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Surgeons of Horror

~ Dissecting horror films

Surgeons of Horror

Category Archives: umbrella entertainment

Movie Review: Spree

15 Thursday Oct 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, Rialto Distribution, umbrella entertainment

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

David Arquette, Eugene Kotlyarenko, joe keery, John DeLuca, Kyle Mooney, Mischa Barton, Sasheer Zamata, satirical comedy horror

Spree is one of those rare treats that will surprise you.
Admittedly I went into watching this film with low expectations and unfairly dismissing it for yet another commentary on the negative impact of social media.

What was presented however can be closely associated with both Taxi Driver and American Psycho as its inspiration. The former is that Eugene Kotlyarenko plays similar beats to the Martin Scorsese classic, and the later for its satirical take on the human psyche. 

Where Kotlyarenko injects his own gaze into the public spectrum is through his offbeat humour and attention to detail in presenting a gonzo-infused view of social influencers on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Both director and his lead, Joe Keery (Stranger Things) researched these areas to encapsulate the personality that his character Kurt Kunkle portrays.
Profiled as 23 year old in search of infamy through his social platform who will stop at nothing to reach notoriety, Keery demonstrates a believably unhinged individual, a testament to his acting abilities and the level of attention taken into bringing his character to life. 

Fueled by this desire, Kurt rigs up his car with cameras and signs up for a rideshare app called Spree, where he then ventures out in his shortcut to the warped American Dream by picking up would-be victims. At first, we encourage his maniac exploits as the victims of choice are suitable ugly characters that arguably warrant their fate, but the more disturbed Kurt becomes in attaining his goal, the more chaotic and wild his antics become.
Kotlyarenko’s storyline choices are further cemented with the introduction of fellow social climber, comedian Jessie Adams played by a magnificent Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live) juxtaposing Kurt’s own ascent with a seemingly genuine rise of her own. When Jessie comes across Kurt’s radar, his jealousy boils over and she becomes his new target and in doing so, furnishes the film with a riveting climax.

The film also boasts strong support roles in David Arquette (Scream franchise) as deadbeat dad Kris, Kyle Mooney, Mischa Barton, and John DeLuca. Where it does fall short is that initial trigger point that sends Kurt over the edge, plus it lags in the middle act as it struggles to build up momentum and hold the audience’s interests through the leads indecisive phase in his social lesson. 

The Prognosis:

In the words of gonzo journalism creator, Hunter S. Thompson, “Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride”.

It’s a modern take into the current state of The American Dream through the eyes of a wannabe social influencer on a murderous rampage.
There is much to delight in this gut-wrenching flight of fancy, highlighting just how deranged modern society has become.

  • Saul Muerte

Spree is currently screening at select cinemas and available on PVOD with Foxtel and Fetch until November 11.

It will also be released on digital: iTunes, Youtube Movies, Fetch, Microsoft Store, Google Play from November 25.

Movie review: The Last Wave (1977)

16 Wednesday Sep 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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australian film, australian movie, David Gulpilil, Peter Weir, Richard Chamberlain

Peter Weir is one of the most accomplished directors not just in Australia, but also on the global scene.
Many would know his name in relation to his involvement in the Australian New Wave cinema movement or his high profile American films, such as Witness, Dead Poets Society, or The Truman Show, but back in 1977, sandwiched between Picnic At Hanging Rock and Gallipoli he released a forgotten gem.
The Last Wave is arguably the boldest movie that Weir directed with its apocalyptic tale spun through an Indigenous Australia’s connection with nature and the land, infused with both the positive and negative relationship of the ‘white’ settlers. 

Ever litre of sweat, blood, and tears oozes onto the screen with harmonious energy, rippling through every crevice of the narrative, to explode in a maelstrom of emotion and torment. 

At its heart, the film is deeply grounded in reality and over the course of the story, the emotional weight of our dream-like state breaks through from the human core to reveal an unstoppable force and an ambiguous ending – a message to the viewer of how we’ve lost our souls in an ethereal state, far removed from our ancestral beings.
It’s opening scene is a stark metaphor for this overview, as the familiar barren and dry Australian landscape is suddenly the victim of nature’s wrath as an unforeseen storm descends upon a small remote town, unleashing torrential rain and hail upon a school playing field.

