Review Category: Movie

 

Groundhog Day was already pretty traumatic when Bill Murray went through it. Widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies of all time, Harold Ramis’ classic went to some pretty dark places. Namely, quite a lot of suicide. Now, imagine Groundhog Day, but with a serial killer. Such is Tree Glebman’s lot in life, forced to relive the day of her murder over and over again, brutally slaughtered by a masked killer night after night. The same night, though.

Horror fans will come for the slasher affectations, but stay for the rest. With a cast of very pretty young things on a bright, poppy American college campus, Happy Death Day is the best Scream pastiche since the late nineties. Thankfully not overdoing it on the meta humour (that Bill Murray movie only gets one mention but it’s in the film’s best gag), the kills are inventive and fun, gnarly but not so traumatic that they’ll undermine the humour or the heart. And it’s that heart that is Happy Death Day’s strongest suit.

The film’s genuinely endearing leads paper over the cracks in the story and slightly rubbish whodunit; Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard have great chemistry, and it’s a lot of fun watching the pair play variations on the same scene again and again from different emotional angles. As Tree, Rothe has a lot to do and deal with, and even if her Mean-Girl-to-Final-Girl arc never quite rings true, she takes the gamut of emotions in her stride – particularly the all-important sadness and hurt at her character’s centre. There’s a triumphalism to it that’s almost on a par with the mighty cult tearjerker The Final Girls.

And it’s that which sees us through the film’s missteps, such as the shonky manner in which it attempts to induce stakes (each of Tree’s deaths has a lasting effect upon her body, making her weaker every time she ‘respawns’) without it ever really playing into the plot afterwards, or the paper-thin characterisation elsewhere. The writing by Scott Lobdell is solid and his intentions are good, but the gender politics – most notably some interactions between the film’s women – could use some work.

But for many, the whole thing will be one massive bone of contention. Without victim blaming: seriously, how hard is it to not die for 24 hours? Drive out of state! Get on an aeroplane or something! But for others, it will make for great after-cinema discussion – how would you survive your Happy Death Day?

The film has its share of flaws, plot holes (and a terrible villain), but it’s so much fun that these are easily overlooked. For its emotional beats, central performances and sheer bravado, this is a charming little comedy horror number that fans will take great pleasure in playing over and over again.

HAPPY DEATH DAY / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: CHRISTOPHER LANDON / SCREENPLAY: SCOTT LOBDELL / STARRING: JESSICA ROTHE, ISRAEL BROUSSARD, RUBY MODINE, CHARLES AITKEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Expected: 8

 

The 2017 Frightfest Halloween event ended with a suitably dark and gory affair, which could be described – with apologies to the King blockbuster – as ‘The Night ‘It’ came home’

Damien Leone’s Terrifier is an expansion of a character that has appeared in two previous short film incarnations of his, firstly in 2008’s The 9th Circle, and then the subsequent 2011 short of the same name as this film.

Evil clown Art is out to play a silent game of death on vulnerable women. His first two potential victims are Tara (Jenna Kanell) and Dawn (Catherine Corcoran), who first encounter the mysterious figure whilst eating pizza. He isn’t revealing much to them, even after the owner of the pizzeria demands he leave after he refuses to acknowledge him in trying to order something.

However, when the pair discover the tyres on their car are flat, Tara decides to call her sister to come and get them.  A call of nature beckons and Tara asks the super at a nearby building to use the toilet, unaware that Art may well be waiting in the shadows…

Leone is competent and comfortable with the motifs of the genre and in Terrifier he has announced his directorial intent as somebody who can handle suspense and gore in equal measure. Art is a truly malevolent and evil killer, up there with the likes of Freddy, Jason and Jigsaw. The film has the same atmosphere as Halloween, Friday the 13th and Tobe Hooper’s Toolbox Murders, but does at times come across as a semi rip-off of those more affectionately remembered classics, with a hint of Hostel thrown in for good measure.

Kanell and Corcoran are attractive leads and hold the attention, a common trait of many great horror films over the years that will always bring in punters. Leone wisely keeps the action confined to limited locations and there are some cheerfully dark moments provided by Art, who perversely laughs off some of his malicious acts, which were greeted with nervous laughter by the FrightFest audience in place at the screening this writer attended.

