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Reviews
House of Darkness (2022)
Nicely written and acted play on the old "brides of..." trope
It's a stage play in movie format. The dialogue is very good, the acting is spot on. The lead nails his "slightly guilty guy" role, and the femme fatale is wonderfully fatale. It's all about building tension and putting yourself in the protagonist's shoes. Intoxicated by alcohol and transfixed by her - at what point would I run away? If you can't or don't want to project onto the lead as an audience surrogate then you probably won't feel much from this film. I suspect that's the root of many of the low review scores.
It probably could have done with a better title, but it's difficult to come up with something that doesn't spell it all out straight away. Mind you, the situation becomes pretty self-evident fairly early on. It's not about the reveal - we all know it's coming - it's about the tension of knowing he (you) could leave at any time, but...
Werewolf Castle (2021)
Some redeeming features, but not enough
My main criticism of this film is that almost everything about it is trying its best to stop you suspending your disbelief and enjoy the ride.
The werewolves are the central threat, but their costumes and masks are laughably poor and not at all scary if you're over five years old. The werewolf leader in human form has a ridiculous lisp due to his oversize plastic chompers, and his cheesy villainous monologues are the opposite of terrifying. And there are no actual wolves (or any other animals) in the film.
The supposedly medieval village buildings are obviously modern constructions made of machined wood with perfectly straight lines and right angles everywhere, especially the interiors. The knights wear their perfectly shiny plate armour 24 hours a day. The props, weapons etc. Are all pristine and obviously made with power tools. Whitened teeth, perfect close shaves, clippered haircuts, modern colours in the peasants' clothing, a map apparently made with a computer and a laser printer... the list goes on. The only effort to inject some grime is a bit of burnt cork rubbed on the actors' faces and liberal amounts of red corn syrup daubed and splashed about to represent blood.
If you can forgive and forget the almost constant visual sabotage, then the actual storyline, dialogue and performances are passable, but not great. The actors playing the knights make a decent effort with their dialogue to deliver interesting and distinct characters with fun interpersonal conflicts - these are guys you can root for and I enjoyed their scenes. The young protagonist however is not particularly likeable. For most of the film he is cowardly and ineffectual with no balancing charm or other redeeming features. His main skills seem to be begging for help, sobbing, dropping things and falling over. As for the ending, well it's really not the high point the writer(s) hoped it would be... I'd say cutting the last 15 minutes and leaving us to extrapolate would probably have made the film better, or perhaps just skipping the action scene at the castle and cutting to the final resolution scene would have worked.
On the plus side the sound production is good. The dialogue is always clear, which is an accomplishment with most of the scenes being filmed outdoors. Ambient sounds are used well, as is the almost continuous background music and dynamic musical score which is well synchronised with the action and dramatic dialogue. The photography and editing are pretty good and support the storytelling. The liberal use of daytime outdoor shots and natural daylight is to be commended; too many films of this genre over-rely on gloomy lighting to cover a multitude of sins and the audience experience is worse for it.
Overall, some enjoyable aspects, but I think the main letdowns are the frankly terrible villain(s), the discount werewolf costumes, the multitude of visual anachronisms, the writing of a rather lacklustre protagonist, and the final action scene.
Here Comes Hell (2019)
A lovingly-made parody of the old-style horror films with a touch of class
A perfect evocation of the old black and white style of creepy horror. The screenplay is in the style of a stage play to make the most of the budget. The film uses a great real life location in the decrepit mansion, nice costumes, and some super lighting to flex the b&w. The musical score was perfect, capturing the 1930s mood, and the sound recording was very good with the dialogue cutting through nicely. The story made sense in its own way, and the characters were all likeable and easy to empathise with. The cast all threw themselves into their performances with gusto and didn't hold back as the craziness exploded. The practical effects were great and the scary/funny mix was spot on. Clearly the whole production crew had a whale of a time and so did I. When a film is made with this much love you can kinda tell.
Shadow in the Cloud (2020)
Decent actioner, reminiscent of a classic Twilight Zone episode
An entertaining use of 80 minutes. Moretz as usual throws herself wholeheartedly into the central role, battling wartime enemies, a mysterious evil and 1940s attitudes. The sets and special effects are very good, and the supporting cast each do their bit without taking any more than their allotted smidgin of limelight from the leading lady. Unsurprisingly their characters' fates reflect their behaviours, as the writer dispenses audience-pleasing natural justice.
As the action escalates the soundtrack moves into an 80s Cronenberg-style vibe, and the stunts get more and more outlandish, but by now disbelief is well and truly willingly suspended and we are just enjoying the ride. I think it's not absolutely necessary to yell every time you fire a machine gun, but it seems in keeping with the rising intensity level. The ending provides a neat coda to demonstrate our heroine's physical and moral victory over all her foes.
Could this have been a 30 minute story? Absolutely. But with this level of commitment the filmmakers more than justified the extra 50 minutes.
The Siren (2019)
A beautiful, tragic fantasy love story
A truly moving film, with beautiful visuals and classy understated performances. A heartbreaking fantasy love story based on the "Rusalka" folklore. The editing includes flashbacks and flights of fancy that support the fantasy atmosphere, transporting the audience into the memories and thoughts of the characters. This is the sort of film that works best if you let yourself float in the waters rather than insist on being driven through them. Not for the unimaginative or overly literal. I'd personally have preferred a slightly different ending, as the specifics of the final action seemed a little incongruous with the established mood. But this is a minor criticism, and it doesn't detract from the overall quality of the experience.
Landmine Goes Click (2015)
Intense, visceral and efficient
This is a pretty well-made film, and the resulting experience is... very engaging. This is high praise when filmmakers today have to compete with so many distractions to hold their audience's attention.
The plot establishes a simple, if contrived, situation and lets the inter-character dynamics play out with the safety off. The writing is streamlined and the direction gives us a pacing that allows us time to absorb the excellent performances while relentlessly moving forward.
My only area of criticism is minor editing and continuity flaws, but these do not detract from the impact. The scenery, sets and score are very supportive of the intense, darkening atmosphere which is an essential co-star.
Obviously the extreme subject matter will repel some and fascinate others. This film delivers an unflinching glimpse into the awful potential of man. A rewarding watch and worthy of an undistracted viewing.
Two of Us (2020)
Atmospheric zombie survival love
This film does a great job of evoking a fleeting paradise. The soundtrack and the screenplay capture the feel of two people trying to make the best of what little time they have left, together. The two leads have a nice chemistry but the real star is the cinematography which transports us to a remote Thai resort in the rainy season. If you like your apocalypse stories immersive and human then you'll enjoy this. Clearly the protagonists cannot possibly prevail; they can only survive and seek some meaning through their connection in their last days. The script is pleasantly restrained, the action swift and brutal, and the focus is on the characters and their relationship. Well done, 8/10 for me.
Mermaid Down (2019)
An unusual and imaginative dark story
This is a dark dark story about inhumanity and compassion in equal measures. There is violence but it serves the plot and is not gratuitous - and is more implied than shown - although one early scene is truly horrifying. The antagonist's motives might require you to suspend some disbelief but it's worth it. The inclusion of a character unaware of their situation (no spoilers here) is a masterstroke in the writing and adds another interesting layer. Very good performances from all the main actors, and although some of the action betrays a tight budget the editing and score manages (mostly) to keep it all flowing and maintain the immersion. Not a perfect film but its flaws are easily forgivable and you are rewarded with something you won't forget which is a rarity these days.