Holy hell, it can’t be legal to have something this creepy and only about 6 or 7 minutes long, right??? And with jump scares to boot (Yes, “scares” as in plural)?!?! Sometimes it’s the ones with the least amount of set up or simplest set up depending on how you look at it that are the scariest and that’s the case with FREE bench MUST PICK UP TODAY from writer/director Gus Reed.
“Feels Pewy” declares George (Hunter Doohan, who you might know from a little show created by Tim Burton called Wednesday) to partner Simon (Davi Santos) when on the lawn of some location answering an ad for “FREE bench MUST PICK UP TODAY” because that’s exactly what it is: A pew. But upon returning home with the new acquisition, the couple soon learns that it’s so much more as some strange occurrences begin around it and continually get worse.
Both Doohan and Santos bring loads of heart and genuine Horror to the story which is also highlighted by gorgeous cinematography from Liz Charky (An especially haunting scene when Simon backs into a room where George is working just scratches the surface of the excellent shots here) and a sinister and unnerving score from Brian Casey Lee.
Your last chance to see FREE bench MUST PICK UP TODAY from Outside In Theatre and No Budge as part of the “Wicked Shorts” series from Salem Horror Fest happens on Saturday, May 4th at SATV Studio. For more on the film, head here, and for more from Salem Horror Fest, including info on all the screenings and events happening this year, be sure to follow the socials by heading here, here, and here.