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    Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

    Kay
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    Annabelle Comes Home (2019)

    Annabelle, Ed and Lorraine Warren’s most dangerous artefact becomes a beacon, attracting and bringing to life all their other possessions when their daughter, her babysitter, and her friend accidentally unleash her.

    Following my previous mediocre reviews on the Conjuring universe after Conjuring 2 (2016), and having been disappointed, frustrated and, in the end, infuriated with The Nun (2018), I will admit I was kind of biased. The strong opening sequence of Annabelle Comes Home, though, got my attention straight away, and the whole duration of the first act and the beginning of the second started proving me, thankfully, wrong. I can’t remember the last time I watched a paranormal horror in broad daylight, and it affected me. By now, Annabelle has my undivided attention. Then, the sun goes down… and so does the story! And I’m screaming, “Why?!?!”. Once again, the cliches take over and degrade the film and all its potential. I’d like to be fair here, though, so I will give you two ghost pros and two cons. Then you watch it if you haven’t already and make up your mind.

    Pros:

    • The Ferryman is innovatively portrayed, and everyone involved deserves a round of applause.
    • Daniela’s sequence in front of the TV is hair-raising.

    Cons:

    • The dismantled by the guitar and reassembled foggy Werewolf. That’s right…
    • The incredible misuse of the samurai.

    I never spoil a film, but the following deserves mentioning. Apologies, but I can’t help it. My greatest disappointment in the film is Daniela’s dead father. So. Much. Potential. Wasted! Daniella is the only one who blames herself for her father’s death, and he shows up accusing her! Big mistake as there are bad and good ghosts (as they point out). A mistake that gets even bigger when he doesn’t save her when she needs him the most, and which is blown out of proportion when Lorraine shares with her at the end that he told her to tell Daniella that she shouldn’t be so hard on herself. I’m not saying anything else. If you disagree, by all means, please let me know. Again, my apologies for the spoilers, but I felt it could not be left unsaid.

    I’ll finish up with a positive. Congratulations to all three girls on their stupendous performances – they are shockingly believable!

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Brightburn (2019)

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    Brightburn (2019)

    A young couple who struggles to have a child adopts an alien boy who crash-lands on their farm and proves to be anything but a blessing in disguise.

    I’m gonna give it a shot in the dark here. I will speculate within reason, but I couldn’t think of it any other way. The film’s origin is common knowledge: DC’s Injustice timeline. DC belongs to Warner Bros. The question that arises is how Brightburn was able to get made without getting a colossal lawsuit from Warner Bros? Here’s where my speculation comes into play. James Gunn asked to produce it only after he signed for The Suicide Squad (2021) – Warner Bros/DC. Which was after he was fired from Disney (and before he was hired back). Warner had no plans for that timeline, they gave it up disguised as an independent project to Sony, there will be no prequel nor sequel, and everyone will be talking about the ending.

    Keeping that in mind, the film is brilliant. It cost approximately $6,000,000, it made $32,893,421, and David Yarovesky and the Gunns gave birth to a child that will never grow up to… (watch it to find out). Brightburn is a horror/sci-fi, and the haters/doubters should understand that the project has never had a future, neither dark nor bright – pun intended. For fans of both genres, the film is a must! Well acted, well-directed and edited, and great visuals. Enjoy the gore!

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Indie, Low Budget, and Utterly Mind-Bending

    Kay
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    Indie, Low Budget, and Utterly Mind-Bending

    Intro/Intention

    Hollywood! The dominant player in the movie business. The place where billions are invested (or just spent ?) every year in a handful of films. Some of them worth their ticket, some of them don’t. Regardless, the films coming out are mostly known to offer a spectacle. Every year, the resolution gets higher and higher, the visual and sound effects more and more impressive, and the final cut on the silver screen more eye-catching than the year before.

    What does it leave the independent cinema with though? Who invests? How much? Under which criteria? The questions are dozens and every answer generates dozen more for each and every one of them. Maybe in the future I’ll sink my teeth into those answers and give you as much information as I can. So, stay tuned.

    In the meantime, I would like to stir the focus on films that independent producers and filmmakers believed in, gathered everything they could invest in, not knowing what the perception of their films would be, and dared to bring to life. My intention is to create awareness and pique your interest in my personal top 5 indie, low budget and utterly mind-bending films (as the homonymous title dictates) that you may or may not have watched or heard of, but if you have, feel free to spread the word. Whether they are your cup of tea or not, whether their message comes across or not, they will definitely open your eyes to… a different kind of cinema.

    The article tips off but is spoilers-free, so enjoy reading!

    The Films

    Predestination (2014)
    A time-travel agent, receives one last assignment that is linked to an early case that changed his life in a way he has yet to discover.

    If you think the logline is perplexing, wait until you watch the film itself. Predestination is the poster child of mind-bending films. An Australian drama/mystery/sci-fi that fries brain cells. Robert A. Heinlein’s short story All You Zombies (1959) has been faithfully adapted – with minor modifications – by the Spierig brothers, who successfully, once more, collaborated with Ethan Hawke six years after the incredible Daybreakers (2009).

    Predestination was funded mostly by Screen Australia USD 5.6M, and it is not known exactly how much more money was invested. As per Box Office Mojo, it made $68,372 worldwide, while IMDb claims $4,824,499. Either way, the numbers are shockingly bad, not encouraging wide releases of films of that sort. It was the fans who made it known because whoever got to watch it picked up the phone and called their nerdy mates to do the same.

    Acting, directing, photography, editing, visual and sound effects, costume design… everything is stupendous. But the story’s and the script’s intelligence is uncanny. John’s quote “I’ve changed so much. I doubt my own mother would recognize me…” is the epitome of what irony stands for and is one of the many quotes that, once you reach the end of the journey, it sends chills down your spine.

    Triangle (2009)
    A yachting trip takes a turn for the worse for a group of friends when the yacht capsizes and they have to take refuge on an ostensibly abandoned cruise ship.

    Triangle is not a slasher horror (as I’ve repeatedly read) and does not rely on jump scares to impress. Also, it is not one of the films where nothing makes sense until the end, leaving you wondering days after, “What on Earth did I just watch?”. Pay attention to the ballroom, the axe, and the message written on the mirror – all references to The Shining (1980), not as a copy but as a way to convey meaning. What does the name of the ship mean? What did it use to represent in the Greek Mythology? Who might the “Driver” be, and how can the dialogue between him and Jess be interpreted?

    Triangle is a British/Australian psychological fantasy/mystery/thriller that did not get the spotlight it deserved. It cost approximately USD 2.8M, did not receive a theatrical release in the US, and did not make its money back. It is not experimental/avant-garde where utterances and actions are open to interpretation. Everything. Happens. For. A. Reason. Writer/Director Christopher Smith delivers a feature that may as well be just over an hour and a half episode of Twilight Zone (1959), and Melissa George, one of the most hidden gems in the Industry, plays the part as she should have. To understand why she acts the way she does, keep an eye even for signs on the road reading “Return Back”.

    Coherence (2013)
    A comet causes a reality warping as a group of friends enjoy their dinner party, descending them into paranoia.

    If you know nothing about the film when you encounter it, keep it that way. Turn the lights off and put the film on! Coherence is not Predestination or Triangle. It is not meticulously scripted and carefully executed. Not everything you see is there for a reason. The dialogue doesn’t create a thorough meaning. Coherence is the paragon of the indie, low-budget, single-location, mind-bending horror/mystery/sci-fi that, through largely impromptu dialogue and genuine reactions, makes you question who you are and/or who you could have been in multiple, alternate, fractured realities. A round of applause for the director, the production team, and the actors who achieved this with $50K in 5 nights, with 2 cameras, in 1 location. The film made $102,617 (doubled its money) but was released in only 7 theatres. By far, it didn’t find a large audience, and its genuine brilliance travelled, once more, through the word of mouth by the real fans of the genre.

    P.S. A piece of advice: Inevitably – but instinctively – you will try to rationalise and keep track of what, why, when, and where. When you start feeling “electroencephalographically challenged”, STOP!

    The Box (2009)
    A man of unknown origin shows up at a married couple’s house with a mysterious box, and inconceivable events make them question the nature of the world as they know it.

    Based on Richard Matheson’s incredible short story Button Button (1970), Richard Kelly, writer/director of the groundbreaking Donnie Darko (2001), co-writes and develops The Box. A drama/fantasy/mystery facing a moral dilemma with arguments and counterarguments that can last for aeons. Even though it is a character-driven story, the events taking place are beard-scratching and thought-provoking. What do we know about the world we live in? Who is in charge? Who is really in charge? Do we want to see or we choose not to? Its philosophy is simple: You are free to choose, you are just not free of the consequences.

    Having been adapted first as a Twilight Zone episode (1986), The Box was released in 2009, and… nothing happens! No one finds out about it. Goes totally under the radar and stays there. “My hope is to make a film that is incredibly suspenseful and broadly commercial, while still retaining my artistic sensibility”. And that’s exactly what he did, it just didn’t become broadly commercial. Kelly travels us back to the suburbian ’70s paying tributes to Carl Sagan and H. Beam Piper (The Day of the Moron). Given a budget of just over $30M, The Box grosses worldwide $33,333,531 and receives nothing but mixed reviews. As a personal note, I highly recommended The Box to numerous friends and acquaintances and the one and only response I got was… “what’s that”?

    The Broken (2008)
    After a woman sees herself driving on a street in London, a chain of obscure and twisted events lead her to an old, broken mirror.

    Last but not least on the list is none other than The Broken. Possibly, the only film of the kind that people know even less than The Box – or at all. Sean Ellis, one of the most underrated British directors – Cashback (2004), dares to write and direct a European standards intellectual drama/horror/thriller that will be imprinted into your brain. Conceptualising the myths surrounding “doppelgängers”, it delves into what the modern, “forward-looking” world – London in this case – considers superstitions, exploring human nature’s obscureness and what may lie beneath the surface. Ellis’ abstract, slow-paced horror will glue you to your seats, but the ominous “RealFeel” cerebral goosebumps come at the end and way past the film’s end credits. Poe-style writing, translated to the big screen, waiting to be comprehended and related to.

    It premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, got one win and one nomination at the Sitges – Catalonian International Film Festival, was a first choice in Horrorfest 2009, and stayed there. As per IMDb, it cost approximately GBP £4M and made a cumulative worldwide gross of USD $889,510. The Broken is a British/French production that has remained widely unknown to this very day.

    Conclusion
    As a young adult, I was blaming Hollywood. I was holding it responsible for producing, promoting, and distributing, among others, micro-budget horrors heavily relying on jump scares, providing spoon-fed answers, and having no substance. But growing up I realised that it only responds to demands. Whatever sells tickets, they produce it. So, is it the audience to blame? Mediocrity sells, is that it? People don’t want to spend the ticket’s value on something they will leave the cinema talking about or keep thinking until they go to bed.

    There is no one to blame really, and there is no point in casting stones. It seems as if thought-provoking films are not meant for the big screen, just for home entertainment. Maybe… the good, old-fashioned cinemas will be getting together the cinephilia aficionados and roof their passion for the antithetical, the alternative, and the experimental. And at the same time, the multiplex in the huge, fancy malls will be satisfying the needs of the masses. It’s a small world, but big enough to embrace diversity and welcome us all in another world within it. The world of film!

    Below, you can find my “reality mind-bending” list of low-, mid-, or high-budget films that actually did make it to the cinemas and created some awareness. Some of them tanked, some made their money back, and very few became blockbusters. It was quite a tough call to choose just five films, but I hope, at least, they represent and support the point I am trying to make.

    Hollywood often runs out of ideas (hence the incalculable reboots and remakes). The few innovative ideas will impress for a while until they are beaten to death and become cliches. Then, out of nowhere, a prodigy will rise from somewhere in the world with an indie, made on a budget of two and a half lemons, and will be “recruited” straight away. The prodigy then will either change the rules as we know them or will become one and the same, blinded by fame and money, sinking into the intricacy of the abyss called Hollywood.

    Prodigy or not, whoever you are, if you are out there filming, please keep changing the rules.

    In alphabetical order:
    Christopher Nolan’s Memento (2000), The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014)
    Darren Aronofsky’s ? (1998), Mother! (2017), Black Swan (2010), The Fountain (2006)
    David Cronenberg’s Videodrome (1983), Existenz (1999), Naked Lunch (1991)
    David Lynch’s every film except The Straight Story (1999) and Dune (1984)
    Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016) / Enemy (2013)
    Giorgos Lanthimos’ Dogtooth (2009), The Lobster (2015)
    Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko (2001), Southland Tales (2006)
    Shane Carruth’s Primer (2004), Upstream Colour (2013)
    Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
    Terry Gilliam’s Twelve Monkeys (1995), Brazil (1985)

    and then…

    Cloud Atlas (2012)
    Enter the Void (2009)
    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
    Gattaca (1997)
    Identity (2003)
    Leviathan (2014)
    Mr. Nobody (2009)
    No Smoking (2007)
    Russian Ark (2002)
    Shutter Island (2010)
    Stay (2005)
    Synecdoche, New York (2008)
    The Butterfly Effect (2004)
    The Machinist (2004)
    The Matrix (1999)
    Tree of Life (2011)

    Websites / References
    • [1] Buckland, W. (2009) Hollywood Puzzle Films. AFI Readers
    • [2] Buckland, W. (2009) Puzzle Films: Complex Storytelling in Contemporary Cinema. Wiley-Blackwell.
    • https://www.allmovie.com/
    • https://www.boxofficemojo.com/
    • http://www.frightfest.co.uk/
    • http://www.horrorfestonline.com/
    • https://www.imdb.com/
    • https://www.metacritic.com/
    • https://www.rottentomatoes.com/

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Light Of My Life (2019)

    Kay
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    Light Of My Life (2019)

    In a dystopian future, where half of the world’s population has been wiped out due to a pandemic, a father is doing everything in his power to protect his kid and their secret from people who will hurt them if they find out.

    Slow-burn indie thriller/drama in which Casey Affleck, both in front and behind the camera, showing without telling, goes the extra mile to realistically portray a world where whole societies and morals are on the brink of extinction or have already totally collapsed. In that world, where no one is to be trusted, a father and his daughter must approach everyone they contact carefully, always assuming the worst.

    Be that as it may, one of the most intriguing aspects of the film is that, simultaneously, you trust some people as much as the kid does but are as suspicious and cautious as the father is.

    You need to take your time with this one. The little action that takes place is definitely worth it. Think of Light of My Life as if you envisage a book you read aloud. In the meantime, place yourself in the father’s shoes and wonder… Could I possibly make it?

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

    Kay
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    The Curse of La Llorona (2019)

    A mother and her two kids are haunted by a malevolent, supernatural presence that turns their lives into a fight for survival.

    So…  My review of The Nun (2018) was bad! La Llorona is not as bad. The great photography gives the viewer an eerie atmosphere, and the acting is convincing. The same major problem exists, though. The messy, inundated with gimmicks and cliches story. I cannot stress enough that the script’s problems cannot be covered by visual or sound effects. In this day and age, jump scares alone don’t make a horror scarier. Only more marketable.

    On one hand, I’m glad the film did well, as Linda Cardellini needs and deserves that spotlight. She’s a really good actress, and we need to see her in major roles more often. It was good to see Raymond Cruz in a film as well. It’s been too long. On the other hand, as long as films like that do well, the producers will keep producing them, and the rest of us will run out of horrors to watch (other than real-life horrors).

    The Conjuring universe has become a bloody “borefest” that one just can’t stop snoozing. I haven’t watched Annabelle Comes Home (2019) yet, so I’ll let you know when I do.

    Damn, I hope it’s better…

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Adapting 300: Mise-en-scène and Visual Effects

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    Adapting 300: Mise-en-scène and Visual Effects

    Logline: In 480 BC, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans marches to Thermopylae to prevent the Persians, the greatest empire the world had ever seen, from conquering the rest of Greece.

    Introduction
    We live in an era where cinema of attractions thrives. Where graphic novel adaptations of superheroes and supervillains have taken over, the box offices and studios heavily rely on them to grow bigger and bigger. Where new marketing techniques are implemented to glue audiences onto every film, making it impossible to miss any. Not long before this era started spiralling out of control and cliffhangers becoming viral online, there was this graphic novel adaptation whose sole purpose was to give justice to its original source.

    Zack Snyder’s 300 (2006) could be criticised in a number of ways. Historically is the most obvious one but one needs to keep in mind that the film has not been adapted from Herodotus’ texts. Its adaptation comes from Frank Miller’s and Lynn Varley’s homonymous graphic novel (1998). Therefore, I would like to focus on that type of filmmaking where the mise-en-scene1 is phenomenally accurately adapted through the extensive use of C.G.I.
    My intention in this article is to research and inform you about my findings regarding this adaptation, how faithful it is, and why certain creative choices have been made behind specific aspects. I hope the analysis below sheds the intended light. Enjoy!

    The Aim
    Zack Snyder’s aim was not a Hollywood blockbuster but an incarnated version of the novel. He wanted the viewers to “live” this experience as if they were reading it; “a world of imagination” where everything is made. (Snyder: 300) The same vision – hence the collaboration – had Frank Miller, who wanted to duplicate the look of the novel “as close to a frame-by-frame, panel-by-panel visual recreation of the comics as you could imagine” and, in doing so, “the composition of the frames is the same; the camera angles are the same; and every line of dialogue, to the word, comes from the comics”. (Leith, 2005)

    Larry Fong, 300‘s director of photography, claimed that “Frank’s book was the blueprint for the look of our film. We were not just making a film using his characters and story, we were specifically making a film out of his book so its style and compositions were integral to everything we were doing”. Miller, among others, quoted that “Movies are an extension that adds the dimension of time, space and movement to colour and composition.” (Williams 2007: A)

    The Elements
    The Wolf
    A young Leonidas, in the midst of the cold, snowy night, is about to confront the wolf…
    And for him to do so, Snyder, the production designer and the visual effects supervisor dissected every storyboard and its corresponding location. They used “a mixture of state-of-the-art animatronics along with a 3-D Computer Generated character” and either practical props, virtual elements, or a combination of the two to make every frame real. (DiLlulo 2007)

    Determining lighting and composition were the first steps in creating the landscape and weather conditions from scratch.

    Greenscreen vs Bluescreen
    Fong mentions that during the preproduction shooting tests they tried everything on greenscreen but the result was not the expected one as they noticed some “weird colour fringing” which could not be explained. Later, they realised it was related to the red Spartan capes contrasting it. Ultimately, the analogy between bluescreen and greenscreen was 90% and 10%, respectively. (Williams 2007: A) Greenscreen was extensively used, only depicting Sparta. Sparta was half built and half C.G. as it was impossible to build it from scratch and impossible to create it purely virtually. (Snyder 2007: A)

    Earth and water are what we only ask for…
    From the moment the three hundred Spartans and Leonidas left Sparta, the real hard work started for Larry Fong and the Visual Effects Supervisor, Chris Watts. Every shot’s mise-en-scene should match their one and only source: the graphic novel! And realism was never the intention… “Our skies are created using a blend and watercolour elements giving the backgrounds a uniquely textured feel without being entirely painted” Fong quoted. Each sequence had to be treated differently as one size did not fit all. (DiLlulo 2007)

    Spartans and Thespians meet before they walk side by side to meet death…
    Frank Frazetta, responsible for the oil paintings of the landscapes, emphasised his ultimate goal: “…to give the film a close interpretation, especially in spirit”. Hence, no natural light or outdoor shooting. Fong adds that even if they had all the money in the world, they would not have accomplished Miller’s atmosphere in the real world because skies, for example, cannot be found in a surrealistic way like the novel’s depiction. Therefore, they kept everything C.G. in order to have them under absolute control without trying to trick the audience about what is real and what is not. (Williams 2007: B)

    All of them lay eyes on the Persian fleet for the first time… With one ship hitting the other, and all of them hitting the rocks… Eventually swallowed by the dark waters…
    Comparing and contrasting the narrative differences between the film and the graphic novel, there are tremendous differences in terms of chronological order but also in terms of emphasis on details. Snyder’s extensive fleet decimation C.G. sequence occupied only two pages in Miller’s novel. Snyder, though, prolonged the agony and dramatised it to the extreme. This is not your average visual effects sequence. This is Snyder’s vision encompassing CGI boats that are “pounded by realistic lookalike rendered waves”. (DiLlulo 2007)

    Blood
    The first day of battle begins… Endless killing and remorseless bloodbath…
    Blood is integral to the “graphic deaths” in the film and the graphic novel. 2-D illustrative blood along with real make-up effects and “fake slabs of flesh” were the key ingredients to the real-like exit wounds. “Our blood is allowed to defy the laws of physics”, Snyder said, justifying the spears thrusting through the Persians, making blood explode from the exit wound rather than the entry point. Other than the two gallons of fake blood used, the rest was all added in post. (DiLlulo 2007)

    Watts kept the artistic impact intact: “When he [Miller] keeps their representation quite graphic, using broad areas of light and shadow to define shapes with little focus on the intricate detail, our approach to the backgrounds, whether C.G. or built, has been to mimic the graphic style”. (DiLlulo 2007)

    The Elephants
    And the elephants were unleashed and armoured and carried the Persians into the battle…
    Even though they were pre-visualised entirely 3-D that path did not yield the desired outcome. The first attempts were no match for Varley’s drawings so, the “wolf’s” tested recipe was applied.

    While constructing the mise-en-scene, though, difficulties were presented when they had to switch from day to light and vice versa for almost every set. The lack of budget made Fong improvise: “The solution was to put up huge ½ CTB Silk3 so everything was slightly blue from the beginning putting us right in the middle of the colour-temperature zone. For a daytime look, we’d just go warmer in the timing and for night we’d go cooler”. A backlight in relation to the overall illumination was another factor that differentiated the daytime look from the nighttime. With constant backlight adaptations, they managed to adjust the dusk, the skies, and the sun. (Williams 2007: A)

    Production designer Jim Bissell stated “It was a matter of taking the most iconographic frames from Frank’s book and build some kind of geography around them, because I don’t think he ever used wide establishing shots in the book”. The first thing Bissell did was to create a 3-D layout study for Thermopylae as a pre-visualization. Therefore, whenever Zack Snyder wanted to go through the battles, they had a concrete model to work on. Adding Photoshop paintings and the model became a solid foundation to experiment with. During pre-visualization, it was decided that in order to shoot both day and night in one studio, especially the surrealistic, picturesque landscapes, they would have to shoot in IMAX4. (Williams 2007: B)

    Representative sequences are:

    • As Xerxes stands atop, his fearless Immortals strike.
    • Leonidas gives one last order.
    • Before glorious death welcomes them to dine with Hades.
    • The heroic, selfless act spread throughout Sparta and unoccupied Greece, resulting in Persian blood soaking the Greek soil for the last time.

    Conclusion
    300 fans and critics were divided. “Action and nothing more”, “C.G.I. is not a goal but a tool”, “American psychological warfare against Iran” (Anil Usumezbas: 2008), to name but a few, represent the criticism surrounding it. Among others, Todd McCarthy compared 300 to Sin City by saying that the former had not really much to offer than more colour, blood, and muscles, adding that cretinous giants, charging rhinos and giant elephants are too little effect. (McCarthy, 2007)

    Maybe criticism will always derive from people who prefer the first version of the story they encounter or even the original medium – whichever comes first. Pascal Lefevre is adamant that films like 300 shouldn’t be judged as successful or unsuccessful adaptations but as films. (Lefevre, 2007) Old Boy, for example, was a disturbing yet successful film where almost none of the Western spectators who watched it had not read (or were not even aware of) the original manga.

    Social media nowadays over-hype commercial films [see Avengers: Endgame (2019)] or condemn them before they are even released [see X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)]. What is going to happen? How is it going to happen? Who is going to make it and who isn’t? The “agonising” anticipation nowadays drives people to the cinema. Whether the satisfaction levels will be met or not in the end is another story for another time. In 300, the audience knew what is going to happen. They knew how it is going to happen. And they knew who is going to make it and who isn’t. They knew it all. Except for the magic behind shooting an entire film that allegedly takes place in Greece’s Mediterranean ecosystem in a single studio. The surrealistic visual illustration that fuses history with fantasy and delivers to the action genre fans.

    Yes, the significance of the beard and the use of the shield have been mitigated, and the historical inaccuracies are beyond counting. But then, none of the actors is of Greek (or Persian) decent, no one speaks ancient Greek, and half of the cast had their chests shaved and went on steroids. The film’s genre is Action/Fantasy/War, derives straight from the graphic novel, and does not try to fool anyone. It comprises 1,523 cuts, of which 1,300 contain 8631 visual effect elements. It knows exactly where it stands and for all the right reasons. Critics missing the creative effort of thousands of people put into this film and focusing on its misinterpretation sounds like a (non)professional attempt to make their name stand out and for all the wrong reasons.

    Notes

    1. Mise-en-scene: In the original French, mise en scène (pronounced meez-ahn-sen) means “putting into the scene”… Film scholars, extending the term to film direction, use the term to signify the director’s control over what appears in the film frame: setting, lighting, costume and makeup, and staging and performance. (Bordwell, Thompson, 13)

    2. C.G.I.: Computer-Generated Imagery: Any image that has been created entirely on the computer. (Goulekas 2001, 71)

    3. CTB Silk: A colour gel or colour filter, also known as lighting gel or simply gel, is a transparent coloured material that is used in theatre, event production, photography, videography and cinematography and to colour light and for colour correction. (Goulekas 2001, 112)

    4. IMAX: A widescreen system that uses 65 mm film running horizontally through the camera to capture an area spanning across 15 perforations. The image area captured is more is more than ten times greater than a standard 35 mm frame and three times larger than a 65 mm frame. IMAX is projected onto a large, curved screen on 70 mm film. (Goulekas 2001, 246)

    Bibliography
    • 300, 2007: A. Directed by Zack Snyder. [DVD: 1], USA” Warner Brothers
    • 300, 2007: B. Directed by Zack Snyder. [DVD: 2], USA” Warner Brothers
    • 300 – The official site. (2007) <http://www.300ondvd.com/300.htm > [Accessed 15 April 2010]
    • Bordwell, D., Thompson, K. (2003). Film Art: An Introduction, 7th ed. New York: McGraw–Hill.
    • DiLullo T. (2007) 300: The Art of the Film, Dark Horse Comics
    • Gordon, I. Jancovich, M. McAllister P. (2007) Film and Comic Books, University Press Of Mississippi / Jackson
    • Goulekas E. K. (2001) Visual Effects in A Digital World: A Comprehensive Glossary of over 7000 Visual Effects Terms, Morgan Kaufmann
    • Leith, S, (2005) Black and White and Noir All Over. Daily Telegraph, p.12
    • McCarthy, T. (2007) Battle of the Bulges. Variety, p. 41
    • Williams, D. E (2007: A) Few Against Many. The American Cinematographer, p.52
    • Williams, D. E (2007: B) The Future Is Now. The American Cinematographer, p.14
    • Usumezbas, A. (2008) The Long Take, Top 10 Comic Book / Graphic Novel Adaptations – On Superheroes And More. Available at <http://www.long-take.com/2008/08/top-10-comic-bookgraphic-novel.html> [Accessed 14 April 2010]

    Thanks for reading!

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    Sucker Punch (2011)

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    Sucker Punch (2011)

    After losing her mother and accidentally killing her sister, a young girl gets institutionalised, mentally withdrawing to an alternate reality to produce an escape plan.

    There is no real need for yet another review on Sucker Punch, but, stumbling upon a horrible critique the other day, I felt like watching it again and writing about it. Directing, acting, cinematography, visual & sound effects, editing, music, casting, costume design, makeup, art direction, stunt coordination, choreography… get 10/10.  The opening sequence alone could be a landmark for montage in 21st-century Hollywood.

    As for the script, this is an excruciatingly dramatic story written and uniquely developed by Zack Snyder. A more symbolic logline could be: A fragile young girl descends into madness after reality hits her harder than she could ever imagine, not even giving her the time or arsenal to defend herself. Possibly the most artistic way of examining the mind’s coping mechanisms in multiple layers. Read between the lines; a huge amount of information is waiting to be discovered. For more spoilers, have a look at this one. Very interesting: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0978764/trivia?item=tr1610675

    It’s always easy to cast stones and judge from the comfort of our couch. To go out there and actually do, though, is what takes real “cojones”. You don’t have to like it. Whoever thinks s/he can do a better job, by all means, give it a shot – and write about your experience. The number of hours and amount of effort put into bringing such a film to life is beyond understanding. If you are passionate about German expressionism, Italian neorealism, experimental/avant-garde, or even art-house cinema and you still decide to watch it and don’t like it… at least don’t attack it.

    They say words are mightier than the sword. Unfortunately, in this case, it proved to be true.

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    Chernobyl (2019)

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    Chernobyl (2019)

    In April 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, causing the most calamitous nuclear disaster in history.

    How outstanding this five-and-a-half-hour TV film/mini-series is is outrageously beyond comprehension. Directing, acting, editing, writing, direction of photography, visual effects, music, art direction, stunt coordination, sound design, costume design, makeup department, and every other department get a lengthy standing ovation… HBO once more proves that the sky is anything but the limit. Released halfway through the last season of Game of Thrones (2011) – HBO again, Chernobyl, at first, went under the radar, and once the former came to an end, it shone as no other mini-series shone ever before.

    Chernobyl will grip you as much as it will terrify you. You won’t even care why the actors speak in their native accents. You won’t even notice. It’s a hauntingly flawless HBO production that perfectly blends history, politics, science, and drama! Behold the atrocious side of human nature unfolding side by side with its oxymoronic, boundless grace.

    If you don’t know the facts, it will lay them out for you. If you no longer remember what happened, it will all come back. If you were in any shape or form affected by the horror, now you will live it again.

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    I Am Mother (2019)

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    I Am Mother (2019)

    Years after the extinction of mankind, a girl, born in an underground facility and raised by an android she calls “Mother”, discovers one day that the outside world is not what she was taught it was.

    Very interesting feature directorial debut from Grant Sputore. I Am Mother is a small-budget, one-location sci-fi that is definitely worth your time. Many questions are raised, some of them answered and, purposefully, some of them not. Read between the lines. Information is carefully revealed and spread throughout the three acts, which paces the story brilliantly.

    Excellent performances by Clara Rugaard and Hilary Swank. Congratulations to Rose Byrne for providing her voice for Mother and Weta Workshop for creating her. Lastly, kudos to all producers and Netflix for spending every penny wisely, proving (once more) that low-budget films have as much or more to offer than Hollywood mega-budget blockbusters.

    Hint: Who is the woman who inexplicably shows up knocking…

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    The Prodigy (2019)

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    The Prodigy (2019)

    A kid’s disturbing behaviour gradually starts signalling that a sinister force might be guiding his actions.

    The “possessed child” theme has been beaten to death. And The Prodigy doesn’t have an original angle. Acting, directing, and cinematography all work well together. Even the idea is – somewhat – solid. Its development to a story and then to a script, though, isn’t. It heavily relies on the sound design for good, old-fashioned jump scares. Now, the editing could have saved a big part of it, but it didn’t. It revealed almost everything in the first act, leaving nothing to the imagination, subtracting the speculation, and consequently, sucking out the mystery. It is not the editing’s fault, though.

    Producers and directors should have realised that the “horror” fans have seen all that already and should have brainstormed for new ideas that keep the genre fresh… and scary!

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    Cold Pursuit (2019)

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    Cold Pursuit (2019)

    After his son gets murdered, a snowplough driver tracks down and goes after everyone responsible for his death.

    Hans Petter Moland, writer/director of films with a unique character such as Aberdeen (2000) and his latest Out Stealing Horses (2019), impresses this time by remaking his own film, In Order of Disappearance (2014) – all three led by Stellan Skarsgård. The film was shot in early 2017 but released only recently. I guess it would have done better had it been released before a controversial interview Liam Neeson gave earlier this year.

    Politics aside, Cold Pursuit is enjoyable, adding some dark comedy to the aforementioned genres, resembling Fargo (1996) and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999). Julia Jones, Emmy Rossum, and Tom Bateman stand out. The original film shares many similarities, especially in tone and rhythm, and both of them make one wonder who Nels Coxman was before.

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    Captive State (2019)

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    Captive State (2019)

    Nine years after alien forces invaded and colonised Earth, an underground movement stealthily plans an attack to fight back.

    This is not the “cinema of attractions”. No Independence Day (1996) effects with marching songs while shouting “we will fight” narrative. Captive State focuses on the world’s political and socio-economic state after the extra-terrestrials colonisation, leaving out the early terraforming practices. As stated next to the title, it is a sci-fi/thriller and not an action film. Political-espionage case scenarios resembling Europe just before WWII cannot be avoided.

    The acting, photography, and directing are solid. If you asked me what I think it lacks the most, I would say emotional investment. I found it hard to engage with the main characters, as they were underdeveloped. Also, the master plan gets too complicated on occasion, even though it offers the desired twist. I guess the script could have gone through a few more rewrites.

    A perfect example of a groundbreaking sci-fi/thriller came only ten years before Captive State and it is none other than District 9 (2009) – Neill Blomkamp’s finest film to date.

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    The Perfection (2018)

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    The Perfection (2018)

    Leaving one of the best music academies as a kid, Charlotte, with a twisted plan in mind, now seeks her old mentor and the younger girl who replaced her.

    Daring, perverted, gruesome, and brilliant at parts, The Perfection utilises De Palma’s split diopter shots, Hitchcock’s shower scene ‘staccato’ editing, and Aja’s unsettling way of conveying paranoia. Netflix’s new horror avoids cliches, scares, amuses, entertains, and gives you a good run for your money. Allison Williams and Logan Browning, accompanied by operatic music, hold no punches, seduce one another, but also ourselves, and steal the show. Excellent directing by Richard Shepard, who masterfully orchestrates everyone and everything. Two things, though:

    Interesting but quite ironic for Miramax to choose such a theme to produce. Also, I wish it didn’t get that explanatory. It doesn’t leave much to think about once the end credits start rolling. Editing should have left certain information out or carefully revealed some of it at the end of the third act.

    Regardless, it is a definite must-see for the Horror fans.

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    Destroyer (2018)

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    Destroyer (2018)

    A broken LAPD detective follows a lead on an old case that led her to the decadent state she currently is in.

    Brilliant concept and even more brilliant execution! Karyn Kusama and Nicole Kidman shine behind and in front of the camera, respectively. Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Sebastian Stan, and Scoot McNairy provide amazing support, completing a film – a masterpiece, I’ll dare to say – that will keep making you question what you know and what you think you know. NOT a Hollywood recipe, and NOT for an impatient audience. It is an existential, slow-burn, dark, indie cop-drama set in two timelines, holding no punches.

    A definite must-watch! You can like it or dislike it afterwards.

