Shelby Oaks (2025)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- A determined Mia Brennan-Walker (Camille Sullivan) refuses to give up on the search for her missing sister, Riley (Sarah Durn). Riley, the host of Paranormal Paranoids, a ghost-hunting You Tube show, mysteriously disappeared with her co-hosts and friends Laura (Caisey Cole), Peter (Anthony Baldasare), and David (Eric Francis Melaragni), while filming footage in a town named Shelby Oaks. 

Mia, hoping to piece together more clues, travels to Shelby Oaks to find answers, after her husband, Robert (Brendan Sexton III) rejects Mia’s claims of supernatural interference. In Shelby Oaks, Mia learns more about the town’s past, and the troubled story of a man named Wilson Miles (Charlie Talbert)….

My Thoughts- Camille Sullivan delivers a solid performance in the leading role. Playing the distraught and dedicated sister, who’s carrying a heavy heart, it’s easy to believe that Mia will do ANYTHING she can do to find Riley. She’s not afraid to take risks, including searching a spooky abandoned prison, or walking through the woods at night to find a house out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a case, where you can excuse the usual stupid horror movie mistakes or cliches, because it’s all up to Mia to find Riley. 

The police? One dead end after another. Robert coldly urges Mia to seek help for mental health problems. Robert wants to support his wife, but he also knows the stress of trying to find Riley is draining Mia. He’s conflicted, and Robert hits a breaking point during Mia’s search, because he realizes she’ll never move on with her life, until she knows Riley is safe. But Mia refuses to give up, because she believes Riley is still out there somewhere.

Shelby Oaks does a good of balancing found-footage, a documentary about Riley’s disappearance, news clips, and a traditionally shot full length feature film. They abandoned the found-footage POV during the early stages of the movie, but it’s a smooth transition. After that, you’ll only see the found-footage, if it adds something to the story, including shots of the evil force stalking Riley, Wilson Miles, and any other clues Mia might’ve missed on previous viewings. 

The setup for Mia’s documentary really works, especially towards the end. Director Chris Stuckmann’s approach gives you the impression you’re getting a behind the scenes look at the making of the documentary, while Mia tries to manage shaky emotions and a desperate mindset. There’s a sense of relief, when the documentary concludes, but Mia’s newfound sense of happiness doesn’t last long.

Shelby Oaks features an overall solid cast, and if I had to pick a standout star, I’d easily go with Robin Bartlett. Norma (Bartlett) perfectly encapsulates everything about the modern day version of Shelby Oaks: Old, evil, cold, and you wouldn’t want to cross paths with Norma, if you visited Shelby Oaks. And Keith David serves his purpose during a brief appearance, as the haunted prison warden, who tries to lend a helping hand.

No jokes, smart remarks, or playful scenes. Shelby Oaks does a great job of balancing the horror side of the movie and a drama about a woman searching for her missing sister, while effortlessly interweaving found-footage and mockumentary elements to shape a coherent and polished film. It’s one dark and disturbing reveal after another as the story progresses, and there’s no happy ending here. For me, it’s a perfect timing ending. Closure, happiness, smiles, and sunshine? Nope. All of the feel-good stuff evaporates instantly, as the movie concludes with a gory gut punch. 

Also, Shelby Oaks is a fantastic setting for the movie. The old small town with a dark past is a perfect fit for a horror movie. It’s eerily quiet, and a big thumbs up for the shots of the abandoned stadium, the abandoned prison, and the amusement park. 

Time and the modern world forgot about Shelby oaks. Too many incidents and tragedies to recover from, and unless you actively have a death wish, it’s way too risky to simply visit Shelby Oaks. The flashback footage paints the picture of a nice and homely all-American town, a place Mia and Riley enjoyed as kids, so it’s more tragic, when you look at the current state of Shelby Oaks. 

