Hollow Man

The special effects are easily the best part of this science-fiction-turned-slasher-film. There are several scenes in which humans and animals slowly disappear and then reappear. This transformation is shown in vivid detail as each part of the creature’s anatomy dissolves. Even now, the scenes look pretty realistic. The experience of watching the human body slowly become invisible, with every system inside of it accentuated and presented as it is, is enough by itself to recommend this movie. I’m not sure what kind of CGI wizardry was used to create these scene, but whatever it may be, it was way ahead of it’s time.

Hollow Man follows a group of scientists working for the military attempting to create a formula that makes animals and humans fully invisible. The group is led by Sebastian Caine (Bacon) who insists on being the first human test subject for the experiment. As one might guess, Sebastian takes advantage of being invisible to a sinister extent. He uses his new gift voyeuristically, creeping up on pretty young woman as they undress in front of the mirror, giving off more rapey vibes than R Kelly and Kobe Bryant put together.

The more Sebastian realizes what he can get away with, the more malevolent  his intentions become. After a bit of fun and games, it becomes clear that he is enjoying being invisible a bit too much. Once a threat to his little experiment becomes present, he starts to resort to rape and murder to keep his work alive. It is around this point that Hollow Man turns into a full-fledged slasher film, following Sebastian as he picks off his team of scientists one by one. This may  be a disappointment to many Sci-Fi fans, but I thoroughly enjoyed the turn the plot took and the slasher elements of the movie.

I don’t usually like Kevin Bacon very much, but he plays a creepy, power-hungry, crazy man in Hollow Man pretty well. He may be more likable in this due, in part, to the fact that he’s invisible most of the movie, but either way the role seems to suit him very well. There are a few other familiar faces cast in standard slasher victim roles, such as Elizabeth Shue and Josh Brolin. They aren’t given a whole lot to do, but they perform adequately for how shallow their characters are.

Hollow Man is by no means a great movie, but it is a very fun one. The transformations to and from invisibility are visually stunning and the overall concept of the film is genuinely creepy. Just imagine how scary it would be if someone who wished harm upon you were completely invisible. This notion is toyed with a great deal in the film and lends itself to the more eerie parts of the movie. There is also more than enough violence and gore to satisfy the average horror hound. Though it may not be deep and thoughtful, (what slasher movies are?) Hollow Man is scary and entertaining enough to hold the average viewers attention.

B-

Willow Creek

I must admit that I was pretty surprised when I heard Bobcat Goldthwait’s new movie was a horror film. I went into it expecting a goofy horror comedy, but what I got was was a legitimately scary bigfoot movie. Willow Creek is a found footage film, in the tradition of The Blair Witch Project, that brings back the authentic feeling that only a shaky camcorder can pull off on the big screen. There are many people who will complain that Willow Creek wasn’t scary or that it didn’t show enough, but I was almost completely satisfied by the slow build and the what- you-can’t-see-is-scarier-than-what-you-can vibe the movie seems to feed off of.

The film follows a couple as they explore the town in which the most infamous Bigfoot sightings have occurred. Kelly (Alexie Gilmore) serves the role of the skeptic, while Jim (Bryce Johnson) falls into the part of the excited believer, creating potential for some interesting dialogue between the two. Though both performances feel pretty genuine, when their conversations turn into banter it can get a little tedious, but luckily the couple is often interrupted by a creepy noise or rustling bush.

Willow Creek has the slow burn technique down to a tee, starting with semi interesting exposition, leading into interviews with townsfolk telling scary bigfoot stories, and crescendoing with the couple wandering through the woods where bigfoot was last caught on tape. I wouldn’t quite call it Hitchhockian, but there is a certain level of unsettling suspense that gradually builds up to the climax of the film. Some viewers may find the pacing a bit of a bore in the beginning, as most of the action is reserved for the last 20 minutes if the film, but those who enjoy hearing campfire stories will be delighted, as seemingly real locals tell their tales of bigfoot encounters.

Most of the film takes place in confined spaces, like a car or a tent, giving the audience the feeling that they are trapped with the couple and can’t get out. There is a scene towards the end that must be close to 15 to 20 minutes of the couple recording in their tent as bigfoot terrorizes them from the outside. This should be sleep inducingly boring, but it kept me on the edge of my seat and I jumped more that a few times. Long pauses of complete silence serve as tension builders, making it all the more scary when the loud noise finally does come.

This movie is definitely not for everyone. Many modern audiences need to have horrific images thrown at them to be scared, and they won’t get them in this film. I’ve always felt  that what is left up to the imagination tends to create the creepiest images of all, and that seems to be the mindset behind the writers and creators of Willow Creek. There  really is no image that could live up to the myth of bigfoot, so it shouldn’t be disappointing that the monster can never be seen clearly. Goldthwait does an outstanding job of creating spooky suggestions rather than in-your face scares. Willow Creek serves as a subtly eerie piece of horror, that will likely impress many fans of the found footage genre, but may disappoint those who need a good view of their monsters in order to be scared of them.

