The Taking OF Deborah Logan (2014)

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Director: Adam Robitel

Writer: Gavin Heffernan, Adam Robitel

 Starring: Jill Larson, Anne Ramsay, and Mitchell Ang

 Synopsis: The daughter of a woman with Alzheimer’s allows a film crew to document her mother’s descent into dementia. However, things are not what they seem and Deborah Logan may have more than just Alzheimer’s.

 

Review: This movie is a little different than your usual found footage or even possession movies. I’d almost say it’s a breath of fresh air except I found it good, not great as some have coined it.

 Trying to help pay the medical bills of her mother, a woman allows a film crew to document her mother’s decline due to Alzheimer’s Disease. However, things start escalating into something that isn’t just due to the disease at all and that’s where the possession or occult aspect comes in.

 I found the acting pretty decent, especially with Anne Ramsay, who plays Deborah Logan’s daughter. There are quite a few creepy moments and one that is especially shocking so that in itself gives the movie some extra points. I didn’t care for the open-ended ending with the little girl (not a spoiler, by the way) and while I enjoy some endings like that, this one was just “okay” to me.

 I do like that the movie took a different approach to the usual possession theme. We have an elderly woman instead of your usual teen girl, the atmosphere was decent, and like I said, the acting was pretty good as well. I don’t know why I didn’t love it more but then again, it is probably one that I’ll watch again and that may change my review to an even higher score.

 

Found Footage O Meter: I give this one a solid 6/10 and that may change with another viewing. I dare say one of the best found footage movies of 2014.

The Devil’s Due 2014

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Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Writer: Lindsay Devlin

 Starring: Allison Miller, Zach Gilford, and Sam Anderson

 

Synopsis: After their honeymoon in another country, a couple finds out she is pregnant. Mysterious things start happening, which leads to the question of, “What is the baby and who wants it?”

 Review: This was a found footage movie that I enjoyed more than most people. It starts with the main couple on their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic. On their last night, their taxi driver takes them to a party and this is where everything starts. Of course, they don’t remember what happened at all and head home to start their lives as a new couple.

 Samantha quickly finds out that she is pregnant even after taking precautions and of course, weird things start happening. For instance, she starts eating raw meat (Rosemary’s Baby, anyone?) and attacks a guy at the mall who almost runs into her. That was one of the parts that I really enjoyed the most. She doesn’t just attack him, she busts the windows out in his SUV with her bare hands. Hey, carrying the devil’s baby makes you more than just hormonal.

 Of course things start to escalate. People keep watching the house, Samantha keeps acting even stranger, and the ending is pretty cool in my opinion. Like many other movies, this one keeps things open for a sequel but like The Den, it allows closure to the movie if there isn’t another made. And judging from the reviews from others, there probably won’t be.

 However, I’m in the minority and liked it a lot. I loved the vacation scenes, I really enjoyed her weird pregnancy, and I didn’t find the ending contrived or cliched that much at all.

 

Found Footage O Meter: This may not be a solid 10 or even close to that on the scale but I did find it interesting and would watch it again so it gets a strong 6/10 or a weak 7/10. If you liked this one check out Delivery another found footage similar to this one. I thought it was maybe even hair better than this one. Review on that one coming soon.

The Den (2013)

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Director: Zachary Donohue

Writers: Zachary Donohue and Lauren Thompson

Starring: Melanie Papalia, David Schlachtenhaufen, and Adam Shapiro

 

Synopsis: A young graduate student (Melanie Papalia) attempts to study the online activity of random people in order to get grant money for her graduate thesis in Social Media Studies. She witnesses what seems to be a real murder and gets caught up in trying to find the killer when her own loved ones start disappearing.

Review: First of all, I loved this movie and it is most likely because the story seemed more realistic and the ending was pretty awesome. If you’ve ever played on Chatroulette or any of the other video chat services, then you’ll recognize some of the familiar scenes that the main character, Elizabeth witnesses the first few days of her studies.

Elizabeth starts out with the usual silly online presences – the guys who want to show off their privates, the pranks that are supposed to surprise and scare you, and foreigners wanting to make new friends. Things start out with her being filmed while making love to her boyfriend and having that video sent to various people, including the ones who decide if she gets a grant or not. Along the way, she makes friends with one girl who never shows up on video and when she eventually does, it’s her death that Elizabeth sees.

The police don’t believe her and it’s her best friend that she turns to in order to get help. Once he and her boyfriend disappear, Elizabeth goes out on her own to try to find them and this is where things get really interesting. Her sister is targeted and things go from bad to worse for her really quickly.

Without giving anything away, the ending reminded me of Hostel somewhat and that was really refreshing. It left the door open for a sequel while still allowing the original movie to end with closure should a sequel not be made.

