You're Next (2011) Livin' Up To The Hype

Yep, it was exactly as good as I thought it would be.

The home invasion subgenre of the horror film is extremely hit or miss.  Nice people in a house, bad guys break in, yadda yadda yadda, blood everywhere and maybe one nice person left alive.  It can be a formula, as most films are anyway, but when the filmmakers spice it up with snappy dialogue or strong characters or well-executed twists, it peaks my interest.

You're Next was made in 2011 and made the festival rounds before its wide release in 2013.  Written by Simon Barrett and directed by Adam Wingard, it's a well-paced, energetically creepy whodunnit with one of the best "final girls" in recent memory.

At a remote but opulent seasonal home, Paul and Aubrey Davison (Rob Moran and Barbara Crampton) prepare to welcome their children for an anniversary celebration.  It's a big home, still being renovated, and it makes lots of nice little bumps and creaks.  Crispian Davison (A. J. Bowen) and his Australian girlfriend Erin (Sharni Vinson) make their way to the home, and it's hinted at how dysfunctional the Davison family is.  Erin is happy to make the trip, though.  Once everyone is there, it doesn't take long for the dinner to break down into bickering, passive aggression, accusations, and...oh, yeah, a dinner guest getting a crossbow bolt in his forehead.  From there, it all breaks down as three men in farm animal masks begin picking off the family one by one.  With no leader stepping up, Erin rises to the occasion, trying to keep herself and the remaining family members alive.  And there's definitely more than meets the eye in regards to Erin, and in regards to the entire sticky situation.

The movie will take you on some twisty turns and one crazy-fun ride as you peel back more and more to find out the answers.  Everything fits in this movie, from the writing to the direction to the acting by a great ensemble cast of genre veterans and newcomers.  Bowen and Crampton are horror movie favorites, and the movie features appearances by producer/actor Larry Fessenden (I Sell The Dead), writer Barrett, director Ti West (The House of the Devil, The Inkeepers), and actor/director Joe Swanberg (V/H/S).  It's truly Vinson's movie, however, as she breaks out in her performance as Erin.

Like I said:  definitely a fun ride, and several notches above the usual home-invasion horror/suspense offering.  Fine acting and a truly suspenseful and often a tad gory journey through a night of terror, secrets, and boards with nails in them.

Now, here's the trailer to enjoy...

Some Guy Who Kills People (2011) Some Pleasant Surprises

I had heard a little bit about this small film called Some Guy Who Kills People, and with that title alone, I knew I had to take a look.  It smacks of horror-comedy with a wink and a nod which, when done right, is usually a good time at the movies.  I didn't get that, but what I got was definitely a nice surprise.  Yeah, sure, the wink and nod were there, but what I didn't expect was how much heart the movie had.  While fitting firmly in the horror genre, it also owes a lot to the whodunnit as events unfold.

Written by Ryan A. Levin and directed by Jack Perez, Some Guy Who Kills People is the story of hapless Kevin Boyd (Kevin Corrigan), a man just coming off a stay at a local mental hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown and overwhelming depression.  He lives with his mom (Karen Black), works in an ice cream shop with his one friend Irv (Leo Fitzpatrick), and has sad memories of a group of bullies literally torturing him.  One of those bullies, now older and fatter, suddenly turns up dead with a hand axe buried in his forehead.  Sheriff Fuller (Barry Bostwick) attempts to solve the crime, which turns plural when another of the former bullies shows up dead (and headless) - all the while wooing Kevin's mom.  What Kevin refuses to realize is that he has more going for him than he thinks:  he's caught the eye of a young British woman named Stephanie (Lucy Davis), he's a fantastic artist, and he finally meets his 11-year-old daughter, Amy (Ariel Gade), the product of a one-night stand years before.  Amy is a breath of fresh air in his life, even if he doesn't want to breathe.  She's brilliant and straightforward, and also has problems he can relate to.  But there's that pesky issue of former bullies turning up dead.  Everything sets on a collision course in Act 3 that I just won't spoil here.

I really like it when I set out to see a movie, expecting it to be pretty good, and discovering it to be really, really good.  That was the case with Some Guy Who Kills People.  It's deftly written and directly, and the acting is tremendous.  Corrigan, who played a mysterious information broker on the great sci-fi series Fringe, is perfect as Kevin.  He comes across as awkward, nervous, unsure of himself yet harboring dark secrets.  He doesn't say much at first, and when he does, it's in short bursts.  Gade is amazing as Kevin's daughter, Amy.  Whip-smart and outgoing, she's the complete opposite of her father, and she is comfortable and natural in the role.  Bostwick is also outstanding as the town sheriff, equal parts dim bulb and brilliant detective.  He commands every scene he's in, and offers some of the movie's best lines of dialogue.  He's funny, and you often wish he'd use his brain a little more, but man, is he likable.  Really, everyone has shining moments in this film, supporting and main characters.  Davis is sweet and awkward, and the late Karen Black plays the mother as complex and often mean, but ultimately she's a mother who loves her son.

Pleasant surprises are always welcome when I'm watching a movie, and Some Guy Who Kills People brought some heart and soul to a familiar pair of genres.  Just good stuff from beginning to end.  Great way to cap off the holiday weekend!

Until next time, dear readers, here's the trailer:

Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011) Better Than It Should Be

By all rights, I shouldn't have enjoyed Quarantine 2:  Terminal.

It's a sequel to a remake that was virtually shot-for-shot like the original.  While I thought Quarantine was OK - it starred the phenomenal Jennifer Carpenter, after all - it weakened itself by not going with the original's ([REC]) premise of an evil force and instead going with a "super rabies" disease infection.  A sequel, by all rights, shouldn't have been good.

But it was, and I really did enjoy it.  Every so often, dear readers, the movie planets align and a sequel that shouldn't exist, not only does but does it pretty well.

Written and directed by John Pogue, the film takes place a short time after the events of the first film, in which a Los Angeles apartment building is sealed off when an infection runs rampant inside.  A variety of passengers board a plane on its way to Memphis.  After being bitten by a rat in a teacher's carry-on, one of the passengers begins to exhibit signs of infection.  When he nearly bites off an attendant's nose, it's safe to say he's on the sick side.  Making an emergency landing in Las Vegas, the survivors make it into the terminal, but it's soon quarantined (see what I did there?) and that's when the fun starts.  They not only have to evade infected staff, they have to deal with infections to each other, and a betrayal from within.  One of the survivors is not what they seem.

There's a great string of tension running through the movie, even as the sequences run toward the formulaic.  I've always said that sometimes formulaic works because the formula might be good.  You know something will happen at certain times, but in this case it's OK because it falls into place.  The added mystery that ties it to the first movie provides the underlying threat, the insinuation that no matter what happens to this motley group of survivors, the story really won't be over.

