Review: Found Footage 3D

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Found-footage filming gives new filmmakers a chance to make big movies on a low budget. For years, the increasingly saturated subgenre has inundated the horror industry with an onslaught of flack, recently dying down to complacency and general acceptance. The fact is, found-footage films are easy to consume and can actually be scary. But for some, the filming method will always be unworthy. These critics would argue that found-footage has been done to death. Jumping onto that trend is Found Footage 3D; a film that is ironically found-footage and only sometimes as aware as it wants to be.


Written and directed by Steven DeGennaro, Found Footage 3D follows a group of friends destined for a cabin to film a cheap horror film. Once there, they find out that the cabin is haunted and what was originally supposed to be just a movie, is something far scarier. It stars Carter Roy (Refuge) as the lead actor and creator, Derek, Alena von Stroheim (Hacker's Game) as Derek's ex and costar, Amy, Chris O'Brien (Tenured) as the videographer, Mark, Jessica Perrin (A Song for Danny) as a production assistant, and Tom Saporito (Best Day Ever) as the film's director.


For a movie that presents itself as such a transcendent art piece, there's plenty to critique. Outside of it's innovative, yet gimmicky 3D production, Found Footage 3D borrows a lot from other horror films. Reminiscent of superior movies like Sinister and Hell House, LLC, the awareness in this film is often exchanged for jump scares and borrowed sequences. Attempting to build some satirical approach to found-footage films, Found Footage 3D is a send up of tropes and conventions that succeeds only to lukewarm degrees. Embedded into the film is a deep disdain for the very kind of movie that's being made, and while the attempt might be made to ensure that it's the fictional characters within the movie who hate the subgenre and not the filmmakers, there's an air of self-loathing and condescension.

The biggest problem is that Found Footage 3D takes a lot of shots at other movies but never really does much to exceed expectations. Calling out a mere pair of found-footage films as adequate, the filmmakers ignore plenty of other progressive and scary products in the subgenre. Movies like Unfriended may not appeal to everyone, but at least they're inventive in their storytelling and camera work, and others like As Above, So Below may be flawed, but at least at their core they're scary. The fact is that for something so aggressively conscious, viewers would think the resulting plot and ploys would be terrifying and accomplished, not bland and only occasionally scary.

Found Footage 3D comes across as an excuse for the filmmakers to bemoan a successful subgenre while seeming perceptive. But, the resulting film isn't much more than a glass house occupant throwing a lot of stones. There's some good scares and the characters have a lovable potential, but the constant struggle to identify itself as a superior film all leave Found Footage 3D  feeling quite pompous. 4 out of 10.

Review: Creep 2

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In terms of cultivating a truly disturbing horror movie, sometimes practicality is scarier than fantasy. Slasher films have utilized this aspect for years; giving their killer some supernatural powers, but ultimately grounding them in reality. Found-footage films employ similar techniques to make the movie feel realistic and scarier, and while they've been done over and over again, their effectiveness has barely dwindled. Melding slasher and found-footage, with a product that feels almost too real, is Creep and its new single, creatively named Creep 2.

Once again starring Mark Duplass (Togetherness) as the titular Aaron/Peachfuzz the Wolf, Creep 2 amps up the first's premise and expands the serial killer's mythology. When videographer Sara, played by Desiree Akhavan (Appropriate Behavior), goes searching for a new story for her Craigslist ad-based web series, "Encounters," she stumbles into the demented world of Aaron. Promising to not kill Sara, Aaron asks the fame-chaser to film him and document his sinister tendencies.


Once again, Duplass is the star of the show. But, the addition of the equally daring Sara is a welcome change of pace. Akhavan plays her part well; fully committing to the more strained, yet willing participant in Aaron's games. Her Sara is truly special in that she recognizes all Aaron could offer her, while acknowledging the toll. She's aware, but overcome by her desire to achieve and her ability to go toe-to-toe with Aaron is great viewing.


Creep 2 is undoubtedly a slasher. Leaning into the subgenre's inevitable continuity, this sequel comes across as - at the very least - as well thought out. As bitingly uncomfortable and disconcertingly comedic as the original, Creep 2 is easily one of the more impressive sequels  to be released in the horror industry, Throughout its run, anyone and everyone can expect to be completely shaken by the pauses of silence, distant stares and odd rituals of a man who is clearly unhinged.


