...a buck or two'll typically get ya' four or five of these films, laid out on one disc...four or five bucks'll get ya' ten of 'em, and so on. Most of the film titles on the smaller bundles will usually all be found on the 'step up to eight-or-ten' film' collections, along side one or two rarities. And most of those will be found on the 15-to-20-film collections, along side even more obscurities. And often, it genuinely becomes worth the slight extra cost to double dip on a bunch of others, which might be sitting on one's video shelf, in one previously purchased collection, to get that singularly unique and obscure rarity, which might be only available on that attention drawing second collection (...heck, I remember collectors going all ga-ga over the unceremoniously released, under-the-radar editions of the bloody, 1980 'Bigfoot' horror obscurity, "Night of the Demon", as well as the under-appreciated 1983 slasher entry, "Curtains" in this venue, before a couple of the major cult film distributors picked them up, 'legitimately' and the allure of collectible 'special features' editions)...
...for the most part, Echo Bridge's varied and eclectic collections, as far as their advertising and DVD covers, have had the appealing appearance of blocked mini-representations of the movies contained within...sometimes culled from the original movie posters, and sometimes originally & creatively conceived...not unlike something resembling visual checklists, of a sort. However...to the creative credit to opportunist and exploitative-privy advertising folks over at Echo Bridge...the latest cache of re-packaged multi-movie collections have found inspiration in big screen and made-for-cable film production familiarities, with eye-catching DVD covers, beautifully & irresistibly drawn up and labeled to instill a sort-of 'riding the coattails' recognition. Echo Bridge's recent 'Road Fury' collection...an eclectic bunch of post-apocalyptic film rarities...cleverly, and shall we say 'coincidentally' (...yeah, right) recalls the 'Mad Max' movie franchise. Their "Defenders of the Galaxy" movie collection...clearly a nod towards a certain box-office-smashing "Guardians..." movie, from a year ago...is wrought with fantasy-filled, intergalactic thrills and adventures. And one might not believe, nor will one be able to resist the deliciously bizarre and dark artwork on the DVD covers for Echo Bridge's 'parallel' titled 'American Horror Stories' collections...I mean, whew!!...
...it would be so easy to do so, but don't...I say, don't wave past and disregard the recent regiment of Echo Bridge's rather unique and unconventional series of multi-movie DVD's, the covers of which directly or indirectly...nonetheless colorfully, albeit oh-so chillingly depict, and are labeled for one of the movies in the set, with the underlining and hardly distracting footnote, suggesting the other films on the disc. One never knows what movie treasures lie within, and in the case of the eerie & gruesome looking, singularly titled disc, "Farm"...be rest assured that an interesting, compelling and quite satisfying book can be judged, and as such, relished by virtue of it's alluring and irresistible cover. On the contrary, this is one helluva collection, offered for mere pennies, no less...
...there are many stories to tell here...tales of absolute terror, blood-curdling horror and chronicled excursions into the most abysmal realms of the supernatural...and so, without any further adieu...(...clearing throat) I'm Winston Essex, my friends. Welcome to...(...ah, shut up, JB!! Quit with the delusions of grandeur, and get on with it; this whole ghastly kit & kaboodle's gonna take a heck of a lot of time to cover, as it is...!!)...
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...with regards to zombie flicks, this viewer...time and time again...has coined the ol' reliable adage of 'just when you've thought that you'd seen it all before'...just before some able-thought writer and/or filmmaker has infused something fresh into a tired and well-worn genre, such as this. And with a subtle and quirky little film like "Farm"...well, everybody altogether now, repeat..."...just when you thought..." But, surprisingly enough, it's not the reanimated corpses, which are given this particular, unconventional treatment; the gore is hardly the score, herein, and instead, the focus lies uniquely and subtly upon those attempting to survive these grim, bleak and ghastly goings-on...or at their very best, attempting to live normal lives. The physical and psychological struggles of merely being alive, amidst contending with the struggles of trying to survive. Sort of, in a way, borrowing a bit of the social and atmospheric motif, embraced in a wider scale, by the creators and dissidents of cable's "The Walking Dead", which at the time, of this film's release, was on the cusp of entering it's second season...
