COOP COOPER is an independently syndicated film critic with a split personality. His “Southern Side” prints mainstream reviews that appear in various print publications across the mid-south. His “Dark Side” from Los Angeles befouls the site with reviews of horror and grindhouse flicks. Welcome to the site where COOP’s two halves (and his contributors) review and debate the latest film/DVD releases…

If you had problems with “The Blair Witch Project,” you’ll find yourself frustrated with “Apollo 18” for the same reasons. The actors have to deal with long takes which cause them to ham it up when on camera for too long. Eerie sounds spring up at convenient points to convey tension, for instance: A sudden heartbeat on the soundtrack isn’t natural when the scene is supposed to mimic reality. Plus there shouldn’t be sound in the vacuum of space. The sound design people seemed to forget that one when adding sound effects to the track (in stereo, no less)…

In 1999, the world became fascinated by a little independent film called “The Blair Witch Project”. Word spread about this “real-life” found footage of college kids being stalked and ultimately murdered by a spectral being which sparked a wildfire of interest and prompted many people to discuss and investigate this story. Of course we all know now it was phony and even the smallest amount of research revealed the truth, but at the time it was quite the sensation. If you’re like me and keep up with current film industry rumors and news, you were clued-in far ahead of the rest of the general public. Besides, the movie never technically claimed to be real (even the “based on true events” tag no longer holds validity since then), merely the clever marketing suggested it could be.

Now in more jaded times, audiences are harder to fool. We think we’ve seen it all and most of us can’t fathom being duped like that again. This has prompted many filmmakers to resort to gimmicks or ambitious campaigns, sometimes involving some type of a hoax, in an attempt to get their project noticed. Three films releasing this year are trying to accomplish just that and so far, it looks like at least two are succeeding. They herald the return of the genre known as the “Hoaxumentary” which takes the “Mockumentary” one step further by officially claiming to be 100% real. These films are: “I’m Still Here”, “The Virginity Hit” and “Catfish”…