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    Rim of the World (2019)

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    Rim of the World (2019)

    Four teenagers meet at a campsite when the world is invaded by aliens, and it is up to them to save humanity.

    Well, well… if I haven’t elaborated before on exploiting kids and races! Anyway, you know what? I’m not going to go through it again. So, let’s focus on the film itself.

    It’s Independence Day (1996) meets Jurrasic Park (1993), meets Stand By Me (1986), meets E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) (and quite a few more) but, unfortunately, it’s neither! Not even close. On the plus side, it’s fun. Made me chuckle a few times. Should you decide to watch it, don’t have any expectations. Put it on and forget your problems for just over an hour and a half.

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    Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

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    Dragged Across Concrete (2018)

    Two suspended cops descend into the criminal underworld as they both struggle financially.

    This is writer/director S. Craig Zahler’s third feature film, which amazes me once more. Cast: Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White, Thomas Kretschmann, Jennifer Carpenter, Laurie Holden, Don Johnson, Udo Kier.

    After Bone Tomahawk (2015) and Brawl in Cell 99 (2017), Dragged Across Concrete is not the shock to the system his previous two films were but lands on screen in a time that “political correctness” has reached its peak. A slow-burn action/crime/drama which infuriates but also entertains with solid acting, writing, cinematography, editing and directing. Realistic and surrealistic dialogues make one think, in either case, how on Earth he came up with that (or why on Earth didn’t I think of that first)?!

    With reviews as low as 0 and as high as 10, you won’t find much in between. Don’t listen to anyone, though (not even myself)! Watch it and see where you stand in this world of violence, corruption, rights but no obligations, and opinionated masses that, no matter what you say or do, will offend… someone.

    The world is what we make of it. I vote for communication and respect.

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    True Detective (2014 – 2019): Reflections on Narrative and Character Development

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    True Detective (2014 – 2019): Reflections on Narrative and Character Development

    Intentions / Purpose

    How do I begin? I guess from the beginning is always a good start…It might, but, on the other hand, is it as interesting? “As interesting as what?” you may ask. As beginning from a different part of the timeline and building up my narrative non-linearly… Maybe I could start by stating some facts that you know, may know, or potentially would like to know and leave the non-linear storytelling for True Detective.

    This article aims to inform and, hopefully, entertain the reader on how and why the narrative works in the series True Detective but also how, the unique character development pushes these three stories forward. At this point, I would like to note that I will make an exception in this instance, and, based on facts, I will walk you through it as I have interpreted over the years, defending or opposing certain praises and accusations. It is a wishful thinking that mypersonal reflection, if you have watched it, will shed some more orjust different light to the way you have interpreted so far, and ifyou haven’t, it will urge you to sit down and watch it with an openmind. Thus, I will not touch at all on plot points or spoil the endings chosen respectfully for any of the three seasons.

    Narrative: An Introduction
    If someone walks up to you and asks, “Have you watched…”, chances are that if you haven’t, you will ask them back, “What’s the story about?” You wouldn’t ask, “What’s the plot about?” In Russian Formalism, one encounters two major elements: the “fabula” and the “syuzhet”. Fabula is the events presented in the story, and syuzhet is the plot, the arrangement of those events in the narrative text.

    To put it plainly, a film’s logline is a story summarised in a couple of lines. How this story develops and unfolds is the plot. You may have noticed, after watching an intricate plot of a film or series, after everything is said, done, and revealed, that there is this natural tendency to piece everything back together in the right chronological order in your mind so it makes sense or is more comprehended.

    The intricacy of this kind of storytelling aims to create an indirect causality pattern. A masterfully told non-linear story constantly raises ambiguity regarding ” what the audience knows and the heroes don’t,” “what the heroes know, and the audience doesn’t,” and finally, “what do all of us think we know and what we actually do?” I think the ultimate convolution presents itself the moment you ask “what is happening” while you are unaware of “when it is happening.”

    True Detective Season 1
    Story
    In 1995, Detectives Rust Cohle and Marty Hard are called in to investigate a young woman’s murder. Evidence points out that she was a victim of a Satanic ritual, and finally, their investigation leads to disturbing and inconvenient truths. Years later, in 2012, they are called in again, separately, for an interview, being scrutinised about the same case and their findings. Unbeknownst to us, the two of them have fallen out and haven’t spoken since 2002. Towards the end of the season, and after their interviews are over, the two men meet again as new…

    Narrative & Character Development
    Cohle: “If the only thing keeping a person decent is the expectation of divine reward, then, brother, that person is a piece of shit – and I’d like to get as many of them out in the open as possible”.

    With themes spanning from “Masculinity and Depiction of Women” to religion, to philosophical pessimism, and more, the first season of True Detective debuted and averaged over 2 million views per episode, becoming one of the most complimented series of all time (as of 2014). Success that raised the disappointment regarding season 2. It makes one wonder why or how a story such as the above can generate such hype. Well, I guess it is not the story. It is its development and the characters within it.

    Cohle (Matthew McConaughey), insightful, charismatic, tough as nails, self-destructive, atheist, pessimist, misanthropist – nihilist even – is obsessed with humanity and, as a consequence, morality’s decay. From the beginning till the end, regardless of the technological advancements, modernity, and comforts throughout the decades, the decay still infects the rotten core of human nature, valuing us less than dogs*it. According to Cohle, anyway…

    Cohle: “I think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution… We are things that labour under the illusion of having a self, that accretion of sensory experience and feelings, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody, when in fact, everybody’s nobody… I think the honourable thing for our species to do is to deny our programming. Stop reproducing, walk hand in handinto extinction; one last midnight, brothers and sisters opting outof a raw deal.”Hard (Woody Harrelson), devoted detective, caring (but not so devoted) family man, quite religious, mows his own loan, pushes for the American dream, and works hard for his daughters to see a better world. Interestingly enough, he doesn’t know who he is. What is he to Cohle? The only one who can be his partner. And that’s due to more than one reason.

    Both Cohle and Hard belong to the highest humanly possible detective level, with the first ranking at the top and the latter at the bottom. But one cannot be without the other. Their intricate personalities, their idiosyncrasies, and their antitheses only reveal how broken in so many different ways both of them are, and, despite their-congeniality, their kindred hatred of the world’s status quo unfolds fluently in an unmistakable, “whodunit-style” narrative.

    From 1995 to 2012 and back, the viewer is constantly glued to their seats, craving to find out how things came to be, what “Carcosa” is (look into it if you are unaware) and how it is related to the narrative, what happened in 2002, what is it that they know and we don’t, and what is it that they don’t know about each other. Ultimately, the subtexts of corrupted politicians, crooked religious institutions, poverty, crime, prostitution, violence, paedophilia, and the notion that everyone is getting away with everything in this world can justify our villainous nature and expand the terror beyond a monster offering human sacrifices.

    Favourite Sequences
    Introducing Cohle.
    “There is a videotape…”
    The Infiltration Tracking Shot.
    Entering Carcosa.

    True Detective Season 3
    Story
    In 1980, Detectives Wayne Hays and Roland West are called in to investigate the disappearance of two children. After their findings are proven to be inconclusive, the case closes, and Hays gets demoted. In 1990, West reopens the case and brings him back, and even though more disturbing and inconvenient truths are revealed, the case closes again. In 2015, towards the end of the season, “Old Man Hays” and his estranged old partner West meet again as new…

    Narrative & Character Development
    Hays: “One thing I learned, the war? Life happens now. Then later’s now, y’know? It’s never behind you”.

    West: See, I always wondered, all these butt-faced pieces of garbage walkin’ the earth, who’s makin’ ’em? I mean, what kind of Frankenstein monsters are out there copulatin’ to create all these hunk of shit people in the world? Then I walk in this bar, and there’s you two givin’ me the answer I’ve been lookin’ for my wholefuckin’ life.

    Past, present, and future, where the future is the present and the present is the past, the story’s unfolding starts on November 7, 1980, the day Steve McQueen died…

    Following the success of season 1, and avoiding the disappointment of season 2, True Detective season 3 takes place not in one but two different full decades and, as with season 1, only glimpses of yet another. This time, despite their differences, the contrast between the two detectives does not revolve so much around their intellectual, political, religious, and skill level but around the interracial mentality of the ‘80s and ‘90s in the US and how that partnership/friendship/relationship brings results in, occasionally, following unorthodox ways.

    Right off the bat, the two missing children in 1980 instigate their search that will throw Hays and West into action. The non-linear narrative then travels us to and fro, never giving us the full picture regarding the crime but also the state of the heroes themselves. From 1980 to 1990, to 2015 and back, the mystery heightens, involving different people and different elements, making the viewer constantly doubt what they know and what they think they do, how on Earth the situation escalated to that level, and what may have caused it. Furthermore, since we live in the present and go through this journey through the “Old Man Hays” eyes, what’s better to experience it if not through his caused by dementia, fragmented mind?

    With no extended, “gratifying” existential monologues, the narrative here focuses on the system’s failure, society’s misconceptions, the voluntary and involuntary perceptual omission of what is in front of us, and last but not least, the reflections of two young and energetic detectives turned old and fragile, inundated with dedication and utmost remorse.

    Favourite Sequences
    The Brett Woodard Shootout.
    Finding Hoyt.
    Tom Purcell’s Breakdown.
    West “Complimenting” Strangers.

    True Detective Season 2
    StoryVinci’s city manager is found murdered. Detective Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell), Detective Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams), and Officer Paul Woodrugh (Taylor Kitsch), the first law enforcement on scene, take charge of the case, all of them with different personal and political agendas in mind. The case then spirals out of control when. Frank Semyon (Vince Vaughn), an ex-mafioso turned legit casino owner, Russians, prostitutes, and corrupt police and politicians are found to be involved.

    Narrative & Character Development
    Velcoro pays a visit to the kid’s house who bullied his kid. Father and son stand by the door, bullies the son in front of the father, beat the life out of the father in front of the son, grab the son by the collar, and look him straight in the eyes: “If you ever bully or hurt anybody again, I’ll come back and butt-fuck your father with your mom’s headless corpse on this goddamn lawn”.

    So, what led to people’s disappointment that made season 3 almost a replica of season 1? What was it that season 2 didn’t achieve but people expected it to do so? What is the nature of people’s letdown? Some went as far as getting insulted by it.

    The first instalment of True Detective is a police drama, taking a new approach to the franchise. In terms of character development, the differences and similarities with seasons 1 and 3 hide behind blurry lines. According to the vast majority, there is more than one elephant in the room here, both in narrative and character development: It is set in one timeline, and the protagonist is not as philosophical.

    Did it generate as many quotes as season 1? It certainly did not. But neither did season 3, which followed the same recipe. Is it as metaphysical? No, but why should it be as? Does it focus on two detectives and contrasts the differences between them? No, but it focuses on four main characters and the dysfunctional partnership/relationship amongst them surrounding their professional duties, society’s misconceptions, common and separate unforeseen enemies, and their personal shenanigans, dubious backgrounds, and fears that drive and determine their life decisions.

    Velcoro is an insightful, dishevelled drunkard who raises and wholeheartedly loves a kid whose father is his ex’s rapist. Bezzerides is a lonely, damaged core feminist who takes on the world. Woodrugh is an ex-marine not to be messed with, whose closeted homosexuality makes him hate himself more than his foes. And all three of them are top-shelf in what they do! Throw in a conspiracy, high-level corruption, and pure decadence, and there is nothing to doubt about this season’s quality.

    Favourite Sequences
    Visiting the Bully.
    Bezzerides in and out of Mansion.
    Midday Shootout.
    Woodrugh’s Solo Mission.

    Conclusion
    The subtexts are not far off from one another. Look closer, and you will identify the patterns. I can understand the need for the first season’s events’ deeper exploration and elaboration, but expecting a different story to be told the same way and yield “better” results than the original is utopic. Narratives and characters are meant to be explored and developed in different ways. Trial and error is part of the process, beats stagnation, and leads to the evolution of storytelling as we know it. It is my humble belief that we shouldn’t be casting stones. What if we took a step back and tried to understand why a story is chosen to be told in a certain way? Maybe accept the creator’s vision of the story’s setup and confrontation, and the way chosen to convey meaning is meant to be understood rather than condemned. And finally, stop expecting, start accepting, make it to the resolution and wonder: “What if the ending isn’t really the ending at all…”

    Thank you for reading!

    Suggested Bibliography

    • Bordwell, D. (1989) Making Meaning: Inference and Rhetoric in the Interpretation of Cinema. Harvard University Press.
    • Bordwell, D. (1985). Narration in the Fiction Film. Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press.
    • Chambers, R. W. (2004). The Yellow Sign and Other Stories. Call of Cthulhu Fiction.
      Cobley, Paul. “Narratology.” The Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
    • Kisak, P. F. Narratology: “The Study of The Narrative” Vol. 1 & 2. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Steiner, P. (2016). Russian Formalism: A Metapoetics. Cornell University Press.

    Thanks for reading!

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    The Story of 90 Coins (2015)

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    The Story of 90 Coins (2015)

    Love and aspiration battle in a young fashion designer’s head when she is about to make the decision of her life.

    If there is anything worse than something preventing you from achieving your dream, that is someone preventing you from doing so… 90 coins in 90 days that will glue you to your seats for 9 minutes. Directorial debut for Michael Wong, who hits the nail with a short drama portraying the gut-wrenching feeling of slowly losing love to an idle, utopic, pseudo-promising dream.

    Brilliantly directed, edited, and acted, The Story of 90 Coins serves as a memory that comes and goes in waves, blending two peoples’ lives the way they would like to remember them and the way they actually were. A memory that will lead them to find eternal love or lose themselves forever.

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    The Tattooist (2018)

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    The Tattooist (2018)

    The art of tattoos and the unprecedented darkness of the artist.

    Have you ever been to an under-2-minute short film festival? The Tattooist is the poster child of their accomplishment. Terror, paranoia, and unfathomable blackness are synopsised in a minute and twenty seconds of ungodly, deranged insanity.

    A short film by producer, writer, and director Michael Wong that needs exploring and expanding and so hope to see it becoming a feature in the very near future.

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    Escape Room (2019)

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    Escape Room (2019)

    For a chance to win $10,000 finding their way out of a challenging escape room, six strangers must work together for, ultimately, a chance to save their lives.

    Right… So… If you are under 15 y/o: Enjoy the characters’ dynamic, the kind of far-fetched yet enjoyable riddles, and the brilliant production design, art direction, and set decoration.

    If you are over 15 y/o: You can still watch it if you want to, but I would go for something more extravagant: Cube (1997), The Experiment (2001), Identity (2003), Exam (2009), Triangle (2009), The Killing Room (2009), Coherence (2013), or The Belko Experiment (2016).

    And these are just on the top of my head. There are dozens more. Two things about Escape Room: When the producers imply that there will be more, they shouldn’t be giving away so much information in the end. It destroys the mystery by answering most of the burning questions. On the other hand, if I had to recommend it, that would be for… Taylor Russell and Deborah Ann Woll!

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    The Raid 2 (2014)

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    The Raid 2 (2014)

    Straight after the raid’s massacre, Rama goes undercover to expose the corruption within the police force, no matter how deep the rabbit hole goes.

    There have not been many sequels that were expected to be better than the first instalments. Especially when the ones that spawned the sequels were shockingly good. Well, The Raid 2 is one of these exceptions, with Gareth Evans and Iko Uwais pushing the bar to the limit.

    Starting two hours after The Raid: Redemption (2011) and ending up two years later, The Raid 2‘s uncut violence almost tripled the body count, got banned by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia, was censored in the US, got an audience member faint at the Sundance Film Festival world premiere and mesmerised millions of martial arts fans, and action junkies all over the world.

    Although the first cut is around three and a half hours long, the final cut is still almost 50 minutes longer than the first “Raid.” It features 150 minutes of gory deaths, phantasmagoric car chases, extreme martial arts, over 60 types of guns, police corruption, mob hits, Rama going berzerk, and… “Hammer Girl,” “Baseball Bat Man,” and “The Assassin.”

    Directing, Editing, DOP, Choreography, Stunt coordination, and all cast and crew deserve a standing ovation. The opening sequence is amazing, and the second act is stunning. The grand finale fight scene took 6 weeks to prepare and 8 days to film. It’s an ABSOLUTE MUST!!!

    P.S. If you are interested, this is how Gareth Evans shot the “how-the-f@!#-did-they-do-that” car chase scene (IMDb, 2019)

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    The Raid: Redemption (2011)

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    The Raid: Redemption (2011)

    When a S.W.A.T. team raids a 30-storey building run by a drug dealer and his army, the tables turn, and the hunter becomes the prey.

    After Merantau (2009), Indonesian-born Iko Uwais collaborates for a second time with Welsh-born Gareth Evans, and a low-budget action/thriller turns into a high-octane, brutal, fast-paced, bloody massacre. The Indonesian, indigenous martial art style Pencak Silat faces numerous other martial arts worldwide. Combining fists, elbows, knees, kicks, ground techniques, locks, and more, people fly down the stairs and go through doors, walls, and windows. To top it up, they get chopped up by knives, machetes, and swords and have their brains blown up by pistols, shotguns, machine guns, and grenades in “30 Floors of Chaos”. Another day in the office…

    Highly recommended for action-packed film lovers and an example to follow for the big-budget, nonsensical blockbusters. Also, Yayan Ruhian and Joe Taslim will make your jaw hit the floor!

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    Revenger (2018)

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    Revenger (2018)

    An ex-cop shows up on a prison island, shared by 12 Asian countries, where convicts are left to die, with the sole purpose of finding his family’s killer and avenging their death.

    This one went totally under the radar. The story doesn’t even remotely resemble something that could have happened in reality, so if you decide to watch it, don’t pay too much attention to the parts that don’t make too much sense. Why would you watch it, then?

    Bruce Khan! As per IMDb, he is the holder of:

    • A 4th-degree black belt in Hapkido,
    • A 4th dan in Korean Karate,
    • A 5th dan in Korean Kwal Bup,
    • A 4th dan in Korean Kyeoktooki.

    And he is a lot more than that as a person. Like Bruce Lee, he had a severe back injury only to come back stronger. Hats off! He possesses agility, accuracy, speed, and power. Honestly, I was unaware of the chap, but I’m glad I got to know him. Certainly, I would have omitted certain characters and sequences in the film, but once you watch it, you’ll see why it was worth your while. Enjoy!

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    Triple Threat (2019)

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    Triple Threat (2019)

    Mercenaries unite to protect the daughter of a billionaire, who becomes the target of an elite assassins’ group.

    Triple Threat is NOT, I repeat NOT, to be compared, contrasted, or associated in any way with Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003), the Undisputed franchise (2006-2016), The Raid: Redemption (2011), The Raid 2 (2014), The Night Comes for Us (2018), or any other film of that level.

    It’s a real shame to have names such as Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Tiger Hu Chen, Scott Adkins, Celina Jade, Michael Jai White, and Michael Bisping in one film and get that result. But the film’s duration warned me even before watching it. So, I was pretty sure this would be disappointing; I just didn’t know how disappointing it was.

    In about an hour and a half, we have:

    • Undeveloped characters that no one really cares about.
    • Bad acting / No chemistry between the actors.
    • Obvious difficulty for non-native English-speaking actors to express themselves.
    • Mediocre action / inconsistent fighting skills.
    • And the biggest problem that begets all problems: Horrible writing! I mean… Horrible!!!

    It is not in my idiosyncrasy to write negative comments just for the fun of it or to attract an audience, so I’ll stop here. Prachya Pinkaew, Gareth Evans, and Timo Tjahjanto have raised the bar so much that newer directors and even themselves will have to go the extra mile to keep delivering the jaw-dropping action/thriller films they have been delivering so far.

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    The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)

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    The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)

    A kindergarten teacher – and aspiring poet – becomes obsessed with one of her students, who possesses a unique gift.

    The Kindergarten Teacher is not just another film about a child prodigy but rather a film about a caring and sensible adult who sees and wants to act on everything that is wrong with today’s world. Unfortunately, in the process, she loses the battle as she becomes obsessed with a kid who is everything she would like to be.

    Strong suit: The meticulous character development that builds up, escalates and justifies the teacher’s fascination, and the line that draws and gradually oversteps, turning it into fixation and borderline paedophilia – Maggie Gyllenhaal is incredible.

    I’m not an expert in poetry, but I think it’s the film’s weakest point. In films such as Good Will Hunting (1997) or Gifted (2017), the charisma itself speaks volumes regarding why that particular kid or young adult is special. Here, (once again I’m not an expert) I found the kid’s poems… nothing much. And when an adult poetry class finds them extraordinary, I can’t help but wonder why. If I walked into a poetry class reciting those poems, I would look around me next only to see faces staring at me with a “wtf” expression. But I might be entirely wrong, so don’t quote me on that.

    I admire Netflix for its diversity, which proves time and time again that it’s not afraid to expand its horizons, pleasantly surprise its subscribers, and give them value for their money.

    P.S. I can’t remember the last time I watched a Maggie Gyllenhaal film that she didn’t have sex in it. #justsaying

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    Bumblebee (2018)

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    Bumblebee (2018)

    With Cybertron at war, Optimus Prime sends B-127 (Bumblebee) to Earth to establish a base for the Autobots and protect the planet.

    Bumblebee, Travis Knight’s first live-action film, is a prequel to Transformers (2007). It takes a more classic look at the original cartoon series. The opening sequence reminded me of my childhood, but my nostalgia faded upon Bee’s arrival on Earth. Memories were temporarily restored halfway through, watching the tunnel from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Back to the Future II (1989) again.

    Stereotypical American bimbos meant to be hated, stereotypical American jerks no one could care less about, stereotypically American army being thick as pigshit, and main characters that I would love if it was actually 1987 and I was 5. Did I mention that the storyline was so predictable?

    To be fair, Bumblebee’s final battle against Shatter and Dropkick was quite impressive.

    P.S. OK, it was funny when “Bee” ruined blondie’s car.

    P.P.S. Steve Jablonsky where are you???

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    Papillon (2017)

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    Papillon (2017)

    Convicted for a murder he didn’t commit, Henri Charriere is sent to the Devil’s Island, where, along with a fellow inmate, they plan an escape of a lifetime.

    Based on Charriere’s memoirs, directed by Michael Noer – R (2010) and Northwest (2013) – and written by Aaron Guzikowski, Papillon didn’t get the publicity it deserved. Was it because people (or critics) thought that Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek couldn’t replace Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman, respectively? Was it because the story wasn’t known to today’s era audience? Or is it maybe because classic films should be left alone and be remembered for what they achieved when they were made?

    Directing, acting, scripting, photography, soundtrack, and costume design all work individually and fulfil their purpose. The editing is disruptive, though, unfolding the story intermittently. Surely, there must be an “Editor’s Cut” or “Director’s Cut” version. It seems as if scenes, even sequences, have been omitted from the final cut. These scenes are crucial to the story elements that would make the audience engage more with “Papillon’s” suffering.

    Overall, it is a very decent, intense, and gritty remake, and the cast and crew deserve to be recognised for this effort.

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    He’s Out There (2018)

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    He’s Out There (2018)

    A family vacation at a lakehouse becomes a nightmare for a mother and her two young daughters, who become part of a psychopath’s deranged fantasy.

