Suffice it to say, none of the following three films are what I’d call general audience fare (there’s a reason why they all played at last year’s Fantastic Fest, although so did Knives Out, so, who knows?), and that’s okay, but if you don’t have any sort of stomach/appreciation for things with a darker twist (albeit still humorous at times), then I wouldn’t blame you if you stopped reading now (even if I hope you keep reading anyway).
Directed by Ant Timpson
Written by Toby Harvard, based on an idea by Ant Timpson
Cast: Elijah Wood, Stephen McHattie, Garfield Wilson, Madeleine Sami, Martin Donovan, Michael Smiley, Simon Chin, Ona Grauer, Ryan Beil
Soundtrack: Karl Steven
If you’re not familiar with Kiwi writer/director Ant Timpson, don’t feel bad, as Come to Daddy is his debut feature, though he has been a producer of genre cinema for over a decade.
Even as someone who writes spoiler-free reviews, some movies are particularly challenging to talk about without tipping any hands, and Come to Daddy is definitely one of those films.
One thing I can say for certain is that the first act is something of a crucible (it’s a bit of a harsh tone), and there were key points in the story where I worried the movie was going to recede into garbage territory, but in my opinion it never did, and in the end I felt rewarded for the journey.
The cast does quality work given the off-beat nature of the material (love that Kiwi sense of humor), especially Elijah Wood in the lead, and at 93 minutes the movie knows well enough to not overstay its welcome.
It’s not for everyone (obviously), but I believe Ant Timpson was successful in making a film for he and his late father to enjoy together, and for me it’s one of the best genre surprises I’ve had in a while.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Directed by Richard Stanley
Written by Richard Stanley and Scarlett Amaris, based on the short story “The Colour Out of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Joely Richardson, Madeleine Arthur, Elliot Knight, Tommy Chong, Brendan Meyer, Julian Hilliard, Josh C. Waller, Q’orianka Kilcher, Melissa Nearman, Amanda Booth, Keith Harle
Soundtrack: Colin Stetson
I’ll say this for Richard Stanley: he did not come back to kiss Hollywood’s feet.
If you’re unfamiliar with his journey, there’s a whole documentary about it that’s probably better than anything he’s actually directed, which is not to say that Color Out of Space is bad, but it’s certainly no Mandy (although, despite the superficial similarities, I think it’s a bit unfair to draw that comparison, even if the marketing team thought it was okay, as they are different animals).
In fact, whereas Mandy feels like an alt-reality fever dream from start to finish, Color Out of Space feels downright Spielbergian (or at least Amblin-esque) for much of its runtime (although, as you can imagine, it doesn’t end that way). The trouble is that for as much as the writing is clever about delivering exposition, there’s also one character’s decision that almost made me yell at the screen in frustration, so, it’s a mixed bag.
As far as the performers, if you were expecting full gonzo Nic Cage (I certainly was), it’s a far cry from that, but he and Joely Richardson (in a role that really feels like it should have been Barbara Crampton, but perhaps that would have been too wink/nudge) are clearly the pros on set, though I have to admit I think Tommy Chong stole every scene he was in.
All-in-all, Color Out of Space is an okay movie. If nothing else it deserves credit for adroitly bringing a Lovecraft story into the 21st Century.
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Directed by Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala
Written by Sergio Casci, Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala
Cast: Richard Armitage, Riley Keough, Alicia Silverstone, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh
Soundtrack: Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans
You know, I don’t relish taking potshots at other people’s hard work, but the only thing that frightened me about The Lodge was how bored I was.
It starts out promising enough, with a quality first act that had me thinking it would actually make a good follow-up to Hereditary, but after that it simply fails to deliver anything. You’re not made to really care about any of the characters, and whatever punches the story has are well-telegraphed (not to mention there’s a scene where characters are watching John Carpenter’s The Thing, which is, to put it gently, not a favorable comparison).
To put it another way, there’s nothing about this movie that hasn’t been done better before, which I could forgive if it wasn’t trying to be so thematic, but the whole thing just feels fugazi to me, wanting to be deep but really just swimming in the shallows.
And it’s a shame, too, because the assembled cast is really good and their performances are not bad, but it’s in service of nothing.
Really, this movie just made me wish I was watching The House That Jack Built, not that I even thought it was great, but it’s something.
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
‘, though much less sinister), and David Oyelowo is solid as well, although I wish he’d gone with a more neutral American accent (his “Noo Yawk” drawl needs some work). Also, I don’t know if it was an intentional casting decision or just happenstance, but see if you can spy David Margulies (the “Mayor of New York” from Ghostbusters I
& II
) somewhere in the film (spoiler alert: he looks older).
‘ and Roy Scheider’s prologue in ‘Sorcerer
‘), perhaps cross-pollinated with some early 
‘, ‘Manhunter
‘), which is a good thing. As an early 1980s New York City period piece, ‘A Most Violent Year’ should and does have a very classic look, and Alex Ebert’s haunting score fits perfectly with it.
‘ (unrelated), is a most quiet movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s without thrills. If you like intelligent crime dramas, or are just tired of the usual action schlock, you should definitely go see it.
‘), to the realistic (‘The Hunt for Red October
‘), to the classic (‘Run Silent, Run Deep
‘), to the comedic (‘Down Periscope
‘); if you tell me, “We’re watching a submarine movie,” I’m pretty much fully on board right then and there.
, trains
, planes
, and even spacecraft
, a submarine makes a great setting for a movie, because the limited location provides built-in drama, which makes it perfect for tense thrillers like ‘Black Sea’.
‘) or completely fantastical (‘Below
‘). In fact, since ‘
‘ on a sub), despite what you may perceive from the trailer; it is also not an over-the-top action thriller that forces you to suspend disbelief, which it likely would have been had it been a typical American production). I mean, I’m no expert on submarines or underwater salvage, but in terms of the technical plot of the film, I found everything to be completely plausible. There are a few character inconsistencies here and there, but on the whole the movie is very tightly knit together, and the ensemble cast does a good job of getting you invested, so, when things get tense, you actually care. I don’t use the term “edge-of-your-seat” lightly, but, for me, ‘Black Sea’ definitely falls into that category.
‘ (which I highly recommend around Halloween, or even a week after).