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Psychonaut begins with a concise definition of its titular concept — a person who explores altered states of consciousness within the human mindscape — only to infinitely double-down on the idea’s most terrifying consequences. Yes, a psychonaut explores altered consciousness, but they’re also subjected to the many dangerous and destructive impulses that flood the human mind and strike when someone is at their most vulnerable. Psychonaut turns the brain into a labyrinthine house of horrors where escape isn’t as simple as just finding the door. What follows is a claustrophobic and alienating experience that’s as surreal as it is scary. It’s a compelling calling card for Dutch indie filmmaker Thijs Meuwese that highlights the atmospheric skills of a visionary genre storyteller, but occasionally feels too scatterbrained

Psychonaut is a meditation on mind-altering technology that infiltrates and violates memories. Maxime (Julia Batelaan) submits to an experimental treatment that...

Seven years ago, Dutch filmmaker Thijs Meuwese co-directed the science fiction film Molly, a film overflowing with ingenuity, a no-budget post-apocalyptic superhero epic. You can read my review here... That film had an incredibly impressive finale, and it marked its directors and lead actress Julia Batelaan as people to keep track of. And there is good news on that front: Thijs and Julia reunited and made a thriller with a strong science-fiction slant called Psychonaut. Even better news: it has secured itself a World Première at the Brooklyn Horror festival this month. Senior programmer Joseph Hernandez describes the film as follows: A futuristic healing machine capable of piercing into one's memories is Maxime's only hope to save her dying girlfriend. Along with the help of...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Brooklyn Horror Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 2024 edition, which runs from Oct. 17-24. All films will be screened at Nitehawk Cinema’s Williamsburg and Prospect Park locations.

Opening with Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s crime thriller “Dead Mail,” Bhff will feature the North American premieres of Tiago Teixeira’s erotic body horror “Custom,” Phillip Escott and Sarah Appleton’s late ’90s horror documentary “Generation Terror” and Sasha Rainbow’s “Grafted” starring Jess Hong.

Films receiving their world premieres at Bhff include Izzy Lee’s directorial debut “House of Ashes,” the queer science fiction adventure “Psychonaut” and “Lilly Lives Alone” starring Jeffrey Combs.

“Fear in Focus” is set to return for Bhff 2024, with this year’s rendition centering around horror films from Spain. The sidebar program will feature a 35mm screening of “The Blood Spattered Bride” and a showing of the Spanish version of “Dracula” with...