Perfectly weighted in its exploration of heady themes such as loss, mourning, and time, A Ghost Story is an unconventional but riveting take on the supernatural.
Most of the film we follow our main character, C, under his autopsy sheet with holes cut our for eyes as he ends up haunting the land his house stands on throughout time.
Shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, the screen is almost postcard like leading to lots of tight and claustrophobic shots which grows the trapped and frustrated themes explored through the ghost unable to move on.
The scenes are often long (one scene of the wife eating a pie lasts about six minutes in one unbroken shot) but never lead to boredom, instead they entrance and soak you in the feeling of time flickering from agonised lingering to quick cuts of years gone by.
It's hard to talk about the plot without spoilers, but, as the film progresses, the ethereal and fantastical feel only develops to the masterful ending that makes you quietly reflect on how we imprint ourselves on locations
- 9/10
Tuesday 31 July 2018
Sunday 29 July 2018
#179 - Wind River (2017)
"A carefully constructed, brooding murder mystery set in the remote wilderness of Wyoming.
Jeremy Renner plays a hunter who discovers a murdered teenager on an Native American reservation and, after been asked to use his skills to help by a young FBI agent, tries to unravel the mystery behind the death - all set to a bleak unrelenting snow bleached landscape.
It's a slow burner that lets you absorb the cold and hostile environment these characters lived in. Every character who lives here is self destructing in some way, either internal or external, and the audience tries to work out who is choosing what - there's a perpetual sense of tiredness, malaise, and apathy that all who live in this frozen world deal with daily.
As the mystery unravels and the stakes rise, the morality or lack thereof from the people we follow is understandable even if completely reprehensible.
"All they have is snow and silence" Renner states near the end of the film and that, even after a vicarious revenge is won, is also what the audience is left with"
- 8/10
Jeremy Renner plays a hunter who discovers a murdered teenager on an Native American reservation and, after been asked to use his skills to help by a young FBI agent, tries to unravel the mystery behind the death - all set to a bleak unrelenting snow bleached landscape.
It's a slow burner that lets you absorb the cold and hostile environment these characters lived in. Every character who lives here is self destructing in some way, either internal or external, and the audience tries to work out who is choosing what - there's a perpetual sense of tiredness, malaise, and apathy that all who live in this frozen world deal with daily.
As the mystery unravels and the stakes rise, the morality or lack thereof from the people we follow is understandable even if completely reprehensible.
"All they have is snow and silence" Renner states near the end of the film and that, even after a vicarious revenge is won, is also what the audience is left with"
- 8/10
#178 - Bait (2015)
"Taking the 'it's well grim up North' phrasing to a new level, this low budget horror blends wanting to tell a serious tale of humanely real terror spliced with dark humour and exploitation staples.
The story follows two women who work a dull job in a market selling coffees, hoping for that loan so they can open their own specialty cafe. After one loan refusal too many, they agree to a loan from seemingly nice guy, Jeremy.
Thus the tumbling down the rabbit hole of despair begins as the bill keeps going up and the anguish increases. It's the smiling, dead behind the eyes portrayal of Jeremy that makes this film a lot better than initially expected. He exudes filth and unease, and the violence he beings to unleash is horrible and nauseating, taking the film a hairs fraction to needlessly sadistic.
However, the ending in all it's enormously gory overtones is marvelous, a true mash up of 80's video nasty and release from the misery we've had unleashed on our protagonists for the rest of the film"
- 5.5/10
The story follows two women who work a dull job in a market selling coffees, hoping for that loan so they can open their own specialty cafe. After one loan refusal too many, they agree to a loan from seemingly nice guy, Jeremy.
Thus the tumbling down the rabbit hole of despair begins as the bill keeps going up and the anguish increases. It's the smiling, dead behind the eyes portrayal of Jeremy that makes this film a lot better than initially expected. He exudes filth and unease, and the violence he beings to unleash is horrible and nauseating, taking the film a hairs fraction to needlessly sadistic.
However, the ending in all it's enormously gory overtones is marvelous, a true mash up of 80's video nasty and release from the misery we've had unleashed on our protagonists for the rest of the film"
- 5.5/10
Thursday 26 July 2018
#177 - Office (2015)
"A cryptic, considered thriller, the office is a Korean film that takes its time to paint a cryptic mystery we try to work out.
