Movie Review: “Trance” (2013)

Danny Boyle seems to be reveling in the past. Not his best, but still good.

**** out of 5

101 minutes

Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity, violence, some grisly images, and language

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Article first published as Movie Review: Trance (2013) on Blogcritics.

For anyone who ever thought Inception needed to be sexier, Danny Boyle’s new film, Trance, is for you. While this shrewd connection is far from all the film is about, it’s certainly a defining characteristic separating the two. Right down to the last scene, you’ll feel more than a sense of déjà vu as a robbery goes awry and someone calls upon the help of a hypnotherapist to find a missing painting. By bringing back his old partner in crime, screenwriter John Hodge who wrote Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary, and The Beach for him, the two are up to their old tricks again with Trance, a remake of co-writer Joe Ahearne’s original TV movie from 2001.

Simon (James McAvoy) works security for Delancy’s Auctions, specializing in classic paintings. They have strict procedures to help them beat whatever plans the thugs of nowadays may come up with to make sure the expensive artwork doesn’t go missing. Before you know it, a gang of thugs has just attempted to steal Francisco Goya’s Witches in the Air, but leader Franck (Vincent Cassel) soon finds out that the painting doesn’t make it back to their hideout. During the robbery, Franck knocks Simon unconscious after he Tasers him. It turns out that Simon has hidden the painting but after the hard blow to the head, he can’t remember what he did with it. Now Franck makes Simon pick a hypnotherapist to jog his memory, bringing him to the office of Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson), who quickly realizes that something isn’t right about her new client. A mental game of cat-and-mouse begins.

To delve any deeper into the plot would ruin any chance of fun lined up for you, so that’s all I’m willing to spill. But Boyle and Hodge have a lot of fun tricks up their sleeves, even if it’s all a little familiar and never strays too far from Christopher Nolan’s brilliant masterpiece. Boyle’s cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle is no stranger to bringing Boyle’s worlds to life after lensing 28 Days Later, Millions, Slumdog Millionaire, and 127 Hours for him. Their reliance of Dutch angles is far over. There are some amazing shots scattered throughout the film, with an abundance of reflections keeping the viewer questioning what they’re really seeing. Rick Smith also contributes immaculately, matching Jon Harris’s sharp editing step-for-step with his almost hypnotic score.

Hats off to Rosario Dawson for being one of few actresses nowadays willing to bare it all. It’s getting pretty annoying to see actresses taking these kinds of parts in movies while having no nudity clauses. McAvoy and Cassel make for worthy adversaries in their game of bait-and-switch, but by the film’s end, Boyle, Hodge, and Ahearne are nearly in over their heads. The crap hits the fan, as it always does in a Boyle film. The more I think about the film’s events, the more it makes sense, helping the last scene be far from a cheat. It makes Trance a film that deserves to be seen more than once. Or at least thought about a little harder than most and from Danny Boyle we wouldn’t expect anything less.

Photos courtesy Fox Searchlight Pictures

Movie Review: “Thale”

A “tail” worth checking out if it's in your area.

**** out of 5
78 minutes
Not rated
XLrator Media

Article first published as Movie Review: Thale on Blogcritics.

One of the fun things about watching foreign-language horror films is their use of folklore. While a lot of it may have worked its way into Hollywood, there’s just something extra special about watching a film from its homeland brought to life. I am in the minority who found Troll Hunter a complete bore, but the way it brought the story to life was far more interesting than what was just another found footage flick. This weekend sees the opening of another folklore-heavy film – this time from Norway involving forest nymphs or huldras – and while there may not be a lot of action or bloodshed, Thale is far more intriguing.

Elvis (Erlend Nervold) and Leo (Jon Sigve Skard) are crime scene cleaners, even if Elvis is just helping out and throws up every time he catches a rotten smell or spies something nasty. They get called out to a cabin in the woods to find the rest of a body that another crew only found half of. While investigating, Elvis discovers an entry down into a cellar. Inside the cellar they find an encyclopedia, expired canned goods, a tape recorder, and a bathtub filled to the brim with milky water. Inside another entry they discover a bedroom; turns out this room belongs to “Thale” (Silje Reinamo), a nude beauty who was hiding out in the water using a gas mask to breathe. Upon listening to the recordings, Elvis and Leo discover that someone “saved” Thale from her own kind but someone or something has come looking for her and can’t help but wonder if the cut-off tail in the freezer belongs to her.

