Wolves, Pigs & Men - Blu-ray Review

 

Kinji Fukasaka is considered one of the masters of the yakuza genre, and his 1964 film Wolves, Pigs & Men is a stark, often brutal look at the violence within the yakuza, as well as the bonds of brotherhood that are found there.

The film follows three brothers, Kuroki (Rentarô Mikuni), Jirô (Ken Takakura), and Sabu (Kin'ya Kitaôji) , and charts their escape from their world of poverty into the the violent world of organised crime. Each of them grew up dreaming of escaping their world, of making more of themselves. The eldest of the siblings, Kuroki, is the first of them to escape the slums that they've called home, leaving behind his siblings and ailing mother to join the Iwasaki yakuza gang. A number of years later Jirô follows suit, leaving home and entering a life of petty crime. Jirô ends up working alongside another criminal named Mizuhara (Murota Hideo), and the two of them achieve some success. When Jirô catches the attention of the yakuza bosses, however, his operation is destroyed, and he finds himself in prison for several years. 

All of this happens in the films opening sequence, despite being enough for a film itself. Once the film begins in earnest, Jirô returns home from prison, where he learns of his mothers death. This brings him back into contact with his youngest brother, Sabu, who was left alone to care for her in her final years. Wanting to escape his home and start a new life Jirô plans a daring heist, knowing the time and location of an upcoming drugs shipment. He hires his brother Sabu and his friends to help him, an offer that he intends to go back on. However, the drugs belong to the Iwasaki yakuza, where their eldest brother Kuroki has become a leader, and the plan looks set to bring the three brothers on a collision course with disaster. 

Despite being recognised as a master of the genre, this particular release from Fukasaka was somewhat overlooked in its original release, thanks in part to its stark and brutal nature being in contrast with the image that Japan was pushing for itself in the build up to their first Olympic games. Despite this, the film has found something of a following over the years, and the new 60th anniversary release makes for a perfect opportunity for fans to rediscover it.

The film presents a stark, often bleak look at the world of Japanese organised crime, and where often a story about three brothers would have them working together within that world Fukasaka makes the bolder choice to have them all walk their separate paths, ones that end up crossing each other and bringing them into conflict instead. It at times feels more like the three lead characters are doomed, that perhaps they're cursed by the world of crime, drawn in against their will into these terrible circumstances. The film is brutal, and even nihilistic at times, and whilst it's an entertain watch it's far from a fun one. It shines a spotlight on the darker side of Japanese life, and human nature, in a way that would become a signature for the director.

The film has been restored from the original Toei prints, and looks great in HD. There are some elements that are weaker than others, such some parts of the film looking perhaps a little too dark, and some of the outdoor scenes lose a bit of quality over the interior shoots; but this is more due to the filming limitations and equipment at the time and isn't far removed from what you'd find from other film of the era.

Alongside the restoration there's a new audio commentary track by Jasper Sharp, an expert on Japanese cinema who goes into the life and careers of the cast and crew, as well as discusses the impact of the film both at the time and over the years. As with other Eureka releases, this kind of commentary track is incredibly interesting and informative, and is a wonderful accompaniment for the film. There are also interviews with screenwriter Satō Jun'ya, and producer Yoshida Toru, both sitting at around 20 minutes each. There's also a short interview with Fukasaku's biographer, Yamane Sadao.

As one of the important films in Fukasaku's career Wolves, Pigs & Men makes for a culturally interesting piece, as well as a damn good movie in its own right. It's a bleak, dark, and often violent affair, one that won't exactly have you coming away from it feeling particularly cheerful, but as a piece of Japanese film history it's not to be missed. 

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The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister - Book Review

 

'Since time immemorial, the Haddesley family has tended the cranberry bog. In exchange, the bog sustains them. The staunch seasons of their lives are governed by a strict covenant that is renewed each generation with the ritual sacrifice of their patriarch, and in return, the bog produces a “bog-wife.” Brought to life from vegetation, this woman is meant to carry on the family line. But when the bog fails—or refuses—to honour the bargain, the Haddesleys, a group of discordant siblings still grieving the mother who mysteriously disappeared years earlier, face an unknown future.

