User reviews

This was a movie that I got the chance to see thanks to Erika from Gold Dust PR. What caught my attention here was the title, that this is a 2024 horror release and it starred Lynn Lowry. She's an actor that I've seen different films throughout her career and I'm a fan. I was curious as to what we'd get here. I did come into this one blind aside from the information shared here.

Synopsis: former ballet dancer Angela (Lynn Lowry) descends into madness as her family tries to cope. After an infamous dinner, their lives spiral into unexpected chaos. All skeletons come out at a Halloween party.

We start this on Halloween night. Karen (Julia Coulter) is in a white dress, covered in blood. She is distraught. There is a person in a convertible who pulls up. This person is wearing a dinosaur costume. They handed her a ring box before leaving. It then shifts back 8 months to fill us in as to how we ended up here.

Karen narrates. Her mother is Angela who was a teacher. She retired and doesn't know what to do with herself. She was a famous dancer before marrying Richard Long (James Griggs). Karen moved out but spends more time back at her parents' house due to trying to help her mother. Angela doesn't like that her husband smokes marijuana. He's a writer so he uses it to calm his nerves. That doesn't happen 2 months until Halloween when she snaps, cutting off one of his fingers at dinner.

Angela is committed to an asylum where she works with Dr. Park (Lou D'Amato). Things take a turn 4 days until Halloween when Dr. Park thinks that Angela is ready to be released. Richard didn't press charges and he's shocked to hear of the progress. Things aren't as they seem though. Dr. Park is a fan of Angela. They're also having an affair that involves kinky, BDSM sexual encounters. Problems are created here when Dr. Park's fiancée, Rose (Nika Khitrova), catches him in the act. She steals a tape and uses it to extort him.

There's another thread here involving Mark (Guile Branco), who is the guy in the dinosaur outfit. He's recently moved here from Brazil and uses his costume for children's parties. A chance encounter with Karen leads to them hitting it off and spending time together. She is fearful of getting him involved with her family though.

With Halloween approaching, we get odd threads here. Angela isn't cured and being out is causing her to get worse. She turns toward homicide to get what she wants. Other characters get involved like Karen's roommate and friend, Susan Goth Girl (Asia Lyn Pitts). She hits it off with Karen's brother, Stuart (Jackson Leighton). There is also the manager of the bar that Karen works at, who has illegal side hustles of Cudjoe (Pancho Moler). This spirals into insanity no one will ever forget.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. What I'll say here to start out is that this is a whirlwind to start that settles into a complicated web of characters. I wouldn't say that the story is complex. It's more about figuring out how all the characters are connected. Seeing that this is a comedy/horror film makes sense. It plays like a direct to video, National Lampoon comedy.

Now that I've set that up, let me delve deeper here. Our lead character is Karen. She got out of her family's house as soon as she could. That is a good idea since her brother, Stuart, must bathe their grandmother, she is played by Mary O. Bremier. He is tasks with caring for her is in lieu of paying rent. Karen does come home though to help, especially after Angela snapped. Karen copes by drinking too much, which makes for interesting interactions with Mark. I do have an issue that these two fall in love quickly, screentime wise. I am forgiving since this already runs 105 minutes. I did like Coulter's performance though.

The character of Angela is where I want to go next. I think the backstory for her needs a bit of work. We know she was this famous dancer who gave it up when she got married to have a family. There is still that urning there for the past life though. I do like exploring this idea that now she is retired, she doesn't know what to do with her life. She descends into madness from monotony. She holds things against people and when she snaps, it results in violence and murder. I'll credit Lowry here as she plays this role well. It feels like they wrote it for her and kudos to her for the things she agreed to do.

I want then to finish by just going over the side characters here. Richard works as this overweight, unsuccessful husband. He loves his family and doing what he can. Dr. Park is interesting because he is engaged to Rose, who is younger and gorgeous. He is tangled with owing money to Cudjoe for drugs, which is an odd plot point. Pitts, Leighton, Moler, Bremier and the rest of the cast all make for weird characters that bring charm to this, so I'll credit them here.

