From Silicon Valley to Martha’s Vineyard to the Midwest: Sci-Fi Drama Heartworm Kicks Off 2026 Film Fest Run w/ Screenings at Cinequest, Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, and the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
The evocative science fiction drama Heartworm, written and directed by Miriam Louise Arens and Mitchell Arens, kicks off its 2026 festival run with screenings at three acclaimed festivals across the United States: the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival in Silicon Valley, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, and the 15th Julien Dubuque International Film Festival.
Set in a near future shaped by immersive artificial intelligence, Heartworm follows Avena and Mark, parents navigating unimaginable loss who turn to NeuraLife, an advanced digital ecosystem capable of recreating memory, voice, and personality. As the line between memory and simulation begins to blur, the couple is forced to confront the profound emotional and ethical consequences of using technology to reconnect with what has been lost.
The film features a striking breakout performance by Tony Award nominee Amber Gray (Hadestown), whose portrayal captures the emotional intensity of a mother confronting the limits of both love and technology. She stars opposite Juan Riedinger (Narcos, Riverdale), with Tony Award winner Lillias White bringing commanding presence to the ensemble.
Shot entirely on Martha’s Vineyard, Heartworm was made in collaboration with the island community, with more than 300 Islanders participating in the production. Filming took place across numerous locations on the island, including the Vineyard Playhouse, Menemsha, and the iconic overlook on Middle Road.
The film’s cinematography by Mitchell Arens moves fluidly between the tactile intimacy of the natural world and the luminous seduction of artificial environments, creating a visual language that mirrors the story’s emotional and technological tensions.
Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Mountain View, California • Saturday, March 14, 2026 – 2:30 PM • Tuesday, March 17, 2026 – 2:35 PM
Grand Opera House, Dubuque, Iowa • Thursday, April 23, 2026 – 2:15 PM
As Heartworm travels from the global center of technological innovation in Silicon Valley to the artistic community of Martha’s Vineyard and onward to the Midwest’s celebrated Julien Dubuque International Film Festival, the film continues to spark conversations about memory, grief, and the increasingly complex relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence.
First Reaction – Water Horse is trying to do too much with a simple idea and gets lost in between the story.
Director: Jennifer Van Gessel
Writer: Jennifer Van Gessel (Screenplay)
Cast
Lauren Grimson
Dean Kyrwood
Jessica Tovey
Socratis Otto
Barbara Bingham
Plot: A paranormal investigator links a bizarre string of seemingly unrelated events to the disappearance of her mother.
Runtime: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Water Horse starts when paranormal investigator Dianne Wilson (Grimson) leads a team to investigate the disappearance of her mother. Osmond (Kyrwood) joins the team, but things spiral out of control. Detective Suzanne Lee (Tovey) leads a criminal case into what happened between the team.
As the case gets more deeper, Dianne’s past has an unusual connection to what happened. Meanwhile, we jump between the paranormal and criminal case to uncover the truth.
Verdict on Water Horse
Recap
The movie follows a paranormal investigation as they search for the history behind a missing person case. However, it begins taking a strange twist and a criminal investigation gets involved in how they are conducting themselves.
Best Parts
The bigger mystery is interesting and has a series of disturbing factors around it. It does keep us guessing to the truth nicely.
Worst Parts
This does fall into the more traditional found footage genre, but the problem is that it goes for an over-the-top amount of twists and turns. It struggles to pull us in and commit hard enough to the found footage or paranormal potential real incidents. Overall, it gets caught up trying to do too much.
Where to Watch
Water Horse (VOD Release 3/17/26)
Final Thoughts – Water Horse tries to do too much for a simpler idea.
Plot: After a vivid dream, Maude Ashton returns to Adelaide, certain she now knows the whereabouts of her missing twin sister.
Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Rabbit starts when Maude (Clemens) has a vivid dream about her missing twin sister Cleo. They have become so vivid she decides to return to her home town in Adelaide to see how the investigation is going. Maude teams up with Ralph (Russell) and Detective Henry (Pasvolsky) to follow the lead from Maude’s dream.
