HF: Nuclear Fallout

CHERNOBYL DIARIES
(Bradley Parker , 2012)
A group of good-looking twentysomethings ventures into a quarantined area that was affected by the Chernobyl disaster of the 80's.  Terror ensues.  Produced and co-scripted by Oren Peli (the creator of Paranormal Activity), the film occasionally has the feel of a film shot in the "found footage" format.  Ignored when it was released earlier this summer, for the most part I enjoyed this.  The cinematography, casting a perfect eerie gray over the city, keeps things tense.  Venturing into the unknown has always been a horror staple, but there's a genuine sense of mystery given the surroundings.  The outcome isn't as strong as the buildup, too much running with flashlights into abandoned underground structures.  Nothing beats an earlier scene of going into a desolate building and seeing a bear randomly run through.  Singer Jesse McCartney and Wolf Creek's Nathan Phillips lead the cast.  GRADE: B-

WRONG TURN 5: BLOODLINES
(Declan O'Brien, 2012)
Yes, as long they make them, I'll keep seeing them.  This one might tie Part 3 for being worst of the series.  It also seemed a lot less violent than the last one, though don't worry gorehounds: there's still plenty of splattering to be had.  Our cannibal family of this franchise sets its sights on a Mountain Man music festival, where there will be plenty of young things to slice and dice.  Amusingly enough, almost all the sets are totally vacant.  We're repeatedly told what a huge festival it is and how much trouble the local police have, yet the outdoor scenes are empty and the streets rarely have more than two extras.  Worse yet, there's no woods action.  All the mayhem goes down in a police station, a motel room, the streets in between and, quite randomly, an empty soccer field.  How are we supposed to fear the woods of West Virginia and their demented inhabitants if we're never there?  At just 91 minutes, it feels 15 minutes too long and has little rhythm.  Acting is about what you'd expect for the fourth direct to dvd sequel to a movie that starred Eliza Dushku.  Though I'd like to point out that the actor that played Gus, named Paul Luebke, was ridunkulously hot.  Just in case he googles himself, job well done!  Some fine Tail From the Crypt, that one.  (I love that term and stole it from the website Camp Blood.)  GRADE: D