Attack The Block (2011)

Rated: R

Genre: Horror/Action

Info: Official Website

Directed By: Joe Cornish

Starring: John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail, Nick Frost

Hollywood, take note. This is how you make a movie.

 

Writer/Director Joe Cornish was inspired to make this bad-ass alien flick after being the victim of a mugging, very similar to the one in the beginning of the movie. Attack The Block follows young Moses (John Boyega) and his gang of hoodlums as they attempt to save the world from an alien invasion that almost everyone else seems completely ignorant to. The violent youngsters must face large, gorilla-wolf creatures with fluorescent fangs, while at the same time attempting to avoid the local 5-0. That’s “police” for the layman. What follows next is the most enjoyable 88 minutes of cinema I’ve experienced in a long time.

The gang spends much of the film running from the aliens. Riding their bicycles or motorcycle. Booking it on foot. Jumping from ledge to ledge. Doing whatever they can to survive. Given their toughness, they elect to fight the aliens time and time again, using samurai swords, baseball bats, and best of all, fireworks. This may not seem like the plot for the best movie of 2011, but it really is. The dialogue is excellently written and flawlessly delivered by the entire cast, even the 9 year old thugs who, in one scene, spray an alien with a squirt-gun full of gasoline and set it aflame. The highlight of the movie comes when the gang is holed up in the block, their large and seedy apartment building, including tenant Ron (Nick Frost) who is the boys’ mentor and weed dealer.

Attack The Block is fun, hilarious, thrilling, and action packed. It’s the culmination of the age old adage, “What would my friends and I do if some sort of monsters were attacking the city?” This is as close of a response as you may ever get. The special effects are beautiful, as Director Joe Cornish elected for practical effects over computer animation. The movie’s heroes are quite obscure and very unlikely, making Attack The Block anything but typical. If you have yet to see this movie, you need to move it to the top of your “must watch” list.

5 out of 5 Knocks

Red State (2011)

Rated: R

Genre: Action/Horror/Thriller

Info: IMDb

Directed By: Kevin Smith

Starring: John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Michael Parks

Park City, Utah. Sundance 2011. Wonderboy Kevin Smith dupes dozens of studio executives into thinking they’re going to bid on the distribution rights to Red State, auction style, and then purchases the movie himself for $20 in order to self distribute. Crazy? Yes. Ingenious? In many ways, yes.

Red State is the story of three horny high school teens who answer an internet website ad for sex. What they find instead is a crazed religious zealot who roofies their beer. They awaken, one in a cage, and the others tied up in a cellar. They are now prisoners of Abin Cooper (Michael Parks) and his family of whackadoos, and are to be punished for their devilish sins. After a deputy is killed on the property, Agent Keenan (John Goodman) and his crew are sent in to exterminate the commune, leaving no one alive.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into this movie. For one, this is definitely a genre that Kevin Smith has yet to dip his feet into, until now. He was able to include his witty writing and dialogue and mix it with a dark political theme, in order to achieve an entertaining outcome. Red State has it’s flaws. It doesn’t have the strongest story, and there really is no lead character. But it makes up for it’s flaws with it’s entertainment value. John Goodman is a Godsend who takes the movie from being a visually impressive indie flick to a captivating action thriller. Kevin Smith shows that he could wipe the floor with Michael Bay, he just doesn’t want to.

3.5 out of 5 Knocks

Limitless (2011)

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Thriller/Sci-Fi/Mystery

Info: Official Website

Directed By: Neil Burger

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish

To be fair and just, I had no desire whatsoever to see this movie. It was between this and The Green Lantern. I wanted to see The Green Lantern, but due to circumstances, I ended up settling with Limitless. Boy, am I glad I made that decision!

Limitless follows Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), a struggling, unkempt writer. Eddie’s girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) leaves him, and he is having difficulty completing (or even starting) his novel. He runs into his ex-wife’s brother, Vernon, who also happens to be Eddie’s ex-drug dealer, on the streets of NYC. The two decide to sit down for a drink, and, during their conversation, Vernon offers him a small, clear pill, called NTZ. He tells Eddie that this pill will allow him to access 100% of his brain, as opposed to the 10% that human beings naturally access. Eddie brings the pill home with him and tries it out, and, within thirty seconds, everything becomes clear to him. He is even able to complete his book because of his new-found knowledge and enthusiasm.

NTZ allows Eddie to tap into his subconscious mind and recover knowledge that he doesn’t even realize he has. The next day, however, he is back to his old self. He is already addicted to the effects of the drug, and quickly seeks out more drugs from Vernon. He finds that Vernon has been brutally murdered by someone who was searching for the NTZ, but did not find his stash. Eddie searches for and finds the stash of NTZ, a discovery that will forever alter his life. He begins regularly taking the pills, and soon finds that he is wildly popular, rich, successful, and a genius (among many other things).

The pills do not come without consequences, as  Eddie soon finds out. Side effects of the drug include blackouts, loss of time, sickness, and death. (Some pretty serious side effects, if you ask me). Top that off with the fact that there are other NTZ addicts whose stashes are running low since the death of Vernon, and you have one wildly entertaining story.

Upon doing some research on the movie, I found that Shia LaBeouf was originally cast as Eddie. Though LaBeouf is a decent actor, I am personally relieved that he did not play this role. Nothing against Shia, but Bradley Cooper really knocked this out of the park. His transformation from an unclean, indie writer-to a successful, intellectual genius-and then to a drug addicted freak of nature, is portrayed with great precision and excellency. His character is executed brilliantly and, most importantly, believably. Robert De Niro steps in as a season veteran to add something special to this flick. He portrays a Trump-esque businessman whom employs Eddie, for his genius ability to play the stock market. De Niro is exceptional and stern, and gives the movie a sense of urgency on a business end, which couples excellently with Eddie’s situation (and the fact that people are trying to kill him).

The aspect of this movie that stood out the most was the cinematography. Flawless. Inventive. Perfect. These words do nothing to describe the way this movie looks, and the way the camera moves. The cinematography is creative and intelligent. When Eddie is on the drug NTZ, the picture turns from a cool, depressing blue to a bright, soft tone. It becomes very crisp, as if we as the viewers are actually experiencing the effect of this drug. The entire feel of the movie is perfected through Neil Burger’s direction and through Jo Willems’ cinematography. One, if not both, of these men deserve an Academy Award for this movie.

In addition to a fantastic story, great acting, and amazing visuals, the movie ends with an underlying theme. This political theme revolves around lobbyist groups controlling politicians, and is slipped into the movie quickly and almost without notice. It parallels the theme of drug use for personal gain with great effect.

If you haven’t seen Limitless, then you are missing out.

5 Knocks out of 5

 

 

The Perfect House (2011)

Rated: Not Rated

Genre: Horror

Info: Official Website

Directed By: Kris Hulbert, Randy Kent

Starring: Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Chris Raab

When we first heard about this movie, we thought to ourselves, “Great, another indie horror flick full of blood and gore.” And then we watched it.

The Perfect House is not another cheep-o, shock-and-awe flick. There are a multitude of aspects that separate this movie from other independent horror movies. Those aspects are as follows:

Story! Yes, it sounds funny, but the worst thing about indie horror movies (and blockbuster horror movies, for that matter), are that they lack substance. There is no story to build from. Most modern movies in this genre concentrate on special effects and forget just how important the story is. The Perfect House is successful in creating and presenting a chilling and suspenseful (and often times, disturbing) story centering around a house with a bloody past. The movie includes three vignettes, all wrapped into one (in a nostalgic sense that is a throwback to the retro era of horror movies and has an old school feel). Each short story within this movie is uniquely different from one another.

Decent acting! The creators of The Perfect House spared no expense in casting cult horror icons Felissa Rose and Jonathan Tiersten, both alumni from the 1983 cult horror classic, “Sleepaway Camp”. Rose’s performance evolves to a point where she seems to be channeling Sigourney Weaver’s character in the “Alien” series, and Tiersten is absolutely demented as John Doesy, a psychotic individual who holds people captive before torturing them in his basement. Also in the mix is newcomer to acting, Chris Raab (known for his shenanigans in the hit show/movies JACKASS), Playboy model Angelina Leigh (Yes, she gets naked), John Philbin and Andrea Vahl, whose on-camera performance leaves you asking “Who is this actress, and why haven’t I seen her in more movies?” The casting for this movie could not have been done better, and it would be a crime if we didn’t mention the excellent performance delivered by the young Michael Wagner.

Effects! OK, so plenty of horror movies have loads and loads of special make-up effects. However, independent horror movies (with their lack of budget and experience), almost always churn out laughable effects. Not this one. The Perfect House blends on set prosthetics with in studio visual effects to achieve a very believable outcome. Which leads us to our final aspect…

Professionalism! We have seen thousands of independent movies, of all genres. What separates the real filmmakers from those who are creating glorified home movies is the amount of professionalism (or lack there of). The Perfect House has an impressive picture quality, very professional camera work, and nearly flawless editing. The soundtrack enhances the suspense tenfold. The entire production seems to be very well constructed, which is very apparent in the final product.

Gratwick Films, the production company behind The Perfect House, in association with producer Randy Kent, succeeded in creating a scary and disturbing picture. The retro feel mixes well with a modern day horror theme (similar to Eli Roth’s “Hostel” at some points). The most shocking part of this film is the realism; all of the monsters in this movie are people. People who have, for whatever reason, snapped. Some of these people even include children. The movie involves cult horror icons, and a tip-of-the-hat (whether intentional or not), to cult horror classics “Night of the Creeps” and “Dead Alive”, in a scene that involves a weed-whacker.

Gratwick Films has mentioned that they are embarking on the “most interactive tour ever” to promote their worldwide Video-On-Demand release, October 1st. To learn more about this movie, you can check out the Official Website (linked above), and the Official Facebook Fan Page.

Below is the trailer for THE PERFECT HOUSE.

4 Knocks out of 5

Black Swan (2010)

Rated: R

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Info: Official Website

Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

If you are looking for a movie that will make you feel uncomfortable, while simultaneously confusing you and grossing you out, then look no further.

“Black Swan” is the story of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a sheltered and determined ballerina. The story revolves around the ballet “Swan Lake”, with Sayers landing the lead role of “Swan Queen”. Sayers’ ballet teacher, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) is cold, brilliant and sexual, and has one goal in mind: To put on an entirely original and groundbreaking performance of “Swan Lake”. To do so, he fires his lead role (Winona Ryder), and replaces her with Sayers. Ryder is not too thrilled, and winds up in the hospital with horrific self-inflicted injuries. This is just a glimpse of what is in store for Sayers.

Sayers’ home life leaves much to be desired. She lives with her mother, Erica Sayers (Barbara Hershey), who ended her career as a ballerina due to her being pregnant with Nina. She now lives vicariously and obsessively through her daughter, passively blaming her for never landing a lead role herself. Nina does not seem to have any friends, or much of a personality. All she knows is ballet. She definitely doesn’t lack in the discipline department. We see that Nina tortures herself for her craft. She deforms her body to suit that of a professional ballerina, years in the making. Her feet are crunched into tiny ballet slippers, she is too slender and bony. We also catch a glimpse of an obsessive scratching/picking habit, addressed by her mother. As the story unfolds, strange happenings occur. Nina begins to see a doppleganger, and suffer from hallucinations. It is not long before the movie begins to feel like Adrian Lyne’s “Jacob’s Ladder”.

Aspects of this movie which seem to be the most important are what you will be questioning the entire length of the film. The most horrific thing about the entire story is the realization that it is very probable that real-life ballerinas treat themselves as portrayed in “Black Swan”. Where as Natalie Portman’s character obviously has a history of mental illness (perhaps opened widely by the pressure brought on by a lead role, her mother, and her teacher’s insistence that she release her darker side in order to better fit the part of the black swan), it is still a very realistic tale. It is important to walk away from this movie knowing that the main character was obsessive to the point where her own mental and physical health no longer mattered, as long as she succeeded in her career. She is far too worried about being “perfect” and “beautiful”, that she overpasses all warning signs that she is harming herself.

All in all, if you try to figure out what is going on in “Black Swan”, you might be disappointed. However, if you are able to see what is right in front of you on the screen, and understand the story, you will thoroughly enjoy it. There is some neat camera work, a lot of tastefully erotic scenes, and a great classical soundtrack (a backwards rendition of the music from “Swan Lake”). I would not be surprised if the movie is nominated for multiple Oscars®, including a win for Portman in the “Best Actress” category.

4.5 Knocks out of 5

THIRST (2010)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Short

Directed By: Pushpak Jain

Starring: Abhijeet Rajput, Shashank Bharadwaj

This movie is disturbing, for a few reasons. It is just under 12 minutes of two guys wandering around a barren wasteland, with no real dialogue. We are given no back story, whatsoever. The first half of the movie is full of glorified pan-shots, in which the actors are walking.

Then, just over six minutes in, something happens… action is introduced. One man is down to his very last sip of water. Right before he can drink it, the second man attacks him. A small scuffle breaks out, and neither man gets the water. They decide to improvise. What follows is one of the weirdest scenes I’ve ever seen: The two man take turns smashing each other in the hand with a large rock, and drinking each others’ tears and blood. The last shot is both men, dead, covered in blood.

The direction is not great, but it is good. The actors were faced with the difficult task of telling a story without words. The only real issue I could find with this film was the editing and sound, but, for a student film, it is not bad at all. The very end of the movie has a warning about wasting water, turning the entire experience into a threatening public service announcement. It states that, “This is not a social message. This is a warning”. It is obvious that the filmmakers have talent, now they must gain more experience.

