Tag: Horror

THE QUIET ONES (2014)

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Directed By: John Pogue 
Written By: Craig Rosenberg, John Pogue & Oren Moverman 
Based on A Screenplay by: Tom De Ville 
Cinematography By: Matyas Erdely 
Editor: Glenn Garland  

Cast: Sam Claflin, Olivia Cooke, Jared Harris, Erin Richards, Rory Fleck-Byrne, Laurie Calvert

In 1974, in Oxford, Professor Joseph Coupland invites his introspective student Brian McNeil to film his research about the supernatural with his two assistants, Krissi Dalton and Harry Abrams, and the subject Jane Harper. Jane is a young woman with no memory from the past that has been abandoned that believes she is possessed by a doll named Evey that gives telekinetic power to her. She is kept awake in an isolated house with a doll, where Prof. Coupland intends that she puts her evil energy in and then destroys the doll to healing Jane. Strange things happen in the house and Brian feels sorry for Jane and he researches her tattoo, learning an evil secret about the past of Jane.

Filmed in 2012, it sat unreleased until 2014. Which is never good, though doesn’t make this too horrible. It’s actually decent and not a total waste.

I have to say I enjoyed this film more than expected. Not as bad as I thought initially going in, but still not quite a winner either. Though it is a welcome entry into, the hammer canon of films.

The film. fits the pedigree of being a hammer film. By being quite dated in the time that it is set in. It also has the distinction of keeping a chilling atmosphere as it goes along.

While it is better in Quality the film isn’t as fun or moving as John Pogue’s Previous Directorial Debut, QUARANTINE 2: TERMINAL which is a personal guilty pleasure.

The film chooses to have an Unsettling mood and scares of its bag of tricks rather than gore and violence. I applaud it for as we go through the film we feel an increasing amount of dread as we realize the characters are not prepared for what they are messing with. It becomes thrilling towards the middle though it also starts to become predictable when it begins to reveal itself.

The script was heavily rewritten for budget reasons. Which might explain the more singular locations. Leaving It to feel more creative working with what they have and giving a more haunting atmosphere.

Of course, I am not a natural fan of ghost stories so it took me a bit to get into it. Especially when the action takes place mostly in an abandoned manor that only the characters will inhabit. In other words, waiting around like sitting ducks.

I like the fact that the film shows characters come to their sense and trying to leave, by being pulled back as they aren’t safe anywhere. Unless they face off with whatever is haunting them.

Though it is not above some skin by having actress Erin Richards constantly in revealing, tight clothes as well as reasons for shots that seem to have a reason for her backside to be featured in a few shots. That I will admit are small but became distracting for me.

Though the film deals with adult themes the violence and scenes stay on a strictly PG-13 level and become obvious they must keep to their rating when certain scenes keep escalating then the camera seems to pull away or shy away from the actual act and comes back to show only the aftermath in flashes.

The film has a more gothic atmosphere it reminds one of the more classic horror tales. Especially being more set in the ’70s

It also dips its toe into being partially a found footage film to cover its fan bases and make sure some modern audience members especially the younger members.

The film’s weaknesses however are its a central story that IF unbelievable that it isn’t supernatural, occurrences just telepathy at work with a vivid imagination of suggestion. That seems ridiculous plus add in a reason to have a good footage element that while smart in its introduction feels like a reason to add in that cliche.

The film is able to hold your attention as you watch, though after it is easily forgettable, but most likely will just be confused with memories of other similar and maybe even better or worse films.

Wait To rent, though with other films

Grade: C

THE NEW MUTANTS (2020)

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Directed By: Josh Boone
Written By: Josh Boone & Knate Lee
Cinematography: Peter Deming 
Editor: Andrew Buckland, Robb Sullivan & Matthew Rundell 

Cast: Blu Hunt, Alice Braga, Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, Henry Zaga, Adam Beach 

Five young mutants, just discovering their abilities while held in a secret facility against their will, fight to escape their past sins and save themselves.

Had high hopes for this film when it was originally supposed to be released. As in the advertisements, it seemed to offer something different when it came to a superhero film. One that was more of a horror film.

While the film resembles one. It doesn’t scare or fascinate. In fact, it feels more like a video game for the number of CGI effects used and more aimed at teenagers for how clean it comes off being.

