Barbara Hershey in THE MANOR, one of the “Welcome to the Blumhouse” four-film series. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
There have been plenty of suspense and horror flicks set in the sequestered confines of nursing homes and mental hospitals for a very good reason. When any of the residents start sensing something amiss, they’re least likely to be believed by those who might help them. When the menace comes from those in charge, the diminished capacity of their victim pools provides excellent cover for their nefarious deeds. Vincent Price comes to mind as one who thrived in the genre. Many others did so before and after his turns at chilling our bones.
In THE MANOR, Barbara Hershey plays a spry granny of 70, who realizes her Parkinson’s is starting to cause a decline she doesn’t want her family, especially her devoted grandson (Nicholas Alexander), to endure with her. She chooses a nursing home that looks good at first but soon starts seeming otherwise. That’s essential for there to be a movie in the first place. Otherwise, all you’d get is a PSA for eldercare. The sense of peril begins with rules cutting off contact with the outside world (gasp! No cell phones!), and even requiring a security code and escort to walk through the woods and garden within the remote, gated property. Several residents act fearful in various ways but it’s hard to tell how grounded or demented they may be. The film perpetuates a classic trope of dreading the attentions of the home’s black cat, which reputedly senses who’s about to die, and hops onto their lap or bed to function as a fatal spoiler alert. Draw your own conclusion about whether the cat feels glee or compassion in those moments.
Hershey finds a trio of relatively alert pals to start feeling somewhat more at home. But a variety of eerie sounds and visions during the nights could mean something wicked her way comes. Inexplicable, unverifiable events cause her to doubt her own sanity. If the menace exists, could it be from a supernatural entity? Is something malicious going on that’s of human origin, as telegraphed by a couple of Nurse Ratched types among the staff? Or could it be both? As the saying goes, just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not really out to get you. Similarly, demons and villainous caregivers just might share roles in the same movie.
I’m not sure how much writer/director Axelle Carolyn’s script was more compelling than average, or the extent to which my own age made Hershey’s situation seem more relevant than the slew of analogs watched by my younger selves. After all, I’m almost four years older than her character, and several months older than the actress. What’s certain is that as director, Carolyn dangles many possibilities in an efficient package, maintaining the suspense all the way to an excellent climax. As a star, Hershey’s still got the chops to carry the ball through some challenging territory, putting this one comfortably within the plus side of the quality ledger. And she’s aging more gracefully than your faithful correspondent.
THE MANOR is available to stream on Amazon Prime starting Oct. 8.
So, we know that these new vaccines can work wonders, but could they also be a cure for “Sequelitis Interruptus”. Yeah, I made that up, but it should be a real thing that would certainly apply to this week’s big movie release. Way back in April of 2018 (ah, the before times), John Krasinski was the star, director, and co-writer of a weird hybrid flick (part family drama. part horror, part SF action) that become an unexpected box office smash. So naturally, a sequel was in order, and after some resistance, John K was back at the helm, with a release date of March 2020. I had already RSVP’d to the press sneak peek when everything literally shutdown, in those first few weeks of the pandemic. Would it be regulated to the streaming services? “No way!”, said John K, who insisted that we’d all get to see it together when things were safe. Well he, and Paramount, have kept their promise. It’s not the start of the month, but it’s still May, so we can say that the Summer movie season has officially begun, with a Disney prequel/origin story and a long (14 months) awaited follow-up that’s imaginatively titled A QUIET PLACE PART II…shhhh.
But as it begins, we’re taken back to “day one”, long before the events of that previous film. Perhaps this is really a prequel as Lee Abbott (Krasinski) brings some last-minute supplies (those kids need their orange slices) to a little league game in their quiet. almost designed by Norman Rockwell, upper New York state village. But with son Marcus (Noah Jupe) at bat, the crowd is distracted by a fire and black smoke trail piercing the perfect fluffy mid-afternoon clouds. Everyone scampers home with Lee and his wife Evelyn (Emily Blount) loading the kids into their respective vehicles. Suddenly all Hell breaks loose as those spindly, fast-moving creatures destroy the main street and its residents. Jumpcut to moments after the ending of the previous flick as Evelyn readies her shotgun while daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) gathers up the hearing aid/boombox combo that produces feedback that’s almost lethal to the audio-sensitive alien monsters. As fire consumes their last home/sanctuary, the Abbotts, including Marcus and his baby brother, are on the move again. After lots of very slow, soft walking, they come across what seems to be a shuttered factory/foundry. Ah, but the trail is booby-trapped, causing Marcus to suffer a grave injury. But before the monsters arrive, they’re ushered into a concrete bunker (perhaps the long-cooled furnace) by Emmett (Cillian Murphy) one of the last survivors from their hometown. .He wants them to move on, but Evelyn pleads with him to allow Marcus to rest and heal. While working with the radio, they’re stunned to find a clear signal playing the same 60s pop tune nonstop. Regan uses a map to pinpoint its source, and, despite her mother’s objections, heads out on her own to find the station. Emmett reluctantly agrees to bring her back, while Evelyn makes the dangerous trek to find medical supplies for her boys. But as everyone splits up, how long before someone makes a noise that will attract the near-unstoppable killing creatures?
Blunt effortlessly slips back into the role of Evelyn, one of the silver screen’s greatest “mama grizzlies”. She is fierce with a capital “F”, her intense gaze broadcasts her devotion. Very tough, yet so tender as she takes time to comfort her still traumatized offspring. Jupe as marcus yearns to prove himself, but his injury frustrates him and sidelines him from fighter to (he thinks )burden or victim. But the Abbott that’s really straining to spread her wings is Simmonds as the fiesty Regan, butting heads with Mom as most teeens do, though she believes herself to be the only hope for the family (and perhaps humanity). And after losing her adored papa, she tries to push back on her terror in order to be his avenger. Murphy proves to be a terrific addition to the saga, as we can see his struggle to hang on to his humanity, despite his own catastrophic losses. Though he rescues the Abbotts, they somehow free him from a future of selfishness. Though not seen till the story’s final act, Djimon Hounsou makes a strong impression as another traveler offering a hand and good advice. Flipping things around, it’s great to see Krasinski back as the patriarch Lee if only for the brief prologue, giving us a glimpse of the pre-disaster dad, and reminding us of the loss that will also haunt his family.
