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It Follows (2014)
Creepy!
After being bugged by everyone and their brother to watch this movie I finally caved. I'm not really big into horror films because I don't like cheap thrills. Thankfully this movie has none of that. It relies souly on tension and fear of the unknown. The camera work in particular really helps build an atmosphere of uncertainty. I know lots of people talk about how this is a good throwback to 80s horror, but honestly I don't see that. The 80s used blood and gore to get the audience scared. This uses silence and pensiveness to create a dark mood and atmosphere. I do see how lots of people think this is an allegory for STDs and I think if you watch it with that deeper meaning in mind you will find it more enjoyable. My big hang up comes at the end of the film. It doesn't really feel like it end. We don't know if they beat the monster or not (probably not if they want a sequel) and that open-endedness just doesn't work for me here. The other big hang up I have is the same with all horror films: if there is a monster why not alert the cops? There's plenty of evidence for it and no doubt you could get some extra help. Overall I don't think their plan to stop "It" was a great idea either but now I'm just nitpicking. Great for some good tense scares!
Miss Arizona (2018)
A delightful romp
What happens after "happily ever after"? This is a fun exploration of a woman who had it all, but then realized she was still missing something big in her life. I like how this movie goes into detail about themes of sisterhood, self reliance, and ingenuity. But mostly I like that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There are some emotional moments intercut with some really clever and funny gags which keeps you entertained the whole way through. It's a feel good film that has a lot to offer everyone. The climactic sequence at the drag show was especially fun! Really good writing, directing, and acting by the whole team.
In This Gray Place (2018)
Ignore the trolls
If you're looking for an action movie then keep looking. Unlike most one-location movies this one doesn't rely on intense "pressure cooker" situations (I.E. Buried or Circle). Instead it's more of a reflection of love and decisions we make that land us in certain situations. It's divided into six chapters that reflect some of the physical challenges and emotional obstacles the lead guy has to overcome which isn't really something you ever see in this type of movie. There's a lot of poetic narration that can be a bit corny at times but mostly illustrates some of the deeper meaning of what the character is going through. The story has lots of flashbacks that slowly reveal what happened so it keeps you guessing all the time. Although it can be a bit too sentimental for the most part the music, the acting, and even the camera work are way more than you'd expect of a low budget indie movie. Overall this is more of an arthouse/experimental film than an action film.
Alex & The List (2017)
Good for a laugh, but not much else
I'm a bit torn on this film and I really hope this review doesn't skew too negative. At the end of the day it's a comedy, and a comedy should make you laugh. And it did! I laughed plenty throughout the film. Most of the jokes were pretty good, and if that's all you're looking for, then THE LIST delivers.
My main problem is the story itself and the structure of the film. I really feel like the story meanders and doesn't have any real focus. For example; when Alex first gets the list he reacts rather poorly (as any reasonable person does) and by the end of the film, he decided not to go through with the marriage. Did he change? Did his character evolve? Not from what I can tell, and it made me feel pretty jipped. It's like I followed a character for 90 minutes and he ended nearly exactly where he began.
Also, it desperately needs an editor to take another look at it. After Alex gets the list the next 5 or so scenes are all just him asking people what he should do. It's repetitive and no new information is revealed. Even the subplot of the Russian girl doesn't work: if she was cut entirely from the film literally nothing would have changed. They introduce her as some sort of relationship obstacle, but she never proves to be anything more than a minor annoyance.
Overall it's a fun film and Karen Gillian has a really great sincere moment that shows she can bring a lot of emotion, even to a goofy rom-com. I really wanted to like this movie more, but there are so many gaping plot holes and jumps in logic that prevent it from shining.
Quarries (2016)
A fun movie
I saw this last night at a film festival, and was surprised to see all the hate for it here on IMDb. "Quarries" is a fantastic low budget horror. Original? No, but who cares. The acting was really solid and I often forgot that I was watching a movie. Usually low budget films suffer from a lot of technical mishaps, but this movie was pretty bulletproof. Beautiful shots, really well thought out editing and great sound design (seriously; GREAT sound design) A little more backstory on each of the characters, and maybe a scene or two of character development could have helped out, but overall it wasn't necessary to enjoy the film.
Ignore the haters, pop some popcorn, and have a fun 80 minutes of solid storytelling.
Checkmate (2015)
What the hell did I just watch?
I try not to post anything bad about movies. If a movie is bad I move on and don't waste my time. But... DEAR GOD, Danny Glover, how can you have fallen this far? What happened? What wrong turns have been made? I can't even begin to explain the poor quality of this movie. Nothing about it makes any sense. The director tries to do some kind of "Crash" thing where he shows a bunch of random people and how random events bring them all together. But God and the Devil are playing chess (randomly) Then there's a standoff, and then there's a chick with a sword. I have no idea what the hell is going on. And literally everything; the camera work, costumes, acting, editing, all of it, are terrible. This gets 2 stars only because Birdemic is a thing, and I can at least say this isn't THE worst movie ever made.
Echo Effect (2015)
Since every review is negative...
...let me shine a light on some of the positive things about this movie. No, it's not great. Yes the acting is bad, yes the story is cliché. You can read everything. I just wanted to say I enjoyed the action. This movie promised action and it delivered. I don't turn on a film staring Steve Austin hoping for some Oscar winning performance. And although he doesn't really do anything in the movie, there is plenty of kicking and shooting to keep me entertained. Most low budget action movies promise a lot of big stuff and don't deliver. At least this movie delivered.
