Infested

If a cross between Night of the Living Dead, The Big Chill, and countless killer bug movies sounds like your idea of movie magic, then director John Olson's Infested is for you. On the other hand, if compelling storytelling, convincing special effects, and good acting are among your criteria for a positive cinematic experience, well... When a gang of thirtysomethings gather for the funeral of one of their own, things soon go really, really wrong when swarms of extremely nasty flies start using our heroes as hosts, eating them from the inside out (which means we don't actually see it happen--a good move for a low-budget film!). Where did these infernal winged wonders come from? What's their agenda? Infested eventually provides answers, but it ain't worth the wait. Indeed, movies like this only make you long for the guileless camp of '50s sci-fi, and that's no small feat. --Sam Graham