Rule of Jenny Pen (2024)

James Ashcroft follows up his COMING HOME IN THE DARK with an even more cruel and ugly film THE RULE OF JENNY PEN.

The story has judge Geoffrey Rush ending up in a nursing home after having a stroke. As he makes his recovery he ends up on the bad side of John Lithgow, a psycho who travels around with a creepy puppet, Jenny Pen. 

John Lithgow is pure evil. This is most insane role, and his most terrifying. Lithgow is such a monster that he may end up altering how people see him. Truth be told I understand why he took the role of Dumbldor in the Harry Potter TV series because it's probably the only thing that will take the edge off how this film will reshape how he is viewed.

Thank god Geoffrey Rush was cast opposite him. I say this because only one with Rush's skill could not get swamped by Lithgow's evil. Rush holds his own and then some.

The best reason to see this film is to see two actors tear into the scenery.

There is one problem with this film, which is going to shape how many people are  going to react it is tale is incredibly mean and cruel. From the opening scene where Rush torments the mother of a victim for letting her child near the kid's attacker, on to a guy setting himself on fire just because, on to the nastiness that Lithgow dishes out, this film just wants to abuse it's characters. Yes, there is a cathartic ending, but watching the film makes us feel like Rush's character after Lithgow doses him with piss and the people in the home do nothing about it. This film is just 100 plus minutes of abuse until the final minutes when it isn't.

There was a certain point where I just turned off. Yea, there are some great performances and a wonderful villain but at a certain point it just became too much ugliness. Everything in this film is set up to allow the nastiness to occur, so it slips into an unreality.  Perhaps if the staff did more than side with Lithgow or been more than cardboard cutouts that allowed things to happen I might have liked it more. At what point do the people on the sidelines become more than window dressing?

Yes the film is good,and Yes the performances are worthy of Oscars, but this is not a one you enjoy as anything other than something that pushes your buttons.

You're on your own.

HOME KILLS (2023) is now streaming

If you want a kickass thriller that you can see with completely fresh eyes hunt down HOME KILLS on your favorite streaming service. This modern film noir from New Zealand is going to delight the crime lover in you and get bonus points because odds are you haven’t seen any of the actors before nor have you seen anything from the wonderful filmmakers.

The plot  has two down on their luck brothers offering butchering services to the surrounding farms. The trouble is with a name called Home Kills things just might be going to get out of control.

All hail the filmmakers headed by director Haydn Butler for they have fashioned a stunning little thriller. From the first frame to the last you are gripped tight in their clutches as the things from desperate to bad to worse. And since the film wasn’t made in Hollywood all bets are off about the survival of everyone on screen.

I had a blast and then some.

What I agreed to review as a break in the crazy wave of DOC NYC coverage, I mean I was figuring it was going to be a quick palate cleanse, ended up being a haunting film that I recommended to several of my noir loving friends  You need to see this.

Recommended.

Mr Organ (2022) Fantastic Fest 2022

 

Mr Organ will chill you to the core. The film is the story of grand manipulator and son of a bitch who lives to fuck over people. He’s a man who is described as being so evil that if he went to hell Satan would go to Heaven just to get away from him.

The film is the story of filmmaker David Farrier interactions with Michael Organ. He is a manipulator, con man and sick bastard who loves to destroy people mentally. Farrier ran into Organ when he was booting cars that parked in a private car park after hours and then it went from there. If you saw Farrier's earlier TICKLED you know that any story he has to tell doesn’t go remotely as expected and that’s the case here. The twists and turns will knot your stomach as Organ digs deeper and deeper intoFarrier's life in order to ruin it because he can.

This film scared me more than any horror film of the last five years because what happened here could happen anywhere. There are dozens of Michael Organ’s out there looking to get sick thrills out of people’s pain.

If you notice that I’m not telling you anything about what happens and that’s intentional. I want you to see the film as I did, knowing as little as possible. I want you to get punched in the face and kicked in the gut as this just goes weirder and weirder.

This is a real life nightmare.

I can’t recommend this enough.

If you are up for it this is a must see.