Rating- 8/10

Shelby Oaks (2025)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- A determined Mia Brennan-Walker (Camille Sullivan) refuses to give up on the search for her missing sister, Riley (Sarah Durn). Riley, the host of Paranormal Paranoids, a ghost-hunting You Tube show, mysteriously disappeared with her co-hosts and friends Laura (Caisey Cole), Peter (Anthony Baldasare), and David (Eric Francis Melaragni), while filming footage in a town named Shelby Oaks. 

Mia, hoping to piece together more clues, travels to Shelby Oaks to find answers, after her husband, Robert (Brendan Sexton III) rejects Mia’s claims of supernatural interference. In Shelby Oaks, Mia learns more about the town’s past, and the troubled story of a man named Wilson Miles (Charlie Talbert)….

My Thoughts- Camille Sullivan delivers a solid performance in the leading role. Playing the distraught and dedicated sister, who’s carrying a heavy heart, it’s easy to believe that Mia will do ANYTHING she can do to find Riley. She’s not afraid to take risks, including searching a spooky abandoned prison, or walking through the woods at night to find a house out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a case, where you can excuse the usual stupid horror movie mistakes or cliches, because it’s all up to Mia to find Riley. 

The police? One dead end after another. Robert coldly urges Mia to seek help for mental health problems. Robert wants to support his wife, but he also knows the stress of trying to find Riley is draining Mia. He’s conflicted, and Robert hits a breaking point during Mia’s search, because he realizes she’ll never move on with her life, until she knows Riley is safe. But Mia refuses to give up, because she believes Riley is still out there somewhere.

Riley is alive! But it’s not a happy reunion for the sisters. Riley was kidnapped by a possessed Wilson Miles, after he murdered Laura, Peter, and David. Who possessed Wilson? A demon named Tarion. Wilson’s mother, Norma (Robin Bartlett), a follower of and a servant for Tarion, worked with Wilson to hold Riley captive at her house, so she could give birth to Tarion’s child.

Shelby Oaks delivers an eerie, bloody, and tense finale. Kudos to Sarah Durn for her acting chops. Yes, the gray hair, Riley’s rotted teeth, and the dirty make-up helps, but you can take one look at Riley, and you’ll instantly know this is a woman, who’s been through hell, a broken survivor, who’s a shell of her former self. You have to feel for Riley. She was sucked into years of misery, without any hopes of possibly escaping one day. The shot of the blood-stained mattress with ankle chains is truly a disturbing visual. Think about Wilson, that bed, the baby, and it’s not hard to put two and two together to figure out how the child was conceived. 

So Riley tries to return to a normal life, living with Mia and Robert. But Riley, knowing her baby is pure evil, tries to kill the child. Riley is knocked through the window after a struggle with Mia. On the ground, Riley suffers a brutal death, as she’s viciously torn apart by Tarion’s hellhounds. The closing shot of the movie shows Tarion possessing a hysterical Mia…and the baby is still alive.

Throughout the movie, we’re lead to believe Tarion solely targeted Riley to birth his child, but a final flashback reveals Tarion had his sights set on both sisters. On one hand, it’s possible Tarion decided to use the hounds to kill Riley, because Riley crossed a line, when she tried to smother the child with a pillow. Although, there’s a chance Riley’s death after giving birth was the plan all along. Tarion targeted Riley AND Mia. Maybe Riley outlived her usefulness, and Mia was the more appropriate fit to be a mother. 

It’s a gut-wrenching finale. Mia accomplished her goal. She found her sister after years of heartache and setbacks. But it’s all ripped away from her in a matter of seconds. Mia wanted a child with Robert, but things just didn’t work out for one reason or another. Well, she finally has a child, but it’s a child that will undoubtedly grow into a pure evil being.

Shelby Oaks does a good of balancing found-footage, a documentary about Riley’s disappearance, news clips, and a traditionally shot full length feature film. They abandoned the found-footage POV during the early stages of the movie, but it’s a smooth transition. After that, you’ll only see the found-footage, if it adds something to the story, including shots of the evil force stalking Riley, Wilson Miles, and any other clues Mia might’ve missed on previous viewings. 

