Another Film In The Woods ★★★☆☆

Review of 'Another Film In The Woods' which can be found here on Vimeo.  

Length: 09:07

Written & directed by Danny Naylor.

Genre: Horror

Date: 2012
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Logline: A woman is transported into the woods where an evil demon preys on those who have sinned. 

Amber Brookes takes the lead, (trailing off to the shops in her bloomin' pyjamas of all things) and although she delivers what feels like is a naturalistic performance, lacks confidence on screen. Although having characters talking to themselves isn't always the best way to convey information, it kind of suits the protagonists character here so doesn't stand out too much in the grand scheme of things. Dialogue varies between being realistic to being bizarre as exposition on what the heck is actually going on gets delivered through lines which sometimes feel out of place. There's some sound recording problems which leaves some dialogue annoyingly inaudible but the overall sound design works well with the genre with layered sfx's and atmospheric drones, and nice changes in tempo. 

A change to a colder colour scheme marks the arrival of Brookes into the surreal wood landscape and the pacing of the edit is also modified to signify this transition. The running scenes, which are visually dramatic and distorted are good at showing urgency but could also quickly becomes tiresome for the audience as the camera gets frantically jolted around all over the place. Lighting isn't the best and there's a lot of washed out looking shots to be had along with hard to make out blacks. 

The plot is left with a few holes as it's not clear what Brookes has done to deserve her transportation to a reality where demons hunt those who have sinned or how she magically gets out of there and back home. This could do with more clarity in terms of story and character arc to prevent baffling audiences any more than they probably are. Overall, this low to no budget horror lacks scares if it's a horror and laughs if it's a comedy-horror, while the technical difficulties and story flaws distract from a potentially decent short. 

Best Bit: Last scene and Brookes reaction to her ordeal. 

Worst Bit: Werewolf soundbite taken straight from the 'Drive' soundtrack. 

Final thought: No one in real life would throw their precious mobile away after one tiny failure of it to work properly. 

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

DEADline ★★★☆☆

Review of 'DEADline' which can be found here on YouTube.

Length: 07:03

Written & directed by Malcolm Rumbles.

Genre: Horror

Date: 2013
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Logline: A stressed out student suddenly has a good excuse for not doing her essay when a masked attacker goes on a killing spree on campus. 

This is a fairly good example of what can be achieved given a limited time period (or deadline!) to work with. There's a clear 'Halloween' influence going on here which flies straight off the bat with the introductory John Carpenter-esque soundtrack which neatly establishes the tone. The comparisons don't stop there; with a silent masked killer on the loose chasing a likely virginal young lady around and teens having their necks snapped right left and centre, it's a classic film to look at if you're filmmaking on the fly. 

Katrina Allen plays the diligent student who immediately starts typing her essay without first logging in. There's a nice switch to her looking bedraggled and stressed later on but there's too much time spent on these establishing shots and pacing suffers slightly at the start. Once the killer turns up, it gets much more interesting. Allen carries the role well given that this is purely a physical performance as no dialogue features. I really felt that fall in the corridor and her breath holding scene becomes quite powerful thanks to her acting. 

Sound is an important feature of this short. Silence is used to good effect, builds tension and makes the end sequence very effective. There's some nice visceral sound effects added in but the guy with the music blearing out of his headphones was a bad choice as it ruins the built up tension and takes the viewer out of the story momentarily to wonder why we cant hear his voice even though his lips are moving. Similarly, you might feel the silence becomes a little unnatural as there's a lack of screams to be heard, which is a slasher staple. 

Considering the constraints of the limited location which makes this visually uninteresting, not having the greatest lighting, and the sometimes too silent parts means that this is a good effort which is perhaps worth re-shooting with more time spent on it. 

Best Bit: Hold your breath scene. 

Worst Bit: Headphones guy. 

Final thought: Another example of my review process accurately portrayed on screen.  

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Archie: A Wee Ghost Story ★★★★☆

Review of 'Archie' which can be found here on YouTube. 

