Author: Michael Haffner

I enjoy sitting in large, dark rooms with like-minded cinephiles and having stories unfold before my eyes.

HALLOWEEN KILLS – Review

“Search every ravine, every crevice, but the fiend must be found!” 

  • FRANKENSTEIN (1931), James Whale

At the end of FRANKENSTEIN, angry townspeople are sent into a maniacal rage after a man wanders into town like a trance-induced zombie carrying his drowned daughter. No one knows what events transpired to cause her unfortunate death, but they are so easily swayed to fear an unknown assailant that they light their torches and grab their pitchforks without question. They are so quick to embrace revenge. They want to kill what they fear, even if they’ve never seen it. But even more so, they want their fears to be validated.

A festering wound that has lingered in Haddonfield has suddenly burst open in HALLOWEEN KILLS, and even if half the townspeople can’t put a face to their fear, they’ve taken it upon themselves to face their fear with trial by fire.

The story of Michael Myers is one that blurs the line of man and myth. Michael Myers has always represented an evil that could be right behind you. Around the bush. In your backseat. Outside your window. In the closet. Waiting, watching, and ready to attack you on Halloween night. It’s an evil that hides in the shadows, and in HALLOWEEN KILLS, it’s an evil that is forced to come into the light. 

As the fiery posters and trailers show, Michael Myers emerges from Laurie Strode’s burning home to kill again, but there’s so much more that also comes to light in David Gordon Green’s sequel to his 2018 film. After a brief flashback to set the stage and add to the mythos of that Halloween night in 1978, David Gordon Green quickly establishes an intense tone early on to continue the night of mayhem. As the middle chapter in a proposed trilogy, Jamie Lee Curtis takes a back seat for the survivors of Haddonfield – a motley crew of characters from the original film that survived “the night he came home” but struggling with their own personal demons – to lead the charge against Michael Myers. Played with toxic-masculine gusto by Anthony Michael Hall, Tommy Jarvis serves as their willing leader and is presented as a vigilante fueled by revenge and rage, providing audiences an anti-hero that’s bound to divide fans.

Editor Timothy Alverson has his work cut out for him as he’s tasked with having to bounce back and forth between several different survivor groups roaming the streets and around the hospital, following what happened to Laurie and her family at the end of the previous film. Alverson manages to stay in control of the chaos and establishes a fast-paced tone that adds tension and suspense even when the stalking and slashing aren’t taking place. It’s a perfect complement to the rapid-fire dialogue and nerve-rattling anxiety of the Haddonfield residents.

It’s just a shame that the dialogue veers far too often into melodrama rather than a more nuanced look at revenge and collective guilt. Co-written by Green, Scott Teems, and Danny McBride, the script becomes a cyclical echo of phrases like “Evil dies tonight!” and “I need to kill him!” making these strong exclamations become less sharp and dull with each outburst. 

What doesn’t lose its impact is John Carpenter’s score, now with the help of Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. It’s not a HALLOWEEN film without Carpenter’s electric touch. To add to the manic nature of the film, Carpenter and company are completely set free from the constraints of the iconic theme, providing one incredible new arrangement after another that varies from more methodical to an almost operatic frenzy of synthesizers.

And as I wrote in my 2018 review, the original 1978 John Carpenter classic was never about the kills and gory imagery on screen, but rather how the power of suggestion can make you believe that both man and myth can form a monster. The lack of subtlety in the new script of this new entry certainly matches the over-the-top violence on display. Even with KILLS in the title, never before have we seen violence in a HALLOWEEN film border on torture porn. In one scene, a woman slowly dies as she watches her partner get stabbed in the back with not one knife… not two… but five knives, one by one. 

David Gordon Green seems to be not content with just one version of Michael Myers. In his 2018 film, we see a more grounded approach where the killer is first introduced locked inside a mental hospital. Seeing other patients and doctors discuss Myers like you would see on a serial killer documentary grounds the later events that transpire. But KILLS side-steps this thought by doubling down on the idea that maybe he is more than a man. By leaning into the supernatural element of Michael Myers and abandoning the idea that he can succumb to the same effects of anyone made of flesh and blood, he officially becomes an unstoppable evil. Not unlike how Jason Voorhees started as just a boy in Crystal Lake before morphing into a superpowered zombie in later installments. It’s hard to figure out exactly what they want Myers to be or represent when there are opposing ideas, but I guess that’s why we have an upcoming third installment.