The setup for Mia’s documentary really works, especially towards the end. Director Chris Stuckmann’s approach gives you the impression you’re getting a behind the scenes look at the making of the documentary, while Mia tries to manage shaky emotions and a desperate mindset. There’s a sense of relief, when the documentary concludes, but Mia’s newfound sense of happiness doesn’t last long.

Shelby Oaks features an overall solid cast, and if I had to pick a standout star, I’d easily go with Robin Bartlett. Norma (Bartlett) perfectly encapsulates everything about the modern day version of Shelby Oaks: Old, evil, cold, and you wouldn’t want to cross paths with Norma, if you visited Shelby Oaks. And Keith David serves his purpose during a brief appearance, as the haunted prison warden, who tries to lend a helping hand.

No jokes, smart remarks, or playful scenes. Shelby Oaks does a great job of balancing the horror side of the movie and a drama about a woman searching for her missing sister, while effortlessly interweaving found-footage and mockumentary elements to shape a coherent and polished film. It’s one dark and disturbing reveal after another as the story progresses, and there’s no happy ending here. For me, it’s a perfect timing ending. Closure, happiness, smiles, and sunshine? Nope. All of the feel-good stuff evaporates instantly, as the movie concludes with a gory gut punch. 

Also, Shelby Oaks is a fantastic setting for the movie. The old small town with a dark past is a perfect fit for a horror movie. It’s eerily quiet, and a big thumbs up for the shots of the abandoned stadium, the abandoned prison, and the amusement park. 

Time and the modern world forgot about Shelby oaks. Too many incidents and tragedies to recover from, and unless you actively have a death wish, it’s way too risky to simply visit Shelby Oaks. The flashback footage paints the picture of a nice and homely all-American town, a place Mia and Riley enjoyed as kids, so it’s more tragic, when you look at the current state of Shelby Oaks. 

Rating- 8/10

 

Hell Of A Summer (2025)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Jason (Fred Hechinger) returns to Camp Pineway, assuming the role of camp leader. The head counselors, Kathy (Rosebud Baker) and John (Adam Pally), are nowhere to be found, but Jason eagerly accepts the task of running the camp.

Jason faces a number of irritating challenges during his failed attempts to organize activities for the group. The team of counselors, including Mike (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Demi (Pardis Saremi), Chris (Finn Wolfhard), Bobby (Billy Bryk), Shannon (Krista Nazaire), Miley (Julia Doyle), Ari (Daniel Gravelle), Noelle (Julia Lalonde), and Ezra (Matthew Finlan) all ignore Jason’s attempts to unite the group for a fun summer camp experience.

Claire (Abby Quinn) tries to support and protect Jason. But the counselors will have bigger problems to worry about, after a bloody dead body pops up, and a killer wearing a devil mask appears. Does Jason have what it takes to protect and save the group?

My Thoughts- Jason is a loser, but he’s also a likable loser. Yes, it’s easy to laugh and poke fun at a grown man, who’s weirdly excited and happy about returning to summer camp. But taking on the role of a head counselor means A LOT to Jason. He needs to grow up and find a real job, and Jason has a bad case of arrested development. There’s no denying Jason really needs to take those first big steps into the real world, but he’s a good and genuinely nice guy, who just wants to enjoy life before he’s sucked into the meat grinder known as adulthood.

Fred Hechinger really delivers a solid performance as Jason. It’s easy to believe he’s this socially awkward guy, and I did get a few good laughs out of Jason’s failed attempts at trying to crack jokes, or Jason’s cringy comedian act. I wanted Jason to succeed, because he takes a lot of crap from the other counselors, but he never lashes out, and he doesn’t have the urge to seek vengeance. Providing a positive and safe summer camp experience is important to Jason, even if he has to risk his life to accomplish those goals.