Justice of Bunny King (2021) opens Friday and hits VOD on September 30

 I had every intention of not seeing The Justice of Bunny King but I stumbled into seeing it when I couldn’t access a different film in the Tribeca library. Wanting to watch something, it looked like the least painful of the available choices so I dove in…

The film is about Bunny King, a single mother who is living hand to mouth, paying bills by hustling to watch car wind shields. She is desperate to get enough money to get a home so protective services will give her kids back. As he plans go banana shaped she is asked by her niece for help. Can Bunny step up?

Bunny King surprised the hell out of me. It wasn’t the story that drew me in but the performances. Somewhere about the time that King, while visiting her kids shuts down a social worker for the way she asked her daughter if she wants different color, I was hooked. My planned short visit just to see how it is before  moving on became a stay for the whole run time just because I fell in love with the people.

Essie Davis is a marvel. She gives a fully formed performance that exists not only in the cinema world but in this one as well. We feel her pain. We completely understand why she does what she does. There is nothing wasted. And  what makes this work is the rest of the cast is as good as she is so we believe it all even when the plot takes a turn or two that is not ad organic or seems slightly cliché.

To be honest the problem with having issues with the plot is not that there is anything wrong with it, more that the cast is so good that we want more from the rest of the film

A solid story is vaulted into must see territory by the great cast.

Poppy(2022) Slamdance 2022

 Libby Hunsdale is Poppy, a young woman with Downs Syndrome who wants to be a mechanic.

This is hands down of the best films at Slamdance and one one of my favorite films of 2022. Its a glorious celebration of the human spirit. Its a film that will make you feel good for all the right reasons.

The reason this film works is entirely Libby Hunsdale. She is so loveable that you want to reach into the screen and give her a hug. You completely understand how she charms the pants off everyone she meets. This is a star making role of the highest order. She is so good that I hope that casting directors see beyond the Down Syndrome and cast her in other roles. Seriously she will fit into pretty much any sort of role.

I absolutely loved this film. It made me feel good. I made my face ache from smiling non-stop for 97 minutes. That's all you need to know because...wow.

My sole complaint about the film is that Slamdance has placed it in the Unstoppable section when it really should be just with the regular features. I say this because some people might not see it if they think it's in a special section.

Ultimately all you need to know is this film is a joy and a must see.

Highly recommended

Thoughts on The Power of the Dog (2021) NYFF 2021

THE POWER OF THE DOG arrived at the New York Film Festival with high expectations. This story of two brothers in Montana who break apart when marries a widow and brings her and her son to the ranch they run is  on many people's list of a show in for Oscars and year end awards. The question going in was would it live up expectations.

Sadly out side of the gorgeous cinematography by Ari Wegner, I'm not certain the film will get as many as many hope.

The problem with the film is in the writing. The writing doesn't give the characters enough background. Kirsten Dunst's Rose has way too much unsaid. There is not enough back story only vague hints, but no indication that she would slide off the wagon. She like the rest of the cast is never given fully formed characters.

And as for Benedict Cumberbatch's much heralded Phil, he's is just a dick for over three quarters of the film. He is mean and ugly and the kind of guy you want to shoot  in the face. It's a one note performance where he just acts shitty. There is no indication why the guys who work for him love him, which is a HUGE problem because there is nothing to latch on to. Why are we watching him when he is just is just an asshole. That might have been okay if it didn't change in the final half hour, but it's too little to late. While Cumberbatch finally gets to show some depth, it doesn't feel completely real. The thing is some of that should have been in the earlier part of the film. I mean if he turned into a the complete jerk when his brother got married it might have made sense, but there is nothing. It's even more puzzling when we find out Phil's background as a college grad- not that grads can't be jerks, rather there is an implication that he once was a nice guy. But what turned him into the hateful shit he is?  Honestly there is nothing to the chracter for most of the film but just hate and meaness.

During the press conference Benedict Cumberbatch mentions things that were left on the cutting room floor. I'm going to guess and say that everything the film is lacking as cut out to keep the film a manageable length. It was a mistake.

Frankly I'm totally at a loss to explain the love this film people love. Perhaps they all read the book and are carrying things over.

Reservations aside the film isn't bad. Sure it's probably a half an hour too long but its still carries us along. I mean the last half hour is pretty good and the ending is....well something you need to see. ( I will not discuss it)

The Justice of Bunny King (2021) Tribeca 2021

 I had every intention of not seeing The Justice of Bunny King but I stumbled into seeing it when I couldn’t access a different film in the Tribeca library. Wanting to watch something, it looked like the least painful of the available choices so I dove in…

The film is about Bunny King, a single mother who is living hand to mouth, paying bills by hustling to watch car wind shields. She is desperate to get enough money to get a home so protective services will give her kids back. As he plans go banana shaped she is asked by her niece for help. Can Bunny step up?

Bunny King surprised the hell out of me. It wasn’t the story that drew me in but the performances. Somewhere about the time that King, while visiting her kids shuts down a social worker for the way she asked her daughter if she wants different color, I was hooked. My planned short visit just to see how it is before  moving on became a stay for the whole run time just because I fell in love with the people.

Essie Davis is a marvel. She gives a fully formed performance that exists not only in the cinema world but in this one as well. We feel her pain. We completely understand why she does what she does. There is nothing wasted. And  what makes this work is the rest of the cast is as good as she is so we believe it all even when the plot takes a turn or two that is not ad organic or seems slightly cliché.

To be honest the problem with having issues with the plot is not that there is anything wrong with it, more that the cast is so good that we want more from the rest of the film

A solid story is vaulted into must see territory by the great cast.

Coming Home In The Dark (2021) Sundance 2021

 

A family goes on a  trip into the wilds of New Zealand. There they are met by to men who have evil in their hearts.

Bleak, black, kind of hopeless hate machine is a thrilling ride that works for much of it's running time until a couple of turns makes you realize that the film exists purely to show off the considerable skill of director James Ashcroft and that there is nothing really behind it except skill and delight in showing cruelty and proving he's capable of playing with the big guys.

Don't get me wrong this is a good film on it's own terms, but at a certain point, the film stops making narrative sense.  If you need the point I lost it it was the stop at the gas station where suddenly the turns really felt like Ashcroft was just being ugly to be ugly. While life can be like that, the long string of events before and after that made it clear that it wasn't necessary other than to be a florish. (And yes I'm being vague because I d0n't want to ruin it for you since its worth a look if you like this sort of thing)

This was also the point where I realized that there really isn't anything special here. We've been here before any number of times. The hows and whys eventually fell off the table as I started to realize that the whole scheme makes very little sense, at least as told here.

I was disappointed.

If you want to see a potential new force in cinema  or like cinematic cruelty give it a shot.

Brief thoughts on THE LEGEND OF BARON TO'A

Fritz  returns to New Zealand and his Tongan neighborhood to sell his family home. His father has died and his uncle is still living there, but he needs the money for new business back in Australia. Thins quickly go from bad to worse when he annoys the local gang who end up stealing his father's wrestling championship belt. This sets Fritz on a quest to get it back and reconnect with his roots.

This is a sweet gem of a film. Why aren't people talking about it? Full of winning characters, funny jokes and great action it makes you smile. In all seriousness the wrestling  based fights are really good. They make you laugh and wince in all the right proportions. 

You want to see this film, trust me.

THE LEGEND OF BARON TO'A hits VOD today and i highly recommended

Mosley (2020) Festival of Cinema NYC 2020

Mosley is a thoriphant. That means he is a cross between a horse and ox, however they are very intelligent. Forced to act as a beast of burden, he and his family work the farm of a not very bright famer. When Mosley's son finds a cave with paintings of upright thoriphants with hands Mosley realizes that the stories they had once heard were upright and they weren't always animals. Not long after Mosley flees into the wilderness he meets several right thoriphants who take him on a journey to their city. However Mosley is being hunted by man tasked with bringing him back.

Kirby Atkins' two decade labor of love is amazing. A kick ass film it will move you to tears. This is not a by the numbers tale by any stretch of the imagination, with the result that we are moved much more deeply than most recent Disney or Pixar films. Sure it has some bumps but its hear is so big that you can't help but love it for what it is.

