JasonMcFiggins Reviews

First Date (II) (2021)

Funny, violent, and entertaining.

[7/10 · 3 February 2021]

FIRST DATE is a movie that impressively walks the fine line between laugh out loud coming of age comedy, and anxiety inducing thriller. A small town full of oddball characters cause a teenage date night to go horribly awry: ruthless, crooked cops, a vicious drug ring (with a book club), and a crazed, trigger happy woman all cross paths with hilarious and violent results. A comical, double crossing, trust-no-one, crime spree mystery with a charasmatic lead (keep an eye on Tyson Brown, he could be a star). The action keeps the 2 young lovebirds apart for most of the film, and their strong chemistry makes you cheer for them to get together. Perhaps it feels a touch too long, but FIRST DATE is funny, sweet, erratic, and violent. Lively entertainment from start to finish.

The Blazing World (2021)

A mesmerizing and emotional movie.

[9/10 · 3 February 2021]

THE BLAZING WORLD is the journey of one woman to reclaim her past and face her devastating depression from a childhood trauma, all presented as a dark fairy tale. Think Nicolas Winding Refn directing a script from David Lynch inspired by Lewis Carroll. First time filmmaker Carlson Young uses dazzling, darkly neon, and twisted visuals to tell this story, and her striking vision puts her great talent on full display. Dermot Mulroney impresses and Udo Kier is damn creepy. Crushing and gorgeous to watch with an utterly haunting score, the film is a mesmerizing, emotional experience you won't soon forget. Bravo Carlson Young!

The Cursed (2021)

Dark, moody, and unique werewolf movie.

[8/10 · 2 February 2021]

EIGHT FOR SILVER is a gloomy, dark magic, werewolf period piece that unfolds its mystery with patient confidence. Moody and ghostly with drab, dead growth, watching the film is a tense experience that methodically sinks under your skin like a slow bite to the neck. Some generic cgi is distracting (the camera never lingers on it too long, and the filmmakers find clever ways to hide it), and the few cheap jump scares aren't needed. But with dread as thick as the foggy atmosphere, EIGHT FOR SILVER is a suffocating watch that makes the viewer feel they themselves are trapped in a room with the beast on screen. A dark and wonderfully captured tale from writer/director Sean Ellis.

Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)

Wild and unique

[8/10 · 1 February 2021]

Nicolas Cage. Seems like that's all it takes to garner instant interest in a film, as the actor has achieved living legend status in the eyes of many genre fans (and for good reason). In his latest, Prisoners of the Ghostland, Cage plays Hero, a ruthless, imprisoned bank robber set free by a wealthy warlord known as The Governor (Bill Moseley, even more to get excited about), and tasked with finding The Governor's kidnapped "granddaughter", Bernice (Sofia Boutella, always exciting, in more ways than one). Taking place in the post-apocalyptic Samurai Town, Cage's Hero is strapped in a leather suit set to self-destruct in 5 days, including detonators located in the vicinity of each testicle (testicuule, The Governor pronounces it), and encounters gunslingers, ghosts, samurai, and a crazed cult. The film puts Cage in an Escape From New York meets Big Trouble in Little China scenario, and the end result is a movie just as wild as you would imagine, an enormously entertaining adrenaline rush that brings the Cage Rage.

Once the film is set up and our Hero is on his journey, the film has plenty of unexpected laughs and is very funny at times. It almost works as a spoof of the Western, action genre. "What a badass," "he's so cool," say a couple of awestruck onlookers as Hero chooses a dainty bicycle with a basket instead of the black sports car when he leaves on his journey. He does eventually end up with he car because, tick tock, the clock is ticking on that deadly leather jumpsuit.

While looking for Bernice, Hero is lead to a torched, windswept landscape with crumbling mannequins swaying back and forth, cracked and broken shells that conceal prisoners inside of them. Every turn in this world holds a different danger, a threat to end Hero's life at any moment. And all of this is handled with such confidence by director Sion Sono, creating a thrilling and playful and insane world of filthy neon. Imagine Mad Max as a supernatural Samurai Western.

In the middle of all this madness is Nicolas Cage, wonderfully off the wall and right at home in such a place. It feels as though the film was inspired by Cage's reputation playing odd characters, giving the film a match-made-in-heaven quality. If Cage gives Prisoners of the Ghostland it's unlikely (anti) hero, it's Sofia Boutella as Bernice who gives the movie its glimmer of hope. It's Bernice we root for as she's the possibility for a brighter future in the Ghostland. What an exquisite performance from Boutella alongside the scene stealing Cage.

