The Whisperer in Darkness (2011) #478

In celebration of its tenth an anniversary, “The Whisperer in Darkness” was a feature film at the 26th annual H.P Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Oregon. It truly is an independent film that was made with love, sweat, and tears by diehard Lovecraft fans. Adapted by Sean Branney and Andrew Leaman, the story faithfully follows Lovecraft’s original work with only minor changes, that is until the third act, which offers an expanded and action packed finale that I think most Lovecraft fans would approve of. 

The wonderful people of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society produced this wonderful film in the style of a 1920’s/30’s Universal Studios monster movie. Shown in black and white, the stark contrasts are used to maximum effect that produces some incredibly gorgeous shots and silhouettes. Adding to the visual atmosphere are the multiple scenes in the rain, which helps create the sensation of isolation and struggle. The musical score is beautiful and also very reminiscent of the scores of years long past from that era.

                                        

“The Whisperer in Darkness” is about Albert Wilmarth, a professor of folk lore at Miskatonic University, who is drawn into a controversy concerning the existence of monstrous creatures living in the mountains of Vermont. Ever the realist, Wilmarth finally agrees to go visit an educated correspondent who claims to have proof of the crab-like creatures ; letters, pictures, audio recordings, and a possible rune covered stone all hint at the actual existence of aliens that have been on the earth for years. As soon as Wilmarth arrives in Vermont, he begins to suspect that the secret conspiracy is more real and larger than he could have ever expected. Is the earth doomed and is there still time to save the human race?

The cast of "The Whisperer in Darkness" includes several members frequently heard in the H.P Lovecraft Historical Society's Dark Adventure Radio Theatre (D.A.R.T) radio plays. These include star Matt Foyer, Barry Lynch, Andrew Leman, and Sean Branney. It's great to see them after hearing their voices in all of the great D.A.R.T projects. "The Whisperer in Darkness" is not currently streaming anywhere or available to rent, but you can purchase a copy directly from the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society at their website https://www.hplhs.org/

Final Destination 5 (2011) #461

 

A return to a favorite series, “Final Destination 5” follows in the exact foot steps of the previous films. The main character has a premonition about a massive disaster and how several people experience a gruesome death. The main character then warns everyone before the disaster occurs, temporarily saving those several other people before they end up dying in some other horrible fashion. The disasters include a plane explosion, a massive traffic pile up, a roller coaster falling apart, a racetrack speedway accident, and finally a suspension bridge under construction falling apart.

Like part 3 and 4, the survivors in “Final Destination 5” are simple character tropes that don’t have their moment to become fully developed as actual people. They have there one outstanding trait to lead them narratively to the situation that will cause their death. Since this is a horror movie, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this but I had high hopes since this felt like possible jump start to the series after part 4 was named “The Final Destination”. 

Nicolas D’Agosto stars as Sam, an inspiring chef as well as a sales associate at a manufacturing plant. He is the lucky one to experience the premonition this time around, convincing half of his coworkers to leave the bus that they were on before the bridge falls apart. He saves his girlfriend Molly, played by Emma Bell  “Frozen“, his best friend Peter, coworkers Nathan, Candice, Olivia, Issac, and his boss Dennis. He then spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out why people are still dying and how to save them. A new idea on how to stop the cycle is suggested by Bludworth, once again played by the amazing Tony Todd ("Candyman"and "Night of the Living Dead").

The main appeal to the "Final Destination" series is watching the huge disaster in the beginning and the jaw dropping crazy ways that people die afterwards. In comparison to the other films, this one does not disappoint. What doe set this one apart from the other is the fact that this was released during the most recent era of 3D movies, a time when almost every film that was released in theaters had a more expensive 3D version to watch. You can tell early on that this is the case as the film makers took every chance to use the 3D effect through the movie. This isn't too distracting if you know about this before hand and have had previous experience with such films. 

Favorite moment - Besides the main disaster scene in the beginning of the film, my favorite moment is watching Sam walk through the restaurant that he works in, seeing each and every kitchen that could be used to kill him. So, so many different ways to die in in kitchen!

Second favorite moment - Each film references the previous films, usually the original, and I love how this film does the same thing.

