice hosted the first ever, A Slice of Fright Film Festival. Dedicated to the mad and macabre side of storytelling, A Slice of Fright Film Festival consisted of films ranging from the truly disturbing to the darkly hilarious. So strap in because we are coming at you with mini Reel Reviews of all the selections that were shown at the Fest.

ACNE

directed by: Arturo Uspango

A woman (Ashley Daniello) stands in front of her bathroom mirror fretting over her complexion. We soon find out the disturbing places she will go in order to fix her acne problem.

Continue reading “A Slice of Fright – Mini Reel Reviews (Pt 1)” →

HHM Day 4

Posted on by Mark Kelly

Hello, Slicers!

Bay City’s Hells Half Mile Fest wrapped about a week ago and I’m back with some coverage from the final day. The past couple of days I had attended movies that were more tension filled and suspenseful. On the last day I wanted a taste of something different so I ended up attending a comedy and a drama that I found particularly interesting. We’ll start off with “The Go-Getters”.

“The Go-Getters”, directed by Jeremy Lalonde, is one of the most heartfelt, extremely vulgar, and entertaining comedies I have ever watched. The premise is simple, in order to fix up their extremely messed up lives Owen (Aaron Abrams),a drug addict, and Lacie(Tommie-Amber Pirie), a prostitute, must raise 98 dollars in order to buy two bus tickets out of town. Try as they might, this simple task proves to be an extremely impossible, dangerous, harmful and hilarious task in more ways than one. I found this movie immensely enjoyable. Although it isn’t for the easily offended, it was very charming similar to the tv series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. The characters are nasty and deplorable, but through good comedic acting, direction, and writing(Aaron Abrams, Brendan Gall) you are rooting for them all the same. Continue reading “HHM Day 4” →