There's a religious-like fixation on time in the Ghostland. The inhabitants hold the giant clock displayed on the bones-like structure of an old capital building at 8:14, fearing if it hits 8:15 the atomic blasts will once again wreak havoc. The people who live under The Governor refer to him as a clock, as time itself. In the Ghostland, everyone is a prisoner to a forgotten existence, to a lifestyle lost. Time has vanished for the prisoners of the Ghostland, only recognizable in the form of their rulers. This fixation with time really pushes Hero's race against the clock to the forefront, as well as any hope the future of the Ghostland has left.

Prisoners of the Ghostland presents a unique vision from filmmaker Sion Sono ( it would make for a great double feature with Ana Lily Amirpour's The Bad Batch). A bloody, dirty, balls to the wall, gorgeous looking blast of color, chaos, and redemption in a land of hopelessness. Nicolas Cage leans into his Nicolas Cage persona, Bill Moseley has fun as a smooth talking, white suit wearing cowboy, and Sofia Boutella steals the show with a subdued, beautifully heartfelt performance. Big time entertainment, Prisoners of the Ghostland is a must see.

Land (I) (2021)

Solid and emotional debut from Robin Wright.

[7/10 · 1 February 2021]

LAND is a touching study of a woman steeped in grief, determined to leave life behind in the midst of a devastating happening. Robin Wright effectively directs from an angle of isolation, both of place and of mind. It's a solid directorial debut and a raw, emotional performance. A lot of moments and scenarios feel familiar, and while that hinders the overall experience, LAND is so beautifully shot with such deeply heartfelt performances that it earns a lot of respect by the end. The film's biggest achievement is the its second half, and the subtle way it works through grief and pain in restrained, tender moments.

John and the Hole (2021)

Fascinating...but a little too hollow for its own good.

[6/10 · 30 January 2021]

JOHN AND THE HOLE is a fascinating look into the feeling of nothingness, and existence without empathy. "What does it feel like to be an adult," asks John, because he just can't imagine living that long. A strange tale of swapping power dynamics and unexpected connection, when the film is good, it's great. It's hard not to feel held at arm's length, however, wanting to embrace what's happening but not being fully able to. It's the small, almost missable, moments that are the most chilling. But it's a little too hollow at its core. Charlie Shotwell impressively intimidates, while Taissa Farmiga shines in a limited role.

CODA (2021)

I loved every minute of this movie!

[10/10 · 29 January 2021]

CODA is hilarious and awkward and touching. Part coming of age story about finding your voice, part family drama, and all incredibly moving and effective. So rich and authentic, every scene will either make you laugh or make you cry. I felt my heart start to race about 30 minutes in, knowing I was experiencing something great. CODA is simply as beautiful as movies get. Emilia Jones will capture your heart, and it's remarkable how effortlessly she carries this movie. Keep an eye on her, she's about to break out.

Blind (III) (2019)

Unsettling drama that will get under your skin.

[7/10 · 6 December 2020]

What I like most about Blind is the film really takes its time focusing on the character of Faye (played by an excellent Sarah French), and slowly builds the tension of the menace that lurks in her home. You never can tell where the story will go, and because Faye is, unbeknownst to her, always in danger, tension hangs over every scene. Director Marcel Walz creates an eerie atmosphere throughout, mixing beautiful scenery and a posh home with unsettling sequences built on psychotic romance and obsession. Blind requires patience from the viewer, but it will ultimately find its way under your skin.

Cupid (2020)

Good old fashioned slasher fun!

[7/10 · 13 February 2020]

The film begins by telling the ancient story of Cupid and how the Roman god has been miscategorized as a loving and delicate being, when actually he's a god of vengeance against those who betray love. This opening is a tad lengthy but is done well, in the style of old, storybook drawings as narration explains over the moving pictures. From here the film hits the gas pedal with a fast opening sequence where we see the evil Cupid in action, in all his grotesque, rotting, winged glory, slinging arrows not through hearts, but through eyes and other body parts that let out a lot of blood. And Cupid does not shy away from the red stuff. The film shows all the gory kills in great detail with superb special effects, really in-your-face stuff that doesn't utilize quick cutaways. These gory kills being on full display really gives Cupid a brutal edge that a film like this needs to really ramp up the WOW! factor. After all, this is what watching a slasher flick is all about: watching the cast get picked off one by one in ways that make you say, "WOW!" The cast is the perfect group of little snots, headed up by Elise, Queen of Brats, brilliantly played by Sarah T. Cohen. Her whole vibe makes her so fun to watch, but she's such a cringe-worthy person that the whole time you're just waiting for her to get what's coming to her. The reason for the summoning of Cupid is brilliantly set up through the cast and their sleazy teenage, high school drama. Kids being jerks to each other and picking on the shy girl (Georgina Jane) who just happens to dabble in spells and a touch of dark magic makes for a fun tonic, and Cupid nails it. The film leans into the absurd without ever coming across as a spoof or jokey. It winks at slasher tropes and plays them up with knowledge of the sub-genre, all the while avoiding the pitfalls of distracting, talky exposition by smartly creating touching, character developing moments to explain what's happening. Cupid is a fun gore-fest that plays out like a legend being told around a campfire. It's fast, brutal, and extremely enjoyable, everything you want in a slasher flick.

The Dawn (2019)

A beautiful slow burn thriller with a great performance from Devanny Pinn

[7/10 · 13 February 2020]

Director Brandon Slagle takes his time setting the melancholy tone of Rose's life, both the little bit with her family as a kid and as a young woman after they are killed in quite the traumatic event. While Rose lives in the convent she is sent to, the camera moves slowly, the actors speak slowly, and it's all confidently done and reflects the stillness she feels inside of her, the sense of feeling "frozen" that she often mentions in the first and second act. On top of all of this is a grand score that hints at bigger things to come. There's an awakening coming...and it feels dangerous. The Dawn is a slow burn of a film, admirably settling the viewer into the world with these characters. As mentioned before, an awakening is coming, and just as it grips the convent and its inhabitants, threatening to shake it all apart, the viewer is shaken out of their reverie cast by the film. It's a nice technique that helps raise the stakes and get the viewer more invested in the story, as well as offer a false sense of sanctuary. Tying this all together is Devanny Pinn as Rose, an extraordinarily gifted actress who has the ability to feel her characters on a deep level. Like in House of Manson, Dwelling, and Crossbreed before this, Pinn portrays Rose with an unassuming confidence, visibly relating emotion and inner thought through her eyes. This internal struggle is the deep level that Pinn constantly taps into, and she's a compelling actress because of it, impossible not to watch whenever she's in the frame. Because The Dawn just looks so damn good, some special shout-outs are in order for some of the unsung heroes of the film crew. First, kudos to casting director Scotty Mullen for the casting of Teilor Grubbs as young Rose. Grubbs looks so much like a young Devanny Pinn that it's immediately known Grubbs is the young version of Rose, even without knowing the character's name. The resemblance is uncanny, and Grubbs was a great find for the film. Next, the costume design by Kaytee Papusza and set decoration by Julia Moore and Renee Pilon really create the post World War I time period with impressive detail. The production design as a whole is extremely well done, giving the film the grand feel to match the score mentioned earlier. Fans of The Conjuring films should be pleased with The Dawn, and anyone who enjoys a dark mystery where good and evil rage inside of someone will also find plenty to like. The film touches on PTSD, living with the sins of the father, and the sincere struggles of keeping faith with a delicate and thoughtful approach. And when he stuff hits the fan, Slagle puts the pedal to the metal into possession territory with the ferociously good Devanny Pinn.

Bliss (I) (2019)

An unforgettable experience that needs to be seen to be believed

[9/10 · 6 October 2019]

Bliss has got to be seen to be believed. It is pulsing, dizzying madness. Director Joe Begos creates a heart stopping, neon saturated supercharged trip that'll tear you apart from the inside out. Dora Madison gives an explosion of a performance, she's a supernova. Watch this movie, it gets in your veins and is an unforgettable experience.

The Curse of Buckout Road (2017)

A fun midnight horror flick

[8/10 · 6 October 2019]

After a buzz worthy and award winning festival run, Buckout Road is finally released to the masses and I've been looking forward to this movie. I'm happy to say I was not disappointed! I loved the imagery in the film regarding the legends of Buckout Road, "the most haunted road in America." They were very creepy and effective and helped establish the eerie mythology that served as a strong backbone to the story. I got a late 90's teen horror flick feel from this one and that's just fine with me. Great performances, an intriguing story, effective costumes and cinematography all help make Buckout Road a fun midnight horror flick. And with all the legends left untapped there's plenty of room for a sequel.

