The Blair Witch Project

Big budget horror movies can be fun -- with heart-stopping soundtracks, popular lead actors, gory special effects, and well-known directors. However, sometimes you need a break from the mainstream, and watch a good low-budget scary movie. Ironically, The Blair Witch Project is the epitome of low-budget, indepedent cinema that is so frightening and so unpredictable it became a staple in pop culture history.

We all know the story: three aspiring filmmakers go into the woods on a quest to investigate a small town legend -- and never return. I saw this movie when I was eleven years old and has left a huge impression on me ever since. Some people nowadays may find this movie boring and nauseating (due to the continuous shaking of the camera). It may be nauseating, but it is far from boring.

Sometimes less is more and that is what The Blair Witch Project brings to the table. Relying on atmosphere, cheap camera tricks, and almost inaudible laughter from children is surely frightening and sends a chill down your spine. I still cannot go deep into the woods thinking I'm being watched by some malevolent force. Cheesy, but nonetheless terrifying.

The acting in this film was mostly improv and you can see it in the actor's (yes, they were actors, not real people) faces. Most of the time, it works, but sometimes it feels over the top, which may have been the intention, but it can take you out of the picture for a split second. However, I think this movie is a masterpiece in horror cinema. It paved the way for smaller movies (horror or non-horror) to break through to the mainstream. It's not a matter of selling out, it's showing us talent from unknown directors, actors, etc -- the recognition they deserve.

I watch this every now and again just to be freaked out. It's not necessarily in-your-face horror, but psychological which works on so many levels. Recommended viewing late at night with some buddies or on your own if you really want to be on edge. The final scene is still one of the most shocking and horrifying scenes I've seen in horror. If you get too freaked out, just stay out of the woods :)

4.5 stars out of 5