VOD Review: The Atticus Institute (2015)

(aka Demonic Oversight: The Movie.)
Release Date: January 20th.
Country: USA.
Rating: NR.
Written & Directed by: Chris Sparling.
Starring: William Mapother, Sharon Maughan, Anne Betancourt and Julian Acosta.

More Mockumentary than it is Found Footage, The Atticus Institute is above average in the scare department at times, while feeling fairly derivative in most other ways. We liked it though. Mostly.

Tom Cruise's scientist cousin had the best of intentions when he started The Atticus Institute; all he wanted to do was study strange phenomenon like E.S.P and telekinesis, and prove to the world that they were real. Unfortunately, that that whole thing turned out to be a big bust, because none of that stuff is real.

"NO, IT'S NOT THE ACE OF SPADES... UGH."

When Judith Winstead's sister dropped her off at the institute and basically said "This bitch is creepy, you can have her," he and his rag-tag group of  science rebels switched focus to Demonic Possession, which ended up being a much more fruitful endeavor. You see, Judith could make things move, guess what was on cards, kill little kids with paperclips... because she was obviously possessed by a Demon. Hence the switch in focus.

YEAH, SHE'S DEFINITELY CREEPY.

When Cousin Cruise and his team realize that they can't handle Demon Judith by themselves anymore, they do what absolutely no scientist would ever do... they call the U.S. Government to come in and take over! It's not long before the Spooks realize that they have a potentially world-changing weapon on their hands, and decide to use her/it to help them rule the world. Because, America!

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG WITH A ROCK-SOLID PLAN LIKE THAT?

Can any of the scientists ever hope to contain the Demonic entity that they unwittingly unleashed? Will Demon Judith kill them all? Is there anything that the U.S. Government won't exploit to further its own agenda? Far be it from us to spoil anything for you here, but suffice it to say that Tom Cruise's cousin is pretty much screwed.

SORRY, MAN, BUT YOU POKED THE DEMONIC BEAR.

We put off watching this one for the better part of a month because we thought it was going to be another run of the mill Found Footage type of affair... and it was, to a point. The good news is that while being nothing new or fresh, The Atticus Institute did a pretty good job at pulling us into its narrative, and giving us more than a few scares for our trouble. There really are some genuinely creepy moments throughout this one that either made us jump or just plain skeeved us out.

MOMENTS LIKE THIS.

As effective as the movie was at times, it felt equally repetitive and cliche at others: A bunch of scientists test a subject; something odd or creepy happens; then everyone talks about how odd or creepy it was. A repeat of that sequence of events made up about 75% of the movie. Now, we're not really complaining about that, because they way that the film presents its story, both past and present, worked well most of the time. It's just that after a while, we noticed the pattern, and it became a bit predictable. Effective though. Most of it was definitely effective.

We really liked the story, but it never really went anywhere; as much as they built up how dangerous and dire the situation was, nothing ever escalated to truly dangerous levels. Sure, there were a few instances of Demon Judith actually harming people, but it was really never anyone who was central to the plot. Speaking of the story, the movie gives away a lot of its big moments early on, revealing who lives and who dies, and so it's not quite as intriguing as it could have been. In that way, it truly does play like a real Documentary.

MILEY CYRUS IN 20 YEARS.

Never poke the Demonic bear. Also, Tom Cruise is definitely the better looking cousin.*William Mapother is really his cousin.

"I TOLD THEM NOT TO POKE THE DEMONIC BEAR!"

The Atticus Institute is a solid Supernatural Thriller that gave us far more chills than we thought it would. It's repetitive and overly-familiar at times, but the fact that it's anchored by some pretty strong performances by a group of largely unknown actors made most of the lesser aspects of the film seem tolerable. Overall, it's a slightly above average movie that is worthy of a watch.

C+

The Atticus Institute is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.

Though not sexy in the least, The Atticus Institute was not completely without sexiness.

Review: The Tunnel (2011)

"Not since Houseboat of Horror has an Australian film been so terrifying, albeit for completely different reasons..."

