Reviews

"The Babadook"- This Australian Horror film concerning a single mother and her little boy being terrorized by a sinister presence oozes with atmospheric creepiness but the dramatic content is a bit too familiar and presented in a harrowing/suffocating manner. The narrative is derivative to a fault, filled with tired horror film clichés that desensitize a seasoned viewer in rapid fashion; "afflicted" person pulling their own tooth out for no good reason, every secondary character's flippant dismissal of the central character's plight, a mysterious crack in the wall oozing insects, deeply troubled child, cute but doomed pet, etc.,- it goes on and on and on. The majority of this is decidedly unpleasant (as opposed to entertaining) material. Perhaps my biggest issue with the film is the shrieking, ridiculously over-the-top "performance" of young Noah Wiseman- the child is an insufferable little heathen and does wonders for working against the film. "Troubled" here equates to "extremely annoying to the point of wanting to strangle the little bastard".

There's artistic merit and legitimate atmosphere on display, though to harp on how this film is "smart" or novel in some way is completely ridiculous. Yes, "The Babadook" is far better than most of what's currently being dumped on Horror movie fans, but in a cinematic year that's included such truly awful horror genre films as "Ouija", "Annabelle" and "Deliver Us From Evil", that's not saying much at all. "The Babadook" is a nice try from Writer/Director Jennifer Kent, though I find myself more looking forward to what she's doing next as opposed to fondly reminiscing over what I had just got finished watching. Ultimately I don't care if I see it again, though I can't call it a bad film- the throwback feel (there's very little CGI to speak of) is commendable, Essie Davis (the Mother) is very good and it's filmed exceptionally well.

"The Babadook" is essentially an analogy for mental illness- think a lesser-budgeted, pale imitation of Kubrick's "The Shining" mixed in with shades of "The Machinist" and "Session 9" (all films I believe are vastly superior). One of the more wildly overpraised and overrated films in recent memory, it looks like I'm going to get through 2014 without truly appreciating a single Horror film released during the year... 7.0 out of 10

"Blue Ruin" (2014) - After being notified by authorities that the killer of his parents will soon be released from prison, a tattered vagrant living out of a rusty, bullet-riddled Pontiac Bonneville (hence the title) sets out on a course of revenge that subsequently places his estranged family in peril. Lean yet textured, shot and edited with extreme precision and an uncanny attention to detail, Blue Ruin is a visceral, haunting, slow-burn thriller of the highest order.

Macon Blair's subtle yet layered performance as the film's central protagonist, "Dwight", drives the narrative at every turn, providing a fascinating, intimate portrayal of a man consumed with grief, hatred and obsession. Dwight is a vulnerable everyman, a shell of a human being dwelling on the fringes of society who proves painfully amateurish in his quest for vengeance- it's a refreshing contrast to the towering, muscle-bound sorts (who effortlessly weed through countless bad guys) that usually frequent these types of roles.

Embarking on a path from which there is seemingly no recourse, Dwight's impulsive actions (and mistakes) ignite a vicious cycle of violence that leaves the lingering ramifications of revenge in his wake.

Though uncommonly anchored in realism, the film is also artistically relevant- strangely enough, the experience should please indie/art-house film fans as well as those seeking the base obligations of the Revenge/Thriller genre. Director Jeremy Saulnier, also acting as the film's screenwriter and cinematographer, provides a sure-handed, atmospheric, Hitchcockian experience that is perfectly blended with the tone of the Coen Brothers more serious releases- I found the film most reminiscent of 1984's Crime/Thriller "Blood Simple".

The cinematography here is a stellar highlight, with a wealth of darkly beautiful, lingering shots that will stick with me for quite some time. There are a handful of jarring scenes of bloody violence mixed with just enough humor, albeit of the pitch-black, gallows variety, to provide adequate levity.

The performances from a relatively small supporting cast are pitch-perfect across the board, though most will remember Devin Ratray (Nebraska) as the heavy-set, former high school friend and firearms enthusiast who aides our protagonist on his journey.

Those with attention span issues will more than likely find themselves out of their comfort zone- the film is unmistakably adult in nature, featuring grim, serious-minded material that was sadly unmarketable as a theatrical release given current audience sensibilities. This is a decidedly unpredictable, yet well-crafted character study that is wrought with palpable tension and laced with a sense of impending doom. Potential viewers should expect a lower-budgeted affair with zero big name stars- it's damned near the polar opposite of the mega-budgeted, Superhero/Comic Book, Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy tent-pole releases crowding today's multiplexes.