Two killers! Revealing Demi and Mike as the killers works as a solid and surprising twist. They’re both narcissists, but Mike comes off as more of a goofball and an airhead. Demi? She’s genuinely more nasty and aggressive. Demi basks in the glory of being the cerebral mastermind behind the murders. She wants all the credit, and Demi desperately seeks the fame that’ll inevitably come with being one of the survivors of a bloody massacre. 

One of my favorite moments in the movie happens towards the end. Jason is tied up. He’s pleading with Demi to come to her senses, because he still doesn’t believe she’s a bad person. Jason wants to believe Mike is the puppeteer, who’s controlling her. Demi’s response? She mocks the idea of needing to be guided and controlled by a man, reminding Jason that she’s a strong and fierce woman. Pardis Saremi’s snarky and hopeless victim act before she tears into Jason is just perfect, easily one of the best scenes in the movie. 

A good number of dead and mutilated bodies throughout Hell Of A Summer, but the characters still have depth and different personalities. Whether it’s Matthew Finlan playing the pretentious play-actor, Julia Lalonde’s Noelle believing she’s a clairvoyant, or Finn Wolfhard’s Chris filling the role of a normal and nerdy kid, Hell Of A Summer makes an earnest attempt to avoid the easy way out to raise the kill count with disposable characters. It’s mostly easy to predict who’ll make it to the end alive, but you’re still able to care about the main cast of characters, and you can at least believe in the possibility of everyone having a shot to make it out alive.

The humor and the jokes are fairly consistent, the overall cast is solid, and Pardis Saremi is easily the standout star in the supporting cast, playing a vain social media influencer with a dark side. Hell Of A Summer is a harmless slasher comedy, featuring a nice twist for revealing the bad guys. There’s a good balance for slasher movie elements, the comedy, and the approach to deliver an unconventional coming-of-age film. Also, I’ll give some bonus points for a handful of creative and gruesome kills. A knife dipped in peanut butter used to kill someone with a peanut allergy? Yikes! 

Is it predictable in certain spots? Yes, but Hell Of A Summer is still a fun film that’s not afraid to be fully self-aware, while leaning into a lot of horror cliches. Tires are slashed, cars won’t start, and Ezra happily saying “I’ve always wanted to say that!” when the group finds out the phone lines are down is just hilarious. 

In the end, the villains got what they deserved, and the survivors enjoyed their happy endings. That’s more than enough for a silly film that wasn’t trying to be a groundbreaking movie, or reinvent the formula for slashers. Also, it’s impossible to ignore the irony for the majority of the group pointing their fingers at Jason for being the original suspect. A man named Jason is being accused of murdering camp counselors? That sounds familiar, and maybe they could’ve used one a shot of a hockey mask, but I guess that would’ve been too much.

Rating- 7/10

Hell Of A Summer (2025)(Minor Spoilers)

 **This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Jason (Fred Hechinger) returns to Camp Pineway, assuming the role of camp leader. The head counselors, Kathy (Rosebud Baker) and John (Adam Pally), are nowhere to be found, but Jason eagerly accepts the task of running the camp.

Jason faces a number of irritating challenges during his failed attempts to organize activities for the group. The team of counselors, including Mike (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Demi (Pardis Saremi), Chris (Finn Wolfhard), Bobby (Billy Bryk), Shannon (Krista Nazaire), Miley (Julia Doyle), Ari (Daniel Gravelle), Noelle (Julia Lalonde), and Ezra (Matthew Finlan) all ignore Jason’s attempts to unite the group for a fun summer camp experience.

Claire (Abby Quinn) tries to support and protect Jason. But the counselors will have bigger problems to worry about, after a bloody dead body pops up, and a killer wearing a devil mask appears. Does Jason have what it takes to protect and save the group?

My Thoughts- Jason is a loser, but he’s also a likable loser. Yes, it’s easy to laugh and poke fun at a grown man, who’s weirdly excited and happy about returning to summer camp. But taking on the role of a head counselor means A LOT to Jason. He needs to grow up and find a real job, and Jason has a bad case of arrested development. There’s no denying Jason really needs to take those first big steps into the real world, but he’s a good and genuinely nice guy, who just wants to enjoy life before he’s sucked into the meat grinder known as adulthood.

