Faces (2014)

going to see friends at a horror convention, came to a table where friends were talking and looking at the films that were on the table, i picked up Faces and the gentleman behind the table explained the film to me ....seeing that a few friends of mine were actually in the film. i was intrigued. So i bought my copy and then it went to everyone and got signed ... went home and watched it... TOTALLY enjoyed the film...

This is an awesome flick! I highly recommend it! Props to Tom Ryan and all who were involved! The camera work was great, the creepy music was awesome, and the performances were top of the line. I especially liked seeing Joe Parascand who I'm familiar with from his work from Ryan Scott Weber's films.

Down on his luck ex-con Frank Walker (a fine and credible performance by writer/director Tom Ryan) has his life take a drastic turn for the worse after he befriends obnoxious loudmouth drunk Charlie Downey (well played with winning aplomb by Paul Gmittor).Ryan firmly grounds the rather familiar, yet still effective and engrossing premise in a plausibly grim'n'gritty working class reality (Frank has great difficulty in securing a job and has fallen behind on paying the rent for his apartment), makes highly inventive use of sound, keeps the stark and compelling story moving at a brisk pace, and maintains a tough downbeat tone throughout. The excellent acting by the tip-top cast holds the picture together, with especially stand-out work from Edward X. Young as hard-nosed shipping tycoon Henry Benson, Deana Demko as sweet and smitten neighbor Beth, Joe Parascand as the distraught Detective Jack Donnelly, Caroline Pozycki as perky barmaid Connie, and Tom Schorr as gruff landlord Jose. Christian Santiago's moody cinematography and Andrew LaBruno's brooding score further add to the overall gloomy atmosphere. Moreover, Ryan deserves extra praise for avoiding certain clichés intrinsic to the genre (for example, there's no hackneyed back story for Frank revealing that he's the toxic product of past abuse) as well as for ending everything on a genuinely surprising and unexpected note. Basically a dark and disturbing character study of a lonely and troubled soul, this one packs quite a fierce punch.

Frank Walker is on the edge. He hasn't had a job in a long time. He's behind on his rent, and he is starved for female attention. He spends his nights alone in his shabby apartment, or getting drunk (and failing with women) at a local bar. When Charlie, a fellow drunk, follows him home one night to share a few beers, and starts badgering Frank about his life and his behavior, anything, anything at all is bound to happen....This is the setup for "Faces", the latest indie horror/thriller from writer/director/star Tom Ryan, and Theatre of Terror productions. As we follow the events of Frank's life over the course of a few days, we see a desperate man, spiraling out of control, but trying to keep some semblance of order, with the help of some new "friends" who come into his life. Who these people are, I will not say. You will have to see for yourself, but it all builds to a startling climax.In 2009, New Jersey native Tom Ryan unleashed "Day 9" on the world, which was a decent, low-budget zombie short film, with a surprisingly powerful ending. With "Faces", Ryan has taken his game to a completely different level. The Horror Nerd has seen a lot of indie films, with all kinds of budgets. Some are good, many are bad, but with a budget of around only $1,000, "Faces" is one of the best.The writing is tight and efficient, and there are very few "throwaway" lines or scenes. Sometimes, what happens in a low budget indie film is that everything suffers because of the lack of funds. I'm OK with minimal effects due to budget limitations, but you can still have a good script and good direction and thankfully, "Faces" has both.I need to make special mention of the acting performances that Tom was able to pull out of his cast. Indie horror veterans such as Edward X Young, Deana Demko, Joe Parascand and Bradley Creanzo all play their roles to perfection. Relative newcomers Paul Gmitter, Tom Schorr and Caroline Pozycki also turn in excellent performances, and I hope to see more of them in the very near future. The rest of the cast does a great job as well.In closing, "Faces" is one of the best indie films I have seen this year, and the crowd which attended the world premiere at the historic Landmark Lowes Theater in Jersey City, NJ shared the same opinion. When I spoke to several of the attendees, many of them filmmakers themselves, every single person had good things to say about the film.This is one indie horror film you NEED to check out!