October 2nd - Horror Feature: It Follows (2014)

Let's jump forward forty years to 2014. We are about a steady decade into a stint of remakes and reboots of 1970s and 1980s horror movies and nine out of ten of them are pretty bad. And the ones that are new properties just steal elements of existing ones. This, of course, pertains mostly to the major market horror films from big studios with big actors. Save for James Wan and Leigh Whannell, there aren't many people totally killing it in mainstream horror.

Along comes David Robert Mitchell with a little film called It Follows. This one was a sleeper hit. Word of mouth carried, more and more people got around to catching it in theatres or on its home release, and more people shared it with those who had yet to see it.

Now, I like a good paranormal thriller and Mitchell delivers just that. It Follows is different from your typical ghost or demonic entity story. Maika Monroe plays Jay Height, a college girl who is dating a nice guy who turns out to be linked to a supernatural being that takes the form of people that only the curse-bearer can see. By having sex, the curse can be passed on, sacrificing the recipient and relieving the formerly burdened. This movie is one of the most original concepts I've seen in years and it is creepier than the most viewed horror movies to hit theatres these days.

It Follows explores the relationships of Jay and her sister and friends Kelly, Paul, Yara and Greg respectively, as well as the man, Hugh (who is really named Jeff), who turned the entity over to her. They travel around their neighbourhood and even leave town in order to keep Jay away from the entity that follows her.

What does it take for someone to put themselves in danger in order to help a friend? What are you willing to do for someone else? What are you willing to do to someone else to save yourself? Is it worth throwing someone under the bus if abandoning them could come back to haunt you? Should we be more aware of who we share our time with and the consequences of our actions in haste? It Follows dissects friendship, love and questionable morals unlike any horror film today. It resembles Halloween in that it forces the audience to second guess the way they behave morally, and this contrasts with a lot of the standard horror movies that make light of teenage and young adult ethics.

The film's low budget does not hinder its effects, often playing to its strengths rather than exposing holes in the quality of production. The film was shot in the downtrodden borders of Detroit and does not shy away from this fact. I'm not saying the film is top notch stuff, but it is an impressive accomplishment. I felt the same way about Paranormal Activity when it took audiences by surprise in 2009.

Watch It Follows this month. It's an indie gem and deserves to be seen by a larger audience. The more people that see his movie and speak its praises, the more filmmakers will be willing to tackle original projects like this, the more studios will support them, and the more good horror films we will see in the future. Stellar young, unknown cast. Fresh director. Chilling film.

The Martian Review

Sci-fi fans have been graced with a gem here.  The Martian is probably the best film in the genre since Interstellar and many fans would argue it's better. But save the comparisons. This is a whole other film. 

The Martian, starring Matt Damon as astronaut Mark Watney, is an adaptation of Andy Weir's best selling novel of the same name. Drew Goddard wrote the screenplay and Ridney Scott directed the film that tells the story of the Ares III mission gone wrong as Watney is left behind on Mars and is forced to "science the shit out of this" in order to survive. 

The film is gorgeously shot, the environments look believable and tangible as if they truly took the production to Mars. Ridley Scott's wide shots are brave, capturing the alien terrain and environment in realistic images to the point of subconscious acceptance that this is Mars and Watney is stranded with a wide array of real NASA technology. 

Matt Damon's Watney is the brightest spot in this film, often with only himself to work with in his scenes. His humour is consistent and the comedic timing (with a hand from good directing) is effective. Whenever you leave him for the Hermes or Earth you miss him. I'd say the film could have benefited from a little more Watney. Study his character more and how the year and a half alone on Mars changed him (and what scraps of himself remained the same).

The Hermes crew has good chemistry, Michael Pena's Martinez stealing the spotlight with humour. Aksel Hennie's Alex Vogel does not seem to be as German as he should be as it is easy to forget he isn't just another American astronaut, with little to no accent and perfect English unlike his literary counterpart. The rest of the crew is fine, but Jessica Chastain just doesn't pop like she usually does in supporting roles. 

The Earth NASA team is a good cast, Jeff Daniels' Teddy Sanders is cold but honest and Chiwetel Ejiofor's Vincent Kapoor is the link that holds the group together as a balanced force between opposing viewpoints. Sean Bean's Mitch Henderson just isn't angry and passionate enough to convince me that he wants his Ares program to save Watney at least until the end. Kristen Wiig's Annie Montrose was lost at times, far too timid and quiet to stand out like the character should have. Donald Glover's Rich Purnell was the quirky character the Earth-side cast needed, but there is less development than I would have liked, he is interesting and so different from the others. 

