DEAD STILL (2020)

Set in 1880s Ireland in the Victorian era heyday of 'postmortem photography' the six-episode period drama follows a renowned memorial photographer who is drawn into a series of apparent murders which appear to be linked to his work.

There is something to be said for short mini-series. It allows more screentime than a film, without being so drawn out to have unnecessary filler in it. Top it all off with not having such a long obligation time-wise to view it, they really are the ideal type of series in this day and age for a healthy binge. Exclusive to the streaming platform Acorn TV, Dead Still is a six-part Irish-Canadian period drama series, written by John Morton and directed by Imogen Murphy and Craig David Wallace.

Dead Still starts off largely as an episodic show, with a strong focus on establishing our main characters in their curious trade of photographing the dead, with only a minor subplot mentioning the larger arc. As the show progresses, the larger arc expands and disrupts the episodic structure forming one large intertwined story. An effective method to build strong character development through an initial "day in the life" phase before introducing them to the main source of conflict.

The series is set in the late 1800s, and as such, the costuming and set designs have a very classic Victorian "Jack The Ripper" vibe to them. What is surprisingly intriguing about the main character is his strong avoidance of the main plot thread. As a member of the audience, you are waiting for that point when enough has happened for Mr Blennerhassett to relent and agree to assist the young detective in solving crimes, but alas it isn't to be. Blennerhasset is happy to not be involved, and his active avoidance is au unexpected source of humour for the series.

One would usually expect everything to be rather prim and proper for a Victorian period piece, but it is the uncouth blue humour that makes this series feel delightfully fresh; whether it be the sweat on one's sack, explicit language, photography of tastefully obstructed sexual intercourse, or other morbid topics. Dead Still gently pushes that boundary of morbid curiosity and perverse macabre to keep the audience intrigued.

While there are certainly a few performances that come across as hammy and over-the-top campy, this crime mystery meets black comedy manages to put on enough of a serious face to make it worthwhile investing in. There is enough liveliness in the show to make you question the boundaries of the reality yourself. Does this universe have the supernatural? Are spirits, ghosts, and souls real? Watching the sombre and composed Blennerhassett tackling these big questions, sometimes feels as goofy as Scooby-Doo, but other times as well-thought-out as Sherlock Holmes.

Blennerhassett is supported by his niece Nancy, and former-grave digger (now assistant) Conall. Nancy somehow simultaneously oozing in positivity and pretentiousness, she learns humility and a greater appreciation for all classes of people. Conall is consistently the voice of reason; despite being far timider, he is more ethically bound than Blennerhassett who is driven by pride and money.

Dead Still is an interesting look into the fascination with death that was prominent in Victorian times, under the guise of a PG murder mystery. Just dark enough and with enough deadpan humour (pun intended) to appeal to a wide audience. 

Note: This is series is completely unrelated to the 2014 horror film that it shares its name with.

Dead Still is being released exclusively on Acorn TV across June/July

Originally posted to: https://djin.nz/Kr8649

QUEEN & SLIM (2019)

Slim and Queen's first date takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation. When the situation escalates, Slim takes the officer's gun and shoots him in self-defence. Now labelled cop killers in the media, Slim and Queen feel that they have no choice but to go on the run and evade the law. 

Queen & Slim is an interesting flick. It has been marketed as some kind of modern-day Bonnie & Clyde style of film (hence the similarity in title, despite the film making no reference to this moniker at all), and yet the direction of the film does not match the synopsis. Queen & Slim includes elements around police brutality and being on-the-run, but that is not what the film is truly about. In fact, the film actively avoids these matters and inserts other elements in order to placate mainstream audiences. Because of this, Queen & Slim is not a tense crime thriller; it is a poorly written modern-day Romeo & Juliet.

What the film does well, is set up Daniel Kaluuya's character as the humble, relatable, and ultimately likeable protagonist. Nearly jumping straight into the action, the film has only a short five-minute introduction to our titular duo, but by near enough pitting them against one another, it allows a great amount of information regarding both character's personalities to come to light. It allows the audience to almost instantly fall on Kaluuya's side even when facing up against a representative of the law. On the other side of the coin, however, is Jodie Turner-Smith's character who, at the expense of making Kaluuys's character more relatable, end up coming across as snobby and pretentious. A woman that has chosen a man to buy her a free meal because she didn't want to be alone, but had no real intention of ever seeing him again. Bored, pent up, and tonally dismissive, she is as unlikeable a character as you can get from such a minimal amount of screen time in the opening scenes.

The first act soon takes a swift turn, and our main couple is forced to flee across the country together. This is where the writing and framing have undercut the synopsis and forged a different direction for the film. In the current political climate, with the #blacklivesmatter movement gaining momentum, Queen & Slim had an opportunity to allow the audience to understand the pain, the fear, and the loathing that is felt by minority groups that live in these oppressed communities. Lena Waithe avoids this direction altogether and puts forth a one-dimensional script that highlights the negative aspects of the minority community and introduces non-minority characters to constantly offer assistance. The whole thing is wholeheartedly unrealistic and decidedly derogative toward minorities. 

Minority characters are largely portrayed as being taught to steal cars at a young age, being angry and frenzied, while frequent perpetrators of domestic abuse and infidelity, with no honour or integrity. On the other hand, the white characters are constantly shown as compassionate, understanding, and willing to help those in need, no matter the circumstances. It is portrayals like this that are subtly affecting how we see minorities in real life. 

The focus is instead on the burgeoning relationship between Queen & Slim; or perhaps a strain of Stockholm syndrome may be more appropriate, considering Queen's nonchalance and irritation towards any of Slim's advances. This supposed on-the-run story has no suspense or tension for the majority of the runtime because our protagonists show no such emotions. Unless there are police on the physical screen, there is no sense that the titular couple is in any form of danger; no sense that they are bring hunted down or tracked, nor that anybody is really in a rush to get anywhere. Despite Kaluuya's likeable nature, there is no chemistry between Queen & Slim, and all interactions feel forced, which makes the final act of the film somewhat disingenuous.

There is an interesting theme that follows our characters throughout the runtime, where their "reputation" precedes them and seeing how the event in the first act impacts and is seen by other people. Support networks, protests, hero-worship, the ideas are ripe with underutilised content, but even this subplot is wasted with questionable writing that, again, make the black community look to be at fault, through an out-of-place segue--no longer a part of Queen & Slim's story--and seemingly portraying the message "your cause is overexaggerated and actions are unjustified".

This is a story created by James Frey, who knew that he could not be the one to write it. Unfortunately, Lena Waithe was also not the right person to write this, and Melina Matsoukas was not the right choice to direct. Matsoukas may have won two Grammys through her music videos, but aside from creating a gorgeous visual film with a timeless aesthetic, Queen & Slim is devoid of emotion and message, with inconsistent behaviour and stilted, generic dialogue. And that is without going into the faux pa of not casting Black Americans in your American based film.

There is one section of the film that was well executed, and that involved Bokeem Woodbine as Queen's Uncle. One of the more outlandish scenes full of questionable behaviour, but a brilliant example of family coming together in a time of need, even the black sheep in the family. Woodbine is the shining light in this film, with a charismatic approach to his character that feels entirely fleshed out. You can sense his distaste towards law enforcement in every word he speaks. 

Queen & Slim is still a very watchable film. It works well in a manner that mainstream audiences will enjoy. It will, however, be problematic to minority audiences that will feel the film is (albeit unintentionally) an attack on their community. The film is fine, but if it had spent the time to properly tackle the social issues at play, this could have been the next Moonlight. 

Originally posted to: https://djin.nz/Kr8642

THE WRETCHED (2019)

A defiant teenage boy, struggling with his parents' imminent divorce, faces off with a thousand-year-old witch, who is living beneath the skin of and posing as the woman next door.

I like to follow a few YouTube movie reviewers to compare my own thoughts on a film to their own. The Wretched is one of those films that was indie enough that I hadn’t heard about it beforehand, but it was either good or bad enough, that all of the reviewers were suddenly releasing reviews about it. Perhaps one could chalk it up to the fact that it is one of the few new films that has been able to be released overseas during the lockdowns (thanks to social distance-abiding drive-in theatres, but regardless, it is enough to garner some curiosity.

The Wretched is a remarkably simple supernatural creature horror. Written and directed by Brett and Drew T. Pierce, it is clear that they have put a lot of effort into the visual and audial elements of the creature. With what appears to be a seamless mix of practical make-up and CGI, the Pierce duo manage to effectively create tension and suspense through brilliant use of sound effects and musical composition. Making the most of both styles of horror, the creature is both hidden and widely revealed, allowing a dip into the lore and appreciation of the creature design, while still creating effective jump scares and tense moments.

