100 Candles

Just when you thought anthology horror couldn’t get any braver or better!  Here comes 100 Candles and its solid collection of tricks and treats because, well, isn’t every day Halloween?!.

Working to build suspense from the get-go, 100 Candles presents to us early in this independent horror film from producers Nicolas Onetti and Michael Kraetzer that for every 100 candles, there are 100 ghost stories to be told, shared, lived, and so on.  It’s no joke either as the tales here will unsettle your own bones. 

"creaks, creeps, and growls in all the right places."


And, yes, 100 Candles is about a game that friends play among themselves, but, as things typically do, things go wrong rather quickly as atmosphere leads the way in an opening tale full of creepy kids and an even creepier teeter totter.  Using kids as bait in the hunt for the supernatural?!  Holy hell, what’s next?!?!

Turns out, 100 Candles has plenty of gothic-tinged shockers during its running time.  

With stories starring Amy Smart, George Blagden, Sibyl Gregory and Dee Bradley Baker, this one is sure to get an audience as spring gives way to summer.  I mean, in a movie full of magical mirrors and ghost stories, what could possibly go wrong?  Plenty for the characters involved but not for us.100 Candles

100 Candles is a creepy and refreshing delight of anthology horror as friends gather around and play a game that traps them, as they tell one another horror tales in front of a magical mirror, by candlelight. One story for every candle and they cannot leave the game until all candles are put out; otherwise they will fall victim to a witch’s curse.  

Based on a Japanese game, 100 Candles is the directorial debut from Victor Català, Brian Deane, Oliver Lee Garland, Guillermo Lockhart, Tony Morales, Nicolás Onetti, Nicholas Peterson, Daniel Rübesam, and Christopher West.  These talented artists provide some nice atmospheric flair throughout this anthology as stories are told and candles are blown out in an attempt to scare the pants off of those individuals gathered for this spellbinding game.

Who cares if 100 Candles tries to do a bit more than it should when it comes to connecting these stories?  I don’t mind the attempts to arch the stories into a nice little thread of connectivity.  It still creaks, creeps, and growls in all the right places.

Devilworks will be releasing and lighting 100 Candles on May, 18th.  The film will also receive a full home entertainment release, with a day-and-date DVD and Premium TVOD, followed by a full digital release.  Time to get the tip of your fingers burnt!

3/5 stars

 Film Details

100 Candles

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
110 mins
Director
: Victor Català, Brian Deane
Writer:
Mauro Croche, Guillermo Lockhart
Cast:
Magui Bravi, Luz Champané, Amparo Espinola
Genre
: Horror
Tagline:
Survive the Game or Suffer the Curse.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Devilworks
Official Site:
Release Date:
May 18, 2021
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
May 18, 2021
Synopsis: 100 Candles centres around a game that traps a group of friends, as they tell one another horror tales in front of a magical mirror, by candlelight. One story for every candle, they cannot leave the game until all candles are out; otherwise they will fall victim to a witch’s curse.

Art

100 Candles