Rob Morgan – Cut To The Chase

Written & Directed By: Parker Finn

Cinematography: Charlie Sarroff

Editor: Elliot Greenberg

Cast: Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Jessie T. Usher, Kal Penn, Robin Weigert, Rob Morgan, Judy Reyes, Caitlin Stasey, Gillian Zinser

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, a psychiatrist becomes increasingly convinced she is being threatened by an uncanny entity.

It took me a while to watch this film as seeing the trailer repeatedly when it first came out, it seemed more run-of-the-mill. They feel more built on jump scares that you feel like you’ve seen 1000 times.

Eventually decided to give it a chance and found that it reminded me of a 1990s horror film that you discover after finally deciding to give it a chance so it was a bit meta

What’s surprising is that it’s quite solid and its own way. it’s better than expected even if at times is a bit predictable. Can see why he gained an audience and became successful.

The film is much more realistic than expected with a surprising amount of violence. Manages to stay grounded in a certain reality. Times one of the original Candyman, as far as a kind of folklore with a female lead character who seemingly is losing her mind.

The film relies on an unseen enemy and entity, like FALLEN with a mix of a curse like THE RING and also a bit of FINAL DESTINATION thrown in.

The film could easily have been a character study of someone, losing their mind through their eyes and hallucinations creating a conspiracy. Only this film acknowledges its truth and reality so it can’t exactly go down that route.

The film has equal parts jump, scares violence, and melancholy mood but manages to stay mainstream and audience, friendly. It’s nasty, but not over the top or spirited. However, it does have quite a few memorable scenes, especially the kid’s birthday party.

A good alternative title for this film would have been Psychosomatic.

The actors seem to have a fair amount of contortion to get that freak factor which is becoming common in films involving some kind of possession.

You can see the film’s influences and inspiration as there are quite a few. Which works especially as the film is far from original.

Even those who are not big film watchers will recognize different familiar recent horror films it borrows from like a recipe that calls for huge mixtures and plenty of ingredients

Grade: B-

Written & Directed By: Stella Meghie
Cinematography: Mark Schwartzbard
Editor: Shannon Baker Davis

Cast: Issa Rae, LaKeith Stanfield, Chante Adams, Y’Lan Noel, Kelvin Harrison jr., Lil Rel Howery, Teyonah Parris, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Rob Morgan, Courtney B. Vance, Chelsea Peretti

A series of intertwining love stories set in the past and in the present.

The reason I really wanted this film to work. Is that it is rare that you see black romance onscreen. There are films that have it but they only Come around once a decade. As usually on film they just fall in love and get married as part of a bigger story or they are already married and friends to other people in the movie. A supporting character usually having a wife or girlfriend. Or they are the arguing couple or their relationship is more comedic throughout. Never quite deep and never truly showing love and definitely not romance.

As it makes or seem like the characters are more materialistic, a sexual, sexual only or shallow. It rarely celebrates the beauty of black characters making it seem like they are only as worthy as their looks or body parts.

This leads to a lack of representation again and leaves black people with very few examples of on-screen love. Which might be why at times and at large it seems to be a rarity onscreen and off at times also.

This film at least tries to work against the negative stereotypes and represent and present a love story that doesn’t rely on race heavily but is a black film Romance. With beautiful artistic characters.

So while this film is a romantic drama. what doesn’t precisely work is that it has two love stories that parallel one another and are supposed to complement each other as well as tell their own and nurture one another. The problem is that the one from the past is so much deeper and more felt throughout.

While the modern romance is similar it doesn’t feel as deep. As it happens faster and doesn’t have any challenges until towards the end. Leaving it more bland and quite frankly a bit dull.

There are no hardships for the romance really because as soon as they see one another we know this is meant to be. While the flashbacks to older characters which is the reason they met and came together in the first place. Has so much drama and meaning. It makes the modern one feel a bit empty.

Though at least we get to see the thrill of the chase at the beginning of their courtship. Trying to impress or. Another and be witty. It also lets us see their passion for one another and the reasons they and their romance grows

The film might have been stronger if rather than treating it as a puzzle and parallel if the older story was told first and then see how it affects the modern in bits. Though it seems it is there to show parallels as well as keep the story motivated as a kind of mystery.

Either way the film definitely has a cultured vibe and mood throughout with a great jazz soundtrack. It’s nice to see a film of black professionals who are upwardly mobile and successful more upper-middle class.

One only wishes the modern-day Romance was stronger.

If i had to describe this movie with one word soulful.

Grade: C+

Tag: Rob Morgan

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