Attention all cinephiles of the creepy and the grotesque, the controversial and the bizarre, have I found a film for you. I recently stumbled upon the trailer for EXCISION, an official selection of the 2012 Sundance and Fantasia film festivals. Written and directed by Richard Bates, Jr. this movie looks down right out of it’s mind awesome, but it’s not one for the easily squeamish or offended, as this trailer will certainly illustrate. Speaking of which, this trailer is far from being “safe for work” so be advised. Watch and relish in the indie iridescence of in your face gore, sex, and complete teenage craziness…

Synopsis: A disturbed and delusional high school student with aspirations of a career in medicine goes to extremes to earn the approval of her controlling mother.

This review was originally posted when HEADHUNTERS played at the St. Louis International Film Festival last November

In true Norwegian fashion, HEADHUNTERS is a taught thriller that pleases from the first to the last frame. Director Morten Tyldum (FALLEN ANGELS) weaves an intoxicating mystery that begins as a heist film. Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie) is a man of short stature with a large house and a towering beauty of a Swedish trophy wife named Diana (Synnove Macody Lund), as intelligent as she is stunning. What she doesn’t know is that Roger is not everything he appears to be.

Roger spends his days working as a successful corporate recruiter, a fitting cover for a man whose greatest skill is “knowing” people, but he supplements his lavish lifestyle by moonlighting as a thief, specializing in valuable works of art. Everything Roger does is to please Diana, so when the opportunity of a lifetime reveals itself, he sees the job that will end all jobs, but it begins with getting his mark a job.

Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is an ex-military special ops soldier turned CEO of a major GPS nanotechnology developer. Recently having entered early retirement, Roger meets Clas at the opening reception for Diana’s gallery. Upon hearing about a priceless work of art that Clas possesses, Roger immediately begins developing a plan to relieve Clas of the artwork and set himself and Diana up for life, which Roger sees as the only way to truly secure his most prized possession. Unfortunately, despite Roger’s very careful and competent thieving skills and his attention to detail, what lies in store for him is far beyond his expectations and risk assessment.

HEAD HUNTERS is a methodical, calculated thriller that takes great care in setting up the dominoes in just the precise manner, intricately positioned for maximum fallout. Roger leads the audience through his every step, his motives and his methodology, seamlessly allowing the viewer into his life without disturbing the all-important third wall. It’s rare that we get to empathize with a criminal, but Roger’s motives are as honorable as they are selfish.

As is often the case with Norwegian films, especially of this genre, HEADHUNTERS is beautifully shot with a cold, post-modern sensibility. Roger’s house is a rigidly designed array of juxtaposed boxes that compliments the compartmentalized life he leads. Roger is calm, cool and in control while the supporting characters around him appear very much the opposite, from a seemingly desperate Lotte (Julie R. Olgaard) with whom Roger has an affair to the wild and reckless Ove (Eivind Sander), with whom Roger works on his moonlighting venture through a strategic partnership.

What we witness in HEADHUNTERS is the transformation of Roger from a well-disguised man living in fear to a strong and determined man born of the need to fight for survival. We witness Roger transform before our eyes, pushed to the extreme before he realizes what’s truly important and how vain and superficial his life has been prior to meeting Clas Greve.

Clas is a great antagonist, emotionless and precise, like a well-oiled machine with a clear purpose, but able to conceal himself in plain sight. I couldn’t help but notice a resemblance of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to Josh Holloway from TV’s LOST, which I felt oddly added to the appeal of the character. Clearly this was unintentional, but every little bit helps. When it boils down to the essence of what makes HEADHUNTERS tick, it’s a lack of clearly defined good guys and bad guys. The story is ultimately a tale of misguided intentions and confusion in the face of well-laid plans. The tension between Roger and Clas is built upon a principle of two masters of their craft in a race to finish first, but the confusion arises from Roger reacting to misinformation and assuming a false conclusion.

HEADHUNTERS is a lot of fun, with some dark humor and brutal moments, all wrapped up into a true nail-biter. Aksel Hennie is excellent, showing an impressive range as his character is drug through the ringer on so many levels. I imagine HEADHUNTERS will surely be swallowed up by the Hollywood remake machine, if it hasn’t already, but the original is definitely worthy of your time.

HEADHUNTERS opens in St. Louis today at Landmark’s Tivoli Theater

Hasbro may have naming and branding rights to the film, but don’t let the “source material” fool you. BATTLESHIP is an action-packed, fun-filled piece of pure popcorn entertainment that deserves a spot amongst the best of it’s kind. The board game-inspired film is directed by Peter Berg (THE KINGDOM, VERY BAD THINGS) who has given the film it’s greatest strength… a knowledgeable and talented commander at the helm of this summertime blockbuster.

Taylor Kitsch (JOHN CARTER, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) stars as Lt. Alex Hopper, a smart yet unfocused and discipline-challenged Navy officer. Alex has no direction in life and nothing but trouble in his future, so his big brother Commander Stone Hopper, played by Alexander Skarsgard (STRAW DOGS, TRUE BLOOD) recruits Alex by way of an ultimatum in an attempt to help turn his life around. Brooklyn Decker (JUST GO WITH IT) plays Alex’s girlfriend Sam, who also happens to be the daughter of Admiral Shane, played by Liam Neeson (THE GREY, TAKEN).

With the back story planted in the backs of our minds, the core of BATTLESHIP begins as humanity is caught off guard when a message sent into deep space is answered by a visit from an alien race far from being your childhood E.T. It becomes quickly apparent that these invaders are far more advanced in every way than we mere, puny humans, but like so many times before in the motion pictures, we humans strike back and fight to survive, proving we can overcome any obstacle thrown at us, regardless of how overwhelming the opposing force may be.

BATTLESHIP does not set itself up as a film with some stellar, intricately designed plot. It truly does wear it’s heart on its sleeve, stating with bold bravado that it intends to satisfy your primal desire for action, big guns and explosions… lots and lots of explosions. The difference being that BATTLEFIELD does this with such technical confidence combined with a script written specifically to show off how cool the film will look and feel. Despite a cast filled with several stars, the real star of the film is the visceral, bone-rattling experience of the characters they play.

In so many ways a happy melding of INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996) and PEARL HARBOR (2001), Peter Berg’s BATTLEFIELD overcomes my initial skepticism and surpasses my expectations of another Michael Bay style showcase of explosions with weak writing and exaggerated plots. Sure, it may sound like I’m splitting hairs, but Berg manages to bring together the massive special effects, the non-stop action, the patriotism, the kinetic visual style, the somewhat hokey love story, and the thin plot in a way that encourages pleasurable suspension of disbelief.

BATTLESHIP features strangely simple lizard-like humanoid aliens in Halo-esque armor. The only design element of the aliens I found slightly off-putting are the weird quadruple-thumb claw-like hands. These seem a flawed choice for a race of being so technically advanced, more interested in orchestrating a full-scale invasion than with taking an immediately aggressive approach. Initially, this has the human military confused as they struggle to understand and defeat the aliens’ superior weapons and defensive technology. Cut off from the rest of the Naval fleet by a giant force field dome, Alex Hopper and his Destroyer crew must find a way not only to survive, but to save humanity.

The alien ships are vaguely Transformer-like, but its more accurate to think of them along the lines of the classic ’80s cartoon M.A.S.K, whereas the alien ships reconfigure themselves into a sort of “battle mode” when the need arises. The alien arsenal is different enough to satisfy the science-fiction fans without being absurdly over-the-top and unrealistic. On the other hand, the over-sized fireball-fueled circular saws of death that the aliens unleash on Hong Kong were pushing the boundaries of being absurd, but with an audience now well-accustomed to TRANSFORMERS films, I doubt it will be an issue.

Did I mention there are a lot of explosions? Good. The audience is likely to cheer loudest during the all-out battle scenes, as they did when I saw the film and with good reason. BATTLEFIELD draws on that video game culture of craving glorified violence and I couldn’t have been more happy to comply. Overall, the acting was average, but this isn’t the kind of film you see hoping for an Oscar-worthy performance. Liam Neeson is a great actor, but he and Alexander Skarsgard as well have far less screen time than Taylor Kitsch, accompanied by his crew including Petty Officer Raikes, played by hip hop star Rihanna, making her acting debut. Surprisingly, she does all right as the Vasquez-like [ALIENS] woman who controls the “big guns” of Hopper’s Destroyer ship.

BATTLESHIP is more than just a board game turned into a movie, which I’m sure is what most people think it will be. With that said, its still a film that’s all show and little substance in as satisfying a way as that can be. The ultimate question on so many of your minds is most likely “how can they make the Battleship game into a movie?” Here’s my answer to you… they have not turned the board game into a movie, but rather made a cool movie that shares the name of the game. Without giving anything away, there is one scene — a very crucial scene — whereas the board game’s general method of play is cleverly and indirectly referenced. Audiences should be able to pick up on this scene — for those who have played the game — smile at the reference and then continue to enjoy the film unencumbered by any actors yelling the line “You sunk my battleship!”

Overall Ratting: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Movie: From the very first moments of THE GREY, there is a stark realization that the stark bleakness of the film’s setting is directly complimentary to the story being told. The cold, harsh, brutal weather of the northernmost wilderness sets the stage for a tragic journey of survival. Co-written and directed by Joe Carnahan (SMOKIN’ ACES, THE A-TEAM) and written by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers, the film is adapted from Jeffers’ short story entitled “Ghost Walker.”