While David Gordon Green’s film is often sensational in tone and outlandishly violent, he at least maintains a consistent adrenaline-fueled voice throughout while exploring ideas that add weight to the bloodshed and mythos (it’s hard not to think of current headlines and the spread of misinformation when watching the mob descend into madness). One of the main points of FRANKENSTEIN is whether or not the creature’s actions could have been avoided if he was treated less like a monster and more like a man by the townspeople. How easy is it for any of us to wield a knife and become a killer? As both FRANKENSTEIN and HALLOWEEN KILLS prove, it doesn’t take much for man to become an irrational creature prone to violent behavior. And when man goes to bed at night, what is scarier: the visceral terror of confronting the consequences of your actions or the myth of the “boogeyman” in your closet. This recent entry effectively shows that madness can transcend and linger long after Halloween ends. 

Overall score: 3.5 out of 5

HALLOWEEN KILLS opens in theaters and Peacock starting October 15

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE – Review

Waves roll up onto the shore. It’s a beautiful sight if the waves weren’t inviting the woman on the edge of the cliff to jump out and end her torment. The fear of being stuck in a loveless marriage, or even worse, unable to fulfill your own desires and dreams looms over the waves below. The woman doesn’t see a way out, that is until a stranger enters her life, calling her back with just a stare. The stranger watches her, staring at her beauty and air of sadness.

Like the slow and steady waves meeting the shore, writer and director Céline Sciamma has crafted a tale that slowly washes over viewers, evoking the tragic romanticism of Kate Chopin’s searing novel THE AWAKENING. Instead of painting in broad strokes, Sciamma meticulously captures forbidden love through two pairs of eyes that say so much through just a series of looks. The haunting beauty of PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE solidifies Céline Sciamma as one of the most exciting filmmakers working in the world today. 

It’s the story of a young artist named Marianne who is hired by a French countess to paint a wedding portrait of her daughter, Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the convent. Furthermore, the reluctant bride-to-be has never met the man to whom she is betrothed. Marianne arrives under the guise of companionship, observing Héloïse by day and secretly painting her by firelight at night. As their relationship develops, the portrait soon becomes a collaborative act and a testament to their love of one another.

The heartfelt performances from Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haene begin as a simple game of who will outlast the other. One has a job to do while the other is counting her remaining days of freedom. Even as they attempt to restrain it, their mutual attraction and chemistry are incredibly palpable. It’s a romance for the ages that slowly builds until the intimacy and attraction reach a boiling point – symbolizing Héloïse’s first moments of freedom and providing her a taste of how sweet life could be without the expectations and judgment of the outside world.

It’s a romance centered around knocking down the walls they’ve put around themselves. You can see the years of biting their tongue in their eyes. So much of the film is about what’s not said – those emotions that defy reason or explanation as well as that passion they are trying to subside. Each scene finds the two of them slowly becoming more vulnerable, unlearning the rules of what is to be expected of a woman. As the title states, a small fire is burning inside Héloïse and it’s Marianne who encourages her to not suppress it anymore.

Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel turn the subtle act of being vulnerable into an engrossing and thrilling act of rebellion. They have delivered two of the most breathtaking and elegant performances of the year. Céline Sciamma’s film is about more than the act of creating art; it’s about the creation of something beautiful, something so timeless that it transcends the period garb and the 18th-century setting and speaks to our modern times. In the end, PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is one of the greatest love stories ever told and serves as a reminder to audiences why we love to go to the theater in the first place: to watch art unfold before our eyes and have an unspoken dialogue with it as we stare at its beauty.

Overall score: 4 out of 4

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE opens in St. Louis at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinema and Tivoli Theatre on Friday, March 6.

THE PHOTOGRAPH – Review

Stella Meghie directs her original story in a manner that attempts to blend arthouse sensibilities with mainstream romance – combining a soul-searching drama about two generations of women confronting and learning from their parents as they try to not just commit themselves to their careers and be open to the possibility of love. One half of the story follows Christina (Chanté Adams), a young photographer in Louisiana growing up in the late 1980s who feels the pull to pursue her career elsewhere. The other half follows a museum curator (Issa Rae) in present-day New York, who meets an up-and-coming journalist (Lakeith Stanfield) through a story that he’s researching. 