Fred Hechinger really delivers a solid performance as Jason. It’s easy to believe he’s this socially awkward guy, and I did get a few good laughs out of Jason’s failed attempts at trying to crack jokes, or Jason’s cringy comedian act. I wanted Jason to succeed, because he takes a lot of crap from the other counselors, but he never lashes out, and he doesn’t have the urge to seek vengeance. Providing a positive and safe summer camp experience is important to Jason, even if he has to risk his life to accomplish those goals.

A good number of dead and mutilated bodies throughout Hell Of A Summer, but the characters still have depth and different personalities. Whether it’s Matthew Finlan playing the pretentious play-actor, Julia Lalonde’s Noelle believing she’s a clairvoyant, or Finn Wolfhard’s Chris filling the role of a normal and nerdy kid, Hell Of A Summer makes an earnest attempt to avoid the easy way out to raise the kill count with disposable characters. It’s mostly easy to predict who’ll make it to the end alive, but you’re still able to care about the main cast of characters, and you can at least believe in the possibility of everyone having a shot to make it out alive.

The humor and the jokes are fairly consistent, the overall cast is solid, and Pardis Saremi is easily the standout star in the supporting cast, playing a vain social media influencer with a dark side. Hell Of A Summer is a harmless slasher comedy, featuring a nice twist for revealing the bad guys. There’s a good balance for slasher movie elements, the comedy, and the approach to deliver an unconventional coming-of-age film. Also, I’ll give some bonus points for a handful of creative and gruesome kills. A knife dipped in peanut butter used to kill someone with a peanut allergy? Yikes! 

Is it predictable in certain spots? Yes, but Hell Of A Summer is still a fun film that’s not afraid to be fully self-aware, while leaning into a lot of horror cliches. Tires are slashed, cars won’t start, and Ezra happily saying “I’ve always wanted to say that!” when the group finds out the phone lines are down is just hilarious. 

In the end, the villains got what they deserved, and the survivors enjoyed their happy endings. That’s more than enough for a silly film that wasn’t trying to be a groundbreaking movie, or reinvent the formula for slashers. Also, it’s impossible to ignore the irony for the majority of the group pointing their fingers at Jason for being the original suspect. A man named Jason is being accused of murdering camp counselors? That sounds familiar, and maybe they could’ve used one a shot of a hockey mask, but I guess that would’ve been too much.

Rating- 7/10

Blair Witch (2016)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Lisa (Callie Hernandez) sets out to make a documentary. The subjects? The Blair Witch, and the mystery behind the strange disappearance of her friend James’ (James Allen McCune) sister, Heather Donahue. James, Lisa, Peter (Brandon Scott), and his girlfriend, Ashley (Corbin Reid) travel together to the Black Hills Forest in Burkittsville, Maryland. The group reluctantly allows Lane (Wes Robinson), and his sister, Talia (Valorie Curry), two Blair Witch obsessed locals, to tag along with the promise of filming their own footage.

After a distasteful hoax, James agrees to give up on the documentary, and the search for his sister. But a series of bizarre events confirms the group’s suspicions: Someone or something is watching them, and they’re not alone in the woods….

My Thoughts- Ear cameras? That’s a new one! Well, it’s new for me, I guess. Logically, the ear cameras for Blair Witch are a perfect fit for a found-footage film. Yes, the group is always recording everything. But they’re not wasting time making foolish mistakes by using their phones, or whatever recording device is available, because “PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THIS!” or one of the usual nonsensical reasons different characters cling to for recording in found-footage films. 

Lisa and Lane only use their handheld devices, when they’re trying to capture footage for their documentaries, or when they need the light for dark places, and that’s perfectly fine. And you can add a few bonus points for the drone POVs adding aerial shots, possibly giving the group a better chance to find any escape routes.

