Meadowoods
Year: 2010
Directors: Scott Phillips
Stars: Connor Thorp, Michelle Row, Michael Downey
MPAA Rating: R
Studio: Monterey Media
Running Time: 88 Mins
Official Website: http://www.meadowoodsarmy.com
Going into "Meadowoods", I saw a film called "The Final" before seeing his film. Both films, have a common theme with young outcasts killing or torturing people. That film for itself was shocking for the amount of violence that takes place. But it's nothing compared to the psychological and horrifying aspects of this film.
The film takes place in a small town, where three college students decide to plot a murder that would shock the community. The three decide to keep a video journal so that they can memorialize what they are doing. They begin to devise a plot to building a homemade coffin so that they would be to see, feel, and hear the final moments of their victim's life. Then, they choose a person at random to recieve the most brutal and horrifying of all fates. Soon, there is hostility and contention that threatens the group's plan, as this culminates in one of the most shocking and violent conclusions that you will see, this year.
It’s early in the year to say this, but I’m going to say this anyway. “Meadowoods” is the most disturbing film that you will see, this year. One of the main reasons for that was the way that director Scott Phillips (no relation to the person that I interviewed for the site, last year) directs this more like a faux documentary. It’s the same style of storytelling that has made films like “The Last Broadcast” and “The Blair Witch Project” very dark and shocking, especially when you see it for the first time. By going for this style, there is more of a main focal and more realistic point on the characters, which was the case here. Another thing that helps this film very well, the editing.
Editing for these types of film need to be very good, as you need a certain flow to maintain your audience. Phillips along with producer Stuart Ball did a very good job with it, as it really goes into the disturbing mind of the main characters. It made me disturbed about how they are planning this act and kept my interest with the story aspects. Philip also does a good job making the performances have a realistic tone to them, especially in the third act where the action becomes very frightening and intense.
This film also can be described as a character study too, as the film follows these kids around during the course of the film. Writer Anna Siri does a very good job keeping the tone of film very dark and the sense that you feel like that the story was more reality based. By writing the story that way, it makes the characters interesting and the helps make the story appealing to fans that like these psychological horror films. Another thing Siri does very good was making the story feel like a character study about these groups of kids and its intended victim. She really goes into each of the emotions and insecurities that each of the have. That’s what makes this film very physiological, by getting a sense at what makes each of these characters tick. It makes it more interesting, then just creating a story that intends to kill characters every chance it gets. By going into what makes these characters tick through their action, it generates that disturbed moments that’s needed to get the audience’s attention and makes you frighten and makes everything shocking.
This is defiantly a horror film that fans should check out at your local video store, as this is more disturbing that After Dark’s “The Final”. It’s truly a film that you have to try and seek out, as it's one of the better films that I’ve seen this year. “Meadowoods” is a very disturbing and shocking psychological character study that will leave you in shock.
Review Rating: Five Stars.
"Meadowoods" Official Trailer
Film Arcade recently received three clips from Monterey Media for their upcoming release "Meadowoods" which comes out on DVD this Tuesday.
"Meadowoods" Clip #1: Kill Bill 2
"Meadowoods" Clip #2: Gonna Kill Somebody
"Meadowoods" Clip #3: I Will Shoot You
"Meadowoods": Official Trailer
Film Arcade.net has recently received mysterious stuff regarding an upcoming film called " Meadowoods" which Monterey Media is releasing.
In a sleepy and uneventful small town, three college students, bored and desperate to make their mark, plot a savage and merciless murder.
Electing to keep a video journal to memorialize their bizarre pact, they plot in secret, devising a homemade death chamber that will allow them to see, hear, feel, and linger over their intended victim's torment and final moments of life. Then, chosen at random, a fellow student becomes this victim when she is to receive perhaps the most brutal and horrifying of all fates.
The default leader of this macabre trio directs the physical and psychological terror, even as contention and hostility within the group threatens to jeopardize their twisted plan, culminating in a violent and chilling conclusion.
DVD Release date is TBA.
"Meadowoods": Official Trailer
