Grave Encounters (2011)

We're going back to the haunted asylums with this one, as we look at a film that isn't two years old yet. And it's another found footage film. This is either going to be really good, or really bad. Most likely bad.

Here we find a television crew deciding to investigate Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital, supposedly the most haunted place in America. Thinking that they'll be getting the shoot of a lifetime, they enter an eight hour lockdown, however they soon find the place is actually haunted.

Wait, a television crew go into an asylum to investigate whether it is actually haunted. Where have I heard that plot before?

Oh God!

Okay in all fairness 'Episode 50' wasn't that bad, but yeah, it's the same bloody film. Then again upon watching the film, I know I said the film sounded like it was leaning more towards it being bad, the makers of this film must have seen 'Episode 50' and thought "We can do better than this!". And, they do.

This film certainly generates the scares more effectively that 'Episode 50', mainly because most of it is done in the dark, they're either unexpected or timed perfectly, it takes place in one God damn night unlike 'Episode 50' which takes place over a couple of days so the threat is always present rather than coming and going. Also the fact that they spend the entire film in one location shows they can't escape, rather than the sudden scene change in the other film. I'm sorry I'll try and keep the comparisons to a minimum. Probably won't though.

The story is also better, again primarily because the film only takes place in the one location. The weird thing is we aren't actually told any details. Unlike most films where they tell you the back story of the place, 'Grave Encounters' basically says "This was an asylum for the criminally insane. That's it". Heck even main character Lance (Sean Rogerson) asks a groundsman to lie about the place to generate interest, it shows how much he actually believes in the paranormal. It's a nice twist. It does strain towards the end, especially when it reveals some secrets behind the asylum, but you're just wondering "why?" once you see it.

The characters...now that I think about it are pretty bland. I'm trying to remember anything significant about them, but nothing really comes to mind. In fact, they're a copy of 'Episode 50', one girl, three guys and a guest. Thankfully there wasn't an annoying and forceful religious group. I suppose T.C. (Merwin Mondesir) and Matt White (Juan Riedinger) are pretty good characters. Actually, you start to feel for the characters once the horror starts.

The effects are really good too, primarily because there's hardly any CGI. Most of it was done through make-up, what you were seeing was real (Sort of), it was physical, it makes the viewer think that the threat is much bigger than it really is. Any CGI you do see, is used for those scream at the camera scares which, you know from my last post about it (Back in my 'Sinister' review last November), I still think it's a cheap tactic to get scares. Though, there was one moment where the screaming at the camera, kind of worked, I think it was more because of the tension at the time and, while you were expecting something you weren't expecting that.

So when it comes down to it, this is quite an entertaining film. Oh it isn't perfect, the story could've been stronger and the characters developed a bit more, but apart from that this is a pretty good horror flick. You'd definitely find it more fun in the dark and with friends.

Ah this was a pretty fun film. There's only one thing I can think of that would ruin it...

Bollocks!

V/H/S (2013)

I must admit I do tend to find out about obscure, gory horror films...well mostly obscure gory horror films anyway, from a certain friend of mine, and I found out about this film from her. The concept, was slightly intriguing I'll admit that, so when I found that it was coming out, this past week I believe it was, I, obviously, got a hold of it.

'V/H/S' follows a group of petty criminals who are aiming to make it big. They receive a job from an unknown guy (In fact we never see this guy) who asks them to go into this one house and steal a single, solitary video tape. While looking for the tape amongst a house full of them, we get to see what exactly is on these tapes, and we see that they're not exactly kid friendly.

The film does exactly the same thing 'Movie 43' did, it ruins its own concept. It doesn't throw short films at you left, right, and centre like 'Movie 43' did, so we can get a bit more story and more depth into the characters. Or at least we should if the film didn't do what the Asylum's 'Monster' did and constantly cut, shake, turn into static, or do anything else to interfere with watching it.

Not only that, but there's a huge plot hole as to how these shorts got onto video tape in the first place. One was done on a laptop, a few on digital cameras, one was done through glasses! I can only assume there's a memory card in it, though those glasses also appear to be indestructible. But my point is, how do all of these films end up on what is effectively a dead technology?

Setting that aside, these are some really intriguing short stories, so interesting and entertaining that they're better than the main narrative, which you can actually say there really isn't a plot. Although that's probably because the short stories actually make an effort for you to like the characters, unlike the "petty criminals" who you struggle to like, with the main example being them sexually harassing/assaulting a woman. Actually that was a problem with the protagonists in the first short 'Amateur Night', who (With the exception of one) treated women more like sexually exploits rather than actual people.

The acting, is actually really good. I have to give particular praise to Hannah Fierman for her portrayal in 'Amateur Night', simply for the energy for what she brings to her character. I certainly look forward to seeing her again in other stuff. There's also Stephanie (Sophia Takal) who was actually the first protagonist in this film I actually liked. Though I did actually miss her name being mentioned. That was actually a problem with most characters in this, not hearing their bloody names. Though for most of the time it's because we aren't told them. Heck, even subtitles just say 'blonde guy' or for Stephanie's case 'woman'.