Highly Recommended, Blue Ruin is a distinctly American gem and one of the very best revenge thrillers ever made. It's my current pick for best film of 2014 and, needless to say, a Midnight Max Essential.

"The keys are in the car...the keys are in the car...the keys are in the car..." Blue Ruin = 9.5 out of 10

At the Theater- "Prometheus"- Outstanding cinematography and razor sharp special effects work is completely undermined by a brain-dead script. Although there are many references and a ton of familiar designs that call to mind the previous films in the "Alien" franchise, I wouldn't call this a direct prequel to the 1979 film- too much doesn't add up. It boasts an impressive cast- though their roles and motives come across as shallow, pale imitations of some of the excellent characters we've come to know (some we've come to love) in "Alien" and "Aliens". It's just not what it should have been and reminded me more of Paul W.S. Anderson's "Event Horizon" in nature.

There are far too many of those massive lapses in logic (coupled with a slew of glaringly obvious continuity errors) that typically plague teen slasher flicks present here- "Wow, lookit that neato snake-lamprey-eel thingy... lemme try to pet it!" or, "WTH, I just saw a tiny worm poke out of my eyeball... no worries, it'll probably just go away." Some of the decision making by "characters who should know better" is grade-Z awful. I'm sitting there thinking to myself- '33 years after Ridley Scott Directed Alien, this is the script that pulled him back to it? You gotta be kidding me...'

Noomi Rapace (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) is solid- though her character isn't really allowed to go into full kick-ass "Ripley" mode here, she does convey frantic desperation quite believably. There is an impromptu abortion scene that will have you squirming something fierce. Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) does his best Peter O'Toole impersonation as the obligatory android (an undercooked mixture of Ian Holm from Alien and Lance Henrikson from Aliens) of this space jaunt- he's merely serviceable. Charlize Theron's corporate shrew walks around rather stiff and mysterious- she's someone you never really care about or completely understand. Idris Elba only has a handful of brief scenes as the ship's Captain (Tom Skerritt in Alien, anyone?)- his "Texas" accent is unnecessary and out of place. Logan Marshall-Green (Devil) is completely forgettable and Guy Pearce's old-man makeup would be the only effects failure, IMO. Patrick Wilson shows up in a quick cameo. A few of the characters/crew milling about in the background could have easily been excised and you wouldn't have noticed.

Although the effects work involving the "creatures" is first rate, the designs are somewhat lackluster and they're only on full display for a few moments- I have a hard time believing that they'll "haunt" anyone in any capacity...

It's implied that we'll be subjected to a sequel to this film, but I'm not really caring where it goes from here. I'm sure that Ridley Scott will have a Director's Cut released at some point in the future, though there's nothing that I can possibly foresee that could be added to fix all the issues I had with the existing film. Needless to say, it's a disappointment.

Prometheus- 6.0 outta 10

Alien- 9.0 Aliens- 10 Alien 3- 5.0 Alien Resurrection- 5.5

We've all seen a film in theaters in which we've come to realize that small snippets of footage from the trailer aren't in the film- imagine how bewildered you'd feel if a LARGE PORTION of the trailer is nowhere to be found in the film you just paid to see in a theater. That's the case here- it involves a game of chicken between The Rock's 1970's era Chevelle and a hit-man's Ferrari 360 (it's not a spoiler if it isn't in the film, guys). Whatever happened to false advertisement?

Furthermore, the director here seems to lack confidence- there's a very early car chase that's poorly choreographed, the visual style and editing is a bit lethargic and what should have been a straightforward tale is convoluted by subplots involving two secondary characters that chew up too much time and bog down the narrative pace. This particular story should have stuck with the hell-bent bad ass on his journey of revenge. Keep it simple, stupid!

As it stands, this is a guilty pleasure at best- there's a couple of cool song selections and The Rock does his best with what he's given to pretty much carry the film. It's much better than the abysmal "Doom," marginally better than the lame "Walking Tall" but nowhere near as good as the kick-ass crazy fun that was "The Rundown." Wait for DVD/BluRay. -- 6.5 outta 10