Quarantine 2:  Terminal was a pleasant surprise, and it's nice to have one of those every so often.  I'm not sure if the good luck would extend to a sequel, but hey, I'll take this one.

Lovely Molly (2011) Not-So-Happy Homecoming

A few years ago, I went back to the house in which I grew up.  It had literally been 20 years since I set foot in there, and the people who live there now were kind enough to let me come in and take some pictures - they knew my family anyway, so that made it easier.  If there were ghosts in that house on the lake, they were friendly and welcoming.

Let's just say that the homecoming Molly receives in Lovely Molly isn't exactly friendly and welcoming.

Directed by one of the co-creators of The Blair Witch Project, Eduardo Sanchéz (who also shares writing duties with Jamie Nash), Lovely Molly is one of those quietly terrifying films that stick with you after you've watched it, as you try to decipher the code left by the filmmakers.  Not everything is clear-cut, and yet the answers are there, depending on how you see them.  While the movie isn't perfect, the underlying story and the incredible acting help make it one to at least check out.

Newlyweds Molly (Gretchen Lodge) and Tim (Johnny Lewis, shortly before his death) move into Molly's childhood home, not far from her more grounded sister Hannah (Alexandra Holden).  It's a spooky old place, and former heroin addict Molly has a rough go of staying there alone while Tim out on the road as a truck driver. One night, Molly hears crying coming from a lonely closet.  We never see what she sees, but from there, it's all downhill for poor Molly.  Her behavior becomes increasingly strange.  She gets back on the "horse," so to speak.  She swears to her sister that their father is still alive and once again assaulting her, although no one ever sees him.  Film evidence shows nothing and Molly retreats into a drug-addled, fugue state that sees her wandering at night, having problems at work, and making lewd advances on the local pastor.  Oh, and something about a deer.  You'll see.  Things spiral out of control until the odd, subjective ending.

The film is undeniably creepy, with many of the scares coming during night scenes and when Molly is alone.  Is Molly being haunted by her evil father from beyond the grave?  You will have to decide as the end credits roll.  There are multiple interpretations, and a good deal of them make perfect sense.  The acting is tremendous, with Lodge as the focal point.  With little film experience, she masterfully conveys happiness, familiarity, rage, fear, and something quite spooky all within the runtime.  Holden is great as her sister, and Lewis shows just how much talent was wasted with his sad, short life.  The answers to the film are not all there, but it still stands as a pretty decent outing - despite one sort-of "what-the" scene.  I won't spoil it, but I did say "what the?" out loud during it.

So you want to visit your childhood home?  Just make sure it doesn't involve creepy sounds and horse imagery...unless you lived on a ranch.  Even still...

Here, enjoy the trailer:

Kill List (2011) All Kinds Of Crazy

Say you have a job.  You're pretty good at it.  One day, however, there's an incident.  You mess up and get taken down a few pegs.  You move on.  You're not entirely happy, but you move on.  Then someone comes along and wants you to do your old job again, but won't tell you much about it.  You know the money's good but the instructions are weird.  If they ask you to sign in blood, you better start checking your house for weird symbols scratched behind mirrors because things are about to get funky.

Right there, you've got the setup for the wonderfully weird British horror offering, Kill List.

Written by Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump, and directed by Wheatley, this moody and suspenseful flick isn't your run-of-the-mill best-buds-road-trip-from-hell fare.  Yeah, there's the actual "kill list," as you'd expect when two mercenary hit men are involved.  But there's so much more.

Jay (Neil Maskell) is a retired mercenary whose last job, in Kiev, didn't go so well.  It haunts him as he tries to live a normal life with his wife, Shel (MyAnna Buring) and son, Sam (Harry Simpson).  He has his best friend and fellow mercenary, Gal (Michael Smiley a.k.a. Tyres from Spaced), over for dinner.  Gal brings his new girlfriend, the friendly and somewhat odd Fiona (Emma Fryer), along and the dinner goes from good times to big-time tension in a matter minutes before turning back to drunken friendliness.  Fiona draws a strange symbol behind a mirror in the bathroom, then goes about her business.  Jay and Shel argue...a lot.  Money's tight, and that's part of what's straining Jay and Shel's marriage.  Then Gal brings the offer of a job to Jay, and they learn they must eliminate the people named on a list.  Simple enough, right?  Not so fast.  Why is there a priest on their list?  Why isn't he scared?  Why does the pornographer say he knows Jay before they off him?  And what happens during the stakeout of the third name on the list?  The film delves into something completely unexpected, yet consistent with the signs.  The ending, which I won't spoil here, isn't anything you may have guessed.

While the ending is a true mystery, the whole film will make you think for days after it's over.  The buildup of tension is tremendous, as the viewer just doesn't really know what lies ahead on Jay and Gal's road.  It's increasingly violent, mysterious, and strange as it goes.  The acting is outstanding as Maskell, Smiley, and Buring pick up the film and run with it like a precious rugby ball.  They're tense and you can practically feel it through the screen - the list is as much a mystery to them as it is to us.  Wheatley provides taut direction and unflinching framing of this descent into something maddening.

There are definitely some real shocks in this movie.  It will mess with your mind, and you'll thank it politely.  Then you'll twist your brain around trying to figure out the symbolism of everything you just saw.

Just remember that if someone approaches you with a strange "list" of some kind, start sprinting the other way.

Even if all they want is a gallon of milk and some bread.  You never know!

Now, here's the trailer for you to enjoy...

The Caller (2011) Astronomical Phone Bills

I actually stopped myself from making a "Who was phone?" reference in the title.  I should treat myself to a cookie.

The Caller is a neat little bit of Rod Serling-esque horror and suspense that creates a seriously interesting "how is she going to get out of this?" atmosphere.  There's nostalgia surrounding the trusty old rotary phone.  I remember the smooth whir of the dial as it spun, the restriction in movement thanks to the curly wire that always needed to be untangled, the bell ringer...I'm not that old, but I was a kid in the 70's and grew up into the 80's.  Portable phones still weighed as much as a set of small dumbbells.

Written by Sergio Casci and directed by Matthew Parkhill, The Caller tells the increasingly-tense story of Mary Kee (Rachelle Lefevre), a new tenant in a quaint old Puerto Rican apartment building.  She's also a grad student trying to get away from her abusive ex-husband, Steven (Ed Quinn), and developing a relationship with John (Stephen Moyer of True Blood), a professor at the college.  In her apartment is an old rotary phone that soon starts receiving wrong number calls from a lonely woman named Rose (Lorna Raver of Drag Me To Hell).  At first it seems innocent, but then Rose becomes obsessive, especially after she implies that she's killed her husband.  What really creeps Mary out is the fact that Rose claims to be calling from the past.  And like the frightening Steven, Rose isn't willing to let Mary go.  That brings me back to the original question, "how will she get out of this?"  If she's really in the past, then she can affect Mary, but Mary can do nothing.  But really, you'd have to see how it turns out, because I'm not spoiling it here.

