The Fabelmans

Steven Spielberg has always attested there was a personal element to all of his films, even if they were filled with popcorn movie spectacle as well. However, with The Fabelmans, Spielberg digs deep into his own unique and tumultuous childhood to craft his most personal film yet. Despite it being described as semi-autobiographical, the film digs deep into Spielberg's relationships with his family, especially his parents, as well as how his ongoing love for filmmaking began and developed. 

In 1952, young Sammy Fabelman (played by Mateo Zoryon Francis DeFord) is being taken to his first movie by his parents, Mitzi and Burt (played by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano), to his first movie. That movie is, of course, The Greatest Show on Earth and Sammy finds himself enraptured and thrilled by the images on the screen. Yet, he is haunted by the massive train crash set piece in the film. He even goes so far to ask for a train set for Hanukkah and proceeds to crash the train over and over again in an attempt to recreate what he saw in the movie. Soon, his mom suggests Sammy film crashing the train set and then he can watch that over and over again and therefore not risk permanently ruining his train set, which was a concern his father had. The results ignite something in young Sammy as he starts making other movies around the house, frequently casting his younger sisters in various roles. When his father gets a new job opportunity, the family winds up moving to Phoenix, Arizona along with family friend "Uncle" Bennie Loewy (played by Seth Rogen). As the years pass, Sammy (now played by Gabriel LaBelle), continues with his filmmaking passions, often incorporating family members and even fellow members of his boy scout troop into the productions and even beginning to experiment with special effects. He also begins to notice a growing attraction between his mother and Bennie, something that would dramatically change his relationship with both his parents as well as his family going forward.  

Steven Spielberg directed the film with a script he co-wrote with Tony Kushner. The resulting film is one he calls semi-autobiographical, but based on what is known about his childhood and his family, it seems to play closer to fact than many biopics I have seen. The film is perhaps a bit more fair to both of his parents that Spielberg probably was as a kid as his rocky relationship with his father is well documented as he had incorrectly blamed him for his parents divorce. The bulk of the film does focus on that chapter of his life, as well as balancing his growing passion for film with his family life, while also dealing with the turmoil of moving and growing up in areas without a large Jewish population that leads to some Anti-Semitic bullying. Yet, he does a wonderful job highlighting the two distinct sides of his family, with both his far more free-spirited mother on one side and his more analytical, technical minded father on the other and how both sides had their own impacts and helped form the person he would become. The film is beautifully shot by Janusz Kaminski with exquisite period detail from production designer Rick Carter. Throughout the film we see recreations of the short films Spielberg made as a kid and they are wonderfully reproduced and a joy to see the ingenuity he used with those films to simulate explosions or gunfire with simple effects, even if Spielberg couldn't help but occasionally improve on what he made before with better camera angles, etc.       

The film has a magnificent cast, led by Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy. LaBelle gives such a empathetic performance as his character goes through the various ups and downs of childhood as he works to make his dreams come true, even as his home life crumbles around him. There is a moment that sticks out to me, when Sammy is editing the home movies from the camping trip the family takes and as he watches the footage he sees the growing attraction between his mother and Bennie and LaBelle conveys so much without any dialogue at all. Michelle Williams has a tricky role as Mitzi Fabelman in that Mitzi is such a free spirit of a character, who can be impulsive and tend towards mood swings. Yet, Williams plays the role with real grace and emotion as a woman who finds herself caught between two men she loves and trying to figure out what she wants as well as how to keep her family together. She is also a colorful character, prone to doing such wild things as getting a pet monkey because she needed a laugh. Paul Dano has an interesting task at playing Burt, someone who is in many ways the opposite of Mitzi. He is far more technical, academic and scientific minded. When young Sammy is nervous about seeing his first movie, Burt breaks down how a movie works in very technical terms, that it's all just an optical illusion as opposed to Mitzi's far more poetic explanation. Still, Dano gives a real warmth to his character and it's clear he loves his family, even if he doesn't show it in the best ways. Seth Rogen makes a rare dramatic turn as Bennie Loewy and does a great job in the role. Some of the humor he is known for comes through in the role and he makes his character easy to love, but he also handles heavier dramatic moments quite well, especially a heart to heart talk with Sammy late in the movie. Judd Hirsch shows up in a small but pivotal role as Mitzi's eccentric Uncle Boris and absolutely nails his big scene when he gives young Sammy an impassioned speech about what it means to be an artist, drawing from his own past working in the film industry as well as with the Circus. 

The Fabelmans is easily one of the best movies of the year for me. He tells a deeply personal story of the formative years of his life with plenty of warmth and heart while, not unlike Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous before it, fictionalizing it somewhat in an effort to create a streamlined and satisfying film. It's a film he could probably only tell now with a certain sense of maturity and understanding required. I was also surprised by just how much I related to the film and the character of Sammy (and I suppose by extension, Steven himself). I won't get into the nitty gritty of it, but it certainly did bring back a number of memories for me of my own childhood. But then again, I suppose the themes of family, growing up and coming of age can be truly universal in their own ways.          

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

One of my favorite movies of 2019 was Rian Johnson's inventive and fun twist on the murder mystery Knives Out. So, naturally, I was very excited for the follow-up to arrive with a new case for that film's detective to solve with a whole new cast of colorful characters. The resulting film, Glass Onion, more than delivers with a follow-up every bit as good and fun as the original film. 

It's May 2020 and a group of five friends each receive an elaborate puzzle box from their longtime friend Miles Bron (played by Edward Norton), a billionaire and CEO of the tech company Alpha Industries. The folks getting the box include Claire Debella (played by Kathryn Hahn), Lionel Toussant (played by Leslie Odom, Jr.), Birdie Jay (played by Kate Hudson), Duke Cody (played by Dave Bautista) and Cassandra "Andi" Brand (played by Janelle Monae). Also receiving a box is renowned detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig). Inside of each box is an invitation to a weekend retreat to Miles's private island to participate in a Murder Mystery game. Also arriving on the island is Birdie's personal assistant, Peg (played by Jessica Henwick) and Duke's girlfriend, Whiskey (played by Madelyn Cline). Upon their arrival, they are greeted by Miles who welcomes them all. However, he takes Benoit aside after and admits to being confused as to why he is there and he was not invited to the party. Miles quickly deduces that someone re-sent one of their boxes to him. But the question remains who invited him and why. Especially as secrets and animosities among this group of mismatched friends begin bubbling to the surface and it becomes clear someone really does want Miles dead. 

The film was written and directed by Rian Johnson who manages to craft another unique and thrilling mystery that is at once a traditional murder mystery while also playing with our expectations of the genre in deliciously unique ways. I want to try and preserve as many of the film's surprises as possible as there are a number of fun twists. There is also more humor in the film coming from it's array of colorful characters. Johnson is clearly taking inspiration from the Poirot movies from the late 70's-Early 80's, especially Evil Under the Sun, for this film from both the choice of location and overall mood. The production design of the film is incredible in terms of Miles' sprawling mansion that is the film's primary location, including the titular "Glass Onion", a large glass dome structure that is the centerpiece of the estate and also the location where the various layers of this group's pasts are revealed. 