Is Heather alive? Well, no. During, the fiasco inside the house, James’ sightings of Heather were not real. Just more mind games and bait from the witch to lure James into the house. No one escapes The Blair Witch here. And Lisa had to murder Lane out of self defense, because Lane completely lost his mind.

Also, something to pay attention to here is the video that served as a possible shred of proof that led everyone to the Black Hills Forest. The video on You Tube, supposedly featuring a shot of Heather, was already recorded by Lisa before the current storyline. Tying into the time loop/paradox problem, the video was a trick used to lure the group into the forest, and they were already doomed before they made the trip. 

I wasn’t surprised Blair Witch had a high kill count. With the way the story was going, you could tell early on they didn’t have any real plans for a sequel, or to continue the stories for this particular set of characters. 

Blair Witch was always going to be a one and done movie, and maybe that’s the best option? You can only go to the well so many times for the storyline about a group of people going to the Black Hills Forest to find the truth about the Blair Witch. There’s a well documented history of bad things happening to people, who sniff around in the forest, so why would different people continue to go knowing there’s a good chance you’ll die or disappear forever? Maybe if you’re an adrenaline junkie, who’s looking for a bigger fix, but that’s still not a good enough reason to do it.

One of my bigger complaints for Blair Witch? The characters are too thin, and it’s to the point, where you know they’re disposable. You can feel sympathy for James. He’s a good guy, who’s determined to find his sister, and he’s willing to risk his life to uncover the truth, but that’s about it. 

I did get a few good chuckles out of the little feud between Peter and Lane, no matter how one sided it was. After Peter’s reaction to the confederate flag in Lane and Talia’s living room, and the meeting at the trailer, Peter quickly dismisses Lane and Talia as two loony locals, who have way too much free time on their hands. 

Still, you can pick anyone from the main cast of characters, and I wasn’t surprised, or I didn’t care that much, if anyone died. Everyone is a candidate for a spot on the chopping block. You expect it in horror movies similar to Blair Witch, whether it’s a found-footage or traditional POV film, but at least give me a reason to care.

Blair Witch 2016 is a more polished film. If we’re comparing it to the original, Blair Witch looks more clean and sharp. The majority of spooky and tense moments throughout the movie revolved around strange noises, roars, and things that go bump in the night during the nighttime scenes. 

The big finale mostly delivered for me. Some good nail-biting moments, featuring the main characters looking for a way out during a stormy night, and I’m glad they never fully showed or locked in on the witch for any close-ups. You’ll get a few brief glimpses of her, and that’s the right approach. Otherwise, you’re just killing the mystique for a monstrous creature. The witch isn’t just an unseen force in Blair Witch. She’s a deadly threat, but you can only see her, when you need to, or during perfect timing scenarios. 

Blair Witch didn’t feel the need to misuse the source materials. Rustin Parr is mentioned more here, the stick symbols, and adding more layers to the time loop/paradox in the Black Hills Forest works as a good thought-provoking dynamic for the movie. A few scenes of nasty gore (e.g. showing the aftermath for Talia’s broken and mangled corpse, and that loud crunch, when Ashley snapped the wooden symbol. Ouch!), and some gross-out amounts, mostly centered around the cut on Ashley’s foot and the growth in her leg. 

Overall, Blair Witch is an okay sequel. It’s not bad, but Blair Witch is still a forgettable film. You’ll see a lot of shaky cam stuff, and characters making questionable choices. Why are you splitting up, or going to do something by yourself, when it’s clear you’re not safe and lost in a dangerous place? 

This is my third or fourth rewatch for Blair Witch, and if I had to choose, I still prefer the 1999 original film. The grainy footage, and the rough cut feel of it added a strong sense of realism. It was easy to believe three ordinary people just wanted to make a documentary. But they got lost in the Black Hills Forest, and it was all downhill after that. 

