Let Me Make You a Martyr

Directed by Corey Asraf and John Swab

Starring:
Niko Nicotera as Drew Glass
Sam Quartin as June Glass
Mark Boone Junior as Larry Glass
Marilyn Manson as Pope

Let Me Make You A Martyr follows two adopted siblings who fall in love and plan to kill their abusive father. It‘s not a film that is easily digestible, it’s a strange, Southern Gothic tale that weaves a complex story with themes of religion and morality and will leave you thinking about it for long after its finished. The cinematography is astounding , they utilise their surrounds to add to the rather ethereal feel to the film. It shocked me that the performance of the entire weekend would be Marilyn Manson as Eric Strauss Pope, but with his deep southern drawl, dark demeanour and the subtle but hilarious expressions, Manson steals the show. Corey Asraf and John Swab have created an intriguing film here and although the pacing of the film is not completely smooth, it’s a great start to their directorial careers.

Directed by Shaun Robert Smith

Starring:
Morjana Alaoui as Evie
Mel Raido as John
Craig Conway as Dougie
Patrick Toomey as Edward

Broken tells the story of Evie, a troubled woman who has moved to England to start a new life. She takes a job as a carer and is placed with John, a tetraplegic patient who takes out his anguish on her. The burden of the job stirs up Evie's past and it is only a matter of time before someone snaps.

Broken is a tough watch and it deals with real life scenarios that are happening all over the world, so it may cut very close for some audiences. Although it’s brutal and shocking at times, it’s incredibly well done. The story is intriguing and both leads, Morjana Alaoui and Mel Raido, are fantastic in their roles, showing tenderness and raw emotion throughout. Honourable mention also goes to supporting actor Craig Conway whose character is so vile it becomes rather overwhelming. Although the film does start to unravel at the end, it is a powerful movie with a very bold story.

Directed by Carson D. Mell

Starring:
Steve Zissis as Dan
Mark Proksch as Os
Jennifer Irwin as Mary
Dax Flame as Jazz

After two rather heavy-hitting movies, some much-needed light relief came in the form of Another Evil. This movie follows a family who encounter paranormal activity in their holiday home and seek out “an industrial grade exorcist” to help get rid of the intruders. However, the guy they hire to do the job is just as odd as the ghosts and they soon realise they may be in more trouble than they anticipated. Another Evil is a dark comedy that doesn’t go where you expect. The dry delivery of Steve Zissis compared with the zany style humour of Mark Proksch is a perfect combination and the bat-shit crazy dialogue makes for a really fun movie. And don’t worry horror hounds, there is enough suspense, jumps and weirdness to whet the appetite for all of you.