Songs for a New World @ Paper Wing Theatre

“Songs of a New World”

Bold.

No, seriously, that’s the first word I thought of when I tried to sit here and figure out where to begin- “Songs for a New World” is a seriously ballsy show that takes a bunch of risks where it could have chosen to play much safer. Director Noah Reeves dresses his stage in newspaper print from top to bottom with only four major pieces of furniture to tell the small tales that make up the whole of the show- it’s minimalism that carries a bold statement- it’s small but it’s everything. It’s and the newsprint reflects the vastness of what the show wants to accomplish. And when the music begins, we are immediately struck with the next risky venture- the cast moves forward without the aid of microphones.

And it caught me off guard.

“Songs For a New World” is a musical piece of performance art where the cast (2 men, 2 women) take on various roles representing people who have come to a moment of decision in their lives. Whether it comes to love, finance, liberty, war, or the dreams of a High School Basketball player; each of the characters represented are caught in a moment in their lives where one decision could mean the world. And the vocal pieces here are difficult, with challenging pitches and word play. And all four performers step on the stage without the aid of a microphone so these pieces need to be loud in the near 80 seat capacity theater- they need to sing loudly enough to match the accompaniment. They need to project their voices so everyone can hear them- and as I sat near the back of the theater, I was immediately aware of the challenge facing these performers.

And it works.

The four actors had chemistry with one another and there was a sense of support for one another as they represented the many tales being told- each of them remained present in the moment, even if they were not the focus of attention. I was really impressed with these performances and these vocalists.

4 out of 5.

Hardcore Henry and Dawn of Justice.

Hardcore Henry

BOOM!!! Inspired by “first-person” shooter video games, this film is bad ass!

So the movie starts and the audience is seeing everything from the point of view of an eponymous “Henry”, a tattooed man who lost his arm, his leg, and much of his features in some unknown battle with a villain we are guaranteed to meet early on. He’s given cybernetic replacements by a wife he can’t remember and things immediately go to hell when the villain makes his entrance, forcing Henry to flee before certain procedures can be completed. And away we go!

“Crank” fans will probably see a lot of similarities between the two films as “Henry” subs for Statham’s Chev Chelios and is partly sent on the run and sent on a mission of vengeance when he has to rescue his wife from the Villain (who has telekinetic powers of some sort) and help his only friend in all of the mess, Jimmy. The movie is almost all non-stop action and all told from the point of view of the audience- so there’s quite a bit of shaky-cam work, but it all makes sense with regard to the narrative of the film.

Oh, and then there’s the grue factor- this film gets downright bloody and nasty with what it delivers. Heads exploding, bodies cut into pieces, knives through hands, and more than small fair share of other exploitation moments.

Hardcore Henry is a solid 4 out of 5.

Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice

I don’t hate Zack Snyder.

In point of fact, I really enjoy Snyder’s body of work on the whole and I think he has a very unique and expressive visual style. I think he approaches material with an eye for detail and a mind toward exploring a number of themes; individuality, fighting despite the odds, and perseverance. He’s a director who took the source material from the Watchmen and actually had the cajones to insert a rebuttal to the nihilism of Moore’s original work near the end. He took an opportunity to explore a passion project that was, essentially, a remake of “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” and dressed it up as a fantasy adventure with “Sucker Punch”. And so I was incredibly eager to see his rendition of Superman with “Man of Steel”- and I was overwhelmed with the disappointment of it. Still, I had some hope- I saw stirrings of the Superman I wanted to see in Henry Cavill and I just knew that Snyder had a good superhero film in him- but then I saw the trailer for “BvS: Dawn of Justice” and all hope seems dashed to the wind. The reviews poured in- nothing really good in the echo chamber, but I knew I had to see the film for myself. Some friends liked the film- there had to be something worthwhile here?

Right?

Green Lantern wasn’t the worst film I had ever seen but it was largely panned… surely this couldn’t be that bad?

And it’s not- it really isn’t as bad as people are claiming, but there are things that don’t work and there is definitely a “fan edit” on the way. Someone is going to cut the useless “dream” material- someone is going to cut about thirty minutes from this two and a half-hour slog in order to deliver a more concise narrative that tells a much more direct story. It’s just unfortunate that this person was not Zack Snyder and it wasn’t Warner Bros. and it wasn’t anyone who will really count when all is said and done.

