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Welcome to another episode of ‘Brannyk talks about Small Town Monsters’! We’ve explored the Joisey Devilaliens giving boo boos to cowstotally Bigfoota big ol’ stinky doggo, your tea-spilling ghost-witch, and an alien Bigfoot with a hankering for a good peanut butter sandwich. We have a new screener from Small Town Monsters.

And unfortunately, I spoke too soon in my last dogman review because Jesus Christ, Werewolves Unleashed is really something else. And I do mean Jesus Christ literally because this documentary (spoilers) ends in a prayer for more evidence and content.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s first figure out the plot and go from there because I have a lot to say.

A guy praying for evidence

The Plot of Werewolves Unearthed:

So, this dogman/werewolf documentary is not under the hands of Seth Breedlove, but Ward Hiney. And the PR blurb for Werewolves Unearthed is “[a] recent rash of werewolf sightings in Pennsylvania have grabbed the attention of documentarian Ward Hiney. In order to get the truth behind these ongoing encounters, he enlisted journalist and ardent skeptic Chad Christy”.

And, okay, for one, I was so confused because they kept calling it the Ohio valley, so I never got a clear indication of where the heck we actually, as opposed to most STM. Oh, Pennsylvania, the most vampiric state of the United States.

For two, I had no idea that Chad Christy was supposed to be a skeptic because there wasn’t really any indication of that. He didn’t really say anything? Like, if you watch X-Files, you know who the skeptic is right off the bat. The hot redhead. Obviously. But I legitimately didn’t understand that having a skeptic on-board was part of the premise until after the documentary. I had no clue he was a “skeptic” at all.

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And three, “recent rash” of werewolf sightings? Okay, let’s just go into my thoughts, because, woof, I have many.

Thoughts on Werewolves Unearthed:

This documentary is a mess. Between heavily focusing on unreliable witnesses for most of the documentary; practically begging for people to come forward in the “recent rash” of werewolf sighting; waffling between werewolves, dogmen, ghosts, bigfoot, cults and metaphysics; and grasping at any straw that could be considered content; this documentary doesn’t feel like Small Town Monsters at all. There is no heart to it. There is no love of the small towns and their history. It’s loose ramblings of stories and looking for anything that could be construed as evidence.

A beleaguered man trying to attempt the plot of this documentary.

There is an art to documentaries, especially when dealing with the supernatural or cryptids. You lean too far to one side and it looks like crackpot conspiracies. You lean too much the other and it looks exploitative and sensationalized. It’s a real balance to get stories without leaning too far into either. And Seth Breedlove has become very, very good at this. His documentaries are honest and sincere. They highlight small towns and their monsters. People are the focus, not even necessarily the monsters.

Unfortunately, that style of documentary does not transfer with Hiney. The focus gets muddled as he struggles to find any content for his documentary that should have been a generous thirty minutes long and no more. And the lack of content becomes more apparent as the documentary stretches, to the point of the director calling someone and saying on camera that there’s not a lot of evidence or people to interview.

A stickman image of the director on the phone asking for more evidence, but then the phone cuts out and he has the guy call him back. Like, come on, man.
A real scene from Werewolves Unearthed

To the viewer, that looks shoddy and, to be frank, boring. It feels like the research and planning was put together on a Sunday afternoon and they just went with it. The interviews were heavy with one couple who (as an actual skeptic here) seemed sincere but also unreliable. The word “research” was thrown around a lot, but without any kind of evidence or explanation. And even though I loved her to bits, the former owner of a metaphysics store had a bizarre tale of a supposed werewolf who worked at Walmart.

A werewolf working at WalMURT and howling.

It wasn’t so much a documentary of dogmen or werewolves, but of ghosts, portals, cults, Harry and the Hendersons, bigfoot, and spiritualism. Oh, and the kitchen sink because why not.

Brainroll Juice on Werewolves Unearthed:

As I prefaced in the opening, hold tight, because it’s about to get preachy.