Itsy Bitsy (II) (2019)

Decent performances with heart, but ultimately a bit of a slog to sit through

[4/10 · 6 October 2019]

Let me start by saying that, based on the trailer and poster, I kind of thought this would be more of a tongue in cheek, icky spider killing romp. Instead, Itsy Bitsy feels like a spider slasher flick with a whole lot of family drama instead of teens scared in the woods. While it has its moments, the film suffers from simply not enough slashing. There's hints, glimpses, quick cuts, and teases, but there just isn't enough spider slashing happening here. The audience knows what is eventually coming, and that's largely why we're watching: we want to see this gross, huge spider poison and spider web cocoon people to death!

Unfortunately it's a bit of a slog sitting through the family drama that makes up a large portion of the film (almost all of it). That and the ancient mythology behind the spider's existence just feels boring. Itsy Bitsy is well made with decent performances. But when you see a giant spider in act one, you're really just waiting to see it go off in act three. And instead of a bang, Itsy Bitsy just shoots blanks.

Danger God (2018)

A loving tribute to a thankless career that is worth a watch

[6/10 · 6 October 2019]

Danger God is a fascinating look at a life that is not often thought if let alone examined, that being the life of a 1950s and 60s, b movie stuntman. They did crazy things for "fifty bucks and a baloney sandwich." Besides the obligatory scenes from several films, the production quality is pretty bare bones with interviews taking place in living rooms or offices and the audio varies in volume at times. But this approach suits the b movie content just fine with the behind the scenes stories and examination of the filmmaking at the time ultimately being what matters here and both offer fascinating and educational insights.

The segment that features the famed Spahn Ranch, the location used in a number of 1950s and 60s Westerns, is especially compelling. Kent talks about paying Charles Manson in advance to fix his broken down car. When Manson didn't do it, Kent warned him that his friend John "Bud" Cardos would kick his ass if he didn't. This is a very familiar scene for anyone whose seen Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Gary Kent is said to be one of the stuntmen of the time whom Tarantino based Brad Pitt's character, Cliff Booth.

While the first half of the film largely focuses on Gary's stunt work and film career, the second half wanders quite a bit and is a departure from the first half. It shifts to Gary's modern day life with a lot of it being sad yet touching, but I can't say all of the second half works as it feels like a completely separate film. B movies they may be, but stuntmen like Gary Kent and the filmmakers of these films loved movies and creating this entertainment for people. There's definitely an art form to being a stuntman and these people go largely unrecognized. Danger God is a nice love letter to the profession and b movie, drive in hey day and is definitely worth a watch.

The VelociPastor (2018)

Wonderfully dumb and funny

[6/10 · 6 October 2019]

Don't worry, the spirit of the filmmakers are sitting next to you as you watch The VelociPastor winking and nudging and laughing the entire time. In other words, they're in on the joke and you should be too. The VelociPastor is as ridiculously fun as you'd hope it would be with a boyish, soft spoken priest (a perfectly cast Greg Cohan) obtaining the ability to turn into a vicious, flesh eating, and very corny looking dinosaur. The film plays out like a Saturday morning cartoon meets Troma, which makes it the perfect midnight movie with some weed or beer. Alyssa Kempinski is so good as Carol, the hooker. It's a limited role, but her performance is surprisingly very sweet and touching at times, and she shows some real talent here. Some of the many highlights include a workout montage featuring very short shorts, a ridiculous, multiple split screen love scene, a pimp with an epic comb over, a hilarious Vietnam War flashback, and ninjas. Just sit back and laugh, The VelociPastor is wonderfully dumb and very funny.