If you still have that childhood phobia of clowns then this, combined with the on-going commercial success of IT, will not soften your fear of them.

The film is certainly going to score highly with fans in its make-up effects, which are amongst the bloodiest on show I have seen. If you can endure what was on show in Hostel and Saw, then you will have no trouble here.

Terrifier may suffer a little bit in terms of audience success because of the King blockbuster, but Art is certainly a little scarier than Pennywise at times in this film.

TERRIFIER / CERT: TBD / DIRECTOR: DAMIEN LEONE / SCREENPLAY: DAMIEN LEONE / STARRING:  JENNA KANELL, CATHERINE CORCORAN, MARGARET REED / RELEASE DATE: 28TH OCTOBER (FRIGHTFEST)

Described as Britain’s ‘most haunted house’ (even more haunted than that gaffe in Enfield), Borley Rectory has inspired two classics of horror fiction: Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House and Richard Matheson’s Hell House, the film adaptations of these (The Haunting [1962 and The Legend of Hell House [1973]) plus several documentaries (The Ghost Hunters [1975], Strange But True? [1994]) and numerous factual books on the subject. But it was an account by the famed psychic researcher Harry Price published in The Daily Mirror in 1929 that first brought Borley House into the wider public consciousness. Price claimed to have experienced paranormal phenomena at the Rectory, including instances of poltergeist activity. Subsequent well-publicized investigations by the Society for Psychical Research only increased Borley’s reputation over the years; despite concluding that much of the phenomena had been faked, the truth became the legend.

Price’s investigations form the basis for Ashley Thorpe’s film, a fascinating dramatized documentary that tells the story of Borley from the point of view of the various occupants at the Rectory, from the first reports of paranormal events in 1863, to the planchette séances that took place in the late 1930s, in attempts to contact the spirits of the dead, to the 1939 fire that devastated the house and led to its demolition in 1944.

Thorpe’s film started as a short, originally for Channel 4’s Shooting Gallery; but after recording a voice-over narration by Julian Sands, Thorpe realized that there was scope for a longer treatment of the subject. Larry Fessenden’s Glass Eye Pix later stepped in with funding, and Thorpe spent six years shooting and editing, making extensive use of green screen to create a work that is visually stunning. Resembling at times the early days of cinema, Borley Rectory evokes the paranormal through the properties of the film medium itself: ghostly black and white lends the images an eerie, timeless quality like old faded photographs of long-deceased relatives. In other places, Borley Rectory takes on a luminosity that conjures up 1940s ghost movie classics like The Uninvited (1944). Thorpe’s intention was indeed to return us to the “quiet” horror of the 1940s, and in this Borley Rectory succeeds remarkably well. Thorpe tells the story through voice-over and dramatic reconstruction of key events at the Rectory, and because of the intimacy of this format Borley Rectory may be best suited to the small screen rather than a festival audience. Either way, Thorpe’s visual craftsmanship shines through, especially in the post-production (which he handled himself), making Borley Rectory a unique – and haunting – viewing experience.

BORLEY RECTORY / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: ASHLEY THORPE / STARRING: JONATHAN RIGBY, REECE SHEERSMITH/ RELEASE DATE: TBA

Expected Rating: 7 out of 10

Sam J Jones is one of the true enigmas of cult entertainment. The star of Dino De Laurentiis’ bizarrely wonky but much loved 1980 version of Flash Gordon, his image was everywhere at the time, including right here on the cover of STARBURST. Stuffed with memorable performances from the likes of Brian Blessed, Peter Wyngarde and Topol and propelled by an immortal Queen soundtrack, the film’s success gave rise to inevitable speculation over a sequel. Little did we realise at the time, but Jones was already yesterday’s man, having been fired from the production by Laurentiis prior to its completion, unable even to loop his dialogue (which was dubbed by another actor). So, what had happened to Jones – and what happened next?