I was wondering when Australia was going to get involved in the first person/found footage game... alright, I really wasn't, but they did, and so here we are. The Tunnel is a Blair Witch style POV flick, in which a group of journalists head into the vast tunnel system beneath Sydney (Australia), to investigate a rash of disappearing homeless people. They're also interested in uncovering the truth behind the New South Wales Government's (also in Australia) sudden abandonment of a water project or something... either way they're morons for going down into the creepy tunnels. You know it just can't end well.

"Aw yeah mate, I'd go down there. No worries."

Once in the tunnels, unexplainable things like odd sounds and disappearing gear begin to plague the crew, but it's not until one of them goes missing that the true terror really starts. The further and further into the labyrinth of dark, scummy tunnels they go, the more they begin to realize that they're truly fucked. What's down there with them, lurking in the darkness? What happened to Tangles? What the fuck kind of name is Tangles anyway? Why do these movies always have to have one sneaky, lying bitch in them, that ends up putting everyone's life in danger because they're so selfish and opportunistic? Far be it from me to spoil you on these mysteries, but I will say this; that bitch would have got left.

Yep, time to go. Oh, and the bitch stays.

If you're claustrophobic this movies will probably give you fits. If you're scared of tunnels, ditto. If the sound of the Aussie dialect gives you the willies, just skip the whole thing altogether. If you do appreciate all of the aforementioned things though, along with a heavy dose of tension and doom thrown in for good measure, then you are going to love this movie.

In a lot of ways, The Tunnel is the same as most found footage genre flicks; there's the shaky cam, the "real" feel of it all, it's dark and creepy... one major difference though lies in the way it's all presented. If someone happened upon this movie on a random cable channel, they might get suckered into thinking it's a real documentary, because it feels exactly like one. If I had to pick one movie that it reminded me of in tone, not content, I'd have to go with 2010's Lake Mungo. they both had that Docudrama tone about them, and it was intentional in both cases.

Tonight on 20/20, we'll tell you what fucked this guy up for life.

Aside from the film itself, there are 2 things about The Tunnel that are genuinely notable: First of all, this is the first movie ever released directly to Bittorrent by the filmmakers, and that's a huge deal.

In a digital world where Hollywood complains that movie downloads are killing the industry (which they aren't) and sues 12-year-olds for downloading crappy copies of movies that are usually shitty to begin with, the producers of The Tunnel decided to buck the system and release it online to garner interest in their film... and they encouraged people to download and share it.

For this reason alone, the DVD is worth purchasing.

The second thing, which kinda goes hand in hand with the first, is that they sold individual frames of the film online to raise money for their efforts, giving anyone who donates a chance to own a part of the film. Even cooler than that, the producers are going to choose one frame, and the owner of that frame will get 1% of the profit of the film. That's just ridiculously cool. How do you not want to support guys like that?

"Free? Why in the bloody hell would you give it away for free!?"

My guess is that instead of falling by the wayside and wallowing in relative obscurity, like so many small horror flicks do, The Tunnel will actually make some money and gain some much deserved exposure, and all because the filmmakers thought outside of the box. Big kudos have to be given to the ingenuity and balls at work here. Good on ya, boys!

With all of that being said, I'm sure a lot of people are thinking "It can't be that good if it's free, right?" Well no, not right. Much to my surprise, The Tunnel was a pretty damn well-made movie, with nary a sign of cheapness to be found. It's no $100 million opus mind you, but neither is it some cheap POS that they needed to give away for free to get anyone to even look at it.

You should have stayed above ground.

It's gritty, atmospheric, creepy, and feels real in pretty much every aspect. If you don't like the whole hand held/found footage thing, you probably won't like this movie. If you do though, then this should please you greatly. It's light on the blood, but then again this movie isn't going for jump scares or kill count; it's aim is to skeeve you out and make you sweat, and it does its job rather well.

Check the official site HERE, to own a piece of this movie and/or grab a copy of the DVD. The boys who made it deserve our support.

B+

The Tunnel is available now on DVD and VOD.

Bel Delia is in this, and this picture of her is just awesome..

Review: Trollhunter (2011)

"Oh, hell yeah!"

Sub-Genre- Hand Held/Found Footage/Creature  
Cast Members of Note- Otto Jesperen... is the Trolljegeren!  

