REUNION FROM HELL

reunion hell

It’s fair to say that in the 43 years since its release, John Carpenter’s Halloween has spawned more than its fair share of knockoffs. Most of these aren’t worth bothering with, but occasionally one comes along that’s worth an audience’s time: Reunion From Hell is one of these. It’s rather cheesy and certainly won’t change your life, but it still manages to be a fun and enjoyable watch that pays homage to Carpenter’s original without ever feeling derivative of it.

Director Hayden Newman also stars as Riley Conner, a therapist who’s estranged from his family and friends and who returns home when he receives news that an old friend has been killed in mysterious circumstances. Upon his return, more friends start dying, and Riley is forced to figure out what’s going on.

On the surface, Reunion From Hell might not seem like much – but there’s a whimsical charm to it that manages to make everything click. Yes, it’s all rather silly, and the dialogue isn’t all that great, and some of the acting is pretty hammy, but it somehow just… works.

Its main strength is the chemistry between its core cast members. Despite much of the dialogue not doing them any favours, their chemistry feels authentic, and the film’s conversational scenes are some of its best for exactly this reason.

The various kill scenes are also rather enjoyable – and pretty impressive given the film’s meagre $35,000 budget (for context, Carpenter’s original Halloween had ten times this budget). They’re tenser than one might expect, and the blood and makeup effects are admirable, especially in light of monetary constraints and how much focus is given to them.

It’s also surprisingly refreshing to see a horror film that doesn’t treat its gay characters with complete disdain. The genre hasn’t been particularly kind to the LGBTQ+ community in the past, but Reunion From Hell does its best to move gay representation forward in the genre. It goes without saying that one little indie film like this isn’t going to change the world, but it’s certainly a nice start.

Admirably, Reunion From Hell somehow comes together pretty nicely. It’s not revolutionary by any means, but it certainly works as a love letter to the ’80s slasher flicks that Carpenter first inspired well over forty years ago. Hollywood could certainly take notes from its representation of the gay community.

Release Date: April 30th (US)

CENTRAL PARK

A serial killer stalks the grounds of Central Park, on the hunt for fresh young prey among the homeless and the horrible. It’s not long before six school friends stumble into his path, planning to get drunk and high in Central Park after dark. But what is this masking tape-faced killer playing at, and how does it relate to Harold’s dad’s Ponzi scheme?

There’s a lot going on with director Justin Reinsilber’s inner city slasher film, and it’s not always terribly coherent. The story is a maze of subplots, storylines and characters – some of which pay off more than others. The Ponzi motive, for example, never really plays into the plot in any meaningful way. It certainly never feels personal, even as The Man (Reinsilber himself) picks off and slaughters his victims, one at a time. There’s never been a better time for a killer who preys on the over-privileged offspring of corrupt businessmen (not even 2017, when this film was first made), but this one is disappointingly tame.

But we can’t fault Central Park its ambition. This is more than just another low-rent, low-budget slasher film, and there are some interesting ideas at play here. The Central Park setting is a lot of fun, shot entirely on location after dark. The director of photography, Eun-ah Lee takes advantage of New York’s grime, giving the film a down-and-dirty Giallo feel at times. While Reinsilber could have taken better advantage of the park when staging his kills, it’s agreeably brutal when the story calls for it. Still not as scary as Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, though.

Like New York City itself, Central Park is a dense melting pot, its distinctive ideas and identities threatening to overwhelm the fairly basic but enjoyable slasher film at its core.

Release Date: April 26th (Digital)

LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES

laddie

Despite having the name of his father – the famous actor from the golden age of cinema – Alan Ladd, Jr is an unassuming, self-effacing chap but is worthy of the biggest respect and accolades possible. Directed by his daughter, Amanda, who speaks to many of the filmmakers her father worked with – and there are many big names – as well as the man himself, affectionately known to people as Laddie.

The story of Laddie’s rise from being an agent to the top job at 20th Century Fox is an interesting one, but it’s his ability to believe in projects that no one else did that cemented his place in history. He was the man who almost singlehandedly got Star Wars made when the studio were ready to shut it down.

