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Tenemos la carne (2016)
Go into this film with an open mind and appreciation of rarely explored themes.
Never trust reviews from people who walk out of a movie. Reviews are opinions stressed by people who watched the whole film. When people write reviews of films they walked out of, that's not a review: it's an uninformed comment.
This is as much as a review as it is an honest opinion by someone who watched the film in its entirety. Keeping in mind that great films shouldn't be loved by everyone.
We Are the Flesh is a cinematic version of dark thoughts and ideas most people immediately remove from their train of thought. As long as you are human enough to understand what is right and wrong in reality, there isn't a single thing wrong with examining dark and even grim thoughts that every single human being has from time to time.
This film explores those themes and presents them in ways that are meant to be hard to watch. These are themes that you normally wouldn't bring up in random conversations with random people. These are themes that aren't meant to be visited often but should be explored at least once. Just to see what they look like. Just to see what dark and grim things you otherwise would not have in your life (by choice) but are curious to see the repercussions from the vile acts that go on in dark places.
For me, We Are the Flesh depicts a horrid version of common, hopeless and deprived humanity. It's a brief example of those dark things I never would allow myself to act upon physically or emotionally. But I find those areas of the unknown panning out visually stimulating. Afterward, I can walk away when the film ends satisfied for experiencing a story that made me think of things I don't want to think about. But I can leave those dark questions answered by putting them behind me and leaving them with this film.
Which to me, makes for a wonderful and well made film.
Luciferous (2015)
This is effective horror filmmaking, and a rare example seen in horror films.
If you love horror movies but hate most of the horror movies you see, this is a horror movie you will love. Basically: This is a straight up, well made film.
Luciferous is the type of film that will stay with you. It's the type of film that you don't go around recommending to just anyone - including horror fans. Some people may use the description of "slow burner" but I feel it's more about subtleties that increasingly become worse and continue to linger after the story is told.
This movie doesn't push any boundaries. It doesn't implement any type of new filmmaking tricks. It won't raise the bar on how horror filmmaking will be made in the future. I'm pointing these things out to stress the fact that this was a movie that was well crafted with traditional filmmaking standards. This is bare-bones horror filmmaking that shows that those involved with making it truly understand the concept of making a great film that happens to fall into the horror genre.
This film embraces the art of independent filmmaking. This is a great example that millions of dollars and over-the-top special effects aren't necessary to make a great horror flick. Luciferous does it right: Write a great story and let the rest of the work stem from that.
The Returned (2013)
Excellent story of the aftermath.
the abundance of horror films that make their way into the world of film has a slightly more damaging effect on horror stories as a whole when compared to other genres and sub-genres that make up the movie world.
seeing this unfortunate trend, it's no surprise when the word 'Zombie' pops up in a movie premise, most people roll their eyes and already give it a thumbs down. with horror movies (genre) and zombie plots (sub- genre) it really takes something amazing to stand out. the zombie filmmaking platform can range from someone who has a camera, $500, and a bunch of friends ready to be covered in homemade red liquid resembling blood. or, to a major movie studio with a blank check and an endless supply of actors ready to stand in front of a green screen while HD cameras roll. and, of course, everything in between.
fortunately, there ARE filmmakers out there who care more for a story with substance, than a cheap idea of something that's been done too many times to even explain with boring undertones. The Returned breaks through the majority of 'something different' attempts dealing with the aftermath of a zombie outbreak. it has the elements of good storytelling and makes it a point to stress those elements people look for in something new that has hordes of the old surrounding it.
sometimes a great horror story can come from the fact you can almost see it being possible which can make you put yourself in that situation. it's what has always been referred to as 'Movie Magic.' will we ever have to deal with an actual aftermath of a zombie outbreak? to the dismay of zombie culture: highly unlikely. but, could a rare movie come along that has the right elements in the story to make us think that it's possible? according to The Returned, i'm going to go with: yes.
as with other sub-genre movies that come from this same sort of filmmaking, i always like to refer to it NOT just being a great (insert genre) movie, but a great movie in general. basically: if you like great movies, you'll like THIS movie.
Skinwalker Ranch (2013)
if reluctance on watching this brought you to IMDb reviews - you are not alone.
if you are reading this now, you probably read these often. i feel that's an indicator of a person with a high interest in watching movies and appreciating them in general more than others. this leads me to point out that you may by iffy about what goes on in Skinwalker Ranch because the description sounds like a million movies you've seen before.
especially with common(aka: lazy) buzzwords such as:
"scientific research, supernatural phenomena, disappearance of, Inspired by true events..."
throw in the generic 'found footage' motif, and you have a carbon copy of another unoriginal bubblegum flick.
but there's something about these types of films that keep you coming back. because you KNOW they have potential to be a great movie. maybe you saw a movie with similar buzzwords ten years ago that totally ignited your interest for this type of thing. since then you've endured countless disappointing movies hoping to just find that one that will make your hours of disappointments worth it.
if that's the case, you are not alone. Skinwalker Ranch is THAT MOVIE you've been waiting for. it is definitely worth your time, and you deserve this rare story you've been wanting for.
