BOAR

THE SETUP

Boar is the latest Horror film from Australian Writer/Director, Chris Sun (Charlie’s Farm). Presented by Slaughter FX and OZPIX Entertainment, Boar is set in a local country town and follows a family who encounter an over sized boar while headed for a reunion. Debbie (played by Simone Buchanan of TV’S “Hey Dad”) and her American partner, Bruce (Horror icon, Bill Moseley) with kids, Ella and Bart in tow (played respectively by Christie-Lee Britten and Griffin Walsh), along with Hannah’s boyfriend, Robert (Hugh Sheridan) are heading for a homecoming with Debbie’s brother, Bernie (played by the brutish, Nathan Jones). Elsewhere in town, fences and land are being damaged and livestock killed by something and it’s up to, Ken (played by Wolf Creek’s, John Jarratt), his mate, Blue (Roger Ward), and a group of the locals to stop the beast before anyone else gets hurt. The film also stars Melissa Tkautz (Housos), Chris Haywood (All Saints), Steve Bisley (Water Rats), Ernie Dingo (Crocodile Dundee 2) and Sheridyn Fisher.

THE GOOD

Here’s a little history for you. Boar marks the fourth feature film from Chris Sun, and if you know the journey behind the story, it’s clearly the most difficult venture that he’s undertaken thus far as he continues to grow as a genre filmmaker. Sun shot a sizeable chunk of Boar in Gympie, Queensland and the small town of Kandanga all the way back in late 2015. Unfortunately, with piracy being what it is these days the film hit a massive road block in terms of money, and the investors were getting nervous about their contributions and the potential for major losses. Without warning, money was pulled and the funds to pay cast and crew in order to continue the production dried up almost immediately. Chris, coming from a DIY (do it yourself) background and being the battler that he is, didn’t let the stress of it all get to him, and instead, decided to reach out to fans and other potential investors to get the money to finish the film. It took all of his time, a couple of online campaigns and reinvesting to see this latest film come to life. It may have taken several years but Boar is finally here, having been released on a one night only limited run and I happened to catch the session last night.

The first things that jumps out at you in Boar is DP, Andrew Conder’s lively cinematography. The luscious green backdrop of a Queensland setting lends itself to some impressive photography to begin with, but add Conder’s 25 years of experience and the result is certainly a sharp one. The camera is always on the move during the action, a combination of handheld steadicam work and swift tracking shots and crane work. All of the two shot conversation pieces are well crafted and the night exteriors are laced with a thick fog, bringing plenty of atmosphere and intrigue to what might lie beyond the fence line or the hills. Mark Smythe’s moody score and the teams sound design for the Boar itself is another technical highlight of the film. Much to my surprise, a lot of the dialogue and content was funnier than I was expecting. No doubt viewers will be drawn to the horror aspect and the practically conceived creature, but there’s actually a lot of fun to be had with the lighthearted nature of the banter and Aussie idioms spoken among characters. The pacing is solid and there’s a good dose of practical effects work (in addition to the super impressive creature), albeit unveiled in patches. The first on-screen kill doesn’t come nearly as early as it probably should’ve. We get some nice aftermath shots but not a lot of Boar action until the film nears its third act. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was one of the only people who attended the screening that hadn’t previously seen “Razorback”, the only other known Australian pig film (unless you count Babe haha), so I have no comparisons to draw upon. The blood and gore does flow a little better as the film hits its peak, but it didn’t quite reach the heights I’d initially hoped for.

Boar’s one of those homegrown films that you and your friends can have some fun with in regard to matching actors faces to the names. It’s a hodgepodge of familiars and iconic names spread across generations of Australian TV and Film work (some have even gone on to make a real name for themselves internationally). Boar might just be the first of Sun’s films to contain multiple likable and relatable characters. His debut film “Come And Get Me”, featured some truly horrible fuckers (as Chris himself would say) and “Daddy’s Little Girl” consisted of two equally screwed up individuals. It wasn’t until Sam Coward’s, loveable larrikin “Mick” in Charlie’s Farm, that we saw someone we could root for in a Slaughter FX film. In Boar, the dynamic duo that is local drinking and hunting buddies, Ken and Blue, make for one of the best pairings committed to screen in an Aussie film. Jarratt and Ward combined, boast nearly a century’s worth of experience and it shows. They play great country stereotypes and both possess unrivaled comedic timing for this particular brand of humor. Arguing over who should go where, how they should get there and the discourse on the behaviour of others, it’s all a bloody blast. There’s a momentary nod to John’s iconic “Mick Taylor” character of the Wolf Creek series, but it’s a complete role reversal for him and I love that about the film. Nathan Jones is another powerful figure (literally), but for other reasons too. Those of you who aren’t familiar with Nathan, he played Charlie in Chris’s previous film but he’s also appeared in films like “Conan” and “Mad Max: Fury Road”. Once again, Bernie is another example of something completely different from a Sun-written character, as well as Jones as an actor. From the moment we see the hulking “Bern” being smothered by baby goats as they lap up his attention, it’s clear we’re in for something different with this childlike man. Extremely likable and funny in most moment’s, this might just be some of Nathan’s best work. The family of four all have their moments as well, Moselely looking very much like the out of his comfort zone family man, an image so far removed from his bearded and delusional “Otis” of “The Devils Rejects”. Haywood, as a drunk, and Dingo as an indigenous local, at different stages each supply the comedic relief. Sheridan is given that mantle when the focus is on the family and he does a nice job as well. Melissa Tkautz as “Sasha”, Ken’s daughter and owner of the local pub, brings the fire and a sense of warmth to her character, she features nicely in the climax of the film.

THE BAD

There’s a couple of small inconsistencies in Buchanan’s acting, most notably with Debbie’s reaction to something that transpires with one character in particular. On occasion she falls in an out of the emotional beats as the situation escalates. The same can be said about young actress, Madeleine Kennedy who plays Hannah, an innocent camper who ends up in the path of the wild animal. Some of the secondary characters are conveniently placed in precarious positions if for no other reason than to serve as additions to the body count. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that in the confines of a horror film, but there still needs to be some logic behind character’s decision-making. For example, Hannah and her boyfriend and another couple appear to be randomly camping on private property in a vast field. There’s no exposition as to why, it’s not near any obvious views or landmarks, there’s no broken down vehicle in sight, and yet there they are because the film requires it. Several characters do things that make no sense. Debbie and Ella discuss making some torch sticks because bears (sort of like pigs..) don’t like the light/heat so they might be able to ward off the thing, smart right? Immediately after, they’re shown sitting inside a perimeter with three or four small fire torches around them, but when the Boar attacks they don’t actually think about picking one up and trying to burn the damn thing, you know, considering it’s covered in fur/hair… Instead, they think a few swift kicks and punches might do the job, What the hell? Other examples would be when Bernie drops his gun and fails to pick it up again, despite the boar not being in site. In addition, certain characters get attacked from side on while facing others who can clearly see the direction said character would be being attacked from. It just doesn’t make any sense when there’s no warning called.

I think Boar may have been stronger with a more direct focus on Ken and Sasha, the father and daughter bond, with a good dose of Blue thrown in for comedic purposes. The film appeared to be heading in that direction late in the first act as the spotlight turns away from the family of five for what felt like a good 20 to 25 minutes. After a quick rendezvous with Bernie there’s no cutting back to the group at all for almost the entire second act. The way the film opens felt a little lack lustre too. I’ve come to expect a good early on-screen kill from these creature feature types of films and what we get here feels rushed and lacks tension. Budgetary and time constraints are no doubt a continual challenge on a film of this magnitude and unfortunately it shows. If you’ve got a million, you need ten. If you’ve got a month, you need three, and so on and so forth. The lengthy gaps in the shooting dates and the minimal funds attached don’t allow for complete control over continuity and the heavy elements of CGI required. The Boar POV shots were clearly altered in post production utilizing a mix of Final Cut Pro filters over the image. I don’t think they were essential and had they been cut it may have provided a little more suspense about where the creature was in relation to the prey. The fact that Chris and Slaughter FX built a practical Boar to scale, and with some animatronic capabilities as well, is a huge feat in an of itself and deserves the highest of praise. With stylish lighting, great framing and talented puppeteers, Boar looks at its best when the creatures head is active and it’s attacking and devouring at close range with minimal movement e.g, the showdown with Jones’s character. It’s obvious in those stationary shots that the legs don’t allow for much, but hey, you can’t have it all (well you can it just costs a lot more). Unfortunately when things ratchet up a notch and the film gets visual effects heavy, it lacks in quality. The movements look cheap, the layering simply doesn’t contain enough depth and it all looks spotty in relation to the configuration of the frame with the actors in it. I wanted to love it, but in order to keep the consistency evident there’s no room for wide shots or daytime action and everything needed to be shot tighter. I’d love to see Boar made on ten times the budget, but my limited experience in the industry has taught me that you work with what you’ve got and Chris did that.

The journey behind Boar is a resourceful one and it’s been a long time in the works, so it’s great to see Chris’s drive and passion for this project finally pay off. There’s a lot to like about this entertaining and surprisingly good-natured creature feature horror film. Conder’s cinematography drives the high production value, the location looks great and  Smythe’s sound design is shaped ominously. All of Suns comedic gags land, the characters are all engaging and the Boar action makes for a pretty wild ride. It’s not as gore heavy as some of Chris’s previous work but there’s some on-screen carnage for fans to revel in. What it does display is a huge practically conceived creature, something all too rarely seen in this particular sub-genre. There’s a few undersold emotions in a couple of the performances and a lot of the secondary characters are conveniently placed in situations they wouldn’t be in unless the film required it. There’s some dumb decision-making and things happen that don’t always add up. The film is an ambitious one but there’s only so much you can do when you simply don’t have the time or funds required to do so. Had the focus of the story shifted to the father daughter connection I may have been able to distract myself from looking further at the somewhat inept digital effects. That being said, Sun put every dollar he had on the screen to get Boar made, and the end product is his best yet and a hell of a lot of fun at that. If you love your creature features please support this homegrown film because it’s a tough gig when you’re going it alone. Boar will available on Foxtel and other streaming services by the end of the month. Check out the official trailer below!

My rating for “Boar” is 6.5/10

ANONYMOUS 616

THE SETUP

This is a review for the debut feature-length film from Nail Driver Productions, “Anonymous 616”, Written and Directed by Mike Boss. Anonymous 616 is a confined Horror/Thriller about two couples reuniting with each other for the first time in over a year. Wealthy businessman, Eric (David Abramsky) and his European partner, Monica (played by first timer Lena Roma) have just moved into their new home when they play host to Eric’s long time friend, Jason (Daniel Felix de Weldon) and his girlfriend, Jenna (played by Jessica Boss). What begins as a casual storytelling night among friends, suddenly takes a turn for the worse when one of the foursome begins being groomed by an anonymous person online to unleash their true destructive nature on the group. The film also stars Bella Shepard, Myles Cranford and Emily Jordan.

THE GOOD

Anonymous 616 is a nicely presented feature-length film, built around a one location setting and a pretty well written script that deals with ones psyche. DP, Peter Fuhrman (whose worked on films like “Intruder” and the “Cabin Fever” remake) is a handy inclusion to the crew. Everything is neatly framed and really well shot using a combination of sliders, macro focusing and tripod shots. The audio track is consistently clear, and Lucas Tuttle’s score utilizing warping bass and some unique sounds, modestly drifts along in the background. There’s a composition in the opening act adopting some light guitar work and cello to give the undertow a military feeling that complements Jason’s background. Boss does a number of unprecedented things with the script, the most noticeable being a surprise role reversal in regard to the two male leads, Eric and Jason. There’s a common and predictable thread in introducing two characters with the outward appearance these two have that make you think you know the dynamics of their arc, such is not the case with Anonymous 616. A majority of the dialogue and discussion around themes like religious ideology and personal identity comes across quite natural and the film raises relevant points without forcing them down your throat. Boss has plenty to say about false ideology and how we’re ultimately shaped by our varying socioeconomic positions. We place importance on different things, we evolve differently, and the things that drive us are often worlds apart from one another.

There’s a number of great scenes in the film but there’s one in particular that’s bound to make viewers uncomfortable. There’s an interaction between Jason and Emily (Shepard), the young daughter of Monica, and it’s handled in such a tasteful manner (given the tone) all the while still getting under your skin in the dirtiest of ways. Each of the core performances are good in their own right. Weldon (who bares a striking resemblance to a young Eddie Marsan, fellow actor) is given the most amount of screen time and handles the material and character quirks quite well. Roma has a certain elegance about her and she presents nicely given this is her first time in front of the camera. At times Abramsky and Boss are a little off the pace when it comes to matching the emotional intensity of their respective characters actions. It’s not to say the performances aren’t solid, they just waver a little on occasion, whereas Weldon doesn’t. Myles Cranford has popped up in a few things I’ve watched over the last couple of years and his brief screen time here, playing a pastor, is certainly memorable. Anonymous 616 is surprisingly violent, albeit in patches. There’s some early blood and gore on display in the first act and a number of gory practical effects shown in aftermath shots through the second and third acts. Despite a little confusion at the closing of the film, I followed the general story arc the way I think it was intended to be read.

THE BAD

As I mentioned earlier, Jessica and David’s emotional displays fluctuate somewhat through the middle of the film. His desperation isn’t quite at the level and her crying is intermittent. There’s a couple of creative choices that I had difficulty believing, namely the casting of young Bella Shepard as Emily. Eric reference’s Emily early on in conversation, telling Jason and Jenna that she’s twelve years old. She appears shortly after and looked to be considerably older than twelve years of age (apologies if I’m mistaken there). There’s also a few not so subtle hints at a hinge or two being loose e.g, conveniently placed tools in the family room when Eric isn’t a tradesman. Not long ago, a friend of mine was complaining about the recent spate of films where writers have chosen to reveal details of the climax of their film at the beginning instead of the end, and I tend to agree. It’s a matter of knowing when that can work to your advantage and when it might not. I saw a few of the specifics and the psyche angle of Anonymous 616 coming well before the inevitable unveiling, simply because too much information was given away in those opening scenes. Some of the script’s general “bro”, “dude” dialogue is rather unimaginative. It’s the type of phrasing that’s geared more for acquaintances touching base and not best of friends getting together with their respective partners for an adult reunion. There’s a couple of lines that could’ve been reshaped, such as “His face was gone” in replace of “His face was blown off”. Profanity wise, the film is pretty clean until things become a little forced when the situation mounts. Some of that’s down to the sudden change in personalities (one in particular) ultimately caused by the anonymous person. The conversation around DMT was completely lost on me. This isn’t the first film to raise the topic of drug use and I’m well aware that it won’t be that last, but anytime there’s an overall justification for drug use or hallucinogen’s I simply just can’t relate. I’ve never dabbled with drugs and I can’t fathom why anyone would want to either. By their own design they’re almost always inherently bad, that much I do know.

I saw Anonymous 616 getting some good press through DreadCentral and various other horror outlets and thought I best chase it up. Boss has created an intriguing web of mystery with minimal players and a modest budget garnering a high production value. His first feature-length film reminds me of a better presented and more psychological take on something like “Capture Kill Release”, or even David Palamaro’s “Murder Made Easy” https://adamthemoviegod.com/2017/11/27/murder-made-easy-review/. Fuhrman’s camera work is polished, Tuttle’s score builds an appropriate sense of urgency and most of the acting is pretty consistent. Mike takes a fresh approach with the script, introducing a role reversal among the males and broaching some important topical issues. The god content, the need for power and the differences from culture to culture are just some of the things on the table in this one. There’s some lighter moments, some darker ideas and a surprising amount of violence. On the other side of the coin, Boss gives the audience a little too much rope in the opening sequence, in turn making the film slightly more predictable than perhaps first thought. The casting of Shepard seems like a stretch, and not all of the back and forth between Jason and Eric is as maturely written as the rest of the script. The conversation around drugs and tripping was completely lost on me and a few of the plot devices were a little too convenient. Be that as it may, Anonymous 616 has its own spin on the material and the end result is a great little independent film from Nail Driver Productions. I look forward to seeing what Boss and Co do next! If you’re in the US, the film is currently available on Amazon Prime and stay tuned for the release on Google Plus and iTunes soon. You can watch the trailer below!

My rating for “Anonymous 616” is 7/10

CHILD EATER

THE SETUP

This is a review for the Region 1 (U.S Import) DVD of the 2016, Horror/Thriller film “Child Eater”, Written and Directed by Erlingur Thoroddsen. Child Eater is set in a lakeside community with a violent history. 25 years ago, a delusional sadist by the name of Robert Bowery (played by Jason Martin) became convinced he needed others eyes in order to prevent himself from going blind, so he took them. Fast forward to present day and Helen Connolly (Cait Bliss), a local working two jobs while at a crossroads in her life, takes a babysitting gig in a home she knows all too well. Young, Lucas Parker (played by Colin Critchley) is convinced that Bowery is back to haunt the town once again, and it’s up to Helen and her friend, Casey (Brandon Smalls), along with her father and town Sheriff (played James Wilcox) to stop the Child Eater once and for all. The film also stars Dave Klasko, Melinda Chilton, Andrew Kaempfer and Weston Wilson.

THE GOOD

Much like a lot of horror films that have gone on to have success, Erlingur’s debut feature-length film was initially conceived as a 15 minute short, made back in 2012. Despite Child Eater containing some on-screen violence and a “Freddy Krueger” like antagonist, it’s most definitely a slow-burn atmospheric style horror film rather than the slasher film of which the aforementioned resided among. I think the premise is an interesting one and the run time is a brisk 80 minutes (including credits), any longer and it may have started to wear out its welcome. The production design and management deserve plenty of credit for finding this heavily wooded forest area that lends itself perfectly to the cinematic scope. The thin flaking trees, the makeshift decking, and even the way the daytime scenes are color graded can be likened to something like Shyamalan’s criminally underrated “The Village”. Young cinematographer, John Carey implements a series of nice establishing shots to help set the scene. The empty woods linger in the frame, there’s wide shots of the home in question as well as a few nicely executed tracking shots. All the framing looks great and most of the films desired suspense is generated through some superb backlighting. A number of scenes are laced with fog and the faint light permeating through the building majority of the film takes place in, looks fantastic. The sequence in the Parker’s home where Lucas goes through the walls in the basement is perhaps the best scene in the film. The Child Eater has a number of memorable moments too.

The audio track is crisp and clear and Einar Tryggvason’s score is an appropriately moody one. There’s some lovely violin and cello themes that open proceedings, and later, bass and keyboard become the driving force of the film when the Child Eater goes all out to obtain that which he desires. Some may find it a little generic but there’s an 8 note piano motif that’s really unsettling, it plays while Helen and ex-boyfriend, Tom (Klasko) go looking for Lucas (listen for it). The cast’s levels of experience varies, so I was surprised that so many of the performances came off as natural as they did. I think emotionally speaking, Bliss is given the bulk of the weight to carry and she does a really nice job with it. Cait reminds me of “Game Of  Thrones” actress, Gemma Whelan in both looks and expressions. Chilton is basically the only other female with a prominent role, and although her character of Ginger feels uncharted, she turns in an impressive physical display and adds some uneasiness to events. The supporting players in Klasko, Kaempfer and Wilson all do their bit, but majority of the screen time is shared between James Wilcox, as Helen’s father whose a little more on the low-key side, somewhat aloof, and Brandon Smalls as Casey, a newly appointed deputy and friend of Helen’s. The pair is solid without setting the world on fire, but it’s Martin’s portrayal of this demented collector of eyeballs that really stands out. His appearance under all the makeup calls to mind Ezra Buzzington’s look in “The Hills Have Eyes”. There’s not a lot of effects on show early in the film (aside from a couple of aftermath shots of eyeballs) but toward the climax there’s a few kills that involve some rough eye gouging and gun blasting.

THE BAD

The Child Eater has his moments but he’s never really given the reigns to command the film. I’d love to have seen more stalking and more of an emphasis on sound design in order to maintain maximum tension. Because the film does lack action by presenting itself as more of a slow burner, Bowery needed to make his presence better known, and instead, he keeps to the shadows for a sizeable chunk of the run time. Thoroddsen manages to keep the intended tone in view right up until the final act, and that’s where things take a detour. Lucas’s “Come and get me” taunts for the menacing man, when combined with an off beat piece of music, result in a “Home Alone” type scenario that just doesn’t fit. One of the final moments in a fight between Helen and Bowery appears to have been taken straight out of “Scream”, just substitute Casey and Lucas for Randy and Gale and you’d have the same thing. Whilst everyone does quite a good job here, Smalls is somewhat miscast as the newly appointed deputy. He just doesn’t have that look or feel of a cop so I had a hard time believing him, especially when he fails to radio the sheriff after one particular attack. Their ages aren’t listed but Wilcox and Bliss playing father and daughter might be another example of something that’s slightly farfetched depending on what you think the age gap might be. Both Helen and Ginger were characters that weren’t fully fleshed out and that was frustrating, more so in relation to the latter. There’s clearly something from Helen’s past haunting her but it never becomes apparent, perhaps an angle to do with her late mother. Did she live in the Parker house at one point? What was the deep-seated connection? How did she wind up with the babysitting job in the first place if the father and son only recently moved there? (as all the boxes in the basement would suggest). Gingers motives were even more vague. At first she comes across like the town loony, later she approaches Lucas like she’s wanting to lead him into the arms of the eater, and finally, she looks to take a stand against Bowery with no logical arc to lead to any of it. It was all very confusing.

Child Eater is a really solid debut feature-length film from Icelandic filmmaker, Erlingur Thoroddsen. It’s one of those slow-burn horrors inspired by films like “The Witch” and “The Bye Bye Man” but still manages to possess its own identity. I dig the artwork, it’s got a short run time and a memorable villain. The location suits the narrative, Carey’s camera work is great and the lighting is perhaps some of the best I’ve seen in an indie horror film this year.  The audio is sharp, the score distinctive and the performances even across the board. The action sequences and practical effects we do get are more than serviceable and fans of this type of horror will find plenty to like about Child Eater. On the downside, Bowery himself doesn’t step into the spotlight anywhere near as much as I think he should’ve. A couple of the actors felt somewhat miscast, and despite delivering decent performances they didn’t quite sell me in the role. The two female characters required a little more fleshing out for story sake, and I think the ending loses its way via a combination of clashing tones and a like for like execution with that climactic sequence. Shortcomings aside, Child Eater is an enjoyable and highly polished film that I can certainly recommend to fans of the genre. Hell, this is leaps and bounds ahead of both the previously mentioned films. I look forward to seeing what Erlingur does next!

My rating for “Child Eater” is 6/10

THE FARM

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Writer/Director, Hans Stjernsward for allowing me early access to his debut feature-length film “The Farm”. The Farm is a Horror/Thriller film about a young couple, Nora and Alec (played by Nora Yessayan and Alec Gaylord) who are kidnapped shortly after stopping at a local diner while travelling across country. From there, they’re taken to a remote living community where they’re subjected to  treatment like farm animals and eventually killed or sold for profit. The film also stars Ken Volok, Rob Tisdale, Kelly Mis and David Air.

THE GOOD

Ever since Rob Schmidt’s 2003 film “Wrong Turn”, a backwoods hillbilly horror (with five sequels that followed) that went on to become one of the most consistent franchises in the subgenre’s history, there’s been a significant spike in demented family in the woods films. To be fair, you have to go all the way back to the early works of Herschell Gordon Lewis (Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs) to see where the genre originated, but of course it was Tobe Hooper’s groundbreaking “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” in 74′ and Wes Craven’s original “Hills Have Eyes” in 77′ that really put the “backwoods slasher” on the map. Here we are in 2018 and we’ve pretty much seen it all. Films like the aforementioned Wrong Turn have been done to death, and let’s be honest, that’s great for fans of this specific type of film because we get what we pay for. We’ve had a slew of American entries, as well as European additions like “Frontiers”, “Gnaw”,”Killbillies” and more recently “Escape From Cannibal Farm (among many others). So, Hans Stjernsward’s “The Farm”, is again, much the same, so make of that what you will. Hans and DP, Egor Povolotskiy take a really professional approach to what is otherwise a by the numbers, low-budget entry. The Farm opens with an establishing shot that lingers on a deserted stretch of dirt road, and Sergei Stern’s pulsating and dynamic dramatic score explodes into the mix immediately. It’s an extremely layered Polanski/Hitchcockian esq composition that drew me right in. Egor implements a number of effective dolly shots, both with tracking as well as pulling back, and there’s one scene presented via a really long take as a character walks around the compound. There’s also a series of really smart focus pulls, that almost always reveal to the viewer something important in the frame.

There’s a young composer by the name of Giona Ostinelli (Carnage Park and Darling), whose one of my personal favourites, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of him with Stern’s sublime score in The Farm. The bulk of the film’s soundtrack centers around sharply played strings, namely cello and violin. There’s definite shades of The Hills Have Eyes (06) score seeping into the mix, and I recall hearing some ambient sounds perhaps created by a horn or some woodwind instruments. Coupled with crisp foley and eerie sound design, there’s a certain rhythmic beat and atmosphere to The Farm. The production design seems inspired by the likes of “Motel Hell”, and externally, the location has the same desolate vibe of a more select group of films such as Chris Hoffmann’s, “Drifter” https://adamthemoviegod.com/drifter-review-3/ and even Andy Palmer’s underrated, “Badlands Of Kain” https://adamthemoviegod.com/badlands-of-kain-review/ Stjernsward’s script is pretty straight forward. There’s the conventional setup that involves the couple stumbling upon a local in need of assistance, a quick stop for food, and of course a run in with the creepy caretaker (played by Volok) of the cosy cabin that’s in the middle of the woods. It’s what a lot of us have come to expect from these types of films and there’s a reason why we like it. Performance wise, our two leads in Nora and Alec (both character names and coincidentally the actors names as well) are both serviceable. Unfortunately they’re given paper-thin arcs, and in fact, often don’t even come across as though they’re really a couple (seeming more like brother and sister instead). Volok is suitably creepy as the man behind the mask (so to speak) but never really finds that moment to command our attention. The film does contain a few practical effects, specifically an impressive disembowelment. There’s also a bear trap used in a later scene but the blood and gore is relatively scarce.

THE BAD

From a pure technical point of view, The Farm is a mostly accomplished film with a higher than expected production value. That said, the dialogue track is noticeably low in the mix when compared with the music. There’s a few scenes throughout the film that can be difficult to hear (though this was only a screener copy). Egor’s framing is a little unsure at times and a few more dynamic shot choices would’ve been a welcomed addition. As I mentioned earlier, both the antagonists and protagonists lack personality and character arc. Now, if The Farm went all out with on-screen carnage then you’d have something to draw the attention away from those inadequate elements, the problem is it doesn’t. There isn’t really even a hint of action until well over half way into the film and that’s an issue when you’re making a backwoods style slasher. I know I preach this constantly but there’s a valid reason for it. Horror 101 (of this nature) asks of you to deliver on an early kill if for no other reason than to bring your audience in nice and early. The Farm doesn’t do that, it keeps you at arm’s length for basically an hour before any real blood is spilt, keep in mind the film only runs 80 minutes long (including credits). Making matters worse is that the tension created in the beginning of the second act fizzles out long before anything violent happens. So what we’re left with is a couple of bare bones characters we’re not all that interested in and a sort of headquarters we learn very little about. The film isn’t without its continuity issues either. At one stage a character suddenly appears underneath a bed with no plausible way as to how he got there, and despite the caretaker claiming he seldom gets any visitors at the cabin, Nora doesn’t raise a query about the number of cars parked outside if such was the case. I did enjoy the climax, but I can’t help but think Han’s missed an opportunity to take Nora’s character down a different path. I really thought she’d think it through a bit better, perhaps pose as one of the locals in order to escape.

