Netflix Streaming Micro Reviews: House of the Devil, The Innkeepers, Session 9, Lovely Molly, Dead Girl

I’ve been on a bit of a horror kick on Netflix streaming so here are a few micro reviews;

House of the Devil – It has a cool little 80’s vibe to it but it takes way too long to get on with the story which is painfully predictable. - C

The Innkeepers – A fun little movie with a good sense of fun and good chemistry between the leads. It seems to remember it’s a horror movie in the last act resulting in an abrupt shift in tone. – B-

Session 9 – Really strong bit of atmosphere taking advantage of the locations but it kind of falls apart in the last act. – C+

Lovely Molly – A really impressive take on the haunted house tropes with a turn midway through the film that you’ll either love or hate, personally I thought it worked well. Strong performances throughout but in the final 10 minutes the film seems unsure about where it wants to go, committing to nothing and everything. B-

Dead Girl – I just couldn't make it through the whole thing. I quit watching it about a third of the way through it, too much raping for my taste – Incomplete

MOVIE REVIEW: THE BAY

Three years after a massive government cover-up involving a parasitic outbreak in a small seaside town, a reporter unearths chilling footage that reveals the terrifying truth in this ound footage-style shocker from Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson. On July 4th, 2009, the town of Claridge, Maryland experienced an unprecedented biological disaster. An isopod parasite typically found in fish somehow found its way into a human host. As the town gathered for its annual Independence Day celebration, the parasite began to spread at unprecedented speeds, consuming its victims from the inside out. Now witness the terrifying events that unfolded that fateful holiday weekend as captured on the security cameras, mobile phones, and webcams of the people who witnessed them firsthand, but never lived to tell their stories. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Barry Levinson

Cast: Christopher Denham, Stephen Kunken, Frank Deal, Kether Donohue, Kristen Connolly

Release Date: Nov 02, 2012

Rated: Bloody Images, Language and Disturbing Violent Content

Runtime: 1 hr. 24 min.

Genres: Horror

Review:

I remember seeing the trailer for The Bay and being vaguely intrigued by it because I’m a sucker for found footage films plus Barry Levinson was directing it. Strangely it came and went with very little fanfare. Thankfully it pop up on Netflix streaming recently which, truth be told, made me wonder if it was just a bad film. I was rather surprised at how effective it was and am still rather left wondering why it was mostly ignored. The premise is kind of a hodgepodge of found footage, suppressed footage in this case, plotted with a sprinkling of Jaws and Contagion. It’s fairly graphic once the infection / infestation starts spreading. It does its job well enough to leave you feeling kind of icky afterwards and wondering about your drinking water. Its green message isn’t very subtle which might be a turnoff for folks looking for a straight up horror film. That being said it works most often than not, rarely relying cheap scares. The whole thing feels rather authentic throughout although there are a few people in the town taking the whole thing far too well. Its overall authenticity is probably aided by the fact that Isopods are real albeit living in their natural habitat, the deep ocean.

B

TV SHOW REVIEW: HEMLOCK GROVE

A teenage girl is brutally murdered, sparking a hunt for her killer. But in a town where everyone hides a secret, will they find the monster among them?

Cast: Famke Janssen, Penelope Mitchell, Freya Tingley, Bill Skarsgård, Freya Tingley, Kandyse McClure, Aaron Douglas

Executive producer(s) Eli Roth, Charles H. Eglee, Eric Newman, Michael Connolly, Lee Shipman, Brian McGreevy, Dan Paige

Written by Brian McGreevy Lee Shipman Dan Paige

Review:

Hemlock Grove feels familiar, incredibly familiar. A multitude of supernatural themed shows litter the airwaves and movie screens. Shows like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries cover somewhat similar territory with the latter proving to be a more consistently written product. Hemlock Grove has an uphill battle from the start. It has to bring us engaging characters and a new slant on certain genre tropes. Does it succeed? Not really. The central mystery at the heart of season 1 is rather uninteresting and the final reveal is telegraphed early on. The characters vary from semi interesting to bland. The fact that a mute comes off as the most intriguing character speaks volumes. The cast has a few stand outs such as Landon Liboiron as Peter Rumancek. Liboiron performance feels comfortable and natural throughout and he never comes across like he’s trying too hard unlike Bill Skarsgård. Skarsgård’s performance undersells what’s supposed to be a sexy conflicted lead; instead he comes off as whiny and disinterring. Nicole Boivin with Amazon Eve working as her massive body double as Shelly, the mute mutant Godfrey sister, emotes more through simple looks, while under extensive make up, than most of her cast mates. A usually reliable Dougray Scott comes off as stiff and fairly bland even though he’s a regular cast member. Battlestar Galactica alums, Aaron Douglas and Kandyse McClure are surprisingly bad. Some of their line delivers, especially some of the more emotional moments, miss the mark badly. Bad acting is hardly limited to them because it does pester the first season like an annoying fly. The best example of this is Famke Janssen. Janssen, with a truly embarrassing and distracting “British” accent, chews up scenery like she hasn’t eaten for weeks. Her character is supposed to be a rich, sexy man eater with a biting tongue. Janssen’s performance rarely hits her mark, occasionally falling into camp territory. Her character doesn’t become truly interesting until the latter episodes. The same can be said for the season as a whole. Its plot hints at a supernatural sci-fi, religious mix but stays in a holding pattern for most of the season. As a result, most of the plot feels like a trudge mainly because the ”twists” revealed in the latter episodes are fairly obvious and you wished it’d just get on with it already. After the reveals, the series seems to find some much stronger forward moment, something it could have sorely used earlier on. Let’s hope season 2, just confirmed, can take advantage of it.

C

MOVIE REVIEW: GOON

ON DVD & NETFLIX STREAMING

GOON



The sports comedy Goon stars Seann William Scott as Doug Glatt, a slacker from a rich family who discovers he has a knack for hockey brawls. Dragged to a game by his best friend, Doug punches out the visiting team's toughest player when the angered thug rushes into the stands. The home team quickly recruits Doug (even though he can't skate) and encourages him to beat up their opponents. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Director: Michael Dowse

Cast: Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, Alison Pill, Marc-André Grondin, Kim Coates, Liev Schreiber

Release Date: Mar 30, 2012

Rated R for brutal violence, non-stop language, some strong sexual content and drug
use

Runtime: 1 hr. 31 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Sports films in general have always been a tough sell for me, mainly because they all have to follow very similar trajectories ending in the big game. As a result, I’ve ignored more sports movies than I should have over the past few years. Luckily, I gave Goon a chance and was pleasantly surprised with it. The usual sports plot points are there (underdog team, change in fortunes and the big game) but Goon makes it all so much fun and even infuses some heart in the process. Feeling like a cross between Major League and Forrest Gump, Goon really hooks you in with its comedic side. As a comedy it works just as well as a hockey film. Seann William Scott makes it nearly impossible not to like the Doug’s dim but sincere self. Scott really shows us restraint in how he plays Doug; it would have been very easy to play him as a buffoon, so there’s some texture there. The only real downside is more script related as Doug seems to waver between not very bright to mentally challenged. The supporting cast is made up of fine actors, all doing well in small quirky roles which really give the film life. Marc-André Grondin in particular is interesting as the wonder kid burnout. Liev Schreiber however is incredibly impressive in a small but pivotal role. Schreiber really give his character an authentic look and feel. As a causal hockey fan, his character just felt real in so many ways. As a whole the film’s sports side feels real, credit for that really goes to the director Michael Dowse. One of my other pet peeves about sports movies is that the sports never feel real; in Goon the majority of the hockey is wonderfully staged and done. A fan of the sport will never be taken out of the experience which is so important in my opinion. Goon is very loosely adapted, (he ended up consulting for the NHL’s Bruins for 8 years after his playing days) from Doug Smith Book Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey Into Minor League Hockey.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ

ON DVD / STREAMING ON NETFLIX

SAVING PRIVATE PEREZ



A Mexican crime lord sets out to locate his missing brother at the behest of their frantic mother, only to realize his mission will be far more difficult than he ever could have suspected in this adventure comedy from director Beto Gómez (El Agujero, El Sueno del Caiman). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Beto Gomez