These intriguing questions are entertainingly answered in Life After Flash, a new Indiegogo-funded feature documentary from director Lisa Downs which serves both a biography of Sam Jones and as a retrospective on the making of the movie. Jones – looking fighting fit – is at its centre, relating his life-story from boyhood to the present day. Turns out he got a little too big for his boots while making Flash Gordon and rubbed legendary mogul De Laurentiis up the wrong way, leading to his dismissal from the film. It was the beginning of a roller-coaster few decades for the actor before the cultural re-assessment of Flash Gordon found him an appreciative fanbase at conventions – an upturn in his fortunes that coincided with him finding peace and stability in his personal life. It’s a genuinely heart-warming story with a fascinating coda that reveals Jones’ current occupation (outside of fan convention appearances) as a gun-toting security officer escorting VIPs across the US-Mexican border!

Jones’ story is interspersed with interviews with the cast and crew of Flash Gordon, who look back on the film with a great deal of warmth. Brian Blessed and Peter Wyngarde, both gloriously at the stage in their lives when they are way past caring, provide a series of priceless, unguarded reminiscences that had the preview audience we saw the film with doubled up with laughter. Melody Anderson and Topol are just as delightful but much better behaved.

Life After Flash is a 90 minute excellent documentary about Sam Jones and the movie that made his name. Unfortunately, the film runs to 114 minutes and the bulk of this extra running time is padded out by interviews with various guests and fans at Comic Cons who talk about what it’s like to go to, well, go to Comic Cons. While the phenomenon of these events may be sort-of relevant to Jones current life, the connection made is too tenuous to merit the inclusion of these bolted-on talking heads.

A life-affirming tribute to a cult movie and its star who triumphed against the odds, Life After Flash could do without those unrelated interviews but, at its core is a fascinating tale that all fans of the 1980 movie should seek out.

LIFE AFTER FLASH / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: LISA DOWNS / STARRING: SAM J JONES, MELODY ANDERSON, TOPOL, BRIAN BLESSED, PETER WYNGARDE / RELEASE DATE: TBC

Expected Rating:  7 out of 10

Stop me if this sounds familiar. A young woman with a burgeoning sexuality discovers she may have dangerous powers beyond her control. Horror films have often explored feminine power, focusing on young women coming-of-age while coping with supernatural growing pains. Think Carrie’s telekinesis, Ginger’s sudden growth of a furry tail and most recently Raw’s vegetarian-turned-cannibal-veterinary-student.

Thelma is the latest in this long line of female ‘monsters’ who we might just ending up rooting for as they wreak havoc on the old patriarchy. The titular character is a young woman who has arrived in the city to study biology at university, for the first time living away from her rural-living religious parents. While Thelma makes friends and enjoys her new found independence, her strict parents are frequently phoning to check up on her. When Thelma meets classmate Anya, something awakens in her that is not just about her sexuality, but might also be supernatural.

Beginning with its most arresting image, Thelma unveils its intriguing story slowly and vaguely predictably. It opens with Thelma as a little girl accompanying her father while out hunting in the woods. As he spies a deer and takes aim with his rifle, he pauses and then points the gun at the back of his daughter’s head. The sense of Thelma being dangerous is immediately instilled, and the father’s fear of his daughter’s powers becomes a thread that insidiously weaves its way through the film.

Thelma explores its protagonist’s fear of the unknown and her uncertainty about her own desires. When she meets Anya, the pair begin as friends before their relationship swiftly develops. Director Joachim Trier frequently demonstrates the power of these new emotions, as well as the fear and panic they can cause. Thelma is haunted by dreams and visions and the crucifix that sits around her neck reminds of what she has been taught, and how she knows she is supposed to feel about her new experiences. Watching her experimenting with drinking, smoking and kissing for the first time, it is clear that she has been dominated for too long, but that she has also succumbed to being submissive, and has even relished the comfort and care of her parents.

Flashbacks fill in details of why Thelma’s father fears her so much, but in the present, the pair have a complex, interesting relationship that doesn’t quite fit the usual overbearing parent and child template. Borrowing most from the likes of films like Carrie, Thelma again explores ideas of faith and parental domination, of coming of age and coming to terms with womanhood and the possibility of extreme new powers.

