User reviews

Right, well I figured that with a title such as "Pillow Party Massacre" then maybe this 2023 might be a horror spoof on the old classic slasher movies such as "Slumber Party Massacre". In fact, I hadn't even heard about this movie prior to sitting down to watch it, so I wasn't sure what I was in for.

The storyline in "Pillow Party Massacre" was generic, oh so very, very generic. This was essentially just another run-of-the-mill slasher movie with a masked killer wearing a black robe. Maybe writer and director Calvin Morie McCarthy is a hardcore fan of the "Scream" franchise, because "Pillow Party Massacre" felt like a watered down attempt at copying those movies. Except that "Pillow Party Massacre" lacked the brutality, the budget, the intensity and the story.

Needless to say that I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie. However, it should be noted though, that the acting performances weren't all that bad, taking into consideration the severe limitations imposed upon the actresses and actors by an inferior script and wooden character gallery.

Visually then "Pillow Party Massacre" was a mess. The vast majority of the special effects were so bad that they effectively were just that; special! Some of the effects were so bad that I was laughing loudly and had to go back and watch it a second time. But a few of the special effects were actually great, so go figure.

If you enjoy a slasher movie, then do yourself a favor and don't waste 87 minutes on "Pillow Party Massacre". Some of us did so you don't have to. There are far better slasher movies readily available out there in an abundance.

My rating of writer and director Calvin Morie McCarthy's 2023 movie "Pillow Party Massacre" lands on a generous three out of ten stars.

When a tight knit group of high school kids pull a prank on one of their friends...it causes the target of the prank to snap, and murder the boy who set her up.

Fast forward two years later, and we have this same group reconnecting at a cabin in the woods.

Where they start being hunted by a not-so mysterious killer.

Because, on top the plot being horribly constructed.

What's supposed to be the "twist" at the end...is just way too predictable.

With the bulk of the film being almost entirely irrelevant to the conclusion.

The whole movie is just loathesomely bad, on practically every front.

And is barely able to hold your attention.

The fact that not a whole lot happens in the run-up to the underwhelming finale...just renders the whole thing to be overtly boring.

The pillow fight (seemingly for which the film is named) is inexplicably forced into the story; characters are thrown in, simply for the sake of dying (and upping the kill count); while plot elements are introduced, and just left as loose ends.

Also...if you think about it...the killer could only ever be one of two people.

And they make the one one option so obvious, that you just reject even considering it as being reasonable.

So, by process of elimination, it's really not that hard to sus out who the killer is, pretty much straight from the get-go.

Thus, the whole thing is just way too predictable, in it's blatant (yet failed) attempt to be unpredictable.

Not to mention, the whole thing is poorly written, poorly acted, and poorly constructed.

With no attention to detail.

And a finale so underwhelming, it's almost funny.

But it's not.

And the kills suck.

Rendering the whole thing borderline unwatchable.

It's only redeeming value, whatsoever, is quite literally, it's rad post punk soundtrack.

So do yourself a favour and pass this one by.

It's just not worth the time wasted.

1.5 out of 10.

But this is some of the most garbage ive seen on the horrorfront this year, its absolutely horrendous and etched a sketch amateur slasher flasher with poor sound quality, a filmatographical mess of ''lets make a movie, i just got the new iphone'' kinda camerahandling, the playbook has been made insitu, and the lack of any sort of script burns through at any moment.

The idea to make a horrorslasher is lingering in there, and with a bit more comprehensive insight on the baseline of featurefilm filmaking it couldve been maybe a should see film, but this was lower than trash, even the gory scenes screams for more, and the dumb descisionmaking that drives this genre is taken to the absolute peak of the limit.

Goodlooking actresses doesnt make them good on the act, and when the dire sets in its just so generic and forthcoming. Its not even laughable stuff this movie shows, its a total blunder of darkfiltering homemoviemaking. The grumpy old man says its a no see.

The best thing I could say about Pillow Party Massacre is that the director did in fact pull off making a feature length film which is no easy feat.

There is sincerity and passion behind this project, and two or three of the kills are creative and use some decent makeup effects. This is definitely a step in the right direction for the creator and hopefully a learning experience which will lead to bigger and better projects down the line. But all that being said, I cannot recommend this film as entertainment value on any level.

Despite its tongue-in-cheek title, Pillow Party Massacre never becomes the silly 80's-inspired romp that it keeps on promising to be.

The script is thinner than most direct-to-video horror films would allow their own script to be. Every line of dialogue in this film is soulless exposition, and none of the characters have any personality or identity. By the end of the film I couldn't remember a single character's name, and the few moments where the screenplay tries to be meta are lazy and uncommitted. You can tell that the filmmakers have intended to make their own version of Scream without the wit, knowhow or brilliance that made that film work. And the resulting project is soulless, boring and so glacially paced that the short running time felt phenomenally longer than it actually was.