The GOOD:

Ben Affleck is great as Batman. To be honest, the script seems to be written with the events of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight in mind- moments from both films are lightly referenced in dialogue and a 20 year history is blatantly spelled out as Alfred interacts with Bruce in casual conversation.  The Dark Knight Rises, however, seems to not have been made during the first draft of this script and so there are no references… which is good, because I don’t think that was a good end to Nolan’s “trilogy”.

Gal Gadot literally SHINES on screen in the role of Diana Prince (AKA: Wonder Woman) and I was really looking forward to her appearance later on in the events. Disappointing as the finale was, it was awesome to see Wonder Woman standing where she belongs in the DC iconography.

Henry Cavill works HARD to be Superman- and he has a few great moments.

The initial reason for Batman’s mistrust of Superman is compelling- the film opens on a note made very sour for many viewers of Man of Steel; specifically the dismissive loss of life that occurred during Zod and Superman’s battle above the Metropolis. Bruce investigates a way to take on the Man of Steel and Superman seems too aloof to confront on a social level- much less on the personal level in which Batman witnesses during that rampaging battle in the skies. This is a compelling story at its core… but more on that later.

THE BAD:

Lex Luthor. What?!?!! What was Eisenberg thinking throughout this performance? Honestly- my wife really enjoyed it and pointed out that he was a creepy, uncomfortable, and completely psychotic paranoid megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur- and that makes an awesome villain. It just doesn’t really make a Lex Luthor-type sociopath driven to destroy Superman. But never mind that-

Because there’s the freaking plot.

Here’s the thing- Batman doesn’t trust Superman, Luthor nudges them into a fight, and the two titans do battle. That’s simple- unfortunately, Batman isn’t really nudged by Luthor. Luthor somehow figures out the secret identities of both heroes and that revelation comes very late and without any degree of explanation. Batman, also, seems to be plagued by dreams of a “future” that may or may not come to pass- it includes an image of The Flash with a warning and an extended scene with minions of Darkseid ruling the barren post-apocalyptic wasteland of Earth. None of which has any sort of influence from Luthor or his supposed “machinations”… all leading to a huge battle that ultimately ends because Superman and Batman both have a mother named “Martha”.

I shit you not. And yes, that’s a spoiler that I gave without any degree of warning because I simply give no figs about it. They stop fighting because their mom has the same name and that stops Batman from striking the killing blow… and to his credit, Affleck is able to pull off the hesitancy in a believable manner but the damage is done. “Our moms are both named Martha!” I imagine two kids on a schoolyard claiming before they become the best of friends.

Stupid.

And then Luthor makes Doomsday. With Zod’s body.

And Superman is just plain DEPRESSING… can we get a single real Superman moment from one of these films? Please? Just one happy moment where he actually does rescue a cat rather than having Bruce mock such moments in casual dialogue? Please?!?!! Pretty please?!?!!!

5.5 out of 10.

Other Desert Cities- a bit of a rambling thought on this show.

So this is what I've been told and this is what is talked about in the play- while driving in to Palm Springs there is a sign that leads people toward the small community and another sign that leads to "Other Desert Cities"- There's something allegorical about the title, something of a hint in what we're about to see when we sit down for a night at Paper Wing Theatre. But the truth of the matter is that the road beyond is going to be uncertain and filled with certain expectations- And "expectations" were the order of the day when I sat down to watch and experience this play.

I make no secret with regard to my own political leanings- they are slightly right of center, I am registered as a Republican, and I lean with favor toward capitalism and somewhat traditional values. And I've made mention with regard to the nature of political messages in art- specifically, I've come to largely expect and accept that my views are often going to be vilified and exemplified by the worst archetypes and characterizations possible. And I walked into this play with the expectation that I would probably need to grind my teeth and bear it. So before you stop reading, let me tell you that my expectations were absolutely shattered, crumpled, and destroyed by the reality of what this play had to offer. And I hope you stay with me for the ride I'm about to take you on because I'm going to do without spoiling the play itself-

In Jon Robin Baitz Pulitzer nominated play; we're introduced to the Wyath's on Christmas Eve. Polly and Lyman are country club Conservatives and former "old guard" Hollywood society people. Lyman served as an Ambassador under the Reagan administration after a fairly successful career as an actor. Polly was a screenwriter who gave up her career during the cultural shift of the 60's. Their youngest son, Trip, is a television producer working on a Celebrity Courtroom-styled show and their eldest daughter, Brooke, is about to publish her second novel. Unbeknownst to the family, this is going to be a memoir about the family and their eldest son who had committed suicide several years earlier. And so, of course, the family secrets, resentments, and chaos all come tumbling out to threaten the love that actually holds this family together.

