Strange Harvest

I'm a huge fan of found-footage, mockumentary style filmmaking. I really love and appreciate the illusion of truth convincingly told through interviews, first-hand accounts, character exploration etc., and this new independent horror film "Strange Harvest" checks off the boxes I needed to go see it in theatres. It's also the same writer/director who gave us "Grave Encounters", a personal favorite of mine.

Stuart Ortiz's new project centers around a ghostly serial killer with a cosmic agenda and a ritualistic manner of executing his victims. Much like the infamous Zodiac killer he enjoys taunting and mocking law enforcement with cryptic letters while meticulously tracking his victims to make sure they fit his demented criteria. We are told all of this through a series of ongoing interviews with San Bernardino County detectives and investigators as well as friends and loved ones of some of the victims. Overall I felt the acting was really solid and clean, if I wasn't already used to this style of filmmaking I would have genuinely believed these were true accounts that simply went under my radar. I would have assumed there's been a sadistic and disturbed man rampaging through the inland empire.

I've never seen this style of filmmaking on the big screen before, but I'm very glad I did and I do highly recommend this to anyone who loves and wants to support independent horror projects or anyone interested in the world of true crime mystery and lore. (8/10)

Strange Harvest had so much promise, blending its true crime element seamlessly into an eerie, gripping story. For most of the runtime, I was hooked with the pacing, atmosphere, and slow-burn tension were top notch. Unfortunately, the ending completely fizzled. There's barely any satisfying conclusion, and not even a clever final twist to leave on a high note. It's such a shame, because the rest was so strong. A 6/10 for me. Worth watching, but the final moments left me more frustrated than thrilled.

This mockumentary gave me the creeps beyond creeps. This film was so detailed and elaborate that it made my skin crawl. The crime scenes shown in this film were so vile and disturbing that this film will leave you feeling uneasy and looking over your shoulder. This film blends horror with true crime, creating a chilling experience.

This film is everything horror fans could ask for. Strange Harvest kept me on edge with brutal killings and psychological horror. This feels like a fresh take on the mockumentary style - bodycams shots etc adding to the realism, pulled me into the story. The supernatural elements are woven in seamlessly, and the film's unsettling atmosphere grips you from start to finish. The performances are incredible, especially from the non-actors who make the documentary feel so real. This movie is an absolute must-watch for fans of horror, true crime, and found footage-it's one of the best in recent years, and in the time where every man and his dog has a "Found-footage-style horror" TikTok account; this is every bit worth the watch.

Saw this at Nevermore Film Festival in Durham, NC. This film nails the true-crime documentary format, with two hard-boiled detectives relating the story of how they worked to track down a serial killer in San Bernardino County, CA. It's like an extended edition of Dateline crossed with horror, and that's a grand compliment.

There are a lot of killings for the detectives to describe, but leads Peter Zizzo (Det. Joe Kirby) and Terri Apple (Det. Alexis 'Lexi' Taylor) keep it intensely interesting. Their sincere performance helps ground the film, which has a lot of pretty horrifying details to relate.

Although their testimony are mostly filmed seated (separately) in a studio, there are plenty of on-site details of the murders, and insightful and realistic interviews with the people who knew the victims.

The identity of the killer, who calls himself Mr. Shiny, and his reason for his killing spree is kept partially unknown to us until late in the film, which helps slowly ratchet up the suspense from beginning to end.

The film is quite gory, as it doesn't shy away from showing us the aftermath of the murders, each grisly in its own warped way.

When you realize the real reason for the murders (which you might guess sooner than I), the film takes on another dimension of fright.

To finish, if you like police procedurals, but find them too tame, this fictional account is a remarkable likeness of the format, as long as you're ready for some disturbing images.