3/30/2026- Strange Harvest (2025) and Noroi: The Curse (2005)

At 8PM, we join two San Bernardino detectives in pursuit of an elusive serial killer known by the alias ‘Mr. Shiny’, the mastermind behind a string of ritualistic murders in the surrounding Inland Empire, spanning across decades and cushioned by a 15 year cooling off period. The faux documentary format immerses audiences in the search for the culprit as law enforcement work to establish a motive amidst a lack of modus operandi and no determined victim profile- with the only feature connecting the casualties emerging as a symbol with occult origins— besides the sheer brutality of the scenes themselves.

STRANGE HARVEST (2025) submits a chilling account of slow burn intrigue amidst gruesome slayings carried out in the most depraved of manners, subverting many tropes established within the sub-genre, paving the way for a uniquely gripping experience doused in morbid sentiments. Grave Encounters (2011) co-director Stuart Ortiz returns to his found footage roots, this time shifting from paranormal research teams to mokumentary manhunts, capitalizing on the true crime craze in the zeitgeist of shows spotlighting murderers and their transgressions, exploiting the public’s fascination with the macabre. Nevertheless, Strange Harvest plays out in a straightforward fashion as opposed to one of a satirical genesis, melding true crime and cosmic horror whilst bridging the gap between the digital age and ancient rites to forge an uncomfortably eerie turn of incidents with an edge of cynicism. This recent indie installment to the horror hall of fame presents a bleak atmosphere both grounded by realism and entrenched in esotericism, with the former increasing the believability of the latter in its raw, gritty approach between the jaded cops to the nightmarish deaths sprawled against a ruthless backdrop. 

Then, at 10PM, we brave Japan and dive into the catalogue of events leading up to paranormal investigator Musafumi Kobayashi’s strange disappearance following his final project, wherein he explores a chain of seemingly unrelated occurrences culminating in his discovery of a deity dubbed ‘Kagutaba’ that could be the commonality among these peculiar phenomena. In effort to uncover what became of Kobayashi, the mixed media documentary is up for examination, showcasing a series of recordings pieced together to shed light on the mystery- however, sometimes knowledge bears danger and truth triggers an untimely demise in NOROI: THE CURSE (2005).

Director and co-writer Kōji Shiraishi wields a harrowing tale of psychological terror unlike any found footage flick of its kind, utilizing simmering tension to insidiously unravel the enigma at hand, welcoming audience members into the madness with mundanity juxtaposed with mysticism- daring to tell what it does not show, allowing the mind to run rampant, where the imagination is left with unbridled existential dread. Noroi praises the patient, offering a detail-oriented narrative and nuanced performances, permitting a seamless flow by the climax of the picture, making the content increasingly interesting even after multiple watches. Chocked full of creepy iconography, Noroi balances superstition with the conquest of the truth, acting as a harbinger of the price one must pay for forbidden insight. This 2005 cult gem dabbles in the psychology of Jung, incorporating threads of the collective unconscious as well as archetypes- all while worlds collide, binding ancient tradition with modern social normalities, replacing the old gods with progressing technology, lending way to conspiracy, infatuation, and the dangerse of taboo information. The curse itself behaves as a disease- the deeper one ventures, the more transfixed one evolves, growing more susceptible, until destruction is imminent. Noroi: The Curse yields an unparalleled experience, engulfed in sinister symbolism and rife with omens peppered throughout, bestowing layers of complexity within each frame, hypnotizing viewers into the plight of malediction. 

Sacrifice your sanity and enter Hot Wax Coffee Shop in Ybor City at your own risk. 

FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar. (Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess).