Review: Bad Candy

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Bad Candy
Directed by Scott B. Hansen; Desiree Connell
Digital Thunderdome; Dread; Black Triad Entertainment; Epic Pictures; MVD Entertainment
103 minutes, 2021
https://epic-pictures.com/film/bad-candy
www.digitalthunderdome.com
https://www.facebook.com/BadCandyfilm/
www.mvdb2b.com

It is Christmas. So, what is a better time for an anthology film about Halloween, right? Both are about decorations, people in costumes (even if one is just ugly sweaters or red & white jackets and hats) and a whole lot of the “gimmes.”

Corey Taylor

All of the stories in this were created specifically for this collection, so there is a solid consistency in style and ideology. The wraparound story takes place at radio station 66.6 FM in a town called New Salem (of course; filmed in Atlanta), where a couple of disc jockeys are having their Halloween show, led by DJ Chilly Billy (Corey Taylor, better known as the lead singer of the band Slipknot); the other is Paul (Zach Galligan, of 1984’s Gremlins fame).

Zach Galligan

Right from the beginning, the very form of the film is interesting. Rather than the usual bookends and separate stories, this intermingles the yarns, sometimes in pieces, sometimes complete, and weaves them like a tapestry of terror. This way, the narratives can entwine into each other and overlap, which is fun. For example, there is an almost Krampus look at what happens to a nasty little kid that is complete, and then there is a longer tale of a young teen girl, Kyra (Riley Sutton) who wants to do trick-or-treating with her friends, but has to deal with her drunken bully of a dad (Kevin Wayne) who looks like he just stepped out of a Proud Boys poster (in a later story, there is a Brett Kavanaugh-type rapacious man wearing a backwards MAGA cap, so perhaps some subtle political commentary involved?).

However, the opening salvos, which would appeal to a younger generation, are just the doorway to a completely adult level of horror and gore to follow, including nail guns, necrophilia, razor blades in candy, and the like. It’s almost like “growing up,” progressing from one grade level to the next.

Riley Sutton

Beyond an obvious horror theme, there is also an almost psychedelic feel to the film that also relies heavily on fantasy, with some CGI enhancements, puppet monsters, and other wishful imagery. One of the nice aspects of all the stories by the same directors is the consistency of the look and feel, even as the tales take us to see events happening to people of various ages and emotion levels, from kids to teens to adults, some good people, many not as much. But this is a film of comeuppance for inner, personal malevolence by people taken to task by sentinel beings that are less than human.

Though I quite enjoyed that there is a consistency of style and look, there is also no uniformity on the use of whatever cine-magic takes to make the monsters come alive, be it – in part what I said above – CGI, puppets, practical SFX and demons in cool-looking clown costumes/make-up that are watchers for evil (almost slightly toned-down versions of the Killer Klowns from Outer Space from 1988). Also, the use of Halloween decorations and toys is a major theme throughout, as the camera zooms in around them and makes them into a Greek Chorus to “comment” on the actions on the screen. The mood, which is nearly another character in itself, is set with stark primary color lighting; it is a bit cliché, but still effective and well done here.

And what exactly is the “bad candy”? Well, that can depend on your perspective. It could be the razor blades, the drugs, imbibed drivers, the clown demons, or it could be most of the people we meet on their way to doing dastardly deeds.

All the stories are a bit silly (this is a light-hearted albeit spooky collection, after all), and yet they all actually work, without a clinker. My favorite, though, revolves around a few war veterans (including Derek Russo), but I won’t give more away other than I had a good laugh at the Lenny/rabbits connection (if you don’t get it, you may need a bit more literary edumacation).

The grand finale deals with a time-altering haunted house and the wraparound story that, while I am sure is supposed to be the Top Tier piece as it ties up so many of the bits, and it is really quite good, was more serious than most of the tone of the film, especially the wild piece that preceded it. Not a complaint in any way, it was still quite enjoyable and a good way to end the piece(s).

This Blu-ray is jam-packed with extras, including a full-length commentary. Honestly, I had issues with this for a number of reasons. First, the sound of the film is too loud and clashes with the talking of the two directors and married couple, Scott B. Hansen and Desiree Connell. Hansen often gets lost in the films actual track, which is unnecessary since there are subtitles available; usually one would watch the commentary and read the already-watched film’s dialogue in text to follow along. Also, Connell, whose mic is louder than Hansen’s, tends to overtalk him. The info they share is both at times interesting (such as finding out Connell played the CGI-enhanced fairy) and mundane (e.g., “I like this set piece”; “I ate so much candy”). I gave up on the commentary after about 20 minutes, but none of this reflects badly on the film proper, just hopefully a lesson learned for their next release?