Especially as it plays more like a haunted house film That just happens to involve a laboratory.

One can understand with all the supposed reshooting and re-edits that delayed the film. Which is supposed to sharpen the movie or at least make it better, but it seems to have sucked all the originality out of it.

The actors also use a variety of f accents that don’t seem to always stick. There is one. Performance that is so bad it’s never believable and amazed it stayed in and in so many scenes. As it comes off more cartoonish than probably intended.

The movie also comes off a lot simpler than it should.

The film had certain darkness that hangs over it that would work in a horror film or if it truly meant something but as the film plays like a dramatic thriller. It feels more artificial. So that the angst that the film tries to display feels more scripted than natural.

All of this is a shame as this was also one of my favored comic book series when I used to collect comic books as a teen. This movie doesn’t come close to it in any way, shape, or form. In fact, it feels more random than anything else 

Some of the disappointment might be that the film feels a bit unfinished; it offers a nice short story, but holds the ideas for something bigger and more. That could have been a different kind of superhero movie. Though it feels like any development for something original was stopped in its tracks or just cut out. As it feels constantly on the edge of something then stops way short. Which just leaves a major disappointment. 

Grade: C-

THE STRANGERS (2008)

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Written & Directed By: Bryan Bertino
Cinematography By: Peter Sova
Editor: Kevin Greutert
Original Music By: tomandandy

CAST: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward

After returning from a wedding reception, a couple staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.

I can understand how other people may enjoy this film but I honestly didn’t while you are there approach is riveting and exciting making you stay on your toes. The chilling masks that could be innocent are there more for terror. The cinematography makes you feel like you are watching a big-budget snuff film. The feel of this film is like it could have been made in the seventies it is that different from its contemporaries in the genre. Not too many cuts no annoying rapid editing. It has its problems but has good follow-through.

It just feels like it was manipulating from beginning to end. From the fake based on a true story coda at the beginning (It Wasn’t) and quite honestly ripped off TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE.

Letting us know just enough about the characters as a backstory. So we can feel for them as they are victims on screen for most of this film, to the quiet stretches of the film. Only to be jarred by a loud sound and the music that expresses doom in almost every minute of this film. That is a warning that something is going to happen, but half the time doesn’t.

The filmmakers try to use what you already know about these types of films against you. Then tries to shock you by having scenes go a different way.

My problems are not only there, but in the beginning, they say not many details are known about what actually happened. Ok so why this movie is an interpretation of what the director thinks happened, then why so much attention to detail? like he was there and knew specific details about what happened.

Also if this is supposed to be a true story how come the killers are so talented or supernatural that they seem to be able to disappear at will. Then show up again unexpectedly with hardly a sound they are human, humans can have the best plan in the world, but make mistakes. it’s human nature, they also would thanks to gravity make noise, but not these killers who are kind of humanized at the end, but by that time it’s too late.

All the believability has already flown out the window. While the reasoning for the crimes is chilling and spoiled in the advertisement for the film. It is also what sells it and makes it scarier. If most other filmmakers had made it they probably would have copped out and shown the faces of innocent kids doing this as a thrill more than anything else it beats drugs. Which is not the actual ending.

SPOILER-

Though keeping them faceless does make them all the more scary and perfect for a sequel

SPOILER END

I give this film an A for effort and quite frankly believe the director does have talent which is plainly evident on the screen. He just makes these mistakes that take one out of the movie.

Would rather see more types of movies like this made by actual talent than the 20th remake of a Friday the 13th sequel which while fun in the original series are whack outside of it. Not to mention one would rather see films like this than another j-horror American remake.

The thing I can also give this movie credit for is that it seems to understand the horror genre. This while being gory a few times is mostly about thrills and suspense more than anything else.

Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, Give good performances this might be the best film either have been in so far. it at least has given them the best roles to play.

I would say this is a good rental. More interested in the making of the film than necessarily the finished product.