Quarantine 2: Terminal (2001) #390

Like many sequels in the horror genre, "Quarantine 2: Terminal" just doesn't live up to the expectations that were set by the original film in the series. This is not to say that this is a poor movie, only that it would have been stronger as a stand-alone original idea rather than as a sequel. "Quarantine 2: Terminal" breaks from the original in two important ways; first, it isn't shown from a found footage style perspective and second, it is an entirely different story than "REC 2", the Spanish version that "Quarantine" is inspired by. Given all of the source material and expectations that were built from the three films that preceeded this one ("Quarantine", "REC", and "REC 2"), "Quarantine 2: Terminal" was bound to struggle. I feel that this film comes across as a knock off of a "Resident Evil" sequel more than one from "Quarantine". The best part of the film is the first 15 minutes as you watch and try to figure out who exactly on board the plane is the person responsible for spreading the rabies-like infection.

You're Next (2011) #386

"You're Next" is a thrilling standout in the home invasion horror sub-genre. The premise presented delivers an excellent reason as to why there are so many potential victims and an even more delightful and satisfying reason as to why the film's heroine is so well suited for the chilling situation that she finds herself in. The acting is solid, the pacing is perfect, and the movie's twist and turns feel fresh and exciting even if you see them coming (which I didn't). Finally, the way that the victims are killed off one by one are creative and varied, making "You're Next" a must see horror film.

Like other home invasion horror movies of recent memory, like "The Purge" and "The Strangers", "You're Next" hides the identities of the invaders by using simple and not overly complicated masks. The use of the animal masks, which were heavily used in movie posters and other forms of advertisements, effectively strike a chord and heighten the sense of terror.

The adult children and their respective significant others gather together in a large rural house to celebrate their parent's anniversary and their father's recent retirement. During dinner, the family is attacked by a group of unknown assailants wearing animal masks. The family is killed off one by one until Erin, a new girlfriend of one of the sons, begins fighting back.

Favorite moment - A clever use using a blender to kill someone.

Crowsnest (2012) #374

I'm a fan of the point of view, found footage sub-genre and so I'm willing to give most movies with this premise a chance even though these films are quickly running out of unique and interesting sceniores. "Crowsnest" is a film that has some unique moments that I hadn't seen before in a "found footage" movie but it also contained plenty of scenes I've seen before, which sadly slowed the film down and tested my patience. When the film was finished, I was left feeling slightly disappointed and wishing for an extra few scenes that could have made the movie truly unique and fresh. The actors and the characters they portrayed were all in their mid twenties/post college age and felt too similar and typical to really root and cheer for; as always, there's always the one character that has to spell out the coming doom and danger and does a super cheesy job of it. 

Without spoiling the unique scenes too much, I'll simply say that this film felt inspired by "The Blair Witch Project", "Wrong Turn", and a little bit of the original "Jeepers Creepers"  for excitement. 

Retreat (2011) #370

"Retreat" is a suspenseful but simple film about a couple who are out on a tiny island with a single large cottage, trying to enjoy their vacation/work on their marriage when I bloodied solider collapses on the pathway to the house. The tension quickly builds when the solider, Private Jack Colman, tells the couple, Martin and Kate, that there has been a deadly epidemic released in England and elsewhere and that the three must quarantine themselves away in the cottage. The virus has a 100% kill rate and the victims are dying slow painful deaths as they cough up blood as their lungs quickly deteriorate. At first Martin and Kate do as they're told, but as Jack's behavior starts to shift and his story stops making sense, the two try to find a way out of their hostage-like situation and a means off the secluded island.

What makes this film work so well are the strong performances of the three lead actors. Cilian Murphy isn't a stranger to this kind of film, and Jaime Bell and Thandie Newton prove without a doubt that they also know how to play off the tension that is growing between the characters. This is a solid film that first time director Carl Tibbetts should be proud of and I can't wait to see if he creates any other tense, chilling films in the future.

Tormented (2011)

Japanese horror master Takashi Shimizu is back with his 2011 film "Tormented". Filmed in 3D, this movie is more about atmosphere and mood rather than plot or scares. It's a very beautiful film and the 3D effects are not distracting while watching on a non-3D format screen. The story is heavy influenced by the "Little Mermaid" and is directly referred to several times. The movie is worth watching but not if you are looking for something intricate or scary. Although the rabbit suit is unnerving at first....