Resolution (2012)
you'll enjoy Resolution if you're not a novice, pretentious film reviewer with nothing to prove.
indie films are what provide the world of film it's building blocks into great storytelling. they flourish with a story put together with flawed and/or raw talent and approach. Resolution is a perfect example of that.
this movie could easily be remade as a Hollywood blockbuster. but the true intentions and techniques wouldn't be there. the story would either be stripped of independent risks, or changed with seasoned money making tactics.
Resolution is a great movie when it comes to unexpected roads in storytelling. it's what makes a good story from the start, escalate into a great movie by the end. if you're looking to watch a movie where you can pick apart every single aspect of indie filmmaking, i suggest finding a mailing list of like minded people who are going to the next foreign film festival to later sit and compare notes on who found the most flaws with a film that's cool enough to see, and knowingly not like.
watch Resolution if for no other reason you just want to satisfy the need for a story where the path to the outcome is unknown, and yet satisfying.
The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh (2012)
Rodrigo Gudiño's first stab at a feature length horror movie is an indicator of good things to come.
let's face it, the majority of horror movies out there just aren't that scary. so, if you're a horror fan - ask yourself this question:
When was the last time I watched a horror movie that ACTUALLY gave me the chills?
if you came up with a movie or two that truly got under your skin at one point or another during the film(s), you know that those involved with those movies are true horror fans. The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh is also one of those types of horror movies.
for his first go at a full length, Rodrigo Gudiño let everyone know that he's here for one reason only: to strike genuine fear via filmmaking. granted, the premise is something you've seen a million times. without saying too much, the premise is the straight forward 'Alone In the House' approach. which usually is an indicator that the movie you are about to see is something you'll forget about five minutes afterwards because you've seen it a million times.
if you can appreciate the technical side of filmmaking, then you can appreciate the way The Last Testament was made. speaking honestly, i can say that about five minutes in i already judged this movie with a "Yep. Here we go. AGAIN..." attitude. i imagined a bunch of first year film students critiquing every shot and pointing out technical 'mistakes' with such aspects like lighting, camera work, acting, this, that, and whatever else they bore each other with.
but there's something to keep in mind: Gudiño focuses on the story. he puts all his eggs into the first step in filmmaking - writing a good story FIRST, then move along to the other stuff. which doesn't always apply to horror movies (although, sometimes that's not a bad thing.) this story is the most important part. so if the snarky film students point out every little rookie mistake with the filmmaking process of a rookie first film, so be it. in ten years, the jokes on them. in ten years they'll realize Gudiño's first attempt was only his warm up. his foot in the door. while they're sitting around forcing out critiques and secretly wishing they were in Gudiño's director chair.
.
Home Sweet Home (2013)
sometimes a basic idea can be turned into a unique horror movie.
the only negative thing i can say about Home Sweet Home, is the title could easily turn people away from the basic premise of what it's about. the basic premise being a 'home invasion' type of deal.
aside from that, this movie is very similar to countless movies about home invasion with one exception: IT'S WELL MADE.
Home Sweet Home falls between the cracks because people just assume that they've seen movies like it a million times. it could also be discarded by some people due to the fact they were hoping to see the crazy man do all sorts of sadistic things to the couple whose home is being invaded. that really just means they want to see a plausible horror premise that involves tacky tricks for the entirety of the movie.
this is something i like to refer to as a "slice of life" kind of movie. which is suitable for some horror movies. there isn't always a need for some horror movies to touch on too much of a background. it gives a more of a sporadic feel when the horror begins from the get go.
if you've taken the time to check up on this via IMDb, then i'm not giving anything away when i say Home Sweet Home has a very, very small cast of characters. and because of that (when handled in a creative way) it really creates a sense of isolation. there isn't fifty pointless story lines going on. it helps focus on the dynamics of the characters and what's going on around them.
'less is more' can truly be applied to this movie when it comes to actual horror. when i say Home Sweet Home has a familiar-type of storyline, i don't mean that in a bad way. home invasion COULD happen to you. and it happens to people every day. sometimes, a good horror movie can be made when just the right amount of imagination bumps 'likely' to 'unlikely' making for a good horror story. and Home Sweet Home nails it the whole way through.