Much like the first film, this one has assembled a fantastic cast led by Daniel Craig returning as Benoit Blanc. We learn a little bit more about him this time around, including getting a look into his home life, his partner, as well as how he copes when he doesn't have a case to solve. Craig is clearly having a blast with the role as he chews on that Southern accent while trying to solve a very unique and perplexing mystery. Edward Norton is a joy to watch as Miles Bron, the eccentric and potentially reckless Tech Billionaire. He does well portraying a character who has clearly bought into all their press and has an inflated ego as a result. Yet he also gives the character a lot of charm and personality that makes the character a delight to watch. Kathryn Hahn is a hoot as Claire Debella, current Governor of Connecticut and preparing to run for the Senate, a fact that drives her actions throughout the movie. Kate Hudson is hilarious online influencer Birdie Jay who says so many controversial and politically incorrect things online her assistant has confiscated her phone and refuses to give it back. Jessica Henwick plays off this wonderfully as her put upon assistant Peg. Dave Bautista is quite the character as Twitch streamer and Men's Rights activist Duke Cody, who has gained quite the following for his toxic masculine personality and goes nowhere without a pistol strapped to himself. Leslie Odom Jr. does well as the rare voice of reason in this group, as the brilliant mind behind many of the innovations Miles has taken credit for, creating some justified animosity between the two. Last but certainly not least is Janelle Monae as the cool and standoffish Cassandra "Andi" Brand, who has her own issues with Miles that are revealed as the movie goes on. She is fantastic in the role and how her character changes as more about her past and the relationships with others come to light. There is a lot with her character and I don't want to give anything away, so I will just leave it as she's awesome.                

Overall, Glass Onion is a worthy follow-up to Knives Out with another fantastic cast and a twisty mystery at it's core that at once both adheres to and subverts the tropes of the mystery genre. The set up of the film all feels familiar in that great way we all expect but then the film keeps going in other directions and really kept me on my toes throughout. I'd love to elaborate on what I mean by that but I would hate to spoil all the surprises the film has. It's a bummer that the film is only getting a one week, limited release as it is a movie that plays great with a large audience. I saw it in a packed theater over Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast with it. If you don't get a chance to see it in the theater, never fear as it will be premiering on Netflix starting December 23rd. 

The Menu

I had been completely unaware of The Menu until I first saw the initial teaser trailer but was immediately intrigued by the story of the film. Then the second trailer played in front of almost every movie my friend and I would see. It got to the point where we could quote along with it (and did, to our own amusement). So, naturally, when we got the chance to see it early we pounced. Thankfully, the film itself is quite good, filled with some of the best pitch black comedy mixed with unique thriller elements to make for a very memorable film. 

Hawthorne restaurant is a very exclusive dining experience located on a isolated island only accessible by boat. It is overseen by celebrity Chef Julian Slowik. The restaurant only welcomes 12 guests a night, at $1250 a head. Among the guests are obsessive foodie Tyler (played by Nicholas Hoult) and his date, Margo (played by Anya Taylor-Joy), food critic Lillian Bloom (played by Janet McTeer) and her editor, Ted (played by Paul Adelstein), wealthy couple Richard and Anne Liebbrandt (played by Reed Birney and Judith Light), a famous movie star George Diaz (played by John Leguizamo) and his assistant Shah (played by Ali Asghar Shah), and a trio of wealthy investment bankers, Soren (played by Arturo Castro), Dave (played by Mark St. Cyr) and Bryce (played by Rob Yang). They are given a tour of the facility by the Maître D' Elsa (played by Hong Chau), as she shows how they cultivate the food they serve and even have their own smokehouse. As they are seated for dinner, each course is served with disciplined precision and introduced by Chef Slowik starting with a loud clap of the hands. Each course is presented like a piece of conceptual art as part of an overarching theme that won't become clear until the end. As the evening proceeds, and each increasingly ostentatious course is presented, the night takes on a far more sinister tone as the guests realize they may be in the process of eating their last meal.

The film was directed by Mark Mylod from a script by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy. The film is an amusing and unique blend of haute cuisine satire and an at times shocking thriller. Yet, the film balances these elements quite well. I appreciated the way the film reveals their character's layers and secrets with each passing course, generating some genuine surprises along the way. As the film goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that Chef Slowik knows exactly who his guests are and that they are all there for a reason. All of this is paired quite well with some wonderfully savage humor as the movie takes some well pointed jabs at celebrity chef culture and gourmet dining, as well as foodie culture and even class warfare. Of course, with this being a movie about dining, the film boasts plenty of exquisite and tantalizing shots of the various dishes served throughout the film, each one crafted with artistic precision to ensure the audience is left wishing they could take a bite. Even the production design of the restaurant and surrounding island is a marvel to look at, with a décor that is minimalist and complements the natural environment it was built in that contrasts with the well stocked and impressive professional kitchen that is wide open and in view at all times by the guests. 

The film boasts an impressive cast led by Ralph Fiennes, who makes Chef Slowik an enticing enigma of a character. He takes cooking very seriously as each dish is prepared by his crew with utmost precision. He plays the character with a soft spoken seriousness that is often intimidating and occasionally hilarious and the way he can hit both notes with ease is impressive. Anya Taylor-Joy has a tricky role as Margo, the only character who isn't really enthused to be there and feels the whole affair is a bit ridiculous. In a role that could easily be a bit of a whiny wet blanket, she keeps the character likable and one to root for as she is clearly the odd one out in the group, especially as she tries to figure out just what is going on and what Chef Slowik's true intentions are. Being the only one not really into this exclusive event also makes her more keenly aware that something is not quite right about the situation. Nicholas Hoult is a hoot as Tyler, who is an obsessive foodie and ardent fan of Chef Slowik, savoring every course while remaining keenly and strangely unfazed as things take a darker turn. Hong Chau is memorable as Elsa, the Maître D who runs the front of house with the same seriousness and precision as Chef Slowik runs the kitchen. She portrays her character's dedication to Chef Slowik so well and makes her character both compelling and a bit intimidating herself. John Leguizamo plays Georgie Diaz and has fun with the role playing an actor who is trying to overcome a career slump after a few bad movies. Janet McTeer and Paul Adelstein are a hoot as food critic Lillian Bloom and her editor Ted and their ridiculously pretentious banter about each course.

It's always a joy to watch a movie where I have no idea where the story is going and any outcome seems possible and The Menu would be exactly that type of movie. With a unique blend of dark satirical comedy and genuine thriller elements is a combination that perhaps shouldn't work but the film finds the right balance between the two to create a deliciously twisted film. With each passing course, I was riveted to the screen to see there this movie was going to go and I was not disappointed. In fact, I look forward to a second helping in the future.               

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Like many people roughly my age, I grew up with "Weird Al" Yankovic. His oddball sense of humor always appealed to me as he continuously skewered Pop music. His music videos were always hilarious and on point. His first film, UHF, has garnered a devoted cult following. It was only natural that eventually his life would be depicted in his own bio-pic. In true Weird Al fashion, the resulting film is a hilarious satire of bio-pics.

As a young kid, Al (played by Daniel Radcliffe) developed an interest in the accordion only to be repeatedly discouraged from playing the instrument by his father, Nick (played by Toby Huss). Growing estranged from his parents as a result, he eventually moves in with his three friends, Steve (played by Spencer Treat Clark), Jay (played by Jack Lancaster) and Bermuda (played by Tommy O'Brien). After being rejected from yet another band not wanting an accordion player, he admits he just wants to make parodies of famous songs by changing the lyrics. Encouraging him, his friends turn on the radio while he fixes some sandwiches. As My Sharona by The Knack and immediately comes up with the song "My Bologna." They decide to record the song, settling on a nearby public bathroom due to the ideal acoustics. He sends in a copy to a local radio station where it gets played and becomes an instant success (literally the same afternoon he mails it). Soon, he's playing his first concert at a biker bar in front of a "Whiskey and heroin crowd" with his friends stepping in as his bandmates. He also attracts the attention of Dr. Demento (played by Rainn Wilson) who offers to mentor the up and coming musician. Soon enough, he's signed to the Scotti Bros. Record label and his first record goes multi-platinum. When it's discovered that sales go up for the original albums once Weird Al does a parody of one of the songs, Madonna (played by Evan Rachel Wood) starts courting Weird Al to do a parody of one of her songs, setting off a truly weird series of events for "Weird Al" Yankovic         

The film started out as a a mock trailer made for the site Funny or Die parodying the sort of Oscar Bait musician biopics that had been coming out. Based on the continued positive response to it, director Eric Appel and "Weird Al" Yankovic decided to expand it to a feature. As they watched the movies they were parodying and realized each one took plenty of dramatic license, they felt they could stray from real life as freely as they wanted, leading to some hilarious and unexpected turns in the film, especially in the second half of the film as Al begins drinking heavily, taking drugs, and becoming increasingly belligerent as his ego swings wildly out of control (all the funnier if you're familiar with Weird Al's history as a very clean cut musician whose career has been strangely free of controversy). The jokes come fast and often as it covers Al's life when he was a child through his rise to fame in the 80s. Aspects of Al's life are frequently exaggerated to great comedic effect even as the actors play the scenes deadly serious in the tradition of the best parodies. 