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...Shelley...a psychic human vessel and occult specialist. Tor...on-the-spot cameraman, extraordinaire. Sam and Rayne...the mission coordinators, research gurus and technical applicators of the group. Echo...a gothic-flavored paranormal conduit, ably juxtapostioned to linking herself between this world and the netherworld. Father Bowden...the ordained minister of this rather unconventional motley crew. Courageous and determined purveyors of the paranormal, documenting ghostly and demonic events, across the Texas plains, under the ensemble moniker of the Supernatural Phenomena Research Society...
...the group's recent opening broadcast...a waywardly, spiritually destructive demon, which possesses the body and soul a hapless little girl of a family, residing in the family's spiritually tainted house...culminates in an unsanctioned & quite exhaustive exorcism by Father Bowden, and results in the demon being purged from the young girl...though before being excised to a spiritual netherworld, the demon spirit inexplicably passes through Shelley, rendering her somewhat shaken, though...after a moment of recovery...seemingly leaves her relatively unaffected...
...slamming doors, sinister knocks & whispers and all manner of things are rampantly & violently tossed about, seemingly by their own fruition, in the group's next harrowing mission, as they travel across state to investigate the paranormal goings-on of a disbelieving, albeit terrified family's house, relentlessly wrought and wrecked upon by an enraged poltergeist.Channeling and communicating with the angry spirit, through the combined efforts of Shelley and Echo, the enraged entity violently expounds upon it's purpose...it's reason for being there...and as the result...thanks to Sam, Shelly and Tor's technical expertise...the group exhaustively expunges the trapped spirit from the home...though not before leaving Shelley further shaken from the experience...as if something, or rather some thing is gnawing at her...something dreadfully familiar...leaving her quite physically and psychologically spent, and inexplicably detached from the group...
...after a brief celebrative respite at a local pub, the group proceeds onto their next episode...where a lingering, malevolent entity has assumed dwelling in a local collage's labyrinth of underground tunnels, strewn and entwined with seemingly miles of rusty piping, veined with rusty piping. The spirit initially appears to be a seemingly lost, innocent and trapped child; however, when further investigation of this sinister scene sets off Shelley's already unstable and agitated sensory, during which she begins to act rather peculiar, and members of the team begin to mysteriously disappear, it become progressively, horrifically clear that the Supernatural Phenomena Research Society find themselves dealing with something well over their heads...something all too familiar...something with an unadulteratedly evil and clearly vengeful purpose.....
...in the onset, "Evidence of a Haunting" will most assuredly appeal to the ardent and devoted fans of paranormal investigative broadcast programs, not unlike that of "Ghost Hunters" (...a whole season of which this reviewer, via this venue, was afforded the opportunity to view and critique, some months back); however, thanks to some rather inventive and imaginative filmmakers herein, not only does the situation set-up, as well as the suspense build-up & execution of the macabre and curious scenarios, cleverly and inspirationally mirror that of the "Ghost Hunters" motif (...i.e., the shaky, POV camera footage, where the viewing audience sees everything that the investigative group sees, as it happens), but also...unlike the aforementioned SyFy sponsored series...we, as the voyeuristic purveyors of these proceedings...relatively safe, in the confines of our warm, albeit darkened living rooms, on the other side of the TV screens...actually get to see something, well beyond the subtle knocks, creaking doors and mysterious flashing lights...
...and if that wasn't enough to satisfy those who might, out of curiosity, stumble upon this chilling little excursion, there's the nice chemistry between the members of our intrepid and entrepreneurial 'ghost hunting' group, in some amiable moment of interactive dramatization, in between the POV footage. The characterizations and individual personalities are quite well established and rendered...so much so, in this film, that this viewer could not help but feel that the filmmakers were also ideally inspired by the likable group chemistry of a little syndicated prime-time situation comedy from a decade or two ago...maybe you've heard of it...uh, something called "Friends", perhaps?? In fact, call it coincidence or not, but actress Renee Wiggins, playing Shelley here, even resembles Jennifer Aniston, at times...
...in short, coupled with some wildly kinetic photography, almost reminiscent to that of some of writer/producer/director Sam Raimi's earlier films, "Evidence of a Haunting" proves itself a great little piece of 'paranormal activity', which ambitiously strives to be something well beyond the typical 'Scooby Doo' meld, which might be expected from a spook film of this ilk...and in the end, succeeds in such ambition, quite brilliantly.....
