Pill-popper Helia has just lost her boyfriend, and is living in a big empty house all by herself. The first night we meet Helia, she is annoyed by late-night phone call attempts from her ex, “Cupcake” (although she denies to friends having heard from him). Soon, though, she is soon more disturbed by a creepy presence outside her home at night. Could it be her ex, hoping to get some of his things? Could it be some new stalker, or could it just be her imagination? She is a pill-popper, remember… (and over the course of the first 3 days, she doesn’t seem to change her shorts – if I were her boyfriend, I would’ve bailed too). One day, though, when we don’t see Helia take her pills, things start to get a bit more wild, and whomever has been outside her house (or on the fringes of her mind?) gets closer.
For a short film, it still had a slightly longwinded intro, as we learn the history of Helia’s break-up with “Cupcake” through her side of multiple phone conversations. Once the creep factor kicks in, however, the pacing picks up while still being properly suspenseful.
An eerie score, fitting original music, and slick camera storytelling heighten the mood. Cameraman Dan Kadushin did a fine job of adding to the suspense build and catching the audience with shocking reveals.
Amy Frear (as Helia) was disturbingly adorable. She epitomizes “too good to be true.” If you’ve got a girlfriend as overly sweet as this, who wants to cater to you, always checks in, and only calls you by the cutest nicknames… well, Spoiler Alert: the moral of this story is: Run! Fast & far, because she harbors a kind of crazy you don’t want to witness.
I would recommend that when working with a short film, make sure that the first 3 minutes are tight & enthralling, as the weakest part was the little bit of drag as Helia gets her story out over the phone. I think much of this information is picked up early enough on the first day, and rehashed on the 2nd. Overall, though, this was strong and skillful directing from Samantha Paradise. Well executed and engaging, this short film is apt to please horror/thriller audiences.
Link to Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOjpThTYlDo&feature=youtu.be
Website: http://www.kharybdisfilms.com
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20150919210042/http://www.roguecinema.com/reverb-2015-by-levi-anderson.html