I was not expecting Werewolves Unearthed to be so…religious. In fact, I don’t think it should have been. When I come for werewolves, I don’t come for church. Especially not Small Town Monsters.

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As previously stated, Seth Breedlove allows the documentary to be about the people. Sometimes there’s a religious or spiritual component, but that never comes from Breedlove. He is there to document what he finds and stays generally neutral. Yes, we understand he believes in cryptids. Yes, he is very passionate about it. But he allows the viewer to see these “monsters” from different sides. Is Momo a space alien? Or perhaps he’s just a delightful scamp who steals your peanutbutter sandwich? You get to decide by the story he weaves.

Unfortunately, Hiney doesn’t allow for that as we are given a three minute scene of him praying to God and Jesus for evidence. I wish that were a joke and I wish I was lying. But I’m not. It’s a heavy dose of religion that left an awful taste in my mouth.

I was okay with being bored. And being frustrated. Heck, I was okay at slowly falling asleep as I watched this.

But the prayer at the end was so pretentious and just…not the Small Town Monsters I know and love. It wasn’t about the people. It wasn’t about the culture of history of these small rural towns. And it wasn’t the myths and legends that still fascinate us. It was about Ward Hiney. It was the Ward Hiney Show.

And I am not all right with that.

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Bottomline:

Avoid this one. Not in the spirit of Small Town Monsters. Preachy and rambling. Unfortunately the first of others to come from Ward Hiney. 1 out of 5 stars (1 / 5)

The feature length documentary will be available on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube on October 1. Following a TVOD release, Werewolves Unearthed will bow on Tubi. A special 4K, ad-free version will also be available for Small Town Monsters YouTube subscribers.

When not ravaging through the wilds of Detroit with Jellybeans the Cat, J.M. Brannyk (a.k.a. Boxhuman) reviews mostly supernatural and slasher films from the 70's-90's and is dubiously HauntedMTL's Voice of Reason. Aside from writing, Brannyk dips into the podcasts, and is the composer of many of HauntedMTL's podcast themes.

Movies n TV

Evil: “F is for Fire” (S2E3)

“F is for Fire” is an episode of the supernatural drama, Evil. The assessors investigate a pyromaniac for potential demonic possession.

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“F is for Fire” is an episode of the supernatural drama, Evil, created by Michelle King and Robert King. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti, and Andrea Martin. It originally aired under CBS before moving to Paramount+. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.

The assessors investigate a pyromaniac for potential demonic possession. David (Mike Colter) brings Sister Andrea (Andrea Martin) into his circle of trust. Ben (Aasif Mandvi) remembers old Islamic stories of jinn. Kristen (Katja Herbers) meets an incredibly hot and mysterious figure. Sheryl (Christine Lahti) finds a therapist to work out her problems.

A little girl looks up at a woman in a kitching setting
Assessing a Pyro

What I Like about Evil: “F is for Fire”

“F is for Fire” improves on Evil’s special effects, showing a renewed focus and competency in the area. The last season would likely use a more comical design, favoring tone over haunting the viewer with its budget. It helps that the design holds a haunting element to its fiery creature.

This episode introduces something outside the Christian/Catholic depiction, specifically relating to the Islamic jinn. This new element creates an understandable friction for the Catholic assessors. As Ben was raised Muslim and David’s Catholic teachings don’t permit the concept of jinn, it challenges both outside their comfort zone. Perhaps more so for Ben, who prides himself as an Atheist.

Either through trauma or evil influence, Kristen seems changed and impulsive. Her passionate pursuit of risks makes the viewer wonder how far she plans on going. With the introduction of her mysterious stranger, it seems a darker turn will soon follow.

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While far from the darkest or most haunting episode Evil put to the screen, “F is for Fire” does suggest an unsettling new norm for the team. The plot also introduces a new supernatural villain who seems to create tangible harm beyond most of season 1’s earlier supernatural creatures. The stakes are greater now than ever, and “F is for Fire” aims to prove this to the viewer.

