Watch Through the Wide Gate For Free

good back-story, and good acting

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

In the age of throwbacks, this short film exceeds the rather middle of the way bar that other self proclaimed fanboys have set with full length features. The writer/director, Patrick Clement, has done more in 15 minutes than most can do with a fully fleshed out script. The acting was surprisingly good, as was the score. The film left me wanting more and didn't meander into the realm of overstaying it's welcome. This film is a synth-laced hymn praising the undertones of Carrie with it's feet toeing the atmosphere of Lucky McKee's film, May. A real treat for fans of the ambiguous and dreamlike nature of a visionary's passion project.Kudos to all involved.

I loved every second of this 1970s throwback. It reminded me of the gems you'd find broadcast as the NBC Movie of the Week. The acting was fine, the atmosphere was effective and the music was much better than most found in short independent films. Several reviewers have suggested an expanded feature adaptation - I second that.In full disclosure, I received a screener copy of the film from the director. When it arrived via U.S. Mail as a VHS clamshell complete with $1.00 Rental Sticker and a bonus audio cassette (that looked just like the RCA titles I used to see at Tower Records) I was skeptical. So much authenticity usually creates a hype that isn't often achieved.I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised, and I look forward to more from this creative team.

If you're a fan of 70s horror/mystery, then this short is perfect for you. Mary lives a very religious life which seems due to her mother (Carrie reference!) Mary has an obsession and will do anything to stop the demon from taking that away from her. *SPOILERS* I wish the audience was able to see Mary killing Beatrice. But then again it made it even more mysterious that we didn't know. The ending left me wanting more and seeing where else life and "Reverend Gary" takes Mary. The music score was absolutely perfect and created a very eerie atmosphere in every single scene. Most of the time the soundtrack to a horror film can make or break it, this one definitely MADE IT! (Isn't it amazing how music can make us feel uncomfoand tense without knowing why or what's happening next in a film?) Now that's what I call an amazing film! If you like Halloween, House of the Devil, and Suspiria, then you will love this short film!

I think this short has potential for a longer full-length film. The premise, soundtrack, cinematography are all pretty on-point, and as a proclaimed 'psychological thriller', it does check all the boxes. The dismissive and demanding mother seemed a bit far-fetched, as the only interactions with her daughter are brief, entirely dismissive, and aggressively commanding - which sells the storyline for sure, but felt a bit forced in execution. The Father Gary character was bizarre to the point of humorous, which I'm not entirely sure was the intent, but his final spiel was highly amusing. Developed into a fuller feature this film has a lot of potential to really paint the characters, shed light on their backstories, and really develop the plot in a more substantial and suspenseful way. I was left with a handful of questions though. Was this a hallucination? Was this all a metaphor for angsty teenage lust and overbearing religious parenting? How did the lead character end up offing the temptress? As weird as this may sound, I feel that newer horror films tend to really embrace the "pan away from the kill" technique, as opposed to the old splatter-fests to which they supposedly pay homage. Fun short overall, definitely worth the watch, and kept me entertained for the duration. I think there is a lot of potential here for this to develop a stronger plot line, explain some backstory, delve into some more psychological twists, and even add in some gore to keep viewers on edge. For as short as it is, and the intent of the film though, this certainly hits the marks.