It’s not all success, though. When he left Fox and founded The Ladd Company, the number of failures outnumbered the massive hits. Hearing him talk – reluctantly – about The Right Stuff underlines his passion for doing things right and disappointment at the meddling of others.

The level of talking heads is testament to the respect Laddie commands in the industry. George Lucas, Ron Howard, Ridley Scott, Mel Brooks, Morgan Freeman, Mel Gibson, Ben Affleck among others have great stories to tell about working with him. His response to the adoration: “I was just doing my job”.

The documentary is as much about the film industry of the seventies as it is about Laddie, which we’re sure he would appreciate greatly. However, his importance to the world of genre cinema can’t be understated. The fact his daughter is discovering things about her father is as touching as anything people say about him. A beautiful story about a fantastic life.

Release Date: Out Now (Digital)

THE SEVENTH DAY

seventh day

You think you’ve seen enough exorcism movies? Well Justin P. Lange’s The Seventh Day may give you something a little different. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it avoids the usual pitfalls.

Father Peter (Guy Pearce) has had a literal baptism of fire as the Church’s go-to exorcist. Years earlier, he was being mentored (by the legendary Keith David) through a particularly tough possession: a young boy whose demon inside is particularly virulent. The exorcism didn’t go well and the boy burned to death in front of the young priest and the boy’s parents. In the present day, he’s given a young protégé, Father Daniel (Vadhir Derbez), by the Archbishop (Stephen Lang, playing completely opposite type), and he’s a tough teacher. The dynamic between the two is more akin to a dysfunctional pairing of cops from a Hollywood movie than an ecumenical union. Their first real case together is that of a boy who killed his family, but Father Peter believes to be a vessel for a demon.

Guy Pearce dominates the screen, as you’d expect, leaving Vadhir Derbez looking a tad lost throughout their scenes but come the climax, he comes into his own. All the exorcism tropes are here: flickering lights, bloody visions, and screaming kids taunting priests, but that’s part of the fun and director Lange and DP Nick Remy Matthews manage to give many of the scenes a fresh eye, making them

The production values are above the slew of possession films we’ve had forced upon us over the past few years, and there are more than enough shocks to keep the average audience entertained. All this – and the great cast – mean we can wholeheartedly recommend The Seventh Day as a diverting ninety minutes, but don’t go in expecting an epiphany.

THE RESORT

resort

People going to places they’ve been told not to? Check. A creepy, deserted place that’s meant to be haunted? Check. Ignoring the warning to get off the island before sundown? Check. The Resort is packed with clichés but, ultimately, it’s a harmless, fun mainstream horror film.

Young writer Lex (Bianca Haase) gets the perfect gift from her friends for her birthday – a trip to an abandoned Hawaiian island hotel that has a reputation to be haunted. To be fair, she is meant to be writing a piece on the paranormal and the legend of the ‘Half-faced Girl’ is a great temptation for her. She’s a bit miffed, then, that when they get to the island (by hiring a helicopter pilot), the rest of the gang want to hit the beach and explore elsewhere. Lex is desperate to get to the hotel, despite being warned that the only boat out from the island leaves and they eventually give the birthday girl her treat. The hotel is certainly creepy as it’s so quiet and empty, but the ominous room 306, which is meant to be haunted, doesn’t let loose its ghost. Not initially, anyway.

The biggest problem with The Resort is the structure; writer/director Taylor Chien’s story is told in flashback as Lex is being interviewed in her hospital bed by a detective (in a room that happens to have a teaching skeleton, but, yeah… ok). This tells us she survived – so no threat there. It also reveals she was the only survivor – so the rest are getting killed off. Had the story been presented in a regular fashion, we’re sure it would have been more effective. Also the group isn’t the most likeable. There’s the long-haired muscle guy (Brock O’Hurn, looking desperately like he wants to be Chris Hemsworth), the chipper bestie (Michelle Randolph), and the goof-ball who likes to prank (Michael Vlamis). Lex doesn’t seem the most fun to be around, either. They are also all creeped out by rather than in awe of a murmuration of birds, which is a strange reaction.

