John’s Horror Corner: Alien Abduction (2014), a found footage horror that uses all the tropes but packs none of the punch.
MY CALL: This movie captures a good idea, but does so very poorly. There are a couple good scenes here but they are largely outweighed by the bad and the very bad. I give this two disfigured alien thumbs down. MOVIES LIKE Alien Abduction: Some good and not so good alien abduction movies include Skinwalker Ranch (2014; TRAILER HERE), Dark Skies (2013), The Fourth Kind (2009), Fire in the Sky (1993) and Signs (2002). TRAILER: You can find the trailer for this movie in my Horror Trailer Talk.
This found footage film opens with the following caption: “The following is actual leaked footage from the US Air Force.” It’s cute when obviously untrue stories masquerade as true stories just to add mood or generate buzz. The Fourth Kind (2009) had people rushing to Google to check stats of people disappearing and FBI investigations in Gnome, Alaska. They did it well. Although that was about all they did well.
“For centuries, people have been disappearing on and around Brown Mountain, North Carolina. Locals believe the disappearances are directly linked with sightings of THE BROWN MOUNTAIN LIGHTS.” News casts, accounts from locals and witnesses, and testimonials from paranormal experts follow. These segments represent one of few things that were done well in this movie.
A family goes on a camping trip in the Brown Mountains. The parents and kids are somewhat likable, normal people and their trip is filmed by their youngest son. On their first night, the kids see lights in the sky moving in a way no star possibly could.
The acting is far from top notch. When the father gets them lost and loses his temper his behavior is totally unfounded. When they run out of gas (which I don’t see happening on a family road trip into the mountains) the family tension escalates and the father becomes rage-y, again unconvincingly. Then again, even if they nailed their lines, the writing wasn’t great either. They come by several abandoned minivans and SUVs…as if some camping family Rapture had taken them all, leaving their cars and camping gear behind like a scene from The Walking Dead but without the walkers or corpses.
We come across all the standard alien invasion film tropes. Birds becomes disoriented and fly into things creating jump scares, obscured film of extra terrestrial figures in the darkness, lights in the sky, satellite interference, alien mind control telepathy attacks a la Independence Day (1996), aliens examining humans, tractor beams, monstrous alien sounds…you name it, these filmmakers borrowed it.
Almost none of this is executed well. But there is one really cool, brief scene in the entire movie when a tractor beam gets someone, cracking and contorting their body while being levitated.
The aliens follow the most simple of paradigms. They’re tall, lanky, grey-skinned, big-eyed, four-fingered extra terrestrials that sound, at times, like the Predator (1987) mating with a velociraptor while slitting a pig’s throat. Later we hear them communicate with the bubbly blip sounds from Signs (2002).
First-time director Matty Beckerman does a hardly serviceable job delivering an entertaining movie. The biggest faults are clearly found in the writing (also done by a first-time writer) and acting, especially the loner mountain man the family encounters–worst performance in the movie by far. There are some pacing issues as well, with some seriously dull lulls between periods of action. This movie actually goes from okay, to bad as we transition from the first act. It just seems to get worse and worse and the film wears on.
Maybe I’d take a chance at whatever this director does next, but I won’t get my hopes up. At one point in the movie the mother describes Brown Mountain saying “It’s like Deliverance, minus the anal rape.” As far as my enjoyment of this movie goes…well… it’s like Deliverance, with the anal rape. There were short segments of this film that were done well, but too much was poorly for me to recommend this to anyone.
——————————————————-
Almost any movie may find both haters and lovers. For a more favorable second opinion of Alien Abduction 2014, check out the review by Parlor of Horror. They don’t suck at movie reviews. I promise.
Share this post:
MY CALL: This film is one of the strangest, most disturbing story-driven things ever filmed. Surreal, symbolic, creepy and imaginative…this is a deep investigation into fixation, manipulation, obsession and acceptance. There is nothing like it. HOW YOU CAN WATCH THIS RARE MOVIE: You can find several versions of the entire movie on YouTube and, though typically with few copies at a time, it can be purchased on Amazon–but you may need to purchase a foreign import.