All that is left then is filmmaking. I'll be honest, this didn't necessarily work for me as well as it could have. The tone is off. We have this dark story with Angela and how her family is trying to cope. They go black comedy with it which works at times. I think they incorporated too much and it runs too long so I lost interest. I'll say that the cinematography was good though. The practical effects were as well. There was CGI here that I noticed. It doesn't ruin it though. Other than that, the soundtrack was fine.

In conclusion, I think there are good things here but this falls flat for me. We have an odd group of quirky characters. I thought the actors did well to bring them to life. There are interesting enough stories, but they pack in too much and I lose interest. This is made well enough. The tone is a bit uneven, but the cinematography, framing and practical effects were good. Trimming this could have worked better or potentially leaning one way or the other into how they wanted to go here might help. It's not horrible, but it just didn't work for me.

My Rating: 4 out of 10.

After her psychotic outburst upsets the family, dysfunctional siblings try to live their lives while keeping their mother's psychotic tendencies in check, only for it to all come to a head at a special banquet feast she throws to celebrate the occasion leaving the festivities a bloodsoaked affair.

This was a disappointing genre effort with some big problems here that need to be overcome. This one is so over-the-top and ridiculous that it borders on being so ludicrous as to be unbelievable. The whole idea of the family trying to work through the issues they have, from the emotionally manipulative mother that enjoyed playing games with her husband in the past, the violent outbursts against anyone that speaks against her self-centered desires, an unethical doctor releasing her against and the loser children who are continually put upon for the decisions they made in life that keep them all in each other's orbit. This all makes the family such an unlikable group that it's hard to care about anything they do as with the family being so unlikable, there's not much going on here that's all that enjoyable. The first hour to this one is quite bland and excruciating to get through with almost nothing interesting going on dealing with the family and their issues getting in way too many subplots that aren't in the slightest bit fun to watch or even funny like it all thinks this is trying to just play off everything as the most normal reactions ever but are some of the most unnatural and deranged reactions to the situation that lets us stay around unlikable characters for an eternity in frustrating situations. Among the few positives to be had with this one come from the bizarre and over-the-top nature of the dinner itself which has an unhinged quality to it alongside the gruesome effect effects to be somewhat worthwhile, but it's too little too late to save this one.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and sexual content.

Review of the Halloween Feast: A Spooktacular Disappointment

I recently watched a film titled "Halloween Feast," and let me tell you, I felt completely catfished by its enticing trailer. What I hoped would be a thrilling experience turned into a nightmare that left me in dire need of a shower-after many, many baths.

From the opening scene, the atmosphere promised to be chilling, but instead, it felt more like a jumble of cheap scares and half-hearted attempts at suspense. The storyline, which aimed to be creatively spooky, was disappointingly predictable and bland. The so-called "witches' brew" of plot twists was just a lukewarm concoction of clichés, and the "mummy wraps" of character development felt stale and uninspired.

The acting? It was as if the cast had been cursed with wooden performances. They seemed overwhelmed by the lack of a coherent script, which only added to the overall chaos of the film. By the end, I found myself longing for a quick escape, haunted only by the memory of my underwhelming viewing experience.

After watching, I felt so grimy from the disappointment that I genuinely needed a shower-after many, many baths. If you're looking for an entertaining Halloween film, steer clear of this one. It's a trick in every sense, leaving me feeling deceived and thoroughly disenchanted. Save your time and find a better way to celebrate the season!

Every now and then, a horror-comedy comes along that feels like a potluck party: it's got a little of everything, some hits and some misses, but overall, you're glad you showed up. A Halloween Feast, directed by Guile Branco, is exactly that. It blends campy scares with quirky humor, dishes out nostalgia with every frame, and tops it all off with seasoned performances from genre veterans like Lynn Lowry. It's not the scariest horror-comedy you'll ever see, but it's certainly a tasty treat worth savoring.

