Connect with us

Indie

[Short Film Review] “Girls Night 2” Signals the Birth of a Promising Slasher Villain

Published

on

Filmmaker David Teixeira made his horror directorial debut last year with Girls Night, a twisted short film that is equal parts urban legend tale, and a claustrophobic ride to hell. In 13 minutes we meet three young women who start telling horror stories until Bloody Mary comes up, unleashing a vicious entity that turns a fun night of partying into a night of survival and horror.

Because of its short runtime, there isn’t a whole lot that can be said about the plot of Girls Night 2, other than it’s been a year since the events of that fateful Halloween night, and a key character from the first short returns, traumatized by the memory of a masked killer. When a friend invites her over to his house, her nightmares will start getting more intense as the killer comes back to finish the job.

Actress Marina de Sousa does a great job portraying the horror of her character, picking up the story a year later to look at the paranoia and fear she lives with. Meanwhile, Teixeira shows he’s grown as a filmmaker, focusing on providing a more claustrophobic and intense experience this time around. Dutch angles and close shots intensify the psychological horror of Girls Night 2.

Even the narrative works better in Girls Night 2, with the elements of psychological trauma blending with the slasher elements to create a short, but exciting experience. That being said, the time limitations of this being a short film hurts the plot a bit. We could have spent a bit more time with Jess and how she coped with the events of the past year, or the investigation into the murders, or something.

Hardcore slasher fans won’t find Girls Night or Girls Night 2 particularly groundbreaking, but they do have something quite special – the villain. The mysterious figure wearing a human-like mask with the blond hair makes for a creepy killer, especially since it mostly stands around watching, hunting like one of the killers from The Strangers.

The best compliment I can give Girls Night 2 is that it left me wanting to see more of this world, especially its potentially iconic franchise-starting killer. A full-length feature or a third short would be welcomed, but for the time being, Girls Night 2 is still a scary, fun short film with a lot of potential.

Advertisement
Click to comment

Indie

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

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading