Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. Depending on my wicked mood, there may also be lists, audio, or video. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.
Sean Byrne‘s 2009 directorial debut The Loved Ones, may just be a low-key stroke of genius in the sense that it is uniquely horrifying, over-the-top, and darkly funny, all while being quite unique. It’s a low-budget, primarily one locale film, which allows its sadistic nature to feel claustrophobic too.
Lola (Robin McLeavy) wants her prom and she wants it her way. With the help of Daddy (John Brumpton), she’ll get it at any cost. However, her dates, including the newest Brent (Xavier Samuel), are in for a terrifying night.
source: Paramount Insurge
When troubled and grieving high schooler Brent is asked by Lola to go to the prom and he declines (to go with girlfriend Holly Victoria Thaine), he’s kidnapped and brought to Lola’s home for their “special” night. This isn’t the first time she’s done this, and what unfolds is darker and sicker than you can imagine. Daddy, along with a lobotomized woman they call Bright Eyes is also there to celebrate the occasion.
What pushes this beyond a usual torture flick is not only the bizarre story, and the totally unhinged Lola, but its witty script. I won’t sugarcoat the fact that this film is utterly disturbing at times, as the acts portrayed are truly deranged. The addition of terrific sound design and a twisted villain in Robin McLeavy makes The Loved Ones nightmare fuel of a different sort.
It’s an impressive debut feature from Sean Byrne that is wildly entertaining even if you’re watching some sequences through splayed hands. The movie also bursts with color and music, showing the contrast between the bloody truth of the circumstances to the sadistic joy Lola gets from it over its brisk but energetic 84-minute runtime.
I like when movies are unexpectedly wicked, but also when they fully commit to their intentions. This was most definitely one of those occasions.
Some of the actions feel a bit repetitive, but through surprising and shocking turns, and dedicated performances The Loved Ones is a darkly comic, twisted horror gem.
Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. Depending on my wicked mood, there may also be lists, audio, or video. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.
Green Room was one of my favorites of 2015, and it further showed how amazing Anton Yelchin was (RIP) how Imogen Poots is an under-looked talent that is always stellar, and writer/director Jeremy Saulnier is someone who can craft an engaging, gritty piece of work.
Punk metal band The Ain’t Rights has just got their newest gig, but it isn’t the sort of crowd they want. Bassist Pat (Anton Yelchin) and guitarist Sam (Alia Shawkat), drummer Reece (Joe Cole) and vocalist Tiger (Callum Turner) are in for a challenging night. After a performance, they witness a murder in the green room, and from there theyare thrust into the situation alongside Amber (Imogen Poots) the friend of the victim, trying to escape the clutches of white supremacists.
source: A24
There’s something messy and grungy about Green Room that permeates the graffitied walls and beer-covered floor, beyond the toxicity in the air and the hatred that surrounds the bar full of individuals who will do nothing to keep this crime contained. None worse than Darcy (Patrick Stewart), the especially vicious leader.
That sort of dodgy aesthetic makes each moment feel innately raw, and ultimately, scary. It’s a night of terror and endurance as each member of the band is tested to their limits, with plenty of cringy violence and horrible deaths. There’s also a sense of empowerment for the band, clinging to each decision they make, and hoping they can make it out.
Jeremy Saulnier writes and directs this horror with apt vision and succinct intention. It’s impressive how the tension is racked up and never dulled over the course of its runtime. This was a hard rock no holds barred film with high moshpit-like energy and high stakes. It also proved Patrick Stewart can be sinister. Who knew? Now we do.
There are cinematographic choices that make this limited space feel especially tarnished, each piece of wood worn, each darkened crevice hollow and deep, which makes the setting of Green Room horrifying.
Green Room doesn’t shy away from the violence and shocks, creating some relentlessly disturbing aesthetics. The cast is stellar and the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. Depending on my wicked mood, there may also be lists, audio, or video. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.
