Note: As much as I love movies, I don’t particularly care too much for the Horror genre. That is not to say that I completely ignore that genre either. I do love certain horror movies and prefer the kind of horror that might disturb the soul more than churn the stomach. In that, I don’t care for the effects laden gory jump-scares. I accept that such effects and make up work are part and parcel of the genre, but not if they become the sole highlight. I’m not going to list a string of Horror movies here just so you know what I enjoy, but let’s take a look at a couple I recently checked out off the shelves. Burying the Ex [2014]Stars Anton Yelchin, Ashley Greene, Alexandra Daddario, Oliver Cooper with Dick Miller(!) Directed by Joe Dante Because, really, why wouldn’t you want to check out a new movie by Joe Dante who gave us Gremlins, The ‘Burbs, The Howling, Piranha (1978), Matinee, Explorers, Innerspace, and largely ignored back in 2009, The Hole. Also, Anton Yelchin is very under-appreciated despite delivering spot-on performance in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, the under-appreciated Odd Thomas, and is a saving grace in the otherwise forgettable Terminator Slavation as well as Fright Night (2011). Here, Yelchin is Max, who is suffering at the hands of his drop-dead gorgeous domineering and very clinging girlfriend, Evelyn (Ashley Greene). Max works in a Horror novelty store, Bloody Mary, and he’s also a massive fan of the genre. On the advice of his half-brother, Travis (Oliver Cooper), Max decides to have a public break-up with Evelyn, only to have her die in a freak accident on the way to the break-up. Thanks to a off-the-cuff promise before some strange little Satan figurine, Evelyn comes back from the dead a few months later as Max is just about to hit it off with another girl, Olivia (Alexandra Daddario). Obviously, this is not an outright horror flick, hewing a little closer to black comedy with horror elements. The gore is there as Evelyn’s deteriorating complexion progresses throughout the movie, and there is something to consider of a domineering girlfriend who just won’t let go even after dying. Fatal Attraction in more ways than one. Director Joe Dante is an old hand at blending horror with comedy, aided with Yelchin’s ace comic-timing and a very game Ashley Greene. The writing is very crisp with some great lines for the characters and a knowing tip of the hat to history of the genre (George Romero is name-checked and the original Night of The Living Dead is more than acknowledged). The result is a highly enjoyable and entertaining light-weight horror flick, going for the funny-bone with a few “Eww” moments instead of a knee jerk jump-scare. Rating *** / 5 One more after the break below... Partridge Publishing / Barnes and Noble / Amazon / ISBNS Net (for best deals) - Please support by buying or recommending to others, then I can watch more shows and do more reviews. Thank you. Starry Eyes [2014]Stars Alexandra Essoe, Amanda Fuller, Noah Segan, Fabianne Therese, Nick Simmons and Pat Healy Directed by Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer The number of hopefuls trying to break into an acting career is very very large. The percentage of those who make it in is incredibly small, more so for actresses. There are a couple of documentaries that reflect this. The audition process can be more than brutal. Just look at the character of Penny in the first few seasons of The Big Bang Theory. Sarah Walker (Alexandra Essoe) is an aspiring actress who believes she has what it takes to be an actress but failing to get through the auditions results in self-harming fits. That is, until one of her fits is observed by a casting director of a horror movie, and they think she’s perfect. Sarah just needs to go all the way and commit herself fully to the role. The movie harkens to the older form of horror films, clawing into the darkness of humanity’s actions and desires, corrupting the innocence along the way. It’s not quite the slow burn of those older films, setting up the characters and the situation, but it requires some patience, at least in the first half. The second half is where the horror comes out in full force as it becomes increasingly disturbing delivering a blood-soaked final act. Even the score is minimalistic, evoking the works of John Carpenter and working very well with the show. The stars give most of the lines a stilted delivery, striking an odd uneasiness to the proceedings. So while it may have an air of an independent production, it doesn’t entirely stay there, giving a stark contrast between real-life and the auditions Sarah appears to be involved with. It gives lead star Alexandra Essoe chances to truly shine in given moments, allowing the ‘acting’ to be a heightened experience. It might also reflect the reality the stars go through in terms of production of a movie, and the movie itself projecting the flip-flop between art and life. By the time the third act rolls around, it’s a tour-de-force performance. The writers/directors obviously have a fondness for the horror movies of the 80s, where a low budget would result in some ingenious applications of methodology to evoke the sense of horror. It diabolically seeps into your mind and settles before setting your guts a-twisting without the customary jump-scares most modern horror films seem to rely on. Some of the lines have double edged meaning. If eerie is your thing, this might suit your appetite. Although I would advise not eating before watching the movie. A scene in a bathtub is stomach churning when you consider the actress did it for real. Rating ***1/2 / 5