Length: 12:05

Written by Steven Patrick. Directed by Steven Patrick & Scott Watson

Genre: Horror

Date: 2012
Rating: ★★★★☆

Logline: Thinking there's an intruder downstairs, a couple find a former resident instead. 

This is a decent first effort from ITiz productions, which presents a modern twist on the old haunted house plot. Elizabeth Baillie and Paul Massie are good on screen. Both act naturally, keep the Scottish accent well maintained and deliver their reasonably written lines with good effect. But Archie, played by Steven Patrick, is a little more hammy which takes us out of the story more than it should. The story sometimes delves into unbelievable territory though. The couples unusual reaction to finding an auld codger in their living room is off putting, Archie's unclear intentions, is he good or evil? He doesn't warn them about what I think is a gas leak, and it's not too clear what the flash and bang of him disappearing is either. When the friend calls round in the morning, her actions are also rather unrealistic. She doesn't even check for a pulse for gawd's sake. And trust me, phone calls to the emergency services don't sound like that in real life. 

The atmospheric blue tint is a nice touch and there's some good use of lighting in the night shots. Camerawork isn't always brilliant but does well to cope with the limited space. The soundtrack feels a little misused and although the music is rich and evocative, (bloody heartbeat effect slips in there mind) it's not always used to maximise tension. The exception to the rule is in the end sequence where it works extremely well with the visuals to end on a really good note. That last scene is probably the highlight where there is a good strong emotional resonance between the film and the audience. 

There's some rookie mistakes of course. Some staggered lines, an edit making up for missing shots, cheesy swipes on the introduction credits etc. Watch out for that dodgy special effect at the end too. Overall, although the story has a few plot holes and it's not always clear, there is a good attempt to create an emotionally engaging piece of work. 

Best Bit: Emotional end scene. 

Worst Bit: Not altogether clear plot. What's Archie's motivation here? Why's the pal so desperate to get in? 

Final thought: See the size of their telly! Takes up most of the wall, lucky gits. 

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Amy's Torch ★★★★☆

Review of 'Amy's Torch' which can be found here on YouTube. 

Length: 02:48

Written & directed by Ben Wilkinson

Genre:Horror

Date: 2008
Rating: ★★★★☆

Logline: When the batteries of a little girls magic torch runs out, it no longer protects her from the monster under her bed. 

Unlike Jamie and his magic torch, Amy's supernatural implement is protecting her from an abhorrent evil. Ian Champion effectively narrates this tale and aptly retains the fairytale feel, which is amplified by the music box soundtrack and the soft focus camera work. Amy, played by young Evie Charlesworth and her (actual) mum, India Charlesworth aren't stretched too much in terms of their performances although India's under bed shot is fun to watch. Their dialogue is limited due to Champions voice over but both do well enough on screen. 

A zoom effect is used nicely in the edit during the establishing sequence which has a good montage feel to it. Things start to get more interesting after midpoint. The tonal shift is also conveyed by the soundtrack change to an ominous drum beat. Only showing the monster very briefly was a wise choice and the shot involving it's appearance is well constructed and edited. The blood spurt sfx is also done really convincingly and this minimal use of gore works well. Most of the tension is created after the narration is over and we're left silently waiting to see the conclusion. It's a difficult task to pull of a short horror but this effort makes it look easy. 

Best Bit: Snaffling monster noises. 

Worst Bit: Soft focus is a bit annoying or it could be the kind of washed out colour look?  

Final thought: Magic torch available from all good toy stores. 

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Cold Blood ★★★☆☆

Review of 'Cold Blood' which can be found here on YouTube.

Length: 10:02

Written & directed by Steve Looker

Genre: Horror

Date: 2007
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Logline: A woman wakes up to find she's being held captive by a murderous maniac. 

There's a few visible influences in here, 'Saw', 'Halloween', 'The A-Team' (who locks their victim up in a room full of tools and weapons!) but all in all it's a homage to slasher movies and plays up to the genre in several ways. This film should engage with audiences as with all good slashers, viewers try to figure out what they'd do in that situation at the same time as mocking the victims dumb decisions while they watch. 