Director Koly McBride prefaces the show with a foreword on the program itself- in it she shares her relationship with the show itself. A trip to New York, a powerful piece, and something she couldn't see on her own stage. And then she experiences life in a way that fundamentally changes her and the show has a new light in her eye and she once again explores the material and finds something different and it takes root. And whether these changes provoked a spark of creative genius or if the material just felt so familiar to her or if she's just this damn good, McBride delivers a show that doesn't just cut the edge- it delves into deep dark places and it forces the viewer to ask questions of themselves and their own expectations. There's that word again.

Polly is the family's alpha-Mom; a no-nonsense, take charge, do the right thing Republican work horse who has devoted much of her life to the example set by her good friend, Nancy Reagan. To "control everything" and keep everything working in tip top shape. And her husband, Lyman- well, he's very comfortable with just living his life according to a script without too many messy things disrupting things the way he likes it. And I expected the usual onslaught of jokes regarding their politics- the skewering of their beliefs, their life, and who they were as people. I even expected (that word again) these characters to be treated as anything BUT people, to be honest- But that's not all there is.

Because while I've told you a little bit about the daughter, the son, and both parents; there is one more member of the Wyeth Family. Polly's alcoholic sister, Silda Grauman. Theresa Del Piero sweeps in as this amazingly provocative character; somewhat ephemeral as she rebukes her sisters politics, lifestyle, her lack of humanity, her severity, parenting skills, and a perceived betrayal of her  roots and the person she WAS. She throws her support behind Brooke's writing and offers a few choice words of encouragement here and there- all while suckling at the teet of generosity from a supposedly cold and vicious older sister. Because while I might have expected(!) the usual litany of left leaning political insults, I never imagined they'd come from such a deeply flawed and hypocritical character.

And that's where Carry Collier and Keith Decker step in as Polly and Lyman- two parents in the twilight years of their lives forced into a confrontation with their elder sons suicide and the memoirs of a daughter just coming out of a deep depression. The mother is severe- driven to care for and direct her family as much as possible, to keep everything moving, and to live life the way she sees fit. When there's trouble she is the first to step in and the first to act and she isn't going to bother being nice about it. Wyman is a consummate politician- he wants to avoid direct confrontation and largely sits back for the ride, happy to let people go their own way so long as he can continue to go his. Collier brings layers to her performance, saying so much more with a glance or a turn than most actors can say with a soliloquy. She knows how her family talks about her and she lets it roll off her back- she has a job to do and to hell with what people think of her for it. Keith Decker steps up with an air of nobility and pride that begs to remain unblemished- but when he eventually crumbles beneath the weight of his daughter's revelations, we see the humanity struggling deep within the man himself.

Mindy Whitfield delivers a stunning performance as Brooke- a manic depressive writer who has been haunted by the memory of her elder brother's suicide. A brother she idolized; he was a left leaning firebrand, a protester, a rebel, and a direct dichotomy to the rigid politics of her parents. And she comes home for the holidays with a huge bombshell- she tip toes around the idea, she evades, and she ultimately drops it with an "expectation" that ultimately leads to twists she never saw coming.

And when events spin to a fine puree, youngest son Trip is always there to play peacemaker to the family he loves despite their differences in opinion, politics, philosophies, or tastes. He doesn't want to waste their valuable time debating those things- he'd rather love and laugh and experience the joy of just BEING with his family.  He's also the most brutally honest character on the stage- he calls the bullshit as he sees it, he confronts the issue head on, and he offers sympathy when it's needed most. He ultimately loves his family and doesn't want to see it torn apart- and Taylor Landess delivers the finest performance I've ever seen in the years I've seen him work in community theater.

I told you that the order of the day was "expectations". If you think you know these characters, you're going to find out that people are not the stereotypes we imagine. If you think you're going to find an easy answer- you're going to find out that life isn't always so easy or gentle, nor is it anything close to "simple". Let me be blunt- FUCK the expectations! If you have them, forget them. If you think you know something, don't be surprised if it bites you on the ass with just how much you don't know.  This is, by far, one of the ten best shows I've ever seen in the years that I've been attending Paper Wing Shows and is yet another reminder that art can sometimes be a little painful and it can show us a reflection of ourselves that maybe we don't find so flattering. And that's not such an awful thing when you really think about it.