A Horrible Way to Die (2010)
A Horrible Way to Die is a great example of a movie for people who can appreciate the craft of filmmaking and storytelling.
in my opinion, people have too narrow of a view on what's considered a 'horror movie'. so when it comes to a lot of people, A Horrible Way to Die will mostly likely disappoint because it doesn't follow a humdrum and redundant horror movie formula: blood, guts, haunted places, monsters, deranged psychopaths stalking people, etc...
watch this movie if you're looking to watch a GOOD movie in general. it's the kind of horror movie that shows you a glimpse into a somewhat practical situation. a lot of movies out there tend to skimp on one vital part of making a movie: the story. and because the horror genre is vast, it seems too many people make horror movies with only blood and guts in mind (which isn't always a bad thing). the story in this movie is attentive to appreciating the craft of MAKING a good story.
generalized example horror plot (that has nothing to do with this film):
a movie about someone breaking into a house and terrorizing the family inside.
it's a basic concept that's been done a million times and will be made a million more times. BUT, that doesn't mean you CAN'T make a good movie about that specific scenario. it's a terrifying concept that isn't too outlandish to conceive. unfortunately this makes a lot of filmmakers lazy. they slap together a 'screenplay' and depend on generic situations that other people have done over and over again to do the work.
fortunately, there are some great films out there using that concept. and those films involve a well thought out story. instead of throwing buckets of blood around hoping the more blood, the better the movie, some people would rather switch the buckets of blood with an actual STORY. the horror springs from the reaction of characters involved, and how they react towards each other.
THIS is that kind of movie.
Sun Don't Shine (2012)
Sun Don't Shine - great story about a bad time.
one of the things that keeps the independent filmmaking scene respectable is the fact that someone can take an idea and put it directly onto the screen. there's little to no outside influence dictating the story and ideas someone wants to share with other people. Amy Seimetz's Sun Don't Shine truly feels like that type of film.
for me personally, i enjoy watching movies from time to time that don't necessarily follow the standard in the film storytelling equation: dilemma- turns to solution- turns to ending. this is the kind of story where you don't really have any idea how it's going to end up. in fact, you don't really want it to precisely end in any certain way. leaving you still thinking about the story continuing after the physical film is over.
it reminds me of overhearing a conversation between strangers passing you on the street. you missed the setup of what's going on, but you happen to catch the peak of the story where things go terribly wrong for people you will never know. you hear just enough of certain details that sets your mind wondering what the before and after could have been. eventually finding yourself mapping out your own scenario(s). it doesn't matter if they're good or bad, that brief moment sticks with you long afterward.
i thought Sun Don't Shine was fantastic. it's not something i would run to everyone i know and tell them to stop what they're doing and watch this movie. typically, movies that appeal to the masses are the ones that have less of a personal feel to them. this is something that would appeal to people who enjoy a glimpse of how things are for strangers regardless of familiarity to the story. and it's that type of freedom in independent filmmaking that always makes for a good movie.
Antiviral (2012)
Antiviral is the type of raw, debut movie that ten years from now will still be a movie people appreciate and recommend to people who like good movies.
i tend to not like reading reviews from people who compare one film and/or filmmaker to another film/filmmaker to give readers a frame of reference. so to be slightly less hypocritical, i'll just say that there are true filmmakers out there who make a modest debut film and go on to make one amazing movie after another proving not to be a one-trick pony. the sort of person who respects and understands the craft so well, that a generation later will scour the movie realm to find the first movie by that particular filmmaker.
for his first go at making a full-length movie, Brandon Cronenberg put something together that really makes me think that any movie he makes in the future will keep along with the beat of Antiviral: original and interesting.
a million movie fans can point a million fingers at parts of the movie citing a million other movies that may have done certain parts in Antiviral before. however, this isn't just ONE idea that's been done a million times. but there's a very big difference between influenced story telling, and cut and paste wannabe attempts at story telling.
keeping with the whole "not pointing out references to other movies" theme, i can say there are a lot of approach methods and ideas in Antiviral that i've seen and read before. not-too-distant dystopian future, over the top celebrity worship, soulless corporations keeping the masses dull, humdrum employee trying to break free, and other "the future is a total bummer" ideas i'm sure you've seen and read before too.
rare, original, and downright good movies hardly ever happen. so we're left with movies coming out every minute that just remind us of other movies just like it. but i feel that with all movie genres and their sub-genres, for every one hundred movies based off one idea that all seem the same (aka: lazy), you do get one truly original version of something we're familiar with: a movie like Antiviral.
i hope Brandon Cronenberg is the sort of filmmaker who will continuously stick to what he likes, using his influences as inspiration and not cut and paste ideas. making movies for people with similar tastes who can appreciate what he's doing.
i like to think that a really, REALLY great movie shouldn't appeal to every single person out there. it turns mediocre and won't stand the test of time. but something like Antiviral will be the type of movie where people will always want to see once they become a fan of however many films Brandon Cronenberg puts out there at the point in time when they first realize how much they enjoy what he does.