Blair Witch 2016? I was very aware of the fact that I was watching a found-footage movie with actors. Bottom line, with or without the Blair Witch label, Blair Witch 2016 is just a decent enough film. The home stretch delivers in certain spots, but it’s another case, where the original film still holds on to the number one spot. 

Rating- 5/10

Blair Witch (2016)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Lisa (Callie Hernandez) sets out to make a documentary. The subjects? The Blair Witch, and the mystery behind the strange disappearance of her friend James’ (James Allen McCune) sister, Heather Donahue. James, Lisa, Peter (Brandon Scott), and his girlfriend, Ashley (Corbin Reid) travel together to the Black Hills Forest in Burkittsville, Maryland. The group reluctantly allows Lane (Wes Robinson), and his sister, Talia (Valorie Curry), two Blair Witch obsessed locals, to tag along with the promise of filming their own footage.

After a distasteful hoax, James agrees to give up on the documentary, and the search for his sister. But a series of bizarre events confirms the group’s suspicions: Someone or something is watching them, and they’re not alone in the woods….

My Thoughts- Ear cameras? That’s a new one! Well, it’s new for me, I guess. Logically, the ear cameras for Blair Witch are a perfect fit for a found-footage film. Yes, the group is always recording everything. But they’re not wasting time making foolish mistakes by using their phones, or whatever recording device is available, because “PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THIS!” or one of the usual nonsensical reasons different characters cling to for recording in found-footage films. 

Lisa and Lane only use their handheld devices, when they’re trying to capture footage for their documentaries, or when they need the light for dark places, and that’s perfectly fine. And you can add a few bonus points for the drone POVs adding aerial shots, possibly giving the group a better chance to find any escape routes.

I wasn’t surprised Blair Witch had a high kill count. With the way the story was going, you could tell early on they didn’t have any real plans for a sequel, or to continue the stories for this particular set of characters. 

Blair Witch was always going to be a one and done movie, and maybe that’s the best option? You can only go to the well so many times for the storyline about a group of people going to the Black Hills Forest to find the truth about the Blair Witch. There’s a well documented history of bad things happening to people, who sniff around in the forest, so why would different people continue to go knowing there’s a good chance you’ll die or disappear forever? Maybe if you’re an adrenaline junkie, who’s looking for a bigger fix, but that’s still not a good enough reason to do it.

One of my bigger complaints for Blair Witch? The characters are too thin, and it’s to the point, where you know they’re disposable. You can feel sympathy for James. He’s a good guy, who’s determined to find his sister, and he’s willing to risk his life to uncover the truth, but that’s about it. 

I did get a few good chuckles out of the little feud between Peter and Lane, no matter how one sided it was. After Peter’s reaction to the confederate flag in Lane and Talia’s living room, and the meeting at the trailer, Peter quickly dismisses Lane and Talia as two loony locals, who have way too much free time on their hands. 

Still, you can pick anyone from the main cast of characters, and I wasn’t surprised, or I didn’t care that much, if anyone died. Everyone is a candidate for a spot on the chopping block. You expect it in horror movies similar to Blair Witch, whether it’s a found-footage or traditional POV film, but at least give me a reason to care.

Blair Witch 2016 is a more polished film. If we’re comparing it to the original, Blair Witch looks more clean and sharp. The majority of spooky and tense moments throughout the movie revolved around strange noises, roars, and things that go bump in the night during the nighttime scenes. 

The big finale mostly delivered for me. Some good nail-biting moments, featuring the main characters looking for a way out during a stormy night, and I’m glad they never fully showed or locked in on the witch for any close-ups. You’ll get a few brief glimpses of her, and that’s the right approach. Otherwise, you’re just killing the mystique for a monstrous creature. The witch isn’t just an unseen force in Blair Witch. She’s a deadly threat, but you can only see her, when you need to, or during perfect timing scenarios. 

