Review Category: DVD/Blu Ray

DVD REVIEW: EARTH TO ECHO / CERT: U / DIRECTOR: DAVE GREEN / SCREENPLAY: HENRY GAYDEN / STARRING: TEO HALM, BRIAN ‘ASTRO’ BRADLEY, REESE HARTWIG, ELLA WAHLESTEDT, JASON GRAY-STANFORD / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 17TH

Back in the 1980s, a wave of children’s adventure films (mostly from Steven Spielberg’s camp) came out that managed to connect with both adults and kids alike. It was a glorious age that seemed to fall out of vogue as the decade went on until they disappeared altogether.  Then, a couple of years ago, J.J. Abrams managed to bring a little ‘80s kid movie magic back to the big screen with Super 8. It was only a matter of time before somebody else had a go at adding a new title to the (sub) genre, which brings us to Dave Green’s Earth to Echo, a sci-fi kids’ adventure with a healthy dose of the found-footage genre thrown in for good measure.

The film tells the story of three friends who are about to be separated when one of them is being forced to move away. For their last night together they decide to investigate the strange signals that they are receiving on their mobile phones, leading them to discover a small robotic alien – whom they name Echo – and their journey  takes them across town to help him find the parts he needs to repair his crashed spaceship.

There are a lot of things to like about the film, especially the likeable child performances. The Echo character itself is incredibly sweet in a way that small robot aliens haven’t been since Batteries Not Included, and the special effects used to bring Echo to life are very well done. But then there are a lot of problems with the film. It feels incredibly slow to get going and then rushes through to the end once Echo has been found, and then there is the usual shady organisation that act as the villains of the film, but they are so underdeveloped that they are pretty much a non-entity within the movie.

The biggest problem though, is that the film is sadly lacking in the kind of magic and wonder that made films like E.T., The Goonies and even Flight of the Navigator childhood favourites for a certain generation. Like most of the films that use it, the found-footage gimmick takes you out of the film at times, merely acting as a distraction for huge chunks of it.

On the whole, the film is a well made and enjoyable family film with likeable performances from all involved, and with a cute character at its heart – it’s just a shame that it’s missing that key element that will make it a family favourite for years to come.

Special Features: ‘Friends No Matter How Far’ / ‘Creating The Truck Scene’ / ‘Casting The Characters’ / ‘We Made That!: The Making Of Earth To Echo’ / Deleted Scenes

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DVD REVIEW: SEE NO EVIL 2 / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: THE SOSKA SISTERS / SCREENPLAY: NATHAN BROOKES, BOBBY LEE DARBY / STARRING: GLENN “KANE” JACOBS, DANIELLE HARRIS, KATHERINE ISABELLE, MICHAEL EKLUND / RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 20TH

When it comes to Slasher flicks, there has to be a great deal of give when reviewing them. Anybody could tear the Friday the 13th series apart on the grounds of acting or plotting, but when the innovative slayings and jump scares set in, they do their job in adding to the gruesome, unpretentious fun and, to be honest, that particular franchise was a lot better than others (aka Prom Night or the uneven Halloween sequels). So to that end, here is See No Evil 2, the follow-up to WWE Studios’ 2006 horror film starring wrestler Glen Jacobs (better known in and out of a mask to wrestling fans as Kane) as sharp-fingernailed psychopath Jacob Goodnight (think Jason’s mummy issues and Michael’s psychosis).

The first See No Evil film drew terrible reviews, but there is no doubting it was not the worst to emerge from WWE Studios (after the patriotic machismo of those naff The Marine films or abysmal family comedies like The Chaperone). In fact it was a fairly gnarly slasher, even if it was very predictable and unambitious. So to that end, and a sizable 8 years later, we have See No Evil 2. The film is set shortly after the first film and sees the murders of Jacob Goodnight hit mainstream news as his lifeless body is delivered to the city morgue. At said morgue, a surprise birthday party is being thrown for worker Amy (Danielle Harris) but everything takes a turn for the worse when Goodnight wakes up and hunts down the group.

