The Notorious Finster

It's an Indy flick, and it shows. If you like movies with poor acting, poor filming and a predictable storyline, then this one's for you. I only paid for it because of all the great reviews. I wish at least one person had told the truth - well I am. Absolute stinker. This is two hours you'll never get back. Don't say I didn't tell you. The leading lady is a Jennifer Connolly look-alike. Most of the acting is very stiff. The special effects were awful. I have watched all of John Carpenter's debut films, on the low budget that I read he had - he created a masterpiece. This is not a masterpiece, but it is a piece.

I watched "The Notorious Finster" the other night and was blown away by this well-crafted and hair-raising film. It was one of the best offerings of the insane killer genre that I've seen. Finster is a thinking person's horror film, with sharp psychological insights, humor, wry dialogue, and a unique protagonist -- a woman crime journalist who has been on the serial killer's trail for years. Annie Sullivan, a fully-drawn character with demons of her own, is played by Amanda Evans, who is spot on in her portrayal of a boosey and self-deceiving, yet brainy and resolute pursuer of truth. Beautifully filmed and directed, Finster will keep you on the edge of your seat, from its grusome opening scene until it's truly shocking final twist.

If you enjoy darker dramas or dreary crime stories at all, do yourself a favor and give it a watch. Keeps you on the edge of your seat right from the beginning. I personally felt the actual climax was much before the climax that's depicted (won't let out spoilers) though I was honestly expecting a different ending , it doesn't fail to satisfy you at the end. Gives you a thought provocation on what's actually "innocent" and what's not. The best thing about the movie is the way it fiddles with your mind at the end as to who the protagonist really is - I mean it wasn't a gory movie , there wasn't much violence shown but being left to the mind made it much more disturbing than it could have been.

Henderson has elevated his delivery with this suspenseful movie. This is a great who-done-it storyline with unsettling, and sometimes untrusting relationships at its foundation. The gore-factor is relevant without it taking center stage. It is just enough to depict the scene without it being over-the-top. Henderson does a good job of leaving you wondering and unsettled until it all unfolds. Several scenes deliver a solid shock-value causing immediate reaction. One scene delivers a very intense dose of noxious imagery which left me watching with one eye peeking between my fingers. Totally worth the watch!

This one took me by surprise - it was really a really good film! I found myself engaged from the very beginning and it managed to check most of the boxes I look for in a film. The story follows a tenacious writer, Annie who works closely with a detective (Det Sgt Brady) to track down a serial killer that took a short hiatus but is now back on their radar. Annie has some demons of her own and struggles to keep her eye on the ball. Annie finds a new friend who shares in her very same struggles and the relationship between the two is compelling. Very well done film and a most definitely worth the watch!