HOST is a new Shudder horror movie made during the quarantine. It’s a found footage movie along the lines of Unfriended and it is brilliant. Seriously, this is one of the best horror movies I’ve watched in a while. Also, it’s just over an hour long which is perfect! Read our full Host movie review here!

HOST is a Shudder horror movie in the found-footage subgenre. It was made during quarantine, which makes it even more impressive. Especially since it has quite a lot of really awesome practical effects (that the actors crafted themselves). And yes, since it plays out over a Zoom call among friends, it is very reminiscent of Unfriended. Something the director is very aware of and gives shout outs too whenever possible.

Still, this movie has a very different storyline. And while I did enjoy the Unfriended movies, I feel that Host is in a league of its own. In part due to having a very crisp runtime of just over one hour. It’s brave, ballsy, and downright perfect for this story!

Fun fact: The word “host” actually means “cough” in Danish, which makes it the perfect title for a movie made during the Coronavirus-quarantine.

Continue reading our full Host movie review below and do check it out on Shudder as soon as possible.

Horror at its very best

What I really loved about Host is the way in which it feels real. We’ve all been trapped at home and used Zoom (or another video chat platform) to communicate. Whether it’s for work or just to stay in touch with friends and family. This makes the story even more relatable and familiar than ever before.

Also, while the Host movie is not a horror-comedy by any means, it has those everyday Corona-moments. When someone coughs, you immediately stop and pause. My favorite moment of the movie comes towards the very ending. A woman fighting to survive what appears to be a supernatural element still manages to remember the basic Coronavirus rules of social distancing.

This moment alone makes this movie an instant cult classic. The jump scares should also please even the most hardened horror fans. Not because they’re necessarily extreme or gruesome but because the timing is spot-on!

Host (2020) – Review – Shudder Horror Movie

This is how you do found-footage!

Not only is Host the perfect quarantine movie, it’s also one of the most well-executed found footage films I’ve ever watched. And I do actually enjoy found footage movie. The subgenre got a bad rep because filmmakers got sloppy when making them.

With this Shudder found-footage movie, everyone should be reminded why movies such as The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, and Cloverfield made the genre a huge smash hit.

Only one time during the beginning did I wonder why someone chose to film something, And my heart sank because I thought this would be yet another semi-decent found footage movie. How wrong I was!

Also, it did actually make sense later on since this one character would film something. She’s the protagonist in investigating whether something supernatural is going on. She’s a believer in the paranormal, so she tries to catch strange events on film. And that is how you do found-footage right.

Actually, as a rule, most viewers should find themselves relating to at least one of the characters in this Zoom chat. I know I did. And yes, I was the scaredy-cat that participated despite being scared sh*tless. Hey, I just want to stay safe and alive, okay?!

Watch the Host movie on Shudder now!

Host was actually pitched to Shudder, who (fortunately) jumped at the chance to produce this movie immediately. The director is Rob Savage and the screenplay was written by himself along with Gemma Hurley and his longtime filmmaker-partner Jed Shepherd. Rob Savage and Jed Shepherd previously made Dawn of the Deaf (2016) which is a short film I will definitely need to check out.

The Host movie happened after Rob Savage made a Zoom prank and shared this on Twitter. This happened in April 2020 and it went viral. You can check out the short film just below the trailer for Host at the bottom of this page (or just click here, to go there now!).

Obviously, the perfect next step for a filmmaker is to create a movie on a similar premise. And he definitely succeeded in doing just that! I know it’s a cliché, but honestly, the less you know, the better. So just check it out on Shudder and enjoy the thrills and scares along the way. I almost wish I could watch this all over again without knowing anything about it. You are definitely in for a true horror treat!

Host is out on Shudder now.

Details

Director: Rob Savage
Writers: Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd
Stars: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Alan Emrys, Patrick Ward, Edward Linard, Jinny Lofthouse, Seylan Baxter, Jack Brydon, James Swanton

Plot

Six friends hire a medium to hold a scene via Zoom during lock down – but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realize they might not survive the night.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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