The film has a magnificent cast with Daniel Radcliffe nailing the lead role of "Weird Al" Yankovic. He plays the role with such deadpan serious in the face of such ridiculous events. Radcliffe really gives his all to the role even as the events around him grow more and more ridiculous. Rainn Wilson is a hoot in the role of Dr. Demento giving a very amusing performance as acts as something of a De-Mentor to Weird Al, although how good of an influence he proves to be is debatable. Evan Rachel Wood is clearly having a lot of fun playing Madonna, especially as the character becomes more exaggerated as the film goes on. Toby Huss does well satirizing the role of the disapproving and/or neglectful father that has itself become a well worn trope of these types of films. Much like the rest of the cast, he really nails playing the absurdity with deadly seriousness that makes the jokes land. The film also has a parade of cameos that I will not elaborate on because I don't want to ruin the surprises, but I have to say I enjoyed each one. 

Overall, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is a hilarious satire of the music biopic genre, as well as offering a few kernels of truth about Weird Al himself even if the movie is 98% fiction. The majority of the jokes land with a talented cast that is 100% committed to the bit. The only downside of the movie is that because it is exclusively available on the Roku Channel, it is frequently interrupted by commercials. Here's hoping it eventually scores a Blu-Ray release as it is one I would love to add to my collection.        

Halloween Horrorfest: Poltergeist

When I realized that Poltergeist turned 40 this year, I knew what movie I needed to review to close out this year's Spooky Season. Few films have garnered the reputation this one has, especially for people my age, as not only an exceptionally scary movie but also as an allegedly cursed film. I'm not sure I believe in that last part but it is a film that has by and large held up remarkably well as a supremely scary movie. 

Steven and Diane Freeling (played by Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams) live in the suburban housing development Cuesta Verde with their three kids, Dana (played by Dominique Dunn), Robbie (played by Oliver Robins) and Carol Anne (played by Heather O'Rourke). Late one night, Carol Anne begins conversing with the family television set while the set is on static. When she does it again the next night, a ghostly white hand emerges from the television and the house is rocked by a earthquake, after which Carol Anne eerily announces, "They're here." Strange events occur the next day, including furniture moving on it's own, glasses breaking and silverware getting bent. Things escalate when the creepy old Oak tree outside the kids' room comes to life, breaks through the window and snatches Robbie right out of bed. While the rest of her family is distracted with rescuing Robbie, Carol Ann is pulled into a portal that opens in her bedroom closet. Not knowing how to rescue their daughter, Steven and Diane reach out to Parapsychologist Dr. Martha Lesh (played by Beatrice Straight) and her colleagues, Dr. Marty Casey (played by Martin Casella) and Dr. Ryan Mitchell (played by Richard Lawson). They eventually bring in a medium, Tangina Barrons (played by Zelda Rubinstein) to assist further once they realize just how much paranormal activity they are dealing with. 

Poltergeist is a unique collaboration between co-screenwriter and producer Steven Spielberg and Director Tobe Hooper. Controversy has raged to this day as to who the actual director of the film is. Tobe Hooper is the credited director for the film but rumors persist that Spielberg actually ghost directed the movie. I watched it again the other night with this controversy in mind to see if my knowledge of both filmmakers to see what I could discern and honestly, the bulk of the movie feels more like a Tobe Hooper movie than a Spielberg movie. That said, Spielberg's fingerprints are still all over it. He co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Grais and Mark Victor from a story he developed with Hooper. There are also some trademark Spielberg shots that show just how involved he was with the production and collaborated on shot setups and storyboards for the movie. Together, the two managed to craft one of the all time scary movies accentuated with a unique take on the haunted house genre and memorable special effects that still hold up today, including a couple really gnarly ones that had me wondering aloud, "This movie is rated PG?!". No doubt, this movie (along with Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom a couple years later) would bring about the need for the PG-13 rating. 

The cast for the film is fantastic. JoBeth Williams does quite well as Diane Freeling, who finds herself tested in ways she could never imagine trying to protect her family from the evil forces that have invaded her home but she does a magnificent job portraying Diane's strength and resilience as she does what is needed to protect her kids. Craig T. Nelson is great as Steven, who is trying his best to cope with everything that is going on around him but of the two parents is definitely the more skeptical one, despite everything that is happening. Still, Nelson has one of my favorite moments late in the movie when he finally realizes the reason for the hauntings and has an epic meltdown on his boss, subdivision developer Lewis Teague (played by James Karen). I won't get into specifics because of spoilers, but it has been replaying in my head for the past day since I watched the movie. Beatrice Straight gives a  warm and caring performance as Dr. Lesh, trying to be reassuring to the Freelings even as she tries to figure out how to help them. Zelda Rubinstein is instantly iconic from the moment she steps on-screen as Tangina, giving her character a sort of no-nonsense seriousness that makes her character so memorable. Heather O'Rourke adds a certain otherworldliness to Carol Ann while being absolutely precious and lovable that makes it easy for her to endear herself to the audience, which is important since she spends so much of the movie off screen. 

Of course, Poltergeist would go on to spawn two sequels of varying quality but neither would match the original, which still holds up as the best film. I may have to cover the sequels at some point because neither is bad necessarily, but neither is perfect either. The first film stands on it's own as a classic scary movie (I think I can say that since it's 40 years old now) and perfect Halloween viewing for the whole family. I, for one, can't wait to show this one to my nephews. How else are they going to develop a totally normal and rational fear of clown dolls, skeletons, and half-finished swimming pools?   

Halloween Horrorfest: Session 9

Session 9 is a movie that I certainly knew by reputation as a very good scary movie but was one I kept putting off until finally this year I decided I was finally going to sit down and watch it. I went in knowing only the basic premise and not much else and was surprised what an effective little flick this was. 

Gordon Fleming (played by Peter Mullan) is the owner of a hazardous waste removal company. He and his associate Phil (played by David Caruso) are called in to assess cleaning up and removing asbestos from the abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital. Desperate to land the bid, he agrees to have the job done in one week instead of the two-three weeks it would realistically take. They assemble a crew that includes Mike (played by Stephen Gevedon), a law school dropout who is familiar with the history of the asylum, Hank (played by Josh Lucas), a gambling addict who stole Phil's girlfriend, and Jeff (played by Brendan Sexton III), Gordon's nephew who has a pathological fear of the dark. As the crew gets to work with the clean-up, unsettling things begin to happen. Gordon hears a voice greet him by name and finds himself strangely drawn to the nearby cemetery that contains the remains of over 700 patients. Mike discovers a bunch of abandoned case files, including one in particular of a patient named Mary Hobbes, who suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder. He starts to listen to a group of tapes he found of sessions between her and her doctor, a total of 9 sessions. As the days go on, the place starts to have an effect on each of the guys as they each begin to experience unsettling things within the confines of the hospital, taking a toll on their own mental health.

