Review – Page 45 – We Are Movie Geeks

ALMOST HUMAN – The Blu Review

Writer and director Joe Begos’ ALMOST HUMAN (2013) may draw influence from the oft-remade “Body Snatcher” genre of science-fiction, but where he strives to stand apart is by bringing the classic standard to the modern grindhouse horror audience. This is a gory, violent rendition of the concept of alien creatures taking over human bodies and controlling them from within like robots. While this approach has its niche market, I always contend that viewers should try and look past the gore and violence but still embrace it as they experience the film as a whole, then make judgments based on more than simply the visceral sights and sounds that may prove distasteful on their own.

ALMOST HUMAN, not to be mistaken for the short-lives futuristic sci-fi television series that aired the same year, presents itself with a surprisingly low key, unassuming disposition of simplicity. The film avoids the more darkly comedic, or slyly self-deprecating trends that have fared well for films like HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, instead investing in a more dialogue-conscious, character-driver story that allows the audience to connect more closely to the human element of the horrific events that unfold on screen.

That’s awfully deep talk, so let me move beyond that now and discuss the more visceral traits. ALMOST HUMAN, perhaps shockingly, is not as gratuitously violent and gory as may have been suggested. Granted, I am coming from years of exposure to the type, but the true horror here comes from the cast and script. While the special effects are noteworthy, not over-the-top but realistic, their used sparingly, relative to the genre. Its the anticipation and drama that keeps the viewer on edge in this film.

ALMOST HUMAN stars Josh Ethier as Mark Fisher, a man returned home after having disappeared two years prior in a mysterious flash of blue light. Graham Skipper plays his friend Seth Hampton, one of a small clutch of witnesses who have tried to move on with their lives while fully aware of the unforgettable events that occurred. With Mark’s return, however, something has changed. He has changed and he has a mission.

The story takes place in Derry, Maine, the same fictional town that often serves as the setting for Stephen King’s tales of horror. Told with an indie-spirited perspective, ALMOST HUMAN could be called a minimalist backwoods alien abduction story, graphically interpreted for mature audiences, but its also an exhilarating, edge-of-your-seat film on a small scale. Ethier nails his performance as the cold, empty emotionless husk of a human body driven by its other-worldly host. Consider Schwarzenegger as the Terminator without the accent and a decent skill for acting, then dress him up like Paul Bunyan and you’ve got Mark Fisher.

ALMOST HUMAN is not your 50s sci-fi. It’s gritty, steeped in realism and yes, its violent. Why do I keep coming back to that? Because its important, but the horror isn’t entirely visual. The sound in the film plays a crucial role, both literally and psychologically. Lights and sounds become synonymous to terror and fear, whereas darkness takes an unconventional break from being the harbinger of doom. Viewing the film on blu-ray only greatly enhances this element of the film’s design. The sound becomes its own character symbiotic to the grotesque worm-like alien creature that have implanted themselves within their human hosts.

As for the special effects, the aliens themselves are handles much like Spielberg’s handling of “Bruce” the great white shark in JAWS. The less you see of the inhuman antagonist the better, generating a greater sense of fear and discomfort than can be realized by over use of special effects. Once again, this is where Begos’ use of sound plays an integral role. the aliens are far more present in the film as interpreted through the high-pitched, ear drum piercing shrieks they make. Like fingernails on chalkboards multiplied by a thousand. Add to this the short 80-minute running time and you have a compact sensory science-fiction slasher flick.