But this time out, Krasinski is mostly behind the camera, directing from his own script, building on the characters and situations created by writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. He creates enormous tension when the Abbotts venture out, be it the dead of night or a sun-drenched morning. The slightest murmur and the demon hordes are mere inches away. Much of the film’s power hinges on the sound team, who more than match their impressive work from the original (last year’s Oscar-worthy work on THE SOUND OF METAL comes very close). And somehow the spider-like alien beasties are more impressive, as we get to view them a tad more closely, their flared faces seeming more of a mix of blooming flower and angry reptile, so big kudos to those CGI creature creators. But this sequel mainly works due to John K’s vision. He’s avoided the pitfalls of most non-franchise follow-ups, not rehashing the “best of the first”, but expanding on the family dynamic and opening up this savage new world that they try to navigate. And much like many post-apocalypse thrillers (especially TV’s “The Walking Dead”), the Abbotts learn that the other humans are just as monstrous as the alien invaders. But there are the added emotions involved, as the adults must deal with their children embracing adulthood, and knowing when to step aside. This may not quite be the cinema “home run” from 2018, but Krasinski and crew have delivered a solid triple. A tightly muffled hurray for A QUIET PLACE PART II, it’s more horror and heart. Well worth the wait.
3 Out of 4
A QUIET PLACE II opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, May 28, 2021.
With Memorial Day weekend looming, what better time to kick back and enjoy and a noisy action blockbuster. That’s the way movie fans marked the beginning of the Summer season, well, in those before times. Sure this week’s new blockbuster began running on several screens last weekend, but the main focus of its marketing right now is about its “dropping” on a major streaming service (several would say “the streaming service”). It, however, “changes up” the usual formula for thrillers, aside from its distribution, since it’s another “high-concept hybrid”. You see this is a modern-day action heist flick, complete with the all “big plan’ and assembling the team. Y’know like the main variations, reboots, and sequels to OCEAN’S ELEVEN. So what’s the twist? Well, the big “window of opportunity” for the “grab” is opened due to a big disaster, though not a natural one like the big storm in 1008’s HARD RAIN. Nope, this is another one of those pesky zombie outbreaks. Yes, it’s extra tough to make that “big score” when you’ve got to contend with an ARMY OF THE DEAD.
The story does begin with the start of said “outbreak” when two newlyweds begin their honeymoon on the road to Vegas. The very distracted driver collides with a heavily armored military transport, dislodging its deadly cargo” a ravenous cannibalistic super-powered murder machine. Naturally his bite turns the surviving escort soldiers into killers who are quickly drawn to that “bright-light city”. Via an opening title montage, we see the town become overrun by the undead mobs, which also overwhelm the military. It’s soon determined that “Lost Wages” is a loss that needs to be isolated by a containment fence-like wall made of boxcars dropped by helicopters. A tent city is also set up outside the city by the World Health Organization to quarantine and monitor the evacuating citizens. As the TV news reports of plans to obliterate the infected city with a tactical nuclear strike (on July 4th, natch’), the grill man at a dusty diner, Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) is stunned to get a visit from casino kingpin Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada). His insurance has already re-reimbursed him for the 200 million stuck in the big vault beneath his showcase hotel/spa, but he now wants a team to secretly sneak into the city and grab the vault’s contents prior to it getting “nuked”. Since Scott’s a decorated vet and former Vegas resident, he’s offered 50 million to assemble a team (and split that dough any way he wants). He reluctantly agrees and puts together his crew of old cohorts. First is super-mechanic Maria (Ana de la Reguera), “muscle” Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), and ace chopper pilot Peters (Tig Notaro). Then some “newbies’ are recruited: safecracker ‘savant” Dieter (Matthias Schweighofer) and social media zombie-killing star “Guz” (Raul Castillo) and his “right-hand” Chambers (Samantha Win). Everyone is startled when they’re joined at the last minute by Tanaka’s security chief Marin (Garret Dillahunt). Is he there to keep them on track, or does he have his own agenda? Scott decides the best way to enter Vegas is through the detention camp which entails an uneasy reunion with estranged daughter and WHO worker Kate (Ella Purnell). She enlists a “Coyote”, who has been sneaking folks into town, Lilly (Nora Arnezeder), who also brings in an abusive military guard Burt (Theo Rossi). Oh, and much to Scott’s ire, Kate insists on coming so she can keep an eye out for a mother who made the trek recently. As the clock ticks down to the nuclear blast, can this motley crew make the grab and fly out, while avoiding a horde of rampaging hungry hordes? If they stick to the plan, everything will work out, right?
In his best post-Drax leading role, Bautista proves to be a compelling screen presence casting a commanding silhouette, but still showing a bit more of his human side. Scott is able to shake off the “biters’ as though they were ragdolls, but he can’t shake off the guilt of his failure during the attack on his family. His MCU role may present more of his wry comic timing, but we’re getting a bit more of his heartfelt dramatic side, especially as he finally opens up to his daughter close to the big finale. Purnell, as that sibling kate, is a strong sparring partner for him, never backing down, though the role often seems abrasive and headstrong. Scott’s other partner, perhaps his BFF, is the warm, but no-nonsense de la Reguera who can now add action lead to her growing resume. Hardwick also is an impressive physical presence but is best as a big brother/straight-man to the tightly-wound, eccentric Schweighofer as the endearing, often dense Dieter. Notaro projects just the right amount of “fly-boy swagger” as the sweetly sarcastic Parker. And Rossi, Amezeder, and Dillahunt add an air of mystery as characters who may be a great back-up, though often have secretive motivations.