This iconic thriller from Fritz Lang is one that hits not only on the anxiety-driven note of a serial killer in Berlin who preys on children but also the mentality and reaction of the city’s inhabitants as they demand justice and take things into their own hands. The fear in the streets is affecting everyone, police, grieving parents, and even those in the criminal underworld, who can’t run their businesses because of the police force and patrol. Wide-eyed Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre) continues his assault, without being suspected for a time. Lorre’s insane Hans is a standout, from his moments of inability to contain his twisted impulses, to his expressions and body language.
source: Vereinigte Star-Film GmbH
Written by Egon Jacobson and Fritz Lang, Lang crafts a genuinely stunning piece of work that would continue to shape films for years to come. Technically, it is very impressive with the use of long tracking shots and some scenes with little sound, and terrific editing, that makes each moment feel like we’re on the hunt as much as everyone else. Its use of low lighting and shadows gives us what would inspire many noirs of the future. Our first introduction of the identity of the killer comes early and is through his reflection in a window, and his reasoning for being caught is a whistle that Lorre does, and then an “M” is marked on his back. Some of those simple but intentional choices make M a film that impressed and whose impact hasn’t been lessened since its release in 1931.
There’s a menacing unfurling of tension that’s a bold work of expressionism that utilizes every person and object in each scene. It makes its runtime full of taut and edgy moments.
Exceptional performances, packed with social commentary, M is a nail-biting thriller that is brought to life through its expert direction and techniques. A prime example of a must-see classic masterwork ahead of its time.
Alright, beasties. It’s that spooky time of year again. For this edition of Spooktober, I’m going to do a post a day but, like a great haul after trick or treating, I’m hoping to mix it up and deliver some surprises. There’ll be reviews, new or old, seen/unseen, TV or film. Depending on my wicked mood, there may also be lists, audio, or video. I hope you’ll enjoy it and remember: stay spooky.
Mean girls, a zealot mother, mental powers, and a prom Queen title to win, what could go wrong?
In our first introduction to Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) we learn not only how cruel school girls can be (as if we didn’t know), but also how much she’s spent her life unaware and untaught by her mother (Piper Laurie). It’s a lonely place, and despite what is to come (and what she becomes), Spacek’siconic, nominatedperformance ensures the audience sympathizes with her plight.
source: Paramount Pictures
Her abusive mother, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to share in our empathy. Most of the students don’t either, except for one, Sue, who makes the plan to have her boyfriend Tommy take Carrie to the prom. Others, though, have a different plot. Meanwhile, Carrie realizes she has some telekinetic powers brewing and begins to read up on them.
This movie begins and continues to dip into a whimsical, near fairy tale feel with its soft-focus look. Which, in contrast with its deep cuts of horror, really draws a stark duality. For a moment, Carrie feels like she’s in a dream, and then, it’s right back to a nightmare. The dread that you feel never leaves your stomach, and it doesn’t for me even after having watched it countless times.
If you somehow have gone through life having not seen Brian DePalma’s classic Stephen King adaptation, I would remedy it right away. Undoubtedly though, you’ve seen or heard of what happens. When Carrie becomes especially emotional, angry, scared, and upset, good things don’t happen. And Carrie White goes very…dark. The film is really fantastically done, from every side, including its editing to its score, and the way it makes you feel hope before ripping it away.
This most likely won’t be the last King mention this month, and while it’s a tough thing for me to say a favorite this is definitely one of the best adaptations. It’s also the first book of his that I read. It spawned a sequel and a couple of remakes, none of which compare or speak to the lasting impact of the original.
There’s a power in Carrie, because 46 years later and it’s still breaking our hearts, and remains ingrained in our psyches as a horror film with a terrifying lens that is focused on the tragedy of what happened to Carrie White, not what she did.
Oh yeah, and it is one hell of a revenge thriller too.
Created by Silka Luisa Shining Girls (based on the book by Lauren Beukes) follows the mind-bending reality of Kirby (Elisabeth Moss) as she tries to navigate life after a devastating near-death attack. This series, which may very well only be one season (or at least I hope) can be head-scratching, nearly anxiety-inducing at times, but remains an intriguing, immaculately performed story that interweaves sci-fi elements with real character-driven drama.
source: AppleTV+
In part, this series focuses on Kirby and her frequently changing reality. She takes notes each day reminding her of her place and where she is within this world as it shifts unexpectedly. One day her desk is moved; another it’s her apartment, her lifestyle, her hair, her pet – you name it. After surviving a nearly fatal attack, she becomes aware of a recent murder that may be connected to her assault. This starts her on an investigative hunt for the truth, and for the assailant, played with expertly portrayed malice, by Jamie Bell as the elusive Harper.