...slamming doors, sinister knocks & whispers and all manner of things are rampantly & violently tossed about, seemingly by their own fruition, in the group's next harrowing mission, as they travel across state to investigate the paranormal goings-on of a disbelieving, albeit terrified family's house, relentlessly wrought and wrecked upon by an enraged poltergeist.Channeling and communicating with the angry spirit, through the combined efforts of Shelley and Echo, the enraged entity violently expounds upon it's purpose...it's reason for being there...and as the result...thanks to Sam, Shelly and Tor's technical expertise...the group exhaustively expunges the trapped spirit from the home...though not before leaving Shelley further shaken from the experience...as if something, or rather some thing is gnawing at her...something dreadfully familiar...leaving her quite physically and psychologically spent, and inexplicably detached from the group...
...in the onset, "Evidence of a Haunting" will most assuredly appeal to the ardent and devoted fans of paranormal investigative broadcast programs, not unlike that of "Ghost Hunters" (...a whole season of which this reviewer, via this venue, was afforded the opportunity to view and critique, some months back); however, thanks to some rather inventive and imaginative filmmakers herein, not only does the situation set-up, as well as the suspense build-up & execution of the macabre and curious scenarios, cleverly and inspirationally mirror that of the "Ghost Hunters" motif (...i.e., the shaky, POV camera footage, where the viewing audience sees everything that the investigative group sees, as it happens), but also...unlike the aforementioned SyFy sponsored series...we, as the voyeuristic purveyors of these proceedings...relatively safe, in the confines of our warm, albeit darkened living rooms, on the other side of the TV screens...actually get to see something, well beyond the subtle knocks, creaking doors and mysterious flashing lights...
...in short, coupled with some wildly kinetic photography, almost reminiscent to that of some of writer/producer/director Sam Raimi's earlier films, "Evidence of a Haunting" proves itself a great little piece of 'paranormal activity', which ambitiously strives to be something well beyond the typical 'Scooby Doo' meld, which might be expected from a spook film of this ilk...and in the end, succeeds in such ambition, quite brilliantly.....
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...in the capacity of working as a trusted consultant and landmark candidate inspector for a renowned historical preservation site trust company, Paula has checked out and relished a good number of rather interesting sites and places, many of which have proven rich in historical value, and as such, justify a most valued embrace of preservation. Coming off having checked out one such site, and quickly jumping into another candidate, she happens upon an opportunity to investigate an old and dilapidated steamship, parked alongside a lonely and seemingly abandoned waterfront pier. Anxious to check out the site, Paula parks adjacent to the aged and rust-accented vessel...and narrowly escapes fatality, as she gets out of her car just short and timely of seeing an old-time wooden wall piano, suspended out over the side of the ship, break loose and crash resoundly through the roof of her vehicle...
...the caretaker of the ship, gushing with an apologetic demeanor, immediately confronts Paula, who is understandably shaken and quite put off at the incident; he invites her into the ship, and muster as much comforting hospitality as his grizzled and off-putting first impression seems to exude. Having found out that no one would be able to come out and access the damage to her vehicle until the next day, Paula finds herself forced to accept overnight accommodations on the ship, with the underliningly suspicious caretaker, who seems...well, just a bit more than 'off'. However, the opportunity to access the historical value of the ship still remains, and as such, Paula cautiously accepts her unexpected host's invitation. And in the midst of the caretaker's prideful relegating of the ship's historical worth...she passes out...
...disturbed from a deep and groggy sleep, by the caretaker's creepy maintenance activity, Paula recovers her senses enough to realize that...well, something's not right. As if something in her situation has changed, but she seems to be the only one to realize it. And the caretaker himself...why is he so insistent, even demandant that she stay on the ship, and never leave. As stranger and stranger event further transpire, Paula begins to wonder...is she dreaming?? Is she dreaming, only to awaken again, to realize that she's dreaming within a dream?? Is the ship haunted?? Are there some malevolent supernatural forces at work on this ship, causing her to relive and repeat her waking moments, albeit differently, each time she's awake?? Or are there even more decidedly fateful, perhaps even diabolically evil forces at work, here??...
