Hey folks, Harry here... This sounds like the smart version of that stinky HALLOWEEN movie that is in theaters right now. This is one to look out for, hopefully we'll be seeing it at some point over here in the States. Here ya go...
Long time reader of your site which I try and visit everyday. I have a friend in the industry in London and get to see films quite often. Sometimes a UK based film will be seen by press and designers extremely early.
I managed to catch a screening of a new US/UK horror movie MY LITTLE EYE in Soho and I thought I'd write in because I think you guys will dig it. It's a sick but watchable horror by Welsh director Marc Evans. He also made RESURRECTION MAN which featured Stuart Townsend's breakout performance (I've not seen it but have heard it's pretty full on as well). This one seems to be under the radar right now but is very much to your guys taste. It's by WORKING TITLES indie arm. Not sure when it's due in the States or anything.
I've been into movies forever, but taste wise, I lean towards quality arthouse and comedies (REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and RUSHMORE light my fire). It's been a while since a US horror has blown me away. AUDITION was great though, and it seems that Japanese genre flicks may have an influence on the wave of more interesting horrors that we hope is coming...! MY LITTLE EYE is a big step in the right direction. This is an entertaining horror which sustains tension throughout, has some decent scares and a full on ending.
Plot wise it sounds a bit like the latest HALLOWEEN but that looked totally dire from the trailer to me. Even MY LITTLE EYE'S set-up does sound pretty awful: A website offers 5 kids to live in a creepy house in the middle of nowhere (States) for 6 months. They are filmed the whole time and if they stay there for the duration they get $1m at the end. The actors are Americans and do good job of grounding the situation. They aren't particularly likeable but one of the chicks is hot, which is nice. The situation obviously disintegrates and people starting dying but it isn't too formulaic and it keeps you on your toes. I won't say too much about the plot but it does work. There is one GREAT twist and a few surprises near the end that I didn't guess (I can be pretty slow) and the ending is pretty full on as I've already said. The thing that stands out the most is the sound design. The soundtrack uses some excellent ambient noises like modems turning on and similar, which really do help create a freaky ass vibe. It seems that more horrors are gonna mess with the sound in more interesting ways in the next few years.
What I liked about the film was the dark and unpredictable vibe that reminded me more of a Japanese horror. The film is pacy in a US style but not limited by convention. There is one particular shot which goes on a while and it's pretty crazy! Horror fans will like it if it's not cut. The director mainly uses the static camcorders placed in the house to capture the events. These sometimes go out of focus and struggle to find people you can hear clearly, and there are some wicked shots where this happens. However, this does make the film look and feel low budget and it'll be compared to BW a lot when it comes out (I think it's out in October in the UK). The scares are a lot bigger than BW and the ending is less original but more insane.
After we've had a few scares there is a lull in the middle as the second act kicks in fully. I wasn't majorly bored though and it picks up again nicely when the twist hits. Some of the acting is a little ropey but the right actors die early. Despite what I said about the soundtrack, the ending has some rather cheesy pumping techno which I guess suits the events but blows the reality a bit and wasn't to my taste. Thankfully, the events of the scene distracted me from this music.
Overall, this was a pretty kick ass horror which will definitely please fanboys and could well cross over pretty big through word of mouth. The distib is spending a fair bit of the green stuff on this one in the UK. I think this director could be one to watch too. Try not to read too much about it and check it out cause' it stayed with me for a few days...
Regards,
Ty Webb
