Change Your Image
UnholyFrog
Lists
An error has ocurred. Please try againMy reason for the lack of older films is that many of them have come to be appreciated by horror fans today, even if they were not back when they were released. These are films that I think people should not be ashamed to admit they like to watch.
These are the ones that come immediately to my mind, I am sure if I looked at my movie shelf I would find more, but that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed it :)
Reviews
Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018)
Above average found footage horror
At random, the announcement that Hell House LLC 2 was coming to Shudder just hours ago popped into my head and I decided to take a look as I enjoyed the very creepy atmosphere of the original.
This one goes on to reveal even more about the Abaddon Hotel, where the Hell House "event" opened during the first film and things get suitable creepy once again. There are a number of moments where I noticed myself tense and almost holding my breath, just as with the first one. But just like the first one, I felt the ending was weak, it feels messy and a bit too exposition heavy, and just not very scary.
That's not to say the film isn't scary as a whole, there are plenty of eerie scenes that really have the ability to just creep you right out. They're so simple too and I think that's why they work, it doesn't feel overdone or over produced (I'm looking at you, The Nun). They let the unnerving moments linger, and all feels like it could be real, which is what you want with found footage. This is a film where it's low budget actually helps in that department.
I think the weakest aspect of the film is the acting, which is noticeably worse the first, where I felt those actors did a fine job, I don't recall ever thinking about their acting skills and everything seems believable. In Hell House LLC 2 the acting gives the production a bit more of an amateur feel. However once things get going the tension takes over and the actors also seem to improve for the most part. Except for one person, who's physical acting and dialogue delivery was just subpar the whole way through.
This one also tends to jump around a lot more than the first and feels a tad messy, but really the tension in this makes up for most shortcomings. It's obvious that writer/director Stephen Cognetti is a talented guy. When he's in the zone with the scary aspects he pretty much nails it, both in the first film and in this one. For fans of the first I would definitely recommend it. It's more of the same really, but still manages to be very creepy when it tries to be. I'd really like to see what Cognetti could do with more resources and a larger budget.
Hurt (2018)
"Hang the bitch", 'Hurt' is a cruel and bleak horror/drama
I attended the world premiere of the new Blumhouse acquired independent film, "Hurt", last night at Fantasia film festival and Halloween-set film lovers are in for a treat. But not in a traditional way.
"Hurt" stars Emily van Raay in an attention grabbing feature film debut, with strong supporting turns from Andrew Creer, Stephanie Moran, and Bradley Hamilton.
Plot details can be found on IMDb, but plot details go like this: Tommy (Andrew Creer) returns home from war to his wife Rose (Emily van Raay), who lives in a house in the woods near to her sister Lily (Stephanie Moran), and her husband Mark (Bradley Hamilton). Almost every relationship on Rose's life is strained. On Halloween while attending an amusement park, Tommy has a break down thanks to the fake screams, blood and violence around him while he and Rose try to reconnect over nostalgia of the things they used to do. He takes off leaving Rose alone and from there the night turns to confusion and murder.
While the film has slasher tendencies and DNA, it's not a paint by numbers stalk and slash film. The story keeps its focus on broken characters, and real drama, but cleverly plays the dramatics into a plot about human interest in violence and our desensitization to it. There's layers to the film that will only hit you as you think about it afterwards.
It's actually heavily about violence without actually being overly violent itself, but doesn't shy away from gruesome and disturbing imagery. It's not about the slash, but the devastation in the aftermath and it feels like a punch to the gut. But "Hurt" doesn't revel in the suffering of it's protagonists, it wants to you to be disturbed by it.
The film also plays with themes of PTSD, and like Mallhi's previous films, focuses on characters with troubled minds. It makes for engaging tension. The film takes things slow, but deliberately so, and you never quite know which way it's going to go. Situations that seem crucial or obvious don't always pan out the way you think they will, but I won't say any more.
The gritty cinematography and perfect Halloween atmosphere lends itself nicely to the cruel vibe of the film. It's bleak both in it's themes and visuals with its desaturated colors and lingering shots. It all pairs nicely with the offbeat music by Tom Schraeder, that creates an unsettling vibe in conjunction with the almost voyeuristic style of the images. In fact I'd liken the sound design, and grainy texture of the cinematography to the documentary-like style of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There are some striking images and the use of minimal and natural light creates a real aesthetic.
If you like drama and character driven stories mixed with your horror there is a lot to admire here. "Hurt" is bleak and cruel and and it wants you to think about the sadism you came to see. In a time where viral videos are being shared across social media of real life violence, this film has something to say about the haunting lack of empathy people have when it comes to that violence, evident just by browsing through the comments sections of those viral videos, until it happens to you.