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[Review] ‘Born Again’ Introduces the World’s Worst Satanists

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I have always had an affinity for the satanic end of the swimming pool when it comes to horror. Be it The Omen, The Sentinel, Race with the Devil, Trick or Treat, or The Exorcist, among many others, it’s just a sub-genre that I’ve always been attracted to. I can probably blame it on being raised in a religious household that went to church regularly, but regardless of the reason, I’m always game for a new take on the subject.

Born Again is a horror short that showcases what can best be described as the world’s worst satanic cult. They might mean well, at least as well as an Apocalypse-bent group of Satanists can mean, but they’re beyond terrible at their secret hobby. Some worse than others, of course, but based on the events and outcome of the dark ritual shown within this almost 7-minute short, they all suck.

Moving beyond the actual narrative, as I don’t want to spoil the humorous outcome, this is an incredibly polished and well-made film. If you hadn’t picked up on it already, Born Again is a comedy, and one in which almost all of the gags land. The performances are just as responsible for this as the writing, selling the hilarity and the severity of their situation. The single room setting doesn’t offer a lot in the way of big production value, but the centerpiece of it (an alter and pentagram) looks so good that I didn’t even really notice the one room nature of it until after the credits began to roll. That’s a mighty feat for an indie short. All in all, it makes for a breezy and very fun viewing!

Born Again was directed by a Columbus-based filmmaker named Jason Tostevin. Founder of indie studio Hands Off Productions, Tostevin has directed other acclaimed shorts in the past, such as ‘Til Death (part of the anthology Seven Hells), I Owe You (named Cinema Constant’s 2015 indie film of the year), and A Way Out (which apparently scored 50 awards across 100 festivals). This is the first work of his that I have seen, but rest assured that I will be hunting down the rest in the future.

Short films often aren’t given enough attention by horror fans unless they are featured as part of a larger anthology film or TV series. All too often we pass them over, unless we are lucky enough to be attending a festival or the odd short ends up being turned into a feature (i. e. Mama, Hobo with a Shotgun, Lights Out, etc.). While I can somewhat understand the desire by many to spend their (often limited) free time watching feature-length tales, there are a great many horror shorts out there that deserve some attention, love, and discussion.

Basically, what I’m saying is that a lot of great work is being done within the genre with short-form storytelling. We all should be paying more attention and making a greater effort to seek out such work, myself included. Born Again will next be screening at the Austin Revolution Film Festival, which runs from Thursday, September 22nd through Sunday, September 25th. If you’re in the area, give it a look if you have the chance. He commands it!

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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