There are three Behind the Scenes videos. The first is the real Making Of featurette (4 min.). However, it is mostly very quick edited shots of production with a loud soundtrack that practically makes nearly all of it b-roll with no focus narrative. It doesn’t really go anywhere.

The second is a stills collection of the production, and the third is similar to the first (2 min.). Then there are the Deleted Scenes. It was a slow start, but the final three or four were so worth the wait. While I understand why they were cut, even as standalones they were a blast, especially the last one.

There are two Filmmaker Interviews. The first is with director Hansen from the British “The Romford Sessions,” on Nerdly.com, via Zoom (35 min.). He discusses his influences, how the production got on its feet, and the amazing SFX, among others. Definitely the most interesting conversation so far. The second is, naturally, with Connell, who was also executive producer and screenwriter, by Shannon on FILMFave.com, again on Zoom (27 min.). As with Hansen’s piece, it is nicely informative and interesting, making it worth the watch. She discusses, among other things, being a woman in the business as your own influence, which is great. Both of these are better than the full-feature commentary.

The B-roll Rockwell Mansion Tour gives an overview, inside and out, of the creepy house used in the final sequence of the film. As someone who likes to photograph old and decaying houses, this was a joy, albeit short (1 min.).

The death metal band Uncured’s music video for the song “Sacrifice” was obviously shot by Hansen and some of the footage was used in a party scene in the film (4 min.). Also included are the storyboards for the Kyra scene with her dad, which is B-roll. It is well-done comic book-style art. Last are three trailers for this film, and a trio for the Dread brand.

So far, Bad Candy has won 17 best picture awards and played at more than 65 festivals around the globe.  And what is the overall moral of the film? Do not abuse jack-o-lanterns, real or plastic!

IMDB HERE  

Review: The Resonator: Miskatonic U

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

The Resonator: Miskatonic U
Directed by William Butler
Candy Bar Productions; Full Moon Features; MVD Entertainment
68 minutes, 2021
www.facebook.com/fullmoonfeatures/
www.fullmoonfeatures.com
www.mvdb2b.com

Before even starting on this review, there are two important things to keep in mind: the first and foremost is that this film is based on the H.P. Lovecraftian world of Miskatonic University, where old gods dwell and science projects go beyond baking soda volcanos. Anyone familiar with the likes of Stuart Gordon’s (d. 2020) vision of The Re-Animator (1985) and especially in this case, From Beyond (1986), should have their ears perking up. In the universe this occupies, it shares the space with both of Jeffery Combs’ characters, Crawford Tillinghast and Herbert West with different actors portraying each. An interesting concept.

The other is that this is a film from Full Moon Features, and while this is not directed by Charles Band (though he did produce it as he owns Full Moon), the label itself, like Troma, is known for various levels of cheese. I say that not as a criticism, but as a truthful observation. The trailers from the brand that come with this attest to that (four of six have drug references). Listen, I love me some cheese with my films, with horror especially.

Christina Braa, Dane Oliver

The main character here is Crawford Jr. (Dane Oliver), son of the scallywag who had his pineal gland grow out the top of his head. Crawford Sr. (Jeffrey Byron) was also a professor at MisU, before his demise, as is Katherine McMichaels (a cameo by Amanda Wyss, infamous for being in A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984 and Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982), obviously getting over being driven mad in the original From Beyond where her character was played by Barbara Crampton. Another academic of note is professor Wallace (the underrated Michael Pare, brought to fame with the cult classics Streets of Fire in 1984, Eddie and the Cruisers in 1983, and 1984’s The Philadelphia Experiment), who essentially fills in the Dr. Pretorious role, whose line “Humans are such easy prey” has become iconic.

Junior has taken up his father’s work, and has built the titular resonator, which causes both practical SFX and CGI wigglies to appear that have caused some havoc, so he’s distracted enough to ignore his girlfriend, Mara (Christina Braa). In fact, unlike his hyper-intense dad, Crawford has a lot of extremely attractive friends that he is pleased as punch to share in his rebuild.