THE GREY, at it’s most primal, is a story of man versus nature, but more specifically man versus beast, as a handful of oil workers who survive a place crash must battle the bitter cold and a relentless and hungry pack of wolves for survival. Led by Ottway, the group of men must comes to terms with each other and their own demons as they witness their own numbers gradually decline by the fangs of their canine counterparts. On this level, THE GREY is a terrifyingly horrific tale of a scenario far too easy to imagine in real life. On the other hand, THE GREY is a curiously uplifting human saga that carries with it a certain amount of triumph and epiphanal

Liam Neeson (TAKEN, UNKNOWN) plays Ottway, a poacher with a guilty conscience working security for an oil company in the great white north, tasked with keeping the savage wild wolves from making the workers their lunch. Ottway is an intelligent, tough and resourceful man. He is a peaceful man by nature, but not a man you’d want to make angry. Neeson gives Ottway a quiet intensity that defines the role, creating a character that an audience admires and cares about, despite his gruff demeanor. Neeson is an actor that can say as much with his face as he can with words and this role is no exception.

The group of survivors led by Ottway includes Diaz (Frank Grillo), Hendrick (Dallas Roberts), Flannery (Joe Anderson), Burke (Nonso Anozie), Hernandez (Ben Bray), Lewenden (James Badge Dale), and Talget (Dermot Mulroney). This small group of hardened men, some weak and some strong, clash as often as they unite in their combines struggle. Each of them have something to lose, something they long to return to, except for Ottway who seems resigned to imminent death, willing to let that fate overcome him if not for his ingrained sense of duty to ensuring the survival of the other men.

THE GREY is an extremely well written, well directed and well acted film, but a great injustice would be done if I were not to apply due emphasis on the look and sound of this fantastic film. Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi (WARRIOR) captures the Alaskan wild with unflinching realism, setting aside the more serene, peacefully dangerous depiction of films like INTO THE WILD for a barren, unruly landscape brutalized by blistering winds and blinding horizontal snowfall. Much of the most brutal weather depicted in THE GREY was captured on locations without the assistance of fans or special effects, a frightening thought in and of itself. The landscape becomes a character, another antagonist through the lens of a master cinematographer. Composer Marc Steitenfeld, whose work will soon be featured in Ridley Scott’s upcoming PROMETHEUS, indulges the audience with a score so fittingly bleak while also subtly emotional that it’s presence is as equally easy to overlook as it is significant to the film’s success. However, Carnahan understands the appropriate use of this tool when he chose to leave the music out of the mix during what is perhaps the best scene in the entire film.

While there is plenty of wilderness action, suspense and beastly terror, THE GREY shines most vividly in it’s most human moments. One of these moments is during Ottway’s reflection on his relationship with his father and a simple but powerful poem his father wrote for him as a boy. This poem carries a great deal of weight throughout the film. The other is perhaps one of the best, most realistic and thoughtful depictions of death as it occurs I have seen in many years on film. This moment takes place shortly after the plane crash occurs and offers a fascinating insight into Ottway and his perspective on life. Overall, THE GREY is as touching as it is frightening, it is as much a sad film as it is a testament to hope and personal strength. It is a film about the human will.

The Extras: THE GREY blu-ray doesn’t have a ton of special features, but what it does have proves to be worth watching. Hey, it’s better than nothing, which is hos far too many films gets packaged to blu-ray in a rush to capture home viewing sales. Start out your blu-ray experience by watching the film (of course) unless you saw THE GREY in the theater. If so, jump directly to the deleted scenes — six in total — where you’ll get a healthy serving of scenes cut from the finished film. These deleted scenes do not come with an optional commentary, however some of these scenes are actually addressed in the feature-length audio commentary.

The feature-length audio commentary for THE GREY is a good time, recorded with co-writer/director Joe Carnahan and editors Roger Barton and Jason Hellmann. From the very beginning, it’s clear that you’ll have a good time listening to these laid back filmmakers. Joe Carnahan shakes his glass of ice, pointing out that they’re enjoying some Scotch while recording the commentary and what follows is a string of interesting, often humorous, anecdotes and off-the-cuff remarks about the filmmaking process and those involved.

>>>>>>> MINOR SPOILERS BELOW <<<<<<<

One of the most interesting things gleaned from the audio commentary comes from Joe Carnahan, when he explains how after seeing the film, his wife suggests that Ottway (Liam Neeson) is the only survivor of the plane crash and the other survivors are merely facets of his own mind, projections of different aspects of his personality, whereas as not only is Ottway in a struggle against nature — the cold/the wolves — but, that he is also in a struggle with himself. Carnahan goes on to explain how he had never thought of this prior to his wife pointing this out, but that it had a significant affect on how he viewed his own film afterward. I have to agree, as I watched the film again after enjoying the commentary. Viewing the film with this concept in mind changes the experience and gives the film a noticeably different appeal, less focused on the action and suspense and allows the viewer to delve deeper into the philosophical implications of the story.

Finally, THE GREY blu-ray also touts the following “bonus features” as described by Universal:

• UltraViolet
• Digital Copy
• U-Control w/ Picture-in-Picture
• pocket BLU App
• BD-Live

THE GREY 2-Disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo pack hits store shelves on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This review originally ran in November when THE FAIRY played as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival

What if you met a real life fairy? How would you know? What would you do? American audiences had a similar proposition presented through cinema in 1984′s SPLASH, replacing a fairy with a mermaid, with whom Tom Hanks fell deeply in love with. The 2011 French film LA FEE (The Fairy) is also a romantic fantasy, co-written and co-directed by Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy.

THE FAIRY is about a man named Dom, played by Dominique Abel. He works as the front desk clerk in a small hotel. He’s friendly, quiet, and perhaps more than a little naive. In the beginning of the film, Dom is hoping to settle down for the evening with some television and a sandwich. Unfortunately, business chooses otherwise.

After first handling an odd customer and his scurrying bag, Dom meets Fiona, played by Fiona Gordon. Fiona is a spritely woman. This is fitting, as the first words from her mouth include “I am a fairy.” What should one say to such a claim? Dom takes this in stride, as he does with everything in life. Fiona rents a room, and thus begins their adventure.

THE FAIRY is a cute — almost excessively so — little number that’s part romantic comedy, part musical, part slapstick and part Charlie Chaplin. Dom and Fiona are very animated characters in a very animated live-action film. After saving Dom’s life from a near-fatal sandwich, Fiona offers Dom three wishes. He first wishes for a scooter, then follows up with a wish for free gas for life. Fiona gladly complies. For the remainder of the film, we await Dom’s third and final wish.

Dom and Fiona connect quickly. Fiona shows Dom a world he never knew existed, right there in his own community. Her free spirit opens his eyes, but the truth about Fiona is a mystery that remains uncertain throughout THE FAIRY. Is Fiona really a fairy, or simply an unstable citizen? I found myself less and less concerned with this question as I was drawn deeper into the quirky world of these two characters.

THE FAIRY is a lot of fun, but if it doesn’t appeal to you at first, give it time. It took me 15-20 of the film before I finally settled into the experience. I am not typically a fan of musicals, but the charming silliness of THE FAIRY is rather hard to resist. The musical numbers, which are really more dance pieces, as the characters don’t sing, are strange and eccentric, but in their own way alluring.

In keeping with the film’s central characters, THE FAIRY is a richly colorful film that feels like something from another era. I was repeatedly reminded of the 1964 classic THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG. THE FAIRY is clearly a low-budget film, or at least is meant to look that way, perhaps drawing inspiration for its production design from theatrical stage production. From green screen chases to swimming jellyfish made of plastic grocery bags, the whimsically simple design is a major factor in the film’s charm.

Whether you’re a pushover for French film, an admirer of the silent era of slapstick comedy, or just looking for a unique option for a date night movie, THE FAIRY is a romantic option like no other I’ve seen in quite a long time.

THE FAIRY opens in St. Louis today at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Theater

Judd Apatow (BRIDESMAIDS) has become synonymous with successful modern comedy, much like Martin Scorsese is to gangsters and Steven Spielberg is to aliens, or James Cameron and his endless obsession with the Titanic. ANCHORMAN, 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD, STEP BROTHERS… the list goes on with only a very small handful of flops. (i.e. – YEAR ONE, and the less severe failure of FUNNY PEOPLE) As a producer, he has helped redefine funny, but I’m not all that interested in talking about Judd Apatow right now.

No, in all fairness, I give credit to Jason Segel (BAD TEACHER) and director Nicholas Stoller (FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL) this time around. Segel and Stoller co-wrote THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT, their follow-up project to THE MUPPETS, which also had Segel and Stoller in the same acting, writing and directing roles and showed audiences they are a force to reckon with in the coming years of comedy. Jason Segel stars in THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT as Tom Solomon, a talented sous-chef in San Fransisco on track to one day realize his dream of running his own restaurant.

Emily Blunt (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA) co-stars as Tom’s British girlfriend Violet Barnes, to whom he proposes imperfectly amidst awkwardness in the opening moments of the film, setting the tone of the journey that has just begun for these two lovably flawed characters. Violet is pursuing a post-doctorate path in psychology with hopes of landing a tenured career as a collegiate professor, but her dreams are proving elusive… until her luck changes. Unfortunately, this change in Violet and Tom’s lives means entirely different and polar opposite things for the couple deemed “perfect for each other” by family and friends.

THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT is ballsy for a comedy, with it’s 124-minute running time, but the time flies and the film never drags. As I watched, I became quickly become attached, no… emotionally invested in these two wonderfully detailed human beings. Segel and Blunt have a smile-inducing, naturally pleasant chemistry that makes it damn near impossible not to feel all warm and fuzzy inside and it breaks my heart whenever things don’t go as planned. THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT is a humorous, witty alternative to the sappy, fake soap operas that finds truth in it’s self-deprecating realism.