While the very end of the movie wasn't what I'd hoped for, the fact remains that the rest of the movie is a fine study in suspense and tension.  Mary is in a hugely frustrating situation:  she can't just change her number or even move because if Rose is truly stationed in the past, and she can affect events that affect Mary.  On top of that, she's got Steven continuing his abuse even after a restraining order is in place.  Mary has two allies in John and the apartment building's caretaker, George (Luis Guzman), but are they enough?  It's a valid question.

The Caller could easily have been written by Rod Serling or been an episode of Outer Limits as its premise is simple, but relies on the viewer's feelings of frustration for Mary because she's in a seriously helpless place.  It's moody and tense with great onscreen acting by Lefevre and chilling voice work by Raver.  I mean, Rose sounds like a sweet old woman at certain times, but boy, does that evil creep into her voice when she's angry.  Honestly, I didn't want to answer my phone for a few days after this movie - even though I don't have a rotary phone, and there's nothing scary about my cell's generic ring tone.

Here's the trailer for you to enjoy:

We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011) Some Are Born Bad

Disquieting.  Disturbing.  Non-linear.  Tense.  Realistic.

While I wouldn't exactly call Lynne Ramsay's 2011 thriller We Need To Talk About Kevin a horror film, there are plenty of aspects about it that are truly horrific, not the least of which is its main premise:  a helpless mother deals with a son that is psychopathic right out of the womb.  Based on Lionel Shriver's 2003 novel, the film takes a winding path towards an incident that is slowly peeled back, onion-skin style.  We, the audience, get clues as to what's going on, but we don't get the full story until near the end.  By that time, though, you'll pretty much guess how the movie will pan out, and it will leave you feeling uneasy and sad.

 

Eva (Tilda Swinton) gives birth to little Kevin, who doesn't seem to bond well with his mother.  She's not exactly Mother of the Year, though, as she is constantly impatient with the odd child.  As an infant, he never stops crying when she's around, but clams up when held by his father, Franklin (John C. Reilly).  At one point during a walk in the city, she pauses for a long while near a jackhammer just to drown out Kevin's constant bawling.  When Kevin gets older, he's a constant challenge, and that's putting it nicely.  He refuses to potty train, and soils his diapers on purpose to tick off Eva.  Fed up, she wrongly throws him against a wall, breaking his arm.  Kevin doesn't tattle on her, but already his manipulative nature kicks in and he lords the incident over Eva.  Eva and Franklin have another baby - unplanned, as the cracks in the marriage continue to widen - but the little girl, Celia, is sweet and every bit the cute kid Kevin isn't.  "Inspired" by a story read to him by Eva, Kevin takes a keen interest in archery, becoming quite adept at it as he grows into a teenager (played with cool evil by Ezra Miller).

 

 

Even years on, Kevin harbors a psychotic disdain for his mother.  Eva feels helpless, as no one, even Franklin, will believe what kind of darkness inhabits Kevin.  Just how dark that abyss in him is grows evident throughout the flashbacks and flash-forwards:  Kevin is imprisoned for something that doesn't come to light until the final act.  Let's just say you don't put a bow and arrows in the hands of an ultra-intelligent, sociopathic teenager with Mommy issues.  The movie slides into this final act with no hint of "surprises" or "twists"...you know what's about to happen, and just like Eva, there's nothing you can do about it.

We Need To Talk About Kevin is like a sneaky nightmare.  It creeps up on you and fills you with dread through the entire film.  It's not a horror film, per se, but what happens in it is horrific and that suspenseful dread I mentioned permeates the whole story to the point where just like Eva, the viewer isn't allowed to feel anything good in this twisted, dream-like world directed with great skill by Lynne Ramsay.  Swinton and Miller are utterly fantastic as mother and son, the helplessness and mental sickness coming out in droves through their expressions.  I should also mention the tremendous job done by Jasper Newell as the younger Kevin.  He effortlessly shows the remorseless and purely psycho leanings of Kevin as a still-diaper-wearing-at-six kid.

Make no mistake:  We Need To Talk About Kevin is not a feel-good movie.  I would say those seeking a hip-hip-hooray movie (or moms-to-be, for that matter) try something a little less bleak.  But still, this is a fine piece of filmmaking that is a study in the building of dread over a ninety-minute span of time.

Next review, I'm writing about something a little less dreary!

Now here's the trailer, which is pretty intense itself:

The Thing (2011) Not Too Bad Of A Setup

I'm just glad it wasn't a remake...of a retelling.

As horror classics go, it would be considered sacrilege to remake John Carptener's The Thing from 1982, which in itself, was a retelling of The Thing From Outer Space from 1951 which was film version of John W. Campbell's 1938 story "Who Goes There?"  Yeah, it's got a long pedigree, but Carpenter's version is considered hands-off.  But when a prequel was rumored, then confirmed, to be in the works, I have to say I was intrigued.  As anyone who has seen Carpenter's film knows, there's a whole story to be told about the Norwegian guy trying to kill an "innocent" dog and the Norwegian outpost that the characters visit in the early parts of the movie.

Well, that's what 2011's The Thing is all about.

In Carpenter's 1982 classic, a frantic man shouting in Norwegian pursues a dog into the American camp and is killed as he begins firing his rifle wildly.  Later in the movie, the Americans, led by Kurt Russell's McReady, discover the leftovers of carnage at the Norwegian outpost.  2011's version aims to tell the story of what led up to the opening moments of the 1982 movie.  Got it?

Written by Eric Heisserer (based on Campbell's story) and directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., The Thing finds paleontologist Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) being drafted for her expertise as something has been discovered - quite by accident - in the Antartican snowfields:  a bona fide spaceship.  Not only that, one of its occupants has been found nearby, encased in ice.  They bring the extraterrestrial popsicle back to camp where it eventually thaws and that's when the fun starts.

This creature doesn't just rampage through the camp, cutting down humans left and right.  Well, it does do that, but this is a crafty little bugger.  It gets into a person, assimilating them cell by cell, until you can't tell the human from the alien.  Or can you?  There is a way, and right when I thought they might completely copy how it was done in the 1982 film, they go in a different, actually quite interesting direction.  Paranoia still reigns as poor Kate is numbered among the dwindling survivors.

The creature has plans of its own, heading back to the spaceship from whence it came.  Its intentions aren't quite clear, but anyone can guess what could happen if this little cell-changing puppy gets out into the world.  It wouldn't be a street party, I can tell you that much.  There's a showdown on the ship as it nearly takes off, explaining how it's just below the surface when the American team finds it later.  There's a sigh of relief as it all over.  Ahhh.  Oh, wait, this isn't an uplifting type of movie.  Kate and Carter (Joel Edgerton) still have a few issues to work out.