 

Found Footage O Meter: I’d give this movie a solid 8/10 for an original look at what many of us are familiar with – online video chatting. There are some really intense and violent scenes if you’re into that but they don’t overwhelm the plot or seem gratuitous in any way.

 

 

 

Willow Creek (2013)

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Director: Bobcat Goldthwait

Starring: Alexie Gilmore, Bryce Johnson

Synopsis: A couple goes into the woods looking for Bigfoot. You can imagine what happens next.

Review: I am trying to think of exactly what I wanted to say about this movie. It started off as a slow burner, and then slowly gained momentum. And it kept building and building, and well it was kinda of a let down. It was shot very similar to the Blair Witch Project. But it just fell flat.

You follow Kelly (Alexie Gilmore) and Jim (Bryce Johnson) a couple headed off to the wood in search of Bigfoot. They follow the trail by retracing the steps of Robert Patterson and Bob Gimlin took to Willow Creek. It was there Patterson and Gimlin recorded Bigfoot. Now I admit I liked the characters. I loved how Jim was just stoked about finding Big Foot. And Kelly was his polar opposite Kelly is a total skeptic….like to the core skeptic.

So you have a 77 minute movie the first part is the driving to get to the destination. The second part is the interviews. And I actually did like the interviews they seemed authentic. Things start getting hairy when they go into the woods. There is lots of night action where they are in the tent and there is lots of rustling, and weirdness going on. And I was at one point on the edge of my seat. And I was so excited to get to the end, but when I did. I regretted. It was like someone let all the air out of my balloon. So much build up for what something I couldn’t even get a good look at it. I found that was more than a little disappointing.

 

Found Footage O Meter: 5/10

While I didn’t hate it I didn’t love it. What was most memorable to me was why Kelly didn’t get the job for the Summer’s Eve douche commercial. When she said Hail to the V I wanted to go out buy some right then. This was supposed to be about Big Foot but I kept think why did Kelly not get that part…lol. When you watch the movie you will know exactly what I am talking about.

I felt the movie had a good premises, and great build up only be a let down at the end. I will add this I like it better than most of the Big Foot found footage movies I have seen thus far.

Grave Encounters 2011

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Director: The Vicious Brothers

Writers: The Vicious Brothers

Starring: Ben Wilkinson, Sean Rogerson, Ashleigh Gryzko

Synopsis: For their ghost hunting reality show, a production crew locks themselves inside an abandoned mental hospital that’s supposedly haunted – and it might prove to be all too true.

 

Grave Encounters starts off very similar to any other ghost hunting show like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. I found the cast very realistic in the aspect of being ghost hunters. I felt like I was watching a show. You watch a camera crew stay the night in a supposedly haunted insane asylum. Most people will feel okay we have all heard this story and seen this movie. I thought the same despite the rave reviews it was gaining before I viewed it myself.

 

(Minor Spoilage) I also loved how the beginning it did address the fact that every show doesn’t always get results hence paying a handy man to say he saw something. I kinda figured this may happen in the real shows like Ghost Hunters.

 

Now, I don’t want to give too much a way. I am only giving my review and this is not a blow-by-blow of the entire movie. The movie had some great scares. However, I did find all the screaming and f-bombs dropping a little annoying. But I can’t really say anything because I am relatively sure if I were in the same situation I would probably be dropping f-bomb as well. But is just really annoying to watch for me.

 

I did not go in expecting much from this movie. It was surrounded by a ton hype by the time I got around to watching it. Typically when a movie is surrounded by so much hype I end up hating it. And I hate it when that happens. But this movie did its job. I was scared and jumpy. I put my hand over my eyes and peeked through a couple of times. So I am with this one to say the least. And it had a nice little twist.

8.5/10: Definitely one of my favorite found footage movies. It was well done and the actors were great. It’s definitely one not to be missed.

I will be reviewing Grave Encounters 2 very soon!!! 🙂

Skinwalker Ranch 2013

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPAOC5F5o1c

 

Director: Devin McGinn

Writer: Adam Ohler

Starring: Taylor Bateman, Steve Berg, Michael Black

Synopsis: A government research team sent to a ranch in Utah to investigate supernatural phenomena surrounding the disappearance of the ranch owner’s 10-year-old son. What they found was terrifying.

 

Review: Skinwalker Ranch a found footage that has managed to rank in my top 5 after two viewings in the same week. I loved it. A team of the traditional white people going into a place they have no business to research supernatural phenomena. When an old Indian dude tells you to get the fuck off the property….well. But hey, that’s just me. Hoyt the owner of the Skinwalker Ranch was leading the American dream with him his wife and 10-year-old son. Hoyt’s son Cody disappeared literally into thin air on his birthday. It was caught on camera. Of course, there was the usual town gossip and speculation, but the truth was much more than anyone could have imagined.