Now, is this film scary? Hmmmmm not really. There are some creepy bits, like 'The Sick Thing That Happened To Emily When She Was Younger' (Even if the ending did make it the weakest of the lot, Besides the main narrative of course), and the climax of the main narrative, but it plays more as an action flick rather then a horror. I suppose it's mainly because of those video defects that the film has, it ruins the horror aspect. The scares just tend to be more miss than hit.


So, like 'Movie 43', this film is ruined by its own concept. The wrap-around just seemed pointless and made the film too long, any CGI shown isn't that good, the scares are mediocre at best and the camera losing picture goes beyond annoying by the time the half hour mark comes along. But it does still have its good bits, some great acting, and some really intriguing short stories. Give it a try, but don't expect a masterpiece.

The Signal (2007)

After seeing 'Movie 43', a film with multiple directors and multiple writers, it reminded me of 'The Signal', another film with multiple directors and writers, albeit this one has three writers and directors, compared to 'Movie 43's seventeen writers and twelve directors. Also one had a budget of $50000, while the other one had a budget of $five million. Guess which one.

The cheaper one follows Maya (Anessa Ramsey) as she leaves her lover Ben (Justin Welborn, yes the guy from 'Dance of the Dead') to return to her husband Lewis (A.J. Bowen). However a mysterious signal is interfering with the phones and the television, which causes people to act...weird should I say. Mostly they go around murdering each other.

The film is split into three parts, or rather transmissions, with a different director for each part. What's intriguing is the way they do each part, the first part is in the form of your standard horror, the second part is black comedy, while the third part...is weird. Well, Wikipedia describes it as "post apocalyptic love story", but it's still weird.

The first part really does set the film up well. The chaos, the confusion, the violence, the paranoia, it generated a great...what's the word, distressing vibe to it, the fact that you really had no idea who to trust. The second part, I have to say is my favourite. The complete change of pace, between all three parts not just this one, was actually quite clever when you think about it, since the signal is supposed to make the irrational the norm, we're getting an insight to what is going through the characters, particularly Lewis', mind. And I did actually find the second part quite funny, mainly from the awkward scenes. The third part, is where I feel the film lets itself down, I do feel the last part is the weakest part of the film. Primarily it's because of the ending, or rather the climax before the ending, since it didn't really make much sense. Though upon looking on Wikipedia and reading the synopsis there, I actually found the interpretation on there made what happened in the film much clearer and, in fact, clever, it just wasn't portrayed well in the film. Then again for the most part it was from primarily from two people who had been exposed to the signal, but there are still points in it which don't make much sense.

The characters themselves, well. For the most part we do follow Lewis as the signal affects and drives him, but instead of us hoping he fails, we actually find him charming, funny, and pretty much the best character in the film. I suppose that's because the people we do root for, aren't that likable. Well, Maya is effectively responsible for Lewis going homicidal, since she cheats on him which he does suspect and starts to develop his rage (As anyone would upon learning that their wife/husband is cheating on them), which is in turn amplified by the signal. With that aside Maya is relatively a bland character, and when everyone's a murdering psychopath she thinks the best thing to do is put her headphones on. The film implies this blocks the signal from affecting her, but it's not like someone will grab her from behind oh wait that's exactly what happens!

Well in her defence Rod (Sahr Ngaujah) was hiding behind a door as well. Then again she is captured again later, don't know how. Rod is an okay character, he reacts how you'd expect him to react, the problem is he never returns to normal. He is constantly screaming. Ben though, Ben is actually a pretty decent character to follow, and Clarke (Scott Poythress) is also a fun character to watch.

I suppose the main problem is that the signal does affect people in different ways, I.E. it amplifies the negative. So apart from Ben and Maya (The latter I'm guessing is having her blandness amplified) are reacting in different ways; Lewis' anger, Clarke's paranoia, Rod's fear, Anna's (Cheri Christian) low self esteem. So your perspective of the characters, aren't actually of the true characters, and that's actually quite clever the way they did that, to throw so many different emotions into one setting.

And that brings us onto the acting, which from the previous point, is actually pretty good, to be able to portray one emotion and one emotion only. Justin Welborn does a great job at portraying Ben, while most of the supporting cast do well to portray whatever negative aspect they're being affected by. I do have to say, A.J. Bowen is the best actor in this film. He is a lot of fun to watch, he very easily managed to merge sanity and insanity perfectly, and it's pretty much because of the portrayal A.J. Bowen gives which makes you want him to succeed. Actually the scene involving Lewis talking to a hallucination of Ben is actually my favourite bit of the film.

So in the end, this is actually a pretty enjoyable movie to watch. The acting is decent, the story is well driven, the concept of the movie doesn't ruin it (Unlike 'Movie 43'), and we have some really good characters. And all on a budget which is about 1% or less of a Hollywood blockbuster. The only real problem with it is the third part which isn't explained well and can be a bit of a mess. Maybe if the production had more money and maybe stretch to the two hour mark to go into more depth, then it could have been a brilliant film. But for what it is, it is a fantastic indie film.