Review Category: Movie

VICIOUS FUN

One of our favourite films of the 2020 festival season was The Oak Room, and now we get a double punch from director Cody Calahan with this fantastic ‘80s-set horror-comedy.

Joel (Evan Marsh) is a writer for horror magazine who has a crush on his roommate Sarah (Alexa Rose Steele). In a fit of jealousy, he follows her latest date in the hope of finding out some dirt on him. Unfortunately, he gets drunk and wakes in the neon-lit Chinese restaurant’s toilet and is drawn into what seems to be a support meeting. Thinking he can blag his way through it, things go south when it turns out that the members of the group are all serial killers.

One of the entertaining things about Vicious Fun is that when things get out of control, there’s always another ludicrous level it can go to. Horror fans will identify with Joel, someone who spends his time watching, thinking, and writing about horror films, but when faced with a genuinely gory scene, he loses his lunch. The action comes thick, fast, and very bloody from all the serial killer stereotypes that are presented here within this motley crew. There are great performances from Amber Goldfarb, Ari Millen, and the ever-reliable David Koechner (Cheap Thrills) that add to the fun and the zippy dialogue plays with the conventions to great effect. Steph Copeland’s retro-tinged synth score adds significantly to the enjoyment, subtle at times, but going full-on Carpenter when it needs to. Seriously, viciously fun, and a cult audience awaits.

VICIOUS FUN is available now on Shudder

LET US IN

Bad Ass trilogy director Craig Moss takes a crack at sci-fi with this flaccid alien abduction thriller about a bullied twelve-year-old, Emily (Makenzie Moss), and her geeky pal Christopher (O’Neill Monahan) who attempt to contact extra-terrestrials using a self-made tracking system. After receiving some ominous signals, Emily and Christopher connect a potential interplanetary presence to a spate of local disappearances.

Drawing from a contemporary urban legend about paranormal creatures the ‘black-eyed kids’, Moss and co-writer Joe Callero’s script sets up its protagonists, adversaries, and story, then disengages a patchwork plot peppered with platitudes, dead-end narrative strands, and supporting character stereotypes, from reedy, pale-faced hoodie-wearing captors to insipid tween bullies, all of whom fail to retain viewers’ attention throughout its curt duration.

Despite engaging performances from Makenzie Moss, who works wonders with the weak material, and O’Neill Monahan as her nerdy cohort, the two lead actors, and their characters, aren’t remotely potent enough to bolster this no-frills production and its rickety script. Tobin Bell also turns up as the creepy “scary German guy” type Mr. Munch but doesn’t deliver the kind of brooding mystery or gravitas that Tony Todd did in the Final Destination series.

Writer/director Moss fails to conjure the kind of tense and tangible air that would make Let Us In frighten or resonate as anything other than a bland and weary hotchpotch of derivative ideas and cheap VFX. With a plot that dithers as though drafted on the bus to production, Let Us In eventually collapses under the weight of its defects, and leaves us repeatedly checking the run-time while tenderly stroking the stop button.

LET US IN is available on digital platforms in the US from July 2nd

THE HEAD HUNTER

Set in a Medieval world, one man’s calling is to rid the land of monsters, all the while seeking vengeance on the creature that killed his daughter. Returning to his isolated cabin after completing each of his tasks, our warrior mounts the beast’s head on his trophy wall and tends his wounds with a regenerative potion. Until one day, a chance at revenge comes his way.

Jordan Downey’s minimalist The Head Hunter is, given a budget of less than £30,000, an accomplished work. Filming as practically as possible, Downey, along with co-writer Kevin Stewart and cinematographer Ricky Fosheim, stretch their limited funds to create a living, fully textured world where danger and intrigue lurk in the shadows. And in removing all the fight scenes – much of the actual headhunting takes place offscreen – bar the climactic one, and with only a few lines of dialogue, mystery is layered upon mystery.

And perhaps therein lies the only real flaw to Downey’s film. By the time you reach the low-key finale – unsurprising given the tone of what’s gone before – many viewers will have more questions than answers. Indeed, in the case of this Blu-ray release, the two commentaries prove essential in unpicking some of the vaguer elements.

But this is a film in which the strengths should be applauded. Filmed in Portugal and California, with footage from actor Christopher Rygh’s Norwegian homeland, the cinematography blends effortlessly with composer Nick Sole’s score to deepen the sense of scale and emotion. There were clearly budgetary battles, but Downey and his team have brought this world to life, however unpleasant and unforgiving that world may be.

SACRIFICE

Isaac (Ludovic Hughes) and his heavily-pregnant wife Emma (Sophie Stevens) have taken a trip to a remote Norwegian island to look at his old home, which he has inherited following the death of his mother. The initially hostile locals turn on the charm once Isaac reveals his heritage, but Emma feels like an outsider and is worried that they might be indoctrinating him into their strange ritualistic ways. The local police chief, Renate (Barbara Crampton), doesn’t put her mind at ease when she reveals the truth about Isaac’s parents and she begins suffering a series of bizarre, terrifying nightmares.

