Fellowship of Filming(s)

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018)

Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel is a 2018 American direct-to-streaming found-footage horror mystery film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. A sequel to the 2015 film Hell House LLC and a second installment to the Hell House LLC franchise. Its plot centers around a group of journalists who have gathered to explore the Abaddon Hotel, which has once again been abandoned following the events of the prior film.
via Wikipedia

I’ll start with the same disclaimer I gave with the previous Hell House movie: found footage films will never be on my top 10 lists of genres. With that out of the way, this sequel does a decent job of continuing the story from the previous movie.

As a sequel there is footage from the first film integrated, but it’s not inherently central to the movie. We get more characters in addition to some from the first film and the mystery continues on. I was not as impressed with this movie as I was with the first one. Though more of the mystery is revealed, that it’s not just any old haunted house.

There isn’t too much to say here, so I’ll go with – if you enjoyed the first movie, watch the second movie as the story is developed a bit more.

My Rating: ★★

More Movies to Watch:

Hell House, LLC (2015)

Hell House LLC is a 2015 American found-footage supernatural horror film written and directed by Stephen Cognetti and produced by Joe Bandelli. It is the first installment in the Hell House LLC franchise. The film, shot as a documentary, follows a group of Halloween haunted house creators as they prepare for the 2009 opening of their popular haunted attraction, Hell House. Tragedy strikes on opening night when an unknown “malfunction” causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff. The film reveals the lead-up to the tragedy and what really went wrong that night, the details of which have remained a mystery to the public. The film was released on a number of video on-demand platforms, including Amazon Video, Shudder, YouTube, Vudu, and iTunes, on November 1, 2016.
via Wikipedia

I’m typically not a fan of found-footage horror films, it’s a style that’s hard for me to follow. I’m pretty certain it has something to do with the shaky camera as I just can’t pay attention to what’s going on through the lens. So I’m never going to have a particularly glowing review even though the plot might be fantastic.

I will also say that I’m terribly late in getting this review up, and had to read through the plot on Wikipedia to even remember it. Hell House, LLC is actually a group of friends who travel and set up haunted house events throughout the country. They choose the Abaddon Hotel to stage their next attraction and the scene quickly turns into your typical haunted house style movie.

I will say that changing up the filming style did seem to set this movie apart from other haunted house movies, so the found-footage take did set this movie apart from the genre itself. When I think found-footage I typically think Blair Witch, in which we’re watching events from the past, but Hell House, LLC is a combination of that plus the news reporters documenting what the aftermath is as well.

It’s not bad, but I still wouldn’t put it up there with favorites. I did watch it a couple of times because I missed a few details the first time around. There are quite a few places online to watch most of this movie series if you happened to be interested.

My Rating: ★★

More Movies to Watch:

April Fools Day (2008)

April Fool’s Day is a 2008 American direct-to-video slasher film remake of the 1986 film of the same name. It is directed by The Butcher Brothers, also known as Mitchell Altieri and Phil Flores. April Fool’s Day is described by star Scout Taylor-Compton as “Mean Girls crossed with horror”, and was released straight to DVD on March 25, 2008. The film received negative reviews from critics and fans.
via Wikipedia

Not going to lie but the plot of this movie feels a lot like the horror video game “Until Dawn”. The basic premise is a group of friends get together, a prank goes horribly accidentally wrong. A year later the friends get together, but the group dynamic is off, and then someone starts playing pranks on the group again.

I honestly, couldn’t really be bothered to care too much about any of the characters as they all seemed very self-absorbed and just bad people in general, or rather people I would never associate with. It was interesting to see how the second half of the movie played out – if only to see how the characters were picked off one by one. But it’s not really worth any kind of re-watch.

My Rating: ★★

More Movies to Watch:

Let the Right One In (2008)

Let the Right One In (Swedish: Låt den rätte komma in) is a 2008 Swedish romantic horror film directed by Tomas Alfredson, based on the 2004 novel of the same title by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote the screenplay. The film tells the story of a bullied 12-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a strange child in Blackeberg, a suburb of Stockholm, in the early 1980s.
via Wikipedia

I have watched this before, and it’s not really a fast paced or even action packed for a horror film. It does run mostly like a romantic drama – except for the blood and pedophilic innuendo. It did take me two watches to really understand everything that was going on. There is quite a bit to follow, and as I don’t speak or understand Swedish, the subtitles only convey so much.

Essentially, we get to watch the development of an odd pre-adolescent relationship between two 12-year-olds. They both have quite a bit going on in their lives, the boy is being bullied at school, and has parents who’ve separated. The girl is a vampire, and her “guardian” messed up, went into the hospital, and died.

We get to see what a vampire looks like in this universe, which isn’t the Nosferatu of yesteryear, or the sparkly icon of modern times. It’s a girl who’s been 12 for a very long time, can’t come in without being invited, and has issues with blood.

I’m not even really sure what the ending is supposed to imply. It’s really ambiguous and doesn’t really end, it’s more of a new beginning ending than anything else. Although I’m not sure how else to finish off the storyline.

It’s a very different kind of horror film.

My Rating: ★★★

More Movies to Watch:

The Skeleton Key (2005)

The Skeleton Key is a 2005 American Southern Gothic supernatural horror film directed by Iain Softley, written by Ehren Kruger, and starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard, and Joy Bryant. The narrative follows a New Orleans hospice nurse who begins a job at a Terrebonne Parish plantation home, and becomes entangled in a supernatural mystery involving the house, its former inhabitants, and Hoodoo rituals and spells that took place there.
via Wikipedia

I love the slow burn of this film, it really gets you. A young hospice nurse running from her demons and trying to figure out her own path takes a job out in the rural areas of Louisiana. As Caroline explores the spooky old house she’s now working in she finds more questions than answers.

