#(undoubtedly taking spots 1-3 (not in that order**) in 2024) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kevinsreviewcatalogue · 26 days

Text

Salem Horror Fest 2024 Week 1, Day 2: It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This (2023) and Livescreamers (2023)

The second night of the Salem Horror Fest was where the real horror movies came out, and they had a theme: found footage. The similarities ended there, though. The first film of the night was a lo-fi, no-budget film that felt evocative of The Blair Witch Project with its distinctly freeform style, while the second one was a hyper-modern one set in a Twitch stream gone horribly wrong. How were they? Read on...

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This (2023)

Not rated

Score: 3 out of 5

Rachel Kempf and Nick Toti, the writers, directors, and stars of It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This, are among the rare found footage filmmakers who understand the things that only this style of filmmaking can do, and exploit this to the fullest. This is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it means that this film can often be fairly slow and plodding, the camera capturing as many mundane moments as it does big scares and the flow of the film not readily conforming to a traditional structure. On the other, this means that it also had a very particular organic energy to it reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project, another film that understood this, lending credibility to the basic premise that this is supposed to actually be footage recovered by a young couple who were hunting for ghosts in their house. It's a meandering film that takes its sweet time getting to where it wants to go, but one where I appreciated the ultimate destination, and over the course of its run, the found footage/mockumentary style got me into the headspace of its protagonists and helped me grow more attached to them as characters. It's a tiny little film with a lot of heart, and while Kempf and Toti's insistence on only showing it at live screenings for the time being (you can schedule one on their website) will undoubtedly ensure that it doesn't become more than a cult classic, I did not regret watching it.

The basic premise is found footage boilerplate: Rachel and Nick are a married couple who, the both of them being horror/paranormal enthusiasts and (alongside Rachel's friend Christian in the city) amateur filmmakers, decide to buy a dirt-cheap, run-down house in their small town in order to shoot a horror movie -- and maybe spot some real ghosts. The place they bought was reputed to be haunted, and sure enough, at night they spot random people standing outside staring unflinchingly at the house, the beginning of a series of paranormal events that come paired with indications that their little film set may be having some kind of psychic effect on them.

The first half of the film or so is devoted to Rachel, Nick, and Christian's relationship and the mundane, day-to-day activities of their lives and the film project they're working on, and these scenes proved critical. I got a sense that these were real people whose lives were caught on camera as opposed to characters in a movie, giving the film a real, lived-in texture that lent authenticity to everything that happened next. The small-town Missouri setting where this was filmed also did wonders in this department, the protagonists explicitly pointing out that the reason they were able to get the house for so cheap was because their hometown was an out-of-the-way dump, a feeling that definitely came through. The film's attempts to be scary, on the other hand, were often its weakest parts, perhaps most visible in one of its first big horror set pieces, which consists of Rachel and Christian silently sitting together in front of a flickering candle for several uninterrupted minutes until we get a huge jump scare. I get what this scene was trying to go for, but after about a minute or so, it crossed the line and just had me saying "enough is enough, get to the point." It was when the scares tied into the character work that they worked best, especially with the growing hints in the back half of the film that Rachel in particular is slowly losing her mind in her obsession with the house. I would've liked to see more of a focus on this side of the story, a more psychological horror film about Rachel's spiral into madness indicating that she may not be as immune to the house's malignant psychic influence as she thinks she is, and that it's just manifesting differently for her compared to the various people who gather outside to stare at it, especially considering the film's ending, which wrapped it up on a suitably creepy note that managed to pull off a lot considering the low budget.

The Bottom Line

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This was a rough and imperfect film, but one whose low-budget qualities ultimately won me over and played a major role in what I liked most about it. If this ever comes to your area, give it a look.

----------

Second film of the night stood at the exact opposite end of the found-footage spectrum, going for internet modernity instead of small-town grit.

Livescreamers (2023)

Not rated

Score: 4 out of 5

At once a love letter to horror gaming and a vicious takedown of everything toxic about the increasingly commercial world of video game streaming, Livescreamers is a film that combines the "set on a computer screen" conceit of Unfriended with a modernized version of the basic premise of the crappy 2000s horror flick Stay Alive: a group of livestreamers employed by a Rooster Teeth-like company called Janus Gaming decide to play a new multiplayer horror game called House of Souls together for a livestream, only for it to turn out that the game is haunted, knows a lot of their personal secrets, and makes it clear that if they die in the game, they die for real, leading them to start tearing each other apart as all their behind-the-scenes drama starts spilling out into the open. It's undoubtedly a better film than Stay Alive, too, buoyed by creative writing, some good scares, an authentic understanding of gamer/livestreamer culture, and not least of all the actual game itself, which were enough to make up for some hokey acting throughout. This was a very fun ride that I would highly recommend.

