Creepy, clever and climatic, “Twinkle” is the first film of 2020 to launch on the ALTER horror channel — and the first must see horror short of the year.
Directed by Los Angeles filmmaker Kheireddine El-Helou, Twinkle is a four-minute sci-fi horror short you definitely don’t want to miss. The film follows a young woman (talented up-and-coming actress Britni Camacho) who cares for her physically disabled father. However, an unknown visitor will turn the tables on their everyday life.
The film opens with an interesting yet daunting quote from well-known astronomer Carl Sagan:
“There will be worlds and stars and galaxies coming into being – and they will know nothing of a place once called Earth.”
This will set the scene for the intense ride ahead.
The effectiveness and beauty of this film, shot in stunning black and white, lie within the details.
Things such as the father’s hearing aids, wheelchair and stress ball all contribute to the building climax of the film. What would normally be classic clichés of horror have been revamped with a new, original take that makes the film all the more interesting and terrifying.
The gradual build-up of tension is well executed, with the woman’s ignorance to what is occurring adding to the sudden climax. The fact that this film has managed to achieve all this in such a short period of time is admirable to say the least.
Overall, Twinkle is definitely one of those little gems that is as entertaining as it is impressive — a great start to the new year. Don’t miss it!
Overall Rating (Out of 5 Butterflies): 5
Twinkle is available to watch for free on ALTER’s horror channel on YouTube. You can also watch the film in its entirety below.
Want more great short horror?
Editor’s Note: You can also check out Kheireddine El-Helou’s terrifying first short, Drudge, right here. The film explores what happens when a romantic night in for a young couple turns into a terrifying encounter with Drudge…and a new face of horror is born. This one will definitely have slasher fans wishing for a feature length adaptation to continue this killer story.
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