There’s still enough to recommend as when things kick off, there’s one particularly good gore effect, and the uninhabited location adds an eerie atmosphere, but those wanting something a little more intense will be left lacking. That’s not to say there are not some good jump scares along the way, but with the majority of the threat diluted by the flashback narrative. The other elements needed to be much stronger for us to recommend to a die-hard horror audience.

Release Date: April 30th (Digital), June 7th (DVD)

THE OAK ROOM

oak room

Director Cody Calahan (Antisocial) brings a suspenseful, claustrophobic, male-dominated drama that subtly burrows under the skin of the viewer, proving that stories are all you need.

During a massive snowstorm, a young man, Steve (R.J. Mitte), enters a bar just as it’s about to close. The bartender, Paul (Peter Outerbridge), knows him so is shocked to see him. It’s not long since Paul had to organise the funeral of Steve’s father. Steve has a tale to tell Paul, though. Although reluctant, he listens and gets more enthralled by what Steve has to say.

Adapted from his own stage play, Peter Genoway’s script is dialogue-heavy but never feels theatrical. For the most part, it’s a two-hander, particularly as the stories mostly only contain two main characters at a time. Genoway knows how to ‘goose the truth’ as it’s referred to here. By the time the penny drops, we’re more than committed to the engaging drama. It’s rare for a dialogue-driven film to be so effectively horrifying. The cast works the script flawlessly, with Ari Millen, Martin Roach, and David Ferry doing the honours in the tales being spun. When things do get nasty, it’s bloody but restrained. Which is not to say it isn’t visceral and shocking. The soundtrack by Steph Copeland is also beautifully haunting.

The influence of the Cohen brothers is undeniable, but The Oak Room is no facsimile and always feels its own beast. The direction is taut, building the atmosphere gradually until the tension is practically smothering during the denouement – a final shot that rivals Blood Simple for satisfaction.

Release Date: April 26th (Digital), June 14th (DVD)

TOKYO GHOUL S

Following up 2017’s Tokyo Ghoul; arguably the best live-action anime adaptation to date, comes Tokyo Ghoul S, originally released in 2019 in Japan.

In this sequel, the story follows the “Gourmet Arc” from the source material as Ken Kaneki (the returning Masataka Kubota) who, having just got to grips with his Ghoul powers, faces his toughest challenge yet in the suave and sadistic Shuu Tsukiyama (aka the Gourmet) as he vows to feast on Kaneki’s flesh.

What made the first film so enjoyable was how faithful it was to the source material – and this sequel is no different. The characters that fans love are back and better than ever; Kubota and Yamamoto’s performances as Kaneki and Touka respectively are superb with their compelling chemistry on full display (even with Yamamoto replacing the original actor who portrayed Touka) – and Shota Matsuda as the Gourmet steals the show in every single scene he’s in.

One of the biggest issues with its predecessor was the at-times lacklustre CGI when it came to the Ghoul’s Kagune, however, with a larger budget, a lot of the CGI has been vastly improved, especially during the battle scenes. Speaking of the action set-pieces, this instalment, unfortunately, dropped the ball with comparatively less focus on action against the first instalment. Alongside that, the pacing of this sequel was dramatically different as the centre of attention was firmly on the more personal dramatic aspect of some of the minor characters and moments that felt out of place, meaning that the 100-minute runtime felt laboured; whereas the 2017 film with a longer runtime moved along at a wonderfully realised rate to keep you engaged.

Tokyo Ghoul S pales in comparison to the first instalment but is still a solid sequel that is entertaining and well directed. Even with its issues, it is still a comprehensible narrative with well-constructed characters and beautiful set-pieces but fans of the original and its source material will be hoping that the inevitable third part of the franchise will be much stronger.