The show takes place in Chicago in the 90s and while there is an element of time travel, it also believably lives in the world of journalism at the Chicago Sun-Times. As someone who wanted to be a reporter, but after her attack worked in the archives, Kirby is a character that embodies a woman you root for. Moss, who has proved she can really portray any role, does it again with a performance that doesn’t leave anything behind.
The case grabs the attention of struggling writer, Dan (Wagner Moura) whose career has taken some hits after dealing with addiction. The two form a unique team, discovering many grisly murders that point to a serial killer. Shifting realities often derail Kirby, and she is an unreliable narrator at times, but one who is also committed to figuring out the connections with these deaths. There are a lot of plotlines at work here, one of which is a very enthralling murder mystery and a psychological thriller. Even though we know the who, early on, the why and the telling of the events takes time to be discovered.
Harper’s character is really, truly despicable. He doesn’t generate much empathy; a clear villain. Yet, and kudos to the writers and Bell’s performance, he’s quite curious. What are his motives? Even if we don’t get all of the answers, like the novel delivers more of, we can’t help but wonder about all of the questions.
source: AppleTV+
What’s ultimately frustrating but somehow simultaneously stimulating is the constant differing realities. This is where the science fiction aspect becomes especially prevalent. You feel as if you are with Kirby, understanding her confusion and her relentless perceptions of what her life is. She has all of her memories, but her surroundings and the people involved, including her mother Rachel (Amy Brenneman) and her sometimes husband Marcus (Chris Chalk) make for an overly sympathetic protagonist that truly captures the damage and struggle of someone dealing with a traumatic event. The supporting characters are as equally important as they present a level of both sustainable empathy and disconnect. Shining Girls is nothing if not a vestibule for contemplation. At times, you may feel on par with Kirby, unsure of what you are seeing.
A Mysterious Take On A Serial Killer
While most of the victims are already gone, there is one that can potentially be saved, with a riveting performance by Phillipa Soo as Jin-Sook. The relationship with her and Kirby is one I could have used more of, but it provides a sense (much like her and Dan, but varied) of recluse from her loneliness. The pain and healing of such an event can make someone feel like they are on an island, and we get to see Kirby’s resurgence which is (by its end) is as satisfying as you could hope for.
Shining Girls may not be for everyone. It is an acquired taste because, much like the lead, you’re traversing a difficult situation. The fact that this series personified this so definitively is admirable. Personally, it took me a couple of episodes, but then I was hooked.
There is a lot to potentially spoil, and I won’t. Much like many of this genre, the value is in the experience. It also is a series that earns your approval, your investment, and in its end, proves to be worthy of it. AppleTV+, I feel, has been a streaming service that has very rarely let me down. I’ve had several I’ve written about admirably here and on my other site (filminquiry.com) and some I haven’t but appreciated all the same.
source: AppleTV+
Shining Girls mixes investigative mystery with science fiction in a way that never feels exploitative and it gives a voice to trauma and an inventive story to boot; an avenue for imaginative storytelling that still somehow feels grounded. Come for the intrigue, stay for the performances; everyone is at the top of their game, and Elisabeth Moss, again, proves she is one of the best actresses on television.
A perplexing series with no shortage of hard-to-watch moments, Shining Girls is an enthralling, bold tale.
I dug it.
Shining Girls Season One is available to stream on AppleTV+.
Outer Range is truly a curious concoction of vibes, and intentions. Josh Brolin is as disconnected as I have seen him, giving us a fully charged and gutted performance. In just the first episode alone, there’s a murder, a curious arrival of a stranger, battling ranches, and of course, a random black hole that has appeared on The Abbott Family ranch.
And, bonus, I have to say there is a very inquisitive Buffalo.
But let’s rewind back through the mysterious universe of this strangely fascinating, slow burn, familial drama/sci-fi.