The film was directed by Brad Anderson from a script he co-wrote with Stephen Gevedon. There is a definite slow burn pacing to the film as it establishes the hospital and it's history as the film builds it's tension and sense of dread. The film was shot on location in the actual abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital in Massachusetts and apparently they had to do very little work dressing the sets for the film. Much of what we see in the film is actually how it was, with all the abandoned equipment, as well as much of the vandalism and deterioration of the property being exactly as they found it. It's such a large and imposing building as well it is practically another character in the movie, not unlike the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, which this movie takes more than a little inspiration from. Still, the story did keep me on my toes throughout. I knew things were going to go wrong, I just wasn't quite sure how. This movie is also an example of less is more, using the atmosphere of the setting, the sound design and effective cinematography, as well as an effective score from Climax Golden Twins, to create the scares rather than CGI and extensive practical effects. 

The cast is really solid, led by Peter Mullan as Gordon. He captures his character's increasingly fragile mental state quite well without overdoing it. He really conveys the pressure he's under and how much is riding on this job so he can keep his company afloat. There are also certain other secrets with his character that he reveals in a way that is compelling and at times rather sympathetic. David Caruso handles the role of Phil well, who throughout the film is the voice of reason trying to keep it together for the rest of the group. Josh Lucas is clearly reveling playing the scummy and shady Hank, who loves to tease and torment his co-workers, among many other things. Brendan Sexton III gives some real vulnerability to his character of Jeff. He's a bit of a goof, but Sexton keeps him sympathetic without being annoying. 

Overall, I found Session 9 lived up to it's reputation as a unique and chilling spook flick, using atmosphere and subtlety to deliver it's scares. It may have taken inspiration from films that came before, but it also stands on its own as a unique and genuinely scary movie. I'm only sorry I waited this long to actually watch this one. 

  

Halloween Horrorfest: Urban Legend

On the surface, Urban Legend (or Lurban Egend, as it was referred to by my friend group back in the day for some reason) is a pretty shameless rip-off of the Scream films with a killer taking inspiration from famous urban legends rather than horror movies. That doesn't mean it's not an entertaining movie on it's own. Heck, in it's heyday, they Slasher genre was just a bunch of filmmakers shamelessly ripping each other off to varied success. Why should it be any different in the 90s? 

On a rainy night, Michelle Mancini (played by Natasha Gregson-Wagner) is decapitated with an axe while driving down an isolated road by an unseen attacker in her back seat (believe me, I have spent the past 24 years trying to figure out how they managed to do that too, even if the car was a huge SUV). Meanwhile, on the Pendleton College Campus, Natalie (played by Alicia Witt) is hanging out with her friends Brenda (played by Rebecca Gayheart) and Parker (played by Michael Rosenbaum) as the latter regales them with the tale of the Stanley Hall massacre that happened on campus back in the 70s, which Journalism student Paul (played by Jared Leto), overhearing the conversation, is quick to try to debunk. News of Michelle's murder spreads across campus the following morning, but Dean Adams (played by John Neville) and Campus Security Officer Reese (played by Loretta Devine) try their best to cover up the story, to the frustration of Paul when he finds them pulling copies of the school paper with the story he wrote about it featured on the front cover. Natalie takes the news of Michelle's passing hard as they had been close friends in High School. One of the classes they take is an Urban Folklore class taught by Professor Wexler (played by Robert Englund), who discusses and debunks such urban legends as the one regarding Pop Rocks and Soda. Soon enough, the killer strikes again and again as it becomes clear to Natalie that the killer is targeting her and her friends. Soon, she teams up with Paul to try and figure out who the killer is, their connection to her, and if it has anything to do with the impending anniversary of the legendary Stanley Hall Massacre. 

The film was directed by Jamie Blanks from a script by Silvio Horta. To their credit, they manage to craft a perfectly decent slasher movie with plenty of atmosphere and tension throughout. They even play things mostly serious for the bulk of the run time. The design of the killer, with the over-sized Parka with a large hood obscuring the killer's face is certainly a unique choice, even if it does make them stick out at a time that is definitely not winter. The setting of a secluded New England university certainly adds to the film with it's gothic architecture creating a foreboding mood. The death sequences are certainly memorable and tense as the killer offs the cast one at a time utilizing creative means that recall famous Urban Legends. That's not to say the movie doesn't have a sense of humor, which it certainly does, as the movie gets sillier as it goes along until it gloriously goes off the rails at the end when the killer is finally revealed, throwing everything we have just seen previously into question of plausibility. Even better, the killer gives a deranged rant that is so over the top it even includes a slide show presentation. Trying to figure out how the killer was able to set all this up while also chase after the main characters will no doubt make the viewer go cross-eyed, so best just to sit back and enjoy the lunacy. 

The film does assemble a solid cast of actors, led by Alicia Witt as Natalie. Witt does well in the role, giving her character a real strength and resourcefulness. When the authorities won't believe her that there is a killer on campus, she takes it upon to find out who the killer is. Jared Leto makes a decent partner in investigation as the two team up to figure out who the killer is. Leto also does a well playing to Paul's darker sides, including his lack of empathy regarding the stories he covers as well as being just suspicious enough to potentially be the killer. Rebecca Gayheart is clearly having fun in her role as Natalie's best friend. Loretta Devine his also clearly having fun as the Pam Grier idolizing Campus Security Officer Reese (and apparently the only Campus officer...we never see another one, which is...odd). She is easily one of the most memorable characters in the movie and one of the only competent members of the campus staff. Michael Rosenbaum is a hoot as the jokester frat boy Parker, making the most of his supporting role. Robert Englund is also having a good time chewing the scenery as Professor Wexler, being as menacing and suspicious as possible.     

Urban Legend is probably not top tier in the pantheon of 90's slasher flicks, but there is a certain guilty pleasure quality to it that makes it a lot of fun to revisit every couple of years. The movie is very much a product of the 90s, with amusing references to certain Noxzema commercials and a Dawson's Creek reference that will never not be funny to me. It's certainly an entertaining one and there is a certain amount of nostalgia tied up in this one for me to make for a fun late night watch from time to time.       

Halloween Horrorfest: I Know What You Did Last Summer

It's hard to believe that it's been 25 years since I Know What You Did Last Summer was first released to theatres. I was in High School at the time it came out putting me in a prime demographic for this film, released just as the teen slasher flick was having it's renaissance in the late 90's thanks to Scream. In fact, I am surprised I haven't covered this one on my blog yet, but I indeed have not. 

In the small fishing village of Croaker, North Carolina, four friends, Julie James (played by Jennifer Love Hewett), Barry Cox (played by Ryan Phillipe), Helen Shivers (played by Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Ray Bronson (played by Freddie Prinze, Jr.), are celebrating the Fourth of July alone on a secluded beach. They share ghost stories around a camp fire, specifically the urban legend of the escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand. While driving back to town, a drunken Barry distracts Ray, who is driving, causing them to accidentally hit a pedestrian. Panicking and fearing this could ruin their futures, they panic and decide to dump the body off a nearby dock. After, they make a pact to never tell anyone what happened that night. A year later, Julie returns from college. She is withdrawn and has been struggling with school. She has lost contact with the other three over the past year. However, she quickly tracks them down when she receives an anonymous note reading: I Know What You Did Last Summer. Initially, they suspect a former classmate, Max (played by Johnny Galecki), but it becomes clear it isn't him when a mystery assailant dressed in a fisherman slicker and hat starts tormenting each one of them to make them pay for their past misdeeds. 

