[soliloquy id=”584″]
Now I’d like to speak about both films, as personally, I loved them and I cannot mention just one without the other, so lets start with the first:
V/H/S-
I’d heard about V/H/S in a UK newspaper, and a year later I’d noticed it sitting in my local DVD store and snapped it up. I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie. I do like a good snuff film. Or in this case, films.
V/H/S is a collection of short found footage horror films featuring a number of directing talents established in Indy filmmaking including David Bruckner (The Signal), Ti West (The Innkeepers), Glenn McQuaid (Stake Land), Adam Wingard (A horrible way to die) and noted actor/director Joe Swanburg (You’re Next) and many more with some great writers.
I enjoyed each and every segment especially “Amateur Night” and “The Sick Thing That Happened To Emily” but each and every one kept me entertained throughout.
The wraparound, Tape 56 (Directed by Adam Wingard), is supplied by some typical hoody types committing a burglary trying to find a particular V/H/S tape they believe they can get money for but stumble upon dozens. As one of the gang begin to watch them, the anthology unfolds.
In “Amateur Night” (Directed by David Bruckner), a couple of guys give a pair of Spy-cam glasses to a friend and the three go out to have a wild night on the town, ending a little more crazy than intended.
“Second Honeymoon” (Directed by Ti West) a couple’s vacation is disrupted by a mysterious intruder ending in deadly consequences.
“Tuesday the 17th” (Directed by Glenn McQuaid) sees a young woman taking her friends out to a secluded wooded area where things get fuzzy. Literally. (You’ll know what I mean if you’ve seen it, or when you do).
“A sick thing that happened to Emily” (Directed by Joe Swanberg) involves a series of webcam video conversations between girlfriend and boyfriend, the girl believing that her apartment has some strange paranormal activity going on. If only.
“10/31/98” (Directed by Radio Silence, Tyler Gillett, Justin Matinez, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Chad Villella) is a Halloween house party that is a bit more messed up then they planned to get.
V/H/S might be a middle finger towards lazy efforts over the past few years in the found footage genre or it could just be a labor of horror flick love from a larger group of directors. Either way, I think it’s pretty damn good and wish I had thought of it.
V/H/S 2-
V/H/S 2 delivers a lot more action than the first but I wasn’t as keen on the second the first time I watched it but I genuinely can’t decide which I enjoy best out of the two now.
With another batch of directors including Adam Wingard from the first, who also stars in his short again, working alongside Simon Barrett in the writting phase who also wrote “The sick thing that happened to Emily” in V/H/S. Eduardo Sánchez (Lovely Molly), Timo Tjahjanto (L is for Libido in The ABCs of Death) along with many more movie writing and directing talents.
Again I really enjoyed all shorts in this anthology with my favorite being “Safe Haven” (Timo Tjahjanto always seems to take to my sadistic fancy with his directing and writing skills).
This time the wraparound “Tape 49” shows two private investigators searching for a missing college boy. Breaking into his house they find a static TV, no-one around and begin going over the tapes that are strewn all over the floor.
“Phase 1 Clinical Trials” (Directed by Adam Wingard) is a point of view jumpy ghost scare featuring a glass eye and paranormal-human hearing.
“A Ride in the Park” (Directed by Gregg Hale and Eduardo Sanchez) is a walking dead ride in the park that is really pretty cool, and Zombies are never my favorite.
“Safe Haven” (Directed by Timo Tjahjanto) is the most insane out the bunch, and maybe one of the reasons why I like it. Cults and Demons. Enough said.
“Slumber Party Alien Abduction” (Directed by Jason Eisener) is a creatively filmed slumber party gone supernaturally wrong.
The finale to the wrap around story has a cool ending too.
To sum up V/H/S 1 & 2, both movies combined have some thrills, horror, suspense, psychological craziness, supernatural, sci-fi, gore, and more! What’s not to like?
For anyone looking for something different, some found footage done extremely well and want to be entertained, I would highly recommend both V/H/S 1 & 2. I already have a number of times and will continue to do so.
I like you, oops I mean V/H/S.
For both films-
WICKED RATING: 8/10 [usr 8]
Title: V/H/S
Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, David Bruckner, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez, Glenn McQuaid, Radio Silence, Joe Swanberg, Chad Villella, Ti West, Adam Wingard.
Writer(s): Brad Miska, Simon Barrett, David Bruckner, Nicholas Tecosky, Ti West, Glenn Mcquaid, Radio Silence, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, Justin Martinez, Chad Villella.
Stars: Calvin Reeder, Lane Hughes, Adam Wingard
Year: 2012
Studio/ Production Co: 8383 Productions, Bloody Disgusting, Collective, The
Budget: (unknown)
Language: English
Length: 116mins
Sub-Genre: Found footage, Anthology
Title: V/H/S 2
Directors: Simon Barrett, Jason Eisener, Gareth Evans, Gregg Hale, Eduardo Sanchez, Timo Tjahjanto, Adam Wingard.
Writer(s): Simon Barrett, Jamie Nash, Timo Tjahjanto, Gareth Evans, Jason Eisener, John Davies, Brad Miska, Eduardo Sanchez.
Stars: Lawrence Michael Levine, Kelsy Abbott, Adam Wingard
Year: 2013
Studio/ Production Co: 8383 Productions, Bloody Disgusting, Collective, The
Budget: (Unknown)
Language: English & Indonesian
Length: 96mins
Sub-Genre: Found footage, Anthology