White background, rubber stamp with disclaimer pressed against the white background.
Disclaimer Kimberley Web Design

Tired Tropes and Triggers

There’s a wider theological friction within this episode, which I’ve mentioned earlier. This difference focuses on Islamic and Catholic understanding of spiritual forces and exorcisms. I am not versed enough to pretend to know if these are accurate portrayals, but I will expand on this point.

While not given much attention or focus, a demon sexually assaults a male character. Again, this lingers on the subjective state, but we know demons exist in this show by now, so the assaults feel less speculative and more real.

This episode continues flirting with infidelity that might irk some viewers. While nothing comes of this plot yet, the implications seem to suggest something will happen.

A woman (Kristen) dressed to impress in a bar, looking at someone off screen.
Kristen (Katja Herbers) flirting with Danger

What I Dislike about Evil: “F is for Fire”

Sheryl’s attempted manipulation of another character seems awkwardly unnecessary and overly dramatic. I assume this act intends to show her manipulative character, which “F is for Fire” certainly adds to, but it does look like an attempt to connect two characters to fill time.

The jinn description is so minute that I don’t see how Ben came to any conclusion outside of a typical demon. A more detailed description might make Ben’s conclusion more reasonable to the viewer.

David’s claim that jinn are not of God and thus can’t exist which isn’t exactly true. From my understanding of Muslim lore, angels, jinn, and humans are of God and capable of good and evil. Perhaps a more accurate claim might suggest things outside the bible cannot exist.

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Final Thoughts

“F is for Fire” tempts the assessors in new ways, sparking some unsettling weaknesses for Evil to rise. It continues layering the overarching plot and building the personal trials facing each character. While not the most haunting episode, “F is for Fire” nurtures a coming flame by building atop tension.
3 out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

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Movies n TV

Review: LEFT ONE ALIVE (2024)

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Hello everyone and Happy October! It’s time for some spooky goodness and terrifying treats. And of course at HauntedMTL, it’s our favourite time of the year.

That being said, this review is a long time coming.

I first had the pleasure of viewing LAST ONE ALIVE’s Michigan premier at Motor City Nightmares, a horror convention and film festival. In the audience was writer and director David Axe and star Caylin Sams to promote the film and answer questions.

And since I was fashionably late to the movie, I asked Axe if it was possible to snag a screener to watch the full movie and, well, here we are.

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So, enjoy this rare spoiler-free review.

Sara being traumatized by off-screen tubby violence
Still from LEFT ONE ALIVE

The Plot of ONE LEFT ALIVE:

Sara (Sams) is the lone survivor of a brutal massacre of her friends in the woods one fateful night.

And where most movies end here, ONE LEFT ALIVE begins.

Burdened by survivor’s guilt, police suspicion, newly found fame and growing nihilism, Sara navigates the world and her memories after the attack. Trying to regain her sanity and find out why she was the only one left alive, Sara keeps going back to the woods, searching for answers…or maybe her own ending.

Sara sitting on an expensive car with her cop friend and a cop car in the background. It's pretty cool.
(Still from ONE LEFT ALIVE)

Thoughts of ONE LEFT ALIVE:

LEFT ONE ALIVE is a unique film. It’s a slow-burn independent drama where the horror isn’t so much what’s out in the woods but picking up the pieces of a life interrupted by tragedy.

But that isn’t to say that it’s devoid of humor.

Writing

The writing swings between clichéd to clever, and sometimes to cleverly clichéd. There’s quite a bit of meta humor, but it’s not irritatingly so. It’s more through the perspective of Sara instead of any grand sweeping statements. There’s a point in LEFT ONE ALIVE where the actress playing Sara in a movie (Lorelei Linklater) confronts her for material and motivation. Sara becomes an on-looker of the film, watching another woman play the person who she had to become on the worst night of her life. We see her seeing the fake creatures (tubbies) that the fake film’s effects department created and realizing that her experiences are just being exploited.

