Remnants 2013 ★★½
Decent found footage available on YT.
Nothing groundbreaking or mindboggling. Just, you know... okay characters, good build up, nice pay off, suitably vague,...
If you're a sucker for found footage (like me), this is a nice addition for your collection.
You can check it out here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAEuouBgXKU
High Tension 2003 ★★★
Alexandra Aja's debut does not lose much steam on a rewatch.
Interestingly, for a movie known for its brutality, it does not really spend all that much time on the actual torture and gore. Sure, there is plenty of gore and disturbing imagery, but just as much attention goes to the chase, with the main protagonist running from the killer. Until of course the big twist.
High Tension is still a very solid calling card for the man who went on to do The hills have eyes remake and movies like Oxygen. He masters the visual craft of setting up atmosphere and he can do his fair share of gore. Thus earning High Tension a place between other French extremes like Inside and Martyrs. And while I am not the biggest fan of their work, the choice to prominently feature Muse in the score does work in the movies favour.
Natty Knocks 2023 ★★★
Robert Englund, Danielle Harris and Bill Moseley feature in a nice little slasher with a bit of a Stranger Things-vibe in it. Though that's easy to say when the protagonists are kids.
Said protagonists are a duo of friends, consisting of a Ryder Strong facsimile and young McLovin', whose main merit was whining and keeping me wondering wether he was meant to be this annoying.
The legend (the faded B-movie star accused of withchraft and burned) is a tried and true concept, but it was well worked out here and it gave the killer a decent backstory. The kills were okay and at least one kill made me hate the killer even more.
The sequel bait at the end was obvious and predictable (yes, it involves the little black book being found), but it was still fun to watch.
3 stars. Well deserved for a fun style exercise.