Thanks to Letterboxd, You Can Watch This Sci-Fi Horror Thriller With Strong Stephen King Vibes

2 days ago 3

Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows.

In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA.

Although writing, shooting, and editing an independent production is a significant challenge, it has become even more difficult for self-made filmmakers to find a way to share their work with the world. Considering that self-distribution is often not a release strategy that is reliable, indie films must wait until a studio or financier can help them score a larger potential audience. The unfortunate reality is that even well-received indie films can sit on the shelf for years if they don’t have the right partner. But a new initiative by Letterboxd is providing an alternate solution. Letterboxd is making several undistributed festival films available for a one-month window in which they can be rented. There may be several VOD services that offer deals for new release titles, but Letterboxd is exclusively releasing films that have only been seen by those privileged enough to attend film festivals.

Among the most exciting titles now available is It Ends, a creative original horror film that strikes the right blend between Stephen King and John Carpenter. It Ends has a deceptively simple concept that serves as a great showcase for its cast, all of whom are unknowns with bright futures ahead of them. While indie films often rely on the boost of a recognizable star or a big-name producer to stand out, It Ends is proof that groundbreaking works of horror can be made on a shoestring budget if there’s a passionate team behind them and a great story. In his filmmaking debut, writer/director Alexander Ullom showed that he has the potential to be a major force to be reckoned with in the coming years.

‘It Ends’ Is a Compelling Work of Original Genre Storytelling

It Ends follows the recent graduates Tyler (Mitchell Cole), James (Phinehas Yoon), Day (Akira Jackson), and Fisher (Noah Toth) as they drive together late at night before planning to go their separate ways. The teenagers become trapped in a never-ending car ride when the road seems to sprawl out infinitely, leaving them stuck in an endless cycle. Any attempts to diverge from the path prove to be dangerous due to the cosmic threats lurking in the shadows, and forces of evil threaten their safety if they choose to stand still. The only option that these characters have is to keep driving and bide their time, desperately hoping for a solution to emerge. Ullom takes great lengths to outline the specificity of the hook without over-explaining information that the characters would not be acquainted with; the audience is left to uncover how this strange dilemma works at the same time as the teenagers, resulting in a stronger emotional bond. Although there are some graphic moments of pure visceral horror, It Ends is an example of how showing less can be far more terrifying.

There’s a mounting pressure on the characters to find an escape from their sustained hellscape, but It Ends works as a drama about how people change during the most challenging moments in their lives. In their own way, each of the adolescent characters had hoped that they would be able to preserve a more innocent version of their lives where they could stay with one another without having to face adult responsibilities; the cruel twist of irony is that they’re trapped in a perilous situation in which their future is denied to them. More upsetting than any of the unsightly dangers in their path is the fissures within their relationships, which begin to break down as something climactic begins to feel elemental. It Ends raises a fascinating question about the resilience of friendship; it can be particularly upsetting to go through a traumatic situation with a loved one because it means having to see them lose their will to live and passion for life itself.

‘It Ends’ Has the Potential To Be a Breakout Success

It Ends poses a fascinating question about faith, as the film interrogates the notion of believing in a greater purpose as a means to keep fighting the inevitable. A debate emerges among the characters about whether choosing to sacrifice themselves is worth it, as it seems that they will be transformed into husks of their former selves if they are exposed to the nightmare of the road for too long; what their future could look like is hinted at in the appearances of drifting strangers who presumably have been trapped by further circumstances. The question of whether deception is an ethical means of inspiring hope or survivalism is at the core of many religious debates, and It Ends examines the circumstances in visceral ways because the characters are faced with a supernatural dilemma that they have no means of understanding.

When looking at the types of genre films that tend to benefit from festival releases and go on to find success, It Ends is an example of something that is primed for discourse because of its ambiguities and ethical questions. The film presents the viewer with an opportunity to reflect on what they would do in a similar situation, especially since the version of youth that Ullom portrays would seemingly be relatable to audiences of any age. How much potential Letterboxd’s new function has remains to be seen, as being widely available could affect the possibility that these films have of being picked up in the future. However, It Ends is the type of propulsive, exciting original storytelling that suggests that there’s a new voice in horror.

It Ends is available to rent on the Letterbox Video Store.