The horror anthology sequel V/H/S/2 is a mixed bag, both in terms of the horror shorts it presents and the identity the franchise is trying to acquire.  Arriving a year after its predecessor, it’s clear that V/H/S/2 is meant to be the first of what should be an ongoing series where fan-favorite indie directors step behind the camera to deliver a horror short.  The sequel attempts to reduce the flabbier aspects of the original, but it also feels more standardized and therefore less exciting.  Additionally, two of the four shorts come across as underdeveloped or rushed.  But the ones that work are worth the price of admission, and make the strongest case for the existence of a V/H/S franchise.

In preparation for its debut at Sundance 2013, a new teaser trailer has gone online for horror anthology sequel S-VHS.  Much like S-VHS is an improved version of VHS tapes, S-VHS hopes to outdo its predecessor with sequences directed by Jason Eisener (Hobo With A Shotgun), Gareth Huw Evans (The Raid: Redemption) and Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre), Edúardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale of Blair Witch Project and Adam Wingard (You’re Next), plus a segment from You’re Next writer Simon Barrett.  The new trailer doesn’t do much more than tease and beyond the footage of a young girl’s birthday party which gets violently interrupted, it’s hard to separate any substance out of the flashes of footage that follow.  S-VHS premieres at Sundance 2013 on January 19th.  Hit the jump to check out the trailer for yourself.

If Halloween’s got you hankering for another horror anthology, you’ll be pleased to hear about the gaggle of directors attached for V/H/S 2.  Chief among them are Gareth Evans (The Raid) and Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project, Lovely Molly).  The duo will be co-writing and co-directing different segments of the second installment of this year’s found-footage collection of horror shorts.  Also joining the directing team will be Jason Eisener (Hobo with a Shotgun), Timo Tjahjanto (Macabre) and Sanchez’s producing partner, Gregg Hale.  Hit the jump for more on V/H/S 2.  

In the horror thriller Lovely Molly, a happy newlywed named Molly (Gretchen Lodge) returns to her long-abandoned family home with her new husband (Johnny Lewis), only to find frightful reminders of a nightmarish childhood. Not long after arriving, she begins a descent into an evil that blurs the lines between psychosis and possession, threatening everyone she comes into contact with.

During this exclusive phone interview with Collider, director Eduardo Sanchez talked about how the idea for the film came about, the importance of not clearly defining whether Molly is disturbed or possessed, working in such a creepy house, and finding the perfect actress to carry such an intense and emotional role. He also talked about finally getting to fulfill his dream of making a Bigfoot movie (it’s called Exists), making his first found footage movie since The Blair Witch Project, and his desire to do a weird and wacky comedy. Check out what he had to say after the jump:

In the horror thriller Lovely Molly, a happy newlywed named Molly (Gretchen Lodge) returns to her long-abandoned family home with her new husband (Johnny Lewis), only to find frightful reminders of a nightmarish childhood.  Not long after arriving, she begins a descent into an evil that blurs the lines between psychosis and possession, threatening everyone she comes into contact with.

During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actress Gretchen Lodge talked about the appeal of such creepy material, collaborating with director Eduardo Sanchez, developing her own backstory and personal diary for the character, baring herself both emotionally and literally, working in a house with such a long history, and what she wanted to do to shake off the role, as soon as filming wrapped.  She also talked about what she’d like to do next, and writing two of her own scripts – one dark and one lighter and funnier.  Check out what she had to say after the jump:

We’ve got some new casting updates for you today, including a found-footage film tracking Bigfoot and a new project from Ben Stiller. Here they are at a glance:

• The Blair Witch Project director Eduardo Sanchez has added Dora Madison Burge, Samuel Davis, Roger Edwards, Chris Osborn and Denise Williamson to his Bigfoot found-footage film, Exists.
• Kathryn Hahn (Wanderlust) has joined Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Hit the jump for more on both projects. [Update: We've been sent the full press release for Exists, which is now included after the jump.]

In films featuring demonic possession, the literal demon and the madness it brings can be used to represent some kind of emotional torment.  Writer-director Eduardo Sanchez warps the possession-horror drama in Lovely Molly by leading with the emotional torment, and leaving the audience to wonder if there’s a literal demon at work of if the protagonist has finally succumbed to her childhood trauma.  Just as madness consumes the main character’s tortured soul, Sanchez and actress Gretchen Lodge consume us with a terror that is far more effective than tired satanic symbols and flashy supernatural phenomenon.

Johnny Lewis (The Runaways) and Alexandra Holden (Post Grad) have signed on to star in the indie thriller Possession.  The film was written by Eduardo Sanchez who will also direct.  If Sanchez’s name doesn’t ring an immediate bell, chances are you’ve probably seen at least one of his films – 1999′s “found footage” hit The Blair Witch Project, which he co-wrote/co-directed alongside Daniel Myrick.  According to Heat Vision, Possession tells the story of a “young newlywed couple that falls prey to a demonic spirit.”  Lewis is set to play the groom while Holden will make a turn as the bride’s sister/maid of honor.  The film is being produced by Haxan Films whose claim-to-fame (like Sanchez’s) is the aforementioned The Blair Witch Project.