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johnfhale3
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Never Hike in the Snow (2020)
DiSanti does it again
Was a big fan of the Never Hike Alone short film so when I heard he was planning on doing a series of films featuring his "Ghost Jason" I jumped at the chance to support it.
The film is a great set up for his future films and def has the style and feel of the old classics. While light on kills, the brutality of the ones on screen are really memorable!
Can't wait for the next one!
One Must Fall (2018)
A Wild Ride
One Must Fall plays at first like a horror comedy then it quickly shifts into a nightmare inducing hellscape. The camera work and acting are great.
For a feature debut this film will surely please any horror fan.
Shallow Water (2017)
Shallow Water: A great tribute to the genre
I've been following the production of Shallow Water for the past two years now. I backed both instances of his Kickstarter because of my fondness for monster movies. As one of the many fans who gave supported this film, I was very eager to see what Sandy Collora had in store.
Shallow Water opens in a lush jungle environment reminiscent of the establishing shots from John McTiernan's Predator. We are then plunged into the action by following a woman named Diane, played by Lisa Roumain, who is being chased by an unknown assailant. We soon find out that she is being stalked in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, being pursued by a humanoid reptilian creature.
Shallow Water is a short that crams as much action and excitement as it can into its 19 min run time. To me, this film hit some very familiar elements found in creature films but was able to present them in a fresh way.
Sandy Collora's vision is unique and refreshing. Many filmmakers who delve into the horror genre rely on jump scares and cheap tricks to garner tension, not Collora. He is able to terrify the audience with unsettling imagery combined with great foley work. One of the terrifying shots, in my opinion, actually happens just off the frame as Roumain's character tries to hide from the aquatic monster.
The main monster, the Tiburonera, was an original design which I believe was based off an Alligator snapping turtle. When you think of Turtles you don't really think of a terrifying creature but Collora delivers a monster that not only terrifies but def leaves a lasting impression.
One of the things that caused me to tense up in my seat was the incredible sound design and booming score by Bill Lacey. Heavy bass hits and tribal notes instantly transport you to the hidden primal jungles where man has seldom ventured before.
If I were to offer any criticisms of the film it would be that it is short. Let me be clear, it is a great short but this should have been a feature film. I would've loved to learn more about why and how the characters came to be unwitting prey. The fact that Collora was able to elicit such a response in me shows that he did his job well.
Sandy Collora is a filmmaker who has been in the FX world for over 20 years and his knowledge came in handy when producing a low-budget short that felt epic. You can tell he pulled out all the stops to deliver a film that not only paid tribute to the genre but also set out to make an original piece that will leave a lasting impression on any creature fan.
I'd highly recommend picking it up when it's available!