Spooky season is all year long in my house, but one of the things that I especially look forward to every “official” spooky season in October is the release of new scary movies — particular short films, which maximize the horror by getting straight to the point. This is precisely what occurs in writer and director Chelsea Lupkin’s Flagged, which premiered as part of Hulu’s Huluween Film Fest in collaboration with the Sundance Institute.
Flagged follows Mila (Samantha Bartow) who, like many a young person, takes a job because it is a job, and we all need money to survive. Said job is a content moderator for a major social media platform. She is warned ahead of time that it can be a tough job, but what exactly does tough mean? Physically taxing? Mentally exhausting? Or perhaps something more sinister? If you guessed the latter, then you guessed right. Turns out there’s a reason that the job is never filled for too long.
Check it out here:
My favorite part about Flagged is how much ground it covers in such a short amount of time. It takes its subject material head on, and does so beautifully. Also, Bartow (who plays Mia) does a fantastic job of carrying the short and infusing it with a range of emotional depth. So, if you’re looking for something to totally unsettle you and surprise you with its finesse in seven minutes, then look no further. And, while you’re at it, check out Chelsea Lupkin’s other brilliant work (Lucy’s Tale, Uncovering Eden, and Flutter — to name a few!).
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