As for any lack of a happy ending in the story, this can be remedied by pleasant surprises within this blu-ray’s special features. Containing not one, but two feature-length commentaries: one with writer/director Joe Begos and Josh Ethier and another with this duo plus actor Graham Skipper and producer Cory Lockman. As if this weren’t enough for the average enthusiast, the blu-ray also includes a feature-length making of documentary, a behind-the-scenes featurette on the set with Graham Skipper, and the short film TOXIN, in addition to the standard inclusion of trailers, TV spots and photo galleries. Overall, the ALMOST HUMAN blu-ray is the total package that blends sci-fi and horror with an accessibly engaging but minimally cerebral story and lots of goodies. Oh, yeah… and, it has a chainsaw.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

BOUND BY FLESH – The Review

Where once it was the centerpiece of mainstream entertainment in the Midwest, nowadays the circus sideshow is gradually returning to the public eye as a subcultural curiosity after years of negative publicity and a rise in television, films and digital media. A major contributing factor of this growing subculture is the desire by some to acknowledge and promote an awareness and understanding of this nearly forgotten and often misunderstood part of our American history.

Writer and director Leslie Zemeckis‘s BOUND BY FLESH is a film that takes great price in doing its part in resurrecting the titillating and often taboo facts and folklore of the freak show. This documentary focuses on the lives of two fascinating girls, Daisy and Violet Hilton, also known as The Hilton Sisters. On the surface, and as always primarily publicized, Daisy and Violet had one overwhelming unusual trait… they are Siamese twins, conjoined by a ribbon of flesh on their backsides, so to speak.

Born to a mother with mental and emotional issues, to put it kindly, the Hilton sisters were essentially sold into the circus at a very young age. Throughout a life of emotional abuse, neglect and social isolation outside of when they performed, the Hilton sisters would become cash cows for their guardians/parents while having little to no exposure and freedom to the public or outside world on their own behalf. At this point, you may be asking why such a film would ever be enjoyable to watch, but wait… there’s more.

BOUND BY FLESH doesn’t just tell the Hilton sisters’ story, it tells the whole story. We learn about those closest to them, both good and bad, those they loved and the many struggles they went through. Despite all of this, the Hilton sisters maintained a mostly positive, forward-thinking and optimistic attitude toward life. Have you ever heard of such an uplifting, inspiring story of someone being given lemons and making lemon vinegar? I know. I may have lost you there. Let me explain.

With all the crap the Hilton sisters endured, with all the greed and cruelty that surrounded them, even with their charmingly — if not naive — innocence and resilience, in the end I cannot promise that everything works out in their favor. Its an unfortunate fact of life, but one that must be represented. That’s the world we live in and that’s an important element to what makes this such an engaging film.

Zemeckis does not bombard the viewer with flashy graphics or intense imagery. She doesn’t get experimental with form, but remains true to the classically functional style of non-fiction storytelling. Much in the same way so many of Ken Burns’ timeless documentaries have captured a segment of our American cultural past, BOUND BY FLESH takes two characters from that larger book and utilizes their stories to depict a much larger picture. Where many reality TV attempts have been made to revitalize the genre of the weird and bizarre, Zemeckis manages to embrace the strange while highlighting the humanity. This is not an easy thing to accomplish.

BOUND BY FLESH succeeds by combining a plethora of research, candid but revelatory interviews with past promoters, historians and a few people who were close to the sisters, some amazing photographs and even some old sound bites into one cohesive 90-minute motion picture exhibit of museum quality. From beginning to end, I found myself thoroughly mesmerized, not in that rubber-necking look at the crazy stuff way, but in a mindset of amazement. I found myself utterly shocked at the way these two girls were treated, even into their womanhood, yet awestruck by their willingness to endure and their drive to learn and grow and expand their talents and their art as performers.

BOUND BY FLESH opens in select theaters on June 27th, 2014.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH – The Review

I’ve always felt that instead of asking “what is God” we should be more focused on asking “what is the nature of God?” Should we really be so concerned with who or what such a power is, if we do not truly understand what purpose that power holds in our lives? Watching RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH is a personal cinematic experience and this is what I feel is at the core of the film’s story.

Based upon science-fiction legend Philip K. Dick’s posthumously published novel of the same name — a story line that first began with VALIS (1980) — RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH is adapted for the screen and directed by John Alan Simon. Originally filmed in 2007, experiencing more than its share of difficulties, the film found itself stranded in post-production in 2010 where it remained until a successful Kickstarter campaign allowed the filmmakers to complete the film for official release. I am glad this finally came to fruition.