I didn't bring up Rooster Teeth back there for no reason, either. Anybody who has one foot in geek culture knows about the behind-the-scenes chaos that destroyed that company, once a pioneer of online media made for and by nerds, in the last few years, from casual bigotry to pedophilia to overwork of its employees, and while writer/director Michelle Iannantuono was in large part drawing from her own experiences in media when writing these characters, the interview she gave afterwards indicated that elements of Rooster Teeth's downfall also informed her writing, complete with some of the dialogue being direct quotes from leaked chat logs. Janus Gaming, like Rooster Teeth, is a company that loves to put forward an image of positivity and inclusion for its fans, but behind the scenes, it's an absolute shitshow where everybody has beef with one another and the leadership is as two-faced as the company's namesake. Taylor is grooming his underage female fans behind his wife Gwen's back, and their boss Mitch knew about it but covered it up to save face. Nemo had a frightening encounter with a mentally unhinged fan that caused him to close his DMs and stop interacting with the fans. Jon and Davey, a pair of very attractive young men, blatantly queerbait female viewers for ratings in ways that Dice, who is actually queer, finds distasteful. Dice finds themself overworked, tokenized, and underappreciated by everyone at Janus, especially with their health problems and Mitch's refusal to cover his employees' health insurance. The game knows all this and ruthlessly exploits it, throwing the characters into situations where they have incentive to leave one another to die if they want to progress, and when that happens, the knives come out. While I wasn't fully sold on the cast's performances, which often veered between overly histrionic and stilted once they left their clean-cut streamer personas, I did buy their characters as the kind of personalities you often encounter in the world of online fame, both the kinds who exploit their power over others and the normal people who find themselves slowly ground down by the industry.

And it was all helped by House of Souls, the elaborate tech demo that Iannantuono made for the film, evocative of all manner of horror games both classic and modern ranging from Resident Evil to Outlast to Until Dawn. Even beyond the more personal touches that the game serves up for the protagonists indicating that there's something else going on with it, this is a game I could see people not only actually playing, but eagerly watching others play, filled with creative environments, set pieces, lots of Easter eggs and deep-cut references that don't feel forced, and a very cool-looking "boss" monster who regularly accosts the protagonists throughout their playthrough. Movies about video games often have a habit of not understanding what games are actually like, or at least having a very old-fashioned understanding of such from back when the middle-aged screenwriters were kids with Super Nintendos, often throwing in the most surface-level references to more modern games to show that they're Still With It. With this, it's clear that Iannantuono is somebody who is fully immersed in modern games and gaming culture, and replicated on screen the kind of game you could imagine coming out on Steam today, or at least at the height of the 2010s boom in indie horror gaming.

The Bottom Line

Livescreamers is already one of the highlights of the Salem Horror Fest for me. Its video game references and satire of gamer culture mean that geeks in particular will get a lot out of it, but even if the only time you've ever picked up a controller is because you were buying one for your kids, this is still a very good horror flick that I highly recommend when it hits home video and streaming.

#it doesn't get any better than this #livescreamers #2023 #2023 movies #horror #horror movies #found footage #found footage horror #found footage movies #supernatural horror #mockumentary #video games #video game movies #rooster teeth #salem horror fest

1 note · View note

instantdeerlover · 4 years

Text

Where To Get Affordable Takeout In Austin (1) added to Google Docs

Where To Get Affordable Takeout In Austin (1)

Maybe you splurged a little too much at the beginning of quarantine (shoutout to Amazon), or maybe you just dropped $50 on a packet of yeast in an abandoned parking lot. Whatever your reasons may be, you don’t have to resort to oatmeal and banana bread to get you through the week. Whether you need a quick break from cooking or just don’t feel like spending a ton on lunch and dinner today, here are 16 delivery and takeout options where you can get a great meal for $10 or less.

All restaurants featured on The Infatuation are selected by our editorial team. Where To Get Affordable Takeout In Austin is presented by Uber Eats. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, supporting our local restaurant community has never been more important. Uber Eats customers can now give directly to the restaurants they love at checkout. 100% will go to the restaurant. Order now to support. See app for details.