This is a situational comedy at it’s finest. THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT is the feature length yin to television’s MARRIED WITH CHILDREN yang. Where Al and Peggy Bundy make us smile in their shared misery and pessimism with each other, Tom and Violet make us smile with their mutual cuteness and optimism, and those are the stakes. This is a film for the realistic romantic at heart, not the pipe dreamers who naively think everything can be peachy and perfect forever. THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT delivers a slice of real life, enhanced for laughter, but reminds us that while our plans rarely ever go as we’d hoped, even when everything falls apart, there’s always still some glimmer of hope if we really want it bad enough… why?

Because, damn it, for better or worse, life is what we make of it and that’s the journey that Tom and Violet take us on in THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT. Lovers, sweethearts, parents, couples, however you define yourselves, there’s plenty to enjoy and take away from this film. The supporting cast certainly adds to this broad appeal. Chris Pratt (PARKS AND RECREATION) plays Tom’s best friend and fellow sous chef Alex, a somewhat moronic, impulsively immature man. Alison Brie (COMMUNITY) plays Violet’s stuck up, selfish sister with theoretical high standards. These two popular TV stars bring a much appreciated depth of comedic charisma to the film, both of whom are sort of like the worst-case scenario versions of Tom and Violet from a parallel dimension. Curiously enough, these two lost causes ultimately play a crucial role in what will become of Tom and Violet.

As always, the list of appearances in THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT holds true to past Judd Apatow films, including David Paymer and Mimi Kennedy as Tom’s parents, Kevin Hart, Molly Shannon, Brian Posehn, and Rhys Ifans as the head of Violet’s department of psychology. THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT works so well, not just because of the writing and shear comedic talent of the cast, but also because the circumstances are real, even if the situations are often just within the borders of awkwardly absurd. What Jason Segel does so well is he combines his faintly child-like persona with a sort of everyman philosopher of life.

THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT begins in San Fransisco, but spends much of it’s time in a colder, less visually appealing locale, adding to the building tension and looming fear of self-destruction. The creative team of Segel and Stoller capture several contemporary cultural details that add greatly to the relevance of the film’s story, but they do so in such a brilliant tongue-in-cheek manor that produces laughs without losing it’s true-to-life edge. I especially enjoyed the ending of the film, which I can only say instantly led to my conjuring up the newest addition to the reality television game shows… see if you don’t envision the same.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This review originally ran last November when 96 MINUTES played at The St. Louis International Film Festival

Racism is never an easy topic to tackle in any medium, so when you add class warfare and the peer pressure of gang culture to the story, it triples the difficulty of pulling off a believable and sincere film. Against the odds, this is precisely what first time writer and director Aimee Lagos has accomplished with 96 MINUTES. Inspired by true events, 96 MINUTES is a story of four young lives, each of them on separate paths which violently collide.

Brittany Snow (THE VICIOUS KIND) plays Carley, an upper-middle class hard-working white college student studying law. Evan Ross (THE FAMILY TREE) plays Dre, a young black man from a gritty part of town whose determined not to fall into the gangster life, despite retaining his friendship with Kevin, played by Jonathan Michael Trautmann, a 16-year old white kid with a troubled home and dreams of becoming a gangster. Christian Serratos (TWILIGHT SAGA) plays Lena, a young Hispanic woman struggling with her failing romantic relationship.

One of the first things that came to mind while watching this film was Paul Haggis’ 2004 Academy Award-winning film CRASH. There is a parallel between the themes and styles of the two films, but the differences outweigh the similarities. You may want to sit down for what I’m about to tell you…

96 MINUTES exceeds CRASH as both a believable story and a sincere portrayal of the topics of racism, class warfare and gang culture. That’s right. This small indie film from a first time filmmaker is more successful than an Oscar-winning film from a veteran director. I’m not suggesting CRASH is a bad film, merely expressing that I felt more connected with 96 MINUTES, a film that delivers a more authentic and natural scenario, more true-to-life performances, and a far more lasting impression on the viewer.

Lagos approaches the structure of 96 MINUTES much the same, orchestrating a non-linear tale that allows us into each of the four separate lives, while also gradually building tension as she reveals the details of how these four lives violently intersect. The timeline of the film progresses forward and backward simultaneously, giving the narrative a suspenseful, edge of your seat appeal that maintains the viewer’s need for excitement, while still delivering a powerful message about the inequalities still present in our society.

96 MINUTES is presented in a cinema verite, hand held style of cinematography. The film looks good, but its unpolished by design, enhancing the assumption that everything we see on the screen is actually happening. This is an interesting, if not discouraging way of viewing the film, because the truth is the events depicted are actually happening in real life everyday. Once again making a comparison to CRASH, which I felt was overly polished, even bordering on melodramatic at times, a setback entirely absent from Lagos’ take on the subject matter.

One element of 96 MINUTES that I wasn’t expecting to be so engaged with was the score from composer Kurt Farquhar. The music ranges from viscerally tense soundscapes to influences of hip hop. Much like Lagos, the composer has clearly brought his own personal experience into the making of this movie. One other favorite factor from the film is the performance by David Oyelowo (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) who plays Duane, an uncle to another young man from Dre’s neighborhood, but whose involvement in the story is far richer and well-crafted than would be expected from a supporting character. His presence gives the film a richness of emotion in the third act and will be noticed.

96 MINUTES opens Friday, April 27th in St. Louis exclusively at AMC’s Creve Coeur Theater

“You think you know the story…” so true are those words, it makes writing this review a critical hell, a nightmare of favorably frustrating proportions. The reason for this being, THE CABIN IN THE WOODS is one of those films that requires I not slip up and divulge any of it’s many wonderful details that would spoil the geektastically all-encompassing awesomeness of the film. If you are thinking, “Wow, this guy is selling the film rather hard,” you would be partially correct. Partially, because I’m not trying to “sell” the film at all, but on that rare occasion that a film has such a massive impact on my “happy” endorphins on this level, well… I just simply can’t help myself.

The basic story: Five college friends decide to take a break from their studies and spend a weekend in a, yes, you got it… a cabin in the woods. Curt (Chris Hemsworth, THOR) is the jock, but an unconventionally smart one. Jules (Anna Hutchison) is Curt’s “girl next door” girlfriend and her best friend Dana (Kristen Connelly, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) is a book smart, semi-virginal good girl reluctantly along for the ride. Jules surprises Dana by inviting yet another — single — intellectual jock named Holden (Jesse Williams, BROOKLYN’S FINEST) with the hopes the two will hook up during their cabin retreat. Finally, Marty (Fran Kranz, THE VILLAGE) is the wise, but paranoid stoner and fifth-wheel on this wilderness trip. These five young men and women willingly enter into a seemingly harmless cabin in the woods, unsuspecting of the true and necessary horrors that await them… all for 105 perfectly pleasurable minutes of thrills, frights and laughs.

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS comes from the mind(s) of a genius — to some, many — co-written by Joss Whedon (SERENITY) and Drew Goddard (CLOVERFIELD) whom, with this film, also makes his directorial debut. Many fans obviously know of Joss Whedon from popular TV series including Firefly, Dollhouse, and Buffy. Perhaps less known, but equally talented is Drew Goddard, whom also has had his writing hands in the popular TV series cookie jar with Buffy, as well as Angel, Lost, and Alias. Putting these two minds together was shear brilliance, but unfortunately the recent troubles which befell the house of MGM held this film on the shelf, a film completed way back in 2011. With that said, we now get to enjoy not only this film, but THE AVENGERS, also directed by Joss Whedon, both opening this summer. (I may giggle like a school girl now. Don’t judge me.)

What is the secret of THE CABIN IN THE WOODS? You know I can’t tell you that, or else… I’d have to kill you. Seriously. If I told you that, someone would surely kill me as well. What I can tell you is that all the beautifully cheeky, sarcastic humor Joss Whedon is so well known for is alive and well. Whedon and Goddard mostly give Fran Kranz free reign over comic relief, serving up a hilariously witty performance as Marty, stoned nearly the entire film, constantly the ignored voice of reason. Marty is sort of a combination of SCREAM’s Randy, but with the personality of Alan Tudyk. I love Alan Tudyk, but that’s irrelevant.

The film opens with anything but the most logical, predictable scene for a horror film set in a cabin… in the woods. We meet two middle-aged men — Sitterson and Hadley — dressed in white, short-sleeve dress shirts and pocket protectors. No, these aren’t an updated, live-action, nerdy version of The Muppets’ Statler and Waldorf… actually, in a way I guess they could be. Sitterson (Richard Jenkins, THE VISITOR) and Hadley (Bradley Whitford, BOTTLE SHOCK) run a mysterious laboratory in a large, sterile facility staffed with equally laboratory-esque types. The opening scene, a quirky quick-witted exchange between Sitterson and Hadley, could quite possibly be one of the funniest moments in the film, setting the tone and calibrating the audience laugh-o-meter for heavy usage.

Following this scientifically silly exchange, we’re introduced to our five college friends and the journey begins. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (from all the laughter) and then — in due time — you’ll shriek at the craziness of the building carnage that Whedon and Goddard conjure up as they slowly unveil the truth of THE CABIN IN THE WOODS. Now, while I cannot divulge any specific details, I can say with relative safety that the general gist of the “big” secret will become apparent somewhere around the halfway point, or at the very least, you should begin the suspect. However, as they say… “the devil’s in the details.” In other words, PAY ATTENTION! I believe it’s literally impossible for anyone to fall asleep during this film, unless shot with a tranquilizer, but watch closely to catch all the finer, even subtle little Easter eggs planted within the film, including film homages, insider gags, familiar knock-off characters, and even, perhaps… maybe… a secret cameo, or two? Hmm… I’m not saying anymore.