Despite the time jump, THE PHOTOGRAPH effortlessly slides between the two timelines, with some scenes slowly merging into one another in interesting ways. It’s this control over the story that shows Stella Meghie’s talent as a director, even if the material occasionally feels hollow or expected. The script (as well as actors Rae and Stanfield) struggles when tackling the modern romance, but it excels when focusing on the brooding, forbidden love in the flashbacks between Christina and her boyfriend Isaac (in a perfectly understated performance by Y’lan Noel).

Echoing Christina’s photography, Stella Meghie is most interested in the character’s reactions in each scene, soaking in the quiet pauses, soft laughter, or subtle glances. These scenes unfold in a beautiful fashion thanks to Mark Schwartztbard’s cinematography. He uses light and shadow to emphasize important turning points in the story – from a dark hurricane casting a shadow on a timid love affair to showing light peaking through the cracks and windows of a homemade darkroom, attempting to break through the rigid walls the characters have built around them.

The scope of the film feels a little restrained, despite Louisiana and New York both existing as a rich tapestry for potential scenes. Neither city plays much of a part, as so much of the story unfolds in buildings or houses. At many points, I wondered if this would make for a better stage play instead of a theatrical experience so that the energy and romance that was meant to be on-screen might be more present in an intimate setting. 

In the end, Robert Glasper’s brilliantly moody and romantic jazz score is leaned on heavily to carry the emotional beats, but it can only go so far to set the mood and convey the feelings that are too often spoken on-screen instead of felt. THE PHOTOGRAPH fails to excite the mind or the heart. Lakeith Stanfield and Issa Rae are both, naturally, standoffish, making for characters who might actually be better off focusing on their careers rather than love. Forget the spark, not even a match is in sight between the two of them. Perhaps the film’s message of “give love a chance” wouldn’t be as lost on the audience if it was more palpable on screen.

Overall score: 1.5 out of 4

The PHOTOGRAPH opens in theaters Feb. 14th

UNCUT GEMS – Review

After an opening prologue that shows the pain caused by the opal mines in Ethiopia, the camera takes the viewer on a journey through the precious uncut stone at the center of the story. It’s colorful, flashy and larger than life, captivating in a way that makes it hard to look away. This is also how you would describe the mind and life of the film’s central character, Howard. And as the story progresses, both the stone and character are always moving, being talked about it, and causing pain and tragedy. UNCUT GEMS tells an unabashedly Jewish story in the vein of the Coen Brothers and the Old Testament long before them, revolving around the moral lesson of learning through suffering. It’s a modern parable about the determination and will to succeed (but at what cost), and it confidently rises to the top as one of the best films of 2019.

Everyone in the “Diamond District” knows Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler). Making just as many enemies as friends, Howard is a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score. Frequently ignoring his wife (Idina Menzel) and family, Howard chooses to move through life at a break-neck pace through a frenzy of backdoor deals, lavish parties, and late nights with his secret mistress (Julia Fox). When basketball star Kevin Garnett steps into his shop and borrows Howard’s rare uncut gem to bring him luck at his game that night, it triggers a series of high-stakes bets that leads Howard toward a downward spiral that he might not be able to get out of.

Sandler plays this self-involved antihero with unbelievable gusto and fearlessness – a level we haven’t seen on screen from him in years. Writing and directing duo Benny and Josh Safdie purposefully center almost every scene around Sandler as his performance becomes mesmerizing. Just as Howard gets sucked into robbing from Peter to pay Paul, the audience somehow begins to root for this two-timing hustler. Think fast, worry about the consequences later is how he handles every situation, but in the hands of the Safdies, there is controlled chaos – a captivating sound mix of cell phones, door alarms, ticking clocks, electronic music, and Sandler’s anxious bravado.

Julia Fox ensures that the character of Julia is seen as more than just Howard’s mistress. There is a genuine sense of love and commitment to him that goes beyond what she’s willing to do by the end of the film. The way she looks at him with admiring eyes isn’t in a money-hungry manner, but more out of a belief in him as a person – accepting him, flaws and all, much like the audience is meant to perceive him. Much like Howard, the Safdies never look down on the complications of Julia, and like the film HUSTLERS earlier this year, they present a natural and sex-positive approach to a character that doesn’t typically receive the respect that most stories provide.