Austin Woods, Amada Jones, Alex Keener

The cast is just the right age and prettitude that this could bee an episode of “Riverdale,” with Crawford being Archie, dark-haired Mara as Veronica, longish-haired Brandon (Austin Woods) as Jughead, blonde Carrie (Amanda Jones) as a lesbian Betty, and football jock Bear (Alex Keener) as Reggie. Surely, I am not the only one to put these pieces together. The television program certainly seems to be the seed of this release, mixed a bit with the group of experimenting doctors-to-be in Flatliners (1990): “I know, let’s cross ‘X’ with ‘Y’! It’s gold, Jerry, gold!!” Yes, that kind of cheesy.

Continuing in this vein, especially being a Full Moon release, basically there are (again) two elements that the resonator brings to the story. One is of course gore in the form of cool creatures floating around, and the other is the horniness and nudity it brings to our crew, giving the viewer some enjoyable eye candy. This is a bit more than Crampton’s leather and lipstick fetish, of course, to keep up with the times.

Hannah Hueston

Crawford hooks up with Veronica, lezzy Carrie with Bear (shades of 1997’s Chasing Amy), and Brandon with a tentacle-headed female Cthulhu-type nude woman (Hannah Hueston). Once the resonator is turned on, the fear is that a door between the two dimensions will be opened even after the machine is turned off. Actually, it’s never turned off, though it is unplugged, shot at (numerous times, and other hard unbooting, like turning off a computer with the on button rather than the shut-down feature.

As a quick side note, and I don’t know why this matters to me but for some reason it does, schools of higher learning do not ring bells between classes like high schools. Courses in universities vary in lengths usually anywhere between an hour and three, rather than being a standardized time. And I don’t know of any University that has a dress code like a private or Catholic school. Perhaps that was the first “Riverdale” identification awakening for me. And why does a school that is supposed to take place in Arkham, Massachusetts, have cars with California license plates (it was filmed in Van Nuys, he said answering his own question)?

I am not going to lie: I was kind of hoping for a quick cameo by Jeffrey Combs and/or Barbara Crampton, but it is nice they were included in the after-film Thank You list. I also applaud that the film was dedicated – and rightfully so – to Stuart Gordon.

The release is definitely short, at just over an hour, but considering that this is one of five films the director will release this year, that is hardly a surprise. Who’s got the time, right? Anyway, the point is, the end result is nicely defined, with very little filler – nor character development, but that is definitely okay for this kind of film, where the action is hot and the cast is hotter.

As the film is short, so are the extras. Along with a few Full Moon trailers that I mentioned before, including for his film, there is the “From Beyond to the Resonator: The Making of The Resonator” featurette (17 min.), which can also be found on TubiTV (HERE).  If one remembers the VHS releases from Full Moon, there was always a making of documentary at the end called “Videozone,” and this has the same formula, I’m happy to say. Lots of images from The Re-Animator and From Beyond, and how they rolled their way into this film, including comments by the director, William Butler (in oddly extreme close-ups). Others interviewed include all five main characters, Pare (who gets to let his Brooklyn out), and even Wyss.

It is obvious by a character introduction at the end of the film proper, as is Full Moon’s wont, that they are setting this up as a franchise (and I wholeheartedly endorse), as they did with Puppet Master and Subspecies. I look forward to more cheese like this one, thank you.

 

Review: Val

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Val
Directed by Aaron Fradkin
Social House Films; Dread; Epic Pictures; MVD Entertainment
81 minutes, 2021
www.epic-pictures.com
www.mvdb2b.com

If I may start with a digression, as a fan of printed text, having started my real-life career as a typesetter, I am totally impressed by the hard kerning of the “V” and “A” of the title, though I may have tilted the “L” towards the “A” at the angle of the “V” for consistency. Still, it’s a beautiful thing. Okay, end of digression.

So, when is a good thing too much, and the hunter-and-hunted game become reversed, where the person in charge finds out, well, their leverage is not as powerful as they imagined? It’s a premise that’s been around at least since “The Twilight Zone” episode with Sebastian Cabot, “ A Nice Place to Visit.” One could even include The Last House on the Left (1972; 2009) or even Straw Dogs (1971; 2011). But it is the supernatural element that takes it to the next level.