John Alan Simon has been involved behind the scenes on such films as the cult horror comedy BASKET CASE (1982) and the werewolf film THE HOWLING, PART 2 (1985), so at a glance, it seems a philosophical science-fiction film such as this may be a peculiar choice as his feature-film debut. The result is quite the contrary. Simon seemingly has a very clear and confident grasp on Dick’s material and has created a surprisingly original yet highly accessible motion picture adaptation.

RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH tells the story of Nick Brady, played by Jonathan Scarfe, a man suddenly prove to visions transmitted into his mind by something he calls “VALIS.” These dream-like, sometimes prophetic visions lead Nick to relocate to Los Angeles where he creates a successful music recording label. Everything he does is driven by these visions, and in the beginning, things could not be better in his life. Nick meets a woman named Sylvia, played by musician Alanis Morissette, and soon after finds both of them tangled up in a deadly political game involving an oppressive authoritarian government and a secret revolution in the making.

One of the most important things to understand when entering into this film, is that it takes place on an alternate Earth; another dimension, so to speak. What we witness is not the Earth we know, but a similar version of Earth where things have occurred differently. Where forks appeared in the roads of history, alternate paths were taken. RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH portrays a somewhat autobiographical story, as Nick’s best friend Phil, played by Shea Whigham, is a science-fiction author with similar tendencies to the real-life author. In this alternate Earth, the Unites States of America is a “big brother” state like nothing we’ve ever seen, ruled by President Freemont, played by character actor Scott Wilson of THE WALKING DEAD fame.

Simon manages to find a friendly no man’s land in RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH where a spiritual awakening can coexist peacefully with progressive science-fiction philosophy. The film handles these contrasting principles with a subtlety and gentle hand, allowing the story to make its case that the two are actually more harmonious than they appear on the surface. Nick’s evolution as a human being exposed to a greater knowledge and purpose is portrayed tastefully, avoiding what could have come across as heavy-handed soap box preaching. The visions are both short and limited in frequency, but give a taste of the strange and vivid nature of their form.

The potential audience for RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH is broad, from traditional science-fiction fans to more modern crossover fans of films such as JOHN DIES AT THE END (2012) and viewers more prone to dramatic inclinations will find tonal similarities to THE MAN FROM EARTH (2007) — a personal favorite — extremely inviting. The story is complex but not difficult to follow, avoids becoming predictable and maintains interest from beginning to end, despite a relatively unconventional protagonist shift two-thirds into the film.

RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH has much to offer the open-minded viewer, but that is not to says it is without its flaws. Given its independent nature, a science-fiction film as this does require a certain level of special effects, but they are kept to a minimum and the result is far above the level of SyFy Channel original movie but noticeably below that of a major Hollywood motion picture. With that said, I recommend viewing the film not for its CGI but rather for its overall storytelling. Visually, RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH looks and feels like an indie film shot on digital, but not in a bad way. The script itself and the acting, overall, are accomplished, but there are moments when it feels a touch artificial or forced, but never so much that the film is unable to pull itself back up and draw the viewer back into its grasp.

Like so many films, the true test of success is in how long it remains present in your conscience after viewing. RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH is one of those films you’ll talk about with friends and be thinking about for hours, if not days after the initial experience is over. This isn’t a groundbreaking film on any level, but it is a film that leaves an impression. Simon succeeds in telling an intelligent, thought-provoking story that leads the audience to ask questions and formulate their own answers, and that’s never a bad thing.

RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH opens in theaters on Friday, June 27th, 2014.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER – The Review

It’s been quite a while since we’ve had a decent real-life career criminal to ogle over in the media. It seems the days of Al Capone, Dillinger and Bonnie & Clyde have long since passed. Since then, we’ve had plenty of fictional films to fill in the void, but even THE GODFATHER and SCARFACE stop short of the infamous “based on a true story” appeal that gets us truly salivating.