The Farm calls to mind endless films of the particular sub-genre it’s illustrating. Set in a Texas Chainsaw Massacre esq landscape inside a mysterious commune that could be found in something like the Badlands Of Kain or even Red State, The Farm correlates its violence with ones individual diet, seemingly if you make the wrong choice you die. It’s a quick run time, simple approach and presented in an aesthetically pleasing way. Egor’s cinematography is well crafted, the sound design is atmospheric and Sergei Stern’s score is a masterclass in musical composition, and probably my favourite aspect of the film. There’s good production design, the acting is decent and some of the action looks quite good. The film’s downfall is simply that it just doesn’t have enough on-screen action to compete with its counterparts or any of the heavyweights of the genre. I could ignore some of the shortcomings in character logic, and to a degree even the one-dimensional characters if the presence of violence was stronger, but it’s not. With just the two characters riding the wave for the long haul, I suppose a sizeable body count might have been an unrealistic expectation. Though there’s a reason films like The Hills Have Eyes and Wrong Turn contain so many characters, and it’s to give yourself that out or room to move. The Farm is certainly watchable and worth a look for fans of the aforementioned films, I just think it might struggle to stand on its own. In the end, this is an honest endeavour and I look forward to seeing what Hans does next.

My rating for “The Farm” is 5.5/10

LOWLIFE

THE SETUP

Lowlife is a brand new Action/Comedy/Drama film just released on VOD, Co-Written by Tim Cairo, Jake Gibson, Shaye Ogbonna, Ryan Prows (who also directs) and Maxwell Towson. Presented in a non-linear fashion, Lowlife is a story set in seedy suburbia, Los Angeles and centers around the lives of three mysterious characters. A heavily pregnant, Kaylee (played by Santana Dempsey) whose struggling with a drug habit and wants to escape the clutches of an overbearing substitute stepfather in Teddy “Bear” (Mark Burnham), who happens to deal in organ trafficking and sex trading. Then there are ex-con buddies, Randy and Keith (played respectively by Jon Oswald and Shaye Ogbonna) who re-unite shortly after one has just done time for the other, but they end up in over their heads, becoming a third-party in a kidnapping scheme. El Monstruo (Ricardo Zarate) is a morally torn failed luchador working as a henchmen/debt collector for Teddy. Complicating matters is his relationship with Kaylee, and the desire to see his soon to be born son live up to the infamous heights of the family legacy. At the centre of it all though is Crystal (played by Animal Kingdom’s, Nicki Micheaux), a motel owner with a dying husband and a connection to the source of all the drama. These characters will all cross paths across the course of 24 hours, ensuring none of their lives will ever be the same again. The film also stars Jose Rosete, Jearnest Corchado and Clayton Cardenas.

THE GOOD

I’d heard some positive rumblings about Prows debut feature-length film but hadn’t seen a great deal of press for it other than the trailer that was released a few months back. I’m usually neither here nor there when it comes to how much I want to know about a film before going in, but Lowlife is certainly one of those films you’re better off knowing as little as possible about (perhaps I’ve said too much already). This is an American production but with both English and Spanish languages spoken throughout. DP, Benjamin Kitchens has an extensive list of shorts to his name and the experience shows through his cinematic presentation style. I really respect the fact that Prows didn’t opt for the grindhouse aesthetic appeal here. Now don’t get me wrong, that can work wonders when done right, but with this brand of darkly comedic and violent material it’s great to see the vibrant grading filtering through the lens. The audio track is loud and clear and the score evokes similar bouncing crime/caper tones that can be heard in any number of Guy Ritchie’s films. The likening to Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” is warranted I suppose, especially given the timeline structure and the fact that particular film bought together a multitude of questionable characters all with their own motivations for acquiring a mysterious briefcase. Only in this case, the case comes in the form of a woman instead. The action comes on steady, and although it’s graphic in nature Prows is vigilante of how it could come across if presented with shock value in mind. Burnham’s character is undoubtedly distasteful with his exploits and at moments throughout the film he’s quite violent, but he never crosses that line or falls into an imitation of something. With that in mind, those hoping to see some bloodshed will not be disappointed. A fair chunk of what’s depicted is in the aftermath of certain events, but the practical effects work is still superb. The film opens with some “prep work” (for lack of a better term) where we’re presented with a full body being sliced and diced. The highlight comes at the climax of the film which sees, gun shots, neck slicing and a head smashing in all its bloody glory.

Lowlife is divided into three cleverly conveyed and consistently entertaining chapters titled “Monsters”, “Fiends” and “Thugs”, where each dedicates ample screen time to a different but aptly labelled individual. Prows, and perhaps what might just be the largest ensemble of Co-Writers for an independent film, put all their focus solely on character arc and smart exposition and it’s almost single-handedly the reason this film is as good as it is. It’s common in these types of films consisting of a multitude of characters for there to be a few throw away bit-parts, such is not the case with Lowlife. Excusing a father and her daughter who are secondary characters introduced at the very beginning of the film, everyone else is given equal screen time and development. Each act picks up at an interesting point in the time line and you begin to see it mold and take shape to uniformly entwine with another characters story mid arc. The acting is impressive from all involved. Nicki brings real sympathy to motel owner Crystal, and more importantly you get a clear insight into her own challenges and perhaps some of the reasons for the decisions she’s made in her life. While you don’t see Ricardo’s face due to the mask he dons, you do sense he’s conflicted. A pause within an emotional beat is enough to convey that but I also enjoyed those hints of light heartedness in him. Such as him feeling the need to state his name at the end of conversations on the phone with people who clearly already knew who he was. Dempsey’s character keeps a very level head given her predicament, it’s a nice change of pace to see someone acting rationally in a heightened situation. Everyone is great to watch but it’s really the pairing of Oswald and Ogbonna that serve as the cherry on top of what is already one hell of a cake. These two guys have superb comedic timing and the most natural chemistry of the bunch, comparable to that of Travolta and Jackson’s characters in Pulp Fiction. Ordinarily I’d be apprehensive about Oswald’s portrayal of what can only be described as an extremely “white” character, but the purposeful race humor, the characters naivety and innocence damn well won me over. It’s difficult to write interesting and layered antagonists let alone get an audience to like them, well-played guys.

THE BAD

So the whole Pulp Fiction thing. It’s not necessarily that any one set piece in Lowlife was lifted straight from Tarantino’s iconic film, it’s just that overall contrast of violence and humour and a sense that Prows and Co thought they could construct something similar, and why not I suppose? I personally saw more of something like “Running Scared” or even the completely underrated “Pawn Shop Chronicles” in this one than I did anything of Quentin’s body of work but still, I must mention it all the same https://adamthemoviegod.com/pawn-shop-chronicles-review/ Mark Burnham’s “Teddy” is probably the weakest character of the bunch when in reality he should be one of the strongest. Whilst the performance was solid, even if slightly more jovial than I personally prefer my villains to be, it still feels like the character should’ve been more menacing than he was. Maybe the intention was for him to seem small time, to give off the false impression that he’d only been able to get away with these doings because he’d never been challenged by anyone. I’m not sure. I would’ve liked to have seen that written with a different approach.

It’s multi million dollar releases like “Black Panther” and “Avengers Infinity War” that are all the rage and garnering all the accolades early in 2018, and meanwhile, slices of independent brilliance like “Lowlife” aren’t being talked about at all. We need to change that people. This is a stellar first feature-length film from Ryan, it stirs up a wonderful mix of emotions and tonally calls to mind films like the aforementioned “Pulp Fiction” and the similarly independent “Pawn Shop Chronicles”. I love the poster art, the cinematography is sharp and the music works well. When it hits the violence is visceral and swift, the practical blood and gore looks great too. Make no mistake about it though, Lowlife is a character piece penned by a handful of extremely creative hands. These are some of the richest characters you’re likely to see in any crime film of this nature. They’re all well-rounded, flawed, so true to life and ultimately inherently watchable. The dialogue is smart, the back and forth organic and there’s so many scene stealing moments. The pacing is perfect and all the characters allow this film to breathe and in turn interfuse a tonne of heart into it. Everyone is great but Jon and Shaye are hilarious in their respective roles, reminiscent of Paul Walker and Kevin Rankin’s characters in Pawn Shop Chronicles. I do think Teddy could have been presented as a more powerful figure and if you want to criticize the script for its Pulp Fiction style narrative and atmosphere no one’s going to hold that against you. Still, that’s no reason to shy away. Those two things aside, Lowlife is at this very moment the definition of a hidden gem. This film is fantastic and it’s currently available for viewing on digital platforms such as VOD or you can pre-order the film from Amazon, slated for an August release. Check out the films official trailer below!

My rating for “Lowlife” is 8.5/10

SLITHIS

THE SETUP

This is a review for the brand new Blu Ray release of the 1978 Horror/Sci-Fi creature feature “Slithis” aka “Spawn Of The Slithis”, Written and Directed by Stephen Traxler. Slithis is set in Venice, California in the wake of a nuclear leak that sees the towns people come under threat by a mutant sea monster. Journalism teacher, Wayne Connors (played by Alan Blanchard) and his wife, Jeff (Judy Motulsky) with the help of a scientist, Dr John (J.C Claire) try to stop the Slithis before it attacks again. The film also stars Dennis Falt, Mello Alexandria, Hy Pyke and Win Condict. I hadn’t actually heard anything about this late 70’s, low-budget B movie (coincidentally Traxler would only go on to direct one more film) but I’m always down for an old school creature feature. The catchy artwork and new limited edition print looked appealing so I picked up a copy (at a hefty $53 might I add!).

THE GOOD

Despite the age-old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover”(or in this case film), the artwork and the complementary slip cover are a big part of the reason I purchased the film. Clearly inspired by the likes of Jack Arnold’s ground breaking, “Creature From The Black Lagoon” and Spielberg’s 1975 box office hit “Jaws”, Traxler saw a market and perhaps a way to cash in on the creature feature phase of the time. The issue for him was that those two particular films were big money productions, Slithis was made on $100,000. Other than the original VHS release, prior to 2017 the only other version of this little known Sci-Fi venture was a dvd that by all accounts was a less than stellar product. The transfer on this disc is excellent and it automatically boosts DP, Robert Caramico’s cinematography (Eaten Alive and Star Crystal). The monster POV (point of view) shots actually pre-date John Carpenter’s use of the same technique in “Halloween”, released in the same year. You get that 70’s/80’s obligatory dramatic zooming, simple two-shots and steady camera operating throughout the entire film. The new cleaned up audio track is another great addition of this release. Minimal hissing with a filter placed on background noise sees that facet improved ten fold from the previous version.

Steve Zuckerman’s score is perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the films creative components. There’s a concentrated emphasis on the music being a character in its own right. The quirky themes in the opening are reminiscent of some of Howard Shore’s work (Panic Room, The Game, Dead Ringers), who interestingly enough started composing around the same time as Zuckerman (though Shore has had the far superior career). The use of french horn and cello seems to give a lot of life to Slithis, and at times the quality of the score rivals other wonderful artist like John Williams (Jaws, The Poseidon Adventure and ET). Actor, Alan Blanchard was criticized for being a rather dull leading man. Now maybe there’s something in that considering that he never acted again after Slithis, but I personally had no problem with him. I thought Wayne’s decision-making was consistent and ultimately Blanchard, in spite of his rather one-dimensional arc, put in the most natural performance of the lot. Motulsky does her bit, playing the concerned wife who just wants to stay out of the controversy surrounding the cover up. Most of the remaining players are serviceable as well.

J.C’s character serves as the sole provider regarding exposition on the “Slithis” and the history behind the nuclear reactor leak that contaminated the nearby waters. We’re given plenty of detail (perhaps too much) on how the bacteria and algae mutated to form a new organic life form. It’s your typical by the books dissection of everything that’s led up to that very point, but a welcomed addition to the storytelling none the less. Penny Gottlieb and Kathy Lober credited with makeup and special effects, deserve some recognition for their quality work conceived with extremely minimal funds. The makeup for Dennis Falt’s facial deformities (as seen in the image above) looks great and the practically conceived Slithis suit (worn by Condict) was well ahead of its time. The look and sound of the creature works surprisingly well and is ultimately a lot more effective than most of the CGI utilized today. The focal point of the action is an impressive car crash stunt, and the use of some vibrant practical blood and gore to depict the aftermath of certain kills was a highlight too.