Misha Reeves

In this very dark comedy, criminal-on-the-run Fin (Zachary Mooren), looking like a French Adrian Brody) breaks into the enormous house of the titular Val (Misha Reeves). To start, the power dynamics, of course, are on the side of Fin, knife in hand and threatening scantily-clad redheaded and cleavage-bound Morren.

Val makes her living as a dominatrix, and when Freddy (Erik Griffin), a gangster-type John shows up, things do not go down too well. But will he stay down? Figure it out yourself, or better still, just watch the film. Meanwhile, the relationship between Fin and Val don’t exactly heat up in that way, but the dialogue is quick and witty, with Val trying to charm and assert (as that is her profession) and Fin is untrusting but despite weird and unexplained things happening around him, Fin doesn’t seem to question too hard about the unnatural stuff going on. Perhaps it is Val’s seductive tone (and attire) that are distracting. Most of the plot is the rapport, good and bad, about them that is the core of the film.

Zachary Mooren

While no particular religious denomination is discussed, the central theme of the film is about the Biblical question of whether or not we have free will, as much as what/who is good and what/who is evil. Fin is coerced more often than not by certainly more than one character, but is that still a choice?

It also uses a very colorful palate that increases in intensity as the story unfolds, especially highlighting on reds, with Reeves’ hair and lips being the central focus, most of the time.

Kyle Howard, Reeves, Sufe Bradshaw

It is hardly surprising that this is a comedy and the timing is so sharp since many of the cast are actually comedians and have a history of comic acting. Some of this comes across especially in the scenes with the two police officers investigating, level-headed Office Daughtry (Sufe Bradshaw) and her doofus partner, Officer Myers (Kyle Howard).

The set for most of the shoot is actually a supposedly haunted mansion in Ojai, California, that was both rented by-the-day, and also served as a place to stay for the cast and crew. Fradkin uses the space incredibly well, making it feel expansive for Val and claustrophobic for Fin at the same time.

There are some nice extras on the Blu-ray, starting with the “Behind the Scenes: The Making of Val” featurette (7 min.). Led by both the director/co-writer, Fradkin and the co-writer/executive producer Victoria Fratz (an engaged couple), it is short and sweet, and more importantly gets the job done. They talk about the production jointly, from how they came up with the idea through pre-production and then the filming itself. It is light and fluffy, and enjoyable.

Next up is a Q&A let by Josh Milligan after the online premier of Val on “Popcorn Frights,” from Dread Central’s channel (40 min.). Via Zoom, it includes Fradkin, Fratz, lead actors Reeves, Mooren, and stand-up corpse, Griffin. There are lots of good stories about the production, though not much about the plot, but since so many of them come from world of comedy, the talk flows well with humor and good heartedness. I also found it interesting that initial filming ended three days before the COVID lockdowns in March 2020.

Also included are two of director Fradkin’s shorts, “Happy Birthday” and “The Ballerina.” I have seen both of these before on YouTube and was very impressed. They both center on obsessions with mirrors and human frailty. I especially liked the latter. Lastly is a couple of trailers for this film, and others for Dread, as well as chapters and a choice for English subtitles.

While playing with comedy and high drama, the acting is (purposefully, I believe) a bit intense, sort of like watching a sit-com style of over-emoting. Not to the level of “Third Rock From the Sun’s” John Lithgow, but the characters are intense and it is played up for humor, and that is nearly a hamming situation.

Please, do not get me wrong, this is an incredibly fun film, from beginning to end, whether you see the ending coming or not. It also has some of the best use of mannequins I can think of since Exhumed (2011).

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Filmmakers, please note: usually, I do not review films (unless requested) that appear on sites like Alter and Screamfest, because they have a known platform, which is great, while I would rather focus on films with no sponsored online affiliations.

