REVIEW: The Veil

Director Phil Joanou's The Veil is set around the lone survivor of a mass suicide by a cult that will be easily recognized as similar to Jim Jone's Jonestown.  Heck, even the leader of the cult has the same sort of alliteration to his name, as Tom Jane plays Jim Jacobs.  The twist to the story here is that there may be something paranormal afoot instead of a manipulative maniac murdering innocent people who have been brainwashed.

As the intro of the movie takes place, it is hard to feel as though this film has an identity of its own, similar to 2014's The Sacrament, which also based its story on Jonestown.  We find ourselves meeting the survivor, Sarah Hope (Lily Rabe), twenty five years after the incident.  She connects with a documentary team lead by Maggie (Jessica Alba).  Off they go with the film crew in tow to the seen of the crime, Sarah revisiting the compound for the first time since the mass suicide that happened when she was but a little child.

The movie exists as a series of facades, techniques that are implemented to make the experience appear as though it is something that it is not.  While it tries desperately to be atmospheric and full of jump scares, it is empty in its efforts.

One such technique that is employed is the cinematography being done with mostly grey tones.  It is throughout the film, and while it is something that can be used to set a mood at the right place and time, it loses its impact almost immediately as it is used for all shots; day and night, interior and exterior.  There is nothing of colour that is used to offset the effect, making it as impotent as the script which was penned by Robert Ben Garant.

Another technique that becomes empty is the sound editing.  I know that it is common for films to synch up jump scares with loud noises, but this film takes it to a level that is similar (but not as obnoxious) to the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street.  The loud effects, like the muted colours, are not used sparingly and seep into all elements of the film.  Like the rushing waters of Niagara Falls, it eventually just becomes background noise once exposed to it long enough.

Thirdly, there are plenty of kills that are executed in a way that is supposed to carry mystery around the plot, but they, like everything else, are merely empty.  We have a collective of people in what should be an eerie setting, but there is little to no tension.  The humans exist only as cardboard cutouts that get killed.  The script never gives us anything to know their personalities or who they are, so when they are killed it is simply a process that happens, and something that the audience is not attached to.

Worse of all, it is just a boring film.  If you have seen more than a handful of jump scare films, there will be nothing in this for you to appreciate or take away.  Even if you are brand new to the horror game, you may find yourself laughing at the complete stupidity of the characters who make decisions not out of logic, but out of preference for the plot.  Regardless, there is little here for any movie goer to appreciate.

Rating - 0.5 out of 4 Stars

REVIEW: The Boy

I will admit that there is something that is inherently unsettling about porcelain dolls.  It seems to be due in part to their unblinking and emotionless eyes, and also in part to the general creepiness about them.  There may have been a time and place in this world when they were excepted and cherished, but I personally believe that they have no place in today's society.  I have experienced one first hand as I visited someone's house and had one of those devilish little bastards staring me down from across the room as I tried desperately to sleep.

Horrible little things they are.  So, what better thing to do with something that embodies creepiness than to make a movie about someone being stuck alone in a mansion with one?  And hey, why not make it possessed?  That's the basic plot behind The Boy, which is about a young woman, Greta (played by Lauren Cohan) who takes a job nannying a doll to get away from an abusive relationship with a guy who has a horrific American accent (Ben Robson).  The doll is treated like a son by an equally creepy older couple who have a meticulous set of rules that must be obeyed to keep the damned doll happy.

This is the point in the review where I sigh.  Some movies that go wrong at least have some modicum of potential that is being wasted, but with this film by director William Brent Bell the only platform for it to stand on is that which has already been laid down by previous horror films.  In fact, the climatic twist in the movie is straight out of a well received New Zealand horror flick.

It is not that there just isn't anything new here, it is a poor script that never allows the audience to empathize with a character that we should be able to feel for.  Poor Greta has had a rough time, but as she makes stupid decisions, such as not leaving the house once she's convinced that the doll is haunted (she also falls in love with it, because that makes sense.  Oh, and the 11-ish year old that sat beside me whispered to her mother that Greta was a moron for acting the way she did.  If kids spot it, that is a bad sign) we just loathe her decision making process instead of feeling for her.

I suppose that one positive that the film has going for it is that it is shot in a beautiful, old country mansion in Britain.  It is the kind of setting that works wonderfully for establishing atmosphere and mood.  This magnificent tool that they had on their hands was, however, disserviced by two things.  First of all, it was not utilized well by the director or cinematographer.  The only times it was set to be creepy turned out to be dreams that Greta was having.  Also, we are told that the house burned to the ground twenty years earlier.  Apparently the script writer didn't realize that it is difficult to to have a centuries old home that had previously been destroyed.