'Middle child Wenna, summoned back to the dilapidated family manor just as her marriage is collapsing, believes the Haddesleys must abandon their patrimony. Her siblings are not so easily persuaded. Eldest daughter Eda, de facto head of the household, seeks to salvage the compact by desecrating it. Younger son Percy retreats into the wilderness in a dangerous bid to summon his own bog-wife. And as youngest daughter Nora takes desperate measures to keep her warring siblings together, fledgling patriarch Charlie uncovers a disturbing secret that casts doubt over everything the family has ever believed about itself.'

The Appalachian mountains is an area of the United States that seems to come up in horror a lot. It's remote setting, the ancient feel of the land, and almost sinister beauty that it possesses makes it a great setting for the unsettling and horrific. Kay Chronister's The Bog Wife taps into this beautifully, but moves away from the more common forest setting that Appalachian horror tends to set itself in, and takes readers instead into an ancient bog.

The Haddesley family have lived on the bog for generations, tending to the cranberries there. But the Haddesley's aren't a normal family, and their lineage holds unique history. Generations ago, a member of the family was cast into the bog as punishment for a crime, rocks loaded into his pockets. He sank beneath the surface, and was gone forever; but it seems that he made a deal with the bog as he died. Emerging from the bog was a woman, made from peat, and sticks, and swamp waste. This bog wife married the eldest son, the next patriarch of the family, and together they created the next generation. When it was time for that patriarch to die his body was fed to the bog, and a new bog wife was created for the new heir.

This is how the Haddesley family has operated for as long as they can remember, isolated from the outside world, living in this ancient, mystical tradition. However, as the Haddesley children, Charlie, Wenna, Eda, Percy, and Nora, gather to feed their dying father to the bog their lives are changed forever when the bog fails to provide them with a new bog wife. Now, with their father gone and their future uncertain, the Haddesley siblings must try to find a new path.

The Bog Wife is an interesting type of horror story, in that a lot of it almost doesn't feel like it is one. When the bog fails to produce a new bog wife part of me questioned if perhaps the stories were untrue, that the siblings had been raised to believe a lie. None of them can remember their own mother that well, her having gone years before, so was she not a bog wife as told, but perhaps a normal human? The story continues this way for much of the book, with no overt signs of the supernatural or paranormal, leaving the reader to try to decide for themselves what might be happening. There are answers by the end, but the unsettling journey to them is what made me really enjoy this book.

Instead, a lot of the book is unsettling instead of outright horror, and much of that comes down to the characters. The Haddesley siblings have been raised in something of a cult-like setting, listening to stories from their father telling them how they're special, how they have a connection to the bog, and how the bog itself will provide for them. It's disturbing at times as I came to feel bad for them, and I could see the trauma that they'd been through even if them themselves were unaware of it.

Their isolated upbringing is also reflected somewhat in their characterisation. The siblings are all adults, with Wenna having moved away from the family and set up a life for herself in the normal world. But they all read as somewhat younger than they should be. They act more like teenagers or children at times, and whilst this at first felt a little odd to me I came to the realisation it was because of how they were raised. They'd been isolated, taught by a single father, brought up to believe some strange things, and as such their emotional maturity was somewhat stunted as they'd not had the kind of interactions and growth they'd need to become regular adults.

Each of the siblings also reacts to the sudden shift in their fortunes in different ways. Charlie, the eldest son kind of gives up, doesn't do much, and becomes disengaged from things. Eda, the eldest daughter, steps into the role of head of the family, and tries to keep things together as best she can. Percy intends to make sure the bog and the Haddesley's continue on as they always have, and retreats into the bog itself to try to find a solution. Each of them displays a very different reaction to their world view coming into heavy challenge, and with Chronister splitting the book into various point of views we're able to really get into their heads and see how they're handling it.

The Bog Wife is an eerie book, one filled with suspense and thought provoking characters. The setting also feels wonderfully unique, and Chronister brings the bog to life in ways that serve the story perfectly. For those looking for a slower burn horror story with a creeping sense of dread and lots of characters to get your teeth into The Bog Wife makes for a perfect read. 

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Laurel & Hardy: The Silent Years (1927) - Blu-ray Review

 

It might be because I'm British, but Laurel and Hardy were two entertainers that I was aware of as far back as I could remember, but had never seen a single thing they'd been in. They were iconic, and even having not seen any of their films I knew them by sight enough to be able to identify them in some rather shoddy looking merchandise. They're giants of cinema, and I always wanted to try out something of theirs. The Eureka Masters of Cinema release, Laurel & Hardy: The Silent Years - 1927 presented me with my first opportunity to do so. 