If we are being honest, this is actually a watchable old school entry in the slasher genre and not quite the insult many may expect from a ‘wrestler movie.’ However, where See No Evil 2 disappoints is in the fact that it has some noticeable wasted potential. The Soska sisters made their emphatic debut with Dead Hooker in a Trunk and then the intriguingly dysmorphic body Horror American Mary, and it is a shame some of those films guts have not carried over here. While there are slayings aplenty, this sequel is still predictable to a tee and at times a bog standard genre film, and there is always a feeling that everyone could have made more out of this. The deaths are gory but not particularly inventive, and the film only really kicks into gear come a genuinely refreshing (and rather genre-defying) climax. But the film has slowed down a lot before that point arrives.

Jacobs is certainly no Voorhees, Myers or Freddy but cuts an imposing 7-foot figure and predictably handles the physical scenes with brutal efficiency (wisely leaving much of the verbal acting to his co-stars). The performances are a mixed bag thanks to some creaky lines of scripting and the odd weirdly morbid sexual vibes. Halloween series actress Danielle Harris and American Mary’s Katherine Isabelle carry much of the film’s better moments of acting and keep things moving along at times, Then again, once you see the killer pick up a (mostly translucent) mask for no reason and a bafflingly necromantic vibe, it is clear this is not a film that is concerned too much with logic.

In short, See No Evil 2 is just another slasher that delivers some old school jolts and a genuinely fun closing quarter but in all remains indistinguishable from the rest of the genre. It is not so much an abject failure – indeed expectations were not high – but considering some of the people involved (especially the talented directors) it would have been nice to see more ingenuity and wit on display behind the stalk ‘n’ slash delivery. The film takes a clear (and successfully produced) visual influence from Rick Rosenthal’s Halloween 2 but, despite any admirable attempts at adding psychology to this movie maniac, it is clear that this is a very familiar sequel. See No Evil 2, like its predecessor, is watchable but forgettable for slasher fans that have been brought up on many films that have done all (or at least a lot) of this before.

Special Features: 3 Featurettes – Twisted Twins / Autopsy: Dissecting the Kills / Kane’s Goodnight: An Icon Reborn.

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BLU-RAY REVIEW: SUPER MARIO BROS. / CERT: U / DIRECTOR: ANNABEL JANKEL, ROCKY MORTON / SCREENPLAY: PARKER BENNETT, TERRY RUNTE, ED SOLOMON / STARRING: BOB HOSKINS, JOHN LEGUIZAMO, DENNIS HOPPER, SAMANTHA MATHIS / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 3RD

It may be a contentious point in certain circles, but 1993’s Super Mario Bros. is, by-and-large, the first live-action movie based on a video game, certainly the first with any real gumption. The film scrubs up nicely on its first UK Blu-ray release courtesy of Second Sight, letting old fans reminisce and bringing new ones into the fold.

It’s important to note that Super Mario Bros. always had cinematic intentions in mind, rather than just attaching itself to a famous franchise for monetary gains (it did flop, after all). This was years before the mould was set and Tomb Raider and Resident Evil movies were clogging up the box office.

For anyone familiar with any of the Mario titles, the story won’t come as much of a shock: save a princess from Bowser. What the movie does is theorise that the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs sent them to an alternate version of the earth instead where they evolved into humans, bypassing the monkey route altogether.

The late Bob Hoskins brings a brilliant physicality to the lead role, fitting snugly into everyone’s favourite mushroom stomper, though he goes for a guttural drawl rather than imitating Charles Martinet. John Leguizamo might have seemed an odd choice for Luigi on paper, and despite the severe lack of moustache, he’s actually a dead ringer. Fisher Stevens and Richard Edson, like Laurel and Hardy, wonderfully bumble their way through the Koopa cousins Iggy and Spike, respectively. Dennis Hopper is charismatic as King Koopa, Bowser, putting a camp spin on his performance in Blue Velvet. Samantha Mathis makes for a decent Princess Daisy, but the less said about Mojo Nixon as Toad, the better.

