We kick off a new year of horror with a new indie release “Angel Baby” and a look back at the 2000 hidden found footage gem “Blackwood Evil”.
Angel Baby
We begin, as always, with a discussion of the latest horror news.
It has been a tumultuous few weeks for Scream VII. After losing its two leads, the movie was rocked with the news that its director had quit. There will still be a future for the popular franchise, but should there be?
American television is a strange thing. Shows either go on for too long or are canceled before their time. It is rare to see a series come to a satisfactory end. But it looks like that is exactly what is going to happen with What We Do In the Shadows.
Then, it’s on to our featured reviews, including our first new horror film of 2024.
When we spoke about the trailer for Angel Baby a few weeks ago, we both agreed it looked like generic fun. Well, we were half right. Filled with familiar tropes, the film is perfect for Escape to the Woods subgenre. It is its attempt to do something different where things fall apart. Filled with interesting ideas but little else, it ends up being a huge disappointment.
You can currently rent Angel Baby on VOD.
As for our second feature, we go back to the turn of the century.
We love found-footage movies. Even the flaws that come with them are easy to forgive. The origins of the genre are murky. While there is no doubt The Blair Witch Project brought it to the mainstream, it certainly was not the first found footage film. What people choose to count as found footage is where the confusion comes in.
One thing there is no debate about is that Blackwood Evil is the first found footage movie to attempt to capitalize on the success of Blair Witch (well, if nothing else, it is one of the first). There is, however, a reason most people have not heard of it. The production is awful; some scenes cannot be seen, while others are impossible to hear. The acting is atrocious, and there is not a hint of anything scary until over an hour has passed.
So, why did we like it so much?
This is definitely a movie you have to grade on a curve. It was released over two decades ago when there was not much of a template to follow. The characters may be the most realistic ever seen in found footage, and the lack of polish actually works to its benefit.
It would not be accurate to say that Blackwood Evil is a good movie, but it is one that should be seen.
Watch it for free on Tubi.
ABOUT THIS PODCAST:
Every week AIPT Movie Editor Nathaniel Muir and his cinema partner in crime Blake Heath discuss indie and genre movies you have have never heard of, the ones you cannot hear enough about, and the ones you never want to hear about again.
Episode 271: Bruceploitation Month: ‘All You Need is Death’ (2024)/’Fists of Bruce Lee’
We have devoted plenty of time on our humble little podcast singing the praises of The Blair Witch Project over the years. But what do we have to say now that the original cast has made some pretty heavy demands? We also talk about a video game adaptation taking place in El Paso and why the opinions of video game fans may be the most reliable.
All You Need is Death is a great title for a comedy horror. Have some fun musical numbers and an ending involving a bad looking George Harrison lookalike and you got yourself a winner. If the plot is a serious one involving Irish folklore and odd secret organizations, it is one of the worst titles ever.
A bad title does not take away from a good film, however. Especially when that film owes a big debt to David Lynch’s creepiest tendencies. That being said, Lynch is definitely not for everyone. And so goes, All You Need is Death, a movie that does so much right but also cannot seem to help but get in its own way.
Bruceploitation Month continues with Fists of Bruce Lee. This episode we tried to do something different and review a movie with a plot. Sure, it is all just filler to take up space between the awesome fight scenes, but there is an actual story being told. After covering last week’s travesty, it is nice to know that there are some movies that were trying to do more than just cash in on Lee’s name.
Adventures in Movies! is a part of the Morbidly Beautiful Podcast Network. Morbidly Beautiful is your one stop shop for all your horror needs. From the latest news and reviews to interviews and old favorites, it can be found at Morbidly Beautiful.
Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror. You can reach us personally or on Twitter @AdventuresinMo1.
Music in the background from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com
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Adventures in Movies! is hosted by Nathaniel and Blake. You can find Nathaniel on Instagram at nathaninpoortaste. Blake can be found on Twitter @foureyedhorror and on Instagram at foureyedhorror.
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