THE BAD

Robert Ross’s edit and Stephen’s overall sluggish pacing are the biggest setbacks here and consequently that hurts the rewatchability factor of Slithis. There’s a series of pointless slow motion shots in the beginning of the film as two kids play with a frisbee by the canal. Later, a sleazy older man picks up a young student at a bar during some turtle racing competition (haha yes you heard me right), not to mention there’s a good 35 to 40 minute stint in the middle act where there’s simply no action to speak of, and in a film that should be all about its creature presence, that’s problematic. That lack of a body count or on-screen carnage is surely going to disappoint viewers who are looking for that kind of fix. Instead, you’re in for long-winded sequences like the one that involves a homeless man who goes by the name “Bunky” (played by John Hatfield), who sits around talking with another boozer buddy about how all the women they’ve known are “whores” because that’s what it was like in Vietnam (you know because they’re both vets and all that). The sequence lasts twice as long as it should’ve and there’s no visual pay off at the end of it. There’s an attack sequence involving an elderly couple but it’s weakly presented with absolutely no reaction from actress Daphnae Cohen as she comes face to face with the monster. Traxler abandons his leads for a lengthy portion of the film to focus on irrelevant side plots too. On an unrelated note, Hy Pyke’s performance as a head police officer is embarrassingly bad, thankfully his screen time is limited. At least the climax of the film is entertaining as Wayne and his scuba diving friend, Chris (Alexandria) are on a boat face to face with the Slithis as others try to assist from the shore. Though one can’t deny the complete lack of originality, given that most of the scene is practically lifted straight out of the aforementioned “Jaws”.

Slithis may not have been the most original idea but it certainly helped pave the way for the creature feature sub-genre and some of the films that followed, such as “The Being” and “Humanoids From The Deep”. I knew very little about this one but it’s great to see a 40-year-old film getting this sort of restoration from Code Red. I love the title and the vibrant artwork and packaging. The cinematography looks great, the audio is clear and Steve Zuckerman’s score might just be the creme de la creme when it comes to music in this particular genre. Most of the acting is decent and there’s ample discourse on the origin of the monster. The practical effects and stunt work are both well ahead of their time I just wish there was more of it. The pacing is far too stagnant, sizeable chunks of the film feel lifeless and there’s simply just not enough action to demand multiple viewings. Pyke’s performance is cringeworthy (I’m not sure how people could see it any other way) there’s some poor dialogue in places and a handful of scenes could’ve used a re-cut. In the end, Traxler’s script specifics feel a lot like those in the far more successful “Jaws”, so if you’re looking for 70’s creature caper you’d be wiser to revisit the infamous latter. If you’re one of those viewers that places stock in pure aesthetic appeal I can’t think of a better way to go than this new and improved version of Slithis. You can check out the trailer below though it’s for the original 1978 release and not the Blu Ray, so keep that in mind!

My rating for “Slithis” is 4.5/10

SOCKMONSTER

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Three Tales Productions and Writer/Director, Wesley Alley for allowing me early access to an online screener of his 4 minute Horror/Thriller short, “SockMonster”. SockMonster is a micro short that opens with an emotionally charged, Anne (played by the stunning Briana Evigan of the “Step Up” Franchise) whose sitting on the laundry floor, drink in hand, struggling with the loss of her child and contemplating her own life. The cycle of washing ends but Anne has no idea what’s in store for her on the other side. The film also stars Derek Mears (Friday The 13th). It’s wonderful to see someone like Alley, whose built a career primarily in the Camera and Electrical Department, now transitioning into Writing and Directing. It’s artists like Wes who have inspired people like myself to try their hand at it too. He’s worked on everything from smaller independent projects such as “Gravy” and “Don Jon”, all the way through to blockbusters like “Kong: Skull Island” and “Transformers: The Last Knight” and it’s clearly served as great preparation for his move to behind the camera. Teaming up with well-respected genre filmmaker, Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw 2,3,4 and Mother’s Day) certainly hasn’t done him any harm either.

THE GOOD

I first heard about SockMonster a few months ago and the poster art caught my eye. I’d read that Evigan (who I’ve long been a fan of) would feature, and I’ve always had a lot of respect for actors who are willing to work in the short medium regardless of the limited exposure. SockMonster is an interesting concept (even reminding me of an idea I’ve been floating for a while) and it’s entertainingly presented despite the darker subject matter. DP, Austin Schmidt (The Last Shift) presents us with some high quality cinematography. There’s nice gentle movements, slick close-ups and an extremely clever rotating motion as Anne peers into the machine while it slowly comes to a halt. Robert Reider won’t be a name people are familiar with but he’s been working in sound for the better part of ten years. I’ve got a number of films that he’s worked on (they’re still wrapped up in plastic though!) and his somber piano score complements the drama here nicely. I’m going to avoid spoilers, but what I will say is that Derek Mears is even more unrecognisable in this particular role than usual (watch the film and you’ll understand why). Briana has already proven her expressive acting chops, look no further than “Burning Bright” (a little known masterpiece of white knuckle tension), and yet again she handles this with ease. Hitting all the right emotional beats to make you sympathise with Anne despite knowing very little about the crux of her plight. The highlight of SockMonster comes in the form of some superb practical fx work in the closing moments.

THE BAD

My only complaint is with some of the opening quick cuts and frenetic imagery, that and I wasn’t sure what to take away from details surrounding Anne’s daughter (though that just means there’s something more to elaborate on in the future I guess).

Despite him having made four other short films, SockMonster is my first official look at Alley as a filmmaker and he’s certainly leading with the right foot. This is a dark and twisted micro short conceived by a bunch of really talented artists. Schmidt’s camera work looks sharp, Reider’s sound and score build ample atmosphere and Briana’s silent performance oozes conviction. The climax is ultimately the kicker here and it’s sure to be a set piece horror fans can revel in. A couple of minor personal preference issues aside, SockMonster takes an early lead in the running for the best short film of 2018! Great stuff and I look forward to more from Bousman and Alley! Keep an eye out for this one later in the year.

My rating for “SockMonster” is 9/10

SUNSET

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Halcyon Valor Productions and Co-Writer/Director, Jamison LoCascio for allowing me early access to an online screener of his second feature-length film, “Sunset”. Sunset is a drama that focuses on a group of six individuals living on the East Coast of the United States, who are forced to make life or death decisions after hearing of an impending nuclear strike set to hit the surrounding areas. Elderly married couple, Patricia and Henry (played by Barbara Bleier and Liam Mitchell) are dealing with her declining health and some of their unresolved issues, not to mention their somewhat slow boarder, Chris (David Johnson) whose become a sort of self-proclaimed son to them. Then there’s Breyanna and Ayden (Suzette Gunn and Juri Henley-Cohn), a young couple who’ve been unable to conceive and are seemingly incapable of reaching a decision regarding the imminent threat. Rounding out the group is Julian (played by Austin Pendleton of HBO’S “OZ”), a long time friend of Patricia’s whose partly the cause of some of the friction between her and Henry, who Julian often butts heads with.

THE GOOD

Sunset takes a rather simplistic approach to its end of the world scenario. Okay, well maybe it’s not the end of the world, but certainly the destruction of the east coast of America. For a majority of the run time LoCascio hones in on developing his characters in realistic an interesting ways. There are no flashbacks or spoon fed admissions, it’s all about what the scene calls for in any given moment. Sunset’s an independent film but don’t let that fool you, the technical aspects are all very well conceived. Nicholas Pietroniro’s camera work is simple but solid. A majority of the shots are nicely framed, there’s some early glide-cam footage and the handful of aerial shots overlooking the suburb, in turn raising the production value overall. The audio track is consistent and clear and the scenes transition quite smoothly as the event nears. Adam Ambrosio (who co-wrote and produced) also composed the score, and it’s quite a good one. A synth piece opens the film and the remaining score helps to evoke the tension within the crisis itself. One could criticize Sunset for perhaps being a little to talky, especially if you go in expecting something more along like the lines of “Right At Your Door” or “Take Shelter” because this is not really that sort of film. I found early interactions between Henry and Julian covered important topical discussions on the art of war and the current state of affairs in the world. Like any good conversation, Jamison and Adam cover both sides of the argument in the writing. In hindsight, it’s easy to see the why behind Henry’s knee jerk reactions to the subject, while Julian approaches things pragmatically and with more in mind than winning. Each of the performances are solid and everyone has their moment to shine. The stand out display comes from Johnson, as Chris, who bares all (emotionally speaking) to record a video for his YouTube channel. There’s some rewarding developments in the third act and I particularly respect the films abrupt ending.

THE BAD

Most of the cinematography looks good but there are a couple of odd framing choices during a dining table scene with Chris and Patricia, and later, in the car with Chris and Henry. I might have opted for a two-shot during the first, and a medium close-up from the hood of the car for the latter (but hey it’s all personal preference). There’s one passage of dialogue (spoken by Ayden if I recall) where he says something along the lines of “More smart about staying there”. I don’t remember the exact line but the phrasing didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Barbara’s performance hits most of the intended beats but I was a little distracted by her constant strained facials, though that could be down to the character’s manner I suppose (it was unintentionally funny though). Julian was the one character that felt somewhat out-of-place in the film. I can see reasons as to why you might figure him into the relationship dynamics between Patricia and Henry, but he wasn’t crucial to anything that transpired among the others over the course of the film. If I’m honest, there were times where Chris was a difficult character to watch. Described by Henry as a “bizarre man-child” (more than accurate), he’s almost cartoonish in nature, as if actor David Johnson was giving his best Chris Farley impersonation. Now, that’s not to say he’s not good, it’s just that sometimes the portrayal gets a little overbearing. On the flip side, his innocence and lack of worldly know-how makes him loveable just the same. I think had it been anyone else other than Johnson, I’m not sure it would have translated. I’ve never quite understood the rationale behind debating whether to stay or go in a life or death situation. Two characters here try to justify why staying put is safer when it’s clear that makes absolutely no sense. It’s a life or death situation. Leave and live or stay and die (or at the very least have a chance at survival). If you’re in the impact zone it’s a no brainer and there should be no argument. Yet these characters waste precious time debating what to do about it, it frustrated me to no end.

Sunset feels akin to the aforementioned “Take Shelter”, just without that element of paranoia and shot on a substantially lower budget. For the most part, LoCascio and Ambrosio’s simple character driven structure works for the setting. It’s a well shot film, it sounds good and there’s a lot of engaging dialogue throughout. The performances are all very even and I liked the developments of each character arc. Some of the framing could use a little sharpening and the pacing is a fraction slow at times. The Julian character doesn’t feel all that crucial to proceedings and the key questioning around whether to stay or leave will seem like a moot point to anyone with half a brain. These characters certainly frustrated me at times but never enough to make them unlikable or to deter one from caring about their fate. Below you’ll find the trailer for Sunset and the film will officially be available on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and DVD from the 3rd of July.

My rating for “Sunset” is 7/10

GOTAS

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Director, Sergio Morcillo (You’re Gonna Die Tonight) https://adamthemoviegod.com/youre-going-to-die-tonight-review/. for allowing me early access to an online screener of the 14 minute Spanish Horror/Thriller short, “Gotas”. Gotas centers around 16-year-old Marta (Marina Romero), a talented but broken ballerina dealing with the loss of her parents and an increasingly mysterious bout of physical pain. While home alone one night, Marta will discover the truth behind the inexplicable agony. The film also stars Adrian Lopez, Patricia Arizmendi and Ismael De Las Heras.

THE GOOD

Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” meets Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” seems to be the shoe that fits for those talking about Morcillo’s latest short, the script penned by Santiago Taboada. While I can certainly see the inspiration drawn from those two particular films, namely its ballet sub-plot and Daniel Borbujo’s stylish cinematography together with wonderful lighting stained with reds, the films psychological angle remains quite different. The cinematography is a class above Sergio’s previous slasher inspired short (which was still fun in its own right). Every shot is superbly framed, the long takes are gorgeous and the macro shots are used to great effect. Borbujo even takes the time to implement the most subtle of time lapses, as Marta enters a bathroom and then with a trick of light, awakens from her bed and it’s suddenly later that night. The audio levels are clear and the sound design helps create plenty of tension during the climax. Jesus Calderon is credited with composing the score for Gotas and it’s an impressive one at that. Calderon opens proceedings with a dramatic piano composition to help set the scene, and from there, eventually descends into madness with frenetic bass and strings. Heras’s demon makeup looks expert and the character itself is terrifying, constantly lurking in the background. Gotas goes through a very interesting metamorphosis over the course of its short 14 minute run time and I was extremely pleased with the direction it took.

THE BAD

The English subtitles are again a little inconsistent in some of the phrasing. Taking into account that this is Marina Romero’s first film, she turns in a pretty solid performance. That said, I think Sergio perhaps cast a little old for the part of a teenage girl and there are a couple of moments where Romero forces a reaction or doesn’t seem entirely sure how to approach it.

I’d heard some really good things about Gotas and although I enjoyed Sergio’s previous short “You’re Gonna Die Tonight”, this is the far superior of the two. It definitely has its Giallo roots, but the deconstruction of the protagonists psyche is where Santiago employs his own structure. The polished cinematography drives the high production value, the sound design is sharp and the score creates ample tension for its entire duration. The performances are of a solid standard and the quality fx work results in this monster being quite memorable. A few errors in the subtitles and a couple of minor inconsistencies are the only nit-picky things to fault here. Gotas is definitely an early candidate for the best short film of the year so keep an eye out for this one soon!

My rating for “Gotas” is 9/10

THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT

THE SETUP

It’s been ten years since Writer/Director, Bryan Bertino first invaded our homes with his slow burn Horror/Thriller masterpiece, “The Strangers”. The film centered around a couple staying at a remote house while dealing with the fallout of a relationship conundrum. Kristen and James (played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) were both somewhat on the sullen and reserved side but likable all the same. They were a real couple dealing with real problems, completely unawares of the danger that would arrive at their doorstep in the middle of the night in the form of The Strangers, a trio of mask wearing psychopaths by the name of Dollface, Pin Up Girl and Man In The Mask. Bertino’s script was more about what you didn’t see, and the film’s subsequent success grew because he chose to focus the attention specifically on the antagonists slowly and methodically driving the young couple insane, rather than giving horror audiences that typical visceral relief they’re so used to seeing. Filmmaker, Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down) directs the 2018 sequel from a screenplay written by Ben Ketai (The Forest) where The Strangers: Prey At Night follows a family of four, made up of mother and father Cindy and Mike (played by Christina Hendricks and Martin Henderson) and their teenage kids, Kinsey and Luke (Bailee Madison and Lewis Pullman) who end up staying at a secluded mobile home park for the night when they’re suddenly set upon by The Strangers: Dollface, Pin Up Girl and Man In The Mask.