The extended anxiety created by the editing and camerawork is a bit much at times. The Safdie’s are practically encouraging the audience to have a panic attack. While the experience is an exhausting affair with few moments for the audience or for Sandler to catch their breath, it’s hard not to applaud the immersive element of the story. A feeling of dread and adrenaline is palpable throughout, as one tense moment is followed by another. The mental and physical abuse he puts himself and his loved ones through is agonizing, but in the mind of Howard, high-risk gives way to high-reward. 

UNCUT GEMS is one of the best examples of representing addiction put to screen. In Howard’s constant dealings and trades and risky bets, Sandler represents the journey of an addict chasing the “high.” While his particular universe might be foreign for many of us, his dependency and obsessiveness make him a tragic antihero for the ages. As just an object, the jewel is meaningless to Howard. It doesn’t represent power or wealth – maybe to Kevin Garnett and his other friends it does – but for Howard, it’s just another pawn in his overly complicated game. It’s a game where he makes up the rules as he goes along, but one that he’s transfixed by and never wants to end. For him, this is a game that is more exhilarating and shines brighter than the winning prize. For audiences, this is a relentless and harrowing journey that is the personification of the famous adage, “Find something you love and let it kill you.”

Overall score: 5 out of 5

UNCUT GEMS is now playing in theaters everywhere

HONEY BOY – Review

It’s hard to critique a piece of art when it’s presented in the form of a diary or journal. Pages upon pages of memories and raw human emotions that show someone at their most vulnerable. You begin to feel like you’re reading something that wasn’t meant for you, that its purpose was meant just for the writer of the words. HONEY BOY is precisely that. An unfiltered pouring out of heart-wrenching emotions. And just like many tragic stories, perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned within the tear-soaked pages.

Shia LaBeouf has written a tragic biopic with a surprising amount of empathy for the main perpetrator of the title character’s pain. Otis, playfully nicknamed Honey Bear by his dad, is an actor who is forced to check into rehab after a drunken night on the town. It is through discussions with the counselors at the facility that Otis is able to unearth painful memories from his childhood.

Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges play Otis (meant to be a younger and older Shia LaBeouf) at the two different stages of his life. Noah Jupe comes across like a seasoned veteran trapped in a young boy’s body – performing at a level well beyond his years. He’s a boy who is faced with the pressures of his career along with the physical and mental pressures of an abusive father. Besides delivering an uncanny vocal delivery similar to LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges masters the art of pent-up rage, even if we’ve seen this performance before from him. While his scenes are few compared to Jupe, we see in both of them how the effect of these painful moments can build in their subconscious and become too painful to face.

Shia LaBeouf is extraordinary in playing his father. It’s painful seeing him confront his real-life demons and portray on screen the abuse he received; an artful form of self-help where he’s having a dialogue with his younger self. The script is more sympathetic to this character than the audience may provide, portraying him as a tragic figure plagued with addiction and a desire for his son to be better than him. Juxtaposing scenes of him attend AA meetings along with Otis’ stint in rehab is a heartbreaking reminder of how the disease of addiction can be hereditary.

It’s a sad story that often feels restrained by its own repetition of despair. The tumultuous relationship between the father and the son is the main focus of the film, but there are hints throughout of how the film could tackle other elements of Otis’ life. Instead, it focuses heavily on the broken father figure and tends to revel in the scenes of pain he causes. From flicking cigarettes at his child to scene after scene of verbal abuse, it’s a depressing affair that occasionally speaks to deeper issues in our culture.

At times, more than just art serving as catharsis, HONEY BOY speaks about the toxic masculinity that today’s generation is finally coming to terms with. Boys who were raised by a generation of men who sought to instill life lessons through strength and tough love, just like the generation of fathers before them and those before them. The psychological effects of that upbringing and it’s cyclical nature is examined with a tender hand by director Alma Har’el. Her approach along with LaBeouf’s script never asks for the audience to forgive the mistakes of these men, but for us to become aware that we will only break this chain if we can reconcile and learn from our past trauma.