...trapped on a derelict ship. Helpless and hopeless, though still quite insatiably curious. A seemingly psychopathic antagonist at work. Relentlessly driven and insane. And yet, in maintaining a vague, perplexing, surreal and obviously dream-like fervor in these terror-accented proceedings, what clearly raises a little mystery excursion, like "Deadrise", beyond that of the stereotypical sense of minor-league thriller, not that far removed from...say, anyone remember those classic USA Presents, made-for-cable mystery terror-film productions...is the unpredictable aura of enigma of the proceedings. Although the conclusive twist at the end does tell all (...something that even the film's title kinda hints at, but hardly confirms), the overall effect, in venturing towards that inevitable conclusion is prerequisitely confusing, and the suspect 'punchline' is pretty much left up to the viewer. Is this all a dream?? Is this a dream, within a dream...within another dream, and so on...making this a sort of bottom-tiered 'psycho killer' version of "Inception" or "Groundhog Day"??...
..."Deadrise"...cleverly written, and yet, intentionally confused and askew, the two singular performers herein (...Larry Joe Campbell and Renee O'Conner, in a couple of great performances) manage to satisfyingly carry the terror and mystery to a most irresistible level of compelling intrigue...with an ultimately indecisive supernatural fervor, best left enigmatic; to give that fervor, explanation and purpose, would definitely take away from the uniqueness of this quirky little chiller.....
...disturbed from a deep and groggy sleep, by the caretaker's creepy maintenance activity, Paula recovers her senses enough to realize that...well, something's not right. As if something in her situation has changed, but she seems to be the only one to realize it. And the caretaker himself...why is he so insistent, even demandant that she stay on the ship, and never leave. As stranger and stranger event further transpire, Paula begins to wonder...is she dreaming?? Is she dreaming, only to awaken again, to realize that she's dreaming within a dream?? Is the ship haunted?? Are there some malevolent supernatural forces at work on this ship, causing her to relive and repeat her waking moments, albeit differently, each time she's awake?? Or are there even more decidedly fateful, perhaps even diabolically evil forces at work, here??...
..."Deadrise"...cleverly written, and yet, intentionally confused and askew, the two singular performers herein (...Larry Joe Campbell and Renee O'Conner, in a couple of great performances) manage to satisfyingly carry the terror and mystery to a most irresistible level of compelling intrigue...with an ultimately indecisive supernatural fervor, best left enigmatic; to give that fervor, explanation and purpose, would definitely take away from the uniqueness of this quirky little chiller.....
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...to varying degree and for countless reasons, just about everyone yearns for that often-toted '15 minutes of fame', the term of which pop artist Andy Warhol originally coined, back in his day. For Stephanie, Travis and Ryan...their reasoning for making their mark on this world, subsequently stems on not just the compelling and self-serving desire for fame...or in the case of their intentions, infamy...but merely upon the resignation of their boredom. Stuck in a dead-end town, with no inner-directive purpose, motivation nor desire, as far as positively furthering themselves, or even efforting themselves to leave the town for 'better pastures', so to speak, this trio of slackers come up with what they consider an ideal way to place themselves into the annuls of human history: They are going to plan, construct & set up, and finally execute a murder, picking their hapless victim at random...
...and so, with video camera in hand, diabolical purpose in mind, and an unholy allegiance that demands their own demise, should any of them fail or back out of this death-dealing endeavor, this intrepid bunch sets out to find the most agreeable (...between them) method of death...one of which they can record for posterity. And the victim...oh yes, the victim...oh so innocent...so unaware...seduced into this sinister web of terror, under the guise of a juxtapositioned and candid videotape school study. With Travis, leading the way. Stephanie, willing to go with the plan, because...in her mind...why the hell not?? And Ryan, armed with the documentative video camera...itself, a displacing crutch, between him and the proposed act...himself, measurably indecisive about the situation, and appearingly, the only one amongst the three, with a conscience. Considering the differences between the three...the different reasons amongst them...the potential for conflict, not only between themselves, but within themselves...to actually go through with the murder...will they actually do it??...
...now, let's just say, right off the bat, that...well, if a rather provocative and disturbing film like "Meadowoods" was made...say perhaps, 12 to 15 years ago, it would most assuredly proven one helluva shock to experience...let alone, recover from. However...and one only needs to peruse through the breaking news headlines of the past decade or so (...indeed, within the past week or so), to cut things to the chase, commentary-wise...in today's social climate, although the subject matter presented herein, remains measurably provocative and disturbing, it seems markedly diluted, and less impacting...not so much that the crust of the status quo have become necessarily callous to such things, but more along the lines of no longer being surprised at such things happening. Let's face it: there are some crazed folk out there, who might well be capable of the heinous acts in this film...and that's scary, unto itself...
