Let's Be Evil (2016)

Summary 
Three chaperones are hired to supervise an advanced learning program for gifted children, who wear Augmented Reality Glasses to assist in their education. Contained within a secure, underground facility, events quickly spiral out of control.

Genre : SF
Country : UK

Cast : 
Elizabeth Morris : Jenny

Kara Tointon : Tiggs
Elliot James Langridge : Darby

Director : Martin Owen

My opinion

“The past can define our future.
But I won’t let it.”

The opening scene of this sci-fi horror was promising. Even better, it was a snapshot that instantly caught my attention. A sublime and fascinating scene after which I snuggled in my cozy chair in anticipation for something magnificent. I was immediately convinced that this was going to be a hell of a movie. What did you expect? With a score like that on IMDb, this couldn't go wrong. The frozen image of a puzzled looking girl smeared with blood, seamlessly merged with a tv-show where we get the melancholic picture of a generation with no future. The education system needs to be changed so a new generation of intelligent young kids is being produced instead of a generation of obese and hopeless youngsters . The images looked futuristic with a suitable graphic design. And then the flashy google glass lookalike is introduced. A gadget we'll be watching through the rest of the film.

Just recently I've seen "Jeruzalem" where they used the same kind of glasses. A disappointing film though. The only feat I was excited about was that high-tech device. Unfortunately this facet of "Let's be evil" became a rather annoying element to me. Even worse. I got so sick of it that I wanted to give up already halfway the movie. The rickety soundtrack was perhaps an omen. Admit it. If you want to create a futuristic movie, you shouldn't be using those stale Jean Michelle-Jarre polyphonic sounds. It felt as if I was watching a third-rate SF from the 80s. Unfortunately these weren't the only disturbing elements. When the end credits rolled over the screen I made my final conclusion. This was probably the worst thing I've seen this year.

First, the overall picture you get to see almost the whole movie. The fact that it all happens in a virtual environment (the three selected candidates can only see by making use of the spectacles) was at first an exciting and interesting display. It all looked great and wellknown (especially for those who sometimes sit behind a screen to have fun with some PC games), but it has one major drawback. After half an hour of hazy and swirling images, you gradually start to hate it. Biggest advantage is that a not so talented cameraman with virtually no experience gets away with it when some blurry and out of focus fragments appear in between. Combine this with a dark underground bunker where the lighting consists of pulsating lights in all sorts of colors and your irritation level is reached very quickly. It looked as if the whole story was set in a concrete submarine.

And then you have the actors who were recruited based on some unknown requirements and who are participating in the Posterity Project. Judging from the conversations they have, the requirements concerning the level of intelligence needed for this job wasn't very high. Their ultimate function is to observe the group of teenagers that are also present in this underground facility (spending their days waving their hands in the air). And when necessary they accompany a lost teenager back to the group. Not exactly intriguing and exciting. The fact that the group of children organize a sort of artificial uprising afterwards in which they manipulate the electronic system in an incomprehensible way, was the start of a confusing outcome and a ridiculous denouement.

Finally, the part that frustrated me the most. I had no idea what the theme of this movie was about. And in the end, I still didn't know it. Perhaps it's me getting older and a mild version of dementia sneaked in my system, but I couldn't make head nor tail of it. What was the opening sequence about and how did this correlate with the rest of the movie? And the end didn't clarify anything either. In a subtle way they tried to demonstrate the dangers of technologies and the way it's intertwined in our everyday lives. Kind of obvious. But eventually I still had a few questions about the film. Occasionally I like to watch a sophisticated film with a not so simple storyline. But this was a level too high for me apparently. I suggest however that the creators of the IMDb website check their algorithms, because the score given to "Let's be Evil" is totally irrational. Or was there an artificial intervention by the makers of this movie? Well, that's a spooky thought!

My rating 1/10
Links : IMDB

Cut Snake (2014)

Summary 
Set in Melbourne in the mid-1970s, Cut Snake tells the story of Sparra Farrell, an ex-convict who is trying to make a new life for himself in a new city. He has found honest work and even becomes engaged but the prospect of this new life is challenged when his foreboding and charismatic cell mate Pommie tracks him down upon his own release.

Genre : Crime/Drama
Country : Australia

Cast : 
Alex Russell : Sparra

Sullivan Stapleton : Pommie
Jessica De Gouw : Paula

Director : Tony Ayres

My opinion

“Good day, Paula.
I'm Jim, but you can call me Pommie.”