The film was directed by Jim Gillespie from a script by Kevin Williamson, and is very loosely based on a novel by Lois Duncan. I say that because aside from the initial premise and the characters, the movie and book bear little similarity to one another. The biggest change is that the movie is a full on slasher movie with an actual body count, with the Fisherman character stalking our characters with a large, sharp meat hook. This proved to be a controversial change, especially with Lois Duncan who hated the idea of her novel being turned into a cheap slasher flick. Except, the film actually works well mixing in elements of mystery and thriller elements while downplaying explicit gore (there is actually very little in the movie). The writing is sharp, as one would expect from Kevin Williamson, with witty dialogue and tight plotting as the four characters try to figure out the identity of their tormentor, especially as the attacks on them escalate. I appreciated the morality play aspect of the film as well, the way it turns the screws on these four that committed a crime and their past sins come back to haunt them a year later. Of course, this plot point prevents them from going to the police too so it falls to them to try and save themselves. 

For the main cast, they assembled four of the then hottest up and coming actors. Jennifer Love Hewitt gives Julie the perfect mix of vulnerability and strength. Julie is the voice of reason for the group and Hewitt portrays that wonderfully. She even makes one of the silliest moments in the movie, when Julie stands in the middle of the road yelling to the unseen killer, "What are you waiting for?!", work so well it is kind of awesome. Sarah Michelle Gellar has a trickier role as Helen, since her character is a recently crowned beauty queen, has a bit of an ego and has some bitchier tendencies, yet Gellar is able to still make her character likable. She is at her best when she is investigating with Hewitt, trying to figure out the identity of not only their attacker but the person they hit that night. She also has one of the all time great chase scenes towards the end of the movie between her and the killer that ranks among the best in the genre. Ryan Phillipe's role as Barry is another tricky role as his character is snob, a hothead and reckless to a fault. In short, he's a bit of an asshole. Still, Phillipe brings enough charm to the character to keep him compelling even when he's not particularly likable. Freddie Prinze, Jr. does reasonably well as Ray, who has to play many of his scenes two ways, as both the friendly Ray, but also possibly as the one who is actually their mysterious tormentor as the film tries to make him a viable suspect, except I never really bought into it as a viewer myself. Anne Heche turns up for a couple scenes as a potential suspect Julie and Helen talk to in the film and she gives her performance a certain edge of menace and mystery that make her character memorable.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this movie is actually 25 years old now. It was certainly popular when it came out, staying at #1 at the Box Office for three weeks. It spawned two sequels, neither of which were as good as this one (although I Still Know What You Did Last Summer does have it's moments). It also has a TV series remake on Amazon Prime that I never bothered to watch because everyone told me it was terrible. Still, on it's own, as I rewatched the movie again on 4K Blu-Ray, I feel like time has been kind to this one. It still works as a very entertaining horror thriller all these years later. What more can you ask for than that?             

Halloween Horrorfest: Ernest Scared Stupid

There are a number of films that I remember fondly from my childhood and many of them I still watch and enjoy from time to time as an adult with a similar appreciation. One series of films that seemed to fall through the cracks over time was the Ernest films, starring Jim Varney, that were popular from the late eighties through the early nineties and I have fond memories seeing a couple of them in the theater even with my Dad and my Brother. I've recently been revisiting these to see if they still hold up including, for the Halloween Season, his final theatrical feature Ernest Scared Stupid. 

Ernest P. Worrell (played by Jim Varney) lives a simple life in the small town of Briarville, Missouri with his beloved dog Rimshot and his quirky inventions. He works in the city Sanitation department and is tasked with cleaning up around the estate of Old Lady Hackmore (played by Eartha Kitt). After she chases him away, Ernest meets a few of his middle school friends, Kenny (played by Austin Nagler), Elizabeth (played by Shay Astar) and Joey (played by Alec Klapper), and agrees to help them build a treehouse after their planned haunted house gets trashed by local bullies, Mike and Matt Murdock (played by Nick Victory and Richard Woolf). Turns out, the big, old, gnarly tree they pick to build their treehouse on grows over an entrapped troll named Trantor. In the late 19th century, the troll was captured and imprisoned in the ground by the townsfolk of Briarville, led by Phineas Worrell (played by Jim Varney). Before he was imprisoned, the troll placed a curse on the town that one day he would be release on the night before Halloween by a Worrell and that each passing generation of Worrell would get dumber and dumber until the dumbest one would be foolish enough to release him. Of course, as Ernest relates the story to the kids he manages to do just that. Realizing what has happened, Ernest tries to warn the townsfolk of the troll's return. When no one believes him, it falls to Ernest to mount a one man (and one dog) operation to stop Trantor and save the children of Briarville, who Trantor intends to turn into wooden dolls and use them to bring forth an army of trolls. 

The film was directed by John Cherry from a script by Charlie Gale and Coke Sams. Revisiting this movie all these years later, and it's probably been a good thirty years since I last saw it, I was surprised by how much of it I actually remembered. The film is an odd mix of very goofy comedy with some genuinely creepy and spooky moments, including a couple moments that I remember actually starling me a bit as a kid. Based on what I have read online in the past few years, as I came to realize this movie had a bit of a cult following, was that others shared similar reactions of finding this film genuinely scary as kids. Now, watching it as an adult I did not have the same reaction, but I still clearly could recall the moments that did scare me as a kid, so there is something to this after all. The effects for the trolls are solid, with the main troll Trantor being a large, slimy, nasty creature, no doubt contributing to little kids nightmares. Yet, this is paired with very silly comedy with Jim Varney mugging for the camera at every opportunity in the one part of this film that probably did not age as well for me. Some of it works but a lot of it didn't as I revisited the film. 

There is something that I still find endearing about the character of Ernest P. Worrell and the way Jim Varney plays him. The character has a certain innocence about him and yes, there is some foolishness and stupidity there too, but the character always means well and that makes it easy to like him. At different times in the film, Ernest adopts a series of different personas that I still find amusing, including a army general and my favorite, Auntie Nelda, who is a eternally put upon older woman who complains constantly. It's completely ridiculous of course and Varney switches rapidly between the personas to the befuddlement of his middle school friends and probably the viewer as well. Eartha Kitt is clearly having a blast playing Old Lady Hackmore, playing up the character's eccentricities in a very amusing performance as she initially warns Ernest not to build the treehouse in the old gnarly oak tree and later becomes his ally in trying to defeat Trantor. Bill Byrge returns as one of Ernest's friends Bobby Tulip, this time paired with Tom, played by John Cadenhead, on hand to sell Ernest an assortment of troll fighting items, none of which do any good at all. Austin Nagler does reasonably well as Kenny, often playing the straight man to Ernest's goofy antics throughout the movie.  

One very interesting thing about re-watching this movie all these years later is discovering just how much the plot resembles another beloved Halloween film called Hocus Pocus, which came out two years later. An ancient evil lays down a curse before they are defeated only to have the curse fulfilled many many years later by a foolish individual only for it to fall to that individual, and their friends, to defeat the threat themselves and save the day. I'm not saying one is ripping off the other, but the similarities are striking and amusing. As it stands on it's own, I imagine one's mileage would vary greatly with Ernest Scared Stupid, depending on one's tolerance for silly humor, Jim Varney's mugging and the amount of nostalgia one has for these films. Since I do, I found I still enjoyed the film all these years later and look forward to revisiting some of the others. 

  

Halloween Horrorfest: Halloween Ends

This new trilogy of Halloween films has proven to be some of the more interesting installments in the veritable horror franchise, breaking new ground and exploring themes of trauma and fear in very grounded ways. These themes continue in new and interesting ways in the concluding chapter, Halloween Ends. Already proving to be a divisive film, I was actually surprised by how much I actually liked it. This is going to be a tricky one to review without getting into some spoilers, so if you don't want to be spoiled at all consider this your warning. 