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Stars George Clooney, Brit Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Hugh Laurie, Thomas Robinson with Tim McGraw, Keegan-Michael Key and Kathryn Hahn Directed by Brad Bird Clearly one of the best movies of the year and you should just go watch it in the cinemas now. Instead of a straight up review, I wrote my thoughts on the film and posted them over here, on my Wordpress blog. Hop on over please. Rating ****1/2 / 5 Stars Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Riley Keough, Courtney Eaton, Abbey Lee with Melissa Jaffer Directed by George Miller “Oh, what a day. What a lovely day!” - Nux Let’s get it out of the way. The plot is thin. There isn’t much of a story. Dialogue is almost minimal but what little there is speaks volume in conveying the world and situation at hand. It’s a mere five minutes of exposition to explain the events within the first half or so, and another two minutes to set up the last third. The rest is glorious in its own way. From the second movie to this, “Mad” Max Rockatansky is merely the MacGuffin around which the mayhem occurs. He happens upon a situation and ultimately, even inadvertently, becomes instrumental in the survival of the ones he’s helping, thwarting the bad guys a big one in the process. It usually involves a massive chase. In this case, Max (Tom Hardy, taking over from Mel Gibson who last had the role thirty years ago) ends up with the Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron, magnificent) as she attempt to help the five brides (Zoe Kravitz, Rosie Huntington Whiteley, Riley Keough, Courtney Eaton, Abbey Lee) escape from Immortal Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). That’s about it. Tom Hardy easily steps into the desert wasteland left behind by the original Max, Mel Gibson, bringing new life to the character. It’s a physically demanding and quite a non-showboating role, but Hardy manages to let Max’s diminished humanity shine at choice moments, reminding us of the man he used to be. The succinct dialogue and gruff delivery is retained and one would be hard pressed to find differences between the two actors in their portrayal or delivery. The raw energy Gibson had decades ago is here in Hardy. Veteran Mad Max star, Hugh Keays-Byrne (Toecutter in the first movie) returns to the franchise as Immortal Joe and still manages to deliver a chilling performance while masked for a good portion of the movie, giving us a nemesis who is very much a force of nature. Nicholas Hoult brings insane life to Nux, a War Boy raised into the cult of Immortal Joe. There’s a religious fervour to Nux’s ramblings which shows the control Joe has over the survivors that follow and worship him. Grounding the movie’s incredible mayhem is Charlize Theron, whose Imperator Furiosa sees herself on a journey of redemption. Theron and Hardy make a fantastic double act that raises the empathy for both characters. In a world where death and destruction are the norm, violence a way of life, these two give basic humanity to the proceedings and elevates the movie even more. Director George Miller does more than just resurrect Max. He does what every other action director he’s inspired and injects high-octane into the format while delivering a lesson on how it’s done. Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior) inspired many a post-apocalyptic action flick and insane car chases blazing across the silver screen, each often raising the stakes and quite often relying on CGI and rapid fire editing for flash (see the films of Michael Bay, or even The Fast and The Furious franchise). For Fury Road, Miller goes very old school, relying on precision stunt work and practical effect for the vehicular mayhem, sparingly using the CGI for mostly landscaping and Furiosa’s prosthetic arm. In that, Fury Road is gorgeous with a design aesthetic that is sublime to look at. The post-apocalyptic wasteland has never looked so beautiful in its sparseness with somehow complimentary splashes of colour. The vehiclar designs are amazing from the mishmash of metal and chrome buggys, insane monster trucks, the hero tanker, to the soundtrack pumping “Band Wagon” with its Drum section and flame spewing electric guitar riffing player performing in front of a sick speaker system. Even the costume designs, from Max’s typical garb and leather jacket to Immortal Joe’s body suit and even each of the bride’s trappings to reflect their individual personalities - and how splendid is Huntington-Whiteley’s pregnant bride, The Splendid Angharad? Unconventional, bold, daring and insanely entertaining, Mad Max: Fury Road is throwback action film that somehow schools the modern films on how it’s done. A lot of ‘show’ and very little ‘tell’ as action movies should be, and still somehow retaining a sliver of a plot to carry the characters with a mission that you can care about and root for. The few dramatic scenes flesh out the characters with simple precision, injecting the empathy for their cause. The practical stunts and effects allow for a visceral experience away from the gloss of computer effects. This is eye-candy on a grand scale that does not pander to the audience. And more power to it for that. Now, let’s see if other movies have learnt any lessons here. Rating ****/5 |
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