GRADE: C+

SOUND OF VIOLENCE (2021)

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Written & Directed By: Alex Noyer 
Cinematography: Danube Qin Wu 
Editor: Hannigan Aukia & Virtti Virkajarvi 

Cast: Jasmin Savoy Brown, Lili Simmons, James Jagger, Tessa Munro, Dana L. Wilson 

Alexis recovered her hearing during the brutal murder of her family when she was ten. The visceral experience awakened synesthetic abilities in her and started her on an orphaned path of self-discovery through the healing music of brutal violence. She goes on to pursue a career teaching and experimenting to find new sounds. She is supported and loved by her roommate Marie who is unaware of the dark secrets behind Alexis’ unique music and the part she unknowingly plays. Faced with the likelihood of losing her hearing again, Alexis escalates the pursuit of her masterpiece through gruesome sound experiments and devastating designs. She won’t let anything stop her not even love.

The film sets itself up quite nicely as far as the story goes though it seems more interested in Detailing the kills and deaths than working on human emotions and connections.

As the main character is diabolical when it comes to kills to the point that she could easily be the next saw villain that is how intricate her traps abs weapons are, though instead of seconding to be a moral judge or leaving the victims fate up to a game fo chance. 

She is more a killer who gets off on their deaths for a personal addiction. Where she sees music and colors and it gives her a kind of high that she can’t get enough of 

Her time period and the events move up as she realizes she is losing her hearing again and must complete her masterpiece before she is totally deaf again.

She is an Audio engineer though it never explains quite how she picked up these other seemingly gifted engineering skills when. It comes to building her devices of death.

The film also seems to almost make it seem like her killing. Is hereditary when her father massacres the family earlier even though it seems more his killing was done after a mental break after fighting overseas in the military. 

Though then again being introduced early to death and murder might just be ingrained for her. 

Though the film seems to only want to bring. Up her emotional connections or some relatively basic actions into the film And make them more important or prevalent when the film needs these points to continue the storyline. To make the film appear to age. More depth and convention. Towards the second. Half of the film.

As so revealed she has been doing this most of her life we only know of a few incidents. Though learn that she did it while in foster care and not as a survival mechanism but just like at the beginning of the film as kind of something that makes her happy and lets her have a one-of-a-kind experience. 

Not to mention it seems like most are attracted to her best friend in the film played by Lili Simmons as even the detective at the crime scene sort of seems to go out of her way to give her her card and really wants to talk to her about the case or anything else. 

Also find it hard to believe that in all her killings no one was attracted to her in her more normal mode with a few of her eccentricities. As once she and her friend reveal they kind of have feelings for one another it’s supposed to come as a surprise even though they have been having a clearly platonic yet intimate relationship throughout. That could have easily been another example of everything being done out of frustration for unrequited love. 

Where in fact she seems to hold out her cruelest punishment for the one person she loves and uses her to present and be her final masterpiece.

It would be easy to also attack the film for its protagonist to be a crazed minority and homosexual but the latter is only revealed in a later scene and the kills don’t seem dependent on that fact they are just who she is naturally and a disturbing homicidal   trait that just so happens to be there 

It’s a shame as the film does have promise and really wanted to like the film though at first the film seems a bit slow to get to its point then becomes more the audience waiting for her to strike next. Though soon it seems like they might be all the film has to offer is these kinds of heightened kill scenes. So that it tries to have depth at times but begins to become more monotonous. When it has the makings of something of more substance. 

Not to mention it leaves quite a few questions. For instance, she says her family was murdered but we never see or even know the details of her brother’s death. 

Grade: C-

BUTCHER BAKER, NIGHTMARE MAKER (1981)

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Directed By: William Asher 
Written By: Stephen Breimer, Alan Jay Glueckman & Boon Collins 
Cinematography: Robbie Greenberg 
Editor: Ted Nicolaou 

Cast: Jimmy McNichol, Susan Tyrell, Bo Svenson, Julia Duffy, Bill Paxton, Britt Leach, Steve Eastin

Since the death of his parents fourteen years ago, Billy Lynch has been raised by his overprotective aunt Cheryl. But once he turns seventeen, he is soon set on planning his life…without her. He’s planning on going on to college and is dating local girl Julie. None of which sits well for his aunt, who’s lost everyone else in her life and now with her nephew ready to leave, ensures she starts on a campaign to keep him with her…forever. But as her plans misfire she becomes swept up in a cycle of psychosis and frenzied violence all being blamed on Billy by everyone else…including a homophobic detective, whose anti-gay prejudice is steadily reaching its zenith…leading to an unforeseeable outcome.