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS is smart, witty, fast-paced, comedic, horrific fun… the most refreshing, perfectly executed horror movie experience I’ve seen since James Gunn’s SLITHER (2006). The special effects are splendidly rendered, CGI done well — sparingly (well, till the end when the proverbial sh*t hits the fan) but effective — and monster fans may or may not be in for one helluva treat as well. There’s action, there’s romance (loosley defined) and tragedy, there’s conservatively utilized bloody and gory violence, suspense, of course there’s mystery, and even a touch of science-fiction mixed with a dash of folklore. (Oh, no. I’ve said too much. I’ve said enough. — Michael Stipe)

My Promise: Go, run to see CABIN IN THE WOODS! You will not see another horror film this good all year, well… not until sometime (maybe) in October, but that’s not confirmed yet. If you don’t enjoy this film, you’re demented.

Overall: 5 out of 5 sacrificial lambs

Once more, an incredible film emerges from an once unlikely corner of the world, to many a place virtually unknown to Americans. This time, its Indonesia and the film is THE RAID: REDEMPTION. Do you think you know action? No, not Schwarzenegger and Stallone, but true badass, butt-kicking, jaw-dropping action that sticks to your ribs like so many seen brutally busted? If so, then this is one film you had better not miss… or else!

THE RAID: REDEMPTION — from here out referred to simply as THE RAID — is written and directed by Gareth Evans. You may be wondering why or how a film from Indonesia is made by a guy who certainly doesn’t sound Indonesian, but really… who cares?!?! [From what I gather, Evans is Welsh-born and a cinephile uniquely obsessed with Eastern culture. I'm down with that.] Evans clearly has a firm grasp on the culture, the setting and the hardships of the Indonesian people. The film takes place in a crumbling, urban setting, primarily a towering housing complex/fortress controlled by the local drug and crime boss who rules with a heavy hand, blatantly providing safe haven for all the worst type of subhuman beings — for a price — mocking the authorities who fear to enter his domain, as many have tried and failed.

Reluctant but loyal to his duty and eager to do his part in ending the reign of criminal terror, this is where our hero Rama (Iko Uwais) enters the story. Rama is a young, but lethal soldier for justice, a husband and soon-to-be father with a glimmer of giving his unborn child a better future twinkling in his eye. This will ultimately be what drives Rama through the pain as he takes on the highrise from hell. What Evans does that I appreciate is to introduce our hero in a way we’re not normally accustomed to seeing, a montage cutting between shots of Rama training in solitude and shots of Rama praying in solitude as well. He’s a complete man, father and husband, at peace and clear-headed… making him dangerously focused and powerful.

THE RAID spends a little time up front introducing the characters on both sides, a little time setting up the premise for what is about to take place on screen, then quickly throws the audience right into the police raid which rapidly unravels into chaos and bloodshed, a vertical monsoon of bullets followed by a barrage of unbelievable feet and fists that will have you on the edge of your seat. The fight choreography in THE RAID is superb, and without the (apparent) use of wires, this is a feature film showcasing a whole new cast of awe-inspiring martial artists. At first, hot lead is everywhere, followed by cold steel and hardened fists when the bullets run out. This is when the fun really begins and the pain takes hold.

The story, while simple and direct, has a team of SWAT-like police infiltrating the corrupted high rise with the implied intent of ridding it of the criminal cockroaches plaguing their city. What eventually reveals itself is a twist at the end, one I will not divulge, but will elude to it being a fairly formulaic but effective plot tool which takes a backseat to the great portion and focus of the film, which is the magnificent fight choreography, conceived by Yayan Ruhian (remember this name) and Iko Uwais himself. Truly amazing stuff on display here guys, and gals. THE RAID features more moments of phantom pain amidst the audience than I can recall in so many years. I found myself on multiple occasions reacting with an “Oooh, ow!” or flinching or briefly turning away, then morbidly looking back for more. Busted heads, broken backs, faces, ribs, necks, limbs… it’s all demolished on both sides of this epic conflict with fantastic, painful realism. I do love Jackie Chan, but these guys make his real-life stunts and fight choreography look tame in comparison.

Remember that guy whose name I said to remember? In addition to co-choreographing THE RAID, Yayan Ruhian also plays Mad Dog, the crime boss’ enforcer, opposite his right hand man, who has a secret of his own to be discovered when you see this film. Mad Dog is the little psycho killer who could, and seemingly NEVER FREAKING DIES! This short, long-haired little mutt’s bite is way, way way worse than his relatively quiet bark. It’s rare that I find myself actually rooting in a way for the bad guy, but Mad Dog in a monster in a small package. He does more damage to this crew of tactical enforcers of good than Godzilla has down to Tokyo. Pain is his middle name and he prefers fists and feet to guns, as he explains before utterly annihilating Rama’s #2 guy Jaka (Joe Taslim), but not without a lengthy and spectacular fight to the death.

THE RAID only has one, relatively minor flaw, hence receiving 4.5 rather than 5 stars. The film is light on depth of plot and back-story, but not so much that it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the film. Hey, sometimes you just want to be entertained by extraordinary, excessive violence, right? Otherwise, why would mixed martial arts be so popular? Speaking of which, imagine the best MMA fighters being thrown together into a massive multi-level royal rumble a la Donkey Kong and you still wouldn’t have the level of awesomeness available to you in THE RAID: REDEMPTION. ‘Nuff said!

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

THE RAID: REDEMPTION opens today, April 13th, in Saint Louis at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre.

BLUE LIKE JAZZ is based on the New York Times best-selling book of the same title by Donald Miller, and an official selection in the SXSW (South By Southwest) Film Festival. This alone may be enough for some to count this film as an unwavering success, but despite the film’s valiant efforts, it is not without it’s flaws. That being said, the film is also far from being a waste of the viewer’s time… in fact, I encourage seeing this film for what it is, flaws and all, because it’s the kind of movie we rarely see in theaters, and one that is rarely as accomplished as this one has turned out within it’s distinct genre of storytelling.

Directed by Steve Taylor, BLUE LIKE JAZZ is a story of faith and how it collides with one’s struggle to find his place in the world. Marshall Allman plays Donald Miller, the central character and author of the book from which  the film is based. Donald is a young Texan man, a Southern Baptist with divorced parents, son to an uber-conservative Jesus-freak mother (Jenny Littleton) and a liberal intellectual atheist father (Eric Lange) whom he refers to as “The Hobo.” Life is peachy and grand for Donald, as he goes about his quaint little life as assistant to the youth pastor of his church… until he discovers a life-altering secret about his mother and the servant of God with whom he served. At this moment, Donald’s continuing collegiate course changes drastically, choosing to attend Reed College in the Pacific Northwest instead of Trinity Baptist in Texas.

This is the setup, having successfully framed Donald as the proverbial square, a holy-roller without a clue, but a nice guy who gets dumped on by those he loved. BLUE LIKE JAZZ presents itself in an oddly, often forced quirkiness, but given the nature of the film and the tone of the film, this forced quirkiness actually lends a certain pleasant peculiarity to the film’s charm, which permeates even the lower moments. From day one, arriving at Reed College, Donald is clearly a fish out of water, but this is carried over from his time in Texas, where Donald was already something of a fish out of water without truly realizing it. We’re introduced early on, perhaps subconsciously, to this idea of Donald being different from the average folk, falling somewhere between the two extremes. This may be slightly cliche’ in it’s execution, but once more… it works here.

Donald meets and befriends two fellow students at Reed College that ultimately hold extremely influential roles in his personal epiphany. Kenny (Jason Marsden) — aka, The Pope — is a wild card, a free spirit and a sort of rebellious anti-religious version of Donald, while Penny (Claire Holt) is a straight-laced, well-mannered do-gooder with whom Donald develops an infatuation with despite the unknown similarity they share. Donald struggles to reconcile between his being drawn into the life of parties and pranks that Kenny leads and the more righteous, conscience-driven life led by Penny. Somewhere in the middle is the relatively insignificant but welcome friendship Donald makes with a lesbian student named Lauryn (Tania Raymonde).

BLUE LIKE JAZZ plays out much like ANIMAL HOUSE (1978) meets ACCEPTED (2006) as a college film with lots of partying and craziness but with substance and a message, even if the message is heavy-handed. BLUE LIKE JAZZ definitely wears it’s heart on it’s sleeve, making no effort to hide it’s agenda as a film focused on making a statement. BLUE LIKE JAZZ stands up and proudly says “I’m a Christian and that’s alright, because we’re not all crazy extremists and I have a sense of humor about my life.”

Regardless of where you stand on the scale of religion, BLUE LIKE JAZZ is a film that can be appreciated for it’s willingness to expose itself and have fun with a topic otherwise taken far too seriously by far too many people. BLUE LIKE JAZZ is funny, light-hearted and quirky… until the final act, specifically the long, drawn-out ending scene when Donald has his ultimate epiphany. This scene removes itself from the lighter touch of the rest of the film, sinking into the preachy depths from which it had successfully avoided up to this point. My advice, enjoy the film up to this point, then bite your tongue during the end, followed by an intriguing and intelligent debate with a number of various outlooks on the film with others as you leave the theater.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

BLUE LIKE JAZZ opens today, April 13th in St. Louis at Wehrenberg Theatres.