Zulawski’s Possession has slowly acquired a cult following of mythical proportions. Those who have seen it surely understand why. Those who haven’t probably just read synopses and have no clue what they’re missing. This is the one horror movie you could ever see in your life that has neither borrowed ideas or been borrowed itself. It’s perhaps far too cavalier and it comes as no shock that no one else would dare approach the themes of this film.
Mark (Sam Neill; Event Horizon, Daybreakers) and his wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani; Nosferatu the Vampyre) are having difficulty after he learns that she wants a divorce. Mark becomes generally obsessive about learning why Anna, who he still loves, wants the divorce; whereas Anna becomes generally increasingly histrionic in her attempts to escape him and his attention. These characters are severely neurotic, seemingly thriving on each other’s bizarre behavior–yet, for all their apparently extreme behavior, they are somehow all too human.
As I watched I began to wonder if Anna truly was this crazy, or if the film is depicting Mark’s “perception” of Anna. Are they really this violent? Or are these reflections of how Mark feels, what Mark “wishes” he could do, how Mark “wants” to slap the crazy out of her?
Mark discovers that Anna has a lover named Heinrich. But fear not, this is no spoiler as it produces more questions than answers when he learns that she lies about being with Heinrich when really she is…with someone else. Anna’s true obsession has a somewhat gruesome process and nothing will stop her from reaching her strange end goal.
In case you find yourself doubting the psychological undertones of this film, their son’s teacher Helen (also played by Isabelle Adjani) looks exactly like Anna, but is her polar opposite in temperament. And starting a relationship with Helen lessens Mark’s obsession with Anna. At the insane end of the spectrum this film features the most disturbing miscarriage scene and the most bizarre sex scene I’ve ever seen! I have intentionally not mentioned many aspects of this film and it may sound like more a psychological thriller than anything, but I assure you it’s also a bizarre horror movie with supernatural components.
These images should help convince you that this isn’t just some sick relationship drama.
This film is neither easy to find (for purchase or rental) nor understand, and I expect it was likewise difficult to write and film. It shifts from an intense drama, to a dark mysterious horror, to something of a Euro-action… And all the while we are left to wonder which events truly transpire, and which are entirely products of Anna’s fragile psyche (e.g., the famous subway miscarriage scene) or, perhaps, what Mark’s rage perceives as her fragility and desperation.
The ending is unsettling and unclear. But the use of doppelganger characters and perspective reveal the dark and distorted nature of intense relationship conflicts, often resulting in perceiving our resistors as mirroring our own mania.
This film is CLEARLY one of the strangest, most disturbing story-driven things ever filmed. Surreal, symbolic, creepy and imaginative…this is a deep investigation into fixation, manipulation, obsession and acceptance. There is nothing like it.
Share this post:
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is proof that Marvel is still in the meticulously planned market of mixing it up. After billions of dollars of grosses they aren’t afraid to push a film about a bunch of “A-holes “or release a movie where an American hero questions the government. Their commitment to remaining fresh (Sans Thor 2) has been thrilling to watch and their gambling has paid off massively.
The Winter Soldier is devoid of drive-in WWII nostalgia and in its place is a timely exploration of a post-911 world. Subtle is ain’t and the dialogue sometimes jack hammers the point but Cap 2 has enough smarts and likable characters to make it a stand out amongst Marvel standouts.
The movie opens with an out-of-place Steve Rogers getting used to his new reality. He has a notebook for things he should catch up on and spends his days running and visiting the bedridden Peggie Carter. He has developed a fun working relationship with Black Widow (Scarlet Johansson), made friends with a fellow soldier (Anthony Mackie) and occasionally flirts with neighbors (Emily Van Camp). However, he is a 95-year-old man who is catching up with a completely different world. His morals don’t mesh with his employer S.H.E.I.L.D. and he constantly argues with his boss Nick Fury.
The reason all of this works is because of the excellent performances. Chris Evans (watch Sunshine already), Scarlett Johansson, Frank Grillo, Robert Redford, Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie are all given three-dimensional characters to work with and you buy into them as they are surrounded by super computers, serums and tight outfits. The friendships formed between Cap, Black Widow and Falcon are dealt with organically and add laughs and emotion to the proceedings. I dug how the polar opposite personalities of Widow and Cap form a nice counter balance of shady and earnest. Also, Cap finally finds a like-minded “soldier” in Mackie with whom he can punch faces with.