Lauren Cohan does what she can with the script, and she is a bright spot in the film.  It is too bad that the writing and directing don't give her anything appropriate to play off of that would allow us to understand her more and care for whether or not she survives.  I was rooting for the damned doll to win, which is not exactly what they were gunning for.  Actually, for most of the film I was just begging that the doll would do something.  Anything would have been better than it just sitting there and looking creepy.

Rating - 1 out of 4 stars

PODCAST: The Breakdown of The Boy and David Bowie

With the recent passing of David Bowie, we felt that it would be a good idea to spend some time on the podcast and look at movies he was involved in.  Good idea.  We also decided to review the recently released 'horror,' The Doll.  Bad idea.

We are used to taking the good with the bad, and we sure do that this week.  Instead of taking the time to go to theatres and check out a movie about a stupid protagonist who falls in love with a haunted doll, we offer up three David Bowie movies that may be a better use of your time.

You can find the podcast here, or it can also be found on iTunes where you can subscribe to it.

The Academy Awards - A Celebration of Caucasian Excellence

The Oscar nominations came out last week, and, what is surprising but should no longer be surprising, is that it is a celebration of whites in Hollywood.  Among the acting categories, not a single person of colour was nominated.  As well, all of the best picture noms were dominated by white casts.

What the hell happened to diversity, I scream to myself.

In 2009 the number of best picture nominees was changed from five to a maximum of ten.  This was done to try and add some diversity to the types of films that would get the noms, allowing genre fare to get recognition when it normally wouldn't.  What is surprising is when you have this total white dominance in a year that there was only eight of a possible of a possible ten best picture nominations.  I have seen six of the eight, and I will say that they are most worthy of the honour.  But what about the two empty slots that could have been filled?

This is where I start to wonder.  Why is it that there were only eight chosen when there were so many other great films this year?  Why couldn't there be some recognition given to non-whites in those slots?

I am not talking about 'pity recognition,' I am talking about movies that truly are worthy of being in the running that didn't make it.  Three such movies come to mind without even having to think too hard.  I don't like thinking too hard, because then I need to take a break.

Straight Outta Compton was released in the late summer, and instantly entered the talk of being a possibility for film of the year.  I don't think there were many pundits who believed that it would win, but there was a great number who saw this as a serious contender for getting a nomination.  What could be the possible problem here?  It was about a music group called Niggaz With Attitudes.  This causal relation between the content and the lack of nomination is pure speculation on my part, but the Academy is almost 95% caucasian.

Now, I don't want to do anything other than speculate.  I saw the film, and it was a great biopic.  It did what it needed to do, and it hit the emotions it was trying to.  Was it the best movie of the year?  Hell no.  Was it better than some of the soapy water biopics that made the list last year?  It sure was.  If The Theory of Everything or The Imitation Game were good enough to to be considered a best picture contender, then there is no way that Straight Outta Compton, which was a lot riskier than those other two overly safe and by the numbers films were, shouldn't be worthy of the same consideration.  I'm sorry about the long sentence.  I am just in that kind of mood right now.

Another possible choice could have been Beasts of No Nation, a movie about child soldiers in Africa. It was a very difficult movie to watch, and there could be a few factors other than just race that kept it from the list.  First of all, the subject material (elevated by the skilled directing and excellent acting) is extremely hard to watch while you smile and eat popcorn.  It is a challenging film that robs the audience of innocence.  That kind of film may not be the top of the list for people to nominate, as they tend to be a little safer in the their picks at times.  Secondly, this was a feature film that was released day and date on Netflix.  It is a true sign of the future, but with 86% of the academy being over fifty, it may be a little too much a little too soon.  Non-traditional release platforms may need to be around for a while before they are recognized, at least in the feature film category.

And hey, in the acting categories as well.  Beasts of No Nation had two standout performances in it, neither of which not nominated.  Young Abraham Attah gave a breakthrough performance, carrying the weight of the film on his shoulders and competently delivering all of the various emotions that the audience was to feel.  No best actor nomination for him.  Idris Elba was a standout as The Commandant, being brutally nurturing and manipulative with the soldiers around him.  No best supporting actor for him.

And then there is Creed, easily one of the best motion pictures of the year.  Sylvester Stallone was nominated in the supporting actor category, but missing out was the lead performance of Micheal B. Jordan.  Heck, even with the amazing cinematography and the epic score, the nomination for Stallone was all this movie has for nominations.  I find it very difficult to understand how this movie isn't worth a best picture nomination.  It's not as though it would need to replace or bump another movie out of the list, because there are two open spots begging to be filled with something.

It is just sad that there is so little representation of minorities in Hollywood recognition.  The problem is amplified by the fact that the representation of talent in movies is mostly white.  There is some notable progress, but it is not enough.  The president of the academy, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, is an African American, but it doesn't seem to move the needle when it comes to what people want to hold up as worthy of recognition.