10 out of 10. "Other Desert Cities" continues to play at Paper Wing Theatre, check website for showtimes.

The Tempest at Paper Wing Fremont!

The Tempest

There are many reviews for “The Tempest” playing at Paper Wing Fremont. All of them talk about the controversial history of the play, it’s place in Shakespeare’s works, and so on so forth. So I’m going to skip all of that- because it’s not really all that important to my experience with this production. If you’re interested, I advise you to read Shane M. Dallmann’s review on his facebook page or look at the Monterey Arts Weekly page, or even check out the Monterey County Herald. Suffice to say that this is Shakespeare, it’s well read, and it’s been adapted a number of times.

I wasn’t going to write anything about the show, to be totally honest. I didn’t feel there was anything I could possibly add to the voices that were already praising the performances or the ability of the production team to adapt the material. And after I saw the show a few weeks ago, I simply didn’t see what I could write about that hadn’t already been covered well enough to the point where I could just share someone else’s words on my own feeds… but then I was sitting here and thinking about the show a week and a half later I was still thinking about it. I was thinking about how this play was so incredibly open to interpretation and that the shows script completely changes with the application of a director’s vision or an actor’s mannerism. “The Tempest” can be a harrowing adventure, a thrilling romance, or it can play as absurdist comedy. And I was thinking about how brilliantly Patrick Golden really was to tackle the material and strip it down to such bare bones minimalism and then deliver Shakespeare in a box.

It’s become kind of kitschy to refer to the show as a “Tempest in a teapot”- but the reality is that it’s got far more in common with a TARDIS than it does with a teapot. Simply put, the small stage certainly gets much bigger once we are in the show. And no one illustrates this point more strongly than Beverly Van Pelt in her portrayal of Ariel. She flutters around the stage throughout the show, appearing in doorways and peaking over the shoulders of the blissfully unaware while gesturing frantically from one spell to the next. The “island” seems far larger than it truly is and Van Pelt manages to maintain a great amount of playful and sometimes petulant energy throughout the show. And she becomes more than just a servant to Prospero (Clark M. Brown), she’s a friend and a confidant and, perhaps, even a companion.

All of the performers are fantastic in their roles- and none brought to life the vision I’d seen in my own head or what I’d previously seen in other adaptations of the material. The show was entirely unique to the experience and made it much more than “Another Shakespeare” performance. Each actor brought a different spin to the characters, from the scheming pair of villains to the bumbling pair of dullards, this is The Tempest in a way I’ve never seen it before. Philip Livernois brings a sense of casual conversation to the Olde English of Shakespeare’s writing that I found not only enjoyable, but extremely accessible for a younger audience. Cody Moore steps into the shoes of a handsome romantic lead and gives it a slight twist that reminded me a little of Zeppo Marx in his tenderness.  And the casting of Alyca Tanner in the role of Gonzala brought a maternal aspect to the compassion of a character normally played by a man (The name is Gonzalo in most productions).

When I caught the show, the role of the King was played by Jody Gilmore- his was a last minute substitution when Jay Devine took ill, but he has since stepped back into the role for the remaining shows. Gilmore was fantastic, however. I always enjoy his presence on the stage when it comes and this was a great role for him to step into.

The Tempest closes this weekend and runs Friday and Saturday nights at 8 PM with a final Sunday matinee at 3 PM at Paper Wing Fremont.

5 out of 5.

Alamo Drafthouse: Three movies and an awesome experience! =) "Hail, Caesar!" "Deadpool" and "Demons"

I went to San Francisco this past week and did a bit of movie watching at the Alamo Drafthouse… here’s what I saw!

“Hail, Caesar!”

Wow!

I am largely hit and miss with the Coen Brothers and their films. What’s weird is that I tend to prefer many of their “less popular” films and this seems to be the exception that proves the rule. While many critics are struggling to say anything positive about this movie, it was an awesomely fun ride for me and just proved how talented these men are as writers. Their characters are fun, quirky, enjoyable to watch, and are always pushed forward with a specific motivation that makes these people engaging to watch. And the aptly named “Guy Mannix” is no different- he’s an engaging character from beginning to end and Josh Brolin delivers this very serious character in the midst of several crises with perfect tone and temperament.

