RANTS & RAVINGS ABOUT HORROR – “HOW RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER BECAME ONE OF THE HIGHEST GROSSING HORROR FILMS OF THE YEAR!”

RANTS & RAVINGS ABOUT HORROR – “HOW RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER BECAME ONE OF THE HIGHEST GROSSING HORROR FILMS OF THE YEAR!”

It may come as a shock to many people (even horror fans) but Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2017) became one of the highest grossing traditional horror films of 2017 (with the exception of the monster hit remake of Stephen King’s It).  With $312.2 million at the Worldwide Box Office the final chapter in the long running zombie-action-horror franchise comes to a satisfying conclusion.  This film is the highest grossing of all the others in the franchise proving the extreme popularity of the films with fans of the actual game and general horror fans (and franchise star Milla Jovovich).

 

With this closing chapter writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson went back to basics in terms of style with the grittier action sequences and look of the zombies and monsters; he strayed from the more colorful visual palette of the past two films to return the franchise to the roots of the look of the original film.  Despite some questionable story elements, the film does a fantastic job putting all the pieces of the franchise together into a complete puzzle which fans, who have stuck through the duration of the films, will appreciate.  This is one of those few horror franchises where the same person has hung in there with each of the films till the end.  Anderson may not have directed all the films (just the original and the last three) but he has written them all and was producer for all of them over the course of fifteen years!  Some of the only other franchises to have a similar track record is writer/producer/director Don Coscarelli with the Phantasm franchise (37 years), writer/director Victor Salva and Jeepers Creepers films (17 years), writer/director Don Mancini with the Child’s Play franchise (29 years), writer/producer/director Sam Raimi and producer Rob Tapert with the Evil Dead films & television series (34 years) and writer/actor/director Leigh Whannell with the Insidious films (7 years), to name a very few.

 RE fans and general audiences have enjoyed watching the journey of the main character Alice (Jovovich) or “Project Alice” as she is also called in the films.  She has changed and developed from film to film gaining and loosing friends and allies on her quest to stop the Umbrella Corporation from destroying all of humanity on Earth.  The franchise has become one of the most ambitious horror franchises in history with characters from all over the world interacting in this zombie infested world.  The franchise has not only showcased some amazing fight choreography and action sequences but delivered the goods when it comes to the numerous monsters on display and death throughout.  Very few long running horror franchises have been able to have a protagonist as engaging and dynamic as Jovovich’s Alice and that is a testament to the commitment of the actor to the character and the Anderson’s writing to continue to test the character with new obstacles.

In terms of Box Office, all the films have grossed over $100 million at the Worldwide Box Office with the distinct oddity of The Final Chapter being the lowest growing Domestically (whereas Afterlife (2010) has the highest Domestic gross of the franchise with $60 million).  Obviously, the franchise is more of an International Box Office phenom then a domestic one.  By the time The Final Chapter was released earlier this year, interest in the franchise here was gone; only the die-hard fans came out to see how the franchise would finally end.  Internationally, the film did extremely well with over $285 million (a franchise best)!  With these numbers, even though the current run of Anderson films has come to an end, there is already talk of rebooting the franchise and starting over.  It should also be noted that the third film in the animated franchise Vendetta (2017) was also released this year (but Anderson has nothing to do with the animated films that stay more faithful to the games).

I don’t particularly like all the films in the franchise myself.  I still love the original film which is straight forward and retains the simplicity of an action-horror film that showcased both Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez’ talents for kicking ass and looking good while doing it.  I hated the Apocalypse (2004) as the cast was not nearly as strong as the original but it did add Oded Fehr and Jared Harris to the otherwise forgettable cast and I never liked the look of Nemesis.  They were back in form with Extinction (2007) but I think it’s because director Russell Mulcahy gives the film a great visual look and style with the desert looking apocalypse landscape (he did, after all, direct Highlander, Tale of the Mummy, and Resurrection, to name a few) and they added Ali Larter to the franchise (one of the great additions).  Anderson returns behind the camera with Afterlife (2010) which is the first to film in 3-D (with the same cameras used for James Cameron’s Avatar); all subsequent films would also get the 3-D treatment (I should know as I saw them all in 3-D on opening weekend).  Afterlife would bring new life into the franchise with its bolder color palette and more balletic fight choreography as the fights would become even more dynamic then in previous films.  Anderson’s cinematography would be the best here than in any of the previous films as the film took the strengths of the previous films and amplify them more.  Retribution (2012) would be a step down (in my opinion) as it focused more on the action sequences and less on the story as the whole film didn’t really seem to go anywhere as if it was a filler film for the next impending film (needless to say, Box Office for this film would dwindle tremendously from the previous film which became the franchise high domestically).  The tepid Box Office and audience response to this film meant that it was time to call it quits and thus The Final Chapter was released with a whimper domestically but to enthusiastic response Internationally.  This is one of the stronger films in terms of the actual story and plot as you see a lot of the stories of characters you’ve come to know finally come to a satisfying end.

 

In terms of longevity and profitability, the RE franchise is one of the most successful despite the quality of some of the films which is typical of any franchise that’s run through six films (and three animated films) over the course of 15 years.  Anderson was able to have actors come and go throughout the run of the series keeping continuity and consistency which is also rare with horror franchises (or any franchise).

I’ve always been a huge fan of the films and will continue to be one even when the franchise is finally rebooted for the next generation.  This was a franchise by and from fans to and for the fans and that is a rare thing indeed.