On a big ranch in beautiful, sprawling Montana, Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), his wife Cecilia (Lili Taylor), sons Rhett (Lewis Pullman), and Perry (Tom Pelphrey) along with Perry’s daughter Amy (Olive Elise Abercrombie) reside. Before the arrival of said murky, mysterious hole, the family already has their struggles. Perry’s wife Rebecca went missing, and no one knows where she is. Rhett wants to be a bull rider, but can’t seem to leave the family and its ranch behind. Then there’s Royal, who has a mysterious past that had him finding his way to the ranch as a child, his memory gone, and his family with it. Not to mention, the wealthy Tillerson’s, who want part of their land, specifically, the one that has a potential time traveling yawn at the center.
source: Amazon Studios
Autumn (Imogen Poots) arrives in a seemingly innocent fashion: she’s just looking for a place to stay, to put up her tent and not be a bother, specifically a place ripe with natural beauty. It doesn’t take long for Royal to become skeptical of her intentions, and for the two to become borderline adversaries. Their connection and disconnect are one of the most intriguing aspects of the series.
Over the course of season one of Outer Range, a lot happens. There are many subplots and moving parts, and not all of them get their full due. Every member of the Abbott family is dealing with new strifes, and then there are the others in this smaller community, who have their own hardships and motives.
Will Patton is Wayne Tillerson, patriarch of the family, and someone who has a unknown tie to this discovery. Not in the best health, his children, Billy (Noah Reid), Luke (Shaun Sipos), and Trevor (Matt Lauria) seem to be running things themselves. These two families are clearly rivals from the onset of the first episode, but there are also tattered threads within the Abbott family threatening to rip them apart. These two families have more in common than they realize, which makes for an interesting dynamic.
When Royal finds this unbelievable discovery he keeps it to himself, and he puts the burden on himself, therefore, pushing away his family. This, and the accidental death, creates a fissure within their home that continues to grow, thicker and more aggressive with time. Time, as it is, is incredibly important to the mythos of Outer Range, especially as the season continues. It’s this secret that manages to set each of the Abbotts on their own unique collision course.
Some of what intrigues me most about Outer Range is its unpretentious use of random plot devices. There are some scenes (for example one with Lili Taylor) that serve no reasonable purpose, at least not yet, and despite this, I was intrigued. I even relished those oddities.
This is a series of mysteries, first and foremost. Some are revealed by the finale, and some are still throbbing and pressuring as the expectation (and hope, here) for a second season mounts.
Let’s Talk About Poots
source: Amazon Studios
I’ve been a fan of Imogen Poots for a while. Whenever I see her listed in the cast, I’m elated. She’s one of those actresses that really aces every assignment she is given. In Outer Range her character is enigmatic, completely imperceptible, but also incredibly curious. Why is she so interested in this ranch? Who is she really, and what are her intentions? That investment and uncertainty makes for a plot line, in itself, that’s very riveting. I have my theories, but we will see what comes to fruition.
There are some killer supporting characters as well. Deputy Sheriff Joy (Tamara Podemski) as the local police who wants to win her quest for sheriff, but also needs to be under the thumb of the community’s elite to do so, specifically the Tillerson family. There is also Rhett’s childhood love, Maria Olivares (Isabel Arraiza), that has come back into his life. This provides a sweet romance in the corner of Outer Range, further capitalizing on its intricate paths. Each of these characters has a vital role in what is to come. Even if the expectation is uncertain.
Outer Range proves to be quite the rabbit hole. There are so many threads to follow, some more compelling than others, but they are all equally pointed. What is the significance of this find? Can Royal save his family? Who is Autumn, really?
source: Amazon Studios
The finale of Season One gives us tidbits of an explanation but mostly proves to encourage more questions than it does answers. With a story like this, I’m not surprised. While this series definitely takes its time, sometimes questioning your dedication, it ultimately made me engaged to a point where I was genuinely disappointed that I could not see where its narrative was headed. There are some gorgeous shots, wonderful sound design, and truly incredible acting performances. If not for anything else (and there is plenty), it should be viewed for its technological achievements.
Narratively, the show takes a concept that is a collaboration of ideas, making it one that stands out even when it is muddled. There were no episodes I saw where I wasn’t immediately invested in its next adventure.
