The Rockport Film Review

Mark Duplass is a "Creep"

2022-05-03T16:14:00.013-05:00

5/3/2022

*Contains Spoilers*

The fact that this movie was written, directed and stars only 2 people is amazing in itself. The fact that it's actually a good movie and works with all its limitations is astounding. Indie film veteran Mark Duplass co-wrote this film with Patrick Brice who also directed the movie and plays the character of Aaron. Duplass plays the thoroughly disturbing character Josef. Released in 2015 this film belongs to the found footage sub-genre of horror. This is also surprising since found footage films now have been overly used and exploited. Aaron answers a craigslist ad from Josef who is in need of a freelance videographer to follow him around for a day. The pay is good and Aaron takes the job. He heads out to this big house in a densely wooded area and things are just a little strange right from the beginning. When Aaron doesn’t find anyone home, Josef jumps out and scares him in a somewhat playful manner. Josef is very fond of the cliched jump scares but for this movie it just kind of works. Josef confesses that he has terminal cancer and his girlfriend is pregnant. He wants to make a video for his unborn child to remember him. Josef is a very charismatic and normal-looking guy but something about him just isn’t right.

One of the first things Aaron films is of Josef “taking a tuby” (a bath). Awkward does not begin to describe this interaction. Josef is fully naked and pretending to take a bath with a baby. The whole emotional tone of the film is rather schizophrenic, going from very dark personal stories to laughing and joking around. Josef then introduces him to “peach fuzz” a scary Halloween werewolf mask. Then they wander off into the woods to find this therapeutic healing river. Josef takes off running and leaves Aaron to wonder what the hell is going on here. They eventually find each other again and come upon a hidden pond in a rock formation of a heart.

Aaron really needs the money so he keeps playing along with Josef’s peculiar behavior. They get food at a diner and have so more deep conversations about things they’ve done in their pasts. Back at Josef’s place, he compels Aaron to stay for a drink while he tells him a rather graphic story about his wife. This kicks up the awkward tension to a new high. Desperate to leave Aaron is once again convinced to stay. Although Aaron drugs Josef’s drink to knock him out. While asleep Josef’s phone vibrates and Aaron answers it, it's Angela his so-called pregnant wife. This is where Josef’s story falls apart. Angela is actually his sister, she is not pregnant and Josef is an extremely lonely single guy with severe mental illness. She warns him to leave immediately. Josef then appears behind him wearing the Peach Fuzz mask. Aaron does escape and is back home but the stalking and paranoia have just begun. He keeps receiving packages and videos in the mail. One of these is Josef explaining why he is like this and becoming very emotional and honest about how lonely and depressed he is. He begs Aaron to meet with him one last time so he can properly apologize. He agrees and they are set to meet at a public park bench. The last scene is a grainy video of the back of Aaron waiting on the bench. We then see Josef slowly creeping up behind him and drawing an ax over his head and bringing it down hard into Aaron's skull. The movie ends with another infamous Josef jump scare into the camera.

“Creep” for what it's worth is an effectively creepy and socially awkward movie. It was so good in fact that a couple years later the sequel “Creep 2” came to Netflix. This time with a woman going toe to toe with Josef’s antics. Both films are rather short making it easy to watch them back to back in one sitting.

"Maniac Cop" An Arresting Horror Classic

2022-04-05T11:24:00.001-05:00

4/5/2022

Director William Lustig helped kick off the 80s horror barrage with his disturbing cult classic film “Maniac”. Then at the end of the decade, he went back to the well with another horror classic in “Maniac Cop”. Although only related to each other in name, “Maniac Cop” also spawned a couple of sequels in ’90 and ’92.

Horror icon Bruce Campbell of “Evil Dead” fame stars as Jack, a New York City cop who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his wife and a string of other killings perpetrated by a man in a police officer's uniform. The real culprit or “Maniac Cop” is played by Robert Z’Dar. The Maniac’s name is Matt Cordell, a good cop who was betrayed and sold out by his fellow officers. He was then subsequently murdered in a prison shower beating and mutilation. He is back for revenge and to also I guess kill a lot of innocent people too. We find out that similar to other horror icons like Michael Meyers and the soon to appear Jason Vorhees. Matt Cordell cannot be killed and is a sort of supernatural being. It's kind of funny and ridiculous that when that characters find out that bullets don’t faze him they still don’t hesitate in unloading an entire clip into him in every movie, but isn’t that the fun of it? They try to offer an explanation for his return in the third movie but it’s pretty laughable, kind of like the whole third film in general.

Another iconic actor known for playing cops, Tom Atkins plays Frank a detective on the trail of this Maniac. Years ago his partner had killed himself and this has had lasting effects on him. He is convinced that Jack is innocent and when he gets too close to the truth he is thrown out a window to his premature death. This was actually quite shocking to see, but Bruce Campbell was always meant to be the hero of the film.

Jack teams up with Officer Theresa Mallory a friend from the vice squad to hunt down this Maniac Cop. Although he is still thought of as a suspect he uncovers the hidden conspiracy about Matt but is too late. During the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Matt makes his move to take revenge on the Police commissioner, who is played by Richard Roundtree of “Shaft” fame, and the officers who betrayed him. After the massacre, there is the requisite car chase through the city ending up with a big face-to-face showdown at the pier Matt is thought to be spectacularly killed off and drowned in the water but wait, horror villains never really die do they? His white-gloved hand emerges from the water and grasps the dock. Roll Credits.

Both “Maniac” and “Maniac Cop” are classics of the genre but are of different tones. “Maniac” is a brutally depraved masterpiece thanks to the performance of Joe Spinell, while “Maniac Cop” is more of an entertaining action film with notes of horror”. Check out my review of “Maniac”.

"Toys are Not For Children" is a Vintage 70s Exploitation Experience!

2022-01-18T14:21:00.005-06:00

1/18/2022

This piece of early 70s exploitation is perfect for late-night viewing. Its trashy grindhouse aesthetic and lurid subject matter, while not completely over the top makes for a fun viewing experience. Directed by Stanley Brassloff and Starring Marcia Forbes this movie can also be found with the alternate title “How to Make Love to a Virgin”.

The movie follows Jamie Godard a young and emotionally stunted woman who has never gotten over the abandonment of her father when she was a little girl. She has since developed a rather unwholesome attachment to the toys he had given her. She has also suffered emotionally and psychologically at the hands of her overbearing mother who has poisoned her mind about men. During the course of the film, we get a number of traumatizing flashbacks of Jamie’s youth. She currently works at a toy store (obviously) and gets into a relationship with a male co-worker, Charlie, who she eventually marries. Their wedding night is quite awkward as she is afraid to have sex and can only be comforted by one of the toys her father bought her, A nutcracker soldier.

Earlier in the movie, Jamie makes a connection while helping a woman pick out a toy. Her name is Pearl and she is from the city, she marvels at Jamie’s innocence and purity. Jamie is fascinated by the big city and asks if she can visit her sometime and Pearl agrees. We find out that Pearl is a prostitute who lives with her greasy sleazeball of a pimp, Eddie. After a few intense runs ins with him, they eventually have sex while Pearl is away. Soon after Janie gets her hair cut and starts to take on clients of her own where she likes to act out her daddy fantasies with her Johns. Pearl is devastated, not to mention her husband Charlie. Charlie is so angry and blinded by jealousy her forces himself on her for their first time together.

*Spoiler Alert*

Janie has always been a girl whose been used and abused her whole life by other people and her choice to become a prostitute I guess lets her gain back some sense of self-control, but then there is still Eddie. With Janie now being Eddie’s top girl, he kicks Pearl to the curb. Although she hatches an absolutely diabolical plan to get revenge on Janie. She tracks down her father, another local sleazeball, and sets him up with a date with the “new girl”. When the night comes and unknown to the both of them Janie plays her Daddy fantasy with her real father. After the incestuous climax, so to speak, we get that moment of realization. It’s basically the same ending as Park Chan-wook’s 2003 classic “Old Boy”. Janie is once again rejected by her father. Like I mentioned in the beginning this is a great midnight movie for anyone who likes that grimey 70s style grindhouse aesthetic.

Paging Dr. Reynolds! "Scalpel" Will Cut You Good

2021-12-23T09:41:00.001-06:00

12/23/2021

Director John Grissmer only made two films, both of which have become rediscovered cult classics. “Scalpel” also known as “False Face” came in in 1977, then ten years later came “Blood Rage”. While “Scalpel” is more of a twisted family drama, “Blood Rage”, is obviously, a straight-up slasher film. “Scalpel” is a rather incestuous southern drama about a psychotic ego magical plastic surgeon named Dr. Phillip Reynolds, played by Robert Lansing.

Taking place in Georiga, the story opens with Dr. Reynolds talking with colleagues about how great it is to be a plastic surgeon. We see his larger-than-life ego in full display. We then go straight to the funeral of his brother-in-law, an exceedingly rich man who has left his whole five million dollar estate to his granddaughter, Heather. This also happens to be Dr. Reynolds daughter, who has since vanished after the death of her boyfriend at the hands of her father a year earlier. This is only the beginning of the crazy, convoluted plot. We then see a topless go-go dancer being brutally beaten outside a club and her face being smashed against a wall. She staggers away into the street only to be rescued by Dr. Phillips, who just happens to be driving by. He brings her to the hospital to get cleaned up. She has no identification and nobody comes to claim her. Reynolds hatches a devious plan to reconstruct her face to look exactly like his missing daughter in order to claim the inheritance. This girl, who goes by Jane Doe, agrees to this plan and will get half the money for her cooperation. Jane meticulously studies Heather’s voice and mannerisms. She is then reintroduced to the family and everyone is fooled. The only thing that could give her away is that the real Heather is a piano prodigy, and Jane can’t play at all. When she is encouraged to play for the family she fails horribly, but Reynolds is there to play it off and rescue her.