One of the biggest surprises isn’t the film’s longevity or its (mostly) stellar cast, but just how well shot it is, with directors Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton channelling Dune and putting a Terry Gilliam spin on the parallel universe, with characters decked out in Mad Max-style fetish gear. The soundtrack isn’t half bad either, with a Roxy Music cover, Megadeth, and Queen in tow.

Going for a more grounded slant than the magic realism that made the games so special, the Goombas have been made from devolved members of the parallel universe, and there’s mechanical boots that allow the wearer to jump to extraordinary heights and distances. There’s so many nods and winks, it’s dizzying, including Bullet Bills and Bob-ombs. The effects, especially the reptilian prosthetics, are especially good, even twenty one years later, with Yoshi living up to kawaii origins.

Despite its critical and financial failings, Super Mario Bros. is the very definition of a cult classic, proving to be a fun romp through a beloved game franchise mustering smiles on faces despite, or perhaps because of, the more realistic spin on the source material.

Special Features: ‘This Ain’t No Video Game’ documentary / Making of / Original electronic press kit / Behind the scenes / Storyboard galleries

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DVD REVIEW: FOUND / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: SCOTT SCHIRMER / SCREENPLAY: SCOTT SCHIRMER / STARRING: GAVIN BROWN, ETHAN PHILBECK, PHYLLIS MUNRO, LOUIE LAWLESS, ALEX KOGIN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Found may have the appearance of a random stalk n’ slash cheapie but there is a bit more going on behind the visors of this gasmask-clad blend of coming of age drama and gruesome horror. Found tells the story of young, horror movie loving, Marty (Brown) who finds his older brother Steve (Philbeck) is harbouring a dark secret – namely storing severed heads in his bowling bag (talk about your brother doing your head in). From early on, Steve’s dark secret is revealed – as are the families’ more menial secrets (mum’s old love letters, dad’s porn stash) – but the strength of Schirmer’s film really comes from how much is being tackled in the drama. This is Marty’s story (the character occasionally narrates – which really adds a shock to the lingering final frame) and in turn is one that many people will connect with aspects of.

The horror soon bleeds in (oh boy does it!) but for long enough, Found is similar to Abrams’ Super 8, only swapping the sci-fi with VHS violence. The film is crafted with affection for the genre, especially the violent boundary-pushing slashers of the 80s, the dark work of Clive Barker (Hellraiser and Nightbreed are mentioned by name) and trash Horror cults like Larry Buchanan’s It’s Alive (see the Deep Dweller short), and Douglas Cheek’s C.H.U.D. Scott Schirmer clearly knows the game and his film almost feels like a huge feature-length segment of the V/H/S series, indeed the plot is heavily influenced by ’80s VHS rental culture – which admittedly makes the actual setting hard to decipher. Found sets their sights on an age in which kids are fascinated by scary (or more aptly gory) movies and mixes in such murderous impulses with the turbulence of early teenage life (school bullying, male bravado, and that progression from childhood to adulthood).

The performances are inconsistent, with some emerging stronger than others but nobody holds the film back. The biggest star is young Gavin Brown, who is remarkable as Marty and carries much of the film’s weight – rare praise for a film driven by a young character. He is likable and rootable, even in the film’s more confrontational moments. Ethan Phillbeck is also effectively disturbed as Marty’s head cleaving (and come the climax, completely insane) brother Steve. Phyllis Munro and Louie Lawless as mum and dad do have the odd stiff line of dialogue, but are believable in their parts. In fact, despite some online scorn, the performances are good all round, aside from the odd few awkwardly delivered lines (mainly Munro, Lawless or Alex Kogin’s character in particular).

The plot is an interesting take on the suburban serial killer story; with the family drama being intercut by the violent movie watching sessions (Deep Dweller and Headless – both an invention of this film), that offer some grindhouse-esque homages throughout. However, as the story steepens emotionally, the finale is the literal boiling over, where the moments of suspense and thought take a turn that is as subtle as a power drill to the temple and every bit as bloody. The conclusion leaves you disturbed – mostly by what you can’t see (thankfully)- although this does leave the viewer in a quandary. Schirmer is clearly a lover of this genre and knows his films, and yet the film comes to suggest that horror and onscreen violence makes monsters of us. It is a slight contradiction to the story; mind you, better a film boast an argument or debate that is lighter on depth, than boast no insights at all.