On Halloween Night 2019, Corey Cunningham (played by Rohan Campbell) is babysitting a young boy, Jeremy (played by Jaxon Goldberg). When the boy dies in a tragic accident, Corey is branded a pariah by the town of Haddonfield. Three years later, Corey is living under a cloud of guilt and barely getting by working at his uncle's auto shop and junk yard. One day, he crosses paths with Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) while being hassled by some local punks. She takes him to the hospital to get a cut he endured treated, introducing him to her granddaughter Allyson (played by Andi Matichak) in the process. Corey and Allyson hit it off, beginning a tentative relationship. When Corey is again jumped by the same bullies, this time beat up and pushed off a bridge, Corey finds himself face to face with Michael Myers (played by James Jude Courtney), who has been living for the four years in the sewers of Haddonfield, defeated but not dead. Michael seems to recognize something in the young man, the evil that has been part of him for so long spreads to Corey as well unleashing a new wave of terror on Haddonfield. 

The film was once again directed by David Gordon Green, from a script he co-wrote with Paul Brad Logan, Chris Bernier, and Danny McBride. The film takes some large departures from the previous Halloween films and in many ways is all better for it. This film is far more interested in the impact and after effects a rampage like Michael had over the course of the last two movies can have on a community. The way that sort of evil had a ripple effect over the entire community. It delves into how a community in need of a new boogeyman after Michael's disappearance winds up creating one. Alongside this is a theme of moving on and healing from trauma, especially with Laurie and Allyson's characters. It's a bold choice that will understandably divide audiences, with some expecting yet another slaughterhouse while others are intrigued to be getting something new. The film signals this to fans right from the beginning, adopting the same font and color to the opening credits as seen in Halloween III: Season of the Witch, the last entry in the series to break free from the established formula. However, unlike that film, Michael Myers does appear in this one but much more of a broken down old man, which makes sense given all the damage he received over the past two films. Along with this, the film still manages to work in nods not only to the previous Halloween films, but other John Carpenter films as well, especially some pretty overt nods to his film Christine, with the character Corey.  Still, not all the elements of the film pay off as well as I would have hoped, especially Corey's descent into darkness feeling too abrupt. The final showdown between Laurie and Michael might also leave some disappointed, but considering we already had the big, epic fight in Halloween H20, this one offers something a little different. 

The cast is led by Jamie Lee Curtis, who we find in a very different place than we left her four years prior. She has been working through her trauma by writing a book about her experiences and trying to live a more open life alongside her granddaughter. Curtis goes all in too, no doubt thrilled to be able to bring new dimensions to the character, crafting a Laurie who has finally allowed herself to start healing. Andi Matichak has a similar arc as Allyson, who likewise is trying to move on with her life after the death of her parents at the hands of Michael Myers. She sees an opportunity for that with Corey. Matichak handles the role as well, someone who is trying to figure out what their future should be and perhaps feeling a bit stuck and bit lost, which would explain why she goes all in with Corey so fast. Rohan Campbell does well as Corey, creating a sympathetic performance that makes his character's descent all the more tragic. Will Patton once again turns up at Frank Hawkins as he and Laurie continue their flirtatious relationship from the past two movies, which is very endearing as both seem almost hesitant to take it further than that. Kyle Richards also turns up several times in the film as Lindsey Wallace, who goes back to the first film with Jamie Lee Curtis and it's great to see another legacy character in the film. I loved that they had a more well established friendship this time around, especially since they didn't share any screen time in the previous film. James Jude Courtney once again proves to be an intimidating figure as Michael Myers, while adding new dimensions to the character. This time around, Michael has been hiding away, healing up from the events of the previous films. He's moving slower, stumbling a bit, like not everything healed correctly (not much for medical care in the sewers of Haddonfield after all). Despite that, he still shows Michael is one to be feared and is lethal as ever, even if it's maybe a little more of a fair fight this time. 

Still, Halloween Ends definitely lives up to it's title. The filmmakers took a big swing with this one making some bold narrative choices that may not quite be a home run but is still a refreshing change of pace after 12 movies that followed a very familiar pattern. This one feels very much like a concluding chapter. The final shots of the movie echo the ending of the original film, minus the mask breathing. Things are at peace, as they should be, as the survivors are finally free to move on. I doubt the Halloween series is truly at an end, as these things never do, but it sure will be interesting to see what form it takes next.         

Halloween Horrorfest: The Midnight Club

"To those before, to those after, to us now, and to those beyond, seen or unseen, here but not here..."

I have fond memories of the Christopher Pike novels from my junior high and high school days. Even at that point, they were already beyond my reading level but I enjoyed the stories as they were all about kids roughly my age, if not a little older. They were also easy reads over the course of an afternoon so I could burn through them. Among my favorites was The Midnight Club, which just premiered the first season on Netflix and I was eager to dive into it. 

Ilonka (played by Iman Benson) had a bright future ahead of her. She was Valedictorian and preparing to head to college in the fall when she is diagnosed with terminal thyroid cancer. As she researches her condition, she discovers the story of a patient named Julia Jayne who made a miraculous recovery while staying at Brightcliffe Home Hospice for terminally ill teens. The facility is run by the warm but enigmatic Dr. Georgina Sutton (played by Heather Langenkamp) along with Nurse Practitioner Mark (played by Zach Gilford). Ilonka decides to enroll, hoping that she will find an unconventional cure, just as Julia Jayne had. Upon her arrival, she begins meeting the other residents, including her roommate, Anya (played by Ruth Codd), her acerbic but fiercely protective roommate. She quickly bonds with Kevin (played by Igby Rigney), who she meets when she first arrives. Among the other residents are Spencer (played by Chris Sumpter), Sandra (played by Annarah Cymone), Cheri (played by Adia), Natsuki (played by Aya Furukawa) and Amesh (played by Sauriyan Sapkota). On the first night, Illonka follows Anya when she quietly leaves the room close to midnight. It turns out that every night, the residents convene in the Library, in front of a roaring fireplace, for a meeting of the Midnight Club, where they swap scary stories with the group, with one member taking a turn each night. They also made a pact, if one of them dies, the should make every effort to reach out to the rest of the group from beyond the grave. As Illonka further digs into the history of Brightcliffe and Julie Jayne's miraculous recovery, she discovers there is something decidedly supernatural and potentially sinister about the place 

The series was created by Mike Flanagan and Leah Fong, based on the original novel by Christopher Pike. Christopher Pike was inspired to write the original novel when he received a letter from a fan who was in a terminal cancer ward with several other teens who would meet at midnight every night and discuss his books. He wrote the book specifically for her, but rather than have the characters discuss his books, he had them tell scary stories. This comes full circle with the series though because each story a member tells in the series is and adaptation of another Christopher Pike book. The series has a unique set up in this sense because while it is an adaptation of The Midnight Club, it also is a bit of an anthology series as each story that is told is presented as a vignette with all the characters within the story played be the main cast members. The genres of the stories told are refreshingly varied, spanning from ghost stories to serial killer thriller to science fiction and even a hard boiled detective story. Each story that is told is born from the character telling the tale's own struggles or internal conflicts, with certain thematic parallels to their real world struggles. The show does keep a respectful balance between the scares, both in the stories and in the series as a whole, while treating the characters with dignity and respect, creating a unique blend of scares and heartwarming moments. These are kids struggling with terminal illnesses and each one is carefully fleshed out as we learn their hopes, dreams and fears as they face an unimaginable reality. Setting the series in the mid-90s, when the books originally were published, was a nice touch as well. 

