Phantom Halo (2014)

Summary :
Brothers Samuel and Beckett Emerson are barely scraping by. Their father, Warren, continues to gamble and drink away any money they bring home. With all the havoc that is constantly going on in their lives, the family members each find solace in his own way, through Shakespeare, comic books and impossible love affairs. Beckett seizes the opportunity to make some easy money by counterfeiting in hopes of repaying his father's debts. When Beckett's plan goes awry, the family must decide to change their ways or pay the ultimate price

Genre : Crime/Drama
Country : USA

Cast :
Thomas Brodie-Sangster : Samuel Emerson
Rebecca Romijn : Ms. Rose
Luke Kleintank :  Beckett Emerson

Director : Antonia Bogdanovich

My opinion 

"At your age, I was better !"

Occasionally you come across a movie you've never heard about, with a well known actor starring in it. Like "Phantom Halo" for instance with Thomas "The Maze Runner" Brodie-Sangster. In hindsight it seemed as if they wanted to cram different stories in one film. One of those stories was portrayed in a successful way. The storyline which covered the criminal element, lamentably ended in a fiasco. The use of centuries old literature written by Shakespeare, won't turn it into a classical drama. Even though this was the most successful part.

Samuel (Brodie-Sangster) and Beckett (Luke Kleintank) are two brothers whose daily task consists of hiding the little bit of money they own for their father Warren (Sebastian Roché). The latter is a gambling alcoholic who apparently quoted Shakespeare somewhere on a stage in the past. And that's what Samuel has to do at street corners. He holds a Shakespearean monologue, while his brother deprives the bystanders of their wallets and other valuables. When it turns out that Warren owes a rather large amount of money to a loan shark, Beckett tries to solve this problem with help of his old friend Little Larry (Jordan Dunn).

And as this second fact evolves, the level of this film goes downwards and culminates in a horrible, clumsy denouement. The moment Ms. Rose (Rebecca Romijn), the breathtaking handsome mother of Little Larry, opposes Donny, I expected the worst already. This fragment felt so amateurish and implausible. And indeed, the follow-up was nothing to write home about.

To think that the run up to this ending was so much better. The portrayed family drama was fascinating to watch. Especially the brilliant interaction between father and sons. The way Samuel and Beckett try to make ends meet and how they are instructed by their father to scrape together the much needed cash, which Warren spends at the gambling table afterwards. But unfortunately this is ruined by irritating futilities and stupidities. At some point you even forget where the title of the movie is related to and the cartoon character "Phantom Halo" seems to be nothing more than a fait diverse. Out of nowhere a fingertip-chopping Chinese girl appears (after which I was wondering what the punishment would be when stealing her fathers car). And although Little Larry was repeatedly warned by Donny not to deceive him, after a while he's unabashedly driving around together with Beckett with a glitzy Bentley. That was a bit shortsighted, not to say plain stupid. The brief affair with Ms. Rose was totally irrelevant. And apparently they tried to finish it in a Tarantino way. But this attempt looks amateurish and rather fake.

Briefly and concisely: this movie is an accumulation of unfinished ideas.

My rating 3/10
Links : IMDB

Harbinger Down (2015)

Summary :
A group of grad students have booked passage on the crabbing boat Harbinger to study the effects of global warming on a pod of Belugas in the Bering Sea. When the ship's crew dredges up a recently thawed piece of old Soviet space wreckage, things get downright deadly. It seems that the Russians experimented with tardigrades, tiny resilient animals able to withstand the extremes of space radiation. The creatures survived, but not without mutation. Now the crew is exposed to aggressively mutating organisms. And after being locked in ice for 3 decades, the creatures aren't about to give up the warmth of human companionship.

Genre : SF/Horror
Country : USA

Cast :
Lance Henriksen : Graff
Matt Winston : Stephen
Camille Balsamo : Sadie

Director : Alec Gillis

My opinion 

"This is a portable molecular analyzer. Place the sample in this cartridge and it could tell you everything... from what species it is... and whether or not if it has a cold or cancer.
Hey, Bowman, I wonder if that thing can analyze a fart.
Okay, leave now, cavemen. Go wrestle sharks or whatever you do.”

Can you remember that spider-like, slimy creature with a deformed head attached to it from "The Thing"? Or when John Hurt's belly bursts open in "Alien" and a bloody alien pops out of it? Both films were made in the 80s. An era when there was fairly limited use of computer animations in films. The special effects were usually achieved by using stop-motion techniques, makeup and miniatures. "Harbinger down" is an ode to these techniques (PFX) which are still being used by the film studio ADI (also in the remake of "The Thing" in 2011). So it's a mixture of "The Thing" and "Alien" with an alien organism that has nestled itself in the body of a Russian cosmonaut who's been frozen in the polar ice already for many years now.