Replace (2017)

A provocative science-fiction thriller

[8/10 · 6 October 2019]

Replace is a nice twist on the vampire story, but instead of fresh blood to stay alive, Kira requires fresh skin from her victims. Sounds a bit more messy than simply biting a neck, but the film is much more than a gore fest and has plenty to say about life and death. Kira is an intriguing character and is played with a quiet bewilderment by Rebecca Forsythe. When her friend cuts her foot on some broken glass, the sight of skin stuck to a shard stops her eyes from moving, captivated by the fresh replacement before her. It's a great moment for Forsythe, who flashes a wild discovery in her eyes, a moment of re-evaluation of what she needs to survive There's a wonderful scene in a morgue, Kira walking through the corpses doused in green light as layered organ music plays underlined by a steady, mechanical sounding heartbeat. The scene invokes rebirth as she cuts a swath of skin from one of the bodies in a Frankenstein-like attempt to complete her body. But the dead skin doesn't take and, like Dracula, she needs the flesh of the living. This is when Replace delves into the darkness of vanity, taking the lives of others in order to maintain a beautiful and youthful appearance. There's a scene of Kira looking in the mirror and when her image reflects an old version of herself back to her, she screams at the sight. It's not that Kira is dying, it's that she'll look like a monster if her skin condition continues to crust over her body, something she's not willing to live with. Even her doctor (the great Barbara Crampton), can only seem to do so much for her. Although her interest in Kira seems to run deeper than just being a patient, and her too calm demeanor is an alarming mix of sweetness and mild obsession, adding an element of unknown danger. All of this is quite the cocktail for the haunting journey of a young woman forced to watch her body decay, threatened to lose her looks decades before wrinkles naturally appear and take deadly measures because of it. Much is revealed as Replace unfolds. Themes of aging, memory, ghosts, death, vanity, love, and loss are all explored with a unique vision. The final act, despite a hiccup or 2 in pacing, is an exciting and surprising odyssey of revelation, a great and unforeseen ending to a provocative science fiction thriller with a strong message: Replacing what's on the surface will conceal truth for only so long when what's underneath is rotten.

Luz (II) (2018)

Surreal and mesmerizing

[9/10 · 6 October 2019]

Luz doesn't play out like a linear story, it instead relies on a dream-like structure, meaning it doesn't have much structure to speak of. This approach works to strengthen the film as Luz tells a frightening tale of possession and of the shifting psyche of the woman at its center. The film creates scenes out of moments and lingers on them like a dream would, as if they have no beginning and no end. They exist in an unknown space, and the visual exploration of this space is what makes Luz so mesmerizing and successful. Jan Bluthardt is utterly menacing as Dr. Rossini. He reminded me of Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs, just a dangerous and wild presence. Him taking a pen out of a purse was a dread inducing moment, that's the powerfully evil screen presence this guy has. Luana Velis as Luz is excellent as the troubled woman stalked by an evil spirit. She appears exhausted, tormented, and indignant all at once. The film often has a foggy, lost appearance and feel to it, a nice aesthetic that mirrors the mindset of a woman being forcefully inhabited by an outside entity. At a brisk 70 minutes, watch this one straight through with no interruptions. You just might lose sense of being awake or asleep and find yourself in the space between, the transfixing realm where Luz takes place.

Burn (III) (2019)

A fantastic little thriller

[8/10 · 6 October 2019]

Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Melinda and Suki Waterhouse as Sheila are extraordinarily in tune with what their characters call for to set Burn out on the unpredictable path it follows. Melinda is a sweetly disturbed, well intentioned, lonely girl who forces awkward moments with customers and who dips her finger in freshly brewed coffee to feel the heat she wishes to have with a man. There's an off kilter emptiness to Melinda that Cobham-Hervey puts front and center with an appropriate misleading elegance, creating a complex and dangerous character in a standout performance. And Waterhouse steals every scene she's in as the wise cracking Sheila who instigates and pushes boundaries with the chip on her shoulder and eye rolling attitude. The 2 are the perfect foil for Josh Hutcherson's Billy, the would be robber who wandered into the wrong gas station. Hutcherson is effective here, perfectly charming and convincingly hot headed when his charm fails him. Burn is a fantastic little thriller that unfolds slowly to reveal a twisted series of events, and its 3 stars are integral to its success in a dialogue heavy script. I don't know if there's good and evil in the gas station where Melinda works, maybe just a thin line in between the 2 extremes and Burn manages to toe that line and explore the grayest areas of life, the purgatory people create for themselves...or find themselves in. It's here where Melinda lives, on the edges of this thin line between good and evil in the seedy gas station of the highway called Paradise Pumps. And if heaven is paradise, this long night at Paradise Pumps proves that paradise is indeed lost. Burn is a great little gem, I hope people check this one out.

Crossbreed (2019)

Fast paced cartoonish fun like the sci-fi/action movies of the early 1990s.

[7/10 · 23 May 2019]

Crossbreed is the stuff of weekend watching, USA Network/TBS SuperStation legend; those films you'd catch again and again as a kid on cable TV and watch every time. A simple set up leads to an extremely fun and ambitious sci-fi ride showcasing some very impressive world building. There's so much enjoyment to be had with the macho laden comradery among the 5 mercenaries hunting the alien: a sleek creature design made frightening by the mesmerizing, unbreakable gaze of Devanny Pinn who shines in the role. Crossbreed is fast paced cartoonish fun like the sci-fi/action movies of the early 1990s that warrants a sequel or two.

Hunting Lands (2018)

Strikingly gloomy and beautifully shot, Hunting Lands comes highly recommended.

[8/10 · 23 May 2019]

Very voyeuristic and quiet, Hunting Lands is a highly compelling watch steeped in film noir. The crisp and clean feeling of the cold snow is skillfully contrasted with damaged, lost characters and shabby dwellings like seedy motels, small used car lots and townie bars. One sequence plays out like a silent film as body language tells the story while quiet, foreboding strings play over the action. The Hunting Lands title doesn't just refer to the woods where main character Frank lives. A large part of the film takes place on the streets of a small town as Frank is trailing his suspect, Lance. Lance is played by Joe Raffa, who exudes a nervous energy and looks perfectly smarmy behind his thick mustache, working mans tie, and LL Bean scarf. Because he is watched from a distance for half the film, Raffa's performance is largely silent, relying on physicality to portray his character and he is absolutely superb in the role. Strikingly gloomy and beautifully shot, Hunting Lands comes highly recommended.

Book of Monsters (2018)

A ridiculously fun, blood spattered, teen comedy/monster movie mash up.

[9/10 · 23 May 2019]

Book of Monsters is the stuff of video store rental legend, those movies you took a chance on because it sounded decent and the cover was awesome. Then you stayed up past midnight on a Saturday because you watched it twice, and rented it again the next week. Helping to locate and bring attention to movies like this is exactly the reason why I started this monthly article! The film starts on a dark and stormy night in an attic as the camera closes in on an old book. What follows is a ridiculously fun, blood spattered, teen comedy/monster movie mash up. The performances are great and the practical effect creatures and monsters look fantastic and menacing. The female leads are just perfect here, I would love to see them all again in a sequel! From the makeup to the music and everything in between, Book of Monsters is all around awesome and one of my favorite films of the year so far.

Scary Stories (2018)

Extremely Well Done

[9/10 · 23 May 2019]

Comprised of several interviews (including R.L. Stine), old news footage, and archived audio interviews of the late author Alvin Schwartz, Scary Stories is a wonderful, nostalgic, and immersive telling of the storied history of the classic children books. Loaded with interesting facts and information, it's fun watching former teachers and librarians or kids at the time look back discussing the book and actually look at them again for the first time. Part of the fun brilliance of the documentary is the illustrated recreated scenes drawn in the style of the famed artwork in the books as people tell their stories and memories of the books. Another thing the film does very well is explore and explain the subtle genius behind the seemingly simplistic writing style. It looks at the historical and cultural significance of several stories and the lessons they teach and the cultural and regional context in which they are told. There is a very compelling segment in the film showing footage from the time of parents and people making the case to ban a book. It's fascinating to watch and the topic is thoroughly explored and given proper time to look at both sides of the argument. Scary Stories is extremely well done and I would definitely recommend it to anybody, but it is especially recommended to anyone with fond memories of the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books.

Close Calls (2017)

A total balls to the wall horror film with a knockout lead performance!

[10/10 · 22 March 2019]

Close Calls is loaded with striking visuals and moody lighting. The film is colorful yet muted, surreal and lived in. The film features a slightly grainy, dream like atmosphere. It's a nice technique that blurs what's real, what is possibly imagined, and what is feared. Jordan Phipps is absolutely stunning and has an undeniably strong screen presence. Phipps has a carefree, relaxed attitude that both displays her troubled character and elicits sympathy. A tricky feat for any actress, and Phipps nails it. Close Calls moves like a shark and is an all out awesome Gothic/suburban horror ghost story filled with quirky and outrageous characters, unforeseen plot twists, and a deadly mystery at its center.