This film feels silly even for the time when it was released. Watching the film is a fun experience in its awfulness.

It’s entertainment is marred by its characters’ homophobia. This is disappointing as it easily could have been an unintentional camp classic. Surprised it hasn’t been embraced by a cult audience of not for anything at least the performance and gusto from Susan Tyrell.

The lead performance by Susan Tyrell gives it her all and goes way over the top. So unhinged In one of her rare leading roles.

So unhinged that as the movie moves along even her look begins to deteriorate. She is obviously wearing a wig and once her character cuts it she goes further off the deep end. It ends up being her real hair.

Revealing the killer wept on makes the movie more suspenseful. Especially as the film goes along, there ends up being few choices as to who it could be and where the film can go. 

The film has Bill Paxton in an early role as a jealous bully. Not to mention Julia Duffy as the teenage nephew’s love interest.

The film ultimately revolves around a serious obsession between the aunt for her nephew. Which also makes the film feel more suited for a drive in a movie theater. 

The movie’s special effects, the few that there Are, are so bad they become laughable especially when it cowls to stabbings and dismemberment. 

Memorably bad but the film Means well and tries hard. So that it is more entertaining and fun than scary. If this is a genre you particularly like.

It can be understood that homophobia was the Mood at the time. The film tries to justify that mood as evil by having one fo the good characters be gay. But also at the end, most of the characters with that discrimination end up dead. 

This is a film you look for more for fun than necessary thrills or any kind of horror 

GRADE: C

FUNNY GAMES (2008) (REMAKE)

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Written & Directed By: Michael Heneke 
Cinematography By: Darius Khondji 
Editor: Monika Willi 
Production Design: Kevin Thompson 
Art Direction: Hinju Kim 

Cast: Tim Roth, Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet, Devon Gearheart, Siobhan Fallon, Boyd Gaines 

In this English-language remake of a deconstruction in the way violence is portrayed in the media, a family settles into its vacation home, which happens to be the next stop for a pair of young, articulate, white-gloved serial killers on an excursion through the neighborhood.

Not as good as the original of course I think the real weakness of the film is not only going back and repeating something that was never wrong, to begin with just to expose it to a massive audience that might have not seen the film the first time just because it was in a foreign language.   

The remake doesn’t show growth but hey rockstars have to play their classic hits once in a while, Even with new band members. If they are willing to pay you to do it why not.


I think one other weakness this film has is that it is opened up more than the original, with more characters. Who are minor but it opens it up. which in the beginning was scarier and more intense because it was more intimate.


It’s not a shot-for-shot remake but is similar enough. Maybe the film doesn’t affect you because we already saw the original and know what’s going to happen. Whereas when you see the original it’s a shock and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Watching this is like watching an imitation even though it is by the same director. Maybe it is also because whereas there were no stars in the original. So anything could happen and It felt realistic. Seeing stars in this you know it’s just fake and doesn’t penetrate any of my emotions like it seems to be directed to. By bringing well-known actors into the film also gives them nothing to do but whimper in pain for two hours there are no great characters to play or great lines unless you have the villain’s role in this film.


you also notice that in the original the female star was in her underwear for a scene then gets clothed. Here Naomi Watts spends most of the movie in her underwear. Sure it’s great to look at but I guess it was meant to tap into American horror films as usually the females run around naked and in their underwear as they are stalked and killed rarely do they survive. In fact, there is no real violence shown only the aftermath. The only time there is violence it happens to one of the villains.


The main villain also doesn’t speak to the audience as much as he did in the original, maybe it was deemed annoying. The remote scene which seemed daring in the original seems like a gimmick here. Here in making it bigger, it is marketed as a thriller but shot like an art film with attention to detail and colors but with no real shown violence that the audience is waiting for.


It also plays with the conventions of films such as foreshadowing and making an excuse for the violent behavior, breaking the fourth wall, and the illusion that in the end, everything will turn out fine. The false hope that it can all turn around because that’s what happens in the film. They wouldn’t be that messed up.