The Bellringer
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers; Uncanny Pictures
7:47 minutes, 2021
One of a film challenge taken up by Stenberg to direct three shorts in two days. Ends up it has won multiple awards. It’s easy to understand why. To get over a writer’s block to finish a novel about a haunting, Jessica (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) rents a bungalow that is in the center of many others that are similar (I so want to visit the real place, with camera in hand, because it is incredibly atmospheric). The inside of the cabin looks up to date, but the outside is full of faded wood, fog, and darkness. After a bit of a slow start that is help by some incredibly detailed camerawork and editing, Jessica starts seeing a woman in a cloak (Annika Forslund Rimbléus) ringing a bell as she walks among the buildings. There is no question the ringer is up to no good. It's the cat and mouse action that will definitely keep the tension strong. Also, the make-up on the bellringer is stunning, among other well done SFX by Sana Öhlund. The darkness and the fog keep the mood tense and nerve-wracking. Beautifully done.
Full film HERE 

Blunda
Directed by Fredrik Hellqvist
Hellfilm; DBoy Productions
9:02 minutes, 2021
What produces recurring nightmares that cause night terrors? That is the question Vanja (Inés Cherif) brings to Professor von Ranck (Henry Lodin) at a clinic in this spooky short from Sweden (with English subtitles; the title means to shut one’s eyes). With slow, wispy dissonant music behind the images, Vanja is hypnotized as we follow her on her dream path into the presence of something that seems evil, Marasiten (Olle Åkesson). The film is just the right length to keep the audience compelled without overreaching, which is just what the (sleep) doctor ordered. Bathed in blue light, you can feel for Vanja and her dilemma, and the almost condescending confidence of the professor in the reasoning. A really enjoyable watch that will creep you out.
Trailer HERE 

 

Crayons
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers
5:02 minutes, 2021
Another part of the three shorts in two days project, this incredibly fun film shows a woman (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) on a walk. Partway through a railroad underpass, she finds some crayon scrawled and a box of large pieces of chalk. She draws something, which comes into existence. From there it escalates to bigger and better, until greed gets the upper hand for which there is a price. This is a fun story from beginning to end, even though it was quickly shot, and it shows some really fine filmmaking skills. My only question, and I say this with a smile, who handles chalk that size while wearing black cloth gloves? Anyway, so worth the view.
Full film HERE 

 

Face Mask
Directed by Dan Allen and Adam Huber
Midnight Video
6:05 minutes, 2020
This is a film for our times, that’s for certain. It’s night and a guy goes to his garage to do his laundry. He’s approached by a spooky guy in sunglasses (again, it’s dark out) and a surgical mask, who suggests the launderer do the same about wearing a mask. His tone is dissonant and threateningly almost monotonal as he asks to use a phone. The tension between the two is palpable as they stand near the garage and chat. But the end has a really nice O. Henry-esque twist that is unexpected and though a bit illogical, quite fun. The madness of suburbia.
Full film HERE 

The Ho Ho Howling
Directed by Andrew Neill
Two Jackets Productions
10:27 minutes, 2019
Christmas Eve. A young couple has just put their tween daughter, Charlie, to bed to wait for the morning presents. But there’s a noise on the roof and the parents investigate to find the most angelic looking Santa I have ever seen. The story nicely takes its time, not rushing towards its direction which is generally obvious from the title, but still manages to throw in a few surprises to keep both the audience off kilter and give a bit of a WTF quotient to make it humorously ludicrous. Not in a way that’s annoying, but rather with a nice touch of originality. There could have been a bit cut out of a pre-transformation scene whose color palate is right out of Creepshow (1982), but all-in-all, this film’s imaginative twists make it worth the watch.
Full film HERE 

 

Jolly
Directed by Todd Spence
Midnight Video
4:06 minutes, 2020
In a Talking Tina-esque Christmas Eve, with but one minute to the holiday, a man is napping on the couch when his animatronic Santa head seemingly comes to sentient life, and gives a dire warning. This leads to some well-presented tense moments as we, as well as both the man and Santa, count down the final seconds of the Eve. The reward is worth the wait, and in the short time as we follow this situation, the director does well to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, and for that we are well rewarded. I felt jolly after the viewing.
Full film HERE 

 

Santa
Directed by Alexander Henderson
The Installments
6:58 minutes, 2019
A young teen (or near teen) asks his mom, “How does Santa know when you are sleeping?” That is the general theme of the creepy titular character in this episodic story, as the young man veers between waking and sleeping, or to be more precise, having nightmares about the jolly old man. While a bit over the top at times, the story does its best at delivering some nice tense moments and the viewer stays as baffled as the kid. A real sley ride (a cliché pun, but why not if it fits, right?).
Full film HERE 

 