And one of the reasons I think I find myself in a different boat than most reviewers is that they are totally missing the real story being told. And this is despite the declaration from the title card of the picture, which blatantly spells it out for anyone who may be curious. It’s repeatedly addressed in a number of scenes, but most spectacularly when Mannix takes a meeting with several figures from the various religious communities. “Hail, Caesar!” is a tale of The Christ- the Christ as a figure, as a savior, as a miracle worker, as a sacrifice, and all of that- and Guy Mannix represents the Christ of this film as he performs one miracle after another, helps the community with which he has taken responsibility, and ultimately faces temptation, betrayal, and doubt in a manner that is very specific to the Gospel itself. And it’s done in a way that’s funny, irreverent, and with several nods to the splendor and creativity that is the Film Industry.

So while many reviewers will dismiss the film as “confusing” and with too many unresolved plot points, I’m going to say that this film was a fun ride and a great experience. The plot is very linear so long as you understand that you are watching three days in the life of one man and especially when you understand that this is an adaptation of Christs’ tale in the same way that “O’ Brother, Where Art Thou’” was an adaptation of The Odyssey.

5 out of 5.

Deadpool

I am a HUGE fan of the Deadpool comic book series. I collected the comic well into the mid-2000’s and even purchased the “Agent X” series that spun off on the spare chance that Wade Wilson had survived his “death” and had only forgotten who he was. (Spoiler: He did survive, no he hadn’t really forgotten, and yeah the story is convoluted and confusing… moving on.) I really love the Merc with a Mouth for a number of reasons- he’s irreverant, he’s funny, he’s violent, and he breaks the rules with a specific purpose in mind as he does so. Deadpool is also a great story of possible redemption that never actually takes place because of just how broken the character really is- and we see him making the same mistakes over and over again throughout the years.

The Deadpool movie is everything that it should have been and so much more- because it did everything right and it had the passion of the film’s star and director and a production team that truly believed in it. We have what many thought would be a box-office flop and the studios are now faced with a massive success that they’ll never be able to bottle or understand. This is the irreverent and subversive film that it needed to be. And I don’t mean that in the “throw away a nice little adjective that will be a cool selling point” turn of phrase- this film is SUBVERSIVE! It will dig in and it will change the way people view comic book super heroes, it will change the way studios make films, it will be a huge turning point in cinema and this is a film that is going to make a difference… and not always for the better.

The plot is fairly standard- Wade Wilson is a mercenary diagnosed with cancer who undertakes an experimental procedure to cure himself and possibly gain super powers in the process. His reasons for doing this include a loving girlfriend named “Vanessa” (Morena Bacarrin, of Firefly fame). The process is brutal and is overseen by a coldly sadistic “Ajax” and his assistant. The experiment results in  Wilson being deformed but having gained the mutant ability to regenerate and heal at a very fast rate. He goes on a path of revenge and dons a mask- you’ve seen all of this a thousand times before in other hero films, comic book and otherwise. You’ve seen the villain before- arrogant and dismissive of all morality. You’ve seen the action set pieces before, the swinging blades, the shooting guns, and everything. You’ve seen all that before!

You haven’t seen Deadpool.

Deadpool is the game changer here- he’s not a character that really belongs to the world in which he inhabits. He’s driven beyond insanity by the experimentation done on his body and he’s crawled into a dark pit of self-loathing and black humor that mocks everything about the world, including it’s very existence. He breaks the fourth wall- he addresses the audience, he understands pop references to moments outside his universe, and he undermines the very existence of his character at every turn. He knows who and what he is- and he’s going to reject every bit of it out of spite and in a way that’s going to make HIM laugh just as much as the audience who is watching him. He’s not the hero that universe may want him to be- he’s going to be something different.

For readers of the comic book- He’s a squirrel with a coconut.

5 out of 5.

Demons (1985) @ the Alamo Drafthouse

Italian film-maker Dario Argento produced this film by director Lamberto Bava, son of legendary film-maker Mario Bava. It’s the second full feature from the son of a legend and it carried the legendary seal of Italian suspense  master Argento, so “Demons” was gauranteed to be a bit of a cult classic at the time of its release and the movie did manage to spawn at leastone official sequel and another sequel “in name only.” It featured extensive practical effects that pushed the limits on what was thought to be possible, including the eruption of a demon from the small of a woman’s back.

The story is pretty standard- Cheryl is approached by a mysterious figure on a train, a man handing out free tickets to a film screening for later that same night. So she hooks up with her friend, another local student, and they attend the feature at the newly opened theater. While watching the horror movie on the screen, another patron is possessed by the Demonic entities and the sickness spreads through scratches and bites from one victim to the next until the remaining survivors are forced to fight back or perish.

Screening at the Alamo Drafthouse for their Tuesday Terrors, “Demons” came with a short introduction from the theater’s “Terror” organizer that included a run down on the Bava family’s lineage through film (going back three generations to Mario’s own father). The pre-show trailers included some old favorites from the same time period and scenes from cult classics (including “Street Trash” and “Brain Damage”, among others) and a rundown on their other “event” screenings; Weird Wednesday, Music Monday, and even a nod to their Miyazaki Month that was still running. Servers were helpful, offering tips on ordering before the feature presentation and recommendations.

The seating is wide and spacious with a table set between every other seat, a dim light to peruse the small menu, and a pen set for every patron. Orders are filled out on a little card while little Ninja come running through for a quick snatch and order drop throughout the course of the film. The bill is dropped near the end of the film and often cashed out before the credits even start to roll, creating a truly memorable film experience. Soft drinks are plentiful with free refills. Popcorn comes with multiples flavors, though we chose the delicious “Truffle butter with parmesan seasoing” and it blew our minds! Their cookies were also delicious and the pizza was pretty good if a little overpriced at $15 for a personal size. Some other items seemed a little overpriced for their value (The Milkshake was $9 for what was essentially a childrens glass) but they had a large alcohol-based menu.

5 out of 5 for the experience and I hope to go again.

Weird Reviews!!! Yakuza Apocalypse, DEATHGASM, The Sacrament, And special guest Retro Review of the "Poltergeist" series.

Yakuza Apocalypse

Takashi Miike is a weird dude.

He’s got a filmography that includes everything from a Sobiake Western to family friendly monsters and violent excessiveness to dramatic melodrama and often blending elements of everything into one film. So when I say “Takashi Miike is a weird dude”, keep in mind that his is the only “Masters of Horror” short that was ever pulled from rotation for being too extreme.

And, as I’m watching Yakuza Apocalypse, all I can think is: “Takashi Miike is a weird dude.”

Here’s the premise- there’s a small village in Japan and it’s basically run by a small gang of Yakuza, including a boss whose sentiments seem more along the lines of a basic Robin Hood-sorta’ guy. He protects the regular people from the violence of the Yakuza, helps those in need, and basically runs the town in a pretty fair manner. But then he’s killed… in, like, the first fifteen minutes of the film we get the build-up of how important he is to this small village. And then he gets killed. But then his head wakes up just long enough to bite his subordinate and pass along his “Yakuza Vampire” powers to the young protagonist of our story.

And I want you to note that I said “Yakuza Vampire”… not Vampire who happens to be a Yakuza, this means he is a “Yakuza Vampire”! This is important to note because he starts to bite other people and he starts to turn them into “Yakuza Vampire”… No, not vampires. Yakuza Vampires- because in addition to the thirst for blood and undeadiness of being a vampire, these people are also cursed to become Yakuza. They grow tattoos on their backs and they behave with the boorish and “go to hell” lifestyle of being a member of the Yakuza. I’m a gaijin jerk so I’m not entirely sure how culturally accurate or relevant this issue is- but the comedic value of watching school-teachers, students, nurses, housewives, and shop-keeps turned into blustering Yakuza is kind of hilarious.

And the movie is violent- and utterly ridiculous. The “Monster Terrorist” that is warned about repeatedly throughout the early portion of the film comes into town- wearing  a full body “Frog” costume within which he fights, pulling dangerous martial arts skills and decimating forces- all while dressed in a large frog suit. Not a diving suit- I mean a literal frog. Green, big head, and floppy feet. Did I mention that Miike is some weird dude?

4 out of 5 and a WTF Japan?!?!! Must watch if you like the weird.

DEATHGASM

Because lower case letters are for pussies.