Featured In The Ultimate Austin Delivery & Takeout Guide See all our guides The Spots Sandy Noto Juan In A Million $ $ $ $ Tex-Mex in Holly $$$$ 2300 E Cesar Chavez St

If Austin ever started a walk-of-fame, The Don Juan taco from Juan In A Million would undoubtedly be on it, right alongside Willie Nelson and Leslie Cochran. Is it our favorite breakfast taco in town? Probably not, but it’s basically a rite of passage, and we don’t know anywhere else that you can get a literal pound-and-a-half mountain of food for just over $6.

Order delivery Delray Cafe $$$$ 1133 E 11th St

You might get some confused looks if you tell people you’re ordering from Delray Cafe, but just say “the food truck behind Nickel City” and you should see some eyes light up. They’re background characters that deserve a more prominent role, with a focused and straightforward menu with things like burgers, wings, and tater tots. Currently, this place has a more pared-down menu alongside Nickel City’s “Daiq Shack” popup, but even if you’re getting a daiquiri to-go, the burger is the real star of the show. You can grab one with tater tots or crinkle-cut fries for about $7.

Raphael Brion Discada $ $ $ $ Tacos in East Austin $$$$ 2024, 1319 Rosewood Ave

If you’re the type of person who stresses about menu choices, you’ll be glad to know that Discada has taken that pressure away from all of us. They specialize in one thing: small, beef-and-pork discada-style tacos with cilantro, onion, and pineapple - so the only choice you’ll need to make is how many to get. An order of five comes in at $9 and should be enough for just about anyone.

Sorry—looks like you screwed up that email address

INFATUATION NEWSLETTER Get our newest guides & reviews first,

plus more restaurant intel you won't find anywhere else. ATL ATX BOS CHI LDN LA MIA NYC PHL SF SEA DC Subscribe Smart move. Excellent information will arrive in your inbox soon. Do you have friends and family who also eat food? Enter their emails below and we’ll make sure they’re eating well. (Don’t worry, we won’t subscribe them to our newsletter - they can do that themselves.) Help Your Friends No Thanks Well done. You’re a good person. All good. We still like you. Want to quickly find restaurants on the go? Download The Infatuation app. Don Japanese Kitchen $$$$ 2716 1/2 St Guadalupe

This food truck is a favorite among students and whoever else lives in West Campus, mostly because of their namesake “Don” bowl - a generous portion of fried pork, chicken, or fish over rice for just $5. They stay open until they sell out, which tends to happen around 4-5pm every day. There are a few other options on the menu as well, like karaage and teriyaki bowls, and nothing is more than $9. For now, orders need to be placed in person for pick up.

Nicolai McCrary Cafe Nena'i $$$$ 1700 Montopolis Dr Ste A

Cafe Nena’i is a small, mother-and-daughter owned Latin American bakery near Riverside and Montopolis where nothing on the menu is over $5. We’re fans of the pastries like the alfajor (a cookie sandwich with dulce de leche and coconut flakes) and the pastrafrola (guava tart). Their Cuban-inspired coffee menu also has things like cafecitos and cortaditos. And if you’re picking up lunch, make sure to grab a couple of empanadas, though we can’t guarantee they’ll survive the car ride home.

Order delivery Crown & Anchor Pub $ $ $ $ Bar Food , Burgers in Campus $$$$ 2911 San Jacinto Blvd

With $3 pints and affordable burgers, this little neighborhood pub is just as popular with grad students as it is with Hyde Park lifers, and it’s been a favorite of ours for, well, forever. The pint specials might be on hold for the time being (get a growler instead), but you can still grab a burger with fries for just $6.50.

Raphael Brion Bouldin Creek Café $ $ $ $ American , Vegetarian , Vegan in Bouldin $$$$ 1900 S 1st St

As one of Austin’s longest-standing and most popular meatless restaurants, Bouldin Creek built their reputation on quality food and affordable prices. But of all the values on the menu, the breakfast taco might be the toughest to beat, at $4 for a taco so stuffed that you’ll need a fork to even get started. We love their house-made vegetable chorizo tacos with free-range eggs and cheese, and the vegan version is just as great. If you order two breakfast tacos, you’re definitely taking some home - this is not a challenge, or is it?