WHITEY: UNITES STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER is a film that perhaps attempts to fill this void. This is not the story of the rise of a criminal empire, but the complicated and calculated decline of a lone wolf. This film indirectly chronicles the trial of James J. Bulger, a ruthless criminal loose cannon who ruled Boston with an iron first for some three decades. I say indirectly, because the film deals more directly with the emotional and legal aftermath of Bulger’s past actions.

In all fairness, WHITEY is not a dramatic film intended to entertain viewers, but rather a documentary intended to educate and raise questions. However, I could not help but feel trapped within a Bermuda Triangle of conspiracy theories and finger-pointing. As a documentary, I hope for a more engaging story that captures my attention through human experience and factual revelation. Instead, WHITEY ends up feeling like a 120-minute block of 24-hour cable news programming.

Director Joe Berlinger is best-known for his PARADISE LOST trilogy of documentaries, arguably one of the more monumental pieces of non-fiction filmmaking. Personally, I feel — not all — but a small portion of that is due to the hot button content and that BROTHER’S KEEPER is his most accomplished film, thus far. WHITEY never seems to establish a connection with the viewer. The two men we feel the most empathy for are given relatively minimal screen time in comparison to the film at large. Stephen Rakes, a man terrorized and extorted by Bulger, a man whose livelihood was taken and whose family was threatened — allegedly — by Bulger, ends up the ultimate victim.

For me, the priorities in WHITEY seem to be slightly misguided, focused more on the sensationalist nature of the story than the human element and the facts. Then again, this is a relatively recent story, fresh in our collective minds. This is a hot bed of media interest, now with Johnny Depp beginning production on a feature film about the criminal. In some sense, I feel the documentary suffers from having jumped on the bandwagon too soon. Had Berlinger allowed the topic to simmer and settle for a few years, allowing emotions to subside and minds to regain some objectivity, it could have made for a much more compelling piece of cinema.

Clearly, there is a sense of urgency built into Berlinger’s work. Documentary filmmaking, to some great extent, relies on the filmmaker’s ability to move at a moment’s notice and seize opportunities as they occur. After all, this is real life, not scripted tales that can be shot and re-shot until you get just the right take. With the PARADISE LOST trilogy, there was an even greater sense of urgency as these films were, in part, an effort to help support a case to free these three young men from death sentences for crimes of which they were wrongfully accused.

WHITEY has some strong moments, especially later in the film as we continue to follow Steve Davis, the brother of victim Debra Davis and regular friend in circumstances with Stephen Rakes. On the flip side, the brutal honesty and complete lack of remorse shown in interviews by Bulger collaborator Kevin Weeks is both repulsive and fascinating. I could not help but give the man credit for knowing, without compromise, what he was and not apologizing for that, but still feeling this was an unforgivably terribly human being.

In the end, once I managed to get there, I found myself somewhat informed but mostly exhausted after having waded through two hours of slowly paced, unfocused filmmaking. I am a patient man when it comes to viewing films. It is truly rare for me to have that tell-tale moment when you look at your watch during a film, but this occurred a couple of times in the second half of the film. Had this been strictly a cable television special, which is how it felt, I would be less critical, but as a feature-length film, I fear WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER is equally long and insignificant as its title.

WHITEY: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. JAMES J. BULGER opens in theaters and Video On Demand on Friday, June 27th, 2014.

Opens in Los Angeles Friday, July 11th at Laemmle’s Royal in West L.A.

Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars

HELLION – The Review

HELLION is the feature-film debut for writer and director Kat Candler. With this film, Candler certainly has my full attention and should have yours as well. Few filmmakers can make such a powerful and meaningful statement — and do so successfully — on their first outing, but the term “rookie” would be gravely misused in its traditional context on such a filmmaker.

