Husk

Husk is a short film that was entered into this year's Sundance Film Festival. It's the story of four guys who get stranded on the side of a road next to a big cornfield, in the distance there is a house and they decide who's gonna go and find help. This is where the fun begins. The rest of the movie has a very bleak atmosphere and I for one was a big fan of it. I think the movie worked because of the atmosphere it portrayed and the storyline it was working with(which I might add was pretty damn cool).

Now for it being an amateur short, the acting was surprisingly decent by the unknowns, and the director Brett Simmons had some nice stylish shots throughout the movie. I would like to see what projects this guy does in the future.

All in all I give this movie a 7 out of 10

This movie stands with the best of the horror films out there, of all budgets. I saw it at the Shriek Fest Film Festival last year, and people were jumping out of their seats. If we want to get picky, the characters were not the most sympathetic, so it was hard to care about them when the blood started hitting the fan. But the movie did a good job of drawing you in despite that. I felt like I was with the characters, wondering the same thing they were. I never felt like they were stupid and I was just waiting to watch them die (except for one part).

The screening I saw was on a video projector. I forget if it was shot on film or not. The video certainly didn't help. But it was clear that the people working on this were very skilled. The the look of the movie, the look of the creature, and the mystery of the house beyond the cornfield was enough to make this picture an exciting ride.

This was one of the best shorts at the Film Festival and apparently it is getting worked into a full production. Yeah, there are a lot of corn field, people getting stranded, spooky houses, and scarecrow movies, but this one looks to be a really creepy and different version than the others. I can't wait to see it as a full production, if that is what they intend to do. And what's with the nails in the fingers, that was freaky.

I would like to see more of these movies, with a higher budget. The lower budget ones usually turn up to be corny with dumb special effects. This has potential to be a nice one with great special effect. I just love special effects in slasher movies. They are just great (as long as they are done right) HUSK - the name sounds creepy too.

If you like horror, suspense and high quality production, then Husk is a must see. From beginning to end its gripping. Simmons keeps the suspense throughout the entire 27 minutes. It was the official closing film for last year's HollyShorts, Short Film Fest in Hollywood and it received some great reviews from the audience. What's also great about the film is the pacing. You aren't waiting for something to happen and there isn't a dull moment. Brett Simmons is definitely a director to watch and I can't wait to see this as a feature film. The acting is also superb, you may remember Diaz from "Half Baked," and he puts on a great performance in this short. The ending will surprise you.