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[Fantastic Fest ’14 Review] ‘Cub’ Is Kinetic, Brutal and Graphic!

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Maurice Luijten is Sam in Welp/CUB (Jonas Govaerts/Potemkino 2014). CUB

Reviewed by Jay Hawkinson

Throw a pre-teen scout troop in the woods and tell them of a werewolf legend. What’s the worst that could happen? That’s the premise in Cub (Welp), the latest feature film by Belgian director Jonas Govaerts that filled the first midnight slot at Fantastic Fest. Don’t want to set inflated expectations, but this movie is an optimal midnighter; fast paced and entertaining, with enough scares to stay awake. Yeah, Cub is a bloody good time.

The werewolf is merely a ruse perpetuated by the older scout masters to scare the boys before their trip begins, which sets up an amusing callback after they reach their campsite. One of the scouts, Sam (Maurice Luijten), never buys the story. Sam knows the truth behind the myth is really the masked wild child called “Kai” living in the forest (as introduced in the prologue). Parentless, Sam is the outcast of the bunch; his obsession with Kai makes him an easy target to be bullied and teased by the other scouts. Sam is both voyeur and explorer, confused and conflicted over his place in the world. He views the camping excursion as a way to escape. Escape and find Kai.

Kai remains the true mystery of the movie. Living in a giant tree nest he’s more thief than beast but his constant growls, crippled gait and wooden mask make him menacing. Yet Kai is only the signpost to the evils lurking within the woods. The forest is laden with elaborate and deadly traps, a huge mousetrap, constructed in “Collector”-like fashion (one of these traps is revealed in the opening chase sequence). Who or what is creating these Rube Goldberg-like devices is the next question. Cub doesn’t waste any time by placing this group of 12 year-old boys and their three scoutmasters into this scenario before killing begins.

The film never shies away from what it is… a summer camp slasher. Cub borrows and repurposes several horror tropes when the bodies start piling up including picking up a token female character in an otherwise all male cast. However, it’s what the movie does with them that makes it exciting. Also, the pounding synth score gives additional juice to the terror. A little surprising the Cub scout pack hasn’t been used more often since it is so ideal for the easy setup. Greydon Clark’s 1980 sci-fi horror flick Without Warning only teases the idea but none have crafted an entire film around it until now. Cub delivers on that.

Following the slasher template, Cub is deliberately slow through the first half hour only providing the occasional hint of what’s to come. It’s when Sam and Kai finally meet that movie really turns up the intensity and the blood starts flowing. Shades of Lord of the Flies are cast over the characters as the film builds momentum. Worth noting there is a sequence of animal violence that may be tough to endure. Shows how far Govaerts is willing to take his characters as they transform. Familiar ground for sure but enough spice sprinkled in to keep it fresh.

Cub does not reinvent the subgenre but definitely punctuates it quite nicely, shining a light on what makes slasher flicks enjoyable. Kinetic and brutal, gory and graphic with comedic beats in-between. While not totally perfect, Cub gets a lot of things right having plenty fun along the way. Definitely recommended.

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

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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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