More information about BLUE LIKE JAZZ can be found at bluelikejazzthemovie.com

FAMILIAR is an independent short film from a team of Canadian filmmakers — including producer Zach Green and director Richard Powell — with a uniquely dark and intriguing central character. Watch this clip from the film and see why critics are enthusiastic about what this team of filmmakers are bringing to the table. FAMILIAR can be seen in it’s entirety at the following upcoming film festivals…

Chicago FearFest, April 13-14, 2012

Texas Frightmare Weekend, May 4-6, 2012

Dark Bridges Film Festival, May 3-6, 2012

Update: FAMILIAR has now also been accepted into the 2012 Fantaspoa Film Festival.

*** Fair warning, this review may contain some very, very MINOR spoilers. ***

It’s a rare thing that a sequel surpasses it’s predecessor, and in the case of WRATH OF THE TITANS, the theory wavers slightly. CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010) was a remake of the 1981 Ray Harryhausen classic that had action and lots of CGI special effects but did little to honor the original, nor did it compare to the thrill and excitement the 1981 original still offers fans. With this sequel, loosely based on the the 1981 screenplay written by Beverley Cross, who also wrote the 1981 original CLASH OF THE TITANS, the film ponies up a more fluid story with better special effects, but the pacing differs greatly from the 2010 CLASH OF THE TITANS.

WRATH OF THE TITANS takes place a decade after Perseus (Sam Worthington) defeated the Kraken. Having turned down his god-father Zeus’ offer to rule by his side from Olympus, the demi-god [half human/half god] Perseus now attempts to live a normal, human life with his son in a small village. Perseus devotes his life to his son now, but when Zeus returns asking for Perseus to fight once more to save the world, Perseus sticks to his guns and stays with his son… at first. Perseus doesn’t realize the severity of his father’s need for his help.

Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods, Hades (Ralph Fiennes) has something up his cloak and is secretly plotting to dethrone Zeus (Liam Neeson) and free their father Kronos from the prison within which Zeus and Hades once confined him. The key to this story is that the gods are growing weaker as humanity no longer prays to them, which means the safeguards they have placed in the world to protect humanity weaken along with their power, threatening to unleash the Titans on the world. This is bad news, but it takes nearly losing his father to bring Perseus around once more and step into his big boy shoes to save the day for all mankind.

WRATH OF THE TITANS is directed by Jonathan Liebesman, who’s last outing was in last years BATTLE LOS ANGELES, a film I would describe as great looking but story lacking. While the story itself was a plus in WRATH OF THE TITANS — and it did look great, with cinematography from Ben Davis — I do see some pacing similarities between the two films. Both have some extremely intense action sequences that are well constructed, but the time spent between these high-octane moments tends to falter a bit, losing some of the momentum, requiring a fresh buildup to the next round of excitement, acting as a slow, unnecessary buffer.

Sam Worthington has hair this time around, which I consider a good thing. His quasi-miliatry buzz cut from CLASH OF THE TITANS always bothered me, as if he just came off the set of AVATAR to shoot CLASH. Leading man aside, the cast was one of the high points in this sequel. Neeson and Fiennes aside, both of whom were naturally enjoyable, Danny Huston returns for a short time as Poseidon and Edgar Ramirez plays Ares, the god of war. Queen Andromeda features a new face, played this time around by Rosamund Pike, replacing Alexa Davalos.

However, the real acting treat in WRATH OF THE TITANS comes from Bill Nighy, who plays the “fallen one” Hephaestus and whom serves a vital role in the quest of Perseus. Nighy, a veteran actor not unaccustomed to fantasy and genre films, is usually a fan favorite, from his roles in SHAUN OF THE DEAD to the UNDERWORLD franchise. Covered in long, gray hair and a ratty beard, it’s difficult at first to recognize the actor, especially when he attempts to disguise his voice, but the tell-tale vocal trademarks and mannerisms do still shine through, resulting in a pleasant “hey, I know him” epiphany. Nighy delivers a fun time in the middle of a movie that mostly takes itself very seriously.

As I mentioned, the special effects are better in WRATH OF THE TITANS than in the CLASH remake. From the monstrous double-bodied soldiers called the Makhai, wielding a relentless onslaught of death and destruction onto the human army, to the fire-breathing bat-dog things and the Chimera, a small band of giant Cyclops, the creature design and effects are the true stars of the film. In this way, WRATH feels like a Harryhausen film, but not it’s equal. Kronos, in particular — albeit lumbering and slow — is quite the eyeful of coolness and scary to boot when you consider what he is and what it would be like in real life. The one creature design I was disappointed in was during the labyrinth segment — a very well designed segment, I might add — when Perseus confronts the minotaur, which I felt lacked greatly, resembling little more than THE GOONIES’ Sloth with horns stuck to his head.

Overall, WRATH OF THE TITANS is a solid film, a true summer blockbuster that will draw crowds and makes lots of money. WRATH is slightly more accomplished than the CLASH remake, enough so to be noticeable and enjoyable. Perhaps it was just me, but beware the down time between the action sequences. These would be good times to sip freely from your caffeine tank, nestled closely in your cup holder. Finally, I suppose I’ll mention the ever present 3D, which is a far cry better than the virtually non-existent 3D of CLASH OF THE TITANS, rendered pointlessly in post-production. The 3D is there in WRATH, visible and effective, if you’re into the blatantly self-conscious, somewhat gimmicky style of 3D in film. My recommendation — as usual — go old school and see the film in 2D.

Overall Rating: 3 0ut of 5 stars

Evan Kelly’s debut as a feature filmmaker is THE CORRIDOR, an independent film that crosses genres and tells a fascinating story of five friends reunited in an isolated cabin in the woods. THE CORRIDOR made it’s North American premiere during the 2011 Fantastic Fest, which is when I first discovered and thoroughly enjoyed the film. THE CORRIDOR opens theatrically on March 30th, 2012. I have had the privilege to speak with Evan Kelly about the film and his experience as a filmmaker. Continue reading below to find out what he had to say…

Travis Keune: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me, Evan. I had the privilege of seeing THE CORRIDOR as part of the Fantastic Fest 2011 lineup. Congratulations on a great film! I remember the film was very well received by the crowd. Do you feel this is a film best appreciated by genre fans, or is it something anyone can take something away from?

Evan Kelly: Travis, thanks for your interest, and I am glad that you were able to catch it at Fantastic Fest 2011. Participating in that festival was a highlight and an honor for us. Their festival audience is as knowledgeable, interested, and excited as you could hope to have. We do think that it is a film that can grab and serve both a pure genre audience as well as a much larger circle. I couldn’t even count myself as a hardcore genre fan. My own viewing history has too many holes.

My entry point to the film was the relationship between the friends — which read as familiar and true on the page — and in many ways this is a character drama with a lot of borrowed elements (thriller, scifi, horror) that all grow out of the characters and the situation. Our writer, Josh, and one of our producers, Mike Masters, are the true genre fans… so they were able to keep us all honest in making sure that the genre elements were front and center when they needed to be.

TK: THE CORRIDOR is your first feature film, written by Josh McDonald, his second feature screenplay. What can you tell us about the experience of making your first film, and how did you and Josh come to work on this project together?

EK: The project started as a personal passion project of Josh’s. With the exception of some of the gristle-ly elements of the plot, there are a lot of Josh’s own experiences in the fabric of the story. He connected with Mike Masters over their shared love of horror, and they started the collaboration.

I have worked with Mike, and with our other producer, Craig Cameron, for a long time in the commercial side of our local film industry. I think they brought me on because of, and not in spite of, my outsider’s approach to the material. They were hopeful that with interests that weren’t exclusively focused on the genre beats, that we might be able to make something that is both true to the traditions of genre cinema, but might also stand out or stand apart.

EK (continued): As for a first film experience, it was humbling. In spite of attempting to prepare in every possible way — you still end up getting blindsided by a few surprises. One unexpected way was just the emotional toll of budget filmmaking of this sort. We all aspire to perfection and want the film to just come into existence as “great.” But time and resources will always re-shape your aspirations into realities. Nothing really prepares you for having to repeatedly reach “good enough” and then have to move onward. If you don’t move on, you will burn through your resources with only a sliver of a great film to show for it. You have to make all of the film — and then apply yourself in every day that follows to move it from “good enough” back in the direction of “great.”

TK: For me, THE CORRIDOR is a wonderful combination of psychological horror and philosophical science-fiction. What do you hope the audience takes away from the film, more than anything else?

EK: We were really hoping to strike a balance between making something that people can just viscerally enjoy, while also trying to make some of the ideas resonate. There are ambiguities and openings within the story designed to let people add their own interpretations and imaginings. So if we hoped for anything, it was that people would be engaged enough to invest that part of their psyche that would help them complete the picture. There will always be parts of the audience that prefer to passively receive every piece of information. We aspire to intrigue and encourage those who want to engage a little bit, and to get them to wrestle with some of their own competing conclusions.

TK: Having seen the film, I can only imagine what all films and beyond may have influenced THE CORRIDOR. Please shed some light on the inspirations and influences that helped you shape your own vision for this film.

EK: There are many influences to THE CORRIDOR both for me, and for Josh as he wrote it. We are always reluctant to mention them — as though by identifying these cinematic high-points we are offering a comparison where we will fall short. So without presuming that we should be in the same conversation, there are some obvious ones, like THE EVIL DEAD for originating the Cabin in the Woods concept, and THE THING for some of that paranoiac implosion of male aggression and suspicion. And Josh would also cite the little more obscure LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH as an earlier example of the ‘is it/or isn’t it’ treatment of mental illness.