Personally, I always had a boundless admiration for the creators of SEs and make-up at that time. This was the period of a rampant VHS / Betamax market. I can remember me, as a film lover and not owning a video player, going to the local video store and returning home with a plastic case, with a VHS player, and five videotapes. Films full of exploding heads like in "Scanners" for instance or decaying body parts like in "The Fly". And now a renowned company comes up with a self-produced film of which they say that they only made use of these ancient techniques. That caused a momentary excitement. Unfortunately there's very little to see of these techniques. Either the creature appears in the dark which made it rather difficult to see. Either it moved so quickly.

Despite its high nostalgic value, the end result is somewhat disappointing. Besides the striking resemblance with classics from the 80's, there is also the sometimes appalling act. The stereotypical circumstances aren't very original. Again it takes place in a polar region. This time it all happens aboard a crab boat. Yet again a location where an escape is impossible. Obviously, there's someone whose priorities are at least somewhat debatable. The moment hell breaks loose, the systematic elimination of crew members begins.

I don't doubt the craftsmanship of Alec Gillis as creator of grotesque, slimy monsters. But directing is a job he clearly hasn't mastered yet. First of all there's a total lack of tension. There isn't a single moment that grabs you by the throat. You look at it in an apathetic way and patiently wait for the denouement. Even the main topic of the film is a great disappointment. The organism looks artificial, plastic, fake and is far from fearsome. It's just a considerable oversized octopus that changes shape and moves around the boat quite easily. But you won't get the chills from it.

The good intentions are clearly present, but then again the road to hell is paved with good intentions. The finishing touch remains weak. Maybe it was initially intended to create a movie similar to "The Thing". At first the remake of 2011 solely consisted of techniques used by ADI. However, these were excluded from the final film. So perhaps this is a raised middle finger towards the makers of that remake. This doesn't diminish the fact that it's still an extremely poor movie. However there are still two positive facts I should mention. The way the alien transfigures, wasn't such a bad idea after all. And Lance "Bishop" Henriksen plays a rock solid role as the stubborn and steadfast captain Graff. But ultimately it was still too meager. They could have neglected that Soviet rubbish and focus on those white whales. That would have been equally exciting.

My rating 3/10
Links : IMDB

Goodnight Mommy (2014)

Summary :
In the heat of the summer, a lonesome house in the countryside between woods and corn fields, lives nine-year-old twin brothers who are waiting for their mother. When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before. The children start to doubt that this woman is actually their mother. It emerges an existential struggle for identity and fundamental trust.

Genre : Horror
Country : Austria

Cast :
Susanne Wuest : Mother
Elias Schwarz  : Elias
Lukas Schwarz : Lukas

Director : Severin Fiala,Veronika Franz

Alternative title : Ich seh, Ich seh

My opinion      

“Sie ist so anders …”

Apparently Austria has more to offer than just Tiroler films with an original title like "Auf die alm mit drei lustige blonde mädels", Milka, Edelweiss and Schwarzenegger. This psychological horror film proves it. It isn't exactly special and original. Let's say I wasn't blown away. Not like the first time I heard the sound produced by an Alpenhorn. The design is so tight and sober as the interior of the house where Lukas (Luke Schwarz) and Elias (Elias Schwarz) live. Twins who, which is normal with twins, eerily look alike. You rather can call them Siamese twins because one can't be without the other.

When their mother (Susanne Wuest) comes back home, after a stay in the hospital, the attitude of the twins towards her isn't as you'd expect. A wary, aloof attitude. You could even call it hostile. The two young boys claim that she isn't their real mother and every time they ask the same question : "Where's mum?". But there are several indications that something is wrong in this Austrian family. The strict rules imposed by the mother. The two lads who explore the area without parental supervision. They play in corn fields, dark caves and explore a place full of human bones. Their introverted behavior. And one of them refuses to talk with his mother. The collection of scary, dirty giant cockroaches in a terrarium. The storage of a huge amount of frozen pizzas. And Lukas and Elias show more of those sinister traits as the film progresses.

I like arty horrors which usually try to avoid the traditional path of this genre. The visual aspect is certainly successful, but the storyline has been used several times. Ultimately, there are only two scary moments in this film. First, the beginning of the film where we have some kind of Von Trapp family singing an Austrian lullaby. It scared me to death because for a moment I thought I accidentally started "The Sound of Music". And secondly a surreal scene with the mother walking naked through the woods and experiencing an obscure, demonic state.