Route 666 (2001)
Simply amazing
This is one of my favorite campy horror movies. I have some serious nostalgia for this film because when I was a kid my parents rented it from Blockbuster and I watched the crap out of it. Now it's just cheesy and amazing, and I love it. LDP plays a cop who is escorting a witness across the desert. He and his team of FBI agents have to dodge crooked cops, gang members, and most importantly, zombie ghosts (one of which just happens to be LDP's dead father) The film starts off with the most epic gunfight ever put to screen, followed closely by some of the greatest horror you will ever see in your life (sensing the sarcasm?) In all honesty though, this is a really fun film and makes for a great "B-Movie" night. And as far as B movies go, this one isn't really all that bad. Love it!
Call of the Wolf (2017)
Very slow but pretty good
I almost skipped this one but since all the critics reviews were fairly positive I decided to give it a shot. Firstly, this movie is very slow. If you don't like slow paced movies, you won't like this film. It's also pretty quiet. It doesn't rely on a ton of music or crazy sound effects which just adds to the feeling of loneliness. The lead actor is pretty good. At first I didn't think the acting was all the great, but as the movie goes on and the character begins to change, so does the acting which makes me think it was a creative decision. The lead character is a brat but by the end of the film I was genuinely rooting for him. The photography is beautiful, and the location really adds a lot of character to the story. The color is also something that really stood out, especially how that bright yellow jacket pops against the snow. My one and only real gripe is the accent of the bad guy. I found it a bit over the top and sometimes couldn't understand exactly what he was saying. I think they could have just gone with a regular menacing voice instead of adding an accent to it. Nonetheless the dialog is pretty clever and the story, while not super original, is actually a lot of fun. It's interesting that they decided to take the "kidnapped by a killer" horror trope and turn it into a drama. And it actually works pretty well. Despite it being a slow film I was always kind of wondering what was going to happen next. If you're patient this movie is worth your time.
Bad People (2016)
Eh
Eh
I was in the mood for some raunchy comedy and I decided to pick this thing up and give it a shot. Low budget comedies can be a hit or miss, and this one is somewhere in-between.
The BAD:
This movie has little to no production value, and at times the acting can be pretty bad.
It's broken into short segments, and some segments are much better than others. I didn't like the aspiring actress story or the girls killing their cheating boyfriend. But I found the hit men to be hilarious.
The GOOD:
There are some genuine laugh-out-loud moments in this movies. While it can be a bit cliché at times, the film really brings it home with it's no holds barred approach to humor.
Earlier I said some segments aren't great; but that also means some of them are. If you aren't feeling this movie at any point, just wait and it totally changed direction.
There are some pretty subtle and clever jokes. While most of the jokes are pretty obvious the writers snuck in a few jokes you really have to be paying attention to.
Overall, enjoyable.
Last Shift (2014)
Fun for a low budget horror
Pretty fun for a low budget horror. My biggest complaint is I think they really blew an opportunity. They revealed things way too quickly. It's a simple fact of horror movies; the more you show the villain, the less scary they become. When you reveal the monster (or in this case, ghost of a crazy murderous family) they lose their shock value. I kept waiting for a bigger climax but was sorely disappointed.
All that said, brilliant set up, great execution using a single location, and awesome acting. It's worth a watch!
Hush (2016)
Edge of your seat
Brilliant film that executes the "alone in a cabin with a killer loose" perfectly. We are introduced to a character who is deaf, which sets up a lot of great scenes through the film, and gives our lead just another insane obstacle to jump over. While we never learn the killer's motivations, I don't think it was really important. All the tension builds rather nicely, and the film is an exercise in great editing, directing, and acting. Simple story, simple concept, brilliantly executed.
Field of Lost Shoes (2015)
Muddied story
This movie's narrative is split between two stories: a handful of boys at a military academy who are learning to become men; and a handful of military commanders planning their fate. Unfortunately, one of these stories is far more interesting than the other.
The boys at the school prank one another, get into trouble, hit on the local girls, and dream of becoming war heroes. We see the same "brother in arms" narrative that has pervaded most movies, except here is seems forced and unnatural. The actors do their part and do it pretty well, but I feel at times the writing is pretty clunky.
Occasionally we cut from the boys to various military leaders (and President Lincoln) and hear their perspectives, ideas, opinions, and watch as they try to out-fox one another. I was far more interested in this b-story than I was seeing young boys awkwardly dance and talk to girls.
The film really picks up in the third act when we FINALLY get to see some of the war. The production is great and could stand beside any Civil War in terms of quality. By this point in the story, however, I had lost patience with the characters and just kind of zoned out. Strong ending, but the first half of the movie is pretty rough.
Sugar (2013)
A great indie film that touches the heart
I created an account just so I could review this film. I think this is one of the best low budget indie films I have ever seen. It really highlights a problem that most people want to turn a blind eye to. Furthermore it has many different characters that show the wide range of circumstances that lead to youth homelessness. This movie is one of those hidden gems that you stumble on, and it leaves you thinking for some time.
The story was very interesting. Most the time when I watch a movie with a "broken" character I find things to be really cliché, but Sugar is actually quite sympathetic. Her checkered past is slowly revealed and it really shows that the filmmakers didn't want to cram anything down your throat. A great performance by We Studi as well. He is a very believable social worker; not too pushy but still firm with the homeless kids.
Overall I think it is worth your time to check out this movie. Great plot, interesting characters, and does something I've never seen in a movie before.