5 - The Secret Village

    A young journalist investigates a small town where there are outbreaks of ergot poisoning happening often.
    This was mentioned on a list of horror movies on Netflix as being an enjoyable bad movie.  That’s an acceptable description, but I don’t know how much I’d say it’s enjoyable.  It’s enjoyable in a short term way, but the longer the movie goes, it gets boring.  A really enjoyable bad movie regularly finds new ways to surprise you.
    The story is an okay sort of thing.  You see the ending coming about half an hour into the movie.  It doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, but because of the ending, you can’t really tell if your complaints are valid.
    Regardless, there are some very funny things.  The relationship between the two leads is really funny, because they seem like pleasant strangers, then they switch over to being romantically inclined.  No idea why.  There are black-robed people hanging out outside their house, spying on them in the woods… but they don’t do anything.
    At one point, the director starts playing with some really strange editing, where the same character is in more than one location at once.  The effect is unintentionally hilarious.
    The lead has a job as a waitress at a small restaurant.  Somehow, when something interesting happens, she’s able to just walk off the job.
    The music is amateurish, especially early on.  I was able to tune it out later, but it’s mostly perfunctory synth string stabs or swells.  There was one instance, which I can’t locate, but I know it’s there, where the dramatic music cue plays at the start of the shot after it was supposed to happen.
    Occasionally, shots are slightly slowed down for dramatic effect.  It’s tacky.
    One of the actors has a line - “You can’t escape.”  He pronounces it “ex-cape”
    The lead calls someone.  Instead of hearing the phone ring, we actually hear the other person’s ring tone.  This is hilarious.  Did they not know how telephones work?

    I’ll leave you with this strange, slightly circular exchange that happens around 44:30.
    Creepy guy comes into the restaurant and approaches the waitress, Rachel
    Guy: I’m obviously not here to order a meal.  You and I need to speak privately.
    Rachel: What do you want?
    Guy: I think you know what I’m referring to.
    Rachel: (looks at him nervously.
    Guy: You and I need to speak privately.
    Rachel: About what?

    There’s also one really odd thing… the main character’s bedroom is shown, but when she’s sleeping, she’s in a completely different room and bed.

     And I've got to say - this is one of the most hilarious posters I've seen.  Especially the laudatory quote.