Boone Isaacs stated that, "in the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond."  I think that is a great step forward, but it brings up a reality that really irks me: Why cannot the current academy see past the lines of colour?

Having more diversity in the voters will have a beneficial outcome, but what is it in the human nature that means a bunch of older white men (over 75% of the academy is male) do not recognize diversity?

I don't think I will ever know for sure the answer to this.  It could be a number of things, but ruling out sub-conscious or conscious racism is not one of them.  Forty acting talents were nominated over the past two years, and all of them were white.  Eight movies were nominated, and all of them were with a predominantly white cast.  Was it really a stretch to keep the highest domestically grossing movie of all time, The Force Awakens, from filling one of those spots?  They put Avatar on the list back at the 82nd Academy Awards, and it had a lower Rotten Tomatoes rating than The Force Awakens.  Oh wait.  The lead actor in The Force Awakens is black.  I guess that answers my question.

PODCAST: The Breakdown of The Revenant and The Big Short

If you have read my recent review of The Revenant, you will know that I hold the film in very high regards.  This week on The Movie Breakdown, we talk in depth about Alejandro Inarritu's masterful film.  As well, we spend some time talking about Adam McKay's The Big Short.  This is a very ambitious film from someone whose body of work includes titles like Anchorman and Talladega Nights.  Both the pros and the cons of his Oscar nominated film get discussed.

On top of reviewing two Oscar contenders, we say goodbye and pay tribute to David Bowie and Allan Rickman.  We will be honouring those two in future podcasts by devoting entire shows to their works, but it only seemed fitting that we say a few things about them and their lasting influences.

You can find the episode of The Movie Breakdown here.  It can also be found on iTunes, where you can subscribe or rate it.  If you are a fan of the show, don't feel shy about passing it along to your friends as well.

PODCAST: The Breakdown of the Best of 2015

This should have been posted on Monday.  I wish there was a terrific excuse for my tardiness on this one, but it comes down to my current addiction with NBA 2K15.  I just couldn't stop playing.  And thus, a lot of stuff didn't get done.  I was still productive and I don't want to sound like an incredible louse, but it is just the sad reality of my life when my wife heads off for a few days.  There is no accountability for my time, and I make good use of that.

Anyways, back to the important topic.  The year of 2015 is all wrapped up and all of the year's films have come out to theatres.  Because I don't live in a big city there is a limit to the variety of films that can be screened, so some Oscar contenders like Room and Brooklyn haven't been seen.  However, I was lucky enough to catch some of the year's best.

This week on The Movie Breakdown, Chris and I each reveal our top ten favourite films of the year as well as some incredibly amazing honourable mentions that only slightly missed out on making the list.  You can find the podcast posted here, or it can also be found on iTunes.

REVIEW: The Revenant

Have you ever had an experience in the cold where you get inside, cozy up in warm, fuzzy clothes, cuddle a hot beverage and are just unable to get the chill out of your body?  I have, and I hate those days.  I always wonder exactly why that happens sometimes and not others.  What is really interesting is when I get that feeling and have not actually been exposed to the cold.  That has only happened once in my life, and it has been going on for a few days now.  Well, not exactly that feeling, but very close to it.

Watching The Revenant the other day was a very physical experience for me.  It was not because I was constantly getting out of my seat and going to the washroom because of the length of the film (although I did have to do that once), or because I was tossing and turning in my seat over boredom.  It was because this movie, due to its directing, cinematography, locations, and acting made me feel the brutal, harsh elements that surround the tail.

The story is one of survival and revenge as we follow Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) after he is left for dead by John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) after Glass is savagely attacked by a bear.  He must overcome the brutal injuries and the frigid weather of the mountains to track down Fitzgerald and face him.  The plot is a very simplistic one, but simplicity can be a very beautiful thing.

Watching DiCaprio as he portrays Glass gives us a visual of an actor who is unflinching and willing to do what it takes to immerse themselves into a role.  I cannot imagine what it would have been like for him as the movie was filming, and I am sure he must have gotten hypothermia at one point or another.  His dedication to dragging himself across the snow with bare hands and submerging his body in icy water is what helps lead to the audience feeling the intensity of the cold that he is battling.

The other element that elevates the feelings and emotions of the environment is the never more beautiful cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki.  He is an icon with an ability to shoot extended sequences, and in this movie I tried to count them but lost the ability after around half an hour.  By that time there had been too many and I was too drawn into what I was watching to even care.  Having these extended sequences with few cuts takes away the fabricated feeling that can exist with most movies.  We know that we are seeing DiCaprio standing in water for multiple minutes at a time, knowing that there were no cuts that allowed him to get out of the water and warm up before shooting some more.  It is the power of these sequences that tell our subconscious brains that there is actual life happening before our eyes and not a mashed together fictional tale.