RANTS & RAVINGS ABOUT HORROR – “HOW MONSTER FILMS DEFINED MY LIFE”

RANTS & RAVINGS ABOUT HORROR – “HOW MONSTER FILMS DEFINED MY LIFE”

Early this year during the 2017 Something Wicked Film Festival (www.somethingwickedfilmfestival.com), Festival Panel Moderator Jim Adams created a panel discussion that would forever define the future of panel discussions for the event (especially since I’m the Festival Director and I just hired him to be the Official Festival Panel Moderator.  One of Mr. Adams’ first duties were to come up with some original ideas for new panel discussions and thus “How Monster Films Defined My Life” was born. 

Now I know part of the reason why Mr. Adams decided on this topic for a panel discussion is because he has the podcast “Monster Attacks!” where he has spoken at length about his love for monster films.  For many people, monster films from the Universal horrors of Dracula and The Wolfman to Hammer Studios’ Frankenstein and The Mummy were defining characters of fear from childhood.  For more modern audiences there is Leatherface and that dream demon Freddy not to mention the likes of Ghostface Killer and The Jigsaw Killer.  No matter which decade, audiences have their own nightmare monster that haunts them or fascinates them to no end.

I was one of the film-makers on this panel discussion and one of the films that defined my childhood was the Joe Dante film Gremlins (1984).  I saw this in the theater in ’84 at the early age of 8 and it left an undeniable impression on me.  The monsters were both cute and cuddly and dangerous and fun at the same time.  It was like watching a bunch of unruly children at play able to do whatever they wanted.  It also had an amazing soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith (who became my all-time favorite music composer).  The film was dark and horrifying as well as funny and entertaining.  It had the perfect mixture of comedy and horror and part of that is due to the very dark photography of the film and the fluid cinematography.  It truly became one of my all-time favorite films for which my love for other monsters would grow.

 

I didn’t grow up with the black & white Universal monsters nor had I seen many of the bloody Hammer Studio films until I became a big horror fan in my teenage and college years.  The next monster I gravitated to was that of the Good-Guy doll Chucky.  When I saw Child’s Play (1988) I had never seen anything like it before.  A serial killer uses Voodoo to possess a doll and to continue his killing spree.  Even though this film played straight into horror (unlike the more comedic sequels) it still was quite fun and entertaining.  By ’88 when this film was released and I was eleven years old I had already become a horror fan but nothing had defined my true love of the genre just yet until this film.  I got the poster for the film from the nearby Video Store (how I miss these establishments) and I placed it lovingly on my bedroom wall (where it was later joined by posters of the second and third films).  It was the first poster I ever put on my wall but it would not be the last.

I followed the continuing exploits of Chucky to cinema with Child’s Play 2 (1990) and Child’s Play 3 (1991) which I had to beg my Father to take me to since I was too young for the R-Rated horror.  At this point I did come to realize how much I loved horror films but more importantly – monster films.

At this point you could say I went looking for monsters as I learned to love all monsters big or small.

It wasn’t until Clive Barker’s Nightbreed (1990) that I wished I was one of the amazing monsters that populated our magnificent world.  Barker crafted a story where the monsters were the good guys while man was the bad guy.  This film defined the idea of what a monster could truly become.  The monsters in Barker’s film were deformed and misunderstood as well as dangerous and fascinating.

It was after this that I became a true and everlasting monster fan.  From the films featuring Godzilla and his rogue’s gallery to the Cenobites of the world of Hellraiser I loved monsters both other-worldly and those more human.  My favorites were monsters not easily described or defined like those in Christine (1983), The Thing (1982), Puppet Master (1994), Critters (1986), and especially Killer Clowns From Outer Space (1988), to name but a small few.

I most certainly enjoyed the exploits of Michael Myers and Leatherface (and family) and even those Freddy films but it was with these non-human monsters that I enjoyed more and would later define my love and appreciation of horror.  For me, monsters aren’t defined as either good nor evil but in most films, they are simply just trying to survive and do what comes naturally.  This is the defining trait of King Kong and Godzilla as well as many other timeless monster films.

Serial killers and mass murders are interesting but monsters are something from the imagination where anything that can be dreamed can become a reality.  Therefore, they’ve had such a profound effect on me as not only a film maker but a storyteller and a film lover.  If nothing else, I implore others to seek out monster movies not just for pure entertainment and enjoyment but to understand oneself and the world in which we live (and the one created for the monsters to live in).  It’s never too late to enjoy a good monster film.

To view the entire “How Monster Movies Defined My Life” panel discussion go here - https://vimeo.com/238990857

FILM REVIEW: KILLDOZER (1974)

Clint Walker leads an all-star cast in the film KILLDOZER (1974).  When a small construction crew on an isolated island come in contact with a strange rock in the ground.  The spirit or energy force from the rock inhabits a bulldozer and starts to kill each of the construction crew one by one.  Walker plays Lloyd Kelly, the foreman of the construction crew just trying to keep his men in line despite the fact that he isn’t well liked by the men.  It is his job to try and keep his people safe and alive for as long as he can until help can arrive.

For a ‘70s TV horror film, KILLDOZER is very much like DUEL (1971) in its execution despite lacking the suspenseful elements that made that film so interesting.  Also, the concept doesn’t really hold up being a killer bulldozer which should make it very easy to escape but the film finds it easy for the men to get trapped and killed.

This is a film I’ve heard a lot about over the years and I see why it could have been viewed as one of the better made for TV movies of the ‘70s but that was a decade that had many great films on the small screen and even though this film was interesting there isn’t much that elevate it passed the nostalgia effect as it hasn’t aged nearly as well as DUEL.

FILM REVIEW: THE EVIL (aka HOUSE OF EVIL) (1978)

Richard Crenna leads an excellent cast in the horror film THE EVIL (1978).  Crenna is C.J. Arnold who is a professor who recently purchased a civil war era house in need of lots of repairs.  He assembles a group of old colleagues and students to help him restore the house but while exploring the basement of the house he comes across a doorway in the floor.  When he removes a cross keeping the doorway closed he unleashes an evil force that locks them all in the house with no means of escape.  The evil force decides that each person in the house is nothing more than a plaything at its disposal and C.J. and his friends must find a way out of the house before they are all killed.

