Ti West’s Trigger Man leads the charge in a new wave of stripped-down, scary movies fueled by seat-of-the-pants filmmaking ingenuity.
Reggie, Sean, and Ray leave Manhattan for a day trip of deer hunting in Delaware, expecting to drink a few beers in the woods free of the city-life responsibilities that are slowly forcing the childhood friends apart. But with one well-aimed shot, a walk in the sun is transformed into a frantic and desperate fight for survival, as Trigger Man morphs from a character-driven rural amble into a “”smartly compact and radical survival thriller (Variety). Writer, director, and editor Ti West (The Roost, Cabin Fever II) expertly exploits audience expectations, using minimalist handheld photography to relentlessly build tension to “a genuinely terrifying payoff” (New York Sun).
directed by: Ti West starring: Reggie Cunningham, Ray Sullivan, Sean Reid, James Felix McKenney, Larry Fessenden, Heather Robb 2006 / 80 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD MA 5.1
Region A Blu-ray
Commentary with Ti West and Larry Fessenden, recorded in 2025
Commentary with Ti West, sound designer Graham Reznick, actors Reggie Cunningham, Ray Sullivan, Sean Reid, recorded in 2007
Alex Breaux is a popular actor, director, and writer who you might have spotted in your favourite series or movies. Be it Lieutenant Akers in Stranger Things or Wild Bill Hickman in American Primeval, or as Camish/Caleb Grimmengruber in Joe Pickett, Breaux handles each role with ease
He was born on January 4, 1986, in Richmond, Virginia. While he was a student and exceptional athlete at Harvard University, he auditioned and was accepted to The Juilliard School’s Drama Division. Breaux initially appeared in a bunch of plays, such as The Real Thing and Red Speedo. He also appeared as Dr. Martin Brenner in Phoenix Theatre’s Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
In 2016, he appeared in projects like Josephine, Katie Says Goodbye, and CBS’s Bull. Apart from that, he also played guest/recurring roles in shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Blue Bloods, and Blacklist, to name a few. Here are some of Alex Breaux’s must-watch projects.
Depraved- Watch on AMC+
If you’re in the mood for something eerie, Depraved is the right pick. A modern take on Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, this horror film was released in 2019. Larry Fessenden serves as the director, and it follows Henry, a former US Army medic who now works at a Brooklyn lab to heal from his past trauma. He tries to recreate a man with cobbled body parts and names it Adam, played by Alex Breaux. However, the hard part comes when Henry has to teach Adam how to survive in this evil world.
Foxhole- Available on Prime Video
Bored with horror and supernatural series/movies already? Foxhole is a film that you need to add to your watchlist now. This war/action film follows scenes from three different wars through a US Soldier’s perspective, highlighting the moral dilemmas they face. This Jack Fessenden directorial features Motel Gyn Foster, Alex Hurt, Cody Kostro, and Alex Breaux, to name a few.
From Terry Sherwood at Film Threat: Crumb Catcher takes a premise that sounds like a lost sitcom pitch and plays it in a social nightmare of obligation. Written and directed by Chris Skotchdopole, from a story by Skotchdopole, Larry Fessenden, and Rigo Garay, the picture begins with newlyweds Shane (Rigo Garay) and Leah (Ella Rae Peck) at their reception, being photographed. The dialogue between them and others is on the edge of an argument and underlying tensions of the moment. The same mood in the drive to the honeymoon cottage, where it’s one learns that Shame is a writer and Leah is his publisher. Shane’s past is filled with childhood trauma from his family. There is some trouble with the wedding cake during the reception, and Shane fails to thank her mother for the reception, which he did not care for in the first place, as he wanted to elope.
Later on, Shane wakes up the morning after his wedding with a headache and zero memory of the previous night. Worse: an envelope containing the wedding guests’ cash gifts is empty. The situation changes when he receives a text from a woman named Rose (Lorraine Farris) hinting that the two of them got intimate. Shane’s confusion is matched only by Leah’s determination to ignore anything that might spoil their honeymoon. So off they go to their getaway: a posh, secluded woodland home supplied by Leah’s boss, where all is quiet, tasteful, pristine. A perfect location for things to go wrong, and they do.
A late-night knock at the door interrupts their attempt at newlywed fun and games. Standing outside is John (John Speredakos), the odd, overly friendly caterer from the wedding the night before, who made remarks about Shane’s used car. He claims he brought the missing wedding cake topper. John initiates himself into their home, has a glass of water, puts it down on a table, ignoring a coaster that irritates Leah. He drones on about absurd details when he finally reveals he’s also come to pitch a device he invented, which is a bizarre contraption called the “crumb catcher.” It turns out to be a sort of handheld vacuum designed to sweep table crumbs into a funnel. He insists Shane and Leah sit for a full presentation. Then the truth detonates: Rose is John’s wife, and she’s the same woman who texted Shane. She has a video of the alleged encounter. If Shane doesn’t invest in John’s crumb-collecting dream machine, the video goes straight to Leah. It’s blackmail with a smile that only gets more deranged as the night progresses.
Speredakos is a bull in a China shop throughout Crumb Catcher. He’s huge, sweaty, oblivious, clumsy, with the temperamental volatility. The man adds menace to each of his lines. He makes every stumble, every loud gesture, every sudden turn feel like an accidental tragedy waiting to explode. Peck’s performance always hints that her character’s exhaustion is something they are resigned to, a sort of grasping at “crumbs” to live on. Shane and Leah are the “normal” ones. Leah responds logically, sharply, almost icily. Shane, however, is a frustrating mystery. Garay internalizes guilt instead of suspicion.
Skotchdopole uses the Hitchcock metaphor of creating suspense when showing a conversation between people, with the audience knowing there is a bomb under the table to solid effect. Leah notices John’s weapon right away. Much like the aformentione master, the filmmaker also infuses humor. The comedy arises not from punchlines but from the horrible social bind of being too polite to throw an intruder out of your home, much like Who’sAfraid of Virginia Woolf. It’s a nightmare built entirely from the dread of not wanting to be rude, which itself is interesting because social media is filled with people who are rude continually to the point of hate. This is hugely similar to Duncan Birmingham’s Who Invited Them which is about a married couple who have a housewarming party to show off to their colleagues and superiors. When the guests have already left, the hosts suddenly discover an unfamiliar couple in the house who enter their lives.
Visually, Crumb Catcher leans into disorientation. Drunken POV effects distort the frame. The film is largely confined to the house, giving it a theatrical feel. The editing keeps the action going well, even the car chase towards the end is well-handled. The picture is a wonderful example of social horror, fear of strangers who are not what they seem, worth a look for the production values well used, and the committed actors.
Today we mourn the passing of James Ransone who decided to check out early from this mortal coil. Ransone is known for THE WIRE, SINISTER, BLACK PHONE, IT PT 2, as well as Ti West’s IN A VALLEY OF VIOLENCE (seen above on set playing with canine star Jumpy the Dog) with Toby Huss, John Travolta and Ethan Hawk. Films are such a bonding experience, you feel you’ll know each other for ever.
In memoriam we highlight the fine performance he contributed to a TALES FROM BEYOND THE PALE: “Natural Selection” also featuring Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan and Pat Healy (seen above with Fessenden during the LA recording, Ransone on right).
Rest in Peace, Ransone, hope you’ve found some now. Deep sympathy to those left behind. Hard times.
Glass Eye Pix is the fierce independent NYC-based production outfit headed by award-winning art-horror auteur Larry Fessenden with the mission of supporting individual voices in the arts. Read more...
