#POLISH PREMIERE | fear and terror | Stephen King likes this | horror | Salem | Nancy from Stranger Things | witchhunt | demons | older brother | fun | everything is cool until somebody dies | fear | terror | curse | horror cast | cursed knife | teenagers | blood | fear | horror | gruesome

ALL FUN AND GAMES

horror, thriller | USA | 2023
Polish premiere: Splat!FilmFest

Stephen King likes this. When a group of teenagers from Salem (yup, that Salem) stumble upon a cursed dagger, they find themselves accidentally unleashing a demonic power that forces them to participate in a deadly game. A game where there are no winners. The rules are as fickle as the demon’s whims, and all signs point to tragedy striking again in Salem.

While the influence of “It” is evident (although no killer clowns made an appearance), “All Fun and Games” also draws inspiration from “Stranger Things.” Don’t be fooled, though; Salem’s horrors run much deeper and darker than those of Hawkins.

Prepare to leap from your seats during the screening, as directors, Eren Celeboglu and Ari Costa, know exactly what they’re doing. The plot of “All Fun and Games” hits familiar notes and is reminiscent of 1970s horror cinema. The Salem depicted in the film appears to be frozen in time, exuding an unnerving atmosphere right from the opening scene. Even though it’s teenagers whose lives we follow, there is no shortage of gore and cruelty on screen. At times, it can be difficult to bear. But the same applies to the game the characters participate in.

Also, what a cast! Natalia Dyer, who you may recognize as Nancy from “Stranger Things,” takes the lead, with Asa Butterfield (“Sex Education”) as her older brother and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (“The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “The Sandman”) as the younger sibling. In supporting roles, you will see Anabeth Gish, known from the “X-Files” series, and Erik Athavale, whose portrayal of the good-hearted drunk uncle clearly resembles Gary Busey’s character in “Silver Bullet,” another cult screen adaptation of Stephen King’s prose. How many King of Horror references will you be able to find?

director: Eren Celeboglu, Ari Costa
screenwriter: J.J. Braider, Eren Celeboglu, Ari Costa
photography: Ricardo Diaz
editor: Louis Cioffi
music: Alex Belcher
duration: 1h 16min
language: English
subtitles: Polish
recommended age: 16+