Synonymous With
Directed by Thom Hilton
Cataract Pictures
12:16 minutes, 2021
Taking place in 2009, the once host of local horror program “Synister Synema,” who used the professional name of Synonymous (Remy Gerinario), aka Syn, is asked to be interviewed by a college student, Jackson (director Thom Hilton, who is unseen). The questions start off semi-innocent, but quickly delve into the strongly personal side of Syn’s life, probing deeper into his psyche. This is mixed with clips from the television show where lots of Grade B and C films are mentioned, and anyone who is a horror fan should definitely feel an affinity with them (unless you’re one of those sad, “I don’t watch black and white films” kinda person). There is also a nicely edited montage of Syn’s life mixed in that works under the dialogue. This felt really personal, sometimes a bit uncomfortable in a good way, and my only complaint is that I wanted it to continue, even though Syn is the only person on camera other than Thing (Mark McGann), a hand character on the now-terminated television program. This is a good watch on many levels with a strong LGBTQ undertone. Hard to believe this is Hilton’s directorial debut as it is quite well written and constructed, including his editing.
Full film HERE 

Review: Holes in the Sky: The Sean Miller Story

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Holes in the Sky: The Sean Miller Story
Directed by Ash Hamilton
Moon Makers Media; Horror-Fix Films
114 minutes, 2021
www.facebook.com/HorrorFix

Some may call this found footage but it actually falls into the separate sub-category (though occasionally overlapping) of mockumentary. I realize most people think of that term as comedy, such as in those directed by Christopher Guest, but it goes beyond that narrow margin. In this case it is a realistic documentary style, albeit fictional.

Taking place mostly over a five-day period in Illinois, the topic of this release is more science fiction-based, though it uses the real names of the people involved, including the first-time feature director, Ash Hamilton, his wife Chanell Hamilton, who helped produce and was part of the crew, director of photography Brett Pearson, interviewer Douglas McDonald, producer Laura Richter, and others along the way, including well-known author and spook historian Eric Woods.

As the tag line explains, Sean Miller disappeared for four days in 2013, and now in 2020, a documentary crew is seeking to find out the truth about what happened to him. Part of what I find interesting is for a long time, the reasons for Miller’s disappearance is more hinted at than explained, though it is pretty obvious from the gecko (yes, I know it’s “get-go”; in the words of that great philosopher, Tommy Smothers, “Words to me are a plaything”) that the topic is alien abduction. The beginning is shrouded in mystery as the crew pulls up in front of Miller’s residence. Even at this point, Miller nor his family have been shown on camera. Heck, the Millers are not even listed on IMDB (neither is Pearson, but I find that may lead to part of the story; yes, I write this as I watch it).

We finally get to meet Sean and his wife Stacey nearly a third of the way through, and actually hear the term – alien abduction – nearly at the half way point. Following the formula from metaphysical films like Paranormal Activity (2007), the tension starts building as lights flicker, VHS-type visual noise appears on the footage, and pots go flying off the wall by themselves, among other spooky issues. Great! Two possibilities happening at once, both alien and supernatural! Nice.

Ash Hamilton

Two really interesting aspect to me about this moc is the way the mundane can suddenly turn into something precise about the storyline, such as a conversation about television cartoon shows that is downright creepy, and the other is the question of whether the 2013 taking of Miller by the undocumented aliens (sorry, bad attempt at political humor) is a random choice, or one that is planned and targeted. On some level, though there is obviously no correlation, the latter had me thinking of Xtro (1982).

One of my fave things about the film, which I suggested before, is that even though this is about the effects of an alien abduction, thematically there is a large element of nearly poltergeist motifs thrown in to the mix.

The dialogue seems to be non-scripted and free-flowing most of the time, even when it is obviously pointed in a certain direction. This gives it an improv feeling of reality that helps the picture and the tension to come.

The film is well structured in a way that is, at first, fun and a bit confusing, but title cards stating time-stamp information helps to clear this up in a-ha moments that reveal a bit of masterwork in the story’s chronological layout.

Sean Miller

There is also a more subtle aspect of the film that I found intriguing, and that is the use of technology. The two main video cameras are a somewhat professional level one and a cell phone, and there are indications of polaroid snapshots when there are issues with the digital captures. Also, there is the manipulation of images to make them sharper and clearer through professional means. So, we are dealing with high end and lower-level equipment, while contemplating a possible race of aliens with even further futuristic technology.