It plays with the rules that you have come to expect and then just when you think it will follow narratives you have seen it switches it upon you.

The pacing also seems off that it makes the film almost seem boring. Some could look at it as satire. It is obviously a message movie because all that happens in the film makes you realize your own bloodlust and includes you as a co-conspirator in all that happens because you are sitting there watching for entertainment.

SPOILER:


Like the scene where Anna is then taken to the boat where she attempts to cut herself loose with the knife shown earlier in the film, only to have it taken from her as a way to mock the standard Hollywood foreshadowing. She is then dumped overboard and drowns as the two boys discuss school fiction and state the message of the film quite clearly by stating (in reference to a novel they read) “the family was real, the hero was in fiction”, demonstrating that violence is real and what occurs for entertainment happens in reality, however rising above the odds and becoming a hero only happens in fiction. And as a note, all of the killing is off-screen, this is a pro-reality but anti-violence film in its own brutal right

SPOILER END


Now I didn’t exactly write the last paragraph but it is summed up pretty well that I agree with it I say if you didn’t see the original this might be interesting but if you did you don’t really have to bother with this film. Trust me rent the original it’s a lot better.

GRADE: C

AFTERSHOCK (2013)

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Directed By: Nicolas Lopez 
Written By: Nicolas Lopez, Eli Roth & Guillermo Amodeo 
Cinematography By: Antonio Quercia 
Editor: Diego Macho Gomez 
 Cast: Eli Roth, Andrea Osvart, Ariel Levy, Natasha Yarovenko, Lorenza Izzo, Nicolas Martinez

After an earthquake erupts in Chile, tourists discover that a neighboring prison in the area collapsed in the event, and all surviving criminals managed to break free. Soon they learn that the most terrifying thing, more threatening than Mother Nature, is what she created.

The film was originally rated NC-17 but had to be cut and re-edited in order to get an R Rating.

Now, this film could have easily gone the wrong way and been schlocky. The longer the film plays and you watch the more impressive it becomes as it truly shows you the terror and danger of the various situations, while setting up a time limit as an impending doom worse than anything they encounter physically and personally might becoming.

The film feels at times to just be punishing its characters just to do it. While it’s no torture porn. It’s quite cruel but maintains a certain reality while also following certain genre rules and tropes.

No one comes out of the film clean. They all end up becoming victims in some way, shape, or form.

The first act sets up the characters as we get to know them and see them enjoying their vacation setting up group dynamics, Relationships, and friendships. It works as act 2 and 3 then unspools and we feel more of a connection to the characters. We find ourselves caring about their fates. It feels like a continuation of co-writer, co-producer, co-star Eli Roth’s other horror films. Where a trip to a foreign locale, We see the fun and pursuit of sex that often backfires and leans towards comedic. Then all of a sudden moves into horror pretty quickly. Here it feels like a more mature version of it. I have to give both credits. I feel he is growing his talent more and this helps represent a newfound maturity. It shows.

None of the leads is completely evil or completely good. They do what they have to do to survive.

The film does reek of a B-Movie aesthetic at times. Mainly due to the disaster aspects.

There are no sacred cows as the film sets itself up pretty early, That anyone can be taken out and killed. This helps throw the audience off as you never are quite sure how far it will go nor what can and can’t happen. Just general randomness Through many challenges no one great villain just has to survive. No stalking monster though the tsunami warnings give the characters incentive to rush the experience and keep moving while working against the calamities.

The film shows what can be scarier than a natural disaster is the citizen’s reactions.

Of course, the casting of Eli Roth in the lead and him being a producer and co-writer. He will be accused of having this film be just another extension of his ego or just another project for him to star in. A vanity project almost as he has cameoed in his films and in others. Though the film doesn’t leave him in a heroic light. He does fine with the material

What sometimes disturbs me in films is that whenever it is more of a minority culture. When things break down. They are always shown as looters, Gangs, and rapists. Whereas Caucasians are usually the heroes or the victims. Rarely do we see them along as the ones going crazy and being just as bad unless it’s post-apocalyptic. Where they are the organized villains, part of a hierarchy. Here it happens in a foreign locale and directed and co-written by a native of Chile where it is filmed

Nicolas Lopez who I am a fan of ever since seeing the preview of the film PROMEDIO ROJO. 9 years ago and then finally seeing it last year. He has a vision and while the film includes a scene of the thing I hate most in films (Rape) it’s not as graphic as it could have been or still disturbing.