After a seventeen-year hiatus, in which he became the controversial guiding force in the Warner/DC franchises (“wrecking ball” springs to mind, IMO), Zack Snyder returns to the land of the “non-living” with this epic tale (clocking in at nearly 150 minutes (brevity alludes him). And as in DAWN, these ghouls are almost Olympic sprinters (a trait George Romero chided in his LAND OF THE DEAD), while several new twists are added (they all tend to get into Spider-Man-style poses since I’m guessing that most are played by “Cirque du Soleil” vets). An almost-social hierarchy (maybe a class system) is established. “Alphas”, those bitten by “Zombie Zero” AKA “Zeus”, seem a bit smarter and lord over the majority known as “shamblers”. And there’s a huge development that I won’t spoil, but I’m guessing it will figure into the sequel (or prequel). Still, for all the “rules” set up, Snyder gleefully bends them so that the monsters can slowly advance the plot. And it is a slow build-up into the mayhem that finally begins (we learn that the dead “hibernate”). Snyder, who co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Hatten and Joby Harold, does get the sun-drenched Hell vibe of Vegas correct (as does the current HBOMax series “Hacks”), but certain “out-of-nowhere character confessions are poorly planned. Much of the big action set-pieces quickly devolve into “first-person shooter’ video game homages, slowed down to a crawl (Z love his ultra “slo-mo”) and backed up by campy choices of pop tunes and Vegas standards. And after, what is it, 30 seasons of TV’s “The Walking Dead” (which has two spin-offs now), many of the creeping around/zombie ambushes feel awfully familiar. And I think I mentioned the two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Even a bit of Snyder’s superhero flicks, Zuess sports a cape and a bullet-proof cowl, creeps in, but he doesn’t add enough to now trite Canibal creep tropes. Action and gore fans will get their fill, but for many ARMY OF THE DEAD is a ponderous platoon march through “glitter gulch”. Cash me out.
2 Out of 4
ARMY OF THE DEAD is now playing in select theatres and begins streaming exclusively on Netflix beginning Friday, May 21, 2021.
If there’s anyone that truly believes in the expression, “Everything old is new again”, they probably live in Hollywood. And they are probably a movie studio exec. That’s because there seems to be a reboot, remake, or (the marketers coined this new phrase) a “re-imagining” of a familiar story or concept. Now, this week, the “old” part of that adage is really being put to the test…or stretched thin. After all, the last one hit theatres less than four years ago, And as for the original 2004 entry, it was followed up by six sequels every year, reminding us of the “B” movie franchises of the 30s and 40s, in which you could count on a yearly visit from Andy Hardy’s family, Tarzan, and Boston Blackie. I’m referring to the SAW series. This weekend we’ll see a new spin (sorry) on them via a new thriller whose original subtitle included “From the Book of Saw”, but will now appear on theatre marquees and box office listings as simply SPIRAL. And around it goes…
…until it lands in the middle of a crowded celebration (with the fireworks, it must be July Fourth). In the packed carnival midway, a woman screams that her purse was snatched. A “plainclothes” cop pursues the thief to a “porta-potty”. But the “perp” has vanished…or so it would seem. The er, “seat” has an opening that leads to a ladder that empties into a subway tunnel. It’s then that the cop becomes the prey of a “pig-mask” wearing fiend with a distorted voice and a knack for gruesome torture devices. The next morning we meet another cop who’s having a bad day (though less deadly). The drug bust that Det. Zeke Banks (Chris Rock) worked solo goes sideways. Which leads to a “dressing down” by his boss, Chief Garza (Marisol Nichols). Zeke tells her that he has to work alone since many of the other cops have branded him a “rat” for helping to take down a “dirty” officer. Even though he’s the son of the precinct’s former captain, Zeke will be assigned a partner, a “green” rookie right out of the academy, Will Schenk (Max Minghella). The two are sent out to work a weird subway death of a homeless guy. But later that day, Zeke gets a special delivery package that ID’s the “vic”. Next to a grisly appendage is the badge of Zeke’s only “work buddy”, Boz. Oh, and there’s a flash drive with an image of a red spiral sprayed on the courthouse door along with an audio message from that same distorted voice claiming that Boz has paid the price for his sins. Everyone in the squad room believes it’s the return of “jigsaw”, or a “copy-cat’. That night Zeke goes over the case with his dad Marcus (Samuel L Jackson), who is also his landlord as Zeke’s marriage is crumbling. The news springs Banks Senior into action, though he shares little with his son. As the investigation continues, the packages and bodies pile up. But why do the deliveries always go straight to Banks? Could there be a connection? Or could he be the killer’s ultimate final goal?
Carrying the dramatic weight of this thriller is the always entertaining Rock, who builds upon his recent much-lauded character work in the FX “Fargo” series. The years have given the celebrated stand-up comic a real sense of gravitas making us believe in his Zeke, a man who strives to be just but is frustrated at nearly every turn, by fate and his surly co-workers. Yet, somehow his humor shines through the somber situations as Zeke spouts endless cynical observations and even tosses off an “inside joke” over a very early Rock screen role (30 years already). His work really elevates the often flimsy material. Much the same can be said of Jackson, who makes a most compelling “tough love” pop for Rock’s Zeke. He shows us that retirement hasn’t worked for Marcus, as a return to “the life” actually puts a “spring in his step”. Unfortunately, after an early scene with Rock, which just crackles with energy, the two are apart for most of the flick, making us hope for another pairing as prickly partners. As Zeke’s actual partner, Minghella is quite believable as the “straight arrow’ who can be a “sounding board’ for Rock’s rants, but can also stand up to some of the questionable tactics while getting the job done “by the book”. He gives us hope for the soured system, while we root for him and his ideals to survive the constant chaos.
Series vet Darren Lynn Bousman strives to bring a gritty sense of reality to the often far-fetched fantasy set-pieces. He sets his sights on the classic police/serial killer flicks like SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and especially SE7EN, but is tossed off course by the formula structure of the SAW legacy. The “boiling point” feel is pushed to the limit early as we are told of the city’s “heatwave” and frequent “brown-outs” which layers everyone with a sheen of sweat along with “pit stains” and slowly rotating fans left over from BODY HEAT. But the atmosphere can’t mask some of the script’s extreme “suspensions of disbelief”. We’ve got to accept that the killer can somehow sneak into places (one, in particular, is pretty darn public) and set up and monitor these Rube Golberg-inspired torture contraptions. One somehow meshed broken bottles with what seems to be a sort-of jet engine. The marriage of machine, grime and sticky gore soon becomes tedious as the victims are told via that wonky voice that they have a way out, which never seems to work. It doesn’t help that the mystery elements are so sloppy. There’s a squad room full of suspects, so when the “splatter ” set-ups are disrupted, it’s easy to zero in on the killer’s true identity. An early injection of Tarantino snark, when Zeke does a comic riff on an iconic Tom Hanks role, it doesn’t come close to QT’s pop culture bits (from Madonna to “Green Acres”). All the entrails in “blue boxes” lead up to a climax that’s like a balloon sputtering out it’s last bit of air before its limp plunge to the ground (I was reminded of the last moments of the recent Oscars telecast). Rock is always compelling but the tired gore formula and familiat serial killer tropes just cause SPIRAL to keep spinning its bloody wheel to little effect or real interest. Time to put that worn ole’ saw back in the cinema tool shed.