What’s really disturbing about this movie is that even though Jane is a virtual carbon copy of Heather (both parts are played by the same actress Judith Chapman) Reynolds has no problem getting into a quasi-incestuous relationship with her. Then over the course of the movie, we find out how truly disturbed he really is. When their plan is almost discovered by a skeptical Uncle Bradley he conveniently has a heart attack and Reynolds and Jane watch him die. All this time we are wondering what happens to the real Heather? At Uncle Bradley’s funeral, she finally appears in the distance and then sets up a surprise dinner for when Reynolds and Jane get back home. Heather buys the fact that Dad has a new lady friend just happens to look exactly like her. She is even unaware of her grandfather’s death and her inheritance.

Things really start to get strange with the three of them living in the same house. What will the crazy Dr. Reynolds do now? What will the two Heathers Do? The third act really comes off the rails with hitmen, mistaken identities, and of course, more incest. Everyone has a plan, but the two Heathers team up to finally drive Reynolds stark raving mad. He is taken away in a straight jacket as the real Heather resumes her role in the family. While Jane makes off with her half of the inheritance and gets on a private plane to start a new life. With all its craziness and glaring plot holes, “Scalpel” is a movie that belongs in the ’70s and is a fun movie to discover late at night.

French Horror Classic "Eyes Without a Face"

2021-12-22T14:39:00.004-06:00

12/22/2021

This classic French horror movie from 1960 has been an inspiration for many filmmakers and audiences for decades. It’s a dark and poetic fairy tale beautifully realized by its director Georges Franju, taken from a novel written by Jean Redon.

We open with a woman driving at night in the rain. Her back seat passenger dressed in a big hat and trench coat but not moving. Arriving at the banks of the Seine, the driver drags out this lifeless body and dumps it in the river. The musical score sounds like this circus merry-go-round from hell and it returns throughout the film when we see this woman on the prowl. We then meet Dr. Genessier who is giving a lecture to a room full of colleagues about a revolutionary skin grafting technique he has been working on. He is a stern and studious man who lives in a hilltop mansion with his assistant, Louise. His beloved daughter Christiane has gone missing and when the police drag a body out of the Seine, the Doctor identifies her as his daughter, when it obviously isn’t. Christiane is actually locked up in the mansion. Her face was horribly disfigured in a fiery automobile accident caused by her father. Ever since he has been obsessed with repairing her face to its former beauty. Until then she wears this smooth white mask at all times. She has essentially been robbed of her identity. All of the mirrors have been removed but she can still see the mask and it frightens her more than her disfigurement.

Christiane herself (played by Edith Scob) is very meek and quiet. She is tall with a graceful swan-like neck. She is curious about the women that are brought over, but most of all she is terribly lonely and even suicidal at one point. She had a fiancé who still works for her father and at one point tries to contact him. Although she is presumably dead to the world. They even had a funeral for her.

It is Louise’s job to go into town and look for fresh faces, so to speak, for the Dr. to remove and graft onto his daughter. The face removal scene is one for the ages as it is still effectively gory and gruesome to this day. While Christiane has a new face for a short time the graft doesn’t take and it ends up rotting off. This is another effectively gross scene as we see a series of still photos and her progressively deteriorating face. It’s not too long after they abduct another woman that a couple of police investigators are on to the Doctor. The woman was actually bait and the Doctor took it, but now can these bumbling investigators save her before it's too late. Christiane decides enough is enough and takes matters into her own hands. She free’s the woman and takes out Louise with a scalpel to the neck. She then releases all of the caged animals, the dogs take care of her father, the Doctor, and maul him to death. Christiane calmly and peacefully walks out into nature wearing her signature white mask.

"The Eyes of Laura Mars" are a Little Cloudy

2021-11-17T16:40:00.003-06:00

11/17/2021

Before Irvin Kershner went on to direct the “Star Wars” sequel “The Empire Strikes Back” he helmed the 1978 thriller “Eyes of Laura Mars” starring Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones. While moderately successful it occasionally does shows signs of wanting to be a better movie but it just never quite develops. It turns out being your typical big studio movie weighed down by too many cooks in the kitchen. So without further ado, let me ladle it out for ya.

The film opens up with an original song by Barbara Streisand and a negative image of someone's eyes. We then go to a classic Italian Giallo-style scene of a killer's gloved hand as he stalks a woman with an ice pick. He fingers through a photography book and stabs one of the photos in the eye. Then goes on to kill the woman in her apartment with you guessed it an ice pick through the eye. We then cut to another close-up of an eye, this time is is that of Laura Mars (Dunaway), a famous New York City fashion photographer in her high. Rise apartment. She is a successful single woman in the age of the women’s liberation movement. She has a gallery opening to celebrate her new book “Eyes of Mars”, the same book the killer was looking through. Her work is considered very controversial as it incorporates sex and violence in ads to sell clothing. They scratch the surface of the issues of sex, violence, and commercialism as well as the divide between models and “real” people but never go into depth with any of it. Laura then casually runs into skeptic John Neville (Jones) at the party and later we find out that he is a detective.

The whole premise of the movie is a little hard to get your head around but here goes. Laura keeps having these psychic visions that put her in the shoes of a killer. It is never explained how or why she gets these visions. It could be that since she is such a successful photographer that it's some kind of second sight. After a few murders a pattern begins to develop, the killer is targeting the models in her violent portrait work. Detective Neville also brings to light that her photos have an eerie resemblance to a number of crime scene photos. We get this whole art imitating life vibe. Neville is your typical ultra-cool and witty 70s era detective who starts to work more and more closely with Laura to protect her from this killer who could make her his next target. A lineup of possible suspects is developed. Her down on his luck ex-husband Michael. Her ex-con chauffeur Tommy, played by the wonderfully crazy Brad Dourif. Or, could it be her fabulously gay manager Donald? None of these are really that believable as legitimate suspects.

As the murders start to heat up so does Laura and Neville's affair and you can kind of see where this is going. Laura’s visions are increasing and after Donald is killed, Tommy becomes the prime suspect until he is gunned down but some trigger happy cops after an interrogation. With everybody thinking the killer is now dead Laura comes face to face with the real psychopath, Detective John Neville. We discover this when she sees herself in one of her visions, and Neville is standing in front of her. He, of course, has a split personality. After some fighting his good side re-emerges and pleads with her to shoot him and end all of this death and misery, so she does. We bookend the movie with Barbara Streisand again and a freeze frame of Laura dissolving into a black and white negative image.

“Eyes of Laura Mars” is by no means a great movie, but it's entertaining to a point. It really doesn’t have a firm identity other than your basic thriller. It has a number of murders, but it’s not gory, with barely a trace of blood. For its time it had a number of A-list actors and a large budget of around seven million. It just felt overly produced and a typical product of the large studio, but if you're feeling nostalgic for the late 70s this will be something you can eat up.

Look into "The Eyes of a Stranger"

2021-11-03T16:48:00.001-05:00

11/3/2021

This is a classic 80s slasher that doesn’t get enough attention. With so many great horror films in this decade, there are more than a few films that don’t get talked about nearly enough. Director Ken Wiederhorn took inspiration from a number of sources, but most notably from the master himself Alfred Hitchcock and his 1954 film “Rear Window”. This was also the film debut of Jennifer Jason Leigh whose performance got her the part of Stacy in the teen classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”.

“Eyes of a Stranger” is set in Miami, Florida and a serial killer is on the prowl, stalking, raping, and murdering young women in the area. It starts with an obscene phone call and he keeps calling over and over again. It’s very reminiscent of the opening to Wes Craven’s 1996 Masterpiece “Scream”. What makes this film different is that there is no secret as to who the killer is. His name is Stanley Herbert, played by John DiSanti, a heavy-set white male with glasses who dresses in drab business clothes. He lives alone in a large apartment complex. In the next building over lives Jane, played by Lauren Tewes, a local TV news reporter who cares for her blind mute younger sister Tracy, played Jennifer Jason Leigh. As a little girl, Tracy was kidnapped, beaten, and left for dead. The trauma has manifested itself into her blindness and inability to see or hear. She does have a dog but this is a horror movie and as usual, pets are always marked for death.

Early on we see Stanley following Debbie, a waitress walking home from work, he bides his time and relishes the thrill of the hunt. He then gets into a phone booth and dials her number again and again with some seriously creepy and disturbing calls. Debbie is freaked out until her boyfriend arrives. Soon after consoling her, he loses his head as Stanley uses a giant cleaver that Debbie just had lying around? The big gore effect scenes were done by the one and only Tom Savini, the godfather of 80s horror effects. Debbie then finds her boyfriend's decapitated head in the fish tank. Stanley then attacks her and strangles her with his belt.

Shocked and angered by the recent string of killings, Jane starts to investigate a strange man who she sees changing out of a blood-stained shirt in the parking garage of her apartment complex. This is indeed Stanley, but Jane has no evidence or proof that he’s the killer. Her boyfriend, a lawyer, never seems to believe her and thinks she should give it up. There is another killing, a typist working late in a big office building starts getting the calls and freaks her the hell out. She calls to tell a friend that she is coming over but never makes it out of the parking garage. When Stanley goes to dispose of her body, he kills another couple making out in a car.

While Jane is out and about we are shown flashbacks to when Tracy was abducted and eventually recovered. Jane will never let anything happen to her again, but the more she investigates Stanley the more she unknowingly puts her at risk. Jane is able to steal the superintendent's extra key for Stanley’s apartment and does more snooping around. She keeps getting bolder and bolder until she decides to turn the tables on him by calling him up harassing him. She eventually slips up and inadvertently reveals herself during a newscast, Stanley knows who his next victim is. Unfortunately, Tracy gets stuck in the middle when he finds her apartment. She thinks she is alone until strange things start to happen. Stanley is right next to her mocking her blindness. Tracy acknowledges she is not alone and makes a run for it, but is no match for big Stan. Tracey does her best to fight him off and hides in a closet. With this new attack, Tracey begins to get her sight back, but will this be enough to save her? Meanwhile, Jane is back over poking around Stanley’s place when she sees across the way that he is in fact in hers attacking Tracey! She races back to save her just in time with a well-placed bullet right between his eyes. “Eyes of a Stranger” is a thoroughly entertaining horror thriller with great effects sequences and good acting. It has a very distinct 80s look and feel to it and everything modern filmmakers want to recapture when trying to recreate the era. Shout! Factory has released a special edition Blu-ray that is now a part of my personal collection.