This is a bleak downtrodden tale that I have to say I found exceptional than what I thought it would be or easily could have become, truthfully the preview made this film look like a SyFy original film. Thankfully it’s much better.

It’s a movie to seek out more if you are a genre fan.

 GRADE: B

TRAIN TO BUSAN PRESENTS: PENINSULA (2021)

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Directed By: Sang-Ho Yeon 
Written by: Sang-Ho Yeon & Ryu Yong-Jae 
Cinematography: Hyung-Deok Lee 
Editor: Jinmo Yang 

Cast: Dong-Won Gang, Lee Jung-Hyun, Re Lee, Hae-Hyo Keon, Min-Jae Kim, Kyo-Hawn Koo, Do-Yoo Kim 

Peninsula takes place four years after the zombie outbreak in Train to Busan. The Korean peninsula is devastated and Jung Seok, a former soldier who has managed to escape overseas, is given a mission to go back and unexpectedly meets survivors.

The film builds the world that was set up in TRAIN TO BUSAN and while the film is inventive and Starts off with a bang from The beginning at the start to define the antagonist and place a proper history for him. 

Then the film Gets going with action pretty quick as well as the plot. The opening scene flashes to the all-new cast of characters and fleshes them out.

It works more as an action film with horror elements. Where most of the true horror is how the human characters treat each other in times of strife for survival.

At times the use of CGI zombies is obvious but used to make their threat grander and more epic but luckily not cheesy.

The film is post-apocalyptic where gangs of survivors run the streets and find others stragglers for sadistic games.

We are introduced to a human villain they are killing a character just to do it. No actual gain 

The film’s finale has a car chase that reminds the audience of THE ROAD WARRIOR. While the film feels like it was inspired by ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. With a planned heist that goes wrong, he becomes a man on a mission and rescue mission. So the film obviously wears it’s inspirations on its sleeves while trying to add its own flavor.

Wisely the film trims the fat early. As this film is more political, adventurous, it opens up the world. Like most sequels, this film is bigger and feels less emotional as a thing of the past.

In the end the film’s themes seem to be about family and the sacrifices you are willing to make for them. 

Grade: B-

SAINT MAUD (2021)

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Written & Directed by: Rose Glass
Cinematography: Ben Fordesman
Editor: Mark Towns 

Cast: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer, Marcus Hutton, Lily Knight, Noa Bodner

Deeply religious Maud, a tight-lipped live-in nurse with a dark past, takes a job in a humdrum English coastal town to look after Amanda Köhl: a once-celebrated, now terminally ill former dancer and choreographer. Convinced that she has been sent to sensualist, chain-smoking Amanda with a purpose, ascetic Maud soon becomes obsessed with saving her vulnerable patient from herself, and in the process, lead her to the light. However, is worldly Amanda prepared to receive absolution for her sins?

This is a film that I was looking forward to seeing. It was at the top of my must-see list for 2020, until it got postponed, and finally got to recently watch. It is definitely a case of a movie living up to my expectations.

You can tell that this film feels lien something special. Even for as dark as it is.

The film is a great production and has committed performances and is definitely the work of a gifted filmmaker. As the filmmaking is gorgeous and sumptuous. That doesn’t fit into expectations. 

The film offers a lot of build-ups. That has a bunch of elevated horror cliches. As the film Challenges the audience’s expectations. As they might be looking for more than what the film has to offer.

The film revolves around loneliness at heart. While going through mental illness and stability. It ends up with strongly disturbing images.

The film is a slow burn that takes it’s Time with it’s Story and characters. Where it is meant to be more than what you are seeing. This film wants to be more than entertainment. It wants to affect you. Say, present and experience its Story more. 

It deals with obsession which causes a mental undoing to someone who was already fragile. Where she punishes herself. When she is only

Trying to help and seeking forgiveness for her past through religious fundamentalism. Which strangely she turns into a kind of eroticism for herself.

Her devotion spins takes form In trying to awaken others and give them what they want to try and help them. While having more and more delusions.