Overall score: 3 out of 4

HONEY BOY is playing in limited release

SLIFF 2019 Review – LOCUSTS

LOCUSTS will screen at The Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar) Thursday, Nov 14 at 9:30pm as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival.. Ticket information can be found HERE

In “Locusts,” a dark thriller set in Australia’s Outback, estranged tech entrepreneur Ryan Black returns to his desert hometown — the ironically named Serenity Crossing — for his father’s funeral. Ryan is reluctantly reunited with his ex-con brother, and the pair soon becomes the target of an extortion scam at the hands of desperate criminal associates of their reprobate dad. The Aussie movie site FilmInk writes: “Boasting a tight and twisting script and stunning imagery, ‘Locusts’ is the kind of film that we don’t see nearly enough of in Australia: a classy crime B-movie in the style of John Dahl or (early) James Foley. It’s elevated even further, however, by the stellar performances. Ben Geurens is totally empathetic as the harried hero, while Alan Dukes, Steve Le Marquand, Justin Rosniak, Ryan Morgan and Damian Hill (in his final screen performance) are absolutely stunning as the bad guys, bringing a wonderfully wild eyed brand of menace and madness to their characters.”

Review by Michael Haffner

If the biblical symbolism of the title wasn’t enough to signal a bad omen, religious billboards on the side of the road serve as an ominous warning of the turmoil ahead for the lead character in LOCUSTS. The Australian landscape is laid out like a hostile barren landscape, resembling a nuclear wasteland home to only cockroaches. Dead animals and rotten people plague the surrounding town, and cinematographer Chris Bland captures every gritty detail while balancing it all out with lush sunsets and dusty open roads.

The story, centered on wayward brothers in over their heads, bears a slight resemblance to the recent crime masterpiece HELL OR HIGH WATER. Both films show the economic disparity between the country and the big city where our lead has grown accustomed to, now heading back to his rural hometown to bury his father. Ryan Black (Ben Geurens) may come across as a slick city kid on first impression, but by the end of his turmoil-filled trip, he bears the same rough and ragged scars and appearance of the town he was born into.

Soaking in the Outback sun during the day and the neon stripclub lights at night, director Heath Davis finds comfort in exploring unsavory characters and playing in the pulp sandbox. Kidnapping, extortion, secrets, the prodigal son returning, all add up to a crime thriller that leans heavily into its genre label. Complete with expected dialogue like, “Whatever issues you had with my dad, died with him,” LOCUSTS is not quite the riveting page-turner like the stories it’s inspired by, but fits comfortably in the entertaining Liam Neeson revenge category.

What the film lacks in originality it makes up for in a quiet, moody bravado. Like a long, atmospheric drive through the desert at night, you know what the road looks like ahead, but that doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy the ride. Directed with confidence and supported by strong, unnerving performances, LOCUSTS will satisfy those hungry for a gritty crime-thriller, even if it’s simply a quick fix while passing through to the next town.

DOCTOR SLEEP – Review

We are all lost souls on a journey of discovery. Haunted by our decisions and carrying the weight of the past, we travel along but are constantly looking in our rear-view mirror. Trauma never goes away. Its effect on us isn’t always internalized, and so we see its physical effects on ourselves, and sometimes we reflect it back on the people that we meet. How we come to grips with past pain and how it manifests as life goes on are complex themes that Stephen King explores in his brilliant sequel to THE SHINING.

Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) is sort of an enigma going into DOCTOR SLEEP, and director Mike Flanagan takes full advantage of that by keeping audiences on their toes. He pulls you in with familiar scenes at the Overlook Hotel from the original Stanley Kubrick film to set the stage, but soon refocuses the conversation not just on the possessed retreat. While Kubrick might have created an iconic look for the world of THE SHINING that is hard to dismiss or ignore going into this sequel, Flanagan’s adaptation is interested in telling more of a personal story than just a hotel possessing a father. Even with the name, THE SHINING, Danny and his powers become an afterthought in the 1980 film. The powers and the world surrounding them are finally given their due in Flanagan’s unique film that’s equally an adaptation of the source material as a sequel to Kubrick’s film.

The “shining” isn’t just about hearing voices and seeing dead people. Several abilities are brought to light in DOCTOR SLEEP and are presented in a superhero-sort of fashion (I could see Marvel taking notice of this talented director). At the start of the film, McGregor’s Danny is reluctant to acknowledge this side of himself and tries to suppress it through drugs and alcohol. When he embraces a life of sobriety, his life becomes more clear and he’s more attune to his powers as he communicates with a young girl (in a star-making performance by Kyliegh Curran) who also bears strong “shining” strength. She becomes the target of a pack of drifters led by an alluring and cunning stranger, going by the name Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). Through communication with the young girl, Danny is forced to face his fears and the ghosts that have haunted him since he was a young boy.