From here, the story unfolds through the gaze of Sydney lawyer, David Burton (Richard Chamberlain), hired to defend four Indigenous Australians accused of murder, following the mysterious death of an Aboriginal man outside a pub.
In accepting the case, Burton finds himself in a world, removed from his own, opening up a parallel existence that he is inadvertently connected to through his dreams.
It is through this alternant state that pulls Burtons professional and personal life apart, and once caught in the rip, he has no option but to give in to the power of water, confront the kurdaitcha tribal elder and be spat back out into the world to confront the remnants of his life in the face of devastation.
Has he awoken, or will he be engulfed with the impending doom, to be washed away with the gulf of humanity?

The respect that Weir pays towards Indigenous Australian culture is its strength and appeal.
Casting Indigenous Australians in their respective roles, among them David Gulpilil as Chris, one of the accused, forced to give up some of his tribal secrets. Gulpilil’s performance is deeply engaging and one of the key reasons that the film is so grounded in reality, serving as a conduit for the audience to connect with the culture and in a way that leaves us questioning our own wake of life.
What does it mean to be tribal?
How can we separate our way of life and re engage with the world? Questions that are so pertinent today more than ever and casts The Last Wave at the forefront of must watch movies. 

Thanks to Umbrella Entertainment, this has become possible and remastered on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD. Its Blu-Ray release boasts some insightful featurettes with Richard Chamberlain, Producer Jim McElroy and  Director of Photography Russell Boyd that are incredibly engaging and further support just how integral this movie is in cinematic history and why it deserves your time.

  • Saul Muerte

Movie review: Deerskin

06 Thursday Aug 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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Adèle Haenel, Jean Dujardin, Quentin Dupiuex

I distinctly remember when Deerskin was doing the festival circuits and that I felt strangely intrigued by its subject but equally there wasn’t enough there to draw me in, which just goes to say that old phrase… 

Never judge a book by it’s cover. 

Or at least don’t judge a film by its synopsis… 

Yes, this film oozes independent movie making and the stereotypical associations that come with it when it comes to ‘quirkiness’, but there’s more going on beneath the surface of the weird and wonderful.

Part of my initial rebuke came down to a couple of things: My misunderstanding of the context, which on face value tells the story of a man going through a midlife crisis, blowing his entire fortune to fulfil his obsession for a deerskin jacket, resorting to criminal misgivings in order to attain his dream.

Whilst here at Surgeons of Horror, we dedicate our love to horror films, this isn’t your typical out and out horror. This is psychologically disturbing using its oddity and humour as a mask to the human psyche. We’re witnessing a descent into madness and delusion in pursuit of one man’s dream. A pursuit that leads him to shed his skin to regain an identity in order to feel, to emote and connect to something. It just so happens that this connection to the world comes in the form of a deerskin jacket.

The second misjudgement I casted was towards the films’ director, Quentin Dupiuex aka Mr Oizo! Remember that guy? Brought this hit to the late 90s…

Yeah that dude!
Plus he was responsible for creating a film about a homicidal tyre in pursuit of a woman, called Rubber. Yeah, you read that right.
So you can forgive me for casting assumptions on his craft, when in actuality, when you scrutinise his credits, there’s a strong theme that resonates through his work. The subject of obsession and the organic, physiology and biology of humanity. That desire or in some cases, killer instinct that compels us to pursue the impossible. 

Part of Deerskin’s appeal is through its unpredictable, spontaneous nature. In this instance, Georges, our obsessed man on the brink, (Jean Dujardin – The Artist, in another compelling performance) as he shifts and turns with a touch of improvisation, living in the moment and responding to whatever life throws his way. He is in the NOW, damn the consequences.
Some scenes are shocking, some macabre, but there’s always the hint of dark humour that comes out of the maniacal and when things are deliberately off kilter.

The deeper he goes on his quest for fulfilment, the murkier and thwarted his life becomes, and the more loose and carefree he gets with his actions.
One identity that he attached himself to is that of a director of a film, which one can instinctively connect to that of a voyeur, but instead of looking outward, he casts himself as the subject matter. Ably assisting him in creating his vision, is a bartender, Denise (Adèle Haenel- Portrait of a Lady on Fire) with an interest in becoming an editor, who leaps at the opportunity when presented to her to be a part of Georges’ movie.
For Georges, there is only one drive. One passion. Deerskin. 