Tokyo Ghoul S is available on ScreenAnime from April 25th 2021 until May 25th 2021

STOWAWAY

stowaway

A three-person crew. A two-year mission. A single, devastating revelation. These are the basic ingredients of Joe Penna’s Stowaway, new to Netflix this week. On paper, it should work: in the vein of sci-fac (science fact, as opposed to science fiction) movies like Gravity and The Martian, it aims to tell a human story set against the backdrop of space. It has one of the best four-person casts perhaps ever assembled on film (that of Toni Collette, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, and Shamier Anderson), all of whom are on top form, and it’s one of the most realistic sci-fac films since the aforementioned Gravity. But there’s a great big gaping hole at its centre that almost derails the entire movie. Almost.

The good stuff first, though, because there’s plenty of it. The performances, as mentioned, are incredible. Kendrick in particular is clearly out to impress, and has no trouble succeeding: her dramatic role here may be a slight surprise given her tendency for comedic leads, but she’s in her element. Scientist Zoe is sweet and funny, always keeping the crew’s best interests in mind – even when those interests are at odds with the mission itself.

Collette, Kim, and Anderson back her up beautifully. The central trio, which excludes Anderson as the titular stowaway, are instantly engaging and believable. It’s a testament to the acting power of all three that they work equally well as individuals, as pairs, or as the full group. They’re charming and playful, but never smarmy or mean – in short, they’re the perfect little group for a movie like this.

It’s also worth saying that Stowaway looks, feels, and sounds incredible. Though it’s lighter on set-pieces than something like Gravity or even Interstellar, the ones that we do get are wonderfully tense. To get into too much detail would be to divulge unnecessary spoilers, and this is a film best seen with as little prior knowledge as possible, but their small scale in comparison to other space movies does them no harm: they pack just as much punch as their bigger counterparts.

Aesthetically, this is a gorgeous piece of work. Klemens Becker’s cinematography is always on point; whether it’s in the cramped spaces of the ship or out in the black void, his eye is perfect for keeping us engaged. Hauschka’s score is yet another winner for the Ammonite and The Old Guard composer: it’s soft and slow, there when it needs to be and never overbearing until it swells beautifully in the film’s final minutes to truly solidify the emotional impact of the ending.

With all this in mind, it’s even more of a shame that the hole at the middle of it threatens to rip it apart. There’s no getting around it, either: it’s something that simply doesn’t make sense. Namely, how the hell is Michael onboard the shuttle in the first place? He’s found stowed away in a cupboard, injured and unconscious, with no clue how he got there. How did he get there? He didn’t do it on purpose, so did someone put him there? If he was put there, who was he put there by, and how come no one from the Hyperion ground team found him when the ship was being checked before lift-off? This isn’t to take away from Anderson’s performance, which is exceptional, but it’s so hard to be completely on board with the rest of the film when there’s such a huge hole in its central premise.

And really, that’s the only thing that holds Stowaway down. It’s such a shame, because the rest of it is so good and feels so fresh and interesting – with a little more effort put into the premise, this could have been something really special. As it stands it’s still more than worth a watch for the electric performances alone, but this one issue stops it from flying as high as it could have.

MORTAL KOMBAT

mortal kombat

Ever since Mortal Kombat debuted in the arcades back in the early ‘90s, it has dabbled in film and television more so than any other game franchise.  It’s had the original film, starring Highlander’s Christopher Lambert, and its lower budget sequel where he was replaced by Dexter Morgan’s dad. There was the Fox Kids cartoon Defender of the Realm, because why wouldn’t you market a franchise about brutal deaths at young children. There was the short-lived live-action TV series, Mortal Kombat Conquest, and by the turn of the century, few really cared about Mortal Kombat anymore.

Games still came out, but their move to 3D was not well received, and with the decline of the arcades, fighting games in general were on the decline. This all changed in 2010 when Mortal Kombat: Rebirth surfaced on YouTube, an 8-minute film that showed what the property could be if it was a bit grittier and had modern special effects. This was followed by web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Around the same time, the video game was rebooted. Going back to its roots as a 2D game, with excellent graphics, more violence than ever, and benefitting from a fighting game boom, thanks to the stability in online play via consoles. It was inevitable that it would one day return to the big screen, and depending on where you live during the pandemic (sorry UK fans) that day has come.