The release brings together fifteen silent shorts, from their very first film together on to the 'official' birth of their partnership. As such, this is a perfect place for anyone like myself to start their Laurel and Hardy experience, as well as a great addition to collections for long time fans.

The first film in the set is The Lucky Dog, and sees Stan Laurel taking the centre stage as a young man down on his luck and facing a number of personal woes. Most of these are physical in nature, such as when he's almost hit by a pair of moving trams, or when his landlady swings her broom at his head. However, things begin to look up for him when he catches the eye of a young woman; but her jealous boyfriend and a mugger, played by Hardy, means it'll be anything but easy for him. I'd heard that silent movies were stunt filled and packed with spectacle, and this film demonstrates that, opening with Laurel taking a dive into the street. It also uses some on screen animation and extra graphics here and there that give things a bit of extra flair. It's a fun introduction to the genre, and the characters themselves. 

45 Minutes From Hollywood is the pair's second film together, and they're still not the headliners that they'd become, with both of them playing supporting parts here. The film is fun enough, but does stand out as something a little unexpected as the two men you've bought the set to see never even appear in the same frame together. It's hard to really say this is a Laurel and Hardy movie, and it's more a film they both happen to be in, but as a piece of their history it's decent to have along. The next film, Duck Soup, feels more like what I've come to understand their movies to be, as the two of them are actually paired on screen for the first time in a substantial way. The two of them are acting in the ways I expect, with Laurel displaying his iconic grin, whilst Hardy slips into the role of the more physical one of the two. It's early days still, and it's not quite there yet, but this really feels like the genesis of what they'll become known for.

As the films progress, we see this pattern, with the two of them briefly coming together before another movie has them doing other things. You can tell that the winning formula hasn't quite been seen yet, and the times when they're together in the earlier movies feel more coincidence than planned, but as you work your way through the films there's a definite shift to the iconic duo we know, and by the end it's a Laurel and Hardy that most people would recognise.

The films collected here showcase a decent range of what silent movies had to offer, and many of them are still as humorous and entertaining as they were back in the day, with the practical stunts and effects being incredibly charming despite how basic some are simply because this was the early days of filmmaking, and you can see the craftsmanship and experimentation on screen in front of you. Even separate from Laurel and Hardy themselves, this set offers an enjoyable look at what films of the 1920's were offering audiences. 

Considering that the films here are almost 100 years old they're presented really well. Most are in black and white, though a few have a slightly different tone to them depending on what filter was used at the time. Because of the age there are times when there are dips in visual quality, and some films can alter from scene to scene, but considering the age and technology from the time none of them are too bad, nor is anything here unwatchable. It's likely the best versions of a lot of these films that most people will have seen. The discs do include some new audio for the films, however, with the music having been newly created for this release; which considering most films of the time had live music in theatres rather than a soundtrack isn't too surprising an addition here.

Each of the films also comes with an audio commentary featuring experts on film of the era, as well as Laurel and Hardy in particular. These were informative and entertaining, and offered me a decent amount of insight into each of the films as well as their backgrounds. There's also a bunch of other features, including interviews with experts on silent movies, alongside archival interviews and recordings.

Having come to this set fresh, with no history with these entertainers I was unsure how much it would grab me or entertain, but the films are presented so well, with tons of extra context and information, that it made for an educational and enjoyable experience. But for fans of the actors it's likely going to be a must buy. Yes, you've probably already seen these movies before, but you'll not have seen them looking this good.

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The Contestant - Film Review

 

I'm not sure when the first time was that I heard about Tomoaki Hamatsu and his remarkable claim to fame, but it was one of those schoolyard rumours that I'd heard people talking about; a man, stripped naked, and surviving off nothing but competition winnings inside a small apartment as part of a Japanese gameshow. I knew little else about it, and having seen some of the extreme things that happen on Japanese television I made some big assumptions about this, namely that Tomoaki had entered into this situation willingly. The new documentary film The Contestant, that charts this dramatic story, reveals a much darker truth, and presents a story that feels more like a horror film than I could have first imagined.

