THN Exclusive: Sideworld Series

Sideworld Documentaries

I recently got sent a screener for a documentary called Sideworld: Terrors of the Sea. I admit a pretty unknown, to me at least, chapter in a series of documentaries looking at stories that blur the line between reality and fiction.

Terrors delves into everything nautical, explaining things like the Mary Celeste to the flying Dutchman, though both those are just used as reference.

I'm glad they got in touch with me because I love wrapping myself up in a quilt (well maybe not in summer) and watching real life spooky stuff. (Not fake shit like most haunted but things really grounded in reality). Goodwins Sands is the first story on there, a terrifying expanse responsible for the disappearance of many ships over time.

The next creatures from the depths, deeply grounded in facts, the deadalus serpent sounds like something I wouldn't want to see!

Through this I also found one on forests and possible cryptids or animals reportedly living in them.

George Popov is the director and narrator of the series as well as Jonathan Russell. Both work at Rubicon films which can be found @RubiconFilmsUK. Both put in months of research into each of the sections in the documentaries. Evident by the amount of information George gives on each piece/chapter. Even some guest narration/appearances by William Poulter (a friend not well known Adam Warlock Will) and Suzie Frances Garton of Haunting at the Rectory.

Rubicon Films also has some other narrative films under their belt too. Hex a 2017 movie and 2020s The Droving too. 

Give support any way you can by watching these very interesting pieces. You'll find them on Amazon and through links on their Twitter.

THN awards Both pieces a strong 4 out of 5 stars, if only because I have to be in the right mood for a Documentary, otherwise flawless execution.

Review: Prey (2022)

Stars: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers

Budget: Unknown 

Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg

 

Wow I wasn't expecting this to he anywhere near as good as it was. In today's time I was expecting at least a little perfection or some kind if writing that made this beyond the realms of believability.

Gladly I was wrong (that believable in the predator world that is.) This proved to be a very decent sequel.  Possibly the best since predator, that's coming from a guy who loves predator 2 mind, fukin' voodoo magic, hahaha.

Put into production near the end cycle of the abomination that was The Predator, (Shane Black you're dead to me). Under the working title of skulls back then. Very little was known, even if it was a predator film or not, just rumours. 2018 passed and everything went to shit for 2 years but they then pressed on with this. Things came out that this was set many years ago with the native Americans, the Comanche.

Then the dreaded word that frightens so many people today. A female lead. I mean I can sympathise with them, some roles and movies have been terrible due it around that time. (Cough star wars).

Then more came out and Dan Trachtenberg was connected and one thing I can give that guy a credit for is doing a good but flawed female lead. Never no super human unrealistically knocking down men twice their size, just using their brains. Even though I wasn't a fan of it 10 cloverfield lanes Mary Elizabeth Winstead was a great protagonist.

Then within the last year we've got stills and concrete plotlines. Set in the 1700s almost 300 years in the past from 1s date, it was a direct prequel too, so still in continuity. Amber was indeed playing a Comanche woman defying her background, but not completely as it wasn't entirely frowned upon just rare that a woman would become a warrior. I haven't as always with streaming services been able to find a budget for this but I know it wasn't a massive amount. 

A few gripes I had about this film were few and very minor. Mainly it's the cgi animals they look very uncanny valley, especially when they move. Also that the predator was clearly getting hurt but healed/stopped bleeding in the next scene. Yes we know predators can heal, but we 

A. Only see it once

B. It takes time in all the older films

C. His technology was older

But that's about it honestly.

Anyway on with the film, beware spoilers though as always I won't spoil the ending, or at least not to much. Naru is our main character she is trying to prove herself to her tribe as a warrior. Her brother Taabe seems to believe in her though others try to tell her not to bother, or worse.

She's not perfect but she's very observant and learns very quick. Unlike most female recent characters she's not perfect. She gets her chance to prove herself when a tiger attacks. Though she notes other things happening around too, she's very observant. Though even sometimes to her detriment. Shes

While hunting the lion she notices something in the forest. The lion attacks and Naru seems to hit it but falls from the tree and gets knocked out. 

She gets told off by her mother and that Taabe had to carry her back. Then we see Taabe bringing back the dead tiger. Which completes his hunt.

As for other things, Naru goes back out to hunt a bear. While doing that she falls into quick sand/mud and nearly dies. She's only saved by her rope axe weapon she created. This then echoes back to Taabe telling her about wet bowstrings. When she goes to shoot the unaware bear her bow string snaps.

Said bear then attacks Naru (in awful cgi) lucky her dog makes it chase him. After a few failed attacks Naru hides in a beaver dam. The bear almost kills her when the predator catches and kills it.

She's caught up by the others by then, actually being bullied quite badly chastised and beaten up. A little later though she and her tribesmen are attacked by the predator. It takes out most of them, then Taabe and Naru get caught by French fur trappers.

