That’s right, folks. Your favorite mostly-defunct Halloween blog is attending the 29^th Annual Maine International Film Festival (MIFF). I won’t be reviewing every movie I see—Past Lives has already gotten its laurels—but I couldn’t wait until Octoberween to tout this future horror classic.

Still Ohio (2026 MIFF Premier):

The Plot: College freshman Ana (Fernanda Lopez) is a good student but a total pushover when it comes to her long-distance boyfriend Doug. When she decides to transfer universities to be with him, Doug flakes on yet another commitment, arranging for Ana to carpool with three of his friends instead of picking her up himself. Driving from Buffalo to New Orleans with three strangers, Ana quickly realizes that things are not what they seem. Do Henry (Michael Zapesotsky), Julia (Sofia Uribe Angelopoulos), and Johnny (Jake Melamed) even know her boyfriend? Odder still, haven’t they been to this gas station before? And why doesn’t Ana’s reflection in the bathroom mirror quite match her real face?

Last Octoberween I wrote about the comedic horror film Lake Michigan Monster leaning into its minuscule budget to create a unique aesthetic, bolstered by “sharp editing and quality writing.” While Still Ohio has a totally different tone and aims, director/screenwriter Kaylin Allshouse pulls off the same feat, turning financial constraints into strengths*. Every shot and line of dialogue is exactly where it needs to be, while still feeling totally natural.

The movie largely takes place in the timeless purgatory of the highway after dark, making the most of just how creepy gas stations are in the middle of the night. What better setting for a time loop horror movie? With each new loop, the gas station becomes more decrepit, its denizens more hostile. Allshouse effectively turns unease into dread through suggestion and the way that characters react to their situation. The violence is sparing and all the more impactful as a result.

Still Ohio moves at a fair clip, deftly revealing information without resorting to exposition dumps. The core group of college students have clearly defined personalities and motivations, which sounds simple but is deceptively hard to pull off. Allshouse’s script pays attention to the characters, and the cast have remarkable chemistry.

The film may be a serious, often scary horror movie, but it’s frequently funny, especially early on. The way Allshouse uses humor reminds me a bit of Dog Soldiers, which is also decidedly not a comedy. Both films find moments of levity in the ways that people bond during and react to outlandish situations. Still Ohio‘s tight script and charismatic young cast use these moments to develop vivid, engaging characters.

Lopez is an excellent, likable lead. She fully sells her character arc, playing Ana’s early timidity and growing resourcefulness equally well. Zapesotsky makes a great foil, really nailing a specific type of guy; smart but insecure, covering his own fear of rejection with feigned arrogance. Angelopoulos and Melamed bring depth and nuance to characters who might have been irritating slasher-fodder in a lesser movie—they are horny college students, after all—but here get moments of courage and intelligence. Every member of the main cast is someone worth watching out for in the future.

Still Ohio is a gem. It’s the kind of film you hope for when you’re taking a chance on an indie title at the theater or scrolling through a streaming service. It has a clever premise, an excellent cast, and real talent behind the camera. It’s fresh and familiar, funny and scary, clever and concise. With such an impressive feature debut, Kaylin Allshouse clearly has a long career ahead of her.

Even if you can’t make it to Friday’s screening at MIFF, keep an eye out for this one. It’s the real deal.

*Lake Michigan Monster co-writer Mike Cheslik (who also directed Hundreds of Beavers, which I can’t recommend highly enough) moderated the Q&A following the premier screening of Still Ohio. Artists supporting artists!