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The fake Sara actress with a gun
(Still from LEFT ONE ALIVE)

But during these scenes, there’s humor mixed in. She punches the actress when she gets annoyed with the questioning, but only grows closer to her. Dating the actress afterwards in a strange relationship

Also, when seeing the fake Tubbies (the monsters) for the first time, she was really vocal about their missing…appendages. Dangly appendages.

Tubby pointing at his censored dick and saying tubbies got dicks

Acting and Cast

However, some of the most genuine scenes came when Sara was with her sister, Sam (Rachel Tracy). The acting throughout ONE LEFT ALIVE can be slightly stilted. However, it shines brightest between Sams and Tracy, showing the bond of their sisterhood and the love they share. It felt very natural and organic, really achieving some of the best moments of the film.

For such a tight budget, Axe really was able to use a lot of resources. The casting was really impressive, having both seasoned and new actors including Rachel Petsiavas, Alex Javo, the delightful Sanethia Dresch, and Raj Karottukunnel.

Cinematography

Sarah Massey produced, shot and edited the film, and took risks with some of the shots. However, the risk paid off, not only keeping the story and perspectives interesting, but also reminded me of the art of cinematography.

It’s not often when a movie reminds me that yes, this is a moving picture. Each scene should be expressed in a way that suits the theme, mood and acting. I don’t want to sound old and be like, “movies these days…” But here we are. I am old and also, movies these days. Cinematic shots are meant to serve as a kind of shorthand for what the audience is meant to be feeling – what the expression of the film is and inside the minds of our characters (i.e., long shots to show the character is feeling alone or overwhelmed, etc.). Cinematography 101 stuff.

One shot in LEFT ONE ALIVE that was clever and simple to execute was when Sara goes missing and her sister, Sam, is waiting at home, pacing back and forth. The camera moves with her as other characters are sitting down. The motion follows her unease, focusing only on her and her fear that something horrible has happened. Again. The audience experiences this unease with her as we, too, pace with her.

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Music

Also, the music in LEFT ONE ALIVE – color me impressed. It’s often that I’ll watch a horror movie and either the music is too jarring (looking at you, Longlegs) or just doesn’t fit because it’s thrown in without relating to the movie itself. Tyler Matthews does an incredible job at adding to the scene than detracting from it in a careful balance. The music is never too intrusive as to divert attention away from the acting or cinematography, nor does it overstay its welcome. The editing and sound design were clever with when to have silence, music, and natural sound. It’s a difficult balance to do and LEFT ONE ALIVE is a shining example of how to do it right.

Critiques

The only critiques that I have are, as mentioned, the acting can be stilted. Some of the bigger concepts (like finding the new species, making a film within a film, and the legal/media issues) will need you to suspend your disbelief a bit. And as much as I love a slow-burn, some of scenes could have been cut down (like the uber ride).

BRAINROLL JUICE:

For this section I was going to talk about PTSD and dogmen, but then while researching for this review, I saw something I’d rather talk about more.

This movie was one of the last films with actor Raj Karottukunnel, who passed away in April of this year. He was very young (40 is young, trust me) and left behind two daughters. It’s evident he was extremely loved by those who knew him and he will be missed greatly.

There is a gofundme for his daughters for a college fund for them: Fundraiser by Rejani Nedumchira : Raj’s Princess Warriors (gofundme.com)

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Sometimes when we watch movies, especially independent movies, we forget how fucking hard it is to make a film. It takes time. Work. Talent. Ambition. A lot of luck. Everyone goes an extra mile because it’s a small crew and it’s a dream that they have. They get to live it, but it takes a lot of effort.

It’s easy to forget there’s a forest through the trees and that these are all people. People with hopes and dreams and fears and whole other lives. Maybe they’re in front of the camera, maybe they’re directing the camera, or maybe they’re like my production assistant friend throwing dirt on actors for a civil war history show. But they all have a home and a family to go back to at the end of the day. And it’s incredibly sad when they don’t get to.