What it is is a grand adventure of one man trying to save his family. Told with beautiful images, perfect voices and a magnificent sense of daring do, MOSLEY is the kind of film they don't make any more. It's a myth made modern. It's perfectly modulate to delight, move and inspire its audience. This is story of growth and hope and exactly the sort of film we need right now.

Of course the fact that the thoiphants are treated as slaves results in a biting commentary on the current state of the world where racism is rampant. Atkins hammers home the point with use of Southern American voices for the humans. On some level it could be considered being a bit too much, especially since the humans we see are the very definition of dumb rednecks, but make no mistake this film will do much to change the minds of people over the next few decades.

Highly recommended the film plays Saturday at the Festival of Cinema NYC at their drive-in

Yellow is Forbidden (2018) Tribeca 2018

The film begins with a stunning mix of sound and image as we are dropped into the world of fashion designer Guo Pei who made a huge splash when Rhianna wore one of her dresses to the Met Ball.  It then rapidly loses focus as we follow Pei on her quest to join the elite of Paris haute couture.

I really don't know what to say. This broken and fragmented film works in the moments where we are among Pei's dresses but is other wise a resounding bust. The trouble is there are no through lines anywhere in the film. The haute couture story comes and goes, as does bits on dress driving her to the doctor, opening a Paris shop, making dresses and everything else that happens in the film. It is so bad that while we are told it can take literally two or three years to make one of her dresses we never see one made- which you would think would be an obvious piece of the story.

Never really bad, YELLOW IS FORBIDDEN is more like someone's sketches for something rather than the finished product. Its all very nice with some stunning images but the finished product is still locked away in the directors mind.

When the film ended the the screening room was so quiet I thought that everyone had left- the silence being matched only by the times I've been the first one in.

Other than the odd sequence this film is a waste of time.

The morally reprehensible THE REHEARSAL (2016) New York Film Festival 2016

A minor character and the semi-important head of the school

Alison Maclean's THE REHEARSAL not only has all sorts of plot problems but it is also one of the most morally reprehensible films in a long time. Actually that maybe the first time I've ever said that about a film in print.

The plot of the film has a no talent actor named Stanley going off to a prestigious acting academy. Along the way he meet a girl who plays tennis. It transpires that Stanley and some fellow students use the story of the girl's older sister who had an affair with her tennis coach for their theater project. It seems that the sister is only 15. Where will this all lead?

Into the shitter.

The film has lots of problems, from a main character who isn't that good an actor (both in the film and in real life), to plot threads that go nowhere (even if this is a slice of life over a year there are threads that go nowhere), to worst sin of all there really are no characters just cut outs that get moved around. We know everyone by their looks and dress but not by their personality because we never really get to know anyone- we have to infer everything. There are only three “characters” and they aren’t all that great, Stanley mopes, the head of the school is a cunt despite saying she cares (only about herself and school), and the one interesting character suddenly kills himself off camera. That's it. That's all there is. I have no idea what anyone's name is beyond Stanley.

A bigger problem is that everyone in the film , and even the film itself is kind of morally broken, or if not that at least incredibly stupid.

It begins with the idea that these nimrods would use the story of the sister of one of their girlfriends and not think there would be problem. The idea is insane. Are they that disconnected from reality and the people around them? Apparently. Is Stanley that stupid and that big an asshole that he would allow it when he supposedly loves some one connected to it? Oh hell yea. He has to be the one of the most uncaring assholes around. More insane is the thought that the school would let them do it once they found out that Stanley was involved in with someone in the family- especially since it's for a performance that is supposed to be getting media coverage. The controversy sure to follow would wreck the school but the head of the school says nothing.  Is director/writer Mclean that stupid?

Apparently. I can't imagine that any school would allow it.

The real thing that pisses me off with the film is that repeatedly condemns having sex with under aged girls- the girl who was having sex with her coach was 15 years old and everyone is upset about that. He's been arrested and is heading to jail. One of the actresses has a run with the coach and is skeeved out by the thought of underaged sex-to the point they decide to do the show as a kind of payback. Everyone is horrified and gets upset....