The Prognosis:

Like any pursuit, our journey can lead to destruction and ruin.
Dupiuex manages to craft a curious descent into the lengths that one man will go to in order to pursue his dream.

It is truly an original, strengthened by solid, realistic performances.
Deeply compelling, with a subject that lures you in and keeps you captivated, through its idiosyncratic mindset.

  • Saul Muerte

DEERSKIN

In Cinemas Now

Movie review: Blood Vessel

02 Sunday Aug 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Alex Cooke, Alyssa Sutherland, Australian Horror, Christopher Kirby, Justin Dix, Mark Diaco, Nathan Phillips, robert Taylor

The film opens with what feels like a notable nod to Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat as we are greeted with a group of survivors floating in a life raft, having escaped from their torpedoed hospital ship. They have no food, no water, and are close to giving up when a small thread of hope arrives in the shape of a German U-Boat, but what lies aboard is a descent into hell where the battle of survival has just begun.

Like Lifeboat, the group are at odds with one another and suspicious of some among them including Russian POW, Alexander (Alex Cooke), who happens to be a crack shot with a rifle and probably the most natural survivalist of the crew. Also casting a dubious past to his character is the token Brit, the weedy Gerard Faraday. Leading the charge is Nathan Sinclair (Nathan Philips) who captivates the viewer with his magnanimous presence and die hard attitude, but when they are faced with an unknown evil presence onboard the ship, they must learn to put aside their differences and look to unite if they are ever going to make it through “this bloody war”.

It is Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), that the audience really gets behind however as the heart of the crew and it helps that she is a ‘medic” who has a pained past with a desire to heal everyone. She really captures the attention which is a testament to her on screen appeal and her weight as an actor, pulling you into the storyline and connecting with her character.

This is also a huge accomplishment of Justin Dix’s cinematic gaze for his sophomore outing in the director’s chair. Dix manages to craft a highly engaging storyline, that is essentially vampires on a boat, using his incredible skill set with visual and creature effects to boost the appeal above and beyond the usual fanfare.
The screenplay which is also overseen by Dix and his co-writer, Jordan Prosser, weave together enough ups and downs and moments of turmoil for the crew, as they fight against the odds. A massive plus is that we’re presented with characters that are incredibly believable, and with whom you want to see survive, when you know in your heart simply ain’t gonna happen, and in doing so casts you at odds as you also secretly want their demise to come.

The Prognosis:

Hands down, Director Justin Dix has crafted a highly engaging, action-packed thrill ride with characters that you care for.

Combined with some decent effects and a creative storyline, Dix has in my humble opinion put himself and his production company Wicked of Oz firmly on the map.
A must see film that will definitely entertain.

  • Saul Muerte

Available on DVD at JB Hi Fi and Sanity
and Video on Demand through iTunes/Google /Fetch/Foxtel Store/Umbrella Entertainment from August 5th.

Movie review: Lords of Chaos

22 Monday Jun 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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euronymous, jonas akerlund, lords of chaos, mayhem, umbrella entertainment, varg

Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund has been slowly carving up a career looking at suitably unhinged characters and the psyche of the human mind throughout the few feature films he has heralded so far.
These in turn were built on the shoulders of numerous music videos, working with talents such as Prodigy, Metallica, Madonna, and Rammstein, so it was of little surprise that in 2018 he would turn his attention to some music roots closer to home albeit with his neighbouring country, Norway and the birth of the black metal scene that surfaced in the early 90s.
Metal has always been synonymous with horror films, so it seems fitting to have a film that circulates these two themes as the cornerstone of its narrative. 

From the get go Åkerlund throws in the caveat that the story is about truth and lies, allowing him as the creative to have free license around the events that unfolded between Euronymous, Varg and the Black Circle.
As he weaves in the real-life characters who strive for infamy whether that is through music or political empowerment, inner turmoil surmounts to a place that can only result in destruction.
The question remains for those not familiar with the history, is whose destruction will it ultimately be and at what cost?