Where eventually she keeps building an intimacy out of loneliness. That once making a connection in helping others to make herself feel better and not worthless. 

As we are given hints to her life before he became so devout that seemed aimless and wild before an accident that changes her. 

By the end, the film is Sad and depressing but effective. In the last act of the film, the film becomes more of a horror. as it becomes more tension-filled. Where it feels like anything can happen.

Grade: B+ 

ALL THE BOYS LOVE MANDY LANE (2006)

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Directed By: Jonathan Levine 
Written By: Jacob Forman 
Cinematography By: Darren Genet 
Editor: Josh Noyes 

Cast: Amber Heard, Anson Mount, Whitney Able, Michael Welch, Edwin Hodge, Aaron Himelstein, Luke Grimes, Melissa Price, Adam Powell 

A group of high-schoolers invite Mandy Lane, an innocent, desirable girl, to a weekend party on a secluded ranch. While the festivities rage on, the number of revelers begins to drop mysteriously. The film has a sensational ending. 

The film is way too short, but there is a logical reason for that. Too much more would have made it feel long. Plus it was running out of victims and things to do between the killings after all. It is not a supernatural tale and there aren’t too many victims to go around on an endless blood lust. 

As much as I like the film due to it’s limited budget and claustrophobic feel and relatively small production. 
Everyone being attracted to Mandy Lane is a little believable especially when Dealing with teenage hormones, but when the girls also begin getting attracted to her it feels a bit forced. Their attraction and her being so innocent and not realizing the peer she has over them. Feels a bit far fetched but realistic enough. As does the rest of the film. As the murders, the motivations. It becomes less of a mystery. As to who is doing it. Then When, who will be the next victim and how the killer will strike is more of the mystery in this film. 

From it’s visual arresting beginning set to the song “IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR SUICIDE” by Bedroom Walls, I was hooked, I knew the film would be something special. A little different. –The direction is tight, but I feel the material is not sensational until the end and at that point the film makes you rethink everything. You have just seen and analyze it. 

SPOILER 

The ending finding out Mandy was part of the killings the whole time. Making her a kind of inside man, setting all the victims up. So her friend Emmett could get access and know each person’s location and her bobble cords of him. During what is supposed to be their murder suicide. So she can be the survivor and get more attention on a grander scale. Truly makes this film a portrait go a sociopath in a certain situation in which she is always the victim of most people’s fantasies of her. So she becomes everything to all people and realizes she is not what they think. She is a lot worse and wants to take control of her identity in a way, she lets them believe what they want. While secretly hating it and wanting to get revenge on them for it, but realizes that she gets what she wants because of it. So she deduced her best friend to do her bidding. So she can get away with everything. He is just as bad as the rest to her and the only person she finds a connection with is the one guy not going gaga over her and actually is moral and just. 

The most chilling part of the film is not that she just got away with it, but what will happen to future people who cross her path and dare to try and be close to her. It’s a sort of psychological story that makes you think through constant list of an innocent. This is what you create in that person. Thinking about the film probably makes the film smarter and more interesting then it actually is, but for the most part it is a solid film that tired to buck certain Conventions. While following them at the same time. 

SPOILER END 

The casting is good though only Amber head as Mandy Lane seems to be the only one who really benefited from the film and the role. She does look like a fantasy come to life. It is one hell of a role though. An impressive skeleton in the closet. As for awhile after this film she was the next big thing. It seems a bit more based on her looks as she barely has any liens through the film. Even though she is the lead. She is In Almost every scene. Sort of like Brandon Routh in SUPERMAN LIVES. Sometimes i wondered if her character was borderline autistic. 

Emmy Rossum was offered the role of Mandy Lane, but turned it down, stating that she did not want to be in a slasher movie.
 
The deaths throughout the film are not that spectacular. What takes the film down is that it believes it is smarter than the audience. So much so that it feels a bit glib. Especially when all of it’s power is in the ending. 

The film can be dull, while you are waiting for something, anything to happen. It tried to be atmospheric, but it doesn’t work. It’s an average film that has been hyped to be better than it actually is. Only because at the time the limited access to it. So this is a film that runs more on reputation than anything else  

Grade: C+