Deadstream

I really enjoyed this and I usually think that found footage died with the Blair Witch. Well...maybe the first Paranormal Activity and Rec also. You get vibes from Evil Dead (which many others also has commented on) and first person shooter games. The make up is quite good regarding that the film makers probably had a small budget. And I kind of like Shawn - very good take on an obnoxious youtuber that does anything for likes! Well worth a watch! You can tell that the actors had fun with this one. Oh, and the comments from the live stream viewers are hilarious!

This may do for the director's career what Paranormal Activity did for Oren Peli.

No pun intended - and before you shut off: yes I am wary when I read about a movie being or using the "found footage" genre or whatever you want to call it. The movie on hand here is quite fresh though and makes fun of the usual tropes. And achieves something that I would not think possible: making this fun and entertaining with just one lead character! Blair Witch send three people into the woods - this only needs one - an influencer, because he interacts with his followers. And some random people who just jump on his stream I reckon.

I imagine there are way more jokes in the comments that I was able to read - but even so, this may work as comedy in the beginning, but really knows when to push the switch (or smash button if you'll excuse the pun)! And go over to the horror movie tropes - and while it probably would not hold on to scrutiny - not if you really really think about it that is - it works superficially and for what it tries to say .. which is a bit of critique of social media and a social commentary too. While scaring you ... and having quite a few nods to horror movies of the past ... a love letter of sorts ... a haunted one, so not for the squeamish.

To tell you the truth, I don't know what to make of this whole facade! On one hand, I was pretty amused by the comedic punchlines as well as their clever use of horror-specific elements but on the other hand, the constant tonal shifts put me out of the experience not once but multiple times!

I didn't take a look at any of the trailers, I went in completely blind and this is probably the first time I happen to regret my choice. I am certain, anyone who had seen the promos had gone in expecting a horror parody, and there was me, who anticipated something absolutely on the opposite spectrum!

Now, I do not loathe it (although I do despise the lead protagonist who caused me a ton of headaches & annoyance); but I couldn't care for it either. I have mixed feelings, in the truest sense of the word!

Made me laugh thru out the 1st half of the movie - just outstanding. The 2nd half got slightly creepier and developed the only way it could. The ending was a let down and kind of showed the cheapness of the special effects etc. But this does not take away from the actor playing a difficult role of an obnoxious but hilariously funny Youtuber. Perfect for Halloween and for fits of laughter. Not really too scary but scary enough for some nervous smiles and a perfect fit for today's world. Again Kudos to the actor who played the protagonist. He captured the irritating, bumbling, kind of obnoxious person perfectly (humorously). And this I do not take for granted..

The problem with Dashcam was that the girl was maybe the most unlikable idiot I've ever seen in a film. The main character here is great. He plays the obnoxious viewer-chasing blogger but in a way you genuinely like him. Also, the story uses the livestream far better. It's almost like a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire lifeline. It's an asset to the story, not just an aspect.

Is it scary? Sort of. They build up the tension quite a few times. It will be heading towards nerve-racking but then they'll interject comedy and kind of let you off the hook. This isn't a criticism, though. It's a horror infused with comedic elements. My feeling is that it's exactly what the director wanted it to be. While I personally would have liked them to push farther with the scares, that wasn't their plan. Fair enough.

I definitely recommend it. Between this, Sissy, and V/H/S 99 (which I got to see a screener for), Shudder is on a roll.