Tag: Hereditary

Geekscape Movie Review: Midsommar

by MCDave

You never forget how the great films made you feel when you experienced them for the first time. It’s a unique ability that transcends the standard norms of filmmaking.  And one contemporary visionary who has mastered this skill is Ari Aster, a new generational voice in the psychological horror genre with a knack for capturing a quiet sense of Hitchcock-ian suspense throughout his works. Aster first astonished us with last year’s Hereditary, a spine-chilling examination of a family with sinister bloodlines that even stirred some rumblings of an Oscar Nomination for the film’s leading star, Toni Collette. It was quite a debut, but Aster wastes no time jumping right back into the director’s chair for his indescribable new psychological thriller, Midsommar, another hypnotic effort that’s quickly cementing Ari Aster’s reputation within the horror community.

Following a traumatic and devastating event, a young American couple travel to a remote Swedish commune with a group of friends to experience the local’s once-in-a-lifetime mid-summer festivities. But as they all become more and more immersed in the community’s bizarre rituals, the couple’s relationship becomes tested and their friendships become strained. Yet, things only get worse from there as this once culturally rich experience slowly evolves into a hellish nightmare at the hands of a pagan cult.


Let me be clear, Midsommar isn’t a horror film in the commercialized sense of the word. Instead, writer and director Ari Aster shapes an unnerving and terrifying journey into the human psyche. Florence Pugh stars as Dani, a love-starved young woman desperately holding onto a failing relationship with her boyfriend of four years, Christian (Jack Reynor), after suffering a horrible personal tragedy. The film explores the darkest depths of human connection in such a beautifully shot and viscerally engrossing demeanor. Midsommar stands as a slow-dance of macabre, meant to be savored and digested through sustained periods of intense imagery and a spine-tingling use of sounds. In fact, Ari Aster’s profound use of music and sounds elevates his craft to a whole new level and helps elicit a variety of emotions, it’s truly remarkable. And outside of the film’s apparent technical achievements and majestic cinematography, Midsommar also boasts an impressively detailed and absorbing script. Aster’s story is fully outstretched to what some viewers will complain is a tiresome two-and-a-half-hour affair, especially after the end goal begins to reveal itself about halfway in. Yet, I found this crawling transformation to be mightily impactful with each and every step along the way. Furthermore, another common criticism will be aimed at the film’s silly elements of dark humor. There are numerous scenes which are odd and seemingly over-the-top, but the deeper purpose of these moments is to appropriately illustrate the insidious cult’s desire to bond through empathy. They laugh together, love together, cry together and experience pain and heartache together. All of which align perfectly with Aster’s intended end result. Midsommar is a beautiful and poetic psychological horror that ventures far beyond the superficial norms of its genre and shakes you to the core. It’s one of 2019’s standout features and an experience that’s certainly worth the ride. 

GRADE: 4/5

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The Best of SXSW 2018

by MCDave

As I do with every festival I attend, I’m reflecting back on the best of the best from this year’s eclectic crop of titles at the SXSW film festival. It was a strong collection of films, diverse with female and minority filmmakers and centered around a wide array of topics that kept every viewing experience interesting and unique. So here they are, my personal favorite films, performances, directors and screenplays from 2018’s SXSW festival:

Best Screenplay

Honorable Mention: Boundaries, First Match, Shotgun, The Unicorn and Unlovable

#5. Hereditary

#4. American Animals

#3. Ready Player One

#2. Sadie

And the winner is …

#1. Blindspotting

Co-stars Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal also wrote the fresh and original screenplay behind Blindspotting. The film fuses together hysterical dialogue and situational humor with a timely examination of various social issues in what’s guaranteed to culminate as one of the year’s finest films.

 

Best Supporting Actress

Honorable Mention: Javina Gavankar (Blindspotting), Lucy Hale (The Unicorn), Melissa Leo (Unlovable), Kathryn Newton (Blockers) and Geraldine Viswanathan (Blockers)

#5. Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One)

#4. Melanie Lynskey (Sadie)

#3. Emily Mortimer (Write When You Get Work)

#2. Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place)

And the winner is …

#1. Elle Fanning (Galveston)

In a role that’s considerably larger than most of her category rivals, Elle Fanning makes the most of her screen time in Melanie Laurent’s Galveston. Fanning portrays a young prostitute who finds herself caught up in a mob hit gone wrong and flees the scene with the target who somehow escapes his death. Her character is heartbreaking but genuine, two traits that she brings to life with remarkable ease.

