Veronica
Veronica is a schoolgirl in early 90's Madrid whose father has passed away. She's left caring for her younger siblings while her mother goes out to work. She buys a ouija board and user guide from a newstand and her and two friends try and contact Veronica's father while the rest of the school are watching the eclipse. Things get strange pretty quickly freaking the girls out after veronica cuts her hand and bleeds on the table before it catches fire.
The girls hurry off but Veronica soon notices strange things happening around her and realises she has brought something back home with her.
After this hit Netflix there were stories online about people having to turn it off because it was too terrifying. I'm always sceptical about these types of stories but given this is directed by REC. director Paco Plaza I had at least some hope of something good. Thankfully it mostly lives up to its promise. Its not as scary as some people have claimed. Its got some very creepy sequences, especially with a mysterious figure stalking Veronica. However its not sleep with the lights on terrifying. The early 90's setting is well realised and some slightly iffy effects in places it mostly works. It's on Netflix so costs you nothing if your already a subscriber. Well worth checking out.
Ravenous
Not the Antonia Bird film with Guy Pierce. Ravenous is a French-Canadian zombie flick that follows various characters surviving in rural Canada several weeks after a zombie outbreak. It starts cutting back and fourth between the different characters before they ultimately meet up and decide to head to a nearby bunker.
In terms of plot, there's not a lot here that isn't especially new. Where it stands out is in terms of its tone and how well its been made. Its going to alienate a portion of its audience and I have to admit to struggling through the first 20-30 minutes. Stick with it though as it does pay off. Mainly its the quiet, almost dream like atmosphere of the film, with a quiet score that feels more like ambient sound. The zombies don't just charge in but seem to try and lure people in to traps. They also have begun building strange structures out in the wilderness out of chairs. The film is relentlessly downbeat, it kills off characters its spent time getting you to like and there's an almost strange sense of hopelessness that permeates the film. Again its on Netflix. Its worth a go.
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