Oculus: Chapter 3 - The Man with the Plan

What can i say, i love the Twilight Zone style shorts (and i'd say this was akin to that sort of sci-fi /horror) but this has got to be one of the most affecting short films that i've ever seen without it having to lower itself to the reliance of gore and visual explicitness.Simply a gruelling and incredibly paranoid half hour. Shot on an obviously low budget with minimal casting and mininimal locations (i.e. one room) it achieves maximum tension and maximum freakishness without actually being overtly freaky. A completely different viewing experience from what the ordinary filmic audience is used to.The acting was superb from the main character and my only quarm with the entire production is the last few seconds could have been a little more in the same vein and less showy (not in an f/x sense but more in a well,was it him or was it the mirror? Regardless,it's one of the most (not terrifying, but i think psychologically draining would be an accurate summary) nightmarish shorts you're likely to see.Check it out now!!!! A+

Mike Flanagan's first short film is a mere exercise in the techniques that the director would incorporate into his films. Something this short film does well is the setting and psychological tension. The actor overacts too much, but in part you can feel how he is going crazy due to the evil presence of the mirror. It can be said that it is a short film with a pleasing atmosphere. It's a shame that as far as production goes, it doesn't move away from being a homemade project. Flanagan was not yet a high-level filmmaker and did not have the necessary elements for this short film to be something a little higher than a project made for a film festival. A mistake was to title this short film as the third installment of an anthology that in the end did not materialize. It would have been convenient for the short film not to have the word "Chapter 3" in the title or at least for more short films to be made focusing on Tim's tragedy that was materialized in the feature film. The Man With A Plan is nothing more than another of the many projects made by filmmakers who were just starting out and it is only suggested to see it when there is interest in studying the career of Mike Flanagan. My final rating for this short film is a 4/10.

My wife and I were lucky enough to happen upon a showing of this film at the Dragoncon film festival recently. I have been a huge fan of horror films and fiction since I was a young kid, and so did not expect to be remotely frightened by anything in the horror portion of the festival. I was almost right.

Mike Flanagan's outstanding film scared me more than anything that Hollywood has offered in many years. At the end of the 32 minutes that it ran, the audience let out an audible gasp because so many of us were holding out breaths. Any fright film fan will be thrilled to see that there are still truly gifted film makers out there who can scare the Hell out of you.

If you get a chance, see it. And when it becomes available on an anthology, buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Saw this at the Dead by Dawn film festival in Edinburgh and it was the best short film screened there this year in my opinion.

Essentially this is a one man show with Scott Graham alone with an evil mirror for much of the running time. While this doesn't sound particularly exciting, this growing feeling of paranoia and the increasing madness of the lone character propel the story.

Keep an eye on the video monitors that have been set up for the experiment, it's a small but very creepy touch.

Oculus is part 3 of a 9 part story. If Mike Flanagan can keep up this level of invention then I look forward to further entries.

Can't rate it as I have only seen the trailer, but it looks phenomenal. I love the minimalism, and that Flanagan doesn't try to do more with effects than his budget allows. He seems to work well within his limitations, rather than trying to stretch beyond them, which might distract the viewer from the atmosphere he intends to create.

I need to find this on DVD, ASAP. Any suggestions?

I went to school with Scotty Graham. Best friend I ever had. When he becomes famous, I'll make him buy my silence on all sorts of drunken childhood exploits the two of us shared. Just kidding about the last part. He was my best man at my wedding. Really happy for him.