This has nothing to do with the film proper, but my one distraction was during a tense scene, when the camera pans over a box of LPs and I wanted to look through them. It seemed like the one in front was a picture disc. Yeah, I’m the kind of guy who stops a story when someone is talking in front of a bookshelf, and I check to see if I can tell what books are on the shelves. Sometimes I judge people by the books and music they keep. But I digress…

At nearly two hours, the film is a bit long, and some of the early footage (i.e., in the first 20 minutes or so) could have been culled a bit, but I must say, this could have been really dry, but Hamilton (the Hamiltons?), by mixing alien and poltergeist-type styles, managed to put together a documentary(ish) that is quite engaging and cohesive. As it delves on, it gets more compelling and enjoyable, right to the end, even if you can somewhat figure out what may be that conclusion.

 

Review: Woodland Grey

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Woodland Grey
Directed by Adam Reider
Spectropia Pictures; Franky Films; Vibe Check Entertainment; Filmoption International
90 minutes, 2021
www.spectropiapictures.com
www.facebook.com/woodlandgrey

Well, at the start – both in description and at the beginning of the film – I would not necessarily call this a cabin in the woods film, more like a trailer in the woods, a la Into the Wild (2007).

Deep in the wilderness, William (Ryan Blakely, who was a semi-regular in “Orphan Black” among many other Canadian shows) lives alone, kinda-sorta, trapping, reading, and keeping to himself.

And then there is the shed. Did I mention the shed? The shed is a small structure in the back that resembles more of an outhouse than a place for tools. It is chained and locked, and there is someone – or something – alive in there that William takes care of, but of which he is also afraid. He feeds it, and it lets him be.

Jenny Raven, Ryan Blakely

This all changes when a wounded hiker, Emily (Jenny Raven, who recently was Gwen on “Kim’s Convenience”), shows up unconscious in his realm. He takes her to chateau trailer, and tends to her. It’s her word we first hear, 12 minutes into the film (though the word she seems to love the most is the f-bomb). And she seems to have no editor in her brain, she just talks, which drives William a bit nuts, for a while. Imagine not hearing another voice for an extended time, then suddenly there is all this cluttery monologue. It’s a common formula: a man and a woman that starts off as antagonists usually end up as comrades against a common enemy, friends or even lovers somewhere down the line.

Art Hindle

The film intertwines between the present and flashbacks to explain the events leading up to the present, including one involving Emily’s grandfather Moses (a nice cameo by Art Hindle, the male lead in Cronenberg’s 1979 The Brood, apologies to Oliver Reed), who like his namesake, is there to help lead her out of the wilderness. Actually, all their appellations are appropriate. The name Emily means “wily,” as she tries to figure out her situation, and William’s is “warrior,” fighting against, well… William gets his flashback as well, and what led him to a life as a hermit guardian.

Then there is the shed. Remember the shed? While the freedom of whatever the entity is restricted by the shed, it also captures the freedom of its caretaker, while providing its guardian some means to survive. Borrowing a bit from “The Twilight Zone’s” 1960 episode ”The Howling Man,” Emily is convinced that what she has seen in the shed is reality. But like the expression says, “The map is not the territory,” and this is a prime example of that. Emily obviously, in good nature, opens up the shed and believes she’s helping someone, but as I said about the map, it does not correspond with the territory, or things are not always as they appear.

This ever-changing territory becomes maddening for our two explorers, as they start seeing things, such as people and objects from the past. To survive, they need to work together (see? comrades).

It’s a very small film in that the locations are minimal and the cast is quite small, which is just perfect for filming during a pandemic. How much more socially distanced can you get than the middle of a forest? And there’s no one to sweep it.

I do believe this is supposed to be taking place somewhere in Upstate New York, though it is filmed in Canada, as is its production home. It is also the first full-length feature for director Adam Reider, who shows he has the mettle to release a solid film. The fact that the production was hit by horrendous weather during the shooting, as can be seen in the footage, it all works with the rugged environment in which it was constructed.

While I would not put this as a boo-scary film (unless you are agoraphobic or have xylophobia), there is definitely a well-defined level of angst and tension, in a The Thing (1983) what-is-real-and-what-is-not-real kind of way, which is always fun. It’s more a spooky thriller. Whether you predict the ending or not, it is an ever-building pressure that is worth the wait.

Now, let’s all go camping, whatcha say?!