After "Dune" See Denis Villeneuve's "Polytechnique"

2021-10-28T17:00:00.001-05:00

10/28/2021

French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve’s last two films have been big-budget Hollywood productions in “Blade Runner 2049” and “Dune”. When an extremely talented and thoughtful filmmaker like Denis “goes Hollywood” it’s always a sad moment. Sure he is now extremely rich, but his film don’t feel like they are really his, they are just apart of some bigger machine. His breakout film was the 2009 film “Polytechnique”. An intensely disturbing account of the mass shooting at the Montreal Polytechnique school in 1989. Although this film was shot in black and white to mute out all colors, especially blood, it is similar to Gus Van Sant’s 2003 Columbine film “Elephant”. Both films were highly acclaimed by critics, with “Elephant” even winning the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Polytechnique” opens with a bang (so to speak) as we are jolted by a scene of graphic violence, after this we cut back and are introduced to a seeming normal young man but who has a seething hatred for women. He is your typical disgruntled young male who wants to blame society for all his problems. He is isolated, lonely and is not given a name, just credited only as “The Killer”.

We are introduced to Valerie and Stephanie, two female students who we follow throughout the film. We also follow a male student Jean-Francois, who looks to have some of the same issues as The Killer, but deals with them in different ways but ultimately arriving at the same conclusion. Valerie is one of a few female engineering students and takes a lot crap for it but does get the internship that she so desperately wanted despite all this. She is strong willed and takes things as they come, she also has the strong support of people around her, especially her friend and roommate Stephanie. As they both walk into a class room like another day little do they know what is about happen on this cold December day.

Through a cloud of anxiety and fear The Killer sits in his car preparing for the assault. He carries a rifle wrapped in a garbage bag across the parking lot and into the building. People think nothing of it and don’t suspect a thing as he keeps to himself and doesn’t say a word. Roaming the hall for awhile contemplating his life. He finally stops at the class room that just happens to have Valerie, Stephanie, and Jean-Francois inside. There is this heavy moment of truth scene, where he could just as easily leave with nobody ever knowing, but it passes and he enters the room. He orders the men to leave. As he makes his way to the door Jean-Francois glares at the killer and thinks for a moment, Do I to try and stop him?, but he doesn’t. This decision haunts him and caused enormous guilt as we find out later. He runs from the room and notifies security about the situation. When the Killer starts roaming the halls looking for more victims, Jean-Francois comes across a seriously wounded woman and comforts her as best he can but is completely over his head. Later, when he finally gets back to the classroom he is witness to a scene of utter horror as every woman has been shot dead. After the events of that day Jean-Francois suffers from debilitating PTSD and in a heartbreaking scene visits his mother before driving out the frozen lake to kill himself by carbon monoxide asphyxiation.

We then go back to that classroom scene to see things from Valerie’s point of view and how she and Stephanie survive being shot. Valerie can still walk although just on one leg and goes for help as Stephanie clings to life. We seen more of the devastation that Jean-Francois had seen. The Killer still roams the halls and Valerie makes it back to the room only to find that Stephanie has died. She hears somebody coming and plays dead, it is Jean-Francios. We get scenes of the Killer’s rampage and his cold callousness towards his female victims. How much is enough? When will this end? He does eventually get down on his knees and shoots himself.

On a brighter note Valerie survives but like Jean-Francois has to deal with the repercussions of that day for the rest of her life. We flash forward and Valerie has the jobs she has always wanted and then finds out she is pregnant. She fears of what will become of her child, but she comes to the realization that all you really can do is show it love.

A movie like “Polytechnique” could be rather exploitive in the wrong hands, but Villeneuve does his best to honor the actual victims of this tragedy and not to glorify the killer. Like I mentioned at the beginning the film was purposely shot in black and white as to not glorify the killing by showing large amount of red blood. Although there is no getting around the fact that Villeneuve did use this film to jump start his career. His subsequent films have reinforced the fact that he is indeed a gifted filmmaker. His jump to big budget Hollywood sequels and remakes will hopefully be short lived so he can return to more original stories and content.

Are You Up for Some "Cheap Thrills"?

2021-09-29T10:10:00.004-05:00

9/29/2021

The 2014 movie “Cheap Thrills” was released on VOD and never made a theatrical run. It definitely lives up to its name with its combination of dark humor, horror, and crime drama all blended into one crazy story. Pat Healy and Sara Paxton who both starred in “The Innkeepers” join David Koechner and Ethan Embry in this small little movie that provides enough cheap thrills to make it an interesting watch.

Healy plays Craig a husband and father who is down on his luck. On the verge of being evicted from their L.A. apartment, he is also downsized from his menial day job. Previous dreams of being a writer have long since passed so he goes to a local bar to drown his sorrows. Vince, an old friend played by Embry recognizes him and starts chatting him up. Before long he is introduced to Colin and his wife Violet (Koechner and Paxton). Colin is an exceedingly rich and eccentric man who starts offering Craig and Vince small amounts of money for dares. They move their little party to a strip club where the dares are increased. It’s getting late and Craig tries to leave on a number of occasions but the lure of the easy money is too great. They eventually get tossed from the club when Vince slaps a stripper's ass for $200. But Craig one-ups him by punching the bouncer in the face, not a good idea. Craig is knocked out cold by the bouncer and wakes up at Colin's place where the games continue. Sara Paxton’s character of Violet is completely wasted in this movie as she is only used for one scene and then relegated to looking pretty in the background the rest of the time. Craig is offered $2,000 to have sex with Violet and of course, he agrees. When money is involved and you are motivated enough morality is an afterthought. The dares increase, as well as the money, and Craig and Vince get the worst of it. Just a side note, if you like cute little dogs or are an animal person you can probably skip this movie.

The characters for the most part are ridiculous and stupid, however, this is where the comedy comes from. Craig and Vince get in a bidding war over who will cut their pinky finger off for the lowest amount of money and Craig wins at $15,000. Craig’s severed finger has quite an amazing journey throughout the rest of the film. You get to the point of where is this going to end and there is really only one possibility. In secret, Colin offers Vince $50,000 to kill Craig, but when it comes time he can’t do it. On the other hand, Craig can, as he shoots Vince without hesitation. Is this how the ultra-rich have fun on a Friday night? “Cheap Thrills” is pretty much just that, while not great it's something to watch late at night.

"Troll (1986)" The Father's Name is Harry Potter?

2021-09-22T18:09:00.002-05:00

9/22/2021

“Troll” is another one of those cheesy 80s horror/fantasy films that were popular at the time. Another film that was following in the footsteps of the highly successful, Stephen Spielberg produced, “Gremlins” although on a much smaller budget. “Troll” goes heavy into the mystical fairytale elements and rather light on the actual horror.

This is the story of your average American family moving into an apartment building in San Francisco only to find some bizarre inhabitants both human and otherwise. First of all, I have to mention that the father's name is Harry Potter and he is a book reviewer, mind you this was about five years before J.K. Rowling came up with the main character for her book series. Coincidence? His son is also named Harry Potter Jr. and is played by Noah Hathaway, the kid from another classic 80s fantasy “The Never Ending Story”. Harry Jr’s little sister Wendy looks exactly like the character Carol Anne from the Poltergeist movies. She is also the first person to interact with the Troll when she loses her striped ball in the downstairs laundry room. She is taken hostage as the Troll shape shifts to look like her and rejoins the family. This sweet little girl then turns into a crazy rage monster (figuratively speaking). She also now has a big green ring on her finger that she will use to collect her future victims.

We meet the other tenets of the building, a motley crew of outrageous stereotypes. Sonny Bono plays Peter the creepy swinging bachelor. We also have an ex-marine, a young couple, and Eunice St. Clair. An old society lady who becomes friends with Harry, Jr. Their relationship is, shall we say, a little weird. There is also Malcolm, a professor of English, who also happens to be a dwarf. He is invited to dinner and a bit of cringe-worthy humor follows. The Troll or Evil Wendy goes from apartment to apartment attacking people and transforming them into other fantasy creatures. The apartments themselves morph into a lush forest. We find out that this apartment building has been ground zero for an epic battle between a Princess and a Troll King named Torock. With the help of Eunice and Malcolm, it’s up to Harry Jr. to save the day.

The third act of this film makes you rethink a lot of your life choices, especially why you are watching this movie. It’s full of bizarre low-budget filmmaking with bad lighting effects, hammy acting, and a heaping serving of what the hell? Obviously, this is not a great movie or even good for that matter, but for some people, it's just the kind of campy movie that you grew up with and look back at with a certain sense of nostalgia. Oh, and the sequel, well that’s a whole other kind of crazy.

Roll on Over to Watch the 80s Horror Classic "Critters"

2021-09-11T14:51:00.006-05:00

9/11/2021

When looking for cult classic horror movies you can always go back to the well that was the 1980s. With the blockbuster success of “Gremlins” in 1984, a whole bunch of low-budget imitators came along like “Troll”(1986), “Ghoulies” (1984), and finally “Critters” (1986). All of which spawned many sequels. If you were a kid in the 80s looking for horror you’ve no doubt seen this crazy awesome movie a number of times. Directed by Stephen Hereck, who went on to directed an even bigger cult hit in “Bill & Teds’s Excellent Adventure” shows he has what it takes to make classic memorable movies.

“Critters” sets the weirdness tone early as we begin with a prison break on an asteroid, a group of furry little inmates escape on a ship that eventually lands on Earth. Hot on their tales are two shapeshifting humanoid bounty hunters who are assigned to destroy these Crites. Meanwhile, on Earth, we are introduced to the Brown Family, your basic rural midwestern farm in the fictitious town of Grover’s Bend Kansas. Horror icon Dee Wallace plays the mom (of course). Scott Grimes plays Brad, the main character kid we follow and secretly wanted to be like at that age. Then we have some typical stock characters types, Charlie, the town drunk with his crazy ideas, the cranky old Sheriff, and Brad’s sister and equally annoying boyfriend Steve, played by Billy Zane. Brad makes his own M80 firecrackers and explosives and carries a wicked slingshot.