The show assembled an impressive cast led by Iman Benson as Ilonka. She initially arrives at Brightcliffe with the goal of healing herself, but quickly bonds with the others and wants to find a way to cure everyone if she can. Her character is very driven and ambitious, but also has a strong compassionate side and Benson does a fantastic job balancing those two character traits. Ruth Codd has one of the trickiest roles as Anya, who has been through many stages with her illness and it has worn her down, leaving her with a very sarcastic and at times almost bitter personality, but she is also fierce and strong character just without any tolerance for bullshit and speaks her mind freely. It's tough to make a character like Anya likable, but Codd manages to pull it off remarkably well. Igby Rigney is endearing as Kevin, bringing the good hearted character to life quite well, a character who is still trying to cling to his current life, including trying to maintain his relationship with his girlfriend, even though he is terminally ill and it is clearly taking a toll on him. Annarah Cymone has a tricky role as Sandra, who since becoming ill has become deeply religious, something that deeply irritates Spencer, who is gay and in the advanced stages of AIDs. She manages to find a balance with the character who needs her faith to help face her diagnosis but doesn't use to judge others. There is a very touching scene where she reconciles with Spencer that she handles beautifully and moved me to tears. Likewise, Chris Sumpter gives a heartfelt performance as Spencer, who clearly feels isolated in at least some ways from the other teens, as the only gay kid there. The others try to be as supportive as they can but there is only so much we they can do. He wonderfully conveys both the fear and frustration his character feels, while also trying to maintain a strong façade. Zach Gilford turns in a sensitive performance as Mark, the nurse practitioner for the facility that sees over many of the teens care directly, especially Spencer, who he has a certain kinship with as a gay man himself and tries to give him some sense of connection to the LGBTQ community, even if Spencer is primarily stuck in the Hospice. Heather Langenkamp, horror royalty, gives a great performance as Dr. Georgina Sutton. She has a delicate balancing act with the character who has to at once be warm, caring and almost maternal towards the teens under her care, yet knows more than she is letting on and it's not certain you can completely trust her. It was such a thrill seeing her in this and I loved her interactions with the younger characters, especially a scene where she clues them in that she knows they meet in secret every night, "Why do you think there's always fresh firewood every night?"         

The Midnight Club is another winner of a series from Mike Flanagan, sitting comfortably with his other series such as The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass. This series even works in some Easter Eggs to his past works, including appearances by his frequent past collaborators, that I won't spoil. Unlike the other series though, this one is not a limited series and leaves the door wide open for a season 2. Considering how much I thoroughly enjoyed this series, I have my fingers crossed it gets renewed for a Season 2. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger exactly, but it is clear there is still so much more story to tell, both with our group of teens but with Dr. Sutton and Brightcliffe itself. I just hope we get to see it. As it is though, The Midnight Club is fantastic Spooky Season entertainment.           

Halloween Horrorfest: Beast (2022)

 

There is something about movies like Beast, this sort of man vs. nature survival horror that is so palpable to me. It's easy for me to imagine myself in the situation the characters are facing and wonder what would I do in their shoes? Which is probably what made this movie so effective for me as I squirmed in my seat as the movie played out in front of me. 

Recently widowed Dr. Nate Samuels (played by Idris Elba) and his daughters Mae (played by Iyana Halley) and Norah (played by Leah Sava Jeffries) are taking a vacation at the Mopani Wildlife Reserve in South Africa. Upon their arrival, they are greeted by family friend Martin Battles (played by Sharlto Copley), who helps oversee the Wildlife Reserve. They settle in at Martin's house and the following day, he takes them out to tour the Reserve. He introduces Nate and his daughter to the local Lion Pride, including two he helped raise from cubs. Martin notices one of the lions injured but will not let him get close enough to examine it. When they visit the local Tsonga village, they are shocked to find it deserted, with a number of residents dead. Martin quickly surmises a rogue lion is responsible and hurries everyone back to their car so they can go report the attack. On the way back, they encounter a severely injured Tsonga man in the middle of the road. Nate tries to help him but the man soon dies. Martin attempts to track the lion but gets ambushed before the Lion comes after Nate. He runs back to the car, taking cover with Mae and Norah. When the Lion attacks the car, Mae tries to drive away but in the chaos winds up crashing the car. Now, stuck in the middle of the African wild with his two daughters, no working radio and no way to drive out, Nate has to figure out how to not only survive but protect his two daughters as well.     

The film was directed by Baltasar Kormakur from a script by Ryan Engle. Together, they craft a lean little horror thriller flick that is suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. There is an efficiency to the way the film sets up it's characters and the story. None of it is particularly groundbreaking, but it works well enough. I thought it was a nice touch that they set up a motivation for the Lion in that the rest of his pride was wiped out by a group of poachers and therefore the Lion learned that man, any man, is a potential threat and would make sense he would lash out. It did make for an interesting viewing experience for me as on one hand when the Lion was attacking Nate or the kids I hated him, but when he was munching on the Poachers, I was all, "I'm rooting for the Lion. I hope he swallows your friends whole." Still, the filmmakers keep an unrelenting pace to the film as Nate and the girls move from one challenge to another trying to get out of their situation. The Lion attacks are intense and the effects are damn near flawless. All of the lions in the film are CGI, but I had to look it up just to make sure, that's how good it was. 

Idris Elba leads the cast and is quite good in the role of Nate. His character is clearly not a man of action but rather a capable and compassionate doctor. At the start of the movie, his character is in a rocky place with his two daughters and the trip was meant to try and repair their relationship. You really get a sense of the guilt his character is carrying as he tries to repair that relationship. Yet, when the action starts, he is equally great as a capable hero, but also one who is clearly scared out of his wits but trying to keep it together for his kids. Sharlto Copley does well as Martin and plays off Idris Elba quite well with a good report that perfectly conveys their characters long friendship. Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries do well as Mae and Norah. It would be easy for their characters to just be screaming potential victims, but they do well fleshing out their characters and making them relatable. It helps that the film allows both at different points be active participants in trying to get out of their situation as well, allowing both opportunities to be heroic in their own right that I loved seeing. 

Beast is a pretty simple, straightforward flick that is a lean, suspenseful movie. Once it gets going, it hardly let up and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. It delivered exactly what it promised and delivered it well. I can't really ask for much more than that. 

Halloween Horrorfest: Mr. Harrigan's Phone

 

I have long been a fan of the works of Stephen King, a Constant Reader if you will, so I will always look forward to an adaptation of one of his works, even if they don't always nail the tone of the original work. When I heard they were adapting Mr. Harrigan's Phone, I was curious to see how it came out. The result is a very different, but very good, film. 

Craig (played by Jaeden Martell) is a young man who has had a rough time in life after losing his mom at a young age. He lives in the small town of Harlow, Maine with his Dad (played by Joe Tippett). After seeing him read a passage from the Bible in Church one Sunday, he receives an offer from Mr. Harrigan (played by Donald Sutherland), a wealthy retired businessman, to come read to him three times a week since his eyesight has started to fade. He offers to pay the boy five dollars an hour for his time. Craig agrees to the arrangement and as the years pass, a sort of friendship develops between the two as both begin to enjoy the intellectual discussions that develop from the books they read. When Craig starts High School, he starts having trouble with a bully, Kenny (played by Cyrus Arnold). When he turns to Mr. Harrigan for advice, he is advised to deal with adversaries swiftly and harshly. One Christmas, Craig gets the newly released iPhone and enjoys having it. When a lottery ticket given to him from Mr. Harrigan wins him a prize of $3000, he decides to buy one for Mr. Harrigan as well. Initially resistant to the new technology, he comes around when he realizes he can get stock market results and news in real time. The more he uses the phone the more he realizes the dangers inherent in way information is freely exchanged without any cost, correctly predicting the rise of fake news as well as other innovations such as pay walls for legitimate news sites and advertising tailored to your own search history. When Mr. Harrigan passes away suddenly, Craig is saddened to have lost his friend, all the more so since he's the one that finds the body. At his funeral, Craig slips Mr. Harrigan's phone into his suit pocket before the casket is buried. Trying to deal with his grief, he calls Mr. Harrigan's phone and leaves a voice mail. The following morning he is shocked to see he got a text message back, with a cryptic message of only a few letters. Initially spooked, he eventually shrugs it off as a technological quirk. When he is once again bullied by Kenny, in despair Craig once again calls Mr. Harrigan's phone, saying he wished Kenny would get what he deserves. Not long after, Kenny is found dead in a freak accident. Now really spooked, Craig can no longer ignore the fact that his friend is somehow communicating and helping him from beyond the grave. 

