This is one of those titles where there are moving parts which build tension and rise rapidly. Crushed takes place in a diverseinternational setting. The title made me feel like I was “crushed” because of the stress surrounding a family and a chain of events that sets off much worrisome news. For Fantastic Fest, this is afilm that speaks to all types of audiences. It has plenty of suspense and dives into uncharted territory from many different creative angles.

The film is written and directed by Simon Rumley and focuses on a family living in Bangkok. The head of the family is FatherDaniel (Steve Oram). He is a pastor, and his wife is May (May Nattaporn Rawddon). The film begins with an emphasis on religion and empathy. Morals are put to the test throughout the story, but when the daughter of Daniel and May is kidnapped, the heads roll in Crushed.

The strange moving parts in this film begin when their daughter gets freaked out by a video. This causes her cat to go missing, and then the daughter spirals. This film showcases a wonderful juxtaposition which effectively paints the portrait of a messed-up scenario. Some elements may seem confusing, but the truth may lie within the realm of the darkness in Crushed.

The story is about seeking justice while also finding a means to safety.  The suspense in Crushed is continuously in tune which results in a breathless work-of-art that feels like a real-life situation. It is surreal and a lot for the eyes to take. This film is one of the most authentic yet daring rides in this year’s Fantastic Fest. Three out of four stars.

This is a thriller and comedy in which the creative blend isunusual and invigorating. Written and directed by Kyle Misak, Bad Haircut focuses on appearance and dazzles due tomarvelous writing which leads to interesting characterizations and suspense. The concept of being cool plays a key role, but in many ways all bets are off in this film. In the end, it becomes a horrid and comedic ride that has unimaginable and nervy hatch doors along the way.

The film’s main character is Billy (Spencer Harrison Levin)  like an outside at a party he attends because of his hair. His friends are Sonny (Beau Minniear) and Dee (R.J. Beaubrun) encourage him to get a haircut. The barbershop is run by a rather strange fellow named Mick (Frankie Ray). He looks like a retro pirate, or Mick Jagger’s cousin. There are elements in the story that are uninviting and quite bizarre. Harper and Dee leave Billy at the barbershop with Mick, and then a variety of odd events occur. Without giving away too much detail, let’s just say there are some gun shots, weird things in corners, and a dwarf assistant.

What fascinated me about Bad Haircut is that the title is on point. The film’s continuity also flows well. It is not keen to just scare, but also to maintain its sense of fun and joy. The twists and runs thrown in along the way, add to the laughs. Misak uses his talent to channel ups and downs of suspense in Bad Haircut. Since this film is part of Fantastic Fest, it fits the category of “Fantastic” well thanks to its humorous nature, especially through the quotes and dialogue in Ray’s performance as Mick. Since he is the crazy barber overlooking Billy’s hair, when hesays the word, “perfection,” there is an inevitable sign of strange obscurity. Bad Haircut is filled with mind-blowing dangers, and I truly hope it will blow the minds of many viewers. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.