Is Creep 2 necessary? Maybe not. But, for what it's worth, it's a hell of a ride and one you won't be quick to forget. It's a deeply unsettling character study of a fictional serial killer and the victim who may be crazier than him. It's a film that elaborates on human's blind ambition and the conflict we face when our goals converge with others opposing ideas. Creep 2 is twisting and dark, and completely worth every moment. 8 out 10.

In Defense: The Gallows

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Remember when audiences and critics alike gave up on the found-footage genre? Yeah, that happened about five years before the untimely release of The Gallows by Warner Bros. Pictures. Too similar to the oversaturated found-footage and teen horror subgenres, the release of The Gallows was met with critic panning and complete dismay. But, unlike some truly horrible horror films, the complete disregard for The Gallows is somewhat unwarranted.

Set in the modern day, The Gallows follows a group of teens exploring their school after dark in an attempt to destroy a play set. The Gallows mythology is built around a fictional play of the same name that 20 years prior had been central to an accidental hanging of a student at the school. Upon arrival, the teens become locked in the school and things descend into chaos from there. The film stars Reese Mishler (The End of Forever) - a Troy Bolton type, originally forced into the play but having grown to care for it and his drama queen costar Pfeiffer, played by Pfeiffer Brown. His more cliquey friend Ryan and Ryan's girlfriend Cassidy spearhead the attempted downfall of the play and are played by Ryan Shoos (Bastard) and Cassidy Spilker (God's Not Dead).


Not to deny the film's flaws, it's important to point out how paper thin the film is. Featuring a pretty basic execution and some tumbled camerawork, The Gallows deserves criticism for its lack of originality. But, plenty of movies are and The Gallows certainly sets itself up better with a fresher angle than many movies that get far more critical praise (every superhero movie - especially from Marvel is the same) and even though the shaky cam is worn, it’s never criminally bad. There's plenty of atmosphere and built suspense, unlike actually bad horror movies like The Bye Bye Man and even the film's predictability isn't entirely a bad thing because it does fill out its edges properly before making a dashing bolt for the finish line.


So what's actually good about The Gallows? Well, for starters, the film offers a pretty great, young cast who feed into their roles with deep commitment. Spiller in particular is a memorable addition as the sometimes-mean girl and Shoos plays condescending well. These purposely unlikable characters make for one of horror's most iconic and useful tools: a group of bad characters who have bad things happen to them. It's a restful and entertaining experience for viewers who crave this type of satisfaction and is an overlooked part of the film. On top of that, the cheap, but effective jump scares that run rampant throughout the film make for a suspense-driven journey that works most of the time.


Horror shouldn't always be about achievement. Sometimes - especially in the summer months - fans of the genre just want something easy and fun to watch. The Gallows is that movie. It's a simple, but entertaining film that features some great young stars, a few terrific jump scares and enough bang for your buck to make it worth it. Even if it's not some landmark film with deep meaning or an original plot, The Gallows does exactly what viewers should have thought it would do.

Review: Phoenix Forgotten

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Found-footage has been at somewhat of a stand still. While much of horror fans' hatred of the oversaturated subgenre has subsided into a place of apathy, and sometimes mild pleasure, found-footage has been unable to recapture the horror industry. But, some mildly successful attempts are being made- the harshly criticized, but not actually awful films, The Gallows and Blair Witch swept theaters and attempted to reinvigorate viewers' attention to the  gimmicky, but intimate shooting style, and with Phoenix Forgotten, the subgenre proves to still have legs.

Phoenix Forgotten tells the story of three local teens, Josh, played by Luke Spencer Roberts (Hail, Caesar!), Ashley, played by Chelsea Lopez (Novitiate) and Mark, played by Justin Matthews (The Interestings), who go missing during their tapped investigation of the Phoenix Lights Phenomenon.  The film also stars Clint Jordan (Down to the Bone) and Cyd Strittmatter (Gone Girl) as Josh's parents and Florence Hartigan (Shortland Street) as Sophie, Josh's sister. The actors of Phoenix Forgotten aren't awful and actually extend the movie's appeal past what it could have been. The teens are retro-fun, mentioning films like Contact and inflecting certain lovability to their characters and the actors playing the various parents each seem invested in their roles.