Kiriko is a mute young woman who lives with her 10 year old step-brother Daigo and their father, a reclusive children's book maker. One day Daigo kills an injured rabbit at school and then shortly after this event, he begins to have nightmares about a person in a giant rabbit suit. Kiriko tries to get her father to help them but it's apparent that she and her little brother are alone in dealing with the increasing terror that the Rabbit is causing. They soon believe that is has something to do with Diago's mother, who died during childbirth, Is she coming back to haunt them?

Fright Night (2011)

One of my favorite remakes of recent memory is the 2011 production of "Fright Night". While I appreciate the original 1985 version, I find the remake to be a superior movie. The teens characters look more like teenagers, the dialogue and reactions between characters are played realistically and less comical, and the special effects are pretty top notch. The pacing is more comfortable in the remake and the overall story is sharper and streamlined. Finally, I love that the movie is now set in Las Vegas, a perfect place for a vampire to hunt his prey.

From the leads to the supporting cast, everyone gives a stellar performance. Anton Yelchin shines as Charley, a former geek turned popular high school kid who comes to believe that his neighbor is a vampire. He plays this role very seriously, a perfect anchor that allows some of the other characters to have their comedic moments. Imogen Poots, who shared the screen with Anton in “ “plays Amy, Charley’s girlfriend and Toni Collette plays Charley’s mom Jane.

Colin Ferrel is confident, sexy, and completely predatory as the new neighborhood vampire, Jerry. His presence, which a good vampire needs, commands the screen whenever he appears. I really enjoyed this kind of portrayal of a vampire and is reminiscent of those from “30 Days of Night”.  Finally, taking the place of Roddy McDowall from the original is David Tennat, fresh from his time from “Dr. Who”. Like Mr. McDowall, Tennat’s performance adds a level of dark comedy to the film. David Tennant does a wonderful job of making the role of Peter Vincent, Vampire Hunter, his own. In this version, he is a stage magician with his own show at the Hard Rock Café Hotel. 

Charley comes to suspect that his new neighbor might be a vampire after Ed, his former best friend, points out to Charley that several students have gone missing recently. After trying to prove his point, Evil Ed is tracked down by the vampire in question, Jerry, who turns Ed into one of his vampire minions. Charley explores Jerry's house and discovers a girl that Jerry had brought home one night is tied up in a secret room. Charley is able to get her outside but she burns to dust when the daylight touches her skin. Charley then turns to a famed Vegas act featuring a self claimed Vampire Killer, the magician Peter Vincent. Peter dismisses Charley after he asks for help. The next night Jerry attacks Charley's house, and Charley, his mom, and his girlfriend Amy barely escape the assault. While asking Peter for help again, Charley, Peter, and Amy are attacked by Ed and Jerry. Ed is killed off but Jerry takes advantage when Charley and Amy are separated, biting her and turning her into a vampire. Peter finally agrees to help and the two take a brave, final stand as they take on Jerry in his own house.

The Moth Diaries (2011)

"The Moth Diaries" isn't a standard vampire story by any means and some may even argue that isn't one at all. The film takes the vampire concept in a different direction than usual, where the vampire in question walks around daylight and sips tea and instead of blood, she drains her victim's soul. There is even a subtle nod to Bram Stoker's version by having the vampire's victim share the same name as Dracula's first British victim, Lucy. It also deals with the pain of having a loved one commit suicide and trying to heal and move on. "The Moth Diaries" is a dark, fresh, and very engaging film about the supernatural.


Sixteen year old Rebecca is sent to a private all girls school after her well known poet father commits suicide and her mother is unable to care for her. The movie begins at the start of Rebecca's third year at the school, where she is delighted to see her best friend Lucy again. Lucy was the first girl that befriended Rebecca and the two became very close. A few days after the school year begins, Rebecca is introduced to the mysterious new student Ernessa. Lucy becomes a quick friend to Ernessa, slowly shunning Rebecca more and more. Rebecca comes to suspect that Ernessa might be a vampire after being introduced to the novel "Carmilla" in one of her classes; it doesn't help that the other students also notice that she never eats. And then, one by one, Rebecca's other friend's are forced from the school, or worse, are killed, after Rebecca begins to seek out the truth about Ernessa. Did Rebecca really see Ernessa walk along the edge of the balcony and through a glass window? Why isn't Lucy eating anymore as her energy slowly slips away? And Why does Ernessa keep talking to Rebecca about her father's suicide and how she and Rebecca are so much alike?