Eventually, things go boom, people are wrongfully condemned and a dude with long greasy hair puts a hurting on many things. The highlights of the film are the fist/foot/knee/elbow to face violence that takes place in between the CGI blobs. Cap can’t smash like Hulk or whack villains with a mythical hammer. He has to get up close and that is why he is my favorite character. His battles with George St. Pierre, Frank Grillo and Sebastian Stan are marvels of close quarter mayhem that make the character more relatable. He isn’t a genius or god. He is a good man who loves his country and uses his powers to hurt bad people.
The best part of Cap 2 is that our heroes actually have solid villains to battle with. I’ve written ad nauseam about how superheroes need super villains. Batman had The Joker and Scarecrow in The Dark Knight. The Avengers battled Loki. The X-Men had Magneto. However, films like Iron Man 2, Hulk, Wolverine and Thor 2 had villains who never felt like a threat and thus never allowed the material to be elevated. To say who the bad guys are in Cap 2 is a bit of a spoiler. I will say that the violence they bring is threatening and the way in which they are dispatched is pretty great.
The Winter Soldier throws the Marvel universe in flux and it will be fun to see where it takes our heroes. Marvel didn’t play it safe as they swung for the fences, ignored sequel rules and hired the Russo brothers to direct (I love their work on Community and Happy Endings) Marvel has succeeded once again and they’ve refreshed a comic book genre that could easily become over-saturated and stale. Bring on Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant Man!
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (1999), a worthy, less gory evil genie sequel with half the budget
MY CALL: A flimsier story and a little less gore than the original, but still this is a worthy sequel with a smaller budget that was stretched as far as possible for our entertainment. MORE MOVIES LIKE Wishmaster 2: Wishmaster (1997).
Our story beings with a robbery in the very museum where Wishmaster (1997) ends. During a shootout between museum security and some hooded bandits, the statue which entombed our favorite wish-twisting Djinn’s ruby prison is shot, loosening a chunk of stone and revealing the artifact.
Honoring the Djinn’s gorily memorable emergence in the franchise opener, part two follows suit by having the museum wall apparently “give gory birth” to our horribly misshapen genie (Andrew Divoff; Lost, Wishmaster) from a gore-slathered stain turned bubbly mess. He’s slimy and distorted and he wastes no time before soliciting wishes to a dying thief…which apparently results in the Djinn’s resumption of his normal, tentacle-headed form.
Now things get a little weird. So the Djinn goes to prison after admitting to being a museum robber and Morgana (Holly Fields; Communion, Seed People), the thief who unearthed the Djinn’s ruby, gets away. As the Djinn (in Andrew Divoff’s form) engages in his Monkey Paw shenanigans while serving time, Morgana has sweaty dreams in her underwear as if they share some sort of psychic link.
But why does the Djinn feel content to remain in prison? His powers are limited to granting wishes, I suppose, so maybe he can’t leave…I’m really not sure. Is it really easier to dupe people out of their souls in prison? He should go to an elementary school. He should have no problem getting kids to wish away their souls for no homework, ponies, cookies for dinner and the like.
Despite how painfully slow and ineffective dial-up internet was in the 90s, Morgana somehow sleuths out what the Djinn is and what he wants. She realizes that she has to stop him! But why she’d want to stop him from killing a bunch of incarcerated felons is beyond me. He needs 1001 souls before he comes for Morgana’s. I say let him take a few more criminals out first.
This sequel is helmed by the slightly more established director Jack Sholder (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, The Hidden). With an uninspired plot, this sequel’s story is just as flimsy if not more so than the original and we enjoy a little less of the gore and the wide variety of effects presented in part one–perhaps a function of a lower budget (which was half that of the original and this is especially obvious in the final act). But you can tell they tried to do a lot with what little they had. I can appreciate that.
Replacing some of the gore is more acting…specifically, Andrew Divoff’s menacing performance. He’s awkward yet appropriate and over-the-top yet spot on given his supernatural, riddling role. He gets more screen time in this sequel, as well as more “horror humor” a la Freddy Krueger. Andrew Divoff is great in this. But make no mistake, he is no Robin Williams or Barbara Eden; this is not your mother’s genie movie.
