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  • My Ex – DVD Review

    My Ex – DVD Review

    My Ex is a Thai supernatural revenge movie following Ken, an attractive famous actor who likes to sleep around who faces the terrible consequences of a vengeful ex who takes her grudge with her to the grave, and beyond – billed in it’s promo material more as a tale of revenge upon a lover, make no mistake My Ex is first and foremost a supernatural ghost story.

    Ken attracts a great many women, enamoured by his fame and good looks he has his pick of them, at the start one of his lover’s, Meen, tells him she is pregnant and he can’t run away quick enough to his new girl of the moment, Ploy – there’s also another girl, Bow, who we can guess is his previous, or one of many previous, throwaway affections. This start to get a bit threatening as Ken’s car is vandalised and Bow is killed in a truck ‘accident’, and who and what are responsible all seem a bit of a mystery – the vengeful girlfriend, yet another woman, or the vaguely menacing paparazzo that seems to be hounding Ken’s every move.

    The supernatural elements really take hold at this point (which is still very early on) and a ghoulish dead woman appears at nearly every possible opportunity – reflective surfaces, bath tubs, darkly lit hallways and corners: all the usual horror cliche’s get chucked at us quicker than you can say ‘booo’. Ploy and Ken are constantly suddenly awaking from horrible nightmare’s where they are plagued by the malefic spirit – much to the annoyance of the viewer as the ‘they’re dreaming it’ trick is so tired that it might send us into slumber. It’s also increasingly difficult to keep up with the plot as it meanders around and drags significantly after the first 40 minutes or so.

    Dead rising from bathtubs, ghoulishly apparent and rotting races, tense hands and reaching fingers, masses of black superfluous hair forming tangled water ridden masses, tense music and obvious loud noises, as well as the prevailing sense that someone or something is always behind you are constant cause for concern for the cast members who start to get picked off one by one by the less than shy irate ghost woman. Unfortunately by the time is crawls towards its conclusion, because it lacks the build up of scares that decent horror movies pull off choosing instead to just cram as much ‘horror’ into our eyes as possible before we collapse into tears of boredom, there is a good chance that not only will you barely be paying attention to what happens to Ken, but you won’t care.

    Certainly some of the effects are well created, and for what is likely a modestly budgeted movie My Ex has a decent enough production value, however the editing leaves a lot to be desired and certain scenes fall into complete obsolescence. It gets to the point where the movie has run out of steam on ‘scares’ and resorts to depicting a gratuitous self-abortion, cheap gross-out effects over genuine terror. Of course Ken is made to repent for his womanising ways but, as is often the case, people rarely change and the end of the movie is glaringly obvious. My Ex is certainly not the worst horror movie, but it is very much a genre piece that fails to hold its own against other Asian tales of ghostly revenge.

    My Ex is available from October 8.

  • Red White And Blue: Simon Rumley Interview

    Red White And Blue: Simon Rumley Interview

    Last year The Horror Channel premiered Simon Rumley’’s stunning piece of award-winning cinema, The Living And The Dead and this month they are giving his equally astonishing and controversial movie Red White And Blue its UK TV premiere on Oct 20 at 10.55pm

    Set in Austin, Texas, this dark love story follows the disaffected and promiscuous Erica (Amanda Fuller –Buffy The Vampire Slayer) as she sleeps with a series of nameless men, until she is befriended by Nate (Noah Taylor – Submarine, The Proposition), an ex-Iraq war veteran with a sociopathic streak. Nate, seems interested in Erica for more than just sex – but when one of her previous partners, hard-rocking mamma’s boy Franki (Marc Senter) resurfaces, Erica’s actions come back to haunt her, leading to a terrifying climax which has shocked audiences worldwide.

    Rumley talks about his deeply shocking yet tenderly moving film, what it was like shooting the movie in America and why distributors are confounded by his work.

    Red White and Blue is very different to your film The Living And The Dead, where did the idea come from?

    SR: It came from a mixture of personal fears, reading about crazy events on the internet, wanting to do another horror film that wasn’t obviously classifiable as a horror film and also wanting to make a film that was, like The Living And The Dead, equally tragic and disturbing…

    Why set it in America?

    SR: I’d been wanting to shoot a film for a long time in America and it seemed like the perfect setting for the film. Some films can work well in different countries but some are very country specific and I felt this wouldn’t work in the same way in the UK as it would in America. There’s a filmic classicism to neon lights and wide open spaces and the flipside of the American Dream which, naturally, we don’t get in the UK.

    What was it like shooting in Austin, Texas?

    SR: Fantastic. Austin is such an excellent city and the people are so friendly and welcoming and laid back and cool in the best possible sense of the word. One of the reasons we went to Austin was because my friend Tim League and his wife Karrie, lived there. They own a bunch of cinemas called the Alama Drafthouse and pretty much know everyone there is to know so I knew if we ever got into trouble or needed help they’d be able to help us. As well as filming in peoples’ houses and diners and bars, we also had a ton of local extras and our whole crew apart from the DP and editor were locals. It was a tough shoot and they really stepped up to the challenge really well.

