Since I already live in the South, I'd basically just be going to Cuba! Today's Film is Southbound, a 2015 Horror Anthology Film with a bit of a different edge to it. Instead of just a Framing Device and some closure at the end- like Vault of Horror or Tales from the Crypt- this one features fairly-interconnected Stories. It is a nice change, to be honest. With so-so Horror Anthologies, you can lose interest near the middle and the payoff can end up being less interesting than hoped. Likewise, you can just kind of skip some sections with no problem, slightly-killing the concept. In this Film, five Stories take place in and around an abandoned stretch of Highway out in California. If they pass the Hotel California, I'm leaving! Since this is a pretty new Film (only now available on Disc quite recently via Netflix), this is more of a prolonged Teaser. Hopefully I can make the decision whether or not to see this one easier for you. To find out if the Devil has left Georgia for the West Coast, read on...
As Sam Firstenberg (?!?) does his best Wolfman Jack, we see two men covered in blood driving.
One of them keeps seeing a weird figure in the surrounding area and things only get weirder when they reach a Diner...
In Story #2, an all-female band's van breaks down and they take a ride from some strangers. This group- similar to the one in Rest Stop (complete with twins!)- are up to something weird...
In Story #3, a girl is hit by a car on the road. A desperate man decides to save her, finding only an empty Hospital and some voices on the phone who might not actually be nice...
In Story #4, a Robbery turns into something else entirely. Will the violence of the past define the future?
In the final Story, some Strangers stalk a family at a roadside House.
What is their true motive? What will happen to them and the family?
To find out, watch the Film.
Good, but very dark stuff. The Film is pretty low-Budget, but they make the most of it. For better or worse, this is a dark, dark Film. There's not much in the way of hope, joy or any of that cutesy stuff! This is all about dark things happening to people. The first Story sets the tone and pace pretty well. I'm still not clear what the monsters were, but they looked cool. The 2nd Story is nice, with a bit of slow burn to it. Besides, the joy of seeing a Simpsons Writer/Stand-Up Comic play evil is priceless. The third Story is nice and freaky, featuring plenty of Practical Effects. It is also the most gory, so be warned! The 4th Story didn't do a whole lot for me, but there's always one in these. The final Story felt pretty familiar at first, but took enough of a turn to salvage it. All in all, Southbound is a good Film for those who like dark Horror Anthologies. It is kind of flying under the radar for the moment. Speaking of which, it uses Stock Footage from Carnival of Souls instead of Night of the Living Dead. 5 points for doing something slightly-different!
Next up, a Holiday Film from the Director of Trancers. It is time to celebrate the Troops- even the Alien ones! Stay tuned...
To find out, watch the Film.
I saw this one a while back. I was really liking it up to the last 15 minutes or so.
ReplyDeleteThe road/town/desert brought to mind weird places like Nightvale and Silent Hill... and I was enjoying that they didn't feel the need to explain any of it.
It was only at the end that it got a bit samey/obvious/predictable and the creatures were starting to remind me of something off a lame heavy metal t-shirt.