Somehow this wildly out-of-place, inappropriate imagery makes its way into the movie. Don’t ask.
Despite having a flimsier story and a little less gore than the original, this is a worthy sequel with a smaller budget that was stretched as far as possible for our entertainment.
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Inside (2007), an extreme French film delivering an ultra-gory home birth.
MY CALL: More bloody fun than an at-home scissors Cesarean, this film will fill your screen with brutal gore like a sprinkler system in Hell, and the gore is matched by the claustrophobic sense of desperation. This film is a real winner for lovers of extreme violence. MOVIES LIKE Inside (akaÀ l’intérieur): Looking for more extreme French cinema? Go for Martyrs (2008) and High Tension (2003) for sure! Maybe even try Frontiers (2007), but it’s not as good as the other two.
Shortly after the death of her husband, Sarah wishes to spend the holidays alone away from her family while awaiting the birth of her first child. But when a strange visitor arrives at her home, alone is the last thing Sarah wishes she was.
She was probably texting while driving.
This film begins at a somewhat slow but interesting pace. But once the gore comes into play the effects team, sound editors and actors have their work cut out for them as things turn into a messy shockfest full of impalements accompanied by the most visceral of sounds. Béatrice Dalle does a fantastic job as the gap-toothed nameless menace who obsessively wants Sarah’s child for her own while Alysson Paradis (as Sarah) is convincingly tortured and terrified. They each bring their own brand of desperation and, when they clash, you may want to turn away.
Directed by at-the-time newcomers Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury (Livid, Among the Living, The ABCs of Death 2), Inside brings all manner of shocking imagery from car crash victims to nightmare birth sequences. The brutality knows no end as blood spews from stabs to the throat, face, hand, knee and even crotch. At one point someone’s face is blown off in about as fantastic a manner as I’ve seen.
But the hits just keep on coming and the shocks continue as kitchen appliance assaults, make-shift flamethrowers, an improvised domestic bayonet and some alternative uses for scissors all contribute to the most blood-splattered movie sets I’ve seen in ages.
@Vile_Reviews (https://twitter.com/Vile_Reviews) seems to share my newfound love affair with French horror. They say “I am a big fan of a French horror…There’s a particular flavor about them. They often use blood with as much impassioned flare as they do butter.”
This film may have started out slow, but with each palpable laceration our pregnant heroine becomes ever more speckled and smeared red with the heightening mania. Moving to the finale, we shift from gory and shocking to absolute bonkers neo-natal insanity complete with an at-home Cesarean birthing scene with blood cascading down the stairs.
She probably should have opted for anesthesia, huh?
This is an absolute win for lovers of extreme violence and intense gore. So put on your favorite gore bib and dig in!
Share this post:
John’s Horror Corner: Afflicted (2013), a contemporary vampire film following the Chronicle playbook
MY CALL: The first half of this film serves as a stand alone film with great characters and a cool story. The second half squanders all the good that was curried in the first. Watch for the splendid beginning and try not to let the ending ruin it for you. MOVIES LIKE Afflicted: Chronicle (2012).
In most familiar form, this found footage film begins with a scene in which we are introduced to our protagonists. This smacks of obvious staging on the part of the writers and director and, in concept, it’s not an original idea. However, this is effective when done well and it really got me to invest myself in the Cloverfield (2008) characters.
In this film, the introduction to our stars Derek (Derek Lee) and Clif (Clif Prowse) is SUPERB! The directors and especially the film editors did a spectacular job to get me to completely forget that I was watching a horror movie as I enjoyed meeting this fun-filled pair. Our heroes are embarking on a bromance-adventure around the world and they’re going to record everything and make a topical website/blogumentary chroniclng their adventure.