Rebecca

Rebecca and Lucy sharing a moment

Ernessa and the rain of blood

Ernessa, the new girl

State of Emergency (2011)

"State of Emergency" is a very straight forward zombie, low budget film that includes a reason as to why there are zombies as well as a rare "after the apocalypse" scene that shows the survivors hugging each other in disbelief that they made it through the ordeal. The lead actor does a decent job with his role but some of the other actors portraying survivors have their moments of being outright obnoxious; if this was a script choice or an acting choice isn't exactly clear. According to the credits, the film was directed, written, edited, and musically scored by one person, Turner Clay; that is a lot of work for one person to do and I think he did a great job. There are only a few moments in the film that make it memorable in a field that is currently over saturated, and I'll go over those moment now.


The film opens with a scene that takes places later in the film, placed here just to add suspense. After this, it jumps to Jay and his girlfriend Emilie, who is slowly dying from stomach wounds. They are trying to find shelter after a large explosion occurs at a near by chemical plant. They make it to an old farmhouse but Emilie dies. Jay secures the farmhouse as well as he can, but an infected zombie-like resident attacks Jay, chasing him around until he is able to get to a gun and kill his assailant. Jay tries to get the attention of the military helicopters that occasionally fly by but to no avail. He actions does attract the attention of a group of survivors who are hiding in a large, well protected warehouse. Jay is able to safely get to the warehouse where he meets Scott and his wife Julie, as well as the loner Ix. While at the warehouse, Jay and Scott try to figure out their next move while waiting out zombies, including one that could still talk and was begging to be let in. When Ix falls into a diabetic coma, Jay decides to risk going outside to collect a pack of emergency supplies that the military dropped around the quarantine zone to help those who were not infected. A homing device is triggered and the military comes and saves the survivors just as their warehouse is broken in to. Each of the four survivors is tested and cleared, and given permission to leave.

What I liked best - the use of sounds are amazing, especially those used while Jay is alone in the farmhouse. So many echoes and mysterious noises, as well as the lovely rainfall in the background.

Vile (2011)

"Vile" is another film where a group of people are forced to accomplish a gruesome goal within a strict time period or be killed by their captors, and yet again this concept feels forced and hokey because it doesn't have the same gravitas that "Saw" had; this film is more like "Kill Theory" than "Hunger" but has some how managed to achieve the ability of being harder to believe than even those two movies. What saves this movie from it's unbelievable premise is the acting and the very satisfying epilogue of the film. What almost kills this movie right off the bat is the incredibly slow and meandering beginning and the non-stop torture-porn once it begins. This is not a film I would recommend for entertainment purposes unless you enjoy scenes of innocent strangers torturing each other (I don't).

Taylor is on a camping trip with her boyfriend and another couple. She's trying to tell him that she's pregnant but never finds the right moment. On the way back home, they pick up a woman who says that she ran out of gas. They take her to her car, which is in the direction they want to go, and after she gets out she comes back and gasses the the main characters. The four wake up in a strange house locked in with six others. The group watches a video of an older woman explaining that they must fill up a container connected to their brains with the chemicals that are produced when someone is experiencing extreme pain, and that they only have 22 hours to complete their task. The group is civil (for the most part) and try to accomplish the task so they can go home. But things don't go the way they should and someone knows more than they are sharing with the others....

Penumbra (2011)

“Penumbra” is another horror film that focuses on the actions of a cult and the outsider that unwittingly becomes involved. What make this a great movie is the well-developed main character, Marga, and the experiences that she has over several hours. She is a fierce lawyer from Barcelona who is in Buenos Aires to rent an apartment that she and her sister own. She hates being outside of Spain, thinks she’s better than everyone else (including her coworkers and sister) and she makes sure that everyone knows this. It’s this arrogance, and an odd confrontation, that leads her to her ultimate downfall and in a situation that she could never have imagined. Although the film has several long scenes that feel like they don’t belong or that they’re advancing the story, everything comes together as the sense of a creeping paranoia takes hold and grows up to the big reveal. Paranoia is a difficult feeling to capture on film and I feel that this movie does an excellent job of doing so.