The film is also riddled with technical flaws. The CGI looks unbelievably cheap and not in an ironic way, and the majority of the kills look incredibly fake without it even being humourous. There are way too many dance sequences in the film which drag on for way too long with the intro scene being the most notable example, and the camera seems to linger on the feet and legs of the characters for an uncomfortably long amount of time as if the director of photography has some kind of strange fetish. The colour grading is terribly off, the sound editing is consistently weak, there are numerous lines of dialogue that are obviously dubbed or sometimes layered multiple times out of order, and the cinematography seems to be using a camera that operates on a steadycam gimble yet also manages to shake all the time. Why you would shake the camera whilst also trying to steady it goes completely beyond me, it's like ordering a diet coke with a side of sugar.

Ultimately, the film is just boring. It was made with the best intentions but without proper expertise or a screenplay worth filming. I didn't laugh, I wasn't scared, I wasn't entertained. This film is no massacre, it's a drag.

Perhaps the worst ovie of the year.

A bunch of totally unattractive Gez Z'ers get together in a house years after pulling an April Fool's prank on one of the students. Heard it before? Of course you have.

The movie is filled with used up cliches: Jump scares, Truth or Dare games, you name it. Only none of it is effective in this horribly boring movie.

What makes it worse is that the cast cannot act their way out of a proverbially paper bag and they are down right fugly so you don't even want to look at them.

Don't even think about crisp, exciting, directing. Watching paint dry is more exciting.

I bought Pillow Party Massacre on Prime Video.

Along with Jim Wynorski's Murderbot, Calvin Morie McCarthy's Pillow Party Massacre has been a film I have been following the progress of on FB since last year. And have been looking forward to.

This slasher movie does the things. The girls are attractive and scantily clad. The kills are gory and interesting. And there's a mystery about who the killer is, that is held back until the end. And that reveal works.

There's a musical reference to a band that I was obsessed with for a bit in the 80s but haven't heard anyone mention since the 90s, if then.

This movie really works for me.

I enjoy the slasher sub genre more than any other, having been there in the golden age. As a result I'm always looking for new "throwback" additions.

Most fail because they try to do something new or put a fresh twist on things. That's now how it's done. The key is knowing that the "formula" works and following that formula with your own new and unique story.

This young filmmaker did a great job following the formula. The story works and he pieced it together nicely. It is a well done by the book slasher. A nice watch for the OG fans of the sub genre.

Things for this filmmaker to look at to improve in his next foray in the slasher arena:

Likeable characters: Outside of Jax Kellington's "Alana" all of the female characters were unlikeable and the cliche "you wanted them to die" could be said. May have been the script, nay have been the performances. Either way, outside of Alana, the cast didn't work. Kellington could be another Quigley in the making, who knows.

Soundtrack: I will chalk up the lack of atmosphere and tension to a fairly weak soundtrack. Use of ambient sound and synth tracks to brood and build tension would have helped tremendously. Similar to Carpenter's original mistake with Halloween.

Atmosphere: A little less daylight, a bit more dusk and night time. The daytime shots were ok but needed to contain more fun interaction and some light hearted humor tossed in as opposed to the girls bitching and moaning about everything that we got. Also, the killer's "costume" was on point but the 21st century smiley mask can be 86'd. It's too "Scream"(y) and not scary.

To the filmmaker, great job on a throwback slasher. You succeeded where many have failed. Better casting, outside of Kellington, and a more intense, suspenseful soundtrack would go a long way. Keep following the path you're on !

After meeting up with old friends, a group of girls on a getaway trip to reminiscence at a remote house in the woods to get together end up finding their trip ruined by the remnants of a prank they committed when they were younger that left a person dead and must now find a way to stop the vicious killer.

This was a pretty solid and enjoyable throwback slasher effort. One of the better features of this one is the rather fun setup that serves as a fine inspiration to set everything in motion. Featuring the expected prank and the aftermath that serves as the inspiration to start a revenge rampage on the ones responsible for what went down, the resulting aftermath of which takes place when they get together years later being unoriginal but perfectly suited to this kind of throwback style. That also goes along rather nicely with the rest of the setup involving the girls trying to get over their issues while meeting up which generates a sense of strain and tension amongst the group. None of this is, again, all that clever or unique and tends to allow it to fall victim to plenty of cliched moments or scenarios that arise because it's following this kind of structure but there's still enough going on here to serve as worthwhile for the type of film this is presented as. This gives the film quite a lot to like in terms of being a straightforward slasher once the killer arrives. Given a great mask and a solid disguise, this one comes off quite nicely in that regard as the types of attacks that emerge here aren't that bad including the first attack on the police officers or the confrontations with the boyfriends who are clearly there to enhance the body count. Turning to the girls and stalking them through the house, the fact that they're aware of the killer from the start with him appearing to the group as a whole and causing some solid chases throughout gets quite fun with the interactions involving him taking out a few of them in obscure locations around the house. As these scenes not only give off the kind of low-budget slasher thrills which are necessary for this type of feature but also offer a nice frenetic energy in the best part of the film, these all come together to give everything quite a lot to like about it. There are some minor drawbacks to be had with this one. One of the few minor issues is the somewhat staggered pacing that takes quite a while to get going. Since it's running through some familiar territory involving the prank and its outcome as well as getting the friends back together at the house which includes not only the journey there but also the various scenes of them sitting around hanging out about what happened that the kills are instead pushed back to the last half of the film. While it's great to get a sense of their relationship with each other in stuff like their trip to the store where they encounter the homeless guy, their slow-motion pillow fight or the arrival of a boyfriend, these scenes end up dragging everything out to having most of the action take place in the last half-hour so it can feel like a struggle to get going. Combined with that aforementioned familiarity and a general sense of obeying genre conventions, these are the main drawbacks in store for this one.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, Brief Nudity, and mild drug use.

