Host (2020)

Host

• Independent horror is always a hit or miss. Either it’s really good, or really bad. In this case, it absolutely rocks, and a huge reason why horror is my favorite genre. In fact, it’s the best genre, and there’s no argument. Especially when it’s found footage or shot through a laptop. This movie is basically like ‘Unfriended’, but even better. It’s only an hour long, which is absolutely perfect. It’s just long enough to get the point across, but not too long to where it overstays its welcome. It’s one of the most perfect lengths of any horror film I’ve seen. The authenticity and realism was through the roof. If you’ve seen this, do yourself a favor and go read the production history on this movie, it’s really interesting. The story wasn’t over the top but enough to keep you on your seat, trying to guess what would happen next. The use of jump scares was amazing, because almost every single one was extremely effective, which is a compliment coming from me. There’s not a lot of movies that really scare me, but this one did a pretty good job. Especially the scene where Caroline searches the attic. Which is funny, because that one’s not even a jump scare, it just made me feel terrified. A great use of special effects, especially the at-home ones. Like I said, read about the production. Finally, the acting was really good, much better than I was expecting it to be. Considering it’s an indie horror film all shot through Zoom. Overall, this movie is extremely well made, with fantastic effort from everyone involved. When you finish watching it, you’ll appreciate low budget horror even more, and the use of technology to make incredible things at home. I’d recommend this to all horror fans, especially if you like found footage style films (like ‘Unfriended’ or ‘Missing’). This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!