EK (continued): Then there is a whole other category of conversation films that are (in whole or in part) about groups of friends talking, fracturing, and mending themselves. DINER, THE BIG CHILL, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, and ALL THE REAL GIRLS, are all examples of stories that — perhaps strangely to the outside observers of this film — were part of our discussions.

TK: I felt the cast for THE CORRIDOR was incredibly spot on, naturally capturing that uneasy sense of friendship despite a horrible tragedy having torn them apart in the past. Did any of the primary cast know each other personally prior to working together on the film?

EK: There were a couple of personal connections ahead of making the film. I know that Matthew Amyotte (Bobcat) and Glen Matthews (Jim) knew each other socially. And there had been a couple of other small connections, as well. Their success is probably most attributable to three things. Firstly, we were able to spend 3 or 4 days in rehearsal in advance of shooting. These rehearsals were mostly a discussion about the story, the characters, the dynamic and the history, but they put us all in the same head space. Secondly, we shot in a pretty isolated environment — and the guys weren’t able to escape from each other in the few off-hours, so it was an immersive experience that probably accelerated their sense of familiarity. But finally, it was just their desire to commit to the experience. This was — for all of us — most of the cast included, our first opportunity on this scale, and no-one took the opportunity lightly.

TK: I was especially impressed with your choice in handling the mysterious phenomena in which the title of the film refers, utilizing the best attributes of computer generated effects without becoming a distraction from the story. How did you go about conceiving these effects to fit your vision while staying within budget?

EK: The credit for the effects goes to our VFX supervisor, Jacob Owens. The story, certainly for the most part, called for an understated presence for the Corridor. So we were trying to work with a light touch — and to create elements in-camera where we could. As things unravel, the Corridor evolves and becomes increasingly complex, both in the story and in the execution of the effects. Although there are some mysteries in the film, we really think that all the clues about what the Corridor is — and how it acts — are in the film. Knowing what it does, and why, became a pretty clear signpost to how it should appear. After that — it was just a question of us doing our best to realize it.

TK: It appears the entire film was shot on location, in and around a wilderness cabin, in the winter surrounded by snow. In terms of making a movie, would you recommend this experience to other filmmakers versus shooting on sets and faking the weather?

EK: As a Canadian, I have always been surprised that there aren’t more films shot in winter setting. That snow-bound element was always part of the script, for its sense of isolation, remove, and barrenness. The covered landscape is so distinct and evocative. But having gone through it, I now know why there is a proportional absence of films with this setting. It is really damn hard. You would think we would know better. Even a couple of weeks before shooting we were talking about ways that we would “re-set” a field of snow for subsequent takes. Well, once you step on freshly fallen snow, it is done. You can’t rake it like sand, or fluff it up like a pile of leaves. So it really comes down to having a plan and knowing it well, and getting a lot of your coverage in a single take. Of course, at our budget and schedule, a single take is sometimes a necessary discipline.

EK (continued): But the short answer would be that I am not rushing back to the opportunity to shoot a film featuring winter exteriors. No matter how great it looks.

TK: For better or worse, what is the single most valuable lesson you’ve learned from your experience making THE CORRIDOR and how will it carry into your future films?

EK: There really was no bad lesson. There were a long series of things that are the product of experience. These would range from ways I would prepare differently to a clearer knowledge of the limits and the opportunities available.

(For example, we chose to shoot at a 2.40:1 aspect ratio to take advantage of the wide outdoor vistas and to be able to contain the actions of the 5 man ensemble in several of our frames. That was an opportunity. However, carrying that into the interior makes for tricky shooting when you need to do single character coverage. One of the characters “signs” as he speaks — and a wide frame like that can’t often hold his head and his hands in a single shot, without starting to encroach on the other characters. Not a big deal, but it was something I wouldn’t have known had I not experienced it).

The most positive lesson that I learned was the value of the team we assembled. I have heard countless stories about productions — large and small — where the drama behind the camera exceeded the drama in front of it. Our team of Mike Master, Craig Cameron (producers), Josh MacDonald (writer), and all of our key collaborators were a set of level-headed respectful people. Making a film is challenging enough. Who would want to do it with people you can’t communicate with and respect?

TK: With the theatrical release on THE CORRIDOR set for March 30th, what are your plans from here? Do you have anything specific in mind for your next project?

EK: This has been a really independent effort. We shot the film in the winter of 2010, and it is barely over two years since we wrapped our shoot. Almost every day since then, a portion of time has been spent in completing it, presenting it, or trying to get it out to a wider audience. So we are all really excited that it is reaching this final stage where our responsibilities have kind of exhausted themselves.

That said, along with the regular work that I do to keep life afloat (directing and producing commercial projects), I haven’t adequately prepared to step right into a next project.

I am looking and open for anything.

TK: If you were given your choice of any one project to undertake, whereas money and time are of no concern, what kind of film could we expect to see from you?

EK: That is a tough question to answer.

In spite of not having been an immediate or natural fit with this film at the outset, I think that there would be some consistency with aspects of THE CORRIDOR. I imagine it would be character-based and have a strong thematic spine.

I am not sure — but who knows — if it would have the physical horror elements that this film carries. I do love the allegorical value of genre films. The story can be enjoyed on its surface, or in relation to its genre tradition, or (when things are working right) for any sub-textual cultural content. There is plenty of subtext that we offer up in THE CORRIDOR, for the taking or to be left aside, depending on the appetite of the viewer.

If I had the luxury of choice, I have a real interest in the possibility of the ‘lo-fi sci-fi’ approach. PRIMER, MOON, ANOTHER EARTH and more are all great character-focused tales that take advantage of compelling narrative genre hooks.

No matter what — the only thing I intend to show is improvement.

“Like” THE CORRIDOR on Facebook. View the trailer for THE CORRIDOR below.

Not since David Lynch’s THE STRAIGHT STORY have I enjoyed a film about the charm of an elderly man’s unwavering determination and loyalty. THE DROUGHT, written and directed by Kevin Slack, is a 12-minute short film starring Edmund Lyndeck as Jonas, a senior resident of Brooklyn who struggles with his efforts to sell umbrellas from a small street cart during a summer drought. During his down time, Jonas recollects his life through visions of his late wife Janet (Kathleen Hope Reilly) as a young woman, the only thing that makes him smile during these dry, hot days of summer.

THE DROUGHT is an extremely romantic film, not in the contemporary sense, but in the nostalgic heart-warming sense. Jonas is a good guy, sad and lonely, but he’s pure and true. Lyndeck gives a quaint performance of a likeable old man, stubborn in his ways. Other than the memory of his wife, only one other thing in this world puts a smile on Jonas’ face… umbrellas, especially his first, which holds a special place in his heart and on his wall.

Cinematographer John Paul Clark works closely with director Kevin Slack to create an absolutely beautiful film, shot with a warmth that conveys the dry, summer heat, but still feel comfortable and inviting. The rest of the world around Jonas is happy and enjoying the weather, but Jonas dreams of the rain’s return… and therefor, the return of demand for his umbrellas. Rob Gokee supplies the original music for the film, adding to the overall romanticism of the story.

THE DROUGHT has two primary characters. The first is obviously Jonas, while the second is Marco (Ivan Goris), a supporting character and fellow street vendor. Marco and Jonas are friends despite being each others indirect competition. Marco makes efforts to help out the struggling Jonas, but he remains committed to his umbrella passion, despite his unspoken uncertainty. This friendship adds a level of generational perception, an element of the changing times to compliment the metaphorical use of the seemingly unchanging weather.

As is usually the case with short films, THE DROUGHT won’t be found in any theaters, except maybe for the occasional film festival. With that said, short films are often well worth the time it takes to seek them out and deserve more attention than they receive. Kevin Slack’s THE DROUGHT is gorgeous. It tells a simple but smart and pleasing story without being condescending or too cute.

With that said, I am privileged to say you can watch the film below:

The Drought – short film from Kevin Slack on Vimeo.

The Drought trailer from Kevin Slack on Vimeo.

Review originally published on September 27th, 2011 as part of our Fantastic Fest coverage.

My favorite science-fiction stories are often the subtle ones, films and literature that delve deeper into the philosophical of the genre pool, more than simply wading in the shallow end with fantastic technology and the sensationalism of aliens. THE CORRIDOR, written by Josh MacDonald and directed by Evan Kelly, does this well, while also mingling nicely with the psychological thriller genre.

THE CORRIDOR begins with a jolt to the viewer’s attention, firing a bullet of essential back story at point blank range, leaving a residue of smoldering mystery to ignite the slowly burning story that follows. Stephen Chambers stars as Tyler, returning from a stint of recovery after having a breakdown triggered by his mother’s death. In a show of support and to celebrate Tyler’s return, his four best friends decide to reunite with him for a weekend at his mother’s small house out in the Canadian wilderness.

David Fleming plays Chris, Tyler’s closest friend and probably the most level-headed of the five. James Gilbert plays Everett, the wilder of the friends and a musician with a borderline drinking problem. Matthew Amyotte plays “Bobcat,” the big, burly ex-football star turned family man. Finally, Glen Matthews plays Jim, or “Huggs” as he’s called by the rest of the crew, the smart and somewhat nerdy friend. Together, they’re an unlikely group of characters with a natural chemistry.

In the beginning, the friendly get together seems harmless enough, despite an underlying thread of mutual reluctance and trepidation amongst the friends. It’s difficult for them to feel at ease around Tyler, and the opening scene of THE CORRIDOR offers a more than reasonable explanation for this uneasiness. Over the course of their time together, Tyler’s four friends become more relaxed, but after Tyler takes a late night walk on his own into the woods, he begins to fear the worst about his condition.

