Boo

Super well done! The tone of the comedy was perfect. I have seen Rakefet's other short Jax in Love when it played at Nightmares Film Festival in 2017 and knew that whatever she made next was going to be great.

This almost felt like it could find it's home as an episode of the excellent 90s HBO series Tales from the Crypt, where there is some big reveal/twist that changes everything we have seen up to that point. I really miss that show.

It is not easy to wear so many hats from writing, to directint, to producing, and starring in a film.

Whatever is coming up the pike in the future is sure to be great.

If you had the opportunity to see Jax In Love, then Boo will feel like a natural progression for Rakefet Abergel. Abergel wrote and stars in Boo, and took up the directorial reins as well. Although Boo is certainly darker than Jax was, both have a similar tone and texture, and a sprinkling of quirky fun. While both have horror elements, and a definite place within the horror genre, they are both deserving of consideration outside of that yoke.

Boo is the story of one evening in the life of Devi. She has just received a 7 years sobriety chip. She's engaged. She's in a good place in her life. But this night is going to challenge all of that.

My favorite scene happens early, outside the just-ended support group meeting. Devi (Abergel), Ava (Parisa Fitz-Henley), and Grace (Laura Wiggins) are hanging out in the parking lot. The conversation feels natural and the scene is well-acted. The three women share their individual vulnerabilities and find strength in their collective resolve to not let their addiction continue to ruin their lives. Within this scene, Abergel presents us with the stigma of addiction, the temptation, the tenuous footing that sobriety stands on, and the hope that support works "if you work it."

The evening takes a turn for the worse for Devi shortly after that. A turn that threatens her sobriety, her safety, and her fiance (Josh Kelly). Boo, while focused on addiction, also touches on sexual assault, the comraderie of shared experience, and the power of the sense of smell.

Can we talk about editing for a moment? I don't know how to edit a film. I don't know the technical terms. But I have heard that if a movie is edited well, then you don't even notice. I disagree. Boo is deftly edited and I noticed. The story does not follow a linear timeline, but all the events happen in a single evening. Done poorly, and the audience would be confused early and lose interest long before the final twist. Done well, and the audience follows the story. But Editor, Ned Thorne, does such a good job that the blends between scenes become part of the journey.

Boo is currently playing at film festivals across the country and has already taken its share of awards and nominations, including nods for Best Short Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Dialogue, and Best Film. No doubt there will be more accolades in store for Boo as its festival run continues.

Plot

Devi is an addict attending the latest rehabilitation meeting. Desperate she's trying to hide this from her boyfriend but unexpected events make that difficult.

Cast

Rakefet Abergel and Josh Kelly do a passable enough job in this minimalistic piece, the former leading directing and writing!

Verdict

I wasn't sure quite where Boo was going at first, in fact until the end you don't really have any idea why this would even be labelled a horror short. It's a slow burner yet doesn't bore, when things kick in it's intriguing but doesn't give too much away. Then when the twist sets in it's pretty darn impressive, simple yet impressive.

I really enjoyed it and would love to see the creators do something more substantial. It's not big and glossy, it's simple and well handled.

Rants

Everyone glamorizes or even sexualizes vampires but can we get real for a second? Vampires or rather the act of drinking blood from a persons neck wouldn't be sexual, it wouldn't be sensuous, it would be Dusk Til Dawn-esque. Namely blood sprays everywhere and you'd die painfully! Get over that fantasy ladies, it'd not feel good and the dying thing is less than sexy as well.

The Good

• Masterfully constructed
• Solid finale
• Great lead

The Bad

• Slow burn may not appeal to all.

"Boo" delivers a lot in just 15 minutes; interesting premise, great production value, and a cast that delivers the goods.

Really enjoyed the ride and recommend you take it yourself... Bravo

Rakefet's passion for filmmaking shines through with every beautiful shot. Love, pain, and longing are ongoing themes in her story work. Boo is no different. With a strong foundation and terrifying plot twist, Boo does not disappoint.