...that been said, let's take a good look at our protagonists, shall we?? Travis...clearly the leader of this clique...is probably compelling, as far as these events are concern, in the sense that he's approaching the proposed murder, as if it's mere matter-of-fact...a game, which beckons to be played, though within the confines of it's own prescribed rules...with the whole ordeal...from his point of view...almost childish and playful, in it's inception. Stephanie, on the other hand...well, if there's anyone in this devilishly motley crew, possessed of a dark side...a 'dark side', that is, based upon the measured level of 'dark', already embraced by the group...she's as pitch-black as they come; the most argumentatively favorable of the dire task at hand, Stephanie...without a doubt...appears to hold little-to-no regards to purpose in life, and if murder was left in her hands alone, it is with little doubt that she would find the appropriate...or shall we say 'inappropriate' motivation, and not hesitate to strike the deadly blow...with violent fervor, no less...
...and what is it about a voyeuristic camera lens, which some say 'separates' one from certain ugliness, and makes it easier to 'digest' (...'80's master make-up artist Tom Savini often spoke of this, in various documentaries which cover his career, when he expounds upon his time as a photographer, in documenting the violence and bloodshed of the Vietnam War). Even, in one's twisted eye, absolves one of the responsibility and participation of enacting said ugliness. That, in addition to being burdened with the conscience of the 'killer' group, is the torturous enigma of Ryan, as seen through his eyes, as he videotapes both Travis' and Stephanie's deviously intentful meanderings about their proposed murder, and how they feel about it. It is that underlining, unconscious sense of conscience, which nudges Ryan into asking personal, provocative and emotionally putting-off questions, during his video interview with Kayla, rather than the casual mindspeak of college life, which she initially and naively assumed was the proposed matter of discussion...establishing a trusting bond, and yet, in a way, offering her an 'escape route', which she ultimately fails to identify. And ultimately, it is that 'flaw' of conscience, marked by his insecurity and indecisiveness...not to mention, being torn between Kayla's welfare, and his fear of Travis...which proves to be his downfall...
...and thanks to Ryan, we are there to see it all...from sparked idea, and it's demented reasoning...to the wayward, and a bit jovial decision, as to how the murderous act is to be done (...after all, no greater research at one's disposal, than the local video rental store)...to stalking the chosen, albeit random victim, and luring her into a false sense of trust and security...to building the death-dealing device...and of course, the inevitable crescendo, the 'dirty deed' itself. Yes, it's disturbing...yes, the idea itself might prove difficult to watch...but in the end, like a devastating car crash on the highway, we cannot help ourselves, but to look. And the television screen...even the very element of film, itself...that, my friends, is our 'safe and secure' separation from these ghastly and disturbing proceedings. And in the end, that's where "Meadowoods" works best.....
...now, let's just say, right off the bat, that...well, if a rather provocative and disturbing film like "Meadowoods" was made...say perhaps, 12 to 15 years ago, it would most assuredly proven one helluva shock to experience...let alone, recover from. However...and one only needs to peruse through the breaking news headlines of the past decade or so (...indeed, within the past week or so), to cut things to the chase, commentary-wise...in today's social climate, although the subject matter presented herein, remains measurably provocative and disturbing, it seems markedly diluted, and less impacting...not so much that the crust of the status quo have become necessarily callous to such things, but more along the lines of no longer being surprised at such things happening. Let's face it: there are some crazed folk out there, who might well be capable of the heinous acts in this film...and that's scary, unto itself...
...and what is it about a voyeuristic camera lens, which some say 'separates' one from certain ugliness, and makes it easier to 'digest' (...'80's master make-up artist Tom Savini often spoke of this, in various documentaries which cover his career, when he expounds upon his time as a photographer, in documenting the violence and bloodshed of the Vietnam War). Even, in one's twisted eye, absolves one of the responsibility and participation of enacting said ugliness. That, in addition to being burdened with the conscience of the 'killer' group, is the torturous enigma of Ryan, as seen through his eyes, as he videotapes both Travis' and Stephanie's deviously intentful meanderings about their proposed murder, and how they feel about it. It is that underlining, unconscious sense of conscience, which nudges Ryan into asking personal, provocative and emotionally putting-off questions, during his video interview with Kayla, rather than the casual mindspeak of college life, which she initially and naively assumed was the proposed matter of discussion...establishing a trusting bond, and yet, in a way, offering her an 'escape route', which she ultimately fails to identify. And ultimately, it is that 'flaw' of conscience, marked by his insecurity and indecisiveness...not to mention, being torn between Kayla's welfare, and his fear of Travis...which proves to be his downfall...