What begins as a Halloween dinner soon turns into a nightmare, with blood, laughs, and an otherworldly twist. The movie is self-aware without being too meta, relying on horror tropes but giving them a lighthearted twist.

Branco seems to understand that the magic of horror-comedies lies in striking the right balance between absurdity and genuine tension. He leans into the absurd, which helps A Halloween Feast stand out. Instead of pushing too heavy on the jump scares, he plays with audience expectations, keeping things just unpredictable enough to be engaging. It's more "creepy chuckles" than "scream-your-face-off" horror, but that's exactly where the movie shines.

The Main Course: Performances that Hit the Spot

One of the film's main ingredients for success is its cast, with Lynn Lowry delivering a standout performance. For those who remember her iconic roles in 70s horror cult classics (Shivers, The Crazies), she brings a delicious mix of menace and charm. Lowry is fully in her element here, her expressive eyes and icy calm making even the most ludicrous lines feel grounded in something real. She knows how to play the dark humor, expertly walking the line between creepy and campy.

The rest of the cast, in contrast, brings a more straightforward comedic energy, caught in increasingly bizarre situations. The timing is sharp, and the chemistry off-kilter that keeps the movie moving.

Side Dishes: Humor and Horror in Unequal Measure

The film's humor is its strongest asset, the comedic elements are hit!

A Halloween Feast might be more of a comedy for sickos than it is a horror film, and that's perfectly fine with me! While it's clearly low budget and narratively chaotic (the latter seems intentional), it is competently crafted and makes the most of what it has to work with, ultimately serving up a spooky-flavored John Waters-esque campfest. Well, I'm not sure if even Mr. Waters could have come up with a twist quite as, um, depraved as the final revelation of Feast, but I'm sure it would meet with his approval!

At its best, this is hilarious in both its outrageous, gory set pieces and in its more lowkey jokes- I'm not a gorehound, so a major LOL for me was when the main character tells a drunk Nietzche-quoting man who wears a dinosaur costume for a living that "it's nice to meet someone so normal"- the dating pool is rough, ladies. But then there's Lynn Lowry's absolutely unhinged lead performance, which is honestly iconic, and when she's front-and-center the movie really sings (not unlike Kathleen Turner's work in Serial Mom). "THESE FEET HAVE DANCED AROUND THE WORLD" is destined to become a popular quote in the cult horror movie crowd.

If you're down for indie horror and you get a kick out of Waters and co's brand of camp, or if you're an appreciator of the pitch-black humor amidst the spurting blood in Leone's Terrifier films (you freaky weirdo), you'll probably vibe with this one. Maybe don't watch it with your family, though.

The first 5 min sets the tone.. I was expecting a mediocre film based on some recent reviews but turned out I found Branco to make a bold attempt to mix horror and dark humor, set against the backdrop of a spooky Halloween dinner.

Branco's direction is impressive, particularly in creating a moody, claustrophobic atmosphere. The use of close-up shots, eerie lighting, and unsettling sound design elevate the tension as the dinner slowly descends into chaos. The film's script cleverly balances moments of humor and horror, with characters delivering witty one-liners even as they face off against gruesome threats.

I highly recommend this indi lowbudget film, it was a delight to watch.

I went to see this movie even though it was way out of my comfort zone. The cast was excellent and played off each other well. It was like a bunch of talented friends got together and created a "feast for viewing." The use of comic relief in the midst of tragedy was brilliant. Shakespeare himself would have been proud of the writers for scenes such as the one where three tough guys had to take a city bus to go rough up someone who owed them money. And if you like irony, Mark, the character who spouts Nietzsche hoping to help others find fulfillment, experiences what it is really like to live in a world where "God is dead."