In terms of plot, not a lot has changed in 26 years. It’s time for Earth and the Outer Realm to have another fighting tournament. Two god-likes, Shang Tsung representing the Outer Realm and Raiden, representing Earth, must select their champions and have them pitted against each other in fights to the death. If the Outer Realm wins 10 consecutive tournaments in a row, then they can happily invade Earth, and they’re currently on 9. The main plot difference to the original film and game, however, is that the protagonist in that one was Lui Kang, whereas in this one it’s Cole Young, a brand-new character created for the film. Cole’s a family man and a not particularly good fighter, earning just $200 a time, but he’s also the Chosen One, so he better start practicing…

As you would expect, the special effects are much better than in any previous effort, as is the choreography in the fight scenes. Right from the opening scene, blood and guts are flying all over the place giving you early indications of what you can look forward to. Unfortunately, however, to get there, you are going to have to sit through a whole lot of plot. The cheesy script and terrible acting make that especially more painful at times, as the actual “tournament” itself, is reserved for the last 20 minutes of the film. Sure, there are a few fights outside of it, but nothing that’s remotely on the same level.

The fatalities that the series is most famous for certainly don’t disappoint, with Jax, Kano, Kung Lao, and Lui Kang all getting their most famous ones in glorious detail, although sensibly amid backlash from the games, Kung Lao’s opts not to go crotch first. Other than the fatalities, the film also relies on quite a few subtler nods to Mortal Kombat fans, from Lui Kang spamming a low kick to the cheesy delivery of the commentator’s lines, quoting familiar soundbites such as “flawless victory” throughout.

It seems crazy that after nearly 30 years of the game being out, this is the best that the studio can do. Either it needs to be a well-acted film, with a good script and plot, or it needed to be 2 hours of violence and gore. It’s the sort of film that would look great in a trailer or a highlight reel – the things it does well are great – there’s just not much substance to it and you won’t care about any of the characters. The ending suggests a sequel, but it’s probably best someone rips the legs off this one.

Fatality!

BLACK BEAR

black bear

Like a more enigmatic The French Lieutenants Woman but made by John Cassavetes on speed, Black Bear takes the concept of a film within a film to explore the creative process and the potentially damaging result of creativity on personal relationships. It is a complex, exciting, powerful mind-fuck held together by an absolutely riveting central performance from Aubrey Plaza, who is stunning.

A writer/director suffering from writer’s block (Plaza) retreats to a lakeside country house to find her muse. In Part 1, she’s sharing the space with the owners, a couple who are about to have a baby but whose relationship seems to be breaking down. Over wine and discussions around creativity, world views and relationships, emotions run high and a shocking event seems to bring the story to a second act close. But then Part 2 begins, and what emerges is something connected but very different to the first part – not a repetition but a re-presenting.

Writer/director Lawrence Michael Levine has crafted something brilliant here; a film about the creation of Black Bear, about artistic choices and personal cost. It’s also about creative authenticity and how far you’ll go for your vision, about manipulation and about the audience’s complicity in all of that.

Yep, there’s a lot going on here and yet, for a film that makes you feel like you’ve been holding your breath since it started, it’s a hugely enjoyable, wild, crazy, enthralling ride.

What helps smooth that ride are three performances which carry you along on this shifting journey. Christopher Abbott, who was so good in Possessor, and Sarah Gadon are both excellent. But it’s Plaza who the film follows, it’s her who is both the creator of these worlds and the star of them, and Levine gives Plaza the role of her career so far. Her performance is something marvellous that you cannot take your eyes off and, when she’s on screen (and she almost always is), you’re as drawn to these worlds as the characters on screen are.

Most of the talk around Black Bear has presented it as a film of two halves and that’s true to some extent. However, a repeated scene that bookends the film and appears part way through suggests, to this reviewer at least, that there’s a third part, one which starts directly after the film’s ending shot, another revised version of Black Bear that is going to be played out in our own minds once the end credits roll.

It’s all tremendously entertaining, stunningly executed, and features one of the best performances of the year by far. See it.

Release Date: April 23rd (Digital)