Marga is in Buenos Aires to rent an apartment that she and her sister own. Her sister hates dealing with people so Marga has to make time out of her busy schedule to meet with the realtor and close the deal. She goes into the building and finds a man standing outside the door. She assumes he’s the realtor and when asked, he says yes. They go inside and she shows him around. Marga is about ready to leave since he doesn’t have any paperwork with him but he tells her that his client is willing to pay four times the asked amount and that the paperwork is on its way. With the temptation of a large payout, Marga stays and places a few rude calls to her office to cancel her afternoon meeting. As the time goes by and Marga performs tedious tasks like cleaning and running to a store to buy supplies, more individuals show up claiming to be from the real estate agency. Eventually she realizes that they’re not with any real estate agency and when she tries to get help from those she’s insulted or put off, she becomes a hostage to a cult that wants her apartment, a place where unique drawings and instructions are painted on the walls that were covered up by wall paper and furniture that are required for a special ritual that can only be performed today during the total eclipse of the sun….

Insidious (2011)

I felt that the movie “Insidious” offered a unique and refreshing look into the theme of possession and other worldly spirits. This is the only film that I can think of offhand that involves astral projection and the way that it’s used here is pretty clever. Like Carol Ann from “Poltergeist”, young Dalton is a beacon to lonely ghosts and a rather dangerous demon that wants to possess the child and cause havoc in the real world. The difference here is that Dalton has the ability to astral project his conciseness while he sleeps and he does this often enough that he gets “lost” and is kept hostage by the evil spirits until they can control his body. Only his father Josh can save him because like his son, he can project himself as well and by doing so, he must face the dangers that he has fought since his own childhood. To say anything more would ruin the movie!

“Insidious” was created by the same team that started the “Saw” series; written by Leigh Whannel and directed by James Wan. They took a different path, making a film that was PG-13. The movie is still has their sense of intelligence and smart use of effects to tell this creepy demon/ghost story that keeps the viewer entertained and engaged.

Atrocious (2011)

The great part of this project is digging out old favorites that I haven’t seen in years and discovering new films that I haven’t heard about before. “Atrocious” is a very recent discovery and is now one of my all-time favorites. It’s a found footage style movie that takes place in Sitges, Spain, following two teenage siblings filming clips for their web-series about urban legends. It has a very strong likeness to both “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity”. This is also one of the very few films that has ever really gotten to me. The first half of the movie does a great job establishing the everyday relationships of the characters and their environment and when the action begins in the second half, it doesn’t stop until the movie is done! This film also has one of the better endings for a horror movie I’ve seen in a long time, because let’s be honest, that is one of the genres’ largest challenges.

Christian and his sister are being dragged to the family’s countryside summer home for the Easter holiday. Before leaving, Christian is given two camcorders from his friend David so Christian and July can record clips for their web-series about urban legends. The summer home is next to a forest where a girl named Melinda went missing in 1940. Since then, people who get lost in the forest are found by Melinda and she points the way out. The two days after they arrive, the pair sneak away from their parents and their younger brother behind, they sneak through a metal gate and find a large tree labyrinth. The siblings split up, get lost, and finally find each other. Before leaving on the second day, they find a small gazebo in one area and an old well in a different area. After the father is called back to work in the city, things start to happen. First the family dog goes missing and is later found by Christian and July. Then their little brother disappears in the middle of the night. Their mother, in a panic, runs into the labyrinth looking for him as the siblings try to stay together. Everyone gets split up in the dark and then the bad scary things happen….

Favorite moment – the last 15 minutes. This is a short film at only 75 minutes long, but it has wonderful pacing and this IS one the best endings I’ve seen in a long time. The pacing is perfect and the story is kept very simple.

Another favorite moment – I love the times when the tape is rewound or fast forwarded and shown again or is inserted with police reports or media coverage. This is a found footage movie after all, so the events have all happened in the past.

