Spooktoberfest #11 VHS 2

Anthologies, difficult to execute in a satisfying manner, even if you gather the best collection of collaborators ever. Invariably, there will be some weak links in the chain. VHS was the seeming apex of the found footage horror genre. Even with Adam Wingard, Joe Swanberg and Ti West, the first movie presented a mixed bag of horror. The pedigree is kind of even more impressive this time out. Eduardo "Blair Witch Project" Sanchez, Gareth "The Raid: Redemption" Evans, Jason "Hobo With a Shotgun" Eisner, and...well, Adam Wingard again...these are the directors gathered for the four segments and the wraparound this year.

The wraparound is called Tape 49 and it follows pretty much the same pattern as the wraparound in VHS. This time, a private detective and his assistant break into a kid's house (on the orders of his mother) to find out why he has vanished. Unlike the wraparound for the first movie, this one actually makes sense by the end and creates a mythology for the franchise (if they wish to continue it). I would give this one a B-.

The first movie is called Phase 1 Clinical Trials (Wingard) and it is based on a Twilight Zone worthy idea. A guy who lost his eye in a car accident gets a cyborg eye implanted that records everything he sees. Unfortunately, he can now see dead people. The whole deal is very rushed and builds to an awkward ending. This is an idea that could have used more time to create a slower burn. C-.

The second film is called A Ride in the Park (Sanchez) and it also features a really novel idea. A helmet cam mounted atop a bicyclist records his transformation from hapless victim into full blown zombie. Although there is very little acting required in this one, what little there is rates below amateur. The actual arc of the main character is pretty well-written and conceived for a horror short but the actors can't quite pull off some of the emotional pathos required to make the ending resonant. B-.

The third film is Safe Haven (Evans) and is the longest out of any of the two movies so far. It follows a documentary film crew as they go inside a doomsday cult. The crew has some interpersonal drama going on and the leader of the cult is particularly delighted they are present. Things get super grim by the end but it all seems to end with a wackity-smackity-do punchline that doesn't fit the dire tone of the rest of the short. I will say, it seems to be a better Silent Hill movie than either of the actual Silent Hill movies. B.

The final film is Slumber Party Alien Abduction (Eisner). This one was pretty much all screaming, loud noises and confusion. It kind of highlights the worst aspects of the found footage genre (unclear action, undeveloped characters, bizarre filming choices). The first VHS saved the best for last but this one fizzles out. The title pretty much says it all as some prank happy teens find themselves the target of an alien invasion. I did like the design of the aliens (like huge, bestial versions of the usually fragile greys we see on shows like X-Files) but that is the best I can say for it. D.

Mainly, I think this one fails by focusing more on gore than scares. The haunted house story in the first movie marks the high point of the series for me, still. Maybe, if they keep cranking these out, they will hit a sweet spot. I mean, at least I didn't have to watch 20 minutes of a kid running through a garden maze at night. I would say skip this one unless you are a genre fanatic, like me.