When Charlie reports that he saw a spaceship crash in a nearby field to the Sheriff he is put in the jail cell to sleep it off. A spaceship has indeed landed on Brad’s farm and a bunch of furry little porcupine creatures with razor-sharp teeth emerge. The Critters can shoot quills at their victims and can devour anything in sight as we see when they kill a lowly deputy who investigates the crash. The bounty hunters arrive, while one of them morphs his face into a popular hair metal rockstar Johnny Steele (Terrence Mann), the other guy can’t seem to find a face that agrees with him.

That night Brad and his dad investigated a strange happening on their property and find a horribly mutilated cow. Upon returning home they investigate a noise in the cellar and the dad is attacked by one of the Critters. With the phone lines and electricity cut off, the Brown family is in survival mode as they fight off these Nasty little fury bowling balls. We then see Brad’s sister April bring Steve up into the barn loft for a little make-out session until it's rudely interrupted by some Critters. Poor Steve never stands a chance, but this gives her a chance to escape. The Bounty Hunters, on the other hand, crash the local church, then find themselves creating even more havoc and destruction at the bowling alley with their giant cannon-like guns. When they reach the Brown family farm, they do a little more destruction. Brad and April put their own fighting and differences aside to save the day until April is carried off by a giant Critter and put o to their spaceship. It’s nothing that Brad can’t handle as his handmade explosives come into good use. But as a final insult, the Critters blow up the family house, just before Brad’s secret blows up their ship.

“Critters” is actually a pretty family-friendly horror film as it’s rated PG-13 for its over-the-top ridiculousness. All of the characters are fun and relatable. It’s a low-budget film that feels a Lott bigger than it really is. The Critters themselves are animatronic puppets who actually emote a surprising amount of personality. They have their own language, so subtitles are used when they talk which is another great little touch. The ending of the film obviously sets the scene for possible upcoming sequels. In total there are five full-length “Critters” films, with the latest one being “Critters Attack!” in 2019.

Haley Bennet Stars in the Cringe Inducing "Swallow"

2021-05-23T17:00:00.005-05:00

5/23/21

“Swallow” is a fascinating film that came out in the summer of 2020, otherwise known as the lost summer due to the Corona Virus. It was released on VOD from IFC Films and is the debut feature from writer/director Carlo Mirabella-Davis.

The film stars Haley Bennett as Hunter, a young lonely housewife, who we find out has a lot of repressed psychological baggage. She has just married into an extremely wealthy family and has no need to work. She is treated just as another accessory to her husband Richie, played by Austin Stowell. Richie is your average rich, white, douche bag. He and his family all treat Hunter like crap if they acknowledge her at all. This is expressed in a painfully awkward dinner where Hunter is embarrassed in front of everyone. She is very quiet and always looks to be preoccupied in her own head, lost in a world of her own. Her one and only purpose is to get pregnant in order to give Richie an heir to the family fortune. This doesn’t take very long as Hunter quickly becomes pregnant.

Aside from the characters, there are two themes that run throughout the film. What I like to call the “grossness” of food and then the use of color. The movie opens with lambs being slaughtered and prepared. With a title like “Swallow”, it seems like all of the food is made to look unappetizing. Color is used in a big way in the design of the whole look of the film. From the pink window film in the nursery, the clothes, and as so many other little things too numerous to list.

Hunter’s mother-in-law Katherine is another controlling influence that has entered her life. Hunter has become trapped and not even in control of her own life until she takes some drastic steps to take it back. She has this box of trinkets and small items and takes out a marble, looking at it for a moment she puts it in her mouth and swallows it. A little later in the bathroom, she passes it, cleans it off, and sets it on her vanity. This is only the beginning as she tries other things and arrives at the cringe-inducing push pin, which takes two tries to swallow. It is eventually passed in a bloody mess. Hunter has a known psychological disorder called pica, an impulse to swallow things. She is found out while getting an ultrasound to check on her baby. They find numerous things inside her which failed to pass. This sends her to the emergency room for extraction and later a trip to the psychiatrist. Richie’s family hires an ex-Syrian soldier to look after her and basically turn her into a prisoner. She forms a connection with the gruff-looking man named Luay as they both seem to share a dark sadness within them.

Hunter’s painfully traumatic past is then brought to light. Her mother was raped and being from a strictly religious family abortion was not an option and she was born out of it. Unwanted by her mother and burdened with shame her entire life she has to deal with this or die. With the help of Luay, she gathers the strength and courage to try and take back her life. She does wind up in the hospital again when she chokes on a mini screwdriver that gets stuck in her throat. Out of options Richie’s family has her committed to an institution until the baby arrives. Unhappy with the way she is treated Luay helps her to escape the house before she gets taken away. She hitchhikes to a motel where she fills her pockets with handfuls of dirt, a little snack for later. To help her deal with her past she decides to confront her rapist father, who is now married with kids. Shedding the meek and sheepish facade Hunter walks into this man’s house during a birthday party and has his life in her hands as she watches him squirm in front of his wife. After getting what she needed, she leaves him to his life. All that is left to do now is to deal with the baby growing inside her. She intends to give the ultimate middle finger to Richie and his monstrous family. She goes to a clinic and gets some pills to end her pregnancy and after a trip to the bathroom, she is free and clear to live her own life.

“Swallow” as a title has a number of meanings in the story and could have easily gone the route of the cheesy Lifetime movie of the week, which it kind of does at some points, but Mirabella-Davis invests in the character of Hunter. The all-around craftsmanship and look of the film bring it up a notch. Although its far from a perfect movie I found it to be an interesting and entertaining film in the year that had so little to offer.

You're Invited to watch "Murder Party"

2021-03-25T14:31:00.000-05:00

3/25/2021

Writer/Director Jeremy Saulnier’s breakthrough film was the 2013 crime thriller “Blue Ruin”. Loved critics and audience this was not however his first film. That came in 2007 with hilarious gore-filled and underappreciated “Murder Party”.

“Murder Party” is a short 79 minute feature that is low budget but high on creativity and craftsmanship. It takes place in New York City in the early to mid 90s and involves a lonely guy, (Chris played by Chris Sharp), looking for something to do on Halloween night. He rents a stack of VHS horror movies and on the walk home finds a fancy Halloween party invitation on the ground. He picks it up, looks it over, and takes it with him. At home, he gets ready to watch his videos but his cat Sir Lancelot refuses to move from his recliner. He then takes a second look at the party invitation and decides to go. He makes a DIY costume out of cardboard and duct tape and becomes who else Sir Lancelot. He bakes a loaf of pumpkin raisin bread, prints out directions to the party, and leaves. Chris is a regular mild-mannered guy who is extremely relatable to the movie's target audience (like me). A dry humor flows from his character. Together with the ridiculous situations and characters, he faces it makes for a fun and entertaining little movie.

He eventually finds the place, a warehouse in the middle of nowhere, and cautiously enters. He startles a group of people in costumes who have gathered. Feeling nothing but stares and awkward vibes he tries to make small talk only to have them pounce on him and tie him to a chair. The group of 2 girls and 3 guys are all struggling artists looking to secure grant money from a guy named Alex. Unfortunately, before he arrives one of the girls is accidentally killed and stuffed in a chest freezer. Chris learns he has become the unwitting victim in a contest to find the most creative and artful way to kill somebody, with the winner receiving the grant money. Alex arrives with Zycho, his drug dealer, and Zycho’s dog. As the group argues about what food they should order, Chris manages to free himself and briefly escapes, only to be recaptured and tied up again.

With the drugs free-flowing the group plays an extreme version of truth or dare. Lather on when they find out that Alex is full of shit and has been lying about everything, things start to jump the rails. The carnage begins and doesn’t let up, the group turns on each other and in the mayhem Chris is freed. He is now on the run for his life and manages to run into a modern art opening. The whole bizarre craziness of the modern art world is at the forefront of this movie and it never ceases to be hilarious. With one exhibit, shall we say, being extremely modified by Chris and the guy chasing him. This still fails to elicit a response from the melancholic art crowd. After a stroke of luck, which has been hard to come by for Chris, he finally emerges victorious and heads home. Still wearing his costume through the whole ordeal, but now caked in blood. He rides the subway home and seems to fit right in with the crowd. Arriving home he goes back to his recliner to see the cat still sitting there. Once again asking Sir Lancelot to move and after being what he’s been through jumps down. Chris plops down and flicks on the TV. Roll Credits. I love this movie. With such a short run time and the number of characters involved Saulnier really makes the most out of every scene. The performances from the cast are all strong and the gore effects are top-notch. A lot of horror comedies will either try way too hard or go so far over the top it can be unwatchable. “Murder Party” strikes a good balance between character, humor, and horror. It is currently available to watch for free Amazon Prime.

Fear, Anxiety, and Paranoia "It Comes at Night"

2021-03-22T15:52:00.002-05:00

3/22/2021

Rewatching “It Comes at Night” during the Covid-19 pandemic has brought on a new appreciation of the film. Over the past decade or so apocalyptic survival films have seen a resurgence. Whether it’s a virus, zombies, or aliens the fear and paranoia became all too real in 2020. While not to the extent that the movies went to, it definitely feels like it’s not out of the realm of possibility. The threat of a global virus is real and although zombies and aliens might seem out of the question, after living through 2020, would you really be surprised?

“It Comes at Night” was written and directed by Trey Edward Shults and takes place in a virus-ravaged world gone mad. We open with an elderly man covered in sores and wheelbarrowed into the wood by people in gas masks. The man is shot, burned, and buried. He was a loved one and is now sorely missed. This is the backwoods house of Paul (Joel Edgerton), his wife Sarah, their teenaged son Travis, and Stanley the dog. When someone becomes infected tough decisions can’t be made from emotion but out of the need for survival. The family has strict quarantine measures and they must be followed. In these types of stories, it all comes down to trust. People are by nature social creatures and as we found out with Covid, being stuck indoors with only your immediate family can start to wear on you. When the thin walls of society start to crumble trusting people can be as deadly as the virus itself.