1.5 Out of 4
SPIRAL opens in select theatres on Friday May 14, 2021
This time of year family’s at the forefront of the thoughts of many. Aside from being together (tough right now for some), the matriarch or patriarch is thinking about how to keep the home crew safe from harm and secure in their toasty beds. Unlike the Garrity clan from this week’s other big release GREENLAND, the Sharpe’s (well, mainly the papa) isn’t dealing with a planet-killing comet. His fears arise from the possible onslaught of stealthy intruders in the dead of night. It’s too bad that he doesn’t recall the quote from one of the founding fathers (maybe more of a cool uncle), Ben Franklin: “Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”. Still, it probably didn’t occur to him that his fears could inspire his whole “unit” to succumb to a BAD IMPULSE.
The story does indeed begin (well, after a nasty vignette of homicide/suicide) with the wholesome, seemingly happy Sharpe family outside their two-story plush home on this sunny day. Mom Christine (Sonya Walger) is trying to get on the road for a day trip with her eldest daughter, sixteen-year-old Angela (Abbi Ford), and her two sons, fourteen-year-old Mike (Nicholas Danner) and eight-year-old Sam (Oscar Debler). Dad Henry (Grant Bowler) can’t join them this time, though. Tonight’s a big “one on one” dinner with his boss (perhaps a promotion). Just as he goes back into the house he hears a knock at the door. It’s a somber middle-aged stranger dressed in a black suit and fedora. He introduces himself as Lou Branch (Paul Sorvino) and asks Henry if they could discuss his home’s security system. Branch insists it’s the state of the art hi-tech, but Henry’s got to get going and takes his card after the “pitch”. Dinner with his boss Mr. Reilly (Dan Lauria) ends abruptly when the real reason for the night is revealed. It seems that the company has lost a lot of money on a bad investment made for their biggest client. Reilly and the board decided that somebody has to take the blame, so….Despite the offer of a big “under the table” pay-off for silence, Henry angrily storms out. He’s so enraged he doesn’t hear the group of thugs that push their way in as he opens his front door. They deliver a vicious beating which causes Henry to awaken in the hospital. This spurs him to sign up with Branch’s security company. He, along with his wife, kids, and their live-in nanny/maid/cook Lucia (Stephanie Cayo) get microchips implanted under the skin, close to their permanent ankle “bracelets” which interact with the many mounted wall monitors in the home. Things slowly get back to normal, but only for a while. Sam now squashes ants for fun, while brother Mike retreats into his violent “single shooter” video games as he deals with several school bullies. Meanwhile, Angela’s getting tattoos and shoplifting. Christine (now the main breadwinner) is indulging in an office affair, as Henry boils with rage as he begins his at-home sales gig (maybe Lucia now digs this about him). Hmmm…could there be more to Branch’s “tech” than mere home security?
We can almost sense the strained effort of the cast to overcome this turgid trite tale of a self-destructing family unit. Bowler tries to roll “with the flow” of his inconsistent character. First, he’s got to be the easy-going 80s TV dad (cue the laugh track), then gets to nearly froth at the mouth at the big job dinner. He’s pretty dazed after the beating (head trauma is hinted at), but he eases into phone sales before lashing out with little reason. Then Bowler seems to be falling back into a SHINING riff as the punishing “Daddy-monster”. He does try to sell it, but it makes little sense. Ditto for the talented Walger (forever Penny of TV’s “Lost”) whose Christine is the perfect working mom, but her professional exec persona morphs into a petty “Queen B”, jealous of her flirty aide and too receptive to the “company creep”. Ford introduces Angela as the cute shy gal yearning to be the knock-out that catches the eye of the “school hunk”, but her character changes into one that would seem too much of a clichéd teen “B-girl” in a reboot of the POISON IVY flicks. In the case of Danner’s Mike, he conveys the fearful air of the perfect “patsy” for the school predator, but there’s little motivation for his attempts to bribe the bully before finally acting on his video game alter ego. And Debler’s Sam has little to do until he’s the “tot in danger’ for the story’s finale. Oh, 15 minutes in we’re introduced to the unofficial family member as Cayo plays a caretaker who appears to have stepped right off the fashion show runway. She seems to be there only as a temptation for papa, as we wonder about her aggressive pursuit of him as he naps on the couch. As for the biggest “name” in the cast, Sorvino tries to bring a bit of sinister energy to Branch but comes off as a cross between Willy Loman and a menacing 1930s school headmaster (with a touch of Mitchum from NIGHT OF THE HUNTER). He looks to be trouble right on Henry’s doorstep, so it hard to fathom why he places so much trust in this somber sad-eyed salesman. And to make the whole thing a tad more strange and “arty”, James Landry Hebert (the giggly tire deflator in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD) pops up in multiple creepy small roles, usually leering at Angela.
Director Michelle Danner attempts to wring some drama from the predictable script from Jason Chase Tyrrell, but the film is often just “spinning its wheels” until the big “surprise” climax we can see coming from miles away. Perhaps they were hoping for an “edgier” take on THE SHINING or AMERICAN BEAUTY, but it feels like a very drawn-out episode of a second-tier TV anthology like “The Hitchhiker” or “Tales of the Unexpected”. The movie wants to stun and shock, but often chooses to wallow in clumsy ugliness. If you’re thinking about spending 100 minutes (and the VOD fee) on this, do your best to squelch that extremely BAD IMPULSE.