The Bay (2012)
nothing but good, actual horror
it's unfortunate that there are so many 'found footage' movies out there that are really just lazy, redundant, and uncreative attempts at making a horror movie. usually cut and paste ideas, with a handful of visual gimmicks thrown in to make up for shoddy story telling. all these people who make these mediocre movies get the idea from a decent 'found footage' movie, and make a movie with the same old song and dance.
this is the movie they see that inspires them to make their wannabe movies in hopes to capture the same effect. only they fail like so many others, and lessen the interest of people who want to see a good film.
The Bay is an excellent, smart horror movie. it doesn't solely rely on shocking imagery. it is a well thought out story of horror. there's no shock value attempt. the horror you see in this movie stems from a terrifying premise. the rare horror that you still think about way after you watch the movie. this is definitely the sort of horror movie you want to see when you want to see something different.
if 'smart horror' is a thing, than this movie is that thing.
Harold's Going Stiff (2011)
this isn't just some fun zombie flick. this is fantastic movie all around.
there are two ways to make a zombie movie:
1. round up a bunch of people. cover them in oatmeal and red corn syrup. have them wear dirty clothes. . and tell them to go "UUUUUUUAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" over and over again. oh, and one last thing: throw away the story. it'll just get in the way of making an unoriginal, mediocre zombie flick that we've all seen a million times.
or
2. set out to make an original movie with compelling story telling that just happens to also have zombies thrown in the mix.
Harold's Going Stiff falls into option #2. this is by far one of THE most unique zombie movies ever made. there's strange bit of irony with most zombie movies. i'd say about 90% of all zombie movies are pretty much the same thing. it's like people don't really care about making a good and original movie. they do the same thing over and over again. tell the same story over and over again. use the same 'zombie' effects over and over again. over and over and over again. it never stops. the filmmakers become mindless zombies making a movie about zombies. over and over and over again.
but it's worth it. it's worth enduring the monotony of non-stop mediocre zombie movies to have something like this come along. the hordes of zombie movies that are out there are a reflection of how generic something can get when milked dry, and cashed in.
it seems to me, those involved in the making of this movie aren't doing it because it's a hip and easy way to make a movie. they're doing it because they appreciate the craft that goes into storytelling and put it to good use to make a great film.
calling this a 'zombie movie' is like saying Forrest Gump is a movie about some guy who's a little slow. this movie embraces storytelling. those involved with telling this story used their brains to do it in a creative, fresh manner. to put meaningful thought behind what they're doing. and not go for the usual(often typical) milling around and doing the same ol' thing using very little brain activity. as little as, say, zombies.
V/H/S (2012)
it's like there's a party in my soul, and everyone is getting brutally murdered.
the people responsible for this horror juggernaut knew exactly what they were doing. if you're willing to accept the fact that 'found footage' horror movies have their own genre, then you will accept this into your heart. right until it's ripped out and eaten.
being a sort of showcase of horrors, there is very little room for anything but unrelenting terror. the way the filmmakers and their stories hit you, gives your brain little time to process what's happening. v/h/s is the sort of movie that lingers around inside your head way after you watched it. it's like finding a rotting corpse in a dumpster. it's so terrifying it almost doesn't seem like it's actually happening. it doesn't sink in until later when your brain finally puts it all together and tells you "yeah, that rotting corpse you found in the dumpster? yeah, that happened. and yeah, you're f'n terrified."
similar to having a nightmare, recalling v/h/s after you watch it seems a bit hazy. slowly, you start to remember what you saw. and the more you recall, the more horrifying it seems. unlike nightmares, this physically exists.
v/h/s defines horror over and over again until it's finished. and why do i say that? because like i said up top, these people know exactly what they were doing: creating actual horrors.
Lovely Molly (2011)
just sit down, shut up, and enjoy the terror.
there's a good possibility you'll never see an actual 'original' horror movie for the rest of your life. if you've seen more than 10 horror movies in your time, you've pretty much experienced every type of movie horror has to offer. in this case i suppose 'haunted house' is the deal with Lovely Molly.
however, just because it's been done before, doesn't mean someone can't actually teach an old dog new tricks.
it's my philosophy that whenever one good type of movie comes out, one hundred knock-off's are sure to follow. in turn lessening the quality of that ONE good movie. this IS that one good movie. it has all the basic elements for creating enjoyable terror: holds nothing back, no pointless b.s. background stories, no gimmicks or polished special effects, no dumb-downed explanations of EVERYTHING that happens, and the kind of horror movie where you make up excuses to not have to go into a room alone unless every light is on.
it basically has what most (american) horror movies seem to leave out: HORROR.
watch this movie right now.