The Forest Through the Trees

The Forest Through the Trees is a fresh, unsettling dive into secret societies and cult paranoia, filled with atmosphere and unease from start to finish.

The film feels far bigger than its resources, and the quality shows most in the performances. From top to bottom, the cast is genuinely impressive. Scott Doss nails the unsettling presence of Julian, and Annie Sullivan brings real weight to Chloe - but truthfully, everyone delivers.

The effects are another highlight. The practical work is especially strong, including a shockingly convincing beheading. While a bit of the CG is noticeable, it never pulls you out of the story.

A sharp twist keeps the tension high, and the film leans into the idea that no one can be trusted - in the best horror-movie way. For a first feature, Jason Pitts comes out swinging.

Solid horror film: the plot worked, the acting was good all around, but Bryan Guarino, Vu Ha, Scott Doss, and Marilyn Knapp were standouts. The effects were impressive for the budget. They mixed practical effects with CGI for the blood and gore scenes, which totally nailed that classic 80s horror feel. The director Jason Pitts clearly knows his horror history and brings some fresh ideas to familiar territory.

The production design was great, the sound mixing was perfect, and the soundtrack adds to the vibe without being distracting. The pacing is tight, and it doesn't waste time getting to the good stuff. If you're into horror that doesn't take itself too seriously but still delivers, check it out. It's the kind of film that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place.

I watched this movie at a film festival and was quite surprised to see its rating on IMDB. Clearly, some form of review-botting has been utilized.

It is clear to me that the writing team either doesn't accept or ask for feedback. Simply saying the name "Malphas" out loud would have been enough for them to realize that it sounds quite similar to "Mouth Ass." It was quite funny to hear the cultists talk about how much they "Love Mouth Ass."

Unfortunately, this homophone is the highlight of the story. The writing is dull, combining so many horror tropes that it felt closer to Scary Movie than Scream. I truly believe this script would have majorly benefitted from outside feedback and several rounds of revisions.

The highlight of this movie is Scott Doss' Julian, a demon cult leader who delivers every line like he's the main character in a children's television show. His performance is a stark contrast to the rest of the movie's dialogue, which feels like it's constantly trying way too hard.

All-in-all, I can tell that Jason Pitts is passionate about horror, but I believe he needs to seek outside feedback before rushing to production. Take a step back and try to understand why something is scary, rather than just regurgitating what has been successful for other people.

Forest Through the Trees isn't just a movie-it's a hauntingly beautiful meditation on grief, healing, and the fragile threads that connect us all. From the opening frame to the closing silence, this film grips your heart and refuses to let go.

The cinematography is breathtaking. Every shot is soaked in emotion, with nature itself becoming a silent narrator. The forest isn't just a backdrop-it's a mirror of the characters' inner chaos and calm. You feel the weight of the air, the stillness between words, the unsaid things screaming through the trees.

The lead performance is nothing short of devastatingly brilliant. There's a quiet pain behind every glance, a strength hidden beneath vulnerability. It's the kind of performance that doesn't just impress-it stays with you.

The pacing is deliberate and intimate, allowing emotions to bloom naturally. It doesn't rush to conclusions or spoon-feed the viewer. Instead, it trusts us to feel-and feel deeply. The score whispers rather than shouts, accentuating moments with aching precision.

Forest Through the Trees isn't made for the faint of heart. It's for those who crave depth, who appreciate silence as a character, and who believe that sometimes the most powerful stories are told between the lines.

This film doesn't just tell a story. It awakens something.

I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting this film to be as good as it was. We all know how low budget local films can be, but I am happy to say that this did not feel like a low budget film at all. The movie played out like a much bigger and expensive film than it was.

One of the main things I noticed about this film was the acting. A lot of local films can have everything going for them, but some bad acting can ruin the entire film. This film was not at risk of that, though, as the acting in this film was top notch. There was not a bad actor in this film, everyone did a remarkable job! One role I have to point out was the part of Julian, played by actor Scott Doss. He played the creepy guy character to perfection! The main character of Chloe was played by Annie Sullivan who also did a remarkable job and is definitely worth a mention. I could just list everyone in this film, because like I stated before, the entire cast was excellent.

Another thing that can make or break a horror movie is the special effects. This film did a wonderful job with the effects, a lot of which were practical effects. There was some CG in this film, but it blended very well most of the time. There were a few spots where it was very clearly CG, but that is expected with any low budget film. One practical effect that really stood out to me was a beheading. This was done so well and was so seamless that it was very realistic!

This film had a nice plot twist in it as well, and as we have learned with most horror films, don't trust anyone! That's all I'll say about that as to not give too much away! Overall, Director Jason Pitts delivers a home run for his first full length feature film!

THE FOREST THROUGH THE TREES is an original, highly entertaining trip through the world of secret societies and cults, and does an excellent job creating a very creepy atmosphere where all is not what is seems!