Movie: Whistle (2025)

Premiere: September 25, 2025 (Fantastic Fest - USA)
Country of origin: Canada, Ireland
Director: Corin Hardy
Writer: Owen Egerton
Production Companies: No Trace Camping, Wild Atlantic Pictures 
Distributed: Shudder
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Folk Horror
Runtime: 1h 40min
Starring: Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, Sky Yang

When I first saw the poster for Whistle, I instantly felt: “Wow… I need to check this one out.” Then when I watched the trailer, I actually stopped it after only a few seconds because I did not want to know more. It immediately gave me this strong 80’s atmosphere and felt like one of those movies you should experience without knowing too much going in.

 

The movie centers around, new to town,  high school student, Chrys (Dafne Keen), who finds a cursed Aztec death whistle inside her locker… or maybe it found her. Together with her newly found friends, she becomes trapped in a terrifying cat-and-mouse game with death itself.

What I really liked was how the movie used the mythology surrounding the Aztec death whistles. In reality, their exact purpose is still debated, which already gives them an unsettling mystique. In this movie though, this is definitely not something you would ever want to use.

The movie has a fantastic atmosphere throughout and mixes supernatural horror with slasher energy surprisingly well. It feels modern while still carrying the spirit of old-school horror movies. The death scenes are extremely graphic, gore-filled, creative and thematically connected to the lore of the story. The kills never feel random and instead feel carefully built around the mythology itself.

That old-school feeling is honestly one of the movie’s strongest elements. The film carries clear influences from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), while also echoing the vibe of The Breakfast Club (1985) in a more subtle but noticeable way.

One of the clearest nods comes during a detention scene inside the school, which feels like a direct reference to The Breakfast Club. The setup is familiar, but the dynamic is flipped, instead of three guys and two girls, this film uses three girls and two guys trapped together.

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Chrys herself also feels like part of that influence. Her look and style land somewhere between Allison from The Breakfast Club, played by Ally Sheedy and the darker 80’s screen presence of Winona Ryder.

The soundtrack helps build this feeling perfectly. The movie blends 80’s inspired songs, lesser known tracks and newer music that still carries retro energy. Together with the visuals, it almost feels like watching some underground cult horror movie.

The movie also features a wonderful score by Doomphonic, which adds even more atmosphere and emotion to the experience.

8/10. It reminded me of the feeling of discovering horror movies years ago while still feeling fresh enough for modern audiences. Because of that, I completely lost myself in the world of the movie for a while and genuinely cared about the characters.

Links:
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29550683
Official Homepage: https://www.whistle.movie/
No Trace Camping: https://notracecamping.com/#Room

And about the sound of the whistle itself…
Well… let’s just say it does not really end when the movie does.

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath

Comic: Tara Togs - The Silence of Unicorns (2024) + Video

Original release: 2024 (Kickstarter)
Created by: Stref
Genre: Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy
Pages: 68
Publisher: ComicScene / Shift
Country: Scotland

Tara Togs began as a homage to the spirit of Tintin, carrying echoes of that classic adventure style while gradually evolving into something of its own. What started as a familiar foundation has since taken on a distinct identity, shaped beyond its original inspiration.

Created by Stref, a Scottish creator. 
The character first appeared in a short story titled Hot Dog, released through ComicScene. 

From there the project expanded into a Kickstarter campaign in 2024, which led to this first full adventure, The Silence of Unicorns.

Our story begins in Belgium in 1940 with a playful tone that carries through the opening. The humor is present from the start and establishes the world clearly. A valuable “horse” painting is introduced and quickly becomes a central focus, immediately setting up a sense of mystery.

We are then introduced to Tara in the present day in Scotland, specifically Tattiebogle, Edinburgh. She is an aspiring professional photographer, an ambition shaped by her late father, giving her a clear personal motivation from the outset. On a personal level, this connection resonated with me, reminding me of my own photography endeavors and my late father. Visually, she is defined by her distinctive appearance, particularly her twin ponytails, which evoke Pippi Longstocking.

 

The narrative follows a classic setup of being in the wrong place at the right time, where curiosity pulls Tara into situations she was never meant to be part of. As the connection to the painting becomes more relevant, Tara is drawn into the unfolding story, forming the foundation for the adventure ahead.

The mystery is cleverly built around a missing “horse” painting and a legendary “unicorn” painting, which together drive the story forward and create a strong sense of intrigue.

 

  

This is a full adventure, with car chases, gunplay, hiding, horse riding and more, along with encounters with a small but memorable cast. Among them are the private detective Heggy and the medium Lexi, who add personality and variation to the journey. We also get a unique side character in Major the talking myna bird, who brings an extra layer of charm. I always enjoy classic mystery tropes like a mysterious figure, who is only partially revealed throughout the story. By keeping him in the background, the story maintains intrigue and leaves the reader questioning his true involvement.

 

 

Tara herself stands out as both funny and quick-thinking. She feels resourceful and active, pushing the story forward rather than simply reacting to it. The action is well structured and rewarding to follow, making it difficult to stop. There is a strong sense of momentum that keeps you wanting to read on and discover where it leads.

The dialogue leans into Scottish and British flavor, with words like “bloke,” “golly,” and phrases such as “just the ticket.” At one specific point it was slightly challenging to follow, but it’s all fun, and it adds authenticity and strengthens the sense of place.

 

Visually, the scenery is well drawn, with strong attention to buildings, vehicles, and the overall environment. It creates a grounded and believable world that supports the story. Some of the designs, especially the cars, feel distinctive enough that they could easily translate into collectibles.

By the end, the inspiration becomes clear not only in tone but also in storytelling style, often associated with the ligne claire tradition. At the same time, it never feels like a copy, but more like a companion piece that stands on its own.

Tara comes across as a younger, more modern lead. While she may be in a similar age range as Tintin, she feels younger in spirit, giving her a different kind of presence in the story.  
 

 

10/10 - There is a real sense of joy, like finding something you did not realize you had been missing. It is an engaging and enjoyable read that leaves a strong impression and a curiosity for where Tara’s adventures might go next. It would be interesting to see a future adventure set in Sweden.

Following the release of the book, two short stories were produced for Aces Weekly: Tara Togs in Halloween! and Tara Togs in Lost Gold of the Forth.

 

 

  

 

An enhanced version of Hot Dog is planned to be included in the upcoming collection Tara Togs: Year One.
Look at the ongoing Kickstarter here: 
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicscene/tara-togs-year-one 

In addition, a short parody strip titled Tara Togs and the Orange Dust Gang has recently been released in the comic anthology Falcon, offering a lighter, non-canon take on the character. 

 

 

If you got this far, now go back and look at the cover again for The Silence of Unicorns, there is 2 unicorns hidden in that image, can you find them...

Links:
Buy Tara comic here:
https://share.google/TBUu2AETEihRUlSFG

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066742922160

Stref´s Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stref70/

Original kickstarter for The Silence of Unicorns:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicscene/tara-togs-the-silence-of-unicorns

There is also a companion video with Stref, talking about about the progress. 

Article written by: Sonny Mikszath