Tyler’s mother Pauline (Mary-Colin Chisholm) has a very small role on screen, but the character has a much more significant role in the story as her and her son Tyler share a unique connection, but may not be what it appears on the surface. THE CORRIDOR refers to something Tyler’s discovers on his solitary walk into the woods, leading him to gather his friends to witness for themselves, but Tyler’s actions will ultimately lead to events that change their lives forever.

THE CORRIDOR showcases a cast of relative unknowns, young talent that collectively delivers a high caliber performance. This plays directly into the success of the director’s vision, as this is a dialogue driven story with strong, well developed characters. The viewer is given ample time to empathize with each of the characters and their motives, but the pacing of the film is also crucial, maintaining a comfortably controlled release of clues enhanced with properly placed brow-raising twists.

As THE CORRIDOR rises to a boiling point it morphs gently into a horror story wrapped around a science-fiction puzzle. What exactly is the Corridor? What does it mean? Where does it lead? These are the questions the filmmaker sews within our minds and leaves to germinate and take root. Evan Kelly tells a strong, engaging story that raises curious ideas, but he stands back and allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions about the Corridor.

Evan Kelly makes some bold but effective choices in his use of CGI. The special effects are minimal and simple, but not cheesy or distracting. THE CORRIDOR is a precise description of the anomaly presented in the film, while maintaining an nearly indescribable nature. The makeup effects are brutal and graphic, but do not exceed necessity. THE CORRIDOR seamlessly blends human drama with science fiction, psychological and visceral horror, and even a touch of metaphysical philosophy for one of the more mesmerizing but accessibly cerebral films I’ve seen in years. Enter THE CORRIDOR with your thinking cap on, but there’s no need to turn it up to eleven on the dial.

THE CORRIDOR opens theatrically in the United States and Canada on March 30th, 2012.

“Like” THE CORRIDOR on Facebook, or check out TheCorridorMovie.com for more information.

LAMBENT FUSE is an independent drama made entirely in Minnesota by college students, pre-professionals and new professionals in the filmmaking field. An ambitious project that strives to shed a more realistic light on issues of mental illness, LAMBENT FUSE has a lot going on within it’s 99-minute running time. While I applaud and encourage such ambitious undertakings, the rule of thumb known as “less is more” is often a philosophy one does well to heed, which applies to filmmaking as easily as anything else. However, that should never keep a storyteller from offering the viewer a challenge.

The film revolves primarily around two characters, Freddie (Rhett Romsaas) and Allison (Heidi Fellner), a couple near their two-year anniversary. LAMBENT FUSE follows a similar structure as more recent films including CRASH (2004) that feature multiple plots that converge across an indirect narrative structure. While this gives the film more to play with, and therefor more for the audience to keep up with, the overall outcome can be equated to five lanes of rush hour traffic trying to squeeze onto a three-lane expressway. Once again, this is not meant as a deterrent, but let’s be fair and call it what it is.

LAMBENT FUSE begins with two rather bumbling, inexperienced small-time crooks going from one convenience store to the next, sticking them up for their cash. This pair of supporting characters struck me as slightly too comical to fit into the rest of the story, and when it’s all said and done, serve little significance to the overall message and plot. This does, however, help introduce the audience to Lt. Phillip Richter (Matthew Feeney) who serves a crucial role in Freddie’s story, which is sprung into emotional liftoff by the death of his sister Emily (Jennifer Mergen). Richter also is primarily a supporting character, serving as a catalyst for the choices Freddie makes as he deals with his own state of mental distress, which goes from loss-induced depression to rage fueled by revenge.

When it comes to the filmmakers’ intent to convey a more realistic depiction of mental illness, Allison’s story is much more readily accessible. As her relationship with Freddie begins to deteriorate after Emily’s death, we witness an old, seemingly dormant case of kleptomania emerge once more, causing a downward spiral in her own life as a result of Freddie’s mental state constructing a wall between them. Unknown to Allison, another threat is building parallel to her hardship with Freddie as Paul (Eric Hanson), the chef at her favorite restaurant, begins to reveal an unhealthy and dangerous obsession. I found myself deeply intrigued by this arc of LAMBENT FUSE, partially as a result of the tension, but also partially because I found Paul reminded me a lot of a creepier version of Howie Mandel. This isn’t a knock on Eric’s performance… I actually really admire Howie.

LAMBENT FUSE certainly held my attention, and while it had my curiosity firing on a commendable level, I found that the suspense leading up to the various outcomes was somewhat lacking. In other words, some of the film plays out more predictably than I imagine was intended, but this isn’t enough to draw a death card for the film as a whole. The film’s pacing is spot on, never feeling slow nor rushed. In addition to directing the film, Matt Cici also served as the editor, which very likely played a role in this pacing accomplishment. The cinematography (Zachary Nelson) looks great from a lighting perspective, and there are frequently some great choices in framing and composition. However, I also found a number of moments when an erratic use unstable handheld shots, intrusive focus shifts and spontaneous zooms threatened to yank me from the story.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to locate detailed soundtrack information for LAMBENT FUSE, but I can say that the original music composed by Ross Hackenmiller and Blake Hosler is refreshing and lends greatly to the overall tone of the film, shifting with the mood of the characters and the implications of the events happening on screen. Once the multifaceted story comes full circle I found this make-believe world of human drama came to a natural, albeit creatively poignant conclusion. these characters all have their own, individual issues they must overcome, but at no point do any of them feel over-the-top or unrealistic. On that note, mission accomplished.

LAMBENT FUSE is directed by Matt Cici and co-written with David Marketon. The independent drama made it’s Minnesota premiere on March 18th, 2012. LAMBENT FUSE was awarded Best Minnesota Feature from Twin Cities Film Festival and Best Drama Feature from Highway 61 Film Festival.

“Like” LAMBENT FUSE on Facebook or follow @lambentfuse on Twitter.

We often say the strangest things to children without even realizing how odd it sounds. Children are full of questions, constantly confused by the world or misguided by falsehoods or exaggerations. When children bring these questions to us, as adults, we’re often unsure how to broach certain subjects, so in an effort to spin the answer in a way that will satisfy the child, but not lead on to disclosing too much information too soon, we create these elaborate, often ridiculous stories in place of the simple, honest truth.

For me, watching BEING BRADFORD DILLMAN is a wonderful exercise in recognizing this tendency to conjure up vivid yarns in place of offering a more straight-forward response. Directed by Emma Burch and co-written with Peter Williamson, this is the story of little Molly Flowers, a young girl who declares to her alcoholic mother that she hates boys and wishes they all die after being picked on one too many times. Either stunned by this statement, or driven by her vodka-induced state of mind, Molly’s Mum (voiced by Morwenna Banks) spills a story about how Molly was actually born a boy, named Bradford Dillman, but as she so wanted a little girl, asked the doctor to cut off his willy. Having done so, Molly’s mum now had the girl she wanted and even tells Molly she kept her willy inside a shoebox atop her wardrobe.

My instinctual reaction is one of “who does this?!?” Then I realize many a parent has probably woven a story or two for their children even more bizarre than this. Being a child with an active imagination, as most children do, Molly begins to contemplate what this all means on her terms, subject to her own limited knowledge and innocent perspective of the world. Enter Bradford Dillman… as Molly toys with the idea of retrieving her willy from the infamous shoebox atop the wardrobe, she meets Bradford, a boy of her age who becomes her friend.

Both Molly and Bradford are voiced by Natasha Holberton with a wonderfully curious and playful, yet cynical beyond her years undertone that makes her adventure with Bradford that much more, shall we say… mature. BEING BRADFORD DILLMAN is a family film, of sorts. Holberton gives Molly an energy and innocence fitting of a young girl, but also conveys an inkling of forced maturity, most likely brought on by her single mother’s drinking, smoking and pill-popping habits. The subject matter is kept within bounds of being acceptable for a child’s eyes and ears, but just beneath the surface lies an adult sense of humor that cannot be ignored.

BEING BRADFORD DILLMAN is an animated film with a style that is part marionette and part paper cut-out. The color and texture of the film is gritty and earthy, conveying a sense of dingy darkness to to the story. The artwork features over-sized heads and massively cute yet imposing eyes on Molly and Bradford, while Mum’s face is never revealed, a la the Peanuts cartoons, or Tom & Jerry, whereas the adults are not emphasized as the crucial element of the story. The visual style of BEING BRADFORD DILLMAN reminds me slightly of a cross between Tim Burton and David Lynch, but ever so slightly more refined and traditional as to minimize the awkward weirdness of the Molly’s world without eliminating the uncomfortably bizarre nature of what is taking place in the film. Likewise, I am keen to the writing of the film, funny and cute while just mature enough to draw in the adult audience, especially given the tale Molly’s mum tells that sets Molly on her journey of misguided self-discovery. As for a message, I am certain there is one to be had, but I have yet to pinpoint exactly what it is meant to be, or even what I took the message away as, if I took one away at all.

This tan and sepia world in which Molly lives has a pleasant flavor as BEING BRADFORD DILLMAN is not a sad, downer film. On the contrary, I felt oddly uplifted and happy after watching the film. The closest thing I can compare this to would be Tim Burton’s flash animated series called THE WORLD OF STAINBOY, both in tone and in style, but do not mistake this as being a literal or direct comparison, rather more of an impressionistic similarity that falls within a broad tonal category.

‘Being Bradford Dillman’ Trailer from Being Bradford Dillman on Vimeo.

Check out BeingBradformDillman.com for more information, or “Like” the film on Facebook.

“What does it take to get America’s attention?”