    It’s a raw and very gritty piece, set very much in the real world. Would you agree this is where horror works best?

    SR: Absolutely – escapist horror can be fun at times but for me, if I don’t believe the situation and the characterization then usually I’m not emotionally affected which means I’m not scared and/or I’m not disturbed. Certainly for me, most my favourite horror films are based in a believable reality whether it be Freaks or The Omen.

    The cast is outstanding, Amanda Fuller as Erica and Noah Tyler as Nate bring a brutal and heartbreaking honesty to their roles. Did you write the parts with these actors in mind?

    SR: No; I’d never heard of Amanda before we cast her in the film but when I saw her audition and then met her, it did feel like the part had been written for her. Once I’d written the script and we started casting, Noah was my first choice for Nate. Although most people are bowled over by his performance, they’re also slightly dumbfounded by the initial casting of him as such a character. I’ve been a massive fan ever since I saw him in his debut feature The Year My Voice Broke and although he’s never played anyone so dark, I always felt he had a quirkiness and a darkness that hadn’t been previously explored.

    The characters are very “damaged” in different ways and you don’t pull away from showing the audience how much. Do you censor yourself at all as you create a script?

    SR: Good question! I generally don’t censor myself but after Red White And Blue and my two anthology features I’ve done in the last few years (Little Deaths and The ABC’s Of Death) I’m now making a deliberate effort to work on scripts which aren’t as ‘tough’ because although they go down well with the audiences, most the film industry, that being sales agents and distributors, are usually confounded by my films because they’re so uncompromising. I’m now writing scripts which are still very much my ideas but which are more ‘identifiable’ as product that can be bought or sold; sadly, what directors make is and always will be seen as a commodity by many.

    What was the atmosphere like on set?

    SR: It was actually pretty great. Everyone was really friendly and did their job really well. Initially people were a bit sceptical that we’d get everything shot in time but when we started picking up the pace, everyone loved it and had no time to do much apart from concentrate. Both the producer and I agreed it was the most harmonious set we’d worked on.

    There’s quite a twist to the story, was this to give it an extra layer, a moral in fact?

    SR: Yep, absolutely – if it’s the ending you’re talking about – the very last shot in fact. I thought that justified Nate’s actions even more and made the whole thing even more tragic; personally I thought it was a pretty devastating ending although I’m not sure what everyone else thought!

    Red White And Blue is getting its UK TV premiere on the Horror Channel, how do you feel about that?

    SR: Very excited. The Horror Channel used to be a bit goofy but nowadays it has the best selection of both contemporary and older horror of any channel in the UK so it’s a must for any self-respecting horror fan.

    What’s your honest opinion of horror cinema at the moment, is it in good health?

    SR: I think there’s more interesting and unique horror directors around now than there have been in a long time and all you have to do is look at The ABCs Of Death to view the breadth of what’s on offer. That said, I think much horror is still stuck repeating older formulae as well working on remakes and sequels. Even though there haven’t been many fantastic horror films in the last few years, I still think it’s a very exciting time generally for the genre.

    So what projects are you working on at the moment?

    SR: Well, as discussed, I’ve just finished The ABCs Of Death which premiered at the Toronto film festival. Beyond that I have a few projects which seem close to happening and a few which I’m still developing…

    Simon Rumley, thank you very much.

    SR: Thank you!

    Red White And Blue premieres on the Horror Channel Oct 20 at 10.55pm

  • The Bubble

    The Bubble

    A new film is coming out that blames the financial crisis on spending and the Federal Reserve.

    The Bubble interviews the experts that predicted the 2008 crisis and asks what is coming next. The cast includes Ron Paul, Peter Schiff, Jim Rogers, Marc Faber, Doug Casey, Jim Grant and more. Economic Historian Tom Woods wrote the script and based it from his New York Times Best Seller “Meltdown.”

    Check the coverage in The Huffington Post, and the trailer below.

  • My Ten Universal Films

    My Ten Universal Films

    I was asked to pick ten of my favourite films from Universal Pictures’ canon, and it was not easy.  Now, these ten films are not my faves of all time, but just a taste of the films I love and the great work Universal have achieved.  So we begin with…

     

    The Birds

    Mr Hitchcock really was one of the most gifted film makers. Rear Window I feel is his best work (and the best film every made), but I do have a spot for this one.  The use and lack of sound really adds to the already taut story.  The film builds up slowly then explodes birds everywhere and telephone box damage.

    ICONIC SCENE – Melanie (Tippi Hedren) waiting outside the school. At each cut back, a few more crows would perch on the climbing frame. The sight of them freaks people out to this day. Subtle and chilling.

     

    Spartacus

    Stanley Kubrick’s last Hollywood picture is epic. Full of scope, imagination and quality. You can see Kubrick’s legendary attention to detail in every frame. Each shot looks beautiful. For it’s time Spartacus is very violent and bloody especially for such a mainstream blockbuster.  And what a cast – Kirk Douglas, Jean Simmons,Peter Ustinov, Laurence Olivier and Charles Laughton.

