Grindfest 2025

My first trip to Dirt in the Gate's Grindfest, a horror and genre festival with a wild line-up of cult treasures, oddities and rediscoveries. I caught 9 of the 13 programmed features, each one introduced with gusto, which gave the screenings a real sense of community and mischief. Here’s how they stacked up, from the best to the worst:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

American Psycho 2000 – Directed by Mary Harron A deliciously dark black comedy horror based on Bret Easton Ellis’s novel. Christian Bale is delightfully wicked as yuppie Wall Street broker Patrick Bateman going off his trolley and descending into a downward spiral of sex, violence and music criticism. Slick, sharp and savage — an enduring satire of excess and empty ambition.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

Videodrome1983 – Directed by David Cronenberg Cronenberg at his most prescient and perverse. James Woods spirals into a hallucinatory nightmare where television broadcasts fuse with flesh, and Debbie Harry oozes danger in every scene. Part body horror, part media prophecy, part kinky fever dream — it’s the kind of film that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave. Long live the new flesh.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

The Quiet Earth

1985 – Directed by Geoff Murphy A cult slice of apocalyptic sci-fi from New Zealand that’s both scrappy and visionary. One man wakes to find the world emptied, wandering through hauntingly abandoned streets, shopping malls and suburbs that look lo-fi yet astonishing. As he wonders what happened — and whether he helped cause it — the eerie stillness tips into madness, cosmic dread and raw punk energy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

Brainscan1994 – Directed by John Flynn

Peak 90s cyber-horror where a teen gets sucked into a murderous video game. It’s cheesy, overcooked and kind of brilliant. The Trickster is an absolute delight, chewing through the film with wild energy, and Frank Langella adds unexpected gravitas that bumps it up a notch. Offbeat, playful and way more fun than it has any right to be.

⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5 Stars)

The Adventures of Ford Fairlane 1990 – Directed by Renny Harlin Andrew Dice Clay stars as a foul-mouthed, leather-clad rock ’n’ roll detective in a neon-soaked LA mystery. Brash, offensive and frequently ridiculous — I’m looking at you, Robert Englund. Yet, Renny Harlin directs with glossy energy and the film barrels forward with cartoon swagger. It’s messy but magnetic — a time capsule of loud, excessive 90s spectacle.

⭐⭐½ (2.5 Stars)

Dead Birds2004 – Directed by Alex TurnerCivil War deserters hole up in a creepy old plantation house and, surprise, things get ugly. The film nails its atmosphere with moody lighting, eerie sound design and some strong performances, but it drags when the scares should hit hardest. All mood, not enough bite.

⭐⭐½ (2.5 Stars)

It’s Alive III: Island of the Alive 1987 – Directed by Larry Cohen Larry Cohen takes his killer baby trilogy to the beach, and the results are… wobbly. The satire is still there, poking at fear, morality and parenthood, but the tropical setting, rubbery effects and absurd tone tip it into self-parody. Entertaining in spurts, but mostly stranded between horror and camp curiosity.

⭐⭐½ (2.5 Stars)

Parasite (in 3D) 1982 – Directed by Charles Band A gloopy little relic of early-80s sci-fi horror, made to cash in on the 3D boom. The parasite itself looks suitably slimy, and Demi Moore makes her debut, but the plotting is paper-thin. A mix of futuristic dystopia, gooey body horror and bargain-bin thrills that’s more fun to imagine than to actually watch.

⭐⭐ (2 Stars)

New York Ninja 1984/2021 – Directed by John Liu, Kurtis Spieler Shot in 1984 and abandoned, then resurrected in 2021 with all-new dubbing, this martial arts oddity is equal parts absurd, amusing and uncomfortable. The relentless sexual violence against women in the original footage sits uneasily with the film’s incompetent thugs and campy baddies, creating a jarring mix of tones. The re-edit leans into the ridiculous, making it both intentionally and unintentionally funny, but the clash of content keeps it hard to fully enjoy.