‘Every house has a story.’
They Live Inside Us is a 2020 American horror film about a writer that spends Halloween night in a haunted house. Having sought inspiration, he soon realises that he is living in his own horror story from which he cannot escape!
Written and directed by Michael Ballif, based on a storyline co-written with James Morris and Caroman Turner, the Witching Season Films production stars aforementioned James Morris plus Emily Broschinsky, Hailey Nebeker and Stevie Dutson.
The movie was produced by Ballif alongside Allen Bradford, James Morris and Jordan Swenson. It is an expanded version of an episode of the anthology series The Witching Season.
Reviews:
“With an intriguing setting, premise and unique meta aspects, it is a shame that They Live Inside Us is so hunkered down by lackluster writing and acting. One will find promising elements throughout the film – interesting ideas that make their way in but unfortunately are never fully committed to. For as much as it tries, They Live Inside Us fails to convey anything of substance.” Bloody Disgusting
“They Live Inside Us isn’t a perfect film. It falls into many of the trappings that small indie budget films fall into, but therein lies some of the charm. The film’s small-scale bleeds through the screen and you can feel the love and care that goes into every second of what you are watching. And that’s clear not just from the direction but the acting as well.” Brandon Treadwell
“From quirky masked killers, pumpkin-headed scarecrows, nasty clowns and bedsheet ghosts, you’ll find something to satisfy your Halloween seasonal cravings […] Overall, it’s a fantastic entry that will appease seasoned horror fans and newbies alike far and wide.” Fatal Follower
” …They Live Inside Us has much to offer the occasionally jaded horror movie junkie! The plot moves along a bit slowly until just before the third act but, in retrospect, I understand why it had to be that way. If you’re paying close enough attention, Ballif and Morris sprinkle enough information throughout the story for you to solve the mystery of Boothe House.” Horror Patch
“Displaying a confident cinematographic talent, Ballif knows exactly where to point the camera and frames his shots expertly, with a keen eye for detail. Rather than filling the scene with an overdressed setting, he focuses on just the right close up shots to effectively set the tone and keep the focus and momentum moving forward.” Morbidly Beautiful
“Michael Ballif killed it in creating and directing this film. I super enjoyed watching it. I love how the story is kind of manipulative in a way because it will divert your attention to the stories that Jake is creating, when all along, the real events are pieces of puzzles from each of them. I also enjoyed watching James Morris and Emily Broschinsky (Jake and Dani). Both of them superbly delivered the father-daughter act and pulled off an excellent performance on every scene.” Utah Film Festival
Release:
Released on VOD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 6th, 2020. Buy or rent via Amazon.com
Cast and characters:
James Morris … Jake / Masked Killer / Scarecrow / Choppy the Clown / Count Spookula
Hailey Nebeker … Woman in White
Stevie Dust … Cynthia (as Stevie Dutson)
Emily Broschinsky … Dani
Emily Ashby … Dolly
Jordan Swenson … Truck Driver
Allen Bradford … Sleeping Slob
Michael Ballif … News Reporter
Shelby Thomas … Ghost Girl
Tommy Morris … Dennison
Jack Beck … Scotty
Kira Morris … Harvest Festival Crowd / Woman in White Double
Trena Soto … Harvest Festival Crowd
Jake Watters … Harvest Festival Crowd
Clement Ali … Harvest Festival Crowd
Jaren Soto … Harvest Festival Crowd
Adam Zeller … Choppy’s Victim
Sadie Ballif … 911 Operator / Harvest Festival Crowd
Olivia Morris … Harvest Festival Crowd
Technical details:
103 minutes
Notes:
Ignore the obviously fake rave reviews on IMDb.
Trailer:
