Glasgow Frightfest 2014 Review: Killers

FF 2013 Review - V/H/S 2

Rating:
18
Release Date:
23rd August 2013 (Frightfest) 14th October 2013 (UK DVD)
Director:
Simon Barrett, Greg Hale, Gareth Evans, Adam Wingard, Timo Tjahjanto, Jason Eisener
Cast:
Lawrence Michael Levine, Kelsy Abbott, Adam Wingard
Pre-order/Buy V/H/S 2:
[DVD]
The horror anthology has received a fair bit of new blood lately with two high-profile effort V/H/S and The ABCs of Death both arriving on a huge wave of hype in horror circles but ended up raining a shower of disappointing poop over us instead. Both indulged in the worst of what this genre’s filmmakers seem to think fans want, splashes of misogyny, gore purely for gore’s sake and the same old story repeated ad infinitum with the same old scares played the same old ways. The insanely quick turnaround of V/H/S 2 (or as its original brilliant title had it, S-V/H/S) was cause for concern but with filmmakers more exciting than those involved in the first instalment, there was cause for hope. This is something which is thankfully proven to be the case with V/H/S 2 improving on the first anthology in virtually every single way and in moments pushes your expectations of what a horror film can do .

Simon Barrett’s wraparound segment, Tape 49, is wholly more satisfying than the original films equivalent showing two private detectives breaking into a house to retrieve a woman’s son and finding a bunch of tapes. Unlike many wraparound segments in horror anthologies, this has a beginning, middle and end, it’s a story in itself with its own little horrors working as a stand-alone but also giving us the inkling of mythology, alluding to certain events in the first film but not feeling beholden to them and weaving elements of both J-horror and body horror to crunchy effect.

Adam Wingard, director of the next hotly buzzed horror film coming down the road, You’re Next, brings us the first uninterrupted short Clinical Trials, which is the least effective of the whole film, relying on jump scares which feel very tired, but the first person perspective manages to remain effective and at least a gratuitous sex scene, one of only two in the whole film, in itself a refreshing change, comes off as funny and not leering.

Better than this is Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale’s A Ride In The Park, a zombie tale with a USP of being told from the zombies perspective. Suffering from tonal inconsistency with a vein of humour uncomfortably meshing with somewhat sadder, darker content, this still hits home thanks to its at-times ferocious paciness, it by far feels the shortest of the bunch, the directing team wisely understanding that this is a one-note story and thus can only be played for a limited time to remain effective. This pace also feeds into some rather crazy “how did they do that?” moments of directional sleight of hand which are huge fun to behold.

This is just an appetiser for the main course that is Gareth Evans’ and Timo Tjahjanto’s Safe Haven, the longest film in the anthology and one which is absolutely breathtaking. The first film of either V/H/S to be centred in another country, already bringing a sense of otherness, this tale of a documentary crew entering a cult’s sanctuary manages to pull off the brilliant and highly skillful trick of being both incredibly disturbing while also being an awful lot of fun with mixture of body horror and cult rituals which builds up with superb intensity but ends on a quiet but rather chilling note. This one feels like a love letters horror fans which evolves from the pathetic “fratboy” nature of so many horrors today and instead offers the cliched but true “thrills and chills”. A mature and harrowing effort, it is the finest piece of horror cinema I’ve seen in quite some time.

After Safe Haven virtually anything would be a bit of a come down and Jason Eisner’s Alien Abduction Slumber Party is indeed that, though it’s got a lot of merit to it also. Focusing on a bunch of kids having rather dirty fun and getting caught in a house invasion from unfriendly aliens, this works through a sheer sense of blind panic. When the alien strike it’s visually and audibly overwhelming, hitting that primal nerve of “what the hell is going on” with the camera being tossed around all over the place before finding the characters in perilous situations. The intensity recalls the final segment of the first film but is a meaner beast than that especially with the last shot which is a little too cruel for my blood takes away from the enterprise somewhat.

This and other relatively minor quibbles peppered in spots aside, V/H/S 2 is a wholly more impressive and satisfying collection of horror shorts than last year’s film, resulting in the best horror of 2013 up to this point. Daring, shocking, fun and managing to regain my sense of hope that there is still horror of great worth out there, the whole experience is hugely refreshing and it’s delightful to say so.

★★★★☆

Review By Phil Wheat at Nerdly.co.uk

V/H/S 2 Is A Sea Of Blood In New Red-Band Trailer

They may not be the most popular type of films critically but amongst genre fans especially horror fans, anthology films. Now the best of the bunch V/H/S surprised many with its consistency and now a full red band trailer for the S-VHS now called V/H/S 2 has been released  looks like will exceed all expectations.

I just recently watched the first film I was impressed and if you where , V/H.S 2 looks like it ill deliver the goods once more. Plenty of blood, guts, gore and mayhem. It looks like they will follow the same concept unsuspecting people this time private investigators searching for missing student and they come across a set of VHS tapes. When they switch the tapes on what they find is an number of horrific footage which suggests the missing student might be involved in something a lot more darker and disturbing.

Whilst the trailer doesn't reveal much on the plotlines or individual stories what we get is what we can expect in scares, explosions and unexpected frights.the directors scaring us this time are Simon Barrett (V/H/S), Adam Wingard (You’re Next), Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun), Gareth Evans (The Raid), Timo Tjahjanto (The ABCs of Death), Gregg Hale and Eduardo Sánchez (The Blair Witch Project).




No word on a UK release date but don't be surprise if V/H/S 2 will make it's UK premier at Edinburgh Film Festival next month if not Film4 London Frightfest in August. American horrorphiles can catch the film on 6th June on VOD or 12th July at a cinema near you.

source: Yahoo

GFF2013 - ABCs Of Death Getting A UK&Irish April Release

Monster Pictures announced today that The ABCs of Death, an anthology of 26 short films, directed by 26 Directors depicting 26 ways to die will be released theatrically in the UK & Eire in 26 cinemas nationwide on the 26 April 2013.

· 26 Directors

· 26 ways to die

· 26 cinemas

· 26 April 2013

The ABCs of Death is perhaps the most ambitious anthology film ever conceived with productions spanning fifteen countries and featuring segments directed by over two dozen of the world's leading talents in contemporary genre film, including the directors of House of the Devil, Hobo with a Shotgun, A Serbian Film, Tokyo Gore Police, You’re Next & four British Directors - Ben Wheatley (Sightseers), Simon Rumley (Red, White & Blue), Jake West (Doghouse) & Leeds based Lee Hardcastle, who with his claymation short, won a competition to be the final Director. Inspired by children’s educational books, the motion picture is comprised of twenty-six individual chapters, each helmed by a different director assigned a letter of the alphabet. The directors were then given free rein in choosing a word to create a story involving death.

This alphabetical arsenal of destruction orchestrated by what has been described as "a stunning roll call of some of the most exciting names in horror across the world." is one of the most hotly anticipated releases for 2013. When the trailer received its first UK airing, last year, it was screened to a packed audience at the 13th Frightfest, Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, the 2 minute clip received rapturous applause from the attending audience. The film will receive its UK premiere at the this year’s Glasgow Film Festival as part of Film4Frightfest (Tickets for this event are now sold out) and its Irish premiere at the inaugural Twisted Celluloid Film Festival at the Triskel Arts Centre.Cinehouse & The People's Movies will be attending the whole of Film4 Frightfest @Glasgow Film Festival so stay tuned for our review but if you enjoyed the recent V/H/S film you'll dig this one, If your attending do say hello as I'll be one of The Ushers during the weekend.

Monster Pictures UK have also gave us the list of  26 cinemas you can catch ABCs Of Death at before that check out the full list of short films and the 26 directors behind them....

The Short Films & Directors
Apocalypse by Nacho Vigalondo (TimeCrimes), Spain
Bigfoot by Adrían Garcia Bogliano (Cold Sweat), Mexico
Cycle by Ernesto Díaz Espinoza (Mirageman; Mandrill), Chile
Dogfight by Marcel Sarmiento (Deadgirl), USA
Exterminate by Angela Bettis (Roman), USA
Fart by Noburu Iguchi, (Robo Geisha), Japan
Gravity by Andrew Traucki (The Reef), Australia
Hydro-Electric Diffusion by Thomas Malling (Norwegian Ninja), Norway
Ingrown by Jorge Michel Grau (We Are What We Are), Mexico
Jidai-Geki by Yudai Yamaguchi (Yakuza Weapon), Japan
Klutz by Anders Morgenthaler (Princess), Denmark
Libido by Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre), Indonesia
Miscarriage by Ti West (House of the Devil; The Innkeepers), USA
Nuptials by Banjong Pisathanakun (Shutter), Thailand
Orgasm by Bruno Forzani & Héléne Cattet (Amer), Belgium
Pressure by Simon Rumley (Red, White & Blue), UK
Quack by Adam Wingard (A Horrible Way to Die), USA
Removed by Srdjan Spasojevic (A Serbian Film), Serbia
Speed by Jake West (Doghouse), UK
Toilet by Lee Hardcastle (T is For Toilet), UK
Unearthed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List), UK
Vagitus by Kaare Andrews (Altitude), USA
WTF! by Jon Schnepp (Metalocalypse; The Venture Bros.), USA
XXL by Xavier Gens (Frontiers; Hitman), France
Youngbuck by Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun), Canada
Zetsumetsu by Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police), Japan

