When The Blair Witch Project came out in the summer of '99, it was a big deal. For my generation, it was generally our first major exposure to the "found footage" style of filmmaking, as well as an ingenious implementation of the rapidly growing ubiquity of the internet in the form of a companion website that claimed to display additional authentic materials related to the "true" disappearances. Thanks to the popularity of the film and the hugely successful box office numbers, the subgenre took off and would continue to inspire filmmakers - chiefly horror filmmakers - for many more years.

All that to say there's a long list of movies that fall into this category, with varying degrees of success. Stephen Cognetti's 2015 film, Hell House LLC, is one of the better examples, thanks to some pretty good acting, a fantastic set, and a potent sense of dread. While relatively light on plot, the film does have a simple yet frightening setup: five individuals, friends and professional haunted attraction experts, decide to move their operation out of NYC for the Halloween season, and select an abandoned hotel in rural, upstate New York as their new site. They routinely film the process each year, using the footage as a personal document, and as an aid in successive projects. The fact that a documentary team is researching this filmed series of events should tell you that it does not go well for the young group of horror enthusiasts.

While your mileage may vary on how successful you think the film is at being scary, it manages to do quite a bit with the previously mentioned set. Haunted attractions are typically maze-like anyway, so it makes sense for the narrative to captialize on the hotel's horror-themed rooms and hallways, turning even the half-finished, well-lit spaces into a disorienting and creepy experience that begins to disturb the crew well before their official opening night. Throw in some truly unsettling mannequins and you're well on your way to understanding what makes the film surprisingly chilling. Some of the scares are shrouded in chaos and the limitations of the video format, so if you're someone who needs their films to show and explain everything, it might not be to your taste. For anyone else looking for an above average found footage seasonal treat, turn out the lights and start streaming.