FrightFest

7/10 - difficult one, this. Slow going at the start and with a really unlikable protagonist, I was ready to walk after 20 minutes. But by the end of it, we'd had a pretty good horror movie. So stick with it...

6/10 Pacing issues, had some good ideas but didn't seem to know what kind of film it wanted to be. A decent effort, but after hearing a lot of good feedback I was left underwhelmed.

Nice black comedy.

I saw this at Dead By Dawn and couldn't see what all the fuss was about there, but it won the audience award so somebody must have liked it? I think I was hoping for another 'Loved Ones', but this just fell flat to me and I didn't find it either funny or scary. A lack of any engaging or likeable characters certainly doesn't help, and I was more than happy to skip it - I just wish it had stayed in the middle Thursday night slot and then I wouldn't have missed Sin City to get my Discovery tickets.

This was my favourite film so far. Initially I thought it was going to be a generic haunted house film, and the biggest problem with the film is it took a while to get going, but I really enjoyed the way that the multiple twists in the plot completely changed the way I viewed the film and the way that the film changed in tone to match them. It was nicely creepy at times and increasingly hilarious as the film went on, and also surpisingly touching at the end. The characterisation and performances are also excellent: there was a smooth change in Morgana O’Reilly's character from initially unsympathetic and uncaring to someone I genuinely liked by the end. Good comedic supporting turns from Miriam Bucknell and Rima Te Wiata too. The biggest compliment I can give this film is that up until I watched it I was worried that splitting the Frightfest crowd into three had lessened the level of audience reaction, but I was proved wrong here by the amount of laughter and applause from the audience. 7/10

Yes, that's a fair review, Chris.

Best film of festival so far imo.

Esp to see it with the frightfest audience.

I'm a little surprised by the mixed reviews, just shows how tastes vary - and nothing wrong with that.

Personally, I loved it! I thought they got the balance of comedy, scares and murder mystery just right, it looked good, the pacing was spot on and the characters were extremely likeable. Best film of the festival for me.

Good fun with an effective blend of humour, scares and suspense. It works because of the characterisation and charm. Well worth seeking out. 8 / 10

***Spoilers***

I liked how it effortlessly transformed from a haunted house to a mystery to a certain X-Files episode to a killer in the house movie.

As others have mentioned it felt a bit slow to get going but the second half was an enjoyable twisty-turny thrillery thing. Certainly held it's own in what was I thought a belter of a line-up on Friday.

I really enjoyed this and although the mix of humour, suspense and violence didn't always work, occasionally making it feel a bit muddled about what kind of film it wanted to be, overall I loved it. Initially I thought the haunted house angle was going to turn out to be the mother deliberately trying to con/scare her unruly daughter so she could regain some much needed control, as well as the remote control (in order to watch Coronation Street of all things). But instead it changed into a search for a killer. And then it went all People Under The Stairs. And there was even a touch of Evil Dead thrown into the mix at one point. So far as the Horror Channel screening went this was the first film of FF2014 to create a spontaneous mass bout of cheering and applause from the audience (with the exploding head). The stop/start toilet scene was a hoot as well. Great stuff. 8/10.

I only got to see this yesterday and I think this would have been my favourite film of the festival. I agree that there are pacing issues, this would have been a perfect 90 minute film, but the mixture of horror and comedy is great and the twists keep coming. Unlike with many horror comedies, this works as a horror film because the jokes haven't been crafted on, they come out of the characters and situations. Great film !

I really enjoyed this too

I laughed and chuckled at some of the actions between the actors characters. The lpok on their faces especially the social worker at times was funny. Especially at the bit where the rent-a-cop/supernatural enthusiast needed something to break through the wall and without thinking took the antaginist's weapon before it could be used against him....funny.

The jumps and swerves in the story kept me interested and although I didnt like, nor was endeared to the lead at the beginning her constant perserverance and drive to uncover the mysteries and murders in her aggressively progressive attitude mixed with her anti-social attitudes did portray somewhat of an anti-hero archetype I quite enjoyed.

oh and the mother. So funny.

I'm going to buy this film and definitely watch it again