If you don’t know anything about the dark web/deep web, then you’re probably better off living under a rock. In the slightest of words, it’s a small fraction of the internet where a lot of fucked up shit is uploaded and shared. Do not search for it. Do not go there. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid. The fact that it’s real makes it oh so scary, and that’s probably the best part of Hawthorne House Films’ latest short film, Curse. It’s unsettling and alluring all at the same time because the plot is somewhat based in reality. It could happen to me. It could happen to you. Based on the screenplay by Paxton Gilmore, Curse follows a group of friends who find themselves roped into a night of madness when a twisted puppet master enacts revenge on the woman who ghosted him. What starts with ominous text messages and a man behind a mask quickly turns into a night of terror as the friends are torn apart in more ways than one. Amanda Viola, Tim Robinson, Danielle Powell, David Gorena, Justin Herman and Makenna Timm star.
Curse is the perfect combination of Unfriended and The Collector. While reviewing my notes, I couldn’t help but to notice how often I used the word “creepy.” Curse is the essence of creepy. Its “probably based on a true story” narrative, airy background noise that’s present throughout almost the entire short film, and a few visual shots featuring the killer in a white mask left be feeling uncomfortable. Kudos to director Stephen Wolfe, cinematographer Connor Colebrook, and producers Tom Robinson, Justin Herman, Wolfe and Colebrook for crafting a movie that was completely cinematic and unpleasant in the most flattering way. Curse knows its tone, knows its atmosphere and executes them both to perfection with horror elements and unexpected thrills woven throughout. I was so impressed with this short that I can forgive it for constantly switching between camera footage (aka found footage) and traditional storytelling.
With fitting scores, lighting that resembles top YouTube quality (which is perfect for this mini-movie), and great acting from the cast, Curse is bound to be a hit at film festivals and online. I actually can’t rave about it enough. The “staircase scene” was an award winning visual. It has the perfect run-time, while also leaving the door open for sequels in the future. The snuff movies featured within Curse were mini-movies inside a bigger project, which was awesome. See? I could go on and on, but you really need to see Curse for yourself. If you’re a horror fan who likes a little bit of technology and psychological elements mixed in with your blood, then you’re really going to dig this new short film from director Stephen Wolfe and writer Paxton Gilmore. Whether it’s a phone on computer, in this story every click could be your last. But you should still risk it to see this incredible short! Final Score: 8.5 out of 10.
