#25. Frozen - Review

Frozen Poster

I have never been on a ski lift. If it is anything like an elevator I know I will not like it. The swaying, the obvious safety hazards, the cold, there are numerous reasons for why I would devolve into a crying baby 75-feet off the ground clinging to a ski lift. Frozen takes a very simple idea, and forms a decent, and at times fantastic, horror extravaganza. This wants to be a horror movie so bad it is nearly palpable. I hate spoiling movies, especially horror films, so I don’t want to go into detail of why this movie kicks so much ice-cold-ass, but trust me it does. Here is my spoiler free synopsis: Three people, trapped on a ski lift.

That is all I can do. I am not going to tell you how they arrived on said lift, or how long they are up there (long enough to be scared), or what kind of plan they have to get down.Frozen cast

This film can only succeed if the audience is willing to have fun and transport themselves onto that frozen metal bench. I found myself screaming at my television, desperately trying to coax the characters to take my advice. It is very easy to relate to at least one of three main characters. They are simply written and fit a specific role, making it easier for the viewer to psychologically inhabit the events on screen.

The 1^st and final acts suffer from poor dialogue and some pacing issues, but this film’s beefy 2^nd act more than make it worth the admission price.Seek this film out, if you’re a horror/thriller (whatever “thriller” means) buff you will probably love the hell out of Frozen.

Also, I must say thank you to Jerrett Richards for sending me a copy of this film all they way from New Mexico!

#24. Lake Mungo - Review

Lake Mungo screen

Lake Mungo is an interesting take on both the documentary and the horror genre. It is difficult to explain this film without spoilers, so I copied the synopsis on the film’s IMDB.com page to point I thought necessary:

            Sixteen-year-old ALICE PALMER drowns while swimming in the local dam. When her body is recovered and a verdict of accidental death returned, her grieving family buries her. The family then experiences a series of strange and inexplicable events centered in and around their home.

More than a straight horror story, this film sympathetically explores a family’s grief in the loss of a daughter and a sister. Young Alice Palmer’s parents and brother are all dealing with her death in different, often emotionally crippling ways. Her re-emergence only heightens the family’s despair. It is through this “re-emergence” the film really starts getting its hands dirty, systematically scaring the hell out of me, and earning its acceptance into last year’s After Dark Horrorfest.Lake Mungo After Dark Horrorfest 4

This is a documentary, and I will leave its authenticity to you, but I really feel the director’s choice to tell this story this way was genius. Through archived news footage, family video recordings, cell-phone videos, and one-on-one interviews with Alice Palmer’s family and friends, I was able to let go of any doubt or questions I had and just go along for the ride.

Lake Mungo is on Netflix Watch Instantly, and like Eclipse, a film I discussed earlier, it has absolutely horrible cover-art. The cover for this film not only has zero relation to the story, it also does nothing to spike my interest. So, do not judge this Australian horror film by its cover, because you may miss out on a entertaining experience.