In many ways you could say this is an issue throughout to Found, this is a smart movie but one ruled by too many thoughts and nods, which mean some ideas go nowhere. The racist element of the story for instance, is an underdeveloped idea, delivered with all the logic of those real-life individuals who excuse racial violence under some misguided ideology of “they comin’ over here stealin’ our jobs”, although perhaps that is the point. Likewise with the homophobic element; in fact, the prejudicial aspect seems like it is present, as more of an extra twist of the knife (so to speak) to modern or (considering the VHS tapes in the film) recent America, than a fully developed arc of the story. Found has aspirations, some of which it hits and some of which it misses and in that regard it is not as effective as the (occasionally similar) The Dirties from this year. Although it is far more grisly, indeed if Hostel’s blowtorch eye scene gave you a case of the gags, you may want to give the Headless movie scene the hand over eyes treatment.

Found delivers far more than expected and from some grindhouse homages to a rather compelling story, it is hard to call this (despite a few missteps) anything other than a great feature from a promising and passionate talent. It may well divide some with its debates on violence, faith and how to tackle the issues of youth, but even in its most unsettling moments (that climax really does stick with you), this is an entertaining, dark, vision. Offering moments of childlike horror analogous to Joe Dante’s work in that area, gruesome gory horror with a ’80s edge and a coming of age story at its core, Found covers a lot of ground and is influenced by a range of directors. Think Boyhood through the eyes of Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth and Dario Argento.

Extras: Making Of, Trailer, Gag Reel, Deep Dweller Short Film, Deep Dweller Making Of, Other Monster Film Titles

Expected Rating: 5

Actual Rating:

DVD REVIEW: A DARK PLACE INSIDE / CERT: 18 / DIRECTOR: MIKE O’MAHONY / SCREENPLAY: MIKE O’MAHONY / STARRING: CHRIS DALBEY, JAMES COSTA, LAUREN OJEDA, GENOVEVA ROSSI, ROB DIMENSION, KIERAN BOYLE / RELEASE DATE: TBA

You have got to admire the bravery of a director who also chooses to write, edit, shoot and even work on the effects of their work. This practically leaves very few in the firing line should it all go, as many would say, tits up. However such matters of critique are noticeably made difficult with certain subject matter and Director Mike O’Mahony’s A Dark Place Inside is certainly one of those movies. It is hard to look objectively at a film, which, in its gestating moments, features a dismembered body being rubbed down with Vaseline by the disturbed lead character… in bed. Indeed, such low-budget disturbia has not been seen since the days of the infamously controversial Nekromantik. And it is with this in mind that we say A Dark Place Inside may not be for everyone, but it is a distinct voice in the crowd.

The film focuses on lonely factory worker Andy (Dalbey) who struggles to cope with childhood traumas as he descends into constant pathological, violence and murder. The film, from an early stage, sets its tone to the extreme and despite the odd clear prop and visual marring that comes with the perils of a low budget, O’Mahony’s gory effects work evokes a video nasty vibe akin to the days of The Driller Killer, in fact it shares many a similarity with Abel Ferrara’s low-budget ‘70s blood-soaked classic. Some have read into an American giallo style and while the visuals are not as striking as the genre’s icons, the grittiness and delivery adds to the uncomfortable and almost snuff-like realism. There is a twisted psychology that motivates this dark film but the question will really be, whether you will want to connect to that wavelength.

The best comparison is really John McNaughton’s Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer or Gerard Johnson’s Tony, as this is a film that does not sympathise or demonise it simply shows and the content is far from easy to stomach. The flashbacks flesh out a minimal story that constantly feels like it is on a spin wash of murder-wash-refresh. The reasoning behind the central figure’s madness is somewhat cliché but that said, and in this current climate, is hard to deny the realistic grounds. This is not a film that one enjoys, so much as one that either successfully looks at a disturbed mind or sickeningly glorifies such actions and in that case you could call the film a success. A Dark Place Inside is low-fi, unglorified and unsettling but also, scarily, fascinating, in that it paints a picture of a man corrupted early in life, and shows the monster he has become… and how this beast cannot be contained. Scarier is the suggestion that the world is full of such people/impulses- the ominous Edgar Allan Poe quote denotes.