 

Best Supporting Actor

Honorable Mention: John Gallagher Jr. (Sadie), Armie Hammer (Final Portrait), Barry Keoghan (American Animals), Christopher Lloyd (Boundaries) and Ben Mendelsohn (Ready Player One)

#5. Lewis MacDougall (Boundaries)

#4. Rafael Casal (Blindspotting)

#3. Christopher Plummer (Boundaries)

#2. Alex Wolff (Hereditary)

And the winner is …

#1. John Hawkes (Unlovable)

Hometown star John Hawkes is always a SXSW favorite as the Austin crowds love to show their appreciation for the underrated actor. This year he brought his uninhibited talents to the big screen once again for the dramedy Unlovable where he plays a recluse who befriends a sex addict and they both learn about earnest human connection. It was a sweat relationship between the two characters and Hawkes, the far more polished performer of the two, helps solidify its effectiveness.

 

Best Actress

Honorable Mention: Charlene deGuzman (Unlovable), Vera Farmiga (Boundaries), Lauren Lapkus (The Unicorn) and Gubu Mbatha-Raw (Fast Color)

#5. Olivia Wilde (A Vigilante)

#4. Elvire Emanuelle (First Match)

#3. Maika Monroe (Shotgun)

#2. Sophia Mitri Schloss (Sadie)

And the winner is …

#1. Toni Collette (Hereditary)

Whispers have already begun regarding an Oscar Nomination for Toni Collette’s work in the bonafide horror entry, Hereditary. I’d be completely on board with that result considering Collette’s transformative work in the film. She’s the backbone of this fright fest and her character’s spiral into madness following a string of recent family tragedies is an absolute marvel. There are countless Oscar-caliber scenes that allow Collette to let it all go and she does so magnificently enough to allow her role to stand out among a crowded field of stellar Best Actress performances.

 

Best Actor

Honorable Mention: Michael Kelly (All Square), John Krasinski (A Quiet Place), Tye Sheridan (Ready Player One), Jeremy Allen White (Shotgun) and Finn Wittrock (Write When You Get Work)

#5. Nicholas Rutherford (The Unicorn)

#4. Geoffrey Rush (Final Portrait)

#3. Ben Foster (Galveston)

#2. Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting)

And the winner is …

#1. Evan Peters (American Animals)

The Best Actor field was top-heavy, headlined by a trio of spectacular turns, any of which could be deserving of this top spot. However, I lean towards Evan Peters fine work in Bart Layton’s docu-drama American Animals. As a goofy, determined college student seeking the ultimate thrill in life, Peters captures the essence of Warren Lipka exceptionally well. And not only is his performance robust in stature, but Peters also illustrates the most depth of any character in the film.

 

Best Director

Honorable Mention: Wes Anderson (Isle of Dogs), John Krasinski (A Quiet Place), Olivia Newman (First Match), Robert Schwartzman (The Unicorn) and Suzi Yoonessi (Unlovable)

#5. Steven Spielberg (Ready Player One)

#4. Megan Griffiths (Sadie)

#3. Bart Layton (American Animals)

#2. Ari Aster (Hereditary)

And the winner is …

#1. Carlos Lopez Estrada – (Blindspotting)

For as well rounded as Blindspotting is, perhaps its greatest aspect is the direction from first-time filmmaker Carlos Lopez Estrada. The level of filmmaking far surpasses what you’d expect from a debut effort and clearly puts Estrada on my radar of up-and-coming directors with an extremely bright future. Until he proves otherwise, I’ll watch any film with his name on it.

 

Best Picture

Honorable Mention: Boundaries, First Match, Shotgun, The Unicorn and Unlovable

#5. Ready Player One

#4. American Animals

#3. Sadie

#2. Hereditary

And the winner is …

#1. Blindspotting

The timely comedy Blindspotting was far and away the best entry from this year’s SXSW festival. As I stated above, Carlos Lopez Estrada provides phenomenal direction to Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal’s often intense and socially aware aspects. This look at the gentrification going on in Oakland and other cities in the country, as well as law enforcement’s questionable tactics, highlight this films that works just as well as a drama as it does a comedy. Keep an eye out for Blindspotting because it’s destined to be one of 2018’s best.

Complete 2018 SXSW Film Recap

by MCDave

I was able to catch 18 films at this year’s SXSW festival. Some of the titles are primed for anticipated releases all throughout the calendar year, while others are relying on positive exposure from the festival in order to expand their reach to additional audiences. This year’s crop of selections included a wide range of styles, genres and subject matters, making it a fantastic group of films courtesy of SXSW’s program directors. Here’s a look back at each film I saw (in alphabetical order) with a brief description of the synopsis, as well as a quick and to-the-point assessment of each movie:

All Square

House of Cards‘ Michael Kelly stars as a struggling small-town bookie who decides to take bets on local little league baseball games. There are some laughs to be had and the film’s accuracy regarding underground sports betting is commendable, yet there’s very little depth to the characters and a lack of meaningfulness to the story.   GRADE 3/5

