Supernatural

The Bell Witch Haunting (2013) Review

November 22, 2013 by Eric S. 1 Comment

Synopsis: Based on true events. The Robertson County Sheriff’s Department has released footage found on the bodies of the Sawyer family’s cell phones and video cameras. What was first thought to be a murder-suicide is now believed to be the return of a centuries-old demon responsible for America’s most famous paranormal event.

My Quick Review: The Bell Witch Haunting is the latest movie whose story is inspired by the bell witch legend (Blair Witch project being the most famous iteration so far).

While it starts as a standard but honest found footage movie, it quickly loses appeal when the script decides to cram as much “shocking scenes” as possible one after the other.

Suddenly, the acting becomes forced, the situation more ridiculous and useless than the others (the cable guy getting electrocuted in one of the most hilarious death scream I’ve ever heard; the badly made levitating bed cover; the possessed dad coming back home as if nothing happened; same with the sister; the awkward and fairly useless exorcism….).

What’s left of The Bell Witch Haunting is a mess of a movie, ripping off, unsuccessfully, scenes from Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch. If anything, it does prove that you still need talent behind and in front of the camera to make a satisfying found footage movie experience.

My Rating: 4/10

Click Here to Watch The Bell Witch Haunting Online Now!

Skinwalker Ranch (2013) Review

November 6, 2013 by Eric S. 2 Comments

Synopsis: A scientific research team investigates and documents the supernatural phenomena surrounding the disappearance of a cattle ranchers 10 year old son. Inspired by true events that shocked the paranormal community around the world.

Quick Review: Even after many bad movies in this genre, I’m still on the lookout for hidden found footage gems.

Skinwalker Ranch is a fake documentary, loosely based on real events, that looks like a mix between an X-Files episode and Paranormal Activity (it’s a bit reminiscent of Dark Skies as well).

The movie does not waste any time to show us some supernatural elements and this is more than welcome since so many found footage movies put us to sleep with long exposition scenes. We are quickly introduced to our team of film makers and Hoyt, the desperate dad.

The acting here is convincing and, as a result, we get a littly bit more emotionally attached when things go south and it genuinely makes us want to know more about Cody’s disappearance and all the supernatural happenings surrounding the ranch.

Unfortunately, after a while, the movie feels a bit disjointed and, while many things are happening, we are being rushed to quite an abrupt ending that leaves us hanging for more.

So, if you’re a fan of fake documentary and nostalgic of the X-Files, this movie is for you. For the others it’s still good fun and with a 70mn running time (before the credits roll in) it won’t take much of your time anyway.

My Rating: 6/10

Director: Devin McGinn

Origin: US

Hashima Project (2013) Review

November 5, 2013 by Eric S. 2 Comments

Synopsis: A group of film students are being sent on a mission to shoot a documentary about the infamous haunted Hashima Island in Japan. When they come back something evil has followed them.

My Quick Review: Went to see this one in my local theater the first week it was showing. I’m a big fan of Thai Horror and so far 2013 has been quite disappointing, with most of the movies trying to replicate Pee Mak formula.

I was glad that Hashima project wasn’t another poor attempt at horror comedy and did come back to the roots of thai horror: ghosts and possession.

Its a pity that the talent behind the camera does not quite match the one in front of it. From the trailer, I guessed, wrongly, that there would be a lot of found footage style scenes and the movie looks to be a good mix between traditional thai horror and found footage movies such as Grave Encounters.

The problem is that the first half of the movie has a great real location but lacks any creepy tension that you might expect from such movies. There are some jump scares but they are not well timed and totally unoriginal.

The second half goes more into ghostly apparition/possession stuff but again the director fails to create any kind of atmosphere and we are left watching the unfolding events without any emotion.

My Rating: 5/10

Director: Piyapan Choopetch

Origin: Thailand

Dog Soldiers (2002) Review

November 2, 2013 by Eric S. Leave a Comment

Synopsis: A routine military exercise turns into a nightmare in the Scotland wilderness.

Quick Review: Ever since I watched The Descent, I’ve always wanted to catch up on Dog Soldiers, Neil Marshall’s first effort. Now that I’ve seen it I’m kicking myself for not having watched it earlier.

MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Dog Soldiers is one of the best werewolf movie of all time, period. Maybe only second to “An american Werewolf in London”.

Right from the start there is a sense of urgency and hopelessness that grips you until the very end. Director Neil Marshall succeeds to keep our attention on a tight budget with only 2 main location throughout the movie. It starts as a military movie, with a great cast of characters by the way, and turns into “Night of the Living Werewolf” with our heroes locked into a house trying to protect themselves from their assaillants.

I loved everything about Dog Soldiers: the dialog sounds real (some local slang might be difficult to catch if you’re not used to it) and is, at times, hilarious, each actor does a good job at making us empathize with them, the editing is great and the script, while quite straight forward, is tight enough with no time wasted om overstretched scenes.

When watching Dog Soldiers, I understood better why The Descent was such a blast of a movie. Neil Marshall is, in my book, one of the best action-horror director working right now and he proved it again with Doomsday and the episodes he directed for Game of Thrones. Now I need to catch up with his last movie, Centurion.

My Rating: 7.5/10

Director: Neil Marshall

Origin: UK

Click Here to Watch Dog Soldiers Online Now!

Haunter (2013) Review

October 30, 2013 by Eric S. 4 Comments

Synopsis: The ghost of a teenager who died years ago reaches out to the land of the living in order to save someone from suffering her same fate.

My Quick Review: Since he made Cube, I’m always looking forward to Vincenzo’s Natali next movie and with Haunter generating a fair amount of buzz at Frightfest I could not wait to put my hand on it.

Right off the bat, the movie got my attention and never let me go until the end. I really enjoy horror movies that go a different way than the traditional slasher/ghosts variations, and by flipping the table on the haunted house genre and having it seen through the perspective of the ghosts, writer Brian King brings originality to a tired genre filled with Paranormal activity and Insidious knock-offs.

And while I did not care much for The Further scenes in Insidious, there was a dream-like quality to the afterworld scenes in Haunter that were reminiscent of Nightmare on Elm Street. There is actually a strong nostalgic vibe in the film (helped by the fact that the characters are from the 80’s) with a whole feel and look similar to the Freddy movies but also Poltergeist and, of course a hint of GroundHog Day.

Everything else in the movie: from the acting, the eerie cinematography, to the sound effects contribute to making Haunter a natural choice for Best 2013 Ghost story contender.

My Rating: 6.5/10

Director: Vincenzo Natali

Origin: Canada

Click Here to Watch Haunter Online Now!