Watching Rory Culkin’s performance as the narrator and mastermind behind Mayhem, Euronymous, I’m once again reminded of the strength of his performance as an actor as he sways from likeable, annoying, disturbing, and back to likeable again with chameleon-like ability on-screen.
In many ways, Culkin is the centrepin of the film, resting on the need for the audience to engage with his actions, whether it is with disgust or delight as he attempts to carve out a trajectory that will transport him into fame and beyond. 

The true horror of the piece lies within the extent to which all the characters will go to in order to not only outperform but shock each other for the cause.
The further they descend into hell, the murkier the original cause becomes and no matter how much Euronymous tries to salvage the situation and maintain control, anarchy has already been unleashed and too many fractured actions will inevitably splinter the group.
The focus primarily being between newcomer Varg and his ambitions to direct Norway away from christianity and toward Odinism. 

The delivery of the film is also nicely off cantor, so that feeling of unpolished actions resonate strongly, especially as the characters are always on the brink of implosion, which invariably brings about panic or stupidity and Åkerlund never shies away from exposing those moments of mindlessness.

The Prognosis

There are moments of pure joy, anarchy and Mayhem throughout the film that highlights the plight and peril of a deliberately disorganised association’s attempt to resurrect a new medium into the world, only to stare at the horror and destruction that unfolds around them in the process.
The damned will be doomed.

There is no salvation.

Just the remnants of what once stood before them.

Burn the walls down and cut away at life’s obstacles and you fear exposing the frailty of humanity beneath it all. 

Director Jonas Åkerlund manages to do this while providing an engaging storyline, supported by some great performances, grounded in the reality of the environment and all the more harrowing that it is based in truth… and lies of course.

  • Saul Muerte

Lords of Chaos is available to view via Video On Demand
or buy from Umbrella Entertainment.

Movie review: I Trapped The Devil

07 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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aj bowen, josh lobo, Scott Poythress, Susan Theresa Burke, umbrella entertainment

Built as a supernatural horror film, I Trapped The Devil pits a highly interesting premise for a directorial feature debut, and Josh Lobo’s passion project certainly aims high in what is essentially a strong drama-led piece. 

The premise follows a couple, Matt and Karen who pay a visit to Matt’s brother Steve, a man who is clearly troubled following the death of his wife, Sarah. Steve is also harbouring a secret… he claims to have imprisoned the devil himself in his basement, but is this a figment of his imagination as he slips into the recesses of a depraved mind, or has he somehow managed to actually ensnare the prince of darkness?

For a film that is weighted in dialogue and exposition on the realms of power, control, action and inaction, it requires someone with the acting prowess to pull off the gravitas of the piece. So, one of Lobo’s masterstroke is in the casting of mumblegore alumni, AJ Bowen (You’re Next, The Sacrament) as Matt, who molds his character to the scenario and makes the predicament a believable one, and produces genuine reactions arising out of his performance. He is also ably supported by Scott Poythress as Steve and Susan Theresa Burke as Karen, and the trio provide enough of a hook to keep you engaged during the grittier moments. 

Too often though, there are gaps in the drama and these wallowing moments in the film feel stagnant at times, as though we’re sinking into a quagmire of gloom. Visually this can be hard to connect with the storyline and sends the audience adrift as a result. 

With a bit more experience I feel that Lobo could generate more ambience out of those lull moments, but in this case, he papers over the gaps with music to stimulate or invigorate mood.

The prognosis:

The shifts and changes in drama are the strongest component in this film with a superb cast and Lobo ably plays with the psychology and past of three characters and how they interplay with one another when thrust into a strange and surreal situation, ramping up the tension.

It does suffer from the downbeats in the movie though and as such can be a struggle to watch.

  • Saul Muerte 

I Trapped The Devil is available to view via Video On Demand
or buy from Umbrella Entertainment.

Movie review: The Wretched

18 Monday May 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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occult, occult horror, umbrella entertainment, witchcraft

I gotta say that before I begin to cast my thoughts on the film, I am definitely not of the right demographic age-wise. The film is aimed primarily towards Gen Z and with that zest for life comes the rekindled imaginations of yester-year. 