    The oversaturation got me thinking from the opening shot. “Is there a purpose”? “What does this offer to the story”? Anyway, the story itself showed signs of unoriginality since the early stages. The journey started, and they made it to the house. Thankfully, the tension started building up and becoming interesting. And then, the uncreativeness came back stronger and ruined the film with many cliches and a high improbability.

    Yvonne Strahovski has proven to be a versatile actress with tremendous potential. Even in a film like He’s Out There, she’s very convincing and was the only reason I watched the film. Anna and Abigail Pniowski are not to blame for their performances here. This burdens solely the director.

    It’s a shame, really, as the potential was there. “Old wine in a new bottle” doesn’t mean copying randomly (and badly) existing, successful styles, mixing them up, and pasting them into a new movie.

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    Triple Frontier (2019)

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    Triple Frontier (2019)

    Five ex-Special Forces soldiers band together one last time to rob the money of a cocaine cartel boss in South America, where everything can go wrong.

    While watching the opening sequence, I thought, “Netflix hit the nail again!” The moment I started to get to know the characters, I thought, “I hope the cliches stop here.” As the story started unfolding, the pit of cliches got full before half-way.

    Really shame. The photography is infallible. Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund, and Pedro Pascal are brilliant actors, yet none get the opportunity to develop their characters fully. J.C. Chandor, an equally brilliant director who was behind the camera of great films such as Margin Call (2011), All is Lost (2013), and A Most Violent Year (2014), delivers a film this time that does not have one memorable shot. The same applies to editing, where no sequence has anything unique or something to discuss.

    All these are minor, though. The main problem is the script. I don’t know how many times I’ve said it before, but I know how many times I’m going to say it – countless!

    “You can’t fix a bad script after you start shooting. The problems on the page only get bigger as they move to the big screen.” — Howard Hawks.

    Besides the action’s inconsistencies and the undeveloped characters, the biggest blow is the dialogue. It is extremely poorly written, and the shocking part is that the aforementioned A-list actors were OK with it. It is beyond me, so I’m gonna leave it there.

    Should you decide to watch it, I hope you enjoy it.

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    Found Footage: Chronicles of Horror, Realism, and Case Studies

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    Found Footage: Chronicles of Horror, Realism, and Case Studies

    “Found Footage” can be and has already been applied to numerous genres throughout the years, sometimes successfully, sometimes not so much, and on occasion not at all. What triggered it, though? How has it failed and succeeded? What marketing ideas were implemented in the process? What has been the magnitude of its implications? What does the future hold for it?

    On this occasion, I am focusing on its application to the horror genre, and more particularly on the ones that caused certain confusion. With the intention of informing but also entertaining, I dug up some information and clues that shed some light on the aforementioned questions. Before I sink my teeth into it, though, I’ll start with the most basic question: What is “found footage”?

    “Found Footage” is a film subgenre where, partially or in its totality, the events that occurred have been recorded by the actors themselves and allegedly found, collected, and put together afterwards. In the horror genre, that serves the purpose of realism; what the viewer sees on the TV or the big screen has “actually” happened. In this case, whoever is watching bites their nails over the poor souls who have “documented” the last moments of their lives(?)

    So… How did it start?

    The Unintentional Beginning

    Sunday, October 30, 1938: Before Orson Wells became the filmmaker we all know, he adapted, performed, and broadcasted H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds (1898), a Halloween episode from his radio drama anthology series The Mercury Theater on the Air. Presented in a news bulletin format, it caused mayhem for a brief period as numerous listeners truly believed that an alien invasion was actually happening.

    The Intentional Adaptation

    1989 (yes, just the year): A filmmaker finds and puts together a bunch of tapes dating back to 1983 from a little girl’s birthday party that gets disrupted when a UFO lands near their house. For many years, not too many people knew much about this film, and UFO fanatics were claiming that this was not a fictitious film and that these were events shot and recorded from a family member’s home video camera. There is mythology aplenty surrounding it to this very day, but for all intents and purposes, here are some facts…

    U.F.O. Abduction (1989): The filmmaker’s name is Dean Alioto, and the film is “U.F.O. Abduction.” Alioto wanted to achieve Orson Well’s “The War of the Worlds” (1938) effect on videotape. And he did! UFO fans, some of them to this day, erroneously believe that the UFO landing, alien home invasion, and abduction indeed happened, and the film is the “found footage.”

    The reality is far less exciting as the film was nowhere to be found for years due to the fact that the master tape was destroyed in a warehouse fire. In 2003, when the subgenre had not been created yet, Alioto started selling VHS copies via email which enhanced the urban legend behind the movie. In 2018, he remastered DVDs and digital downloads that became available from the movie’s official website. In July 2012, the United States Film Board had to go public, stating that “U.F.O. Abduction” is a fictional production by a professional filmmaker. Still, some people perceive it as an actual “found footage”.

    Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998): Before “U.F.O. Abduction’s” restoration and promotion, Dean Alioto remade the film without known production issues this time. Going through numerous reviews, I can only assume that its perception heavily relied on whether people were aware of the first one’s existence. And since “found footage” was not a horror subgenre yet, its viewers perceived it either as the real deal, a cheap “wannabe real”, a hoax, or just a… different horror film. However, despite the commotion and people’s cinematic unawareness, Dean Alioto cannot be credited as the “father”.

    Pioneer and Innovator

    Ruggero Deodato! The Italian filmmaker who took all the risks laid the foundation and paid the price. Cannibal Holocaust (1980) was the instigator of the subgenre that officially became one almost twenty years later. The story follows a rescue mission into the Amazon rainforest, where a professor comes across a film shot by a lost documentary crew. The question is, if it was so important or if it had such an impact to the film industry why was it not established, perpetuated or evolved? Nowadays, we claim that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Let’s go back almost forty years…

    • Arguably, the most gory film ever made.

    • The second and only part of the “Cannibal Trilogy” that truly shocked the audience but also the authorities.

    • The film was based on an actual documentary crew that died exploring a cannibalistic tribe in Africa.

    • Upon its premiere in Milan, the court seized the film, and Ruggero Deodato was arrested.

    • As the cast had signed contracts to disappear for a year after the film was shot, Deodato faced accusations of first-degree murder for “killing” the actors on screen. Eventually, the actors were contacted, they showed up in court, and Deodato’s charges were dropped.

    • Even though the actors did not die, the animals did.

    • According to numerous sources, it was banned from 50 countries.

    • Ultimately, Deodato stated that he regrets making this film now and wishes he had never done it.

    The Birth of a Sub-Genre

    18 July 1999: Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick wrote and directed The Blair Witch Project where, in October 1994, three film students travelled into a Maryland forest to make a documentary on a local urban legend called “Blair Witch”. So, even though it is not the instigator of the “found footage” horror, and it is not original, why is it the one that popularised it? Facts:

    • The three principal actors’ and actresses’ names have been entered as themselves on IMDb and, prior to the film’s release, were listed as missing or presumed dead. The idea wildly enhanced the concept of it being an actual “found footage” documentary/horror.

    • Interviews with family members and allegedly experts were not included in the film but were used successfully for marketing purposes.

    • Shot in approximately 8 days (and edited in approximately 8 months) on an estimated $60,000 budget (and $25m to market), the film grossed a worldwide $248,639,099, entering the Guinness Book of World Records.

    • The directors misled the actors, making them believe that the “Blair Witch” legend actually exists. The townspeople interviewed were planted by the directors.

    • A lot of theatregoers were experiencing nausea due to the camera shakes. In some theatres in Toronto, the ushers asked easily nauseated patrons to be seated by the aisle seats so they don’t throw up on others.

    • The film’s impact was such that, upon its theatrical release, the hunting season in that forest was among the worst in years as the ‘believers’ had been camping all around the forest looking for the “Blair Witch” – scoring all wildlife away.

    • Heather Donaghue’s mother received numerous sympathy cards from people who watched the film or heard about it, believing that Heather was either dead or missing in the forest.

    Fun fact: There is a fan-based popular theory that the “Blair Witch” is a fabrication by Joshua and Michael used as a plot device to lure Heather into the woods and murder her. If true, upon the film’s success, did the directors and producers let it slide?

    From Popular to Successful

    16 October 2009: 29 years after the “Cannibal Holocaust”, 20 years after “U.F.O Abduction”, and 9 years after the almost forgotten “Blair Witch”, some unknown to the public guy with no previous record whatsoever shows up and revives the subgenre. His name is Oren Peli. What do we know about him? Not much. I’ll tell you what we know about his work, though…

    Paranormal Activity (2007). Yes, I know. It wasn’t released until two years later.

    • Shot in 10 days, entirely at Peli’s house, with a home digital camera, the film cost around $16,000 and made $193,000,000 worldwide.

    • Peli’s directorial debut caused dozens of people to leave the cinema during the test screenings, as they couldn’t take the intensity.

    • Steven Spielberg had to stop watching halfway through as he couldn’t take it.

    • No studio logo appears, as neither opening nor closing credits whatsoever.

    • Upon release, there was a lot of confusion as to whether the events recorded actually happened or not.

    Past, Present, and Future

    Arguably, fear is one of our strongest emotions and, to a certain extent, guides the choices we make in our lives. The “found footage” type of filming has not found significant success outside the horror genre. Why? Possibly because the illusion of realism gets lost. It is more obvious to the viewer that it is not true, so why watch something in a documentary-style with a nauseating, shaky camera?

    Following Cannibal Holocaust, and in between the aforementioned case studies, a lot of filmmakers from various countries have tried the recipe in a number of genres but mostly in horror. Causing no doubt as to whether the recorded “events” happened or not, below, are some of the exceptions to the rule where “pseudo-documentaries” have found some critical and/or financial success.

    • “Man Bites Dog” (Belgium/1992)

    • “The Collingswood Story” (USA/2002)

    • “Zero Day” (USA/2003)

    • “Noroi: The Curse” (Japan/2005)

    • “Exhibit A” (UK/2007)

    • “REC” (Spain/2007)

    • “Cloverfield” (USA/2008)

    • “District 9” (South Africa/2009)

    • “Trollhunter” (Norway/2010)

    • “The Tunnel” (Australia/2011)

    • “V/H/S” (USA/2012)

    • “Project X” (USA/2012)

    • “Afflicted” (2013/Canada)

    • “Creep” (2014/USA)

    • “The Visit” (2015/USA)

    The latest – not well known but worth watching – “found footage” horror I watched and even spoke with the director was Butterfly Kisses (2018). Once again, some of the actors appear by their names on IMDb, and the director adds extra layers and depth by jumping on board himself, making a film on a documentary that researches a documentary on a student project (very “Inception”). Another interesting addition was the interviews of Matt Lake and Eduardo Sanchez, author of Weird Maryland and writer/director of Blair Witch Project, respectively, deconstructing the “found footage” and urban legends.

    By now, the illusion of realism is gone in all genres. It is highly unlikely that the audience will nowadays watch a “found footage” film and wonder if the events occurring have actually happened or if the actors are portraying themselves or not. More or less, everyone has seen everything and trained accordingly. What is left of the “found footage” subgenre to explore? Can it evolve somehow? Will it just stagnate? Is it dying out?

    References and Further Reading

    Thanks for reading!

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    Serenity (2019)

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    Serenity (2019)

    A struggling fisherman, obsessed with catching a particular fish, finds a new purpose when a mysterious woman suddenly shows up on his little island.

    Difficult to say much without giving away spoilers. Acting and cinematography are Serenity‘s strong suits. Directing and editing do their best to reveal the right information at the right time, keep the suspension at the highest level, and keep the viewer constantly engaged. Does it work? Not for the majority of it. Why?

    I have the suspicion that reading the script would reveal the film’s good intentions. On-screen, this is not the case. The story itself is all over the place, and that heavily affects character development. The film is definitely not as bad as some claim it is, but with an A-list cast and crew, certainly one would expect more.

    As with any other film, watch it and shape your own opinion. You might like it, you might not. At least, you’ll know the reason(s) why.

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    Scenic Route (2013)

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    Scenic Route (2013)

    Two lifelong friends decide to go on a journey following the scenic route, but their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere and surfacing suppressed feelings of a lifetime.

    Indie, low budget, and absolutely stunning! The Goetz Brothers’ Drama/Thriller, penned by Kyle Killen, disguises itself as a dark comedy and makes you laugh out loud with its sheer brutality and Josh Duhamel’s and Dan Fogler’s raw, natural talent. Laugh out loud and, admittedly, think to yourself, “Damn, I wish I had said that when…”. The thought-provoking and carefully written story, the meticulous mise-en-scene, and the profound acting create a highly entertaining and compelling journey of self-discovery.

    Beware though! As much as the journey is a reward, this destination is a spine-chilling thrill. With a jaw-dropping twist that glues you to your seats, the grand finale, accompanied by Mike Einziger’s mesmerising soundtrack, takes your breath away and stays imprinted long after the end credits scroll down.

    Don’t miss out!

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    Animal World (2018)

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    Animal World (2018)

    Haunted by his personal demons, a man finds himself struggling with an unbearable debt and enters a world of obscure gambling where every move might be his last one.

    Epically mental! An amalgamation of Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010) and Sucker Punch (2011), masterfully put together with pure Chinese artistry and temperament. A remake of the Japanese film Kaiji Ultimate Gambler (2009) – an adaptation of the “Kaiji” manga series – Animal World mesmerises straight from the opening sequence and earns its stripes in the evolution of Chinese cinema.

    Through brilliant editing, directing, and visual effects that bring the hero’s cognitive manifestations to life, director Yan Han unfolds a world within a world. A cosmos where love, brotherhood, perseverance, loyalty, and betrayal lead to one’s self-discovery and ultimately… their destiny. A journey reveals that math’s complexity pales compared to human nature’s intricacy. A life’s lesson that man came from an animal… and still remains one.

    For Shiying. Thank you!!!

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    Upgrade (2018)

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    Upgrade (2018)

    In a world where technology controls every aspect of life, a technophobe not only finally embraces it but also upgrades himself to solve his wife’s murder.

    Producer/Writer/Director Leigh Whannell, who penned the script for Saw (2004), and Blumhouse Productions bring to life an action/thriller that mustn’t go unnoticed. Logan Marshall-Green gets into the role and does a brilliant job as an ordinary man who’s going through… an upgrade and comes out extraordinary.

    Visual effects help the story move forward, and the story itself easily avoids cliches and gimmicks. It is a highly recommended, low-budget sci-fi set in an ostensibly utopian future but with much more realism than meets the eye.

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    Wheelman (2017)

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    Wheelman (2017)

    A bank robbery goes awry for a getaway driver who tries to figure out who double-crossed him while finding a way to save his and his family’s life.

    Frank Grillo at his best. Realistic action hero in a high-octane, low-budget film. Netflix always hits the nail when they decide to go behind productions like this one where, more or less, everything goes right. Right tempo, duration, and balance between action, crime, and mystery. Feature debut for writer/director Jeremy Rush, who starts off really strong.

    Claustrophobic at times, gripping, edgy, and engaging, Wheelman is, thankfully, not your typical Hollywood blockbuster with unnecessary explosions and nonsensical CGI. The best value for money you can get, and highly recommended for Frank Grillo and action-fueled film fans.

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    The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

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    The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)

    In times of war and reason, Baron Munchausen inspires with a story of a lifetime that bypasses reality and goes down the rabbit hole of evocative fantasy and mythical adventure.

    From Constantinople to the moon, the centre of the Earth, the belly of the beast, and back, Baron Munchausen travels towards fabled worlds, encountering heroes and deities. Nostalgia, love, dreams, childhood innocence and hope rise up through Munchausen’s escapades. A social commentary inspired by the Odyssey… delineated in a British aristocratic manner.

    As one of my first cinematic experiences, Terry Gilliam makes me reminisce about my childhood years and how I used to see the world. Where, like in the film, reality and imagination blend into one and shape a harmless world where even the abhorrent tragedy of war can be a lot easier to swallow, and man’s cruelty is tolerable.

    John Neville, Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Jonathan Pryce, Uma Thurman, Robin Williams (unpaid and uncredited), and the rest of the cast shared Gilliam’s vision of a better world than ours and supported him in seeing it through, as the unfathomably humongous production complications wouldn’t stop appearing.

    But reality’s misfortunes were defeated by prevalent, mythical will that projected it eventually to the silver screen.

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    Overlord (2018)

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    Overlord (2018)

    An American airborne unit lands in Nazi-occupied France only to discover a horror beyond the Nazis.

    Brutal, savage, and sadistic, Overlord keeps you on the edge of your seat. If there is anything worse than the Nazis, that is the realization of their twisted psychosis. Focusing on “Operation Overlord”, an operation that took place in parallel with “Operation Neptune” (both of them put together became known as D-Day), J.J. Abrams produces Julius Avery’s historical horror where Band of Brothers (2001) meets the Night of the Living Dead (1968).

    Strong first act with an even stronger opening sequence, practical visual effects that beat CGI every single time, and acting that makes its implausibility easy to swallow. Is it flawless? Nope. Is it to be taken seriously? Not really. Does one forget their problems for almost two hours and get sucked in? Hell. Yeah.

    A lot of unnecessary negativity surrounds the film, but people tend to overlook sometimes why a film could have possibly been made, the purpose it might serve, and the unpredictable outcome an experimental genre mixture may have.

    I’ve said this before, I’m saying it again, and I will keep on saying it: I don’t aim at the film but the intentions behind it.

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Hollow in the Land (2017)

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    Hollow in the Land (2017)

    While their father is facing time for his notorious crime, two siblings, just for having his name, have to face society.

    Dark, existential, real, and made in Canada! Low-budget, indie film that went under the radar due to mostly negative reviews. The depiction of a small society can be negative for numerous reasons, but it can also be painfully realistic. Every character plays a role that moves the story forward towards a path that human perception of love, bigotry, reputation, and family values counts and shapes society as we know it.

    Feature debut of the very promising writer/director Scooter Corkie with Dianna Agron, Shawn Ashmore, and Jared Abrahamson leading strong. Daring and thought-provoking, Hollow in the Land deserves your attention as it opens the door to the kind of cinema that impresses with its simplicity while portraying something so intricate… Us!

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Creed II (2018)

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    Creed II (2018)

    Ivan Drago has a son… and they are coming to claim the heavyweight title from Balboa’s tutelage, Adonis Creed.

    Is it enjoyable? It is. Is the training inspiring? It is. Is the acting convincing and the editing pacing the film as it should? Definitely. Is Tessa Thompson amazing? Hands down. Then what seems to be the issue?

    I would put my finger on a few issues:

    • The first one is obvious: Creed II looks like a remake of Rocky IV (1985). But it’s a continuation based on Rocky IV, which makes it… repetitive?
    • Other than repetitive, the story is also quite predictable and formulaic.
    • As with every other Rocky franchise and Creed (2015), there is at least one training montage sequence. As amusing as it may be, the Creed II montage adds nothing to the equation.
    • The strong verbal confrontation between Rocky and Ivan is lacking after over three decades.

    The aforementioned issues weaken Creed II. But there is one last issue which is more intricate and challenges the film… Before the first fight, Adonis doesn’t know what he is fighting for. Then, he figures it out, trains really hard, and goes again. The reason he decides to fight him is not as compelling as Viktor’s. Adonis has a much better life. Viktor’s life (and Ivan’s) is more dramatic, and we, as an audience, feel the need to see him stepping into the ring and winning. Adonis’ reason is ego-driven. Simple as. Remember why he stepped into the ring in Creed? To prove that he’s not a mistake! This made the audience get goosebumps, even shed tears, and root for the underdog that conquered the world.

    The film financially did well. The devil is in the details, though, and these details could have made it a valuable addition both to the franchise and the spin-off.

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    Contact (1997)

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    Contact (1997)

    A scientist who has devoted her life to discovering extraterrestrial life forms has her breakthrough and uncovers a secret message.

    Carl Sagan:  “The astronomer of the people”. Astrophysicist, author, researcher, and controversial figure regarding his scientific, political, and religious views.

    Robert Zemeckis: The enormously talented director of films such as the Back to the Future franchise, Forrest Gump (1994), and Cast Away (2000).

    Two and a half hours of lessons about life… on this planet or the next. Carl Sagan was there from day one to ensure everyone got the science right. And that everyone got a glimpse of what he “saw”. Of what he envisioned. Unfortunately, halfway there, cancer beat him and left his last breath. He was 62.

    Fortunately, his adaptation, his vision, was left in the brilliant hands of Robert Zemeckis. Zemeckis grasped Sagan’s concept of the “Encyclopaedia Galactica,” which is based on Isaac Asimov’s science fiction novel Foundation, and delivered a heartfelt drama about a girl who turned into a woman with the brightest of minds who wouldn’t stop until she discovered the truth.

    The truth that science should be seeking. And not at the expense of people. The same truth that faith in something higher than ourselves should be doing. And again, not at the expense of people. Contact is a sci-fi/drama that doesn’t patronise, exploit, manipulate or try to impress with fake, non-coherent, uneducated scientific jargon. It takes time to find a middle ground between science and religion and make it not about who is right and who isn’t but about respecting fellow human beings who happen to have a different view of the “cosmos” than ourselves.

    It is amazing how the real-life discovery of an arctic meteorite from Mars coincided with the film’s shooting and how Zemeckis grasped the opportunity and adopted Bill Clinton’s actual interview, which looks like it is custom-tailored to the film’s discovery. Luck and talent are beyond understanding here.

    Lastly, I find it really interesting that in a film that is primarily sci-fi and has so much to offer our way of thinking, the best shot (in my opinion anyway) is a young Ellie running up the stairs after having found her dad lying on the floor to get his medicine.

    Contact… One of the best political, social, and humane science fiction you will ever get to watch.

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    Mortal Engines (2018)

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    Mortal Engines (2018)

    Hundreds of years from now, the world as we know it will have been destroyed, the remaining cities will have been mobilised, the major cities will be hunting down the smaller ones, and two youngsters will do everything in their power to change the status quo.

    I’ve spoken before about budget and creativity, as I have spoken before about the transferrable problems of a script to the big screen. I guess it was meant to be a saga, but chances now are slim to none. Remember the Golden Compass (2007)? I’m not surprised. Mortal Engines‘ visuals are stunning, hands down. The cast does a pretty decent job, too; that is not a problem either. What was it then, and it bombed?

    Whenever I watch a film, I look for that shot. The shot that will make me say “damn”! And then I’ll have to rewind, so I can watch it again. What I’m also going for is a good line. Something that will make me say, “I wish I had thought of that”! So, when independent films with 1/50 of Mortal Engines‘ budget have both, and Mortal Engines has none, it is only natural not to be impressed. To add insult to injury, the same applies to the editing. Not only is there not even one good montage sequence, but the whole film feels rushed. It feels like it got “chopped” fast to flush you non-stop down the FADE OUT.

    Just “From the Producer of…” won’t cut it. Because as a household name, if you bring it up, you have to live up to your expectations and the reputation that precedes you. Shame really. Not for the money thrown away, really, but mostly for the actors who want to catch a big fish; they let the small ones go, and they end up catching a boot.

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    The Man who Killed Hitler and then the Bigfoot (2018)

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    The Man who Killed Hitler and then the Bigfoot (2018)

    An aged American war veteran is sent to the Canadian wilderness to kill… the Bigfoot.

