Web Series – The Movie Critic Next Door

We’ve all had that feeling of not quite belonging, and it’s with good reason that misfit characters are everywhere in fiction — it’s something we can all relate to. In the new web series Stalked from JH Producties, set in Holland, Finn (Jaimy Homberg) is the awkward teenager who doesn’t quite fit in. He dreams of being an actor someday so he automatically can’t be one of the cool kids, and honestly, liking to cook probably doesn’t help much. But his life isn’t all bad, since he has his cat, his best friend Olivia (Myrna Laanen), and an older boyfriend who looks like a model, Jim (Billy Twomey). Sadly, Jim is now back in England for college so they can only talk on Skype.

This is what happens when you go camping just because it’s scary.

Since he’s missing Jim, Finn does his best to keep busy, especially during the week that his parents are gone. He goes to auditions and makes plans with Olivia, including a camping trip, about which Olivia is far too excited, especially since they don’t seem to be going anywhere except the middle of a random field. But hey, whatever floats your boat, as they say, and they seem like they’re having fun.

But there’s some dark stuff happening in Olivia’s life — she’s certainly in need of some distraction, to say the least — and things only get darker for our heroes as the series progresses. At first you might be able to pass events off as being nothing but tasteless practical jokes, and Finn tries his best to do just that, even though it’s a lost cause. The fact is he’s being stalked, and neither he nor Olivia is quite sure what to do about it as they’re both thrown into the midst of this very grown-up problem.

Homberg directs as well as stars and does well at both, creating a charmingly offbeat character in Finn, while Laanen’s Olivia manages to be perky and optimistic without being dreadfully annoying, which is quite a feat as far as I’m concerned. The twist ending isn’t entirely a surprise, but I enjoyed the reveal nonetheless — both leads bring a lot of enthusiasm to their roles and that really shows on the screen. The cinematography could use a little work, but overall it’s a solid drama that I hope predicts great things for Homberg and crew. It’s available on YouTube and well worth watching.

Since the events of Under the Flowers, most of the characters have gotten on with their lives, or at least whatever passes for their lives. Not all of them are actually alive, in the strict sense of the term. But for one character, at least, getting on with existing has been getting harder, and in Under the Flowers: Circle of Hell, like Alice, she seems to be having to work harder and harder just to stay in the same place.

Poe (Lauren LaVera) isn’t quite herself these days, and I mean that literally –these days she’s Rose (Amanda Kay Livezey), now much less Goth but also much more confused. If her soul is ever going to be able to move on, there’s a journey Rose has to complete, a journey both physical and psychological filled with dangers of all kinds. Worse, it’s a journey she’s attempted before, without success, and she’s running out of chances. This time she has a guide, Nerissa (Kirsten Lee Hess), which may sound promising but let’s just say that Nerissa doesn’t seem all that invested in Rose’s success.

Movie poster featuring the cast. — Careful, or the circle might pull you in…

But there’s a wild card in play: Charlotte (Catherine Kustra), the Halloween Girl herself, who just might be able to help her friend. Her best efforts still might not save Rose, however, and will almost certainly hurt Charlotte — at least if the Darkness (Richard T. Wilson) is to be believed. Even Evil must tell the truth once in a while, right? In the end, though, it all comes down to Charlotte’s decision and Rose’s willpower as she faces her demons one after another. And of course Nerissa, whatever she might be up to, is waiting for her chance.

It’s a satisfyingly scary and suspenseful second series from Mad Shelley Films, featuring plenty of familiar guest stars along with the new arrivals as we follow Rose’s dangerous journey. The two series have a good sense of connection without being too much alike, each possessing its own unique feel while still seeming to exist in the same strange — and not so strange — realms. Best of all there’s still an enticing air of mystery about the characters which should continue for a while, since every answer seems to lead to five more questions. This is easily one of the best and creepiest web series out there, and I look forward to seeing more from the creators’ twisted minds.