Faces

A great movie to snuggle with your girl. In my opinion an old school scare flick. Friends and,I really enjoyed this movie. A real flashback to a time movies like these were at every movie theater. Great storyline , makes you need to see part 2 ! A twisted ending everyone will enjoy. Without giving too much away , the title hints at what your in for. Frank is an awesome character, he makes you feel for him even cheer him on. The film was filled with locations that fit his character very well, down to the car he drove and, the clothes all the details. The movie had a very dark warm feel, I wasn't expecting. Gave it a nine for the film was put together very well, I was entertained even surprised. Almost a ten, to be left wanting to see more is a good thing however , for me not so good. In a way I'm saving some for Faces 2 , so to be fair a 9 1/2

Written, Directed, & Starring Tom Ryan , "FACES" Implements a Fine Cast , Some Great Innovative SFXs , & a Wonderful Wall of Faces in the Creation of this Ingenious Horror Gem ! Thomas Ryan is Spot-On with his Portrayal of the Indigent & Lonely Drug-Addicted Ex-Con 'Frank Walker', who is an Emotionless Zombie of a Man , Save for his Frequent acts of Violence ! The Annoying Dead-Beat Bar-Fly that's the first to Witness the Wrath of Mr. Walker's Mr. Hyde , 'Charlie Downey' , played by Paul Gmitter , who unconventionally brings more Life to his Character after his untimely Death . Indie Icon Edward X. Young contributes a Powerful Performance as 'Henry Benson' , the Lecherous , Blunt, & Nasty Boss of the Job that Frank was Seeking . Simply Put , Mr. Benson was an Out-Right ,sounds like BRICK , But begins with a 'P' ! Mr, Benson's Secretary & Lady Interest is the Lovely Michelle O'Reilly as 'Ms. O'Reilly' . The Other Ladies are All also Talented , Buxom, & Adorable . They are Deana Demko as 'Beth' , Caroline Pozycki as 'Connie' , & Michelle Rosado as 'Melissa' ! The Detectives , Hot on the Trail of this Serial Killer, are Joe Parascand as 'Det. Jack Donnelly' & Jason Greco as 'Det. Todd Baris' . Which Brings me to my one Complaint with Mr. Ryan's Future Cult Classic ..... It Involves another 'Cop' in the Film ..... Genoveva Rossi ..... I was Sorely Disappointed to see Her there for barely a glimpsing moment . If I had Sneezed , I would have Missed Her . She's an Extremely Talented & Beautiful Actress & should have been used in a Countless Number of Ways ..... That being Said , "FACES" should be Seen & Appreciated for what it is ... a Fledgling Slasher Paragon of Horror by First Time Film-Maker Thomas Ryan !

Frank Walker is on the edge. He hasn't had a job in a long time. He's behind on his rent, and he is starved for female attention. He spends his nights alone in his shabby apartment, or getting drunk (and failing with women) at a local bar. When Charlie, a fellow drunk, follows him home one night to share a few beers, and starts badgering Frank about his life and his behavior, anything, anything at all is bound to happen....

This is the setup for "Faces", the latest indie horror/thriller from writer/director/star Tom Ryan, and Theatre of Terror productions. As we follow the events of Frank's life over the course of a few days, we see a desperate man, spiraling out of control, but trying to keep some semblance of order, with the help of some new "friends" who come into his life. Who these people are, I will not say. You will have to see for yourself, but it all builds to a startling climax.

In 2009, New Jersey native Tom Ryan unleashed "Day 9" on the world, which was a decent, low-budget zombie short film, with a surprisingly powerful ending. With "Faces", Ryan has taken his game to a completely different level. The Horror Nerd has seen a lot of indie films, with all kinds of budgets. Some are good, many are bad, but with a budget of around only $1,000, "Faces" is one of the best.

The writing is tight and efficient, and there are very few "throwaway" lines or scenes. Sometimes, what happens in a low budget indie film is that everything suffers because of the lack of funds. I'm OK with minimal effects due to budget limitations, but you can still have a good script and good direction and thankfully, "Faces" has both.

I need to make special mention of the acting performances that Tom was able to pull out of his cast. Indie horror veterans such as Edward X Young, Deana Demko, Joe Parascand and Bradley Creanzo all play their roles to perfection. Relative newcomers Paul Gmitter, Tom Schorr and Caroline Pozycki also turn in excellent performances, and I hope to see more of them in the very near future. The rest of the cast does a great job as well.

In closing, "Faces" is one of the best indie films I have seen this year, and the crowd which attended the world premiere at the historic Landmark Lowes Theater in Jersey City, NJ shared the same opinion. When I spoke to several of the attendees, many of them filmmakers themselves, every single person had good things to say about the film.

This is one indie horror film you NEED to check out!

I managed to watch it for half an hour. The sound is bad, the effects are cheaply done, and I couldn't get into the whole thing.

"Faces" takes a dark, emotional journey into the personal life of a serial killer with intense, dramatic story telling. Ryan frames a his horror story with a heartfelt approach that creates a personal connection to his protagonist/antagonist Frank Walker. The acting is above par for low budget indie cinema which allows for the story to captivate the audience. The characters are believable, well developed and intensely animated. The lead character/serial killer is both relatable and terrifying.

The special effects used in "Faces" is more classic, practical effects which make the scenes believable. The angles, camera shifts create a suggestive horror that I found more invoking than straight on gore-effect splatter. Although there are definite moments of splatter fest present in "Faces". The blood and gore is crafted to be convincing, and they work. The creature effect/make-up used in the more dark humor elements of the film are a nice balance against the more intense, serious horror that "Faces" gives us.

The soundtrack and music score help to create a chilling atmosphere reminiscent of classic spaghetti thrillers of the late 70's and early 80's. The sounds combine with the character driven story to create a deeply emotive nightmare both entertaining, and thrilling. Overall "Faces" is a nice, well written and directed indie horror film worthy of watching. It is an impressive attempt by Tom Ryan to bring a more personable vision of the dark companion of humanity, the psychopath/serial killer, to the screen.