My expectations are pretty high strung whenever I encounter an Australian movie again. I was pleasantly surprised already a few times after discovering a film from Down Under. Even though "Cut Snake" put me on the wrong track at a certain moment, the film in general wasn't really surprising. The denouement was even extremely predictable. The two main characters Jim "Pommie" Stewart (Sullivan Stapleton) and Mervyn "Sparra" Farrell (Alex Rusell) shared a grim past. That was kind of obvious. I didn't expect those two former prisoners to have a connection on a whole different level. At first it seemed Pommie had traced his partner in crime just to convince him to pick up the thread on a criminal level. As it becomes clear that Sparra has chosen to walk the right path, this throws a spanner in the works. Sparra has resolutely opted for the ordinary life with his fiancee Paula (Jessica De Gouw). Even a poorly paid job can't convince him to go back to a world of crime. What follows is a complex and tumultuous love triangle.

It's safe to say that "Cut Snake" is a melodramatic thriller. What certainly stands above the rest in this film is the acting of Sullivan Stapleton. Pommie is the type of figure who makes you feel a little uneasy instantly. A burly, heavily tattooed and intimidating appearance whose uncontrollable rage suddenly breaks out and then quickly disappears. Unerringly if unwittingly, Sparra is sucked into a destructive spiral of aggression and violence. And he himself will end up in an inner conflict. Even though it appears from the outset it's heading for a typical crime film, the movie makes an unexpected twist, changing it into a very different mood. In contrast to the terrifying face of Stapleton, Alex Rusell has an angelic face. An ordinary guy who appeared out of nowhere in Paula's life and whose dark past remained hidden until Pommie appeared on the scene. 

The film is set in the 70s and situated in an Australian town near Melbourne. The whole film is made in the outspoken style from the 70's. Clothing, vehicles and used soundtrack fit perfectly. My compliments to the decor department. And if you're wondering what the film title exactly means, then I suggest you look up the Australian statement "mad as a cut snake". "Cut Snake" is an indie with a two-faced character. On the one hand it's a simple crime film. On the other hand it's a rather bold melodramatic love story. The twist incorporated in the film is not without a risk. An experiment where some of the viewers will have second thoughts about. I appreciated the subtlety with regard to how everything was imaged. No overly explicit scenes were being used. Not even during the violent scenes. The highlight for me was the moment the tough and resolute Pommie emotionally crashed and briefly showed how fragile and helpless he was. A strong and persuasive piece. Are you an adventurous movie lover? Then this film is really something for you.

My rating 6/10
Links : IMDB

Alice through the looking glass (2016)

Summary 
Alice returns to the magical world of Underland, only to find the Hatter in a horrible state. With the help of her friends, Alice must travel through time to save the Mad Hatter and Underland's fate from the evil clutches of the Red Queen and a clock like creature, known as Time.

Genre : Fantasy
Country : USA

Cast : 
Johnny Depp : Hatter Tarrant Hightopp

Mia Wasikowska : Alice
Sacha Baron Cohen : Time

Director : James Bobin

My opinion

“I do not know who you are.
You're not my Alice.
My Alice believes in me.”

I've never been a fan of the "Alice in Wonderland" fairy tale. It's a rather bizarre story that took shape in the inventive mind of Lewis Carroll. Not that it lacked imagination, but I had the impression that the wizardry with literary tricks got the most attention. A story richly filled with roguish puns. When I started watching this movie, there was one thing in my disadvantage. My total ignorance about the character Alice. I didn't even bother to watch the previous movie "Alice in Wonderland" from 2010. So that makes that a character like Hatter (Johnny Depp) a complete stranger to me.

The opening scene of the film actually is a reflection of the rest. A highly professional imaged pursuit at sea, with Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) skillfully maneuvering her boat over a reef while using a seemingly improbable sail trick. Why those Malaysian pirates were chasing her, was completely unclear to me and nowhere explained afterwards. And that's also the overall image I have about this movie. Superbly imaged, but so unclear and very confusing. Of course my lack of knowledge about Alice is a leading factor. But the way Underland (where Alice returns by stepping through a magical mirror) is designed, is truly phenomenal. The beautiful colors splash right off the screen. A surreal world full of wondrous things and enchanting characters. It reminded me a bit of "Oz the Great and Powerful" where you also could admire a multicolored wonderland.