Apartment 143 (2011)

You can tell that some film makers really like the Found Footage format when the footage isn’t even lost! That’s the case in “Apartment 143”, a film where the events are captured on mounted cameras around an apartment as well as two hand held recorders. When the film wraps up, the film crew leaves one last camera rolling so they can explain everything later. Hmmm….. “Apartment 143” was a decent film but nothing special; it’s not the kind of movie that I would even throw into the DVD player and have on as background noise. The movie is full of complicated ghost hunting equipment that almost feels a little bit on the excessive side, but I think that’s the point they might have been going for. After everything is said and done, the big twist at the end leaves the viewer a bit confused and saying “that’s it?”

A doctor of some sort and his two assistants respond to a claim of ghost activity in a nearly abandoned apartment building. The residents of apartment 143 is a single father and his two children, a 16 year old girl and a 4 year old boy. The family is a bit dysfunctional and likes to fight in front of their guests. The doctor and his team interview the father and son and bring in various pieces of equipment. Throughout the film, the two assistants become excited when they begin to think that they might be onto a real ghost encounter, even if the doctor never really reacts to anything. Finally they figure out what’s going on and solve the issues. The End.

Yawn.

The doctor’s character was the main distraction for me. Even if he knew what was going on, he never really seemed that engaged in the situation. Too calm and collected and maybe there just to collect a paycheck? The other distraction in the movie was the ending; I’m not satisfied with how it ended and I wish they had chosen a different way to wrap everything up.

Favorite moment – the scene that had the only real scare, where they are all standing in the dark and….

Expiration (2011)

“Expiration” is a low budget South African horror film that takes a unique look at zombie-like creatures and how they become that way. It’s a dark and gritty film that keeps the viewer mostly engaged considering some of its challenges. One of the most obvious obstacles that this film could not overcome was the limited space of where the story takes place. The movie is shot almost entirely in a rundown hospital so this means that there is scene after scene in the same rooms, in the same hallways, in the same stair cases. When there is finally a scene that takes place in a new location, the viewer is tempted to jump up and down for joy for finally seeing something new. Other reviews I’ve read about this movie agree with sentiment. But considering that the budget for this film was so low, an estimated $70k, I’m not be too bothered by the retentiveness as others might be.

The film opens with four strangers gathering in a plain white office and signing medical experimentation waivers. Two are there to find a cure for their ailments; one is paralyzed due to a car accident and the other has inoperable brain cancer. The other two are there simply to collect the payment fee of $50k for the five day study. The head medical examiner reminds them that once they sign the form, they are confined for the entire five days. Without hesitation they sign the form and swallow a pill that will sedate them. When they awake, they find themselves being carted through a dirty rundown hospital by military type gunmen who drop them off in a room before quickly exiting the premises. They quickly realize that more than five days have passed (2 months!) and that the two with medical issues are cured. They also realize that they are locked in and when two armed security arrive with guns blazing, they learn that they are locked in with the previous round of experiment candidates who unfortunately suffered dreadful side effects. The rest of the movie turns into a cat and mouse chase with each person fending for themselves.

Favorite moment – The opening scene grabs the attention of the viewer and sets the tone that these are volunteers and they themselves are ultimately responsible for what is about to occur.

Grave Encounters (2011) #8

"Grave Encounters" was a pleasant surprise that I recently saw for the first time. It's a found footage movie about a group of ghost hunters who are filming a reality show and spend the night locked in an old mental hospital, never to be seen again. The host and his crew are trying their best to appear polished and professional but are clearly desperate to make their show successful. While some of the daytime interviews with the caretaker and a local historian are decent, they feel it necessary to bribe a landscaper to lie and say that he has seen a ghost at the site. Finally, the psychic arrives, declaring the hospital to high levels of spiritual activity. The personalities being film are over the top and one dimensional but laugh about it after the shoot is over. But once they are locked in and ghost-like activities begin, you can see the cast becoming real and relatable.

The actions of the host, Lance Preston, remind me of Heather from "Blair Witch" with his constant need to record what's going on when it might be a better idea on trying to survive the next encounter. But I give kudos to his film crew because they did set up ten stationary cameras in the ghost "hot spots" and these vantage points give the viewer something besides the standard Point of View to watch.

Favorite moment – The film crew and host are getting upset because they haven’t found any ghost activity that they can use. At this moment the hair on the host’s assistant is lifted up on one side and she begins to freak out.