One Half Out of Four
BAD IMPULSE is available as a Video-On-Demand via most streaming apps and platforms
C’mon film fans. let’s shake off the stuck-at-home isolation blues with this week’s new release. Yup, it’s not an “indie” full of despair and drama. So, it’s a rollicking comedy? Well..uh uh. A toe-tappin’ musical, perhaps?, Nah…it’s a horror flick. Well. at least you can feel good that all the weirdness isn’t directed at you as you stare out the window (hmm, the hero spends lots of screentime doing just that). And this is indeed an independent film, another in the subgenre of “art-house” horror led by THE WITCH, THE BABADOOK, and the very recent THE OTHER LAMB, though, in spirit, it may be closest to the retro thrills of IT FOLLOWS. This one owes a lot to that 70s homage, though it has more of the 1980’s thriller vibe of the Netflix hit “Stranger Things”. So with all the real-world scares outside can THE WRETCHED deliver the shivers?
Speaking of that past decade, the story begins with a flashback to a gruesome graphic incident in 1985 (it looks like an “afterschool special” no network would run). Jumpcut to today as teenager Ben (John-Paul Howard) gazes out the window of the bus taking him to a sleepy lakeside town somewhere in the US. After his folks split, this is where dad Liam (Jamison Jones) landed, running the local marina. And since Ben is spending the Summer with him, he’s got a job there. He’s not too keen about taking grief from the local rich kids, nor is he thrilled about Dad’s new girlfriend Sara (Azie Tesfal). But at least he’s made a friend, his cute and snarky co-worker Mallory (Piper Curda). And then there’s the weird next-door neighbors, Summer renters: affable beer-guzzling Ty (Kevin Bigley), doting mother Abbie (Zarah Mahler), grade-schooler Dillon (Blane Crockarell) and baby Sam. Everything changes when Abbie brings home a deer carcass in their truck (it was an accident…sure…). But they get much more than fresh venison. Then Ben observes some strange stuff. Ty’s in a stupor while Abbie’s wardrobe goes from “biker chick chic” (jean shorts, heavy metal T’s, and plaid) to flowing sundresses (with prominent crimson coloring). Ben discovers that Dillon is sleeping in one of the kids’ rental boats. And that baby’s awful quiet now. It all adds up to a sinister plot, but how can Ben get anybody, Mallory and especially his pop Liam to believe him? And what can he do before “whatever’s out there” gets to him?
At first, Howard appears to be doing a riff on the clean-cut all-American teen trapped in a supernatural web, but Ben seems to have his own inner demons. He sports an arm cast through most of the story, making us curious until midway in the film when he reveals that a botched drug theft (the opioid crisis rears its ugly head) caused it. His parents’ split has done some damage, as he lashes out, verbally berating his “laid back” papa, giving a Ben a “chip on his shoulder”. Even before he’s aware of the creepshow next door, he both hates the rich taunting “townies” and wishes he were part of their orbit. Curda’s quite charming as his best bud, “sounding board” and caper cohort (a mix of Daphne and Velma). Mallory’s a likable take on the “girl next door” (or work-pal) who helps ground Ben during some of his manic rants. Jones makes Liam a sympathetic single dad, especially when he gifts Ben with a bicycle (it’s got a basket already) and learns that his ex has already promised him her old car. Luckily he gets his confidence back in order to deal with his boy’s erratic behavior. The cast’s other stand-out is the main villain. Mahler’s Abbie seems to be the ultimate “cool mom”, who can rock a cradle while suiting up for a motorcycle jaunt. Then it’s as though she’s taken a variation of Jeykll’s formula. Without raising her voice, Abbie’s running ‘the show”, gliding from room to room, and house to house, purring threats to Ben through a flimsy screen door as she floats away in her billowy long red dresses (or is it a shroud). Ole’ Ty doesn’t stand a chance against her new sultry sinister self.
With their first film since the 2011 zombie flick DEADHEADS, the brothers Pierce (Drew T. and Brett) have crafted an engaging homage to the VHS classics, which probably were stacked around the family VCR. That’s not to say that their script is a Frankenstein cut and stitch job since the plot does go in several surprising directions (a late in the third act “curveball” is quite a risky jolt of energy). And their direction has just the right balance of atmosphere (can’t go wrong with the woods and all those dark dank basements) and frantic action set pieces (with that arm cast Ben is a challenged protagonist). Yes, it’s a bit bloody, but there’s also buckets of oozing dark sludge that fill the screen. Speaking of balance, the Pierces do use some nifty CG effects while giving us some variations of the type of practical make-ups inspired by the 82′ THING and the original HOWLING (Baker, Bottin, and Savini would be pleased). And there’s a bit of Hitchcock-style paranoia as Ben fails to convince any adults of his observations (a tip to another 80s classic, the original FRIGHT NIGHT and a nod to REAR WINDOW). The only time the story really stumbles is with a clumsy pool prank on Ben which takes us away from Abbie’s antics. And though both actors are terrific, there’s little romantic chemistry between the Ben and Mallory characters, as they work better as a Hardy boy teamed with Nancy Drew. But that’s a minor quibble because THE WRETCHED really delivers those “old school” thrills and chills. And, as always, don’t go in the basement!!!
3 out of 4
THE WRETCHED opens May 1 at drive-ins everywhere. It is also streaming through digital and cable platforms including VOD, iTunes, VUDU, Amazon Prime, GooglePlay, and YouTube
Tired of being all cooped up in your home? Well, that’s a ridiculous thing to ask. Most of the national parks are closed off, so how about a cinematic foray into nature, eh? Ah, but Hollywood has taught us that the forest is just full of unspeakable menace. Yes, it’s a familiar backdrop for lots of horror tales, especially those lower-budgeted “chop jobs” (they don’t have to build elaborate haunted castles and mansions). And yes, this new release can be considered a thriller, but it’s more atmosphere than gore. That’s because this flick’s monster is not a ravenous mutant-bear nor a masked maniac slashing frisky teens with a big blade. No, his weapon is his mind as he manipulates and exploits others. And at the center of the story is one of his “followers” who realizes that she is THE OTHER LAMB.