The film was written and directed by John Lee Hancock from the novella by Stephen King. The film is an unusual one in that it is a mix of coming of age drama and spook story and yet it worked remarkably well for me. A large part of what made the film work for me is that it took the time to really establish the bond between Craig and Mr. Harrigan before the latter character shuffled off the mortal coil, giving the film it's emotional core. The story's emphasis is far more on the relationship between Craig and the enigmatic Mr. Harrigan, as well as Craig coming to terms and moving on from his friend's death than on jump scares, shocks or gore. That is not to say the film doesn't have a few decent creepy moments throughout, it's just not the focus of the film. Hancock handles those moments well without overshadowing the entire film, which for the most part is a surprisingly warm film more focused on friendship and overcoming grief. Hancock gives the film a deliberate, almost leisurely pace that fits the story he's telling, working to capture genuine emotion and introspection that I appreciated.         

The film has a strong cast led by Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland. Martell really conveys his character's intelligence and thoughtfulness as well as his struggles having left him a bit emotionally closed off. He crafts an endearing performance, making it easy to empathize with his character throughout the film. Sutherland crafts an intriguing character with Mr. Harrigan, crafting someone who clearly has some skeletons in his closet and had a reputation of being something of a ruthless businessman, as is hinted in his conversations with Craig. He could be generous to his friends, but at the same time was not someone who you ever want to be on his bad side with. Sutherland strikes just the right note with his character, conveying plenty with a softly spoken line as he offers advice or wisdom to his younger friend. Joe Tippett gives a nice, understated but warm performance as Craig's dad. He really coveys his character's struggles with the loss of his wife as well as being a single parent raising his son, but also wanting to be a supportive and loving father. Cyrus Arnold makes for a decent antagonist for Craig, doing what he can with a fairly stereotypical role.   

Mr. Harrigan's Phone is an interesting entry in the pantheon of Stephen King adaptations and one's reaction to the film is going to vary depending on what the viewer is expecting. Those going in expecting a coming of age drama with the addition of some creepy supernatural elements are most likely going to come away very satisfied with the film. Those expecting a hair-raising, scary movie are likely going to be a bit disappointed. This one is focused on it's characters and, given the nature of the story, that is where it should be. It is a film I went into expecting it to be a scary movie and found a richer, warmer, and heartfelt movie in it's place. Yet, it's perfect for Halloween viewing, especially for those looking for something a little more unique or something that won't keep them up at night.  

Halloween Horrorfest: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

 

Initially conceived as a companion piece to Bram Stoker's Dracula, Francis Ford Coppola intended to make Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this film has always seemed a bit more debatable, with people loving or hating it in equal measures. Before revisiting it for this review, it had been ages since I last saw it, so I was coming into it again with only vague memories, mostly of the ending.

Victor Frankenstein (played by Kenneth Branagh) is a driven and ambitious doctor with a thirst for knowledge, pouring over books tirelessly and having to be prompted to take breaks by his mother to spend time with her and his adopted sister, Elizabeth (played by Helena Bonham Carter). When his mother tragically dies in childbirth while giving birth to his younger brother, it leaves an traumatic mark on young Victor driving him to try and understand and ultimately conquer death. While attending Medical School, he befriends Professor Waldman (played by John Cleese), who lets Victor in on his own experiments in reanimating dead tissue, which fascinates Victor and horrifies his friend Henry (played by Tom Hulce). When Waldman is killed by a patient while dispensing vaccinations (in a scene that suddenly feels far more relevant all of a sudden), Victor decides now is the time to take his and Waldman's research and put them to the test in reconstructing life. Waldman's killer is executed in the town square for his crime and his body is later collected by Victor. Using the body, along with Waldman's brain and assorted other parts, Victor is able to stitch together his creation. His desires to complete his experiments becomes an obsession, causing him to push away Henry and Elizabeth in the process. When he succeeds in bringing his creation to life, the hideous appearance of the Creature (played by Robert DeNiro) repulses Victor and he attempts to kill the creature. Frightened and confused, the Creature flees Victor's laboratory. However, when the Creature winds up being rejected by both the townfolk and a family living on a secluded farm he tries to help, he vows his revenge on Victor for what he has done to him, setting off a series of horrifying and tragic series of events.

The film was directed by Kenneth Branagh from a script by Steph Lady and Frank Darabont. Based on reports after the film came out, Frank Darabont went on the record that the movie both does and does not resemble the movie he wrote. Much of that can be from the tone that Branagh strikes with the film, giving it a big, theatrical almost operatic feel to it. The film has energy to spare as it barrels along like a freight train from one scene to another. Despite clocking in at a little over two hours, the film barely pauses for a quiet moment from beginning to end. This may be the most divisive element of the film, with some finding the tone at conflict with the story while others found it exhilarating. I, personally, happen to be in the latter group but I can understand why it would be alienating to some viewers. The film, despite carrying author Mary Shelley's name above the title, also makes some dramatic deviations from her original text, especially when we get to the climax. But with so many different adaptations of the material already, different can be okay with me.   

The film has a very unique production design to it, with very stark, large, open sets, especially Victor's attic laboratory and Victor's childhood home being impressive stand outs. Another interesting aspect is the set-up of Victor's equipment used in bringing his creation to life. With the Universal rendition of Frankenstein being so iconic, I appreciated that Branagh and his crew went in a different direction with his film, involving an elaborate setup of tubes, rails, electric eels, and a giant copper tub filled with amniotic fluid. It's a very creative bit of steampunk invention. The design of the Creature is equally unique, departing as much as possible from the more well known renditions we've seen in popular culture, especially Boris Karloff. He is still a startling sight, with deep, stark stitch work all over his body, pieced together by Victor from assorted parts. Yet, it is not so much to not be recognizably human, allowing the character to be more sympathetic.

The film boasts an impressive cast, starting with Kenneth Branagh in the main role as Victor Frankenstein. At this point in his career, Branagh was a bit notorious for his massive ego which makes him a perfect fit for the role. The Victor we see here is completely ego-centric, driven, ambitious and even obsessive if not downright reckless. He only thinks if he could and never stops to think if he should. It's an engaging and energetic performance that grabbed me from the start. It's big and it's theatrical but it fits the film. On the other hand, Robert De Niro is fantastic as the Creature. His portrayal makes his character so sympathetic as he tries to find his place in the world only to be continually rejected based on his looks. It was a challenging role, not only because of the make-up but how to play the role. For it, DeNiro observed people who had suffered from strokes to get a feel for how the character should move and speak, creating a very unique interpretation of the character. Helena Bonham Carter does well as Elizabeth even though her character isn't given much to do in the film overall, but she makes the most of it and her concerns over the course of the film do show how far Victor has fallen into his obsession. Tom Hulce does well as Henry, Victor's friend, who functions as a voice of reason throughout the film, trying to talk Victor out of continuing his experiments. John Cleese gives a rare serious acting performance as Professor Waldman and is quite good in the role as a mentor of sorts for Victor as they bond over similar interests. Cleese is able to give his character some gravitas and wisdom as he shares his research with Victor. 

Overall, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a more divisive film than it's companion film, Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's one I enjoyed back when it came out and one I found I  still enjoy now all these years later. Granted, I've always been a fan of Kenneth Branagh, with particular affection for his Shakespeare adaptations such as Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, and Hamlet. So, clearly, one's mileage will vary but either way, much like it's companion film, it stands as a unique version of an oft adapted tale. Personally, that why I enjoy it. Successful or not, Branagh took a big swing with this and made something bold and interesting and I will always prefer that to boring and safe.