As ludicrous as the concept for the film is Crenna has always had a knack for grounding these types of films such as DEATH SHIP (1980), DEVIL DOG: THE HOUND OF HELL (1978), NIGHTMARE (1974), LEVIATHAN (1989), and MURDER TIMES SEVEN (1990), to name a few.  He has a great supporting cast in Joanna Pettet, Andrew Prine, Cassie Yates, George O’Hanlon, Jr., and Victor Buono, to name a few.   The only main problem with the film is the fact that the female characters are not very fully developed (a product of ‘70s horror films) and make the film dated.

Written by Galen Thompson and Gus Trikonis, who also directs, the film is a very suspenseful thriller that has a mean streak in terms of how each person is killed making for a very entertaining film.  Only when the film delves into religious philosophy towards the end does the film misstep but this can be forgiven as there were many films of this era that tackled this question.  Otherwise this is a very interesting film.

FILM REVIEW: CREATURES FROM THE ABYSS (aka PLANKTON) (1994)

Five teenagers out for a night swim in the middle of nowhere get caught in a freak storm in CREATURES FROM THE ABYSS (1994).  They find shelter in a seemingly abandoned yacht which doubles as a marine research vessel.  As they wait out the storm, they soon discover that something else is on board the yacht with them which may have been the cause for the entire crew of the yacht to abandon the ship out in the middle of the ocean.

Now, unfortunately, this could have been an interesting concept but the film’s plot is flimsy as is the logic for most of what happens in the film not to mention that the monsters are laughable especially for a film from the mid-‘90s.   The film is written by Richard Baumann and directed by Alvaro Passeri (his first film as director before churning out such other great titles as THE MUMMY THEME PARK, PSYCHOVISION and FLIGHT TO HELL).  This is a pretty bad film even by pretty bad film standards. 

There is nothing particularly imaginative or exciting about the film other than the attempt at body horror as the teenagers turn into strange contaminated fish monsters.  This is one aquatic horror film to avoid like day old sushi.

FILM REVIEW: LIFEFORM (aka INVADER) (1996)

The Viking space capsule returns to Earth from its journey to Mars bringing with it something potentially dangerous in the film LIFEFORM (1996).  When the Viking lands within restricted military space Dr. Case Montgomery (Cotter Smith) brings in his most trusted colleagues Dr. Gracie Scott and NASA’s Michael Perkett (Deirdre O’Connell and Leland Oser, respectfully) to help him assess the authenticity of the capsule.  Just as Colonel Pratt (Robert Wisdom) and his men show up to take over the discovery, Montgomery and Scott learn that the capsule was carrying an alien creature that threatens the safety of them all and everyone on the planet.  The base is ordered quarantined and Montgomery & Scott have a limited time to find the alien and make sure it isn’t a threat to national security.  This is made more difficult as the alien is highly intelligent which makes finding it a problem especially when Colonel Pratt and his men have no idea the danger they have now find themselves in.

LIFEFORM is a fun science fiction film in the tradition of CREATURE (1985) and CRITTERS (1986) and the monster holds up fairly well even today.  Although it gets repetitive at sometimes and characters react in that “horror film” way, it’s charm is in the fact that it tries so hard to make the science in the film so believable.

The film is written and directed by Mark H. Baker and this is his sole directing credit although I am surprised that he didn’t continue to direct given that this wasn’t an entirely un-entertaining of a film.  

FILM REVIEW: THE BOOGENS (1981)

A small mining community gets more than they bargained for when they reopen an old mine unleashing a horde of creatures that will do anything protect their home in THE BOOGENS (1981).  For a small community, opening the once flourishing mines was thought to be an excellent idea even after all the deaths that occurred in a collapse years ago, but once the mines are reopened people start to disappear.  Soon the miners learn that the tunnels of the mines go underneath the entire town and no one is safe.

Written by David O’Malley and Jim Kouf (with a story by Thomas C. Chapman and O’Malley) the film does an admirable job of keeping the story moving with its limited cast.  Chapman, who also directors, does a good job creating suspense and atmosphere with the limited number of locations especially the caverns in the mines themselves.  The death scenes are also creative and a highlight of the even.  Even though the monsters, themselves, are cheesy looking by today’s standards, they are not on screen all that much.

I enjoyed the film for the nostalgia factor since I love monster movies (no matter how crude the creature) so fans of monster films will enjoy this film.  For an early ‘80s creature feature its not that bad at all.

FILM REVIEW: THE RUNESTONE (1991)

A Norse Runestone is discovered signally the coming of Ragnarok in THE RUNESTONE (1991).  It seems that Martin Almquist (Mitchell Laurance) has made a profound discovery with the Runestone and hopes to achieve his wildest dreams and desires until the Norse great wolf Fenrir shows up to cause chaos and disorder.  Now it is up to archaeologist Sam Stewart (Tim Ran) and his wife Marla (Joan Severance) to find the truth about the Runestone before it is too late.  With the help of the local police detective Fanducci (Peter Riegert) and Lars Hagstrom (William Hickey), a recluse who knows more about the Runestone than he’s letting on, its own a matter of time before Fenrir’s true purpose is made clear and no one will be able to stand in its way.

The film isn’t all that bad even almost thirty years later.  This is mainly because the performances still hold up very well and the concept isn’t all that bad even if the make-up and monster effects have aged.  The monster is seen a lot in the film as the film-makers are not shy about revealing the creature in all its glory.  I’m sure that in the early ‘90s the monster was impressive but anything has aged it’s this part of the film.  This being said there is a lot of violence and suspense so audiences will be entertained from beginning to end.

