What to Watch This Weekend: House On Fire, Sam & Mattie, Violation, Held, The Power, Know Fear, Barb & Star, Nomadland

For A Realistic, Grounded Drama: Like A House On Fire (Digital)
Like A House On Fire is a lot like life: beautiful, painful, and bittersweet; it has all the components you want in a great drama while still feeling relatable and down to earth.  For more information, check out the review!

For An Uplifting Zombie Documentary: Sam & Mattie Make A Zombie Movie (Digital)

Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie shows an unfiltered, uncompromising look at the creative process for a unique zombie movie, and the beautiful friendships behind it.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Brutal Revenge Film: Violation (Shudder)

Violation is some parts absolutely beautiful and other parts intense, with an accuracy and brutality rarely seen in film.  For more information, check out the review!

For An Indie Horror With A Deeper Meaning: Held (Digital)

Held will capture your attention with its strong, nuanced performances, perfect setting, and engaging story that entertains while exploring important societal norms.  For more information, check out the review!

For An Old School Feeling Indie Horror: Know Fear (Amazon)

Know Fear is just a well done indie horror film, with smart practical effects, enjoyable characters, and an old school feel.   For more information, check out the review!

For An Atmospheric Horror Experience: The Power (Shudder)
The Power's atmospheric setting, perfectly realized characters, and chilling message show how this genre can be used to highlight some very real life horrors.  For more information, check out the review!

For A Colorful Middle Aged Trip: Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar (Redbox)
Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar is the type of laugh-out-loud ridiculousness we need right now, with fantastic characters and a bright style to help jump start your 2021.   For more information, check out the review!

For Those Longing To Go Outside: Nomadland (Hulu)
Nomadland highlights a different, beautiful lifestyle with a very human performance by McDormand, amazing cinematography, and a wonderful sense of community.  For more information, check out the review!

Know Fear Review: An Old School Feeling Indie Horror Film

Release date: March 12, 2021
Running time: 77 minutes        
Starring: Amy Carlson (“Blue Bloods”), Mallory Bechtel (Hereditary), and David Alan Basche (War of the Worlds)
Directed By: Jamison M. LoCascio

After discovering an ancient book of the occult in their new home, Donald Capel’s (David Alan Basche) wife Wendy (Amy Carlson) is seized by a demonic entity, nearly killing her. Donald’s niece (Mallory Bechtel) activates a dangerous ritual in the book used to identify and banish demons, a ritual forcing each member of the family to communicate with the demon in their own unique way: to see it, hear it, or speak to it.

Know Fear is just a well done, microbudget indie horror film.  The movie has a tight story, limited set of characters, and an overall smart use of its budget for effects.  The film starts off simply enough, and starts to slowly build the tension as the family beomces more entwined in this strange book and the dangerous ritual.  The film doesn't try to do too much, just keeps with the characters and this situation.  Know Fear focuses on the occult and practical effects to keep the movie simple.  And this is not a knock at all; I love when a film knows what it should do and does it smartly.  It has a good use of sound to keep you on edge and let you experience the different facets of the ritual.  It also will keep you on edge as sounds and creaks occur just outside of your vision.  And the film has a nice, small cast of characters who each bring something different to the story.  I especially liked the father character, but each has their own appeal in this film.  And overall, it just has a classic horror setup; family moves into house, finds creepy object, starts ritual they can't contain, and deals with the consequences.  And just like old school horror, the effects can be brutal at times.  Some scenes linger for a little longer than I expected as something terrible happens, reminding you of the consequences at play.  

And although Know Fear knows its limitations some of those do seep through.  The film has some forced delivery, though overall I really liked the characters and enjoyed my time with them.  And although the sound is overall very well done, especially the creepy sounds in the house, there are some times when the dialog does not sound uniform.  It's a minor complaint but one that will occasionally snap you back to reality or make you strain to hear something.  And when the film finally does have its big reveal, it was a little disappointing.  I almost would have rather had it been left unsaid, as Know Fear did a great job with limiting exposure and focusing on smart practical effects, rather than finally seeing this culmination.  

Know Fear is just a well done indie horror film, with smart practical effects, enjoyable characters, and an old school feel.  

Rent it.

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Know Fear is available digitally and on demand on March 12, 2021. 

To stream the film on Amazon Prime for free, click here.