The plot: A man gets home from work, murders him family with a hammer before returning to work. He never leaves. The police can't find him, his co-workers have nothing bad to say, it's a mystery.
But behind the happy face of the company there is sinister considerations. Interns that may have seen more from him than they thought, dark implications that hint that the pressure of work may have lead to a snapping of character.
It's all told through a slow drip of information and is painfully tense at times, even more so with flashbacks and scenes we can never be sure are happening or not.
Indeed, it becomes almost a surreal nightmare set in a banal office and that is where this succeeds. Just who is killing and why?
The reason are not clear, even to the end, and it leaves room for thought just like the best of films do"
- 7/10
The plot: A man gets home from work, murders him family with a hammer before returning to work. He never leaves. The police can't find him, his co-workers have nothing bad to say, it's a mystery.
But behind the happy face of the company there is sinister considerations. Interns that may have seen more from him than they thought, dark implications that hint that the pressure of work may have lead to a snapping of character.
It's all told through a slow drip of information and is painfully tense at times, even more so with flashbacks and scenes we can never be sure are happening or not.
Indeed, it becomes almost a surreal nightmare set in a banal office and that is where this succeeds. Just who is killing and why?
The reason are not clear, even to the end, and it leaves room for thought just like the best of films do"
- 7/10
Wednesday 25 July 2018
#176 - Most Likely to Die (2016)
"A hollow shell of a 'friends reunite and get killed one by one' story, Most Likely to Die is a cliche ridden mess that becomes almost laughably awful in the first half.
From sour exposition fumbled in the most generic of manners to inexplicable 'bonding' moments that have all the humanity of stuffed doll, it stumbles its way through a checklist of perceived necessities before arriving at the kills.
Unfortunately we don't care for these characters,we have absolutely no reason to like them, only told we should like them through dialogue - the actions do nothing but show a callous, unfriendly group of strangers.
The deaths themselves vary from tedious to surprisingly gruesome - one particular decapitation scene perhaps the only saving grace for gore hounds hoping for blood.
Ultimately, there is nothing new or exciting to find here; it's an exercise in futility as the actors try and put in performances from the limp script they've been handed. Alas, this is a mess worth watching only to find a new appreciation in others of the genre"
- 3/10
#175 - The Purge (2013)
"Abrasive both in its depiction of violence and social message, The Purge is a vicious story about an annual 12 hour period where all crime is legal.
The story follows one family holed up in their house as they try and survive the night, the problems starting when the son opens the door to a stranger being hunted down. It's a different way of dealing with the home invasion genre, and the premise that no-one may help you is a daunting one.
The tension is decent for a standard horror fare replete with the jump scares and fetishized violence that one normally associates with this type of film.
The framing of the destruction to explore political, racial, and class messages is so ham-fisted its like hammering a nail with a sledgehammer; every time something potentially with depth threatens to raise its head it's decapitated by a flurry of scene changes or gunshots - this is a 'message' for the easily bored audience who don't want to dwell on anything past a 'this good, that bad' lesson"
- 6/10
Sunday 22 July 2018
#174 - Apostasy (2017)
"A thought provoking, perfectly measured telling of a story resonating in a crushingly real atmosphere. Apostasy tells the story of three women (a mother and two daughters) who are Jehovah's Witnesses that, through a series of events, must face the often painful truths that occur through the paths they walk or do not walk.
Set to the backdrop of a forever gloomy skied northern town, there is always the feeling of a static, frozen in time silence as we follow how the religious beliefs sculpt their day to day life isolated away from non witnesses as much as they can.
For a first time feature, the directing is strong, with complete faith put in the terrific performances of the main trio who tell so much in the slightest of movements.
The music is almost non existent, with no cheap violins or weepy piano to elicit a cheap emotional response. This decision nails home the reality, and makes the emotional jackhammers crack the viewer even more when they happen, especially going into the final act"
- 8/10
Set to the backdrop of a forever gloomy skied northern town, there is always the feeling of a static, frozen in time silence as we follow how the religious beliefs sculpt their day to day life isolated away from non witnesses as much as they can.
For a first time feature, the directing is strong, with complete faith put in the terrific performances of the main trio who tell so much in the slightest of movements.