THE GOOD

Well it’s obvious isn’t it? First and foremost, I think fans (myself included) are happy and relieved to finally see the sequel come to fruition. In the years that followed after the original, there was a lot of talk about a sequel that would perhaps see Liv Tyler reprise her role of Kristen in some way shape or form. For whatever reason, those involved continually just kept running into brick walls and it never saw the light of day. Those of us fans who were maybe a little too invested, even sought out the screenplay that was in the works at that time. One minute it was green lit and then just like that it wasn’t, and that when on for years until just recently when Johannes Roberts super impressive successful shark film, “47 Meters Down” took the box office by storm. From a modest budget of just over 5 million, the film went on to gross over 40 million worldwide. It was from that moment on that the studios felt comfortable about handing The Strangers reigns over to Roberts. The Prey At Night 80’s style poster art is a definite improvement on the original and the film itself comes better late than never and ultimately by a filmmaker I quite like. There’s no doubt that Johannes instructed DP, Ryan Samul (cinematographer on great films like Cold in July and Stake Land) to go with certain 80’s visual cues. It’s a competently shot film, though there’s not a lot of diversity in shot types and certainly nothing that pushes the envelope. In fact, I think most of the atmosphere that is created comes down to the park location and the production management for lacing the air with a constant fog (just one of the many Carpenter esq traits). Compliments to the sound department for doing some interesting things with fades and muffled dialogue when the film reaches its tipping point.

From a performance standpoint Bailee Madison is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest. You remember her right? The not so little girl anymore from “Brothers” and “Just Go With It”. Madison started acting at seven years of age, and she not long ago turned eighteen. Those early years of experience show in her amped up emotional front of Kinsey in Prey At Night. While I didn’t love the convenient flip of the switch in regards to her completely changing her demeanour towards the family before the first act even finished, I get it as far as the need to make her character inherently more watchable and backable. I suppose it could be passed off as just teenage angst and the fact that young people are temperamental and rebellious at the best of times. The most natural interactions in the film occur between Kinsey and her brother Luke (Pullman). If you can ignore the references to Luke and college, meaning he’d have to be a graduating high schooler, something that’s certainly stretching the credibility for a 24-year-old Lewis in that role, his performance is actually pretty decent. I have no doubt slasher fans will more than welcome the revenge element, something that was absent in Bertino’s original film. I enjoyed watching the family fight back and even though not all of it works, Robert’s willingness to divert with a different tone is at the very least tempting. The best set piece involves a showdown between Luke and The Man In The Mask in an around the motel pool. Prey At Night cites itself as much more of a faster paced, old school horror film so you can expect to see more practical blood and gore than you did in the 08′ film. The effects look solid and a couple of the kills are quite violent and may even catch you off guard.

THE BAD

So has everyone noticed the 80’s nostalgia craze that’s going on right now? Don’t get me wrong I dig the 80’s (being a product of 86′), I love the music and most of the aesthetics of the era but I feel like ever since “Stranger Things”, it’s the new formula upon which filmmakers cash in on because they think it’s the ingredient that makes a successful genre film or TV show. Exhibit A, Johannes Roberts and Prey At Night. There’s a couple of painfully obvious examples of cashing in on the part of Roberts. The first being his obsession with continuously using those long lens zooms (you know the ones) regardless of whether the scene or shot choice warrants it. There’s a number of momentary lapses in focus in the steadicam photography while often tracking characters moving through the trailer park homes. I tried not to read too many details about the film prior, though I couldn’t help but hear complaints about the films score and how much Adrian Johnston (credited for music) was influenced by and riffed on John Carpenter’s previously established synth work. I’m genuinely surprised because music is usually one of the first things I notice and I didn’t think any of the compositions in here were even remotely memorable, let alone struck that nostalgic chord us fans yearn for. Who would have thought that 80’s pop tracks like “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” from Bonnie Tyler and “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany would actually misfire? Oh yeah, that’s right, I did. I’m all for energetic synth and tapping into a particular market, but the song choices were dreadful and constantly clashed with the content displayed in each of those respective scenes, so much so that it was unintentionally funny.

I didn’t necessarily expect any real in-depth exposition in Prey At Night, but saying that, none of the characters really have much life. Lifelessness is at its roughest during a poorly acted, sub-par interaction between Mike and The Man In The Mask which ran twice as long as it should have. I’ve seen Henderson in a few films and he hasn’t been too bad, but unfortunately Prey At Night is something he’ll want to forget as quickly as possible. It’s not just that the stalk, scream and slash interplay between The Strangers and the family is on rinse and repeat for most of the films runtime, it’s that on more than one occasion it simply wears out its welcome by extending average scenes. There’s only so many times an audience can watch virtually the same sequence take place before they ultimately lose interest. If screenwriter, Ben Ketai approached multiple chase sequences with a different tempo and atmosphere in mind, the film could’ve actually been frightening and maybe even rivaled the original suspense, but alas. Where’s the stealthy creeping around trying not to make a sound? Where’s the hiding and finding etc? It’s just all screaming and these characters doing their absolute best to make sure the trio know exactly where they are at any given moment. Man In The Mask and Mike sitting in the truck is just one obvious example of an action sequence that never ends. The hardest pill to swallow with this highly anticipated sequel is how little respect Roberts and Ketai have for their audience regarding the credibility. These are mind-numbingly stupid characters (something Johannes girls in 47 Meters Down weren’t) and given Tyler and Speedman’s characters in the original Strangers made mostly sound decisions, it’s only further highlighted how dumb these people really are. Where to start: There’s lazy continuity issues from word go. After Kinsey and Luke stumble upon a gruesome scene they attempt to find their way back to their cabin, depicted with a jarring cut that sees them walk about 50 metres over a hill where they run into their folks right by the family trailer. Moments later, Mike asks Luke to take him back to where he found the bodies, asking if he could find his way back there? It was literally around the corner Mike, C’mon. The glaringly obvious one involves a police officer with his back to one of the killers while talking to Kinsey (who can quite obviously see over the mans shoulder) yet does absolutely nothing to warn him about the knife coming towards his throat, Well done Kinsey, you were less than useless love! MORE SPOILERS AHEAD.

Okay, so first you have to except that no one else (minus the first characters on-screen) resides in this rather large trailer park and yet our masked family chose that location to wait and hopefully get lucky. Secondly, if there’s one thing we know about teenagers it’s that they love their phones (hell most of us love em’), yet both Kinsey and Luke leave the trailer without their cells (so to the parents) only to return to find them smashed and rendered useless. There’s other avenues that can still drive the story forward Ben, just saying. Following a violent outburst by Dollface whose made it clear she means business, young Luke has the opportunity to shoot her at point-blank range, Does he do it? No! of course he doesn’t, that’d be stupid because then you’d have no movie (only you would). Instead he slowly backs away, opting to retreat to safety. Fair enough, but then he proceeds to place the gun down behind him while attending to his sister, needless to say he loses said weapon when the killer’s truck comes barreling into the trailer and they’re back to square one. Kinsey doesn’t notice the truck lights blaring at her from side on as she waits to be crashed into *rolls eyes*. The climax is where things really go pair-shaped though. We know that the killer always comes back right? It’s a given, a cornerstone horror movie trope if you will, and most of the time we like it despite how implausible it may be but where do you draw the line? I can accept it if there’s a supernatural element but The Strangers are just people, that’s fact. Picture this. Your vehicle’s busted and on fire, you’re roasting away inside yet you’re able to continue driving. You get out to make your final move on a hapless victim while simultaneously removing a sizeable chunk of glass from your abdomen and you finally collapse. That’s it, right? Wrong. The Man In The Mask attacks yet again several minutes later, lunging at Kinsey with an axe in what can only be described as a scene lifted straight out of Tobe Hooper’s iconic, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. Hysterically crying girl in the back up of a pickup an all, just interchange pillowcase for Leatherface and the axe for a chainsaw and you’ve got the same damn thing.

It’s been ten years since “The Strangers” and that’s a long damn time to sit and stew and think about what a sequel might entail. I think I speak for all of us when I say we’re glad it’s finally arrived, I just wish the crux of it was better than the packaging. It’s a mostly well shot film despite an over abundance of zooming, the sound is sharp and the location does work well. Both Madison and Pullman deliver pretty good performances and there’s some nice looking practical effects work and plenty of action in the second half of the film. The family fighting back made for a welcomed addition even if I wasn’t the biggest fan of Johannes’s 180 degree turn into slasher territory. This love affair with the 80’s is cool an everything, but only if it’s coming from an honest place and not just what the marketing team thinks will sell tickets. The synth score is rather lack-luster, the characters are hard to invest in and so many scenes are void of any real tension because they’re on the same cycle. There’s a number of poor continuity issues and the characters almost always make painfully dumb decisions and it makes sticking with them for the long haul rather tedious. The script specifics and dialogue needed a lot more work and the slasher component includes cringeworthy build ups to the deaths and ultimately it reaches farcical status in the final act. I wanted the bulk of the critics to be wrong on this one and as much as I tried really hard to like it, I just didn’t. Hell, maybe it’s those ten years in between films that wised me up, but either way it wasn’t for me. If you’re a product of the 80’s and new wave slashers you might be able to separate these two films and enjoy Prey At Night a lot more than I did. I think I’ll stick with Bertino’s 08′ film.

My rating for “The Strangers: Prey At Night” is 4.5/10

COLD WAR

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Producer, Alli Hartley for allowing me early access to an online screener of the Drama/Comedy film “Cold War”, Written and Co-Directed by J. Wilder Konschak with Stirling McLaughlin also credited for Directing. Cold War takes a darkly funny look at the examination of the early stages of a couple’s relationship after they decide to move in together. Maggie and Jon (played by Madeline Walter and Michael Blaiklock) are just your everyday couple, naturally progressing to the next phase of their relationship when suddenly Maggie is struck down with the dreaded “raccoon” flu. It’s not long before Jon is forced to join her on bed rest, thus ensuing an all out war between the two as even the smallest of things start to drive each of them crazy. The film also stars Gail Rastorfer, Antoine McKay, Rammel Chan and Sara Sevigny.

THE GOOD

A few years ago Konschak and McLaughlin teamed up on a four-minute short film called “Positive Visualization”, of which Cold War seems to be an extension of. I’ve never seen their short film, and to be honest I don’t tend to review a lot of relationship based drama or romance films so this one was a fresh experience. J cleverly partitions Cold War into chapters resembling each stage of the flu, in turn presenting it as a metaphor for the layers of what a relationship entails. DP, Jason Chiu opens the film with a series of nice establishing shots of the neighbourhood while Walter’s narration comes straight in, as she explains what its like when you have the flu. There’s an excellent transition after, that follows a number of quick shots cross dissolving over each other, culminating in a scene that picks up with a sick Maggie sitting in a waiting room telling strangers about her problems. Chiu’s camera work is simple and nicely framed, there’s some smart overhead shots throughout the film too. The audio track is loud and clear, making the depiction of several vomiting sequences even more realistic (yuck). The comedy on display in Cold War is a mixed bag. Some of its dry, awkward and “Scrubs” like in nature, the other, more toilet humor that can be found with the lower hanging fruit. There are moments in which something gets the better of Maggie and those are usually quite funny because she continues to talk under her breath despite the fact that no one’s listening. One particular interaction with a man in the hospital completely catches her off guard, its subtle and hilarious, reminiscent of a similar gag in “The Hangover”.

There’s fun to be had and the comedy is fairly consistent in the first half of the film, Madeline and Michael do particularly well not to laugh might I add. There’s some good and relatable writing in Konschak’s script, namely some of that internal conflict that builds within Maggie when the question is asked of her by Jon to take that leap. Many of us have been in that situation before, and attempting to forget what you know in life in order to move forward isn’t an easy notion for a lot of us (I can speak from experience). Maggie’s realisation is eventually externalized through revisiting a childhood memory, that was a nice touch. J also highlights important things that are prevalent in all relationships, such as keeping ones own identity, personality quirks and traits and how they affect a partner, even looking at the specifics of sexual desires. The strongest aspect of J and Stirling’s debut feature-length film is its performances. The natural dynamic between Walter and Blaiklock is what makes the film work on a base level. Madeline looks a little like actress, Elizabeth Moss mixed with “How I Met Your Mother’s” Cobie Smulders, even gauging a similar type of physical comedy and timing as the latter. I’d briefly seen Michael in Will Gluck’s, “Fired Up” years ago, but he didn’t get to display anywhere near the range he does here. Gail and Antoine play the painfully obtrusive and unaware Ollie and Everett, a married couple and co-workers of Maggie. They to have their standout funny moments and good comedic timing.