Next is pretty much the end of the movie, after the predator kills all of the trappers. Naru and Taabe have a good go against it until it's just left Naru on her own.

I'll leave it there as we don't spoil endings here at THN. One more thing I will say is it's obvious to see why predators changed one weapon to a plasma caster after this.

THN awards Prey a strong 4 out of 5 stars

Review: Fear Street 1978 (2021)

Stars: Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd

Budget: Unknown 

Directed By: Leigh Janiak

This one was my favourite of the three movies. This is more like a straight up killer slasher flick. Again these movies seem like a vehicle for stranger things actors. Max actor Sadie Sink showing up in this one as a troubled teen 

Ziggy Berman.

This one as the title would suggest is set in the 70s in a camp ground that seemed popular with kids back then. Though talking to American friends seem to have died off now. Again an adaptation of an R. L. Stein book in a series that follows a story about a potentially dangerous witch.

So this is the last time the killings happened (78), except this time its different to the past someone survived.

One of two sisters. This is who the survivors of the last movie go to, to get help with their current problem, the witch possessed girlfriend.

She's very reluctant obviously thinking they should just kill their friend and get away from her and the town. There's a few twists and turn here, Ziggy is accused of being the witch by the bullying town overs kids. They even attempt to set her on fire until she's saved by one of the counsellors.

She's the outcast always in trouble sister of course, her older sister being the good more popular one. Ziggy does make friends with a boy though (who ends up being the sheriff in the first and third films). They plat a few pranks on the other kids.

The movie is quick to get to the killing which is good in my eyes, it's initially the possessed boyfriend of the good sister. Then later on when they try to solve the problem some of the past killers start to turn up too.

There's two twists which I saw a mile off but it's a decent story so I won't spoil them. The future kids do glean some useful information from the story though. These lead into the 3rd movies plot and direction.

Fear Street 1978 is a decent slasher flick and maybe even with a few changes could be a stand alone story too. THN awards this movie a strong 3 out of 5 stars.

Review: Fear Street 1994 (2021)

Stars: Maya Hawke, Kiana Madeira

Budget: As with most Netflix unobtainable 

Directed By: Leigh Janiak

Okay a bit late to this party but I haven't had Netflix for a while. I've been broke and can usually only afford 1 streaming service at a time here in the UK.

These are a series of books by R L Stein,  yes the prolific teen horror story writer. I think this is a forray into more young adult like horror. I enjoyed R L Stein books as a kid bit they were never as popular here in the UK as in the US.

This book series follows a town in America Shadyside, paired with its neighbouring town Sunnyside. Bad things happen in Shady like people going bananas every few years and killing up some folk.

Some say it's a curse from a witch killed more 300 years ago called Sarah Fier but who believes spooky stories like that?

Due to this there's an underlying feud with Sunnyside who believe they're better. Though this is mostly only brought up in the 1st two films.

Maya Hawke stars in this for all on 5 minutes too, surprising from her role in stranger things she's nerfed in the beginning after making you think she might escape or be the main star.

This one is more the Halloween movie of the bunch. Though I wouldn't typically compare it too much as even though this is a more residential set movie it's multiple killers pretty much from halfway in. The killers are all past killers seemingly brought back by the witch to kill the teens.

Set pieces and effects are pretty decent from cg to practical, with the practical shinning as one of the best parts of this film.

For the first 1/3 of the film we get a girl, Deena fawning over a Sam. She sees lovers everywhere she looks. This Sam moved to Sunnyside and Deena broke up with them.

Then twist!

Sam us a girl and this was more frowned upon back in the archaic times of 90s America.

Apparently more in smaller towns too. Anyway we get the usual team of teens trying to survive/beat the bad guys with some pretty gruesome deaths. It's kind of nasty how some of the cast is knocked off one by one as they learn more and more about the witch and the curse. Then they finally think they're safe, shock twist at the end!

Acting was okay in this, do I think Its fawning?

Not so much in part one, it's a pretty solid base, unfortunately by the time the 3rd movie comes around this is different.

I know I said about a twist but trust me that's not spoiling the end, especially as you know this movie has 2 more parts.

THN awards Fear Street 1994 a decent 3 out of 5 stars.

Review: Fear Street 1666 (2021)

Stars: Kiana Madeira, Emily Rudd 

Budget: Unknown 

Directed By: Leigh Janiak

Well, well the 3rd movie in the series of books by R L Stein. This one is mostly set in 1666 showing what happened to the witch and the truth about it all.

This is where it goes a little to I hate to use the word, but this was the biggest inclusion of "wokeness" I've seen in any movie to get their point across. I say this as identifying as an asexual romantic myself, but thats enough about me.

