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rlsanchez5
Reviews
Mania (2015)
A Truly Killer Road Trip
I had the chance to see this at The Arizona Underground Film Festival a few days ago and I was certainly not disappointed. I was really looking forward to this film after first seeing Jessica Cameron's gore fest "Truth or Dare." The end result was a nice blend of story,tension and David Lynch-ian imagery.
Another thing to take into account is Mania itself. The filmmakers did a wonderful job taking into account and showing the symptoms that Mania can cause.It creates an uneasy tension that last through out the film and asks the question,"How far would you go for love?" I also appreciate that this film leaves things open for interpretation. Not just with the imagery but early in the film it is a plot point that one of the characters must take her medical to prevent these Manic episodes from happening. Like in real life, 5 out of 10 doctors would say that pills will help while the other 5 would say it'd only make things worse. That certainly came across in the film,as i never was sure if the pills were truly helping or only making things worse. It's the little things like this that make the film excel.
The film also comes along with a great cast of larger than life supporting characters, a killer score with a definite 80's vibe and of course, gore.
I definitely recommend checking this film out if you're a fan of independent horror.
Truth or Dare (2013)
Truth: I love this movie. Dare: I dare you to watch it.
I had a chance to see the world premiere earlier this month at The Arizona Underground Film Festival and boy am I glad I did. Of the twenty movies at the festival, I by far enjoyed this film the best. It really is a treat for horror fans.
The plot is quite simple and works for the type of film it is. The story follows a group looking for internet fame who favor "Truth or Dare" videos that involve violence for views. When filming their newest video chaos ensues as a crazed fan takes hold of the game. From there it is a prolonged torture film.
Amazingly, the film never feels dull or loses its steam. If anything, it only gains more momentum as the film moves along. There are several comedic moments throughout the film but the film quickly changes tone during the second half and things get a lot more serious. I definitely noticed a change of vibe amongst my fellow audience members. As the silence of "Am I a horrible person for watching this?" grew, I couldn't help but smile because I was among friends. Another thing I love about this film is it also does great with suspense. You can not at all tell what the outcome will be. For being low-budget film there are some really well done special effects that will excite horror enthusiast.
During the second half several people walked out because of the gore factor. Which in my book only means the film is doing the right job. One person also seemed to have fainted as a loud thud was heard and several people rushed to help the gentleman up.I don't like comparing movies, and I'm not here, but Human Centipede 2 had less of a reaction then this when I saw its opening in town. So I applaud.
This is a little gem that has a lot of potential in the horror world. And if you love it, its our duty as fans to make that happen. I end with saying that everyone should see this great film as soon as possible.