Essentially this is Norway's answer to The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield, except that there's not a witch involved, and it's not a lame rip off of Godzilla. This movie is about trolls; not the kind that wreak havoc on Internet message boards, but the kind that live under bridges, turn to stone in the daylight, rape goats, and eat sheep. People too. Maybe it's just a Norwegian thing...

So this movie is based off of a musical? Who knew?

Long story short, a film crew full of slacker dip-shits hook up with, and follow around, Norway's answer to Chuck Norris. Blasphemy you say? No one is as bad-ass as the greatest white karate man of all time? Well, his name is Hans, and until Chuck Norris fights a 100 metres tall troll with a flashlight, he wins the title of king bad-ass. (Chuck Norris, if you're reading this, ignore what I just said. It's all propaganda for the sake of a movie review. You will always be the king. Sir. )

Fights a 100 metre tall trolls with a flashlight... think about that.

There are a bunch of different types of trolls in Norway you see; some have three heads; some are as big as mountains; some look like Gerard Depardieu... and due to something or other about power lines, they have been misbehaving of late. Hans, being the Trolljegeren (more like troll murderer actually), knows the types of trolls, their traits, and their weaknesses... and most importantly, how to kill them. Gloriously.

See that tiny little thing on the ground in front of the troll? That's a hummer-like vehicle with Hans and his rooftop flashlight cannon...

That's basically the plot; Hans and his film crew buddies track a bunch of naughty trolls through the forests and mountains of Norway and kill them. Add in a Government conspiracy to keep all talk of trolls on the DL, and it makes for some interesting moments. I won't spoil what happens towards the end here, but suffice it to say that Trolljegeren-ing is dangerous work. Also, it smells pretty bad too. It's all about rubbing troll-fat butter on your crotch and armpits... I'm just sayin'.

Gerard Depardieu is in this.

This movie was so much fun that I'm still smiling thinking about it. Aside from an ending that left us a bit wanting, we cant remember the last time we sat through such a fun, well made, and fresh Horror flick. Maybe Trick r' Treat? Yeah, that sounds about right.

Raglefant. Tussealadd. Rimtusse. Dovregubben. Harding. The massive Jotner. There are all kinds of trolls, and they are spread all over Norway; in the forests, in the mountains, under bridges. They kinda look like big, smelly, hungry puppets with phallic noses, almost cartoonish. Make no mistake though, they are intimidating and they want to eat you. They feel like something out of a fairytale, but are presented to the audience as a natural predator in such a realistic way, that I'm not entirely sure that Norway doesn't really have trolls. Alright, I know they don't, but it all sure felt real.

As far as the Found Footage genre goes, this movie is aces. It feels real. Nothing feels forced here like in so many other FF movies. Especially with Hans; he's just a gruff old timer who has a job to do. He hunts trolls. Not one thing about it scares him either, like he's hunting deer, or duck or something. He's a bad-ass because he's really just someone like your Dad or Grandfather, only he kills monsters.

The movie also does a good job of not only keeping you on the edge of your seat, but in letting us know just how huge, imposing and dangerous these creatures really are. It's almost like watching a documentary on the National Geographic Channel. They did a great job conveying the realism on this one.

Hans and his RPG flashlight... the dude is fighting a walking mountain!

Where are you going, Hans? You're in the middle of fucking Norway, which is all ice and snow mind you, so maybe wandering off into the desolate tundra isn't the best idea... at least tell us why! He always was a lone wolf.

The Norwegian Chuck Norris.

The ending. Sure, as a Found Footage flick you have to expect that at some point the footage has to just end, and abruptly, but what happened? Were they shot? Did the one guy hitch a ride? Did Hans ever finish his hike? Are the trolls doing well? I need answers. Sequel please.

What happened?!?

Troll piss, troll poop, troll slime (I don't want to know where it came form), sheep abuse, trolls explode, people are rent limb from limb... it's not really a violent movie overall, but the gross stuff is there.

Nope. Well, do the trolls count as far as a nudity quotient goes? If so, then there's all kinds of skin on display in this one.

People in Norway are tough enough to fight trolls. Also, trolls have penis noses.

And they smell. Bad.

This movie needs to be seen by all genre fans, and as soon as possible. It is not perfect, so don't let a great grade make you think that it is. What Trolljegeren is though, is a hell of an entertaining movie that does the Found Footage genre right, and puts Cloverfield and its ilk to shame. I can't imagine how someone could not have fun with this movie.