B+

An American Werewolf in London

An American Werewolf in London is one of the most memorable horror comedies of the 80’s. The film’s special effects, especially those used for the transformations from human to werewolf, still compete with practical effects today. The movie is loaded with an equal balance of screams and laughs, creating some of the stranger moments in horror history. Animal House director, John Landis, brings a sense of humor to the werewolf genre, and proves that he has decent taste in what’s scary also.

The film follows two American travelers as they backpack through Britain. Along the way they find the most ominously named tavern in film existence, The Slaughtered Lamb. In the pub they meet the sketchy locals of East Proctor, who are very obviously trying to hide a werewolf. The movie is rather predictable but the way the material is presented is rather fresh and funny.

After the travelers are attacked David, the survivor, mourns the loss of his friend, Jack, by talking to his mangled ghost. David also has bizarre, often hilariously strange dreams, my favorite of which involves his family being gunned down by a troupe of Nazi werewolves. It quickly becomes clear that the dreams are a result of David turning into a werewolf.

When the full physical transformation comes it will likely floor any viewer. I still sit in awe every time I watch it. The effects are incredibly detailed, to the point where it is difficult to imagine how such a feat was accomplished over 30 years ago. Apparently syringes and latex were used to make the body parts seem to expand and contort, while a great deal of puppetry was used for other aspects of the scene. Rick Baker deserves mad kudos for leading the effects team. The physical and gradual change from human to werewolf looks more real than any since or before, and certainly beats the CGI crap they use to transform things nowadays. On top of all that, the musical choice of Blue Moon is played in the background to add some humor to an otherwise horrific scene.

The film features several stalker style attacks that are actually quite scary, the most unsettling of which involves a man being chased through a subway terminal. There is also a great deal of gore that the effects department seemed happy to show off. While it may seem sick to say, there is undoubtable a certain amount of satisfaction that comes with watching a werewolf rip someone apart and I can’t even imagine the level of fun that must go into creating such a scene.

The film’s conclusion is one of the best parts, aside from the transformation. It takes place in a porno theater and involves  the werewolf’s victims trying to talk him into committing suicide so the bloodline will end and their souls will be free. For such dark subject matter the conversation is actually consistently funny. It may elicit the awkward I’m- not- sure-if-it’s-ok-to-laugh-at-this kind of laugh, but most viewers will at least be cracking up on the inside.

An American Werewolf in London is honestly one of the best werewolf movies out there. It satisfies on so many levels, from screams, to laughs, to gore, to even pretty decent acting. It’s plot may borrow from films before it, but none of those films are as fun as this one. There is an energy behind the movie, likely created by the joy that went into making it or maybe just witty writing, that makes it one of a kind and a worthy horror experience.

A

1) Her

Spike Jonze has a habit of attempting to explore big ideas in his films, and Her is no exception. Delving into themes like lack of human interaction, the purpose of existence, and the difference between artificial intelligence and the real thing, Her stimulates the mind while also amusing it. Many aspects of the film are are very open to interpretation, making it an intimate and personal viewing experience that will likely differ with each audience member.

The basic premise of the movie revolves around what would happen if someone tried to enter into a romantic relationship with their operating system. This may seem silly at first, but considering how often people interact with their OS in the real world, it really isn’t terribly far fetched. The film takes a somewhat satirical, yet realistic approach to the scenario. It pokes fun at a society that would allow relationships with artificial intelligence, while also posing very serious questions about intimate interactions.

Theodore Twonbly, the main character played by Joaquin Phoenix, is a writer for beautiful handwritten letters.com. He writes personal letters for other people, often between couples, because they no longer know how to write them themselves, or they’re just too lazy to. It seems that something like this probably wouldn’t exist in the real world, but it comments on how handwritten letters have become nearly extinct, and most communication is now electronic.

Scarlett Johansson  plays the soothing voice of Samantha, Theodore’s personalized, intelligent operating system.  Scarlett is able to convey so much emotion through just her voice that it is not difficult at all for the viewer to imagine facial expressions to go along with her words. There are even points that the OS feels so real, most will find themselves identifying with it. She seems to develop genuine emotions and thoughts, blurring the line between artificial and authentic. The OS is advertised as a consciousness, which is exactly what it is, a consciousness without the restrictions of a body. This concept is hard to digest and understand at first, but the OS’s state of being is beautifully described by it’s own voice toward the end of the film, making the idea as clear as it can be.

