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Movie Review: Satranic Panic (2024)

27 Tuesday Aug 2024

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If you haven’t heard the name Alice Maio Mackay being discussed in horror circles by now, then you need to wake up and smell the coffee. In the space of three years, Mackay has produced 4 movies with a fifth due before the close of the year. While one can question this kind of output and the quality involved, Mackay brazenly kids down the door with low-budget dynamics and more than makes up for this with down to earth, topical conversations under the guise of the horror genre, making for a powerful and relevant mouthpiece for the transgender community.

The latest feature to be presented by Mackay sees Aria (Cassie Hamilton) and Jay (Zarif) grieving for the loss of her brother and Jay’s boyfriend Max at the hands of a cult. Beneath the veil of the diva attitudes and larger than life persona that Aria carries though is an inner turmoil, lurking within. One that has her in tune with the darker elements that run riot in the underworld, and threaten to bring about the ride of demonkind. Part of this conflict also comes the mix of a tormented gift that allows Aria to sense when demons are near. Can Aria and Jay put aside their differences and the wedge that comes in the form of the mysterious Nell (Lisa Fanto), and conquer their demons?

While Satranic Panic may be the most straightforward feature from Mackay’s work so far, it certainly doesn’t shy away from the core themes of oppression, isolation and flipping the label of victim into one of assailants in order to regain the power that has been struck from the key protagonists. Hamilton scintillates on screen and packs a powerful portrayal of Aria. There’s moments of musical renditions as she storms the stage and grabs your attention. This is counterbalanced by the serene-yet-earnest Jay, proving to the back bone of the couple thrown together through their shared grief to overcome the obstacles and blatant privilege that confronts them day in day out. 

The Prognosis:

Another fine entry into Mackay’s canon of work so far. Real characters dealing with real issues in surreal circumstances. The performances are strong and once again Mackay calls the shots with a voice uniquely their own. 

  • Saul Muerte

Satranic Panic available to buy or rent now.

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Movie Review: So Vam (2021)

Movie Review: Bad Girl Boogey (2023)

Movie Review: T-Blockers (2024)

Movie review: Bad Girl Boogey (2023)

23 Friday Jun 2023

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Alice Maio Mscksy is fast making conversation with her much needed voice for the transgender community. Where she made a significant impact with her low budget directorial feature debut, So Vam, Mackay has evidently built on her learning to tackle her next outing, Bad Girl Boogey with a lot more swagger, and a tightly knit package from which to orchestrate her vision. There is still some edge to her guerilla style shooting tactics though to ground the supernatural narrative into a believable world, as she weaves a topical and relevant dialogue with characters that ooze raw appeal.

Using the slasher genre as her playing field, Mackay is able to cut to the bone on a subject that seems close to the heart; one of oppression and ostracisation. Where So Vam focused on the victimisation of drag queen culture through vampiric lore, Bad Girl Boogey opens up the vein of societies’ so-called misfits to expose the dark side that all of humanity is vulnerable to. In fact, the facade that is placed on the characters and us voyeurs to the ordeal, make us all subjectable to the atrocities when we are left to feed on these human deficiencies while  it is left to fester. We have masks that we wear, to try and conform to society, but if we rely on hiding behind them and not facing up to what it means to have empathy and understanding of our fellow People, then we’ll be forever doomed as a society.

As we follow our lead protagonist, Angel (Lisa Fanto) following her own traumatic experience in the wake of losing her mother from a brutal murder. The trauma that Angel carries with her is still crude in its healing, and has left her drifting through life. It also leads her on the path of a deranged killer, who wears a parasitic mask, fuelled by dark magic to curse anyone who should wear it. If this isn’t a metaphor for Mackay’s whole agenda, I’m not sure what is. The audience are then treated to a troubling tale that identifies us all as potential killers unless we face up to the demons of a traumatic or scarred past and deal with it head on. The darkness can shed light on our most harboured trepidations and give rise to greater fears, but in doing so fosters conversation and in some cases hope. Alice is forced to do so when her best friend is killed and is suddenly subjected to overcoming her struggles, find the killer, and stop them before all those she holds dear are left in the toils of malice.

The Prognosis:

Alice Maio Mackay’s sophomore feature is just as painful and raw as her predecessor, but armed with knowledge and a strong core message, she manages to craft a tale that resonates. The gritty and dark side of humanity is exposed behind the mask we all wear, and Mackay proves once again that she not only has a message to share, but can do so with an impact that will make you sit up and listen. 

  • Saul Muerte

Bad Girl Boogey is currently available on DVD at Umbrella Entertainment while stocks last and will release on digital platforms July 4 and DVD release on July 11 through Dark Star Pictures.