Mind Body Spirit

"Mind Body Spirit" a found footage-y horror flick that takes a deep dive into the dark underbelly of influencer culture and spiritual woo-woo definitely gets your spin realigned with all the tingles it delivers.

Anya decides to crash at her estranged grandmother's house for her big debut video but little does she know, Granny Verasha left behind more than just heirlooms-there's a hidden room filled with cryptic messages and some seriously bizarre trinkets. What follows is a twisted journey of fame, self-destruction, and discovering that some spiritual practices should really come with a warning label, like seriously!

To my delight, I was treated to this film as the opening night film at the Freak Show Horror Film Festival. With a few exceptions here and there I can say with great passion that I am not a fan of the found footage genre, a genre that has its value in the genre but one that I find repetitive throughout and there always comes a point where I can't find justification in the characters' continued use of a camera outside of the need to carry forward a film for another 70 minutes.

Mind Body Spirit does what few in the genre have managed to do in creating a clever use of the camera and one that justifies its continued use and allows us, without giving spoilers, to not only view this piece through the eyes of our protagonist but as voyeurs as well, looking in on something truly frightening that we shouldn't be looking in on.

There are so few performances here in this one, with Sarah J. Bartholomew expertly carrying the bulk of the film on her shoulders, oftentimes being the only character we see on screen for extended periods of time. Madi Bready offers a strong supporting performance as an overly arrogant influencer and, with the little she has on screen, Anna Knigge also manages a sharp performance that feels emotional and grounded enough in its minimal appearance that it manages to pull the viewer in and make us care for the troubled separation of mother and daughter.

The scares are genuinely impactful, relying on clever camera work and a keen eye rather than jump scares and heavy gore with a minimalist score that never overstays its welcome and never comes too soon.

Overall, I've been to many festivals and seen many films at these festivals and I've never felt so compelled to run to IMDb and leave a review for one of them. This one is different. It's competently made and shows true artistic merit. Flock to this one when it's available. It's most certainly a top tier showcase of indie filmmaking.

Another film focussing on nauseating self-centred social media influencers. Another "found footage" film that brings nothing new or interesting...potentially even less than the minimum you'd expect.

At points it seems like it's trying to being satirical about how pretentious, ostentatious and vapid influencers are, but it's not done well if that was a motive of the writers as it would be missed by most viewers as the fake product placements ads almost glorify them.

The story itself is rather hollow. While there's some attempt to tie it to ancient slavic rituals of the main character's grandmother and ancestors, there's no depth to it at all, or any real back-story, and is merely a minor attempt to create the basis for the "creepy old lady in the dark" trope.

An aspiring yoga influencer goes to live in her late grandmother's house while working to elevate her channel and gain a following. A tale of jealousy and family demons, at times literally, is what follows. Mind Body Spirit is the latest in what seems like an endless slew of low budget found footage movies, and I'll start by saying that as far as that goes this one does manage to stand above the majority. Some fun and at times clever camera work and strong performances, especially by Sarah Barholomew, drive the movie and show that everybody involved has a lot of potential down the road. There are moments that are genuinely creepy, particularly a haunting hallucination involving one character witnessing varying versions of her own spiraling sanity. The downside is that the movie becomes more and more repetitive as it continues, and it breaks many a rule that is a no no to break in a found footage flick, particularly with its use of music. It also feels like a watered down version of Hereditary set in the found footage genre, but not being done as well it fails to live up to its obvious inspiration or provide anything unique to that story outside of the yoga setting. Mind Body Spirit has potential and is even worth a watch, but don't go in expecting anything above average which believe it or not is a compliment for this horror sub-genre.

"Mind Body Spirit" (2023) is a found footage horror film that delves into the dark side of influencer culture and spiritual obsession. The film follows Anya, an aspiring yoga influencer who moves into her estranged grandmother's home to record her first video. There, she discovers a hidden room filled with cryptic messages and items left behind by her grandmother, Verasha.

Intrigued, Anya begins to incorporate Verasha's teachings into her online persona, leading to a surge in popularity. However, as Anya delves deeper into the mysterious practices, she unwittingly unleashes an otherworldly entity that begins to manipulate her life and her videos. The film explores themes of fame, self-destruction, and the dangers of blindly following spiritual practices without understanding their true nature.

"Mind Body Spirit" effectively utilizes the found footage format to create a sense of immediacy and realism. The shaky camera work and intimate perspective heighten the tension and make the events on screen feel more visceral. The film also benefits from strong performances, particularly from Sarah J. Bartholomew as Anya. Her descent into obsession is both chilling and believable.

However, the film's reliance on jump scares and predictable plot twists can detract from its overall impact. Additionally, the ending feels somewhat rushed and leaves several questions unanswered. Despite these shortcomings, "Mind Body Spirit" offers a thought-provoking commentary on the influencer age and the dangers of unchecked ambition. It's a chilling reminder that the pursuit of fame and fortune can come at a steep price, especially when it involves delving into the unknown.