It isn't really a spoiler to say that the film ends by blending nearly seamlessly with the beginning of Carpenter's movie.  One could watch this film, then pop in 1982's classic and the story just keeps on going.  Although I expected much less from this movie, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn't dislike it.  It's not the same nail-biter as the other, and the aura of paranoia isn't quite as palpable.  However, as a setup to Carpenter's movie, it's enjoyable and quite respectful to its source material.

Events that happen in this movie show up in the one we all know and love.  The ice block...an axe in the door...the guy with the slashed throat...the specimens in the snow.  It's all there, and this is the story that explains how it all came to be.  A lot of it is very much the same as the other film, but one could argue that the choices of actions that a group could resort to would be limited.  If it was a standalone movie, I'd be much more lukewarm about it.  As a companion piece, it's not all that bad.  It provides some subtle answers to long-asked questions about the 1982 version, and still leaves things open for interpretation.

And now if you'll excuse me, it's time to pop in that 1982 movie I keep telling you about.  In the meantime, here, watch the trailer for this one...

Absentia (2011) Avoiding Tunnels Now

 Oh, those thin little pedestrian tunnels.

Took this picture back in Traverse City, Michigan.  I did not disappear when I walked through it.  That time, anyway.

 

Not those nice, spacious traffic tunnels that are so safe...oh, wait.  There was that scene in 28 Days Later. Hm.  Well, anyway, the claustrophobic elements of the pedestrian tunnels make them a tad more unnerving.  Add to that a history of Lovecraft-esque colonies of creatures lurking in the walls of the tunnel - and reality - and you have a combination that will make you not want to enter one, day or night, muggers be damned.  This is the scenario presented by writer/director Mike Flanagan in his small but moody film, Absentia.

The winner of a number of film festival awards in 2011, Absentia operates on a small budget with an enormous amount of spirit and atmosphere.  Special effects are minimal, and yet that minimalism only adds to the bigger picture.  I invoked the name Lovecraft earlier.  H. P. Lovecraft penned chilling stories where the ghastly, mind-destroying creatures on the edges of reality weren't revealed in full.  It was the idea of their existence that was terrifying.  We never see a full-on shot of what lies underneath reality in Absentia, but your imagination can fill it in.

Tricia (Courtney Bell) is at a crossroads.  She has moved on in her life after the disappearance of her husband, dating a police detective (Dave Levine) and carrying his child.  Yet she still posts notices right up until she finally decides to have her missing hubby declared "dead in absentia."  Her sister, Callie (Katie Parker), a struggling drug addict and free spirit, arrives to provide moral support.  Tricia begins seeing disturbing apparitions of the missing Daniel (Morgan Peter Brown) while Callie finds herself trying to help an apparently homeless and very frightened man (Doug Jones) in a pedestrian tunnel near Tricia's house.  Things get weirder, especially when Daniel shows up, looking tortured and nearly catatonic.  Where he's been is a mystery, and that unravels as the movie builds towards its inevitable, sad conclusion which I won't spoil here.

You're only given a glimpse of what Daniel has been through, and like a Lovecraft story, the idea of it is scarier than actually seeing it.  Besides the creepiness of the atmosphere surrounding that ominous tunnel, what struck me most was the stellar acting by the two leads, Bell and Parker.  Their scenes together are seamless - you really believe they're sisters.  Individually, their performances are natural and utterly believable.  While Levine, Brown, and the always-a-standout Jones turn in fine performances, it's the team of Bell and Parker that really draw the viewer in.  They don't seem like actors playing a part - they seem real.

Absentia is a small film but is making big waves.  If you want some low-key creepiness chilling you as you ponder what moves beyond the veil of the barely-hanging-on reality around us...yeah, you'll want to avoid pedestrian tunnels after you watch it.

Until next time, dear readers, here's the trailer:

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) All In The Family

I know, I'm sure some reviewer has made that joke-reference somewhere, but hey.

In 2007, Paranormal Activity - in its own way - became the Blair Witch Project of the modern era:  a shoestring-budget picture that became a cash cow.  2010 brought the sequel, Paranormal Activity 2, and it turned out to be very entertaining as well as hinting as a deeper story.  Well, that deeper story came along in 2011's Paranormal Activity 3, and I must say, it was pretty intriguing.

With direction from Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, and written by Christopher Landon, the film begins with a prologue.  Consistent with the semi-parallel storytelling from the first sequel, we're treated to sisters Katie and Kristi (Katie Featherstone and Sprague Grayden reprising their roles) sometime before the craziness really kicks in during the first film.  Katie asks Kristi to store some old stuff, including some old video tapes.  When the house is messed up in the second film, that's when those tapes disappear.  That's when we're taken to the past via tapes from 1988.  Katie and Kristi are little girls, enjoying life with their mother, Julie, and her boyfriend, Dennis, a wedding videographer...convenient, I know.  After an earthquake occurs on-camera (Julie and Dennis were trying to make a "special" tape), Dennis sees a startling image and excitedly begins trying to capture it again.  He sets up his cameras all over the house and reviews the footage the next day.  In one segment, he sees Kristi whispering to someone off-screen where no one should be.  Later, he finds out that she was talking to an imaginary friend, Toby.  Although, Kristi swears he's not imaginary.  In this movie, that's a pretty glaring red flag.

More cameras (the oscillating fan camera is pretty sweet) and more strange things afoot as evidence makes itself pretty known.  The "ghost under the sheet"?  Yeah, you'll know what I'm talking about.  Dennis continues his investigation, and thanks to some "choppy" editing, we never really know the full story of the house and where it sits.  After a terrifying incident with the closet, he discovers an odd symbol drawn inside.  He connects it to an ancient witches' coven that once occupied the area, and he doesn't like the proximity to the girls he thinks of as daughters.  Julie is still skeptical, even when seeing some of the weird stuff herself.  It's when she has a...shall we say...kitchen moment, that she insists they leave and head for her mother's.

They do just that, but Dennis doesn't stop filming.  Good thing, because the camera starts catching little things, like Kristi's seemingly innocent "preparation."  At night, awakened by the sound of arriving cars, Dennis follows Julie into the darkened house.  Along the way, he discovers truths that he would shortly wish he hadn't discovered.  Getting out of the house with his daughters is the priority, but well, it's not a spoiler to say that doesn't happen.  Things that occur in the first two films make sense by the end, and it all comes together if you've paid attention to the clues.