    I had no idea this film existed until I came across the title. And then I said… “Damn! Now I have to know how Hitler and Bigfoot co-exist in the same sentence”. I’ll tell you this: ostensibly, the film makes no sense whatsoever, and one would think that writer/director Robert D. Krzykowski smokes way too much. But this is not the case!

    This is purely my interpretation of the film, so feel free to have your own should you decide to watch it. An old man who once achieved so much and a nation owes him is left with nothing but his dignity and loneliness in a world he no longer understands and no one to share it with. And when he is just about to bite the bullet, the government knocks on his door to assign him an unfathomable mission and the opportunity to save the world once more.

    Did I say too much? Sam Elliott and Aidan Turner, as old and young Calvin Barr, respectively, and Caitlin FitzGerald, as Maxine, deliver subtle yet powerful performances, making this film with the confusing title an existential drama about the painful feelings of loss and regret. So, what is the rest all about? That’s up to you to figure out.

    P.S. The last flashback scene is heartbreaking…

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    Ashes in the Snow (2018)

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    Ashes in the Snow (2018)

    In 1941, as Stalin’s army marched through Lithuania, a 16-year-old girl, her family, and thousands of men, women, and children who had been accused of treason were deported to Siberia.

    It is a heartbreaking and soul-crushing story about a nation we know little about and the same nation’s suffering that we know even less. It is a powerful drama based on Ruta Sepetys’ book “Between Shades of Gray” (Don’t you dare mix it up!), directed by Marius A. Markevicius, with two actors leading strong: Bel Powley and Martin Wallström.

    Shot on a moderate budget, it lacks the Hollywood flamboyance, but the message comes across straight through and expands to the rest of the Baltic people and whoever else faced the Russian atrocities. Shamelessness and misanthropy add to the film’s drama, history, and romance and clash the two forces that are battling over the human soul in abhorrent times like this: hope and despair.

    A massive round of applause to Sorrento Productions, Tauras Films, Twilight Merengue Studios, and Vertical Entertainment, which produced and distributed the film. And then another one to the Lithuanian government for allowing and supporting it.

    People are often wondering how the descendants of the Nazis feel nowadays about their ancestors. How about the Russians’ ancestors? How about the current followers of the same regime that still exists and still oppresses, has surpassed the deaths caused by the fascist regimes, and competes with the deaths caused by theocratic ones?

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    Boy Erased (2018)

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    Boy Erased (2018)

    A boy is sent by his parents to a church-supportive gay conversion program after revealing to them that he has “impure” thoughts about men.

    Joel Edgerton proves time and time again that he was born and destined to be both in front and behind the camera. A fine addition and a major representative of the Australian film school.

    The film: Garrard Conley’s heartfelt memoir is masterfully adapted for the big screen with nothing but emotion, sensitivity, honesty, and courage. Nicole Kidman, Russel Crowe, and Lucas Hedges give amazing performances, become mothers, fathers and sons, and open their house doors for you to experience the suffering of their family’s drama. Non-linearly narrated, Boy Erased seems to be slightly holding its punches but delivers a clear message and puts the situation into perspective, establishing the church’s backward, medieval, and shameless position in the 21st century.

    Life: Boy Erased is a drama that countless families across the globe face every year, and, in their despair, they rely on a higher power to give them an answer to a natural, conscious choice that poses no question. The diversity of homosexual personalities, idiosyncrasies, quirks, and foibles extends as far as the heterosexuals’, the “normal”. And to this very day, men of science try to contextualise the “gay gene” – good luck isolating it from the “straight” one! Certain men of the cloth and followers of an organisation whose knowledge of the world is summarised in a fictitious book that is divorced from reality want to cast out the “demon of homosexuality”.

    Do we believe in God, or do we believe in what others interpret of what God is? I remember being taught Jesus, saying, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone”. But for the life of me, I can’t remember being taught about Him condemning homosexuality. We are soon entering the third decade of the 21st century, and by now, the State and the Pharisaic Church should have been distinctively separated.

    God is not to be blamed here. He Himself (is it ‘him’?) is the victim and sad creator of our decadent species. But there is still faith that the minorities in this world who strive to make a difference, regardless of their age, gender, IQ, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, and religious beliefs, will one day grow more… and more… and more… and will dethrone archaic establishments, status quos, and organisations that have been ruling since the dawn of time. And “issues” such as homosexuality will stop being treated as “witch hunt”, will become accepted and, hopefully, soon after, will be taken as a matter of course where no one could care less.

    And to quote the late Curt Cobain: “I am not gay, although I wish I were, just to piss off homophobes”.

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

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    Prospect (2018)

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    Prospect (2018)

    A father and daughter land on a planet’s remote, exotic moon to harvest precious gems and get rich, but between merciless people and dangerous forest dwellers, escaping becomes the ultimate goal.

    Directors Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl shoot the feature version of their homonymous short on a $3.9m budget. And the result pays off. Well-directed, well-paced and well-acted, Prospect invests in a claustrophobic opening sequence and amazing shots from space. While on the ground, intentionally or unintentionally, the film can be pitched or could have been pitched, or maybe it was pitched as “Mad Max on an alien moon”.

    Films like Prospect make me more optimistic. It is an indie, low-budget sci-fi that pays respect to the genre and the art of cinema, with cast and crew fully supporting and believing in it. And so did the fans, who applauded its minimalism at the festivals and didn’t care if props and costumes were handmade by, among others, cosplayers!

    Inspirational! Well done!

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    City of God (2002)

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    City of God (2002)

    Through the eyes of a young, aspiring photographer, the “favelas” of Rio unfold stories of drugs, guns, kingpins, and gang wars where the innocent always pay the price.

    4 Oscars nominations, 66 wins, another 38 nominations, top-rated movies #21 (IMDb, 2019). If it hadn’t been for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) – which was nominated for 11 Oscars and won them all – it would have definitely won the “Best Editing” category. Fair enough. One of the best-edited films of the 21st century, City of God, tells the city’s true crime stories during the ’60s and the ’70s in Fernando Meirelles’ brutally realistic documented way. Fear, insecurity, and despair spread throughout the streets of the slum, overshadowing the beauty of people who have nothing to do with the gangs’ territorial issues.

    Masterfully and non-linearly narrated, City of God delves into the poverty-stricken society of all Rio’s undesirables, digs deep into the characters’ souls and chronicles the rise and perseverance of violence.

    Feature debut for the amazing Alice Braga.

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    Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)

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    Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)

    Hauntingly dark and beautiful drawings are found in a dead man’s apartment, and upon their unlawful exhibition for personal profit, a price for greed comes along.

    Fancy words, filthy words, art critique jargon, shiny dress code, and over-the-top personalities, to name but a few, characterise a snotty world that most of you, and most certainly myself, have never visited and probably never will. It is hard to tell where writer/director Dan Gilroy stands and how he feels about this world he brilliantly depicts or why he chose such a sexual term for a title, and that is pure magic.

    Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Zawe Ashton, Tom Sturridge, Toni Collette, Natalia Dyer, Daveed Diggs, and last but not least, John Malkovich give Gilroy’s surrealistic world flesh and blood and don’t hesitate to blow their performances out of proportion.

    Gilroy was asked cryptically about the meaning of his film, and he responded that he would like people to perceive art differently. As we have proved time and time again that we can be a horrible species, I would say that I see where he is coming from, and I’ll throw in my two cents. Instead of truly trying to appreciate and see art through the artists’ eyes, we make it all about ourselves, either by showing up at an illustrious museum just to be seen there or by benefiting from someone else’s expression. How? We can most likely do it by fancily writing about it to look knowledgeable and special or by monetising it, upgrading our status simultaneously. One way or another, we purely exploit it and try to hide the fact that we couldn’t do it ourselves.

    Meaning aside, and changing the subject, having watched numerous Netflix productions, once again, I would like to throw in my two cents. I think a resounding statement here has been repeatedly given for quite a while now. By Netflix. “We don’t give a s#@% !!! Is your film thought-provoking? We’ll make it! Is it bizarre? Bring it! Is it something no one wants to produce? We will! We don’t give a s#@%, which festivals accept our submissions! We couldn’t care less about which studios alleviated our success! We spend billions, and we make even more! And we do everything! We just… Don’t. Give. A. S%#@.

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    Exam (2009)

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    Exam (2009)

    Eight chosen contenders competing for the same position are locked in a highly respected company’s exam room for the final test, which is unlike anything they have seen or experienced before.

    A one-location, British psychological thriller that delves into the human psyche and infiltrates man’s darkest thoughts. It is a prime example of a low-budget thriller that keeps the viewer wondering, from the opening scene to the end credits, what the meaning of this test is, what the question is, who truly everyone is, why they were chosen, and what the company is getting out of it.

    Mysterious, entertaining, and claustrophobic, Exam‘s storytelling relies on actual character study experiments and utilises Hitchcockian approaches that go back as far as Lifeboat (1944). Low budget / high standards! Hats off to the cast and crew.

    I say no more. Lights and phones are off, and pay attention to the details. Enjoy!

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    The Wrestler (2008)

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    The Wrestler (2008)

    An ageing professional wrestler with an unsuitable part-time job is forced to quit wrestling, forget his past glory, and find a way to cope in a world outside the ring.

    You know why reviews can be harsh sometimes? Because of films like this one. Shot with a micro-budget of $6,000,000, The Wrestler is almost a perfect film. So when you watch unbearable films costing ten times more, it can be infuriating. With Darren Aronofsky believing in and fighting for Mickey Rourke and both of them believing in and dedicating themselves to the project like their life depended on it, The Wrestler could only be a masterpiece.

    In the form of a docudrama, Aronofsky “cuts loose” Mickey Rourke, letting him write and improvise his character and Rourke, in his mid-fifties, shines like never before (Oscar nomination / Golden Globe win). Both debunk WWF myths, and old wrestlers either “break down and cry” or characterise it as a “dark misinterpretation”. Be it as it may, it certainly gives a perspective and sheds some light on the professional wrestling world’s backstage.

    Then, Evan Rachel Wood proves once more she possesses the Midas Touch of acting, turning all her performances into gold. Last but definitely not least, the always magnificent actress Marisa Tomei, in her mid-forties, puts women half her age to shame. Their short appearance in the film creates the perfect subtext that leads the story in the direction it was inevitably meant to be led.

    The Wrestler is about a man facing the consequences of doing what he always thought he was destined to do and kept on doing despite everyone else’s disapproval or discouragement. External influences come from envy, kindness, hate, or pure love. But sheer will to succeed and remain at the top and blind dedication blur the lines and don’t leave time to distinguish which is which. And I guess if you only possess them both, you ignore the influences and aim at your destiny regardless of the consequences.

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    It Comes at Night (2017)

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    It Comes at Night (2017)

    A dark, malevolent threat has plagued the world, and a man with his wife and son, barricaded into their house living under strict rules, is challenged by a young family seeking refuge.

    Post-apocalyptic, slow-burning, and edgy at the same time, It Comes at Night plants the seed of doubt about what is really happening in the world, who is to be trusted and who isn’t, who is indeed carrying the infectious disease, and who has sunk into paranoia.

    It is a psychological horror by Trey Edward Shults, with no cheap jump-scares, formulaic way of writing, standard character development, spoon-fed answers to epidermic questions, and Hollywood-like utterances, actions, and reactions. There are plenty of films like that out there, but this is not one of them. You’ve been warned; proceed with caution. And if the story doesn’t really terrify you, the astonishing performances of Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. definitely will.

    It’s really hard to analyse it, even briefly, without giving anything away, so I’ll try to draw a picture for you. Think of it as a parable. It is a symbolic interpretation of four major “entities”: the fortified house, the infected outside world, the family living under an uncompromising domestic order, and the night itself. Try to place them accordingly as the story, admittedly, slowly unfolds and only then ask yourselves…

    What is it that comes at night? And why?

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