Writer/director Aleksander Nordaas allows Thale to slow-burn. Things are discovered naturally either through listening to the recordings or using telepathy between Thale and her two guests. The climax may leave some wishing for a little more, seeing how there’s been nudity throughout the course of the film, but all the violence happens off screen. No real gore elements on display here, but with Evil Dead opening this weekend, there’s already more than enough of that to go around. Thale isn’t even really a horror movie anyway even if it resembles one on the surface. Instead it’s really the story of two friends trying to make it through horrible circumstances together. Something rather uncommon in most horror/thriller/suspense films these days and is more than welcome.

Thale is being presented by XLrator Media and opens today in the following areas: Seattle, Boston/Cambridge, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Denver, and Portland. Thale is also available on VOD with a DVD/Blu-ray release later this month.

Movie Review: “Evil Dead” (2013)

Another franchise rises from the dead as one of the best horror films in years! Be sure to stay through the credits too.


***** out of 5
91 minutes
Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, some sexual content and language
TriStar Pictures

Article first published as Movie Review: Evil Dead (2013) on Blogcritics.

When it was first announced that a remake of Sam Raimi’s original gore-filled classic The Evil Dead was headed for theaters, it was met with much scoffing. Once it was revealed that Raimi, along with Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert, were producing and fully endorsed director/co-writer Fede Alvarez’s vision, things quieted down. Then word started floating around that Oscar-winner Diablo Cody was brought in to touch up the screenplay and people feared that Evil Dead was potentially headed for Juno territory. Things perked up again once the redband trailer surfaced online. And then, after the phenomenal response to the SXSW screenings, the hype reached a fever pitch. Does the new Evil Dead live up to all this? Let’s just say it drowns all expectations in (reportedly) 50,000 gallons of gleeful gore.

A group of friends have gathered at a cabin in the woods. David (Shiloh Fernandez) is meeting with his estranged friends to conduct an intervention for his younger sister, Mia (Jane Levy). Sitting atop Raimi’s own “Classic,” David assures Mia that he is here to help her and will follow through to the end. Even crossing his heart and hoping to die. Also joining the siblings are token-blonde Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore), hipster Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci), and registered nurse Olivia (Jessica Lucas). It doesn’t take long for Mia’s cold turkey to take its toll on everyone, with Mia complaining of revolting smells coming from the cabin. The dog Grandpa (Inca) begins sniffing a rug, which is covering a cellar door. Downstairs they discover a room containing more than just dead animals hanging from the ceiling — the Necronomicon itself — bound in human flesh, shrinkrapped in a garbage bag and sealed with barbed wire. Once Eric opens the book and begins to translate, things go from bad to absolute worst — ever — and the five friends must face the cabin’s (literal) demons and try to survive their night amongst the Evil Dead.

Director Alvarez is a true force to be reckoned with. Raimi may undisputedly be one of the masters of gore, but you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Here is a film destined to take charge of a new direction for the beloved series and it’s about time. Raimi has been talking about a possible Evil Dead 4 but has now been rumoring about an Army of Darkness 2 which is also fantastic news. Having two alternate versions playing in theaters is a dream come true. As for Alvarez’s version, don’t think that he’s going to skimp on the gore. This has to be one of the bloodiest film’s ever committed to the R-rating. No evisceration goes left unturned. The special effects team earns some kind of award for sure. And just when you think you’ve seen it all, things just keep steamrolling ahead surely making the most highly respected gorehounds blush. If a film could visually drown you in gore, this is it. It never gets repulsive enough to deflate the fun and Alvarez’s Evil Dead is destined to become the most talked about and respected horror film of the year.

Photo courtesy TriStar Pictures

Blu-ray Review: “Stitches”

Hilarious and extremely gory.


Article first published as Blu-ray Review: Stitches on Blogcritics.

A good horror comedy is becoming hard to find. The best over the past few years have definitely been Scream, Shaun of the Dead, Piranha 3D, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, and The Cabin in the Woods. They are about as good as they get right now. It sure seems as if horror has lost its nerve in the comedy department. Yes, most horror movies are basically comedies anyway — just look at any of the Final Destination films. But there do seem to be a few sparks left; even if they’re mostly coming from overseas. Shrooms and Grabbers are a nice warm up to what director/co-writer Conor McMahon delivers in Stitches with an onslaught of gore of zingers that would make Freddy Krueger proud.