That was twisted... definitely not a 10, or a 9. I was going to give this title a 7 (entertaining, campy, fun, weird, strange, imperfect, out there .... but after the big final twist revelation at the end, which I will not reveal here, I decided to up to an 8 just because of that. Holy darn I have never seen such inappropriate situation in any movie ever -- and because of my "holy Sh***" moment I had to up it a bit and I know it's higher than most horror type movies you see out there who are far better technically with better production -- but darn that ending had me not being able to sleep at night (which is good for a movie like this) wholly molly folks.

It was surprising the vast gap between the apparent current "ratings" and reviews and the actual movie.

This plays like a typical classic bad tv movie with general nobodies or unknowns.

If you can tolerate that sort of quality of production you might indeed just find things to enjoy buried under that budget value mass produced poor quality controlled content.

Personally the every general aspect from the lackluster display of fx or the simple audio which while not horrible or by any means the worst of the worst or exceptionally bad it embraces fully that tv movie median level of quality.

I think this plants it soundly below a 5 and at a 4 for me although certainly i could understand rating it in the range between the two.

I simply didn't have the capacity to find even one lifeline to cling to like the one semi decent actor or perhaps that one good performance or bit of writing.

On paper at a glance the concept sounds promising but the reality is simply cold and hard and glaring.

If you have more expectation for A Halloween Feast beyond its reality prepare for an early famine leading into the cold lean winter of the season.

This awkwardly is hiding behind its own halloween mask of seemingly paid reviews or deeply biased and shameless self promotion that seems a common trend these days evidenced usually by very early low numbers in the ratings to indicate the disingenuous promotional campaign tactic on the cheap for the cheap.

The best way to watch this would be under a cheap ghost costume where you don't cut the eyeholes out of the sheet.

I don't like horror. I don't like gore. I don't even like blood in my films. But I did like this movie, a movie loaded with enough blood & gore to satisfy the most avid horror film fans. In fact, I liked it a lot. Why? It's fast paced, it's fun, it has a cohesive plot and it's well acted and directed. Plus, I loved the musical score and all the twists and turns along the way. It's a small independent film that beats the pants off of many multimillion dollar movies which try so hard yet miss the mark. A Halloween Feast hits that mark. It may well go down in history as a Halloween cult favorite!

This movies trailer grabbed my attention with its stunning cinematography and catching background music. I can't seem to get this out of my head! Lynn Lowry does not disappoint with perhaps her best performance of her storied career. The chemistry between her and Lou D"Amato is a gas! Sexy and so exotic it made me blush. My favorite sequence is their orgasmic climax ! You will enjoy the ensemble cast, as they are having fun and invite you to not take too seriously, this gory tale. Laugh and cringe but have fun as it was intended. For a low budget Indie film it is full of dark humor with pools of bloody gore, but it works. Have some fun with it!

It was a wild and crazy ride watching this movie. The ending is a COMPLETE surprise! REALKY liked the goth girl character and the Grandmother. My family is crazy and so is this one. I was very impressed with the musical soundtrack. It's a great movie to watch in a dark Saturday night with friends... everyone will have feedback! The family relationships are complicated, generationally crazed family members and throw in a psychiatrist who gets involved and you begin to wonder if the whole world is weird. Not sure I will ever look at a family dinner the same way again and may keep this on the back of my mind when they cut the turkey but Holiday dinners should be full of Surprises!

THIS MOVIE IS A FANTASY - you can't take the plot seriously. If you just enjoy the journey and not make too much effort to find truthfull life situations you'll enjoy it. You never know where it's going and I love that!

The situations are absolutely ridiculous, the characters are awesome, and the practical effects really shine on this movie. My favorite characters: Karen (Julia Coulter), Goth Girl (Asia Lynn Pitts), Dr. Park (Lou D'Amato) and Mark (Guile Branco). My favorite effect is something to do with a corkscrew! And my favorite sequence is some sort of orgasm climax between a lot of characters!

Smoke some weed, sit back, rerlax and enjoy the ride!

I thought it might be another run-of-the-mill horror flick. So, I wasn't sure what to expect. But this one actually defied my expectations. What I got instead was a wild, unpredictable ride that had me hooked. I was uncertain but curious when I came across this movie, A Halloween Feast. Honestly, it's hard to classify this just as a horror film because Lynn Lowry, along with the other actors, did a great job. I found myself laughing out loud during some of the craziest moments. It's clear the filmmakers poured a lot of creativity into it, especially considering it likely had a low budget. They made it work, and it shows in the clever ways they approached certain scenes. This is where creativity meets movie magic.

The mix of humor and horror creates an entertaining balance, and the soundtrack immerses you in it. I was surprised to see some really negative reviews, and I'm glad I watched it before reading them. I get it; maybe it's not for everyone, but if you're in the mood for something different and don't mind a bit of absurdity, you'll likely enjoy this. Well, I certainly did. If you're open to something a bit offbeat and aren't expecting a traditional horror experience, you're in for a treat. It's fun, it's crazy, and it's packed with plenty of quirky moments that make it an enjoyable watch.

Looks like Angela Long is acting strange, she retires from teaching - but was formerly a dancer) and suddenly starts to kill pets. (trigger warning). Her family deals with it the best they can until on a family dinner Angela cuts off her husbands finger and feeds it down his throat. This is within the first 5 minutes folks.

It goes from there to worse. A psychiatrist is hired to oversee her release back home (why? Why? Why?) played by the brilliant Lou D'Amato as Dr. Park and soon it's blatantly obvious it's a huge mistake.

I could keep going, but this film is the most unpredictable film I have ever seen. ... It's definitely not as good as Bonafide Hollywood movies (looks like this had a real low budget) - but I really enjoyed this a bit more than "Serial Mom", the 1994 Kathleen Turner starrer, because the story has so many layers. I could keep going but...

I'd say give this a shot!

I was very surprised at some of the reviews calling this a bad movie with bad acting. Some low ratings might simply be from users trolling or showing bias against indie films or specific genres, even if the movie is well-made. Luckily, I didn't let those reviews sway me from watching. I'll stick to "real" reviews from the critics who know how to rip through an indi lowbudget niche film. This film had excellent technical aspects like sound, editing, cinematography, and acting. I was pleasantly surprised and very happy I didn't listen to the trolls just hating a film because of a missmatch of expectations.

A Halloween Feast is absolutely wacky, and it only got more fun (and gross-out) as it went along. The comedy starts out subtly and gets more "wait what" in the second half as the twists hurtle in one after the other. Heads up (lol), this film doesn't pull punches on the gore. One moment with Lynn Lowry near the end was possibly the wildest thing I've ever seen onscreen. It felt incredibly bold, fresh, and visceral-you'll know it when you see it. I went in not knowing exactly what to expect, but the campy theme hinted at in the promo material definitely delivered. A Halloween Feast of deliciously cringe-inducing delight!

A Halloween Feast was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed Lynn Lowry's performance. She is very unhinged. I really loved the character Goth Girl ("it's a vibe"). The film is a solid mix of horror and comedy. I thought the characters were interesting and the twists and revelations were well executed. The film delivered solid kills and great effects for the budget. The ending provides plenty of shocks that should please audiences. I really enjoyed seeing Pancho Moler in the film. His character was a pretty awful person but I thought his dialogue and mannerisms were really fun. Overall I highly recommend A Halloween Feast.

This movie's trailer grabbed my attention with it's stunning professional cinematography and catching background music I can't seem to get this worm get out of my head! Lynn Lowry does not disappoint with perhaps her best performance of her storied career. The chemistry between her & Lou D'Amato is a gas! Sexy and so exotic it made me blush. My favorite sequence is their orgasmic climax You'll enjoy the ensemble cast, as they are having fun and invite you to not take seriously, this gory tale. Laugh and cringe but have fun as it was intended. For a low budget Indie film it is full of dark humor with pools of bloody gore, but it works. Have some fun with it!

I have to say I'm really surprised by the negative ratings and the few scathing reviews.