The real math and science is present throughout The Martian, but in a diluted form, often opting to show rather than tell in some cases. This may work in favour of drawing I'm a wider audience. It did not describe Watney's every thought, experiment or move. Certain processes that would have taken several Sol were covered in a matter of seconds such as his travel tests, recovery of Pathfinder and journey to the Ares IV site. 

In some cases the conveyance of time was jarring. The film would jump ahead dozens of Sol with little consideration to the events that would have transpired during such a duration of time. Some instances benefit from this such as the potato farming, but we miss out on Watney's travels and a lot of interesting character development. 

Moviegoers will be thrilled with this science fiction adventure film. It's got enough to make you laugh and cry. But you'll laugh more. The visual effects are top notch as we've come to expect from Ridley Scott. 

For fans of the stellar Andy Weir novel, it is a very close adaptation. There are a couple changes, namely the Pathfinder communication complication, the Schiaparelli Crater incident and the exact events of the climatic rescue mission. Some of these omissions and changes bothered me, especially the rescue, but none of them were significant enough for me to dislike the film. In the interest of time, screenwriter Drew Goddard and director Ridley Scott clearly felt that Watney had endured enough and deserved to catch a few breaks. 

The Martian is a really good movie with an entertaining cast and a compelling story. As a fan of the book there are things I wish they had stuck to, but purely from a viewing experience it was a thrilling ride. I cannot recommend it enough

Notch one up for science fiction. 

October 1st - Horror Feature: Halloween (1978)

               

I was rather indecisive for a few days about when I would talk about Halloween. On one hand I figured it would be appropriate to wrap up the month with it on the titular day, but on the other hand I couldn't wait to talk about it. I would also hate for anyone who had not seen it run out of time to watch. Who wants to watch a movie called "Halloween" on November 1st? (I did once...because).

This entire month will not have a particular order save for this film. This is my favourite. This one is the best. Whatever I feel like talking about gets bumped to the top of the list from this point forward. So here goes.

Halloween is a low-budget independent horror film released in 1978 and was written and directed by the legendary John Carpenter. That's the guy who also brought us The Fog, Escape from New York, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China and so much more. Carpenter and Debra Hill's screenplay begins on Halloween 1963 with a six-year-old Michael Myers who stabs his sister to death. Michael is admitted to a psychiatric hospital for fifteen years but he escapes in 1978 and makes his way home to Haddonfield, Illinois. He stalks Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her babysitter friends, all while being pursued by Dr. Sam Loomis. I'd hate to spoil any of the film for you, but I think it's safe to say that some people get killed and Michael Myers is to blame.

So, why Halloween? Why do I love this movie more than any other horror or slasher film in the history of cinema?

Many late 1970s and 1980s slasher movies took inspiration from Hitchcock's Psycho. Suspense and waiting for the killer you know is there has been a staple of the genre ever since its inception. But the films that poured out in 1980 and 1981 developed a predictable formula. Many audiences like these tropes, and I admit that I look for them in a good slasher, but there is an air of integrity in John Carpenter's unsettlingly still frames in contrast with his killer-POV, reflection of 1970s American immorality and minimal gore (akin to Psycho). Halloween made me forget about Psycho. It set the bar higher and made it nearly impossible for other films to overcome such standards. It's hard for any other slasher to use the halloween setting without coming up short in comparison. (Yes, slasher movies picking holidays and events is a thing, and Halloween wasn't the first).

Nick Castle as Michael Myers (The Shape) in Halloween (1978)

Michael Myers was the first of many unstoppable killers, treading slow and heavy, and taking a considerable amount of damage. The iconic mask, a human face (it's actually William Shatner's, you know!) painted white, made it just inhuman enough to distance Michael from the audience. Michael observes his kills, watching the victims squirm and fade. This is more effective than quick cuts of blood and gore. Rather than being overly animated in his actions, the procedural calmness than defines Michael Myers maintains the low tones of dread that makes a good killer. He truly was "The Shape" as he was referred to in the script and conception of the character.

Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978)

Jamie Lee Curtis is stellar as Laurie Strode, making her film debut and beginning her career as the ultimate Scream Queen (side note: you should watch the new Ryan Murphy show Scream Queens starring Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis, it's hilarious). She would star in a number of slasher movies in the years following Halloween's release, but nothing really matched the power of her performance in the face of Michael Myers. This has less to do with her and a whole lot more to do with the writing and directing of the films that wished they were Halloween. Laurie Strode's character is relatable and the audience can accept being placed in her shoes to watch the climax of the film unfold. She is the definition of "Final Girl": innocent, kind, moral, smart and she can scream.

One of the most important elements of Halloween is the atmosphere established by the simple and eerie score composed and performed by John Carpenter himself. To me, Halloween's piano theme is the slasher equivalent to John Williams' Jaws score. It has a no-nonsense attitude and a creeping tone much like the killer. Maybe it's not as well known as Jaws, but it serves the same purpose. Many slashers adopted the synthesized keys in the following years, but none have reached the level of iconic sound that Halloween's score has.

Watch Halloween this month. It's the perfect time of year. Maybe catch it on TV or find it elsewhere. If you're going to watch only one of the movies I recommend this month, make it this one. And don't mistake it for the 2007 Rob Zombie reboot. It's bad. (To his credit, Carpenter did tell him to make it his own film).

Honourable Mention: You should also give Halloween II a watch after seeing John Carpenter's original. He didn't direct it, but Rick Rosenthal does an okay job picking up where we left off in the first with some writing help from the original helmer. The sequel released in 1981 amidst a heavy bill of slashers and it is clear that in the three years that passed the franchise took a more frantic slasher turn away from the methodical and intelligent storytelling of Carpenter's original film. Nevertheless, Halloween II is the second best film in the series. There's also quite a story behind the franchise. Halloween II was supposed to be the final film to focus on Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, however Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) was received poorly (well, yeah, it was about an evil company with halloween masks that would kill kids when they watched a TV program while wearing them). The producers back-pedalled to follow it up in the hit-slasher franchise tradition of returns, revenge and curses: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) (they had to shove his name in there to get audiences back), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) and Halloween: Resurrection (The Return of Rick Rosenthal) (2002). Once again, watch the first and wade into the deep sequel waters if you must.

Check in tomorrow for the next film that will surely receive much less attention and care than this has.

October Horror Feature

Hey gang,

Over the course of October I will be taking the time to feature horror films that I enjoy. Just about every day a new movie will be posted and recommended for your viewing pleasure.

Why now?

Well, October is a great month.

Halloween is around the corner and scary movies are always on TV. This is a perfect time to sit down with family and friends to catch a classic 80s slasher or a modern thriller. Whatever you choose, know that you can check back here on the regular to see what I think about the vast genre of horror films. Some might be right in you wheelhouse, others maybe not. But I will do my best to inform you on what makes each one a great watch and what fans of the genre might take from them.

Cool? Cool.

Take care.

Legend, Black Mass and a Fall Movie Round-Up

Hey gang,

September 23rd is the first day of Fall, my personal favourite season. The weather is nice (usually), Halloween is just over a month away and the Fall movies have begun to roll out.  This is the time of year when we see films with a little grit to match the death of summer and earlier sunsets.  Many of these September, October and November movies aren't fit for the blockbuster season, however they are often very good and even Oscar-worthy in some cases.  The darker season brings one of my favourite sub-genres out of hiding, and that is the crime and gangster drama.

I enjoy crime and gangster films because they present a very real world that most viewers are unfamiliar with.  I think I speak for a lot of us when I say that I am not involved in an violent crime or any crime for that matter.  Watching a gangster movie provides a small glimpse into the mysterious and dangerous world of organized crime, no matter how fantastical.  The characters and their actions may seem foreign, but they are presented in a time and place that we recognize, like London or Boston.  It truly is an underworld that reaches the surface where we all walk each day. Crime thrillers make for intriguing films because they deliver a taboo version of humanity and urban life.

Two major films in this category are Legend and Black Mass.  Those in the UK have already been treated to Tom Hardy and Tom Hardy as the notorious Kray Brothers, and I was fortunate enough to be in London for its September 9th release.  If you are in North America you can look forward to catching Legend on October 2nd in wide release.  Black Mass features Johnny Depp as Boston kingpin James "Whitey" Bulger alongside a deep cast including the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch and Joel Edgerton.

I'd like to tell you about these films and what I think of them, but I feel it is necessary that I do not wish to convey the notion that I know anything about the Krays or Bulger in their respective careers and film representations.  I know that there were some liberties taken for the sake of story in both cases, and I would prefer to steer clear of legitimacy and history for the sake of the review.