And not only the imaginative scenery are stunning. Also the wonderful characters look unreal and mega-fantastic at the same time. Alice sees her old friends again after a long time. And it's a colourful group of fantasy figures. Absolem, Thackery and Cheshire Cat are wonderful, brisk animations. Tweedle dee and dum (Matt Lucas) look witty, yet scary in a way. Mirana, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) is rather ...well ... colorless. Iracebeth, the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) is not only an annoying character, but also an interesting and at time sometimes madcap character. And in between whirls Alice. She isn't surprised about this miraculous world, since it is not the first time she ends up there. And obviously you'll meet Hatter Tarrant Hightopp, a crazy and carnivalesque hatter, whose health rapidly deteriorates. The only remedy is to find back his family. But seemingly, this isn't so obvious. Apparently they've died in the past. The only way to succeed, is to travel back in time. And that 's exactly what Alice is going to ask Time (Sacha Baron Cohen). How can she go back in time and prevent Hatter's family of being killed? And that's when the majestic part of Cohen (aka Borat) begins. He's the personification of time. And he plays it in a sublime and magnificent way.

Visually, the film is just phenomenally beautiful. Content wise it's terribly chaotic. At certain moments I really couldn't keep up with the story. It realy felt as if they tried to cram lots of facts, characters and storylines in one film. And those time travels weren't making it simple either. Even the eccentric Depp couldn't convince me. The whole story revolves around him in a way. As a result he's in the picture lots of times. To be honest, his character started to irritate me a bit after a while. I'd rather would have seen those other characters in action a bit more often. Like Time for instance. Unprecedented the best part in this Alice in Wonderland chapter. A pedant, despotic figure who isn't afraid to put you in an endless time loop. Assisted by his submissive employees (called minions) he controls time in this wonderland. And he carries out this painstaking work, while residing in his impressive "Palace of Time". A visually striking building and imaginative creation. But eventually I came to the same conclusion. Alice in Wonderland is not "my cup of tea."

My rating 5/10
Links : IMDB

31 (2016)

Summary 
The day before Halloween, five carnival employees are kidnapped and held hostage in an isolated compound known as "Murderworld". On Halloween, they are thrown into a sadistic game called "31" where they must survive 12 hours against a gang of maniacs dressed like clowns. It's time to play 31.

Genre : Horror
Country : USA

Cast : 
Sheri Moon Zombi : Charly

Jeff Daniel Phillips : Roscoe
Richard Brake : Doom-Head

Director : Rob Zombie

My opinion

“I'm not here to make you happy.
I'm not here to brighten your dismal day.
And I am certainly not here to elicit an amused response.
I am here to end your miserable fucking life.”

I'm not a real hardcore Rob Zombie fan. In a dark past, I saw "House of 1000 corpses". A kind of "Texas Chainsaw massacre" story, where a group of nobodies fall into the hands of a crazy family. And a few years ago I saw the not so brilliant "The Lords of Salem" with a pack of elderly witches haunting a local female disc jockey. Far from impressive and filled with absurd scenes. The most exciting part were the seductive curves of Zombie's wife (Sheri Moon Zombi). And that's all I knew about Rob Zombie's oeuvre. Had I known this was another movie from him, perhaps I would have skipped it. It may sound a bit morbid, but eventually I thought it wasn't so bad.

Don't expect a thoughtful story or some masterful twists in this film. This is nothing more than a straightforward slasher with the keywords sadism and survival. The film is ideal to watch next Halloween. The film title is also linked to this horror holiday. The number 31 refers to the 31st October (Yes, Halloween). And just as in "All Hallows' Eve" there are again ugly, cruel clowns who make some traveling carnival workers' life miserable. Along the way to Ardleyville they are attacked by some unknowns dressed as thugs and five survivors are transported to a kind of indoor circus. Here they are being received by a trio of idiots who look as if they came from the Renaissance time (looks like it when you see their clothes and old-fashioned wigs ). The five are told that they participate in a game called "31" and they need to survive the next 12 hours so they are free again. However, they have to stand up to five clowns, called "Heads"  (Sick-Head, Psycho-Head, Schizo-Head, Death-Head and Sex-Head), in this endless-like maze.