While Thelma doesn’t cover much new ground, its existential horror is deliberately and wholeheartedly character-driven. It may not have quite the cathartic release of seeing Carrie burn the prom to the ground, but it does go to some dark places and our heroine emerges as a yet another shining example of a feminist horror avenger, if not nearly as iconic as some that came before her.

THELMA / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOACHIM TRIER / SCREENPLAY: JOACHIM TRIER, ESKIL VOGT / STARRING: EILI HARBOE, KAYA WILKINS, HENRIK RAFAELSEN, ELLEN DORRIT PETERSEN / RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 3RD

Expected Rating: 6 out of 10

There is a moment in this movie that sums up the experience of watching it perfectly. Suddenly sucked through a dimensional portal in space to the lair of a genocidal DJ-ing despot, our hero experiences a cosmic version of the notorious, kiddie-scaring chocolate river boat ride from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As a scene, it is garishly colourful, thrillingly scary and very funny indeed. By the time you realise the music swelling up behind it on the soundtrack is that classic Wonka ditty ‘Pure Imagination’ by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, your mind is melting at the sheer chutzpah of the joyous thing that is Thor: Ragnarok. The best part? You know that another scene like this will be along very shortly.

It’s fair to say that Thor hasn’t had the smoothest parade around the Marvel cinematic paddock compared to his Avenging colleagues. Kenneth Branagh’s successful, if (ahem) low-key first chapter in 2011 was a tonally mixed bag that established Chris Hemsworth as an excellent Thor but never quite found a comfort zone between comedy and action. Things were not helped by leading lady Natalie Portman giving off the distinct aura of someone who’d walked onto the movie by mistake and was sticking around just to be polite. She looked even less impressed to be in Thor: The Dark World, Alan Taylor’s 2013 sequel which wasn’t half bad but lacked Branagh’s lightness of touch. By the standards of the MCU, it was pretty ordinary, which is hardly a description the vigorous, party-loving, beer-swilling Thor should ever be associated with.

So, welcome to the party he deserves. The new film begins with Thor escaping the jaws of death via a Led Zep-backed battle sequence that concludes with Marvel’s greatest-ever main title reveal. Arriving back on Asgard, he finds his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) living the high-life, having packed their old dad Odin (Anthony Hopkins) off to an old people’s home in New York, like the good son he is. Travelling to Earth, the estranged brothers find their Dad’s care home has been demolished, so enlist the assistance of some Sorcerer bloke they come across to track the old duffer down. When they do, he tips them off to defend Asgard against the outrageously powerful Hela who, in the form of Cate Blanchett, is quite possibly the most kick-ass lady the MCU has ever seen. En route to stop her, things get serious, then seriously funny, when the brothers Odinson find themselves in the disco-stadium court of the Grandmaster (Goldblum, in stealth Goldblum mode). There, Thor gets a haircut and is enslaved to do show-battle with is old mate the Hulk, who has been having so much fun on the cosmic WWE circuit, he’s lost interest in turning back into Bruce Banner. Thor does not have any sort of coherent plan to deal with any of this. But, by thunder – he does!

Thor: Ragnarok (a tragically Portman-free zone, she garners not a mention) delivers on the promise of its ‘Team Thor’ teasers and recent trailers to be a full-blown riot. New Zealander Taika Waititi is an inspired choice of director, ensuring we’re never far away from the next dramatic drop-kick, spot-on punchline or moment of visual splendour. He has a willing partner in Chris Hemsworth, who is clearly having the time of his life with a script that nails the sheer, unbridled exuberance of his character. Hemsworth’s buddy-act with the wisecracking CGI Hulk is sublime and having Mark Ruffalo’s frazzled Banner (once Hulk changes back) in the mix is every bit as brilliant an idea as you hoped it would be. But in a film of show-stopping, laugh-out-loud performances (including some gobsmacking cameos we won’t spoil), even an on-fire Jeff Goldblum is out-funnied by director Waititi himself, who brings the house down as chilled-out rock monster and would-be sidekick Korg. His line about his mate Doug is the greatest deadpan of the year. You’ll know it when you hear it.

Thor: Ragnarok is an awesomely entertaining premier league win for Thor that fizzes with inventive energy. Nine years and 17 movies into the MCU, that’s got to be worth some serious flagons of ale.