Writer/director Mike Flanagan continues to explore characters grappling with past trauma and grief (he previously directed ABSENTIA, GERALD’S GAME,  and THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE). His tender and vulnerable approach to his characters can almost be described as a signature style at this point. McGregor approaches the character of Danny much like the audience. There is a sense of self-discovery throughout, and a fear of going down a path that you know will only end poorly. There’s a sadness in his eyes, and his redemptive journey from addict to mentor is powerful and heartbreaking at times when he struggles with the mental demons and the demons in the bottle. But the most powerful scenes come from his scenes serving as a hospice caretaker. These emotional scenes bear the weight of Danny’s powers as you see that it’s not necessarily a gift. Flanagan centers these moments around beautiful reflections about life and death, and provides more heart in these scenes than anything in Kubrick’s film.

As the leader of a traveling group of vagabonds living off the souls of others, Rebecca Ferguson is mesmerizing in how she conveys a seductive and effortless cool. Her boho-chic meets Stevie Nicks style hides her vicious nature, but as the opening scene proves (a scene that brings to mind the iconic flower petal scene in FRANKENSTEIN), she’s a force not to be reckoned with. While her followers may not make much of an impact, Ferguson’s presence is more than enough to carry the evil-bearing load, while still injecting just a touch of black humor along their journey.

Flanagan’s unique hybrid of literary adaptation and film sequel excels when it’s telling its own story and not trying to replicate the moments that fans are familiar with. Ferguson and the new characters provide enough intrigue and excitement to stand on their own without relying on the power of Kubrick’s iconic imagery. The finale leans heavily into familiar territory with mixed results. Even though I will raise a glass to one tense “bar” sequence that will have fans jittery with delight, many of these scenes feel like obligatory fan service or a director wanting to fulfill his own nostalgic horror childhood – especially when it comes to recreating iconic scenes that ultimately undermine the originality and power of Flanagan’s story.

Poignant and haunting, DOCTOR SLEEP presents characters trying to overcome real trauma and not just haunted by a creepy hotel. Each character has their own demons hidden away in metaphorical and literal boxes, which makes this sequel a much more personal journey than just ghoulish old ladies hiding in Room 237. While some may enjoy checking back into the familiar haunting grounds, I wish the film didn’t feel obligated to live in the shadow of the Overlook Hotel. 

Overall score: 3.5 out of 5

DOCTOR SLEEP opens in theaters November 8th.

How Arthur Shockingly Mirrors Bruce Wayne in JOKER

Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for JOKER.

“The mirror is my best friend because when I cry it never laughs.”

-Charlie Chaplin

Mirrors become an essential element in the visual storytelling of JOKER. Working as a clown for hire, Arthur (Joaquin Phoenix) repeatedly stares at himself while applying the makeup for the job. Yet, as the opening scene shows, each time he returns to the mirror, a sad and lonely face stares back. Even before the title character fully becomes the famous Batman villain, Arthur is presented as a man searching for help from others but is ultimately left alone to face his own fate. A tired and gaunt face stares back at Arthur, who struggles with his own identity and the dark thoughts that fill his head. It’s not until he assumes a new identity that he’s comfortable in his own battered and bruised skin. Batman lore has always explored the idea that the Dark Knight wouldn’t exist in a world without the Joker, and vice versa. Yet, writer and director Todd Phillips explores their connection in fascinating ways by taking a new approach to the source material and not just saying that they need each other to survive, but that their stories share several dark parallels.

The Internal Darkness Projected Outward 

How JOKER physically manifests mental illness is the most grueling element of the film. Despite talk of its violence, it’s Joaquin Phoenix’s physical performance that causes audiences to squirm in their seats. His gaunt frame becomes a pallet for bruises as the world around him lashes out because of their misunderstanding of his illness. What’s even more excruciating is how the character’s internal madness escapes forth in uncontrollable pain as he tries to stifle his manic laughter. Laughter becomes a coping mechanism when he’s in situations that make him uncomfortable, but it also rears its head at random moments. It becomes Arthur’s worst fear because it’s the one element of his psychosis that he can’t hide from or subdue – he has to face it and learn to accept it.