    ICONIC SCENE – I am Spartacus!  I am Spartacus!  I am Spartacus! (and repeat…)

     

    American Graffiti

    Richard Dreyfuss is awesome as the smart kid, ready for college, but wondering if he’s doing the right thing. Add Ron Howard and Cindy Williams predating Happy Days and a young Harrison Ford in the mix For 1960’s fun! Directed by George Lucas – could it be the best thing he’s done…?

    FAVE SONG – “Heart and Soul” by The Cleftones.

     

    To Kill A Mockingbird

    This film isn’t about the director or even the actors; it is about the power to change people. Gregory Peck’s performance fits the intent of the film, dignified and strong. A great example of film reflecting the source material.

    ICONIC SCENE – That speech…

     

    Do The Right Thing

    A modern classic.  Set on the hottest day of the year in Brooklyn, the film follows several individuals throughout the day as racial tensions become increasingly strained. A very strong cast and a Oscar nom’d script provide a film that packs a punch.  Track this one down.

    FAVE SONG – “Fight The Power” by Public Enemy.  ICONIC SCENE – Rosie Perez dancing!

     

    Twelve Monkeys

    Time travel.  Bruce Willis.  Thought provoking story.  Gilliam. What else do you need?  Loosely based on a short film (La Jetee).

    ICONIC SCENE – Any bit with Brad Pitt in!

     

    Double Indemnity

    Classic film noir,unparalleled style. It starts with the hero admitting he’s the whodunit!  Crazy!

    The story of how and why he dunit make this a classic – Go rent!

    ICONIC SCENE – The innuendo riddled scene…

     

    Frost/Nixon

    Frank Langella & Michael Sheen are incredible as the title characters.  And the supporting cast are too.  Kevin Bacon plus Gould, Platt and Rockwell all add something to the film. Rebecca Hall is elegant and demure as always.

    ICONIC SCENE – The interview.

     

    National Lampoon’s Animal House

    Tasteless, politically incorrect and hilarious, with a cast of comedy greats, including the late great John Belushi.

    ICONIC SCENE – Pinto’s Good & Bad Consciences battling over his date…

     

    The Thing (1982)

    Wow.  When this was released Universal sent a note along with all prints of the film. They suggested to theatre owners that they play the film in an auditorium near the rest rooms. They were afraid that people would be so sickened by the violence that they’d have to be close to a facility to throw up!  Nothing else to say!

    ICONIC SCENE – “You’ve got to be fucking kidding?!”

     

    Ten films I love – hope you do too.

  • We Are The Night – Review

    We Are The Night – Review

    Looking at the cover art for We Are the Night you get the impression that this could be some kind of Sex and The City meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer hybrid – more than likely the intent of the distributer. It’s fair to say that there’s certainly elements of the former in this German fantasy.

    The plot focuses on Lena (Karoline Herfurth) , a small time pickpocket who is taken in by a group of attractive, go-getting vampires. Head of the pack is Louise (Nina Hoss) who has been searching for her lost love for hundreds of years and believes Lena to be her reincarnation (so far, so Dracula). We also have Charlotte (Jennifer Ulrich), the sullen/moody one and Nora (Anna Fischer), the cheerful party girl who’s actually pretty annoying. Taken from a life on the streets Lena is shown the decadent lifestyle of the vampire group who love nothing more than partying in expensive night clubs, shopping and finding men to have their way with. Actually it really is like Sex and the City. Of course there is the unfortunate business of having to murder people for their blood and not staying out in the sun. There is also another problem in the form of Detective Tom (Max Reimelt) who took an interest in Lena pre-vampire transformation and is keen to know what has become of her now. As he investigates her further he starts to find the connection between Lena & Co and the slew of bloodless corpses turning up about the place.

    We Are the Night is a strange proposition overall. Vampirism is a subject usually reserved for horror films. This film is anything but a horror and I don’t believe it’s trying to be. Rather it is a story of a group of damaged people who all mask they’re deep emotions with partying and bloodletting. It’s almost an allegory for dealing with depression. Nora’s happy go-lucky facade crumbles when she talks about a guy she really likes but can’t be with because she “would hurt him… really”. Charlotte misses the daughter she left behind and clearly misses the simple mortal pleasures of staying out in the sun.

    Maybe if it was told with a clearer drama narrative We Are the Night could have been a much more interesting psychological study. However director Dennis Gansel (director of the critically acclaimed The Wave) fills the film with superficial visuals and montages that come straight from the 80’s and slight attempts at action that render the film into straight to DVD hell. You almost get the feeling that the initial intent was something much more introverted but was then pounced upon by money men who demanded “we need a gun fight”, “they need to out shopping in this store”, “how many times can we get them in their underwear?”. As a result the film pulls in so many directions it lacks focus and therefore lacked my interest.

    The central quartet all manage to raise above their two-dimensional characters – sassy, moody, annoying. Herfurth in particular puts in a committed performance and convinces in both her street urchin role and glamorous Gucci drenched socialite. Ultimately though the eagerness to throw so many ingredients into the plot make for a bland mix. So what we have here is a bit like Sex and the City but as also a bit like Blade, Dracula, Near Dark, Nikita, Set It Off and The Lost Boys.