Directors Andy Collier and Toor Mian – who helmed the brilliant Charismata a few years back – really ramp up the apprehension and intrigue with their Nordic tale, while also filling the screen with some stunningly beautiful vistas. While there are a plethora of ‘oh it’s a dream’ jump scares, they do continue to work thanks to the way the story never really allows us to feel comfortable. In the opening credits, we’re told this is based on a story by Paul Kane and ‘influenced by the works of H.P. Lovecraft’ and although there is a brooding element of the otherworldliness of Howard Phillips work and a little bit of tentacle action, it’s certainly not derivative.

Having horror royalty Barbara Crampton on board will certainly raise the profile of the film with some and she’s great here – even with a slightly dodgy Norwegian accent. Sophie Stevens is the standout here, though. The anxieties of a pregnant woman ooze from the screen as the story twists and turns. Ultimately, it’s an intriguing take on Nordic folk horror with some genuinely sinister moments.

You can read our interview with the directors of Sacrifice here or watch the chat on YouTube.

BLOOD PAGEANT

This low budget witchcraft-flavoured film takes a swipe at reality TV and while not entirely successful, has its moments.

American Dream is a cross between a beauty contest and American Idol, with a panel of judges (Snoop Dogg, Danielle C. Ryan, and Matthew Marsden playing themselves). The new season is getting underway, and the contestants gather in a fabulous house, ready to battle it out to become the winner. Unfortunately, one of them is inadvertently invoking an evil presence that is doing away with the competition.

For all the forced scares, Blood Pageant actually works better as a satire of the reality TV industry than it does as a horror film. The behind-the-scenes jealousies, divas, and shenanigans involving the producer are more fun than the hokey witchcraft plot. The Christian angle is laid on a little heavy, with one of the hopefuls being a card-carrying ‘Jesus freak’ (as one of the characters calls her).

Interestingly, the new season of American Dream that the film focuses on contains only women, yet there’s a male in the ‘final’ of the previous series we see earlier in the film. That wouldn’t have anything to do with filling the screen with ‘eye candy’ would it? Considering the ladies who are in the running are mostly odious, vacuous types, a few blokes might have been welcome.

The star names only appear briefly; Snoop Dogg can hardly be seen through all his smoke and Stephen Baldwin pouts his way through his cameo as a priest. The rest of the cast struggle to make the material memorable and director Harvey Lowry excels at portraying the behind the scenes of the show but struggles to raise any fear factor.

There’s some entertainment value in Blood Pageant but lower your expectations if you’re looking for a good fright.

Blood Pageant is out now in select US cinemas and available on digital platforms on June 29th and DVD on July 20th (US only). UK TBC

LUCA

CERT: U / PLATFORMS: DISNEY+ / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

When it comes to Pixar, the studio has set quite a high standard over the years, of course there has been the odd slip (Cars 2) but even lower level Pixar has boasted joy and heart. Now, with their 24th feature film – and off the back of yet more Oscar glory in last December’s terrific Soul – they hope to return once more to Disney+ with a rather special triumph.

Despite taking influence from and paying homage to the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and Federico Fellini, Enrico Casarosa’s coming of age fantasy Luca is actually a rather simple story. It sees young sea monster boy Luca (Jacob Tremblay) yearn for what lies above the ocean and when he one day meets one of his own kind in Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), a loner who has made his own home on the surface, he realises that he can assume a human form while on land, just as long as he doesn’t get wet!

This 50s set Italian Riviera tale may lack the groundbreaking innovation of some of Pixar’s range of classics but what it lacks in emotional complexity, it makes up for in its great big inclusive heart and the simple message of being yourself and not hiding for fear of judgment. Luca is a beautifully colourful Ghibli-esque blend of fantasy and Italian neorealism and is a film that is most welcome at this moment. What starts as a Little Mermaid-esque concept quickly becomes a great big ode to friendship, and the pre-love life experiences of childhood.

Luca’s developing bond with Alberto takes centre stage, as the two lads dream of being independent and going on an adventure, this dream leads the two to take the plunge and enter the nearby community where a gruelling summer triathlon event not only introduces them to enthusiastic local girl Giulia (Emma Berman) but to an unforgettable and lasting summer born kinship. In some ways – despite wildly different material – it is a little like the story of Stephen King’s It, where an unbreakable bond is formed in a summer filled with dreams and adventure (in this case there’s no killer clown though thankfully). All captured with trademark visual splendour, that aims for optimism and brightness over photorealism, and delightful music by Dan Romer.

