Wuchak but with ambiguous creatures instead of a witch; and a side of pro-veganism. That pretty much sums up 2006' "Feeding Grounds," a micro-budget horror flick about eight bickering youths in Southern California who get stuck in the desert and encounter the unknown.To get anything good from "Feeding Grounds" you have to be able to acclimate to its low-budget style and limitations. I did and was able to find some rewarding elements, but it's mainly a tedious and one-dimensional barely-a-budget horror flick. Despite the lack of funds, there's some evidence that the filmmakers have talent. Parts of the movie have an eerie, arty ambiance in a good way. So the filmmaking is noticeably better than the do-it-yourself amateur (non)tone of the similar "Delirium," which came out just after "Feeding Grounds." There are a couple of things that make the movie worth investing in, like the voluptuous redhead in the opening act, Rachel (Rebecca Gannon). Unfortunately, it's just a glorified cameo and you have to endure an eye-rolling lesbian romance sequence to appreciate her. Secondly, and more importantly, there's a notable rock/metal song that plays during the end credits. While the credits list the five or six songs that appear on the soundtrack I was unable to pinpoint which is the one that plays during the final credits. It's obviously a no-name band, but it's outstanding; very creative.The eight youths that make up the cast are diverse and believable in their roles, not spoiled college kids, Just ordinary people, but they're only so-so interesting; and mostly not. If the script was tweaked they might be more compelling. Plus there are no real babes aside from the aforementioned Rachel from the brief prologue. Still, I appreciated the distinctions between the characters and their overall realistic portrayal.As for the attackers or creatures, it becomes clear that they have a way of initially infecting the victims via some kind of bite or sting (or whatever) which makes them sick, semi-drugged ripe prey. Now and then you'll hear a radio broadcast that provides info on what may be happening – unknown disappearances in the desert and the theorizing thereof, which is reminiscent of the occasional TV broadcasts in 1968's renowned "Night of the Living Dead." A few plot holes: Why do the creatures allow the police to come & go without attacking them? Why does one driver refer to the lack of "exits" on the highway when it's a two-lane road, not an interstate? Speaking of the road, why is it paved with people occasionally driving by and then mysteriously morphs into a dirt road and (I think) back again? The film runs 82 minutes and was shot in Southern California.GRADE: Borderline C- or D+ (3.5 out of 10)

dwpollar 1st watched 9/5/2011 – 7 out of 10(Dir-Junior Bonner): Effective scary movie that starts off looking pretty run-of-the-mill with a lesbian couple being the first victims in an initially sub-par looking killer movie. Next, there is a group of young folk heading off to a vacation destination and you know they are going to come upon the same fate. What sets this movie apart from others of the like is that it keeps you guessing to the very end and beyond as to what or who the killer is. The characters, although they are typical horror-movie types, don't do stupid things at stupid times – which is the norm for most movies of this genre. The movie, also, does scare you like it is supposed to. The attacker seems to have a way of infecting the victims first and making them sick and weak – which makes them ripe for the killing. In the background, occasionally you hear a radio broadcast where they are discussing unexplained disappearances – which gives you more data to help the viewer question what is really happening. Even when the movie is over, you really don't know what the victims have faced and to me that is good filmmaking. Otherwise, it's a pretty basic scary movie -- but it is pulled off well by the directors, writers and actors and it puts a nice twist on the genre that really works well once the movie gets rolling.

Woodyanders A group of young adults venture into the remote desert for a weekend vacation. The group get themselves seriously lost in the stalking grounds of a vicious predatory monster. Director Junior Bonner, working from a crafty and engrossing script by Alex Ballar and Jamie Gannon, not only ably evokes a strong feeling of dread and dismay, but also milks plenty of nerve-wracking suspense from the tense premise, makes excellent use of the isolated dry'n'desolate desert location, and creates a grim and despairing tone that becomes more increasingly dark, bleak, and hopeless as the gripping story unfolds towards a startling conclusion. While the characters aren't totally sympathetic, they are nonetheless all distinct, well drawn, and believable as hapless individual beings stuck in a dire situation; it's genuinely upsetting to see these folks succumb to panic and turn on each other. Moreover, there's a pleasing and intriguing ambiguity to the film which adds immensely to the overall eerie atmosphere (for example, we never get a clear look at the beast). The uniformly sound acting from the capable no-name cast rates as another significant asset, with especially stand-out work from Ballar as the nerdy Stephano, Gannon as the obnoxious Marcus, Kiralee Hayashi as sensitive, yet resilient Vegan Mary, and Kathryn Ely as the sarcastic Rhonda. Tarin Anderson's crisp and agile cinematography makes inspired dynamic use of a hand-held camera and offers plenty of cool artsy angles. The shuddery score by Robert Hawes and Eric Lindsay does the spine-tingling trick. Well worth checking out.

nekojiru67 Two cars full of twenty-something friends head out for an excursion into the desert, passing many abandoned cars along the way. Little do they know their own cars are about to be abandoned as well...Feeding Grounds is ultimately a frustrating film. As viewers we don't get a single glimpse of the creature(s) who have entrapped the characters. (Unless you count one clawed hand.) It seems the characters are drugged and confused by their attackers, for they continually turn off of the highway onto the same dusty road, and some seem to hallucinate. But your guess is as good as mine, if you dare to watch this film.The acting is, for the most part, well above average for a low-budget film. Special effects are sorely lacking, except for a few bits of gore. Only the occasionally artistic camera shot kept me from falling asleep.If you like watching college kids bicker, and hate the sight of monsters, this is the movie for you.