Written and directed by Willard Carroll (based on the novel by Mark E. Rogers) the film is very well directed despite the nature of the whole film.  The film is actually better than it should be as the comedic talents of Riegert are on full display and keep the film lively and interesting throughout the hokier moments.  Not a bad film from the ‘90s as there are plenty of worst options out there.

FILM REVIEW: WAVELENGTH (1983)

Bobby and Iris (Robert Carradine and Cherie Currie, respectfully) have stumbled across a government secret in the film WAVELENGTH (1983).  While exploring a seemingly abandoned property the two find themselves in an underground government lab where the military are experimenting on being from another world whom are being kept in a cryogenic state.  Soon, Iris realizes that the aliens are communicating to her through telepathy which makes her very important to the military and their experiment.  Now Bobby & Iris find themselves entangled in a mystery and government experiment until she realizes that they have to help the aliens escape before they all become victims of the government’s ultimate agenda.

Coming one year after E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL and one year before STARMAN, this is a film that marries the two concepts together but on a much lower budget.  This film features childlike aliens that want to go home but have psychic power.

Carradine does an admiral job as the boyfriend to Currie and has always been a dependable actor un genre films although this film doesn’t really give him too much to play with.  Currie also does a serviceable job but both actors can only do so much with the material.  The film is written and directed by Mike Gray, who oddly enough would only direct episodes of the short-lived television show STARMAN.

FILM REVIEW: THE FLYING SERPENT (1946)

Dr. Andrew Forbes (George Zucco) has just recently discovered the greatest treasure anyone has ever known and he will stop at nothing to protect it and his secrets in the film THE FLYING SERPENT (1946).  Through an unfortunate accident Dr. Forbes discovers the existence of the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, a flying serpent, and the treasure it has been protecting.  When outsiders begin to jeopardize his secret, Dr. Forbes sends the flying serpent to deal with them fast and quietly.

Although a cheaply crafted creature Quetzalcoatl is the main attraction of the film.  As a film of the ‘40s I’m sure the monster was very impressive because of how new and different it was but the story is very like other films of the era and leaves a lot to be desired.  This being said, because of the short running time of only 77 minutes it’s a quick time waster and a film worth the nostalgia factor alone.

If you’re a fan of old school horror films – enjoy!

RANTS & RAVINGS ABOUT HORROR – “The Return & JEEPERS CREEPERS 3”

RANTS & RAVINGS ABOUT HORROR – “The Return & JEEPERS CREEPERS 3”

It’s been over a year since the last “Rants & Ravings About Horror” as I took some time away to focus on my film festival – Something Wicked Film Festival, which focuses on animation, horror, fantasy, and science fiction shorts and feature films.  Now that we’ve completed out second year, I thought it’d be a good time to get back to pen & paper (or computer screen) as I just came back from a special screening of JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 (2017) which marks the return of The Creeper from a fourteen-year absence and writer/director Victor Salva, who has been behind all the films in the franchise thus far.

There was great anticipation for this film on my part as I thought JEEPERS CREEPERS II (2003) was an improvement over the 2001 original film.  I won’t get into the controversy surrounding director Salva as I’m under the impression that a person’s personal life should be separate from their art but I will get into the significance of these films.  In 2001, Salva’s original film was unleashed upon an unsuspecting public and even though it only made a little over $37 million at the Box Office (on a $10 million budget) it was very popular with audiences and The Creeper became an instant sensation.  The original film was dark and mysterious and centered on a brother and sister who see something unbelievable that gets them stuck in battle for their lives against The Creeper, an ancient creature that gets to kill for 23 days every 23 years.  The Creeper was unstoppable and an original creature that acted more human than monster with fantastic weapons at his disposal.  No one was safe especially those it smelled the unique fragrance of fear that it craved.  It also contained a unique twist ending no one was expecting.  The film played more like a slasher film with an unstoppable monster at the center which made it fresh and innovative at a time in horror that was dominated by torture porn and PG-13 horror.

When the sequel was released in 2003 Salva added a taste of revenge thriller to the mix as The Creeper went after a bus load of basketball players.  Character actor Ray Wise is Jack Taggart who wants vengeance against The Creeper and gets entangled with the creature on the last of its 23 days to kill before it goes into hibernation.  This film is better written and executed than the previous film, which had been hampered by a lot of common horror film conventions.  Wise was the crown jewel in this film because he brought so much weight to a film that could have otherwise been nothing more than a run of the mill monster film.  With a bigger budget that almost doubled that of the original at $17 million the film only managed to gross $35 million at the Box Office which was less than the original.  This film was better received by audiences and critics but the fact that it essentially made less than the original put any future sequels on hold.

The road to JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 was an extremely long one as there were rumors of a sequel for years and audiences were held in limbo.  The original proposed sequel CATHEDRAL would get a poster and teaser trailer but very little news about the film itself surfaced until 2015 when Salva official revealed he was working on a script.  Then the film went into production and the controversy surrounding the director’s past resurfaced even though it had been a problem that came up during the original film’s production process.    The question of how to divorce the art from the artist has been a debate for eons from the controversy surrounding such acclaimed directors as Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Woody Allen, Mel Gibson, Roman Polanski, and more recently Nate Parker and Bill Cosby, to name a few.  This controversy is probably one of the reasons why JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 is not getting a wide theatrical release as with the previous films but a limited screening through Fathom Events.  A limited number of cities and theaters will screen the film and a small number of fans will get the chance to see the film on the big screen before it finds its way on DVD/BD and digital download and streaming.  I happened to be in luck as the local theater was a Fathom Events supporter and was getting the film. 

When I got to the theater for the advertised 7:00pm screening, I was shocked that it had already been “Sold Out” but I was lucky in that they added an additional for 7:10pm.  I immediately bought my ticket and waited the forty minutes for the film to start.

Being a huge fan of the first two films I likened the anticipation for this film with the same as I felt for PHANTASM V: RAVAGER.  The remarkable thing about the JEEPERS CREEPERS franchise and PHANTASM and I’ll even include CHILD’S PLAY is that the original creators have all been involved in the subsequent sequels (and in the case of CHILD’S PLAY it is original writer Don Mancini who now directs each sequel as well).  This gives the franchise a sense that each subsequent film is an official continuation and fans the belief that the films are uncompromising by studio interference. 

JEEPERS CREEPERS 3 is a long time coming but for fans of the franchise it doesn’t disappoint.  It takes the elements of the first two films and expands them and twists them into something new.  The film takes place directly after the original film (but before Part 2) in which a ravaged police precinct must deal with The Creeper who have killed their own.  Joining the police is Sheriff Tashtego (Stan Shaw) who has history with The Creeper from the last time it showed up.  Tashtego has assembled a group of bounty hunters with one purpose which is to kill The Creeper once and for all.  The Creeper may have managed to slip through his fingers this time but he seeks out the help of an old friend Gaylen Brandon (Meg Foster), who has been recently seeing the haunting image of her son Kenny (Jordan Salloun), who was killed by The Creeper twenty-three years earlier.  He hopes that she holds the key to finding a way to kill the monster once and for all.  Gaylen has problems of her own as she is told by Kenny that The Creeper is heading her way to settle old debts before disappearing again for another 23 years.  Also caught in the middle is Gaylen’s niece Addison (Gabrielle Haugh) which The Creeper soon takes a liking to.

One of the big differences between this film and the previous films is the fact that most of the film takes place during the daylight hour so audiences get to see The Creeper in all his gruesome glory.  This deflates and sense of suspense in the film which is okay since audiences are now accustomed to The Creeper anyways.  The other addition to the franchise is the overwhelming presence of the police and the action elements that police customarily brings with it.  There is more fire power and guns on display in this film diminishing the horror elements that made the first two films so interesting.  The film takes a page from the UNDERWORLD and RESIDENT EVIL playbook in this regard.  Even though these elements seem like a natural progression since the last film was released over a decade ago, old school fans will not like it.  I heard laughing in the background during some sequences when there shouldn’t have been and some people walked out before the end of the film.

 

I’m of the camp that enjoys these films because of the demanding work and autonomy of the film-makers and respect their passion for their own projects.  PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION may be director Don Coscarelli’s worst film because there is so much passion in the film that you can’t simply dismiss the result.  The same can be said of this film.  Director Salva has been living with the franchise for a very long time and by the end of this film you realize he has a definite direction on where to go next which is great for the die-hard fans.

This being said, random film fans (not the die-hard fans) will probably not agree with my assessment but there are some amazing new toys from The Creeper and he’s given more screen time in this film then both of the previous films combined so there is a lot to be thankful for.

FILM REVIEW: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FLIGHT 412 (1974)

Glen Ford is Colonel Pete Moore who is in charge of the Whitney Radar Test Group in THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FLIGHT 412 (1974).  During a routine flight exercise to fix bugs in their program his men of top pilots encounter something in the sky that they cannot identify or clarify.  When two fighter jets that were scrambled to deal with the situation go missing, the men of Flight 412 are transferred to a secluded military base where they are questioned by the CIA.

As Colonel Moore searches for the whereabouts of his three missing men, the missing men come to the slow realization that the sole purpose of the CIA’s intrusion in this government exercise is to psychologically force people who have claimed to have seen a UFO to dismiss their claims (or beliefs).  Now it is only a matter of time for Colonel Moore to find his men and discover the truth before the government has the time to cover up the whole incident as nothing more than a simple accident during a routine training exercise.

The psychological thriller is actually quite well done even by ’74 standards as it is more concerned with the psychology of the soldiers than with actually discovering the alien menace.  This is a film about the government’s methods in regard to UFO sightings within their own ranks.  The film is written by George Simpson and Neal R. Burger and directed by Jud Taylor. Taylor is a regular of TV movies such as BROKEN VOWS (1987), THE OLD MAN & THE SEA (1990), FOXFIRE (1987), LICENSE TO KILL (1984), MURDER TIMES SEVEN (1990), KALEIDOSCOPE (1990), and WEEKEND OF TERROR (1970), to name a few, and this fits right in there with them.  The film is a competently made thriller which forces the audience to ask themselves a lot of questions about the way our government policies are implemented within their own ranks.

FILM REVIEW: WHERE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE GONE? (1974)

After the Earth is struck by solar flares people suddenly disappear in the TV movie WHERE HAVE ALL THE PEOPLE GONE? (1974).  Steven Anders (Peter Graves) and his family are exploring the caverns on an archaeological dig when they are caught in an earthquake after the Earth is hit with powerful solar flares from the Sun.  It’s not long before Steven and his son and daughter (played by George O’Hanlon, Jr. and Kathleen Quinlan, respectfully) discover that everyone caught out in the open during the solar flares has been reduced to this white powder and only those immune are still alive.  Now they are a trip to get back home to discover the fate of their mother who was not with them when everything happened.

This is a road trip movie as Steven and his family discover what has happened to the world and how they plan on surviving in it as they meet other survivors both as companions in this new world and as a new type of menace where everyone is out to survive by any means necessary.

It’s an interesting concept that puts a modern-day science based look on a post-apocalyptic theme.  The film may lack the more gruesome elements of a typical horror film but it makes up for it with the psychological suspenseful elements, especially when the characters learn that the solar flares have made dogs slightly made and they must be careful what they eat and drink as some things have exposed to radiation.  It’s a film that speaks about the contemporary fears of the ‘70s while also producing an engaging film.