First things first, Legend is based on the biographical book The Profession of Violence by John Pearson, which chronicles the criminal careers of Reggie and Ronnie Kray in London, England during the 1950s and 1960s.  Writer/director Brian Helgeland (A Knight's Tale, 42) tackled the depiction of twins Reggie and Ronnie Kray portrayed by Tom Hardy on both counts.  Other cast members include Emily Browning as Reggie's wife Frances Shea, the "ninth Doctor" Christopher Eccleston as Detective Superintendent Leonard "Nipper" Read, David Thewlis as Leslie Payne and (always a pleasure) Taron Egerton as Edward "Mad Teddy" Smith.

We've seen a lot of films in the last couple of years that heavily feature twin-effects such as Jesse Eisenberg's Simon and James in The Double and Jake Gyllenhaal's Adam and Anthony in Enemy. Neither of those films were very exceptional, however the technology has proven to work well enough to suspend the disbelief of having the same actor play two roles in one film where they appear on-screen simultaneously.  Tom Hardy's performances as both Reggie and Ronnie Kray are memorably diverse, and this does not come as a surprise given that he has made a career from his ability to transform for roles and play a wide range of characters.  Hardy shines in both roles for different reasons.  Reggie is the more level-headed of the two, despite that speaking more to the unpredictable nature of Ronnie.  Ronnie's mental health keeps his actions exaggerated and twitchy, contrasting to the methodical mind (however, violent) of Reggie.  Their relationship is strained at best, and the film is strongest when pitting the twins against each other's business perspectives as they attempt to climb higher in the London nightlife and casino business.  Hardy keeps his portrayals of Reggie and Ronnie distant enough in appearance and mannerisms in order to differentiate the characteristics of the twins, but he maintains a constant familial connection that supports the film's goal.  No matter where the Krays' criminal actions and legitimate careers take them, neither of the twins can permanently turn on the other.  At the core of Legend, it is the actions they take to relieve the stress of their brotherly ties that holds the plot together.

Legend's pacing is so clean and fast in the first half of the film that it sets the end of the second act up to fail.  There is a lull in the story, however necessary to establish a believable relationship between Reggie and Frances, that takes the audience out of the film for a brief period.  However, the smallest set pieces of character development seen throughout Reggie's story reaches a thrilling climax and delivers some of the more violent actions that the film ultimately lacks elsewhere.  Legend is an entertaining redirect of a crime thriller that boasts a solid central cast, quick wit and some good laughs amidst the heavy and depressing result of questionable but unconditional loyalty in the lives of violent criminals. Check it out, even if its just to see Tom Hardy totally kill it.

Black Mass, directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace) is a whole other deal.  Sure, it's still a crime drama, but it's not the same vibrant story that most of Legend manages to be.  There's really no one to like in Black Mass; even the good guys are either corrupt or unforgiving.  Johnny Depp's Whitey Bulger is unsettling and ruthless.  There's something about the blue contact lenses, the dead tooth and the muttering of his lines that makes him seem like he's perpetually teetering on the line between sanity and psychopathic rage.  Joel Edgerton's John Connolly may be an FBI agent out to take down the mafia in North Boston, but he's still a Southie kid like Whitey and his senator brother Billy Bulger played by Benedict Cumberbatch (complete with convincing Boston accent!). It's hard to believe Jesse Plemons could play a slimier character than Breaking Bad's Todd Alquist, but he ups the ante as Kevin Weeks, the young enforcer who earned the respect of Whitey in the 1970s, only to turn on him for a lesser sentence.

Black Mass isn't your typical Hollywood gangster movie.  It's really a large character study of a crimelord-turned-FBI-informant, his weak-moraled FBI insider and those who choose to associate with them both as they experience mutual gain and the resulting steep decline.  You watch as the two sides give and take information, money and loyalty, building a relationship that blurs the line between the law enforcer and the criminal.  The more comfortable these two sides become with each other, the larger steps they are willing to take to bolster their income.  The higher the stakes, the greater the risk, the larger the reward.  Black Mass establishes the true balance between this large reward and irredeemable fall.  It also dives deep into the relationship between the legitimate and the criminal and how such associations can be beneficial as well as manipulatable by either party.  Black Mass doesn't have a climactic ending with guns blazing, blood flying and dramatic deserving deaths.  However, the film does deliver what's coming to Whitey Bulger and his associates as their livelihoods are cast aside and their reputations ruined.

