Movies like The Gorge often cannot escape similarities with one or more episodes of The Twilight Zone. In this case, the similarities are noticeable almost immediately when two distinctly different individuals - both of whom are professional snipers - get a job protecting a mysterious gorge on its opposing sides. Inside are incomprehensible horrors, but outside are many oddities and unknowns as well.
From that hook, the film's director Scott Derrickson, who recently made The Black Phone, does a Super-G-level of slalom, flipping through genres in no time at all. From a thriller to a drama, then to a romance, and finally to a horror science fiction, The Gorge covers broader genre setups than an average movie theatre does over a weekend. Here, the film would often be too loose and disconnected, if not for Anya Taylor-Joy. For the most part, she carries the film on her slender back, providing a character that is constantly evolving and growing, but does so without stealing the spotlight. The same makes The Gorge overall a fun experience, even when the premise and the plot struggle to keep the audience engaged and interested in what, ultimately, hides the weird fog of the gorge.
It's hard to deny that the new rendition of the The Crow murder & revenge story is not stylish. The tattoos, the dark lights, the janky spaces - all of it fits into The Crow's neo-gothic iconography. However, in the clash of style versus substance, director Rupert Sanders found very little substance. Because of that, the result is a bland retelling of the film that back in 1994 had so many macabre vibes going for it, even though a bit of that came from the tragedy of Brandon Lee's death.
In the 2024 version, yes, there is a lot of fictional, violent death as well and loads of goth visuals too (not on the level of the brilliant Nosferatu, but still sufficient). But, the chemistry that should either bind characters in eternal love or place them on a path of bloody vengeance is missing. Bill Skarsgård does well as the torn Eric but fails to get it on with FKA twigs. Danny Huston is always interesting to watch, but as the main antagonist, he simply fails to make his character have the kinetic force of evil that is needed here.
Sanders is by no means an inexperienced director, but with The Crow, so much stuff simply falls through the metal mesh floor that should have been the film's foundation. I'm certain that the same foundation in this case has to be the characters, but there's just too much room between all of them, allowing for so much void space. The same sense of pretty emptiness is what the film ends up providing to its viewers.
From its intro sequence and the first minutes, Trapped Inn shows that it's a different kind of movie. Starring the multitalented Matt Rife, it immediately sets the stage for its main characters - a US cycling team training in Europe. After a grueling session, the team goes back to their lodging inn, an isolated place where things look better than they should, but also come with an underlying sense of menace.
The great thing about the setup of Trapped Inn is that it uses the entire cycling team as its main character, quickly establishing different personalities, relationships, and rivalries. All of that feels very familiar, but it has rarely been presented in films, especially ones like this. The director of the film, Leah Sturgis, uses the setup in a refined manner, being that the risk there would have been for the movie to slide into a regular sports drama early on. However, Trapped Inn builds up its mystery and a sense of growing unease and danger just as effectively.
Besides Rife and his main team rival Greg, played by Robert Palmer Watkins, Brian Gross as the team's coach manages to perform really well in this kind of odd setup of things not being what they seem. Along with them, the entire team does a great job in molding realistic characters who find themselves in an unexpected, emerging hellscape. As the disappearances and the bodies begin to pile up, the film kicks into a whole new gear with the threat of a mysterious infection and death.
Trapped Inn is shot and edited perfectly, using the best out of natural light and gorgeous locations, both indoors and outdoor. All of the subtle special effects manage to blend into that almost seamlessly. This also offers a great counterpoint to the plot once the danger becomes very immediate and real. That further enhances the tension that the character begins to experience as survival becomes a desperate plight with no good outcomes.
From beginning to end, Trapped Inn is a masterful combo of genres and setups. I'm sure that the presence of big acting names will attract the viewers and the fact that the entire cast performed great, but the actual appeal of the film lies in its ability to blend and sustain its unique approach to its storyline. As the world implodes inside of the characters and outside of them, Trapped Inn offers the audience a world-ending ride that they will never forget.
If you start watching Archive and get that weird sense that the film reminds you of something, but you’re not quite sure what, don’t be confused. Its strongest suit definitely lies in its most peripheral elements, where the first-time director, Gavin Rothery, has loads of experience. Here, that sense of familiarity really lies. As a film set creator and graphic designer, Rothery worked on titles like Moon from 2009, and this rich experience shines through.