Despite the great design work and sound effects of the creature, the Pierce duo fall into the trap of a completely unknown enemy. While some of the lore is mentioned via a quick internet search, the extent of the creature’s powers is never explained. As the film progresses, the creature shows an ever-increasing variety of supernatural powers, from puppetry to persuasion, super strength, and many more, allowing the story to frustratingly subvert expectations through means that have not been established prior. It is these limitless power and new abilities constantly being introduced without explanation, that reduces the effectiveness of the final act of the film. When the enemy has no known weaknesses and a litany of strengths, then there is little to hold the interest of the audience.

What further makes it less engrossing for the audience, is when your main character is unlikeable. Jon-Paul Howard’s performance as Ben is a surprisingly earnest portrayal of a teen that has no concept of consequences. An argumentative junkie with no regard for anyone’s feelings but his own, he is the type of character that you actually want the creature to kill; and with no real organic character development, that feeling never really changes. To that extent, his co-star Mallory (portrayed by Piper Curda), is much more likeable but doesn’t get enough screen-time to fully utilise her positive traits.

Along with an unlikeable protagonist, the story itself is the weak point of the film. The main story is very simple. It has a complicated villain with a lot of unknown attributes, but the actual aim of the creature is very basic. It is a protect-and-survive story. There are, however, additional subplots around the father-son relationship and a teen romance arc; both are given conclusions, but neither are properly resolved and end up distracting from the actual horror element of the film.

There is a lot to like though. The main character pays homage to the voyeur mysteries, Disturbia and Rear Window, as well as the like of Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Goosebumps, while providing a competent, and intelligent creature that gives room for strategy while building tension and suspense. The effects are well done, and never really feel cringe-worthy, with a lot of noticeable effort being put into the small details. The cinematography from Conor Murphy is well-executed and forms a consistent tone throughout the many subplots of the film. 

All in all, The Wretched effectively captures your interest and manages to hold it for the entire length of the film. There remains enough mystery (albeit too much) to avoid being overly predictable and keep the audience hooked.

The Wretched is at cinemas from June 25, 2020

Advanced screenings are available at selected cinemas from June 18, 2020

EMMA. (2020)

Following the antics of a young woman, Emma Woodhouse, who lives in Georgian- and Regency-era England and occupies herself with matchmaking - in sometimes misguided, often meddlesome fashion- in the lives of her friends and family.

In all honesty, I can find a lot of period pieces intimidating. Not being a huge fan of the old language in classic literature, the time spent translating the dialogue into modern language is often as much of a barrier for me, as subtitles are for those with lower literacy levels. Period pieces with older language are often watchable, but lose enjoyment because of the amount of extra effort that needs to be put into the viewing. Some films overcome this by simplifying the language, which helps it gain a greater mainstream appeal, but with Emma. the filmmakers take a different approach.

It was due to this intimidation that I didn't watch Emma. in theatres, where the idea of not understanding the humour while in a public space, can be rather daunting. But here we are, with Emma. now available for purchase on DVD and Bluray, and I can view it in its entirety, in private. I can safely say that I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this film directed by Autumn de Wilde. Despite this being de Wilde's directorial feature film debut, Emma. is absolutely breathtaking, with stunning visual displays created with a combination of Christopher Blauvelt's cinematography and de Wilde's direction, that showcase her expertise in photography. 

Colour and framing are used effectively in a provocative manner to communicate additional traits such as emotion and wealth, whilst the performances are overblown and exaggerated with such finesse that it simultaneously confirms the characters personality traits, allows an air of comedy to seep in, all while maintaining an authentic period atmosphere. The slightly overripe performances not only firmly solidify the traits of each character--allowing the audience to build strong empathetic bonds with them--but it becomes such an ingrained part of each character that it creates greater depth of character, allowing darker motivations to subtly undercut the foundation of the character. In essence, the characterization of our protagonists is so strong that the audience is able to sense when things are becoming strained, long before the dialogue outright tells us so.

To that end, the casting is absolutely superb. Anya Taylor-Joy (who portrays the titular Emma Woodhouse) has amazing, large eyes that portray an incredible amount of emotion without the need for unnecessary dialogue to explain feelings. This is where de Wilde's experience in photography and inexperience in directing feature films becomes an advantage. Where most film adaptations tend to focus on the dialogue (being adapted from the Jane Austen's novel, words are easy to focus on), instead, de Wilde is all about the visual angle, allowing as much information to be given through the location, mannerisms, movements, and lighting of the characters and production sets. It reduces that reliance on the dialogue and makes the film that much more pleasant to watch.