The three kids at the core of the film are rather wonderful, and their union is filled with the relatable strains, fun and compassions of real friendship. There are also some great supporting characters in detestable local bully Ercole (Saverio Raimondo), and Luca’s affectionate but stressing mother Daniela (Maya Rudolph) and his well intentioned but easily distracted dad Lorenzo (Jim Gaffigan). Although some supporting players deserve a little more time to shine, especially Luca’s cool and rebellious Grandma Paguro (Sandy Martin) and Giulia’s bulking but heartfelt father Massimo (Marco Barricelli).

Not to mention one of our favourite ever Pixar supporting characters in Ugo (Sacha Baron Cohen), Luca’s unusual, darkness dwelling, part see-through uncle. In fact there is nowhere near enough Uno onscreen for our liking here and we are seriously hoping Pixar gives him his own short some time. He’s an all too brief eccentric show stealer up there with the likes of Roz, Evil Emperor Zurg, Edna Mode and Frozone!

Luca is unspeakably lovely, incredibly charming and a celebration of being yourself with the people who matter most and finding the good ones in life. If you have any doubts about checking Luca out on Disney+, just shout “Silencio Bruno” and dive on in! Oh, and keep those credits rolling for a nice array of ‘what Luca did next’ artwork and a post-credits treat!

UNTITLED HORROR MOVIE

Every major event in modern history breeds a cinematic response. The Vietnam War brought about the video nasties; 9/11 is thought to be responsible for the ‘torture porn’ movement. Donald Trump? He got us American Horror Story: Cult and the Black Christmas remake. But, aside from the enormous death toll, what hath COVID wrought? By necessity, a whole host of quarantine-set-and-filmed genre movies and socially distanced horror stories. When you don’t have any choice but to film your horror movie via Zoom, the whole subtext thing kind of goes out the window.

The latest quarantine genre pic is Untitled Horror Movie, set and recorded in a six-way video chat between a cast of TV stars and the demonic spirit body-hopping between them. Plus Kal Penn, in what accounts to little more (or less) than a Cameo cameo. After learning that their TV show is getting cancelled, the six stars get together to make their own horror movie. When Chrissy (Katherine McNamara) starts waving around old heirlooms and reading ancient incantations, a demon is set loose on the video chat. Rather that than another round of Zoom trivia.

Even before the virus, intrepid filmmakers were turning video calls into cinema – see the likes of The Den and Unfriended – so Untitled Horror Movie doesn’t feel like much of anything new. Following in the footsteps of the mighty Host it feels a little redundant, but at least approaches its demonic possession from a different angle. Director Nick Simon and co-writer Luke Baines is more interested in poking fun at his young airheads than he is in truly tormenting them. They do so with better cameras and sharper banter than most films of its kind, with a script that doesn’t feel like it was just improv’d on the spot.

Thankfully, it has the good grace not to bring COVID into it either, letting the film function as pure escapism. By nature, it’s rough around the edges, but it’s very well-made for what it is. Video chat fatigue may dull its impact, but rather something like this than another round of Zoom trivia.

PUNK THE CAPITAL: BUILDING A SOUND MOVEMENT

As Minor Threat’s Stumped plays, the opening credits of Punk the Capital: Building A Sound Movement shows a series of images of the American capital in the late ’70s as a way of setting the time and place of this documentary, which situates DC punk within the larger narratives of rock n’ roll, working as a powerful multi-layered story for both fans and non-fans of punk rock and explores the incredible challenges that this subculture faced when it took root in the Nation’s Capital in the late 1970s.

While there have been quite a few punk rock docs over the years, from Another State of Mind to The Decline of Western Civilization to American Hardcore to Turn It Around, et al, it’s surprising that it took this long for a film to focus on the Washington, DC scene. Not for nothing, but Minor Threat and Fugazi frontman Ian Mackaye and his trademark beanie have appeared in almost every punk rock film made in the last decade.

This film, from James June Schneider (co-director, editor), Paul Bishow (co-director), and Sam Lavine (associate producer, co-editor), begins with what many to be the genesis of DC and its particular strain of punk – hardcore – in the seminal band Bad Brains. However, the directors quickly state that this isn’t the whole story and rewind back to present bands like the Slickee Boys, who laid the groundwork for what would become an iconic scene. By presenting the bands who came before the Bad Brains and the mile-a-minute early Dischord bands which followed in their wake, Punk the Capital offers up a well-rounded look at D.C. and whence came this music.

Thanks to a slew of Super-8 footage and photos from the archives of many of the ‘zine writers and musicians, there’s very much a sense of being present that doesn’t exist in many documentaries of this ilk. Here, the viewer’s getting their eyes on things which haven’t been included in every other film, making this story – which has been told again and again in books and magazine articles over the last 40 years – feel fresh. Add in Bad Brains’ H.R. offering up clear and lucid commentary, a deep-dive into the influence of early clubs and radio shows, and Punk the Capital manages to exceed all expectations.