It is that deception that Lubezki is able to provide along with the work of director Alejandro Inarritu (who had both teamed up on last year's Birdman) that makes the movie so powerful.  Be it a simple script of revenge, it is a story that we feel like we are experiencing for ourselves.  The shots are magnificent and engage us in the physical pains of the characters on the screen.  The pacing may drag a little, and the length did feel a bit indulgent, but it was not enough to keep me from reliving the horrible feelings of desperation and frostbite that were forged throughout.

Rating - 4 out of 4 stars

PODCAST: The Breakdown of the Stinkers of 2015

The 'REJECT' sticker on Chappie's head says it all

Every year comes and goes, leaving many movies in the wake of memories.  Some are great moments that we will relive when the films are released for home consumption, and others are the movies that we dream of erasing from memory.  With The Movie Breakdown Podcast, we strive to see a wide variety of films that end up being loved and cherished.  However, on that path to discovery we also inevitably encounter what are known as the stinkers.

The stinkers are when choices go wrong, and a film ends up destroying us internally and robbing a little piece of our soul.  They are the movies that remind us of everything that can go wrong in films and end up being case studies for what movies need to not blow it.  They are also a colossal waste of time.  Time that we can never get back.  Time that we could have spent with loved ones.

What better way to celebrate a new year than to take some more time and reflect on those little beasties?  This week on The Movie Breakdown, Chris and I sit back with our coffees and talk about both of our top ten worst movies of the year.  Even when the coffee grows cold, it is still a better experience than some of the films we discuss.  To end on a positive note, we both mention our top ten most anticipated films for 2016.

You can find the podcast here.  As well, it is available on iTunes where you can download or subscribe to our weekly movie reviews.

Bring on the New Year

I am normally the person who scoffs at New Year's Resolutions.  Yes, I do scoff.  And sometimes it is followed by a throaty laugh.  So the calendar changes... so what?  We use that as an excuse to tell ourselves that life will be different and we will be making new changes in behaviour and routine that are destined to make ourselves a better version of who we are.  Go to the gym, eat more veggies.  Yes, indulge in all of the common resolutions that are bound to be forgotten by the time Valentine's rolls around.

Well, now it is the time for me to scoff and laugh at myself.  There is something to be said for having a blank slate in front of you, and if it comes in the form of a kitten filled calendar from the local pharmacy, so be it.  This year's kittens represent a hopeful change for me in accomplishing more each day.  It's not that I lack motivation, it is that I lack the natural ability to form proper routine in my day.

Well, there is the type of routine that I excel at.  I pour my coffee first thing without fail.  I also brush my teeth.  While these are noble and to be exalted as jobs well done, they shouldn't be the only definites that inhabit my day.  What I am in need of is a proper use of time that ensures that I am moving forward with what I am hoping will be a career in writing that involves more than just disappointment.  So far I have nailed getting the disappointment, now it is time to nail down success!

I am not going to say that this is the year of everything going well and turning out peaches.  That's beyond my control.  What I am aiming for is a year where I up my game and am more dedicated not just to writing, but to doing all of those darned things that lead towards actually getting something published.  Darned things like making coherent content.  Or, in other cases, darned things like spelling my name correctly in a query letter to an agent.

Calling it a New Year's Resolution is not something that I want to do, but that is essentially what it is.  So far I have rocked 2016 by hitting my daily goals.  That means only I only have to keep up the pace for the remaining 98.9% of the year that is left.  An easily attainable goal if ever there was one.

PODCAST: The Full Breakdown of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" - Full of Spoilers

Let's be honest.  It is the biggest movie event in recent memory, and possibly all time.  The Force Awakens has done more for the franchise than any of the prequels as far as popularity and merchandising, and it is only going to grow from here.  However with that said, the next films will only add to it and won't be able to capture the initial excitement the same way that this movie was able to, making it a true landmark feature film.

This week on The Movie Breakdown we take the entire episode to talk about The Force Awakens like the giddy little movie geeks that we are.  Be warned, it is full of spoilers.  If you haven't seen the movie yet, this could be the podcast to miss and visit after you have seen the film.  If you have seen it, sit down and have a listen to the old and ancient format of podcast we once did called The Spoiler Room, where nothing from the movie is out of bounds for discussion.

As well, there is an account of Chris taking his son to the movies for the first time, as his now four year old got to check out The Good Dinosaur.  You can find the podcast here, or you can find it on iTunes if you search 'The Movie Breakdown.'  Please feel free to rate us or subscribe to keep up to date on all of our weekly podcasts.