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...as a devoted, ardent purveyor of genre film, this reviewer...although cannot claim to have seen it all...can at least say that he's seen enough. Enough to appreciated the best of what genre film has to offer, as well as...well, let's not coin the opposite, and necessarily say 'the worst' (...after all, let's face it: everyone harbors a cache of film favorites...guilty pleasures, perhaps, which the majority layman film watchers out there, might unanimously construe as 'the worst'), and instead say...well, 'flawed', to varying degree, depending upon the film. Yes, bad (...and I mean bad) films are what they are, but flawed films are often genuinely relishable and heck, even embraceable, when approached objectively...at least, for this viewer, from the standpoint of a writer, who appreciates a flawed story, or flawed ideas, and in turn, might mentally re-process the film after watching it, thinking, "...ya' know?? If I was to write this, I would instead do this, rather than that..." Cutting to the chase, this is exactly what happened, as this reviewer sat down to tickle the keys, to scribble out the review for "Ominous".....
...Mitch Callahan's family unit is in trouble. Yes, he clearly sees that, even in the sense that he might well be part of the problem, considering that he spends way too much time at work, and too little time with those he loves...justifying that skewed balance, in thinking both egotistically, as well as "...hey, I'm doing all this for them, right??" Well, enough's enough!! Forcing himself to take some time off work, Mitch packs up his family...his wife, Sara, and his kids, Scott, Gavan & Christina...and drives up into the mountains, for a little rustic summer vacation and birthday celebration (...Christina's), in a quaint and charming, woodsy cabin, which he has been refurbishing as a surprise to his family...
...and once there...although Sara is delightfully taken aback by the cabin...the overall dysfunction of the family lingers on, and is hardly diminished, in this mountain fresh setting. Mitch caters to incoming calls to work...torn between this opportunity of family re-consolation, and his urge to get back to business. Sara finds herself inexplicably poised to being the family adhesive, though her efforts...in her mind...don't seem clearly enough. The eldest son, Scott, is unaffected and unimpressed with his father's attempt at 'quality time'...himself, nurturing a rebellious frustration with Mitch, in not being able to break away from work, to see any of the games, which he participated in, at school. The younger siblings, Gavan and Christina, feel a bit detached from the family, but together, have a youthful appreciation of finding new things and exploring new places...and seem to be the only ones having fun, during this excursion...that is, until...
...Christina sees them, first, after finding a buried, ground-weather doll, near the cabin...creepy, seemingly menacing ghostly apparitions of two children. appearing ghastly-white, grave-weathered and decayed...lingering in the shadows, without saying anything...just staring. At first, Christina tries to speak to them, relegating simple conversation, as if they were sort of invisible friends; however, when they refrain from speaking, and in fact, appear suddenly and unexpectedly at Christina's bedside, while she sleeps, she urgently voices what she has seen. Once brought to her attention, Christina's mom, Sara, initially resigns the creepy apparitions as merely imagined; soon after...after Mitch surrenders to an emergent trip back to town, to close an important business deal...the ghostly specters are seen by Christina's brother, Gaven...and finally, by Sara, herself. And once Sara actually sees them, she becomes horrifically aghast at the realization that she and the two lingering child spirits are somehow connected...bring to the surface of her mind, haunting memories of cruelty, heartbreak, tragedy and death, long since forgotten.....
...and that final payoff moment of "Ominous"...the unconventional twist ending?? Well obviously, it's not going to be revealed here, except to say that, in engaging this ditty of a spook film...man, it took damn near forever to get to that point!! It almost seemed as if the storyline was so bent upon exploring and exuding the soap-opera-ish estrangement of the family, it nearly forgot that...'uh, hey...tap, tap, tap...uh, over here...yes, over here...uh, you do know there's a horror movie going on over here, right??' That blatant feel of misdirection seemed to reach out to the eerie ghostly presence, itself...the spiritual protagonists in the film, as countless moments unfold where the ghosts, barring the final half hour or so, of the film, might actually reveal themselves to family members, other than the Christina character, but don't...almost as if the spirits were adept and willing to concede to the estranged family drama. Even the music herein, seemed to exploit that sense of misdirection, with no payoff...subtle and haunting medleys of strings & piano keys, which at times, build up to a crescendo moment, and then...nothing...