It does begin deep in the woods as we observe a group of women (including a toddler) going about their daily chores: washing linens and clothing, sawing wood planks, repairing the roof of a shack (decorated with a face resembling Christ), preparing food, and tending to a herd of lambs. The women are divided by the color of their clothes (dresses that cover their bodies from the neck to the ankles with sleeves ending at the wrists), but all of them wear their hair in tight buns and braids (no loose strands down the neck). As they talk we learn that deep cobalt blue color denotes a daughter, while a red-tinged magenta is worn by wives. And what of the fathers and sons. No, there is just one, a man who the women call “Shepherd” (Michiel Huisman), the aforementioned mural face. He presides over this cult with his “herd” taking care of his every need, sending them into a fevered frenzy with his sermons and lectures. The daughters (the youngest seem to be his actual offspring) can graduate into wives. That’s the only goal for teenager Selah (Raffey Cassidy) who will push any of her “sisters” aside to gain favor with the Shepherd. But she’s tormented by nightmares full of strange visions (floating figures and lots of blood). Speaking of which, Selah tries to hide the onset of her period (they are considered “unclean” by the “sin of Eve”). But that’s of little importance when the Shepherd announces that they must vacate their home (the previous night Selah saw him talking with a policeman near his parked patrol car far away from their quarters). This begins a long arduous trek, one that will test their faith in all, and who, they believe. But could those dream images be a warning to Selah?
As the tale’s main focus Selah, Cassidy portrays a heroine with a most complex and compelling character arc. In the beginning, she’s very unlikable, with no real concerns for anyone else in the family save its leader. It’s the title role in ALL ABOUT EVE if it were about a shadowy cult rather than Broadway (hmmm, maybe not that much of a leap), as she will tread over anyone in the way of her goal. Then she has an awakening as she must deliver “leftovers” to those formerly in her master’s good grace. This new found empathy opens her eyes and Cassidy adjusts her body language, striding with more confidence and purpose. This occurs even as she subtlety questions “him”. Huisman, in that role, tempers his fervent energy and laser-point charisma, twisting the “wild maniac” crazed cult-leader cliche of many films. His quiet demeanor seems to draw in the flock. Then he’ll flash a smile that burns right through them. It adds more power to his intimate nights with those “chosen” as his tender caresses suddenly turn sadistic as his beefy hand clamps down on a pale throat and his fingers reach into their mouths, making his lambs gag and choke. He’s no loving messiah, but rather a cruel deviant predator. Denise Gough is superb as one of the former favored wives, Sarah, who is part of Selah’s “wake up call”, especially as she shows her disgust with the Shepherd by yelling out his “real” true name. In fact, all the wives and daughters are quite convincing as they literally sing his praises after his “blessing’ has swept them up in a wave of screeching hysteria.
Director Malgortza Szumowska, working from a script by feature film newcomer C.S.McMullen, wraps the story with an atmosphere of sinister, cold dread. That’s especially true in the exchanges between the family members and Shepherd, whose responses are unpredictable. A gentle brush against a pale cheek can switch to a brutal slap. The dream sequences are also a roller coast ride, as the tranquil floating angelic figures cut to crimson-splattered visions of women and beasts. And just what is going on with the twine and string going from tree to tree. Are the women entangled in Shepherd’s web of deception? This is all heightened by the soft, moody cinematography from Michal Englert. Unfortunately, the sluggish pacing may frustrate many viewers as will the somewhat abrupt and ambiguous end scenes. But for those wanting to get a good slow scare and a general sense of off-kilter unease all wrapped up in backwoods cult mania, then THE OTHER LAMB may be just the vicarious cure for “cabin fever”.
2.5 Out of 4
THE OTHER LAMB is available as a Video on Demand on most cable, satellite systems, and streaming apps and platforms.
Recalling the classic movie monsters of Hollywood’s Golden Age, visions of those hardworking actors (Karloff, Lugosi, the Chaneys, etc.) suffering through hours of cumbersome, often restrictive make-ups spring to mind. Ah, but one didn’t occupy “make-up marvel” Jack Pierce’s “barbershop” chair. Why? Because he wasn’t “there”, aside from a wig, bandages, dark sunglasses, and hard molded rubber nose. Springing from the imagination of celebrated science fiction/fantasy author H.G. Wells in 1897, “The Invisible Man” joined Universal’s “gallery of the ghoulish” (Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, and the Mummy) in James Whale’s 1933 classic. And, as a twist on the old saying goes, you can’t keep a good “creep” down. The unseen fiend returned with four follow-ups (well, more like spin-offs) in the 1940s before Abbott and Costello met him in 1951, as TV beckoned. At least four action/adventure series began in 1958 (one was a secret agent code-named “Gemini Man” in 1976, no relation to the recent Will Smith feature flop). But the movies weren’t done with the “concept”. It was mined for laughs in 1983’s THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE and 1992’s MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN with Chevy Chase. The serious scares returned with 2000’s HOLLOW MAN and its 2006 home video sequel. Universal’s now teamed with “scare studio” Blumhouse on a modern take. So, will Twenty-First Century audiences still shudder at the transparent terror of THE INVISIBLE MAN?
As with many a “spook story”, this one begins on a “dark and stormy night”. The camera pans over the violent surf to the ultra-modern mansion overlooking the crashing waves. Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) awakens and slides away from her sleeping (we see that she “Micky-Finn-ed” his glass of water) spouse, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Near silently, she evades the many surveillance cameras, tiptoes past his high-tech home laboratory, and enters a lush closet to retrieve the “flight bag” she has stored inside a vent shaft. Cecilia climbs over a wall and runs into the night until spotting the most-welcome headlights of her sister Alice’s (Harriet Dyer) car. It’s then off to her boyfriend’s house, where Cecilia will “hide out” with police detective/single dad James (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). A few weeks later, Alice makes a surprise visit with the news of Adrian’s death, a suicide. A letter soon arrives from his brother and attorney Tom (Michael Durman) about the reading of the will. It seems she has been quite financially rewarded. But Cecilia still feels his presence as the strange noises during the night increase. After a nocturnal “tug o’ war’ with her bed blanket, she comes to a startling conclusion. Adrain somehow faked his demise and found a way to become invisible. Can this really be true or has she given in to a grief-inspired paranoia? Sure he was a brilliant inventor, but it’s impossible, right? Right?
