MOVIE: The Cat (2011)

The Cat (Go-hyang-i: Jook-eum-eul Bo-neun Doo Gae-eui Noon)
South Korea 2011, 143m, Pine House Film
DVD: Matchbox Films, Cert 15

So-Yeon (Min-Young Park) works in a pet grooming salon. When a customer dies suddenly and mysteriously, she takes custody of their pet cat, Silky. That's when So-Yeon becomes haunted by the ghost of a bob-haired girl with green, cat-like eyes, and people around her begin to die...


So, how did this little gem wait around so long for a UK release?

Whilst it would be easy to dismiss The Cat as a Dark Water lookalike, it's worth remembering that there are traits in both tales which can be found all over far-eastern ghost stories and legends. Besides, The Cat has plenty of aces of its own to play, and director Seung-wook Byeon handles an array of set pieces brilliantly, wisely realising that in a tale like this, it's a good thing to give the audience a little, and let them paint the rest in their mind. He also handles the feline players well, since they're often not the most co-operative of actors... If you allow yourself to be pulled in, The Cat will get right under the skin, and you would need a heart of stone not to be moved by the climax.

In the lead, Min-Young Park carries the bulk of the film on her shoulders, and does a tremendous job. If you're after easy thrills, look elsewhere. If, on the other hand you want a tale you can really absorb yourself in, and a lead you really attach yourself to as she travels into darkness, then The Cat is highly recommended. 


DVD Notes: Not the best presentation you'll see, unfortunately. It looks like an NTSC copy was transferred directly to PAL, causing some image ghosting and other artifacts. This film deserves much, much better.

Original trailer:

MOVIE: Rites Of Spring (2011)

US 2011, 81m, Red Planet/White Rock Lake/Vigilante

Blu-Ray/DVD from 101 Films (UK), Cert 18

A group of kidnappers prepare to capture the daughter of a wealthy banker. Meanwhile, elsewhere two ladies are abducted by a serial killer with an unusual motive - ritual sacrifice to appease an evil force. What seem like very disparate events will shortly become intertwined, and it's all linked to the date of March 21st...

First things first. Rites Of Spring doesn't set out to be a rollercoaster ride from the start. It takes its time to get going, perhaps because the two disparate tales unfolding initially make uncomfortable bedfellows.

Things do get more interesting as the kidnap proper takes place, and we discover more about the serial killer's motives - he is evidently carrying out these acts with a greater good in mind, namely keeping an inhuman creature at bay. It's an interesting angle, sadly one which doesn't get a deeper examination, and I can't help wondering if the potential havoc to be wreaked by the creature could be any worse than this feller bumping off young ladies on a regular basis...

Once things kick off in the last half-hour, the two story strands meeting each other head on, the pace picks up considerably, and although the ending is somewhat unsatisfactory, the final ride there is a generally enjoyable, if confusing one.

So, very much a film of two halves. Flawed, certainly, but the attempt to weave a kidnap movie narrative with horror elements, throwing in a Lovecraftian creature in a barn cellar is an intriguing one. If only as an occasionally engaging curio, Rites Of Spring is worth a look. File under "Curate's Egg".


Original Theatrical Trailer:

MOVIE: You're Next (2011)

You're Next

US 2013, 95m, Lionsgate/HanWay

Blu-Ray: Lionsgate (UK), Cert 18

Mr & Mrs Davison invite their grown children and respective partners to a wedding anniversary celebration at their country mansion. However, a gang of masked killers are intent on spoiling the party, and only one of the guests seems to have the know-how to deal with them...

Following an opening which grabs you immediately, the first half an hour is actually quite talky, as we are introduced to the family and their various partners. Just as it feels like we're entering one of those domestic comedy-dramas, where dysfunctional families talk about their issues over a very long weekend, things thankfully kick-off, the body count starts to rise and we're on a very enjoyable ride.

As the crossbow-armed killers go on the attack, resourceful heroine Erin (Sharni Vinson) utilises a veritable arsenal of makeshift weapons, including some interesting items from the kitchen utensil drawer, notably a meat tenderiser (surprisingly underused in slasher flicks, in my opinion). There's also some creative use of a blender, and her skill at quickly knocking together anti-intruder devices would put The A-Team to shame.

I can't emphasise enough what a top class lead Sharni Vinson is. She carries herself brilliantly, has a great screen presence and kicks serious butt. The studio execs could do a lot worse than fashion a horror franchise around this gal. Maybe they could call the sequel You're Second? (You can pay me for the title later, guys.)