Black Mass is really good. It's not for everyone, but it does have some excellent performances.  I don't have a strong opinion of Johnny Depp in either direction, but he sure does achieve an air of unease as Whitey Bulger and I'm sure that was his intention.

The Fall is an exciting time for movie-goers who want to take a break from the overstimulating action movies of the summer that draw massive crowds.  I recommend both Legend and Black Mass for fans of the crime/gangster sub-genre.  There are a few other films due out in the next two months that are sure to be worthy a watch.  The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, is a highly realistic science fiction film based on Andy Weir's stellar novel of the same name.  Those who thought Interstellar was a little too much of a stretch for their comprehension and imagination may enjoy the grounded nature of this thrilling adventure story that finds its footing in the real physics, out October 2nd.  On the same day,  you can catch Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro in Sicario, another crime thriller about a joint task force cracking down on a Mexican drug lord.  A few other titles to look out for are Steven Speilberg's Cold War thriller Bridge of Spies starring Tom Hanks, Guillermo del Toro's haunted house horror Crimson Peak, The Peanuts Movie (I'm a big fan, so yeah), Daniel Craig's Bond in Spectre, the limited release of Trumbo starring Bryan Cranston, The Hunger Games finale Mockingjay Part 2, Michael B. Jordan in Creed, and Pixar's The Good Dinosaur.

Yeah, there are more films out this fall, but many of these caught my eye.  Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been left off the list because it need not share the spotlight. Its day will come on December 18th.

Take care everyone.

Thoughts on supporting characters in Star Wars

One of the most beloved supporting characters in Star Wars is Boba Fett. There's something about the mysterious armoured figure and his sly dialogue with Vader on the Executor bridge that fuels the myth. Think about it. At this point in ESB, Vader is the most formidable foe known to the audience and he needs Boba Fett's help. Not to mention, he manages to bag the scoundrel and rope in Skywalker. If you're looking for elements of George Lucas' Western in space, look no further than Boba Fett.

Boba Fett's minimal screen time and brief lines allowed for fans to build up the legend of the great bounty hunter. The now defunct Expanded Universe further touted the reputation of the ruthless mercenary to the joy of readers who wanted to learn more about the faceless hunter. This was the core of many supporting characters in Star Wars. The universe is lived-in and vast. The films may follow certain characters more closely, but it is a galaxy full of other fascinating tales. The appeal of Star Wars is the unexplored story that is caught in glimpses as the Skywalker story takes you from system to system. Not that it has to stop at every spaceport along the way. Some things are best left teased or nodded to in core story elements.

Thinking about Boba Fett's popularity and reputation got me thinking about who might fill this void in the Prequel Trilogy. My finger landed on Darth Maul. Yes, he is a more traditional villain, however much of the character can be compared to Boba Fett's Original Trilogy portrayal.

As the apprentice of Palpatine, Darth Maul preceeds Darth Vader who would later become the most powerful force-wielder in the galaxy. That's some pretty serious company. Sidious must consider Maul a worthy ally, and this guy knows how to pick them. For Christ's sake, he picked Christopher Lee who knew throughout his career what evil was all about. Mind you, Count Dooku is one villain that was failed by a weak script.

I digress. Darth Maul, like Boba Fett, was called upon by the most devastating Sith around to do his bidding. Darth Maul, like Boba Fett, has a unique and curious design that grabbed the attention of many fans who wanted to know "what's that guy all about?" Darth Maul, like Boba Fett, speaks softly and you better believe he carries a big stick. That dude changed your entire perception of a lightsaber battle. Alas, Darth Maul, like Boba Fett, faced an untimely demise by falling into a pit. The mysterious characters that we wanted to see more of and learn more about were gone too soon.

Of course, Darth Maul was resurrected in the Expanded Universe to the delight of die-hard fans. Not many supporting characters who experienced on-screen deaths had extremely successful returns in the EU. There was room to grow and delve deep into the unexplored characters that were introduced and ushered out in equal pace.

Darth Maul and Boba Fett were beloved supporting characters with criminally brief appearances, mysterious identities and vast potential that was untapped in the films.

Trip

Hey gang!

I've been hopping around France and Belgium for the last week and have now reached England. I spent some time in Arundel, West Sussex and will be in London for the next week. If you're interested in what I've seen and done while out and about you can check in on my Instagram. I will return with regular updates when I'm Canada-side next week.

Take care.