Though the film’s title reflects the masculine protagonist (really, a monster in all aspects), at its heart is the story of courage and survival of a woman, Cecily, portrayed by Moss is a “movie star”-making performance. Over the last couple of decades, she has riveted TV audiences with superb work in many series, from “The West Wing” to “Mad Men” and continues to garner acclaim and awards for “The Handmaid’s Tale”. The “big screen” hasn’t served as well despite supporting roles in several “indies” and studio films like GET HIM TO THE GREEK and last year’s disappointing THE KITCHEN. This role is a game-changer as we live the horrors of Cecilia through Moss’s expressive, haunted eyes. We’re rooting for her in the opening scene as she escapes the opulent but cold fortress that was once a home. She describes the trauma of that abusive life to her sister with a powerful delivery, though her inability to embrace what should be “good news” speaks volumes. Even as she realizes the new terror in her life, Moss shows us that Cecilia has a fierce intelligence, her sense of survival kicks into high gear as that “ghost’ force tightens around her throat. When she shares her concerns with her friends, her eyes dart about, looking for that unseen demon, but also fearing that anyone hearing her ideas will think she has “snapped”. Moss is a smart formidable, relatable warrior against this unknown evil, more action hero than “scream queen” (though she can heighten the tension with an ear-piercing wail). The flick works due to her considerable acting gifts. And her castmates are no “slouches”. Particularly Hodge as the amiable cop pop, quick to help Cecily, but gobsmacked by what he perceives as her plunge into madness. He’s also got a terrific screen rapport with Reid as his fiesty but still endearing “Daddy’s girl”. Dyer is tough but compassionate as Cecily’s no-nonsense sibling. Dorman is a skeevy white-collar weasel as the estate lawyer and brother to Griffin (nice tie-in to Welles’ literary creation and Claude Rains in the 1933 original), who is pure menace as he teeters the line between distraught apologetic beau and controlling brute ready to strike at the least offense.
That recent label that movie-marketers dreamt up a few years ago, “re-imagining” has gotten a bad rap of late because of the dismal, uninspired remakes (the original word that’s now shunned) and re-do’s (mostly rip-offs). Now writer/director Leigh Whannell has given that phrase legitimacy because this take on the nearly 125-year-old tale is truly imaginative and inspired, offering a fresh “spin” that hooks into current concerns. Rather than a hunched over scholar laboring over bubbling test tubes, a youthful tech guru (probably on the cover of “Wired”-style magazines or websites) has used computer-enhanced “nano-gizmos” for his discovery. But unlike the usual “mad scientists”, he’s not out to rob banks or conquer the world (as in James Whale’s flick), this Griffin creates it for his own warped personal agenda. It’s an SF-spin on recent stalker thrillers like ENOUGH and SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY, but also a commentary on the use of new conveniences to enable the controlling of others (you’ve heard of young girls having to “check-in” digitally with their beau or suffer their wrath). Aside from his personal “cloak”, Griffin also masters the web to “suffocate” and isolate Cecily, sending hate-spewing emails in her name. This is not to get too much into the “message” aspects since it’s also a tense, edge-of-your-seat exhilarating thrill ride. Whannell frames much of the action “off-center” to have us, like Cecily, to wonder if something’s in that empty corner or vacant space. Plus there’s a restaurant sequence that will go down as a “classic” horror movie moment. And of course, the special effects are state of the art (as is the gore, hence the “R” rating) with no floating objects wobbling with their attached strings. This a rollicking entertainment with a not so subtle message about abusive relationships (and summoning the strength to go forward). Scuse’ the pun, but THE INVISIBLE MAN is really something to see.
This week brings another interesting pairing of actors. It was just a week ago that Angelina Jolie and Michele Pfieffer squared off in MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL. Now the new film is not nearly as family-friendly though it too has moments of fantasy and fantastical beings. Oh, and there’s nobody else around (for 95 or so percent of the running time). Really, only the two men, bringing to mind both movie versions of the play SLEUTH, though the setting this time is not nearly as cozy and comfy as an English country estate. Its proximity to the ocean might be appealing for many (several of these structures have been converted to homes and vacation rental spots), who have made it a staple of nautical art (you might see one in a painting hanging at a library or hospital). Ah, but back in the late 19th century, there was nothing quaint about them, as these two gifted actors show us. Life was brutally difficult working and living in THE LIGHTHOUSE.
The title structure is located on an island on the Atlantic (the filming location was Cape Forchu in Nova Scotia, Canada). The time is 1890 as a medium-size boat (a bit bigger than a canoe) breaches the shore. Two figures walk out of the lighthouse’s front entrance as two men drag their duffel bags up the trail. The new occupants are Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and his supervisor Thomas Wake (Willam Dafoe). Over supper, we learn that the duo will be stationed there for the next four weeks. A conflict quickly arises when Ephraim declines to share a bottle of booze with Thomas in a toast (the younger man believes it will violate the “rulebook”). Thomas then lays out the daily routines. He will man the spinning light through the evening hours as Ephraim sleeps. With the dawn, he will tend to the chores, shoveling coal, cleaning the tower, sweeping out the quarters, while Thomas rests, though he will inspect and supervise in between his slumbers. Tensions begin to mount early on as the elder accuses the younger of sloth and poor work habits, threatening to “dock” his pay. The frustrations, paired with the nasty cold weather, chip away at Ephraim, whose only retreat is his dreams of a lovely mermaid. Soon he begins to have a difficult time separating fantasy from reality (the pesky aggressive seagulls aren’t helping). As the end of their tenure approaches, he joins Thomas on a booze-filled bender. But the wind is changing as the gauges indicate a storm on its way. If this jeopardizes their departure, will the solitude lead to madness and murder?
