Howard's Mill

I found it very enjoyable. I thought some of the acting was a bit stilted, but much of it as fine and some downright entertaining. If you go in with the mindset that it is a real documentary you will soon realize that it is only written and filmed to capture that feeling. I may watch it again in a couple of weeks if I can find the time...

A found footage mockumentary that's so well done it appears to be a documentary. Also the disappearance stories are interesting. They're like Absentia the movie meets Skinwalker Ranch the movie. A nice tension is built up that's engrossing. A couple just bought a house and the wife goes missing. The husband is befuddled because she appeared to vanish in the blink of an eye. Turns out she's not the only one.

I give this a solid six for what it turned out to be. The story is pretty good, and I didn't know where it was going for a bit and it had some twists that link up well. It is let down by the acting pretty early on and that's unfortunate. Now, that being said I don't think any of the actors are what I'd say seasoned actors which some will have been on purpose, given the plot. However, people definitely behave in a certain way during certain situations and the lack of emotion portrayed by any of the actors does it a disservice. I kept watching to see if I could figure it out, which it wasn't what I expected so that was handled well. It was shot well, scenery realistic. Idea good.

HOWARD'S MILL is a "mockumentary" about the abandoned property of the title, and the mysterious disappearances of several people who lived nearby. As the tale unfolds, the documentarians soon realize that the single case they were following has led them into something much larger. Much darker.

The strength of this film lies in its realism, and its dedication to details while the investigation expands. It doesn't stray into self-parody territory, No matter how strange the story becomes, it doesn't insult our intelligence. The vast array of characters playing the film crew, cops, fire and rescue, townsfolk, etcetera, are all contributors to the genuine feel of the movie.

More mystery than horror, it still has its creepy moments.

A very convincing entry in its subgenre...

Reasonably entertaining pseudo documentary. It tries hard to hide the fact that it's all fictitious but its clear that these are actors playing roles. The 2nd half is a bit better than the first but be prepared to suspend disbelief for some supernatural shenanigans.