The music is almost non existent, with no cheap violins or weepy piano to elicit a cheap emotional response. This decision nails home the reality, and makes the emotional jackhammers crack the viewer even more when they happen, especially going into the final act"
- 8/10
Wednesday 18 July 2018
#173 - First Reformed (2018)
"Masterfully patient in the story it tells, the director's confidence in the themes he is exploring is evident through the finely crafted cinematography and lighting which transforms what would have been a dull, uneven mess in lesser hands into a supremely gripping and absorbing experience.
First Reformed tells the story of a priest disillusioned with his life and how one conversation he has with a parishioner leads him a path of evolution both in despair and revelation. To say any more would be spoiler territory, and this is the sort of film that deserves to be seen spoiler free, on the big screen, with an appreciative audience.
The two main performances from Hawke and Seyfried are captivating and memorable; both feel like real people with motives based on experiences.
A looming and eerie build up of tension is almost painful for the last 30 minutes, a screen equivalent of a knot in your stomach that is twisting and twisting before the eruptive and wonderful (if you read it the way I did) finale"
- 8.5/10
First Reformed tells the story of a priest disillusioned with his life and how one conversation he has with a parishioner leads him a path of evolution both in despair and revelation. To say any more would be spoiler territory, and this is the sort of film that deserves to be seen spoiler free, on the big screen, with an appreciative audience.
The two main performances from Hawke and Seyfried are captivating and memorable; both feel like real people with motives based on experiences.
A looming and eerie build up of tension is almost painful for the last 30 minutes, a screen equivalent of a knot in your stomach that is twisting and twisting before the eruptive and wonderful (if you read it the way I did) finale"
- 8.5/10
Tuesday 17 July 2018
#172 - Spitfire [documentary] (2018)
"Equally enthralling and reflective in lavish amounts of both, Spitfire is a perfect blend of history, story, and rumination all wrapped around the captivating machine itself.
An endearing, joyous love letter, it never feels too over indulgent or bias, especially when considering its part in the war, instead focusing a lot of time on the veterans that flew them and the stories they made.
Without glossing over the reasons for their existence - that of a killing machine of war - it captures the post war audience besotted with the craft and what it came to represent; that of determination, integrity, ingenuity, and bravery. These traits reveal it was the humanity that flew them that molded a tool of destruction into a symbol of hope.
This is all without even focusing on the breathtaking aerial shots and cinematography of the spitfires flying in modern day over the haunting strikes on a piano and soft strings that accompany them. There are some wonderfully striking sequences that practically grab you from the screen, the immersion total"
- 8.5/10
An endearing, joyous love letter, it never feels too over indulgent or bias, especially when considering its part in the war, instead focusing a lot of time on the veterans that flew them and the stories they made.
Without glossing over the reasons for their existence - that of a killing machine of war - it captures the post war audience besotted with the craft and what it came to represent; that of determination, integrity, ingenuity, and bravery. These traits reveal it was the humanity that flew them that molded a tool of destruction into a symbol of hope.
This is all without even focusing on the breathtaking aerial shots and cinematography of the spitfires flying in modern day over the haunting strikes on a piano and soft strings that accompany them. There are some wonderfully striking sequences that practically grab you from the screen, the immersion total"
- 8.5/10
Sunday 15 July 2018
#171 - Night Flier (1997)
"As with so many other Stephen King adaptations of the 90's, Night Flier has that low budget, made for TV feel that can be hard to shake off as the film progresses.
Unlike others, however, if you enjoy a bit of shlocky horror this one actually keeps interest despite the questionable acting and bizarre editing.
We follow a reporter of dubious morality who is investigating the Night Flier, a killer who flies a custom black plane and leave a swathe of gory destruction in his wake.
As events turn ever creepier, our filthy reporter starts to question his own sanity and if the killer is something a bit more supernatural. It's cheese of the highest order, but the practical affects are wonderful with gaping wounds, decapitated heads and a chilling end reveal that I couldn't help but take pleasure in.
This is never going to win any awards, but if you have to pick something from the king filmography that isn't a well known one, grab this one - it's surprisingly enjoyable"
- 6/10
Unlike others, however, if you enjoy a bit of shlocky horror this one actually keeps interest despite the questionable acting and bizarre editing.
We follow a reporter of dubious morality who is investigating the Night Flier, a killer who flies a custom black plane and leave a swathe of gory destruction in his wake.