Phoenix Forgotten takes a while to get going, but once it starts it is interesting and entertaining enough to keep audience attention. There's some creepy tension and scares tossed in and the degradation of the teens' spirit is compelling enough. The movie is especially propelled by its alien lore and true-life backstory; something that it takes full advantage of. There's amazing abduction sequences and plenty of crazy-in-the-dark moments, too.

Like a desert-themed Blair Witch Project, the premise of the film follows near-exact lines except for a modern day documentary in production simultaneously with the discovery of the disappeared teens' tapes. This point of view, following Sophie, is never clearly laid out or concluded. When the final tape is revealed and plays out over the screen, that is the film's ending and we never discover the results of Sophie releasing the tape or whatever was supposed to happen. This is problematic, not because it could possibly open up to an unlikely sequel, but because while the final scenes are entertaining, they could only be considered a proper ending if the modern day storyline had some sort of final moment, as well. This is definitely the film's biggest failure. Even with too strong of similarities to The Blair Witch Project, a lot of this movie comes undone, not by a lack of scares or compelling storytelling, but because the ending feels blank and incorrect. This may have been the intent of the filmmakers, but it doesn't stop it from feeling off.

Is Phoenix Forgotten amazing? Certainly not. But, for a film that seemingly popped out of nowhere, it's a fun, intro-to-summer flick. It's got a lot of things that work and some pretty hefty things that don't, but there's enough to keep it moving along. Phoenix Forgotten doesn't deserve any point for originality, but it doesn't need to be decimated by its copycat result. It's a simple and fun found-footage horror film that people should consider, because while enjoyable, the fact is, Phoenix probably will be forgotten. 5. out of 10.

 

Best in Show: Found Footage (II of II)

Here it is, the conclusion to my favorite found-footage horror movies! Below, you'll find a list of the horror movies I cannot get enough of. Shot with shaking hands and filled with scares, I would consider this subgenre to be underrated. Sure, there are one too many, but for the gems listed previously and for those below, the found-footage subgenre owes a lot of gratitude. These movies are fantastically spooky.

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5. The Last Exorcism (2010)

I really love a good exorcism movie. And, with so many out there, I have a ton of options. Unfortunately for that point, quantity doesn't equal quality, and for exorcism movies, there seems to be a slim picking of The Exorcist-level terror. Enter 2010's The Last Exorcism. Easily one of the scariest exorcism movies out there, The Last Exorcism is a gripping addition to the subgenre- even if its use of found-footage isn't that necessary or great. Ashley Bell is amazing (and flexible) as the titular star of the show. Her innocence-turned-evil personality is an incredible transformation worthy of attention.

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4. The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Blair Witch Project holds the distinct position as being the first found-footage horror movie I ever watched. I cannot necessarily saw what I like so much about this movie. Maybe it's its originality or its atmosphere, but realistically, the first time I saw The Blair Witch Project, I did not enjoy it. However, time and again, every fall I rewatch this movie that I had thought I didn't enjoy. Every time I see it though, I notice something different. Whether it's new sounds or a subtle moment, I grip my seat a little tighter. I really have gone back and forth on my feelings about this movie, but in this post, I do hereby declare, that I've enjoyed 99 out of 100 times I have seen The Blair Witch Project.



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3. As Above, So Below (2014)

I never understood the hatred this movie got. Despite being a relatively original and filled to the brim with scares, the story of an adventurous archaeologist didn't receive much of a warm reception. I've seen this movie numerous times and still cannot figure out what people's problems were with it. Sure it was at peak found-footage hate, but As Above, So Below isn't only scary, it's also really interesting. Even without the scares, this movie would be an entertaining exploration film that delves deep underneath Paris. By knocking out all of the marks that most "bad" horror movies can't overcome, like bad acting and a lack of suspense, As Above, So Below impressed me more than most modern horror films do and continues to do so after every revisit.

2. The House October Built (2014)

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I'll be honest; The Houses October Built will more than likely be included on numerous lists throughout this blog until I'm sure every person ever has seen it. The Houses October Built is a stellar found-footage horror movie that actually makes sense. The whole documentary angle can seem tired and used up, but when there is a topic that would actually be documented with video cameras; like a group of friends searching for the ultimate haunted house, the resulting film can be a grounded and terrifying experience. I love The Houses October Built because it is such an effortless experience that never tries to go above and beyond but is entirely confident in its capabilities.