Kiwis may very well be the “go-to” folk when it comes to splat-stick horror comedy. Starting with Peter Jackson and straight on up to films like “Housebound” and “DEATHGASM!”, New Zealand keeps serving up some deliciously nasty little gross-outs through the years. And while it proved a little difficult to find, I managed to scrape up just enough knowledge to find out that Wal-Mart had decided to carry this latest gem under the title of “Heavy Metal Apocalypse”- which is getting scratched out soon on my box and will be replaced with the films proper title of “DEATHGASM!” so let’s not dwell on that too much. If you wanted to know, now you know.

The film starts with a bit of a typical “fish out of water” story about our young protagonist having to move in with his hyper-religious Uncle and extended family. The kid is a metal-head, he’s a social outcast, and he almost immediately hooks up with other town outcasts and forms a band. One things leads to another, he falls for a girl, he gets his hands on some brutal sheet music and then they accidentally unleash a demon from the bowels of hell. Gore splatters, chainsaws rev, and adult toys are used as melee weapons of mass carnage- this is basically a truly metal horror comedy and all was right with the world throughout  the film’s runtime. I had a blast watching this film and I think other fans of “Dead Alive” and films like that will definitely love this one to bloody nasty pieces.

The soundtrack features a good blend of metal with epic guitar shredders, roaring doom riffs, guttural bellows, and high pitch melodies. So when others reviews insist this is “the most metal movie of all time” they aren’t just whistling Dixie. This film has plenty of Easter Eggs for the typical fan of the music with a few deep cut references that never really pulls the casual audience out of the action.

4.5 out of 5.

The Sacrament

I keep saying that I’ll avoid Ti West films and yet I keep finding myself watching a Ti West film when all the chips are down on the table. And , let’s face it, this thing is supposed to be a POV-shot “documentary”-style film? The nails should already in the coffin long before I press “play” for my Netflix stream to begin-

And yet!

He's a "genre darling" and he keeps making movies with an interesting premise.He keeps coming back and I keep rolling that streaming video through Netflix or Amazon or throwing in a blu-ray or a DVD... whatever. 

Let me start this review.

This movie is good.

I don’t mean “good” as in the film is an enjoyable romp through the backwoods of some South American country. I mean “good” as in this is a dark freaking movie about a cult leader in South America and is pretty much a film with the Jim Jones-vibe running strong and before choking the life out of you with unpleasant horrors. It’s disturbing and the violence is shot in a way that it looks more than realistic- it’s downright chilling at times. People don't have "movie" deaths- there is some serious research into how death occurs and some attention to detail you don't normally see in cinema. 

Okay, that requires some explaining: Death in a movie is dramatic and is played for entertainment of the audience. Death in real life is not nearly as "entertaining" as it is in the films- and I'm not talking the crawling, creeping, choking, melodrama- I mean people generally don't have that glassy-eyed stare we see in movies. Poison isn't just choked out and vomited- it literally eats away at your insides and burns parts you normally don't even feel. People don't spurt blood- if there's a lot of blood it tends to spill out like a leaking faucet because your heart beat stops. Death spasms aren't really tight- they're loose and chilling to watch. This movie goes into a very dark place, so be prepared.

The premise is disturbing and it takes a major turn in breaking my personal rules (violence toward children) but this movie moves along at a brisk pace and is really well made. And I have to say this is more along the lines of “The Innkeepers” in a film making sense than it was a “House of the Devil”… so if you like really disturbing stuff, “The Sacrament” has plenty of that for you.

4 out of 5.

AND NOW... on the heels of my recent Phantasm blog, here's another Retro-look back at a film series. 

Poltergeist!!! 

Featuring special Guest Commentator: REMO D.!!! (AKA: Shane M. Dallmann) 

Since I had no interest in the Super Bowl whatsoever, I availed myself of the opportunity to marathon the original POLTERGEIST films last night... I won't be as detailed as you were on the PHANTASM flicks, but you get the idea.

POLTERGEIST still rocks and has plenty of awesome scary and gruesome moments (how the hell they got a "PG" with the guy tearing his own face off in the mirror is beyond me, Spielberg or no Spielberg)... yet, after thirty years of sequels and ripoffs and endless retreads of the setting up of the paranormal detection equipment, I've got to admit that even I get restless during that long stretch between Carol Anne's disappearance and her rescue. Of course it's not the movie's fault for starting the trend, and it's still a classic, even though Spielberg really ought to have acknowledged "Little Girl Lost" from THE TWILIGHT ZONE somewhere in the credits.