As events turn ever creepier, our filthy reporter starts to question his own sanity and if the killer is something a bit more supernatural. It's cheese of the highest order, but the practical affects are wonderful with gaping wounds, decapitated heads and a chilling end reveal that I couldn't help but take pleasure in.
This is never going to win any awards, but if you have to pick something from the king filmography that isn't a well known one, grab this one - it's surprisingly enjoyable"
- 6/10
Thursday 12 July 2018
#170 - Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film [doc] (2006)
"A historic look at the lifeline of the slasher from its early days all the way through to the 90's resurgence.
Told through clips and interviews from both directors, actors and writers, this is a love letter to the sub genre of horror with a wonderful look not just into the history and inspirations that molded the most well known of the era, but why slashers are so successful and what audiences get out of it on an emotional and psychological level.
Both appreciative and realistic, the frank discussions of several writers talking of how their films were only picked up after proven studio successes from others also highlights the cliched idea of slashers being nothing but lowest denominator pulp.
This is not just for hardcore genre fanatics, but anyone who enjoys film in general; the delightful mixture of waxing poetic on the thematic nature of the slasher and the more rooted history and events that formed this towering behemoth of a saturated film landscape is both fascinating and enjoyable"
- 8/10
Told through clips and interviews from both directors, actors and writers, this is a love letter to the sub genre of horror with a wonderful look not just into the history and inspirations that molded the most well known of the era, but why slashers are so successful and what audiences get out of it on an emotional and psychological level.
Both appreciative and realistic, the frank discussions of several writers talking of how their films were only picked up after proven studio successes from others also highlights the cliched idea of slashers being nothing but lowest denominator pulp.
This is not just for hardcore genre fanatics, but anyone who enjoys film in general; the delightful mixture of waxing poetic on the thematic nature of the slasher and the more rooted history and events that formed this towering behemoth of a saturated film landscape is both fascinating and enjoyable"
- 8/10
Monday 9 July 2018
#169 - Leave no Trace (2018)
"Poetically beautiful, this tranquil examination of life is both enthralling and saddening The story follows Tom and her father as they live in on the land in a public park in Oregon. One day the police arrive and put them into the system, and they must decide to adapt or regress.
Convincingly breathtaking, both the leads are utterly astounding and compelling in their performance. With a lack of convenient exposition, each display their prowess through basic movement, facial expression and interaction with each other; the confidence in the characters they portray is evident and it leads to a gripping and complete display that absorbs the viewer in complete awe.
Through action we learn to realise the complex reasoning behind the fathers disdain towards reality, and as the story pushes forward we understand the daughter's wish to break free from the web of what she knows and to live in a community that accepts her.
It's a heartbreaking, beautifully serene film that deserves all the acclaim it will surely achieve"
- 9/10
Convincingly breathtaking, both the leads are utterly astounding and compelling in their performance. With a lack of convenient exposition, each display their prowess through basic movement, facial expression and interaction with each other; the confidence in the characters they portray is evident and it leads to a gripping and complete display that absorbs the viewer in complete awe.
Through action we learn to realise the complex reasoning behind the fathers disdain towards reality, and as the story pushes forward we understand the daughter's wish to break free from the web of what she knows and to live in a community that accepts her.
It's a heartbreaking, beautifully serene film that deserves all the acclaim it will surely achieve"
- 9/10
Sunday 8 July 2018
#168 - Tau (2018)
"When wading into such trodden territory as AI super computer interacting with humans to evolve, the story must be strong enough that we can look past this cliche and appreciate a fresh approach.
Sadly, Tau is not this. It feels as if the story could have been told as a forty minute short and was instead padded out to eighty five minutes by tacking on a needless subplot at the beginning which made this feel more like a SAW film then an intelligent sci-fi.
The story follows Julia, who is kidnapped from her home by an elusive billionaire genius who wants to create stronger, more human AI.
This barebones affair is centred around her interaction with Tau, the prototype supercomputer that runs the antagonist's home. Tau is inquisitive and trades knowledge for knowledge as Julia tries to plot her escape.
There is a margin of investment in the AI human relationship but it's not worth seeking out other than a lazy afternoon when you have nothing else to do"
- 4/10
Sadly, Tau is not this. It feels as if the story could have been told as a forty minute short and was instead padded out to eighty five minutes by tacking on a needless subplot at the beginning which made this feel more like a SAW film then an intelligent sci-fi.