So, I guess this is just my soapbox to remind fans to be kind. Remember to be grateful and gracious of the people who are part of this very cool thing that we love and care about. Horror is, ironically, about community. About a place to belong, even in our darkest moments, even when we’re weird and gross. Let’s keep it weird and gross and lovely and, above all, kind.

Weird fuzzy tubby creature
Here’s an emotional-support tubby for you.

BOTTOMLINE:

Even though it’s not in distribution yet, when it is and you’re looking for something a little different in your horror repertoire, I would highly suggest LEFT ONE ALIVE. 4 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

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Movies n TV

Agatha All Along, Darkest Hour, Wake Thy Power

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We’ve reached episode five of Marvel’s Agatha All Along. And after last week’s bombshell reveal, I expected some serious answers.

I’m happy to say we got them.

The story

We begin our episode again on The Road. But now, for the first time, the coven is not alone. They’re being hunted by a terrifying group of witches called the Salem Seven. Trapped, they craft brooms and take off into the air.

This only allows them to escape for a few moments, but a few moments is all they need to get into the relative safety of the next challenge house.

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There, they find themselves in a sleepover. This is Agatha’s challenge. And of course, Agatha’s challenge is that she has to face the ghosts of her past—the literal ghosts, including the ghosts of her mother and her son.

While they do get out of the challenge, they leave someone behind. Agatha, having shown her true colors again, reveals that she knows who Teen is finally.

And by the end, so do we.

What worked

I want to begin by talking about The Salem Seven. Because they are creepy as hell.

The way they move is fantastic. Their strange, jerky movements are unnerving enough to get under just about anyone’s skin. But knowing who they are, and why they hate Agatha, lends an additional level of emotional trauma.

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I also really liked that this challenge took place in a sleepover. Even better, a sleepover in the late eighties, early nineties. As anyone who attended a girl’s sleepover during that time will tell you, those got witchy even if no one at the party associated with being a witch. There were ouija boards. There was fortune telling. There was calling on evil demons, like Bloody Mary and Candy Man. I may or may not have been a part of a game of Light as a Feather, Stiff As A Board in which a friend was dropped on the concrete basement floor. The point is, sleepovers get witchy and I appreciate the acknowledgment. I also liked that the rules regarding the Ouija board were pretty well spot on.

Patti LuPone, Kathryn Hahn, Aubrey Plaza, Ali Ahn, Sasheer Zamata and Joe Locke in Agatha All Along.

And pretty well ignored as soon as Teen spoke them.

Speaking of Teen, he is just about done with everyone’s catty behavior. And I mean everyone, including Agatha. His opinion of her seems to have greatly changed since the beginning of this journey. And he has clearly had enough.

Rio and Agatha’s relationship has also changed. It’s fascinating to see Rio be so protective of Agatha, while at the same time still ready and raring to kill her. While I’m not sure that’s the healthiest relationship, it kind of seems to work for them.

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Aubrey Plaza in Agatha All Along.

What didn’t work

All of that being said, there was one glaring problem with this episode. And it is, unfortunately, Agatha.

We’ll recall that Agatha, at the start of this season, wasn’t a good person. She was not a good person in Wandavision, so that shouldn’t be surprising. I will again remind everyone that Agatha killed Sparky.

But by this time in the season, I would have expected her to have had some character growth. And that is not what we are seeing here. It appears that Agatha is just as selfish, just as fast-talking, and just as cruel as she’s ever been.

And that is just not what we wanted. If we get to the end of the season and Agatha hasn’t grown, then it’s going to feel like a cheat. While the adventures along The Road are fun, I don’t think that’s what we’re all here for. At least it’s not what I’m here for.

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Let’s hope we start seeing some character growth next week. Otherwise, this whole journey is going to feel worthless.

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)

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