Cast: Miguel Rodarte, Adal Ramones, Jaime Camil, Jésus Ochoa, Gerardo Taracena

Release Date: Sep 02, 2011

Rated PG-13 for Brief Strong Language and Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 45 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Art House/Foreign

Review:

Saving Private Perez is an interesting mix of Mexican grindhouse with comedy. It’s never overly serious or terribly realistic but it’s does keep a smile on your face throughout. Director Beto Gomez delivers some interesting visuals that provide enough humor to keep the film afloat. He does achieve a few inspired sequences but finds a hard time sustaining the energy through his film. There are noticeable lags through out even though his cast is fully committed. Miguel Rodarte makes for a fine lead and he handles the subtle comedy with a steady hand while bring some heart to his character. Rodarte does benefit from having the most time dedicated, via flashbacks, to fleshing out his character and motivations. The supporting characters are introduced with well rounded back stories but they are mostly ignored after that, a real shame since they could have added a lot to film had they been involved more. Sadly, it feels like the filmmakers had their heart in the right place but the execution was off by a tad.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: SENNA

ON DVD / NETFLIX STREAMING

SENNA



The most exciting driver to ever race Formula One, the handsome, charismatic Ayrton Senna became a Brazilian national hero and an icon to racing fans worldwide. But you don't need to know the first thing about racing to be thrilled and moved by Asif Kapadia's high-octane documentary, composed entirely from archival footage. It's an edge-of your-seat documentary that explores the backroom politics, bitter rivalries and the glamour of a sport that leaves no room for error. At the same time, it's a character study of a near-mythic genius who was a man of uncompromising humanity and grace.

Director: Asif Kapadia

Cast: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Frank Williams

Release Date: Aug 12, 2011

Rated PG-13 for some language

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Documentary

Review:

The best documentaries can take subjects that you are mostly unfamiliar with and still make them thoroughly engaging. Outside of passing mentions in the sports world, I can honestly say I know very little about F1 (Formula 1) racing even less about the actual drivers who compete. Asif Kapadia thoroughly engrossing documentary makes the sports easily accessible and digestible to non fans like me. At its core Senna is story familiar to anyone who follows sports, exemplifying the traits found in a multitude of great champions across the world. We see the endless drive to succeed, the toll losses takes on the individual especially when it’s a result of outside influences and rivalries. Kapadia does an excellent job of showcasing all this via Senna’s life, shown almost entirely through archival footage. Additionally, Kapadia explores his effects on his country and his place as national hero. There’s something inevitable and poignant about the final act. Whether you know how the story ends or not it packs an emotional punch.

A

MOVIE REVIEW: THE CAPTAINS

ON DVD / NETFLIX STREAMING

THE CAPTAINS



The Captains is a feature length documentary film written and directed by William Shatner. The film follows Shatner as he interviews the other actors whom have portrayed Starship captains within the illustrious science-fiction franchise.

Directed by William Shatner.

Starring: William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula, Chris Pine

Runtime: 97 min

Genres: Documentary

The Captains is the kind of documentary that’s required viewing for Trek fans like me. Your enjoyment of it may depend on how much you enjoyed William Shatner. Shatner directs and produces this insightful and occasionally emotional peek at the actors that have occupied the captain’s chair in Star Trek’s various iterations. While the documentary is supposed to be about the actors, Shatner never allows the spotlight to shine to far from him. Shatner as an interviewer is always interesting to see as he can be funny and terribly self aware while being incredibly self-centered. Personally, I found him enjoyable as he listens to various anecdotes from Patrick Stewart, Avery Brook, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula and Chris Pine. Shatner covers a wide range of topics mostly from the actors point of view, so those expecting deep musings into Trek story lines will be disappointed. Those who have interest in what it like as an actor to deal with a franchise will find lots to enjoy. Thing get very personal when the subject of divorce and family comes up, giving the film an unexpected emotional kick. The Captains is a Shatner production through and through, albeit a very personal one, but excellent viewing for any fan who’s interested in the people behind the characters.

B