This last fragment made sure I was even more convinced that this was the core of the story. However, I was completely wrong when seeing the showdown. Even though I read everywhere that there were already clues early in the film that indicate what it's all about, I have to admit I didn't notice them. So this was a rather surprising twist for me. Obviously after that some things became clearer. Other things however stayed vague and unexplained. You can only speculate about that. What did happen to the mother actually ? Was it a rehabilitation or was it cosmetic surgery? Was this the reason for having a divorce? Of course you can guess what actually happened, after seeing the big reveal.

In general, the performances were credible and at times even excellent. The twins were disturbing creepy. The mother was convincing helpless. Except the scene with those people of the Red Cross (horribly acted and directed pitiful) the acting part was exceptionally good. My biggest criticism is that the trailer raised my expectations but they weren't delivered. A typical case of overhyping. What remains is a solid psychological thriller with a paranormal event and also a bit of torture porn (not exactly my favorite genre) full of childlike sadism (this is the first time I witness the use of superglue and the consequences of it afterwards grossly exaggerated and implausible). Family terror growing into frightening proportions. This movie confirms my golden rule: ignore trailers and never trust their content!

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Demon Baby (2014)

Summary :
Rose and Theo are a young couple setting out on a camper van holiday in the remote Scottish Highlands when ghostly apparitions begin to haunt their perfect weekend away. Rose's mental state begins to deteriorate along with Theo's patience. How will they survive this weekend away when something from Rose's past comes back to haunt them? 

Genre : Horror/Thriller
Country : UK

Cast :
Carina Birrell : Rose
David Wayman : Theo
Cameron Jack : Officer Thwaites

Director : Corrie Greenop

My opinion      

Sometimes one wonders: "How can you survive something like this ?". Never was the opening line of a Gorki song so relevant as for this movie (difficult for non Belgian readers, since this is a Belgian band). Because you will surely need perseverance to complete this wannabe horror. Are you expecting a kind of "Rosemary's baby" story ? Well, turn it off because it's nothing like that. I had an inkling already from the beginning with the first paranormal phenomenon (or delusion). This is going to turn out bad because it really looked cheap and old-fashioned. But there were some factors that made sure I didn't classify it immediately in the category "Hopeless cases".

First the very successful wide shots of the Scottish landscape. The Scottish Highlands are beautifully portrayed with its hills and idyllic lakes. And when a local resident, who speaks with a blandly Scottish accent, participates in this movie, the big picture is complete. And that's how this film begins. A mobile home driving on a narrow and winding road. A subtle way to show that the place where Rose (Carina Birrell) and Theo (David Wayman) are heading for, lies far from civilization. Total isolation where even a mobile phone can't be used. But admit it. You also can admire such wonderful pictures on "National Geographic".

In general "Demon Baby" is far from scary or creepy. The musical accompaniment and sound effects try to create a creepy atmosphere and support the scarce scares. However, they didn't succeed in bringing real frightening moments, because they simply weren't very frightening from the start. A few hazy appearances and knocking sounds (as if the sound technician was banging his huge woolly microphone against something) aren't particularly creepy. There's only one specific moment I would call scary (to a limited extent). But ultimately that's not sufficient enough for a horror / thriller.

Next I admired the acting of the for me unknown actress Carina Birrell. Actually, her performance is the reason why I didn't qualify it as an utter crap movie (And no, it's not because of the shower scene). A proper interpretation reflecting the panicky, unstable condition and the uncontrolled mood swings. She's a totally unpredictable character, which makes you constantly wonder whether she's really experiencing paranormal phenomena or her mental decline has something to do with it. Ultimately, this film feels a bit like "The Babadook".

This contrasts with the character Theo. Not that David Wayman makes a mess out of it. I think the script wasn't that great and he tried to make the best out of it. Theo is an attentive guy who's extremely concerned about his pregnant girlfriend. And although Rose reacts irritated, he tries to make her feel as comfortable as possible. On the other hand he's like a pubescent teenager who can't wait to experience his first sexual contact. Every other minute he tries to seduce his girlfriend to play around a bit (he even gives her some sexy lingerie). After the umpteenth rejection, however, he runs of like a sulky teenager. Not so thoughtful and understanding suddenly. But his thoughtfulness, started to annoy me when Theo asked that same question again. "Are you alright?". Instead of waiting for the constantly recurring answer that Rose gave ("I'm just tired"), I had the urge to shout it out loud as well. I was sick and tired of that bloody stupid question.