Outer Range proves to be unique, alluring, and infinitely odd. This isn’t a negative. If anything, I applaud its approach to the unknown with a distinctive, massive anomaly that still takes a personal approach. This is human meets the mysterious in ample scope.
Outer Range season one is currently streaming on Amazon Prime
Welcome to Cinematic Nightmare Candy. Providing your horror sweet toothits (hopefully) terrifying fix.
This time around I ventured into two very different horror films. I had heard previous praise for one and had nearly seen it at a festival, while the other was a completely new and exciting, surprise.
source: A24
X (Ti West)
As a fan of Ti West‘s The House of the Devil, I was really looking forward to seeing what his newest venture would bring. For the most part, I had avoided spoilers, so I went into X with nothing more than a logline. Believe me when I say that this film will flourish in that sweet spot; between your presumptions and what X really is.
This allowed me to experience the film without knowing how weird or unexpected it would be and that unknown kept me immensely invested even when I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening.
X starts with a group of filmmakers headed out to a guesthouse in rural Texas to shoot an adult film. Maxine (Mia Goth), Lorraine (Jenna Ortega), Wayne (Martin Henderson) Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow), RJ (Owen Campbell), and Jack (Kid Cudi) arrive expecting to make the next adult sensation, but instead find themselves in a uniquely disturbing, nightmare circumstance.
It is the 70s and writer/director Ti West does an amazing job of capturing the era, both stylistically, and how the camera draws us in. It’s an alluring place, a piece of history that is often brought to the screen with a beautiful (and menacing) appeal. At times, this felt like a mix between The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, though, the former, was much closer in tone. The camerawork is by far one of the standouts, creating perceptible tension, especially in the first half when X is really at its best.
The young stars show up to be greeted by an elderly man, who is hesitant to rent despite a previous promise. Howard and his wife Pearl live on the premises and it doesn’t take long to realize there is something off about their situation, especially that of Pearl who takes to late-night strolls, peeping in on our group, and crossing many, many, boundaries.
source: A24
X is a throwback in all of its aesthetics, reaching for inspiration in the grindhouse features that once populated this space. It can be a bit gratuitous with its gore, but that doesn’t bother me as much (especially if you’ve seen the new Texas Chainsaw) as much as its lack of exploration within its characters. While this is obviously a slasher in all of the typical ways, X’s insistence on the repelling of the aged form, call it ageism or just the horror of the reality of getting older, is the real root of terror.
I’d also check the credits when it’s finished if you didn’t figure out a detail yourself about Pearl.
The female performances are really the standouts of the group, especially Mia Goth. Among the camerawork, I have to give kudos to the editing done by West and David Kashevaroff, and a haunting score that adds to the excellently captured aesthetic. Overall, X is an entertaining and vivid throwback horror, with a mesmerizing performance from Goth, even if it doesn’t slash quite as deep as it intends.
X is available on VOD
source: Dread
Midnight (Kwon Oh-seung)
Kwon Oh-Seung‘s Midnight brings us a bleak setting from its start, a place dominated by fear, as young women seem to fall victim to an unknown assailant. The concept is a fairly simple one, and yet somehow Midnight doesn’t seem to play that way at all.
After a long day at work, Kyung-mi (Jin Ki-joo) meets up with her mother (Gil Hae-yeon). Unbeknownst to her, a serial killer is lurking in the shadows. He stalks women and murders them, on the scarce streets of South Korea. Do-sik (Wi ha-joon) had just preyed on his newest victim, a young woman walking home, and while still in the middle of the assault is seen. A mask obscures his identity, but his imperatives quickly shift as he realizes that Kyung-mi has not only seen what he’s done but has gotten away. He also assumes her deafness as an indication she’ll be a simple target.
This is where this mystery/thriller dials up to 10 and becomes a hunt, an escape, and a stirring fight for survival.
As clever as he is chilling, Do-sik finds ways to talk himself out of suspicion, even among his potential victims. The story mostly focuses on these three, but also Jong-tak (Park Hoon), the brother of the recent victim, who is still alive (albeit barely) as the film also turns into a desperate mission to find and save his sister.
