V/H/S 99

The V/H/S film saga is back with an even more disturbing sequel that rightly celebrates the horror genre by giving voice to a whole new generation of directors. Featuring five new stories from directors Maggie Levin (Into The Dark: My Valentine), Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City), Flying Lotus (Kuso), Tyler MacIntyre (Tragedy Girls), and Joseph & Vanessa Winter (Deadstream), V/H/S/99 reminds us of the last analog punk rock days of VHS, while taking a giant step into the hell of the new millennium.

Horrific sketch films have always interested us because of their approach of proposing short stories that don't necessarily require unnecessary developments and go straight to the point. We still remember films like Creepshow (1982), Trick 'r Treat (2009) which showed that it was possible to propose short and engaging stories. Certainly V/H/S 99 continues with an undeniable talent this model that has proven itself and allowed many young directors to be noticed and gain visibility. Taking up the theme of the found footage films that made the success of the cinematographic saga V/H/S.

Of course in the case of V/H/S/99 the five short films are not all of the same quality but they all provide their dose of horrific or even really disturbing scenes.  However, one could criticize this feature film for linking the five stories by stop-motion filmed segments featuring toy fights. We would have much preferred a sketch linking together these five stories in the manner of the memorable Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990). 

The first segment, directed by Maggie Levin, is curiously the weakest in this film. A musical band with no real talent from the 90's goes to rehearse in a small concert hall supposedly haunted by a tragedy that took place in the past. Although this story is quite scary and disturbing, it clearly lacks a good dose of originality to hold our attention.

The second segment, Suicide bid directed by Johannes Roberts is definitely one of the best of this film as it turns out to be one of the most frightening of this film and will mark our memories as movie lovers long after we have seen it. In this one a young student who wants to join an important sorority must agree to spend the night in a coffin. Things take a tragic and disturbing turn, bringing out monsters from the past. Claustrophobes please do not.

Tyler MacIntyre's The Gawkers will remind us of Tom Holland's cult film Fright Night (1985). Young teenagers are obsessed with their beautiful neighbor living in the house across the street and she turns out to be as beautiful as she is dangerous and above all a real monster. This short film is certainly sympathetic and worthwhile especially by its end but we would have liked a faster rhythm and the fact of going directly to the essential and not having certain useless lengths.

To Hell and Back by Joseph and Vanessa Winter deserves to discover this film as it is perfectly mastered, frightening and above all shows an unbridled imagination.  The story deals with the ritual invocation of a demon at the time of the passage to the year 2000 between friends and makes that some will find themselves in hell and to face numerous monsters which will have nothing to envy to those imagined by Clive Barker. Certainly this part makes V/H/S/99 a film not to be missed on Shudder.

Finally the last segment Ozzy's Dungeon from Flying Lotus is the longest and not the most successful as it is so long and would have deserved to be shorter. Of course it is a satire of American reality TV games but with the presence of demons and monsters. The end of this story will remind us of the universe rich in cruelty of H. P. Lovecraft. However, we would have preferred to have a better segment to end this dive in the late 90s and its batch of scares of all kinds.

A new part is already in production with a title V/H/S/85 and a cast of impressive directors like Scott Derrickson, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Natasha Kermani and Mike P. Nelson. To say that we are waiting for this new part is a total evidence. In the meantime we can only advise you to discover V/H/S/99 on Shudder.

V/H/S/99
Directed by Johannes Roberts, Vanessa & Joseph Winter, Maggie Levin, Tyler MacIntyre, Flying Lotus
Produced by Josh Goldbloom, Brad Miska, David Bruckner, Chad Villella, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett, James Harris
Written by Maggie Levin, Johannes Roberts, Flying Lotus, Chris Lee Hill, Tyler MacIntyre, Vanessa Winter, Joseph Winter
Starring Jesse LaTourette, Keanush Tafreshi, Dashiell Derrickson, Jackson Kelly, Tybee Diskin, Verona Blue, Aminah Nieves, Kelley Missal, Melissa Macedo, Ally Ioannides, Isabelle Hahn, Breana Raquel, Caitlin Serros, Brittany Gandy, Logan Riley, Maurice Webster, Steven Ogg, Jerry Boyd, Sonya Eddy, Amelia Ann, Charles Lott Jr, Stephanie Ray, Lauren Powers, Lukas Gilbert, Shae Rodriguez, Jeff Barnett, Khalid Ghajji, Zinnett Hendrix, Raquel Cain, Emily Sweet, Luke Mullen, Ethan Pogue, Cree Kawa, Tyler Lofton, Duncan Anderson, Denise Dorado, Janna Bossier, Hannah Kat Jones, Danny Jolles, Archelaus Crisanto, Joseph Winter, Melanie Stone, Kim Abunuwara, Ehab Abunuwara, Ryann Abunuwara, Tori Pence, James C. Morris, Perla Lacayo, Vickie Hayden, Coe-Jane Weight, Ariel Lee, Dustin Watts, Calen Chan, Christian Russell, Tyler Evans, Miguel Peña, Parker Cluff, Sena Warren, Casey Warren, Alex Hasse, Beni Alexander, Halem Medina, Corbett McAllister, Marc Miller, Austin Anderson, Jared Cook, Vanessa Winter, Amanda Seria
Music by Keeley Bumford Dresage
Cinematography: Alexander Chinnici, Alex Choonoo, Jared Cook, Nicholas Piatnik
Edited by Andy Holton, Thom Newell, Joseph Winter
Production companies : Bloody Disgusting, Soapbox Films, Cinepocalypse Productions, Radio Silence Productions
Studio71
Distributed by Shudder
Release dates : September 16, 2022 (TIFF), October 20, 2022 (United States)
Running time : 109 minutes

Seen on October 18, 2022 (screener press)

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