Um Banquete de Halloween

Every now and then, a horror-comedy comes along that feels like a potluck party: it's got a little of everything, some hits and some misses, but overall, you're glad you showed up. A Halloween Feast, directed by Guile Branco, is exactly that. It blends campy scares with quirky humor, dishes out nostalgia with every frame, and tops it all off with seasoned performances from genre veterans like Lynn Lowry. It's not the scariest horror-comedy you'll ever see, but it's certainly a tasty treat worth savoring.

What begins as a Halloween dinner soon turns into a nightmare, with blood, laughs, and an otherworldly twist. The movie is self-aware without being too meta, relying on horror tropes but giving them a lighthearted twist.

Branco seems to understand that the magic of horror-comedies lies in striking the right balance between absurdity and genuine tension. He leans into the absurd, which helps A Halloween Feast stand out. Instead of pushing too heavy on the jump scares, he plays with audience expectations, keeping things just unpredictable enough to be engaging. It's more "creepy chuckles" than "scream-your-face-off" horror, but that's exactly where the movie shines.

The Main Course: Performances that Hit the Spot

One of the film's main ingredients for success is its cast, with Lynn Lowry delivering a standout performance. For those who remember her iconic roles in 70s horror cult classics (Shivers, The Crazies), she brings a delicious mix of menace and charm. Lowry is fully in her element here, her expressive eyes and icy calm making even the most ludicrous lines feel grounded in something real. She knows how to play the dark humor, expertly walking the line between creepy and campy.

The rest of the cast, in contrast, brings a more straightforward comedic energy, caught in increasingly bizarre situations. The timing is sharp, and the chemistry off-kilter that keeps the movie moving.

Side Dishes: Humor and Horror in Unequal Measure

The film's humor is its strongest asset, the comedic elements are hit!

A Halloween Feast kicks the door in early and never stops swinging. From the first scene, you know you're not getting subtle horror, you're getting a gleefully chaotic descent into madness, violence, and complete indie horror mayhem.

Angela? She's one of the wildest characters I've seen in a horror film in years. Forget Annie Wilkes, Angela makes Misery look like a Disney+ original. She's unhinged, unpredictable, and absolutely magnetic.

The film rides the line between horror and comedy with confidence, constantly escalating until you're not sure whether to laugh, scream, or both. It's a perfect storm of Halloween vibes, dinner table tension, and pure "what the hell am I watching" moments.

Is it polished? Not always.

Is it perfect? No.

But does it rip? Absolutely.

This is indie horror that knows what it is, doesn't hold back, and dares you to keep watching. If you're looking for something with cult potential and maximum energy - pull up a chair and dig in.

That was twisted... definitely not a 10, or a 9. I was going to give this title a 7 (entertaining, campy, fun, weird, strange, imperfect, out there .... but after the big final twist revelation at the end, which I will not reveal here, I decided to up to an 8 just because of that. Holy darn I have never seen such inappropriate situation in any movie ever -- and because of my "holy Sh***" moment I had to up it a bit and I know it's higher than most horror type movies you see out there who are far better technically with better production -- but darn that ending had me not being able to sleep at night (which is good for a movie like this) wholly molly folks.

I went to see this movie even though it was way out of my comfort zone. The cast was excellent and played off each other well. It was like a bunch of talented friends got together and created a "feast for viewing." The use of comic relief in the midst of tragedy was brilliant. Shakespeare himself would have been proud of the writers for scenes such as the one where three tough guys had to take a city bus to go rough up someone who owed them money. And if you like irony, Mark, the character who spouts Nietzsche hoping to help others find fulfillment, experiences what it is really like to live in a world where "God is dead."

Looks like Angela Long is acting strange, she retires from teaching - but was formerly a dancer) and suddenly starts to kill pets. (trigger warning). Her family deals with it the best they can until on a family dinner Angela cuts off her husbands finger and feeds it down his throat. This is within the first 5 minutes folks.

It goes from there to worse. A psychiatrist is hired to oversee her release back home (why? Why? Why?) played by the brilliant Lou D'Amato as Dr. Park and soon it's blatantly obvious it's a huge mistake.

I could keep going, but this film is the most unpredictable film I have ever seen. ... It's definitely not as good as Bonafide Hollywood movies (looks like this had a real low budget) - but I really enjoyed this a bit more than "Serial Mom", the 1994 Kathleen Turner starrer, because the story has so many layers. I could keep going but...

I'd say give this a shot!