 
Not exactly a success story, this British horror experiment. It fails in terms of genre-picking. Is it a horror? Or is it just another psychological thriller? If you look at the poster, you expect a demonic baby to pop out of that swollen belly. Just like in "Alien". Right ? But sorry. No baby. No demon. The best thing you do is to get a bottle of authentic Scottish Whisky, put on some bagpipe music as  accompanying background music while putting on a matching kilt. At least you're in the proper mood. Don't expect the movie to do that for you!

My rating 2/10
Links : IMDB

Last Shift (2014)

Summary :

Officer Jessica Loren has been assigned to wait for a Hazmat team to pick up bio-hazardous waste from the station's armory. But unbeknownst to Jessica, cult Leader John Michael Paymon has haunted the department ever since he and two of this followers committed suicide a year ago to date. And now, Jessica is about to find out how dangerous they can be when she's left alone on this Last Shift.

Genre : Horror/Thriller
Country : USA

Cast :
Juliana Harkavy : Jessica Loren
Joshua Mikel : John machael Paymon
J. LaRose : Panty Belt Patrick Black

Director : Anthony DiBlasi

My opinion 

“And the commotion the next morning...
I got a glimpse into their cell.
And the bodies were gone. But...pure evil covered those walls.”

My first thought after watching "Last Shift" was : "Damn,  Jessica Loren surely deserves a medal for her perseverance". If I was in her shoes I would have abandoned that police station the first second while putting up my middle finger to Sergeant Cohen. I wouldn't stay there a minute longer. But despite all suspicious noises, apparitions and supernatural events, she remains loyal to her post. Is she afraid to fail in her task so she won't be allowed to join the force ? Or doesn't she want to be inferior to what her father meant as a police officer in the past?

 

I must admit however that it's been a long time since I've seen such an extremely creepy film, although everything is soberly portrayed and there's minimal use of special effects. A rookie is trapped in an office all alone without a living soul to keep her company. All she has to do is get through the night until a cleaning crew arrives in the morning to clean up abandoned evidence. The end result is a series of terrifying scenes, terrifying noises and disturbing images. The film even managed to scare the crap out of me sometimes. Something I'm normally totally immune for.

Despite it being a low-budget film and it all takes place in one place only, they still made very good use of (although well known) horror techniques to make a lengthy horror-trip out of it. Maybe that's already a minor flaw. It all took too long. But eventually it was scary and creepy with a threatening atmosphere and constantly ominous. Especially the gradual tension buildup was successful. The full story is patiently clarified. Although I'm sick and tired of paranormal movies, I was pleasantly surprised.

   

Juliana Harkavy carries the whole movie in a convincing way. The movie focuses practically entirely on her. Even the group of crazy devil worshipers who start to haunt Jessica can only be admired briefly. There was even a sort of "Sixth Sense" moment with the assistance of police officer Ryan Price (Matt Doman). I just wondered what the tramp actually had to do with it all. Did he just pass by in search of his shoes? A rather bizarre person who served as filling. And despite their brief appearance the three Paymon family members were convincing enough to conclude that this family was extremely insane. Bloodcurdling testimonies which leave nothing to the imagination.

Unfortunately, the end ruined it all again. Uninspired and in terms of originality certainly not of the same level as the rest of the movie. The rest was certainly of a high level. Both the structure of the story, the sound effects and the editing were excellent in this psychological terror film

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Paper Towns (2015)

Summary :
Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green, this is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin and his enigmatic neighbor Margo, who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears - leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship - and true love.

Genre : Mystery/Romance
Country : USA

Cast :
Nat Wolff : Quentin
Cara Delevingne : Margo
Austin Abrams : Ben

Director : Jake Schreier

My opinion  

"Marriage, children, career.
Then you will be happy.
Is that what you're saying?” 

I like to watch a feelgood college movie once and a while, with its peculiar weirdos and goofy situations. Although no movie will ever surpass "The Breakfast Club". And surely when it has additional similarities with "Serendipity", one of my favorite teenage love chick flicks ever made, it can't get any better. Ok, it's a collection of known clichés used in all kinds of situations and eventually it's not that big of a deal. Mainly it's about the close friendship between some guys who don't even belong to the club of the most popular students. They're all off to another university scattered over the US. And most important there's the quest they undertake together to find the childhood love of one of them. A special and mysterious young girl whose life appears to be one big adventure.

My favorite character was Austin Abrams as the loony Ben, who thinks Q's mother is an incredibly attractive woman and there's nothing he rather would do than spend some time with her in a bathtub. He's a sperm cell on two legs whose hormones repeatedly go bezerk whenever there's a C-cup to admire in the neighborhood. Radar (Justice Smith) is the sober, reserved member of the gang who does everything according to the rules. He even wants to postpone the act until prom night, because it should be something special. His parody of an Italian is the only moment he doesn't stick to those rules. And Quentin (Nat Wolff) is the main character who after a nightly adventure with Margo (Cara Delevingne) comes to the conclusion that he must do his utter best to win her heart forever. He even travels to a ghost town on paper.