When Paul catches a late-night intruder (Will, Played by Christopher Abbott) at gunpoint, he says he is just looking for a safe place for his family. Without hesitation, Paul knocks him out and ties him to a tree. The next morning he interrogates him. The burden of trust goes both ways as you can never be truly certain if the other person is telling the truth. We then come to another big theme in these types of movies and that is faith. Not in a religious sense but faith in humanity. Does Paul risk the lives of him and his family to help this man? Eventually, he does. Will, his wife Kim, and their infant son Andrew move into the house. We then start to focus on Travis who continues to have bad dreams. For people growing up and living in isolation, especially teenagers, it takes its toll on your mental health. His feelings of loneliness and isolation are helped somewhat by talking to Kim.

No matter how much the families get to know each other, there will always be this underlying sense of doubt and skepticism. Things are going along smoothly until Stanley the dog runs after something in the woods. He doesn’t return until sometime overnight, mortally wounded he walks into an open front door. The candy apple red front door that we keep returning to separates the outside world from the inside. Who opened the door? Was Stanley sick? Is the virus now inside? So many questions. The title of the film “It comes at Night” does not refer to a monster or something supernatural but the fear, anxiety, and paranoia each of the characters face. The razor-thin thread of trust that exists between the two families disintegrates in a hurry as Will’s infant son Andrews begins to show signs of sickness. Things reach a boiling point when Will gathers his family and tries to leave. Everything goes so bad, so quick leading us to one of the most soul-crushing endings you’re likely to find anywhere. This film fits right into the “Art House” horror genre and some people might be put off by it and are expecting something else. Another movie that I would recommend as part of a double feature would be the 1984 British film “Threads” about the after-effects of a nuclear holocaust. As people found out with the Coronavirus civil society can lose control at the drop of a hat. Just look at the people hoarding toilet paper and canned goods.

Watch out for "Becky"!!

2021-02-21T15:47:00.001-06:00

2/21/2021

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, new movies in 2020 were few and far between. With theaters being closed anything that was released came through streaming services or straight to disc. The independent horror film “Becky” was picked up by Redbox for distribution. This movie plays is like a modern-day Grindhouse feature that would feel at home in the 1970s. Loaded with over-the-top violence and filled with larger-than-life characters.

Becky is played by the new horror queen Lulu Wilson, who also starred in “Ouiji: Origin of Evil” and “Annabelle: Creation”. Becky is a 13-year-old angsty teen who has recently lost her mother to cancer. Her father Jeff is played by Joel McHale, who plays against type but not nearly to the extent as our bad guy Dominik, played by Kevin James. Dominik is a bearded Aryan brotherhood white supremacist with a big swastika tattooed on the back of his shaven head. Dominik and his crew are prison inmates planning to escape during a prison transfer. The filmmakers cleverly intercut scenes of Becky in Junior High with Dominick in prison. Are they really that different?

Jeff has planned for them and their dog Diego to stay the weekend at the family cabin. Becky has this angry Avril Lavigne vibe going for her as refuses to make any attempt to connect with her father on the car trip there. She even steals some gummy worms at the gas station. Upon arriving at the cabin, Jeff drops a bomb in telling Becky that they will be joined by his new girlfriend and her little boy. Infuriated Becky retreats to her little clubhouse like fort in the woods to sulk. In the meantime, Dominick’s plan is a success and they carjack and murder a father and his two kids. Apex is the name of Dom’s right-hand man. He is an absolute beast and looks to be chiseled out of granite. He is played by Robert Maillet, an ex-Canadian wrestler, who is 6’10”. Although he does play “good cop” in the relationship with Dom.

In no time the four men in total find and surround the cabin with Dominik knocking on the door and using the "my dog is lost" rouse to get into the house. Why is all this happening you ask? Because of the red herring plot device of a special key that it is the basement. It’s another one of those plays on the “Pulp Fiction” briefcase. Wouldn’t you know that Becky has the key and is not too keen on giving it up. Jeff, his girlfriend Kayla, and her son are now hostages in their own house and just to show that they are serious Kayla is shot in the leg. Hearing all the commotion and the gunshot Becky returns to the house and grabs her walkie talkie to communicate with Dom. To lure Becky out he brings Jeff down to the fire pit and starts torturing him with a heated skewer. Becky finally appears and Jeff is able to break free but is shot in the back. When Dom grabs Becky she stabs him in the eye with the key. Dom retreats to the cabin and we get this utterly nasty and gratuitous scene of him trying to sever his dangling eyeball.

Becky is now preparing for war and seriously you wouldn’t want to cross a 13-year-old girl anyway. Back at the fort with her dog she makes some modified weapons and her first victim approaches and tries to lure her out. This guy is no match and is viciously killed with a broken ruler through the neck. Our blood-spattered Becky is just getting warmed up as she sets a trap for the next guy and lures him out to the dock. After a slight tussle he falls into the water and similar to the film “I Spit on Your Grave” Becky gets into the boat fires up the motor with the propellor doing the rest. Her biggest test now comes in the form of Apex, who towers over little Becky. He punches out her dog and throws Becky around like a rag doll. As he goes in for the kill, he remembers the two kids he killed earlier and can’t do it, so he quietly walks away (until the climax, of course).

Now Dominick is in Becky’s sights. After a little cat and mouse game, they meet head to head at the fire pit. Dom gives a bad guy speech to which Becky shoots him with a water gun filled with alcohol, momentarily setting him ablaze, but it’s put out before any real damage occurs. Dom grabs her and punches her in the face a couple of times. He then holds her down and points a real gun at her only to have Apex come to her rescue. While fighting with Dom he is shot a couple of times. Meanwhile, Becky gets atop an ATV with a mower attachment, yeah you can see where this is going. With Dom on the ground, she drives smooth over him the mover chopping off his face and half his skull. Apex is still alive but no longer a threat, never the less Becky picks up the gun and shoots him in the head.

Earlier in the film, Kayla screams at Dominik “What was the point of all this?” This is a damn good question. The film is bookended with Becky being questioned by investigators as to what went on. She plays it cool, calm, and innocent. She still wears the key around her neck, but what it's for is never explained. Is it supposed to be metaphorical or what? With a keen, all-knowing look Becky tears away at a gummy worm. “Becky” is a fun little midnight movie that is crazy gory and not to be taken all that seriously. It has a number of comedic beats, but overall this is a movie about a teen girl who takes a page from Hit Girl in the movie “Kick-Ass” and just takes care of business.

"It Follows" A Film by David Robert Mitchell

2021-02-11T11:36:00.004-06:00

2/11/2021

I reviewed writer/director David Robert Mitchell’s 2010 debut film “Myth of the American Sleepover” which was a well crafted and intimate coming of age story set in the midwest. With his follow-up feature “It Follows” Mitchell takes things a giant leap forward to the horrors and anxieties of young adulthood, most notably sexuality.

“It Follows” is a supernatural horror film grounded in real-life issues facing young people. It takes its love of 80s style horror and gives it a fresh modern twist. Horror icons like Jason and Michael Myers were unstoppable killing machines no matter how many times they were presumably killed. If you were a teenager and having sex in the movie you were pretty much signing your death warrant. The same can be with the concept of “It Follows”.

Like a lot of horror movies, we are given an opening scene with an unknown victim being gruesomely killed. Then we open again and meet our hero. This comes in the form of Jay (played by Maika Monroe) she is out on a movie date with a guy who seems a little paranoid that he is being followed. After the movie, the action moves into the backseat of his car where they are having sex. Afterward, he goes outside and gets something out of the truck, and comes back with a rag soaked in Chloroform. With Jay unconscious, she is brought to an abandoned building and tied to a chair. Terrified and confused, Jay listens to this guy tell her about this supernatural death cure that is spread through sex. This creeping dread will always follow you. This malevolent force can take the form of anybody with only the afflicted person able to see them. It can change bodies at will and is always slowly and quietly following you. If it catches up to you it will kill you, like we saw in the opening scene. There is a metaphorical message implanted in this film about the pain, fear, and anxieties of the victims of sexual violence and the physical and psychological trauma it causes.

Although in denial Jay has to accept the fact that she must pass on this curse or die. When she starts to see strange and ominous people beginning following her she gets prepared to fight. With help from her friend, they finally track down the guy who gave it to her. They go to this beach house and after some terrifying encounters battling the curse, Jay lands in the hospital and unable to run. She agrees to have sex with this guy who is willing to take on the curse, however, this makes Jay’s long time friend/crush Paul jealous. This other dude doesn’t last too long and is killed therefore the curse reverts back to Jay. After their final elaborate plan to kill off the thing fails, Paul is back to offer his services to have sex with Jay and take on the curse. The ending is ambiguous and left for interpretation.

While the critical response to this film was huge I tend to believe that it is just a little overblown. Don’t get me wrong it's a good film but “Best of the Decade” I wouldn’t go that far. The time period in which this takes place is a bit odd and indeterminate. Horror movies, more now than ever, are either set in the 80s or are trying to find a creative way to explain away modern technology. This film does try to subvert and transcend your average horror film and in doing so has joined a going a growing list of films defined as Art House horror. The Blu-ray disc can be bought quite cheaply and also contains a commentary track by film critic Scott Weinberg.

Gemma Arterton in "The Disappearance of Alice Creed"

2021-02-10T11:13:00.007-06:00

2/10/2021

*Major Spoilers Included*

Treading on familiar territory and set up “The Disappearance of Alice Creed” rises above to deliver a tightly wound and thought out thriller. This was the directorial debut of British filmmaker J. Blakeson. Released in 2009, the film was well-received by audiences and critics.

The bulk of the film relies on a minimalist approach focusing on its three actors and one room. It is essentially a twisty crime/thriller of the kidnapped rich guys daughter variety. We open with a rapidly edited collection of shots of a room getting prepared for their victim. They look to be semi-professionals who have done this before, but the fact that they use a cliched white panel van to abduct their victim leads you to believe they might be a little over their heads. Our ex-cons are the calm and collected old tough guy Vic (played by Eddie Marson) and the young and wired Danny (played by Martin Compston). They seem like quite the odd couple but do get the job done. They succeed in their plan to abduct the title character Alice Creed, the daughter of a wealthy man they plan to extort. Alice is played by the fearless and ferocious Gemma Arterton, who gives it her all in her performance. The masked guys bring Alice back to the prepared room and go about their job of stripping her nude and shooting a ransom video. This is all done in a very cold and emotionless manner. Alice is not sexualized or lusted over by the men, this is a job and all that matters is the money. They tie her to the bed and hold her at gunpoint waiting for a response for their demand of 2 million dollars.

