Above the Knee (2025)

Amir (co-writer Freddy Singh) is obsessed with his left leg. Or rather, he's obsessed with having it removed, as he's convinced it's rotting and that he would be better off without it. On television he sees an interview with Rikke (Louise Waage Anda), a sufferer of Body Identity Dysmorphia, a condition in which individuals feel they should have been born blind despite being able to see (as in Rikke's case) or that they should be lacking a limb or other body part.

Having just gone back to work after being off sick due to what was thought to be a suicide attempt (but was actually a drunken attempt to saw his own leg off) Amir skives off to meet with Rikke and soon he's making plans to rid himself of his unwanted appendage, possibly with the unwitting assistance of his work colleague who likes rock climbing.

Directed and co-written by Viljar Bøe, who gave us Frightfest 2023's excellent twisted Inside No.9-style GOOD BOY, ABOVE THE KNEE offers us in Amir a central character whose life would actually be better if he could just be honest with his boss and his girlfriend and ask for help instead of fobbing them both off with excuses while indulging in time with Rikke. It's a concept that could easily have been played more for laughs but Boe keeps everything dead serious, offering a psychological drama  that will have you wondering where it's all leading.

Viljar Bøe's ABOVE THE KNEE screened at Frightfest in Discovery Screen 2 on Monday 25th August 2025. It's getting a Digital release from Blue Finch on Monday 8th September 2025

Blockhead (2025)

Six years ago Will Mercer (Danny Horn) had a huge award-winning hit with his first novel. Since then, however, things have been tough and he has made little progress on the follow-up. Advised to lock himself away to get his new book finished in a spare apartment owned by former author Maggie (Michele Moran), Will is surprised when handyman Mikey (Joe Sims) turns up to do some decorating. In addition to this Mikey is soon taking Will to the pub, 'sorting out' Will's enemies, and even making writing suggestions, but is Mikey all that he seems?

There's nothing especially new or original in BLOCKHEAD, the first feature from Matt Harlock of AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY documentary fame. However, if you like this kind of story it's absolutely fine, albeit done on a very small budget. Danny Horn does a good job as the increasingly insane writer and there are some good shots in here, suggesting that with a bigger budget and something perhaps a little more ambitious storywise Harlock's next project will be worth a look.

 

BLOCKHEAD received its world premiere on Discovery Screen 2 at Frightfest on Saturday 23rd August 2025

The Home (2025)

"Entertainingly Gory Horror from the Director of THE PURGE"

James DeMonaco's new film received its UK premiere as the opening movie of Frightfest 2025 and is now on digital release from Signature Entertainment, with a DVD and Blu-ray release to follow.

After the death of his brother when he was 11, the increasingly rebellious Max (Pete Davidson from BODIES BODIES BODIES) earns himself a prison sentence for repeated damage to property. However his foster father is able to have this reduced to community service, the twist being that it's at a residential home for the elderly where Max is to be the new supervisor.

Everything seems normal enough for the first couple of hours but something very strange indeed is happening at Max's new place of employment. Who are the mysterious wheelchair-bound residents of the fourth floor? Why are certain rooms in the basement locked? And why is Max having trouble sleeping?

For the first two thirds of its 97 minute running time THE HOME is evocative of 1980s Italian horror cinema with its frequent grotesque imagery that sometimes is in Max's imagination but at other times definitely isn't. It's in the final act that everything goes pleasingly haywire, but to say any more would be to spoil the fun. THE HOME doesn't quite have the political punch or social commentary of his PURGE movies (although it's definitely there, you just have to dig a little deeper) but it's still an entertaining ride, helped immensely by having some familiar character actors including John Glover (GREMLINS 2 & IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS) and Ethan Phillips (THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR and STAR TREK: VOYAGER) playing some of the inmates of the home. Here's a trailer:

James DeMonaco's THE HOME had its UK premiere at Frightfest 2025, is now on digital from Signature Entertainment, and will have its DVD and Blu-ray release on Monday 29th September 2025