Kwon Oh-seung also wrote the script, and it is an intriguing, biting, and ultimately suspenseful story that doesn’t stop for air (and I mean that literally, they run so much, that I felt winded). It’s got its finger on your pulse and it doesn’t let up. There’s always some new turn that you aren’t expecting which makes the lean 103 minutes all efficiently used.
There were times when I’d see how much I had watched and I was shocked there was so much left because I assumed things were nearing their end. And yet, something new would occur creating added tension and bringing in new characters or circumstances, and it’s like the board reset. Suddenly, you have no idea what would happen as you watch this character try to survive the night.
Kwon Oh-seung brings in a noir vibe, not sitting on social commentary and giving us a lot to think about. That is if you can find a beat between the kinetic energy. Jin Ki-joo is compelling and extremely genuine, making it easy to follow her struggles with empathy and hope. I can see this being one of those films with people yelling at the screen; not because she’s making poor choices, but because Wi ha-joon is so darn effective.
Midnight allows us to be immersed in the action, and the thrills, as we root for our heroine and curse this killer, who seems to charm the guard down on everyone he meets. In fact, Wi ha-joon, is superb. His truly menacing and chilling demeanor permeates through the film, often finding ways to remind us how he revels in this, smirking at the camera, or laughing to himself as he gets away with another vicious feat.
There are times when the film begins to get lost but quickly finds its footing, allowing some plot holes to form but not without forgiveness. Overall, Midnight prevails to satisfy fans of thrillers and horror alike, keeping you on your toes, and genuinely on the edge of your seat.
The performances by everyone are exceptional. In some scenes, occasionally consisting of long shots of running through the streets, you can feel the character’s air as harsh and splintered as it must be, until the victim and the aggressor collide. It makes for quite the visceral chase.
Midnight enthralls in its thills, excels in its execution, and allows a talented cast to bring this repeatedly anxiety-inducing stunner to life.
Disclaimer: These are late, but still necessary, because it’s important to highlight horror:
For most of us cinephiles, we remember the first time we saw a movie, whether it be in the theater, or at home. If the film shakes you, positively or negatively, there’s a residue left that seeps into your memory and makes it challenging to let go. Well, I don’t want to- so I’m going to highlight some Kristy horror history for this wonderful, special, month of October.
It isn’t an easy thing to sustain tension over the course of a feature, and one of the most recent films that unexpectedly did this exceptionally well was Don’t Breathe. As a new-and unnecessary sequel IMO, though I’ll probably still watch it- was recently released, it makes sense to touch on this particular thriller that stood out at a time when it wasn’t easy to do.
I can comfortably admit that when I first saw this movie I didn’t expect much. While not loaded with the exact same premise, I had seen enough of “similar” genre fare to know this had the potential to disappoint. Well, there are two sides to the coin, and this landed positively, up. Even now, as I show this to new audiences, I’m excited to see reactions, because, while not perfect, Don’t Breathe, is a worthy inclusion in this Spooktober because it works to do exactly what it aims to do. With so many floundering titles, that’s, truly, something.
source: Sony Pictures Releasing
The film starts from an interesting angle. Our main cast is a trio of young thieves, some more likable than others- Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and Money (Daniel Zovatto) decide to rob a blind military vet (Stephen Lang) who is supposedly sitting on a lot of cash. Horrible right? It could mean a new start for Rocky, and like any movie of the like, the last “score” they’ll need. From the very beginning, there’s an obvious bad feeling that only increases with each new scene. This isn’t going to be good. Who do you even root for here? That conundrum makes for a fascinating dichotomy that continues for… a good while. Until, eventually, with a dose of just an absurd disturbed decision, forces our audience to choose sides.
Directed by Fede Alvarez, it’s clear that he has an affinity for the genre, and I can appreciate what he infuses by building and sustaining the thrills through the course of the narrative. In many ways, the characters are constructs, not really filled out, and that’s okay. You don’t have to really be rooting for them, to still feel invested in what is happening. Don’t Breathe is often a teeter-totter, between characters, moments, and often- even rooms. What will this new scenery bring? Can they survive? Can they navigate in the dark, and avoid being heard? There’s enough there to prolong our attention and curiosity and that alone is imperative when making a film such as this.
are you Afraid of the Dark?