You might say all elements are present for a typical teen movie full of romance. Initially, this is also the core of the story. However it comes with an unprecedented twist as the story unfolds. The mysterious Margo initiates an adventurous quest. A search Quentin starts together with his two closest friends with clues left behind by Margo as a main guidance. What we get is an entertaining road movie in which the close relationship between the three schoolmates gets all the attention. A mix of good old camaraderie and melancholic musings. And this peppered with funny dialogues. The end result is both surprising and original, when you take other teen films into consideration. To be honest it's more realistic and it's an attempt to break the enchanting of teenage love.

The three main characters form a tight group and interact in a natural way. Three close friends who know each other thoroughly. Each of them deliver some solid acting with Austin Abrams being the most successful one. Wolff looked a bit wimpy and dryly but was convincing enough as the key figure. Delevingne had a mysterious appearance which was necessary for her part. On the whole, this was definitely not a boring film, but I couldn't shake of the impression that it all went ahead rather leisurely. What remains is an unpredictable search for the girl Q is in love with since his childhood. However, I am sure many young people also have undertaken such a quest in their own way.

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Every Secret Thing (2014)

Summary :  
A detective looks to unravel a mystery surrounding missing children and the prime suspects: two young women who, seven years ago, were put away for an infant's death.

Genre : Mystery
Country : USA

Cast :
Dakota Fanning : Ronnie Fuller
Elizabeth Banks : Nancy Porter
Danielle MacDonald : Alice

Director : Amy Berg

My opinion    

"Do you ever wonder what would have happened if maybe you had found the baby sooner? Maybe you could have saved her. Maybe if you had walked just a little bit faster, she would still be alive.
Did you ever think about that?”

"Every Secret Thing" is a meager attempt to create a thriller full of suspense. The inspiration came from a book written by Laura Lippman. Usually a story about missing children makes you feel uncomfortable and tells about the most terrible thing that can happen to you as a parent. However, I would recommend to watch "Prisoners" starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman. In terms of suspense and showing the desperation of the frightened parents, this film transcends effortlessly this shallow attempt. The two teenagers Alice (Danielle Macdonald) and Ronnie (Dakota Fanning) aren't really creepy or frighteningly. On the contrary. You feel sorry for these two misfits who, by circumstances, made a wrong decision when they were young. Even though it turns out that one of them has a morbid, gloomy mind.

 

At the age of 11, the two young girls decide to take a baby, sitting in an abandoned stroller on a porch, with them (and she's also a granddaughter of the first black judge in the community), after they attended a disastrous birthday party. The two are not exactly popular with kids of the same age. Alice is a chubby girl and Ronnie is an introverted child who also happens to have a sharp tongue. At first it was just a harmless game for those two teenagers. But later on they started to realize they couldn't cope with it and there was no turning back. The total lack of necessary care was fatal for the baby. The two were brought to justice and convicted for kidnapping and murdering a child. You don't need to be a brilliant mind to know who they'll suspect again when another baby disappears in the same community.

I thought this movie failed in several areas. This film is mostly supported by women (several female actors, a female director, a female script writer and writer). This is noticeable since the result is quite soft. Nancy Porter (Elizabeth Banks), a female detective who's like a sort of adult version of Nancy Drew, is motivated enough to solve this mystery. She discovered in a haphazard way the corpse of the first victim and was subsequently promoted. And she's determined to find this baby again. Although I had a feeling as if there was no rush. She looked rather stoical. You can say that Alice's mother does some groundbreaking work as an art teacher, but she fails completely as a parent. Alice was in a certain way kind of creepy. And yet that split personality isn't displayed explicitly. Her sophisticated and manipulative traits were acted outstanding. However, the acting wasn't that convincing at the denouement. In other words, the whole movie lacked some true tension.

 
The only one who could captivate me with her acting, was Dakota Fanning (The last time I saw her acting was in "War of the Worlds" as a very young girl). A superb personage with a complicated character. An introverted girl who's, despite her depressive and alternative appearance, still extremely attractive. For me she was also the only credible character.

Even the strange twists at the end can't avoid this melodramatic thriller ending up at the same level as most average TV movies. The mysterious beginning, the shocking subject and the sometimes superb acting eventually couldn't prevent it to become a clichéd thriller with no real surprises. And the final scene is the most clichéd ending ever made.

My rating 5/10
Links : IMDB