Now that we have our basic set up its now time to throw in the first of several twists. Vic goes on an errand leaving Danny to watch over Alice. We come to find out that not only does Danny know our victim, but she’s an ex-girlfriend. Danny removes his mask and Alice is obviously more than a little upset. In a misguided show of compassion, Danny unties her which leads Alice to take the gun away. Danny then proposes that they flip the script on Vic and team up to take his share of the ransom, she just has to play along. Vic returns and it knocking on the door. Alice agrees to play it out and gets tied up again. Vic is suspicious of something but then we find out that Danny has been pretending to be Vic’s lover and this is how he has gained his trust. We begin to see that Danny has masterminded this whole plan and needed Vic to be the muscle in the operation.

As we approach the third act the plot twists start flying at you right and left. Vic has some quality time alone with Alice who spills the beans about Danny’s big plans, which then pits the two guys against each other, but they keep it together with the money still their main focus. We then move outside the room as the ransom exchange is put in motion. Alice is brought to an abandoned industrial building and chained to a pipe. Vic then gets GPS coordinates to where the money has been buried. When the guys get there Danny finds an empty hole, otherwise, know as his grave. Although he escapes death as Vic is only able to shoot him in the arm. Vic retrieves the money and goes to Alice who is still chained up, Danny is also there waiting for him. In the ensuing shoot out, Vic is killed and Danny wounded, he leaves with the money and leaves Alice the keys to free herself. After unlocking her cuffs and hopelessly checking on Vic she leaves to find Danny slumped over dead in a running car. Alice ends up driving away with her father's money. Roll credits.

“The Disappearance of Alice Creed” is a good watch that keeps the intensity up to a certain level the whole time. It uses its bare-bones approach to maximum effectiveness and the performances of all three actors are top-notch. It feels more elevated than your typical overblown genre exercise. This film was also remade into the 2014 Dutch film “Reckless”. Writer/Director J. Blakeson went on to direct the 2016 film “The 5th Wave” starring Chloe Grace Moretz, which turned out to be a bust both commercially and critically. While Gemma Arterton has made a career both in big-budget films as well as small independent ones. I would recommend the 2010 film “Tamara Drewe” if you're looking for more.

"Alice Sweet Alice" is a Forgotten Horror Classic!

2020-09-13T11:07:00.002-05:00

9/13/2020

Looking back “Alice Sweet Alice” was ahead of its time as it was a slasher film released in 1976, a number of years before the horror renaissance of the 1980s. It features a masked killer taking people out with a large butcher knife, similar to Michael Myers in John Carpenter’s 1978 classic “Halloween”. It also has religious-themed horrors somewhat reminiscent of “The Exorcist”. “Alice Sweet Alice” is a true sleeper hit of the horror genre that needs to be rediscovered.

Paula Sheppard plays Alice whose sister Karen (Brooke Shields) is murdered in the church before her first communion. Although we do get a number of character building scenes beforehand. Their parents are divorced and they live with their mother in a small apartment. Alice feels jealous and left out most of the time as younger sister Karen is the focus of the attention of her mother and from Father Tom, the priest who gives her a cross necklace for her upcoming first communion. Alice torments Karen in a number of ways, stealing her creepy weird doll and scaring her in a similar mask that the killer wears. So when Karen is eventually murdered Alice becomes the prime suspect.

Good slasher films always have a memorable killer. In “Alice” the killer wears a yellow raincoat and a frosted clear face mask with a large butcher knife as their weapon of choice. Alice has a number of run-ins with the apartment buildings landlord Mr. Alphonso. A nasty and morbidly obese pedophilic creep who has murder victim written all over him. Since we are shown a lot of evidence that Alice is possibly the killer, we get the feeling that at some point she will kill him. To help her mother cope Alice’s aunt Anne is staying with them and she and Alice do not get along. So it’s not all that surprising when Anne is attacked in the stairwell and stabbed in the leg. She survives and is convinced that Alice did it. Alice comes off as such a defiant brat you wonder if she really did do it.

Alice is taken down to the police station and given a polygraph test. When she says her dead sister Karen in responsible it shows that she was telling the truth. Alice is sent to live at a children’s shelter and talks with a psychiatrist During this time Alice’s father, Dom, is also helping her mother deal with things. When Dom gets a call supposedly from Alice to come to an abandoned building he sees a person in a yellow raincoat and follows them only to get stabbed and bludgeoned to death. We then find out who the real killer is. I won’t completely spoil it but it is shocking to find out that it’s not Alice, you find yourself saying, her? We get a little back story on her motive and now fear for Alice’s safety as she is now a prime target. Mr. Alphonso is finally killed off but not by the person we thought it would be. The film wraps up back in the church and in front of the whole congregation, Father Tom is stabbed in the neck during communion. During all the commotion Alice places the knife back in the paper bag from which it came from and gives an emotionless stare into the camera. Even though Alice was not “the killer” we find out that she really is not all that innocent either.

If Your Looking For a Good Fix "Go Ask Alice"

2020-09-12T11:27:00.002-05:00

9/12/2020

*Contains Spoilers*

This short little made for TV movie aired in 1973 and was based on the controversial book of the same name by an anonymous author, found out to be Ruth Roman. It's about a 14-year-old suburban girls descent into drugs and addiction. Very much a shocking cautionary tale for young people when drug culture was at an all-time high (pun intended). The film, directed by John Korty, was nominated for two Emmy Awards but didn’t win. Now, this film while campy and cheesy still delivers a strong message for those who are open to listening.

Jamie Smith-Jackson plays Alice as your typical middle-class suburban teenager navigating the horrors of puberty. She keeps a diary and narrates a series of voice-overs throughout the film. Like a lot of teenage girls, she worries about her weight, making friends, and what to wear. She makes friends Beth and they get along perfectly throughout the school year together until summer vacation comes along and Beth is off to camp. Once again Alice is left bored and lonely. She becomes friends with a girl at a clothing store and this begins Alice’s journey down the rabbit hole. The film's title “Go Ask Alice” is taken from the Jefferson Airplane song “White Rabbit”.

Alice is invited to a party and unknown to her drinks a soda laced with LSD. She has her first trip and becomes friends with an older guy named Richie. Alice spends the summer with her new druggie friends getting high, stealing pills and cash. When fall comes around and its time to go back to school she is a different person and good ‘ole Beth is no longer in the picture. Alice starts dealing pills even too little kids at the middle school. It is only a matter of time before her parents find out, her dad is played by William Shatner. Instead of going to rehab, she splits town with one of her girlfriends. They take all of Richie’s money and hit the road with no plan or destination in mind. Alice’s journey is sad and depressing, she sells her body for drugs, sleeps on park benches, and is constantly strung out and just out of it. She is a prisoner to her addiction with seemingly no way out. Drugs are way bad. After hitting rock bottom and looking for a way out Alice meets a priest, played by Andy Griffith, who takes her in. She calls her parents and returns home.

Alice is now clean but the stigma of being an addict haunts her. Back at school she now has a bad reputation and is mocked and teased by the other kids. Her former druggie friends are pressuring her not to narc on them. The pressures to stay clean are immense and she has some slips up. She ends up in the hospital after overdosing during a babysitting gig, the baby was not hurt as she locked herself in a closet. She goes to a group therapy session but she doesn’t think it will help her. She finds a new boyfriend in Joel, who is her dad’s teaching assistant and everything looks to be back to normal. She says goodbye to her diary, her steady companion for these crazy years. The film ends with her going into school, but with a shocking and ominous epilogue. We are told that Alice died of an overdose one year later and was only 1 of 5000 deaths that year. It's obvious that drugs are not just a problem of the 1970s but of the human condition as a whole. The whole “War on Drugs” efforts of the 80s and 90s were a joke and didn’t change a thing. Criminalizing addiction is not the answer but what is? While there are now better efforts to treat addiction this is not something that will ever just go away. We can just take it one day at a time.

Watch The Whole Movie Right Here!

"The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane" Starring Jodie Foster

2020-08-26T15:51:00.003-05:00

8/26/2020

This is a strange little movie that came out of the 1970s that starred a 13-year-old Jodie Foster, released the same year as her break out role as Iris in “Taxi Driver”. In this film, she co-stars with Martin Sheen, Alexis Smith, and Scott Jacoby, all of whom deliver great performances in this uneasy and disturbing story of a young girl who is diabolical and smart beyond her years.

Foster plays Rynn Jacobs who has just moved back to the area to live with her father, a famous poet, in a big house down the lane. She had previously been living in London. It is Halloween and also her 13th birthday when she is visited by the creepy and lecherous Frank Hallet. His mother Cora has leased the house to the Jacobs' for a period of three years. Frank has a reputation around town as a pedophile but who also has two kids of his own. He makes a number of advances towards Rynn but she is quite mature for her age and brushes him off. The clothing and soundtrack of the film are pure 70s with its bright colors and funky score.

The next day Rynn is visited by Cora who drives up in big green Bently. She barges her way in and when Rynn refuses to help her in getting some glasses from the cellar she is annoyed and just beside herself, such a rude little girl! Rynn does seem to be hiding something and we have yet to see her father as she gives numerous excuses why he can’t be bothered. Rynn also doesn’t attend school, which Cora is going to look into. She ends up leaving empty-handed and in an angry huff. Rynn then makes a trip into town and runs into Officer Miglioriti who offers her a ride home. He also is looking for her father and Rynn provides yet another excuse. From now on it seems to be constantly raining. The next day Cora makes a return visit and things get heated as she refuses to leave until she sees her father. Rynn fires back with threatening to tell the cops about Franks's unwanted advances towards her. Taking matters into her own hands Cora opens the cellar door, which under the kitchen floor, and is horrified by what she sees. The door slips and smashes her on the head. Cora is dead and Rynn covers it up.