It does do well to bring all the past storylines together but I think that's it's only bonus. So back in 1666 (being played by everyone from past movies, though they do have their own faces too) two friendly girls, one the supposed witch find themselves in love. Now back in 1666 this was considered a satanic malady. Of course it was pretty biblical back then. But here's my problem with that, it was 1666! You can't retroactively say oooh that was bad back then and it still is.....

I'm sorry but being called something occasionally and I'm from the 80s mind, is a damn sight massive improvement over being drowned, burned, hanged, all three or something worse back then. But enough of that, it's a weak plot too. But that's not just it, she's not the witch, it's one of the sheriffs decendants who seemed good through most of the 3 movies. No i saw it a mile off too despite never reading or hearing about these books befode this film series.

They do ultimately solve the problem which is witchcraft but more warlockcraft now. 

THN AWARDS fear street 1666 a decent 2 out of 5 stars watch if you've committed to the series of 3 films.

Review: The Banana Splits (2020)

Stars: Dani Kind, Finlay Wojtak Hissong

Budget: Unknown

Directed By: Danishka Esterhazy

Wow so who thought this would ever happen hey?

One banana, two banana, three banana, four. That's right that old Hanna-Barbera live action show with the people in big furry suits.

One of their first live action programs too, the splits were a fictional band. It ran in 1968 for 31 episodes.

This is a strange horror re-imagining of that program if it had lasted until today's time. Though it was revived in 2008 too, though very briefly.

It definitely has five nights at freddy's vibes as the splits are now, spoiler, robot Animatronics. I can't find any budget news on this either, only that it did poorly even in dvd/bluray sales.

I do believe it found a home on streaming services in some countries too.

It's not a long movie either but I have seen two different running times too, one coming in at 72 minutes and another at 89.

I can't find any reason why unless the comic-con version was shorter?

As with 90% of horror films ever made we join a family that is on the surface seemingly normal, though we quickly learn the Dad is a cheating ass hole. The Kid Harley, (played by Finlay) is a massive fan of the still popular splits program.

It's the boy's birthday and the dad pulls some strings to get him onto the set of the show while they do some filming. The whole family go including the older brother Austin and a reluctant class mate of Harley's Zoe, though she seems to think it odd that he still likes them at his age.

The four splits Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper and Snorky are animatronic now, though they still have a human co-host called Stevie. We learn he hates the show and only does it for the money. He's bitter and resentful which makes him an asshole to everyone else. In the waiting line we are introduced to the rest of the cast, a blogger couple, A controlling father more interested in making his daughter a star than her feelings. Then there's the hostess Paige who Austin takes a liking to.

Just before the show airs Stevie learns from the new channel executive that he intends to cancel the banana splits show. Taunting the splits something seems to happen to their programming, as the show goes on they seem to get more and more violent.

Strangely the super fan kid Harley seems to notice first, then the body count starts to rise. His mom finds out about the cheating dad, he then gets amusingly run over by the mini car. The blogger couple boyfriend proposes to the girlfriend and promptly gets sawn in half. the gore effects are quite good as well as practical too. If your wondering why they don't call anyone they had their phones confiscated so as not to film or disturb the show while filming.

The splits kill the older folks and kidnap the kids so they can perform for them forever.

I won't spoil anymore as I enjoyed this and i think you will too, there's some interesting twists with some of the characters and the splits too with strong sequel baiting.

THN awards The Banana Splits Movie 2020 4 out 5 stars.

Review: Hatchet 4: Victor Crowley (2017)

Stars: Kane Hodder,  Laura Ortiz

Budget: $400,000

Directed By: Adam Green

The fourth film in the hatchet series, shown as a surprise reveal to some fans. Done on a tiny budget it does show. Compared to the other movies there's less kills and the majority of the film uses the cheap movie trope of sticking to one location mostly.

The effects are pretty standard for the series too. Acting good, mostly, as well as comedic, maybe even more than any of the other films.  Kane Hodder returns as the deformed psycho killer Victor, imposing as always.

The start of the film is a small scene in addition to the end of part 3. Some lovers are killed after one of the hunters warns them. Then 10 years later we join Hong on a talk show bigging up his new book about surviving the night.

However some people believe he's the killer and blame him for the deaths of loved ones. We also see a small group intent on making a low budget film based on Crowley. They try to get Hong to help them but he's dragged away.

Hong is coerced into going back to the swamp with $1m dollars (though it's a lie). The friends also find themselves in the swamp at the same time. Oddly the plane crashes into the swamp, most of them survive. But in order to make her film more authentic the producer plays the original curse from a YouTube video. As is in horror films this brings Crowley back to life.

He kills them all one by, in a by the numbers affair.

I won't spoil anymore as it's worth a watch especially if you enjoyed 1-3. So I'll leave it to you to see who dies or not.

THN awards hatchet 4 a steady 3 out of 4 stars.