I've always been somewhat lukewarm to the hype that Paranormal Activity but that's the fault of the films.  The more I think about them, the more I do realize their pure entertainment appeal.  It's a simple formula:  cameras set up, things escalate, some truths are uncovered, things get worse, climactic incident, silent denouement.  But sometimes, simplicity is just what's needed.  If the movies strayed too much from the norm, from what works, it would seem to convoluted or even pandering.  I do like the movies, individually and as a trilogy.  I like that the scares are obviously coming - that camera's going to show something and you know it.  I really like the ambient music that slowly creeps into a scene, indicating something's about to happen, but you just don't know when or what it will be.

It's just good fun.  Sometimes that's good enough.

So, hey, until the next time - I do hear there's another sequel in the works - enjoy the trailer, even if it does show a lot of things that don't appear in the theatrical release:

The Innkeepers (2011) Go Ahead, Stay For A Night

Ti West has a bright future in filmmaking.

That needs to be said right off the bat.  The writer/director of The House of the Devil (which bears a second look from me) set out to make an homage/update to the classic haunted house story and - despite a near-miss of an ending (which I won't spoil here) - created a beautifully tense and suspenseful film with The Innkeepers.  West has an uncanny talent for setting up scenes and building tension, as well as drawing performances from the actors that fit the style of the film perfectly.  He's building on such a high platform that as his films get better and better, we're going to see more rich visual storytelling as the years and films go by.

The Innkeepers is mostly a two-character film, with Pat Healy starring as the snarky Luke and Sara Paxton as the enthusiastic, cute-as-a-button and asthmatic Claire.  Luke and Claire are the only staff on duty at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, a quaint little hotel that is on the verge of closing up shop.  Luke started a ghost hunting website and enlists Claire to help gather evidence.  Claire is gung-ho about finding out more regarding the local legend of a woman who hung herself after being stood up at the altar.  While the two take shifts, we focus mostly on Claire as she investigates strange noises and spooky hallways, rooms, and garages.

The inn is short on guests, but not short on creepiness.  There's a troubled woman and her young son (Alison Bartlett and Jake Schlueter), staying there as leverage in an argument with her husband.  There's also a famous actress turned psychic, Leanne (Kelly McGillis), who seems to know more than she's willing to let on.  A strange, sad older man (George Riddle) who insists on staying in the hotel room where he spent his honeymoon.  As the night wears on, Claire forms a bit of a bond with Leanne, whose steady drinking gives cause for skepticism from Claire, despite her fan-girl-ishness.  The woman and her son storm out after what they believe is shoddy treatment by the staff (causing some good lines from Luke), but Leanne stays.  After a big scare, Luke confesses his feelings for Claire in a roundabout way.  Yet after another big scare, he runs off, saying that his encounters with the local ghost were fabricated and the real terror he feels after exploring the basement is too much for him.

Leanne warns Claire that something horrible will happen to her if she doesn't leave.  Claire decides to evacuate the inn, and discovers the old man dead in a bloody bathtub, a victim of suicide.  Luke returns and tries to tell Claire something, but she's panicked and wants him to help her get out.  When she heads to the basement, thinking Leanne has somehow ended up there, the movie hurtles towards its sad and strange conclusion.

The only issue, if I can call it that, that I had with the movie was its ending.  It wasn't quite there for me.  I tried thinking about it from outside the box, but still couldn't get a strong feeling for it.  Endings are hard, I know that.  But when you consider the rest of the film is so solid and so incredibly well-filmed, it's really a small nitpick overall.  As I mentioned, the tension is palpable.  You really are along for the ride as Claire explores the hotel and encounters both real and red herring scares.  The acting from Paxton and Healy was simply fantastic.  They have obvious chemistry and were just so natural.  They seemed like real people having a really crazy night at an allegedly haunted inn.  The dialogue was natural, never forced.  The scares were beautifully done, subtle yet never weak.

Ti West really has the potential to become one of this generation's greatest horror filmmakers.  He understands tension and character, and modern - and mainstream - horror needs more of that to effectively balance out the slick shocks and occasional gore.  I expect his next film will be even better.

Memorable scenes:

*  Claire's dream featuring a spooky visitor.  Brrrrr....

*  Any time the audio equipment was used.  Excellent use of sound.

*  The banter between Luke and Claire.

*  The ghost at the top of the stairs, then in the basement.  Subtle but oh, so creepy.

*  Luke and Claire trying to contact the ghost in the basement.  Ratchet that tension up to ten!

And now, as a small bonus, here are some pictures of the actual Yankee Pedlar Inn I took on a recent road trip up to Torrington, Connecticut.

Until next time, dear readers, enjoy the trailer:

Happy New Year, 2012! Is This The Year For The Zombie Apocalypse?

Well, another year has gone by and we head into the infamous year of 2012, when the world is supposed to end and we're supposed to follow John Cusack to salvation.  How will it end?  I'm not sure, but I'm checking the rations to make sure I have enough cookies.

First off, allow me to thank you, the readers, once again for taking the time to read my little thoughts on various horror movies.  As of today, the blog is just a few people away from 100,000 views.  So thanks for stopping by and hopefully, you're taking some entertainment and information away from the ol' helicopter.

Second, another big thanks go out to others in the horror and pop culture blogging community, who continue to be friendly and supportive.

Sadly, I didn't get to Chiller this year. I planned on going in October, but thanks to the freak snowstorm here in the northeast, the kibosh was put on that.  I'm shooting for a trip in April, though.

I'm hoping 2012 will see more entertainment, and I'd like to feature more interviews, more reviews of independent films/screeners, and more diverse subjects like books and music.  Hey, it's all up to me!

I also started a new blog for another of my big interests:  comic books.  Go check out Born In The Silver Age - not much there yet, but it'll grow.

In keeping with tradition, I'm going to share my ten favorite movies that I reviewed in 2011 - not including the ones I already own.  Trust me, there were more than ten that I really liked, but I'll narrow it down in no particular order.  Here goes:

The Last Exorcism - This listing is actually more about the context of the film and how it may have gone outside the box to tell its story.  Yeah, it's "found footage" but the theory I subscribe to is that even the description of the genre "found footage" is being played with here.

Phantasm - An older film and a cult classic, it always brings back great childhood memories of the weird horror films we could only catch on the early days of cable or at the video store.  Yes, Phantasm on VHS is a fond memory of mine.

Stake Land - Word of mouth propelled my interest in this little movie that offered a very unique take on vampires and what they could mean to the world if left unchecked.  Great performances and a heartbreaking invasion scene were two traits that made me really enjoy this movie.

Dance Of The Dead (2008) - Definitely a fun horror-comedy with a great deal of likable characters and funny moments.  It had a b-movie appeal with modern sensibilities, combining the two with flair.  Neat explanation as to why certain zombies move faster than others as well.

