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[NFF ’16 Review] ‘Chicago Rot’ Is An Ambitious, Genre-Bending Debut

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Ambition is an important quality for filmmakers to have. I’ll take an ambitious film like Chicago Rot over one that is coasting almost every time out, even if the former happens to be one where its reach exceeds its grasp. There’s something to be said of the connection between films that try to stretch beyond their means to give audiences something different, whether they are ready for it or not.

Look back on most of your favorite genre offerings and you will often find that they were created outside of the studio system and crafted under numerous constraints. When filmmakers are backed into a corner, they tend to resort to ingenuity to get out of a jam. At least the good ones do, anyway. It’s when those scenarios breed imaginative creativity that we are gifted with wild new pieces of storytelling and imagery.

Of course, the flipside of this is a big budget project where money can be thrown at almost any problem. More often than not, this leads to a lack of imagination, since those making the project are rarely ever forced to think on the fly and get creative to work out any problem at hand. It’s why many a filmmaker often seems to lose their voice a bit when they move up to the “big leagues”.

Lucky for us, Chicago Rot is ambitious as hell. Beginning its tale as a seemingly straightforward crime thriller, it slowly weaves in more and more horror, science fiction, and fantasy elements as it goes on. The result is a rather unique genre mash-up that is sure to thrill some, baffle others, and potentially enrage many. After all, any film that attempts such narrative and tonal shifts is not for everyone.

That’s perfectly fine, as not every film is meant to be consumed by all and the makers of Chicago Rot certainly don’t have mass appeal on their minds. Sure, it’s kind of shaggy and, at least for me, not every shift in the story works. That’s also perfectly fine. Cinema does not have to be neat and clean. It’s allowed to get messy and make you question what you like and don’t like about it.

Immediately after viewing Chicago Rot, I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. I certainly didn’t hate it. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I certainly can’t hate a film that sees a seemingly-normal (at first) convict getting released from prison and setting out for a reckoning in a story that ends up containing dirty cops, offbeat criminals, and otherworldly beings. It’s just not in my DNA. In the days since seeing it at Nightmares Film Festival, however, I find myself thinking on the film more and more. Yep, I like it. Will I come to love what writer/director Dorian Weinzimmer and writer/actor Brant McCrea have created here? I’m still not sure, as its reach does exceed its grasp. That said, the fact that I’m still thinking about it means that I’ll certainly seek out whatever they make next.

Devourer of film and disciple of all things horror. Freelance writer at Bloody Disgusting, DVD Active, Cult Spark, AndersonVision, Forbes, Blumhouse, etc. Owner/operator at The Schlocketeer.

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SCREAMBOX Investigates UFOs and Extraterrestrials: Several Documentaries Streaming Right Now!

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As someone who is obsessed with UFOS (or more recently known as UAPs) and the concept of extraterrestrials, I love a good documentary. Sightings have been on the rise since the 1940s, with the atomic bomb seemingly acting as a catalyst for new visitors. But what are these UFOs/UAPs? Is there an explanation or are they simply beyond our explanation? Why are they here? Who are they? How much do our governments know? The questions are endless and so are the documentaries that attempt to uncover the secrets behind decades of sightings and alleged confrontations.

Whether you’re a seasoned viewer or new to the rabbit hole, there’s always a handful of interesting documentaries to get your neurons firing and leave you with sleepless nights. SCREAMBOX is investigating with the addition of several docs, all streaming now on the Bloody Disgusting-powered service. Here’s the breakdown:

Aliens (2021): Beam into this unidentified streaming documentary for a glimpse into Extraterrestrial life. Aliens are hypothetical life forms that may occur outside Earth or that did not originate on Earth.

Aliens Uncovered: Origins (2021): Before Area 51, hidden deep in the desert, the military discovered a hidden gem that helped them create Project Bluebook.

Aliens Uncovered: ET or Man-Made (2022): The crash of Roswell wasn’t meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug.

Aliens Uncovered: The Golden Record (2023): In the late 70s, the US government launched a message to our distant neighbors.

Roswell (2021): This high-flying documentary examines the July 1947 crash of a United States Army Air Forces balloon at a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Theories claim the crash was actually that of a flying saucer, but what is the truth?

Also check out:

The British UFO Files (2004): Since the 1940’s the British Government has been investigating the Flying Saucer phenomenon. High-ranking military and government personnel, speak out for the first time, offering unique eyewitness accounts and inside information.

Alien Abductions and Paranormal Sightings (2016): Amazing Footage and stories from real people as they reveal their personal encounters of being abducted by Aliens.

And do not miss Hellier (2019): A crew of paranormal researchers find themselves in a dying coal town, where a series of strange coincidences lead them to a decades-old mystery.

These documentaries join SCREAMBOX’s growing library of unique horror content, including Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls, Here for Blood, Terrifier 2, RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop, Hollywood Dreams & Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story, The Outwaters, Living with Chucky, Project Wolf Hunting, and Pennywise: The Story of IT.

Start screaming now with SCREAMBOX on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Prime Video, Roku, YouTube TV, Samsung, Comcast, Cox, and Screambox.com.

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