BLOODY DISGUSTING
“Pigskin is another award winner that is no shock whatsoever. This one has a strong 80’s film and starts off pretty light hearted. A high school cheerleader has a crush on the star quarterback and when he asks her out things seem perfect. Then things take a turn as the girl begins to struggle with her body image and attempts to fix it with very gory results.”
http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3394179/floridas-2nd-annual-popcorn-frights-film-festival-program/
http://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3394873/2016-portland-horror-film-festival-recap-shorts/
BLUMHOUSE
Shockwaves Podcast Mention
http://podcast.blumhouse.com/episode-15-resurrecting-the-blair-witch
PALM SPRINGS COMIC CON
"The film possesses a 21st century sheen with its crisp yet vapid colors whilst also embodying an '80s horror atmosphere with its haunting synthesized score and timeless high school backdrop...Out of all the great films I was exposed to this year, Pigskin possessed the most potential in regards to eventually evolving into a full-length feature"
Cruz Moore, Palm Springs International Shortfest Review
http://www.pscomiccon.com/blog/2016/6/26/sizing-up-the-palm-springs-shortfest-cruzs-picks
WE ARE INDIE HORROR
"Pigskin is a gorgeous homage to the nostalgia of 80’s teen sexuality set to the tone of a body conscious 21st century feminism. Albeit brief, the film explores the male and female obsession with the female body"
http://www.weareindiehorror.com/review/review-pigskin-a-gorgeous-homage-to-body-horror/
NIGHTMARISH CONJURINGS
"Pigskin is impressive from a technical perspective. This is a fantastic looking short. It's shot exceptionally well, and uses a striking palette of bright colors - blues and oranges - to great effect. It's a pleasure to look at, and it's easy to forget you're not watching a studio funded feature film....”
MOVIE HOOKER
"I can’t really say too much about Pigskin as its running time is just short of 14mins. What I can say is that it is amazing and what we have here is a very talented team that will no doubt be making feature-lengths real soon."
http://moviehooker.com/directors/pigskin-movie-short-horror/
HORROR SOCIETY
(Review 9/10)
"I always say that anyone can pick up a camera and make a “movie,” but it takes true talent to film a picture, a piece of cinema that will move the audience in an emotional way. This short film achieves that goal and it’s no surprise to me that it’s been receiving a successful film festival run around the globe. Pigskin is a complete cinematic and thematic experience in fourteen minutes.”
http://www.horrorsociety.com/2016/10/20/review-jake-hammonds-pigskin-2016/
HORROR BUZZ
"A perfectly produced mix of psychological horror and 80’s gore, Pigskin is a disturbing joy to watch. The performances are all fully honest and wholly believable. Our heroine Laurie, in particular masters the innocent, even forgettable looks and behaviors of the average self absorbed high schooler without being cliché. The direction the plot wanders consistently plays with the viewer’s expectations, always taking the high road yet still delivering."
http://horrorbuzz.com/short-film-pigskin-pitch-perfect-nightmare/
RUE MORGUE
"A crowd-pleasing short, PIGSKIN represents an ideal mix of psychological horror and the fantastic, with the former arguably driving the latter. It’s the kind of film you watch and wonder why no one has ever made it before, or how anyone else could cover its subject matter as effectively."
GRUESOME MAGAZINE
“Demons of the mind can drive people to unspeakably horrific acts, as high school cheerleader Laurie Vernon (Isadora Leiva) finds out in director Jake Hammond’s riveting short film Pigskin. He and cowriter Nicola Newton examine the psychology behind body image while delivering a memorable horror experience.”
http://gruesomemagazine.com/2016/09/17/pigskin-2015-horrors-mind-body-haunt-troubled-cheerleader/
WRLN PUBLIC RADIO AND TELEVISION
NPR South Florida Station Member, Radio Mention
http://wlrn.org/post/its-baaacck-south-floridas-only-horror-film-fest-now-its-second-year
TWISTED CENTRAL
“[Pigskin] has recently begun its festival circuit, winning 13 awards and playing at 20+ festivals including the New Orleans Film Festival, FLICKERS Rhode Island International Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy & Horror Film Festival, and the Oscar® qualifying Palm Springs International ShortFest.”
http://www.twistedcentral.com/2016/10/screamfest-premieres-acclaimed.html
JARED MOBARAK
(Review 7/10)
"Hammond and Newton progress things to a genre-relevant end as nightmare and reality merge until one can no longer be separated from the other. They receive effective, throwback performances from all involved before Leiva is allowed to scream in desperation devoid of the colorfully hyper-stylized façade of the rest."
http://www.jaredmobarak.com/2016/11/09/pigskin/
ADAM THE MOVIE GOD
(Review 9/10)
"Pigskin is a fantastic entry into the Body Horror sub-genre and more importantly, it touches on a couple of very important issues arising in young people today (particularly girls).... If there’s a short film to watch out for at the end of this year it’s Pigskin, so keep an eye out!"