However, as Maude dives deeper into trying to uncover the truth, she finds herself facing an uncomfortable world. Each path presents a different danger and one she isn’t prepared for.
Verdict on Rabbit
Rabbit is a mystery horror following a woman who starts having dreams about her missing twin. She returns home to investigate only to find herself drawn into a strange world that she isn’t prepared for.
This movie takes us down a strange journey as Maude must deal with searching for the truth. It goes down a path which becomes something you never expected. However, certain choices can become overly complicated and not everything seems to click in the world expect. It ends up becoming a movie we could have seen a lot more from, to give a more rounded story.
Final Thoughts – Rabbit is a strange film that doesn’t quite connect.
Plot: Thirty years after her accidental death at her 1957 senior prom, the tortured spirit of prom queen Mary Lou Maloney returns to seek revenge.
Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II starts with the tragic events of 1957s prom when Mary Lou (Schrage) is killed. 30-year-later Vicki Carpenter (Lyon) is preparing for her prom and begins having horrific nightmares.
As the prom approaches, the visions and nightmares become far deadlier as Mary Lou’s powers become strong. Meanwhile, the people who attended the fateful prom begin believing their past is coming to haunt them.
Verdict on Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II
Recap
The movie follows the spirit of a murdered prom queen returning to possess a new prom queen. She uses the connection to get her revenge on the people who killed her, leaving a pile of bodies in her path.
Best Parts
The revenge idea has plenty of scares, which drive the story forward. We get a host of nightmarish situations that could easily compare to some of the biggest ones in ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’. It has a disturbing story running through and could have easily been a great stand-alone movie. The opening sequence alone is terrifying, and the effects for the time only add to the terror.
Worst Parts
One of the biggest weaknesses comes from the fact it is sold as a sequel to Prom Night. When it has never to nothing to do with that original movie.
Final Thoughts –Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is a chilling, scare-filled movie.
GameZone Casino Digital Experience for Card Players
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A Digital Space Built Around Tradition and Technology
GameZone Casino stands at the intersection of cultural tradition and modern infrastructure. The platform respects the legacy of Filipino card games while adapting them to the realities of digital participation. Instead of replacing familiar experiences, it reorganizes them within a system designed for reliability and accessibility.
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Digital Card Tables That Preserve Traditional Play
Card games form the heart of the GameZone Casino experience. The platform presents digital tables that recreate familiar Filipino card games using their original rules and recognizable gameplay structure. Players who understand these games in physical form can easily transition to the online environment without needing to learn entirely new systems.
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Plot: A police S.W.A.T. team investigate a mysterious VHS tape and discover a sinister cult that has pre-recorded material which uncovers a nightmarish conspiracy.
Runtime: 1 Hour 43 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict on V/H/S/94
The Empty Wake (D. Simon Barrett)
The Empty Wake follows Hayley (Legend) hosting the wake of a man whom nobody has turned up to. There is a big storm happening outside, causing power problems and Hayley finds herself alone at the morgue. Strange things start happening and Hayley is left wondering if she is alone or not.
This one takes a twisted turn after diving into the concept of being alone in a morgue. A place of death having chilling feelings and exceptional effects once the reveal happens. It is one I would love to have seen even more of, instead of just the chaotic short time we have. It’s pure horror chaos and it’s fantastic. (5/5)
Storm Drain (D. Chloe Okuno)
Storm Drain follows a news team reporting on a mysterious creature seen and heard in the sewer system. Holly (Hopkins) is reporting the story, which sees her enter the sewer system. However, the deeper they go into the sewers, the more horrors they encounter.
This is a great start to the series of stories, it feels like a desperate attempt to find a story. It plays into the curiosity killed the cat idea and by making them a professional crew, it adds even more horror to the story. It removes the trying to make a name for themselves aspect and leans into a story people would follow. (4/5)
Terror (D. Ryan Prows)
Terror follows a group of hunters with a select group of human prey. They are preparing for their latest hunt. They have used religion to lead their rampage against their victims, which sees their plan for destruction to happen. The team has been preparing to make a massive statement and today is the day the operation occurs. However, their plan goes wrong and they unleash something much more terrifying.