THE BAD

I’m not sure that Cold War ever really finds its niche tonally speaking. I suppose you could say that all great drama covers the full spectrum of emotions, however, I just couldn’t tell whether this was intended to be a cautionary tale, social satire or just a genuinely quirky romantic comedy. In the end I don’t think it allows itself to really take shape into any of those models. Even at a touch over 90 minutes, the pacing is sluggish. That might just simply be because the audience are with these same two people, in this same house for a majority of the run time, so naturally it can feel drawn out. In regard to the technical facets, the film is quite well made but there are a number of unintentional lapses in focus, particularly in some of the steadicam shots that follow Maggie on the street. The score didn’t seem to have a lot of life either and given the film itself was a little odd, the music wasn’t justly eccentric like I expected. Instead, there was a lot of bass that just seemed to drone away in the background. I’m not sure if J’s intention was to stay true to life in terms of the believability of Maggie and Jon as a couple but I didn’t really buy them being together. Though that detail isn’t necessarily a flaw because they do say opposites attract, so who really knows.

As I mentioned earlier, not all the gags land and Konschak raised a red flag for mine when Ollie makes a reference to “Friends” (statistically the greatest sitcom ever made) not being funny! Are you kidding me?! Any who… There’s a couple of immature sexual discussions that I think could’ve been cut to shorten the run time, and if not for that reason, they clash with the heart of the story. The lengthy childish back and forth on the phone between Maggie and Jon to their respective bosses fell painfully flat, and the mermaid bedroom talk served absolutely no purpose either. I found the random appearance of the man in Maggie’s sex dream confusing as well, What was the relevance of that? And if I’m not mistaken, wasn’t he the same man in her childhood flashback? If so, that’s hinting at some darker exposition which would be completely out of left field for what’s ultimately a drama/comedy film. I consider myself the type of guy who looks deeper than surface value when it comes to the thought of pursuing something of substance, so I wasn’t a huge fan of the way J tried to super simplify the male mindset, evident in Everett’s boob talk (for lack of a better term) with Jon, which basically depicts us as mindless drones that only really care about one thing, which might be the case for some of us but it’s a mass generalization.

I’ll be the first to admit that films like “Cold War” don’t show up in my inbox very often. Horror usually floods in because it’s the most affordable genre to shoot independent films in. That said, I do enjoy a good analysis of a relationship, just look at greats like “500 Days Of Summer”, “The Spectacular Now” and “La La Land”. Cold War feels a touch like “Catfight”, but other than that it can’t be likened to much so I suppose that’s a real positive for Konschak and McLaughlin. It opens with some fun narration and a nicely timed edit, all the camera work is serviceable and the audio track sharp. There’s a handful of pretty funny sequences for those looking for laughs, though they occur mostly in the first half of the film. Others who want good understated drama will find it in some of J’s specifics, and I’m sure viewers currently in a relationship will be far more responsive to the material than I was. I enjoyed watching the pairing of Madeline and Michael who deliver really solid performances. I think Cold War does suffer from stifled pacing and the tone of the content often clashes from scene to scene. I found myself deliberating on the two of them as a couple (which may have been the point) and sizeable chunks of the low-brow humor missed the mark for me. Ten minutes of the sexually explicit interactions on the phone and in the bedroom could’ve been cut out and the film wouldn’t have lost anything, that and Maggie’s dream made little sense in the context of things. The male characters were a little too dumbed down for my liking, hence I felt the exploration of the couple was considerably lopsided. Cold War is still a perfectly serviceable debut feature from a couple of young filmmakers and I look forward to seeing what they do next. You can check out the official trailer below and the film will be available April 6th on Digital Home Entertainment platforms!

My rating for “Cold War” is 5.5/10

CRUEL SUMMER

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Katie Armstrong of October Coast PR for allowing me access to an online screener of the Horror/Thriller film “Cruel Summer”, Co-Written and Directed by Phillip Escott and Craig Newman. Cruel Summer centers around an adventurous autistic boy-scout type named Danny (played by Richard Pawulski) who decides to go camping alone by a secluded lake in order to earn his latest badge. What Danny doesn’t know is that he’ll soon be pursued by the temperamental and aggressive, Nicholas (Danny Miller) and two of his friends, Julia (played by Natalie Martins) and Calvin (Reece Douglas), in response to a supposed encounter he’d previously had with Nicholas’s now, ex-girlfriend. As the three close in on Danny, a simple camping trip turns into a nightmare for this innocent young man. The film also stars Gary Knowles and Grace Dixon.

THE GOOD

The particular brand of dark material at the forefront of Cruel Summer can often be tricky to handle, even with it falling under the horror genre and the wiggle room that might come with that. We’ve seen it done exceptionally well in similar films to come out of the UK and Wales, like “Eden Lake” and the lesser known, “A Way Of Life” and Cruel Summer does it well too, despite the antagonists lacking some much-needed character arc. Ultimately I feel like Cruel Summer is a cautionary tale about how toxic the combination of boredom, peer pressure and emotionally fueled angst can be for not only the disenfranchised youth, but anyone for that matter. The choices made by these characters are spur of the moment and driven by a combination of immature emotional responses, none of which are grounded in any reality. All seemingly harmless, but in due time grandiose, as events escalate. Nicholas, Julia and Calvin have a slow and deliberate approach to their end goal and that’s where the film draws most of its tension from. I expected heavy visuals and intense interactions but I was pleased to find at the very least, a glimmer of hope and some depiction of an internal struggle in the latter part of the film. DP, Lucas Tucknott appears to have shot most of the film with a steadicam and that approach works particularly well for this type of setting.

The film opens with some scene-setting establishing shots that include a calm lake and a heavily wooded and green forest. Everything is well framed, there’s a couple of stylish tracking sequences and overhead shots as we see Danny packing all of the essentials for his camping trip. Cruel Summer’s audio track is clean and the films main musical theme is made up of a nice mix of somber violin, cello and piano. The warm synth sounds later on are a contrast to the threat level that builds over the course of the speedy 75 minute run time. The pressure cooker that is this trio of youngins, erupts in the most violent of fashions and despite the fact that you know it’s coming you’re still caught off guard. All four performances are top-notch, but it’s Douglas as the somewhat conflicted Calvin who bares it all and delivers some of the best emotional outpourings in the film. The interactions between Miller and Martins are natural and all of the dialogue has a great flow on effect, made all the more impressive considering much of it was improvised (according to what I’ve read). Cruel Summer is just Richard’s second film and playing a boy suffering this kind of affliction couldn’t have been easy and he does it extremely well. As I mentioned before, the violence sneaks up on you in the most slow burn and sadistic of ways, making for an extremely tough watch in the third act. There’s practical blood and gore on display and it feels all too real.

THE BAD

The only technical gripe is that some of the shots consist of momentary lapses in focus, probably due to the handheld presentation. Cruel Summer claims to be inspired by real events, but I’m not sure how many of the specifics were true to life because I found it difficult to believe that Danny’s parents would allow him to camp overnight on his own, given his disability. Though one might argue that you can’t shelter your children forever and getting out in the big wide world is where they learn and grow, I guess I just assumed an adult would accompany him. It’s not technically a flaw in the film but I can’t fathom the level of stupidity shown by all three of the main characters, but particularly Julia, who I actually despised. She was a pitiful excuse for a human being and it actually angered me, though not in the same way as “Daryl”, who was simply an unwatchable character from the similarly themed “Super Dark Times”, a poor film responsible for giving life to the most obnoxious character that’s ever been committed to screen. Here, Julia’s actually worse than Nicholas because she has a chance to do something about the situation. Now I know you can’t help who you like but here’s this brash, asinine punk who treats her like total crap, and yet for some unbeknownst reason she remains infatuated with him. At one stage she even says to Calvin, “We will do whatever he wants”…. listen to yourself girl! I personally would’ve rather seen the film open with Danny already preparing for his trip rather than the odd flashes of imagery that ultimately foreshadow the things to come. Escott and Newman also attempt to touch on the psyche of those who lack an education or any future prospects, but we could have done with seeing into their home lives more than simple chit-chat, because otherwise the film is merely just a recreation of events. We’re also introduced to these characters in what appears to be a nice and modest neighborhood, it certainly isn’t working class Wales, so with no further exposition the audience hasn’t got a lot to go on.

Cruel Summer is a bleak and nasty film but that’s simply what the material calls for, much in the same way as films like “Cherry Tree Lane” and Jacob Estes underrated, “Mean Creek”. It also had shades of last years “Super Dark Times”only it’s much better structured. There’s an important lesson to be learnt about trusting your instincts and not giving into the peer pressure that comes with being a young adult. The film is smartly shot, well paced and everything sounds good. The mellow but deep score adds a nice layer and each of these young fresh faces deliver performances that are effectively nuanced. Full disclosure though, the violence is callous and cold and it sneaks up on you despite the fact that you know its coming. I found it a little hard to believe Danny’s parents would let him disappear for more than 24 hours with no parental guidance. The characters really frustrated me at times, namely Julia and I don’t think Phillip and Craig fully fleshed out the characters or their respective backgrounds, but hey, maybe the whole intention was to avoid them garnering any real sympathy from the viewer. Cruel Summer won’t be for everyone but it’s really well made and I feel like it’s an important film for teens. It reminded me tonally of the recent Polish film “Playground” *see review* https://adamthemoviegod.com/playground-review/ Cruel Summer is now available from Wild Eye Releasing as well as through various digital platforms like VOD. Check out the trailer below!

My rating for “Cruel Summer” is 7.5/10

DEFARIOUS

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Jennifer Meyer at R & F Entertainment and Writer/Director, Chase Michael Pallante for allowing me early access to an online screener of his debut, 10 minute Horror/Thriller short “Defarious”. Defarious is a confined short centered around Amy (played by the lovely Janet Miranda), a young woman whose being tormented by nightmares of a black-eyed demon. The lines between fiction and reality become blurred when Amy is forced to face her fears head on. The film also stars Jason Torres. Chase was kind enough to reach out to me with his debut short, having heard about adamthemoviegod.com through the vast network of the horror community. This type of support is much appreciated!

THE GOOD

Right from word go you can tell exactly what kind of tone Pallante was going for with Defarious. The film opens with a black screen and a rather ominous proverb from the bible, accompanied by an unnerving bass-heavy section of score. The film is a blend between the best of both the paranormal world and the world of the conventional “slasher”. First time DP, Jorge Canaveral keeps the shot types simple and smooth and everything is framed accordingly. I’d like to have seen a bit more diversity in the cinematography but I’m not really sure Chase’s material called for it. The late night setting can often make subtle lighting difficult to gauge, especially with getting the balance right, so kudos go to the crew for doing it well. I’d liken it to the aesthetics of a “Paranormal Activity” film, just without the surveillance presentation. Jonathan Martinez’s abrasive score is perhaps the best creative piece of the Defarious puzzle. There’s a lot of sporadic keyboard/piano playing throughout, reminiscent of a little known film an underrated gem called “Five Fingers”. There’s also tempo changes and fluctuations in sound effects which both work for the uneasy feeling Pallante intended. Miranda’s, Amy has very little dialogue but her emotional performance is mostly consistent and she looks gorgeous too. The villain is certainly a memorable one and it’s hard to believe that Torres is the man beneath the prosthetics, a true testament to the special effects team. The climax showcases what looks like some well conceived practical blood and gore (though IMDB references a dummy replacement so I’m not sure how that all worked).

THE BAD

On the nit picky side of things, the exterior establishing shot of what supposed to be the primary house looks considerably smaller than the inside and all its big open spaces, so I’ll assume it wasn’t the same house (no big deal and apologies if it was). There’s a somewhat forced surprise reaction from Janet two-thirds of the way through the film as she looks from atop the stairs down to the front doors, it was a little weird.

Defarious comes out of the gates strong and maintains maximum suspense for the full length. The premise is a slightly more fleshed out version of similar shorts like A.J Briones “The Smiling Man” *see review* https://adamthemoviegod.com/the-smiling-man-review/ as well as Chad Meisenheimer’s micro short “Nite Nite” *see review* https://adamthemoviegod.com/something-goes-bump-in-the-nite-nite-article/  The camera work is good, the lighting (or lack there of) effective, and the score the most intense I’ve heard in a while. Janet guides Defarious quite well while her character of Amy eventually crosses paths with the downright creepy demon. There’s very little not to like for genre fans and I think Chase’s sophomore effort takes an early lead for the best short film of 2018. I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings us next! Check out the official trailer below and you can also find out more information about the film at the links below.

My rating for “Defarious” is 9/10

HENS NIGHT

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Rivermen Productions and Co-Writer/Director, Kristian Lariviere (along with primary writer Jennifer Allanson) for allowing me access to an online screener of their Horror/Comedy film, “Hens Night”. Hens Night sees bride to be, Jess (played by Allanson) and her girlfriends out to paint the town red one last time before her big day. A series of unexpected twists and turns over the course of the evening leaves Jess and her besties fighting for their lives come the end of the night. The film also stars Edith Landreville, Candice Lidstone, Emily Shanley, Fiona Noakes, Sam Awwad and Mike Tarp.

THE GOOD

I hadn’t heard anything about Hens Night so I was fortunate enough to have Kristian reach out and share this feature-length debut film with me. The film opens at an engagement party where we’re introduced to the soon to be married couple, Jess and Tom (played by Mike Tarp) as well as a handful of the couples friends, namely socially awkward outcast, Laura (Edith Landreville). Allanson’s writing subtly sets events in motion without you necessarily realizing the wheels have begun turning. Jennifer does so by establishing a layer of clear-cut jealousy while tapping into that competitive nature frequent among girls. Hens Night is one of the first independent films in recent times to successfully break conventional stereotypes with its male characters. Granted, they’re in short supply and certainly not front and centre at any point throughout the film, but still. I was surprised to see a level-headed Tom actually acting his age and earning some respect from those around him in the process. There’s a stylish credit sequence intercut with Jess and her best friend, Kim (Lidstone) preparing for the big night. Kudos goes to the sound mixers for recording matching foley and consistent dialogue audio. Chris Chitaroni’s camera work is really quite polished and the film looks as if it may have been shot in 4k. The framing is neat, there’s a number of gentle zooming techniques and a nice long tracking shot via dolly as the girls make their way toward Laura’s house. Most every shot is softly but superbly lit and Lariviere’s editing skill is on display with quick cuts during the dare game sequence and even the shots leading up to the girls entering the second bar.