The story follows Julia, who is kidnapped from her home by an elusive billionaire genius who wants to create stronger, more human AI.
This barebones affair is centred around her interaction with Tau, the prototype supercomputer that runs the antagonist's home. Tau is inquisitive and trades knowledge for knowledge as Julia tries to plot her escape.
There is a margin of investment in the AI human relationship but it's not worth seeking out other than a lazy afternoon when you have nothing else to do"
- 4/10
#167 - Sweet Virginia (2017)
"Beautifully shot, this tense slow-burning thriller is a refreshing change of pace from your stand thriller affair. The story is built up achingly slow, perhaps to highlight the almost freezing of time the small town is facing in shock at the vicious triple homicide which opens the film.
Long, lingering shots give time for reflection as the films plays out, the dark brooding manner of night shots in diners and houses create an almost constant uncomfortable feeling as the mystery of where the plot is going slowly evolves.
Jon Berthnal and Christopher Abbott are both enthralling in their performances as our protagonist and antagonist respectively. Each feel like real people that, despite the film never really having any traditional exposition, manage to ooze personality and validity through every piece of dialogue or action taken.
The cinematography and directing have a supreme confidence behind them that leave you captivated in the screen, every shot is carefully calculated and highlights an emotion or theme - unorthodox but most definitely gripping"
Long, lingering shots give time for reflection as the films plays out, the dark brooding manner of night shots in diners and houses create an almost constant uncomfortable feeling as the mystery of where the plot is going slowly evolves.
Jon Berthnal and Christopher Abbott are both enthralling in their performances as our protagonist and antagonist respectively. Each feel like real people that, despite the film never really having any traditional exposition, manage to ooze personality and validity through every piece of dialogue or action taken.
The cinematography and directing have a supreme confidence behind them that leave you captivated in the screen, every shot is carefully calculated and highlights an emotion or theme - unorthodox but most definitely gripping"
Saturday 7 July 2018
#166 - Ocean's 8 (2018)
"Competent in all aspects without ever elevating to great, the film zips by in a predictable manner that makes this feel like pure sequence writing that could be an exercise in film making rather than an actual film with a strong creative drive powering a story wishing to be told.
The acting and characters are fine, the plotting is fine, it's like a dinner that fills you up but had no flavours to make it memorable.
Other than a minor revenge sub plot, there's not really much personal stakes or tension, we never feel the plan is going to fail or people are genuinely worried about this enormous heist they are undertaking.
No-one really has any arcs,instead they whir like cogs in a machine completing the base function they need to do. The directing is rather flat, and there's no particularly interesting shots or camera work - everything is serviceable.
Unfortunately this is its biggest downfall - you can watch it but will forget it the next day"
- 5/10
The acting and characters are fine, the plotting is fine, it's like a dinner that fills you up but had no flavours to make it memorable.
Other than a minor revenge sub plot, there's not really much personal stakes or tension, we never feel the plan is going to fail or people are genuinely worried about this enormous heist they are undertaking.
No-one really has any arcs,instead they whir like cogs in a machine completing the base function they need to do. The directing is rather flat, and there's no particularly interesting shots or camera work - everything is serviceable.
Unfortunately this is its biggest downfall - you can watch it but will forget it the next day"
- 5/10
Wednesday 4 July 2018
#165 - Wish Upon (2017)
"Rising from a glut of who cares horror schlock, this wonderfully perplexing piece of confusing, unintentionally funny horror is a strange blend of nonsensical plotting, dialogue, and acting.
Set around a high-school girl who finds a creepy box with Chinese writing on, she soon finds out it grants wishes ...but at a price! Yes, it's another interpretation of the 'you get your wish but someone dies/it happens in a weird manner' sub horror genre.
Fortunately for anyone who enjoys so bad it's good films, this is constantly climbing the 'what is happening' cliff before we reach the 'but why' summit.
Cue bizarre dialogue, phone interactions, and friendships. Characters are introduced and killed off Final Destination style because we need some sort of apparent stakes; sub plots zoom in and out with all the subtlety of a sneezing elephant, and the motivations and actions of our protagonist contradict themselves scene to scene just to have an excuse for the plot to move towards its convoluted ending"
- 3/10
Monday 2 July 2018
#164 - A Map for Saturday [doc] (2007)
"Travel documentaries can often feel like self vindicating aggrandizing puff pieces. However, this is nothing like that.
