Sadly Over-hyped

Overrated

Excellent but underrated film

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

One of the absolute worst pieces of garbage I have seen this year, this movie had no redeemable qualities and should be relegated to the annals of film obscurity. The acting was beyond bad (especially by the lead actress; please never act again), the premise made very little sense, and nothing (and I mean, nothing) of interest goes on for much of the film. The special effects are a joke, the soundtrack is amateurish at best, and it is just a complete and utter waste of time. There are movies that you watch and aren't very good and make you say, "At least they tried", while others (like this one) make you pray to God that the people involved in this travesty NEVER make a film again. I wish I had never wasted my precious time on this tripe. One of the worst films I have seen in my life. Avoid like it is contagious.To the people giving this movie 4-5 stars; you know, it's pretty damned disingenuous to give a movie high ratings because you know someone involved with the film (or were involved in it yourself). You are not doing anyone any favors by being a liar, and tricking people into watching garbage. If you only have one movie in your reviews log, and gave this movie anything more than the 2 it deserves, you are nothing more than a cheat. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

I'm always excited for Halloween horror films and 'Honeyspider' is one of the best new ones to come around in awhile. The first thing that struck me about the film was the soundtrack. And not just the known songs, but the overall backing music and intro song. For a very small film, the soundtrack was effectively creepy.Jackie is trying to have a quiet Halloween birthday, but her night takes a terrifying turn when she sees a mysterious symbol on the wall in her dorm shower, she receives a strange ring and huge spiders start appearing out of nowhere. Murder on the big screen during the horrorthon blends with real life slashing adds up to a lot of bloody mayhem and dead spiders.The style in which the film is shot creates an incredibly effective eerie and surreal atmosphere. Combining that with the music, and 'Honeyspider' is one of the creepiest movies I've seen in the past year. Reminiscent of horror classics such as 'Halloween', and 'Rosemary's Baby', and Stanley Kubrick in terms of atmosphere, the film also reminded me of Ti West's 'House of the Devil', which is a favorite of mine. I especially enjoyed the end of the film, which was executed in an artistic way. The Smashing Pumpkins song 'Honeyspider,' which the film was inspired by, plays over the last scene and wrapped up the film perfectly.Mariah Brown was excellent as the confused Jackie Blue. Frank Aard ('April Fool's Day' remake) was straight up creepy as hell. Director Josh Hasty was clearly inspired by his passion for the genre and did an amazing job with this film. I really hope to see more of his work in the future. Horror fans looking for that classic horror vibe that many of today's films have lost need to check out 'Honeyspider.' It's one of those films you will want to watch every year on Halloween.Originally Posted on Horrornewsnetwork.nethttp://horrornewsnetwork.net/articles/11911-honeyspider-review? Itemid=101

"Honeyspider" is a new indie horror flick from writer and producer Kenny Caperton and producer/director Josh Hasty . The 2014 project serves as a rejuvenation of classic late 70's, early 80's films, and it is masterfully executed. There's a great balance between the retro feel and inventive techniques, sprinkles of humor, and a terrific atmosphere, the combination of which spin an intricate, delightful tale.The film follows Jackie Blue (Mariah Brown), a college student struggling with classes, work, and her parents' separation. It's Halloween, 1989, coincidentally Jackie's birthday. She's in no celebratory mood, however, but it's more than the stress of familial problems and school. Jackie's Halloween becomes increasingly frightening, filled with peculiar dreams, spiders, and a strange professor (Frank J. Aard)."Honeyspider" retains a distinctly retro feel, evoking classic horror movies like John Carpenter's 1978 "Halloween." This comes as no surprise, considering writer and producer Kenny Caperton's dedicated recreation of the Michael Myers abode. Like Carpenter's memorable flick, there's a methodical pacing that establishes tension. Provocative camera work lends the sense of a sinister presence hiding just unseen. Additionally, protagonist Jackie draws some undeniable similarities to strong heroines like Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), and Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp, "A Nightmare On Elm Street"). Poor Jackie just wants a relaxing night, and instead she's plagued by bizarre visions, spiders, and dead bodies.Further fostering the throwback atmosphere is the actual setting. Filming locations include the aforementioned Myers House, as well as a gorgeous old cinema, The Gem Theatre in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Jackie drives an old Volkswagen Beetle, a throwback vehicle for sure. A corded phone even makes an appearance, and there's a cool shot in the projection booth featuring an actual film print.Similarities to past films however pay homage, rather than copying. "Honeyspider" bursts forth with innovation, and really freshens up the genre. There's a surprising, and much appreciated, dose of humor peppered into the narrative. It's subtle comedy, as opposed to slapstick found in "The Evil Dead" and "Scream." While Jackie is working the concession counter at the theatre, each customer steals something without consequence, a hilarious sequence. It's witty snippets like this that make "Honeyspider" so unique.A particularly clever inclusion is the fictitious "Sleepover Slaughterhouse III," which presents as a movie within a movie. It plays heavily on horror tropes, including the obligatory topless scene, a silent masked killer, and even an Ouija board. Plus, the name suggests it's one entry in a never-ending franchise. The movie jumps seamlessly between "Honeyspider" and "Sleepover Slaughterhouse III," and the theatre-goers are pretty funny. One audience member, Jackson (David Hensley) keeps making unsuccessful moves on his date, comical segments in between the film within a film.Overall, "Honeyspider" is an imaginative, unique tribute to the horror films we've grown up loving. There are recognizable elements borrowed from beloved slashers, but a hearty dose of originality. Notably, the music is an underrated, but phenomenal aspect. The title derives from a Smashing Pumpkins track of the same name, the "Monster Mash" plays, and the finale features a haunting dream sequence. A disturbingly relaxing piano piece compliments eerie, black and white imagery. What truly sets "Honeyspider" apart is the way the supernatural components aren't fully elucidated. This leaves much to the imagination, which enhances the creepiness. Currently, "Honeyspider" is making various special screenings, including an awesome drive-in showing at the Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre in Henderson, NC. Stay updated on the "Honeyspider" website, as it's a delectably fresh horror flick, one you'll certainly want to catch.Mitchell "Moe" Long http://www.examiner.com/movies-in-durham/mitchell-moe-long

