31 Nights of Halloween: Dinah

Have you ever wondered what sort of person clicks Dislike on YouTube videos that only have a handful of views, fewer likes, and are clearly the heartfelt product of an amateur? I have--and so has writer/director James Williams... as you'll see in this, his second contribution to the 31 Nights of Halloween. 

"Dinah" is an expertly crafted film, with some fine acting by star Scott E. Brosius; you can feel his fear... and man do you want the angry ghost to give him what-for. This film is also a great example of how horror stories, perhaps more-so than any other genre, keep pace with the forward march of technology. The basic ideas here are as old as ghost stories themselves, but the way they are presented is pure 21st Century.


Dinah (2019)
Starring: Scott E. Brosius and Sofia Plass
Director: James Williams
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

31 Nights of Halloween: Safe 'til Sunset

It's the second of the 31 Nights of Halloween, and here's another treat to awaken the Spirit of the Season within you!


Safe Til Sunset (2020)
Starring: Dominic Cancelliere, Emily Bishop-Bosu, Gavin Ryan Farley, and Crissy Kolarik
Director: James Williams
Rating: Six of Ten Stars


After their mark (Farley) turns the tables on them, a pair of con artists (Cancelliere and Bishop Bosu) find themselves sealed in a room with a vampire (Kolarik).

"Safe 'til Sunset" is a fun little chiller that suffers from wooden acting, as well as a shaky opening that can be attributed to its gimmicky origins. According to the producers, it was a contest entry where filmmakers were given the first page of a script and were required to develop a short film from it. So, even though the first minute doesn't quite connect to what follows, the film ultimately ends up in a place that inspired a grim chuckle from me... and I think it will do the same for you. (I could almost hear the Crypt Keeper cackling in the distance.)