 

THOR: RAGNAROK / CERT: 12A / DIRECTOR: TAIKA WAITITI / SCREENPLAY: ERIC PEARSON, CRAIG KYLE, CHRISTOPHER YOST/ STARRING: CHRIS HEMSWORTH, MARK RUFFALO, TOM HIDDLESTON, JEFF GOLDBLUM/ RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 27TH

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10
Actual Rating:

Zoology is completely based around a simple but sensational premise. A woman lives with her mother and works in a zoo as part of a life which is going nowhere until one day… she grows a tail. Not even a cute bushy tail as you might want it to be. It is a long clumsy thing which protrudes from the base of her spine like an albino snake. Not exactly a flattering feature, but for acclaimed Russian director and writer Ivan I. Tverdovskiy, this is exactly the point.

 

Tverdovskiy has already explored themes of the body in Corrections Class (2014), specifically disability. Zoology seems to be looking at a body that is – in the eyes of other characters – monstrous rather than impaired. The tail is used metaphorically as Tverdovskiy explores ideas like the body, religion, belief and being in a small Russian town. It is an intriguing exploration of commonly held prejudices and misgivings, which helps to move the story along.

 

Natalya Pavlenkova portrays Natasha, the woman struck with the embarrassing affliction, and expertly expresses Natasha’s broken emotional state. Pavlenkova also shines in some of the film’s lighter moments, of which there are several, and in building the affectionate but difficult relationship with her doctor Petya (Dmitriy Groshev). Her mother (Irina Chipizhenko), on the other hand, epitomises the kind of superstitious woman of faith who feels terrified by this ‘tailed witch’ (going as far as to paint red crosses all over her house). Of course, she has no idea that the ‘witch’ is actually her daughter.

 

An interesting story backed up with strong performances is great, but the problem is that it kind of stops there. For a story with such an eye-catching plot summary, Zoology struggles to be an absorbing film. Barring one scene involving a drawer full of mice, nothing which happens takes you by surprise. It all pans out in broadly the way you would expect it too. The final scene, especially, sees a tense but predictable outcome play out.

 

As the whole idea is that this woman has a tail, and that she works in a zoo, a lot more could have been made of her relationship with the zoo animals and how Natasha seems happiest around them. There are a few moments, but it is something that is never taken as far as it could be.

 

Zoology proves to be more interesting than enjoyable, intriguing than shocking and thoughtful than especially provocative. It feels like a lot more could have been done with an idea and setting which lends itself to so much, and yet gives less than it promises.

 

ZOOLOGY / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: IVAN I. TVERDOVSKIY / STARRING: NATALYA PAVLENKOVA, DMITRIY GROSHEV, IRINA CHIPIZHENKO, ALEKSANDR NEKHOROSHIKH, ELLA SANKO / RELEASE DATE: 29TH SEPTEMBER

 

Expected Rating: 7/10

 

 

Olivia Cooke (Me, Earl and the Dying Girl) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split) leap from the screen in Thoroughbreds, a film that gifts them both deliciously dark characters to race head first into.

When Amanda (Cooke) kills her family’s horse, her mother arranges for her to reconnect with old friend Lily (Taylor-Joy). The two are supposed to help each other study, but they immediately fall into trading barbs, exploring each other’s issues and poking at each other’s psyches. Amanda is in therapy and seemingly unconcerned that she can’t feel emotions; Lily is troubled by her alpha male stepfather Mark. When the pair plans to kill Mark and enlist the help of a local small-time drug dealer (the late, great Anton Yelchin), events take a turn for the murderous.

Set almost entirely in Mark’s huge house, the camera prowls around the grounds following these characters and exploring their warped sense of morality. The girls are surrounded by luxury; sofas so big the pair can’t fill them, swimming pools where they can play at holding their breath and gardens that require not one but two workers to mow the lawns. They are members of a privileged Connecticut society but left almost completely to their own devices, Amanda and Lily devise a dangerous and terrible scheme.

