Two Paragraph Review: Knock at the Cabin (2023)

M. Night Shyamalan is one of the last truly wonderful Wheels of Fortune in Holywood when it comes to film quality. The man is just as capable of creating so-bad-it's-good stuff like The Happening as he is open to really impressive films like The Visit. Recently, he spun that cinematic wheel yet again.

Knock at the Cabin sits somewhat between those two categories at its start, but then slides into the awful territory quite easily. Through this tale of the ending of the world being steered by acts of voluntary violence and self-harm, the film tries to talk about love and sacrifice. Instead, it ends up talking about weird, clunky rituals with crappy gardening tools that are universe-forming for some reason, but still feel incredibly stupid. Thus, the latest film from M. Night Shyamalan is anything but impressive, even though a strong cast makes this spin of the wheel bearable to watch.

Tales of Atonement Episode 2 Development News!

It’s been a couple of months since the first episode of Tales of Atonement, a new and very dynamic web-animated series that came out. Initially, the animated version of the book series from A.A. Moreland generated plenty of attention, especially from fans of indie animation and fantasy. Over the coming weeks, the attention attracted a substantial following on its YouTube channel, which now has well over 1,000 subscribers. But, more importantly, there is some big news coming from the team when it comes to new episodes.

Presently, the whole Tales of Atonement team is working hard on the new episode, which is Episode 2. The story so far set in medieval Scotland built its foundation of intrigue and mystery, with a local family welcoming refugees from England who is escaping apparent religious persecution. The same involves accusations of one of the family members being accused of witchcraft. This, along with many interesting characters, great hybrid animation, and excellent sound, music, and voiceover work, makes Episode 1 a joy to watch. If you didn’t see it before, watch the entire episode right here:

Now, the next installment of the series should come out somewhere in May 2023, so it's basically around the corner. Yet, one of the most important mechanisms that would speed up the entire production would be if the Tales of Atonement Patreon page got some supporters. 

 

This way, the team would be able to create episodes in a much faster manner and get it to their growing audience with a smaller gap between the installments. So, if you can, support this amazing creative effort and check the team on TikTok and Facebook as well. But, most importantly, subscribe to the Tales of Atonement YouTube channel and be among the first to watch Episode 2 when it comes out!

Two Paragraph Review: Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

From time to time, humanity is blessed with a film that comes along and pushes everything forward. Se7en is such a film and The White Ribbon is another. Recently, we got the most recent addition to this most exclusive list of filmmaking with  Everything Everywhere All at Once. While two Daniels, the pair of directors behind this film, are no strangers to thinking out of the box, this time around their thinking created a masterpiece.

Blended as a blockbuster avant-garde movie, the plot of the film sets its main character, a middle-aged US-Chinese woman on a quest to save not just our universe, but the multiverse as well. Through a range of techniques and filming approaches, the tale evolves into a social examination of family and identity, but also a flashy, over-the-top, kung fu personal tale of love and acceptance. All of this takes place in a single unified artistic vision, which has to move you deeply, even if you end up not liking it at all. In short, it is easily the best high-budget film for me in the last couple of years.

New film unveils the secrets of Hitmen - HOW TO BE A HITMAN 101

By Sasha Anderson

Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a hitman? That’s kind of a morbid question. And if you answered yes, maybe you need to go and get yourself checked. But seriously there’s no denying that the mysterious world of the hitman has intrigued people for years. It has been the subject of countless movies, TV shows and video games.  A new movie called, HOW TO BE A HITMAN 101, featuring Douglas Vermeeren, Garry Morrison and others is ready to pull back the curtain and reveal the secret world of the hitman.

The film is currently making waves in the media and among film festival organizers who feel there is something special about this film. We caught up with Douglas Vermeeren plays the season hitman mentor in the film. “People are finding this film really special because surprisingly it is not all blood and guts and killing. There’s actually a very human and comical aspect about those who become hitmen.”

“It’s easy to focus on the violence and forget that hitmen are in fact real people,” Vermeeren continues, “They struggle with every day things like relationships, self doubt, friendships, a supervisor at work and a variety of other things.” Certainly the stakes are higher for hitman and when things go wrong as you’ll see in this film, they can turn dangerous very quickly.

The film is being called a quirky, fun, fascinating and bizarre look into a world that fascinates many. Not to mention that the film has some very unique surprises that most have never considered before.

Douglas Vermeeren is no stranger to playing hitmen. “I really like playing Samuel. (The hitman mentor in the film) “He’s very different than other hitmen roles that I have had the opportunity to play. He’s probably my favourite because you get to see him as a person. You get to experience what he is thinking.  You get a clear view of why he does what he does and how he feels about it. Too often when we see a hitman in film they have just one job and one dimension. Put a bullet in the target. I am grateful this character is more than that.”