Much like Disturbia did for the Millenials, The Burbs for the X Generation, and Rear Window did for the Baby Boomer generation, we have a protagonist predominantly placed in his home where he witnesses foul play going on next door. In this instance, we follow Ben, “a defiant teenage boy” who has been sent to stay with his father during the summer. His parents are currently going through a divorce which lends some weight as to why Ben has started to go off the rails. During his stay, Ben slowly discovers that all is not as it seems in this marina town, and not only that but appears to be possessed by some weird demonic witch like creature from the woods that we later learn to discover is a cross between Black Annis and the Boo Hag.

There are some genuinely decent moments in here for the hardened soul and the creature fx are believable enough to blend into the landscape, but the fear itself is often all too “twee” and never stirs the heart.

Despite this, the performances and characters are engaging enough for you to care about Ben’s plight with some decent twists in the mix, that on face value surprise and delight, but on closer inspection, doesn’t necessarily add up. Sometimes the MacGuffin is enough to change or suspend disbelief that you forgive its faults, but here they jar and the smoke and mirrors are left in plain sight, shattering any vague illusion that the director was hoping to achieve.

The Prognosis

Another sugar coated saccharine sweet horror film that lives in the shadows of exceptional movies without offering an ounce of originality.

If you like fluffy, light hearted horror, then by all means give this a whirl, but from this writer’s perspective, The Wretched struggles to lift itself above a mediocre horror… just.

  • Saul Muerte

Wretched is screening now until 18 July in Foxtel Store 

In selected Cinemas 25 June onwards – Cinema List below 

VICTORIA & TASMANIA
June 25 Nova Carlton, VIC
June 25 Wallis Mildura, VIC
June 25 Peninsula Cinemas Rosebud, VIC
June 25 Horsham Centre Cinema, VIC
June 25 Ararat Cinema, VIC
June 25 Metro Cinemas Bernie, TAS

NEW SOUTH WALES
July 2 Griffith Cinemas
July 2 Bathurst Metro Cinemas
July 2 Metro Cinemas Lake Haven
July 9 Laurieton Plaza Cinemas
July 9 Saraton Theatre Grafton

QUEENSLAND & NORTHERN TERRITORY
June 25 Alice Springs Cinema, NT
June 25 Cineplex Hawthorne, QLD
June 25 Cineplex Redbank, QLD
June 25 Cineplex South Bank, QLD
June 25 Cineplex Victoria Point, QLD
July 16, Malanda Cinemas, QLD

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
June 25 Wallis Mitchem, SA
June 25 Wallis Mt Barker, SA
June 25 Wallis Noarlunga, SA
June 25 Wallis Piccadilly, SA
June 25 Esperance Cinema, WA

Available to rent On Demand from 2 September 
via Google Play, Fetch TV, Microsoft &  Apple TV 

Retrospective: Hostage

07 Thursday May 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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ozploitation

If you’re familiar with Australian cinema, you’d be aware of the Ozploitation movement that peaked in the late 70s and 80s, and that director Quentin Tarantino projected these movies back into the limelight in the early 2000s by declaring his love for the subgenre. 

Embedded right in this timeframe that projected a mix of sexploitation, bikers, horror and action upfront and in your face comes the 1983 feature Hostage based on the true story of Christine Maresch, who is forced to endure a life of crime under the dominant hand of her husband Walter – a man that embodies narcissism.

Watching this film now, it lends itself easily to the #metoo movement as Christine is subjected to rape and torture in a land foreign to her own when she follows her husband and daughter to Germany in order to make an honest go in life.

When we first meet Christine, she’s a happy-go-lucky, larger than life character, who is working at the circus, where she feels free and in her element. Here she meets the dark and mysterious Walter and falls for his rugged yet caring nature, only to discover that he holds a sadistic side with pursuits in Neo-Nazi activities. This itself can feel a little obvious by today’s standards, but the brutality of his treatment is still hard to bear and we long for Christine to find a way out of her turmoil, which goes steadily from bad to worse.

