Evidence (2013)

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Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi

Writer: John Swetnam

Actors: Stephen Moyer, Radha Mitchell, Torrey DeVitto

Synopsis: A detective hunts down a killer using video footage shot by the victims of a massacre at an abandoned gas station. (IMDB)

Review: While, I was curious about this movie because Of Stephen Moyer and Radha Mitchell. I wasn’t like all crazy nuts about watching. So, I kept putting it off. I was bored af one night with me and Netflix and thought what the heck. It is moments like these found footage movie lovers wait for. When the credits roll and you are sitting there like WTF!

It held my attention. You watch cops piece together what happened at an old abandoned gas station when people just start dying left and right. And all they have to go on is some footage found at the scene. I don’t usually like to admit this but my mind was more than a little blown at the end.

I would love to gush on about this movie but if I do I will end up giving it all away. So you should check it out. It is still streaming on Netflix as far as I know.

Note, if you liked The Fourth Kind this could be something that interests you because it is done by the same director.

Found Footage O Meter: 7.5, I don’t always get these types of pleasant surprises when it comes to found footage but this one was pretty darn good. The twist will leave you like…what just happened.

The Sacrament (2013)

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Director: Ti West

Writer: Ti West

Actors: AJ Bowen, Jo Swanberg, Kentucker Audley

Synopsis: A news team trails a man as he travels to an undisclosed location to find his missing sister. Upon entering “Eden Parish” and meeting the community’s leader, it becomes clear to the newcomers that this paradise might not be what it seems.

Review: 

The Sacrament which I found to be one of Ti West’s better films in my opinion. Starts out in typical Ti West fashion a very slow burn. Vice a new team follows one of their own into an undisclosed location in order to find his sister who ran off with a cult leader who goes by the name Father. Under the surface, Eden Parish looks like a utopian society but in actuality it is anything but. It is a basic retelling of the Jonestown Massacre.

I really enjoyed the movie It is shot more documentary style so the camera doesn’t shake all over the place. That doesn’t bother me, but I know it is bothersome to some people. I also loved that most of the cast from this movie was in You’re Next (not found footage, but very good). You will recognize AJ Bowen, Jo Swanberg, Amy Seimetz, Sharni Vinson. They all make appearances in both movies. And Ti West even plays a small role in You’re Next. I think this cast works well together. I know most will already know how the story ends because the movie is on actual events. Don’t let that keep you from watching it. Ti West does job.

Found Footage O Meter: Honestly, I think this is my very favorite Ti West movie. I give this movie an 8/10.

The Possession Of Michael King (2014)

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Director: David Jung

Writer: David Jung

Starring: Shane Johnson, Ella Anderson, and Cara Pifko

 Synopsis: After the death of his wife, a man who doesn’t believe in God or Satan decides to make a documentary where he is the subject. He attempts to prove that none of it exists by allowing various spells to be cast and occult practitioners to perform rituals on him. Of course, evil indeed exists and manifests itself in Michael King.

 Review: I had high hopes for this movie after hearing that a few others had really enjoyed it. I have to say that the beginning started off promising but about midpoint through the movie, I lost interest.

 Michael King (Shane Johnson) is a married man, seemingly happy. We see video footage of him and his wife during happier times – heck, he even has a daughter and a dog. Of course, you know what that means for the dog but more on that later. After his wife is killed and by the way, the movie never does really address her death; we simply know that she died, Michael decides to prove there is no God and there is no devil. He pretty much blames the tarot card reader for his wife’s death and by the way, there is one good aspect of the movie – Dale Dickey (love her) plays the tarot card reader.

 Michael starts his documentary by visiting a variety of people to help prove his theory. He takes part in a few occult rituals and along the way he eventually does become possessed.

 One issue with the movie is that all of the fake scares are super loud and unnecessary. The acting is fine and I do have to commend everyone on that but I honestly got bored after a while. Add into that the fact that of course the dog has to die and well, I was done with it. It wasn’t horrible, it wasn’t great, and while many enjoyed it, I didn’t so much.

 

Found Footage O Meter: I give this one a 5/10 on the found footage horror scale. I admit it is one of the better ones of 2014. But it was lacking something. I am not sure what. The Taking of Deborah Logan was much better. And why must movies always kill animals. I mean is it really necessary to the plot.

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.

Devil’s Pass (2013)

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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