Her creates a believable romance between a man and a voice, but also draws attention to the flaws in the relationship. It explores why people need other people, and there can’t be any other substitute. The film is an emotional and introspective ride, that makes one wonder what it means to be human. There are some dark turns that are sure to stir up feelings of melancholy, but in the end, Her serves as a refreshing reminder of the comfort of contact, even if it’s just a friend’s head resting on your shoulder.

 

2) Pacific Rim

The simple but smart premise of pitting giant robots against huge monsters drives the action in Pacific Rim, a blockbuster that proves to be more entertaining than any other movie in recent history. The fights are epic and the effects are eyegasmic. The apocalyptic world created in the film is one worth exploring and getting sucked into. Viewing Pac Rim will result in a 2 hour adrenaline rush that will make it hard to remember that you’re sitting in a seat watching a movie.

The universe of the kaiju is introduced in the beginning of the film through a montage showing how the sea creatures came to inhabit earth and how giant robots manned by humans came to fight them. This only takes about 5 minutes, but it clearly covers a huge fictional history that is simultaneously captivating and horrifying. The exposition contains enough background material to serve for several movies, creating a completely alternate universe where an underwater portal serves for transport for massive creatures into the normal world.

Pacific Rim also serves as a homage to old school Japanese monster movies. Kaiju, which is what the monsters are called in the film, translates from japanese to english to mean “strange creature”. This is also what the godzilla-like creatures of Japanese films in the 1950’s were referred to. Pac Rim takes the concept of these giant monster movies and adds in hi-tech robots and modern special effects making an already fun idea, even more entertaining.

The characters in the film are pretty archetypal and don’t have a ton of depth, which ok in movies like this because a lot of the characters are going to die anyway and even the ones that don’t are inside giant fighting robots for most of the film. The main standouts are Idris Elba as the badass captain of the Yeagers (robot fighters) and Charlie Day as the comical kaiju researcher and enthusiast. The main characters, played by Charlie Hunnam and RInko Kikuchi, are pretty flat, but their ability to control a huge fighting Yeager more than makes up for their lack of personality.

The giant creatures steal the show, each one looking complexly different from the next. It seems like a lot of thought went into creating these monsters, drawing inspiration for the Alien films, godzilla, and many other monster series from the past, while managing to seem unique in appearance. They also bleed bright ,neon blood adding to a vibrant color scheme that nearly creates a visual overload.

Everything about Pacific Rim, from the energetic rock-influenced score to the gleeful destruction of set pieces screams blockbuster entertainment. It did not perform well at the box office in the U.S, however. It did make much more overseas, bringing in enough money for a sequel, which I’m super stoked for. It may not be a deep and meaningful film, and it’s inspirations from the past are pretty prevalent, but Pacific Rim is the most fun I’ve had watching a movie in a very long time. It is one of those rare films that can distract from just about anything and allow the brain the opportunity to become a part of another world for a while.

3) The Wolf of Wall Street

Scorscese’s document of the rise of Wall Street billionaire, Jordan Bellfort, is an examination of what may be one of the most excessive lifestyles to ever be exposed. Di Caprio delivers one of his best performances as the film’s anti hero, the world’s most charming prick. He is magnetic and impossible to look away from, as are the antics his character takes part in.

Leo seems to nearly effortlessly look like he is having an immense amount of fun being a huge asshole. Bellfort’s voice over deliver’s pompous facts about his life, like how much money he makes or how many drugs he can take, in a proud tone suggesting he couldn’t be happier with his accomplishments. He constantly cheats on his wife, rips off his investors, and gets recklessly high in public places. Yet he is fun to watch. So much so that most audiences will likely feel guilty about how much they enjoy watching Jordan throw his money away like it’s toilet paper and  act irresponsibly with no consequences.

The challenge Leo and Scorscese take on in trying to make a douchebag watchable for 3 hours is well met. They accomplish this mostly through humor. They make Bellfort and his band of goofy shitbags easy to laugh at. They are constantly thrown into hilarious situations, mostly as a result of their excessive drug use, that are extremely entertaining. They act like giant man children, making it easy to forget that they are adults and are only absolved of their responsibilities by the fact that they screw people out of money for a living in order to make their own.

The writing of Wolf does a good job of glossing over the Wall Street lingo and terminology that many members of a mainstream audience would likely find boring and hard to follow. Jordan’s voiceover even acknowledges this fact at one point by breaking the fourth wall. The movie thrives by showcasing  the entertaining aspects of the Wall Street lifestyle, and would likely have been barred down if it had concentrated on the intricate dealing of the Wall Street’s business side.

While the character’s of Wolf of Wall Street may be fun to watch, the film as a whole comes out with a pretty anti Wall Street message. Bellfort claims that “money makes you a better person,” early in the film, while his actions throughout the movie seem to prove the exact opposite. The more money Jordan has, the less he cares about anything else. He becomes more selfish and his actions become progressively more destructive. His demoralization drives home the age old “money is the root of all evil” adage.

