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[Fantasia ’14 Review] ‘Life After Beth’ a Muddled Zombedy

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What would you do if a loved one came back from the grave? How would you come to terms with that? Would you tell them all the things you never had the chance to? Would you be sure to get the most out of every moment you have together during this miraculous second chance?

No, of course not, you’d be scared completely shitless. They rose from the dead, ya dingus! That’s initially how Zack (Dane DeHaan) reacts to the return of his girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza), who dies after a hiking accident in Life After Beth. Panic is his initial reaction, but then his fear and confusion gradually turn into excitement. Right before she died, they were going through some heavy relationship issues and Beth was ready to split with him. Now, he has a second chance to get it right and fix the broken parts of their relationship.

Beth has no memory of ever having died. Her parents, John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon, perpetuate her amnesia by keeping her hidden in the house. If anyone sees her or if she reveals she’s alive in any way (answering the phone, for instance), they’re afraid she’ll be taken from them for a second time and used for scientific study. They’re not about to let that happen, but all their parental shields can’t stand in the way of true love. Or prevent Beth from rotting away physically and emotionally.

Life After Beth is the directorial debut of Jeff Baena, who co-wrote I Heart Huckabees. It’s definitely not the film I was expecting it to be. It’s not simply a zomedy about a young guy dealing with his zombie girlfriend. There’s way more heart and honesty on display here. It addresses the question of what if this were to happen, though in an incessantly charming and comedic manner. However, sometimes it sacrifices meaningful explorations of these themes for the sake of a laugh, causing the themes to get jumbled up. Her parents’ motivations are perfectly clear and understandable – they’re terrified of losing their daughter again. But when Zack goes from panicking over his zombie girlfriend to making out with her within only a few minutes, his motivations completely dissolve.

Rock solid comedic casting helps make up a bit for what Life After Beth lacks in actual insight. DeHaan and Plaza both help carry the film, with Plaza giving an exciting performance that ranges from her usual deadpan sarcasm seen on Parks & Rec to raging amnesiac zombie. In recent years she’s been gradually bringing her distinct presence to the big screen in films like Safety Not Guaranteed and The To Do List, but she appears the most comfortable in Beth’s shoes. The supporting cast is also packed with greatness. Besides the always on-point John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon, there’s also Cheryl Hines and Paul Riser as Zack’s parents and Anna Kendrick as a supportive friend.

The performances help the film sprint along, though I wish it slowed down a bit to consider the ramifications of kissing and killing the undead (Beth isn’t the only one who rises from the grave – not really a spoiler) that are hinted at early on. The tone can be all over the place at times, with the more intimate, familial moments between Reilly and DeHaan ringing the most true. It’s like Baena really wanted to explore the themes introduced during the film’s first act, then threw them away in favor of big laughs. I’m all for horror-comedy and Life After Beth is a damn funny movie, but it can;t decide if it actually wants to say anything about its themes or not.

Patrick writes stuff about stuff for Bloody and Collider. His fiction has appeared in ThugLit, Shotgun Honey, Flash Fiction Magazine, and your mother's will. He'll have a ginger ale, thanks.

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“Bite Size Short: Her House of Horrors” Announce Short Grant Program!

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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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