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Cub - Rating: * * * 1/2 (Reviewed by Mark Goddard)

9/5/2015

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This could be a total first for the site as we review our first Belgium horror film.  Now if horror has taught me anything over the years it is that 1) Woods = Death and 2) Kids are fucking evil. Enter CUB (original title WELP) a delightful little tale about a young scout group who are on a jolly camping trip, only to be stalked by the most evil looking feral kid in recent years.

The film follows Sam (Maurice Luijten), a lonely little boy who, along with his buddies, are taken on a  camping trip on the outskirts of France by the good cop bad cop scout leaders Peter (Stef Aerts- CORDON) and Kris (Titus De Voogdt -THE MISSING) and camp chef Jasmijn (Evelien Bosmans - MARINA). There is a universal dislike for poor Sam and Kris makes it very clear from the start that he hates the boy. When they arrive at their dedicated camping spot they find the area occupied by, well I can only describe them as the french equivalent of a couple of chavs, who are using the area to ride their quad and drink beer. A small scuffle happens between kris and peter and the two men which sees the troupe heading deep into the woods to find another place to set up. Not really a smart idea as the woods are home to the legendary Kai, a supposed werewolf which the scout leaders use to scare the kids. But Kai is no werewolf, just you everyday FUCKING PSYCHO, and just when you thought one small feral child was enough there is a bald guy in an underground hideout killing anyone who decided to enter his woods with home alone style traps set to pressure triggers.

Yeah it's exactly how it sounds, but before you think i am going to go on a total rant i actually enjoyed this film. The acting was horror film worthy but the death scenes were pretty gruesome. The kai character really looks creepy, i give props the the person to choose the design of that mask and the Sam character worked well in this strange twisted friendship built up over the course of the film. Kris is a total cock but you need he kind of character in a strange cliche horror villain kind of way.

I have a few niggles. For one you get no back story regarding the bald guy in the underground hideout other than he was possibly Kai's father? i mean you don't really find out the reason why he is aimlessly killing anyone who comes in his woods or why he decided its perfectly okay to drive over a group of kids hiding in the tent (yeah that will never make the inevitable remake). You also never find out what happened to the kids that got away. Did they get killed? what happened to them god damn it!!!! 

CUB is a decent enough little film, i think it could have been polished up a little story wise but the overall product was a very enjoyable watch. The dog in a sack scene is BRUTAL.

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Body - Rating: * * * * * (Reviewed by Mark Goddard)

9/4/2015

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(WARNING!! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS)

This is first horror I have sat down to watch in a very long time, is BODY. Now this could have gone one of two ways:


1) The film could have been AWFUL, i mean seriously dire

or

2) It was going to be a really good watch.

well BODY was a very rare 3) VERY VERY GOOD so good in fact that it gets a very rare five star review from me (shock horror).

BODY is the story of 3 friends, Holly, Cali and Mel, who are having a night in together as they wait for Christmas eve to officially begin. As they group grow bored Cali suggests heading up to her Uncles empty house for drinks and a good time. The house ends up being a mansionesque building which the group explore at their leisure. As Holly breaks away from the group she finds her self the one of the bedrooms where she finds a picture of an Asian family. Now obviously you can't see the actors in the review but lets just say Cali is far from Asian. Cali reveals that this isn't her uncles place, but the home of a family she babysits for from time to time. As Holly and Mel vote to leave, their exit is cut short as the groundskeeper enters to house. A struggle on the stairs leads to the groundskeeper's neck snapping and the girls in a state of panic.
What follows is the ultimate cover up. Cali pursudaes the girls to fake an attempted rape, with Holly getting the short straw (or the A tile from scrabble, which seems to get a few showings in the film) But is the grounds keeper really dead?

I'm trying not to give too much away in this review, as I really would suggest everyone go see it, but there are few stand out points in the film. Firstly, WOW Cali is the biggest bitch i have seen in a horror film in a long time. I mean she is truly cold and calculating and was very well played by ........, the scenes with Holly near the climax of the film are amazing and to be honest all three girls were casted tremendously. Holly, played by ..... does timid yet strong minded very well while Mel, played by..... is perfect as the easily led middle woman.

As a whole the film is perfect. The screenplay worked very well, it is simple yet effective its delivery. This could have easily been one of those bloody soaked home invasion horror films, instead we are given a tense horror thriller, which even when you may guess the ending about midway in, is a well put together film with great direction and spot on acting.

If you are looking at a good discovery screen film this is the one.

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The Entity - Rating: * * * (Reviewed by Mark Goddard)

9/4/2015

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Let me start by saying, a three star review for this found footage film is fucking generous. Most of you will know by now that I am not a fan of the found footage sub horror genre. I find it boring and overused, a little bit like the supernatural Sub-Horror Genre is starting to become. However when you get sent links to watch you tend to watch them and see where it takes you.

La Entidad is yet another typical found footage film, but it has something about it that made me add that extra star. Now the film isn't terrible, last thing I want if for you all to think I am burying this film for the sake of it, I actually thought the end product wasn't that bad story wise but as I have mentioned before in reviews for films like this it could have work much better as a normal horror film instead of using the found footage format.

The premise is simple, three film maker friends, Joshua (Rodrigo Falla), Lucas (Carlos Casella) and Benjamin (Mario Gaviria), who are on assignment at college to create a documentary. enter Joshua's ex girlfriend Carla (Daniella Mendoza) who plants the idea for their Documentary, looking into the real videos in the online reaction clips found on video sharing websites. Sounds like a safe and doable job right? well this wouldn't be much of a film if it just went smoothly. They find the perfect clip of three people watching a torture video, as you can imaging this reactions from the watchers show disgust, there is some crying yada yada yada you get my points. Carla announces she actually knows one of the people in the video (convenient) and the four of them head to the house to interview him. On arriving the group find out that all three people in the video are now dead. But never fear, the dead guys brother is here and he has seen a bit of the video!
the group ask him to take them to the cemetery which is where the original film is being kept. They watch the video, the dead guys brother dies by demon ghost and they group finds themselves hunted by a curse in the film. You know your basic supernatural horror film.
I'm not the type of reviewer who makes a habit of spoiling the ending of a film however it is pretty obvious what the outcome will be.


Overall the film was watchable, it got a tad boring around the midway mark, however picked up near the end of the film. The acting, for a change, wasn't dire and was a good effort for the actors and actresses who are making their debut in this film. The effects were okay for a film of this type and the premise was simple yet well rounded towards the end.
Again the found footage aspect felt like it took something away from the film but hey ho what can we do.


Would I catch this at Frightfest? I doubt it, there are so many films showing this year that this would be more suited to real hardcore found footage fans (which if you are one go for it). I would suggest you wait till it is £4 in Tesco which is going to happen a few months into release (There are other retail outlets you could try also of course).

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