This film is one of the wildest rollercoaster rides I've seen in recent years, and it handles gore, violence, a variety of forms of sexual diversity very lightly (not always gracefully, but I guess that comes with the territory).

I can only assume that the gratuitous play on taboo subjects is what earned the film the many poor ratings; it's certainly not one that would appeal to viewers of the gun-slinging, bible-thumping variety.

Just about everything that goes down in the movie is very much tongue-in-cheek, and I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, although I can understand why it might not appeal to certain audiences. 😉

P. S.: I would have given it a 7/10, but bumped that up to balance out some of the negativity.

The Halloween feast is a fun, bloody, campy adventure. There are some. There are some fun twists and turns as well.

Even though you know who the villain is almost right away, there are some good surprises as the movie goes on. I really thought there was some good character development with several people in the movie, especially for a slasher film.

If you're looking for a gory, silly, campy movie, this is probably right up your alley. I thought that some of the dialogue was forced at times, but if you pick this movie out, that is probably not your main concern.

Several story lines are intertwined throughout the movie. If this is your genre, check it out.

Such a fun film full of subtle humor that made viewing 10/10 *chefs kiss* My sister and I love finding random indie films to watch and we were not disappointed with this one. We loved all the characters and how creative some of the scenes were. The scene at the dinner table had me shook and not because of the gore. Also didn't the vampire girl look like Aubrey Plaza? All the actors did a great job and had good line delivery. I was also impressed with the visual and sound effects for a smaller budget film. I would recommend this movie to anyone with a dark sense of humor and who wants to support small indie project!

I absolutely loved the movie! From the very beginning, it grabbed my attention and didn't let go until the end. The casting was superb, with a perfect mix of different character types, each bringing something special to the screen. It felt like the actors were chosen with great care, and they played their roles brilliantly. The storyline was fascinating, and I found myself deeply invested in both the plot and the characters. There was a good balance of humor, with plenty of funny moments that made me laugh out loud, while the pacing of the film kept things interesting without ever dragging. It was one of those movies that just flies by, leaving you wanting more. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone looking for an entertaining and fun experience. Watching it before Halloween would make it even more fitting, as the film's atmosphere perfectly complements the spooky, festive vibe of the season. All in all, it's a must-watch!

A once normal family has its world turned upside-down when mom becomes psychotic and it all goes down hill from there. Lots of blood and laughter takes you on a ride you will enjoy.

If you take the film lightly & not literally, remember as a film and not a true story but a gory dark comedy and not academy bound and you will enjoy as much as I did.

Technically, the film is pretty good. Lighting, sound, editing, directing and acting are very good which makes this ride fun.

Lowry is at her best and very enjoyable to watch. The cast pulls off the wacky ride they've been put on. Definitely worth the watch.

This film means business. Guile Branco has effortless charm as a children's party entertainer who crosses paths with a woman whose mother (a demented Lynn Lowry) is a brutal serial killer. Her Dad (James Griggs- the film's secret weapon) is trying to stop his wife chopping off his fingers and feeding them to him at any given moment and her soyboy brother is getting it on with a Goth witch who has a coffin fetish. It all comes to a bloody, arterial spraying head at the titular Halloween dinner.

Along the way, we're treated to multiple scenes of seniors in bondage, little people snorting cocaine and having their eyes gouged out, British women with a taste for older men and blackmail, brains being ripped out of heads with corkscrews and enough blood to choke Dracula.

A game cast, solid FX, good score and pacing make the outrageous set pieces burn your retinas. This is not a subtle film. It blends all the elements of grindhouse nastiness from crazed cult films of the 70s, 80s and 90s with a Brazilian flavour in its structure and style. You probably haven't seen anything like this- certainly not from the last ten years of indie horror comedy filmmaking- and its gleeful embrace of gonzo, envelope pushing taboos and images will delight many in the extreme horror crowd. Put it this way- if this were made in the 90s, it would be very controversial and only playing in select arthouse cinemas at midnight with people outside protesting its very existence.

Watch it.