• About
  • podcasts
  • Shop

Surgeons of Horror

~ Dissecting horror films

Surgeons of Horror

Category Archives: sydney film festival

Movie Review: Sea Fever

14 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, sydney film festival

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

connie nielsen, dougray scott, neasa hardiman, sydney film festival

They say that movie themes come in waves, and recently we’ve seen a stirring towards mankind’s fear of the ocean.
Where Underwater trended towards more action fare, and The Lighthouse skewed more towards psychological avant garde, Sea Fever is ironically more grounded in its descent into the murky depths of the brine.

Director Neasa Hardiman has carved a remarkable career so far with hard hitting British series’ Scott & Bailey and Happy Valley, so she’s been attuned to gritty drama and with two of her leads Connie Nielsen and Dougray Scott she finds actors who know their mettle, crafting subtle nuanced performances that equally tap into intensity. 

In her sophomore feature outing in the directors chair, Hardiman hones her virtuosity further, in this deeply engaging tale of a fishing trailer crew who embark into an exclusion zone where they encounter a parasitic infection. 

The film’s release is indeed timely as the crew are forced into isolation as they come to terms with this new life form that infests them one by one whilst scrambling to defend themselves from this unknown entity.
The story is told from the point of view of introvert Siobhan (Hermione Corfield), a scientist who has been studying faunal behavioural patterns given the opportunity to join the crew.
Corfield also more than holds her own adding the heart and mind of the film that adds weight and a voice of reason amongst the insanity.
A loner from the outset, Siobhan is further isolated from a superstitious company, especially upon learning that she is a redhead, a bad omen among fishermen.
The tide soon turns however, as the crew search for her expertise throughout their encounter in the hopes that she will be their guiding light.
The heightened sense of distrust, lack of patience, lethargy and sadness intensifies the tension further, which tempers the notion of cabin fever amongst them all and us as the audience.

The Prognosis:

This pandemic horror under the guise of a monster film harbours an intense feeling of claustrophobia and paranoia fueled by the necessity to survive.
The creature effects when used are refined and intricately well played out for what is essentially a low budget feature.
Not surprisingly there are nods to similar sci-fi films such as Alien and more notably The Thing, embedded with a Lovecraftian vibe at times, but Hardiman also bends the subject with her own voice and tone that allows the characters and the storyline to breathe in a claustrophobic world, churning out a thrilling and encapsulating narrative.

  • Saul Muerte

This film is currently available to rent via Sydney Film Festival until June 21.

Movie review: Why Don’t You Just Die (Sydney Film Festival)

13 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in sydney film festival

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

russian crime thriller, sydney film festival

I have to admit that when I first read the short synopsis about Why Don’t You Just Die, I loved the title, and I was intrigued by the idea of a crime thriller with the promise of gallons of blood, but I instinctively put it on the maybe pile. My reasoning was purely down to the film not quite fitting into the horror genre, rather than the context of the story, but as I watched, I instantly regretted my instincts as boy does this movie deliver.

The action and tension on screen is relentless with top marks to the choreography of each set piece as it unfolds. What tips this above your average pot-boiler though is that writer/director, Kirill Sokolov doesn’t provide any easy solutions or fixes for the characters to weave their way out of, but rather offers obstacle after obstacle, providing a gruelling and effective journey that keeps you guessing the outcome.

The plot is a fairly simple one as Matvei is steered to avenge his girlfriend Olga’s mistreatment by her father. Armed with only a hammer, Matvei enters the apartment, only to find his plan is far from straight forward, much to the delight of the audience.

Peppered with flashbacks and character reveals that lend weight to deception and mistrust, the players are forced to outwit, out-muscle and out-hustle each other in order to survive the bloodbath. It’s not just about guts and gore though, (although this does have some awesome effects to satiate the hardened viewer) as its trump card is the macabre humour that ticks along and has you laughing at the ridiculously glorious events as they unfold.

The Diagnosis:

This is a Machiavellian tale that beats along at fun and crazed pace. The characters hold their secrets close to their chest, but are forced to spill their guts (literally in some cases) with bloody carnage and mayhem. Every twist and turn is delivered with powerful impact that resonates off the screen and into the cerebellum. Prepare for an enjoyable ride from Russian director, Kirill Sokolov. I predict big things to come from this sharp young mind.

TICKETS

Thu 13 June 8.45pm: Event Cinemas George St 

Head here for tickets

  • Saul Muerte
Guy stands opposite woman who sits on the kitchen counter with her legs stretched out.

Movie review: School’s Out (Sydney Film Festival 2019)

04 Tuesday Jun 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in sydney film festival

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

environmental horror, freak me out, sebastian marnier

Leading the charge for the Freak Me Out Program Strand at Sydney Film Festival this year is French, Environmental, Fantasy & Sci-Fi, Horror film, School’s Out. Before I delve into the guts of the film, I have to remark on the strength of genre movies coming out of France at the moment that are both insightful and leveraged with deep integrity. This writer has been remarkably affected by the likes of Raw, Revenge, and The Night Eats The World in the last couple of years, that I’m becoming a huge fan of this new-wave of francophile horror. Despite not being an all-out horror, School’s Out is firmly can firmly sit side-by-side with these movies.