What’s fascinating and keeps Thoroughbreds largely gripping are the ruthless and manipulative manner that the pair goes about their business. While Olivia Cooke’s Amanda appears the colder and more calculating, she emerges as the slightly less interesting character as the story progresses. Her role is to draw the worst from Lily and Anya Taylor-Joy is revelatory as she descends from warm, to cool to ice cold. It’s a fascinating turn and a well-written character. Director/writer Cory Finley doesn’t go for the easy option of making Mark utterly loathsome (though he definitely has his moments) and it’s hard to fully side with the girls as they manipulate their way towards murder.

With the score and cinematography of a horror film, but the wit and moral murkiness of a neo-noir, Thoroughbreds is a confidently directed thriller. With its privileged kids and their preppy costumes, it recalls Heathers but lacking in more outrageous moments. It’s also a testament to the talents of Anton Yelchin who brings a welcome dash of pathos as he is lured into the girl’s games. His drug dealer with big ambitions musters some sympathy and showcases the vulnerability of Yelchin’s persona, as well as his knack for comedy.

But Cooke and Taylor-Joy dominate proceedings as they confidently embrace their characters. There are no real surprises in where it goes but it is particularly fun to watch how Taylor-Joy’s character develops. Perhaps a little too cold and calculated, Thoroughbreds is dark, but lacking in real bite. A fairly impressive beast then, but not a race winner.

THOROUGHBREDS / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: CORY FINLEY / STARRING: ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, OLIVIA COOKE, ANTON YELCHIN / RELEASE DATE: 9TH MARCH 2018

Expected Rating: 7

Actual Rating:

Fresh out of Game of Thrones, Aidan Gillen produces, co-writes and stars in Pickups, a micro-budget oddity from director Jamie Thraves. Exploring the mind of an actor as he prepares to play a serial killer, its darkly funny but barely manages to justify its already short running time.

Gillen plays a fictional version of himself, actor Aiden who has recently divorced, is struggling with back pain and wants to reconnect with his teenage son. He’s also in the process of method preparation for his role as a murderer in an upcoming film. Pickups follows Aiden as he encounters fans on the streets and goes to extreme lengths to get into the mind of a murderer.

It’s a film about acting that tries to give the viewer an insight into the preparation that goes into becoming a character on screen. From its opening scene, it deals with the awkwardness of performing sex scenes, particularly those that involve sex and death in the same scene. With its off-camera director occasionally interrupting what occurs on screen quite unexpectedly, it’s never quite clear if a scene is supposed to be real life, or if what occurs is actually happening on a set in front of cameras.

Pickups also deals with the effects of fame and how actors are accosted by those who recognise them on the streets. Aiden is roped in to having pictures with fans, even after picking up his dog’s shit on the pavement. If he refuses, he’s insulted. Even creepier are the fans that offer sex or stalk him by waiting outside his house. It’s like sitting in on Actors Anonymous group therapy session as a thespian gets his concerns and grievances off his chest and admits to a few darker thoughts of his own from time to time.

As a viewer, you’re never quite sure if what you are watching is fantasy or reality. With genuine old photos of Gillen dotted around the film (as a child, as an adult, dressed in drag), Pickups is also about memory and mid-life crises. Aiden catches up with old friends, briefly tries to recapture some of his youth, but he is constantly plagued by back pain that a masseuse suggests is a ‘bad spirit’ within him.

Even with all these ideas floating around, Pickups feels a little threadbare, like a short film stretched (just) to feature length. Thraves uses the central ideas to play with form, creating dream-like sequences with eerie sound effects and overlapping images. It feels experimental in such moments and admirably attempts to tell a vaguely compelling story on an incredibly slim budget.

Aidan Gillen is always watchable and it’s definitely a brave performance from the actor formerly known as Littlefinger. While Pickups does have some interesting insights into the actor’s process and the pressures of fame, its best in its most meta-moments but ultimately its ideas could have been summed up in a short.

PICKUPS / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: JAMIE THRAVES / SCREENPLAY: AIDAN GILLEN, JAMIE THRAVES / STARRING: ANTONIA CAMPBELL-HUGHES, AMY DE BHRUN, AIDAN GILLEN / RELEASE DATE: UK RELEASE DATE TBA

Expected Rating: 6

Actual Rating: