Harbottle-64 Reviews

Life of Belle (2024)

Best found footage film for awhile

[9/10 · 3 March 2024]

I went into this film with a bit of scepticism. However, I have to say I came out really impressed. I'm not one who reviews a lot of movies, but I thought I'd like to add my thoughts to this one, as it was likely to get washed away with average reviews.

First of all, I have to agree with some previous reviewers and say the acting is not great. Apart from Belle and her mother, the other actors are a bit "clunky", but this is a minor quibble.

Overall, this is a superb piece of drama on a small budget. Don't expect big jump scares. It slowly builds the terror and the viewer is left thinking "What the Hell is going on?" A small clue happens along the way, in a blink and you've missed it way. I will say no more. Suffice it to say, you know it's going to be a paranormal drama. Now, how does it pan out?

The dread builds slowly, though from the start, you know things aren't going to end well. A mix of Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch Project and Lake Mungo, it works well. A superb horror flick. I loved it and will definitely watch again, having had a feeling I might have missed some clues along the way.

Strange But True (2019)

A denouement just waiting to happen

[5/10 · 30 May 2023]

5 stars for getting me right through the film until the end, but what on earth were Brian Cox and Greg Kinnear doing in this movie? I'm not going to add spoilers on this review, but if you didn't work it out pdq, then you need to watch the film again. Inside, there's a good film trying to get out, but it just didn't add up to the sum of its parts. Well acted, especially by the underrated Nick Robinson, but it really didn't come together. I can see the book being far more subtle and leaving more of a shock to the twist at the end. As for reviewers giving it high marks for being a tome about "love and loss", I didn't really get it. Perhaps it's just me, but the ending was pretty obvious. Shame.

The Outwaters (2022)

A boring, self-indulgent mess.

[2/10 · 6 March 2023]

To be quite frank, I bailed out after an hour. My God, how this film could have benefitted from some editing. But, to be honest, I doubt if that could have saved it. 110 mins? No chance.

I had NO empathy with the characters at all and was just waiting...praying...that something would come down and do away with them. The sooner the better. Too much time spent on the girl singer whose voice I just found annoying.

A "found footage" movie? Since when did they have a part-soundtrack? Simply ridiculous.

No, I didn't watch it all, but I shall value the 50 minutes left as good time saved. This attempt at a horror movie commits the cardinal sin of being...well...boring.

Avoid.

Beyond the Woods (2018)

Awful. Avoid.

[2/10 · 28 February 2018]

Lousy plot, poor acting and a laughable demon. How this ridiculous fillum got a 7+ rating is beyond me.....though I have my suspicions....

Dead of the Nite (2013)

A very grave encounter

[2/10 · 7 July 2014]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. What started as a promising, if unoriginal, British slant on the now common theme of "Ghost Hunters meet evil spirits in a Haunted House" (think Grave Encounters), quickly gave way to a rather humdrum plot that was very disappointing.

Despite the presence of Tony "Candyman" Todd, the acting seemed at best to be that of a provincial amateur dramatic group (think The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society), but not as interesting. "Characters" quickly revert to stereotype. Todd tries to make up for this by hammily overacting, although he does manage to steal every scene he's in (not difficult).

The "police station" scenes are wholly unconvincing and the "policemen" laughable. With numerous bog-standard crime fare on telly and in films, surely it wouldn't be too difficult to make these scenes reasonably realistic? Er, no.

The "twist" in the plot is hardly surprising, although the reason for it is strangely bizarre. The denouement comes as a blessing for various reasons. I can't remember welcoming the closing titles in a film more readily. Not good. Avoid.