Morris

I wasn't really sure what to expect with regards to Morris however, I have been following its progress and some of the screen grabs have really caught my attention so I was extremely excited to see it.

Opening scene - for me, an opening scene is so important to wow your viewers and Morris did not disappoint. Some of the cinematography and ideas that went into the opening were superb. A job really well done.

The twist - oh my god, I did not expect it whatsoever. So clever. I do have to point out though I thought that I wasn't absolutely sold on Emily's performance at the side of the train tracks. Emily is a mental character which I think she pulled off well just I didn't believe her performance at the side of the tracks. Personally I would of shot it again but that could of been down to the time scales of the production considering it was such a low budget.

The cast - Some amazing performances from all cast. As you'd expect with a low budget film, they were some hairy moments but in general. very, very well done. A special mention to Marcus & Sarah, loved their chemistry and their relationship. Some beautiful moments and also had time to add some comedy to their characters. A huge diverse on their acting ability.

Continuity - I did spot a couple of things but on second thoughts, maybe these were purposely done so give the viewer their own interpretation? If so, again another masterclass.

Locations - the locations of this film is just beautiful, its worth watching the film for these alone.

Director/writer - A job well done. I'd love to see what you could produce given a decent budget. I will be sure to look out for more of your work.

I would recommend this film to anyone and will be sure to watch again upon release.

Remember the one about the kid who died on the train tracks? He remembers you!

So yeah, I'm a sucker for supernatural slasher flicks, especially ones that follow the revenge angle, and also have a large body count. Morris plays to the drum of most 80's slashers, with the plot closely resembling Prom Night, but with a bit of a twist. Director Brown does a good job of sneaking in bits and pieces of the flashback scenes of Morris, while the group of now grown-ups are getting picked off one by one. Overall the cast was great, and despite being a low budget effort, the film felt organic to the story being told.

I'm a pretty big fan of Director Brown's previous efforts, A Date with Ghosts (2015) and Dark Vale (2018). Out of the three, I think Dark Vale is the strongest, as I'm a huge fan of the overall plot and gothic tone to the storytelling. Morris (at least for me), was missing a bit of that atmosphere, as the look and feel of this movie was very much in the now.

I did have some minor complaints, as there were a few interior scenes that appeared darker to see, while not a huge complaint, it did seem a little distracting. Also, at times it was a bit hard to understand what some of the dialogue was, and I don't know if this was because of the screener I had or just an overall issue, but that too was a bit of a setback. Despite those negatives, there are some great segments out in the surrounding rural area, the wheat field and abandoned junkyard were my favorite scene locations.

But what about the kills? Well, this wasn't one that was overly gory, but the tension established in the setup was well thought out, and I did enjoy a few of the chase scenes. I also enjoyed the look of Morris and that in some scenes he was carrying a knife, that to me added that classic slasher aesthetic.

This one plays pretty much like a routine supernatural slasher, until the last 20 minutes, and then it takes a nice twist that I honestly wasn't expecting. I don't know if I was quit a fan of the overall ending, but I did enjoy the surprises in plot. I'm always glad to see what Director Brown has cooking up his sleeve, and will definitely be checking this one out again upon release, for a second viewing.

Give it a peep, solid 6/10 here

Independent director Jason Brown, returns with this homage to old school ghost flicks and slasher movies that became an important part of cinema during the eighties.

As young kids, a group of friends befriend a quiet lad called Morris. Daring each other to do silly stuff, a tragedy occurs and the young Morris is hit by a train and killed.

Many years later, the friends have tried to put what happened behind them but some memories won't stay and the friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives.

Owing a debt to the Friday the 13th franchise, Morris hits the nail on the head with its slow burn and atmospheric feel, without relying on the buckets of blood and hanging entrails that made the Friday series so infamous. And it works better for it. Director Brown uses style and flair over gratuitous gore, relying on suspense and the air of paranoia to see us through.

With a flair for cinematography, Brown deftly turns the working class mining village of Mansfield Woodhouse into a dark and threatening place, filled with fear and dread.

Much applause must also go to the film's cast. Natalie Biggs is able to conjure up the terror needed in the wake of Morris' rampage. However, without a shadow of a doubt, the best of the troupe is Lisa Poisman. Sweet and beautiful, Poisman conveys every emotion needed to push the film along.

As with anything else, the more practice you get, the better you become at your art and in this (his third feature) Jason Brown has gone from strength to strength and shown a remarkable improvement over his, already winning, Dark Vale. With a running time of 75 mins, Brown has nicely packed the story without any superfluous elements and the film rolls along nicely, not once dropping the pace.

Overall, Morris is a nice little flick that is both fun and intriguing. A solid piece of entertainment that shows Jason Brown is one to keep an eye on.

This film did not disappoint! The story, acting and most importantly the detail in the film were top notch! There was a twist at the end that I really didn't expect.

It lived up to my expectations and delivered a jaw dropping film full of suspense - with a great addition of humour in the mix too.

The locations were fantastic with beautiful scenery. Visual effects were very impressive for a small indie film, almost like the film looked expensive for this in certain places. Actors were all great, Courtney was fantastic too the actress playing that role is very talented.

Definitely a 'must see'!

Right from the opening scene of the movie my interest was piqued and the tone for the movie was set.

Morris is a paranormal slasher that draws influence from many films within the genre. Despite using many common tropes found within horror it still manages to stay fresh with the addition of comedy to relieve some of the tension.

Despite being such a low budget film the vfx are impressive. I would be interested to see what could be achieved with a more substantial budget.

I felt as thought the actors had great chemistry and it really shone through in some of the key scenes. A personal favourite character of mine was Marcus who often provided comic relief while also acting as a mentor for the group.

Throughout the movie the filming locations were unique and visually appealing with the lighting in particular adding to the overall aesthetic of the film.

Overall an enjoyable film that I would recommend people watch if they love horror in general.

Also I would love to see a blooper reel pending release.