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samilpatel
Reviews
Hereditary (2018)
A true Horror Masterpiece
I went into Hereditary with my guard firmly up. It has to be to be one of the most hyped horror films of recent years and when expectations are raised it is almost inevitable that disappointment will follow.
For once the hype is justified. Hereditary is a flat out Masterpiece.
Not since watching The Shining on the big screen many decades ago have I been so mesmerized. Hereditary has been compared to the equally classic The Exorcist but I would go as far as to say it's an even better film than that classic. Not that it's a competition of course! Just an indicator of how good this film is.
The direction and cinematography is superb. Ari Aster has come out of the gates with one of the most impressive debuts imaginable. The sense of dread he creates from the first frame to the last is palpable.
What truly sets this apart from the vast majority of horror films is the level of performance. Every cast member is brilliant but Toni Collete should win every award going. I can't imagine seeing a better performance in 2018 by any actor and will surely be looked back upon as one of the iconic roles of the genre.
If you like proper adult horror that demands your full attention you simply have to watch it. Not only the best horror of the year but the best film of the year.
10/10
Charismata (2017)
Great movie. Just not horror.
Even though there is probably no genre I watch more of, I do not expect too much from my low budget horror. Horror is almost a comfort blanket for me. Lots of time it's background ambiance. That might sound a bit sick and twisted but it's rare I sit up and pay attention to a low budget horror that hasn't been heavily publicized beforehand. There is just so much of it that in some ways I have become desensitized. Generally speaking I tune in and zoom out. So did Charismata make me sit up? Almost.
Charismata suffers from many of the usual pitfalls of the genre. This includes cheap and cheesy CGI and uneven acting. Crucially it is always engaging and excels in two important places.
First Sarah Beck Mather. Playing a British detective losing her mind as she investigates a murder, she is nothing short of sensational. I don't know how well known she is in the UK but I hope to see more of her in the US in the future. The other performances are not bad on the whole. Just more in keeping with what you expect from the genre. The lead though is fantastic and it's not hyperbole to say it is one of the best performances I have seen all year. A star is born. Or at least deserves to be.
Second. Apart from a strange misstep this is one of the best written horror films I have seen in some time. The dialogue sings and while there is nothing entirely original here I was still left guessing until the end.
The most important question when assessing a horror film is it scary?
Sadly, not really. There is an interesting lurid tone, a couple of average jump scares but noting made my skin crawl or my heart race. I would hesitate to even call it a horror. It's much closer to a murder mystery or a quirky Cohen brothers drama set in England. It reminded me more of A Barton Fink or Fargo than it did a Conjuring or Hereditary. This is not a bad thing. In fact it can be taken as a compliment. Just don't pretend it's something that it isn't.
6/10 if you are going in wanting a low budget horror fix.
8/10 if you just want an usual and entertaining movie.
The Machinist (2004)
Maybe Bales best performance?
The Machinist is most famous for Christian Bale's remarkable weight loss. While his disturbingly emaciated frame undeniably acts as a striking visual metaphor for the notion of 'guilt eating the soul', the film is much more than an exercise in extreme method acting. Bale could of played this role 20 pounds over weight and I suspect it still would have had the same haunting power.
Bale is wonderful here. As a horrifically sleep deprived, guilt ridden man slipping into psychosis this may well be his most memorable and complex performance. I can only speculate that Bale wasn't Oscar nominated because this type of genre film making is simply not recognized by the academy.
This is a shame because the Machinist is the rare marriage of a superlative central performance meeting exceptional film making. It is no mean feat to make a film that is thrilling, unsettling and that also packs an emotional wallop but Brad Anderson has somehow managed to pull it off.
Fray (2012)
Exceptional low budget film making
Fray is a shining example of simple economical film making at it's finest.
In it's depiction of a former solider suffering from PTSD while trying to get his life back on track, Fray might not say anything new but it delivers its message with a raw authenticity lacking in much larger budgeted Hollywood productions dealing with similar subject matter.
The film really shines in two aspects. The cinematography is excellent and it is little surprise the cinematographer has subsequently moved onto much higher profile and presumably higher budgeted work.
Secondly and most importantly for such a intimate and character driven film is the performance of the lead. Brian Kaplan is incredibly naturalistic as Justin the returning solider. I haven't been as impressed with a lead performance for some time and am surprised that this excellent film hasn't catapulted him into the spotlight. Hopefully if enough people see this film it will.
High recommended for all lovers of indie cinema.
The Big Sick (2017)
Perfectly enjoyable. Just not the masterpiece some reviews would suggest.
This is good movie. I can't say I didn't enjoy many aspects of it. It's just not the great movie I was hoping for after reading some of the frankly deliriously positive reviews.
Star Kumali Najiani and his real life wife were Oscar nominated for there biographical script. This is clearly a deeply personal work and as such I understand why it has hit a nerve with so many people.
I can't help think however that this film would have been better had the talented writer Mr Najiani stayed behind the camera and hired a more engaging screen presence to portray himself.
I understand this is a somewhat ridiculous thing to say about somebody who is already an established writer/actor and whose very story is being portrayed on screen. Who is better to play yourself than yourself? Well, somebody who can hold their own against the brilliant supporting cast. Against these pros, Nanjiani's limitations as a leading man are all to present and unfortunately damage the more successful aspects of the film.
Understand I am being harsh on Nanjiani's performance only because everybody else is so strong here. Ray Romano revealing himself to be an unexpectedly excellent dramatic actor.
Certainly worth a watch for those who enjoy their romance grounded in a bit of reality. Just curb your expectations.
Cube (1997)
Low budget Sci-Fi Classic
Taken completely objectively and one could certainly argue that Cube is a little rough around the edges. The acting can be inconsistent, the dialogue occasionally stilted and the SFX somewhat representative of it's evidently low budget.
It is also undoubtedly one of the best Science fiction films of the 90's as well as being one of the most impressive directorial debuts in cinema. This low budget gem has more intelligence, originality and invention than 95 per cent of the Science Fiction regularly churned out by Hollywood studios with a 100 times the budget at their disposal.
A group of people wake up in a cube shaped room that is rigged with traps...and that's all you want to know going in.
If you like inventive, original and tightly wound cinema then watch it. You wont be disappointed.
Cypher (2002)
A mind bending, unpredictable Sci-Fi treat
Like Natali's brilliant debut Cube, it's best to go into Cypher knowing as little about it as possible. This is not particularly difficult as it seems to be criminally under seen.
Most of the main players in this film have had very respectable careers but it does make you think why this didn't turn the superb and charismatic Jeremy Northam into an A-list star.
Smart, sexy and stylish, this is one of the best Sci-Fi Thrillers of the 2000's.