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1. The Visit (2015)

The Visit is by far one of the best modern horror movies out there. Intentionally funny, equally terrifying and shined with a plot twist that could make classic M. Night Shyamalan happy, this film marked the revival of a director who had become the butt of jokes. The Visit is insane. Each moment of this movie is horrifying. From the darkened hallways where the grandmother runs to the final climactic moments that could take your breath away, Add points for Kathryn Hahn's existence and placement in this movie and also for the scene underneath the house because it was shot in complete daylight proving once and for all that sometimes the scariest things in your life take place under the sun.

 

 

Best in Show: Found Footage (I of II)

When I decided to list out my favorite found-footage horror movies for this blog I had one thing in mind: Avoid the [REC] vs. Quarantine argument. For sure, there are strong arguments as to why [REC] is better- it's the original after all. But, I also feel like that shouldn't necessarily discredit its actually scary American remake. So, to avoid any argument from either side, I omitted these movies all together (you can toss them in wherever you want on this list). But, when I did eventually make out this article, I realized just how many options I had. Found-footage was a strong forced to be reckoned with and then it quickly petered out through oversaturation. However, between the muck and glum of various restarts for the subgenre, there are a lot of strong gems.



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10. The Bay (2012) & The Sacrament (2014) (A TIE! NO WAY!)

I'm not entirely sure what possessed me (get it?) to put these two next to each other. Maybe it was the fact that I couldn't justify removing one for the other or maybe it's the fact that both movies are about investigations, but either way they deserve slots on this list.

For those with a weak stomach, The Bay is probably a movie you'll want to miss. But for those that do, this movie about a polluted water system and one local reporter's mission to survive and uncover the secrets behind the contamination, is a terrifying eco-horror story that is especially relevant today. The Bay is the type of movie that will make your skin crawl, but with enough of a message that makes you think.

This past summer I went through a weird cult phase. I read The Girls, watched Holy Hell and Jesus Camp and tried to find anything I could that focused on this subgenre. I quickly found The Sacrament thanks to Netflix. The Sacrament follows a pair of journalists who visit a cult that has captivated their friend's sister. The cult is suspect at best and things quickly unravel. The Sacrament is an insane look at cult culture that will keep you on the edge of your seat.



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9. Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

I'll ignore any argument that suggests that any other part of the Paranormal Activity franchise is as good as its sequel. Easily the scariest and most definitely the most entertaining, the second film in the found-footage revival franchise is as good as sequels get. This movie left me haunted. The stories of the shadowy figure that sat at the end of the girls' beds as they slept kept me awake at night. I love Paranormal Activity 2 more than any in their mostly overrated franchise.

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8. Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998)

In 1989, UFO Abduction (sometimes called The McPherson Tapes) was quietly released with a low-budget, homemade look that made a huge impact. Like the radio hit, War of the Worlds, UFO Abduction was believed to be real. But, after the confusion died down and the production made its mark, it was the recreation and feature-length adaption in 1998, that truly deserves recognition. Made with actors and a higher budget, Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County struck a deep cord in me because of its grounded and realistic feel. Sure, I went in knowing the movie wasn't real, but the stuffy, homemade feel of the movie laid a tone that is hard to overlook. Alien abductions make for scary conspiracy theories, and this homemade look at one is a terrifyingly intimate addition.



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7. Lake Mungo (2010)

At varying points, Lake Mungo left me with more questions than answers. It's a somewhat confusing movie about a missing girl and the potential ghost that she became. It's filled with twists and turns and when Lake Mungo veers it continues to keep audiences attentive. The whole atmosphere of this movie and its gloomy setting are enough to draw viewers in and scare them with intermittent moments of terror.



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6. The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)

I feel like The Taking of Deborah Logan is the type of movie that belonged in theaters. It certainly offers a fair share of scares and its plot is much more original than most movies that come out of the genre. Everything about this movie is great. The acting is strong, the scares aren't cheap and the twisted nature at which the story unfolds is terrifyingly great. The Taking of Deborah Logan is a must-see for more than fans of the subgenre; it is a must for any horror fan out there.