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thersmith
Reviews
Penance Lane (2020)
Came for the horror...
...stayed for Scout Taylor Compton. If Scout is in a movie then it's worth at least a 5.
Having said that, that's as far as I can go for this one. The plot is weak and most of the acting is bland. It was more action than it was horror and that would be okay if the action was put together well but it wasn't.
The ending manages to pick up and improve just a little bit but it never really manages to find its footing and that's unfortunate because there is something decent hidden in this mess.
I didn't feel like it was a complete waste of time, but it didn't leave me satisfied either.
The Standoff at Sparrow Creek (2018)
Awesome
Top notch production value on a budget, and noteworthy performances from barely recognizable actors even though there are a few that you might recognize if you watch a lot of movies and television.
The story is fun and engaging and really does leave you on the edge of your seat and I can't say that I really figured it out completely before the conclusion was reached. As far as independent thrillers go, this is among the head of its class.
Definitely check it out, but keep in mind that it does get slow at times which could be offputting to some viewers.
The Curse of Lilith Ratchet (2018)
Meh...take it or leave it
It's not quite as terrible as some of the one-star reviews made it out to be. The story isn't all that original but there was still a level of fun to it that could have been saved with better actors and a little more carefully placed attention on the cinematography. I hate to see it given a one star. Four seems adequate.
Not the worst you can do with independent horror but far from the best.
Silhouette (2019)
Art movie disguised as a drama disguised as a horror movie
This is a good movie that isn't quite a horror. It still manages to conjure up some intense feelings of displeasure through its run time which is its great power. It also helps that the film rests mainly on three characters and April Hartman, Tom Zembrod, and Jessica Willis all perform well beyond what you would usually expect from a low budget horror movie. It's not flawless but it is worth watching and it might even be good for a repeat viewing. I would realistically rate this a 6 or a 7 but I'm leaving it a 9 to balance out the negative reviews left by narcissistic chodes who say "the ratings are off because I didn't like it" and are too self obsessed and intellectually limited to understand that sometimes somebody liked something that they didn't.
Long live independent film making, from one to another.