Found Footage

Reviews

Frogman

Frogman is only for fans (and apologists) of the “found footage” horror sub-genre, only because it takes a seasoned viewer to muster through the film’s baggage to be handsomely rewarded.

Reviews

Therapy Dogs

After watching the insane adolescent behaviour featured in MSC: The Movie and Magnum Opus: The .MOVie and vying for something deeper than amateur stunts, Therapy Dogs does a decent job answering my wishes.

Reviews

Infrared

By: Jeff Ching The movie title Infrared is pronounced (infa-red), to which I bet that most people not familiar with the camera setting would pronounce it (in-fraird);  or maybe it was just me?  Just getting that out of the way now, as this is a title that deserves respect and to be pronounced properly.

Reviews

Scooter

Scooter is one heck of a sloppy “found footage” flick.  Not only is this a weak thriller, but the film constantly steps on its own continuity by rewriting its rules on the fly.  The biggest crime: it’s completely unaware of its potential.

Reviews

Strawberry Flavored Plastic

Strawberry Flavored Plastic combines elements of found-footage horror and mockumentary to create a story about two documentarians (Nicholas Urda, Andreas Montejo) making a movie about a serial killer, Noel Rose (Aidan Bristow).  With testimonials, first-person video, and video conferencing, the audience learns how this “film” slips out from underneath its makers and how it goes awry.

Reviews

The Road Movie

Starting this month, Dmitrii Kalashnikov’s experimental doc The Road Movie begins a theatrical tour that will last over a year.  Toronto’s Royal Cinema is the first stop, and the journey continues through the United States before heading back to Canada next February;  it concludes in Boulder, Colorado the following month.  That’s impressive for a shoestring indie, especially one that would be “TOO HOT FOR TV”.  Twenty years ago, Joe Francis would’ve sold this at 2:00am…

Reviews

Phoenix Forgotten

Derivative scares are surrounded by boring filler and exposition in Phoenix Forgotten, a feature debut by graphic artist Justin Barber that’s also been stupefyingly blessed by producer Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, The Martian).

Festival Coverage

Wylie Writes @ Toronto International Spring of Horror and Fantasy Film Festival ’17

The Toronto International Spring of Horror and Fantasy Film Festival is a weekend dedicated to genre appreciation conceived by filmmakers Lari Teräs and Jon Lewis.  The festival returns to the city’s indie hot spot Carlton Cinema on Friday, April 7 and carries through to Sunday, April 9, promising movie goers an eclectic three-day event filled with music videos, short films, and unique movies that are out-of-this-world.

Reviews

UFO: It Is Here

The Blair Witch Project inspired independent filmmakers and the found footage genre – the resourceful film perfectly executed psychological horror.  Blair Witch, the semi-sequel-reboot released this year, delved into the franchise’s psychological lore, but also fancied being somewhat of a creature feature with broader scares.