It may be argued that Wolf glamorizes the lifestyle of the broker’s on Wall Street, but it really seems to be putting it on display as some sort of spectacle. There may be a small part of everyone who wants to be rich, but Wolf seems to suggest that while having money may be fun, it can turn someone into a selfish, hollow shell of a person.  Hopefully audiences will agree that The Wolf of Wall Street attempts to portray the excessively wealthy as outrageously irresponsible and shallow pieces of shit, rather than people that one would look to as idols or want to aspire to be.

4) Don Jon

With his directoral debut, Joseph Gordon Levitt shows that his skills extend well beyond acting. Levitt creates a commentary on society’s sexual expectations and the high bar that media has set for them. Don Jon is the exploration of a character who enjoys watching porn more than having sex and the factors that have created his mindset. The film has a reflective sort of effect, begging it’s audience to question their expectations and the influences that have shaped them.

Levitt delivers a powerhouse performance alongside numerous talented actors at the top of their game. Julianne Moore and Scarlet Johannson are among the most notable as Don’s love interests. Scarlett plays the woman of every man’s dreams, “A dime”, as Don says. However, underneath her good looks and charm lies a more manipulative personality. Johannson creates a character that is easy to look at, but also easy to hate, selling the idea that looks aren’t everything. Moore’s character is the antithesis of Johannson’s. Goofy and sweet, but older, and while still attractive, the character often gives off a more homely vibe.

The plot of the film revolves around the title character (Levitt) attempting to give up porn in order to please his disapproving girlfriend, Barbara (Johannson). It quickly becomes apparent that Don is addicted to porn, watching it even moments after having sex. Levitt’s running voiceover throughout the film aides the audience in understanding Don’s addiction. It often comments on his dissatisfaction with real sex and how porn gives him more than any real woman is willing to.

The film seems to be taking a very familiar road until Esther (Julianne Moore) enters Don’s life. She catches him watching porn on his phone publicly before a class they’re in together. This is one of the movie’s funnier talents and it showcases Moore’s abrupt charm. Don is weary of Esther at first, but as her criticisms of his lifestyle and sexual habits hit closer to home, his attraction toward her grows.

Don Jon may seem a little cheesy at first glance, but it is often hilarious and almost always poignant. The world of this film seems slightly more real than that of most of it’s genre. It is littered with background commercials, such as Carl’s Jr. and Hardy, that objectify woman and create unrealistic standards. There’s even a fake movie featuring Channing Tatum and Anne Hathaway poking fun at the stereotypical romantic comedy. Levitt’s film shows that he has big ideas and important messages worth sharing as well as a solid sense of humor.

5) You’re Next

You’re Next  is a home invasion thriller with just the right amount of self awareness. It doesn’t point directly to the camera or spout off quotes or references to well known horror movies, but  it does draw more attention to the silliness of it’s character’s absurd actions than the average slasher movie.  The film has moments of genuine originality, while still following the standard outline of it’s genre pretty closely.

The movie follows the Davison family as they embark upon a get away to celebrate the wedding anniversary of the eldest pair in the clan. The family includes an older couple and their 4 adult children, along with various significant others. Altogether it puts 10 people under the one roof of a gigantic lake house on a huge piece of property, creating the perfect scenario for the family to get picked off one by one, by mysterious masked intruders armed with crossbows.

One of the more fresh aspects of You’re Next is the addition of family politics to the horror genre formula. Other horror movies have explored this to some extent on a smaller scale, but You’re Next brings focus onto the the tension and arguments between members of a large family and puts their issues directly in the middle of the plot and horror of the film.

Sharni Vinson’s performance as Erin is really the only noteworthy one, but it easily picks up the slack for everyone else’s pretty subpar acting. Erin is the girlfriend of one of the Davison siblings, so she is treated as a bit of an outsider. She turns out to have some serious Liam Neeson like skills as far as fighting bad guys. She’s basically the antithesis of the damsel in distress, and brings a whole new level of badassery to the horror film heroine. Vinson sports an Aussie accent and and a down to earth no bullshit attitude that steals most of the scenes she is in.

The film has a series of interesting twists, some of which are callable, but others are surprising and will likely keep most audiences in suspense. You’re Next’s combination of clever awareness, horror cliches, and familial themes make it fun to watch while also making a familiar story feel different. This territory may have been tread before, but You’re Next discovers and draws attention to aspects that have been missed by it’s predecessors, setting it apart from the slew of body count horror films that seem to be mass produced. My only complaint would be that, while it had plenty of creepy moments, it could have been a little scarier.