... but the the trouble is the film has no problem that Stanley, who is over 18 is involved with the YOUNGER sister of the 15 year old. This makes her at the very least 14, possibly/probably younger (we never know her age other than she’s younger than the 15 year old).

 And this is okay? No one really blinks an eye for the most part. It's also something to be celebrated at the end as Stanley and the girl walk off together... why because Stanley has finally expressed his feelings and said he loves her. Really? No it's not.

You can't have it both ways- though the film thinks it can. Had the film time and time again not taken the stance that older guys should be not pursuing younger women you could get away with it and I would have said nothing. But the film keeps harping on it. Clearly the film sees a problem because Stanley is warned by the head of the school in no uncertain terms to knock it off since he was seen with an under-aged girl and if he gets caught he will be in trouble and the school will suffer...

..which brings me back to if they were worried about that and because the teacher knew who the girl was why would she even consider allowing the performance of a piece based on the tennis teacher. It really makes no sense internally to the film.

Actually the film makes no sense internally as time frames are wonky, plot points don't hang together and details in dialog betray a sense that the filmmakers either had a longer script that ended up cut down or that they really weren't paying any attention to the realities of their movie. I kept wondering why no one caught all the plot problems unless they simply thought no one was going to be paying any attention.

This film makes so little sense in the end that I and a fellow writer who shall remain nameless got yelled at by some people in the screening because we vocalized our displeasure at the film when the end credits started.

What a piece of crap.

In all seriousness how did this end up on the main slate?

For tickets and more information go here. (and if you go please ask the director about the double standard about under age sex and report back)

Steve's take on Hunt for the WIlderpeople (2015) Tribeca 2016

Wilderpeople is one of the best films to play Tribeca and one of the best of the year. A completely unexpected joy this film delighted everyone at the pre-festival screenings and was the measuring stick by which everyone rated every film they saw (It is now the second highest grossing film in the history of New Zealand)

The story begins when Ricky Baker is brought into the country to live with Aunt Bella and Hec. They are going to be his foster parents. Ricky is warned that if this doesn’t work he’s going to juvie (aka prison) because he is just too troubled to be anywhere else. Despite trying to runaway Bella takes him into her heart while Hec just grumbles. When Bella unexpectedly dies child services decides to take Ricky back. Hec is to heartbroken to fight. Ricky runs away, thinking he’s staging his own death but instead burning down the barn. Hec eventually finds Ricky in the wilderness and but trips breaking his foot necessitating a several week stay in the woods until it can heal. Things however become complicated since the child services woman think something horrible has gone on and sets a huge manhunt in motion. Soon Hec and Ricky are fugitives on the run.

Warm witty and laugh out loud funny Wilderpeople is an absolute joy. The write-up at the Tribeca website made it sound dour and serious when it is a film that will make you smile from ear to ear.

Everything works. There is absolutely nothing wrong with anything in this film. The best thing is the chemistry between Sam Neil and Julian Dennison who make a perfect on screen pair. You feel the love and respect between them and it seems absolutely real. One can imagine the two of them busting each other’s chops off screen.

This film is truly great. As I watched it all did beyond enjoy it was make a list of all the people I had to force to see the film.

You must see this film- it just kicks ass.

And if there is any justice this will be a huge hit and win tons of awards.

WILDER PEOPLE hits US theaters this summer

Ariela goes on a HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (2016) Tribeca 2016

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE was the first fiction film I saw for Tribeca Film Festival.

It was hilarious! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film. I didn’t know much going into it. It’s based on the book “Wild Pork and Watercress” by Barry Crump. I had never heard of it. I didn’t know it was even based on a book until after the film, though I wondered if it was when the movie was laid out by having “Chapter 1” “Chapter 2” and so on as the movie went on. In “Chapter 1” a woman from Child Welfare (Paula), drops off a boy to a woman and man who had never met him before, but had decided to let him in their care. Paula warns them that he’s not a good kid, has stolen, spit etc. that he has been in many different families. The woman loves him from day one.