Full of quirky characters, every actor disappears into their role, with only the ever-delightful Bill Nighy standing out as an actor acting a role. Mia Goth has a great performance with unbridled naivety and innocence, contrasting the supposed maturity and all-knowing nature of her best friend, Emma. The story could just as easily have been a drama, but the light-hearted musical compositions by Isobel Waller-Bridge and David Schweitzer, together with the off-centre characters, it superbly twists the story into a romantic comedy that draws the audience in.

It is rare to get a period piece that makes you feel such a strong connection to its characters. Strong enough of a connection that there is a scene that will literally make you gasp (at the very least, a sharp intake of breath) and get that blood boiling. The costuming and production design is top-notch, and the level to which the audience views the little things--such as efficiently dressing up and down with all of the layers, shopping for fabrics, or travelling between nearby houses. The trifling things make the characters feel evermore real.

I was originally intimidated by the idea of this film, but in the end, it was a gorgeous visual feast, with authentic costuming, and a relatable story with engaging characters. An unexpected, but welcome surprise. 

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8637

RESISTANCE (2020)

Before he becomes a world-famous mime, aspiring Jewish actor Marcel Mangel joins the French Resistance to save thousands of orphaned children from the reign of the Nazis.

I try to be an unbiased as I can be when it comes to writing reviews, but after a certain number of lacklustre performances, one cannot help but gain preconceived notions of the quality of future films that they are cast in. Jesse Eisenberg is one of those actors for me after his "unique" performance in Batman Vs Superman: Dawn Of Justice, which was further confirmed by The Hummingbird Project. So do take any criticisms of Eisenberg with a grain of salt, but know that Resistance has started to change that preconceived notion of Jesse Eisenberg.

This another case of having to dial back your expectations if you have seen the trailer, because the energy of the film is far more reserved than what the trailer portrays. It's important to note this, because when you hear the story is about someone joining the resistance during World War II against Nazi Germany, you could easily be tricked into expecting a film packed with action. In this case, our protagonist Marcel (played by Jesse Eisenberg) takes on more of a pacifist role, with the goal of survival rather than fighting back. In this regard, Resistance is in a similar genre as Schindler's List.

The pacifist role is quite a difficult position to cover in a film, as it creates inconsistencies in tone, which can be a challenge to overcome. The feelgood moments of a mime entertaining children and finding ways to make them laugh and play, ultimately reduces the tension and suspense of the more tortured scenes. The lighter tones distracting the audience from forming a strong connection with the main characters; something that is already difficult due to the abrupt introduction our protagonists receive.

From a visual sense, the cinematography is quite well executed. The set designs and costuming look authentic, and the film uses a lot of natural lighting to form warm colour palettes in the evening scenes, and a jaded and worn, cool palette for the daytime scenes.

The acting is brilliant, with everyone looking perfectly cast, with the exception of Eisenberg. While this is one of his better performances, it takes a while to look past his jittery acting performance and horrendous accent. This combined with the lack of character development in the first act (due to the film jumping straight into the story), we have a character that is hurried, and terse; hardly a personality that endears itself with the modern audience. Eisenberg does eventually warm up to the position and by the time the second act comes around, his accent is not as noticeable, and his character development is well utilized. 

More measured and conservative than expected, and a little cavalier to begin with, but Resistance has a solid story that has clearly defined heroes and villains, which make it a very straightforward and easy viewing experience. It doesn't have the emotional impact of other German/Jew films like Schindler's List, nor the action and strong characters of the pacifist war film Hacksaw Ridge, but it is still a worthy story that is worth a watch.

Resistance is in cinemas from June 12, 2020

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8638

LOVE SARAH (2019)

A young woman wishes to fulfil her mother's dream of opening her own bakery in Notting Hill, London. To do this, she enlists the help of an old friend and her grandma.

Love Sarah has all of the ingredients of a Hallmark film; it begins with a tragedy that affects all of our characters, it includes three generations of women, multiple romantic arcs, and involves racial inclusion in its story. The end product, however, is somewhat half-baked and lacks substance. A character in the film questions what about the entire venture is enterprising or imaginative, and if that isn't a piece of damning meta-humour about the film itself, I don't know what is.

With three actresses representing three generations of women, there is a lot of potential to show how loss affects them each differently. What Jake Brunger's screenplay provides, is a number of very basic sub-plots that have little to affect on the main storyline. A number of elements provide nothing more than filler and unnecessary conflict, to the point that Love Sarah feels more like a serialised soap opera, than a feature film. Perhaps this would have made an interesting arc in Coronation Street or Eastenders, but as a standalone feature, any source of conflict is either immediately resolved, or simply disregarded. Creating a toothless beast.