It is hard to recommend such a reprehensible film (in terms of content) but that is sort of the point, these actions are meant to be as scattershot, displaced and ambiguous to the viewer as they are onscreen. We can only reason so much as the film allows and while violent, it keeps the far deeper darkness inside what remains of Andy’s soul. It helps that Andy, as the film’s main character, is given a real restrained menace by Dalbey, who offers undeniably the best performance in a sea of underdeveloped characters. In fact, in some sequences the film scratches at a deeper insight into this conflicted and consequently evil leading character, although in the end, the film is (probably purposefully) distant. O’Mahony constantly keeps this polarising, low-budget throwback to the VHS video nasty days, at arm’s length, just where it is most effective. A Dark Place Inside is violent, hard to watch, harder to think about and not especially enjoyable and yet we are left to surmise, that this is an effective study of evil acts and a rather provocative work from a director with some serious thoughts in his head.

Extras: Commentary & Trailer

DVD REVIEW: DAY OF THE MUMMY / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOHNNY TABOR / SCREENPLAY: GARRY CHARLES / STARRING: DANNY GLOVER, WILLIAM McNAMARA, ANDREA MONIER, PHILIP MARLATT / RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 20TH

Fifty years. That’s how long it’s been since The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb (1964), the last half-decent proper mummy-flick. Has the curse finally been broken by a straight-to-DVD movie? Could Day of the Mummy (2014) be the Chosen One?

Well let’s see. There are certain rules to mummies; some can be ignored (in fact, it’d give them a kick up the arse if they were) while others must never be broken otherwise your movie is in the most perilous peril. Firstly, acceptable locations include Egypt, England (fog-bound) and absolutely nowhere else. This one’s in Egypt, so that’s fine. There shalt always be a suspicious-looking bloke in a fez. Oh well, we can probably skip that one. There shalt be a woman who is the exact double (the same actor, in fact) of the mummy’s former one-true-love. Never mind, that one’s pretty tired anyway. Bit of a tricky one, but very important: Mummy movies are actually a sub-sub-genre of the sub-genre known as Colonial Horror ™. You know the kind of thing: Haitian-style zombies, Fu Manchu, anything with pith helmets. Therefore, it’s understood that they need to be set pre-WWII when some of the world was still regarded as mysterious. No points there then. But all this can be overcome if one simple rule is obeyed: Mummies are shit-scary. Oh…

So what can DotM offer? Well, what about Danny Glover? Whatever happened to him? Here he is, in a cheap-looking study (he must have spent a whole afternoon on this) linked to William McNamara by way of McNamara’s glasses so he can find Glover the film’s MacGuffin. You see this is the other gimmick: It’s shot entirely from the point of view of McNamara. Of course, that’s not actually that new as it was done (rather better) as long ago as The Lady in the Lake (1947) but at least it’s a change from found-footage (which looks exactly the same). Actually, the main thing you notice here is that Danny Glover isn’t really in the film at all, he just pops up in the corner of the screen like a dodgy FPS training tip (“use Q to lean”) and nor, it would appear, is McNamara, who is only seen when his glasses fall off and is a not-very-well-edited voice the rest of the time. Oh well…

So after a bit of excruciatingly dull running round the desert our protagonists get improbably lost in the three tunnels of some tomb or another and then (after our fifty-year wait) a mummy pops out at around the 57-minute mark (of a 76-minute movie). The sub-sub-genre is slightly updated as this is a “fast-mummy” (not fast enough) but it’s still rubbish and not in the slightest bit frightening.

Early in the film, Glover sums it up pretty well when he says, “Cursed kings had a habit of rising from the dead… and doing all sorts of bad stuff”. They’re not the only ones Danny.

DVD REVIEW: GHOST BRIDE / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: DAVID BLYTH / SCREENPLAY: DAVID BLYTH / STARRING: YOSON AN, REBEKAH PALMER, FIONA FENG / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 4TH

David Blythe directs his own ham-fisted script, neither living up to the thriller or supernatural tags it’s been lumped in with. Ghost Bride doesn’t even benefit from being so bad it’s good, relegated instead to the so bad it’s bad camp.

Yoson An is a sorry excuse for a leading man as Jason, a Chinese immigrant raised in New Zealand. He’s torn between the traditions and rituals of his ancestry and his own cosmopolitan values. Feeling guilty following the death of his father, he’s emotionally blackmailed into seeing a matchmaker by his mother, despite his girlfriend Skye (Palmer), which he’s kept secret. The two start seeing his match May-Ling (Fiona Feng) in unlikely places.

The production values are cheap despite the pristine digital camera that gives it an altogether sanitised feel. Blyth doles out stock effects, bulging lens, and frequent slo-mo, making Tales from the Crypt look cutting edge.

The acting is especially poor, with the cast awkwardly delivery lines to one another and chewing the pretty scenery, during plenty of pointless scenes padding out a dull film.

Blyth tries fantastically hard to be David Lynch, using familiar weirdness and roaring sounds, though coming in a slow second even against Lynch’s worst. Hungry for scares, Blyth copycats his way through the ghost of chillers past but comes up blank, leaving the audience blanker.

DVD REVIEW: SPACE STATION 76 / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JACK PLOTNICK / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: PATRICK WILSON, LIV TYLER, MARISA COUGHLAN, MATT BOMER, JERRY O’CONNELL, KYLIE ROGERS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

The year is some ill-defined point in the future; the name of the place is Space Station 76. Because numbers are so much easier than having to come up with actual names all the time. Newly transferred officer Lieutenant Commander Jessica Marlowe (Tyler) begins her new position as the second in command of this second rate outpost that various stoners, hippies, manly men and girly girls all call home.

Space Station 76 starts off well, presenting all the right ingredients in its crammed buffet of deliberately retro cheese: arbitrarily blinking lights, chunky monitors showing blocky vector graphics, exterior shots of painted models, Betamax players, a precocious kid roaming the halls, casual sexism (“Nice ass, nice legs, nice tits”), cuboid robots and a porn-’tached captain, all promising to deliver a loving send-up of the fondly-remembered sci-fi TV and films of the ‘70s in all their flawed and honest charm.

The problem is, when you intentionally emulate the shortcomings of something you constantly run the risk of replicating them. This doesn’t mean it can’t be done well – Planet Terror was pure trash and utterly brilliant; Manborg was cheaper than a politician’s integrity but still enjoyably ridiculous; Iron Sky was a completely demented farcical riot. However, for all the affection the filmmakers clearly have for the era they are both satirising and paying homage to, they fail to capitalise on the sense of wonder, excitement and adventure that made people love its genre output right up to the present day in spite of the shoddy production values. Thus, we are left with little more than a science-fiction cousin to the deluge of forgettable faux-grindhouse garbage that outpoured in the wake of, well, Grindhouse.

When something resembling an actual plot fails to emerge from the funkadelic corniness, it becomes clear that this is all we’re going to get. Aside from tepid interpersonal friction, the only sense of danger comes from a stray asteroid careering towards the station that periodic cutaway shots remind us of, only to promptly forget about it ten seconds later. Despite the precise target of the satirical outlook, there is little in the way of acute observation or, indeed, actual jokes. Okay, it’s meant to be a black comedy, but there’s really not much humour to be gleaned from material such as self-loathing closeted homosexuality, young parents failing to disguise just how much they despise each other, a woman being unable to have kids, and a suicidally depressed man’s continually thwarted attempts to kill himself. Additionally, an attempted running joke of a little girl’s pets continually dying just feels spiteful. Even including a few absurd patriarchal banalities about women being unsuited for command would have made it more interesting.

What should have been a nostalgia-fuelled interstellar acid trip instead comes out as a monotonous sci-fi soap opera that feels dated and tiresome rather than retro and fun.

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