I Saw The Devil - What an emotional punch to the stomach.  This film has it all:  deft direction, great pacing, and amazing acting.  It's brutal yet human - it's definitely not a ray of sunshine, but it's a quality, extremely well-made film.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil - This was probably my favorite movie to review in 2011.  An absolutely wonderful film, full of sweet characters, hilarious predicaments, and a subplot that boils to the surface in the third act make this a purely magical movie experience.

Trollhunter - Wild Norwegian fare that elevated the "found footage" genre even more, with some great performances and special effects that are absolutely seamless.  A film about encountering Nordic trolls seems like a silly premise, but they pull it off with style.

House On Haunted Hill (1959) - One of the true classics starring one of my absolute favorites in Vincent Price (and eternal doom-sayer Elisha Cook) , this one of the films that adds to the foundation of horror.  Sweet suspense and a cheeky performance by Price.

Attack The Block - I'd classify this as sci-fi/horror and it's well on its way to being a cult classic.  A gang of tough London kids battle a herd of very, very toothy aliens.  A real lesson on character development and pacing, my love for this film grew as it went on to its satisfying conclusion.

Skew - Definitely a lot of "found footage" films on my blog, and this list, but this one was near the top.  A seemingly simple premise holds a lot more details in this road movie that has as one of its stars a possibly haunted/cursed video camera.

And one TV miniseries:


Dead Set (TV) - While technically not a film, this British TV miniseries was a kinetic, gory, and emotional rollercoaster set against the backdrop of a popular reality show.  I believe it featured some of the best "being overrun by hordes of zombies" scenes I've seen.

And one special mention of a short film I reviewed:

Crestfallen - From producer Russ Penning and director Jeremiah Kipp came this wordless, quiet, and emotional short film about the downfall of a young woman who feels she has lost it all.  Actress Deneen Melody turns in a fantastic performance, making her someone to watch as her career no doubt grows.

Honorable mentions:  Let Me In, Piranha (2010), Poultrygeist, The Horde, Cronos, The Horseman

So, a Happy New Year to all my helicopter passengers - let it be safe, happy, and full of good surprises with none of the bitey zombies.  Thanks for reading, and I'll see you at all the post-apocalyptic shelters!

Grave Encounters (2011) This Would Make A Great Haunted House Attraction

You know those haunted house attractions that pop up everywhere during the Halloween season?  Some are hokey, many are extremely creative.  Through my entire viewing of The Vicious Brothers' Grave Encounters, I kept thinking how sweet it would be if they could parlay the film into an actual haunted house one could brave on a crisp autumn evening.  I also kept thinking about how well the filmmakers skewered "reality ghost hunter" series as fame- and ratings-seekers.  Only in Grave Encounters, the question is asked, "what if one of those shows actually finds something?"

Continuing my unofficial "found footage month" here at the Helicopter, Grave Encounters slides right in as an entry in that genre, as nearly the entire film is told through footage that was "found" at an abandoned insane asylum and, as a concerned television executive tells us in the few moments that are not in first-person, "altered in any way."  Although this subgenre is starting to saturate the market just a tad, I'm still interested in it.  Although I had slightly lower expectations for this film, I was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was.

Written and directed by the awesomely-named Vicious Brothers (Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz), the film sets us up with premise that a film crew producing the latest episode of a ghost-hunting reality show called - as you may guess - "Grave Encounters."  An executive lets us know in documentary format that the crew has disappeared and what we're about to watch is an edited, yet undoctored account of what happened to them.  We then meet the leader of the team, Lance (Sean Rogerson) who bears an uncanny...hell, an obvious resemblance to that spiked-hair muscle guy on "Ghost Adventures."  His mannerisms in front of the camera had me laughing since I'm so entertained by the antics of the real show, it seemed like a parody-homage.  To investigate the supposedly haunted asylum, he brings his team of camera man T.C. (Merwin Mondesir), occult expert Sasha (Ashleigh Gryzko), tech guy Matt (Juan Riedinger), and psychic Houston (Mackenzie Gray).  Early on, the on-camera facades drop and we see that Lance and his team hardly believe in the paranormal - the whole thing is about ratings and of course, money.  Lance is obsessed with the show being successful, and Houston is hardly a real psychic, just an actor who complains that the overnight taping session might cut into his auditions.  They even pose like a hip paranormal investigation team.  They're ready-made for fame.

But strange things begin to happen over the night, at first nothing overly alarming.  But when Matt goes upstairs to investigate a window that moved during the night, it kicks off something that ranges from mysterious (his disappearance) to the terrifyingly surreal (what the team finds when they finally open the front doors).  Although they're not locked in anymore, they can't leave.  The asylum itself becomes an antagonist.  Maps and directions mean nothing.  Doesn't matter that their clocks say it's daytime...outside the windows, it's still dark.  Horrifying apparitions appear and the party is separated in the pitch black.  One by one, the crew is picked off in chilling ways.  I won't spoil how they go down, but I will say I found T.C.'s fate especially creepy.  Eventually, it's down to just Lance, exhausted and alone.  At the end of his rope, it's as if the asylum allows him to glimpse answers to long-standing questions about the nefarious doctor who likely created the restless spirits before handing him over to his doom.

Unlike Skew, the found footage film I reviewed recently, Grave Encounters isn't deeply layered.  There's no symbolism or puzzles you need to solve, not even a breathtaking final shot to nestle itself in your brain.  Grave Encounters is straightforward and wild, a walk through a haunted house not unlike some of the better Halloween attractions out there.  It's not fancy, but it manages to hold the interest and entertain with no small amount of flair and nods to a slew of urban legends.  Rogerson is excellent as the central character, and his Lance is intense, brash, and slightly unlikeable.  He demands his crew follow him, even when things get insane.  One standout for me was Gray as Houston, the over-dramatic, cowardly psychic.  He's so over-the-top when he's "on camera" for the show, displaying his "powers," but a fame-seeking diva when he's not.  I found him to be both hysterical and interesting by playing both sides of that coin.

Overall, the film is a lot of fun, not nearly as bad as I thought it might be...don't ask me why I thought it would be bad.  I guess I thought I was due for a dud, but I was happy to find I really enjoyed Grave Encounters. 

So give it a try, and you'll see what I mean:  making this a haunted house tourist attraction would be money in the bank. Charge admission at the door, gift shop on the way out. Money, I tell you.

Skew (2011) The More I Think About This Movie...

...the more I like it.

Skew had me thinking.  Not just during the movie, which is always a positive, but after.  Long after.  It made me think about everything I saw during the course of the film and every line of dialogue.  It especially made me think about a final scene enough that I went back and watched the final few minutes over again.  The final frame froze me in my tracks.  Figuratively, of course. I don't usually pace around the room when I watch movies.