Aaron Paul, most notably recognized as Jessie from the television series Breaking Bad, portrays Hollis Wilson, a hard working father struggling to raise his two sons on his own. After his wife and mother of his boys died, times got tough and Hollis slipped into an alcoholic state as a means to cope. Meanwhile, his 13-year old son Jacob, played by Josh Wiggins, heads down a dangerously deviant path. In his first feature film, Wiggins shines. Influenced by heavy metal music and a passion for motor cross, Wiggins gives the troubled Jacob a thoughtful, reflective quality that resists our temptation to write him off as just another punk hoodlum. In the beginning, we witness Jacob making efforts to protect his younger brother Wes (played by Deke Garner) from his own choices, but soon gives in and ultimately regrets having let his guard down.

What transpires at this crucial turning point sets in motion the downward spiral of events that will forever changes Hollis’ and Jacob’s lives. Hollis’ sister-in-law Pam, played by Juliette Lewis, provides at first a role of functional necessity in the story, but gradually shows another level of human compassion which could be misconstrued as heartless betrayal, but Lewis manages to overcome this with her subdued performance and level-headed nature. This is not something we’re used to in her performances, but this provided a wonderful contract to Paul’s wonderfully dramatic and rigidly emotional performance of a father battling his demons. Hollis is torn between doing what he knows he must do and being who he fears he is unable to become.

Candler triumphs over melodrama, as nothing in the film feels forced or artificial. HELLION is a story that wears its heart on its sleeve, but is pure and honest. The film does not pull its punches, but does withhold any inclination to be excessively overwrought. Watching the film, we can as easily empathize with Hollis as we can with Jacob, even if they make some poor decisions. The difficulty is coming to terms with whether or not these two forces can come to terms and work together in resolving their shared dilemma.

HELLION has two things working in its favor, along side the talented Candler and her cast. First is a hard, heavy metal soundtrack that plays as a stark contrast against the honest, emotional storytelling. Bands such as Metallica, Slayer and The Sword reverberate as the film continually asks the viewer to maintain a partial, non-judgmental perspective. Secondly, Brett Pawlak‘s cinematography is a mesmerizing beacon of inviting warmth that also contradicts and marries with the harsh metal sounds. The entire film feels saturated by the golden glow of dusk.

After this family’s misfortune has accumulated to what appears to be a point of no return, something clicks. Hollis has what we may consider an epiphany and Jacob quickly discovers what it means to be a responsible man, doing what is right, consequences be damned. The cards are stacked against Hollis and Jacob, but despite the odds, Candler still leaves us feeling like there’s light at the end of the tunnel. HELLION is a heartbreaking, heavy story told with a gentle touch and a focus on maintaining hope.

HELLION is currently playing theatrically in New York and Los Angeles, and nationwide on Video On Demand platforms.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

BORGMAN – The Review

Most of us think we have a solid grasp on the definition of good and evil. This is good and right, but that over there is so bad and evil. I’m good because I do this, but what they do over there is evil. We like to throw these labels around like they are black and white, carved in stone and not at all subject to interpretation or context. At this, I laugh heartily with the best of intentions. One of the many things I love so much about cinema is the freedom it gives the artist to explore sides of humanity that most of us would otherwise dare not even think of acting out in real life. Nor would most of us ever wish such things on others, but there is something to be said for exploring such things on a philosophical and artistic level instead of avoiding and ignoring the urges and curiosities.

BORGMAN is written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Alex van Warmerdam. The film begins harmlessly enough, with a small mob of angry men and their dogs led by a priest carrying a shotgun. Nothing out of the ordinary. The priest and his posse appear to be hunting a vagrant who has ingeniously dug out an underground home for himself beneath the forest floor, complete with a hidden entrance and furniture. The vagrant’s name is Camiel Borgman, played by Jan Bijvoet, and he will prove to be much more complex than he appears at face value. Camiel is a relatively small, skinny man, filthy and unkempt with long ratty hair and beard. Despite our first impressions, there is something about the way Camile moves and carries himself, right from the beginning, that sets him apart and conveys an unmistakable intelligence.