I must say that I was astonished at how much I liked these characters within the first three minutes of this film. This is a rare quality in ANY film! Most horror movies are made to turn a profit. This was clearly crafted as a labor of love. These guys didn’t just have an idea worth showing us, they wanted to show us their real journey together as filmmakers as a meta-prologue to this film…this horror film. What a creative leap! They show actual film footage and photos of themselves together as teenagers sharing their love for filmmaking and convincing us of their most sincere bro-bond. It’s actually kind of…well…sweet. You believe these characters because these actors are these characters, they have taken their actual selves and imported that concept into a horror premise. I shit you not, I stopped the movie and started it over after the perfectly done six minute intro just to watch it again in all its splendor. These characters are full of life-loving passion, every day quirks and credible flaws. You will identify with their dreams. Even if you don’t enjoy the horror of this movie, you’d have to be stone cold to not enjoy the intro.
Things take an interesting turn when our gameless Derek–against all geeky odds–manages to take a French girl to his hotel room and Clif later finds him beaten and gashed up, unconscious, and with no recollection.
Clearly sick with something but driven to continue, Derek insists they continue their expedition. From this point, what would normally be formulaic feels subtly approached yet tactfully shocking. Derek begins exhibiting symptoms that are all too familiar to any horror fan. These symptoms are presented cleverly, they foreshadow a dubious future, and they stoke the playful intrigue of discovery much as was done in Chronicle (2012). In many ways, this film borrows from Chronicle (2012). Derek seems to have superpowers.
Derek also seems to be…changing. With this change the tone shifts from fun and adventurous, to dark…and darker. Unfortunately the “darker” third act of this film (which is half of its running time) seems to fall apart, squandering the interest it curried in the first 45 minutes.
I was never someone to scoff at found footage films. Whereas many unfairly stereotype that it’s just a cheap method to get low quality films released quickly, I always viewed the style as a “tool”–and I think most open-minded critics would have to agree. Crappy films come in all forms, and so do GREAT films. The first 45 minute of this movie (but not the second half) represents a good film and I hope it will get found footage haters to shut their mouths and re-evaluate whether they’re truly mad at found footage as a style….or if they’re simply upset and feel cheated for wasting their money on a few horror duds that happen to be found footage horror while completely ignoring the horror slop they also hated that happened to have standard (and thus more expensive) production. Found footage is “different” so it’s easy to point a finger at it and say that’s why it’s not good. Don’t just join the mob and hate…even if you didn’t like this film.
My biggest criticism of this film is that it probably should have only been 45 minutes. It could have ended right there appropriately. After about the 45 minute mark this seems to become an entirely different movie and all the cool, the new and the interesting has already become old hat.
Despite my feelings about the second half of this film, the first half stands alone as a good film and should be celebrated.
Share this post:
Here are some recent and upcoming horror movies that are on my radar.
Click each movie title to link to the trailer.
Blood Glacier (2013) (aka, The Station) is a gory effects-driven German monster movie that borrows heavily from The Thing (1982, 2011). Blood leaks from a glacier which is thawing as a result of global warming. It comes into contact with the local wildlife and turns them into hungry monsters. Nothing original here, but it looks fun and full of mutant animal monster mayhem.
First there was Kurt Russell, then Joel Edgerton, now this guy…
The Returned (2014) is a zombie movie about “not zombies” that are basically, well…zombies. So yes, it’s another zombie film. The trailer offers promising gore-rich effects and a somewhat interesting story. We can be “returned” from death with a virus, continuing to live, as long as we keep getting regular medical doses of a sort of vaccine. Miss one dose and, well, ZOMBIE MOVIE MAYHEM! The film stars Kris Holden-Ried (Lost Girl, Underworld: Awakening).
Wer (2013) is a contemporized werewolf movie, not to be confused with a werewolf movie with a contemporary theme (a la Ginger Snaps). This approach is common in zombie movies, but I think this may be the first time a werewolf movie has been approached in this manner. Looks very cool and, of course, watch for the transformation scene!
Nothing Left To Fear (2013) stars Clancy Brown (John Dies at the End, A Nightmare on Elm Street) and has a story I can’t quite figure out from the trailer. However, the effects look diverse, well-done and creepy as Hell, maybe a bit Devil culty. So I’m in!
