You should NEVER ignore your instincts, folks. Ever.
Children of the Pines, a new thriller from Freestyle Digital Media, is a movie about real terror. It’s also a movie about healing by way of a cult and the fierce bond that such damage necessitates as one family’s pursuit of guidance leads them to some disturbing consequences.
Beginning with a moody narration which guides viewers through a startling scene of abuse and the consequential aftermath, the film sets its sights on unsettling its audience and absolutely delivers as the narrative unwinds in all sorts of twisting manipulation which is massaged by cinematographer by Ben Bach (Why Dig When You Can Pluck, Millionaire Man) as one college student returns home to face the demons she fled from years ago.
Her life at school might be less toxic, but her home life makes up for all of the peaceful easy feelings she’s been bathing in while writing papers. But just what have her parents been up to in her absence? The answer is most terrifying.
Children of the Pines, written and directed by Joshua Morgan, might share some similarities with Cronenberg’s The Brood, but its differences - as one young woman, Riley (Kelly Tappan), is persuaded to visit the abusive home she left to attend college - make this feature length debut one hell of a watch . . . especially as she reconnects with her past boyfriend and discovers that he’s now working for her father.
And that’s only the beginning of her startling discoveries. 
You see, her father, John (Richard Colm-Lee), is a drunk and loses his temper all too often and her mother, Kathy (Danielle J. Bowman), is not much help. But, due to her own weakness, she’s the instigator here as she turns to counselors Lorelei (Donna Rae Allen) and Leon (David Raizor) to help figure out just how to deal with Riley’s return over winter break.
Starring Danielle J. Bowman, Kelly Tappan, Vas Provatakis, Donna Rae Allen, Richard Cohn-Lee, and David Raizo, Children of the Pines is a compelling horror film. One that finds itself as one family turns to the supernatural in order to deal with their own breakdown. It is haunting and deserving of an audience as it does some unique things with its subject matter while still scaring the pants off its audience with a slow burn of psychological terror.
Children of the Pines is now streaming on digital platforms.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 93 mins
Director: Joshua Morgan
Writer: Joshua Morgan
Cast: Danielle J. Bowman; Sylvie Mohr; Kelly Tappan
Genre: Drama | Thriller
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote: "You're not the man yu were yesterday."
Distributor: Freestyle Digital Media
Official Site:
Release Date: October 18, 2024
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Riley, a college junior, is persuaded by her estranged parents to visit. Unbeknownst to her, they've developed an unsettling friendship with her high school ex, while also seeking supernatural healing for their family's deep-rooted issues.
