Things Unknown

Well made movie with some nice ideas spread though-out. Several times I had "oh cool, new thing" moments and found myself genuinely surprised once or twice. Cast was great and quite likeable for the most part (rare for found footage) and I actually cared about what was happening to them though I did wish the PBR Neil was drinking had got him to chill bit. The guy was pretty full on for the first two acts.

The whole thing has a pleasant disorientating feel to it that really helped with the mood and as with most good found footage, you find yourself straining to see more but are still left satisfied with what you do see.

Mining Tubi for good found footage movies can be a torturous task sometimes but this one, this one is back on the list for a rewatch.

A hip and jocular road allegory turns into a provocative Sci-Fi encounter on an arid plain between Mother Earth and the great space above, in Steve Altman's latest film, "Unknown Project."

A trio of videophiles are on their way back from documenting the Burning Man celebration, in their RV supped up with laptops and 5 cameras running inside 24/7, when they stop for the night. They are brimming with the juice of youth who are wired for their time. We learn just enough about each one so that we can play that great game of "who is the strongest character," and "who do we dislike most intensely." Characterization aside, ultimately it is the silence in this work that commands our attention. Silence that is cold and eerie, and which is nearly photogenic, and used to great effect by Director Altman, who has a command for depicting quiet dread.

The "found footage" genre has a new and welcomed discovery, "Unknown Project."

If you visit the IMDb link for Unknown Project, you'll get a more complete cast list. I don't know what Things Unknown has a 2015 release date while the other is 2013.

It's a pretty good found footage film about three web personalities who go on goofy trips (following a man who visited every pancake house in the US). This time out, they're at Burning Man and afterward take a little detour from their next destination to a desert location where one of the web people camped as a child. Sure enough, they see and experience some pretty strange and horrifying things. The formula is very familiar, but the characters are very likable and the effects very good. Also the sound design. I rented it for $2 on Amazon (twice, because I forgot to finish it the first time before the 48 hours ran out, and I'm glad I finished it.

For those of us who can't get enough of the found footage genre, "Unknown Project" is a masterful entry. It takes a new spin on some of the common elements of the genre (familiar to fans of "Paranormal Activity" and the like) and brings a sci-fi angle to the chills and thrills. It is spooky and suspenseful but it delivers on the scares that will get you jumping in your seat early on, and throughout the movie until the climax. It's also so filled with clues and Easter eggs that you can't get them all in the first time you see it, requiring multiple viewings. With strong, natural interactions between the three main characters, "Unknown Project" draws you in and takes you on a road trip you'll never forget. I can't wait to watch this movie again!

Is it groundbreaking? No. Does it add something new to the genre? Not really. But if you like found footage films it's definitely worth a watch. Even if you don't like found footage many of you will still inexplicably watch it and then skew it's rating with a one star review whining how much you hate found footage movies. To the annoyance of the rest of us who do.

The characters aren't super fleshed out but are still played well by the 3 main characters. Most youtubers with somewhat annoying, over the top personalities are usually playing a character by are pretty normal when the cameras are off. Since they always have the camera rolling their over the top personalities don't really stop. The girl is pretty hot though so that definitely helps.

It takes a while to really get going but there are some pretty cool scenes in this movie. Especially the spectacle they witness in the sky. Not bad special effects for a seemingly low budget FF movie.

The tension builds at a good pace throughout with unexplainable things happening, leaving our main characters increasing frightened. With a pretty good of not kind of predictable ending.

It's definitely not one of the best FF movies out. Certainly no Blair Witch, Willow Creek, Creep, Grave Encounters or Possession of Michael King. It's not even the best alien FF movie. Alien Abduction and the Alien Report were definitely better. But I can definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre and you're looking for something to watch.