The main topics of Archive are eerily similar to those ideas as well, being that they talk of identity, grief, and the ability of machines and other artificial elements to integrate themselves into the most personal parts of our lives. Here, the main character is George, played well by Theo James, who is a robotics engineer and scientist, building a new humanoid model in a semi-deserter research station. As the plot is set in the near future, George is also keeping his deceased wife on the premises, here in the form of Archive, a mainframe-like device that stores the deceased person's consciousness for an additional 200 hours.
Soon, those final hours start to run out and so does the time that George has for his pretty obvious secret plan. But, movies like this rarely try to fully surprise their viewers and Archive is no different. Aside from the very familiar-looking script and the main twist that comes with no big surprise, the film also somewhat fumbles with its prolonged, drawn-out pacing and several dead ends. That places the film in the realm with titles like Ex Machina, but which simply do everything slightly better than Archive.
It all makes the movie ultimately feel forced and unnecessarily long, while it shines the best in montages of robotic visuals and mechanical sound that show an alien technological landscape. That space lies in the heart of the story but does not manage to compensate for its lacking elements. Thanks to that, Archive would have worked much better as a short film or even some kind of techno music video that leans into the strong sides of Rothery and avoids problems that the feature-length film ended up having.
The power of Oddity as a very fresh and atypical horror is seen literally in the first five minutes of the film. That is the moment in the film when a brilliant and chilling conversation takes place between a woman, locked in an old Irish mansion, and a stranger on the other side of the door. In that short but impactful vignette, the film and its director Damian Mc Carthy showcase just how well they manage tension, expectation, and the bleak visual environment where both take place. In that space, we as a viewer cannot help but look for danger and threats in every dark doorway or dimly lit corner.
The same skill set propels Oddity to the very top of modern horror, especially when keeping in mind that it is coming from a European indie production. But, through the smart use of simple props and excellent storytelling, Oddity compensates for any lack of production values. Instead, it proves a deeply disturbing tale that is still very plausible and ultimately a very down-to-earth matter. Similarly to Late Night with the Devil, the film’s premise begins in an outlandish manner but becomes more and more personal and thus possible as time goes by.
With that strong and grounded setup, the tale of a blind woman and a medium, going on the quest to find out who really murdered her twin sister becomes something extraordinary. The acting cast understood that as well, which is why Carolyn Bracken and Caroline Menton do a great job, followed closely by Tadhg Murphy, Steve Wall, and Gwilym Lee. All of them attain amazing results without any apparent extraordinary effort. In a similar way, Oddity effortlessly shows that horror films are at the cutting edge of the present independent film industry.
It's always fantastic to see innovative art that blends a range of influences. VasDahiv Uncharted is an episodic YouTube animated series that was made in the same manner, with origins that are both diverse and global. That covers the subject matter of the series, but also how its team approached its storytelling. Here's how the series describes itself:
The first issue of VasDahiv: Uncharted introduces Vandad, a young adventurer, and his companions as they explore the mystical desert landscape of VasDahiv. While on a quest to solve an ancient mystery involving a strange box and a broken seal left by Vandad’s father, they encounter strange characters, including a mysterious old man who may not be what he seems. With elements of supernatural danger, tension, and Persian mythology, the series blends adventure, horror, and suspense as Vandad and his friends face unforeseen challenges that test their resolve and uncover secrets that have remained hidden for centuries.
In the first episode, the skill of the team behind VasDahiv Uncharted is immediately clear. The style of the animation is a great blend of cartoon, cell shading, and realistic approaches. From the perspective of the narrative, characters, and the entire storyline, the episode quickly sets up its premise and the central mystery, all the while using familiar elements like a road trip, (seemingly) random encounters, and abandoned, spooky gas stations. All of these immediately catch the attention of the viewer and draw them into the emerging story of VasDahiv.
On the production side, the series is really well-made, featuring great voiceover acting and soundtrack. Also, the level of polish that the animation comes with, especially that of the characters’ faces and facial expressions, is impressive, showing that the team painstakingly made sure everything looks, sounds, and feels excellent. All of this shows that the director Younes Hommasi and the team around him know what they're doing not just now, but for future episodes as well.
If you're into animated series and ancient mysteries that combine numerous elements, check out the official website of VasDahiv Uncharted. But first, watch the entire first episode of the series right here, and be sure to subscribe to its official YouTube channel for future episodes!