In its opening scene, director Sébastien Marnier sets out to deliberately disturb the viewer, by confronting the audience with a seemingly tranquil school classroom setting, only to witness the teacher attempt suicide by throwing himself out of the window. What is most unsettling about this scene is the manner in which some of the students seem unaffected by this traumatic moment, simply staring out of the window at the body of their teacher on the ground below. In this one moment, Marnier sets the tone for the remainder of the film. The audience has a feeling of distrust towards the six unempathetic, yet highly-gifted students, and when we are introduced to the lead protagonist, relief teacher, Pierre Hoffman, he carries our fears and animosity with him throughout the films narrative.

The theme is also spelt out fairly early on in the piece too using the sub-genre, environmental horror at its core, which could very well be a growing trend in this class, much like the underrated, The Marshes, which came out last year. After all, horror is supposed to tap into our greatest fears, and what is more horrifying to humanity at the moment than ourselves and our impact on this world?

The message isn’t rammed down our throats though, more rather, it looms large in the background, ever-present, and a reminder that the danger is all around us if we dare to open our eyes and see. The symbolism isn’t lost whenever Pierre is swimming in a nearby lake with a huge power plant filling the landscape behind him.

What makes this film stand out though, is that it cleverly weaves Kafka’s theory of existentialism into the fold with the notion that each one of us is responsible and free for the actions we take. Should we be bystanders in our own destruction, or hopelessly try to prevent our own undoing? Pierre sows this seed fairly on when he mentions that he is working on a thesis around Kafka, and yet can’t seem to find the momentum to complete what he has started. Kafka was known to explore themes of alienation and isolation in his work, fuelled by anxiety in a world that fuses fantasy with reality; all of which is on display in School’s Out and provides the film with the necessary structure in which to tell Marnier and his screenwriting partner Elise Griffon’s narrative.

The beauty of this movie is that in the way Marnier steers his audience into a particular focus, and like Pierre we become blinded by the this narrow approach that we neglect to look at the bigger picture, and in doing so poses some big questions about our responsibilities.

The Diagnosis:

Whilst not strictly a horror in the fullest sense of the word, Marnier’s movie reflects the horrors that humanity is capable of in this slow-burning movie, that lifts the lid and exposes our damning actions. The performances are particularly strong and effective in School’s Out, and in some cases are quite confronting, which only adds to the strength of the overall storyline. Like Kafka’s most known novel, Die Verwandlung” (“The Metamorphosis“), we must learn to adapt or transform our ways if we are to survive, or ultimately face the consequences.

TICKETS

Wed 5 June 6:30pm: Dendy Newtown
Tue 11 June 9pm: Event Cinemas George St
Head here for Tickets

Movie review: Here Comes Hell (Sydney Film Festival 2019)

29 Wednesday May 2019

Posted by surgeons of horror in sydney film festival

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

1930s horror, demonic possession, evil dead, seance

It’s that time of year again when Sydney is offered some horrifying and thrilling delights as part of the Freak Me Out program strand at the Sydney Film Festival.

Among the cracking lineup comes a directorial debut feature by Jack McHenry that speaks right to my heart as it cleverly crafts 1930s British decadence. With a cast of fops and socialites, Here Comes Hell injects a twisted and psychotic world of the undead into the depression era.

The tagline sums it up perfectly, “Downton Abbey meets The Evil Dead.”

I found myself drawn in seamlessly by the rich cinematography, which perfectly encapsulates the movies of that time, and you can tell that Jack McHenry and his cinematographer Rory McHenry are lovers of the craft as spend time drawing you in before twisting the knife abruptly as it spins into the unknown and thrusts the characters beyond their wildest imaginations.

The concept follows the recklessly rich, Victor, who invites gun-wielding American George, sharp-tongued Christine, tennis playing Teddy, and his new girlfriend Elizabeth (who is our entry point into the family unit and the only character not born of higher breeding). When Victor decides to host a seance in order to spice up the evenings gatherings, the night takes a drastic turn as they unleash the spirit of a former owner of the mansion who had a curious passion with the dark arts.

Here Comes Hell could so easily be sucked into a vortex of the absurd and unbelievable but thanks to some crafty dialogue and deliciously delectable humour, provided by McHenry again and his screenwriting partner Alice Sidgwick, we’re treated to a fun romp into the macabre with some killer effects to boot.

The Diagnosis:

Despite its slow start, the gears grind up and we’re given a fun ride into a dark world that combines a twisted humour with an homage to a decadent time.

  • Saul Muerte

TICKETS

Sat 8 June 9pm: Event Cinemas George St
Tue 11 June 8:30pm: Dendy Newtown
Head here for Tickets

Here Comes Hell

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016

Categories

  • A Night of Horror Film Festival
  • Alien franchise
  • Alliance Francaise French Film Festival
  • Australian Horror
  • Best Movies and Shows
  • Competition
  • episode review
  • Flashback Fridays
  • Friday the 13th Franchise
  • Full Moon Sessions
  • Halloween franchise
  • In Memorium
  • Interview
  • japanese film festival
  • John Carpenter
  • killer pigs
  • midwest weirdfest
  • MidWest WierdFest
  • MonsterFest
  • movie of the week
  • Movie review
  • News article
  • podcast episode
  • podcast review
  • press release
  • retrospective
  • Rialto Distribution
  • Ring Franchise
  • series review
  • Spanish horror
  • sydney film festival
  • Sydney Underground Film Festival
  • The Blair Witch Franchise
  • The Exorcist
  • The Howling franchise
  • Top 10 list
  • Trash Night Tuesdays on Tubi
  • umbrella entertainment
  • Uncategorized
  • Universal Horror
  • Wes Craven
  • wes craven's the scream years

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Surgeons of Horror
    • Join 189 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Surgeons of Horror
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...