Within seconds, and I do mean seconds, I absolutely fell in love with Pillow Party Massacre. The neon titles; the retro music; the use of slow motion; it's all there as our cast is assembled at a High School dance in which an April Fool's Day prank goes wild. The music stops only momentarily as the girls gathered get their drink on and then - BOOM! - the party is momentarily abandoned to go make out in a mausoleum of dirty socks.

Pillow Party Massacre, directed by indie filmmaker Calvin, is a delightful homage to the 1980s slasher genre with a modern twist. It successfully marries nostalgia with contemporary storytelling, offering a thrilling and hilarious ride that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The film kicks off with an unmistakable '80s vibe, evident from the very first frame. The neon titles, synth-heavy soundtrack, and an array of vintage fashion choices transport you back in time.

Get your pillows ready and Parrrrrtaaay!

Pillow Party Massacre, directed by Calvin Morie McCarthy, is a horror film that delivers an unforgettable and thrilling experience from start to finish. It captivates viewers with its suspenseful storyline and impressive performances by a talented cast. Let's dive into why this movie deserves a glowing review.

Calvin Morie McCarthy has masterfully crafted a unique horror film that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. The plot takes unexpected twists and turns, leading viewers through a chilling journey they never saw coming. McCarthy's direction shines through in every scene, creating an atmosphere of palpable tension and fear.

The cast of Pillow Party Massacre delivers outstanding performances that bring the characters to life. Laura Welsh shines as Sam, the film's strong and determined protagonist. She skillfully portrays the emotions and vulnerability required for the role, drawing the audience deeper into the story. The chemistry between the cast members is palpable, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the film.

The twist at the end of the movie is nothing short of brilliant. Without giving away any spoilers, it's safe to say that Pillow Party Massacre will leave you shocked and completely reevaluate everything you thought you knew. The unexpected turn of events is a testament to the intelligent storytelling and the film's ability to keep the audience guessing until the very end.

One of the film's greatest strengths is its ability to appeal to both teens and adults. Pillow Party Massacre is an ideal choice for a slumber party night with your girlfriends. Whether you're a teenager or an adult, this movie guarantees a night of spine-tingling excitement. The film effortlessly blends horror, suspense, and a touch of nostalgia, making it a perfect choice for a memorable girls' night in.

The production quality of the film is commendable. Calvin Morie McCarthy not only directed the movie but also took on the role of associate producer and cinematographer. His eye for capturing atmospheric shots and setting the right tone enhances the overall viewing experience. The makeup, special effects, and visual effects teams deserve praise for their incredible work, adding a realistic and visceral feel to the horror elements.

Furthermore, the dedication of the crew behind the scenes cannot go unnoticed. From the gaffer to the costume and wardrobe department, every aspect of the production has been meticulously handled, ensuring a visually stunning and cohesive film.

In conclusion, Pillow Party Massacre is a must-see horror film that will leave audiences craving more. Calvin Morie McCarthy's direction, along with the exceptional performances from the talented cast, keeps viewers engaged throughout the movie. The unexpected twist at the end is the icing on the cake, leaving an indelible mark on anyone who watches it. Whether you're looking for a thrilling movie night or planning a slumber party with your friends, Pillow Party Massacre promises an unforgettable experience. Prepare to be terrified and thoroughly entertained!

Thee storyline really made it for me. Being a huge fan of horror films, I might come off as a little biased, but in a nutshell, this film takes the horror genre to the next level and on the right path not relying on cheesy jump scares And quick camera pops this movie allows you to use your imagination and keeps you glued to the seat the entire time almost putting you in a hypnotic state. I definitely recommend this film because it's new it's storyline is creative and the finished product is meaningful that deserves to get two thumbs up. It's definitely one of those films where you're just kind of hanging out at the house with your partner enjoying the night. It's almost a mood setting movie!