Indie
[Tribeca Review] ‘Psychopaths’ is Visually Stunning, Lacking in Story
Young up-and-comer Mickey Keating is on a roll, churning out five movies in just four years. But what makes his work so extraordinary is that he refuses to stick to one subgenre, showing fans that his love for horror is as strong as their own. Each venture behind the camera delivers something vastly different than the last, giving heavy homage to a different one of his favorite filmmakers. His latest, Psychopaths, pulls from Paul Schrader and other colorful and vibrant psychedelic films from the 1970’s.
Unlike his previous works, Psychopaths jumps right in, explaining that a night of violence is underway thanks to the electrocution of serial killer Henry Earl Starckweather (Larry Fessenden) during a full moon. Keating wastes no time introducing several psychopaths, including The Final Girls‘ Angela Trimbur, Carnage Park and Last Exorcism star Ashley Bell, and newcomer Sam Zimmerman, who all have their own personal vendettas to attend to. It plays like an anthology film, mixing up various stories that will eventually collide.
[Related] Here’s All of Our Tribeca Film Festival Coverage
Quite possibly because this is Keating’s most ambitious work, the film ends up feeling small, with little to no establishing shots that end giving it a stage-y vibe (which is strange considering there’s some incredible crane work with the camera). Knowing Keating, it’s quite possible this was intentional, as the characters themselves feel accentuated and even pulpish, which really works well within the confines of the colorful palette and psychedelic visuals.
And while this visually may be Keating’s strongest film it’s, unfortunately, the weakest in regards to storytelling. This swirling tale of several crazy people leaves little to no time for character development, which results in an immense lack of impact. While mystery is always welcomed in film, Psychopaths doesn’t really deliver on any promises, making this more of a beautiful work of art that’s void of any real meaning. The single biggest mistake, however, wasn’t nurturing Angela Trimbur’s titillating performance, which begged for Psychopaths to be her story (get a taste in the below clip).
Problems aside, Keating is still a tour de force that’s able to transcend subgenres like never seen before. Instead of retreading, he’s trying to further himself as a filmmaker, which will lead to hits and misses. While Psychopaths misses the mark, it’s an admirable effort that should be celebrated and welcomed in the horror community with open arms.
Her House of Horrors, the horror division of Independent Production House WOMXNOGRAPHY, has launched its Bite Size Short Grant Program, ahead of its film festival Dollhouse of Horror, which will take place in March 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.
The Bite Size Short Grant Program awards $2,000 film grants to female-identifying and queer horror filmmakers. Shorts must be able to be made for $2,000, with a minimum runtime of 8 minutes. Submissions are now open on Filmfreeway, and are being judged by a panel of horror lovers and content creators.
The 2024 Bite Size Short Grant Program judge lineup is as follows:
“James H. Carter II- A documentary director, film producer, podcaster, marketing specialist, and writer. James is the founder and co-owner of Creepy Kingdom. Creepy Kingdom was founded in 2011 and is a multimedia website, and production studio specializing in creepy content. Their primary focus lies at the intersection of childlike fantasy and the macabre, covering horror films, theme parks, haunts, and much more. Beyond their extensive media coverage, Creepy Kingdom hosts events, offers original merchandise, and engages in film production under the Creepy Kingdom Studios brand producing original films like “Foolish Mortals”, exploring Disney’s “Haunted Mansion” fan culture, and “Georgie”, featuring Tony Dakota from the original “It” miniseries.
“In addition to founding Creepy Kingdom, James has won awards for his documentary work, including the award-winning “Foolish Mortals,” which has earned him recognition. He has been featured on Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween special.
“Ashleeta Beauchamp is the editor-in-chief of Peek-A-Boo! Magazine, a cheeky horror magazine created to uplift marginalized writers, artists, models and other creators within the horror community. She also runs The Halloween Coalition, a community group to provide support and marketing for horror and Halloween events around the Southern California area.
“Titeanya Rodríguez is a multi-hyphenate creative, and the founder and owner of HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, home of DOLLHOUSE OF HORROR and the horror division of WOMXNOGRAPHY. As a fellow storyteller and a self-proclaimed artivist, Titeanya’s mission is to create opportunities for women of color and queer women, across film, tv, sports, music, and beyond. She is also the creator of the BITE SIZE SHORT grant program.”
Winners will have a one-night theatrical screening at Regal Cinemas. Submissions Close April 8 at Midnight. Winners will be announced on May 27, 2024. Shorts must be shot and through post-production by June 30, 2024. The screening will take place on July 8, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA.
WOMXNOGRAPHY, HER HOUSE OF HORRORS, and Rodriguez are represented by Azhar PR, Granderson Des Rochers, and Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir.
To submit your short to the Bite Size Short Grant Program, go to the FilmFreeway link here.
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