The concept of the Japanese Geisha has long fascinated the world of cinema. For decades, these enigmatic but alluring figures have been a prominent element of the endless appeal of the Far East. From their distinctive look and unique personal presentation, all the way to the complex psychological portraits behind the makeup and clothes, these ancient performing artists and entertainers never fail to capture our imagination. However, the latest film with the Geisha subjects manages to immerse the audience even deeper in the same cultural phenomenon. That film is Dark Feathers: Dance of the Geisha, and here is how it describes itself:
Geisha ladies of Japanese culture have long been revered for their beauty and entertaining skills of singing, dancing, and conversation. Some are known to possess special abilities that can drive men crazy. Kate (Crystal J. Huang) leads a mysterious life in San Francisco as a photographer and ballroom dancer. But when all her dance partners turn up dead, detective Remy (Gilles Marini) begins to investigate. As he gets closer to the truth, he too succumbs to passion for Kate, which strains his marriage with Amelia (Karina Smirnoff) and leads to his own death. With the body count growing, police pressure to catch Kate builds, revealing her participation in a secret underworld of honor and culture.
Crystal J. Huang, the producer and director of the film, clearly found inspiration in a range of subject matter associated with the phenomenon of the geisha. That is why the film offers a strong sense of atmosphere, combining the elegant and the deadly. In equal measure, the scenes of action and violence complement those of dancing and vice versa. In both cases, the exchange between the forces of life and the forces of death continues unabated. Here, the presence of the veteran actor, Michael Madsen, further enforces the sense of mystery and life-and-death choices.
Visually, Dark Feathers: Dance of the Geisha offers a very immersive experience, where ballroom dancing halls provide a playing field for grace and splendor. At the same time, the film uses other locations with just as much effect, offering an almost dream-like viewing experience. Through stellar cinematography, the film ultimately tells about very different cultures coming together through emotions, passion, and art, just as much as violence and drama.
Tactile, measured, and beautiful, Dark Feathers: Dance of the Geisha is a story that easily captivates with its unique story and characters. If you’d like to learn more about the film, check out its official website as well as its Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok profiles. Finally, watch the entire film right now on Amazon Prime US and Amazon Prime Canada and become lost in the beautiful, mysterious, and deadly world of the Geisha.
There’s a clear and definite characteristic of both Dune films and it’s not something, at least in my experience, that the reviews tend to notice or mention. That characteristic relates to the issue of characters and their relatability. While both films come with many different individuals who have widely different personalities and goals, all of them have in common the fact that I don’t really care what happens to them.
I don’t want any righteous retribution against Baron Harkonnen, just as I don’t care if Paul Atreids becomes the emperor. I’m not invested in whether or not Chani ends up with Paul or if the Sardukars protect the Emperor or die trying to do that. I also couldn’t care less whatever Stilgar or Gurney Halleck want or aim for.
Instead, like the first Dune film, we’re left with an audio-visual spectacle that dazzles the senses, potentially tickets the mind, but does next to nothing to the way we feel about it. The second film, furthermore, even follows the Hollywood blockbuster formula. As we follow Paul in his newly instated guerilla war against Harkonens, we get the well-known 1-2-3 punch. First step is dialogue, followed by combat, followed by something mysterious and grand, like a spice trip, impressive outwordly location, or a fever dream.
All of these - including dialogues - look great, but feel void. Through this shuffle of elements, the film streams on through its plot and races to its completion. The only moment it breaks its stride is the short excursion to the Harkonne world, where again, we get the same 1-2-3 formula, but this time in black and white.
A clear pattern is emerging from Denis Villenu in his last three films - that includes the two Dune movies, but also the Blade Runner 2049 that came before them. These films feel great visually as you watch them and there is an undeniable aesthetic power to them. But, beyond the nice shots there is a plethora of cardboard cutouts representing characters and that, sadly, undermines the entire experience in a subtle but unmistakable manner.
Once you start watching Reptile, you somewhat willingly or unwillingly expect that the film will try to dazzle you with its star-studded cast. The relatively simple and narratively straightforward thriller about the murder of a young woman casts Benicio del Toro as the main character and gentle-spoken detective Tom Nichols. But, del Toro is joined by Justin Timberlake and Alicia Silverstone, followed by Eric Bogosian, Ato Essandoh, Domenick Lombardozzi, and the always fantastic Michael Pitt. Yet, along with these amazing actors, Reptile has a much stronger ace up its sleeve.