Don’t Breathe also goes for the creepy factor, full force at times. There’s a taut pin-drop route, that always seems to keep you hooked. The unpredictable nature of the film helps to steer you around unsuspecting, darkened corners that will have you peering between your fingers.
source: Sony Pictures Releasing
Is this the best of the genre? Hardly. However, Don’t Breathe does manage to steer the audience at its will, making it difficult to not watch until the credits, wondering what will come of our cast, friend/foe/both, and ultimately enthralled regardless.
I’d say that’s a pretty successful horror/thriller, right?
For most of us cinephiles, we remember the first time we saw a movie, whether it be in the theater, or at home. If the film shakes you, positively or negatively, there’s a residue left that creeps into your memory and makes it challenging to let go. Well, I don’t want to- so I’m going to highlight some Kristy horror history for this wonderful, special, month of October.
Sometimes, because this genre can be so shocking, there’ll be a film that comes along that finds a new way to unsettle you. This one, does just that- even as I rewatch it now. Even when I know where it is going.
Eden Lake is one of the movies that terrifies, disgusts, and also… infuriates. It has a meanness ingrained within the core, and once our main characters get introduced to it, it overtakes everything else. This is not everybody’s film. Even for the horror-lovers.
The group of local youngsters feel resistant to the yuppy tourists that come their way, and once lines are drawn, things grow even dire.
source: Optimum Releasing
Paige (Kelly Reilly) and Steve (Michael Fassbender) are headed to the countryside and lake for a weekend getaway. The couple seem happy, glowing even, and when they make it to the beach it looks like its going to be a lovely time.
When they run into some local, antagonistic kids who seem to relish provoking them, there’s a beckoning dread that sits in your stomach. When an accident happens, things spiral into a dangerous, vengeful place. Once the youth are in “it”, they feel they have to finish what they have started, becoming a cat and mouse of hunting the couple in the forest.
How the situation is handled, on many fronts, is poor, and it ensures the dominoes just keep clanging over, bringing about destruction and pain.
Eden Lake toils with the idea of pride and revenge, and dangles elements of social commentary throughout. It feels a bit like Straw Dogs, in the way that it’s developed to be a survival, realistic (to an extent) horror. For most horrors, even the ones based on true events or enveloped in realism, there are going to be a element of things that you have to suspend, in order to enjoy. Or, in this film’s case, survive.
Our tenacious duo do a lot to fight back, and what they endure is guaranteed to check your gag reflex more than once.
Something that always works throughout the film is the tension and fear, even when some of the character’s decisions don’t seem particularly wise (or for other moments where you wonder- wait, why didn’t they do this? Like most horrors). Despite the antagonists of the film being younger, there’s still a level of belief in their intent. It often reminded me of Mean Creek or Bully or even Alpha Dog in that way, because despite the age there is still a feeling of trepidation, especially once you see what they are capable of.
Jack O’Connell as their leader, reacts often with extreme anger and ill intent, with a performance that is shocking at times. As we meet some other townfolk in the film, its clear that he’s been influenced by his surroundings.
source: Optimum Releasing
Writer/director James Watkins writes some interesting looks at social interactions and skillfully uses his talented cast, as well as an excellently moody score by David Julyan to keep the fear alive. Filled with some near escapes, and lots of surprises, Eden Lake keeps you on your toes.
The movie occasionally teeters on ridiculous, but it is always enthralling. For good or for worse, for shock or recoil, you’re there, dissecting what’s happening with a keen curiosity. It’s haunting and lurid, but the performances make this British-horror quite effective. Despite how I feel about aspects of the movie, or how it makes me- in response- feel, there’s a boldness to it that I can’t ignore.
A survival thriller with no shortage of cringe inducing moments, Eden Lake hurts – no really- to watch at times. In many ways, this film will frustrate most to nauseam.
The way that Watkins creates such sustaining tension, is impressive. I think even when the film begins to rub you the wrong way, you’re still being pulled along on a string, wanting to see what’s waiting on the other side. And it isn’t pretty.
A new Guy Ritchie movie? And we’ve got Jason Statham? Color me intrigued! (With a light shading of skepticism).