In the comics, Bruce Wayne eventually turns his greatest fear into his biggest strength. Bruce dons the symbol of the bat because it represents what he was most afraid of as a child. His internal darkness and fear of being alone in a cave are brought forth in his black bat costume. This external release for both characters in order to feel alive is at the center of this version of their origin story. Arthur’s transformation into Joker mirrors the transformation in the comics of Bruce Wayne wearing the cape and cowl. He embraces the laughter by dressing as the one character that consistently causes himself pain and gets him beat up on the street. You have two men, each with multiple personalities that change based on whether they embrace and wear their fear on their sleeve. By accepting what they once saw as their one true weakness, they both head confidently into the night, unafraid of Gotham’s judgment.

We’re Born Alone, We Live Alone, We Die Alone

“For my whole life, I didn’t know I really existed. But I do, and people are starting to notice.” Many have been quick to call out JOKER for speaking to the “angry boy” culture that grew up posting anonymously online and is fueled by Mountain Dew and self-loathing. But lines like the one above aren’t meant to incite fervor in these incels looking to lash out at society who rejected them – it’s meant to mirror the duality of Bruce Wayne and Batman. Bruce Wayne is the billionaire who hides himself away in his large mansion, whose only real friend is the childhood butler who raised him. Even as an adult running Wayne Enterprises, he has always felt alone and never understood by anyone but his childhood guardian. Arthur and the Joker are presented in a similar light in this new origin story. Living and taking care of his mother occupy Arthur’s time when not performing as a clown for hire. Like Alfred, she is the only person he can confide in, even though their relationship often brings out feelings of resentment and mistrust. 

Bruce and Arthur are, essentially, both figures of isolation. Despite the fact that one might have more resources than the other, they both seem destined to die alone. They’ve accepted this, and in turn, learn to reject any notion of love. The irony, of course, is that when they go out into the world as their alter-ego that they attract the attention of the media and legions of fans. Adults and kids watch on TV and read in the papers of these figures and become fascinated by them. While both characters have followers and people that look up to them, these fans are essentially both idolizing a masked vigilante operating outside of the establishment. Yet, as is tradition with the male archetype, these legions of fans can not match the acceptance of that between a father and a son. You can have all the praise in the world, but hearing it from your father will mean more. A central plot point in JOKER is Arthur’s search for his father’s identity. It’s this denial of a father-figure in both Bruce Wayne’s and Arthur’s life that is another new parallel in this version of the story. 

A Mirror Reflects What You See, and a Black Mirror Shows the Dark Side of It

In a pivotal scene in the middle of the film, Arthur comes face to face with a young Bruce Wayne. He captures the attention of young Bruce through a circus act that involves a red nose and a magic trick. And while the two might be separated by the iron gate of Wayne Manor, they see each other. In fact, Arthur reaches out and touches Bruce’s face and makes him smile. He uses his fingers to create the same forced smile that Arthur did to himself as he looked in the mirror with tears in his eyes at the start of the film. It’s the first time that the hero and the villain of this universe see each other, and in turn, see where they came from and what they will soon become. 

This isn’t a gate separating them – it represents the mirror that connects these two lives. In this universe, Batman and Joker aren’t divided into separate sides of the same coin. They are shown to be one, connected by the same fate. This connection is further emphasized if you take into consideration that the Joker’s actions by the end of the film lead to the death of Bruce’s parents. In JOKER, Arthur may have chosen to become the title character – much like Bruce Wayne will eventually choose to become Batman – but despite their personal choices, they will always be linked by a dark parallel destiny and will forever see their nemesis when they look in the mirror.

READY OR NOT – Review

The things we do for family. While men and women joyfully head into a new life together after marriage, sometimes that new life isn’t so apparent because of the truth hidden at the altar. Wealth, tradition, deceit, and terrible in-laws are the players in this dark satire that doesn’t so much push the envelope as it does push a self-aggrandizing message.

READY OR NOT follows a young bride (Samara Weaving) as she joins her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition: a lethal game of “Hide & Seek.” In this version of the game, the bride is the one being hunted, having to prove her worth and entry into the family while the others hunt her down with rifles, crossbows, and antique pistols. To the family’s surprise, as dawn draws closer, soon everyone is fighting for their survival.