The hardest hitting moment comes when she ends up in Istanbul and receives a tumultuous confrontation with some unsavoury characters at a petrol station. The scene is edgy, sharp, and filled with vitriol that was synonymous with the Ozploitation scene, but its Walters ill treatment of Christine that is the most uncomfortable to watch and is more relevant today than ever.

The film is peppered with some upbeat sounds from composer Davood A. Tabrizi, who manages to tweak every ounce of action and thrills into his score, casting the film forwards with some much needed pace at times.

The Prognosis:

Hostage is a film that is indicative of its time but despite its place and setting has enough fuel and fire to ignite a still unsettling scenario that resonates with the viewer.
Its character is the major selling point and its two leads in Kerry Mack and Ralph Schicha do enough to engage the audience beyond the ‘based on a real story’ setting.

One for the Ozploitation enthusiasts but I highly recommend this to anyone with and interest in Australian cinema.

  • Saul Muerte

Hostage is available to view now via Video On Demand

Movie review: Color Out of Space

05 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

color out of space, hp lovecraft, joely richardson, nic cage, nicolas cage, richard stanley

H.P Lovecraft’s influence is fundamental to modern horror, it can be seen most strongly in the DNA of countless Stephen King stories, John Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy (The Thing, Prince of Darkness & In the Mouth of Madness), Event Horizon, the video game Bloodbourne and the Alien series, its influence is often met with varying success but direct adaptations have been few and far between.
For years there has been talk of a Guillermo Del Toro helmed At the Mouth of Madness that seemed to ultimately stall thanks to Ridley Scott’s Prometheus stealing it’s philosophical fire.
Stuart Gordon was probably the most successful, or at least prolific adaptor of H.P’s work with Re-Animator, From Beyond and Dagon, all adaptations of Lovecraft short stories (Dagon being an amalgam), but these all held a considerable helping of cheese, camp and tongue in cheek that, for the most part, enshrined their cult status (how appropriate).
Recently though there must be something contaminating the well water because within the last 6 months we had 3 films massively inspired by the H.P Lovecraft; Underwater, The Lighthouse, and the most faithful of the 3, Color Out of Space.

We start at the edge of a river, west of the fictional rural town of Arkham, Massachusetts, as the young Lavinia Gardner (Madeleine Arthur) performs a ritual of healing.
Here she meets Ward (Elliot Knight), a surveyor taking water readings.
In the original story Ward was our nameless narrator but in this tale he has far more involvement with the story developing a bit of an attraction to the aspiring young witch.
Six months ago Lavinia’s father Nathan (Nicholas Cage) moved his family to this country house so that his wife Theresa (Joely Richardson) could recover from her mastectomy.
Rounding out the family is Brother’s Benny and the young Jack (Brendan Meyer & Julian Hilliard respectively).
The whole Gardner family have been struggling with the adjustment, Nathan has been trying his hand as a tomato farmer and raiser of alpacas, Theresa is struggling with her financial consolation business thanks to the shitty internet connection, Benny has been smoking weed with the local hermit Ezra (Tommy Chong) and Jack is self-isolating taking solace in the family dog.
The change in their lives is dwarfed entirely when a meteorite crashes in their front yard one night with a flash of light and colour never seen before on this earth.
What follows is a slow descent into insanity as the cosmic colour spreads transforming the landscape and life around it and warping the minds of the Gardner family.

This is Director Richard Stanley’s feature length return to our screens since the disastrous ‘Island of Dr. Moreau’ which was filled with all of the meddling and power struggles that this film feels utterly devoid of.
Stanley’s vision is what we are seeing.
Now this is a relatively low budget indie flick ($12 Million budget) sometimes you can feel it but for the most part I think they make this film feel so much bigger.
It is a really gorgeous looking film with a mostly excellent use of CGI, particularly when it’s used to create the near alien landscape that this quaint little farmhouse transforms into, sharpening colours and extending the mutations surrounding them.
Fans of gooey body horror will be pleased with a lot of the practical effects used here as well, one particular change in the family is deeply disturbing and honestly heartbreaking.
You can certainly feel the influence of other films of its ilk (The Mist, From Beyond, The Thing) but it has a strong enough identity and a visual flair that the homages never feel like all this film has to offer.
It is a deeply creepy film as the characters are separated yet so close to each other, lost in the fog their minds have become, where time has lost meaning and they just don’t notice how wrong things have become.
The Composer, Colin Stetson, has created a truly beautiful score that compliments the growing mutation and helps make the titular colour, a pinkish purple, feel more than a colour, more than a sound.