In their newest collaboration (after many years apart) Statham plays the mysterious “H” a newly hired security guard for an armored truck company. What they don’t know (same as the viewer) is that he isn’t quite who he seems. If you’ve watched a Statham movie, like, ever- you’ll know that he means business. His business here? Revenge.
But, we’ll get to that.
One Crime, Two Crimes, and a wholelotmore
As the film opens we’re shown a robbery, one that is inevitably the catalyst for the story, delivered to us in pieces over the course of the film. We’re merely spectators here as the camera immerses us inside the armored truck, feeling the tension, but still being limited to what we can ascertain. The opening credits are akin to a Bond film visually, (which makes me wonder what that particular team up would look like) and it immediately sets the style for the rest of the film. There is also the use of chapter names, which- while at first- seemed unnecessary, somehow won me over. Specifically the last. In many ways, despite a thin plot, the movie was overly heavy-handed with its intentions (and especially the… dialogue- which tickled my gag reflex on more than one occasion).
Yet from the very beginning the tension is present, festering, as we slowly understand the motives of our lead, and well, his full wrath.
source: Paramount Pictures
Jason Statham is no stranger to a character like this, but it’s one of my favorite performances of his in some time. His cool, icy demeanor doesn’t falter, strutting into danger with the collectedness of Terminator and a firearm efficacy that’s chilling. As a grieving, anger fueled man on a rampage, Statham does drive the lean plot with evident rage.
What are his intentions?
“A Dark Spirit”
“H” is a man with power in the criminal world and when a heist goes wrong, his teenage son is killed. This sets him upon a mission to find his killer. Eventually he finds his way to Scott Eastwood (channeling some serious Waingro from Heat, a far superior film- watch it if you haven’t) who is part of another crew. He’s a hothead, clearly making impulsive, selfish decisions; the kind of guy you somehow hope is responsible. It makes rooting for the antihero at the center a lot easier. Also, for screenwriters Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, and Marn Davies, a stock antagonist requires less imagination.
The Mystery of “H” doesn’t take long to decipher, but the film unearths his story at the right pace. It takes its time to build. The score by Christopher Benstead permeates throughout, teetering between frustratingly insistent and understandably pestering. There’s something rather sinister underlining the film, with some sequences reaching a disturbing height,but there’s also a sense of grief in H’s intentions, that’s evident, and clings to Statham throughout.
source: Paramount Pictures
We get answers in different ways, from H’s dedication to finding those responsible, to meeting those who are. It, of course, culminates in a big bloody final heist.
The supporting roles work, but are pretty by-the-numbers, with appearances by Holt McCallany, Josh Harnett, Jeffrey Donovan and Laz Alonso (to name some). Suffice to say, primarily a male-dominated picture.
When it comes to Ritchie movies, they tend to be hit or miss. I can tell this will divide audiences (and it has) especially fans, with his decisions here. So, what was is that made me lean (streettchhh) towards favor?
so much wrath
In this instance I tried to go into this without expectation, after all- I had enjoyed his last outing, and being reunited with Statham– it seemed like it could be promising. In some ways it was like my first theatrical experience post-pandemic. Though it wasn’t, it sure felt like it, and maybe that tinged this experience with an extra level of enthusiasm. However, I admittedly did enjoy Wrath of Man. Is it perfect? Hardly. Problematic at times? Eh, yes (gulp). But, is it entertaining? Absolutely. It’s a full-throttle thrill ride that manages to mar dark intensity with an action-filled narrative. It is one of the more serious notches in Richie’s recent belt, and I was surprised by that.
Wrath of Man is really Statham‘s, what I’ll call, “Symphony of revenge” featuring many bodies falling, and bullets a blazing. With a killer (in all ways) ending, it’s about as joyful as one can expect from a movie like this. However, there’s a level of escapism through cinema that can be found here, with some compelling sequences and great action, but temper your expectations.
It was a moody piece, one that could have been much better with the right cohesion, writing, and less concern for being “cool” and more for striving for originality. I think there could have been an even better film if it had shed some of its concern for excess. Still, if you can disconnect from that and from the overly masculine intent, you’ll find Wrath of Man to be a entertaining, thrilling, ride.
Have you seen Wrath of Man? What did you think?Let me know!
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 