Blair Witch didn’t feel the need to misuse the source materials. Rustin Parr is mentioned more here, the stick symbols, and adding more layers to the time loop/paradox in the Black Hills Forest works as a good thought-provoking dynamic for the movie. A few scenes of nasty gore (e.g. showing the aftermath for Talia’s broken and mangled corpse, and that loud crunch, when Ashley snapped the wooden symbol. Ouch!), and some gross-out amounts, mostly centered around the cut on Ashley’s foot and the growth in her leg. 

Overall, Blair Witch is an okay sequel. It’s not bad, but Blair Witch is still a forgettable film. You’ll see a lot of shaky cam stuff, and characters making questionable choices. Why are you splitting up, or going to do something by yourself, when it’s clear you’re not safe and lost in a dangerous place? 

This is my third or fourth rewatch for Blair Witch, and if I had to choose, I still prefer the 1999 original film. The grainy footage, and the rough cut feel of it added a strong sense of realism. It was easy to believe three ordinary people just wanted to make a documentary. But they got lost in the Black Hills Forest, and it was all downhill after that. 

Blair Witch 2016? I was very aware of the fact that I was watching a found-footage movie with actors. Bottom line, with or without the Blair Witch label, Blair Witch 2016 is just a decent enough film. The home stretch delivers in certain spots, but it’s another case, where the original film still holds on to the number one spot. 

Rating- 5/10

Curse Of The Blair Witch (1999)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Curse Of The Blair explores and examines the mysterious disappearances of Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams, after their journey into the Black Hills Forest to record footage for The Blair Witch Project documentary. 

My Thoughts- Is this real? Did the legend of The Blair Witch destroy this quiet little town in Maryland? Curse Of The Blair Witch looks and feels like a real documentary. The presentation is spot on, and the talking heads are phenomenal. 

Bill Barnes (Bill Dreggors), a Burkittsville historian, easily steals the show here. Dreggors is an excellent fit for the old timer, who’s also a great storyteller. Bill Barnes is a bit crusty, but it’s not to the point, where he’s yelling and shaking his fist, because a bunch of kids are on his lawn. No, Barnes is the old dude, who still has some fire left in him, and it’s easy to crack a smile, or laugh during some of his segments.

Lucan Johnson, a self-proclaimed Wiccan, is a close number two for the best interviewees throughout the documentary. Johnson is eccentric. He comes off as a weirdo, and there’s a chance you’ll think he’s completely full of BS, but Johnson strongly believes in his words. 

Curse Of The Blair Witch is a damn good mockumentary. News clips, interviews with professors and other experts, and family members sharing stories. There’s a strong effort to bring authenticity and a sense of realism to produce a “real” documentary. Curse Of The Blair Witch also does a good job of humanizing and adding more depth to Heather, Josh, and Mike’s personalities. And it’s no real surprise if you’ve seen the movie, but Mike’s brother reveals he was a rebel with some anger issues during his younger years. 

You’ll also learn more about Elly Kedward (the witch) and Rustin Parr (Frank Pastor). Parr eerily looks like a normal guy, and there’s some good black and white footage from Parr’s arrest, his trial, and Parr’s explanation for what happened in the woods. 

Curse Of The Blair Witch is an informative and thought-provoking mockumentary about a small town that just couldn’t escape decades of black clouds, and a series of bizarre and violent events. Remember, they never found the bodies, so the case is still open, adding another mysterious and haunting layer to the mockumentary. 

It’s worth checking out for Heather, Mike, and Josh’s backstories, and more in-depth explanations for the origins of Burkittsville and The Blair Witch curse, if you’re a fan of the films. I honestly wish I could go back and watch this one without any knowledge of the films. Whether you believe in supernatural stuff or not, Curse Of The Blair Witch is more than capable of at least planting some seeds of curiosity. Also, ending the mockumentary with a missing persons flyer featuring Heather, Mike, Josh, and contact information for the local authorities, was a nice touch.

Curse Of The Blair Witch is available on You Tube, and you can check it out below, if you’re interested!

Rating- 6/10