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Heir (2015)
Great acting makes this short about the monstrous acts of men
I have a bone to pick with some portion of the horror community. There are many fans out there who do not appreciate movies without obvious monsters or killers. Heir is an exact example of quality movies which are missed by this mentality. This movie made me uncomfortable to a level unrivaled. Freddy, Jason, and Chucky combined never made me feel so uneasy.
Heir is the tale of a father, played by Familiar's fantastic Robert Nolan, who takes his son on a trip to visit a, "friend." Right from the start this movie is disturbing, with a father clearly pining over his son's pictures far too much. Much like the 2012 Fatal Pictures' short film Familiar, this film is far darker than your normal horror fare. This is a film grounded in the dark side of human interaction, which as mentioned before, is portrayed in an inhuman way. Nolan's character like in Familiar, is haunting. This time arguably more so. Instead of focusing on a drive to abandon his family, he is attempting to indulge in his son with the strange man played by acting regular, Bill Oberst Jr.
Familiar excelled on the performances of Nolan, and in this film he acts just as well. Oberst Jr. manages only to outshine him due to sheer sinister intentions. The two grown men do well together though, and Nolan's apprehension serves to highlight Oberst Jr.'s predatory character. The interaction between the nervous man and devious man make this film.
Much like 2012's Familiar, which has fear grounded in the psychology of man, these monstrous actions eventually evolve into something physically sinister. When the darkest portions of the film finally take place, it becomes clear that the darkest acts of men can quite literally turn them into monsters.
The effects are disgusting and particularly well done. Practical effects when done well are significantly more effective than any CGI and I believe this is a prime example. The sticky substances secreted by the adult characters hands are absolutely vile and arguably familiar. Twitching muscles, color changing skin, and disgusting secretions accompanied by Oberst Jr.'s looks of pleasure are more than cringe worthy. Nolan's nervous nature, yet unwillingness to act shadow a sad reality.
I would argue that there is no overwhelming gore in 2015's Heir, but plenty of disturbing imagery and subject matter. Some may appreciate the relevance to real world issues, and others may choose to take a blind eye towards it. Again, the team at Fatal Pictures take a real world set of problems and emotions, and turns them into physical monstrosities. The movie is acted well, produced fantastically, and offers a far more haunting story than most horror films.
My only real criticism may be a credit to the story. In my previously reviewed Familiar, I felt that the story concluded well and delivered a strong message. With the ending of this film I was left wanting a bit more closure. Had this movie not performed well on so many levels though, I could have lived with the ending without mentioning it.
To conclude, I would say that Fatal Pictures is a rarity in film. It is hard to convey a deep message in a short film, and it is harder to do so in a horror setting. In an indie genre over saturated with short slashers and monster movies, it is refreshing to see a unique take on psychological horror. Keep an eye out for this team in the future, with the right resources I would bet that they could make something special of full length. Preferably with Robert Nolan leading.
Familiar (2012)
An excellent short with fantastic actors with a dark take on inner turmoil
If I had to give a brief idea of what Familiar is about without giving away too much, I'd say that an average family man named John is plagued by his inner thoughts as he continually acts to deceive and eventually break free from his family. However, John soon comes to realize that his inner demons are far more tangible than expected.
A majority of the movie is told through a dark, and tonal inner monologue by actor Robert Nolan. This is what truly makes the film. Nolan delivers an excellent performance, portraying a character who has grown tired of his routine life, and utterly has reached a point of despising his wife and daughter. This movie in some respects, whether they would admit it or not, could probably relate to family men who have faced the rigors of a mundane work and home routine. There are also segments of course where conversations take place between the actors, but still these show the strong abilities of Nolan.
Astrida Auza and Cathryn Hostick give great performances as the members of John's immediate family, but Nolan again excels by displaying an unenthusiastic, deceivingly loving father/husband. The shift from the dark and unforgiving John to the disconnected and forcefully caring patriarch is great to see. At times it is even draining to see just how truly miserable he is.
Another major plus for this movie is the self-focused horror. Where many famous movies portray vengeful slashers or heartless monsters, others appeal to true fear in facing one's own darkest demons. For John, this is quite literal. As he eventually starts to resist his dark urges, his inner voice starts to manifest in other ways.
Without spoiling, I will say that some portions of Familiar are going to be divisive. I find that there are many camps of horror fans. And for most, the realms of psychological horror and more visceral, gory horror do not coincide. This is a unique factor in Familiar. It is a movie that collectively concerns a man battling his own emotions and captivity due to familial responsibilities, but leads into something more physical. The final moments are infinitely gorier than the opening half of the movie seems to lead to.
On the basis of gore, I can only say that some horror fans may not appreciate the sights and may not care for the final moments. Based on a well-rounded horror fan who can appreciate the effects though, the scene is done particularly well. The body horror is obscene, but not to a level of sheer ridiculousness. The blood is convincing, and Nolan continues to nail his performance. His cringing and self determination throughout, despite staunch opposition by his inner voice serves well to build up to a fantastic finale.
To any film fans that are hesitant to see gore, all I can really say is that ignoring this short film would be an injustice. I'd encourage you to tough it out. This film has so much to offer in terms of acting, production, and special effects.
In terms of short films, I believe there are indie gems out there which are consistently overlooked. This movie is towards the upper end of these gems, and I'd encourage any horror fan to check it out. Especially if you are a fan of psychologically driven plots, and a bit of cringe worthy moments.
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