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marrerorj
Reviews
Hank Boyd Is Dead (2015)
Unanticipated treasure
I'm a huge fan of horror and since there isn't an endless wealth of genre blockbusters I dive right into the sea of indie, low budget, micro budget movies. It's sometimes difficult to get a good handle on their quality based on reviews. That means watching the good, the bad and the ugly in pursuit of those hidden gems. I watched this years ago and decided I wanted to revisit it. It can be pretty tricky to find titles of low budget movies based on brief detail. Thankfully I was able to find after 10 minutes of digging. I haven't rewatched it yet but I did want to add my two cents for anyone curious about whether it's worth a watch bc it is.
It starts with a few minutes of getting to know the lead, why she's there and her connection to the bereaved family. Once she gets to the home she's setting up catering for things go sideways pretty quickly. She ends up trapped by a deranged family whose secrets continuously unfold with twists and turns and utter depravity right in the middle of an unassuming suburban neighborhood.
The acting was great. The story is bonkers but in a good way. The direction, editing, camera work and sound were all better than anticipated. Though it popped up in the horror genre it isn't quite that. There is blood and some unsettling aspects but it has elements of suspense, thrills and dark comedy. Just take a deep breath, don't take it too seriously and you'll enjoy it.
The Lost Vlog of Ruby Real (2020)
Better than anticipated
I went into this with low expectations. There was an intriguing concept and tons of potential. It's the basic ff setup where they showcase why they'll be filming everything. The characters are YouTubers who take off into the woods to debunk an urban legend. They do a short interview with someone who Claims he's done what they're about to and made it out. This bit foreshadows the fate of the YouTubers and does nothing to deter them. I will say that even if they don't believe the legend that there's a real possibility that people may have been hopelessly lost in the woods and they themselves will probably be there most of the day without complications and prepare nothing. I won't say anymore about what happens so I don't spoil it. Towards the end the storyline starts to fall apart. Fortunately it ends as one would expect and gives closure.. of sorts. While this isn't a perfect movie I consider it a little gem and worth a watch.
White Girl Apokalypse (2021)
Whatever their target was, they missed it
I knew it would be bad going in but I was bored and watching crappy horror is what I do. Even zero budget movies with terrible acting sometimes contain some sort of redeeming quality, something I can appreciate. With the exception of a couple bits of dialogue and a nice little variation from the norm as to why the main character was allowed to be part of the group of survivors, this was just painful to watch/listen to and then it abruptly ends. I'm not entirely sure how these types of movies end up on prime but it was terrible and I'm sure I'll continue watching them out of boredom just the same. If wasting your life is NOT your thing then I'd avoid this "movie" in particular.
I'm giving it a two because someone had some decent ideas that were sadly, poorly executed.
St. Osmund's (2013)
I didn't hate it
I'm no reviewer but after a lot of thought and This movie receiving almost no reviews to speak of I thought it'd be worth throwing out there that I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. I watch a TON of no budget horror movies because there's something about finding hidden treasure that tickles me. That said, I walked in with zero expectations other than the possibility of completely wasting my time. Sooo, this movie isn't great, probably not really good but I was really surprised by all the potential here. Had this movie had a budget, a more cohesive story, sound quality and better actors (mainly the male lead) I would have been impressed and I admittedly am impressed with what they did with so little. There's an unexpected turn in this that really worked for me, might for you too. Anyway, not perfect, not bad but if you happened upon this movie odds are youre like me and are prepared for disappointing low budget horror. I gave this such a high rating because I was in fact pleasantly surprised.