And when those mad clownish figures are equipped with terrible weapons like a bat full of nails, chain saws and sharp knives, you'll realize that this will become a macabre party. And the murderous clowns are not only unhinged psychopaths who ruthlessly slaughter their victims, they also look grotesque in terms of clothing. A cruel dwarf with a Hitler look, equipped with all kinds of SS attributes, is really confronting. What follows is a sadistic cat and mouse game with bloody massacres as a result. The film is not only filled with barbaric scenes but the language is as coarse as the violence. The five not very intelligent-looking victims and their executioners use unambiguous expressions peppered with sexist and foul mouthed terminology (in several languages).

Ultimately, it isn't very original and it only revolves around the senseless killing of the hunted individuals who try to defend themselves as efficiently as they can. A concept that has already been used several times (as in "The Purge: Anarchy"). However, there was one majestic moment in the beginning. The opening scene in black and white with the Satanic-looking Doom-head (Richard Brake) who gives an impressive speech to a forthcoming victim. A fascinating moment perfectly imaged with a stunning use of light effects. This raises the expectations towards the rest of the movie. Unfortunately, those expectations aren't met. But it's still a good alternative to add "31" to your "to watch" list at Halloween night.

My rating 7/10
Links : IMDB

Dreaded light : A film opportunity

Get involved in Mark MacNicol's new feature film

Dreaded Light

I've been contacted by Mark MacNicol to take a look at the introduction video about a film being produced in Manchester. As far as I can tell from this brief introduction it's a film about spirituality in this world (a story is brought up about a medium and her prediction of a deceased daughter). It's all rather vague, but instinctively I feel that this might be a very interesting topic.

Yep, it's a kind of crowdfunding and you get the opportunity to be a participant in the creation of this film. And apparently riskless ...

Interested? You can find the necessary information here!

This is the 

The Jungle Book (2016)

Summary 
The man-cub Mowgli flees the jungle after a threat from the tiger Shere Khan. Guided by Bagheera the panther and the bear Baloo, Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery, though he also meets creatures who don't have his best interests at heart.

Genre : Adventure
Country : USA

Cast : 
Neel Sethi : Mowgli

Bill Murray : Baloo (voice)
Ben Kingsley : Bagheera (voice)

Director : Jon Favreau

My opinion

“No matter where you go or what they may call you, you will always be my son.”

Of all fairy tales adaptations I've seen so far ("Maleficent", "Snow white and the huntsmen" and "Jack the giant slayer"), this animated movie (it looks lifelike but it consists mainly out of groundbreaking digital animations) is the the most dazzling one. I don't want to sound too excited and shower Jon "Chef" Favreau with all the superlatives that I can think of for his directing work of , but in short this film was fantastic. Not only did this film throw me back to my childhood when my innocent eyes wandered over a large picture book and sympathized with the little Mowgli (Neel Sethi). But as an adult, I also stared at this beautiful film dumbfounded.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this restyled Disney version and I can't think of a single thing to criticize. Everything looks lifelike. The jungle and overall scenery made out of millions of pixels, is phenomenal. The inhabitants of this jungle look stunning. At times I doubted whether they were digital creations or the real thing. Even their character traits are conforming. And in between all these animal activities, one single human creature moves around. Looking at it afterwards you can easily say this was a superhuman performance of this little guy. Because successfully navigating in between these digitally created fellow players wasn't easy I reckon. In terms of empathy, this young lad thrills. It's not only the design department who'll walk away with the honors. It's also the character study and the perfect mix of action and philosophical, emotional moments that make it appealing to all ages. The boundary of creepiness wasn't exceeded (my daughter thought it was terribly exciting though) and it isn't really childish at the same time. I honestly have to admit that during the wonderful scene with Mowgli and Baloo singing "The Bare Necessities", I had to wipe away an upcoming tear. Pure nostalgia.

The movie hardly deviates from the original, well-known story so to speak. According to me the only part that differs was the denouement. In my youth book, lightning struck a tree and Mowgli drove out the terrible and dangerous Shere Khan with a burning branch. Also some new features are introduced. The daily life of the pack of wolves is illustrated in detail. Certain laws were incorporated into the story such as "The Water Truce" that takes effect the moment a terrible drought occurs. And here and there are some amusing additions like the favor Mowgli does for Baloo during which he uses his human ingenuity to solve the problem. The comments of the agitated, little animals on the whole operation was extremely hilarious. And there are some masterful scenes in this film. I was most impressed about the chapter in the beautifully rendered temple where a colossal King Lowie reigns.

