Himalaya

A supposedly "live" broadcast of an obsessed anthropologist who explores an ice cave in the remote Himalayas. This micro budget movie is made in a style that tells more than it shows. But what it does show is pretty interesting. Especially the unpleasant discoveries that are waiting for the explorer as he gets deeper inside the cave. The movie deals in many local myths, Nepalese legends, and the possibility that there's a flesh and blood snow creature lurking in the shadows. This is not a hyper realistic movie. There is some decent humor and a few tedious conversations. The filmmakers used a stylized (albeit low budget) approach to the exotic locations suggested in the title. Weaknesses include a somewhat slow pace, average looking creature and and a lot of time spent with the hosts. Strengths include a claustrophobic exploration of a snowy environment with an unexpected twist at the end. Recommended for those who like indie creature movies, especially a title that focuses on the rarely covered yeti!

I got to see this movie at a preview in Los Angeles. This is a fun, low-budget creature feature that combines footage from a live internet broadcast with POV footage captured by a helmet cam attached to an explorer called Dr. Sato. This man who is supposedly an expert in his field, crawls deeper into an ice cave looking for a Himalayan yeti called the Snow Ghost. Along the way there are some morbid discoveries and many strange occurrences that seem more paranormal than physical. Oxygen starts running low in the cave and the explorer seems to be losing his mind on what looks like a potential suicide mission. Tensions are also rising between the broadcasters who are debating about what is real, what is obviously superstition, and what they can do to help Dr Sato survive inside the cave. The movie comes to a boiling point as it becomes evident that this is no longer a quest to discover a mythical beast, but a life and death struggle to survive the elements and other malevolent forces lurking inside the cave.

Overall, this movie is a bit like BBC's Ghostwatch or other live investigation movies. It was fun to learn that the entire film was made with a phone camera inside a warehouse filled with artificial snow. There are some comedic moments, some action and some creature horror for those who like beasts and monsters. This is fun movie made for pennies obviously. It's a campy good time and it has a nice cast including the star of The Human Centipede.

Where do I start? Let's start with something nice. The quality of the photography is actually nice. But that's all I got,

After that it goes down hill REALLY, REALLY fast. Wow, a found footage movie, how original. Since you didn't have to work that hard on the concept, you could have least tried to make the rest of the movie interesting ... which it wasn't. The script, or at least what I am sure they called a script. I am placing my bet that they did not spend more than a weekend on this. Looking at the direction and the scripted scenes, don't expect much from the acting and you won't be disappointed.

In an era dominated by big-budget blockbusters and predictable storylines, "Himalaya" emerges as a breath of fresh air, reminding us of the true magic that indie cinema can create. Released in 2024, this remarkable film takes us on an unforgettable journey through the majestic Himalayas, captivating our hearts and souls with its mesmerizing visuals, poignant storytelling, and unforgettable characters. Among them, the character of Doctor Sato shines as a beacon of compassion and strength, while the spine-chilling yeti sequence at the end leaves an indelible mark of fear in our minds. Please nominate Doctor Sato for an Oscar award or something similar fantastic movie would definitely watch again.

Ok, so found footage isn't my thing, but this is more like a live broadcast to investigate the possibility of a yeti hiding inside of an ice cave. I particularly liked the intro to the "live" show format because it reminded me of the ghost hunting shows I grew up with and still watch as comfort TV. We initially learn a lot about the legend of this mysterious creature and why Dr. Sato is going into this cave to try to prove that the yeti creature exists. As you can probably imagine, things don't go as planned and the situation becomes extremely risky inside the crumbling cave. This movie is actually pretty funny at times and an easy watch because it feels a lot like a tv broadcast. The actor that plays the host keeps the story going by constantly teasing the possibility of seeing something scary and we eventually do. This is a no budget indie film and it really shows at times. But the story is good and the actors are interesting enough. There are a few interesting twists that make it much better than other recent low budget Bigfoot movies like Tahoe Joe which was also recommended to me.