There's a fertile history of technology as a conduit for evil in horror, notably in films like Poltergeist and The Ring. Those predecessors are among the more obvious influences of writer-director Jacob Chase's gripping family-in-peril chiller, Come Play, expanded with great assurance in both craft and storytelling from his imaginative 5-minute short, Larry.
The idea of a children's picture book as a demonic incubator recalls The Babadook; both the creature design and the strategic use of a motion detector summon the Alien franchise; and even the shark-tooth trim on the young protagonist's hoodie seems a playful nod to Jaws, while his mop-top is pure Danny Torrance in The Shining.
Read more on hollywoodreporter.com