This plays into the extremist movement lurking in the shadows of America. It shows how they could have a big plan and things can spiral out of control because of their patriotic beliefs. While most of this is the preparations, the chaos when their plan starts to go wrong makes for an entertaining concept and one you kind of feel glad the twisted group got what they deserve. (4/5)
Holy Hell (D. Jennifer Reeder)
Holy Hell follows a SWAT team completing a drug bust and uncovering the different video tapes. However, the deeper they get the more we learn about the team and what they are searching for. It takes us to an extreme and brings everything full circle to show us a new twist in the collection.
This is the wrap-around story that has a much closer connection to anything we have seen before. It works extremely well and gives us a shocking reveal that presents the idea of the movies in a new way. (4/5)
The Subject (D. Timo Tjahjanto)
The Subject follows The Creator (Ross) performing a host of experiments on people. He has been merging humans with machines creating a host of disturbing creatures. However, his operation has been targeted by a SWAT team who closed down his experiments. However, they discover one of his deadliest creations is waiting to take on anyone who gets in its way.
This one takes us through the crazed doctor trying to make the perfect creation. It shows horrendous merges between humans and machines. The camerawork is the standout here as see the first-person chaos that works extremely well for the chaos that is unleashed. (5/5)
Overall
V/H/S/94 gives us another nice selection of short horror stories. Each one brings something different to the table, presenting a different vision of horror. It has become a franchise that brings a host of different directors to show their talents off. This is no different and becomes another excellent addition to the collection. The most important thing is, even if you don’t like one story, they usually offer plenty of others you can enjoy.
Plot: Four friends become hunted by a giant killer snake during a canoeing trip on the Chattahoochee River and must overcome their differences in order to survive.
Runtime: 1 Hour 16 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Snake Creek starts when Bill (Bash), Kevin (John), Patrick (Ogletree) and Aylmer (Rockwell) head off on a canoeing trip. However, it turns into a nightmare when they clash with a giant killer snake. Their attempts at rescue see them clash with a redneck family with plans of their own.
It becomes a race to survive from the deadly snake and the crazy family. Can they make it out alive before it is too late?
Verdict on Snake Creek
Recap
The movie follows four friends who go on an adventure weekend. However, they clash with a killer snake and locals who want to keep him around. It becomes a race to survive in a wilderness of the unknown.
Best Parts
The wilderness elements of the film are fun, using the idea of exploring the world and being free from modern society.
Worst Parts
While the concept is good, the film doesn’t give us enough investment into the characters. Their relationship never feels that close and things are too generic. Elsewhere, the attacks never feel like a threat and more protection of land.
Final Thoughts –Snake Creek is a generic by-the-book creature feature.
Plot: An author returns to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book, only to discover that the townspeople are being attacked by a bloodthirsty vampire.
Runtime: 1 Hour 54 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Salem’s Lot starts when author Ben Mears (Pullman) returns to his hometown to focus on his latest novel. Susan (Leigh) takes a quick shine to him. Elsewhere, a strange figure makes an order to a rented home, and local schoolboys deal with bullies.
When one of the schools vanishes, the town begins a panicked search. However, the children continue to be the targets as a vampire begins their bloodthirsty attack on the town. Ben must team up with Susan and other residents to fight back and protect the town.
Verdict on Salem’s Lot
Recap
The movie follows a small town coming under attack from a group of vampires. They must band together to fight back against the creatures who have been turning their own against them. It becomes a race against time to escape and stop the spread of the vampire outbreak,
Best Parts
The characters are well designed as you would expect from an original Stephen King novel. Everyone gets a chance to be flushed out and we add in the shock value for certain things which happen. We also get strong performances, which help develop the characters.
Worst Parts
The story of a vampire outbreak in a town could be interesting, but this feels slower and lacks that impact. The shock value work, but they are more for a shock value only. It also lacks the scares you would imagine too.
Final Thoughts – Salem’s Lot doesn’t have the horrors you would expect from the events.