Circumstances occur and the boy escapes into the bush. The man eventually follows him and so starts the adventure of this unlikely duo running from the woman from the agency, as well as from the police. The film continued to be humorous, though there were some serious moments and some touching moments as well.

The film takes place in New Zealand and the scenery is gorgeous. I loved the music in the movie as well. It was kind of a campy movie. I felt it was different and it was definitely silly, but very entertaining. The movie’s humor was both dry and ridiculous. I really recommend this movie and it’s one I would see it again and bring a bunch of friends with me!

(Addendum- I saw the film at a pre-festival screening and loved it so much that I've gone back and sawthe film again at the festival)

Turbo Kid hits DVD and Bluray Tuesday

When TURBO KID played Sundance last year it was hailed as a great throw back to 1980’s or 1990’s kids films. The film was the talk of every festival I attended last year as everyone wanted to know if I had seen it yet. The word on the film was so high that I felt bad for having missed the film at every turn. When the film finally got a release in late August the film still remained outside of my view because the release was so small it came and went much too fast for me to get to it.

Of course good things come to those who wait and the film is getting released this week on home video including in a super special collectors set. More on that in a minute.

Those who were describing it as a throwback to 1980’s kids films are right one except that they left out the film is very bloody in an a wild over the top manner to the point a pin prick results in a geyser of blood. And the film is full of f-bombs, which while probably in keeping with the way people talk, is going to keep the family audience away. I say this because as I was watching this I was thinking how much my niece was going to love the film until the blood started and then I realized her mom was not going to let her anywhere near the film.

The plot of the film has a comic fan kid called the Kid who lives in a post-apocalyptic 1997 finding a power suit finding a power suit like the one worn by his favorite comic character, Turbo Man. Using the suit he battles the evil Zeus and his horde in order to keep the wastelands, and his girlfriend Apple, safe. It’s all low budget fun where everyone rides bicycles and makes interesting use of discard. As someone said it’s a no budget version of MAD MAX.

The film is also a blast.

Seriously the film works on so many different levels that it’s a truly great film. First the film manages to perfectly mirror the kids films of the 1980’s that I’m guessing the writer/directors grew up with on cable. Films like EXPLORERS, KENNY & CO, GOONIES, LABYRINTH and THE LAST STAR FIGHTER all seem to have crept into the film in one way or another. I used to catch all of the films when channel surfing back in the day and I was reminded of so many of them.

What I love about the film is this is the sort of film that a 10 or 12 year old would have come up with. It really seems that if a kid could have made a film back in say 1988,  this would have been it. Having made films when I was a kid the twists and turns and ways of coping with short comings are exactly the sort of thing that I used to do- for example since we couldn’t drive we came up with a reason to use bikes. We loved comics so we’d have a super suit. We loved horror movies so we’d have blood soak everything. And when we wanted to act older so we’d curse. It’s everything that I would have done back when I was 12.

For me everything about the film just feels right, most importantly the world absolutely makes perfect sense unto itself. So what if a couple of post 1997 things drifted into the film, it still feels right for the world the film creates.

Of course none of that would matter if the story wasn’t compelling and it is. The story is constructed in such a manner that we want to know what happens next. What is great is the film is in no way cliché. I doubt very much if you could guess most if not all of the twists. I had no clue where it as going other than the good guys were going to win, but even then I couldn’t be sure who’d survive or in what condition because people die and limbs are lost.

I love this film and my 12 year old self absolutely freaking loves the this film.

You have to see this film.

---

And now it’s coming to home video in a super 3 disc special edition. I've ordered mine- you should order one too.