Our titular character (played by comedian Ross Noble) is your average boozing, smoking, expletive-slinging clown no one would ever really invite to their child’s birthday party. Poor little Tom (Ryan Burke) has your typical group of obnoxious schoolmates who like to ruin Stitches tricks and decide to play Stitches fate after they tie his shoelaces together. Stitches winds up on the wrong side of a kitchen knife and buried at the local cemetery where a group of fellow clowns submit his egg to a moratorium. Six years later, Tom’s (Tommy Knight) friends are still as obnoxious as ever, but his mom is going out of town and he hasn’t had a real birthday party in years. Probably due to his reliance on anxiety medication — and that all of his friends are a bunch of assholes. Nevertheless, Tom decides to have a party anyway, and the last person he’d expect to show up from beyond the grave is Stitches himself to help Tom throw a party he’ll never forget.

If you’re looking for a film that brings back the fun of practical effects, look no further. McMahon has crafted some of the most outrageous death scenes filmed in years. While people may have grown accustomed to the demented torture porn ways of the Saw films, here’s a movie that has its cake and eats it too. Noble truly relishes his killer role, gleefully spewing pun after pun no matter how corny they get. McMahon is having the time of his life directing the blood spattered shenanigans, never skimping on the red stuff, coming up with some ingenious dispatch methods, along with the help of co-writer David O’Brien. The duo is never afraid to take a kill to the next level.

Stitches slices its way to Blu-ray framed at 1.78:1 with a 5.1 DTS-Master Audio. I’d read another review that complained about the picture quality looking rather drab, but after watching it myself, it sounds like someone needs to have their picture calibrated. McMahon clearly filmed Stitches with HD cameras with no grain field to speak of but bringing incredible clarity to every scene. Whether it be hair, gore, or clothing, there’s no aliasing to be found — one character’s shirt could have been a breeding ground for shimmer but never did. Even noise never becomes a factor (blacks are nice and inky). While banding is a blink and you’ll miss it affair. The sound makes decent use of LFE here and there with the surrounds adding some life to the birthday party scenes. Only on occasion do they seem to be using natural sound where the dialogue sounds quieter than it should.

The special features offer more than you’d expect, with a 20 minute “Making of” and a commentary featuring Noble and McMahon being the highlights. The only other features are a trailer for the film and a “Bloopers” reel that is nowhere near as funny as the film itself. However, consider yourself warned, do not watch any of the special features before the film itself or you’ll have just about every single kill spoiled before seeing any of them in their finished stage. There’s also a collection of trailers for films already available including Sleep Tight and Hypothermia.

Some may not find this kind of film funny, but if you’re not that person then why are you watching it in the first place? A buddy joined me and we laughed throughout with our mouths agape as each kill set out to one-up the last. Of course not every joke works, but the cast seems to be having a blast getting drenched with fake blood and McMahon certainly seems intent on making sure the film lives up to Stitches signature line, “Everybody happy?” So if the gore’s your thing, then I assure you, everybody is definitely happy.

Cover art and photo courtesy MPI Media Group

Blu-ray 3D Review: “Tormented”

Not even the decent 3D will leave you as Tormented as director Takashi Shimizu would like.


Article first published as Blu-ray 3D Review: Tormented on Blogcritics.

Same as the ghosts haunting the films of J-Horror, the films themselves cannot be stopped. While the genre may have run the gamut here in the States, they’re still churned out with abandon in their homeland of Japan. With our remakes we saw a massive decline in quality — for every The Ring or The Grudge there’s a Shutter, One Missed Call, or The Eye. Even the original directors weren’t able to salvage Hollywood’s attempts at cashing in on such massive hits as Ju-on or Ringu.

Takashi Shimizu was responsible for his own remakes (The Grudge, The Grudge 2) but they pale in comparison to his originals. I still consider Ju-on 2 one of the most frightening films I’ve ever seen (along with both of the original Eye films from the Pang Brothers). Now Shimizu is up to his old tricks. But he’s not pulling any of them off with Tormented, a pseudo companion piece to Shock Labyrinth. This being his second 3D feature, it seems he’s learned from past mistakes and brought along cinematographer Christopher Doyle (Hero, In the Mood for Love) to make good on the effect.

Tormented brings us the sordid tale of young Daigo (Takeru Shibuya) who lives with his mute half-sister Kiriko (Hikari Mitsushima) and their pop-up book illustrating father Kohei (Teruyuki Kagawa). One day at school, Daigo crushes a dying rabbit out on the schoolyard with a brick. Now Daigo refuses to return to school to avoid being bullied. Schoolmates go so far as to carve crude bloody rabbit drawings on the library desks where Kiriko works. At night, Daigo is tormented by someone in a giant rabbit costume after attending a 3D showing of Shock Labyrinth. While at the movie, a stuffed rabbit floats out of the screen and Daigo takes it home in his backpack. Now, whoever is haunting Daigo in the rabbit costume must be stopped, whether Kohei wants to believe his children or not.

I was a little worried about what Tormented would look like after reading reviews of how terrible Shock Labyrinth 3D was. Have no fear, dear viewers, Doyle reigns supreme. Presented in 1080p at a ratio of 1.78:1 on a BD-50, using the Panasonic AG-3DA1 camera, there is a true sense of depth to every frame. While blacks never reach their full potential (they come off as more dark grey), the 2K resolution makes for impressive detail. The only oddity I ran across was some shimmering on book spines in the first school library scene, but didn’t see it again. Detail is so sharp, in fact, that while Daigo and Kiriko are eating a meal you can read every word on a Tabasco bottle label. A few scenes really show off the 3D effect involving the floating rabbit in the theater, a rainstorm, the opening credit sequence, and oddly enough, window curtains. No banding, aliasing, or even noise to be found here.

The Japanese 5.1 DTS-Master Audio does what it can with some effective rear surround effects, but the score from Kenji Kawai picks up most of the slack with less LFE than you’d expect from a film filled with “boo” moments. The only special features are a trailer for Tormented and previews for upcoming, or already available, Well Go USA titles Bedevilled, The Shock Labyrinth, and Splintered. The main film is obviously the attraction here, but even that may not warrant a purchase. However, the current Amazon price of $14.99 is extremely reasonable for any new 3D Blu-ray release if you ask me. You won’t be able to find it at that price — even used.

The bottom line is that if you’re still a fan of J-Horror (although I’m starting to think it’s truly run its course), then there’s plenty to like here. Shimizu is one of the original directors who started the American craze and while he may not have utilized the 3D to full effect (word has it that Doyle clashed on set with him and this is also Doyle’s first 3D film), you can do far worse; especially from our very own Hollywood. Just be warned that this is the kind of film that has one twist that works, but then proceeds to bury it under another half hour of twists that don’t, making sure you’re never going to be Tormented yourself.

Cover art and photo courtesy Well Go USA

Movie Review: “The Host” (2013)

A polished turd is still a turd.


* out of 5
125 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence
Open Road Films

Article first published as Movie Review: The Host (2013) on Blogcritics.

With Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga finally ending, it didn’t take long for another of her novels to wreak havoc on the big screen. Having given vampires a worse name than they could ever give themselves—for being a group of nocturnal bloodsuckers—now Meyer is out to ruin our science fiction too. Armed with a decent idea, and a damn fine production design, this time she’s even got a competent director adapting her novel, The Host, but there’s still only so much one can do with her source material. With writer/director Andrew Niccol (Gattaca and The Truman Show, but also Lord of War and In Time) calling the shots, I was hoping maybe this would turn into a pleasant surprise à la Richard LaGravenese and Beautiful Creatures. Of course, I was wrong.

The Host begins by informing us that Earth has been invaded by extraterrestrial body snatchers set out to “live in harmony” with humans — read: by taking over their bodies and searching their memories to root out any remaining life forms. Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) is on the run but has been cornered by Seekers. After she throws herself out a window, the Seekers take her in to be transplanted with an alien being named Wanderer. The Seeker (Diane Kruger) knows that Melanie can tell her where a band of survivors are hiding out, but Melanie is still alive in Wanderer’s head. The two even get to have conversations with each other — Melanie giving a sort-of voice over with Wanderer speaking to her out loud. My only guess is that they chose this route because the target audience would be too stupid to follow along otherwise.

What Wanderer does find out is that she was discovered ransacking a house for food at night by Jared (Max Irons). The two meet-cute and the flashbacks begin as Wanderer begins searching Melanie’s memory where she sees the two falling in love. She also discovers that Melanie will go to any lengths to protect her kid brother, Jamie (Chandler Canterbury), while on the run after their father kills himself to avoid capture by the Seekers.