For a made for TV movie it’s not bad even if it has aged a bit in over forty years.

FILM REVIEW: JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981)

Five young campers are warned from going into the mountain wilderness by the local forest ranger Roy McLean (George Kennedy) in the ‘80s horror gem JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981).  The young campers are just trying to enjoy the weekend while also surveying the new property that one of them now owns but they soon run afoul of some locals and a killer that will protect and kill anyone that comes into his territory.  Now they must keep their wits and find a way off the mountain before they all become victims.

Jeff Lieberman directs and writes (with Mark Arywitz from a story by Jonas Middleton) this suspense filled horror film.  Lieberman’s other films include the popular SQUIRM, BLUE SUNSHINE, and SATAN’S LITTLE HELPER.  The film is very typical of other ‘80s horror films and has some creative kills but most memorable is the twist that comes halfway in the film that audiences aren’t expecting.

Kennedy is great as the “voice of reason” who tries to warn the campers and he’s given lots to work with as he returns during the third act.  Kennedy was a horror film fixture of the ‘80s with such cult films as CREEPSHOW 2, THE UNINVITED, THE TERROR WITHIN, DEMONWARP, and DEATH SHIP, to name a few.

JUST BEFORE DAWN isn’t one of the greatest horror films of the ‘80s but Lieberman crafted a film with ambition and therefore is an easily digestible time-waster.

FILM REVIEW: DON’T GO IN THE WOODS…ALONE! (1981)

Written by Garth Eliassen DON’T GO IN THE WOODS…ALONE! (1981) is your typical horror film of the ‘80s…or at least it tries to be.  A maniacal killer is loose in the woods killing people for no other reason than he wants to.  The film is filled with card board characters that get dispatched fast and relentlessly but there is no main character that really draws you into the story and keeps you engaged.  It also lacks the fun and gruesomeness of a FRIDAY THE 13^th or THE BURNING or MANIAC.

Directed by James Bryan whose other films include SEX ALIENS, WHAT EVER TURNS YOU ON, LADY STREET FIGHTER or BOOGIEVISION you can kind of get an idea of what you are in for.  Bryan doesn’t really direct a horror film but instead puts victims in front of the camera to be killed one by one in not all that original or creative of a way.

This is not a gem of the ‘80s horror boom but an easily forgotten misstep of straight to video fluff.  The most interesting aspect of the film is the original one-sheet poster.

Web Series Review: HELL’S CIRCUS Part 1 – “Playing in the Woods”

I love web series when they are done right.  What’s not to like about a serialized story broken up in many different parts that keeps you on the edge of your seat from one episode to the next?  Web series remind me of the old serials that ended in a cliff hanger that had you on the edge of your seat until the next episode was released and you (finally) got to see how the main characters get out of their cliffhanger from the previous episode.  Unfortunately, the first episode of the web series Hell’s Circus (titled “Playing the Woods”) does nothing to set up the premise of the series or present a story that you haven’t already seen a thousand times before.

The story starts with a group of friends arriving at their camp site ready for a night (or maybe longer but it isn’t really made clear) of drinking and fun.  They wonder around a lot aimlessly until that night when they have a campfire drink-fest which has three of the guys venture off into the woods (briefly) only to return claiming that one of them heard footsteps in the woods.  As two of the friends go to their car to grab the gun they have stashed in the car, the episode ends before reaching the five minute mark.

That’s generally it.  No real set up for the premise.  None of the characters are established.  No one does anything to make the whole story interesting or at least suspenseful or scary (this is, after all, a horror web series with clowns).  It’s all a bland set up for (hopefully) something more sinister to come (because at least the web series has a great title in Hell’s Circus) but there is no indication in this premiere episode why I should even bother to wait for any more.  This episode lacks the drive and determination of a suspenseful horror story and its cluttered with clichés and barely established characters.  The rest of the production values aren’t much better as the audio levels are all over the place and the harsh red lighting of the campfire scenes call attention to themselves, and not in a good way.

The series is from Sitrep Productions and is written and directed by Francheska Arroyo who has a rough road ahead in terms of getting audiences hooked on this web series.  This being said, the entire cast do seem like they’re having fun and if future episodes do start to focus on character and suspense then when the clowns finally show up it may have been worth the wait.

You can catch the latest episodes of the web series on the Sitrep Productions Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/sitrepmovies/

THE 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARDS!

“My Picks for 2016 Award Winning Films”

One of the biggest problems I have with “awards season” is that all the award ceremonies only make there picks from roughly the last two months out of the year.  You rarely see films on the list that were released at the beginning of the year or films that critics seem to love that came out of left field during the year but then are forgotten by the end of the year when “awards season” opens and all the studios release their “award contenders” at the same time (FYI – films produced specifically by studios to win awards, thus accolades).  Instead, I’ve decided to create my own list of Award Contenders that encompass films from all genres that had a domestic US release at any time within the year (and not those films that get an “award qualifying run” that are released in a single theater in New York or LA before going wide in the following year).

I’ve looked at all the films that I’ve seen that received a domestic release in 2016 from all genres and decided to create my own award nominations and winners.  The rules are simple.  The film must have had a domestic release in 2016 and I have to have seen it.  There are no films on my list that I haven’t seen so the following films are not included (since I haven’t seen them but may have gotten on the list if I had) – The Handmaiden, Elle, Miles Ahead, The Eagle Huntress, The Mermaid, Midnight Special, A Hologram for the King, 20^th Century Women, Hell or High Water, Loving, Captain Fantastic, Kubo & the Two Strings, Finding Dory, Sully, Weiner, Florence Foster Jenkins, The Lobster, Silence, Moonlight, Lion, The Founder, Hidden Figures, Jackie, Nocturnal Animals, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and Life, Animated.  Those are all the films I wished I had seen but I can only see so many great films a year.

So, let’s get started with the award ceremony I will call – THE REAL CONTENDERS!

 

BEST MAKE UP

*Birth of a Nation

*Operation Chromite

*The Shallows

*Star Trek Beyond

*Train to Busan

*A Monster Calls

There was a lot of great films with some spectacular make up this year and usually I would go with the most elaborate appliances (Star Trek Beyond, Train to Busan) and this is where a period film would usually shine (Operation Chromite, Birth of a Nation) but I’m always looking for something new that enhances the film and the characters in the film and this is where Birth of a Nation and The Shallows shine the most as you see through make up how the characters change throughout the film and as much as I love the film A Monster Calls, I have to hand it to The Shallows not only for showing us Blake Lively’s deterioration throughout the film through make up that never seemed to come off in the water. THE SHALLOWS wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

*Fences

*Birth of a Nation

*Star Trek Beyond

*Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

In this category, we come up with three films where costumes were familiar (Star Trek, Fantastic Beasts, and Rogue One) and two films that are period films (Fences, Birth of a Nation) and normally I would love to give this award to a fantasy or sci-fi film that crafts something new and exciting because let’s face it, costumes can make or break a genre a film as it helps put you into the world being created.  But this time I have to hand to the film Fences which took the world of the phenomenal play and used costumes to really create the time period and put you into the world of that time period.  Each character had such a unique and personal costume that not only spoke about their character, their status in society, but their relationships to each of the other characters in the film.  FENCES wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST VISUAL FX

*Captain America: Civil War

*Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Arrival

*A Monster Calls

*The Shallows

This is one of the toughest categories to look at as all the films used their visual FX to put audiences into the world of the film.  A shark has never been as real as the one in The Shallows and without the Monster in A Monster Calls much of the story wouldn’t have had much of an impact.  There hasn’t been an alien creature & spaceship nearly as inventive as the ones seen in Arrival and Captain America: Civil War has one of the best super-hero battles ever put on the screen but it is Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them that had a multitude of CGI characters that really made an emotional impact and enhanced the story and experience of the film from beginning to end.  FANTASTIC BEASTS & WHERE TO FIND THEM wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

*Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Fences

*Arrival

*High-Rise

*The Witch

Another tough category as the production design in each of these films played a unique role and was a character.  Arrival and Fantastic Beasts had the most elaborate production design that helped create the world of the films and Fences and The Witch had to use limited settings to craft their worlds yet also tell a complete and compelling story.  It is High-Rise that truly had a magnificent production design where the world was the main character itself as it crumbled under the pressure of all the characters within the film.   Without the contributions of the production design team High-Rise wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful a film as it was.  HIGH-RISE wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST EDITING

*Green Room

*Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*A Monster Calls

*Eye In the Sky

*Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

The art of editing is one of the most important elements to a film as it is the biggest contribution to the overall way in which a film ultimately tells its story.  It helps build character, create mood & tone, and helps with pacing, among other things.  In the past, Star Wars films have been nominated numerous times in this category and won (and the magic of editing is not lost on this latest film); the same can be said of the Harry Potter spin-off film Fantastic Beasts.  A Monster Calls manages to seamlessly blend the fantastic with that of the real but it is with Green Room and Eye In the Sky where the editing creates constant suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.  This is the backbone of the politically changed thriller Eye in the Sky which without the art of the editing team could not have been as effective a film.  EYE IN THE SKY wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST SOUND DESIGN

*Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

*Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Birth of a Nation

*Arrival

*The Witch

I absolutely loved the sound design for The Witch as it helps create the mood and atmosphere of the film as the world of the characters deteriorate under the influence of a witch and Rogue One and Fantastic Beasts had some amazing sound as well (to be expected from such high-profile franchise films).  Birth of a Nation excelled more than I would have expected given the independent status of the production but it is Arrival that really put me into a world that was a domestic drama that also had elements of sci-fi (that never over took the character elements).  It was subtle yet striking at the same time which is not an easy thing to balance.  ARRIVAL wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

*James Newton Howard, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Johann Johannsson, Arrival

*Mark Korven, The Witch

*Fernando Velazquez, A Monster Calls

*Michael Giacchino, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

It was great to hear someone bring something fresh to the Star Wars franchise with Giacchino’s score and Velazquez and Korven’s scores bring great presence to their respective films but the real contest was between Howard’s amazing Fantastic Beasts and Johannsson’s phenomenal Arrival scores which were some of the best scores I heard all year.  It is Howard who melds different styles of music to bring a more period aspect to the Harry Potter franchise that you never even knew could be there.  Without his score you would probably forget you were even watching a period film, so FANTASTIC BEASTS & WHERE TO FIND THEM wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

*Haris Zambarloukos, Eye In the Sky

*Eliot Davis, Birth of a Nation

*Jarin Blaschke, The Witch

*Bradford Young, Arrival

*Oscar Faura, A Monster Calls

Eye in the Sky and Birth of a Nation were front runners for me for a very long time as they displayed some amazing cinematography to craft their stories.  With genre films such as A Monster Calls and The Witch, the cinematography becomes a character to draw you into the story but it is with Yong’s superb work on Arrival that truly shines not only in the sequences inside the alien spacecraft and on the ground but also the flashbacks which are a character in the film itself.  ARRIVAL wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

*Arrival, Screenplay by Eric Heisserer

*A Monster Calls, Screenplay by Patrick Ness

*Fences, Screenplay by August Wilson

This was a tough category as all three films were fantastic but it is with Fences that I thought had the toughest job translating from source material to film since it was much of a single location and the dialogue played a key element in dramatizing the story for an audience.  The written word is never as powerful as it is in this film; therefore, FENCES wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