This turns more into a comedy than a horror though. The Michael Myers mask, all the sniffing, and the woman that just cries all the time, makes this a little more humorous than it's probably meant to be. Any good movie fan will appreciate the 'Don't turn your back on the killers supposedly dead body' moment. The crotch ripping motorbike wheel is an inventive kill for sure (though she had a perfectly good nail gun in her hands two minutes earlier). 

I like Alison Bell as the traumatised protagonist in this. She maintains the constant crying quite well (although that was fairly annoying in terms of character design). I would have liked to have seen her going at the killer with the pipe with a bit more gusto and for at least some sort of change in her by the end. There's not even relief on her face after killing the guy, it's just more crying. 

It feels like the very professional soundtrack doesn't quite match up with the low-fi quality on screen. Saying that, it's been used well and adds momentum to the bad guy getting his nads ripped off at the end. The handheld camerawork suited the pov shots but was a bit erratic during some other points. I can understand that the limited location may have removed the option to have clear tripod shots though. There aren't many gory horror SXF unfortunately, but what there is have been done fairly well. The throat cut is a simple effect which looks good. Pacing might be a tad slow as the attempt to build tension gets dragged out a bit but the decision to not explain what has happened before (how she got there) or what happen's next was actually a good one and shows less is more. 

Best Bit: End kill. 

Worst Bit: Crying woman. 

Final thought: Come on, give us a shot of her beating him repeatedly over the head with a lead pipe.

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Dead Man's Lake ★★★★☆

Review of 'Dead Man's Lake' which can be found here on Bloody Cuts.

Length: 09:18

Written by Joel Morgan & directed by Ben Franklin

Genre: Horror

Date: 2012

Rating: ★★★★☆

Logline: A trio of teens on a camping trip inadvertently get caught up in death and destruction. 

This is like a combination of some of them public awareness adverts they had on the telly in the 80's. Warnings about not playing with fireworks, wearing a seatbelt, stranger danger, and 'do you know where your son is tonight?' all spring to mind when watching this. Am surprised there wasn't a young child about to tug the cord of a hot iron or something. 

This isn't perfect by any means, some artistic licence has been used, especially with the bashed up state of the car after simply driving into a hedge, the amount of gear the kids are carrying compared to the amount that's set up, the fact that the girl easily pushed a stick through someones body etc, but it all seems worth it to see Nick, played by Lewis Osborne, getting his face melted off via the barbecue. Structurally, you have to wait till mid point before any of the real horror/gore aspects come into play so you have to go through an extended setup of inane teenage antics before the good parts arrive. I think this delay is a bit detrimental to the story but at the same time will have the audience cheering to see that annoying git finally gets his comeuppance. Loved all the special effects in this (except the CGI fireworks) and this short is a nice treat for slasher fans. 

The acting performances are all so-so but may have been hampered by the fact that dialogue is a weak point. It's too obvious and a bit repetitious in parts. More work could have been spent on the script but I did enjoy the flashback (which I wouldn't normally recommend having) of the reveal and thought this made it a bit more structurally interesting. Whether the filmmakers needed to set this story in the 80's is debatable. This could easily have worked just as well set in present day. 

I doubt this film is meant to be taken seriously though as some comedy moments do shine through. Production wise, the quality is there, especially in the soundtrack, edit and FX's, but more effort was needed into polishing the final draft before going into filming. Otherwise, entertaining and very watchable. 

Best Bit: Retro VHS-style intro and all the gore effects. 

Worst Bit: Nick.

Final thought: Yeah, maybe don't take Nick along on your hot date next time. 

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

The Last Breath ★★★★★

Review of 'The Last Breath' which can be found here at Daily Motion.

Length: 10:54

Written by Jamie Shearing. Directed by David Jackson

Genre: Horror

Date: 2008

Rating: ★★★★★

Logline: A family of divers resurface from a lake to find that there's no breathable air up above.

A great film this. It's a clever idea, well written, keeps good pace and surprises. There's little dialogue but what we do get are lines which serve clear purpose and with no wastage. I like how almost everything you need is set up in the first two minutes - old granny at the diving shack, family of the year who'd never dream of killing each other, in fact they love it in the country cos the cities full of folk who do just that. Ha! The tone is nearly comical which is a nice deception but the lack of soundtrack in that first opening sequence allows a for a menacing undertone to come through.