The supporting cast are all healthily into the spirit of the film, making for a comically unlikeable bunch. Look out for Ti West (director of House Of The Devil) as a documentary maker, as well as a welcome appearance from Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator, From Beyond) as Mrs Davison.

If you fancy a good old fashioned slasher, with some slightly over the top kills, plenty of sick laughs and just the right amount of twists and turns, You're Next is excellent value for money. Why it took Lionsgate almost two years to release it after securing the distribution rights is baffling.




Original Theatrical Trailer:

MOVIE: Twixt (2011)

Twixt

US 2011, 88m, American Zoetrope

DVD: Metrodome (UK) - Cert 15

The career of writer Hall Baltimore (Val Kilmer) is  on the decline. When he arrives in a small town as part of his latest book tour, the local sheriff (Bruce Dern) manages to sell him on the idea of writing about a local murder mystery involving a young girl. In subsequent dreams, he encounters a mysterious young ghost named V (Elle Fanning), not to mention none other than Edgar Allen Poe... His bedtime encounters lead him to the realisation that the story is more intertwined with his own history than he thought...

I couldn't help feeling that this was director Francis Ford Coppola getting back to his film making roots, with a small-ish, modestly budgeted horror flick which he also wrote. I also get the feeling that this is quite a personal film, so it's sad to report that it isn't especially outstanding, However, it's not a total loss either.

Firstly, it looks great. The production design is super, with a quite enchanting look to the nocturnal sequences, and one or two scenes have a nice David Lynch-ian feel to them. There are apparently a couple of 3-D sequences in the film, but from the 2-D version I viewed it really doesn't need such a gimmick.

The casting is good. Val Kilmer puts in a good turn, and casting his ex-wife Joanne Whalley as Baltimore's nagging spouse is a very funny touch. Bruce Dern is always good value, and injects just the right amount of eccentricity into his portrayal of the local lawman. Ben Chaplin, meanwhile makes a pretty good Poe, and the supporting cast are solid.

The real problem here is the story, or rather the lack of a coherent one. It feels as though the script needs at least another rewrite. If only the author had given it over to an outsider to take a detached view and make some kind of critique before the cameras rolled. The ending feels hurried and unresolved, and leaves too many things unanswered. I don't expect to be spoonfed a story, but do at least like all the parts in some form to piece together.

Still, although Coppola has obviously made better movies, he's arguably made worse ones too - there's actually a pretty good film struggling to get out of Twixt. I would love to see it. As it stands, what we end up with is partly entertaining, but equal parts frustrating.

MOVIES: In Brief (October 26th 2013)

A round up of recently viewed movies, including some older titles you may have missed...

Frankenstein's Army

(2013 Netherlands/USA/Czech Rep., 81m, Entertainment One - Cert 18)

As World War II reaches its end, a group of Russian soldiers and an army cameraman come upon a Nazi lab, where the notebooks of Dr. Frankenstein have been used for the creation of a secret army of super soldiers...

An interesting attempt to put the Frankenstein story in another context, if not entirely successful. Presented as the cameraman's record of events, it's entertaining enough in its own way, with some enjoyably yucky moments and some interesting ideas scattered about, but it sadly ends up as yet another first-person/found footage effort. The juddering camera work becomes migraine inducing after a few minutes and makes the film a real ordeal to sit through, never mind follow, as the creatures begin to attack. A great shame, as the monster creations are rather brilliant and deserve a better showcase.

Chernobyl Diaries

(2012 USA/Russia, 86m, StudioCanal - Cert 15)

A group of holidaymakers, looking for something different, visit the deserted town of Pripyat, the former home of the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear facility. When their van is sabotaged and they find themselves stranded, they realise they are not alone.

Whilst I do believe that the horror cinema has every right to explore nightmares both imaginary and real life, Chernobyl Diaries leaves a very bitter aftertaste. The nightmare of Chernobyl remains very real to those who are still living with its effects, and this film is too soon after the fact. Didn't the makers even once consider that setting it in a fictional place would get the point across sufficiently, and avoid further upset for those affected?

Putting all of that aside, this has nothing to offer which hasn't been done before, it's terribly dull, lacking in suspense and the blatant cashing in on this great tragedy simply makes matters worse. 

Sand Sharks

(2011 USA, 87m, Chelsea Films - Cert 15)

A group of sharks terrorises people on a beach. The thing is, these are prehistoric creatures, released from their resting place by an earthquake, and this kind of shark can swim through sand...
 