3 Knocks out of 5

Watch it here!

Of Dreams and Glory (2008)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Short

Info: IMDb

Directed By: Joe Buscaglia

Starring: James Heffron, Gerry Maher, Sarah Anderson, Rachel Griffo

“Of Dreams and Glory” is set in an ambiguously vintage era, following Homer J. Doyle (Gerry Maher), an old man who works as a night clerk at the front desk of the Mayflower, a hotel for women. Doyle is crabby and irritable, and hard to sympathize with. The story begins with two women entering the hotel, innocently laughing and giggling with one another. Doyle makes a snide remark, and the girls head to their rooms, commenting on his demeanor. It is immediately apparent that Doyle is not what we’d call a “people person”.

Cue Edward Lambert (James Heffron), a seemingly harmless young man, who appears to be searching for his sister. After exchanging some brief dialogue with the curmudgeon Doyle, Lambert shows his true colors. Doyle is knocked unconscious with a telephone, and awakens, tied to a chair. Lambert reveals to Doyle his wicked plans, which include murdering the women in the hotel.

What follows is an eerie display of psychopathy. James Heffron is able to hold our attention through mere dialogue, which is as unnerving as it is suspenseful. Quick shots of a clock ticking away slowly help to build the tension. We slowly begin to do what is seemingly impossible: sympathize with Homer J. Doyle. This is easily ruined when we discover that Doyle is just as much of a monster as the story’s antagonist.

This short is satisfying. It’s strongly centered around a story with substance, similar to the styles of greats such as Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling. The production quality is decent, and it is obvious that the filmmakers have the talent and know-how to tell a great story. Leading to one question: What type of product would they be able to produce if they had substantial time, finances, and resources?

All in all, given the acting (which is believable), the plot, the overall organization, and the suspense as a result of sound and story; this makes for one enjoyable short.

*For your viewing pleasure, courtesy of Justin Sammarco and brought to you by Vimeo:

Watch it here!

4 Knocks out of 5

Alfred Hitchcock’s “Blackmail” (1929)

Every once in a while we have a moment of wonder about our favorite artists, filmmakers. It’s a thought that tends to lead us seeking an answer, it’s the curiosity of knowing and seeing the development of talent starting from the very beginning. Now, “Blackmail” (1929) may not be Alfred Hitchcock’s first motion picture, in fact there had been NINE (9) previous films under his belt. So why do we come back to “Blackmail” to note the start of a near-perfect career in cinema?

Blackmail Movie Poster 1929

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Produced by: John Maxwell

Starring: Anny Ondra, John Longden

Running Time: 84 minutes

Plot

Alice White (Anny Ondra) plays a young woman, boyfriend to a Scotland Yard detective and daughter of a shop-keeper in early 1920’s London. Detective Frank Weber (John Longden), is far too obligated to his work to give Alice and their relationship the attention they both need. One evening, Frank takes Alice out on a date, however she also agrees to see another man unknown to Frank. Alice agrees to go back to this man’s studio flat later that evening in which he forces himself upon her. In a frightful attempt to save her life, she desperately kills the man with a large bread knife. Upon discovery of the body, investigations ensue and Frank is put in charge of the investigation. When Frank realizes Alice is the murderer, so too does another man…leading us to Blackmail.

When Hitchcock originally set out to direct “Blackmail” (first picture to be produced in Britain under BIP) his intention was to produce it silently. It wasn’t until a late screening of Al Jolson’s “The Jazz Singer” did he get the notion that his producers would inevitably require this to be a “talkie” picture. It wasn’t until the production was completed, or “wrapped” that John Maxwell had decided to schedule reshoots in order to be able to properly dub in bits of dialogue. Hitchcock, was disgusted with the thought of only a small part of the film having dialogue, had shot the entire picture with sound…as well as a silent version for the theatres not up to date with sound.

This film was critically acclaimed, considered to be among the first to pioneer the talkie picture in Britain and throughout Europe. Hitchcock had gone on to establish himself as one of the most prestigious filmmakers of the era. Establishing many of the “Hitchcock” trademarks we all know and love today (Blondes in distress, landmarks and off camera suspense). It’s these traits that we keep going back to in our quest to find the answer to why we see “Blackmail” as the true beginning of Hitchcock’s career in motion pictures.   It truly is the first picture to allow Hitchcock the ability to stretch his artistic wings and produce a film which not only captured the essence of the story but created an uneasy-feeling of suspense in which has made him famous.

For any Alfred Hitchcock fan this is a must see.