Weapons (2025) Movie Review: A Chilling Story of Missing Children and Hidden Truths
Horror movies often rely on jump scares and dark settings, but the most memorable ones focus on psychological tension and mystery. Weapons (2025) is a film that tries to do both. Directed by Zach Cregger, the filmmaker behind the horror hit Barbarian, this new thriller explores a disturbing event involving missing children and the secrets hidden inside a quiet community.
The movie opens with a mysterious incident that shocks an entire neighborhood. One night, nearly all the students from Ms. Gandy’s third-grade class leave their homes at exactly 2:17 a.m. Security cameras and doorbell recordings show them calmly walking out into the night as if nothing is wrong. Strangely, they appear to be moving willingly, with no signs of force or fear.
The next morning, the town wakes up to a terrifying reality—every child has disappeared except one boy named Alex. The mystery immediately raises countless questions. Why did the children leave? Where did they go? And why was Alex the only one left behind?
And if you’re looking for another way to fight boredom after watching this chilling story, exploring online entertainment like GameZone promo codes can become your next weapon for fun.
A Story Told Through Multiple Perspectives
One of the most unique aspects of Weapons is its storytelling style. Instead of following a simple timeline, the movie unfolds through multiple perspectives. Each character connected to the event offers a different view of what might have happened.
Julia Garner plays Ms. Gandy, the teacher whose class becomes the center of the investigation. She struggles with guilt and confusion as she tries to understand what went wrong. Josh Brolin appears as Archer, the father of one of the missing children, whose grief and anger drive him to search for answers.
Other characters add layers to the story as well GameZone promo codes. Paul, a police officer involved with Ms. Gandy, tries to uncover clues behind the strange disappearance. Marcus, the school principal, seems calm but possibly hides secrets. Then there’s James, an unpredictable character who adds moments of humor in an otherwise dark film.
By showing the story through different viewpoints, the movie slowly reveals pieces of the mystery while keeping audiences guessing.
Cinematography and Atmosphere
Visually, Weapons stands out as a carefully crafted film. The cinematography uses creative framing and quiet scenes to build tension instead of relying only on sudden scares. Many moments linger longer than expected, making viewers feel uneasy as the story unfolds.
The lighting and color choices also contribute to the eerie mood of GameZone promo codes. Dimly lit streets, empty classrooms, and silent neighborhoods create a sense of isolation and fear. These visual elements make the film feel more psychological than traditional horror.
Sound design plays an important role as well. The haunting musical score intensifies the suspense, especially during key scenes when characters start discovering clues. Together, the visuals and sound create an atmosphere that keeps viewers engaged from beginning to end.
A Film That Raises Big Questions
Beyond the mystery, Weapons explores deeper themes about society, fear, and how communities react to tragedy. The story hints at issues involving children, authority, and the pressure placed on younger generations.
Instead of giving clear answers immediately, the film challenges audiences to think about what the characters are experiencing. The disappearance of the children becomes more than just a mystery—it becomes a symbol of larger fears within the community.
While some viewers may appreciate the film’s ambition, others might find the story confusing or overly complex. Still, the movie remains an intriguing experience that sparks discussion long after the credits roll.
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Final Thoughts
Weapons (2025) is a fascinating horror thriller that mixes mystery, psychological tension, and social commentary. It’s a story about missing children and hidden truths that creates a chilling atmosphere that keeps audiences curious throughout the film.
While the complex narrative might not appeal to everyone, the movie’s strong performances, haunting visuals, and unsettling tone make it a memorable experience for fans of suspenseful storytelling.
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Sometimes the best way to fight boredom is with a little excitement—and a new game waiting to be played.
FAQs
1. What is Weapons (2025) about?
Weapons is a horror mystery about a group of third-grade students who mysteriously leave their homes at 2:17 a.m. and disappear overnight.
2. Who stars in Weapons (2025)?
The film stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Alden Ehrenreich, and Austin Abrams.
3. Why is Weapons considered a psychological horror film?
The movie focuses on tension, mystery, and emotional storytelling rather than relying only on traditional horror scares.