American Animals

This witty and energetic docu-drama recreates the insane true story of 4 college students who researched, plotted and committed a heist at their university in 2005, hoping to cash in on millions of dollars worth of books and other art pieces. American Animals was one of the more memorable films at this year’s festival for its gripping screenplay and styled execution.   GRADE 4/5

Blindspotting

Carlos Lopez Estrada’s Blindspotting was without question the pinnacle of this year’s festival. Tackling a wide array of social issues, the film follows a convicted felon with 4 days left on his probation who witnesses a police officer fatally shoot an unarmed and fleeing African American suspect. Blindspotting takes you on a roller-coaster of emotions and intensity as it bridges sound storytelling with a unique and innovative flavor.   GRADE 4.5/5

Blockers

Kay Cannon’s comedy headliner earned loads of laughs during its world premiere, which only seems natural as Blockers follows a trio of high school seniors who form a pact to lose their virginity on Prom night. Unfortunately, their parents (Leslie Mann, John Cena and Ike Barinholtz) discover the girls’ promiscuous intentions and try desperately to stop them. A strong central theme attacks society’s double-standard when it comes to this landmark sexual event, yet a tiresome reliance on shock-value and full frontal male nudity to generate laughs really sours the effort.   GRADE 3/5

Boundaries

Vera Farmiga stars as a habitual animal-rescuing mother forced to help her flaky father (Academy Award Winner Christopher Plummer) after he’s kicked out of his senior living facility for selling marijuana. Plummer steals the show in this often hilarious story of familial struggle, despite the fact that very little materializes in the film.   GRADE 3.5/5

Fast Color

Julia Hart’s Fast Color was regrettably the weakest link at this year’s SXSW festival. The sci-fi drama follows a woman (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) on the run because of her family’s history of possessing unique, super-human abilities. Flimsy storytelling, one-dimensional characters and cheap reveals plague this lifeless sci-fi drama.   GRADE 2/5

Final Portrait

Stanley Tucci is a fantastic character actor but he returns to the director’s chair for SXSW entry, Final Portrait, which chronicles the odd and brief relationship between Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti and an American (Armie Hammer) he asked to pose for a portrait. And what was supposed to be completed in one afternoon went on to last for many weeks, thanks to Giacometti’s frequent moments of intense self criticism. It’s a silly premise that proves quite witty and charming as it develops, however a repetitious feeling and constricted story leave this film as a hollow attempt at addressing the inevitable imperfection of art.   GRADE 2.5/5

First Match

First Match is a Netflix film that will arrive by the end of March, giving you an opportunity to see it soon via the streaming service. The movie centers around a troubled teen (Elvire Emanuelle) whose bounces around the foster care system, until she finds strength and structure competing against boys on the wrestling mat where she wants nothing more than to win the admiration of her biological father. Inspiring and heartbreaking all at the same time, First Match is a winning attempt from this year’s SXSW slate.   GRADE 3.5/5

Galveston

French actress Melanie Laurent tries her hand at directing an American tale with Galveston. Ben Foster stars as a henchman for a mob boss who goes on the run with a prostitute (Elle Fanning) after becoming the target of a “hit” by his employer. Galveston’s a slow-burner that builds its characters well despite a crawling pace and outstretched screenplay.   GRADE 3/5

Hereditary

Another clear highlight of this year’s SXSW festival was the “midnighter” selection Hereditary. What’s been crowned as this year’s “scariest movie ever”, the film follows a family’s spiral into madness after the passing of their grandmother. The scares are legitimate, thanks to creepy visuals and superb sound editing that help build the tension beautifully throughout.   GRADE 4/5

Isle of Dogs

The latest from Wes Anderson marks his return to stop-motion animation, something he executed quite well with 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. Set during the not-so-distant future in Japan where a dog-hating ruler banishes all canines to “trash island”, Isle of Dogs follows the tale of a brave young boy who travels to this castaway island to find his pet. However, what begins as a fun and humor-filled idea eventually goes off the rails in its questionable third act.   GRADE 3/5

A Quiet Place

John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place opened this year’s festival and brought the crowd to a rousing applause at its conclusion. A family is forced to live in absolute silence as deadly, sound-sensitive creatures have nearly wiped out the entirety of Earth’s population. The creatures are pretty awesome, I’ll admit, but the lulls in action in between the film’s sporadic suspenseful moments leave much to be desired.   GRADE 3/5

Ready Player One

Steven Spielberg’s newly adapted sci-fi effort was without question the most anticipated debut at this year’s SXSW festival. The film follows Wade Watts, a teenager trapped in the mundane circumstances of everyday life in the year 2045, so he takes to the virtual reality world known as the Oasis where tries to find a hidden fortune left by the game’s deceased creator. Ready Player One is as visually overwhelming as it is impressive, yet a gripping dystopian tale makes this 140-minute journey a surprisingly easy ride.