We are then introduced to Mario, the policeman’s nephew, an older teenager who rides by on his bike dressed as a magician with a long billowing cape. She sees Rynn trying to move Cora’s Bently and stops to talk with her. Mario walks with a cane and says he is a cripple. They seem it hit if off and Mario returns after his magic show and moving Cora’s car. Rynn has made them dinner and they are having a good time. Mario is the perfect cure for Rynn’s loneliness and boredom. Officer Miglioriti knocks at the door and comes in for a brief moment. He mentions that Cora is missing and Frank might come snooping around asking questions. Soon after Miglioriti leaves, Frank does show up and this time he wants answers. It a shocking and controversial scene Franks tortures and kills Rynn’s pet hamster then tosses it in the fireplace. He terrorizes the kids but Mario and his sword cane have Frank eventually leaving.

Rynn then confides in Mario as to what she’s been up too, they bury Cora’s body. Rynn then helps Mario take a bath (awkward). Then it’s implied that they have sex in front of the fireplace. The next morning Miglioriti is back and insists on talking to Rynn’s father, who miraculously appears and walks halfway down the stairs. They briefly chat and he signs a book for him. Miglioriti apologizes for not believing her and leaves. We then find out it was actually Mario in disguise. Then we come to the most WTF scene of the movie when in her bedroom Rynn strips naked and gets into bed with Mario. Now it’s obvious that there is a body double used because Jodie was actually 13 during filming but the audacity by the director to put in a scene like this takes some pretty big balls. This whole movie walks an uneasy line with sexuality in general. Rynn is a sort of femme fatale, Lolita-esque type character who plays with the hearts and emotions of all of the characters.

To wrap things up Mario gets stuck in the hospital with pneumonia and Franks takes one last shot at Rynn. He gropes her chest while grabbing a safe deposit box key that is on a chain around her neck. He wants answers and finds evidence that Rynn has killed Cora and her own mother. In a scene earlier foreshadowed with Mario, Rynn makes them some tea with once cup spiked with cyanide. Frank thinks he knows what she is up to but winds up playing right into her hands and drinks the poison. We end on a very long take on Rynn’s cold and blank expression as the credits roll.

"Afterschool" Starring Ezra Miller

2020-08-22T15:52:00.001-05:00

8/22/2020

Writer/director Antonio Campos first came upon the scene with his 2008 film “Afterschool”. This painfully authentic early portrayal of teens and how the new internet and cell phone culture affects the students at a prestigious prep school. When tragedy strikes the student body seems desensitized and indifferent to the violence that has occurred.

The film follows one such student named Rob, played by Ezra Miller, who is a shy and withdrawn kid who can be usually found in front of his computer watching violent Youtube videos, porn, or playing violent video games. He is meek and introverted but has these violent outbursts that show his inner struggle and anger. The alienation, depression, and loneliness he feels comes across in a very honest way. The rich all-white prep school culture is brutal and looks worse than any public high school. The pressure is immense and unrelenting and Rob looks to be on the brink. When looking for an elective class he chooses video production and is partnered with Amy for a project. There is an awkward scene where they talk about sex and this leads to a disturbing realization of how modern teenage boys learn about sex from internet porn. The line between reality and fantasy is quickly becoming blurred. This is one of the main themes of “Afterschool”.

When filming an empty hallway for his project Rob inadvertently films two girls who burst forth in obvious distress. The twin girls Anne and Mary are quite popular and Rob calmly and quietly continues to film them overdosing on some tainted drugs until they stop moving. He does nothing to help them as other students and teachers come to their aid, but it's too late. Rob is interviewed by the police and then the school psychologist about what he saw. He seems to be in a state of shock but not grief-stricken or sorry about what happened. While in a therapy session he volunteers to make a memorial video of the girls. Rob always seems to be in a melancholic state of confusion. He has awkward sex with Amy in the woods, well more awkward than normal teenage sex I guess you could say. Rob’s inability to express his emotions or to develop any kind of personality is frightening because he is in a way a model of thousands of teen boys his age. What's even more bizarre is the memorial video he ends up creating. When screened for the headmaster all he could say was “is this a joke?” The film is a disjointed, jumbled mess of poorly edited clips and photos of the girls, completely lacking in empathy or any kind of human emotion. You start to really think there is something seriously wrong with Rob but you don’t know exactly what. The movie's final scenes are absolutely chilling but are they real or just make belief?

Watching “Afterschool” now more than 10 years after its release has lost a bit of its punch since it was such an “of the moment” comment on teens in the pre-social media smartphone era. Although the idea of how the internet can create socially awkward and desensitized teens is still an issue. If you liked Ezra Miller in “Afterschool” he plays an even more messed up psychopathic teen in Lynne Ramsay’s 2011 film “We Need to Talk About Kevin” Which I reviewed a while back.

"Christine" is the Unforgettable True Story of Christine Chubbuck

2020-08-07T15:43:00.002-05:00

8/7/2020

“Christine”, not to be confused with the Stephen King story and subsequent movie, is the shocking and heartbreaking true story of Christine Chubbuck, a woman fighting her internal and external demons in the broadcast news business of the 1970s. This film was directed by Antonio Campos, who previously directed the amazing 2008 film “Afterschool”.

Rebecca Hall plays the title role of Christine a news reporter for a small station in Sarasota Florida. Christine lives with her mother after an incident at her previous job in Boston sent her packing. She obviously has some mental health issues, but in the 70s this was extremely hidden and taboo to talk about openly, and still is to some extent. On her time off Christine performs puppet shows at the local children’s hospital. These shows look to be an emotional outlet for her as she uses these characters to express her deepest feelings to the only people that actually pay any attention and listen to her.

Working in a white male-dominated industry Christine is a tough as nails workaholic. Always itching to do more important she is constantly given demeaning cream puff stories. That station on the other hand is struggling to find and keep its viewers. They must start to subscribe to the new “if it bleeds it leads” concept of journalism if they plan to stay in business. Christine also begins to have severe abdominal pains which she tries to brush off as stress, but this eventually leads her to a doctor's office. She will need an operation to remove a cyst along with one of her ovaries, making it difficult to get pregnant in the future. The overarching theme of loneliness is present in every scene she is in. Christine is not an easy person to get to know and comes off quite cold and standoffish. She has a crush on the lead anchor George, played by Michael C. Hall of Dexter Fame. George is a nice guy, but kind of dumb. He is obviously not as outlandish as Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy, but you can see a sliver of it now and again.

Christine buys a police scanner in hopes of tracking down juicier stories and runs out to a fire in the middle of the night and captures this emotional and ironic story of an older man who won’t stop smoking even though his house has burned down more than a few times. She is proud and excited about this new work and upon bringing it to her boss is shot down for not shooting the fire itself. Christine starts to spiral down a familiar path as she argues with her mother, who has found a new boyfriend.

Bob Anderson the station owner is looking for two people to work at a much bigger station in Baltimore and this looks to be the big break Christine has been looking for. She has also started to become friendlier with George, first at a drunken Fourth of July party, then a bit later he asks her out to dinner. At the end of this dinner, he brings her to this new age support group for people to work through their problems, which was a little strange. To boost her profile for the possible promotion Christine fakes a flat tire in order to talk to Bob at his home. She also requests to be a co-anchor for a trial run from the station director in which she is constantly feuding with and surprisingly he agrees. Although Christine hears that George has been selected for the promotion and he doesn’t choose her to go with him. This is the last straw and something breaks in Christine’s psyche. She’s thinking that everyone is against her and is bound for a lonely barren existence for the rest of her sad pitiful life. So she buys a gun she was looking at earlier on, a .38 snub nose. The day comes for her big on-air time and there is a technical problem leaving her on air with nothing to say, so she reads a prepared statement of her own, takes the gun out of her bag, and shoots herself in the head on live television. She briefly makes the news herself and the sad tragic story of Christine Chubbuck comes to an end.

“Christine” is a powerful character study of a woman who was chewed up and spit out by a society that refused to change. It's also an early indication of how important a person's mental health is and how we treat each other. Christine was by no means a bad person, she worked tirelessly in the hopes of making a difference. In hopes of being listened too and recognized as a valuable and worthwhile person. The story of Christine Chubbuck cannot be easily forgotten after watching this film.

Willam H. Macy is "Edmond"

2020-07-30T10:32:00.001-05:00

7/30/2020

Director Stuart Gordon’s 2005 film “Edmond” was adapted from a play by David Mamet who also wrote the screenplay. It’s a short little film, 82 minutes, about a middle-aged man going through a mid-life existential crisis in the same vein as Michael Douglas’s character in the movie “Falling Down”, except with Mamet’s keen use of dialogue.

Willam H. Macy has made a career out of playing the down on his luck everyman and the role of Edmond is the perfect fit for him. He is a bland suit and tie businessman past his prime who on a whim visits a psychic and gets a tarot card reading. The old lady tells him “You are not where you belong”. This seems to flip a switch in his brain and he goes home to his wife and calmly and quietly tells her “I can’t live this life anymore” and leaves her. Edmond then sets off on a journey through the streets of New York. He talks to a man in a bar (Joe Mantegna) who spouts off this racist allegory and tells him to go to this strip club. Edmond is kicked out of the club for being a repressed cheap bastard and his journey continues to a peepshow. All the while he is looking for an authentic human connection with each of the sex workers he encounters. His desperate loneliness is palpable. He tries to bargain on price with each of them, even to the point of trying to use a credit card with a woman at a brothel. Back on the streets he is approached by a pimp and they come to an agreement for one of his girls but Edmond is not surprisingly robbed. What is surprising though is that he fights back and stabs the pimp all while berating him with racial slurs. Feeling invigorated and alive he goes to a bar for a drink and strikes up a conversation with the young waitress Glenna (Julia Stiles). He actually persuades her to go back to her place where they have sex. Edmond then flies into a sort of manic rage eventually killing a terrified Glenna with his knife.