For those not in the know, the Japanese television show Susunu! Denpa Shōnen was looking for a new reality segment for their series. Having become well known for it's reality based challenges and travel segments, but television executive Toshio Tsuchiya came up with a new idea, to see how long it would take someone to reach a goal of  ¥1 million in magazine prizes with nothing else to live off. To this end he hosted an audition with a number of people, one of whom was picked for the role. This is how Tomoaki Hamatsu became involved in Life in Prizes. The documentary reveals, however, that Tomoaki did not know that he was going to be on television.

Taken straight from the audition, he was blindfolded and taken to an empty apartment where Tsuchiya ordered him to strip naked. He was told that he needed to win prizes to earn his freedom, and was left alone with a stack of magazines and postcards. Unknown to Tomoaki, his every move was being recorded, and broadcast on Susunu! Denpa Shōnen, becoming the shows most popular segment. 

Whilst this situation sounds incredible, it's relayed to viewers here with such mater of fact bluntness that you find yourself shocked and appalled by events. Tsuchiya talks about the idea behind his 'show' as if it's simply some kind of thought exercise and not the very real torture of another human being. He shows little regret or compassion throughout most of the movie, and that coupled with the decreasing health and sanity of Tomoaki, who the show mockingly named Nasubi, meaning Eggplant, because of the shape of his head, makes this a surprisingly chilling experience.

The Contestant charts Tomoaki's journey across 335 days, where he was naked and alone, trying to win his freedom. Whilst he was first given a few crackers each day so that he didn't starve to death, those were soon taken from him and Tomoaki was reduced to eating raw rice and dog food to survive. The film intercuts this footage of Tomoaki with details of the world outside, one where people are tuning in to watch his progress with a sense of glee, where people are laughing at him as he does his best to simply not die. We also hear from his family, who had no idea what had happened to him or where he'd gone, until they saw him naked, starving, and somewhat crazed on their televisions. 

It's somewhat amazing to see the two sides of this event, one where the public are being swept up into a fervour, where they see entertainment and comedy in the situation and they don't want it to end because it's part of their Friday night viewing for almost a year. On the flip side, there's a man who's going through some of the worst psychological torture imaginable. It's heart breaking to watch at times. Especially when you find out what comes next. 

Having finally reached his goal, Tomoaki is awoken in the middle of the night by Tsuchiya, who gives him his clothes back, now hanging off his thin frame, and takes him on a flight. Tomoaki is taken to Korea, where he's treated to a nice meal, and Tsuchiya buys him a gift. Tomoaki thinks this is part of his prize before he gets to go home, that is until Tsuchiya takes him to another apartment, forces him to strip, and makes him go through it all again; but this time in Korea, where Tomoaki doesn't read the language, so has to learn Korean whilst winning prizes. You might ask why he'd go along with this, why he'd not just leave, but by this point Tomoaki's spirit is completely broken, and you can see it. The footage of Tsuchiya convincing Tomoaki to go through this again is horrifying, because it shows how a man has been so broken and his will destroyed by what is frankly a sadistic and cruel TV executive who doesn't want to lose his cash cow. 

Thankfully, Tomoaki's torture couldn't last forever, and he eventually 'won' the show. But as you can imagine, fifteen months of this life had an extreme toll on Tomoaki's life. The documentary takes some tome to go into this, detailing his recovery from his ordeal. Whilst the show made him something of a household name in Japan, with more than 17 million viewers watching him real fame never really came from this. Instead, Tomoaki became a fierce advocate for this home of Fukashima, and would go on to do some incredible things for them. As a result, the film ends on something of a high note (literally), as we see Tomoaki achieve the incredible; but not because of Life in Prizes, in spite of it. 

Tomoaki Hamatsu's story is an incredible one, one that is shocking, horrific, sad, and in some ways inspiring too. He's a man who was exploited and abused for entertainment. He was put on television, naked and almost dying, without his knowledge, his diaries he wrote during this time that chronicled his declining mental state were published by the broadcasters and became best sellers. Everything about him became a product for almost a year and a half, he wasn't a man, but a thing to be used. He was worn down and destroyed, but he also came back with a strength that most people would fail to find.