Not only a lot of energy was put into the visual aspect, but also in the voice cast. It felt like all voices of the elected actors fit perfectly with their characters. To bring this to a succesful conclusion, they chose renowned actors: Ben Kingsley (Bagheera), Bill Murray (Baloo), Idris Elba (Shere Khan), Lupita Nyong’o (Raksha), Scarlett Johansson (Kaa) en Christopher Walken (King Louie). I was most impressed by Christopher Walken who apparently also has a very firm singing voice. The most amusing was that of Bill Murray. Not because of his timbre of course, but because of the textual content. So, nothing but praises for this embellished Disney Classic. Perhaps the movie isn't as enchanting as the original and the end result is a more exciting and darker version. I'd be glad when Disney would dig out the other classics, dust them off and transform them into such a visual spectacle as this wonderful film.

My rating 8/10
Links : IMDB

The lost reviews Part 4 : The Retrieval (2013)

Summary 
On the outskirts of the U.S. Civil War, a boy is sent north by his bounty hunter gang to retrieve a wanted man.

Genre : Drama
Country : USA

Cast : 
Ashton Sanders : Will

Tishuan Scott : Nate
Keston John : Marcus

Director : Chris Eska

My opinion

It's about time I gave my opinion on a number of films I've watched a while ago. I didn't have the time for that yet. Or was it just because I didn't feel like writing about them? It's not because they were aweful and totally crap. Far from. But quite simply because they were already extensively praised by other movie buffs. So here it is. A short and modest opinion.

1864. The civil war between North and South is intense and nearing its end. Will (Ashton Sanders) and Marcus (Keston John) try to earn some money during their miserable existence as a slave and serve as bait for the bounty hunter Burell (Bill Oberst Jr.). By using their directions, Burell captures escaped slaves and they receive a small portion of the premium. Strange but true. I didn't know oppressed slaves were misused like this. Their survival instinct drives them to do such insidious practices and thus betray their own fellow-sufferers. They seek the company of those white bounty hunters, so they are safe for other white men. A contradictory situation. On the one hand there's this sense of security. But then they are still under the rule of ruthless bounty hunters, who have no human feeling whatsoever for black people who they see as inferior.

Will's life basically revolves solely around treason. Treachery towards his own people and treachery also towards himself. Deep down he feels resentment and remorse about the fact that he's forced to chase poor women and children into the hands of these bounty hunters. The ultimate task Burell asks them to do, is a search for the runaway slave Nate (Tishuan Scott) who buries fallen soldiers in the north. The reward probably will be sufficient enough to buy back their freedom. They just need to convince Nate to return with them. To accomplish that they use the excuse of a dying brother who wants to see Nate one more time.

 
The feeling of guilt that's bothering Will, grows even stronger because of the bond of trust that grows in between him and Nate. The lack of a father figure in his young life begins to weigh and Will starts to look up at Nate. When both of them save each other's lives during the trip, Will's resistance against the original plan begins to rise. He's forced to take a well-defined hard decision.

"The Retrieval" is,  just like the movie "Django Unchained", an attempt to show the life of an African-American from a completely different angle. Django was a free Afro-American. An individual who had the same rights as his white oppressor. In the eyes of these white masters this was unacceptable and hard to accept. Here, African Americans are forced to commit terrible acts. And they committed these acts merely to safeguard their own lives in these tragic and disgraceful times. Unfortunately, there is an oversupply of genres in this film. It's a war movie (with brief excerpts from the battlefield), a drama about slavery, a kind of road movie and finally a coming of age story. All these genres together make that the movie can go in any direction.

The interaction between Will and Nate is the most interesting portion of the film. A masterly combination of poignant conversations. Maybe this unvarnished version without stunning backgrounds and colorful images shows a more realistic view than the bigger Hollywood productions. The barren winter landscape with its gray, pale colors underline the human sorrow and melancholy tone of the story. Perhaps the pace is a bit too slow, but this is compensated by the dynamic between the taciturn old slave and the with doubts haunted young boy. Perhaps "The Retrieval" is technically inferior compared to "12 Years a Slave", but content wise it's maybe stronger.

My rating 7/10
Links : IMDB