Here's the details on the super special edition pictured above:

In addition to the main feature on both Blu-ray and DVD, the Ultra Turbo Charged Special Collector's Edition will include Bloody Wasteland: The Making of Turbo Kid, a making of the movie featurette, T is for Turbo, the original short that preceded that film, several mini documentaries, Fantasia, Gore, Stunt, Funny, The Kid, Apple, Zeus, film festival introductions from BIFFF (Brussels), Edinburgh (UK), Sitges (Spain) and 2 still Galleries including Design/On Set, Fan Art, and 'The Ride' booklet. The suggested retail price for the collection is $29.99; and is currently available for pre-order at http://turbo-kid.com at $19.99. The collection will be available exclusively on Amazon.com and directly from the filmmakers’ site: http://turbo-kid.com/store

The content included in the “Ultra Turbo Charged Collector's Edition” is:

Disc 1 - Turbo Kid - DVD - Main Feature + Commentaries

Audio Options: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Dolby Stereo, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles English (SDH), Spanish, French
Commentaries English, French
Disc 2 - Turbo Kid - DVD - Bonus Features

Bloody Wasteland: The Making of Turbo Kid (24 min.)
T Is For Turbo (original short) (6 min.)
Mini Docs: Fantasia, Gore, Stunt, Funny, The Kid, Apple, Zeus
Festival Introductions: BIFFF (Brussels)*, Edinburgh (UK), Sitges (Spain)*
Still Galleries (3): Design/On Set, Fan Art, 'The Ride' booklet
Official Trailer
Trailers from Epic Pictures Releasing
Disc 3 - Turbo Kid - BluRay - Main Feature + Commentaries

Audio Options: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Dolby Stereo, French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English (SDH), Spanish, French
Commentaries: English, French
Website: http://turbo-kid.com/
Facebook: www.fb.me/TurboKidMovie
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@TurboKidFilm , #TURBOKID
Instagram: www.instagram.com/TurboKid1997

Deathgasm (2015)

Bored and put upon teenage heavy metal fans open a portal allowing a demon to cross over. They now have to fight the hordes of hell and find away to end the undead onslaught.

This is an incredibly gory, occasionally funny horror comedy that largely hits all of the right notes while traveling over well traveled ground.

If that sounds like a mixed recommendation it is. I'm very torn about this film. This is a very good film that should have been a truly great one.

Don't get me wrong, this is a very well made and well acted film. The gore effects are first rate. The cast is spot on (even if they all seen 5 to 10 years too old), the problem is that outside of the better special effects, the film doesn't do anything new here. There is a whole subgenre of horror films where heavy metal and demons are linked (BLACK ROSES anyone?). Additionally  coming into play is the genre of people opening demonic doors- we've seen this before.

I would forgive it the cliche plot if the jokes and some of the killings didn't seem like retreads. How many times are we going to see some one bludgeoned to death by his own arms, or have someone complain that his underlings just ruined an expensive rug? If you're a fan of the genre you've seen this before. Admittedly they raided the best jokes from earlier films, but they didn't come up with enough new stuff. (Though I do like the closer)

The one thing that the film gets right is Medina played by Kimberly Crossman. A blonde object of lust for everyone in the film she turns out to be sympathetic to the head bangers. More importantly she turns into one absolute kick ass killer of the undead. Here at last is the next female horror movie character that girls and women can really look up to. She is no shrinking violet and the world and the film is better for it. Frankly she's enough of a reason for me to forget any reservations and tell you to see DEATHGASM.

Actually if you're a horror fan, especially of the truly blood soaked variety and don't mind lots of laughs I think you should give this film a shot. Its a really good film, and while I'm deeply disappointed that it's not a great film, I do think there is enough here for you to see the film when it hit theaters and VOD on Friday.

Very Briefly: HOBBIT BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES

This is more an announcement of a longer piece that is coming- but I've seen BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES.

From the start of the battle to Bilbo and Gandalf parting its as good as the original LOTR series. Finally the film has focus on the plot and characters and not just spectacle. That last bit is as good a bit of filmmaking as I've seen (Its on my best of the year list).

The rest is okay, very messy with much that belongs elsewhere.

The whole series should have been two pared down films

Yes its worth seeing...but realize its not stand alone.

I have much to say once I get through some other life things

Beyond the Edge (2013)

Original Theatrical Poster

This 3D new Zealand lensed documentary commemorating the conquest of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay is a mixed bag. Mixing archival footage (much of it taken from the classic The Conquest of Everest), photos and excellent recreation the film strives to give us a you are there look at what it took to make that first successful ascent of the mountain. Far from a being a bad film I’m kind of left scratching my head as to why, other than the 3D this is getting a theatrical release.