An investigative team came to document the phenomena and to try to help Hoyt locate the missing child. The phenomena consisted of deafening sounds, flashing light and a big huge dog to name a few things. Please keep in mind Skinwalker Ranch does exist and but it’s known as Sherman Ranch. The ranch is 480 acres southeast of Ballard, Utah it borders the Ute Indian reservation. The name Skinwalker comes from an old Indian Legend.

Even though the likelihood of this story being real is probably zero. The movie  still blew me away. What the team of scientist experienced at this ranch was subtle and gradually got worse and worse over time. And I love that they gave a pretty decent background even if most of it is bull. With that being said there were some questionable points was it paranormal or aliens?

The acting was solid and brilliantly done for this type of movie. Visuals were good for the whole found footage thing. It may seem a little like the movie was trying to do too much or like the tried to cram a whole lot into a short period. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it

*Update:* I found out the only part of this story that is supposedly true is a boy went missing. The rest is myth and folklore.

7/10: I enjoyed the movie. I know most have given it shitty reviews. But hey trust and believe, I have seen far worse and only slightly better.

 

 

Devil’s Pass (2013)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbq3dR-SEr4

Director: Renny Harlin

Writer: Vikram Weet

Actors: Holly Goss, Matt Stokoe, Luke Albright

Synopsis: 1959 9 Russian hikers went into the Ural Mountains in Russia. Two weeks later all 9 hikers were found dead. Th ill-fated trip became known as The Dyatlov Pass Incident. Researchers were left mystified as to what happened. Everyone has theories, but no one has any answers.

Today 5 Oregon college student issued a grant to go and follow the trail of the 9 people and see if they can figure out what happened at the Devil’s Pass.

Review: The Devil’s Pass was way better than I imagined it would be. It started out typically. A back story was given about a group of Russian hikers going into the Ural mountains  found frozen to death only steps away from their camp. Years later some Oregon students decide it would be super cool to follow in the steps these of dead people…..REALLY? REALLY?? Who the hell goes hiking after dead people and second who goes hiking in an area known as The Devil’s Pass. I would say, but I may sound racist.

Although you have a good idea what’s going to happen the film still manages to suck you in. I am taken in from the start despite the stupidity of the college kids. I love the back story. They made sure you were well aware that everything happened with the original group. And you like the 9 Oregon students find yourself on a journey and wondering what it is lurking all around you.

Now I admit to liking Devil’s Pass. And I probably would have loved it had it not been for the ending, which I don’t do spoilers. So I won’t say any more than they took a path that just totally through the entire movie off for me. I was actually disappointed. But it is a totally watchable and enjoyable found footage movie and just because I didn’t like the ending doesn’t mean you won’t. So I say give it a shot.

Found Footage O Meter: 8/10

Despite my feeling of the ending I still must give this movie a high score because it was wonderfully shot Even the most motions sick person can watch at least 85% of the movie. I love that they devoted more than 5 minutes to the back story. This found footage film is very meaty you can really dig in and sink your teeth. But I still did not like the ending. Sorry. However,  people do not let my opinion of the ending detour you. It’s a good film.

The Bay

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Director: Barry Levinson

Starring: Will Rogers, Kristin Connolley, Kether Donahue, Frank Deal

Synopsis: July 4th Chesapeake Bay hosting their annual fun and summer festival. But what happens when  two researchers discover a mind-blowing amount toxicity in the water? What happens next you have to see to believe.

Review: I had extremely low expectations for this movie. I am an avid lover of the found footage genre however most times I am left extremely disappointed. But I found this little gem is a diamond in the rough. The story told by Donna Thompson (Kether Donohue) was so convincing you could see something like this actually happening. Watching the kids playing and frolicking, and adults standing around and gossiping when all of a sudden a town filled with laughter and joy turns into a town of horror and nightmares.

This movie impressed me with how it was filmed. It wasn’t overly shakey. You know how it is with the found footage shakey camera style movies. I also love the way it showed various people from the town and how they were all effected from this particular situation. But the real striking point with this movie is the fact that this could actually happen. It touched so heavily on environmental factors and how people and government tend to overlook these things, blow them off , or even cover them up as the mayor did with this movie.

I am relatively sure if you watch this movie the next time you are out swimming and having a good time you will think twice before dipping a toe in at least with Jaws it was quick and killed you fast. These deaths were slow and painful. And the cause of these deaths is terrifying because it’s plausible enough to happen.

Found Footage O Meter: 8/10 Recommended if you love found footage because this one is actually worth the watch unlike so many I am going to have to write.

The Bay