Sadie

One of the clear indie darlings from this year’s lineup was Megan Griffiths’ Sadie. This gripping tale centers around a 13 year old daughter (Sophia Mitri Schloss) of a soldier serving overseas who will stop at nothing to end the romantic affair between her mother and a new neighbor at their trailer park. The escalation is subtle but explosive as Sadie stands as a true testament to the power of independent filmmaking.   GRADE 4/5

Shotgun

In Shotgun, twenty-somethings Elliot (Shameless‘ Jeremy Allen White) and Mia (It Follows‘ Maika Monroe) stumble into a romance that begins moving incredibly fast when he becomes diagnosed with cancer. Writers/directors Hannah Marks and Joey Power tell an interesting story with immense emotional depth. Shotgun is a true love story, all in spite of its cheap reaches for the occasional sentiment.   GRADE 3.5/5

The Unicorn

One of the most insanely hysterical films at SXSW was Robert Schwartzman’s The Unicorn. Lauren Lapkus and Nicholas Rutherford star as Malory and Caleb, a boring couple going four years strong on their engagement. But when their mutual reservations with marriage force them to question the current state of their relationship, “Mal & Cal” decide that spicing things up with a threesome may be exactly what they need. The Unicorn is a riotous journey that refuses to let up on the laughs.   GRADE 4/5

Unlovable

Joy (Charlene deGuzman) is a sex-addict who craves the attention of the opposite sex.  Yet, she finds genuine human connection when she begins a garage band with her “sponsor’s” older anti-social brother. The masterful John Hawkes, a hometown SXSW hero, delivers a knockout performance once again in the hearty, feel-good comedy Unlovable.   GRADE 4/5

A Vigilante

Olivia Wilde goes straight badass in the domestic abuse thriller, A Vigilante. Wilde stars as an abuse survivor who enlists her services to fellow abused women who need her to rough up and intimidate their husbands. And what begins as a compelling character study, eventually transitions into an unappealing thriller. Wilde gives a committed performance, but the story simply falls flat in its third act.   GRADE 3/5

Write When You Get Work

Stacy Cochran’s Write When You Get Work follows Jonny and Ruth, former lovers and small-time thieves who cross paths after years apart. But when Jonny discovers Ruth’s new career at an upper class private school, he plots a scheme to steal from a wealthy parent (Emily Mortimer) involved with the school. This battle-of-wits caper comedy just never seems to entertain as much as its heady screenplay deserves. I believe it’s because the characters aren’t endearing enough for the audience to forge a connection.   GRADE 2.5/5

SXSW Movie Review: Hereditary

by MCDave

It happens nearly every year. A horror title bursts onto the scene during the early calendar months at either Sundance or SXSW, generating enormous buzz and swirling hope for the next great genre hit. Sometimes these films meet the enthusiastic hype head-on and rise to the occasion, while other times they crack and crumble under the heavy pressure of desired greatness. 2018 is no exception as Ari Aster’s new terrifying descent into madness, Hereditary, proudly steals this “horror darling” label and meets its audiences with visceral unease and heart-pounding fright that proves the hype is real.

The movie opens with the passing of Ellen Graham, the matriarch of her family, whose loss casts a wide net over her surviving kin. And as her haunting death continues to escalate in intensity and bring turmoil and tragedy to her daughter Annie’s family (Toni Collette) family, they slowly begin to unlock dark and cryptic ancestral secrets that extend far beyond their control. And the more they discover, the further they are dragged into this hellish reality.

Hereditary’s strengths are vast and plentiful as the effort burns with cinematic artistry, burrows deep into the human psyche, and delivers well-timed and escalating scares. You know that a horror film has succeeded when something as trivial as a childish sound can become a fearful symbol of impending doom that haunts at every turn. It’s carefully calculated and beautifully orchestrated writing and direction from first-time filmmaker, Ari Aster, whose terrorizing vision slowly peels in lock-step, but never feels long in the tooth or boring. This happens, despite a lengthy running time of over 2 hours, because the suspense and tension are absolutely relentless, giving the audience time to breathe but never allowing them to feel settled. Aster’s attention to detail clearly plays a vital role in the film’s mastery of the genre, also evident by the director’s clear knowledge and understanding of the horror classics that preceded him, but enough can’t be said about Toni Collette’s earth-shattering performance. Her character’s psychological plunge is subtle and brilliant, as it becomes difficult to pinpoint the exact moment she “loses it” because the transformation is so gradual and fluid. Also the work of supporting actor and rising star Alex Wolff deserves recognition as well, seeing that his character is the bloodline of the film in many ways. Hereditary does squander its finale a bit, rushing around to make sense of all the haunting insanity it worked so well to create, but the mildly bitter taste isn’t enough to discredit the sheer creepiness and disturbing aura that surrounds this winning horror entry.

GRADE: 4/5

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