The last found footage/cinema vertite/first person film to make me formulate ideas and theories long after I shut it down was The Last Exorcism, which I enjoyed more after I watched it as well.  My theories may not be right, but it's fun to think them up.  The last shot in Skew is a game-changer.  It made me go back over everything I had just seen and re-think all of it.  It's chilling and exciting at the same time.  Like a goofball fawning over a double rainbow, I felt like laugh-shouting, "What does it MEAN?"

Basically, Skew is a story told from one point of view, first-person-style.  It's deftly written and directed by Sevé Schelenz about three friends on a road trip.  Some movies could tell a story with just that, but Schelenz goes much further.  Simon (Robert Scattergood) wants to document the entire trip to a friend's wedding with his spankin' new camcorder.  Buddies Rich (Richard Olak) and Eva (Amber Lewis) pick him up but there's already tension because Simon has just had a fight with his girlfriend Laura (Taneal Cutting).  Eva goes inside to convince Laura to go anyway, but is given the cold shoulder.  The three head out on the road and after some friendly shenanigans and typical road trip fun, strange things begin to happen.  Hey, you knew they would.  It starts when they hit a coyote on the road, then check in to a local motel.  Simon films the desk clerk and finds his face distorted and twisted.  Later that night, the clerk is found dead and police are everywhere.  But it doesn't stop there.

An entire bus full of tourists winds up dead after being filmed through Simon's lens, and the weirdness is just getting started.  Terrifying things happen.  Tensions flare.  Nerves are stretched thin.  Visions intrude (but only for Simon).  Secrets are confessed, one of which brings friends closer, another which tears them apart.  It all comes to a head, and when the final few minutes finally air, we get some answers and one huge reveal that might give you more questions to ponder.

And my friends, sometimes that ain't all bad.

Sometimes I like being left with a few questions partially answered...or not answered at all.  It's good exercise for the brainpan to be given some slack to dance around the information it's been given, see it from different angles.  Too often, audiences are spoon-fed the answers and soon grow to demand it.  Look at some (some, I say) of the frustration with the TV show, Lost.  Answers were deliberately held back, but there were those who got angry because every little detail wasn't revealed.  But I digress.

Skew wasn't without a couple faults, the way I saw it.  I understand and very much appreciate the importance of a slow build, but there were a few spots where dialogue and non-action felt a touch snail-like.  But I'm definitely willing to look past those slow spots because the acting was very good, very genuine.  It's hard to pick out a single star, and I have to hand it to Scattergood for basically what amounts to voice acting, as it is through his perspective that we see the film.  Olak is a study in a breakdown as he goes from jaunty slacker-ish guy to hard-drinking angry friend on the verge of blowing his top.  Lewis is the voice of reason, the almost angelic one that everyone loves.  She tries so hard to keep the three together with so much going on behind her eyes.  The script is natural and flowing, and the direction is tight, especially during the scenes of mounting tension or utter creepiness.  I'm not alone in looking forward to Schelenz' next body of work.

Give yourself some time and have a gander at Skew.  It's a fine entry in the current "found footage craze," even though it's technically a forerunner, since it was actually filmed in 2005.  It doesn't have the frantic craziness of, say, a [REC], but for genuine creeps and chills, it makes a damn strong case for itself.

Now here, take a look at the trailer if you like. *warning: some language and possible spoiler-ish stuff*

Attack The Block (2011) Aliens Pick The Wrong Block

It always comes back to Spaced.

Longtime readers of my blog know of my love for that British television series, which starred Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Jessica Stevenson, directed by Edgar Wright, and co-produced by Nira Park.  I always seem to find a way to connect it to something...that is when I'm not watching it for the fiftieth time.

Along comes the little British sci-fi/action/horror flick Attack The Block, and sure enough, it stars Frost, is co-produced by Park, and executive produced by Wright.

Quality!

There was a lot of buzz surrounding Attack The Block, with a lot of voices proclaiming its excellence.  It kind of snuck up on me, so I was quite happy when I realized I could get a hold of it sooner than later.  The premise looked unique enough to catch my eye:  aliens invade an inner city housing project only to meet resistance from the local ruffians.  That may sum it up, but it was definitely a richer experience than just those words.

During Guy Fawkes Night, young nurse Sam is mugged on her way home by a bunch of kids, who are threatening despite their obviously young age.  They're interrupted by a meteor-like object crashing into a nearby car, where they discover a mean little creature that scratches the leader Moses before running off.  The gang finds the creature hiding in a shed and proceeds to beat it to death.  Taking it to the local weed dealer Ron (Frost), they're full of piss and vinegar when Moses gets promoted by the block's head drug dealer Hi-Hatz.  They go out in search of more aliens to beat up on, but run into bigger, meaner, and toothier versions of the one they killed.  Not only that, they get pinched by a couple policeman on a tip from Sam.  Soon, Moses and his gang and Sam are forced to team up as the creatures descend on the block, killing anyone associated with the gang.  Hi-Hatz thinks Moses betrays him, so he sets out after him, too.  The deadly serious Moses steels himself, realizing it's up to him to protect his gang, protect Sam, and defeat the aliens.  There are a few interesting twists and a satisfying ending that redefines heroism within the context of the movie.

Even with the presence of Nick Frost and a funny performance from Luke Treadaway as Brewis, a drug customer who just wants to be seen as cool, Attack The Block isn't really a comedy.  The presence of aliens speaks to a science fiction genre, and the violence and suspense are earmarks of horror.  Like I wrote before, I see it as a sci-fi/action/horror movie with a coming-of-age flavor - it's non-stop with some pretty frightening alien juggernauts that are all black fur and teeth.  Rows and rows of glow-in-the-dark teeth.  The performances are genuine, and the street slang spoken by the kids ends up not distracting the viewer, even if the person watching didn't grow up in South London, where the film takes place.  While there are a few chuckles, they're usually nervous ones as the characters are scared.  When you see these aliens in action, who wouldn't be?

Attack The Block was definitely a fun little film, great for late-night viewing.  Even though the kids are junior criminals, you're guaranteed to root for them as the film progresses.  The monsters are of a simple design, but it absolutely works, as does the reason why they're focusing on the gang.  You could do a lot worse if you need some good entertainment.

Now I'll go watch Spaced again, while you check out the trailer for Attack The Block. Enjoy, and watch the skies...

Crestfallen (2011) Wordless and Powerful

Words are powerful.  No doubt about that.  Sometimes, however, the absence of words can be just as powerful.  The awkward pause, the angry silence, the space between story and punch line.  Your own mind can fill in the words when it encounters a silent narrative, and what that narrative might be trying to tell you could punch you right in the gut.

