Character Posters:
Erik Bloomquist's Self-Help (2025) is now streaming for subscribers of SCREAMBOX, SCREAMBOX on Prime and SCREAMBOX on YouTube. The Halloween cult horror/thriller had its world premiere at the 2025 Chattanooga Film Festival.
Self-Help (2025) follows a young woman who infiltrates a dangerous self-actualization community after her mother becomes entangled with its enigmatic leader. Look for shared universe connections with Bloomquist's other films.
SYNOPSIS: The members of an underground online community attend a secret weekend retreat to confront their fears and regain their sense of self. Little do they know that the unusual methods of their enigmatic leader may be deadly.
Directed by Erik Bloomquist (Founders Day, She Came from the Woods, Night at the Eagle Inn, Ten Minutes to Midnight, Long Lost) from screenplay co-written with Carson Bloomquist, it stars Jake Weber, Madison Lintz, Landry Bender and Amy Hargreaves.
Teaser:
Official Trailer:
Screencaps of The Halloween / Trick or Treat scenes from the Teaser:
Movie Clip Reveals The Crazed Followers Of An 'Anti-Cult' Leader:
Erik Bloomquist Interview | Frightfest UK 2025:
Erik Bloomquist on Blending Horror, Dark Comedy, and Family Trauma (Frightfest 2025):
When to Gore, Psychological Horror, Wisps of Halloween - Frightfest 2025 Interview
Watch on SCREAMBOX YouTube Channel:
Stills:
Reviews Poster:
Reviews:
"SELF-HELP is a refreshingly odd psychological thriller that has elements of true-crime shows but is considerably weirder than most... As a director, Bloomquist creates an almost continuous sense of disquiet, with strange images and angles. The unease prevails even in broad daylight... When we get to the endgame of SELF-HELP, it seems like a level or two of explanation has been left unexplored. Even so, by then, the screenplay has delivered plenty of legitimate surprises. If the climax is a bit mundane compared to what has preceded it, we’ve still been given a fair amount of roller-coaster ride." Grade: B AssignmentX.com
'Self-Help' is oddly sedate for a Halloween-set chiller, but the Bloomquists have their moments. One just wishes there were more of them... Viciousness isn’t really part of 'Self-Help,' which plays mostly mild when it comes to violence, with the exception of a self-sacrifice sequence... The writing has ideas on the manipulative ways of cults and the desperation of followers, but there’s nothing profound in the movie, and its resolution lacks a certain intimidation factor. 'Self-Help' remains engaging due to the cast, who offer spirited performances, and certain ideas hit as intended. Overall, the Bloomquists aren’t driving hard enough with the feature, which is short (80 minutes before end credits) and light on fright." ★★★ Blu-Ray.com
"Self-Help is one of those movies that uses the template — in this case, the cult horror subgenre — and turns it inside out by adding an unexpected layer of grounded drama... Apart from the gore department, the movie also boasts Mike Magilnick’s atmospheric and, at times, dreamlike cinematography, which, at one point, we see Olivia experiencing a drugged-out state shot in a disorienting visual perspective... Frankly, Bloomquist could have used a few more horror elements to balance out his movie with the character-driven drama angle. And despite the movie clocking in at just 85 minutes, I just can’t help finding that the erratic pace could have used some adjustments. I really wanted to rate Self-Help higher, considering the exploration of the story’s dramatic and emotional weights surrounding the disaffected mother-daughter dynamic." ★★★ CaseyMovieMania.com
"What works best with this one is the multifaceted, genre-merging setup at play here, with the film merging several different genres together into a fantastic setup... The main issue with this one is the slack and misguided pacing that manages to drain the energy out of this one before it even starts... A solid and likable if somewhat flawed genre effort, this one does have some likable factors to it while still being just slightly let down by the few drawbacks on display here. Those who appreciate this approach or who are fans of the creative crew will have a lot to enjoy with this one, while most others out there should heed caution." ★★★½ DonsHorrorWorld.blogspot.com
"Like their last film, She Came from the Woods, Self-Help, is both smart and unpredictable, not to mention the core performances are effective and the writing is razor-sharp. The picture benefits from an ever-present baseline of unease and even delivers some insightful commentary on mental health and the human condition along the way... The Bloomquist brothers are smart screenwriters with a knack for dreaming up clever narrative twists, and Self-Help sees them doing plenty of that... Self-Help is a great time at the movies. The script is well-written; the narrative is unpredictable; and the use of misdirection kept me guessing from start to finish. I’m already looking forward to rewatching this one down the road." ★★★½ DreadCentral.com
"Self-Help is a thoughtful and unsettling addition to the psychological category of Horror Brains. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel of cult horror, but it shifts the steering wheel enough to feel fresh and relevant. The film’s strengths lie in its performances, its visual individuality and its commentary on the self-help bubble we all live in. That said, the pacing and tonal wavering hold it back from being a standout of the year. For horror fans willing to engage with mood over massacre, this one is worth your time." ★★★ HorrorBrains.com
"If there’s one thing you can expect from Erik and Carson Bloomquist, it’s that they are going to zig when you think they might zag. True to form, the layered twists laid throughout the third act are both novel, possibly verging on audacious, but still highly entertaining... 'Self-Help' is another rollercoaster ride from Erik and Carson Bloomquist that leverages familiar trappings with a chilling performance from Jake Weber to deliver a fun, psychological thriller that expands the repertoire of two of the hardest-working genre filmmakers in independent horror today!" MacabreDaily.com
"Best Parts: The movie uses the creepy concept of a cultlike figure taking control of the minds of people. It shows how they can push people into following them with extra side effects. We get gruesome violence involved in what people believe is for the bigger force. However, this shines in the different ways thing end up going in. The performances help make this shiny more as we see the fully committed roles that show the characters in the different worlds... Worst Parts: Some of the twisted steps felt too much, for what the message was suggesting, leading to more flashy violence than something which fits the story being told. Final Thoughts –Self-Help is a twisted dive into cults and how to fight them." ★★★ MoviesReview101.com
"Say this for the team of writer/director/producer Erik Bloomquist and writer/producer Carson Bloomquist: They never make the same kind of horror film twice... There are a few major revelations in SELF-HELP’s last half hour or so, and they’re not just gotchas but help deepen the characters’ relationships and the tensions between them. Even as the movie eschews a shock-a-minute approach for one that lets the situations breathe, the Bloomquists (who also edited) bring the film in at a tight 85 minutes, and to a very satisfying conclusion. With cinematography and production design by their regular collaborators Mike Magilnick and Shane Meador that belie the modest budget, SELF-HELP is another polished and well-judged entry in the brothers’ filmography. It’ll be interesting to see what corner of the horror genre they decide to explore next." Rue-Morgue.com
"Of Bloomquist’s recent movies, Self-Help is one that is less focussed on out and out horror. This is a relatively bloodless film; save for some self-harm... The shift will potentially ruffle the feathers of those hoping for the gory carnage of She Came From the Woods or Founder’s Day, but ultimately it allows his work to be accessible to those of a more squeamish disposition... Although well-formed, Self-Help isn’t quite as strong as some of Bloomquist’s previous work. The story is solid, but there is something a little off in places that causes a disconnect. This is potentially down to the treatment of a couple of characters who seem to fade in and out despite them seeming to be quite important during their introduction. It doesn’t prevent enjoyment of the film, but does leave it closer to Bloomquist’s second string projects rather than the top tier. Whilst Self-Help misfires in a couple of places, Bloomquist’s commitment to reinventing his work with each film is to be commended, and even though it’s not perfect, Self-Help is still entertaining viewing." ★★★ thehollywoodnews.com
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