Playing like a well done History Channel or Discovery Channel documentary, with a you are there feel, this is a really good retelling of the assault on the mountain. By bringing together all of the archival material as well threading through audio interviews with the participants as well as the children of the people involved this is a kind of one stop shopping for the story of the climb. It seems to hit all of the right notes and on some level it was cool to see the footage on a big screen even if I question the big screen release. If you’ve never heard the story of the climb this is the perfect place to learn about it

On the other hand I have to wonder why this is being released to theaters? Yes I know the 3D, which really looks great in new climbing footage, but outside of that, why? Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the film but it’s not exciting enough, as I said it’s like a really good TV documentary. For example even though I had reservations about The Summit about a disaster on K2 that film looked great on the big screen and I knew why it was there, this film I’m not. Outside of seeing this in 3D I can’t see paying to see this on the big screen- and even then I don’t think seeing this in a theater will significantly alter the experience if you saw this at home.

It’s a good film, but why is this in theaters?

The film opens tomorrow.

Brother Number One (2012) Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2012

Rob Hamill's story as he travels to Cambodia to testify at the trial of Comrade Duch, the man who ran the infamous S-21 Prison. Duch had been in charge of the prison when Rob's brother's was brought in to be tortured before being executed. Detailing Rob's efforts to find out what happened to his brother and to seek justice, the film tells the story of Rob's family which was wrecked by the killing and of Cambodia which is still struggling to come to terms with what happened almost 40 years ago.

 Good but too long film is a nice look at how the madness of one country filtered out into unexpected places in unexpected ways. Kerry, Rob's brother had never intended to go near Cambodia but his boat was blown that way, thus sealing his own doom. An eye opening film it shows how Cambodia is trying to rebuild it self as it comes to terms with its past. Amazingly we see how some people still cling to the belief that things would have been  better had Pol Pot and his mad cohorts had continued their destruction.

As I said the films 100 minute running time is too much. Rob's quest to find out his brother's fate is much too leisurely. You could easily chop a half hour out of this and not lose anything.

Reservations aside there is a wonderfully bittersweet moment when Rob finds his brother's confession in the archives and finds that his forced confession was full of messages poking fun at his captors, chronicling his torture and sending coded messages to his loved ones, just in case. While the Cambodians didn't care that it was all lies, they never caught on to the unbroken spirit they were going to snuff out.

Definitely worth a look.

Meet the Feebles (1989)

Words kind of fail me…

For almost any other director a movie like Meet the Feebles would be the skeleton in their closet but for Oscar Winner Peter Jackson it’s just one stop on his way to the gold statue.

Feebles is a huge WTF film by anyone’s standards. Essentially a backstage show biz story told with absolutely no good taste and very little decorum, this is what would the Muppet Show would have been like if it was aimed at adults in Times Square in the bad old days. Filled with graphic sex drugs and rock and roll (not to mention some other things that will curl your hair) this is walk in the gutter with puppets.

It’s a film that is going to either make you laugh or make you cringe…and sometimes both at the same time. This ain’t for the kiddies nor for almost anyone else for that matter. Well, anyone with any modicum of good taste. If you like bathroom humor tinged with a great deal of cleverness- this film is for you. If you don’t like jokes from the toilet (literally) stay away.

I’m a fan of the film. I’ve been a fan since Jackson’s first film Bad Taste and was an early adopter of this film simply because he had directed it. Admittedly the film isn’t perfect (some of the humor is a bit too base), but it hits more than it misses thanks to the ability of Jackson and crew to sell what could have and should been a one joke idea into something more.

As I said I’m a fan of Peter Jackson. I’ve liked everything he’s done on some level and think that everything he’s done is worth trying—so long as you know what you’re getting into (since the poop jokes here may make you gag). If you want to see how one of the best film makers in the world developed you should give this film a shot. You should also give it a shot if you like really low brow humor done very cleverly