...for an independently produced genre film of this ilk...hey, the forced and wooden acting...eh, that's forgivable. The poor lighting and misdirectional atmospheric build up of suspense?? Eh, one might even 'oh well...be that as it may' negligently attribute that to a lack of resources, both material and financial. The initially standard and generic 'haunting' aspect of the storyline happenings, culminating with an interesting, unique and revelational ending/resolution?? Well, yes...in fact, that's to be expected, even insisted upon, so as to ultimately not waste the viewer's time. But in the final analysis, after pouring through all that family drama, as well as the false moments of spookery, which doesn't really carry through on a particularly effective level, is that 'oh wow' shocking, 'coup de grace' ending, worth waiting for?? General census might well dictate that one's patience would be very much tasked...as was this reviewer's...with "Ominous" in that respect, and in the end...although some minor interest might be generated, in the midst of watching this film...it's all just a matter of way too little, way too late...
...and once there...although Sara is delightfully taken aback by the cabin...the overall dysfunction of the family lingers on, and is hardly diminished, in this mountain fresh setting. Mitch caters to incoming calls to work...torn between this opportunity of family re-consolation, and his urge to get back to business. Sara finds herself inexplicably poised to being the family adhesive, though her efforts...in her mind...don't seem clearly enough. The eldest son, Scott, is unaffected and unimpressed with his father's attempt at 'quality time'...himself, nurturing a rebellious frustration with Mitch, in not being able to break away from work, to see any of the games, which he participated in, at school. The younger siblings, Gavan and Christina, feel a bit detached from the family, but together, have a youthful appreciation of finding new things and exploring new places...and seem to be the only ones having fun, during this excursion...that is, until...
...and that final payoff moment of "Ominous"...the unconventional twist ending?? Well obviously, it's not going to be revealed here, except to say that, in engaging this ditty of a spook film...man, it took damn near forever to get to that point!! It almost seemed as if the storyline was so bent upon exploring and exuding the soap-opera-ish estrangement of the family, it nearly forgot that...'uh, hey...tap, tap, tap...uh, over here...yes, over here...uh, you do know there's a horror movie going on over here, right??' That blatant feel of misdirection seemed to reach out to the eerie ghostly presence, itself...the spiritual protagonists in the film, as countless moments unfold where the ghosts, barring the final half hour or so, of the film, might actually reveal themselves to family members, other than the Christina character, but don't...almost as if the spirits were adept and willing to concede to the estranged family drama. Even the music herein, seemed to exploit that sense of misdirection, with no payoff...subtle and haunting medleys of strings & piano keys, which at times, build up to a crescendo moment, and then...nothing...
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...and there you have it...Whew!! Considering the countless multitude of genre film multi-movie packs, prolifically distributed and released by the fine folk, over at Echo Bridge...chock full of rampantly disposable public domain classics, 'discarded' independents and under-appreciated, 'swept-under-the-rug' obscurities...it would be so damn easy to wave off, walk by and sighingly disregard many of these, as 'been there, done that' movie fodder...eye-rollingly finding the same old titles, though creatively re-packaged with striking DVD cover artwork, seemingly just to fool the unwary. However...whether it be by chance or by purpose...it seems that with this particular set...simply titled by the collection's opening piece of horror, "Barn"...respectable pains might just well have been taken, in putting together...for the most part...a great set of genre films. Such effort might well suggest that Echo Bridge harbors and maintains an appreciation for the seemingly random product, which they are putting out...as well as the individual films, which make up their endless number of multi-film packs...
...just another way of saying that one sometimes has to wade through the useless and discountable dreck...dig way down to the bottom of the barrel, to find that special, undiscovered treasure. Considering the eclectic quintet of films, contained within this particular set, "Barn" (...the self-same titled collection, that is) can be most readily considered a delectably prepared anthology of horror, not to be missed.....
...just another way of saying that one sometimes has to wade through the useless and discountable dreck...dig way down to the bottom of the barrel, to find that special, undiscovered treasure. Considering the eclectic quintet of films, contained within this particular set, "Barn" (...the self-same titled collection, that is) can be most readily considered a delectably prepared anthology of horror, not to be missed.....
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