Okay, here we go again. Mini-reviews for any interested in my thoughts on these film. Some really good ones here but only one great one!
THE LODGE (2020)
3.25/5
A bone-chilling nightmare from the directors of GOODNIGHT MOMMY, THE LODGE follows a family who retreats to their remote winter cabin over the holidays. When the father (Richard Armitage) is forced to abruptly depart for work, he leaves his children, Aidan (IT's Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh) in the care of his new girlfriend, Grace (Riley Keough). Isolated and alone, a blizzard traps them inside the lodge as terrifying events summon specters from Grace's dark past.
Robert Levin from Newsweek says, "There's an atmosphere of genuine dread but the screenplay makes way too many illogical choices for the movie to work." The only reason I included this snippet of a review is that it sums up my feelings perfectly. Let's be straight, overall I enjoyed this film and was entertained but as a discerning viewer, I just couldn't ignore the string of inconsistencies within. Some major, some minor but my gripe is that the filmmakers didn't clean it up almost daring the viewer to have an issue with it. From character actions that make no sense, to "props" moved around at will there is a nonchalance to the effort especially considering their last film, GOODNIGHT MOMMY didn't have these issues. Jaeden Martell (IT) was annoying as a 17-year old that whined and acted about 12. The rest of the cast ranged from mundane (Richard Armitage) to brilliant (Riley Keough). On the plus side, there are genuine moments of suspense and visually the film is a feast for the eyes. What could have been the best horror film of the year is instead, just another good one. Please watch and tell me your thoughts.
SEA FEVER (2020)
3.5/5
Siobhán's a marine biology student who prefers spending her days alone in a lab. She has to endure a week on a ragged fishing trawler, where she's miserably at odds with the close-knit crew. But out in the deep Atlantic, an unfathomable life form ensnares the boat. When members of the crew succumb to a strange infection, Siobhán must overcome her alienation and anxiety to win the crew's trust, before everyone is lost.
Despite some marketing attempts, posters, and trailer snippets this is NOT a giant sea creature film and one of the marks against it for me. This is a killer virus film and a damn good first effort from director, Neasa Hardiman who stumbles here and there but still delivers a commendable first film. The timing of world events right now makes this one more important and timely than ever especially considering this one was completed before said events unfolded. A few ebbs in pace and some misdirection along with a somewhat copout ending are the faults here. The cast, however, does a brilliant job and for me elevated the proceedings. Check this one out!
THE WRETCHED (2020)
3.75/5
Following his parents' separation, a rebellious teenage boy, Ben, is sent to live with his father for the summer and work at the local marina in order to gain some form of discipline. The idyllic tourist town offers little solace for him, however, as he is forced to deal with the local, privileged teens and his father's new girlfriend. Ben's problems grow increasingly disturbing when he makes a chilling discovery about the family renting the house next door. A malevolent spirit from the woods has taken a hold of the parents and starts playing a sinister game of house, preying upon the children and wiping away any trace of their existence. Ben's suspicions of the supernatural horrors go unheeded and he launches a perilous crusade in order to put an end to the skin-walking witch's reign of terror. Chilling and suspenseful, THE WRETCHED offers a modern update to the retro young hero's mission like that of The Goonies, and promises to make viewers wary of every dark corner they encounter after witnessing its terrifying tale.
The fantastic first film by directors Brian and Drew Pierce! A classic witch/demon/possession film with an 80's flavor, while not a wholly original story, the originality comes in how it's portrayed including an unseen twist. Performances are pretty strong throughout but the real star here is the practical makeup effects eschewing the commonplace CGI. The purposely eighties film look may turn some off, as will the typical ending (will the curse go on?!!!). While that brought it down a step, the ending almost fit the style of the era. Promise you will be entertained by this one so....what are you waiting for?
BEHIND YOU (2020)
2.5/5
Two young sisters, sent to live with their estranged Aunt, find that all the mirrors in her house are covered or hidden. When one of the sisters happens upon a mirror in the basement, she unknowingly releases a malicious demon that had haunted her mother and aunt years ago.
Pretty bland haunted mirror film that pretty much balances the line between being bad and halfway decent. There are a few cool moments but the production, acting, effects, and sets are just drab and blah. Nothing new to see here really. Between the mild intrigue and the outlandishly bad (Peanut butter exorcism!), there isn't really much to do but rate this right in the middle and tell you to watch it if you've got nothing else.
URBAN MYTHS (2020)
1.5/5
There's a secret world out there. The human mind can experience some of the most amazing phenomena. The problem is when you try to define those experiences as real or not. A group of high school seniors embarks on a spring break camping trip to debunk the myths they had been researching. During their trip, they stumble on an old haunted Native American burial ground and get more than they bargained for when some of the group start to vanish.
Pure crapola! Then again, Lou Ferrigno Jr. and Joe Estevez almost ensure this one will be a so bad its good...to laugh at!!! Seriously though, everything about this is pure amateur rubbish. Bad sets, bad acting, and right on par with a typical uncork'd feature. The budget was so low that, as often is true of films with zero budget AND zero creativity, nothing really happens for most of the film. Stay in the kingdom of FAR FAR AWAY, and leave this sludge in its barrel!
HE NEVER DIED (2015)
3.5/5
Jack's in a rut. Depression and severe anti-social behavior has whittled down his existence to sleeping and watching television. Seeing the human race as little more than meat with a pulse, Jack has no interest to bond with anyone. There's little purpose for him to make friends with someone he'd eventually eat or outlive by more than a millennia. The fuse is lit when Jack's past comes back to rattle him. Jack must now walk a tight rope of sobriety and try to eat as few people as possible in this violent tale of personal responsibility.
Rollins is a beast here in a role tailor-made for the actor himself. Good storyline and strong performances throughout and an appearance from the great Steven Ogg! The indie look, in this case, downplays some key moments and others like the diner scene should have been incorporated. Great, original flick and one that made me actually like Rollins, do with that what you will.
EDEN LOG (2007)
2.5/5
In the pit of a darkened cave, a man awakens next to a corpse and finds himself pursued by a mysterious creature. Perhaps if he can navigate the strange network of tunnels created by a company named Eden Log, he can escape with his life. But what is this vicious predator that pursues him, and why was this vast series of tunnels constructed in the first place?
For the first time ever, I don't know what to feel about this strange film. Look at the picture above, it's like that. Like looking at a painting that is kind of cool but you're not sure you like it. The film is like a very confusing Twilight Zone episode. Little makes sense and the washed-out near black and white film and emotionless lead character becomes grating after a while. The ending is kind of cool but the artistic drudgery to get there is a chore. Pure old school sci-fi fanatics may eat this up but it felt like it went on forever to me with little payoff at the end.
Well...that's it for now...C U next time!