https://adamthemoviegod.com/pigskin-review/
BLOODY FLICKS
"This is strong stuff. Pigskin is, for the most part, structured like the opening of a run of the mill teen horror, and its only when it gets fairly quickly into the nasty stuff that you realize its oddness."
https://bloody-flicks.co.uk/2016/10/27/pigskin-review/
HORROR TALK
"Who thought 13 minutes would be enough to tell a complete, emotionally devastating horror story? "
https://www.horrortalk.com/features/6868-brooklyn-horror-film-festival-nightmare-fuel-shorts.html
WE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
(Review 10/10)
"Pigskin is a raw, brutal look at the subject of body image that is handled with pin-point execution. It is the reason I enjoy short films. It does not go too long and gets straight to the message. Film is not only an art form meant to entertain, it can also be used to help spark discussion and open our minds to real world issues."
http://weliveentertainment.com/welivefilm/pigskin-hits-right-guts/
SLAUGHTERBIRD
"Other short films released this year should be nervous as the level of skill on show here is mind-blowing. ‘Pigskin’ doesn’t feel like a short and packs so much into its running time with such a powerful message... ‘Pigskin’ is a very special short-film indeed."
http://theslaughteredbird.com/review-pigskin/
ERNIE TRINIDAD
{4.5/5 Stars)
"Hammond and Newton have made an effective horror film about a real horrific disorder which may sadden you, may shake you, may turn your stomach but will in the end stay with you long after it's over."
http://www.ernietrinidad.com/single-post/2016/10/26/Screamfest-2016-The-Shorts-Unleashed
GOREZONE
"** PIGSKIN: The multiple award-winning gory short by creative duo Jake Hammond and Nicola Newton is premiering at SCREAMFEST this Saturday. PIGSKIN centers on a high school cheerleader who accepts a date with the quarterback and is subsequently plagued by a nightmarish manifestation of her own bodily insecurities. Check out the trailer!"
WHY SO BLUE
“Pigskin is a wonderful throwback to 80’s horror tone with a more progressive modern storyline. The film has all the tasty tropes of the hair era – rocking music, movie montage moments and even 80s title font. But the film itself deals with a thin gal (the insane inspired Isadora Leiva!) overly obsessed with her small stomach rolls to the point of conjuring up creatures and self mutilation and it’s a wonderful allegory on teen female body image.”
http://whysoblu.com/encapsulated-movie-reviews-five-new-indie-titlesone-short/
CINEDUMP
"Pigskin, a colorful 80's horror throwback with a relevant, socially conscious message, screened at Screamfest, Hollywood’s premier film festival October 22nd at the TCL Chinese Theatres. Creative duo Jake Hammond (Director/Co-Writer) and NicolaNewton (Cinematographer/Co-Writer) were in attendance with their team for a Q&A.”
https://www.facebook.com/TheCineDump/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE&fref=nf
MOVIE MOTORBREATH
“Hammond and Nicola Newton use this to provide a commentary on female body image and the unhealthy expectations placed upon it, while using that as a platform for some close-up finger-scratching skin-tearing madness that made yours truly look away from the screen.”
Popcorn Freights Film Festival Review
https://moviemotorbreath.wordpress.com/2016/08/04/the-2016-popcorn-frights-film-festival-slate/
WE GOT THIS COVERED
Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Awards Mention
HELLNOTES
"Pigskin, a colorful 80’s horror throwback with a relevant, socially conscious message, will be screening at Screamfest, Hollywood’s premier film festival, this Saturday, October 22nd at 12:00pm at the Chinese Theatre. Creative duo Jake Hammond (Director/Co-Writer) and Nicola Newton (Cinematographer/Co-Writer) will be in attendance with their team for a Q&A."
http://hellnotes.com/screamfest-premieres-acclaimed-cheerleader-body-horror-short-pigskin/
DAILY DEAD
Screamfest, Awards Mention
GOLDEN STATE HAUNTS
"Laurie Vernon (Isadora Leiva) , the high school cheerleader, struggles with her inner demons, but are they powerful enough to cause her to make a fateful choice? The 13-minute short is engaging and gory, but is a little hard to watch if you have a problem seeing the effects of someone with an eating disorder.
The film screens this Saturday at 12pm at the Chinese Theater in Los Angeles as part of the Screamfest Shorts Program."
http://www.goldenstatehaunts.org/2016/10/21/screamfest-2016-review-pigskin/
WITHOUT YOUR HEAD PODCAST
Interview with Nicola Newton (Co-Writer and Cinematographer)
http://withoutyourhead.com/viewnews.php?autoid=109285
HORROR FUEL
(Review 8.5/10)
"To be totally honest, I had chills as the film was reaching it’s climax…and that doesn’t occur often. Something really has to strike a chord for me to react in such a way. It’s no surprise whatsoever that this short film has already garnered numerous awards, and it’s likely there will be more after future screenings. I am truly eager to see what future projects Hammond and Newton may have in store for us, whether working together or separately."
http://horrorfuel.com/horror/reviews/review-pigskin-gives-brief-chilling-glimpse-horrors-body-image/