The Contestant is a film that has to be seen to be believed. The story it tells is one of the most shocking in the modern era, one that shows how terrible the entertainment industry can be. But it's also one that will make you think about the things you watch, will make you question how many reality or documentary shows are actually simply just exploiting people, and how they might be appealing to the worst parts of your own nature. People seem quick to forget others humanity, especially if it benefits them. Tomoaki Hamatsu is one of the best examples of this we have.

The Contestant is released in UK cinemas on the 27th November 2024. 

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2 Dumb Dinos - Graphic Novel Review

 

The newspaper-style comic strip has been around for a very long time, and it's a format that doesn't really seem to be going away even in an age where fewer and fewer people are actually engaging in print news; to the point where it looks like many publications may soon be as extinct as the pre-historic stars of this new graphic novel. Despite this, the format of silly, topical, and even bizarre comic strips continues in online spaces, often appearing on people's social media. And this is likely where most people will have met Scumbag and Dingus, the two titular dumb dinos.

Created by Nathan Hamill, son of the Star Wars mega star and talented creator in his own right, and Eric Filipkowski, who's worked on and off screen in a number of comedy shows including South Park and Drunk History, 2 Dumb Dinos collects together the first 36 strips into a small, hardcover volume. Partially inspired by the comic strips of old, the two creators make nods to current affairs, referencing elections and political figures, as well as having completely odd adventures that make little to no sense at times.

One of my biggest take aways from reading the book (a quick experience that took less than thirty minutes all told), was that I don't really know who this humour is for. Much of 2 Dumb Dinos is stuff happening for no real reason, and with no explanation, and it's perhaps more akin to the online comedy style of Gen Z. Now, this is where I'm going to sound old, and I kind of hate that, but because of this I just didn't really gel well with the book. There's a strip where Dingus convinces Scumbag to buy shoes for his hands, and Scumbag then can't get into a Pringles tube and assumes it's a plot by his friend to steal his new hand shoes. Another has one of the dinos dressing as different sub cultures each week, such as goth or as a Harry Potter fan, only for the last panel to reveal he'd been caught on To Catch a Predator, but don't worry, it's not a paedophile thing. If this is supposed to be comedy it didn't work for me as I failed to even crack a smile. 

Many of the strips are like this, with almost disconnected things happening, leading to a punchline that's either got nothing to do with the rest of the strip, or just kind of peters out into nothing. Yes, I know that this is essentially Gen Z humour, where things are either random and weird, or they're funny by not being funny, but I'm not Gen Z, I'm old and boring (I guess), and so there was very little about the writing of the book that I actually liked. One of the strips even succinctly summed up why I didn't really click with it, with one of the dinos saying 'I think the fans are happy just watching us talk in profile in this featureless room that could really just be anywhere…We’ll just stick with what works: jokes that don’t make any sense or even have a punchline.'

But, comics aren't just about writing, they're also art, and the art can be a hugely important part of the final product. So, what's the art on 2 Dumb Dinos like? Well, the front cover is about as colourful as it gets. The purple and green of Dingus and Scumbag on the cover of the book is the only time you're going to get the characters looking like that. The interior of the book is very, very brown. There are two colours, a light brown that's pretty much everything, and a darker brown that's used for shadows and highlights. As such, the book is very dull looking, and mixed with the flat comedy, it led to a reading experience that felt devoid of much enjoyment. If the book was coloured normally, with the lead characters being bright and colourful, and the items and costumes used for their gags having some character, then perhaps the book would have landed better for me; but as it is it's two dull looking characters in a dull brown void that was thoroughly visually unappealing. Hamill has colourist listed amongst his credits, but little of that seems to be on show here.

This seems like a pretty negative review, and I'm disappointed that it comes across that way because I wanted to like the book. I like this kind of format of short funny comics, but I think this boils down to me not being the target audience. There will absolutely be people out there who love this, who find it funny and will get the humour. I'm just not one of them. So I'm not going to say it's bad, I'm not going to say it's a book you shouldn't try out, because it could very well be a hit for you. If you like weird and random humour, if you're Gen Z and grew up on odd internet memes and shows like Spongebob Squarepants then you should definitely give 2 Dumb Dinos a look.

