Feeding Grounds

but with ambiguous creatures instead of a witch; and a side of pro-veganism. That pretty much sums up 2006' "Feeding Grounds," a micro-budget horror flick about eight bickering youths in Southern California who get stuck in the desert and encounter the unknown.

To get anything good from "Feeding Grounds" you have to be able to acclimate to its low-budget style and limitations. I did and was able to find some rewarding elements, but it's mainly a tedious and one-dimensional barely-a-budget horror flick. Despite the lack of funds, there's some evidence that the filmmakers have talent. Parts of the movie have an eerie, arty ambiance in a good way. So the filmmaking is noticeably better than the do-it-yourself amateur (non)tone of the similar "Delirium," which came out just after "Feeding Grounds."

There are a couple of things that make the movie worth investing in, like the voluptuous redhead in the opening act, Rachel (Rebecca Gannon). Unfortunately, it's just a glorified cameo and you have to endure an eye-rolling lesbian romance sequence to appreciate her. Secondly, and more importantly, there's a notable rock/metal song that plays during the end credits. While the credits list the five or six songs that appear on the soundtrack I was unable to pinpoint which is the one that plays during the final credits. It's obviously a no-name band, but it's outstanding; very creative.

The eight youths that make up the cast are diverse and believable in their roles, not spoiled college kids, Just ordinary people, but they're only so-so interesting; and mostly not. If the script was tweaked they might be more compelling. Plus there are no real babes aside from the aforementioned Rachel from the brief prologue. Still, I appreciated the distinctions between the characters and their overall realistic portrayal.

As for the attackers or creatures, it becomes clear that they have a way of initially infecting the victims via some kind of bite or sting (or whatever) which makes them sick, semi-drugged ripe prey. Now and then you'll hear a radio broadcast that provides info on what may be happening – unknown disappearances in the desert and the theorizing thereof, which is reminiscent of the occasional TV broadcasts in 1968's renowned "Night of the Living Dead."

A few plot holes: Why do the creatures allow the police to come & go without attacking them? Why does one driver refer to the lack of "exits" on the highway when it's a two-lane road, not an interstate? Speaking of the road, why is it paved with people occasionally driving by and then mysteriously morphs into a dirt road and (I think) back again?

The film runs 82 minutes and was shot in Southern California.

GRADE: Borderline C- or D+ (3.5 out of 10)

A motley group of young people head for a remote desert cabin where they plan to kick back for a couple of days, which means drinking even more, and using even more drugs, than they're consuming before they get to the cabin; and where the guys plan to put the move on the girls, except, of course, for the clearly defined sharp-tongued Plain Jane. Naturally, something hungry is lurking out there in the desert; something that makes an awful lot of noise chewing and swallowing.

The average episode of SpongeBob Squarepants has better writing and acting, and more depth and complexity, than this dreck. It's as if the cast, director and crew who are making this movie are out there only as an excuse to do for real BEHIND the camera what the actors are pretending to be doing in FRONT of the camera: namely, cursing, drinking cheap booze, and taking a variety of drugs, while the guys haplessly strut about putting the moves on the girls, who act suitably coy, until they get tired of acting coy, and so of course suffer the usual fate of pretty young women in movies like this, which is to be devoured a minute or two after foreplay has started. (Actually, calling them "actors" is being generous.) The filmmakers did themselves and their film no favors by naming their production company Brain Damage Films.

Actually, now that I come to think about it, this dismal dog of a flick has improved my life, because watching it, I had to confront the question of whether I really, truly, absolutely, positively have nothing better to do with my time than to watch drivel like this.

This is a small production with unknown actors that focused on making a desert stalking thriller movie.

The plot is a well known Monster movie trope. Young friends on a road trip take a wrong turn, this time across a particular stretch of desert. . .and run into an unknown terror that picks them off. I call it a 'Monster Stalker' because the focus of the plot isn't the Monster, it's how the STALKING affects the Victims.

First plus-- the group of friends are just that-- a group of friends. Not College Students. Not Spoiled Rich kids. Just ordinary people.

Second plus-- some may look at the acting and think--"Oh this is gawd-awful". But look again: They are portraying their characters to the letter. A bunch of normal guys who are friends with the usual personal issues. A young ladies with aspirations for the future. None of it really overplayed. I especially give a star to the young lady playing the whiney pink girl: You are ANNOYED at her, not because you're saying 'Oh corny cliché', you're annoyed because she IS the 'Scared Whiney girl'. And the other women characters are varied-- but not the usual stupid teen slasher characters. You can empathize with them.

Third Plus-- The Monster, or monsters (plural), is NEVER revealed. You glimpse hints, movements and gruesome gobbets. All nicely placed. Keep an eye out-- they are quick and simple-- but they arouse goosebumps all the same. And I have an itchy sense that the Monster is not just a single thing-- the attacks begins with a bite from something else, something small and insecty. Ewww! And there are the ominous abandoned cars on the roadside. This production doesn't bust the bucket with a guy in a rubber suit. Instead, you are left with your imagination, which is fueled by the growing realistic desperation of the people in the cars as they run out of gas. Then water. And no-one comes to help.

Try this movie out on a Saturday night-- this one a is Mondo Horror treat.

If you're having trouble falling asleep...just fire up this SNOOZEFEST! This has to be one of the WORST and most BORRRRING movies I have seen in a long LONG time. By the time you are one third of the way through it,you'll think "Oh...it will probably pick up and get interesting." NOPE! THEN by the time you are HALF WAY through you'll think "OK..NOW it HAS to get better!" Nope-ity Nope Nope. I could HONESTLY get a couple of friends together for an afternoon and make a MUCH BETTER FILM on my iPhone! You think I'm KIDDING??? I'm not. Doctors should SERIOUSLY prescribe this film instead of Ambien. If I can save ONE PERSON from the TORTURE that is this film...I've done my job.

Toodles.

Two cars full of twenty-something friends head out for an excursion into the desert, passing many abandoned cars along the way. Little do they know their own cars are about to be abandoned as well...

Feeding Grounds is ultimately a frustrating film. As viewers we don't get a single glimpse of the creature(s) who have entrapped the characters. (Unless you count one clawed hand.) It seems the characters are drugged and confused by their attackers, for they continually turn off of the highway onto the same dusty road, and some seem to hallucinate. But your guess is as good as mine, if you dare to watch this film.

The acting is, for the most part, well above average for a low-budget film. Special effects are sorely lacking, except for a few bits of gore. Only the occasionally artistic camera shot kept me from falling asleep.

If you like watching college kids bicker, and hate the sight of monsters, this is the movie for you.