Edmond is consumed with a racist, misogynistic rage that has been long buried. He has another such encounter with an older African-American lady on the subway but she is able to escape. Further wondering the streets he is drawn to an all-black church and seems entranced until he is approached by a policeman and the women he harassed on the train. He tries to talk his way out of it using his white privilege but is arrested and taken to the station for questioning. Upon interrogation, he is blindsided when they ask him about the murder of Glenna. He confesses with the twisted rationale of a mad man. The third act has Edmond in prison with a cellmate who quickly makes him his bitch. He makes a full stereotypical prison transformation as he shaves his head and gets a teardrop tat. The film ends with him and his cellmate having a long existential talk about hell and the afterlife.

Writer David Mamet is known for his talent for writing strong dialogue that my review here can’t accurately express. It’s very raw and biting and not for everyone. “Edmond” is a character study of a vile man who could be your next-door neighbor. Since he is such a bland everyman he could literally represent a vast number of people who are also hiding a deepening rage against society as a whole and when the wolf decides to shed its sheep’s clothing this can be utterly terrifying.

Stuart Gordon's Final Film "Stuck"

2020-07-27T11:31:00.003-05:00

7/27/2020

*Spoilers Ahead*

Director Stuart Gordon passed away in March of this year. He left his mark by being one of the great contributors to the 80s horror scene. The iconic Dr. Herbert West, played by Jeffrey Combs, in “Re-Animator” put Gordon on the map. His next feature “From Beyond” which also starred Combs also drew wide acclaim from fans and critics alike. To round up his amazing trio of films was “Dolls” in 1987. He made a number of poorly received films in the 90s but his last two in the mid-2000s “Edmond” and “Stuck” were a return to his earlier form. Here we will take a look at his last feature the “based on a true story” film “Stuck”.

Famed Irish actor Stephen Rea adopts an American accent to play Thomas Bardo, a down on his luck schlub who is being evicted from his scummy apartment. With nowhere to go, he is cast out onto the streets to fend for himself. When trying to find a job at the state unemployment agency he runs into nothing but bureaucracy. With an armload of clothes and nighttime upon him, he makes his way to a park bench to mull over his future. Meanwhile, we meet Brandi Boski, played by Mena Suvari. She works in a nursing home and is the favorite nurse of Mr. Binkley and has literally shit the bed again. After work, Brandi and Tanya (a friend from work) go to a club and meet up with Brandi’s boyfriend Rashid. They all take some ecstasy and party the night away. Drunk and high Brandi decides to drive home, obviously, this is not going to go well for her. While chatting on the phone with Rashid (another nasty no-no) she hits a homeless man pushing a shopping cart. This is, of course, Thomas who was kicked out of the park by the police, then was gifted the cart by another fellow homeless man. Thomas’ leg is broken and his body becomes lodged in the windshield, hence the title Stuck, but the title is sort of a double meaning as we’ll find out. In a moment of panic and darkly comedic drama Brandi makes her way home with the man on her hood. She even passes by a policeman who fails to notice her. Then makes a feeble attempt to drop him off at a hospital but drives away.

Amazingly she arrives home undetected and a moment of truth is upon her, what should she do next? She doesn’t seem to be an inherently bad person, but her refusal to accept what is happening and take responsibility is her downfall. Thomas then wakes up and pleads for help, obviously in agonizing pain, blood streaking down his face and a bone protruding ever so slightly from his broken leg. Brandi is frozen in terror and disbelief and leaves him as Rashid arrives at her front door. Brandi tells him about the accident, but not the fact that he is currently in the garage. Rashid laughs it off and tells her to forget about it. We then cut between a sex scene and Thomas writhing in the windshield.

The next day Brandi goes to work but is late, she tries to act like things are normal but is wracked with guilt. Her guilt is more about what will happen to her if she is found out that what is happening to poor ole Thomas. Before leaving for work she whacks him over the head with a 2x4 to stop him from screaming. Later on, Thomas awakens still alive and kicking and gets the attention of a neighbor boy by screaming for help. The boy runs home to tell his mother and when the father gets home he decides not to intervene since they are illegals and could be deported. Thomas’s situation becomes so ridiculous that the film could be seen as a dark comedy. He is eventually able to wedge himself free and splinter his leg. When Rashid goes to finish him off he is ambushed and killed. Thomas almost escapes but Brandi knocks him out and drags him back. She then decides to douce everything is gasoline and set it ablaze. Once again Thomas is awakened and gets the drop on Brandi. He is able to start the car and pin her to the wall. Brandi’s attempt to shot him backfires as the shot ignites the gas and burns her alive. Thomas emerges from the flames a broken but free man.

“Stuck” is a low budget, well-acted B-movie that really brings the goods. It has gore, sex, dark humor, and people making stupid decisions. All based on the true story of Chante Jawan Mallard, a Texas woman who received 50 years in prison for the murder of a homeless man, Gregory Biggs. Yes, the movie does take a bunch of artistic liberties, I mean Thomas surviving and getting his vengeance makes the movie. Stuart Gordon’s last film while not earth shattering brought back the feeling of those mid-80s classics he is so famous for.

A Loud Disapproval of "A Quiet Place"

2020-07-23T18:46:00.002-05:00

“A Quiet Place” is a horror film that takes things in a bit of a different direction than your average scare-fest. Director and actor John Krasinski is primarily known for his comedic role on the TV show “The Office”. He is playing against type in both respects as actor and director. His journey into the horror/thriller genre is a welcome surprise as he brings a new voice and energy into an often tired and overworked genre.

Although names were not mentioned during the film (except for one), John plays a father and a husband named Lee Abbott. His on-screen as well as off wife, Evelyn Abbott, is played by Emily Blount. They have three children among them, two boys and a girl. The oldest girl, Regan, is played by Millicent Simmonds who in real life is hearing impaired, this makes for an interesting pairing with the plot of the film which I will mention later on. Her two brothers, Marcus and Beau, are played by Noah Jupe and Cade Woodward respectively. The overall cast is kept to a minimum and reinforces the feeling of isolation the family feels.

The film starts out with a title card stating “Day 89” and we see the family scrounging around a desolate drug store in a post-apocalyptic landscape. They tiptoe around with the utmost silence. Beau the youngest boy eyes a toy space shuttle, but it’s quickly taken awake because of its potential to make noise, however upon leaving Regan lets him keep it, this a very bad thing. We find the family walking along a path of ashes and crossing a bridge when the toy starts blaring, everyone turns around in horror as Beau is swept away by a big insect looking, creature. We then flash forward about a year with another title card. We see that Evelyn is pregnant which is foreshadowing a pretty obvious plot point to come. Their lives are lived in silence as any noise will bring the creatures to their door. They have efficiently adapted everything they do to reduce sounds. They use sign language to communicate and even roll dice on a mat when playing games to eliminate any sound. Only when Lee brings Marcus to a fast-moving stream or waterfall are they able to talk in their normal voices. To further eliminate noise when inside or out everyone is barefoot. Their clothing is minimal and reflects that of your average middle-class family, laundry is still being done as we see so things are not terribly desperate as of yet. They are still up on their cleanliness and appearance.

In a film with little to no verbal dialogue, it turns into a modern-day silent film. This means the acting has to be good and contrary to your typical horror movie acting this film is definitely a step above. The acting came through in the facial expressions of the actors. When Evelyn was trapped in the house having to keep silent while also going into labor was pretty amazing. Relaying all of the complex emotions she was going through was quite a feat. The fact that Regan is deaf in real life and in the film looked to make her job all the more difficult. She crafts a great character communicating all her emotions from angry and annoyed to anxious and terrified. Her dad tirelessly works on new hearing aids for her without having much success, but his latest configuration is in the end a key to repelling the creatures. Also contrary to most horror films we really care about these characters and want them to survive. They are not just generic bodies to be gruesomely murdered by the hero monsters.

The post-apocalyptic scenery is something that has been used to death in modern films and TV. “The Walking Dead” for example has cornered the market on this. The most effective use of this in my opinion was the 2009 film “The Road” starring Viggo Mortensen. Although not a horror film in the traditional sense, the film (and the book it is based on) looks to transcend the genre and make it something more. I think that is what “A Quiet Place” is aiming for and in a way does that. The family has to adapt to their new way of life and we stay pretty much within their little area of the world the whole time. They make use of their natural surroundings and anything they can find to make themselves invisible from the creatures.

This film relies entirely on sound and the manipulation of it. While the characters themselves are silent for a good majority of the film, the score by Marco Beltrami plays a huge part. The score emphasizes the scary points and increases the levels of suspense. Although when it is silent every little noise becomes magnified and of utmost importance. When Evelyn or the kids and walking on the wood plank stairs or opening a door, you cringe hoping that the creatures won’t hear them. While the filmmakers manipulate the audience with sound the same is true of the characters who use it to draw the creatures away. When Evelyn is under attack, the boys light off a bunch of fireworks as a last resort to draw them away. As is typical of a lot of horror films the lighting is minimally and there are a bunch of scenes that take place at night. The family has rigged a lighting system around the perimeter of their living area to warn of danger. If the lights are white all is good, if they are red then danger is amongst them. Fires on top of their silo are also used to signal other encampments in the area. The kids' use of flashlights also comes into play when they are in the cornfields.

While this film was better than your average horror film I don’t think it’s as great as the extensive praise it has received. Some of my issues with the film might be a little picky, but it did interfere with the story in my mind. Where exactly were they getting their electricity? Normal human activities ended over a year ago and they seem to use a lot of power, if they had a generator I’m sure the excessive noise would attract trouble. Secondly, the fact that Evelyn is pregnant is purely to serve the plot, but seriously can’t you wait to have a baby until after you figure out how to kill these things. After the baby is born they due have plans to minimize the crying fits but come on a baby will cry at the most inopportune times (and does). Next on my list is that stupid nail on the steps, Evelyn steps on it originally, ouch! But then it seems to be a non-issue when everybody else goes down them. At least try to mention it or point in out when your kids go running down them. Finally, the creatures themselves, what are they and where did they come from? I’m sure this will be dealt with in the many sequels and prequels to come.