*The Witch, Screenplay by Robert Eggers

*Equity, Screenplay by Amy Fox

*Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, Screenplay by J.K. Rowling

*Birth of a Nation, Screenplay by Nate Parker

*Elvis & Nixon, Screenplay by Joey Sagal & Hanala Sagal & Cary Elwis

The hard truth of the fact is that Elvis & Nixon, Birth of a Nation, and Fantastic Beasts would not have been nearly as powerful of films without the contributions of the amazing casts.  These films work because of the ensemble and not necessarily because of the scripts.  In regards to The Witch, less is more as the story is key to the film but not necessarily as powerful as many of the film’s other chief elements.  It is with Equity where the script just bleeds brilliance and smart and edgy like an Aaron Sorkin film and because the cast is mostly made up of unknowns and character actors it makes the script that much more powerful.  EQUITY wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

*The Wailing (South Korea)

*A Map Against the World (South Korea)

*Train to Busan (South Korea)

*Age of Shadows (South Korea)

*Tunnel (South Korea)

Okay, so this category is a little biased as all the films come from South Korea but I did see films from other countries, just these films were the best.  This is a wild variety as well from the period thriller Age of Shadows to the drama Tunnel and A Map Against the World to the horrors of The Wailing and Train to Busan but it is A Map Against the World that truly shines among all others.  A Map Against the World was an epic film about a person who never knew he’d become so epic.  A drama that’s an emotional journey for the main character as well as the audience.  A MAP AGAINST THE WORLD wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

*John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lane

*Ralph Fiennes, A Bigger Splash

*Barkhad Abdi, Eye in the Sky

*James Purefoy, Equity

*Luke Evans, High-Rise

Although all the actors in this category gave great performances the real contest was between Fiennes, Goodman, and Abdi which gave great performances.  People will remember these performances more than the films themselves.  It was Abdi’s performance in Eye in the Sky that stayed with me all year long as one of the best I’d seen throughout the year.  Most of the film’s success hinges on him which is why BARKHAD ABDI wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

*Viola Davis, Fences

*Alysia Reiner, Equity

*Margot Robbie, Suicide Squad

*Samantha Morton, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Eva Green, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

 I loved the performances of all the women on this list but the real competition was between Davis and Morton who gave cringe worthy performances in each of their respective films.  You have no idea how hard it was to choose between these two women and these two performances but Davis edges out Morton for the degree to which she put her heart and soul into the film (you can see the spit come her mouth and the snot from her nose).  VIOLA DAVIS wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST ACTOR

*Nate Parker, Birth of a Nation

*Michael Shannon, Elvis & Nixon

*Eddie Redmayne, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them

*Denzel Washington, Fences

*Seung-Won Cha, A Map Against the World

This is another tough category as Washington gave a great dramatic performance and Shannon gave an equally compelling comedic performance.  Parker went all the way with his performance (maybe even a little too far) but it really boils down to Redmayne and Cha who give each of their characters so much pathos that they shine over everyone else.  Cha comes out on top due to the tragic nature of his character’s real life story and the fact that he has to balance comedy with drama with adventure all within the same film and he does it seamlessly.  SEUNG-WON CHA wins 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST ACTRESS

*Tilda Swinton, A Bigger Splash

*Amy Adams, Arrival

*Amy Gunn, Equity

*Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch

*Blake Lively, The Shallows

Taylor-Joy came out of nowhere with her performance in The Witch and I look forward to seeing her in more films (like her standout performance in this year’s Split) and Lively gives the best performance of her career in a film where the camera is on her the entire time; both actors have so much to offer in future roles.  Gunn was also someone I wasn’t familiar with before seeing her in Equity but now I will look out for her in other films.  Adams is one of my favorite actresses right now and I’ll watch her in anything because she always gives 150% to every role but it is Swinton in her almost completely mute role that stands out among the rest.  Swinton holds her own even when she can’t speak as much of her performance is through facial expressions and body language, therefore TILDA SWINTON wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST DIRECTOR

*Nate Parker, Birth of a Nation

*Meera Menon, Equity

*Fences, Denzel Washington

*Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

*Woo-Suk Kang, A Map Against the World

This represents some of the best films of 2016 (excluding all those films I have yet to see) and there isn’t a bad film among them which is why it is so hard to choose the best among them.  Birth of a Nation was amazing but not a film I’ll particularly watch over and over again.  Equity is that film that’s extremely smart and intelligent that you must be in the mood for (but when you are it is fantastic).  The same can be said for Fences which is amazing because of the performances and not necessarily for all the other elements in the film which is why the true contest is between Arrival and A Map Against the World.  Because of the sheer scope of the film and the fact that the Kang had to balance so many different tones and genres within the same film, WOO-SUK KANG wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

BEST FILM

*A Bigger Splash

*Birth of a Nation

*Equity

*Fences

*Arrival

Since A Map Against the World already won Best Foreign Language Film it should be as no surprise that Arrival would come on top in this category.  This presents a sci-fi epic that remembers to always be character based and grounded.  These are the elements that will make audiences return to the film time and time again.  ARRIVAL wins the 2016 REAL CONTENDER AWARD!

***

Well, I hope you enjoyed my list.  I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to all of the great films of 2016 (as I don’t get any free screeners) but I encourage everyone to make their own lists and present them to the world.  Your opinion is just as valid as anyone else’s and you’ll have fun putting together your own lists of favorites.  Until next year, enjoy great films wherever you can find them.

FYI – there was no Animation category because the only 2016 animated film I saw was Batman: The Killing Joke.