Soon, Melanie has convinced Wanderer to go on the lamb as the Seeker informs Wanderer that she is going to replace her inside Melanie. After escaping, and stealing then wrecking her getaway car in the middle of the desert, the “two” begin their scorching search for Melanie’s Uncle Jeb (William Hurt), who has a clan of survivors hiding out, harvesting wheat, and killing aliens. Turns out that Jared is among them and, alas, the old love triangle turns into more of a square after Wanderer is renamed “Wanda” by Jeb and she starts to fall for Ian (Jake Abel). Now everyone must keep safe from the Seeker and learn that the power of love just may be the only thing that can save them all.

Most of what I have explained takes place in the film’s first half hour. The Host is a meandering piece of work that thinks long takes of people struggling to remember each line is romantic or suspenseful. Niccol’s glacial pacing makes you feel like you just finished a marathon. I could have sworn years had passed while sitting through this one. Production Designer Andy Nicholson and Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer do their best to make this the best polished turd of the year. But it’s all dragged down by the sheer fact that it takes place within a Meyer story.

Ronan is far better than the material, but all Niccol coaxes out of her is making the film feel like The Lovely Bones is playing over it. They say that few actors should be allowed to act in front of a mirror in film, well imagine that happening for two hours and you’ll know what to expect here. Niccol also gives us one of the biggest unintentional laughs when part of the group visits the store, aptly titled “STORE.” I wish I was making that up. Admittedly, The Host is the best Stephenie Meyer film, and I’ve heard that unfortunately, there is more to come. But no matter how polished Niccol tries to make The Host, a polished turd is still a turd.

Movie Review: “Wrong”

Absurdly entertaining.

**** out of 5
94 minutes
Not rated
Drafthouse Films

Article first published as Movie Review: Wrong on Blogcritics.

When I saw the trailer for writer/director Quentin Dupieux’s Rubber, I knew I had to see it. I love movies that at least try to bring something new to the table and a film about a killer rubber tire was right up my alley. While ending up just a tad too meta for its own good, Rubber scored some big laughs but leaves one scratching their head most of the time. The Greek chorus was fun at first, but eventually started to wear everything down as they became folly for unnecessary exposition. For his new film, Wrong, Dupieux may be working a little less meta here, but things are still just as surreal and delightfully absurd.

Dolph Springer (Jack Plotnick) is having a bad morning. After waking up to his alarm at 7:60, he realizes that his dog Paul (Kuma) is missing and while fetching his own paper, sees that his neighbor, Mike (Regan Burns) is heading out of town. Mike seems in a rush and comes off as offensive, even denying that he’s ever jogged in his life, but Dolph gets ready for the day and charges on. In the mail he receives a flyer for a new pizza place and feels disturbed by the logo featuring a rabbit on a motorcycle. After calling the restaurant and speaking with Emma (Alexis Dziena), and discusses with his gardener Victor (Eric Judor) what to do with the new pine tree in his backyard that used to be a palm, Dolph heads to work.

Dolph’s co-workers question what he’s doing there since he was fired three months ago, but Dolph defends his presence because he’s not hurting anyone by being there, even thought it’s making everyone uncomfortable. Eventually, Emma accidentally hooks up with Victor after leaving a note to hook up for sex in the pizza she has delivered to him, and everything leads to the mysterious Master Chang (William Fichtner). Chang knows what’s happened to Paul, but forces Dolph into reading his book, “My Life, My Dog, My Strengths Vol. 2,” and sends him on a course of self-discovery, fecal memories, and canine telepathic communication.

There is actually a lot going on in Wrong, but Dupieux manages to keep everything in balance. On the surface you could say that this is really a film about randomness, and it is, but underneath it all is the sweet story of a man who just wants his dog back. The cast plays everything with a straight face only making the proceedings funnier and Wrong could be as close to mainstream as we’re likely to see out of Dupieux but I am a fan of what others would probably write off as “weird.” Sometimes it’s refreshing to find a director (he also served as Editor and Cinematographer) who knows what he wants to do and goes all out for his end product. There’s plenty of cookie-cutter comedies released every month, but if you’re looking for something a little off, there’s definitely nothing wrong with seeking out a little Wrong.

Photos courtesy Drafthouse Films