Director: Steven DeGennaro

Writer: Steven DeGennaro (Screenplay)

Starring: Carter Roy, Alena von Stroheim, Chris O’Brien, Tom Saporito, Scott Allen Perry, Jessica Perrin

Plot: A group of filmmakers set out to make the first 3D found footage horror movie, but find themselves in a found footage horror movie when the evil entity from their film escapes into their behind-the-scenes footage.

Tagline – A new dimension in terror

Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Smart Idea for Found Footage

Story: Found Footage 3D starts as we follow the film crew, Derek (Roy), Amy (Stroheim), Mark (O’Brien), Andrew (Saporito), Carl (Perry) and Lily (Perrin) as they look to create a brand new found footage movie, in 3D. packed up and heading to the remote cabin to shot the disappearance of Derek and Amy characters, we see how the behind the scene footage is being shot.

As the film unfolds we start to see unusual events happening, until they realize they have become part of their own horror movie with an unknown entity haunting them in the cabin.

Thoughts on Found Footage 3D

Characters – Derek is the one who has had the idea for the film, he is taking the leading role, while having a director on hand, he is controlling over everything that is being made, with his ex-wife in the lead role, brother shooting the behind the scenes and friends helping out, he does however show the shines of the stress of the film as the tension on set rises. Amy is the ex-wife of Derek, she is jumping at the chance to be in a new feature film and we see just how difficult her life has become after the divorce. Andrew is the guy hired to help direct, he knows the two big rules that need to be explained in found footage, he does try to hold together the crew through the tension. Mark is the brother given the chance to shoot the behind the camera footage for the eventual release of the film, he is in an awkward position because of his friendship with Amy and blood ties with Derek. We have the sound guy and an intern which complete the crew.

Performances – The main six cast members are good through the film, we get the sense that they are this small crew working together to make this film happen without anyone become too much of the star of the film.

Story – The story here follows a film crew that are trying to make their own found footage film one that will be different from any other only to see themselves become the star of the film when they get haunted by an unknown entity. This is a unique idea for found footage, we know how the genre has been blasted for being lazy in the past and having a small crew with their own idea, shows how accessible the basics of a found footage film can be. We get explained the basic rules, first needing a reason to be filming and second to have a reason to still be film by the end of the film. if you do watch this as a found footage only film the story does follow everything we have seen before because there is very little new you can bring to this genre.

Horror – Found footage the genre with the biggest divide in the horror community, as a fan of the genre being done correctly I liked the twist to the story, the weakness comes from the shaky cam we do know is coming.

Settings – The film takes us to a remote cabin in the woods, this is horror 101, this is drivable away from, but with weak phone signal, the setting helps with the haunting and shows how the people making the movie know where they need to be.

Special Effects – The effects in the film are simple they do work and make us believe what we are seeing for what the crews low budget horror is trying to do.

Scene of the Movie – The idea.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The shaky cam isn’t needed.

Final Thoughts – This is a smart idea for a found footage film, it could easily be the ‘scream’ of found footage giving us the rules that must be followed, it does fall into the fast ending which could be considered weak, but for a found footage film it does make sure we know why it is important.

Overall: Found footage version of Scream.

Rating

Director: Ian Gilmour

Writer: D.R. Rosen (Screenplay)

Starring: Dan Cortese, David Keith, Kirk B.R. Woller, Jeff Fahey, Atanans Srebrev, Naum Shopov, Hristo Mitzkov, Julie Benz

Plot: A group of scientists try to stop a swarm of flesh-eating locusts that escape from a top secret government lab in the USA Midwest.

Runtime: 1 Hour 28 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Easy to Watch Sci-Fi Special

Story: Locusts: The 8^th Plague starts a scientist Russ Snow (Fahey) and businessman Gary (Keith) have been working on a bug eating locust that could help clean out crops in the state of Idaho. When their experiment goes wrong the flesh eating locusts escape into the local area.

Colt Denton (Cortese) and Vicky (Benz) must lead the military into finding a solution before the locusts who aren’t meant to be able to breed, continue a rampage through the state leaving bodies in their path, the race is on to stop them.

Thoughts on Locusts: The 8^th Plague

Characters – Colt Denton has created a pesticide that is environmentally friendly and only need to be used once, he finds himself in the middle of the race to stop the locusts using his knowledge of them and what could attract them. Vicky is the daughter of Russ, she works for the USDA which is responsible for controlling the outbreak, she works with Denton to find a solution. Gary is the man running the company that created the Locusts, he doesn’t want to lose the money he has made through the years, he wants a cover up. Russ Snow the scientific mind behind locusts, he is trying to do this for the right reasons, even if things don’t go as planned, he is left in a position of wanting to stop the spread or taking responsibility for his action.

Performances – Dan Cortese in the leading role show potential in a leading role, his performance fits the style of film. Julie Benz does the best she can with what is basically the damsel in distress role. David Keith and Jeff Fahey fill the villainous side of the film well enough.

Story – The story follows an experiment to create flesh-eating locusts to help with crops, getting loose and targeting the locals as their neighbours continue to grow. This story does fill the classic b-movie style with ease, we have a creature, in this case locusts that are getting deadlier as they continue to spread across the local area that need stopping. There isn’t too much to talk about with the story, we know how things will unfold, making this a safe and steady story to follow.

Horror/Sci-Fi – The horror comes from the locusts and just how they will kill anything in their line of fire. The sci-fi side of the film comes from the locusts that have been created with the genetically modified to be the way they are.

Settings – The film is set in a small town in Idaho, this works because it shows how the problem could start in a small location, only to grow over time.

Special Effects – The effects in the film are low budget and they work for everything they are showing without being anything special

Scene of the Movie – The plane hangar.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Why is there a car on fire after an attack, the locusts are not flammable.

Final Thoughts – This is a simple and enjoyable sci-fi special movie, it checks all the boxes without doing anything special, one you can just switch on and enjoy.

Overall: Simple and Enjoyable.

Rating