The performances are all fairly consistent and more than serviceable for a film of this nature. Jennifer and Edith share an equal most amount of screen time in Hens Night, and the awkward beats created by the two with their sense of timing is where the films is its strongest. Lidstone’s, Kim presents as the free spirit of the group but certainly remains a source of the friction between Jess and Laura, whether it be intentional or not. Ever since the girls were young, Laura’s always been the odd one out. She tries a little to hard to be accepted by the group, and in turn, ends up coming across as a little desperate. Rounding out the handful are Holly and Sarah (played by Shanley and Noakes respectively) who each have their moment to shine, one doing so by virtue of drinking anytime someone mentions a moment from her wedding, and the other partakes in a girl on girl lap dance. The film does contain some nudity, although it feels a little out-of-place in a scene that involves both Jess and Laura standing in front of separate mirrors analyzing themselves for whatever reason (not that I’m complaining). There’s an early showing of practical blood and then in the climax of the film there’s a couple of memorable kills as well. One involves a neck being slashed and the other is the highlight of the film, a graphic and bloody head smashing.

THE BAD

I’m not sure exactly what the budget was for Hens Night, but according to Kristian it was no great sum of money and the film was done more as a labor of love than anything else (as most independent films are). With budgetary constraints come technical faults and limitations in terms of what you can commit to screen. While most of the lighting looks great, I think there’s too much of a reliance on pinks and total fluorescent backdrops, such as the scene where Kim and Roger (Awwad) are talking in the bar. Kevin Daoust’s score doesn’t really give the film much life and those warping bass tones drone away in the back of the mix for what feels like an eternity. There’s a couple of momentary focus issues in the final act and the editing where Lidstone rolls down the grassy bank is haphazardly conceived. A couple of Allanson’s script specifics weren’t necessarily to my liking either (but it’s all personal opinion). When it comes to dialogue and language, I feel older than my 31-year-old tag might suggest. Hens Night’s got some unnecessarily forced profanity, and while I understand that these characters are young adults, I guess I just can’t relate. The film has a couple of continuity related issues too. For some unknown reason there’s a secondary character (I believe it was Tom’s father) who speaks with a British accent in the few brief lines he has (I guess he could have relocated, maybe?). During the final act someone is struck with a knife to the stomach and you can clearly see that the prop has been positioned on the side of the actresses body and it looks rather hokey. Perhaps a retractable prop would have been a sufficient substitute.

It would have been nice to see the girls ask the question of their host regarding the lack of preparation to the house, given what she claims is going to take place the very next day. I’m not suggesting that there’s anything that could’ve been done to stop the situation escalating, but Jennifer would’ve covered her bases in terms of writing the most realistic reactions to said circumstance. There’s a couple of flashback scenes throughout the film, or more accurately scenes that play out-of-order. The first of the two works better because there’s an element of surprise with another character, sadly the same can’t be said about the latter, which relates to the death of a character that would’ve been better  presented in the linear timeline. The two key things that quelled my enjoyment of Hens Night are its sluggish pacing and the depiction of the Laura character (through not fault of Edith’s). Despite the copious amount of girl talk, Hens Night still feels more like a horror film than it does a comedy, and that’s a problem when for 60 minutes of an 85 minute running time, there’s no physical action, zero, nada. The bulk of the film is literally spent getting to a place, both physically and mentally, where everything can conveniently come to a head in a controlled environment, and frankly I found myself losing interest. Combine that slow treading with child like behaviour from Laura, manifesting itself in squeaky outpourings with a consistently high-pitched Canadian inflection, and it ends up a more challenging watch than it should be. I think Edith does a fine job with the material but perhaps the better option would’ve been a slightly more reserved approach to the idiosyncracies of that character.

Hens Night feels like a mix of Danielle Harris’s “Among Friends”, meets the more recent comedy “Rough Night”. It’s actress, Jennifer Allanson’s first feature-length script and despite the fact that it’s an uneven one, I still liked certain elements. I enjoyed that she made the dynamics of the lead trio apparent from the very start, and furthemore, went against the grain in writing a non-conventional arc for Tom, the semi-leading male. I think the credit sequence is fun, the cinematography looks polished and the audio levels are clean. The characters are all very different, the performances are even and when the action does present itself, it comes in a fairly bloody an entertaining fashion. On the downside, some of the bright backgrounds are a little much at times, the warping bass drags on, and the editing despite some flashy moments, comes up short (or long as is the case here). The writing and its structure isn’t quite strong enough and there’s a few continuity hiccups along the way. I can usually swallow those shortcomings if the film delivers on the goods, but unfortunately Allanson and Co just take a little too long getting to the good stuff and that ultimately hurts the film, so to the fact that I couldn’t get into Landreville’s character. That being said, this is a first venture and I’m looking forward to seeing what Rivermen Productions come up with next. You can check out the trailer for Hens Night below! The film is now available on VOD, YouTube and Amazon Video if you want to check it out.

My rating for “Hens Night” is 4.5/10

FOXWOOD

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Ghost Party Pictures and Co-Writer/Co-Director, Ian Hock (along with Trevor Dillon) for allowing me early access to an online screener of their 17 minute, Horror/Thriller film “Foxwood”. Foxwood picks up on Christmas night with two young adults, Claire and Nick (played by Kalen Marie George and Hock himself) meeting at a bar on a blind date. Some innocent flirting and a few too many drinks later, Nick ends up back at Claire’s place where the night takes a turn for the worse and he’s forced to fight for his life in the community of Foxwood. The film also stars Laura Peake.

THE GOOD

I’d heard some positive rumblings about Foxwood through some of my go to sites for all things horror related (namely Matt Boiselle at DreadCentral), so I thought I best do some digging. The duo of Dillon and Hock are new to the scene, having only been involved in filmmaking for the last few years (Foxwood is in fact Trevor’s first writing credit), but if this project is anything to go by they’ll have a bright future in the industry. I’m always keen to check out new christmas themed horror films and Foxwood is one of those. The blind date element is fun and it sees Dillon and Hock add a personal touch to an otherwise familiar setting. DP, Nick Ramsey appears to have an extensive knowledge of framing and shot selection, supported by his years of working in the short film medium. There’s a great tracking shot to open Foxwood. An apprehensive Claire makes her way into the well-lit establishment, and following that, there’s a cool slow pan to reveal Nick sitting at the bar. Other highlights include the obligatory shot of a character upstairs looking out the window in desperation, as well as that 80’s inspired close up of the killer making their way down stairs with their weapon of choice, this time it’s an axe.

Ramsey still utilizes some effective movements throughout, such as turning the camera upright in one particular bedroom scene. The set design is simple with its christmas decorations and an abundance of lights, but even the style of house has that warm and homely feel about it, which sets the scene well. Paul Fonarev’s sound design is another thing of note in Foxwood. The audio track is clear and the foley is most effective with casual spikes when shot glasses come together, doors are swiftly opened and weapons scrape on surfaces. Andrew Scott Bell’s original synth score sneaks through with dark themes rather than your typical energetic patterns, it’s wonderful and quite reminiscent of something like “Final Destination”. It’s only in the latter stages of Foxwood that Bell taps into that lively and 80’s as all hell, synth tone. I dug it and it reminded me of slasher films like “The Prowler” and “Intruder”. Foxwood heads in an interesting and unforeseen direction during its short running time and I think fans of the genre, will at the very least, respect that.

THE BAD

The acting from all three cast members is serviceable, with Kalen being the strongest and Ian and Laura doing their bit. I thought Hock came across more natural and consistent in his delivery during the earlier part of the short. Whereas once the proverbial shit hits the fan, his reactions become rather forced and the urgency of the situation doesn’t quite translate from screen to the viewer. There’s a couple of moments where Dillon and Hock stretch the credibility as well. The key concern is a common one with these types of films and it comes once the situation escalates. Nick has the opportunity to grab a weapon to defend himself and unfortunately he chooses not to. Foxwood isn’t a fully satisfying experience because it does leave you to fill in a few too many blanks regarding the specifics, though I suppose that’s also an approach that can garner interest or demand for another entry or a full length feature down the track.

Foxwood is a fun and inventive horror short from a couple of new and fresh filmmakers with good ideas and an eye for polished aesthetics. Ramsey’s clever cinematography drives the high production value (that foreground/background reveal as Nick hides in the kitchen comes to mind), the lighting is perfectly moody and the sound design intentionally sharp. Bell’s original synth score just might be my favourite thing about Foxwood, and although the surprise climax might not be for everyone, you’ve still got to respect it. Hock’s acting does waiver a bit in the final act (though hindsight might suggest that’s not such a big deal) and Nick makes the rookie mistake of not grabbing a damn weapon to defend himself with! All in all though there’s a lot to like here, so I suggest you check out the teaser trailer and keep an eye out for Foxwood, coming soon!

My rating for “Foxwood” is 8/10

BEC (BLACK EYED CHILD)

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Marila Films and Spanish Writer/Director, Tony Morales (Hada) *see review* https://adamthemoviegod.com/hada-review-2/ for allowing me early access to an online screener of his latest short film, an 11 minute Horror/Thriller called “Bec”. Bec picks up late one night with a sick elderly woman (played by Puri Palacios) who rises from her bed after hearing noises downstairs. With oxygen mask still attached, she makes her way downstairs to investigate. Is it just the sounds of the raging thunderstorm outside or has death finally come for her? The film also stars Gonzalo Fiorito and Diana Fernandez. It wasn’t all that long ago that I reviewed Morales previous short Hada, another story set in the paranormal sub-genre that I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s clear with his follow-up effort that these types of shorts are Tony’s forte.

THE GOOD

Maro Espinosa’s cinematography is one of the standout features of Bec. The framing is tight and the camera movements are really clean. There’s a couple of effective overhead shots during a scene in which Puri’s character is standing on one flight of stairs while someone or something else is standing on the other. The bass heavy score really helps  set the tone of this mysterious haunting, working in tandem with the lighting effects of the storm to create a great mood. There’s some sharp violin spikes and clattering sound effects to enhance the jump scare moments too. Music composer, Jesus Calderon combined with Morales to use a record player in the house as the device with which to present a repetitive cycle of the song “Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf”, and it’s a most unsettling backing.

THE BAD

A couple of the scares were too conveniently telegraphed for my liking and subsequently the payoff wasn’t as strong. While the woman sees a number of different shapes and images when navigating the house, you’re never quite sure what’s real and what isn’t. I’d like to have found out something about her, anything. That, and who was the boy anyway? Was she a bad person being haunting by her past, or was it simply that death had finally come to get her because she was ill?

Bec is another step in the right direction for the young Spanish filmmaker in Morales, and a further improvement on his previous work. The premise isn’t anything we haven’t seen before and it doesn’t necessarily breathe anything new into the genre, but it’s professionally conceived and entertaining from start to finish. Palacio’s performance is good, the cinematography impressive and the sound design and score atmospheric. There’s a couple of nice suspenseful moments and sometimes it can be more about what you don’t see. I think a couple of gags were a bit predictable and the lack of exposition might bother some viewers looking for clarity, although maybe that was the intention and Morales has an expansion of the story in mind, who knows. Keep an eye out for this one because it’s coming soon!

My rating for “Bec” is 8.5/10

STRAWBERRY FLAVORED PLASTIC

THE SETUP

Firstly, I’d just like to say thank you to Director, Colin Bemis for allowing me early access to an online screener of his Horror/Crime/Drama film, “Strawberry Flavored Plastic”. Strawberry Flavored Plastic takes a candid and philosophical look at the life of Noel Rose (played by Aidan Bristow), an objective, mature and charming serial killer whose managed to evade authorities for years. Now at large in the suburbs of New York, Noel meets independent filmmakers, Errol Morgan and Ellis Archer (played by Nicholas Urda and Andres Montejo respectively) who arrange to document his life, his interactions and movements with the world around him in the hopes of both parties finding something deeper at the core. The film also stars Bianca Soto, Kitty Robertson and Raelynn Stueber.

THE GOOD

Surely the title Strawberry Flavored Plastic raises questions, right? Or at the very least, peaks ones curiosity. The guys at popular horror movie website DreadCentral did a write-up recently on this debut length feature from Bemis and it got me interested in the idea of an unfiltered look at the life of a sociopath. Interestingly enough, the name does get referenced in dialogue from our lead character, Noel. It’s a unique and innocuous title for a film that is anything but (well the latter). Colin’s approach to the film was clearly to ground the events in reality, hence almost all of the footage is depicted as though it were shot by these two amateur filmmakers in Errol and Ellis. That said, a majority of DP, Yoni Shrira’s camera work is well conceived and built around simple still shots with good framing. The audio is consistently clear, and first time composer, Matt Barile utilizes some nice moody piano score for the more dramatic moments. Strawberry Flavored Plastic is quite light on violence, but due to the realistic nature of the presentation that’s not such a bad thing. There’s that sense of dread that at any moment Noel could snap, and across the course of the film you begin to see how one could potentially become captivated by the allure of his dark rabbit hole.

