
Arizona based indie horror writer/director, Rene Rivas, has spent almost two years working on this horror short. It can currently be seen on the Eli Roth/Blumhouse YouTube platform CRYPT TV, as well as at a few festival runs including Oh Scares Los Angeles and H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.
Synopsis:
In “Rejected,” an original short horror parody, three twisted tales of macabre horror unfold, all linked by an antiquated digital camera from 1997. The tales intertwine, creating a narrative that is both terrifying and hilariously absurd.

The great thing about an indie horror film is that it is almost always full of heart. Normally, without the backing of major studios (which means major money) these films take time and lots of love to complete. And there was a lot of love to get the authentic feel of watching an old VHS tape (for those of us old enough to remember them) as well as that 1990s atmosphere, TV effects, clothing, cameras, and so much more. The little touches, like SONU, instead of SONY, even edited on the camera itself, show how painstakingly detailed the production is. When you care about that kind of detail, you care about your movie. There’s even an old school computer that gave me flashbacks to playing games like Dopewars (the greatest text based game of all time).
The effects range here from subtle and basic (TV channel surfing, reception issues, color bars) to advanced (glass in the face, creature effects). Even the different shots of the camera itself relate to the short that it filmed (covered in glass, covered in tree branches, fire etc.) are well done.
Clocking in at a mere 14:52, “Rejected” is an easily digestible appetizer. The three segments are basically rejected commercials (it’s the title, get it?) for this SONU camera. The acting, while goofy at times, is perfectly fitting (and on purpose, mind you) for a 90s commercial. We all remember those regional ads (for me it was the carpet lady, a furniture store and numerous car dealerships) that were cheesy. The acting falls in line with that which is appropriate and funny.Overall, there’s not a lot of meat on the bone for this appetizer, as it’s a very short anthology that takes the form of commercials. So if you throw that expectation out the window, and enjoy the atmosphere, the attention to detail, the art (the book in the final segment is akin to the Necronomicon in Evil Dead), the effects, the music, and the shock, you should be able to have an enjoyable 15 minutes on YouTube.
Notes from the team:
“Rejected,” the latest production from Rene Rivas and team, combines unique and original storytelling, with an ambitious array of practical and visual effects throughout. This film weaves a uniquely compelling narrative, that will keep viewers engaged from start to end. We can’t wait for everyone to experience this wacky, zany, and insanely brutal parody.
6.5/10 Stab Wounds
Watch the film here on YouTube thanks to Crypt TV: