Independent cinema often trumps Hollywood productions because its creators aren’t afraid to take artistic risks. Sure, mold breakers like Ari Aster and M. Night Shyamalan have delivered hits like Hereditary and The Happening, but it’s not often that viewers find a movie that’s anything more than a cut and paste job. The reason I write for an independent horror website is because I truly believe the world where creative control exists to the fullest is where you find the biggest gems. Nate Thompson’s new short film, Cult Affairs, is one of those masterpieces that is destined to become somewhat of a conversational piece. As someone with an education and a little experience in the film industry, I found myself examining Cult Affairs due to Thompson’s use of angles and lighting. Any film that can entertain you and spur any sort of internal thinking is a monumental success in my book.
Written, directed, produced and edited by Nate Thompson, Cult Affairs finds a young man, Mr. James, following a business arrangement gone very, very wrong. He immediately finds himself brought before the devious cult he screwed over in the past and is forced to answer to its leader… and perhaps the Devil himself. Starring Nygel Sejismundo, Nate Thompson, Joshua Moore, Tee Rupp and Javon Harris, Cult Affairs also features cinematography by Javon Harris and is available to view on YouTube for free. I’ve included the video for you at the bottom of this review, and I greatly encourage you to spend the next six minutes on this short film. To me, its stylistic choices are very reminiscent of certain scenes in The Exorcist and it’s a quick glimpse into the true talents of Mr. Thompson.
I loved the film’s smokiness and the backing music that plays throughout the entire narrative. Honestly, scores are one of the top items that can make or break the atmosphere; and I’m glad these were handpicked so accurately. I thoroughly enjoyed this title’s mood and what it was trying to accomplish in such a short amount of time. Plus, the ending was a very daunting shot and the perfect cap to a story that was leaning in a particular direction. My only complaint is that some of the audio, in regards to the dialogue, needed adjusting or re-recording. It was almost hard to hear, especially near the beginning, however, I understand this could be due to YouTube settings. Still, if that’s the only bad thing I have to say, then Cult Affairs is definitely a hazy and hair-raising thriller that’s artistically claustrophobic and experimentally horrifying. Like an acid trip in a sewer.
Final Score: 8.5 out of 10.