It's an amusing enough novelty, whilst sticking to the usual conventions of Jaws, Piranha and the like. If teens being terrorised by aquatic life forms is your thing, it's a pleasant enough time passer which doesn't take itself seriously. The cast seem to be enjoying themselves, the digital effects are delightfully over the top, there's some real belly laughs to be had and it moves along at a brisk enough pace. Good, unpretentious entertainment, which does exactly what it says on the packet.

Rather amusingly, this is credited as an Eden Vale production. In the UK, Eden Vale used to be a brand of dairy products, notably cottage cheese... 

MOVIE: The Reaper (aka Jack The Reaper) (2011)

A group of teens have failed to complete their high school assignment on the industrial revolution. Their punishment is to go on a field trip (on a Saturday!) to a rail museum. There they are greeted by their guide Mr Steele (Tony Todd), who tells them the legend of "Railroad Jack", a malevolent presence who guides the dead to their final fate, and haunts a particularly accident prone stretch of road known as "Death's Door". When the school bus has a mishap on this very stretch of road on the return trip, and the students awaken next to a deserted fairground, they soon learn that "Railroad Jack" isn't just a legend...

After a flashback opening, we are introduced to the students as they gather for their outing, kind of like The Breakfast Club on a road trip. Introductions dealt with, we're soon into the action proper as the museum visit sets up the premise quite nicely before the teens make their appointment with Death's Door...

Part Final Destination, part Carnival Of Souls, Jack The Reaper (retitled simply The Reaper for the UK) is basically a good old fashioned dice-and-slicer at heart. The teens are mostly the usual bunch: The group of jocks (one of whom is naturally obnoxious), the outcast, the self-loving airhead, the girl with troubles at home, the overweight kid, the bad boy... Having a deaf student who can only communicate through sign language is quite novel, though. Despite top billing, Tony Todd doesn't actually get much screen time, but he gives good value to what he does have, adding presence and generally putting the frighteners on the school party. Sally Kirkland (who also co-produces) makes a brief appearance.

As "Railroad Jack", Douglas Tait (also co-producing) is effective, but then he has previous form at this kind of thing as "Stunt" Jason in Freddy Vs. Jason. He is suitably menacing as he stalks the hapless group one by one. First time director Kimberly Seilhamer makes good use of the fairground location (deserted funfairs are always good for a chill), and generally keeps things moving on at a cracking pace. She also keeps the gore count to a fairly economical level, enhancing the killings with some grisly sound effects and mostly allowing the viewer to paint their own visuals.

In conclusion, Jack The Reaper is good, unpretentious fun, an enjoyable ride which wears its influences loudly on its sleeve. What it lacks in originality is compensated for with some enjoyable set pieces and visual flouishes. If you're planning a double bill, it's the kind of film which makes an ideal entrée.


Available in the UK from September 23rd 2013 through Safecracker Pictures.




USA 2011 - American World/Mad Crapper Films

83 Minutes

Certificate - 18 (UK), Not Rated (USA)

DVD: Safecracker Pictures (UK), Phase 4 Films (USA)

Original Trailer:

MOVIE: The Bleeding House (2011)

The Bleeding House aka The Bleeding

US 2011, 83m, Reno/Safehouse/Cinergy

DVD: Safecracker Pictures (UK)

A troubled family are visited by man who claims to be stranded after his car broke down near their isolated house. However, his arrival is no accident. He believes a higher power has sent him to punish an incident in their past. The question is: what is the crime, who is responsible and what exactly is the punishment?

The Bleeding House is an interesting variation on the "stranger arrives at the door, ingratiates himself into the unsuspecting family's home" theme. The added ingredient is that one of the inhabitants of the house may also be a trifle unbalanced, and there is an intriguing ambivalence about exactly who, if anyone should be taking the moral high ground in this situation.

There isn't a great deal in the shock/surprise department as things proceed, but in this case that works in the film's favour. There is a certain inevitability about the events that unfold, building a strong sense of dread, and the cast are all effective with what they have to do in the claustrophobic atmosphere. There is also some cringe-making stuff for anyone who (like myself) has a phobia about needles...

This is the directorial debut of Philip Gellatt, who also wrote the screenplay. He makes the most of bringing out uneasy undercurrents and creating a foreboding atmosphere from the seemingly banal establishing set-up. I'll be interested to see what he comes up with next.

Made in 2011, but only securing a UK release in August 2013, The Bleeding House is another delight released by Safecracker Pictures, who have been putting out some of the more interesting independent horror flicks as of late (not least the retro-styled slasher The Sleeper). This is a worthy addition to their catalogue.





Original Trailer: