Title: Mother of Flies
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Director: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser
Starring: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins

What It Is: A young woman (Zelda) has been undergoing treatment for stomach cancer. When none of the traditional methods seem to work, she seeks out a witch who lives deep in the forests of the Catskills. This witch (played by Poser) is an odd woman, but it appears that whatever she’s doing for the young woman might actually be working. Still, all is not what it seems. There’s something… off about this witch. And it might be too late to turn back now.

What We Think: The Adams family always brings such beautiful imagery to their films, and they also tend to pair that beauty with absolutely gruesome visuals. This film does both in spades. Some of the shot choices genuinely floored me, especially for an 8 a.m. screening. At the same time, some of the practical effects and visuals here shocked and awed.

The film keeps the dialogue to just the right amount, allowing the atmosphere to take over. And that atmosphere is amplified by the Catskills setting. I was speaking with Toby Poser at Fantastic Fest, and she mentioned that they film most of their movies in what basically equates to their own backyard. I think that freedom really allows them to play — and when they play, you get a glorious nightmare like this one. Psychological horror mixed with good old-fashioned witchy shit.

Our Grade: B-, There’s some phenomenal stuff here. The creeping dread the Adams build is deeply enjoyable. A lot of your enjoyment will depend on how you handle the pacing. Deliberate is the word, and while many people read that as “slow,” slow can be great and can feel earned.

Check this one out. It feels like a Shudder release, and I’d absolutely recommend watching it. It brings it.