Pacing wise Color Out of Space may lag a little in the second act but that eerie feeling never goes away.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a wholly serious film and a big part of that is thanks to Nicholas Cage.
Now the Nic Cage we get in the first half of the film is a dorky and daggy Dad, feeling relatively restrained compared to his recent output but once the alien insanity starts to spread Cage turns up the dial with gusto.
I would say there’s almost a little bit of Jack Nicholson in the Shining, where the character already feels a little unhinged when we first meet him so when the jump happens it doesn’t feel like that big a change, having said that though he is still a lot of fun and there are many ridiculous lines he spouts off that you couldn’t even comprehend another more self-serious actor taking a stab at.
The rest of the cast are really complimentary, bringing to life this struggling family beset by a greater force.
This is Joely Richardson’s second eldritch horror outing after the late 90’s Event Horizon, and as Theresa she brings the balance that makes her and Nathan’s relationship feel a lot more believable, struggling to spark their intimacy after her operation.
And the trio of kids, who really take the main stage after Mom and Dad drive off for medical help, give really good performances developing a believable sibling dynamic that carries most of this film.

The Prognosis

For the most part I really enjoyed this film, it’s a kaleidoscopic quagmire of madness with a brilliant score, fun performances and excellent goo.
It might not fully land it’s ending which for me is a hard blow to recover from, reducing it from my favourite Cosmic Horror film to just one of the better ones and like most of the Lovecraft adaptations of the past this will not be for everyone but it’s a hell of a ride if you’ll brave the eldritch horrors of the Color Out of Space.

  • Oscar Jack
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Color Out of Space is available to view via Video On Demand
from Wed, 6th May

Movie review: Butt Boy

03 Sunday May 2020

Posted by surgeons of horror in Movie review, umbrella entertainment

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butt boy, tyler cornack, tyler rice, umbrella entertainment

Butt Boy trailer

On face value, one could easily dismiss this film as a cheap and crass view of the criminal underworld that speaks to those trapped in an anal retentive phase, but if tou were to look up the defintion of someone that fits that description, you’ll discover that it is a scientific stage of psychosexual development and can originate in something as simple as orderliness and the need for all things fitting in its right place.

Butt Boy may have started out as a joke concept, but director, writer and actor, Tyler Cornack and his creative team soon developed a deeply thrilling and dark ride into the recesses of our human mind at its infancy.

Central to this rectal fascination is bored IT Engineer Chip, who is stuck in a dead-end marriage with no sexual drive, that is until he has a routine prostate exam that ignites his sexuality and sends him on a journey of self exploration into dark territory.
The twist in this tale is that it soon develops into a crafty and quirky cat and mouse game, as police detective, Russell Fox, is hired to uncover the disappearance of a child at Chip’s place of work. Fox is ruthless and will stop at nothing to get his man, even if it means going where no one dares to go. His theory is wild, but he may have good reason to suspect the mild-mannered Chip has been harbouring everything where the sun doesn’t shine. Only problem is that he has no proof, he’s a reformed alcoholic, and his sponsor just so happens to be Chip.

The key to Butt Boy’s success as a story is that it heralds tw excellent leads in Tylers’ Cormack and Rice, but above it all is that the whole thing is played straight. Think of the time that De Niro went head to head with Pacino in Heat in the way that two icons go head to head in a game of wits but set in the bowels of depravity. Each character is fighting to exist and seeking some sense of satisfaction and prove something of themselves and this tightly gripped drama with explosive consequences.

The Prognosis:

Make sure you don’t turn the other cheek when you encounter this feature. Embrace the film for what it is. A smart, entertaining drama that is bold enough to tackle some of humanity’s fantasies rear on, that doesn’t hold back until its thrilling conclusion.

Butt Boy should be celebrated for its originality and bold approach to the crime drama genre, marking it as one of my favourite films of the year.

  • Saul Muerte

 Butt Boy is available to view via Video On Demand from Wed, 6th May

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