Strawberry Flavored Plastic is garnering so much of its attention due to the expert writing and near flawless lead performance from Aidan Bristow. There’s a series of questions being asked of the documentarian’s, and in turn the audience. For example, the opening scene sees Bristow addressing the camera, breaking the fourth wall with an impromptu little anecdote amidst killing a seemingly innocent man. It feels like something a sociopath would do, and through this raw look at the actions of a madman, we witness pure malevolence. In the scenes that follow, Noel gives insight into how he sees the world and his own physical makeup, it’s intriguing to an outsider in the same way Ted Bundy’s final interview was to people. For most of the film Errol and Ellis are left questioning who Noel really is, and subsequently so are we. There’s also something to be said with the social commentary on independent film making and the film industry itself (as a fan and artist I could definitely relate). Bristow is a revelation here. I seldom use the phrase “blown away” to describe a performance in an independent film, but in this case it’s warranted. Bristow nails the new yorker accent and he’s got the look, certainly aided by the fact that he just so happens to resemble fellow actors Michael Imperioli (of  The Sopranos) and Milo Gibson (son of Mel). The performances from Urda and Montejo are equally as good, they just aren’t quite as front and centre. Nicholas’s “Patrick Bateman” like narration (American Psycho) serves its purpose and gives off that air of self-awareness.

THE BAD

Most of the minor issues with Strawberry Flavored Plastic are technical related. There’s a tonally jarring sequence where after something quite heavy occurs, Noel uses a selfie stick to film himself parading around the house, running the camera every which way while the scene plays to a piece of uplifting music. I understood the contrast of said scene, but it just didn’t make for a pleasant watch with that dizzying camera work. There’s also a number of scenes like the therapy session that are presented via singular narrow framing aspect ratio and I think it loses some of the sincerity that the rest of the picture contains. Maybe Noel isn’t supposed to film the session and doesn’t want to get caught, faire enough. Though the downside with those scenes is that Bristow doesn’t get to showcase his ability in the same fashion because he’s not on-screen. I wasn’t a big fan of the departure in conventional score being interchanged for music tracks either. For most of the duration everything feels so real, the only part that felt like a stretch was Errol’s willingness to potentially compromise his family, and for what? The sake of a documentary? Albeit one that was important to him. I feel as though most people in the same situation would have set clear boundaries and guidelines first. I suppose my other issue is the lack of activity and reporting on recent crimes in the area, as well as a complete lack of reaction from people during the restaurant scene. The kicker is that there’s a moment in the film where the amount of information divulged about Noel would have likely come back to haunt him, but alas.

Colin Bemis’s, Strawberry Flavored Plastic is a fresh and new experience comparable with that of independent crime features like “Creep” and “Capture Kill Release”, only better. I like the oddball title, the poster art and the documentary style delivery. Most of the camera work is commendable, the audio track is incredibly sharp and the dialogue is highly articulated. The performances from all three male leads are very good, but it’s Aidan Bristow as the focal point of this character study who doesn’t waste a moment of screen time, delivering a performance that will go down as one of the best of 2018. There’s a couple of setbacks with some of the technical things surrounding the camera movement/placement and the music (just personal preferences). Bemis takes a few liberties with the credibility of a few of the script specifics too. The film’s re-watchability factor might not be as high due to the pacing being a touch sluggish in places, perhaps benefiting from an edit of ten to fifteen minutes. Strawberry Flavored Plastic is a slice of indie goodness that fans of the subject matter need to see. So check out the trailer below and keep an eye out of the official release, coming soon!

My rating for “Strawberry Flavored Plastic” is 7/10

PSYCHOPATHS

THE SETUP

This is a review of the Region 1 (U.S Import) Dvd of “Psychopaths”, the latest Horror film from Writer/Director, Mickey Keating (Carnage Park and Darling). Psychopaths takes place in the seedy, violent underbelly of Los Angeles on the night of a full moon. Mass murderer, Henry Starkweather (played by genre king, Larry Fessenden) is set to meet his maker via the electric chair. With his final words he vows those with true evil in their hearts shall wreak havoc throughout the city on this fateful night. Enter, Mask (Sam Zimmerman) a contract style killer fueled by a traumatic past. Blondie (played by Angela Trimbur of “Trash Fire”) a psychotic femme-fatale. The Strangler (James Landry Hebert) who lures and kills his victims in a motel room, and Alice (played by Ashley Bell) an escaped mental patient with multiple personalities and who thinks she’s really a 1950’s showgirl. The film also stars Jeremy Gardner (The Battery), Mark Kassen (Puncture), Helen Rogers (Body) and Jeff Daniel Phillips (Lords Of Salem and 31). Every once in a blue moon horror and its subsequent sub-genres get reinvigorated with new life. Wes Craven (R.I.P) did it with “A Nightmare On Elm St”, and then again years later reinventing the slasher wheel, or at the very least getting said wheels on it turning again with his iconic film, “Scream”. Then came the likes of James Wan and Leigh Whannell (Saw and Insidious) with their work in both the paranormal genre and the more extreme brands of horror. So to Eli Roth when he hit the scene (Cabin Fever and Hostel), as well as the likes of Ti West (House Of The Devil) and Adam Wingard (You’re Next). I’ve personally found that in recent years it’s been the emergence of young Writer/Director, Mickey Keating whose been making his mark on the genre in new and interesting ways. Mickey’s quickly risen to great heights, churning out five feature-length films in as many years, each extremely different from the next. With that, he’s become perhaps one of the most unique and talented filmmakers on the independent circuit today.

THE GOOD

I’ve been a fan of Keating’s ever since the meticulously crafted, psychological slow-burner “Darling”, which I think is almost the perfect film *see review* https://adamthemoviegod.com/darling-review/.  He then followed that up with an honest and ambitious love letter to 70’s American cinema with a gritty mix of Crime/Exploitation and Horror in “Carnage Park” *see review* https://adamthemoviegod.com/carnage-park-review/. I heard that Psychopaths, although still grounded in horror, was going to be a very different experience than anything he’d made prior. A Mickey Keating film is just that, an experience. That’s what I love about him as a filmmaker, the intention is that you take it all in. No single facet is prioritized over another, and if nothing else you’re sure to walk away having every one of your senses stimulated, and that my friends is a cinephiles wet dream. I’m digging the retro inspired poster art (the hardcopy artwork differs), it’s the first thing that caught my eye when I was following the progression of the film. Keating’s latest is an experimental and psychedelic presentation, though one can’t deny the hint of film-noir about it which is exhibited in a number of shots by Keating’s regular DP, Mac Fisken (who is a supreme talent). There’s a willful contrast between the intoxicating presentation and its depiction of seemingly random violence.

Keating has previously stated that he’s first and foremost a film fan and it’s safe to say the era of the 70’s and 80’s. The inspiration behind his previous works would support that. Darling felt like the more accomplished lovechild of Polanski (Repulsion), Kubrick (The Shining) and Hitchcock (Psycho) and the same can be said about “Carnage Park” and its various tips of the hat to Tarantino (namely Reservoir Dogs), Sam Peckinpah (The Getaway) and John Boorman (Deliverance) as well as films like “Apocalypse Now” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. With Psychopaths, Keating draws motivation from a new batch of film makers but still makes it feel as though he’s doing something true to himself. Sure, there are set pieces reminiscent of David Lynch and “Lost Highway”, characters stepping outside their skin in the same way they do in Terry Gilliam’s “Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas”, and stylish editing techniques akin to the likes of Brian De Palma (Dressed To Kill) but it all feels like part of a world Keating set out to create. The audio track is clean, and yet again Mac’s camera work screams panache. That said, everything is still nicely framed and the addition of a couple of overhead shots and some gentle zooming adds some variance. The handful of sideways shots are cool though they don’t necessarily serve a purpose.

If there was ever any confusion as to what Psychopaths was going for, the neon soaked lighting and 70’s style soundtrack should more than clear that up. Everything is intentionally over saturated with vivid coloring, but this is perhaps Mickey’s best lit film, it looks superb. Our introduction to Hebert as The Strangler, takes place in a motel room laced with reds and greens, further amplified by bright light illuminating between the windows and bouncing off the walls. Gorgeous pinks and blues are utilized in a very “Boogie Nights” esq club sequence involving the masked contract killer and later, a shady cop (played by Gardner). The infusion of some film noir flair comes carefully displayed in the shadowing around Hebert’s eyes and mouth, in turn making him hard to read as he rolls up on Blondie down some back alley in the city. I was a little disappointed when I saw that composer, Giona Ostinelli wasn’t behind the music in Psychopaths (he was responsible for two of my favourite scores in Keating’s previous films). I deduced the reason for that was due to Psychopaths having virtually no conventional score. Keating instead opted for conventional music that was very 70’s in nature. There’s a cool blues guitar and keyboard theme in the beginning and a lot of new wave electro pop music that surprisingly fits the atmosphere. There is one section with some originally composed score and it builds around percussive drums and clattering strings.

As expected, Keating’s regulars make up most of the cast in Psychopaths. Michael Villar and Larry Fessenden (who also produces) have small roles but it’s really the return of the talented Ashley Bell and James Landry Hebert (both of Carnage Park) that fans of Mickey’s work will appreciate. The acting is pretty consistent right across the board and the film is satisfyingly narrated by Jeff Daniel Phillips, although I wish Keating took the opportunity to disperse with more discourse through that narration. While James and Larry got their shining moment in lieu of some of the other actors, as luck would have it its Bell that ultimately steals the show with her take on Anna. It’s a sporadic front that she’s able to explore in perhaps the only character with somewhat of an arc. Glamorous one minute, cold calculated and deranged the next, culminating with an intense outburst requiring a range of facial expressions and emotions. Fessenden was perfect for the role of Starkweather, practically spitting at the lens while spewing venom about the evil that had come to pass and that would once again. James made his screen time in Carnage Park memorable and here he gets to tap into a truly violent character, harnessing one of the most unnerving dead stares and creepy smiles that I’ve seen in a long while. There’s early action and plenty of practical blood and gore but some may be surprised to find that it’s not as violent as the title and taglines would suggest. The masks are effective though and the two standout set pieces involve a violent stabbing and a cringe inducing fingernail sequence.

THE BAD

I don’t think the cinematography is as grand or diverse in Psychopaths as it was in Keating’s two previous films. Perhaps it’s that the locations and material better lended itself to the aforementioned. Most of the vignettes take place in either confined spaces or against dark backdrops, almost always trailing off into oblivion so you never quite get the full range of Fisken’s repertoire. There’s some momentary shaky cam depicting Alice’s escape from a group of orderlies, it only stood out because the rest of the film was so cleanly shot. The De Palma style split screen shots don’t appear to have a reason for existing. That scene in “500 Days Of Summer” comes to mind because it was used to great effect. In Psychopaths, Keating opts to use it after Blondie traps a victim in a box and then has to answer the door. We see her conversation with a police officer, as well as the victim’s struggle. Now if he escaped or something crucial happened in those moments, e.g he found a weapon etc, then I could understand it, but alas. I found the sequence depicting The Strangler tripping out and looking back at himself totally meaningless, it was purely just a visual stimuli that added nothing to the mix. The same can be said about the closing scenes with Alice. Her mindset being externalized was never going to transcend what we’d already seen from her in earlier scenes.

It seemed odd that only one particular character’s arc was presented out of sequence. The portion of the film involves a cop who unfortunately we learn absolutely nothing about. He has some kind of connection to one of the club girls but the character just never raises any interest. Perhaps there were questions surrounding whether he was even a cop or not, maybe he just killed a cop, who knows? I felt like I was supposed to read between the lines between him and the masked man, though I had nothing to go on in order to do so, other than he simply let on like he knew more. Keating often gets panned by ill-informed critics who I believe fail to grasp the importance of the filmmakers intent. They often say his films have paper-thin premises and a script consisting of little to no dialogue. I suppose that is true, they do. That basis is often the very reason I like his films, though this time I’m inclined to agree with the masses. Sadly Psychopaths spends its 78 minute run time attempting to ripen from the vaguest roots of a concept that never quite comes together to form a cohesive narrative. There’s no appreciation, or at the very least understanding for these psychopaths because their threads are so extremely tenuous and therefore nothing can be extracted (with the exception of Alice).

With Keating having set the bar so high with films like “Darling” and “Carnage Park”, I was always going to have unrealistically high expectations for this latest piece of work, I know that. Still, this one feels like a 70’s soaked Lynchian/De Palma like “Natural Born Killers” meets “The Strangers”. The audio is sharp, Fisken’s photography is crisp and that lighting palette is unbelievably alluring and reminiscent of something like Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Only God Forgives”. The 70’s soundtrack is a fresh inclusion for a horror film and perhaps one of the best I’ve heard in a while. Keating’s regulars are back and they deliver consistent performances. Herbert and Fessenden are great to watch, but it’s most certainly Ashley Bell that makes every second of screen time count. This just might be her best performance to date. I’m a sucker for film nods and there’s an abundance of them here. From faces in jars calling to mind, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, a bandaged man straight out of, “The Town That Dreaded Sundown” and even Blondie’s mask looks similar to that worn by a girl in De Palma’s film, “Passion”. The on-screen violence and blood spray is there but it feels lacking given the movie is called, “Psychopaths”. Some of the camera techniques appear to have no function and other shot choices aren’t as diverse as I’m used to seeing from Keating. There’s a couple of seemingly pointless sequences that only visually convey what the audience already knows. One arc is jarring because of it’s non-linear presentation, in addition to being the least interesting segment (for lack of a better word). I’d prefer to have seen Mickey spend that 10 or 15 minutes fleshing out his characters more which might have provided some much-needed substance, in turn bringing this whole thing together in a much more tangible way. I can still revel all day in how stylish Psychopaths looks and feels, it’s just a shame one can’t go digging into a crux that simply isn’t there.

My rating for “Psychopaths” is 6/10