A psychiatrist interviewing a mysterious prisoner finds the line between fiction and reality dissolving as four interconnected tales reveal a sinister force that has existed far longer than anyone imagined.
Score: 6/10
Director / Writer:Robert W. Filion / Brad Hord
Starring:Jaysen Buterin, Amie Henry
Genre:anthology, horror, psychological thriller
Runtime:72
Release:2026
Excerpt
I’m always impressed by the ingenuity of directors working with small budgets. To produce what are essentially four short films and put them inside this narrative is quite the feat.
A Horror with Great Potential
Dr. Erin Murphy (Amie Henry) amd Bob (Jaysen Buterin) for Echoes from the Void
Dr. Erin Murphy (Amie Henry) is having a bad day. From the moment she’s ripped from sleep and assigned a new case to when she begrudgingly accepts the case and takes a swig from her flask for mettle, it’s clear she’s not exactly excelling at life. She’s a criminal psychologist and her patient is introduced to her only as “Bob” (very Twin Peaks (1990)). Bob was last seen talking to Amy Wells – a young woman who has recently gone missing. As Dr. Murphy tries to gather information on Bob (Jaysen Buterin), the seemingly troubled man decides to take Dr. Murphy on her own journey. They won’t be leaving the room with the security guard posted outside; Dr. Murphy’s journey will be a journey of the mind. Echoes From the Void (2026) is an indie horror anthology that has a creative premise, but the execution may be a bit too mysterious.
A former Sundance award-winning filmmaker, now cancelled by social media, is forced to direct online porn films for a sleazy producer.
Score: 6.5/10
Director / Writer:Mark Schwab
Starring:James Duval, Silas Kade, Fernando, Jason Caceres, Diogo Hausen
Genre:comedy, psychological thriller, lgbtq+
Runtime:89
Release:2025
Excerpt
There’s self sabotage, and then there’s Mark Schwab’s Cutaways (2025), a queer drama that could easily be touted as a “psychological thriller”. From start to finish Cutaways raises a variety of red flags that you just can’t look away from.
Running Through My Head
Is Andy trying to seduce Evan Quick? For Cutaways
There’s self sabotage, and then there’s Mark Schwab’s Cutaways (2025), a queer drama that could easily be touted as a “psychological thriller”. We follow director Evan Quick’s (Silas Kade) fall from favor as he lands in the cradle of sin that is the valley porn industry. The disgraced filmmaker was “canceled” due to allegations of misconduct and forced to direct porn films to keep on the lights. He’s not even doing a great job at that, but he has secured himself a 3 picture deal from local self-made man Sammy (the incomparable James Duvall). From start to finish Cutaways raises a variety of red flags that you just can’t look away from.
Sabrina’s work happens through a screen. Then a patient starts crossing boundaries. As compassion becomes a source of danger, the distance between her sessions and her private life begins to disappear.
Score: 7/10
Director / Writer:Sean O. McGuiness w. Joe Verrastro
She Listens Alone (2026) is a heady psychological thriller that will leave the audience considering which barriers to keep around ourselves and which to tear down.
Your Therapist’s Therapist
Alivia Levie as “Sabrina” for She Lives Alone
For a while I read the title of this film as “She Lives Alone” and it was apropos as a story about a young therapist whose practice and life have both become fairly isolated. I also rearranged the words of the title calling it “She Alone Listens” which is also fitting as we watch her intake information from her clients while never being able to deposit her own. She Listens Alone (2026) is a heady psychological thriller that will leave the audience considering which barriers to keep around ourselves and which to tear down.
When Patricia approaches Ashley with a tailor-made project and is rejected, she gets a gun. Patricia breaks into Ashley’s home and takes her hostage. What ensues is a psychological cat-and-mouse game that culminates in a surprising and bloody climax.
Score: 7.5/10
Director / Writer:Ryan Moore
Starring:Cheyenne Perez, Grace Kaufman, Emily Hall, David Lengel
Genre:indie, psychological thriller
Runtime:84
Release:2023
Excerpt
At one point Ashley says, "You can’t just put a gun to someone’s head and force them to give up social media!" and while I laughed, I found myself feeling genuine concern. Her posting schedule is going to be really behind!
Why Don’t You Love Me?
“Grace Kaufman stars as Ashley in Ryan Moore’s Influence“
It’s unusual to have Béla Tarr’s 7.5 hour Criterion Collection epic Sátántangó feature as a set piece in an abduction thriller, but Ryan Moore’s Influence (2023) said, hold my beer! It’s a bold move from the young director, and one that has interesting dividends.
We follow writer/director Patricia (Cheyenne Perez) as she tries to sell her script in Hollywood. She’s hit with lovely rejection letters and promises of nothing. By day she edits footage for her boss – a jaded wellness ambassador named Melissa (Emily Hall), and by night she doom scrolls wellness influencers on Instagram. It’s a vicious cycle of faux inspiration and toxic positivity that sends Ashley even further into a depressive spiral.
A cultured woman living in an isolated home hires a housemaid to live with her and tend to the house. Their days begin with politeness and casual conversation, but as time passes, their differences begin to drive them to conflict.
Score: 5.5/10
Director / Writer:Albert Goya
Starring:Lucia Goya-Betts
Genre:psychological thriller, indie
Runtime:94 minutes
Release:2026
Excerpt
Artist is a fresh faced, put together young woman with voluminous blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Conversely, Karen has a haggard aura that’s accentuated by old lady makeup lines, an ogre-like attitude and way too much energy for her age.
Noblestone (2026) is the second indie feature by British-Spanish director Albert Goya. The film was made with zero budget and took two years to complete. It’s a two-hander deftly handled by Goya’s sister, Lucia Goya-Betts. It’s a surreal and visceral story that is part Fight Club (1999), part The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and part What About Buck? (1991). If that sounds like a heady combination, rest assured that it is. But somehow this elevated piece of “crack treated seriously” works.
Noblestone is director Albert Goya’s second feature following The Lady Governess (2023). The film was produced under Goya’s stage name “Tito Wiley”. Goya created The Lady Governess at 16 and completed Noblestone at 19. The young artist wrote, directed, edited and composed the film. It’s a valiant effort that shows a lot of promise for his unique style of storytelling. Noblestone follows the path of The Lady Governess in fundamental ways. We have our unnamed main character – a self-absorbed artist in Noblestone – and Karen (Lucia Goya-Betts). Karen is a force of nature who is both entirely herself and completely inscrutable.
In The Lady Governess, our main character is a lonely widow who hires Karen to keep house and keep her company. Noblestone serves as kind of a spiritual sequel to Goya’s first work and this is an important motif to keep in mind while watching. Both of our lead women have no name, but are defined and stricken by loneliness.