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Marginal by Tom Carlisle - Book Review

 

'When Rob receives a call in the middle of the night, he knows it must be bad news. But he isn't quite prepared for what he hears; his brother, Marcus, has died on the Systematics compound in Scotland, where the two of them grew up. The place Rob managed to escape with his sanity barely intact, the place that hollowed out his parents and his brother.

'Rob is determined to go up north to the compound to see Marcus laid to rest, but more importantly, to get to the bottom of what killed him. Because Rob has been waiting for the Systematics to make a mistake, for their charismatic leader Bjorn Thrissell to show his true colours so that Rob can make their crimes public and bring them down for good.

'But when Rob arrives at the compound with his producer Lucy in tow, they discover a group of people coming apart at the seams and paranoia seeping through the community. Mutiny is in the air and worse still… there is something lurking under the surface, something monstrous and murderous, something that has been biding its time in the margins…

'Trapped and isolated, Rob and Lucy are going to have to put their trust in the community they have come to ruin if any of them are going to have any hope of survival.'

Cults are a ripe ground for horror stories. They're a very real horror that exists within our world, one where we can see how far people can be abused and broken by corrupt leaders, as well as showcasing the extremes that people are willing to go to for their beliefs. Some of the most frightening things people have done throughout history have been because of religion, and modern day cults are usually reflective of this. As such, Marginal is able to tap into some very dark ideas and horror that feels very grounded with its story set around a remote cult in remote Scotland. However, it's not afraid to dive into the realm of the fantastical too.

The story follows Rob, a man who was raised as a member of the Systematics cult, but who managed to escape from it a number of years earlier; an experience that still has a number of psychological scars that he's living with. When Rob is awoken in the middle of the night with a phone call telling him that his brother, Marcus, who remained in Systematics, has died, Rob knows that he's going to have to face the terrible events of his past.

Rob is determined to be there for his brother's funeral, being held within the Systematics compound in Scotland, and wants to find out exactly how and why his brother died so suddenly. Lucy, a young podcaster who wants to get a story about Systematics, accompanies him north, hoping to get the big scoop that will make her career. The two of them arrive at the compound and meet with the leader of the cult, the charismatic Bjorn Thrissell, hoping that they'll be able to learn the truth. Unfortunately, neither of them could ever expect what they find.

In some ways Marginal feels like a book of two halves, with half the book being very grounded in reality, dealing with the Systematics cult, and their affect on Rob and his brother. It's got some dark moments, as all stories about cults tend to do, but it's geared more towards character drama and mystery as to how Marcus died than anything else. 

Rob is something of an unlikeable protagonist in some regards. He's clearly a man with a lot of demons and a lot of trauma in his past, and this is all being dragged up to the fore thanks to the loss of his brother and having to return to the Systematics compound. But, because of this there are times where he's somewhat overly aggressive, he snaps at people, he's surly and withdrawn. His journey throughout Marginal, and the way it affects Rob emotionally is one of the main aspects of the book, and it's interesting to see the journey he goes through, but there are also times where I kind of wanted to yell at Rob. This isn't a bad thing, and having an imperfect lead character can be a lot of fun, but I can see how this might be challenging for some readers, and why not everyone might gel well with him.

The supporting characters are kind of similar too, thanks in no small part to most of them being cult members. A lot of people in the book are self serving, or liars, or simply untrustworthy, and it leads to a situation where as a reader I was never sure if I could trust what people were saying or doing, or if I should want to see them come out the other side. It created this somewhat grey narrative, one where I found myself challenged in a lot of ways.

Marginal is a story about a cult, but it's also more than that, as there's a shift in the narrative part of the way through that turns this from a grounded, realistic cult horror story, into something much, much more frightening. I will not say much about it, as going in knowing as little as possible about the book is definitely the best approach, but this shift introduces some wild new elements to the book, and comes with some extreme violence, gore, and body horror that is sure to shock the reader. 

Overall, I had a pretty decent time with Marginal, it had some cool ideas and some flawed characters that I think will likely challenge some readers. But it was also at times a hard read thanks to its darker tone and more depressing story. Marginal will appeal to a lot of horror fans, but it might not be to everyone's tastes.

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Advent - Film Review

 

The Halloween season has just come to an end, and the Christmas season is just around the corner, so what should people be watching in the meantime? Well, why not bridge the gap with some Christmastime horror in the form of the new movie Advent?