7500 (2014) has seen delay after delay. I think it was supposed to be released in 2012. Now I think it’s slated for 2016. This movie features a lot of familiar faces including True Blood‘s Ryan Kwantan, Jamie Chung (Sorority Row, Sucker Punch, The Man with the Iron Fists) and Amy Smart (Mirrors, The Butterfly Effect). 272 passengers take off on a flight and supernatural things start happening. Is it a psycho killer at 30,000 feet movie? Possibly. Is it a monster movie? Probably. Whatever the case this has too many people I like and an enclosed setting, so I think it’ll be worth the ride.
Alien Abduction (2014) is a movie that NEEDS to be good. It focuses on a likable family which, when done right, can be great. Think Poltergeist (1982). I somewhat enjoyed Dark Skies (2013), but it wasn’t so widely accepted. The Fourth Kind (2009) was another moderately entertaining movie that pretty much missed the mark.
Skinwalker Ranch (2013) is my ace-in-the-hole in case Alien Abduction isn’t up to snuff. At first glance it makes me think “if Signs (2002) was more of a horror movie.” The special effects look diverse, from eerie to gory to scary to weird moving alien-y to mutant-monster-y. Even if the story development sucks, the effects should carry this into a safe zone of satisfaction.
Share this post:
Odd Thomas: Odd Becomes Him
Odd Thomas is an enjoyable indie ride from the director of The Mummy. The movie does a lot with little and is buoyed by wonderful performances from Anton Yelchin and Addison Timlin.
Odd Thomas lives up to its name as it bounces around in tone (humor, romance, death, ghost story) yet zips by with a sense of urgency. The story of a man named Odd saving the world from the dead is 30% paranormal detective comedy, 20% ghost story, 20% romantic comedy and 30% a combination of all those things.
Anton Yelchin and Addison Timlin build a neat relationship and they manage to be charming while saying lines like “you are not allowed to go playing around other Hell gates.” You like the two and care as demons called Bodachs harass them insistently. Also, the constant narration and death humor are handled well by Yelchin who is able to pull off quirky dialogue like “if I’m caught I will be arrested for murder or rolling the biggest joint ever.”
The plot involves a moldy guy, corrupt cops and lots of death. It has the look of a PG-13 film yet features dark source material. You get the feeling that this is just another day in the life of Odd. His exuberance masks the death, ghosts and secrets he has dealt with on an everyday basis. Life for Odd is not normal and it is nice that the film doesn’t portray him as a dour death detective. You can tell Stephen Sommers loved the source material and went great lengths to give the audience likable characters who risk their necks to save the world from jerky ghosts.
The lack of budget is a good thing because Sommers couldn’t rely on visual spectacles. Characters are put front and center and it brings back memories of Sommers Mummy film which featured likable characters. The chemistry between Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz was fantastic and it allowed you to care for the people as they battled sand storms, evil dead and pesky thieves. It was breezy fun that spawned copious sequels, prequels and sequels to a prequel of a spin-off off a sequel (true story).
The biggest problems with the film were the legal issues that prevented it from getting a wide release. The films release was delayed due to broken promises and lack of marketing and was dumped to the DVD wasteland where hopefully it will find a cult audience oasis.
Despite the tonal irregularities and delays author Koontz was happy with the film:
Faithful to the book? Yes, in every way that matters. Odd is Odd. Stormy is Stormy. The themes are rigorously adhered to. Is much missing? Yes. Ozzie has one scene, and he has become a sculptor instead of a mystery writer. Odd’s backstory–mom and dad–has been condensed to one scene because test audiences found the backstory too dark. Odd has been given a new power: He sometimes touches someone/something and has startling visions of how some real event went down earlier, as a means of conveying facts without talking-head scenes, but it really, really works.
Odd Thomas works because of the performances and Summer’s ability to summon his Mummy skills to make a breezy, likable CGI-fest that plays fast and loose. Embrace the Odd.
Share this post:
Need For Speed: Fast Cars. Full Tanks. Can’t Go Slow
Need For Speed doesn’t think, it moves. The stunts are unbelievable, the plot thin and characters likable. The script may be pure gobbledygook but the racing is full of visceral beauty and pure practical bliss. There are moments when the practical stunts and fuel injected speed make your heart pound with delight. The races that lead to death, imprisonment and fireballs are things of beauty directed expertly by director Scott Waugh.
