Phoenix Forgotten (Found Footage Alien Horror from Cinelou)

[Xillix]

 

Added to the release schedule fairly recently. It's a found-footage sci-fi/horror flick inspired by the real-life infamous "Phoenix Lights" mass UFO sightings, about a group of young people who go to investigate them and presumably run into some nasty business. 

 

One of its many producers is Ridley Scott, for whatever that's worth. Also producing is Wes Ball (director of The Maze Runner), and the script is written by T.S. Nowlin (writer of... The Maze Runner). It's the feature directorial debut of Justin Barber. Barely counts as a feature though as it's apparently only 80 minutes long. 

 

It's set to be the first wide release from Cinelou Films (the company behind the Jennifer Aniston film Cake and Eddie Murphy's Mr. Church) and is coming out on April 21, a crowded weekend that also includes Born in China, Free Fire, Leap, The Promise, and Unforgettable.

 

Trailer looks super generic but with Life underperforming and The Belko Experiment essentially a non-factor there hasn't been a horror hit since Get Out, and it's positioned a month ahead of Alien: Covenant. I doubt it'll break out but I could see it doing numbers similar to mid-level BH Tilt titles like Belko or The Green Inferno.

Edited March 27, 2017 by Xillix

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Hmm might see this. Any buzz for it?

[75Live]

looks like Blair Witch but them searching for aliens instead of a witch.

 

I may catch it if another trailer comes out and makes it look better

[JB33]

Saw the trailer for this before LIFE last night. It's weird because the trailer didn't have the word "Forgotten" in the title. It just said: PHOENIX.

[Xillix]

Phoenix was the working title when trailers were shipped to theatres. The official website lists the title as Phoenix Forgotten now.

[Xillix]

New trailer:

 

 

[CJohn]

As soon as it becomes "group of teens goes in search of something to die" it lost me.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Hopefully it's good.

[afalconer7]

I didn't know what this was until I saw this trailer before "Get Out". It looked pretty generic and the audience in my theater seemed to hate it.

[Xillix]

The MPAA has rated this PG-13, so anyone hoping for gory human dissection or graphic anal probing will be disappointed.

[robertman2]

Looks awful

[75Live]

yeah the new trailer really didn't do much for me either.  Shame because I am into the whole UFO/alien stuff, but I'll probably pass on this one until it shows up on HBO or whatever cable channel gets it

[Xillix]

Box Office Mojo says this'll be opening in about 1,700 theatres. So my BH Tilt / High Top Releasing comparison seems pretty apt. Probably won't go past single-digit millions in its whole run.

[WrathOfHan]

1 minute ago, Xillix said:

Box Office Mojo says this'll be opening in about 1,700 theatres. So my BH Tilt / High Top Releasing comparison seems pretty apt. Probably won't go past single-digit millions in its whole run.

The new BOP forecast adjusted it down to 1,500 theaters. Hm, which site to believe?

[vc2002]

Looks interesting. Well, I hope the main characters in this didnt get into such danger because of keeping doing stupid things.

[dxmatrixdt]

my most anticipated film of the month.  Unfortunately, I also fear I am going to be very let down when I leave the theater Friday night.

[dxmatrixdt]

http://foundfootagecritic.com/phoenix-forgotten-2017-director-reveals-secrets-of-ridley-scott-found-footage-ufo-film/

 

 

[Xillix]

Just saw this. I'm pretty sure the CinemaScore is going to be atrocious because the marketing is pretty misleading. Almost all the footage in the trailers is from the second half of the movie, because it doesn't actually become a horror movie until then. The whole first half of the movie is setup, a mockumentary set in the present day about the sister of one of the missing teens looking for answers about what happened. The "found footage" isn't actually "found" until the midpoint. And the whole movie is only 81 minutes without the credits, so there's like 30-40 minutes of actual horror stuff. It feels almost like they made a horror short and then tacked on a lot of pointless buildup on the front end afterwards to expand it to feature length. Once the "meat" of the movie finally starts it's decent but nothing we haven't seen before.

[dxmatrixdt]

 l liked it.  The reviews are decent.

 

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/phoenix_forgotten

[DMan7]

This is a true story isn't it? Based on the actual mysterious Phoenix lights that took place. I've seen some alien documentary shows and they said this was actually chinsese lanterns in the night's sky. lol