We see the narrator quitting his job to travel for a year over nothing more than a yearn to do so. This simplistic need to travel is a theme seeped throughout the entirety of this film that, rather than spending time gloating over places seen, focuses on the people met on the way. It's an extremely intriguing look into the lives of those that travel, and more so, why do they travel?
There is an intimate blend of relationships that grow over a minuscule amount of time, the sharing of a night with a fellow backpacker you will never see again, relationships that bloom only to be struck short a week later.
It's gripping stuff, mainly because it feels human. This story shows the world, but in doing so focuses how, no matter where we're from, we all react and take solace in the company of others"
- 8/10
We see the narrator quitting his job to travel for a year over nothing more than a yearn to do so. This simplistic need to travel is a theme seeped throughout the entirety of this film that, rather than spending time gloating over places seen, focuses on the people met on the way. It's an extremely intriguing look into the lives of those that travel, and more so, why do they travel?
There is an intimate blend of relationships that grow over a minuscule amount of time, the sharing of a night with a fellow backpacker you will never see again, relationships that bloom only to be struck short a week later.
It's gripping stuff, mainly because it feels human. This story shows the world, but in doing so focuses how, no matter where we're from, we all react and take solace in the company of others"
- 8/10
Sunday 1 July 2018
#163 - Leatherface (2017)
Another languid effort into enlarging the lore of a film series that needs no such exploration. The story follows the early days of Leatherface as he is taken away from his family and placed in a mental home for children from troublesome and criminal lifestyles. One night there is a riot and he along with several other inmates escape, thus beginning a police manhunt.
This could've worked as its own vessel without being tacked into the TCM franchise. It's hard to have stakes or get invested in the moral decline of a character we know becomes a mindless killer. The Bonnie and Clyde-esque inmates he escapes with serve as stakes and tension, however it feels like another film entirely, and they are dispatched off in an unsatisfying closure.
A flawed venture, it's hard to see just who this film is for. Veterans of the series will find nothing new, whilst the explicit gore and downtrodden, crushing finale is not going to enthrall newbies
- 4/10
This could've worked as its own vessel without being tacked into the TCM franchise. It's hard to have stakes or get invested in the moral decline of a character we know becomes a mindless killer. The Bonnie and Clyde-esque inmates he escapes with serve as stakes and tension, however it feels like another film entirely, and they are dispatched off in an unsatisfying closure.
A flawed venture, it's hard to see just who this film is for. Veterans of the series will find nothing new, whilst the explicit gore and downtrodden, crushing finale is not going to enthrall newbies
- 4/10
#162 - Sausage Party (2016)
"There is a line where crude exaggeration transcends into marvel, and this takes the cake for squeezing every drop of potential lewdness from a script festering in pure, undiluted gross-out.
The plot can be boiled down to a typical romance story where characters find themselves along the way and learn harsh truths about the world they live in before bettering themselves as a result - oh, but they're all food items!
Literally, talking food.
And humans are called Gods.
And we see them viscerally tearing and murdering the anthropomorphic food groups with all the horror of a lynchian nightmare.
Whilst the gross out puns won't be to everyone taste, the not so subtle peppering of social commentary (via racial stereotyping and religious beliefs) I did not expect to see in a film which also shows a Lavash having sex with a bagel.
Whilst this will be a sour experience for many, those that take comfort in the surreal and ridiculous should enjoy this"
- 7.5/10
The plot can be boiled down to a typical romance story where characters find themselves along the way and learn harsh truths about the world they live in before bettering themselves as a result - oh, but they're all food items!
Literally, talking food.
And humans are called Gods.
And we see them viscerally tearing and murdering the anthropomorphic food groups with all the horror of a lynchian nightmare.
Whilst the gross out puns won't be to everyone taste, the not so subtle peppering of social commentary (via racial stereotyping and religious beliefs) I did not expect to see in a film which also shows a Lavash having sex with a bagel.
Whilst this will be a sour experience for many, those that take comfort in the surreal and ridiculous should enjoy this"
- 7.5/10
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