Advent, told in a documentary/YouTube footage combination, tells the story of Hayley (Rasina Alexander), a young woman who's recently lost her mother to a tragic and gruesome suicide, and is trying her best to find some stability in life alongside her alcoholic father. Thanks to her love of urban legends and the paranormal, Hayley has been using her YouTube as an outlet, something where she can share her passions with other like-minded people. Unfortunately, she's somewhat obsessive, checking every comment instantly, tracking her views, and uploading more videos than she can likely manage.

As Christmas is approaching, Hayley tracks down something truly special via an internet seller, a Krampus Calendar. According to legend, this old wooden advent calendar is a way of access the world of the paranormal, and will allow the user to give their soul over to Krampus. Believing that this will help to make her internet famous, she buys the calendar and plans to use it; much to the dismay of her best friend, Charlie (Cian Lorcan). The calendar has some strict rules, each door must be opened at midnight, and the challenge within must be completed within twenty-four hours. Whilst some of the challenges seem simple and innocuous at first, such as circling your Christmas tree three times, or knocking on a window, they soon take on a darker tone, and it's clear that something is having a strange effect on Hayley.

Found footage movies are a common choice amongst low budget horror directors. You don't need much equipment, you don't need a big crew on set, if things look a little janky and unprofessional it adds to the amateur footage quality, and thanks to the advent of everyone having a camera on them it's incredibly believable that people would record strange events happening to them. Whilst there have been some truly great entries into the genre over the years there have been a lot that have left a lot to be desired thanks to how much easier they are to make, and people with little to no experience giving making a horror film a try. And whilst Advent will not be remembered amongst the ranks of films like The Blair Witch Project, Goniam Haunted Asylum, or Paranormal Activity, it manages to be entertaining enough that I never once felt truly bored; which is something I'd class as a big achievement in the found footage genre.

Writer and director Airell Anthony Hayles has managed to craft an interesting narrative in Advent, a film that blends together a sit down interview with Richard Hill (Nicholas Vince), someone who knew Hayley and has expertise on urban legends, and footage from Hayley's YouTube. The choice to blend together what's essentially the regular kind of found footage scenes with a more documentary style helps the movie quite a bit. It breaks up the scenes, allows a narrator to add context and background detail that would be hard to fit in naturally, such as the origin of the evil calendar and the fate of Hayley's mother, and it gives the movie an air of legitimacy. Many found footage films try set themselves up as evidence footage or lost tapes suddenly found, but Advent plays more like a low budget documentary show you might find on a small channel at 11pm, and it kind of really works that way.

Hayley's story, the main thrust of the film, is also very interesting as not a huge amount actually happens in terms of jump scares or frights. I had something of an expectation that as each door on the calendar opened we'd get mounting supernatural experiences, such as the ramping ghost activity in Paranormal Activity, but instead most of the film was a collection of videos where Hayley was showing each challenge and performing them with no apparent result. Instead, it's the overall event that generates the tension. Each challenge seems banal, even silly, but as they go on you start to see a physical and mental decline in Hayley that unnerves more than any shadow figures or loud bangs in the night would manage.

Hayley is a character that suffers, a lot. Her journey over the course of the film feels mostly normal at times, though there are enough weird things that happen that you question if there might be something supernatural at play. Because of this it feels eerily grounded, and the movie takes on this horrible voyeuristic feel where it's like we're watching someone have a terrible mental health crisis. You feel intrusive being there, that we shouldn't be seeing this, and the sense of realism that is brought to things gets under your skin.

Because of this, the film is a slow burn, and so may not be to everyone's tastes, but where most found footage films go for jumps and characters we're waiting to see killed off Advent feels like it's trying to be more of a character study, and so it offers something that will scratch a very different itch. That being said, there is a scene in the film that does a couple of supernatural switcheroo's that lead to a moment that I absolutely adored, and I feel was worth the price of admission alone.

Advent is an unusual film. It's sitting in a genre that has some very tried and true formulas but instead of going along with them is having a go at crafting something a little bit different. The performances from the cast are decent, with Rasina Alexander being of particular note thanks to how well she portrays her characters slow descent into horror. If you're not quite ready for the spooky season to be over and need something to get you ready for the incoming holiday season then Advent is definitely worth considering.

Advent is released on UK digital streaming platforms on 25th November.

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