If there was ever a time and place for that 'Keep Calm and Carry On' poster, it would be in this film. All that running about in a panic only makes their oxygen run out faster. Daft buggers. But at the same time increases the urgency for the audience. Game of Thrones's (Yay!) Francis Magee is a familiar face but his early demise lets the other cast take the helm. Everyone does a great job with the physically demanding roles. They really look like they've been put through their paces. Well done to wardrobe and continuity too who keep them all looking soaking wet throughout and not the usual dry as a bone two seconds after exiting water look that a lot of productions make a mistake with.

The camera work and edit are superb with excellent pacing with the cuts and some great cinematic shots being used. Shame the weather wasn't better for the shoot. British summertime my arse. The eerie soundtrack is used sparingly but to great effect. The whole film is high quality and wouldn't look out of place on the big screen at all.

Thematically, this gets quite dark. Husband against wife, mother against daughter and sister against sister. It's harrowing stuff and the darkness of the surrounding woodland during that sequence adds to the grisly mood significantly. The twist at the end is good but in a way, gives us the ending we all expect. Belief has to be suspended when the old dear's harpoon pins the girl to the wall but who cares? Thankfully, I can only presume that the old bitch will be outnumbered by the next wave of breathless divers.

All in all, an excellent genre piece and another fine example of how to do horror well in the short format.

Best Bit: Fab concept and great writing.

Worst Bit: The title sequence is a bit cheesy.

Final thought: What's that old woman doing down by the diving hut before the air disappears? It's almost as though she knows...

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

The Cat With Hands ★★★★☆

Review of 'The Cat With Hands' which can be found here on YouTube.

Length: 03:11

Written & directed by Robert Morgan

Genre: Horror

Date: 2001

Rating: ★★★★☆

Logline: A sinister tale about a cat who wants to become human.

There's something a bit unworldly about cats at the best of times and this one is no exception. The story takes place in a non-specific olden days setting. This both enhances the creepiness, the folklore feeling and nicely suits the fact there are two guys using a well to get water from (as you do in the middle of the night). These elements could have been easily lost if the story had been placed in a modern world.

What works well is the combination of live action and 3D model animation which also complements the fairytale tone. Soft focus and a deceivingly warm colour scheme is used to separate the animation sequence from the cold blue live action. The stop motion work is almost a throwback to children's animation from the 70's and 80's. There's also a bit of a 'Braindead' rat-monkey influence in there too for you horror fans. Stylistically, this is dark and unsettling but also somehow familiar. The fabulous set design within the limited space creates an intimate surrounding which could nearly be described as cosy. The sound effects have been done with gusto and really heighten the disturbing visuals adding further layers. Dialogue also bookends the film and sort of brings the story full circle in a clever and imaginative way.

What's maybe missing is the old rule of three trick. We only get to see one example of the cat reaping a body part before the end reveal. There's no mention on what triggered all of this off or how the cat initially got its human hands. Although interesting, these things probably would have slowed pace and drawn out the voice over narrative. The decision to only keep in the essential details means that no time is wasted and at the same time, there is no loss os emotional or engaging content. (Am drivelling on again)

Best Bit: Twisty-type reveal at the end.

Worst Bit: Doubt having someones tongue would give you their voice somehow.

Final thought: Wonder if there's a human wanting to be a cat version?

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Lock Up ★★★☆☆

Review of 'Lock Up' which can be found here or on the Bloody Cuts website.

Length: 03:34

Written by Ben Franklin and directed by Ben Kent

Genre: Horror

Date: 2011

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Logline: A security guard locking up empty offices at night probably wishes he hadn't forgotten his keys.

First of an online horror series, this feels like it's more a good example of horror techniques rather than an effective stand alone film. The long winded setup eventually comes to a great conclusion by using a combination of sound and restricted lighting to create a good build up of tension and a effective payoff. It would have been good to have had those emotions produced by that end scene, reproduced from the get go. The repetitive wandering through office corridors lacks any real suspense so it feels like you're waiting for ages for that final reward.