I was fortunate enough to see the world premiere of this film in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Parts of the film were shot at the local, historic Gem Theatre, and it features prominently in the film. The Gem Theatre held the premiere, as a double feature with George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead. As much as I adore Night of the Living Dead, I had more fun watching Honeyspider. It was fresh, highly ambitious, infectious, mysterious, and genuinely frightening at times. As an independent author and wannabe filmmaker myself, I'm always impressed at what independent filmmakers can accomplish with such a small budget. A lot of times, the smaller budget allows for an increase in creativity and devotion to a project, and Honeyspider is oozing around the edges with creativity and devoted participants.The film begins on a slow zoom in on our beautiful leading lady. Mariah Brown plays Jackie Blue, a college student celebrating her 21st birthday on the most glorious day of the year, Halloween. She works at the local movie theatre, has eccentric friends (two of whom are appreciably dressed as Columbia and Magenta from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which is ironic, as I wore a Rocky Horror shirt to the premiere!), has to deal with a creepy professor, and has parents who don't really seem to care. Frank Aard plays Professor Lynch, the aforementioned creepy professor, who may be more diabolical than the viewer can imagine. As Jackie goes about her evening, tarantulas begin showing up, tormenting her.Setting the film in the late '80s was a very welcome touch, as I abhor a lot of modern technologies. If the characters were all playing on their current phones, tablets, etc. throughout the film, in twenty years, it would end up being a dated work, like plenty of other films through the ages. The filmmakers wisely set it in the '80s, thereby immediately stamping it as a curiosity piece, allowing the true characters and plot to unfold in a more universal manner. The slow pacing of the film is right up my alley. The best horror films build and build with suspense, thoroughly developing the characters, rather than relying on cheap scares. Take The Exorcist and The Shining, for example. They are based in reality, developing characters and a world which absorb the viewer. Honeyspider takes a page from that book, building a lead character and her world on a firm, believable foundation. Then, when the climax comes, it's that much more unsettling and terrifying.Another facet of this film that I adored was the music and sound design. Some of the sound design felt as though the filmmakers overdosed on David Lynch films before working on this project. Given the fact that the creepy professor's name is Lynch, that doesn't seem like a far-fetched possibility. The music is even one of the first scares in the film. After the first scene, the lead character starts walking back to her dorm, calmly, quietly. Suddenly, the image freezes, the title card appears, and the music strikes a boisterous, sinister chord that jolts the viewer and chills him to the core.What makes Honeyspider so smart, though, is the fact that it never takes itself too seriously. The slow pacing and high ambition never get in the way of the tremendous level of fun the film instills. This is most evident in the movie-within-the-movie. As stated before, Jackie works at a movie theatre. The theatre is showing a film titled, Sleepover Slaughterhouse Part III. This is where I really fell in love with the film. Honeyspider is shot in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The Sleepover Slaughterhouse Part III segments change to a standard 1.33:1 aspect ratio. I adore whenever a film uses varying aspect ratios to tell its story. Woodstock, Life of Pi, and The Grand Budapest Hotel all use this technique, and I love it. The opening credits of Sleepover Slaughterhouse Part III are a scream, not only because of the ridiculously campy faux cast and crew, but because they are fashioned after another famous, ridiculous Part III of a slasher series starring a certain hockey mask wearing individual. Sleepover Slaughterhouse Part III is every horror stereotype Honeyspider is not. This is how the filmmakers allowed themselves to be fun and crazy amidst the serious effort put forward in the rest of the film.My only qualm with seeing the first screening of a film in theatres is that I have to way so much longer for a home video release. I hope this film makes its way onto the home video market quite soon because I want to show it to everyone I know. Honeyspider is a self-proclaimed cult film, and I hate the fact that I didn't "Join the Cult" on the film's website early enough, so I could have gotten a shirt. I am proud to be a part of the Honeyspider cult. I think it's time to retire the V for Vendetta symbol I've been drawing random places, for I have found a new symbol.