POLTERGEIST II: THE OTHER SIDE was flat-out awful despite some flawed gems trying to stand out in a sea of cheesy opticals. Julian Beck was creepy as hell as Reverend Kane, true... and there was a genuinely disturbing scene near the end where the possessed husband teeters on the verge of marital rape AND lets his daughter hear that they were seriously considering not having her... that's some vicious adult material right there, which makes it all the more pathetic that we're handed a saccharine finale with the magic grandma whisking Carol Anne out of the netherworld when all seems lost. Time to add "Long Distance Call" to the TZ rip-off formula... oh, and it's heartbreaking to hear Carol Anne tell her grandma that she doesn't want to grow up, considering that in real life she never did.

POLTERGEIST III: The story is pure, disposable, unnecessary cheese-corn, but the reliance on practical effects (as opposed to endless blue-screen) and experienced director Gary Sherman's experimentation with a constant "mirror" theme at least make this more interesting on a visual level than the previous fiasco. I especially liked the ice cars. And that's really all I need to say.

Retro Thoughts: PHANTASM!!

PHANTASM: 1979

Michael is a young teen in the care of his older brother, Jody. The two have only recently lost both their parents to tragedy and are now faced with another death when their friend is found murdered. Haunted by nightmares and the impending threat of his brothers desire to leave, Michael believes he witnesses a strange occurrence at the local Cemetery. He starts to investigate the mysterious Tall Man, the string of recent deaths, and what’s behind that low hum that echoes throughout the halls of the mortuary.

For me, Phantasm is one of those PERFECT horror films that does precisely what it sets out to do from beginning to end. It is a surreal nightmare with iconic imagery, smart scripting, incredible casting, and an unexplained horror that will continue to haunt the viewer long after the film ends. It borrows from a Weird Fiction influence with probably nods to Lovecraft (Whisperer In The Darkness), Ramsay Campbell, and especially Ray Bradbury (Something Wicked This Way Comes). Don Coscarelli takes a limited budget and a small pool of actors to create one of the most enduring films in horror that is nearly as effective today as it was the day it was released.

There are several things that truly make the film work:

First, the surreal nightmare landscape where things may not be as they initially appear. Jody offers an early explanation that the film we are seeing may not be real- that much of what we are seeing may be the tortured dreams of young Michael and that our main protagonist may be seeing his life through a prism of grief. He is desperately afraid that Jody may leave him behind and he follows his older brother from a distance. Things are off kilter through much of the filming- the hallways of the mortuary seem to stretch for miles with twists and turns, that low humming, and the sudden imagery that seem to erupt from nowhere.

Secondly, the relationship between the three protagonists seems genuine. There seems to be an honest affection between Jody, Michael, and their friend, Reggie. It comes through at various points in the film and Coscarelli is brave enough as a film maker to let those moments linger when another director might cut the material entirely. We see the bond between these characters and why Michael feels the way that he does regarding Jody’s possible departure. We also see how closed in Jody feels, how torn by devotion to these two brothers Reggie becomes, and what effect the Tall Man’s schemes has on these characters.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the mystery. We never actually find out what is happening, if it’s really happening, or why it’s happening. The Tall Man’s work is a mystery- and it remains a mystery that is never solved even as we travel throughout the series of films but most importantly in the first film in the series. We see clues- we see things that are happening, we know there is a plan, we know there is an endgame, but we never know what that endgame really is. And, in the first film, we can’t even accept it as a given that the film is really happening as we’re seeing it. This is all from the point of view of a young teen- a young teen haunted by nightmares during the a period of grief and loss. And with all these ways in which to interpret the film, I love thinking about it from several different angles. If it’s a teen in grief or if there really is an inter-dimensional  traveler enslaving the dead to do his bidding for some unknown purpose, the horror still works either way.

All of this and I haven’t even gotten to the spheres. And believe me, those spheres are something to see- it’s one thing to see them flying through the halls, but to hear them coming and to have that impending sound of doom start whistling louder and louder as it gets closer. Then Coscarelli gives us that shot of the sphere, a perfect mirror to the hallways surrounding it when those blades emerge with a “snikt” and then plunge into their victims. That one kill is one of the most intense moments in film history and initially landed the film an X-rating when the body drops and releases other fluids to puddle on the white marble floor.

Angus Scrimms’ “Tall Man” character is an iconic figure in horror and Coscarelli’s film is a masterpiece in surreal nightmares. That’s my two cents.