Vermeeren has been nominated for acting awards at several festivals for his portrayal of Samuel Finch - the hitman mentor of the film.  Reviews thus far observing the humanistic nature of the hitman character is something not often portrayed in film and that Vermeeren has done an excellent job capturing that.

Garry Morrison who plays the other lead character in the film remarked on the new approach that How to Be A Hitman 101 is taking. “This project allows for more creative risks than big-budget projects. “It’s been an exhilarating experience. Every creative opportunity presents a chance for me to grow as an actor and person.”

Bit of TRIVIA: This is not the first time that Douglas Vermeeren and Garry Morrison have worked together. The met on the set of True Crime on the episode titled, Exumed. Vermeeren played a detective and Morrison was the suspect (who turned out to be the murderer). And they’ve been pals ever since.

HOW TO BE A HITMAN 101 is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in April of 2023. We will be following this film closely and sharing updates as more information is available. Be sure to follow each of the actors on social media for all the behind the scenes scoop and definitely bookmark INDIE WRAP where we will be following the story closely.

Later this year Vermeeren is featured in the film THE AWAKENING by Aaron Glanfield, BRING ME A SKIN FOR DANCING by Chris Sanders and a western called LONE OAK by Phil Hardy & Mark Headley among several others. When asked why he is so busy lately Vermeeren shared an interesting commentary on the state of the film industry today. “I think that so many filmmakers during the pandemic had either projects that got put on hold or the opportunity to pause and create new projects. We’ve also seen so many distributors recognize the need for more streaming content than ever before. It is a good time to be making movies.”

Garry Morrison also has several top secret projects lined up for the upcoming year. Recently he was in the film 4 SONS for 33 Visuals and the director Brandon Brown and was featured  the Canadian favourite HEARTLAND.

HOW TO BE A HITMAN 101 is certainly a refreshing look at the hitman genre and is certainly in a charming, enjoyable and unique perspective that shares humour, connection and truth in a way that is highly entertaining and intriguing. Most festivals are including it at the forefront of their marketing as the audience for this film continues to grow.

Advance tickets to attend one of the special screenings of HOW TO BE A HITMAN 101 go on sale in early March. These special screenings will be VIP events with members of the cast and crew present for an exclusive Q & A session, meet & greet, merchandise and after party. For more information please go to www.Hitman101.com

Tales of Atonement || Monomyth || Episode 1: The Day We Met - First Episode of a Promising Animated YouTube Series

Several months ago, Tales of Atonement promised to bring an innovative and engaging mixture of genres and storytelling approaches. Using a series of novels from A.A. Moreland, the animated adaptation, wanted to tap into the huge domain of digital tools that can create brand-new worlds of fiction.

Now, the first episode of Tales of Atonement is finally here and it more than lives up to the expectations. The story follows a family living in medieval Scotland, where a family greets a refugee couple and their daughter running from prosecution back in England. The Scottish family is somewhat shocked to hear that a member of the same family was accused of witchcraft, but still welcomes them with open arms. Watch the whole Episode 1 right here:

Almost immediately, the episode draws the viewers in, offering a range of interesting characters, all with their personalities and layered motives. The historical and geographical setting of the story gives it plenty of appeal, while the mystery of the plot is set up with great pacing.

From a technical standpoint, Tales of Atonement is also exceedingly effective. At its core, the series uses motion graphics of a standard coming book format. However, it adds to them fantastic voiceovers, with authentic accents, as well as a range of other elements. These include actual full-motion videos, short vignettes of things like doors opening, and other similar things that really help the world of Tales of Atonement come to life. Even the sound design, with sound effects and accompanying music score.

There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to this unique animated series. The future episodes will only expand on the great foundations that Episode 1 established and many fans of fantasy and animation will surely find a lot of enjoyment by following Tales of Atonement! If you’re one of them, subscribe to the channel now and be there for Episode 2 and the whole series!

Two Paragraph Review: The Last Duel (2021)

Life was not easy in medieval France, especially for women, The Last Duel tells us. Even if the setting and context of the particular incident that the film examines remain a clear-cut situation, the times of this historical drama show the full scope of danger that women of the day faced. The Last Duel is directed by Ridley Scott, so a strong cast is no surprise. The film stars Adam Driver, Matt Damon, and Jodie Comer, all of whom are stellar.

The movie is set in 14th-century France and tells the story of a knight named Jean de Carrouges, who is forced to defend his wife's honor in a deadly duel against his former friend and one-time comrade, Sir Jacques Le Gris. Over a Rashomon-like retelling of its main story, the film explores the nuances of the period and its sheer multilayered brutality. But, thanks to excellent actors and a great director, it does it in a very engaging and heartfelt manner, even when the actions of its characters are despicable from a modern perspective.