4.5 Knocks out of 5

 

Buy it here!

Jonah Hex (2010)

“Jonah Hex”

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Action/Thriller/Western

Info: Official Website

Starring: Josh Brolin, John Malkovich, Megan Fox

Directed By: Jimmy Hayward

One word comes to mind when thinking about this movie: “rushed”. Jonah Hex is the story of a bounty hunter  who seeks vengeance on the man who badly scarred him, and murdered his family. The United States government enlists Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) to stop Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich) and his machine of doom. Megan Fox lends her good looks as Hex’s unofficial girlfriend, a tough-as-nails prostitute.

The story is vastly unexplained, from the origins and backgrounds of the characters, to the villain’s dastardly scheme. Even the “death machine” is only briefly explained. The entire story is loosely told, depending mostly on the non-stop and fast paced action. Jonah Hex is a unique character, thrown into a not-so-unique storyline. The best sequences (which are few and far between) were those in which you can actually see what’s going on, while the rest of the movie is so dark and fast, it’s almost dizzying. Josh Brolin does his best to salvage this film, playing an excellent vigilante. Some of the most bearable moments in this movie involve quirky one liners, unexpected from Brolin’s character. On the contrary, Malkovich disappoints as a deranged muppet with a lame Southern accent.

This movie does not lack potential, yet it fails to live up to it’s own. The title character is truly interesting, but is not explored nearly enough. Hex possesses supernatural abilities, which are only briefly explained and utilized throughout the storyline. The movie tries to be a supernatural-Western, but only teeters on either genre. Instead, it tries hard to be a kick-ass action film. And at that, it fails.

2 Knocks out of 5

 

Buy it here!

Devil (2010)

This review contains spoilers.

“Devil”

 

 

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Info: Official Website

Starring: Chris Messina, Logan Marshall-Green, Jenny O’Hara

Directed By: John Erick Dowdle

“Devil” follows the story (written by M. Night Shyamalan) of five people stuck in an elevator, and one of them is the Devil.

The movie opens with a nauseating aerial scene, in which the camera soars over Philadelphia, all the while flipped upside down. Jacob Vargas lends narration, as he tells the audience a tale that his mother used to tell him when he was a child. The tale involves the Devil traveling to Earth on occasion, searching for sinners. The journey opens up with a suicide, followed by the Devil trapping these sinners all in one place, and torture them, eventually leading to their death.

Hence the elevator.

A wealthy young woman, a crabby old woman, a temp security guard from the wrong side of the tracks, a crooked businessman with a bad sense of humor, and a mysterious character named Anthony, all board the same elevator. One of them is the devil.

It’s the crabby old woman.

Now that all the M. Night Shyamalan suspense has been taken out of the plot, let’s get down to the pros and cons.

The characters, although lacking names for the most part, are either stereotypical or annoying. Chris Messina plays Detective Bowden, an edgy police officer, who recently lost his wife and child to a drunk driver, and is now a recovering alcoholic. Det. Bowden monitors the activity inside the elevator, via a security camera, through out the entire movie. Inside the elevator, our five characters attempt to survive the ordeal. The fire department rushes to free the trapped people, as the electricity inside the elevator short circuits. The lights repeatedly turn off, and when they turn back on, another passenger is killed.

Each passenger has committed a sin. The businessman ran a Ponzi scheme, the young woman marries rich men for their money, the security guard beat people with a baseball bat, the old woman is actually the devil, and Anthony killed Detective Bowden’s family while driving drunk. What a twist!

From the start, it’s obvious that the character of Anthony will be the survivor in the end. We don’t know much about him, but he takes the role of problem solver. The passengers on the elevator become increasingly irritable and violent with one another. The Philadelphia Police Department attempt to solve which character is killing the others, running background checks on each. As each character dies one by one, it seems that either the young woman or Anthony is the Devil… and it’s obviously not Anthony.

…if you know anything about M. Night Shyamalan, you’d know it’s obviously not the young woman either. With Anthony the only one remaining, the old woman, who had apparently died of strangulation, springs to life with pitch black eyes. Anthony is saved as Detective Bowden forgives him. He then gives him a ride to the Police Department, and tells him that he is the husband and father to the people he killed. He also tells him of his forgiveness. It’s a nice note to end on.

The movie is able to hold it’s suspense at times, and annoy the viewer at other times. The only reason why it’s entertaining is because M. Night Shyamalan did not direct it, and so the story remains intact. In a time when all horror movies are either remakes, or lacking any plot whatsoever, but include buckets of cheesy gore; it was nice to see a movie with some substance.

3 Knocks out of 5