Having caught wind of the intruders, Camiel abandons his home and warns his neighboring vagrants as he stealthily retreats from the oncoming threat. He happens upon an upper class home nestled within the woods and takes it upon himself to knock upon the front door. Richard, played by Jeroen Pereval, answers and with perfect politeness, Camiel asks the man if he may take a bath, or even a shower would suffice, as its been ages since he’s had the opportunity. It may come with great shock when Richard refuses, politely enough at first, but this is when things really begin to get interesting. Masterfully improvising as he goes, Camile begins to spin a seemingly believable tale of how he knows Richard’s wife Marina, played by Hadewych Minis. This, of course, reestablishes Richard’s interest which ultimately leads to Camiel receiving a testosterone-fueled beat down from Richard on his front lawn. Shocked and genuinely concerned for his health, Marina feels drawn to help Camile and make up for the barbaric display of masculine pride her husband has bestowed upon him. After all, Camiel appears harmless enough, right?

With each step he takes and boundary he pushes, Camiel reveals more of his true nature. Simultaneously, Marina — an artist — falls deeper and deeper into his spell as we watch her loyalty shift. Meanwhile, Richard’s corporate career is falling apart and their family life is beginning to crumble and Camiel leaves out of boredom. As a crucial turning point, Camiel returns to Marina’s house as their new gardener. He is cleaned up, almost unrecognizable except to Marina. With him Camiel brings a motley crew of fellow confidence artists who share his diabolical taste for manipulating others’ lives and, in some cases, ending them as well. Pascal, Ilonka, Brenda and Ludwig — played by Alex van Warmerdam — are a team of brilliant misfits who thrive on anarchy and deception. As the new gardeners, they begin constructing their intricate design which will forever change the lives of Marina and her family. Equally disturbing, but on a much less noticeable scale than Camiel, is the quietly discomforting performance given by Elve Lijbaart as Isolde, Marina’s blonde-haired white-skinned daughter. Isolde gets credit for the most shockingly unexpected and disturbing moment in the film, revealing that perhaps she too is predisposed to being a sociopath.

BORGMAN is rich with dark details and curious notions. Camiel comes across as some mysterious Loki-like deity of mischief, playing with peoples’ lives like so many fragile tin soldiers in a young boy’s toy chest. Camiel operates with a malevolent modesty that is disarming. He picks and chooses those he knows he can control and discards those he chooses not to control, instead toying with them first like setting ants on fire with a magnifying glass. They slowly feel the burn, not knowing the source, then suddenly they are dead. Warmerdam leaves plenty open to interpretation and discussion. While BORGMAN has a complicated but accessible plot, there are many elements that raise questions rather provide answers. Pay close attention to these key moments in the film and enjoy discussing them with fellow viewers afterwards. Few films since PULP FICTION have provided this caliber of debatable cinematic content.

What begins as a dry, quirky tale of a homeless man rapidly escalates and transforms into something more sinister. BORGMAN is often surreal and edgy, never ceasing to surprise the viewer as Camiel gradually unfolds his devilishly wicked wings from beneath his mild-mannered cloak. Such a change might prove too much and over the top, but Warmerdam does it with such subtlety and attention to keeping the tone of the film calm and almost meditative, that the transition from good to evil appears almost seamless and natural. In a sense, BORGMAN attempts to blur the lines between what is good and evil. Marina and those close to her are Camiel’s playthings and Camiel is the filmmaker’s master of puppets in his deadly and seductive game of chess.

If you enjoyed Michael Haneke’s FUNNY GAMES, I highly recommend Warmerdam’s BORGMAN, as it falls somewhere on the slightly less psychotic end of the scale for such films.

BORGMAN opens theatrically in NY on June 6th, 2014 at Lincoln Plaza & IFC Center with an expanded release on June 13th & 20th, 2014