The cast, consisting of both global superstars and excellent character actors quickly comes into play. But, the thing that really impressed me about Reptile is its atmosphere. Combining natural lights and menacing sound design, as well as the odd-feeling spaces that the detectives and involved civilians inhabit, the first-time feature film director Grant Signer created something worth of an early David Lynch movie. The artistic aura of the film begins and ends with a tone of weariness and oppression, followed by a sense of imminent danger that is always just around the corner. The portrayal of the unfolding story fails to follow the same amazing atmosphere, but the film still manages to create something both unique and instantly appealing. I have a strong gut feeling that Singer’s next film could easily outdo that.
Out of the name of this movie, the adjective “pale” resonates more with the entire work than the “blue”. Somehow, despite the fact that it features the always amazing Christian Bale and is directed by the accomplished Scott Cooper, The Pale Blue Eye still ends up feeling as colorless as many of its early 19th century leading female roles in their age-appropriate makeup. So far, Cooper made some impressive movies, even though none were perfect, but most starred Bale. Out of the Furnace is a good example of the same trend. Black Mass, which Cooper also directed, shows a similar recipe but one that is significantly less impactful.
In his latest film, the initial murder mystery, taking place at West Point, quickly dissolves into a series of personal dramas and individual tribulation, but with no clear focus point. Among the cast, Harry Melling establishes himself as a dominant character of Edgar Allan Poe, but seemingly not so much by directorial design, but by his skill and unique delivery of the young, brilliant but very odd poet. In the process, Bale kind of fades out only to return at the very end in a twist which strikes very few cords with the emotions of the audience. Instead, The Pale Blue Eye turns into just a simple Pale film.
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.
In theory, there are a lot of good things going for Spiderhead. It stars Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller, talented and entertaining big-budget actors. It also features an interesting tale of a prison where inmates voluntarily take on an experimental treatment that alters their emotional and cognitive responses to things, people, and ideas. All of that should build into an exciting mystery thriller
But, beyond that, the film is actually a long, stand-alone episode of a cheesy sci-fi show. Teller and Hemsworth do little to change that and add slightly more class than any other actor, which would also likely do as good of a job as they have. Honestly, Spiderhead never promised too much, but in the end, it delivered slightly less than that.
Anything that comes with Amy Adams in the leading role cannot be truly bad by any means and The Woman in the Window is no different. While it's not a stellar thriller, it does paint an engaging homage to the classic story from the Hitchcock pantheon of urban realistic terrors. As shut-in Anna Fox, Adams plays very well a woman breaking down under mental stress, only to witness a murder taking place across the street. In one week, she traverses dark psychological plains of both herself and those around her to get to the bottom of the same situation.
The movie comes with a distinctive patina of made-for-TV, which lowers its ability to bedazzle the audience like older films with a similar story would try to do. Yet, its great supporting cast manages to provide excellent support for Adams, who really carries the heart of the film from start to finish. That makes it a refreshingly interesting addition to the same often too stale genre but does not hit any high notes that would make it a small triller gemstone.
A good indie film utilizes the elements it has and downplays those it might miss. In the case of THE DOORS BETWEEN US, the good elements are most definitely actors and a solid script. The lacking ones include a choice of location and overall cinematic visual potential. Yet, this doesn’t ultimately hurt the film. Here's how it describes itself:
Eight complete strangers are tested like never before when they wake up locked inside a mysterious house. With no memory of how or why they are there paranoia takes over, forcing them to make their own decisions on who to trust and how best to escape.
Developed by Janky Jank Productions,
THE DOORS BETWEEN US sets out as a horror. There, its warped lifeboat
scenario is quickly divided among different characters. All of them are
unique and easily distinguishable between each other, which is a big
plus for the film right off the bat.
Like the Bird Box, Netflix is chasing, at least as far as I can tell, some kind of a cooking-cutter way of making decent horror movies. They all have a simple premise and use their star actors more than scenography, props or anything like that. In the Tall Grass, the relatively unknown main protagonists are aided by Patrick Wilson's character as they are all lost in a strange field from which no one can escape.
All of this is based on Stephen and Joe King novella by the same name and yes, like all horror things King, it manages to stick to the wall (somehow). The movie, in turn, seems to want little more than the same wall-sticking ability - it is not A Quiert Place nor does it aim that high. It is able to entertain and it fails to be overtly stupid or comical (unlike the much more expensive Bird Box). While it does that, it starts and ends as a microwave-ready horror film but which carries no greater ambition than to be just that.