The camera work neatly points the audience towards important elements and the gliding shots give a professional look. The sound effects are ample but the scraping sound that freaks out security guard, Josh Burdett, isn't particularly convincing due to the echo attached to it. It doesn't sound like it's something that's really in the same location. Was hoping for an added stinger at the end of the credits to explain a bit about the thing in the dark but didn't get one. Will have to check out the rest of the series to find out if the plot continues.

Best Bit: Use of black, torch light and horror violins at the end.

Worst Bit: Weak build up.

Final thought: Good idea that online horror series thing tho.

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Isolated ★★☆☆☆

Review of 'Isolated' which can be found here on YouTube.

Length: 07:23

Written by Jack De La Mare and Andrew Gaudion. Directed by Jack De La Mare

Genre: Horror

Date: 2011

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Logline: A young couple seek safety amid a zombie infestation.

So, what's the safest thing you can do in a zombie apocalypse? Leave the safety of your vehicle, wander around a forest in the pitch dark and enter a building with the door wide open of course. So many horror films are filled with such folly, that's why we watch them. Stupid people making stupid mistakes. This film at least attempts to adhere to that formula. It starts off with a good introduction but the great soundtrack makes a promise it can't keep. This was nearly a case of "it's so bad, it's good' but I then realised it was just plain terrible.

Starring "Please God, no!" Rosie Le Friec and "Just back away slowly" Elliot Crossan, both of which couldn't act their way out of a paper bag and therefore you won't really care if they get killed. The plot is fairly straight forward and thanks to audience expectations, there wasn't a need for a lengthy set up and introduction so the film does well on that front. Does the short format suit the zombie genre? That's a difficult question. This could have been a clip out of a larger movie but still works as a stand alone piece. Unfortunately, it's overflowing cheapness hampers any efforts to be taken remotely seriously.

Make-up effects are decent and the horror music continues to stand out throughout the naff zombie attack and laughable fleeing sequence. Bad lighting means it's hard to make out a lot of stuff and causes obvious reflections on various shiny surfaces. The camera work does an okay job as well as using genre techniques to help give a sense of tension and drama. Back to the drawing board boys.

Best Bit: The audio over the title sequence. And the De La Mare Productions logo thing.

Worst Bit: Bad acting.

Final thought: In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit...

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.

Arrival ★★☆☆☆

Review of 'Arrival' which can be found here at North East Movies.

Length: 01:10

Written by Paul Evans & directed by Scott Stevens

Genre: Horror

Date: 2009

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Logline: A man doesn't like the look of a house, but goes inside it any ways.

As far as horror's go, just adding an eerie violin-type soundtrack to a bit of video doesn't necessarily make it scary. Neither does shooting it in black and white, having a character in period costume or intermittent quick cuts of screeching stone masonry. What's missing from this short is the build up of tension, dread and expectation. A common problem when the horror genre when attempted in a short length film. This effort could possibly work really well as part of a larger film but standing alone, it loses the effect it's trying to create.

Alex Kinsey plays the summoned gent. This is a no dialogue shoot so he really is just walking up some steps, running over a bridge and going into a house. Kinsey doesn't make a mess of this limited role and does his best.

I saw some good camera work in there, the tracking shots and handheld movement shots are all done very well. Similarly, composition and editing work very smoothly together. The back and white is pretty unnecessary though I suspect that this in colour wouldn't have made it any more scarier either. The soundtrack is probably its own worst enemy as it sounds like a cheaply made bog-standard horror film rip-off. Pressing all the lower keys on a keyboard in other words.

This could possibly have been salvaged if the film actually ended with a good scare or with some semblance of something really bad about to happen. Instead, all we get is a door closing. No blood curdling scream, no bludgeoning over the back of the head, nothing. Proving that it's better not to even have a set up if you're not going to pay it off.

Best Bit: The location.

Worst Bit: The lack of horror. And the horror soundtrack.

Final thought: I wonder who lives in a house that that?

Read a condensed review of this film on Twitter here.