See it or suck.

A+

 Trolls, trolls everyewhere!

DVD Review: Lake Mungo (2010)

"Lake Mungo was far different that I expected it to be, and way better than I had hoped..."

Sub-Genre- Supernatural
Cast Members of Note- Talia Zucker, Rosie Traynor, David Pledger, Martin Sharpe, and Steve Jodrell.

Without giving away too much about the plot (because it twists and turns a lot, and ends up being something more than its premise suggests), Lake Mungo is about 16-year-old Alice Palmer; a sweet girl that goes missing on a family outing to a local swimming hole, and the creepy goings-on that follow after her disappearance.

No more fun for you, 'cause you're dead.

Alice's family begin to experience a series of strange occurrences centered around their home, prompting them to seek the help of a local psychic to help them make sense of it all. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Alice had some dark secrets that ultimately may have lead to her doom. A series of clues and happenings lead the to the film's title location, Lake Mungo, where her secret life is exposed, leaving the family reeling and trying to piece themselves back together.

I'll piece you back together, honey. I'm nurturing like that.

To reveal much more than this would be doing a disservice to the film, so I'm going to shut up now. I will say that at more than one time during the movie, I found myself getting goosebumps and screaming at the hairs on the back of my neck to stop standing up. That actually happened.

Anyone who actually goes to a place this creepy, kinda has it coming.

Part of January's upcoming After Dark Horrorfest, Lake Mungo (along with the excellent Dread), gives me a giddy sense of expectation for what this year's fest could end up being. Finally, we are getting more than second-rate B-Movies that aren't really all that good or scary in an American Horror Film Festival.

I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. You see, it's presented to us, the viewer, as a straight up Documentary ala something you would see on TV Shows like Unsolved Mysteries or Cold Case Files. It's obviously a fictional drama, but you'd never know it if you just caught in on TV one day. The subtle quiet of the movie is what makes it work so well, as characters looking at photographs and videos proves to be more chilling than anything else that happens onscreen.

The real terror in this movie comes from the seedy goings-on in a quiet suburban neighborhood, what those actions lead to, and how they can damage someone beyond repair. The theme of knowing your own doom is unsettling as well, and especially with the way it's explored throughout this movie.

This picture pretty much captures the feel of the movie.

While essentially a ghost story, the spirits of Lake Mungo aren't malevolent and no one is ever really threatened by any supernatural doings, which just struck me oddly. It's more like The Sixth Sense or The Oprhanage that let's say a Paranormal Activity, in that that scares come in other, less threatening ways. As much as I liked it, I was kinda hoping for a vengeful ghost or something. It's a minor gripe really.

There's a ghost in this picture. Look close.

I don't know if American audiences will embrace this movie as they really should. I mention this because Hollywood is already planning to remake Lake Mungo, which to me seems unnecessary. This movie stands on it's own as a great film, and an effective Horror movie, but the lack of jump-scares and "incident" means that it probably won't make sufficient bank in this country.

Oddly enough, it's getting a Theatrical release in January as a part of the After Dark Horrorfest, but it's still getting remade. I hope it makes money and the remake just fades into oblivion, but then I always do tend to dream too big.

There were a few disturbing images, but the gore quotient was very, very low.

She looked better alive.

We get one of the creepiest threesomes ever, and some teenage Aussie girls in bikinis. For the most part though, the movie is very tame, aside from its themes.

Middle. That's all I'm saying.

Australia is a very creepy place. Also, it's best to just avoid swimming holes altogether.

And morgues. Avoid those too.

Lake Mungo is an atmospheric, disturbing, creepy, and even sad movie in some ways, and it deftly weaves all of those elements together to pull you in and leave you thinking about it long after you've finished watching. Little more than regret, guilt, and dark secrets manage to make a movie with no violence or threatening antagonists give you goosebumps and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, which to me seems quite a feat.

If this is an example of what we can expect when the After Dark Horrorfest IV hits Theaters in January, then it's going to be a good month. Go and see this when you get the chance.

B+

Lake Mungo is available now on DVD and VOD.

Talia Zucker... I'd love to... say how great she is in this movie.