Top Notch $ $ $ $ American , Burgers in Crestview $$$$ 7525 Burnet Rd

This Austin classic has been around for almost 50 years, and not much has changed about their charcoal-grilled burgers. Most of them go for around $5, or you can get a chicken-fried steak dinner with a side, salad, and toast for just under $10. And since they operate an old-school style carhop, you don’t even have to get out of your car to get your food, which sounds just about perfect for right now.

Nicolai McCrary Baguette House & Cafe $$$$ 10901 N Lamar Blvd

Baguette House has been serving quality banh mi in Austin’s Chinatown for years. They have a variety of traditional options, from the cold-cut classic - served with house-made mayonnaise and pickled vegetables, pate, cilantro, and jalapeño - to the super-savory grilled pork. We can’t really pick a favorite, but at less than $5 each, you can grab a few and save one for later.

Taqueria Morales $$$$ 1415 W William Cannon Dr

Taqueria Morales, serves up some of our favorite tacos in South Austin, with generously-filled breakfast tacos for under $2 and street tacos that you’ll want to eat by the dozen. They also sell quesadillas, burritos, and tortas, and nothing on the menu will run more than $6.

Nicolai McCrary Oddwood Ales $$$$ 3108 Manor Rd

Oddwood Ales might be best known for its very good beers (try one of their pilsners or saisons), but they also make one of our favorite bar-style pizzas in town. These thin-crusted, cheesy 10” pies start at just $7, and taste so great at home that we’ve started calling them couch-style pizzas.

Chen's Noodle House $$$$ 8650 Spicewood Springs Rd

Chen’s Noodle Shop is a small counter-service spot near Spicewood Springs and Highway 183 that has some of the best noodles in town. All of the noodles are knife-cut and served in soup or stir-fry, so you just pick the meat. Just about everything on the menu is under $10, and the portions are generous. If you do find yourself hungry though, or just want to try some more of the menu, we love the lamb skewers and green onion pancakes.

Nicolai McCrary Taco-Mex $$$$ 2613 Manor Rd

Taco-Mex is one of our favorite walk-up taco windows, with a variety of tacos, tortas, and lunch plates that are all very affordable. The build-your-own breakfast tacos are great, but if you’re there in the afternoon, make sure to grab one of their al pastor or fish tacos. All of the tacos at this Manor spot are under $3, and none of the plates are more than $9.

Order delivery Raphael Brion Dia's Market $$$$ 812 Justin Ln

Dia’s is a small grocery store and deli in the Crestview neighborhood. The market portion of the store carries a variety of local and international products, produce, ice cream, and beer and wine, while the deli offers up breakfast and lunch sandwiches on your choice of bread for under $10. Three days a week, you can even get a whole rotisserie chicken for just a few cents more, if you’re feeling particularly hungry. It often sells out.

Chi'lantro $$$$ 1509 S Lamar Blvd

While Chi’Lantro is probably known best for their popular kimchi fries (you can also turn that into a kimchi fry burrito), they also have “Korean BBQ Inspired” wings, rice bowls, noodle bowls, tacos, and burgers. Nothing on the menu will run you over $10, and they have a total of seven locations across town for takeout and delivery, though their two downtown locations are currently closed.

Nicolai McCrary Bao'd Up $$$$ 1911 Aldrich St # A1

Nearly all of the baos are Bao’d Up are under $3, which means you can pack your pockets full of as many meat-filled pillow-pockets as you can manage, though we recommend just grabbing a takeout container and keeping your pockets food-free. They also have a number of more substantial offerings, like spicy Dan Dan noodles or the pork belly plate that comes with two pieces of tender meat, two pan-seared buns, a side of pickles, and a side of Sichuan fries, for under $9. They have four locations across Austin, as well as an app for ordering takeout or delivery, so you’re never too far away from a bao or three.

via The Infatuation Feed https://www.theinfatuation.com/austin/guides/austin-affordable-takeout-delivery-restaurants Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://trello.com/userhuongsen

Created July 7, 2020 at 01:42AM /huong sen View Google Doc Nhà hàng Hương Sen chuyên buffet hải sản cao cấp✅ Tổ chức tiệc cưới✅ Hội nghị, hội thảo✅ Tiệc lưu động✅ Sự kiện mang tầm cỡ quốc gia 52 Phố Miếu Đầm, Mễ Trì, Nam Từ Liêm, Hà Nội http://huongsen.vn/ 0904988999 http://huongsen.vn/to-chuc-tiec-hoi-nghi/ https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xa6sRugRZk4MDSyctcqusGYBv1lXYkrF

0 notes