That creepy room in the attic? Locked for good reason. The husband? Not a stroke. The wife? Not as crazy as she looks. The real estate lawyer? Not who he seems.

The house and it’s tenants have a long history, and it’s not a pretty one, but don’t worry you’re absolutely safe, until you start believing in the magick…

My Rating: ★★★★

More Movies to Watch:

The Dentist (1996)

The Dentist is a 1996 American slasher film directed by Brian Yuzna and written by Dennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon, and Charles Finch. It stars Corbin Bernsen, Linda Hoffman, Earl Boen and Ken Foree. It follows a successful but mentally unstable dentist in Los Angeles who begins committing murder. It is the first installment in The Dentist film series, followed by The Dentist 2.
via Wikipedia

This could easily be reclassified as a psychological thriller as well as a slasher film. I enjoyed watching the dentist descend into absolute madness as the film marches along.

It starts out with basic paranoia, he thinks his wife is having an affair, and that’s what is driving his delusions. Obviously it gets worse and the dentist starts acting on his delusions, assaulting a model, forgetting anesthesia, firing his best hygienist, and some animal cruelty for good measure.

This all reaches a climax at a fancy dinner with his wife one night, and well, you can about guess how this one ends. It’s definitely a different take on a slasher movie.

My Rating: ★★★

More Movies to Watch:

Splinter (2008)

Splinter is a 2008 American horror film directed by Toby Wilkins and starring Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, and Jill Wagner. It was filmed near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It had a limited theatrical release on October 31, 2008. HDNet Movies aired the film two days prior to its theatrical release.
via Wikipedia

I haven’t watched a good horror film in awhile. Most of the time when I’m watching a movie, it’s on in the background, I’m working on another project or doing housework, and I’ll look up from time to time to make sure I still know what’s going on.

Not here.

This one held my attention.

Splinter is based on the idea of the parasitic fungus. You are probably familiar with the one that’s taking over the ant population in some areas of the world, the one that takes over the ant’s brain to reproduce. That’s similar to what is going on here, except this one is taking over everything. Animals, racoons, humans.

I also love our little group of survivors. It’s a small cast of people, but we didn’t need anymore, more would muddy the waters. It’s just so good to watch them all realize what’s happening and how their motives change. Don’t get me wrong, this is still very much a body horror type of situation, so be warned.

My Rating: ★★★★

More Movies to Watch:

Humanoids From the Deep (1980)

Humanoids from the Deep (released as Monster in Europe and Japan) is a 1980 American science fiction horror film starring Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, and Vic Morrow. Roger Corman served as the film’s uncredited executive producer, and his company, New World Pictures, distributed it. Humanoids from the Deep was directed by Barbara Peeters and an uncredited Jimmy T. Murakami.
via Wikipedia

So I watched a docufilm titled “The 50 Best Horror Movies you’ve Never Seen” and if you’ve been watching this blog you won’t be surprised that I’ve watched or at least heard of half of this list, but there were a few that I had no idea existed at all.

This was one of them, and I think I know why I hadn’t heard of it.

Scientists have been hired to boost the fishing industry of a small seaside town by increasing the local fish population. I think you already know where this is going, the genetically mutated fish continued to genetically mutate and now the residents of the seaside town are being murdered…. and assaulted.

To further their genetic journey these aquatic monsters are going after the women. Yes. You heard me.

It’s very… camp. Everyone is screaming, it’s obviously an actor in a suit, it’s running around and falling off the pier, it’s silly.

My Rating: ★★

More Movies to Watch:

Barbie (2023)

Barbie is a 2023 fantasy comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig from a screenplay she wrote with Noah Baumbach. Based on the eponymous fashion dolls by Mattel, it is the first live-action Barbie film after numerous computer-animated films and specials. It stars Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken, and follows them on a journey of self-discovery through both Barbieland and the real world following an existential crisis. It is also a commentary regarding patriarchy and the effects of feminism. The supporting cast includes America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell.
via Wikipedia

For being a movie based on a toy from my childhood, this is very much a young adult film. I mean Barbie is still cute and optimistic, but she gets a hard, heavy dose of reality and I’ll give it to her, she takes it better than most. The existential crisis’ of this movie hits home and there is more than one.

Ken’s realization that he is his own entity and Barbie’s realization that not everything is peaches and cream were both heartbreaking. It is very much a coming of age movie, but wow is it packed with adult emotions.

The movie does a decent job of keeping things light-hearted (Will Ferrell and Rhea Perlman as casting choices, yes), while delivering a very important message. Things aren’t all peaches and cream, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to give up.

My Rating: ★★★★

More Movies to Watch:

ClearMind (2024)

“Taking an Axe to Therapy: A grieving mother crashes the weekend getaway of her former friend group and uses a virtual reality simulation to exact her revenge.”

I recently went traveling and this was one of the options on my four hour flight so I thought, why not? I like the interest plot device, the idea that artificial reality can help a person to work through grief and other mental health related problems.

And honestly, there are times I think about what it would be like just to do whatever I wanted without consequences. I love the idea that we are almost there with this technology and what it could really do for the health of the population as a whole.

But that’s not what this movie is about. I’m sure Nora did some healing throughout her simulation and the movie does a really good job of immersing you in the alternate reality, but this is not a movie about crying your feelings out.

Nora and Michael’s daughter drowns at a pool party, and this causes the end of their marriage and Nora’s friendship with the group. A year later, everyone except Nora has moved on and there’s another party planned…

My Rating: ★★ ★