Waugh is a former stuntman (amazing IMDB resume) who cut his teeth directing the practical stunt filled Act of Valor. Characters are not his strong point but he is saved by the solid cast of likable actors. I am a big fan of Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad, Smashed), Imogen Poots (Fright Night, 28 Weeks Later), Rami Malek (Pacific, Short Term 12), and Kid Cudi. They all get their moments to shine despite having to recite stock dialogue. The chemistry is strong as well. You can tell that Poots and Paul enjoyed their time on Long Way Down because they’ve reunited and added a nice romance to the racing.
Need For Speed is not meant to be deconstructed. The story is simple. A man is looking for revenge against the rich slime ball who killed his friend. He needs to travel from New York to San Francisco in 45 hours and is joined by his loyal crew and pretty passenger. The goal is to make it to a famous race where the winner becomes a millionaire racing legend. The race is uber secret and sponsored by a billionaire internet personality played by the perennially sitting down Michael Keaton. There is a need for speed and the highlights all involve the little characters moments that build upon the budding romance or loyal friendship of the talented crew.
The plot holes would engulf the beautiful vehicles that race recklessly on the wrong side of the road. You could scoff at the dialogue and hair gell every minute. Why do that though? The thing you need to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the mayhem. Appreciate the random moments of naked quitting and Kid Cudi spying on joggers via stolen news helicopter. If all else fails simply enjoy the sounds of the beautiful Ford Mustang.
Need For Speed was meant to bring us car mayhem and it succeeded. It is a successful adaptation of a popular video game that has sold over 150 million units. It isn’t as gleefully gravity breaking as The Fast series but still manages to keep you planted in your seat while things go boom. The revenge plot works because Dominic Cooper (Dead Man Down, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) is such a slimy bad guy you want him to be defeated. His character is such a turd that you relish the moment when he gets defeated.
I enjoyed Need for Speed. I brushed over the faults and let the car mayhem win the day. Richard Corliss of Time summed up the movie perfectly with this closing quote:
This is cinema reduced or distilled to its purest definition, of movies that move. If you want dewy humanity in your entertainment, watch Lifetime.
Enjoy the ride!
Share this post:
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a charming roller coaster ride featuring a fantastic Ralph Fiennes performance. The plot is fast and loose (undoubtedly planned meticulously by Anderson) and feels more like an excuse for Anderson to unleash his visual aesthetic onto the world. Characters take a back seat to fantastic set pieces and the film feels like Anderson is now comfortable and confident with his visual abilities.
The story centers around famed conceirge Gustave H. and his protege Zero Moustafa. Together, they conspire in theft, prison escape and several fist fights in the faux-European nation of Zubrowka. Their world is changing as pomp and circumstance are being replaced with violence in the pre-World War II world. There is a darkness to The Grand Budapest Hotel that was only glimpsed in prior Wes films. The murder, language and evil lurking around the corner combined with the slapstick make for an entirely new Anderson experience that is both welcome and worrying.
Fiennes does his best to steal the show but it is the production design and dolly shots that rule the day. The film features a fully realized world that no doubt has been broken down to minutiae. The credits, sets, accouterments, costumes and miniatures are all stellar. (read about some of the work here and here and here).
..
Wes Anderson is my favorite director and the reason for this is his blending of characters and unique story. Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Life Aquatic, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Darjeeling Limited and Royal Tenenbaums introduced us to memorable characters who stand out amongst the tchokies. They are fully realized and fit perfectly within the alternate worlds that Wes created. My favorite character is Richie Tenenbaum. The conflicted tennis player who went down to one sock.
..
However, as good as the acting is in Grand Budapest I don’t think there will be any iconic characters. I’ll admit that I am a spoiled Anderson fan and I can’t expect great characters from every film. However, I hope Anderson doesn’t lose site of the small characters that he has made a career off of. His past two films Moonrise Kingdom and Budapest have all featured neat individuals who are all endearing. However, it is the moments you remember and the people feel like tools to achieve a visual aesthetic or charming moment.
I loved The Grand Budapest Hotel. It is movie making at its finest. However, I hope Wes doesn’t lose focus of his characters amongst the set design and set pieces. His characters are what make his films iconic. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Movies, Films & Flix 