The perfect tagline for an introspective short film about American politics and a skewed sense of morality. Written and directed by Rebecca Rojer, ASHLEY/AMBER is a 22-minute short film starring Diane Guerrero as Ashley, an attractive young woman who recently lost her boyfriend to the war. Heartbroken and conflicted by her loss, Ashley struggles to reconcile her boyfriend’s duty and commitment to fighting for his country with her pain and sadness, even a little anger over losing her loved one.

Ashley is also struggling financially, so following a current American trend (and let’s be honest, a global trend), Ashley responds to an ad to make some quick cash performing in a fly-by-night, amateur online sex video under the assumed name of Amber. Now, not only is Ashley conflicted by her boyfriend’s death, combined with the constant pressure from her anti-war activist friends to protest with them and speak publicly about her own experience of loss, she now has the added weight of having sold herself to pay the bills looming on her conscience. Ashley will soon discover just how volatile, fickle and hypocritical society can sometimes be about sex, war and free speech.

ASHLEY/AMBER is a small, independent project, as are most short films. This drama is gritty and honest, but the pacing is decidedly slow and methodical. At times, I do feel the editing lingers just the tiniest bit too long, leaving the camera to linger just beyond the point of comfortable observation, but I also feel that perhaps this is intentional, hoping to convey a sense of relentless voyeurism. In a society obsessed with reality TV and celebrity gossip, ASHLEY/AMBER also touches on these themes indirectly, even if unintentional. As Ashley comes to terms with her situation in life, with the circumstances she is both forced into and entered into by choice, she takes a chance and reaches out as an anti-war activist but finds that instead of her outspoken message of peace making a positive impact, the two-sided Internet proves to be the curse that subjects her life to further ridicule.

Diane Guerrero does a fascinating job, portraying an emotionally scarred woman stunted by her confusion and pulled apart by a society that deems sexual freedom far more morally reprehensible than a controversial war and the corrupted comfort we have developed for violence in general. Her emotions are reserved, but dwell just beneath the surface of her skin. ASHLEY/AMBER has some very minor production flaws, but the message and direction of the film on display from filmmaker Rebecca Rojer are of a respectably high caliber. This is an intelligent film, even subversively, darkly humorous film on a subconscious level. ASHLEY/AMBER plays as a smarter, far more poignant counterbalance to the trend of mindless, frivolous reality programming that clogs the bandwidth of television and the Internet. Rojer clearly has a strong vision for storytelling and encourage her to follow this path and discover in what direction this compass will lead her.

ASHLEY/AMBER was nominated for a Golden Berlin Bear award for Best Short Film in 2011 and can be purchased in Europe as part of a DVD compilation titled BACK TO POLITICS.

Filmmaker’s Background:

Originally from Maplewood, NJ, Rebecca produced her first short films and animations as a student at Columbia High School. In 2004 she was selected to participate in the William H. Cosby Future Filmmakers Workshop at NYU and the Innerspark-CSSA Animation Program at CalArts.

Rebecca currently studies film production in the Visual and Environmental Studies department at Harvard University. She also illustrates for the Harvard Lampoon. Her most recent film, Beauty Machine, received an Award of Merit in the Accolade Film Competition and has been selected to screen at Anthology Film Archives in New York as part of the New Filmmakers Program.

Background Information: ANNA was made as part of Project Twenty1, a 21 day film competition in Philadelphia where teams are given exactly 21 days to write, shoot, edit and deliver a short film up to 10 minutes in length on a secret element. The element for ANNA was: Start With A Crash. ANNA earned three awards from Project Twenty1, including Best Cinematography, Best Female Lead, and Best Acting.

The world is cruel. We all know that, whether we want to admit it or not. We make our own way, either by choice or by circumstance, but we all cut our own slice out of this life. The size and shape of that slice is entirely up to us, but what happens if you’ve already taken your slice and you’re not satisfied?

ANNA is an 8-minute short film about a young woman, unhappy with the slice of life she’s been served. Directed and co-written by Daniel Brown, the film’s title character is played by Amanda Colianni. The film begins with Anna studying herself in the mirror, starring into herself with a loathsome disgust. What she sees is a woman not in charge, a woman uncertain, a woman who wants more out of this life.

This long, static opening shot is abruptly broken when the film cuts to Anna choosing to take control of her life. Structured like cinematic sandwich, ANNA contains colorful, anti-establishment dramedy between two hardy pieces of reflective camera shots depicting Anna’s epiphany. Her character rises from the gray of her life and becomes a vibrant, outgoing and confident woman. Anna’s transformation is captured with vivid cinematography by Matt Duffy, a vibrantly colored wardrobe and direction that puts the character’s new-found confidence in the forefront.

Mindy Hixson plays Anna’s coworker Callie, who plays a more integral role than initially expected. Anna squares off against typical societal barriers and burns the broken down, bottomed out bridges she no longer holds any desire to keep aloft. ANNA is an inspired story, but in other ways is also a more feminine combination of OFFICE SPACE and FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF.

To view the trailer for ANNA, go to annamovie.com

To learn more about the filmmakers, go to wideeyedpictures.com

“George Lucas is going to be sooo pissed!” This was the first thought that popped into my head after seeing JOHN CARTER. That is, until I realized he has no reason to get upset. Whether or not you’re familiar with the source material, it will become abundantly clear that Lucas drew a great deal of inspiration for his STAR WARS saga from A PRINCESS OF MARS, a science-fiction novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. In fact, once JOHN CARTER hits DVD and blu-ray, picking out the familiar STAR WARS bits would make one hell of a drinking game.

Long story short, director Andrew Stanton only steals back from Lucas what he stole from Burroughs in the first place. I say stolen in a purely playful manner, as is this incredibly fun, if not entirely perfect science-fiction action/adventure film that is one part Indiana Jones, one part STARGATE, and many parts STAR WARS in it’s visual appeal, story structure and even with it’s character development, in many cases. JOHN CARTER may have been officially derived from the original Edgar Rice Burroughs story, but the concept has had plenty of attention through the years, from the original novel and other books that followed, a magazine serial, television series and comic books.

Andrew Stanton, best known for directing the Pixar hits WALL-E and FINDING NEMO, makes his live-action debut with Disney’s CGI blockbuster JOHN CARTER, which they have allegedly spent upwards of $250 million or more to bring to life. If this is true, I fear Disney may have a box office financial flop, even if the film proves to be a popular pre-summer release. In all honesty, it will take a small miracle for the film to break even, but do your part and give it a chance for having the balls to beckon your hard earned bucks before the summer season officially begins.

Taylor Kitsch plays the legendary John Carter, a ruggedly handsome man in his twenties who stumbles upon a gateway between Earth and Mars, leading him into the adventure of a lifetime that will change the course of not one, but two worlds. Kitsch, perhaps best known as Tim Riggins to FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS fans, isn’t terribly recognizable beyond that somewhat cult following. Stanton is taking somewhat of a chance with a relative unknown in the leading role, but I’m sure it did shave a few million dollars off the total production cost. Kitsch presents himself on screen as the young Indiana Jones type, but with a bit more old west in his swagger. I am fairly certain there is a moment when explaining his name to the locals that he whips out a John Wayne impersonation, but it happens quickly, so don’t nod off.

JOHN CARTER is no lavishly written masterpiece of flashy dialogue or deep philosophical prose. This shows in the film, but what the film lacks in textual tact it gains in a pleasantly pulpy atmosphere and tone that makes the entire experience that much more fun. Sure, go ahead and see the film in 3D. As much as I oppose the current trend, this is the kind of film 3D is really meant for and it actually works fairly well. No gimmicks, the 3D is fully integrated and never really bares itself so blatantly as to pull the viewer from the story. As was certainly the style of pulp literature of its era, JOHN CARTER has moments of embellished heroism and sappy romance, but I encourage you to play along and enjoy the ride. One of the most fantastically absurd but equally rewarding moments is when John Carter takes it upon himself to prove his valor and worth to Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), single-handedly facing a massive horde of grumpy, savage four-armed Tharks with his name on their blades. This scene is over the top, absurd, and entirely satisfying.

Without going into any great detail, JOHN CARTER follows an otherwise insignificant former Confederate Captain as he is whisked away to Mars and becomes a legend, courtesy of a certain variance in the laws of physics. The CGI in the film is vast and ever present, from the light ships and towering architecture to the arid landscape and especially the character design. While the majority of the alien characters are merely humans with a touch more red pigment and blue blood, the Tharks could be compared to the Na’vi from James Cameron’s AVATAR, but conceptualized with far more success. These four-armed, tusked natives are a major factor in the story and provide a great deal of the excitement.

Much of the star power for JOHN CARTER comes in the way of voice talent. Willem Dafoe and Thomas Haden Church lend their voices to the two primary Thark males, Samantha Morton offers her voice to the primary Thark female, and Dominic West and Bryan Cranston round out the cast. Mark Strong puts on the villain’s shoes once again as a mysterious Thern, stirring the proverbial pooh while standing on the sidelines. This character reminds me of a far more nefarious “Observer” for those who follow the FRINGE television series. He’s one mean dude and he doesn’t play fair.

While the action sequences may be short in duration, there are enough of them in total to give it a pass. JOHN CARTER crosses two worlds, 50 million miles and vastly different cultures to produce a movie many times more enjoyable than THE PHANTOM MENACE, minus Darth Maul, even with its slightly elongated 132-minute running time that could definitely benefit from a snip here and a cut there. The lead performances are notably Kitsch-y (see what I did there) and it works. For someone who has not read the original source material, Andrew Stanton’s JOHN CARTER has inspired me to seek it out.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars