V/H/S/Beyond

V/H/S/Beyond
Starring Brian Baker, Thom Hallum, Namrata Sheth, Alanah Pierce
Directed by Jay Cheel, Jordan Downey, Virat Pal, Justin Martinez, Christian & Justin Long, Kate Siegel

When I was young, I was worried about being abducted by aliens, so much so I wouldn't sleep in my upstairs bedroom - not that aliens that've traveled millions of light years would stop with one floor of a house, but I had a young mind at the time. When it comes to alien movies, however, the majority of them aren't scary in the least, and are relegated more toward action spectacles like "Independence Day" and "Battle: Los Angeles." There's been some great alien horror films however like "The Fourth Kind" and "No One Will Save You," but those are the exception - and now the anthology series "V/H/S/" tackles the alien subgenre with their latest Shudder outing, "V/H/S/Beyond." While not all the segments are alien related, this is one of the best films in the anthology series so far, where only one to me really failed to hit the mark.

The wraparound story is directed by Canadian documentary filmmaker Jay Cheel entitled "Abduction/Adduction" which centers around a man on Reddit who found a set of cassette tapes that prove an alien encounter, and brings in real-life experts to discuss this supposed real tape, and as the film progresses we get to see what's on them. The effects - which I will mention often - are impeccable, a solid blend of grit and determined practical effects and decent computer generated images that make for a truly terrifying finale, one that is essentially my nightmares brought to life (A).

The first story is directed by newcomer Jordan Downey entitled "Stork," and focuses on a group of police officers investigating a series of baby kidnappings. Their findings lead them to a supposedly abandoned house, but what they find inside defies explanation. This is an action-packed segment akin to a video game movie as we see the action through the officers' body cams that ramp up the violence, gore, and blood to great degrees. The end creature as well is a thing of technical wonder, leaving an exciting anticipation for what's to come (A).

Next is Indian director Virat Pal's "Dream Girl" about a pair of paparazzi chasing down the latest Bollywood actress, and discovers the true secret behind her sudden success. Again, the practical effects are beyond reproach, especially for a series not known for their big budgets. It's a terrifying story that culminates in several shocking, visceral moments that will stick with you (A).

The third mini movie comes from Radio Silence co-creator Justin Martinez titled "Live and Let Die," about a group of friends celebrating a birthday by skydiving. As they're about to jump they come into contact with a UFO and the results are nothing short of catastrophic. Broken record here: practical effects, superb. CGI effects, also superb. Story, sublime. It also tackles another fear of mine, which is heights, and does so with armchair gripping enthusiasm (A).

Fourth is a collaboration between brothers Christian and Justin Long, the later you'll know from comedies like "Dodgeball" and "Waiting" as well as horror films like "Jeepers Creepers" and "Barbarian." Their film - "Fur Babies" - deviates from the alien format by centering on a seemingly kind and gentle doggy daycare owner who comes under suspicion from a fringe group of animal activists who see her dearly departed pooches mounted on a fireplace mantle. What they find is truly terrifying. Rinse and repeat what I said earlier: the effects, the gore, the story are all exceptional, and the performance by Libby Letlow is the highlight of the entire film (A).

Finally there's Kate Siegel's directorial debut "Stowaway" (you might remember her from films like "Hush" and the series "The Haunting of Hill House"). The film was written by her husband, famed director Mike Flanagan, and centers on a woman investigating a string of UFO sightings in the desert that leads to her inadvertent abduction. This is sadly the weakest of the bunch, adhering to traditional tropes and weak camerawork, with a lead character that's so obnoxious you couldn't care what happened to her (C+).

Overall, "V/H/S/Beyond" is a solid addition to the franchise, branching out to the greater unknown and giving us unforgettable practical visual effects, amped up gore, and solid storytelling with decent performances.

The Score: A.