AnythingHorror review's "FAMILIAR"

A very special thank you to Scott Shoyer at AnythingHorror.com

In FAMILIAR, which has a run time of 24 minutes, we see the daily routine of John Dodd. Let me stop right here and point something out. In Powell’s 2010 short, WORM, the main character was Geoffrey Dodd (both characters played by Robert Nolan). Coincidence? To find out I emailed executive producer Zach Green this question and he assured me that these are two separate shorts but that the main characters in both are brothers. Geoffrey and John seem to suffer from the same malaise: A negative, violent inner voice that seems to guide their very actions. Maybe this is a subtle way of Powell examining how mental illness runs in families, but there could be something else more sinister going on here. Whereas in WORM we follow Geoffrey in his daily routine at work, FAMILIAR follows John in his daily home life. We see his interactions with his wife Charlotte (Astrida Auza) and teenage daughter Jordan (Cathryn Hostick). He’s estranged from both and always keeps them at arms length, almost like he doesn’t want them to ‘know’ the real him. Read full review here.

IndyRed Review's "FAMILIAR"

Independent what? Naw. This just HAS to be HollyWood.

Now. I'm not to be easily impressed but this damn short film looks fantastic! When you say Independent versus HollyWood we all have visions of what one looks like compared to the other. And the visual style and editing of this film not only blurs that line, but almost erases it completely. It's all here. The smooth panning shots right down to the 'I can't tell where the edits are' edits. The only way to do it any justice is to watch it when you can. It looks great. What's more? The slow dread that begins to build up as you watch is done so perfectly! You may call it atmosphere but I call it damn good writing. And considering the limited settings in the film my previous statement is a bigger compliment.  The acting is superb. Something I've come to expect from Mr. Nolan. I do think that he's outdone himself this time though. The narration he gives during the movie itself is really quite amazing. The supporting cast are no slouches either. Doing a fantastic job in their roles and completely destroying the 'Cheese' factor. What the viewer sees from them is a normal family. Excellent! Read full review here.

IndyRed give's Familiar 4.5 / 5

NerdRemix.com review's "FAMILIAR"

A very special thank you to Mr.Thomas Gelba @ NerdRemix.com

Film Bizarro review's "FAMILIAR"

Film Bizarro review's "FAMILIAR"

I can't deny it - this is the best short film I have watched in a very, very long time. It's nothing short of amazing in almost every sense. It's a visually amazing film in all it's HD glory - the cinematography is spot on and the effects are gruesome. The story is perfectly told - slowly growing from a dark psychological thriller into something we never expected, a messy body horror. Producer Zach Green said with confidence that I wouldn't be disappointed and that's proof of people knowing what they are doing. The team knows how good this film is, and that's not smugness - "Familiar" is brilliant.

Read full review here.

All Things Horror review "FAMILIAR"

Richard Powell's "FAMILIAR": The Monster Within

If you could peek into the mind of a family man, what would you expect to find? Contentment? Pride? Unconditional love? Say you were granted the ability to do just that, to peel back the layers, to experience unfiltered thought exposed at the root. Would you be scared by what you might find? It's a scary proposition if you ponder the ramifications. Polite behavior experienced on the surface might be masking some truly wicked, ugly thoughts within people you encounter on a daily basis. Some of them might be your co-workers. Others might be your friends and family. What's really going on in their heads as they sit down to a family meal? What misanthropic tendencies lie hidden behind the small talk and forced smiles? On the flipside, what if it was your own thoughts being broadcast to your neighbors? What horrible, seething presence might others find lurking in you. Read full review here.

WORM & FAMILIAR review from FANGORIA

“WORM” AND “FAMILIAR”: TWO FATAL SHORTS (FILM REVIEWS)

As the horror film-festival circuit starts to ramp up for 2012, there’s a filmmaking team called Fatal Pictures, made up of producer/director Richard Powell and producer Zach Green, to watch out for. Their style is a mix of dark drama and fright that tends to deal with the horrors inside ourselves rather than the world around us. The duo made their first short, CONSUMPTION, in 2008, and more recently completed WORM and FAMILIAR, both starring Robert Nolan. WORM has been out a little while now, screening at events like The Sydney Underground Film Festival, Dark Bridges Film Festival,  and The Horror Society Film Festival, but expect more play around the country this year, along with FAMILIAR. Read both reviews here.

Beyond Hollywood review's FAMILIAR

Beyond Hollywood Review's "FAMILIAR"

From producer Zach Green and writer/director Richard Powell, the duo responsible for the darkly comical genre short “Worm”, comes the wickedly enjoyable short “Familiar”, a film that owes as much to the body horror of David Cronenberg as it does the outrageousness of Frank Henenlotter. It’s my favorite kind of horror flick: The movie takes an inherently silly premise and treats it very seriously. The end result is nothing sort of brilliant, and cements Fatal Pictures as one of the most daring genre outlets currently in operation. I sincerely hope that these guys put together a full-length feature in the future, as they I think they could definitely pull it off with very little effort. What these guys accomplish on a miniscule budget is nothing short of impressive. Read full review here.