It seems like people who want to make a time travel movie these days immediately say to themselves: how can we make our time travel a never-before-seen thing? Surprisingly, they are often quite good at this. Predestination managed to pull it off to a degree, while the much older Primer does the same on a low-budget yet marvelous level. In the Shadow of the Moon is not exactly the cream of the crop, but it does offer something engaging and mysterious, while it skillfully navigates its way around any potential pitfalls.
Naturally, I’m not talking about physics or time travel mechanics, these are always full of holes (apart from the brilliant Primer). Here, I’m thinking more about the actual plot and how it relates to the main characters - in this case, a cop who witnesses a mysterious case of murders and manages to stop the suspect back in the 1980s. Yet, every nine years, the same murder pattern seems to occur again and again. As the mystery deepens, so does the traction the film has, all the while cleverly connecting it to the main character and the people around him. This ends as a not a very innovative time travel mystery, but one that does try to convey something beyond a pulpy sci-fi tale.
Danny Boyle has that special magic that he can give to his films, but not all of the time. Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise or The Beach have loads of it, while Trance on the other hand, has barely any. Yesterday is somewhere in between those two, but leaning heavily towards those films with not that much Boyle-magic to give. Of course, compared to other romantic comedies, Yesterday passes with flying colors.
But, compare it with Danny Boyle movies, and you get a C+ or B- film. Sure, it does have its incredible snippets, like the appearance of Robert Carlyle character. However, the story of a man who remembers The Beatles while everyone else forgot them after a freak global accident still somehow falls flat. Yes, it is an homage to the band and all of that, but it still fails to connect with our main character, in spite of all that he goes through. That crucial problem makes all about Yesterday seem a bit like yesterday's news - possibly relevant back then but quickly forgotten right now.
Similar to Ex Machina, this film has a strong start and quickly establishes itself as a hardcore science fiction work of art. In the world of the distant future, humanity is gone and everything that is left is a bank of frozen embryos, run by an AI and its robotic manifestation. It unfreezes one of these and allows it to gestate into a baby, starting then to care for it as - you guessed it - Mother. The child grows and it is nurtured and attended for by Mother, but in this critical teenage years, the same girl sees her universe drastically change: a human survival appears on the door of their bunker.
The movie takes expected twist and turns from that point and while they are by no means badly done, they are also not much food for thought a hardcore sci-fi film should carry with it. In the last third of the film, the entire notion of the basic emotional triangle becomes strained and somewhat redundant as the girl faces an ever-dropping affection for both the survivor and Mother. In a similar way the movie ends - not with a bang, but with a hint of smart narrative design, but also one that never got a chance to gestate.
Overlord is a great movie and there should be no doubt about that - it’s one of my biggest positive surprises in this hybrid horror genre since Bone Tomahawk. Its director, Julius Avery, does a precise and very technical, but at the same time bold and unexpected slalom run through horror, war movie, and splatter adventure comedy genres. In the film, there are parts that are in equal measure worthy of Saving Private Ryan, Inglourious Basterds, and The Dirty Dozen.
At the same time, Avery managed to make a really good movie without the use of practically any big actress or actor. Regardless, through the use of plenty of German and French being mixed up with the English language, its cast pulls off an engaging movie. The plot tells the story of a small band of survivor paratroopers on a mission to blow up a Nazi installation on D-Day - there, however, they find things much more dangerous than a radio jamming facility. In the hell ride that comes after this discovery, the actors and Avery do much more and present it as a great and very gory adventure. You don’t want to miss out on this gem of a film, especially if you find war films and those from the WW2 era at list slightly interesting.
Movies, Films and Movies already covered the Forbidden Power film a few months back. This science fiction mystery thriller by Paul Kyriazi is definitely a release that has easily set itself apart from the rest of the global independent scene thanks to both its topic and the ambitious delivery. On the festival scene, it already got a range of nomination and won Best Special Effect and Best Young Performer on the AOF MegaFest.
Now, the same film has appeared on a new online streaming platfrom. The entire Forbidden Power is now available on Vimeo on Demand, where it can be watched or streamed to a smart device. Overall, I'm genuinely impressed with this Vimeo service so if you did not try it out so far, checking out Forbidden Power is the perfect moment.
-1725900455511_1725900472.jpg--tipperary_tipperary_tipperary_.jpg)