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett play their cards a little early and don’t have that exciting of a hand at that. Guy Busick & Ryan Murphy’s script is quick to get into the game, failing to create any preliminary sense of intrigue or suspense around the family. The script and the directing seem to be a little at odds with each other, each making a move in a different direction. The tone and style tend to lean too serious while the script often goes towards more silly and physical comedy. Many scenes fail to find the right balance – the dark humor lacks bite and wit with the horror elements that aren’t as thrilling as they should be. READY OR NOT may not be very clever, but it delivers a Grand-Guignol finale that horror fans will relish.

Thankfully, Samara Weaving as our blood-splattered bride more than makes up for the film’s shortcomings. Her ability to transform from the terrified hunted to embracing the sinister game with a sly smirk makes her physical performance equally charming as it is twisted. One scene, in‌ ‌particular, involving a bullet-wound that comes in handy will make audiences both squirm and howl at her expense. Who is just as stellar is Adam Brody and his pitch-perfect deadpan delivery. His appearance in horror-comedies like this and JENNIFER’S BODY should have every horror producer chomping at the bit to include him. 

In the end, READY OR NOT is a polished and moderately fun game that’s worth playing, despite its uneven and unclever approach to the conceit. The film not so subtly shines a critical light on the ridiculousness of the wealthy and the pointlessness of the ritual of marriage, but even its pointed messaging seems like a dull blade in a story that often feels routine despite bodies and blood painting the walls.

Overall score: 2.5 out of 4

READY OR NOT opens in theaters August 21st

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK – Review

As the opening of the film mysteriously imparts, stories come in all shapes and sizes. Sharing scary stories with a group is a rich tradition that has been around for centuries, each generation passing down the one they heard from their childhood on to the next and so on and so on. There are hundreds of these stories, and Alvin Schwartz collected them and retold many in his three “Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark” books. The film adaptation of the same name, SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK, is a compilation of multiple characters from these tales, but like the book collections, the stories and characters are once again being retold. Between the three screenplay credits and two story by credits (yes, you read that correctly), the resulting story feels far less chilling and more obvious and predictable in a tale that isn’t short on creepy visuals but lacking originality. 

It’s 1968 in America. Change is blowing in the wind…but seemingly far removed from the unrest in the cities is the small town of Mill Valley where for generations, the shadow of the Bellows family has loomed large. It is in their abandoned mansion on the edge of town that Stella (Zoe Margaret Colletti), her two friends (Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur) and a mysterious stranger they just meet (Michael Garza) discover a book hidden in a secret room. Their discovery leads to everyone who was in the mansion that Halloween night coming face to face with their deepest, darkest fears.

André Øvredal impressively captures these ghastly creatures and sights in imaginative and haunting ways. They look as if they stepped off the page in all their glory. But like the stories that they’re based on, the imagery is the most memorable part of this lackluster film. The designs and creatures are just as creepy as Stephen Gammell’s original drawings, but also, the film is as predictable as those stories, even in the delivery and setup of the scares. Technically, all the pieces are there for an effective scary story: a Halloween setting, a small town in the 60s, a haunted house, and creepy horror imagery. Yet, the story doesn’t pull the audience in nor does it provide a sense of intrigue or its own unique narrative voice. 

Even worse, the story lazily connects these creatures through a script that simultaneously bores and confuses the audience. It tries to explain that these stories tap into the subconscious or what the characters fear but never explains the rhyme or reasoning behind it. It’s like a NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST. film without explaining the rules. By the time you get to the final act and learn about the family who once lived in the mansion, the film has already lost its audience who are simply waiting around just to see the next creature on screen. The overly familiar setup is visually and technically well done, but struggles to find a reason for the creatures and for the audience to care. Ultimately, leaving you cold… and not in a chilling way. 


Given how each story in the books is its own isolated tale, it’s interesting that SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK didn’t go in a more anthology direction; even a streaming series might be a better format to reimagine these dark tales. Despite the story and structure, horror fans will still find a lot to like as Øvredal and his cinematographer Roman Osin provide an immersive world of creepy, small-town horror. It might not be very original or cleverly done, but maybe fans can simply look at the visuals on screen and tell themselves their own scary story to bring meaning to the scares.

Overall score: 2 out of 4

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK opens in theaters August 9th