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Reviews
ShadowMarsh (2022)
Could have been better
This movie wasn't terrible, but it could have been so much better. Unfortunately the script didn't live up to its potential.
The pros: Visually interesting lots of atmosphere. Nice cinematography and good audio. (Unlike a lot of recent movies, it didn't look like it was filmed in someone's backyard with their phone.)
The acting was acceptable overall, and you could tell the cast and crew were committed to the project.
The cons: It felt like the script was originally meant to be a horror/mystery, but large pieces of the mystery were under developed or left out.
The ending felt rushed and incomplete.
A Cry in the Night: The Legend of La Llorona (2021)
Just ok
While not the best low budget horror movie, it wasn't horrible either.
It was a interesting interpretation and reimagining of the legend which typically focuses on children.
Production quality was pretty low, especially the long story telling piece (which made up a third or more of the movie). And some of the acting was
Over all, if you like bad supernatural horror movies like I do, give it a try.
The Summoning (2017)
What happened to the ending?
This movie literally just ends at the climax, like they ran out of budget or lost the last reel of footage.
I guess the director thought the audience should just figure it out themselves.
Would have been ok if it there was a decent ending.
Satanic (2016)
Death
By boredom.
Weak plot with unlike able characters that are clearly to stupid to live. They wandering around LA a on their own little satanic tour, while being dicks to each other and anyone that crosses their path. Add in making everything bad decision possible, including stalking someone that earlier pulled a knife on them.... and what could have been a good movie becomes just painful to watch.
By the 20 minute mark I was hitting fast forward.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
1 - Storyline dragged on too long. I got bored and stopped watching or fast forwarded to the end.
8989 Redstone (2016)
Haunted HGTV
This movie put together two of my favorite things, rescuing old homes and haunted houses, and managed to make an entertaining movie.
I will say that the ending was completely unexpected, and subject to interpretation, but I'll let you judge for yourself if you like it or would have had it go in a different direction.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
9 - Great movie, I'd definitely watch it again.
Anna 2 (2019)
The first was funny bad.
Unfortunately the sequel was incoherent and didn't even manage to capture the same bumbling humor.
Playhouse (2020)
Started out interesting...
But the ending is so abrupt that it feels like the last 4 or 5 minutes of the movies are missing.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
5 - Meh, just ok. Decent concept but either I wasn't a fan of the direction the story went or it was so predictable that watching wasn't necessary to know what was going to happen. Production could be anywhere from terrible to terrific. I wouldn't rewatch.
Against the Night (2017)
Too many ideas
This could have been a good film, the location was terrific. Unfortunately it felt like the writer had too many ideas, and decided to use all of them.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
2 - Terrible in both plot and production. I was either left wanting my time back or wondering what just happened.
The Expedition (2008)
Wouldn't watch it again.
The beginning was promising, but they lost me at the point where a bunch of film makers would turned off all the camera while trying to avoid the authorities on Halloween night, and then just fall to sleep in a practically condemned building they broke in to...
Say what? How does that make sense?
That being said, they wake up to find their friend gone and spend the rest of the film searching for him.
This was a film of lost opportunities, but not the worst FF film I've seen.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
4 - Disappointing. Started out alright but the plot failed or became incoherent somewhere along the way. Production could be anywhere from terrible to decent.
The Unfolding (2016)
Again not for everyone
These types of films aren't for everyone, but I think it's funny how many people assume good reviews on a movie they don't like must mean they're fake. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but why worry about it. Different strokes for different folks.
I enjoyed the film including the way the director presented it, it wasn't quite found footage and it wasn't quite a traditional film, but a bit of a mash up. The fact that even the color scenes were so washed out that they could have been filmed in black and white was interesting.
I also appreciated that they took the time to give the background on The Who's and why's of haunting.
The side plot of the impending war was unnecessary in my opinion, and the ending has a twist but the results are still the same.
If you like ghost movies and don't mind the found footage elements, then give this a go.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
7 - Interesting story, but there were some plot inconsistencies that brought down the overall score. I might watch it again eventually.
The Birthday Boy (2018)
Incomplete
Could have been a decent short, but the under developed plot left too much of the story for the watcher figure out and interpret themselves. Even the best production couldn't save this movie from the poor story telling.
The House in Sherwood (2020)
Not scary but still entertaining
I liked the concept of this film and showing the two different POVs at the same time. Seeing the emojis and online comments made me laugh.
Unfortunately there was so much going on with the stalker plot, that they fail to achieve a spooky atmosphere. The actual paranormal activity gets lost in the shuffle, and what you do see isn't very scary.
Definitely not a film for everyone, but I was entertained.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
6 - Interesting concept, but low budget, mediocre acting and/or poor production brought down the over all score. I might might watch it again at some point.
Sleepaway Slasher (2020)
I wanted to like this film...
But the plot never came together.
Men verses women?
Ghostly possessions?
Cursed land due to witch burnings in the 1700s?
Psycho offspring brainwashed by footage from the father's unfinished film?
Revenge for the death of an actress that happened 20 years earlier?
disgruntled actors killing their directors for doing a crappy job?
I Donno.
I watched the whole thing and I have no idea why most of these people were killed. In some deaths it's never clearly revealed who committed the murder, although they do implicate one person multiple times.
And what happened to the rest of the films cast?
There were lots of people attending this film festival but the body count was relatively low so what happened to them? Did they die off screen? Escape? Go canoeing on the lake?
The film ends with more questions than answers.
P.S. A lot of time is wasted watching the footage of the unfinished film of the director that the festival was named for and the new films being made at the festival rather than focusing on the actual plot of this movie.
Totem (1999)
Cheesy, Campy, and Short
If you like silly B horror movies, then give this a chance, just don't expect to be scared. The run time is just a bit over an hour.
The idea behind the plot was interesting, although the ridiculous dream sequence looked like someone told the director they need more explanation so he grabbed some discarded footage from another film off the cutting room floor and pastes it in with a voice over. It didn't really enhance the film, just repeated the information we'd already been given in a different way.
None the less, over all it was entertaining and I'd watch it again.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
8- Enjoyable movie, I'd give it another watch in the future.
Beast of Our Fathers (2019)
Entertaining and kept my interest
I love both mysteries and horror movies, and this one combined them in a way that exceed my expectations. It's definitely wasn't your typical monster movie.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
7 - Interesting story, but there were some plot inconsistencies that brought down the overall score. I might watch it again eventually.
The Final Project (2016)
Unfortunately very poorly done
Could have been entertaining, but even for a found footage film the production was horrible.
You expect some shaky POV shots in the action scenes, but even in the character development portion, apparently no one knows how to use a camera. The viewer sees mostly chopped off heads and crotch shots or weird angles while the camera is moving and shaking as they climb stairs, pan over empty rooms, and open doors.
The audio for the film also failed, it is so low or the speakers are partially off screen, forcing you to turn on the captions and crank up the volume to try to hear them. It was a major fail.
The establishing characters portion went on practically forever and yet gave no reason to care about them.
When they finally make it to their documentary location (almost halfway through) then 90% of the action occurs off screen or from the victims POV camera which is either pointing the wrong way, on the fritz or pitch black.
I don't often say this, but this movie isn't worth your time.
I gave up sitting down to watch this film and used it as background noise to cleaned house instead.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
1 - Storyline dragged on too long. I got bored and stopped watching or fast forwarded to the end.
The Smudging (2016)
Neither as good or bad as other reviewers suggest.
Honestly I'd score this film right down the middle, with one extra star because I'd be willing to watch it again.
I thought the film was alright for what it was, documentation footage of a paranormal investigation and research interviews shot by armature paranormal investigators. If the script and acting wasn't always polished and professional, I could let that slide since it fit well with the vibe that they were amateur paranormal investigators. Yes, there were a few places where the actors got over the scares a little too quickly, but I found that forgivable in the interest of keeping the film moving and not extending the run time.
Not for everyone but if you enjoy paranormal investigation shows and movies, this isn't bad and the cultural elements are definitely a plus.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
6 - Interesting concept, but low budget, mediocre acting and/or poor production brought down the over all score. I might might watch it again at some point.
Strange Events (2014)
Something familiar here
At least two of these shorts I'd seen in another anthology.
Bulldog Drummond (1929)
Too much back and forth
If they'd convinced this movie to an hour, it would have been better for it.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
1 - Storyline dragged on too long. I got bored and stopped watching or fast forwarded to the end.
End of the Road (2011)
Fun Film
Not what I was expecting, but in a good way. And it's not a FF film, which bumped up the over all rating.
Fun twist on the reality TV ghost hunting genre.
Although there does seem to be some confusion regarding the name of the movie. I found it on Amazon under the title "1, 2, 3... Scream"
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
8- Good movie, I'd give it another watch in the future.
From Dust (2016)
Disappointing
Could have been good, but the script and execution failed.
Incredibly repetitive dialogue. I started fast forwarding.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
1 - No redeeming features, stopped watching and/or fast forwarded to the end.
Dressed to Kill (1946)
Alternate Title "Sherlock Holmes: Prelude to Murder"
If your interested in watching this film, you can also find it with color added under the title "Sherlock Holmes: Prelude to Murder (In Color)".
8 Graves (2020)
Wasted potential
Not the worst low budget independent horror movie I've seen. Expect audio issues, cheesy special effects, and subpar video quality.
The main issue with this movie was the incomplete story. There were too many holes and unresolved plot points to give it more than 3 stars.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
3 - Still bad, just not as bad... Either a under developed/mediocre plot or too much of the story is left to the watcher figure out and interpret themselves. Even the best production couldn't save this movie from the poor story telling.
Jack Logan (2020)
Decent concept, horrible execution
I've seen a lot of low budget horror movies, but this one takes the cake... It looks like a volunteer student film project, and the credits show that the Director is also the writer, photographer, cinematographer/videographer, stunt coordinator, special effects make up artist, lighting coordinator, sound manager, location supervisor, key grip, gaffer, food caterer, casting, editor, and producer... well that says it all. Every credit outside the cast and a second editor was the director.
The idea was interesting, but unfortunately every aspect of this movie failed.
A poorly written script. Bad acting. An Obnoxiously loud soundtrack. No special effect. Terribly executed deaths.
The only thing that kept this from 1 star was that it moved fast enough that I didn't get bored and fast forward.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
2 - Terrible in both plot and production. I was either left wanting my time back or wondering what just happened.
The Ghost Ship (2011)
Silhouette Film
If you like ghost stories this short silhouette film was a fun way to tell a classic tale.
It reminded me the spooky story anthologies I read as a kid.
Stars are given based on my personal enjoyment of the film and plot.
8- Good movie, I'd give it another watch in the future.