The short film Crestfallen, a six-minute cautionary tale of a young woman driven to the edge of her life - the edge of a knife - by betrayal and sadness, has no words, no dialogue, nothing shouted or whispered.  The viewer is simply made witness to the young woman's pain, both physical and emotional.  Written and produced by Russ Penning, filmed by Dominick Sivilli, and directed by Jeremiah Kipp, Crestfallen stars Deneen Melody as Lo, the young woman who suffers the titular emotion.  

Quite simply, Lo has been betrayed by the love of her life and decides to take her own.  It's not an easy decision, and things may not turn out the way anyone expects as the minutes tick on and the memories flow.  It doesn't take long for the viewer to sympathize with Lo, who glides naked and with an air of dignity into a bathtub.  As the knife runs along her arms, the memories flow with the blood, and not all of them are hurtful.  She reflects on what brought her to this point, and what should keep from doing it.  It's Lo's downward spiral, and we're along for the ride, helpless to do anything but watch.

Crestfallen is beautifully shot, directed with a deft hand by Kipp, whose wonderfully surreal short Contact I reviewed last year.  Here's a guy who takes his craft very seriously, and will never be accused of "phoning it in."  Keep an eye out for Kipp; he's headed for big things.  Deneen Melody is the centerpiece of this short film, and is beautiful and effortless in her performance.  We see the hurt in her eyes, the sadness and pain, all without words.  She looks like someone we all might know, someone we would want to help.  That sense of familiarity is strong - I couldn't help thinking she looked just like an old friend of mine, but I couldn't place who.  You want her to be okay, no matter what, and that's brought to life by some fine acting.  The fact that Crestfallen is silent, except for a score, only added to its beauty.  I really am cheering for this film to make a big splash soon.

But enough of my words - I was fortunate enough to have both Kipp and Melody answer some questions about Crestfallen and I'd love to share them with you dear readers now.  Let's start with Mr. Jeremiah Kipp, the director:

Was there a specific influence that inspired this narrative (writer, director, etc.)?

"The writer and producer of this film, Russ Penning, based the movie on some rather heavy personal experiences, so that was our primary influence. I thought he was brave to face those demons. My job was to visually interpret his story as best I could, along with my key collaborator, DP/Editor Dominick Sivilli.  Dom tends to downplay his participation, often saying his vision of the project is to shine a light through the window and turn on the smoke machine. But he has a profoundly sensitive and poetic approach to his work. When we shot the suicide scene, he whispered, "This feels like BEOWULF." He was right; we were trying to tell an intimate, personal, character-driven story in an epic and operatic way. Our feelings (love, hate, fear) are as large to us as castles and kings; and suicide and the flood of memories our main character endures should be told in a way that is bold, daring and sincere."

Will we see Crestfallen in some film festivals or contests? 

"Russ has an entire festival plan for Crestfallen. With a running time of six minutes, we hope it will fit nicely in a short film program or preceding a feature.  Since it was intended as an anti-suicide film, we hope horror and mainstream festivals and audiences are able to connect with it."

Any projects on the horizon?  Has Crestfallen opened any more doors? 

"One of the more immediate doors opened by this project was the opportunity to work with associate producer Marv Blauvelt and his company Muscle Wolf Productions, as well as Chris Jay and Kitsie Duncan of Dark Rider Productions. I cannot say enough about how welcoming and instrumental these Midwestern filmmakers were in making Crestfallen, and it opened a dialogue about more projects we'd like to work on together. As the old saying goes, work begets work. I'm currently editing a "hired gun" horror trailer I recently directed, and start principal photography on a non-genre movie next month starring my old friend Scott Miller and Geoffrey Owens from The Cosby Show. There's also The Sadist starring Tom Savini, which is currently finding its form in post. My producers and I are navigating that path right now. There are a few exciting monster movies in development as well. All we can do is let the future come."

And now I give you Deneen Melody, in her own words:

From where did that intense performance emerge?  Inspirations, motivations?

"I haven't discussed this with many people, but one of the main reasons I wanted to do this film is for a friend of mine. She took her own life a few months before, which absolutely broke my heart. It is such a sad thing when someone, despite the reasons, feels that there isn't any hope...that there is absolutely nothing to fight for."

"That being said, Crestfallen is very personal and was something I wanted to do in a more positive light. Some people may see the movie and feel it is a depressing, which is true, but the end message is a positive one. It shows that no matter how harsh life may be, in the end, there is always something to live for."

"Jeremiah and I didn't have a chance to rehearse before the shoot, due to him being in New York and myself in Chicago, but we had several conversations about the piece. Developing the character with Jeremiah helped bring something more to Lo...she became someone with an entire back story instead of a random woman in a bathtub. It was important to all of us that we create a character that, without anyone having to say a single word, feels for or identifies with."

Crestfallen seemed so effortless.  Describe working with Jeremiah, Dominick, and Russ.
 
"They were fantastic, of course! I had already worked with Dominick on a film called Lewis, and we got along very well, so I was familiar with how he works. And while I had never worked with Jeremiah before, we had chatted online and I am a fan. As mentioned above, we didn't have a chance to rehearse anything before we shot the film, but Jeremiah would talk to me in detail about the way he works, so when we were on set, we were able to just jump into the story. Both Jeremiah and Dominick always bring something very unique and visual to their films, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of something so beautifully shot and put together."

"Russ is someone I had met online and he is such a good friend, always super supportive and encouraging towards my career. When we all first started talking about doing this film, I could relate to the personal aspects of the story and understood where Russ was coming from in his writing. I've read some other things he has written since then and he has so much talent. I hope that I can work on another film he writes in the future!"

Any projects on the horizon?  Has Crestfallen opened any more doors? 

"I am currently working on a project of my own creation called Rose White. It is a fantasy thriller/crime drama based on the Brothers Grimm story, Snow-White and Rose-Red. I play the role of Lilly (Snow White) and the beautiful Erin Breen stars as my sister, Rosalyn (Rose Red). The film also features Daniel Kuhlman (who is also directing the film along with Brian Kilborn), Tom Lodewyck, and Anthony Fleming. Breakwall Pictures is working in association with TinyCore Pictures (III SLICES OF LIFE) to bring this movie to life!"

"Some other projects I have coming up include Prey to God, Witches Playground, Bloodstruck, Astro Noir, Dark Light, and the dramatic feature film Strawberry Summer. You can keep up with news and updates on all these projects at my Facebook page and website!"

"Crestfallen has opened a door to a more dramatic path, which is something I was looking for and am very thankful to achieve. I really must thank Russ, Jeremiah, and Dominick for believing in my abilities and giving me such a rewarding opportunity!"

*****

And now I must say a HUGE thank you to both Jeremiah Kipp and Deneen Melody for being so nice and taking the time to answer my questions.  Keep an eye out for Crestfallen, and for the talented people involved with this short film.


As for your humble helicopter pilot, I bid you all a healthy "until next time," and don't get too close to the fences...the undead have a hell of a reach.