26 Cinemas
ABERDEEN, The Belmont Picturehouse http://bit.ly/12mkxl8
BELFAST, QFT http://www.queensfilmtheatre.com/films/theabcsofdeath/
BRIGHTON, Duke of York's Picturehouse http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Duke_Of_Yorks/
BRISTOL, Watershed http://www.watershed.co.uk/
CAMBRIDGE, Arts Picturehouse http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Arts_Picturehouse_Cambridge/
CANTERBURY, Gulbenkian Cinema http://www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/
CARDIFF, Chapter http://www.chapter.org/index.html
DERBY Quad www.derbyquad.co.uk
EDINBURGH, Cameo Picturehouse http://bit.ly/WSBz6o
EXETER, Exeter Picturehouse http://bit.ly/Tyl2EQ
GLASGOW, The Grosvenor Cinema http://www.grosvenorcafe.co.uk/cinema.php
LEEDS, Hyde Park Picture House http://bit.ly/YwrT0s
LEICESTER, Phoenix Square http://phoenix.org.uk/
LONDON, Stratford East Picturehouse http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Stratford_London/
LONDON, Clapham Picturehouse http://bit.ly/WSqUbN
LONDON, Hackney Picturehouse http://bit.ly/X9y0ai
LONDON, Greenwich Picturehouse http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Greenwich_Picturehouse/
LONDON, Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton http://bit.ly/URkpFN
LONDON, Prince Charles Cinema http://www.princecharlescinema.com/index.php
LIVERPOOL, Picturehouse at FACT http://bit.ly/VyFZME
NEWCASTLE, Tyneside Cinema https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/
NORWICH, Cinema City http://bit.ly/WLv1U5
OXFORD, Phoenix Picturehouse http://bit.ly/Y4RoUN
SOUTHAMPTON, Harbour Lights Picturehouse http://bit.ly/11AGZa2
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, Stratford Picturehouse http://bit.ly/XiCVnl
YORK, City Screen Picturehouse http://bit.ly/Y4RMCC

Tickets for many of the venues are available to pre-order now. The ABCs of Death will also be previewed in selected cities around the UK. Further details will be announced shortly.

Provocative, shocking, funny and ultimately confrontational, The ABCs of Death is the definitive vision of modern horror diversity.

For further information and details about The ABCs of Death go to the film’s official website www.26waystodie.com and follow on Twitter @26waystodie

A DVD and Blu-ray edition of The ABCs of Death are set to be released on 3 June 2013. Pre-order now from Amazon and other online outlets DVD or BLU-RAY. Details about extras and special features will be announced later this year.

You've Been Framed For Death In First Trailer For S-VHS

With the original critically acclaimed horror anthology V/H/S only days away from it's UK cinema release tommorrow over in USA at Sundance film festival the sequel S-VHS is about to make it's world premier and we have the film's first trailer.

Shot once again in a typical 1980's style video analogue style once again in the short film style with a fresh bunch of talented horror film makers lining up to make sure horror fans worldwide will be scream, hide, cringe most of enjoy the anthology wanna be  franchise. This film's new blood includes Gareth Evans (The Raid) co-directing with Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre); Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project) Greg Hale; Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun) with Adam Wingard(You’re Next) and writer Simon Barrett(a horribe way to die) returning for a second round.

Perfect place to show off film 2 at Sundance the festival that loved the film , so its certain S-VHS (super Vhs) will go down a storm. As for the trailer itself its tricky to decipher on what's exactly going on but that's not a negative but more of a positive as it teases you with great precision. But what we are looking forward to is the Cabin In The Woods style child's birthday though an old school zombie attack always goes down well amongst the horror fans at The People's Movies HQ. We enjoyed V/H/S at last year's Edinburgh Film Festival you can find out how much by reading our review.

Nothing as in distribution rights have been sorted for S-VHS but don't be surprise after the festival things will be sorted. For UK&Irish fans V/H/S will have a limited cinema release on 18th January then been released on 28th January on DVD, Blu-Ray.

source: Rope Of Silicon

First Bloody Image From Horror Anthology V/H/S Sequel

This January one of the highlights of next year Horror Anthology V/H/S will finally arrive in UK&Irish cinemas thanks to Momentum Pictures. The film has already done the rounds in U.S Cinemas as well as festivals along with the film's UK premier at this years Edinburgh Film Festival(read our review) and before the film hits these merry shores the first official image of the sequel (see above).

Called S-V/H/S still following classic anthology horror movie with a contemporary and brilliantly visceral spin by some of the hottest new directors working in the genre today. The new movie has Gareth Evans (The Raid) co-directing with Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre); Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project) co-directing with his long time producer Greg Hale; Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun); Adam Wingard (You're Next) and writer Simon Barrett making his directorial debut all providing the scares.

The above image is from Tjahjanto/Evans segment what it's about we don't know at this stage but it looks unhinging , something of occult in nature. If we go buy the buzz built from the first film Found footage horror may have found the film genre an exciting prospect. Check out the new UK poster for the film below!

V/H/S will be released in UK&Ireland 18 January 2013.

source:Twitch