Fever Dreams

Well written short horror stories tied together by a rather bizarre narrator - the moody kind of tales that mess with your mind rather than just gory and in-your-face standard fare. An easy watch with some unexpected plot twists, good acting and memorable characters. The kind of stories that you feel could almost happen in everyday situations, if things just went a little off-kilter. Familiar types of people we've all meet in real life, who end up in unexplainable and dire turns of events. I liked that we are left wondering "what happened next?" and guessing that it definitely wasn't anything good! Fever Dreams is well worth watching.

I remember watching TZ when younger and getting that slightly creeped out but fascinated feeling - I just couldn't look away but wasn't sure I wanted to see what came next. Well, Fever Dreams brought all that back and that sensation increased as the film unfolded. The emcee character from the first short is great at helping the viewer change gears from one short to the next. And a couple of the later shorts have unique stories that went to unexpected places. Really great suspenseful evening!

Shoo-wee! This is a major step up from most anthology horror films. Quality cinematography, writing, effects, acting, it's all here. Each tale is both gripping and palpable. There are elements of humor too. It's even got its own host between segments! Another great touch are the subtle nods to other segments that connect the different shorts together.

Honestly, it's a good grab bag of shorts wherein anyone will find something that tickles their fancies.

No idea what these shorts are titled as, so I came up with my own titles lol. Here are brief synopses:

1. The Agent: A screenplay agent with a deadline breathing down the back of his neck desperately searches for a quality screenplay to offer to his impatient client as a mysterious unkempt man keeps pushing a peculiar screenplay on him.

2. Entertainer: A man is interviewed about the loss of his wife: what of her estate; how will he go about dating again; and what about the family's lawsuit? Oh! That's quite the coffee table!

3. The Cameraman: A young man living at odds with his oppressive and denigrating mother strives to great lengths to create his own horror film.

4. It's My House: Showing up late for work again, a frazzled stock broker with performance issues discovers that he's on his last leg with his boss. To make matters worse, some strangers seem to have moved into his new home.

This horror anthology brings some creepiness with a nice side of the Twilight Zone. A good addition to the pantheon of horror anthologies. More my kinda thing as it has supernatural and ghostly elements. I'm not into the overtly gross/violent/torture porn stuff, so this enabled me to feel creeped out without jump starting a vomit.

Also, it's nice to support and give props to independent film making. Big studios be darned!

Kick back, turn the lights off, maybe indulge in an adult beverage or three, and ride along with fever dreams.

By the way, keep that creepy kid with the camera away from me.

Not made in Hollywood, and it doesn't matter: "Fever Dreams" is a surprisingly good film.

The stories are tight and focused, fresh and engaging, and provide a perfect balance of tension and humor as they move briskly along and deliver the knockout payoffs.

In "The Agent", Donald Sill and Jeff Briggs deliver stellar performances - authentic, edgy, tense - playing off each other in just the right balance to keep the viewer completely reeled in.

"The Entertainer" has a delightful twist and satisfying payoff, with Jason Caselli turning in a very solid performance.

"The Cameraman" is creepy good fun that's been masterfully shot and color-graded for a timeless Hitchcock feel.

And in "It's My House", R Keith Harris is really on top of his game in this ghoulish little vignette.

Other notes:

The exceptional musical score builds tension and emotion and is well-matched with the intentions and tone of each story.

The photography is outstanding, providing high production value on a limited budget. The camera angles, movement, and unexpected perspectives keep the viewer off-balance and uncomfortable - exactly what's needed to deliver a creepy and unsettling viewing experience.

Edit and Sound: top-notch, on-par with many high-dollar Hollywood productions.