The acting is fine as it serves the script well enough. To that end, the cinematography and colour grading perfectly encapsulate the gloom and grey dreary weather London is known for. A colour scheme that visually conveys that feeling of claustrophobia and stagnation when a life-changing event occurs. It does, on the other hand, mean that the film lacks that spark and vibrancy that would carry its happier moments. Barely capable of forming serviceable comfort, the cinematography and direction is lacking when it comes to culminating a satisfactory payoff at the end of the film. In fact, when suitable low-energy conclusion is reached, the film continues on with several epilogue pieces throughout the credits, and then starts inserting random camera shots extending the film further, for no discernible reason. 

At its core, Love Sarah is palatable. It is easy to watch, and is no challenge to understand. A very straightforward feelgood story about turning a tragic event into something positive. It simply lacks any form of artistic flair or narrative intrigue. Either predictable or of no consequence to the story, the story of full of extraneous pieces that develop characters in irrelevant ways. A passable Mothers Day film, that will only really hold any merit with mother-daughter viewing combos. 

Love Sarah is in cinemas on June 12, 2020

Originally posted to: http://djin.nz/Kr8598

IN FABRIC (2018)

A lonely divorcee visits a bewitching London department store to find a dress to transform her life. She soon finds a perfect, artery-red gown that unleashes a malevolent, unstoppable curse.

I was unsure of what I was expecting from this film, but I certainly didn't expect what I got. I am not familiar with the prior works of Director Peter Strickland (the likes of The Field Guide To Evil, The Duke of Burgundy, and Berberian Sound Studio), but if this feature is anything to judge his works by, Strickland is a creator of highly sensual and atmospheric works. 

In Fabric is a simple film that looks at the behaviours and fascinations of people related to the concept of shopping and consumerism, all through the guise of an edgy horror film about a killer red dress. The dress, described as artery red in colour, is one of the few elements of this double-act film that is present throughout, and yet it isn't so much the focus of the film. The focus is more so on the human characters that cross paths with this red dress. 

The first act centers around Sheila (played by Marianne Jean-Baptiste) a recently divorced bankteller, looking for love, chastised at work, and a side character in her son's life. The second act however focuses on a washing machine repairman, Reg Speaks (played by Leo Bill), who is recently engaged and is also in an unconventional work situation. Both characters (along with their support characters) view and interact with the dress in a number of different ways, exploring the relationship between material possessions and consumerism, through hypersexualized scenarios and perverse fetishizations. 

In a visual sense, In Fabric is stunning. Strong choices in cinematography by Ari Wegner and colour grading form a glamorously vibrant and lush visual experience. The grain and colour palette of rich full colours, gives off a retro 70's and 80's vibe that falls in line with the style of deceptively artistic films such as Dario Argento's 1977 horror, Suspiria or Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. The acting styles feel almost theatrical in nature, with a higher attention paid to the aural sensations.

Silence is used effectively in conjunction with close up camera shots of unusual behaviour to make the audience feel uncertain and uncomfortable, at all times, jumping from one uncanny situation to another. The musical compositions by Cavern of Anti-Matter further heightening the experience adding a very supernatural atmosphere to the feature. 

What lets the film down, is its structure. The first act has the most intrigue and build up, and yet the transitions between scenes feel so off-kilter that it feels like there is information missing; as if the audience is viewing a highlight reel of perplexing and unnatural events. There is no sense of time passing, and this makes the jumpy collection of scenes almost feel non-linear as characters are randomly introduced and disregarded. The second act is much better structured, by comparison, but struggles with the need to introduce a new set of characters half way through the film, and ends up repeating a lot of the same behaviours from the first act.

An anthology of scenes that are inspired by the shopping process, In Fabric looks at the unnatural senses of arousal that the behaviours can awaken; from sales and holiday specials, to fitting rooms, mannequins, and the repeated incantations of customer service scripts, strickland find a way to turn every aspect into something sexual and passionate, finding a way to add further fluids to the killer red dress. 

If you are a fan of a strong storyline, this is not the A24 film for you. Far from the likes of Midsommar and The Lighthouse, In Fabric has no set destination. It is an unguided exploration of a world not too dissimilar from our own, interrupted by montages and newspaper clippings. It is weird, it is wacky, but above all else, it is unpredictable and striking in an aural sense. It is not my kind of film, that is for sure, as I prefer strong character development and narrative direction. But In Fabric puts forward something different, and that is something worth appreciating.

In Fabric is in selected cinemas from June 4, 2020