Punk the Capital releases as part of Record Store Day in the UK on Saturday, July 17th, on DVD and Blu-ray.

TOO LATE

Comedy horror on the stand-up comedy circuit. This showbiz monster movie takes a route less travelled than most LA-set genre films, eschewing the movie sets and mansions in favour of grotty comedy clubs and open mic nights. Show booker Violet (Alyssa Limperis) is assistant to comedy legend Bob Devore (Ron Lynch), responsible for ensuring a steady flow of fresh meat through the old man’s club. Those who don’t get a spot on the setlist? They’re on the menu, to be literally devoured by Bob.

But when Violet meets young stand-up Jimmy Rhodes (Will Weldon), she is determined to break the cycle – before the monstrous Bob can consume them both. There are a lot of funny people involved in Too Late, including SNL alumnus Fred Armisen (barely in it, but there regardless), Mary Lynn Rajskub and its young and likeable leads. One might expect the film itself to be funnier than it is, then. But Becker’s script is surprisingly dry, the performances restrained. The lack of laughs is partly intentional, at least where the bad-on-purpose stage comics are concerned. There’s less of an excuse for the rest of it, which struggles to do much with its timely metaphor and affable characters.

There’s more fun to be had with the film’s gruesome body horror beats – turning Bob into a cross between Mr Creosote and something out of Brian Yuzna’s Society. Like the humour, its scares are underdeveloped, leaving Too Late floundering like so many comedy horror films before it – neither as funny nor as scary as it should be. There are some good gore gags and charming performances, but it’s just a little too little.

Too Late is in cinemas and digital platforms in the US on June 25th. UK release TBC.

BATMAN – THE LONG HALLOWEEN, PART ONE

A common complaint levelled at many modern Batman stories is that, too often, they don’t give the World’s Greatest Detective much room to exercise his actual detective skills. Aside from a little CSI work in The Dark Knight, we’ve yet to see a cinematic Batman stretch any muscles beyond the ones he uses for punching. In this respect, WB and DC’s animated movies have tended to redress the balance – Mask of the Phantasm, Hush and Under the Red Hood have all depicted varying degrees of a cerebral Batman, with big mysteries for him to solve. And now, the most sprawling yet: an adaptation of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s celebrated epic, The Long Halloween.

Set in the early days of the Bat’s career, the story follows Batman (Jensen Ackles) as he investigates a series of murders within Gotham’s primo mob family. Someone is knocking off wiseguys – but who? And why? At the same time, District Attorney Harvey Dent (Josh Duhamel) finds himself under fire from both mobsters and the Joker (Troy Baker), setting him down a dark and dangerous path to… well, we all know where.

There’s a lot to get through, and The Long Halloween is broken in half, giving its story and characters room to breathe. Duhamel’s Dent is particularly well-served by the additional screen time, not constrained by the need to squeeze both the noble DA and his monstrous alter-ego into the same story. If it feels overly familiar, that would be because Nolan’s The Dark Knight was loosely based on the same tale. Both of which follow in the footsteps of the Animated Series episodes Two-Face, parts 1 and 2 – the best Two-Face origins story to date, in any media.

And it’s Dent, rather than Batman, who feels like the main character. The Long Halloween is packed full of mobsters, monsters and madmen; there’s the Joker and Catwoman (the late Naya Rivera, who the film is lovingly dedicated to), Solomon Grundy, Calendar Man, Falconis and Maronis. It’s little wonder that Ackles’ Batman gets lost amidst it all. This is a relatively young and inexperienced Batman – not yet master detective, still fumbling to comprehend the magnitude of the case before him. Jensen Ackles’s gruff performance is Batman-by-numbers, but the Supernatural veteran at least makes for a plausible dimwit detective.

Like 2019’s Hush, this adaptation hews closely to the plot of the book while making key changes to surprise those who might have already read it. Only time will tell whether Part Two flubs the ending (again, like Hush), but this is so far faithful in tone and story. Visually? Not so much. Aside from a gorgeous opening credits sequence, Tim Sale’s artwork is thrown out of the window, in favour of a more polished art-deco animation style (previously seen in Superman: Man of Tomorrow). While this is miles better than the shoddy animation of previous DC animated movies, it’s a disappointment to those who loved The Long Halloween specifically for its artwork and hulking great Batman.

Adapting the first half of Loeb and Sale’s behemoth Bat-book is no easy task. Part One is mostly setup, building towards the twists and turns of the second half, and the inevitable fall of Harvey Dent. This it does well, particularly where Dent is concerned. Batman himself might be slightly lost, but he gets some excellent action sequences and the most gorgeous Gotham City to play in since The Animated Series. Can Part Two stick the landing? Find out later, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel. Mark it in your calendar, man.