This edgy indie thriller provides a great platform for the two actors of different decades or even centuries. Pattinson is a star for this new century, earning early stardom as the lead sparkly vamp in that (unmentionable) young adult novel film series. But rather than go the easy, safe heartthrob route, he’s been choosing several really adventurous roles, some (like this) are truly “out there”. From the first silent moments of the opening scene, his haunted, dark eyes draw us in (much like the “pre-talkie” screen icons), making us wonder what’s going on behind them. For the next act or so he lumbers about the settings, leaving the verbiage to his co-star. But as he goes about the grueling daytime hours we see him tense up, his reserves gradually crumbling away by the elements and his relentless overseer. The slow, slow burn adds to the shock of his eventual outburst, reminding us of a certain famous sailor’s mantra, “I’s has all I kin’ stands, an’ I can’t stands no more!”. His inner monster, despite the mermaid’s high-pitched screech, is free, and no one will chain him again. Particularly his tormentor boss, Thomas is played with gritty gusto by Dafoe, representing the previous century (his screen work goes back to 1980, nearly four decades). His Mr. Wake is a riff on classic seafarin’ salts, one who spouts endless ocean cliches after a mug or two of liquor (his “toasts” with odes to King Triton feel endless). Immediately his rejection of hygiene (watch Ephraim wince as the elder’s every step emits a new round of flatulence) is a prelude to his irritating demeanor that leads to the bullying of his “charge”. There’s a gleam in Dafoe’s crinkled eyes as he delights in new humiliations for Winslow. His only moments of joy are those spent bathed in the tower’s blinding light (is that his naked form in silhouette), somehow free of his infirmities (part of a lower leg is in Davy Jones’ Locker). When the food runs out, and the back-up case of booze is dug up, Dafoe shows us that Wade is in complete freefall, embracing Winslow as a son, then pushing him aside. Add this to Dafoe’s already impressive roster of roles.
In the opening moments, the viewer is plunged into an almost alien world, thanks to the nearly square screen ratio (1:19 to 1) and the harsh black and white cinematography by Jarin Blaschke, utilizing many antique lenses and filters. This accentuates the rough textures of the island, but also of the actors (every bristle of Ephraim’s mustache, and every wrinkle on Tom’s sea breeze-beaten face). And that ratio adds to the claustrophobia, a disorienting choice from director Robert Eggers in his first film since the similarly off-kilter THE WITCH. Like that thriller, Egger gets us inside the heads of his characters, showing us how the harsh environs can make you question your senses and eventually lose all touch with reality. The flights of fancy have a true threatening feel with a sea beauty suddenly delivering more pain than pleasure. Observing all are the dead-eyed gulls, a squawking “Greek chorus”, hovering and threatening an attack (Hitchcock was on to something). The script (co-written by Robert’s brother Max) is too slow-moving at times and indulges in a few too much gratuitous scatology (really, emptying bedpans), but this steady descent into madness (a longer journey than JOKER) is one that may haunt your dreams, thanks to the remarkable work of these two gifted actors. Strangely THE LIGHTHOUSE illumianates the darkness of the two characters’ souls.
3 out of 4
THE LIGHTHOUSE opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at the AMC Dine-In Theatres West Olive 16 and the Hi-Pointe Theatre
In time for Valentine’s Day comes HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, a sequel to the 2017 horror/comedy HAPPY DEATH DAY. College student Tree (Jessica Rothe) is back for another day of repeated deaths, but this time it is someone else stuck in the loop of a repeated day. Nonetheless, it is still fierce sorority girl Tree, who went through this before, who must solve the mystery and stop the murderous loop.
Audiences don’t really have to have seen the original to follow the story in the sequel, as HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U provides a quick little recap of the first film, as Tree explains the situation to the new guy caught in the death day time loop. Briefly, in the first film, Tree keeps waking up on her birthday, in the dorm room of a guy she met at a party the night before but does not remember. The rude, self-centered Tree makes her way back to her sorority and goes through her day, only to be killed by someone in a demon baby mask (the college’s weird sports mascot) on the way to another party. But then, like in the Bill Murray comedy GROUNDHOG DAY, she wakes up again on the morning of her birthday and relives the day. The premise, of course, is that Tree has to solve her own murder and prevent it, to get to the next day.
This time the victim is Ryan (Phi Vu), the roommate of Carter (Israel Broussard), in whose dorm room Tree kept waking up in the first film. We quickly learn Ryan is part of a trio of students working on science project that caused his troubles as well as Tree’s. Naturally, the relentless Tree sets out the solve the mystery, with the help of Carter and Ryan.
HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U is placed firmly in the long genre tradition of horror comedy films, and seems aimed mostly at a younger audience with a taste for horror films as date movies. As a sequel, it is not as inventive as the first one but it is not bad either. As genre stuff, it does not offer much for more sophisticated audiences but for those looking for basic popcorn entertainment, it works well enough.
Christopher Landon directed both films, which are from Blumhouse, the studio that gave us GLASS, THE PURGE and GET OUT. While neither HAPPY DEATH DAY films are anywhere near the same league as GET OUT by any means, the first film was a hit and it was rather clever, recycling the idea behind GROUNDHOG DAY while playing with horror film tropes. The best twist was the sorority girl character at the center of it, who, instead of being a screaming victim, is a don’t-mess-with-me hellion.
There is plenty of death and violence in both films but not a lot of blood and gore, with even less in the sequel. HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U adds a new film reference to the GROUNDHOG DAY idea, mixing it with BACK TO THE FUTURE. With the help of Ryan and his nerdy science major friends, Tree time-travels back to her own death day to try to fix the problem, needing more than one trip. The time travel means some scenes from the original are repeated, but instead of re-shooting them from a new point of view, the sequel just lifts the scenes from the first film, both a clever idea and a cost-saving one.
Jessica Rothe reprises her role, and the cast of the first film returns as well, with new characters added. Rothe again does a nice job as the relentless Tree. Like the Bill Murray character, Rothe’s character goes from a jerk to a better person in the first film, and builds on that growth in the sequel, becoming even more resourceful. Broussard is likable again as Carter, with Phi Vu fine as Ryan, as are Suraj Sharma and Sarah Yarkin as his comically nerdy friends. Rachel Matthews is even more obnoxious as sorority president Danielle, Ruby Modine remains mysterious as Tree’s mismatched roommate Lori, and Charles Aitken is even ickier as Prof. Gregory.
For those looking for a scary/funny movie for Valentine’ Day date, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U would do nicely. HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U opens Wednesday, Feb. 13, at multiple area theaters.
