Parasite: Movie Review

Daring and inventive tale of class inequality.

One might wonder during the beginning of Parasite if the title is a loose translation from a Korean word which doesn’t have a direct English counterpart. The Oxford English Dictionary offers two definitions of parasite: “1. An organism that lives in or on an organism of another species (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other's expense; 2. A person who habitually relies on or exploits others and gives nothing in return.” Not too long later, it’s clear that writer-director Bong Joon Ho meant the exact title he chose and Anglophones can assume nothing is lost in translation.		2019 Directed by: Bong Joon Ho Screenplay by: Han Jin Won, Bong Joon Ho Starring: Woo-sik Choi, Kang-ho Song

Get Out: Movie Review

Humorous, bizarre and very well made.

Get Out is the type of movie that just begs you to keep watching. The theme of systemic racism has been explored before, the psychological thriller/supernatural element of the suburbs has been done before, even the horror ending has been done before (at least similarly), but none of it has been put together in quite this way before. It’s a very complete movie with brilliantly designed cinematography, and a score that perfectly balances the uneasiness and inherent humour.		2017 Directed by: Jordan Peele Screenplay by: Jordan Peele Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, and Bradley Whitford

Blood Honey: Movie Review

A campy story with death and bees.

There are a number of working titles floating around including “The Hive” and “The Bequest” but I wonder if they considered the very fitting “Death by Bees”. Not only does this film feature a literal death by bees but it also brings to mind the B-horror films like Killer Bees which should attract the right audience for this campy thriller. Although I’m not sure campy is the right word for a poor story played out very dramatically.		2017 Directed by: Jeff Kopas Screenplay by: Jeff Kopas, Doug Taylor Starring: Shenae Grimes-Beech

10 Cloverfield Lane: Movie Review

Uncertainty abounds at 10 Cloverfield Lane.

I tend to steer clear of monster movies, and I hate found footage movies, so I want nothing more to do with Cloverfield. But then this previously unknown J.J. Abrams-produced, Cloverfield “sequal” stormed out of the wood-work with tantalizing, mysteriously good critics reviews, and I couldn’t help but be intrigued. I’m a sucker for movies that can’t be fully explained, or rather shouldn’t be fully explained, and that’s exactly how the 10 Cloverfield Lane masterminds wants it to be.		2016 Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg Screenplay by: Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken, and Damien Chazelle Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, and John Gallagher Jr.

Horns: Movie Review

Original blending of genres wears too thin.

The story of a young man determined to get to the truth behind his girlfriend's murder, Horns adds elements of fantasy, comedy and horror to the mystery. Daniel Radcliffe stars as Ig Parrish. Ig was hopelessly in love until the death of girlfriend Merrin (Juno Temple). And then he was instantly pegged as the prime suspect, thrust into the media spotlight and banished into the hells of reality as an evil-doer.		2013 Directed by: Alexandre Aja Screenplay by: Keith Bunin Based on the novel by Joe Hill Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Max Minghella

The Happy House: Movie Review

A horror-comedy short on thrills and laughs but has interesting character interactions.

The Happy House is a remote Bed & Breakfast specializing in odd rules to make your stay as uncomfortable as possible. It somehow got good reviews (even though the movie itself has gotten bad reviews) and our New York Couple are off for a weekend to repair their relationship. Wendy doesn’t want to go; Joe thinks it will be for the best. And as an audience, we have no clue what it’s going to be like. Marketed as a horror-comedy, but presented with a really understated style, it is set up to be an odd mix.		2013 Directed by: D.W. Young Screenplay by: D.W. Young Starring: Khan Baykal and Aya Cash

John Dies at the End: Movie Review

Ridiculous, funny, philosophical, disgusting and messy – a true comedy-horror film.

Lots of movies like to show you the ending at the beginning, but very few tell you the ending in the title. “John Dies at the End” has that illusive entertaining title and an even more entertaining plot summary: “A silent otherworldly invasion is underway, and mankind needs a hero. What it gets instead is John and David, a pair of college dropouts who can barely hold down jobs. Can these two stop the oncoming horror in time to save humanity? No. No, they can't.” That piece of brilliant writing comes courtesy of the author of the source novel.		2012 Directed by: Don Coscarelli Screenplay by: Don Coscarelli Based on the story by David Wong Starring: Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes and Paul Giametti

Stoker: Movie Review

Visually telling a horror film with a downplayed story but cinematic pizzazz.

“Stoker” is all about appearance. An elegant exterior covering up insidious actions and motives. The story begins with the death of India Stoker’s father. A somber India mourns at the funeral while her mother livens it up with an interest in Charlie. An uncle India never knew existed. But the film begins with photography, after all it is all about appearance in every possible way. Probably to cover up the lack of story.		2013 Directed by: Chan-wook Park Screenplay by: Wentworth Miller Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode and Nicole Kidman

Apart: Movie Review

Darkness and confusion of teenage love and disaster.

“Apart” starts with the premise that two teenagers share the same psychological infliction: induced delusional disorder. Apparently, they are the only two people on the planet with this disorder. Based on that “fact” I assumed it was a made up disorder, and so I sat waiting for my way in to experience their reality. They never gave me any such connection. Afterwards, I discovered it was a real disorder, but one that only two fictional characters suffer from they tried to have me believe.		2011 Directed by: Aaron Rottinghaus Screenplay by: Aaron Rottinghaus and Josh Danziger Starring: Josh Danziger and Olesya Rulin

Retreat: Movie Review

A tight, gripping indie thriller devolving into blood-soaked conspiracies.

Retreat started out as a tight, minimalistic indie thriller, maintained the well written characters, and then added in some intriguing mind games played out beneath the surface. And then it devolved into a blood-fest of science fiction diseases and government conspiracies. I was riveted for the first hour and twenty minutes and then sat agape in frustration for the last ten minutes.		2011 Directed by: Carl Tibbetts Screenplay by: Janice Hallett and Carl Tibbetts Starring: Cillian Murphy, Thandie Newton and Jamie Bell

Straw Dogs: Movie Review

 

Straw characters living in a dull world which then turns violent.

“Straw Dogs” is a faithful adaptation of the original 1971 version. But only if your definition of “faithful” means scene-by-scene, word-for-word duplication, not if your definition means including the same thoughtful ideas that can stay with you after the movie ends. It’s also a thriller. But, again, only if “thriller” means nothing happens until we get a lot of gruesome violence at the end. Which apparently it does for most people.		2011 Directed by: Rod Lurie Screenplay by: Rod Lurie Starring: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgård

Good Neighbours: Movie Review

 

So much set-up, so little purpose.

Horror movies are generally not good. Good comedies, although hard to write well, are easier to find. I normally wouldn’t recommend anybody attempt a horror comedy, but “Good Neighbours” is Jacob Tierney and Jay Baruchel’s follow-up to “The Trotsky” (2009) and I couldn’t pass up that potential. The result though is something that’s not scary and not very funny.		2010 Directed by: Jacob Tierney Screenplay by: Jacob Tierney Starring: Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire and Scott Speedman